Seriously now, CARICOM
commentary by EWART WALTERS
In 1961, Jamaican Premier Norman Washington Manley who was then the strongest proponent of the Federation of the West Indies gave the people of Jamaica an opportunity to express their views in a referendum.
The Jamaican people said no thank you.
The issues that propelled the no vote were simple:
2) Jamaica had - and still has - more than half the population of the islands in the Federation but was allocated less than half the seats in the Federal parliament.
3) With the Federal capital located in Chaguaramas, Jamaicans felt they had got absolutely nothing from the union and yet had to be paying more for it than anybody else.
Bear in mind that Norman Manley was (and still is) the most respected political leader Jamaica ever had. At the formation of his PNP in 1938 his goal was simple - self-government and independence for Jamaica.
Manley then allowed himself to be swayed by the British colonial establishment that the best way to achieve those goals would be through a federation of the West Indies which would present a much stronger face to the world than just Jamaica by itself. And so... the Federation.
As you know, the Federation did not last long and Jamaica left to become independent in August 1962 leaving Dr. Williams to follow suit and pluck Trinidad out with the declaration that "one from ten leaves naught".
So it was that Jamaica became independent on August 6 1962 and Trinidad & Tobago on August 31 1962.
Since then the Eastern Caribbean States have tried to work together in a sort of federal union but this has been beset by incessant wrangling, and just last year they closed their High Commission in Ottawa.
In the meantime, efforts were made to coalesce around trade, first with CARIFTA and then by CARICOM. But, as is projected by a report from the CARICOM Secretariat itself, it is likely this union will not survive another five years and could be dead by 2017.
The immediate reaction by readers of that news in today's Daily Gleaner was not simply jubilation but a hopeful wondering as to why it could not happen tomorrow. Again they are saying, as in 1961, that there is nothing in CARICOM for Jamaica.
There are also strong feelings in Jamaica about the need to have a Jamaican final Court rather than a Caribbean final Court, and this matter is still hanging fire.
The strong underlying sentiment - not evident in the comments so far - would include the matters surrounding Jamaican citizens Myrie (Barbados Immigration) and Chris Gayle (WIBC).
Needless to say, this sentiment has been strengthened with Jamaica reviving the strong two-party support for cutting the umbilical to Britain and becoming a republic, with the goal now apparently set for this golden anniversary year.
Me?
I do not see any future for CARICOM.