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The NNP is
launching a series on Regional
Integration that will provide an NNP
view on the subject as the process
unfolds.
For many
years now, Grenada and the wider
Caribbean have made significant advances
in the area of Regional Integration.
There are many reasons why Regional
integration is positive. These have
already been demonstrated in other areas
of the world where integration has
proven to be successful such as Canada,
the United States and the European
Union.
If we use
the recently formed European Union as
comparative example, the Maastricht
Treaty in 1992 marked the beginning of
the Union and created the currency now
known as the Euro, which can be compared
to our Eastern Caribbean Dollar.
In the
European example, some of their hurdles
illustrate some of the challenges we
could face too. Wealthier countries were
concerned that their national wealth
would be drained by the dependency of
the poorer nations in the union.
However, benefiting from financial
inputs could be one of the benefits of a
political and economic Union for
Grenada.
In Europe,
labour considerations were also hotly
debated, as countries expressed concern
about their labour markets being
flooded, drained, or otherwise
artificially distorted by the movement
of people. In the European example,
there still remain issues regarding the
movement of labour, and the impacts that
differences in national labour pools
have had on the regional landscape. It
can be the source of migration, which
can lead to the ‘ghost town’ effect in
some areas. It can be the source of
immigration, which can lead to flooding
a labour market and driving down workers
earnings. It can also attract investment
and economic growth which benefits
communities, creates jobs and provides
opportunities for the people.
In
Grenada’s case, the NNP Government was
aware that a good portion of Grenada’s
skilled labourers and middle class
workforce needed to upgrade with
regionally recognized certification.
This is why the previous government was
providing the regionally recognized
Heart Trust certifications as the
teaching standard for the Grenada
Employment and Training Programme.
The NNP was
also very careful to prioritize
considering the potential risks for
Grenada’s labour pool. This was
primarily to ensure that Grenada would
be able to retain our skilled workers in
a regional workplace; such as our
doctors, nurses, electricians and other
essential contributors to Grenada’s
society.
This is
because a full economic union will mean
that our economies will function like a
single country, where goods, services
and people can move freely across
borders. In many areas this will create
significant opportunities for those who
can compete in a ‘bigger pond’. However,
for those who are vulnerable, increased
competition stemming from an economic
union can make it even more difficult to
find a job, and for small businesses to
compete.
An economic
union could present a lot of
opportunities in terms of reducing the
cost of goods, as we purchase imported
goods in greater quantities at a lower
cost, while also reaching larger markets
for exports by combining our productive
outputs. However, the challenges which
present themselves in terms of preparing
Grenada and the region for the planning
needed to make this vision a reality can
be time consuming and costly,
particularly if it is a hurried attempt.
The
Government has not yet held any public
consultations or debate about the way
forward and the potential impacts on the
Grenadian people. The Government
of Grenada has informed us that a
discussion paper will be published near
the end of 2008 which will form the
basis of public discussions on the
issue. This is welcomed, and hopefully
will provide answers to some of the
following questions:
Where is
the funding for the Union coming from?
How will this affect our
investments-to-date in the regional
agreements we already have in CARICOM
and the OECS? What are the sentiments of
the other states in the OECS and CARICOM?
How will this affect our relations with
them?
What
measures will be put in place to prepare
our industries and workers for increased
competition? What measures will be in
place to ensure that we do not create
more problems than we solve by advancing
too quickly? How will this affect the
quality of life for Grenadians? Will it
increase crime?
The New
National Party welcomes the Government’s
interest in strengthening regional
integration. The NNP also supports the
regional systems that Grenada has
already adopted, such as the document
management system for the Special Branch
which has become the focus of
controversy recently.
However,
the New National Party firmly holds the
view that Regional Integration must be
supported, and clearly understood by the
people. Therefore, the New National
Party will be watching developments very
closely to ensure that the government
and this process are truly democratic
and fully accountable to the people of
Grenada, Carriacou and Petit Martinique.
NNP
Perspective week ending September 26th, 2008 |
