Caribbean Corner

Billboard, an American music and entertainment magazine published weekly by Penske Media Corporation, on Jan. 9 listed 10 Caribbean artists who it says fans must “watch out for” in 2025. The list comprises: Joé Dwèt Filé (Haiti); Likkle Addi (Jamaica); AnnaleaX (Jamaica); Bamby (French Guiana); Umpa (St. Lucia); 1SkiMask (Jamaica); Shemmy J (St. Lucia); Akeen Fennell (Jamaica); Leighanna (Trinidad and Tobago); and Renecia Bernard (Jamaica). Billboard said Haitian zouk-konpa singer Joé Dwèt Filé has “put out at least one new album (or a deluxe version) every year since 2018, so there’s no reason to expect he won’t keep up that pace in 2025. And he has all the reason to. “After scoring a viral moment on TikTok last year, ‘4 Kampé’ has quickly grown into one of Filé’s biggest hits yet, reaching No. 8 on Billboard’s France Songs ranking at the top of the new year (chart dated Jan. 11),” it added. Billboard said while “Likkle Addi may have started putting out music with his br...

"Loss," a compelling narrative capsulizing a Caribbean descendant's angst, grief, and healing, recently featured prominently in the "Under The Radar" Festival in Harlem. New Yorker magazine has described the festival as a "marquee name on the January Festival circuit for over two decades." Through an eclectic blend of internationally acclaimed talents, the festival is reputed for gifting New Yorkers with some of the most innovative and expressive international and local talents. This first-month lineup offered treats at numerous venues throughout the boroughs. However, "Loss" connected with sold-out audiences inside the 99-seat Victoria Theater's Apollo Soundstage in Harlem. The diverse, intergenerational crowd that filled the space indicated interest in the topical production. The presentation's Caribbean perspective seemed particularly endearing. Promotions lauded the Canadian presenter as a writer, artist, design...

This week's edition of "Caribbean Life" features various news articles, op-eds, and announcements relevant to the Caribbean and Caribbean-American communities. Read the digital  edition of the newspaper here . Key highlights include: Political Changes in Trinidad & Tobago : Stuart Young is set to replace Keith Rowley as the Prime Minister, marking a leadership change in the People's National Movement (PNM). Page 1 Caribbean-American Chamber of Commerce : Jean Joseph, the new CACCI president, discussed plans for empowering Caribbean-American businesses and fostering economic growth. Page 1 Grenadian-American Ex-Teachers’ Association Honors : The organization recognized cultural group Quake USA and individuals for community service and education during its annual gala. Page 3 State of Emergencies in CARICOM Nations : Haiti and Trinidad & Tobago declared states of emergency due to escalating violence a...

With #SoupSeason in full swing, I thought it was the perfect time to share this Callaloo Soup recipe. Loosely based on recipes my friends from Grenada, Antigua, and Dominica have shared with me over the years, it’s packed with deep island flavors, hearty ingredients, and general comfort our thick and rich soups are known for in the Caribbean. [caption id="attachment_69769" align="aligncenter" width="700"] Photo by Chris De La Rosa [/caption] You’ll Need… 1/2 lb Dasheen leaves 5 cups water 3 lbs chicken (seasoned) 1 tablespoon Caribbean Green Seasoning 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 1 teaspoon grated ginger 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 1 1/2 lbs salted pigtail (prepared) 2 scallions (rough chopped) 1 scotch bonnet pepper (chopped) 4-6 sprigs thyme 1 medium onion (sliced) 2 Pimento Peppers (sliced) 6 cloves garlic (smashed) 2 cups coconut milk 4 cups chicken stock 3/4 lb potato 3/4 lb dasheen (taro) 3/4 swe...

As the new chair of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC), Caribbean American Democratic Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke swore in members of the Black legislative body in the 119th Congress on Friday, Jan. 3. "I am immensely honored to become the 10th woman to serve as chair of the Congressional Black Caucus during its largest-ever class in the 119th Congress," Clarke, the daughter of Jamaican immigrants, who represents the predominantly Caribbean 9th Congressional District in Brooklyn, told Caribbean Life immediately after the swearing-in ceremony. "As the successor of countless extraordinary Black women from Brooklyn, including my mother, Dr. Una S.T. Clarke, and my predecessor in Congress, Shirley Chisholm, I cannot help but reflect with pride and humility on the work of all those incredible individuals whose efforts paved the path to today," added Clarke, who mother was the first Caribbean-born woman to be ever elected to New York City Council. The ...

As the United States Senate is expected to vote on Friday on a bill passed in the US House of Representatives that would allow the deportation of undocumented Caribbean and other immigrants who are charged with – not found guilty of  – nonviolent crimes, including burglary, theft, larceny or shoplifting, two Caribbean immigrant advocacy groups have urged the Senate to flatly reject the measure. Make the Road New York (MRNY) and the San Diego, CA-based Haitian Bridge Alliance (HBA) on Wednesday joined the New York Immigration Coalition (NYIC), an umbrella policy and advocacy organization that represents over 200 immigrant and refugee rights groups throughout New York, in strongly condemning the Laken Riley Act (H.R. 29), describing it as “an overreach.” The legislation is named after Laken Riley, a 22-year-old Augusta University nursing student, who was killed while jogging on Feb. 22, 2024 at the University of Georgia in Athens, GA. Venezuelan national José Antonio Ibarra, 2...

Guyana's Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Sonia Parag, said on Thursday during an end-of-year press conference at the Arthur Chung Conference Center, Ogle, that the City Council in Georgetown, which collects the largest amount of tax revenue, has a mandate for garbage collection and keeping the city clean. The municipality is responsible for the timely and proper garbage collection in Georgetown. However, according to Parag, her ministry has, on several occasions, taken on the responsibility of cleaning up the city. After years of neglect, City Hall has undergone total restoration to its historic glory. After years of neglect, it is just one of many projects completed in partnership with the King of England underpinning. "The central ministry has supported the council time and time again in the last year. We've had several instances where persons have called the ministry directly for assistance, and we have responded. His Excellency, in his...

The laughter of children and the joy of the holiday season filled Resorts World New York City (RWNYC) last December as the casino partnered with the NYPD to host a Christmas event that brightened the lives of more than 110 children and their families. The collaboration, spearheaded by Michelle Stoddart, senior vice president of Community Development and Public Affairs for Resort World NYC, and Chief Kevin Williams, commanding officer of Patrol Borough Queens South, marked the first of its kind between the two organizations. Families of police officers from all eight precincts under Chief Williams’ jurisdiction gathered for a day of celebration, kindness, and connection. [caption id="attachment_69661" align="aligncenter" width="700"] More than 100 toys were displayed and distributed to children during the festive event. Photo by Tracey Khan [/caption] “We wanted the families to feel truly appreciated during the holidays. From gifts to food and ent...

As leaders of his National Democratic Party (NDP) had bragged, Desi Delano Bouterse needed no formal send-off from the state as he was cremated on Saturday. Thousands of Surinamese either joined the funeral procession or lined the route from his city home to NDP headquarters, where he was eulogized and remembered as a fierce nationalist who had changed the country's politics, albeit sometimes through extra-parliamentary means. Bouterse, who died hours before Christmas Day at 79, was denied a state funeral by the administration of President Chan Santokhi, as the cabinet had cited his links to two previous military coups and the notorious December 1982 mass murders of 15 government opponents for which he was eventually convicted and sentenced to 20 years in prison along with four co-defendants. [caption id="attachment_69584" align="aligncenter" width="700"] Jen-ai Bouterse, Peggy Bouterse and widow Ingrid Bouterse attend a memorial service for ...

Christians and Christmas lovers at Fenimore Street United Methodist Church (FSUMC) braved the frigid weather on Christmas Eve Night in singing popular Christmas Carols during an annual ritual to the community on the steps of the church at the corner of Rogers Avenue and Fenimore Street in Brooklyn. With severe wind chill and temperatures in the 20s, die-hard members bungled up, singing lustily various carols for almost an hour. [caption id="attachment_69576" align="aligncenter" width="700"] The church choir sings "Once in Royal David's City.” Photo by Nelson A. King [/caption] They included “Deck The Halls,” “Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire,” “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” “Sleigh Bells Ring,” “Jingle Bell Rock,” “Feliz Navidad,” “We Wish You a Merry Christmas,” “Away in a Manger,” “Rocking Around the Christmas Tree,” “All I Want for Christmas,” “It Came Upon The Midnight Clear,” “White Christmas,” and “Someday at Chri...

"Building the Worlds That Kill Us: Disease, Death, and Inequality in American History" by David Rosner and Gerald Markowitz c.2024. Columbia University Press                            $28.00                                     408 pages   Get lots of rest. That's always good advice when you're ailing. Don't overdo it. Don't try to be Superman or Supermom; rest and follow your doctor's orders. And if, as in the new book, "Building the Worlds That Kill Us" by David Rosner and Gerald Markowitz, your skin color and social strata are a certain way, you'll feel better soon. Nearly five years ago, while interviewing residents along the Mississippi River in Louisiana for a book they were writing, authors Rosner and Markowitz learned that they'd caused a little brouhaha. Large corporations in the area, ones that the residents of "a small, largely African American community" had battled over air and soil...

State prosecutors in Trinidad are not only demanding stepped-up security for them and other staff but are also staying away from courts in Trinidad this week following the brutal New Year's Eve assassination of a special prosecutor hours after authorities had imposed a state of emergency measures to help curb an upsurge in violent crime. Attorney Randal Hector was gunned down just after leaving a late-night mass at a church in the capital. The attorney/pastor had just finished preaching the main sermon and was on his way to his vehicle with his family when he was shot several times by two men in an SUV. The motive for the killing remains unclear, but his assassination has sent such a high level of shock and trauma in the prosecutorial community that they are boycotting courts this week while pressing authorities to provide them with improved security. It is uncertain how long the boycott will last. Hector was the last of 625 people murdered in the federation with Tobago the pr...

The indelible life of Walter Arlington Greene, an iconic son of Guyana soil, a life well lived, was celebrated after a moving going home service on Dec. 12, with family, friends, and colleagues in attendance at Unity Funeral Chapel in New York City. Greene, a well-known fashion aficionado who died at 74 on Dec. 2, was a model and stylist, Mr. Black New York 1978-79. He was honored with hymns "How Great Thou Art" and "It is Well with My Soul" and received the religious ritual by the Rev. Lee Arrington. He was remembered as a dear friend by Lorna Welshman-Neblett. "Walter was talented, respectful, and very witty. He knew everyone and was always willing to introduce you to anyone who was in your field. In addition to all his wonderful work in Fashion Shows, Pageants, and writing for magazines, Walter was the designer of the Shirt Jack for the late President of Guyana, Forbes Burnham, who was the Prime Minister at the time. This was a big hit and eventually...

New York City Mayor Eric Adams on Dec. 26 announced that, on Jan. 9, 2025, noon, he will deliver his fourth mayoral State of the City Address at The Apollo in Harlem, where he will discuss his administration's achievements over the past three years, the current state of the city, and how the Adams administration will continue to make New York City even safer and more affordable for working-class families. “Whether it's taking thousands of illegal guns off our streets, shattering affordable housing records over and over again, or putting billions of dollars back into the pockets of New Yorkers, our administration has fought every day to create a safer, more affordable city for working-class New Yorkers,” Adams said. “Thanks to our efforts, New York City is not only back; we are better than ever," he added. “But as we look to the future, we know there is even more we can do to uplift working-class families across the five boroughs, protect our streets and subways, ta...

Gov. Kathy Hochul on Dec. 20 granted clemency to 22 individuals, including 21 pardons and one commutation. Hochul said this action “recognizes individuals demonstrating remorse, exemplifying rehabilitation and displaying a commitment to improving themselves and their communities.” After implementing procedural reforms to strengthen the clemency process, the governor has made a total of 94 grants of clemency during her time in office. “Upon taking office, I implemented a series of reforms to bring additional transparency and accountability to the clemency process,” Hochul said. “I will continue working with law enforcement, victims’ rights groups, prosecutors, reform advocates and all stakeholders to ensure this process is operationalized responsibly.” The Governor's Office said it has taken a number of steps to improve transparency and communication in the clemency process. Hochul said the Executive Clemency Bureau has implemented a new policy of sending regular le...

Once the holidays are over, you may look around you at a floor full of spent wrapping paper and sad ribbons and wonder, “What’s next?” A whole new year, that’s what, and a dozen great books worthy of reaching back to find. Here they are, in no certain order, the Bookworm’s Best of 2024… FICTION If you’re a fan of best-selling novels, you won’t be surprised to see “Extinction” by Douglas Preston ($29.99, Forge) on this list. It’s the tale of a high-level vacation spot run by a big-money corporation and scientists determined to bring back certain kinds of long-extinct animals. Problem is, someone – or some thing – is hunting the lodge’s guests... For the mystery lover who likes a bit of mysticism and some true-life in their novels, “Spirit Crossing” by William Kent Krueger ($28.99, Atria) is a great pick. When the body of a Native American teen girl is discovered, Cork O’Connor’s son-in-law hopes the body solves a missing-persons case. Or cases , plural. This book is part...