CARIBBEAN INFLUENCES ON EXTRA REGIONAL COUNTRIES

POLITICAL IMPACT
The influence of the Caribbean on extra-regional countries in relation to politics revolves around questions of immigration. Persons from the Caribbean tend to move to North America in particular, in times of economic downturn, natural disaster and political instabilit . !or decades the "# has had an open-door polic for Cuban migrants. $n an effort to undermine Castro%s regime "# governments offered as lum to an Cuban reaching "# territor . &arge numbers of Cubans left for the "# after the '()( revolution. The Cuban-American lobb is second in importance to the $sraeliAmerican in "# politics. The have largel spo*en with one voice, fought for one cause, the overthrow of Castro. Cubans hold offices in state, local and federal governments. The represent a significant voting bloc in #outh !lorida +credited with securing office for ,eorge -ush .r. and .eb -ush in /000 elections1. The Cubans have influenced "# legislation on Cuba, of note2 the '(34 -ill to create 5adio 6arti with the intention to undermine Castro%s influence through the flow of information and the 7elms--urton Act '((8 which is aimed at strengthening the "# embargo against Cuba b penali9ing an one who traded with Cuba. The 7aitian population in "#A is scattered mainl across !lorida, 6iami and -oston. Their political impact is limited largel because the are divided along class lines: the professionals spea* !rench and the wor*ing class spea* *re ol. $n 6iami, 7aitians act as a voting bloc. The issue of the ;boat people% has been used to mobili9e the 7aitian communit . $n '(3/ the 7aitian 5efugee Center brought a class action suit against the "# government that was successful in winning release

on parole of '(00 detainees. The large number of migrants and the extent of narcotics traffic*ing in the region have resulted in N. American and <uropean governments enacting more stringent immigration policies and surveillance measures2 in '(() the "# entered into an agreement with Cuba to repatriate all Cubans pic*ed up at sea thus reversing its decades old polic . A significant event affecting this agreement was the 6ariel -oatlift in '(30 when Castro allowed '/),000 Cubans to leave for !lorida, man of whom was criminals. 7aitian ;boat people% are automaticall repatriated as economic refugees in the face of political instabilit +'((' blood coup that removed .ean -ertrand Aristide from power, the total brea*down of law and order following Aristide%s alleged resignation and removal from the countr b the "# in ==1. $ncreased cost to obtain visa, applicants have to travel to obtain interview, pa more for application. >eportation to home countries of aliens convicted of crimes. -i-lateral agreement with some countries for "# coastguard vessels to pursue suspected drug traffic*ers in Caribbean waters #hip rider Agreement1 ?ther activities under international cooperation, such as, intelligence sharing and the splitting of the proceeds from successful indictment of drug traffic*ers. ?n the positive side Caribbean nationals were in the forefront of the civil rights movement, for example, 6arcus ,arve , 6alcolm @, #to*el Carmichael and &ouis !arra*han, Dr. Yosef Ben Jochannon. A host of Caribbean people have held political posts in N. America and the "A. #ome notable examples, #hirle Chisholm, first blac* woman in "# Congress and first to run for office of President, Colin Powell first non-white Chief of #taff +"#1 6embers of Parliament, >iane Abbott and -aroness Amos +"A1 6ichaelle .ean +7aitian1

,overnor ,eneral of Canada /00).

ECONOMIC IMPACT
&arge populations of Caribbean migrants in New Bor*, Toronto and &ondon have created a tradition of Carnival celebrations which are attended b thousands. These festivals boost the local econom in hotel boo*ings, taxes on entertainment services, the food industr and provide wor* in producing costumes and organi9ing aspects of the festivals.

Fes !"a#s$ No !n% &!## Carn!"a#

Carnival in Notting 7ill, <ngland began in '(88, as a cop of Trinidad%s carnival. $t has since become a multi-cultural, multiethnic affair. $n a report published b the &ondon >evelopment Agenc /004, the festival was said to contribute (4 million pounds to &ondon%s econom and generate 4000 full-time Cobs.

Car!'ana Toron o( Cana)a

-egan in '(8D b persons of Eest $ndian descent to coincide with emancipation from slaver . - '(3) Caribana was to be attracting over ' million visitors and accounted for Canadian F/00million in tourist expenditure +Caribbean Guarterl '(3)1.

La'o*r Da+ , Broo-#+n

As part of the festivities Eest $ndian blac* identit is show-cased. The festival is said to attract / million participants and generate "#FD0m in revenue +Caribbean Guarterl '(3)1.

.or-force
Canadian and "# governments have allowed temporar migrant wor*ers to pic* fruit $N Canada and !lorida. These economies are ver dependent on Caribbean wor*ers to harvest fruits before winter. $ncreasing from the '((0s teachers, nurses and other health care professionals are activel recruited to fill growing vacancies in these areas, to which nationals are not attracted or are in short suppl . Caribbean people continue to impact on the econom of developed countries b providing an educated and willing wor*force.

Off/Shore Ban-!n% The Ca man $slands,. -ahamas, -ritish Hirgin $slands, Tur*s and Caicos, Anguilla and Antigua and -arbuda are off-shore economies catering largel to clients abroad. These clients are mainl interested in tax avoidance in metropolitan countries. 0Green1 Bananas
Conditions of production of bananas and other fruits and vegetables in the Caribbean are influencing the distribution and sale of these products abroad. $nterests groups in developed countries are as*ing questions about whether bananas, for example, have been produced under ecologicall health conditions I organic fertili9ers, proper disposal of blue plastic ;sleeves% which protect the bananas, whether crop rotation and management of water supplies are environmentall sound. There is a large mar*et segment in developed countries now that will bu produce onl if the are assured that such conditions operate. 5ecentl , consumers abroad are concerned about multi national corporations exploiting Caribbean wor*ers so the will onl bu fa!r ra)e bananas I where farmers are paid a fair price, where there are long term contracts with farmers and

health wor*ing conditions. These concerns impact on mar*eting and distribution of produce. $nternational companies now have to tr to ensure that these conditions operate in the Caribbean and devise certification procedures as well as develop internationall recogni9ed basic criteria and guidelines to monitor this development

IMPACT OF CULTURE
Caribbean cultural forms and expressions have penetrated international mar*ets and have gained acceptance in metropolitan countries. #everal factors have been instrumental in creating this acceptance2 the presence of communities of Caribbean migrants in the big cities tourists the mass media and computer technologies

IMPACT OF MUSIC
Caribbean music especiall reggae, cal pso, soca, and salsa have become international and have influenced the rh thms of man other genres. 5eggae has been incorporated into the music of other countries e.g. .apan, #outh Africa, Jambia and Nicaragua. 5eggae is also used to mar*et products in "#A I -oombastic has been used to sell &evis +Ceans1. The popularit of reggae is supported b the fact that "niversit of Hermont +"#A1 offered an online course I The 5hetoric of 5eggae. Cal pso and soca although steadil brea*ing new ground have not penetrated

world awareness as completel as has reggae. ?ne reason given for this is that in the case of cal pso the local l rics are of local issues and specific to the context of the Caribbean. $t is presumed that because of its ;part % line, soca ma in time come to attract an international audience.

IMPACT OF CARIBBEAN CUISINE Curr , peas and rice and Cer* chic*en are increasingl ma*ing their wa into mainstream food culture. Companies li*e ,olden Crust and Caribbean !ood >elight have become big businesses in the "#A. Caribbean food has remained a specialt in metropolitan areas catering mainl to Caribbean populations. An penetration to non Eest $ndian populations comes as result of close association with Eest $ndians or b tourist exposure while on vacation.
RELIGION IMPACT OF RASTAFARIANISM The driving force behind the international popularit of rastafarianism was -ob 6arle . >readloc*s are now adopted b African Americans who are not rastas but who share a similar world view. >readloc*s have also come to be associated with persons in the music industr and show business. $t is now accepted as a hairst le and adopted b people of other races. 5astafarianism has also influenced the language and ideolog of the cultures of man countries. OT&ER CULTURAL FORMS

?ther Caribbean cultural forms that are influencing metropolitan countries are2 +'1 our literar st les which have received widespread acclaim with having two Nobel pri9e winners for literature I >ere* Ealcott and H.#. Naipaul. +/1 fashion I Caribbean people are slowl invading fashion and entertainment e.g. E clef .ean and 5ihanna, #her l &ee 5alph, 7orsford, 7eav >, -usta 5h mes, -eenie 6an, Naomi Campbell,

5eferences2 "nderstanding the Contemporar Caribbean - 7illman K >%Agostino Caribbean #tudies2 6odules $-$$$ - 5uel 5eid Caribbean2 #truggle, #urvival and #overeignt -B C. #unshine