CARICOM LEADERS DISCUSS THORNY ISSUES RELATED TO CSME AMIDST OECS CONCERNS

Caribbean Community (CARICOM) leaders are now engaged in the final day of their three-day summit in Jamaica’s second city, Montego Bay, after concluding what host prime minister and CARICOM chairman, Dr Andrew Holness, has described as a “successful caucus” on Monday.

In a message posted on his Facebook page, Prime Minister Holness said that the caucus ended at 1.00 am (local time) on Tuesday adding “we got through some difficult issues but at the end, we are all one Caribbean family”.

Dr Holness did not disclose the matters discussed in caucus but observers note that the problems surrounding the full implementation of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) would be among the issues discussed.

The CSME allows for the free movement of goods, skills, labour and services across the region and on Monday, Antigua and Barbuda’s Prime Minister Gaston Browne during the plenary session raised concerns that member states of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) are being “treated with benign neglect” within the wider CARICOM grouping.

Prime Minister Browne said. “we ought not to be treated with benign neglect as how the international community treats us.”

More in the ABS Evening News at 7.