Stories about Jamaica from January, 2009
Jamaica: Local Obama?
“Jamaicans should ask for nothing but the best from those who would aspire to lead”: Abeng News Magazine‘s Trevor Dawes thinks it might be time for a Jamaican Obama.
Jamaica, Zimbabwe: Hunger Strike
“Do people in Jamaica and the Caribbean care enough about events in Zimbabwe to lend their help to this call for moral action?”: Annie Paul has a friend who is on a hunger strike to draw attention to the humanitarian crisis in Zimbabwe and tells us how we can help.
Jamaica, U.S.A.: Inauguration Thoughts
Jamaican Annie Paul features Washington D.C.-based activist Shani Jamila's musings on the inauguration of Barack Obama.
Jamaica, Barbados, U.S.A.: Bonne Chance!
Jamaican diaspora blogger Pamela Mordecai holds high hopes for the Obama administration and wishes the new President well, while Notes From A Small Rock [Barbados] sums up her sentiment like this: “Now we wait. We wait to see if the words match the deeds. We all want so much of...
Caribbean: Obama's Day
Like the rest of the world, the eyes of the Caribbean were on Washington, DC yesterday, as Barack Hussein Obama was sworn in as the 44th President of the United States. Regional and diaspora bloggers - for the most part - could not contain their enthusiasm over this history-making moment.
Jamaica, U.S.A.: One Love?
Bob Marley's One Love was played at Barack Obama’s Opening Inaugural Celebration at the Lincoln Memorial, prompting Abeng New Magazine to say, despite the ironies: “We are proud that the USA can borrow from us at a critical moment when the president-elect sells the idea that ‘anything is possible in...
Jamaica: Praying in Patois
Iriegal shares her thoughts on the production of a Patois Bible: “I just want to say $60 million dollars is a lot to invest…there is so much controversy in translating European English into Patois I really don't know how they are going to do it, even from and audio perspective.”
Jamaica, U.S.A.: Political Comparisons
As America gears up for the inauguration of President Barack Obama, diaspora blogger Geoffrey Philp is reminded of “the euphoria that many Jamaicans experienced when Michael Manley was elected as Prime Minister in 1972.”
Jamaica, U.S.A.: Pre-Inauguration Poem
Jamaican litblogger Geoffrey Philp pens “a simple lyric, for Barack Obama”.
Jamaica: Wood & Water
The fact that Usain Bolt's home town of Sherwood Content experienced a sporadic water supply over the Christmas holidays prompts Kadene Porter of Abeng News Magazine to blog about the many areas in which the government has fallen short: “The name Jamaica, land of wood and water is almost mocking...
Cayman Islands: Gun Violence
Mad Bull is monitoring the crime situation in the Cayman Islands.
Jamaica, Barbados: Future of Cricket
Jamaica's Abeng News Magazine asks “the $55 million question: Whither West Indies Cricket?”
Jamaica: Let the Music Play
Annie Paul is convinced that “2009 is going to be an exciting new year for Jamaican music!”
Jamaica: For Bloggers
Jamaican litblogger Geoffrey Philp adapts Psalm 23 to suit the needs of bloggers.
Jamaica: Take My Word For It
Kadene Porter at Abeng News Magazine is less than impressed with the Jamaica Gleaner‘s New Year tradition of “publishing an exhaustive list of ‘prophetic’ utterances pronounced as the ‘Word of the Lord’.”
Jamaica: Dirty Dancing
A Jamaican judge and women's rights activist condemns popular dance moves as being a bad influence children, prompting Jamaica Salt to ask: “What practically can be done? It’s only a dance after all isn’t it?”
Guyana: The Politics of Dual Citizenship
“How come no media house has raised the issue of dual citizenship…?” Guyana 360 says that “it's a debate taking place throughout the Caribbean” and thinks that the discussion should be at the forefront of Guyanese politics.
Jamaica: Murder Toll
Iriegal and Jamaica Salt are both disheartened by the country's 2008 murder rate, “the second highest total ever recorded.”
Jamaica: Blogging, etc.
“So 2008 was a rough year and 09 doesn't promise to be any better”, but Jamaica-based Annie Paul thinks that blogging can make all the difference.
Jamaica: A New Year
Jamaican litblogger Geoffrey Philp posts a wish for your New Year.
