Poverty & Social Development: A Caribbean Perspective

The CSME: A Question of Choices and Policy alternatives

I’m back on the block with this time some comments about the Caribbean Regional Integration Process (CSME) through the eyes of Dr. Keith Rowley, Minister of Housing of Trinidad and Tobago.

“Addressing the topic of the Caribbean Single Market and Economy (CSME), Dr. Rowley asked the Kiwani’s South membership to contemplate the ease with which the Caribbean region could implement a unification process if they simply learn from the example provided by the European Union (EU). We do not have to recreate the wheel, noted Dr. Rowley, and the benefit of a larger available market, less borders, less political activities and a drive to reach international standards should make sense to all participating islands.”

With all due respects, I have to reckon that this matter of Regional Integration (CSME) is no small perspective, having to deal on one hand with changing patterns brought on by globalization, and the impacts of various trade policies, and on the other hand the policy options that should take into accounts their endowments, and institutional frameworks. But of course these are only some parts of the components in the whole paradigm. Where the greater issues in my understanding can be summed up (really summed up for the moment), with the needs to develop and draw upon alternative policy choices in the lights of unilateral trade liberalization, and the domestic reforms to facilitate South-South integration and cooperation, whether in terms of public goods exchange, free movement of people and goods, welfare implications, and technology transfers.