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Nevertheless, the disasters brought about by wars were under the control of countries and to carry out such wars, certain rules or standards were established. Moreover, in order for them to actually occur, a few of those conditions were necessary, which hardly took their players by surprise. In most cases, the levels of risk were predictable since their dimension was dependant upon the intensity of the wars.
Times have now changed and the sociologist Ulrick Beck, specialist in the study of risks, calls our attention to the evolution of risk by linking natural phenomena with the humans that cause the disastrous events that we have been experiencing in recent years. This author differentiates between external risk and that which is manufactured. The former refers to events that are characteristically natural, while the latter covers those in which there is human intervention. However, in combining the effects of both types of risk, the present society is defined as the society of global risk, emphasising the massive destruction that can befall humanity as a result of such a combination of risks.
The evidence of those contributions is underscored by the different natural events that have been taking place one after the other and over which we have absolutely no control. As a result, we are almost driven to believe that historical periods will no longer be defined by warlike conflicts as in years gone by, but instead by the occurrence of natural phenomena.
This is the era in which armed conflicts are competing with natural disasters, with the latter having a destructive impact that is comparable to that of the former; the difference being that they are less foreseeable, and since they are not usually linked and occur not only in places where conflicts currently exist but also in peaceful environments, they could easily become the milestones with which to mark historical periods.
This would be a new trend that would define historical periods based on the dramatic results of natural events. We would therefore speak of the period between the tsunami and the earthquake and between that and the hurricane or the landslide and the floods. What remains to be seen is if we learn to create universal mechanisms to manage disasters that are more effective than those formulated to manage wars. So, being a part of the society of global risk, these are the phenomena that are proper to the planet and not exclusive to the countries where they occur.
Dr. Rubén Silié Valdez is the Secretary General of the Association of Caribbean States. The views expressed are not necessarily the official views of the ACS. Feedback can be sent to: mail@acs-aec.org
October 20, 2005
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| Read previous columns: |
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COLUMNS |
DATES |
| Measuring Tourism Sustainability |
October 12, 2005 |
| Looking at the Berlin Wall from the War on Terrorism |
October 5, 2005 |
| TPO’s Serve Their Purpose |
September 20, 2005 |
| THE NEW ORLEANS DISASTER. EVEN IN THAT IT’S CARIBBEAN |
September 13, 2005 |
| NO BLISS |
September 7, 2005 |
| CLIMATE CHANGE AND TOURISM |
August 23, 2005 |
| NEW HOPES IN THE WTO |
August 16, 2005 |
| THE VIEW FROM THE TOP |
August 10, 2005 |
| EDUCATION FOR RACIAL CO-EXISTENCE |
July 28, 2005 |
| THE ACS TOWARD THE SUMMIT |
26 July, 2005 |
| DON'T FOLLOW THE LIZARDS |
18 July, 2005 |
| NO OBITUARIES PLEASE |
11 July, 2005 |
| PARLIAMENTARIANS AND TRADE REGULATIONS |
04 July, 2005 |
| NATURE HAS NO HISTORY |
27 June, 2005 |
| HOW MUCH IS TOO MUCH? |
21 June, 2005 |
| DEVELOPMENT, DEMOCRACY AND POLITICS |
14 June, 2005 |
| EUROPE AND THE GREATER CARIBBEAN |
03 June, 2005 |
| CULTURE OF PEACE BETWEEN DOMINICANS AND HAITIANS |
31 May, 2005 |
| TOUGH TIMES FOR THE BANANA INDUSTRY |
24 May, 2005 |
| CITIZENSHIP AND DEMOCRATIC DEFICIT |
16 May, 2005 |
| KEEPING THE RIGHT BALANCE |
10 May, 2005 |
PRAISES FOR CARIBBEAN ART DURING THE TEN YEARS OF THE ACS |
03 May, 2005 |
| HAITI VISITED BY PEACE |
20 April, 2005 |
| NO INTEGRATION A LA CARTE |
05 April, 2005 |
| THE CARIBBEAN THEY LEFT US IS NOT THE ONE WE WANT |
29 March, 2005 |
| THE CHALLENGE OF CUSTOMS MODERNISATION AND FACILITATION |
22 March, 2005 |
| TRANSPORT IN THE GREATER CARIBBEAN |
15 March, 2005 |
| REGIONAL LEADERSHIP MAKES INTEGRATION POSSIBLE |
08 March, 2005 |
| MULTILATERALISM AND REGIONALISM IN THE 21 ST CENTURY: MAXIMISING POTENTIALS |
02 March, 2005 |
| GOVERNANCE, INTEGRATION AND SECURITY |
23 February, 2005 |
| ANNOUNCING A GREAT CATASTROPHE |
15 February, 2005 |
| INTEGRATION AND PEACE. CARIBBEAN GOALS |
09 February, 2005 |
| EXPLORING TOURIST PROTECTION |
01 February, 2005 |
| THE NEW GEOGRAPHY OF WORLD TRADE |
25 January, 2005 |
| A NEW INSTRUMENT FOR REGIONAL CO-OPERATION |
17 January, 2005 |
THE UNCERTAINTY AND RISKS OF THE FUTURE
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11 January, 2005 |
| THE POOR SUSIDISE DEVELOPMENT |
01 December, 2004 |
| CREATION OF THE SUSTAINABLE TOURISM PROGRAMME INTEGRATION OF THE GREATER CARIBBEAN |
23 November, 2004 |
| THE RIO GROUP - A HISTORICE DATE WITH INTEGRATION |
12 November, 2004 |
| MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION TO IMPROVE TRADE AMONG THE COUNTRIES OF THE GREATER |
09 November, 2004 |
THE GREATER CARIBBEAN, A SPACE IN
INTERNATIONAL CO-OPERATION |
01 November, 2004 |
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October 26, 2004 |
| CHAGUARAMAS: FIRST WORKSHOP HELD ON THE APPLICATION OF TOURISM SUSTAINABILITY INDICATORS IN THE GREATER CARIBBEAN |
October 19, 2004 |
| THE CARIBBEAN SEA INITIATIVE |
October 08, 2004 |
| THE GONAIVES PACT |
October 01, 2004 |
| TOOLS FOR LIFE |
September 27, 2004 |
| HURRICANES ARE NATURAL AND DISASTERS ARE MAN-MADE |
September 20, 2004 |
| G-3 IN THE GREATER CARIBBEAN |
September 13, 2004 |
| E-COMMERCE AND BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES FOR SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES |
September 06, 2004 |
| SUSTAINABILITY IN THE GREATER CARIBBEAN |
September 01, 2004 |
| SUSTAINABLE TOURISM – A CALL FOR ACTION |
Aug 24, 2004 |
| BUSINESS FORUMS: INSTRUMENT AIMED AT FACILITATING TRADE EXPANSION AMONG THE COUNTRIES OF THE CARIBBEAN |
Aug 11, 2004 |
| ACS - PAST, PRESENT, FUTURE |
Aug 04, 2004 |
| Bilateralism and Integration - The New Wave in World Trade |
July 14, 2004 |
| Toward The Analysis of The Sustainable Touristic Destination of The Greater Caribbean |
June 18, 2004 |
| The Latin American And Caribbean / European Union Summit: Multilateralism And Regionalism |
June 1, 2004 |
| Caribbean Tourism Ministers Support Sustainability |
May 17, 2004 |
| The Imminence of Intra-Caribbean Trade |
April 20, 2004 |
| Tourism in the Greater Caribbean: Towards the Implementation of a Sustainable Tourism Zone |
April 13, 2004 |
| Multilateralism and the ACS |
April 7, 2004 |
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March 17, 2004 |
| Historical Roots of the Haitian Crisis |
March 10, 2004 |
| CAFTA: A Grey Area for Central America |
March 3, 2004 |
| Four Challenging Years |
February 20, 2004 |
| ACS Agreements Signed |
February 18, 2004 |
| CAFTA: The Other Side of the Coin |
February 10, 2004 |
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January 27, 2004 |
| The Sustainable Tourism Zone of the Caribbean: Advances |
January 16, 2004 |
| ACS Ministers Ponder Progress |
December 5, 2003 |
| Mother Nature is not to be blamed |
November 27, 2003 |
| Fast changing trade environment |
November 21, 2003 |
| The Iberoamerican Summit and Multilateralism |
November 17, 2003 |
| Caribbean Connections |
November 11, 2003 |
| A Virtual Market for the Greater Caribbean |
November 3, 2003 |
| Obstacles to Trade in the Greater Caribbean |
October 27, 2003 |
| SIDS and Regional Cooperation in the Greater Caribbean |
October 17, 2003 |
| TNC MEETING-A TALE OF TWO FTAAs |
October 10, 2003 |
| Natural Barriers to Sustainable Development |
October 7, 2003 |
| EXPECTATIONS CONFIRMED IN CANCUN |
October 2, 2003 |
| REGIONAL CONFERENCE ON TOURIST SAFETY |
September 23, 2003 |
| From Doha to Cancun |
September 16, 2003 |
| PROTECTING HOMES AND HUMAN LIVES |
September 10, 2003 |
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August 27, 2003 |
| Trade negotiations and labour standards |
August 20, 2003 |
| Wanted: Regional Tourism Security Network |
August 13, 2003 |
| In Unity there is Strength |
August 6, 2003 |
| Keeping the Right Balance |
July 30, 2003 |
| Negotiating sustainable tourism |
July 23, 2003 |
| ACS OKAYS TRANSPORT AGREEMENT |
July 14, 2003 |
| ASSESSING THE CARICOM SUMMIT |
July 8, 2003 |
| CARICOM’S GOVERNANCE: NO TIME FOR INACTION |
June 30, 2003 |
| A NEW TWIST TO DIFFERENTIAL TREATMENT |
June 21, 2003 |
| Adding Value to the Region |
June 18, 2003 |
| Should BWIA and LIAT Merge? |
June 6, 2003 |
| TRADE AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT |
June 1, 2003 |
| Making global trade work for people |
May 26, 2003 |
| CAFTA: DISPUTE RESOLUTION, LABOUR AND THE ENVIRONMENT |
May 17, 2003 |
| Convergence and Divergence in CAFTA |
May 12, 2003 |
| UPDATE ON CAFTA |
May 5, 2003 |
| Social Cohesion and the FTAA |
April 26, 2003 |
| Missed deadlines |
April 19, 2003 |
| Airline Integration: Biting the Bullet |
April 12, 2003 |
| Regional Airlines in Crisis |
April 5, 2003 |
| Economic collateral damage |
March 31, 2003 |
| Multilateralism under stress |
March 24, 2003 |
| In the shadow of war |
March 15, 2003 |
| Euroregion in a Caribbean Space |
March 8, 2003 |
Pan-Caribbean Security System Needed
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February 28, 2003 |
| Crime and Caribbean Security (3): Cannabis Connections |
February 21, 2003 |
Crime and security (2): The Caribbean Corridors |
February 15, 2003 |
| Crime and Human Security in The Caribbean (1) |
February 7, 2003 |
| Caricom's Mixed Fortunes In 2002 |
February 1, 2003 |
| Cuba, Dominican Republic and Panama in 2002 |
January 27, 2003 |
| Central America in 2002: coffee crisis; remittances to the rescue |
January 19, 2003 |
| Tough Times in The Group of 3 |
January 10, 2003 |
| The lost half decade in Latin America and the Caribbean |
January 3, 2003 |
| 2002: Crime and corruption top the political agenda |
December 27, 2002 |
| From Nafta to Cafta |
December 20, 2002 |
| Ibero-Americans Mull Secretariat |
December 13, 2002 |
| Cuba, CARICOM Cement Ties |
December 9, 2002 |
| ACS raises $1.1 Million |
December 3, 2002 |
| ACS meets in Belize |
November 22, |
| Flood, Sweat and Tears |
November 15, 2002 |
| Can Caribbean Tourism be Reinvented? |
November 11, 2002 |
| Wilton Park Conference on Cuba |
November 1, 2002 |
| Caribbean-Central America Trade |
October 26, 2002 |
| Two Thirds Of Central Americans Favour Regional Integration |
October 21, 2002 |
| Facilitating OCT Cooperation |
October 11, 2002 |
| Europe's Remaining Dependencies |
October 4, 2002 |
| Be Offensive in Services |
September 27, 2002 |
| Services In The Island Caribbean: Neglect Them At Your Peril |
September 20, 2002 |
| Caricom's Trade Negotiations: A Daunting Agenda |
September 13, 2002 |
| Regional Cooperation in the Private Sector |
August 31, 2002 |
| National Politics, Regional Economics |
August 23, 2002 |
| Economic Contraction and Fiscal Crisis in the OECS |
August 16, 2002 |
| South American Summit: A Strategic Opportunity |
August 9, 2002 |
| Human Development in the Caribbean |
August 2, 2002 |
| Problems with UNDP Governance Indicators |
July 26, 2002 |
| Relaunch of Central American Integration |
July 19, 2002 |
| The Caribbean Sea is special |
July 12, 2002 |
| CARICOM and the ACS |
July 5, 2002 |
Treatment of Small Economies |
June 28, 2002 |
Economic Performance in the Island Caribbean |
June 21, 2002 |
Rum Talk |
June 14, 2002 |
| Multidimensional vs. Military Security |
June 7, 2002 |
| EU-LAC Summit: Side Shows and Hidden Agendas |
May 27, 2002 |
| US Farm subsidies will impact the Greater Caribbean |
May 17, 2002 |
Globalization not just Economics |
May 10, 2002 |
Tourism must be Sustainable |
May 2, 2002 |
Eu-lac Summit: Civil Society involvement |
April 26, 2002 |
| The EU and Central America: Conflicting Agendas |
April 19, 2002 |
| Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean: a Fragmented Partnership |
April 12, 2002 |
| Early warning for Natural Disasters |
April 5, 2002 |
| Monterrey Summit: Promises, Promises? |
March 28, 2002 |
| NAFTA Parity:Certain Restrictions Apply |
March 22, 2002 |
| Private Sector Mobilises |
March 15, 2002 |
| The Future is Here |
March 8, 2002 |
| Humanising the FTAA |
March 1, 2002 |
| US-Central America Free Trade Talks |
February 22, 2002 |
| Carnival realising the potential |
February 12, 2002 |
| Bridging Caricom and Central America |
February 6, 2002 |
| Special and Differential Treatment and the WTO |
February 1, 2002 |
| Protecting the Caribbean sea |
January 24, 2002 |
| Thinking the unthinkable - nuclear shipments |
January 17, 2002 |
| Caribbean airline cooperation - A $60 million question |
January 12, 2002 |
| A matter of Freedom |
January 4, 2002 |
| Towards the greater Caribbean zone of cooperation |
December 27, 2001 |
| Opec funding and the ACS |
December 20, 2001 |
| Consolidating the Greater Caribbean |
December 13, 2001 |
| Meeting in Margarita |
December 7, 2001 |
| Aids, Anthrax and the WTO |
November 29, 2001 |
| The Dilemma of the DOHA: New Round or No? |
November 22, 2001 |
| Rescuing Caribbean Tourism pt. 2 |
November 15, 2001 |
| Rescuing Caribbean Tourism pt. 1 |
November 9, 2001 |
| Business Co-operation and Caribbean Trade |
November 2, 2001
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| TRACKING THE FTAA |
October 26, 2001
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FTAA: DOES SIZE MATTER?
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October 18, 2001
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WAR AND RUMOURS OF WAR
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October 12, 2001
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THE QUIET REVOLUTION:
CIVIL SOCIETY AND GLOBALISATION |
October 4, 2001
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| DEVELOPMENT AS IF EQUITY MATTERED |
October 11, 2001
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| TERRORISM, TOURISM AND TRADE |
September 20, 2001
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| TOWARDS A COMMON POSITION ON SMALL ECONOMIES IN THE FTAA |
September 13, 2001
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Traditional historiography developed a vision according to which, only the highly notorious or important events carried out by “great men” were those that were taken into account when writing history, highlighting among them, wars and political events, giving the impression that the social movement marched to the beat of such events and not according to mankind’s ability to change the society’s structural bases.