EU-Caribbean Countries: Trade in goods

In October 2008 Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, and the Dominican Republic signed the CARIFORUM – EU Economic Partnership Agreement with the EU.  Haiti had not yet ratified the agreement as of 2009.

• The EU is CARIFORUM’s second-largest trading partner, after the US.
• The main exports from the Caribbean to the EU are fuel and mining products, notably petroleum gas and oils, bananas, sugar and rum, minerals (notably gold, corundum, aluminium oxide and hydroxide), iron ore products, and fertilisers.
• The main imports into the Caribbean from the EU are boats, ships, cars, construction vehicles and engine parts, phone equipment, milk and cream, and spirit drinks.

Reviewing the income data above, one wonders who is buying all the boats, ships, cars, construction vehicles and engine parts, phone equipment, milk and cream, and spirit drinks?  With an average per capita income of  $13,414.61 can the majority of the islands’  populations afford these luxuries?
More information on the EU-Caribbean Economic Partnership Agreement can be found here.

The biggest threats come from human disturbance, invasive species and bad water quality on the coasts. 'Tourists flock to the Caribbean for the beautiful beaches and clear waters. Resorts, restaurants and bars have been built throughout the Caribbean to support tourism, however, often at the expense of the natural environment.' Dunes had to make way for hotels, seagrass -and seaweed were removed to create perfectly groomed beaches, feet trample the meadows, and boat anchors leave scars; physical damage that takes years to recover. ~Rebecca James, Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, 2020

Changing of natural land into farmland

The GDP of the Caribbean is derived mainly from two sectors; tourism and agriculture.  It is no surprise that we are witness to the conversion of forested area to agriculture, given the  region’s dependence on the monies derived from the practice.  Unfortunately, local flora and fauna fall victim to the ensuing habitat loss and alteration.  While some species may develop or modify their ecological behavior, others do not, cannot or take too long to adapt to environmental changes.  Additionally, food prey items may alter their feeding and resting behavior making them unavailable or difficult to find as a result of habitat change.  This ripple effect is more pronounced, especially on islands; the smaller the island the more pronounced the effect.

Increase in traffic

There are 3,414,386 km of roads in the Caribbean and Latin America. The highest densities are located in Jamaica (2.14km/km²), Haiti (0.66), Cuba (0.53), and Uruguay (0.4).  Roads increase deforestation rates, land conversion to agriculture, illegal activities (poaching, logging) and the establishment of human settlements (LACTWG, 2021).

2.  Changing of natural land into housing projects

See pictures in the gallery to get an idea about the extent of how housing projects are affecting the West Indies. Note that many of these are developed.

3.  Changing of natural land into other projects (ports, waste disposal, industry, )

See the article “Picking Winners & Losers: cui bono?“, for a more complete listing by country and project lists here.

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