The POVERTY in the Caribbean was far worse than they told us?

Question

After returning from my last cruise I was shocked by the extreme poverty I saw on the islands we visited. It seemed like most people were living day to day and many were hungry and desparate. I suspect that the tourists keep many of them from starving to death.

The people on the boat told us there was no poverty but everyone lived in paradise and had nice peaceful lives. It did not seem like that to me. What did you think about the life of the typical person on the islands you visited?