EDITORIAL - Revisit proposals for CARICOM emergency fund

Family members usually rush to each other's side during an emergency to render assistance and relieve the other's suffering. And so it is with the international community - after calamities one can expect compassion. Countries usually reach out to help others cope with disasters by offering humanitarian aid.

This help is usually given without onerous conditions and is given more as an affirmation of our shared humanity. This no less true of the community of nations called CARICOM that has a long tradition of helping out each other in dire times.

So it should not have been a surprise, as Hurricane Tomas barrelled its way through the Caribbean last week, leaving a trail of devastation behind, that the St Lucian Prime Minister Stephenson King, his country battered by the storm, would call on a CARICOM partner, and in this case, Trinidad and Tobago's prime minister, Kamla Persad-Bissessar for help. Although the details of that call were not made public, it is hard to imagine that he heard the words of solidarity he had hoped for to help soothe the blow his country had received. It is a fact that official public language usually reflects serious private concerns. In public, the Trinidadian prime minister said whatever assistance was to be given by her country should translate into some specific benefit to the twin-island republic.

In the context of a hurricane disaster, Mrs Persad Bissessar's comments were insensitive, gauche and ill-timed. There is a time to discuss the longer-term details of aid necessary to fix the complex structural problems created by the storm, but last week was not one such.

And coming so soon after her declaration in July that Trinidad was not CARICOM's ATM, Caribbean people have become pretty riled up about this latest statement. One local businesswoman, former head of the Jamaica Manufacturers' Association, Doreen Frankson, has chastised the Government for what she sees as its cowardice in not rebuking Mrs Persad-Bissessar. Maybe the Jamaican Government is exercising caution bearing in mind that Mrs Persad-Bissessar had made ominous comments about the Air Jamaican sale to Caribbean Airlines shortly after taking office. This may explain why Prime Minister Golding has skilfully avoided commenting and Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Minister Ken Baugh has pleaded for understanding. No point in ruffling those feathers at this time.

Rethink aid policy

It is a fact, however, that economic realities are forcing nations to rethink their aid policy. At present, the United States is the world's most generous nation in delivering aid to disaster areas. Think what would happen if the US were to cut back or withdraw that aid. That is why Prime Minister Bruce Golding's suggestion that a CARICOM emergency fund be established is to be taken seriously.

Based on some of the comments emanating from within Trinidad itself, it is obvious that Mrs Persad-Bissessar made her statement against the backdrop of local politics and the weight of public opinion in her country. So that means even before any such emergency fund is established we can expect another round of haggling over how much each country should contribute.

Mrs Persad-Bissessar is now in Washington where she will hold talks with the American Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. One of the topics on the agenda is humanitarian aid for CARICOM. Perhaps, the prime minister will be able to bring some new ideas and new vision to that discussion.

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