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The Caribbean in the 21st Century

Robert Pastor and Richard Fletcher
Summer 1991
Summary -- 

"Driven primarily by security interests, the United States has often oscillated between intervention to prevent a foreign rival from gaining a foothold and neglect when the threat passed... We believe the time has come to consider a new stage in the region's development and its relationship with the United States. We recommend that the region shift toward a new economic strategy based primarily on self-reliance". In turn, the USA should open its markets to Caribbean exports, perhaps as an extension of NAFTA. "US aid and financing should be a complement and supplement, not a substitute, for the region's new economic strategy".

Robert Pastor, professor of political science at Emory University and a fellow at the Carter Center, was Director of Latin American Affairs on the National Security Council, 1977-81. Richard Fletcher, Deputy Manager for Programs at the Inter-American Development Bank, served as Jamaica's Minister of State for Finance and Planning, 1977-80. The opinions expressed are the authors' alone. This article is adapted from a study commissioned by the World Peace Foundation. Copyright (c) 1991 by Robert Pastor and Richard Fletcher.

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