The environment in which small, developing states like Barbados are expected to survive and thrive is becoming more challenging by the day. Already burdened by our small size, level of development, and disaster vulnerability, our nations are forced to wade through a world that has become more inward looking and less tolerant of the special needs of our citizens.What is even more complex for us is discerning who is friend or foe, who is acting on principled grounds and who is concerned only with what is expedient in the moment.Often, those who tout their support for the improvement of the lives of developing countries’ citizens baffle us by decisions they make that not only worsen our current economic situation, but can set back many of our development strides.Europe, for example, has had a checkered history in the Caribbean. Our slavery and colonial past has resulted in a very unequal relationship. Some European countries have argued that they have acknowledged their role in the exploitation and under-development of countries like ours and that the billions of dollars in development aid and assistance over the years represented a recognition of the unique relationship between the region and Europe.
