The area consists of 13 island countries, from the Bahamas in the north to Trinidad and Tobago in the south; Belize, which is geographically located in Central America; and the two countries of Guyana and Suriname, situated on the north main coast of South America. Many 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 independence of these countries vary from Haiti in 1804 to St. Kitts and Nevis in 1983. The biggest nations in regards to acreage are Guyana and Suriname, while those with the biggest populations are Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and Haiti.
Politically, all Caribbean countries, with the exception of communist Cuba, have elected democratic federal governments. Many of the former British nests have parliamentary types of federal government, with the exception of Guyana, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, and Suriname, which are republics headed by presidents. In terms of 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 stimulate regional economic integration. Some critics argue that it has actually been slow to promote combination, compared to other regional financial groupings, but progress has actually been made in approaching a single financial market and in developing a Caribbean Court of Justice.
The six OECS countries also share a common currency, the Eastern Caribbean dollar, with monetary policy handled by the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank. The Caribbean Advancement Bank (CDB), headquartered in Barbados, promotes economic advancement and regional combination. With the exception of Cuba and Haiti, routine elections have actually been the norm, and for the many part have been totally free and fair. 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, however significant issues and political instability led to those elections being held off numerous times, up until they were ultimately hung on February 7, 2006.
Successful elections eventually were held on August 28, 2006, without the political violence that some observers had actually expected. 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 lots of Caribbean nations have actually preserved long democratic customs, they are not immune from terrorist and other dangers to their political stability. In 1993, stability on St. Kitts was threatened following violent demonstrations after disputed elections; order was restored with https://www.inhersight.com/companies/best/reviews/overall the help of security forces from neighboring states.
Earlier in the 1980s, the federal government of Eugenia Charles in Dominica was threatened by an unusual coup plot involving foreign mercenaries. And obviously, 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 set up a people's innovative government. After the violent overthrow and murder of Bishop in 1983, the United States stepped in to restore order and end the Cuban existence on the island. Numerous Caribbean nations experienced an economic slump in 2001-2002 due to downturns in the tourism and farming sectors, although most Caribbean economies have rebounded considering that 2003.
economic recession and sluggish healing. 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 unsure futures because of the European Union's plan to phase out preferred market gain access to from former Caribbean colonies for bananas by 2006 and for sugar by 2009. The Haitian economy experienced decline beginning in 2001, with political instability exacerbating already hard economic conditions in the hemisphere's poorest country. The greatest performing economies in 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 area's greatest economic entertainers balancing development rates over 5% for those two years, were Antigua and Barbuda, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, St. Kitts, St. Lucia, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago. Those nations not prospering in 2004 due to the fact that of ravaging cyclones and tropical storms included Haiti, with a 3. 5%% decline in gdp (GDP), and Grenada, with a GDP decrease of 3%. For 2005, nevertheless, Grenada's economy rebounded with development over 5%, while Haiti's development was 1. 8%. In Guyana, economic development 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 significantly affected agriculture and mining activities.
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Nevertheless, some observers have actually also been concerned about the area's high level of public debt, with a number of Caribbean countries having debt levels that go beyond 100% of their GDP. U.S. interests in the Caribbean are varied, and include economic, political, and security issues. Throughout the Cold War, security issues tended to eclipse other policy interests. In the consequences of the Cold War, other U.S. policy interests emerged from the shadow of the East-West dispute in the Caribbean that focused on concerns about the Soviet and Cuban hazard. U.S. policy concerns shifted from one emphasizing security issues to a new focus on strengthened economic relations through trade and investment.
interest in the Caribbean. The Administration describes 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 explains Caribbean nations as "vital partners on security, trade, health, the environment, education, local democracy, and other hemispheric issues." The United States has close relations with many Caribbean countries, with the exception of Cuba under Fidel Castro. The U.S.-Caribbean relationship is identified by substantial economic linkages, cooperation on counter-narcotics efforts and security, and a considerable U.S. foreign help program supporting a range of tasks to enhance democracy, promote economic development and development, ease poverty, and combat the AIDS epidemic in the region. Customs and Border Defense of the Department of Homeland Security. The CSI program assists guarantee that high-risk containers are determined and inspected at foreign ports before 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 legislative initiative called for extra foreign help in order to enhance foreign port security worldwide, but no final action was completed prior to the end 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 determine foreign help programs that might facilitate application of port security antiterrorism procedures in foreign countries. The act also would have called for a report on the security of ports in the Caribbean Basin, consisting of an evaluation of the efficiency of the procedures utilized to enhanced security at such ports and an assessment of the resources and program changes needed to optimize security at Caribbean Basin ports. In the 109th Congress, 2 bills would offer foreign support programs for Caribbean Basin ports.
744 (Nelson, Costs), introduced April 11, 2005, would develop a Caribbean Basin Port Help Program. Under the legislative effort, the Administrator of MARAD in the Department of Transportation, in coordination with the Secretary of State, would identify foreign help programs that might assist in execution of port security antiterrorism steps at Caribbean Basin ports. The Administrator and the Secretary would establish a program for such help in consultation with the Company of American States. In addition, the Secretary of Homeland Security would 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 (Area 504) that would develop a program to assist in application of port security antiterrorism steps in foreign countries, with particular focus on ports in the Caribbean Basin; this bill was introduced May 17, 2005, and reported by the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation on February 27, 2006 (S.Rept.
2791 (Stevens), introduced May 11, 2006. Increasing criminal activity is a major security difficulty throughout the Caribbean. The murder rate in Jamaica continues to skyrocket, with 1,445 people killed in 2004 and more than 1,600 people in 2005. With rate of 60 murders per 100,000 occupants in 2005, Jamaica had the greatest murder rate on the planet. In late February 2006, Jamaicans were shocked over the ruthless killings of 6 family members, consisting of four young kids in the western part of the nation. High levels of violent criminal activity, consisting of murder and kidnaping, also have actually pestered Trinidad and Tobago and Haiti. Even smaller sized Caribbean countries like St.
On April 22, 2006, Guyana's Agriculture minister, along with his 2 siblings and a guard, were shot and eliminated in an apparent break-in. Gangs associated with drug trafficking, extortion, and violence are accountable for much of the criminal activity. Some observers believe that bad guys deported from the United States have contributed to the area's rise in violent criminal activity in current years, although some keep that there is no recognized link. Jamaica has advocated the development of an international procedure regarding the deportation of crooks. A significant issue for Caribbean nationsthe majority of which are net energy importershas been the rising cost of oil and the potential impact of such rising rates on financial growth and social stability.
Of these, only Trinidad and Tobago is a major oil and gas manufacturer, representing 60% of proven oil reserves and 91% of natural gas reserves in the region. 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 also produces oil, but still imports a bulk of its intake requires. Barbados also produces a percentage of oil, which is refined in Trinidad and Tobago, however it imports 90% Visit this website of its oil consumption needs. Venezuela is now offering oil to Caribbean countries on preferential terms in a new program referred to as Petro, Caribe, and there has actually been some U.S.
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Considering that 1980, Caribbean countries have gained from preferential oil imports from Venezuela (and Mexico) under the San Jose Pact, and since 2001, Venezuela has actually provided extra assistance for Caribbean oil imports under the Caracas Energy Accord. Petro, Caribe, however, would go even more with the goal of putting in place a local supply, refining, and https://www.timeshareexitcompanies.com/wesley-financial-group-reviews/ transportation and storage network, and developing an advancement fund for those nations taking part in the program. What is a finance charge on a credit card. Under the program, Venezuela revealed that it would provide 190,000 barrels per day of oil to the area, with nations paying market rates 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 gets reduced petroleum rates from Trinidad, has actually decreased to sign the contract, and Trinidad, which has its own substantial 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 among the highest beyond sub-Saharan Africa, has actually currently begun to have unfavorable effects for financial and social advancement in the area. In 2005, an estimated 300,000 grownups and kids in the Caribbean were reported to be coping with HIV, with the epidemic claiming 24,000 lives during the year, making it the leading cause of death among adults aged 15-44 years.