CARIBBEAN-GLOBAL INTERACTION

CARIBBEAN THE WORLD

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CARIBBEAN IMPACT ON WORLD
HOW DOES THE ✓ POLITICS
✓ RASTAFARI – FOODS, DRESS, RELIGION, LANGUAGE,
CARIBBEAN MUSIC, MARIJUANA

✓ FESTIVALS
IMPACT THE ✓ MUSIC
✓ SPORTS
WORLD? ✓ LEGAL SYSTEMS
✓ LABOUR

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• Labour: Caribbean people migrate to the West for
better opportunities, but this practice continues the
syndrome of dependency on extra-regional countries.
Migrant workers create ‘brain drain’ due the
preference of the West for highly educated and skilled
people.
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•Political
•Cubans in Florida form associations such as Cuban American Foundation and they lobby US politicians and policy makers to maintain a
‘hard line’ attitude on Cuba and enforce embargos to help overthrow Castro. The US yields to their influence because they have the
same goal. Presence of other Caribbean nationals has influenced immigration policies in these territories; in addition they have
increased and diversified the voting population. Many Caribbean migrants have made significant contribution to the advancement of
minority groups in extra-regional territories; they have also influenced and impacted on policies and leadership. Among these
individuals are:
1. Colin Powell [USA] – his parents are Jamaican and he was Secretary of State from 2001 to 2004
2. Roger Toussaint [USA] – he was born in Trinidad and he became President of the Transport Workers Union and in 2005 he led the
Metropolitan Transport Authority NYC strike.
3. Diane Abbot [UK] – her parents are Jamaican and she was the first black woman to be elected to the House of Commons [1987].
4. Valerie Amos [UK] - she was born in Guyana and he was the first black woman to sit in the British Cabinet; in 2010 she became the
UN Under-Secretary General for Humanitarian and Emergency Relief.
5. Zanana Akande [Canada] – her parents are from St. Lucia and Trinidad and in 1991 she became the first black woman Cabinet
Minister in Canada.
6. Kamal Harris – First Female Vice-President of the USA.

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•Trade
The Caribbean is the 10th largest importer of US goods and services in
the world; therefore any threat to the economic stability of the
Caribbean is a matter of concern. Despite this the US is still a
superpower and the Caribbean does not have room to bargain with the
US or its policies, as was evident in the Shiprider Agreement. The US has
the power to enforce embargos or withdraw aide if she feels ‘slighted’.

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•Festival
•Caribbean carnivals and festivals have become part of society and culture in extra-regional
countries; Caribbean people facilitate the development of carnivals wherever they settle,
which enhance the culture and contribute to the economy as patrons to these events spend
millions of dollars.
•The festivals help to strengthen relationships and encourage cooperation among the
diaspora and the Caribbean. Festivals allow people of the diaspora to give back, reinvest
and connect with ‘home’. The events also facilitate networking among different interest
groups and political leaders. Caribbean leaders and other personalities travel to these
events to do public relations on behalf of the region and or home territory.

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•People of the diaspora are considered important assets to the region, because they help
the economies and encourage interest in key issues. Some festivals are used as platforms to
raise money for different charities, causes and or institutions; sometimes part proceeds are
donated to the Caribbean. Examples of these festivals are:
(i) The Notting Hill Carnival - is the largest open air festival in Europe, and it has been an
annual event in London for 40 years. The festival was started by Trinidadian Claudia
Jones as a celebration of Caribbean talent. Over 2 million people attend the carnival
each year and an estimated 93 million pounds is made. The festival has all the features
of a carnival: waving flags, banners, Caribbean food, art, craft and music.

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(i) Caribana - is held in Toronto Canada since 1967; it is a 2 week festival that expands over the entire city, culminating in a massive
weekend long party. At the event is music from across the Caribbean; at the event are large floats, African drumming and steel
bands. The celebration concludes on parade day along Lakeshore Boulevard with a colourful array of art, costumes, music, ‘mas’
band and Caribbean cuisine. Approximately CAN$ 200 million is made annually from the event.
•
•
(i) A small Caribbean community in Australia organize the annual Sydney Bacchanal
•
(i) The West Indian Labour Day Parade – it is the largest West Indian street festival in the USA; it is held annually in Brooklyn and it is
celebrated on USA Labour Day, which is usually a Monday. Up to US$86 million is made on that day from the sale of paraphernalia,
food, art and craft.
•
•
(i) Beauty Pageants- there are a number of these held across extra-regional territories; among them is the Miss Belize California
Beauty Pageant, which provides an opportunity for women of Belizean descent to promote their cultural heritage; the winner is
expected to highlight Belize’s culture throughout California. Other pageants with goals are: Miss Caribbean Commonwealth [UK],
Miss Jamaica Florida [USA] and Miss Canada Caribbean.

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•Music
•Reggae more than any other Caribbean music has entered the mainstream of extra-regional countries; artistes
such as Bob Marley, Jimmy Cliff and Prince Buster are most responsible for the presence of reggae on the world
stage. In 1999 Bob Marley’s ‘One Love’ was chosen by BBC as the song of the millennium and in the same year
Time magazine recognized the album ‘Exodus’ as the album of the century.

•Harry Belafonte was born in the USA of Jamaican and Martiniquan parents and he brought calypso to
international fame in the 1950’s with his ‘Banana Boat Song’. His language allowed Americans to identify with
his desire to present his heritage globally. The Mighty Sparrow and Lord Kitchener developed on Belafonte’s
work and made the genre more commercial.

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•Salsa music emerged among enslaved people in the Spanish Caribbean and Cuban born Xiever Cugat is credited
with making the music mainstream in the USA. There are many salsa clubs internationally especially in southern
sections of Florida and salsa is the main music expressed at the Puerto Rican Day Parade in NYC.

•However, other music such as: soca, punta and zouk are evident in larger cities where people of the diaspora
settle. Micheal Montana and Alison Hinds are popular soca artistes, Pen Cayetana and Banda Blanca are popular
punta artistes and Kassav and Ophelia Marie are popular zouk artistes.

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•Creative Expressions
•Creole is spoken by all Caribbean nationals; however, the language of the European colonizer is considered to
be the main language. However, the vernacular of the region is evident in mainstream communication through
art forms such as literary works and the performing arts and the music. Creole echoed in art forms are
increasingly becoming part of street talk. Creole has even found its way into USA produced films and sitcoms.

•Education
•CSEC and CAPE are accepted by schools in the USA and UK.

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•Culinary practices
•Caribbean food is popular among people of the diaspora, for instance patty, curry, jerk chicken, manish water
and salt fish. Sometimes foods that are similar based on the cultural background are given different names such
as Jamaican rice and peas, which is called the reverse by people from the Eastern Caribbean. However citizens in
Western areas are aware of it, but they seem to prefer other foods such as: French, Italian and Chinese etc.

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•Legislature/Laws

Narcotic Laws- Shiprider Agreement is an agreement by which a law enforcement officer (Shiprider) is
embarked on a vessel from another nationality of the Shiprider. Purpose of Shiprider Agreements are
to widen the powers or tools of the vessel by embarking a Law Enforcement Officer duly empowered to
provide authorization for certain acts (for example entry into territorial waters of the State sending the
Shiprider or boarding, diverting and seizing a vessel flying the Flag of that State) or enforcing directly
its national laws. Shiprider agreements are usually concluded in subjects matters like Drug
enforcement, Protection of Maritime environment, protection of fishing resources, prevention of illegal
traffic of WMD, repression of Piracy, prevention of illegal migration and Human Trafficking.

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•Latto Scamming Laws - Telephone scammers try to steal your money or personal information. Scams
may come through phone calls from real people, robocalls, or text messages. Callers often make false
promises, such as opportunities to buy products, invest your money, or receive free product trials. They
may also offer you money through free grants and lotteries. Some scammers may call with threats of
jail or lawsuits if you don’t pay them.
•2019 Senior Scams Prevention Advisory Group – Robert “Bob” Casey Jr.
•Sponsor. Senior Senator for Pennsylvania.

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