KINGSTON, Jamaica (CMC):

A lecturer at the University of the West Indies (UWI) has described as ludicrous, attempts by four Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries to form a political union by 2013.

Dr Paul Ashley, a political commentator in Jamaica, further described the initiative being undertaken by Trinidad and Tobago, Grenada, St Lucia and St Vincent and the Grenadines as "another wild scheme" and accused the leaders of disregarding the people of the region.

Ashley, a lecturer in the Department of Government at the Mona campus of the UWI, said that Trinidad and Tobago was using the money derived from its energy sector to have clout in the region.

Contempt

"This is another wild scheme. They have signed to a political union by 2013? You know how many regime changes are possible? What about the people of the region? You have to deal with the people of the region. Leaders can't just come together and significantly alter their constitutions by forming a political union. It shows contempt for the people of the Caribbean," he said.

Trinidad's Prime Minister, Patrick Manning, is due to visit Jamaica today for talks with his counterpart, Bruce Golding. The visit forms part of Manning's whirlwind 36-hour visit to five CARICOM countries to drum up support for the political and economic union.

The other stops are The Bahamas, Belize, Haiti and Suriname.

The initiative

Last week, Manning met with the leaders of Antigua and Barbuda, St Kitts and Nevis and Dominica to discuss the initiative, which also includes the achievement of the single economy by 2011.

The initiative is open to all CARICOM member states "wishing to commit to the achievement of the single economy and appropriate political integration within indicative time frames", according to the communiqué issued after last week's meeting in Port-of-Spain where the four leaders discussed the issue.