Contemporary Issues Within Caribbean Economies

Abstract

The Caribbean economy remains a region with many paradoxes. Despite a relative abundance of natural and valuable resources, including its people, large segments of the region still grapple with significant levels of debt, environmental degradation, high unemployment in the formal sector, climate change, limited progress in technological innovation, increasing energy costs, remittance dependency, tourism dependency, loss of correspondent banking relations, exchange rate, noncommunicable diseases, and domestic politics to name more than a few. The poorest countries still lag and remain far more vulnerable to external factors related to trade and global financial sector issues. This edited volume takes a closer look at the contemporary issues related to the economies of the Caribbean. The book provides an added dimension in that each of the chapters includes the contributions of a scholar with lived experiences in and knowledge of the region. Indeed, the book underscores the detailed evidence-based research and perspectives on topics providing insights into the current landscape of the Caribbean. Ultimately, understanding the Caribbean in its varied contexts is an important milestone in pursuing policies that will contribute to flourishing economies replete with sustained growth and development.