ABSTRACT
This chapter suggests some trends that are shaping the discourse of participatory planning in the Caribbean. It implies that participatory planning in the Caribbean, being presently shaped into a narrow and limited discourse, has a reduced ability to reflect the true cultural diversity of the region. The fact that participatory planning proposes a democratic system of development means that it is supported by a wide range of different interest groups that have emerged in the modern era. Highly centralised forms of control and dependency were inherent in European colonialism and imperialism, and its economic cornerstone mercantilism. The chapter shows that the 'democratic' alternatives have been influenced by the lure of a democratic system in an undemocratic world, increasing concern with public empowerment from both the Left and the Right. It also presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in this book.
