Delivering a truly impactful address to all Caribbean sons and daughters, Caricom Chair, Mia Mottley called on the region to band together in unity to ride the wave of an impending global trade war.
Mottley declared the world in crisis facing the most difficult period since the end of World War II, 80 years ago.
Mottley said that the world is battling too much at once. “Our planet faces a climate catastrophe that worsens every year. We have a cost-of-living crisis that has been bedevilling us since the disruption of supply chains, when the COVID-19 Pandemic triggered the shutdown of the majority of countries.”
She went on, “Misinformation, disinformation and manipulation are relevant. The mental health crisis is causing hopelessness among many of our young people, and regrettably, crime and fear are on the rise. We’re fighting wars in the Holy Land, in Europe and in Africa. Countries are distrustful of countries and neighbours are distrustful of neighbours. The international order, the international system, my friends, is in great danger of collapse, and now we are on the precipice of a global trade war.”
Referencing Donald Trump’s recent announcements of increased tariffs, Mottley noted that the measures “will impact us very directly as a Region and as a Caribbean people.”
She then called on the regional private sector and the tourism sector to come together and to work with governments to collaborate for an immediate tourism strategy to ensure the maintenance of market share numbers as a region.
Mottley then stressed, “we must not fight among each other for political gain. Because my dear brothers and sisters, as the old adage goes, United, we stand and divided, we fall.”
The Caribbean leader said that in every global political and economic crisis, there is always an opportunity. “If we come together, put any divisions aside, support our small businesses and small producers, we will come out of this stronger,” Mottley declared.
Addressing Caribbean hoteliers, supermarkets and consumers, Mottley said, “My message is the same. Buy local and buy regional. I repeat, buy local and buy regional. The products are better, fresher and more competitive in many instances. If we work together and strengthen our own, we can ride through this crisis. We may have to confront issues of logistics and movement of goods, but we can do that too.”
As if she could not speak enough about the need for unity, Mottley said again, “if we take care of each other, if we support each other, if we uplift each other, and if we tap into the strength and innovation of our common Caribbean spirit, we will see this through. Our forefathers faced tribulations far worse than we will ever do and yes, they came through it.”
