Integration movements

Examples of integration movements

We are learning to:

• examine Caribbean integration movements

• suggest ways of strengthening Caribbean integration.

As a region, Caribbean countries stand together as a stronger group, which helps them negotiate with richer, more powerful countries. Any formal agreement or strategy to bring the area together is known as an integration movement.

Regional integration increases the cooperation among the islands, and allows each island to add its strengths and resources to those of the group while benefiting from the strengths and resources of others.

Regional cricket team

Cricket is the most popular sport in the West Indies. Other countries around the world have a team to represent a single country. However, because the West Indies is made up of so many small territories, the countries of the West Indies put together a team that represents the best players from a group of territories in the region. Although each territory has its own domestic team that competes in regional competitions, the West Indies regional team represents the whole Caribbean region in international matches.

Federation

The West Indies Federation was a political grouping that existed between January 1958 and May 1962. Several Caribbean islands, including Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, Barbados and several other islands from the eastern side of the Caribbean, came together to join the Federation. The aim of the Federation was to achieve independence from Britain, as a single, self-governing state. However, the Federation was dissolved in 1962.

Free trade and globalisation

The term globalisation comes from a process in which the world becomes more connected, where people, goods and information can move quickly and easily between different countries all over the globe.

Activity

Use the cooperative strategy ‘Think, Pair and Share’ to suggest ways of strengthening Caribbean integration.

One aspect of globalisation is free trade. This is the removal of quotas, taxes and other laws so that people can do business and move goods and services easily between different countries. Free trade has advantages and disadvantages:

• Member states can get a larger variety of goods and services available within the Caribbean – it is possible to import and export goods, services and labour very easily.

• It can also damage local economies as overseas businesses may be able to supply very cheap goods and services, and local people may be unable to compete.

CARIFTA, CARICOM and CSME

The Caribbean Free Trade Association (CARIFTA) was founded by four Caribbean states in December 1965. The aim was to unite the economies of the member states, give them a greater presence in the global market and encourage development in the region by:

• increasing trade – encouraging the buying and selling of goods between member states

• diversifying trade – increasing the variety of goods and services available

• liberalising trade – removing tariffs and quotas in the area

• ensuring fair trade – setting up fair rules for members to follow that would protect smaller industries.

In 1973, CARIFTA became the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). The CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) is a development strategy that integrates the economies of CARICOM member states.

Joined together as a region, the Caribbean forms a much bigger market economy, allowing the region to compete in the international market more effectively. It also provides a larger market of consumers for each island’s goods and services.

Exercise

1. Explain what you understand by ‘regional integration’.

2. List the organisations founded to foster regional integration.

3. List six reasons for the integration of the Caribbean region.

Activity