There are many advantages of multinational companies on developing host countries. From research and development activities that can create knowledge transfer to backward and forward linkages that contribute to economic growth, multinational companies have been credited with adding to the economic well-being of host countries. These activities add to employment opportunities and can also contribute to relieving access-to-finance issues that many individuals in developing countries face.

On the basis of data from Uniworld, 527 U.S. companies operate in the C6 countries of the region[1] – (The Bahamas, Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago); of these, 289 are public corporations. Not taking into account multiple locations, 92 of the remaining 238 or 32% operate subsidiaries in Trinidad and Tobago, 90 or 31% in Jamaica, and 73 (25%) in The Bahamas. Barbados has 19 U.S. public companies (7%), whereas Suriname has 13 (4%). Guyana has the fewest at 1% represented by two (2) companies. (See Figure 1).

The sectoral distribution of U.S. multinational companies is focused largely on the tourism and manufacturing-related sectors. With 88 companies, accommodation and food services accounts for more than 30%. Manufacturing accounts for another 18% (52 companies), and transportation and warehousing forms almost 15% (42 companies). Although certain key sectors such as mining have fewer participants because of the sector’s industrial organization and economics (only 5 companies; less 2%), they are large in size (see Figure 2).

 

 

Figure 1. Public U.S. Multinational Companies in the C6

 

  

 

 

 

 

Source: Uniworld 2015. 

Figure 2. Sectoral Distribution of U.S. Multinational Companies in the C6

 

Source: Uniworld 2015. 

 

[1] C6 refers to the six major economies of the Caribbean that are represented (The Bahamas, Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago)