Mahogany CoConut Blog

One Caribbean Nation Neutrality is T&T’s best defence in US-Venezuela standoff Yesterday 20250823 As tensions rise once more between the United States and Venezuela, T&T finds itself at the edge of a storm. Geography, history and circumstance have placed this country in a position not of its own making. Washington sharpens its rhetoric. Caracas defends its sovereignty. Energy diplomacy is wielded like a weapon. Soon, three US warships will be operating just off T&T’s shores. This is a stark reminder: this geopolitical rivalry is not distant—it is at our doorstep. For small nations such as ours, the temptation may be strong to lean toward one side or the other. But in this moment, neutrality is not weakness—it is wisdom. Venezuela is T&T’s closest neighbour, separated from our twin islands by only seven miles of water. Families, comerce, and history bind the two together. The United States is T&T’s largest trading partner. It is a critical source of investment, rem...

One Caribbean Nation. CELEBRATION CANCELLED INDEPENDENCE PARADE REPLACED WITH NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER Government has announced that the annual Independence Day Parade this year will be replaced with a National Day of Prayer and Reflection due to the State of Emergency. "After careful deliberation on intelligence arising out of the State of Emergency, the government has taken the decision to replace the annual Independence Day Parade and Official Functions with a National Day of Prayer and Reflection," a release from the Homeland Security Friday stated. "The National Day of Prayer and Reflection will bring together citizens of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, of all faiths and backgrounds, to unite and to seek guidance and strength during this challenging time, as well as to reflect on where we are as a nation and the way forward." The release noted that there is precedent for the cancellation of the Independence Day Parade in the recent past, as the parade was no...

One Caribbean Nation. Not anti-development, just anti-exclusion Today’s Editorial On the surface, Barbados appears to be moving forward with high-end hotels, airport upgrades, and multimillion-dollar partnerships that frequently dominate the news cycle. The country is marketed as a rising star of Caribbean luxury tourism, with glossy renderings of resorts and ribboncuttings used as symbols of progress. But for many Barbadians, this version of progress feels increasingly out of reach. Behind the ribbon-cuttings lies a more sobering reality: one of rising inequality, poor public consultation, and a development model that appears to benefit a select few while leaving the average citizen behind. The image of progress has been carefully curated, but the substance is uneven at best. Take the highly-publicised Pendry Barbados development – a branded luxury resort with residences, beach clubs, and exclusive amenities. While these may sound like economic game changers, growing concerns suggest ...

One Caribbean Nation. Original Burning Flames mark 40 years of soca excellence The legendary Original Burning Flames are marking 40 years of creating some of the Caribbean's most memorable and influential soca music. Since their formation in 1984, the band has become synonymous with high-energy performances, timeless hits, and a legacy that continues to inspire new generations of fans and artistes alike. Hailing from the village of Potters, Antigua, the original line-up featured three brothers: Toriano King Onyan Edwards (vocals, guitar), David Bubb-I Edwards (vocals, bass), and Clarence Oungku Edwards (vocals, keyboards), along with drummer Rone Foxx Watkins. The brothers initially performed as buskers before joining Arrow's backing band, with Clarence notably serving as bass player and arranger on the world-famous hit Hot, Hot, Hot. The band made an immediate impact on the carnival scene in 1985 with their song Stylie Tight, which won the Road March and was released as their ...

One Caribbean Nation. By Ralph Jemmott The Democratic Labour Party’s Report on Crime, a 146- page document, has been published. It reflects the work of a 12-member commission chaired by Ms Verla DePeiza that was established to examine what appears to be a rising tide of criminality in Barbados. The DLP is to be commended for its efforts. The document itself is entitled A Blueprint to Rescue a Nation. Creeping old age and the fact of being ‘in town long’ have tended to make one sceptical of so-called ‘blueprints.’ This is particularly so when it comes to documents that propose to be able to ‘rescue’ an entire nation.’ Certainly, Barbados, like much of the region, is in need of change to alter the tendency to gun-running, crime—both blue and white collar—, social disorder, drug abuse, and family breakdown with all its attendant consequences. Someone stated recently that in today’s world, there is no guarantee of the success of anything. One aspect of the commission’s findings highlight...

One Caribbean Nation. by William Skinner Trinidad is a Real Country Trinidadians have a rather strange saying : “Trinidad is not a real country”. It’s a light hearted but often frustrating commentary on how “tings” are done in T and T. These things   range   from: complaining about vendors , selling their produce outside of the public markets , to the problems with   what initially appears to be difficult public servants and   customer service.   We say “initially appears”   because most of these often maligned public workers, are pretty cordial , when approached with a smile or   a  little joke. They are similar to    their Caribbean counterparts.   However, customers   who are not always pleasant are supposed to be always right ! Trinidad still has a   very entrenched hy-brid system of local and central government and its not unusual , to be given an answer to a problem , in a local burrough and then realise that t...

One Caribbean Nation. ‘STAND YOUR GROUND’ MINISTER URGES GUN OWNERS TO TAKE FIRM ACTION AGAINST INTRUDERS Defence Minister Wayne Sturge is advising constituents and citizens that during a home invasion, they can shoot first and "explain yourself after". He says that provision, among others, will be available under the proposed stand-your-ground legislation the United National Congress government is seeking to enact. Another measure would allow a victim to defend themselves against an intruder before they are even physically attacked. Sturge made the stunning comments during a stand-yourground consultation at the Sangre Grande Civic Centre. "You don't have to wait to see what the attacker is going to do. You don't have to wait to see if he pulls a gun or a cutlass or anything like this. You can, once you honestly believe that you are under attack, or that an attack is about to take place, or is imminent—as they say here—once you believe an attack is imminent, yo...