He's one of the architects of the revised Treaty of Chaguaramas and that makes PJ Patterson a founding father of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy. In Belize, far flung from the Caribbean centers of political and economic power in Jamaica, Barbados and Trinidad, the CSME is at best, a matter of wide apprehension and incomprehension, and, at worst...a four letter word. Well, today at a Chamber luncheon at old Belize, Patterson told a mostly wary business community that the CSME offers genuine opportunities in education, business, and employment to Belize and her citizens.
PJ Patterson, Former Jamaican Prime Minister
"There will be organization of economic, fiscal, and monetary policies and eventually there will come one day a common Caribbean currency. The CSME would permit entrepreneurs to trade freely without hindrance, to establish and service markets and clients in all other member states. Persons in any part of what is now the single economic space, or market area, will be able to transact business by a common set of rules and regulations and all CARICOM nationals are entitled to the same treatment within all member states.
The single market will therefore operate as a unified economic space where consumers and producers operate within one economic space. In simple terms, as Belmopan and Belize and San Pedro Sula are one part of your domestic market, so will be Galveston, which you've never heard about in Jamaica, so will be Bridgetown, so will be St. John's in Antigua, so will be Port of Spain in Trinidad.
Various rights to operate freely in the market have been conferred on all CARICOM nationals. That is to travel, to seek employment, provide services and establish businesses, and all will enjoy the same rights of the nationals of the country in which the business enterprises are established.
The Caribbean Single Market has been created so as to enhance the development potential of all CARICOM territories and our nationals, corporate and personal, to enhance their prospect for a better quality of life."
Belize joined Jamaica, Barbados, Guyana, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago to become founding members of the CSME in January of this year. Tonight Patterson will be conferred with the Order of Belize and deliver a lecture on "the Independence of small states." Both events will take place at the Bliss Center. He leaves tomorrow morning but not before making a special appearance at the annual children's rally.
