On this episode, The Yaad follows up on our previous episode looking at the Essequibo border dispute between Venezuela and Guyana. This time around, we spoke with Dr. Tamanisha J. John, on how the discovery of oil and other natural resources in Guyana and Venezuela has played a role in the dispute. Furthermore, she also spoke on how Western imperialism and foreign corporations had and at present, played a role in the conflict. Dr. John also gave an update on the recent meeting between both...

On this episode, The Yaad spoke to Dr Jacqueline Braveboy-Wagner on the origins of the Essequibo border dispute which sees Venezuela challenging the borders of Guyana which incorporates the region. The Essequibo region, rich in minerals and oil, is two thirds of Guyana. As such, given recent events in the past year of increase investments in Guyana’s oil fields by multinational oil and gas entities, this December saw the Nicolás Maduro led Venezuela hold a referendum in the country for them...

In recent years, the effects of Climate Change has been felt by every country within the Caribbean region. The situation has gotten so bad, that some cities are on the brink of Climate Departure. On this episode, we speak to the founders of Island City Lab, Dorraine Duncan and Jhordan Channer, on this phenomenon. Along with giving a picture of how Climate Departure will look like in the region, they also speak to how urban planning directly relate to climate departure as well policies that...

Our guest for the episode is Dr. Dalano DaSouza , assistant lecturer in Economics at UWI, Cave Hill and co-host of the podcast, A Lawyer & A Policy Analyst Walk Into A Bar. On this episode, the economics academic spoke on the IMF’s Resilience and Sustainability Trust (RSF) where Barbados and Jamaica are the first Caribbean countries to access this new fund. Dr. DeSouza explained the program, what it means for both countries economically and express his professional thoughts on its...

On this episode, we speak to public health expert, Dr. Sherine Andreine Powerful on their recently concluded doctoral research. On the opening episode of the new season, Dr. Powerful explained the contribution of carnival to public health throughout the Caribbean. They outlined Carnival benefits to positive health and wellbeing for its participants; contributions to experiences of pleasure, healing, and liberation; and the opportunities for increased sustainability, inclusivity, and...

On this episode, we spoke with David Salmon, member of the Political Awareness and Respect Initiative (the youth arm of Jamaica Office of the Political Ombudsman), 2020 Prime Minister of the National Youth Parliament and journalist at The Gleaner Company, on is January 2022 op-ed, "The Failure of Youth Programmes". Narrowing on Jamaica, he spoke on the issues resulting in youth empowerment in the country been at a standstill for years resulting in the country been one of the three nations in...

On this episode, marine biology graduate, Aprille, guest host, where she spoke with Dr. Kimani Kitson-Walters. Dr. Kitson -Walters is the marine studies project leader and data monitoring officer at the Caribbean Netherlands Science Institute.  Marine scientist across the region, beginning in February, started to raise the alarm of the sudden death of the region’s black long spined sea urchins (diadema setosum). Scientists have stated that the sea urchins are dying across the Caribbean at a...

Content Warning: This episode contains mentions of death, hanging, sexual assault and violence against women On this episode, we look at how efforts in Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean are organising to get the death penalty remove from their constitution. We spoke to Annetta Jackson, attorney at law, from Antigua and Barbuda, on how the death penalty works in the anglophone Caribbean and the history of how gender has influence sentencing in the Caribbean especially death sentencing. Ms....

In mid February of 2022, thousands of Haitian textile workers took to the streets of this Port-au-Prince to demand a higher wage and better working conditions at firms that export to global clothing retailers. Currently workers earn 500 gourdes (approximately USD$5) for eight hours of work amid an inflation of 25 percent.  On this episode, we speak to a young Haitian professional, living in Haiti about the protest. She also went into details about the government response to the inflation and...

The Disabilities Act was passed in the Jamaican parliament on October 10th, 2014 and on February 14, 2022, it finally came into effect. The Act seeks to makes provisions to safeguard and enhance the welfare of persons with disabilities in Jamaica and prevent discrimination against them. With the legislation intended to protect and promote equal rights for the disabled and to prohibit discrimination against them, The Yaad spoke to Dr. Christine Hendricks, executive director of the Jamaica...

Content Warning: This episode contains mention of rape and sexual assault.  In February of 2022, The Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) has ruled that a man can rape another man in Barbados. The finding from the Caribbean appellate court, which was the view of six members of the seven-judge panel, arose out of an appeal by the Barbados commissioner of police who had challenged a decision by a Barbadian magistrate who had dismissed a rape matter, claiming that a man could not rape another. The...

The Reform of Education in Jamaica 2021 Report was launched on Thursday January 14, 2022. Developed by the Jamaica Education Transformation Commission (JETC), which is headed by renowned sociologist Dr. Orlando Patterson, the Report is a blueprint for the establishment of a comprehensive strategy to improve student performance and educational productivity across the sector. The 342-page document has 54 prioritised recommendations which include governance and accountability; early-childhood...

The Reform of Education in Jamaica 2021 Report was launched on Thursday January 14, 2022. Developed by the Jamaica Education Transformation Commission (JETC), which is headed by renowned sociologist Dr. Orlando Patterson, the Report is a blueprint for the establishment of a comprehensive strategy to improve student performance and educational productivity across the sector. The 342-page document has 54 prioritised recommendations which include governance and accountability; early-childhood...

Come the 30th of November 2021, Barbados is poised to become the fourth anglo-republic in the Caribbean region following behind Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago and Dominica. The world will see the island move from a democratic constitutional monarchy to a republic where Sandra Mason, the current Governor General, becoming the first president of the country and Mia Mottley, staying on as Prime Minister. We spoke to Roshanna Trim, youth development specialist and president of Barbados Youth...

On Friday November 5, 2021, an emergency briefing over amending the 1938 Road Traffic Act took place in the Jamaican parliament. The issue was brought to light by a class action suit brought by software engineer, Maurice Housen, against the attorney general and the commissioner of police, that he had been denied due process as set out in the Charter of Fundamental Rights and Freedoms. Housen is contending that fixed penalties for road traffic offences under the 1938 Road Traffic Act have not...

On this episode, The Yaad speak to Trinidad and Tobago's economist Marla Dukharan. Ms. Dukharan is a point of reference for monitoring regional developments and country-level economic performance, and is known for leading discussions and publishing reports on the Caribbean implications of global geopolitical developments. On this episode, she spoke to The Yaad about her predictions of debt default that some Caribbean economies will resort to and how other countries who were in the same...

On this episode, The Yaad spoke with Minister of State in the Jamaica Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, Hon. Robert Nesta Morgan. On Wednesday, September 22, 2021, the ministry launched the 211 Helpline which is to provide an avenue for children to report cases of child abuse. The State Minister went details about the program and its difference with the other helpline programs that exist. Mr. Morgan also gave an update of repealing Section 24 of the Children Care and Protection...

On this episode, The Yaad speaks to Kristoff Ayala-Strachan, a current student at Old Dominion University studying Political Science and History, as well as the one of the analyst on The Bahamian Political Podcast, Spectrum Politics.  On the 16th of September, Bahamians will have their general election and Kristoff spoke on the manifesto of the major political parties: the Arinthia S. Komolafe led - Democratic National Alliance (DNA); the Hubert Minnis led - Free National Movement(FNM); and...

On this episode, The Yaad spoke to Eleanor Terrelonge, executive director and founder of the Jamaica Climate Change Youth Council (JCCYC) about the ongoing issue of mining in the Cockpit Country. Throughout the episode, she expound on the repercussions that mining in the vulnerable area will have on the entire Jamaica. The Yaad also spoke to her about the recent IPCC report. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is an intergovernmental body of the United Nations mandated to...

On this episode, we speak to Ulises Calvo Borges, an official at the Cuban Embassy in Jamaica. In this episode, Mr. Borges, spoke on how the US sanctioned embargo on Cuba has hindered the country's development and has affected the island's response to Covid - 19; that is, reagents necessary for their development and the raw materials used for their manufacturing. He also went into details on the incidents of the 11th of July which led to a social disturbance in the country. Borges also gave...

On this episode, The Yaad speaks to Rahym Augustin- Joseph, a current student at UWI Cave Hill studying for a BSc in Politics and Law, and the chair of St. Lucia Youth Parliament, on St. Lucia’s upcoming election. On the 26th of July, St. Lucians will go to polls and Rahym spoke on the manifesto of the major political parties: the Allen Chastanet - led United Workers Party (UWP) and  the Philip J. Pierre - led St. Lucia Labour Party (SLP). Rahym also spoke on the current political mood in the...

On this episode, The Yaad speak to Dr. Ishtar Govia, the lead researcher on the Caribbean Policy Research Institute’s (CAPRI) recent publication,” Sun, Sand, and Sustainability: A Way Forward for Caribbean Tourism”. This report compares and contrasts the perspectives of different stakeholders in the Caribbean tourism ecosystem with respect to COVID-related survival, recovery, and transformation of the sector;  where the main countries spotlighted were St. Lucia, Barbados, and Jamaica, given...

On this episode, we speak to a young Haitian living in Haiti about the events happening in the country thus far.  A conversation spanning over an hour, this young woman, an international relations professional, gave context on what it is like living in Haiti in 2021. A pandemic in a country that has not started national vaccination protocol as yet; on going protests, and the current hurricane season have already made many Haitians at home unease. However, the assassination of the head of...

On this episode, we speak to Ashlee Burnett, director of Feminitt. Ashlee speaks with The Yaad on period poverty in the Caribbean and the barriers in addressing period poverty in the Caribbean. As she goes into how the lack of focus on menstrual education contributes to period poverty, she also spoke on what Feminitt is doing to address period poverty. Feminitt Caribbean is a registered non-governmental organisation geared towards advancing gender justice in the Caribbean through education,...