Island disputes in the Caribbean

SMALL ISLANDS VOICE

Do you live in a small island?
Tell us what you think.

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Continuing with the discussion on disputed islands, the focus is finally
turned to the Caribbean.

Land claims and counter-claims have been part of Caribbean life for centuries,
writes Anthony Richards. St. Lucia changed hands between Britain and France
some sixteen times and St. Lucians are fully bilingual. Some years back, my
country of Antigua & Barbuda strengthened its claim to the nearby uninhabited
island of Redonda by locating a branch of the post office there. Another
example: Venezuela has recently laid claim to Isla de Aves (Bird Island),
which Caribbean island people consider to be part of the island Commonwealth
of Dominica. To strengthen its claim, Venezuela has started to carry out
official wedding ceremonies on Aves.

Jean James from Dominica reminisces: As a young reader, when I was six years
old, I remember the stories that the fishermen would tell us and so I have
been a disappointed adult to find out that our beautiful Bird Island (where
Anansi the Spider would row to) was no longer Our Very Own? I am sad as I see
on the internet that Venezuela is making economic gains from eco-tourism from
what should be ours. I thought the oil in Venezuela belongs to the people. I
am lost. Bird Island surely belongs to the people of Dominica. Isn’t it?

http://babelfish.altavista.com/tr allows for translation into other languages.
For those who prefer, you may react in Español, Français or Português.

Title: Island disputes in the Caribbean
Author: J. James, A. Richards
Date: Wednesday, 24 October 2007

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