Victoria Mendizabal contributed research and drafting assistance to today’s newsletter.
Surinamese authorities are searching for ex-president Dési Bouterse after he failed to turn himself in to start a prison sentence for involvement in the murder of 15 political opponents in 1982, the prosecutor general’s office said last week. Bouterse was ordered to report to jail last week, but his wife, Ingrid Bouterse-Waldring, told journalists that “He’s not going to turn himself in.” (Guardian)
The authorities are seeking an international arrest warrant for the 78-year-old ex-leader, reports Caribbean National Weekly.
His has caused widespread turmoil in Suriname. Many are questioning why stronger security measures were not in place for Bouterse, considering he was a flight risk. Opinions vary, with some believing justice will eventually prevail, while others think his escape might have been preferred to avoid further division in Suriname. (Global Voices)
See Jan. 5’s Just Caribbean Updates
The Caribbean and The World
CARICOM nations were “the first to capitalize on the citizenship trade,” explains Marco D’Eramo in a Sidecar article entitled Selling Citizenship. “Citizenship has in this way been financialized, transformed into a product akin to structured investment vehicles.”
The Social Progress Index (SPI), an alternative to GDP used by entities like the EU, the Indian government, and several UK councils, shows a global decline in social progress for the first time in its 12-year history. This decline is measured by indicators tracking basic needs, foundations of well-being, and access to opportunity. (Tortois)
The government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines expressed unequivocal support for South Africa's complaint against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ). South Africa's complaint alleges that Israel violated the 1948 Genocide Convention during the conflict in the Gaza Strip. It calls for the ICJ to order provisional measures to stop the alleged Israeli aggression and prevent further acts of genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. (IWN)
Development
Data deficiency in the Caribbean significantly hinders efforts to understand, measure, and effectively address poverty and inequality in the region. The absence of up-to-date and comprehensive poverty and inequality data in many Caribbean countries results in millions of people being overlooked, which undermines progress towards improving lives and eliminating poverty. (World Bank Blogs)
A significant portion of the population in the English and Dutch-speaking Caribbean, as well as in Haiti, is experiencing reduced food consumption and facing a crisis or emergency stage of food insecurity. This presents structural challenges that contribute to high food prices in the region, such as dependence on food imports, traditional focus on export commodities, and high costs related to intra-regional food trade. (World Bank Blogs)
Advocates are increasing concerned about insufficient supervision and regulation of building projects in Kingston and St. Andrew, Jamaica. This issue is exemplified by the involvement of Mark Barnett, President of the National Water Commission (NWC), and his wife, Annette Francis-Barnett, who was implicated in a legal matter concerning a development project at 11 Charlemont Drive, St. Andrew, according to Petchary’s Blog.
Dominican Republic companies start a voluntary six-month pilot of a four-day work week next month — the standard work week reduced from 44 hours to 36 hours, Monday through to Thursday. A local university is tasked with analyzing the results, reports the Associated Press.
Climate and Environmental Justice
Challenges posed by plastic waste, including overflowing dumps, blocked drains, and pollution in both land and sea environments are one of Jamaica's biggest threats explains Jamaica Environmental Trust.
“Guyana is one of the most vulnerable countries worldwide to climate change, " according to the World Bank. Floods in 2005 wiped out 60 percent of the economy. According to some predictions, Georgetown will be under water by 2030, when oil extraction there is supposed to reach its peak”, explains Matthias Verbergt CEO of De Tijd, a Belgian financial newspaper
The Documentary Podcast Assignment: The Struggle for Barbuda Future discusses over the country’s ongoing development battle focused on foreign investors who are building exclusive resorts for wealthy clients. For some they are essential to create jobs and for the economic future of the island but, others argue that it will fundamentally change the island’s ecology and unique way of life. (See also Dec. 22’s Just Caribbean Updates.)
Jamaican environmental authorities denied a mining company’s application for an environmental permit to mine in Alligator Pond. Environmentalists, including Diana McCaulay, praised the decision, emphasizing the critical role of sand dunes in protecting the coastline against storms and sea level rise. (Jamaica Gleaner)
Hundreds of people attended a consultation meeting on Jan. 11 in St Ann’s Bay, St Ann, regarding the proposed construction of luxury villas and apartments by China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) near Ocho Rios, North Coast Times Jamaica. The aim was to discuss the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) conducted by Environmental Solutions Ltd on behalf of CHEC. While there were concerns and criticisms raised, the report suggests that there was no widespread rejection of the project overall.
Eight people from Bonaire, which is a special municipality of the Netherlands, are suing the Dutch government for not adequately protecting them from the impacts of climate change. They filed a legal challenge in The Hague, demanding that the Netherlands cut greenhouse emissions more drastically and assist its territories in adapting to climate change effects. (The Guardian)
A new episode of Caribbean Climate Calabash Carbon Markets and Suriname´s Indigenous Communities is now available. Featuring Kalain Hosein, mentor Hipolito Novelo will discuss the past COP28. Listen
"Climate-smart agriculture has to do with the mechanisms that we in the agricultural sector have been mandated to conform or adapt to be able to survive climate change quite simply. That's all it is. It is a means of surviving climate change and to be able to produce food and other products within this whole rubric of the climate crisis., explains Steve Maximay, agriculture specialist, in an interview for WESN TV.
People with disabilities are disproportionately affected by climate catastrophes, experiencing higher mortality and injury rates during events like heatwaves, storms, and floods. Despite this increased risk, the disability community often remains excluded from climate change discussions, mitigation strategies, and disaster prevention plans. (The Climate Conscious Podcast)
The territorial dispute between Guyana and Venezuela over the resource-rich Essequibo region, exacerbated by Guyana's discovery of significant offshore oil reserves poses a threat to the region's biodiversity and indigenous communities. There is a prioritization of resource control and economic gains over environmental protection and human well-being, especially in the context of global efforts to combat climate change. (Caribbean Climate Network)
Reparations and Decolonisation
In the UK, the movement for slavery reparations has gained significant momentum. Despite Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's refusal to apologize for Britain's role in the slave trade, civil society is actively working to address the historic horrors of slavery. The campaign for reparations, long seen as a fringe issue, is now becoming more mainstream, with increasing public and academic engagement. (Al Jazeera)
Democratic Governance
On the anniversary of the 2010 earthquake that destroyed large swathes of Haiti, Le National’s editorial said the disaster “could have been a salutary shock. It wasn't. Our illness is perhaps too chronic for a natural disaster to change our ways of seeing and understanding our relationships with others, our relationships with our land.” (via Haiti Weekly)
Public Security
Resident’s of Port-au-Prince’s Solino neighborhood have been trapped in their homes for four days by a brutal gang attack that involves flaming barricades and automatic gunfire, reports the Guardian.
“The assault could mark a turning point for gangs, which are now estimated to control up to 80% of Port-au-Prince,” reports the Associated Press. ”If Solino falls, gangs would have easy access to neighborhoods such as Canapé Vert, which have so far remained peaceful and largely safe.”
A new report "Haiti’s Gangs: Can a Foreign Mission Break Their Stranglehold? concludes that while a foreign security mission in Haiti, authorized by the UN and designed with U.S. support, is necessary to assist the national police in combating gang violence, it faces substantial challenges such as adequate preparation and resources, addressing political challenges, and long-term political and social reforms. (International Crisis Group)
“As the Caribbean confronts this multifaceted crisis, the imperative is clear: collective, resolute action is not just an option but an absolute necessity. The path forward demands a commitment to national, regiona, and hemispheric action”, expresses Sir Ronald Sanders, Antigua and Barbuda’s Ambassador to the United States and the Organization of American States.
Law
The retirement of Justice Jacob Wit from the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) allows for reflection on his significant contributions, particularly his influential judgment in the case of AG of Barbados v Joseph in 2006. Justice Wit's perspective as a civil law judge brought a new lens to the predominantly common law tradition of the Caribbean, prompting a reassessment of established legal norms and encouraging the region to develop its own common law future, argues Jamaican human rights lawyer Tracy Robinson.
Human Rights
Authorities in the Dominican Republic arrested the U.S. rapper Tekashi 6ix9ine, on charges of domestic violence, reports the Associated Press.
Culture
The Caribbean literary scene in 2024 continues to flourish with a diverse range of anticipated book releases that capture the essence of the region's rich cultural tapestry. Some of them include Broughtupsy by Christina Cooke, The House of Plain Truth by Donna Hemans, Tanglewood by Knicky L. Abbott, and For Such A Time As This by Shani Akilah, among others. (The Karibbean Kollective)
Miguel Barnet, the Cuban writer, was awarded the 2023 National Cultural Heritage Award for Lifelong Work, acknowledging his dedication to the rescue and promotion of Cuba’s heritage and culture. He had a central role in documenting, understanding, and promoting the historical and cultural memory of Cuba through his various works, including his ethnographic narratives, essays, and poetry. (Repeating Islands)
Jamaica-born poet Jason Allen-Paisant won the 2023 T.S. Eliot Prize for Poetry for his collection “Self-Portrait As Othello,” which explores Black masculinity and immigrant identity. (Global Voices)
Opportunities
Applications for The Climate Justice Camp are open until February 9th. This event, which will be held in English, is designed to bring people from the Caribbean region together who are working at the intersection of social and climate justice. Apply.
The United Nations Human Rights Office of the High Commission is looking for someone to collect information for the 2024 thematic reports of Climate Justice: loss and Damage & The Right to Development of Children and future generations. The application deadline is February 29th. More information.
The Climate Conscious podcast in partnership with the Truth Be Told Campaign, presents “Caribbean Art for Change,” an art competition encouraging participants to express their distinctive views on climate and gender justice in the Caribbean. The winning artwork will be featured on the cover of our upcoming campaign report and recognized with USD 500. Apply.
The University of West Indies announced its new MSc in Climate Studies to empower persons with the knowledge and understanding that are necessary in the world to fight the ongoing climate crisis. More information.
Climate Tracker together with Open Society Foundations, is launching the Climate Tracker Caribbean’s Journalism Awards, an opportunity to highlight and showcase amazing climate journalism in the Caribbean. The submission period is from the 10th of January 2024 to the 31st of January 2024. Apply.
Cultural Survival is pleased to announce its 2024 call for the project Keepers of the Earth Fund. This initiative awards grants up to USD 7,000 for Indigenous organizations and communities funded by KOEF for the first time, and up to USD 12,000 for organizations and communities previously financed by KOEF. Applications are open until February 10th. Learn more.
Extended deadline for submissions to "The Caribbean Writer" (TWC) for Volume 38, with the theme "Legacies: Reckoning and Resolve." The new date is January 31, 2024. TCW is seeking submissions that explore themes resonating within the Caribbean region and its diaspora, with the Caribbean being central to the work or the work reflecting a Caribbean heritage, experience, or perspective. (Repeating Islands)