Happy New Year, y'all! Hope you had a great Christmas and I wish you good health and prosperity in 2010. I also want to welcome on board four new followers. Thanks for signing on, hope you enjoy the ride!
Anyhoo, 2009 was quite a year for news. Actually the entire decade was one that saw many firsts: the first Grammy for a Bajan singer in 2007; the first African American President of the USA in 2009 and hopefully many lasts: the fall of the Twin Towers in 2001 and the Tsunami in the South Pacific in 2004.
I checked back through my blog archives and as a sayonara to 2009, I listed what I thought were the top blog stories of that year. I ranked them based on the interest generated locally and their significance to the country. Let me know of any others you think should be included.
10. Contractor Al Barack vs. the Government of Barbados
This story is a news gift that keeps on giving in the new year. To make a long story short, about six years ago a tribunal ordered Government to pay Barack about $35million dollars for terminating his contract to construct the Warrens Office Complex. With the dragging of feet by successive administrations the figure has since grown to $65 million. At the rate things are going, with a war of words between the two sides, Barack may own all national properties lock, stock and barrel soon....
9. Usain Bolt shatters 100-metre world record
Following on from his gold medal winning ways in Beijing in 2008, Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt smoked the track at the World Championships in Berlin, lowering the 100 metre world record to 9.58 seconds. And the Caribbean rejoiced.
8. Mia Mottley vs. Owen Arthur
Those of you newbies to the blog can read all about this particular story here.
7. The Tiger Woods scandal
Tiger, Tiger, Tiger. Who knew you had it in you? I don't know whether to be impressed or disgusted. You can read my post on that matter here.
6. Barbados' new immigration policy
Further proof that the road to hell is sometimes paved with the best of intentions, Government's unveiling of a new immigration policy whereby all undocumented Caribbean Community (CARICOM) nationals living on the island for five years or more can regularise their stay here, created a furore that reverberated throughout the entire Caribbean.
5. The Swine Flu epidemic
Like a storyline straight out of Hollywood, the H1N1 or swine flu epidemic spread quickly and left hundreds of deaths in its wake. Barbados had its share of deaths as well, and with the winter season in full flight now, we can only hope that we don't see a resurgence of the virus here.
I'll be back soon with the top four news stories of 2009....
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