Challenges in the 21st Century

        The Caribbean states do have some challenges that need to be taken seriously in the 21^st country. As many as 38 percent of Caribbean people are living in absolute poverty. Haiti has about 65 percent of people in poverty and over 40 percent in Guyana and Suriname. The problem shared by the East Caribbean states is that the population is in a condition where without targeted intervention and developments in communities that reducing the rates of poverty will not happen.

This chart shows the exact percentages of poverty and unemployment in each of the Caribbean countries.

       Poverty in these states is much attributed to unemployment. Every Caribbean country has unemployment rates in the double digits. Having such high unemployment rates are obviously bad for the unemployed, but also produce a negative affect on the country. Every country needs to keep their unemployment rates low because when people are employed they buy things, which in turn keeps the economy in check.

     Other factors have also made an impact on the economy. The Suriname economy was negatively affected by civil conflict with the withdrawal of financial aid from the Netherlands. Haiti had political turmoil and there was also a United Nations embargo, which resulted in a flight of capital and the collapse of manufacture exports. Cuba had a 75 percent contraction in foreign trade and a 35 percent fall in national output between 1989 and 1994.

On the topic of unemployment, income inequality is also an issue. The share of the poorest 20 percent of households vary from 3.4 to 7.1 percent with the data available. These Caribbean countries need to do something about the unemployment which will help out many aspects of their country.