Brazil As A Possible Partner In Caribbean Development?

With the nations of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) reaching a watershedin their development, many Caribbean bureaucrats and political elites are asking thequestion, whether to remain wholeheartedly on course with the CARIFORUM-EUEconomic Partnership Agreement (EPA) path of development or venture slightly offthe beaten trail in search of something “new” being offered by non-traditional partners?This thesis is a direct response to such a question. Such an academic undertakingsought to rigorously explore and assess the feasibility of Brazil being both a leadingplayer and vital stakeholder in Caribbean development taking into account recentdevelopments regionally and globally. Moreover, this study sought to evaluate theimplications of extant and future relations between respective governments, withinregional institutions as well as to examine the potential efficacy of Brazil being theCaribbean’s next most “natural” and influential partner after the EU and the UnitedStates.In the Caribbean, Brazil remains a conundrum, in the sense that deepeningrelations with Brasilia has both different meanings and priorities to the bureaucratsand political elites of each of the member-states of CARICOM. With a whole range ofdiverse opinions stretching from as far as Brazil being viewed as an untapped“bonanza” for Caribbean exports in goods and services to it being a potentialeconomic threat to Caribbean producers, has resulted in a situation where CARICOMbureaucrats and political elites have been unable to put together a coherent foreignpolicy towards the Latin American giant.Nevertheless, CARICOM’s growing commercial and political relationship withBrazil has ushered in a new changing reality–a reality which brings a mixture ofblessings and curses to the region. Amongst these blessings are alternative sources ofaid, Brazilian markets and regional stability with regard to the Haitian situation, whileissues of comparative advantage as well as questions concerning reciprocal benefitsderived from trade are the main drawbacks from the existing relationship.