In this article attention is drawn to a number of factors which are vital in order to understand and promote development in the Caribbean: The small size of and limited space on the islands, their fragile and complex ecological systems, their dependence on financial aid and resources from abroad, and the lack of integrated political cooperation between the islands. In regard to the latter point, there is a wide range of attempts for regional cooperation, paramounting in the newly founded Association of Caribbean States (ACS). In this article it is looked at the effects these attempts might have on political and economical cooperation and the importance of promoting the imperative of the 20th century in the region: sustainable development.