I am a writer and media producer based in Trinidad and Tobago. Follow me on Twitter @JanineMFranco.
Latest posts by Janine Mendes-Franco from July, 2008
Barbados: Setting Standards
As the government is granted a US$5 million International Development Bank loan to upgrade the national standards system, Barbados Free Press continues its call for standards to be adopted with regard to public accountability and transparency.
Dominica, U.S.A.: Politics & People
Chris at Dominica Weekly has “taken a strong interest in the US Presidential Election”, which leads him to consider the state of politics in his own country: “Perhaps the most effective thing we can do is speak our truth to power, speak up for what we need, and demand certain...
Cuba, Venezuela, U.S.A.: Empty Dialogue?
Cuban bloggers Babalu and Ninety miles away…in another country focus on U.S. Republican senator Arlen Specter's upcoming Latin American trip, during which he hopes to meet with both Raul Castro and Hugo Chavez: “The Cuban government has made clear that the only thing it is interested in is the unilateral...
Barbados, Canada: Caribana Fever
“Wha happen Crop Over music from Crop-Over this year cant reach here? Dem waiting on steam boat to bring the tunes? Man this is internet era, download man download”: Barbadian diaspora blogger Jdid explains why he is not one to catch “Caribana Feva”.
Guyana: Death Announcement Ban?
Living Guyana reports that the President plans to ban the broadcast of death announcements because they “are too negative and make people unhappy”, yet MediaCritic notes: “There is still no proper strategy to fight the rampant exploding crime in Guyana.” GT…Keep It Real chimes in: “Presi trying to jack up...
Haiti, U.S.A.: Musical Militia
AfriClassical quotes author Michael Largey in its profile of Haitian classical composer Occide Jeanty (1860-1936): “By performing pieces that had extramusical programs referring to Haitian political resistance, the Musique du Palais National, with Occide Jeanty conducting, became a symbol of Haitian resistance, albeit in musical, not military terms.”
Haiti: Act 3, Scene 2
“It has been fascinating to follow. And we are thankful that we are now watching Scene 2 unfold, while not really certain of its outcome”: jmc strategies is watching the process develop as Michèle Pierre-Louis moves closer to potentially becoming Prime Minister of Haiti.
Trinidad & Tobago: Living the Truth
Blogging from Trinidad and Tobago, Ramblings and Reason bursts with pride when her “friend David not only got on a stage and said that he is a gay man, he also said he is living with HIV and has been for 11 years. For him, it was about being honest....
Cuba, Mexico: Good Relations
“I’ve always admired how Mexico, despite its own internal contradictions and conflicts, was able to dodge the US pressure on Cuba…in the early 1960s”: On a recent trip to Mexico City, Havana-based blogger Circles Robinson has a chat with an immigration officer that makes him realize “Mexico is no exception”...
Barbados, Venezuela: Staking a Claim
Notes From The Margin is monitoring the “strident” tone of an article in the Venezuelan media which deals with the South American country's claim of Barbados’ waters: “Barbados has little reason to take on Venezuela’s claims other than Venezuela has the means to aggressively enforce its claims on the area...
Trinidad & Tobago: Searching for Truth
“One man says we are living under a dictatorship. The other asks, ‘What are you talking about? This isn’t dictatorship. Pinochet, now that was a dictator.’ Sometimes it’s so easy to identify with the first guy”: The Manicou Report plays “the armchair analyst” after an on-air showdown between a reporter...
Bermuda: Party Over People?
A Bermudian government senator declares his unequivocal support for the party's leader, causing Politics.bm to exclaim: “I could never say that my loyalty to any organisation, whether political or not, was ‘undividable and not partial’. That makes you subservient to someone else's agenda.”
Trinidad & Tobago: Backhoe Backup
Blogging from Trinidad & Tobago, This Beach Called Life admits to a fascination with backhoes…
Haiti: Quest for Freedom
The Haitian Blogger publishes an article from the Haiti Action Committee Website that “expresses…the aspirations of many Haitian activists who are endeavoring to see Haiti regain its sovereignty and ability to be a self-sustaining, viable and thriving democracy.”
Trinidad & Tobago: What Next?
“What now then? Do we engage a Commission of Inquiry to look into the 1990 Insurrection? What we do next after all this time has to make sense…” Keith in Trinidad still has many unanswered questions about the attempted coup that took place 18 years ago, while Coffeewallah adds: “The...
Cuba: Carnival Time
“It is a time to shrug off the slogans, the shortages and the frustrated expectations. Dancing is a magnificent way of forgetting. And so we will have a festival along the same perimeter where, fourteen years ago, Havanans demonstrated their discontent in a social explosion”: Yoani Sanchez looks beyond the...
Guyana: The Value of Life
“Human life in Guyana is treated with such scant regard”: Living Guyana is at a loss as to why.
Cuba: July 26th
This past weekend, on July 26th, Cuba marked the 55th anniversary of the attack on the Moncada Barracks in Santiago that came to be recognised as the start of the Cuban Revolution. Bloggers react to President Raul Castro's much-anticipated speech at the event.
Guyana, Bahamas: Carifesta Contingent
Signifyin’ Guyana is concerned about the level of regional participation in the upcoming Carifesta celebrations in Georgetown.
Trinidad & Tobago: Flambeaux
Trinidadian blogger Attillah Springer takes a walk through the Croisee a few days after a known drug dealer is killed: “The flambeaux extend much further than you would expect. Love and fear are strange bedfellows so you’re not sure if they do it because they know him and care or...
Trinidad & Tobago: Remembering 1990
Trinidad and Tobago marked the 18th anniversary of the attempted coup yesterday. Club Soda and Salt says: “Another July 27th, another anniversary of the worst day in our nation’s history swept quietly under the rug. Our leaders have once again demonstrated how deeply unserious they are.”
