Dr Lewis says the end of trade preferences derailed expectations of greater integration

Dr Vaughan Lewis said the end of trade preferences and the opening up of the world economy had derailed expectations of greater integration.

He's been telling BBC Caribbean that the priority of countries in the region had shifted toward making themselves globally competitive.

The former University of the West Indies lecturer says too, that while the smaller member states of Caricom had expected that manufacturing gains made in countries like Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica would filter down to the OECS sub-region, that had failed to materialise.

It's widely felt across the region today that the integration process, including the Caricom Single Market and Economy (CSME), is stagnating.

Caricom heads of government have been criticised for turning their annual summit into a "talk shop" while implementation of practical measures to push integration forward remains sadly lacking.

Recent controversial remarks made by the Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister, Kamla Persad Bissessar also served, in the view of some observers, to drive home the point that the new administration in Port of Spain is not as keen on Caribbean unity as the former Patrick Manning government.

Mrs Persad-Bissessar said Trinidad and Tobago was not an ATM for Caricom.

In his interview with BBC Caribbean, Dr Lewis counters that the process is a two-way street.

Listen to Dr Vaughn Lewis' interview with Ken Richards

Small states forum

Dr Lewis led a discussion on the issue of regional integration at a Commonwealth conference of small states held in London.

Caribbean countries represented there discussed with colleagues from other parts of the Commonwealth, the matter of sustainable development, the vexing debt problem affecting the developing nations who form a large part of the grouping, and international trade.

According to Commonwealth Deputy Secretary-General Ransford Smith, a key objective of the conference was to provide a forum for small states to zero in on policy approaches that can help them cope with their vulnerability.

The 54-member organisation is hoping that the 32 small states included in the Commonwealth family will collaborate more in a bid to foster increased responsiveness to their concerns and needs from development partners.

It was in that context that OECS Director General Len Ishmael pointed out that these small nations should be treated as partners by the developed world as they try to move past the hurdles forced on them over the past two years by the global economic crisis.

The Caribbean, African and Pacific countries represented at the London meeting say they want to develop common positions on global issues.

Effective advocacy is one of their aims, especially in communicating the concerns and needs of small states to international agencies and development partners.

Commonwealth officials drew particular attention to the issue of debt relief, saying that the global community has not paid sufficient attention to the acute debt challenges faced by many small states.