"The light that comes from wisdom never goes out"
There is no sign that the war in Ukraine will end soon. Instead, following significant losses on the battlefield, Russia is mobilising huge numbers of its citizens to fight in …
Continue reading “COMMENTARY — ‘Saudi Arabia and the Caribbean’”
The late Queen Elizabeth II was widely revered for her sense of duty, her wisdom, her advice and the continuity she provided. As head of the Commonwealth and Britain’s monarch, …
Continue reading “COMMENTARY — Monarchy, Caribbean considered”
The recently ended Summit of the Americas will likely be best remembered for the United States’ decision not to invite Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua; the chaotic unprepared way in which …
Continue reading “COMMENTARY — ‘US influence in the Americas is waning’”
Earlier this month at a conference on Caribbean security, Barbados Prime Minister Mia Motley spoke about the consequences of the war in Ukraine and the now unavoidable impact it will …
Continue reading “COMMENTARY — Caribbean expected to feel effects of Ukraine war”
For most, a passport denotes citizenship, belonging, certain rights, and residence. For others, especially the world’s wealthy, obtaining a “stronger” additional passport than the one provided by their country of …
Continue reading “COMMENTARY — ‘Citizenship by investment’ under fire”
Nothing better illustrates the divide that exists between today’s Caribbean and its past than two unfortunate images of Prince William and his wife Catherine during their recent visit to Jamaica: …
Continue reading “COMMENTARY — ‘Royalty, republics, and reparations’”
Caribbean Community heads meeting in Belize recently could not have been clearer about the “perfect storm” that is about to strike the Caribbean. Speaking at a post-summit press conference, Belize …
Continue reading “COMMENTARY — Region warned about ‘economic storm’”
It is no exaggeration to say that education has made the Caribbean what it is today. From rebellion through emancipation to the creation of unions and political parties, in revolution …
Continue reading “COMMENTARY — Need seen for ‘skills revolution’ in region”
Imagining a better future for the Caribbean is not hard, but delivering it is becoming infinitely more complex. In the modern world, in a non-biblical sense, a Caribbean promised land …
Continue reading “COMMENTARY — ‘Better future’ envisioned for region”
In mid-November, a little noticed virtual meeting took place. It considered in the round the security threats that the Caribbean will face in the future. It pointed not just to …
Continue reading “COMMENTARY — Ideas offered for Caribbean security”
In a powerful speech at last month’s COP26 climate summit, Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley seized the day. In just eight minutes, she captured the attention of her fellow leaders, …
Continue reading “COMMENTARY — ‘Drowning in promises’ after COP26”
Some years ago, then-Barbados Prime Minister Owen Arthur told me that unless regional leaders could agree on how to achieve economic parity between Caricom’s member states, a viable Caribbean Single …
Continue reading “COMMENTARY — ‘The big fish, small fish problem’”
Sometime in the next 12 months, when the pandemic is fully brought under control in North America and Europe, visitors will return to the Caribbean in significant numbers. Once that …
Recently published visitor arrival figures indicate that Caribbean tourism has started down the long road to recovery. Following a disastrous 2020 during which governments closed borders to try to halt …
Continue reading “COMMENTARY — Regional tourism recovery predicted”
Last month Britain published two significant post-Brexit policy documents setting out its future thinking on foreign policy, defence, security and development. Both referenced in general terms the importance to the …
What global role should a post-imperial, post-Brexit Britain play? Can it reinvent itself in a manner that convinces a population increasingly divided by education, age, race, location and inequality, let …
Continue reading “COMMENTARY — UK’s post-Brexit plans analysed”
There is an old saying that you wait ages for a London bus and then two (or even three) come along at once. It is not an expression, as far …
Continue reading “COMMENTARY — Ideas offered for UK-Caribbean relations”
In the dying days of the Donald Trump presidency in the United States, the State Department designated Cuba a “state sponsor of terrorism.” Regrettably, the measure will slow efforts by …
Continue reading “COMMENTARY — US urged to drop Cuba sanctions”
Joe Biden is now that 46th president of the United States, and many governments and individuals around the world are breathing a collective sigh of relief. This is not because …
Continue reading “COMMENTARY — Responding to Washington’s new hemispheric thinking”
Last year was a disaster for Caribbean tourism. Estimates suggest that visitor arrivals to the region fell by 75 percent in the last three quarters of 2020, causing overall Caribbean …
Continue reading “COMMENTARY — Full Caribbean tourism recovery seen as a possibility after 2021”
It is hard to know what the future holds for Venezuela, its opposition leader Juan Guaidó, or the present United States-led policy that emphasises sanctions and isolation. Last week, as …
Continue reading “COMMENTARY — Post-election, Venezuela’s future considered”
It is hard to know what the future holds for Venezuela, its opposition leader Juan Guaidó, or the present United States-led policy that emphasises sanctions and isolation. Last week, as …
Continue reading “COMMENTARY — Post-election, Venezuela’s future considered”
This was the year when much of the Caribbean went to the polls. General elections were held in Anguilla, Belize, Jamaica, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, St. Kitts and Nevis, …
Continue reading “COMMENTARY — Writer says democracy alone is ‘not enough’ in Caribbean”
In the past few days, Pfizer BioNTech, a German-United States company, and the US company Moderna have separately announced that the Covid-19 vaccines they have been developing have proved 95 …
Continue reading “COMMENTARY — Logistical challenges predicted to follow Covid-19 vaccine”
It is easy to share the excitement felt across the Caribbean at United States President-elect Joe Biden’s victory in the polls. However, a calmer voice within suggests that while the …
Continue reading “COMMENTARY — Caribbean expected to feel the effects of US election”