Four leaders sign integration accord

[zuluwarrior]

Four leaders sign integration accord
   
 
 
 Trinidad and Tobago and three other Caribbean states—Grenada, St Vincent and the Grenadines and St Lucia—last night signed an agreement to achieve economic integration by 2011 and political integration by two years later.

This was disclosed by Prime Minister Patrick Manning during a news conference at the Diplomatic Centre, after marathon talks with the three leaders and the Foreign Ministers of Barbados and Guyana.

Manning said he and chairman of the Organisation of East Caribbean States (OECS), Grenadian Prime Minister Tillman Thomas, would travel to the other member states of the OECS on Wednesday next week to inform them of the development.

Manning said the four nations were expected to ratify the MOU by December 31.

He said all other Caricom states were also invited to ratify the MOU by the end of this year.

He added that the initiative would require some states to give up some sovereignty.

Prime Minister of St Vincent and the Grenadines Ralph Gonsalves and St Lucian Prime Minister Stephenson King praised Manning for the initiative, aimed at bringing the region closer.

Manning said he was confident that the desired objectives would be met in this initiative.
 
©2005-2006 Trinidad Publishing Company Limited
Designed by: Randall Rajkumar-Maharaj · Updated daily by: Nicholas Attai
 
 
 

[Peong]

Integration to wat extent?

[zuluwarrior]

Only time would tell ,if they put their heads together look for ah better life for the regions is only one little thing they must always remember ,they could make it if they try jus ah little harder . 

[weary1969]

If d Europeans who fight nuff war in dey time y we cyah integrate and keepin wit d Stalin theme d C'bb man take d shape ship

[Deeks]

Here we go again. I am all for it. We have to start sometime and why not now.  But something tell meh this is only hot air. The principal country in this is TT and its wealth. How will TT citizen reciprocate to this idea.

There is general dissatisfaction with Patick Manning's stewardship of the  country.  Even though we have a little bit of money and there is construction "boom", quite a few home are not reaping the beneits of the windfall. In addition, there is the crime situation. The callousness in the killings of mainly young black man.

 MOST TT people may be against because they feel a lot of things need to be done in TT FIRST before with try to hoo up with the other island who are less fortuante that us.

Then there is the racial aspect of this integration accord. Will Indo-Trinis feel threatened by this accord. These 3 other islands are overwhelmingly Afr-Carib. It will tilt the population toward Afro-Carib. That is my take on it. But I am for it.
 

[weary1969]

Y dey not benefittin can u tell me. Free education from nursery 2 tertiary. Yes d crime problem real but minus d bandit dem who killin 1 another tings eh dat bad.

Now if yuh tell meh bout d traffic jam and d repavin of d same highway 3 times a yr then we go talk. As 4 d indo trini matters not what Manning do d vast majority of dem eh voting PNM. So as Nike use 2 say just do it

[zuluwarrior]

Ah dohn tell dem ah ready black man doh geh nuttin easy.

[TrinInfinite]

the pnm cant even support the people of tt, far less other nations, but manning want inegration? nonsense...

[ZANDOLIE]

Somebody please remind...I'm sure I must have missed it....When did Manning ask the people of T&T for their permission to do this?

[zuluwarrior]

Buh zando this was being discuss since before election and i think they was sayin that JA still was not budgin. so  dey say they would go ahead and who want to link up would do so after .

[ZANDOLIE]

Buh zando this was being discuss since before election and i think they was sayin that JA still was not budgin. so dey say they would go ahead and who want to link up would do so after .

It has been discussed since before 1958.

Did the government get any kind of consensus on the larger picture? Manning ask anybody if they want a regional police force?

[ZANDOLIE]

"He (Manning) added that the initiative would require some states to give up some sovereignty."
 
What does this mean? Exactly what degree of sovereignity will we surrender? Is it not encumbent on our government to inform us that our sovereignity will be compromised BEFORE the fact, much less inquire IF we wish it to BE compromised in the first place?

[dcs]

"He (Manning) added that the initiative would require some states to give up some sovereignty."
 
What does this mean? Exactly what degree of sovereignity will we surrender? Is it not encumbent on our government to inform us that our sovereignity will be compromised BEFORE the fact, much less inquire IF we wish it to BE compromised in the first place?

crazyness.
Is like we just getting the memo as to what they want to do.
People griping bout Stern getting drop via text message but we being told we giving up sovereignty after accord done sign to start the process.
let them keep pushing and see how long people will take it

[Jah Gol]

I can't see any significant change occurring without a 2/3 majority in Parliament to make the relevant amendments to the constitution.

[weary1969]

So Jah u eh tink Manning know dat and it dead in d water. DCS dat story bout dem countries and dat in d news long time so no need 2 text oui

[Jah Gol]

So Jah u eh tink Manning know dat and it dead in d water. DCS dat story bout dem countries and dat in d news long time so no need 2 text oui

Nothing is going to change outside of the already present commitments to Caricom. We are already supposed to have free movement and free trade.

According to Unit 22 of Part II  of the CENTRAL BANK ACT of December 12, 1964 The unit of currency is the Trinidad and Tobago dollar which shall be divided into one hundred cents. The Act has been amended 3 times already in 1986,1993 and 1994 btw.  In 93 and 94 the Government definitely didn't have 2/3 majority. It is possible that amendments to this act may be easier to achieve politically. Replacing the act altogether may be a more complicated path.   

Any change in the structure of the government would require a 2/3 majority.

I wonder if these fellas considered the environment before adopting this initiative. Without adequate measures we could face an escalation of crime here and into the other member states. What about the impact of inflation.  Don't get me wrong, I support regional integration but I things looking vikey vike right now - No consultation or nutten.