Dear Sir,

I have followed the government advice and read the Green Paper on Caricom. And then read it a second time. It is clearly a document created by a group of people very much in favour of the concept. And why not? It presents their passion for the idea. But I have my doubts as to the depth of support they may have across the broad spectrum of Bermuda society and to what any real financial benefits might be. It is a document to appeal to the emotions.

I tend to think of Bermuda as “Bermuda Inc”. A country of people of diverse origins who have evolved into the people we are, over many years and from widely varying backgrounds. And through hard work and innovation have made Bermuda the incredible place that it is.

With a population matching a small town in the outside world, we have created a society that most of the world would like to achieve. When I say Bermuda Inc, it is because I believe in business and profit. Entrepreneurship is another part of this. And our success is why people want to come here.

There is nothing to suggest staying as an Associate Caricom member would in any way hinder the emotional side of the debate. We have always been able to visit the Caribbean countries to our south. And they can visit us just as freely. Paying nearly $3 million for a full membership doesn’t make any financial sense to me. And to say it gives us a seat at the table doesn’t make sense, either. A seat at the table means someone has to sit in that seat. That means travel backwards and forwards for an undetermined number of representatives. At what cost? And I can’t see anywhere that it says the joining fee is one off. It is surely an annual fee.

The money is only one point. The Green Paper says Bermuda will completely control movement of people. The writers clearly understand this is a sensitive point with the Bermudian people. Yet I read that persons who are qualified from the Caricom area will be able to apply for jobs without going through immigration. Apart from being contradictory, it is unneighbourly. Those countries to our south do not need us skimming off the cream of their university graduates. They desperately need them to stay. This is a world wide problem. Easy to understand, as it’s human nature to seek a better financial life, but we do them no favours.

The last point I make is that Caricom has approximately 19 million people. Bermuda’s population is around 50,000. We are one quarter of a percent of that population. Why would an island not geographically connected to the region think they have some sort of rights to have input into the political affairs of that area? We sing about Bermuda being another world, and it is.

I do realise this makes me appear against the Caricom concept for Bermuda, but I’m not. Associate membership offers the historical connections for those Bermudians that wish to retain it. This is no different to other persons wishing to stay close to the USA or the UK, or Portugal, or many other countries.

As a registered voter in Bermuda, I make up about one forty thousandth of our electoral role. But I look on my vote as a right to have my say. Just the same as the Green Paper authors have that right. And all other Bermuda voters. So it seems to me the simplest way to decide this is to put it to the people of Bermuda in a referendum. Not difficult and not divisive.

Bermuda first always.

JEFF PAYNE

Southampton