Tag: Caribbean Community

Small Islands, Big Ambitions for Better Land, Water and Biodiversity Management: UNEP’s Largest Ever Caribbean Project

September 25, 2016

I am a little late in sharing this September 19, 2016 press release from our friends at the United Nations Environment Programme – Caribbean Environment Programme (UNEP-CEP) about a very important project that opened very  recently (on September 20-21) in Kingston. Topics such as International Waters, Land Degradation, Biodiversity, and Sustainable Forest Management are of … More Small Islands, Big Ambitions for Better Land, Water and Biodiversity Management: UNEP’s Largest Ever Caribbean Project

“A Formidable Team”: The CARICOM Review Commission Holds Its First Meeting

July 5, 2016

Since the “Brexit” referendum, there have been mutterings in social media about whether Jamaica should leave the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) – especially in light of the recent concerns over the treatment of Jamaican travelers at some Caribbean airports. How about a “CARICOMexit,” they ask? Well, be that as it may, plans for a Commission to … More “A Formidable Team”: The CARICOM Review Commission Holds Its First Meeting

Climate Change in the Caribbean: Talking, Planning and What NOT to Be Doing After the Paris Agreement

April 30, 2016

Earth Day came and went very quickly. A tremendous crowd of political leaders signed the Paris Agreement, and some fifteen countries (including five Caribbean islands) have already ratified it. I understand Jamaica will be ratifying the Agreement very soon. Some cynics have observed: “Oh, Jamaica is signing yet another international agreement! What difference does it make?” or words to … More Climate Change in the Caribbean: Talking, Planning and What NOT to Be Doing After the Paris Agreement

CARICOM Election Observer Mission Preliminary Statement on Jamaican General Elections 2016

February 26, 2016

At the invitation of the Honourable Mrs. Dorothy Pine-McLarty O.J., Chairman of the Electoral Commission of Jamaica, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) mounted an eleven member CARICOM Election Observation Mission (CEOM) to observe the General Elections of Jamaica held on 25 February 2016. The team arrived in Jamaica over the period 21 to 22 February 2016. … More CARICOM Election Observer Mission Preliminary Statement on Jamaican General Elections 2016

The Paris Agreement at COP 21: CARICOM’s Official Statement

December 26, 2015

As I observed earlier in this blog, reactions to the conclusion of COP21 and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, within and outside the Caribbean, have been decidedly mixed. Somewhat belatedly, I am sharing with you CARICOM Chairman Freundel Stuarts’s Statement, which seems to say all the right things. Will the Caribbean be able to … More The Paris Agreement at COP 21: CARICOM’s Official Statement

Coral Reefs, Fish and People: More Thoughts on the Portland Bight Protected Area

March 28, 2015

I wrote recently about the 2014 assessment of the coral reefs in the Portland Bight Protected Area (PBPA) (including several sites around Goat Islands, which are threatened by a transshipment port development). The University of the West Indies survey, funded by the Waitt Foundation, concluded that the reefs are in fairly good shape, although their … More Coral Reefs, Fish and People: More Thoughts on the Portland Bight Protected Area

A Contract Ended, An Embarrassing Interview and A Presidential Visit: Wednesday, March 18, 2015

March 19, 2015

As I opened the door just now, the aroma of chemical-laden smoke wafted in. I quickly shut it again, and am now sealed in the house. Yes, as of this afternoon (and a week after it started) the fire at the Riverton City dump is still very much alight. I just posted the statement and … More A Contract Ended, An Embarrassing Interview and A Presidential Visit: Wednesday, March 18, 2015

Haiti: Five Years After the Earthquake

January 12, 2015

I am reproducing below a blog post from Cordaid, one of the largest NGOs in the Netherlands. You can read more about Cordaid’s work here: https://www.cordaid.org/en/about-us/mission/how-we-work/  As the article suggests, Haiti still faces many challenges. On the eve of the anniversary, it is embroiled in a complex political situation that I hope will soon be resolved. … More Haiti: Five Years After the Earthquake

Desilting, Bling and Sausages: Sunday, July 6, 2014

July 7, 2014

As the plucky Costa Ricans depart the stage, the sporting drama in Brazil is starting to release its grip on Jamaicans (many of whom never knew they were football fans before). With only four matches to go (albeit crucial ones) we will soon have to return to reality. And that’s not looking very pretty. Can … More Desilting, Bling and Sausages: Sunday, July 6, 2014

My Wednesday Post: December 4, 2013

December 5, 2013

Time is galloping along, the uptown (and downtown) Christmas party season is gathering speed, and (in case you were wondering) I have not written one Christmas card yet. I am living dangerously. The CARICOM tiff: After much blustering on the part of our Minister of Foreign Affairs and hysterical ranting on talk shows and elsewhere, Trinidad’s … More My Wednesday Post: December 4, 2013