BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC):

Jamaica says plans by four Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries to move towards a political union by 2013 could have implications for the structure and future of the regional integration movement.

The leaders of Trinidad and Tobago, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada last week signed a memorandum of understanding outlining their intent to establish a framework for closer cooperation towards the achievement of a single economy by 2011 and 'appropriate political integration by 2013'.

In a statement issued on Monday night, the Bruce Golding administration said it would request that the issue be discussed among regional leaders, at which point Kingston would evaluate its position based on those discussions.

The statement said Kingston has demonstrated its commitment to the process of regional integration as prescribed in the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas, noting that this com-mitment was reaffirmed by Prime Minister Golding at the most recent CARICOM Heads of Government Summit in July.

Advanced countries

"Indeed, Jamaica is among the most advanced countries in implementing the provisions of the revised treaty, especially with regard to the establishment of the CARICOM Single Market," the statement said.

The Jamaica Observer newspaper on Tuesday quoted an unnamed cabinet member as reiterating the ruling Jamaica Labour Party long-standing position that while it is willing to participate fully in economic integration, including the proposed CARICOM Single Market and Economy, it would not support a regional political union.

Newly elected

Trinidad and Tobago's Prime Minister, Patrick Manning, and the newly elected Grenada Prime Minister, Tillman Thomas, are due to meet with the governments of Antigua and Barbuda, Montserrat, Dominica and St Kitts-Nevis later this week to discuss the initiative.