Two Caribbean islands wrestle with their colonial powers
European citizenship makes the people of Martinique and Sint Maarten richer, but not content
EVERY YEAR from May 25th to May 31st, the UN marks the snappily-named “International Week of Solidarity with the Peoples of Non-Self-Governing Territories”. When it comes to the Caribbean, some might not think there is much need for solidarity. For one thing, the region’s 17 non-sovereign island territories (seven of which are on the UN list) are richer and more politically stable than their 13 flag-waving neighbours: in terms of GDP per person, seven of the ten richest places in the Caribbean are non-sovereign. For another, they enjoy all the advantages of their former colonisers’ far greater geopolitical clout, powerful passports and the opportunity to move to Europe or the United States.
This article appeared in the The Americas section of the print edition under the headline “Head v heart”
From the May 22nd 2021 edition
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