2016: Danger Ahead For Caribbean
The Caribbean Is One Nation.
Submitted by the Mahogany Coconut Group
2016 greets the region with low oil prices playing havoc with
its strongest economy, Trinidad and Tobago. Suddenly, the Trini saying that
“money is no problem” rings hallow. Money is a problem and already the recently
elected Prime Minister, Dr. Keith Rowley, has asked his countrymen to eat
healthier foods because the administration has imposed value added tax (VAT) on
a number of basic items. Shades of the late Guyanese President, Mr. Forbes
Burnham, who under intense pressure in an economy that was in deep trouble back
in the 80s encouraged, some would say forced, his citizens to eat local. They
really had no choice because the country could not afford to import much of
anything. But Guyana survived.
Submitted by the Mahogany Coconut Group
2016 greets the region with low oil prices playing havoc with
its strongest economy, Trinidad and Tobago. Suddenly, the Trini saying that
“money is no problem” rings hallow. Money is a problem and already the recently
elected Prime Minister, Dr. Keith Rowley, has asked his countrymen to eat
healthier foods because the administration has imposed value added tax (VAT) on
a number of basic items. Shades of the late Guyanese President, Mr. Forbes
Burnham, who under intense pressure in an economy that was in deep trouble back
in the 80s encouraged, some would say forced, his citizens to eat local. They
really had no choice because the country could not afford to import much of
anything. But Guyana survived.
The low oil prices are bringing little comfort to our island
economies because they have been so poorly managed, that any savings from the
reduction cannot be passed on to the consumer. Many governments are struggling
to keep their foreign reserves healthy and the cycle of “perpetual poverty” for
many will continue. While the rich would continue to enjoy the scarce sweets of
the land, the poor would forever be struggling to find bus fares for their children
to get to school and depend on the state services that are over burden because
of high demand.
We have often warned that the environment presents one of the
greatest and gravest threats to our region. Failure to properly mange garbage
disposal and refusing to replace century old water mains, now pose a direct
threat to many Barbadians, who are now resorting to government owned water
tanks to supply water in rural areas. The persistent dry weather is destroying
the efforts of those who make a living from agriculture. Without a strong
tourism industry, the Barbados economy will be instantly paralyzed.
The drought is not confined to Barbados, and it is not the
only country, that has put almost all its eggs in the tourism basket. St.
Lucia, Antigua, Grenada and Jamaica, also have their economies connected to the
mighty tourist dollar. All of these countries are grappling with the same
economic and environmental challenges. It is not a pretty picture anywhere in
the region.
2016 will be extremely challenging unless we move swiftly to
put social and economic programs in place to deal with and confront the threats
to our very survival. The days of sophistry and political one upmanship must
become things of the past. Otherwise: “Crapaud smoke we pipe”.
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