XUNICEF News and Views

While originally from Puerto Rico, I now live New Jersey. I was last there in March 2020, at the onset of the pandemic. Upon my retirement in September from Princeton University (2013-2021), my goal was to return to the Island for an extended visit. I just returned from a six-week stay, tanned, refreshed, relaxed and full of new memories. Puerto Rico, the smallest island of the Greater Antilles in the Caribbean, encompasses an area of 100 x 35 square miles with a population of approximately 3 million. Puerto Rico is still recovering from a huge economic crisis, a category 5 hurricane, several earthquakes and most recently, the COVID pandemic. Despite these challenges, I found that my people remain as always, warm and friendly; the Island is still blessed with the most beautiful tropical flora and beaches; the weather is balmy; and, the food is savory and satisfying. I invited several friends - XUNICEF and some from New Jersey to join us at different times. Our two granddaughters (16 an...

A Trump supporting comedian called Puerto Rico a “floating island of garbage” last year, riling up an applauding crowd of the MAGA cult living in an alternate universe. I doubt whether those who cheered and agreed with this clown had ever set foot on this pristine, breathtaking archipelago in the Caribbean Sea. Puerto Rico’s history, beauty, art, culture, people and cuisines are unparalleled, incredible. And so are it’s impeccable, clean-colorful streets and beaches. I was actually astounded by the absence of litters ––empty plastic coffee cups, water bottles, used paper-napkins, papers, etc., on its soil unlike the US mainland (sorry!) . . . our parks and streets are constantly strewn with pieces of free-floating trash, almost. I also remember the alleys in Manhattan, NY subways . . . dirty as hell . . .

(Editorial Note: This is a continuation from Puerto Rico Part I, which we carried as our feature in an earlier publication.) Throughout their history, Puerto Ricans proudly showcased their vibrant and rich culture through music, dancing, cooking and painting their walls in empty spaces with bright hues of brilliant colors. This is Puerto Rico, reaching out beyond colors and creed with a touch of craziness and yet preserving its sublimity. It aspires to reach the skies in places.

Editor's Note: Horst Cerni is a frequent contributor  to News & Views of articles, reviews, and photos.    Click here to see some of his many earlier contributions.  We have divided Horst's latest book reviews into two articles. The first, a review of Doug Mack's The Not-Quite States of America is included this week.  The second, a review of Simon Winchester's Outposts will appear next week.  Horst's own book, " Journeying to Paradise  and its German version Auf Suche nach einer neuen Heimat  appeared in our past editions, along with our review of the English version .  We were also pleased to announce in February Isabel Belardo-Cerni's book, Donkey Years Ago  and to chat with Horst and Isabel in May this year. .... Islands have a magical attraction for me. As a teenager I used to live in Cuxhaven at the North Sea, and traveling to Helgoland or walking to the island of Neuwerk were the top adventures. And as fate would have it, ...

 

It is unfortunate that the US Supreme Court rejected the claim by Samoans to grant birthright citizenship to them and by extension to all residents of US Territories. This issue has been of great interest to Virgin Islanders, and the local St.Croix Avis newspaper had three full page articles, the latest one on October 5 announcing a panel discussion. At least, the Supreme Court should have condemned the racist references of the Insular Cases.   I had referred to the Insular Cases in my book review of “The not-quite States of America”. Horst Leneuoti Tuaua, lead plaintiff Supreme Court declines to consider challenge to racist citizenship laws The Supreme Court on Monday refused to reconsider the so-called "Insular Cases," a series of cases decided in the early 1900s that are infamous today for their racist foundation. The court's action dashes hopes of American Samoans who were seeking birthright citizenship. It also leaves intact a Tenth Circuit decision that has been see...

©Dave Whamond It might be of interest to many former colleagues to know about the possible plans to enlarge the USA, or, alternatively, to get rid of the territories (which of course would be of special fear here in the Virgin Islands.

COVID-19 Coronavirus In Paradise: How The Caribbean Is Being Hit By Forbes Editors' Picks forbes.com 5 min View Original Woman relaxing on a hammock on a tropical beach. Getty As we head into mid-April, many of the states in the U.S. have surging numbers of new cases of Covid-19, with more hospitalizations, more ICU admissions, more ventilated patients, and more deaths. We see the maps daily, with curves based on each state and the nation as a whole, trying to find a glimmer of hope that there will, at some point, be an end to this nightmare. Many eyes are on the Southern Hemisphere, as their imminent cooler weather may lead their populations to enter our northern plague. Little, however, has been discussed when it comes to the United States territories and the islands just to our south, which are currently battling Covid-19 as well. The case load may be much lower, but their resources are close to nil. The population of all of the islands of the Caribbean is just under 44 millio...

  Kul Gautam  commented on  " Where is the SG? : Stephen Schlesinger / PassBlue / Robert Cohen / Tom McDermott " 2 days ago I am generally, and instinctively, a fan of UN S-G Antonio Guterres and feel that he has been a good S-G with impeccable credentials and a very sober leadership style in dealing with a world dominated by dangerous populist demagogues or autocrats like Trump, Boris, Bolsonaro, Erdogan, Putin & Xi. But I agree with this very thoughtful and sobering piece on S-G Antonio Guterres' relative invisibility (outside the UN premises) in the ongoing Ukraine crisis. He needs to be - and seen to be - far more publicly visible in trying to tackle the Ukraine crisis. His invisibility seriously undermines his and the UN's credibility at this time of the greatest international security crisis of his tenure as SG. I too would have expected him to be more visibly engaged in shuttle diplomacy as we see Macron, Scholz, Blinken, et. al. Why isn't he visiting M...