Barbados, 1999

It is my pleasure to

congratulate the President on his election to the

presidency of the fifty-fourth session of the General

Assembly. The Barbados delegation shares the confidence

expressed in his leadership and offers its full cooperation

as he presides over our deliberations.

Let me also warmly commend his predecessor, my

friend and colleague, Mr. Didier Opertti, Foreign Minister

of Uruguay, for his outstanding stewardship of the

Assembly during the last year and for the vision and

direction he gave to the ongoing work of the United

Nations.

We are delighted to welcome to our family of

nations Tonga, Kiribati and Nauru, which are, like

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Barbados, small island developing States and members of

the Commonwealth and also of the African, Caribbean and

Pacific Group of States. We have long enjoyed good

relations with our sister Pacific islands and wish to assure

the new Member States of our continued friendship and

solidarity.

As we reflect on the twentieth century, we see a

period remarkable for its contradictions. We see, on the one

hand, astounding developments in many fields of human

endeavour and, on the other, national and international

conflicts, resulting in mass destruction of human life and

infrastructure as well as the almost irreversible

compromising of the ecological system. It is evident that if

as nations we refuse to use our accumulated knowledge and

experience, these contradictions will be carried well into the

twenty-first century, making it even more difficult for us to

face and overcome the challenges that lie ahead.

One of the most serious of these challenges is that of

the concept of globalization. The proponents of this

ideology, which embraces trade liberalization and global

governance, wish us to believe that it is a natural and

logical development in international relations. It is not. In

many of its important aspects it is an imposition. One has

only to examine the bases of the clamour for trade

liberalization to become aware of this.

Trade liberalization assumes that small States compete

with larger, stronger, more experienced countries on the

same terms, or become mere satellites in a neo-colonial

sphere. No nation, large or small, would willingly accept a

satellite role. The international community must therefore

come to recognize that within the context of trade

liberalization free trade must import fair trade: trade in

goods and services that have been produced and supplied

under conditions respectful of the rights and dignity of the

labour force; respectful of the preservation of the

environment, and guaranteeing fair prices that provide

returns to the supplier.

Barbados and the Caribbean are confronting serious

challenges in the effort to remain viable economies as

traditional systems of cooperation between individual States

and groups of nations are supplanted by the modern

concepts of supranational interests and of globalization. To

fully grasp the enormity of the adjustment process now

facing Caribbean economies one must first appreciate that

the Caribbean is perhaps the region which under the

original post-colonial regime enjoyed the highest level of

trade preferences with Europe.

The World Trade Organization (WTO) has evolved

as the dominant forum for the reform of the world trading

system, but it is now evident that more democratic,

participatory and transparent systems are needed to

protect the interests of the smaller and more vulnerable

members of that Organization. For surely the WTO

cannot be meant to operate as a weapon of oppression in

a new millennium. Surely it cannot be acceptable in a just

world that the new trade ethic should derive solely from

the rigid application of technical rules.

Our new system is clearly seriously flawed when a

dispute between two powerful transatlantic partners can

be settled in a political vacuum which totally ignores the

very real and disastrous consequences it will inevitably

unleash on the economies of a fragile group of small

States. This is certainly not globalization with a human

face.

And so it must be appreciated that the

interdependence associated with globalization is a

two-sided coin. Just as it is claimed that the benefits of

free trade will be enjoyed by all, so too will we all suffer

from the repercussions of failed economies, unable to

cope with the impact of global trade liberalization.

In the Caribbean region, we are haunted by the

prospect of failed societies. Prime Minister Arthur of

Barbados is particularly concerned, and has repeatedly

warned of this possibility. Recently he made the following

observation:

“The economic decay in some economies has

been so severe and corrosive as to set in train social

and political disorder which, unchecked, will create

a new Caribbean species of failed society'.”

Indeed, we have already seen how the dislocation of some

States, whether large, or small and marginalized, can

impact negatively on the world's most developed

economies. When the global system economically

disenfranchises large numbers of the world's population,

we should not be surprised that their hopeless

circumstances might propel them towards the underworld

of transnational crime.

The unique nature and scope of vulnerabilities of

small economies cannot be disputed. Barbados strongly

reiterates the call for the recognition and adoption of

vulnerability indices to assist in determining access to

development financing.

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The United Nations has a critical role to play as the

defender of the right of all States, regardless of size or

influence, to voice their concerns. As a forum for

constructive consensus-building in an atmosphere of free

and open dialogue the United Nations is even more relevant

in an era characterized by complex negotiations and

supranational interests dominated by a powerful few.

As a community of nations we have one common

factor that unquestionably unites us all. We share one

Earth. The need to sustain the Earth's oceans, seas and the

environment in general is undeniable. Indeed, this

represents one of the greatest challenges to globalization.

As a small island developing State, Barbados has nurtured

a strong commitment to the implementation of practices

that seek to ensure sustainable development in all aspects

of our lives.

The dedication of Barbados to the promotion of global

sustainable development has been affirmed by our active

participation in numerous international negotiations devoted

to these issues. It is also demonstrated by our vigorous

efforts to foster a shared vision to reverse the conventional

wisdom of the past, which sacrificed environmental

concerns in blind pursuit of that other ideology of economic

growth. That shared vision will be as relevant in the new

century as it was when the international community

assembled in Barbados in 1994 for the first United Nations

Global Conference on the Sustainable Development of

Small Island Developing States.

Barbados is proud, as is the entire region, of the

progress made by the small island developing States in

fulfilling their commitments under the Barbados Programme

of Action. At the national level, our Government has

successfully forged greater links with civil society,

including the private sector and labour, in the preparation

of our environmental policies and action plans.

The just-concluded special session to review and

appraise the Barbados Programme of Action drew attention

once more to the serious way in which the small island

developing States have accepted their responsibility to

integrate sustainable development practices into all aspects

of their economic and social activity. We trust that the

outcomes of this review will be fully implemented by the

international community.

The Caribbean Basin States will shortly be addressing

in this forum their interest in working towards the

international designation of the Caribbean Sea as a special

area in the context of sustainable development. While we

acknowledge that there is work still to be done to fully

develop and implement this concept, we are also firmly

convinced of the validity of our efforts, which we believe

will ultimately lead to an integrated approach to the

sustainable management of the Caribbean Sea and to the

protection of its resources.

Significant progress has been achieved over the last

decade to bring peace and stability to the hemisphere of

the Americas. Barbados subscribes to the philosophy of

inclusion and constructive engagement and strongly

believes that these must be our guiding principles as we

strive to banish the last vestiges of the cold war from our

region. Like other countries of the Caribbean Community

(CARICOM), we have developed a productive and

cooperative relationship with our neighbour Cuba. We are

convinced that Cuba has a significant role to play in our

region, and we view its reintegration into hemispheric

affairs as an urgent necessity. The continuation of the

unilateral economic embargo against Cuba runs contrary

to that spirit and is out of tune with the significant efforts

of engagement being practiced by the remaining

Governments of this hemisphere. We urge the suspension

of this anachronistic measure.

The world still awaits the peace that was promised

when the Charter of the United Nations was adopted, and

that was confidently reproclaimed at the end of the cold

war. As a small democratic State, Barbados is ever-

conscious of the peaceful climate which it has enjoyed

since independence, in 1966. The political stability of

Barbados and the Caribbean region, which has facilitated

and fostered economic and political development, must

never be taken for granted. It is a therefore a source of

great distress to all peace-loving people that despite all

the wonderful technological and scientific advances we

have made over the centuries of this millennium, we are

entering into the third millennium still carrying the

baggage of ancient ethnic and tribal conflicts and of

nationalistic rivalries. Today, crises that threaten the very

existence of some States remain of deep concern to the

international community.

Barbados shares the profound anguish and suffering

of the people of Kosovo and was appalled by the barbaric

slaughter and the massive displacement of innocent

people and the destabilizing effect this has had on

neighbouring States. We support the role that the

peacekeeping forces are playing in restoring order to

Kosovo and providing the conditions for the return of the

displaced population to their homes.

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We wish to reiterate, together with the members of the

Caribbean Community, that military intervention should be

authorized by the United Nations Security Council. As a

small, defenceless State, we are uncomfortable with the

notion that intervention can take place without the prior

authorization of the United Nations Security Council.

We welcome the restoration of democracy and the

return of civilian government to Nigeria and look forward

to its renewed participation in the forthcoming

Commonwealth Heads of Government conference.

We hope that concerted action will continue among

the parties involved to implement the Lomé Agreement and

to bring a final peace to the suffering people of Sierra

Leone.

We are also heartened by the decision to mobilize a

United Nations peacekeeping force into East Timor to end

the abominable infringement of the basic human and civil

rights of the people of that country. It is intolerable that in

this so-called civilized age people can still find themselves

persecuted and terrorized because they vote according to

their conscience and in keeping with their vision of their

own future.

We are following what is taking place in the Middle

East and hope that the conditions now exist to resolve all

outstanding issues and so bring about a lasting peace

throughout that region.

The multifaceted areas of the sustainable development

process demand a holistic approach. No longer can we

service only the economy, the agricultural sector or any one

sector at the expense of others. The value of building strong

social institutions becomes more relevant when placed

against the backdrop of globalization and its effects.

Mechanisms must be put in place to ensure that social

rights are safeguarded.

Barbados places strong emphasis on social

development. We are convinced that more needs to be done

at the international level to ensure that this emphasis is

maintained. It must be understood that economic

development cannot be sustained unless a framework for

overall development is in place. The alleviation of poverty

and the promotion of gender equality, democracy and the

rights of the child are issues that must be simultaneously

addressed.

The first World Summit for Social Development,

which was held in 1995, gave an international focus to

issues such as poverty eradication, full employment,

social integration, gender equality and universal access to

education. Barbados remains committed to the

maintenance of a sustainable economic, political and

social environment that will enable its citizens to achieve

advanced social development. In furtherance of this

objective, the Government of Barbados has created a

Ministry of Social Transformation that will be the main

focal point for all social and welfare services, with

emphasis on poverty alleviation — indeed, eradication —

and support for the disadvantaged and the disabled.

At the international level, Barbados welcomes and

supports the special session that will take place during the

next year. This will provide an opportunity to review the

actions that have been taken to give effect to the

decisions adopted at the World Summit for Social

Development. It is anticipated that this special session

will lead to a renewal of international commitment to

fulfil the objectives of the 1995 Copenhagen Summit. The

matter takes on greater urgency when it is realized that,

four years after the United Nations Summit, international

and economic crises have led to a reversal of the gains

made in social development.

One of the main deterrents to sustainable

development remains the illicit traffic in narcotics, which

is a major concern to the Governments of the Americas.

This transnational phenomenon is one of the more adverse

consequences of globalization, which has brought in its

wake the associated evils of money laundering, arms

trafficking and violent crime. Geography places the

Caribbean in the direct path of this phenomenon as a

transit point of illegal drugs. It must be borne in mind

that the illegal drug trade undermines democracy and can

eventually lead to the destruction of the nation-State. This

circumstance has compelled the Caribbean countries to

give the highest priority to the development of

cooperative efforts at drug interdiction, demand-reduction

and the containment of transnational crime.

Barbados currently serves as a focal point in these

regional efforts, which enjoy the support of the European

Union, the United States of America, Canada and the

United Nations International Drug Control Programme.

We will continue to play an active role in support of all

coordinated efforts at the regional and international levels

to combat the narco-trafficking threat and the dangers

posed to the security of the small States of the Caribbean.

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Barbados is firmly committed to the United Nations

Organization. We have supported all constructive efforts at

reform, but we insist that the Organization can remain

viable only if all Members scrupulously honour their

financial commitments. We also believe that a healthy

balance must be maintained between the United Nations

peacekeeping focus and its developmental mandate. In this

regard, we continue to be concerned at the declining

funding available to the United Nations Development

Programme (UNDP) and other United Nations agencies,

resulting in a diminished capacity on their part to carry out

their important mandate. We reiterate the importance of the

work of these agencies in support of the national efforts of

developing countries to achieve economic and social

progress.

We very much value the work of UNDP and of the

United Nations system as a whole. As a net contributing

country, Barbados is eager to enter into a new partnership

with UNDP that can make a significant contribution to our

efforts to achieve the next critical phase of our

development, the transition to a globalized economy.

In appreciation of the United Nations contribution

over the years, the Government of Barbados has agreed

to construct a permanent home for all United Nations

offices located in Bridgetown and servicing the Eastern

Caribbean. To this end, we expect to commence shortly

the construction of the United Nations common premises

in Bridgetown.

The new millennium brings with it a sense of giddy

expectation, a passion for renewal and the tendency to

believe that things will miraculously change for the better

overnight. We must not delude ourselves into thinking

that the fifty-fifth, the fifty-sixth or even the sixtieth

session of the General Assembly will take place in an

environment any less complex and challenging than our

gathering here today. What we do know is that we may

not be expected to complete the task, but then, neither are

we at liberty to abstain from it.