Ambassador Irwin Larocque, Secretary-General Caribbean Community (CARICOM) assumes new role

NEW YORK – Remarks By Ambassador Irwin Larocque, Secretary-General Caribbean Community (CARICOM) On His Assumption Of The Office Of Secretary-General on August 15:

Today, I begin my task as the Secretary-General of the Caribbean Community with a mix of excitement and awe given the challenges of the moment.

I wish at the outset, to express my appreciation to you, Mr. Chairman, and your colleague Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community for the confidence reposed in me as Secretary-General of our Community.

I take particular note of the charge you have given me, Mr. Chairman.

I also want to pay tribute to Ambassador Lolita Applewhaite, who for the past seven and a half months has acted as Secretary-General and fulfilled her responsibilities with great skill and fortitude at a difficult time in the life of the Community and its Secretariat. It would also be remiss of me were I not to recognize the tremendous contribution of my predecessor, Sir Edwin Carrington, to the building of this Community. Under his watch much has been achieved in advancing the architecture of our integration.

I am also grateful for the many congratulatory messages and warm expressions of goodwill I have received since my selection on the 21st of July. That those wishes came not only from across the Region, but also from far distant shores, testifies to the reach and significance of our Caribbean Community.

In addition to the formal congratulatory messages, I received numerous e-mails, phone calls and text messages, some from persons whom I do not know, but who wanted to be part of the moment; a moment which does not belong to me but to the entire Community. In airports across the Region and further afield, strangers walked up to me and expressed their views about the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME); about the movement of people in our Community, the treatment meted out to them at points of entry and the perceived difficulty of travelling throughout our Region; about the need for jobs; about crime; about cricket; about the CARICOM Secretariat and many other issues of concern to the citizens of our Caribbean Community. While there was cynicism in some cases, a common thread in almost all of these messages and encounters was a commitment and belief in our integration movement, as well as hope for change. This in itself has been a most sobering but encouraging experience. It is that hope which as Secretary-General I will strive to fuel.

I assume the position of Secretary-General at a most testing time, a period when our Region is still feeling the effects of the recent global financial and economic crisis; a time when forecasters are predicting that we may be heading into another global recession that would no doubt impact on our small vulnerable economies and for which our cohesiveness becomes even more imperative; a time when the commitment of our Leaders to integration is being questioned by some; a time when some suggest that our people seem to be losing faith in integration as a means of improving their lives; a time when we are grappling with rising fuel and food prices that are at unprecedented high levels; a time when our Member States are challenged by fiscal constraint; a time when the budget of the Secretariat has been reduced; and at a time when expectations by our Member States and the people of the Region are high. The Conference of Heads of Government has mandated a review of the CARICOM Secretariat which will be concluded within a few months. They have also mandated a review of other regional institutions. I eagerly await the findings of both reviews since I am firmly of the view that the architecture and governance of our integration arrangements must be reformed if we are to be more effective and accountable in the discharge of our duties and functions. The message from all quarters is loud and clear: “it cannot be business as usual”; and I take these words to apply not just to the CARICOM Secretariat but to all aspects of our integration, including Member States and regional institutions. There is a general view out there that all things CARICOM, rightly or wrongly, are the purview of the CARICOM Secretariat. That is not necessarily the case; but if it is determined that this is how it should be, then the requisite reforms must be undertaken. There cannot be responsibility without authority.

At their Retreat here in Guyana on May 21st and 22nd of this year, Heads of Government laid down the priorities, focus and direction of the Community. They determined that while much has been accomplished in the Region, particularly in health and education, and in the area of the Single Market, there is need for greater focus on functional cooperation in building a Community for All. There is need for a greater sense of Community and a clear vision at the regional level so that the people of the Region can buy into it. I take the outcome of the Retreat as the broad mandate for the discharge of my duties during my term of office over the next five years.

While I am on the Retreat, allow me to say a few words about the CARICOM Single Market and Economy. During the Retreat, the Heads of Government recognized that it would not be possible to fully implement the Single Economy by the anticipated deadline of 2015. They also recognized that there is an implementation deficit on many of the decisions already taken on the CSME. They therefore agreed that it would be prudent to consolidate the gains made thus far on the CSME before taking any further action on certain specific elements of the Single Economy, such as the movement towards the single currency. You will note that the Heads of Government were very specific in making reference to the single currency or monetary union. Since the Retreat, there have been many commentaries, some of which have gone so far as to state that the entire CSME is “on pause” and that there appears to be a lack of political will.

I would like to take this opportunity to correct the reports that we have placed the CARICOM Single Market and Economy “on pause”. Nothing can be further from the truth. We are moving resolutely with the CSME. Heads of Government recognize that the CSME provides a platform for sustainable economic development. Besides the single currency, work on other critical elements of the Single Economy, such as the development of the Sectors (Agriculture and Services), a regulatory framework for the movement of capital, and the creation of an enabling environment for investment, are very much alive. During my tenure, I intend to do all I can to advance work in these and other related areas. Indeed, I take this as a specific mandate coming out of the Retreat and the many decisions taken at other Meetings of Heads of Government.

I am very much aware that the pace at which the Community is advancing with the CSME does not meet the expectations of many. From my own personal perspective, we should be much further along; and I would like to see a significant improvement in implementation. But I am equally aware that many of our Member States face constraints, both technical and political, which cannot be ignored or easily overcome. We ought not to take a purely technical or theoretical approach to integration, or think that the solution lies simply with “political will”. We must consider the politics of integration; and as one politician said to me that “all politics is national”, the politics of integration must be put squarely on the national agenda. As Secretary-General, it will be my duty to create the dialogue that would seek to find solutions to these and other constraints which are inhibiting the advancement of the integration of our Region in a timely manner.

While much has been achieved in our integration endeavors, and while much more needs to be achieved, the people of our Region seem not to be fully aware of these achievements or of the vision which we are pursuing. Too much of what has been accomplished remains a mystery to the people, and the misconception that ties the success of integration solely to progress in the Single Market and Economy remains a major challenge. Yes the CSME is of major importance but so too are education, health, security and the maintenance of strong diplomatic relations with our hemispheric and global partners.

Therefore, public education and communication will, of necessity, be a priority for me. I am fully convinced that if the people of the Region are properly informed of the benefits to be derived nationally from integration, CARICOM will more readily find its place on the national agenda, bearing in mind that “all politics is national”. The Secretariat has already prepared a draft communication strategy which includes the full use of the technology at our disposal. It is my fervent hope that we will be on the social networks before long. After all, it is the preferred mode of communication among our Youth who are so important in the pursuit of the further development of our Region.

Mr. Chairman, Ladies and gentlemen,

I begin my tenure as Secretary-General, with no illusions about the journey before me. While I pledge to do my best to justify the trust and belief that the Heads of Government have placed in me, I acknowledge that I cannot do all that I want to do; indeed, all that I must do, alone. The entire Community must make this journey with me. I cannot make the strides we have to, without the total involvement of Member States and the people of the Region.

I wish to salute the staff of the CARICOM Secretariat who have displayed unwavering commitment to improving our Community. I am sure they will agree with me, however, we must improve our efficiency and effectiveness, and deliver our mandates in a manner that has as its primary goal, the most positive impact on the lives of the people in our Community. We must do so starting now, even as we await the conclusion of the review of the Secretariat and the reform of the integration architecture. I pledge to be accessible and to lend a willing ear to the concerns of my staff even as I expect continued pride and commitment in performance, and I look forward to your continued support.

A critical element in going forward, however, will be a clear understanding that under the current conditions, the Secretariat can no longer be all things to all persons if we are to be more effective. We must be focused and adequately resourced, if we are to play the role envisaged by our Heads of Government.

To you, representatives of the media, you are a key stakeholder in this integration movement. As a valued partner and a beneficiary from the ultimate economic and social success of integration, I urge you to use your communication skills to strengthen and build confidence amongst the peoples of our Region in the integration movement.

I look forward to working with you all to advance regional integration to the point where, from Belize to Suriname, we can boast of a Community for All.