Move the region beyond rhetoric to results
Published:Friday | January 30, 2026 | 12:08 AM
THE EDITOR, Madam:
The recent address by Prime Minister Dr. Andrew Holness at the CAF-International Economic Forum in Panama should prompt serious regional reflection. His call for Latin America and the Caribbean to move beyond fragmented national agendas toward coordinated hemispheric action speaks directly to the future survival and competitiveness of small island developing states like Jamaica.
For decades, Caribbean development has been constrained by economic isolation, duplicated efforts, and limited market size. Yet global conditions are changing rapidly. Supply chains are shifting, climate threats are intensifying, and digital economies reward regions that operate at scale. No single Caribbean territory, acting alone, can effectively compete in this environment.
Holness’ challenge raises a practical question for the region and particularly for the Caribbean Community (CARICOM): how do we translate rhetoric into action?
One possible starting point is expanding managed regional mobility of labour and skills. In the words of Bob Marley and the Wailers song (1977) Exodus (Movement of Jah People).
Movement built Caribbean identity, but often under painful necessity. Now, this movement could become a tool for regional strength.
Caribbean citizens already migrate extensively, but too often this movement drains talent permanently to North America and Europe. A more integrated Caribbean labour space could instead encourage movement within the region, allowing skills to circulate where they are most needed, strengthening economies collectively rather than weakening them individually.
At the same time, Jamaica must confront realities at home. Regional ambition cannot succeed without credible institutions, efficient governance, and social resilience. Climate recovery after Hurricane Melissa, ongoing justice and governance scrutiny, and economic reform efforts all test whether the country can align vision with delivery.
Jamaica stands at a strategic crossroads: seeking greater regional influence, managing internal institutional challenges, and confronting climate vulnerability simultaneously. The government’s success will depend on aligning these pressures into a coherent national strategy that produces measurable results for citizens.
The coming months will reveal whether Jamaica can convert regional rhetoric into durable outcomes, both domestically and across the hemisphere. Leadership today demands execution.
DUDLEY MCLEAN II