PM Kamla: The people will decide future of political, economic union with OECS states

(Caribbean leaders sign political, economic union documents in Trinidad in 2008)

Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar told reporters Thursday Trinidad and Tobago will only enter into a union with other countries in the CARICOM region if the population agrees to such an arrangement.

Her predecessor, Patrick Manning, had made a commitment for a economic union with three Organisation of Eastern Caribbean (OECS) states to be followed by a political union by 2013.

The economic integration deal with Grenada, St Vincent and St Lucia was supposed to take effect in 2011. The memorandum of understanding for the union was signed in Port of Spain in August 2008 and endorsed by CARICOM leaders in May, 2009.

Persad-Bissessar explained to reporters the Parliament never had an opportunity to debate the political union which Manning had proposed and it was not presented to the people.

Manning had mounted a regional shuttle visit to several CARICOM countries to sell the integration idea but got a cold shoulder from Belize and Jamaica. He dismissed that and announced that the 2012 election would be a 'referendum' on the political union.

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Manning, of course, didn't make it to 2012, leaving the matter to be decided by his successor.

"I am of the firm view that any such arrangement, or proposal, must be one that must get the consent of the population...That was never done, and therefore it is one that has to be totally reviewed,” Persad-Bissessar told reporters.

However she said her Government is committed to regional integration and the Caricom Single Market and Economy (CSME).

She said cabinet would review the specific proposals outlined in the integration documents which were submitted to CARICOM leaders last May.

Persad-Bissessar will lead the Trinidad and Tobago delegation to the CARICOM summit next month in Montego Bay, Jamaica.