· August, 2010

Stories about Caribbean from August, 2010

Guyana: Back Then

  13 August 2010

“That man is dead and gone, yet he still shape people minds”: Guyana-Gyal remembers what life was like under Forbes Burnham.

St. Lucia: R.I.P. Sesenne

  13 August 2010

The Caribbean Review of Books acknowledges the passing of “Marie Selipha ‘Sesenne’ Descartes, St Lucian folk singer and ‘queen of folk culture’.”

Jamaica: Refugee Status

  12 August 2010

The Caribbean Camera reports on the case of “a gay man from Jamaica [who] has been granted refugee status in Canada on the basis of discrimination against him.”

Bahamas: On the Caribbean

  12 August 2010

“What is the Caribbean? is not an unanswerable question. But there isn’t — will never be — a single, definitive answer that can encompass the complications of the geographic region named for the Caribs of half a millennium ago, its history and its culture”: So writes Bahamian blogger Nicolette Bethel...

Jamaica: Dudus’ Defence

  12 August 2010

Jamaica Salt notes that “after many many months, Christopher Coke finally gets himself a couple of defence lawyers.”

Jamaica: Buju's New Album

  12 August 2010

“Buju Banton’s new album will hit the stores the same day he hit[s] the courts…on September 13″: YardFlex.com reports.

Trinidad & Tobago: Pan Awards

  11 August 2010

Repeating Islands blogs about the steelband fraternity's upcoming awards function, in which “forty-five awards will be handed out to deserving individuals, steelbands, and organizations…”

Haiti: Wyclef's Plans

  11 August 2010

Dessalines’ Children re-posts a video in which Wyclef Jean outlines “the main issues facing Haiti…how his presidential bid was inspired by Nelson Mandela and anti-apartheid activist Steve Biko, and why his lack of political experience might work to his advantage in office.”

Curacao: Experiencing Space

  11 August 2010

“I must admit that I thought it was a joke at first (and now I just feel very old indeed)”: Repeating Islands confirms that Curacao is gearing up to “be the home of the Caribbean Space Port called Space Experience Curaçao (SXC) [which] envisions realizing a commercial space line and...

Jamaica: Police Gangs?

  11 August 2010

YardFlex.com reports that the police officer who was filmed via cell phone shooting an unarmed man is to be charged with murder; Active Voice comments: “In the United States many counties do not permit citizens to videotape police in public. I sincerely hope this will not be the recommendation of...

U.S.V.I.: Lionfish Threat

  10 August 2010

As lionfish continue to pose a danger to coral reefs in the U.S. Virgin Islands, News of St. John reports that the government's strategy to eliminating the threat is: “If you can't beat ‘em, eat ‘em.”

Barbados: Tourism Stats

  10 August 2010

Tourist arrivals are up by a small percentage; Barbados Free Press says: “Without complete information it is impossible to judge if the increase in visitors was worth the outlay or if the BTA [Barbados Tourism Authority] is performing well.”

Trinidad & Tobago: Fan Mail

  10 August 2010

Nicholas Laughlin discovers a fan letter written to his grandfather, who reportedly “did what is supposed to have been the first live radio commentary on a cricket match in the West Indies, during an inter-colonial tournament at the Queen's Park Oval.”

Haiti: Does Class have an Impact?

  9 August 2010

“The Jan. 12 earthquake reveals that the principal fault-line in Haiti is not geological but one of class”: Haitianalysis.com says “a small handful of rich families own large tracts of land in suburban Port-au-Prince which would be ideal for resettling the displaced thousands.”

Guyana: Manatees

  9 August 2010

“Georgetown has TWO herds of manatees. Imagine!”: Lifespan of a Chennette pays them a visit.

Haiti: Thoughts on Wyclef

  9 August 2010

While Currents Between Shores respects Wyclef Jean's bid for the Haitian presidency, she also thinks “his passion is naive, his vision is vague and short-sighted and that just because he can run for president of Haiti, doesn't mean that he should.” Mediahacker, meanwhile, says: “Jean likened himself to Barack Obama,...

Barbados: On Governance

  9 August 2010

“Barbadians have been amazed that a stalwart of the Democratic Labour Party…has come out in public to lambaste Minister Michael Lashley for operating in breach of the law when it comes to the awarding of Government contracts”: Allegiance thinks that the country's good governance is being called into question.

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Janine Mendes-Franco
Janine Mendes Franco is the Caribbean editor. Email her story ideas or volunteer to write.