KINGSTON, Jamaica (Observer) — The opposition yesterday welcomed the review of Jamaica’s membership in the Caribbean Community (Caricom), but warned that the proposed commission should be cautious in its approach to the review.
The opposition in a news release said a review, from time to time, of the workings of any institution or organisation, or of an individual’s or a country’s membership can be a “meaningful exercise”.
However, the opposition warned that the proposed Caricom Review Commission should not begin with any preconceived or settled view of a Caricom partner being “an ATM” or of regional partners being “mendicants”.
The opposition says it expects that the exercise will result in “sustainable benefit and the development of our country”.
According to the opposition, dated concepts such as “federation through the backdoor” should be shelved and the private sector should be encouraged to conduct its own introspection as to whether or not it has made proper use of the institutions of Caricom and allow its findings to flow into the discussions of the Caricom Review Commission.
“We also believe that the academic fraternity should make itself readily available to provide discrete assistance to the deliberations of the commission,” the opposition People’s National Party said.
The opposition said it would support any call for the findings and recommendations of the Review Commission to be presented to the Parliament for full consideration and debate.
“With the caveats outlined, there is every reason to embrace such a review, bearing in mind the history and the cultural underpinnings that are shared by these territories that are washed by the Caribbean Sea,” the PNP said.
