Jamaica's foreign minister Ken Baugh says others may follow Henry Gill. - File

Unhappy with decision by Caricom's leaders to diminish the autonomy and authority of their trade negotiating body by making a unit to the community's Guyana-based secretariat, Henry Gill has decided to walk away as head of the Caribbean Regional Negotiating Machinery (CRNM).

Gill's resignation will take effect June 30 and comes less than a month after the heads of government, at a conference in Belize, confirmed the plan and gave the green light for the closure of the CRNM's office in Barbados and for a consolidation of its staff in Jamaica which, officially, is its headquarters.

"I believe that the new dispensation for the functioning of the CRNM that the Conference mandated at its 20th inter-sessional meeting could best be given effect under new leadership," Gill said in a statement issued from Barbados, where he is based.

Jamaica's foreign affairs and foreign trade minister, Dr Ken Baugh, was unsurprised by Gill's decision and said that the search for a replacement would begin immediately.

Baugh expected more fallouts in the coming days, although he hoped the CRNM would maintain its staff who he described as a "good team of people with experience and expertise".

"Individuals may feel that they may not want to be a part of it (the decision to make the CRNM a specialised unit of the Caricom secretariat), or maybe the change of location might be inconvenience for some people in terms of where they live and salaries arrangements," Baugh told Wednesday Business.

"We anticipate that there may be some, but so far we have not heard of any," Baugh added. "But it will not be a surprise if one or two more indicate that they may have a change of plans."

Change of plans

Gill, a Trinidadian academic who once served as deputy secretary general of the Latin American Economic System (SELA), has worked at the CRNM for nearly eight years in various senior posts.

He became head of the regional trading negotiating group last July, succeeding Jamaican Richard Bernal, who took up a post at the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).

But Gill's ascension came at a time when criticism of the CRNM was reaching a crescendo and its influence was waning. Having long survived sniping at its autonomy, it faced a fusillade for its performance in negotiating the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with the European Union on the part of CARIFORUM (the 15-member Caribbean Community and the Dominican Republic).

A law unto itself

Critics insisted that the Caribbean gave up more than it received under the reciprocal free trade agreement, the EPA was blasted for failing to get specific commitment and dollar amounts for development and capacity-building support from the Europeans.

Among the CRNM's harshest critics was Guyana's president, Bharrat Jagdeo, who claimed that the body, which reported to the region's heads of government via the Jamaican prime minister - Jamaica has responsibility in Caricom for external relations - had become almost a law unto itself.

Bruce Golding, the Jamaican leader, was one of the few regional leaders who were open and unambiguous to the deal.

"The CRNM for a long time came under criticisms in terms of its relationship to the Caricom secretariat and it has been the subject of many studies and consultations," Baugh explained.

"Options were recommended to the heads and, based on discussion at the level of the heads, a decision was taken that the CRNM would become a specialised unit in the Caricom secretariat," he added. "I think it is because of this Mr Gill's resignation has come forward."

Baugh hailed Gill's contribution to the CRNM in particular and to the Caribbean in general.

"He was there throughout the negotiations for the Economic Partnership Agreement with Europe and he has contributed significantly to the success of that agreement," Baugh said.

dionne.rose@gleanerjm.com

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