Abstract Six 2010

GLOBAL

DEVELOPMENT STUDIES

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Volume Six Winter-Spring 2010 Numbers 1-2.

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THEME: THE GLOBAL FINANCIAL AND ECONOMIC CRISIS: IMPLICATIONS FOR THE CARIBBEAN REGION

EXPORT DEVELOPMENT POLICIES IN CARICOM: AN ASSESSMENT

Marie Freckleton

Department of Economics

University of the West Indies

Mona, Kingston 7, Jamaica

Published Online: March 15, 2017

ABSTRACT

Since the mid-1980s, the member countries of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) have intensified their efforts to develop exports. Export orientation is viewed as necessary to accelerate economic growth as well as to facilitate integration into the increasingly competitive global economy. This article assesses the export development policies that have been implemented within the CARICOM over the last two decades. Analysis of the region’s export performance suggests that export development policies have achieved limited success. The article concludes that the policy measures used to promote export development within CARICOM yielded sub-optimal results because they did not adequately address the structural and institutional constraints that restrict expansion of export supply and undermine export competitiveness.