UWI-CARICOM COLLABORATION Seven strong years and a luminous future

Backdrop Studies have long concluded that CARICOM needs to collaborate with its associate regional institutions for building a robust regional organization in order to survive and function effectively in the new world dispensation; a dispensation which must depend on the intelligent utilization of collective resources. This position was echoed in the Grande Anse declaration and by the Conference of the Heads of Government, Montego Bay 1997, and in the 2003 Rose Hall Declaration on Governance and Integrated Development.

The Signing Within this context the CARICOM Secretariat and the University of the West Indies, Mona Campus signed a Memorandum of Understanding in December 1999 which set the Terms of Reference for a relationship designed to focus the energies and “know how” of both entities into providing the regional leadership with the sort of vital information that such an alliance could provide.

Establishing UWI-CARICOM The formal establishment of the UWI-CARICOM Project was a ground-breaking initiative. The Project pursued its objectives with ingenuity impressing upon UWI the benefits which would accrue to it, were it to go beyond the scope of the Agreement.

What Does UWI-CARICOM Project Do It infuses the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and the global population with pertinent perspectives on CARICOM and the work of its Secretariat through information gathered by rigorous research and contained in invaluable publications, and radio and television documentaries; Exposes the distinguishing attributes of the Caribbean people through cultural showcasing.

Information Giving Disseminating information via mass media, research and documentation centres, and university, national, school and community libraries. Utilising the mass media for publishing or broadcasting a finished product and depending upon documentation centres to store documents for ready access. Developing and maintaining contacts within the Region, who can utilise the products of the Project and facilitate snowballing in the spread of information.

Using Region’s Resources 1 Skills Database UWI-CARICOM Project maintains the continuous development of a Database of the Skills and talents available in both institutions. The purpose of this skills inventory is to examine the Secretariat’s gap in skills and highlight those available at the University, from which the Secretariat could benefit. This exercise involves studying the strategic plans of the Secretariat and UWI, the Secretariat’s work programmes, organisational charts, job descriptions of senior positions, inventory of the academic staff of the UWI, and review of the institution’s research projects.

Using Region’s Resources 2 Caribbean Executive Services (CARES) Being aware of human resource needs and challenges in the Region, the UWI-CARICOM Project has developed a concept to establish an Executive Service Agency to function as a “clearing house” for the skills and expertise of retired Caribbean nationals. This project is currently awaiting funding in order to become operational.

Flagship – Our Publications A high priority for the UWI-CARICOM Project, through its productions, is to steer political elites and other decision and policy makers towards making informed choices for the benefit of the Region. Just as important for the Project is reaching nationals of the Community at all levels to aid essential understanding of how the integrative process will impact their lives. The content of every book, paper, journal, documentary or cultural programme produced, is intended to awaken the consciousness of CARICOM people into achieving the vision of integration.

Publications – Genesis and Transformation These publications chronicle the genesis and historical transformation of the Integration Movement and document the challenges and obstacles confronting it over the course of its transformation and the response of Member States to those challenges.

Publications – Scholarly Guidance UWI-CARICOM Project’s publications also provide scholarly, analytical and insightful guidance for the future direction of the integrative Movement in the re-formulated global order as well as offer mechanisms and courses of action needed to respond to the current international realities.

Publications – Fostering Integration CARICOM Integration has been tackled on various fronts by the majority of the Project’s books and journals, such as: 1. CARICOM Options: Towards Full Integration Into the World Economy 1. Integrate of Perish (1 st & 2 nd Editions) 2. Re-inventing CARICOM: The Road to a New Integration 3. Integration: CARICOM’s Key to Prosperity 4. Caribbean Imperatives: Regional Governance and Integrated Development 5. CARICOM: Appropriate Adaptation to a Changing Global Environment 6. The CARICOM System: Basic Instruments 7. The Triumph of the Caribbean Spirit and Imagination: Selected Speeches - Professor the Honourable Rex Nettleford 8. The Caribbean Community: Beyond Survival 9. Globalisation: A Calculus of Inequality 10. CARICOM: Unity In Adversity 11. Governance in the Age of Globalisation

Documentary – Integrate or Perish As the Caribbean Community celebrated its 30th Anniversary in 2003, the UWI- CARICOM Project considered it opportune to capture the evolution of the regional body and seminal contributions of the legendary leaders who have engineered its growth. To this end, the Project commissioned the production of a television and radio documentary based on the publication entitled "Integrate or Perish: Perspectives of Leaders of the Integration Movement" edited by Professor Kenneth O. Hall. This documentary brings to the viewing and listening public the historical development and evolution of the integration process. It allows for Caribbean Peoples and those around the world to witness Caribbean Leaders as they articulated their ideas and ideals and expressed their desire for political and psychological freedom. It also reveals how they determined the paths to be pursued to stay on course even in the face of challenges.

Documentary – Integrate or Perish The three-part programme structure of the documentary corresponds to the following periods and issues: – : Genesis of the Caribbean Integration Movement leading to the birth of the Caribbean Community. – : The Impact of the World Economic Crisis on the Caribbean Community and the instruments designed by our leaders to guarantee the Region's survival. – : The challenges posed by the changed international environment and our resolve to be an effective partner in the new global order. The documentary presents poignant images of the era of the founding fathers of the movement and encapsulates their contributions and those of their successors to the growth and development of the Caribbean as a unified Region.

Papers  Foreign Policy Options for CARICOM: An Analytical Review by Professor Stephen Vascianne  Compliance, Enforcement and Dispute Settlement in CARICOM by Joseph Farier  New Trends in Economic Integration: The Emergence of Regional Multinationals and Intra-Regional Flows by Dr. Trevor Farrell  Mexico –CARICOM Relations  CARICOM’s Political, Economic and Hemispheric Relations: Some Reflections  Sir Dwight: OECS at the Centre by Wesley Gibbings  New Trends in Economic Integration: The Emergence of Regional Multinationals and Intra-Regional Flows by Dr. Trevor Farrell

Cultural Showcase The UWI and CARICOM institutions intend to use every platform of life to promote unity among all nationals of the Region. Each Member State has its peculiarities, but together make a distinctive blend of rich culture – a heritage that remains undiluted! University Singers (UWI) performing at the National Cultural Centre, Guyana

University Singers In December 2000, the UWI Mona Campus choir – The University Singers, toured Guyana under the auspices of Caribbean Fellowship Incorporated. The group belted out their songs with the grace and spunk that can only be claimed by Jamaicans. And Guyanese indulged! 2000 was just a foretaste of the grand cultural Harmony excursions to be generated by UWI-CARICOM in the future.

Towards the Future Both the University of the West Indies and the CARICOM Secretariat are acutely aware of the tremendous benefits of institutional collaboration as an enabler in meeting the multifaceted challenges which confront Member States at regional and international levels.

Collaborative Entrenchment The Heads of Government were so convinced that collaboration was the key to enhancing the collective capabilities of these two institutions to support Member States in the realization of the Caribbean Single Market and Single Economy that they have agreed on a range of areas in functional cooperation with special significance for poverty reduction, social protection, human resource development, health, information and communications technology development, use and connectivity issues for special research attention; The call for the two institutions to systematically engage in the conduct of informed assessments of options to be pursued in the realization of regional objectives and full examination of the implications of decisions by regional bodies is now entrenched.

Collaborative Entrenchment Steps are now being finalized for the current arrangement between UWI and the CARICOM Secretariat to be broadened to reflect the decision of the Conference of Heads of Government at their 27 th Meeting in July The new and expanded arrangement makes provision for the two institutions to engage in identification of issues for joint or complementary activities, studies or projects within the areas mentioned earlier, taking account of issues such as feasibility, manageability and time frames recommended by Community bodies.

A Luminous Future The current arrangement will undoubtedly result in, among other benefits, a greater number of vigorously researched position papers designed to inform important issues within international forums, enhance the performance of the University of the West Indies in their main negotiating theatres and other international fora.