Stories about Caribbean from September, 2009
Barbados: First H1N1 Death
Barbados Free Press reports on the island's first death from the H1N1 Virus.
Jamaica: Blogging About Climate Change
“On October 15, 2009, I plan to blog about climate change and Jamaica”: Diaspora blogger Geoffrey Philp promotes the upcoming Blog Action Day.
Trinidad & Tobago: Digging a Hole
“It’s like a jamette woman in a rumshop shouting she does go to chuch!”: B.C. Pires blogs about issues of governance in the Trinidad & Tobago government.
Bermuda: Green Party
Catch a fire welcomes Bermuda's newest political party and “the contribution that they may be able to offer to our political discourse.”
Jamaica: Children & Violence
As the government signs a UN agreement aimed at protecting children from being recruited by armed forces, Letter From Jamaica wonders: “But what about children at home? Children don't just hide guns for gunmen, increasingly they are the gunmen.”
Suriname: Photographic Art
Paramaribo SPAN shines the spotlight on Dutch artist Risk Hazekamp, who shares her thoughts on thoughts “on one of the works inspired by her residency in Suriname in 2008.”
Dominica: Happy Independence!
Dominica Weekly reviews the island's 2009 Independence celebrations.
Trinidad & Tobago: Thinking & Drinking
Trinidadian blogger Andre Bagoo republishes an article he wrote in which he “began to think in earnest about the reasons why I drink.”
Jamaica: Bolt & the Passa Passa
Yardflex.com, though a fan of Jamaican Olympic gold medalist Usain Bolt, thinks that he should “stay out of the passa passa” controversy.
B.V.I.: Heritage Tourism
Repeating Islands reports that the British Virgin Islands are exploring the benefits of heritage tourism.
Trinidad & Tobago: The Price of Progress is High
“As if the stink of the uselessness of the building weren’t enough…here comes talk that toxic fumes from the Performing Arts Academy are making people in the neighbouring buildings fall sick. Yes, this is progress at its best”: Trinidadian Attillah Springer says the whole thing “is a tragic kind of...
Jamaica: Gully Gaza
Active Voice offers an insight into the Jamaican “Gully Gaza phenomenon”.
Guyana: Thanks, But No Thanks
Guyana-Gyal turns down a publishing “deal”.
Aruba: Election Results
“It's still sinking in. It was an incredible night. I'm fairly sure that this government is, at one point going to disappoint me, but today I'm very happy”: Arubagirl reports on the outcome of elections in her country.
Bermuda: national identity
“Who are we?” asks Tales from the Triangle's Tip. News of an upcoming visit to Bermuda by Queen Elizabeth II raises questions about national identity in the British Overseas Territory. “After 400 years, we are still defined by a queen, a crown.”
Bermuda: too wobbly for business?
Vexed Bermoothes investigates why a major insurance company is moving its headquarters from Bermuda to Ireland. “So what’s bothering the international executives?… Work permit issues. Wobbly political environment. Uncertain future tax status.”
Jamaica: utilities hardship
Stunner's Afflictions notes the coincidence that the same day Jamaica's power company raised its rates, the Bank of Jamaica introduced the new JA$5,000 bill, the country's highest denomination banknote. “Now we can cover more bills with less notes. That's the only good way of looking at it.”
Trinidad and Tobago: against anti-gay violence
gspottt reacts to news that a member of Trinidad's GLBT community has been killed.”The murder comes … in the middle of an ongoing spate of internet dating-initiated violence and blackmail of community members…. It’s beyond time to take stronger community action to prevent and address such violence.”
Trinidad and Tobago: film partners
The Trinidad and Tobago Film Festival blog offers notes from a panel discussion of “the future of co-productions in the Caribbean”, with contributions from filmmakers and other creative professionals.
British Virgin Islands: conservation victory
Repeating Islands reports on a legal victory for environmentalists in the British Virgin Islands, who oppose the construction of a hotel and golf course in a protected area.
Barbados, Guyana: forest outpost?
Living in Barbados examines an audacious 16-year-old proposal to establish a Barbadian outpost in the interior of Guyana, thus addressing the problems of overpopulation in one country and underdevelopment in the other.
About our Caribbean coverage
Janine Mendes Franco is the Caribbean editor. Email her story ideas or volunteer to write.
