Integration or disintegration?
Published:Thursday | October 9, 2025 | 12:06 AM
THE EDITOR, Madam:
While overseas, I was pleased to learn that Barbados, Belize, Dominica, and St Vincent and the Grenadines have opened their borders to free movement and trade. This bold move toward regional integration deserves applause and should have been led by CARICOM long ago. I was disappointed not to see Jamaica among the pioneers.
This visa- and permit-free initiative is a leap forward in collaboration and talent-sharing, with potential benefits in education, healthcare, agriculture, construction, IT, and cultural exchange. With proper safeguards, it could be transformative. Jamaica, with its rich talent pool, stands to gain significantly from cross-cultural engagement. Prime Minister Holness should act now – unity is strength.
The West Indian Federation failed us, and CARICOM has underdelivered. It’s time to unite. Integration fosters economic growth, cultural exchange, and peace. While G8 nations face fragmentation, CARICOM can lead by example. The Caribbean could become a united force, even offering lessons to the USA, which is grappling with divisive policies and trade barriers.
Education is a key area for regional cooperation. Prioritising it can empower citizens with knowledge, critical thinking, and civic awareness. Integration could also help address shortages in teaching, nursing, engineering, and technology.
Dr Everton Ennis rightly suggests removing restrictions across CARICOM, envisioning a region where we are no longer “foreigners” and “non belongers” but “out of many, one region.” I embrace this vision. Unlike the USA, which imposes harsh restrictions and mass deportations, the Caribbean must unite and show the world that united we stand, divided we fossilise.
DR BURNETT L. ROBINSON