For the past 6 decades, the US has maintained a cruel economic blockade on Cuba with the aim of overthrowing that government. With the arrival of the second Trump presidency, the US is applying more of the methods of this blockade to the entire Caribbean. Over the last few months, the people of the region have seen an unprecedented onslaught from the new US administration –
NEWLY-ELECTED PRESIDENT of the Barbados Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) Paul Inniss sees the global tariffs imposed by the Donald Trump administration as an opportunity to explore alternatives in the way Barbados sources products.
“It will present challenges, but challenges sometimes are good because it allows us to think differently and also think outside the box.
“The implementation of tariffs certainly gives us an opportunity to just stop and think about what we’re doing and what are the options before us. We may find out that there’s a better way to do business or that there are other markets to source products,” he explained.
Inniss was speaking at the media launch of the BCCI’s 200th Anniversary Celebration, at Hilton Barbados, Needham’s Point, St Michael, last Friday, after he was announced as the new president.
He said dependence on a single market was no longer viable in the face of these challenges and stressed the need to diversify partners and plan contingencies for events that would impact the market.
On alternative ways of sourcing products, Inniss proposed collaborations between regional companies to move supplies from Latin and South America that would normally go through southern United States.
“For example, a lot of our fruits come through Florida, but Florida also gets those fruits and a lot of those items from Latin and South America. Why couldn’t we go directly to source and see if there’s an opportunity to directly import those, rather than through Florida or Miami?
“Have relationships set up for the Caribbean, not just for Barbados, but how can we work together as CARICOM. I think there’s an opportunity for us to be bold and be bold enough to not only talk about it, but actually go into the markets and actually see where those opportunities are,” he added.
The BCCI has participated in several discussions and engagements with CARICOM entities and is also seeking a partnership with the CARICOM Private Sector Organisation.
“This is one of the good things that we hope will come out of our current circumstances – the ability to collaborate and partner regionally, as opposed to trying to go at it individually, whether it’s by company or country . . . . I think the Caribbean space will benefit from the efforts of the various partners working together to achieve some solutions and outcomes that are in our own interests and benefit,” Inniss said, who is also executive vice-president and general manager of Sagicor Life Inc.
Re-invigorating CARICOM–Canada Trade in a Shifting Global Order
By caribbeantradelaw on May 5, 2025
Alicia Nicholls
On May 5, 2025 I had the opportunity and pleasure of being a panelist on the Canada Caribbean Institute (CCI)’s webinar entitled “Canada-CARICOM Relations in the Trump Era”. In this blog post, I share and expand on some of the reflections I made at this session around the theme of reinvigorating CARICOM-Canada trade in this current global dispensation.
While the US remains an important partner for Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries, it is well understood in international trade and development circles that overreliance on any single market or partner increases exposure to geopolitical, economic and other shocks emanating in that partner. For the small island developing states (SIDS) of CARICOM whose economies are already highly open and vulnerable, diversifying trade and economic relationships is not a luxury, but a necessity. Diversification entails not only expanding south-south ties with Africa, China, and Latin America, as CARICOM countries have been increasingly been doing, but also strengthening partnerships with long-standing allies like Canada. In this storm of uncertainty, Canada stands out as a stable and values-aligned safe harbour—a reality reinforced by the presence of a sizable Caribbean diaspora in Canada and a not insignificant Canadian diaspora presence here in the Caribbean, serving as bridges between us.
The foundations of the Canada-CARICOM trading relationship stretch back to the colonial era when trade between the British West Indies and British North America (now Canada) involved an exchange of sugar, molasses, and rum for Canadian fish, lumber, and flour. That historical trade has evolved in structure and content, but the essence of mutual respect and cooperation remains. Today, our trade is anchored by the Canada Caribbean Trade Agreement (CARIBCAN)—a non-reciprocal preferential trade arrangement established in 1986 under which Canada grants unilateral duty-free access to eligible goods from Commonwealth Caribbean countries and territories. This covers most CARICOM countries’ exports to Canada, excluding goods in Harmonised System (HS) chapters 50-65 (mainly textile products) and goods subject to most favoured nation (MFN) tariffs of over 35%.
CARIBCAN beneficiary countries or territories are Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, The BVI, the Cayman Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Montserrat, St. Kitts & Nevis, St Lucia, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, Trinidad & Tobago and the Turks and Caicos Islands. Notably, CARICOM member States Suriname and Haiti are not CARIBCAN beneficiaries.
The arrangement is unilateral which means that beneficiary countries and territories are not required to reciprocate by lowering duties on Canadian imports, reflecting the agreement’s original development-oriented rationale: to enhance the region’s export capacity, promote economic development, and stimulate regional integration. The arrangement is subject to a World Trade Organisation (WTO) waiver, which was most recently extended in 2023 for another ten year period (until 2033).
Despite this favourable arrangement, CARICOM’s trade performance with Canada has seen signs of stagnation. According to data gleaned from ITC’s Market Access Map, bilateral trade between CARICOM and Canada was valued at just US $1.2 billion in 2024. This is relatively modest when compared to CARICOM’s trade volumes with other partners. Notably, CARICOM enjoyed a trade surplus with Canada until 2019, but that dynamic has since reversed and Canada now enjoys a surplus with the region. CARICOM countries’ margin of preference in the Canadian market has declined as Canada has concluded agreements with other partners and its tariffs have lowered. Moreover, utilization rates of CARIBCAN preferences vary significantly across countries, with some utilising the preferences for significant shares of their exports and others failing to capitalize on the access afforded. CARICOM’s share of Canadian imports has declined, from 0.17% in 2014 to just 0.09% in 2024. Conversely, Canada’s share of CARICOM’s imports also dropped from 2.5% in 2014 to 1.5% in 2024.
Digging deeper into the data reveals more about what is being traded and where opportunities lie. CARICOM’s leading exports to Canada include gold, aluminum, methanol, rum and spirits, root crops and seafood. On the flip side, Canada exports oil, wheat, iron ores, medicines, and meats to the Caribbean. According to ITC’s Export Potential Map, there remains significant unrealized export potential—estimated at around $1.4 billion. Gold alone, in its unwrought, non-monetary form, represents a good portion of this untapped potential. There may also be scope to expand exports of products like Caribbean rum, especially as Canadian consumers seek alternatives to U.S. products, including spirits and other alcoholic beverages.
On the services side, tourism, commercial services and transportation services form the bedrock of the Canada–CARICOM relationship. Canadian banks have a long history in the region and for Barbados, Canadian firms are the major players in its global business sector. Travel remains one of the most vital service links, with Canada emerging as the region’s second-largest source market in 2024, sending 3.3 million visitors—a 4% increase from 2023, although still below pre-pandemic figures. With Canadians traveling less frequently to the US due to geopolitical tensions between these two countries, there is real potential for the Caribbean to capture more of this outbound market through targeted marketing, improved airlift, and creative offerings such as multi-destination packages. The education link is also noteworthy. Many CARICOM nationals study at Canadian institutions, bolstering ties through Mode 2 (consumption abroad) services trade.
In addition to bilateral trade and services, Canada and CARICOM share values that manifest in their joint positions on the multilateral stage on issues like climate action, support for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and championing on-going and badly needed reform of the rules-based multilateral trading system. As global multilateralism comes under increasing strain, these alignments become even more critical.
Some concrete recommendations
The 2023 Canada–CARICOM Strategic Partnership, launched at the Ottawa Summit, marked an important milestone. This framework creates a permanent mechanism for structured dialogue and coordination—a platform we must now leverage more ambitiously. There are several immediate and medium-term actions worth considering.
First, we need to better understand and address the reasons behind the low utilization of CARIBCAN by firms in beneficiary countries and territories and ensure evidence-based interventions to remedy this. This might involve empirical research in partnership with institutions like the University of the West Indies. Technical assistance to help exporters meet rules of origin, the simplification of customs procedures, and the creation of digital trade platforms or business missions could strengthen small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) readiness. As most CARICOM countries’ exports (except those exempted from the baseline tariff) now face additional 10% tariffs in the US market where they might have entered either duty-free or reduced rates of duty under the Caribbean Basin Initative (CBI) programmes, some CARICOM exporters will be seeking alternative markets for their products and Canada’s market of 40 million people and where most CARICOM goods can enter duty-free under CARIBCAN, beckons.
Second, the question of whether CARIBCAN should be modernized or replaced with a reciprocal but development-sensitive agreement must be considered seriously before it is up for renewal of the waiver in 2033. While negotiations for a reciprocal trade agreement began in 2007, they eventually stalled due to divergent priorities. Today’s changed global landscape may offer a window to revisit the idea, possibly with a WTO-compatible trade and development agreement better tailored to CARICOM and Canada’s current needs.
Third, Canada and CARICOM could benefit from updating their bilateral investment treaties (BITs) to reflect contemporary standards. Most are older generation BITs which prioritise investor protection over promoting and facilitating investment for sustainable development. In the absence of the negotiation of an FTA with a comprehensive investment chapter, Canada and CARICOM countries with which it has BITs should consider renegotiating their BITs and integrating development-friendly provisions, environmental safeguards, and mechanisms that encourage responsible investment.
Fourth, greater attention should be paid to emerging sectors like digital trade, creative industries, fintech, scientific research and development, and digital health. These are areas where Canadian and Caribbean firms can collaborate meaningfully, and where mutual capacity-building could lead to innovation and job creation. I am always reminded of and inspired by the story of Barbadian-born scientist, Dr. Juliet Daniel, who is doing significant cancer research in Canada. This shows that the possibilities do indeed exist, especially given the strong ties between many Canadian universities and The UWI here in the Caribbean.
Fifth, Canadian tourism is on a growth trend towards its pre-pandemic levels but could be boosted not just through more aggressive marketing in Canada, but through product innovation and better coordination across the region. Multi-destination tourism packages, for instance, could offer Canadians a richer Caribbean experience while distributing tourism benefits more evenly within CARICOM.
Finally, the new Canada–CARICOM Strategic Partnership should also be used as a platform for closer multilateral coordination, including on WTO reform to strengthen the rules-based multilateral trading system. Although the Liberal Party in Canada won the elections in the just concluded election, there is a new Prime Minister and it remains to be seen to what extent he will continue some of the work of his predecessor.
In all of this, the Caribbean diaspora in Canada and the Canadian community in the Caribbean serve as vital bridges that can drive trade, investment, cultural exchange, and policy dialogue, and are important players and allies as we seek to strengthen this relationship.
In a world increasingly shaped by geopolitical unpredictability and economic volatility, deepening our economic relationship with Canada is not simply a reactive response. It is a logical and strategic one. Canada is already a valued partner with shared values, historical ties and a demonstrated commitment to inclusive and sustainable development. But the current level of trade and investment does not yet reflect the true potential of this relationship. There is considerable scope for deeper growth.
Let me thank the Canada Caribbean Institute for the great work it is doing on fomenting this relationship, including its advancement of thinking on forging deeper Canada-Caribbean ties, as well as some of the concrete policy recommendations it has highlighted in a recent blog post. In these headwinds of global uncertainty, we should view Canada as just a buffer in times of crisis, but as a cornerstone in our efforts to build a more resilient, prosperous, and sustainable CARICOM. Strengthening this partnership is more than a policy option—it is a strategic imperative.
Alicia Nicholls, B.Sc., M.Sc., LL.B. is an international trade and development specialist with over 15 years experience and is the founder of the Caribbean Trade Law and Development Blog.
Loading…
Donna
Ah yes! A kick in the lazy ass can stimulate the sluggish brain.
I think this Trump presidency will work out well in the long run. Nobody likes a big bully! Smooth talkers like Obama may slide on by, but cave man grunts rise the hackles of homo sapiens.
Temporary pain for long term gain as the world rearranges itself!
I hear the Rastafarians rallied for Ibrahim Traoré outside of the United States Embassy. If I had known beforehand, I would have sewn back on my locs and joined them. (Kidding about the locs, but not the rallying)
A big thank you to the Rastafarians! Call us bald heads out to join you next time!
Loading…
Donna
Murdaaaaah! Another ninety day pause!
Trump has blinked first as we knew he would have to do. But……tooo late! Everybody will continue to look for alternatives.
Back to the AI shit analysing data shit is all about correct interpretation of truth not misinterpretation of lies.
When 44th potus ( 2009-20017 Barack Hussein Obama II ) had black face
and people claimed USA was progressive and liberal (hooray)
but there were haters who were regressive and conservative (boo)
like Birther Trump, Johnson and Farage outraged that a negro ‘did not know his place’ when he returned a bust of Churchill, due to his racism and treatment of the Mau Mau militant African nationalist movement formed among the Kikuyu people of Kenya in the 1950s to advocate violent resistance to British rule, which included his Grandfather.
Trump Johnson and Farage became the face of the racism comeback and hijacked politics with Brexit and Trump 45.
Biden 46 was a period of calm and Trump was pursued in Court although he fucked up with his support of Israel which lost votes
Trump 47 is back with a vengeance, spouting bare shit like the last Rhodesian, calling privileged white South Africans refugees due to the reversal of apartheid
and implementing racist policies reversing civil rights and making law by executive order nationalist nonsense from the alt-right trolls echo chambers,
he admires the OGs original gangsters of racism the Brits
and the Jolly Old Brits are adding credibility to his nonsense instead of calling it out
White Israelites are committing ethnic cleansing but the pollution began in 2001 with US UK dubious war and back to 1990 First Iraq War
Calling people terrorists in ME and Africa is a license to kill
Loading…
TheOG
I tend to get hooked on one sentence/paragraph
Look at the sentence
“CARICOM’s leading exports to Canada include gold, aluminum, methanol, rum and spirits, root crops and seafood.”
and you immediately see what the problem is.
We can use an umbrella word like CARICOM but when it comes to specific exports all of us are not getting shade. Talk of gold and aluminum we are its just one or maybe two countries that we are speaking of. When it comes to rum, at times, the money is heading out of the region.
Liberia: Barbados President, Delegation to Visit Liberia; Aim to Strengthen Cultural and Economic Ties
This move is in line with Liberia’s foreign policy to enhance its relations with Caribbean countries, particularly focusing on tourism, trade, and investment opportunities.
Monrovia – The President of Barbados, H.E. Dame Sandra Prunella Mason, will lead a high-level delegation to Liberia this week for a three-day visit aimed at deepening cultural and economic ties between the two countries.
The visit follows the formal presentation of letters of credence by Madam Juliette Bynoe-Sutherland, Barbados’ Ambassador to Liberia and Ghana, to President Joseph Boakai on April 29.
This move is in line with Liberia’s foreign policy to enhance its relations with Caribbean countries, particularly focusing on tourism, trade, and investment opportunities.
The Barbadian delegation, led by President Mason, will arrive in Liberia on May 8, 2025. The visit will include bilateral discussions and the signing of agreements to foster cooperation in areas such as tourism, human resource training, and cultural exchanges.
Notably, there will be a focus on potential collaborations between Barbadian educational institutions and Liberia, along with opportunities for festivals and event management.
During her visit, President Mason will join President Boikai for a luncheon at the Monrovia City Hall, followed by a visit to Providence Island on May 9.
On May 10, the two leaders will travel to Crozierville, where a Presidential Monument will be dedicated to three Liberian presidents of Barbadian descent: Arthur Barclay, Edwin Barclay, and Gyude Bryant. The monument will honor the 346 Barbadian families who settled in Crozierville, contributing significantly to Liberia’s governance, law, media, and communication sectors.
The discussions will also focus on economic partnerships, particularly in fisheries and the potential for rum production in Liberia. Both countries are keen to develop Crozierville into a major heritage tourism destination, capitalizing on its historical and cultural significance.
Minister of Foreign Affairs, H.E. Sara Beysolow Nyanti, expressed optimism about the bilateral relations, saying, “This bilateral relationship will bear fruit. We welcome our Bajan brothers and sisters with open arms and look forward to deepening people-to-people ties, cultural enrichment, and economic cooperation.”
The visit also celebrates the historical ties between the two nations, dating back to May 10, 1865, when 346 Barbadian settlers arrived in Liberia at the invitation of Liberia’s third president, Daniel B. Warner. These families played an instrumental role in Liberia’s development.
The Government of Liberia has invited citizens to join in welcoming the President of Barbados and her delegation, as both nations honor their shared history and work toward a prosperous future.
Monrovia – The President of Barbados, H.E. Dame Sandra Prunella Mason, will lead a high-level delegation to Liberia this week for a three-day visit aimed at deepening cultural and economic ties between the two countries.
The visit follows the formal presentation of letters of credence by Madam Juliette Bynoe-Sutherland, Barbados’ Ambassador to Liberia and Ghana, to President Joseph Boakai on April 29.
This move is in line with Liberia’s foreign policy to enhance its relations with Caribbean countries, particularly focusing on tourism, trade, and investment opportunities.
The Barbadian delegation, led by President Mason, will arrive in Liberia on May 8, 2025. The visit will include bilateral discussions and the signing of agreements to foster cooperation in areas such as tourism, human resource training, and cultural exchanges.
Notably, there will be a focus on potential collaborations between Barbadian educational institutions and Liberia, along with opportunities for festivals and event management.
During her visit, President Mason will join President Boikai for a luncheon at the Monrovia City Hall, followed by a visit to Providence Island on May 9.
On May 10, the two leaders will travel to Crozierville, where a Presidential Monument will be dedicated to three Liberian presidents of Barbadian descent: Arthur Barclay, Edwin Barclay, and Gyude Bryant. The monument will honor the 346 Barbadian families who settled in Crozierville, contributing significantly to Liberia’s governance, law, media, and communication sectors.
The discussions will also focus on economic partnerships, particularly in fisheries and the potential for rum production in Liberia. Both countries are keen to develop Crozierville into a major heritage tourism destination, capitalizing on its historical and cultural significance.
Minister of Foreign Affairs, H.E. Sara Beysolow Nyanti, expressed optimism about the bilateral relations, saying, “This bilateral relationship will bear fruit. We welcome our Bajan brothers and sisters with open arms and look forward to deepening people-to-people ties, cultural enrichment, and economic cooperation.”
The visit also celebrates the historical ties between the two nations, dating back to May 10, 1865, when 346 Barbadian settlers arrived in Liberia at the invitation of Liberia’s third president, Daniel B. Warner. These families played an instrumental role in Liberia’s development.
The Government of Liberia has invited citizens to join in welcoming the President of Barbados and her delegation, as both nations honor their shared history and work toward a prosperous future.
Trumps is so wrong about everything he cannot but fail.
His upside down twisted version of Afrikaners injustice is proof how white European pagan people turned the religions of Judaism and Christianity about themselves.
These pirates are no students of Jesus’ doctrines.
Loading…
Frank
Seems PM Davis and the Bahamas have sided with the USA, and now wish to pay the Cuban medical staff Directly.
Loading…
Bush Tea
“His upside down twisted version of Afrikaners injustice is proof how white European pagan people turned the religions of Judaism and Christianity about themselves.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It is not about ‘themselves’ KiKi.
It is all about their BOSS…. the Albino-Centric King of Demons.
You keep forgetting about the REAL battle – it is NOT one of flesh and shiite blood, but a battle between SPIRITUAL FORCES from FAR superior realms.
Anyone who thinks that such SPIRITUAL warriors would show respect for Judaism, Christianity – or indeed ANY of the myriad of nonsense religions that abound, have to be as clueless as Barbados’ current financial administrators.
Indeed, it should be OBVIOUS that such ‘religious’ brass bowls would be PRIME TARGETS to be drafted to lead the battle of wickedness and brassbowlery.
Just look at the Israelis, and Trump’s Christian backers…
To your credit, one of the VERY FEW exceptions to this deceit, MUST be Rastafari…
– A TOTAL OUTCAST from the global religious pack, largely shunned…
– A NOTABLE indifference to materialism and greed
– A Community-Centric disposition
….and then there are the prophets –
– Robert Nesta
– Big Youth
– Sizzla
– Bushman
….too many to be a coincidence.
…and the messengers-
– Luciano
– Steel Pulse
– Bush Tea 🙂
– Peter Tosh
….by FAR TOO many to be accidental
Even our Kiki could be listed here – except for the question of the Herb…
– cause despite Peter Tosh’s call to legalize it, we can see its impact on our 555 from time to time… as often detected by TheO… LOL
@ Kiki
Boss, that stuff is was DESIGNED to be used ONLY by REAL REAL bushmen…..
Not by oriental impostors
LOL
ha ha ha
Loading…
555dubstreet
Life is love not absurd
I think therefore I am
I exist
release absorb stop and go can be at the same time
dao begets one
we are all related together
release
absorb
essence
spirit
chi
body
mind
as one
we are not isolating as one
existentialists you have to find your own way
Loading…
TheOG
Is that Frank who is my good buddy.
Close your eyes and start weeping.
It will be embarrassing to watch this little chain of island cozy up to Trump’s rump and kiss it. He thought he was a bully, but China let him know that he cannot bully everyone on the playground.
Guessing he will have to pick on the smaller guys in the Caribbean
Good morning Bruh, please amend the “TYPO” heading to this piece (EVEN THOUGH THE CONCEPT OF “onslught) MAY BE AN ADEQUATE CHARACTERIZATION OF THE MADNESS WE ARE WITNESSING ( if the “GH” is also removed)
@TB
The fact that the blogmaster did not change the title may indicate that he thought it was correct. In your kind request, as you did not offer a next word as a correction, this may make the task even more challenging for the blogmaster.
ONSLaUGHT, onslAught
I do not expect to be thanked by the blogmaster.
Loading…
TheOG
Have you ever done something that you know is silly/idiotic/foolish/stupid before you completed it and yet you are unable to stop yourself? It happens
What does that mean? (Opening myself for cheap shots)
When some people make a statement it triggers reactionary responses.
(talking about the dim witted leader of the free world not the stuck up stush)
South Africa filed a Human Rights case about Genocidical War in Palestine.
PotUS claims there is genocide against Afrikaners taking their farmland
and also suggests removing Palestinians from Gaza to build a holiday resort.
Mandela was right in the fight for truth and rights.
Loading…
Cuhdear Bajan
CORRECTION: Onslaught NOT onslught
Loading…
Terence Blackett
GOOD MORN*, BU FAM* – I AM MIFFED AS TO WHAT IS REALLY THE TRUTH BEHIND THE GEO-POLIETICAL SPIN REGARDING TARIFFS, DE-DOLLARIZATION & THE SUPPOSED SEE-SAW MECHANICS UNDERGIRDING WORLD TRADE
The #BritishPM, Heir Starmer opined in a speech on the issue of “#Illegal MIGRATION” – ( WHAT AN OXYMORONIC HISTORICAL NARRATIVE ), citing that “Britain risk becoming an #IslandOfStrangers” – to the ire of left-leaning “LOONIES” et al; for one would have thought that these “OUT OF TOUCH” #PoLIEticians & their “ILK” are either seriously exiled on a fire-ant infested island called “ABSTENTIA” or they have NOT* gotten the glaring “MEMO” that the “ENTIRE WORLD” is a dystopian relic of “MINDLESS STRANGERS”, with everyone pretending that they care about their “NEIGHBOURSor pretty much anything else for that matter!!!
IF THE PLANDEMIC* TAUGHT US ANYTHING OF ANY SUBSTANTATIVE VALUE – HAVING EMERGED OUT OF THAT TIME-WARP WITH MILLIONS DEAD ( sacrificed on the altar of “GREED* ) IS THAT EVERY MAN FOR HIMSELF – ( #FillInTheRestOfBLANKS* ) 4 yourselves!!!
The “JOKERS” who run this “CROOKEDWORLD” have not been dealing from a new pack of cards – rather it’s the same ‘ole “NASTY”, swivelled up occult deck that they have been using for millennia – yet making the “MASSES” believe that “STUFF” they “SPIN” is somehow a new thing!!!
#WhatDeception
The playbook is the same it’s always been!!!
“Nothing is new under the sun” (EXCEPT MY MAN GOT THAT WRONG, IN HIS MADNESS)!!!
China or #AmeriKKKa: 2 WINGS ON THE SAME STINKING DRAGON* – 2 CHEEKS ON THE SAME FILTHY ARSE!!!
WHILE ANKARA IS SUPPOSEDLY HOSTING PUTIN, TRUMP ( #NoShows ) – ZELENSKI IS AT THE TROUGH WAITING FOR HIS PIECEMEAL OF SWILL* AS 2 MANY OF HIS YOUNG MEN & CITIZENS ARE DYING NEEDLESSLY – NOW THE SAME TURKEY HAS JUST INVADED LIBYA
I had thought that “KILARY CLINTON” & BARACK HUSSEIN OBOMBER” had #MuammarGaddafi “MURDERED” like a dog in the street because of his plans to “LIFT AFRIKA” from the “CATACOMBS” of “POST-COLONIAL, IMPERIALIST SERVITUDE & WRETCHEDNESS”???
Well it seems that there has not been enough suffering in that volatile area of the “MOTHERLAND”…
Sometimes running the same issues on the blog like the recurring decimal gets emotionally deflating. To recharge it calls for doing other things.
Loading…
TheOG
A warm welcome back to one of my favorite BU people.
I had started to travel down the old paths of two or more Davids.
The ‘old’ blogmaster was very careful, believed in high quality work and would quickly remove obvious errors. As a result, if this high standard is not maintained or seems to falter, some of start imagining all kind of things.
Welcome back. Good to see two hands on the wheel.
Loading…
TheOG
Mr Bushman
Please do not request any more music from you know who.
I was not ready for that.
It hurts.
Loading…
TheOG
@000 (my hero)
I listened to your most recent submission.
I clicked at several places on the timeline but as I was unable to find what I was looking for I am politely asking “Where/when does the music start”
Loading…
555dubstreet
Perhaps you need to get wise son and learn your roots instead of trying so hard to be funny
CH1 28:4 Howbeit the LORD God of Israel chose me before all the house of my father to be king over Israel for ever: for he hath chosen Judah to be the ruler; and of the house of Judah, the house of my father; and among the sons of my father he liked me to make me king over all Israel:
CH1 28:5 And of all my sons, (for the LORD hath given me many sons,) he hath chosen Solomon my son to sit upon the throne of the kingdom of the LORD over Israel.
CH1 28:6 And he said unto me, Solomon thy son, he shall build my house and my courts: for I have chosen him to be my son, and I will be his father.
CH1 28:7 Moreover I will establish his kingdom for ever, if he be
Loading…
555dubstreet
Trump has launched an attack on social media against Bruce Springsteen for firing shots across the bow against the incumbent regime.
Newsflash… Another militant conscience rasta died
R.I.P. Junior Byles
Kenneth Byles (2 February 1948 – 15 May 2025), also known as “Junior Byles”, “Chubby”, or “King Chubby”, was a Jamaican conscious roots reggae singer.
R.I.P. Junior Byles
Kenneth Byles (2 February 1948 – 15 May 2025), also known as “Junior Byles”, “Chubby”, or “King Chubby”, was a Jamaican conscious roots reggae singer.
Say, mi no like dem kind of babylon
Say, mi no dig dem kind of wicked men
For, I am a righteous Rasta man
And I am a dread dread one I man
I an’ I goin’ beat down babylon
I an’ I must whip dem wicked men
Oh, what a wicked situation
I and I starvin’
This might cause a revolution
And a dangerous pollution
Whip dem, whip dem (Lord)
Recommended further listening
Bunny* & Ricky** / Lee “Scratch” Perry Beatdown Babylon Riddim Version
70s rocker from the Black Ark, tuff roots
Roots Killer
I & I a must beat down babylon
I & I a Freedom Fighter
I & I no check for skanker
It’s time for a real change rasta
(*) Bunny Ruggs (of Third World)
(**) Ricky Storm aka King Kong (Chinese Rasta)
“Boss, that stuff is was DESIGNED to be used ONLY by REAL REAL bushmen…..
Not by oriental impostors”
In the beginning was the word
I Am Om
As conscientious lexicographers, we are conscious of the occasional mix-up of the words conscience and conscious.
‘Conscience’ vs. ‘Conscious’: Let Us Be Your Guide
Avoiding confusion involves grammar and ‘science’
Though they sound similar, conscience is a noun referring to the awareness that one’s actions are right or wrong, as in one’s “guilty conscience,” while conscious is an adjective meaning “awake” or “alert.” If you were asleep you would be “unconscious.” To keep them straight, remember to stay conscious of what your conscience is telling you to do.
You are wee wrong bush boy/man
Indian workers brought and planted the seeds which liberated Caribbean slave minds and broke the chains in their brains and is dedicated to all races
CARIBBEAN COUNTRIES, small yet strategically positioned, often find themselves navigating a delicate balance between global superpowers.
Their economies, heavily reliant on trade, tourism and energy imports, are exceptionally vulnerable to geopolitical shifts and international pressure.
In recent years, United States (US) foreign policy – particularly its sanctions and containment strategies toward Cuba, Venezuela and China – has placed Caribbean nations in an increasingly precarious position.
The US pressure to ban Cuban medical professionals, the imposition of tariffs on nations purchasing oil from Venezuela and port fees levied on Chinese ships have had ripple effects across the Caribbean, threatening the stability of these fragile economies.
One of the most humancentred and politically sensitive issues has been the presence of Cuban doctors and nurses in the Caribbean.
For decades, Cuba has provided medical professionals to Caribbean countries and eye care facilities to Caribbean nations, filling critical gaps in regional health care systems that struggle with chronic shortages. Yet, under the Donald Trump and Joe Biden administrations, the US government has ramped up pressure on Caribbean governments to end these partnerships.
Human trafficking
The US has claimed these partnerships amount to human trafficking because Cuban doctors are reportedly underpaid. Most recently, Caribbean government officials were threatened with the revocation of their US visas or future diplomatic isolation if they continue to engage with Cuban medical missions. The US State Department said the restrictions would extend to “current and former officials” as well as the “immediate family of such persons”. For leaders of small island nations that depend on US financial support, tourism flows and security cooperation, these threats are not easily ignored. The result is a painful dilemma: prioritise local health and essential services or protect broader diplomatic and economic relationships with the US.
The second layer of pressure comes from US sanctions on Venezuela, one of the region’s major oil suppliers.
Fourteen Caribbean nations previously benefited from preferential oil arrangements through Venezuela’s PetroCaribe initiative, which allowed the purchase of oil on concessional credit terms. PetroCaribe collapsed in 2019, due in part to US sanctions which made it almost impossible to route bank payments to Venezuela.
Steep tariffs
In March this year, the US imposed steep tariffs and secondary sanctions on countries that engage in oil trade with Venezuela.
Trinidad and Tobago – which has close economic ties to Venezuela, possesses a US licence that permits them to explore gas in Venezuelan waters without sanction at least until 2025 – is directly exposed to this new trade pressure.
The tariffs and sanctions also dash regional hopes for a revival of the PetroCaribe arrangement. For Caribbean nations with limited domestic energy resources and tight fiscal space, the outcome is higher energy costs, inflationary pressures and mounting fiscal deficits.
Compounding these challenges are indirect effects of US tariffs and fees on Chinese shipping. The US has implemented elevated port fees and tariffs on Chinese cargo as part of its broader strategy to contain China’s global influence. While these measures are targeted at Beijing, they reverberate across Caribbean economies that rely on transshipment ports, maritime trade and Chinese imports. Chinese goods constitute a significant share of affordable imports for Caribbean populations, from construction materials to consumer electronics. Higher shipping costs translate into more expensive goods, squeezing household incomes and undermining local business competitiveness. Caribbean transshipment ports, such as those in Jamaica and The Bahamas, also suffer when Chinese shipping routes adjust to avoid costly US port fees, reducing the volume of cargo that passes through the region.
The net effect of these policies is a geopolitical squeeze on Caribbean countries. Forced to choose between compliance with US demands and economic pragmatism, these nations risk losing essential resources – whether affordable health care, fuel security, or trade efficiency.
The pressures ripple through every aspect of their economies: health care systems strained by the loss of Cuban doctors and nurses; energy markets destabilised by Venezuelan sanctions; and inflation driven by disrupted shipping and increased tariffs.
In response, Caribbean leaders walk a tightrope, seeking to preserve relationships with both the US and alternative partners like China and Venezuela. Some have begun to explore renewable energy projects to reduce dependence on oil imports, while others have quietly strengthened ties with European or Latin American suppliers to circumvent sanctions.
Ultimately, the Caribbean’s position reflects the reality for small states in an era of great power competition.
The geopolitical battles will be felt not only in the corridors of power, but also in the clinics, gas stations and supermarkets across Caribbean communities.
Professor Troy Lorde is an economist and Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences at the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus. Email troy. lorde@cavehill.uwi.edu
The geopolitical battles will be felt not only in the corridors of power, but also in the clinics, gas stations and supermarkets across Caribbean communities.
Source:Nation
Loading…
The blogmaster invites you to join the discussion.Cancel reply
The blogmaster invites you to join the discussion.