THE EDITOR: India's "war" - world alliance responsibility - is a model of international goodwill. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has become an early Santa Claus as he addressed Caricom last week in Guyana.
Setting out his seven pillars of supporting the region, he went a step further and declared us more than a collection of small-island states, but a" continent" in an ocean, and in so doing gives us added value and status. The cumulative effect of his seven pillars of pledges is fairly comprehensible.
The lucky seven pillars each positively impacting us are highly commendable and seem based on improving life in this new "continent." Let us begin to see ourselves as such, if only to appreciate the need for us to be united.
Modi's address touched on all of education, food security, the elusive Caricom affordable travel, cricket, security of borders, and assisting in dealing with human trafficking, among others, but each intended to help the region.
As we applaud India, we must note this is a welcome "war," unlike elsewhere in the world today. Modi has also asked for a monitoring agency to ensure details and implementation.
Caricom has awoken to a new and different dawn.
Relevant are the summits held in the region on security, school curriculum reform as a means of addressing crime, the "25 by 25" reduction of our food import bill, the cricket discussions held in TT earlier this year, and, noteworthy, the underlying aim of the development of people and institutions in the region.
This is the concept of responsibility at an international level. India, projected to grow into the third largest economy by 2030, has sought to become the model of such adherence to the concept.
Today we often lament the lack of corporate social responsibility at grassroot levels and in commending India, which has taken the lead at international level, we beseech corporate citizens to follow suit.
Awards and accolades as bestowed already on PM Modi are all in order and appreciated. The significant impact will be the development of our people as we pursue these offers of assistance as voluntarily given by India. India shows the way here.
As time will tell, we await the roll-out, and may blessings abound to India.
LENNOX SIRJUESINGH
Claguanas
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