: Treat the
Caribbean
Wisely.
e look forward to welcoming you mr.
President-elect, at the Summit of the Americas in April 2009 in Trinidad and Tobago. It is a
great privilege for us that you are coming to our
area, and it is our hope that you will not overlook our region. I’ll remind you that there are
others who are quite ready and willing to fill
the vacuum quickly with a completely different agenda from the foundations of our culture
and way of life!
Our region sees itself as an important part of
the Americas—and wishes to be treated accordingly. High oil prices, inflation and crime pose
a significant risk to the Caribbean. Writing as
a representative of Barbados, I hope you will
address these critical issues.
Compared with other regions in the world,
the Caribbean has done well. For example,
among the 177 countries ranked in the most
recent United Nations Development Pro-gramme‘s Human Development Report, six
Caribbean countries are classified in the category of High Human Development. Much of
this development has to do with the natural
resource blessings of the region, combined with regions. Many of these immigrants are skilled Kyffin Simpson
high literacy rates. The challenges, however, professionals: doctors, nurses, lawyers, etc. is CEO of
remain difficult. But along with the benefits of geographic Interamericana
The geographic location of the Caribbean, proximity, the Caribbean has suffered from Trading
so close to North America, has played a major some of Washington’s policies. That’s why our Corporation, The
role in the region’s socioeconomic development. stake in the agenda of the new administration Simpson Group of Companies
This has facilitated trade and the movement is high. and the SOL
of people. The U.S. has been the Caribbean’s Mr. President-elect, reestablishing the U.S. Group, the
major trading partner for decades. Additionally, position in moral and economic terms should first Caribbean
many of our citizens have chosen to make the be the two main challenges you tackle upon company in the
U.S. their home, to the mutual benefit of both assuming office. In our view, the U.S. has to energy industry.
