Cou Cou Or Coo Coo National Dish In Caribbean Islands

Cou-cou, coo-coo as it is known in the Windward Islands, or fungi as it is known in the Leeward Islands and Dominica, makes up part of the national dishes of Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, British Virgin Islands and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

It consists mainly of cornmeal or corn flour and okra (ochroes). Cornmeal, which comes readily packaged and is available at supermarkets island wide, and okra, which can be found at supermarkets, vegetable markets and home gardens, are very inexpensive ingredients.

Because these main components are inexpensive, the dish became common for many residents in Barbados' early colonial history. Cou-cou derives from the island's African ancestry and was a regular meal for those slaves who were brought over from Africa to Barbados.

In Ghana, a similar and probably the original African meal of fermented corn or maize flour eaten with Okra stew and fish is known as Banku, a favourite dish of the Ga Tribe in Accra.

It has historically been proven that most slaves taken to Barbados came from Ghana, as further evidenced by some shared names.

A unique cooking utensil called a cou-cou stick, or fungi stick, is used in its preparation. A cou-cou stick is made of wood, and has a long, flat rectangular shape like a 1-foot-long (30 cm) miniature cricket bat.

It is believed by Barbadians to be essential in stirring the cou-cou, as the dish takes on a firm texture and the cou-cou stick makes it easier to stir in a large pot.

Flying fish prepared fried or steamed is a usual complement to cou-cou. Cou-cou and flying fish has become Barbados' national dish.

Corned beef, or just beef stew, is also a common accompaniment to cou-cou.

Traditionally, cou-cou is served on Fridays at homes across Barbados and local food establishments.

Cou-cou can also be prepared using breadfruit instead of cornmeal.

In Trinidad and Tobago cou-cou or coo-coo)is often prepared alongside callaloo and either stewed or fried fish.

In some islands, e.g. Barbados, Antigua, or the Virgin Islands, cou-cou may be cooked without okra, and goes by the name fengi, fungie, or fungi.


Tourism Observer

CARIBBEAN: Airbnb Announces First Tax Agreement In the Caribbean

Airbnb has been investing in partnerships in the Caribbean to support a thriving community of homeowners who are renting their spaces and creating new flows of local economic benefits. Airbnb have announced the first tax agreement in the Caribbean.

The Government of the United States Virgin Islands and Airbnb have confirmed the first tax agreement in the Caribbean, which will allow the platform to collect the Territory's 12.5 percent Hotel Room Occupancy Tax on behalf of hosts and remit the funds to the Virgin Islands Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR).

Agreements have been signed with several countries and with the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) to create policy frameworks for this growing hospitality trend of home sharing.

Today's announcement spearheads the company's efforts in the Caribbean to collect and remit lodging taxes on behalf of hosts, allowing hosts to comply and give back to their communities.

The Governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands, Kenneth E. Mapp, supported the agreement and noted that locals will increase their participation in the economic benefits of tourism.

This is good for our Government because it streamlines the collection process and enables more of our residents to participate in the visitor industry.

Our hospitality sector will also greatly benefit from the promotional reach of this multibillion-dollar organization," Mapp said.

The agreement with Airbnb is a component of the Mapp-Potter Administration's Five Year Plan to fully restore economic stability to the V.I. Government through economic growth, increased revenue collection and better resource management.

It will help improve and diversify the tourism industry and create unique experiences for and by the locals of St. Croix, St. John and St. Thomas and their visitors.

Airbnb has about 2,000 active listings across the U.S. Virgin Islands and a typical Airbnb host earns US$7,700 a year.

Airbnb represents a supplemental income, which helps families pay their bills and improve their quality of life.

As local hosts bring more tourism to the region, visitors get to know the country from an organic and more authentic point of view, spending in local businesses and services, as well as encouraging others to visit the islands as a result of their positive experience,said Shawn Sullivan, Airbnb's Public Policy Manager for the Caribbean and Central America.

Local authorities also pointed to the importance of the growth and diversification of tourism to the island and the improvement of tax collection for both hosts and government.

This agreement brings to the table a well-resourced partner to help with our efforts to attract people to our islands, observed Commissioner of Tourism Beverly Nicholson-Doty.

Marvin Pickering, Director of the Virgin Islands Bureau of Internal Revenue, said the additional revenue would be beneficial for the treasury.

This voluntary collection agreement for the hotel room tax provides the bureau with an additional resource to ensure that the tax is collected and remitted in a timely manner.

We look forward to pursuing this additional avenue of increasing the tax revenue from Airbnb hosts as they participate in our Territory's tax regime by fulfilling their filing and payment obligations.

US VIRGIN ISLANDS:Department Of Tourism Appoints Two New Directors

Beverly Nicholson-Doty, the U.S. Virgin Islands' (USVI) commissioner of tourism, recently announced the appointments of Canika John to the position of director of marketing for the USVI and Frances Williams-Augustin to the director of visitor experience for St. Croix.

"Canika John has been an integral member of the tourism team, taking on increased responsibility in sales and marketing as well as other areas," said Nicholson-Doty in a written release, "while Frances Williams-Augustin, a former American Airlines career veteran and manager, has invigorated our department with a level of creativity and energy that has helped to elevate our visitor experience efforts."

At the Department of Tourism, John started as a conference planner, but her duties quickly grew to include trade show marketing, promotion package development, tour operator partnerships, leisure sales, niche marketing and advertising.

Williams-Augustin worked for American Airlines for 23 years before leaving the post as lead station agent to become the Department of Tourism's marketing manager for St. Croix. In that role, Williams-Augustin infused the St. Croix office with a level of dynamism and proficiency that has inspired both her peers as well as tourism partners across the territory.

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