The region includes 13 island countries, from the Bahamas in the north to Trinidad and Tobago in the south; Belize, which is geographically situated in Central America; and the 2 countries of Guyana and Suriname, situated on the north main coast of South America. Many nations in the region share a common African ethnic and British colonial heritage, while Cuba and the Dominican Republic were Spanish nests, Haiti was French, and Suriname was Dutch. The dates of self-reliance of these nations range from Haiti in 1804 to St. Kitts and Nevis in 1983. The largest nations in regards to land area are Guyana and Suriname, while those with the biggest populations are Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and Haiti.
Politically, all Caribbean nations, with the exception of communist Cuba, have actually chosen democratic governments. Many of the former British nests have parliamentary kinds of government, with the exception of Guyana, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, and Suriname, which are republics headed by presidents. In regards to local combination, 14 of the region's independent nations belong to the Caribbean Neighborhood (CARICOM), with the exception of the Dominican Republic (which has observer status) and Cuba. CARICOM was formed in 1973 to spur regional financial combination. Some critics argue that it has actually been slow to promote integration, compared to other local economic groupings, however progress has actually been made in moving toward a single financial market and in establishing a Caribbean Court of Justice.
The 6 OECS countries likewise share a common currency, the Eastern Caribbean dollar, with monetary policy managed by the Eastern Caribbean Reserve Bank. The Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), headquartered in Barbados, promotes economic advancement and regional combination. With the exception of Cuba and Haiti, regular elections have been the norm, and for the a lot of part have actually been free and fair. In 2005, Dominica and Suriname held elections in May, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines held elections in December. Haiti was anticipated to hold elections in 2005, however considerable issues and political instability resulted in those elections being held off several times, up until they were ultimately hung on February 7, 2006.
Successful elections eventually were hung on August 28, 2006, without the political violence that some observers had anticipated. Looking ahead, parliamentary elections are due in St. Lucia by December 2006, while elections in the Bahamas, Jamaica, and Trinidad and Tobago are due in 2007. (See for a listing of leaders and elections for head of federal government.) Although numerous Caribbean nations have actually kept long democratic traditions, they are not immune from terrorist and other threats to their political stability. In 1993, stability on St. Kitts was threatened following violent protests after challenged elections; order was restored with the help of security forces from neighboring states.
Earlier in the 1980s, the government of Eugenia Charles in Dominica was threatened by a bizarre coup plot including foreign mercenaries. And of course, Grenada, under the socialist-oriented federal government of Maurice Bishop, experienced a break from the democratic standard after it assumed power in an almost bloodless coup in 1979 and installed a people's advanced federal government. After the violent topple and murder of Bishop in 1983, the United States intervened to restore order and end the Cuban existence on the island. Numerous Caribbean nations experienced an economic depression in 2001-2002 due to declines in the tourist and farming sectors, although a lot of Caribbean economies have actually rebounded considering that 2003.
financial recession and slow healing. The banana and sugar sectors in the Eastern Caribbean were harmed by a tropical storm in 2002 and a drought in 2003. Both sectors face unsure futures because of the European Union's strategy to phase out favored market access from former Caribbean nests for bananas by 2006 and for sugar by 2009. The Haitian economy experienced decline start in 2001, with political instability exacerbating already challenging financial conditions in the hemisphere's poorest nation. The strongest carrying out economies recently have been those of the Dominican Republic, sustained by the garments sector, and Trinidad and Tobago, with considerable energy resources.
In 2004 and 2005, the region's greatest economic entertainers averaging growth rates over 5% for those 2 years, were Antigua and Barbuda, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, St. Kitts, St. Lucia, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago. Those countries not prospering in 2004 because of ravaging typhoons and hurricanes consisted of Haiti, with a 3. 5%% decrease in gross domestic item (GDP), and Grenada, with a GDP decrease of 3%. For 2005, however, Grenada's economy rebounded with development over 5%, while Haiti's growth was 1. 8%. In Guyana, financial growth has been stagnant or very little over the past a number of years. In 2005, the economy decreased 3% due to the fact that of high oil costs and floods, which early in the year severely impacted farming and mining activities.
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However, some observers have also been worried about the area's high level of public financial obligation, with a number of Caribbean countries having financial obligation levels that exceed 100% of their GDP. U.S. interests in the Caribbean are varied, and consist of financial, political, and security concerns. Throughout the Cold War, security concerns tended to eclipse other policy interests. In the aftermath of the Cold War, other U.S. policy interests emerged from the shadow of the East-West conflict in the Caribbean that focused on concerns about the Soviet and Cuban danger. U.S. policy concerns moved from one stressing security concerns to a brand-new concentrate on strengthened financial relations through trade and financial investment.
interest in the Caribbean. The Administration explains the Caribbean as America's "third border," with events in the area having a direct effect on the homeland security of the United States. It describes Caribbean countries as "crucial partners on security, trade, health, the environment, education, local democracy, and other hemispheric problems." The United States has close relations with a lot of Caribbean nations, with the exception of Cuba under Fidel Castro. The U.S.-Caribbean relationship is defined by substantial economic linkages, cooperation on counter-narcotics efforts and security, and a large U.S. foreign help program supporting a range of jobs to strengthen democracy, promote financial development and advancement, https://www.bintelligence.com/blog/2020/4/20/52-names-leading-the-way-in-customer-service relieve poverty, and fight the AIDS epidemic in the area. Custom-mades and Border Security of the Department of Homeland Security. The CSI program helps ensure that high-risk containers are recognized and checked at foreign ports prior to they are put on vessels for shipment to the United States. In September 2006, three Caribbean ports ended up being operational CSI ports: Caucedo, Dominican Republic; Kingston, Jamaica; and Freeport, Bahamas. Other Latin American ports in the CSI program are the Central American port of Puerto Cortes, Honduras, and the South American ports of Buenos Aires, Argentina, and Santos, Brazil. In the 108th Congress, a legal effort required additional foreign assistance in order to improve foreign port security worldwide, however no last action was finished prior to completion of the session.
2279 (Hollings), in September 2004, which would have offered the Administrator of the Maritime Administration, in coordination with the Secretary of State, to recognize foreign assistance programs that might assist in execution of port security antiterrorism procedures in foreign nations. The act also would have called for a report on the security of ports in the Caribbean Basin, consisting of an assessment of the efficiency of the steps used to improved security at such ports and an assessment of the resources and program modifications required to make the most of security at Caribbean Basin ports. In the 109th Congress, 2 costs would provide for foreign support programs for Caribbean Basin ports.
744 (Nelson, Expense), introduced April 11, 2005, would develop a Caribbean Basin Port Help Program. Under the legal effort, the Administrator of MARAD in the Department of Transportation, in coordination with the Secretary of State, would determine foreign support programs that could assist in implementation of port security antiterrorism steps at Caribbean Basin ports. The Administrator and the Secretary would develop a program for such support in assessment with the Company of American States. In addition, the Secretary of Homeland Security would https://www.greatplacetowork.com/certified-company/7022866 be required to submit a report to Congress on status of port security in Caribbean Basin countries. S. 1052 (Stevens), the Transport Security Enhancement Act of 2005, consists of a provision (Section 504) that would develop a program to assist in implementation of port security antiterrorism measures in foreign countries, with specific focus on ports in the Caribbean Basin; this costs was introduced May 17, 2005, and reported by the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transport on February 27, 2006 (S.Rept.
2791 (Stevens), presented May 11, 2006. Increasing crime is a major security difficulty throughout the Caribbean. The murder rate in Jamaica continues to soar, with 1,445 individuals killed in 2004 and more than 1,600 people in 2005. With rate of 60 murders per 100,000 inhabitants in 2005, Jamaica had the greatest murder rate worldwide. In late February 2006, Jamaicans were shocked over the ruthless killings of six relative, consisting of four kids in the western part of the country. High levels of violent criminal activity, including murder and kidnaping, also have actually plagued Trinidad and Tobago and Haiti. Even smaller Caribbean nations like St.
On April 22, 2006, Guyana's Farming minister, along with his two siblings and a security guard, were shot and eliminated in an evident burglary. Gangs associated with drug trafficking, extortion, and violence are accountable for much of the criminal activity. Some observers think that wrongdoers deported from the United States have added to the area's rise in violent criminal activity in recent years, although some keep that there is no recognized link. Jamaica has promoted the advancement of an international procedure relating to the deportation of lawbreakers. A significant concern for Caribbean nationsthe bulk of which are net energy importershas been the rising price of oil and the prospective impact of such rising rates on financial development and social stability.
Of these, just Trinidad and Tobago is a major oil and gas producer, accounting for 60% of tested oil reserves and 91% of natural gas reserves in the floating timeshares area. The nation is likewise the largest provider of liquified gas (LNG) to the United States, representing 75% of all U.S. LNG imports. Apart from Trinidad and Tobago, Cuba likewise produces oil, but still imports a bulk of its consumption needs. Barbados also produces a little quantity of oil, which is refined in Trinidad and Tobago, but it imports 90% of its oil usage requirements. Venezuela is now providing oil to Caribbean countries on preferential terms in a brand-new program referred to as Petro, Caribe, and there has actually been some U.S.
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Because 1980, Caribbean countries have actually benefitted from preferential oil imports from Venezuela (and Mexico) under the San Jose Pact, and given that 2001, Venezuela has actually offered additional assistance for Caribbean oil imports under the Caracas Energy Accord. Petro, Caribe, nevertheless, would go even more with the goal of putting in location a local supply, refining, and transport and storage network, and establishing a development fund for those nations participating in the program. How to find the finance charge. Under the program, Venezuela announced that it would supply 190,000 barrels daily of oil to the region, with nations paying market value for 50% of the oil within 90 days, and the balance paid over 25 years at a yearly rate of 2%.
To date, 14 Caribbean countries are signatories of Petro, Caribe. Barbados, which currently receives reduced petroleum rates from Trinidad, has decreased to sign the agreement, and Trinidad, which has its own substantial energy resources, has actually decreased to sign. (For extra details, see CRS Report RL33693, Latin America: Energy Supply, Political Developments, and U.S. Policy Approaches, by [author name scrubbed], [author name scrubbed], and [author name scrubbed]) The AIDS epidemic in the Caribbean, where infection rates are among the greatest beyond sub-Saharan Africa, has actually currently begun to have unfavorable consequences for economic and social advancement in the region. In 2005, an approximated 300,000 grownups and children in the Caribbean were reported to be living with HIV, with the epidemic claiming 24,000 lives throughout the year, making it the leading cause of death among grownups aged 15-44 years.