CATEGORY:COMMENTARY
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By Wallace J.A, Inside Grenada correspondent
Sunday October 15,2006


ST.ANDREW’S, Grenada – The proposed amendment to the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) by the United States (along with some other policies adopted by the Americans) can have a devastating effect on Caribbean countries, many of which rely heavily upon “Big Brother” for their economic survival.

While some people think that the US is genuinely passing these measures in the interest of their national security, some seem to be adamant in their position that the passage of these economically oppressive measures (for the Caribbean), is the US way of ‘penalizing the region’ for ‘not supporting’ them (US) on certain strategic positions that they have taken in recent times. Irrespective of which group is right in this case, an interesting question to ask is, “Could these policies turn back to haunt the US in the long term?” This is one of the issues that have been heatedly debated in various circles during the course of this week.

The WHTI amendment will require all Americans entering the US from the Caribbean (by air) to be in possession of a valid US passport from January 8, 2007. In the case of the cruise line passengers, the same will apply from June 2009. Both the More Developed Countries (MDCs) and the Lesser Developed Countries (LDCs) in the region will be affected by this latest development.

As it stands presently, Americans do not need a passport to travel to the Caribbean. This has encouraged thousands of US tourists to fly into the region over the years, however, with the ammendment to the WHTI taking effect from January next year, many of these tourists may just travel to other areas of the world where they would not be required to submit passports. This will no doubt severely affect the Caribbean.

It might appear strange to some people in the region that the ‘extension’ of the passport requirement was not afforded to airline passengers. Why the discrimination in this case? Is it because the Caribbean region has traditionally obtained greater economic benefits from the airline passengers? This is a fair question, and it is one worth considering, in spite of one’s views on this issue.

It is the opinion of some persons that the US may want to ‘hit the region where it really hurts’ as a form of ‘retaliation’ against the relationships we have developed with Fidel Castro of Cuba and Hugo Chavez of Venezuela. This concern may not seem too far fetched at all when one examines the historical involvement of the United States in the region. Again, this could have been done out of genuine concern for their national security.

Another area of concern is the gambling industry. Sometime last year, in a David versus Goliath battle, the World Trade Organization (WTO) ruled in favor of the tiny Caribbean state of Antigua and Barbuda when they challenged the US restrictions on ‘cross-border gambling.’ Several Caribbean countries benefit heavily from online gambling.

After losing round one of the battle, the US has moved on to round two. On September 30 of this year, the US Congress passed a legislation entitled the “Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006” This new act was appended to a bill called the “Port Safety Act, 2006.” The purpose of the act is to offer greater protection for American ports against terrorist attacks.

Gambling will still take place within American states; it is just that it impedes the ability of these services to be offered from foreign jurisdictions such as Antigua and Barbuda. This can again result in the situation being brought before the WTO, but then again, the US could be genuinely doing this in the interest of national security.

The US has also tightened up on its immigration laws which now make it difficult for many West Indian immigrants living in America (illegally) to find employment there. This will again affect the region since many of these immigrants worked extremely hard over there to take care of their families back here.

Immigrant labor has contributed significantly towards the building of the American economy over the years and to ‘clamp down’ on immigrant workers at this time should have an adverse effect on the US economy in the medium and long terms. I am sure that the proponents of this theory will be exonerated by Time.

What is more worrying, however, is the view that has been voiced by many ‘students of global affairs.’ Grenada and the other LDCs, as well as the MDCs in the Caribbean region will be dealt severe economic blows by these ‘austerity measures.’ This can lead towards a sort of destabilization in the region. An impoverished Caribbean region can become a ‘nursery’ for criminal activities and we have seen what poverty and a lack of hope among people can lead to in other parts of the world.

America needs to re-assess the impact of its policies on the region and consider all the likely scenarios that could emerge. The US has made major policy miscalculations in the past that have made life somewhat more difficult that it should have been for them. US policy makers, while trying to make their country safer, should look at the deleterious effects that their policies can have on other countries and how these ‘realities’ can impact on them (the US) in the medium and long term.

The leaders in the Caribbean region need to speak out very strongly (with a united voice) and use a synergistic approach in dealing with these critical issues. They need to communicate the concerns of the region to our ‘Big Brother’ and try to ensure that the Caribbean is not neglected. They need to lobby support from countries and influential organizations worldwide (if possible) in order to register their concerns with US policy makers.

Already, the region has received support from the influential World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) based in London. The influential organization has criticized the US Government for granting an extension for the implementation of the passport requirements that favour, Canada, Mexico and cruise companies to the detriment of Caribbean countries. It is estimated that close to 200,000 Caribbean workers could be directly affected by the amendment to the WHTI.

The Caribbean was important to the Americans strategically during the days of the “Cold War” when they were trying to stem the flow of Communist ideology in the region. Today, the Caribbean should be perceived as being of greater strategic importance to the US in their global war against terrorism, which, like the mythical hydra, can unexpectedly mutate and surface in one place after it was suppressed in another.