Mahogany CoConut Blog

                                                                                         The Caribbean Is One Nation                                                                                                               Once again, the debate about decriminalizing marijuana in the Caribbean is raging high. Some leaders are coming around to the realization that those supporting such a call are rising in numbers. There is a belief that turning marijuana into a legal cash crop will be of...

                                                       The Caribbean Is One Nation                                                                            The Mahogany Coconut Group The current recession is wreaking havoc on the Caribbean middle class. This middle class emerged after the period of colonialism ended and the transformation from agricultural based economies, within the region, took root. The middle class is by nature easy to identify and difficult to define in the Caribbean. We are often left to wonder, whether it is grounded in financial/income considerations or its idiosyncrasies. We are of the opinion that many professions are...

                                             The Caribbean Is One Nation. Ravindra Ramrattan The news from Trinidad and Tobago, that a citizen of that country, was one of the fatalities of the mall bombing , by terrorists in Kenya, drives home the chilling fact  that Caribbean nationals in the Diaspora are subject to acts of violence that are not even remotely connected to the geopolitical actions of their home states. Indeed,  the brilliant young Trinidadian scholar, Ravindra Ramrattan was one of the many ambitious and positive Caribbean nation youth, who saw the world as his oyster. He therefore opted to explore other countries rather than remain in the Caribbean. We are aware of many children of Caribbean heritage, whose parents having raised them in large countries, often encourage them and rightly so, to embrace the world. However, we were ma...

We present and encourage progressive Caribbean views of Caribbean and world affairs.   Tomorrow Saturday 21 st . is International Peace day, which has been celebrated since 1982 by way of an United Nations resolution passed in 1981. The Mahogany Coconut Group is fundamentally opposed to war and settling conflicts by acts of aggression. We therefore promote non-violence because we strongly believe that violence breeds violence and leads to the loss of innocent lives.  We cannot support senseless and brutal destruction of people and then casually refer to them as collateral damage. We therefore call on all peace loving people and countries throughout the world, to end arms conflict and to settle differences by diplomacy and mutual compromise.  As we look around the world, there are too many children, suffering from lack of proper nutrition. Millions of people are unemployed and in dire need of housing, education and health services. The billions of dollars spent o...

We present and encourage progressive Caribbean views of Caribbean and world affairs. Beautiful Trini smile NEW YORK, United States, Wednesday September 18, 2013  – When it comes to happiness, Trinidadians are smiles ahead of the rest of the Caribbean, according to the results of the latest World Happiness Report from the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network. The second edition of the report echoes the findings of the 2012 Gallup World Survey which ranked Trinidad as the fifth-happiest country on earth. In the 2013 UN study, the twin-island state placed 31st overall in the world, ahead of countries including oil-rich Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, as well as Spain, Thailand and South Korea. Six key variables factored into the study’s conclusions: “Real GDP per capita, healthy life expectancy, having someone to count on, perceived freedom to make life choices, freedom from corruption and generosity.” Employing data covering the three-year period from 20...

We present and encourage progressive Caribbean views of Caribbean and world affairs. by Michael Headley History shows that some wars have been perpetrated through half truths  and outright lies so that the provocateurs of war could continue to satisfy their insatiable appetites for power, resources and wealth, the Military-Industrial complex being the greatest benefactor.  As far back as 1778, in order to get the British to go to war with Spain, the British Captain Robert Jenkins, Master of the brig Rebecca, claimed that a Spanish soldier had cut off his ear while searching his brig.  It was rumored that a pickled sow's ear was sent to the British subcommittee, investigating the claim, as proof of Jenkins' injury.  And modern research is doubtful if Jenkins even appeared before the committee.   However, the British attacked Spain in  1739.       As some United States officials flirted with the idea of bombing Syria, the British ...

We present and encourage progressive Caribbean views of Caribbean and world affairs. " Today popular culture is under siege by US television networks and the current battle against US cultural penetration is even more formidable." Gregory Rebess- Popular media and Cultural Identity in the Caribbean. www.waccglobal.org During the late 1960’s and early 70’s, progressive Caribbean thinkers, were warning about cultural penetration and the effects it would have on the region. By the end of the 60’s, the most developed islands: Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana and Barbados, had gained independence, and with this wave of nationalism, the expectations of the populations  grew. This wave toward nationalism and independence continued into the 70’s as more islands sought to be politically independent. With political independence, came the responsibility of fending for ourselves in the world of international diplomacy and trying our best to be recognized as ready for the w...