Poverty and Its Impact on Development in the Caribbean

The aim of every Caribbean country is to realize growth and development over time so as to achieve first world status. Most of the Caribbean countries are ranked as middle income countries. These countries realize that achieving first world status is a long term initiative given the many social problems that we face as a Caribbean nation. Among the many social problems that we face, poverty is the most pervasive of them all. Despite the effort of many of these countries to try and eradicate poverty it continues to account for the slow pace at which these countries develop. Commenting on the Caribbean, Carlson (1999) points to two key factors which have greatly impeded the spread and potential for economic growth and development; inequity in the distribution of income and wealth and the access to social development; and high rates of poverty.
Many authors have tried to define the term poverty. However, there is no agreed upon definition. The definition is largely subjective and tends to be influenced by the prevailing culture of the particular society. The term poverty refers to “the state or condition of having little or no money, goods or means of support” (Barran and Sweezy, 1996). Poverty is hunger. Poverty is lack of shelter. Poverty is being sick and not being able to see a doctor. Poverty is not having access to school and not knowing how to read. Poverty is not having a job, is fear for the future, living one day at a time. Poverty is losing a child to illness brought about by unclean water. Poverty is powerlessness, lack of representation and lack of freedom (Narayan, 2000). The UN provides a broader definition of poverty: ‘a human condition characterized by the sustained or chronic deprivation of the resources, capabilities, choices, security and power necessary for the enjoyment of an adequate standard of living and other civil, cultural, economic, political and social rights’ (UN, 2001). In spite of all these definitions of poverty Oxfam (1998)

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