Cuba fight for independence

The 19th century brought independence to Latin America and an end to the Spanish Empire. In the Caribbean, with the exception of former Hispaniola (Haiti and the Dominican Republic), the islands remained the property of foreign powers. Pick one of the islands (either Cuba, Jamaica, Puerto Rico or any other but NOT Haiti or the Dominican Republic) and write a 600-word essay explaining WHY they remained colonial possessions while the rest of the Americas became independent. It has to be your own work (not plagiarism).