ABSTRACT
This chapter initially aims to provide a general overview of the development of the Caribbean region, and then focuses specifically on Trinidad. Following a brief introduction, the chapter examines the history of the Caribbean, with particular reference to colonialism, slavery and the plantation economy. In continuation, the chapter presents an analysis of the importance of labour and work in the Caribbean, a region which has been part of the international division of labour since the 1500s. This is followed by a brief examination of the current economic and social problems faced by the region, such as economic dependency, poverty and debt.
