The region consists of 13 island nations, from the Bahamas in the north to Trinidad and Tobago in the south; Belize, which is geographically located in Central America; and the 2 nations of Guyana and Suriname, situated on the north central coast of South America. Numerous countries in the area share a typical 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 countries vary from Haiti in 1804 to St. Kitts and Nevis in 1983. The largest countries in terms of land location are Guyana and Suriname, while those with the largest populations are Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and Haiti.
Politically, all Caribbean countries, with the exception of communist Cuba, have actually chosen democratic governments. Many of the previous British nests have parliamentary types of government, with the exception of Guyana, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, and Suriname, which are republics headed by presidents. In terms of regional combination, 14 of the Informative post area's independent countries belong to the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), with the exception of the Dominican Republic (which has observer status) and Cuba. CARICOM was formed in 1973 to stimulate regional economic combination. Some critics argue that it has actually been slow to promote integration, compared to other regional economic groupings, however progress has been made in moving towards a single economic market and in developing a Caribbean Court of Justice.
The 6 OECS nations also share a common currency, the Eastern Caribbean dollar, with monetary policy handled by the Eastern Caribbean Reserve Bank. The Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), headquartered in Barbados, promotes financial advancement and regional integration. With the exception of Cuba and Haiti, regular elections have been the standard, and for the most part have actually been totally free and reasonable. In 2005, Dominica and Suriname held elections in Might, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines held elections in December. Haiti was anticipated to hold elections in 2005, but considerable issues and political instability resulted in those elections being held off several times, up until they were eventually held on February 7, 2006.
Effective elections eventually were held on August 28, 2006, without the political violence that some observers had actually prepared for. 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 government.) Although many Caribbean countries have actually kept long democratic traditions, they are not immune from terrorist and other hazards to their political stability. In 1993, stability on St. Kitts was threatened following violent protests after challenged elections; order was brought back with the help of security forces from surrounding states.
Previously in the 1980s, the federal government of Eugenia Charles in Dominica was threatened by a bizarre coup plot involving foreign mercenaries. And of course, Grenada, under the socialist-oriented federal government of Maurice Bishop, experienced a break from the democratic norm after it presumed power in a nearly bloodless coup in 1979 and set up an individuals's advanced federal government. After the violent topple and murder of Bishop in 1983, the United States intervened to bring back order and end the Cuban existence on the island. Lots of Caribbean countries experienced an economic depression in 2001-2002 due to slumps in the tourist and agriculture sectors, although most Caribbean economies have rebounded given that 2003.
economic recession and slow recovery. The banana and sugar sectors in the Eastern Caribbean were harmed by a hurricane in 2002 and a dry spell in 2003. Both sectors deal with unpredictable futures because of the European Union's plan to phase out favored market gain access to from previous Caribbean nests for bananas by 2006 and for sugar by 2009. The Haitian economy experienced decrease beginning in 2001, with political instability intensifying currently difficult financial conditions in the hemisphere's poorest nation. The strongest performing economies over the last few years have been those of the Dominican Republic, sustained by the apparel sector, and Trinidad and Tobago, with substantial energy resources.
In 2004 and 2005, the region's strongest 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 faring well in 2004 due to the fact that of devastating cyclones and tropical storms consisted of Haiti, with a 3. 5%% decline in gdp (GDP), and Grenada, with a GDP decrease of 3%. For 2005, however, Grenada's economy rebounded with growth over 5%, while Haiti's growth was 1. 8%. In Guyana, economic growth has been stagnant or minimal over the previous several years. In 2005, the economy decreased 3% since of high oil rates and floods, which early in the year seriously impacted farming and mining activities.
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Nonetheless, some observers have likewise been worried about the area's high level of public financial obligation, with several Caribbean countries having financial obligation levels that exceed 100% of their GDP. U.S. interests in the Caribbean are varied, and include financial, political, and security issues. Throughout the Cold War, security issues tended to eclipse other policy interests. In the after-effects of the Cold War, other U.S. policy interests emerged from the shadow of the East-West dispute in the Caribbean that focused on issues about the Soviet and Cuban threat. U.S. policy concerns moved from one stressing security concerns to a brand-new focus on strengthened economic relations through trade and investment.
interest in the Caribbean. The Administration explains the Caribbean as America's "third border," with occasions in the area having a direct effect on the homeland security of the United States. It explains Caribbean nations as "vital partners on security, trade, health, the environment, education, local democracy, and other hemispheric problems." The United States has close relations with many Caribbean nations, with the exception of Cuba under Fidel Castro. The U.S.-Caribbean relationship is identified by extensive financial linkages, cooperation on counter-narcotics efforts and security, and a significant U.S. foreign help program supporting a range of jobs to reinforce democracy, promote financial growth and development, reduce hardship, and combat the AIDS epidemic in the region. Custom-mades and Border Security of the Department of Homeland Security. The CSI program helps ensure that high-risk containers are identified and inspected at foreign ports before they are positioned on vessels for delivery to the United States. In September 2006, three Caribbean ports ended up being functional https://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/c/meet-the-2020-best-places-to-work/12253/wesley-financial-group-llc.html 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 initiative required additional foreign assistance in order to enhance foreign port security worldwide, however no last action was finished prior to completion of the session.
2279 (Hollings), in September 2004, which would have attended to the Administrator of the Maritime Administration, in coordination with the Secretary of State, to identify foreign help programs that could help with implementation of port security antiterrorism measures in foreign nations. The act also would have required a report on the security of ports in the Caribbean Basin, consisting of an assessment of the effectiveness of the procedures utilized to enhanced security at such ports and an evaluation of the resources and program modifications required to optimize security at Caribbean Basin ports. In the 109th Congress, 2 bills would attend to foreign help programs for Caribbean Basin ports.
744 (Nelson, Bill), presented April 11, 2005, would establish a Caribbean Basin Port Support Program. Under the legal effort, the Administrator of MARAD in the Department of Transportation, in coordination with the Secretary of State, would recognize foreign assistance programs that might assist in execution of port security antiterrorism procedures at Caribbean Basin ports. The Administrator and the Secretary would develop a program for such help in consultation with the Company of American States. In addition, the Secretary of Homeland Security would be required to send a report to Congress on status of port security in Caribbean Basin nations. S. 1052 (Stevens), the Transport Security Enhancement Act of 2005, includes a provision (Area 504) that would establish a program to assist in execution of port security antiterrorism steps in foreign nations, with particular emphasis on ports in the Caribbean Basin; this costs was presented May 17, 2005, and reported by the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation on February 27, 2006 (S.Rept.
2791 (Stevens), presented May 11, 2006. Increasing crime is a major security challenge throughout the Caribbean. The murder rate in Jamaica continues to soar, with 1,445 people killed in 2004 and more than 1,600 people in 2005. With rate of 60 murders per 100,000 residents in 2005, Jamaica had the greatest murder rate worldwide. In late February 2006, Jamaicans were shocked over the harsh killings of six family members, including four kids in the western part of the country. High levels of violent crime, consisting of murder and kidnaping, likewise have actually plagued Trinidad and Tobago and Haiti. Even smaller Caribbean nations like St.
On April 22, 2006, Guyana's Agriculture minister, in addition to his 2 siblings and a guard, were shot and killed in an obvious break-in. Gangs associated with drug trafficking, extortion, and violence are responsible for much of the criminal offense. Some observers believe that crooks deported from the United States have contributed to the area's surge in violent crime in current years, although some maintain that there is no recognized link. Jamaica has promoted the development of a worldwide protocol relating to the deportation of criminals. A major concern for Caribbean nationsthe bulk of which are net energy importershas been the rising rate of oil and the possible result of such rising costs on financial growth and social stability.
Of these, just Trinidad and Tobago is a major oil and gas manufacturer, accounting for 60% of tested oil reserves and 91% of natural gas reserves in the area. The nation is also the largest supplier of liquified gas (LNG) to the United States, accounting for 75% of all U.S. LNG imports. Apart from Trinidad and Tobago, Cuba likewise produces oil, however still imports a majority of its intake needs. Barbados also produces a percentage of oil, which is improved in Trinidad and Tobago, but it imports 90% of its oil intake requirements. Venezuela is now using oil to Caribbean countries on preferential terms in a new program referred to as Petro, Caribe, and there has been some U.S.
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Given that 1980, Caribbean nations have taken advantage of preferential oil imports from Venezuela (and Mexico) under the San Jose Pact, and considering that 2001, Venezuela has supplied extra support for Caribbean oil imports under the Caracas Energy Accord. Petro, Caribe, nevertheless, would go further with the goal of putting in place a local supply, refining, and transportation and storage network, and establishing an advancement fund for those countries taking part in the program. How to finance an investment property. Under the program, Venezuela announced that it would provide 190,000 barrels per day of oil to the region, with countries paying market costs 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 discounted petroleum rates from Trinidad, has actually decreased to sign the arrangement, and Trinidad, which has its own significant energy resources, has decreased to sign. (For additional info, see CRS Report RL33693, Latin America: Energy Supply, Political Advancements, 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 amongst the greatest exterior of sub-Saharan Africa, has actually already begun to have unfavorable effects for economic and social advancement in the region. In 2005, an approximated 300,000 grownups and children help with timeshare in the Caribbean were reported to be dealing with HIV, with the epidemic claiming 24,000 lives during the year, making it the leading cause of death amongst grownups aged 15-44 years.