Caribbean intergration is alive and well

Bridgtown.

Caribbean intergration is alive and well, this view was expressed by Prime Minister Freundel Stuart during a visit he regional integration movement is "alive and well".

This view was expressed by Prime Minister, Freundel Stuart when Grenada's Prime Minister, Dr. Keith Mitchell, paid a courtesy call on him at Government Headquarters yesterday evening.

Mr. Stuart said: "The perception that the [regional integration] process has slowed, I think, may have more to do with the fact that the stakeholder countries have had to become more inward looking as they deal with the economic challenges from the global economic downturn."

He proffered the view that the regional integration movement was being treated as a synonym of the single market and single economy and its success was being measured by progress in this area only.

He reaffirmed Barbados' unwavering commitment to the CSME process and disclosed that he would be continuing his discussions with national and regional officials to deal with some of the outstanding challenges.

Dr. Mitchell also expressed his views on the regional integration movement and said countries must maximise every single opportunity for it to be successful. He stressed the need for technology to be applied to the resolution of problems facing the region. He also suggested that the region needed to be more outward looking, particularly given the need to attract investments.

The Prime Minister also expressed the view that the Caribbean needed to examine some of the present arrangements, such as diplomatic representation, to see if expenditures could be reduced through improved coordination in this area.

During the wide-ranging discussions, Stuart and Mitchell examined the issue of regional food security and agreed that it must be taken very seriously.

Stuart said the perception that the regional process has slowed may have more to do with the fact that the stakeholder countries have had to become more inward looking as they deal with the economic challenges from the global economic downturn.