Vol.6 #1
2007 Caribbean News ReviewTo read our extensive coverage of Hurricane Dean and this past
fall's earthquake, go to Vol. 5, No.'s 3 and 4.
(BBC/CARIBBEAN- 10/14/07)- Countries in the Caribbean and
Latin America have been placed on alert for dengue fever which the
Pan American Health Organisation(PAHO) says is reaching epi-
demic proportions. PAHO says it expects cases of the mosquito-
borne illness to top 1 million this year as the region experiences
one of the worst outbreaks in decades.
Dengue fever is an acute disease carried by the Aedes Aegypti
mosquito with symptoms including high fever, severe headache,
swollen lymph nodes, nausea and vomiting. Victims can die from
dyhydration without immediate treatment.
Jamaica is the latest country to report an outbreak and neighbouring
countries are on high alert. The Dominican Republic has reported
over 6000 cases and 30 deaths and Puerto Rico's Health Dept. said
it has seen more than 500 cases a week.
PAHO says changing weather patterns, increased tourism and mi-
gration have contributed to the increased prevalence of the disease.
(AP- 7/3/07)- The U.S. will ask for a legal review of the E.U.'s import
rules for bananas at a meeting of the WTO's dispute body. The
request signals the re-emergence of one of the WTO's longest run-
ning disputes, pitting banana exporters from the U.S. and Mexico
against E.U. producers from Africa and the Caribbean.
WTO has consistently ruled against how the E.U. sets tarriffs for
the fruit, which grants preferential treatment to their former colonies.
The U.S. is seeking the establishment of a compliance panel to rule
on whether the E.U. has implemented the ruling. A deal in 2001
gave them 5 years to comply.
(AP- 7/25/07)- Antigua and Barbuda asked the WTO for the right to
authorize trade sanctions against the U.S. for its failure to comply
with a ruling that its internet gambling restrictions are illegal. The
U.S. acknowledged that its betting ban was ruled illegal, but chal-
lenged Antigua's right to retaliate because it says it is in the pro-
cess of changing its obligations under the General Agreement on
Trade in Services.
The E.U., along with Australia, Canada and others, joined Antigua
in filing compensation claims. The U.S. originally argued that it was
exempt from sanctions or having to pay compensation.
[Hmmm, anyone else see a double standard here? eds.]
(JAMAICA OBSERVER- 12/30/07)- Jamaica's Minister of Agriculture
Dr. Christopher Tufton is seeking the support of the Ministry of
National Security and the U.S. government to provide options for
farmers affected by the US-backed ganja eradication programme.
He has already had talks with NS Minister Derrick Smith and has
written US Ambassador LaGrange Johnson.
"I am frankly disappointed to learn that...there is no support ...to
assist the farmers. This is essential if we are to at least give the
farmers an opportunity to find an alternative. The eradication
programme is unlikely to have any permanent effect if we don't
explore those possibilities."
Minister Smith stated: "The point the minister of agriculture made
is a very valid one. I thought it would have been natural that there
would be a crop substitution initiative to support the eradication
programme. There must be an alternative..." He also expressed
concerns about the limited financial support Jamaica gets to meet
eradication targets.
AGRICULTURE:
(BBC/CARIBBEAN- 10/5/07)- Although coconut trees blanket the
Caribbean landscape, 'coconut water' on demand, is not as ac-
cessable as one might expect. Coconut water or milk is cherished
and readily available, however the demand is growing- especially in
the region's tourist industry.
In some countries of Asia and the Pacific, sugar is added, and is
even pasteurised and sold in cans. This is not a popular option in
the Caribbean where the preference has always been, "fresh from
the tree and not over a day old."
The challenge for farmers, vendors, brewers and restaurant owners
has been giving their product extended shelf life while maintaining
its freshness and nutritional value. Coconut water is rich in Vitamins
C and B, calcium, iron, copper and potassium.
The potential of coconut water 'on tap' is being explored using an
insulated, stainless steel cooling tank- complete with filtration-
developed in the Phillipines. However, there have been mixed views
among vendors about whether they'll invest in this latest innovation.
SPORTS:
(BBC/CARIBBEAN- 12/30/07)- A long catalogue of humiliation and
dismal memories for the West Indies cricket team in South Africa
were finally and emphatically expunged at St. Georges Park here.
By whatever criterion it is judged, their victory in the first of 3 Tests
by the irrefutable margin of 128 runs, was as remarkable and satis-
fying as any in their history.
Not since they defeated England in 2000, had they won an overseas
Test against a team above them in the ICC rankings. Since then,
they have drifted further and further down the table to #8.
Just 3 days after their loss by 10 wickets to South Africa's 2nd
team, the Windies were given as much chance as a shack in a
hurricane against their 1st team. The scenes of joy by the players
on the field were unrestrained, understandable and completely
justified.
It was especially sweet for Chris Gayle, captain by chance in his
first test at the helm whose leadership has been credited for the
team's resurgence.
The West Indies dominated every session of play with an efficiency
that only lapsed when their triumph was a formality, allowing bowl-
ers Andre Nei and Dale Steyn to blast 3 sixes and 7 four's between
them in a 9th wicket partnership of 67 from 10 overs. If it caused
anxiety among watching West Indians, in the press and in front of
TV screens back home, the players themselves were convinced
that the blip was immaterial to the result.
ENTERTAINMENT:
(JAMAICA OBSERVER- 12/23/07)- As the year draws to a close,
2007 will be remembered as the year of reunification of two of
reggae's most enduring groups- The Congos and The Wailing Souls.
Like the Congos, the original Wailing Souls had been separated for
more than 20 years.
The Wailing Souls celebrated their reunion with a rave performance
at The Hollywood Bowl on August 12, followed by a memorable
appearance at Club Revolution in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. They
continued the celebration at the annual Monterey Bay Reggae Fest
in California as headliners. This show kicked off an extensive tour
of North America and Europe.
"It's a lasting reunion," says 'Bread" McDonald. "Once we get back
together, all that happened before is behind us."
(BBC/CARIBBEAN- 1/10/08)- As the latest soca music blares out
from huge speakers at popular Trinidad nightspots, one song stands
out. It begins with a voice saying: "Hello Suzy. I have your $100
phone card here for you." The song then launches into the unlikely
tale of a man being pursued by a woman who only wants him be-
cause he can afford to subsidize her cell phone habit.
"Phone Card", by veteran performer CRAZY, is one of the most con-
troversial new tunes in the run-up to next month's T&T Carnival,
because of the double meaning in its lyrics. The Trini tendency to
pronounce the word 'for' as 'fuh' means that the song's seemingly
innocent refrain, "She only want me fuh card", ends up sounding
blatantly sexual.
The song has already made its mark in the charts. However, there
is no legitimate way to buy it. If you go into one of the dwindling
local record shops, you will be disappointed. Yet the main shopping
area in Port-of-Spain is full of street vendors with illegal copies.
They turn out to be home-made compilations featuring Crazy's tune
along with other new sounds from local artists- proof that Trinidad's
record industry has been all but overwhelmed by the music "pirates
of the Caribbean".
Trinidad & Tobago's music business revolves around Carnival, with
new soca and calypso releases supposedly scheduled in time for
February's festivities. But with CD's often manufactured in the U.S.
and Canada, many are not available until the last minute.
The Copyright Organisation of Trinidad & Tobago(COTT) estimates
that the sale of illegally copied music costs the music industry $2.4
million a year.
Meanwhile, the pirates have a new tune to sell. This one begins:
"Crazy- Suzy say de $100 card you send for she missin' a zero-
was a $10 card." "Phone Card Reply" by Silver & Impulse seeks to
mock Crazy's sexual braggadocio. The new song is being spread by
yet another medium illicitly- the internet download.
Although new sites like trinidadtunes.com bear COTT's stamp of
approval and offer more than 5000 songs for download, with wireless-
enabled music phones as popular in the Caribbean as anywhere,
the music business will have to act fast. As one Trini blogger put it:
"The cry when you hear a good song is no longer, 'flash up unno
lighter!' It has become 'Turn on yuh Bluetooth! Ah ha' to get dat
tune!' "
ENVIRONMENT:
(BBC/CARIBBEAN- 12/1/06)- There will be virtually nothing left to
fish from the seas by the middle of the century if current trends
continue, according to a major scientific study. Stocks have col-
lapsed in nearly 1/3 of sea fisheries and the rate of decline is
accelerating.
The international team of researchers says fishery decline is closely
tied to a broader loss of marine diversity. But a greater use of pro-
tected areas could safegaurd what remains of that diversity.
"The way we use the oceans is that we hope and assume there will
always be another species to exploit after we've completely gone
through the last one", said research leader Boris Worm. "What
we're highlighting is there is a finite number of stocks." Steve
Palumbi, one of the other scientists stated, "Unless we fundament-
ally change the way we manage all the ocean species together, as
working ecosystems, then this century is the last of wild seafood."
In 2003, 29% of open sea fisheries were in a state of collapse, de-
fined as a decline to less than 10% of their original yield. These are
yields not just of fish, but of other kinds of seafood too. Zones of
biodiversity loss tended to see more beach closures, more algae
bloom outbreaks and more coastal flooding.
The final part of the puzzle is data from areas where fishing has
been banned or heavily restricted. These show that protection
brings back biodiversity within the zone, and restores fish
populations.
To see News images concerning the top stories of 2007,
return to the Homepage and click where you see the link.
BBC/CARIBBEAN produced a couple of informative year-end
programs that were broadcast on their daily "Caribbean Report"
throughout the region.
Click here
to hear the first, concerning the political news of the region.
Click here
to hear the second, concerning the cost of living in the region.
