I am a writer and media producer based in Trinidad and Tobago. Follow me on Twitter @JanineMFranco.
Latest posts by Janine Mendes-Franco
19 September 2019
Trinidad & Tobago government to rethink Sedition Act
"What is needed is an urgent amendment of the Act to qualify seditious intention by adding a specific requirement that the prohibited acts and statements must urge forceful/violent action."
18 September 2019
Why the Bahamas needs kindness right now
The 2019 Atlantic hurricane season has been a frightening one — and the climate crisis makes it even scarier for small islands. But we can rise above the fear by...
12 September 2019
A beloved Trinidadian vendor regains his rightful place selling nuts at cricket matches
A sponsorship deal that granted a snacks company exclusive product rights at a regional cricket tournament results in cricket fans getting passionate — about their nuts vendors.
10 September 2019
Death of a kangaroo at Trinidad zoo reignites loud fireworks debate
"We make a public call for a complete ban on fireworks in Trinidad and Tobago. Our animals and the families they are part of cannot continue in this way."
31 August 2019
Hurricane Dorian ambles through the Caribbean, but The Bahamas may still feel its wrath
Hurricane Dorian may well not yet have shown what it is capable of.
Rendition of Trinidad & Tobago's national anthem strikes wrong note with the country's president
The performance of the anthem may have been different, but was it inappropriate, or as the president suggested, disrespectful?
23 August 2019
Trinidad & Tobago split over whether services like Facebook should pay local taxes
Global digital giants pose a serious challenge to local media and their ability to earn revenue, especially in small markets like Trinidad and Tobago.
9 August 2019
The breathtaking beauty of the Caribbean showcased on Instagram
Two regional travel magazines celebrate the Caribbean's natural beauty by calling attention to its most amazing travel destinations — in print and on Instagram!
7 August 2019
Two universities sign historic agreement on slavery reparations in the Caribbean
The agreement marks the first time that a British institution has apologised for the profits it made from slavery and attaches both money and resources to help make amends.
2 August 2019
Cannabis advocates petition Trinidad & Tobago parliament to enact existing medical marijuana legislation
Trinidad and Tobago's Ministry of Health has never exercised its power to issue cannabis licences "for medicinal or scientific purposes”; supporters of marijuana legalisation think it's long overdue.
It's Emancipation Day in Trinidad & Tobago — but is the country free?
"This emancipation embrace the fullness and richness of who you are, where you came from, the blood and history that's in your veins."
1 August 2019
Trinidad and Tobago prime minister refuses to impeach embattled chief justice
"The conclusion I have reached in all the circumstances is that [there is] an insufficient basis, in fact, to warrant [...] that the chief justice's removal ought to be investigated."
17 July 2019
Could polygraph testing for Trinidad & Tobago police help create more public trust?
With an increasing crime rate, the idea is to help make officers more accountable and rekindle public faith in the police service.
15 July 2019
A prolific theatre producer is one of the latest victims in Trinidad and Tobago's homicide spiral
Tributes are pouring in across social media channels following the death of this local theatrical icon.
6 July 2019
Is a ‘Concordat’ stymieing education progress in Trinidad & Tobago?
"If indeed education is better in denominational schools then we must ensure that government schools are brought up to the best level."
29 June 2019
Will Barbados be the first Caribbean nation to abolish the secondary school entrance exam?
"Every child deserves a good-quality education. Why we have a system that making our children feel they stupid if they don't pass for ‘a good school'?"
26 June 2019
Trinidad & Tobago's ‘Bike Man’ takes cycling to new heights
Trinidad and Tobago loves its "heights" -- and a skilful cyclist on a homemade bike that reaches 10-12 feet in height does not disappoint.
22 June 2019
Trinidad & Tobago walks the talk for World Conversation Day
For the first time, Trinidad and Tobago took part in World Conversation Day via a series of offline talks about topics from creativity to aging — all streamed online, of...
19 June 2019
Public pressure forces Trinidad & Tobago government to drop amendment to Freedom of Information Act
"...people should be very proud of a democracy that obviously is quite healthy—that civil society came together quickly and comprehensively as it did, and that government was sufficiently responsive."
4 June 2019
Trinidad and Tobago registers Venezuelan asylum-seekers to legalise their status
The two-week-long initiative, which began on May 31, 2019, will afford undocumented Venezuelans amnesty so that they can be put on record and be legally recognised in Trinidad and Tobago.
