Stories about Jamaica from March, 2009
Jamaica, Suriname: Creative Connections
“This is why it's important for collaborations to take place in every sphere–in different parts of the Caribbean and elsewhere. For cultural criticism is partly detective work and you can't read all the clues sitting marooned on an island”: Jamaican Annie Paul explores the connections among Caribbean artists.
Jamaica: Going to Calabash
Jamaican Geoffrey Philp and Life, Unscripted, on the Rock are pleased to report that the Calabash International Literary Festival is back on.
Global Recession Survey: Survival Tips and Business Opportunities
Everybody is trying hard to cope with the global economic crisis. Bloggers are offering survival tips to their readers. Businesses around the world are adjusting. Some are even profiting from the crisis. In this post, I will feature individuals and companies exerting their very best to overcome the recession.
Jamaica: Curtains for Calabash?
Diaspora blogger Geoffrey Philp is part of a group that has written an open letter to the Jamaican Prime Minister expressing disappointment over the news “that the 2009 Calabash Festival has been cancelled due to insufficient funding.”
Jamaica, Canada: Caribbean Voices
Is there room in Canadian literature for a Caribbean voice? Jamaican diaspora author and blogger Pamela Moredecai shares her thoughts…
Jamaica: Lessons from the By-Election
Abeng News Magazine asks of the results of the recent by-election in West Portland: “What does it tell us about where things currently stand in Jamaica, if this constituency can be viewed as a microcosm of the Jamaican body politic?”, adding, “It’s high time this dual citizenship issue is seriously...
Jamaica: Election Example
As the West Portland by-election is settled, Girl With a Purpose says: “What should be noted…is that this by-election went through without incident…the majority of Jamaicans are tired of the crime and violence in general, but especially at election time.”
Jamaica: The Red Earth
“The fact that a rich natural resource can be a curse on a country has rung true everywhere – whether it’s oil in Nigeria, cobalt in Congo or in fact bauxite in Jamaica”: Jamaica Salt blogs about the long-term cost of mining aluminium ore on the island.
Jamaica: Mind Games
From Jamaica, Girl With a Purpose wonders whether the English and Wales Cricket Board is playing “mind games” with the West Indies.
Jamaica: V-Day
Abeng News Magazine reports that Jamaica is an active part of the international V-Day 2009 campaign – “a global movement to stop violence against women and girls.”
Global: Bubbles, Bailouts and Stimulus Plans
Identifying the economic woes of the United States is crucial. But we should also understand that other countries are also grappling with bankrupt companies and shrinking economies. Many countries are also implementing their own stimulus plans. What are some of the examples used by bloggers around the world when they discuss the bubble economies, bailout of banks and stimulus plans of their countries?
Jamaica, U.S.A.: Eye of God
“The folks at AIG are proceeding as if it’s business as usual, paying out, and accepting, large bonuses, and that from public monies…how is it that some people…can’t grasp that we are…between the Devil and the deep blue sea?”: Jamaican blogger Pamela Mordecai says that the Eye of God image...
Jamaica: Windies Winners?
Have the West Indies transformed themselves into a winning cricket team following their 20/20 victory over England? Jamaica's Girl With a Purpose is “cautiously optimistic”.
Jamaica, Dominica: Carbon Neutral?
The President of the Maldives plans to make the territory carbon neutral in 10 years; Jamaica Salt sees similarities between the islands and is “looking around for environmental action in JA”, while Steve's Dominica‘s first thought was: “Dominica, ‘Nature island’, Green-globe nation etc etc, should be aiming for this.”
Jamaica: Being Positive
Iriegal sees hope for Jamaica when it comes to curbing crime, but would like to see “more success stories on the front page” of the local media.
Jamaica: Payola
The Broadcasting Commission of Jamaica is now getting advertisers involved in the process of cleaning up the airwaves – Active Voice calls it “a welcome move indeed. Hopefully the BCJ will be just as uncompromising in its stand against payola as it has been in relation to ‘indecent’ lyrics.”
Jamaica: Inspirational Books
Jamaican litblogger Geoffrey Philp shares 15 books that have influenced him.
Global recession and its discontents
Today the world seems flat. From Asia and Africa to Europe and the Americas, the people of the world are experiencing the traumatic effects of a global economic recession. This post is an attempt to describe the social impact of the great financial crisis as seen and felt by ordinary citizens around the world.
Jamaica, Grenada: Writer Shortlisted
Blogging from Jamaica, Life, Unscripted, on the Rock reveals that “Jacob Ross from Grenada has been shortlisted…for the 2009 Commonwealth Writers’ Prize.”
Jamaica: Congrats, Windies!
Blogging from Jamaica, Girl With a Purpose congratulates the West Indies cricket team on winning their first test series in five years.
Barbados, Jamaica: Homophobia?
Living in Barbados gets candid about Jamaica's “uncompromisingly hostile attitude towards homosexuality”, saying: “The bottom is not falling out of Jamaica because of gays.”