Life brings new challenges at each stage.

You're either ready to take them head on, or

you're left wondering what happened. The S-CROSS makes it an easy choice. Bold,
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any road. So don't worry about what's coming.

Be ready to cross the line.

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IMMERSE YOURSELF IN
A WORLD OF COLOR
A getaway to Curaçao is a getaway filled with vibrant color, unique European and
Caribbean culture, and a history that still shines bright across the island today.
And this year, Curaçao celebrates that history with its 25th anniversary as a
UNESCO World Heritage Site!

FEEL IT FOR YOURSELF

VISIT US AT CURACAO.COM

For the first time in three years, we
enjoyed a July/August vacation period
with no restrictions on movement. Families
and friends were able to REconnect and
relish each other’s company as is custom-
ary during the school holidays.
 
There was also lots of activity in the
region including the Tobago Heritage
Festival, which returned live for the first
time since 2019!  network and now provide REliable non-
 
Now as September begins, it’s all about
cricket! Caribbean Airlines is happy to
be the official airline of the Hero Carib-
bean Premier League 2022 (CPL), which
is celebrating its 10th anniversary. From 30
August to 30 September, the games will
take place in Trinidad, St Kitts & Nevis, St
Lucia, and Guyana, where the finals will
be played.  between Cuba and the Caribbean. Now,
We are proud that, as the official
airline partner, all teams and officials will
travel on Caribbean Airlines to and from
the events. CPL is the biggest party in
sport, and it is our pleasure to connect
fans across the Caribbean and the Amer-
icas to the excitement. We understand
the value of sports in REuniting the region,
and look forward to offering an authen-
tic Caribbean experience to all travellers.
Amidst all this, we have some awesome
news to add. We’ve once again collab-
orated with the “King of Soca”, Machel
Montano. This time, he joined forces with
#REcalibrated
A Message
from our CEO
Aaron “Voice” St Louis and Agent Sasco
of Jamaica to create “WE ARE CARIB-
BEAN”. This masterful production is a
powerful fusion of Caribbean music that
reflects our energy and positive vibes. We
know you will enjoy this masterpiece for a
long time to come.
 
Our teams have been busy, especially
our cargo division! We’ve expanded our
stop service twice weekly between Cuba
and Trinidad. This service also provides
cargo connectivity via Trinidad to the
wider Caribbean including Guyana,
Jamaica, Barbados, Suriname, Curaçao,
and other international destinations.  video content and other areas. We’re
 
This expansion of our cargo service
offers increased opportunities for trade
anyone interested in trading with Cuba
can do so conveniently and affordably.
 
Caribbean Airlines Cargo is experi-
enced in shipping general cargo, oilfield
equipment, live animals, fresh produce,
seafood, and other time sensitive
commodities.
 
By now, many of you also would
have used our improved JETPAK
courier service, which was upgraded
from an airport-to-airport service to one
that’s door-to-door. Now, when custom-
ers register for free (https://jetpak.
caribbean-airlines.com/#/sign-up),
they’ll receive a United States address,
which can be used to shop online and
to which items will be delivered. Carib-
bean Airlines then transports the items to
Trinidad, clears them with customs, and
delivers them to your door! We also use
technology to enable our customers to
track their items in real time.
 
And speaking of technology, I am
thrilled to introduce the newest
member of the Caribbean Airlines
team: R.E.a (pronounced Aria), our
dynamic digital avatar. R.E.a will be used
to interface with our customers for prod-
uct promotions, in corporate adverts,
really excited about this development,
as it represents another way that tech-
nology is adding value to the customer
experience. 
 
Now we move into the final quarter of
2022 with cautious optimism, mindful of
some major risks that could grow over
the next six to 18 months — one of which
is record high fuel prices. Nonetheless,
we continue to work diligently to deliver
on our promise of Resetting Expecta-
tions and making bold moves to better
connect our region to itself and the world. 
 
Regards,
Garvin
CaribbeanAirlines
Contents No. 172 • September/October 2022
12 Wish you were here
Mopion, St Vincent & the Grenadines
14 Event buzz
Essential info about what’s happening
across the region
20 Book & music buzz
Reviews by Shivanee Ramlochan
and Nigel A Campbell
22 Round trip
Wonders of the Caribbean
Discover some of the region’s awe-
inspiring natural wonders, parks and
reserves
32 Cookup
The chef with the spice
Niala Maharaj meets the award-
winning Soenil Bahadoer, whose
fusion of European haute cuisine and
Surinamese home cooking draws
foodies to his Michelin-starred
restaurant in the Netherlands
36 Own words
“I was designed for that
moment because of where I
came from”
Trinidad-born Mishael Morgan on
making Daytime Emmy history;
6 WWW.CARIBBEAN-BEAT.COM
22
32
living with purpose; and the power
of storytelling — as told to Caroline
Taylor
40 Destination
Barbuda rising
From flirtatious frigatebirds to
captivating caves, Gemma Handy
shares why Barbuda should be on
everyone’s bucket list
46 Plugin
Streaming the Caribbean
Caribbean diaspora films and series
often struggle to reach audiences
further afield. A range of online
streaming platforms seek to bridge
the gap, writes Mark Lyndersay
50 live green
Shelly-Ann Inniss talks to award-
winning Barbadian chef Damian Leach
14
about his passion for Caribbean
cuisine and zero-waste cooking
52 inspire
A movement of Maroons
Descendants of Maroon peoples in
the Caribbean diaspora have been
working tirelessly to be recognised as
Indigenous. Attillah Springer takes
us inside this important work
56 On this day
The voluntary castaway
Seventy years ago, Alain Bombard
journeyed from the Canaries to the
Caribbean in a 15-foot dinghy to prove
that man could survive on water, fish,
and plankton alone. James Ferguson
tells the tale
64 Puzzles & brain-teasers
 Caribbean Beat An MEP publication

Editor Caroline Taylor

Designer Kevon Webster
General manager Halcyon Salazar
Editorial assistant Shelly-Ann Inniss
Production manager Jacqueline Smith
Finance director Joanne Mendes
Publisher Jeremy Taylor

Business Development Manager,

Tobago and International
Evelyn Chung
T: (868) 684–4409
E: evelyn@meppublishers.com

Business Development Representative, Trinidad

Tracy Farrag
T: (868) 318–1996
E: tracy@meppublishers.com

Media & Editorial Projects Ltd.

6 Prospect Avenue, Long Circular, Maraval 120111, Trinidad and Tobago
T: (868) 622–3821/6138
E: caribbean-beat@meppublishers.com
Websites: meppublishers.com • caribbean-beat.com

Cover Trinidad-born Mishael Morgan

made history in June as the first
woman of colour to win the Daytime
Printed by SCRIP-J, Trinidad and Tobago
Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead
Actress in a Drama Series
Photo Sipa USA/Alamy Stock Photo

Read and save issues of Caribbean Beat

on your smartphone, tablet, computer,
and favourite digital devices!

Caribbean Beat is published six times a year for Caribbean Airlines by Media & Editorial Projects Ltd. It is
also available on subscription. Copyright © Caribbean Airlines 2022. All rights reserved. ISSN 1680–6158.
No part of this magazine may be reproduced in any form whatsoever without the written permission of
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Website: www.caribbean-airlines.com

WWW.CARIBBEAN-AIRLINES.COM 7
REach us for FREE
via our Mobile App
Select Call us now
Sport & the
Caribbean A identity
Message
from our CEO
T
he freedom fighter and late President of South Africa
Nelson Mandela said: Sport has the power to change
the world. It has the power to inspire. It has the power
to unite people in a way that little else does. It speaks to youth
in a language they understand. Sport can create hope where
once there was only despair. It is more powerful than govern-
ments in breaking down racial barriers. It laughs in the face of
all types of discrimination.
 
Sport is like a universal language. We may not all be sport
lovers or passionate fans, but as individuals we can all relate
to and identify with it in some way. And in the Caribbean,
we express that love for sport with all the vitality, energy and
passion for which the region is well known.
The cultural importance of sport to our people was reinforced
decades ago by the first leaders of the Caribbean’s newly
independent nations, who outlined three areas that should
distinguish the region: the airline, the University of the West
Indies, and the West Indies cricket team. These leaders recog-
nised the unifying power of sport and its significance to our
post-colonial identity.
Many of us recall the glory days of the West Indies cricket
team, where the players had the appeal and status of demi-
gods for the pride they brought to the emerging nation states
of the Caribbean. Our sense of self was closely intertwined
with the thrill of victory, or the agony of defeat, as experienced
by our team.
Classic songs were born out of this movement — like David
Rudder’s evergreen “Rally ‘round the West Indies”, or the
more recent soca anthem “Champion” by DJ Bravo.
Beyond cricket, our people strongly identify with our athletes
in other sporting disciplines. The prowess of Jamaica’s track
and field stars is known globally. And although the athletes
represent Jamaica, the region identifies with and wholeheart-
edly supports them as Caribbean.
#REcalibrated
The triumph and trials of these athletes belong to us all. The
tenacity and determination they display is easily relatable to us.
Historically, it was this tenacity that saw some of our ancestors
endure the most inhumane and gruesome conditions, coupled
with displacement, to make their lives in a new region and in
grossly different circumstances.
 
Today, this spirit of resilience is expressed in many spheres,
including sport. And when our athletes attend international
events, it focusses the eyes of the world on us and showcases
the excellence of our national brands.
 
The recently concluded Commonwealth Championships, the
Pan Am Swimming Games, and the World Athletics Champi-
onships provided a much-needed boost to regional morale, as
many Caribbean countries enjoyed good success. 
The upliftment continues with the Hero Caribbean Premier
League (CPL) tournament, which takes place across the
region until 30 September. Billed as the Caribbean’s biggest
sports party, it’s another expression of the energy and vibrancy
that distinguish us in the region.
Sport is an integral part of culture and life, linking us to our
social history, traditions, and values. It also promotes healthy
living and a host of positive values like discipline, teamwork,
and determination. It creates purpose and a sense of unity at
individual, community, and regional levels. Yes, we are sover-
eign nation states, patriotic and proud in our own right, but
sport is etched into our collective psyche and a hallmark of our
Caribbean identity.
 
Dionne Ligoure is the Head of Corporate Communications
for Caribbean Airlines Limited. Contact: dionne.ligoure@
caribbean-airlines.com
CaribbeanAirlines
 wish you were here

Mopion
At not even 100 feet long, depending on the tides
and currents, Mopion is sometimes called the
smallest island in the Caribbean. Accessible only by
boat, its brilliant white coral sand barely emerges
above the distinctive blue waters of the southern
Grenadines. You’ll find only one thatched structure
there, nicknamed the “Engagement Umbrella”. It
provides just enough shade for two and, legend has
it, is a popular spot for marriage proposals. The reef
offshore is also great for snorkelling.
Courtesy Hugh Whyte/Unsplash.com

12 WWW.CARIBBEAN-BEAT.COM
 Hemis/Alamy Stock Photo

WWW.CARIBBEAN-AIRLINES.COM 13
 Essential info about what’s happening
across the region in September and
October!

agefotostock/Alamy Stock Photo

event buzz
Don’t miss
Havana’s charm gives you every reason to explore the iconic city — and possibly
never want to leave. The International Ballet Festival of Havana (27 October–3
November) delivers another captivating reason to love Cuba’s capital city.
Founded by the late choreographer and prima ballerina assoluta Alicia Alonso, the
acclaimed biennial festival features performances by famous dance companies
from around the globe, a few world premieres, and a diverse programme. The
Grand Theatre of Havana Alicia Alonso and the Karl Marx Theatre are two of the
main festival venues.

14 WWW.CARIBBEAN-BEAT.COM
 TRUST THE PROFESSIONALS

SHELL LUBRICANTS MACRO DISTRIBUTOR

shellcustomerservice@massygroup.com
1-868-665-5555

#islandofmontserrat December 17th, 2022 to January 1st, 2023 www.visitmontserrat.com

WWW.CARIBBEAN-AIRLINES.COM 15
 event buzz

MediaPunch Inc/Alamy Stock Photo

Celebration time
When we touch down, the whole place shell
down! Hardcore carnivalists will have a packed
couple of months — from chippin’ down Eastern
Parkway at Brooklyn’s West Indian American
Day Carnival & Parade (5 September), to
mashin’ up at Miami Carnival (1–9 October),
then heading down to Tobago Carnival (28–30
October), which ends the 2022 post-summer
Carnival season with a bang.
In Guyana, Indigenous Heritage Month
(September) celebrates the country’s nine
Indigenous tribes through food, fashion,
pageantry, arts and more. Neighbouring
Suriname celebrates Maroon Day on 10
October, and you can learn more about the
Maroon movement later in this issue.

Meanwhile, the biggest party in sport returns

as the CPL T20 tournament (1–30 September)
celebrates its 10th anniversary. Six cricket
teams — along with the inaugural women’s
Courtesy Ian Craddock/Guyana Tourism Authority

squads — vie for supremacy as boundless

excitement envelops the cricket grounds in St
Lucia, Trinidad, Guyana, and St Kitts.

For literature lovers, all roads lead to the

Brooklyn Caribbean Literary Festival (9–11
September) and Brooklyn Book Festival (25
September–3 October).

16 WWW.CARIBBEAN-BEAT.COM
 Experience the beauty beneath St
Lucia’s dazzling waters at Dive Fest (19–26
September) with coral planting, a treasure
hunt, and the popular Lionfish Derby &
Cookoff. What’s more, Creole Heritage Month
(October) shows off the island’s cherished
heritage.

Divali (24 September) is the Hindu lunar

Courtesy St Lucia Tourism Board

festival of light, symbolising the triumph of
light over darkness. Hindu communities in
Trinidad, Guyana, Jamaica, and Suriname light
deyas (tiny oil lamps) in and round temples,
homes, roadways, and public parks. It’s a
ritual that many citizens of all faiths and
backgrounds join in, bringing delight to all.

In Antigua, the thrill of reeling in prized catches

and enjoying copious amounts of fresh seafood
awaits at the Francis Nunes Memorial Fishing
Tournament & Seafood Fest (24 September).
Courtesy Suchandra Roy Chowdhury/Unsplash.com

Curaçao Pride (28 September–2 October) sees

the LGBTQIA community and its allies celebrate
with signature events: the Pride Parade, Pride
Happy Hours, the White Party and Boat Party.

Capping things off, the World Creole Music

Festival’s scintillating sounds return to
Dominica (28–30 October) with a cavalcade of
star power, thrilling the seasoned festival-goer
and newbie alike.

For the film

buffs
Three, two, one — action! In Toronto, don’t
miss the CaribbeanTales International Film
Festival (7–23 September) and the Toronto
Courtesy Soleil Short Film Saturday x Third Horizon

International Film Festival (8–18 September),

before heading to the trinidad+tobago film
festival (22–28 September), and Grenada’s
1261 Film Festival (26–30 October).

Online, catch the next edition of Short

Film Saturday (10 September) on the Soleil
Space YouTube channel, in partnership with
the Third Horizon Film Festival. They’ll stream
Nile Saulter’s Fever Dream and Ian Harnarine’s
Doubles With Slight Pepper, followed by Q&As
with the filmmakers. Still from Fever Dream

WWW.CARIBBEAN-AIRLINES.COM 17
 food buzz

Phulourie made with

dasheen flour, with mango
amchar and pepper sauce
for dip

Courtesy Tobago Festivals Commission

Festivals for foodies
Tobago Barbados
Dasheen, sweet potato, cassava — these You could argue that Bajans are the original rum connoisseurs. Over
delicious and versatile root crops (called “blue 1,500 rum shops are scattered across Barbados, this tiny island east
food” locally) are cornerstones of Tobagonian of the Caribbean Sea that’s renowned for its award-winning rums.
cuisine. See for yourself at the Blue Food Explore the historical links between the island and its favourite spirit as
Festival (16 October), where communities you experience the Barbados Food & Rum Festival (27–30 October).
and visitors alike head to Bloody Bay for the Because rum is not just a drink here — it’s a culture. Each mouth-watering
gastronomic delights and live entertainment. dish is made with real passion, real local ingredients, and real love — all
Music, drumming and folklore captivate infused with the island’s precious elixir. visitbarbados.org
patrons, while local delicacies like dasheen
pone, dasheen wine, ice-cream, chips, and
cakes — all made from root crops — showcase
local ingenuity. There’s certainly no shortage
of flour here either. Can you taste the blue?
visittobago.gov.tt

Jamaica
Flavour. Vibes. Kingston! There’s something
Marketing Inc

for everyone at the Jamaica Food & Drink

TourismAuthority

Festival (JFDF) running 26–30 October.

Winner of the Caribbean’s Best Culinary Festival
Grenada Tourism

prize at the 2021 World Culinary Awards, JFDF

has superbly made its mark on the world stage.
Pure Barbados

Get your culinary passport out as the festival’s

chefs take you on a journey through a range of
Courtesy

fine dining and casual experiences to satisfy

Courtesy

every palate. jafoodanddrink.com

18 WWW.CARIBBEAN-BEAT.COM
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 book buzz
This month’s reading picks from the Caribbean
Wild Fires
by Sophie Jai (The Bor-
ough Press, 320 pp, ISBN
9780008380342)
Don’t be surprised if more
secrets than salvation greet
you in grief’s waiting room:
this reality awaits Cas-
sandra, Wild Fires’ central
character, who journeys to
her family home to attend
a funeral. In life, her cousin
Chevy was mute: in death,
the space left by his pass-
ing resounds with echoes
of the unanswered, the
nebulous, and the unasked.
Less a procedurally plotted
investigation of domestic
drama, Jai’s debut concerns
itself with the underpin-
nings that both inhabit and
haunt any clan of people
bound by blood. In the per-
egrinations struck between
Trinidad and Canada, vault-
ing between dusty decades
and difficult decisions, this
debut cuts through the
undergrowth of lies we tell
ourselves to preserve the
peace. Cassandra, weaving
her way through the mine-
field of visiting relatives’
acid-laced reminiscences,
is a sensitively wrought fig-
urehead for this discovery: a
redoubtable anti-heroine.
20 WWW.CARIBBEAN-BEAT.COM
Reviews by Shivanee Ramlochan, Book Review Editor
Uncertain Kin
by Janice Lynn Mather
(Doubleday Canada, 304
pp, ISBN 9780385697156)
Is there a liminal state, a
threshold when a Caribbean
girl becomes a woman? If
so, the 18 interwoven short
stories of Uncertain Kin
possess that space with
passionate inquiry. Across
the islands of The Bahamas,
these protagonists seize
life, or have it stripped
from them: from so many
perches, a hypervigilant
grandmother sits, surveying
everything that passes.
In “Mango Summer”, hog
plum mangoes lose their
ubiquitous sweetness all
too soon, their richness
souring against the sorrow
of a beloved sister’s disap-
pearance in the dead of
night. Mather opens wide
the doors of synaesthetic
perception: colours blend
into sounds, and tastes of
the Bahamian palate burst
in the mind’s eye. All are
implicated in these coming
of age, or loss of innocence
narratives: straddling dis-
enchantment and delirium,
the final surge of meaning
in these short fictions is
fundamentally feminist.
let the dead in
by Saida Agostini (Alan
Squire Publishing, 68 pp,
ISBN 9781942892281)
The Pomeroon River in
Guyana is that vast coun-
try’s deepest: to witness it
channelled in the poems of
Saida Agostini is to glean an
appreciation for this debut
collection’s intense fath-
oms. Tracing lineages from
the Essequibo’s forest-
fringed banks to the frigid-
ity of winter in Maryland,
Agostini charts fraught
emotional waters with the
heart’s astrolabe. You won’t
find flippant references
to family trees herein: the
approach of the poems is
mycelial, a mushrooming
network of ties that bind,
snap, and resolder them-
selves across generations.
What emerges is poetry
as fierce, fundamental
witness: repeatedly, the
speakers of these verses
ask, Where can pleasure
and purpose be found for
the fat Black queer wom-
an’s body in this world? The
echoing answers are a spiral
of reclamations, voices
reaching backwards to the
past, forward to the future,
for outrageous hope.
The Most Magnificent!
by Jeunanne Alkins and
Neala Bhagwansingh (Every-
thing Slight Pepper, 42 pp,
ISBN 9789769535053)
What stories might our oldest
buildings tell, if they could
speak? Co-writing team
Alkins and Bhagwansingh
answer this question for
architectural enthusiasts in
The Most Magnificent!, a
whimsy-laced, pedagogical
whirl through the histories
and significances of the seven
stately structures that flank
Trinidad & Tobago’s Queen’s
Park Savannah. Sayada
Ramdial’s accompanying
illustrations exclaim as much
as the text does, infusing this
story of built heritage with a
playfulness that almost feels
interactive. Alkins’ mission in
storytelling for juvenile read-
ers has long been to balance
breath-taking design with
educational excitement: this
production is the crowning
jewel of her publications to
date. It’s no mean endeavour,
either: anthropomorphising
history can be tricky, but in
these pages, Stollmeyer’s
Castle morphs into Sir Stoll-
meyer, wise and jovial: who
can argue with a castle regal-
ing you with his provenance?

This month’s listening picks from the Caribbean
Joy Lapps
Girl In the Yard (Joy Lapps
Music)
Steelpan music recordings
are back. Toronto native of
Antiguan descent Joy Lapps
is providing a new engage-
ment with the steelpan that
is welcome after the dearth
of new material for the
instrument in the last few
years. On this new album,
her fifth since her recording
career began in 2006, one
hears the development of
a broader palette and range
of musical environments
in which the steelpan is
placed. One hears rhythms
and sounds on these
originals that are part of
the multicultural milieu
of her Toronto situation:
metropolitan motifs mim-
icking a Caribbean presence,
latent Latin American vibes,
searing electric guitars,
and sterling musicianship.
One hears Andy Narell’s
melodic template on “Josie’s
Smile”, including cuatro and
bottle and spoon in a vintage
Caribbean soundscape; as a
bonus, he solos here. Lapps’
presence as a female leader
on a steelpan recording is
rare, trendsetting and wel-
comed. Her story. Our joy.
Reviews by Nigel A. Campbell
Braveboy
Braveboy Meets World
(Bravehouse Music Group)
Trinidadian self-described
vocal chameleon Braveboy
(he does it all: Caribbean
chanting over hip-hop and
trap music, rapso aesthetics
and soca lyricism) has com-
piled his global collaborations
with artists near to and far
from his Caribbean moorings.
An avatar for a modern con-
nected music universe, (Mar-
cus) Braveboy has hit upon a
formula that looks to position
him and his music some-
where and anywhere island
vernacular and accents can
make for pleasant listening
and, importantly, commercial
connections that last. DJs
and electronic musicians
from Latin America, Europe,
Asia and Africa (more than a
dozen in all) work with Brave-
boy to craft dance tunes that
throb with perfectly sampled
rhythmic intensity and
delight in fiendishly cheeky
exhortations to dance and
sing along — all flavoured
with that island cadence.
Afrobeats, soca, reggaeton,
and dancehall mix with shake
‘n bass, trap, and many more
EDM beats. Caribbean fusion
on steroids.
Wesli (ft AfrotroniX)
Bontan Iyalélé (Cumban-
cha) • Single
Haitian superstar Wesli, a
longtime Canada resident, is
preparing a new two-album
series — Tradisyon — which
is to be an exploration of
authentic and modern
approaches to Haitian roots
music. This second preview
single follows the new direc-
tion of the music, blending
the electronic with the
traditional. Dubstep meets a
modern African pulse — pro-
vided by pioneering African
DJ and producer AfrotroniX
— and Haitian yanvalou
rhythms, Voudou chants and
rara drums to create a sound
that has a global tag and an
Afro-Caribbean heart. The
song, sung both in English
and Kreyòl, is described as
a message of resilience and
a song of courage for his
countryfolk who cross the
border to the Dominican
Republic because of the
insecure nature of Haiti. You
have to know where you
from / To know where you
gwan / You got to do what
you say / Keep your promise
every day. This song is the
cutting edge of new Carib-
bean music sound.
WWW.CARIBBEAN-AIRLINES.COM
music buzz
Keba
Loco for Coco (Self
released) • Single
Trinidadian singer Keba, now
Florida-based, has released
an anthem for women of
colour on this new single.
With a title that hints in a
calypso-like double enten-
dre way at carnal desire and
awe, the song’s narrative
differs. Musically described
as “a cross-cultural fusion
of island music with ele-
ments of R&B/hip-hop”,
the song is paced just slow
enough for the message of
women’s sexual agency and
marginalisation in America
to get through. Her accom-
panying video utilises the
folklore character of the La
Diablesse, an anti-heroine
temptress, as a visual meta-
phor to remind all men of
the “look, don’t touch, or
else” directive. She raps: So,
miss me with the colour-
blind compliments / Act
like you know a thing or two
about immigrants / All this
talk about my pretty little
accent / I don’t need a man,
I need a new President / Or
was I in your wet dreams, in
2016 / When you voted to
make America great again,
huh? BOOM! Mic drop.
21
 round trip

Wonders of
the Caribbean
Our region is full of natural wonders and tremendous
biodiversity. National parks and reserves help protect and
preserve them. Here are just a few to add to your bucket list

22 WWW.CARIBBEAN-BEAT.COM
Black sand beaches
Montserrat

The sudden eruption of the Soufrière Hills volcano

in 1995 left two-thirds of the island uninhabitable,
and an exclusion zone is still carefully managed by
state authorities. But over the last quarter century,
the Caribbean’s Emerald Isle has become a favourite
among visitors for the warmth and hospitality of its
people, incredible dive sites and charming, unspoilt
beaches. Eight of its nine beaches feature distinctive
volcanic sand. The grains range in colour from shiny
ebony to shades of grey and flecks of white. The
coastline’s black sand, azure waters, and rich green
vegetation form a magnificent study in contrasts.

Courtesy Montserrat Tourism Division

WWW.CARIBBEAN-AIRLINES.COM 23
 Christoffel National Park
Curaçao

Curaçao boasts a beautiful desertscape, and many

visitors are familiar with its beautiful beaches, salt
flats, flamingos, and aloe museum. But few know the
diverse experiences that await in its 1,860-hectare
national park. It’s home to Mount Christoffel (the
island’s highest point at 1,200 feet), eight adventure-
filled hike routes, and the Savonet Museum — where
you can learn about local history and colonial-era
plantation life. Friendly tour guides may talk you into
a jeep safari or camping on the beach — truly fantas-
tic ways to experience the island’s natural wonders.

24 WWW.CARIBBEAN-BEAT.COM
 Freedom_Wanted/Alamy.com

WWW.CARIBBEAN-AIRLINES.COM 25
 Blue holes
The Bahamas

Andros, the largest island of the Bahamian archi-

pelago, has the greatest concentration of blue holes in
the world — over 175 inland, and at least 50 offshore.
It’s also home to the Blue Holes National Park, a
Courtesy Bahamas Ministry of Tourism

40,000-acre reserve established in 2002 to protect

22 inland blue holes and the unique biodiversity of
the area. There are also blue holes on Great Abaco
Island, New Providence, and on Long Island — home
to Dean’s Blue Hole (pictured). At 663 feet, it is the
second deepest recorded on the planet.

26 WWW.CARIBBEAN-BEAT.COM
 Champagne Reef
Dominica

As you may have guessed from the name, there

are bubbles — and the reef can look gold! Located
in the Soufrière-Scotts Head Marine Reserve in
southwest Dominica, the reef’s bubbles come from
the volcanic thermal springs on the seafloor of this
volcanic crater. Divers come from around the world
to enjoy one of the most pristine, vibrant, and varied
underwater environments in the Caribbean. The
unique rock formations along the deepest parts of the
reef are another draw, as is the 17th century Spanish
shipwreck, and the myriad marine species — delicate
sponges, waterlilies, and schools of fish — that create
a kaleidoscope of colour.

Courtesy Discover Dominica

28 WWW.CARIBBEAN-BEAT.COM
 Tobago Properties For Sale

5 Bedrooms – Ocean Front

TT$2.7m
Crown Point

Shazim Ali – Property Developer

3 Bedroom Condos – TT$1.65m

2 Bedroom Condos – TT$1.35m
Shirvan Road

Call or WhatsApp (868) 620-4382 / (868) 302-5849

 Kaieteur Falls
Guyana

It’s one of the tallest single drop waterfalls in the world. Here, the Potaro
River plunges 741 feet over a sandstone plateau — at a flow rate of some
23,400 cubic feet per second — with a never-ending roar and clouds of spray.
The falls are part of the nearly 272 square miles Kaieteur National Park,
located in a section of the Amazon rainforest. They’re a must-see for adven-
ture travellers and accessible by air on a day-trip, or by trekking upriver.

Les Gibbon/Alamy Stock Photo

30 WWW.CARIBBEAN-BEAT.COM
 UNLEASH
CARIBBEAN FUN
 cookup
The chef
with the
spice
T
“
he Soenil Revolution” was how
Food Inspiration Magazine, an online
publication for professional chefs, put it.
Soenil Bahadoer’s unique gastronomic
creations have been causing gourmands
from all over Europe — and beyond
— to beat a path to his two-Michelin-
starred Restaurant De Lindehof, in the far-flung Dutch village of
Nuenen.
Trained in classic French cuisine under legendary chefs in
Belgium, France and Holland, Soenil has become awash in
culinary awards since he began incorporating elements from his
Surinamese background into his dishes.
Reviewers rave about the delicate spiciness he has injected
into European haute cuisine. In the Netherlands, he was named
32 WWW.CARIBBEAN-BEAT.COM
Niala Maharaj meets the dynamic,
award-winning “spicy chef” Soenil
Bahadoer, whose fusion of traditional
European haute cuisine and
Surinamese home cooking draws
faithful foodies to his Michelin-
starred restaurant in the Netherlands
Photography courtesy Lindehof Restaurant/
Chef Soenil Bahadoer
an SVH Meesterkok (or Masterchef) in 2015. In 2021, he placed
58th in the international Best Chef Awards. And the Gault & Mil-
lau guide rates De Lindehof a score of 17 out of 20, also naming
Soenil Chef of the Year in 2020.
“Classic French cuisine is and always will be exquisite,” he
says. “But at a certain point in my career I got tired of the inevi-
table duck a l’orange. I don’t feel at home in rigidly measured
recipes, with rules and instructions. Feeling! That’s what my
kitchen is all about. What I do is to search for the flavours. I want
them to be more intense. They must touch you.”
This devotion to emotion runs through all his conversation.
“Cooking is about making contact,” he says.
In contrast to the celebrated TV “masterchefs” swearing and
sweating in testosterone-fuelled cooking contests, Soenil sees
food in terms of warmth and comfort, family and community.
Diners praise the atmosphere of hospitality he creates at De
Lindehof, receiving guests at the door himself and helping to
bring dishes to their table.
This seems part of the Caribbean persona he has clung to
with his mop of tousled curls, grey jeans and sneakers under his
chef’s jacket. Like his menu, he is a medley: intense but relaxed,
boisterous as well as business-like, spontaneous yet reflective.
“The key to cooking is to find balance and harmony,” he says.
“Balance” seems to be his favourite word. He is constantly
negotiating tradition and innovation, experiences and tenden-
cies, spontaneity, and the striving for perfection.

“We have seven cultures in Suriname, and 13 Indigenous
groups…” His eyes widen in wonder. “And all these flavours
mix…”
A t De Lindehof, he uses this vast range of tradition and
technique to weave an epicurean tapestry threaded
through with hints of ancient tropical flavours. Amuse-
bouche follows amuse-bouche between courses, each one a delicate
combination of shapes, colours and flavours — starters like king
crab with caviar and phulauri (phulourie); and main courses like
lobster with okra chutney and bitter melon.
But when asked what his own favourite food is, he opts for the
simplest and most traditional.
“My mother’s roti,” he says. “Home food is the best.”
He learned to cook from her, he says. And she still drops by
Opposite page King crab with
remoulade sauce, buttermilk
vinaigrette, phulourie and samphire
Left Chef Soenil carefully prepares a
dish in his kitchen
the restaurant regularly to check up on
him.
“As a child, when I was naughty, my
mother used to put me under house
arrest. She used to plonk me in the
kitchen while all other children were
outside playing. So I began watching
how she ground different spices to make
masala, and developed a knowledge of
the different scents and effects.”
He speaks often about his years as a
child in rural Suriname, his hard work
and beloved family. His family migrated
to the Netherlands when he was eight.
Until then, he and his four siblings walked
10 miles to and from school and had to
help on their parents’ farm when they
got home.
But his reminiscences about those days contain a kind of joy
at the richness of his experiences. He speaks about his father
going hunting in the forest and fishing in the rivers of South
America. You sense that this is what gave him a kind of pure
appreciation of different food items, of what is fresh and natural
and straight from the source.
“We lived in my grandmother’s house,” he says. “The women
used clay from the river behind the house to make an oven, and
cooked fish from the river with spices in a big cast-iron pan. You
never forget the fragrance of that cooking.”
Till today, he has ingredients and spices flown in from Suri-
name on a weekly basis.
“When I spot a mango,” he wrote in his book Spicy Chef, “good
manners go out of the window. You just eat it with your hands,
tear off the skin with your teeth and knock yourself out.”
WWW.CARIBBEAN-AIRLINES.COM 33

D uring the Coronavirus restrictions, when restaurants
couldn’t open, Soenil couldn’t just sit on his hands. He
designed an up-market food truck and sold snacks on the
street. People came all the way from Germany and lined up for
two hours for his baras (“buns” made Surinamese-style with lentil-
based flour) filled with Wagyu beef and black truffles.
“They cost 65 euros each,” says Soenil. “But at least people
who couldn’t afford to come to the restaurant could enjoy what
we had to offer.” A six-course meal at his restaurant runs nearly
275 euros per person.
The food truck was featured on the Dutch television evening
news, with Soenil and his party of chefs doing “the bara dance”
they had invented out of absurd Bollywood moves. Whatever
Soenil does, he always comes back home.
“I want to be true to myself,” he says. “You must never betray
your own culture. That makes you unique. That can’t be copied.”
This attitude has cost him. It took many years to gain accep-
tance in the upper echelons of haute cuisine. The high priests of
European culinary guides didn’t understand what he was doing
or how to evaluate his dishes.
“I couldn’t be judged by traditional standards of French
cooking,” he explains. “They couldn’t check my work against the
Escoffier, the bible of haute cuisine. But what mattered to me was
that I made pakoras with lobster. That was pioneering.”
At the beginning of his career, even getting a job in a kitchen
34 WWW.CARIBBEAN-BEAT.COM
Chef Soenil playfully wraps
his arms around his mother,
his biggest inspiration and
influence
I don’t feel at home in rigidly measured
recipes, with rules and instructions.
Feeling! That’s what my kitchen is
all about. What I do is to search for
the flavours. I want them to be more
intense. They must touch you.
was difficult for someone from his background. It took 60 appli-
cations for him to get one. This is why he now encourages people
of all backgrounds and from anywhere in the world to apply for
jobs in his own kitchen.
“I don’t care that you don’t know everything,” he says. “What
matters is that you have the drive to want to know everything. I
would like to give everyone the opportunity that I had to fight
so hard to get.”
Some of the people he trained went on to get Michelin stars
in restaurants of their own. And they, too, have incorporated ele-
ments of their own cultural backgrounds in their menus. Perhaps
the phrase “Soenil revolution” isn’t so far-fetched after all. n
CHILL.
PLAY.
LIME.
Stay refreshed. Angostura Chill

Angostura Chill is the official refreshment partner to the

Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) tournament. Follow us on social media @AngosturaChill
WWW.CARIBBEAN-AIRLINES.COM 35
 own words
Courtesy CBS
Trinidad-born, Canada-
raised Mishael Morgan on
becoming the first woman of
colour to win the best actress
Daytime Emmy Award for
her work on The Young & the
Restless; the magic of living a
purpose-driven life; and the
universal power of storytelling
— as told to Caroline Taylor
36 WWW.CARIBBEAN-BEAT.COM
“I was
designed for
that moment
because of
where I came
from”
I
have so much pride in the countries that contributed to my life. In
Trinidad and Canada, the diversity and multiculturalism feel so seamless.
We can’t say that racism doesn’t exist, but I see a real dedication to trying
to overcome our differences, embrace each other, celebrate each other’s
cultures and create our own new culture, in a way. I think that’s truly
connected to my soul, and possibly my soul purpose.
I moved to Canada at five. Until I was 13 or 14, my parents only cooked
Trinidadian food — roti, curry, stewed chicken and rice and peas. My mum also
used to make provision, dumplings, caraille — oh my gosh, my mum with the
caraille (bitter melon). I was the only one who could eat it. My parents always
played calypso and soca music in the house, and we would go to Caribana in
Toronto. My dad always pushed us to really understand other people’s cultures.
But I think no matter what, you can’t get away from your roots.
Everybody in the Caribbean is so proud: flags on our windshields, on
our Instagram accounts — everywhere. My husband is half Guyanese, half
Pakistani, but pretty much grew up fully Guyanese. We’ve been together 19
years. My son already knows that he’s Trinidadian and doesn’t talk about
being Guyanese yet, but he knows. We brainwash them from a very young age.
Trinidad has a way, especially in the food, of just connecting cultures. And
I feel like that’s part of my purpose and who I am. Because standing on that
Emmys stage and having that opportunity to give that acceptance speech, I
feel I was designed for that moment because of where I came from.
My dad would not stop talking about the most beautiful woman that came
from Trinidad — Janelle “Penny” Commissiong, the first Black woman to win
Miss Universe. And 45 years later, I broke a glass ceiling myself. I think that
that’s what’s beautiful — celebrating all of the glass ceilings that women of all
different ethnicities are breaking in different industries.
That’s the one thing I didn’t get to say but wanted to say in my acceptance
speech. I am lucky to be from Trinidad because I am filled with all these
 Mishael Morgan on the
red carpet at the Daytime
Emmy Awards in June
Opposite page Mishael
after winning the Daytime
Emmy Award for Out-
Courtesy CBS

standing Lead Actress in a

Drama Series

WWW.CARIBBEAN-AIRLINES.COM 37
 different cultures. My grandmother was half Chinese, half
Venezuelan. My grandfather was French Creole. My dad’s side
was Indian and Black. I have all of these cultures in my blood.
I celebrate being the first Black woman to win — and I am also
a multi-racial woman. It means a Chinese girl and an Indian
girl can come after me. I wanted my speech to be about unity
— reminding everybody that we are all connected and making
these changes together.
M
y mum is one of 18 kids. My grandmother had 18
children all with the same husband.
When I went back to Trinidad for the first time
when I was 14, I remember stepping off the plane and this
overwhelming feeling of, I’m home. With my family, it was like
we never left. We just picked up where we left off.
A lot of my family came down from all over the world for my
grandmother’s 80th. I was 19. Granny “Shooney”. That’s when
I broke my neck in a car accident down on Barrackpore Road.
My whole life had been dedicated to becoming an attorney.
I felt I needed to maintain this perfect academic record so that
I could get into York University for Political Science and then
law school. In Canada, you can apply for law school after your
second year of undergrad. School was always pretty easy for me.
I was always a really dedicated student. I was pretty active in my
faith. But it always felt like something was pushing against me.
So I had this kind of breakup with God for two or three years.
And the accident was like me coming back home.
I was just lying there for five days while they tried to figure
Courtesy Howard Wise/JPI Studios
38 WWW.CARIBBEAN-BEAT.COM
out the surgery. I remember being content with everything that I
did in my life. I was thinking even if I got paralysed from the neck
down, I could push against it — maybe even be a lawyer. Then I
remembered hearing a voice: “But you never tried.”
I knew what they were talking about because things just
didn’t feel aligned. I always loved acting. Every time there was
a school play, I was in it. I’d have tiny parts and people always
made me feel they’d noticed me when I was on stage. A teacher
asked me if I was going to apply to an arts high school. My drama
and English teacher was mad that I wasn’t at least going to
double major in drama at university. When we did the yearbook,
they said I was “most likely to be a movie star”. But my instinct
was to wonder if they were bullying me. That’s all the stuff that
came to my head. And I said to God, if you give me this oppor-
tunity to walk again, I guess I’ll try.
When I came back to Canada, I kind of got scammed for a
bit. So I said another prayer for somebody to guide and help me.
I bartended my whole way through university, including at this
nightclub where a man randomly came up to me and said he’d
left a big agency, was breaking off on his own, and thought I’d be
great for commercials. I just remembered feeling that was pretty
fast. He’s been my agent ever since.
I booked the first thing I ever auditioned for, which was a
music video I ended up getting cut out of. I auditioned for com-
mercials, but told my agent I really wanted to act in film and
television. He said I didn’t have any experience, but if I could
audition for him, he could send me out on one or two things. I
booked a guest star spot seven months later (The Best Years), and
then 10 months into it, I booked a series
regular role on Family Biz. My agent said
it was unheard of.
All this time, I had deferred law
school, but I was still doing year three at
York. I got a call saying that I’d booked a
second series regular role. But law school
would be four hours away in Ottawa, so I
wouldn’t be able to keep acting in Toronto.
So I said a prayer saying I needed to hear
— very clearly — that I was not going to
law school. Two weeks before I was to
go, my agent called and says, “You’re not
going to law school.”
In 2013, Morgan was cast as
Hilary Curtis on The Young &
the Restless. The character
died in the arms of her husband
Devon Hamilton (Bryton James)
in 2018. A year later, Morgan re-
joined the cast as Hilary’s twin
sister, Amanda Sinclair
Opposite page Mishael with her
son, daughter and husband

Courtesy Mishael Morgan
T
he reason I talk about purpose a lot is because after I took
this huge leap of faith, both my shows got cancelled and
I did not book another project for a year and a half. I’ve
always had this weirdly optimistic outlook on life. I’ve never felt
like a bitter or angry person or somebody who has a short fuse…
except for that year and a half. I nearly went into a deep, dark
depression. Something felt really off.
One day, I went into the bookstore and remember feeling
so heavy. Not knowing I was in the self-help section, I started
perusing and saw A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle. It literally had a
line saying, if this is connecting to you, this book is for you. And
I took it home and it completely transformed my life. I got rid of
a lot of resentment for things not working out the way I wanted
them to. And it put me in this place of alignment and flow.
It made me really start to re-evaluate why I wanted to be an
actor. For a long time, I thought it was because I wanted to help
my parents, and not worry about money. In my early twenties, I
thought I was going to be a star, and that’s why I was going to do it.
I could spend 10 years lobbying for
something, or I could put together
a two-hour movie and change
somebody's heart, help them see
and feel the world differently just
through pictures and the artform
of drama
But I’ve never been a showy person. I love acting for how it
makes me feel and how free I am on stage since I was a kid. So
it’s not about the money. I started thinking about why I wanted
to be a lawyer. I wanted to change the world. I literally said that
to myself, laughing. I wanted to fight for women’s rights and the
rights of people. And it just hit me. I could spend 10 years lobby-
ing for something, or I could put together a two-hour movie and
change somebody’s heart, help them see and feel the world dif-
ferently just through pictures and the artform of drama. That’s
why I wanted to be an actor.
As soon as I discovered that, probably two weeks later, I
started booking like crazy — including The Young & the Restless
in 2013. Everything aligned. And that’s the reason I’m so big
about knowing what you’re doing, because we have one life to
live and we all have a piece of this puzzle to play. So you either
become a purpose-driven person and your piece is bigger and
more enjoyable, or you become a different tool that God’s going
to use in a different way.
Everybody has their own purpose and their own journey.
Other people see your life from the outside — see the moments
of success and notoriety. But it’s the journey that’s most impor-
tant. Because those moments of success and even fame are so
few and far between. n
You can read the full interview with Mishael — with more on
her Y&R work and other projects — on the website of our
sister publication, Discover Trinidad & Tobago (discovertnt.com)
WWW.CARIBBEAN-AIRLINES.COM 39
 destination

Barbuda
rising
From flirtatious frigatebirds to
captivating caves, Gemma Handy
shares why Barbuda should be on
everyone’s bucket list
Photography courtesy Antigua & Barbuda
Tourism Authority

I
f you’re planning a trip to Barbuda over the next few
weeks, prepare for some serious flirting.
Mating season for the tiny isle’s famously amorous
frigatebirds starts around September and the groups of
posturing males puffing out their throats into a bright red
balloon, quivering their vast wings and drumming their
beaks to draw passing females’ attention, make for a spectacular
display.
Antigua’s lesser-visited sister is home to the second largest
nesting area outside the Galapagos. The aptly named magnifi-
cent frigatebirds are locally dubbed “man o’ war” for their habit
of mugging other birds mid-flight for their freshly caught fish.
September marks five years since the 62-square-mile island
was devastated by Hurricane Irma, thrusting this unassuming
place onto the front pages of newspapers worldwide.
Today, the birds, like Barbudans themselves, have largely
recovered and visitors are heartened to discover a slew of
intriguing attractions that go way beyond the legendary pink
sand beach.
This low-lying coral isle is 30 miles northeast of Antigua
and accessible by ferry, plane or helicopter charter. Loved for
its laidback whimsical charm, it offers an ambience of stepping
back in time amid an unspoilt landscape where fallow deer, wild
boars and donkeys still roam free.
A word of warning though. While wildlife is aplenty, accom-
modation is rather more sparse.
There’s a reason why tourism bosses, in launching an official
promo for Barbuda earlier this year, invited vacationers to come
— just not all at once.
Those wishing to spend longer than a day here are advised to
book well in advance, bearing in mind some places close entirely

40 WWW.CARIBBEAN-BEAT.COM
 Pink sand at Cedar Tree Point
Below A frigatebird

for the rainy months before reopening in November.

The luxurious Barbuda Belle boutique hotel comprises eight
suites and a penthouse set across a deserted 15-mile beach.
There are also the Barbuda Cottages, an eco-friendly hideaway
of rustic wooden properties on stilts, the recently built Historic
Dulcina Apartments aimed at travellers on a budget, plus a smat-
tering of small guesthouses.
Many people who flock here to enjoy a unique brush with
nature opt for camping. If sleeping under sweat-inducing polyes-
ter is not for you, step it up a notch at the Frangipani glamping
site, a remote getaway where you can sleep in a queen-size bed
in a wooden cabana complete with outdoor kitchen and shower.

WWW.CARIBBEAN-AIRLINES.COM 41
Anchoring off a beach
in Barbuda

A
cross the island, some houses still bear the scars of opened in 2021, is a delightful blend of organic tones, latticework
Mother Nature’s wrath and cellphone signal remains and understated elegance, complemented by a broad range of
spotty in certain parts, but homes and infrastructure have Japanese dishes, sake, wine and cocktails.
predominantly been restored. The location is worth a sojourn for the beach alone. Named
On top of that, Barbuda has also been undergoing something after its most revered visitor, the crescent-shaped Princess
of a construction boom with a number of heavyweight foreign Diana Beach at several miles long offers ultra-seclusion and
investors currently ploughing dollars into high-end resorts seasonal pink sands.
aimed at attracting well-heeled visitors and part-time residents. To experience true local culture, eating at any one of Bar-
Some of the developments buda’s small diners is an experi-
have not been without contro- ence not to be missed.
versy. Many Barbudans feel
they pose a threat not just to
September marks five years At Wa’omoni in Codrington,
Jackie Beazer cooks up an array
the environment but to their since the 62-square-mile island of traditional dishes including
long tradition of practising
communal land ow nership.
was devastated by Hurricane venison and conch burgers,
plus belt-busting cakes and
Others welcome the arrival of Irma, thrusting this unassuming puddings.
an economic injection and new
employment opportunities.
place onto the front pages of Claudette Beazer, whose
co ok s hop i s conve n ie nt ly
One of the most interesting newspapers worldwide located near the fisheries com-
projects is headed by Holly- plex on the outskirts of the
wood actor Robert De Niro and town, is known for her delicious
Australian billionaire James Packer. The duo is set to transform home cooking. Some residents also open their homes to diners
the derelict K Club — where Princess Diana holidayed months wanting a real taste of Barbuda.
before her death — into a Nobu resort. While choices for breakfast and lunch are abundant, dinner
As food aficionados know, the Goodfellas star co-founded the options — save for informal grills and bar snacks — can be
successful Nobu chain, which now boasts 50 restaurants across elusive off-season.
the globe — including in Barbuda. Uncle Roddy’s on Coral Group Bay is one of the most popular
Don’t expect the glitz of its US counterparts here, however; restaurants on account of its pretty venue, splendid beachfront
this Nobu is toes-in-the-sand Barbuda style. The eatery, which spot and variety of Caribbean and international fare.

42 WWW.CARIBBEAN-BEAT.COM

W
hile Barbuda may lack the high-energy activities and
nightlife of its regional neighbours, it’s an eco-tourism
haven — a draw for surfers, hikers, birdwatchers and
boaters alike.
Lagoons, creeks, mangrove swamps and mud flats make for a
variety of habitats for waterfowl, and dozens of species of birds
have been recorded here.
Locals have a deep reverence for the natural world; many
Barbudans can identify dozens of plants suited for bush tea alone.
Residents will testify to balmy days spent picking sea grapes,
fishing and exploring caves — and it’s easy to find someone
44 WWW.CARIBBEAN-BEAT.COM
Above Two Foot Bay
Left Darby Cave
While Barbuda may lack the high-
energy activities and nightlife of
its regional neighbours, it’s an eco-
tourism haven — a draw for surfers,
hikers, birdwatchers and boaters alike
willing to show you the latter. Those closest to Codrington are
found at Two Foot Bay. In addition to bats, crabs, iguanas and
tropicbirds that frequent the caves, one — Indian Cave — even
boasts petroglyphs left behind by the island’s First Peoples.
Other well recommended sights include snorkelling at the
marine reserve of Palaster Reef, where you won’t be rewarded
just with vibrant fish and the odd sea turtle but old shipwrecks too.
Whatever the future holds for this tranquil outpost that
time once forgot and appears to be catching up on, there is no
accounting for the indomitable spirit of the Barbudan people,
displayed so valiantly in Irma’s aftermath.
Guests are always warmly welcomed and quickly become like
family. One more reason perhaps why Princess Diana famously
said Barbuda was the only place on earth she could find peace. n
 plugin

Courtesy Play the Devil

Streaming
the Caribbean
With limited runs at festivals, in cinemas,
and on local broadcast television, Caribbean
diaspora films and series often struggle to reach
audiences further afield. As Mark Lyndersay
writes, a range of online streaming platforms
seek to bridge the gap

46 WWW.CARIBBEAN-BEAT.COM
 W
ith nearly two years under varying
lockdown conditions globally, the cinema
industry experienced a major change, as
first-run films moved to streaming to
capture audiences that were trapped at
home.
For regional filmmakers, the challenge has been going on lon-
ger than that, as access to cinemas — with their limited time avail-
able for small and independent films made outside of major studios
and distribution channels — has been shrinking, even as screens
abounded in multiplexes to be viewed by smaller audiences.
Streaming films and television brought a further splintering
of audiences as screens became even smaller, compressed right
down to the size of a smartphone for some viewers.
For Bahamian filmmaker Maria Govan, director of Play the
Devil, going through a large distribution agency proved a hard
learning experience.
The distributor had exclusive rights over major territories,
which limited the filmmakers’ ability to distribute on their own.
As a result, the film was limited to the regions in which it could
be licensed for streaming.
Play the Devil was a selection for the Watch a Movie On Us
(WAMOU) initiative, a pandemic-inspired project by FILMCO, a
Trinidad & Tobago coalition of filmmakers and producers.
The limited licensing arrangement to stream the films was
paid for by the National Gas Company, but the streams were
severely geofenced (blocked by geographic location) for viewing.
“Our sales agent won’t take the conventional [distribution]
route in the future,” Govan said. “We would rather go to stream-
Courtesy Gian Franco Wilson
ing platforms rather than large distributors, especially with a
niche film like Play the Devil.”
Govan and her team found it difficult to get access to financial
specifics on their film. Distribution took a hefty percentage of the
profits along with additional fees that were billed as expenses.
Trinidadian Maya Cozier’s first major outing as a director, She
Paradise, was picked up for streaming on Amazon after a short run
in T&T cinemas. The sales representative placed the film through
Samuel Goldwyn Films, who secured distribution on Amazon,
YouTube’s paid viewing channels, and Vudu. The extensive
distributor requirements meant the handover took several weeks.
T
he financial return from cinema screenings can be a
difficult proposition for filmmakers pushing the boundaries
for local audiences.
Kim Johnson’s PAN: Our Music Odyssey enjoyed some success
on French television, on PBS, and in cinemas in Japan. But when
it screened in Trinidad, just four people turned up, Johnson
recalled. The film was not picked up for streaming during its
initial distribution.
For films in production, Netflix asks for 4K capture (a resolu-
tion of 3,840 by 2,160 pixels), while Amazon requires a quarter
of that at 1080p.
According to Gian Franco Wilson, CEO of Pavilion+ — a new
streaming service targeting the diaspora — those requirements are
forward-looking and there might be flexibility about earlier films.
Wilson, born in Trinidad but living in the UK for most of his
life, fondly recalls visits to the country where, for him, the most
exciting thing was watching local programming.
“It’s not just the quality of the format — it’s the
storytelling,” Wilson said. “We can’t expect Oscar-
winning films right out of the gate, but content has a
role in reflecting ourselves back to us.”
He noted the fracturing of the audience, first from a
single television channel then to multiple cable chan-
nels. “Now with the internet,” he said, “you aren’t just
dealing with hundreds of channels; you are competing
with other forms of entertainment.”
Fifteen years ago in business school, he decided
that he wanted to create the Warner Brothers of
the Caribbean. After years spent at Microsoft and
Amazon in mobile, gaming and TV, he had what he
described as his “ah-ha” moment.
First, he secured a deal with the Roku channel and
became the largest supplier of regional content to
them — but soon began fielding complaints that view-
ers outside the US, UK, and Canada were geofenced
from viewing.
Pavilion+ was his response.
Gian Franco Wilson,
CEO of Pavilion+
WWW.CARIBBEAN-AIRLINES.COM 47
 Maya Cozier, director of
She Paradise

A
fter the pandemic inspiration of WAMOU, the Trinidad &
Tobago Film Festival crafted its own streaming platform
— ttff+ — to build on the momentum of online viewing.
“Online distribution is unavoidable — not only is it the future,
it’s also the present,” said FILMCO’s interim executive director
Mariel Brown. “Going online puts the power in our hands, in
Courtesy Maya Cozier

terms of deciding what gets shown and when.

The platform was launched in mid-June and within a few
weeks had tripled the catalogue it offers for viewers. That count
for regional films today is less than 100 discrete titles, which only
scrapes the surface of content created and being created across
the Caribbean.
Viewers are interested in a wealth of content in a diversity of
styles, but every streaming service has started without enough,
and worked quickly to build the kind of catalogues that attract
subscribers. But the pool of available regional material is still
relatively shallow, and building sustainable streaming services
depends on subscription revenue. Without investors to create
more films, the region faces a chicken and egg conundrum that
is still sorting itself out.
Of Roku’s 55 million viewers, the Caribbean regional section
managed to attract 500,000, and that’s the first audience target
for Pavilion.
“For too long,” she says, “local filmmakers have had to work
within a hostile broadcast environment in which filmmakers
[often] were asked to pay for air time, or to hand over their
content for free or otherwise participate in some nebulous
revenue-share agreement.”
The first WAMOU in March 2020 clocked 36,000 views for
fewer than a dozen films made available weekly. That’s slowed
down considerably since countries have reopened, but the
project is a long-term undertaking.
“Online distribution is not the miracle panacea that many
people think it is, unless you’re Netflix or YouTube,” Brown said.
Wilson hopes to change things for filmmakers, not least
because he is ramping up to do his own productions to generate
titles for Pavilion+.
“With streaming, you have to keep feeding the beast,” he said,
“and there are shows that we will produce to meet the interests
of our subscribers.
“I would love to see some fun stories. We are such a witty
community of people that I’m surprised that so many of the
films are so grim and full of drama. The more we get into general
entertainment, the broader our audience will be.” n

Recommended options for viewing

Caribbean Tales TV Duo (2 screens): US$5.99 monthly some shorts available for free, with a
caribbeantales-tv.com Family (4 screens): US$6.99 monthly catalogue of films available for rent,
US$9.99 monthly, $99.99 annually most at US$2.99
Seven-day free trial Studio Anansi Patreon contribution of US$5 monthly
Digital films can be purchased or studioanansitv.vhx.tv requested
rented US$5.99 monthly, $60 annually Patronage for the development of The
Seven-day free trial Caddy Club begins at US$25 monthly
ttff+ Films can be purchased individually
plus.ttfilmfestival.com (ranging from US$3.99 to $61) YardVibes
Catalogue of 27 films available at caribbeancreativity.nl
US$6 each KweliTV Catalogue of 50 films, all available for
Users have 30 days to begin watching kweli.tv rent, some for purchase
a rental and 30 days after starting to US$5.99 monthly, $49.99 annually Pricing averages €2.99
view it Seven-day free trial

Pavilion+ StoryplayTV
pavilionplus.co storyplay.tv
Individual (1 screen): US$4.99 monthly Family-oriented animation channel;

48 WWW.CARIBBEAN-BEAT.COM
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 live green
Mindful
cooking
Amallia Eka/Shutterstock.com
I
n a waterfront restaurant, with fishing boats moored
just offshore, foodies are enjoying well-seasoned roast
fish with local veggies plated on banana leaves. Not far
away, on the roadside, a visiting family savours a richly-
flavoured pineapple chow exquisitely presented in a
pineapple bowl. These are typical Caribbean experiences:
from using the seeds from produce to grow crops and the peels
for serving and composting — nothing is wasted.
What does zero-waste look like in a Caribbean
context?
I believe the Caribbean has been doing some form of zero-
waste cooking for many years. Barbados’ famous pudding
and souse is the perfect example. Everything gets used! Some
people use the pig’s ears, tongue, feet (trotters), tails — even
the blood is used for the pudding.
Chicken is another animal that we minimise wastage with.
There is more than just breast and legs. We do chicken step-
per (foot) soup, pickled steppers, and fried chicken necks. In
Barbados, the legendary Granny’s in Oistins has the best fried
chicken necks.
Why is the movement important to you?
As a chef and restaurateur, minimising food waste is always
a priority. It’s not just about being responsible and reducing
50 WWW.CARIBBEAN-BEAT.COM
About 55% of fruits and vegetables
in the Caribbean actually go to
waste, thanks to deterioration, high
temperatures, and physical damage.
Shelly-Ann Inniss talks to multiple
award-winning Barbadian chef Damian
Leach, who shares his passion for
Caribbean cuisine and for making the
most of our meals
waste, it’s also about getting the most out of the food I paid
for! I paid for the whole broccoli. I didn’t just pay for the pretty
florets. I paid for the stem as well, so why wouldn’t I want to
find a use for them?
What does a sustainable food system look like for you?
Caribbean cuisine has to start with Caribbean produce. It’s not
just fruits and vegetables but local meat — black belly lamb is
a favourite. I have a simple herb garden too, but my breadfruit
tree is the thing I’m most proud of. It is still small, but one day I
will pick one and roast it with my kids.
What are your best tips for people who’d like to give
this a try?
The Caribbean has the same temperature all year, so a lot of
vegetables will be available. My favourites this time of year
are breadfruit and mango. If you get the chance, try roasting a
breadfruit on the beach with fresh red snapper, also in season.
No need for plates as the roast breadfruit skin is a perfect eco-
friendly bowl. Honestly, although you can’t go wrong with fresh
mango salsa, my favourite way to eat mango is dipped in the
sea and eaten with the skin and all.
What’s a good way to get children involved?
Starting a home garden is the perfect thing to do with kids to
keep them busy. Plus, they are so proud of themselves when
they taste something that they helped grow from a tiny seed. I
spent a lot of time as a little boy in the garden with my grand-
dad, and to this day I have never tasted a cauliflower like the
one that we grew together. n
Courtesy Damian Leach

Cocktail Kitchen’s executive chef Damian Leach is a culinary ambassador for

Barbados and has promoted Barbadian cuisine around the globe.

WWW.CARIBBEAN-AIRLINES.COM 51
 inspire
A movement
of Maroons
Descendants of Maroon peoples in the Caribbean
diaspora have been working tirelessly to be recognised
as Indigenous. Attillah Springer shares what this
means, and why this work is so important
I
n April 2022, I joined a group of
descendants and allies of Maroon
peoples at the United Nations
headquarters in New York, where
the 21st Session of its Permanent
Forum on Indigenous Issues
(UNPFII) was being held.
As a conch shell blows to bring the
meeting to order, I look around the
General Assembly chamber and catch the
eye of the Trinidadian activist Akilah Jar-
amogi. It is largely through her persistent
Courtesy Marlon Rouse
52 WWW.CARIBBEAN-BEAT.COM
prodding that we are there at all.
This is a journey that started for her as
a teenager — running from home and into
the hills, answering the call of Rastafari,
and eventually becoming the Paramount
Chief of the Merikin Maroons of Trinidad.
Their ancestors in the United States had
escaped enslavement by fighting for the
British in the war of 1812–14, for which
they received grants of land in Trinidad
— and their freedom.
There are other Maroon communities
across the Caribbean — in Barbados,
Belize, Dominica, Guadeloupe, Jamaica,
Martinique, St Vincent, Suriname, Trini-
dad & Tobago — and further afield in
Sierra Leone, and the Gullah/Geechee
Nation (United States).
All, at one time or another, were
involved in armed conflict, calculated
uprisings, or serious bloodshed in opposi-
tion to enslavement. Some — as in Jamaica
and Suriname — eventually received land
rights through treaties signed with colonial
authorities (some of which fell into grey
areas after independence).
But Marronage is more than a rejec-
tion of or escape from oppression — it is
about intentionally creating something to
run to. And this goes far beyond concrete
land rights.
In the Americas, the accepted under-
standing of Indigenous refers to the Taino,
Kalinago, Warao, and peoples our history

Courtesy Marcel Crozet/ILO
books erroneously teach us have been
wiped out. But if erasure is the struggle of
the colonised, Marronage is the weapon.  recognised as tribal/Indigenous peoples
What this “Indigenous” identif ier
affords is recognition and respect for
spiritual and farming practices; the right
to education on the history and culture of
these groups; the right to learn languages
lost to colonial erasure; and reparations in
the fullest sense — repairing 500 years of
violent loss through real justice and equity.
It’s why in 2014 Akilah Jaramogi,
Gaaman Gloria “Mama G” Simms (of the
Maroon Indigenous Women’s Circle in
Jamaica), and Fidelia Graand-Galon (of
the N’djuka Nation and Maroon Women’s
Network in Sur iname) founded the
Maroon Women Chamber of Cooperation.
What followed through 2018 was a
flurry of meetings, visits, and conversa-
tions with elders — from Jamaica to the
Gullah islands, Switzerland to Suriname.
In 2019, the three women made their
first visit to the UNPFII to begin press-
ing for Maroons in the Americas to be
as legally defined by the UN.
Not everyone is comfortable with this.
A
s the UN meetings progress,
we encounter both interest and
suspicion among delegates. It is
suggested that we might more rightfully
belong at the Permanent Forum for People
of African Descent, scheduled to have its
first meeting in December 2022.
Our legal representative Andy Reid
reminds us that we’re not there to ask for
recognition, but simply to affirm who we
are. In a meeting with Francisco Cali Tzay,
the UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights
of Indigenous Peoples, he asks, “How do
you define yourself?” Self-identification is
what matters most.  your captors.
Can groups of people of African
descent self-identify as Indigenous?  survival.
Left Dr Fidelia Graand-Galon of
the Maroon Women’s Network
and Ambassador in the Ministry
of Foreign Affairs, Suriname
Opposite page Akilah Jaramogi,
Paramount Chief of the Merikin
Maroons of Trinidad
There is legal precedent for this in two
rulings by the Inter-American Court of
Human Rights, both involving Maroon
communities in Suriname. In 2007, the
court found that the Saramaka were a
“tribal peoples” with a collective human
right to the communal title, use, and
protection of their traditionally owned
territory and natural resources. It cited
the 2005 case that acknowledged the
cultural and spiritual rights of N’djuka
Maroons in response to a massacre in
Moiwana village. 
Both rulings recognised that Maroon
peoples have a spiritual relationship and
ancestral ties to the lands they occupy
— and that their roots in the Indigenous
peoples of Africa were the source of their
“distinct” social, cultural, and economic
character. They established that Maroon
peoples of the Americas have retained
and evolved their African indigeneity into
the peoples they are today. 
Understanding what it means to be
Maroon is to look long and deep into
Caribbean history. It is to think of the first
sighting of the first boat of conquistadors
that reached the Caribbean. It is to imag-
ine what words the Taino and Kalinago
people had to create in their languages to
help make sense of these newly arrived
visitors, who quickly turned to foes.
It is to understand the complications of
these relationships, and how they become
further complicated by colourism, reli-
gious assimilation, centuries of violence,
the rage of a people intercepted and inter-
rupted, and by the grief of not knowing
when the repair work will be at an end.
It is to imagine your ancestor trying
to make sense of the bottom of a slave
ship. It is to feel the midday sun and
to understand the risk in plotting your
escape — or worse, plotting to overthrow
 
It is to contemplate the complexity of
 
WWW.CARIBBEAN-AIRLINES.COM 53
 Gaaman Gloria Simms played
the lead role in Queen Nanny:
Legendary Maroon Chieftainess.
The film received its world premiere
at the UN Headquarters in 2015
A
t the UN, part of the uncomfortable
work that we identify during the
course of our side-meetings is
confronting all the times we did not act
as allies to each other. Mama G went on
record this year as apologising for the
role some Maroons played in the brutal
crushing of multiple uprisings of enslaved
peoples, including the famous Takyi’s
Rebellion in 1760s Jamaica — which
also catalysed the introduction of the
Caribbean’s first laws against Obeah.
One of our contingent, the Garifuna
Ambassador-at-Large Cynthia Ellis,
addresses the Forum with an appeal for
unity, for our islands to be borderless. Bor-
derlessness in the face of oppression is what
it means to be Garifuna. A united force of
people coming together: Africans rescued
from a wrecked slave ship by St Vincent’s
Kalinago people, and over generations of
miscegenation creating a new nation to
wage war against British enslavement.
This is part of my own story. My Gari-
funa great-grandfather Papa Gimpie was
born after Emancipation in Mesopotamia
54 WWW.CARIBBEAN-BEAT.COM
Valley in St Vincent. It is what draws me
to this UN meeting, and this movement to
reclaim lost ties, not just to one island but
to the entire region.  journey, to another meeting. We share
It is his name that I call on the day that
we visit the monument to the victims of
Maroon peoples of the
Americas have retained
and evolved their
African indigeneity into
the peoples they are
today
the Atlantic Slave Trade on the grounds
of the UN headquarters. There are tears
on our cold faces as Kenrich Cairo of
the Okanisi people of Suriname sings for
those lost. With us, pouring libations to
the ancestors, is Mireille Fanon Mendes-
France — human rights lawyer and
UN Photo Library/Amanda Voisard
daughter of the late Martiniquan psychia-
trist and philosopher Frantz Fanon. 
We leave the UN to go on another
food and coffee and stories. We share
solutions for healing and organising and
recovery when harm is done by a com-
munity member. 
History also begs that we look to the
future. To the certain uncertainty of
climate change; disappearing islands;
the forcible separation from original
homelands; the urgency of preserving
distinct cultures; and what role — if any
— Maroons and Indigenous peoples play
in collectively challenging the social and
environmental scars of imperialism.
This journey — like many stories
involving Caribbean people — is long,
complicated, and full of plot twists, with
multiple points of starting, stopping, turn-
ing in on itself, and walking without fear. 
And what does a United Maroon Indig-
enous Peoples mean for the Caribbean?
That answer can’t be found at the United
Nations. n
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 on this day
The voluntary
castaway
Exactly 70 years ago, a French doctor — Alain
Bombard — set off on a journey from the
Canaries to the Caribbean in a 15-foot dinghy,
determined to prove that man could survive
on rain (and sea) water, fish, and plankton
alone. James Ferguson tells the tale
W
“
ater, water everywhere / Nor any
drop to drink.” The famous lines
from Coleridge’s The Rime of the
Ancient Mariner (1834) have entered
into common parlance. They evoke
the horror experienced by those
becalmed or shipwrecked, surrounded by an infinity of salt water
that, if drunk, will cause certain and rapid death.
It is widely understood that sea water, even consumed in
small quantities, leads quickly to an overdose of salt, to dehydra-
tion and kidney failure. Popular fiction and films contain many
examples of marooned mariners and shipwreck survivors in life-
boats driven mad by a raging thirst in the midst of a vast ocean.
But some people are simply unwilling to accept mainstream
thinking. One such maverick was a French doctor who rejoiced
in the name of Alain Bombard. His determination to prove that
humans can survive extended periods afloat in small vessels
— without supplies of food and, most importantly, fresh water —
led him on an extraordinary journey across the Atlantic 70 years
ago, a journey that ended on a remote beach on the northwest
coast of Barbados.
Bombard was not a daredevil adventurer in search of public-
ity, but a scientist with a theory to test. In a 15-foot rubber dinghy
with a small triangular sail, equipped with the basic supplies that
might be found on a lifeboat, he set off from Las Palmas in the
Canary Islands on 19 October 1952, starting a 65-day crossing
towards landfall in the Caribbean.
This was no idle experiment, but a research mission carried
out because Bombard had an idea that he thought could save
many lives. Born (1924) and educated in Paris, he had worked
as a doctor in a hospital in the northern French port town of
Boulogne-sur-Mer, and it was there that he saw first-hand the
56 WWW.CARIBBEAN-BEAT.COM
catastrophic nature of disasters at sea and
the critical struggle for survival in their
aftermath.
A shipwrecked trawler caused 43 deaths
among Boulogne’s fishing community in
early 1951, and it was reckoned that about
150 fishermen died in northern France each
year — and perhaps 200,000 seafarers world-
wide. Of these, it was estimated that at least
a quarter perished in lifeboats from thirst,
hunger and despair. The huge loss of life
during the Second World War among sailors
and civilians had brought the challenges and
mortal dangers of the sea into sharp focus.
Dr Bombard’s theory was relatively simple: morale among
castaways could be maintained by the prospect of survival,
and the chance of survival could be improved by hydration and
nutrition. The sea, he thought, could provide both.
Nutrition could be obtained by eating fish, easily caught
with rudimentary equipment, and by consuming nutrient-rich
plankton, scooped up in fine nets and swallowed by the spoon-
ful. As for water, rain could be captured and stored, and — more
interestingly — semi-filleted fish could be squeezed in a press
to produce a liquid significantly less salty than the sea in which
they live. He even thought that small amounts of sea water, if
diluted with non-salty rainwater, would not cause serious dam-
age to humans.
By 1952, Bombard was ready to test his hypothesis. A trial
run from Monaco to Tangiers and then to Casablanca was
successful — though a planned companion perhaps sensibly
dropped out at this stage. Then in October, after a brief visit to
Paris to view his new-born daughter, he set sail from Las Palmas,
equipped with a sextant, a tarpaulin, some fishing equipment
and — importantly — a sealed box of food and water. If the seal
was found to be broken, the mission would be deemed a failure.
Bombard kept a diary of what happened next, later turning
it into a successful early example of extreme travel writing. It
was a “starving thirsty hell”, he wrote, detailing the nauseating
diet of plankton and raw fish that sustained him. There was no
rain for three weeks, he had little idea of where he was, and
storms buffeted the tiny craft, snapping the mast and soaking
the solitary mariner.
The “voluntary castaway”, as he styled himself, suffered
multiple health issues — nausea, skin complaints, mild paranoia
— and confronted alarming incidents as he was pushed along
by irregular trade winds and erratic currents. Perhaps most

Keystone Press/Alamy Stock Photo
disconcerting was the arrival of curious swordfish whose sharp
bills might easily have punctured his rubber vessel, the aptly
named L’Hérétique.
Bombard admits that he was close to despair when, on day
53, a ship appeared on the horizon. The Arakaka — a cargo ship
en route to British Guiana from Liverpool — spotted him, came
close, and from a loudhailer the captain informed him that he
was still 600 miles from his projected destination. Demoralised,
Bombard accepted an invitation to come aboard, have a shower,
send a telegram to his wife and, unwisely, eat a small lunch of
fried egg, liver and cabbage.
The effect on his fragile digestive system was to prove disas-
trous. Yet despite the dispiriting revelation of his position, Bom-
bard resolved to continue and set sail once more. The Arakaka’s
captain, impressed by the Frenchman’s courage, promised that
he would have Bombard’s favourite piece by Bach played on the
BBC Overseas Service on Christmas Day.
Re-energised by this fortuitous encounter, Dr Bombard sailed
on, plagued by diarrhoea and still hoping to make landfall on the
French territory of Martinique. The presence of seabirds and
then the appearance of a Dutch cargo ship bound for Trinidad
confirmed that the dinghy was nearing land. But now the objec-
tive changed to Barbados — still 70 miles away, but much closer
than Martinique.
In his book The Bombard Story, he describes his elation at
Courtesy Zodiac Archive
Left Dr Alain Bombard with L’Hérétique
at the Navy Museum in Paris, France
Above L’Hérétique after making landfall
at Stroude Bay, Barbados
spotting a lighthouse beam flashing on
clouds in the dark sky. Negotiating Barba-
dos’ rocky northern coastline, he finally
saw a beach and a group of fishermen who
helped the emaciated mariner ashore and
dragged the dinghy onto the beach.
Bombard insists in his record that the
seal on his emergency supplies remained
unbroken and that he distributed the
tinned food to excited locals. Exhausted,
he was led to the nearest police station
where, with a French appreciation of
colonial-era Britishness, he recalls:
The officer in charge was clearly at a loss to decide whether I was
a pirate or an exceptionally foolhardy yachtsman, but with the
splendid correctitude of the British policeman, who is at the same
time father-confessor to those confided to his charge, he sat me
down in front of a cup of tea and a piece of bread and butter.
I
t was Christmas Eve, and the next day — as promised — the
BBC broadcast Bach’s Brandenburg Concertos, dedicated to
the voluntary castaway. He had lost 55 pounds in weight and
was anaemic but, as he wrote, “I proved conclusively that I could
quench my thirst from fish and that the sea itself provides the
liquid necessary to health.”
Bombard’s journey was widely reported, caused controversy
(he was accused of using his supplies) and was, above all, highly
successful because it encouraged unprecedented discussion of
survival techniques at sea. The idea of squeezing fish for fresh
water was considered eccentric, but some of his ideas — bet-
ter equipment in lifeboats in particular — led to action that
undoubtedly saved lives.
He enjoyed his celebrity status, was involved in further
adventures, and in 1981 was appointed an environment minister
in the French government — opposing what he saw as the
cruel business of foie gras production. Whether he continued
to consume teaspoons of plankton is not recorded, but he died
aged 80 in 2005. n
WWW.CARIBBEAN-AIRLINES.COM 57

from the window seat
A Conversation
with ELIZABETH
MONTANO
In King of Soca, the poignantly
intimate yet sweeping biography
of her son, Elizabeth Montano, has
delivered an extraordinary view of
the tour de force that is Machel
Montano. Here she shares his
reaction to the book and his
mission beyond music.
What was it like raising Machel?
It wasn't very hard at all. I raised
Machel and his brother Marcus as
normal .kids, except at an early
age, Machel entered the
entertainment world. Still, it was a
very structured life, as his Dad and
I were teachers.
What wisdom of yours does
Machel carry forward?
We taught Machel and Marcus the
values of being well-read, being
honest, having integrity, having a
good work ethic, and loving your
own. We are very proud of how
they manifested these lessons.
What was his reaction when
you told Machel you were writing
a book on his life and impact?
Machel believes that Caribbean
stories should be told. So, he was
very excited. I think he was
confident that I would represent his
#REcalibrated
REflections,
life fully, especially since I am the
ultimate insider. He was very proud of
me and the book; he loved it.
Which song of Machel's defines
his impact as a Soca artist?
I think he has two signature songs,
Too Young to Soca, which shook the world
in seeing a young child being so
expressive, and "Big Truck", which
redefined the music for a new
generation.
Machel decided to rest just when
the Pandemic struck and returned
in 2022. How has he reset?
He went to India in 2021 and embarked
on a spiritual journey. When he returned
was much more mature and more
settled in his thinking. He developed a
greater understanding of his purpose.
Before this, his objective was to take
Soca to the world. With this reset, I see
something more in him. He feels the
time has come when he must give more
to the world, and it's not just about him;
it is a bigger picture.
What is so special about 2022 as
Machel returns to the scene?
Machel marks 40 years in music this
year with a concert series, album and
the book among other things. Beyond
that, he's prepared to contribute to the
Caribbean in new ways. He started the
year on high, performing at the Maha
Shivrati festival for nearly 120 million
worldwide. He has joined spiritualist
Sadghguru to inspire Caribbean
leaders to endorse the Conscious
Planet mission to save soil. And he's
now embracing life beyond touring.
He is living that principle of less is more,
with a focus on what he can do to
serve mankind.
In many ways, Machel and Caribbean
Airlines are standard bearers for the
region. So what do you think we have
in common?
I would say longevity and sustainability!
You both provide outstanding service to
customers, or I should say. fans. You
both care about the people you serve.
When Machel performs, he ensures he is
top-level and always gives us his best.
And I think Caribbean Airlines is like
that, always providing the best service. I
also believe that Caribbean Airlines
and Machel share a common desire to
evolve and to remain relevant in the
lives of Caribbean people. Here is the
thing I often boast about: if Machel is
touring, he’s flying Caribbean Airlines,
and his brother Marcus, a senior pilot,
has worked all his life at Caribbean
Airlines, so we are indeed family.
“

“ - Theresa Evelyn

CaribbeanAirlines
Jetpak
(Also available by downloading the Caribbean View app)
Ft. Lauderdale

GRAND CAYMAN

Dominica

Curacao

Ogle

#REcalibrated
 puzzles

Word Search Spot the Difference

A S S I M I L A T I O N Y S R by Gregory St Bernard

L N O A N U A F I V A U I D E There are 11 differences between these two

A Q T S N O O R A M P D S R M pictures. How many can you spot?

I L C H N P A S S P O R T I I
N A A E R O A H O O H P R B N
B G R R U O L R F O S A E E I
O O A O O F P A I T K L A T S
M O T I J A E O A D O A M A C
B N A N O S R R M I O T I G E
A N C E S T O R S O C E N I N
R O F L I P P A N T R I G R C
D S K C E R W P I H S P L F E
M U F R A G R A N C E X H A S
R A I V A C S E L C A N N I P
P E R E G R I N A T I O N S C

Alain Bombard caviar passport

Alicia Alonso flippant cookshop
avifauna roar heroine
lagoon streaming reminiscences
anthropomorphic seafood pinnacles
ancestors sojourn palate
cataract fragrance shipwrecks
Maroons peregrinations star
frigatebirds arid assimilation

If the puzzle has

Solutions
already been
filled in, just ask your
flight attendant for C O N S I T N A I R E G R E P
a new copy of the P I N N C A L E C S A V I R A
magazine! S H A X N C E F R A G R A M U
F E L P H S I R W P C E K D S
G R C I T R N A P P I L F R O
N I N T O R S O C E S N C E A
G E I T O I R R M N O S N A B
C D O A M A E O A A J I T M O
T S A L T K I A F P O O A O O
I E E A F O S R L B G R R U O the colours of the boy’s shoe are reversed.
N R B H O O H P R O A E A N A sleeve cuffs are red, not blue; the boy’s shirt has red stripes;
I I T P O R S S A C H N P L I deya on the mat; the boy doesn’t have glasses on; the boy’s
R M D S N O O R A M P T S A Q of the girl’s clothes are reversed; in the foreground, there’s a
D E I U A V I F N U A N O A L the girl’s eyes are open; the girl has a pink hair tie; the colours
R S O N Y I T A L I M I S S A “DIVALL”; the background deya display is placed differently;
The “V” in the background is fully lit; “DIVALI” is misspelled as
Word Search Spot the Difference

64 WWW.CARIBBEAN-BEAT.COM
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TRUE CHARACTER
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