CH 15. Regional Integration

West Indies Federation

Formed in 1958 to create a political union among British colonies, aimed at self-government and independence from Britain, but failed due to lack of education, territories' unwillingness to give up power, communication issues, and envy among states.

Regional Integration in the Caribbean

Refers to attempts by Caribbean states to form a union for political, economic, cultural, or trade purposes to address common issues, enhance international influence, and pool resources. Reasons include small individual states, limited resources, shared historical and cultural backgrounds.

Federation

A group of states under a central government with independence in internal affairs, as seen in the West Indies Federation where the desire was to strengthen self-government and regional development through federal institutions and regional structures.

Reasons for Integration

Include the small size and limited international clout of individual Caribbean states, shared problems with trading partners, historical and cultural similarities, and the need for combined political and economic weight on the international stage.

Factors Hindering Integration

Nationalism, diversity, differences in development stages, priorities, economic disparity, unwillingness to cooperate, conflicts between territorial and regional demands, currency differences, resource disparities, political system variations, and social and racial differences.

Explain the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States

Formed 1981 by the Treaty of Basseterre to formalize various aspects of cooperating economically and to promote unity between seven newly independent islands in the Eastern Caribbean.

It has nine countries including Antigua, Barbuda, Montserrat, St. Kitts, St. Nevis, St. Vincent, Barbados, Turks and Caicos, Guyana, British Virgin Islands, Dominica.

Objectives:

*Partnership and Trade with Caribbean Countries

*To support countries in realizing their responsibility to the International community

*To promote economic integration

*To provide a place (forum) for common policies.

This was made successful through the fact that the countries have commonalities such as being small countries with few land, and common historical background. It also allows these people to travel freely, and recognizes this not as a hindrance but as a way of building connection.

It has its own Bank and Currency.

Explain the association of Caribbean States.

Formed in 1994, by the Treaty of Cartegena and is made up of English, Spanish, French and Dutch speaking territories and has its base in Trinidad.

The five main areas of concern are:

1. To promote the sustainability of the Caribbean Sea

2. To promote sustainable tourism

3. To support and strengthen cooperation between countries within the Caribbean Region.

4. To establish strategies for dealing with natural disasters

5. To improve transport links in order to strengthen effective cooperation.

They do this through:

*Designing building codes,

*Working on Caribbean Sea initiatives

*Having an annual Business meeting.

*Having Language training.

What is difference between CariCom and ACS

Caricom-

*formed earlier

*Has fewer member countries and focusesses mainly on English speaking countries

*Is focused more on being a Single Market Economy.

*Focuses on Integration rather than cooperation.

ACS

*is more of the broader Caribbean with 25 members

*Focus on cooperation

*Is a zone of cooperation with trade, transport and natural disasters

What are some of the achievements and challenges of Caricom

*Better border control with the establishment of a CARICOM passport.

*Improved economic strength as resources are pooled.

*Greater disaster relief preparedness

*Free movement of Capital

*Larger market for individual member states

*The establishment of the Caribbean Single Market Economy (CSME)

*Reaching out to and incorporating other regional groups into the fold (OECS is now considered a sub group of CARICOM)