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21 Caribbean Storylines to Watch in 2014

Above: wind turbines in Bonaire (CJ Photo)

What will be the big stories of 2014? What will be the major issues facing the Caribbean region? And what will be the most interesting ones? CJ has put together a list of 21 stories we think you should be following in the coming year, from the continued challenge of regional airlift to the region’s multiplying debt crises. What will you be following in 2014? Tell us in the comments section.

China’s Growing Sphere of Influence

China has been steadily increasing its influence in the Caribbean, investing, constructing, subsidizing and financing its way throughout the West Indies. This year, it will be building the Baha Mar (more on that later) and a new athletic stadium in Grenada. It’s also planning a significant (and controversial) logistics project on the Goat Islands of Jamaica. What’s next for China?

Green Energy in the Caribbean

Dominica is working on a geothermal project. Nevis is reviving its geothermal plan. Puerto Rico continues its push on wind and solar. Energy costs continue to plague the Caribbean’s economies, and the progress of renewable energy development will be crucial going forward. What will happen to the green sector in 2014?

What’s Next For LIAT?

Former LIAT CEO Captain Ian Brunton resigned earlier this year, the latest in a series of issues for the Caribbean’s regional airline. Will the oft-criticized carrier be able to move forward and fix its flaws in 2014? And who will be its next CEO?

The Haiti-Dominican Republic Citizenship Conflict

The controversy continues over a Dominican Republic court decision that effectively stripped around 200,000 Dominicans of Haitian descent of their citizenship. CJ Contributor Ilio Durandis predicts that the two countries will reach an agreement on this issue in 2014. But the way they do so, and the way the Dominican Republic resolves this issue, will have major implications for the country’s relationship both with Haiti and the rest of the Caribbean.

The Rise of Baha Mar

The Baha Mar resort project, the largest in the Caribbean, is slated to officially open in December 2014. Just what kind of impact it will have, both on Bahamian tourism and the region at large, will be a lot of fun to watch.

Seaborne Airlines Is Serious

While LIAT is the titular Caribbean airline for now, Seaborne’s recent announcement of a move to Puerto Rico should not go unnoticed. Seaborne clearly has major plans in the region (along with a host of new routes, thanks to an equity investment from the government of Puerto Rico). Its rise will be a major story of 2014.

The Prosecution of Michael Misick

Former Turks and Caicos Premier Michael Misick, who fled the country after allegations of corruption in 2009 and will soon be extradited to the TCI, will likely be prosecuted in 2014. It will almost certainly be one of the highest-profile court cases in the region’s history.

Elections in Haiti

Above: Haiti President Michel Martelly

It’s been more than two years since Haiti was supposed to hold a series of legislative and municipal elections in the country. For most of this year, the international community (and the United States) urged Haiti to hold them by the end of 2013. That didn’t happen. Will the vote occur in early 2014?

Barbados’ Economic Struggles

By the measure of most rating agencies, Barbados’ economy is not in good shape. That is leading to what will be a significant policy development in 2014, when around 3,000 public sector workers are scheduled to be laid off. How will that impact Barbadian society? And will it help the country’s economic and fiscal situation? Time will tell.

Puerto Rico’s Debt Crisis

Put kindly, Puerto Rico is in a dicey fiscal situation. While the government has denied claims that it is going bankrupt, it will need major changes (and major growth) to avert economic catastrophe. 2014 will be a crucial year for the Commonwealth.

The Fate of HOVENSA

When it was announced that the HOVENSA oil refinery on St Croix would close, it sent shockwaves throughout the Virgin Islands. HOVENSA had been the Virgin Islands’ single largest employer and suppler of fuel. Now, the refinery could be sold and returned to use as an oil refinery, a development that could be momentous for the recovery of the territory’s economy.

Tourism in Haiti

Haiti’s economy saw an unexpected late-year improvement, but if it wants to continue growing it will need to keep pushing. In order to help achieve that, the government has embarked on a major push to develop tourism in the country. With several new hotels already having opened in 2013 (including the Best Western and the NH El Rancho), it will be fascinating to see how the country attempts to take its tourism development to the next step in 2014.

JetBlue’s Caribbean Expansion

JetBlue seems to be focused on the Caribbean. It’s already launched service to Haiti, and will begin flights to Trinidad in February. Will the carrier continue to fill the void left by the departure of American Eagle? And where will it launch service next?

The US-Caribbean Rum Dispute

CARICOM countries are not happy about the benefits enjoyed by rum producers in the US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. They’ve even threatened to bring the dispute, which focuses on the rum “cover over” tax on rum produced outside of the United States, to the World Trade Organization. It’s a situation that will only continue to ferment in 2014.

Sandals’ Continued Growth

First it was an expansion at the Beaches Turks and Caicos. Then it was a new resort in Grenada. Then a Sandals-branded Barbados. Then plans for a Beaches in Antigua. And Barbados. Sense a pattern? The region’s luxury all-inclusive leader isn’t giving hints of slowing down, and the only question is which country is next. Perhaps the Dominican Republic, where Sandals’ Island Routes tour company has already expanded?

The British Air Passenger Duty

Despite continued lobbying from the Caribbean, the British Air Passenger Duty, a banded tax on flights originating in the United Kingdom, continues to go up, much to the chagrin of the Caribbean tourism industry. Some say that the region hasn’t lobbied aggressively enough — but as the tax rises, Caribbean opposition will continue to grow. How will the region change its tactics to effect change?

Freedom of Movement in the Caribbean

Freedom of movement is a major prong of CARICOM’s founding treaty, but few would argue that true freedom of movement exists today in the region. The issue came to a head recently when a group of Jamaican nationals were denied entry into Trinidad and Tobago, leading to a row between the two CARICOM leaders. (This is without mentioning the limited access of Haitian nationals in the region, despite the country’s having full CARICOM membership). Perhaps CARICOM can look to the OECS, which has been rather successfully (though quietly) integrating and facilitating movement within its borders.

A New Airport in St Vincent

St Vincent and the Grenadines has long been a beloved tourism destination in the Caribbean, with one major challenge — it hasn’t been particularly easy to get to. That should change at the end of 2014, when the country opens its first true international airport, with help from Taiwan. The next step will be finding air carriers to service nonstop routes from places like New York, Miami and Toronto. Perhaps a future JetBlue stop?

Jamaica and the International Monetary Fund

Jamaica is in the midst of implementing its long-awaited agreement with the International Monetary Fund, and, according to the IMF, the initial results are positive. But despite Jamaica’s size, its economy is among the slowest-growing in the Caribbean. How will the country, now working within the parameters of the IMF, change things?

The Cholera Lawsuit Against the United Nations

Most studies point to UN peacekeepers from Nepal as the source of the deadly cholera epidemic in Haiti that began after the earthquake in 2010. Earlier this year, a group of victims and family members brought a high-profile lawsuit against the world body, seeking compensation. So far, the UN has denied it can be sued (and denied it can even be served with the suit). What will happen in 2014?

A Medical Tourism Hub in Cayman

It’s been flying a bit under the radar, but the Health City project has major implications for the Cayman Islands and medical tourism in the wider Caribbean. In early 2014, the project, which is the brainchild of famed surgeon Dr Devi Shetty, is set to open with 140 beds. The plan is to eventually build a 2,000-bed facility. Many Caribbean governments talk about medical tourism, but Cayman could soon become the regional hub for it.

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