“Corruption is often the manifestation of multi-faceted, systemic weakness that requires a broad program of governance, public sector reform and consistent accountability throughout a society and government.7 The embezzlement of millions of dollars by a high level executive, the illicit enrichment of a prime minister and the petty corruption of a mid-level license inspector may differ significantly in the amount of resources involved but have very similar causes. Corruption is not just the domain of criminals. It is the act of corruption that makes criminals out of well-respected, apparently lawabiding, church-going, public elected and appointed officials. Particular types of governance systems provide opportunities for corruption. Public Sector Management expert Geoffrey Shepherd, in presenting the World Bank’s view on corruption, argued that the political arrangements that prevail in a country will largely determine the opportunities for corruption.”

 

This leads to citizens being intolerant of each and creating segregation through different standards and classes.

“Diverse Cultures and Politics

Although external influences remain important—and on occasion even overwhelming—the political life of the Caribbean region today is largely determined by internal factors. One of the most important is the differential impact of social classes and ethnic groups.”
This quote taken from “Caribbean Politics: A Matter of Diversity” shows that social classes do have a major impact in our society due to intolerance created from politics throughout the region.

“Diverse Cultures and Politics

Although external influences remain important—and on occasion even overwhelming—the political life of the Caribbean region today is largely determined by internal factors. One of the most important is the differential impact of social classes and ethnic groups.”

 

This quote above best replicates the association between racism among people in the Caribbean and the racism that occurs in politics and social classes. These mainly take place in politics where supporters of the one party blame race on the other party. Most of the time the racism shows where there is a  “black” political party and an “Indian” political party in the Caribbean who just go against each other and hate as much they can where no one takes responsibility for their actions. This has been an ongoing feud between them for decades and it continues to be a dividing a factor among people in the Caribbean region.

“In Jamaica, because of the historical baggage around ideals of beauty prescribed from the European perspective, shades of brown and shades of black” are not seen as beautiful as lighter shades, said Sonjah Stanley Niaah, a senior lecturer at the University of the West Indies. “It goes back to the days when slaves were sold on the auction block,” she said. “The color of the skin was important.”

This quote taken from “The Washington Post” reiterates my point made which shows that’s dates back all the to the days of slavery when the Europeans ruled.

In today’s Caribbean society, religion has created a major uproar where each religion has bashed each other for their practices and even some practices that are considered religions but is illegal in some Caribbean territories. An illegal practice that is still considered a practice is voodoo which practiced a lot in countries such as Haiti.

“WASHINGTON, United States (CMC) — Though religious freedom is generally upheld in most, if not all, Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries, the United States has called out some nations for what it describes as religious intolerance.

In releasing the 2016 International Religious Freedom Report earlier this week, the US Department of State said that almost 20 years after passage of the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998, “conditions in many parts of the world are far from ideal,” including those in the Caribbean.

The Department of State, therefore, cited instances of what it regarded as religious intolerance in some CARICOM-member states, particularly in the larger ones.

In Haiti, the State Department said that while Voodoo has been a registered religious group since 2003, it has not been able to perform civilly-recognised marriages or baptisms.”

“A YOUNG Muslim woman was about to take up duties as an On The Job (OJT) teacher at Lakshmi Girls Hindu College in St Augustine yesterday when she was told by school officials she could not wear her hijab while teaching at the school.

The teacher, Nafiesa Nakhid, said she was told she would have to remove the hijab before entering the compound and she could put it back on after school was finished for the day. Nakhid said she chose not to take up duties if it meant taking off her hijab. She left the school and reported to the department who assigned her to Lakshmi Girls Hindu College. She was qualified to teach mechanical engineering.”

Taken from “Trinidad and Tobago Newsday”

“First, there is the assumption that I share the same faith as him and/or that I believe Jesus and God are the same entity.

Second, there is the assumption that blasphemy is observed in the Bahamas at all, let alone as a punishable crime.

Third, there is an assumption that what you view as sacred and what I view as sacred are the same thing; why should my lack of observance of what is sacred to you or your lack of observance of what is sacred to me, intentional or not, be deemed blasphemy? Why can’t they just be different and respected?”

 

This shows that even some Caribbean territories has a very high intolerance of people’s religion and beliefs and has contributed not only to intolerance religiously but also racially and politically.

 

Taken from “The Tribune”