Jim:

Thank you for sharing my sixteen criteria with your readers. We are blessed in the Western Hemisphere to have so many beautiful Caribbean locations to vacation, to have second homes, and to retire. We owe the continuing development of the Caribbean to several escalating megatrends:

1. Increasing numbers of people who earn their living doing “knowledge work”, which is increasingly less tied to a physical place, i.e. free people.

2. The ubiquitousness of the primary communication technologies, namely cell phones, high-speed internet, and fax, i.e. you have as much access as you want.

3. Ease, speed, and availability of public and private air transportation to and from most anywhere at most anytime, i.e. you can leave.

4. A “critical mass” of individuals who can afford to live and work in the place of their choosing. They select places kindest to their physical selves (climate and beauty) and kindest to their financial selves (with the least tax bite).

5. A general decline in “genteelness” in many western societies that is motivating people to seek kinder and gentler places to live.

For these reasons, the Caribbean region is becoming the premier resort destination of the Western Hemisphere.

WOW! Now I know some of the benefits of a Ph.D.! Your perspective on a deeper look as to why people are flocking to the Caribbean. I look forward to a further discussion about these topics.
Jim

Jim:
It would be a pleasure to discuss them with you. The nature and type of work people do is changing faster than ever. The way we work determines where we live . . . and where we live determines where land is developed. In 2008, Contrast Chinese workers who are flocking to the cities and suburbs from rural areas, with highly-developed western societies where workers are scattering to pristine rural areas, lakes, mountains, sea coasts, private islands, at the four corners of the globe. Hence, we are only in the early stages of a Caribbean development boom.

Jim:
As a Florida developer of large condominium projects, we have been focusing our energies on the Caribbean because we also see the trends Dr. McPeak has identified. I am the U.S. Sales & Marketing Manager for a project in “up and coming” Belize, called “South Beach Belize” www3.southbeachbelize.com . . . which we feel meets many of the criteria mentioned. We are also privileged to have Dr. McPeak’s expertise and input on our project.

Jerry L. Wallace

Hi Jerry,
Thank you for your commenting on this exciting project. We share in the enthusiasm for Belize as a tropcial destination in the Caribbean. Belize is an incredibly tourist friendly country. It has so many of the features that I appreciate in the Caribbean; beaches, diving, restaurants, and, of course, some great bars. I look forward to assisting with the exposure that South Beach - Belize deserves.