Heads of Government are empowered to act, yet calling for action

Dear Editor,
It is being observed that at the opening (July 4, 2016) of the annual Conference of the Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (Caricom) presenters on matters relating to advancing Caribbean integration are taking the position of calling for action. It needs to be said that as Heads of Government, the Presidents and Prime Ministers are empowered to act under Caricom Treaty, Charters, and each nation’s respective laws, and in keeping with the duty and responsibility of the office held.
Caribbean countries are no longer colonies thereby requiring the call for action from elsewhere (the Crown). The Caribbean peoples are no longer colonised, thereby having to call on the Crown to act in keeping with their welfare. Heads of Government are in charge of the day-to-day business in their respective countries and their party or group holds significant sway in the Legislature. It means that in addition to the day-to-day administration of the Government, they can also proceed with making laws to advance integration.
Heads of Government are not Leaders of the Opposition or Minority, thereby not having control of the Executive, and requiring action on the part of the Executive which they head.
Calling on others to act when you are empowered to act has become a new fad of the Heads of Government and Executives and should cease. This has never been a practice of Heads of Government of yore. It can be recalled that Forbes Burnham, Eric Williams, Errol Barrow, Michael Manley, Vere Bird Sr, Eugene Charles and others came to Caricom with a vision, shared it with the Region’s peoples, engaged stakeholders, and moved to act. Most of the time the political work was done before the convening of conferences, which were used to fine-tuned proposals, make decisions, and return to their respective countries for implementation.
The integration process needs to realise the objectives set out therein is for Heads of Government to recognise that they have the power to act on the things they are calling for action on. Heads should use the muscles that come with the offices they occupy, and bring before the Region a Plan of Action they will embrace, having done preparatory work, and making known the respective arms of Caricom tasked with getting the job done.
It is the absence of political will and commitment to the integration process that is responsible for many decisions taken not being implemented by the respective members. A lot of work has been done by the technicians, but beyond the work prepared, implementation, which the politicians are in charge of, has been slow.
The Region’s peoples can only act based on clear guidelines and enabling environments created which the Heads of Government have the responsibility to ensure. The people await leadership and have been calling on the respective Governments to act, notwithstanding some have taken initiatives to proceed on their own to make integration work.

Yours faithfully,
Lincoln Lewis