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The generation of Caribbeans who transformed Britain economically, politically and culturally after the war are nearing the end of their working lives... [M]any are now fulfilling a long-deferred dream to return to the countries from which they came.
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The goal is a tourism economy, but not typically Caribbean all-inclusive “high volume, low cost, keep churning the people through” tourism...
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...The ships carrying ice are lined with hay or sawdust, and into these are loaded one block right next to another so that the entire cargo forms one large connected mass of ice. In St. Thomas, the ice is kept in local ice houses, large wooden structures with double or triple layered walls, the intervening space filled with ashes or sawdust, which protect completely against the effect of the burning sun rays. In this manner, over 200,00 tons of ice are exported annually from Wenham to the West Indies, Calcutta, Manila, Canton and other places.
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... [G]rand ambitions and a large dose of positive thinking have buoyed high-end resort development for yet another year.
Despite a persistent economic downturn with no clear end in sight, luxury hotels are cropping up on islands big and small. The suites are lavish, the spas are pampering, and as for infinity pools, there seems to be no end to them.
With guarded optimism in the air, airlines are adding flights to destinations across the Caribbean, and entrepreneurs and tourism boards are rolling out new activities like kite-boarding festivals and historical zip-lining tours.
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Pianist Roberto Fonseca may be best known for his time with the Buena Vista Social Club, but – as this video proves – he has the talent to thrive as a solo artist.
Described by ...[the Guardian] newspaper as "one of the most dazzling pianists and accompanists in Cuba", his style defies easy description. Aficionados of Latin American music point to the influence of the jazzy Cuban son on his playing, but you can also hear traces of Afro-Cuban soul and funk in there. It's a compelling mix. (Son, by the way, is a style of music that originated in the Oriente province in the eastern part of Cuba)....
http://www.rocketnews.com/2009/11/big-spender/
By Marie Jackson
BBC News
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The shopping list of the two lucky ticketholders of the £90m EuroMillions jackpot may be as long as their arm, but – be warned – that £45m can only go so far.
Champagne, caviar, country piles and flash cars may all be within budget, but there are still some things that it just will not buy….
SUPER-YACHT
For lessons in how to spend millions, Russian billionaires are a good place to start.
It is considerably over budget at a reported $1.2bn (£722m) but Roman Abramovich’s yacht is a fine example of how not to scrimp.
The Eclipse – which resembles the floating home of a James Bond villain – is almost the length of two football pitches.
It is said 70 crew members are needed to run the yacht. Security on board is so tight there are missile defence and intruder detection systems, as well as a system which can detect paparazzi cameras.
It also has two helipads, 11 guest cabins, two swimming pools (one of which can be drained and converted into a dance floor), three launch boats, an aquarium and a mini-submarine.
LARGE CARIBBEAN ISLAND
Buying an island is when you truly enter the super-rich bracket, so a relatively paltry £45m will not go far.
Admittedly, there are options in Scotland, Dorset and further afield in the British Virgin Islands – the 43-acre Buck Island advertised for $50m (£30m) comes just within budget.
But if you are looking for something with a bit more room then Ronde Island, in Grenada, gives you 2,000 acres of remote, untouched Caribbean paradise where the water is so clear you can see 100ft under the surface.
It was on the market two years ago for $100m (£60m)….
http://www.reuters.com/article/musicNews/idUSTRE5A601820091107
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The emerging genre of "island pop" has enjoyed recent success with the music of Sean Kingston and Jason DeRulo, and now 22-year-old recording artist Iyaz has landed a hit single in the genre.
"Replay," a light and catchy tune with a soaring hook, is No. 13 on the current Billboard Hot 100. It has become the Iyaz's introduction to U.S. audiences….
Iyaz (born Keidran Jones) grew up in the British Virgin Islands. His father toured with singing groups and his mother directed church choirs. While studying digital recording in college, he recorded the track "Island Girls," which became a radio staple in the Caribbean Islands and caught Kingston's attention….
Although already somewhat dated by more recent developments, this article (3 May 2009) still provides a useful gloss on the situation in which several Caribbean jurisdictions currently find themselves.
EXCERPT:
The Caribbean has tried for years to shed its image as a refuge for tax dodgers and money launderers where travelers arriving with large amounts of cash were welcomed with open arms and even offered police escorts to their local bank.
But suspicions about the region's booming offshore banking and financial sector still run deep….
… At the Americas Summit, Belize Prime Minister Dean Barrow called for more understanding and greater perspective regarding the treatment of offshore jurisdictions in small developing countries.
"Ever since the onset of globalization, diversification has been a mantra in our sub-region. But there is limited scope for diversification, so it was not surprising that many of us seized on an area that made very good economic sense," he said.
"That is why the Caribbean has become the fourth largest banking sector in the world, led primarily by Bermuda, the Caymans, the Bahamas and British Virgin Islands," he said.
He added that he hoped effective measures against tax evasion could be put in place without creating "a pile-on effect in our small countries by destroying a critical component of the very services area into which we were encouraged to diversify."
http://www.reuters.com/article/G20/idUSTRE54221S20090503?sp=true#
http://www.caribbeannetnews.com/news-19722--13-13--.html#
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According to the report, “The Caribbean has borne the brunt of the economic downturn with double-digit declines in visits across the majority of destinations. Only Guyana, Jamaica, Cuba and Saba have registered increases for the year.”
