NEW YORK, November 23, 2009 – A Grenadian diplomat believes that regional political and economic unity are crucial more than ever, given the many global challenges being faced.
Consul General to New York, Derrick James said that while there have been tremendous efforts at political and economic unity, significant work still needs to be done.
“The question today is not whether we need Caribbean Unity but rather, how do we achieve better socio-cultural, economic and political unity,” James said in a keynote address to a dinner awards ceremony on Sunday in Brooklyn.
Former West Indies cricket captain Courtney Walsh was the guest of honour at the Caribbean Unity Black & White Dinner Awards which was also attended by US Congresswoman Yvette Clarke and State Assemblyman Nick Perry, among other New York politicians.
Consul General James observed that while previous attempts to unify the Caribbean were unsuccessful, “it would be equally remiss or erroneous for anyone to claim that there is no Caribbean Unity”.
However, he said that this unity is limited and not far reaching. “Limited due to geographical distribution, differences in political ideologies, varied levels of economic development, and, of course, social and cultural diversity”.
Attached is the full text of the keynote address by Grenada’s Consul General to New York, Derrick James to the Caribbean Unity Black and White Dinner Awards at Nazareth High School in Brooklyn, NY on Sunday November 22, 2009.