By Tom Clifford It is with no disrespect to the people of Curacao that there will be people today reading of their footballers inspirational exploits who will be asking, where is it? The tiny Caribbean nation became the smallest country ever to qualify for the World Cup. Haiti, who last appeared in the World Cup in 1974, also achieved their qualification goal with a 2-0 win over Nicaragua. Ironically, Haiti secured their decisive qualification victory in Curaçao, where the team have been forced to play their home qualifiers due to unrest in their homeland. Panama meanwhile, grabbed the other automatic…
Author: The Publisher
By Tom Clifford Prime time. Gathering clouds bending the light as the sun calls it a day. Night approaches unapologetically. Rain is coming. The first drops will arrive in a few minutes, almost tentatively. A splatter here, a splatter there, and then with greater assuredness until a downpour will deliver moisture to the thirsty earth. The clues to the changing weather are easily apparent and provide an early warning system. The breeze is picking up, and the waves caressing the beach are lapping with increasing intensity, almost machine-like in their regularity. I can honestly say, without fear of contradiction, that…
By Tom Clifford The most significant geo-political relationship is between the US and China. The second is usually considered that between China and Japan. Tokyo and Beijing are currently embroiled in a bruising row over Taiwan after Japan’s prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, suggested that her country could potentially become militarily involved in the event of an attempted Chinese invasion of the self-governing island. China’s ruling Communist party claims Taiwan is a province and has vowed to annex it – by military force if it can’t convince or coerce Taiwan to accept what it calls “reunification”. But Taiwan is overwhelmingly opposed,…
PHILIPSBURG—Former Prime Minister and Minister of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport of Sint Maarten, Wycliffe Smith, was the sole representative from Sint Maarten at the international conference “Christianity and Slavery in the Dutch Caribbean Islands, Suriname, and the Netherlands,” held November 10–14 at the University of Curaçao. The conference was organized by the University of Curaçao, the Protestant Theological University of Utrecht, and the Free University of Amsterdam. It brought together scholars and clergy and researchers from the Netherlands, the USA, Africa, Suriname, Indonesia, Jamaica, Barbados, Trinidad, Aruba, and Curaçao. Over four days, participants examined how Christian denominations shaped, supported,…
By Tom Clifford Injustice sometimes takes a long time to be addressed, even acknowledged, but finally one of history’s greatest crimes will be at least discussed this week. A delegation from the body leading the Caribbean’s slavery reparations movement will be in Britain for a “historic” first official visit to advocate for former British colonies. UK parliamentarians, Caribbean diplomats, academics and civil society groups will meet in London with delegates from the Caricom Reparations Commission from Monday to Thursday. The visit, organized in collaboration with the Institute of Commonwealth Studies, hopes to strengthen strategic partnerships and increase public knowledge about…
By Tom Clifford Cole Bay, November 14, 2025 — The music was thumping and the food on offer was tempting and mouth-watering as MotorWorld geared up for the launch of the Chery Tiggo series at Cole Bay on Friday. “The Chery is China’s leading vehicle in terms of exports,’’ said Dylan Smith Motoworld’s regional brand and logistics manager. The sport utility vehicle has been produced by Chinese manufacturer Chery Automobile since 2005. It boasts an amazing statistic as China’s top auto exporter for two decades. It has established a presence in 100 countries and regions. “Tiggo is a play on…
By Tom Clifford Airport, November 14, 2025 — A new air service linking San Juan in Puerto Rico to Princess Juliana International Airport took off on Friday. “We have 40 aircraft in the fleet and for this route each plane will carry 30 passengers,’’ according to David Woodard, Vice President of Airport Operations for Contour Airlines. He was speaking just ahead of the first aircraft in the service landing at PJIA. Contour Airlines has its corporate base in Smyrna, outside Nashville, in Tennessee. “But our aircraft for this service are all in San Juan,’’ Woodard added.The launch marks a strategic…
By Tom Clifford PHILIPSBURG — Road signs displaying warnings over corruption, negligence and sheer mismanagement are clearly visible in the island’s public transport sector, if one is to sum up the Tourism, Economic Affairs, Traffic and Telecommunication (TEATT) minister’s presentation in Parliament on Thursday, November 13, 2025. Addressing parliament, Minister Grisha Heyliger-Marten said a designated transport authority will be set up in 2027 to manage and oversee the sector that has been plagued by mismanagement. As tempers rose, the session had to be adjourned after the minister spoke and the chairman reminded the members of Parliament that allegations against anyone…
By Tom Clifford I am not a seafarer. I do not have sea legs. I have two, very grateful for them, but they are not marine adjustable. I get on board any vessel and I grab the handrails. And do not let go until I see something else to hang on to. Of course I have been on a boat. I am Irish, not part of this later lot with computer skills and air tickets, fancy clothes and choices of jobs. I come from an earlier generation that took the ferry from Dublin to Holyhead. It was more than just…
In these times of global uncertainty and shifting cultural narratives, we are reminded that history matters — not just as an academic record, but as a living responsibility. A recent report by The Guardian on the removal of memorial panels honouring African-American soldiers at the Netherlands American Cemetery and Memorial in Margraten is deeply troubling. In a cemetery near Maastricht, where over 8,300 U.S. service-members are buried, including 174 African-American soldiers, two display panels commemorating their service were quietly removed from public view. One panel highlighted the dual struggle of black servicemen — fighting Nazi Germany abroad while confronting segregation…
