All posts by nedhamson

Activist, writer, researcher, addicted to sharing information and facts.

These books are delightful! – « Amazon Rainforest Magic The adventures of Namowë, a Yanomami boy » and « Amazon Rainforest Magic The adventures of …

illustration from « Amazon Rainforest Magic – The adventures of Meromi, a Yanomami girl » « Although written for children, I found these the “Amazon …

These books are delightful! – « Amazon Rainforest Magic The adventures of Namowë, a Yanomami boy » and « Amazon Rainforest Magic The adventures of …

Stronger Caribbean Together for Regional Food, Land, Sea and Climate Justice: A Manifesto – Petchary’s Blog

The Caribbean is small, and by nature fragmented, since it consists of scattered islands – some close together, others not – and countries on the South American and Central American mainlands. We speak several different languages – those of our colonial masters, indigenous languages, and different variations of creole and patois – and we have tremendous ethnic diversity. This is one of our strengths, I believe, that we have in common – as well as challenges. If only we could try harder, with those strengths meeting those challenges – together. There’s always strength in numbers.

Back in early July, I attended a workshop in Kingston organised by Stronger Caribbean Together, a network based at the University of the West Indies Mona campus and led by Professor Patricia Northover. To me, this group embodies the need to move ahead on critical issues that affect us all. There are local variations of course, but we are all in the same boat. Unfortunately, I was not feeling well at the workshop (it turned out that I had COVID, which we brought back from our travels) and had to leave early. It was a gathering of powerful voices from around the Caribbean – I dragged myself away reluctantly!

Coming out of the July 1 – 2 workshop (which ended just before the arrival of Hurricane Beryl in Jamaica), Stronger Caribbean Together has put together a mighty 2024 manifesto (see the link below). “Unity Against Disaster Capitalism” is one of its six pillars. Here is what they have to say about their Manifesto – plus a few photos from my archive.

I would urge you to browse through; it is laid out in simple format, broken down into a one- or two-sentence description of each strand (46 in total) in its six major focus areas. The emphasis is on community-led solutions in each case. While all six are interlocking, Democratic Governance and Just “Development” resonates with me. But, for heaven’s sake, when are we going to take the issue of not just food security, but food sovereignty, seriously? How much longer are we going to rest in this “condition of dependency”?

Island City Lab presents at the Disaster Capitalism Workshop, Courtleigh Hotel, Kingston on “The Cult of Development.”

I hope that this Manifesto will be widely read by governments and their agencies, as well as private sector organisations and civil society in general; because surely a “paradigm shift” is needed, and overdue. The threats are not going away and they are growing. We need solutions that make sense.

December 16, 2024

A network of farmers, activists, community members and academics focusing on Food, Land Sea and Climate Justice in the Caribbean have banded together and published a Manifesto: https://strongercaribbeantogether.org/2024-manifesto

The Stronger Caribbean Together’s mission is to empower local communities in their fight against the interconnected threats of climate change, disaster capitalism, and food insecurity through fostering knowledge, co-production, sharing effective grassroots responses, and providing legal advocacy and support.

We envision a resilient and self-sufficient Caribbean Region where local communities have the resources, knowledge, and solidarity to address the challenges posed by environmental changes, exploitative economic practices, and governance failures. Through our network, we strive to amplify the voices and experiences of marginalized communities, promote sustainable and equitable solutions, and create a digital space for transnational collaboration and learning.

The Manifesto supports these mandates through the tenets of: Food Sovereignty for Self-Determination and Decolonization; Intersectional Justice; Democratic Governance and Just ‘Development’; Unity Against Disaster Capitalism; Access to justice; and Reparations, Restoration, and Decolonization.

We believe this comprehensive document will prove to be a useful tool to the betterment of Caribbean nations as we strive towards a Stronger Caribbean Together.

For more information, contact:

Dahvia Hylton, Coordinator, Stronger Caribbean Together Network

+1 (876) 365-7860 diskincarib@gmail.com

Solidarity: Professor Patricia Northover joins a protest against deep sea mining in downtown Kingston earlier this year. (My photo)

Source: Stronger Caribbean Together for Regional Food, Land, Sea and Climate Justice: A Manifesto – Petchary’s Blog

New ethics inquiry details more trips by Clarence Thomas paid for by wealthy benefactors | Clarence Thomas | The Guardian

A nearly two-year investigation by Democratic senators of supreme court ethics details more luxury travel by Justice Clarence Thomas and urges Congress to establish a way to enforce a new code of conduct.

Any movement on the issue appears unlikely as Republicans prepare to take control of the Senate in January, underscoring the hurdles in imposing restrictions on a separate branch of government even as public confidence in the court has fallen to record lows.

The 93-page report released on Saturday by the Democratic majority of the Senate judiciary committee found additional travel taken in 2021 by Thomas but not reported on his annual financial disclosure form: a private jet flight to New York’s Adirondacks in July and a jet and yacht trip to New York City sponsored by billionaire Harlan Crow in October, one of more than two dozen times detailed in the report that Thomas took luxury travel and gifts from wealthy benefactors…

Source: New ethics inquiry details more trips by Clarence Thomas paid for by wealthy benefactors | Clarence Thomas | The Guardian