ABSTRACT
Regional integration is a more novel phenomenon in Asia than in the Americas. It is the Association of South-East Asian Nation (Asean) that has been at the forefront of seeking to develop monitoring mechanisms and indicators. The small size of the regional economies makes pooling resources among them a compelling policy for all. In effect, the Caribbean Community members have recently made important advances to establish a single market and establishing a host of subsidiary regional institutions in such areas as harmonization of standards and vocational training. The creation of national monitoring units also serves as a commitment device for the member state monitorers in their interactions with the partner country, and at the domestic level facilitates coordination between the many national ministries and agencies responsible for implementing the agreement, and helps break bureaucratic inertia and logjams in the event that various agencies differ in the goals and priorities in RTA implementation.
