How Can The USVI Energize CARICOM? – Basil Springer Column : South Florida Caribbean News
“He that hath ears to hear, permit him hear.” – Matthew 11:15
Basil Springer
[BRIDGETOWN, Barbados] – The Caribbean is a multicultural, multiethnic, multireligious, multilingual region.
The Caribbean Local community and Common Market (CARICOM-1973) was to begin with a team of previous British colonies. These days, CARICOM is a grouping of 20 countries: 15 Member States and five Associate Associates.
The islands of St. Croix, St. John and St. Thomas remained under Danish rule till 1917. They were then bought by the United States and turned the U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI), a territory of the United States.
USVI Population Make-up
The vast majority black population of roughly 110,000 people today mirrors that of most of the previous British CARICOM nations. Which features a blend with a Puerto Rican and Hispanic cultural impact. There are Diasporic linkages on the U.S. mainland and powerful relatives ties involving the folks of CARICOM. Moreover the broader Caribbean, and the persons of the USVI.
USVI and CARICOM – What do they have in common
The U.S. Virgin Islands is portion of the Caribbean brand. Which constitutes cultural variety, agricultural background, warm weather, tourism, oil refining, and English language. Additionally the Blue Overall economy, soccer, American soccer, baseball, basketball, and cricket.
In a lot of methods, the USVI is a microcosm of the Caribbean as a complete. This features a veritable melting pot the place innumerable inhabitants of CARICOM countries have built their households. In added elevating family members for generations. It is not at all abnormal to satisfy Vincentians, St. Lucians, Dominicans and lots of other nationalities dwelling, doing the job or playing in the USVI.
USVI Strengths – U.S. Owned, U.S. Sector
The USVI has its have inner self-authorities. Folks born there are U.S, citizens. Plus its forex is the U.S. dollar. In addition the Territory benefits from U.S. federal government assist plans. There are couple of, if any, trade boundaries involving the USVI and the U.S. mainland as the islands are on U.S. soil.
Post COVID-19 CARICOM Challenges
The USVI pre-COVID-19 Gross Domestic Products for every capita is at minimum double that of CARICOM nations.
In the COVID-19 dispensation, the USVI Department of Tourism and Office of Health carried out a disaster communications protocol. This integrated a process to facilitate the seamless and protected vacation of vacationers from the mainland to the Territory.
Caribbean Journal, a foremost electronic travel news publication concentrating on the area, acknowledged the USVI as Caribbean Desired destination of the 12 months for its ongoing reputation, an early-2020 campaign to highlight the island of St. Croix, the swift and agile reaction to the COVID-19 pandemic and the profitable crisis communications protocol.
USVI – CARICOM Comparison
In comparison to the USVI, CARICOM nations are much more vulnerable to the deficiency of accessibility to markets for locally produced products and providers. There is also a paucity of funding for structural adjustment, stabilization and economic progress, which the area wants to make a far better high quality of lifestyle for their citizens and citizens.
USVI – CARICOM Collaboration Prospects
So what are the prospects for mutually valuable collaboration concerning the USVI and CARICOM?
The “low hanging fruit” are:
(1) Education and learning and schooling – partnerships in between the University of the West Indies and the College of the Virgin Islands)
(2) Tourism – embracing, boosting and benefitting from the do the job previously completed by the Caribbean Tourism Business and the Caribbean Resort and Tourism Association
(3) Food items – mobilizing a Caribbean Meals Revolution U.S. market place-pull initiative for Caribbean nations to source products to the U.S. market
(4) Entrepreneurship – rationalization of the different initiatives in CARICOM and the USVI
(5) Cricket – a more powerful bond concerning the USVI cricket authorities and Cricket West Indies and
(6) Oil refining – offered Guyana is just one of the most recent petroleum-generating regions in the globe.
Upcoming Actions
The way forward is to take a look at how the USVI could energize CARICOM. This would be to convene a CARICOM-USVI summit centered on the tenets of the Commonwealth Partnership for Know-how Management wise partnership movement, albeit in a virtual atmosphere.
For all those who could imagine this is a pie-in-the-sky pipe dream, how about a person CARICOM place at a time partnering with the USVI in mutually agreed sectors?
Keep in mind that iron sharpens iron, and very little ventured indicates absolutely nothing gained. Now, individuals that have ears to hear, permit them listen to.
Dr. Basil Springer GCM is a Alter-Motor Advisor. His e-mail handle is basilgf@marketplaceexcellence.
