David Jessop

As has been widely reported, Cuba has entered a new period of austerity.

In the last few years the world has seen the emergence of what has become known as post-factual politics.

Earlier this month Caricom heads of government met in Georgetown. Among the many issues they considered was Britain’s decision to leave the European Union.

Although the definition is quite loose, the expression millennial is usually used to mean those who were born between 1980 and the mid-2000s.

Although an eerie calm may have settled on Europe now that the immediacy of the decision by the United Kingdom to leave the European Union (EU) has sunk in, it should not lull the Caribbean into a sense of false security or inaction.

The European Council President, Donald Tusk, could not have been clearer.

On June 23 by a small majority, the British people voted to remove themselves from the European Union (EU).

It is clear from a recent visit to Washington that there is a renewed interest in the Caribbean and that its concerns are back on the US agenda. 

When it comes to regional and hemispheric institutions, the Caribbean and Latin America have become a crowded space.

  If the opinion polls are to be believed, the British electorate may vote by a small majority to leave the European Union (EU) in the country’s June 23 referendum.

There is no shortage of astute advice, or practical thinking about the region’s future. 

As each day passes, the internal situation in Venezuela deteriorates. Rumours of military coups and unstoppable violence swirl, street protests escalate, ordinary citizens suffer shortages of medicine, everyday foodstuffs, and almost everything else, while enduring rapidly escalating inflation.

A little over a week ago, Caribbean and Central American leaders met in Washington to discuss an extensive programme intended to diversify energy sources in the countries of the Caribbean Basin.

In Havana on April 28, the Dominican Republic and Cuba agreed to explore the possibility of a partial scope trade agreement.

A few days ago the US House Foreign Affairs Committee unanimously agreed a draft bi-partisan bill that seeks to have the administration give greater priority to the US-Caribbean relationship.

Last week in Doha, many of the world’s major producers of crude oil tried, but failed to agree to freeze production, in order to stabilise and eventually increase prices.

How well will the Caribbean cope with the ‘disruptive technology’ and ‘disruptive innovation’ that in less than a decade could change structurally, employment, competiveness and consumer thinking in most developed and in many developing nations?

A few days ago the leader of the British Labour Party, Jeremy Corbyn, called on the British Prime Minister to consider taking direct control of Britain’s Caribbean overseas territories.

On March 21 the European Commission published a summary of submissions on the future relationship between Europe and the 78 member African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of nations (the ACP).

Drones, the unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) loved by hobbyists, but which have important everyday commercial and other applications, are starting to become an issue in the Caribbean, raising unusual questions for governments and the tourism industry about freedom, safety and security.