Rosenberg, Mark, and Jonathan T. Hiskey. “Changing Trading Patterns of the Caribbean Basin.” The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, vol. 533, 1994, pp. 100–111., www.jstor.org/stable/1048577.

 

This article examines the current trade patterns of the Caribbean basin and the impact that the changes in the national trade environment to due factors such as NAFTA and how other U.S. market starts to shift away from Caribbean imports. The article delves deep into the history of beneficial trade agreements like the Caribbean Basin Initiative (CBI) and the Lome conventions that provided trade preferences to the Caribbean. It also talks about the decline of support for Caribbean trade and the political means used to weaken the strength of the CBI and foreign investments and the changing political alliances that fostered this change in support. The article then talks about potential Caribbean responses to the threat posed by new international trade policies. This article is integral in laying the foundation of trade policies between the Caribbean and Western countries which can give a much-needed context to the present and future dangers faced by the Caribbean.

 

Hutchinson, Gladstone A., and Ute Schumacher. “NAFTA’s Threat to Central American and Caribbean Basin Exports: A Revealed Comparative Advantage Approach.” Journal of Interamerican Studies and World Affairs, vol. 36, no. 1, 1994, pp. 127–148., www.jstor.org/stable/165864.

 

This article examines the threat imposed by the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) on the Caribbean as it marks a shift in America’s reliance on the Caribbean for trade to more regional trade. It focuses on the worry the Caribbean faces as the increased competition wrought on by Mexico can displace Caribbean goods on the market especially in the textile and apparel industries. The article approaches this issue by analyzing pre-NAFTA competiveness from Mexico exports and compares it with major U.S. imports from Central American and Caribbean countries. The article argues that Caribbean exports to the U.S. market potential displacement under NAFTA in the cases in which, Mexican exports are very competitive with those from the Caribbean basin, the new levels of preferential treatment granted to Mexican exports under NAFTA would be decisive, and where Mexico’s exports have a possibly significant advantage from those in the Caribbean basin. However, in cases in which the Caribbean basin has a sizeable competitive advantage over Mexico that NAFTA will only have minimal displacement. This article ‘s strong focus on the present dilemma faced by the Caribbean will provide key information into the shifting importance of Caribbean trade with the U.S.

 

Palmer, Ransford W. “The United States Win-Win Relationship” The Brown Journal of World Affairs, vol. 14, issue 1, 2009, pp. 151-158., www.brown.edu/initiatives

 

This article focuses on the beneficial relationship between the U.S. and the Caribbean by stating the U.S.’s massive investment in the Caribbean’s economy on capital, trade, communications, immigration, exchange rates, and tourism. It also focuses on the impacts of U.S. currency fluctuation on the Caribbean economy. The article also focuses on the skewed preferential treatment of certain islands such as Trinidad and Tobago for their oil while other countries such as Jamaica has faced a decrease in U.S. investment in its textile and apparel industries. It also discusses the issue of preferential treatment by the U.S. to the Caribbean for trade such as the transition of the Caribbean into a multiple export platforms by guaranteeing duty-free entry of exports into the U.S. and how it actually benefits the U.S. more than the Caribbean by including tax holidays and full repatriation of profits. This article helps to provide key information that can help to supplement the understanding of how intertwined the export of Caribbean goods are to the U.S. and bolsters the magnitude of the effects of NAFTA on the Caribbean.

 

Busse, Matthias, and Simon Lüehje. “Should the Caribbean Countries Sign an Economic Partnership Agreement with the EU?: Challenges and Strategic Options.” Journal of Economic Integration, vol. 22, no. 3, 2007, pp. 598–618., www.jstor.org/stable/23000897.

 

This article focuses on the current deliberations that the E.U. is making with the Caribbean on a free trade agreement called the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) as part of the Cotonou Agreement between the E.U. and Africa. It assesses the EPA’s impact on Caribbean countries on trade flows and government revenue. The results show that the decrease in import duties from the preferential tariff elimination might be a cause for concern for multiple countries and that additional fiscal and economic policies need to be implemented before or at the time the EPA takes effect. This article can be substantial to explaining one of the responses Caribbean countries can take as they have to face the threat of the NAFTA.

 

Villette, Guivarch. The Interview Guy Carlos Villette. Brooklyn, 16 April 2017.

 

 

This is an audio recording that I performed with a first generation Haitian immigrant to ask about how a Haitian in the diaspora would send supplies back to Haitian relatives. He discusses that the best way to send items is using cargo and describes different ways the supplies could be packed. He also discussed how the supplies reach the designated person whether they be shipped directly to the person or picked up locally. He also described different types of things that may be shipped like clothes, plumbing, vehicles, etc. and items that might be sent from Haiti to America. The importance of this interview is to get a primary source on small scale export and import between the Caribbean and diasporas in the U.S.