Caribbean american passport news magazine april 2016

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Guyanese Teenager Gets accepted to all 8 Ivy League Schools

“We are de Champions... we are de West Indies!”

K

elly Hyles was born in Guyana and moved to the United States at the age of 11 years old. We're celebrating her achievements as she got 21 acceptance letters from colleges around the country.

Kelly’s mother set a great example for her that hard work does pay-off; her mother works 2 jobs, a home aide and as a certified nursing assistant. While Kelly is a straight A student, she's the first to admit that getting into so many schools didn't come without a lot of hard work.

Continued on page 8

See story & more photos on page 5

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L I F E S T Y L E

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Life, Legacy and Commitment

his year I turn the big 5-0, 50 years on this beautiful earth, with all these beautiful people experiencing all the greatness that life has to offer. I'm forced me to reflect on the past 50 years, or those that I can remember, and look forward to the next 50……Reflection and Projection……

Samuel J. Roberts, Publisher/Editor

Guenet Gittens-Roberts, Publisher/Editor

I have truly enjoyed the first 50 years of my life, growing up in Guyana, the friends I made along the way, completing my mandatory 1 year of National Service, para-military training and teaching, going to college in New York and Alabama, pledging my fraternity, Alpha Phi Alpha Inc., representing Guyana in field hockey from the age of 14, moving back to Guyana after graduating college and being involved in a major car accident, meeting my wife, being a father to my 2 amazing children, moving back to America in 2000 to start my graduate studies at Clark Atlanta University, working for BFA Environmental for 12 years, managing engineering and construction project that range in value from $25,000 to over $25,000,000, being asked nicely to become a contract employee of BFA (sounds nice, but it’s a nice way of saying they took me off their payroll, they sent me home, they no longer wanted me in the office, they couldn’t afford to keep me as a full-time employee…….I got sacked), re-focusing on our company (Roberts & Roberts Management Services, LLC/GGR Marketing & PR/Caribbean American Passport News Magazine), growing our publication from 5,000 copies per month distributed in Central Florida to 20,000 copies per month distributed STATEWIDE, watching children grow up from kindergarten to both being in college within the next few months, teaching them to walk, run, swim, ride a bike, drive MY car and now drive their own cars, watching my wife and grow in our marriage and relationship (and physically…..pounds added), celebrating all the various milestones with my friends and family (18th birthdays, 40th birthdays, 50th’s, 60th’s, 70th’s and soon to be 80th – my father 2017, 20 years of marriage…etc)……….all this and I ask myself what has my life been so far, what is my legacy?

I’ll try my best to answer this question with the utmost of clarity.

Every experience in my life, every person I have met, every mistake I might have made, every success I might have had, every stumble, every fall, every high, every low, everything that has ever happened in my life, good or bad, has made me who I am today.

I am me!!!! I do not and I will not ever apologize for being me. I try my best to be the best I can be, I treat my family as friends and my friends like family, I treat you the way I would like you to treat me, I love my friends and my family unconditionally. I’m goal oriented and driven by success, I am passionate about my life and my commitment.

My legacy or the message I’ve given my kids, my wife, the kids or students I’ve coached and anyone who ever asked for my input or guidance.

• Think before you talk and think before act – stop, take 60 seconds to think about it, then do/act/talk • Today’s actions, today’s hard work makes tomorrow a better day….school/college…etc • Practice, practice, practice and practice some more and you’ll have a great game • Commit yourself to your life, it’s the only one you have………live it to the fullest • Time; manage your time…”If you can fill the unforgiving minute with 60 seconds worth of distance run…..yours is the world…”

• Focus on your vision, your dream, your passion and don’t let the idiots of the world around you distract you from your mission/vision/dream.

My commitment is to make sure I leave the lives I’ve touched impacted by my touch, the places I’ve lived have a monument that I helped mold, the people I’ve loved remember and know the sincerity of my unconditional love and the world I’ve lived in as a better place for the lives I leave behind.

“I Love My Life” 1969 Alafaya Trail • Orlando, FL 32828 Office: 407-427-1800 Fax: 407-386-7925 Toll Free: 877-220-8315 For Media Information email: Publisher: sroberts@caribbeanamericanpassport.com Sales: sales@caribbeanamericanpassport.com Info: .Info@caribbeanamericanpassport.com Should you desire to review past copies of the publication go to http://caribbeanamericanpassport.com and click on the

'Print Archive' Tap.

Editor & Publisher ............................................................... Sam Roberts Publisher ........................................................... Guenet Gittens-Roberts Graphic Design & Layout ......................................Jan Longwell-Smiley Contributing Writers: ............................................................ Tony Dyal ..............................................................................................Ryan Davis

........................................................................................Sasha Dookoo ............................................................................................ Gail Seeram

.........................................................................................Sasha Watson ........................................................................................ Kamal Abdool Contributing Photographers ............ .................................Ted Hollins ...................................................................................................Gail Zucker .......................................................................................... Sandra Fatmi .............................................. ..............................................Brion Price Central Florida Distribution...................................................Roy Benn South Florida Distribution ........................................Norman Williams North Florida Distribution ...................................................Theo Jack Jr. Copyright (C) 2010 GGR Marketing & Public Relations. All rights reserved.

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Letters to My Lawyer™ This column is primarily for educational purposes as well as to give the reader general information and a general understanding of the law, not to provide any legal advice whatsoever. By reading this column you understand that there is no attorney-cliet relationship between you and writer/ pub-lisher. This column should not be used as a substitute for competent legal advice from a licensed professional attorney. This column is not published for advertising or solicitation purposes.

The hiring of a lawyer is an important decision that should not be based solely upon advertisements.

By Sasha Watson, Esq. Dear Lawyer, I am currently living in St. Lucia. I lived in the US about ten (10) years ago and was married to a US Citizen. My exhusband and I started the immigration process but my application was denied after our interview because they claimed that our marriage was fraudulent. My ex-husband’s family told them that I did not live at the house and that they did not know who I was. We got divorced shortly after that and I returned home to St. Lucia. My current husband’s mother has filed a petition for him and I want to know if I will be able to join him in the US when the green card comes through?

With Regards, Concerned Wife Dear Concerned Wife: Generally, a finding of marriage fraud will result in very severe immigration consequences. Under section 204(c) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, a finding of marriage is a

bar to the approval of subsequently filed I-130, Petitions for Alien Relatives, where the relative deemed to have committed marriage fraud is the primary beneficiary. In other words, a subsequent I-130 filed by a second bona fide spouse, parent, sibling or child over 21 will be denied.

Marriage fraud is usually considered a permanent bar to US immigration for most persons seeking a green card.

However, there is an exception / loop hole for accompanying aliens or derivate beneficiaries since no petition is required to be filed on their behalf.

As such, the marriage fraud bar contained in INA 204(c) would not preclude you from “accompanying” your husband to the US and obtaining a green card as a derivative beneficiary on the application filed on his behalf by his mother. However, you would still need to obtain a fraud waiver under INA § 212(i) to overcome the inadmissibility caused by the previous marriage fraud.

To establish fraud USCIS will also have to demonstrate specific intent to obtain immigration benefits by fraud and not just mere inconsistency in the applicant and spouse responses. You should contact an experienced immigration attorney to determine whether your case rises to the level of fraud and for a complete review of your immigration case.

Please submit your letters to letters@hawmlaw.com. Each month a reader’s letter will be chosen for response.

Accredited & License # ST38788

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Letters to My Lawyer™ is a publication of Karlyn Hylton & Sasha Watson of Hylton, Adamson Watson, PLLC 120 E. Colonial Drive |Orlando, FL 32801 Phone: 407-802-3223 | F: 407-377-1971 Email: letters@hawmlaw.com

We are De Champions...We are De West Indies......

Histo ry!

By Daniel Dhanraj

By Ryan Davis

By Ryan Davis

Cont. from page 1

Samuel Badree spun a web around the English. He finished with 14 dot balls and figures of 2-16, limiting them to a modest score of 155.

History:

On Sunday the 3rd of April, at approximately 1.30 pm (EST), West Indians from Toronto, Canada to Georgetown, Guyana and every beach bar in between watched nervously as the ICC T20 World Cup had inevitably come down to the last over. The West Indies needed to score an improbable 19 runs to secure victory over England. The young 6ft 7in Bajan Carlos Brathwaite took his guard and “swung for the hills”.

He smashed four consecutive 6s into the Eden Garden sky to propel himself into Cricket folklore and the West Indies into the history books.

Earlier that day the West Indies women upset three time defending champions Australia which meant it was the first time the Men and Women’s titles were won by the same country (region).

They also became the first team to win the cup a second time.

Calypso Cricket: The West Indies came into this tournament with a chip on their shoulders. Off the field, the players still bore a scar after the Players Association went behind their backs and made a deal with the WICB that saw a 60% wage reduction back in 2014. One tour cancellation and countless petty disputes meant there was no resolution in sight.

On the field things were different. They had an experienced squad that won this competition four years earlier. Their batting line up was deep and armed with some of the biggest hitters in the game to date, such as Chris Gayle, Andre Fletcher and Lendl Simmons. They created a strategy that fit their strengths, using “power hitting” all the way to the very end.

The strategy was simple …dot..dot ..SIX! Chris Gayle set the tone from day one. He scored the third fastest century in T20 history in the opening game against England. Smashing a record breaking eleven 6s to lead his team to victory.

In the second game it was opener Andre Fletcher who came to the rescue against Sri Lanka. He hit eleven boundaries in an unbeaten 89 to steer West Indies to a 2-0 record.

Against South Africa, the Windies disciplined bowling and desperate fielding made their mark, limiting the opposition to only 122 runs. A timely partnership from Marlon Samuels and Johnson Charles saw West Indies finishing first in their group with a game to spare. Next step…a date with host India in the Semifinals.

The matchup was dubbed “David Vs Goliath”. The only difference this time was that David had a club!

The contrast in styles was there for everyone to see.

India batted first. Superstar Virat Kohli used all his skill and guile to score an unbeaten 89 off only 47 balls to help mount a challenging total of 192.

Johnson Charles, Lendl Simmons and Andre Fletcher came to the WI rescue, using the “long ball” to devastating effect.

They combined for eleven 6s and seventeen 4s, scoring the winning runs with only two balls to spare.

The final was a replay of the opening game against an old foe in England.

Marlon Samuels, for the second time in a final, anchored the inning with an unbeaten 85. Carlos Braithwaite created his own history by scoring the most runs in a T20 over (24) to win the game in spectacular West Indian fashion.

As the victors stormed the field, Dwayne Bravo’s Champion song came over the loud speaker and the boys from the Caribbean demonstrated the now familiar “Champion Dance” for the world to see.

The West Indies came, they conquered and also danced their way back into the hearts of their fans.

The Future:

After the last tinsel fell to the grass, the same old questions arose with very little answers.

Are the West Indies back? Will WICB and the Players come to an agreement?

One thing is for certain. The West Indies have once again turned the world of cricket on its head. Thirty five years ago they created the unbeatable Test team. Now, they’ve developed a formula and a team that looks set to dominate the modern format of the game for years to come.

In regards to the players and the WICB, all we can do as fans is put our maroon hats on with pride and “Rally round the West Indies.”

New Territory: The West Indies have now won all three of the major cups in 2016. The U-19 boys winning the 50 over world cup in February; the West Indies men winning their second World T20; but none shun brighter than the women’s ICC T20 trophy.

This is the first time in history, the West Indies women’s team has won a major tournament in the world of cricket. A region known for dragging its feet in supporting women’s sports, finally had a breakthrough.

In the final, the WI women went up against the indomitable Australians who were going for an unthinkable 4th successive T20 title.

The Aussies stumbled along the way, losing to arch rivals New Zealand earlier in the tournament but their experience helped them win the next three to take up their now familiar place in the final.

The girls from down under took first strike, scoring a competitive 148 runs.

The West Indies girls would have to achieve the second highest run chase in the tournament’s history in order to win.

The “fourpeat” was on.

Their efforts got the WIndies to the final over where they needed 2 runs off four balls. An absolute moment of panic from both teams saw Britney Cooper take a “suicide single” to midwicket where Megan Shutt missed the stumps and the overthrow lead to the most improbable of victories.

They were soon joined by their teammates and the West Indies men in their “Champion Dance” across Eden Gardens.

We are De Champions...We are De West Indies......

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Guyanese Teenager Gets accepted to all 8 Ivy League Schools..cont from page 1

H

er studiousness is ingrained in her: Hyles spent the first decade of her life in a small village called Vryheid's Lust in Guyana. In Guyana the school system is different, "they were a bit more serious about school," said Hyles of kids from her village. "Teachers are allowed to beat you -- It wasn't anything severe, but it keeps kids in check."

Kelly views her mother as her “rock�.

Hyles commutes an hour and a half every day to the High School for Math, Science and Engineering in Harlem, one of New York's nine specialized high schools. "It's required a lot of sacrifices," she said. Hyles is one of less than two dozen black students in her senior class, which has more than 130 people. It's a common theme throughout New York City's specialized high schools, a fact she found troubling. "I am convinced that the decrease is not due to intellectual aptitude, but to lack of preparation and confidence," she wrote in one her personal statements. So she did something about it. Hyles partnered with the DREAM program, which prepares students for the Specialized High School Admissions Test. For three summers, she spent every weekday mentoring students at her former Brooklyn middle school. "My main goal remains to replace self-doubt with self-confidence," she wrote.

When Hyles took the SAT for the first time in May 2015, she wasn't satisfied with the results. "It didn't go as well as I had wanted," she said. "I was a little bummed and discouraged." She channeled that energy into studying more. A classmate gave her test books that he no longer needed. "I reused his books -- and did much better," she said. "My biggest sacrifice was sleep," she said, adding that she averages about five hours a night. "Sometimes, I wanted to sleep late or go to the movies or a party with my friends, but I had to prioritize." Hyles said she knew her mother wouldn't have enough money to put her through school. "I knew I had to at least get academic scholarships, if not need-based scholarships," she said, adding that college application fees were waived due to her financial standing.

Being a great student isn't enough, though. "I knew I needed to be well-rounded," said Hyles, who is also a cheerleader and a dancer. "I heard stories of people that made amazing grades that didn't get into the colleges they wanted." So Hyles and two other students started a Black Student Union at her high school in 2014. "There were no clubs in which students could voice their outrage," she wrote in one of her favorite college essays about the unrest after the shootings of unarmed black teens. The group hosts weekly meetings to discuss social issues and black "excellence." Once a month, she hosts a "Blackout day" to celebrate black culture. "The most rewarding part of Blackout day is finding parallels between seemingly different cultures," she wrote. "I am confident that an aura of self-love will continue to reign in my school."

"I always had a plan. I knew what I wanted to do for a while," said Hyles. Case in point: Hyles loves math and science, so she applied to a science track at her school. As a senior, that enables her to spend half of her day at school and the rest of it at Mt. Sinai Hospital. Seniors in the specialized track are paired with research labs -- so Hyles spends her time researching the effects of a specific gene (which is associated with type II diabetes) on beta cell mass.

"It's pretty unique," she said.

Hyles, who was recently named a Ron Brown Scholar, said she was well aware of the negative stigmas ahead of her: She's black and a woman. Instead of letting those beliefs win -- she embraced things like her skin color and her kinky hair. "I was 'Unapologetically Kelly,'" she said. "I did not see my race or gender as a limiting factor, but rather as a reason to work harder." Hyles added that moving to a new country at a young age "was culture shock," but it taught her to be adaptable. All of this has prepared her for wherever she lands. Hyles applied to 22 schools and was waitlisted only at Stanford University. She said that while Harvard has been her dream school, she's considering all of her options.

"Honestly, I've had so many changes in my life I feel like I can adapt to fit in anywhere," she said.

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by Kamal Abdool

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My Homeland: Trinidad and Tobago.

arth is the only Planet in our Solar System not named after a Roman God or Goddess. Trinidad, the land of my birth and the only country in the world named after the Holy Trinity. God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Ghost. On his third voyage to the New World, Christopher Columbus took a more southerly route hoping to discover new lands. His ships got stuck in the Sargasso Sea, the only sea in the world without a land boundary, a vast water area covered in dense seaweed which forms a thick mat on the surface.

A combination of calm and weak winds, the seaweeds and for weeks Columbus was going nowhere fast. Crewmen were frightened and agitated and mutiny was in the air. Columbus retreated to his quarters, prayed for safe passage and noted in his log to name the first land he sets foot on after the Holy Trinity. On July 31st 1498 Columbus sighted the three peaks of the Southern Range and as he came ashore on what is now Moruga, he fell to his knees and thank the Almighty for safe deliverance.

under programs that started as Special Works with name changes over the years as if the name change is progress.

Tony Deyal wrote in Facebook today, "The stick of the blind man creates a new darkness." Looking at the PNM blunder, from error to mistake to calamity as it tries to manage the recession without dealing decisively and directly with URP and CEPEP the darkness increases.

Rake-and-scrape taxes just to find the billions wasted on make-work, free-money programs which contribute nothing while undermining and destroying agriculture, the construction industry etc. What is worse is that the Opposition is afraid to criticize the approach since every Government since 1956 has made the freeness increasingly institutionalized and a permanent fixture of our economic landscape.

The combination of the freeness, the police and the unions make this country ungovernable and lawless.

Changing governments will not help us.

Trinidad is blessed with a great name, beautiful shape, strategically formed mountain ranges, beaches and enchanting inland waterways, petroleum and a pitch lake that is the envy of many countries. Our diversity birthed a unique culture and yes, our music. I remember attending a Christmas party and just taking in the musical variety of my Homeland. Calypso, Soca, Chutney, Chutney Soca, Parang and Parang Soca. Yes, my Homeland, the Land that gave me My Education, My Values and above all, My sense of Humor.

We had our share of corruption in the 60s, Lockjoint Racket, Gas Station Racket, then OPEC raised oil prices and Trinidad was swimming in money and with it big money Government corruption and stupidity. We sent a team, none fluent in Spanish to buy a used boat in Venezuela and after spending eight million USD, the boat broke down on its maiden voyage to Tobago. As Forrest Gump would say.

That was That.

Billions were stolen from the people of Trinidad and Tobago, accountability is a foreign concept and waste is something you throw at a carnival fete. The Brian Lara Stadium sums up the ineptitude and inefficacy of the land of my birth. Projected to cost about 270 Million TTD and opened to host the 2007 Cricket World Cup, the Stadium remains incomplete, in a state of disrepair and a Billion TTD spent and counting. No Minister of Government has ever been jailed for stealing from the people and I'm now convinced both parties look out for each other while laughing at the citizens taking sides in a General Election.

To Host Your Own Program or to Advertise On www.CAPRadio98.com Call # 1877-22092315

Maybe the biggest damage done to my Fellow Nationals is the Freeness Mentality engrained in the masses over the years. Free School, Books, Computer, School Feeding Programs, Free Housing, Free Rent, Squat wherever you like, Minimum work for maximum pay, no work for pay

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ImmigrationINFO

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Immigration News For Our Community Conditional Green Card Holder in Troubled Marriages

By Attorney Gail S. Seeram, Gail@GailLaw.com 1-877-GAIL-LAW

ing spouse or parent battered the Conditional Permanent Resident spouse or child. Remember, Form I-751 (either jointly with spouse or seeking a waiver) must be filed before the conditional permanent resident green card expires. Failure to file Form I-751 timely will result in termination of conditional permanent resident and case referral to the immigration court.

@GailSeeram

For more information, contact Gail Law Firm: Email: Gail@GailLaw.com Phone: 1-877-GAIL-LAW or 407-292-7730 www.MyOrlandoImmigrationLawyer.com FREE in-office consultation – FREE Live Chat

FREE In-Office Consultation FREE Live Chat www.MyOrlandoImmigrationLawyer.com During a marriage-based petition, if the petitioner and beneficiary were married for less than two years at the time of approval, then the beneficiary receives Conditional Permanent Resident status. The Conditional Permanent Resident (CPR) status will be granted for a two-year period.

A Conditional Permanent Resident (CPR) who obtained his or her status through marriage to a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident must file Form 1-751 to remove the conditions on his or her residence before their two-year status expires. When filing Form I-751, beneficiary can file it jointly with petitioning spouse or a waiver can be filed if the petitioner and beneficiary spouse have terminated their marriage or the beneficiary is a battered spouse.

Copyright Š Law Offices of Gail S. Seeram, 2016. All Rights Reserved.

A waiver of the joint filing requirement cannot be filed based solely on the fact that a Conditional Permanent Resident may have entered the marriage in good faith, but he or she is legally separated from the petitioning spouse or is currently in divorce or annulment proceedings.

If the marriage is not legally terminated, the Immigration Service Officer (ISO) will issue a Request for Evidence (RFE) with a response period of 87 days in order for the beneficiary to provide a final divorce. In many cases the divorce will take place during the response period to the RFE, which affords the CPR the opportunity to establish eligibility for the waiver by submitting a copy of his or her final divorce decree or annulment. If the CPR establishes eligibility for the waiver, the ISO adjudicates the petition on the merits in accordance with established procedure. If the Conditional Permanent Resident does not respond to the RFE, or if the Conditional Permanent Resident 's response does not establish eligibility for the waiver, the ISO denies the 1-751 and issues a Notice of Termination of Conditional Resident Status. The ISO then refers the case through the proper chain of command for issuance of a Notice to Appear (NTA) for appearance in immigration court.

Filing Form I-751 seeking a waiver of the joint filing requirement must prove that removal from the United States would result in extreme hardship; OR the Conditional Permanent Resident entered the marriage in good faith, but the marriage was terminated; OR the Conditional Permanent Resident entered the marriage in good faith, but the petition-

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NOMINATE A GUYANESE WHO LIVES IN FLORIDA AS PART OF THE 50/50 CELEBRATION OF GUYANESE OF EXCELLENCE SEND EMAIL TO

CAPnominations@caribbeanamericanpassport.om

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A stellar reggae evening at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts

Morgan Heritage, Maxi Priest & Junior Marvin’s Wailers Live Performance

By Gail Zucker rammy Award winners Morgan Heritage, Maxi Priest and Junior Marvin’s Wailers performed at the Au-Rene Theater in Ft Lauderdale, at the Broward Center of the Performing Arts, April 2, 2016.

Maxi Priest, a British reggae artiste of Jamaican decent, has coordinated a unique sound with his band members. The lively addition of Beniton (the Menace) and his smooth lover’s rock style creates a lively and high energy performance. Maxi’s band members are quite animated and add a humorous touch.

Junior Marvin’s Wailers performance was reminiscent of the great Bob Marley. Junior joined the Wailers just prior to the ‘Exodus’ album in 1977 and played guitar on all remaining albums up to Bob Marley’s passing in 1981.

His band and lovely back up singers created a light enjoyable production.

Exemplifying the family solidarity, Morgan Heritage was created by the legacies of icon Denroy Morgan. Morgan Heritage recently won a Grammy Award for best reggae album entitled “Strickly Roots.” The Morgan Heritage Family through three generations of Morgan’s was present in full support. Laza and Jemere joined the band onstage to showcase their talent, as well as grandchil- It was a delightful and entertaining evening for all dren and wives. patrons attending in the splendid Au-Rene Theater.

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Holi Festival 2016 "PHAGWAH"

See artcile on page 16

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Guyana 50/50 Recognizing the TOP 50 Guyanese in Florida

Nominations Received (to date):

Judge Majeed Gail Seeram - Attorney Naresh & Nadia Boodhoo/Soiree Dr. Coggins, Stetson Andy King, CAFA Paul& Anita Singh PS Freight Lloyd Philips, Anything Guyanese Hari Singh Star & Rosemarie Moonasar/Caribbean Supercenter Ravi & Zorida Pritipaul/Golden Krust Wesley Kirton, Guyana Chamber Sybille Pritchard Clayton Chand/Chands Supermarket Kash Ramnarain Harry Subraj/ Hibiscus Place Larry London Vani Lowton/Curry Duck Curry Cecil 'Skip' Roberts Harry Bissoon Joy Anderson Chub Bedessee/Bedessee Imports Conrad Taylor Ephraim Adams Creig Camacho Laini Schultz Submit yours with the category today @ CAPnominations@caribbeanamericanpassport.com

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Celebrating Phagwah – The Festival of Colors By Sasha Dookhoo

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hen we think of Phagwah, also known as Holi, we picture people in white attire indulging by throwing colorful powder and liquids calledAbeer on one another. In the Caribbean, Hindus and non-Hindus alike participate in this joyous occasion as we welcome spring and Indian sweets are shared in abundance. However, the significance of this Hindu festival is deeply rooted in tradition.

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The word ‘Holi’ originates from ‘Holika,’ the evil sister of the demon King Hiranyakashipu who demanded that everyone worship him. His son Prahlada objected to this and remained devoted to Lord Vishnu. This infuriated the king so he wanted to kill Prahlada and ordered that he sit on a burning bonfire with his sister Holika. Holika was wearing a cloak which made her resistant to the flames but as the fire roared, the cloak flew from Holika and encased Prahlada who survived the fire while Holika burned. This made King Hiranyakashipu angry so he smashed a pillar then Lord Vishnu appeared as Lord Narasimha and killed Hiranyakashipu. Therefore, the bonfire serves as a symbolic reminder of the triumph of good over evil. Every year, a bonfire is burned the night before Holi to celebrate this victory.

So where do the colors come in? Well Phagwah is also associated with the Hindu deity Krishna. Krishna developed a characteristic blue skin as a baby because he was poisoned by the female demon Putana. As a youth, Krishna wondered whether the fair-skinned Radha would fall for him and his mother urged him to approach her and color her face with any color he wanted. One day, Krisha colored Radha’s face and they become a couple. So, Phagwah is also synonymous with sharing and celebrating love.

This year, the Indian Horizon of Florida hosted Holi 2016 at Turkey Lake Park in Orlando. The day featured live Indian cultural dance performances, singing and of course – “playing Phagwah.” Dance teams from across Central

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Florida showcased various styles of Indian dancing from the classics to Bollywood and dance teams included the Maya Dance School, Naach Dil Se, Saathi Dance and the Jayadevi Dancers. There was a tremendous variety of singers who highlighting their talent as well. This was a beautiful celebration of Holi and there were families and friends enjoying the festivities, the entertainment and, of course, playing Phagwah.

So the next time you celebrate Phagwah, remember, it’s a multifaceted Hindu tradition.

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Commissioner Regina Hill - I AM District 5" by Jonathan Sebastian Blount

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n partnership with First Presbyterian Church more than 400

volunteers provided community cleanup, house painting, health screening and a huge suprise of a matching $4,000 in real quality food .

Commissioner Regina Hill donated the first $2,000 to Second Harvest and they, Second Harvest, matched the gift and doubled it in kind. Hams, Chuck Roast, Steak, vegetables, assorted beverages and much more. One recipient said, "it ain't even Thanksgiving or Christmas, Commissioner Hill understands we need blessings everyday".

"It's being from the people, of the people and with the people, not above the people and to the people, that is my experiental differential as a servant in District 5" explained Commissioer Hill. " I am de-lighted to have First Presbyterian Church in my District. For reasons I cannot explain, local media won't cover the good that I do nor the positive things that I use public funds for", she lamented. Carol Hafer, Director of Missions at First Presbyterian Church, said, "It took a long time and a lot of effort to do this, but it was well worth it. I am so grateful to God for allowing us the privilege and to all the volunteers for the means to serve with Commissioner Hill".

The turn-out was impressive and the community support was unbelieveable, congratulations to Commissioner Hill and her team for another job well done.

CAPnominations@caribbeanamericanpassport.com

CAPnominations@caribbeanamericanpassport.com

Vote at: CAPnominations@caribbeanamericanpassport.com

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Please visit our website at www.caribbeanamericanpassport.com to view the full album of pictures

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EAT A RAINBOW OF COLORS Make your plate colorful by eating a rainbow of colors.

According to research each color vegetable supplies an abundance of vitamins and minerals.

Red Colors: Red peppers and red beets supplies vitamin C.

Green Colors: Kale, spinach, romaine lettuce and collard greens supplies vitamin K and E.

Purple Colors: Purple cabbage and eggplant supplies vitamin C and K.

Yellow and Orange Colors:

For information about the class call 407-730-3048 or visit www.vegantuneupcafe.com Jamaican-Born Sandi Morais has a BA degree from Florida International

Carrots supplies vitamin A and E. Yellow squash supplies vitamin C and magnesium.

Make your salad colorful and enjoy all the health benefits.

Uni-versity. She is the author of Recipe for Life vegan/vegetarian cook book. Sandi has been featured in local and national magazines. Sandi teaches a vegan cooking class at La Vie Wellness Spa www.lavieexperience.com To order Recipe for Life vegan/vegetarian cook book visit www.sandimorais.net

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Fit Like A Ras

By Jeremy Roberts - NASM

O

GT Dread is an NASM-CPT, who competes in Masters Track, Field Hockey and Weightlifting. He can be contacted at fitlikearas@gmail.com

Too Old For Weights.......?

We can take educated guesses, but is only when yuh put dem guesses to de tes’ dat we gon know fuh sure.

bviously, de title is not somet’ing I n I would evah tell anyone! De benefits of weight training are very likely life long. Since de Dread is a honest man, I am obligated to remind ahyuh/allyuh/unna/wunna about I man strongful bias toward weight training. With that, leh we check the science.

In a review article titled “Progressive resistance strength training for improving physical function in older adults.”, the authors looked at 121 trials involving 6700 participants. The general findings were: • Progressive weight training improved physical ability • There was a modest improvement in “gait speed” • Moderate to significant improvement for getting out a chair • Large positive effect on muscle strength • Participants with osteoarthritis reported a reduction in pain following Progressive weight training A lot of the physical impairment we experience as we grow older has to do with losing muscle mass and consequently, strength. Without the strength to walk, lift, bend hold us upright, among other things, we function at a significantly diminished capacity compared to our youth. I don’ claim that liftin’ weights – to be more specific, do resistance training (i.e. ya don’t have to move iron – just make the muscles do short duration, high intensity work with loads higher than they ordinarily would encounter) – will restore us ol’ folks to our youthful states of vitality and virility.

However, in my view, no other form of exercise will slow down de age-related muscle wastin’ process as well as resistance training.

Ideally, of course, you won’t be waitin’ till yuh ol’ fih start.

If yuh start as soon as possible, it will become part of yuh life, and de benefits will accumulate. There’s a lot to learn, in many cases you will be learning about what your body responds to best. We’re all different, so a trainer can’t tell you in advance what will work for you. We can take educated guesses, but is only when yuh put dem guesses to de tes’ dat we gon know fuh sure.

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Suh, if yuh wukkin wid weights now, keep it goin’. If yuh been sayin’ “Ah gon start tomorrow” fuh de pas’ 5 years or so, ……. jus’ find a way to get it going!

GT Dread is an NASM-CPT, who competes in Masters Track, Field Hockey and Weightlifting. He can be contacted at fitlikearas@gmail.com

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Join the members of the Caribbean And Floridian Association, Inc. (CAFA) as they host a FREE Caribbean Festival!

FREE ADMISSIO N

FreeFair

th Heal

S U N D AY

2 01 L A K E VIEW DRIVE 2 0 1 6 K I S S I M M E E • F L 3 474 1 11:00 am to 7:00 pm Cultural Show, SteelBand, Caribbean Food, Caribbean Music, Free Health Fair, Kids Zone and Much More!

This year ’s event includes a special presentation by 5 Star Akil, an International Soca Artiste out of Trinidad.

Hosted by Creig Camacho

For more information on the Caribbean & Floridian Association go to www.cafainc.org.

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Habla Español

Nou Pale Kreyòl

Michael A. Mills, LLC

823 N. Thornton Avenue • Orlando, Florida 32803 20 3rd Street SW, Suite 302 • Winter Haven, Florida 33880 Office 321-234-2900 • Fax 407-826-1607 www.injuryassistancelawfirm.com 24

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