President Jagdeo favours political mechanism for single market

The smaller countries of the grouping who belong to the Organisation of East Caribbean States, OECS, are hesitant to fully embrace the CSME, arguing that they have a huge imbalance in trade with the rest of Caricom, a view supported by a study done by the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean.

The OECS countries are making use of provisions within the Caricom treaty that can assist them in accessing the single market, and Guyana's president Bharrat Jagdeo has said that they are well within their rights to do so.

But President Jagdeo contends that this shouldn't be misinterpreted to suggest that these regional states won't become part of the implementation of the CSME.

Political mechanism

There have also been suggestions for some kind of political mehanism to drive the single market forward, and the Guyanese leader supports this.

"I agree that there must be some devolution of power, to some community organ to administer the CSME" he told BBC Caribbean.

Mr Jagdeo believes without this the attempt to establish the single market will fail.

"It doesn't mean political union, but there must be some devolution of political power" he insists.

His Surinamese counterpart Ronald Venetiaan is not quite convinced.

President Venetiaan looks to EU model

"I think that the European Union is giving us a clear example. Work for a common market, work for a common economy, and be careful with the political unity" President Venetiaan cautioned.

Why is he of that view?

"Because there are feelings in the nations that that may be one step too far, and eventually, that can bring a setback in the whole process" the Surinamese leader warned.