| The Caribbean is considered a Third-World region | | | | hurricane belt. Islands across the archipelago have |
| or a collection of Less Developed Nations. In broad | | | | been devastated by hurricanes and setback by |
| terms, development can be viewed in social, | | | | tropical storms. The recurrent infrastructural |
| economic and political dimensions. Every region has | | | | damage places a real burden on both economic |
| development issues to routinely overcome. The | | | | and social development. |
| Caribbean region has obstacles to development | | | | 6) Political fragmentation |
| that are peculiar to the region. These issues are | | | | From 1958 to 1962, a Caribbean federation was in |
| of a cultural, economic, geographic and social | | | | existence. The idea was that the islands under |
| nature. | | | | British rule would form a single political unit. |
| 1) Small markets | | | | However, insularity and parochial considerations |
| The population of the states associated with | | | | took root and the federation dissolved- after just |
| CARICOM is between 6 and 7 million. The | | | | four years. This political setback further stymied |
| Caribbean market is a small one even if you | | | | the economic and social integration of the small |
| include non-English speaking territories. This fact | | | | Caribbean islands. Even current attempts to unify |
| reduces the market potential for conglomerates | | | | politically and economically are futile or protracted. |
| and limits the emergence of dominant Caribbean | | | | 7) Migration of skilled workers and professionals |
| enterprises. Even indigenous large business entities | | | | Many West Indians- skilled or unskilled- leave |
| in the Caribbean face constraints of growth and | | | | these shores to head for the more developed |
| expansion. | | | | countries of North America or Europe. The |
| 2) Resource-dependent and tourism based | | | | problem is that the best and the brightest of the |
| economies | | | | Caribbean are highly likely to migrate, or study |
| Caribbean economies are highly dependent on | | | | abroad and remain there. This phenomenon- |
| both tourism and natural resource-exploitation. | | | | known as 'brain drain'- effectively deprives the |
| This makes the Caribbean region more vulnerable | | | | Caribbean of its best technocrats, intellectuals, |
| to economic downturns in more developed | | | | skilled workers and professionals. |
| nations. While this is the norm in the | | | | 8) Lack of meritocracy |
| interconnected global market, the Caribbean | | | | In a small place, it is very difficult to be unknown. |
| economies are hardly self-sufficient- relying on | | | | Unfortunately, the culture of the Caribbean is not |
| imports for necessitates. Regional governments | | | | one that emphasises achievement based on merit. |
| seem content with using what they are lucky to | | | | While the idea of complete meritocracy is an ideal, |
| have instead of developing other sectors and | | | | it is at least implemented to a greater or lesser |
| creating more tradable goods. | | | | extent in other cultures. Cronyism and nepotism |
| 3) Retrograde education system | | | | hinder political and economic development since |
| Under colonial rule, the education system was | | | | the best-qualified do not hold the positions that |
| designed to meet the needs of colonial masters. | | | | they merit. |
| They were geared towards getting people to | | | | 9) Crime |
| sustain the "plantation economy" and serve the | | | | Some countries in the Caribbean have the highest |
| public sector. The education system hasn't | | | | crime rates in the world. This is a result of myriad |
| changed much since colonial times and fails to | | | | factors- including the illegal drugs and firearms |
| produce enough citizens who are innovative and | | | | trade that uses the Caribbean as a handy |
| entrepreneurial. The static education system is | | | | trans-shipment point. Crime affects tourism and |
| one of the reasons for the perceived 'culture of | | | | direct foreign investment. It also changes the way |
| dependency'. | | | | of life for large sections of the Caribbean |
| 4) Exploitation and division under colonial rule | | | | population. |
| The Caribbean's resources were pillaged during the | | | | There are indeed several factors that hinder |
| colonial era. Once the colonial powers had their fill, | | | | Caribbean development. Arguably the most |
| they left. Further to that, they created division | | | | significant of those would be the cultural or |
| among different groups within the region as part | | | | economic. Little can be done about natural |
| of the 'divide and conquer' principle. While they left | | | | disasters or the remnant colonial fetters of the |
| the Caribbean with a model of civilization, they | | | | region. What is important to note is that the |
| really were not interested in ensuring the | | | | Caribbean territories are young independent |
| development of the nations of the West Indies | | | | nations that are still finding their feet. |
| outside of their self-interest. | | | | Encouragingly, overcoming the factors that |
| 5) Climactic factors - hurricanes | | | | negatively impact Caribbean development is not |
| The Caribbean is right in the middle of the | | | | impossible- albeit difficult. |