scholarly journals OPPORTUNITIES FOR TRANSFORMING INFORMAL SETTLEMENTS IN CARIBBEAN SMALL ISLAND DEVELOPING STATES

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michelle Mycoo
Keyword(s):  
Critical Role ◽  
Informal Settlements ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Small Island ◽  
Structural Quality ◽  
Land Values ◽  
Small Island Developing States ◽  
Human Settlements ◽  
The Caribbean

Informal settlements are quite complex because they consist of economically disadvantaged, often landless households located on steep hillsides, floodplains and swamps, which contribute to their exclusion from accessing infrastructure. These challenges need not be constraints; rather they offer opportunities for transformation. Such communities are generally characterised by inadequate access to safe water; inadequate access to sanitation and other infrastructure; poor structural quality of housing; overcrowding and insecure residential status. This paper uses primary and secondary data to determine the drivers which impact on the burgeoning of informal settlements in the Caribbean and analyses their implications for achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 11 which focuses on achieving safer, sustainable and resilient human settlements. The main findings of the paper are that housing shortages, delays in obtaining planning approvals, inflated land values and poverty contribute to the growth of informal settlements. However, such settlements occupy vulnerable sites where infrastructure is sometimes lacking and they help trigger environmental hazards which may be further exacerbated by climate change. Based on the key findings of the empirical evidence, the paper raises what is the critical role of engineering and engineering education in improving access by informal settlements to basic services that are fundamental in achieving sustainable, resilient human settlements and human well-being? These questions are answered within the Caribbean Small Island Developing States context and draws from a cross-section of case studies within the region.

The importance of language and culture to the growing Sino-Caribbean commercial relationship

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Helene Zamor ◽  
Alicia D. Nicholls ◽  
Albert Christopher Lee
Keyword(s):  
Chinese Culture ◽  
English Language ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Cultural Barriers ◽  
Small Island ◽  
Lingua Franca ◽  
Language And Culture ◽  
Linguistic Understanding ◽  
The Caribbean ◽  
The 19Th Century

Language and culture play a critical role in international commercial relations. Since the 19th century, the English language has undeniably held the prominent position as the global lingua franca to facilitate communication between nations. However, China’s contemporary re-emergence as an economic superpower has expanded its global influence. Consequently, awareness of Chinese culture and language is becoming important not only globally, but also in the Caribbean, where China’s economic footprint has expanded considerably in recent years. This article conceptually explores the important role of language and culture within the growing Sino-Caribbean commercial relationship. Specifically, it discusses the potential impact of language on the trade and tourism sectors, which are two key industries that drive the economies of English-speaking Caribbean small island developing states. It does this by charting the development of the English and Chinese languages as dominant languages. It then briefly looks at the current level of Chinese engagement with the region in trade and, more contemporarily, the potential of greater Chinese tourism in the Caribbean. It discusses the value of deeper cultural and linguistic understanding in nurturing and expanding these relationships. Finally, the article concludes by providing meaningful recommendations on ways to mitigate cultural and linguistic barriers in order to promote deeper Sino-Caribbean trade and tourism.<br /><br />Key messages<br /><ul><li>Language and culture are two important factors in commercial relationships, especially trade and tourism.</li><br /><li>This article adds to the growing literature on budding Sino-Caribbean relations by exploring the importance of linguistic and cultural understanding to nurturing this relationship.</li><br /><li>It argues that Caribbean countries cannot take for granted that English will always be the lingua franca for Chinese-Caribbean relations given China’s expanding global footprint.</li><br /><li>The article makes recommendations on ways to mitigate linguistic and cultural barriers in order to deepen Sino-Caribbean commercial ties.</li></ul>

The significance of DOHaD for Small Island Developing States

2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 487-491 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Tu’akoi ◽  
M. H. Vickers ◽  
K. Tairea ◽  
Y. Y. M. Aung ◽  
N. Tamarua-Herman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Early Life ◽  
Disease Risk ◽  
Communicable Disease ◽  
Adult Population ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Small Island ◽  
Sample Sizes ◽  
Small Island Developing States ◽  
The Impact

AbstractSmall Island Developing States (SIDS) are island nations that experience specific social, economic and environmental vulnerabilities associated with small populations, isolation and limited resources. Globally, SIDS exhibit exceptionally high rates of non-communicable disease (NCD) risk and incidence. Despite this, there is a lack of context-specific research within SIDS focused on life course approaches to NCD prevention, particularly the impact of the early-life environment on later disease risk as defined by the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD) framework. Given that globalization has contributed to significant nutritional transitions in these populations, the DOHaD paradigm is highly relevant. SIDS in the Pacific region have the highest rates of NCD risk and incidence globally. Transitions from traditional foods grown locally to reliance on importation of Western-style processed foods high in fat and sugar are common. The Cook Islands is one Pacific SIDS that reports this transition, alongside rising overweight/obesity rates, currently 91%/72%, in the adult population. However, research on early-life NCD prevention within this context, as in many low- and middle-income countries, is scarce. Although traditional research emphasizes the need for large sample sizes, this is rarely possible in the smaller SIDS. In these vulnerable, high priority countries, consideration should be given to utilizing ‘small’ sample sizes that encompass a high proportion of the total population. This may enable contextually relevant research, crucial to inform NCD prevention strategies that can contribute to improving health and well-being for these at-risk communities.

scholarly journals COVID-19 containment in the Caribbean: the experience of Small Island Developing States

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
MM Murphy ◽  
SM Jeyaseelan ◽  
C Howitt ◽  
N Greaves ◽  
H Harewood ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Human Movement ◽  
Evidence Base ◽  
Small Island ◽  
Temporal Association ◽  
Small Island Developing States ◽  
First Case ◽  
Containment Measures ◽  
The Caribbean ◽  
Available Information ◽  
National Governments

ABSTRACTBackgroundSmall island developing states (SIDS) have limited absolute resources for responding to national disasters, including health emergencies. Since the first confirmed case of COVID-19 in the Caribbean on 1st March 2020, non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) have been widely used to control the resulting COVID-19 outbreak. We document the variety of government measures introduced across the Caribbean and explore their impact on aspects of outbreak control.MethodsDrawing on publically available information, we present confirmed cases and confirmed deaths to describe the extent of the Caribbean outbreak. We document the range of outbreak containment measures implemented by national Governments, focussing on measures to control movement and gatherings. We explore the temporal association of containment measures with the start of the outbreak in each country, and with aggregated information on human movement, using smartphone positioning data. We include a set of comparator countries to provide an international context.ResultsAs of 25th May, the Caribbean reported 18,755 confirmed cases and 631 deaths. There have been broad similarities but also variation in the number, the type, the intensity, and particularly the timing of the NPIs introduced across the Caribbean. On average, Caribbean governments began controlling movement into countries 27 days before their first confirmed case and 23 days before comparator countries. Controls on movement within country were introduced 9 days after the first case and 36 days before comparators. Controls on gatherings were implemented 1 day before the first confirmed case and 30 days before comparators. Confirmed case growth rates and numbers of deaths have remained low across much the Caribbean. Stringent Caribbean curfews and stay-at-home orders coincided with large reductions in community mobility, regularly above 60%, and higher than most international comparator countries.ConclusionStringent controls to limit movement, and specifically the early timing of those controls has had an important impact on containing the spread of COVID-19 across much of the Caribbean. Very early controls to limit movement into countries may well be particularly effective for small island developing states. With much of the region economically reliant on international tourism, and with steps to open borders now being considered, it is critical that the region draws on a solid evidence-base to balance the competing demands of economics and public health.

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