Stories about Caribbean from February, 2011
Jamaica: Awaiting Word on Buju
As the jury in Buju Banton's second drug trial continues to deliberate, Jamaica Salt “keep[s] looking for the result – but if the jury couldn’t decide last time, things are more hopeful for Buju this time round.”
Trinidad & Tobago: Child Found Dead
Guanaguanare and gspott are devastated over the murder of an eight year old boy.
Cuba, Trinidad & Tobago: The Gay Agenda
Could prioritizing the gay agenda be diverting attention from more pressing issues? Iván's File Cabinet explores the possibilities, while gspottt says the Trinidad and Tobago government “has its priorities on GLBT issues wrong.”
Jamaica: On “Buju Watch”
“Once again the Jamaican nation is on Buju watch”: Active Voice highlights the posts of some fellow bloggers to underscore her point that “Jamaicans are taking this very personally, it is as if the nation itself is on trial.”
St. Lucia, T&T, Cuba: Literary Festivals
“All indications are it promises to be a grand affair with an eclectic mix of creative offerings that are sure to appeal to literature fans from all over the world”: Caribbean Book Blog is excited about the Bocas Lit Fest, while Iván's File Cabinet blogs about the Havana Book Festival.
Turks & Caicos: Now Is The Time
The tcipost is calling on “every Turks and Caicos Islander with access to the Internet [to] please use all the social networks at our disposal to demand our right to self determination and bring awareness to our plight.”
Jamaica: Get Up, Stand Up
“Next year…Jamaica will celebrate 50 years of being an independent nation, but unless we take Bob Marley's words to heart and emancipate ourselves from mental slavery, our jubilee will represent nothing more than a fleeting, insignificant figure on time's continuum”: Ruthibelle thinks its time for Jamaica to grow up.
Jamaica, B.V.I.: Non-Indigenous Species
Lemurs in the Caribbean? Labrish Jamaica calls on Sir Richard Branson to do the right thing.
Jamaica: Banton Jury Deliberates
Jury deliberation in the drug trial of reggae icon Buju Banton begins today; YardFlex.com is keeping a close eye on developments.
Turks & Caicos: Using Social Media for Democracy
The tcipost wants fellow islanders to “remember that the people of Egypt this month used the internet to strengthen their voices and share information”, suggesting that they can use the same tools to have their voices heard when it comes to the new constitution “that will dilute our vote as...
Dominica: First Indigenous Lawyer
The Voice of the Taino People Online is proud to tell the story of “Pearl Diane Williams…the first indigenous Kalinago Carib person from Waitikubuli (Dominica) and possibly the Eastern Caribbean to be admitted to the Bar in the Commonwealth of Dominica.”
Jamaica: Malaria Cases
YardFlex.com reports that the Ministry of Health has identified three imported cases of malaria.
Trinidad & Tobago: “Arima” in Kiddies Carnival
“Arima — which means both ‘place of the beginning’ and ‘water’ — is an indigenous Amerindian place name for what is now a large town in eastern Trinidad”: Alice Yard blogs about its children’s Carnival masquerade band, which “attempts to bring these two definitions together”.
Guyana: Mashramani Festival
“On February 23, people from the ten regions of Guyana converge on the country’s capital to participate in the grand, massive carnival-like event, with costumed bands and a float parade”: Repeating Islands blogs about the Mashramani festival.
Trinidad & Tobago: Same Sex Marriage
Lisa Allen-Agostini thinks “it’s great that we have begun to think about the question of same-sex marriage in Trinidad and Tobago…[but] we have a long way to go–legally as well as socially–before we can make it an option for our people.”
Jamaica: The “Dudus” Enquiry
Jamaica and the World identifies the key players in the “Dudus” Enquiry.
Bahamas: Fire on Bay Street
Weblog Bahamas‘ Rick Lowe posts photos of yesterday's tragic fire in Nassau, commenting: “What a sad loss of those beautiful old buildings.”
Bahamas: Dr. Keva Bethel Dies
Womanish Words pays tribute to the late educator Dr. Keva Bethel: “Bahamian women of my generation can be especially proud of her and grateful to her for a life and career that inspired us to reach for greatness in a man's world.”
Trinidad & Tobago: Songs of Our Youth
“There’s no soca like the soca of your youth”: Lisa Allen-Agostini says that's “the reason soca gets ‘worse’ every year. It’s not the music, darling. It’s you.”
Trinidad & Tobago: Road Deaths
“Trinidad is head and a lot of people are dead because of it”: B.C. Pires explains.
Bahamas: Is Cuba Next?
“I would love to see a non-violent uprising for human rights…sparked by blog writers and fed and sustained till victory by the power of the internet. As we have seen it is entirely possible”: Womanish Words would like to see Cuba follow in Egypt's footsteps.
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