Economic Activity in the Caribbean

Study Notes

The Caribbean economy is categorized into three sectors: primary, secondary, and tertiary.

This sector includes extractive industries like mining (e.g., bauxite), fishing, forestry, and farming.
Primary sector products are often raw materials for secondary production.
Some Caribbean countries rely heavily on this sector for foreign exchange.
Advantages:
- Ability to supply raw materials to other firms.
- Potential comparative advantage in certain goods.
- Job creation.
- Generation of export revenue.
Disadvantages:
- Resource depletion (especially with exploitation).
- Potential to earn more by processing raw materials.
- Reduced demand for primary products, impacting revenue if demand for finished products decreases.

This sector focuses on transforming raw materials into finished goods.
Includes manufacturing and construction.
Examples include chemical production, baked goods, and infrastructure projects (roads, bridges, houses).
Some Caribbean countries are involved in manufacturing, taking raw materials and turning them into finished products.
Advantages:
- Reduced reliance on imports of similar goods.
- Increased foreign exchange earnings through exports.
- Production of multiple secondary products from one primary product.
- Job creation outside of the extractive industries.
- Possible increased investment in manufacturing.
- Potential for higher GDP and improved living standards.
Disadvantages:
- Potential for depletion of primary products used in manufacturing.
- Possible repatriation of profits by multinational manufacturing companies instead of reinvestment in the host country.
- Imports of raw materials used in secondary production, potentially impacting foreign exchange earnings.

This sector provides services rather than producing tangible goods.
Examples include tourism, financial services, transportation, telecommunications, and insurance.
The tertiary sector has become increasingly important in the Caribbean.
Advantages:
- Increased foreign exchange earnings, especially from tourism.
- Job creation, particularly in labor-intensive sectors.
- Reduced reliance on primary product exports.
- Contribution to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
- Reduced pollution compared to primary and secondary sectors.
Disadvantages:
- Volatility of service sector compared to other sectors.
- Potential high training costs.
- Impact on cultural values and social behaviors (especially in sectors like tourism).