Stories about Caribbean from July, 2023
Caribbean art exhibit portrays the threatened beauty of the ocean as deep-sea mining negotiations come to an end in Jamaica
As the tense deliberations surrounding the International Seabed Authority (ISA)'s decision on deep-sea mining dragged on, a vibrant art exhibit brought the subject of the negotiations to life.
Haitian refugees land on Jamaican shores, while CARICOM’s efforts to help its troubled member state falter
"The anxiety among many social media commentators over the treatment of the refugees reflects an appreciation of the historical ties, and mixed feelings of admiration, helplessness, and obligation towards Haiti ..."
A ‘diplomatic tiff’ over same-sex marriage is downplayed, but differences on LGBTQ+ issues remain in the Jamaica-U.S. relationship
"While several Caribbean nations took positive steps towards recognition of the LGBTQ+ community in 2022, Jamaica was not among them.
Fish are poured into Jamaica's Rio Cobre after pollution incidents, but is this the end of the matter?
On three occasions, pollution from a bauxite company's holding ponds resulted in major fish kills and loss of livelihoods for communities depending on the Rio Cobre river.
Some authors are gone, others are still writing, but Caribbean literature endures
"[A]s Peepal Tree Press publishes Rahim’s posthumous novel, [it is] pronounced among “best Caribbean novels,” tackling questions of “society and personal being asked by great novelists from Eliot to Lovelace.”
The Caribbean Community marks its golden jubilee with a promise of free movement for regional nationals
"We believe that this is a fundamental part of the integration architecture [...] the core of the regional integration movement [is] people’s ability to move freely within the Caribbean Community. "
Suriname's significant holiday of Keti Koti is finally gaining Dutch importance
Suriname's Keti Koti is celebrated annually to mark the abolition of slavery. The July 1, 2023 commemoration was special, however, as it marked the beginning of the Dutch Slavery Memorial Year.
One woman’s mission to protect mangroves in Belize
"We’re not only getting rain wash erosion, but [also] high impact wave erosion on the other side because we’ve removed all our mangroves and continue to do it with impunity."