EDITORIAL: Is CARICOM jumping from one fire to the next?

July 5, 2022

So now the CARICOM is setting the seeds for a common industrial policy. Just a few short weeks ago they wanted to develop agriculture more meaningful, even set up a mini task force led by Guyanese President Irfaan Ali.

Before this advent and prior to the COVID-19 pandemic they were dealing with de-risking and even before that they were dealing with regional integration with the CSME with a few minor items smattered in there.

But ask yourself: Is anything getting done? Where is the region now from when they started crying over de-risking? I would venture to say not very far, so why jump to another item as if you solved earlier problems? I don’t get it?

You see? It’s easy to get swept away with these fanciful speeches and eloquent, charismatic individuals with their brand new things to impress one another with. But ask for the details and you would hear stuttering and errant babble- I have seen it all before.

Not to insult the efforts being done now. I believe in CARICOM. It’s just that we need to start seeing results now, not new things you won’t ever complete. I like Secretary General Barnett, she seems to be a competent woman and has the right frame of mind to make the work easier.

However, at the opening press conference one of the journalists asked Secretary General Barnett and Chairman Santokhi is this new CARICOM going to be just talk or are they actually going to get something done? The answer, of course was, no it is not going to be talk as usual then followed up with errant babble. LOL…  

Let us hope that this industrial policy takes shape because it would help with the region’s agricultural efforts.

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