Mahogany CoConut Blog

One Caribbean Nation. Letter From Brooklyn By Michael Headley In the August 21st edition, of Barbados Today, Guest Columnist, Ralph Jemmott stated that African Americans and all persons of color stand to lose most from a Trump victory on November 03.  I am wondering if Mr. Jemmott was aware that prior to the COVI-19 outbreak, African Americans, Latinos, and Asians had experienced historic levels of low unemployment and more were off the welfare rolls. According to RealClear Politics (10/02/18) female unemployment was at a 50-year low.  Non degreed workers were also entering the job market.   President Trump, in December 2018, also signed the First Step Act into law.  This act was a first step to reform harsh sentences, meted out  in Federal prisons.  Black men, who were often the majority recipients of these sentences stood to benefit, by getting a second chance to improve their lives, after early release.   On December 18, 2019, President Trump signed a bipartisan bill that

One Caribbean Nation. Redemption Day in America It took some time to accept the inescapable fact that Donald J. Trump had indeed become the 45th President of the United States. Nothing then or now would suggest that he was suitable for the high office of the American Presidency. In his review of John Dickerson’s book “The Hardest Job in the World: The American Presidency,” Washington Post correspondent Jeremi Suri contends that the great Presidents have all provided a parental, protective and consoling role for a very diverse nation. George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, and Franklin D. Roosevelt all possessed that sense of Presidential guardianship. Dr Suri argues that after national tragedies, even supposedly lesser leaders have ‘projected confidence and hope.’ - Ronald Reagan in his speech after the Challenger Disaster in 1986; George W. Bush at Ground Zero in September 2001 and Barack Obama singing Amazing Grace at the Emanuel Methodist Episcopal Church following the mass shoot

One Caribbean Nation. Monday Comment, Are We Ready? Fisheries Agriculture Culture As we continue to grapple with the economic wreckage caused by COVID-19, we must ask ourselves: Are we really prepared to accept our economies have been suddenly thrown into almost utter chaos? We can continue to drown ourselves in looking at data and comparisons while searching for bragging rights. However, the stark reality remains that we are all in the same barrel. Failure to recognize that the tourism industry cannot save us, will be our economic undoing. Misleading Caribbean citizens that the iron birds and floating hotels, will somehow give us and our economies special treatment, is a dangerous dose of disturbing false hope. Against this background, the Mahogany Coconut Group, calls for an urgent meeting of CARICOM, to plan develop and implement new, radical, and progressive policies for: agriculture, fisheries, and the creative industries to form the center piece of the new and Post COVID -1

One Caribbean Nation. Thursday Caribbean , Sayings and Proverbs ' Tank yu'  nu buy half  half bit bread (Payment is more useful than expressions of  gratitude)

One Caribbean Nation. This weekend's Quick Recipe What you need : Cucumber Ginger Parsley Tumeric Cucumber  1 Tumeric 3 pieces Ginger 1 piece small Parsley 6 leaves Water 8-10 ounces Mix and blend , strain or drink like smoothie. Serve with ice or chilled. Sweetened to taste with your favorite sweetener. (Optional) Enjoy ! Submitted by Rock Hall 

One Caribbean Nation. Who owns Kamala Harris Senator Kamala Harris, Vice President candidate in the upcoming USA elections, finds herself in an interesting and often amusing identity crisis: Is she Jamaican? Is she Indian? Is she Afro American? Is she Indo American? Is she Asian American? Is she Caribbean American? Ok. Her mother is Indian, and her father is Jamaican. So, the Caribbean region has a serious claim, right up there with India. But she was born in America. Cannot beat the birth certificate. She is not white, so Afro American is in there as well. Geography matters so we know her roots are also Asian……… Should she become Vice President and is given the opportunity to address the United Nations, she would be guaranteed a huge applause. After all she seems to represent all nations. Does she eat jerk, dal, or spring rolls? What about dress…ok let us leave it right there for now. Ok. Ok! Is she into Rap or reggae…? now leave it right there. Good luck Kamala

One Caribbean Nation. Race and Politics in Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago By The Mahogany Coconut Group                                          Trinidad National Flag                                         Guyana  National Flag Recent General Elections in Guyana and Trinidad reminded us once more that race will continue to invade the politics of these countries. The MCG opines that the continued volatile mix of race and politics will eventually destroy these two societies. The remarkable tragedy of this development, is the fact that these two countries because of their resources, are the best placed to survive the post COVID 19 era. Trinidad has long enjoyed great economic status because of its oil industry and Guyana, is on the verge of finally establishing an oil industry along with its vast mineral and agriculture resources, will obviously have a strong economy. The major reason for the racial divide within the political culture, is the control of the business sector by the

One Caribbean Nation. Letter from Brooklyn By Michael Headley A moderator can be defined as one who acts as a neutral participant in a debate or discussion.  I wish that this can be communicated to most of the moderators on the daily call- in program, Down to Brass Tacks.  On Tuesday, in response to a caller, who was expressing his opinion regarding the stewardship and achievements of US President Donald Trump, moderator Peter Wickham, who apparently didn't agree with the caller, showed his disdain by asking the caller if he had drank Kool-Aid. And on the opened mike, Wickham could be heard snickering as the caller was making his point.  Fortunately, the caller detected the sarcasm and retorted by saying yes, I drink Kool-Aid ices.   And at another time in June,  Dennis Johnson had berated an older female caller because she had suggested that locals should also have protest marches for better housing and solving water problems, instead of just marching against racism and injustic

One Caribbean Nation. Thursday Caribbean Sayings, Thoughts and Proverbs Don't  hang your hat where your hand can't  reach The day you stop racing, is the day you win the race

One Caribbean Nation. Thursday Caribbean Saying A crab never forget he hole

One Caribbean Nation. The Mahogany Coconut Group Tribute to the late Professor Owen Arthur former Prime Minister of Barbados The   passing of the former Prime Minister of   Barbados, Mr. Owen Arthur, is a considerable loss to his country and the region. Professor Arthur was the longest serving   Prime Minister of his country and has left an indelible mark on its social , political and economic affairs. His rise in   politics, is steeped in political folklore and competing stories as to whom “discovered “ him abound. However , it can be safely argued that his entry into politics , was perhaps orchestrated by the late Prime minister of Barbados. Mr. J.M.G.M Tom Adams. While Adams was his main motivator, Arthur idolised the late   Mr. Errol Barrrow, who as Prime Minister, is credited with the rise of modern Barbados. Arthur’s distinguished leadership of the country during the period 1994 t0 2008, was defined by stable and structured economic growth and his full utilization of a bril

One Caribbean Nation. Letter From Br ooklyn    By Michael Headley It was a breath of fresh air  to hear that Robert   Unanue , CEO of   Goya   Foods had refused to apologize for praising   President  Donald Trump on his July 10th Hispanic Prosperity Initiative meeting, held at the White House. Unanue was honoring an executive order, from the president, to donate a million cans of  Goya products to American food banks.  Robert   Unanue   had simply said that the president was a blessing, a leader and a builder and he prayed for the leadership.  The anti Trump cabal, with their mob like mentality, masked as Congressmen and twitter feeds, wasted no time,  and viciously attacked the CEO.  Like rabid dogs, they  threatened his company with boycotts which  Unanue  called  'suppression of speech".  Also, in the   FOX interview, he reiterated that  in 2012 he had accepted an invitation, from Michelle  Obama , to promote her healthy-eating initiative in Tampa Florida.   There were no

One Caribbean Nation. Thursday Thought In the abundance of water, the fool is thirsty

One Caribbean Nation.                                                                                   In his inaugural speech as the ninth Executive President of Guyana, Dr Irfaan Ali talked up the prospects of unity under the new People’s Progressive Party Government.  Dr Ali took the Oath of Office at a simple ceremony Sunday afternoon at the Arthur Chung Conference Center before Chancellor of the Judiciary (ag), Justice Yonette Cummings Edwards. “We will not disappoint you,” Ali said, calling for unity among Guyanese as the PPP commences its work in Government. “We thank you sincerely for your confidence and your trust but you will know that in voting for the PPP you’ve elected a Government to serve all the people of Guyana and that is what we will be doing,” Dr Ali added. “We are in this together, we are not separated,” the new President said as he looks forward to a smooth transmission in Government. Ali said he will move swiftly to appoint and name his new cabinet so that the