UNITED NATIONS, New York -- Recent hurricanes have blown Grenada off course on its way to the CARICOM Single Market (CSM), even though its neighboring Eastern Caribbean countries are expected to join the regional trade bloc this summer.

And Prime Minister Dr. Keith Mitchell does not know when his hurricane affected nation will make it into the grouping. The prime minister told the Amsterdam News that Grenada may not be able to join the CSM on time.

"The expected date is July... my own bet is that Grenada may not necessarily be ready because with the advent of Hurricanes Ivan (2004) and Emily (2005), Grenada would have been marginalized," he said, explaining that the island's manufacturing, hotel and agricultural sectors have been seriously hurt.

"For us to get in now with competition among the parties ... would make us start on an unlevelled playing field which would make it very difficult," said Dr. Mitchell, who hinted that the implementation of the Regional Development Fund -- to beef up human resource development, technology and cheaper sources of energy -- would factor into Grenada¹s decision to join.

The CSM, which is expected to provide more and better opportunities to produce and sell goods and services in the region, and to attract investment to it, creates one large market among the participating member states.

The current members are Barbados, Belize, Guyana, Jamaica, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago, while OECS countries Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia and St Vincent and the Grenadines are expected to come on board during the summer.

The Regional Development Fund was established under the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas, including the Single Market and Economy, for the purpose of providing financial or technical assistance to disadvantaged countries, regions and sectors.

It is expected to be capitalised to the tune of at least US$120 million, US$20 million of which is expected to come from Trinidad and Tobago's Petroleum Stabilization Fund, which the twin-island Republic established to assist Caribbean countries counter the economic effects of high energy prices.

"There is no doubt that the (Single Market and Economy) has a lot more advantages than disadvantages," admitted Dr. Mitchell, who argued the region needs to speak with one voice to the global trade community.

"The question is how do we get it going and not have countries totally marginalized in the process ... the issue is not whether we should, it's how we should and when".

Dr. Mitchell was in New York for the landmark launch of a US$500-million United Nations fund -- with over half that amount already pledged -- to jump start relief operations in future natural and man-made disasters.

The fund should save thousands of lives that would otherwise be lost to delays under the current under-funded mechanism.