Former Jamaican Prime Minister P.J. Patterson has criticised the Caribbean Community for what he described as a missed opportunity to demonstrate strong regional solidarity in response to the United States fuel blockade affecting Cuba.
Patterson made the remarks while delivering the keynote address at the Norman Manley Law School Distinguished Lecture on Wednesday, where he also called for renewed Caribbean integration and institutional reform.
The issue of Cuba’s fuel crisis was raised earlier this year during the 50th CARICOM Heads of Government Meeting, where regional leaders agreed to send humanitarian assistance to the island as it grapples with ongoing supply challenges.
However, Patterson suggested that the bloc’s response lacked the level of unity and urgency required. He also questioned what he described as CARICOM’s silence regarding recent United States strikes on vessels in the Caribbean Sea.
“CARICOM will flounder unless there is an effective machine and binding mechanisms to implement and enforce the solemn decisions of heads and ministerial organs,” Patterson said.
Call for “Seismic Shift” in Regional Integration
Delivering a lecture titled “Constitutional Renewal, Caribbean Integration and the Rule of Law: Charting the Region’s Next Chapter,” Patterson urged the regional bloc to reposition itself as a force for transformation.
“A reignited CARICOM must become a catalyst for change. We need a seismic shift to be more cohesive – not more divided and supine. We have to formulate our own road map for resilience, prosperity and self-determination in a world that too often marginalises our interests,” he said.
Referencing Jamaican National Hero Norman Manley, Patterson highlighted his vision of building “a community that provides a wider field for individual ambition.”
He noted that despite decades of integration efforts, the region continues to face challenges in areas such as trade, free movement of people and coordinated policy action. Patterson also referenced regional successes, including athletics at the CARIFTA Games, while acknowledging criticism surrounding regional cricket governance.
Focus on Tangible Benefits for Citizens
Patterson argued that the next phase of CARICOM must deliver concrete benefits to Caribbean citizens, including improved mobility for professionals, expanded opportunities for entrepreneurs and greater access to justice.
“The next chapter of our community must achieve that wider ambition, centred on the Caribbean people,” he said.
He also renewed his call for full adoption of the Caribbean Court of Justice as the region’s final appellate court, more than two decades after its establishment, replacing the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council.
Patterson further stressed the need for stronger public communication about CARICOM’s work.
“CARICOM will not matter to the average citizen who has little or no information as to what is available through the community without an information arm, adequately staffed and equipped to disseminate its work and achievements,” he said.
Caribbean Identity and Education
Invoking Caribbean intellectual George Lamming, Patterson called for Caribbean identity to be placed at the centre of regional education systems.
“The time is overdue for the Caribbean to be at the centre of the curriculum at all levels of the region’s education system – not simply as a matter of geography, but as an organic path in understanding who we are as one people,” he said.
Jamaica Constitutional Reform Concerns
Turning to Jamaica’s constitutional reform process, Patterson questioned the current legislative stalemate and urged transparency in the process. He also warned about declining voter turnout, particularly among younger citizens, saying it threatens democratic legitimacy.
Patterson said it was regrettable that Jamaica’s 65th anniversary would pass with the British monarch still serving as head of state, the Privy Council remaining the final appellate court and the Constitution still rooted in an Order in Council.
“It is time to repatriate our Constitution and turn the final page,” he said.
Concerns Over International Law and Regional Security
Patterson also raised concerns about the state of international law, referencing what he described as growing military activity in the Caribbean Sea.
“We are engulfed by turbulent waves within our Caribbean Sea by the exercise of military might and proclamations which violate the tenets of international law,” he said.
He also criticised global double standards, citing the position of the International Court of Justice and United States visa sanctions against prosecutors pursuing legal action related to Gaza.
Patterson further raised concerns about reported extrajudicial actions within the region, questioning how such actions align with constitutional protections guaranteeing the right to life and due process.
He concluded by calling for stronger institutional structures and public engagement to drive the next phase of Caribbean integration.
“How the new chapter unfolds will depend on the pillars already in the ground, and will require both steel and zeal for a sturdy Caribbean architecture on sound foundations,” Patterson said.
