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, 2011
Bahamas: Taking Precautions vs. Dengue
Womanish Words is shaken by her son's diagnosis of Dengue Fever, saying: “These are serious times. We all must take proper precautions. And we need to amp up the national response to the outbreak of Dengue Fever in Nassau. This thing is no joke.”
Cuba: MSM Paying Attention
Pedazos de La Isla takes heart in the fact that “various English-language news sources have been brave enough to publish the truth about the Caribbean island”, saying: “In Cuba, there is much to report, whether it is through blogs, digital magazines, newspapers, television, radio, etc. On a daily basis, dissidents...
Haiti: Revered Flag Maker Dies
Repeating Islands acknowledges the passing of “Silva Joseph, a highly regarded Vodou flag maker…in the tradition of BelAir’s famous flag artists, such as Tibout, Joseph Fortine and Luc Daniel Cedor.”
Dominica: Rains Cause River to Break Bank
NewsDominica.com reports on the latest damage caused by persistent heavy rains on the island.
Cuba: Internet Restrictions
Uncommon Sense says that despite the arrival of “an underwater cable reached Cuba from Venezuela” designed to improve Internet access to the island, ” the regime has intensified its control of the Internet, restricting government employees’ access to Facebook and on networks that provide ‘illegal’ e-mail accounts.”
Haiti: Martelly's Promises
Toussaint on Haiti suggests that Haitians who voted for a Martelly presidency may now be suffering from buyers’ remorse.
Puerto Rico: Libraries and Reading
Gil the Jenius puts forward a theory about why “there are no decent libraries on the island”, adding that with the current levels of Internet penetration, “We don't have any excuses anymore.”
Cuba: Call for Justice in Death of Teen
Laritza's Laws posts an update about the shooting death of a teen by a retired police officer: “Relatives and neighbors of the victim suspect the police are looking for excuses not to prosecute him, and they are demanding justice for the death of Angel Izquierdo Medina, that it not go...
Trinidad & Tobago: National Strike on the Horizon?
Caribbean Journal reports that Trinidad and Tobago may soon be facing a national strike.
Cuba: Differences of Opinion are Healthy
“‘The People's Path‘ is…a vision statement of what the movement for a free Cuba should be striving for,” writes Uncommon Sense, who, along with Babalu, thinks that despite Dr. Oscar Elias Biscet's lack of support, “the debate that the document, and Biscet's disapproval have sparked, are nothing but healthy for...
Jamaica: Public Outbursts from Diasporan Women
“How can we not say to ourselves – was any enterprise ever so doomed to failure? Was anything ever so sad?”: An eye-opening post from Under the Saltine Flag about the underlying issues that could possibly have sparked public tirades by two Jamaican women.
Cuba: Tired July 26 Celebrations?
Generation Y blogs about this year's celebration of Cuba’s revolutionary holiday.
Jamaica: An Anime Nation to be Reckoned With
Jamaipanese says that this year's Anime Nation was “bigger and better” than its inaugural event, calling it “an epic event for fans of anime, cosplay, video games and Japan as patrons came from all over Jamaica to enjoy the event many of them wearing costumes or “cosplaying” as their favourite...
Bermuda: Waiting in Vain for PATI
According to Vexed Bermoothes, “there is no sign of ‘freedom of information act’ preparation in any part of Government”, despite the fact that a year has passed since the Public Access to Information Act was passed in the Bermuda Legislature.
Jamaica: Unimpressed with Minaj
Active Voice publishes a guest post about singer Nicki Minaj's performance at Jamaica's recent Reggae Sumfest: “Minaj messed up when she displayed such flagrant disrespect to Jamaica by announcing that she was warned about profanity but went ahead merrily, regardless.”
Trinidad & Tobago: The Beauty of Imperfection
Attillah Springer shares some “things [she discovers] from eating a mango in the morning.”
Trinidad & Tobago: A Poem for Amy
“I’ve never met Amy Winehouse. I’m not a musician. I’m not British or anything even remotely connected to her. I only discovered her music about three years ago and, honestly, there were people who were more ardent fans”: Still, Lisa Allen-Agostini was inspired to write a poem for the late...
Trinidad & Tobago: Celebrating Emancipation
“Trinidad and Tobago was the first country in the world to commemorate the abolition of slavery with a national observance, and since that time several other countries (mostly in the Caribbean) have followed suit”: TriniGourmet.com has the lowdown on this year's Emancipation Day celebrations.
Cuba: Attacks vs. Women
Pedazos de La Isla blogs about violence against women in Cuba, here, here, here and here.
Jamaica: OCD Ghosts?
Could it be that “the world of the supernatural [is] ordered not by the rules of metaphysics, but the rules of mathematics”? Under the Saltire Flag considers the possibility by examining a common thread in Caribbean folklore.
Caribbean: Commonwealth Stories for Online Time Capsule
The Royal Commonwealth Society is creating the world's largest online time capsule in honour of HM Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee in 2012 and wants regional/Commonwealth bloggers to share their stories. Get involved, here.
