Tag: Martinique

COVID-19 in the Caribbean: Some Numbers, Testing and “Opening Up”

May 29, 2020

Today (Thursday May 28) Jamaica thankfully had a fourth day without any new cases of COVID-19. We had five more recoveries, which means around half of our 569 total cases. As for testing, we have done a total of 11,460, with 33 results pending. We tested 201 samples in the last 24 hours – which … More COVID-19 in the Caribbean: Some Numbers, Testing and “Opening Up”

A COVID-19 Update From Jamaica: March 23, 2020 And a Caribbean Update

March 24, 2020

We are bombarded with news on COVID-19 from all directions. There are heartbreaking personal stories from all over the world on social media. I feel that we are just bracing ourselves for a big wave, here. Have we managed to “flatten the curve”? Who knows. Have we been testing enough? I am concerned about the … More A COVID-19 Update From Jamaica: March 23, 2020 And a Caribbean Update

Coronavirus, Influenza and Dengue Fever Updates for Jamaica

February 5, 2020

It seems that the Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) is by no means finished with us yet. Earlier today, Director General of the World Health Organization (WHO) Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told journalists at a press briefing (full audio here) that:  “As of 6am Geneva time this morning, there are 24,363 confirmed 2019-nCoV cases in China, and 490 deaths. … More Coronavirus, Influenza and Dengue Fever Updates for Jamaica

Making Waves: How the West Indies Shaped the United States [Book Review]

May 20, 2018

I have read two books recently that reflect on the complex relationship between the Caribbean and what we like to call our “big, powerful neighbor to the North.” They are both written by Americans, but that is where the similarities end. This book is published by Ian Randle Publishers and is written by Debbie Jacob, … More Making Waves: How the West Indies Shaped the United States [Book Review]

The Blue Economy: New World Bank Report Identifies Key Opportunities to Boost Growth in the Caribbean Sea while Preserving its Ecosystem

September 13, 2016

This morning I attended a media call-in with Pawan Patil and Sophie Sirtaine at the World Bank’s Head Office in Washington, DC. as they launched their new report on prospects for a “Blue Economy” for the Caribbean. Thanks to Gerry McDaniel at World Bank’s Jamaica Office for facilitating this. The link to the report (overview … More The Blue Economy: New World Bank Report Identifies Key Opportunities to Boost Growth in the Caribbean Sea while Preserving its Ecosystem

Climate Change: Let’s Prepare To Survive As Best We Can

January 7, 2016

The Paris Climate Change Conference (COP21) is now several weeks behind us, but is by no means “last year’s news.” I am continuing to share with you feedback and opinions from around the Caribbean. Please find below the official report of the Caribbean Association for Feminist Research and Action (CAFRA), compiled by Chairperson Flavia Cherry. … More Climate Change: Let’s Prepare To Survive As Best We Can

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

Veerle Poupeye: “I Love to Make Things Happen”

November 11, 2014

Veerle Poupeye is a busy woman these days. The Executive Director of the National Gallery of Jamaica and her staff are working long hours preparing for the Jamaica Biennial 2014. “It’s our most ambitious yet,” she declares. The exhibition will open with a week of events from December 7 to 14, with key dates as follows: December … More Veerle Poupeye: “I Love to Make Things Happen”

She Did Not Die in Vain… The Story of Machi the Whimbrel

August 18, 2013

Dear readers: What is a Whimbrel, you may ask? A Whimbrel is a large, graceful wading bird, similar to a curlew, with a haunting cry, long legs and a long slender beak that curves downwards. It migrates great distances (as you can see below) from the Arctic down to South America, and through the Caribbean. … More She Did Not Die in Vain… The Story of Machi the Whimbrel