Yay for the Environment! No for the Aluminium Smelter! Please don't make me go and live deep in de forest! Why did none of the attendees of the 5th Summit of the Americas not enquire about this issue? If you can comment.

The Summit of the Americas & Doubles/Slight pepper

Well I have just finished having my lunch, which was quite late. Hot dhal and rice with a dash of my husband's pepper sauce temporarily graced my plate. As most would already be privy to the Summit of the Americas being held in Trinidad & Tobago, where I am from. The thing is, some of us in the islands seem extremely willing to turn food into our comforter, our saviour, our mask when we prefer not to talk about real issues. This is in no way meant to criticize our food in Trinbago or in any other island, but we need to see and highlight all the aspects of where we come from without false-pride.

As I put on the television to somehow help enhance my meal. I was obviously greeted with almost all the channels focused on every little Summit detail, which leader said what and to whom. I take a minute to apply my alcolado before saying this: The Prime Minister of Trinidad & Tobago Mr. Patrick Manning jokingly and lovingly said to Evo Morales on more than one occasion that if he would indulge himself in some of our local cuisine, like doubles or corn soup, he would feel like a new man and would be cured of all weaknesses and maladies ensuing from his five day hunger-strike.

Now I get it. I know that it was a joke, but some of these leaders as per Bruce Golding in these times of almost infinite and political unrest are really putting themselves to task trying to solve their economic dilemmas. Leaders like him are truly and constantly trying to find ways of becoming a 'New Man' or woman as the case might be. They don't hide behind the cloak of food.

To some this might be a light issue, but every time I listen to music or poetry or look at art concerning the Trinidad and to an extent some other Caribbean islands it almost always focuses on food and delicacies. I mean I live here and I have to continue living here. Are these artists that write about the food in Trinidad & Tobago saying this is the only thing that keeps them here? If so I am scared. Someone please forget pride and sing a song of protest against the proposed Aluminium Smelter because I think if we let Mr. Manning continue with its development Environmentally speaking, we will be at a dirty, dirty place. The area of the land mass in Trinidad is too small to become host to such a thing, so much so that it would not matter in the morning if I get to eat doubles, peas, rice and callalloo or roti and pow and all the other delightful delicacies.

We have to be able to express our selves properly or we will be going down infinitely. Peas & Rice is only there to provide sustenance. What about our minds and our hearts I would like for us to do something real.

Welcome

I would like to welcome you to this blog of mine. I took the initiative to do this because I have searched and found little information on the web about things Caribbean. What I will try to do in this blog is cover all the topics that affect all of us but giving it a Caribbean slant. I will cover issues some light hearted like Daily life, Food, Culture, Music, to more serious issues like Kidnap, Childrearing, Teenage pregnancy, Politics and the Environment.

I would encourage Trinidadians and other West Indians livings in other countries to pop in as I would eventually put focus on interesting things about a specially featured Caribbean island, so look out for your country!.

It is time for us to acknowledge the greatness, the beauty and the complexity of the Caribbean. Sun, sea and sand in symbiosis with real everyday issues. Look out for the upcoming insight on Trinidad & Tobago in terms of the ongoing Summit of the Americas that we are hosting and a specially featured favourite Trinidadian fruit. Those of you who have not been to the Caribbean, I would like to encourage you to still visit and seek us out. We have our problems, but then again, I cannot think of a country that does not.

Crystal Katerson