No doubt the people of the Caribbean region were rooting for an Obama win. A poll prior to the election found that more than 90 per cent of Caribbean nationals living in the US would give their votes to Obama. It was a poll conducted by the "Everybody's Magazine," which has subscribers in 47 states and over 9000 online. The poll found that 91.9 percent would vote Democrat and 6.1 per cent for Republican John McCain.
Obama's presidency is expected to have a major impact on global issues in this monumental election. Americans were persuaded after eight years of Bush policies that has set-back the US on many fronts, that a change was needed. Obama has now been given the opportunity to make things right, but he also can look out for challenges along the way.
Obama and his team are expected to hit the ground running when he is sworn in on January 20, 2009 as the 44th President of the United States of America.
Caribbean nations will be looking for a new wind blowing in this direction. His vision of "A New Partnership for the Americas," brings hope for Caribbean island nation states as the aforementioned points to a significant change of style and greater specificity for the region referring to the islands as "our first border," when compared to the Bush doctrine.
A new policy plan should be developed for the Caribbean that further promotes the socio-economic development of our island nations.
Another area that an Obama presidency can take the leadership role in and bringing about change is the global multilateral system of institutions such as the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and the United Nations system (Security Council system in particular). These institutions need to reflect the 21st century world system and not that of the 20th century after World War II, also known as the Bretton Woods institutions.
The world has grown from a handful of nation states then to more than 190 now. The number of countries around the world that dominate in population and economic power (eg China, India, Brazil, and South Africa to mention only a few) must be reflected in the aforementioned institutions.
Without a doubt our island nation salutes President-Elect Barack Obama and is looking forward to his first four year term followed by another four, in order to bring forth the change that is so necessary and much needed in the 21st century.
Congratulations to President-Elect Barack Obama.
Roddy Heyliger
