Firstly, with the Caribbean nations playing matches against each other; the competition fostered friendly rivalry, bringing the nations together. Furthermore, the competition is set up in such a way that players from one country could play for another country. For example Kieron Pollard, a Trinidad national, captains the Barbados Tridents. If fans from Trinidad and Tobago particularly favour Kieron Pollard, those fans could be inclined to support the Barbados. This helps break down barriers and encourages inter-island support.

Finally, with the different matches being played at various Caribbean countries, individuals were encouraged to visit Caribbean countries that otherwise they would not have visited. When visiting, the tourist would have visited beaches and other tourist attractions and appreciated the similarities to their homeland. This would have promoted acceptance of a singular Caribbean Identity.

The Caribbean Premier promotes unity within the Caribbean Civilization. It allows island and regional nationalism, encouraging Caribbean nations to associate with their Caribbean Identity. The tournament in 2016 successfully bonded the Caribbean more and I am sure the upcoming competition in 2017 will do similarly.

The United States sort to expand its imperialist thrust after the 1880s so their excess products could be absorbed. With the Caribbean islands lying on the southern shores, they were seen as a perfect market for the United States. As the United States sought to develop their ideologies of their imperialist thrust, the Caribbean nations’ identities were being reformed, entwining United States’ cultures into theirs. One way in which this was done was through popularizing United States’ sense of fashion in the Caribbean. As such, Caribbean nations began increasing the importation of US products.  Now, the United States’ fashion is very common and popular in the Caribbean. 

The United States’ influences on Caribbean identity perfectly explains why my study group friends prefer to wear imported clothes over local manufactured clothing because the Caribbean nations have rooted in them the United States ideology of their imperialist thrust.

 

In the past, cricket politically united the Caribbean and promoted regional nationalism. At the West Indies cricket team’s prime in the 1970’s, Caribbean islands broke down their individualistic barriers and grew in their appreciation of their Caribbean identity through cricket. As of late, cricket has been used as a means of creating tension and disunity among Caribbean nations. Dave Cameron, a Jamaican, is believed to make decisions in favour of Jamaica, which is disapproved by the TTCB and GCB. It went as far as Darren Sammy, the former captain of the West Indies T20 side, who is St. Lucia publicly disapproving of actions carried out by the WICB under Dave Cameron’s presidency.

 

The Caribbean pride, unity and appreciation of the Caribbean identity is very important to the region. Cricket, a means by which the Caribbean nations united in the past, now sadly is promoting disunity. 

The lectures and readings helped redefine my original perspectives on past events, thoughts and current issues. Not only did the course account for redefining my knowledge, but it also enabled expansion of knowledge and understanding. 

My tutor classes were enjoyable, interactive and most importantly, extremely edifying, helping me see and understand the Caribbean from a different but more accurate perspective.

The course’s online forums helped me make friends nationally and internationally. I was able to learn about other UWI campuses and felt connected to and united with the other UWI campuses. 

This course helped edifying me through many factors. I learnt a lot about my Caribbean region. Also, I was able to feel the unity of the UWI campuses. This course should a benchmark for the how courses should be run at UWI especially for the unity it promotes.

ONE COURSE, ONE UNIVERSITY, ONE CARIBBEAN