In the Caribbean region as a whole, where we have been endeavouring to promote a united front for some decades now under the umbrella of Caricom – there can be no doubt that the tasks involved in so doing, have not only become more complicated in bringing them into reality, but from all appearances over the years, the strong will and the burning desire to achieve that goal have in no way lived up to the grand-sounding rhethoric, from the leaders of the various partners who have signed the Treaty, nor their successors in office. The tasks involved in achieving that goal can be summarized as --- working together to build bridges of true brotherhood, to enhance a sense of personal dignity among all our people, and to establish true social justice in our various lands across the Region as a whole. In heads of Government meetings over the years we have heard of all the plans to move forward together, of fixed dates to do this that or the other, and even of penalties and sanctions for not doing so; and respective Heads of Government have also been given personal responsibility, for over-seeing the achievement of the individual plans or policies agreed upon by all the heads. But for one reason or another, those plans and policies and personal responsibilities have almost always been postponed, or allowed to remain on the back-burners for years un-ending. And as though the disease of in – action at that level of heads of Government, is automatically contracted by new heads – once they move from being opposition Leaders to Prime Ministers of their respective Countries. And sadly for us in these parts of the global village, the same political malaise is rampant in the individual Countries. So whether the ailment comes from the Collective Heads of Governments down to the individual P.Ms, or it goes up to the summit with the new Leader once he/she assumes the seat of power – the end result remains the same. There are always an abundance of nice-sounding rhetoric, and promises, and plans/programs for development ad improvement – on the way up to the top – but once the lofty height attained, every excuse is found to delay, or put them all aside, or replace them with convenient alternatives. And against that background our Leaders are always talking about integration and free trade, and free movement of nationals among regional States; and as if we do not have more than enough enactments and agreements and treaties, T&T and three OECS States are in the process of forming another Association – outside the existing many other arrangements not yet implemented. It is in the midst of that State of muddled affairs, our Caricom Leaders met in Guyana last week-end for the 30th Heads of Government Summit. At the time of writing the meeting was still on-going, so that whatever was decided, or which ever road they chose to follow behind the new Chairman, Pres. Bharrat Jagdeo of Guyana, was not yet known. But what was well known before the Leaders ever got to Guyana, was that the relationship between Barbados on one side, and the other members of Caricom on the other side – on the burning issue of Immigration and non-nationals who had over-stayed their welcome in Barbados – was very strained, to the extent that St. Vincent and The Grenadines was threatening its pull-out from the CSME, and the Jamaican P.M. had made some very harsh and heavy remarks about the Barbadian position. It was hoped, that after in-depth discussions among the Leaders whose nationals were mostly affected – and those were expected to have been held before the summit was officially opened for general business – some compromise could have been reached to cool down the heated positions, and buy more time for further consideration by all concerned. How that matter was played out time will tell. But the bigger issue of the Revised Treaty itself, and in particular the fuller participation of ALL the Caricom States – except Barbados and Guyana – in the Caribbean Court of Justice (the CCJ) , and its replacement of the London Privy Council as the Final Appellate Court for those States in Caricom that traditionally used the London Court since before their Independence – that issue stands way above all others as the very classic example that the Caricom States are very far away from being truly integrated, United, and seriously committed to and about the Regional welfare of the people as a whole. And when it is remembered, that far more independent States Worldwide are doing all within their powers – to join Trading Blocks, or form Regional Associations of one kind or another, with the sole purpose of strengthening their bargaining positions, for the benefit and development of their people – it baffles rational thinking and everyday common sense, in trying to understand what standard of logical thinking drives our Leaders on the road ahead. And whether we are looking at the bigger picture of Caricom as a whole, or more importantly – for our everyday and locally-oriented situation – at the happenings and pronouncements in our National back-yard on issues of daily importance, the question begs itself – how relevant are the remedies proferred by our Leaders, to cure the malaise of stagnation or backward movement, that persistently keeps us from meaningful and sustainable development? I suppose we can get bogged down in almost endless discussions, on a wide range of quite useful answers to the question – depending on which side of the fence one is standing, on the one hand, and on the other hand – how far removed from reality, are those still bent on their socialist principles and concepts continue to wallow in their mis-guided dream world. The social, economic, and financial movement of the global money market – that determines recession in some places, prosperity and growth in others, and a sense of feeling of stagnation in some others – these and those are not subject to pie-in-the-sky concepts. They must be grounded in serious economic and fiscal planning, with sound development and wide-ranging involvement of the people and business Community – to ensure the fullest possible participation. And that level of the money-market management is particularly vital in the current economic depression – because the effects are hitting the little people in their homes, their jobs, and in their ability to secure healthy arrangement for the family. In our impoverished neck of the woods, we are in no position to call the tune and therefore have to dance to whichever tune is played. But if we follow the basic concept of acting in unity as true partners, which was the agreed aim and intention of those who entered the Treaty all those years ago, we must have a much better chance of survival in the global rat race. As our own local financial institutions fall prey to the woes facing the global market place, we continue to hear of dis-graceful actions and decisions between those who controlled the institutions and politicians who controlled Government over the years – and in nearly every Case they leave the man in the street seriously wondering, why he should try to exist within the straight and narrow avenues of honest dealings – while those at the top do the opposite and live in style. The latest revelation of the Millions paid by the Clico Boss in Trinidad, to the PNM Party before the last Elections in T&T, is more than likely the tip of the iceberg of those scandals. Then they wonder why the Criminal activities at the other end of the social ladder are escalating beyond recognition and the people are existing in daily fear for their very lives, as the situation get out of control. In our own backyard in these Spice Isles, the last occupiers of the seats of power were involved in all kinds of hanky-panky with the people’s properties and patrimony – in rotten deals with crooks and con men that no doubt brought the party leaders heavy financial returns. And even when they entered a deal with a famous Grand-son of the soil, to sell our most prized Beach front property to a locally registered Company in which he was supposed to have an interest – their own well paid Economic Ambassador was acting for the Purchaser and earning a huge fee, while also representing the Government. And not one single cent went into the Treasury, nor any other kind of consideration redound to the people of Grenada – but the Forty odd Millions worth of Prime lands were conveyed to the Company. And although a Government appointed investigative committee, advised the Government to acquire back the valuable lands for the people of Grenada – since no payment what-so-ever was forthcoming for the same – nothing has been done about the scandalous affair, even though a member of that Committee is an ex-Chief Justice of Grenada. Instead, a senior high-powered Minister was heard to say publicly – that the scandal was a “done deal”. So when these and those diabolical happenings are allowed to continue un-abated, and even tolerated by those who should be protecting the people’s patrimony locally – what else can be expected when they go into the wider regional forum, where they are just small flies. And when they support measures at that level, or vote for so-called remedies to cure our regional problems under the Caricom umbrella – how relevant can they be? It is in the context of the foregoing malaise, that has been frustrating our people - and in many instances retarding the necessary growth and development of the region as a whole – that so many of our Caricom folks see very little relevance and positive hope, in the many nice sounding statement and promises and remedies coming out of Caricom Heads of Government summits over the years – and I doubt very much the last one would have been any different from its twenty-nine predecessors. By Lloyd Noel (Attorney-at-law) INSIDE GRENADA NEWS