Regional Integration/ Communication

• CARICOM


  Caribbean Community and Common Market
• Regional integration


  Coming together for a common purpose
• Types of co-operation

  • Co-operation in the home
  • Co-operation in the community
  • Co-operation at the national level
• Regional


  A bloc or geographic region/area that have things in common
• Integration


  Coming together for a common purpose
• Bi-lateral agreement


  Trade agreement between two companies or countries
• Multi-lateral agreement


  Trade agreement among several companies or countries
• MDCs


  More Developed Countries (Guyana, Barbados, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago and the Bahamas)
• LDCs


  Less Developed Countries (Leeward and Windward Islands)
• The term integration means "to bring or come into equal membership"
• Why Caribbean Integration?


  • To bring about POLITICAL UNITY - the co-ordination of foreign policy among the independent member states
  • To bring about ECONOMIC UNITY - economic co-operation through the Caribbean Common Market
  • To bring about FUNCTIONAL CO-OPERATION - to encourage co-operation among member states in areas of health, education, law, disaster relief, agriculture, culture, communication, financing and industrial relations
• Why is this attempt by Caribbean countries at integration important?


  • Individual countries are too small
  • Resources of member states limited
  • Individual states encounter similar problems with trading partners
  • Similar background - historically, culturally and people wise
• Previous Attempts at Integration


  From Federation to CARIFTA
• British West Indies Federation


  1st attempt made in 1958, consisted of ten territories, was a political union with a Federal Govt. consisting of M.P. elected by the people of all member islands
• Aim of Federation


  • To strengthen the movements for self government
  • To promote economic development
  • To safeguard the democratic system of government
• Achievements of Federation


  • Federation facilitated the movement from colonialism to independence through a united voice
  • The coming together of small states strengthened their effectiveness in dealing with international bodies such as the United Nation
• The W.I. Federation collapsed in 1962
• Why did Federation Collapsed?


  • The masses were not educated on the importance of Federation
  • Communication among islands including shipping, telephone, and postal services was inefficient
  • Envy and jealousy among member states
  • Distrust by the smaller states of the larger members' (Ja. & T'dad) proposal to prematurely change the constitution of the Federation
• Jamaica referendum on Federation. The PNP supported it; the JLP opposed it. Jamaican people voted to withdraw from the union. Dr. Eric William's now famous statement summed up the demise of Federation: "ten minus one equals zero".
• CARIFTA


  Caribbean Free Trade Area, decision to create it was signed by Antigua, B'dos and Guyana in 1965, came fully into being in 1968, aim was to foster economic and social development by encouraging free trade among member states
• CARIFTA did not fail! Member states started to see benefits, so they decided to expand and deepen co-operation by forming CARICOM in 1973
• CARICOM


  Caribbean Community and Common Market, established on July 4, 1973 with the signing of the Treaty of Chaguaramas (T'dad), original signatories were B'dos, T'dad, Jamaica and Guyana
• Additional members


  • Less developed countries signed the treaty on April 17, 1974; Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, St. Lucia, & St. Vincent. Others joined later on. Non-English –speaking members joined later on; Surinam in 1995 & Haiti in 1997
• Main Objectives of Caricom


  • Improve economic development of member states through the introduction of free trade (now called the CSME - Caribbean Single Market and Economy)
  • Functional co-operation in shipping, air transport, meteorology, health, technical assistance, education & training, culture and broadcasting
  • Common policies in dealing with non-member states
• Communication


  A process by which information is exchanged between individuals through a common system of symbols, signs, or behavior or message transferred from one individual to another
• Elements of the Communication Process


  • The sender or the source
  • The message
  • The medium
  • The receiver
  • The feedback
• Verbal communication


  Communication involving using words, including spoken words, written words and songs
• Non-verbal communication


  Communication without words, including postures, gestures, signs, screams, facial expressions
• Body language


  Facial expressions, gestures or postures used to add meaning to spoken words or instead of words
• Modes/media of communication


  • Messengers
  • Courier
  • Mail
  • Telegraph
  • Facsimile machines
  • Telephones
  • Pager
  • Radio
  • Television
  • Newspaper
  • Magazine
  • Poster
  • Satellite
  • Computers
  • Video/audio tape recorders
  • Compact disc (CD) player
  • Digital video disc (DVD) player
• Factors influencing forms and media of communication


  • Urgency of information
  • Nature of information (confidential or public)
  • Geographical conditions
  • Socio-cultural background
  • Available technology
  • Size and distribution of audience
• Geographical factors


  • Distance between sender and receiver
  • Weather
  • Rivers
  • Mountains
  • Sea
• Socio-cultural factors


  • Languages
  • Socio-economic status
  • Beliefs
  • Customs
  • Religions
• Technological factors


  • Availability and changes in communications technology
• Internet


  A global network connecting millions of computers, allowing people all over the world to exchange information
• Electronic mail (e-mail)


  Sending and receiving of messages from one computer to another over a telephone or across networks
• Teleconferencing


  Making it possible for people not in the same place to have a meeting and see and talk to each other using special video equipment, computers and telephone lines
• Telecommuting


  Working at home or any place other than the office and communicating with an employer, co-workers or clients by telephone-linked computers
• Facsimile machine


  Used to send printed information from one business to another, transmitting textual and graphical information over a telephone line
• Mobile/cellular phones


  Increasingly popular due to the convenience they offer, can be used anywhere within range of a transmitter