Regional Relations

Given its strategic location at the southernmost point of the Caribbean, Trinidad and Tobago serves as a nexus between the island nations to the north and its neighbours on the South American mainland. It has been part of CARICOM since its inception in the 1970s and according to the IMF, the region’s economies are expected to grow by 2% in 2019 and 2020, supported by economic expansion in the US and recovery from the 2017 hurricanes. Improving economic performance, integration and collaboration in sectors such as energy have put the Caribbean in an advantageous stead. Policies that centre around the regional harmonisation of regulatory procedures will likely prove important in reducing barriers to increased social integration and intra-regional trade. This chapter contains an interview with Allen Chastanet, Prime Minister of St Lucia.