Recommitting to the CARICOM ideal

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, Guardian - The effort that was invested in producing elaborate theatre to celebrate the anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Chaguaramas on Thursday might suggest the seriousness that the region’s leaders have invested in the idea of regional unity. Cynics, however, might hope for more tangible proof of such efforts.

It’s been 40 years since representatives of Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica and T&T signed the document that brought the Caribbean Community and Common Market into being, but there has been embarrassingly little to show after four decades of commitment to creating a regional economic and cultural commons. The pomp and circumstance that accompanied this week’s ceremonial restaging stands in stark contrast to the poor backstage work supporting the hope of a grand performance of regional unity.

It’s arguable that the region’s people, through migrations between nations and enthusiastically shared interests in sport and music, have done more to bring a sense of unity to the region than their leaders have. It’s doubly painful to realise that while the people of the Caribbean have moved toward better regional understanding, whether through cricket, seeking regional job opportunities or simply partying to soca and reggae, their governments have not embraced any of these clear points of engagement.