Despite the criticism leveled at Caribbean Community (CARICOM), its chairman Roosevelt Skerrit challenged the notion that the regional integration movement has failed to meet expectations.

“I would beg to differ on the point that CARICOM can’t get its act together,” Skerrit, who is also Dominica’s prime minister, told the Caribbean Media Corporation. “We are challenged like every other organization, but I think when you look at the success stories of CARICOM a lot has been achieved.”

He also added: “I take offence to anybody who wants to give the impression that we have not achieved anything and that CARICOM is just a waste of time organization.”

Skerrit also acknowledged that the integration movement faces serious challenges. “There are peculiar issues in particular countries which we have to overcome sometimes but to have gotten thus far in terms of the single market is a tremendous achievement. And at the end of the day, governments have to lead their people but in the same vein governments cannot be way ahead of its own people and therefore the successes of CARICOM are largely dependent on the intention, interests and aspirations of our own citizens.”

The prime minister, who was in Mexico to attend the inaugural MEXICO-CARICOM summit and the meeting of Latin American and Caribbean leaders, again defended the decision to establish an organization known as the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States. He also said it should not be viewed as an attempt to supplant existing arrangements within the region including the Washington-based Organization of American States (OAS).

“I see it as strengthening CARICOM and certainly placing CARICOM not only on the Caribbean map, but also on the international map,” said Skerrit, who added, “It is about respect for countries sovereign rights to exist and to be able to represent the interest of their people no matter how large or small”.

Skerrit dismissed suggestions that the Caribbean leaders had traveled to Mexico for the meeting with the proverbial “bowl in hand.” “We must stop this kind of thing,” he said, “where we believe that Caribbean leaders go around begging. This is not the case. Equal partners were able to sit around the table and express their views candidly.”