By Ian Francis
The Celebrations:
Certainly, there is need for celebrations, hype and wishful thinking about the recent election of Presidential Designate Barack Obama. To many, it is a long dream that has been materialized starting in the 60s with a decisive victory to the White House for the next four years. With anticipation and great expectations, if all goes smoothly, there will be another four years of Barack and Michelle at the White House during which time many of our Commonwealth Caribbean leaders will be on the sideline hoping for a call to become a Governor-General or head of a Statutory Board. This will only become a reality if their associated party maintains at the helm of Government.
The Recurring Presidential Presence:
The people of the Commonwealth Caribbean and the United States of America have had the opportunity to see many Presidents elected and later demit office for one reason or the other. During the 1980s when President Jimmy Carter became president there were high hopes from regional leaders that with Carter in the White House and Andy Young at the United Nations, special attention would be paid to the region and with the hands stretched out a little longer, the Yankee dollars would arrive and leaders would be just happy. It did not work and unfortunately through his own political misfortune, he was only able to survive one term in the Oval Office.
Reagan and the Caribbean Basin Initiative:
Next came President Ronnie Reagan, his goal for the Commonwealth Caribbean at the time was “stopping socialism, isolating the Cuban regime and restoring democracy in Grenada. Initially, he picked on the Sandinistas in Nicaragua and had some success in destabilizing the regime of Daniel Ortega. Unfortunately, the sad turn of events in Grenada in 1983, which led to the United States military intervention, provided a new impetus for the Reagan regime. He was able to entice a few Commonwealth Caribbean leaders to go along with his expedition in lieu of establishing the Caribbean Basin Initiatives. The leaders who went along on the expedition were able to get some bilateral assistance, which went mainly to paramilitary enforcements. Education, health, housing and agriculture in particular were ignored.
Through the much touted Caribbean Basin Initiative and with old hawks such as Alexander Haig and Elliot Abrahams, who felt that the Commonwealth Caribbean had to be placed under heavy manners, several new micro initiatives emerged but were tightly controlled by a few regional institutions who understood what the White House wanted to achieve. They enjoyed the resources given under the Caribbean Basin Initiatives; travelled to Washington regularly and had the opportunity to meet with Abrahams and his gang to be told stories about socialism threats in the Commonwealth Caribbean. Fortunately,the funds for the Caribbean Basin Initiatives came crashing; many of the regional institutions also crashed or became dysfunctional. The Regional Security Service remains an entity from the Caribbean Basin Initiatives.
The Bill Clinton Era:
President Clinton’s accession to the White House throne also created much hype by Commonwealth Caribbean leaders. After having being used and let down by the Reagan operatives they felt that Mr Clinton would be in an enviable position to repair the damages of the Reagan era. Our leaders came forward once more firmly standing at attention and patiently waiting on the call from the White House. The call came and many journeyed to the White House in Washington; participated in a very large breakfast; some had the opportunity of being given a tour of the White House; they chatted with President and Madeline Albright but left empty handed with the promise that Congress will be apprised of their needs.
The Bush Bungle:
The inconspicuous President Bush arrived on Pennsylvania Avenue with much fanfare and ideas for the Americas. Like his other Reagan counterpart, he talked about militarizing the region; fighting communism and strengthening the paramilitary forces. He delivered by refurbishing some of the old Coast Guard boats Reagan donated and building some new barracks for the local SSU contingents.
With guidance and counseling from former Secretary of State, Colin Powell, another call to breakfast at the White House was made and attended by our Commonwealth Caribbean leaders. With fairness, some were weary and hesitant but were coaxed into making the trip by their Washington based Ambassadors and special Washington think tanks. They were again well fed, lectured to and told that the president would be talking to Congress about an aid package. With his current domestic problems, low popularity; his pending exit from the White House and the recent election of a new Senate, it is quite unlikely that any major break will come through for Commonwealth Caribbean leaders. The Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty pushed by the Bush Administration to Caribbean governments seems to be the only tangible item obtained from the Bush White House.
The Meeting of Two Lame Ducks
Interestingly enough, many Commonwealth Caribbean leaders have made the firm decision to stay away from the White House because of the Bush and Rice impotence on any meaningful policy initiative for the region. Recently, the newly elected Prime Minister of Grenada, Honourable Tillman Thomas paid a visit to President Bush. With fairness to Thomas, most observers saw this visit as a courtesy call given his recent election and at the time he was scheduled to be in Washington. Thomas apparently did not understand that he was visiting a lame duck President and should in fact spend no more that 15-20 minutes in the Oval Office. Like many other hand stretching Commonwealth Caribbean leaders, he made the classical error of stretching his hands seeking funds for the restoration of the Grenada Parliament Building and Government House. Two post Hurricane Ivan damaged targets with French and British interests.
Past and Future Visits to the Oval Office
Commonwealth Caribbean leaders are once more at it again. Basking in the sunshine of their respective State or Colony, they have decided to harness strange and impossible ideas about the election to the White House of the First African American. The pre congratulatory messages wishing him success at the polls were in order; the post congratulatory messages commending him on a decisive victory were also in order. However, harboring the thoughts that an African American president will bring great and immediate benefits to the region is no more than “a fool living in paradise”. Commonwealth Caribbean leaders must understand that the structure and decision making process in the United States Government has not changed.
Rather than trying to fool the electorate to the effect that better days are ahead for Commonwealth Caribbean States with the election of an African American president ,the region's leaders might very well wish to sit down and draw up a game plan that will not by-pass the Congress, Senate or House of Representatives. These are very important elements within the foreign policy apparatus of the United States. Ignoring or not clearly understanding their functions can spell further failure for our regional leaders to work out or achieve a meaningful bilateral or multilateral strategy with the United States of America. Any strategy that is achieved must take into consideration the deployment of resources to improve education, health, housing and other social conditions of the local population.
A Strategic Approach
Another invitation for breakfast or lunch will be coming within the next year or two from the White House; however, in the interim it is necessary for the Commonwealth Caribbean leadership to engage themselves in acquiring knowledge about the Foreign Relations Committee, who are the Washington insiders? Who can influence policies? Who have access? Who are the key players? We need to move beyond the race hype and bring the dreaming to a halt. Caribbean leaders can do much better.
The local foreign ministries need to get down to some serious planning which will aid in giving strategic and qualitative advice to their resident ambassadors in the nation’s capital.
The new incoming administration is already saddled with various problems that would require immediate attention. There are Afghanistan, Pakistan, Russia and Georgia; Iraq and the whole Middle East question with the likely election of a right wing party in Israel and possibility of ending all negotiations with the Palestinians.
The economic slump, improving conditions for poor Americans, bringing forward a national health care bill, housing are also national concerns that President Obama will have to address over the next four years in office.
Commonwealth Caribbean leaders are advised to focus their energies on national development; continue with the strengthening of bilateral links with Europe and returning to the Canadians after they were ceremoniously dumped in favor the Reagan Caribbean Initiatives.
Ian Francis is President and Chief Executive Officer.of Vismin Communications.Org, a marketing, research and consulting organization that publishes a bi-monthly newsletter; conducts research; provides consulting services in employment equity; project management; Commonwealth-Caribbean Trade and Investment and Multicultural Affairs. |
