New work by Jamaica’s former Governor-General and co-author Myrtle Chuck-A-Sang argues that CARICOM stands at a decisive turning point
KINGSTON, Jamaica, OCTOBER 27, 2027 — Former Governor-General of Jamaica, The Most Hon. Professor Sir Kenneth O. Hall, ON, OJ, will launch his latest book, Caribbean Integration: The Patterson Doctrine — Governance, Transformation and the Future of the Caribbean Community, on Sunday, November 15, 2026, at The University of the West Indies.
The Honourable Mia Amor Mottley, SC, MP, Prime Minister of Barbados and CARICOM’s lead Head of Government with responsibility for the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME), will be the guest speaker.
Co-authored with long-time collaborator Myrtle Chuck-A-Sang, the 386-page volume examines the governance framework, political philosophy and strategic vision for regional integration associated with former Jamaican Prime Minister The Most Hon. P.J. Patterson, ON, OCC, OE, KC — what the authors term “the Patterson Doctrine.” The book situates that doctrine within the current debate over whether the Caribbean Community has reached the limits of its founding model, and sets out a path for its renewal.
The authors contend that while CARICOM has recorded real gains in economic cooperation and collective diplomacy, a critical gap persists between regional institutions and the citizens they are meant to serve. Caribbean Integration: The Patterson Doctrine makes the case that closing that gap — through stronger governance, production integration and a renewed sense of shared Caribbean purpose — is the defining task of the Community’s next chapter.
Sir Kenneth Hall served as Jamaica’s fifth Governor-General from 2006 to 2009 and was previously Pro Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the UWI Mona campus. A historian and one of the region’s foremost scholars of Caribbean integration, he has authored and edited numerous works on CARICOM, including The Caribbean Community: Beyond Survival, Regional Integration: Key to Caribbean Survival and Prosperity and CARICOM: Policy Options for International Engagement. Ms Chuck-A-Sang, former Project Director of the UWI–CARICOM Project at the CARICOM Secretariat, has collaborated with Sir Kenneth on several of those titles.
The launch takes place at a moment of intense regional reflection on the future of integration, following Mr Patterson’s Norman Manley Lecture of April 1, 2026, and renewed questioning in some quarters of whether CARICOM’s path has delivered for Caribbean people. Prime Minister Mottley’s address is expected to speak directly to those questions.
The programme will include [remarks by / chair — e.g. UWI Vice-Chancellor, Campus Principal], a presentation of the book by the authors, and the keynote address by Prime Minister Mottley. Copies of the book will be available for purchase and signing at the event.
Media are invited to attend. Interviews with the authors may be arranged in advance through the contact below.
EVENT DETAILS
What: Launch of Caribbean Integration: The Patterson Doctrine — Governance, Transformation and the Future of the Caribbean Community by Sir Kenneth O. Hall and Myrtle Chuck-A-Sang
When: Sunday, November 15, 2026,
Where: The University of the West Indies, Mona campus
Guest Speaker: The Hon. Mia Amor Mottley, SC, MP, Prime Minister of Barbados
Availability: Paperback, 386 pages, ISBN 979-8193194200; on sale at the launch and through online retailers
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