ST JOHN’S, Antigua – The 29th summit of Caribbean Community (Caricom) heads of government was dragging to a close last evening, with a mix of hope and frustration on arrangements to achieve a single economy as well as contentious issues like a new economic partnership agreement with the European Union (EU).

After intense, and at times tension-filled deliberations, the Caricom leaders were preparing to release last evening two ‘Declarations’ – one of which deals with the impending signing by member states of the Community (along with the Dominican Republic) and the EU of the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) initialled last December in Barbados.

The other promised ‘declaration’ pertaining to the way forward for Caricom would be consistent with a signal given at the start of the four-day summit by host prime minister and current Community chairman, Baldwin Spencer.

“At the end of our deliberations,” said Spencer, I am confident that a Declaration of Dickenson Bay will proclaim to the Caribbean people and to the world, a renewed commitment to regional integration, with new emphasis…”

However, in the post-lunch period and prior to their scheduled final caucus at Sandals Grande Antigua Resort, located at Dickenson Bay, there were indications that frustration flowing from their deliberations on the EPA with Europe, may result in derailing the prospect of a “declaration” on this accord since unanimity would be an essential factor.

Therefore, with Guyana’s President Bharrat Jagdeo yet to concur on the formulation of the EPA declaration, in view of his stated reservations, and prior to a proposed consultation being arranged for stakeholders’ views in Guyana, there could be only the “Declaration of Dickenson Bay”.

President Jagdeo said that “as presently advised”, he could not say that he may be a party to the proposed “EPA Declaration”. In contrast, Prime Minister Spencer was still hopeful of a resolution of differences as he was arranging to preside at the final caucus.

For his part, Jamaica’s Prime Minister Bruce Golding did not conceal his own disappointment, when he told the media that he found the agenda both “too heavy” and not properly structured for “effective decision-making” on major issues by the heads of government.

Participating in his first regular annual summit since becoming prime minister in September last year, it was Golding who had told the ceremonial opening last Monday that they were meeting amidst mixed feelings of hope and frustration…”

In addition, Golding thinks “that a number of issues that are being brought to us, do not really need the attention of the heads and could be dealt with at other levels (ministerial councils).

“Heads should really confine themselves to issues on which decisions are required and issues that involved determination of policy,” said Golding, who has lead responsibility in Caricom for external economic negotiations.

Golding even raised the possibility of Caricom considering the introduction of a sanctions mechanism against defaulting partner states as the European Union had found necessary to do.

Neither the prime minister of Dominica, Roosevelt Skerrit, who holds portfolio responsibility for freedom of movement, nor his counterpart from St Kitts and Nevis, Denzil Douglas, who has lead responsibility for health, with special emphasis on HIV/AIDS, was around for yesterday’s concluding sessions.

Skerrit left for home on Thursday after indicating to the media his own frustration with “barriers” that continue to impede progress in freedom of movement for skilled and eligible Community nationals, and continuing delays in arrangements for relevant contingency rights that will extend social benefits of the countries to which they would be migrating are entitled.

Prime Minister Douglas, having updated colleagues on his health portfolio responsibilities, asked to be excused and left for home to watch the match between the West Indies and Australia.

Vincentian Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves, whose recent public criticisms of the way the Community conducts its business with what he described as a “ramshackle” administrative apparatus, appeared in good spirit following his briefing of his colleagues on a plot by drug dealers to assassinate him.

He provided them with intelligence report from his security forces that, he said, were also corroborated by police intelligence in Trinidad and Tobago. Prime Minister Patrick Manning, he said, was helpful in informing the caucus session of his own supporting evidence, gathered by his intelligence services, to identify a Trinidadian national who was reportedly contacted as a potential “hit man”, but declined.

Crime and security challenges were among matters under discussion as arrangements were being finalised for a launching ceremony of establishment of the much-discussed Caricom Development Fund (CDF) with an initial capital of US$60 million. This was among issues that generated some hope for the future of the CSME project.