by Kim Douglas
We all have different perceptions as to what true Paradise really is. Many people find it in the Caribbean. The Caribbean is basically a huge chain of islands bordered by Florida in the north and extending all the way to Belize in the south. It is a melting pot of various cultures, lifestyles and people. In actuality there is more to the Caribbean than just sandy beaches, nice weather and an outstanding culture. The islands were initially inhabited by Indian tribes who came by boat from South America via the Caribbean Sea. They were later bombarded by the Europeans (namely British, Spanish, French and Dutch). These Europeans desired primarily to colonize the Caribbean islands and turn them into huge estates to produce crops that the European temperate climate was unsuitable for. In their quest, the Europeans found the natives uncooperative and as a last resort proceeded to Africa where they began the slave trade. This proved successful and was conducted for about 200 years. As a result, black people dominated the population of the Caribbean. Therefore by the time slavery was abolished in 1834 the future of these countries remained uncertain. The struggle continued and through education these beautiful islands eventually became independent by the mid-1900’s. This was indeed a very interesting turning point. Now the power was in the hands of the majority but how would they proceed to develop their respective countries and economies and how would they deal with the post-Colonial era? This in itself is the story of Caribbean Politics. After independence the new leaders of Caribbean States were faced with the difficult task of developing a suitable government system within which their newly formed states could operate efficiently. Since they were no longer colonies they had to develop government systems geared at governing themselves as a sovereign entity. The new Caribbean states proceeded to develop liberal democracies with their own constitutions geared at providing freedom, human rights and democracy. During this period they were strongly influenced by the United States for a very practical reason, since the US realized the strategic location of these small states and knew that they would be deemed prime breeding ground for communist movements wishing to overthrow the United States as a world power. But along with independence came the realization that Caribbean islands now needed to stand on their own feet. No longer did the towering European Nations protect them. The Caribbean islands had to face many global issues that strongly influenced their fragile economies. A country’s economy is no longer seen as an internal matter but as a small entity in a global whole. Globalization leads to specialization where countries most suitable to produce certain products will take the lead. But how will this global trend affect small Caribbean countries? They are going to be forced to compete in an open market with bigger nations. The effect of globalization is indeed detrimental to the Caribbean’s small island states. The tourism industry in the Caribbean, however, seems very promising and involves the conservation of natural resources to maintain a beautiful environment. The islands will also be required to make dramatic strides to upgrade their education and technological facilities in the information age. It is also of utmost importance that these Caribbean Nations do all in their power to attract investors, thus making use of the islands’ strategic location. At the beginning of the new millennium the Caribbean faces new challenges in a radically altered world economic and trade environment, and globalization threatens the very survival of these small states. Their response must therefore be as decisive and visionary as the move taken to bring independence to the islands. #Volume 7 Issue 1 a
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The Taida Student Journal has been active since 1995 with an ever-changing roster of student journalists at NTU. Click the above link to read about the authors Archives
May 2024
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