In a few days’ time, Caricom Heads of Government will meet in Haiti. Judging from recent conversations with senior figures across the region, the encounter is unlikely to be straightforward or easy. While no doubt there will be the usual anodyne communique at the end of the meeting, some of the issues that will likely arise will divide the regional grouping along lines that are both fundamental and ideological, juxtaposing values, economic need, sovereignty and external pressures.
The big issues are well known. They range from the regional institution’s political response to the deteriorating situation in Venezuela and the US desire to isolate the Maduro government within the hemisphere; Mexico and the US’s desire to establish alternative energy security initiatives to PetroCaribe; Caricom’s continuing implementation deficit and the growing pressure from some members states for the institution’s fundamental reform; and Guyana’s requirement for Caricom’s unequivocal backing for the UN decision to refer the territorial controversy with Venezuela to the International Court of Justice.
There are also other more prosaic functional issues relating for example to trade and free movement that in one or another way come up at every meeting, but which few governments in private at least hold out any hope of seeing rapidly resolved. Other equally vital, even existential issues relate to climate change, regional security and industry specific matters on which region-wide decisions in real time are required.