David Jessop, Contributor

Two of the most powerful have embraced as ministers individuals from outside the governing party and they have restructured ministries and the public service in recognition that 21st century governance is as much about management and the delivery of services as about power.

In the last few weeks, both French President Nicolas Sarkozy and British Prime Minister Gordon Brown have appointed as ministers individuals from outside their parties who are best able to deliver aspects of their programmes.

Thus, the centre right French president invited the socialist Bernard Kouchner to become his foreign minister, and Gordon Brown invited Digby Jones, a previous head of the Confederation of British Industry and an individual widely regarded to be a Conservative, to become the minister of trade and investment.

What this seems to indicate is a dawning recognition that in most multi-party democracies, policy options have narrowed so much that the traditional adversarial politics of the right and left have much less utility.

It is an approach that seems to recognise that the more economic globalisation proceeds and decisions cease to be within the control of individual governments, the leaders and parties that win elections will be those that are perceived to manage well and turn policy into action.

Preparing government for the future

This move away from a traditional approach to government is at its most clear in Britain. There, the restructuring of ministries reflects an attempt to prepare government for the future.

The shape of the Brown government is very different to that which went before. It seeks to undo the recent past and devolve power to the Cabinet, Parliament, and the regions of Britain.

At an international level,it recognises inter-dependence, places its emphasis on development, concentrates on Africa and seeks to enhance the inter-relationship between trade, development and security.

In particular, the appointment of David Milliband, one of the youngest foreign secretaries ever, sends an important message internationally. Mr Milliband was opposed to the Iraq war when outside of Cabinet. Inside Cabinet he argued against Tony Blair's support for Israel during its war in Lebanon.

His approach is consensual, intellectual and based on a firm belief in multilateralism. He is realistic about the U.K.'s place in the world and is likely to guide a rebalancing of relationships between Europe and the United States.

Under his stewardship, the general themes of British foreign policy are likely to include issues such as the cultural importance of promoting Western values, a reduced emphasis on military presence, achieving global agreement on environmental security, and promoting the freedom of the individual within rule of law.

For the Caribbean, Mr Milliband's appointment will mean little change. The region will remain exactly where it is in terms of Britain's priorities.

Issues driving policy

The issues that will continue to drive policy will be the governance of Overseas Territories; security and narcotics interdiction; and the completing of all aspects of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy as a step that will enable the U.K. to eventually multilateralise its regional relationship through Europe.

Bilateral priorities remain Jamaica and Guyana and for reasons of investment and energy, Trinidad.

There may be a softening of the U.K. approach on Cuba in as much as the red line that Tony Blair created in order not to disrupt the U.S. relationship may be moved or removed, but much will depend on change in Washington and Havana.

The most far-reaching restructuring that has taken place is at the Department for International Development, which has been dramatically elevated in the Whitehall power structure, indicating the importance that the Prime Minister attaches to development, its relationship to trade and to Africa.

This rise reflects the Brown government's prioritisation of soft power through economic development.

The department has gone from two to four ministers and is now headed by Douglas Alexander, a close confidant of Gordon Brown, who will also run the Labour Party's next election campaign.

This new, enlarged ministry will also take responsibility for trade negotiations.

The uncomfortably named Department of Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform will have responsibility for promoting British trade and investment. The appointment from outside government of Digby Jones as a minister heralds greater focus on innovative approaches within existing priorities (Brazil, India, China). Mr. Jones, as a former businessman, is a convinced free marketer likely to press for further rapid trade liberalisation. More reassuringly for the Caribbean, he is a defender of business against extra-territoriality and may choose to take an interest in the increasing U.S. pressure on British and other companies trading with and investing in Cuba.

What all this reflects is not a prime minister putting distance between himself and his pre-decessor, but a government continuing to adapt to new national and global realties.

This may not be good news for the Caribbean if it continues to try to engage using messages that have long passed their sell by date, especially as Britain's opposition embraces many of the same ideas.

Overall approach

The Caribbean should expect the overall approach of the Brown Government to result in less strident diplomacy and the emergence of a more youthful approach to development, foreign policy and trade - a government for which history and its legacy have become largely irrelevant.

It suggests the region should be identifying opportunities for new forms of engagement on issues such as climate change, governance, public-sector restructuring, regu-latory structures, the development of the region's services sector and a practical exploration of the inter-relationship between trade, development and security.

In this the single most important Caribbean point of entry with the new British Government will be next year's U.K./Caribbean government-to-government forum, that is, if the region can adjust its message.

David Jessop is director of the Caribbean Council. Email: david.jessop@caribbean-council.org