Well, another Caricom Heads of Government conference is almost over and I'm sure media reports tomorrow will state what a 'success' it was. I admit I'm very cynical when it comes to politics but I always find these conferences to be a tenuous balance between self-interest and the 'greater good', whatever that might be at the time.
I don't want to be too hard on the region's politicians (as much as I would like to) because many of them are stuck between a rock and a hard place. Certain decisions they have to make might be good for their countries in the long-term, but in the short-term might cause them to lose elections. Sir Lloyd Sandiford could tell them about that one.
And most of the Heads of Government seem to have something to quarrel about at the moment. St. Vincent vex with St. Lucia for going with American Eagle over LIAT; Antigua vex with the United States over gambling
and imposed US$3.4 billion in sanctions against the US; Barbados vex with everybody for not being committed to regional integration; the leaders of Jamaica, the Bahamas, Belize and Suriname didn't even bother to show up but sent represenatatives....it goes on and on.
It pains me to see how quickly we united to stage the Cricket World Cup but can't seem to do so on a regular basis. Come on Heads, get it together, otherwise this week's meeting will just be yet another talk shop.
Photo: Prime Minister of Barbados, the Rt. Hon. Owen Arthur
www.caribbean360.com
No comments:
Post a Comment