Caribbean News Five on Friday: May 12th, 2022

Mutiny Island Vodka, the Caribbean vodka made from breadfruit won a gold medal

Mutiny Island Vodka, the Caribbean vodka made from breadfruit has won a gold medal at the prestigious 2022 San Francisco Spirits Competition. Selected over 3500 entries in the vodka category, Mutiny Island Vodka stood out thanks to its unique, smooth, and clean taste and its island flora notes. The luxury island vodka was created in honor of the breadfruit’s history as part of the US Virgin Islands' essential food source. Made in St. Croix in the US Virgin Islands, Mutiny Island Vodka is the first vodka in the world to be distilled from breadfruit. Todd Manley, an awarded chef, and owner of multiple restaurants is the co-founder of Mutiny Island Vodka. Manley wanted to honor the island with its best and most authentic food. Breadfruit is part of Caribbean history as an important source of food. Partnered with the award-winning master distiller Chris Richeson, Manley has found Sion Farm Distillery. Together, they have created the perfect distillation of breadfruit to make a prestigious island vodka. Sion Farm Distillery is open public, visitors to St. Croix can take a personal tour. The tour includes dining, vodka tasting, and cocktails. Added to that, Sion Farm Distillery is more than an enterprise, they raise awareness about breadfruits’ benefits with the Trees That Feed Foundation. Planting breadfruit trees feeds people, provides employment, and aids the environment. Breadfruit is a superfood with the potential for alleviating world hunger.

Essence Festival of Culture, Kes will perform on the main stage

The Essence Festival of Culture will be live in New Orleans on July 1st, 2022. Kes is among the Caribbean performers this year, and the band will perform on the main stage of the Essence Festival of Culture. Also known as Kes The Band, Kes is Trinidadian Soca Stars. The band will have their first appearance at a massive music festival. Essence Festival of Culture will take place at the Caesars Superdome with a capacity of 74000 people. According to Kes, the front man of the band, they are delighted to connect with people live and direct this year, and happy to bring the Caribbean vibes to New Orleans. Indeed, last year Kes performed virtually from Trinidad and Tobago at the Essence Festival of Culture first’s live edition. This year, Kes will perform alongside other Caribbean superstars. The rapper Nicki Minaj, the legendary Jamaican dancehall artiste Beenie Man, and the Trinidadian soca star Machel Montano will perform on the festival’s Night Two, Friday, July 1, at the Caesars Superdome. The American country singer Mickey Guyton will also perform on the same day.

The first cannabis café opened in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines are aiming to become the first supplier of cannabis for medical, research, and recreational use. The Caribbean island is taking a step closer to that goal with the opening of its first cannabis café. Greenhouse Café has opened its doors, cannabis enthusiasts over 18 years old can publicly enjoy the herb in the lounge. To purchase the product, the café requires a valid form of identification and a prescription from a medical doctor or the Medicinal Cannabis Authority. Different types of products are available on the retail store menu. For EC$15 you can have a pre-rolled joint and a THC Tincture for EC$200. You can also find CDB and THC lotions, vape cartridges, and capsules at Greenhouse Café.

According to the Agricultural Minister Saboto Ceasar, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines have made key partnerships and cooperation with international, public, and local stakeholders to position themselves in the cannabis industry over the last three years. The government intends to fully participate in the Medicinal Wellness Industry Space. And results are starting to appear. In January, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines were granted a license to export almost 50 kilograms of marijuana to Germany, a shipment for the Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices.

Videos Games inspired by the Caribbean

The Caribbean has conquered the world through its historical culture, music and lifestyle, and its tropical beauty and adventures. Gaming developers have found lots of inspiration from the islands and have incorporated the Caribbean historical and cultural elements into the graphics, plotlines, and characters in their video games. In the last several years, quite a few reputable titles have showcased the Caribbean’s unique beauty as the centerpiece for their video games. The Caribbean has historically been one of the world’s most significant sites for adventure, and games. Here are a few video games inspired by the Caribbean islands.

Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag, launched in 2013, takes place in the early 18th century, which many historians have called the golden age of pirates. You can see the influence of the Caribbean islands in this video game with the multi-dimensional nature of the story. You will notice beautiful islands, mysterious tombs, and crystal clear waters to navigate while you are playing.

The Secret of Monkey Island, launched in 1990 has Caribbean-inspired scenes like multicolor sunsets, underwater treasure chests, and polka dot inns.

The Koral of 2019 is inspired by the Caribbean blue and its beautiful and mesmerizing coral reefs. Developers of this game used the exceptional scenery of the Caribbean coral reefs to bring awareness to players about the islands’ coral reef crises and climate change in global. The video game consists of taking living coral plants to areas that are dying.

Fishin’ Frenzy, launched in 2021 has a sound design inspired by fishing, a popular in the Caribbean islands.

Tropico 6 uses the Caribbean islands as a backdrop for players to build elaborate, utopian cities. The game was launched in 2019 and it makes the happiness of players who loves city-building games.

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Barbados ranks #1 in the Caribbean for digital nomads

The COVID-19 pandemic has totally changed how we live, work and travel. As part of restarting the tourism sector, several countries have launched digital nomad visa programmes, and Barbados is among them. Barbados is ranked as the number one Caribbean destination for executive digital nomads, according to Savills Plc, a United Kingdom real estate agency. Of the 15 destinations ranked, Barbados is placed number one in the Caribbean islands. The criteria were based on countries that have a digital nomad visa programme or equivalent, fast internet connection, a year-round favorable climate, high quality of life, a developed luxury housing market, and good air connectivity.

Back in July 2020, the Barbados Prime Minister, Mia Amor Mottley welcomed Stamp Programme to assist in diversifying the island’s tourism product and attract a new type of visitor. The Stamp Programme is designed for executive digital nomads. As of March 2022, Barbados received 3,511 applications and approved 2,308 for the Stamp Programme. Digital executive nomads from the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Canada, Nigeria, and Ireland are among top the five applicants with 62 % male, and 38% female. Besides, 64% of the application were individuals and 36% were from families. The executive digital nomads who have received approved applications have occupations in fields such as Engineering; Health Science; Architecture, Information Technology; Communications; Public Administration; Finance; Education and Training; Law; Distribution and Logistics, and Management.