CARIBBEAN ADVANCED PROFICIENCY EXAMINATION

Caribbean Studies

QUICK REVIEW GUIDE – 3rd Edition

Compiled by
L. Anastasio Morrison
©Jamaica W.I. 2019 – NOT FOR SALE!
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www.jamaicaobserver.com JOL LECTURE SERIES Jamaica Observer Limited

CARIBBEAN
STUDIES Lesson 1
with
Debgeri Whitely

INTRODUCTION TO CARIBBEAN STUDIES

Hello everyone and welcome back to a new school year! It is my hope and belief
that this year will be a very productive one and you will work assiduously to
achieve grade ones. For this week’s lesson we will be doing a brief introduction Caribbean Sea

to Caribbean Studies.

All the best and see you next week and the weeks to come. Have a great year!

What is Caribbean Studies?

“Caribbean Studies is an interdisciplinary field of study that draws on perspectives, largely from the humanities and
social sciences to provide an understanding of Caribbean society and cultures.”1
The diagram below shows the disciplines that are integrated to form the subject Caribbean Studies.

Cultural Studies
and Ethics
Sociology Economics

DISCIPLINES INTEGRATED
Physical and TO FORM Government
Human Ecology and Politics
CARIBBEAN STUDIES

International History
Relations

Therefore, Caribbean Studies seek to make students well rounded in varying content areas and issues plaguing our
region and ever changing world (e.g. physical, political and socio-economic challenges facing the countries within the
region as well as the Diaspora). As such, the content area possesses a syllabus which looks at these areas.
1
http://www.cxc.org/subject/caribbean-studies-cape/

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The syllabus is divided into three modules. The table which follows highlights the main topics and subheadings which
will be covered in each module.
MODULE 1
“Caribbean Society
and Culture”
3 Location and definition of the
Caribbean Region and its
Diaspora
3 The historical process
3 Characteristics of society and
culture
3 Identity and social formation
3 Impact of geographical
phenomena on Caribbean
people
3 Impact of societal
institutions on Caribbean
people
3 Caribbean Arts and Popular
Culture in the Region and its
Diaspora
STRUCTURE OF THE SYLLABUS
MODULE 2
“Issues in
Caribbean Development”
3 Concepts and indicators of
development
3 Factors that promote or
hinder development
3 Globalization and
development
3 The Integration Movement
3 Contributions of sport
3 Intellectual traditions
3 Roles and functions of the
mass media
3 Social justice
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MODULE 3
“Investigating Issues
in the Caribbean”
3 Nature and purpose of
research
3 The research problem:
objectives and characteristics
of research objectives
3 Sources of information
3 Methods of survey
3 Sampling
3 Forms of presenting data and
techniques for analyzing data
3 Conclusion and
recommendations
3 Referencing style
3 Principles of ethical conduct
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Hence, the information garnered in the subject will prove beneficial or an asset for one who wishes to work in other
countries within the region or other parts of the world. It not only offers this, but it also aids in the development of
one’s academic/life skills. The diagram below gives a visual presentation of this.

SKILLS AND ABILITIES

KNOWLEDGE AND COMPREHENSION:
! understand facts, concept,
principles, processes and
theories
! explain using various
perspectives the development
of the Caribbean Region and
the Diaspora
! value the nature and purpose
of research
USE OF KNOWLEDGE:
! arrange and relate facts,
concepts and principles
to illustrate a range of
phenomena
! organize/classify information,
assess, interpret, evaluate,
infer, judge, conclude
and make relevant
recommendations
ENQUIRY AND COMMUNICATION:
! utilize, analyze and evaluate
primary and secondary
sources of information
! use various methods to
investigate issues relating
to Caribbean society
and culture
! clearly and logically
communicate ideas,
findings and recommendations
in the appropriate format

Caribbean Studies is very relevant within our society and to our people. Below is a brief synopsis of how Caribbean
Studies is relevant.

THE RELEVANCE OF CARIBBEAN STUDIES WITHIN OUR REGION

Caribbean Studies lends itself to in-depth research, the gathering, analyzing and interpretation of information and
skills that are needed for further academic study and the working world. Therefore, Caribbean Studies is a content
area that:
3 teaches appreciation for challenges within the Caribbean
3 shows Caribbean citizens their roles and responsibilities in preserving and contributing to their
Caribbean Heritage
3 gives awareness of the importance of living in harmony with the environment and human beings
(transmission of family and kinship values), community cohesion, moral issues (responsibility/accountability
to self and community)
3 facilitates the acquisition of enquiry skills, which are important in becoming successful in one’s academic life
and the world of work (to function efficiently in the 21st century)
3 seeks to foster the exploration and development of Caribbean identities

*** Please note that there has been a change to Paper Two of the External Assessment ***

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Each subject area has its way of testing its students and Caribbean Studies is no different. The table below emphasizes
the methods of testing for each student.

METHODS OF ASSESSMENT

VALUE
ASSESSMENT DESCRIPTION
(PERCENTAGE OF TOTAL SCORE)

Paper 03
This is a research paper which
emphasizes the collection and
analysis of data from primary and 40%
School Based Assessment secondary sources on issues in the
(SBA) Caribbean Region. This paper MUST be submitted in
order to pass the examination
*** Please see your syllabus for
recommended areas
for investigation. ***

Paper 01
1 hr and 30 mins
! 45 multiple choice questions
! tests content from all three 27%
modules
! 15 questions per module

Paper 02
3 hours
! FOUR sections A - D
! FOUR compulsory essay questions
External Assessment
! Essays in Sections A and B are
from Modules 1 and 2
respectively. These are worth
20 marks each. 33%
! Essays in Section C and D are
from Modules 1 and 2
respectively and are worth
30 marks each.
! Module 3 is NOT tested.
! All FOUR essays MUST be done.

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TIPS ON HOW TO BECOME A SUCCESSFUL CARIBBEAN STUDIES STUDENT.

! Get a copy of the Caribbean Studies syllabus online

! Make use of all the necessary resources at your disposal; that is, engage in wide, general reading, and use a
variety of sources, keeping yourself up to date on current affairs within the region; Thus improving your
general knowledge, vocabulary and structural competence. Additionally, it will help you to experience and
compare the reality of Caribbean nationals in territories outside of Jamaica.

*** Remember to put aside special time each day for general reading in addition to your study time ***

! Obtain the necessary study equipment, for example: paper, pens, pencils, and highlighters for marking
important parts of the text. Also, get yourself a good dictionary or thesaurus.
! Be enthusiastic - prepare for your classes, that is, read/watch videos before class so you can actively
participate in ALL class activities.
! Hold discussions with your peers, this will help you to better understand the topics covered.
! Do independent research and practice writing on issues outlined in the syllabus. You can have your teacher
and peers critique it.

Reference
3 CAPE Caribbean Studies Syllabus, published in Jamaica 2013.
3 http://www.cxc.org/subject/caribbean-studies-cape/

RECOMMENDED RESOURCES

1. CAPE Caribbean Studies for self-study and distance learning (distributed by Nelson-Thornes Ltd)
2. CAPE Caribbean Studies: An Interdisciplinary approach by Jennifer Mohamed - 2nd Ed ( distributed by Macmillan
Education)
3. CAPE Caribbean Studies by Ottley, Gentles and Dawson (distributed by Pearson Education Ltd)
4. CAPE Revision Guide Caribbean Studies by Thompson, Lawson-Downer, St John and Thomas-Hunte (Distributed
by HarperCollins Publishers Ltd)
5. Other texts and academic readers from disciplines such as history, sociology, geography, economics, development
studies, gender studies, cultural studies and anthropology.
6. CARICOM, IMF, WORLD BANK, WHO, UNESCO AND UNDP websites
7. Local and regional newspapers, magazines, blogs, radio and television programmes as well as YouTube videos
(access can be had online).

Debgeri Whitely is on the staff of St. Hugh’s High School

! Email: dwhitely@sthughshigh.org
 Table of Contents
Module 1 - CARIBBEAN SOCIETY AND
CULTURE
PG. 1 - Location and definition of the Caribbean
PG. 2 - Migratory movement and settlement patterns
PG. 4 - Migratory patterns
PG. 5 - Measures used to control enslaved Africans
PG. 6 - Enslaved Africans & major revolts
PG. 7 - Peasantry – 1838 to 1900
PG. 8 - The Caribbean: A melting pot
PG. 9 - Characteristics of society and culture
PG. 11 - Caribbean Cultural Diversity –
PG. 12 - Caribbean identity and social formation Pt. 1
PG. 13 - Caribbean identity and social formation Pt. 2
PG. 15 - Caribbean identity and social formation Pt. 3
PG. 16 - Characteristics of society and culture
- Plural Society
- Creole Society
- Plantation Society
PG. 18 - Geographical impact on Caribbean society and culture
PG. 22 - Coral reefs
PG. 24 - Caribbean Social Institutions
- PG. 25 - Family
- PG. 26 - Education
- PG. 28 - Religion
- PG. 30 - Justice
PG. 32 – The Caribbean Court of Justice versus the Privy Council
PG. 33 - Applying the laws: The judiciary arm of Government
PG. 34 - Caribbean arts and popular culture
PG. 35 - Development through the arts
PG. 36 - Caribbean art forms
PG. 37 - The Caribbean influence on extra-regional countries
PG. 38 - Influence of extra-regional societies on the Caribbean
Module 2 - ISSUES IN CARIBBEAN
DEVELOPMENT
PG. 40 - Concepts & Indicators of Development
PG. 42 - Factors That Promote and Hinder Development
PG. 44 - Globalisation and Development
PG. 47 - Facilitators of Economic Globalisation and Development
PG. 50 - Globalisation – Popular Movements
PG. 51 - Issues in Caribbean Development
PG. 53 - The Integration Movement
- The Evolution of Regional Organisations
- Challenges and Achievements of Regional Organisations
PG. 59 - The Contributions of Sports to Development
PG. 65 - Intellectual Traditions and Development
PG. 72 - The Roles and Functions of Mass Media in Development
PG. 76 - Social Justice and Development
PG. 82 - PREPARING FOR THE EXAMINATION: PAPER 2
PG. 86 - PREPARING FOR THE EXAMINATION: PAPER 1
PG 90 - EXAMINATION BEST PRACTICES EXAMINATION:
PAPER 1
 MODULE 1 -
CARIBBEAN SOCIETY AND
CULTURE
 yl:caribbean studies

Location and definition of the Caribbean

JASON MCINTOSH Caribbean Plate is a significant entity on which to build our INDEPENDENT STATES
Contributor These are former colonies of metropole countries which are
conception of the Caribbean region, it does not include Guyana,
HE CARIBBEAN is a large region that is marked by diversity now self-governing. These islands have chosen to govern their

T
the Bahamas and much of Cuba.
from main land territories to islands and archipelagoes. countries completely different from that of their colonial masters,
namely democracy and communism, eg., Jamaica, Haiti.
Having knowledge of the Caribbean’s location fosters a
HISTORICAL CARIBBEAN
better understanding of the diversity that co-exists with our
The historical definition of the Caribbean lies in the idea that ASSOCIATED STATES
shared Caribbean experiences. There is no one way to define the
region shares similar historical processes regardless of our These countries are not independent but enjoy all the rights
Caribbean, however, the Caribbean is generally referred to as a and privileges of the country that governs it eg. Anguilla.
English, Spanish, Dutch or French colonial connections. These
melting pot. This concept refers to the combination of a variety of
historical processes include the occupation of the area by the
cultures, people and experiences in the Caribbean region. There COLONIAL DEPENDENCIES
indigenous peoples, the genocide and war engaged against the
are five ways by which we can define the Caribbean, these are: These are countries who are governed by another countries but
indigenes, African slavery and indentureship, colonialism, the
do not enjoy the rights and privileges enjoyed by the associated
GEOGRAPHICAL CARIBBEAN development of plantation economy and plantation society, states, eg., Turks and Caicos Islands, Bermuda, Cayman Islands
The main idea behind the geographical definition of the independence and forging a free society out of such experiences. and British Virgin Islands.
Caribbean is that it is based on the concept of the Caribbean Language embodies these cultural differences and presents the
Basin where the central identifying feature is the Caribbean Sea major distinguishing factor that delimits the Caribbean region CARIBBEAN DIASPORA
rimmed by mainland territories of Central and South America. The from Latin America In defining the Caribbean using historical The word ‘diaspora’ is Greek in origin and means ‘to scatter’. In
geographic Caribbean can also be defined using the lines of criteria; the European influence looms larger than that of the Caribbean Studies, the Diasporic Caribbean refers to a group of
latitude and longitude, the Caribbean region stretches from 600W people who reside in another geographical location for instance
indigenous peoples even though they were brought here later as
people of Caribbean ancestry who reside in European
to 9o0W of the Greenwich Meridian. The region stretches from 50N indentured labourers. metropolitan counties, North America, Canada among others who
of the Equator to beyond 250N. It is sometimes extended to 300N share an emotional connection to their homeland.
to incorporate Bermuda.
POLITICAL CARIBBEAN Jason McIntosh is an independent contributor. Send questions and comments
The Caribbean has three main political systems namely: to kerry-ann.hepburn@gleanerjm.com
SHORTCOMINGS OF THIS DEFINITION
 The idea of the Caribbean Basin and even the coordinates of
longitude and latitude are interpreted subjectively.
 The geographic conception of the Caribbean is based on the CARIBBEAN TERRITORIES AND SUBREGIONS
view of the Caribbean as a basin with the surrounding territories
representing the limits of the basin. COUNTRIES SUBREGIONS COLONIAL TIES
 Belize is not in the Caribbean Basin, but is a large land Bermuda Bermuda England
mass in Central America and it is very much Caribbean. Bahamas Bahamas England
 The definition excludes countries that are normally accepted Antigua and Barbuda Lesser Antilles/Eastern Caribbean/
Leeward Island England
as Caribbean such as Guyana, Barbados and Bahamas.
Cuba Greater Antilles Spain
 Barbados and Bahamas are located in the Atlantic Ocean Dominica Lesser Antilles/Eastern Caribbean/
and not the Caribbean Sea and Guyana’s coast also borders the Windward Island Spain
Atlantic Ocean. Dominican Republic Greater Antilles Spain
 Bermuda is also found in the Atlantic Ocean. Grenada Lesser Antilles & Easter Caribbean England
Haiti Greater Antilles France
Jamaica Greater Antilles England
GEOLOGICAL CARIBBEAN St Kitts and Nevis Lesser Antilles & Eastern Caribbean/
Is not as well used as the other ways by which we define the Leeward Island England
Caribbean region. However, the defining feature is the Caribbean St Lucia Lesser Antilles/Eastern Caribbean/
Windward Island England
Plate which has marked boundaries or margins where it meets
St Vincent and the Grenadines Lesser Antilles/Eastern Caribbean/
other plates. A ‘plate ‘is a subterranean feature that is a part of the Windward Island England
Earth’s crust and on which land and oceans are found. Much of Trinidad and Tobago Lesser Antilles & Easter Caribbean England
the Caribbean region lies on the Caribbean plate. While the

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 yl:caribbean studies
JASON MCINTOSH rattles, call and answer style of singing
Contributor

T
HE CARIBBEAN we have come to know
today has been marked by similar
historical experiences, ranging from the
Migratory  foods – yam, cocoa, asham, fu-fu,
duckoonoo
 language – creation of Creole as a result
of the merger of English and African dialect
occupation of the indigenous peoples in the
Greater and Lesser Antilles, to the coming of the
Europeans, namely: Spain, England, Holland
and France, to the plight and fight for freedom
movement and (nyam, su-su, kas-kas, bafan)
 festivals and celebrations: nine nights,
Dinki mini, yam festivals and Jonkonnu.

which has shaped history of the Caribbean.

Today, we will be looking at the historical
processes of Caribbean people. At the end of
today’s lesson, we will:
1. Assess the reasons for the settlement
patterns of the Amerindians in Mesoamerica
2. Evaluate the conditions that facilitated the
movement of people from within or outside
the Caribbean region
3. Describe the systems of productions within
the Caribbean that have been implemented by
the Amerindians and Europeans
MIGRATION AND SETTLEMENT
PATTERNS:
Migration refers to the movement of people
from one region to another. The nomadic
Amerindians often referred to as the Indigenous
Peoples migrated from Asia to settle in North,
Central and South America. Being nomads, they
moved about in groups or tribes searching for
food, and pasture lands for their herds in the
face of harsh winters. When the world
experienced the last Ice Age, where large
sections of the earth including land, seas and
oceans were covered with ice. The mongoloid
peoples of East Central Asia migrated from their
homeland across the Bering Strait (narrow land
bridge) which connects Siberia with Alaska in
North America.
The indigenous peoples migrated and settled
in North, Central and South America, nomadic
tribes like the Sioux, Cherokee Indians and
Eskimos settled North America while the
Mayans settled in countries of Central America.
The Tainos and Kalinagos migrated further south
in the Caribbean in the Greater and Lesser
Antilles Hence, distinct patterns of settlement
emerged among the indigenes. The Mayans
established city states while the Tainos and
Kalinagos did not developed beyond the village
stage with rudimentary (basic) social and
political structures.
THE AREAS SETTLED AND REASON
FOR SETTLEMENT
KALINAGOES
Settled mostly in the Lesser Antilles eg.
settlement patterns
north-west Trinidad, Puerto Rico, parts of Spanish in 1492 who established colonies in
Barbados, Grenada, St Vincent, St Lucia, etc. different areas of the Caribbean. The French,
English and Dutch became interlopers in the
Settled along the coast for the following monopoly that Spain had of the New World in
reasons: particular the Caribbean. The English, Spanish
1. Protection and French settled islands and established
2. Fishing plantations employing enslaved labour, the
3. Recreation Dutch however who were traders did not erect
4. Household purposes plantations except for salt ponds in Punta De
5. Transportation Araya off the coast of Venezuela, and used
Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao (ABC islands) as
their base and warehouses to carry out their
TAINOS
trade with the mainland.
Settled in the Greater Antilles eg. Jamaica,
Cuba, Hispaniola, Puerto Rico, Trinidad, San
Salvador (San Salvador), Barbados. THE AFRICANS
The Africans were brought to the Caribbean
Settled along the coast for the following as slaves to work on sugar plantations when
reasons: Caribbean tobacco farmers had failed to
1. Protection compete with Virginian tobacco farms. Honey
2. Fishing was an expensive commodity in Europe, hence
3. Recreation there was need a new sweetener, sugar was
4. Household purposes chosen as the new sweetener because it was
5. Farming much cheaper to produce. The Europeans who
6. Transportation had established plantations in the Caribbean
turned to Africa to find a suitable source of
MAYANS labour for the production of sugar since the
Settled in Central America eg. Honduras, indentured Europeans were not suitable to
Guatemala, Southern Mexico and the Belize, produce sugar. The African presence in the
Yucatan Penninsular Caribbean brought about a dramatic change in
Caribbean society, it heralded a new class
Settled in land, in the dense forest regions, structure, racial composition and division of
for the following reasons: labour.
1. Protection
2. Farming The Europeans did everything in their power
3. Firm foundation to construct their to try and alienate the Africans from their
buildings. cultural identity by giving them new names,
4. For trade implemented laws forbidding religious worship
5. Easy access to building materials. and scattering of different cultures. Despite all
their efforts, the Africans held on and preserved
THE EUROPEANS many of their African cultural forms namely:
At the time of the Age of Exploration, the  religious practices – obeah, voodoo,
Europeans namely England, Spain, shango
Holland/Netherland and France were in a quest  folk medicine – use of herbs and bushes
to establish their empire. It is believed that the as medicine
first set of Europeans who came were the  music – drumming, use of tambourines,
ASIANS
The Asians came after 1838 in an attempt to
solve the labour shortage on Caribbean
plantations being that the English Caribbean had
just received full freedom from slavery. This
caused a mass exodus from plantations. The
Indians presence in the Caribbean added to the
vast array of culture the Caribbean now boast,
they brought their food (rice and pak choi),
dress (Sari), festivals (divali, hosay
etc),language, lifestyle practices, music, dance,
religious beliefs (Hinduism and Muslim)etc. The
East Indians came in large number with over
400, 000 from different caste, for some work one
the plantation was a form of oppression hence,
as soon as their contracts expired they left
plantation to set up businesses. The Chinese
came in small groups, they lacked the skills
necessary to work the planations although they
were hard workers. At the end of their contract
period they left the plantation to set up
wholesales and shops.
EMIGRATION WITHIN THE CARIBBEAN
1. Free villages established as a result of a
mass exodus of ex-slaves after 1838
2. Caribbean national moved to countries in
central America to work on the Venezuelan oil
fields, the panama canal and to construct
railways they even when to work on banana
plantations in Nicaragua. Caribbean nationals
also emigrated to work on sugar plantation in
Cuba, some went to Bermuda to become
domestic workers while others went to Trinidad
because of high wages that were being offered.
EMIGRATION OUTSIDE OF THE
CARIBBEAN
1. Caribbean Nationals immigrated to
England in WWII- war time jobs, they also
helped in reconstruction the ruins from the war
specifically the postal services, construction,
nursing transport. In more recent times for
teaching.
2. Some nationals also migrated to the USA
to fill the void in labour as a result of WWII.
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2

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 22
IMPACT OF MIGRATION ON THE REGION
1. Creation of a multiracial society
2. New systems of government introduced
3. Opened the Caribbean to Europe, Africa,
Asia and the American Continents
4. Introduction of new languages
introduction of new religious beliefs
IMPACT OF EMIGRATION ON THE
REGION
1. Brain drain
2. Unemployment levels lowered
3. There is no direct benefit from investment
made in human resources
4. Governments spend additionally to replaces
lost skills
5. The pressure placed on limited social
24
service (education, health, housing) are
lowered
SYSTEMS OF PRODUCTION
SLASH AND BURN
Used by the indigenous people to clear the
land.
ENCOMIENDA
Implemented by the Spanish, Amerindians had
to work gold mines, ranches or on farms in
exchange for food, housing, Christian teaching,
clothes and protection from their encomendero.
SLAVERY
Introduced by the English, Africans were
brought to the Caribbean through the Trans-
Atlantic slave trade to plant, reap and produce
sugar for the economic benefit of the planters.
INDENTURESHIP
Indenturship happened in two phases.
PHASE 1
The period when tobacco farms were in, poor
white men were brought to the Caribbean to work
on tobacco farms but they were unsuitable.
PHASE 2
This happened after 1838 when slavery was
abolished and there was a need for labour
because ex-slaves refused to work on the
plantations hence, the planters when in search of
human resource in Africa, Europe, India and
China to continue sugar production on
plantations.
PLANTATION SYSTEM
A self-contained unique system that used
extensive cheap labour. The lives of the Africans
yl:caribbean studies
who lived on it were controlled by the authorities,
the system employed a monocrop culture and
depended heavily on the metropolitan countries
to finance and to purchase its produced since it
was an export oriented industry. It brought major
profits to the owners and financers over the years
while exploit the humanity of the labour force who
were considered to be sub-human because of
their phenotypical characteristics.
PRACTICE QUESTION
1. The history of the Caribbean is the history of
exploitation of labour.
2. Discuss with reference to Encomienda,
Slavery and Indentureship.
(20 marks)
Jason McIntosh teaches at The Queen’s School. Send
questions and comments to
kerry-ann.hepburn@gleanerjm.com
3

JASON MCINTOSH
Contributor
OBJECTIVES
1. ASSESS WAYS in which Caribbean people
responded to oppression and genocide.
2. Explain the movements toward
independence.
European presence in the Caribbean not only
introduced the Caucasian race to the region, but
it also brought with it an air of dominance which
has been explicitly expressed in the ways they
dealt with anyone who did not have the same
hair texture, body mass or skin complexion. This
dominance was particularly meted out on the
Africans who, in the eyes of the Europeans, were
barbaric and “dirty, stinking animals” according
to Dyde, Greenwood and Hamber. The
introduction of the encomienda system of
production by the Spanish and slavery by the
English were the start of oppression. Caribbean
people over the years have responded to
oppression in a number of ways, namely:
COLUMBIAN ERA
 The indigenous peoples choose
marronage as a way of escaping the harshness
of plantation life.
 Committed acts of suicide and infanticide.
 Taino and Kalinago fought Spaniards.
 They hanged or poisoned themselves with
cassava juice.
 Starved.
SLAVERY
 Some slaves choose maroonage as a way
of escaping the harshness of plantation life.
 Committed acts of suicide and infanticide.
 Continued to meet in the evenings even
when meeting was banned on plantations.
 African slave women used their tongue to
lash against European women.
 Revolts carried out on the plantations of
the Caribbean from the 17th, 18th and 19th
centuries.
 1816 revolt in Barbados,1823 in Demerara
and 1831 in Jamaica,
 1791 Haitian revolution.
 Post-emancipation riots, for example,
potato/food riots that occurred on plantation
because of poor wages, lack of food.
 Non-violent acts – malingering, sabotage
of plantation equipment, verbal defiance,
pretending not to understand instructions given
by planter.
 The emergence of the tambo-bamboo
bands when drum were banned in Trinidad, the
playing of tins and eventually the formation of
steel pans.
 Using literacy as a tool of opposition – to
understand the ways of the planter, e.g., Sam
Sharpe, Touissaint and Nanny Grig.
22
Migratory patterns
POST SLAVERY
 Blacks and indentured servants turned to
peasantry, established free villages which
contributed to the diversification of the economy.
 1865 rebellion in Jamaica.
 Asian indentured servants opted to return
to India and China. Some established shops and
restaurants as a way of escaping plantation life.
 Labour riot/rebellion of the 1930s
throughout the Caribbean, which led to the
widening of the franchise, the beginning of self-
government and the establishment of trade
unions to negotiate fair wages for workers.
 Emergence of Rastafarianism as a
response to colonialism and a rejection of
Eurocentric views.
 Establishment of faith-based school for
Muslims and Hindus.
 Muharram Massacre in Trinidad in 1884
and protest over the laws and treatment of
Muslims.
MOVEMENTS TOWARDS
INDEPENDENCE
POLITICAL ENFRANCHISEMENT
Political enfranchisement refers to the right of
a people or nation to determine their own affairs.
The abolition of slavery in 1834 in the British
colonies did not result in any meaningful change
in the social, economic or political well-being of
ex-slaves. However, freedom from slavery
created a demand for greater freedoms, and so
began the movement to independence. In the
years after emancipation, thousands of
Caribbean people migrated to different regional
destinations for work and better wages. For
instance, there were a number of Caribbean
nationals who went to work on the Panama
Canal, sugar industries in Cuba and textile
factories in Puerto Rico. This propelled the
process towards Constitutional Decolonization,
which is the process whereby the colony
achieves independence.
The 1930s Caribbean was marked by a period
of devastating economic conditions. People
were living in squalid conditions. This period
was marked by a number of labour riots, strikes
and wide-scale protest; violence and mayhem
followed. This period saw the rise of charismatic
leaders in the labour movement who, riding on
their mass popularity, made the successful
transition to political leaders. Uriah Buzz Butler,
Adrian Cola Rienzi and Captain A.A Cipriani of
Trinidad and Tobago began a working-class
YOUTHLINK MAGAZINE | OCTOBER 25-31, 2016
yl:caribbean studies
movement dedicated towards better working
conditions for the poor as well as improvements
in health and education. This concern with the
social welfare made it inevitable that the trade
unions would be the birthplace for Caribbean
political parties.
ADULT SUFFRAGE
This is the right of citizens in a given society
who are entitled to vote in an election to select,
at periodic intervals when these elections are
called, a government to represent them. The
widespread unrest in the 1930s forced the
colonial masters to instate elected
representation. There were no restrictions put on
the population – except that of age in being
eligible to vote and elect members to the
legislature. Where universal suffrage exists, the
right to vote is not restricted by race, sex, belief,
sexual orientation, gender identity, wealth, social
status or disability.
Universal Adult Suffrage Dates: 1944
Jamaica, 1945 Trinidad and Tobago, 1950
Barbados, 1951 Antigua and Barbuda, St. Lucia,
St Vincent, Guyana and St Kitts.
Historically, universal suffrage often refers to
universal adult male suffrage. The concept of
universal suffrage originally referred to all male
citizens having the right to vote, regardless of
property requirements or other measures of
wealth
INTERNAL SELF-GOVERNMENT
The term ‘internal self-government’ meant that
the head of government and the Cabinet are in
control of all the domestic matters, except
security. All British Caribbean territories
throughout the 1950s moved towards internal
self-government. What was unique about this is
that it relates to how this arrangement was
practised. Caribbean nationals were
disappointed because they thought they would
have been the ones who would be in full control
of the affairs of their countries. No single colony
gained full control of its government and
controlled its own foreign policy. Britain still
dominated and managed the economies, finance
and trade patterns. The governor of the colonies
still has direct control/special control over the
police, prisons and public orders.
ECONOMIC ENFRANCHISEMENT
This is a condition whereby a country or
nation achieves the right to determine how it will
develop its systems of production.
 The genesis of this enfranchisement can
be found in the movement of the newly freed
people to establish themselves as new
proprietors and which evolved into the formation
of free villages and peasantry.
 Caribbean people, in their quest for self-
governance, also wanted the opportunity to
control their economy.
 The plantation economy was diversified to
include alternative crops such as banana, cocoa,
coffee and arrowroot, which were cultivated by
peasant farmers on small landholdings.
 This strategy of economic diversification
attempted to make small farmers self-sufficient
and resilient to face the economic hardship. It
kept them independent of the planter and the low
wages offered on the plantations.
 It gave them the opportunity to organise
themselves for the export market and develop
some sophistication in making trading
connections with the wider world.
 In spite of this yearning to become
economically viable, peasants faced oppression
from the ruling class, who charged high rents for
land or face eviction.
 Planters refuse to sell lands to peasants in
order to block their efforts to seek credit
facilities; some were sabotaged.
 Efforts at economic diversification did
assist the colony in establishing a more
balanced economy and provided the peasants
with a sense of independence.
Adapted from N. Lewin
ENTREPRENEURIAL ACTIVITIES
At the establishment of free villages and
independent peasantry, an important aid to
farmers was the saving banks set up in most
colonies in the 1870s. These made it possible to
save money earned from the sale of crops and,
perhaps, use it to later to buy new equipment or
a little more land (Claypole, Robottom, 2011)
READINGS
 Caribbean Story Book 1, Claypole, W.,
Robottom, J., (2001), Kingston: Carlong
Publishers
 CAPE Caribbean Studies: An
Interdisciplinary Approach, Mohammed, J.
(2007), Malaysia: Macmillan Publishers Limited.
 Amerindians to Africans, Hamber. S., &.
Greenwood, R. (1986), London: Macmillan
Publishers Ltd.
 Development and De-colonization,
Hamber. S., &. Greenwood, R. (1986). . London:
Macmillan Publishers Ltd.
Jason McIntosh teaches at The Queen’s School. Send
questions and comments to
kerry-ann.hepburn@gleanerjm.com
4

Measures used to control enslaved Africans
DEBBION HYMAN
Contributor
AT THE end of the lesson, you should be able to:
1. Identify three forms of control used against
enslaved Africans.
2. For each form identified, provide two
examples of measures employed against
enslaved Africans.
3. Explain two insurrectionary and two non-
insurrectionary methods of slave resistance.
Local colonial assemblies and individual
planters introduced measures to repress their
slave populations. Many of these methods could
be categorised as legal, social, economic and
psychological controls.
LEGAL CONTROL MEASURES
 British Laws – The British Caribbean had
no universal slave code, but rather, individual
colonies created their own laws. Throughout the
colonies, however, there was a common thread
with some of the legal slave-control measures.
These included:
 slaves not being allowed to leave the
estate without permission
 slaves not being allowed to congregate in
large numbers because this would suggest
unity, which could possibly lead to revolt
 slaves not being allowed to beat drums,
blow horns and carry weapons
 slaves not being taught to read and write
 slave marriages being forbidden
 enslaved persons not being allowed to rent
houses or land or buy liquor without the
masters’ consent
 obeah and group meetings carrying the
death penalty
 manumissions (the ability to purchase
one’s freedom) being discouraged.
 French Laws (Code Noir/Black Code) –
These laws were directly drawn up in France.
THE ARTICLES IN THE CODE:
 allowed enslaved Africans
 allowed the ability to marry with their
masters’ consent
 suggested that planters were to provide
food and clothing for slaves and to provide care
for the elderly and the disabled
 provided slaves with the ability to appeal
to legal offices known as procureur-général
(attorney-general) to complain against ill-
Adean Thomas (second right) of St Ann Orchids goes for the ball as Tracey
Robinson (centre) of Kingston Humming Birds catches it in the final match of
the best of three, Berger Elite League final at UTech Auditorium on Saturday.
Orchids won 49-37 and took the championship.
treatment and neglect, but at the same time, the
code stated that the slaves could be punished by
means of flogging, branding, mutilation and
execution for theft, assault, and attempts to
escape.
 Spanish Laws (Las Siete Partidas) - The
Spanish laws governed the treatment of
enslaved Africans. The laws:
 outlined that enslaved peoples should not
be overworked, starved or unlawfully punished
by their master
gave enslaved people the right to buy their
freedom, to marry and appeal to the court
against illegal treatment
 made masters obligated to provide the
basic amenities for his slaves.
ECONOMIC CONTROL MEASURES
There was severe limitation on free time for
the enslaved, as free time was equated to loss of
production time on the estate. As a result, a
structure of economic dependence was created,
whereby enslaved Africans relied, to a great
extent, on the planter for their basic amenities.
Though there was the development of an internal
marketing system by the enslaved population,
the planters instituted several measures that
sought to limit its viability. Severe restriction
YOUTHLINK MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 7-13, 2017
was placed on the ability of the enslaved
Africans to carve an economic livelihood, for
instance, growing provision crops to be sold in
the market.
PSYCHOLOGICAL AND IDEOLOGICAL
CONTROL MEASURES
Enslaved Africans were also subjected to
psychological and ideological control, but they
continued to resist the system of slavery. They
did this by running away, malingering and
rebelling. Enslaved women also participated in
the resistance movement and used their bodies
as weapons in resisting slavery. They practised
what was described as ‘gynaecological
resistance.’ Undoubtedly, the plantation society
created a culture whereby the practices of the
whites were seen as superior to that of the
Africans. As a result, African cultural practices
were denigrated.
SOCIAL CONTROL MEASURES
In the bid to control the enslaved population,
underlying as well as overt social control
measures were encouraged. For instance, there
was the creation of a rigid social divide in the
wider society as well as among the slaves. For
instance, domestics were usually the lighter-
skinned slaves and they were entrusted with
yl:history
their master’s valuables and children. They were
allowed to wear better clothes; the females were
allowed to wear necklaces, bracelets and
earrings. Some also learnt to cook, sew, read
and write. These slaves were loyal to their
masters and were most likely to report plans of
rebellion. Also, skilled slaves/artisans were
highly valued by their masters and were
sometimes hired out. They also had more
freedom of movement than other slaves on the
plantation. The field slaves were seen as the
worse class on the sugar estate and were the
ones to usually receive the harsher punishments
– reflecting the whole system of divide and rule
among enslaved labour.
FORMS OF RESISTANCE
Resistance took the form of insurrectionary
and non-insurrectionary methods.
a. Insurrectionary methods tended to be
violent and caused more damage to the
plantation and whole system of slavery. Such
methods included:
1. Destruction of property – damage to
plantation tools and machinery done in such a
manner so as to appear accidental. Over a
prolonged period, this caused considerable cost
to the plantation, in terms of repairs.
2. Murder of plantation owner(s) – poisoning
was one such method used by the domestics.
3. Running away/maroonage
4. Rebellions
b. Non-insurrectionary methods were a
prolonged non-violent approach to resisting
slavery. Such methods included:
1. Gynaecological – a) exaggerating female
complaints b) inducing abortion c) prolonging
the period of gestation, sometimes opting to
breastfeed babies for as long as two years.
Pretending not to understand the language to
evade working.
2.Malingering/pretending to be ill or
exaggerating any existing ailment or sometimes
even injuring themselves.
3. Suicide
Debbion Hyman is an independent contributor. Send
questions and comments to
kerry-ann.hepburn@gleanerjm.com
15
5
 yl: history

Enslaved Africans & major revolts

DEBBION HYMAN was controlled by blacks for 10 months, showing the active thrust by enslaved peoples to end the
Contributor system of chattel slavery.
OBJECTIVES: BARBADOS, 1816
At the end of the lesson, you should be able to: CAUSES
a) Identify the key personalities in the Berbice (1763), Barbados (1816), Demerara (1823) and The revolt began as the enslaved population believed that emancipation was being withheld by the
Jamaica (1831) revolts. local establishment; in actuality, they had misinterpreted information that they had heard on the Slave
b) Explain TWO causes for the revolts identified in ‘a’ above. Registration Bill with emancipation. The activities of the nonconformist missionaries among the
c) Describe the nature and consequences of the revolts named in ‘a’ above. enslaved population were also another cause of the Barbados revolt.

NATURE & CONSEQUENCES

Bussa and Jackey started the Berbice Revolt in April 1816. The revolt would then quickly spread to
Barbados (1816) areas such as St Philip, St John and St George. Within days, martial law was declared and Bussa
Bussa, Roach, Jackey was killed. Almost 200 enslaved Africans were killed, 200 executed, and another 100 enslaved
Franklin Cain Davis peoples exiled to Sierra Leone. The colony would suffer economically as, with the damage or total
destruction of sugar estates, the sugar industry was impacted.

Demerara (1823) DEMERARA, 1823

CAUSES
Berbice (1763) Jack Gladstone & The underlying cause of the revolt was that the enslaved peoples believed that their ‘free paper’
Coffy Quamina was being withheld by the island’s governor.
.H\ 5HEHOOLRQ 3HUVRQDOLWLHV
NATURE & CONSEQUENCES
Enslaved Africans refused to return to work until verification of claims of a ‘free paper.’ In the
ensuing violence, more than 100 slaves were killed; several others were executed after holding court
martials.

JAMAICA, 1831
CAUSES
Jamaica (1831-1832) The underlying cause of the rebellion was the widespread belief that freedom was being withheld
Sam Sharpe by the local authorities. The activities of nonconformist missionaries amongst the enslaved
population were also another factor.

NATURE & CONSEQUENCES

BERBICE 1763
CAUSES
The Berbice Revolt was as a result of the enslaved population being treated inhumanely by white
personnel and also due to the fact that there were inadequate provisions for daily existences supplied
on the estates. The enslaved population had meagre rations and whenever there were shortages, they
would be adversely affected.
Sam Sharpe’s civil disobedience quickly evolved from a general strike on the Kensington Estate
(St James) into an open revolt. It would quickly spread to several parishes such as Trelawny,
Hanover, Westmoreland and St Elizabeth. The 1831 rebellion is symbolic as it was the largest and
most widespread rebellion in the British Caribbean, and it was the last major revolt in British
Caribbean before emancipation. It resulted in over 100 enslaved persons being executed, including
Sharpe, and 100 flogged. Several Baptist and Moravian missionaries were persecuted, as well as
their churches and chapels destroyed.

NATURE & CONSEQUENCES
The revolt began on Plantation Magdalenburg on the Conje River on February 23, 1763. By March
1763, the revolt had spread to the Berbice River. The enslaved peoples were able to capture several
plantations along the river and Coffy played an instrumental role in this area. Though Coffy
committed suicide, the enslaved peoples were still committed to the cause of freedom. The colony
SOURCES
1. Liberties Lost: Caribbean Indigenous Societies and Slave Systems – Hilary Beckles & Verene
Shepherd
2. Caribbean Story, Bk 1 – William Claypole & John Robottom
3. Caribbean Revision History for CXC – Peter Ashdown & Francis Humphreys
Debbion Hyman is an independent contributor. Send questions and comments to kerry-ann.hepburn@gleanerjm.com

PREVIOUS LESSON: THE HAITIAN REVOLUTION NEXT LESSON: THE END OF CHATTEL SLAVERY IN THE BRITISH CARIBBEAN

YOUTHLINK MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 21-27, 2017 11

6

Peasantry – 1838 to 1900
DEBBION HYMAN
Contributor
OBJECTIVES
1. Outline three factors that aided the
development of the peasantry.
2. Discuss three factors that hindered the
development of the peasantry.
3. Discuss the contribution of the peasantry
to the social and economic life of the
Caribbean.
EFFORTS OF THE FREEDMEN
1) Apart from the missionary-supported free
villages, many freedmen bought their own land
with money earned from overtime work during
apprenticeship. They became subsistence farmers
but sold some surplus crops in local markets and,
in some cases, grew sugar cane. They eventually
developed trading systems (‘higgling’ in Jamaica)
and exported crops: coffee, ginger and pimento in
Jamaica; arrowroot in St Vincent; cocoa and
copra in Grenada.
2) The co-operative venture in Guiana was short-
lived but, after its collapse, co-operative members
still sought land by squatting in the interior.
3) Squatting – illegal occupation of Crown lands
in remote areas; common in large territories.
4) Metayage or sharecropping – labourers
produced the sugar and the profits were shared
between themselves and the plantation owner.
This was done mainly in the French islands, St
Lucia and Tobago. In Barbados and other areas,
the freedmen grew sugar cane on plantation
grounds or small plots nearby. The cane was
milled on the estate; estate owner and growers
shared profits.
HINDRANCES
The peasants encountered such difficulties as:
a) lands were not officially surveyed.
b) colonial governments imposed restrictions
on the sale of Crown lands.
c) the land itself was very often marginal,
infertile and remote.
d) licences for the sale of export crops were
required.
e) opposition from the planters.
f) exploitation of land buyers; they were
14
forced to pay excessively high prices for
inferior land.
g) laws were passed restricting the movement
of labourers, both within a particular colony
and among the various Caribbean islands.
h) blacks had to pay for costly licences to sell
sugar and coffee and for making charcoal.
ROLE PLAYED BY GOVERNMENT IN
FACILITATING THE DEVELOPMENT OF
THE PEASANTRY
1) The Imperial Department of Agriculture
suggested suitable crops to be grown in the
different islands. It also aimed at introducing
new crops in areas where sugar was not the
ideal crop.
2) Government grants and loans were
provided to improve the steamship service
between Canada, the United States and the West
Indies. For example, the government gave
£20,000 to Elders and Fyffe to carry 40, 000
bunches of bananas to England every fortnight.
This assistance was to enable fruits and other
foods to be transported quickly to these markets.
3) In the 1860s, the colonial office began to
encourage local governments to allow black
farmers to acquire land in Trinidad. Sir Arthur
Gordon took the lead in 1868 by beginning the
sale of Crown land to freedmen at low prices. In
British Guiana, the price of land was reduced,
so more blacks were able to acquire land. In
other colonies, farmers were encouraged to buy
wasteland from uncultivated plantations. In
Grenada, sugar cultivation was abandoned, so
the number of small farmers increased by 1910.
In Jamaica, the number of small farmers
doubled in the period 1860-1910. In St Vincent,
abandoned estates were given to arrowroot
farmers. This was the colonial government’s
effort to provide land to farmers through a land-
settlement scheme.
4) Botanical gardens were established to
experiment with new varieties of seeds and to
demonstrate new farming methods to small
farmers, distribute plants and seeds and
organise courses in agriculture.
YOUTHLINK MAGAZINE | MARCH 22-28, 2016
5) The price of land was reduced to encourage small farmers to purchase land for the cultivation
of new export crops.
NEW CROPS
1. Rice
2. Bananas
3. Limes
4. Sea Island cotton
5. Cocoa
6. Arrowroot
7. Rubber
8. Coconuts
EFFECTS OF THE SUCCESSFUL
ESTABLISHMENT OF A MARKET FOR
NEW CROPS
1) The peasant farmer class grew in number
and importance as sugar plantations declined,
so peasant production became vital to the
economies of many territories, particularly in
the Lesser Antilles.
2) Peasant farmers were able to improve their
standard of living from the income earned from
the sale of new crops.
3) The establishment of banks encouraged
small farmers to save money earned from the
sale of crops. Perhaps, later, this money was
used to buy new equipment or more land.
In conclusion, the peasants started
producing some of their crops for export. They
grew ginger, pimento and coffee, which were
sold to local brokers who supplied European
brokers. The small farmers in the Leewards
grew arrowroot as a staple export crop. In
Grenada, they exported coffee, cotton, cocoa,
copra, honey and beeswax. In Trinidad, as the
squatters cleared the land, they sold the timber
for charcoal burning and exported some for
boat building. Later, they planted and exported
coffee and cocoa. The new farmers, small
traders, craftsmen and shopkeepers, and
women who ran lodging houses, laid the
foundation for a new pattern of social and
economic life in the Caribbean. In Jamaica, this
could be seen by the middle of the 19th century.
Inland towns, villages, schools and health
facilities grew up as a result of the peasantry.
yl:history
TERRITORIES
British Guiana
Jamaica
Dominica, St. Lucia
Montserrat, St Vincent
Trinidad, Grenada, St Lucia, Dominica
St Vincent
Trinidad, British Guiana
Nevis
Shopkeepers, tailors, shoemakers and
blacksmiths settled inland to supply goods and
services to the surrounding farmers. A system
of tracks and pathways were developed to link
the interior towns and villages with each other
and to the coast. Along with this came the
higglers and wholesalers to buy fresh fruits,
vegetables, cocoa, coffee, pimento, arrowroot
and ginger. Goods for sale were taken to the
coastal town to be prepared and shipped by a
new group of merchants. A two-way trade
developed where they sold the farmers’ produce
to Europe and imported manufactured goods
and provisions, which they sold to the new
village shopkeepers. A system was built that
was separate from the plantation; the new
merchants gave the coastal towns a new
importance.
ACTIVITY – EXTENDED WRITING
Imagine that you are a peasant living in
Jamaica in the 1890s. Prepare a speech for the
local assembly in which you:
i. Outline three factors that aided the
development of the peasantry. [9marks]
ii. Describe three hindrances faced by
peasants. [9 marks]
iii. Outline four effects of the peasantry on
British Caribbean economy and society.
[7 marks]
Total 25 marks
Debbion Hyman is an independent contributor. Send
questions and comments to
kerry-ann.hepburn@gleanerjm.com
7

MAUREEN CAMPBELL
Contributor
T
HE CARIBBEAN’S diverse culture can be
explained by its history, geography and
political system. The Caribbean has been
shaped by migration patterns that have
combined to form a unique blend of customs,
cuisine and traditions that have marked the
sociocultural and economic development of the
region.
Most of the Caribbean territories were
inhabited and developed by European settlers.
The result is a blending of European, Asian and
African connections that has proven important in
the development of the Caribbean diverse
culture.
Knowledge and understanding of the history
of the Caribbean is critical in understanding its
cultural diversity. The process is described as
having resulted in a distinguishable and
distinctive entity called ‘Caribbean’. To be more
specific, the Caribbean is a group of islands and
mainland territories located south of North
America, north of South America and east of
Central America. These beautiful islands and
mainland territories are known worldwide
because of their vibrant and diverse, inviting
culture that is as a result of years of
colonization, struggles and integration. This,
therefore, highlights the fact that Caribbean
societies are influenced by cultural diversity; it is
this fact that gives the Caribbean its unique
identity.
Cultural diversity from the information above
refers to the multiplicity of ethnic groups, such
as Indians, Africans, Chinese and Europeans
that exist within the Caribbean society, and the
particular ways of life, manifested by each
group, that we have inherited. The cultural
diversity of this region has resulted from the
colonization of the Europeans in the 15th
century, the forced migration of the Africans
between the mid-17th to 19th century, and the
voluntary migration of the Asians in the 19th
century.
FOOD
Each ethnic group brought its traditional
practices, which are still practised today. For
example, the Indians brought their traditional
foods such as curry and other spices. The curry
brought to us by the Indians has been
incorporated with various local foods to create
lavish dishes. The Africans brought their
PREVIOUS LESSON: LAWS PROTECTING THE FAMILY
16
The Caribbean:
A melting pot
The melting pot is a metaphor for
a heterogeneous society becoming
more homogeneous, the different
elements ‘melting together’ into a
harmonious whole with a
common culture.
religious practices such as voodoo. These
practices by the ethnic groups have all been
incorporated to create what is known as the
‘Caribbean culture’. In other words, as a result of
cultural diversity, we have developed our own
unique identity, which is associated only with
the Caribbean.
TRADITIONAL MEDICINE
These are widely used throughout the
Caribbean; a result of our cultural diversity.
Traditional medicine is the terminology used to
refer to different herbs and other substances that
are used for healing purposes by the different
ethnic groups. This cultural tradition has had a
major influence on, especially, the rural areas of
each Caribbean territory.
CREOLE LANGUAGES
Creole languages of the Caribbean are
considered languages in their own right.
Jamaica boasts a dictionary of Creole from
Cambridge University Press, and Papiamento is
used along with formal Dutch for instruction in
Curaçao. Creole is the language used for news
broadcasts sometimes in territories where the
French once settled. These languages still have
cultural influence.
According to the late Professor Rex Nettleford,
as with language, so too is religion in the
YOUTHLINK MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 8-14, 2016
arrangement and effect on Caribbean cultural
life. Religion, he said, “is an expression of the
biblical reminder that in God’s house there are
many mansions”. In the Caribbean, this has
manifested itself with the diverse religious
beliefs to be found in the region.
MUSIC
The music of the Caribbean has reflected the
multicultural influences that have shaped the
Caribbean. Nevertheless, the Caribbean’s first
peoples, the Spanish, the French, and the
British, have all made large contributions to the
musical heritage of the Caribbean as well. The
Africans brought traditional music such as
‘Mento’ in our Jamaica. ‘Hindi music’ and
‘chutney’ in Trinidad and Guyana were brought
by the Indians. The rhythms and beats from
traditional music have helped to enhance our
diverse culture.
RELIGION
There are so many forms of denominations
religions in the Caribbean, ranging from Roman
Catholic, Anglican, Methodist, Presbyterian,
Seventh-day Adventist to Santeria, voodoo,
pocomania, obeah, revivalism, kumina, shango,
cumfa or any other native-born or religious
expression. Hinduism, Islam, Orisha worship
and other new-age spiritualism are all legitimate
religions today, in what was once an exclusive
settlement of Christendom.
NEXT LESSON: GROUPS: TEAMWORK
yl:social studies
CARNIVAL/FESTIVALS
According to Nettleford, our festival arts exist
as part of the process of self-discovery and the
creation of a unifying space that bridges gaps
within a society produced by centuries of
differentials based on place of origin, skin
colour, class, gender and the more modern
differentials of political affiliation and sexual
orientation.
The Crop Over festival of arts draws on the
historical experience of the sugar cane
production during slavery in Barbados. It has
become a major contemporary calendar event of
national observance on the island. ‘Hosay’ also
serves to bring the culture of Indians into the
Caribbean society. Indians had come as
indentured labourers.
There are other festivals, the pre-Lenten
carnival, the Masquerade in the Leeward Islands,
Jamaica, Belize and The Bahamas, under the
name Junkanoo, and in Bermuda as ‘gumbay’,
just to mention a few. These represent an
obvious fusion of European classical as well as
instruments of the most varied origins which
produced a new music in the region.
The Caribbean is a melting pot. As the
Jamaican motto so aptly describes it, “Out of
Many, One People”. We can, as Nettleford says,
see ourselves in the Caribbean as “part African,
part European, part Asian, part Native American
but totally Caribbean”.
SOURCE:
Commentary: The Caribbean: A cultural
melting pot. Published on December 15, 2012.
By Joseph Doway.
ACTIVITY
1. Account for the cultural diversity in your
country.
2. Explain and use correctly terms and
concepts associated with social groups and
institutions.
Primary group, secondary group, informal
group, peer group, voluntary and involuntary
membership, culture, institution, social control,
folkways, norms, mores and laws.
Maureen Campbell teaches at St Hugh’s High School.
Send questions and comments to
kerry-ann.hepburn@gleanerjm.com
8

JASON MCINTOSH
Contributor
OBJECTIVES
At the end of today’s lesson, you should be
able to:
(1) Define society, culture, demography and
human ecology.
(2) Describe the elements that determine the
characteristics of a society.
(3) Describe the relationship between society
and culture.
(4) Assess the factors that have shaped
Caribbean society and culture, including
Caribbean diasporic communities.
CHARACTERISTICS OF SOCIETY
Human civilisations tend to organise in
groups which facilitate interactions with each
other. Within every community, roles are
assigned to individuals for effectual operation,
which often leads to a civilised society. A society
therefore can be defined in the following ways:
DEFINED TERRITORIAL SPACE
A society is often referred to as people living
together in the same geographical area over a
long period of time. In the context of the
Caribbean, a society is referred to as the
boundaries of a nation state. For instance, the
Jamaican society, the St Lucian Society, the
Cuban Society, etc.
A SHARED COMMON PURPOSE
The term ‘society’ is also used to refer to
people who share similar historical background,
culture and interests for instance, the Jamaican
Horticultural Society, Jamaican Society for the
Aged.
CONTINUITY OVER TIME AND
SPACE/CITIZENSHIP WITHIN A SPACE
Sociologists in their study of society speak of
an organised group framework,
meaning that within each society, there is a strict
social structure. This refers to a network of
interrelationship among the individuals and groups.
In their pursuit of understanding the general
make-up of a society, sociologists study
relationships to verify their effects on the function
of the society.
38
Characteristics
of society and
culture
ELEMENTS THAT DETERMINE THE
SOCIAL CONDITIONS OF A SOCIETY
POPULATION CHARACTERISTICS
This determins the general social patterns of a
group of people living within a certain geographical
area. There are two chief kinds of population
studies, demography and human ecology.
Demography is the systematic study of the size,
composition and distribution of human populations.
Human ecology, on the other hand, deals mainly
with the structure of urban environments and
their patterns of settlement and growth. Studies
in human ecology explain why and how cities
and other communities grow and change.
SOCIETAL INSTITUTIONS
Societal institutions include churches,
governments, security forces, hospitals, families,
business organisations and schools. For each of
these institutions listed above there are clearly
defined relationships among people who perform
specific actions within the society. It is imperative
to note that each institution has a direct effect on
the society. For instance, infusing aspects of
Vision 2030 in the curriculum across schools in
Jamaica, therefore, goals of the entire society are
influences by the transmission of learning and
knowledge in educational institutions.
SOCIAL CHANGE
Social change involves any key modification
in the social conditions and patterns of behaviour
in a society. Change may be caused by fashions,
inventions, revolutions, wars or other events and
activities. Sociologists, in the pursuit to uncover
the mysteries behind social change within the
societies have concentrated their efforts on
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education, social values and settlement patterns
that occur in newly industrialised nations.
Here are two main types of social change:
 Change in the number and variety of
positions and roles
 Change in obligation or duties attached to
positions
Changes can take pace gradually or suddenly
and can result from deliberate planning and it
could be unintentionally. These changes can be
beneficial to some and punitive to others, and as
such, it is inevitable that there will be resistance
to some changes.
CULTURAL INFLUENCES
Refers to similar experiences that people within
ethnic/racial groups share. There are practices
that are unique to them, such as the preparation
of food, religious rituals, mode of dress,
politics, festivals and celebrations informing
their way of living. These practices are passed
down to the young. For instance, the Tainos,
Kalinagos and Mayans all had distinct cultural
practices.
SOCIAL BEHAVIOR
Social behavior is the study of people’s
attitude to change, conformity, leadership morale
and any other form of behavior. It also includes
the interaction people share with members within
a group. Through the process of socialisation
standards of behaviours are relayed from
generation to generation. Sociology studies how
people adjust their behaviors to fit the already
established standards.
yl:caribbean studies
THE CARIBBEAN SOCIETY REFERS TO:
 The population that fall within the
geographical confines of the greater and lesser
Antilles.
 The natives or citizens of those countires
that are bordered by the Caribbean Sea and
those of the mainland territories.
 Those who share a common history of
colonialism, slavery, the plantation system and
its attendant culture, values and norms.
 Those groups of persons who were born in
the Caribbean but live outside of the region.
CHARACTERISTICS OF CULTURE
Culture speaks to the ideas, beliefs, practices
and values that form the basis on which a society
is built, hence, the culture of a society is learnt
and shared by the members of that society.
Culture is transmitted from one generation to
another through verbal and non-verbal interactions.
Cultures are passed down through institutions
such as the family and religion which have
prescribed behaviors for its members to follow.
Culture also has gendered practices, in terms of
how males and females are expected to respond
in situations that are unique to them. Culture is a
dynamic, creative continuous process. The culture
of the Caribbean is diverse, oftentimes referred
to as a melting pot of cultures because of the
contribution of various groups such as the East
Indians, Chinese, Europeans, Africans, and
Amerindians. This legacy of diversity can be
readily seen in the languages spoken in the
Caribbean: English, Spanish, French, Dutch,
Creole, Mandarin (Chinese immigrants).
Culture, therefore, provides individuals with a
set of common understandings that they employ
in fashioning their actions, and makes society
possible by providing a common framework of
meaning.
The process by which people learn their
society’s culture is called enculturation.
Enculturation unifies people of a society by
providing them with common experiences.
Social scientists identify certain aspects of culture
as pop culture or popular culture. Pop culture
includes such elements of a society’s arts and
entertainment as television, radio, recordings,
advertising, sports, hobbies, fads and fashions.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 40
9

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 38
CHARACTERISTICS OF CULTURE
C satisfies human needs in a particular way
C is acquired through learning
C is based on the use of symbols
C consists of individual traits and groups of
traits called patterns
COMPONENTS OF CULTURE
Norms: Norms are social rules that specify
appropriate and inappropriate behavior in given
situations. They afford a means by which we
orient ourselves to other people. Folkways,
mores, and laws are types of norms.
Values: Values are broad ideas regarding what
is desirable, correct, and good that most members
of a society share. Values are so general and
abstract that they do not explicitly specify which
behaviors are acceptable and which are not.
Symbols and language: Symbols are acts or
objects that have come to be socially accepted as
standing for something else. Symbols assume
many different forms, but language is the most
important of these. Language is the chief vehicle
by which people communicate ideas, information,
attitudes, and emotions, and it serves as the
principal means by which human beings create
culture and transmit it from generation to generation.
CULTURAL UNITY AND DIVERSITY
Cultural universals: Cultural universals are pat-
terned and recurrent aspects of life that appear in
all known societies. All people confront many of
the same problems; culture represents an accu-
mulation of solutions to the problems posed by
human biology and the human situation.
yl:caribbean studies
Cultural integration: The items that form a cul-
ture tend to constitute a consistent and integrated
whole. For example, societies that value universal
education also usually have norms and laws
about schools, organise education into a collec-
tive activity, and create symbols and share mean-
ings about the value of education and educational
organizations.
Ethnocentrism: The cultural ways of our own
society become so deeply ingrained that we have
difficulty conceiving of alternative ways of life. We
judge the behavior of other groups by the
standards of our own culture, a phenomenon
sociologists term ethnocentrism.
Cultural relativism: In studying other cultures,
we must examine behavior in the light of the
values, beliefs, and motives of each culture.
SUBCULTURES AND COUNTERCULTURES
Cultural diversity may be found within a society
in the form of subcultures. When the norms, values,
and lifestyles of a subculture are at odds with
those of the larger society, it is a counterculture.
PRACTICE QUESTIONS
1. Explain how population characteristics deter-
mine the general social patterns of a group of
people living in a certain geographical area.
2. Assess the extent to which cultural traits
evident throughout the region have resulted from
Caribbean peoples’ experiences.
Jason McIntosh teaches at The Queen’s School. Send
questions and comments to
kerry-ann.hepburn@gleanerjm.com
10
 THE DAILY OBSERVER Tuesday, November 22, 2016 Page C 3

www.jamaicaobserver.com
CARIBBEAN
JOL LECTURE SERIES
Jamaica Observer Limited
STUDIES LESSON 10
with Candice Watson

CARIBBEAN CULTURAL DIVERSITY

Hello, students! Thanks for joining me this week. Today we will Let’s examine some of the positive and negative effects of
focus on cultural diversity in the Caribbean. cultural diversity
SOCIAL STRATIFICATION
Social stratification refers to the system of ranking people in society
CULTURAL IDENTITY POSITIVE NEGATIVE hierarchically.

Prejudice and discrimination occur

Wide variety of cultural as a result of socialisation in SYSTEM TYPE FEATURES
roles are
determined expressions and cultural products families, which influences
by status are experienced interactions in social groups and
organisations ascribed status
ROLES
SHAPE IDENTITY Exposure to experiences which
e.g. gender, ethnicity, Feelings of insecurity, due to rigid –
create a forum for reflection and CLOSED
religion, nationality, discrimination no mobility
discussion of differences
occupational status
etc. Lack of appreciation of other
Appreciation of other cultures is endogamous –
cultures resulting from feelings of reproduction within
developed; society viewed from
superiority by one ethnic group ethnic group
multiple perspectives SOCIAL
it cannot against another
STRATIFICATION
be separated from Society places greater value on Divisiveness in the political sphere
our place in society achieved status
democracy by allowing all voices leading people to vote along party
IDENTITY – the way to be heard, regardless of lines according to race or ethnic
IDENTITY IS
we see ourselves in ethnicity group
CONTEXTUAL flexible –
relation to others
it is based on It leads to the creation of Ethnic tensions may arise, due to OPEN opportunities for
how we are defined new/syncretic forms of culture, the treatment of one group by mobility
by our culture due to hybridization. another.
exogamous –
reproduction outside of
ethnic groups allowed
SOCIAL/SECONDARY - ACTIVITY 1
determined by
social groups
associated with
Social stratification in the Caribbean from the 17th to 19th centuries
In 2001 UNESCO adopted the Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity. was based on race, colour and occupation. The system was closed;
TYPES OF The declaration has four articles, excerpts of which appear below:
IDENTITY there was no room for social mobility in plantation society. The
PERSONAL/PRIMARY - 1. “As a source of exchange, innovation and creativity, cultural diagram below illustrates social hierarchy in plantation society.
determined by diversity is as necessary for humankind as biodiversity is for
individual unique nature.”
characteristics
2. “In our increasingly diverse societies, it is essential to ensure
harmonious interaction among people and groups with WHITES – smallest group in terms of
plural, varied and dynamic cultural identities as well as their numbers in population but had most
CULTURAL DIVERSITY willingness to live together.” power and authority. Group consisted
of planters, overseers, bookkeepers,
3. “Cultural diversity widens the range of options open to artisans, etc.
Cultural diversity refers to the differences or variations of culture everyone; it is one of the roots of development.”
that exist in a society. 4. “The defence of cultural diversity is an ethical imperative,
inseparable from respect for human dignity.” COLOUREDS & FREE BLACKS – degrees of
Features of cultural diversity include: 'whiteness' led to colour gradations. Some
Source: www.unesco.org/new/en/social-and-human-
were educated – consisted of merchants,
1. Existence of multiple ethnic groups within a shared space sciences/themes/international-
lawyers, bookkeepers, etc.
migration/glossary/cultural-diversity/
2. Recognition of similarities and differences between cultural
groups within society BLACKS – largest group in population. They were
Instructions: Read the excerpts given above and then answer the slaves – workers in the fields or houses. They were
following questions. completely owned by their masters until they
3. Creation of new forms of cultural expressions as a result of
purchased their freedom or it was granted by the
the meeting and mixing of cultures within a society master or by the Emancipation Act.
1. Give ONE example each of how cultural diversity can be a
source of:
Factors contributing to cultural diversity include:
a. exchange
1. Movement of people and products – the migration of b. innovation
people across borders has contributed to the spread of c. creativity ACTIVITY 2
cultures. When people move from their areas of
dominance to other areas, they are perceived to be 2. “…cultural diversity is as necessary for humankind as 1. Read about the changes in Caribbean society after
different; but eventually their practices become integrated biodiversity is for nature.” Do you agree or disagree with emancipation. Explain how access to education and shifts in
into the society they have joined. this statement? Justify your response. public policies led to the transition from the closed
stratification system (up to the 19th century) to an open
2. Improved communication systems – improvements in 3. Explain why “...it is essential to ensure harmonious
interaction among people and groups with plural, varied system in the 20th century.
communication technologies have facilitated the
diffusion of aspects of cultures from place to place. The and dynamic cultural identities...” Use Caribbean examples
to support your response. 2. Construct a social pyramid showing contemporary Caribbean
adoption of new aspects of cultures into a society adds to
society.
its cultural diversity.
4. How can cultural diversity facilitate development in the
Caribbean context? Give THREE ways. Have a good week.
3. Globalization – the value of interconnectedness and
interdependence within and among cultures has facilitated
diversity. As a result, the world is viewed as a global village 5. With reference to the excerpt from the 4th article, assess Candice Watson is on the staff of the Morant Bay High School
because there are few barriers to the movement of people, why cultural diversity is “inseparable from respect for Email: chm.watson@yahoo.co.uk
information and products. human dignity”. 11

JASON MCINTOSH
Contributor
OBJECTIVES:
 Define cultural diversity, social
stratification, creolization and hybridization.
 Describe the process of identify in the
Caribbean.
 Describe the process of social formation in
the Caribbean.
The Caribbean is made up of a chain of
islands that share distinct and similar
experiences in terms of food eaten, clothes
worn, customs/practices, religion, politics, etc.
Caribbean people identify themselves as island
nationals, for instance, Jamaicans, St Lucians
and Dominicans. The debate as to whether or
not the Caribbean itself has an identity is one
that is ongoing. However, we have seen that
Caribbean nationals toy with the idea of being
Caribbean and not Bajans, Cubans or
Jamaicans, when it comes to sports, for example
track and field and cricket (with the West Indies
cricket team coming out of the Federation
Movement).
CULTURAL DIVERSITY
Cultural diversity is the variety of human
societies or cultures in a specific region, or in
the world as a whole. In addition to the more
obvious cultural differences that exist between
people, such as language, dress and traditions,
there are also significant variations on the way
societies organise themselves, in their shared
conception of morality, and in the ways they
interact with their environment.
Cultural diversity emphasises differences
among people. It is both a call to celebrate and
recognise differences and, at the same time, an
awareness that cultural differences is a
potentially explosive situation. This is so
because people of different ethnicities usually
keep a distance from each other. For example,
the Asian immigrants had friction with Negroes
over women and labour issues during the
indentureship period.
Cultural diversity in the Caribbean is also
evident in racial differences. These include
people of aboriginal stock such as Tainos,
Mayans and Kalinagos; European stock;
22
Caribbean
identity and
social formation
Mongoloid stock such as Chinese and Indians;
and Negroid stock. Cultural diversity in the
Caribbean is particularly marked because of the
many races and racial groups present.
Similarly, cultural groups are identified using
several criteria. These include race, colour,
religion, heritage and language. Other cultural
dimensions are also used to differentiate the
groups. For example, wealth, kin (family
relationships), education, rural or urban
residence.
Diversity within the Caribbean region has
been fueled by historical, sociological and
anthropological issues. Historically, the
Caribbean society was formed with the meeting
of different groups who migrated here, some via
the Bering Strait, others through exploration, the
triangular trade and indentureship. Europeans,
Africans, Indians, Chinese and Amerindians all
met and interacted within the context of
European dominance and plantation life. This
brought about the mixing of cultures.
Sociologically, the groups who came to the
Caribbean all varied in cultural orientation,
which eventually posed a problem for the
organisation of the society. These varied cultural
orientations were seen in religion (European –
Christianity, Chinese – Buddhism, Indian –
Hinduism and Muslim, Africans – ancestral
worship), languages and customs. Over time,
the Caribbean society became stratified based
on colour, race, class, wealth, prowess and
education. In the post-Emancipation era,
education became the chief means of social
mobility.
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The anthropologist focuses on understanding
how people/groups in a society develop a sense
of identity. For example, how a person perceives
himself or herself is influenced by how his/her
ethinic group experienced the transplanting
process within the new societies of the
Caribbean. The Indians who were considered to
be at the bottom of the social ladder came with
their cultural practices to the Caribbean when
they were brought here as indentured labourers.
This they held on to when they faced hardship
and oppression in a foreign land amid strange
people who were long established. They clung to
their customs and remained in the rural areas
long after their contracts had expired. Being
social outcasts, they formed a virtually closed
community. However, their children, born in the
Caribbean, sought education and, soon after
that, competition for the rewards of the society.
They used any means – education, land,
business and family contracts – to better their
social and economic conditions.
POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF
CULTURAL DIVERSITY
POSITIVE
1. Variety of ethnic celebrations – members
are introduced to foods, festivals, music and
celebrations, fashion, handicraft and cultural
expressions such as dance.
2. People may appreciate other cultures and a
range of perspectives by growing up in the
society, for instance, being invited to
celebrations and festivals.
3. Day-to-day living in such societies
provided instances enabling one to reflect on the
yl:caribbean studies
values and customs of others. For example, the
reluctance of some Christians schools to admit
Rastafarian students because of the ‘dreadlocks’
hairstyle. This situation presented opportunities
for national dialogue which may not have
occurred as civilized discourse - they were
opportunities nonetheless.
4. Diverse and plural societies provide unique
conditions under which experiments in cultural
hybridization may take place to create different
forms of music, art, literature and poetry.
5. A plural society provides opportunities for
persons to learn from an early age that conflict is
endemic (common) and that they need skills of
negotiation, alliance building and peace
brokering to accommodate all the many issues
that may arise.
NEGATIVE
1. There may be feelings of discrimination
which may break out in social unrest, such as
ethnic violence, labour riots, etc.
2. There may be overpopulation from people
coming in where their culture is flourishing.
3. Ethnic politics develops with political
parties becoming polarized (divided into
opposing groups). In such a situation, politics
becomes a contest between ethnicities. The
ethnic lines harden and jobs, promotions and
opportunities are limited to people of the same
ethnicitiy.
4. Ethnic hate may arise out of feelings of
ethnic superiority (the ‘us versus them’
syndrome), compounded by the feelings that
another group is getting more of the national pie
than one’s own group.
5. Ethnic prejudices are perpetuated through
socialization within the family, which is
reinforced through interaction with friends and
acquaintances. Many times, differences appear
to be so profound that myths and
misconceptions of the other race or ethnic
groups are believed as facts.
Jason McIntosh teaches at The Queen’s School. Send
questions and comments to
kerry-ann.hepburn@gleanerjm.com
12

JASON MCINTOSH
Contributor
POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF
CULTURAL DIVERSITY
Occupying the same space meant that
accommodations had to be made between the
different ethnic groups. For example:
 In similar places where different groups
had been brought in as a source of labour,
cultural pluralism was the form of
accommodation that resulted. Cultural pluralism
is a term associated with the cultural diversity
resulting from European colonisation, when
different groups shared the same space but did
not mix to a significant extent.
 In the Caribbean, from the very first
contact of Europeans and the Amerindians,
hybridisation or the mixing of cultures and races
to produce new or Creole forms became the
form of accommodation.
 Another option also exercised from the
beginnings of conquest was maroonage, or
running away and attempting to build a different
society and culture.
 In the contemporary Caribbean, different
ethinic groups have begun to live together
through miscegenation, which is the mixing of
different races. In Trinidad, then Prime Minister
Kamla Persad-Bissessar developed a Cabinet
comprising a variety of races and religions.
Their Housing Development Corporation (HDC)
built houses in rural areas in which they
accommodated people of different races and
religion, political and economic power and
social visibility.
SOCIAL STRATIFICATION
People’s relationships are characterised by
social ordering. Sociologists apply the term
social structure to this social ordering – the
interweaving of people’s interactions and
relationships in recurrent and stable patterns.
STATUSES
Status represents a position within a group or
society. It is by means of statuses that we locate
one another in various social structures. Some
are assigned to us – ascribed statuses. Others
we secure on the basis of individual choice and
competition – achieved statuses.
ROLES
A status carries with it a set of culturally
PREVIOUS LESSON: CARIBBEAN IDENTITY AND SOCIAL FORMATION PART 1
Caribbean Part 2
identity and
social formation
defined rights and duties that sociologists term a
role. A role is the expected behaviour we
associate with a status. Role performance is the
actual behaviour of the person who occupies a
status. Role conflict arises when individuals are
confronted with conflicting expectations
stemming from their occupancy of two or more
statuses. Role strain arises when individuals find
the expectations of a single role incompatible.
GROUPS
Statuses and roles are building blocks for
more comprehensive social structures, including
groups of two or more people. Roles link us
within social relationships. When these
relationships are sustained across time, we
frequently attribute group properties to them.
Sociologists distinguish groups from aggregates
and categories.
INSTITUTIONS
Institutions are the principal social structures
used to organise, direct and execute the
essential tasks of social living. Each institution
is built around a standardised solution to a set
of problems and encompasses the notions of
both cultural patterns and social structure.
Social stratification is defined as the presence
of distinct social groups which are ranked one
above the other in terms of factors such as
prestige and wealth (Haralambos and Holborn,
2004). This definition gives a clear indication
that social stratification is structured social
inequality [unequal distribution of wealth,
prestige, power, opportunities among
individuals and groups] (Tischler, 2002).
Stratification occurs because of scarce access to
resources, assests or property, and can also
occur on the basis of age, race, gender, caste
and religion.
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SOCIETIES
Societies represent the most comprehensive
and complex type of social structure in today’s
world. By virtue of their common culture, the
members of a society typically possess similar
values and norms and a common language. One
particular approach for classifying societies is
based on the way people derive their livelihood:
hunting and gathering societies, horticultural
societies, agrarian societies, industrial societies,
and post-industrial societies. Another approach
rests on the distinction between traditional and
modern types.
SOCIAL STRATIFICATION
DURING SLAVERY
RACIAL COMPOSITION
There were two distinct races found on the
plantations, the whites and blacks. There were
the European-born whites and Caribbean-born
whites, also called Creole whites. The whites
had the most privilege on the plantation, in
comparison to the other groups of people living
there. The white population was the least (in
terms of their numbers) on the plantation and
was divided into two categories:
THE ELITE WHITES
They had the most prestige on the plantation
and in the Caribbean society since they owned
the means of production (land, labour, capital,
enterprise). They planned all estate activities,
administered punishments, and almost, if not
completely, made up the lower houses of
parliaments, for example, in Jamaica.
THE POOR WHITES
These had less prestige yet they were higher
than the coloureds, free coloured and free blacks
and blacks. This was all attributed to their race.
The poor whites were indentured labourers from
NEXT LESSON: CARIBBEAN IDENTITY AND SOCIAL FORMATION PART 3
yl:caribbean studies
England, Spain and France (depending on the
colonising agent). They were given less
important jobs on the plantation, such as booker
and training the specialised slaves in carpentry
and masonry.
MULATTOS/COLOUREDS/FREE BLACKS
There is a growing debate whether they were a
race or ethnicity (coloured/mulattos). Basically,
these individuals were the offspring of whites
and blacks; the offspring of the elite whites were
way more privileged that the poor whites, e.g.,
George Washington Gordon. They had a right to
an education and could inherit property, etc. The
offspring of poor whites were normally domestic
servants who catered to the needs of the planters
and their families, or whites who were aligned
with the great house.
Free blacks were individuals who bought their
freedom through manumission, even though this
was not practised in the British West Indies
(BWI), for example, Rachel Pringle, a black
woman who owned a brothel in Barbados.
BLACKS
The majority of the population in the
Caribbean was black. These individuals
originated from Africa through the transatlantic
slave trade. There were two types of black people
living on the plantations: the Africa-born blacks
and the Creole blacks. The Creole blacks were
individuals who were born in the Caribbean.
They were the movers and shakers of the
productive sector in the Caribbean.
SOCIAL RELATION
WHITES AND BLACKS
Social stratification was the order of the day. To
assert their dominance and to emphasise the black
people’s inferiority, the whites robbed them of their
dignity and identity. Blacks were considered as
barbaric and uncivilised heathens. Whites and
blacks were never allowed to be seen at the same
place in public. In church, for example, the blacks
had to sit at the back. Their huts were made with
one room, one door and one window and dirt
floor, and this emphasised their inferiority.
Relationally, blacks were treated harshly. White
women would slaughter their domestic slaves with
their tongue and physically hurt them in the event
that they found out that their husbands were
having sexual relations with them.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 24
23
13
 QUOTE OF THE WEEK yl:caribbean studies

Vocabulary WHITES AND COLOUREDS

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 23

enables us to These two groups were constantly in battle since the

mulattos were considered a deterrent to the white race. They

interpret and to were not accepted in the upper stratum of the society and,
as such, a middle class was created. Even though the
mulattos’ socio-economic status may be the same as the
express. If you poor whites, and in special cases elite whites (Grand
blancs) which as was seen in Haiti, they were still

have a limited considered as inferior because of the colour of their skin.

vocabulary, you BLACKS AND COLOUREDS

There was no way in which the blacks saw the mulattos

will also have a as different, since they also had black parentage. Since all
racial groups strove to be like the whites, the mulattos
completely created the distinction between themselves and
limited vision. the blacks and, as such, they were constantly at each other’s
throats.

- Jim Rohn Jason McIntosh teaches at The Queen’s School. Send questions and
comments to kerry-ann.hepburn@gleanerjm.com

24

14

JASON MCINTOSH
Contributor
SOCIAL STRATIFICATION
POST-SLAVERY ERA
STRATIFICATION IN this time was still
influenced by race, class, colour, wealth and
gender. However, education became a tool of
social mobility that people used to challenge the
already-established stratified society. Social
mobility refers to the movement of individuals or
groups from one social position to another
within the social stratification system in any
society. The black population saw education as
an instrument through which their children
could achieve economic and social advancement
in society. As a result of this, the elite sought to
block education from the ex-slaves by attaching
a cost to education. This was done because the
elites thought the blacks would compromise the
position of the stratified society. Also, they
would have developed thinking skills with which
they could establish themselves as successful
individuals and create the avenue for
decolonization to take place
CREOLIZATION AND HYBRIDIZATION
Culture is not static, it changes with time.
When there is a failure of certain parts of a
culture to keep up with the others, as there are
changes, this is called culture lag. There are
TWO main factors that cause culture to change:
the contact with other cultures and inventions.
When a culture comes into contact with others,
there can be the borrowing of cultural traits from
one another. Thus, these borrowed traits are
spread throughout each society. This is called
cultural diffusion. Diffusion may not be first-
hand, but may occur from one culture into
another, and given to another, by second-hand
contact.
When two cultures have continuous first-hand
contact with each other, the exchange of cultural
traits is called acculturation. Acculturation
occurs only when one culture has been
colonized or conquered by another. In this
society there may be a blend of cultural traits, for
example, languages. When the Africans and
British mixed, pidgin (Patois) came as a result. It
is important to note that groups can remain
distinct through acculturation. For example,
during slavery – the slaves versus the plantation
owners were very distinct in culture.
PREVIOUS LESSON: CARIBBEAN IDENTITY AND SOCIAL FORMATION PART 2
22
Caribbean
identity and
social
Part 3
formation
Cultural hybridization refers to the processes
of cultural and ethnic mixing to produce new or
Creole forms. The term ‘hybridization’ is
borrowed from biology and refers to one specie
being cross-fertilized with another to produce a
new specie. It is used in the context of
Caribbean life to describe many levels of
meeting and mixing and the creation of
something new, especially fusions between
different races to produce hybrid peoples and
cultures. The development of new cultural forms
out of existing ones through a period of contact
and interaction is referred to as cultural
hybridization. The term ‘creolization’ is used if
this hybridization took place in the context of
European colonization. Thus, hybridization and
creolization mean virtually the same thing in the
Caribbean context. Cultural hybridization is,
itself, a process, and so the hybrids themselves
change and develop over time. Cultural
hybridization (syncretism) happens in the
following areas – Religion: Myal;
Rastafarianism; Shouter Baptist (Trinidad and
Tobago). Language: Patois.
PROCESS OF CULTURAL
HYBRIDIZATION
An understanding of the process of cultural
erasure, cultural retention and cultural renewal is
important in any discussion of the hybridization
YOUTHLINK MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 22-28, 2016
of cultures. These terms help us in our
understanding of creolization and hybridization
and describe culture change.
CULTURAL ERASURE
This is the loss of cultural practices that occur
as a result of tension/conflict between traditional
ways of doing things and the modern or
progressive way. It happens with both the
material and non-material elements of culture.
CULTURAL RETENTION
This refers to the practices that have survived
even when most other forms and symbols of a
culture are no longer evident. Cultural retention
may occur as a result of a deliberate desire to
keep traditions alive and help some groups to
preserve their sense of identity. Small groups
may feel alienated within a larger community
and try to vigorously preserve their traditions.
The Maroon community of Jamaica, for
example, Accompong Maroons, is distinctive
because of its long history of rebuffing or
refusing European values and norms, and
robustly retaining their West African cultural
practices.
CULTURAL RENEWAL
This occurs when a group goes through a
conscious rejuvenation process and returns to
NEXT LESSON: GEOGRAPHICAL IMPACT ON CARIBBEAN SOCIETY AND CULTURE
yl:caribbean studies
some elements of its culture, which it believes
have been ignored or suppressed. Cultural
renewal is stemmed from a deep consciousness
that there is much value in what has been
neglected or erased. Throughout the Caribbean,
the renewal of interest in our African heritage
may be a direct reaction to the pervasive
influence of European and North American
cultures across the Caribbean.
Racial hybridization involved the Amerindian,
African and, to a lesser extent, Indian women,
who were forced to cohabitate with and have
children for the European conquistadors, slave
masters and overseers. Sexual unions between
persons of different races, resulting in children
of mixed race, is called miscegenation.
Miscegenation, therefore, causes pigmentocracy,
which is the practice where persons of fairer
complexion wield more prestige and power in a
society than others, as was the case in the time
of slavery.
PRACTICE QUESTION
“Caribbean societies are undergoing
processes of cultural change. These processes
have been variously viewed as acculturation,
transculturation, or creolization.”
Fernando Ortiz, 2013
Discuss the relationship between any two of
these processes and the extent to which you
agree with any of them (30 marks)
Excerpt from 2016, CAPE: Caribbean Studies
Paper 2
READINGS
Race, class and gender in the future of the
Caribbean, Green, J.E. ed. (1993), Mona
Kingston: institute of social and economic
research, University of the West Indies.
Sociology: themese and perspectives,
Haralambos, M., Holbourn, M. (2004), London:
Harper Collins
Introduction to Sociology, 6th edition,
Tischler, H,L. (2002), Texas: The Harcourt Press.
Jason McIntosh teaches at The Queen’s School. Send
questions and comments to
kerry-ann.hepburn@gleanerjm.com
15
 THE DAILY OBSERVER Tuesday, November 29, 2016 Page C 3

www.jamaicaobserver.com
CARIBBEAN
JOL LECTURE SERIES
Jamaica Observer Limited
STUDIES LESSON #11
with Sharraine Rowe

CHARACTERISTICS OF CARIBBEAN SOCIETY AND CULTURE

Good day, everyone. Today we will look at the various models of • Cultural plurality is not evident where the majority of b. Interculturation – this is a symbiotic and mutual
Caribbean society and culture and determine which best describes people in a territory belong to the same ethnic group. mixing of the cultural traits of different cultural
the Caribbean. groups.
– In Jamaica where the majority is Afro-Caribbean,
distinct cultural plurality is absent. 4. The process was uneven as the Europeans had greater
PLURAL SOCIETY MODEL – The reverse is likely though where different ethnic influence in determining the acceptable or the ideal
groups are similar in size. Cultural plurality is more culture. Consequently:
evident in Trinidad and Guyana for example, due a. Expressive aspects of the culture, such as music,
COUNTRY A tend to reflect more influence from the minority
largely to the similar sizes of the major ethnic
groups in each territory. groups.
b. Formal institutional culture, such as official
language, tends to reflect greater European
Evidence in the Caribbean: influence.
Cultural
Group Y • Distinct language and political differences across the four
– Arranged subsections of the Caribbean – Hispanic, Francophone, 5. Cultural traits (and by extension cultural groups) are ranked
marriages Anglophone and Dutch in a hierarchy where some cultural traits are considered
– Village ideal (usually European).
exogamy • There is often insularity and conflict as is seen in our
– Y religion CARICOM operations. 6. Despite (and arguably due to) European cultural dominance,
– Y language
the process of adaptation allows for common values and
Cultural Group Z • Individual countries could also be seen as plural groups
Cultural Group X institutions to emerge and form a value consensus.
– Government each having their own set of social and cultural institutions
– Arranged officials and citizens with a strong sense of nationalism.
marriages – Marriage Evidence for creole society model
– Endogamy based on • Mixing takes place in economic spheres through bodies such
(ethnicity love as the Association of Caribbean States that includes a wider
and class) – Z religion
– X religion range of countries than CARICOM.
– Z language In individual countries:
– X language Capitalist
On the other hand:
Economy
• The idea of creole culture is evident in every aspect of
• There are avenues for meaningful cultural sharing in the the cultures across the Caribbean including cuisine,
Caribbean. CARIFESTA, the UWI, and the West Indies cricket
music, language, religion and government.
team are three such examples. It may be argued though
that these pertain only to the Anglophone Caribbean.
• Many people are also creole as they are the result of
• We cooperate in international arrangements such as miscegenation (racial hybridisation).
the CARIFORUM.
The plural society model as proposed by M. G. Smith posits that: • The ideal or official cultural institutions of most
CREOLE SOCIETY MODEL Caribbean countries reflect the European norm
1. All Caribbean societies are plural societies. such as:
– Official languages – French, Spanish,
2. A plural society is one characterised by multiple “cultural Dutch, English
groups” which “mix but do not combine”. Cultural Group A Cultural Group B
– Official religion – Christianity
– Government system
3. They do not “combine” or share cultural traits because they Religion Religion
– Education
Language Government Language
do not share cultural institutions such as religion and
Family/Marriage Economy Family/Marriage
marriage. For example, Afro-Caribbean people practise In the Caribbean:
Music Religion Music
spirit and ancestral-based worship forms such as obeah, Dance Dance
Language
while Euro-Caribbean people practise Christianity (mainly Literature Music Literature • There are some ideas, beliefs, norms, symbols and
Anglicanism or Catholicism). Dance even artefacts that are common across the region.
Marriage – Most have dialects which mix a variety of
4. Institutions (cherished ideas, values and beliefs) form the Literature Asian, European and African languages.
core of a group’s culture. Without meaningful sharing – Many territories have dynamic music forms
between groups, the institutions remain unaltered or static. that combine the rhythm and instruments of
a variety of ethnic groups.
5. Despite the divisions, society is kept stable by the Particularistic Universalistic/ Particularistic – Christianity and democracy reflect beliefs
government, which is usually dominated by the small Values Shared Values Values
held by most countries in the region.
European elite. – European ideals colour the stratification
systems in most territories.
6. Light mixing occurs in the market place/economy as people Creolisation, according to Edward K. Brathwaite, is the mixing of old
work, buy and sell. However, in many ways the economy world (mainly European and African) cultures, as both groups adjust
• On the other hand, there are some particularistic
also reflects a division of labour along ethnic/cultural lines. to their situation in the ‘new world’.
traditions or traditions that are specific to
1. Creolisation is a process of adaptation by Europeans and each territory.
Evidence of the model in individual countries: Africans to the new world.

• Most countries do not reflect the rigid cultural divide
proposed by the original theory.
• Many however, reflect social plurality with members of
the elite classes enjoying different lifestyles from the rest
of society. The model has been adjusted to account for
this reality.
2. The product of their attempt to adapt is Creole and by
extension, Caribbean. On a whole, we can say that the Caribbean as a society has features
of the creole model in terms of both particularistic and
3. Creolisation takes two forms:
universalistic values, and cultural forms that result from adaptation
a. Acculturation – this occurs when mixing results
through cultural mixing.
from the dominant group (Europeans) forcing a
cultural trait on the subordinate group
(enslaved Africans) JOL CARIBBEAN STUDIES continues on Page C 4 16
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THE DAILY OBSERVER Tuesday, November 29, 2016 Page
JOL CARIBBEAN STUDIES continued from Page C 3
PLANTATION SOCIETY MODEL 3. George Beckford describes plantation societies as “those
countries where the internal and external dimensions of the
(George Beckford) plantation system dominate the country’s economic, social and
political structures and its relations with the rest of the world”.
4. Simply put, these are societies whose structures have been
shaped by the plantation system – structures such as
government, education, and social stratification.
a. Bringing people from different ethnic groups and parts
of the world created ethnic and cultural diversity;
RELIGION EDUCATION
CULTURE b. The need for systems of rigid control of large enslaved
populations resulted in rigid systems of social
stratification;
FAMILY
c. The need to reinforce European standards influenced
the formation of institutions that insisted on European
ideals, resulting in acculturation in areas such as
language and religion.
1. The essence of the plantation society model is that the In a way, this model helps us to understand why both the plural
plantation system led to the development of plantation
society model and the creole society model are relevant to
societies and continues to influence the economic, cultural and
understanding the Caribbean.
social structure of the contemporary Caribbean.
2. Defining features of the plantation as an economic system • On one hand, by explaining issues of power and control, the
include: model helps us to see why social divisions emphasised by
the plural society model were important.
a. Use of cheap or forced labour (chattel slavery or
indentureship);
• On the other hand, the model helps to highlight the
b. Large scale, ‘monocrop’ agriculture for export; context of adaptation and the process of defining our ideal
cultural institutions; thereby giving support to the plural
c. Ideological control of labour force. society model.
Evidence of the plantation society model
in the Caribbean
To what extent can Caribbean territories be considered
plantation societies?
There is no doubt that our economies, demographic structures,
ethnic composition and social stratification systems were shaped by
the plantation system. We see this in:
• The popularity of democracy and European political
structures in the Caribbean
• The preponderance of departments and overseas territories
of European countries in the region
• The continued preference for or value attributed to
European cultural traits, such as language and the Catholic
or Anglican Christian denominations
• Continued though diminished importance of race and
colour in various social spheres
• Continued dependence on a narrow range of industrial
activities and export-oriented economies
• Insularity and close relationships within political and/or
language groups.
Having examined the various models, how can we classify the
Caribbean as a society?
TIPS: ▶ There is no one right answer; simply be able to defend
your answer with credible evidence.
▶ There is no one model that completely explains the
Caribbean reality. As revealed, a combination of all
three tells us why the Caribbean social structure is the
way it is and how to interpret it.
NEXT WEEK
Look for the answers to activities in Lesson #10.
Sharraine Rowe is on the staff of Wolmer’s Girls’ School
Email: patsoci@hotmail.com
17

JASON MCINTOSH
Contributor
OBJECTIVES
FOR STUDENTS to gain an understanding of
the geographical impact on Caribbean culture
and society, for instance, the impact of natural
disasters such as flood, earthquakes and
drought on the social displacement on their lives
and the region.
PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVES:
1. Examine the main tenets of the plate
tectonics theory.
2. State the three types of plate boundaries
and describe the movement of each.
3. Identify the location and movement of the
Caribbean plate and its interaction with other
plates.
4. Assess the extent to which earthquakes and
volcanoes have resulted in social displacement.
INTRODUCTION TO PLATE TECTONICS
– STRUCTURE OF THE EARTH
The Earth consists of three concentric layers:
core (subdivided into the inner and outer core),
mantle and the crust. The crust is made up of
tectonic plates, which are in constant motion.
Earthquakes and volcanoes are most likely to
occur at plate boundaries.
1. The inner core is in the centre and is the
hottest part of the Earth. It is solid and made up
of iron and nickel with temperatures of up to
5,5000C. With its immense heat energy, the inner
core is like the engine room of the Earth.
2. The outer core is the layer surrounding the
inner core. It is a liquid layer, also made up of
iron and nickel. It is still extremely hot, with
temperatures similar to the inner core.
3. The mantle is the widest section of the
Earth. It has a thickness of approximately 2,900
km. The mantle is made up of semi-molten rock
called magma. In the upper parts of the mantle
the rock is hard, but lower down the rock is soft
and beginning to melt.
4. The crust is the outer layer of the earth. It is
a thin layer between 0-60km thick. The crust is
the solid rock layer upon which we live.
There are two different types of crust:
continental crust, which carries land, and
oceanic crust, which carries water.
22
Geographical impact
on Caribbean society
and culture
PLATE TECTONICS- MAIN TENETS
 Plate tectonics is a relatively new theory
that has revolutionized the way geologists
think about the Earth.
 Plate: Large slab of solid rock.
 Tectonics: from the Greek root ‘to build’
 The plate tectonics theory was developed
on the ideas brought forward by Wegener’s
continental drift theory and Harry Hess’ theory
of seafloor spreading.
THE THEORY OF PLATE TECTONICS
1. The Earth’s crust is made of several plates
– both major and minor, which are constantly in
motion (driven by convection currents in the
mantle) and interacting with each other.
Crustal plates
Major Minor
North American Caribbean
South American Cocos
African Nazca
Eurasian Scotia
Australian Arabian
Pacific Phillipines
Antarctic Juan de Fuca
2. This plate motion causes them to collide,
pull apart, or scrape against each other. These
are the plate boundaries, or plate margins.
a. Divergent or constructive plate margin –
this is where plates move away from each other.
b. Convergent or destructive plate margin –
this is where plates are moving away from each
other.
c. Transform or conservative plate margin –
this is where plate are sliding past each other.
3. This plate motion causes the plates to
interact with each other, which gives rise to the
occurrence of earthquakes and volcanic activity
at the edge of the plate boundaries.
YOUTHLINK MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 29-DECEMBER 5, 2016
THE CARIBBEAN PLATE
The Caribbean Plate is a mostly oceanic
tectonic plate underlying Central America and
the Caribbean Sea off the north coast of South
America.
Roughly 3.2 million square kilometres (1.2
million square miles) in area, the Caribbean
Plate borders the North American Plate, the
South American Plate, the Nazca Plate and the
Cocos Plate. These borders are regions of
intense seismic activity, including frequent
earthquakes, occasional tsunamis and volcanic
eruptions.
 Much of the Caribbean region lies on the
Caribbean Plate. The boundaries of the
Caribbean Plate are extremely active as it is
being squeezed by converging plates on either
side.
 On the northern edge, there is a transform
boundary between the Caribbean Plate and
North American Plate. Sideways movement
occurring along this boundary has been
responsible for several major earthquakes, the
most recent being the 2010 Haiti earthquake,
which killed over 230,000 persons.
 At the western boundary, oceanic crust
making up the Cocos Plate is subducting
(sinking) beneath the Caribbean Plate, forming a
zone of volcanoes, earthquakes and fold
mountains in Central America.
 The Southern boundary is highly complex,
being part convergent and part transform. While
earthquakes do occur here, it is not as active as
the other Caribbean Plate boundaries.
PLATE TECTONICS AND THE
OCCURRENCE OF EARTHQUAKES
Earthquakes are sudden vibrations of the
yl:caribbean studies
Earth’s crust caused by the sudden release of
stored energy when plates are displaced
(moved) along a fault line.
Earthquakes are described as having a focus
and an epicentre. The focus is the source in the
Earth’s crust where the earthquake originates.
The point on the Earth’ surface directly above the
focus is the epicentre. The strength of the
seismic waves released from the focus
determines the magnitude of the earthquake.
These waves are recorded and measured by
sensitive instruments called seismographs. As
seismic waves radiate out from the focus, they
are strongest at the epicentre and weaken
gradually as they spread further away.
The movements of plates along the plate
boundaries are not smooth. This is due to the
huge amount of friction between the rock surface
colliding, diverging or sliding plates. When the
rocks are stressed by the great amount of
friction, they may bend, and stored energy
gradually accumulates in the bend.
Finally, when the stress becomes too great,
these bent rocks will snap free to their new
positions along a fault line. At the same time, the
stored energy is released as seismic waves,
which cause ground vibrations and earthquakes
to occur.
Earthquakes in the region, over the years,
have resulted in numerous effects and wide-
scale social displacement. Social displacement
occurs when a population becomes fragmented
or separated during a natural disaster due to
evacuation or migration. Earthquakes are known
to cause:
 Destruction of life and property, and this is
accompanied by disruption of communication
lines. In addition to this is the outbreak of
uncontrollable fires from broken gas lines.
 Landslides and rock fall, depending on the
magnitude, which can lead to loss of lives and
destruction of property.
 Gigantic waves called tsunamis result in
destruction of coastal areas, for e.g., in 1692
great damage was done to Annotto Bay, Buff Bay
and Port Antonio in Jamaica.
 Loss of culture and traditions.
 Trauma and emotional stress.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 24
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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 22
PLATE TECTONICS AND VOLCANIC ACTIVITY
Similar to earthquakes, there is a direct relationship
between plate tectonics and volcanic activity. Volcanoes
are not randomly distributed over the Earth’s surface. Most
are concentrated on the edges of continents, along island
chains, or beneath the sea forming long mountain ranges.
More than half of the world’s active volcanoes above sea
level encircle the Pacific Ocean to form the circum-Pacific
‘Ring of Fire’. In the past 25 years, scientists have
developed a theory—called plate tectonics—that
explains the locations of volcanoes and their relationship to
other large-scale, geologic features.
When tectonic plates spread apart from each other, hot
magma rises up and fills the space between. As it cools, it
forms new land, either on the continents or on the
seafloor, depending on where the plates are located.
When the plates come together, one of them may get
pulled under the other one, getting recycled back into
Earth’s interior. During this process, called subduction,
the piece of crust getting pulled under is melted and
turned into magma – the very magma that erupts from a
volcano.
Volcanic activity occurs all over the Caribbean region.
However, most of the active volcanoes are situated in the
Eastern Caribbean due to the eastern boundary, which is
the subduction zone. It is also known as the Lesser
Antilles Subduction Zone, where oceanic crust of the
South American Plate is being subducted under the
yl:caribbean studies
Caribbean Plate. This formed the volcanic islands of the
Lesser Antilles Volcanic Arc from the Virgin Islands in the
Nnrth to the islands off the coast of Venezuela in the
south.
POSITIVE IMPACTS
C Valuable minerals such as gold, nickel copper in
locations such as the Pakaraima area in Guyana.
C Good farming soil from weathered volcanic rocks
e.g., slopes of Mt Misery in St Kitts.
C Hot springs which are potential for geothermal
energy in countries such as St Lucia and Dominica. C
Major tourist attraction – sulphur springs in St
Lucia, boiling lake in Dominica.
C Creates consciousness among Caribbean people
as to the threat of natural disaster.
NEGATIVE IMPACTS
C Destruction of lives and property; displacement of
people and sometimes loss of culture.
C Pollution due to contamination of water supply by
ash, dirt and gases.
C Poisonous gases released into the atmosphere,
resulting in respiratory ailments.
C Mudflows which destroy vegetation and
infrastructure.
C Changes in weather pattern due to clouds of ash,
which decrease the amount of sunlight reaching the
Earth.
Jason McIntosh teaches at The Queen’s School. Send questions and
comments to kerry-ann.hepburn@gleanerjm.com
19
 THE DAILY OBSERVER Tuesday, November 15, 2016 Page C 3

www.jamaicaobserver.com
CARIBBEAN
JOL LECTURE SERIES
Jamaica Observer Limited
STUDIES LESSON 9
with Sharraine Rowe

IMPACT OF GEOGRAPHICAL PHENOMENA ON CARIBBEAN SOCIETY AND CULTURE

CORRECTIONS IN LESSON 8 – In the section recording natural disasters, the correct years are: • EARTHQUAKE in Haiti – 2010 • HURRICANE MATTHEW – 2016

Good day, everyone. Today we will look at the answers for last week’s activities while discussing the issue of sustainable development and the environment.
Sustainable development is the result of a holistic approach to improving the social, economic, cultural and political wellbeing of a society while protecting and preserving the environment.

ACTIVITY 1: The Relationship between the Physical Environment and Caribbean Society and Culture
1. Your diagram should reflect some of the following aspects of the
relationship between Caribbean society and culture and the
physical environment.
a. Its early history
i. Mining for gold; short lived gold mining
industry during the encounter period
ii. Climate and soil type allowed for the expansion
of agriculture as the main economic activity by
Europeans in the Caribbean
iii. Establishment of Maroon communities in
territories such as Jamaica and Suriname
iv. Intra-regional migration after 1838 – where
territories were small or otherwise offered
little alternatives to living and working on the
plantations, many ex-slaves migrated to larger
territories.
b. Food and cuisine
i. Popularity of food such as yams, sugar cane and
bananas can be attributed to our soil type and
weather patterns.
ii. Cattle introduced by Europeans thrived in the
environment even more than they did in
Europe.
c. Architecture
i. Relative absence of buildings from the pre-
Columbian era – because these were made
from wood and other materials, they could not
survive natural events such as hurricanes or the
wear and tear of time in our climate.
ii. Our climate and vulnerability to natural
disasters has forced us to modify Georgian,
baroque and neo-classical models of
architecture.
iii. Stilts or pilings in our homes and other
buildings are used to facilitate the circulation
of air and cooling as well as to prevent the floor
woods from rotting.
iv. It is customary to separate the porch roof from
the rest of the roof to reduce or prevent
damage during hurricanes.
d. Economy
i. The relative success of tourism can be partially
attributed to our climate and weather patterns
as well as topographical features such as our
beaches, rivers and mountains.
ii. Forestry in Belize, for example, is a result of the
natural forested areas in the country.
iii. Mining is common across the region due to the
availability of natural resources such as oil,
bauxite, diamonds, gypsum and marl.
e. Regional integration
On one hand:
i. Regional integration is made difficult by
distance and consequent cost of travel between
the sub-regions of the area.
ii. Largely similar natural resources have led to
similar industries across the region. The result
is that competition is more natural than
cooperation and there is less need for
intraregional trade of certain raw materials
and agricultural produce.
On the other hand:
iii. Vulnerability to the same environmental
threats such as climate change, hurricanes,
earthquakes and droughts necessitates
cooperation between the countries of the
region. This is seen in the work of
organisations such as the Caribbean
Community Climate Change Centre and the
Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management
Agency (CDEMA).
f. Patterns of residence
i. Settlement patterns in the Lesser Antilles show
a preference to urban areas on the west coast
due to:
• The availability of low lands in the
west;
• Mountainous backbone, which shelters
inhabitants from potentially harmful
weather systems;
• This side is usually drier, facilitating
sugar cane cultivation in particular.
(Mountains force winds to rise over the
west and therefore deposit moisture in
the east.)
ii. Activities such as fishing are likely to dominate
where the features of land (high altitude and
steep gradients) deter human settlement.
g. Relationships are affected as mountainous interiors
tend to result in coastal people having stronger links
with other islanders than with urbanites of their own
capital city.

ACTIVITY 2: Natural Events, Hazards and Disasters

Social and political effects can include: Economic
• Loss of life • Economic displacement causes loss of jobs, loss of
capital/raw materials/machines, etc.
• Disturbance of social activities
• Migration • Damage to property – farms and factories

• Conflict over scarce resources, such as water • Damage to facilitating infrastructure, such as telephone
lines and roads as well as loss of electricity
• Health risks – polluted water, lack of water, food shortage
• Opportunities for short-term as well as long-term
• Regional and/or international cooperation to facilitate
Name Hurricane Volcano employment in rebuilding and recovery efforts
recovery
• Weakened stability of a government due to worsening • Increase in the cost and/or importation of some goods
public poverty and increased borrowing from and which become scarce because of the disaster
Type Meteorological Tectonic
dependence on other countries • Increase in demand and/or importation for some goods,
Cultural such as those used in rebuilding
Cause Natural Natural • Loss of important cultural artefacts, monuments, and Environmental
heritage sites
• Enhancement of soil fertility – volcanoes, for example
Saffir-Simpson wind Volcanic Explosivity • Creation of interesting landmarks
Instrument • Pollution of water bodies – from silting, soil erosion and
scale Index • Cultural diffusion as persons migrate from disaster-affected landslides, etc.
areas
Early detection is • Air pollution from volcanic emissions, such as ash
Predictability Usually unpredictable • Heightened awareness of events/hazards as seen in drills
possible • Change in the landscape, resulting from landslides or the
and media programmes for education
effects of floods (coastal and riverine)
• Changes in architecture and settlement patterns
We will look at some of the general effects of natural disasters,
including those disasters identified above. • Use of non-electronic devices and activities for recreation JOL CARIBBEAN STUDIES continues on Page C 4 20

THE DAILY OBSERVER Tuesday, November 15, 2016 Page
JOL CARIBBEAN STUDIES continued from Page C 3
ACTIVITY 3: Geography and Sustainable Development
1. We are vulnerable to an array of disasters including:
a. Seismic – earthquakes
b. Tectonic – volcanoes
c. Meteorological and hydrological – hurricanes, droughts, floods
d. Geomorphologic – landslides, rock falls and soil erosion
e. Biological – epidemics, forest and bush fires, animal and plant invasions
2. Poverty and other social concerns inevitably complicate the issue of responding to natural events
and hazards. Vulnerability is increased by these factors as they tend to induce or accelerate these
events as well as limit our abilities to mitigate their negative effects. Haiti provides a good case
study here. Its experiences with hurricanes over the years as well as the 2010 earthquake show how
public and private poverty increase the likelihood that a natural event becomes a natural disaster.
We will use poverty as an example for answering this question.
a. Poverty – the poor tend to exercise coping strategies that increase their vulnerability to natural
hazards. These include:
i. squatting in otherwise uninhabited areas that have been declared unsuitable, due to
their vulnerability to earthquake and flooding, for example;
ii. using gullies for disposal of waste, thereby increasing the likelihood of flooding and the
spread of waterborne diseases during heavy rains;
iii. cutting down trees to make charcoal for sale leads to deforestation, which is a causal
factor in meteorological droughts;
iv. soil erosion and landslides.
b. The poor are less able to respond to and recover from the effects of natural disasters. They have
less in savings and insurance with which to rebuild their lives; a fact that perpetuates the cycle
of poverty.
Some other social concerns that either make it harder to prevent loss of life and property and/or
accelerate the occurrence of events such as flooding and pollution include:
i. Unplanned urbanisation and unregulated housing developments. These often involve
improper waste disposal and building in unapproved areas which are vulnerable to
flooding or landslides.
ii. Ignorance or non-compliance to related laws, codes, standards and other regulations:
– Persons fail to comply to building codes and even zoning restrictions due to
lack of financial resources to make proper buildings;
– Many ignore evacuation warnings, to reduce the risk of losing property to
looters or for fear of being harmed in shelters.
3. It follows that “Effective disaster mitigation is difficult where poverty abounds.” While we will not
argue that effective disaster mitigation is impossible where there is poverty, the factors above
highlight the fact that poverty can render these attempts ineffective. Effective disaster mitigation
must bear in mind the situation of the poor (in the short term) and improve their general standards
of living and quality of life in the long term.
C4
4. Improving the capacity of rural (and other) communities to respond effectively to the
threat of natural hazards is necessary for the achievement of sustainable development as
well as reducing the debilitating effects of poverty. The ODPEM’s programmes include
keeping drains and gullies clean, encouraging proper agricultural practices and educating
people on how to keep their children and themselves safe.
Generally, holistic hazard mitigation should reflect cognisance of the threat posed by social
issues if we are to achieve sustainable development. Consequently, it should
include:
• Social, economic and political empowerment of people, including the poor
• Education and awareness
• Institutional and technological framework
– Facilities for waste treatment and disposal
– Legal framework for enacting and enforcing laws
• Enacting protection for important and unique ecosystems within individual
communities
• Eliminating traditional behaviours such as dumping garbage into gullies, slash
and burning, and vertical ploughing in agriculture. This will require behaviour
change through education, awareness campaigns and reinforcement of the
related laws.
• General improvement in the standards of living of Caribbean people. In addition
to being informed, Caribbean people from all socio-economic groups must have
means, such as proper housing and good jobs, if they are going to desist from
harmful environmental practices.
• Regional cooperation to facilitate the sharing of knowledge as well as funding in
order to effectively tackle regional and global environmental threats.
5. Organisations such as ODPEM are very important as:
• Through research, they provide other relevant bodies that are needed to
formulate strategies to improve our relationship with our environment
• Through various community outreach strategies, they are able to generate
knowledge and awareness about environmental issues and help people
generally to appreciate the importance of protecting the environment.
• They help to identify strategies to create balance between our environment
and our domestic, recreational, agricultural and other industrial activities.
21

JASON MCINTOSH
Contributor
PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVES:
1. Define the following terms: (a) coral
(b) coral reef
2. Briefly examine the conditions required for
coral growth.
3. Examine the three types of coral reefs –
barrier, fringing and atoll.
4. Assess the value of coral reefs to Caribbean
society and culture.
5. Identify at least three ways in which coral
reefs are being destroyed.
6. Examine ways to mitigate against the
destruction of coral reefs at the individual,
national and regional levels.
FACTS ABOUT CORAL REEFS
 Coral reefs are among the oldest
ecosystems on Earth.
 Coral reefs are the largest living structure
on the planet.
 Although coral reefs cover less than one
per cent of the Earth’s surface, they are home to
25 per cent of all fish species.
 500 million people rely on coral reefs for
their food and livelihoods.
 Without the existence of coral reefs, parts
of Florida would be under water.
 If the present rate of destruction
continues, 70 per cent of the world’s coral reefs
will be destroyed by the year 2050.
WHAT ARE CORAL REEFS?
A coral reef is a limestone rock made up of
the skeletons of tiny marine organisms called
coral polyps. Corals are formed by tiny marine
creatures which are confined to tropical and
subtropical waters between latitudes 300N and
300S.
CONDITIONS REQUIRED FOR CORAL
GROWTH
 Warm and clear oxygenated seawater
where temperatures vary between 200C and
300C.
 Clear salt water (water with normal
salinity). Coral polyps do not grow at all in fresh
water.
 Waters no more than 45m deep, as
temperatures decrease with depth.
 Shallow sunlit water, so that the sun’s rays
can penetrate the water to allow the coral polyps
to photosynthesise and grow.
22
Coral reefs
Wolmer’s Andrew Daley tries to get the ball from Haile Selassie High School’s
Akeem Grandison in their second-round Manning Cup encounter at the Constant
Spring playfield on October 11.
TYPES OF CORAL REEFS
FRINGING REEF
This is a shallow-water reef. A shallow lagoon
is often formed between the reef and the shore. It
is formed from the gradual accumulation of
corals close to the coast. The Buccoo Reef in
Tobago is an example of a fringing reef.
BARRIER REEF
This is a wide coral platform separated from
YOUTHLINK MAGAZINE | DECEMBER 6-12, 2016
the coast by a wide, deep lagoon. It is much
larger than a fringing reef. The area between the
reef and shore is a deep area of water called a
lagoon. The Great Australian Barrier Reef is the
largest barrier reef in the world. The second-
largest is found in the Caribbean, off the coast of
Belize.
ATOLL
This is a circular, ring-like or horse-shoe
coral reef which encloses a lagoon. It is
yl:caribbean studies
commonly found in The Bahamas, Mauritius and
Maldives.
VALUE OF CORAL REEFS TO
CARIBBEAN SOCIETY AND CULTURE
SOURCE OF NATURAL HERITAGE
Reef systems are living museums that have
been around for hundreds of years. They are the
world’s natural heritage.
MEDICINAL PROPERTIES
Many coral species have medicinal potential.
Scientists believe that the reefs of Montego Bay
in Jamaica have a pharmaceutical value of
between US$50 million and US$80 million.
COASTAL PROTECTION
Reefs protect the coast from erosion brought
about from storm surges. As a result, this
facilitates the development of ports, harbours,
settlements, fishing and tourist activities.
TOURISM
They are also the source of sand for beaches
on which the tourist industry is based. Coral
reefs are valuable to the tourist industry in
Caribbean countries as corals attract tourist,
thus providing an essential foreign revenue
source (snorkeling, scuba-diving, glass-bottom
boats).
FISHERIES
Coral reefs are a diverse ecosystem rich in
biodiversity. For years, Caribbean fishermen
have been depending on reefs to sustain the
livelihoods of many coastal villages. The
Caribbean fishing industry provides
employment for about 182,000 people and is a
major contributor to the GDP.
CORAL REEF DESTRUCTION
GLOBAL WARMING
Warm temperatures cause coral bleaching,
causing them to turn white which, in turn,
causes corals to die.
OVERFISHING
Corals are very sensitive to touch and are
killed when fishing nets are dragged over them.
The depletion of parrot fish, which help to eat
algae off corals, is becoming a major problem.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 24
22

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 22
TOURISM
Coral reefs are nice for diving and
snorkeling. However, when tourists walk on
coral reefs, they damage them.
POLLUTION
The discharge of sewage, oil and garbage
into seas and oceans stifles corals.
HURRICANES
Waves can cause widespread destruction
to coral reefs.
SEDIMENTATION
This involves the discharge of sediments
from the mouths of rivers into the sea. This
makes water become cloudy, reduces
photosynthesis and causes corals to die.
CORAL REEF CONSERVATION –
MITIGATION STRATEGIES
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INDIVIDUAL LEVEL
C Minimise or stop consumption of
parrot fish which protect coral reefs by
removing algae that can stifle and kill
corals. Also, corals provide sand for our
beaches.
C Practise proper disposal of waste:
Waste should be disposed of in receptacles
and not gullies, via which the garbage may
end up in the sea.
C Avoid buying souvenirs made from
corals.
NATIONAL/REGIONAL LEVEL
C Education of fisherfolk, hoteliers,
citizens and tourists is most profound way
to sensitise all stakeholders about the value
of coral reefs.
C Creation of marine-protected areas as
fish sanctuaries.
C Implementation of laws and
imposition of fines for illegal fishing and
methods of fishing which destroys reefs
(cyanide fishing or dynamite fishing).
C Protection of reefs by authorities.
C Implementation of a fish sustainability
regional approach. This is a regional
measure whereby all Caribbean nations
decide on policies and measures that foster
a sustainable exploitation of the fish stock
that thrives in a coral habitat.
EXAM PRACTICE
1. Explain three measures that Caribbean
countries can implement to minimise the
danger posed to coral reefs the region.
[20 marks]
2. Describe at least four ways in which
coral reefs have contributed to the social
and cultural life in the Caribbean.
[20 marks]
Jason McIntosh teaches at The Queen’s School.
Send questions and comments to
kerry-ann.hepburn@gleanerjm.com
23
 THE DAILY OBSERVER Tuesday, December 6, 2016 Page C 3

www.jamaicaobserver.com
CARIBBEAN
JOL LECTURE SERIES
Jamaica Observer Limited
STUDIES LESSON 12
with Candice Watson

CARIBBEAN SOCIETAL INSTITUTIONS

Today we will look at (1) societal institutions in the Caribbean and
(2) sample answers to activities in Lesson #10 which was published
EDUCATION
on November 22, 2016
Education is an agent of secondary socialisation; this means that it continues the work of the family in preparing its members in awareness
INSTITUTIONS of norms, values and beliefs necessary for functioning appropriately in society.

The diagram below illustrates some characteristics of institutions. Use The diagram below summarises the education system in the Caribbean. Read about education in the Caribbean in the Independence era.
the information in the diagram to complete the activities that follow.

CHARACTERISTICS OF SOCIAL INSTITUTIONS

• Intangible
• Serves a purpose(s)
• Based on ideas and beliefs
• Comprised of norms, values, statuses and roles
• Stable/has longevity over time
• Manifested in social organisations
• Has established rules and sanctions to govern behaviour

1. Compose a definition of ‘social institutions’.

2. Explain why each characteristic listed is important in
defining the term ‘institution’.

THE FAMILY
The family is regarded as the basic social unit of the society. It is the
agent of primary socialisation that equips its members with the skills
necessary to be able to function effectively in the society. Examine the
diagram below and then complete the activities that follow.

DEFINITION
TYPE IMPACT ON CARIBBEAN
& FUNCTION

Nuclear family is a western

DEFINITION ideal which emphasizes
patriarchy traditionally thought
NUCLEAR
A social unit that the man should be the
of individuals bread winner and
related by disciplinarian.
blood,
Afro and Indo Caribbean
marriage or
families tend to be extended
adoption;
and patriarchal. This may be
who share a
EXTENDED attributed to both their
living space
experiences in the Caribbean
reproduce and
and the societal values
cooperate
prominent in Africa and Asia.
economically
May result from a myriad of
circumstances. Single parents
SINGLE are usually mothers running
PARENT female-headed matrifocal
FUNCTIONS
households (a feature of Afro-
Caribbean families)
1. Reproduction

2. Socialization This family type results from

numerous actions. One of the
3. Economic most common factors in the
SIBLING
Caribbean is migration, which
4. Emotional has led to the phenomenon of
‘barrel children’.

1. Revisit the characteristics of social institutions listed above,

and then assess the extent to which the family fits the
profile of an institution.
2. Examine the definition of family given above. What would
you add or subtract? Why?
3. What are some values associated with the family in the
Caribbean?
4. The family has impacted Caribbean society and culture
significantly. What are some other ways by which the family
has impacted on the Caribbean, apart from those stated in
the diagram? JOL CARIBBEAN STUDIES continues on Page C 4 24

JASON MCINTOSH
Contributor
OBJECTIVE
For students to gain an understanding of
different family forms in the Caribbean affect
Caribbean people.
WHAT IS THE FAMILY?
The family is often described as a unit where
people live under the same roof sharing a
relationship through blood, marriage or
adoption. Here are some terms that relate to a
more complex understanding of defining the
family through lines of authority and descent
Patriarchal – the father is the head of a family
or tribe. The father is therefore vested with
authority.
Patrifocal – (culture, society) the father is the
head of the household
Matriarchal – the mother is the head of a
family or tribe.
Matrifocal – (culture, society) the mother is
the head of the household. For example, during
the slavery period, the homes were occupied
mainly by the women and children. Plantation
owners discouraged families and only allowed
men to occupy the homes for breeding purposes.
Egalitarian – this connotes equal sharing of
authority between mother and father in the family
or tribe.
TERMS ASSOCIATED WITH FAMILY
RELATIONSHIPS
CONSANGUINE FAMILY
This type of family is usually described as the
'original family' because the members are
related by blood
CONJUGAL FAMILY
This is a family that has been created through
by marriage.
TRACING KINSHIP
Matrilineal – this is where the special
privileges or duties follow the female line in the
family.
Patrilineal – Special privileges or duties
follow the male line.
Bilineal – Special privileges and duties follow
both the male and female line
The family
FAMILY FORMS IN THE CARIBBEAN
The Caribbean community has a very
interesting mix of family types and unions.
Some are widely accepted, while others are
being rejected on the grounds of morality and
tradition. Most, if not all of our family types and
unions have been products of our rich historical
past (colonialism, African slavery, and Chinese
and East Indian indentureship) handed down to
the next generations.
Let us begin by exploring the different family
types that exist in our Caribbean society.
1. Nuclear family
2. Single-parent family
3. Extended family
4. The sibling family
5. The reorganised family
NUCLEAR FAMILY
The nuclear family consists of a married or
unmarried couple living under the same roof
with their children. Please bear in mind that the
children in this relationship may be the couple's
own or adopted. This type of family is most
widely embraced by the Caribbean society
SINGLE-PARENT FAMILY
This family consists of only one parent living
with his/her children. Such a family is very
common in the Caribbean homes, seen most
times being headed by a woman. The
circumstances that give rise to the formation of
this family type include:
 Divorce or separation
 Death of one of the partners
 By deliberate choice
 Desertion or abandonment
The extended family is made up of members
from more than two generations living under the
same roof or in a family compound with
members having close contact with one another.
This type of family may contain grandparents,
grandchildren, several married siblings, their
spouses, and children, among other relatives. In
most Caribbean settings, this family tends to be
centred on the woman.
SIBLING HOUSEHOLD
This is a family in which the older
YOUTHLINK MAGAZINE | JANUARY 10-16, 2017
brother/sister takes care of the younger ones in
the home. Here, the siblings live together with no
parents. The following circumstances account for
the formation of this type of household:
1. Migration of parents to a foreign country
2. Death of parents
3. Imprisonment of parents
4. Desertion by parents
BLENDED FAMILY
This type of family exists on account of one of
the spouses bringing into his/her new family
(relationship) a child or children from an old
relationship that was dissolved. This will result
in the children having half sisters and half
brothers.
FAMILY UNIONS IN THE CARIBBEAN
There are several different family unions that
exist in the Caribbean community. Most of these
unions are as a result of our strong historical
past, but there are few that were birthed out of
current happenings in our society.
1. THE LEGAL MARRIAGE
In the Caribbean, this union exists where a
man and a woman are legally united, usually in
the presence of a Christian priest, Hindu priest,
a Muslim priest, a justice of the peace, or any
person who is duly authorised to conduct this
religious or legal ceremony. One enters into a
legal union either through reaching the age of
18, or if younger, through parental consent. Both
parties involved in this union share a common
residence and a socially approved sexual
relationship.
2. COMMON-LAW OR
CONSENSUAL UNION
This union exists between a man and a
woman who are not legally married but share a
sexual union and a common residence by
mutual agreement. This type of family union is
popular in the Caribbean, however, it is widely
viewed that this relationship gives birth to
'illegitimate' children and lacks the binding
strength needed to keep the relationship alive
during stressful and hard times.
3. VISITING RELATIONSHIP
In this type of union, the man and woman are
not married and do not share common
yl:caribbean studies
residence. They visit each other at times for
sexual intercourse. The sexual relationship
shared by both partners may lead to the birth of
children, often times classified as 'illegitimate'
children because of the circumstances under
which they were born.
FUNCTIONALIST
PERSPECTIVE ON FAMILY
Functionalist say that the family should carry
out several functions for order, stability and
harmony in society. Such functions include:
1) Reproduction
2) Socialisation
3) Economic function
4) Provision of love and a sense of
belonging
These functionalist ideas and values provide a
basis for the common interpretation of the
institution of the family across the region. The
family is seen as the basic unit of society. If
these functions are carried out in an optimal
manner and if everyone plays a role, then
families would be happy and society would not
be threatened by an breakdown of social order.
MARXIST PERSPECTIVE ON FAMILY
For the conflict theorist, families are
associated with exploitation, oppression and
domination. Nuclear families in particular are
seen as products of capitalism where labour has
to move where employment is located, leaving
behind the extended family. Conflict theorists
also argue that the values attributed to nuclear
family units are a result of the values imposed
by the rich and powerful in the society.
The nuclear family form also fits into the
capitalist plans in that there is a sexual division
of labour, where the man works outside, and the
woman stays at home and carries out the roles
of wife, mother and homemaker.
Conflict theorists believe that the "assigning
of roles" in a family has contributed to family
oppression, abuse and violence. This is because
what results is an unequal distribution of power
that jeopardises gender relations and even
produces generational conflict.
Even children are affected by this assignment
of roles as they are expected to be obedient and
subservient, and many of them are powerless
because their voices are silenced.
Jason McIntosh teaches at The Queen’s School. Send
questions and comments to
kerry-ann.hepburn@gleanerjm.com
23
25

JASON MCINTOSH
Contributor
GOAL:
For students to gain an understanding of
education’s impact on the lives of Caribbean
people.
PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVES:
1. Explain what education is concerned about.
2. Examine the definitions of formal and
informal education.
3. Describe the historical context of education
in the Caribbean.
4. Examine the main idea and purpose of
education.
5. Compare and contrast education from a
functionalist and conflict perspective.
WHAT IS EDUCATION CONCERNED
ABOUT?
Education, as a social institution, contains
our deep beliefs and values about what the
young should know and how learning should
take place. Our national consensus, enshrined in
law, sees school as the main place to become
educated. Home schooling is a recent
phenomenon, but the vast majority is of the view
that schools should be the place to educate its
people.
The institutional environment of education
refers to the values that comprise the social
institution of education and the practices that
stem from such a value position. It may not be
the usual way you think of education, but it
helps in relating what you see around you.
Education, therefore, is concerned with
socialising members of a society into the norms,
values, knowledge and skills that a society
deems important.
FORMAL AND INFORMAL EDUCATION
Formal education is classroom-based,
provided by trained teachers. Informal education
happens outside the classroom, in after-school
programmes, community-based organisations,
museums, libraries or at home.
WHAT ARE THE MAIN DIFFERENCES
BETWEEN THE TWO?
 In general, classrooms have the same kids
and the same teachers every day. After-school
programmes are often drop-in, so attendance is
inconsistent, as is leadership.
 Classroom activities can last several days.
PREVIOUS LESSON: THE FAMILY
Education
After-school programmes need to complete an
activity each day because a different group of
kids could be in attendance tomorrow.
 Classroom-based teachers have a certain
level of training in educational philosophy,
effective teaching strategies, classroom
management and content. After-school
providers, by contrast, vary in experience and
knowledge of teaching techniques, content
expertise, and group management. Typically,
materials for after-school settings need to
include a lot more structure.
 Teachers need to meet educational
standards and stick to a specified curriculum,
which can make it difficult for them to
incorporate non-traditional content. After-school
programmes, on the other hand, can be more
flexible with their content.
HISTORICAL CONTEXT OF EDUCATION
IN THE CARIBBEAN
Education was only for the children of the
Europeans.
 What implication would education have on
slaves?
 Were they ever exposed to formal/informal
education? If yes, how did this impact them?
 The Emancipation Act of 1834 exposed ex-
slaves to formal education through the Negro
Education Grant. This grant facilitated the
construction of elementary schools throughout
the British Caribbean. It is imperative to note
that ex-slaves were not educated beyond the
elementary level. This was so because the elites
felt that education would provide the avenue for
ex-slaves to transition in a free society, hence,
they were only introduced to the basics –
reading, arithmetic, writing and a little
geography. This move was good, but it was
irrelevant to the Caribbean because the
curriculum used was strictly English, professing
English values, norms, beliefs, songs, poems,
stories, customs, etc. As such, Caribbean pupils
had no real concrete examples to hold on to
(symbolism was not possible).
EDUCATION’S MAIN IDEA
Education was the means to social mobility –
the Caribbean was highly stratified. The elite
YOUTHLINK MAGAZINE | JANUARY 17-23, 2017
sought to block education from the ex-slaves,
hence, a cost was attached to secondary
education and elementary education was
completely free. The elites thought that the ex-
slaves could compromise the position of the
stratified society if exposed to education beyond
the elementary level, because they would have
been exposed and poised to develop thinking
skills with which they could establish
themselves as successful individuals and create
the avenue for decolonization to take place.
The secondary curriculum was steeped in
European values and customs. African, Indian
and American histories and cultures were not
considered legitimate topics for Caribbean
children. Therefore, there was a deep feeling that
only the understanding of Western culture could
help us to develop into a modern nation.
In keeping with maintaining a stratified
society, only children who were ‘bright’ or
showed the ability for academic work were to be
educated at the secondary level and beyond.
Therefore, assessment procedures were put in
place to maintain the status quo in society; for
example, qualifying exams for entry into
secondary schools – such as GSAT (Jamaica),
and CXC and CAPE for entry into tertiary-level
education. As the years progressed, education
became available to the masses, therefore, the
focus shifted from securing a place in a
secondary school to looking for a ‘good’ school.
That’s why most persons, in their GSAT choices
chose schools like Campion College,
Immaculate Conception High, Kingston College,
Ardenne High School, Holy Childood High
School, Wolmer’s Girls and Wolmer’s Boys’
schools, etc, as opposed to Papine High,
Dunoon Technical, Kingston Technical and
Charlie Smith High, just to name a few.
The dominant ideas in education are
translated into the social organisation that frame
our education system – for example, schools,
examinations, streaming. These customary
practices are derived from the institutional ideas
and beliefs about education.
yl:caribbean studies
PURPOSES OF EDUCATION
The purpose of education after slavery
revolved around the principle of inculcating
English values and customs which would
facilitate an easier administration of the newly
freed people. In the 20th century, the focus on
education changed because all children were
required to attend school. There was, however,
biases in the system as students were sorted,
allocated and selected based on their abilities;
only the ‘bright’ ones followed a different path.
The social institution of education thus
performs different function on children,
categorising them according to academic ability
and placing them in different types of schools.
Education, then, organises the opportunities and
life chances of the young people.
FUNCTIONALIST PERSPECTIVES ON
EDUCATION
To a large extent, functionalism regards
education as an agent of socialization. Schools
are agents of secondary socialization, which
never stops. Even adults continue to learn
appropriate behaviours. Schools inculcate
dispositions of obedience, regularity, punctuality
and work ethics that are valued by employers.
They socialise students into the need to get a
‘good job’. They sort, stream and allocate
students through exams and curricula to
different positions.
Additionally schools perform the following
functions:
(a) Socialise students into patriotism through
rituals and explicit curriculum goals.
(b) To respect the nation’s political
institutions; to accept the status quo.
(c) Schools socialise children into the role
they will play as adult voters.
(d) Denominational schools socialise
students to accept religion and its values as
important to education.
(e) High status and prestige are conferred on
denominational schools by the values in the
institution of education.
CONFLICT PERSPECTIVES ON
EDUCATION
Conflict theorists focus their explanations of
the social institution of education on its
relationship with the social institution of the
CONTINUED ON PAGE 24
23
26
yl: caribbean studies
economy. They trace the beginning of mass
education system in Europe and North America
in the 19th century to the parallel development
of capitalist economies.
Capitalism needed a supply of educated
workers and so the education system developed
a ‘handmaiden’ role to provide for the needs of
the economy.
Conflict theorists view the education
system as organised to reflect functionalist
ideologies. However, the education system
may discriminate against the poor and those
who need extra help to negotiate the
curriculum. These theorists argue that if
achievement data were to be examined, it
would be clear that the majority fails at
secondary and only the children of the
wealthy and academically inclined students
achieve success. Schooling has several
mechanisms which ensure that the poor
cannot compete effectively. It, thus,
perpetuates inequities in the society.
Examinations are an obstacle students
have to repeatedly hurdle in order to gain
credentials, obtain a good job and enjoy an
enabling lifestyle. They function
as a selection mechanism to sort children to
different types of schools and, in this process,
the rich and the academically able get the most
prestigious placements. Yet, there may be
unequal preparation for the examination.
In the structures and processes of
schooling, little attention is paid to those who
are at risk. Only very few access social mobility
through education, and conflict theorists indict
the education system as contributing to a
cycle of social reproduction.
Jason McIntosh teaches at The Queen’s
School. Send questions and comments to
kerry-ann.hepburn@gleanerjm.com.
27

JASON MCINTOSH
Contributor
Goal: For students to gain an understanding of how religion
impacts the lives of Caribbean people.
PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVES:
1. Define religion and explain the characteristic of religion.
2. Explain how religion integrates the Caribbean society.
3. Describe how religion acts as a medium of social control.
4. Examine the syncretism of religious forms in the Caribbean.
5. Examine the conflict and functionalist perspectives of
religion.
6. Assess the impact of religion on Caribbean society and
culture.
RELIGION IS
 A system of beliefs, rituals and ceremonies.
 Focuses on sacred matters.
 Promotes community among followers.
 Provides a personal spiritual experience for its members.
The social institution of religion is that realm of society where
our beliefs about a supernatural power, an afterlife, and how these
impact our lives exist. Specific religions as well as churches,
mosques, temples and halls of worship are tangible outcomes or
forms of social organisation that reflect the beliefs and values of
religion.
CHARACTERISTICS OF RELIGION BELIEFS
 Ideas, based upon faith, that people consider true.
The sacred and profane
 Sacred: that which has supernatural qualities.
 Profane: that which is the ordinary.
Members of the Jamaica Constabulary Force are seen among persons participating in a recent peace
march in August Town.
22
Religion
Rituals
 Routines that reinforce the faith.
Moral communities
 People who share a religious belief.
Personal experience
 Grants meaning to life.
Religion, over the years, dating as far back as to communal
societies, has experienced a great transformation. In communal
societies, religion permeated all aspects of society because
hunters/gatherers depended on their gods for a successful
farming year, good weather, luck and fortune. However, in
contemporary industrial society, the institution of religion has
become separated from many social and economic activities.
Religion has the power to control and integrate people in any
given society. Sociologist Emile Durkheim is of the view that
religion is an integrative force, being that it:
 Gives meaning and purpose to people’s lives.
 Offers ultimate values and ends to hold in common.
 Serves to bind people together in times of crisis and
confusion.
Karl Marx, on the other hand, believes that the institution of
religion is a medium of social control in any given society, since:
 People focus on otherworldly concerns.
JERMAINE BARNABY/FREELANCE PHOTOGRAPHER
YOUTHLINK MAGAZINE | JANUARY 24-30, 2017
yl:caribbean studies
 Religion drugs masses into submission by offering a
consolation for their harsh lives on Earth.
 Religion’s promotion of social stability helps to perpetuate
patterns of social inequality.
 Women have played fundamental role in religious
socialization, but generally take subordinate role in religious
leadership.
 Most religions are patriarchal and reinforce men’s
dominance in secular and spiritual matters.
 Women compose 12.8 per cent of US clergy, but account for
51 per cent of theology students.
FUNCTIONALIST AND CONFLICT PERSPECTIVES OF
RELIGION
Functionalist perspectives on religion
Since social order is a cardinal value of the functionalist’s view
of society, social institutions are explained in terms of how they
can contribute to integration and harmony in society. One may
find it strange that religion, which is concerned with supernatural
powers and mysticism, should be thought of in this way, but
functionalists see a fundamental link between religion and the
maintenance of social stability.
Commitment to certain beliefs, rituals and forms of worship are
mechanisms that increase the levels of social solidarity among
people. Religion tends to be conservative in nature, preaching
obedience and perseverance through suffering, emphasising an
ethic of care for one’s fellow man, as well as virtues such as truth,
discipline and temperance. Functionalists, therefore, see religion
as playing a major role in social cohesion. Religion provides a
basis for social order because they are based on consensual
values.
CONFLICT PERSPECTIVES ON RELIGION
Marxists regard religion as serving the needs of those groups
dominant in the economy. Religion acts as a conservative force in
the society by making legitimate the values that the capitalist
machinery needs to continue to accumulate profits. While we
understand the world view held on religion, Marxists challenge us
to reflect on our orientation to religion and decide to what extent it
is preserving the status quo or about personal salvation and
empowerment.
THE CARIBBEAN REALITY
 The Caribbean has a variety of religions with Christianity
being the most dominant.
 There are established churches: Anglican, Catholic, Baptist,
Presbyterian, etc.
 There are those churches that are syncretic in nature. These
churches are a mix of European and African practices to create
new forms of worship. Examples of these are the Shouter Baptists
of Trinidad, New Testament Church of God, Revivalists, etc.
Syncretism of religious forms in the Caribbean displays
CONTINUED ON PAGE 24
28
 yl: caribbean studies
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 22

elements of resistance, independence, and a deep appreciation of the divine. Syncretic religions, therefore, help to comfort the worshipper and oppose mainstream
values, thus seeking to undermine the status quo. However, these religions do not have a majority following yet. Their value systems are not dominant in the social
institution of religion. Overall, the functionalist ideas of religion, and how it affects our lives, tend to dominate. Many forms of syncretic religions in the Caribbean
attest to the desire of Caribbean people to not only fashion beliefs and worship so that they can find solace and comfort, but, in so doing, to resist traditional
institutional values.

SUMMARY
Religion affects our lives as a conservative force associated largely with positive values. Moreover, Christian religion is legitimised by the values in the social
institution of religion more than any other form of worship. Christian worship, then, has historically been associated with preserving the social life as per the norms and
customs of European and Caribbean people who have accepted those values. Marxists, on the other hand, choose to disrupt the positive messages associated with
religion. They believe that religion has hoodwinked the masses into believing that they can find peace and comfort through worship.
Syncretism of religious forms in the Caribbean displays elements of resistance, independence and a deep appreciation of the divine.

Jason McIntosh teaches at The Queen’s School.

Send questions and comments to kerry-ann.hepburn@gleanerjm.com

29

JASON MCINTOSH
Contributor
OR STUDENTS to gain an understanding
F of how the justice system affects the lives
of Caribbean people
SYLLABUS SPECIFIC OBJECTIVE:
1. Evaluate the ways in which societal
institutions affect their lives.
OBJECTIVES:
1. Define the justice system.
2. Explain the role of the police, the courts
and correction in the justice system.
3. Examine the structure of Jamaican courts.
4. Describe the work of the Caribbean Court
of Justice.
5. Assess the functionalist and Marxist
theories of the justice system.
THE JUSTICE SYSTEM DEFINED:
The family, education, and religion all affect
the lives of Caribbean people in different ways.
In today’s lesson, we will examine how the
justice system affects the lives of Caribbean
nationals.
The Caribbean justice system is based on
the norms of the society that satisfy the
majority of the society based on their value
system. As such, we can draw the conclusion
that the justice system affects us as
individuals, social institutions, and other
social groups. The justice system, therefore,
refers to the interaction of those social
institutions that are clearly identified with
social control.
It is important to note, however, that an
individual’s perception of justice is based on
his personal experience with it, which,
eventually, is warped, resulting in subjective
and opinionated statements.
The justice system further includes the
relationship among crime, the law, the
judiciary, the police, and the protective
services. The justice system is, therefore,
concerned with maintaining a society where
citizens are treated justly and fairly. As with all
societal institutions, the justice system also
acts as a medium of social control, hence,
members of society are usually taught what is
considered acceptable or unacceptable social
behaviour at a young age via the family and the
yl:caribbean studeis
carried out law enforcement personnel include
The justice
traffic citations, criminal investigations,
emergency response, as well as crime
prevention.
The police hold a special place in the
system
criminal justice system. Not only do the
activities of law enforcement officers affect the
operations of the entire criminal justice
system, but the police are said to be the ‘gate
keepers’ of the system: “They are usually the
first to make contact with accused offenders
and are in a position to make some very
important decisions about what will happen to
those individuals. Perhaps the most frequent
decision that a police officer makes is . . . to
initiate an alleged offender’s journey through
the maze of American criminal justice” ( Alpert
and Dunham, 1997:11 ).
THE COURTS
The structure of the Jamaican judicial
system is based on five tiers. The lowest tier is
the Petty Sessions Court.
CARIBBEAN COURT OF JUSTICE
The Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ)
settles disputes between Caribbean
Community (CARICOM) member states and
also serves as the highest court of appeal on
civil and criminal matters for the national
courts of Barbados, Belize, and Guyana. The
CCJ’s seat is in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and
Tobago. The Caribbean Court of Justice does
not have the capacity to hear individual
CHRISTOPHER SERJU PHOTO
complaints of alleged human rights violations,
Four of the Holy Childhood High School students who did their school proud
except in its role as a court of final appeal in
during the May-June 2016 sitting of the CAPE and CSEC from left are Jada
Bender, the country’s top female performer in integrated science and third civil and criminal matters, which often involves
overall for CSEC; Carissa Lewis, who placed second in social studies in the fundamental rights.
region for CSEC and third in the region for home economics management;
Samoya Cochrane, top performer in CAPE with grade 1 in five subjects; and In 2001, the establishing agreement granted
business whiz Sahara Pinnock, who passed 10 CAPE subjects, all at grade 1. the CCJ original and exclusive jurisdiction to
interpret and apply the Revised Treaty of
Chaguaramas Establishing the Caribbean
Community. However a person or private
company must have the CCJ’s permission to
education institution (primary and secondary THE POLICE
socialisation). Observance of these rules is Law enforcement plays a crucial part in our bring proceedings before it, and moreover, the
most often based on a system of rewards and criminal justice system. Each officer is CCJ’s original jurisdiction only extends to the
sanctions. For example, children are rewarded application and interpretation of the treaty and
specially trained in many aspects of criminal
for acceptable behaviour and punished for not human rights, generally.
justice and the law, in general. The duties
unacceptable behaviour. CONTINUED ON PAGE 24
YOUTHLINK MAGAZINE | JANUARY 31-FEBRUARY 6, 2017 23
30

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 23
CORRECTIO
N C They believe that justice, equality, and fairness
The correctional system is a governmental system
tasked with safeguarding the proper interpretation and
application of the law in the cases of violators of the
law. The correctional system guarantees proper
handling of convicts or violators of the law. This
system involves different government agencies.
Law enforcement agencies, the court system, and
parole boards are just some of these agencies in the
correctional system. Thus, the system involves
various types of activities based on the distinct
objectives of these agencies. In general, the
correctional system involves the executive and
judicial branches of government.
The intended purpose of the correctional system
is two- pronged: to decrease crime rates and to
apply justice in consideration of victims. These
purposes are actually based on the expected benefits
for society. The correctional system helps reduce crime
rates and ensures that victims and their families’
demands are addressed.
yl:Caribbeanstudies
FUNCTIONALIST PERSPECTIVE OF THE JUSTICE
SYSTEM
help to form
the basic framework of society and are
universally good.
C Deviant behaviour is best explained in terms of a
breakdown in the socialisation within the family or how
individuals react to changes in society.
C Society must find ways to deal with deviants
(those who break the laws of society) and deviant
behaviour as these contribute to disorder, chaos,
and confusion in society.
C The institution of the justice system was created to
take care of deviants through punishment, deterrence,
or rehabilitation; therefore, the operations of the police
force and court system have a role.
MARXIST PERSPECTIVE ON JUSTICE SYSTEM
C They believe that the justice system is
oppressive and
exploitative of the lower class of society.
C Members of the lower class are usually targeted as
criminals
and, therefore, the fairness of the justice system is not
extended to these individuals. For example, members
of the upper class are sophisticated criminals and,
therefore, they are rarely caught by the police or
convicted in the court. This makes it seem as if crime is
predominantly a lower-class activity, which may not be
the case.
C According to the Marxists, structural inequalities
in society brought on by capitalism isolate the poorer
groups. Their acts of crime are, therefore, thought of as
rebellion against their situation and not deviant acts.
C Crime is used as an excuse to enact legislations
to restrain the poor and is in the interests of the
elites.
Jason McIntosh teaches at The Queen’s School. Send
questions and comments to kerry-
ann.hepburn@gleanerjm.com
31

Justice system – The Caribbean Court
of Justice versus the Privy Council
JASON MCINTOSH
Contributor
GOAL:
For students to gain an understanding of how
the justice system impacts the lives of
Caribbean people.
SYLLABUS SPECIFIC OBJECTIVE:
1. Evaluate the ways in which societal
institutions impact on people’s lives.
Objectives:
2. Assess the arguments put forward for and
against the adoption the CCJ as the final
appellate court for Commonwealth countries.
There has been an ongoing debate
surrounding whether Jamaica should adopt the
CCJ as its final court of appeal or remain with
the Privy Council (PC). The Judicial Committee
of the Privy Council is primarily the final Court
of Appeal for those Commonwealth territories
which have retained the appeal to Her Majesty in
other matters.
“The Privy Council is an institution that
became established as the final court for the
individual countries during the era of
colonialism. The Privy Council was instituted
under the premise that the King is the fountain
of all justice throughout his Dominions, and
exercises jurisdiction in his Council, which acts
in advisory capacity to the Crown. During the
colonial era, the King exercised final appellate
jurisdiction over all colonies and territories.”
In the case of the West Indies, the services of
the Judicial Courts were requested as a relief
from the decisions of the local courts. In
particular, the Court intervened in cases
pertaining to property such as plantations. By
the end of the 19th Century, and as the English
dominion expanded, the Privy Council had
jurisdictional power over more than a quarter of
the globe. It had earned the distinction of being
respected as a court of great skill, erudition and
versatility.
As the era of colonialism came to an end, a
number of countries gave up the Privy Council
as their final Court of Appeal. Since then, the
Privy Council has rendered its services to the
22
Education Minister Senator Ruel Reid (second right) and Audrey Williams (right), principal of Denham Town High, speak to
the classmates of the late Roshane Smith during a recent visit to the school.
Caribbean gratuitously, and continues to do so
to this day, perpetuating the colonial status of
the Caribbean islands. For the past decade or
so, there has been a move to dissolve the Priviy
Council as the Caribbean’s Final Court of Appeal
and adopt what is known as the CCJ. The
institutionalisation of the CCJ assumes political,
economic, nationalistic and even emotional
overtones and is inextricably bound up with the
issues of independence and sovereignty. The
nations of the Caribbean are now becoming
increasingly of the opinion that it is offensive to
the sovereignty of independent nations and,
therefore, politically unacceptable to have a
foreign tribunal permanently entrenched in their
constitutions as their final court.
ARGUMENTS OF FOR THE CCJ
1. When Caribbean countries adopt the CCJ
as the final appellate court, they complete the
process of the independence of Commonwealth
countries. Most Caribbean counties have been
independent of England for over 40 years. The
time has now come where these countries must
sever the ties to their colonial past and reliance
on London judges to decide on the matters
coming before our courts.
YOUTHLINK MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 7-13, 2017
2. The adoption of the CCJ will allow people
of the Caribbean greater access to justice. This
means that they will be able to take their matters
to the final Court of Appeal, if they so wish, at a
much reduced cost. The argument is that
appeals to the Privy Council are extremely
expensive, and that factor operates as a deterrent
to presenting an appeal before that body.
3. Caribbean judges’ intellectual competence
is unquestionable when compared to judges in
other jurisdictions in the world. Their ability to
analyse legal issues and write carefully crafted
judgments with reasons is not a matter in
dispute. The Caribbean has produced brilliant
legal minds for decades.
ARGUMENTS AGAINST THE CARIBBEAN
COURT OF JUSTICE
1. The main opponents to the adoption of the
CCJ question the trust and confidence of the
judges in their judgements. The skepticisms are
relaxed around the believe that in the small
society in which we operate, some judges may
be reluctant to offend some politicians who hold
the reins of government.
2. The argument of lack of respect for the
ruling passed down by Caribbean Judges as
yl:caribbean studies
RUDOLPH BROWN/PHOTOGRAPHER
seen in 2009 case where the CCJ granted a
mandatory order against the Government of
Guyana, directing it to implement the Common
External Tariff (CET) which it had arbitrarily lifted
without lawful authority. The Government of
Guyana has refused to pay the costs of the
proceedings assessed by the Court.
3. Another fundamental issue regarding trust
and confidence, when one is comparing the CCJ
and the Privy Council, relates to the judicial
knowledge of local conditions, the parties, and
the lawyers involved in any particular case. It is
commonly said that one negative about retention
of the PC is that the judges in London are far
removed from the local circumstances and local
conditions and have little or no knowledge of
same.
ACTIVITY
Should the CCJ replace the PC as Jamaica’s
final Court of Appeal?
Should this be decided by a referendum?
Jason McIntosh teaches at The Queen’s School.
Send questions and comments to
kerry-ann.hepburn@gleanerjm.com
32

Applying the laws: The
judiciary arm of Government
MAUREEN CAMPBELL
Contributor
T
HE JUDICIARY, an arm/branch of government, is responsible
for the interpretation and application of the laws enacted by
the executive and the legislature. The judiciary sees that the
laws are applied equally and within a country.
The judiciary is responsible for the justice system:
 It ensures the protection and preservation of the rights and
obligations of its citizens.
 It is also responsible for implementing the laws by ruling on
conflicts, fairness and justice.
 In the Caribbean, the justice system is grounded in a
constitution which entails the basic rights and freedoms of
citizens, the political principles on which a nation is built, as well
as the power and rights of governing bodies.
The function of the judiciary includes:
 The interpretation of the law.
 The enforcement of the law by the administration of justice.
 The making of case law.
The court system is responsible for the maintaining of law and
order. The court may award punishment to individuals such as
probation, community service, fines, bonds, imprisonment and
even the death penalty. These punishments are usually carried out
in order to:
 Punish an offender for his/her deviant actions.
 Deter offenders from repeating such offences.
 Deter other persons from even thinking about committing
such acts.
 Rehabilitate offenders so that they may become productive
citizens after they are released from prison
 Most of all, protect society from such deviant individuals.
The head of the judiciary is the chief justice, who presides over
the Judicial Services Commission. The chief justice is nominated
by the head of state with the head of government’s approval, after
consultation with the leader of the opposition.
THE JUDICIAL COMMITTEE OF THE PRIVY COUNCIL
This court serves as the last instance of appeal for several
independent countries that were formerly part of the British Empire. It
is located in London in the United Kingdom (UK). However, the
Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) is an emerging regional judicial
body intended to replace the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council.
THE CARIBBEAN COURT OF JUSTICE
The decision or the agreement that established the Caribbean
Court of Justice was initially signed on January 14, 2001. The
Caribbean Court of Justice was implemented as of March 2005 in
some countries. This court is seen as necessary for countries that
are now independent and the introduction of an indigenous
jurisprudence. The CCJ will be the final court of appeal from civil
and criminal decisions of the Courts of Appeal for Caribbean
http://www.justcite.com/kb/editorial-
policies/terms/jamaican-court-structure/
Community (CARICOM) members which presently send their
appeals to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council.
By instituting this native court to the islands, it is hoped that the
CCJ will:
 Enhance access to justice in terms of reducing distance.
 Lowering the expense for populations of the Caribbean
Community.
THE COURT OF APPEAL
The Court of Appeal is the last court that an individual can turn to
for justice in Jamaica. Members of the Court of Appeal include the
court president, the chief justice and six justices. If an individual is not
satisfied by a ruling of another court, they may appeal to this court. At
the Court of Appeal, the judge’s listen to appeals on the record of
evidence presented at a previous trial. If the sentences given at this
prior trial were not legally justified, based on the evidence looked on,
they can overturn or add to the sentence previously given in the lower
court. They can also corroborate that justice was already served.
THE SUPREME COURT /HIGH COURT/CIRCUIT COURT
The Supreme Court deals with both criminal and civil cases. A
judge and a jury comprising of citizens presides over criminal
cases and only a judge sits for civil cases. Criminal cases
originate from the resident magistrates.
 A criminal case: The person accused in this case is said to
have committed a crime against the government in and against an
individual. Criminal cases include murder, manslaughter, rape and
other notable major felonies.
 A civil case is a legal case that involves disputes which are
between individuals or organisations in which some form of
recompense is usually given to the victim. Civil cases include
divorce, judicial separation, wills and bankruptcy.
THE RESIDENT MAGISTRATE’S COURTS (RM)
The RM is referred to as lower courts of records in the island. It,
however, has influence over common-law actions, cases involving
land, issuing of warrants, granting of bar and dancehall licences.
It1 also conducts groundwork inquiries and investigation into
doubtful or mysterious causes of death.
YOUTHLINK MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 16-22, 2016
yl:social studies
THE PETTY SESSION COURT
This court is controlled by justices of the peace. The justices of the
peace have the powers to issue warrants following on non-compliance
to summons.
ROLE OF THE POLICE
The police organisation is the principal group in constant
contact with the population and the criminal justice system.
The responsibilities of the police:
a. To keep watch by day and night.
b. To preserve the peace.
c. To detect crime.
d. To apprehend or summon before a justice, persons found
committing any offence, or whom they reasonably suspect of
having committed any offence.
e. To serve and execute all summonses, warrants, subpoenas,
notices and criminal process issued by any justice in a criminal matter.
To fulfil these duties, police officers are given powers and a
wide discretion with which to use them. They must carry out their
duties with honesty, common sense and good judgement.
Therefore, the public has the right to anticipate the highest
professional standards of behaviour from every officer.
THE ROLE OF THE PRISON SYSTEM:
If the fight against crime and violence is to be successful in any
country, the prison system is a society’s formal system of social
control. There are four basic reasons why the prison system is
used to help in the carrying out of punishment of offenders:
 Retribution: A penalty that is imposed for a crime to provide some
form of recompense to the victim while also penalising the offender.
 Deterrence: Using punishment of others to send a warning to
people considering committing crimes.
 Rehabilitation: The main goal of rehabilitation is to prevent
recidivism by providing counselling, basic educational training
and desired values and attitudes.
 Societal protection: In most instances, imprisonment is used
which separates offenders from the community, thereby, removing
or reducing their ability to carry out criminal acts.
ACTIVITY
1. Do you believe that the judiciary is carrying out its role as
required in your country. Give THREE reasons for your answer.
2. Your friend asked you why you have a judiciary arm of
government in your country: Give your friend THREE reasons why
the judiciary arm of government is necessary for any country.
3. Suggest THREE possible reasons for the change from the
Judicial Privy Council to the Caribbean Court of Justice. Explain
your answer.
Maureen Campbell teaches at St Hugh’s High School. Send questions and
comments to kerry-ann.hepburn@gleanerjm.com.
19
33

Caribbean arts and popular culture
JASON MCINTOSH
Contributor
GOAL:
For students to evaluate the ways in which the
arts and popular culture impact Caribbean
society.
OBJECTIVES:
1. Define Caribbean art forms.
2. Describe the variety of Caribbean art forms,
including visual arts, popular music, festivals
and culinary arts.
3. Explain how Caribbean art forms inform the
culture of the region.
CARIBBEAN ART FORMS
The Caribbean’s shared historical experience
places the region in a position where there is
shared cultural forms ranging from music,
dance, culinary practices, etc. Caribbean art
forms, however, are not easily defined.
Caribbean authors have referred to the concept
as a ‘contested’ one, as art forms in the
Caribbean can range from traditional paintings,
sculptures and performances to those that are
considered to be more contemporary, such as
popular music, dance and festivals; while some
theorist believe that Caribbean art forms fall
between traditional and popular (contemporary)
practice. Even though this is an unsettled
debate, it is important to realise that expressions
of culture within the diaspora and the Caribbean
continues to be an important element that
creates a distinction that marks a Caribbean
identity which is necessary for human and
cultural development in the region.
MUSIC AND DANCE
The shared historical experience in the
Caribbean has created variety in the various
music and dances of the region in which people
participate. It is obvious that the different groups
brought their cultural practices, and through a
syncretic process of borrowing and mixing
elements, a distinct musical form and genre has
emerged. As for the Africans who came here
from various tribes, their influence is still in our
music. For example, the musical and dance
22
yl:caribbean studies
other countries, however, carnival is slated to
begin on August 1, when the slaves in British
colonies received Emancipation. It is important
to note that carnival, which is celebrated across
the Caribbean, is done for various reasons. For
instance, Crop Over, which has been celebrated
in Barbados from the 18th century to now,
observes the sugar cane harvest.
All carnival celebrations in the Caribbean
have the same characteristics. They involve a
street festival with a massive crowd, costumed
revellers, music (steelpan or brass pan); the
songs played are normally soca, calypso or a
local variant. Before the big road march, the
carnival season is quite active with a number of
shows and competitions, such as Soca King and
Eli ’di Viner’ Elliot , popular vlogger, takes a ‘selfie’ with (from left, front row) Ashli Queen of Carnival and J’Ouvert.
Bailey, student of the Lister Mair Gilby High School; Empress Golding,media
personality; Jhnell Brown, a student of Mona High School. In the back row are ARTISANAL CRAFT
(from left) Cavel Beckles, student of Jamaica College; Troy Cockings, director of The Caribbean Artisan Network was
the FLOW Foundation; and Dr Sara Lawrence, who participated in FLOW’S implemented to offer expertise in many different
Safer Internet Day activity, on Tuesday, February 7. The day was commemorated
artisanal work. Annually, they host a festival
globally under the theme ‘Be the Change, Unite for a Better Internet’.
called the Caribbean Arts and Craft Festivals,
forms that can be found in the Anglophone and culture to form a distinct version of dances. where the region’s artisans get a chance to
non-Anglophone Caribbean include: Dances that were creolized include some showcase their best craft items. It must be noted
 Junkanoo, mento, ska, rock steady, European dances like quadrille, mazurka, polka, that artisanal craft is an important area of
reggae, roots, reggae, lovers rock, dance hall contredanse and waltz. On plantations, some of popular culture, because the crafts made by the
these dances, in particular quadrille, were
(Jamaica) craftsmen are instrumental in forming the
 Marumba, breakdown, punta (Belize) adopted and creolised as a form of resistance to Caribbean identity.
 Soca (Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados and European domination. Other examples of dances
St Lucia) done in the Caribbean are:
CULINARY ARTS
 Tumba, ritni kinbina (Curacao)  Folk dances such as limbo in Trinidad,
 Reggaetón (Puerto Rico) Goombay in Bermuda and cakewalk in Grenada. The culinary competence of the Caribbean
 Meringue, beguine (Martinique,  Indigenous ceremonial dances - Mari mari people showcases the creative nature of the
Guadeloupe) in Guyana. region’s most valuable resources. Foods eaten
 Spiritual dances that are associated with in Europe, Africa, India, China and those eaten
It is important to note that it was during the religious practices, such as kumina in Jamaica.‘ in the pre-Columbian epoch have all influenced
colonial era that the steel band was developed; it  Popular dance forms – calypso, soca, ska Caribbean food to this date. It is important to
is still used as a popular musical form in the or punta. note that each groups of people has distinct
region and among the diaspora. The United ways of preparing meals, but just as how music
States has also made an influence on the region FESTIVALS and dance have been syncretised, food in the
through recorded music. These influences Caribbean has experienced the mixing of
Caribbean countries celebrate many different
include, for example, rap music. different elements from the groups of people that
festivals; one such festival is carnival. Carnival
did not originate in the Caribbean, though it has settled in the Caribbean. In most cases, created
DANCE been transferred to a Creole environment. dishes are characterised by the various spices
Caribbean music is often associated with Carnival is no longer only held in the Caribbean, and methods of preparations, therefore creating
dance, and this can be expressed from among but in the diaspora in North America and a unique Caribbean cuisine.
the normal man on the street to those who are Europe. In countries where there is a
highly skilled and trained choreographers. Like pronounced influence of the Roman Catholic Jason McIntosh teaches at The Queen’s School. Send
music, dance in the Caribbean has undergone Church, carnival is usually celebrated on the questions and comments to
its fair share of mixing elements of various Monday and Tuesday before Ash Wednesday. In kerry-ann.hepburn@gleanerjm.com
YOUTHLINK MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 14-20, 2017
34

Development through the arts
JASON MCINTOSH
Contributor
GOAL:
For students to evaluate the ways in which
the arts and popular culture impact Caribbean
society.
OBJECTIVES:
1. Describe how human and cultural
development contributes to a sense of identity.
2. Describe how the development of the arts
contributes to employment.
3. Examine the contributions made by noted
Caribbean nationals to the development of art
forms in the Caribbean.
IDENTITY AND BELONGINGNESS
A sense of identity and belongingness can
be developed in the Caribbean when artists,
musicians, poets and various performers
develop a sense of self-worth for the work they
do by marketing themselves internationally.
This international recognition facilitates the
development of a Caribbean identity through
their achievements in literature, music and
dance. The successes enjoyed by our singers,
musicians, dancers and writers give Caribbean
people a sense of pride in their heritage. This
feeling suppresses Eurocentric beliefs and
cultural imperialisms from the colonial
legacies, and leads to the empowerment of the
human being, which is a necessary requirement
for human development. Caribbean arts also
contribute to the empowerment of man,
because people can grow intellectually through
their dedication to a particular disciple, for
example, Rex Nettleford for his work in dance
movement.
CONTRIBUTION TO EMPLOYMENT
The development of the arts across the
Caribbean is a great opportunity for the creation
of unconventional employment opportunities. It
is important to note that in this case, the artiste
is not the only one who benefits but also those
who are integrally involved in the production
process – promoters and even those who
manage successful artistes. The rise of the arts
has created an arena of new types of jobs in
Caribbean.
CONTRIBUTIONS BY
NOTED CULTURAL ICONS
The arts contributeto the development and
definition of Caribbean culture, not only those
living within it and those in the diaspora, but
also to people looking at the culture from
outside, in the wide world. (Muhammed, 2015)
REX NETTLEFORD
“Patriotism is not short, frenzied outbursts of
emotion, but the tranquil and steady dedication
of a lifetime,” said former United States
presidential nominee Adlai Stevenson. With a
lifetime of dignified and distinguished service to
Jamaica and the wider Caribbean, Professor the
Honorable Ralston Milton ‘Rex’ Nettleford
established himself as the quintessential
Caribbean patriot, whose contributions will
forever be etched into the annals of the region’s
history.
 Nettleford was a prominent Jamaican
historian, sociologist, dancer and
choreographer, considered by many to be
‘Jamaica’s cultural ambassador’ to the world.
 He was co-founder of the National Dance
Theatre Company in Jamaica in 1962 and led
the organisation for almost 50 years.
 He studied the Rastafari movement in
West Kingston, Jamaica, after returning from
Oxford University.
 He founded and ran the Trade Union
Education Institute.
 He was the vice-chancellor of the
University of the West Indies in Jamaica.
 He was one of four alumni awarded an
honorary degree in 2003 in celebration of the
100th anniversary of the Rhodes Scholarship at
Oxford University in Oxford, Oxfordshire,
England.
 He earned a Rhodes scholarship to study
political science at Oxford University in Oxford,
Oxfordshire, England, while he was a student at
the University of West Indies in Jamaica.
 In describing his legacy, it seems that no
other words are more fitting than, ‘Rex
Nettleford, a nation, his monument.’
LOUISE BENNETT-COVERLEY
This beloved poet and social activist was
born in Jamaica and recieved her formal
YOUTHLINK MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 21-27, 2017
education from some prominent schools in the
country like Ebenezer Primary, St Simon’s
College and Excelsior High School. From an
early age, she had a taste for the theatrics, and
at 17 she recited her first poem at a concert at
Coke Methodist Church in 1936. However, her
early work was not appreciated mainly because of
her use of the Jamaican dialect; the British accent
was highly admired at that time. Nevertheless,
Louise Bennett remained persistent in using the
Jamaican dialect in her poetry as she wanted her
poems to be a reflection of the life and
philosophy of Jamaicans.
Her poems were first published in a Sunday
newspaper by Michael deCordova and this
paved the way for the fame of Louise Bennett.
Her poem Colonization in Reverse (1966)
became one of the main sources of her
popularity. It reflected the thoughts of the
minorities of post-colonial times who were
residing in the United Kingdom. In this poem,
she touched the sensitive topic of racial
inequality experienced by Jamaicans as well as
South Asians under the post-colonial rule,
especially those minorities who had moved to
England in search of better jobs but were facing
oppression at the hands of the British. Bennett
reflected on the struggles which both the
Jamaicans and South Asians had to endure in
an attempt to survive in Britain at that time.
In 1945, Bennett went to the Royal Academy of
Dramatic Arts in England, then she later joined
the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) and
hosted ‘Caribbean Carnival’ and ‘West Indian
Night’ on radio. She later married Eric Winston
Coverley in 1954 and in 1956 she became the
drama officer at the Jamaica Social Welfare
Commission. Later, she was appointed as its
director. Bennett also taught drama at the
University of the West Indies Extra Mural
Department and at some other agencies. She was
subsequently awarded the MBE (Member of the
British Empire) for her work with the Jamaican
theatre, and also received several other awards,
nationally and internationally, like the insignia of
the Order of Jamaica in 1974 by the Government
of Jamaica for her extraordinary performance in
the school of literature and the arts.
MARTIN CARTER
One of the most important poets to come out
yl:caribbean studies
of the Caribbean, Martin Carter has been
compared to literary lions such as W.B. Yeats
and Pablo Neruda. His most famous work was
fuelled by the political turmoil that gripped his
native Guyana in the 1950s and 1960s. He told
fellow Guyanese writer Bill Carr, in an interview
for the Guyanese magazine Release, that
politics and poetry were inseparable. “[If]
politics is a part of life, we shall become
involved in politics, if death is a part of life, we
shall become involved with death, like the
butterfly who is not afraid to be ephemeral.”
Unfortunately, because of his politically
charged poems, Carter was often pigeon-holed
as a revolutionary poet, but as Guyana’s
Stabroek News wrote, “...There were other
voices in Martin Carter, strains of tenderness,
love poems of moving fervour, agonies
expressed that have nothing to do with politics,
insights into all of human nature.”
During his life, Carter received limited
recognition outside of Guyana, mainly because
he refused to abandon his country. A friend of
his told the Guyana Chronicle, “Exile for him
was not going overseas like so many of the
Caribbean’s best writers, but exiled within his
own country; in his own way, and fighting the
fight at home.” As he fought that fight, he wrote
words of defiance, beauty, pain and hope,
leaving a literary legacy that, finally, in the 21st
Century, is receiving worldwide critical respect.
REFERENCES
Developed Early Passion for Poetry,
Published First Poems of Protest, Found Fame
with Prison Poetry, LaBalle, C., (no year).
Martin Carter Biography, JRank Articles.
Louise Simone Bennett, Unknown Author
(2012) retrieved from
http://www.onlyinnajamaica.com/biography/loui
se-bennett/
Rex Nettleford, Unknown Author (),
retrieved from
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2098128/bio
Jason McIntosh teaches at The Queen’s School. Send
questions and comments to
kerry-ann.hepburn@gleanerjm.com
23
35
 yl:caribbean studies
JASON MCINTOSH
Contributor

GOAL:
FOR STUDENTS to evaluate the ways in which
the arts and popular culture impact Caribbean
society.
Caribbean art forms
OBJECTIVE:
1. Assess the ways in which Caribbean art
forms are retained in the diaspora.

Major cities in the North Atlantic (USA,

Canada, England) are heavily populated with
Caribbean nationals. Caribbean nationals and
their offspring make up a considerable segment
of the population of England, Canada and the
United States of America, hence, forming what is
known as the Caribbean diaspora. The diasporic
Caribbean refers to a group of people who
reside in another geographical location, for
instance, people of Caribbean ancestry who
share an emotional connection to their
homeland.

Festivals in the Caribbean diaspora play an

integral role in the lives of the migrants, since
this is a time when they get to experience
authentic Caribbean cuisines, music, fashion
and the general culture. At these carnivals in
England, Canada and the USA, the parade is
made up of bands, revellers dressed in
costumes depicting a common theme, along
with participants jumping to the music while
competing for ‘Band of the Year’ title. Along with
the parade is the Calypso Monarch competition
(best calypso performer). There is also a junior
carnival competition – the inculcation of
carnival traditions so it won’t die. Popular
diasporic festivals include the Brooklyn Labour
Day parade in USA, Notting Hill Carnival in
England and Caribana in Canada.
NOTTING HILL CARNIVAL
The event originated in 1964 as a way for
Afro-Caribbean communities in the United
Kingdom to celebrate their cultures and
traditions, similar to the Caribbean carnivals of
the early 19th century. These types of carnivals
were hugely popular in Trinidad and were
generally a celebration of the abolition of
slavery. During the period of slavery, festivals
were forbidden, so the residents took full
advantage of their new-found freedom.
The first-ever Notting Hill Carnival was
arranged to showcase popular steel band
musicians who played in Earl’s Court every
Holy Childhood High School quiz team members (from left) Alecia Bailey, Shanice Robinson, Chevelle Case and
Tamarnie Tavares.
weekend. The festival music drew residents out
on to the streets, reminding many of the
Caribbean homes they had left behind. The well-
known tradition of elaborate costumes began as
an element of parody, mimicking the European
fashions of their former masters. Today, this
tradition has evolved into 15,000 handmade
costumes every year, taking one million hours to
create and decorate them all!
CARIBANA
The Toronto Caribana Festival began in 1967
as one of the first Caribbean festivals held
outside of the region. Originally known as the
Canadian Centennial Festivals, Caribana was
meant to share West Indian and Black Canadian
culture and traditions with the community, and to
help fund the building of a West Indian cultural
centre. Since then, every summer, Toronto,
Canada, illuminates to the pulsating rhythm of
calypso and steel pan music. The atmosphere is
also enhanced by elaborate masquerade
costumes. This two-week festival attracts over a
million participants and tourists annually. The
festival today includes the music, dance, food
and costumes of Jamaica, The Bahamas, Brazil
and other cultures present in Toronto.
BROOKLYN LABOUR DAY PARADE/
WEST INDIAN DAY PARADE
The West Indian Day Parade is held every
Labour Day and runs down Brooklyn’s Eastern
Parkway. It is part of the West Indian-American
Carnival celebrations which take place during
and before Labor Day Weekend and include
concerts, contests, children’s pageants and
private parties, in addition to the main event, the
parade. Brooklyn’s Carnival initially came out of
Trinidad’s carnival tradition and, as such, steel
bands are one of the most commonly heard
sounds at the parade. Over time, other
Caribbean traditions and music have been
added, including reggae from Jamaica, spouge
from Barbados, cadence from Dominica, and
merengue from Haiti. Many food vendors set up
stalls in the streets surrounding the parade,
offering up curried chicken, oxtail, Jamaican
meat patties, roti, fried plantains, ginger beer
and coconut water, to name some of the wide
assortment of food and drinks available. Other
kinds of vendors also set up stalls at the parade,
selling many different goods, including crafts
from the Caribbean, African sculptures, and
African bead work.
Jason McIntosh teaches at The Queen’s School. Send
questions and comments to
kerry-ann.hepburn@gleanerjm.com

YOUTHLINK MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 28-MARCH 6, 2017 23

36

The Caribbean influence on
extra-regional countries
GOAL
For students to analyse how the global community and
Caribbean society impact each other.
OBJECTIVE
 Analyse the impact of the Caribbean on extra-regional societies.
Since the arrival of Columbus, the Caribbean region has been
interacting with Europe (Spain, England, France, Holland, etc).
The United States and Canada later became frequent interactors
with the region, even to this day. This earliest form of interaction
had many benefits for all who were involved. It is the safe to
describe, as Mohammed (2015) agrees, that this interaction was
an early form of globalisation, which knitted the economy, culture
and society of the Caribbean and Western Europe into a close
relationship. This relationship was of superiority and inferiority
between the metropole countries, which dominated the means of
production, and the Caribbean regions that were exploited for
their economic gain. The influence of the society and culture of
the Caribbean on extra-regional countries has been identified in a
number of areas: politics, economics and culture.
POLITICAL INFLUENCE
Caribbean nationals over the years have migrated to parts of
the United States, Canada and Europe. The most organised group
of Caribbean nationals in the US are the Cubans, and they have
had significant influence on US politics because of their number
and economic power. Though illegal immigrants who arrived by
boat, they were not repatriated because of their possible fate if
they returned home. They represent a major voting bloc in South
Florida. They have been credited with:
 Forcing lawmakers to maintain and strengthen the trade
embargo against Cuba (key legislation – the Helms-Burtons Act
1996).
 The creation of Radio Marti, with the expressed intention to
undermine the communist system in Cuba through the flow of
information.
The political impact of Haitians is limited largely because they
are divided along class lines. In Miami, Haitians act as a voting
bloc. The Haitian Refugee Center has used the issue of the
‘boatpeople’ to mobilise the Haitian community and to bring a
number of legal actions against the US government.
The increased flow of migrants and the extent of narco-
trafficking to North America and Europe from the Caribbean have
resulted in the enactment of more stringent immigration and
surveillance measures such as:
yl:caribbean studies
1. A reversal of a decades-old policy on the repatriation of
Cuban asylum seekers.
2. Increased cost to obtain visas or imposing visa requirement KENYON HEMANS/PHOTOGRAPHER
on some Caribbean countries (countries that enjoy Canada’s visa
‘Captain Tecki’ and a section of the crowd of
waiver are Antigua and Barbuda, St Lucia, St Vincent, St Kitts and
students at the Safer Internet Programme, held at
Nevis, Barbados and The Bahamas).
Merl Grove High School on Tuesday, February 6.
3. Deportation to home countries of aliens convicted of crimes.
4. The Shiprider Agreement that allows the US Coastguard to
pursue suspected drug traffickers in Caribbean waters. CULTURAL INFLUENCE
5. Intelligence sharing and the splitting of proceeds from Caribbean cultural forms such as music, food, dance, and
successful indictment of drug traffickers. religion have penetrated the waves of international markets and
have gained acceptance. The impact of Caribbean music, largely
ECONOMIC IMPACT reggae and to some extent soca, is felt mainly in the urban centres
of large cities such as New York and London. Reggae has been
Large populations of Caribbean migrants in New York, Toronto
used to:
and London have created a tradition of carnival celebrations
 Market Levi jeans (BBoombastic).
which are attended by thousands. These festivals boost the local
 Create an online course ‘ The Rhetoric of Reggae’ at the
economy in hotel bookings, taxes on entertainment services, the
University of Vermont.
food industry, and provide work in producing costumes and
organising aspects of the festivals. In a report published by the
Reggae music has been the main medium through which
London Development Agency 2003, the Notting Hill Carnival was
Rastafarian beliefs and lifestyle have been introduced to the wider
said to contribute £93 million to London’s economy and generate
world. Rastafarian communities and reggae are to be found on
3,000 full-time jobs. The West Indian Day Parade is said to attract
every continent. The steelpan was also transported to developed
two million participants and generate US$70m in revenue
countries with the migrants. Currently, in North America, steel
Caribbean Quarterly 1985). The Caribbean Quarterly (1985)
(C
band music is part of the curriculum, while the tuning of pan is a
found that Caribana was to be attracting over one million visitors growing skill that has the potential to contribute to the economic
and accounted for CDN$200 million in tourist expenditure.
development of this region. One association, Pan European, is
assuming the responsibility for creating a network to promote the
WORKFORCE development of pan in Europe. The steel pan is also incorporated
The US government has appointed people of Caribbean origins into forms of music, like rap.
in high offices in various arms of the government and judiciary.
The Canadian and US governments have also allowed temporary Caribbean cuisine competes with those of other ethnic groups
migrant workers (farm workers) to pick fruit in Canada and in the urban centres in metropolitan countries. While companies
Florida. These economies are very dependent on Caribbean like Golden Crust and Caribbean Food Delight have become big
workers to harvest fruits before winter. Increasing from the 1990s, businesses in the US, Caribbean food caters mainly to the taste of
Caribbean populations but remains a specialty to native
teachers, nurses and other healthcare professionals are actively
populations, particularly those who have visited the Caribbean or
recruited to fill growing vacancies in these areas to which
who have close association with Caribbean nationals.
nationals are not attracted or are in short supply. Caribbean
people continue to impact the economy of developed countries by
providing an educated and willing workforce. REFERENCES
Understanding the Contemporary Caribbean, Hillman &
D’Agostino.
OFFSHORE BANKING
CAPE Caribbean Studies, Mohammed, Jeneffer.
Countries such as the Cayman Islands, Bahamas, British Virgin
Caribbean Studies Modules I-III, Reid, Ruel.
Islands, Turks and Caicos, Anguilla, and Antigua and Barbuda are
The Caribbean: Struggle, Survival and Sovereignty. Sunshine,
offshore economies catering largely to clients abroad. These
Catherine..
clients are mainly interested in tax avoidance in metropolitan
countries. Send questions and comments to kerry-ann.hepburn@gleanerjm.com
YOUTHLINK MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 13-19, 2018 23
37

Influence of extra-regional
societies on the Caribbean
GOAL
For students to analyse how the global
community and Caribbean society impact each
other.
OBJECTIVE
Analyse the impact of extra-regional counties
on the Caribbean.
Historically, the relationship of the Caribbean
to metropolitan countries has been one of
dependency. In the colonial era, European
attitudes, ways of life, arts and value system
dominated. While Euro-centric attitudes and
values were imposed, they created the
conditions for their continued hegemony in
post-colonial societies. The interaction of the
Old World with the New World is the earliest
form of globalisation.
Globalisation is the tendency of businesses to
transcend to other markets around the globe,
thereby increasing the interconnectedness of
different markets. Modes of transportation are
modernising and the ways of communication are
developing. This increases a country’s ability to
globalise. In effect, this means that the
Caribbean market is becoming strikingly similar
to the markets of extra-regional nations.
Caribbean society and culture show an
orientation towards the metropole and its impact
is perpetuated in:
1. CONSUMPTION PATTERNS
Most of the goods and services consumed in
the Caribbean are produced in North America,
and to a lesser extent Britain (for English-
speaking countries). In post-independent
Caribbean, the desire for what is ‘foreign’ is
supported by a number of factors. In history,
persons in the Caribbean made a significant
effort to produce their own goods. As time
progressed, along with the migration of persons
from America, Europe, or more developed
countries, the mixing of the different cultures
has changed our thoughts of the goods we
produce compared to the goods made abroad.
 The Caribbean people believe their region
is too underdeveloped for producing goods that
can compete in quality to extra-regional
societies.
 The Caribbean’s total imports is likely to
be more than its exports – a dangerous side of
the status quo.
 The Caribbean people now gravitate to
foreign diapers (Huggies, etc) instead of
purchasing regional diapers, and that is only
one product!
 Globalisation has instigated the
introduction of some foreign services, such as
social security, life insurance and the credit card
culture, into the Caribbean society.
2. CREATIVE EXPRESSIONS
The various ways Caribbean people express
themselves in festivals, music, theatre arts, etc,
reflect their own creations as well as influences
from abroad. US penetration of the region
means that its influence is expanding through
the access, of particularly the youth, to its music
fashions and festivals.
i. Festivals: Some of the well-established
Christian and secular festivals that are observed
in the Caribbean – Christmas, Easter, Father’s
and Mother’s Day, Valentine’s, etc – are extra-
regional in origin. They are celebrated in the
same fashion and characterised by the same
extent of commercialism as in developed
societies. It is the commercial aspect of the
celebrations that marks the degree of Western
influence.
Carnival, though not indigenous, had been
made synonymous with the Caribbean. In recent
times it, too, has begun to cater to foreign tastes
in a number of ways, including:
 The sidelining of calypso with its social
commentary in favour of the catchier soca.
 The use of computer programs to help
create images of costumes.
 The production of videos, DVDs, etc.
ii. Theatre arts: Theatre arts includes drama,
dance and stagecraft, as well as traditional
YOUTHLINK MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 20-26, 2018
dances, folk singing and storytelling. In colonial
times, Caribbean theatre arts was relegated to
the village communities while the ‘high’ culture
of the British was given pre-eminence. The
development of theatre arts since independence
reflects the influence of extra-regional countries
in respect of:
 Divisions as to the appropriate language,
i.e., patios/dialect versus standard English, to
convey the arts.
 Many of the themes in presentations
mirrored the relationship of the Caribbean to
extra-regional countries – issues of identity,
race, colour and class, etc.
 The migration of many artistes to receive
greater appreciation and rewards for their
talents, e.g., V.S. Naipaul, Dereck Walcott,
Jamaica Kincaid.
3. MIGRATORY LABOUR
From the middle of the 1950s, migration to
North America and Europe was severely
curtailed as developed countries sought to
protect their economies from unregulated
immigration. However, in the 1980s, on the
recognition of the ageing of these societies,
formal arrangements were made to recruit
skilled professionals – teacher, nurses.
Opportunities were also available for semi-
skilled and unskilled labour in sectors not
favoured by citizens, such as agricultural and
domestic work and child care. While these
occupations are more beneficial to workers vis-
á-vis similar work in the Caribbean and the
remittances significant to gross national product
of Caribbean countries, the programmes’
sustainability is decided by the host countries.
Any time they are curtailed, suspended or
discontinued, severe dislocations in the sending
countries is the result.
4. TOURISM
Caribbean tourism depends almost entirely
for its survival on visitors from Europe and
North America. Economic downturns in the
source markets have a negative impact on the
yl:caribbean studies
local product. All variants of tourism –
adventure, cruise, eco-tourism – are developed
on tourists’ demands. Furthermore, the tourism
infrastructure – large hotels, travel agencies, etc,
are owned and/or managed in large part by
expatriates. Caribbean countries have developed
different kinds of tourist attractions to
accommodate their clienteles. Some are:
 Ecotourism – In Dominica, Belize, Guyana
and Suriname, the rainforests and their flora and
fauna cater for nature lovers (people interested
in bird watching). The Mountain Pine Ridge in
Belize and coral reefs are also popular.
 Adventure tourism – Guyana and
Suriname, the great rivers, offer white-water
rafting and canoeing. Hunting is growing in
Dominica and mountain climbing in St Lucia.
 Sports tourism – Sea sports: surfing, kite
boarding, sailing, scuba diving, snorkelling, and
powerboat racing. There is the Grenada Yacht
Club Race, The Spring Regatta of St Maarten
and the Blue Marlin Competition in Curacao.
 Health tourism – This is where people
come to bathe in mineral-charged waters
thought to be good for various ailments. They
are found in volcanic areas. Example: Jamaica,
St Lucia, Dominica and Montserrat, where there
are many hot springs.
 Festival tourism – Carnivals such as
kadooment in Barbados, the St Lucia Jazz Festival,
St Kitts music festival, Reggae Sunsplash in
Jamaica, and Carnival in Trinidad and Tobago.
 Cruiseship tourism – Caribbean countries
have constructed docking facilities for major
cruise ships lines such as Carnival, Royal
Caribbean and Princess. Each vessel carries
approximately 2,000 tourists, a large source of
foreign exchange.
At present, tourism is one of the world’s
largest industries and for developing countries,
it is also one of the biggest income generators.
Especially in the Caribbean region, it has both a
positive and negative impact on the local
economy, social life and environment.
Send questions and comments to
kerry-ann.hepburn@gleanerjm.com
23
38
 MODULE 2 -
ISSUES IN CARIBBEAN
DEVELOPMENT

39
 THE DAILY OBSERVER Tuesday, January 10, 2017 Page C 3

www.jamaicaobserver.com CARIBBEAN
JOL LECTURE SERIES STUDIES lesson 14
Jamaica Observer Limited with
Candice Watson

CONCEPTS & INDICATORS OF DEVELOPMENT

Happy New Year! I hope that you are making progress with your School-Based Assessment. This term we will focus on Module 2 of the
syllabus (Issues in Caribbean Development).

THREE CONCEPTS OF DEVELOPMENT Caribbean Sea

CONCEPT DEFINITION FEATURES/EMPHASIS

ECONOMIC A state of advancement ▶ Key terms:

DEVELOPMENT or improvement capital,
achieved from technology,
economic growth labour,
based on increased per capita income,
productivity. productivity
ACTIVITY
▶ International classifications (countries):
developed, Based on the information provided in the table at left and additional
developing, resources, explain the equation below using appropriate examples
underdeveloped, from the Caribbean.
high-income,
low-income,
middle-income,
advanced,
emerging

▶ Development based on a continuum established by international

agencies (UN, IMF, World Bank, etc.) defined by a variety of social and ECONOMIC
economic measures.
DEVELOPMENT
▶ Concerned with the notion of industrial progress (modernisation,
increased production of goods, consumption) within a country as well
as its trading arrangements which will result in economic growth.

HUMAN The strategies and ▶ Key terms:

DEVELOPMENT processes implemented quality of life,
which result in the equity,
general advancement parity,
of human well-being empowerment,
productivity,
education,
health,
employment,
life expectancy HUMAN
▶ Guided by the Human Development Paradigm: human beings are DEVELOPMENT
focal to development.

▶ Based on both individual and collective well-being of a people within

a society (therefore based on cultural values, beliefs and norms).

▶ Some aspects to focus on: safety and security (especially in childhood

and senior years), freedom from want, access to information,
opportunities for personal growth, access to goods and services in
addition to the absolute minimum necessary, political freedom, access
to primary and secondary health care.

SUSTAINABLE The act or process of ▶ Key terms:

DEVELOPMENT developing through
economic production
and the satisfaction of
human needs, without
▶ Concerned with the idea that economic progress should not
diminishing the
capacity of the
environment to cope
with the consequences
of human economic
activity.
sustainability,
environmental protection,
conservation,
SUSTAINABLE
environmentalism DEVELOPMENT
compromise the environment and the population; therefore, the
needs of the present population should not deplete the physical
and/or natural resources of a country, to the extent that future
generations will be adversely affected.
JOL CARIBBEAN STUDIES continues on Page C40
4
 THE DAILY OBSERVER Tuesday, January 10, 2017 Page C 4
JOL CARIBBEAN STUDIES continued from Page C 3
INDICATORS OF DEVELOPMENT
Indicators or indices of development are standards used for measuring development. These standards are based on various aspects of society. The indicators use set criteria to determine the extent to which a
country is developed in a specific area; for example, the economy, politics, gender issues, education, health, safety, environment, etc. It is important to note that no single indicator can tell the whole development
of a country because there are different contexts in which the concept is understood.
INDICATOR EXPLANATION
1) GROSS The total monetary value of goods and services
DOMESTIC produced and provided in a country during a specific
PRODUCT (GDP) period, usually one year
2) GROSS The total monetary value of goods and services
NATIONAL produced and provided in a country plus income from
PRODUCT (GNP) foreign investments within a specific year
This refers to the average income earned per person in
3) PER CAPITA a specific area (parish, region, country) in a given
INCOME / GDP PER period (usually a year). The average is obtained by
CAPITA dividing the total income earned in the area (GDP) by
the total population of the area.
This measure uses the distribution of income to
4) GINI
determine the level of inequality that exists among
COEFFICIENT
people within and between countries.
5) HUMAN This measure is based on 3 variables (income,
DEVELOPMENT longevity, knowledge) which combine to indicate the
INDEX (HDI) level of human welfare in each country.
This refers to the level of efficiency in economic
6) PRODUCTIVITY activity – the efficiency of a person, machine, factory
or system in producing goods and services.
7) INTERNET A measure of the portion/percentage of the population
PENETRATION (IP) of an area that has access to the internet.
The improved application of skills, techniques and
knowledge necessary for designing, creating and
8) MODERN implementing goods and services or applying these to
TECHNOLOGY scientific investigation. The extent to which modern
technology can be used to measure development
depends on the aspect of technology being measured.
The political processes of managing public resources,
9) GOOD
institutions and affairs in a manner that respects
GOVERNANCE
human rights and the rule of law.
10) RESPONSIBLE This indicates the extent to which countries act
ENVIRONMENTAL responsibly in utilising the environment to attain
FACTORS higher levels of development.
Have a good week.
Candice Watson is on the staff of the Morant Bay High School • Email: chm.watson@yahoo.co.uk
EXAMPLE
▶ For each country, consumer spending, investment, government purchases and net exports combine to produce
the GDP.
▶ A country’s GNP includes the value of its goods and services produced and income produced outside of the
country by citizens of the country.
▶ In December 2015 Jamaica’s GDP was US$14 billion and the population was 2.79 million.
a. Calculate the per capita income.
b. Compare your answer to the information provided on the website Trading Economics
www.tradingeconomics.com/jamaica/indicators
▶ Use the weblink www.tradingeconomics.com/jamaica/gdp-per-capita to access the table showing the GDP per
capita in the Americas.
a. State the countries in the Caribbean that have the highest and the lowest GDP per capita
b. Where does your country rank?
c. What factors could account for the differences in per capita income in each country?
▶ The Gini Coefficient uses a scale to determine the level of inequality: 0 represents perfect equality and 100
represents absolute inequality.
▶ In the HDI, income is ranked based on the GDP per capita; longevity is determined by life expectancy at birth;
knowledge is measured by access to education, adult literacy and mean years of schooling. The scores for each
variable are aggregated to produce an average which is used to rank countries.
▶ “What you put in is what you get out” is a popular saying. It relates to productivity as it refers to investment
of interest, time, money, energy, etc. – the input needed to achieve goals (output). This is applicable to the
development of a country as it helps to determine the GDP and GNP. As a result, governments seek to provide
jobs and create conditions conducive to investment to drive productivity.
▶ In 2016 the internet penetration for the Caribbean was 43.7%. Curacao had the highest IP (93.1%) and Haiti
had the lowest (12.8%). The world IP was 50.1%.
www.internetworldstats.com/stats11.htm#caribbean
▶ Visit the internet link above to see the IP for all Caribbean countries.
▶ The Global Information Technology Report 2015 uses the Networked Readiness Index (NRI) of 143 countries
to rank them by examining the role of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs)
in supporting development.
▶ Barbados is ranked 39th with a value of 4.6, in 2014 it was ranked 55th. Haiti has the lowest rank in the
Caribbean, improving from 143rd in 2014 to 137th in 2015 with a value of 2.5.
[source: weforum.org.
www3.weforum.org.>docs>WEF_Global_IT_Report_2015.pdf ]
▶ Good governance is determined by the degrees of accountability, transparency, responsibility, participation,
responsiveness, access to information, observance of human rights, political stability, corruption and
independence of the judiciary. For most of the factors stated above, there are international indices which may
be used to measure the progress of countries in maintaining good governance.
Two of the measures used are the Environmental Performance Index (EPI) and Environmental Sustainability Index (ESI)
▶ The EPI ranks a country’s performance on high priority environmental issues based on the protection of human
health and protection of ecosystems.
▶ The ESI measures progress towards environmental sustainability.
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www.jamaicaobserver.com
CARIBBEAN
JOL LECTURE SERIES STUDIES Lesson 15
Jamaica Observer Limited with
Candice Watson

FACTORS THAT PROMOTE AND HINDER DEVELOPMENT

Hello, everyone. Thanks for joining me this week. We continue to examine issues in Caribbean development by looking at some factors that promote and hinder development.

FACTOR PROMOTES DEVELOPMENT HINDERS DEVELOPMENT

▶ Gender equality contributes to GDP and GNP by allowing both

males and females to participate in the economy and be
▶ Segregates society based on sex and the perceived abilities of men and women to do jobs.
compensated for their work.

▶ The Gender Empowerment Measure (GEM) and the Gender

▶ Limits productivity: preference for a male to do a particular job and a female to do another may
Inequality Index (GII) implemented by the United Nations
result in persons who do not possess the required skills and qualifications being employed
Development Programme (UNDP) measures female participation in
while others possessing the skills remain unemployed or settle for jobs for which they are over-
GENDER national economic, political, professional affairs, labour force and
qualified.
(IN)EQUALITY reproductive health. This places pressure on countries to fully
▶ Limits participation in the labour force: gender stereotypes influence the extent to which
ensure that the right to equality and development are applied to
all citizens regardless of gender.
persons obtain training for jobs that are deemed masculine or feminine.
▶ Where conditions are conducive to both genders being able to
▶ Participation in politics and governance is affected by issues of patriarchy.
participate in national development at the economic, political and
professional levels, there will be increased productivity and
improved human well-being.

▶ Participation in government and governance is a hallmark of

▶ Political ideologies that limit the participation of the people in the government do not benefit
democracy. It is believed that the greater the participation of the
citizenry in government, the more developed it will become.
from the knowledge and expertise of individuals who are able to suggest strategies for
▶ Capitalism as a political ideology in the Caribbean allows for
development.

▶ Capitalism’s emphasis is on economic development; therefore, the Human Development

POLITICAL
empowerment of people, as there are limited restrictions to
IDEOLOGIES &
entrepreneurs for the production of goods and services which
POPULAR Paradigm is somewhat ignored. Hence, issues such as ‘poverty reduction’ are not emphasised.
contribute to the GDP and GNP.
▶ Capitalism embraces the idea of survival of the fittest, which leads to inequality. Inequality
MOVEMENTS
▶ Political ideologies such as ‘communism’ and ‘socialism’ aim to
hinders development, as some people will not have access to opportunities for improving their
promote human development through equality, equity and
quality of life.
productivity. Unfortunately, these are not mainstream ideologies
and therefore result in strained relationships with other countries.

▶ Unequal distribution of wealth and resources means that some people will benefit from
▶ Equity in the distribution of wealth and resources helps to reduce
opportunities more than others.

▶ The history of the Caribbean presents a picture of a region rich in natural resources, which were
DISTRIBUTION social ills such as poverty, crime and overpopulation.

▶ Equity drives sustainability; there will be greater thrust towards

OF WEALTH &
harnessed by foreign powers that developed various industries.
RESOURCES
▶ The Caribbean nations were exploited as a result of colonialism, which perpetuated the unequal
prudent use of resources.
distribution of wealth.

▶ The shift from slavery to freedom led to gradual changes in the

social hierarchy in the Caribbean. Social mobility became a reality.

▶ Upward social mobility – whether inter- or intra-generational not

only promotes development but is as a result of development. ▶ Division of society into classes places some persons at a greater advantage than others. The
CHANGING CLASS
▶ Increased opportunities due to greater equality and equity leads to
playing field is not level; therefore, stark inequalities still exist across class boundaries although
BOUNDARIES there are opportunities for upward social mobility.
improved productivity.

▶ The expansion of the ‘middle class’ suggests improvements in the

state of human well-being.

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JOL CARIBBEAN STUDIES continued from Page C 3

FACTOR PROMOTES DEVELOPMENT HINDERS DEVELOPMENT

▶ The drive and activity of entrepreneurs improve national, regional

▶ Limited resources – both physical and human – cause development to lag, although
and international competitiveness and productivity.
entrepreneurial drive may exist.
▶ Increased productivity leads to diversity and expansion of the
ENTREPRENEURIAL
▶ Access to capital needed for investment in entrepreneurial activity expansion may be hampered
DRIVE & ACTIVITY
productive sector of a country, thus expanding the range of
by the debt status and investment climate of the country.
knowledge and skills of the human resource.

▶ Acquiring new technologies without having the necessary expertise to operate them is
▶ Improved efficacy of people and businesses may be enabled by the
ineffective use of resources and limits productivity. ‘Troubleshooting’ or ‘trial and error’ wastes
time and energy.
use of ICTs.
▶ New technologies may be introduced with an aim of reducing the number of workers at a
▶ Education, health care and other social and economic services may
USE OF
TECHNOLOGY facility or an industry.
be improved to realise the general advancement of the society.
▶ Additionally, people who have lost their jobs to technology may not have the opportunity to
▶ Provides opportunities for people to garner 21st century skills.
regain employment, especially if there is no thrust to equip the population with necessary skills
and expertise to operate new technologies.

▶ Natural disasters, such as volcanoes can promote development in

▶ Hurricanes, earthquakes, flood, drought, etc. have devastating effects on human life, the
the long term as it can improve agricultural output and develop
NATURAL &
mineral industries e.g. sulphur.
▶ disasters impact on income-generating activities, such as tourism.
MAN-MADE economy and the environment.
DISASTERS ▶ Putting strategies in place to mitigate the effects of natural and
human-made disasters must be strictly enforced.

▶ Global economic recessions and external shocks present ▶ Global economic recessions tend to have a greater negative impact on developing countries.

▶ Small Island Developing States (SIDS) do not have the tenacity to recover from external shocks
GLOBAL opportunities for individual nations to improvise and innovate.
ECONOMIC The extent to which this is successful depends on the level of
CONDITIONS participation in government and the motivation of the people to and financial crises; their economic development is hampered as it is determined by global
progress. conditions.

▶ The curriculum must be relevant if the country is to progress. In the pre-independence period,
▶ Relevant curriculum enables the integration of indigenous
the curriculum was more relevant to the European student than it was to the Caribbean
student.
education and modern technology to maximise the scope of
▶ Negative attitudes towards the inclusion of indigenous aspects of Caribbean culture in the
knowledge and skills to be attained.

▶ Accessibility and affordability of education empowers people,

curriculum (such as history, art and the use of Creole languages in learning) limits the relevance
QUALITY &
of the curriculum and makes education less relatable to students.
RELEVANCE OF generates productivity and reduces inequality.
▶ Utilising traditional methodologies hampers expansion of knowledge of new technologies,
▶ Citizens gain 21st century skills which improve their ability to
EDUCATION
which are applicable to driving development.
solve problems, as the instructional methodologies and curricular
▶ Lack of accessibility to particular programmes at the tertiary level leads some of the ‘brightest
become more relevant to the existing socio-economic and political
issues (both nationally and globally).
minds’ to study overseas and not return to the region to assist with the skills and expertise
garnered.

▶ Diversity in the tourism products available allows access to a wide ▶ Some tourism products do not enable sustainable development. They deplete and degrade the
variety of tourists seeking different experiences. environment through excess energy consumption, large waste generation and poor disposal as well

▶ Specialised tourism products will allow the population to acquire

as irresponsible use of water.

the variety of skills needed to serve the tourists. ▶ Inviting foreign companies to invest in the tourism industry increases the influence of other cultural
TOURISM
▶ Entrepreneurial activity is boosted as individuals seek avenues to
practices at the expense of indigenous practices.

sell their products and services. Persons who do not work in the ▶ Citizens are marginalised as the industry is promoted as one that caters to foreigners. The cost to
tourism industry are able to benefit indirectly as the variety of access some resorts and facilities is far above what many citizens can afford, based on GDP per capita.
products offered expands. This further propels the ‘us versus them’ mentality and highlights inequalities.

Have a good week.

Candice Watson is on the staff of the Morant Bay High School • Email: chm.watson@yahoo.co.uk
43
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www.jamaicaobserver.com
CARIBBEAN
JOL LECTURE SERIES STUDIES Lesson 16
Jamaica Observer Limited with
Candice Watson

GLOBALISATION AND DEVELOPMENT

Welcome! This week we will examine the relationship between globalisation and development.

We begin by defining globalisation.

ACTIVITY Caribbean Sea

Instructions: Read the three definitions of globalisation below, and then create a diagram to show how the definitions are similar and
different.
1. The process whereby political, social, economic and cultural relations increasingly take on a global scale, and which has profound
consequences for individuals’ local experiences and everyday lives (Bilton et al, 1996).
2. The long-term process of interlinking the world’s separate economies by increasingly removing barriers to trade and to the flow of
capital, of information as well as of goods and services (CARICOM, 2005).
3. The process by which the flows of trade, finance and information between countries are broadened and deepened so that they
function as one global market (Mohammed, 2015).

Answer:

SIMILARITIES DIFFERENCES

▶ Consequences for citizens, not just for governments and economies

IMPACT (#1 and #3 only)
▶ Globalisation is a process
PROCEDURAL (all 3)
▶ Creation of global village/market

▶ Relations between countries

INTERCONNECTEDNESS (all 3)

▶ Interlinking economies
▶ Broadening and deepening of activities

▶ Not limited to economic focus; also includes social, political and cultural.
BROAD-BASED (#1 only)

▶ Economic relations and linkages

ECONOMY (all 3)

▶ Removal of trade barriers

▶ Global market

FORMS OF GLOBALISATION

GL OBALI SATI ON

ECON OMI C POLI TI CAL CULT URAL

Manifested through gowth of global production, Greater interconnectedness between countries, Facilitated by advanced communication technologies
global markets & global finance leading to more multilateral agreements which transmit globalised popular culture

Also facilitated through migration,

Facilitated by Faciliated through international
as improvements in engineering allow for increased,
multinational firms & transnational corporations and regional organisations, e.g. United Nations
quicker and more affordable movement of people

Aided by removal of trading barriers Policy decisions Cultures have become commercialised; this creates
and increased flow of information reflect global ideologies on global issues an increased demand in consumption of foreign cultures

Increased entrepreneurial drive Hybrid cultures are created,

and competitiveness due to increased interaction and the diaspora

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JOL CARIBBEAN STUDIES continued from Page C3

FACILITATORS OF GLOBALISATION AND DEVELOPMENT

FACILITATOR FUNCTIONS IMPACT ON GLOBALISATION IMPACT ON DEVELOPMENT

▶ Fair trade:
 Based on the principles established by the
▶ Managing trade agreements
▶ Trade liberalisation WTO, economically disadvantaged producers
 by reducing barriers to trade of goods and
▶ Facilitating trade liberalisation by providing a
should get increased opportunities which
services, there is increased interlinkage will lead to poverty reduction.
 Fair trading practices ensure that suppliers of
forum for trade negotiations
between countries and regions. Depending
▶ Mediating and resolving trade disputes
WORLD TRADE on the conditions and performance of goods and services are paid at a fair price in
ORGANISATION (WTO) products, economies may grow or shrink. order to increase their income and to promote
▶ Monitoring national trade policies
▶ Competitiveness
the notion of equal pay for equal work.
 Fair trade also ensures that goods are
 increased global competition allows
▶ Providing technical assistance and training for
produced in good working conditions and are
countries to expand into other markets. not produced by children or slaves. This is
developing countries
important for development as it means that
children’s well-being is not compromised.

▶ Increased investment in CARIFORUM countries and

▶ Increased trade
opportunities for expanding business in the EU
▶ Improving trade and investment between the
markets means greater productivity; hence, boost
 seeks to maximise the exchange of goods in GDP.
ECONOMIC CARIFORUM and European Union
▶ Aid for trade aspect includes technical support
and services, including those in the creative
▶ Providing stability (duty-free, quota-free) in EU
PARTNERSHIP and entertainment industries.
AGREEMENT
▶ Expands the market for products in both regions.
and training, which equips the CARIFORUM
market access
population with skills for development. It also
improves the competitiveness of CARIFORUM
member states.

▶ Fostering global monetary cooperation

▶ Promotes global economic stability by helping
▶ The IMF seeks to avert instability
▶ Securing financial stability
countries to implement appropriate policies to
avoid economic and financial crises and other  through surveillance, technical support and
▶ Facilitating the expansion and growth of
INTERNATIONAL
unfavourable conditions like high inflation. lending.
 This increases confidence in the economy,
MONETARY FUND
▶ Analyses global economic trends with a view to
(IMF) international trade
encourages investment, promotes economic
▶ Providing resources to members experiencing
discussing and resolving issues and concerns that growth and improves standards of living.
are common to the 189 member countries.
balance of payments difficulties

▶ Assisting developing countries to reduce poverty

▶ Fundraising:
▶ Financing projects and providing technical
 the World Bank participates in the global
▶ Promoting economic growth through policy and assistance for project completion helps countries
financial market, to be able to earn money
WORLD BANK institutional reforms, and facilitating access to to become more resilient to issues such as
to provide funding for projects as well as
financial markets devaluation, inflation, high interest rates and
technical and advisory services to its 189
▶ Creating a favourable investment climate
even natural disasters.
member countries.

▶ Transfer of information:
 advancements in telecommunications allow
▶ Internet penetration:
 the extent to which citizens have access to
for faster sharing of information in larger
quantities.
 The internet is the greatest facilitator of
the internet impacts the degree of access to
information.
globalisation as it connects people and
▶ Generating, storing and retrieving information ▶ Global online learning environments allow
places instantly.

▶ Monetary transactions:
▶ Standardising tasks for consistency and accuracy
students to gain knowledge and expertise in
 international transfer of funds is a reality
TECHNOLOGY specialised areas which may be used to contribute

▶ Using tools to reduce time spent on tasks

to development.
facilitated by the internet and the
▶ The internet also provides opportunities for
expansion of money transfer services.
 Buying goods and services online decreases
citizens to gain employment by completing tasks
time and space.
assigned by international companies. Countries
▶ Social media facilitates the transfer of
may earn foreign exchange as these persons are
usually paid in US dollars.
cultures and creates a space for dialogue
about cultural diversity.

Have a good week.

Candice Watson is on the staff of the Morant Bay High School • Email: chm.watson@yahoo.co.uk
45

Globalization and development
JASON MCINTOSH
Contributor
GOAL
For students to assess the ways in which globalization affects
development in the region.
OBJECTIVE
1. Examine how development in the region is influenced by
social, political, economic, technological and environmental
factors
Globalization is defined as the international integration of
goods, labour, technology and capital (Slaughter and Swagel,
1997). Globalization embraces the concept of ‘level playing field’.
Therefore, globalization as a process erodes the distinction from
one place to another. The process that results in the creation of a
global market and economy is characterised by:
 The world being one huge market.
 Use of the most advanced technology.
 Creation of competitive world market.
 Resource and technology as the most valuable source.
 More controlling power as technology advances.
 Capitalist states’ control of world’s economy.
INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND (IMF)
The IMF, or International Monetary Fund, is an international
organisation of 188 member countries; it works to ensure the
stability of the international monetary and financial system. The
IMF’s mandate includes facilitating the expansion and balanced
growth of international trade, promoting exchange stability, and
providing the opportunity for the orderly correction of countries’
balance of payments problems. The IMF was established in 1945.
WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION (WTO)
The WTO, or World Trade Organization, is an international
organisation of 160 members; it deals with the rules of trade
between nations. With Russia’s accession in August 2012, the
WTO encompasses all major trading economies. The WTO works
to help international trade flow smoothly, predictably and freely,
and provides countries with a constructive and fair outlet for
dealing with disputes over trade issues. The WTO came into being
in 1995, succeeding the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade
that was established in 1947.
WORLD BANK
Also known as the International bank of Reconstruction and
Development, it came into being following the Bretton Woods
Conference in 1944 and began operation in 1946. The World
Bank provides long-term loans to assist economic development.
ROLE OF THE WORLD BANK IN GLOBALIZATION
The World Bank assists low-income countries in that it plays a
vital role by working with governments to ensure strong
governance, effective judicial systems, and a robust financial
system. All these would help fight corruption. If these initiatives
are not taken, attracting foreign and domestic investment would
be difficult. The World Bank also assists middle-income
countries; 80% of the world’s poor live in middle-income
countries. These are the countries which require utmost help for a
strong financial stability. For that, the structural and social
reforms should be in place for the next stage of development. The
mission of tackling global poverty is the main agenda and the
only important tool to achieve overall development.
The World Bank is focuses on:
 Securing long-term funding.
 Giving advisory services.
 Creating the right policy and institutional framework.
 Addressing weaknesses in the social, structural, and
sectoral policies.
POSITVE IMPACTS OF GLOBALIZATION ON LABOUR
 International integration of goods, labour, technology, and
capital. (Slaughter and Swagel,1997)
 International integration in commodity, capital and labour
markets. (Bordo et al., 2003)
 Increased demand for skilled workers and decreased
demand for less-skilled workers.
 Increased technology and communications facilitates higher
education.
 Ease of travel allows labour to compete on an international
scale.
 Decentralization of labour market to industry hubs.
POSITVE IMPACTS OF GLOBALIZATION ON LABOUR
 A rise in worker remittances.
 Increased accessibility of employment in new areas.
 Rapid technological change may be responsible for a more
abrupt price decline in skill-intensive industries rather than in
unskilled, labor-intensive ones.
NEGATIVE IMPACTS OF GLOBALIZATION ON LABOUR
 Difficulties of integration into the host community.
 Increase in poverty as a result of the concentration of low-
skilled and low-paying jobs .
 Dramatic income inequality between the more and the less
YOUTHLINK MAGAZINE | MARCH 13-19, 2018
yl:caribbean studies
skilled in some countries.
 Unemployment among the less skilled in other countries.
 Limited employment protection.
IMPACT OF GLOBALIZATION ON INDUSTRY
 The reduction of barriers to cross-border trade and capital
flows, along with progress in transport and communication, has
made it easier for firms to move parts of their production to less-
costly foreign locations – a process referred to as offshoring.
 The location of production has become much more
responsive to relative labor costs across countries.
 An actively trading country benefits from the new
technologies that ‘spill over’ to it from its trading partners, such
as through the knowledge embedded in imported production
equipment.
 The productivity-enhancing effect from trade in
intermediates is large and trade in intermediates reduces the costs
of production.
COMMERCE
Trade can be viewed as effectively shipping from one country to
another the services of the workers engaged in the production of
traded goods.
(Matthew J. Slaughter and Phillip Swagel)
IMPACT OF GLOBALIZATION ON COMMERCE
 More and more output in the advanced economies consists
of largely non-tradable services: education, government, finance,
insurance, real estate, and wholesale and retail trade.
 Developing countries’ imports have been growing faster
than those of advanced economies and the share of advanced
economies’ exports going to developing countries has been
rising.
 Changes in product prices are the result of trade rather than
other purely domestic influences.
 Global competition has brought down international trade
prices.
RESPONSE OF LABOUR TO GLOBALIZATION
 Decentralization of labour market to industry hubs.
 Persisting large cross-country differences.
 Reductions in the tax wedge.
 Deregulation of product markets benefits from the bigger
economic ‘pie’, although their share of it has declined.
Jason McIntosh teaches at The Queen’s School. Send questions and
comments to kerry-ann.hepburn@gleanerjm.com
23
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JOL CARIBBEAN STUDIES continued from previous page

FACILITATORS OF ECONOMIC GLOBALIZATION AND DEVELOPMENT

• The World Trade Organization (WTO)

Formed in 1995 after the demise of the GATT, oversees trade regulations with enormous power to influence
development. Its headquarters are found in Geneva and it has 160 members. Its task is to remove all barriers or
encumbrances of any kind to trade anywhere in the world. Its activities are not restricted only to the developing
world. It is the only international body set up to oversee the rules of international trade and to arbitrate disputes
arising from those rules.

The Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA)

The EPA was developed as a response to the rejected non-reciprocal and discriminating preferential trade
agreement offered by the European Union (EU) to Africa, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries. In 2008, members
of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) signed an EPA with the EU. The intended economic purpose was to open
EU markets to Caribbean products by facilitating the free flow of goods, which would benefit from exemption
from excise duty and quota limits.

The World Bank

This institution was officially named the International Bank of Reconstruction and Development (IBRD). Its
headquarters are in Washington DC and it has over 188 member countries. Its president is always a US national.
The aim of the bank is provide finance for projects to promote development. Its overall focus is on economic
growth and poverty reduction. The loans it offers are oftentimes long term and go mainly to the developing
countries of the world to promote equity and productivity in education, health, agriculture and industry.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF)

The IMF works closely with the World Bank and has the same membership. Its headquarters are also located in
Washington DC and the president is oftentimes European by birth. Its main aim is to foster global monetary
cooperation and ensure financial stability worldwide. It extends loans and forms of technical assistance to expand
trade and to help countries promote exchange stability and manage their balance of payments problems.

Transnational Organizations (TNOs or TNCs)

These are large firms

(multinational companies)
which operate as
internationally integrated
production systems, often
outsourcing both
materials and labour.
Examples of TNCs are
Coca-Cola, Nestlé,
IBM, Microsoft just to
name a few.

JOL CARIBBEAN STUDIES continues on next page

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JOL CARIBBEAN STUDIES continued from previous page

Technology
Technological globalization impacts on all aspects
of life on the planet. Technological globalization
has impacted on all other forms of globalization.
It is this dimension that has affected Caribbean
culture, identity, financial and economic
management and local governance. We find that
the advances made in ICTs facilitate the way in
which globalization has been able to go a long
way in levelling the playing field for many where
communication is concerned. Within the Caribbean
for example, we are able to see or share in the
different cable channels as a result of satellite.
Additionally, news transfers on a faster speed.

Ideologies: social, gender, economic and political.

An ideology is a set of ideas, doctrines or beliefs which forms the basis about how someone or a group thinks of
the political, economic, religious or some other system. These ideologies foster globalization by linking people
across national and regional boundaries.

JOL CARIBBEAN STUDIES continues on next page

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JOL CARIBBEAN STUDIES continued from previous page

• Social ideology c) Impact and Response to Globalization

One social ideology is that equality of all persons in
opportunity would eliminate discrimination based Activity – With the aid of a table, show the
on age, gender, colour, race, national origin, and impacts and responses to globalization.
religion, physical and mental disabilities. When this
becomes reality for all countries then this will allow Impacts of the Responses
for greater interpenetration of ideas and the Globalization processes to Globalization
breaking down of boundaries between nations.

• Gender Ideology
These focus on the identity, freedom and
opportunities of women. Gender ideology is a
facilitator of globalization.

• Economic Ideology
The present internationalization of world systems
of trade in goods and services, flows of capital and References
finance and information is based on an ideology of
free trade and open markets. Economic ideology CAPE Caribbean Studies for self-study and distance
takes into account labour (creates or destroys jobs), learning (distributed by Nelson-Thornes Ltd)
balance of trade, market integration, flows of capital
and the dominance of transnational corporations. Caribbean Studies: for CAPE Examinations – 2nd Ed by
Jennifer Mohamed (distributed by Macmillan Education)

• Political Ideology CAPE Caribbean Studies: An Interdisciplinary approach

Works in favour of globalization mainly where
neoliberal economic policies are part and parcel of
them. Some political ideologies are as follows:
3 liberalism which affects social policies in
encouraging tolerance of non-traditional
religious and moral views.
3 Democracy
3 Conservatism
by Jennifer Mohamed –1st Ed ( distributed by Macmillan
Education)
CAPE Caribbean Studies by Ottley, Gentles and Dawson
(distributed by Pearson Education Ltd)
CAPE Revision Guide Caribbean Studies by Thompson,
Lawson-Downer, St John and Thomas-
Hunte(Distributed by HarperCollins Publishers Ltd)
https://www.slideshare.net/Veeshalla100/
globalisation-and-development

Debgeri Whitely is on the staff of

3 Socialism and communism
St. Hugh’s High School
! Email: dwhitely@sthughshigh.org
3 ‘green’ politics: ecology as ideology.
49
 Globalisation – Popular Movements
Civil Society - Globalization has considerably weakened traditional governance processes. Increasing global economic
integration has reduced the power of national governments while granting other economic and political actors access to
the world stage. The 1990s witnessed a dramatic increase in the involvement of non-governmental organizations
(NGOs) in global governance (Charnovitz, 1997). Enabling the constructive participation of civil society in global
environmental governance is thus one of the most important tasks for policymakers concerned with the effectiveness of
global governance (Gemmill, Ivanova, and Chee, 2002). This chapter explores the potential for strengthened roles for
civil society, and especially non-governmental organizations, within a new or a restructured global environmental
governance system.

We argue that civil society should play a major role in five key areas:
• Information collection and dissemination;
• Policy development consultation;
• Policy implementation;
• Assessment and monitoring;
• Advocacy for environmental justice.

The term civil society is generally used to classify persons, institutions, and organizations that have the goal of advancing
or expressing a common purpose through ideas, actions, and demands on governments (Cohen and Arato, 1992). The
membership of civil society is quite diverse, ranging from individuals to religious and academic institutions to issue-
focused groups such as not-for-profit or non-governmental organizations. In the realm of environmental governance,
NGOs are the most prominent actors. Eg. Amnesty International, Jamaicans for Justice (JFJ), National Integrity Action
(NIA), PMI – Peace Management Initiative.

Examples of such organisations are -

Caribbean Association for Feminist Research and Action (CAFRA) - CAFRA is a regional network of feminists, individual
researchers, activists and women’s organisations that define feminist politics as a matter of both consciousness and
action. We are committed to understanding the relationship between the oppression of women and other forms of
oppression in the society, and we are working actively for change.
The history of feminism in the Caribbean can be located in women’s tradition of resistance during African-Caribbean
enslavement, continuing through East Indian and other bonded labour, and the women’s movements of the early 20th
century and the present.

Women's Action for New Directions or WAND is a progressive national non-profit organization that seeks to empower
women to act politically to reduce violence and militarism and redirect excessive military resources toward unmet
human and environmental needs.

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CARIBBEAN
STUDIES Lesson 26
with
Debgeri Whitely

ISSUES IN
CARIBBEAN DEVELOPMENT
Hello everyone, welcome back to today’s lesson. We are in
the final stretch of the Syllabus and the unit of focus comes
from Module 2: Issues in Caribbean Development; The
Integration Movement. Once again, I ask of you to continue
doing your reading in order to comprehend the topic(s) Caribbean Sea
that are covered each week. See you next week and all the
best for the remainder of this week.
What is Integration?
Politically it is the process whereby people transfer their
commitment and loyalty from smaller /weaker states to a
larger central political system.

Early attempts of Integration within the Caribbean

The Caribbean region has a long history of integration starting with the Leeward Island Federation in 1871 , the attempts
at a Windward Island Federation in 1876 and the British Honduras and Jamaica alignment 1862-1884.

Why the Caribbean needs Integration?

3 Lack of expertise

3 Local firms lack access to larger markets

3 Individual countries lack adequate resources for development

3 Lack of investment and economic opportunities in individual islands

3 Our relatively small size of individual economies makes us limited and vulnerable

3 Our inability to cope with negative shocks for example natural disasters and global conditions

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What is Regional Integration?

Regional Integration – is a process in which states that share a common geographic location, history and or political
structure enter into an agreement in order to introduce coordination and increase cooperation through common
institutions and rules. This integration is usually aimed at bringing together resources and talents and to unify systems
of government to some extent in order to protect borders, increase efficiency and pool resources for its citizens.

The table below shows the factors that promotes or hinders Regional Integration

Factors PROMOTING Regional Integration Factors HINDERING Regional Integration

• Close proximity to each other through air and
sea travel
• Shared common history
• Common Language
• Shared common culture in terms of dress,cuisine,
music and general lifestyle
• Small size
• Similar economic, social and political problems
• Regional institutions such as UWI, CXC, WICB
• Limited resources (human and physical)
• Common local and international problems
• Challenges of globalization
• Increase in the number of trading blocs eg. EU
and FTAA
• Different strategies for economic growth
• Territorial interests supersede regional interest
(insularity)
• Some concessions to foreign investors run
contrary to CARICOM objectives
• Stifled regional trade due to commonality in
products
• Poor communication among territories
• Competition among member states
• Differences in resource distribution
• Countries produce similar products ...
Affect trading relationship
• Territories do not have the same currency
• Territories are scattered over the region

Benefits of Integration

3 Growth of intra-regional trade

3 Flow of technical assistance from MDCs to LDCs
3 Cooperation in non-economic ventures
3 Overall improvement in employment and standard of living
3 Greater sense of unity through cultural exchange
3 Greater self-reliance to increase production and consumption of locally grown food
3 Flow of financial resources from MDCs to LDCs
3 Joint development of basic natural resources for regional use
3 Establishment of common services
3 Greater sense of solidarity and fraternity

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www.jamaicaobserver.com JOL LECTURE SERIES Jamaica Observer Limited
CARIBBEAN
STUDIES Lesson 24
with
Candice Watson

THE INTEGRATION MOVEMENT

Hello! This week we will look at the evolution of regional integration in the Caribbean and the challenges and
achievements of various regional agencies/organisations.

THE EVOLUTION OF REGIONAL ORGANISATIONS

YEAR ORGANISATION OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES

► Established by the British Caribbean Federation Act (1956)

► AIM: To establish a political union among member states

► MEMBER STATES: Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada,

Jamaica, Montserrat, St. Kitts-Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and Trinidad &
Tobago

► ACTIVITIES:
(1) Creation of a federal civil service and the West Indies Shipping
Service (operated 2 ships donated by Canadian government –
The West Indies Federal Maple & Federal Palm).
1958
Federation (2) Debated issues of direct taxation (not allowed to impose income
tax for the first five years), constitutional reform, establishment
of a regional customs union
(3) Started negotiations to acquire the British West Indies Airways
as a subsidiary of the British Overseas Airways Corporation

► The Federation collapsed in 1962 as a result of: (1) Disagreements over

taxation and administrative policies; (2) Refusal of most member states
to give up national power for federal power; (3) Disagreement over the
location of the federal capital (Trinidad & Tobago); (4) Withdrawal of
Jamaica – the largest member – after a national referendum in 1961,
followed by the withdrawal of Trinidad & Tobago

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THE EVOLUTION OF REGIONAL ORGANISATIONS

YEAR ORGANISATION OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES

► Established by the Dickenson Bay Agreement of December 1965. Fully

operational in 1968
► AIM: To foster balanced development among member states by increasing,
diversifying and liberalising trade and attempting to guarantee fair
competition
► MEMBER STATES: Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada,
Guyana, Jamaica, Montserrat, St. Kitts-Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the
Grenadines, and Trinidad & Tobago
The Caribbean
► ACTIVITIES:
Free Trade
1968 (1) Established the Caribbean Development Bank, Caribbean
Association
Broadcasting Union and the Council of Legal Education
(CARIFTA)
(2) Removal of import duties and quotas
(3) Regulation of trade to ensure equity for both Less Developed and
More Developed Countries through the Oils and Fats Agreement,
Agricultural Marketing Protocol and Guaranteed Marketing Scheme
► ACHIEVEMENTS: (1) 90% removal of trade barriers for member states;
(2) increase in intra-regional trade from EC$95.7 million
in 1967 to EC$298 million in 1973
► CARIFTA evolved into the CARICOM

► Established in 1973 by the Treaty of Chaguaramas

► AIM: To promote economic integration, co-ordinate foreign policy, share
common services through functional co-operation in various areas among
member states
► MEMBER STATES: Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada,
Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Montserrat, St. Kitts-Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and
the Grenadines, Suriname and Trinidad & Tobago
The Caribbean
► ASSOCIATE MEMBERS: Anguilla, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Turks and
Community and
1973 Caicos Islands
Common Market
► ACTIVITIES:
(CARICOM)
(1) Human and social development through: crime reduction
strategies, promotion of cultural activities, health, education and
training
(2) Regional trade and economic integration in the areas of:
agriculture, CSME, industry, sustainable development, tourism,
transportation, finance, planning and monetary co-operation
(3) Foreign and community relations planning and co-ordination

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THE EVOLUTION OF REGIONAL ORGANISATIONS

YEAR ORGANISATION OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES

► Established by the Treaty of Basseterre

► AIM: To defend sovereignty, meet obligations to international community,

foster economic integration and functional co-operation among member
The states
Organisation of
1981 Eastern
Caribbean States ► MEMBER STATES: Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, St.
(OECS) Kitts-Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines

► ACHIEVEMENTS: single currency, central bank, single sub-regional judicial

system, functional co-operation in health, education, environment and
trade

► Established by convention signed July 29, 1994 (Cartagena de Indias –

Columbia)

► AIM: Economic integration through strengthening trade within the wider

Caribbean context and functional co-operation in sustainable
development, tourism, transportation, science and technology, education,
health and culture.
Association of
1994 Caribbean States
(ACS) ► MEMBER STATES: Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Belize, Colombia, Costa
Rica, Cuba, Dominica, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Grenada,
Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, St.
Kitts-Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad &
Tobago and Venezuela

► ACTIVITIES: Address policy issues such as human trafficking, drug

trafficking, equity in trade

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CHALLENGES AND ACHIEVEMENTS OF REGIONAL ORGANISATIONS
REGIONAL
CHALLENGES
ORGANISATION
► University campuses are situated
in larger member states (Jamaica,
Barbados, and Trinidad and Tobago)
which places students in smaller
territories at a disadvantage, due to
increased travelling expenses (among
other issues). This led some territories
to establish their own universities e.g.
Belize and Guyana
► The establishment of other universities
and colleges in the region (e.g.
THE UNIVERSITY
University of Technology Jamaica, and
OF THE
the University of Trinidad and Tobago)
WEST INDIES
indicate that the UWI cannot meet the
(UWI)
demand of all persons who wish to
pursue tertiary education.
► Internationalisation has created
greater competition to the UWI:
foreign institutions offer distance
education. They set up local sites or
partner with national institutions to
offer programmes that are not offered
by the UWI or which provide options
for those who may not have qualified
to go to the UWI.
► Competition due to internationalisation:
e.g. numerous students take the SAT
with the hope of gaining scholarships
to study in the USA.
CARIBBEAN
EXAMINATIONS
► Transition from paper-based to online
COUNCIL (CXC)
testing and marking may be slow, due
to limited internet penetration in
some territories and lack of availability
of tools and equipment in others.
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ACHIEVEMENTS
► Minimised cost of tertiary education to
citizens of countries that are members of
CARICOM, due to agreements to subsidize
the tuition fees.
► Wider availability of tertiary education,
with expansion of campuses: e.g. opening
of the Western Jamaica Campus and the
creation of the Open Campus (Online)
► All courses are accredited and the UWI
implements new areas of study to keep
up with global developments in the
educational sphere.
► Graduates of the UWI have become
leading experts, professionals, politicians
and leaders nationally, regionally and
globally.
► The UWI has been the centre of research
contributing to regional development
t h ro u g h t h e i m p l e m e n t a t i o n o f
programmes which are relevant to the
Caribbean context; which helps to record,
preserve and solve problems.
► Implemented a regional, culturally
relevant curriculum.
► Qualifications are recognised regionally
and internationally, due to quality
standards established in curriculum
development and delivery as well as the
structure and execution of examinations,
which seeks to maintain integrity.
► A wider variety of subject areas is offered
from the primary to secondary levels.
► Transition from paper-based to online
testing and marking
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CHALLENGES AND ACHIEVEMENTS OF REGIONAL ORGANISATIONS
REGIONAL
CHALLENGES
ORGANISATION
► Insularity is an issue: some countries
lament the selection process as biased
(towards some countries) by selecting
more players from one country than
another.
► Limited resources have impacted
performance and lowered morale of
cricketers.
WEST INDIES
CRICKET BOARD ► Opportunities to increase their earning
(WICB) capacity by playing in extra-regional
tournaments l imit cric keters ’
availability to play at their optimum
for the West Indies team.
► Contention between cricketers and the
governing WICB has emerged over
selection and remuneration, which has
led to actions such as boycotts.
CARIBBEAN
INSTITUTE OF ► Initially the Institute trained small
MEDIA AND numbers of students, but has
COMMUNICATION gradually expanded.
(CARIMAC)
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ACHIEVEMENTS
► Globally recognised West Indian
cricketers have set and shattered records,
and received prestigious awards. For
example: Sir Curtly Ambrose, Sir Frank
Worrell, Sir Garfield Sobers and Sir Vivian
Richards.
► Fosters closer relationships between
nationals of various member states, thus
s t re n g t h e n i n g t h e i n te g ra t i o n
movement. The theme song, ‘Rally round
the West Indies’ helped to support unity
within the region.
► Establishment of special committees and
a regional cricket conference to discuss
a n d i m p l e m e n t s u g g e s t i o n s fo r
improving the quality of performance of
the West Indies cricket team.
► Involvement of women, to form the West
Indies cricket team for women.
► Implementation of Shell Cricket Academy
for training and development of skills.
► Hosting international events: e.g. Cricket
World Cup (2007)
► Provides training in most aspects of
media and communication and offers
various levels of qualifications.
► Graduates have become internationally
renowned and display high levels of
professionalism.
► Public awareness campaigns produced by
students have had regional impact in
terms of disaster preparedness, HIV/AIDS
and domestic violence.
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CHALLENGES AND ACHIEVEMENTS OF REGIONAL ORGANISATIONS
REGIONAL
CHALLENGES
ORGANISATION
► Limited resources (both financial and
human) hamper efforts to achieve
objectives of making the region more
REGIONAL safe and secure.
SECURITY SYSTEM
(RSS) ► Scope of operation needs to be
expanded to policing waters beyond
CARICOM states, if the RSS is to be
effective.
► Although the CDB has provided
financing for important projects and
programmes, a financing gap exists.
CARIBBEAN The amount of funding the CDB is able
DEVELOPMENT to acquire (from Inter-American
BANK (CDB) Development Bank, World Bank and
International Monetary Fund) is
exceeded by the amount needed to
adequately fund projects.
C 10
ACHIEVEMENTS
► Negotiation and implementation of
regional maritime agreement to combat
illicit trade.
► Seeks to promote regional co-operation
among member states to assist in:
national emergencies and natural or
human-made disasters, search and
rescue operations, immigration control,
fisheries protection and in combatting
threats to national security.
► Promotes economic co-operation and
economic growth and development
among member states.
► E st a b l is h e d the pr ivat e se ct or
development unit.
► Provides financing for special projects for
development in: agriculture, marketing,
forestry, manufacturing, mining, tourism,
transportation, housing, education,
sewerage, etc.
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CARIBBEAN
STUDIES Lesson 18
with
Candice Watson

THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF SPORTS TO DEVELOPMENT

Welcome! This week we will explore the contributions of sports to development in the Caribbean.

SPORTS AND HUMAN DVELOPMENT

promotes mental & physical wellness

raises level of alertness

& builds immune system

HEALTH & FITNESS boosts productivity

decreases risk of lifestyle disesases

e.g. obesity, hypertension, diabetes

increases life expectancy

broadened scope of curriculum

SPORTS – to include physical education and sport
physical activity
pursued sport studies pursued at all educational levels
for exercise,
EDUCATION
pleasure tertiary & sports institutions provide
or competition qualifications in coaching, therapy, etc
by individuals
or groups scholarships & grants for student athletes

promotes global citizenship; it builds tolerance

& appreciation for cultural diversity

builds loyalty and patriotism

CITIZENSHIP
develops skills & competence

teaches humility, dedication & discipline

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In the context of the Human Development Paradigm sports may facilitate empowerment, productivity and sustainability.

EQUITY EMPOWERMENT PRODUCTIVITY SUSTAINABILITY

▶ Standardised rules ▶ Provision of ▶ Training facilities ▶ Parks, fields and

and procedures for amenities such as and clubs aim to tracks provide
fair play fields, courts, hone skills and green areas for

▶ Sports are
pitches and tracks prepare members communities.

▶ Some water-sports
as well as for competitions

▶ Trainers, coaches,
inclusive; do not equipment
discriminate based encourages may be viewed as
on race or class participation. referees, umpires, having adverse

▶ Groups/classes are ▶ Encourages

managers, effects on the
therapists, etc. marine
set based on innovation and engage athletes in environment.
capabilities of creativity, e.g. order to boost However,
players, e.g. sex or Jamaica entering their productivity. governments
age group Bobsleigh teams. These develop policies to

▶ Forms of sports ▶ Globalisation leads

professionals are safeguard areas
also being such as
developed for to introduction of productive as they mangroves,
groups with non-traditional provide well watershed areas
disabilities, e.g. sports to the needed services. and marine parks.

▶ Human health and

▶ Sporting events
Special Olympics region, allowing

▶ Planning for the

people to explore a wellbeing are
wider variety of such as 5K maintained, thus
implementation of options. runs/walks engage decreasing the
▶ Excelling in
sporting amenities the community to prominence of
in every become more lifestyle illnesses.

▶ United Nations
community, sporting events active and to
facilitated by boosts patriotism, promote
agencies such as nationalism and citizenship (they International Day
the Sports regionalism. are charitable of Sport for
Development events). Development and
Foundation Peace recognizes

▶ Rules and
the potential
contribution of
regulations sports to
against doping development and
(use of an environment of
performance- peace, tolerance
enhancing and
substances) understanding.

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SPORTS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

FACTOR PROS CONS

▶ Communities hosting local competitions

Local events Sponsorship

may foster dedication to development ▶ If events are conceptualized by locals

of those events. but sponsored by nationally or

▶ Creates business opportunities for

internationally recognised companies,
locals may lose the rights to the events.
locals, e.g. food & beverage service. Hence, income generated will not be

▶ Local events could become a brand for

spent on community development.

the community; hence, promote

community tourism.

▶ Will see the emergence of local talent –

Manufacturing

providing job and investment ▶ Locally made goods may not be well
opportunities. constructed.

▶ Cost of raw material may be too high.

▶ Production of:
Manufacturing

Developing  sports equipment such as balls, ▶ Locals may not be able to withstand
local markets bats, rackets; competition from more established
 apparel (sneakers, t-shirts, brands in terms of price, quality and
hats/caps); availability.
 beverages and snacks (energy

▶ Entities provide employment

drinks and energy bars).

opportunities and help to develop

creative skills.

▶ Investing the earnings of athletes from

Re-investment of earnings

international competitions in
developing facilities or acquiring real
estate will help to improve performance
and involvement in sports in developing
countries.

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FACTOR PROS
▶ Countries that bid to host events, such
Constructing facilities
as the Olympics or World Cup Cricket
acquire funding to build new ‘state of
▶ New facilities attract investors to
the art’ stadiums.
Hosting
manage and operate them.
international
▶ Research on sports and development
events Conferences
may be presented at conferences and
seminars which attract experts and
stakeholders who wish to learn about
the latest trends.
▶ Educational institutions provide
Training and education
qualifications to individuals who pursue
courses which equip them to train,
manage and provide therapy to
▶ Referees and other officials gain formal
athletes.
and internationally recognised
qualifications, which improve
productivity and contribute to GDP.
▶ Opportunities arise for media personnel
Media
to follow and report on sporting events.
This not only publicises events and
Providing job participants but provides a source of
opportunities income for the workers (reporters,
photographers, commentators,
journalists)
▶ Planners of sporting events seek not
Event Management
only to showcase the talent of the
▶ Event managers provide specialised
athletes but to gain economically.
services for which they are
remunerated. They also seek sponsors
for the events; this boosts corporate
citizenship and builds brand loyalty. If
sponsors are local, there will be a boost
in productivity.
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CONS
Constructing facilities
▶ Countries are sometimes left in debt
after hosting large scale international
events – having spent on developing
resources and providing temporary
employment.
▶ New stadiums are often not utilised
after hosting the major event.
▶ Athletes who train and reach a high
Muscle drain
level, based on international standards
are either recruited or seek
opportunities in countries that have
more ‘quality’ sports programmes, more
developed facilities and more attractive
▶ Although they may train at better
salaries.
facilities and garner skills that would be
useful for advancing their homeland
(usually a developing country),
contractual arrangements often do not
permit them to go back to represent
their countries in international
▶ Some change their citizenship to
competitions.
represent foreign countries.
▶ Like muscle drain, developing countries
Brain Drain
lose some of their best coaches,
umpires and other sports professionals
to developed countries which provide
▶ In addition to the loss of skilled
better salaries and benefits.
professionals who would contribute to
development, productivity is also
impacted in developing countries and
governments lose revenue though
taxation and decline in GDP.
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FACTOR PROS CONS

International recognition Debt

▶ Developing countries are able to

▶ Investment in new facilities may
prove that they are capable of
hosting world class events. plunge countries into financial

▶ Although tourists visit to attend

difficulty as these facilities do not
host activities often enough to
sporting events, they often
generate revenue to cover the
engage in sightseeing and are
able to interact with the locals; cost of construction.
this often leads to exchange of
cultures.
Sports
tourism
Socio-cultural
Accommodation
▶ Employment and venture
▶ Hoteliers will generate more
opportunities related to sports
income as they receive increased
bookings. tourism may erode traditional

▶ Locals may earn income by

(local) income-generating
activities, negatively impacting
opening their homes to visitors if
the economy.
the hotels are at maximum
capacity.

Taxation
Governments charge taxes on
winnings which go towards GDP. This
is especially so for horse-racing, but
Gambling
some companies (such as JustBet)
offer betting on over ten international
sports.
Debt
While gamblers may earn some
winnings, many others lose money.
This has a negative effect on an
individual and family level. Some
families are even on the brink of
poverty, due to gambling addiction.

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SPORTS AND CARIBBEAN IDENTITY

The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) views sports as a unifying force which promotes regionalism. This is evidenced
by the West Indies Cricket teams which experienced success in the past in test cricket. More recently, West Indies teams
have excelled at One Day International matches and ‘Twenty-20’. The sport (cricket) has grown more inclusive, with
the establishment of women and youth teams.

Other sports in the region have created administrative bodies and there are regional sporting competitions which allow
CARICOM nationals to experience the wider Caribbean, engage in another aspect of the culture, serve as a training ground
for the world scene and foster integration. The table below illustrates some of the regional sports competitions.

ATHLETICS CARIFTA Games (Youth Track and Field and Swimming)

BADMINTON Caribbean Badminton Championships (CAREBACO)

BASKETBALL CARICOM Basketball Championships (male and female)

BODY BUILDING Caribbean Body Building Championships (male, female and youth)

BOXING CARICOM Amateur Boxing Championships

CRICKET Busta Cup (seniors), Trinidad Cement Ltd. Trophy (youth), Caribbean Women’s Championship

FOOTBALL Shell Caribbean Cup

GOLF Hoerman Cup, Francis Steele-Perkins Trophy and George Teale Cup (male, seniors and female)

LAWN TENNIS Caribbean Junior Lawn Tennis Circuit

NETBALL Caribbean Netball Championships

RIFLE SHOOTING Caribbean Rifle Shooting Championships

RUGBY Caribbean Rugby Championships

SQUASH Caribbean Squash Championships

TABLE TENNIS Caribbean Table Tennis Championships

VOLLEYBALL Caribbean Volleyball Championships (male and female)

Have a good week.

Candice Watson is on the staff of the Morant Bay High School

 Email: chm.watson@yahoo.co.uk

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www.jamaicaobserver.com JOL LECTURE SERIES Jamaica Observer Limited
CARIBBEAN
STUDIES Lesson 21
with
Candice Watson

INTELLECTUAL TRADITIONS AND

DEVELOPMENT
Hello, students! This week we will assess the intellectual
traditions of the Caribbean and their impact on
development in the region.

Caribbean Sea
Characteristics of Intellectual Traditions
Ideology is the cornerstone of intellectual traditions.
Ideologies are a set of strong beliefs and values about how
social life can be improved. It may be a position or world
view that justifies particular thoughts and actions, which
may be deemed acceptable and unacceptable. Ideology
may lead to the formation of social movements.
Intellectual traditions are characterised by:

1. Commitment to
an ideology by a
group

2. Documentation
and intellectual
discourse of the
ideology by the
group

3. Analysis of social
life based on the
ideology

4. Social action
taken, which is
influenced by the
group’s ideology

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AFRO-CARIBBEAN THOUGHT

INTELLECTUAL FACTORS GIVING PURPOSE OF IMPACT OF

KEY PROPONENTS
TRADITION RISE TO MOVEMENT MOVEMENT MOVEMENT

PAN-AFRICANISM: • Colonialism • Henry Sylvester • Shaping of • Social actions

• Forced migration Williams African identity taken through:
A cultural, of Africans (Trinidad) with and among conferences,
intellectual and • The creation of • Marcus Garvey all people of publications,
cultural movement an African (Jamaica) African descent rallies, protests,
which promotes diaspora • Cyril Briggs • Creating music, sermons
African liberation • Movement to (Nevis) solidarity among • Forming
and unification of unite people of • Claude McKay people of African organisations
all peoples of African descent (Jamaica) descent and entering
African origin • George Padmore • African pride and politics helped to
/Malcolm Nurse consciousness in inspire the sense
(Trinidad) all spheres of life of African pride
• CLR James • Depicting Africa and solidarity as
(Trinidad) as the homeland intended
• WEB Dubois for people of • In Trinidad and
(USA) African descent Tobago, Guyana
• Kwame Nkrumah • Highlighting and Jamaica:
(Ghana) African history black
• Jomo Kenyatta and culture as a consciousness
(Kenya) beacon of dignity movements were
• Stokely for people of founded; these
Carmichael / African descent helped to spur
Kwame Toure empowerment
(Trinidad) through
• Walter Rodney education,
(Guyana) political
involvement and
social action.
• Intellectual and
artistic
philosophy
encouraged
co-operation in
the movements
toward
decolonisation
and
independence.
• Influenced the
growth of trade
unions and
political parties.

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INTELLECTUAL FACTORS GIVING PURPOSE OF IMPACT OF

KEY PROPONENTS
TRADITION RISE TO MOVEMENT MOVEMENT MOVEMENT
NEGRITUDE: • Experience of • Aimé Césaire • Highlighting the • Heightened
slavery, (Martinique) struggles of awareness about
A cultural and imperialism and people of African the ills of
intellectual colonialism • Léopold Senghor descent through colonialism and
movement based (Senegal) the arts the necessity of
on the ideology • Negative black
of black portrayal of • Frantz Fanon • Inspiring black consciousness
consciousness and ‘blacks’ in (Martinique) pride through
the assertion of literature and positive portrayal • Political activism
African cultural theatre • Léon Damas of blacks in and protest
identity (French Guiana) literature against
• Movement to imperialism
inspire black • Gabriel Okara • Creating
pride in (Nigeria) nationalist • Influenced the
Francophone ideology in creation of
countries • Omafume Onoge Francophone political
(Nigeria) Africa and movements,
Caribbean trade unions and
social security
• Emphasizing facilities
Africa as a source
of identity • Growth of
cultural centres –
theatres,
museums and
libraries

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INTELLECTUAL FACTORS GIVING PURPOSE OF IMPACT OF

KEY PROPONENTS
TRADITION RISE TO MOVEMENT MOVEMENT MOVEMENT
RASTAFARI • Colonialism, • Leonard Howell • Promoting black • Social activism
slavery, (Jamaica) supremacy, pride occurring mainly
A cultural imperialism and dignity through reggae
movement that music and
originated in • Ethnocentrism • Fighting for protests for

Jamaica; it and racism repatriation & repatriation to

Ethiopia
espouses black reparation to the
consciousness and • Poverty and homeland, ‘Mama
• Messages of
fighting against oppression Africa’
peace, love,
oppression experienced by
justice and equity
black people • Encouraging
are generally the
communal and
main themes in
self-reliant living
reggae music
which have been
• Practising used in an
religion based attempt to
on the concept reduce crime and
of a black, tribal politics
African divinity (e.g. Bob Marley’s
(Emperor Haile Peace Concert in
Selassie) and Jamaica)
sacramental
herb (ganja) • Protest music
used to inspire
people in
oppression in
Africa (e.g.
Apartheid –
South Africa).

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ECONOMIC & POLITICAL THOUGHT

INTELLECTUAL FACTORS GIVING PURPOSE OF IMPACT OF

KEY PROPONENTS
TRADITION RISE TO MOVEMENT MOVEMENT MOVEMENT
INDUSTRIALISATION • High levels of • Sir Arthur Lewis • Encourage • Growth in GDP
BY INVITATION unemployment (St. Lucia) economic growth due to increased
through foreign foreign
An economic • Poverty investment investment
development • Increased
strategy guided by • The need for • Reduction of employment
The Theory of creation of new seasonal (although
Economic Growth, a jobs as a shift employment and unemployment
book written by Sir away from increased levels are still not
Arthur Lewis which agriculture employment for satisfactory) with
suggested that the labour force better working
Caribbean • Socio-economic conditions than
countries should and political • Promote what previously
attract foreign instability in the economic existed –
investment by 1930s diversification though not ideal
providing • Harnessing of
conditions • Lack of financial • Stimulate the resources which,
conducive to the resources export market to prior to foreign
establishment of build investment, were
manufacturing international under-utilised
industries. reserves (e.g. Bauxite –
Jamaica and
• Garner technical Guyana; Oil –
skills and Trinidad)
expertise in • Incentives
manufacturing; provided to
expand the investors were
secondary and exploited. Many
tertiary sectors left at the end of
the incentive
period, leaving
workers
unemployed
• Dependence on
foreign
investment; little
regard for
environmental
concerns; many
companies
produced
chemicals,
generating
pollution and
toxic waste, with
poor disposal
systems.

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INTELLECTUAL FACTORS GIVING PURPOSE OF IMPACT OF

KEY PROPONENTS
TRADITION RISE TO MOVEMENT MOVEMENT MOVEMENT

MARXISM, • Colonial mind-set • Karl Marx • Minimise the • Cuban Revolution

NEO-MARXISM, and colonial (Germany) dominance of
CARIBBEAN dictatorship ‘whites’/the • Grenada
MARXISM • Fidel Castro ruling class Revolution
• Exploitation of (Cuba)
Theories of working class • Encourage social • Greater
economic (proletariat) • Michael Manley justice appreciation for
development based (Jamaica) social justice
on analysis of the • Social unrest and • Nationalisation (natural rights,
exploitation of the racism • Maurice Bishop of sectors of the welfare, mutual
working class by (Grenada) economy e.g. advantage,
the ruling class, banks, minimised
under the capitalist • Cheddie Jagan transportation, discrimination)
system. (Guyana) electricity,
communication, • National
• Forbes Burnham sugar, bauxite ownership of
(Guyana) industries – aim
• Improve social was to fuel
welfare economic growth
programmes: and self-reliance;
education, health backfired due to
care, working heavy debt
conditions burden

• Alliances with
Cuba – lent
technical support
for building
infra-structure,
expanding health
care and
education.

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INTELLECTUAL FACTORS GIVING PURPOSE OF IMPACT OF

KEY PROPONENTS
TRADITION RISE TO MOVEMENT MOVEMENT MOVEMENT

DEPENDENCY • Economic • Andre Gunder • Sever ties with • Objectives of

THEORY inequality Frank the metropolis Dependency
(Germany/USA) theory have not
A theory of • Systematic • Form mutual been fully applied
development that exploitation of • Walter Rodney alliances with to the Caribbean
espouses the the Third World (Guyana) countries of (except in Cuba)
notion that there is by imperial similar status because the
a dependent powers • Lloyd Best countries
relationship (Trinidad) embrace
between the core • Colonialism – capitalism to
or metropole expropriation of • Kari Levitt some extent.
(industrialised resources by (Canada)
societies) and the plunder and • It is difficult and
periphery or destruction of • Norman Girvan impractical to
satellites indigenous (Jamaica) implement
(developing and/or industries Dependency
underdeveloped • George Beckford theory in a
societies) which (Jamaica) globalised world,
explains the as the values of
uneven • New World Group free trade would
development of the (Guyana) be breached.
world.
• Formation of
CARICOM (CSME)
as a trading bloc
is a step towards
self-reliance, but
is affected by
competition from
other blocs.

Candice Watson is on the staff of the Morant Bay High School

 Email: chm.watson@yahoo.co.uk

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CARIBBEAN
STUDIES Lesson 19
with
Candice Watson

THE ROLES AND FUNCTIONS OF MASS MEDIA IN DEVELOPMENT

Hello, students! Today we will assess factors which impact mass media’s contribution to the development of the
Caribbean region.

DEFINING MASS MEDIA

MASS MEDIA -
Channels of communication through which organisations and institutions
transmit information to large audiences
over a wide geographical area

CATEGORIES OF
PRINT, ELECTRONIC, DIGITAL
MASS MEDIA

blogs,
social networks,
magazines, radio,
vlogs,
newspapers, televsion,
tube networks,
posters, books, CD,
emails,
newsletters DVD
text messaging,
ebooks

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ROLES AND FUNCTIONS OF THE MASS MEDIA

MASS MEDIA ROLES FUNCTIONS

providing news, commentaries, investigative reports,

public service announcements
INFORM
presenting current affairs and social, economic
or political issues

presenting films, music, sports & comedy

ENTERTAIN
showcasing creativity and real life experiences
e.g. reality t.v., making memes

presenting documentaries, lectures;

debates are transmitted
EDUCATE
facilitating conferences, seminars, video channels & access
PRINT,
to distance/ virtual learning environments
ELECTRONIC,
DIGITAL
raising awareness about strategies
for preparing for natural & human-made disasters
PROTECT
informing citizens about impending threats
e.g. hurricanes & outbreaks of diseases

allowing citizens to have a voice to express views

through letters to the editor & talk shows
EMPOWER
expanding options for expression
e.g. websites, blogs, social media

exposing government & business activities

INFLUENCE
providing information
on products, trends and changes affecting society

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MASS MEDIA CONSTRUCTING IDENTITY

▶ Written works of individuals in the independence

NATIONAL IDENTITY

movements have been published and broadcast

▶ Broadcast of national events such as Festival of

in the form of books, poems, songs, etc

▶ Showcasing communities in special programmes;

the Creative Arts, Grand Gala

▶ Opportunities created for individuals and groups

e.g. Hill & Gully Ride

that appear on talk shows; e.g. Susan Show

and talent shows such as Dancin' Dynamites,
Rising Stars

▶ Consistent flow of information within the region

REGIONAL IDENTITY

fosters a sense of community - facilitated by the

Caribbean Broadcasting Union, Caribbean News

▶ Regional programmes such as Caribbean Passport

Agency & Caribbean Media Corporation.

and Next Top Model Caribbean highlight aspects

of Caribbean culture and give virtual exposure to
the happenings in the region.

▶ The main facilitator of Caribbean identity is

DIASPORIC IDENTITY

digital media - internet accessibility, network

coverage and software applications have allowed
for increased communication and transfer of

▶ Publicity of events in the region in real time via

information in real time.

live streaming helps members of the diaspora to

▶ Culture is preserved and retained.

connect with the region more readily.

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MASS MEDIA AND DEVELOPMENT

PILLAR OF HUMAN
IMPACT ON DEVELOPMENT
DEVELOPMENT
▶ Investment in equipment allows for widespread transmission of information at a

▶ Print, electronic and digital media are generally affordable.

consistently high quality.

▶ Information is presented in a wide variety of formats and languages; this does not

▶ Citizens are allowed to exercise freedom of speech and expression.

EQUITY debar groups with disabilities or those who are illiterate.

▶ Majority of citizens receive information which affects their well-being; e.g. learning
new skills, searching for job opportunities, becoming aware policies and
programmes which aim to improve quality of life and standard of living.

▶ Access to information – this has become one of the hallmarks of good governance
for development. Governments are encouraged to provide information about their
projects, programmes, policies and activities which impact on the lives of citizens.
The Access to Information Act in Jamaica allows for citizens to make requests to
access documents which would otherwise be private. Media houses frequently use
this legislation to inform the public about decisions taken by government

▶ Freedom of the Press & Freedom of Expression – these civil liberties allow media
institutions and agencies.

EMPOWERMENT houses and individuals to express views and opinions responsibly. These are also
essential to good governance as participation is emphasised as to the democratic
process. They keep the governments in check and hold them to the principles of

▶ Power is now literally in palms of people’s hands; small devices with internet
transparency and accountability.

connectivity allow them to record atrocities, e.g. police brutality; and abuse in
public facilities such as hospitals, schools and buses. People fearlessly post and
freely share information on social media with a number of views in a short period
of time, making a post ‘viral’.

▶ Creates employment for people with a wide variety of skills, who will then

▶ Promotes education through greater accessibility to information from a wider

contribute to the GDP of the countries.

variety of sources; e.g. virtual libraries, research databases, online degree

PRODUCTIVITY
▶ Encourages health and wellness through fitness coaches and programmes.
programmes. This will improve the quality and qualifications of the labour force.

Endorses healthy lifestyle habits by raising awareness about nutrition, prevention

and treatment of illnesses; sponsors quiz programmes and tests, talk shows, etc.

Have a good week.

Candice Watson is on the staff of the Morant Bay High School  Email: chm.watson@yahoo.co.uk

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CARIBBEAN
STUDIES Lesson 20
with
Candice Watson

SOCIAL JUSTICE
AND DEVELOPMENT
Today we will focus on the concept of social justice.
We will examine the approaches to understanding and
defining social justice, issues of discrimination and the
indicators of development affected by social justice.
DEFINING SOCIAL JUSTICE Caribbean Sea

Social Justice: The concept that all humans in society

are entitled to certain basic (inalienable) rights and
freedoms regardless of race, class or creed and which
are guaranteed. The objective of social justice is to
promote harmony in society by ensuring the protection
of rights and treating all people equally and equitably.

APPROACHES TO SOCIAL JUSTICE

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ISSUES OF SOCIAL JUSTICE

Discrimination is the main way by which social injustice is manifested. This section will assess some concepts
and forms of discrimination.

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SOCIAL JUSTICE AND DEVELOPMENT

Candice Watson is on the staff of the Morant Bay High School

 Email: chm.watson@yahoo.co.uk

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CARIBBEAN
STUDIES L on
with
Candice Watson

PREPARING FOR THE EXAMINATION: PAPER 2

Hello! I trust you have completed and submitted your School-Based Assessment Caribbean Sea
and have earned an excellent grade. This lesson will focus on strategies for
writing Paper 02 (the essay paper) of the examination.

CHANGES TO THE EXAM PAPER

The Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) has changed the mode for marking the papers. The 2018 sitting will be
marked electronically, which means that written papers will be scanned and saved. Examiners will mark the papers
online. The implications for students are that you will have to:
a. improve your strategy for organising ideas d. label your responses properly
b. express your views clearly and concisely e. write clearly, using a BLACK ink ball point pen.
c. use the space provided wisely as it will be limited. NO GEL PENS should be used to write the exam.
You will not be allowed to request extra paper!

STRUCTURE OF THE PAPER

 MODULE 1 – CARIBBEAN SOCIETY & CULTURE  MODULE–2ISSUES IN CARIBBEAN DEVELOPMENT

 ONE Compulsory Question ONE Compulsory Question


 Usually asked to EXAMINE,
SECTION SECTION
 Usually asked to EXAMINE, EXPLAIN,
EXPLAIN, COMPARE A– B– COMPARE or DESCRIBE
or DESCRIBE
20 MARKS 20 MARKS

SECTION SECTION
 MODULE 2 – ISSUES IN  MODULE 1 – CARIBBEAN SOCIETY
CARIBBEAN DEVELOPMENT
D– C– & CULTURE
30 MARKS 30 MARKS
 ONE Compulsory Question ONE Compulsory Question


 Usually given a statement to Usuallygiven a statement to
 Usually
DISCUSS, ASSESS, ARGUE, EVALUATE g DISCUSS, ASSESS, ARGUE, EVALUATE

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BEHAVIOURAL VERBS
The behavioural verbs tell you what to do in writing your answer to the question. It is important that you know what
each verb means and what exactly you are being asked to do. You will be rewarded in the enquiry and communication
component for writing your essay using the appropriate method.

Here are some behavioural verbs which are likely to be used to frame your essays. (Consult the glossary of behavioural
verb section of the syllabus for others.)

VERB DEFINITION

Present reasons for the importance of particular structures, relationships, processes

Assess
or approaches.

Compare and contrast State, describe and elaborate on the similarities and differences

Provide a detailed account, including significant characteristics or elements of an

Describe
issue or situation.

Write an extended answer defining key concepts, stating what is, exploring related
Discuss concepts and issues. Present reasoned arguments for and against, using detailed
examples but not necessarily drawing a conclusion.

Weigh evidence and make judgements based on given criteria.The use of logical
Evaluate supporting reasons for a particular point is more important than the view held;
usually both sides of an argument should be considered.

Write an extended answer defining key concepts, stating what is and exploring
Examine
related concepts and issues.

Provide statements on what happened, how it happened and why it happened.

Explain
Provide elaboration of particular terms, concepts, approaches.

Source: CAPE Caribbean Studies Syllabus 2016

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THE MARK SCHEME

Responses to questions will be assessed using standardised criteria. Generally, marks for the essays will be allocated
in three categories: knowledge, use of knowledge, and enquiry and communication. The table below summarises the
requirements for attaining full score in each category. (See syllabus for further details.)

DESCRIPTION
CATEGORY
20 MARKS ESSAY 30 MARKS ESSAY

The candidate shows a sound The candidate shows a strong understanding

understanding of all the concepts critical of all the concepts critical to the discussion of
KNOWLEDGE to the discussion and consistently shows the problem or issue and consistently shows
their relevance to the issues being their relevance in the analysis or evaluation.
discussed. [7 marks] [10 marks]

The candidate presents a sound The candidate presents a sound discussion,

discussion of the issues. Arguments are
USE OF
logical and clear; strong supporting
KNOWLEDGE evidence is provided for positions taken.
[8 marks]
analysis or evaluative comments on the issues
or problems. Arguments are logical and clear.
Supporting evidence is provided for positions
taken. [12 marks]

The candidate demonstrates a sound The candidate demonstrates a sound

command of the skills necessary to convey
meaning. Ideas are clearly sequenced,
ENQUIRY AND
and the student is able to manipulate
COMMUNICATION vocabulary, sentence structure and
paragraphing to convey ideas effectively.
[5 marks]
command of the skills necessary to convey
meaning. Ideas are clearly sequenced,
and the student is able to manipulate
vocabulary, sentence structure and
paragraphing to convey ideas effectively.
[8 marks]

Ans. – The effectiveness of the impact of the Caribbean

THE ESSAY – WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN ASKED TO DO?
Consider the following question.
“The Caribbean diaspora in the United Kingdom and
North America is fragmented; therefore it has failed
to make an impact on those societies.” Discuss the
extent to which you agree with this view.
Before you attempt to write your essay, ask the following similar values and practices. It may also include the
six questions:
diaspora in the UK and North America
This refers to communities formed by Caribbean people in
the United States of America, Canada, England, Scotland,
Wales and Northern Ireland. The Caribbean people who
form the diaspora are those who would have migrated
from any country defined as ‘Caribbean’. Such persons live
in areas outside of the region, which has a concentrated
population of Caribbean nationals who interact and share
children of Caribbean migrants.

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NOTE: For each question you need to determine the 4. What information do I need to answer this question?
subject and place it in context in terms of people,
time, space and place. Ans. – You need to know the key terms or concepts
which relate to the question.
2. What am I being asked to do (verb)?
As the mark scheme indicated, you must show
Ans. – You have been asked to “discuss”; therefore that you know the appropriate concepts, their
you must: meanings and use them consistently throughout
the essay by showing their relevance.
i. Define key concepts, state what the case
is. (Has the Caribbean diaspora been
In this case the key terms are: migrants,
impactful in North America and the UK?)
migration, diaspora, metropole, brain gain,
ii. Explore the issues relating to the muscle gain, labour, racism, race relations,
formation and impact of the diaspora. second generation, activism, festivals, Culinary
(Which areas have large Caribbean Arts, culture, norms, values, multicultural
populations? What are some of their identity, foreign exchange, remittances, farm
activities? What issues have they faced work, Rastafari, Reggae, Calypso, Soca, Dancehall,
and how did they respond? How have sports, Pan-Africanism
members of the community excelled, and
in what areas? What events have been
created and hosted by members of the 5. How can I use my knowledge to answer the question
diaspora? How well have these events adequately?
been received by the host countries?)
iii. Present reasoned arguments for and Ans. – Once you have figured out some of the key
against. You may take a position, as you concepts, you must attempt to define them where
were asked the extent to which you necessary and demonstrate that you know how to
agree with the statement. NOTE: The use them appropriately to support your discussion.
question said “impact”; so you may You must decide on how to organise your essay in
highlight both positives and negatives. order to showcase your knowledge. Haphazardly
iv. Use detailed examples. Your aim is to jotting down points will not make for a logical and
show the impact of the diaspora on the clearly sequenced essay.
host countries. For each argument
presented, you must give a detailed and You may decide to order points chronologically, or
factual example. you may use ‘compare and contrast’ approach. For
this essay it may be best to create categories to
3. Why is this issue important or relevant? discuss the impact; e.g. political, economic,
cultural, sports, academics, etc.
Ans. – Consider where the subject/issue/event fits
into the syllabus
Once you are able to place the issue under a 6. How should the essay be organised?
topic in the syllabus, it is easier to
contextualise. Next, think about the
Ans. – Each essay must have a clear introduction,
importance of the issue to Caribbean culture
developed body and conclusion.
and development. Think about how the issue
has shaped the region (or in this case, the
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Introduction: The introduction should place the issue in context, state your purpose and approach. You may define
the most essential concepts in the introduction. Define other terms as you discuss them.
Example:

The Caribbean may be defined as all the countries washed by the Caribbean Sea. People have been migrating from
the Caribbean to the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom for more than a century. Caribbean nationals
have migrated for numerous reasons but the chief reason has been to seek better opportunities. The rate at which
Caribbean people have been migrating out of the region has increased since the second half of the 20th century.
This has led to the formation of diasporic communities in Brooklyn and Bronx (New York), Brixton and Notting
Hill (London) and Brampton and Bloor (Toronto). Though the Caribbean nationals may be considered minority groups
in terms of numbers and ethnicity in those countries they have made a significant impact on those societies, despite the
perceived fragmentation of the group. This essay will discuss the political, cultural and economic impact of the Caribbean
diaspora on North America and the United Kingdom.

Body: Use each paragraph to develop your points, providing supporting evidence (examples, statistics, illustrations
and results from research).

Example:

The Caribbean diaspora refers to the dispersal of people from the Caribbean to areas outside the region, as a result
of migration. Generally, many Caribbean people began migrating to the United Kingdom after World War II.
Attracted by advertisements claiming that the streets of England were paved with gold, many Jamaicans,
Trinidadians and Bajans left their countries, with hopes of improving their conditions.

Men and women worked in various sectors; including essential services, transportation, construction,
manufacturing, nursing and maintenance. The hard work of the Caribbean people contributed to improved
productivity, increased Gross Domestic Product and economic growth. Therefore the Caribbean diaspora has
contributed to the economic advancement of the UK.

The economic impact of the Caribbean diaspora can also be illustrated through the work programmes to the USA
and Canada, where workers are employed in the agriculture, hospitality, transportation, education and medical
fields. The work ethic of the Caribbean people has raised productivity levels, filled the void of jobs, and contributed
to the economy through taxes and the purchase of goods and services.

Finally, the Caribbean diaspora, though fragmented, has managed to maintain some semblance of stability. This is evident
in the longevity of festivals such as Caribana, Notting Hill Carnival and the West Indians Day Parade. These festivals have
been able to pull large crowds (millions of people) and generate millions of dollars/pounds for the local economies. For
example, Toronto earns approximately $400 million from the activities related to the Caribana festival.

Conclusion: Make reference to the issue in drawing your conclusion. Ensure that your final statements are supported
by the points in the body. Use the conclusion to evaluate the statement rather than summarising or
restating the points made. Finally, do not introduce new information or ideas in the conclusion.

Candice Watson is on the staff of the Morant Bay High School ! Email: chm.watson@yahoo.co.uk

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www.jamaicaobserver.com JOL LECTURE SERIES Jamaica Observer Limited

CARIBBEAN
STUDIES Lesson 27
with
Candice Watson

PREPARING FOR THE EXAMINATION: PAPER 1

Welcome! I hope that you have been getting ready for your examinations. Today I will provide some insight on the
structure and types of questions to expect on Paper One of the Caribbean Studies exam. Students tend to underestimate
the multiple-choice questions but the truth is, you must know details of content covered in the syllabus in order to do
well on Paper One.

Caribbean Sea

STRUCTURE OF THE EXAM PAPER

Paper 1 is a multiple-choice examination consisting of 45 questions to be answered in 90 minutes. It is vital that you
read each question carefully before selecting an answer. Each question is referred to as an item, which comprises a
stem (a question or incomplete statement to be completed) and options. The correct option is called the key; while the
incorrect options are called distractors. Students must pay keen attention to all components of the item.

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SYLLABUS COVERAGE & SKILLS TESTED

The paper will test students on EACH of the three modules of the syllabus; therefore, 15 questions will appear per
module. Each objective for the module will be tested at least once.
3 Check your syllabus to see the specific objectives for each module.
3 The skills to be tested are knowledge, comprehension and application. The diagrams below will give you a clearer
picture of what is expected.

MODULE 1 MODULE 2 MODULE 3

OBJECTIVES: OBJECTIVES: OBJECTIVES:

1. locate and define the Caribbean
Region and its diaspora;
2. analyse the impact of the
historical process in Caribbean
society and culture;
3. analyse the characteristic
features of Caribbean society
and culture;
4. analyse the process of
identity and social formation
in the Caribbean;
5. assess the impact of
geographical processes on
Caribbean society and culture;
6. evaluate the ways in which
societal institutions impact
their lives;
7. evaluate the ways in which
the Arts and popular culture
impact Caribbean society; and,
8. analyse how the global
community and Caribbean
society impact each other.
1. describe the concepts of
development and the 1. explain the nature and
indicators used to measure purpose of research;
development;
2. evaluate how development in
the region is influenced by 2. identify a research problem;
political, economic, social,
cultural, environmental and 3. formulate relevant research
technological factors; questions and/or hypotheses;
3. assess the ways in which
globalisation affects 4. evaluate existing information
development in the region;
about the problem;
4. explain the ways in which
the evolution of the
integration movement in the 5. apply various methods of
Caribbean has influenced enquiry;
development in the region;
5. evaluate the importance of 6. apply appropriate methods of
sports to the development of sampling;
the region;
6. assess the significance of
7. apply appropriate forms for
Caribbean thought to the
development of the region; presenting data and
7. critically analyse factors which techniques for analysing
impact mass media’s data; and,
contribution to the
development of the region; and, 8. adhere to basic principles for
8. formulate reasoned maintaining ethical
responses to issues of social standards in conducting
justice within their
communities. research.

Source: CAPE Caribbean Studies Syllabus 2012

NOTE: Each module has eight objectives to be achieved. The student must be able to respond to questions relating
to each objective.
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Involves remembering material

learnt; like the meaning of
a concept or the year
an organisation was formed.
MEMORISATION
(KNOWLEDGE)

May be asked to define,

describe, name or state.

Involves
understanding information
and how to use it.
UNDERSTANDING
SKILLS TESTED
(COMPREHENSION)
May be asked to interpret
a situation/diagram
or to state what something is
based on in a given example.

Involves ability
to recognize knowledge
which is applicable
to a situation.

May be asked
USE OF KNOWLEDGE to apply a theory
(APPLICATION) or use knowedge
to solve a problem.

Generally , a situation is given

for students to study
and select the response
applicable to the situation.

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SOME TIPS FOR MULTIPLE-CHOICE SUCCESS

DO NOT RUSH: EQUIPMENT:

Take your time to read.
Once you have selected
BE KNOWLEDGEABLE:
your answer, ensure that you
ensure that you have covered
have matched it to the correct line
the syllabus, understand the
and space on the answer sheet.
content and are able to apply it
Shade your response neatly.
to solve problems.
You have 2 minutes per question.
Do not try to race your peers
to complete the paper.
Be armed with your pencils.
Get a dark soft lead pencil
with a sharp point, which will
allow you to keep
within the lines.
You will also need
a good eraser which will not
be so abrasive as to tear
your response sheet.

PRACTISE: FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS:

PAY ATTENTION:
Try to access past paper Ensure that you shade
Some questions will capitalise
questions. The syllabus has correctly your name and
words to indicate the answer;
specimen questions. This candidate and centre numbers.
such as MOST, BEST, NOT, EXCEPT.
publication has posted multiple Do not doodle/scribble
Where these occur, read the
questions and your teacher on the response sheet.
question again to ensure you
may have tested you using Do not tamper
do not select the opposite answer.
questions he/she created. with the bar code.

IDENTIFYING THE QUESTION TYPE

STRATEGIZE:
Read the question
to try to identify the objective
being tested.
This will help you
to select the best answer.
Note that some distractors
will contain correct information
which might not be right
for the question asked.
WILL HELP YOU TO CHOOSE
KEEP CALM:
THE RIGHT RESPONSE.
Be on time.
It may be a direct question with
Be confident
a correct or best answer;
that you have
or an incomplete statement to be
sufficient knowledge.
answered with a word or phrase.
Do not take items
A multiple response question
into the room
usually gives several options which
that are not allowed
may be combined to give the
and which will cause you
correct answer. The question may
to be nervous
be based on a scenario and you
or distracted.
may be asked up to 3 questions
based on the scenario/diagram.

Candice Watson is on the staff of the Morant Bay High School ! Email: chm.watson@yahoo.co.uk

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EXAMINATION STRATEGIES
MEMORY DUMP
At the beginning of an examination, jot down some important facts, for example, formulas and names.
Then quickly read the examination questions and do another memory dump, if necessary.
When this is done, you can start writing your answers to the questions.

WRITING ANSWERS
3 Answer easy questions first.
3 Mark difficult questions and return to them later.

" True/False Questions

a. Pick out key words or group of words on which the truth or falsity of a statement hinges.
b. If any clause in a statement is false, the statement is false.

" Multiple-Choice Questions

a. Usually only one alternative is totally correct.
b. Eliminate obvious false choices.
c. Of the remainder, pick the alternative that answers most fully all aspects of the questions.

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" Essay Questions

a. Read through the entire question paper.

b. If the examination allows you to choose from a number of questions,

be sure that the numbering of your answers corresponds to the numbering of the questions.

c. Follow directions carefully. Pay attention to the key words in the questions.
Here are some frequently used words in essay-type questions and what the answers require:

~ Account for: Give reasons.

~ Analyse: Break down into parts

and examine each part critically.

~ Compare: Make an idea clear by calling attention

to similarities. Comparisons require specific
examples.

~ Contrast: Focus attention on the differences

between items. This also requires
specific examples.

~ Describe: Name the features of, go into some

detail about the object or situation.

~ Discuss: Examine in detail and formulate an idea

or thesis about something.

~ Evaluate: Judge something and give your opinion

of its worth or value.

~ Explain: Go into some detail that shows a logical

continuity of something you have
investigated or inquired into.

~ Justify: Defend, show to be right or acceptable.

~ List: Jot down at random or in order

(if specified)

~ Outline: Sketch a plan for a fully developed

essay with headings and sub-headings.

~ Summarise: Reduce to the main ideas

or terms and give the main point of the subject.

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