Stephen Weir articles, editorials and popular social media weir postings

Just keep your eyes on the flag sir. Caribbean swimsuits for 2024 Haiti Carnival memories dwindle into nothing in the rear-view mirror. The feathered costumes, the high-heeled shoes, and even the pocket flag doo-rags have been relegated to the storage room. If you are planning to go South once the snow flies, thanks to Etsy, there is no need to worry about not being able to wiggle your flag on the beach! Just in time to winter in the Caribbean, Etsy Canada has just listed on its website almost 800 different men’s and women’s bathing suits that incorporate individual island flags and coats of arms in the product. Their merchants' new Caribbean Swimwear bikinis and one-piece suits are cheap, simple, and sexy—well, maybe not as sexy as what we saw this August 4th going down the road. Whether male or female, think 'Oh la las' and not wolf whistles as you wade into the calm blue Caribbean Sea. And poolside, expect fast, maybe even over-attentive service from the hardworking youn...

  Just in time for winter, new flights to Montego Bay New Airline, New Destination, New Price: Canada Jetlines Adds Montego Bay, Jamaica to Winter 2023-24 Schedule Canada Jetlines, Ltd., operating under the brand name Jetlines, has introduced Montego Bay, Jamaica, as one of its two new destinations for the upcoming winter season of 2023-24. "One-way tickets to Jamaica are priced as low as $299." Jetlines, a value-oriented leisure airline, is celebrating its first anniversary this week and continues to expand its reach with both scheduled and charter services throughout North America. In a recent announcement, the airline revealed its plans to broaden its network with new routes departing from Toronto to Montego Bay and Toronto to Orlando, beginning this fall. These new additions complement Jetlines' existing service to Cancun and Las Vegas. "We're thrilled to unveil our expanded winter flight schedule, offering travelers a wider array of options to escape the col...

Cheaper air fares coming to the Caribbean market soon (we hope)   Stephen Weir Amazed at the cost of an airline tickets these days? If you can hold your breath for a few months or so there is relief in sight. Jetlines, a new Canadian discount airline made an inaugural flight from Toronto to Vancouver this month and has just received US approval to fly from Canada to Las Vegas and Florida. Right now, Jetlines has only one airplane in its hanger, but, promises once it takes delivery of more Airbus jets it will begin offering service to the Caribbean. Jetlines, is a Canadian ultra-low-cost airline  headquartered in Mississauga, Ontario. “We are looking forward to expand our international network, as the U.S. is a top market for Canadian travelers,” Eddy Doyle, President and Chief Executive Officer of the airline   reported  in a recent statement. “With the winter months fast approaching, we know sun destinations will be a priority for leisure travel and we int...

Toronto marks Bob Marley’s 77th Birthday Eight-community leader to receive  Bob Marley Day Humanitarian Awards    Toronto City Council has proclaimed February 6th, Bob Marley Day in Toronto.  This is the 31st time that the city has honoured the late great Jamaican musician.  In previous years there have been public events held to mark the Reggae star’s birthday, this year it will be recorded at A Different Booklist Cultural Centre - The People's Residence and broadcast on YouTube at 3pm.   After the Proclamation issued by Mayor John Tory is read, we will honour this year’s recipients of the Bob Marley Humanitarian Award. Bookstore owner and author Itah Sadu will read from her book, a children’s story about how a new Canadian youngster makes friends with his principal over their mutual love for Bob Marley. We will also have a presentation on the progress o...

How to defend yourself against a gangsta with jerk chicken and other bon mots from Zeen? Zeen? is a “mocumentary” film that takes a comedic view on making highbrow White movies about Jamaica.  Zeen (got it?)? This made-in-Markham shorty is the Caribbean Tales Film Festival’s (CTFF’s) marquee movie for this fall’s Red and White Comedy Night. The September 14th online screening is showcasing five Canadian comedic short films, and organizers guarantee Zeen? will “have you laughing out loud” as you watch on your smartphone or laptop. The 15th annual CaribbeanTales Film Festival runs from September 9th until October 2nd. This year, because of the virus shutdown, the CTFF will take place online with nine nights and more than 25 short and feature films of live stream entertainment. “My goal with the movie was to examine the reasons why white people might misrepresent, misinterpret or place judgment on Black culture and realities, “said director, writer and star Carlyx Passailaigue...

Jay Douglas and Jamaica's  DJ General Trees drop a big one! Toronto’s all-time favourite reggae performer Jay Douglas has a new song out and a new “album” in the works. Still going strong after 45-years of performing, the Toronto singer has just “dropped” Jah Children, a single he has recorded with Jamaica’s Dancehall DJ General Trees. Saying that Douglas is part of Toronto’s reggae scene, is unfair to the singer.  Better to say he started the reggae scene in the Six back in the late sixties with the group The Cougars and continues to be the big draw for the sound. While the Yorkville and Yonge Street scenes have long since disappeared, Douglas continues to soldier on. You have probably seen him on stage at Caribana and Carnival concerts, headlining at the CNE, on TV as he accepted his Junos, and performing at some of the GTA’s most popular watering holes. “ We have never stopped,” Jay Douglas told the Caribbean Camera. “I started as a kid in Montego Bay in the early ...

New Biannual art fair for Caribbean art, all set for Mandeville Painting by Jamaica's Krystal Ball By Stephen Weir Attention Jamaica, a group of Caribbean Canadian art experts is about to   put the spotlight on art and artists from Jamaica and other Caribbean nations.   A 3-day exhibition and sale of local art beginning January 30th will take place in Mandeville Jamaica. The fair is being spearheaded by well-known founder of the Black Artists Network Dialogue and CArt’s Creative Director.   Karen Carter. She describes the upcoming CArt Festival as a contemporary art fair connecting artists from the Caribbean region to the international art world. “CArt is an opportunity for fair goers to meaningfully connect with local artists, and acquire original art to add to their art collection,” Karen Carter told the Camera.  It will take place at the Mandeville Hotel in Mandeville. This is the first installment of CArt which will be a biennial Art Fair. ...

SLAM Andre Newell as hard as you can Don’t be shocked when you get a standing ovation from the audience By Stephen Weir Andre Newell doesn’t mind if you slam him. In fact the Toronto entertainment and events promoter says he has a stage you can stand on while you give him your best shot! For the past 8-years Andre and his cousin actress Oluniké Adeliyi have been staging Monologue Slams here in Toronto, across Canada and in Jamaica.  The pair is getting ready to present the final Slam of 2019 and they promise the December 1st event is going to be the Grandest Slam of them all. The evening Monologue Slam Canada Finale will be held at the Bad Dog Theatre. (875 Bloor St West). “A Monologue Slam is an acting competition where actors perform on stage in front of a panel of experts, who provide feedback and select a winner, with the audience watching on (and voting too) ” explained Newell. “ The essence of the event is to give actors a space to play, let them work on their mater...

Birthright Programme Brings Jamaican Canadians Back Home For A Month Students will visit JA cultural sites - Coke Methodist Church By Stephen Weir Jamaica’s Grace Kennedy Company is once again offering 2nd and 3rd generation Jamaicans who have never actually lived in Jamaica the opportunity to spend a month next summer in the homeland. Every year four Jamaican Canadian university students are brought back to the island to learn about their heritage through Grace Kennedy’s Jamaican Birthright Program (JPB). “The GraceKennedy Jamaican Birthright Programme is a cultural and professional internship geared at highlighting all aspects of Jamaican life while furthering the career goals of the selected candidates,” explains Petronilla Marchan, a JPB assistant here in Canada. “It is a programme that will give students a well-rounded Jamaican experience!” JPB provides round-trip transportation, accommodation, a stipend and an internship in Jamaica. The students will be on th...