Leonardo Blair, Staff Reporter 
FILE -
Seaga: Those who want to go the route of federation better go about it differently this time.
OPPOSITION LEADER Edward Seaga ignited a fiery debate in the House of Representatives last Tuesday when he argued that the rush to establish the Caribbean Single Market and Economy (CSME) will ultimately lead to a federalist government.
"Once the (CSME) gets going, then haste has to be the order of the day to establish the CARICOM Commission to take the place of CARICOM, then to the Assembly of Caribbean Com-munity Parliamentarians," said Mr. Seaga, who further argued that the stages would be moved until there is a regional political union.
"If this is not so, then somebody tell me why?" asked Mr. Seaga. "Those who want to go the route of federation better go about it differently this time."
The debate took place during the tabling of two CSME-related bills, piloted by Development Minister Paul Robertson. The two bills that were passed are the Caribbean Community Establish-ment, Services, Capital and Movement of Community Nationals Act 2004 and the Diplomatic Immunities and Privileges Act.
CONCERNS
Mr. Seaga also raised concerns about Jamaica being the only country so far of the three pioneering countries including Trinidad and Barbados that had already passed a significant amount of the necessary legislation needed to effect the ambitions of the CSME.
The debate before the passing of the bills drew several warnings from the opposition bench, which argued that the nation has not yet been sufficiently informed about the impact of the CSME on their lives.
"The fact that we are importing 25 times as much from Trinidad as we are exporting tells me that we need to get the fundamentals right first," said Opposition MP Clive Mullings. "The notion of the Caribbean man tugs on the heart strings but I urge this House to look at what we are attempting to do.
PHILLIPS DISMISSES
ACCUSATION
"After you have signed off on this legislation you might very well find that employment falls for us," he said.
But there was staunch backing from government members of Parliament.
Security Minister Peter Phillips dismissed the accusation as an 'old bogey' that has been worn, tried and failed and assured the House that the Cabinet had no intention to enter into a federal government with the rest of CARICOM.
But, warned Andrew Hol-ness, JLP MP for East Rural St. Andrew: "When you start on the road to integration, it is almost deceptive to say you will not end up with a political union. We are not afraid of a political union, what we are afraid of is deception."
