The course was clearly plotted in Time For Action, which set out the priorities for Caricom; the financial resources and expertise that we need; the network of international contacts that it should establish and keep vibrant; and the strategic partnerships that it should construct and make viable in a changing international scene. We made a good start then, moved to a crawl but seem to have come to a full-stop along the way. Caricom requires a seismic shift to pull us from the brink and move forward once again. Who will lead the way for Caricom to be seen as what it is: a vital instrument for the collective development of our people through common purpose and joint action? It has to be promoted, not denigrated; it has to become more cohesive, not more disunited; it has to act, not lay supine. The future of our region and the well-being of our people depend on this. We who gather here on consecrated Caribbean soil must respond to the collective challenges we face.