Category Archives: Caribbean

Caribbean Development Bank supports Caribbean Tourism Organizations service and business excellence programme withover US$223,000

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados The Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO)s continued efforts at promoting service and business excellence in the regions tourism and hospitality sector has received a financial boost from the regional financial institution that focuses on harmonious economic growth and development in the Caribbean.

The Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), through its Caribbean Technological Consultancy Services (CTCS) Network is providing US$223,312 in support of the two key components of the Hospitality Assured (HA) Caribbean certification programme managed by the CTO as part of its product development and service quality thrust.

The funds will be used to engage business advisors and assessors to help strengthen the business performance and overall competitiveness of tourism-related micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in ten CDB borrowing member countries through the HA programme.

Our region needs to boost its reputation for service and business excellence and pay attention to the overall visitor experience. The Hospitality Assured framework provides the tool to drive this effort, said Bonita Morgan, the CTOs director of resource mobilization and development, and the CTO official with overall responsibility for the HA programme.

We are thankful to the CDB, through the CTCS Network, for supporting this effort to help Caribbean tourism businesses shore up their competitiveness.

For several Caribbean economies, tourism is an engine of growth, and MSMEs have the potential to make significant contributions to the sector. CDB is pleased to be supporting CTO in delivering the HA Caribbean certification programme, and deeply value the role it plays in helping regional MSMEs deliver an even higher quality product and experience in an increasingly competitive global tourism market, said Darran Newman, acting division chief, technical cooperation division, CDB.

Over the next year 30 businesses in the ten countries Anguilla, Belize, the British Virgin Islands, Guyana, Jamaica, Montserrat, Saint Lucia, St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, and Turks & Caicos Islands will receive technical assistance as well as assessment services through the CDB funding.

The regional lending institutions support for HA dates back to 2014 when, through the United Kingdom Department for International Developments Caribbean Aid for Trade and Regional Integration Trust Fund, managed by the Bank, it provided funding support for six businesses in Grenada to participate in the certification programme.

Last year, CDB, through the CTCS network, provided financial support to conduct a week-long business advisors training workshop organized by the CTO to equip 15 business advisors to provide technical assistance to tourism-related businesses participating in the HA certification programme.

CTCS is managed within CDBs Technical Cooperation Division and operated in cooperation with regional and national institutions, laboratories, industrial enterprises, and consultants. It comprises a network of institutions and experts, and has as its primary aim, transferring knowledge, skills and technology to improve managerial and operational efficiency and competitiveness of MSMEs through the provision of technical assistance.

Hospitality Assured is a certification programme promoting service and business excellence in tourism and hospitality companies. It is owned by the Institute of Hospitality in the United Kingdom, and managed by the Caribbean Tourism Organization in the region.

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CTO receives financial boost from Caribbean Development Bank - South Florida Caribbean News

Lucy Martinek was 21 years old when she applied to medical school in Canada.

The Alberta native completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Alberta, taking on additional lab work andadditional academic opportunities to supplement her application.

Med school, however, wasn't in the books at least not in Canada.

"I didn't even get one interview that year," said Martinek. "The feedback I got back was that I should pursue a master's or a PhD to make my application stronger."

Not interested in betting several more years of her life on the slight possibility that she'd get in, Martinek assessed her options.She applied to medical school at St. George's University in the Caribbean country of Grenada.

Now 32and a physician in the U.S., Martinek isn't thinking about coming back home. Even though an estimated 4.5 million Canadians don't have regular access to a doctor, she says she doesn't feel like her country even wants her back.

It's a common feeling among Canadians who study medicine abroad, especially since most Canadians who study in places like the Caribbean often have to jump through many bureaucratic hoops to practise back home even after spending years earning their degrees.

According to the Association of Faculties of Medicine of Canada, almost 40,000 people applied to med school in Canada last year.Only 6.8per cent received an offer of admission.

An aerial view of St. George's, Grenada -- home of St. George's University, one of the leading medical schools in the Caribbean. (Getty Images)

For those students who choose to brave the application process a second or even third time, failing to get into med school means the end of a lifelong dream.

"You have two choices, let go of your dream ... or you think of another possibility to go to medical school," said Hassan Masri, an Ontario nativewho studied at the American University of Antigua.

"At that point, the Caribbean becomes an option."

And it's a difficult option.

Caribbean medical schools are modelled after their Canadian and U.S. counterparts students even take American and Canadian board exams so they can apply for residencies in both countries.Still, a Caribbean education comes with a number of caveats.

Tuition in the Caribbean costs an average of $23,000 per term;in Canada, tuition typically costs $6,000 to $26,000. However, once students factor in the cost of travel and residence, attending school in the Caribbean can easily cost $30,000 or more.

Then there's the matter of clinical rotations.In Canada and the U.S., most med students start their clinical rotations within their first year of studies.

In the Caribbean, students spend their first two years learning medical theory "on island." Clinical rotations are carried out duringthe final two years in the U.S.

What really causes anxiety forCanadians who study medicine abroad, however, is how difficult they find it to come back and practise medicine at home.

"You almost feel alienated by your own country," said Martinek. "I've worked hard and I'm good at what I do why wouldn't the Canadian government want to keep me?"

Practising medicine back in Canada is a matter of studying the right field of medicine, retaking certain medical board exams, and, in some scenarios, having to redo an entire medical degree.

After med school, students still need to pursue a residency and sometimes even a fellowship to launch their careers.

Here, Caribbean medical graduates beginto encounter professional hurdles.

Foreign-educated Canadians are classified by Health Canadaas international medical graduates (IMG) and not Canadian medical graduates (CMG).

The Canadian Resident Matching Services (CaRMS), anot-for-profit organization, works with Canada's medical schools and teaching hospitals tomatch med students with residency programs.

According to Lisa Turiff, the manager of communications for CaRMS, foreign-trained med students who apply to residency programs in Canada aren't separated based on their countries of origin.A Canadian who studied in the Caribbean is treated the same as a German who studied in Germany.They're all classified as IMGs.

Last year, only 100 of the approximately 1,800 IMGswho applied to Canadian residency programs including Canadians studying abroad in places like the Caribbean, Ireland, Australia, and the U.K. landeda spot.

Average med school tuition in Canada is almost $10,000 cheaper than the Caribbean. (CBC)

Would-be residents and fellows must study a medical specialty specified by the Pan-Canadian List of Needed Specialities (PCLNS).

Tammy Jarbeau, senior media relations adviser at Health Canada, says the listis organized by the provinces and territories to determine how many specialist doctors are needed each year.

"This list reflects the evolving pan-Canadian physician workforce planning landscape," said Jarbeau.

If, for example, Ontario determines that it doesn't need anymore chest surgeons one year, the government won't issue statements of need for chest surgery fellowships.

In fact, Martinekencountereda problem when she chased aminimally invasive surgery fellowship last year.

"That year, the Canadian government was thinking of not sponsoring anyone for a fellowship," said Martinek. "We got them to reconsider [but] they didn't approve my ... fellowship."

Martinek eventually landed a trauma surgery fellowship at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, Mass.,a teaching hospital that is part of Harvard Medical School.

Martinek also feels that most foreign-trained Canadians aren't given any preferential treatment when returning home, which ironically dissuades foreign-trained Canadian doctors from coming back at all.

"I don't know why they don't want us," said Martinek.

Health Canada, the provinces, the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada and the provincial physician colleges make clear thesteps required for foreign-trained doctors whether they're Canadian citizens, permanent residentsor foreign nationals to practise in Canada.

For some , it's as simple as verifying their medical degrees and taking specific college licensing exams. For others, it's more complicated.

Farhan Bhanji, associate director of the college, said it's not impossible for foreign-trained doctors to practise in Canada.

"Right now, there are many foreign physicians in Canada."

However, Bhanjialso said that the existing policies don't apply to every foreign physician. Foreign-doctors who attended medical schools not recognized by Canada, for example, need to retake certain exams to seek appointment to the college.

Other foreign-trained doctors can receive provisional licenses that allow them to practise under the care of a supervising physicianwhile awaiting the college'slicence exams.

"We're stuck with minimal choices," said Martinek.

A lack of returning Canadian doctors is difficult for some provinceslike British Columbia and Nova Scotiathat have describedtheir lack of doctors as a "crisis."Places like northern Ontariodon't fare much better.

Sandra Banner has 35 years of experience matching students to Canadian residencies. Today she works for St. George's University (SGU) as the consultant for university relations in Canada.

Banner says that there are "sweeping generalizations" about the quality of education at schools like SGU.

For instance, people assume that Caribbean-trained doctors boughttheir degreesor that the quality of medical training they received is inferior to that of their Canadian counterparts.

Banner says that'snot true.

The locations of the five most popular Caribbean med schools. (CBC News)

Still, Banner wouldn't recommend attending a Caribbean med school over a Canadian one.

"Never. No, no, no. Never," said Banner. "We would never suggest that they choose an international medical school over a Canadian medical school."

The difficulty of going back home is one of the reasons she'd dissuade prospective med students from listing a Caribbean school as their first choice.

However, "if [applicants]are not one of the lucky ones and they are determined to become physicians," Bannerrecommends a Caribbean school as an alternative.

Masri is one Canadian who did manage to come home.

He studied at the American University of Antiguaand today the 33-year-old critical care physician teaches at the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon.

In spite of his success, Masri is quick to mention that he's one of the few Caribbean-educated Canadian physicians he knows who wasable to come back.

"Most people do not come back to Canada because of how rigid the rules are," said Masri.

Just like Banner and all of the other doctors andmedical students interviewed for this story Masri says he wouldn't recommend his school as a first-choice pick for any student.

Instead, it's a second chance to pursue a life-long dream.

"If this is something you want to do ... giving up because there are limitations is not an option," said Masri.

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Pursuing the MD dream: How Caribbean-trained Canadian doctors struggle to come home - CBC.ca

By any measure, the Caribbean's infrastructure requirements are substantial. If the region is to be able to increase its competitiveness and give citizens the quality of life they desire, its transformation has become a matter of urgency.

In 2014, Dr Warren Smith, the then new president of the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), indicated that to achieve this, the region would need US$30 billion in the coming decade. It would need this, he said, if it was to be able to modernise its power, transportation, telecommunications, water, and wastewater infrastructure. Since then, it has become apparent that if the region is also to become resilient to climate change, it will require even greater resources.

Unfortunately, investment in infrastructure is now beyond the reach of almost all national capital budgets, requiring governments to either take on more debt, reach deals with external private-sector entities, engage with governments outside the region, or access the increasingly limited support offered by the international development agencies.

Notwithstanding, there are signs that in some capitals, the source of funding for Caribbean infrastructure is becoming less about development and more about ideology, with pressure being placed on Caribbean governments to reject proposals from China and others on the basis that such offers of long-term finance on soft terms are intended to create political influence, strategic advantage, or even dependency.

The reality is that every nation in the region is struggling to find alternative ways to finance the renewal, expansion, modernisation, or construction of hard infrastructure for schools, hospitals, roads, ports, airports, telecommunications, power plants, utilities distributions systems, and universal high-speed Internet.

All also face domestic political pressure to upgrade and make sustainable soft infrastructure - the delivery of health care, education, and justice, for example - in ways that better meet the needs of their societies.

Nations have responded in diverse ways.

Cuba. for example, has a considered long-term infrastructure development strategy. Although economically constrained when it comes to major expenditure, its central planning process has established clear objectives.

Among the many projects now moving forward are major investments to offset severe water shortages in parts of the country, programmes to diversify the country's power-generating capacity, making greater use of renewables, a probable 1 billion (US$1,054million) project with Russia to completely upgrade the country's failing railway network, extensive port and airport developments, and debt-rescheduling arrangements that are expected to result in credits in a number of productive sectors.

Others in the Anglophone and Hispanic Caribbean have taken a different approach and have variously sought funding from bond issues, pension funds, public-private partnerships, or in the case of several recent major infrastructure projects such as Jamaica's Highway 2000 through Chinese involvement.

At the other end of the spectrum, soon-to-be oil-rich Guyana is on the cusp of an explosion of infrastructure development. In its case, the infrastructure investment mix is likely to be US private-sector finance, alongside Chinese and possibly Brazilian, Islamic Development Bank and the Gulf state funding for infrastructure programmes that will open the country to its neighbours and the wider world.

At a regional level, other options are emerging through the CDB, which, in the last few years, has begun to play a far more significant role in working with its non-regional and extra-regional members to find ways to develop new sources of funding.

This has led, for example, earlier this month to it hosting a regional conference in Barbados to consider the multiple opportunities that now exist to use the Chinese Renminbi for financing in the Caribbean and signing in its margins an agreement with the Export-Import (EXIM) Bank of China to explore the prospects for co-financing projects in infrastructure, human resource development, agriculture, renewable energy, and energy efficiency.

More generally, in 2015, the United Nations recognised in agreeing sustainable development goals (SDGs) for the period up to 2030, that investment in infrastructure and innovation will be the crucial drivers of national and global economic growth and development.

Despite this, the issue of China, Venezuela, and others becoming more deeply engaged in projects in the region is being politicised without any alternative being on offer.

While some countries like the United Kingdom continue to make funds available on a non-conditional grant basis for infrastructure in eligible Caribbean nations, the US seems not to recognise that its slow withdrawal from the region is removing its ability to engage or influence at a time when China and others see mutual benefit in cooperation.

Irrespective of what has been said in the US Congress about US security, newer development partners are largely not perceived in the region as threatening sovereignty or independence of action. Rather, their engagement with the Caribbean reflects the way the world is changing, and enables the region to consider alternative, often empathetic, views, at a time when the US president seems intent on casting his country's global role and values into darkness.

China is no different from any other nation in wanting dialogue on matters of concern, to which the region no doubt responds with understanding, mindful, no doubt ,of Beijing's supportive position on climate change and other issues on which there is a convergence of thinking.

Washington should think more carefully and recognise that Caribbean development must be sustainable and is not a zero-sum game in which US interests must always be paramount.

In a commentary published recently in China Daily, Chen Weihua, the chief Washington correspondent of China Daily, observed that "seeing China's every move as geopolitics is just dead wrong. Latin America is big enough to accommodate China and the US. The region will benefit if both countries increase their trade and direct investment in the region," he wrote.

Or, to put it another way, as my friend Sir Ronald Sanders observed in a recent column: 'If Washington is truly concerned about any undue influence on the Caribbean from China, it should match the level of China's bilateral investments in these countries on the same terms of soft loans and without conditionalities of a non-economic nature."

- David Jessop is a consultant to the Caribbean Council and can be contacted at david.jessop@caribbean-council.org.

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David Jessop | Should it matter who pays for Caribbean development? - Jamaica Gleaner

Mitchell McClenaghan

Jesse Ryder and Mitchell McClenaghan have a earned a place for the upcoming edition of the Caribbean Premier League. The Kiwi duo will represent St Lucia Stars in the tournament. Manan Pandya, Director of Public Relations of St Lucia Stars was elated at welcoming the New Zealand boys in the team.

"Both Jesse and Mitchell are world-class players who will bring firepower to the squad in terms of both batting and bowling. We are sure that these new Stars will shine as we work on bringing home our first Hero CPL title," he said.

Mitchell McClenaghan has been representing New Zealand in limited overs cricket since 2012 and has been a major wicket-taker for them with 82 wickets in 48 One Day Internationals.

He also performed handsomely in this seasons Indian Premier League, picking up 19 wickets and finishing as Mumbai Indians second highest wicket taker.

On the other hand, Jesse Ryders International career has been marred with inconsistent performance and alcohol related issues. The left-handed batsman last played for his nation in 2014 against India. However, he has been plying his trade in the domestic circuit for the Central Districts.

Jesse Ryder was roped in as a replacement for David Miller, who is likely to join the South African A side, which will play a couple of unofficial four-day Tests against India A starting next month.

Mitchell McClenaghan came in as a replacement of Sri Lankan bowling spearhead Lasith Malinga. The Lankan star has been battling with injuries for quite some time now and is most likely to sit out of the Caribbean T20 extravaganza.

He might feature for the national side, which will play a 5-match One Day International series and a one-off T20 against India in the next month.

The Caribbean Premier League starts on 4th August with the opening match to be played between St Lucia Stars and the Trinbago Knight Riders. There will be six participating teams in the tournament who will be going through a round-robin process, consisting of 30 games.

Thereafter the top four teams will go to the Brian Lara Stadium in Trinidad, which is the host for the Playoff, Eliminator 1, Eliminator 2 and the Final.

Very few teams have been able to match up to the class and quality of the Caribbean nation in the T20 format where they have beaten teams black and blue. Its understandable why the Caribbean Premier League generates so much buzz in the West Indies and its no different this time round.

St Lucia finished third in the league table in the last season with six wins. However, their tournament ended with a loss against Trinbago Knight Riders in the Eliminator. Malinga and Miller are heavy losses to any side, but they seemed to have zeroed in on the right replacements in Ryder and McClenaghan.

All in all, they will be looking to advance further than where they reached last time.

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Jesse Ryder and Mitchell McClenaghan get call-ups from the Caribbean Premier League - Yahoo Cricket (blog)

Royal Caribbean Blog (blog)

Royal Caribbean Post Round-Up: July 30, 2017 Royal Caribbean Blog (blog) The 208th episode of the Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast is now available, where we discuss taking a shore excursion to St. John. St. John is located nearby St. Thomas, and an easy and fun way to spend the day. Matt discuses how to get to St. John, as ... New ship, new departure port for a Royal Caribbean Cuba cruiseSeatrade Cruise News Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. - Receive News & Ratings DailyTheOlympiaReport Bargain Hunters Should Take a Look at Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (NYSE:RCL)FLBC News BNB Daily (blog) -CML News all 55 news articles »

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Royal Caribbean Post Round-Up: July 30, 2017 - Royal Caribbean Blog (blog)

Welcome to America, the Land of Opportunity, where the streets are paved with gold. At least that is what we think when we hear about this place. Many immigrants who come to this country, come here with the impression that they will be able to be successful. They have a dream of uplifting themselves and their family. They dream of owning a home, a car and having a good job. But unfortunately, it does not always work out that way. The fact of the matter is the reality is far different! Some people end up jobless, homeless, living with family members just to make ends meet until they can find a job, any job.

Because of financial instability and uncertainty, immigrants are prime targets; they can fall for a scam in the blink of an eye. Many have learned the hard way, after losing their savings when they decided to capitalize on what was presented to them as a great money-making opportunity. The most vulnerable in our society are obviously our elderly but young people get scammed, too.

One day one of my nephews, who had been here for about six months, came to me and asked, can you give me your opinion on something? This guy that I know said that he has a check for $2,000 and he doesnt have a bank account but if I cash it for him, I can keep $500. I was thinking about doing it for him because I really could use that $500. What do you think?

As I listen to him, I immediately realized that this guy was up to no good and my nephew was about to fall for it. All he could think about is the $500 he would get for doing this guy a favor. I explained that the check was fake and would not clear and he would be out of $1,500.

As a new citizen, you may be unaware of the dangers that a person who makes hasty uninformed decisions can be exposed to. For instance, you get an offer from a financial company for a pre-approved loan: use it for mortgage, use it for a new or used car they say, and of course it is even harder to resist this temptation when the offer is possibly your first pre-approved credit card.

Wow! I know a lot of us from the Caribbean, would have a hard time resisting their first Visa or MasterCard. Many of the younger people would give very little thought to the fact that the interest rate is extremely high. These kind of offers did not come their way back in their country.

Companies today are very creative with their offerings. They recognize that attractive packaging sent to unsuspecting persons are more likely to get a positive response. Consumer reports have stated that many who have accepted these offerings have found themselves trapped in bad debt for many years. Why? Because in addition to the high interest rate, the terms of the loan may make it impossible for the borrower to pay them off. Today there are hundreds of telemarketing companies that target new Americans on a daily basis.

How about solicitation via the internet or social media? Seniors fall in this trap because they dont fully understand how the technology works. The companies doing the hacking and posing as Microsoft are based overseas.

With modern technology, even when the phone rings and the number on the caller ID is disguised to make it seem local, it could very well be an overseas call. Recent reports have warned that if your phone rings and someone says can you hear me? you should not answer yes because they will record your voice and use it to say that you agreed to buying a product that you never ordered.

A new Caribbean American citizen could be deceived by the offering of a fantastic prize. This prize may vary; a free airline ticket, a free hotel stay, a free cruise, a new car or a large sum of money but there is always some type of small fee associated with collecting the prize. Some companies will send actual checks in the mail that are already made out to you. The only requirement is to sign on the dotted line and you are caught up in a hellish whirlpool that you cant swim your way out of.

Buyer beware is a warning that most consumers are familiar with. A popular quote back in the Caribbean is not everything that glitters is gold. If you fell for one of the above scenarios you can contact the Better Business Bureau or consider filing a complaint with the consumer protection agency. If your credit got messed up because of a scam, another option is to join a credit union. They have programs set up help people to rebuild their credit. We all know that if it sounds too good to be true it probably is.

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Caribbean Currents: Beware of scams targeting unsuspecting new immigrants - The Philadelphia Tribune

In recent years, however, the party has been punctured by violence. Last year, despite an increased police presence and numerous floodlights, four people were shot and two of them died. The year before, Carey W. Gabay, a lawyer in Gov. Andrew M. Cuomos administration who was out celebrating with his brother, was caught in a shootout, apparently between rival gangs. He died of his injuries. Another man was stabbed to death that night.

Unlike other major cultural celebrations like St. Patricks Day Parade and the Puerto Rican Day Parade that take place in Midtown Manhattan during the day, Jouvert snakes through residential neighborhoods in the predawn darkness, through pockets of Brooklyn that still struggle with shootings and gangs.

At this years event, more police officers will be present, according to city officials. The city also plans to have more floodlights on the street and will set up security checkpoints. Officials said the police, elected officials, parade organizers, clergy members and groups that focus on combating violence were all involved in discussions about how to make the event safer.

Weve been working on this since the day after Jouvert last year, said James P. ONeill, the police commissioner.

Yvette Rennie, president of JOuvert City International, which organizes the event, said, So we can make Jouvert a safe Jouvert, the groups and the community decided to do it in daylight. News of the early start time was reported by The Daily News.

City Councilwoman Laurie A. Cumbo, whose district encompasses the parade route, said moving the parade to daylight would change the environment of the event. Ms. Cumbo said the event should be a world-class festival, but that it had not received that level of support.

At this stage it should have graduated to being something televised, celebrated, she said. Hotels should be participating in terms of promoting the festivities, tourism boards. It should be something welcomed in the city of New York and supported in a way that changes the atmosphere for how people participate.

Bryant Smith, 53, has lived since the 1970s on Bedford Avenue, a block from where Mr. Gabay was killed. He said that changing the timing of the festival would trample on its meaning without changing much else.

Jouvert wont be the same, he said. In West Indian culture, Jouvert is supposed to start before the carnival. If they try to start it in the daytime, people will just hang out all night anyway. Theyll make their own Jouvert.

Mr. Carrin from the community affairs unit said that while there would be nothing in place to stop people from arriving at the parade route early, all they would find there would be the police, and the festival setting up. Jouvert centers around an organized event; it would be like showing up at a parade before it starts, Mr. Carrin said. Why people show up to Jouvert, its for the cultural expression, the music, the dance, and that would start later.

Other residents said they were unpersuaded about how effective the change would be.

Day or night, I dont think it will be safe, said Grace Collins, 59, a retired administrator for the Army Corps of Engineers. People dont know how to act. Its a free-for-all for guns, but its supposed to be a celebration of Caribbean culture.

Ms. Collins, who grew up in Brooklyn, said she used to go regularly to the West Indian American Day Parade and some of the events surrounding it.

We used to follow behind those drums, just dancing, she said, shaking her hips and showing off her dance moves. But she eventually stopped going because she was concerned for her safety.

This year, Ms. Collins said, she will be tucked away in her apartment when the festival starts, but her 22-year-old daughter plans to attend.

I dont want her to go, but I cant stop her, Ms. Collins said. Ill hug her and kiss her before she goes, but whats going to happen will happen.

Joseph Goldstein, Jeffery C. Mays and Ashley Southall contributed reporting.

A version of this article appears in print on July 29, 2017, on Page A19 of the New York edition with the headline: Starting Time of Caribbean Festival Is Changed in an Effort to Curb Violence.

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To Curb Violence, Start Time of Caribbean Festival Is Changed - New York Times

ORANGE, NJ - Mayor Dwayne D. Warren, Esq. and the City of Orange Township Municipal Council will host the 18th Anniversary of the Caribbean Heritage Day Festival in Monte Irvin Orange Park, on Saturday August 5, 2017.

The Festival is a tradition dating back to the Oranges in the 1970s. Today, it is the premiere Caribbean Festival in Essex County, with thousands of people from numerous countries participating every year.The Caribbean Heritage Day Festival creates an environment where people can participate in the creativity of different cultures while celebrating their similarities and diversities, which emulate the history of Carnival and demonstrate the strength of the Caribbean American community in New Jersey.

This years' festivities include the Caribbean Heritage Parade at 10 am at the corner of Scotland Road and Central Avenue and winds its way down Central Avenue into Monte Irvin - Orange Park.

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Scheduled to perform at this years' Caribbean Festival include Adrian Dutchen, Shelley G., the Fanoko Cultural Singers, Harmony Music Steel Pan Band, Young Soca Sensation - The Big Show and International Monarch King - Rikki Jai.

There will be carnival rides and games for the whole family. Attendees are invited to join the Powder Tee Shirt section to be part of the action and celebrate the culture.

The Mayor's VIP Tent sponsors for food and beverage donations include: Golden Krust, El Salvador Restaurant, Toast of the Town, and other home cooks and caterers.

"The Festival showcases the energy and diversity of our Caribbean community in Orange and Essex County," said Mayor Warren. "Every year, we look forward to the music, the live acts and the fantastic crowds representing all of the island nations. The festival not only showcases the best of our Caribbean and West-Indian communities, but reminds us because of our immigrant communities that our City thrives."

The Mayor added, "I'd like to thank Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr. and Freeholder President Britnee N. Timberlake for their continued support in making our Caribbean Heritage Day Festival a success."

Vendor applications are being accepted at City Hall, 29 North Day Street in Orange.

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2017 Caribbean Heritage Festival And Parade: A Showcase Of Diversity And Talent - TAPinto.net

A bit of island spirit breezes through Hartford the first week of August with two separate events celebrating Caribbean culture, food, live music and dance.

Up first is the Art after Dark Caribbean Lawn Party outside the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art on Thursday, Aug. 3, from 5 to 8 p.m. To get you dancing will be the De 4 Ahwee & Company Steel Band, and there will be complimentary food, art activities and museum tours. Tickets are are $10, $5 for members. A screening of the film "Hidden Figures" follows in the Aetna Theater. thewadsworth.org

Next, on Saturday, Aug. 5, the Mortensen Riverfront Plaza will be filled with island rhythms and the smells of favorite Caribbean dishes such as jerk chicken, curry goat and empanadas from 1 to 9 p.m. for the free Taste of the Caribbean & Jerk Festival. Entertainment includes musicians from as far away as Jamaica and Barbados, and the plaza will burst with different colorful costumes during the Carnival Parade and various dance performances. For the kids, there will be activities such as open mic competitions, jewelry making, folk dancing, and face painting. riverfront.org.

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Island Love: Caribbean Festival, Lawn Party In Hartford - Hartford ... - Hartford Courant

Cover of Coconut. Ginger. Shrimp. Rum.

Credit Brigid Washington / Skyhorse Publishing 2017

Brigid Washington grew up with the Caribbean flavors of her family's native Trinidad. Ginger, coconut, fresh seafood and other ingredients shaped her palate and her experiences in the kitchen.

But food was not an important part of her adult life until, as a dissatisfied writer living in Raleigh, she felt compelled to walk into the kitchen of Bloomsbury Bistro and ask the chef to teach her the culinary arts. That brazen request led to culinary school and a cookbook. Coconut. Ginger. Shrimp. Rum.: Caribbean Flavors for Every Season (Skyhorse Publishing/2017) highlights the mainstay flavors of the islands with American fusion twists.

Brigid Washington

Credit Brigid Washington

Host Anita Rao talks with Brigid Washington about the food she grew up with and how she brought it out of her memory and into North Carolina kitchens.

Guest Host Anita Rao talks with cookbook author Brigid Washington.

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Caribbean Cookbook Brings Tropical Flavors to American Tables - WUNC