CJ Interviews

Director Chris Browne’s Quest to Bring Jamaican Film to the World

Cristina Savescu, World Bank Economist, on Caribbean Growth

By Alexander Britell Earlier this week, the World Bank released a report on growth prospects for Latin America and the Caribbean. That macro region had three distinct areas – Latin America itself, which is in the midst of an economic …

Director Stevan Riley on his Film “Fire in Babylon” and the Power of Cricket

By Alexander Britell For almost fifteen years beginning in the 1970s, the West Indian cricket team was the best in the world, and perhaps the best side in any sport. In an era of prejudice and racial upheaval, the Windies …

Working to Preserve Reggae’s Identity

Above: Carlyle McKetty (left) and Sharon Gordon By Alexander Britell For Carlyle McKetty and Sharon Gordon, protecting reggae is a way of life. The world recently marked the 30th anniversary of Bob Marley’s premature death, and in that time, much …

OBMI’s Tim Peck Talks Scrub Island and Luxury Development

Tim Peck is the chairman of design firm OBMI and is the company’s former CEO for the Caribbean region. OBMI has long been a major player in the region, in master planning, resort design and development consulting. Peck, who makes …

Interview with Damien Cave, the New York Times’ Caribbean Correspondent

Damien Cave covers Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean for the New York Times based out of Mexico City. Cave has told the stories of some of the world’s most challenging events, from the war in Iraq to the earthquake …

Andrew Humphries on the Four Seasons Nevis Reopening and Caribbean Expansion

After Hurricane Omar hit the island of Nevis and closed the Four Seasons Nevis for over two years in 2008, the resort celebrated its reopening in December 2010, and, more recently, its 20-year anniversary. Caribbean Journal talked to Andrew Humphries, …

Interview with Beenie Man: Dancehall, Jimmy Cliff and Buju Banton

Anthony Moses Davis a.k.a Beenie Man has been at the forefront of reggae and dancehall music, both in Jamaica and globally, for two decades. His 2000 album, Art & Life, won the Grammy for Best Reggae Album, and the self-proclaimed …

Minister Vincent Vanderpool-Wallace on Bahamian Tourism, Part 2

By Alexander Britell Earlier this month, we talked to Bahamas Minister of Tourism and Aviation Vincent Vanderpool-Wallace about what trends he had seen in the past few years for Bahamian tourism. We followed up with Minister Vanderpool-Wallace to find out …

Richard Lightbourn Talks Bahamian Law, the Privy Council and Foreign Investment

By Alexander Britell Richard Lightbourn is a partner at McKinney, Bancroft and Hughes, the landmark Nassau law firm. Current Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham was a law clerk at the firm, and his predecessor, Perry Christie, committed his pupilage at the …

Jamaican Guitar Legend Eugene Grey Talks about His New Album, Burning Spear and the Evolution of Reggae

By Alexander Britell Guitarist and composer Eugene Grey, in addition to a long-thriving solo career, has played with some of the most famous bands in Jamaican history – from Toots and the Maytals to Burning Spear. Classically trained, Grey has …

Interview with Bahamas Tourism Minister Vincent Vanderpool-Wallace

The Hon. Vincent Vanderpool-Wallace is the Bahamas’ Minister of Tourism and Aviation. After a global financial crisis that hit the tourism industry, and the Caribbean, rather severely, Vanderpool Wallace has moved to bring the Bahamas’ integral tourism sector forward. He …

Senator Al-Rawi on Trinidad Protest

By Alexander Britell As attention in the United States focuses on a sometimes-ugly battle by public servants and the government over benefits, public-employee protesters are turning Port-of-Spain into a more civilized version of Madison, Wisconsin. Nearly 150 protestors demonstrated outside …