Stories about Caribbean from February, 2008
Barbados, Jamaica: Political Accountability
Living in Barbados thinks that the arrest of a former Jamaican Minister implicated in the Cuban lightbulb scandal “should shed light on what kind of government Bruce Golding is leading and what kind of democratic country Jamaica really is.”
Trinidad & Tobago: Chinese “Pow”
“The Chinese community in the Caribbean is small, but…the region’s culture would be poorer without them”: Trinidadian blogger Can Cook, Must Cook examines the influence the Chinese have had on Caribbean food and posts a recipe for one of her favourite delicacies.
Barbados: Joe's River
Keltruth Corp. blogs about the level of pollution at Joe's River, which runs through Barbados’ last remaining rain forest.
Jamaica: Service Culture?
“Jamaica is just not ready to do business the way business is done on an international level. Our people still believe that to give service is to be servile”: Jamaican Lifestyle explains.
Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobago: Panorama
“It is music that must be heard live to be appreciated, as much of it is literally felt in the body…”: Jamaican Francis Wade blogs about Panorama, Trinidad and Tobago's premier steel band competition.
Trinidad & Tobago, Haiti, Jamaica: RIP Manno & Gibbs
Caribbean Beat Blog mourns the passing of two sons of the Caribbean soil – Haitian footballer Emmanuel “Manno” Sanon and Jamaican record producer, Joel “Joe” Gibbs.
St. Vincent & the Grenadines: Land Lover
“It's time for us to concentrate more on growing what we eat even though far too many of us consider farming as something that the educated should steer away from”: Blogging from St. Vincent, Abeni advocates going back to the land.
Bermuda, Cayman Islands: Constitutional Change
Bermudan blogger Vexed Bermoothes, on learning that the Cayman Islands is updating its Constitution following “rigorous public consultation”, asks: “Are we just so used to corrupt governance that normalcy seems unusual?”
Jamaica: This and That
Jamaica and the World puts in her two cents’ worth on everything from a Minister being charged with fraud to the island's roller-coaster crime rate.
Jamaica: Both Sides Now
“We Jamaicans take the mountains, valleys, waterfalls — all for granted. And because we can't see those things with ‘outsider eyes’ we don't think deeply enough about how to share them with the world”: Francis Wade believes Jamaica is full of untapped potential.
Anguilla, Trinidad & Tobago: Procurement
“We live in a time when coping with corruption is high on the agenda of all countries. It is therefore important that we take the opportunity to discuss transparency and accountability in procurement”: Corruption-free Anguilla leads the discussion.
Barbados: Protecting the Reefs
Barbadian blogger Gallimaufry urges Caribbean people to “do something to help halt the damage to our seas and our reefs.”
Bermuda: Silo Situation
The fact that “the cement company at Dockyard would not be required, at least for now, to relocate the contentious silos” should be raising political questions – at least in the opinion of two Bermudan bloggers, Vexed Bermoothes and A Radical In Bermuda.
Jamaica: Domestic Violence
Blogging from Jamaica, ClaudeMills.com examines possible push factors in cases of domestic violence.
Barbados, Trinidad & Tobago: Regional FBI?
As the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago raises the question of a regional policing body, Barbadian blogger Notes From The Margin says: “When you look at the implications of a Caribbean Law Enforcement agency, it’s not as simple as it might appear at first blush.”
Barbados, Jamaica: Abortion Debate
Blogging from Barbados, Gallimaufry draws attention to the issue of legalising abortions in the Caribbean.
Jamaica, Bermuda: Rogue Children
“A Bermudian member of parliament…is convinced that when you have ‘bad bruk pickney’ you must punish parents as it is the parents whose responsibility it is to ensure that children are socialised properly”: Jamaican Lifestyle hopes that “the sentiments of one man won’t be the basis of a policy that...
Trinidad & Tobago, Jamaica, Antigua: T&T Wins 20/20 Cricket
Discover TnT Blog reports that “the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket team…last night captured the Stanford 20/20 Cricket Tournament in Antigua.”
Barbados: Carbon Footprint
Living in Barbados says that it's time for Caribbean countries to get serious about their energy consumption.
Bermuda: Education System
Bermuda Longtail thinks that “discipline is an aspect of the education system that…needs some careful consideration when we look at revamping the education system.”
Jamaica, U.S.A.: The Obama Question
“It's not that Obama threatens to be another MLK. It far worse than that. It's that he threatens to be another JFK”: Jamaican Marlon James asks “the one question about Obama that dares not speak its name in polite public discourse.”
About our Caribbean coverage
Janine Mendes Franco is the Caribbean editor. Email her story ideas or volunteer to write.
