NONGOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS AND CARIBBEAN DEVELOPMENT

In: The annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, Volume 533, p. 125-138

Abstract

THROUGHOUT THE PAST DECADE, NONGOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS (NGOS) IN THE CARIBBEAN HAVE BEEN ATTEMPTING TO REDEFINE THEIR ROLE VIS-A-VIS THE STATE AND CIVIL SOCIETY IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO CONTRIBUTE SUBSTANTIVELY TO THE REGIONAL DEBATE ON DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES. THEIR ROLE HAS MOST OFTEN CENTERED ON BOTH POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC PRIORITIES, IN CONTRAST WITH THE POSITION OF MOST INTERNATIONAL NGOS, WHICH TEND TO STRESS THEIR OWN APOLITICA CHARACTER AND TO DEFINE THIRD WORLD REQUIREMENTS IN TERMS OF ECONOMIC RATHER THAN POLITICAL NECESSITIES. THIS HAS MEANT A RETHINKING OF THE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE STATE, PROMOTING A DEBATE BETWEEN NGOS CONCERNING THE QUESTION OF HOW NGOS SHOULD INTERACT WITH THE STATE.