#BTEditorial – No free lunches even among countries

The world in which Barbados operates in 2024 has become so polarised, it is increasingly difficult for the world’s newest republic to remain non-aligned, as former Prime Minister and father of independence the Right Excellent Errol Walton Barrow advised.

During the presidency of Donald Trump, the Caribbean witnessed first-hand, the aggressive positions taken by that super power to influence geo-political stands of Caribbean nations.

Even with current United States President Joe Biden, several Caribbean countries found themselves struggling to balance their support for Venezuela and Cuba when the USA sought to keep the oil producing nation and Cuba from participation in the Summit of the Americas in 2022.

Citing human rights and democracy concerns, the USA, as host of the hemispheric meeting, blocked Venezuela, Cuba and Nicaragua. This, even in the face of protests from Mexico – a key trade partner and some Caribbean states.

Despite the protestations of Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves and his threats of boycotting the event, the three countries were excluded.

In a principled stand, Dr Gonsalves told a Vincentian radio station: “I’m not going because I don’t see what is to be gained from going. And as presently advised, as I say, I’m not supporting or sending anybody. Because if you invite me to come to your house and I say, as a matter of principle I ain’t coming, because you shouldn’t be excluding people, how could I then send somebody else?”

Late Prime Minister Barrow insisted that Barbados should be “friends of all and satellites of none”. However, in a world where relationships between governments are very transactional, such moral positions may be very difficult to maintain.

Small island developing states, with their various vulnerabilities including economic dependence on large, industrialised nations, are often forced to align themselves with countries and positions that may contradict their national stances at home.

Today, matters related to the death penalty, same sex marriage and unions, even abortion and immigration are divisive cultural issues that are finding their way into global negotiations and diplomacy discussions.

The Israeli-Hamas war in Gaza has also caused major rifts between countries that are normally very strong allies.

CARICOM, for example, condemned the Hamas attack on Israel on October 6, 2023, but was also critical of the senseless killing of thousands of Palestinian civilians including children. However, the Israeli ambassador to the region took great offence to CARICOM’s stand and reminded the Caribbean of Israel’s assistance to the region.

And so it is with great interest that we read in this publication, the position of India, in less than diplomatic and some would argue offensive statement/warning about the positions taken by Latin America and Caribbean countries (LAC) as well as members of the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) grouping.

There is no doubt that India has been a great friend to the Caribbean and proved it during the COVID-19 pandemic. When developed countries were hoarding valuable anti-viral medication and other supplies, India was the first country to provide free COVID vaccines to the region.

However, the comments by India’s Minister of Commerce & Industry, Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, and Textiles, Piyush Goyal reinforces that there are no free lunches.

Speaking with a media delegation from 19 LAC nations – including Barbados, Belize, Grenada, Guyana, Suriname, St Vincent and the Grenadines, and Trinidad and Tobago – at his office in New Delhi, he said while there is room for trade with and investment from India, support cannot be a one-way street.

Barbados Today Editor Dawne Parris reported of Goyal’s statement: “I think the Latin American countries and the Caribbean, or ACP countries, should start recognising what’s good for them and not come under the influence of developed countries.”

“Very often, they look at their immediate problem or benefit and think that that’s good enough for them. Today, when I look back and see some of the decisions India made 30 years, 40 years ago – maybe at that point in time they never imagined that India could ever aspire to be a developed nation – … they took some decisions [maybe thinking] ‘we will always be poor’. . . . They are costing me dear today, some of those decisions.

“Similarly, I appeal to all of your countries and your political leaders not to get under the influence of some ideas which today may seem like you got away, but tomorrow may come home to bite.”