On March 17, 2015, the local media went wild with news that the President of the United States of America, Barack Obama, would be making a courtesy stop in Jamaica the day before attending the 7th Summit of the Americas meeting in Panama scheduled for April 10-11, 2015. Immediately, the country fell into a flurry of activities as excitement consumed the populace. … [Read more...] about My Obama Moment: Obama’s visit to Jamaica
CARICOM
Making International Trade Work for the Caribbean
The British Economist, Alfred Marshall said that the causes which determine the economic progress of nations belong to the study of international trade. Indeed, international trade is probably one of the most important drivers of economic growth for developing countries. By increasing production and export levels, an economy can realize positive benefits through greater … [Read more...] about Making International Trade Work for the Caribbean
The time for organic farming is now: a natural for small island economies
The total acreage under organic production in CARICOM countries is low to non-existent compared to the rest of the world (see table), and this is a missed opportunity for the region. CARICOM appears to be the only organized group of countries in the world to have officially rejected organic agriculture, even as a possible policy option, yet the biggest market for … [Read more...] about The time for organic farming is now: a natural for small island economies
What do you mean by “Caribbean” anyway?
Ironically, while thoroughly entertaining myself elbow-deep in Guyanese pepper-pot, I received a work request over the weekend to address the issue of Caribbean identity. I also became aware of a heated on-going debate on our blog as to how we should define and boundary the concept of “the Caribbean” – past colonial affiliations; imaginary lines in the deep blue sea; economic … [Read more...] about What do you mean by “Caribbean” anyway?
Why the Caribbean Embraces Open Data
Discussions about open data and open government are advancing rapidly in the Caribbean and we are already witnessing some good examples of the benefits of open data in the region. In this post, I would like to briefly review progress being made of the creation of an Open Data ecosystem in the Caribbean and look at a few examples that have been useful to some of the governments … [Read more...] about Why the Caribbean Embraces Open Data