YorickBrown
09-22-03, - 03:01 AM
Let me make one point clear: Those that do not stand for something will fall for anything.
In this global society NO COUNTRY should be allowed to be above the law. Letting something like that happen is a prelude to disaster. The problem is that some Caribbean leaders are always willing to waive their right to have a different opinion for the promise of an easy life, instead of retaining their sense of global integrity.
Yes, the Caribbean region is struggling to move itself out of the shackles of third world living, but this does not mean that we should forego common sense and agree to situations which will haunt us later on. Certain Caribbean leaders, like Owen Arthur from Barbados for example, have been exemplary in their ability to stand their ground against the U.S. on issues that clearly are one-sided and have little or no benefit for their island nations in the future - in these times being brave enough to do so deserves an outright commendation. As a result of this daring ability to have their own opinions however, they find themselves blacklisted from an upcoming regional meeting as if this encounter was some kind of little boys club with childish rules like: “They do not agree to everything we say, so they’re not allowed into our clubhouse.”
The reality is that we ALL live in this world together. It is about time we begin acting like it. Different countries will have different opinions and in some cases, that is the only fact that will protect us from becoming lemmings that follow each other blindly to doom.
:realmad: Why the fit of ranting? It’s my reaction to reading an article in the Barbados Daily Nation. It speaks of an acceptance of those that easily fall in line and a strong rejection of those that have the ability to make decisions for themselves. You see, the U.S. is attempting to convince countries like The Bahamas to support America’s request that United States soldiers and other senior officials be exempted from the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court. This is an absolutely dangerous request - especially after the situation that continues to rage on in Iraq. Of course The Bahamas’ Prime Minister Perry Christie jumped at the chance to meet with the Bush administration. (very bad move, Mr. Prime Minister) We should never allow the U.S. to choose favorites. Every major Caribbean nation should have said, “Wait a sec, you are not inviting Barbados and Trinidad? Then we will have to decline your offer because who knows, you might do the same type of prejudicial selection with us in the future!”
Anyway, here’s the article: Source:Nation News (http://www.nationnews.com/StoryView.cfm?Record=42454&Section=Local&Current=2003%2D09%2D21%2000%3A00%3A00)
Barbados, Trinidad Left Out
There is no room at the table for Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago when regional leaders meet for talks with United States President George Bush in New York on Wednesday.
On the other hand, Grenada, The Bahamas and St Lucia are welcomed to break bread with the leader of the world’s most powerful nation.
Jamaica’s leader was unable to accept the invitation, while Guyana’s position remained uncertain.
That picture was painted by senior diplomatic and government sources in New York, Washington and the Caribbean about 96 hours before Bush sits down to breakfast in Manhattan with Caricom leaders to ask them to support America’s request that United States soldiers and other senior officials be exempted from the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court.
Barbados and Trinidad have made it clear that they wouldn’t grant the Americans the exemption, while other countries, including the Bahamas and many OECS states have not staked out a firm position on the issue.
“This is an unusual method to meet with Caricom leaders,” said a senior Caribbean official. “The White House and State Department have virtually picked the Caricom delegation by making it clear which countries they want at the meeting. We would have preferred if the matter had been handled in a different way, meaning that Caricom itself had selected its own team.
“But the Bush White House is calling the shots. As far as we understand it, the ICC is the major item on the agenda. The United States is seeking support for its position, pure and simple.”
Officials said Grenada’s Prime Minister, Dr Keith Mitchell, The Bahamas Prime Minister, Perry Christie, and St Lucia’s leader Dr Kenny Anthony have accepted invitations, while Jamaica’s P.J. Patterson, who is also chairman of Caricom, indicated that he could not attend because the meeting clashed with his party’s annual conference.
According to highly-placed sources, the White House deliberately left Barbados and Trinidad off the invitation list because their positions on the ICC were well known and were not expected to change.
In addition, the Bush regime is said to be “quite angry” with Bridgetown because of the public statements the Arthur Government made earlier this year in Parliament in opposition to the United States invasion of Iraq.
“The anger at Barbados is still a hard fact of life,” said an official.
“The White House wanted Jamaica and its prime minister to be present but ... he has sent his regrets.
“It’s true to say that the countries which were invited to the breakfast are those which have not yet ratified the ICC treaty,” said a diplomat.
“In Jamaica’s case, its position in support of the International Criminal Court is firm and is well known. But Mr. Patterson is the chairman of Caricom and that’s why he was asked. It’s that simple.
“As for Barbados, it has taken a position on grounds of principle that it has to support Trinidad and Tobago, the country that led the long battle in the international community for the ICC. A Trinidadian, Karl Hudson-Phillips, is a judge on the ICC. Like Trinidad, Barbados seems to have taken the position that it is standing up for what it believes to be right and is prepared to let the chips fall where they may.”
Interestingly enough, diplomats are pointing to the difference between President Bush and his strongest ally, Britain’s Prime Minister Tony Blair when it came to meeting with leaders who opposed the United States’ position on Iraq. Blair found little, if any difficulty conferring with Arthur in Bridgetown and later having dinner at Ilaro Court with the Barbados leader in August.
“It shows the sophistication and maturity of Tony Blair,” said one diplomat.
As for the Bahamas, which operates on the periphery of Caricom, its government is under tremendous pressure from Washington and Bahamians to give the United States the exemption it is seeking and the Christie administration is expected to go along with the Bush administration.
And Christie jumped at the chance to come to New York and meet the president.
“The Bahamas has a strange relationship with Caricom,” said a diplomat at the United Nations. “It’s part of the region in some areas, but it stays outside in many sectors as well.”
In this global society NO COUNTRY should be allowed to be above the law. Letting something like that happen is a prelude to disaster. The problem is that some Caribbean leaders are always willing to waive their right to have a different opinion for the promise of an easy life, instead of retaining their sense of global integrity.
Yes, the Caribbean region is struggling to move itself out of the shackles of third world living, but this does not mean that we should forego common sense and agree to situations which will haunt us later on. Certain Caribbean leaders, like Owen Arthur from Barbados for example, have been exemplary in their ability to stand their ground against the U.S. on issues that clearly are one-sided and have little or no benefit for their island nations in the future - in these times being brave enough to do so deserves an outright commendation. As a result of this daring ability to have their own opinions however, they find themselves blacklisted from an upcoming regional meeting as if this encounter was some kind of little boys club with childish rules like: “They do not agree to everything we say, so they’re not allowed into our clubhouse.”
The reality is that we ALL live in this world together. It is about time we begin acting like it. Different countries will have different opinions and in some cases, that is the only fact that will protect us from becoming lemmings that follow each other blindly to doom.
:realmad: Why the fit of ranting? It’s my reaction to reading an article in the Barbados Daily Nation. It speaks of an acceptance of those that easily fall in line and a strong rejection of those that have the ability to make decisions for themselves. You see, the U.S. is attempting to convince countries like The Bahamas to support America’s request that United States soldiers and other senior officials be exempted from the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court. This is an absolutely dangerous request - especially after the situation that continues to rage on in Iraq. Of course The Bahamas’ Prime Minister Perry Christie jumped at the chance to meet with the Bush administration. (very bad move, Mr. Prime Minister) We should never allow the U.S. to choose favorites. Every major Caribbean nation should have said, “Wait a sec, you are not inviting Barbados and Trinidad? Then we will have to decline your offer because who knows, you might do the same type of prejudicial selection with us in the future!”
Anyway, here’s the article: Source:Nation News (http://www.nationnews.com/StoryView.cfm?Record=42454&Section=Local&Current=2003%2D09%2D21%2000%3A00%3A00)
Barbados, Trinidad Left Out
There is no room at the table for Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago when regional leaders meet for talks with United States President George Bush in New York on Wednesday.
On the other hand, Grenada, The Bahamas and St Lucia are welcomed to break bread with the leader of the world’s most powerful nation.
Jamaica’s leader was unable to accept the invitation, while Guyana’s position remained uncertain.
That picture was painted by senior diplomatic and government sources in New York, Washington and the Caribbean about 96 hours before Bush sits down to breakfast in Manhattan with Caricom leaders to ask them to support America’s request that United States soldiers and other senior officials be exempted from the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court.
Barbados and Trinidad have made it clear that they wouldn’t grant the Americans the exemption, while other countries, including the Bahamas and many OECS states have not staked out a firm position on the issue.
“This is an unusual method to meet with Caricom leaders,” said a senior Caribbean official. “The White House and State Department have virtually picked the Caricom delegation by making it clear which countries they want at the meeting. We would have preferred if the matter had been handled in a different way, meaning that Caricom itself had selected its own team.
“But the Bush White House is calling the shots. As far as we understand it, the ICC is the major item on the agenda. The United States is seeking support for its position, pure and simple.”
Officials said Grenada’s Prime Minister, Dr Keith Mitchell, The Bahamas Prime Minister, Perry Christie, and St Lucia’s leader Dr Kenny Anthony have accepted invitations, while Jamaica’s P.J. Patterson, who is also chairman of Caricom, indicated that he could not attend because the meeting clashed with his party’s annual conference.
According to highly-placed sources, the White House deliberately left Barbados and Trinidad off the invitation list because their positions on the ICC were well known and were not expected to change.
In addition, the Bush regime is said to be “quite angry” with Bridgetown because of the public statements the Arthur Government made earlier this year in Parliament in opposition to the United States invasion of Iraq.
“The anger at Barbados is still a hard fact of life,” said an official.
“The White House wanted Jamaica and its prime minister to be present but ... he has sent his regrets.
“It’s true to say that the countries which were invited to the breakfast are those which have not yet ratified the ICC treaty,” said a diplomat.
“In Jamaica’s case, its position in support of the International Criminal Court is firm and is well known. But Mr. Patterson is the chairman of Caricom and that’s why he was asked. It’s that simple.
“As for Barbados, it has taken a position on grounds of principle that it has to support Trinidad and Tobago, the country that led the long battle in the international community for the ICC. A Trinidadian, Karl Hudson-Phillips, is a judge on the ICC. Like Trinidad, Barbados seems to have taken the position that it is standing up for what it believes to be right and is prepared to let the chips fall where they may.”
Interestingly enough, diplomats are pointing to the difference between President Bush and his strongest ally, Britain’s Prime Minister Tony Blair when it came to meeting with leaders who opposed the United States’ position on Iraq. Blair found little, if any difficulty conferring with Arthur in Bridgetown and later having dinner at Ilaro Court with the Barbados leader in August.
“It shows the sophistication and maturity of Tony Blair,” said one diplomat.
As for the Bahamas, which operates on the periphery of Caricom, its government is under tremendous pressure from Washington and Bahamians to give the United States the exemption it is seeking and the Christie administration is expected to go along with the Bush administration.
And Christie jumped at the chance to come to New York and meet the president.
“The Bahamas has a strange relationship with Caricom,” said a diplomat at the United Nations. “It’s part of the region in some areas, but it stays outside in many sectors as well.”