FACTORS PROMOTING REGIONAL INTEGRATION Factors that promote regional integration may be looked on as both domestic and external matters that affect the region, chief among them are globalization and trade liberalization. a) b) c) d) e)
Common history and cultural heritage, especially as colonies of European powers, chiefly Britain. Caribbean countries share common economic and social issues. These countries are also affected by the effects of globalization, trade liberalization and trading blocs. The region is vulnerable to economic shocks and natural disasters. Human resource that is underdeveloped, as a group they are able to financially support facilities to enhance and develop
education and skills development in the region. f) Cooperation by working together as a region will help to overcome the challenges of having a small population and economy. This is so as cooperation and integration, particularly in trade, will produce a larger regional market. BENEFITS OF REGIONAL INTEGRATION “There is strength in unity.” The Caribbean must take this literally if we are to promote and benefit from regional integration. 1. 2. 3. 4.
It will increase necessary cooperation among island-states as we venture more into the 21st century. As a group, the countries will be better able to negotiate among the world’s most powerful nations. Integration will further help them to compete internationally as a united group. This venture will also help them to reduce the negative effects that are presumed to be associated with issues such as globalization. It should, therefore, help us to be better able to respond to economic implications of globalization and trade
liberalization. 5. There will be an improvement in the quality of life of the population as a result of access to a variety of goods and services. 6. Each individual island will have many more persons to whom goods can be sold, apart from those within its own immediate borders. The development of various groups, institutions and organizations that will respond to the needs of each island. 7. It seeks to promote the freedom of travel among islands and the ability to find work, which should decrease unemployment and underemployment. 8. Most of all it should see the improvement in the quality of life and the reduction in the inequality of wealth distribution.
9. The improved levels of international competitiveness of the region will undoubtedly see the expansion of trade on the world market. 10. There should be strength in unity as the increased cooperation among member states will make us more world-renown.
BARRIERS TO REGIONAL INTEGRATION Barriers, problems, challenges are many, far-reaching and intertwined as the Caribbean, in its endeavour to promote growth through regional integration, faces an uphill task on many occasions. Why is this so? 1. The islands are all at different stages of development, which does not promote a willingness to actively work together. 2. No two islands in the Caribbean follow the same economic policies. 3. There is patriotism to island homes as there is conflict between territorial and regional demands. 4. Except for countries in the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States, islands do not have the same currency. 5. Islands in the Caribbean do not have the same type and amount of resources. 6. The islands are scattered all over the Caribbean. 7. Many countries are all producing the same goods for trade. 8. There is conflict over how much is to be contributed by each country. 9. There are problems with multinational cooperation and how they should be dealt with in the region. 10. Geography of the region for though islands are in proximity, they are scattered all over the region. 11. In the region, there is an absence of a common model or strategy for development. Each country tends to follow its own policy. 12. There are differences in stages of growth and development; some countries are referred to as developed, some as developing and some as underdeveloped in the region. 13. There is competition for location of industries, as each territory needs investments to promote job opportunities for its population. CHALLENGES FACING THE CARIBBEAN REGION THAT MUST BE OVERCOME NOW
Challenges are never easy to overcome. Especially in an economic, problematic world where First-World countries are facing grave problems, the Caribbean must even draw closer. It is so easy to suggest what must be done but the greatest problem lies it how to carry out these suggestions to solve them. 1. Each individual island does not have enough persons to whom to sell within their borders (a large market). 2. There is a lack of diversification of resources; islands in the Caribbean do not necessarily produce a variety of goods 3. 4. 5. 6.
(diversification in production). In many Caribbean islands there is a high unemployment problem (job creation by setting up industries collectively). Many islands also do not produce enough goods to sell in order to make profits (increased production and investment). The Caribbean is vulnerable to natural disasters (aid and information). Capital for improvement and investment is lacking in the Caribbean region, so there is very little to develop their industries
(capital accumulation). 7. One of the worst problems faced by the Caribbean people is that we tend to import much more than we export (increased local production and buying of local goods and use of skills). 8. With the advent of borrowing from organisations such as the IMF, some Caribbean countries owe a lot of money as a result of borrowing to sustain themselves (reduce borrowing as much as possible). 9. Markets are not available in areas that are most lucrative countries. 10. In a technological age, many Caribbean countries still do not possess and use adequate technology that could greatly increase production (investment in technology to help in the creation of goods and services). 11. In many countries, skilled persons in certain areas are generally lacking; their expertise could boost production (development of human resources). ACTIVITIES 1. State three reasons regional integration is so crucial to the Caribbean region. 2. Suggest three reasons Caribbean integration is facing problems and state how it may be best solved. 3. Can Caribbean countries work together effectively? Give reasons for your answer. FACTORS THAT HINDER REGIONAL INTEGRATION
1. Geography of the region. Countries are far from each other. 2. Competition for location of industries. 3. Due to the similarity in industries, there will always be a competition for the location of new industries by investors within the region. 4. Conflict between territorial and regional demands and loyalties (insularity). Countries in the Caribbean are torn between their loyalty to their immediate country’s needs and the needs of the CARICOM region. 5. Absence of common currency. The main trading currency used in the Caribbean and worldwide is the United States dollar. 6. Unequal distribution of resources. Many countries have very limited resources and many believe that they are at a disadvantage when trading with countries that have greater resources. 7. Lack of diversification in production. Countries in the Caribbean produce similar products and this hinders healthy trading relationships because it has reduced the opportunities for viable trade. 8. Influence of multinational and metropolitan agencies.
9. Absence of common model or strategy for development. CARICOM member states have pursued different strategies for political and economic development. Most depend on agriculture, many on tourism, one on petroleum. This fact, therefore, illustrates that the varying countries are placing different emphases on different resourcesand means of development. The strategies, therefore, suggest that a common policy will not exist and countries will only be interested in policies that relate to the strategy they are pursuing. 10. Differences in stages of growth and development. The fact that the Caribbean countries pursue different strategies for development means that they will all be at different levels of growth and development. This has led to the delay in the implementation of certain factors that would ensure or facilitate the integration process. BENEFITS TO BE DERIVED FROM BEING A MEMBER OF CARICOM 1. The region will save resources as a result of sharing the cost of operating joint services such as the University of the West Indies and the Caribbean Examinations Council. 2. There will be a reduction in unemployment and underemployment as the removal of the barriers to intraregional trade among member states of CARICOM should increase employment in the region as consumers buy more regionally produced goods. Buying regionally produce goods will help in ensuring that jobs are maintained or created because of the demand. 3. CARICOM is committed to trade within the region and this will help in increased market size. Integration provides a larger market for individual member state. 4. The expertise and experience of a limited number of regional professionals will be shared and finding solutions to their common problem would be a joint effort. 5. There will be a free movement of goods, labour and capital. All goods which meet the CARICOM standards can be traded duty-free throughout the region, all the goods that are created within the region can be traded without restrictions. The Free Movement of Persons Act, enacted in all CSME member states, allows for the free movement of certain categories of skilled workers, which will later evolve into the free movement of all persons across the CSME member states.
6. There will be better response to economic implications of globalization and trade liberalization. The act of the larger international companies doing business across the world and in the Caribbean has forced the Caribbean businesses to amalgamate in order to survive, thus creating a greater sense of unity. Caribbean governments can no longer protect the regional manufacturers by restricting extra regional imports. Regional manufacturers have improved their products and services, and this has made it possible for them to compete with producers in developed countries. 7. There will be improved levels of international competitiveness as there is strength in unity. CARICOM has a stronger, more persuasive voice on international matters than as individual countries. The size of a country seems to dictate its power in our world, and the integrated approach of the Caribbean countries has lent to greater influence on the international scene. Individual member states are too small to withstand economic competition from more developed countries and trading blocs. A united voice among member states has resulted in better prices for extra-regional exports and cheaper prices for imports to the region from other international sources. 8. Solutions to their common problems will be jointly found, which will increase cooperation among member states. The integration process among member states has allowed for greater cooperation and utilization of the services offered by the different institutions of the organization. 9. There will be improvement in the quality of life. The increased job opportunities accrued through the cooperative effort of the Caribbean states will lead to job creation and economic development and a consequent increase in the quality of life for the Caribbean people
ACTIVITIES 1. There are many benefits to be derived from regional integration. Can you identify others? 2. Suggest three reasons you would encourage Caribbean integration. Give reasons for your answer. 3. Identify five ways in which you see Caribbean integration taking place in our society today.
