Caribbean integration

Factors promoting integration in the Caribbean

1. Common goals
2. Common resources though limited
3. Common political ideology
4. Common history: colonialism, descendants of migrants, slavery
5. Common economic status, developing countries
6. common problems, local and international
7. Common climate, soil, landforms
8. Common culture, language
9. Strategic locations: all Caribbean countries are surrounded by the Caribbean Sea.
10. The challenges of globalisation and trade liberalisation.

Factors hindering regional integration:

1. Competition between countries, e.g., for the location of new industries and the production of similar
products.

2. Differences in resource distribution

3. Differences in stages of development

4. Conflict between territorial and regional demands and loyalties.

5. Influence of multi-national and metropolitan agencies.

The federal experiment

Federation means the amalgamation or coming together of a number of entities to form one cohesive
group with the same aims and destiny.

The origin of a West Indian federation

The earliest Federal experiment took place in Barbados in 1626, where the Leeward Islands were
integrated under one governor, the Earl of Carlisle. From 1833 to 1855, the Windward Islands and
Barbados were united under one government, of which Trinidad was a part for two years. In the 1930s,
the idea of West Indian territories integrating as a Caribbean community under one federal or Caribbean
government was proposed and meetings were held to effect this change.

Why a federation?

1. West Indians were generally dissatisfied with the unresponsiveness and reluctance shown by the British
government to deal with the social, economic and political problems being faced by the colonies. They
wanted an end to poor living and working conditions, limited political powers and discrimination based on
race and class.

2. West Indians in leadership positions felt that they were trained and knowledgeable about their own
nation states and could take over control of their own governance.

3. The teachings of Marcus Garvey helped to empower blacks to take charge of their own governments.
4. They questioned the accomplishments of Crown colony government, and realised that not much had
been done to improve the conditions of the people.

5. Colonialism as a constitutional and ideological form of governance was now under attack, as it was seen
as an outdated and backward political rule.

6. The British government felt that it would make administrative decisions easier, as this could be dealt
with by the federal government that, in turn, would be answerable to the metro pole.

7. The British government believed it would be more efficient and cheaper to replace the Governor and his
staff in each colony with one governor-general and few officials for the entire Caribbean region.

Problems arising

1. The larger territories feared their development would be held back by smaller and generally poor
colonies. They feared that if the free movement of Caribbean people were allowed, they would be
bombarded by more immigrants, and they already had more than they could manage.

2. In 1947, Alexander Bustamante said that people were "rushing to set up a federation of paupers".
Grantley Adams from Barbados said, "The plan would lead to nothing more than glorified form of colonial
rule." The Trinidadian representatives stated that it represented no constitutional advance for the
Caribbean.

3. The question of funding became an issue of debate.

4. There was also a problem concerning the location of the capital, as each country that was proposed,
was met with opposition and jealousy.

The End of the experiment

In 1961, Jamaica, after a referendum in which people were asked to vote whether or not to let Jamaica
remain in the federation, to which the people of Jamaica responded "No", officially withdrew.

Dr. Eric Williams of Trinidad and Tobago stated after Jamaica's withdrawal that "ten minus one equals
nothing", which meant that Jamaica's withdrawal would make it impossible to bring about a strong and
unified federation, so he declared Trinidad and Tobago would also withdraw.

In 1961, the federation was dissolved. Both Trinidad and Jamaica gained their independence in 1962.

Despite the failure of creating a federation of Caribbean states, the idea of regional integration was never
fully lost. A number of regional organisations were formed with the aim of fostering Caribbean unity and
development. These include:

CARIFTA (Caribbean Free Trade Area)

The end of the federation meant the beginning of more serious efforts on the part of the political leaders
in the Caribbean to strengthen the ties between the islands and mainland. The heads of government kept
meetings to discuss the possibility of establishing a free-trade area. A FREE-TRADE AREA IS AN AREA
IN WHICH THERE ARE NO BARRIERS TO TRADE. The heads of government of the islands of
ANTIGUA, BARBADOS AND BRITISH GUYANA SIGNED AN AGREEMENT AT DICKENSON BAY,
ANTIGUA, to set up the Caribbean Free Trade Association (CARIFTA) in 1965.

IT CAME INTO EFFECT ON MAY 1, 1968, with the participation of Antigua, Barbados, Trinidad and
Tobago and Guyana. They AGREED THAT THERE SHOULD BE NO TRADE BARRIERS BETWEEN
THEMSELVES AND THAT ANY IMPORT DUTIES THEY IMPOSED ON GOODS SHOULD BE THE SAME
IN ALL TERRITORIES. By 1970, the membership included Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Trinidad and
Tobago, Guyana, Dominica, Grenada, St. Kitts/Nevis/Anguilla, St Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines,
Jamaica, Montserrat and British Honduras (Belize).

CARICOM

It was at the Seventh Heads of Government conference, in October, 1972, that the Caribbean leaders
decided to transform CARIFTA into a common market and establish the CARIBBEAN COMMUNITY
(CARICOM), WHICH WAS ESTABLISHED ON JULY 4, 1973, when Jamaica, Barbados, Guyana and
Trinidad and Tobago signed the TREATY OF CHAGUARAMAS, IN TRINIDAD. THE HEADQUARTERS OF
CARICOM IS IN GEORGETOWN, GUYANA.

Objectives of CARICOM

1. To encourage trade between member states (economic cooperation).

2. To foster cooperation in NON-ECONOMIC AREAS (FUNCTIONAL COOPERATION) such as health,

education, culture, sport, etc.

3. To coordinate foreign policy among the members of states.

Activities

1. Explain the following:

a. The Caribbean can truly be seen as one global village.

b. Caribbean integration is critical and essential to CARICOM member states.

2. Explain why Caribbean integration is very important to Jamaica.

3. State four reasons why Caribbean integration is possible.

4. Give three reasons why Caribbean integration is facing problems.

5. Give two problems that have arisen on several occasions, which tend to jeopardise the integration
movement.