Health Minister Nelson Bascome dismissed Opposition criticism of Government's plans for Associate Membership in Caricom.

In a written statement issued on Tuesday by Government Information Services, Mr. Bascome said that the United Bermuda Party's (UBP) outline of its anti-Caricom stance contained number of misleading claims.

"It must be clearly understood that trading arrangements - tariff removals, etc., are not part of the Associate Membership requirements," the statement said.

"If Bermuda wants to adjust its customs tariffs for any reason for any country, that would be its own affair and will have nothing to do with its Associate Membership of Caricom. Also, if it wishes to bring in an expert to do something for Bermuda, that would be Bermuda's decision and is a matter for Bermuda whether it is an Associate Member or not of Caricom (sic). Similarly so... if Bermuda wishes to underwrite a sports event, etc.."

The UBP had claimed in a paper published in full in this newspaper three weeks ago, that strengthening the links with the regional body would be open the door to wasting the country's money.

"It is difficult to understand how and why matters like these, which have nothing to do with Caricom Associate Membership per se, are being held up as disadvantages of that Associate Membership," continued Mr. Bascome, the chairman of Government's Caricom committee.

Mr. Bascome said that Caricom was successful in getting names removed from the list. "In today's world, we all, Bermuda included, need to do all that we can to ensure `a greater voice on the world stage'."

He also addressed the claim by the Opposition that Bermuda has already influenced health, education and social policy in the region.

"The fact that this may be so would seem to support the importance of cooperation with other countries. Associate Membership of Caricom can help, not only to assure the maintenance of that influence, but indeed to strengthen it. As Bermudians, we should wish to do so as a matter of right as partners, not merely as observers."

He dismissed UBP claims that Caricom had scheduled an "astonishing 168 meetings" for the first half of this year and that travel costs would be astronomical.

"The relevant question is of course not the total number of meetings but how many of those relate to functional cooperation - the area of activities in which most Associate Members are involved? By far the overwhelming majority of Caricom meetings are in the domain of trade and economic matters - the second highest number of meeting are Ministerial, technical, working groups, seminars, workshops and so on - considerably less meetings concern the coordination of foreign policy and then last, there are meetings for functional cooperation."