Caribbean Today November 2022 Issue

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NOVEMBER 2022

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Vol. 33 No. 12

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Caribbean American Candidates Among Those Contesting Ultra Important Florida Election …. Page 3

Florida Lawmaker Keeps Spotlight On Haiti … Page 4 (Credit: REUTERS/Ricardo Arduengo)

A Caribbean Roots UK History Maker Page 8 OJ … Page 11 Call Her…Honorable (Credit: Karl Mclarty/Jamaica Observer)

Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick

Karen Green

Carla Spalding

Esther Blemur

News. ...................................................2 Regional News ............................ Page 2 Local News .................................. Page 77 Arts/Entertainment ............................. Features ...................................... Page 8 Viewpoint ............................................9

INSIDE

Education........................................... Viewpoint .................................... Page 12 9 Food News .................................. Page 13 .................................................. 13 Health News .............................. Page 14 Sports ............................................... 16

Richard Campbell

Travel ................................................ 14 Fall Travel ................................... Page 18 Sports ........................................ Page 19 Health.................................................17

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2 • CARIBBEAN TODAY • NOVEMBER 2022

NEWS

Here Are Some Of The Top Headlines Making Caribbean News This Week:

HAITI A senior United Nations official has warned that a political solution is “no longer sufficient” to address the current crisis in Haiti, as demonstrators took to the streets demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Dr. Ariel Henry and rival criminal gangs continue to block access to vital fuel depots on the Frenchspeaking Caribbean Community, (CARICOM), country. The UN Special Representative in Haiti, Helen La Lime, told the UN Security Council that a political solution in Haiti continues to be elusive, and, on its own, is no longer adequate to address the crisis and save thousands of lives that otherwise will be lost. She, therefore, urged ambassadors to “act decisively and help address the persistent scourges of insecurity and corruption that, along with a health crisis, are accelerating Haiti’s downward spiral”. The UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres says that the current blockade of vital humanitarian and civilian supplies in the capital Port-auPrince by heavily armed gangs and the growing risk posed

white panel van was reportedly stolen at gunpoint earlier that day. They have not disclosed any motive for the killing. So far this year, Trinidad and Tobago has recorded 463 murders as compared with 320 for the same period last year. Last year the country recorded 448 murders.

Protests and gang warfare continue to escalate in Haiti as a senior United Nations official has warned that a political solution is “no longer sufficient” to address the current crisis in Haiti. Here a few protestors carry a mock coffin with a photo of Haiti’s Prime Minister Ariel Henry and the US and Canada flags. (Photo: Ricardo Arduengo/Reuters)

by cholera necessitate “armed action” to create a life-saving humanitarian corridor. JAMAICA The Jamaica Police High Command is in mourning after the murder of a police officer on Saturday, October 15th, even as it promised a “thorough investigation” of the killing. Police are searching for the gunmen who shot and killed one

of their colleagues during a wake in St. Andrew. Police said Constable Brian Martin, 22, was among five people, including a 10-yearold child, shot when gunmen opened fire at the wake. The victims were rushed to hospital where the policeman, who was shot in the face, succumbed to his injuries while undergoing treatment. The other people have been hospitalized. The police

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said anyone with information that may assist with the investigation is encouraged to contact Crime Stop or the nearest police station. GUYANA Guyana has long been an anomaly. South America’s only English-speaking republic, it’s also the continent’s emptiest country - with only 800,000 people inhabiting an area the size of England. But now, as recent massive discoveries of offshore oil come onstream, long-impoverished Guyana has a new claim to fame. This year its GDP will expand by an astounding 57%, making it the world’s fastest-growing economy. Crude oil exports alone will generate $1 billion, according to Gobind Ganga, governor of Guyana’s Central Bank. This comes as Guyana President Irfaan Ali said that some of the oil blocks to be auctioned this year will be set aside for government-togovernment partnerships in the future. He told reporters that a new policy mix vis-à-vis Guyana’s oil and gas resources is being pursued, alluding to the United Kingdom (UK) being a potential partner that will benefit from this arrangement. Ali, flanked by the United Kingdom High Commissioner to Guyana, Jane Miller, said that the two countries are seeking to deepen cooperation in the energy sector. TRINIDAD & TOBAGO Police in T&T say they will leave no stone unturned as they investigate the murder of nine-year-old Jamal Modeste in Chaguanas, Central Trinidad on Oct. 15, 2022. Police said that several shots were fired from a white panel van in the vicinity of the basketball court at the African Grounds and that the nine-yearold was struck by the gunfire and taken to the Chaguanas Health Facility where he succumbed to his injuries. Police said that the

TURKS & CAICOS ISLANDS Seven persons suspected to be involved in the gang-related crime wave, that has gripped this British Overseas territory, were arrested recently as the police forces continues to clamp down on the upsurge in crime and violence. The arrests were made in the multi-pronged approach dubbed “Operation Anaconda” forms part of the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Forces’ pushback against the crime wave. According to a statement from the Police, the coordinated operation saw items related to potential gang-related violence, including ammunition seized. SURINAME The Canadian-based IAMGOLD Corporation (IAMGOLD), which operates the Rosebel mines in Suriname, has entered into a definitive agreement with the Chinese-based Zijin Mining Group Co. Ltd. to sell its 95 per cent interest in Rosebel Gold Mines N.V. In a statement, the IMAGOLD, which operates mines in Burkina Faso and Canada, said the acquisition is for cash consideration of US$360 million and release of IAMGOLD’s equipment lease liabilities amounting to approximately US $41 million. Rosebel holds a 100 per cent interest in the Rosebel Gold Mine and a 70 per cent participating interest in the Saramacca Mine, located in Suriname. The remaining five per cent interest in Rosebel will continue to be held by the government of Suriname. ST. VINCENT & THE GRENADINES Finance Minister, Camillo Gonsalves, says government finances registered a deficit of EC$90.7 million (One EC dollar=US$0.37 cents) as of September this year, compared to EC$81.8 million in 2021, despite higher revenue in 2022. Gonsalves told Parliament that total revenue and grants for the first three quarters of the year stood at EC$516.9 million, compared to EC$522.6 million, year-on-year. He said current revenue for 2022 was EC$486.5 million as opposed to EC$473 million last year. Current revenue is up 2.9 per cent, while total (CONTINUED ON PAGE 4)

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CARIBBEAN TODAY • NOVEMBER 2022 • 3

NEWS

Caribbean American Candidates Look To Make History On Nov. 8th

BY HOWARD CAMPBELL

EDITED BY FELICIA J. PERSAUD

Caribbean American candidates are among those competing in the November 8th as the all-important mid-term elections is now days away. The stakes are extremely high, especially in Florida. Jamaican immigrant and Karen Green finds herself in a similar position to fellow Jamaican Dale Holness this time last year. She may be the first person from the Caribbean country to become a member of the United States Congress. Green, an ordained minister of religion and Democrat, will compete for Florida’s 7th Congressional seat, which includes the predominantly white suburban areas between Orlando and Daytona Beach and including St. Augustine. Her opponent is Republican Cory Mills, a United States Army veteran who worked in the administration of President Donald Trump. They are vying for a seat left vacant by Democrat Stephanie Murphy. Once a solid Democratic area, the district was controversially redrawn in April to include Orange and Volusia counties which traditionally favors Republicans. Green won the Democratic primary election in August to compete for the Congressional seat, tallying 22,707 votes or 45 percent. But Green knows the race is far from over. Writing in the October 18 edition of Politico, Steve Shepard said the redrawn District 7 gives Republicans the edge. He noted that Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has long had his eye on this seat. Green, however, is cautiously optimistic. “There is still a lot of work to be done to secure victory in November and keep CD 7 in the hands of the Democratic party,” said Green who has campaigned on issues such as immigrant rights, veteran’s affairs and affordable housing. “But I will not be able to do this alone. I have to rely on your support. I am trusting that I will continue to have that support.” Born in Kingston, Jamaica’s capital, Green migrated to the US in 1990. She has worked in administrative roles for the presidential campaigns of John Kerry, Barack Obama, Hilary Clinton and Michael Bloomberg. Green was part of the Caribbean coalition that helped re-elect President Barack Obama in 2012. Elected vice-chair of the Florida Democratic Party in 2021, August’s special poll marked her electoral debut and put Green in line for a shot at history. Last November, Holness was the big favorite to succeed and complete the term of longserving Alcee Hastings, who died in April 2021, as Congressman for Florida’s 20th Congressional District. But he lost by five votes to Haitian American Sheila CherfilusMcCormick in the Democratic primary to complete Hastings’ term. In the special election in

The Caribbean Americans on the ballot include l. – r.: Jamaican immigrant Karen Green, Congresswoman Sheila CherfilusMcCormick, Carla Spalding, Esther Blemur and Richard Campbell. (File Photos)

August, Cherfilus-McCormick trounced Holness by over 26,000 votes. She is expected to pull off an

easy victory in November against Republican Drew Montez Clark.

Other Caribbean Americans In The Race In another Congressional

race worth watching, Republican Carla Spalding of Jamaica squares off against formidable incumbent and Democrat Debbie Wasserman Schultz for the District 25 seat. At the state level, Haitian American and Democrat Naomi Esther Blemur is making a bid for Florida Commissioner of Agriculture against Republican Wilton Simpson. The daughter of (CONTINUED ON PAGE 17)

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4 • CARIBBEAN TODAY • NOVEMBER 2022

NEWS

Florida Democrat Keeps Spotlight On Crisis Torn Haiti

Florida Democrat, Val Demings, in the race for Senate against Senator Marco Rubio, has introduced the Haiti Criminal Collusion Transparency Act of 2022 to the House of Representatives as Haiti is in crisis yet again. The bill calls for the

US Department of State to investigate the nature of the relationship between criminal gangs and political and economic elites in Haiti, and to submit an annual report to Congress on that topic. “Governments must protect their citizens. I’m fighting for

Florida Democrat, Val Demings, in the race for Senate against Senator Marco Rubio, has introduced the Haiti Criminal Collusion Transparency Act of 2022 to the House of Representatives as the crisis in Haiti escalates. (J. Scott Applewhite/AP Photo)

a Haiti free from fear and gang violence, where the Haitian people have the safety and freedom to build their own future,” said Demmings ahead of the Nov. 8th general elections. Demings, who co-chairs the House Haiti Caucus, which she helped to form in 2021, said that the legislation follows successful models used to investigate corruption in Russia and other nations and to lay the groundwork for U.S. sanctions and cooperative international crackdowns. Over the past year, the Caucus has closely monitored efforts to restore democracy in Haiti, worked to ensure the safety of kidnapped missionaries,

and led efforts to send COVID-19 vaccines to Haiti. Demings has led calls for stability, security and democracy following the assassination of Moise in July last year, including a transparent, independent investigation into that act. Since the assassination, she has pushed the Biden-Harris administration to withdraw support for de facto ruler Ariel Henry. Demings has also called for redesignation of Haiti for Temporary Protected Status, (TPS), and a renewal of the lapsed Haitian Family Reunification Parole, (HFRP), program and called for an immediate halt to deportations of Haitian asylum seekers which

have contributed to a worsening crisis. U.N. aid agencies warn civil unrest, gang violence, skyrocketing inflation, and a lack of access to basic services have plunged Haiti into a state of crisis. A recent U.N. food analysis finds nearly half of Haiti’s population, or 4.7 million people, are facing acute hunger. Of those, it says close to 1.8 million people have reached emergency levels of hunger with many people unable to find enough to eat on any given day. World Food Program Country Director in Haiti Jean-Martin Bauer says soaring inflation rates of 30 percent have caused food prices to rise more than 63 percent over last year’s levels. He says fuel is in short supply and a gallon can cost more than $10 a liter. That, he says, makes it impossible for thousands of people to go to work and earn a living. Bauer says gang violence has displaced 25,000 people in the urban neighborhood of Cite Soleil in the capital, Port-auPrince. He says the country has been in political lockdown since September. - Rewritten from CMC & VOA

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Here Are Some Of The Top Headlines Making Caribbean News This Week: (CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2)

revenue and grants is down 1.1 per cent. THE BAHAMAS Press secretary Clint Watson has “sincerely apologized” for the comments he made about

women’s groups being “quiet” on the issue of marital rape, acknowledging that he made “inaccurate comments about the efforts of the women’s rights groups in our country.” In a statement Watson said he should have been “more aware of their active involvement

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in the consultations process,” and that he has since been briefed by the Attorney General, Ryan Pinder, “on the ongoing stakeholder meetings regarding draft legislation.” Local advocacy groups have been critical of Watson saying that their advocacy to criminalize spousal sexual abuse spans over several years. Prime Minister Phillip Davis has distanced himself from the comments of his press secretary, telling reporters that he has heard the cries of all advocacy groups. BELIZE The government of Belize has tabled legislation that could repeal and replace its constitution. The People’s Constitution Commission Bill will allow for a commission to draft and guide the process of promoting a new constitution for Belize or amendments to the existing Constitution. The Constitution of Belize came into force on September 21, 1981, when the country gained its political independence from Britain. - Compiled from CMC

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CARIBBEAN TODAY • NOVEMBER 2022 • 5

British Caribbean Diaspora Reacts To PM Rishi Sunak Bishop Dr. Desmond Jaddoo, the Chair & Director of the Windrush National Organisation, told News Americas in a statement. “Britain has always celebrated its diversity but has never embraced it. It is time that this is done and having a Prime Minister whose parents are African/ Asian, I would hope would

The UK’s first ever prime minister of color, Rishi Sunak took the helm on October 25, 2022. (Hannah Mckay/Reuters)

The British Caribbean Diaspora is among those around the globe reacting to the historic appointment of the UK’s first ever prime minister of color,

Rishi Sunak. “Today is a historic day in British politics, with the appointment of Rishi Sunak as Prime Minister of the UK,”

Jamaica To Probe Illegal Sale Of Government Lands Including Scams Involving Politically-Connected Individuals

Jamaica’s Prime Minister Andrew Holness has announced that a comprehensive investigation will be undertaken to crack down on the illegal sale of lands across the island. (File Photo)

Jamaica’s Prime Minister Andrew Holness has announced that a comprehensive investigation will be undertaken to crack down on the illegal sale of lands across the island, as he also disclosed that some of the people involved in these scam deals are known and politically connected. He said that the Major Organized Crime and AntiCorruption Agency, (MOCA), and the Jamaica Constabulary Force, (JCF), have been tasked to investigate these scams and bring to book, all those persons involved. Prime Minister Holness urged anyone who has been duped, or who knows of any possible arrangements for illegal transfer of Government lands, to contact MOCA, the Counter Terrorism and Organized Crime Investigations Branch, (CTOC), Ministry of Economic

Growth and Job Creation (with responsibility for housing) or the National Land Agency, (NLA). Reports can also be made through MOCA’s online platform at www.moca.gov.jm. “Government has drawn the line in this matter of the illegal selling of Government lands. We will bring an end to this large-scale land scam. This is tantamount to obtaining a pecuniary advantage by deception, whereby criminal enterprises purport to give permission to build on public and indeed, private lands,” Holness said. “This is a dangerous happening and as a country, we must be united and take a stand against this pervasive criminal activity and stop it from taking root.” - CMC

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bring greater understanding of the inequality faced by the Windrush Generations and their descendants, by ensuring that the playing field is levelled.” “No matter the political background it is one of the utmost achievements in the world that our young people tomorrow’s leaders can aspire to know, no matter your

NEWS

background you can make it, providing that the Prime Minister has the courage to effectively level the playing field of inequality,” Jaddoo added. On Twitter, MP and Shadow Foreign Secretary, David Lammy, whose parents’ David and Rosalind Lammy were (CONTINUED ON PAGE 7)

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6 • CARIBBEAN TODAY • NOVEMBER 2022

NEWS

Dominica Moving To Establish Cannabis Industry By 2023

The Dominica government says it expects to table legislation that will give effect to the establishment of a marijuana industry here by next year. Speaking on a government program on the stateowned DBS radio recently, Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit told listeners that his administration would be tabling the appropriate legislation in Parliament before year end. As it stands now, a person with 28 grammes of marijuana cannot be charged with an offence, while a household is allowed to grow three marijuana plants. “We announced in this year’s budget to provide permits and licenses for people who are in the production of marijuana oils, creams and lotions and soaps, because we recognize that there are a number of Dominican citizens who are suffering from cancer and who use the marijuana oil to bring some relief to them. He said earlier this year with the support of the Canadian government, Dominica has

received support in drafting the necessary legislation to deal with cannabis as a medicinal industry for export…” “So we are moving apace and I believe come next year we will certainly be in a position to pass this legislation and to have a full fledge cannabis industry in Dominica so we can take advantage of the numerous opportunities where cannabis is concerned,” Skerrit said. Several Caribbean countries, most notable Jamaica, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Barbados, have been moving towards establishing similar industries. - CMC

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Guyana Asks Twitter, Facebook To Take Down Posts With False Maps

Guyana’s Foreign Secretary Robert Persaud has written the Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of Facebook and Twitter asking that false maps of Guyana posted by pro-Venezuelan interests be removed from the social media platforms. According to a statement issued by the government, Persaud’s correspondence was sent in light of “a renewed orchestrated disinformation campaign being waged against Guyana by a number of Spanishlanguage social media accounts claiming Guyana’s territory by publishing illegal maps.” The maps show a large section of the country as Venezuelan territory. In his letters, Persaud said the social media operatives had been using Facebook and Twitter to propagate a false narrative regarding the controversy between Guyana and Venezuela about the validity of the 1899 Arbitral Award which settled the land boundary between Guyana and Venezuela. The land boundary between Guyana and Venezuela was settled by a legal process of International Arbitration on October 3, 1899, pursuant to an 1897 Treaty of Washington by which both parties agreed to respect the results of the

arbitration as a full, perfect and final settlement of the boundary. At that time, Guyana was British Guiana, a colony of Great Britain. As required by the 1897 Treaty of Washington and the 1899 Arbitral Award, the boundary as determined by the Award was demarcated on the ground between 1900 and 1904 by Commissioners appointed by Britain One of the maps that Guyana wants taken off social and Venezuela. media. On January 7, jurisdiction over Guyana’s 1905, the official claims, rejecting Venezuela’s boundary map delineating objections, in a judgment issued the boundary as awarded and on December 18, 2020, which demarcated, was drawn up and means the ICJ will be the court signed by the Commissioners of that decides, with final and both Britain and Venezuela and binding effect on both parties, promulgated in Georgetown, at whether the 1899 Arbitral the Combined Court. Award was lawfully issued However, Venezuela and remains legally valid and subsequently disputed the permanently binding as a matter validity of the 1899 Arbitral of international law. Award. The longstanding row is currently before the - CMC ICJ, following an application submitted by Guyana on March 29, 2018. The court confirmed its

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CARIBBEAN TODAY • NOVEMBER 2022 • 7

LOCAL NEWS

Advocates Warn That Court Ruling On DACA ‘Cruelly Endangers’ Caribbean Immigrants BY NELSON A. KING The New York Immigration Coalition, (NYIC), has denounced a federal district judge ruling on the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, (DACA), program, saying that it “cruelly endangers” the lives of millions of Caribbean and other immigrants, who arrived in the United States as children. Justice Andrew Hanen of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas has issued an injunction preventing the Biden administration’s recent DACA regulation from taking effect. Essentially, Judge Hanen’s order will allow DACA renewals to proceed, but denies first time DACA applications. DACA is an exercise of prosecutorial discretion, providing temporary relief from deportation (deferred action) and work authorization to

certain young undocumented immigrants. The program was created on June 15, 2012, by former US President Barack Obama, but his successor, Donald J. Trump, sought to rescind it. Many immigrant groups have since been challenging Trump’s decision in various federal courts across the country. DACA does not provide permanent legal status to individuals and must be renewed every two years. “(The) decision from Judge Hanen is a clear injustice for the millions of people who are American in every way, except for legal status,” Murad Awawdeh, NYIC’s executive director, told the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC). He said despite contributing to the country, raising families, paying taxes, and joining the workforce, DACA holders and ‘Dreamers’ remain under

Barbados Seeks To Deepen Ties With South Carolina

Demonstrators rally in support of the DACA program. (Zach Gibson/Getty Images)

constant threat by Republican leaders and conservative courts. Awawdeh said the Joe Biden administration and the US Congress “have no more excuses to delay passing permanent protections and a pathway to citizenship, as millions of people and families continue to be held hostage by the courts with no sign of relief.” “This ruling comes as no

surprise to me, as I continue to have to live with deep uncertainty about my life. While DACA recipients like me will be able to continue renewing for now, the reality is that this court continues to leave us in limbo,” said Reyes, whose organization represents more than 25,000 members. “Once again, during this crucial time, we call on Congress and the

Biden administration to take immediate steps to fully protect undocumented immigrants. We cannot wait any longer. Our lives are in constant jeopardy, and it is time for Congress to pass common-sense legislation to provide a path to citizenship.” - Edited from CMC

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British Caribbean Diaspora Reacts To PM Rishi Sunak (CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5)

Acting Prime Minister, Santia Bradshaw receives a token of appreciation from Mayor of Charleston, South Carolina, John J. Tecklenburg – looking on are (left to right) – President of South Carolina National Heritage Corridor, Michelle MCCollum; President and CEO of the International African American Museum, Dr. Tonya Matthews; and Honorary Consul for Barbados in South Carolina, Rhoda Green. (CMC Image)

Barbados is looking to leverage its historical ties with the people of Charleston, South Carolina in the United States, as it seeks to deepen relations. This was disclosed recently by Acting Prime Minister, Santia Bradshaw, who spoke at a reception attended by a delegation led by the Mayor of Charleston, South Carolina, John J. Tecklenburg. The acting Prime Minister expressed the hope that the visit would not only open the door for continued cooperation in the area of culture but also in tourism, sustainable development, global life sciences, technology and education. Mayor Tecklenburg, in his remarks, emphasized that he, along with the delegation was “excited to be in Barbados and it feels like we’ve come back from whence we came”. He noted

that the city of Charleston was founded by Barbadians, and as a result had a lot in common, notably food, culture and architecture. Tecklenburg also pointed out that he envisioned a beautiful future and relationship between his city and Barbados and pledged “we’re going to keep this relationship growing and alive”. Both officials thanked those who organized the trip for the approximately 50 delegates from the business and cultural community of Charleston, South Carolina. The visit coincided with the 25th anniversary of the twinning of the cities of Charleston, South Carolina and Speightstown in Barbados. - CMC

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born in Guyana, once a British colony, also saluted the historical significance of the moment. “This is a hugely significant moment for the UK’s visible diversity,” Lammy tweeted. “The country has come a very long way since my father arrived in 1956. He would never have believed our city would be home to a Hindu Prime Minister and a Muslim Mayor.” Twitter user John Oladele noted on the social media platform that while the moment is “great,” Sunak “must recognize the FACT that #Windrush1947 Caribbean people of African descent laid the foundation for this historic moment.” Sunak became Britain’s third prime minister of the year today after King Charles III welcomed the newly elected leader of the Conservative Party to Buckingham Palace and invited him to become Prime Minister and form a new government. Sunak quickly got to work naming his cabinet that shockingly included the controversial Home Secretary under the Liz Truss administration, Sue-Ellen Cassiana Braverman, who quit last week for breaching government rules. Her reappointment on Tuesday came

hours after Sunak pledged to lead the Conservative party with “integrity, professionalism and accountability” on the steps of No 10. The move riled the group Windrush Lives as it tweeted: “The newly appointed, formerly disgraced Home Secretary, along with the newly appointed,

formerly disgraced Lord Chancellor/Justice Secretary, represent a new, old low for the rights of asylum seekers and migrants, and for justice for Britons, including the Windrush generation.” - NewsAmericasNow.com

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8 • CARIBBEAN TODAY • NOVEMBER 2022

FEATURE/VIEWPOINT

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Miami Book Fair Returns As ‘This Lovely City’ Spotlights On The Windrush BY DAWN A. DAVIS

From November 13-20, 2022, the Miami Book Fair will return to the Miami Dade College at 300 N.E. Second Avenue (Freedom Tower, 7th Floor), Miami, Florida 33132, transforming downtown Miami into a literary wonderland and hosting hundreds of critically acclaimed authors in three languages, talking politics, pop culture, and all manner of impactful prose. Get tickets and see the line-up at https://www. squadup.com/hosts/5352058/ events You can also stream it live at https://www. miamibookfaironline.com/ To celebrate the Miami Book Fair this month, we spotlight on a new book from a Caribbean author who is telling a compelling Windrush story. Louise Hare’s, ‘This Lovely City,’ tells the compelling story of one such arrival whose dream begins to unravel because of his ‘otherness.’ Ravaged by World War 2, Britain’s desperate call to the commonwealth for help to rebuild the country was eagerly taken up by many of its Caribbean colonial subjects. Attracted by the prospect

of employment in the real characters motherland, or simply and stories that seeking a new kind of are so believable life, on 22 June 1948 the the reader will first batch or newcomers empathize with arrived on the Empire them, celebrate, Windrush. Welcome and advocate for signs greeted the ship their rights. In a filled with British citizens past interview the from Jamaica, Barbados, writer noted how Trinidad & Tobago, and she can relate to other islands. But the her characters reception they expected because of her did not match the reality as own vulnerabilities it dawned on local British “having been a folk that ‘these people are minority since too different from us.’ birth.” It is this Yes indeed, this lovely ‘otherness’ that city of London can be makes ‘This Lovely magical, especially for a City’ so fraught young ambitious Black with emotional man from Jamaica who tension. It is is not only hardworking, believable because but talented as well. A it is a reflection of jazz musician, Lawrie the times back then, Matthews works as a and indeed today’s postman by day and plays reality. at several Soho jazz clubs One of the at night. Although living in Louise Hare’s, ‘This Lovely City,’ tells the compelling story of the few Black writers what could be considered arrival of a Windrush immigrant, whose dreams began to unravel being celebrated for a closet compared to back because of his ‘otherness.’ their storytelling home, Lawrie is one of that paints authentic will mark him and other black the lucky ones. He’s also pictures of folks who residents as suspects, naturally. found the love of his life; look like them, Hare brings us a mixed-race girl who also into a familiar world plagued REAL CHARACTERS favors him. But things start with racist stereotypical ideas Hare, a Black British to fall apart when he makes a about black and brown people. writer based in London, creates gruesome discovery, one that A white woman screams

The LA City Council Debacle And The Little Talked About Issue Of Latino Racism In November last year, one month after the now disclosed racist rant from three Hispanics on the Los Angeles City Council was actually spewed, the Pew Research Center released a study that found that 62 percent of Hispanic adults thought having a darker skin color hurt their ability to get ahead in the United States today. At the same time, the same study, ‘Majority of Latinos Say Skin Color Impacts Opportunity in America and Shapes Daily Life,’ found that 48 percent of Hispanic adults said they had often or sometimes heard a Hispanic friend or family member make comments or jokes about other Hispanics that might be considered racist or racially insensitive. Similar shares of Hispanics who identify with a lighter skin color, (48%), or darker skin color, (52%), said they had heard these types of comments or jokes from friends or family at least sometimes, according to the study. Hispanic by the way, refers to people who speak Spanish or are descended from Spanishspeaking populations, while Latino refers to people who

are from or descended from people from Latin America which is taken to mean the original FELICIA J. people PERSAUD of Latin America. In May 2022, another Pew study found that skin color was linked to greater Latino-onLatino discrimination. “About four-in-ten Latinos with darker skin (41%) say they have experienced discrimination or unfair treatment by another Latino,” the report said. Fast forward to the stunning disclosure nearly a year later, on Sunday October 9, 2022, in National Hispanic Heritage Month, via a leaked audio tape published by the LA Times. In it, three US born Hispanic American Los Angeles City Council members – identified as Nury Martinez, Gil Cedillo and Kevin de León – are heard engaging in shocking racist and crude remarks about Black, Jewish, Indigenous, Armenians and gay people with Ron Herrera, head of the L.A. County Federation

of Labor. The hour-long secretly recorded conversation captured the Democratic politicians and the labor leader discussing how to maximize Latino political power in the city as part of the redistricting process that was underway last fall; and also on how to take influence away from Black political leaders. It featured the Council’s first Latino woman president, Martinez, who resigned on Wednesday, September 13th after fallout from the tape, saying among other things that fellow gay Councilmember Mike Bonnin was a “diva” and his adopted Black son “looks like a little monkey” or “parece ch****to.” Martinez, de León, Cedillo, and Herrera also discussed Black political power in Los Angeles and what de León terms “the Wizard of Oz effect.” She also used the “F” word to deride LA’s progressive top prosecutor because he is, in her words, with “The Blacks;” and dismisses indigenous Oaxaca Mexicans as “little, short dark people” who are “ugly.” The Indigenous people of Oaxaca, by the way, are descendants of the inhabitants

of what is now the state of Oaxaca, Mexico and were present before the Spanish invasion. The leak has now forced the little talked about issue of Hispanic anti-blackness, including in their own Latino community, into the public arena. Axios’ Race and Justice Reporter Russell Contreras told Axios Today: “There is colorism if you’re indigenous and there’s colorism, if you are of African origin. …. It’s something that is deeply divided Latino communities across the United States, but it’s rarely discussed.” And Raúl Pérez, professor of sociology at the University of La Verne, disclosed that it’s the kind of thing he’s heard his whole life. “If you’re Latino, you know this happens because we’ve witnessed it. We notice it at family gatherings, we notice it in everyday life with family and friends and communities,” he told Axios. Experts say the far-right extremism among some Latino residents stems from those identifying as white and antiBlack sentiment. It is why so many in the Latino community (CONTINUED ON PAGE 9)

as she walks through the park. Lawrie does the right thing, rushing to help and console her. He sees what has frightened her, retrieves it and calls the police. What happens next is a textbook knee-jerk racist reaction as Lawrie becomes the accused. He fights for his life with much dignity which inadvertently widens the net across the black Caribbean community, including his love, Evie. Her involvement becomes a core piece of the puzzle in the city filled with angst, suspicion, and believe it to not, opportunity. Together, they laugh, they cry, they get lost in ‘This Lovely City’ called London, a city that forced many of the new arrivals to swallow their pride and work toward the better life they sought in what they considered ‘the mother country’. But, in spite of all the fear, anger, and heartache the book leaves us with hope. Justice is meted out, but there is light ahead.

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PETER A WEBLEY Publisher FELICIA J. PERSAUD Editor BRANDON WEBLEY Web Copy Editor LORNA ASENCOR Accounting Manager HYACINTH LEIBA Account Executive SABRINA G. ALEXANDER Graphic Design Opinions expressed by editors and writers are not necessarily those of the publisher. Caribbean Today, an independent news­­magazine, is published every month by Caribbean Publishing & Services, Inc. Caribbean Today is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts or photos. To guarantee return, please include a self-addressed stamped envelope. Articles appearing in Caribbean Today may not be reproduced without written permission of the editor.

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CARIBBEAN TODAY • NOVEMBER 2022 • 9

VIEWPOINT

Happy Husbands?

Men, fathers, husbands, usually don’t get any ratings, so it’s good that some people, albeit a minority, decided to shed some light on the harried, harangued husbands who suffer in silence. As one guy said when he learnt of ‘Happy Husbands Day,’ celebrated earlier this year, “Happy husband, that must be the biggest oxymoron of all time.” My research revealed that Husband Appreciation Day is not a new celebration but goes way back in time. Since the earliest recordings of marriage, husbands across countries and religions traditionally have been established as the protector and provider of their wives and families. The role of the husband has traditionally been one of honor. “After marriage, husband and wife become two sides of a coin, they just can’t face each other, but they’re still together,” said Al Gore. “I had some words with my wife, and she had some paragraphs with me.” Bill Clinton noted. “There’s a way of transferring funds faster than electronic banking, it’s called marriage,” Michael Jordan

stated. “A good wife always forgives her husband when she’s wrong,” Barack Obama noted and “When you are in love, wonders happen, but once you get married, you wonder what happened,” Steve Jobs most famously noted. There’s even a raft of jokes about TONY husbands. A ROBINSON son proudly told his dad that he was selected to play the part of a husband in a school drama. The father angrily berated him and said: “Idiot, why didn’t you ask for a role with a speaking part?” In today’s world, where so many women have come into their own via education, wealth, good fortune or just plain good luck, they flex their power, and men seem to diminish in their eyes. For many women, a husband is merely a means to an end, and some women’s meanness never ends. Don’t get me wrong, all aren’t like that,

but many are just out to get what they can from the man. It seems as if the man is duty bound to make his woman happy, and many men go out of their way to achieve this. But it’s an exercise in futility. As I’ve heard countless men say: “Nothing I do ever pleases her, and I can’t do enough to satisfy her.” The woman’s duty on the other hand, is to mould and change the man to suit her needs. It’s akin to a potter taking a lump of clay and working it until she gets what she wants. Then she places the finished product in a corner and boasts silently: “See, that is what I created.” Many thoroughbred stallions have been relegated to being docile farm horses, fit only to be attached to a plow or a cart. Broken. Even feared boxer Mike Tyson, once the baddest man on the planet, had this to say: “Wife inspires us to do great things, then prevents us from achieving them.” There is a fundamental difference in the approach of a husband as opposed to a wife when they venture into marriage. The man sees what he

wants and makes a commitment. He doesn’t look for or expect a change in his bride. The woman on the other hand, sees what she thinks is a good potential and thinks: “Hmm, I can work with that, after a while I’ll bend, him, twist him, shape in into what I want.” Fans of Star Trek will remember the words of the alien race, the Borg, who always said this when they invaded other territories: “We are Borg, resistance is futile.” But guess what, some husbands still flail around, struggle in the coils of domination, talk plenty, and as the research that I read stated: ‘Act just like a split AC unit, very loud on the outside of the house, but designed to remain silent indoors.’ Listen, it’s not all bad, for many husbands really do enjoy their married life and the lifestyle that it brings. What is also true though, is that many do not, and are resigned to their fate, eventually accepting their lot in life.

seido1yard@gmail.com.

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CORRECTION

The headline on the last issue of this column erroneously stated: “Internet Interaction” when it should have instead read “Gender Bender.” We sincerely apologize to Tony and our readers for any confusion this may have caused.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Tony Robinson can be reached at

MATERNITY PLACE

Where the Wonder of New Life Begins

The LA City Council Debacle And The Little Talked About Issue Of Latino Racism (CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8)

attacked the Black Lives Matter movement and voted for Donald Trump despite his widely disparaging remarks on Latin America, Latin American immigrants and his push to build a wall to keep them out. Ironically, also quoting a Pew research poll, “Latino people are the 2nd most discriminated against ethnic group after AfricanAmericans.” So, what’s missing from this picture in the minds of ‘White Latinos?” In a country where the White, right-wing majority view the growing Brown and Black majority as a

threat, it is unfortunate that the mental slavery of the so-called ‘White Hispanics’ has led them to also believe that they too are “superior” to black and darkskinned people. Yet, at the end of the day, in the eyes of White Supremacists, we are all seen as “mud people.” So-called White Latinos, blinded by the inherited skin color of their former colonizers, would do well to remember that. The writer is publisher of NewsAmericasNow.com – The Black Immigrant Daily News.

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VIEWPOINT

US Federal Funding Should Be Used To Turn Puerto Rico, Florida Green

BY FELICIA J. PERSAUD When Hurricane Fiona hit Puerto Rico on Sept. 18th, two environmentally friendly prototype homes powered by solar energy were able to keep the lights on during the storm. By contrast, the storm again knocked out power and water as the island’s antiquated and fragile power grid again took a beat, causing every home and business to lose power. The current population of Puerto Rico is 2,692,886. When Hurricane Ian hit Fort Myers, Florida, on September 29th, Babcock Ranch – which calls itself “America’s first solar-powered town” and is made up of 700,000 individual panels that generates more electricity than the 2,000-home neighbourhood uses – never lost power, water or the Internet. By contrast, the storm obliterated the nearby Fort Myers and Naples areas with record-breaking surge and winds over 100 mph. It knocked out power to more than 2.6 million customers in the state, including 90% of Charlotte and Lee Counties. In the days since, the US has pledged millions in aid to both Puerto Rico and Florida. President Joe Biden has pledged $60 million for Puerto Rico and longterm help to Florida, that could run into the billions, according to

FEMA. This as the state’s governor and Republican lawmakers have scoffed at climate change and the House GOP members voted against a bill that contained $18 billion for FEMA’s Disaster Relief Fund. Now some of that 18 billion must be used to help the Sunshine state build back hopefully better. But with that rebuilding effort must come a new vision plan to deal with the current era we find ourselves in – an era where there is no denying the seas are rising and climate change is a reality – regardless of the deniers. That means, when it comes to rebuilding efforts and federal funding, those funds should be used to reimagine a new, greener state and island that expands on the Puerto Rico prototype and the Babcock Development. Both Puerto Rico and Florida should be America’s test case for the future – a bright green future

via a new green plan. The federal government should absolutely have green rebuilding strings attached to its funding as the Biden administration leads from the front. Puerto Rico and Florida’s communities, decimated by hurricanes, must be built back as solar-powered towns, much like Babcock Development, which took a direct hit from a Category 5 hurricane and escaped largely unscathed. Federal taxpayer dollars should not be used to build back power lines that will fall again in the next storm; or fund more fossil fuel plants that fail residents over and over again. The reimagined towns in post hurricane Fiona and Ian in Puerto Rico and Florida must be an eco-centric reality. Houses rebuilt must be built to code, be energy efficient and built with sustainable materials that allow them to achieve a Bronze or high-

er standard of certification from the Green Building Coalition. Energy must be via a solar field run in partnership with a private energy company, and be harnessed from thousands of panels, processed and fed into the grid from the energy company’s substation to the community’s solar center. Additionally, energy must be generated from rooftop photovoltaics and solar trees in neighbourhood parks while those rebuilding can choose to have panels on their roof or simply get it from the solar center. Irrigation must be done with water reclaimed from the onsite water and wastewater utility. All power, water lines and Internet cables must be buried so they are no longer subject to being knocked over in a storm, hitting out power, Internet and water for weeks. As far as storm surges, US builders can no longer build close to the water’s edge but follow the Dutch model which is to “give part of the land back to the sea” and build on higher ground and build higher buildings. Farmers in one part of the Netherlands have already began using this model. They now live in Scandinavian-chic farmhouses, newly built on terps elevated six meters above their meadow lands and linked to the nearest village by roads raised at the same

height. In winter, they move their cattle up into their elevated barns. The time is now for this to happen. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the United Nations body that collates and assesses scientific results, already predicts a 30 to 60 centimetres of sea rise by 2100 and this is if countries make good on their pledges to cut emissions under the Paris Climate Agreement. But so far, the developed world is failing to meet its targets, which means if emissions continue current trends, the IPCC predicts 84 centimetres of sea rise by 2100, and as much as 5.4 meters by 2300. This means what we saw in Florida after Ian, is just the beginning, and a glimpse of the future, not the biblical past. It is time for America to lead on climate change. Using federal funds to rebuild Puerto Rico and Florida greener as test cases on coping with our new reality is a great way to show real leadership in the world. - NewsAmericasNow.com EDITOR’S NOTE: The writer is founder of Invest Caribbean, the global private sector investment agency that is part of the ICN Group of companies.

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HISTORIC LOCATIONS AND BUILDINGS FROM 1941 TO 1981

OCTOBER 19, 2022 6 - 8 p.m.

NOVEMBER 9, 2022 1 - 3 p.m.

OCTOBER 26, 2022 6 - 8 p.m.

NOVEMBER 12, 2022 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.

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­ www.miamidade.gov/historicpreservation

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CARIBBEAN TODAY • NOVEMBER 2022 • 11

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

A Jamaica National Honour For EmmyWinning Actress Sheryl Lee Ralph BY HOWARD CAMPBELL Shortly after receiving the Order of Jamaica (OJ), Jamaica’s fifthhighest honour, Sheryl Lee Ralph went on twitter to celebrate her latest achievement. “Well, it is now official! I am The Honorable Sheryl Lee Ralph OJ (Order of Jamaica) Warrior Woman! #ThisisWhat BelievingLooksLike.” Dressed in a body-hugging yellow outfit designed by Perry Meeks, Ralph accepted the OJ from Governor General Sir Patrick Allen on October 17, 2022, during the National Honours and Awards ceremony in Kingston, to rapturous applause. She then blew a cheeky kiss to the packed hall which included prime minister Andrew Holness. It was the veteran actress’ second major award in one month. In September, she won the Emmy Award for Best Supporting Actress in A Comedy Series, for her portrayal of Barbara Howard in the ABC sitcom, Abbott Elementary. In an interview with the government-run Jamaica Information Service, Ralph said the OJ was even more special than the Emmy, seeing that it was from Jamaica, land of her mother’s birth.

Emmy-winning actress Sheryl Lee Ralph receiving her OJ from GovernorGeneral Sir Patrick Allen on Oct. 17, 2022. (Jamaica Observer image)

“I thought it was a feeling of elation when I won the Emmy, but to be conferred with the Order of Jamaica, my mother having been conferred Order of Distinction. Ivy Ralph OD ...we say Original Diva. I feel so proud. Pictures have been posted already, and the way people are responding throughout Jamaica, across the Caribbean, has been phenomenal,” she said. The awards took place on National Heroes Day. Ralph was one of 10 persons to receive the OJ which earned her the title of ‘The Honourable.’

Ralph’s mother, Ivy, was born in Manchester parish in central Jamaica. She is best known for designing the Kariba, a leisure shirt worn by famous socialist leaders during the 1970s such as prime minister Michael Jamaica and Tanzania’s Julius Nyerere. Ralph was accompanied to the ceremony by her husband Vincent Hughes, a member of the Pennsylvania State Senate. Her career started in 1977 with a role in the Sidney Poitier/Bill Cosby movie, ‘A Piece Of The Action,’ which was followed by other defining roles in successful television shows such as ‘It’s A Living,’ and ‘Moesha;’ on stage in ‘Dreamgirls;’ and as Eddie Murphy’s wife in the hit movie, ‘The Distinguished Gentleman.’ The 66-year-old Ralph belongs to a distinguished club of Hollywood actors with Caribbean heritage. Poitier was born in Miami but raised in The Bahamas where his parents were from; actor/singer Harry Belafonte’s parents were from Jamaica and he spent eight years of his youth there; Calvin Lockhart, another actor, was also from The Bahamas while actress Nia Long’s parents are Trinidadian.

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An OD Honor For Lord Creator And Agent Sasco

Agent Sasco, born Jeffrey Campbell, 39, is from the tough east Kingston community of Dunkirk, which has produced artists such as singer Wayne Wonder and fellow deejay Spragga Benz. His songs, which include ‘Talk How Mi Feel,’ and ‘More Peace on Earth,’ bring a sense Trinidadian-born calypsonian Lord Creator (centre, in wheelchair) being bestowed with an Order of Distinction of sanity to dancehall (Officer Class) by Governor General Sir Patrick Allen music which is known at King’s House in Kingston on Monday. (Photo: Karl for colorful characters Mclarty/Jamaica Observer) and bawdy content. Lord Creator came to Jamaica in By Howard Campbell early 1962 as anxiety gripped From different backgrounds and the country ahead of its August 6 generations, Lord Creator and independence date. ‘Independent Agent Sasco shared something Jamaica’ was produced by similar on October 17, 2022 – Vincent “Randy” Chin, whose Jamaica’s National Heroes Day. family now owns VP Records, the On that day, they were both largest distributor of reggae in the awarded the Order of Distinction world. (Officer class) for contribution to Along with ska singer the country’s music. Derrick Morgan’s, ‘Forward The OD is Jamaica’s sixthMarch,’ ‘Independent Jamaica’ highest honor. was the soundtrack for a The 87-year-old Lord new nation. It made Lord Creator, born, Kentrick Patrick, Creator a star and was enough a Trinidad-born calypsonian, has encouragement for the jocular lived in Jamaica for over 50 years. Trini to lay down roots in He wrote and sang ‘Independent Jamaica. He had other hits like Jamaica,’ a song celebrating Jamaica’s independence from (CONTINUED ON PAGE 12) Britain in August1962.

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12 • CARIBBEAN TODAY • NOVEMBER 2022

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Haitians Mourn Mikaben

Haitians are in mourning following the sudden death of the country’s most prominent singer, composer, guitarist and producer - Michael ‘Mikaben’ Benjamin. Benjamin collapsed and died on stage in Paris after performing for a jubilant audience. The 41-year-old recording artist suffered a suspected heart attack or cardiac arrest during the performance on Saturday, October 15th, shocking fans who saw him collapse as he made his way off stage. Emergency services were rushed to the venue, but the singer could not be resuscitated. Media reports said that Benjamin, alias “Mikaben” had been invited by the Carimi group, which was celebrating his reunion, when he suddenly collapsed on stage just after performing his hit “Ou pati.” Haiti’s Culture Minister, Emmelie Prophet Milcé, said he learned with “dismay,” the death of the artiste, adding his death

“is a huge loss for the country and for Haitian music. “Emmelie Prophet Milcé bows before the remains of this great artist and offers his sympathies to his family, his parents, the cultural sector saddened by this departure,” the culture minister added. Benjamin was discovered by the Haitian public in 1999, during the competition “Chante Nwèl” of Télémax. Michael ‘Mikaben’ Benjamin collapsed and died after Mikaben then had a 20 year musical a performance in Paris on Oct. 15, 2022. (Instagram career crowned with image) Carimi hits, including “Baby success, whether I Missed You” and “Fanm sa in Haiti or abroad. He was the Move.” son of the famed singer Lionel Benjamin and was born in the - Rewritten from CMC Haitian capital, Port-au-Prince, in 1981. He featured in several

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Caribbean American Actor From ‘Roots’ Dead At 92

Austin Stoker, the CaribbeanAmerican actor best known for his role as Virgil in the TV miniseries ‘Roots,’ and as Lt. Ethan Bishop in John Carpenter’s 1976 film ‘Assault on Precinct 13,’ has died. He was 92. Stoker was born in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago on October 7, 1930. He started his career on stage, including the 1954 Broadway production of Truman Capote’s House of Flowers, where he met his future wife, Enid Mosier (acting name Vivian Bonnell). Prior to his role as Lt. Bishop, Stoker appeared in several blaxploitation films, often playing police detectives. Among these films were Abby (1974), Combat Cops (1974), and Sheba,

Actor Austin Stoker was born in Trinidad and Tobago.

Baby (1975), in which he played Pam Grier’s love interest. Some of Stoker’s other notable acting roles were in Battle for the Planet of the Apes (1973), Horror High (1974), Airport 1975 (1974) and Victory at Entebbe (1976).

Stoker was also known to Mystery Science Theater 3000 fans for his role as Dr. Ken Melrose in the 1982 B-movie, Time Walker, in which he appeared with Darwin Joston, his co-star from Assault on Precinct 13. Stoker passed away on Friday, October 7, his 92nd birthday, as confirmed by his wife, Robin Stoker. He was said to have died due to renal failure and was surrounded by his loved ones. The late actor is survived by his wife of over 40 years, his daughter Tiffany, his son Origen, and his two grandsons, Marcus and Austin. - NewsAmericasNow.com

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Jamaica Bans Some Music And TV Shows Jamaica’s broadcasting regulator is being criticized of moving to curb free speech after it banned music and TV broadcasts deemed to glorify or promote criminal activity, violence, drug use, scamming and weapons. The government has said the ban is meant to cut back on material that “could give the wrong impression that criminality is an accepted feature of Jamaican culture and society.” The Broadcasting Commission of Jamaica said that such music or video on public broadcasts “normalize criminality among vulnerable and impressionable youth.” The directive also said that channels should avoid “urban slang” that has anything to do with making money, wire transfers, acquiring wealth or a lavish lifestyle. It cited specific words and phrases like: “jungle justice”, “bank/foreign account”, “food”, “wallet”, “purse”, “burner phone” and “client.” The ban comes after efforts by authorities in the Caribbean nation to halt high levels of gun violence. Jamaica had the highest murder rate in Latin America and the Caribbean in 2021, according to research centre Insight Crime. But some Jamaican artists said the measure will do little to stop crime and will cut out of the conversation populations affected by heightened gun violence. “Art imitates life, and the music is coming from what is happening in Jamaica for real,” said Stephen McGregor, a Jamaican Grammy awardwinning music producer and singer. “But because it doesn’t

fit the moral mould of what they would like it to look like, they try to hamper it.” Jamaica’s constitution states: “All persons in Jamaica are entitled to the right to freedom of expression and the right to seek, receive, distribute or disseminate information, opinions and ideas through any media.” The constitution also provides for freedom of expression, including for the press. But Jamaica’s Minister Without Portfolio with responsibility for Information in the Office of the Prime Minister, Robert Morgan, is adamant that the ban imposed by the Broadcasting Commission on illicit content is not intended to restrain rights to freedom of speech but promote decency and moral standards. He said that the government has a responsibility for the “spaces that we control… to set the standard and set an example”. “There are so many other portals you can use to promote your artistic freedom, but free to air [is] accessible to every single member of our society, no matter their age,” he argued, while addressing Wednesday’s (October 12) post-Cabinet press briefing. “The thing about radio is [once it is on], I’m not the only one who is hearing it. It is a public facility that caters to the public, that is licensed by the government [and] is regulated by particular laws. So, it is not about fighting crime; it is about decency and standards.” - NewsAmericasNow.com

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An OD Honor For Lord Creator And Agent Sasco

(CONTINUED FROM PAGE 11)

‘Don’t Stay Out Late,’ and ‘Evening News,’ and but for a four-year period in the 1980s when he returned to his native Trinidad, he has called Jamaica home. “It is a blessed feeling, I was not expecting this, but I am so proud. Jamaica means so much to me…I’m married to a Jamaican woman; I have Jamaican children. Jamaica means everything to me,” said Lord Creator after accepting his award at the National Honors and Awards ceremony at King’s House in Kingston. He returned to Jamaica in the early 1990s after UB40 covered his song, ‘Kingston Town,’ originally recorded in Jamaica during the 1960s. Agent Sasco’s smooth

Recipient of the Order of Distinction (Commander Class) deejay Agent Sasco (Photo: Karl Mclarty/Jamaica Observer)

delivery has won over hardcore and mainstream dancehall fans.

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He has also collaborated with elite rappers Kanye West and Kendrick Lamar. A college graduate, he says making music has never been about just making money. “My decision to be deliberate in terms of nation building has nothing to do with remuneration, and when things like these come along it can only help to motivate myself and others,” he said of the award. Poet Kwame Dawes, singer Myrna Hague-Bradshaw, Anthony “Chips” Richards, a veteran of the reggae music industry in the United Kingdom and playwright Basil Dawkins were also recipients of the OD.

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CARIBBEAN TODAY • NOVEMBER 2022 • 13

FOOD

Celebrating The Cuisines Of Antigua, Suriname And St. Kitts & Nevis This month, the Caribbean nations of Antigua & Barbuda, Suriname and St. Kitts & Nevis will all mark their independence anniversaries. Suriname became an independent nation from the Netherlands on November 25, 1975, while St. Kitts & Nevis achieved independence from Britain on September 19, 1983. Antigua & Barbuda achieved its independence, also from Britain, on November 1, 1981. Here are some of their national dishes that you can make at home this month.

ANTIGUA & BARBUDA’S FUNGEE Fungee is a popular cornmeal dish cooked on the islands of Antigua and Barbuda. It is eaten alongside vegetable

• Reduce the heat and allow to cook for about five minutes with the lid on the pot. Uncover and start stirring the cornmeal mixture continuously. • The mixture may become fairly difficult to stir because of its thick consistency but it is important to keep stirring as this will prevent the cornmeal from forming lumps. • added water occasionally as the mixture thickens. After twenty to thirty minutes, the cornmeal should be thoroughly cooked. • Continue to stir the mixture for about five more minutes, pressing the spoon against the sides of the pot to crush any cornmeal lumps. The soft cornmeal will appear to be more solid at this point. Turn off the heat. • Spoon a pat of butter or a teaspoon of olive oil into a small bowl. • Take some of the cooked fungi and place it into the buttered bowl. • Swirl the fungee in the bowl until it forms a little ball. • Set the ball aside on a platter. • Repeat with the balance of the cooked fungee. • The balls can be plated and served with pepper pot, vegetables, or salted codfish.

SURINAME’S POM Antigua & Barbuda Fungee served with Saltfish.

mash and a sauce made from tomatoes, garlic, and salted codfish. Fungi can also be served with Antiguan pepper pot (a spicy meat soup). INGREDIENTS: • 2 cups of cornmeal • 4 cups of water • 1 tsp salt • 6 okras (finely chopped) • 1 tsp Butter or olive oil METHOD • Add enough water to the dry cornmeal to ensure it becomes a wet paste. There should not be any pockets of dry cornmeal in this paste. • Boil 4 cups of water in a large non-stick pot. • Add the chopped okras and salt. • Use a wooden spoon and stir in the wet cornmeal paste in the pot.

The Surinamese dish pom is considered the country’s national food. It’s usually reserved for rare occasions because it

Suriname’s Pom

contains a lot of chicken, which is a luxury. INGREDIENTS • 1 whole chicken (about 2 to 3 lbs.) • 1 lb. of salt pork or chicken sausage • 3 lbs. pomtajer or taro root • 4 tomatoes – peeled and chopped • 2 onions, chopped

• 1 bunch flat-leaf parsley, chopped • 2 cubes chicken bouillon • 1 teaspoon nutmeg • Juice of 1 orange • Juice of 2 lemons • 3 cloves garlic, crushed • 1 habanero (whole) • 1 tablespoon sugar • 8 tablespoons butter, divided • Salt • Pepper METHOD • Cut the chicken into pieces. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. • In a pan with 3 tablespoons of butter, fry the chicken pieces and chicken sausage (sliced) for a few minutes. Set aside. • In the same pan, add 3 tablespoons of butter and sauté the onions for about 8 minutes. Add the tomatoes, garlic and parsley. • Add the chicken and chicken sausages and cover with water. Add the bouillon cubes and the hot pepper. • Cook covered over medium low heat for 25-30 minutes. Drain the cooking liquid into a bowl and set it aside. • Peel and rinse the pomtajer. Grate the pomtajer by hand or with a food processor. • Mix it with some of the cooking liquid from the meat as well as the orange and lemon juices to make a sticky dough. Add sugar. • Spread half of the pomtajer mixture in a well-greased baking dish. Spread chicken mixture on top and then cover with the rest of pomtajer. Most pom recipes ask for the chicken to be kept with the bones. I personally removed the bones and cut it into smaller chunks. • Pour the remaining juices over the top, 2 tablespoons of butter and bake for two hours: one hour covered at 425 F and one hour uncovered at 350 F. • Pom should be done when the top is brown, and a goldenbrown juice comes out when poked with a knife. - NewsAmericasNow.com

ST. KITTS & NEVIS’ NATIONAL DISH The national dish of Saint Kitts and Nevis is considered Stewed

saltfish with spicy plantains and coconut dumplings. INGREDIENTS • Stewed saltfish • 450 g saltfish • 1 green bell pepper diced • 1 red bell pepper diced • 1 yellow bell pepper diced • 450 g tomatoes chopped • 5 cloves garlic chopped • 4 tbsp vegetable oil • 2 tbsp butter • 6 spring onions finely chopped • 1 small onion The national dish of Saint Kitts and Nevis Stewed saltfish with spicy plantains and coconut • salt dumplings. • black pepper over low heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Spicy Plantains • A dd the tomatoes and simmer • 3 plantains cut into halves over medium heat for 2 to 3 • 2 tbsp grated ginger minutes. • 1 small onion grated • Add saltfish, butter, salt and • ¼ tsp salt pepper. Cover the stew and • ¼ tsp chili pepper finely simmer over low heat for 5 chopped minutes. • vegetable oil • Coconut Dumplings Spicy Plantains • 75 g coconut flakes around • Combine all ingredients in a ½ cup bowl. Toss until mixed. Fry in • 220 g wheat flour around batches until golden brown and 1½ cups cooked. • ¼ tsp salt • Remove and drain on paper • 1 tbsp vegetable oil towels. • 1 tbsp butter • 125 ml water Coconut Dumplings • Place flour, coconut, salt, butter Seasoned Breadfruit and oil in a bowl. Gradually • 500 g breadfruit unsalted and stir in water to make a stiff chopped into 2 ½ cm pieces. dough. Roughly 3 cups • Turn onto a lightly floured • 2 tbsp vegetable oil board and knead for about 2 • 1 tbsp butter minutes. • ⅓ red bell pepper diced • Make dumplings in desired • ⅓ green bell pepper diced shape. • ⅓ yellow bell pepper diced • Slide dumplings into boiling • 1 onion chopped water. Cover and cook for • 4 garlic cloves crushed about 10 to 15 minutes. • 125 ml chicken broth • ¼ tsp salt Seasoned Breadfruit • ¼ tsp black pepper • Melt butter in a heavy pan over medium heat, then add oil. Add METHOD onions and cook 5 to 8 minutes Chop, dice or grate the until golden, stir often. ingredients according to the • A dd garlic, thyme and chopped ingredient comments peppers, sauté for 30 seconds. • Remove from heat and add Stewed Saltfish breadfruit with chicken broth • Soak the saltfish overnight. or other prepared liquid. • Boil the fish in fresh water Toss gently to blend and heat until tender, for about 20 through. Season to taste with minutes. salt and pepper. • Drain it before removing • Serve with dumplings, saltfish bones, scales and flakes. and spicy plantains. • Heat oil in a large pan. Add peppers, spring onions, onion and garlic. Cover and cook

Most of us try to attract other people by the friends we keep and the way we carry ourselves. If you are going to a party or a formal function, don’t you dress well? We all want to promote a favorable impression of ourselves to other people we meet and talk to. If we agree on that, then think of this. Why should it be any different for your business? If you want to project a favorable image of your company, in order to win customers, you should keep your company with good friends and...dress your company well in...

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14 • CARIBBEAN TODAY • NOVEMBER 2022

HEALTH NEWS

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Putting The Spotlight On Mental Health In The Caribbean

BY DAWN A. DAVIS

Trinidadian-born Dr. Ishtar Govia, research and Clinical Psychologist and Senior Lecturer in Epidemiology at the Caribbean Institute for Health Research (CAIHR), UWI Mona in Jamaica, is focused on an issue that often gets little attention in the Caribbean region. The issue of mental health. “The prevalence of dementia in persons [in Jamaica] who are 60 and older is somewhere around 9%, and that is likely an underestimate,” Dr. Govia recently told Caribbean Today. “What that works out to be is that approximately 45,000 persons 60 and older are probably living with some type of dementia, but these figures are from 2018, and that’s before COVID.” The researcher and senior lecturer noted that COVID-19 also affects long term cognitive function but being able to truly estimate the impact is a challenge in the region because of “poor diagnostic services” and “because people tend to present (the symptoms) so late.” Ageing Population These statistics are important based on the fact that Jamaica is seeing a rapidly ageing population, the highest growth rate being among those 80 years and older, with the over 60s projected to be approximately 18% of the population by the year 2050. This data, according to a study coauthored by Dr. Govia in 2021, “signals the importance of robust and sustainable long-term care

services and systems.” Dr. Govia also heads the multi-country demential care improvement study dubbed Strengthening Responses to Dementia in Developing Countries (STRiDE), which works with public and private practices to inform policy to support people living with dementia and their carers. She is also managing director on the Board of the Jamaica Mental Health Dr. Ishtar Govia, research and Clinical PsycholoAdvocacy Network; a gist and Senior Lecturer in Epidemiology at the founding member of the Caribbean Institute for Health Research (CAIHR), Caribbean Alliance of National UWI Mona in Jamaica, is focused on mental health and dementia. Psychological Associations and a boardmember of the She added that the issues Bellevue Psychiatric Hospital related to dementia are further in Jamaica, the country’s major behind the general conversation mental health centre, an institution of mental health because the age that has been associated with the group that it tends to focus on are stigma surrounding mental health very concerned about image and in the country. presentation. So, by the time their Dr. Govia noted that the condition is verbalized, it is late in stigma is based on lack of the progression of the dementia. knowledge and understanding, but Based on these was quick to point out that, using misconceptions and stigma Jamaica as a case study, there has around mental health, the clinical been much progress over the past psychologist wants to make two decades with billboards, social it perfectly clear that there is media, helplines offering support, a difference between mental resources, and opening up the illness and cognitive illness or conversation. impairment. “But there does tend to Neurocognitive Disorders be a generational divide,” said “Dementia is in a category called Dr. Govia. “Older persons still neurocognitive disorders, and associate mental health with mental that’s different from psychiatric illness, and a particular type of disorders,” added the doctor. mental illness as in schizoaffective “Progressive dementias, for disorders that have people on the example, typically are highly street and homeless.” correlated with age. Persons who

are 80 and older tend to be the age group that we see most cases of dementia, and your risk for dementia increases as you get older. Age is the strongest risk factor.” Mental illnesses, on the other hand, could affect anyone across all different age groups. These psychiatric disorders are things like schizoaffective disorder, bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, specific types of anxieties, posttraumatic stress disorder. Asked if there are any effective treatments for dementia, Dr. Govia noted that the therapeutics and medications that exist to date, for example to treat Alzheimer’s disease, tend to address symptom presentation particularly if the condition is identified in its early to mid-stages. Two of the main anti-dementia medications are Aricept and Namenda. “Namenda is not pervasively available in the Caribbean, definitely not in Jamaica,” said Dr. Govia. “And so the therapeutics aren’t at the point yet of actually slowing down the progression. They really aren’t at the point of stopping the progression, preventing the progression or reversing it. There is a lot of work being done.” She explained that there has been controversy around aducanumab, a drug that was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 2021 for the

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treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. The clinical trials focused mainly on European American populations excluding other ethnic and racial communities. And, according to the wider medical fraternity, further studies are needed to test the drug’s effectiveness. But Dr. Govia is hopeful as another recent medication, lecanemab, in trials now, is showing peaks of potential. There are other things that can be done in terms of care management, said Dr. Govia, such as reducing your risk factors by paying attention to pollution, poor sleep or nutrition, low physical activity and hearing impairment, which a lot of people don’t recognize is a risk factor for dementia. The next step is to put in support structures, if necessary, depending on the disease progression. In some ways it may be better to age-in-place, which would mean retrofitting one’s living space. “It’s really about how do you put things in place so that you can ensure that you have a good quality of life and that you can live as independently as possible, for as long as possible, while gradually building in more supports for progressive dementia,” said Dr. Govia. “The reality is that you do become dependent in the final stages, so it’s really just preparing for that.”

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CARIBBEAN TODAY • NOVEMBER 2022 • 15

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16 • CARIBBEAN TODAY • NOVEMBER 2022

FEATURE

St. Kitts-Nevis Exploring Geothermal Project

The St. Kitts-Nevis government has announced plans for a geothermal project aimed at pushing forward the twin island Federation’s energy security agenda, on the heels of its 39th independence anniversary. Environment and Climate Action Minister, Dr. Joyelle Clarke, says the ministries of energy and the environment partnered on the geothermal project with NEVLEC (Nevis Electricity Company) and SKELEC (St. Kitts Electricity Company). “We are working together to create what we call energy security for St. Kitts and Nevis and also to confirm our renewable energy mix and I am very clear about that. We cannot transition to solar energy alone, we cannot transition to geothermal energy alone, but we must use a mix of renewable energy sources,” Clarke said. Clarke said that the government, which came to office in August this year, has since engaged the Belizebased Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre (CCCCC) and the Barbadosbased Caribbean Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (CCREEE), and

Drilling rig on site on Nevis. (Clean Power Nevis image)

that representatives of the two regional organisations are due here soon to meet with the Cabinet and relevant stakeholders. She noted that the geothermal project with Nevis is particularly important for various reasons. “Whatever resources are available in Nevis will be part of our Federal resources. We have to ensure that that partnership remains steady, that St. Kitts and Nevis is seen as one Federal state, one nation when it comes to geothermal. It will benefit not just St. Kitts and Nevis, but the wider Caribbean and it is going to be a critical part of our renewable energy mix,” said Clarke.

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Antigua & Barbuda Turns 41 Antigua and Barbuda is set to celebrate its 41st anniversary of political Independence from Britain today, November 1. The country celebrates its Independence with several activities and is coming back to its original form after a halt of two years because of the restrictions related to COVID-19. Today, the country will host the Independence Ceremonial Parade at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium and the National Awards Ceremony. In New York, the Consulate General of Antigua and Barbuda is inviting everyone to their annual Independence Gala on Saturday, November 12, at

outside of Antigua, luring Antiguans and Barbudans from all over the United States and special guests worldwide. The night will feature sophisticated dining and will be hosted in celebration of 41 years of the Independence of Antigua Antigua & Barbuda turns 41 today, Nov. 1, 2022. and Barbuda. The night is anticipated to be a Mulino’s at Lake Isle Country memorable one. The government Club 660 White Plains Road, is presenting none other than Eastchester N.Y. Antigua’s finest, the Iconic four, The Gala is the annual the blazing hot Burning Flames, signature event to celebrate as their featured entertainment. Antigua and Barbuda’s Independence. It is the most significant national event

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Suriname Turns 47 On Nov. 25th

Surinamese will celebrate the 47th independence of their nation on Nov. 25th as the country looks towards a future in black gold amid its oil finds. The Guyana-Suriname Basin is quickly emerging as one of the most prolific offshore oil regions in the world. Suriname has found a humongous amount of oil and gas offshore and could become one of the world’s newest producers in less than three years. But President Chan Santokhi recently noted that a special expert committee had

been established to also study a possible CIP, (Citizenship Investment Program,) as the Dutch-speaking colony of just under 600,000 can not only do with the money the program would bring in, but its skills and labour needs in the coming years. The President also said the cabinet may grant special permission for foreign companies operating in the country to get special permission to bring in larger amounts of workers. “We hope that this discussion can be conducted in

a business-like and down-toearth manner, underpinned by data and solid analytics, with the involvement of relevant stakeholders. With the oil and gas, we look forward to the decision of the international oil companies regarding the final investment decision which is projected for the coming year,” he said. - Written from multiple sources.

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Student Loan Forgiveness Is Official, Here’s How To Apply

President Joe Biden has officially kicked off the application process for his student debt cancellation program, opening the door for millions of Americans to apply for up to $20,000 in forgiveness. HERE’S HOW TO APPLY • Go to studentaid.gov and in the section on student loan debt relief, click “Apply Now.” • Be ready to type in some basic

personal information. The form asks for: name, Social Security Number, date of birth, phone number and email address. It does not require documentation about your income or your student loans. • Review the eligibility rules and confirm that you’re a match. For most people, that means attesting that they make less than $125,000 a year or that

their household makes less than $250,000 a year. If you meet the eligibility rules, click the box confirming that everything you provided is true. • After the form is submitted, the Biden administration says it should take four to six weeks to process. The Education Department will use its existing records to make sure your loans are eligible and to look for applicants who might exceed the income limits. Some will be asked to provide additional documentation to prove

their incomes. The Education Department estimates that the verification application will take about half an hour, including time to review and upload tax documents. • Most borrowers who apply before mid-November should expect to get their debt canceled

President Joe Biden answers questions with Education Secretary Miguel Cardona as they leave an event about the student debt relief portal beta test in the South Court Auditorium on the White House complex in Washington, Monday, Oct. 17, 2022. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

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before Jan. 1, when payments on federal student loans are scheduled to restart after a pause during the pandemic. Note, however, that things could, however, get more complicated, depending on the outcomes of several legal challenges. The Biden administration faces a growing number of lawsuits attempting to block the program, including one filed by six Republican-led states. A federal judge in St. Louis is currently weighing the states’ request for an injunction to halt the plan. Biden on Monday said he’s confident that the suit will not upend the plan. “Our legal judgment is that it won’t,” he said, “but they’re trying to stop it.” - Rewritten from the Associated Press

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CARIBBEAN TODAY • NOVEMBER 2022 • 17

Caribbean American Candidates Look To Make History On Nov. 8th

(CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3)

Haitian immigrants, Blemur is a community leader, a pastor and the owner of a business consulting firm. She says on her campaign website that she’ll ensure concealed carry licenses are “thoroughly vetted.” Her agenda also includes ensuring public school students have nutritious meals and equitable access to the state’s hemp industry. In Broward County, city commissioner, Jamaican Richard Campbell, is bidding for Lauderhill Mayor against African American Ken Thurston, in an area with a huge Jamaican population. Major Races Of course, the top races to ensure you vote for is the race for governor and Senate. U.S. Rep. Val Demings, (D), is challenging Sen. Marco Rubio, (R), for his seat while Democrat Charlie Crist wants to put an end to the era of Gov. Ron DeSantis, who many have accused of being a fascist and pushing a xenophobia, homophobic, and bigoted agenda. The other hot race is the attorney general post where Republican incumbent Ashley Moody is seeking re-election as Florida’s attorney general over Democratic challenger and former Florida State Attorney Aramis Ayala. In Miami, incumbent Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar will look to keep her Miami congressional seat in District 27 against Democratic state Sen. Annette Taddeo. Constitutional Amendments Meanwhile, Florida has three Constitutional Amendments on the ballot this November, going along with the highly publicized U.S. Senate and gubernatorial races for the mid-term elections. In addition to previously covered flood resistance property tax freezes, Florida voters will also be able to decide if the state should abolish its Constitution Revision Commission and if more tax exemptions for certain members of the public service workforce should be approved. Amendment 1: Flood Resistance And Property Tax. According to the description from the ballot text, Amendment 1 would “authorize the Legislature, by general law, to prohibit the consideration of any change or improvement made to real property used for residential purposes to improve the property’s resistance to flood damage in determining the assessed value of such property for ad valorem taxation purposes.” Basically, property taxes could be stopped from going up after homes are stormproofed, specifically flooding, by lawmakers. Amendment 2: Abolishing The Constitution Revision Commission. The second ballot measure facing Florida voters in the November midterm is meant to either end the state’s Constitution Revision Commission, or leave it

in place to 2037, as currently on schedule. According to the ballot’s text, the commission meets every 20 years to submit proposed amendments or revisions to the Florida Constitution. The amendment, if approved to pass by Florida voters, would remove the commission but not remove the ability of citizens to propose constitutional changes. Currently, citizens are already able to propose amendments through ballot initiatives, with recent examples including efforts to legalize recreational marijuana, among others.

Amendment 3: Property Tax Exemptions For ‘Critical’ Public Services Workforce. The final ballot measure to be placed before Florida voters in 2022 would allow them to choose if certain critical members of the state’s public service workforce could be given tax exemptions on their homesteads, to the tune of tens of thousands of dollars. According to the ballot text, the exemption would apply to classroom teachers, law enforcement officers, correctional officers, firefighters, emergency medical technicians, paramedics, child welfare services professionals, active-duty members of the United States Armed Forces, and Florida National Guard members. Your Ballot And Who Can Vote In The Florida Midterms To cast a ballot in the general election you have to be a U.S. citizen, a Florida resident and at least 18 years old. You also have to be registered to vote in the state. The deadline to register for the general election has passed. Early voting in South Florida kicked off on Monday, Oct. 24, and runs through Sunday, Nov. 6th. Voters who wait until Election Day to submit their vote-by-mail ballot cannot drop it off at their precinct. It will need to be dropped off at their county’s elections department offices. Check for details as follows: Broward: https://www. browardvotes.gov/VoterInformation/Precinct-Finder Miami Dade: https:// www.miamidade.gov/global/ service.page?Mduid_ service=ser1512065909614490 Palm Beach County: https:// www.pbcelections.org/Voters/VoteBy-Mail Monroe County: https:// www.keys-elections.org/VoterInformation/Vote-by-Mail If you received a vote-bymailballot, but would rather cast your ballot on Election Day, you can do that, but you must bring your mail-in ballot with you to your assigned voting precinct. Elections officials have to cancel that ballot so you can vote in person. Voting In Person On Election Day For those who are voting in person and have not cast their ballot by the end of early voting, polling stations will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Election Day, Nov. 8. Any voters waiting in line

at 7 p.m. will be allowed to cast a ballot; if you arrive at your precinct later than 7 p.m., you will not be able to vote. You can find your precinct at https://www. dos.myflorida.com/ elections/for[1]voters/check-yourvoter-status-and[1]polling-place/ voter-precinct-lookup/ All voters must bring appropriate identification to the polls as follows: • A current and valid photo

identification with a signature. Approved forms of photo ID include Florida driver’s license; a Florida identification card issued by the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles; U.S. passport; debit or credit card; military identification; student identification. • If the photo identification does not have a signature, you must provide additional identification with your signature.

NEWS • A voter information card is not an acceptable form of ID. Your card is a good source of information about your voter registration including your assigned precinct and polling location for Election Day. Voters can also request language accommodations and accessible voting for people with disabilities.

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e s u o t e f a s t is i e l i h w s i b a n n a c ?

t n a n g pre

Learn the impact on you and your baby Although the CDC recommends not using cannabis during pregnancy, prenatal cannabis use still happens. Experts say smoking marijuana, consuming edibles or taking low-doses of CBD and THC can put your baby at risk. Watch now to hear what medical professionals have to say about using or being exposed to all forms of marijuana during and after pregnancy. Watch now to join the conversation.

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18 • CARIBBEAN TODAY • NOVEMBER 2022

TRAVEL

Regional Disaster Recovery Is Dependent On Tourism

BY BRANDON WEBLEY On October 4th, I attended the Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association’s, (CHTA), 40th Caribbean Travel Marketplace in San Juan, Puerto Rico. While my primary reason for attending the event was to hear and cover tourism updates from the Caribbean, what struck me was that the conference was able to be held hardly two weeks after the island was walloped by Hurricane Fiona. As I flew into Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in San Juan on September 30th, I sought out signs of hurricane damage. None were immediately obvious to me. It was clear that repair work, in San Juan at least, had been expedited. The city had moved swiftly to make sure centers of tourism recovered from any damage caused by the hurricane. The hotel I stayed in, the Sheraton Hotel and Casino, showed no signs of damage but seemed unusually empty. I was certain my initial experiences were rose-tinted. As press, our hotel and stay accommodations were taken care of by Discover Puerto Rico, the official destination marketing organization for the island. Over the next few days, Discover Puerto Rico prepared tours for us

around San Juan. Our first press tour, The Art Walk PR, took us to through the arts District El Gandul. There we met Georgie Vega, our guide and the founder of the art walk. She described the street art renaissance, and the recent economic gentrification that had been pushing out many artists that call the area home. Many artists are having to resort to opening bars and restaurants to fight economic hardship. For an art district with more than 2,000 murals, there was something obvious to me during my experience: we were the only tourists nearby. For many of the businesses in Puerto Rico that rely on travelers and tourists, this economic reality often follows a natural disaster. Perhaps more revealing, many residents of the district regained full electricity and running water only a few days prior. With the south-western part of the island being hit the worst, I wasn’t surprised to learn that 20% of the population remained without power. This is in stark contrast to the lavish beach front hotels and resorts that were able to restore power not long after the hurricane had passed. The following day we attended a local culinary tour in the old city, Old San Juan. As we toured and tasted traditional

Colorfully painted architecture can be found throughout Old San Juan, Puerto Rico. (Photo by Brandon Webley)

foods, I noted that we were the sole occupants of each venue we passed through. For the historical center of the city to be this void of tourists was shocking. One shop owner told it to me straight: “September-October is usually the slow season for us, but I’ve never seen it as slow as this,” once again illustrating the economic reality for many Puerto Ricans following Hurricane Fiona. On the first day of CHTA’s 40th Caribbean Travel Marketplace on Tuesday October 4th, CHTA President Nicola Madden-Greig presented the press in attendance with updates on tourism in the region. Travel to the Caribbean has been recovering faster than any other region of the world. In fact, the

Caribbean is expected to see as much as a 15% increase in international arrivals this winter. This is important in relation to Puerto Rico, because while tourism numbers region-wide are increasing, Caribbean islands remain vulnerable to tourism disruptions caused by natural disasters. Olivier Ponti, Vice President of Insights at ForwardKeys, had this to say during his Marketplace presentation: “… each time disaster hits, it makes the headlines all across the world, and it triggers a spike in cancellations.” He further noted that this is exactly what they had seen after Hurricane Fiona hit Puerto Rico, they saw a huge increase in cancellations and “… new bookings pretty much went

flat.” For an island that relies heavily on the economic spending of travelers, this is devastating. While it is important for news organizations to report on recent events quickly and accurately, members of the media need to recognize how sensationalizing disasters can skew public perception. Often, this skew in public perception can be detrimental to the very people the news reporting is meant to help. I urge readers to be mindful of how images you see on TV bias you against traveling to another country. Be critical of the images presented to you and be open about what you may experience in a country following natural disaster. When you visit a foreign country, use the time available to you to learn about the local people and culture, don’t limit yourself to your hotel or resort. Take a moment to visit a food stall, a cultural hub, and perhaps a historical landmark. Think deeply about the ways in which your spending can uplift the local people of a country. In the process, you may discover new and novel cultural experiences otherwise hidden from the average traveler. To the many Boricuas I met during my visit: Gracias para bienvenidos, volvere. Thank you for the welcome, I’ll be back.

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This Caribbean Country Has Dropped COVID-19 Protocols For Cruises St. Vincent and the Grenadines has removed the COVID-19 protocols for the upcoming 2022/23 cruise season, welcoming unvaccinated cruise passengers for the first time in two years. Making the announcement at the 28th Florida Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA) Conference in the Dominican Republic, Tourism Minister Carlos James said the decision to relax health protocols for arriving cruise passengers followed a period of low

infections globally and low COVID-19related admissions to the island’s health facilities. Last cruise season, protocols were implemented such as safe zones for vaccinated passengers. For the upcoming 2022/23 season, the Colorfully painted architecture can be found throughout Old San Juan. (Photo by Brandon Webley) destination will swap those protocols with - CMC new relaxed health guidelines.

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CARIBBEAN TODAY • NOVEMBER 2022 • 19

Simmons Calls It Quits As West Indies Crash Out Of T20 World Cup senior teams. The Windies men were eliminated from the main draw of the tournament on October 21st when they fell to a nine-wicket defeat to Ireland in Hobart. They had also suffered a 42-run loss to Scotland prior, before rebounding to beat Zimbabwe by 31 runs two days later. CWI has promised a full review of the side’s World Cup campaign, which Grave said Ireland’s Paul Stirling (C) and Lorcan Tucker celebrate their victory over the West Indies at the Bellerive Oval in Hobart on October 21, 2022. (AFP image) Simmons would still be involved in. West Indies cricket coach Phil Kolkata. Asked whether any Simmons has called it quits Earlier this year, he guided thought had been given to following the West Indies’ mega the team’s fortunes in their hardSimmons’ replacement, Grave crash out of the ICC Men’s T20 fought 1-0 Test series win over said CWI would be “sensible World Cup. Simmons, however, England on home soil to capture and strategic in our review and will stay on until after the the Richards-Botham Trophy, approach and try and keep, November 30 to December 12 followed in June by a Test series difficult as it is, the emotions out Test series against Australia. victory against Bangladesh in of it.” In the CWI statement their last outing. The cricket administrator officially announcing his The news comes as Cricket declined to say whether resignation, Simmons said the West Indies (CWI) says it is Simmons would have been decision was “a move I have not ruling out the possibility of asked to step aside if he had not been considering for some time” having separate coaches for the resigned. However, he noted that and not a knee-jerk reaction to white-ball and red-ball teams Simmons’ contract was due to the disappointing World Cup as the board looks for answers come to an end in March and “he performance. following the embarrassing always knew that it was going to The 59-year-old former defeat. be dependent on results.” West Indies all-rounder was CWI chief executive officer at the helm in 2016 when the Johnny Grave said administrators - Rewritten from CMC Caribbean men won their second had to explore all available World Cup title, defeating options as they seek to find the England at the Eden Gardens in best way forward for the men’s

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Reggae Girls Facing Tough World Cup Campaign France and Brazil. The Caribbean powerhouses will play in Group F in the July 20th to August 20th campaign and will be joined by another yet-tobe determined qualifier to Jamaica’s Reggae Girls have been handed a tough group for complete the four-nation next year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New group. Zealand. (CMC image) CONCACAF Jamaica’s Reggae Girls have side Panama will have a shot been handed a tough group at reaching Group F as they for next year’s FIFA Women’s are one of four teams doing World Cup in Australia and New battle in Group C of the playoff Zealand, drawn alongside giants

tournament next February, alongside Chinese Taipei, Paraguay and Papua New Guinea. Jamaica faces a tough opener against France on July 23rd at the Sydney Football Stadium in Sydney before coming up against the winners of the Group C qualifiers at their second outing in Perth six days later. Brazil will present Jamaica with their final challenge of the preliminary round at the Melbourne Rectangular Centre on August 2nd.

SPORTS

National Honours For Jamaica Olympians

Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (l), and Sherika Jackson, (r.), being conferred with the Order of Jamaica and Order of Distinction by Governor-General, Sir Patrick Allen, in Kingston on Monday, Oct. 17, 2022. (JIS image/Adrian Walker)

Jamaican world champions and Olympians, Shelly-Ann FraserPryce and Shericka Jackson, were conferred with Jamaican national honors for their sporting achievements on National Heroes Day, Oct. 17, 2022. Fraser-Pryce, 35, was conferred with the Order of Jamaica, Commander Class for Outstanding Performance in the field of athletics at the international level, at the National Honors and Awards on the lawns of King’s House in Kingston. Jackson was conferred with the Order of Distinction, Commander Class for exceptional achievements in the sport of Track and Field Athletics at the national, World Championships and Olympic levels. The decorated Fraser-Pryce recently stormed to a historic fifth 100m title at the 2022 World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon. She is also the first woman in history to run below 10.7 seconds seven times during any one season.

Jackson, who has won bronze medals in the 400m at the World Championships and Olympics, also won her first global title in Oregon in July when she ran 21.45 seconds to win the 200 m. That finish, which was a national record, made her the second-fastest woman in history. The two female sprint stars were among 221 Jamaicans who were recognised. Others involved in sports also receiving national honors were: former president of the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA), Dr Warren Blake, who was conferred with the Order of Distinction for contribution to Medicine and as a team doctor in national sports; sports agent Claude Bryan who received the Order of Distinction for contribution to track and field; and Michael Clarke, a veteran coach who was conferred with the Order of Distinction for contribution to sports in track and field.

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PRESCRIPTION OPIOIDS

Prescription opioids can be prescribed by doctors to treat moderate-to-severe pain but can also have serious risks and side effects.

COMMON TYPES ARE

OXYCODONE (OXYCONTIN), HYDROCODONE (VICODIN), MORPHINE, AND METHADONE. Prescription opioids can be used to treat moderate-to-severe pain and are often prescribed following surgery or injury, or for health conditions such as cancer. In recent years, there has been a dramatic increase in the use of prescription opioids for the treatment of chronic, non-cancer pain, such as back pain or osteoarthritis, despite serious risks and the lack of evidence about their long-term effectiveness.

WHEN THE PRESCRIPTION BECOMES THE PROBLEM More than 191 million opioid prescriptions were dispensed to American patients in 2017—with wide variation across states.1 Health care providers in the highest prescribing state, Alabama, wrote almost three times as many of these prescriptions per person as those in the lowest prescribing state, Hawaii.1 Studies suggest that regional variation in use of prescription opioids cannot be explained by the underlying health status of the population.2

The most common drugs involved in prescription opioid overdose deaths include:

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Methadone

Oxycodone (such as OxyContin®) Hydrocodone (such as Vicodin®)3

To reverse this epidemic, we need to improve the way we treat pain. We must prevent abuse, addiction, and overdose before they start.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

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The Florida Overdose Data to Action (FL-OD2A) program is supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services