By Rebecca  Theodore

As  diplomatic  relations between  the  United  States  and the  Caribbean  become  increasingly  complex, it  now  appears evident,   that  a peace  chorus   juxtaposes  civil  society’s  dire  situation  amidst resounds of  US war drums in the  Caribbean Sea.    

Here, the  Caribbean  reveals  a  stark  reality of  peace    on a  desolate  shore.  

While   the  Caribbean still  reminiscence   the pirate’s  cruel  hand,  and  legacies  of  colonialism  and  exploitation are    marked  in Cold  War  proxy  conflicts,  the  Caribbean appears  haunted   in its  own  historical  mirror. Civil  society  now  navigates  a  field  of  political  autonomy, in a  quest for  a  zone of peace,  that  weakens  with each  passing hour   on that  wretched  pole of time.  

True to a point,  the rejection of  neo- colonialism  led to the emergence of independence  for Caribbean  states  from the  mid  20^th  century. This   culminated  in a  self  determined  Caribbean that  was   “ satellites  of  none” and  “ in nobody’s  backyard,”  as  articulated   by  former  Barbadian  Prime  Minister  Errol  Barrow,  and  former  Grenadian  Prime  Minister  Maurice  Bishop.   

Still,    as  the  trade  winds  evoke  painful  and  bitter  memories  beneath the  gaze of  benevolent  sapphire  skies,  the canons  of  a  Monroe  Doctrine continue to  be a challenge  in  the  Caribbean Sea.    Exemplified by  the  US  invasion of the  Dominican  Republic,  the  US invasion of  Grenada,  the  US  blockade of  Cuba, the  US  Navy  operations  in Vieques Puerto Rico, and  the  ongoing   interventions  in Haiti, the  US  is  again escalating  its  presence  in the  waters  of  the  southern    Caribbean Sea.

Meanwhile,  CARICOM- the  Caribbean  community  intergovernmental  organization that  provides a  platform  for member  states   to address  shared  challenges  through  diplomacy   and  co-operation is  now  mired in conflict.  According  to the  ministry of  foreign and  Caricom affairs  “the  US  military  services  presence in  Trinidad  and  Tobago  highlights  the  US  commitment   to regional security  and  co-operative  efforts in the  Caribbean.” This  clearly  means  that  the    once  strong  foreign  policy co-ordination  among  Caribbean  states   has  deteriorated,   leaving  member  countries  vulnerable  to    external influences   like  US  aggression and  the  undermining   of  a united  front  against  attacks.  

But how   did  the  Caribbean  arrive  at this  juncture? 

Indeed, “hyping  the  threat”  by Trinidad  and  Tobago’s  prime minster  Kamla  Persad  Bissessar may  be deemed  suspicious by critics.   On the  other  hand,  the United States  military operations   aim  at  narco  and  human trafficking  and  other  forms  of  transnational crime  that  are   pointed  at allowing  the  region to be a true  zone  of peace is  also  a  chessboard  of  a  global  game.

And it is here  that  the    zone  of  peace  carries  a  message  on  its  breeze.

In due course, the   zone  of  peace not  only  serves as a  strong  unified  commitment   for  regional  security, but  also   exposes  the  brutal  ills  of  Caribbean politics  and   foreign policy.  

More significantly,  a  zone of peace  is  rendered  obsolete  if  it  is  not  tied  to the reform of  the  electoral  process  in the  Caribbean.  Most  obvious  is the fact, that the  Caribbean  is  now a  zone  where  security  debates  are  determined by state  actors.   Caribbean  governments prioritize  national security  apparatuses   over  community level  solutions. Weak  institutions   and  systemic  corruption   undermine  good  governance,  and  foster  distrust  in  political systems in the  Caribbean.

In the  Caribbean  islands of Dominica, St  Vincent  and the Grenadines, Barbados, Belize  and Antigua  and  Barbuda, there  is  a ‘crisis  of  trust’  in  traditional  politics.   It is  one where  corruption has  created a  two- tiered  system  of  justice   and  the  legal  system  continues  to be weaponized.   Security  landscapes  are  dominated  by organized  crime, gun violence,  drug and human  trafficking,   while the  social  fabric  of  the  Caribbean  remains  torn  by  government  corruption. Authoritarian   external  influences   provide  peripheral  cyber   security  support   to  corrupt  governments.  Research indicate  that  Caribbean  governments  fail  to  enforce  laws   that  serve the  interest of the public  good, thus  undermining  press freedoms, access to information and  manipulation  of the  democratic  process.  Transparency International   further defines  this as “the abuse of entrusted power for private gain.”  

Corruption also  manifest  as  legal  in the  quasi  governments  of  Barbados,  Dominica, Belize and  St  Vincent and the Grenadines  with   free movement  of  people for the    benefit of   vote  buying and voter intimidation, voter fraud, and  manipulation of electoral processes and institutions, Widespread corruption, patronage, and nepotism  are causing   public disillusionment  and a loss  of  faith in  public institutions,  abuse of state resources by incumbents, campaign finance violations, media manipulation,  and  the use of political patronage to maintain power and dominance.

Among  others,  these are some of  the fundamental  factors that   pose  a  significant  threat   for US  invasion  in the  Caribbean. These  are  the  activities  that   erode   public  faith  in  democratic  institutions    in the  Caribbean  and  make it  difficult  for the  Caribbean  to be  considered  as a  zone of peace. Puppet   governments in Dominica, St. Vincent and the Grenadines  and  Venezuela   are  serving  decades  in power,   welcoming  a  new  chapter  of   poverty  and  populism  in Caribbean  politics   and  manipulation   of  the masses.  

Caribbean  governments  have prioritised  personal  gain    over public   service  and this destabilises  the social    cohesion   that is responsible for peace in the Caribbean, thus undermining  public trust  and the rue of law. Civil  society  must now seek to  resolve their differences and their  cries for peace   with  a reform of the  electoral  process, and take a firm stand against their   abusive    governments.

The  Caribbean is not a dream of the past,   but a promise to consider.  The strength of the  people and  the sea    should  be  able  to  render  an  unyielding    promise   of  serenity   against     invasion. However,   corruption and  weak   institutions    continue to threaten the  peace  and  that of  western   national  security  alike with illegal  passport  sales  and security  risks.

 Moreover,  the  rise of  transnational   crime, drug and human trafficking  and  organ  harvesting   coupled with  fragile  economies in the Caribbean need  to be  re-examined.  Together, they   highlight the  need  for  Caribbean governments   to begin to  support   policies  with   the  United  Nations, the  US State  Department   and  other  international bodies.

Accordingly, civil  society   must  also  play a  multifaceted  role   in demanding free and  fair  elections,   and  legal electoral  reform  procedures  on the  Caribbean  island  of  Dominica  before  demanding  for  a zone  of peace.   Advancing  the  role  of  peace is   not  only   a  defense of  sovereignty  that  shapes  policy and fosters  co-operation,  but also one that  hold  foul governments  and  despots accountable.

Hither,  the  zone  of  peace  is  challenged.    The  Caribbean’s    common will  is  sighted.   

Yet, our children  and our  future slumbers.  

Rebecca  Theodore

An  international  journalist and globally accredited  keynote  speaker, Theodore  has  over  20 years   working with  leading media  brands .  She   writes  extensively  on politics,  national   security,  human  rights  and  the  environment.  Contact:   [email protected]