The Caribbean may evoke casual images of pristine beaches and laid back holidays. But in my travels to that region, I have always been curious as to why it has also been the source of a range of under-appreciated talent and influence. Think about the writers, sportsmen and even economists who originate from the Caribbean. Many people don’t realise that the Caribbean also has a pool of highly skilled doctors. In a trip to Saint Lucia, I had a deep conversation with Dr Colin Hunte, the owner of the Villa Beach Resort, on how his own ethnicity represented the diversity in the region, and but more importantly, how the transition from sugar cane to bananas enabled the rise of a middle class. Along the way, it enabled its people to achieve the best that they could in sport, literature and economics.
These conversations are designed to capture the thinking of the people I encounter, so it may appear that I appreciate them uncritically and in the superlative. I have no reason to edit the original thought. I enjoy meeting people who can tell me more about their regions and specialities, without me being cynical for cynical’s sake, as some western travelers do. Still, I then synthesize these ideas and experiences into my own thinking and perspectives later. This is what travel is about, and I must say I had a magical short stay in St Lucia.
