TT: AIDS hurting the Caribbean basin

The warning by Deputy Governor of the Central Bank, Dr Shelton Nicholls, that AIDS was seriously affecting Caribbean economies, while it has been stated before by others is, nonetheless, worth repeating. Dr Nicholls has pointed out that further spread of the disease in the Caribbean could have a severe effect on the macro-economic stability of the Region, specifically the Region’s labour force. AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) undermines the Caribbean, which has one of the world’s highest AIDS victims per 1000 of population, on several fronts. Millions of dollars have to be diverted for the hospital care of and provision of relatively expensive drugs for AIDS sufferers.

In turn, there is a telling drop in production when skilled workers, professionals and semi-skilled workers increasingly have to be off the job because of AIDS. Additionally, because the highest rates of HIV/AIDS infected persons are to be found among young people, scores of potential contributors to the economies and progress of Caribbean States are in danger of being sidelined. Meanwhile, funding whether out of State revenues or from international agencies, has to be set aside for information campaigns aimed at sensitising young and not so young people both to the dangers of HIV/AIDS and how they can be avoided by a practical and sensible approach to relationships.