By Sir Ronald Sanders
For decades, many Caribbean nations have grappled with dependence on a small number of powerful countries to supply vital imports, fill hotel rooms with tourists, and grant visas that open doors to opportunity.
These dependencies, while convenient in the short term, have far-reaching implications that undermine the sovereignty, economic resilience, and social cohesion of the region.
The result is a precarious position in which external forces can, at will, stop issuing visas or curtail the flow of remittances, tourism revenues, and imports, thereby threatening local economies and well-being.
Yet this vulnerability is not imposed solely by big countries outside the region; it is fuelled by our own choices and the persistence of historically ingrained attitudes of dependence.
If the Caribbean is to protect its sovereignty and genuinely chart its own path, urgent action is needed on multiple fronts: strengthening public institutions, embracing import substitution where feasible, boosting food security, and forging deeper regional integration that goes beyond rhetoric.
The high cost of reliance on few sources
Most Caribbean countries have traditionally counted on one or two main trading partners to supply the lion’s share of basic goods – food, fuel, and other consumer items. Similarly, the tourism industry often hinges on a narrow band of visitors from North America and, in some instances, Europe. When these markets thrive, substantial income flows into the region. However, when economic downturns or political decisions arise in these external sources, local economies can be brought to a standstill overnight.
Adding to this is the strong appetite for visas among Caribbean populations. Many citizens in the region aspire to travel or migrate to a handful of countries; some even sacrifice to ensure that their children are born in these states so it might help secure residence.
There is no denying that social and economic factors underpin this reality. Yet it inadvertently strengthens these same countries’ leverage over Caribbean states. The spectre of visa restrictions or migration clampdowns worries populations who, by this preference, place their personal – and by extension, economic – aspirations in the hands of foreign government policies.
We should note that it is not a power these foreign governments necessarily seek; it is a power that Caribbean peoples grant by the importance they place on visas and migration.
Weakening independence and sovereignty
After more than six decades of political independence, Caribbean nations often find their sovereignty limited by those foreign powers on which they still depend. The freedom to determine priorities – be they in food supply, manufacturing policy, or migrant labour regulations – can be undercut by reliance on international tourism, shipping lanes, and external finances.
Additionally, continuing distrust of political governance in the region – often linked to perceptions of corruption, unfair treatment, or non-transparent policies – has eroded public faith. Ironically, many Caribbean citizens remain more inclined to trust residual colonial-era institutions (such as the British Privy Council) or to seek stability abroad – where they risk facing discrimination and xenophobia – rather than channelling their energies toward homegrown solutions. Collectively, this mindset locks the region into a cycle of dependence and vulnerability.
The need for stronger institutions and self-sufficiency
Breaking these chains of dependency starts with ensuring that public institutions are capable, efficient, and transparent.
The region’s public services must curb bureaucratic waste, channel resources more effectively, and provide support for local industries that can scale up and meet domestic demand. This includes building food security, encouraging import substitution, strengthening public services and good governance, and diversifying trade and tourism markets.
CARICOM: From talk to action
Regional unity, symbolized by the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), has been extolled for decades as the key to addressing persistent vulnerabilities. Indeed, food security, manufacturing, sea and air transportation, and coordinated trade policies are perennial topics on CARICOM’s agenda. Yet the advances have been minimal compared to the region’s ever-growing external dependencies. Squabbles between member states, inertia in implementing collective decisions, and the prevalence of insular nationalism undermine the region’s potential to pool resources and collaborate on large-scale initiatives.
For the region’s sovereignty to be meaningful, CARICOM and its member governments must move decisively from consideration to implementation. Every additional “baby step” is overshadowed by the giant leaps of ongoing external reliance.
Education and cultural mindset
Despite noteworthy achievements by the University of the West Indies and other institutions, much remains to be done to instil self-belief, civic responsibility, and a willingness to innovate at every level of Caribbean society.
Education must go beyond imparting academic knowledge to embed values of entrepreneurship, resilience, and collective responsibility. It should also build a sense of pride in being Caribbean and an appreciation for our shared cultural heritage.
Caribbean nations must reimagine themselves not just as small states tethered to global powers, but as part of a shared international civilization with a storied history and a boundless future.
Overcoming tribalism and nationalism to build a strong regional community—and a genuine commitment to it – is not just a political project; it is also a cultural, psychological, and generational one.
Collective action to change or remain vulnerable
While there are physical and geographical factors that limit the region, the current vulnerabilities and dependencies that define much of Caribbean economic and social life are neither permanent nor insurmountable. They can be mitigated – if not eliminated – through deliberate, coordinated, and purposeful action.
Governments must enact clear policies to strengthen public institutions and boost local production. Businesses should expand their supplier networks and invest in local production, not just for profit but for long-term stability.
CARICOM countries must realize the power and promise of unity – regional economic integration offers a resilient path forward. They must make a reality of all its potential.
True independence cannot thrive on the scaffolding of external reliance. If the people and governments of the region want to exercise full autonomy of their own affairs, they must collectively work to break free from the vulnerabilities that threaten to define us. The alternative is to grin and bear it.
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