I am a writer and media producer based in Trinidad and Tobago. Follow me on Twitter @JanineMFranco.
Latest posts by Janine Mendes-Franco
20 May 2020
Addressing ‘gaps in history’ through bush tea: A conversation with Barbadian visual artist Annalee Davis
"Returning to the land today can feed us, contributing to food sovereignty and the wellness sector by expanding our knowledge and use of wild botanicals and their healing properties..."
18 May 2020
The healing effects of bush tea: A conversation with Barbadian visual artist Annalee Davis
"I have been concerned with how shared historical suffering reveals itself communally and how individuals and nations manage trauma and the desire for self-fulfilment in small places like Barbados..."
11 May 2020
Bocas Lit Fest crowdsources ‘100 Caribbean books that made us’
The regional literature festival says the initiative “isn’t a competition, but a chance to curate the stories that hold pride of place" on readers' bookshelves and in their hearts.
1 May 2020
Trinidad & Tobago ranks second on a COVID-19 ‘lockdown rollback checklist,’ but caution remains
"While the OxCGRT data cannot fully say how ready countries are to leave lockdown, it does provide for a rough comparison across nations."
29 April 2020
Trinidadian Tony Hall, visionary of ‘play and performance’, leaves behind a precious legacy
In a career that spanned five decades — in his words, “play and performance in space, street, stage and screen” — nothing Hall ever worked on was short of original...
22 April 2020
Trinidad & Tobago photographers commemorate Earth Day 2020 with online challenge
"We're trying to keep the topics upbeat in order to keep people focused, and steer everyone's mental state in a positive direction while practising social distancing."
17 April 2020
Caribbean netizens take to ‘extempo’ music to spread COVID-19 safety messages
Amid the coronavirus pandemic, people from all over the region and throughout the diaspora are trying their lyrical prowess in a COVID-19 extempo challenge.
16 April 2020
COVID-19 exacerbates inequalities in Trinidad & Tobago's education system
"The [Ministry of Education] was utterly tone-deaf and did not effectively address my concerns."
10 April 2020
Stay-at-home orders accompanied by rise in domestic violence in Trinidad & Tobago
Once the government announced stay-at-home measures for everyone but members of “essential services”, the police service prepared itself for a rise in reports of domestic abuse.
9 April 2020
‘Export restrictions’ prevent US ventilators from reaching Barbados — but citizens question tactics
The news invoked a strong reaction from Barbados's health minister, who later toned down his response, saying, “‘seize’ might not have been the correct word”.
7 April 2020
Caribbean cooking in the time of COVID-19
"Make whatever your comfort food is and know that if we all sacrifice for a few weeks for the greater good, we will help stop the spread of this virus."
2 April 2020
Guyana: Timeline of an election impasse
The results of Guyana's 2020 general election have now been delayed by a month. Here's a quick look at what has happened over the time period.
26 March 2020
Tunes in the time of corona: A playlist from Trinidad & Tobago hits all the right notes
Two Trinidadian podcasters seek to virtually unite people amidst the COVID-19 outbreak by asking listeners to pick their favourite tunes — and explain why the songs are meaningful to them.
20 March 2020
Injunction grants Guyana's election commission the freedom to declare a winner — but will it?
An ex parte injunction blocking the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) from acting on the CARICOM agreement essentially gives it the green light to declare in the government's favour.
17 March 2020
Cooped up? Trinidad & Tobago's Bocas LitFest has released its 2020 longlist
Self-quarantined? Dive into any of these “nine books by writers with roots in seven Caribbean territories,” which just made the 2020 OCM Bocas Prize for Caribbean Literature longlist.
16 March 2020
Trinidad & Tobago closes its borders as COVID-19 cases double to four
Using Italy as an example of how COVID-19 was able to spread quickly, Prime Minister Rowley warned the consequences will be grave if Trinbagonians do not adhere to the guidelines.
15 March 2020
Trinidad & Tobago's fight against COVID-19 puts emphasis on ‘personal responsibility’
The country's two COVID-19 cases are reportedly improving, but the Ministry of Health is urging people to be conscientious about prevention methods.
14 March 2020
Trinidad & Tobago clamps down as two cases of COVID-19 are confirmed
Schools have been closed, cruise ship arrivals have been suspended, and major events have been cancelled as the government tries to contain the spread of the virus.
13 March 2020
Guyana general elections hang in the balance as regional vote count ruled ‘invalid’
Guyana's acting chief justice ruled that the Region 4 results were “unlawful” as they did not fall in line with Section 84 of Guyana's Representation of the People Act.
‘Linguistics is in everything’ from astronomy to everyday life, says this linguist from Trinidad & Tobago
"Trinbagonians are connected through a shared linguocultural history and present — we don’t have to constantly define or explain or substitute our words in our conversations."
