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.

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