From tree frogs to Chelsea - On the Caribbean grapevine
“My personal inspiration for the design comes from my love and respect for what was achieved in the 19th Century by the Botanical Gardens in Tanteen, St George’s, and for the role it played in the life of my island home. In addition to providing visitors with a treat for all the senses, the Botanical Gardens was a centre for research, including into the cocoa that is now so highly prized on the island by ethical chocolate producers.”
Catherine John, co-ordinator/designer of Grenada’s gold award medal winning exhibition, Historical Botanical Gardens-Pure Grenada, at the Chelsea Flower Show. Grenada has won 13 awards at Chelsea over 19 years of exhibiting. [Photo: Cornelius Joseph]
“It is our belief that disputes should be resolved peacefully and diplomatically through dialogue, respect for democracy, rule of law, and good governance. We look forward to a timely and amicable resolution, and a return to stability, for the good of the people of Venezuela.”
Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness speaking after a one-day visit to Jamaica by Venezuelan President Nicholas Maduro.
“If they tell you to get out, you have to get out... Haiti is my country, but it doesn’t have jobs. So I am going back to do what?”
Haitian Evita Fremont talking to the Miami Herald after hearing that there has been a six-month extension to the permission for 58,000 Haitian migrants to remain in the United States under their Temporary Protected Status. Haitians argue that seven years after the devastating quake, Haiti is still recovering economically and socially.
“My daughter went and gone there. I never knew that... until a week after, she rang me and told me she was in so-and-so a place. If I’m encouraging, then would not my daughter tell me, ‘Look, we going so-and-so place’... My next daughter gone, I never knew that.”
Trinidadian Imam Nazim Mohammed during an interview with al-Jazeera for its documentary ISIL in the Caribbean: Why Trinidadians fight in Syria and Iraq. He denies encouraging youg people in Trinidad to go to Syria to fight for the caliphate. The imam of the masjid in Boos Village, Rio Claro in south Trinidad, said that 15 members of his family, including spouses, children and grandchildren, have left Trinidad for Syria.
“Thankfully, Freddo isn’t dangerous or poisonous. As it turns out, this kind of frog is very common in the Dominican Republic. Freddo is really cute with big eyes. He changed colour to the white of a plastic bag and the colour of the rock, which was fascinating to watch.”
Annie Janes, Animal Collection Officer (ACO) after being called in to a supermarket in Surrey, England to collect a Hispaniolan common tree frog. It had survived the flight from the Dominican Republic and was found stowed away in a batch of bananas at Waitrose in Haslemere. Staff named him Freddo, after the chocolate bar. He is now being cared for by the RSPCA.
By Debbie Ransome
For many in the Caribbean diaspora in Britain, Rudolph Walker is a national treasure. Not
Caribbean Intelligence review of Sweet Li Jie by David Dabydeen
Review by Debbie Ransome, Managing