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Its very confusing. How come we so bitter to each other? When we in another country we need to come together cause the only familair thing we have outside the islands is ourselves. What yuh tink? :grabit

It's ah sad thing to say but, "West Indian people are like crabs in a barrel" we are always trying to pull each other down. You will see (for example) Jewish people unite and pull together to make their heritage strong and successful. Why can we do that?

BREDDA FROM DE DAYS OF SLAVERY WE AS BLACK PEOPLE BEEN "TRAINED"TO NOT STAND TOGETHER, THE DAY THAT BLACK PEOPLE ON A WHOLE STAND UP AS ONE DIS PLACE GONE THROUGH, BUT UNTIL THOSE OF US WHO STILL HAVE THE SLAVE MASTERS MENTALITY AND TRAINING GET RID OF THAT NEGATIVE, IGNORANT TRAINING WE WILL CONTINUE TO FIGHT AGAINST EACH OTHER BUT BE CORDIAL TO OTHER RACES.

[COLOR=royalblue] This is a shame that we as a people have to be like this.

But i have to say being in the military and stationed overseas (germany), island people tend to rally together in those kind of situation......................... I met many trini's in germany simply because i had the trini flag in my car and truck.

It's just that here in the states where there is a saturation of Island folks we seem to be negative towards each other .............why is the question of the day

I'm not sure what the reason is but I know that the older people in my family parent's uncles, aunts are very Pro-Trinidadian to the point of some of them being Anti-(insert any other Island). I've heard some of them things like, "Damn Jamaicans yuh cyah understand anything they say" or "Haitians are rhell dirty, they sleep 20 in a room" etc. I grew up around this and it was only thru going to college and experiencing different culchas that I was able to put that thinking to bed. Anytime they say them tings now I either leave the conversation or engage them in an argument. Of which I win most of the time because ignorance has no reasoning. At a dinner I said, "what would you do if I brought a Haitian or Jamaican woman home?" Their faces dropped. It happens right here in Imix with the idiotic Trini vs Bajan argument that arise like a festering boil now and again.

These are the things that have cause the Federation to fail and Carifta and Caricom to be totally ineffectual. Nothing is wrong with loving your island but to insult other islands on the other end is destructive.

well i have read of ya'll replies and i am glad to see there is still alot of positive vibes within my west indian ppl. now as far as the hatred goes for one another there will always be good vs. evil that is the way it will always be until the farther comes back and
takes what is rightfully his. i don't want to get too religous but the lord and the devil(satan) made a bet(a very very long time ago) to see who could have more souls be4 the return of jesus. so now with all the negativity we see within our own people and people of other races, will always have conflict. now myself i truly believe LOVE SEE NO COLOR .
in closing we as positive ppl must unite and over come our petty differences be4 it's too late.

I am struggling with a reply to this one. Due to the fact that my answer might piss a few off. But here goes. Why is there an expectation that as 'West Indians', we must get along? We come from different islands, each with different cultures and even historical backgrounds. Our foods, mannerisms and even some of the music differs. Our individual countries, each struggle to uplift themselves out of economic, social and political crises daily. Look at the African continent. We look upon them and call all of them Africans. However, when you meet them individually, they will tell you they are either Nigerian, Ghanian and the like. Not African! They all don't necessarily get along because they are from the same continent. This holds true for the other continents as well, except Australia, of course. And remember, their borders are not seperated by sea like ours.
Folks, we are individuals! As individuals, we are subject to different opinions, likes, desires etc.
Now, I am not saying this as a negative reply to your statements as I believe they are visionary. I too believe in the necessity of a Caricom. But we all see that the Caricom is a failing entity and I believe the differences stated above is the root cause.
The problem, I believe, is more of a racial and educational problem than it is socio-political. Most of the Caribbean population are afrocentric and therefore subject to predujices, both internal and external. Case and point...look at Cuba.
In closing, I believe that education is the key. Knowledge broaden horizons, opens eyes and delivers the necessary tools to generate change. As we Caribbean ex-pats gain more education, we need to inject more global ideas and thinking into the Caribbean community. Thereby we may facilitate change within our individual countries. As change gains roots...like the branches of a tree..fruit will fall to be ingested by the interested. Nuff Said!
D Bad Lad

Well Said Robber!

If something is repeated often enough even thought it was not true it becomes true, I think thats what marcus said. I believe we can get alone if we stop telling ourselves we can't get along. we said it so much that it has become a part of our psyche, and if we believe it it will not change until we change.

I love all de countries in the West Indies...........
But like most ppl, I love my country the most!!!:p

all of that starts within any given island, maybe race against race, class against class, so it is jus applied to other islands. also because of one country's wealth, the inhabitants may get 'over proud' of what they've got

however i refuse to turn out that way.my paternal grandfather from Barbados, my maternal one from Dominica, maternal grandmother from Guyana, mih aunt from Grenada, so where that leave me? people need to put themselves in the given situation before they speak and because they don't, they act ignorant, but it reach so far now, what are we gonna do?

I am going to be very brief on this topic.

It is a true, true saying that "united we stand, divided we fall" and I must say that this is really happening. I know of some W.I organisations here in Toronto where we have unity among the island people and they are very fruitful in their endeavours. On the other hand, there are a few with disunity and they falter. We don't need this my friends. Look at our roots and it will indicate that we are related in some way or the other.

Big up Imix, for they are contributing to correcting this situation by having such a forum.

Love u all!!!!!

Folks! I am a Trinbagonian living in Australia and there is no exception here either, all the continents I have been on the people rift to some degree: somebody doh like somebody else for whatever reason. It's human nature!

that al the islands are uniqly different even though we all have African decent. However, we have this hostility towards one another that is very destructive to our community.
as a haitian, i have grown up hearing many ignorant comments made about haitians, and that is why some haitian youth today are embarrassed of their culture and reluctant to say that they are haitian. i am proud of my heritage, but i have much love and respect for all the islands. however i hate the way that haitians are treated. we get no respect, we are portrayed as the weeklings, as the dirtiest ppl. just ask urself one thing, who was the first nation to be independ in the entire western hemisphere and think of how little respect we get for it now.