Category Archives: Caribbean

SAUGERTIES, N.Y. As Bob Marley and the Wailers once sang in one of the reggae acts most iconic songs, the message of Saturdays Seasoned Gives Caribbean Carnival at Cantine Field was One Love.

Visitors enjoyed Caribbean food from Jamaica, Puerto Rico and St. Kitts and plenty of reggae music. Some danced and still others dressed up for carnival with colorful outfits featuring feathers in the spirit of a true Caribbean carnival.

The festivities kicked off with a small parade of about a half-dozen units that marched down Washington Avenue and Main and Market streets.The longest lines were for food vendors serving Caribbean favorites like jerk chicken and fried plantains.

Martin Dunkley, who co-founded Season Gives with his wife, Tamika Dunkley, said the festival, returning for its third year, represents a great way to celebrate cultures traditionally underrepresented while also allowing everyone to just come together and have a great time and enjoy one anothers heritage.

There are people of all colors here enjoying the event today, Dunkley said.

Tamika Dunkley said the festival fits right in with the Lake Katrina-based Seasoned Gives as it fulfills its mission of helping people, particularly people of color and women starting their own businesses. She said many of the vendors were mentees they worked with.

Martin Dunkley said the music bill featured several local bands that may not have otherwise had an opportunity to play in front of a crowd that was expected to grow into the thousands by the time day was out.

As for why a Caribbean Festival, Tamika Dunkley said Martin Dunkley is Jamaican. And as to why have it in Saugerties, he said they live there.

The return of the festival coincides with Jamaica celebrating the 60th anniversary of its independence in 1962.

Vanessa Hutchins and Witcliffe Cunningham and their 10-month-old daughter, Zoe Cunningham, displayed their Jamaican Pride with entire outfits featuring the Jamaican flag. They happened upon the event by chance while passing through the shopping district in the town of Ulster.

We saw a sign near the Wendys, Hutchins said. I love the activities for the kids.

Among the vendors was Hannah Ferguson, of Kingston, who was showing off her unique bottle dolls, made by placing African Fabrics over bottles destined to end up in a recycling bin or even a landfill. Each featured a unique design with a space and colorful outfits that she said are inspired by the Caribbean and Africa.

She looks like an islander, she said as she pointed out one of the dolls.

As for her inspiration for the dolls, which take her anywhere from half a day to a week and a half to make, she said simply, It comes from God.

I love what I do, Ferguson added. This is not work.

In the next booth, Priscilla Deconti, also of Kingston, had her jewelry, zentangle art and greeting cards on display.She said the colors in the artworks were made with ink, watercolors and glitter pens.

Photos: Third Seasoned Gives Caribbean Carnival in Saugerties, N.Y.

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A spirit of One Love rules the day at Caribbean Carnival in Saugerties - The Daily Freeman

The Caribbean and Mexico are prime locales for villa rentals, offering stunning sea views, beach and pool access and the services of a staff. Many are large enough to accommodate a multigen family reunion, a small wedding party, a corporate retreat or a group of friends simply looking for a little R 'n' R in their own space.

Ani Private Resorts is among the many companies offering villa rentals in the region, but it believes it offers something truly unique, billing itself as "the world's first private resort collection." Ani currently is offering just four exclusive retreats, or resorts -- in Anguilla, the Dominican Republic, Sri Lanka and Thailand -- with a fifth villa resort (a second location in Anguilla) scheduled to join the collection in 2024. At Ani, guests are assured that their group will be the only one booked at the resort during the duration of their stay.

Ani Private Resorts and its nonprofit Ani Art Academies were founded in 2010 by philanthropist and arts patron Tim Reynolds. The company name is derived from the Swahili word andjani, which means the path or journey ahead, according to Henny Frazer, Ani's chief marketing officer.

"Each resort is designed to host a single group of guests at a time with a minimum of six rooms booked for five nights," Frazer said. "No resort is larger than 15 suites. The ratio of staff to guests is more than one to one. All staff are locals who know the area well and who speak with the guests before arrival to help tailor every detail of their stay."

Ani's Anguilla property overlooks Little Bay on the island's northwest coast. Photo Credit: Ani Private Resorts

"Each villa is located away from tourist areas and offers the services of a five-star resort, including a general manager, operations manager, executive chef and culinary team, hosts and housekeepers," she added.

The four private resorts are newbuilds, beginning with the Anguilla property, which opened in 2010 on the north coast of the island overlooking Little Bay.

All Ani resorts except Anguilla are all-inclusive; Ani Anguilla features half board (two meals a day) "because that island has such fine restaurants, we want our guests to be able to venture out and sample them," said Frazer, adding, "Guests have the option of full board for an additional $75 per day."

Related: A sunny and bright forecast for Anguilla

Two villas housing oceanview suites and guestrooms sit atop a bluff in Anguilla and can accommodate up to a group of 20.

Ani Dominican Republic opened in 2017 on a private peninsula on the island's north coast between Samana and Cabarete and features Villa Larimar and Villa Amber, accommodating up to 28 guests with a team of more than 30 staff to fine-tune every aspect of the stay.

Outside the Caribbean, Ani Sri Lanka is located on that island's south coast overlooking the Indian Ocean. It has two infinity pools and two salas -- large modern areas with upstairs and downstairs living and dining spaces -- and room for up to 30 guests.

Ani Thailand boasts lush gardens and views of Phang Nga Bay. It welcomes groups up to 20.

Postcard From Asia: Greetings from Thailand!

Amenities at all include pools, beach access, a small gym and spa, an event and entertainment pavilion, several dining venues, watersports, kids' and wellness activities and curated excursions, high-speed WiFi, complimentary babysitting, daily laundry service and roundtrip airport transfers for the group. All offer accommodations with wheelchair accessibilty.

Depending upon the resort, guest privileges include a beach barbecue, biking, movies by moonlight and a sunset cruise. Anguilla also offers cooking classes and a DJ for one evening; there's rum tasting, folklore dancing and cigar-rolling in the D.R. In Thailand, there's a Thai dance show, batik painting and fire jugglers and in Sri Lanka, tuk tuk tours of local villages.

The Ani Art Academy in Anguilla is geared to locals with tuition paid for by the resort collection. An Art Academy can be found at each of the company's four resorts. Photo Credit: Ani Private Resorts

All guests at the four resorts can visit the nearby Ani Art Academies, which offer aspiring artists instruction to hone their skills through a four-year art education program. Revenues from the Ani properties cover all tuition costs for the students; all proceeds from the sale of their artwork goes directly back to them.

"Our inclusions are extraordinary," Frazer said. "Our founder believes that the power of togetherness has no price list. Our standards and goals are to always do everything and more to make our guests happy."

Summer rates start at $13,000 per villa, per group for five nights: winter rates from $27,000 in Anguilla, $32,000 in the Dominican Republic and Sri Lanka and $17,000 in Thailand. The festive (holiday) season already is booked for this year.

The rates do not include a 10% service charge and local taxes. Tipping is at the discretion of the guests.

Commission is 10%; bookings through travel advisors account for 60% to 70% of business, with the Caribbean properties "very strong," according to Frazer.

"We have a global sales agency, we participate in webinars and trade shows all over, and our relationships with the industry are very solid," she said.

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Ani offers luxury villas in the Caribbean, Thailand and Sri Lanka - Travel Weekly

Im having the time of my life, Mike Whalen beams, when I meet him at his restaurant inAmbergris Caye, Belize. Im still learning as I go, but what better place to do it than a tropical island? I live and work on Coconut Drive! How could I possibly have a single, solitary regret?

In July 2020, at the age of 51, Mike had reached a dire crossroads. Hed worked at AT&T in Oklahoma City for years, but after cutbacks during the COVID economy, he found himself suddenly unemployed. Divorced just three years earlier, stressed to the hilt, and taking a regimen of blood pressure meds, Mike decided to take control and chase down happiness, rather than planning for it to happen one day down the road.

Hed visitedBelizea few times, and enjoyed its wild, tropical charms and dreamed of one day maybe retiring there. Although still years away from receiving his government pension, Mike was determined to make his overseas dream a reality. He headed toCaye Caulker, an island on Belizes Caribbean coast, to scout out opportunities.

I couldve kept searching for a desk job, where Id slave away another 15 or 20 years for some faceless conglomerate, but I decided instead to take a leap of faith and move to paradise, Mike explains.

Destiny presented itself, as it often does, in February 2021. Mike was perusing some online listings onBusinessforsale.com. He stumbled across a turnkey operation on the larger nearby island of Ambergris Caye. White sand, swaying palm trees, colorful beach houses, and a naturally relaxed rhythm, the island is every inch the tropical dream location.

Whats more, there was an opportunity there that was just what Mike was looking for. An established restaurant and caf, right in the heart of the islands main town,San Pedro. Mikes only previous experience in the food service industry was a brief stint working in a restaurant after college, but he felt ready for the challenge.

He paid $45,000 for the business name and assets, with a three-year, $2,000 a month lease for the kitchen facilities, courtyard-style property, and a 900-square-foot, two-bedroom, fully furnished, air-conditioned private residence above the restaurant.

He moved to San Pedro a week later and immediately began prepping for the grand reopening of Patz Delicatessen.

I visited Mike as he approached the first anniversary of his businesss launch. He bounced between tables, offering smiles and familiar greetings while refilling empty coffee cups and jotting down new breakfast orders.

Wooden tables, shaded by the outstretched palapa roof, were painted in blues, greens, and yellows. A bottle of Marie Sharps Hot Habanero Pepper Saucea Belize staplestood proudly on each tabletop. Nearby, a row of brightly colored golf carts, their seats shaded by a canopy of palms, was the only evidence of traffic. (Its how everyone gets around on Ambergris.)

After buying the restaurant, filling out some paperwork, and submitting a fee of $1,500, Mikes work permit was approved. Hell soon be able to apply for permanent residency, after having lived in Belize for a full year (fees vary according to the applicants nationality).

He hired two employees through word of mouth. One came recommended by the previous owner and helped him paint and clean the building. She later practiced day and night to prepare everything on the menu, and quickly mastered it.

It didnt take long for Mike to establish a dedicated customer base of local expats, many of whom stop by daily. Recently, hes had a surge in local and tourist clientele as well. Business is booming.

Many of Mikes friends and family have visited in the past year, with some considering amove to Belizethemselves. Theyve all fallen in love with it, he says. His 19-year-old daughter has already visited him four times, captivated by the islands tropical charm. But Ive told her she has to finish college before Ill let her move here, he says.

Nowadays, Mike enjoys living life on his own terms. His workday ends by 3 p.m., and his new laidback lifestyle has enabled him to kick his blood pressure medications. He feels like a new man. Im so glad I dropped everything and took the plunge, he says. Ive found happiness in paradise, 15 years before Id ever imagined.

This story originally ran in International Living.

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How this man went from unemployment to early retirement in the Caribbean - MarketWatch

Royal Caribbean suites provide a range of benefits that can greatly enhance your cruise experience, from an exclusive suites-only lounge to private dining experiences and priority embarkation.

Royal Caribbean suites are impressive, with some even spanning two levels with a private jacuzzi, multiple bedrooms, and a personalized Royal Genie service.

Many guests opt to book a suite for a more comfortable living space, but they might not be aware of all the perks suite guests receive onboard a Royal Caribbean cruise. Knowing which benefits come with a suite can help you maximize the value of your vacation and get the most out of your time onboard.

Heres everything you need to know about the perks you can receive with a Royal Caribbean suite.

The stepping stone into the world of Royal Caribbean suites is with a Junior Suite.

Despite the name, however, Junior Suites are more similar to a balcony stateroom than a suite. They dont come with many of the benefits youll find in Grand Suites and above. Nonetheless, there are a few perks of staying in a Junior Suite.

First and foremost, a Junior Suite will provide more room in both the cabin and balcony, leading to more comfort for guests. Youll also have a full sized bathtub and walk-in closet in a Junior Suite.

In addition to extra square footage, Junior Suite guests receive the following benefits:

Related: Royal Caribbeans Junior Suites: What you need to know

Note: The benefits listed below are for guests staying in Grand Suites and above. Junior Suite guests do not have access to most suite benefits on Royal Caribbean such as the Suite Lounge, Concierge Service, etc.

A major perk of staying in a suite on a Royal Caribbean cruise is having access to the Suite Lounge (also known as the Concierge Club on select ships). Suite Lounge access is available to guests staying in a Grand Suite and above.

The Suite Lounge is a relaxing, exclusive getaway on an otherwise busy cruise ship. At the Suite Lounge, guests can enjoy complimentary snacks and hors doeuvres throughout the day and complimentary alcoholic beverages in the evening.

The Suite Lounge is open 24/7 and can offer a nice way to mingle with other suite guests onboard or simply enjoy the peace and quiet with a beautiful ocean view.

Related: Is a suite on Royal Caribbean worth it?

A convenient service available for suite guests on Royal Caribbean is the Suite Concierge, a crew member who acts as a suite guest's own (enhanced) Guest Services during the cruise.

The Suite Concierge can help with booking shore excursions, dining reservations, show reservations, answering any questions, and settling billing discrepancies.

The Suite Concierge can help you check-in to your flight and print documents if you do not have an internet package. They are also available to escort you off the ship on disembarkation day.

Related: 10 Surprising things you didnt know the Royal Caribbean concierge can do for you

Voyager, Freedom, Quantum, and Oasis Class ships have a designated area of the pool deck reserved just for suite guests. Usually the Suite Sun Deck is located on the deck above the main pool area. Suite Sun Decks can be a really nice benefit for suite guests, as they have comfortable, reserved seating away from the crowds on the pool deck below.

Wonder of the Seas even has its own Suite Neighborhood with a large private Sun Deck with a plunge pool, private bar, and comfy loungers.

Suite Guests wont have to worry about finding a seat for shows onboard, as they will find a reserved seating area in the main theater, Studio B, AquaTheater, and Two70 for main entertainment lineups.

If youre splurging on a suite, youll want to take advantage of as many benefits as you can to maximize your value. A relatively small benefit that can be a nice extra perk is complimentary pressing on your itinerarys first formal night.

Sending evening gowns or a suit to be pressed can run between $7.50-$15 per item, so this is a nice extra perk for suite guests.

Another perk of staying in a suite are the complimentary backstage tours and events offered to suite guests. Backstage tours can vary by ship and sailing, but you can expect to see tours of the ships bridge, galley, or theater.

Youll receive an invitation to a tour in your suite. If you do not see one, ask the concierge if any tours will be available on your sailing.

Another nice benefit for suite guests is that they can have priority bookings on spa appointments and specialty dining reservations. If you did not book dining reservations or a spa treatment ahead of time, speak to the Suite Concierge before your cruise (they will send you an email a few days before the sail date) about making reservations.

One of the best suite perks on Royal Caribbean is that you will receive double Crown & Anchor Society points on your cruise. The Crown & Anchor Society is Royal Caribbeans Loyalty Program which can lead to fantastic benefits once you accrue enough points.

When you stay in a normal category room (interior, ocean view, balcony), youll receive 1 point per night of your cruise. In a suite, however, you receive 2 points per night.

Related: Crown and Anchor Society loyalty program info, tips & secrets

Suite guests have priority boarding on embarkation day, meaning they will be the first guests able to board the ship. They also have a dedicated check-in line at the cruise terminal on embarkation day.

On disembarkation day, suite guests have priority departure, so they wont have to wait for their luggage tag number to be called and can disembark whenever they choose.

Guests in Royal Suites and Villa Suites will not only receive priority embarkation, but an officer will meet them at the terminal to escort them on the ship.

Once you enter your suite, youll find a welcome gift, which can change depending on suite tier. Guests in Grand Suites, Panoramic Suites, and Owners Suites will receive complimentary Evian water and a fruit amenity whereas those in Royal Suites and Villa Suites receive Mot & Chandon champagne.

On select itineraries, Royal Caribbean offers a luggage valet service. This service enables guests to bypass the airport check-in process, as guests will receive boarding passes, luggage tags, and baggage claim checks while onboard the ship. Luggage will be delivered directly from your suite to the airport and onto your flight.

This service is currently only available in Seattle, Washington.

While most common cruise ports have a dock, there are some ports which require tendering on a smaller boat to get to and from port from the ship.

For non-suite guests, its necessary to get up early and grab a tender ticket as soon as possible in order to maximize your time in port. Suite guests, however, have priority tendering access, so you can bypass the line and get to port without a wait.

If youre staying in a suite on a cruise itinerary visiting Royal Caribbeans private destination of Labadee, youll have access to Barefoot Beach, the ports suites-only beach.

Barefoot Beach offers a relaxing getaway with calm, clear waters and plenty of lounge chairs perfect for sunbathing. The beach also has cabanas available to rent at an extra cost as well as a complimentary lunch which offers more upgraded options than buffets elsewhere on Labadee.

One of the primary reasons many guests book a suite on a Royal Caribbean cruise is for the extra space. Cruise ship cabins are known for being small, and suites can offer a more comfortable living space with extra perks.

Depending on the suite, you can find an extra large couch, dining table, walk-in closet, larger balcony, etc. Some suites may even have 2 or 3 bedrooms, allowing for more privacy for guests.

Another in-suite perk is a larger bathroom. Suite bathrooms all have a bathtub and upgraded toiletries. Some suites even have a separate shower, double sinks, and bidet!

Additionally, certain suite categories may have two bathrooms in the suite which can be nice for larger families.

In addition to more living space and an upgraded bathroom, suite guests will also enjoy an upgraded mattress. Beds in Grand Suites and above have a Luxury Pillow Top Mattress instead of the normal mattress youll find in interior, ocean view, and balcony cabins.

Suite guests on Royal Caribbean receive complimentary room service and the ability to enjoy in-suite dining from the Main Dining Room menu. This offers a nice way for suite guests to have a private meal in their suite at any time the Main Dining Room is open (or 24/7 for room service).

Suite guests on Quantum and Oasis Class cruise ships have access to Coastal Kitchen, Royal Caribbeans suites-only restaurant. Coastal Kitchen is complimentary for suite guests and offers a more intimate dining experience than venues like the Main Dining Room or Windjammer.

Coastal Kitchen is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner and offers a rotating menu with a focus on Mediterranean-inspired cuisine with fresh, seasonal ingredients.

Guests in Grand Suites and above can eat at Coastal Kitchen at any time during the week, but the restaurant is only available for dinner for Junior Suite guests.

Select ships without Coastal Kitchen offer private breakfast and lunch seating for suite guests. These meals take place in a specialty restaurant onboard, although the menus are more similar to the MDR or Coastal Kitchen than the specialty restaurant menu offerings.

If you thought Royal Caribbeans suite benefits couldnt get any better, theres more: the Royal Suite Class, available only on Quantum and Oasis Class ships.

The Royal Suite Class has three tiers: Sea Class, Sky Class, and Star Class.

Sea Class is the Junior Suite Class in the Royal Suite Class and comes with the same benefits as staying in a Junior Suite on other Royal Caribbean ships, with the addition of dinner at Coastal Kitchen.

Sea Class benefits:

Sky Class benefits are for guests staying in a One Bedroom AquaTheater suite, Crown Loft Suite, Owners Suite, Royal Family Suite, Superior Grand Suite, and Grand Suite.

In addition to the Sea Class benefits, Sky Class guests receive:

Related: 10 things to know about Sky Class suites on Royal Caribbean

Star Class is the most luxurious experience you can have on Royal Caribbean and is available to passengers staying in Royal Caribbeans biggest suites: the Royal Loft Suite, Owners Loft Suite, Four Bedroom Family Suite, Grand Loft Suite, Sky Loft Suite, Ultimate Family Suite, and Two Bedroom AquaTheater Suite.

The biggest benefit of staying in a Star Class suite is having a Royal Genie, a crew member who is your own personalized concierge and magic maker throughout the week. Royal Genies can cater their services to your cruise preferences, whether that means delivering Starbucks to your room every morning, reserving you seats at a specialty restaurant, hosting an in-suite dinner in your room, etc.

Related: My advice for someone using a Royal Genie on a Royal Caribbean cruise

In addition to the Royal Genie as well as the Sea Class and Sky Class benefits above, Star Class guests receive:

More Star Class tips & tricks:

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What are the Royal Caribbean suite perks? - Royal Caribbean Blog

Arrr! Several new open edition Pirates of the Caribbean pins have sailed into Disneyland Resort.

We first found all of these in Kingswell Shop at Disney California Adventure.

This pin features a skull wearing a pirate hat, bandanna, and earpatch. Two swords are next to it and a banner reads, Living that pirate life.

This pin features a skeletal pirate looking through a telescope in a crows nest. The flag sailing from the mast is black and tattered, reading, Disney Pirates of the Caribbean.

On this pin, two skeleton pirates are locked in a stalemate during a game of chess in this scene from the Pirates of the Caribbean queue.

This pin has a skeleton parrot with a pegleg, pirate hat, and eyepatch. A handful of green feathers remain on his bones and hes set against a ships wheel.

Finally, this pin features another pirate skull in color against a silver background, with is etched with mermaids.

Check out this new Pirates of the Caribbean magnet and Loungefly ears, too.

For more Disneyland Resort news and info, follow Disneyland News Today onTwitter,Facebook, andInstagram. For Disney Parks news worldwide, visit WDWNT.

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New Open Edition Pirates of the Caribbean Pins Sail Into Disneyland Resort - WDW News Today

Wyndham Hotels and Resorts is opening a new all-inclusive resort in the Mexican Caribbean, Caribbean Journal has learned.

The companys newest all-inclusive resort is the Wyndham Grand Cancun All-Inclusive Resort and Villas, which is slated to open its doors on Nov. 1, 2022.

The resort is the product of a franchising agreement with Mexico-based Grupo Cancun.

The 364-room property, set in the heart of Cancuns famous Hotel Zone, has seven eateries, along with five bars, four pools, a spa, a beach club, tennis courts, a kids club and retail shops, among other amenities.

Its part of a growing collection of new Cancun all-inclusive resorts, both in the Hotel Zone and in newer areas like Puerto Cancun.

Wyndham Grand resorts offer everyday travelers experiences in some of the worlds most sought-after destinations, which now includes Cancun, said Scott LePage, President, Americas at Wyndham Hotels & Resorts. Travelers can expect an upscale experience in the heart of the destination and immerse themselves in the Mexican culture through the resorts wide range of dining experiences and activities.

Wyndham has been steadily growing its all-inclusive footprint after debuting a pair of all-inclusives on the Caribbean coast of Mexico last year under the Alltra brand.

The company says its research shows that 75 percent of travelers believe staying in all-inclusive is the best way to travel right now.

With more than three decades of experience, we see that we are in an increasingly globalized world and recognized an opportunity to strengthen our international position through working with Wyndham Hotels and Resorts, said Abelardo Vara, President of Grupo Cancn. As the worlds largest hotel franchising company, Wyndham has a strong sales and reservation system, which helps guide guests who are dreaming of their next destination to visit. As the resort converts to Wyndham Grand Cancun All-Inclusive Resort & Villas, we look forward to partnering with their highly professional team.

The Wyndham Grand Cancun will be part of the Wyndham Rewards loyalty program, the company said.

For more, visit Wyndham.

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Wyndham Is Opening a New All-Inclusive in the Mexican Caribbean - Caribbean Journal

By Angelique V. Nixon

Angelique V. Nixon is a Bahamas-born, Trinidad-based writer, scholar and activist. She is a lecturer at the Institute for Gender and Development Studies (IGDS) at The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, and a director of the feminist LGBTQI organisation CAISO: Sex and Gender Justice.

The attacks against progressive politics are intense and none so glaring as the backlash against reproductive justice and sexual rights. The removal of any aspect of human rights protection should concern us wherever it happens. The overturning of Roe v. Wade by the United States Supreme Court on June 24th, 2022 is a devastating setback for gender and social justice. This move reflects the stark reality of rising conservative politics, as well as steady attacks against social justice movements. At the same time, social movements are changing and responding to the backlash with pressure from communities and civil society on governments to protect rights.

The US Supreme Court decision has ushered in severe restrictions in the United States on safe and legal abortions in several U.S. states (with a number banning access all together). The unfolding political and legal responses to this decision will undoubtedly continue for a while even as the consequences are immediate and dire for too many people living in the U.S. The restrictions and bans will disproportionately impact young people, poor and working-class women, women of colour, queer and non-binary people, and migrants (among other marginalised groups). Decades of social science, public health, and medical research (as well as insights from healthcare professionals) emphasise that reproductive rights and justice are essential for the development and wellbeing of any society, for women and girls in particular, and a cornerstone for gender equality. The evidence is clear that governments should not legislate to control bodies or prevent bodily autonomy especially for women and other marginalised or oppressed groups. The contradictions and hypocrisy prevail in the most powerful democracy where cis-gender heterosexual white men in positions of power determine and remove choices for too many people.

But what does this massive step back in reproductive rights in the United States mean especially for us in the Caribbean? What are the lessons here for our own struggles to protect reproductive rights and the movements for gender and sexual justice? Given the conservative and religious contexts within our postcolonial condition, we are at a precipice and must be on guard against the pressures of U.S. influence that we know affect the region daily. I wonder how we can use this moment to propel our movements forward and call upon our governments to protect reproductive rights and bodily autonomy through decriminalisation of abortion and sex work, and to actively advance gender justice and sexual rights. I wonder if we can see the ironies and parallels in demanding my body, my choice when it comes to vaccines and connect this need for bodily autonomy when it comes to reproductive rights.

The Caribbean Observatory on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights, and the Caribbean Family Planning Affiliation (CFPA), issued a statement calling on Caribbean governments to respect and protect the Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights of Caribbean People. They affirmed support of women and girls and bodily autonomy, and stated that: It is a Human Right to have access to reproductive care. The removal of this Right negatively impacts the physical, mental, and economic health of a person, and thus the community at large.

The statement also shared a brief overview of the current situation in the Caribbean region regarding abortion access and a reminder that:

The criminalization of abortion is incompatible with international human rights obligations. Without access to safe abortion, poor women and girls often resort to unsafe means of abortions. Evidence strongly points out that despite restrictive laws, abortion is prevalent in the Caribbean with higher incidences of abortions than in countries with more liberal laws.

In several Caribbean countries, legal and cultural restrictions on termination of pregnancies and the debates on rights are common and rife with contentious political divides. In the Anglophone Caribbean, only Barbados and Guyana have decriminalised abortion while three countries (Belize, St Lucia, and St Vincent) have expanded access only in medically-needed situations. In the rest of the Anglophone Caribbean, access to safe abortions is severely restricted and only available to those who have the means to travel elsewhere or with access to private healthcare. Even though Guyana has long established abortion rights, access to these services are limited and complicated in the public healthcare system (for several reasons including lack of implementation and resources). Again, this means that only people with means are able to access safe legal abortions, even in a country where it is legal and should be accessible. Meanwhile in Cuba, abortions have been accessible, safe, legal, and free for decades.

Caribbean governments must not follow the United States and their regressive and harmful treatment of reproductive health and rights. In fact, we should be following Cubas lead and looking towards Latin America where in recent years the right to abortion has been enshrined in law and protected in response to womens movements (most recently in Argentina, Mexico, and Colombia) in spite of conservative pressures.

We must continue to raise the alarm as the decision to overturn Roe v. Wade has led into a dangerous slope of curtailing reproductive choices and criminalising bodies for pregnant people with complications. Also, it appears a precedent has been set for not only controlling family planning and reproduction but also limiting sexual rights and LGBTQI+ rights. We are living in dangerous times for women and girls, for queer people, for working class people, for migrants, for those on any margins where our bodies, our lives, our rights are increasingly under control and surveillance.

On the issue of birth control, it is necessary to draw upon our regional knowledge and anti-colonial struggles that affirmed our rights to be in these spaces with freedom and integrity, and to make choices when it comes to bodies and reproduction. In an essay, Reproductive Rights and Race Struggle in the Decolonizing Caribbean, Nicole Bourbonnais cites a Trinidadian Family Planning Report published by the Peoples National Movement in 1965 that reveals state support of reproductive choices:

If people are to be free to make a choice they must have a choice to make. There is no choice available to people who have never heard of contraception, or if they have heard do not know where to go to learn about it. There is no choice available to the poor in areas where no subsidised or free services are provided It is certainly not the business of the State to force any of its citizens to use birth control, but while it does not offer it, it forces many of them not to use it.

In earlier womens movements in the Caribbean, women shared the need for abortion access and birth control. As shared by Nicole Bournonnais, Mayme Aiken, a prominent organiser in Jamaica in the 1930s, related stories of sick mothers struggling for survival or resorting to illegal abortion to limit their families. Aiken argued that through birth control clinics:

Women will acquire a general knowledge of the care of their bodies which would be a great contribution to family welfare. Why not give a fair chance to every child that is born; and the right to every woman of voluntary parenthood?

These questions of rights, choices, and care remain as relevant today as it was in the past for not only women and children, but for all communities and people

Further, forced sterilisations and birth control medical testing on Black and Brown women in the Caribbean (and Americas) have to be carefully understood in calls for reproductive and sexual rights. We must confront mistrust of medical systems, family planning, and population control because of past injustices. We carry these memories and stories haunted by colonial legacies and control over bodies.

This is why we must demand sexual justice defined as affirming ones bodily and sexual autonomy, agency, rights, and freedom. Sexual justice includes reproductive rights and justice (safe and legal access to sexual and reproductive healthcare) and an understanding that Sexual Rights are fundamental to our Human Rights. As practitioners and activists argue, the control over women and girls bodies and sexuality increases gender-based violence and places severe limitations on mobility, education, employment, and participation in public life. Similarly, lesbians, gay men, bisexual, queer, transgender, intersex, gender non-conforming people and sex workers (and others who disrupt sexual and gender norms) face greater risk of violence, stigma, and discrimination because of sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity.

Movements for gender and sexual justice are obviously aligned but are too often divided because of homophobia, transphobia, and respectability politics. Black feminist lesbian poet and thinker Audre Lorde insisted that we must be inclusive in all social justice movements no matter how hard it might be. She says: there is no thing as a single issue struggle, because we do not live single issue lives. I call upon us to stand up for each other and alongside each other as our movements are closely aligned in the demands for justice, rights, and freedom. We must affirm a sexual culture of justice for all.

Reproductive health professionals, sexual rights activists, and feminists have long agreed that sexual rights underpin the enjoyment of all other human rights and are necessary for equity and justice for all. This is why we must continue to be on guard and in the struggle for our rights to bodily integrity and sexual justice there we might find our liberation.

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Fighting for Our Lives, Our Rights, Our Bodies: Reproductive and Sexual Rights and Justice in the Caribbean - Stabroek News

Someone with a lot of money to spend has taken a bullish stance on Royal Caribbean Gr RCL.

And retail traders should know.

We noticed this today when the big position showed up on publicly available options history that we track here at Benzinga.

Whether this is an institution or just a wealthy individual, we don't know. But when something this big happens with RCL, it often means somebody knows something is about to happen.

So how do we know what this whale just did?

Today, Benzinga's options scanner spotted 12 uncommon options trades for Royal Caribbean Gr.

This isn't normal.

The overall sentiment of these big-money traders is split between 75% bullish and 25%, bearish.

Out of all of the special options we uncovered, 6 are puts, for a total amount of $432,238, and 6 are calls, for a total amount of $290,415.

Taking into account the Volume and Open Interest on these contracts, it appears that whales have been targeting a price range from $30.0 to $65.0 for Royal Caribbean Gr over the last 3 months.

Looking at the volume and open interest is a powerful move while trading options. This data can help you track the liquidity and interest for Royal Caribbean Gr's options for a given strike price. Below, we can observe the evolution of the volume and open interest of calls and puts, respectively, for all of Royal Caribbean Gr's whale trades within a strike price range from $30.0 to $65.0 in the last 30 days.

Options are a riskier asset compared to just trading the stock, but they have higher profit potential. Serious options traders manage this risk by educating themselves daily, scaling in and out of trades, following more than one indicator, and following the markets closely.

If you want to stay updated on the latest options trades for Royal Caribbean Gr, Benzinga Pro gives you real-time options trades alerts.

Read more from the original source:

What Are Whales Doing With Royal Caribbean - Benzinga

Seaweed covers the Atlantic shore in Frigate Bay, St. Kitts and Nevis, on Wednesday. A record amount of seaweed is smothering Caribbean coasts from Puerto Rico to Barbados. Ricardo Mazalan/AP hide caption

Seaweed covers the Atlantic shore in Frigate Bay, St. Kitts and Nevis, on Wednesday. A record amount of seaweed is smothering Caribbean coasts from Puerto Rico to Barbados.

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico A record amount of seaweed is smothering Caribbean coasts from Puerto Rico to Barbados as tons of brown algae kill wildlife, choke the tourism industry and release toxic gases.

More than 24 million tons of sargassum blanketed the Atlantic in June, up from 18.8 million tons in May, according to a monthly report published by the University of South Florida's Optical Oceanography Lab that noted "a new historical record."

July saw no decrease of algae in the Caribbean Sea, said Chuanmin Hu, an optical oceanography professor who helps produce the reports.

"I was scared," he recalled feeling when he saw the historic number for June. He noted it was 20% higher than the previous record set in May 2018.

Hu compiled additional data for The Associated Press that showed sargassum levels for the eastern Caribbean at a near record high this year, second only to those reported in July 2018. Levels in the northern Caribbean are at their third highest, following July 2018 and July 2021, he said.

Scientists say more research is needed to determine why sargassum levels in the region are reaching new highs, but the United Nations' Caribbean Environment Program says possible factors include a rise in water temperatures as a result of climate change and nitrogen-laden fertilizers and sewage waste fueling algae blooms.

Long Beach is covered with sargassum in Crest Church parish along the south coast of Barbados on July 27. Kofi Jones/AP hide caption

Long Beach is covered with sargassum in Crest Church parish along the south coast of Barbados on July 27.

"This year has been the worst year on record," said Lisa Krimsky, a researcher and faculty member with Florida Sea Grant and a water resources regional specialized agent at University of Florida. "It is absolutely devastating for the region."

She said large masses of seaweed have a severe environmental impact, with decaying algae altering water temperatures and the pH balance as well as leading to declines in seagrass, coral reef and sponge populations.

"They're essentially being smothered out," Krimsky said.

The "golden tide" also has hit humans hard.

The concentration of algae is so heavy in some parts of the eastern Caribbean that the French island of Guadeloupe issued a health alert in late July. It warned some communities about high levels of hydrogen sulfide emanating from huge rotting clumps of seaweed, which can affect people with respiratory problems including asthma.

The Biden administration declared a federal emergency after the U.S. Virgin Islands warned last month of "unusually high amounts" of sargassum affecting water production at a desalination plant near St. Croix that is struggling to meet demand amid a drought.

"We're consuming as much as we can produce right now," said Daryl Jaschen, director of the islands' emergency management agency. "We're very concerned about that."

In addition, the U.S. Virgin Island's electricity generating station relies on ultra-pure water from the desalination plant to reduce emissions monitored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The loss of such water would force the government to use a type of diesel fuel that is more expensive and in limited supply, officials said.

Experts first noted large amounts of sargassum in the Caribbean Sea in 2011 that Hu and other scientists think were created by stronger than normal winds and currents. The problem has worsened as clumps multiplied, fueled by nutrients and strong sunlight.

"In the tropical Atlantic, everything was right," Hu said. "Everything grows fast."

Lakes Beach is covered in sargassum in St. Andrew along the east coast of Barbados on July 27. Kofi Jones/AP hide caption

Lakes Beach is covered in sargassum in St. Andrew along the east coast of Barbados on July 27.

Sargassum in moderation helps purify water, absorb carbon dioxide and is a key habitat for fish, turtles, shrimp, crabs and other creatures. But it is bad for tourism, the economy and the environment when too much accumulates just offshore or on beaches.

A carpet of brown algae recently surrounded an uninhabited island near the French Caribbean territory of St. Martin that is popular with tourists, forcing officials to suspend ferry service and cancel kayaking and snorkeling tours. The normally translucent waters around Pinel Island turned into a prickly brown slush.

"This is the worst we've ever seen it for sure," said Melody Rouveure, general manager for a tour company in the Dutch Caribbean territory of St. Maarten, which shares an island with St. Martin. "It did ruin my personal beach plans."

On Union Island, which is part of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, the seaweed invasion has forced some resorts to close for up to five months in the past.

Masses of sargassum also have strangled the Caribbean's fishing industry. It damages boat engines and fishing gear, prevents fishermen from reaching their boats and fishing areas and leads to a drop in the number of fish caught. Barbados has been especially hit hard since flying fish make up 60% of the island's annual landed catch, according to the University of the West Indies.

An overabundance of sargassum was blamed for the recent deaths of thousands of fish at the French Caribbean island of Martinique. It also has activists concerned about the plight of endangered turtles, with some dying at sea entangled in seaweed or unable to lay their eggs given the mat of algae covering the sand.

In the Cayman Islands, a thick carpet of sargassum had prompted officials to launch a trial program in which crews pumped more than 2,880 square feet (268 square meters) of seaweed out of the water. But on Tuesday, the government announced it suspended removal efforts because the level of decomposition made it impractical.

"The sargassum stranding in the North Sound is unlike any we have experienced previously in terms of its location, weather conditions and scale," officials said.

Other island nations have opted to use heavy machinery to remove seaweed from the beach, but scientists warn that causes erosion and could destroy the nests of endangered turtles.

Attempts to use sargassum as fertilizer, food, biofuel, construction material or medicinal products continue, but many Caribbean islands are unable to remove the vast amounts of the seaweed because they are struggling financially and have limited resources.

Gov. Albert Bryan of the U.S. Virgin Islands said he asked President Joe Biden to declare a federal emergency for the entire three-island territory, not just St. Croix, but that didn't happen. Bryan said he is now trying to find local funds to clean beaches, "but a lot of things need money right now."

Since 2011, large amounts of sargassum have invaded the Caribbean every year except 2013 an anomaly that scientists believe may have resulted from a lack of nutrients and a change in wind strength and direction. And the record amounts reported in recent years are even more concerning for scientists and island governments.

"We don't know if this is a new normal," Krimsky said. "This has been devastating for over a decade."

Read more:

A record amount of seaweed is choking shores in the Caribbean - NPR

The Caribbean is a culturally diverse region with a rich history. There is much more to the Caribbean than all-inclusive resorts, stunning beaches, and luxury cruises. The Caribbean is a mosaic of independent countries and territories; there are 30 sovereign states, overseas departments, and dependencies. Many of the islands of the Caribbean are still dependencies or territories of other countries.

One of the best ways to explore the "real" Caribbean is with a cultural tour - there are far too many tours to do justice to, but there is a selection of a few of them. There are many destinations (both major and unknown) in the Caribbean; tours are a great way to explore both popular and off-the-beaten-path destinations.

This 8-Day tour of Jamaica enables visitors to get a much better feeling of Jamaica. This tour delves into the Jamaican culture, as well as the island's breathtaking landscapes, native food, and unique history.

There are many concerns about the safety of visiting Jamaica outside the all-inclusive resorts. Such tours like these help people to discover and unlock rich and rewarding places with a much greater sense of security.

The tour is an overland expedition through Jamaica with a private tour guide. Visitors will get to see the best the island has on off and the countryside that beach-hugging tourists rarely get to see. Discover the Jamaican capital of Kingston, the UNESCO-listed Blue & John Crow Mountains, the best beaches on the North Coast, local seaside towns, and more.

Accommodation is in comfortable Jamaican hotels.

Destinations:

The tour includes airport transfers, admission fees, accommodation, local tour guides, and more.

The tour does not include international to and from Jamaica flights and some meals (many breakfasts and lunches are included). They advise budgeting for another $100-300 for meals and personal expenses outside what's in the itinerary.

Related: 20 Caribbean Destinations Where It's Better (And Cheaper) Not To Stay At An All-Inclusive Resort

Haiti is a country few people get to really explore - and is a country people are generally advised not to travel to. For those set on exploring the country, then the best way may be with an organized tour. This 7-day tour of Haiti offered by Bella Vue Tours is an all-inclusive tour of the Caribbean nation.

Discover the best of Haitian culture and cuisine with this tour, where guests participate in rich gastronomy events.

The tour starts at the Cap-Haitien International Airport and then proceeds to one of the most prestigious hotels in the city. On tour, guests will discover Place d'Armes, local homes, the history of the country, historical sights, sample local dishes, and more.

Activities include relaxing on the tropical beaches, hands-on cooking classes, and going horseback riding.

Related: Trinidad & Tobago: What To Know About Visiting Both

Not all tours of the Caribbean tour need to be multi-day tours. There are also many day tours to choose from. One example of a day tour in Trinidad (the main island of Trinidad and Tobago) is the Eco-Cultural Experience. The tour explores the main city - the Port of Spain, the Maracas Bay, and the Caroni Bird Sanctuary.

On tour, one will see flocks of the Scarlet Ibis birds at sunset as well as the opportunity to sample pineapple chutney (a Caribbean treat). Guests will be able to admire many historic buildings, colonial-style mansions, and more.

Price:

Enjoy a crispy shark sandwich and relax on the beaches that are surprisingly quiet during the weekdays. At the Caroni Bird Sanctuary, explore the wetland and its many birds with a large flat-bottomed boat and see the mangroves, waterways, non-venomous snakes, and the vibrant Scarlet Ibis.

Attractions:

Island Experiences lists many other day tour options to pick from in Trinidad. There are many tours in every Caribbean country that offers guided tours that delve into the culture and history of the island.

Read the rest here:

The Caribbean Is More Than Just Beaches, Experience It Through These Cultural Tours - TheTravel