THE EDITOR, Sir:THE COMMONWEALTH represents one of Great Britain's biggest failures since losing its empire. The failure of Britain and the Commonwealth members to evolve from colonialism, from commonwealth, to common market will ensure that Britain remains a second-class power.
Britain is spending so much time trying to get rid of its former colonies or pretending they don't exist, that it fails to see the potential value of an economic union, not only for the UK but also for all members of the Commonwealth. The Commonwealth suffers from lack of vision and failure to evolve into something meaningful. Given the chance to try and right pass wrongs Britain choose to turn its back.
The United States of America is now capitalising on British failure, its attempt to create a free-trade zone stretching from Alaska to the southern tip of Chile, FTAA will cover 800 million people from 34 states, some of which are former British colonies and members of the Commonwealth, with a combined output of $14 trillion a year. This Free Trade Zone will create a massive market for US products.
The 54-member Commonwealth, which has a combined population of 1.7 billion people, makes up 30 per cent of the world's population. A voluntary association of independent sovereign states, an organisation of Britain's former colonies spread over every continent and ocean, from Africa to Asia, from Pacific shores to the Caribbean and it adds nothing to the lives of its members.
I am, etc.,
ANDRE A. STEWART
inmyownwords@earthlink.net
Brooklyn, NY
Via Go-Jamaica
