Latest posts by Matthew Hunte
Natural Hair Gets Barbados School in a Twist
It's nothing new, but netizens cannot understand why natural black hairstyles are deemed so offensive to authority figures in the Caribbean. Could race, rank and personal grooming be so intertwined?
Can Women Be Sexy and Hold Public Office in Jamaica?
Lisa Hanna, Jamaica's minister of youth and culture, has faced criticism for posting a photo of herself in a swimsuit and T-shirt on Instagram.
Guyanese President Shuts Down Parliament to Avoid ‘No-Confidence’ Vote
President Donald Ramotar has prorogued the country's parliament for six months (discontinuing the body, without dissolving it), aggravating already polarized political times in Guyana.
Off-Field Drama in West Indies Cricket Strike Heats Up Online Discussion
The West Indies' 2014 tour to India has been cancelled, thanks to a players' strike. Could this be the beginning of the end of West Indies cricket?
Baby Doc's Death Fails to Bring Closure for Haitians
Dictators Jean-Claude and Francois Duvalier never paid for their crimes while alive; indeed, the fact that justice was not served is still a thorn in the side of many Haitians.
Artists Create Climate Change Mural in Grenada to Warn of Modern-Day ‘Paradise Lost’
"Never mind the Caribbean, I don't believe the average resident of any of the developing countries...are as conscious of the issue as they should be."
Trinidad-born Actor and Renaissance Man Geoffrey Holder Dies at 84
Holder is remembered for being one of the greatest artists Trinidad has produced, and a prominent member of a golden generation of artists who came of age in the 1950s.
Battleground Instagram: the Jamaican Reggae Artiste vs. the Youth and Culture Minister
Recent online misadventures of Jamaica's state officials are an example of how social media are changing the way Caribbean politicians interact with the public.
Jamaica Considers Developing Goat Islands Despite Environmental Protests
Jamaica's officials recently petitioned UNESCO, but the "lure of a $1.5 billion investment" has brought an about-face. Shackled to the IMF, the money might be too much to pass up.
Was a Popular Saint Lucia Blog Taken Down by Google Hateful or Just Outspoken?
The no-holds-barred, muckraking blog had become both notorious and controversial among people interested in local politics -- and then it was blocked, without warning.
Trinidad & Tobago's Parliament Passes Constitutional Reform, But Opponents Vow to Continue to Fight
"The Senate debates the Constitution Amendment Bill tomorrow and from tonight we’re going to be outside the Parliament keeping watch over what is left of our democracy."
Murder of Prime Minister's Press Secretary Draws Attention to Rising Crime in the Bahamas
Violent crime in the country has been on the rise. The government, grappling with the problem, has not issued official crime statistics since the middle of last year.
Former Prime Minister Feeds the Meme Machine With Rejection of Trinidad & Tobago's Highest Honour
Patrick Manning doesn't want the Order of Trinidad and Tobago from current Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, who he accused of breaking proper award protocol and attacking him in the past.
Why Protesters in Trinidad & Tobago Are Against the Proposed Constitutional Reform Bill
With general elections due next year, some suggest it is an attempt to boost the government's approval ratings before citizens go to the polls, while others see more sinister motives.
Arrests Made in Man's Fatal Beating Have Not Renewed Faith in Jamaica's Police
The case has continued to fuel protests and discussions in Jamaica, which has a history of police brutality and other similar forms of violence.
Do You Have to Be Christian to Be Jamaican?
A Jamaican politician has sparked debate over his comments that "the country has moved too far from God, and has ceased pleasing God."
Speaking Out Against the Stigma of Mental Illness in the Caribbean
Mental illness has long been taboo in the Caribbean, but on the heels of American actor Robin Williams' untimely death, regional bloggers explain why it's important to talk about it.
National Gallery of Jamaica Director Faces Accusations of Intimidating and Bullying Employees
Blogger and cultural critic Annie Paul has criticized the management style of the gallery's Executive Director Veerle Poupeye, which she says drove two curators to leave.
Defending Human Rights in Jamaica
When JFJ [Jamaicans For Justice] began, extra-judicial killings by police were commonplace. Yet, not a single police officer had ever – not in the entire history of Jamaica – been ever held accountable for one of these murders. It was a matter that desperately needed addressing. The death of Mario Deane...
Some See a Political Ploy in Trinidad & Tobago's Proposed Constitutional Reform
Given labour strikes, corruption scandals, escalating crime and police state concerns, this sudden interest in reforming the country's constitution reads to some like an act of desperation.
A Man's Fatal Beating Puts Police Brutality Back on the Front Burner in Jamaica
Mario Deane was beaten while in police custody for marijuana possession. This type of violence has plagued the country's political culture from as far back as the 1970s.
