Caribbean-European International Economic Relations: The Case of the Windward Islands Banana Industry

This research examines the international economic relationship between the Caribbean and Europe using the case study of the Windward Islands and the United Kingdom. The research focuses on economic change in the Windward Islands and examines how and why the Islands had to adapt and restructure its economy to mercantilism, free trade imperialism, neo- protectionism and free enterprise transnationalism. This analysis adopted a historical perspective utilising the plantation economy model and the world system approach to aid in understanding the evolution of the Windward Islands? economic development problematique. The main issues discussed in this research are the future of the Windward Islands? banana industry, the implications of an erosion of its market share in a liberalised EU banana market; challenges to the new banana regime; diversification of the banana industry and search for alternatives and lastly, the issue of the Windward Islands? commodity dependence on Europe.