News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Sat. Feb. 22, 2025: Yet another CARICOM meeting has concluded – this time in another Donald Trump era, and once again, the outcomes amount to little more than recycled rhetoric and vague commitments. These gatherings have become political rituals where leaders deliver familiar speeches, issue communiqués filled with well-worn promises, and then return to their respective nations with no meaningful progress.
The region’s core challenges – sluggish economic growth, unsustainable debt, rising crime, climate vulnerability, and trade inefficiencies—remain largely unresolved. The Caribbean Single Market and Economy, (CSME), touted as the pathway to regional economic integration since the early 1990s, still sees intra-regional trade stagnating at 15-20%, far below the 60% achieved by the European Union. Crime, another persistent issue, saw 1,393 murders in Jamaica and 600 in Trinidad and Tobago in 2023 alone. Climate disasters, which have caused an estimated $30 billion in damages over the past two decades, continue to wreak havoc, yet CARICOM’s mitigation strategies remain slow and underfunded.
Adding to the region’s uncertainty, the latest U.S. policy shifts under former President Donald Trump have raised new concerns. The closure of the U.S. Agency for International Development, (USAID), a key institution for Caribbean development funding, has sent shockwaves across the region. While USAID’s role has diminished in recent years – except in Jamaica – its shutdown further weakens the already limited external support available for crucial projects in infrastructure, education, and climate resilience. Additionally, renewed U.S. immigration policies could result in an influx of deportees, raising security concerns for already overburdened governments.
At this point, CARICOM meetings resemble a familiar driver switching cars and expecting a different result. Until our leaders move beyond empty declarations and commit to real, measurable action, these summits will continue to be little more than costly talk shops. The Caribbean people deserve more than just words; they deserve leadership that delivers.
