I am a writer and media producer based in Trinidad and Tobago. Follow me on Twitter @JanineMFranco.
Latest posts by Janine Mendes-Franco from August, 2009
Trinidad & Tobago: Are We Really Independent?
Today is the forty-seventh anniversary of Independence in Trinidad and Tobago, but some bloggers wonder whether citizens of the twin island republic truly understand what sovereignty is all about...
Trinidad & Tobago: More on Guardian vs. Blogger
KnowProSE.com weighs in on the battle between a Trinidad and Tobago blogger and a mainstream newspaper: “I don't necessarily agree with everything Richard writes or how he writes it – but I think that he has the right to express his opinion. When you threaten legal action in a case...
Anguilla: The Fly
Corruption-free Anguilla says that a fly infestation at a particular garbage dump “results from a failure to deal with the garbage correctly”, adding: “The culprit is one of our biggest hotel developments.”
Bahamas: Living Off Art
Nicolette Bethel continues to follow Ward Minnis‘ posts on the viability of making a living off of art in the Bahamas, commenting: “In order for this viability really to exist, though, the society as a whole has to buy into the idea of supporting Bahamian culture with more than their...
St. Vincent & the Grenadines: Tackling Domestic Violence
“I am still having a hard time wrapping my mind around the fact that yet another woman has been the victim of appalling domestic violence,” writes Abeni, adding: “I can only hope that Debbie's biggest impact will be to mobilise Vincentian women into meaningful action…we simply cannot afford to pay...
Jamaica: Bereft of Leadership?
Trevor Dawes, blogging at Abeng News Magazine, says that “Jamaica is bankrupt” and suggests that “it is as a result of the poor to non-existent leadership from either of the two major political parties.”
Trinidad & Tobago: Paper Vs. Blogger
A battle appears to be brewing between a Trinidad and Tobago blogger and a local newspaper: the latter says that it will “exercise all its available legal options” unless kid5rivers apologizes for this post, in which he airs his opinion that the paper has become “a media house that no...
Trinidad & Tobago: Barbadine Punch
“Here in Trinidad and Tobago we have two uses for the giant granadilla when making drinks; we use it for juices or, in today's case, in a punch”: Simply Trini Cooking shares a barbadine recipe that packs a punch!
Anguilla: Discussing Freedom of Information
“Writing the law is the easy part. Getting it to work is another matter. But, even discussing it is a really important step if we are really serious about accountability and transparency…”: Corruption-free Anguilla examines the issue of Freedom of Information.
Bahamas: Economic Priorities?
“Rumour has it that cash flow is hard to come by for the government…yet the country opens a consulate office in Atlanta, Georgia”: Rick Lowe at Weblog Bahamas wonders what on earth the government could be thinking.
Jamaica: Now What?
Girl With a Purpose wonders “what's next for Jamaica's athletic program” following the team's success at the recent World Championships: “What a fitting tribute it would be…for [our athletes] to have world-class training equipment and facilities…”
Barbados: Dialysis Crisis
As news breaks about a shortage of supplies at the hospital's dialysis unit, Barbados Free Press wonders “if politicians, civil servants and administrators in Barbados really get the fundamentals of their jobs.”
Bahamas, Jamaica: Thoughts on the IMF
Rick Lowe at Weblog Bahamas takes issue with an article in a Jamaican newspaper which laments the fact that the country “now has to pay the piper (IMF)”, saying: “Of course I am no fan of the IMF, but to suggest that a country ignore its debt is simply irresponsible…it...
Martinique: Dance the Bèlè
Repeating Islands features Leïla Bizet and her bèlè, “a traditional folk dance practiced on islands like Dominica, St. Lucia, Guadeloupe, and Martinique; hailing from the days of slavery, it has become a time-honored symbol of African legacy.”
St. Vincent & the Grenadines: R.I.P. Walter Porter
And Still I Rise remembers Walter Porter, “a son of the Vincentian soil, calypsonian, musician and unfortunately the person seated in number 25C on Pan Am 103.”
Trinidad & Tobago: Productivity
“So we need to produce more corn curls, Crix and painted stones (aka GDP) per man per hour”: This Beach Called Life takes a tongue-in-cheek look at productivity in Trinidad and Tobago.
Jamaica: Making It Last
“What good is it to glean several medals, to ride the wave of national camaraderie and unity for a few days, only to be bogged down once again by the crushing weight of national issues, such as crime, corruption, and economic chaos?”: Jamaican blogger Life, Unscripted, on the Rock wonders...
Bahamas: A Woman's World
“When women of the Caribbean and the Americas are truly equal, stay at home mothering will be a paying job”: From the Bahamas, Womanish Words is celebrating Women's Equality Day “by imagining a better world for women, and for mothers and their children especially.”
Caribbean: Climate Change Concerns
The threat of rising sea levels is of concern to CARICOM [the 15-nation Caribbean community]. Repeating Islands explains.
Barbados: Illegal Fishing
Poachers at Barbados’ Graeme Hall Nature Sanctuary are reportedly released from police custody, leaving The Bajan Reporter to question how committed the Environment Ministry is to its cause.
Barbados, U.S.A.: R.I.P. Senator Kennedy
Barbadian bloggers are saddened at the passing of U.S. Senator Ted Kennedy.
