Unleashing Growth and Strengthening Resilience in the Caribbean

Abstract

In its aim to stimulate policy dialogue and help policymakers overcome the challenges that hinder Caribbean economies from fulfilling their potential for growth and development, this book is a timely success. By bringing together up-to-date research on the challenges of weak macroeconomic fundamentals and long-standing structural impediments, it provides insights and policy perspectives that can shape coherent answers to these pressing policy concerns. The book's careful analyses point the way toward opportunities for welfare gains from determined but balanced policy actions targeted at the region's high energy costs, financial exclusion, high crime rates, and the persistent loss of skilled workers to richer countries. Consideration of the vulnerabilities and opportunities that arise from financial interconnectedness across the Caribbean also informs the book's reminder to policymakers of the benefits that remain to be exploited by greater regional cooperation in a number of areas. With its relevance and range of evidence-based policy recommendations, this volume earns its place on the bookshelves of practitioners and other students of Caribbean economic development. -Brian Wynter Governor, Bank of JamaicaThis book provides a comprehensive assessment of three major Caribbean contemporary economic challenges-slow growth, macroeconomic imbalances, and structural impediments. The chapters are skillfully written by Fund economists, who are versed in the various aspects of Caribbean economic issues, to relate the challenges to the vicious cycle. Policy recommendation is an important aspect of the book and addressed at both the individual country and regional levels. This book is a mustread for public policymakers and anyone interested in contemporary Caribbean and small states economic and financial issues.-Dr. Gobind Ganga Governor, Bank of Guyana Economic growth in the Caribbean over the last two decades has been slow, both relative to growth in the region over the previous 20 years and in comparison to other small, non-Caribbean countries. Unleashing Growth and Strengthening Resilience in the Caribbean provides a thorough analysis of the region's subpar economic performance and lays out a practical approach for improvement. The authors highlight key policy changes that merit serious consideration: building greater resilience to increasingly frequent hurricanes; reducing the cost of energy; greater investment in infrastructure; more regional cooperation and integration; microeconomic reforms to reduce the cost of doing business; and countercyclical fiscal policy. But the path to faster sustainable and inclusive growth is different for each of the 13 countries examined in this book, and it's refreshing to see the IMF embark upon a more collaborative, tailored approach to its recommendations for developing countries. This country-specific approach is part of a broader-and greatly welcomed-philosophical change at the Fund, which recognizes that the best kind of economic discipline does not push extreme measures such a...