· December, 2005

Stories about Caribbean from December, 2005

Aruba: Throwing pagaras

  31 December 2005

Some time before tonight at midnight, the majority of households and businesses in Aruba will throw a pagara to ward off fuku, says ArubaGirl.

Belize: News portal update

  31 December 2005

Melody reports that the Belize Free Press news portal has been updated. The site features links to Belize newspapers, magazines, radio and television stations and online news sites.

Haiti: Jean-Juste Has Cancer

  29 December 2005

Commenting on a Miami Herald article which revealed that imprisoned Haitian priest, Gerard Jean-Juste has leukemia, Boz opines that “the Haitian government should allow Jean-Juste to travel to the US for treatment.”

Jamaica: Bloggers meet-up

  29 December 2005

Scratchie and Dr. D. report on the bloggers’ meet-up last night in Kingston. Dr. D, who also posts a photo of the all-male group, describes it as a “wikid encounter with irie vibes”, while Scratchie wonders “WHAT HAPPEN TO ALL DI WOMAN DEM?”

A conversation with Guyana-gyal

  29 December 2005

“I GON TELL YOU stories, true, true stories. Like me gran'pa and me nanee and cha cha used to do, and they ancestors too. Take half, leave half, cry or laff. Enjoy the gyaff, what you learn is up to you,” promises Guyana-Gyal on the home page of her flavorful...

Cayman Islands: The Blue Dragon Trail

  28 December 2005

OddBlog announces the arrival of the Blue Dragon Trail, a series of 15 giant iguana sculptures “released” throughout Grand Cayman to raise awareness of the Blue Iguana Recovery Programme. The Grand Cayman Blue Iguana is the most endangered iguana in the world — it's estimated that there are as few...

Caribbean: R.I.P. Kerry Packer

  28 December 2005

Ryan Naraine and Richard Jobity remember Kerry Packer, the Australian media baron whose controversial World Series Cricket tournament was a key factor in the development of West Indies cricket. Packer, who died on December 27, was also the inspiration for a famous calypso by the Mighty Sparrow.

Haiti: Election observers wanted

  27 December 2005

CaribPundit announces that the Haiti Democracy Project is looking to recruit international observers to witness Haiti's national elections, which are scheduled to begin on January 8, 2006.

Guyana: Wine not rum?

  27 December 2005

MediaCritic considers a senior government official's assertion that he favors red wine a slap in the face of the Guyanese rum industry.

Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela: Why Trinis speak Spanish at Christmastime

  27 December 2005

English may be the official language of Trinidad, but at Christmastime the country sings in Spanish. De Cooler : Soca News announces the results of the National Parang Championships, the competition which showcases Trinidad's traditional Christmas music, while Caribbean Free Radio plays a few parang tracks and explains the genre's...

Grenada: IMF reports & indifferent politicians

  26 December 2005

YingYang lists the highlights of a recent IMF report on Grenada, adding that the Grenadian Prime Minister has ignored all requests from the Grenada Chamber of Commerce, the Grenada Trades Union Council and other private sector organisations for face-to-face meetings to discuss the redevelopment of the island, which was devasted...

Bermuda: Conversations v. Monologues

  26 December 2005

In replying to those who believe politics scared him away from the Royal Gazette, newspaper columnist-turned-blogger A Limey in Bermuda scores one for the citizen journalism team. “I find conversations more interesting than monologues,” he says.

Trinidad and Tobago: Wining

  21 December 2005

Some of us prepare for a vacation by poring over travel books, but not the South African tourist who wrote to Caribbean Beat magazine requesting information on “wining” (the gyrating dance Caribbean people do to soca and calypso music – an inability to do it properly is one of the...

Selections from the Caribbean blogosphere

  16 December 2005

Barbados – Campfyah, writing from Caracas, fills us in on some of his Christmas activities and Barbados's participation in an international Christmas charity fair. – In a post which sparks a healthy string of comments, Jdid spares a thought for Stanley “Tookie” Williams on the day of the latter's execution...

Jamaica: Politics, Economics, and First Dates

  14 December 2005

Owen tries to figure out why he should learn anything about Jamaican politics or economics when he wants to be an IT professional. At the very least, he probably could have gotten his classmates’ phone number.

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Janine Mendes-Franco
Janine Mendes Franco is the Caribbean editor. Email her story ideas or volunteer to write.