Stories about Caribbean from September, 2014
Gay Rights in Trinidad & Tobago Once Again Out of Reach as Prime Minister Backpedals
Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar has backed off of past promises to decriminalise homosexual acts, saying "it would not be prudent" to do so now.
Will Trinidad & Tobago's Government “Listen, Learn & Lead”?
Blogger and public relations professional Dennise Demming is disillusioned with Trinidad and Tobago's Prime Minister, Kamla Persad-Bissessar, who claims to “listen, learn and lead”, but then takes action to the contrary. Demming first cited the example of the country's recent Constitutional Amendment Bill, with which, “despite popular objection, the Government...
Telling Puerto Rican Stories on the Web
Esta Vida Boricua [This Boricua Life] is a digital storytelling project which explores the past and present of Puerto Rico through the collection of experiences of people from all walks of life and all ages. At its most basic level, it is “a place to share stories,” as explained in...
Art & Education in Suriname
Referring to English art critic Sir Herbert Read‘s book Education Through Art, Carmen Dragman, via Srananart's Blog, looks at the value of art in education, suggesting that the current Caribbean model is shortchanging students by not recognising the power of art as a creative outlet and learning tool: Teachers and...
Second Hunger Strike Over Highway May Leave Trinidad & Tobago Fighting For Its Soul
Environmentalist Dr. Wayne Kublalsingh takes up a second hunger strike to protest the construction of a section of highway, but the stakes are now much higher than a simple road.
What it Means to be Puerto Rican for Political Prisoner Oscar López Rivera
Oscar López Rivera has been imprisoned in the United States for over thirty years because of his political beliefs.
Jamaica Considers Developing Goat Islands Despite Environmental Protests
Jamaica's officials recently petitioned UNESCO, but the "lure of a $1.5 billion investment" has brought an about-face. Shackled to the IMF, the money might be too much to pass up.
‘We Should All Care About Climate Change Because It Will Have a Direct Impact on the State of the World’
In the second part of Global Voices' interview with Jonathan Barcant, the co-founder of the non-profit group IAMovement talks about what a world that uses clean energy looks like.
‘The Right Moment Has Come for People to Rise Up and Say No More’ to Fossil Fuels
Trinidad and Tobago was one Caribbean nation that took part in the global Climate Change Marches last Sunday. Global Voices talks to Jonathan Barcant, who helped organise the local event.
Trinidadian Diaspora Blogger Appeals to Domestic Violence Victims After Seeing Rice Viral Video
Once the video of Ray Rice (the American football player for the Baltimore Ravens) hitting his wife went viral, Trinidadian diaspora blogger Afrobella couldn't get the incident out of her mind. “The video where he spits and hits the woman who would go on to be his wife, where he...
Was a Popular Saint Lucia Blog Taken Down by Google Hateful or Just Outspoken?
The no-holds-barred, muckraking blog had become both notorious and controversial among people interested in local politics -- and then it was blocked, without warning.
How a Vote for Scottish Independence Could Affect the Caribbean
How could something as seemingly remote as the issue of Scottish independence have an effect on Caribbean states? The long arm of colonial history connects more than you might think.
Why One Trinidadian Father Will Never Hit His Kids
Corporal punishment has, for a long time, been ingrained into the fabric of Caribbean societies, with some making the connection between the region's harsh colonial history and its modern day bent towards violence. In many cases, the recipients of such beatings are the most defenseless members of society – children....
Trinidadians Concerned Over “Largest Ever Budget”
As the Trinidad and Tobago government, in anticipation of national elections next year, serves up a massive budget, two political bloggers take the country's leaders to task. Afra Raymond, whose blog keeps a close eye on politics, corruption and transparency, provided some disturbing financial context: The Minister of Finance has...
Trinidad & Tobago's Parliament Passes Constitutional Reform, But Opponents Vow to Continue to Fight
"The Senate debates the Constitution Amendment Bill tomorrow and from tonight we’re going to be outside the Parliament keeping watch over what is left of our democracy."
Trinidad & Tobago Needs to Pass the Public Procurement Bill
Trinidad and Tobago's Finance Minister yesterday delivered what many are calling a “welfare budget”, but prior to its unveiling in Parliament, blogger Afra Raymond had hoped that “a more restrained approach might be taken.” In examining the country's national budgets since 2005, Raymond found it telling that “many of the...
The Politics of “Pretty” in Jamaica
As Laurie-Ann Chin is crowned this year's Miss Jamaica World – apparently despite the live audience's disapproval – Carolyn Joy Cooper, who blogs at Jamaica Woman Tongue, takes on the ugly underbelly of the country's beauty contests. “If you follow these beauty contests, it’s easy to predict the outcome,” she...
Domestic Violence Victims in Bermuda No Longer Have a Shelter to Turn to for Help
The safe house shut its doors because it didn't have enough funding to continue. The closure comes at a time when data suggests domestic violence is increasing.
The National Gallery of Jamaica Celebrates 40 Years of Home-Grown Art
The National Gallery of Jamaica is in the midst of celebrating its 40th anniversary and the gallery's blog has been sharing information about its history and accomplishments: When the National Gallery of Jamaica (NGJ) opened its doors on November 14, 1974 it was the English-speaking Caribbean’s first national gallery, and...
The ‘Nuh Guh Deh’ Campaign Wants to Make Jamaica a Place Where Sexual Abuse of Girls Is Never Okay
Some Jamaicans, especially men, think it's acceptable for girls to be sexually initiated at a young age. The campaign will coincide with the International Day of the Girl Child.
Fashion Trends in Trinidad's Capital
The way people dress offers a glimpse into the culture of a place; Maya Cozier manages to capture the urban vibe of Trinidad's capital city in a short video which interviews several fashion forward young people who live and work in and around Port of Spain. Blogger Ceola Belix is...
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