If you were thinking that the American preoccupation with the Iran War was dominating the country's foreign policy activity, to the exclusion of the Caribbean, you would be wrong. Reports from the region confirm that there has been a major increase in reconnaissance flights, by US Air Force and US Navy RC-135V Rivet Joint and P-8A Poseidon electronic surveillance aircraft, just off the coast of Havana and Santiago de Cuba. Additionally, the US is releasing photographs of suspected drug trafficking vessels being attacked and destroyed again in Caribbean waters.
Both President Trump and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio have recently reminded the press that they intend to refocus on regime change in Cuba, as well as increase their influence over the entire Eastern Caribbean region, which is not good news for Saint Kitts and Nevis, Antigua, Dominica and Saint Lucia, all citizenship by investment passport vendor states, whose loud government-sponsored nationalism verges on anti-Americanism. The EC states, who have steadfastly refused to reform their corrupt CBI programs, and who are completely dependent upon American tourism to sustain their deficient economies, could see The American government take steps which would have the effect of reducing the volume of American tourism, through State Department threat level increases and/or a reduction in scheduled American airliner arrivals.
A declining domestic economy, when coupled with further American restrictions on visa access from the West Indies, could severely affect the local economies of the EC CBI states. We are wondering how quickly overplaying the patriotism card will backfire for the Labour leadership of the Caribbean states, as focused America loses patience with the posturing of its senior officials, who believe they are politically and economically bulletproof. Perhaps it is time for them to wake up, and readjust their loyalties, lest they, and their nations, get burned.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.