Category Archives: Caribbean

Audio from the ride can be heard just after the ship goes over the water's edge. Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

Another ride reference this one in the third "Pirates" movie, "At World's End."

Just after Barbossa and the crew fall off of the edge of the waterfall, and therefore the world, the screen goes black for a few seconds and we can hear the classic "Pirates Life For Me" song as well as the phrase "dead men tell no tales" play over the black screen.

These are both from Disney's iconic ride, and they actually pop up throughout the movies. Jack and Elizabeth sing "Pirates Life For Me" together while stranded on the island in "The Curse of the Black Pearl," while Cotton's parrot says, "dead men tell no tales" when they look for Isla de Muerta in the same movie.

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25 cool details you missed in the 'Pirates of the Caribbean' movies - Insider

Yo ho, yo ho, a pirates afterlife for me.

Thats probably not what the people who willed their remains to UCLAs Medical Center imagined would be their final repose, but for some, it actually was. Maybe even still is the jury is out on that. But one thing is absolutely certain: When Pirates of the Caribbean opened at Disneyland in 1967, all of the skeletons on the attraction were actual human bones.

The ride was originally envisioned as a walk-through wax museum. Walt Disney rethought that after the runaway success of the 1964 Worlds Fair, where the company debuted audio-animatronic people in the Carousel of Progress and Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln. Its a Small World, which also debuted at the Worlds Fair, was able to move large numbers of people through quickly on boats, and Walt decided to employ the same technique at Disneyland for its new pirate attraction.

The iconic attractions runaway success and ability to move enormous numbers of guests through the experience motivated Walt to incorporate a similar ride system for Pirates, Arthur Levine wrote for TripSavvy in 2019. Besides, the boats worked well with the theme, and they allowed the story to unfold in a more controlled and linear fashion.

The ride opened just months after Walt Disneys passing, and was the last that he personally oversaw.

Building the ride involved close collaboration between the machine shop, the animatronics team, and the sculpting and wardrobe departments, Cara Giaimo wrote for Atlas Obscura in 2015. The whole thing cost $15 million, about $106 million in today's currency and as much as the rest of the park combined.

One thing the Imagineers couldnt recreate was skeletons. The technology of the time wasnt sophisticated enough to make skeletons that the company felt met their standards of realism. So instead of faking it, the Imagineers went to find the real thing straight to UCLA, where they procured real human skeletons for the ride.

It didnt last forever, though. Giaimo quotes Jason Surrells book Pirates of the Caribbean: From Magic Kingdom to Movies as saying, Eventually, as fake skeleton technology improved, a new generation of Imagineers replaced the real ones, which were later returned to their countries of origin and given a proper burial.

Today, Disneyland says that there are no longer any human remains on the ride, and the internet is rife with accounts from people who have taken VIP tours, which often provide a deep history of the parks. They report that their cast member guide assured them there were no more real skeletons in place.

But some people remain unconvinced. Jason Petros of the "EarzUp!" Disney podcast has a blog post detailing where he believes there are four remaining instances of, well, remains. Two are on the small islands just after the boat drops down to the lower level, one is in the bed chamber mounted on the headboard, and another lies in the jail scene, trapped under a flaming timber. Click through if you want to see some pretty grisly up-close photos.

The bed chamber skull, in particular, seems to have the most speculation around it. A cast member confirmed that it was real, and others have said that that skull in particular, which some believe to be the only actual remaining human bones, was donated by a former Imagineer.

If youre surprised about this chapter of Pirates of the Caribbeans history, well, it gets darker. The original ride had a much more problematic story line, which had kidnapped women being sold in a Bride Auction, with fat-shaming dialogue about purchasing by the pound and other women attempting to look their best as though theyre happy about being sold. Just afterward, a pirate has lost the woman he just bought, who is hiding in a barrel behind him, and is asking his friends for help, using her as the reward. I be willing to share, I be, he says, chuckling.

Even the full lyrics to the song Yo Ho (A Pirates Life for Me) includes the lyrics, We kidnap and ravage and dont give a hoot. While its unclear whether those lyrics have been changed for the current iteration of the ride, theres no moment where that line is clearly comprehensible the way it was in 1967. Much of the overtly misogynistic theming was changed, starting in 1997, according to the Los Angeles Times, and parts of the Johnny Depp Pirates of the Caribbean movies storyline were incorporated in 2006, including Jack Sparrow.

A YouTube recreation of the full 1967 ride exists online, with the creator explaining that he made it, so this original version can live on as a historical document and we can have an educated discussion about it. Theres also a parody calling out some of the most cringe-worthy parts of the original ride.

Even Walt had some doubts about the scene, Todd Martens wrote for the Los Angeles Times in 2017 of the most recent Pirates reimagining. In that article, Martens quoted original Pirates Imagineer Claude Coats, who was there when Walt Disney first saw the auction scene.

He came in one time and even said, This will be all right, wont it? He was just a little doubtful of auctioning off the girls. Was that quite Disney or not? Coats told the paper.

Although Disney has made many updates over the years to revise its questionable themes, there is one part in the original that actually makes more sense than the modern version. They removed a menacing pirate holding a flaming torch who looks as though hes about to cause some real problems. In the next room, everything is on fire. Including, possibly, one of the last remaining real human skeletons in Disneyland.

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Disneylands Pirates of the Caribbean ride once had real human bones and maybe still does - SF Gate

A new Netflix documentary series shows that certain aspects of Pirates of the Caribbean are surprisingly accurate to actual pirate history.

The new Netflix documentary drama seriesThe Lost Pirate Kingdom shows just how accurate thePirates of the Caribbeanfilms were to actual pirate history. The time period was represented surprisingly well - minus the ghosts and sea monsters, of course.

Modern depictions of pirates have been largely defined by thePirates of the Caribbean films from Disney. Based on the Disneyland ride of the same name, the franchise proved incredibly popular, and revived interest in the pirate genre for both film and television. Being Disney movies, they were never going to be completely realistic historical dramas. Instead, they focused on their more fantastical elements, telling fun outlandish adventure stories withfictional characters like Jack Sparrow and Will Turner. They also sanded down the rougher sides of the pirate life in order to appeal to families, earning each of the films a relatively tame PG-13 rating.

Related:Every Pirates Of The Caribbean Movie In Chronological Order

With this in mind, it's understandable to think that the movies are completely inaccurate to the time period they're set in. Yet asThe Lost Pirate Kingdom shows, this isn't the case. ThePirates of The Caribbean movies are surprisingly faithful to certain aspects of piracy in the 1700s, particularly to the look of the time period and the various locations the characters visit. The representations of real-world locations like Port Royal and Tortuga were surprisingly accurate, and so were certain details like the costumes, the look of the ships, how they were operated - not to mention the films featuring some realfamous pirates such as Blackbeard. Along with that there were other true historical details, like female pirates dressing up like men when they sailed and the English government Letters of Marque. These real letters were issued to "professional" pirates known as privateers, which allowed them to freely raid and rob the ships of any of England's enemies. Even ideas from the film that seem far-fetched have historical precedent - for example, there really was a pirate republic established at one point, which no doubt partly inspired the Brethren Court in the movies along with groups like the Brethren of the Coast.

Butthat isn't to say details weren't left out. The Lost Pirate Kingdom, being a Netflix series, is able to get away with a lot more than any movie based on a Disney ride ever could. It features all the swearing, violence, and sex that would be expected from the often debauched pirate life. It was a brutal time to be alive, and real-life pirates were more likely to die of some horrible disease than in some epic sea battle. The series also delves into the role that prostitution would play in pirate havens like Nassau, and how much of what fueled piracy either came out of a place of awful poverty or government scheming. Then there's also the fact that at the end of the day pirates are criminals, and often committed horrible acts of violence against people who didn't deserve it. It should be no surprise to anyone how much Disney cleaned up these aspects of the pirate life.

The reality of piracy strips away much of the fun and romanticism that movies likePirates of the Caribbean, or its reboot, have created in our modern culture. At the same time, shows likeThe Lost Pirate Kingdomproves that even with all the family-friendly content, some elements of the real world can still make their way into these beloved stories.

Next:Everything We Know About Margot Robbie's Pirates of the Caribbean Reboot

The MCU's New Cap Proves The Danger Of Superhero Worship

Brooks Vernon is a freelance writer, filmmaker, and recent college graduate based in Maryland, USA.

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Netflix Documentary Shows How Accurate Pirates Of The Caribbean Was - Screen Rant

UNICEF highlights the damaging impact of total or partial school closures on the education of children in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. The UN agency says the Latin American and Caribbean region is experiencing a crisis that has left 114 million children unable to return to in-person learning in classrooms.

By Fr. Benedict Mayaki, SJ

School closures, either total or partial, owing to the ongoing health emergency currently leave approximately 114 million students in Latin America and the Caribbean without face-to-face school, according to UNICEF.

In a statement released on Wednesday, the UN Childrens fund said that one year after the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Caribbean and Latin America remain the region with the largest number of children missing out on in-person classes in the world.

In spite of government efforts to ensure continuity of education through virtual platforms, and educational initiatives on radio and television, school disruptions are raising growing concerns about the impact on learning achievements, protection, mental health and the socio-economic prospects of children in the future.

According to UNICEFs estimates, only seven countries in Latin America and the Caribbean have fully reopened their schools with the resulting effect that children in these two regions have lost 158 school days of face-to-face school on average. In twelve countries of the region, schools remain fully closed and, in the others, classrooms are partially closed.

Nowhere else in the world so many children are currently left without face-to-face schooling, said Jean Gough, UNICEF Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean. This is the worst education crisis Latin America and the Caribbean has ever faced in its modern history.

Many children have already lost one year of face-to-face schooling; now they started to lose another school year. Each additional day without face-to-face schooling puts the most vulnerable children at risk of dropping out of school forever, she warned.

During school closures, UNICEF has supported educational support through the provision of distance programs which have benefitted about 45 million students in 24 countries in the region. 9 million children, parents and primary caregivers have also received mental health and psychosocial support.

However, the UN Childrens Fund is concerned that the longer children remain out of school, the less likely they are to return, as an estimated 3 million children in the region are at risk of permanently dropping out because of the pandemic.

Even before the pandemic, many students did not reach basic levels of math, reading and writing skills in elementary and middle school, the statement explained. In fact, a World Bank report indicates that 71 percent of students in Latin America and the Caribbean in lower secondary education may not be able to understand a text of moderate length. Before the pandemic, the figure was 55 percent. The World Bank worries that the number could rise to 77 percent if schools are closed for three more months.

While recognizing the efforts of education authorities and governments to mitigate the risks inherent to school disruptions and its impact on children, UNICEF insists that distance learning programs should be continued and scaled-up to reach more children. However, it notes, these will never be a substitute for face-to-face learning in a classroom with a teacher, especially for the most vulnerable children.

We are not asking for all schools to reopen everywhere at the same time; we are asking for schools to be the first to open and the last to close. Several countries in Latin America and the Caribbean have made great progress in prioritizing an urgent and gradual school reopening; now its time for others to follow the same path across the region, added Jean Gough.

UNICEF also welcomed a recent decision of the Ministers of Education from Central America and the Dominican Republic to prioritize the gradual reopening of schools, and called on other authorities in the region to make moves in the same direction.

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Millions of children out of school in Latin America and Caribbean - Vatican News

AMResorts has launched a new on-site testing program at its properties, including those in the Caribbean.

Private hospital network Hospiten will be administering the tests, which can be scheduled at each resort by the concierge.

The tests help guests comply with the CDCs testing requirements for returning travelers.

AMResorts has also launched a program that covers the cost of hotel quarantine for guests for up to 14 days, in the event that a guest tests positive.

AMResorts branded properties will do all they can to help guests navigate new travel requirements and logistics, said Gonzalo del Pen, Group President for AMResorts Americas & Global Commercial. With an increasing number of countries requiring a negative COVID-19 test result prior to entry, it is important that guests have an easy, hassle-free way to secure test results within the comfort and safety of AMResorts branded properties.

The new program is an expansion of AMResorts CleanComplete+ health and safety protocols, which launched last summer.

For more, visit AMResorts.

CJ

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AMResorts Launches On-Site Testing in the Caribbean - Caribbean Journal

Losing an entire year of schooling can mean the difference between a bright future and a life derailed. That is what is happening to millions of children in Latin America. Hopes and dreams for a better life can be squashed forever unless we act now.

We face the biggest crisis ever seen for education in Latin America and the Caribbean. Most schools have been closed for almost a year because of COVID-19. We can already see the damage in terms of education outcomes, human capital, and the productivity of an entire generation.

First, lets look at the damage, and then turn to the most pressing question: What do we need to do to prevent this crisis from turning into a tragedy?

As of February 2021, about 120 million of the regions school-age children had already lost or were at risk of losing an entire academic year of presential education due to the measures to contain the pandemic, according to a new World Bank report Acting now to protect the human capital of our children. The costs of and response to the COVID-19 pandemic impact to the education sector in Latin America and the Caribbean.

And while governments sought to reach those students through online learning and other multi-modal solutions, far too many are simply falling through the cracks. Schools and families often werent ready to make the transition. For example, only about 77 percent of 15-year-old students in LAC have access to the internet at home, and this challenge has been much starker for disadvantaged groups. In Peru, Mexico, Panama, and Colombia, for example, barely 14, 19, 24 and 25 percent of students in the bottom quintile have Internet access at home, respectively.

The expected impact of the pandemic on learning and other education outcomes is staggering and tremendously unequal. Latin America and the Caribbean faced a learning crisis even before the pandemic. Learning Poverty defined as the percentage of 10-year-olds that cannot read and understand a simple text was already very high at 51 percent in the region. In addition, the region already had the worlds widest inequity in student access to quality education. For example, in Brazil, Learning Poverty in the state of Sao Paulo was 27 percent, while it reached 70 percent in the state of Maranho.

The pandemic has just made this worse. At least 15 percent of students may never go back to school. Learning losses will likely be substantially larger for children in the lowest income quintile, widening the already high socio-economic education achievement gap by 12 percent. The earlier reopening of private schools vis--vis public schools in some countries is only contributing to this increase.

While things were bad before, they stand to get a lot worse unless we do something about it right now. Learning Poverty could increase by more than 20 percent from a baseline of 51 percent, up to 62.5 percent, equivalent to an increase of roughly 7.6 million learning poor. After 10 months of school closures (the entire academic year), more than 2 out of 3 lower secondary education students (71 percent) may not be able to understand a text of moderate length, compared to 55 percent before the pandemic. This could increase to 77 percent if schools stay closed for another three months into the beginning of the 2021 school year.

These outcomes also have direct costs, both to the students individual potential and to future productivity for their countries. For example, learning losses may translate into a drop in future potential aggregate earnings for the region of US$1.7 trillion, about 10 percent of total baseline earnings, and equivalent to about 16 percent of the regional GDP.

On top of all this, economic distress for families and the interruption of services students used to receive at schools including meals for 10 million students in the region are harming students physical, mental, and emotional health.

Governments and everyone involved in our regions education need to act now to mitigate the damage, investing to recover from the huge learning losses and taking advantage of the opportunity for change to build better education systems for our children.

That means getting ready for safe and effective school reopening country-wide and ensuring that sufficient funding is allocated for this. So, what to do?

While the challenges are enormous, the potential is also enormous to build back education systems even better than before. The pandemic opens a once-in-a-lifetime window of opportunity for long overdue investments in technology to close the digital divide; in teachers, investing in the professionalization of their careers and giving them the tools they need to fulfill their increasingly complex roles; and in supporting the roles of parents and communities in the educational process. This might happen faster and better (some mental barriers regarding teachers ability to adapt to new technologies are now lower, for example). These investments must build upon the immediate response. Our critical policy challenge is to make sure that this window of opportunity is not lost, and countries use this momentous crisis as THE opportunity to start seeing a turning point in addressing the learning crisis.

COVID-19 could be an opportunity to transform education systems and develop a new vision where learning happens for everyone, everywhere. But this requires prioritizing financial investments in education and huge political will. The future depends on us doing it right.

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COVID-19 and the Learning Crisis in Latin America and the Caribbean: How Can We Prevent a Tragedy? - World Bank Group

Pirates of the Caribbean's fourth installment On Stranger Tides narrowly avoided a ban in China, but why did the blockbuster earn the ire of censors?

Much like the third installment of the Pirates of the Caribbean series, the fourth film On Stranger Tides wasinitially almost banned in Chinabut censors objected to this 2011 sequel fora different, odder reason. Beginning in 2003 with The Ring helmer Gore Verbinskis surprise sleeper hit The Curse of the Black Pearl, the Pirates of the Caribbean movies soon became one of the twenty-first centurys most enduringly popular blockbuster franchises despite the middling quality of later installments.

The hugepopularityof series star Johnny Depps Jack Sparrow ensured that audiences flocked to see the Pirates of the Caribbean sequels, but not everyone was thrilled with the swashbuckling adventure movies. The third Pirates of the Caribbean movie, the original trilogy closer At Worlds End, was nearly denied a release in China due to the movies depiction of the region as a crime-ridden underworld.

Related:POTC: Jack Sparrows Missing Scars Made His Backstory Darker

ChowYun-Fats depictionof Captain Sao Feng as a villainous murderer ensured that Pirates of the Caribbean: At Worlds End, like many blockbusters and almost all James Bond movies, was almost notgranted a release in China. However, the next film in the series, 2011s belated sequel On Stranger Tides, didntcenter on China at all and still managed to earn the ire of the films censorship board, with thePirates of the Caribbean installmentalmost being denied a release. Unlike the third films ban (and a lot of blockbuster censorship), this was not actually due to a political issue. The Chinese censors didnt care forOn Stranger Tides' plot frequently referencing ghosts, the occult, and the afterlife, something would later contribute to numerous high-profile flops like R.I.P.D and Ghostbusters.

While its not common for Chinese censors to ban movies for flippantly depicting ghosts, revival, and occult practices, its not unheard of given the conservative views held by some of the countrys citizens. More often than not, movies thatcenter around ghosts and the afterlife are given the option of a Chinese cinematic release but typically underperform due to widespread public disinterest in the themes. This was eventually the caseforOn Stranger Tides, as the fourth Pirates of the Caribbean outing wasgranteda cinema release but nearlybanned, perhaps due to the third film leaving a lingering distaste for the countrys censors.

That said, it was likely not impossible for Chinese viewers to get their hands on a copy of Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tideseven before its eventual release, as the countrys booming pirate DVD trade (ironically) meant few films were unavailable for viewingeven if they didnot secure a formal theatrical release. The fact thatPirates of the Caribbean'sthird sequelOn Stranger Tides was not outright banned, along with the next years loosening on James Bond censorship (with 2012s Skyfall being edited rather than denied a release), illustrated the increasingly lax approach to censorship in the nation.

More:POTC: Why Cutler Beckett Left Davy Jones Heart On The Flying Dutchman

Venom 2 Release Delayed To September

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Why Pirates of the Caribbean 4 Was Banned In China | Screen Rant - Screen Rant

Royal Caribbean says something big could be announced on Wednesday.

Travel agents received an email about a new webinar scheduled for Wednesday with "some hot off the press updates."

Royal Caribbean's Senior Vice President, Sales, Trade Support and Service, Vicki Freed, told travel agents to attend a webinar that strongly hints at a big announcement.

"I guarantee this is a session you will not want to miss out on - I'd say this is the news we've all been waiting for!"

The invitation did not disclose what the topic or scope of the announcement could be, but the wording is very clear that it is significant.

There are plenty of possible topics this webinar could tackle, including an update on when test cruises might start, revenue sailing restart plans, new health protocols, ship deployments, and more.

UPDATE:A new email from Ms. Freed points to a new homeport for Royal Caribbean.

It is unknown if Royal Caribbean's decision to redeploy Mariner of the Seas beginning in October 2021 has anything to do with the announcement.

It has long been speculated that the first Royal Caribbean ships to restart sailings in North America are likely to be short sailings to the Bahamas, and Mariner of the Seas has offered those types of cruises.

Moreover, if there is any connection between the newly redeployed Mariner sailings and restarting cruises, Royal Caribbean can get around the problem of having to figure out a way around needing to maintain a reduced capacity without canceling certain reservations and not others.

Stay tuned to RoyalCaribbeanBlog.com for details on anything Royal Caribbean announces.

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Royal Caribbean teases update coming is "the news we've all been waiting for" - Royal Caribbean Blog

News Americas, WASHINGTON, D.C., Weds. Mar. 17, 2021: Facing mounting criticism of its response to the crisis in Haiti, the US on Tuesday reiterated it is committed to helping the Caribbean country.

The comment at a State Department Press conference came after a reporter asked a question about the US position in light of the fact that Russia has expressed its intent to help Haiti restore political stability amid the ongoing violence there.

Jalina Porter, Principal Deputy Spokesperson of the U.S. State Department stated: Well, again, what Ill Ill just say Ill just stress our commitment to the people of Haiti. The United States is committed to helping the Haitian people to build a better future.

She also noted that in January, the US announced an additional $75.5 million for Haiti, to help in a wide range of issues, which includes democratic governance, health, education, and agricultural development.

Her comments came as #FreeHaiti continues to make waves on social media and as the countrys President, Jovenel Mose, who many say is clinging to power beyond the legal end of his term last month, has asked the Organization of American States (OAS) for assistance to deal with the security crisis in the French-speaking Caribbean nation, days after the death of four police officers in a botched raid.

Mose asked for help on Monday when he met with OAS Secretary-General Luis Almagro to discuss security.

Their discussion came on the same day that an extraordinary Council of Ministers met at the National Palace and adopted a decree to revise State of Emergency legislation to give the Superior Council of the National Police (CSPN) the means to combat banditry and crime, and to empower the PNH and the Armed Forces of Haiti (FADH) to work in synergy to combat insecurity.

Four police officers were killed and eight injured in an attempted raid on the gang stronghold in the Village de Dieu slum, in the capital of Oort-au-Prince, where kidnapping victims are often kept. Their armored vehicles and high-calibre automatic weapons were also seized. President Mose denounced the acts as a declaration of war against society.

The US Embassy in Haiti on Monday said a group known as Fantom 509 is active throughout Port-au-Prince and is known for its violent actions.

Maria Vladimirovna Zakharova, the spokesman and director of the information and press department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, said last week thatRussia can help Haiti restore political stability, secure the country and train its law enforcement.

As a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, were closely following the events in Haiti, it raises our concern, Zakharova said. Currently, this Caribbean country is going through a new cycle of political instability that has lasted for more than a quarter of a century.

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US Insists Its Committed To Haiti - Caribbean and Latin America Daily News - News Americas

Two brothers from South London have taken a Caribbean cuisine business from 500 to a national distribution network - and done it all during the pandemic.

Troy and Jarrell Johnson, who were born and raised in Tooting, are the founders of Juici Jerk, a food business that has managed to thrive during the challenging times of the pandemic.

The brothers have stumbled upon a successful system of bringing the restaurant experience into the homes of the UK public.

But it's not always been easy.

"Starting with 500 seems like a lifetime ago," said Troy. "Neither of us had any business experience. We grew up in a traditional Caribbean household with a big family and something was always cooking in the kitchen.

"We got the 500 to cook chicken in a jerk van, we bought a few fryers and some other things and it really took off from there.

"We used Snapchat and managed to put our name out there and then people started calling us asking if they could get some chicken. That's when we thought 'hold on, we cold be onto something here'."

Once the company took off, Juici Jerk were mainly catering to corporate kitchen events, snagging their first big contract with Halfords.

"At this point we were still at my mum's house in Tooting cooking all the food," said Troy. "She was trying to kick out telling us 'it's getting a bit silly now boys!'" Troy joked. "But we still didn't really know what we were doing."

The Johnson's moved the operation to a shared kitchen in Streatham five days a week and focused on events when the pandemic struck.

"Almost overnight they all got cancelled," said Troy. "Deliveroo took 35 per cent of every order and it became impossible top keep our head above water. That's when we came up with the idea of meal kits.

The initiative that's helped Juici Jerk to expand are its meal kits, which provide a restaurant experience at home.

They are pre-cooked meals delivered to an address with a step by step booklet on how to prepare it.

"Someone even ordered one from Edinburgh!" said Troy.

Troy also spoke out about the difficulty of being black men in the food industry and how there is not enough representation of black cuisines.

"We had done a few street food residencies in food markets but they never allow two Caribbean food stalls or black food stall in the market at the same time.

"They say they want to increase diversity but have four burger spots in the same market. I know of black owned businesses who have tried and failed to get places at markets because of this.

"If Caribbean food is not in your face on Deliveroo, no one seems to be able to order it."

This, among other things emanating from the Black Lives Matter movement, inspired the Johnson brothers to help other black-owned businesses by raising money to offer them 1,000 grants.

"Black Lives Matter was strong," said Troy. "Businesses and corporations saw the need to update their practices so we launched a GoFundMe and are working with some big names to raise 10,000 so we can help elevate black businesses and help them grow.

"Sometimes it's like 'how have we got here without any investment?'

Everything we do, we do ourselves. It's good to give back and help someone on their way.

"Our parents are proud, they are waiting for us to buy them a house!"

Troy said that once the pandemic calms down and life returns to normal they will try to release a new range of products including sauces.

"I know it sounds cliche but to anyone out there starting a company - don't give up.

"We've hit so many barriers and the reason we're seeing success now is because we persevered."

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Tooting brothers who took a Caribbean food business from 500 to national success during lockdown - My London