Caribbean Beat

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A Message

from our CEO

Welcome aboard, and welcome home.

At Caribbean Airlines, home is where

the heart is, and our heart is proudly

rooted in the Caribbean. We don’t

just connect destinations; we connect

people — to their families, their cultures,

and their dreams. And this year, we’re

making it easier and more rewarding

than ever to do just that.

Our revamped Caribbean Miles

loyalty programme is off to a great

start. Now, your miles are earned based

on what you spend, making it more

rewarding and flexible. And with our

expanding route network, there’s plenty

of opportunity to use those miles to

explore. Whether it’s a quick getaway or

a long-overdue reunion with loved ones,

we invite you to redeem your rewards

and immerse yourself in the beauty of

our destinations.

Speaking of connections, we continue

to grow. Daily flights between Montego

Bay and Fort Lauderdale begin on

11 March, with daily service between

Kingston and Fort Lauderdale soon to

follow. More flights mean more options,

more convenience, and more opportunities

to experience our Caribbean

warmth — wherever you call home.

Caribbean Airlines is about more than

travel. We are a bridge to the culture,

energy, and vibrancy of the region.

This year, our Caribbean Culture

programme kicked off in style with

Culture In D Park, celebrating the

essence of Trinidad Carnival with traditional

mas and electrifying performances.

But the celebrations don’t stop there!

We’re expanding our cultural experiences

across the region, ensuring that

no matter where you are, you can feel

the heartbeat of the Caribbean.

One of the events I’m particularly

excited about is the Caribbean

Airlines Village Cricket T10 Tournament,

which is growing. This year

— in addition to Jamaica, Trinidad,

and Guyana — we’re welcoming Antigua

and Barbados into the competition.

Team Guyana is ready to defend their

title, and I can already feel the excitement

building.

Cricket is more than just a game — it’s

a celebration of community, passion,

and the resilient spirit of the Caribbean.

I look forward to you and your families

joining us for what promises to be an

exhilarating tournament.

And there’s more to come. 2025 is

shaping up to be an unforgettable year

— with even bigger things ahead. In

our next issue, we’ll reveal details of a

community and wellness event that will

bring people together across the region.

You won’t want to miss it!

Until then, stay connected. Follow us

on social media and download our free

mobile app to keep up with the latest

updates, travel deals, and exclusive

experiences.

Wherever you’re headed, we’re happy

to be part of your journey. After all, with

Caribbean Airlines, you’re never far from

home.

See you on board again soon!

Regards,

Garvin

CaribbeanAirlines

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LIKE YOU’RE

‘BLESSED’

St. Kitts is calling

June 26–28, 2025

Dance to the vibrant rhythms of soca, Afropop, hip hop,

and more as international artists - such as Vybes Kartel,

Shenseea, Jennifer Hudson, and Ayra Starr - take center

stage at the St. Kitts Music Festival.

Buy your tickets at stkittsmusicfestival.com

Contents

No. 187 • March/April 2025

52

36

20

20 Event buzz

Exciting festivals and events around

the region

26 Music & book buzz

Reviews by Nigel Campbell and

Shivanee Ramlochan

30 Word of mouth

Giselle Laronde-West takes us inside

some of her favourite Caribbean

traditions at Easter time; while Kellie

Magnus looks ahead to the exciting

Caribbean literary festivals across the

diaspora this year

36 Panorama

Caribbean Grammy glory

In the wake of the 2025 Grammys,

Nigel Campbell looks at the

Caribbean’s past and future at the

celebrated awards show — and what

significance these awards can or

should have for regional music-makers

42 SNAPSHOT

Catalysing the conversations

Marlon James’ Get Millie Black (set

in Jamaica and London) and Steven

Soderbergh’s Full Circle (set in Guyana

and New York) are two series of

Caribbean interest for your watchlist,

suggests Caroline Taylor

46 Backstory

Mas of a memory; memory

of a mas

As Trinidad’s Carnival season peaks,

Amy Li Baksh shares her love for cow

mas, and how immersing herself in it

led her to learn more about this dying

tradition’s origins

52 The deal

Beyond the beaches

The Caribbean offers enticing opportunities

for astute investors seeking to

diversify and maximise their portfolios.

Natalie Dookie guides us through this

thriving investment landscape

58 Discover

How coral reef restoration

could mean big business

With Caribbean coral reef ecosystems

currently listed as endangered, Erline

Andrews explores why they are so

important to our lives and livelihoods,

and the urgent work being done to

restore them

12 WWW.CARIBBEAN-BEAT.COM

CaribbeanBeat

An MEP publication

Editor Caroline Taylor

Designer Kevon Webster

Editorial assistant Shelly-Ann Inniss

Production manager Jacqueline Smith

Finance director Joanne Mendes

Publisher Jeremy Taylor

Business development consultant Halcyon Salazar

Business Development Manager,

Tobago and International

Evelyn Chung

T: (868) 684–4409

E: evelyn@meppublishers.com

62 Be well

Defying the silence

There’s an ever-increasing risk of

hearing loss in people of all ages from

various causes (including exposure to

loud environments), Shelly-Ann Inniss

reports. Here’s what you need to know

about prevention and management

66 On this day

The last pirate of the

Caribbean

Long after the Golden Age of Piracy,

James Ferguson revisits the legend

of Puerto Rico’s Roberto Cofresí —

the Robin Hood-like figure executed

in front of the El Morro fortress 200

years ago

Business Development Manager, Trinidad

Tracy Farrag

T: (868) 318–1996

E: tracy@meppublishers.com

Media & Editorial Projects Ltd.

6 Prospect Avenue, Long Circular, Maraval 120111, Trinidad and Tobago

T: (868) 622–3821/6138

E: caribbean-beat@meppublishers.com

Websites: meppublishers.com • caribbean-beat.com

68 Green

Driving climate resilience

As the planet approaches several

critical climate tipping points, the

Global Sustainable Islands Summit

focusses on driving resilience and

solutions from the Caribbean. Thaiz

Maciel reports

72 Puzzles & brain teasers

80 Last word

Ready for mas again

A love letter to doing everything for

Carnival, by Caroline Taylor

Printed in Trinidad & Tobago by

CaribbeanAirlines

Website: www.caribbean-airlines.com

© 2025 Media & Editorial Projects Ltd (MEP) and individual contributors. All rights reserved. No part

of this magazine, or any content on caribbean-beat.com, may be reproduced in any form without the

written permission of the publisher. Caribbean Beat (ISSN 1680–6158) is produced six times a year for

Caribbean Airlines (CAL) by MEP, and is also available by subscription. MEP makes effort to ensure all

content is accurate up to press time. Views expressed in Caribbean Beat are not necessarily those of

MEP or CAL, and neither party accepts any responsibility for advertising content.

WWW.CARIBBEAN-AIRLINES.COM

13

Cover The colours of

Phagwah or Holi are

reflected on the face of

a celebrant at the Hindu

Prachar Kendra Phagwah

celebrations in Chaguanas,

Trinidad

Photo Edison Boodoosingh

This issue’s contributors:

Erline Andrews is an award-winning journalist, with a

master’s degree from Columbia University Graduate School

of Journalism, and a particular interest in the environment

and conservation.

Amy Li Baksh is a Trinbagonian writer, artist, and activist

with a passion for Caribbean history, culture, and all things

creative. She is a contributing writer for BBC Future Planet

and UWI Today.

Nigel Campbell is a Trinidad-based producer, music

industry analyst, commentator and reviewer documenting

Caribbean music in print, on TV, and on the Music Matters:

The Caribbean Edition podcast.

Natalie Dookie is an experienced business writer, editor,

and business intelligence expert who is passionate about

showcasing the opportunities and challenges of doing

business in the Caribbean.

James Ferguson is an Oxford-based publisher, translator

and writer with a background in French culture and

Caribbean history who’s written several books on Haiti, the

Dominican Republic, and Jamaica.

Shelly-Ann Inniss is a Trinidad-based Barbadian writer;

community builder; self-appointed tourism ambassador for

Barbados; and founder of Your Gluten- free Companion.

Giselle Laronde-West (Chaconia Medal Gold, and Miss

World 1986) is a Conflict Women brand ambassador and

Foundation for the Enhancement & Enrichment of Life

board member, with bylines in MACO Magazine, Trinidad

Weddings, and others.

Shivanee Ramlochan — a Trinidadian poet, essayist

and book critic — is the author of Everyone Knows I am a

Haunting.

Caroline Taylor is a writer, editor, performer, and producer,

particularly interested in culture and the environment. Her

work has appeared in National Geographic, The Guardian

(UK), and others.


15

The Caribbean

A Message

spirit of community:

from our CEO

a treasure worth preserving

My grandmother often told me, “If you

work for a penny, save a cent” — a

simple yet profound lesson that encouraged

me to practise the habit of saving

from an early age. My grandfather, on

the other hand, had a tremendous influence

on my work ethic. He would always

say, “Be like water and find a way” —

and he taught me that whatever role I

pursued in life, I should do it to the best

of my ability.

My eldest aunt, an island scholar and an

avid reader, played an instrumental role

in fuelling my love for books. She was a

teacher of literature and always encouraged

me to read widely and think critically.

I looked forward to the monthly

visits to the bookstore with my mother,

where I would eagerly devour new books

in a matter of days. My aunt’s extensive

collection of literature was always

there to satisfy my curiosity and further

broaden my understanding of the world.

Beyond my immediate family, the wider

community also played a significant

role in my upbringing. One cherished

memory is the tradition of the sou sou,

a communal savings system that origi-

nated in West Africa and is still practised

across the Caribbean today. The sou

sou thrived on mutual trust and cooperation,

allowing people to achieve financial

goals that might have otherwise been

out of reach. It was a perfect example

of how communities worked together to

uplift one another.

Afternoons spent on my grandmother’s

gallery were filled with warmth and

connection. Almost every passerby

would call out, “Ms. Beryl!” and stop for

a chat. Neighbours were more than just

familiar faces; they were extended family.

There was no distinction of race or class

— just a shared sense of belonging and

camaraderie. My grandmother’s close

friend, Ms Chudkee, would often take

me to the old Monarch cinema to watch

Indian movies, exposing me to different

cultural experiences that enriched my

understanding of the world around me.

In those days, we knew our neighbours,

and they knew us.

However, times have changed. Today,

many people barely know their neighbours,

and that sense of connectedness

has somewhat diminished. While

we acknowledge the need for personal

space and privacy in our modern world,

there are valuable lessons from the past

that we can still apply to strengthen our

communities. The spirit of togetherness,

Growing up in Tunapuna, Trinidad,

my formative years were shaped

by the deep sense of commu-

nity that surrounded me. My maternal

grandparents, aunts, and uncles

were the pillars of my upbringing, offering

invaluable guidance and wisdom that

have stayed with me to this day.

mutual support, and collective pride

in our neighbourhoods can offer solutions

to many of the challenges we face

today.

In the Caribbean, this strong sense

of community is woven into our identity.

It is reflected in our music, food,

and daily interactions. Recognising the

importance of preserving and nurturing

this spirit, Caribbean Airlines is

committed to playing its part through its

culture programme and corporate social

responsibility initiatives.

With improved connectivity across the

region, including the French, Dutch,

Spanish, and English Caribbean, we

now have an opportunity to spread this

feeling of community beyond our individual

islands. As we travel and interact

more, we can rekindle the values that

once defined us — kindness, trust, and

collective progress.

Whether it’s by supporting local initiatives,

participating in cultural events, or

simply taking the time to get to know our

neighbours, we can each play a part in

strengthening the bonds that make our

region truly special. The past has shown

us the power of unity, and by embracing

it, we can build a stronger, more

connected Caribbean for generations to

come.

Dionne Ligoure is the Executive Manager, Corporate Communications at Caribbean

Airlines. E-mail: dionne.ligoure@caribbean-airlines.com

#REcalibrated

CaribbeanAirlines

wish you were here


Pride of Guyana

Guyana’s unspoiled ecosystem produces large flora and

fauna like its national flower, the Victoria amazonica, for

instance. Native to South America’s freshwater lakes

and the Amazon basin — including Guyana — this

gorgeous lily pad grows up to 10ft wide and supports

approximately 130lbs of weight. A sunset boat ride

to ponds across Karanambu Ranch and Rewa’s Grass

Ponds along the Rupununi River provides exceptional

opportunities to witness the spectacular opening of the

flowers. Hot tip: this experience has the potential to make

a memorable date night …

Photo by Keren Su/China Span/Alamy Stock Photo

WWW.CARIBBEAN-AIRLINES.COM 19

Shelly-Ann Inniss on the major festivals,

holidays, and celebrations across the

region this March and April

Hemis/Alamy Stock Photo

Let’s get festive!

We ready for the road! Experience the magic and

merriment of pre-Lenten Carnivals with Trinidad & Tobago

Carnival, Carnaval de Ponce, Puerto Rico and Martinique

Carnival (all ending 4 March); and Curaçao Carnival and

Guadeloupe Carnival (ending 5 March), to name a few. The

carnival energy continues with St Maarten Carnival (21 April)

and Jamaica Carnival (27 April).

March marks the beginning of turtle nesting season in

the Caribbean (peaking in May and June for leatherbacks).

Turtle-watching is awe-inspiring: females can lay up to

100 eggs (sometimes more) each time they nest, with the

hatchlings scurrying to the water approximately six weeks

later. Special permits or guided tours might be needed, as

part of conservation efforts to protect these vulnerable and

endangered species.

Courtesy The Adventure Travelers/Pexels


event buzz

In Barbados, March kicks off with

international jockeys and trainers

prepping their thoroughbred horses

to compete for the prestigious

Sandy Lane Gold Cup (1 March) amid

spectacular fanfare and glamour,

just as the monthlong Bridgetown

International Arts Festival (1–31

March) gets underway. And at Easter,

the popular Oistins Fish Festival

reminds folks why it remains a

treasured Barbadian tradition.

Over 50 years — powered by

the Kiwanis Club of Little Havana

— Carnaval Miami (19 February–19

April) has thrilled more than a million

people. Highlights include dancing

the weekend away at Carnaval on

the Mile (1–2 March), and enjoying live

music and food at Calle Ocho Music

Festival (9 March).

It’s regatta time! Sailboats take to

the water for both the George Town

Cruising Regatta (19 February–4

March) and the National Family

Island Regatta (22–26 April) in

Elizabeth Harbour on Exuma, The

Bahamas, as sailing — the islands’

national sport — brings an adrenaline

rush and heaps of fun.

Yachties also face off in Antigua’s

windy waters for the Antigua

Superyacht Challenge (5–9 March),

Antigua Classic Yacht Regatta (16–

21 April), and Antigua Sailing Week

(26 April–2 May).

There’s tonnes of action in St Maarten

— from the St Maarten Regatta (6

March), to the SXM Music Festival

(12–16 March), and St Maarten

Carnival (21 April–5 May).

Courtesy David Daza/Pexels

LifePyx by Lisa Fernandez

In Guyana, Trinidad, Suriname and

Hindu communities across the region,

no one escapes being lovingly showered

(or sprayed) with colourful abir at

Phagwah or Holi celebrations (18

March). Featuring rhythmic drumming,

dancing, and singing, Phagwah — the

Hindu “festival of colour”, also known as

the Hindu New Year — celebrates love,

renewal, and rebirth. People of all faiths

are welcome.

Charlie Hutton/Shutterstock.com

Meanwhile, leading up to Easter in

Guadeloupe, sate yourself at the Crab

Festival (14–31 March) in Morne-à-l’Eau;

while goat-based dishes feature at Fèt

a Kabrit (19–20 April) on La Désirade.

With such sustenance, finish strong

at the Guadarun Island Marathon

(19–27 April) along trails on each of

Guadeloupe’s six inhabited islands.


21

event buzz

Valbaun Galloway Photography Ltd. courtesy Montserrat Tourism Authority

In Trinidad, the 20th edition of Jazz Artists

on the Greens (5 April) features outstanding

regional and international talent, while

Caribbean athleticism — at its finest — is on

display at the CARIFTA Games (19–21 April).

wavebreakmedia/Shutterstock.com

On nearby Montserrat, St Patrick’s

Day (17 March) celebrations run for

10 days prior to the big public holiday

honouring the island’s Irish heritage

— with a Caribbean twist! Festival

highlights include early morning parties,

an all-white affair, concerts — all

climaxing with a large street parade.

In Puerto Rico, enjoy a range of

competitions, seminars, cultural

events, and delicious samples at the

Taste of Rum: an International Rum

& Food Festival (29 March) — while

more culinary delights await at the

Coffee & Chocolate Expo (29–30

March).

Swimming in the company of turtles

— with shipwrecks below — adds to

the adventure of the two-and-a-half

mile Nevis to St Kitts Cross Channel

Swim (29 March). More adventures

on and near the water beckon at the

British Virgin Islands (BVI) Spring

Regatta & Sailing Festival (31

March–6 April) and the Governor’s

Cup Race (26 April).

Gourmands also flock to the Anguilla

Culinary Experience (30 April–5

May), which showcases talented global

chefs.

Courtesy Miami Film Festival

The Miami Film Festival (4–13

April) and Curacao International Film

Festival (9–13 April) offer tremendous

opportunities for cultural exchange as

they celebrate film, filmmakers, and

storytelling with screenings, premieres,

awards, discussions, and workshops.

Courtesy Discover Puerto Rico


event buzz

Courtesy Curacao Int’l BlueSeas Festival

Courtesy Carsten ten Brink/ Flickr CCL

Across the Caribbean, Easter

brings kite-flying; Easter egg hunts;

bonnet competitions; fish festivals

like the Martinique Crab Festival (19

March) and Guadeloupe Fish Festival

(30 March–9 April); the Rupununi

Rodeo (17–21 April) and Bartica Easter

Regatta in Guyana; and Tobago’s

distinctive Buccoo Goat & Crab Race

Festival (22 April).

The historical district of Pietermaai

comes to life with blues music during

the Curaçao International BlueSeas

Festival (17–19 April), featuring free

street concerts that lure music lovers

back year after year.

The anticipated Tobago Rhythm &

Soul Festival (17–20 April) and Tobago

Fashion Coda (18 April) promise a

sophisticated blend of high fashion,

star-studded entertainment, and

epicurean delights under the theme

“Tobago Fashion CODA7: Where

Runway Meets Rhythm”.

The St Lucia Jazz & Arts Festival

(30 April–11 May) boasts a diverse

roster of performers and artists,

transcending cultural boundaries.

Whether you’re boogying to the live

performances or admiring art, don’t

miss out on one of the island’s gems.

CLD Courtesy Tobago Fashion Coda

Courtesy St Lucia Tourism Authority


music buzz

This month’s listening picks from the Caribbean

Reviews by Nigel Campbell

Cyndi Celeste

Love in My Language (self-released)

The juxtaposition of spoken word and music has been mined on records by

legends like Gil Scott-Heron and Mutabaruka. Barbadian poet Cyndi Celeste

— on this, her first full length album — uses oft-heard rising cadences and that

feeling of missing punctuation to provide a stream-of-consciousness form of

performance poetry that enchants. She calls her work “a dynamic blend of Bajan

language and Caribbean storytelling, infused with R&B, soul, jazz, and hip-hop

influences.” Ethereal music accompanies rhythm and metre, rhymes and metaphors

to give listeners a view of her truth — internal monologues on identity and

authenticity — and the endless possibilities of the English language as these

islands’ gift to the world.

Braveboy

Las Lap (Bravehouse Music)

Braveboy is the “king” of international

collaborators within the soca and island hiphop

sphere. On this new EP he does not disappoint,

linking with Venezuelan producer

Jolemy and his countrymen LEXO, Abel and

Corne to explore the evolving nature of the

SOundtrack for CArnival — the modern incarnation of soca

beyond Lord Shorty’s SOul of CAlypso genesis five decades

ago. The easily identifiable rhythms meld perfectly with

sexy Spanish language lyrics, pointing to potential crossover

opportunities within the limitless Latin American market.

John G

Agyei (self-released)

Trinidadian John G’s music has been referred

to as “Caribbean roots” — an amalgam of the

roots revival aesthetic that came to the fore

in Jamaica in the early to mid-2010s, and the

laid-back roots reggae of Bob Marley, all within

a self-described “singer-songwriter/soulful

Caribbean folk” style where lyricism is key to crossover. I’m a

child of hate and slavery / I’m a soul that still needs saving. This

short four-song EP’s superlative production creates a perfect

bed for G’s voice — best described as a powerful rasp — to

deliver calm affirmations of love and empowerment. Jah bless!

Teneille Young

Wildflower (self-released)

Dreams often do come

true. Just a couple

of years ago, singer

Teneille Young was

doing cover songs on

YouTube, now she has

bagged the epic production skills of

Jamaican hit-maker “Mikey” Bennett to

helm this four-song EP of originals that

show the range of what modern reggae

can be. A lovers rock vibe is present in

some of the compositions, giving the

record a throwback feel. Young’s feathery,

naive voice also evokes many late

1970s female reggae singers, making

this a package of retro vibes done good.

Ronald Snijders

Penta (Night Dreamer)

Flautist Ronald

Snijders is a hero of

Surinamese jazz, rarely

heard outside that

diaspora (the Netherlands

and its former

colonies). His music on this new album

continues his notable efforts over

nearly five decades of layering modern

jazz fusion music over the native

kaseko rhythms, along with regional

influences for global uptake. Marketing

terms like “ethno-jazz” don’t do this

album justice; its grander vision is placing

the Caribbean heartbeat front and

centre. And it does!

Mical Teja

Higher Power (Teja Music) • Single

Trinidad Road March

2024 winner Mical

Teja returns in 2025 to

cement his place as a

major soca artist who

understands the power

of incisive lyrics to make generic riddims

supercharged beyond the banal, and

understandably unforgettable. Spirits

combine, the body and mind / With

the heart and soul / No, we don’t have

control / Blame it on a higher power.

Ancestral drums combine with modern

soca beats to elevate this song. Teja has

mastered the formula for hit soca music

for Carnival fetes and on the road.

26

WWW.CARIBBEAN-BEAT.COM

January

ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA

WELLNESS MONTH

www.visitantiguabarbuda.com

ONE NATION MUSIC

FESTIVAL

11 th - 12 th January

TALISKER WHISKY

ATLANTIC ROWING

CHALLENGE

www.worldstoughestrow.com

February

AUA ROHRMAN TRAIL

& SWIM FEST

19 th – 20 th April

www.facebook.com/

AntiguaBarbudaTriathlon

ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA

INTERNATIONAL

KITE FESTIVAL

21 st April

www.facebook.com/CPKites

PETERS & MAY

ROUND ANTIGUA RACE

26 th April

www.sailingweek.com/

roundantiguarace/

July

ANTIGUA CARNIVAL:

THE CARIBBEAN’S GREATEST

SUMMER FESTIVAL

25 th July – 5 th August


August

CARNIVAL MONDAY

4 th August


CARNIVAL TUESDAY

5 th August

www.antiguacarnival.com

2025

DESTINATION EVENTS

CALENDAR

JOLLY HARBOUR

VALENTINE’S REGATTA

7 th - 9 th February

www.jhycantigua.com

ANTIGUA SAILING WEEK

27 th April – May 2 nd

www.sailingweek.com

URLINGS

SEAFOOD FESTIVAL

10 th August

RORC NELSON’S

CUP SERIES

18 th - 21 st February

www.rorc.org/rorc-nelsonscup-series-racing-rum-andrevelling

ROYAL OCEANIC RACE

CLUB (RORC) CARIBBEAN

600 RACE

24 th - 28 th February

www.caribbean600.rorc.org

March

13TH SUPERYACHT

CHALLENGE

4 th - 11 th March

www.superyachtchallenge

antigua.com

SOOTHE: A NIGHT OF

NEO-SOUL, JAZZ RHYTHMS,

AND SPOKEN WORDS

15 th March

www.facebook.com/soothelounge

April

OYSTER REGATTA

7 th - 11 th April

www.oysteryachts.com/events/

oyster-world-rally-2024-25/

GARD CENTER FARM

TO TABLE FUNDRAISING

LUNCHEON

12 th April

ANTIGUA CLASSIC

YACHT REGATTA

16 th - 21 st April

www.antiguaclassics.com

May

ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA

CULINARY MONTH

DOCKYARD DAY

3 rd May

FOOD, ART, AND

BEVERAGE FESTIVAL

4 th May

www.antiguabarbuda

restaurantweek.com

ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA

RESTAURANT WEEK

4 th – 18 th May

www.antiguabarbuda

restaurantweek.com

CHTA CARIBBEAN

TRAVEL MARKETPLACE

18 th – 22 nd May

RUN IN PARADISE

25 th May

www.facebook.com/

runinparadise

June

ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA

ROMANCE MONTH

www.antiguaandbarbuda

romance.com

BARBUDA’S CARIBANA

4 th – 9 th June


ANNUAL ANTIGUA AND

BARBUDA SPORTS FISHING

TOURNAMENT

5 th - 8 th June

www.antiguabarbudasports

fishing.com

ANUCON

16 th – 17 th August

www.anucon268.com

September

NELSON’S DOCKYARD

CELEBRATES 300 YEARS

WORLD WELLNESS

WEEKEND CELEBRATIONS

19 th – 21 st September

DEJAM FESTIVAL

22 nd - 29 th September

www.dejamfestival.org/

FRANCIS NUNES JR.

MEMORIAL FISHING

TOURNAMENT &

SEAFOOD FESTIVAL

26 th - 27 th September

www.antiguabarbuda

sportsfishing.com

October

ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA’S

INDEPENDENCE

CELEBRATIONS BEGIN

November

ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA’S

INDEPENDENCE DAY

1 st November

INDEPENDENCE FOOD FAIR

1 st November

THE BEST IN THE WEST

FISHING TOURNAMENT

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WestSportsFishingTournament

ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA

ART WEEK

26 th November – 2 nd December


GEMONTIES MOODS

OF PAN FESTIVAL

28 th - 30 th November

ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA

TOURISM WEEK

December

ANTIGUA CHARTER

YACHT SHOW

www.antiguayachtshow.com

VEGGIE ROOTS AND

CULTURE FEST

7 th December

NELSON’S DOCKYARD

CHRISTMAS DAY PARTY

25 th December

www.nationalparksantigua.com

NELSON’S DOCKYARD

OLD YEARS NIGHT PARTY

31 st December

www.nationalparksantigua.com


book buzz

This month’s reading picks from the Caribbean

Reviews by Shivanee Ramlochan, Book Review Editor

Code Noir

by Canisia Lubrin (Knopf

Canada, 360 pp, ISBN

9780735282216)

In St Lucian Canisia Lubrin’s

Code Noir reside 59 of the

most devastating, clarifying

fictions you will read this

year — or any other. As

linked stories, they respond

to, trouble, and subvert the

original 59 racist declarations

of Louis XIV’s Code

Noir, created to dictate

slavery’s functionality

in all French colonies. In

mesmeric styling, Lubrin

reproduces the dead king’s

codes, but slantwise: they

appear between her fictions

as greyscale interventions

shaped by the artist

Torkwase Dyson. What

Code Noir presents, and

represents, calls a limitless

Blackness onto the page

and simultaneously beyond

it. We are summoned to

imagine all states, all territories,

all alertness that can

be given up to Black imagination.

We are, as readers

of this visionary text, called

upon to believe not only

that all this might be real,

but that it has always been

occurring.

Time Cleaves Itself

by Jeda Pearl (Peepal

Tree Press, 80 pp, ISBN

9781845235888)

“Squash my ‘otherness’

back into your grandma’s old

regency tin”, declares a poem

in Scottish-Jamaican Jeda

Pearl’s debut collection, Time

Cleaves Itself. Of such fiery,

impassioned salvos is this

work composed, in verse that

declaims its speaker’s right to

be inscribed in Scotland’s soil

despite insidious and extant

hostilities. Alongside the

rage of these poems abides a

deliberateness of attention,

delving into wells of childbirth,

motherhood, disability,

disenfranchisement, illness,

pulling rich meanings to the

surface. Summoning the

tongues of Scots and Jamaican

Patois, Pearl constructs

language as a border-shifting,

discrimination-crumbling

powerhouse — one in

which its poems’ speakers

may roam thistledowncovered

crags and wine

on dancefloors with a

matched, indomitable spirit.

This is poetry that utterly

convinces, singing its proud

decolonial, intersectional

song from island inlet to hospital

bed, from the galactical

gaze of the universe itself.

Mother Archive: a

Dominican Family

Memoir

by Erika Morillo (University

of Iowa Press, 250 pp, ISBN

9781609389949)

Urgency ripples from the

prose of this memoir,

which reveals the apertures

created when a

core memory — a familial

wound — is silenced, in

action and in thought. After

her father is disappeared

under the brutal regime of

the Dominican Republic’s

Joaquín Balaguer, Morillo

witnesses her mother erase

her father’s photographs

from their home. In this

way, Mother Archive tends

to the wounds at multiple

sites, asking where trauma

resides when it is denied

its natural tributaries: what

new pains spring from such

eradication? Morillo writes

of her life and her mother’s

— not unflinchingly, but with

a disarming awareness of her

wounds, juxtaposing photographs

from her family’s

life alongside the searing,

revelatory text. In a radical

epistolary mode, the writing

both addresses and eclipses

the memoirist’s mother:

a visionary decision in an

already-impactful work.

Looking for Cazabon

by Lawrence Scott (Papillote

Press, 80 pp, ISBN

978173930367)

How may we know a

place, sonnet by sonnet?

Lawrence Scott’s Looking

for Cazabon provides us

with a sensory, devotional

answer. These poems, written

in creative pursuit of

the influential 19th century

Trinidadian artist Michel-

Jean Cazabon, are as

suffused with light, depth,

and textural interplay as the

painter’s landscapes themselves.

Scott’s award-winning

fictions have long been

characterised by their sensitivity,

the dual piquancy

and gravitas they employ to

scrutinise our historic and

contemporaneous living.

These qualities shine too

in the author’s first collection

of verse. Trinidad, as

much as Cazabon, is the

beloved, bedevilled subject

of these sonnets (and one

long-form free verse poem),

which move across the

near entirety of the island

with an aching, reflective

familiarity. No place could

feel more alive, more

blessed and fractured and

incandescently active, than

in the poems Scott creates.


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word of mouth

Courtesy Tobago Beyond

Caribbean

Easter magic

Giselle Laronde-West takes us inside

some of her favourite Caribbean traditions

at Easter time — including some of the

most unusual!

The Easter weekend — a long weekend with public holidays in

many parts of the Caribbean — is a delightful time across the

region, with activities and traditions that excite the young and

the young at heart.

In my home country, Trinidad & Tobago, an unusual

tradition is the beating of the “bobolee” on Good Friday. The

effigies — human-sized, stuffed caricatures — are created by members of

the community, and hung or tied to a pole for all to see until time for the deed

to be done. These bobolees typically represent (and resemble) people that

community members do not respect, or who they

feel have betrayed them. The original bobolee,

of course, was Judas Iscariot. The bobolees are

eventually beaten or burned in public spaces.

Over in Tobago, goat and crab racing — held

on the Tuesday after Easter in Buccoo Village

— is a tradition that began as the “poor man’s

version” of horse-racing in the early 1900s. Large

crowds of locals and visitors look forward to this

event where they can cheer on their favourite

goat. The runners or trainers, who run alongside

the goats, train hard with their charges all year in

the hope of goat racing supremacy. As a bonus,

crab races follow, where participants (including

children) — equipped with a thin stick — gently

nudge the crabs toward the finish line … with

many of the crabs end up running in totally different

directions!


Opposite page Goat racing in Tobago

Right Freshly baked traditional hot

cross buns

Barbados has its own unique tradition: the

bleeding of the Physic Nut Tree. The red sap

which oozes from the tree’s bark when stuck on

Good Friday symbolises the blood of Christ. This

tradition involves making a small incision in the

trunk of the tree and collecting the sap, which is

usually applied to the skin, as it is believed that

it is a traditional remedy for some skin conditions

and a variety of ailments like arthritis and

rheumatism.

The most common and popular Easter tradition

in many Caribbean countries is kite-flying.

Families and friends come together to design

and make beautiful, colourful kites of various

shapes, patterns, and sizes, and head to the

parks, beaches, or any open space to show them

off as they dance in the winds that are brisk and

vigorous at this time of year. Some kites are

made into unique shapes — like lions, ships and

dragons.

Another hallmark of Eastertime? Delicious hot

cross buns. These are spiced, sweet buns bearing

the symbolic cross in white icing sugar. No

Caribbean Easter celebration would be complete

without them. In Jamaica, they are often made

with nutmeg and cinnamon, and include raisins,

currants, or mixed peel. In Trinidad & Tobago,

they may be made with coconut milk, or grated

coconut and spices. Some other islands adjust the

recipe to include molasses, ginger, and even rum.

Enjoy it plain, with some butter or cheese — and

maybe a cup of hot local or regional cocoa.

Easter hat or bonnet competitions are also hugely popular — at schools,

churches, and in larger community settings — while Easter egg hunts are

a favourite at family gatherings, either at home or in parks. Some families

also do egg rolling competitions — boiling and painting eggs, then having

the children compete by going to the top of a hill and rolling their eggs

down the slope. The person whose egg reaches the bottom first — most

intact — wins.

A special experience in Curaçao is the Seú Harvest Easter Parade, which

usually takes place early in the afternoon on Easter Monday. It is a spectacular

display of creativity and craftsmanship by the locals who showcase their

elaborately decorated floats through the streets of Willemstad, the capital,

to the sounds of local marching bands, accompanied by dance groups and

other cultural organisations.

Happy Easter! n

Courtesy Randy West/Pexels

zi3000/Shutterstock.com


31

word of mouth

Kellie Magnus looks

ahead to the exciting

Caribbean literary

festivals across the

diaspora in 2025

Photography courtesy Bocas Lit Fest

Celebrating

Caribbean

literature

The best way to get to know the Caribbean is to

visit as many countries as you can. The secondbest

way? Experiencing the richness and diversity

of the region through its literature.

There’s an increasing number of opportunities

to do both. This year boasts a startlingly full

calendar of literary festivals and book fairs that can keep you

country-hopping and page-turning all year round.

The organising teams behind the festivals are as diverse as

their literary offerings — from state-sponsored sprawling extravaganzas

like the Havana International Book Fair, to volunteer-led

initiatives like the newly minted Jamaica Book Festival.

The common bond lies in their origin stories: each event

spurred by a commitment to celebrating Caribbean literature

and a desire to connect writers in the region to larger audiences,

local and international.

As Caribbean literature continues to gain worldwide recognition,

the Caribbean concentration of writers in major festivals in

the United States has grown larger and more consistent. Brooklyn,

arguably the capital of the Caribbean diaspora, is home to its

own Caribbean literary festival that draws readers and writers

from across the US and the region.

Each festival has a style and flavour of its own, offering up a

mix of Caribbean and international authors, panel discussions,

musical events, workshops and seminars to suit the needs of

aspiring writers and general readers alike.

Some have already taken place and should be on your radar

for next year, like the Hay Festival Cartagena, Colombia (January–February);

and the Havana International Book Fair, Cuba

(February).

Dates noted here for those going forward are tentative, so

check the organisers’ websites frequently for updated schedules

and author confirmations. n

(L-R) St Lucian Poet Canisia Lubrin, Guyana academic D Alissa Trotz, NGC

Bocas Lit Fest fiction, nonfiction and poetry winners Kevin Jared Hosein,

Safiya Sinclair, Nicole Sealey, head judge Edwidge Danticat and novelist

Rabindranath Maharaj

USVI Lit Fest and Book Fair

St Croix, US Virgin Islands

10–13 April

usvilitfest.com

Bocas Lit Fest

Trinidad & Tobago

1–4 May

bocaslitfest.com

Calabash International

Literary Festival

Treasure Beach, Jamaica

23–25 May

calabashfestival.org

Book Fairy Festival

Kingston, Jamaica

11–14 July

bookfairyfestival.com

Brooklyn Caribbean Literary

Festival

Brooklyn, New York, USA

5–8 September

bklyncbeanlitfest.org

Brooklyn Book Festival

Brooklyn, New York, USA

21–28 September

brooklynbookfestival.com

BVI Literary Festival

Tortola, British Virgin Islands

6–9 November

bvilitfest.com

The International Book Fair

Santo Domingo

Santo Domingo, Dominican

Republic

6–16 November

Miami Book Fair

Miami, Florida, USA

16–23 November

miamibookfair.com

Gimistory International

Storytelling Festival

23 November–1 December

Grand Cayman, Cayman

Islands

Jamaica Book Festival

Kingston, Jamaica

4–7 December

jamaicabookfest.com


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33

bucket list

St John’s, Antigua

The charming waterfront at St John’s harbour on Antigua’s northwest coast

is a gateway to the island’s capital city. Guarded by Fort James and Fort

Barrington, most of St John’s attractions and historical landmarks are within

walking distance from the Heritage Quay shopping complex. Day trips can

include the Museum of Antigua & Barbuda (based in a courthouse constructed

in 1750 and the oldest building on the island); St John’s Anglican Cathedral,

designed with Baroque and Georgian architecture; and the Antigua Recreation

Ground (home to the West Indies Cricket Team) — and a swim with the

turtles on a nearby beach!


Nancy Pauwels/Shutterstock.com


35

panorama

Caribbean

Grammy

glory

ZUMA Press Inc/Alamy Stock Photo

Over the years, several artists of

Caribbean heritage have taken home

Grammy Awards — from the bestknown

like the Marleys, Rihanna,

Heather Headley, Angela Hunte,

and Ralph McDonald, to countless

artists from Jamaica and Puerto Rico,

and Virgin Islander Theron Thomas

last year. In the wake of the 2025

Grammys, Nigel Campbell looks at

the Caribbean’s past and future at the

celebrated awards show

The Caribbean has a long history

on the global music scene, with

regional music having been

recorded since the early 1900s:

Lovey’s Original Trinidad String

Band was recorded in 1912, five

years before jazz was first recorded. Since then, the

music industry in these islands and the influence

of music from them have impacted developing

genres across the Americas. Jazz and hip-hop figure

prominently, as explored in previous issues of

Caribbean Beat (all available online).

Many island musicians look for ways to gauge

the success of their music — their unique craft that can signal to the world that

Caribbean people’s musical output deserves accolades beyond chauvinistic

passion. Music awards are more than symbols of external validation; they

act as markers for burgeoning island industries, for artists that acknowledge

their Caribbean DNA in their music, and their influence in a global music

marketplace. The Grammy Awards are one such marker.

The presenting body, the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences

(NARAS), was founded in 1957, just one year after Harry Belafonte’s Calypso

album became the United States’ first million seller, outselling Elvis Presley

that year and changing the musical tastes of Americans forever. The first

Grammy ceremony was held in 1958. In the subsequent decades, a range of

regional genres have been recognised with golden gramophone statuettes

within specialised categories.


Opposite page Theron Thomas has

written songs for R-City, Ciara, and more

Right Puerto Rican rapper Bad Bunny

Below Harry Belafonte popularised

calypso music with international

audiences in the 1950s and 1960s

Traditional and contemporary Spanish-language

island music genres and styles — bachata

and merengue from the Dominican Republic; salsa

and Afro-Cuban music from Cuba — have Best

Tropical Latin Album as a target. For reggaeton —

Puerto Rico’s gift to the world — it’s the recently

created Best Música Urbana Album.

Multiple winners — Puerto Rican Bad Bunny;

Panamanian of St Lucian descent Rubén Blades;

and Cuban Gloria Estefan; and others — define

island excellence. (Note that more than 50% of

the Caribbean’s 46 million people have Spanish as

their first language, and 90% of all native Spanish

speakers globally live in the Americas.)

“The Grammy remains the highest honour in

music — bar none,” NARAS has declared, noting

more recently that it “continues to embrace a truly

global mindset and seeks to engage and celebrate

the current scope of music from around the world”.

Many Caribbean musicians take that sentiment to

heart as annual music submissions towards nominations

and awards increase, and new membership

by Caribbean nationals grows.

Courtesy Glenn Francis/Wikimedia Commons

“We now have a seat at the table … We aren’t

just members, we are voting members. It is a

step in the right direction”

Wikimedia Commons

In 2024, 75 projects were submitted to Grammy voters for Best Reggae

Album consideration, up from 65 the year before. Beginning in 1985, NARAS

gave an award for Best Reggae Recording, rebranding in 1992 to Best Reggae

Album for newly recorded original vocal or instrumental reggae albums,

including roots reggae, dancehall, and ska music.

In the 40 years these awards have been given out, Bob Marley’s children —

sons Stephen (eight), Ziggy (seven), Damien “Jr Gong” (four) and Julien (one),

and daughters Cedella and Sharon (each with three as members of the Melody

Makers) — have amassed a significant haul of Grammy statuettes, making

a statement about legacy. Wins by legends Jimmy Cliff, Burning Spear, and

Bunny Wailer, and modern stars like Sean Paul and Koffee showcase the

breadth of recognition and the continuing well of reggae talent enriching the

world.


37

Trinidadian-American

singer, songwriter, and

actress Heather Headley

Below Ziggy Marley — son

of reggae icon Bob Marley

and Rita Marley

Donald Cooper/Alamy Stock Photo

Courtesy Rodrigo Stooco/Flickr CCL

In Trinidad & Tobago, there is an ongoing effort since 2021 to increase the

membership of soca music producers regionally by carving out a space for

submissions towards the new Best Global Music Performance Grammy —

“reserved for performances with strong elements of global cultural significance

that blend music forms and techniques found in pop, R&B, dance, rap, and folk

with unique music forms, local expressions and techniques found among the

global diaspora originating outside the United States.”

“If we don’t have people who rep the culture, we can’t make it past the first

hurdle or round,” says soca superproducer Kasey Phillips, a leader in the push

to include soca music in the Grammys. “We now

have a seat at the table … We aren’t just members,

we are voting members — and it is important for

local producers and creators to have that voice. It

is a step in the right direction.”

Small steps, noting the history of native Trinidadian

music presence at the Grammys. At the

14th Annual Grammy Awards in 1972, the Esso

Trinidad Steel Band’s self-titled album (1971) was

nominated for Best Ethnic or Traditional Recording

— a singular pioneering achievement for the

national instrument of Trinidad & Tobago.

Bahamian junkanoo band the Baha Men won a

Grammy for Best Dance Recording in 2001 with their

cover of soca song “Who Let the Dogs Out” (nonwinner

Moby called it a “novelty” song, poor thing).

However, Trinidadian composer and original singer

Anslem Douglas was not eligible for a statuette.

Neither was Trinidadian soca star Bunji Garlin, who

was one featured artist on the 2016 Best Dance/Electronic

Album winner, Skrillex Diplo Present Jack Ü.

Not everyone, however, is a fan of Grammys.

Some ask why we need validation from abroad,

positing that we can have our own awards, and

celebrate our own genres beyond reggaeton,

reggae and dancehall — including calypso/soca,

konpa, bouyon.

38

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Courtesy Wikimedia Commons

Left Barbadian superstar Rihanna has

won nine Grammys

Above Trinidadian-British singer and

songwriter Billie Ocean had a series of

hit songs between 1976 and 1988

Fred duval/Shutterstock.com

In 2024, 75 projects were submitted to

Grammy voters for Best Reggae Album

consideration, up from 65 the year before

Two iterations of a Caribbean Music Awards show — initially 1990–1995,

and re-established in 2023 — begin to fill that critical void. Others observe

that in the competitive world of global music, a Grammy is a plus for any

career. Islanders count Barbadian Rihanna’s nine awards, and Trinidadians

Heather Headley’s and Billy Ocean’s (one each), and wonder when compatriot

and “Queen of Rap” Nicki Minaj will win her first.

Theron Thomas of St Thomas (US Virgin Islands) won the 2024 Songwriter

of the Year, Non-Classical statuette for his body of work on songs by

Lil Durk, Tyla, Chloe Bailey, Ciara and Chris Brown, Cordae, Big Boss Vette,

and Jungkook. That momentous win, voted on by all NARAS members,

made him a hometown hero with accolades from the Governor and Commissioners

of the USVI.

“I from a small island, 22 square miles,” he said in his acceptance speech.

That USVI Creole resonated widely as he ended with a bold affirmation:

“Virgin Islands in this M******* — ayo done know

how we does go on!” Island brio at its best.

“Coming from St Thomas we grew up with a

non-genre radio,” Thomas has noted. “We grew up

with hip-hop, R&B, pop, reggae, calypso, country

music — all on the same radio station! We never

grew up thinking of genres. We just loved music. We

were just like ‘Yo I like music, and I like that song.’”

That foundation allowed him to sell his songs

to Rihanna, Beyoncé, Lizzo, Adam Levine, and

Miley Cyrus. Thomas follows in the legacy of Trinidadian-American

songwriters Ralph MacDonald

(1982 Best Rhythm & Blues Song for “Just the Two

of Us”) and Angela Hunte (2011 Best Rap Song,

“Empire State of Mind”), who had gone “beyond

the confines of cultural heritage”.

The broader Caribbean presence outside of

Latin music on the Grammy Awards stage is

limited, despite the input of many. The vast output

of the varied Latin music styles that constitute the

fastest growing music ecosystem in the world is a

template to follow. NARAS seeks a kind of levelling

of the playing field with its embrace of global

sounds and celebration of unique music cultures

from these islands — beyond reggae and the

Latin/Spanish-speaking categories.

The Grammys remain a bellwether of artistic

accomplishment for many regionally. The roll call

and tally of Caribbean achievements in recorded

music continues. That golden gramophone statuette

is still a desired mark of music merit. n

At the 67th Grammy Awards, held on 2 February in Los Angeles, Puerto Rican rapper Residente won Best Música Urbana Album for

his album Las Letras Ya No Importan; while Best Reggae Album went to Bob Marley: One Love — Music Inspired By The Film (Deluxe),

performed by various artists including Puerto Rican Farruko and Jamaicans Shenseea, Skip Marley, and Bob’s grand-daughter Mystic.



41

snapshot

Catalysing the

conversations

Marlon James’ Get Millie Black (set in Jamaica and London),

and Steven Soderbergh’s Full Circle (set in New York and

Guyana) are two series of Caribbean interest for your

watchlist, suggests Caroline Taylor

If you try to think of TV series set in

the Caribbean or putting Caribbean

people at the centre, you probably

can’t think of many. And if you can,

there’s a good chance that the filming

locations were not, in fact, anywhere

in the region (therefore not benefitting

any local industries or capturing any of the

distinct local sights, sounds, nuances or

textures); and the actors were not, in fact,

anyone with Caribbean heritage — or even

with any kind of meaningful relationship to

the region or the people from it.

And then there are the accents. How

many times have we watched people

who are supposed to be “Caribbean” —

whether Trini, Bajan, Jamaican, Haitian,

Cuban, Dominican, etc — and cringed at

the paltry attempts at conjuring an accent

that often sounds like a muddled mix

of sounds from across the African and

Indian diasporas?

I must confess, some years ago, I ended

up in a Twitter (I will not call it X) back

and forth with a (defensive) American

actor from Luke Cage’s second season over

my concern that no-one seemed to have

been invested in ensuring the accents

were authentic, or at least respectful. I was

happy to see Marlon James felt the same

during press for Get Millie Black: “Some of

us think that a way to make a story universal

is to make it as bland and generic as

possible, flatten the accents, do some sort

of Luke Cage kind of thing...”

WENN Rights Ltd/Alamy Stock Photo


Opposite page Prizewinning

Jamaican author

Marlon James created Get

Millie Black

Left and below Guyanese-

American actress CCH

Pounder (left) stars in Full

Circle with Sheyi Cole,

Gerald Jones, and Adia

(below)

Courtesy Sarah Shatz/HBO

I also remember doing the audition circuit in New York right

out of college, and the unforgettable experience of seeing a

breakdown featuring an actual Trinidadian role; auditioning for

it; and then being told that, as a mixed-race woman, I didn’t “look

Trinidadian enough” (the role went to a Black American who

spoke in that aforementioned muddle of an accent).

So, you could be forgiven for first being surprised that there

are not one but two recent series available on Max (formerly

HBO Max) in the Americas which centre Caribbean people,

places, and stories.

The most recent is Get Millie Black (late 2024) — the bold,

poignant crime thriller from the mind of celebrated, prizewinning

Jamaican author Marlon James (The Book of

Night Women, A Brief History of Seven Killings), who writes several

instalments of the five-episode first season. The other is Full Circle

(mid-2023) — the limited series from decorated director Steven

Soderbergh (Erin Brockovich, Traffic, the Ocean’s film trilogy) and

writer Ed Solomon.

The two series share common DNA, despite being vastly

different. Full Circle features a sprawling ensemble cast

of well-known Hollywood heavyweights — from Claire

Danes, Dennis Quaid, and Jim Gaffigan to Jharrel Jerome

and Guyanese-American actress CCH Pounder. The series

revolves around an investigation into a botched kidnapping,

which unearths decades-old secrets connecting a range of

characters, cultures, and communities in New York City —

including a Guyanese community in Queens, where Pounder’s

Mrs Mahabir looms large as a powerful player in the criminal

underworld.

Playing a Guyanese character in this kind of prestige drama

came as a surprise to the Avatar actress. “I was completely

shocked,” Pounder told Collider. “I wondered about the Guyanese

people going, ‘Finally, we’ve got a person who’s from Guyana

and is talking about it, but she’s a horrible, mean woman.’

So, thank God, there’s Letitia [Wright] to quell all of that. We’ve

got good ones and we’ve got bad ones, fat ones and skinny ones.

It feels so grand and so freeing.”

She went on to describe her amazement that the production

was also going to film in Guyana — not some other North

American stand-in. “It was a real shock to me, and it was such

a pleasure, the people that we worked with,” she remembered.

“And it was a big talk of the town. We started something, and I

have a feeling that they probably would want more.”

The series — inspired by the 1963 Akira Kurosawa film High

and Low — is less successful on other fronts. While it looks

beautiful and pays off in the end, there are perhaps too many

subplots to flesh out in a satisfying way, leaving actors like

Pounder almost criminally under-utilised.

And despite consultants working to ensure the authenticity

of the Guyanese-American representation on the show (it’s a

delight to hear a flurry of familiar expressions like “mouth open,

story jump out”), the accent work is inconsistent, at best.

Get Millie Black, by contrast, is a British television series created

by James (his first), developed by Motive Pictures, and with

Jami O’Brien as showrunner. It premiered on Channel 4 in the

United Kingdom and HBO/Max in the United States and other

territories in late 2024.

Courtesy Sarah Shatz/HBO


43

Jamaican-British actress Tamara

Lawrance (right) and Jamaican

actress Chyna McQueen (below)

star in Get Millie Black

Courtesy Fernandez Hevia/HBO

Given the country’s long history with

the region, British stage and screen

productions are far more likely to feature

authentic Caribbean characters, and

this is no exception. In fact, it’s difficult

to imagine such a project being greenlit

exclusively by an American streamer or

television network.

James was emphatic that in Get Millie

Black he wanted people to see a nuanced,

complex representation of Jamaica that

they hadn’t seen before. And his insightful,

arresting prose shimmers even in this

gritty, dark crime drama: “In this country,

nothing haunts like history,” says title character

Millie in a voiceover from the first episode. “Pick something

ugly, bigoted, hateful, shameful, violent and you see a shadow

reaching back 400 years.”

The series follows Millie, who returns to Jamaica from London

(where she was sent after clashing with her violent mother

as a child), joining the police force and confronting ghosts from

the past that haunt her present — in both her life, and her work.

So, like Full Circle, transnational crime and the legacies of old

wounds and injustices drive the narrative.

James has spoken about “just how

Jamaican the show is” with the

team having hired “more than 200

Jamaicans”, and filming four of the

episodes on the island (in Kingston

and Hellshire)

The early seeds for the project began sprouting over a decade

ago as notes on hotel stationery. Inspired in part by the “Gully

Queens” (a community of ostracised queer Jamaicans who took

shelter in the storm drains), and his own mother’s career in law

enforcement — “Like my mom, Millie finds the invisible,” says

James — the show doesn’t just place Caribbean and Jamaican

people at the centre. It foregrounds marginalised Jamaicans:

the queer and trans people that Caribbean societies too often

still try to erase.

A significant majority of the series’ cast is Jamaican or of

Jamaican heritage — some without having acted on camera

before, but rising to the challenge — with the titular lead played

by Jamaican-British actress Tamara Lawrance. And, unlike

Full Circle’s star-studded cast, the most recognisable face in

this much leaner ensemble may be Joe Dempsie (perhaps best

known for playing Gendry Baratheon on Game of Thrones).

James has spoken about “just how Jamaican the show is”

with the team having hired “more than 200 Jamaicans”, and

filming four of the episodes on the island (in Kingston and

Hellshire). And just like James’ published writing, it’s a narrative

experience not to miss.

So much of how the Caribbean is presented in film, television,

and literature explores either the idyllic experiences created and

curated for overseas tourists; or the violence bred by centuries of

colonialism, capitalism, and inequality that simmers below the

surface … beyond the brochures.

May series like these be the start of many more to come

— that centre Caribbean lives and experiences; that capture

our magic and our complexity, our struggles and our promise;

that recognise the fullness of our humanity; and which honour

the fact that we, as much as anyone, have meaningful stories

to tell.

James has ideas for a possible season 2. Let’s hope that

stories like this can continue; that voices like his can access the

platforms from which to tell them; and that we have the courage

and conviction to engage and reckon with what those stories

bring to light. n

Courtesy Des Willie/HBO


ADVERTORIAL

backstory

Right Early sketches of Amy’s

buffalypso costume

Below Amy’s grandmother

Dorothy Johnson (bottom row,

second from left) portraying

milkmaid mas in the 1940s

Mas of a

Courtesy Amy Li Baksh

memory; memory

of a mas

As Trinidad’s Carnival season peaks,

Amy Li Baksh shares her love for

cow mas, and how portraying this rare

traditional Carnival character led her

both to explore its origins — and see

how many of T&T’s creations have

faded into memory

When I was a child, driving through Santa

Cruz was the most special journey — one

my family regularly undertook. In that

magical world (the backseat of the car), I

could feel the rush of cool breeze as we

entered the valley, driving through the

green and red leaves of the cocoa trees, past the river and — if I

was lucky — the herd of black buffalypso that often grazed on the

gentle slopes along the road.

Something about those massive creatures always fascinated

me — called to me. But as the years passed, I saw them less and

less, until one day they disappeared for good. Maybe, like most


of the island’s buffalypso (a breed of water buffalo developed in

Trinidad in the 1960s), they had been culled to curb the spread of

brucellosis. Few remained of the wild and domesticated animals

that first had been bred right here, and now only thrived in other

countries (to which they’d been exported).

In Trinidad, creation seems to come so easily to us. Too easily,

perhaps, for us to really cherish what we have made.

My first cow mas (short for masquerade) was a buffalypso. It

seemed fitting — depicting a traditional character that hardly

ever graced the streets of Trinidad Carnival anymore … a

memory of a memory. That year, I was the only cow in Port of

Spain amidst a sea of feathers and sequins, in my cloak of dried

banana leaves and black buffalypso head. It was my first time

crossing a stage in a costume I’d made myself, but it was far from

my first foray into mas.

I was a Carnival baby. I loved every part of the festival. But

traditional mas, with its distinctive characters, always had


my heart. At three, I was screeching down the streets chased

by blue devils, hiding between my father’s legs, climbing up

onto the stage of the Little Carib Theatre to tell the Pierrot

Grenade how much I loved him, and then escaping back to

my seat at the back when the Midnight Robber emerged. At

school, I donned the Midnight Robber cloak myself, and tried

out the Baby Doll bonnet, but nothing seemed to fit quite

right. Until I found the cow. It called to me.

In the late 1940s and early 1950s, my grandmother played

mas as a “milkmaid”, another portrayal that has died out over

the years. In a way, my cow was a tribute to her — but in my

typically gender-nonconforming fashion, I eschewed the femininity

of the demure milkmaid for the animalistic anonymity

of the cow.

Under the costume, I was free of my human identity, and I

became something else — like so many others had before me. But

to be a steward of this artform, I had to learn where it came from.

Cow bands were once a collective portrayal. In 1956,

anthropologist Daniel J Crowley described “cattle or

cow bands” as an “extinct” mas. “These bands no longer

appear in Port of Spain, but are said to come out in a few country

villages,” he wrote in an article for Caribbean Quarterly.

He described the bands as wearing dried plantain leaves

from neck to knees, with cow horns fastened around their heads

— likely taken from the abattoirs where most of the cow masqueraders

traditionally worked. This was on Carnival Monday.

On the Tuesday, they were decked out in colourful yellow and

pink ensembles, with fancy jackets and even stockings.

But cow mas was not extinct. It was holding on, just like the

hardy buffalypso. The second year I played, I met Norris Noel

after crossing the stage during the traditional mas competition.

His cow seemed to be closer to the traditional Tuesday wear

— a brightly coloured, full-body fabric suit (with cow’s head of

course). It was my first cow sighting in the wild. I was ecstatic.

Amy’s cow mas portrayal

at Adam Smith Square,

Trinidad in 2023

In Trinidad, creation

seems to come so easily

to us. Too easily, perhaps,

for us to really cherish

what we have made


Later on, I managed to get in touch

with another masman who carried the

legacy of the cow: Reish Baboolal. He

no longer lives in Trinidad, so doesn’t

have any outlet for what is clearly still

his passion. “I still miss Carnival,” he

told me. “There is a calling … Trinidad

has a spirit.” He told me of a retired Jab

Jab who had told him something similar.

“He said that when it’s Carnival time, his

mood changes … that there’s a spirit that

calls you.”

I knew exactly what he meant. His

story felt very familiar to me, although

his childhood in Cedros Carnival would

have looked different from mine in Port of

Spain. Like me, he’d observed the animals

he portrayed. Seeing a cow charging and

bucking in a field near where he used to

work later inspired the energetic “mad

bull” performance he’d become known for.

In Cedros, they called the mas con

boeuf (Patois for “cow horn”). He had vivid

memories of a man covered in a straw

suit with a crocus bag over his head and

two horns attached, dragging a biscuit

tin tied to his waist. “You didn’t know

who he was, or what he was,” Baboolal

remembered.


47

It was at Viey La Cou, hosted by the University

of the West Indies’ Department of Creative &

Festival Arts, where Baboolal’s mad bull came to

life. He didn’t play the streets, he said, because of

the risk of a drunken reveller lighting the costume

on fire. I remembered reading in Jeff Henry’s book

Under the Mas how Dominica’s traditional sensay

mas, also with leafy ensemble and cow horns, was

banned in the 1960s after three young men were

fatally burnt. This was why, Baboolal told me, cows

wore a cloak of leaves that could be easily thrown

off if they caught fire.

People used to respect the mas, he said. But not

as much anymore.

In local history books, I found sparse records

of cow mas’ origins in Trinidad — from the

Venezuelan workers of the abattoirs back to the

beginning of Kambule (aka Canboulay). But before

that, nothing. The existence of regional forms of

mas with cow heads — or dried leaves, or both —

led me to think there must have been a West African

connection.

I had seen pictures of a cow-headed, vegetalcostumed

dancer from the Dogon people in Mali

and Burkina Faso, and I reached out to a few

Reish Baboolal during his

mad bull performance at

Viey La Cou, hosted by

the UWI’s Department of

Creative & Festival Arts

Traditional wooden Dogon

mask dancer in Mali

But cow mas was not extinct. It was

holding on

Torsten Pursche/Shutterstock.com

Courtesy Kim Johnson

African Art museums across the world to see if they had any

similar depictions in their collections. Unsurprisingly, I found

an embarrassment of riches. Anywhere there was cattle, there

were cow masks. Vegetal costumes were similarly widespread

— particularly using raffia fibres, which had also found their

way to the Caribbean in animal mas like the bull, the donkey,

and the raffia bear.

I chatted with Jane Woolard from the Savannah African Art

Museum who shared pictures from their collection of bush cow

masks from Nigeria, Burkina Faso, and Ghana/Côte d’Ivoire.

“Many traditional African cultures use plant fibres to create

their outfits and masks,” she said. “There are many subgroups of

cultures that share practices.”

In Robert Wyndham Nicholls’ book The Jumbies’ Playing

Ground, I found another assortment of possible sources: hornadorned

garments from the Mandinka, Jola, Bainunk, Bagnun,

Balanta, and Baga and Temne peoples, who were all stolen from

their homes and brought to the Americas in significant numbers.

It’s difficult to pinpoint any specific group that brought what

would become cow mas to the Caribbean; it could have been a

blend of cultures. Nicholls describes “bush masquerades” and

“horned masquerades” across Europe that could have been an

influence as well.

What I thought was a deficit of information on a local tradition

introduced me to a range of regional cousins, in the sensay

bull, the cowhead, the Pai Bannan — and a wealth of information

on the cultures our ancestors came from. They brought with

them not only the first cattle to arrive in the Caribbean, but the

story of cow mas.

I find myself compelled not only to play this mas but to

find and collate as much of its history as I can, so that the next

generation who hears it call to them will know where it comes

from — where they come from. So that they can both preserve

it, and create their own portrayals and stories that speak to their

realities. Because culture moves, and breathes, and evolves to

reflect the evolution of its people. n


Thinking of ?

advertising

Evelyn Chung

Tobago and International

T: (868) 684-4409

E: evelyn@meppublishers.com

Tracy Farrag

Trinidad

T: (868) 318-1996

E: tracy@meppublishers.com


49

ADVERTORIAL

SS25

With the launch of its SS25 Carnival Collection, K2K Alliance

& Partners became the first Trinidad Carnival band to host a

fully AI-generated docufiction film and fashion show. K2K’s

sister company NORMI (focusing on luxury cruise and resort

wear) is also poised to create mixed media presentations.

“We see AI as a creative partner,” explained Kathy and

Karen Norman, co-founders of K2K and NORMI. “We hope to

keep both companies in a position to grow as tech evolves

and accelerates. Blending storytelling, costuming, fashion,

carnival, and AI is paramount — both for our strategic growth

initiatives and continuing to raise the bar.”

On the heels of K2K’s 2025 Carnival Collection, Holy

Trespasses — Life’s Sweet & Savory Sinful Indulgences,

NORMI released a snippet of its complementary capsule

pieces, Grace Before Meals — A Family That Prays Together,

Stays Together.

It’s a vintage capsule reimagined with a modern-day twist.

Many of the pieces are designed with voluminous detail to

provide a dramatic flair. The NORMI woman wearing the SS25

Capsule will embody sophistication; a timeless, distinctive

beauty; and a refined sense of heritage.

Photography: Gary Jordan

Brands: NORMI (Luxury Cruise & Resort Capsules) | K2K

(Carnival Collections)

Web: normi-normi.com | k2k-carnival.com | k2k-studios.com

Instagram: @k.k.norman

the deal

Aerial-motion/Shutterstock.com

Beyond

the beaches

For those resident in the region and those much

further afield, the Caribbean offers enticing

investment opportunities. Natalie Dookie guides

us through the region’s thriving investment

landscape, explaining why the Caribbean is an ideal

location for astute investors seeking to diversify

and maximise their portfolios

The Caribbean is rapidly emerging as a prime

investment destination, with more than just its

stunning landscapes and rich culture driving

interest. Boasting a robust financial ecosystem,

the region is home to diverse sectors such as

financial services, oil and gas, renewable energy,

and thriving stock exchanges.

Investment opportunities abound — from the region’s

expanding bond market to the growth of the Jamaica Stock

Exchange, and the role of institutions like the Trinidad & Tobago

Unit Trust Corporation and Guardian Asset Management. The

Caribbean Association of Investment Promotion Agencies also

plays a key role in shaping the region’s investment future.

Capitalising on Caribbean

wealth: strategies for success

“The Caribbean is a thriving hub of

investment opportunities, ideal for those

seeking to diversify their portfolios,” says

Miguel Martinez, President of Guardian

Asset Management & Investment

Services Limited. “The English-speaking

Caribbean has five established stock

exchanges — in Barbados, the Eastern

Caribbean, Guyana, Jamaica, and Trinidad

& Tobago — providing equity investors

access to a diverse range of industries,

including indigenous multinational

conglomerates and financial institutions that are cross-listed

on multiple exchanges and have successfully expanded their

operations globally.”

The bond market comprises bonds from sovereign governments

and corporations, both in local currencies and United

States dollars. Most local currency bonds are arranged “over

the counter”, with occasional listing on regional exchanges.

Governments and well-established corporations issue USDdenominated

bonds, some of which are facilitated and traded on

international markets.

These securities markets are governed by robust legislation

and regulation, ensuring transparency, investor protection, and

market confidence. Listed companies and reporting issuers


Left Miguel Martinez, President of Guardian Asset

Management & Investment Services Limited

Below Dr Marlene Street-Forrest, JSE Managing

Director — Executive Office

Courtesy Guardian Asset Management & Investment Services Limited

adhere to strict disclosure requirements and financial reporting

standards, making the region a reliable choice for savvy investors.

Guardian Asset Management leverages its extensive experience

and expertise to offer global investment solutions for

regional investors. “We provide a wide range of investment

options, including institutional and private wealth management

solutions, as well as an international and Caribbean series of

mutual funds,” says Martinez. “Our wealth managers can access

a suite of investment options tailored to meet diverse needs and

risk profiles. With decades of expertise, we are committed to

helping our clients achieve their financial goals through proven

strategies and world-class services.”

Your Customer (KYC) checks. Once completed, they can trade

online via the JTrader Pro application portal.

“There are USD or JMD securities available, and the returns

are paid in the currency of the security. The barrier to trade

usually is liquidity, either on entry or exit,” says Street-Forrest.

“At the JSE, security trading is quite buoyant, facilitating ease

of access and exit. In Jamaica, there is no currency restriction.

Therefore, overseas investors can undertake conversion at local

banks or cambios.”

In terms of the overall performance of the JSE, Dr Street-

Forrest highlights its success. “Averaging the last 10 years,

the JSE has had an average return based on the index of 10%

per annum,” she says. “This yield surpasses most developed

markets. In addition, over two thirds of all companies listed on

the Exchange pay dividends, which are taxed at 15%. If you are

not trading as a business but as a resident investor, there is no

tax on capital gains.”

Based on the JSE’s index performance in 2024, the manufacturing

and distribution sectors have experienced the most

significant growth, accompanied by increasing interest in

renewable energy. “Currently, three companies on the JSE focus

on renewable energy,” she adds. “There is anticipation that in

2025 there will be more, as Jamaica recently launched its Green,

Social, Sustainability & Sustainability-Linked (GSS+) Bond

Guide, and it is expected that more companies will be keen to

access the market for green bond financing.”

Jamaica Stock Exchange: a gateway to Caribbean

investments

As one of the five established stock exchanges in the Caribbean,

the Jamaica Stock Exchange (JSE) offers investors access to

diverse industries. The key financial instruments traded on the

JSE are ordinary shares and preference shares (JMD and USD),

bonds (JMD and USD), and funds.

“In Jamaica, almost 20% of the adult population invests in the

stock market,” explains Dr Marlene J Street-Forrest (the JSE’s

Managing Director — Executive Office). “Financial services

tend to be the main driver of the market. However, we have

recently seen areas such as health, hospitality, and education

taking their place in the market.”

Outside of the region, although there are no restrictions

preventing foreign investors from investing in securities on

individual or combined markets, their involvement has been

limited. “The process has been made easy to allow overseas

investors to participate,” explains Dr Street-Forrest. To begin

trading, foreign investors simply need to open an account with a

broker, who will perform the necessary due diligence and Know

Courtesy Jamaica Stock Exchange


53

Courtesy T&T Unit Trust Corporation

Unlocking Caribbean investment opportunities: expert

insights

Ready to invest? Trinidad & Tobago Unit Trust Corporation (UTC) Chief Operations

Officer Natasha Davis shares three essential strategies to maximise your

investment success in 2025:

1. Understand regional markets: each Caribbean territory has unique

economic drivers and regulatory landscapes. Research their strengths

and align investments with your specific financial goals. For example,

Trinidad & Tobago excels in the energy sector, while Barbados leads in

renewable energy

2. Leverage regional expertise: invest with regulated institutions, including

investment management entities like the UTC, stock exchanges,

investment and asset management firms, insurance companies, and

banks

3. Diversify your portfolio: spread investments across multiple sectors

and territories to manage risks. Seek opportunities for stable growth

while contributing to regional development.

T&T Unit Trust Corporation Chief Operations

Officer Natasha Davis

“UTC is the regional leader in investment management, with a proven

track record of 42 years in successfully navigating Caribbean markets,” Davis

explains. “Our recent expansion into Jamaica and St Lucia underscores the

Caribbean’s immense potential for financial growth. Investing here is not just

a financial decision — it’s a step toward sustainable prosperity in one of the

world’s most dynamic regions.” n

CAIPA: steering investment growth in the Caribbean

The Caribbean Association of Investment

Promotion Agencies (CAIPA) is

poised to play a transformative role

in the region’s economic growth and

global positioning. As a unified voice

representing the region’s investment

opportunities, CAIPA has consistently

championed innovative strategies,

fostered collaboration among

member nations, and driven targeted

investment initiatives.

“The future of CAIPA lies in its

ability to adapt to emerging global

trends such as digital transformation,

green energy investments, and sustainable

development,” says Dr Peter

Ramsaroop, Guyana’s Chief Investment

Officer, Office of the President,

and the new CAIPA President. “By

leveraging cutting-edge technologies

and fostering deeper ties with

international investment communities,

this will enhance the Caribbean’s

appeal as a competitive, investmentready

region.”

Looking ahead, Dr Ramsaroop outlined

the following investment opportunities

as having strong potential

for success: the twinning of tourism

products, agro-processing, and business

process outsourcing (BPO). He

recommended the development of

Dr Peter Ramsaroop, CAIPA President and

Guyana’s Chief Investment Officer in the

Office of the President

COURTESY Guyana Office for Investment

collaborative regional tourism packages,

such as “spending five days on

the beach in Barbados and two days

exploring the Amazon rainforest in

Guyana.”

Similarly, in the BPO sector, he

envisions a single provider servicing

clients with a workforce strategically

distributed across the region. In agritech,

Dr Ramsaroop underscored the

importance of reducing the Caribbean

Community (CARICOM)’s food

import bill. He suggested innovative

approaches, such as creating a

Caribbean-branded pepper sauce

incorporating peppers from across

the region.

Through strategic partnerships,

enhanced policy frameworks, and an

unwavering commitment to creating

inclusive opportunities, CAIPA is not

only shaping the future of investments

in the Caribbean — it is laying

the groundwork for a resilient, diversified,

and thriving regional economy.



55

simple pleasures

In the wind

From the north to the south of our beautiful Caribbean

archipelago, glorious dry season weather — bright and

breezy (if not also hot and dusty) — makes kite-flying an

immensely popular pastime around Easter, especially for

children and families. From organised competitions to

informal displays in neighbourhood parks, colourful confections

of paper and string take to the skies … some kite

flyers aiming to outdo each other, others savouring the

pure bliss of watching their kites dancing in the wind.

Maria Nunes Photography



57

discover

Rich Carey/Shutterstock.com

How coral reef

restoration could

mean big business

With Caribbean coral reef ecosystems currently listed as endangered,

Erline Andrews looks at why they are so important to our lives and

livelihoods, what is being done regionally (and globally) to restore them —

and why we need to do so much more


The Caribbean owes its very existence to coral

reefs. The beautiful white sand on the beaches

many Caribbean countries are famous for comes

from bits of coral skeleton being consumed

then excreted by parrotfish (the species gets its

name from its hard, beak-shaped mouth). One

parrotfish can excrete up to 2,000 pounds of sand a year. And the

reefs themselves are also a tourist draw, providing popular scuba

diving, snorkelling, or glass-bottom boat experiences.

Corals — tiny animals called polyps that bunch together into

various colours, shapes and sizes — provide a nursery, home,

and sustenance to many weird and wonderful species of sea life,

which add to the reefs’ beauty.

Some species — like the parrotfish, grouper, snapper, lobsters,

and conch — are important to the livelihood of fisherfolk.

And reefs also protect the coasts and the human structures there

from harsh wave action during hurricanes (and year-round).

Climate change; overfishing of species valuable to reefs; and

pollution have brought the region shockingly close to losing this

vital resource. Coral bleaching — when stresses cause them to

lose their colour — and diseases are destroying large swaths of

reefs in the Caribbean and other parts of the world.

The International Union for the Conservation of Nature

(IUCN) has designated Caribbean coral reefs as endangered on

its Red List of Ecosystems.

“The Caribbean has been hit pretty hard,” said Simon Dixon,

aquaculture operations manager with the Bahamas-based Coral

Vita, one of the many organisations working to preserve and

restore reefs in the region.

Dixon, who’s done the same work elsewhere in the world, told

Caribbean Beat during a Zoom interview: “I think the one thing

that does set the Caribbean apart is the sheer volume of people

that really care. The [number] of people pulling together to try

and make a difference in this region alone is enough to give

everybody hope.”

Last July, the BBC’s The Climate Question podcast highlighted

the work of the Institute of Socio-Ecological Research

across various parts of Puerto Rico — among the most

successful and well-known reef restoration efforts in the

Caribbean.

In Belize, the organisation Fragments of Hope say they’ve

increased coral cover at Laughing Bird Caye National Park by

50% since they began operating there in 2009. They’re now

working on reefs in three other reserves in the country.

The Nature Conservancy — the United States-based NGO

that spearheads environmental projects around the world —

launched CoralCarib in 2023 to restore reefs in Cuba, Jamaica,

Haiti, and the Dominican Republic. These countries combined

account for most of the reefs in the Caribbean.

Coral Vita may be the most ambitious project. Started in 2019

on Grand Bahama by Yale grads Sam Teicher and Gator Halpern,

it won Prince William’s prestigious Earthshot prize when the

prize was launched in 2021. The award, which comes with £1

million, recognises organisations and individuals who come up

with innovative ways to work on environmental problems.

Coral Vita uses restoration best practices like micro-fragmentation,

which involves slicing coral into small pieces and placing

them close to each other on a disc. This encourages them to

grow towards each other and fuse — a process that would have

taken far longer under natural conditions.

They also practise what is called assisted evolution — subjecting

the corals to increasing temperatures, therefore helping

them become more resilient to those temperatures. The corals

are kept on a “farm” in tanks filled with sea water. When they

reach a certain size, they are transplanted to the reef that is

being restored.

Coral Vita also uses corals’ ability to spawn to reproduce

them in the lab — again, at a faster rate than in the wild.

Courtesy Coral Vita

Courtesy Coral Vita

Opposite page Dead coral destroyed by bleaching and climate change

Above and left Land-based corals are farmed at Coral Vita through

fusion structures. These allow multiple coral fragments to grow

together, fusing them into one larger, stronger colony in a fraction of

the time it takes in the wild


59

Courtesy Coral Vita

Little_Desire/Shutterstock.com

Left Acropora palamata or elkhorn coral colonies grow large antler-like branches, with some colonies growing over 10ft in length

Right Colourful tropical fish and coral

But what really sets Coral Vita apart are their commercial

ambitions. They want to restore coral on a massive scale, and

they believe the only way to do that is to make restoration a

business enterprise. This will draw more talent and resources

to the field.

“If you really want to make progress in this industry, this is a

sort of direction that has the ability to really make a difference

on a global scale,” said Dixon.

Coral Vita earned a contract in Saudi Arabia to help create

what would be the largest land-based coral farm in the world.

Coral Vita Chief Operating Officer Austin Martin explained the

Saudi Arabia project at the Vodex World’s Top 50 Innovators

event in London last year.

Ultimately, the only way to save

coral reefs is to rein in climate

change and other human-related

problems affecting the reef.

Restoration alone won’t be enough

“The vision the king has had there is to modernise by 2030,

which has led to some of the world’s biggest infrastructure

projects — the giga-projects,” said Martin. “With that comes

potential damage for the reef ecosystem. So, we’re there prophylactically,

being able to anticipate that and actually protect the

coral ecosystems that are already there.”

Martin said US$18 billion from various sources is already

committed to reef restoration projects around the world. But the

field has the market potential for another US$500 billion. “We

just have to think differently,” he said. “Thinking differently is

really what sets Coral Vita apart.”

The company is looking for other projects like that of Saudi

Arabia. “We’re looking at leveraging this sort of restoration,

becoming a part of governmental policy the world over,” said

Dixon. “When we’re building ports, when we’re developing for

cruise ships, when we’re establishing hotels or residential areas

close to the ocean, close to the beach. If we’re doing anything

around the ocean or indeed around the coastline, we want to be

a part of that conversation.”

Back in the Caribbean, Coral Vita is exploring opportunities

in Barbados. They’re doing the same in Florida, the

Maldives, and Mexico. They have another Coral Vita

operation in Dubai.

Giving a talk last year, founder Sam Teicher announced that

Coral Vita qualified for Series A financing, which opens the

company up to receiving many millions of dollars from investors.

To qualify, a company must demonstrate that their product

or service is viable. “It would be the first Series A for a coral

restoration company, to my knowledge,” said Teicher.

Other ways Coral Vita makes money include offering tours

of the farm for a fee, and operating a gift shop and cafe on

the compound. People can also “adopt” a coral to help fund

restoration.

As part of a deal between Coral Vita and Corona, the beer

company is sponsoring a patch of reef in Grand Bahama that

needs restoration. Corona is encouraging donations that they’ve

pledged to match. In exchange, donors will have their names

engraved on a plinth to be placed on the restoration site.

Despite all these efforts, ultimately the only way to save coral

reefs in the Caribbean and other parts of the world is to rein in

climate change and other human-related problems affecting the

reef. Restoration won’t be enough.

“It’s better to do something than nothing. And right now,

we need to do something until we find the answer,” said Dixon.

“This is a snowballing problem, which is causing us a lot of

issues the world over,” he said of coral reef decimation. “If we

can do our small part to try and remedy some of this through

our restoration efforts, then that’s something I’m incredibly

proud of.” n


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61

be well

Defying

the silence

With World Hearing Day 2025 falling on

Carnival Monday, Shelly-Ann Inniss explores

the ever-increasing risk of hearing loss in

people of all ages, from a range of causes —

including exposure to loud environments —

while offering expert recommendations on

prevention and management

The Caribbean is alive

with music, festivals and

festivities — from the

neighbours’ sound systems

blasting tunes (sometimes

disturbing the peace), to

neighbourhood bars, in-season fetes and

parties … sounds which reverberate far

beyond the site of the action. Sweet music;

stunning costumes; festive traditions; and

letting loose generally take precedence

over (urgent) considerations about noise

pollution and ear protection.

Who can blame us? Caribbean carnivals

are sweet for days. But, if proper

care isn’t taken, one of the lasting impacts

could be hearing loss — either temporary

or permanent.

Think of it: have you ever left an event,

bar or club and found yourself unable to

hear properly because your ears were

ringing or buzzing, and people’s speech

sounded slightly muffled? Although this

temporary threshold shift (a change in

the level of sound someone needs to hear

clearly) could resolve quickly, frequent

exposure to noise can cause tinnitus and

difficulty understanding speech over time.

For World Hearing Day (3 March 2025

— or Carnival Monday)‚ the World Health

Organisation (WHO) announced that

over a billion people aged 12–35 are at

risk of permanent, avoidable hearing loss

due to prolonged exposure to loud music

and other recreational sounds.

Think noisy bars, concerts and parties;

exposure to loud instruments in

loud environments (musicians are at

almost quadruple the risk of hearing loss);

motorsports; shooting sports like hunting

and target shooting; and maintenance

activities involving lawnmowers, power

washers, and other power tools can also

have harmful effects in the long run.

So while people generally tend to think

of hearing loss as impacting us as we age,

younger people are being increasingly

affected due to autoimmune conditions,

unsafe listening practices, environmental

noise, viruses (including Covid-19, according

to recent studies published in The

Lancet), and other factors — and seldom

receive consideration or compassion in

their challenge to hear. Many also never

realise that they may actually need help.

If this seems daunting, remember:

hearing loss isn’t deafness, but can lead

to it. Hearing loss may be mild, moderate,

severe or profound, and can affect one ear

or both. Lots of people with hearing loss

can still hear some things and don’t know

far less fully depend on sign language.

But imagine not being able to hear birdsong;

or having sweet nothings whispered

in your ear, but everything is muffled or

distorted; or having someone want to

softly tell you some juicy piece of bacchanal

(if that’s your thing, of course) and you

can’t quite make it out or get the details

straight? Someone with moderate hearing

loss wouldn’t be able to hear properly

without actual lips to read or hearing aids.


The WHO announced that over a billion people

aged 12–35 are at risk of permanent, avoidable

hearing loss

Prostock-studio/Shutterstock.com

In all seriousness, some folks with

hearing loss can’t hear daily sounds

like a whistle during sports, the bell in

public transport, and a doorbell/buzzer,

depending on the frequencies lost. A

microwave’s signal that your food is ready

or the beep from an oven may be muted or

muffled for some people too.

Dear readers, these aren’t just examples,

they are my confessions. Sometimes,

people don’t realise they’re not hearing

until it’s pointed out to them. As weeks

turn to months and years, there are sounds

people with hearing loss will realise they

can’t hear clearly or at all, unless they

acknowledge and admit they suffer from

hearing loss and seek treatment.

According to husband-and-wife

hearing instrument specialists,

hearing aid dispensers, and

founders of ToneLab in Trinidad & Tobago,

Arif Ali and Cherisse Constance-Ali,

“We’ve noticed people admit to hearing a

ringing in their ears, but they wouldn’t say

they’ve also not been hearing properly for

a couple years.”

Hearing impediments, including deafness,

are classified as “invisible disabilities”

— a term for any condition (physical,

mental, or neurological) affecting the ability

to perform standard everyday activities,

and often not functioning in ways

that people can discern or detect from

the outside. Genuine indicators of hearing

issues would be someone constantly

asking for something to be repeated, or

standing uncomfortably close and possibly

reading lips for accuracy.

Hearing loss affects all ages and has

different causes. Sensorineural loss is

very common, as it results from noise,

diseases, injuries, certain medications,

and can also be hereditary. Other types

of hearing loss are conductive (where a

blockage in the outer/middle ear prevents

sound waves from reaching the inner

ear); and mixed (both sensorineural and

conductive).

If you’re experiencing any loss of

hearing, it’s imperative to visit an ENT

specialist or otolaryngologist who can

refer you to an audiologist to determine

the levels of hearing sensitivity and ability,

then diagnose and treat.

Given the risk of noise-induced hearing

loss, some might consider trying to

protect their hearing by using noisecancelling

headphones or other ear

coverings. However, research shows that

this has both pros and cons for tinnitus,

since the most effective interventions are

personalised not generic.

Courtesy ToneLab

Arif Ali and Cherisse Constance-Ali,

founders of ToneLab T&T


63

sirtravelalot/Shutterstock.com

Above Modern prescription hearing

aids are customisable and available in

various styles. They’re also discreet,

comfortable and easy to use

Peakstock/Shutterstock.com

Younger people are increasingly affected due to

autoimmune conditions, unsafe listening practices,

environmental noise, viruses (including Covid-19),

and other factors

“Constant use of noise-cancelling

headphones can damage your hearing

because it’s not specifically tethered to

your hearing,” says Cherisse. “Noise-cancelling

is a sound emitted at a frequency

to cancel out other noises — meaning it’s

a noise being played, and that can increase

tinnitus.”

Arif, who is also a sound engineer,

says minimising the risk of noise-induced

hearing damage can be facilitated through

ear plugs — “better yet, ear plugs created

just for you from a mould of your own ear

canal.”

So, what else can we do to prevent

hearing loss? Two easy answers are:

promptly treat ear infections, and

remove excess earwax. But be careful, as

using the ubiquitous cotton buds/swabs

(what many just call Q-tips) is heavily

frowned upon by professionals.

“You’re not supposed to put anything in

your ear as it naturally cleans itself,” says

Arif. “The more you put something in your

ear, the more you’re impacting the wax

and pushing it further into your ear canal,

making hearing much more difficult.”

Ear care professionals suggest seeking

professional assistance if the wax is hard

and difficult to remove thus blocking

sound.

Moving forward, we should all be more

cognisant of the effects of untreated hearing

loss. Experts warn that hearing loss

also does not only affect hearing: it can

increase the risk of dementia, depression,

loneliness, and social isolation. The strain

of these can also increase both mental

and physical fatigue.

Being able to connect and communicate

with others is one of the most

invaluable parts of living and loving

— intrinsically connected to our quality

of life. Obtaining hearing tests — and, if

necessary, wearing prescribed hearing

aids tailored specifically to your hearing

loss — is vital, especially since hearing

aids aren’t a one-size-fits-all type of device

if you want an optimal hearing experience.

Moreover, knowing how to interact

with people suffering from the disability

can help ensure that those we love and

members of our community don’t feel

disconnected or isolated. Things not to

do include covering your mouth as you

speak; starting a conversation in another

room; or turning your back while talking

to a hearing-impaired person. Conversations

in noisy environments are also

brutally complex. A little consideration

and a spirit of inclusiveness (learning sign

language too, if applicable) go a long way.

Ultimately, hearing aids help, but

they’re only aids — they can’t replace

ears. World Hearing Day is a chance to

change mindsets, with experts, professionals,

and other allies of the hearingimpaired

community passionately doing

their part. What about you? It’s a time to

take action if you’ve been experiencing

hearing loss. It’s also a time to cultivate

patience, mindfulness, and compassion

for the deaf and those with hearing loss —

an invisible disability. n


on this day

Prosglyn/Shutterstock.com

The last pirate

of the Caribbean

Long after the Caribbean’s Golden Age of Piracy,

James Ferguson revisits the legend of Puerto

Rico’s Roberto Cofresí — the Robin Hood-like

figure who was executed for his crimes in front of

the El Morro fortress 200 years ago

One of Caribbean history’s

most enduring themes is

piracy — starting from

the 16th century when

brigands first terrorised

the region and acquired

ill-gotten fortunes. Some 500 years later,

pirates are still big business, but now

they are mostly employed by the region’s

tourist industry in a wide array of boat

tours, treasure hunts, and yo-ho-ho jollity.

We seem to like pirates, if not piracy in

its modern digital meaning, and the Jolly

Roger is flown in almost every tourist

venue as a symbol of harmless fun.

Yet what historians term the Caribbean’s

Golden Age of Piracy is supposed

to have ended in the mid-18th century.

The European powers — who for 150

years had encouraged their sea captains

and adventurers to attack the shipping

and colonial settlements of rival nations

— grew tired of lawlessness and disruption

to trade, and decided to get rid of

the pirates. The predators became the

prey, as European navies and colonial

authorities began to purge the region of

organised maritime criminality.

But far from disappearing into obscurity,

piracy gained a mythologised glamour,

and pirates became unlikely folk

heroes. The international success of

Charles Johnson’s A General History of the

Pyrates (1724) revealed a widespread curiosity

about the lives of individuals such as

Edward Teach (aka Blackbeard) and Calico

Jack (John Rackham) and their exploits.

Johnson’s book was the basis for a long

tradition of colourful pirate depictions

that includes Robert Louis Stevenson’s

Treasure Island and, more recently, the

acclaimed Pirates of the Caribbean series.

Something about pirates — or more specifically,

a stereotype of historical piracy —


appeals to adults and children alike, and the

paraphernalia of parrots, pieces of eight,

and silly West Country accents remain a

staple of fancy dress parties.

Today we are less likely to associate

pirates with the murderous maritime

predators still at large in the Red Sea than

with charmingly inoffensive characters in

a cartoon or pantomime.

The attraction of the pirate myth

perhaps lies in its celebration of swashbuckling

individuality as an antidote to

conformism, of adventure as the opposite

of drudgery. Add to this the exotic allure

of the Caribbean islands and ideas of

buried treasure and you have a successful

formula for escapism. Their less attractive

aspects tend to be downplayed, as

pirates are reimagined as honourable

Robin Hood types, sharing their loot and

robbing the rich.

All this, alas, is nonsense, and the

victims of piracy in the 17th and 18th

centuries included modest sailors, traders,

and settlers as well as the wealthy.

The pirates did not have a code of honour,

but willingly worked as bounty hunters for

the authorities, targeting their brethren.

Henry Morgan gave up attacking Spanish

ships to become a slave owner and Governor

of Jamaica, with a mission to eradicate

piracy. The great majority of pirates

in the Caribbean were born in Europe,

sought to make a quick fortune, and gave

nothing to the region. Their exemplary

violence was described in gruesome detail

by Johnson and other historians.

And yet piracy’s positive image persisted

even into the 19th century, when

“the Caribbean’s last pirate” enjoyed a brief

and eventful career. Indeed, his popularity

remains intact, and this may be in large

part because, unlike the earlier European

buccaneers, he was a local hero — born in

Puerto Rico where he plied his trade.

Very few pirates reached peaceful

old age, and Roberto Cofresí was

no exception. He and a number

of his crew were executed by firing squad

in front of El Morro fortress in the port

of San Juan, Puerto Rico, on 29 March,

1825 — 200 years ago. In heroic style,

he declined the offer of a blindfold and

declared defiantly, “I have killed hundreds

with my own hands, and I know how to die.

Fire!” His reported final words, whether

Wikimedia Commons

historically accurate or not, fit into the

narrative of the fearless outlaw.

The world into which Cofresí was born

— on 17 June, 1791 — was very different

from that of the Golden Age pirates. The

Spanish Empire, whose treasure-laden

galleons were plundered by previous

generations of British, French, and Dutch

brigands, was in terminal decline — and

the newly independent mainland republics

were no longer a soft target.

The remaining European-owned colonies

had reinforced their naval capabilities

and were prepared to work together

Cofresí has even been

hailed as a champion

of Puerto Rican

independence, as well

as a benevolent antiestablishment

figure

to deter piracy. Puerto Rico, along with

Cuba and Santo Domingo, were the last

vestiges of Spain’s empire and were struggling

economically in an age of regional

independence.

Cofresí, though of mixed European

aristocratic heritage, was raised in modest

circumstances and was forced to work

as a fisherman. Hurricanes, poor harvests,

and political unrest worsened living

conditions on the island, and it seems

that he opted to join a criminal gang, was

briefly imprisoned, and escaped.

By early 1823, Cofresí had turned

to piracy, working with members of his

extended family. The gang operated from

the western port of Cabo Rojo but also used

the small island of Mona — some 43 miles

from Puerto Rico — as a base and were

known to frequent the Dominican Republic.

The pirate’s criminal enterprise was

small-scale, but extremely busy. Cofresí is

thought to have captured and plundered

some 70 vessels in two years, but many

of these were unarmed trading ships,

carrying food and supplies between the

Caribbean islands and the mainland.

Alerted by spies at ports, Cofresí’s

mini-flotilla of sloops or schooners would

intercept non-Spanish vessels, threaten

or kill their crews, and steal cash and

commodities such as coffee, flour, and

leather. These goods were sold illicitly

through criminal networks and — so the

legend has it — distributed among the

poor and needy.

The authorities in the French and

British colonies as well as those in the

United States were angered by the sudden

reappearance of the pirate threat, and a

manhunt was organised. Yet Cofresí was

seemingly fearless and repeatedly evaded

capture, using a stolen six-gun sloop —

Anne — as his flagship.

Searches of Cabo Rojo and the surrounding

waters yielded nothing until,

in early March 1825, a combination of

Danish and Colombian sailors located

Cofresí and forced him to flee ashore near

the Puerto Rican city of Guayama, where

he was wounded and arrested.

Cofresí is reputed to have offered

a bribe of 4,000 pieces of eight to

Guayama’s mayor in return for his freedom,

fuelling the legend of a huge hidden

treasure hoard.

Cofresí’s death signalled the last gasp

of organised piracy in the Caribbean, but

was also another step in the creation of a

pirate mythology. Today, both Puerto Rico

and the Dominican Republic are home

to profitable Cofresí-themed industries,

encompassing resorts, beaches and even a

town, with many associated attractions of

buried loot and ghostly apparitions.

He has even been hailed as a champion

of Puerto Rican independence, as well as

a benevolent anti-establishment figure.

Little of this bears careful scrutiny — but

then nor do the exploits of Jack Sparrow

or Captain Pugwash — the latter being

my own favourite pirate! n


67

green

Driving

climate

resilience

Courtesy St Kitts Tourism Authority

Island nations worldwide face mounting environmental and

socioeconomic challenges. Last year, 2024, was set to be the hottest year

on record, and the first calendar year to exceed 1.5C of global warming

over pre-industrial temperature levels. With an ongoing, urgent need

to implement solutions, the Global Sustainable Islands Summit (27–29

May) brings together leaders, experts, and changemakers to chart a

resilient path forward.

This year’s edition — set against the scenic yet formidable backdrop of St

Kitts & Nevis — is poised to drive critical conversations and action around

sustainable development, showcasing the Caribbean’s leadership in crafting

innovative, community-driven solutions for islands everywhere.

Co-hosted by the Government of St Kitts & Nevis, the summit builds on the

successes of the 2024 conference held in Prince Edward Island (Pei), Canada,

where island representatives collaborated on approaches to resilience,

climate adaptation, and energy sustainability. A rare opportunity for these

underrepresented communities to share their knowledge in person and build

capacity, the event in Pei was a great success.

“You always want to ask yourself in government, ‘Are we doing enough?

Are we doing it the right way?’” posited Pei Premier Dennis King during the

summit. “The best way to do that sometimes is to measure yourself against

other jurisdictions, to say, ‘What are they doing? How are they doing it?’”

Throughout the three-day event, panellists and attendees offered rich

perspectives from small and large island communities alike, inspiring participants

with examples of how even the smallest island nations can generate

global solutions.

As the planet approaches

several catastrophic

tipping points in the earth’s

climate system, the Global

Sustainable Islands Summit

2025 — co-hosted by

St Kitts & Nevis — focusses

on driving resilience and

solutions from the Caribbean.

Thaiz Maciel reports

In 2025, the action shifts back to the Caribbean,

bringing discussions closer to home and highlighting

the region’s unique strengths and commitment

to sustainable development.

A regional perspective for global

solutions

For those involved in sustainable development,

this summit provides a unique platform where

diverse stakeholders, from policymakers and scientists

to community leaders and industry experts,

can convene to tackle key challenges.

As pressing topics such as water security, agricultural

resilience, climate-health intersections,

and renewable energy take centre stage, participants

have the chance to dive deep into real-world

strategies that can be implemented across island

communities worldwide — regardless of their size.

“Our islands are sentinels of climate change and

the proving ground for sustainable development,”

said St Kitts & Nevis Prime Minister Dr Terrance

Drew during his address at the United Nations

General Assembly (Unga) last September, where

he announced his country’s hosting of the Global

Sustainable Islands Summit 2025. “It is with this

spirit of shared responsibility and urgent action

that I extend a heartfelt invitation to all leaders of

island nations gathered here to come, to engage, to

commit to meaningful change.”


The narrow south

peninsula of St Kitts

stretches towards Nevis

Opposite page Looking

out from St Kitts’ Mount

Liamuiga

majicphotos/Shutterstock.com

Celebrating Caribbean leadership

The location of the summit itself — a twin-island nation known for its proactive

stance on environmental resilience — serves as a fitting example of how

the Caribbean is at the forefront of the global sustainability dialogue.

At the heart of the summit is a focus on practical, hands-on learning. Interactive

workshops engage attendees with new approaches to energy management

and climate-smart agriculture, while collaborative sessions provide tools and

insights to help communities integrate sustainable practices on the ground.

These exchanges of knowledge and best practices are invaluable for island

representatives facing shared challenges and navigating the road toward

sustainable development.

With its rich natural landscapes, from lush rainforests and mangroves to

coastal habitats, St Kitts & Nevis offers a model of balance between economic

development and environmental stewardship.

The nation’s emphasis on geothermal energy exploration and sustainable

agricultural practices underscores the summit’s central themes, making it the

ideal setting to further the discussion on resilience and climate adaptation in

small island states.

With its rich natural landscapes, from lush

rainforests and mangroves to coastal

habitats, St Kitts & Nevis offers a model of

balance between economic development

and environmental stewardship

Attendees will also enjoy an authentic immersion into Kittitian culture

— an experience that highlights the deep connections between community

resilience and cultural heritage. This sense of unity and shared history is

integral to the Caribbean’s approach to sustainability, where traditions often

inform forward-looking solutions.

By focusing on these connections, the summit illustrates how island culture

and sustainable innovation intersect to create a vibrant, viable future for

the region and beyond.

Looking ahead to St Kitts & Nevis

The Caribbean is more than a region of stunning

coastlines — it is a hub of climate-smart innovation

and a powerful voice in the global movement

for island resilience.

“[Small islands are] nimble, malleable. So it

affords us the opportunities to test solutions, to

test policies, and to come up with very quick solutions,”

Dr Gale Rigobert, Dean of the University of

Sint Maarten noted during the PEI summit.

Her sentiments were echoed by St Kitts &

Nevis’ Minister of Sustainable Development,

Environment & Climate Action, Dr Joyelle Clarke,

during her address at the UNGA in September

2024. “Truthfully, our isolated action is but a drop,

but every drop counts toward strengthening and

improving multilateral action.”

The Global Sustainable Islands Summit 2025

invites attendees to witness firsthand how the

region’s leaders are creating pathways toward

sustainable development that align environmental

priorities with economic growth.

As we look toward St Kitts & Nevis, this summit

promises to be not only an exchange of knowledge

but a celebration of Caribbean resilience and ingenuity.

By convening in this incredible location, we

are reminded that each step toward sustainability

strengthens the bonds between our island communities,

empowering them to build a thriving,

sustainable future. n

Island Innovation is a social enterprise and

digital media platform at the intersection

of sustainable development and communications.

Learn more at islandinnovation.co


69

parting shot

Rising up

Chalky Mount is a series of hills and

rock formations overlooking the parish

of St Andrew and the stunning Atlantic

Ocean on Barbados’s east coast. Surrounded

by other lush rugged hills in

the Scotland District — including the

island’s highest peak Mount Hillaby

(1,120ft) — it has become known for its

distinctive clay earth and pottery legacy

dating back to the 1800s. As a salute to

its picturesque setting and hilly highlands

compared to the rest of the island

which is mostly flat, Chalky Mount is a

popular hiking spot for those seeking a

gripping (no pun intended) challenge.

Above Barbados/Above Everywhere


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71

puzzles

1 2 3

Caribbean Crossword

4

Across

1 People taking meaningful action to solve a

social problem [12]

5 Sprints and such [5]

7 Types of taxes [6]

9 Complete removal [11]

10 Not just a sniffle [3]

11 Wealth, riches, jewels; or, items hunted [8]

12 Roberto Confresí was one [6]

14 Verbally expresses [6]

15 Exciting and impressive [8]

18 Add someone’s @ to a social media post [3]

20 Fearful of light [11]

21 The face of a building [6]

22 Unemotional person [5]

23 Troubling [12]

Down

1 State of being linked [12]

2 Cost of flight [7]

3 Young child (informal) [6]

4 Lacking in hearing [4]

6 Like a clear moonless night [6]

8 Made faster or more powerful [12]

13 They’re given marching orders [6]

5 6 7

9 10

11 12

14 15 16

18 19 20

21 22

23

16 It goes up in smoke [7]

17 A type of small grocery store [6]

19 Star of Easter races in Tobago [4]

17

13

8

Spot the Difference

by James Hackett

There are 10 differences between these two pictures.

How many can you spot?

Spot the Difference

answers

The skull and crossbones on one pirate’s hat; one pirate has a beard; one pirate has a necklace; the emblem

on one pirate’s coat; the X on the pirate’s map; one ring is missing between images; one pirate has a waistband;

the details on the belt buckle differ; the shirts differ; one pirate has a star on his belt


Word Search

Innovative

Pants

Summit

Anthropologist

Buffalypso

Sensay bull

Cow mas

Motherhood

Dance floor

Shenseea

Tongues

Regatta

Sonnets

Painters

Historic

Crossover

Flautist

Power

Soca

Cement

Mode

Epistolary

Mesmeric

Fishing

Veins

Rihanna

Easter

Kites

G L X X X C R E V O S S O R C

E N L M E C E E P O W E R A F

S B I U O V I M D D P U I T Y

B U S H B T I R E O Y G H T A

U M M O S Y H T E N M N A A U

F N H M C I A E A M T O N G U

F W C A I A F S R V S T N E T

A I E A S T E R N H O E A R S

L A E E S N E H S E O N M V I

Y R A L O T S I P E S O N E T

P I H R O O L F E C N A D I U

S S T N A P A I N T E R S N A

O S A M W O C S O N N E T S L

K I T E S Y H I S T O R I C F

U A N T H R O P O L O G I S T

Sudoku

Caribbean Beat Magazine

Very easy 9x9 sudoku puzzle

Sudoku 9x9 - Puzzle 2 of 5 - Very Easy


Hard 6x6 mini sudoku puzzle

Sudoku 6x6 - Puzzle 4 of 5 - Hard

by www.sudoku-puzzle.net

Fill the empty square with numbers

from 1 to 9 so that each row, each

column, and each 3x3 box contains

all of the numbers from 1 to 9. For

the mini sudoku use numbers from

1 to 6.

If the puzzle you want to do

has already been filled in, just

ask your flight attendant for a new

copy of the magazine!

6 4 3 7 5

1 8

2 9 6 7

1 4 3 6 9 2

2 7

7 5 9 2 3 4

6 9 3 1

7 5

9 8 1 4 6

www.sudoku-puzzles.net

3

2 1

5 6

4

5 4 6


www.sudoku-puzzle.net

Solutions

Caribbean Crossword

Word Search

N H A R M O N I O U S

T G C E

A C A D E 22 S T O I C G

Sudoku

Mini Sudoku

Sudoku 9x9 - Solution 2 of 5 - Very Easy

6 8 1 4 3 7 2 9 5

Y O D P A R

5 7 4 2 9 1 8 6 3

3 2 9 6 5 8 7 4 1

1 4 8 3 7 6 9 5 2

2 9 3 1 4 5 6 8 7

7 6 5 9 8 2 1 3 4

4 5 6 7 2 9 3 1 8

20 H O T O P H O B I A


8 1 7 5 6 3 4 2 9

9 3 2 8 1 4 5 7 6

Sudoku 6x6 - Solution 4 of 5 - Hard

I

23

5 2 6 4 1 3

3 4 1 2 6 5

G L X X X C R E V O S S O R C

E N L M E C E E P O W E R A F

1 5 2 6 3 4

6 3 4 1 5 2

4 6 5 3 2 1


2 1 3 5 4 6

S B I U O V I M D D P U I T Y

B U S H B T I R E O Y G H T A

C

1

H 2 A N G E M A 3 K E R S

O I I 4

D

N 5 R A C E 6 S

7 D U T I E S

N F T D A 8

S

E

9

U M M O S Y H T E N M N A A U

T

11

R A D I C A T I O N 10 F L U

C R R E P

R E A S U R E 12 P I R A T E

I Y T

13 R

19

P

V

14

O I C E S 15 D R A M A 16 T I C

F

21

I 17 B O O H

A G

T

18

U A N T H R O P O L O G I S T

K I T E S Y H I S T O R I C F

O S A M W O C S O N N E T S L

F N H M C I A E A M T O N G U

F W C A I A F S R V S T N E T

A I E A S T E R N H O E A R S

L A E E S N E H S E O N M V I

Y R A L O T S I P E S O N E T

S S T N A P A I N T E R S N A

P I H R O O L F E C N A D I U




73

Caribbean Airlines

ROUTE MAP

Ft. Lauderdale

GRAND CAYMAN

Montego Bay

Puerto Rico

Tortola

St Kitts

Guadeloupe

Dominica

Martinique

Curacao

Caracas

Ogle

last word

lazyllama/Shutterstock.com

Ready for

mas again

A love letter to doing everything for Carnival,

by Caroline Taylor

Picture it: Port of Spain, 2007. For a plucky 20-something, it is the

first full Carnival season back in Trinidad after several years in the

cold. Greedy (and hubristic), she looks upon the tantalising buffet of

Carnival experiences, and resolves that none shall go unsampled.

It started sensibly enough — a reasonably spaced series of

mandatory Carnival activities. Panyards. Pan semis. Calypso

competitions. Viey La Cou. Some fetes. But the week before Carnival is . . .

different. The quasi-hermit who could be counted on to shimmy out of almost

every social invitation was instead seeking out as many pre-Carnival activities

as could reasonably be attended without physical expiration, linking up

with seven different posses of friends on the final sprint to Ash Wednesday.

The ambitious pre-mas itinerary was Tribe Ignite; then the Kambule Riots

re-enactment in town at 5am; traditional Carnival character competition at

midday; then Soca Monarch backstage. And this was just until Friday night.

Saturday morning was the critical re-fuelling point before Panorama finals

at the Savannah, immediately followed by Insomnia fete at MOBS 2. There

would be no cat naps. And the friend who was joining me on my mother and

her friends’ annual pan pilgrimage was also coming with me to Insomnia.

Bailing was not an option.

I cherished the pan. Among the lime that night were All Stars, Phase II,

Renegades, and Despers die-hards, all fiercely cheering and arguing for their

bands, but with a magnificent camaraderie in celebration of our resplendent

instrument, our defiant resilience and creativity. Listening to the pan, with

a view of the lights flickering on the surrounding hillsides under that cool,

crisp night air, has always been an experience that fills me with tremendous

gratitude, no matter the victors.

Still high off the music, my friend and I persevered through the gridlock

entering Chaguaramas. I was grateful for the company,

despite my hermit tendencies beginning to

flare from lack of sleep, too many bananas (they’re

so useful for hangovers), and having far exceeded

my weekly peopling quota.

At some point, hours later, when the sun was

well into the sky, I made my way happily but wearily

back home. Not even black-out curtains could

fool my body into believing this was sleeping time.

All I could do was remain horizontal, giving my

aching feet and sore back a chance …

That night, as I took in the final Dimanche Gras

performances, I shut down a brief flirtation with

the idea of making a last-minute J’Ouvert costume,

settling instead for old clothes, lathering up in baby

oil, and making the rounds to collect a couple of

friends before heading to meet 3canal.

This was the first time I was driving myself to

and from J’Ouvert, so my delight at successfully

dodging the bands assembling on Long Circular

Road and securing a park in Woodbrook was shortlived.

Because Jesus knows the speed walk back to

Ariapita Avenue after crossing the Savannah stage

is a gauntlet when there’s no music truck, no alcohol,

and the sun starts assaulting your weary body.

Later, I hosed down, showered, hydrated, closed

my eyes for a five, and then readied myself for Monday

mas. I hauled my behind to the car . . . which

would not start. My battery was dead. It wasn’t until

my dad gave me a jump that I could see why: one

of the friends I’d collected for J’Ouvert (who’d been

putting finishing touches on her costume) never

switched the dome light off after we met the band.

I had to laugh. I took it as a sign to ask my dad for a

lift to be on the safe side.

Several groups of friends were playing in Island

People that year, so with a few SMS messages I

was able to link up with my section. We jumped the

afternoon away, got some great photos (including

blue paint still leaching out of my skin — several

showers later — onto my white Monday-wear shirt).

But I knew my limit. I needed to ice. And to hydrate.

And to get one full night of sleep before the final push.

I met the band downtown early Tuesday.

There’s one particularly sleepy-looking photo of

me from that morning, somewhere near South

Quay. The rest of the day was a blissful blur, right

through to Last Lap by the Stadium — all powered

by soca, salts, and spirits. There was a photo that

came out in a Carnival magazine afterwards that

took me years to figure out. And then I realised:

Dip in de centre / Do de jumbie dance / Lean back and

reverse / Do de jumbie dance …

It was that — the perfect immortalisation of the

year I was fully (or almost fully) outta body, then

back to myself. We ready for mas again? n


Caribbean Beat — March/April 2025 (#187)

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Caribbean Beat — March/April 2025 (#187)

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