2012 Caribbean Studies Report

Module 1 – Caribbean Society and Culture
Question 1
Candidates were given a map of the Caribbean and asked to identify countries where (a) Chinese indentured labourers worked after emancipation; (b) where large numbers of Indian indentured labourers worked after emancipation; and (c) where Javanese indentured labourers worked after emancipation.
Most candidates were able to score at least one or two marks from this question. Part (a) posed the greatest challenge as most candidates were not able to identify where Javanese indentured labourers worked after emancipation. The Javanese indentured workers served in Suriname and also in Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao.
Part (b) was generally poorly done. In most cases, candidates scored one mark with a minority scoring two marks. Not many candidates scored the full three marks for this question, mainly because of confusion over the words stipulated and contracts.
Question 2
In Part (a), most candidates were able to offer a credible definition of the term hurricane.
Part (b) attracted a wide range of answers with the majority of candidates scoring at least one mark. Candidates were able to cite adverse effects of hurricanes such as destruction of housing and stock, loss of life, disruption of school programmes and business activity, devastation of agriculture and social dislocation. Those who had informed expressions were able to score full marks.
For Part (c), candidates offered a variety of interesting responses including the provision of insurance for property, expansion of hurricane shelters, advance warning facilities and closer monitoring of tropical depression and waves. This part of the question posed the greatest challenge to those candidates who had difficulty expressing themselves fluently. However, some candidates were able to express themselves appropriately and earned full marks for this part of the question.3
Question 3
Part (a) was poorly done by most candidates. It appeared