Global Voices Online » Janine Mendes-Franco

Haiti: Pierre-Antoine Still Missing

Janine Mendes-Franco — Thu, 15 May 2008 14:07:01 +0000

Blog de Port-au-Prince draws attention to the fact that Lovinsky Pierre-Antoine, a prominent human rights worker and Famni Lavalas activist who has been missing since August 12, 2007, still has not been located.

Trinidad & Tobago: Press Conference Gone Awry

Janine Mendes-Franco — Thu, 15 May 2008 14:00:01 +0000

“Anyone who saw today's Urban Development Corporation of Trinidad and Tobago press conference…must now be clear of one thing…this country is in serious trouble”: Trinidad and Tobago girls, politics, sports, technology, carnival, and lifestyle is unimpressed with the behaviour of a Senator, while Jumbie's Watch adds: “Here is a man receiving money from the government, for sitting on the board of a government owned company, and standing in parliament pretending to be independent.”

Cuba, USA: Texas Trade Visit?

Janine Mendes-Franco — Thu, 15 May 2008 13:36:28 +0000

As the Texas state agriculture commissioner prepares to visit Cuba (the first state-elected official to do so since the 1962 trade embargo), Uncommon Sense says: “American policy toward Cuba must be measured by only two standards: Is it good for the United States, and is it good for the Cuban people — that is, does it improve their chances for freedom.”

Bermuda: Due Process

Janine Mendes-Franco — Thu, 15 May 2008 13:27:00 +0000

Blogging from Bermuda, Vexed Bermoothes says that the fact “that changes to the Parliamentary Election Act could be proposed without structured involvement of all political parties, and then be provided solely to the political incumbent…risks attracting accusations of favoritism”, while Politics.bm adds: “When the public and other political organisations are kept in the dark…you have a process which is illegitimate and politically poisoned from the start.”

Jamaica, Barbados: Human Rights

Janine Mendes-Franco — Thu, 15 May 2008 13:14:41 +0000

Jamaican Geoffrey Philp is joining in Bloggers Unite's awareness campaign for human rights, “especially in Jamaica where the rights of our gay men and women are denied almost daily”…while Barbados Underground chooses to “highlight the plight of many women in our own backyard.”

Guyana, USA: Speaking With Soul

Janine Mendes-Franco — Thu, 15 May 2008 13:03:44 +0000

Signifyin' Guyana is enjoying reading a book about Ebonics, but says: “If I ketch any one of my students writing that way, he or she gon get a straight up F.”

Caribbean: Samuels Banned

Janine Mendes-Franco — Wed, 14 May 2008 13:01:53 +0000

Both St. Vincent blogger Abeni and West Indies Cricket Blog link to reactions about the banning of West Indies batsman Marlon Samuels after he was found guilty of breaking rules designed to stop players betting on matches.

Jamaica: Outdated Citizenship Laws

Janine Mendes-Franco — Wed, 14 May 2008 12:49:05 +0000

Jamaican Francis Wade blogs about the controversy surrounding politicians having dual citizenship: “We simply cannot have our cake and eat it too. While the high-minded goal of having leaders with undivided loyalty is fine, our attempts to ensure that desire through the laws of citizenship are outdated, and reflect very old thinking.”

Guyana: The Art of Blogging

Janine Mendes-Franco — Wed, 14 May 2008 12:42:28 +0000

“I feel at home in my language–this brash, sexy combination of Standard-American-slang-Guyanese-creolese in which I speak and write. I own it. I am comfortable in it. I have no problem showing it off”: Blogging has helped Signifyin' Guyana realise how much she loves to write.

Trinidad & Tobago, Jamaica: Lyrical Content

Janine Mendes-Franco — Wed, 14 May 2008 12:36:06 +0000

ttgapers.com reports that Jamaican dancehall artist Buju Banton “is pleading with fellow…entertainers to clean up their lyrics in order to stem the social decay that is not only present in Jamaica but most of the Caribbean countries where the music is very popular.”

Trinidad & Tobago: Disaster Preparedness

Janine Mendes-Franco — Wed, 14 May 2008 12:25:44 +0000

FIFA Vice President and Minister of Parliament Jack Warner was in China during the earthquake; KnowProSE.com hopes that the experience will be a motivating factor for him “to deal with the lack of preparedness in Trinidad and Tobago upon his return.”

Jamaica: Alluding to the Fact

Janine Mendes-Franco — Wed, 14 May 2008 12:09:06 +0000

Jamaican litblogger Geoffrey Philp explores the question of how to use allusions in creative writing.

Guyana: Hot Like Pepper

Janine Mendes-Franco — Wed, 14 May 2008 12:05:23 +0000

Guyana-Gyal's mother is making her famous pepper sauce - and asks her to go out and buy the “Secret Ingredient”.

Haiti, Trinidad & Tobago: Calypsoes for Obama

Janine Mendes-Franco — Tue, 13 May 2008 11:17:50 +0000

Haitian blogger kiskeácity notices that “there appears to be yet another calypso anthem to Barack.”

Bahamas, Cuba: RSVP

Janine Mendes-Franco — Tue, 13 May 2008 11:13:34 +0000

As an email exchange with the Cuban Ambassador gets heated, Rick Lowe at WeblogBahamas.com says: “I guess my hopes of returning to Cuba are now done.”