Global Voices » St. Maarten

Caribbean: the meaning of identity

Nicholas Laughlin — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 21:59:53 +0000

Creative Commess hosts a blog symposium “about Caribbean people, about West Indian people, about our contemporary experiences … ranging through race & identity to culture, mental health to constructs of beauty and more,” with contributions from seven Caribbean bloggers.

Caribbean: Caribe Wave 11, the first simulated tsunami alert

Claire Ulrich — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 18:55:33 +0000

On Wednesday, March 23, the first full-scale simulated tsunami alert exercise will take place in 33 countries in the Caribbean to test the effectiveness of alert, monitoring and warning systems (Hashtag on Twitter: EXERCISE - NOT REAL #CW11) . Open Street Map France [Fr] and Crisis Camp Paris [Fr] will join this exercise to encourage awareness and use of social media tools during emergencies in the French speaking West Indies.

Latin America, Caribbean: Increase in Food Prices

Silvia Viñas — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 19:53:26 +0000

Bloggings by Boz writes: “The FAO reports that February 2011 was a yet a new high on food prices. This has led to several warnings from organizations in Latin America and the Caribbean including ECLAC [Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean] and the IICA [Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture] that commodity markets are volatile and several countries are very vulnerable to price swings and food insecurity issues.”

St. Maarten: Garden Isle

Janine Mendes-Franco — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 17:30:32 +0000

“Citizens of St. Maarten have been urged to mark their new political status…by taking practical steps to transform the new Dutch Caribbean nation into a ‘Garden Isle,' with a view to protect the environment and to boost tourism”: Repeating Islands has the link.

Jamaica, St. Maarten: R.I.P. “Yaya”

Janine Mendes-Franco — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 14:58:52 +0000

Geoffrey Philp's Blogspot acknowledges the passing of the St. Martin folklorist Laurelle “Yaya” Richards.

Curacao: Kayaking through Caribbean

Janine Mendes-Franco — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 14:23:32 +0000

Repeating Islands blogs about an activist from Curaçao, who “has paddled more than 1600 kilometres in a kayak to raise awareness for the environment.”

Guadeloupe, Martinique, St. Maarten, French Guiana: Autonomy?

Janine Mendes-Franco — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 15:08:55 +0000

Repeating Islands notes that the French Overseas Territories “are to vote on more autonomy in January 2010.”

St. Maarten: Book Fair

Janine Mendes-Franco — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 15:29:18 +0000

Repeating Islands reminds us about the 7th annual St. Maarten Book Fair, which starts this week.

Caribbean: WI Cricket Website

Janine Mendes-Franco — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 14:10:38 +0000

West Indies Cricket Blog thinks that “the official website of the West Indies Cricket Board…is now a waste of space on the world wide web. An embarrassment and a disgrace…”

Caribbean: Region Scores Big in Stanford 20/20 Cricket

Janine Mendes-Franco — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 19:15:19 +0000

A section of the crowd at the “Stanford 20/20 for 20 Super Series” - Photo courtesy Stanford 20/20 for use by media. Photography credit: Mediaimran - visit his flickr photostream.

U.S. billionaire Allen Stanford is trying to remake the face of cricket in hopes of turning it into the number one spectator sport in the world, perhaps one day even surpassing the popularity of football and baseball in his home country.

To this end, he has opened a cricket-themed restaurant (The Sticky Wicket) in Antigua, made a point of honouring West Indian cricket greats via The Sticky Wicket Hall of Fame and built the Stanford Cricket Ground - the location for his latest “big idea” - a 20/20 contest in which the winning team walks away with US$20 million (that's US$1 million per man) and the loser gets…well, nothing.

The “Stanford Superstars” celebrate the taking of another English wicket - Photo courtesy Stanford 20/20 for use by media. Photography credit: Mediaimran - visit his flickr photostream.

It all happened this past weekend. The Stanford Superstars roundly embarrassed the England team, winning the match by an astounding ten wickets and becoming overnight millionaires in the process. West Indian bloggers put in their two cents' worth…

From Trinidad and Tobago, This Beach Called Life says:

Whether people agree or not, 20/20 is the future of Cricket. I say this because in the real world of sports money talks louder than the traditionalist. 20/20 Cricket promoted by billionaire Sir Allen Stanford, has taken the gentleman’s game of cricket to a new commercial level very few sports enjoy. 20/20 may hardly resemble traditional test cricket and the limited 50 over game but it is intensely entertaining and may just be what the Americans will order if it is on the menu.

The 20 million dollar men - Photo courtesy Stanford 20/20 for use by media. Photography credit: Mediaimran - visit his flickr photostream.

Caribbean Beat Blog was thrilled at the victory and thought it went a long way to firing up regional cricket fans who have had more than their fair share of disappointment over the last few years:

A few minutes ago, the West Indies' Stanford Superstars seized a US$20 million victory in the Stanford 20/20 Super Series from tournament favourites England – without losing a wicket!

And it was a thrashing.

The future of the nascent Stanford 20/20 form of cricket, often maligned for being an American abbreviation of the game and for several peculiarities and controversies over the last week, seems to be secure. According to its creator, Sir Allen Stanford, ‘Caribbean cricket is back! This programme is working!'

And whether playing for regional pride or the US$1 million-a-player purse, the team gave often-disappointed West Indies fans plenty to celebrate, and much to feel hopeful about.

Abeni, who was “not actively following the game” from St. Vincent and the Grenadines, was “still very happy the team won”:

Given their performances as the West Indies team, I didn't really give them much of a chance but they sure rose to the occasion. My only wish is that the young men use it wisely. Too often we hear of persons who have made millions becoming destitute all because of poor financial decisions. So fellas, enjoy your windfall but live smart.

Champagne Celebration - Photo courtesy Stanford 20/20 for use by media. Photography credit: Mediaimran - visit his flickr photostream.

In the words of Caribbean Beat:

Congrats to our million dollar men!

St. Vincent & the Grenadines: Windies Beat South Africa

Janine Mendes-Franco — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 14:18:59 +0000

“This victory is so huge given the history of South African tours”: Abeni is thrilled that the West Indies cricket team have finally won a test match.

Trinidad & Tobago: More of the Same

Janine Mendes-Franco — Fri, 14 Dec 2007 18:41:16 +0000

“Does anyone actually know of any (other) company where this sort of thing happens and the persons responsible are not seriously reprimanded?” asks West Indies Cricket Blog, on hearing news of the West Indies Cricket Board's latest bungle.

Caribbean: Earthquake Update

Janine Mendes-Franco — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 12:50:12 +0000

Last night passed rather uneventfully in the Caribbean - there were no reports of strong aftershocks from yesterday's earthquake as had been anticipated - but bloggers were still busy posting updates from their individual territories…

Uncle Sam's Cabin linked to mainstream media updates about the effects of the tremors in Martinique, the island closest to the ‘quake's epicenter, while Notes From The Margin linked to an online article that provided “a good summary of the damage”.

Barbados Free Press was concerned that “the controversial Barbados Greenland Dump construction site was damaged during Thursday’s lengthy earthquake” and Living in Barbados feared that many of today's Independence celebrations on the island may be canceled:

I suspect that many will not want to venture to the beach, fearing a tsunami. Let's hope that it does not arrive. The PM was due to have an independence reception tonight, but so far no word if it will go ahead.

Steve's Dominica, the first blog to report on the initial tremors, posted a tectonic summary from the U.S. Geological Survey office, while further south, ttgapers.com reported that “in Trinidad, none of the valuable oil fields or oil and gas refineries were affected.”

Blogging from St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Abeni writes:

Living under the shadow of La Soufriere meant almost everyone feared the mountain was awaking from its slumber.

Living Dominica was amazed at how “the trees trembled”, but she also found it “interesting how strongly felt this quake was in St Maarten.”

Ishie, a medical student in Grenada, writes:

Through the grapevine, apparently Martinique got hit by a pretty significant (in the 7s) earthquake, so we got the ripple effect, thus giving students from all over the world a little taste of it.

Guyana-Gyal, who felt the rumblings all the way on the South American mainland, as always tries to put an optimistic spin on a distressing situation:

I know this rumbling from the real thing I experience plenty times in the Caribbean Island. This trembling was eerie. No sound. Just silence and trembling. Thank you Santa, you big, clumsy oaf, leggoing…letting go of…a load somewhere, shaking up the land before Chrismus.

Dominica: Dengue Fever

Janine Mendes-Franco — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 23:18:53 +0000

Living Dominica reports that the incidence of Dengue Fever is still high in certain Caribbean islands.

France: The use of the French language in international communication.

Lova Rakotomalala — Wed, 29 Aug 2007 16:27:11 +0000

The general delegation for the French language and languages in France, a branch of the Ministry of Culture and Communication recently published a report on the use of the French language in the digital world. The objective of the delegation is to promote the use of the French language in international communication and multilingual projects in general (Fr).