COMMENTARY

Commentary: Puerto Rico: Statehood and strike Thursday, June 17, 2010 The Spanish American War ended in 1898, but one aspect of the conflict remains unresolved: the status of Puerto Rico. Despite the importance of the issue, it is rarely an agenda priority in the continental US. Recently, the House of Representatives passed HR 2499 (“The Puerto Rico Democracy Act of 2010”). read more... Commentary: Miss Haiti: This Black Nation's 'White' Hope Friday, June 4, 2010 “Fifty years ago, when everything white was right, it should have come as no surprise that little black girls preferred white dolls – as psychologist Kenneth Clarke showed in his seminal 1954 experiment. But it came as a disheartening surprise in 2005 when a similar experiment by a racially conscious high-school student... read more... Commentary: Our food shouldn't travel more than we do Thursday, April 22, 2010 Bite into a piece of fruit and think about its origin. What about tonight’s dinner? You might realize that tomatoes don’t grow wrapped in cellophane. But do you have a clue about the nature of your other vegetables, fruit, bread, fish, and especially meat? Food shouldn’t travel more than we do. read more... Commentary: Puerto Rican nationalism and the drift towards statehood Wednesday, July 29, 2009 Near the Caribbean islands of Hispaniola and Cuba lies another, smaller island, the inhabitants of which have never experienced sovereignty. The arrival of Christopher Columbus [Colón] to its shores in 1493 heralded an era of enslavement and destruction of the native Taíno population. read more... Commentary: One big step for Obama, One huge leap for America Thursday, October 30, 2008 This commentary is being written before the US Presidential election on November 4th. At this point, it seems certain that Barack Obama will be elected President of the United States of America. In earlier commentaries I clearly stated my personal wish to see Obama elected. read more... Commentary: Building on progress at the Summit of the Americas Wednesday, October 22, 2008 On October 15 - 17, Antigua and Barbuda hosted a successful preparatory conference for the upcoming Summit of the Americas. The Summit is the only regularly scheduled gathering for all 34 democratically-elected heads of state, and it offers a unique opportunity for dialogue and accomplishment. read more... Commentary: Better days are coming to Caribbean tourism Wednesday, October 22, 2008 While tourism operators at home and in the marketplace bemoan the current difficult economic times and the typical challenges they associate with the summer and fall seasons, others are "improving, renovating, expanding and exposing" their product in anticipation of better days. read more... Commentary: Puerto Rico, Another Lone Star State? Thursday, September 18, 2008  April 1991, Governor Rafael Hernández Colón made Spanish the sole official language of Puerto Rico. Despite the US status of being a country with no official language, the Act of 1902 made English an official language on the island. This act had the formal effect of eradicating any trace of a Spanish colonial legacy. read more... Commentary: Mind over heart: La Boricua's neo-colonial relationship with Washington Thursday, July 26, 2007 The unequal relationship between the US and Puerto Rico is perceived by some as an anachronistic remnant of the colonial era. The current status of Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the US, allows the federal government to unilaterally impose a range of measures on the island without enfranchising the people. read more...