The area consists of 13 island nations, 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, located on the north central coast of 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 nests, Haiti was French, and Suriname was Dutch. The dates of independence of these nations vary from Haiti in 1804 to St. Kitts and Nevis in 1983. The biggest 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 elected democratic federal governments. The majority of the previous 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 terms of local integration, 14 of the area's independent countries come from 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 sluggish to promote integration, compared to other regional economic groupings, but development has actually been made in moving towards a single economic market and in establishing a Caribbean Court of Justice.
The 6 OECS nations also share a common currency, the Eastern Caribbean dollar, with monetary policy managed by the Eastern Caribbean Central 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 actually been the standard, and for the many part have actually been complimentary 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, however substantial problems and political instability resulted in those elections being delayed several times, up until they were ultimately held on February 7, 2006.
Successful elections eventually were held on August 28, 2006, without the political violence that some observers had 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 federal government.) Although many Caribbean nations have preserved 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 demonstrations after contested elections; order was brought back with the assistance of security forces from surrounding states.
Previously in the 1980s, the government of Eugenia Charles in Dominica was threatened by a bizarre coup plot including foreign mercenaries. And naturally, Grenada, under the socialist-oriented 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 federal government. After the violent overthrow and murder of Bishop in 1983, the United States stepped in to restore order and end the Cuban presence on the island. Many Caribbean nations experienced a financial slump in 2001-2002 due to downturns in the tourism and agriculture sectors, although a lot of Caribbean economies have 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 dry spell in 2003. Both sectors deal with unpredictable futures because of the European Union's strategy to phase out favored market gain access to from former Caribbean colonies for bananas by 2006 and for sugar by 2009. The Haitian economy experienced decrease start in 2001, with political instability exacerbating currently challenging financial conditions in the hemisphere's poorest nation. The strongest carrying out economies recently have actually been those of the Dominican Republic, sustained by the garments sector, and Trinidad and Tobago, with considerable energy resources.
In 2004 and 2005, the area's greatest economic Visit the website performers 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 countries not prospering in 2004 due to the fact that of devastating hurricanes and hurricanes included Haiti, with a 3. 5%% decline in gross domestic item (GDP), and Grenada, with a GDP decrease of 3%. For 2005, nevertheless, Grenada's economy rebounded with development over 5%, while Haiti's growth 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 prices and floods, which early in the year significantly affected farming and mining activities.
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However, some observers have also been worried about the area's high level of public debt, with numerous Caribbean countries having financial obligation levels that surpass 100% of their GDP. U.S. interests in the Caribbean vary, and include financial, political, and security concerns. During 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 concentrated on issues about the Soviet and Cuban hazard. U.S. policy priorities moved from one emphasizing security issues to a brand-new focus on strengthened financial 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 influence on the homeland security of the United States. It describes Caribbean nations as "crucial partners on security, trade, health, the environment, education, local democracy, and other hemispheric concerns." The United States has close relations with a lot of Caribbean countries, 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 support program supporting a variety of projects to strengthen democracy, promote financial growth and advancement, relieve hardship, and combat the AIDS epidemic in the region. Customizeds and Border Defense of the Department of Homeland Security. The CSI program helps make sure that high-risk containers are recognized and examined at foreign ports prior to they are positioned on vessels for delivery to the United States. In September 2006, three Caribbean ports became 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 called for additional foreign assistance in order to enhance foreign port security worldwide, however no final action was completed before completion of the session.
2279 (Hollings), in September 2004, which would have supplied for the Administrator of https://www.prweb.com/releases/2012/8/prweb9766140.htm the Maritime Administration, in coordination with the Secretary of State, to identify foreign help programs that might assist in execution of port security antiterrorism procedures in foreign nations. 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 measures used to improved security at such ports and an evaluation of the resources and program changes needed to optimize security at Caribbean Basin ports. In the 109th Congress, 2 expenses would offer foreign help programs for Caribbean Basin ports.
744 (Nelson, Expense), presented April 11, 2005, would develop a Caribbean Basin Port Assistance Program. Under the legislative effort, the Administrator of MARAD in the Department of Transport, in coordination with the Secretary of State, would recognize foreign assistance programs that might help with execution 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 be needed to submit a report to Congress on status of port security in Caribbean Basin countries. S. 1052 (Stevens), the Transportation Security Enhancement Act of 2005, consists of an arrangement (Area 504) that would establish a program to facilitate execution of port security antiterrorism measures in foreign nations, with specific emphasis on ports in the Caribbean Basin; this bill 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. Rising criminal offense is a significant security challenge throughout the Caribbean. The murder rate in Jamaica continues to skyrocket, with 1,445 people eliminated in 2004 and more than 1,600 individuals in 2005. With rate of 60 murders per 100,000 residents in 2005, Jamaica had the highest murder rate on the planet. In late February 2006, Jamaicans were stunned over the brutal killings of six member of the family, consisting of four kids in the western part of the nation. High levels of violent criminal activity, consisting of murder and kidnaping, likewise have actually pestered Trinidad and Tobago and Haiti. Even smaller sized Caribbean nations like St.
On April 22, 2006, Guyana's Farming minister, along with his 2 siblings and a security personnel, were shot and eliminated in an obvious break-in. Gangs involved in drug trafficking, extortion, and violence are accountable for much of the crime. Some observers believe that criminals deported from the United States have added to the area's rise in violent criminal activity over the last few years, although some preserve that there is no recognized link. Jamaica has promoted the advancement of an international protocol regarding the deportation of crooks. A major issue for Caribbean nationsthe majority of which are net energy importershas been the increasing price of oil and the possible effect of such rising costs on financial growth and social stability.
Of these, just Trinidad and Tobago is a significant oil and gas producer, accounting for 60% of tested oil reserves and 91% of gas reserves in the area. The country https://www.facebook.com/ChuckMcDowellCEO/ is likewise the biggest 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, however still imports a bulk of its consumption requires. Barbados likewise produces a small quantity of oil, which is improved in Trinidad and Tobago, however it imports 90% of its oil intake needs. Venezuela is now providing oil to Caribbean nations on preferential terms in a new program called Petro, Caribe, and there has been some U.S.
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Given that 1980, Caribbean countries have gained from preferential oil imports from Venezuela (and Mexico) under the San Jose Pact, and considering that 2001, Venezuela has supplied 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 taking part in the program. How long can you finance a used car. Under the program, Venezuela announced that it would provide 190,000 barrels each day of oil to the region, with nations paying market rates 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 countries are signatories of Petro, Caribe. Barbados, which already receives discounted petroleum rates from Trinidad, has actually decreased to sign the arrangement, and Trinidad, which has its own considerable energy resources, has decreased to sign. (For extra 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 beyond sub-Saharan Africa, has currently begun to have negative consequences for financial and social advancement in the area. In 2005, an approximated 300,000 adults and children in the Caribbean were reported to be dealing with HIV, with the epidemic declaring 24,000 lives throughout the year, making it the leading cause of death among adults aged 15-44 years.