Mahogany CoConut Blog

Professor Tennyson Joseph One Caribbean Nation. ALL AH WE IS ONE THURSDAY, JULY 9, 2026. DAILY NATION BARBADOS   AS THE CHAIRMANSHIP OF CARICOM moves to the Prime Minister of St Lucia, Philip J. Pierre, it does so in a moment where the most open and direct threats to secede are being made by certain sections of Caribbean leadership. These threats should not be brushed aside as a temporary descent into anti-diplomacy on the part of a loose-tongued generation of Caribbean leadership, but should be understood as part of broader global structural shifts of which the “rethinking” of CARICOM is only a small part. The collapse of the post-World War II order, and the United States’ intent on reshaping its role in the Western Hemisphere even while it strategically withdraws from “global leadership”, are at the centre of these anti-CARICOM noises. Put bluntly, had there been no “Trumpism”, there would have been no Kamla Persaud-Bissessar quarrel with CARICOM. Given the...

One Caribbean Nation. Share Save article 0 CARICOM’s Associate Membership has now increased to seven countries with France’s overseas territory of Martinique joining. Following the signing of the pact granting Associate Membership of CARICOM to Martinique in February 2025, CARICOM received the Instrument of Accession in June 2026 from the Government of the French Republic, facilitating the entry into force of the Agreement on the Privileges and Immunities of CARICOM. A release from CARICOM yesterday said that this paved the way for Martinique to formally become an Associate Member effective 16 June 2026 and its participation in the Fifty-first Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of CARICOM, from 5-8 July in Saint Lucia. Please note the current Associate Members of CARICOM are: Anguilla, Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, Curacao, Martinique , and the Turks and Caicos Islands. The Mahogany Coconut Group welcomes Martinique to CARICOM.

One Caribbean Nation. US grants Trinidad permission to negotiate -Venezuela gas deal  TRINIDAD The US has granted Trinidad and Tobago permission to negotiate a gas deal with neighbouring Venezuela without facing any US sanctions, the Caribbean nation's attorney general said Thursday. The US Treasury Department granted an Office of Foreign Assets Control licence on Wednesday that allows parties to engage in a transaction that would otherwise be prohibited, according to the agency. With Venezuela hit by US sanctions, Trinidad and Tobago needed the licence to pursue the development of a gas field located in Venezuelan waters. The licence was granted following a request that Trinidad and Tobago made in May, according to Attorney General John Jeremie. "We have six months to negotiate, within parameters," Jeremie said at a news conference. "You have to hit targets, with respect to the US and their posture with Venezuela." He said US companies have certain commercial...

One Caribbean Nation Barbados Today , Editorial Friday, September 19th., 2025 Why the Caribbean cannot ignore erased histori es and silenced voices in the US Freedom of speech, civil rights, and the dignity of Black lives are under siege—not only in the United States, but across the diaspora, with ripple effects already reaching the Caribbean. From freedom of speech to erasing our history, it's all in jeopardy. The First Amendment, long celebrated as a cornerstone of American democracy, is under strain. The consequences are not abstract. Jimmy Kimmel was suspended this week after remarks about the death of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk, widely seen as an example of political pressure shaping entertainment. Stephen Colbert's late-night show was cancelled after sharp criticism of Donald Trump's political comeback, and CNN parted ways with Don Lemon and Brian Stelter, both outspoken critics of Trump's disinformation. Since 2021, at least 22 US states have passed laws ...

One Caribbean Nation.   Contrary to popular opinion , calypso is a very sophisticated artform. Some of the finest social commentary , has been written by and for calypsonians. It has also given us priceless enjoyment of music that almost immediately reduces stress and brings our unique Caribbean vitality and cultural vibrance to the fore. Perhaps we enjoy the finished product so much that we believe we are all natural calypsonians. So, we join a tent, get a microphone , create a name and we stamp ourselves : calypsonians. We can all copy Sir. Garry and turn up our collars but it is not easy to copy : Sparrow, Gabby, Stalin , Rose and Kitchener. We actually believe that we can sing Calypso without any appreciation for : chord, key, melody or well written lyrics. The truth is that on any given night, a calypso competition would produce a king or a queen but if that winning calypso is forgotten within a week , it really does not carry the ranking of  greatness. We reference : J...

One Caribbean Nation. Dr.Carla Barnett National Flag of Belize The Mahogany Coconut Group welcomes Dr. Carla Natalie Barnett, the new Secretary General of CARICOM. Dr. Barnett, a graduate of the University of the West Indies, is the eighth Secretary General and the first female to hold the office. The MCG hopes that her appointment will strengthen ties with her homeland Belize, and its Caribbean neighbors, and act as a conduit for us to further explore its beauty and customs. Dr. Barnett is taking up office at a very challenging time for the region. Most of our economies, have suffered severe shock, caused by the devasting damage to the tourism industry by COVID-19 and the challenge of finding the financial resources to combat the pandemic. There remains an embarrassing level of pettiness among some regional leaders, as was recently evident during the LIAT controversy. We are also fighting the negative effects of climate change on our beautiful but often fragile environment. O...

One Caribbean Nation. Gaston Browne National Flag of Antigua and Barbuda Oh, Noooo Mr. Browne! Mr. Gaston Browne, the Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, must be told, that his words as a leader of a Caribbean country and member of  CARICOM, have consequences. He cannot “go about the place’, calling citizens of any Caribbean country “rotten elements’, simply because they disagree, with his administration’s and his position on LIAT. We will not tolerate undermining any workers’ cause, and the pilots of LIAT are no exception. He must also impress upon his cabinet members, that the days of petty insular diatribe and baseless innuendo, against other regional leaders and members, will not serve the cause being fought by progressive Caribbean citizens, to create a new vibrant Caribbean nation. There are too many regional leaders, who see our islands, as their serfdoms. They seem to believe that replacing the colonialists with a new set of frauds, is the future of the Caribbe...

One Caribbean , One People Flags of Caribbean Countries The CARICOM Community Flag The Mahogany Coconut Blog is celebrating its thirteenth anniversary during this month. Our first posting was  March 10th, 2008.The MCG (Mahogany Coconut Group) is totally and unapologetically committed to the emergence of One Caribbean Nation State. We therefore try our utmost to comment on matters affecting the entire region and have steadfastly tried, to avoid being an organ of any individual country.   However, we occasionally highlight issues that are confronting any individual state. We have been foremost in advocating: children’s, women’s, and the rights of our elderly; exposing and attacking racism in the region; calling for the eradication of regional poverty; insisting that corrupt public officials be removed from office; promoting economic justice; encouraging healthy lifestyles; defending our gay community and their rights to love whomever they please and promoting our Caribbean cul...

One Caribbean Nation. VP-Elect Kamala Harris CaribPR Wire, NEW YORK, NY, Sun. Jan. 17, 2021 : U.S. VP-Elect Kamala Harris on Sunday night delivered a special message to thousands of Caribbean Americans gathered virtually globally, at a star-studded virtual global Caribbean inauguration celebration in her honor, conceptualized and executed by Caribbean American entrepreneur and advocate, Felicia J. Persaud, and presented by Invest Caribbean and the Caribbean American Action Network, (CAAN). “Thank you for the efforts that so many of you have made throughout the course of the campaign to get us to this moment. … You did the work. You helped lay the groundwork for this historic occasion,” VP-elect Harris said. “Now, because of you and so many others, our country is on a path to heal and rebuild.” She also recognized the contributions of Caribbean Americans to the United States, which she said are woven “throughout the fabric of our country.” “Those contributions are reflected in the liv...

One Caribbean Nation. Jamaica’s Sydney Schneider drafted Reggae Girlz goalkeeper Sydney Schneider says she feels blessed to have made history once again and is eager to begin training with the Washington Spirit in the National Women’s Soccer League. The 21-year-old Schneider became the first player from her university, University of North Carolina, Wilmington, to be selected in the draft when she was selected 29th overall by Washington on Wednesday. Expectedly, she was overjoyed. “I am so grateful and feel so blessed to have been able to make history,” she told Sportsmax.TV. “I am so thankful that the NWSL and Washington Spirit have faith in me and have given me this opportunity. I am excited to get started with the Washington Spirit and start training.” At Washington, she will understudy 2019 NWSL Goalkeeper of the Year Aubrey Bledsoe, and Schneider said she is eager to learn from the veteran keeper. “ I look forward to training with one of the best goalkeepers and being able to lea...

One Caribbean Nation. Diaspora leaders: Come with a plan so we can help by Marlon Madden Yvette Clarke Political leaders in the Caribbean Diaspora have urged tourism officials in Barbados and the rest of the region to come up with a viable plan for post-COVID Caribbean tourism and development and approach them for assistance. While insisting that this must be done in a collective way, political leaders of Caribbean heritage told an online Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) forum on Wednesday that it was also imperative that the region explore other areas for development beyond tourism. New York Congresswoman Yvette Clarke, who is of Jamaican heritage, stressed that the region must build on existing relationships and agreements with more developed nations as it seeks to expand beyond tourism and attain “first world status”. She said: “I think that there has been a benign neglect of the region and I have my theories why that has been the case. However, we are facing new times and new d...

The Caribbean Is One Nation.                                Shame on you AGAIN, Holness Andrew Holness “We are not serious about investment, things not going so well in CARICOM, our citizen are being treated with disrespect and yet we want to intensify our ties with CARICOM. I say no to that.” (Jamaica opposition leader Andrew Holness addressing the recent annual general conference of his Jamaica Labour Party) The mahogany Coconut Group is not surprised that Holness is at it again, trying to bury CARICOM and engender nothing but negativity toward regional unity by attempting to whip the Jamaican populace in to anti- CARICOM frenzy. He sees this dastardly act as his path to Prime Minister.  Once again we are forced to cry shame on you Holness. It was back in January(1/25/14), when we highlighted Mr. Holness’ opposition, to the Caribbean Court of Justice CCJ replacing the Privy Council a...