I am a writer and media producer based in Trinidad and Tobago. Follow me on Twitter @JanineMFranco.
Latest posts by Janine Mendes-Franco from June, 2014
Trinidad and Tobago Parliament Asks Itself For Pay Raise, Says Yes
When two controversial bills are passed swiftly and unanimously by a country’s parliament, the alarm bells go off. The passage, on June 13, 2014, of amendments to two parliamentary acts governing pension payments for legislators and judges in Trinidad and Tobago has been called unconstitutional and a threat to the independence...
Trinidad & Tobago: Secrets of the CL Financial Bailout?
The public is being told that the CL Financial bailout is being resolved, while at the same time the Minister of Finance & the Economy is withholding the fundamental information which any prudent person would need to make a decision. Afra Raymond wonders what is being hidden.
How a Protest to Reinstate a University Professor Relaunched Jamaica's Gay Rights Debate
Jamaica's moral compass is on overdrive ever since the dismissal of Professor Brendan Bain. The controversy continues to fuel the debate over gay rights in an infamously homophobic country.
Trinidad & Tobago: Give Suarez a Menu
It is irrefutable now. Uruguay and Liverpool striker Luis Suarez either needs a psychologist or a new dietician. Thank heavens Uruguay was not playing Chile. Wired868 sinks its teeth into a post about the behaviour of the Uruguayan footballer after he bit an opposing player in his team's World Cup...
Trinidad & Tobago: Can Brazil Win the 2014 FIFA World Cup?
Backing Brazil to win the FIFA World Cup? Trinidadian travel blogger Rishi Sankar explains why you shouldn't count on the host country taking home the trophy.
The Problem of Bullying in Cuba
Abuse at school is an issue that is rarely discussed in the national media, but it affects hundreds, even thousands, of students across the country. Generacion Y blogs about bullying in Cuba.
Jamaica: Beauty & the Beast
The issue is that there is an idea in Jamaica of who is beautiful and who isn’t…that this idea of beauty is, to a large extent, a racially constructed one. Kei Miller recounts a heartbreaking story of the dark side of beauty pageants and contends that the Miss Jamaica franchise...
Jamaica: The Colours of the FIFA World Cup
Active Voice posts a compilation of tweets about the FIFA World Cup in which “race, religion, colour, ethnicity, nationality, all came in for comment”.
Bermuda: Football, The British & Brazil
120 years ago, two Scots brought a football to Brazil and the rest is history, according to an article written by Breezeblog.
Barbados: No Love in the Cemetery
As a mourner discovers exposed skeletal remains and discarded bits of coffins in a local cemetery, Barbados Free Press laments “the latest indignities to buried friends and relatives”.
Footballers with Caribbean Roots at FIFA World Cup
No Caribbean nation is represented at the World Cup this year, but Repeating Islands takes note of quite a few players with regional roots.
Caribbean: Get Your App On!
ICT Pulse profiles eight “new and emerging Caribbean apps”.
Bermuda to Get Public Access to Information Law
Premier Dunkley has announced that [the] Public Access to Information law will be operational by April, 2015. That’s 5 years after the law was passed, and 12 years after the topic was first introduced. Vexed Bermoothes thinks better late than never.
Jamaica: 32 Teams…Who Will Win the World Cup?
Jamaipanese blogs about his favourite teams at this year's World Cup: he has some interesting picks and convincing arguments for why they might be the ones to watch.
What About Bermuda's Unsung Heroes?
Bermuda marks National Heroes Day on June 16, but in the absence of an honoree for this year's celebration, bloggers discuss how the observance of the holiday could be improved.
Bermuda: Kicking Off the World Cup
Breezeblog is thrilled that the World Cup is finally here – and makes a cheeky prediction: “Oh, and just in case you’re wondering, Argentina will beat Brazil in the final.”
Trinidadian Writer Makes Frank O'Connor Award Longlist
Repeating Islands notes that Trinidadian writer Barbara Jenkins has been longlisted for the Frank O’Connor International Short Story Award for her book Sic Transit Wagon, adding: “The shortlist of six will be announced at the end of the week.”
The Cult of Political Personality in Trinidad & Tobago
One political blogger is tired of the mud slinging that passes for political debate in Trinidad and Tobago, suggesting instead that the electorate must demand that politicians address issues.
Trinidad & Tobago: Why the Smile over Baby Simeon?
The Attorney General uses the presentation of a report into circumstances surrounding a baby's horrific death during a C-section “as a photo opportunity”. Jumbie's Watch calls it “a symptom, and a cause, of what is wrong in Trinidadian society.”
Caribbean: The Gender of Hurricanes
Are hurricanes named after women more deadly than those with masculine names? Abeng News Magazine looks at the evidence.
Suriname: The Faces of Inspiration
During exhibitions I often ask myself to what extent the location or the surroundings influence my perception. Srananart's Blog attends an art exhibit “about religion, rituals and death”.
