Rickey Singh, Contributor
IF THE Caribbean Community Governments are really anxious to make the regional economic integration movement people-focused and friendly, then they would give urgent priority to issues such as a common CARICOM passport and improving the quality of governance as outlined in the Community's Charter of Civil Society.
Neither involves any significant expenditure. So money is not the problem. It is one of reordering their priorities in areas of functional co-operation and democracy and governance.
If there is the political will to do so, then they will find that, contrary to what they may be hearing from national or regional bureaucrats, who can be remarkably consistent in faltering on implementation of decisions, then the relevant mechanisms can be in place for action within specified time frames.
Imagine, for instance, the feeling of frustration among Caribbean people to learn that after waiting for nine years when the idea was first officially advanced, that the promised common CARICOM passport for intra-regional travel may not now be a reality for at least another two years.
Regional passport
At the opening last month of the Sixth Community Council of Ministers in Barbados, Secretary General Edwin Carrington, spoke with much enthusiasm about the recommendations from a special committee on a common regional passport for Caribbean citizens. The creation of such a travel document, he said, could lead to a "more robust and relevant" Caribbean Community. But by the conclusion of the two-day ministerial meeting, the mood was entirely different, with Mr. Carrington and Community Foreign Ministers talking about the need for "much more technical work" and being rather reluctant to even indicate whether such a document will also be for extra-regional travel.
The symbolism of oneness, the psychological value of the region's citizens having a common passport for regional and international travel, with the logo of CARICOM on the cover as well as the name of country issuing such a document, should not be minimised. Even, that is, as we continue to look forward to the dismantling of barriers and attitudinal changes among bureaucrats for region-wide freedom of movement to live and work.
Question is, will this week's 21st Summit make a realistic decision on a common passport for citizens and also advance the concept of human rights, democracy and good governance as outlined in the 'Charter of Civil Society for the Caribbean Community!
I cannot be sure exactly how many of the Community's Governments have actually given legislative endorsement to the Charter as unanimously approved in 1997 and by its implementation are demonstrating their own resolve to uphold its provisions. The Charter, which is rooted in a 1992 "Protocol of Port-of-Spain" that was approved in the wake of the Community's acceptance of major recommendations of the West Indian Commission, committed signatory Governments to, for example:
Ensure continuing respect for internationally recognised civil, political, economic social and cultural rights; uphold the right of people to freely make political choices; promote and maintain racial harmony; freedom of religion;
Create a truly participatory political environment within the Caribbean Community which will be "propitious to genuine consultation in the process of governance";
And to enter the 21st century "on the best possible governance to achieve and sustain such governance by mobilising action for change".
Well, has there been a checklist by any Government or the Community Secretariat to ascertain what progress we have made since the ceremonial signing of the Charter?
The concepts enshrined in the Charter and the oft-claimed commitment to democracy and good governance were recalled as I reflected on some of the human rights and democracy issues that ought to be given attention a this week's CARICOM Summit that begins today (Sunday) in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
Haiti and Zimbabwe
In considering issues of human rights and democracy, the Caribbean Community leaders cannot afford to engage in double-speak, discriminate, equivocate or appear to be timid when it comes to denouncing violations even within its own family.
When, therefore, politically-inspired violence and electoral malpractices take place in any of its member states to frustrate the expressed will of the people - the latest example within the Community being Haiti - then CARICOM Governments must feel free to denounce such practices as undermining harmonious relations, stability and good governance.
It is good that CARICOM will be sending another mission to Haiti to assess widely publicised reports of seriously flawed vote-counting and other post-election problems of the May 21 Parliamentary and municipal elections.
But the CARICOM leaders, meeting this week can hardly claim ignorance of the reports pointing to serious malpractices as made by human rights and other civic organisations and Haitian Opposition parties. Or, more specifically, the report from the Organisation of American States observer mission and accounts given to the media by former Barbados Ambassador Orlando Marville.
There is also the issue of the CARICOM leaders' deafening silence on the pre-election brutalities and widespread harassment of his opponents by President Robert Mugabe in Zimbabwe, as well as the racist, ethnic-cleansing tragedy of Fiji. Both are members of the Commonwealth and the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) group.
Mr. Mugabe has now been dramatically warned of the "tide of change" by no less than half of the electorate of Zimbabwe in the first elections to feature a credible opposition in the 20 years of rule by his ZANU-PF party. And not even his new found militancy to advance long-neglected land distribution to landless black Zimbabweans can mask the reality of the farce he has made of his own commitment to the principles embodied in the "Harare Declaration" of the 1991 Commonwealth Summit on human rights and democracy. He hosted that summit.
Fiji's racism
In Fiji, where a shameless, cowardly, racist conspiracy is in progress, starting some two months ago with a "hostage-taking coup", we are witnessing a process of institutionalised ethnic cleansing with the planned abandonment of the 1997 constitution that guaranteed a multi-ethnic principle of governance. Should plural societies of the Caribbean and elsewhere live comfortably with this new form of constitutional apartheid?
We await the pronouncements by CARICOM leaders on these and other related issues of democracy and governance. For example, the forcing of premature new elections by extra-Parliamentary tactics of Opposition parties - as in Guyana and St. Vincent and the Grenadines?
Let us see what this week's summit will bring forth in the form of a likely "Canouan Declaration" or consensus!
Rickey Singh is a journalist based in Barbados.
