'Patterson Report' calls for reshaped RNM

P. J. Patterson, Prime Minister of Jamaica

BRIDGETOWN, CMC:

SIGNIFICANT CHANGES have
been proposed for reshaping of the Caribbean Community's Regional Negotiating Machinery (RNM), including lines of accountability, financial management and working relationship with regional institutions.

The recommendations for a restructured and more manageable RNM, with trade ministers playing more integral roles ahead of international negotiations, are reflected in a report circulated to CARICOM heads of government by Prime Minister P.J. Patterson of Jamaica.

The 'way forward' for the RNM, in the "Patterson Report", obtained by the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC), followed a mandate given to the Jamaica Prime Minister by his CARICOM colleagues in July to act in his capacity as Chairman of the Prime Ministerial Sub-Committee on External Negotiations.

The "Patterson Report", which points to new operational arrangements and efforts to speedily overcome outstanding arrears in contributions of about US$597,000 that have threatened the RNM with insolvency, has come as Sir Shridath Ramphal finalises his arrangements to leave, at his request, having served as Chief Negotiator of the regional mechanism from its inception in April 1997.

The RNM was established to serve as the primary co-ordinating body for the Caribbean's negotiations with the international community on trade and economic issues. It has had direct accountability to the CARICOM heads of government, through Prime Minister Patterson, with its leading technocrats from the beginning being Ramphal and former Chief Technical Adviser, Sir Alister McIntyre, and operating with offices in London, Geneva, Brussels, Washington and Barbados. Now, with Trade Ministers, the Secretary General of CARICOM and Director General of the OECS Secretariat to be more integrally involved in RNM negotiation arrangements, the post of Chief Negotiator will be merged with that of Chief Technical Adviser (CTA), to be known as Director General of the RNM.

Currently the CTA post is held by Jamaican economist and former ambassador to Washington, Richard Bernal, who is being tipped to become the first RNM Director General, CMC was told. He is also expected to head a new RNM office in Kingston, that will work directly with the Prime Minister of Jamaica who has lead responsibility for the RNM among CARICOM leaders.

To avoid creating a vacuum in any central negotiating areas, such as the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA), World Trade Organisation (WTO) and the European Union (EU), it has been proposed that, with the exception of London, the RNM maintain its extra-regional offices while seeking to strengthen working relations in a number of Caribbean countries. The appointment of three Senior Advisers/Directors has also been proposed for the restructured RNM. One of them to be responsible for FTAA negotiations, another for WTO negotiations, and the third to cover negotiations involving the European Union and the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) group.

The 'Patterson Report' has also suggested initiatives to get major payment defaulters like Suriname and the Dominican Republic, which together account for some US$474,000 of the total outstanding arrears in allocated contributions, to honour their financial obligations to the RNM. In focusing on finance and 'accountability', it urged a schedule of "manageable payments" to be recommended to Suriname, and that a high-level delegation
be despatched to the Dominican Republic to "urgently discuss" that country's financial obligations in order to arrive at an "acceptable and lasting resolution".

On the issue of "accountability", the report calls for "clear definition and urgent implementation of administrative processes, financial procedures and internal control". These are to be based on guidelines being prepared by a leading regional auditing firm. In the meantime, the CARICOM Secretary General, Edwin Carrington, and Chief Technical Adviser Bernal, have been asked to "recast" the RNM's operational budget for 2001-2002 to reflect the changes based on the recommendations on the new structure and operations of the RNM.

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