CARICOM mostly recognizes Palestine

May 8, 2024

Trinidad and Tobago officially recognized the state of Palestine last week, – the third CARICOM member to do so in recent weeks, following Barbados and Jamaica. Now, 13 out of the 14 independent, full-member CARICOM countries now recognize Palestine — Bahamas is the only exception.

(Kevz Politics, i24News)

For Caribbean foreign policy expert Nand C. Bardouille, the region’s initial reaction to the conflict in Gaza was more restrained, accompanying the U.S. stance, but “in full view of Gazans’ disturbing reality and a region roiled by a metastasizing Gaza war, this type of diplomacy has its limits”. (Geopolitical Monitor)

Yet, “in recognizing Palestine, have these Caribbean governments taken a stand against US empire?” asks Clash Collective, calling the gesture by the three governments “a masquerade of resistance that, in truth, is an endorsement of the existing order of things”

Climate and Environmental Justice 

• The UK should support Small Island Developing States in combating climate change impacts with debt relief for high-impact disasters; simplifying access to climate finance; incorporating vulnerability criteria in financial allocations; and committing new funds for climate-related loss and damage, according to a report by the UK Parliament's International Development Committee.

• A new report by CANARI outlines four key recommendations for delivering sustainable development in the Caribbean: optimize the contribution of civil society through strong, mutually beneficial partnerships, Promote and support locally owned environmental and social enterprises, incorporate environmental, social, climate and gender justice at all levels of governance and pursue only development and disaster mitigation options that are in harmony with nature and aligned to social development objectives.

• Media plays a crucial role in addressing climate change impacts, particularly in vulnerable regions like the Caribbean, writes Janine Mendes-Franco in the context of World Press Freedom Day’s focus on the environmental crisis, this year. The Association of Caribbean Media Workers emphasizes the need for specialized training for journalists in science communication to improve public understanding of climate science. (Global Voices)

• The inaugural Caribbean Climate Journalism Awards recognized outstanding journalists who have contributed significantly to the discourse on climate change and its impacts in the Caribbean. Organized by Climate Tracker, the awards celebrated journalists from Jamaica, the Dominican Republic, Guyana, and other Caribbean countries. (Global Voices)

• “Across the Caribbean region, countries are seeking to build climate resilience in the face of increasingly frequent extreme weather events that pose an existential threat to low-lying islands,” reports Americas Quarterly. “A top concern for national leaders across the region is financing: how to pay for these much-needed projects to drive development and shield societies from the effects of climate change.”

Human Rights

• Two women and two health care providers from Dominica and Antigua and Barbuda have initiated the first-ever constitutional challenges against colonial-era abortion laws in the Caribbean. These laws, which are viewed as outdated and oppressive, heavily restrict abortion and have been linked to unsafe practices and negative health outcomes. The challengers argue that these laws violate constitutional rights to gender justice and bodily autonomy, and they seek legal reform to align with modern standards of sexual and reproductive health rights. (Abortion Law Reform Caribbean)

• Alicia Bowen-McCulskie, a survivor of multiple instances of sexual abuse throughout her life, founded the Circle of Care Jamaica to support others like her. After publicly sharing her traumatic experiences for the first time in 2022, she was motivated to create an organization that provides holistic care and support services to individuals impacted by physical, emotional, or sexual abuse. (Global Voices)

• Jamaica has advanced eight places in the 2024 World Press Freedom Index, now ranking 24th out of 180 countries, which positions it as the highest-ranked country in the Caribbean for press freedom. Following closely is Trinidad and Tobago, ranking 25th.  (Jamaica Observer)

• The podcast "Surviving Society," has launched a new season titled "The Crucible of Modernity" focused on the Caribbean. This season features guest co-producers and co-hosts Levi Gahman, Johannah-Rae Reyes, and Adaeze Greenidge, and highlights Caribbean activists and scholars involved in various grassroots movements. Listen.

Reparations and Decolonization

• David Comissiong, Barbados' Ambassador to CARICOM and Deputy Chairperson of the National Task Force on Reparations, discusses the importance of Drax Hall in Barbados' reparations movement. He highlights the historical role of Drax Hall as a significant site of early sugar plantation and chattel slavery. Comissiong emphasizes the need for acknowledgment and apology as foundational steps in reparations, viewing them as admissions of liability under international law. (Repair Campaign)

• Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley's administration faced criticism for initially considering a land purchase from Richard Drax, a descendant of slave traders. The proposed deal, involving the acquisition of Drax Hall plantation for housing development, was seen as contradictory to Barbados' stance on reparations. Drax Hall is historically significant as a site where many enslaved Africans suffered and died. (Global Voices)

Culture

• The book Hungry Ghosts by Trinidad and Tobago´s author Kevin Jared Hosein is on the shortlist for the 2024 Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction. (Walter Scott Prize)

• Birmingham, UK hosted a significant event, World Bash UK, to celebrate Caribbean sound system culture, a musical tradition rooted deeply in the West Midlands and brought to the UK by the Windrush generation. The event featured international artists and renowned sound systems, underscoring the ongoing importance and transmission of this cultural form among communities in the UK, especially those with Caribbean heritage. (Repeating Islands)

• Five Caribbean writers have been shortlisted for the 2024 Commonwealth Short Story Prize, representing Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, and St Kitts & Nevis. The shortlisted Caribbean writers are Stefan Bindley-Taylor, Portia Subran, Ark Ramsay, Celeste Mohammed, and Heather Archibald. Their stories range in themes from personal narratives to speculative fiction. The regional winners will be announced on May 29, with the overall winner revealed on June 26, 2024. (Repeating Islands)

• The exhibition "Trópico es político," curated by Marina Reyes Franco and currently on display at the Mead Art Museum at Amherst College, features Caribbean artists who challenge the effects of tourism and foreign investment on their communities. The exhibit includes works that critically engage with the consequences of the "visitor economy regime" and offer alternative visions and strategies against the gentrification and commercialization of Caribbean spaces. (The Shoestring)

Opportunities

• The Cropper Foundation announces its open call for submissions from emerging and established, published and unpublished Caribbean writers across poetry, fiction, and non-fiction genres for a climate justice themed literary anthology 'Writing for Our Lives.' More information.

Events

• May 8th 2024 from 9am to 12pm, the webinar "Youth, Gender, Environment and Climate Justice in the Caribbean” will be held via zoom. The conference will address critical issues surrounding environmental rights and justice for youth and the gendered impact of disaster capitalism in the region. Register.

• May 9th 2024, join the Caribbean Cultural Institute (CCI) and Third Horizon Film Festival for an evening celebrating Caribbean film and culture. The event, held at the Peréz Art Museum Miami, will feature the world premiere of the "Short Films of Third Horizon Forward" including works by filmmakers from the US, Haiti, Jamaica, Guadeloupe, and Cuba. Tickets.