The people of the Caribbean, at least those considered to be of the older generation and maybe a few of the more modern era, will know very well of the various efforts and arguments made to ensure that regional integration became a reality.

It can be said, that in effect, this has been a matter before the jury for well over half of a century, but with little success to show for all the efforts made by so many of the region’s most outstanding citizens. In the more recent times, however, there has been marked progress in several quarters including the free movement of skilled nationals, economic unions and regional security among others. Even with all of this, however, there are still very strong arguments to suggest that the matter of regional integration, as far as the Caribbean is concerned, is still at a stage where it must be described as unsatisfactory at best.

There is acknowledgement that it is vital for the Caribbean countries to rally and unite for the sake of their continued survival through a strong economy and comprehensive health, education and social programmes. Still, this recognition appears to come according to the needs of individual states at the time and seldom carries over into the concerns of others.

Let us take, for instance the matter of Caribbean tourism and the challenges the industry face on a regular basis. The key stakeholders have claimed that they recognise the continued success of the industry in the region depends largely on the Caribbean marketing itself as one large destination with each island offering smaller feature attractions. They sought to create a unified marketing programme so that all may benefit from the influx of visitors but it would appear all that is ever needed to derail the unified programme is for one jurisdiction to experience an incident which would cause people from key markets to frown on that country. The spirit of "unity" then gets severely tested as the rush is on to see which jurisdictions can benefit from the fallout of another.

According to one OECS thinker, this is the type of thing that would cause the clients to assume positions of control and are able to dictate terms of their continued patronage. He went as far as to suggest that if the region was unified in its efforts, the people who think they have the individual countries in their clutches would have reason to think again.

But just as we talk about the selfishness of some of the countries, effectively inhibiting a development through unity, a matter such as the destruction that Haiti is now experiencing comes up and brings the Caribbean together in such a way that it becomes easy to see the kinship that simply will not die but which needs an injection of love, belief and respect to bring it to full life – the life which wholesome integration can bring.

This week, we are again seeing what this is all about in the death of Jamaica’s Professor Rex Nettleford. His loss is felt by all people of the region who are now recognising the wonderful things he would have done to help preserve a "Caribbeanness" in the arts and culture and in so many other things.

None can deny it – as a region, we are simply brilliant in spurts. The trick now is to ensure a consistency in attempts at unity and to be uncompromising about it. Few disbelieve that Caribbean cannot do it, but do the important people – those of the Caribbean believe?

That is the real question.