Miami Conference on the Caribbean Remarks by Videotape to the Conference in Miami, Florida.

Good evening.

Even though I cannot be with you in person this evening, I want to use this conference to reaffirm my commitment and that of the United States to economic development and democracy in the Caribbean. We ourselves are part of the Caribbean community, and we know that development and democracy are key to realizing the strength of the region and meeting its challenges.

The Caribbean today is passing through a time of rapid change, and our mutual challenge is to steer a course economically, socially, and politically that will lead to a better life for all our people.

Twenty years ago only three island nations in the Caribbean were independent. Today there are 13 such sovereign nations, and that number is likely to increase by as many as 5 in the next few years. Behind these numbers is a stirring history. Its beginning was an unpleasant story, marked by lonely struggles against slavery, colonialism, and, too often, indifference by the outside world. But the drive of the Caribbean peoples toward freedom and modern development is primarily a proud story, one of courage, imagination, and determination in the face of hardship.

Today, however, with independence largely won, the Caribbean still faces many problems. Perhaps the most serious problems are economic. Spiraling oil prices, unstable commodity markets, uneven growth, inflation, and unemployment are certainly not unique to the Caribbean. But these global trends have struck the small countries of the Caribbean with special severity. They add a major burden to the always imposing challenge of the building and development of independent nations. And economic deprivation creates vulnerabilities to extremism and to foreign intervention.

In facing these problems, the Caribbean has some significant advantages. In addition to its beauty and climate, vigorous political institutions and talented human resources provide special opportunities. From the resurgent social democracy of the Dominican Republic to the established parliamentary traditions of some English-speaking peoples, free institutions have fostered development within a stable framework.

The awarding of this year's Nobel Prize to the distinguished development economist, W. Arthur Lewis from Trinidad, ¹ exemplifies the achievements and contributions of the island's peoples.

¹ Sir Arthur is a native of Saint Lucia.

Citizens of the United States and the Caribbean stand together with a common pride in our achievement. We stand for the rights of people to be free of oppression, free from arbitrary abuse, and free to participate in a nation's political life.

These rights of freedom are precious. Whatever the claimed justification, we will not be silent when these rights are abused. We stand with those who are genuinely committed to economic development. We stand with those who espouse social justice and human rights and who work to translate them from abstract goals into real programs. We stand with those who are genuinely committed to international relations based on mutual respect.

As President, I've sought consistently to implement these principles and to strengthen relations in the nation and in the region. We negotiated canal treaties with Panama, in keeping with our determination to forge new and better relationships with developing countries. We've worked with 30 countries and 15 international institutions to establish a Caribbean group which has expanded and coordinated the flow of aid to the region and will support efforts in the future to design, fund, and implement regionally integrated development activities.

My administration has increased direct economic assistance to the Caribbean, nearly doubling bilateral aid obligations over the past 2 years. As actual disbursements reflect these increases, we will be contributing more than ever before to generate employment and to help basic human needs. This is particularly true for the newly independent countries of the eastern Caribbean.

We've come rapidly to the assistance of countries like the Dominican Republic and Dominica, friends in need of emergency aid to rebound from natural disasters. We've repeatedly shown our eagerness to support political freedom and democratic processes. But such governmental action, no matter how important, is still not enough. And that's why your meeting is so important.

The United States has vast untapped resources of technology, skills, and good will. I will use my office and my influence to help mobilize the people of the United States to work with the people of the Caribbean for common goals, social and economic development, and democracy.

In the United States, our universities, our agricultural and labor organizations, business and industry, churches and other benevolent institutions, State and local governments, and individual private citizens can all play a vital role in establishing mutually advantageous relationships with our friends in the Caribbean. We can all benefit from improvements in education, agriculture, tourism, industry, trade, health, transportation, employment opportunities, and personal friendships among our people.

The answers for the future are in the Caribbean's own talents and traditions, not in the false promises of foreign models. Solutions will not emerge by blaming our problems on our own friends. To seek freedom, justice, independence, and a better life, one needs to work closely with those who genuinely share the goals of development and democracy. I hope that all the other basin States of Venezuela and Colombia, Mexico and Central America, will play a vigorous role in this effort.

The Caribbean group is an excellent example of the benefits of a multilateral effort. Closer cooperation between the Caribbean community and the Central American Common Market and, perhaps also, the Andcan Pact could be another step toward greater progress. Like the Caribbean, Central America is experiencing a period of profound change. Unlike the Caribbean, where nations are struggling to defend democratic institutions while they modernize, many of the nations of Central America are seeking to develop democratic institutions which had not previously existed. Nevertheless, both regions have much in common and also much to learn from each other.

Few societies can more genuinely speak of a common destiny than ours, for the United States and the Caribbean, the ties of history and geography are continuously renewed by what can only be described as one of the most intense people-to-people relationships in the world today. It's a relationship filled with exciting possibilities that are waiting to be explored. As leaders and molders of opinion, we have a special responsibility to build understanding, to defend the region's democratic institutions, and to promote development of social and economic justice.

On behalf of the United States, I pledge our continuing respect and support for all these efforts.

Thank you very much.