The area includes 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 2 countries of Guyana and Suriname, situated on the north main coast of https://apnews.com/Globe%20Newswire/36db734f7e481156db907555647cfd24 South America. Lots of countries in the region share a typical African ethnic and British colonial heritage, while Cuba and the Dominican Republic were Spanish colonies, Haiti was French, and Suriname was Dutch. The dates of self-reliance of these countries range from Haiti in 1804 to St. Kitts and Nevis in 1983. The biggest nations in terms of land area are Guyana and Suriname, while those with the biggest populations are Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and Haiti.
Politically, all Caribbean countries, with wellesley financial group the exception of communist Cuba, have chosen democratic federal governments. The majority of the former British nests have parliamentary forms of government, with the exception of Guyana, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, and Suriname, which https://www.inhersight.com/companies/best?_n=112289281 are republics headed by presidents. In terms of regional integration, 14 of the area's independent countries 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 local financial integration. Some critics argue that it has been sluggish to promote integration, compared to other local financial groupings, however progress has actually been made in approaching a single financial market and in establishing a Caribbean Court of Justice.
The 6 OECS countries likewise share a typical currency, the Eastern Caribbean dollar, with financial policy handled by the Eastern Caribbean Reserve Bank. The Caribbean Advancement Bank (CDB), headquartered in Barbados, promotes economic advancement and local integration. With the exception of Cuba and Haiti, regular elections have been the norm, and for the many part have actually been complimentary 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, but considerable problems and political instability resulted in those elections being delayed numerous times, until they were eventually held on February 7, 2006.
Successful elections eventually were hung 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 countries have kept long democratic customs, 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 disputed elections; order was brought back with the help of security forces from neighboring states.
Earlier in the 1980s, the government of Eugenia Charles in Dominica was threatened by an unusual coup plot including 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 installed a people's revolutionary government. After the violent topple and murder of Bishop in 1983, the United States stepped in to bring back order and end the Cuban presence on the island. Numerous Caribbean nations experienced a financial slump in 2001-2002 due to declines in the tourist and farming sectors, although the majority of Caribbean economies have actually rebounded because 2003.
financial recession and sluggish recovery. The banana and sugar sectors in the Eastern Caribbean were damaged 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 preferred market access from previous Caribbean nests for bananas by 2006 and for sugar by 2009. The Haitian economy experienced decrease beginning in 2001, with political instability exacerbating currently challenging financial conditions in the hemisphere's poorest country. The strongest performing economies over the last few years have actually been those of the Dominican Republic, fueled by the apparel sector, and Trinidad and Tobago, with considerable energy resources.
In 2004 and 2005, the area's strongest economic performers averaging growth 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 faring well in 2004 due to the fact that of ravaging typhoons and tropical storms included Haiti, with a 3. 5%% decrease in gdp (GDP), and Grenada, with a GDP decline of 3%. For 2005, nevertheless, Grenada's economy rebounded with growth over 5%, while Haiti's growth was 1. 8%. In Guyana, economic development has been stagnant or very little over the past numerous years. In 2005, the economy declined 3% since of high oil costs and floods, which early in the year badly affected farming and mining activities.
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Nevertheless, some observers have also been worried about the area's high level of public debt, with several Caribbean nations having debt levels that surpass 100% of their GDP. U.S. interests in the Caribbean vary, and consist of financial, political, and security concerns. During the Cold War, security issues 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 dispute in the Caribbean that focused on issues about the Soviet and Cuban threat. U.S. policy priorities shifted from one emphasizing security concerns to a new concentrate on strengthened financial relations through trade and investment.
interest in the Caribbean. The Administration describes the Caribbean as America's "3rd border," with occasions in the area having a direct influence on the homeland security of the United States. It describes Caribbean nations as "vital partners on security, trade, health, the environment, education, local democracy, and other hemispheric concerns." 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 comprehensive financial linkages, cooperation on counter-narcotics efforts and security, and a significant U.S. foreign support program supporting a variety of jobs to strengthen democracy, promote economic development and advancement, minimize hardship, and combat the AIDS epidemic in the region. Customizeds and Border Security 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 became functional 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 additional foreign help in order to improve foreign port security worldwide, however no final action was finished prior to completion of the session.
2279 (Hollings), in September 2004, which would have supplied for the Administrator of the Maritime Administration, in coordination with the Secretary of State, to recognize foreign support programs that could assist in application of port security antiterrorism procedures in foreign countries. The act likewise would have required a report on the security of ports in the Caribbean Basin, consisting of an assessment 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 expenses would offer foreign support programs for Caribbean Basin ports.
744 (Nelson, Bill), presented April 11, 2005, would develop a Caribbean Basin Port Assistance Program. Under the legislative initiative, the Administrator of MARAD in the Department of Transportation, in coordination with the Secretary of State, would recognize foreign help programs that could help with implementation of port security antiterrorism procedures 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 needed 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 (Section 504) that would establish a program to help with application of port security antiterrorism procedures in foreign nations, 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 Transport on February 27, 2006 (S.Rept.
2791 (Stevens), presented May 11, 2006. Rising criminal activity is a significant security challenge throughout the Caribbean. The murder rate in Jamaica continues to skyrocket, with 1,445 individuals killed in 2004 and more than 1,600 individuals 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 stunned over the ruthless killings of six member of the family, including 4 kids in the western part of the nation. High levels of violent criminal offense, including murder and kidnaping, likewise have actually afflicted Trinidad and Tobago and Haiti. Even smaller Caribbean countries like St.
On April 22, 2006, Guyana's Farming minister, in addition to his 2 siblings and a security guard, were shot and killed in an apparent burglary. Gangs associated with drug trafficking, extortion, and violence are accountable for much of the criminal offense. Some observers believe that bad guys deported from the United States have actually contributed to the region's rise in violent crime recently, although some preserve that there is no established link. Jamaica has advocated the advancement of a global procedure regarding the deportation of criminals. A major concern for Caribbean nationsthe majority of which are net energy importershas been the increasing price of oil and the prospective effect of such rising costs on economic development and social stability.
Of these, only Trinidad and Tobago is a significant oil and gas producer, accounting for 60% of proven oil reserves and 91% of gas reserves in the region. The nation is likewise the biggest provider of liquified gas (LNG) to the United States, accounting for 75% of all U.S. LNG imports. Apart from Trinidad and Tobago, Cuba also produces oil, but still imports a bulk of its intake needs. Barbados likewise produces a percentage of oil, which is fine-tuned in Trinidad and Tobago, however it imports 90% of its oil usage needs. Venezuela is now providing oil to Caribbean nations on preferential terms in a brand-new program called Petro, Caribe, and there has actually been some U.S.
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Because 1980, Caribbean countries have actually taken advantage of preferential oil imports from Venezuela (and Mexico) under the San Jose Pact, and considering that 2001, Venezuela has 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 location a local supply, refining, and transportation and storage network, and establishing an advancement fund for those nations taking part in the program. How long can i finance a used car. Under the program, Venezuela revealed that it would supply 190,000 barrels each day of oil to the area, with nations paying market costs for 50% of the oil within 90 days, and the balance paid over 25 years at an annual rate of 2%.
To date, 14 Caribbean nations are signatories of Petro, Caribe. Barbados, which currently gets reduced petroleum rates from Trinidad, has decreased to sign the agreement, and Trinidad, which has its own significant energy resources, has declined 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 amongst the greatest beyond sub-Saharan Africa, has already started to have negative repercussions for economic and social advancement in the area. In 2005, an estimated 300,000 grownups and children in the Caribbean were reported to be coping with HIV, with the epidemic claiming 24,000 lives throughout the year, making it the leading cause of death amongst grownups aged 15-44 years.