THE PARLIAMENTARY Opposition may have overstated its case last week by accusing the Patterson administration ostensibly of taking Jamaica into a federal or political union by entering the emerging Caribbean Single Market and Economy (CSME).
However, the Opposition's other concerns appear sound on at least two counts: the need for greater public education about the CSME as well as some form of consultation with the populace.
The ultimate goal of the CSME is economic and monetary union - a very high level of integration, which is scheduled to come on stream sometime after 2008. In Miami last week Prime Minister P.J. Patterson told a conference on Caribbean/Latin America that when fully consummated, the CSME would represent the most complete form of economic integration between sovereign nations, "second only to the European Union".
Political union or not, the governing of individual states in the CSME will demand close and constant political collaboration between the leaders of member states. Moving to such a level of economic integration, we contend, warrants at some stage consultation with the peoples of the Caribbean.
In recent times the Opposition Jamaica Labour Party and the governing People's National Party have displayed over-sensitivity to the holding of referenda. The PNP in particular seems constantly haunted by the ghosts of the 1961 referendum on Jamaica's staying in the West Indies Federation an election which it lost. Its arguments, for example, that any referendum on Jamaica's being a part of the Caribbean Court of Justice, may be valid as far as constitutional requirements go, but also display a contempt for the intelligence of the Jamaican public. The party, in effect, is saying the electorate cannot distinguish among different issues to make an intelligent choice. This is ironic, given its frequent successes at the polls. We believe it is time now that the ghosts of the 1961 referendum be put to rest. Two generations later that event should not be used to hold the society hostage.
We believe it would enhance democracy by holding a referendum to poll the people's view on a number of issues including the abolition or retention of the death penalty, introduction of casino gaming, implementation of the Caribbean Court of Justice and the CSME (economic union phase). The result of the various issues polled could be pre-determined as indicative or binding.
Let the people speak.
THE OPINIONS ON THIS PAGE, EXCEPT FOR THE ABOVE, DO NOT NECESSARILY REFLECT THE VIEWS OF THE GLEANER.
