Colonization and the fight between different European countries has left this region with a wide difference of languages. France, the Netherlands, Spain, England, and even the United States had continuous fights over the islands. Today there is a rainbow of languages spoken: French, Dutch, Spanish, English and others. European languages dominate although the majority of the population are from African descent. Many people in the Caribbean also have European, Asian, and or indigenous ancestors.
The beauty of the dilemma is that although people from different islands speak different languages the majority are going through the same thing. Corrupt governments, exploitation of tourism, immense poverty, neo-colonialism, international racism, the negative effects of global warming, and so forth. The international community and legislative bodies fail to see the problems occurring in the Caribbean. People with money explore these islands, ignoring these issues so that they could enjoy a few days in paradise.
The difference in language is only one of the problems articulated by the community. People also comment that they are different from those other people in the other islands. Some islands have more money, others are part of developed countries, some are so small that people are unaware of their existence, and others … yea i can go on and on. The main dilema is that people do not see and understand that those lines of separation are not cross cutting cleavages since there are many more elements that intertwine and unite Caribbeans.
CARICOM is an international organization created to help develop the Caribbean. However, this organization focuses more on the economical situation than the socio-political aspects of the community. The responsibility to bring out these issues then lies on the community itself. Building solidarity amongst the population and using different means of communication should be two of the most important steps towards achieving a stronger and louder voice. Although dictated in different languages, the Caribbean people can, should, and will articulate the struggles and joys of the Caribbean society.
