All Is Not Well in Paradise

Virtually all Anglophone Caribbean countries have access to close to 300+ US cable channels. Among the favourites especially among women is Home and Garden TV, or HGTV. Of the series presented, those I particularly enjoy are ‘Caribbean Life’, ‘Beachfront Bargain Hunt’ and Bahamas Life. From the perspectives of the prospective homeowners who are seeking to purchase holiday homes, winter getaways or sometimes permanent homes, the Caribbean presents the possibilities for beautiful views, lovely blue-green water, great beaches, sailing, water sports and space for a garden with flowers and vegetables. The catchphrase for one of these shows is ‘Find Your Home in Paradise’.

Now, some us actually live in paradise. With the exception of the first peoples who originally inhabited the region, the majority of our ancestors were brought to the region as enslaved or indentured labourers or arrived as refugees and migrants fleeing persecution. In addition, there were others whose presence here was primarily commercial and extractive. So what is life like for those of us who actually live in paradise?

This chapter highlights the social and gendered impact of neoliberal global restructuring on the lives of Caribbean peoples as a specific instance of contemporary Caribbean north–south economic entanglements. It interrogates the social, economic and gendered determinants of contemporary social inequalities and violence and the criminal justice response that has predominated. It traces the historical emergence of social intervention systems in the former British colonies and their demise to varying degrees, in the shift to individual responsibility and reduction in state social responsibility for citizens and the vulnerable.

The Context of the Global Political Economy

What is not shown in the television programmes are the many social and economic challenges, and the increasing violence in many countries of the region. Although not evenly distributed throughout, there is a growing concern by citizens, governments, investors, and existing and potential visitors that violent crime in the region can severely affect economic and social life. A 2017 IADB study (Sutton and Ruprah 2017: 3) ironically entitled ‘Restoring Paradise in the Caribbean: Combatting Violence with Numbers’ posited that ‘although the challenge is great, the Caribbean can restore paradise by combatting violence intelligently and strategically’.