Stories about Caribbean
Are some citizens being targeted more than others when it comes to Trinidad & Tobago's COVID-19 legislation?
Many fear that inconsistencies regarding who is brought before the law for breach of COVID-19 protocols is adding to public confusion, which could result in further flouting of the legislation.
In Jamaica, backlash over limestone quarry in ecological area sparks youth online activism
Jamaican youth are rallying against a government decision to allow limestone quarrying in an ecologically sensitive area, and proving they know how to use online tools to their advantage.
The greatness of Caribbean writer Jean Rhys
Best known for “Wide Sargasso Sea,” her daring riposte to “Jane Eyre”, Rhys is an integral part of the literary canon. A panel of writers dissects what makes her great.
Barbados removes statue of British naval officer Horatio Nelson for his role in the slave trade
"The point is not the destruction of ‘the past’, as if there was one monolithic uncontested past, but the renegotiation of which past the present holds up to its face."
‘What a Bam Bam!’ Jamaicans celebrate Biden/Harris victory
Prime Minister Andrew Holness’ congratulatory tweet emphasised Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris’ Jamaican heritage and called her historic achievement a “monumental accomplishment for women all over the world.”
Northeast Tobago named a UNESCO ‘Man and the Biosphere Reserve’
Thanks to the unique biodiversity of Tobago's Main Ridge, the island's North East area has been officially designated a UNESCO Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Reserve.
Environmental risk posed by Venezuelan oil tanker highlights importance of transparency and public participation
"The power that activist groups and citizens have in the palm of their hands, through social media and other digital platforms, is immense and far-reaching."
Venezuelan tanker deemed ‘stable’, but Trinidad & Tobago recommends hastening the transfer of oil
A potential oil spill in the area, environmentalists say, would be disastrous for both marine ecosystems and livelihoods.
Dancehall star Buju Banton’s rejection of mask-wearing stymies Jamaican government’s efforts to stem ‘COVID-19 fatigue’
"Please do not listen to Buju Banton [...] in this case, he is 110% wrong. Wear your mask, wash your hands and socially distance."
Trinidad & Tobago team reports ‘minimal to no risk’ of an oil spill from stranded Venezuelan tanker
A group of experts from Trinidad and Tobago comprised “the first agency besides engineers of Venezuela” to set foot on the vessel, which carries approximately 1.3 million barrels of crude...
In Haiti, homophobic movements use anti-colonial rhetoric against LGBTQI+ communities
Attempts to increase visibility of the LGBTQI+ community in Haiti are being stifled
The Caribbean's case for reparations: Part III
Reparatory justice can play an important role in dealing with challenges like disease, climate change and COVID-19, all of which pose existential threats to the region.
Marine ecosystems and livelihoods at risk if Venezuelan oil tanker sinks
The FSO Nabarima, a tanker filled with approximately 1.3 million barrels of crude oil, is in imminent danger of sinking and causing an ecological disaster in the Gulf of Paria.
Caribbean alphabet series provides lots of laughs on TikTok
Laughter has become a critical coping mechanism in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, but in an era of social media "influencers," can anyone lay claim to originality?
The Caribbean's case for reparations: Part II
"We transformed these broken colonies into functional democracies without any support […] and now we have this debt crisis because we were abandoned by those who plundered our wealth."
The Caribbean's case for reparations: Part I
"When a wrong has been committed, it must be repaired. If you recognise that colonization has been a source of massive crimes against humanity, then reparations are legitimate."
The climate crisis message in Jamaican environmentalist's new novel is rooted ‘in love for home’
"The disconnect in the region is between rhetoric and action. We’ve already lost a lot, but we still have much worth protecting, and should be determined not to lose more."
Trinidad & Tobago loses a fount of cultural knowledge with the passing of comedian Dennis ‘Sprangalang’ Hall
"He was our identity, he was a creole griot. A historical raconteur who spoke the nation language in a way that was universal. A comedian who made us think."
Citizenship by investment in the Caribbean: Economic boon or diplomatic minefield?
Citizenship by Investment, dubbed the “golden passport”, offers the wealthy a second citizenship at a time when visa and COVID-19 restrictions are becoming more onerous.
COVID-19 causes Trinidad and Tobago to cancel its Carnival for 2021
"Everyone else has already gone ahead and cancelled theirs. I do not [...] see how [anyone] could possibly think to put the country under further threat from Covid-19."
About our Caribbean coverage
Janine Mendes Franco is the Caribbean editor. Email her story ideas or volunteer to write.
