Latest posts by Janine Mendes-Franco from October, 2014
Pioneering Trinidad & Tobago TV Personality Hazel Ward-Redman Remembered
Hazel Ward-Redman, who showcased the musical and artistic talent of young Trinbagonians through her television shows, has passed away. Fans and protégés pay their respects.
Hitting Below the Belt? Trinidad & Tobago President Tries to Gag Comedian Over Jokes About First Lady
A president, a first lady and a comedian walk into a bar...and what happens next, no-one could have anticipated. Did good-natured teasing hit below the belt?
As Pressure Mounts in Trinidad ‘Re-Route’ Protest, Pro-Highway Supporters Get Nasty
An anonymous group, "Citizens4dhighway", places a malicious ad in a local daily designed to look like a newspaper report intended to belittle Dr. Kublalsingh's hunger strike. The outcry continues.
Too Late for Jamaican Government to ‘Kiss and Make Up’ When It Comes to Chikungunya
As the prime minister admits that Chikungunya has caused a "national emergency" in Jamaica, people remain dissatisfied with the government's efforts to educate citizens and contain the disease.
If Activists Were Prime Ministers, the Hunger Strike Over the Highway in Trinidad Would Be Over
A satirical video dealing with the Highway Re-Route Movement's protest over the construction of part of a bypass, calls out the government's "commitment to truth vs. spin”.
Jamaicans Are Now So Familiar with Chikungunya Virus They're Calling It Chik-V
The country's health ministry has faced criticism for its handling of an outbreak of Chikungunya, a virus spread by mosquitoes that causes high fever and severe joint pain.
Marlon James Writes the Great Jamaican Novel – and the World is Raving About It
Jamaican author Marlon James’ new novel, A Brief History of Seven Killings, has been released to such fanfare that even hard-hitting literary critics cannot use enough superlatives in their reviews. Michiko Kakutani, Pulitzer Prize-winning critic for The New York Times, described James as a “prodigious talent”, calling the novel “epic...
“Democratize Development!” Say the Women of Trinidad's Highway Re-Route Movement
Global Voices Caribbean editor Janine Mendes-Franco reports from a protest against construction plans for a stretch of highway that represents growing public dissatisfaction over the government's lack of transparency.
The Chikungunya Virus Brings Jamaica to Its Knees
Jamaica is confronting a dangerous health scare, as bloggers argue that social media can be used as an effective information channel to educate the public about risks.
Against Her Will – Trinidad Newspaper Publishes Details of Slain Attorney's Estate
Today's lead story in one of Trinidad and Tobago's most popular newspapers was the contents of slain Senior Counsel Dana Seetahal's will. Seetahal was gunned down five months ago in Port of Spain; no one has yet been arrested for her murder. The blog Wired 868 could not understand the...
