Supportive rhetoric carries little weight in the face of economic challenges and countries’ objectives. Four key factors can incentivize a country to engage with China.
The Pandora Papers illustrate the evils of financial secrecy, transnational corruption, and money laundering, as well as the ability of politicians, high-net-worth individuals, and criminals to hide their money. They also show the insatiable temptations of financial confidentiality and the growing knack of the ICIJ to expose financial secrecy.
The Caribbean has long enjoyed a reputation for being one of the most democratic regions in the world. Despite the Caribbean’s seeming confidence in the ballot, however, countries in the region nevertheless face considerable challenges in keeping their democracies alive. Elections alone do not make a democracy; rather, there are many other factors that must be taken into consideration in order to ensure good governance.
This was the year of “politicized backlash” against LGBT rights and tolerance. And yet, the region continued to make enormous strides in the rights and visibility of the LGBT+ community.
