ASSOCIATIONS RELATED TO INTEGRATION IN THE CARIBBEAN

REGIONAL INTEGRATION – The process by which two or more nation states agree to cooperate
and work closely together to achieve peace, stability, and wealth, among others.

CARIBBEAN INTEGRATION – A process in which Caribbean countries agree to work together to

share resources to assist each other in common aims through various institutions and organizations.

WHY CARIBBEAN COUNTRIES ARE INTERESTED IN REGIONAL INTEGRATION

⮚ Common history (colonization by Europeans, African enslavement, Indian indentureship)

⮚ Common economic and political systems
⮚ To share resources (natural disasters)
⮚ To become more established/ important internationally (vote in integrational organizations
such as UN)

MAIN AREAS IN WHICH INTEGRATION WAS ATTEMPTED REGIONALLY

⮚ Political – attempt at political integration e.g., West Indies Federation 19-58-1962), Caribbean
Court of Justice (legal)
⮚ Economic – CARICOM, CARIFTA (most visible)
⮚ Social – Sports (West Indies Cricket Team)
⮚ Cultural – CARIFESTA (cultural event promoting arts and culture among member countries)
⮚ Disaster Relief – Hurricanes (Maria 2017, Katrina 2005), Volcano – La Soufriere eruption
2021)
⮚ Education – CXC
 FACTORS WHICH ENCOURAGE REGIONAL INTEGRATION

⮚ A common historical and cultural legacy can help to unite certain countries e.g., the British
Caribbean countries (Anglophone Caribbean) or the French (Francophone) and Spanish
(Hispanic) Caribbean.
⮚ The fact is that Caribbean territories do not have much leverage internationally if they stand
alone. Individually, many countries in the Caribbean are developing and do not have any
impact economically. However, if they integrate, they can achieve more internationally. E.g.,
voting in the UN.
⮚ The need to support each other in times of natural disasters is one of the factors that
encourage integration. The region is one where hurricanes and tropical storms as well as 0020
earthquakes are frequent, and countries are often called upon to assist each other.
E.g., Hurricanes (Maria 2017, Katrina 2005), Volcano – La Soufriere eruption 2021)
⮚ Caribbean countries recognise that they need to come together to achieve economic
development, stability, and common trade agreements. They need to be able to trade with
each other and have infrastructure in place (common trade agreements). Integration can help
this.
E.g., Allowing skilled workers to move freely throughout the Caribbean (CSME).
⮚ Pooling together of resources can assist in the development of the Caribbean in general
because some states are lesser developed. E.g., CARICOM – food security.

FACTORS THAT HINDER REGIONAL INTEGRATION

⮚ Caribbean countries are at different stages of development. As such they have different
priorities. If each country has a different priority the focus will not be on regional integration,
it will be focused on their country’s needs.
⮚ The more developed Caribbean countries are reluctant to use their resources to support those
that are less developed. More developed countries use their resources to further develop their
own country. Therefore, other countries are only assisted in desperate times of need.
⮚ Many of the Caribbean countries are seeking their own interests such as, they tend to be
competitive as well as jealous of and threatened by each other. Instead of coming together to
seek a wider Caribbean interest they become competitive and believe if they help other
countries, they may become disadvantaged.
⮚ Integration has been hindered by conflict which exists between and amongst Caribbean
countries. Instead of cohesion there is a disparity among the countries, each country cannot
come together to achieve a common Caribbean aim. Integration cannot be achieved if the
countries do not come together with the same aim.
 ⮚ Integration is difficult to achieve because countries are different rather than similar, in terms
of history and culture as well as racial composition, value systems, beliefs and so on.
⮚ Differences in currency and political and economic systems hinder integration. There is no
common Caribbean currency.
⮚ Geography hinders integration as countries are scattered throughout the region and travel
within the region can be costly.
⮚ There is a lack of common Caribbean identity which hinders development. Individuals
identify as belonging to a particular country as opposed to belonging to the Caribbean. The
Caribbean diaspora have a more common sense of Caribbean identity than persons living in
the Caribbean today. Our patriotism belongs to our individual country.

ORGANISATIONS DEVELOPED TO PROMOTE CARIBBEAN INTEGRATION

⮚ West Indies Federation (WIF)

⮚ Caribbean Free Trade Association (CARIFTA)
⮚ The Caribbean Community and Common Market (CARICOM)
⮚ Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS)
⮚ Association of Caribbean States

ACHIEVEMENTS AND CALLENGES OF VARIOUS ORGANISATIONS

NAME
CARICOM - The Caribbean
Community is an organisation
of fifteen states and
dependencies throughout the
Caribbean having primary
objectives to promote
economic integration and
cooperation among its
members, to ensure that the
benefits of integration are
equitably shared, and to
coordinate foreign policy.
UWI
ACHIEVEMENTS
• Establishment of CSME
• Expansion of regional
markets for goods and services
(easier to export throughout the
countries, products can easily
be sold throughout the
Caribbean)
• Easier to travel with
CARICOM passport
• Promotes Caribbean
industries (sharing of resources
for the development of
different industries e.g., oil,
cement
• Promotes Caribbean Culture
(CARIFESTA)
• Unites academics and
scholars across the region
• Facilitates distance learning
so thus broadening learning
and training within the region
(UWI open campus is done
through distance learning and
anyone throughout the region
CHALLENGES
• Economic differences make it
difficult to achieve goals
(disparity in the economic level
between lesser developed and
developing countries)
• Individual country’s
nationalist tendencies take
precedence over Caribbean
nationalism (countries do not
identify as belonging to the
wider Caribbean, they identify
as belonging to their individual
country. That limited
nationalist tendency is a
hinderance toward achieving
integration.)
• Some countries have different
aims from that of CARICOM
.• Fear of mass immigration by
wealthier countries
• Lack of common currency to
help facilitate easier access to
trade
•Some campuses still specialise
in specific programmes (must
travel to these countries to do
these)
• Very costly to study at the
UWI (e.g., medicine), Only
some governments supplement
costs (T&T)

CXC - The Caribbean
Examinations Council (CXC)
is an examination board in the
Caribbean. It was established
in 1972 under agreement by
the participating governments
where open campus is located
can do courses, degrees etc. at
countries where there is no
general campus. Campuses are
in Trinidad, Jamaica, and
Barbados)
• Encourages research specific
to the needs of the Caribbean
(degrees are now offered in a
variety of areas to facilitate the
research needs of the
Caribbean)
• Train professionals in all
field, who can contribute
towards Caribbean
development (Persons who do
degrees are being trained and
can therefor giveback to
Caribbean society with their
knowledge)
• Offering a diverse curriculum
suited to the needs of
Caribbean countries (research
is done to determine which
programs are needed to
develop Caribbean countries
and then offer programs in
these areas)
• Standardization of education
across the Caribbean (Same
curriculum and examinations)
• Curriculum developed
specific to the needs of the
• Face Strong competition from
foreign universities (Foreign
universities are seen as a
higher level of education and
learning)
• UWI faces economic
difficulties because of
irregular/uneven contributions
from countries (UWI funds
come from the different
governments throughout the
Caribbean)
• Many professionals educated
at UWI chose to leave (brain
drain) (Many students migrate
to other countries, so the
Caribbean does not benefit
from them)
• Caribbean based education
limits wider
knowledge/perspectives
(limited global education) (We
are in the age of globalisation
and if everything being taught
in the Caribbean Community to
conduct such examinations as
it may think appropriate and
award certificates and
diplomas on the results of any
such examinations so
conducted.
WICB
Caribbean (Constantly doing
research to see what is needed
for the development of the
Caribbean)
• Syllabi promotes knowledge
of the region as subjects are
Caribbean based
• Encourages Caribbean
interaction through the
development of common aims
and goals (sharing ideas and
common aims facilitate
regional integration)
• Offers certification at
secondary and associate degree
levels
• Promotes cricket regionally.
Influences the creation of a
regional identity (there is a
sense of regional identity when
the west indies cricket team is
playing rather than individual
is Caribbean based it limits
student’s perspective of the
wider world)
• CXC Management often
criticised for not achieving the
highest level of
professionalism (e.g.2020
examinations)
• Curriculum leans towards the
wealthier, more developed
Caribbean countries while the
smaller ones are omitted (Most
examples used for the
Caribbean is about the larger
countries, to achieve regional
integrations all Caribbean
countries need to be included)
• Limited resources to
transition to online learning
(Covid-19, CXC had no
resources to transition into
online learning, exams)
• Standards may not be of
international level (e.g., CAPE
ay not be recognised at some
foreign universities) (Students
are limited in their choice of
foreign universities)
• Insufficient funding is a
challenge to achieving its
goals/ aims
• Unable to expand cricket
throughout the region
 nationalism)
• Recognises and celebrates
outstanding cricketers (WI
cricket Hall of Fame)
• Encourages different types of
matches geared for a wider
audience (20/20, test match)
• Facilitates economic benefits
of cricket (through organising
matches, hiring players, etc.)
(E.g., when the WICB is able
to negotiate a test match in the
Caribbean it helps the country
to generate benefits and
money)
CARIMAC – Caribbean • Promotes studies in media
School of Media and and communication at
Communication undergrad and postgrad levels.
• Creates an avenue for persons
to study in these areas.
Offers training programmes for
a variety of organisations
(government, NGO’s,
Community levels) to help in
effective communication.
These can benefit their
stakeholders.
• Encourages research in media
especially in less developed
countries (developing countries
take precedence)
• Criticized heavily for
corruption, poor recruiting
practices, bad performances
• Disagreements between the
WICB and the West Indies
Player Association (over
salaries, Etc.)
• Limited regional identity
because of bad performances,
individual country nationalism,
etc. (Because of bad
performances Caribbean
persons may not come together
to support the team or they
may only favour a particular
player because the country they
are from)
• Based in Jamaica and its
work is limited to Jamaica.
Therefore, their regional
impact is not as significant as
they would like.
• Insufficient resources to make
much of an impact. To be a
main facilitator of integration,
regional countries need to
provide more funds.
• Restricted physical space
means a limited number of
students.
 and communication across the
region
• Organised workshops for
CAPE Communication Studies
Students.
• They have organized webinar
series covering good media and (Caribbean based, not global),
communication practices.
CSME • Facilitates easier movement
of skills/labour throughout the
Caribbean.
•Helps in the movement of
goods and Services within the
region e.g., Chubby, S.M Jaleel
• Free movement of capital,
technology, and
entrepreneurship
•Larger markets for a wider
range of goods and services.
• Encourages competition
while establishing Caribbean
brands. A lot of brands are
being promoted throughout the
region are becoming more
establishes.
• Not well marketed throughout
the Caribbean
• Very narrow approach to
media and communication
because of globalization
Caribbean students need to be
able to compete globally.
• No common currency which
limits trade and movement of
skills, labour, industrialization,
and technology.
• Disparity between economic
development creates
competition and tension
between and amongst
Caribbean countries.
• Limited scope for growth of
markets within the Caribbean.
A global focus also needs to be
taken so that we are not limited
in markets.
• Less developed countries
unable to compete effectively
in terms of marketing their
goods and services.
• Restricted investments (not in
education and infrastructure).
While economic development

REGIONAL SECURITY • Cooperates on regional
SYSTEM (RSS) security during natural
disasters, immigration.
• Focuses on democracy
(Grenada)
• Come together to tackle
problems such as drug
trafficking, human trafficking
Collaborates with international
agencies/Government e.g.,
training and strategies.
•Steps in during maritime crisis
e.g., T&T border issues
CARIBBEAN • Encourages investment in the
DEVELOPMENT BANK Caribbean especially in crucial
areas such as education,
poverty reduction
• Provides technical advice and
training to its member
countries
• Promotes the Caribbean
is being encouraged it is still
restricted as it does not occur
in education, health, and
infrastructure, where it is
needed most.
• Lack of funding. Funding is
needed to ensure the security
of the Caribbean region,
equipment, vessels and
personnel.
• Ineffective in solving security
issues e.g., drug trafficking.
Instead of being able to
decrease drug trafficking there
has been an increase.
• Not all countries have the
same agenda
• Not all CARICOM members
are part of the RSS – limits the
work of the RSS
• No clear policies to
accomplish its goals
• Disparity between countries
(more/less developed
countries)
• Investments coming in are
not geared towards public
services (health, education,
infrastructure). Does not make
a significant impact to the lives
of Caribbean people.
region internationally
• Brings in foreign investors to
the region. A lot of Caribbean
countries need foreign
investors to invest in the
region.
• Encourages development of
rejects geared towards regional
development. To encourage
projects by giving loans toward
projects that would help the
public e.g., healthcare, roads,
water supply
• Too many countries have
high debts. Many countries that
take loans are unable to pay it
back.
• Inadequate resources to have
a real impact throughout the
region. The extent of resources
needed by some countries
surpass the resources of the
CDB.
• Need for stronger strategies
geared towards promotion of
economic growth