<prompt> Translate the following text to EnglishIngawa inaonekana kuwa ni vigumu sasa, wakati mmoja visiwa hivyo vya sukari vilikuwa karibu na hatua kuu wakati nguvu kubwa za Ulaya zilipopigana vikali kwa ajili ya utawala wa kibiashara wa ulimwengu.  <response>: Unlikely as it seems now, at one time these sugar islands were close to center stage as the great powers of Europe warred fiercely for world commercial domination. 