Caribbean American Passport News Magazine - Dec 2018

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Dec/Jan 2018

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9 "I can be Me Here" Fusion Fest Celebrates Orlando's Diversity

Orlando's mixed cultures celebrated diversity together at Fusion Fest

Thanksgiving weekend 2018, the first Fusion Festival was presented in Orlando.

It was a celebration of cultures from around the world took place in front of the Dr. Phillips Center in Orlando on November 24th and 25th. The two-day festival ran from noon to sunset and featured an international food court, marketplace, music and dance stages, world stage, Diversitastic! choir, film pavilion & contest, fashion showcase & contest, Diversitastic! parade, global street dance party, and prizes & giveaways.

Continued on Pg 8

Hundreds attend Historic Oath of Office

Orange County Mayor Jerry L. Demings, District 2 Commissioner Christine Moore, District 3 Commissioner Mayra Uribe and District 4 Commissioner Maribel Gomez Cordero and District 6 Commissioner Victoria P. Siplin were sworn in to office at the 2018 Orange County Oath of Office Ceremony on Dec. 4, 2018 at the Orange County Convention Center.

Hundreds of Central Floridians attended the historic Oath of Office ceremony for Orange County Mayor Jerry L. Demings.

“I am elated for the opportunity to continue my public service as Orange County Mayor after serving as the elected Sheriff for a decade. The future holds great opportunities for us to build on Orange County’s thriving and robust economy,"

Mayor Demings said. “My primary focus will be on smart growth, Cont'd on pg 11

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L I F E S T Y L E I

ORLANDO IS GETTING IT RIGHT

have to be honest with you guys, the 2018 Election made me question why I had made the move to the United States. Did I not know about the racism that people had always talked about before I moved here? How could I have gotten it so wrong? I actually chose to raise my children here...I also chose not to live in New York, where I had not experienced racism. Was I wrong in thinking that the American South was a better place to raise a family than the North? I had serious doubts.

Samuel J. Roberts, Publisher/Editor

Guenet Gittens-Roberts, Publisher/Editor

But then a few things happened...

The very first Fusion Fest was organized in Orlando. It was a celebration of many of the same premises that this newspaper was founded on... We are a product of where we're from and where we now are. Terry Olson, the director of Arts and Culture of Orange County understood that and wanted to share that. Over the last two years, 40 people from various heritages gathered with him to brainstorm the best way to share our heritages. A festival and parade were the top choices. While there are dozens of festivals centered around one heritage or another in our community, we thought, what if we all came together at the same time? Well that happened on Thanksgiving weekend 2018 and it was wonderful!

Experts share with you all the time, the value of Arts and Cultural expression but I can personally tell you that it made me feel better. I, who am a champion of the Arts, Diversity and Inclusion, was feeling battered by the narrative of the new leadership in the White House. I surely would have thought that I knew better...but I was affected.

But that's where great leadership plays a role. When society is hurting, leaders step up to do something right. Terry Olson could have simply done his job and not gambled big on putting together a large scale festival that would be costly and frankly possibly more headache that he needed. But this community needed it and I personally would like to say thank you to Orange County for heeding the call and creating a memorable event that showcased the diversity of our city.

Just after Fusion Fest, while many of us were still in a cocoon of bliss, Orange County swore in four new commissioners and former Sheriff Demings to his new post as Mayor of Orange County. For those of you who were in the room, you completely understand the pride swelling in the room. For those who were not, I can try to paint a picture as best as I can.

Sheriff of Orange County. It was in a small office in Pine Hills. I was blown away that this person that was running for office took the time to meet a small community of people. But I was soon to realize over the years since then that this man knew and respected the community he served. Over the years, I would see him at a variety of events. Whether it was an election season or not, you could count on his support. It was obvious that I was not the only person who felt proud of Jerry Demings in that moment.

Orange county overwhelmingly voted him in as Mayor. It was well deserved. He worked hard, respected the community he served and will make a wonderful leader. A leader that is needed for the times that we are in. He is surrounded by a diverse group of Commissioners who represent the diversity of Central Florida.

It was a wonderful moment and I am very proud to live, work and play in. Parts of this country may not be getting it right, but in Central Florida, we are getting it very right and I am very proud of this community of locals and immigrants working together for a better future.

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 Info: .Info@caribbeanamericanpassport.com

Should you desire to review past copies of the publicationgo to http://caribbeanamericanpassport.com and click on the 'Print Archive'.

Editor & Publisher............................................................... Sam Roberts Publisher ........................................................... Guenet Gittens-Roberts Graphic Design & Layout .................................................Samuel Roberts Contributing Writers: ............................................................ Tony Dyal ................................................................................................Ryan Davis .............................................................................................Sandra Fatmi ...............................................................................................Gail Seeram ...........................................................................................Sasha Watson ..........................................................................................Kamal Abdool Contributing Photographers ............ ...................................Ted Hollins ..................................................................................................Dilia Castillo .............................................. .......................................Nancy-Joe Brown Central Florida Distribution...................................................Roy Benn South Florida Distribution ...........................................Norman Williams NorthFlorida Distribution ......................................................Theo Jack Jr. Tampa Distribution ...........................................................Kadeem Roberts Copyright (C) 2016 GGR Marketing & Public Relations. All rights reserved.

When I moved to Orlando, one of the first people I met on their campaign trail was Jerry Demings as he campaigned for

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Reggae Music Is Added to Unesco Cultural Heritage List Reggae Music has been added to UNESCO's collection of "intangible cultural heritage" which means that it now has protected status, joining a list of more 300 other cultural traditions like the Spanish art-form flamenco, Mongolian knuckle-bone shooting, and yoga in India.

the slowed down version of ska music known as Rocksteady, until possibly when the band Toots and the Maytals came along.

Reggae music's "functions as a vehicle of social commentary, as a cathartic experience, and means of praising God remain unchanged, and the music continues to provide a voice for all," UNESCO said.

"Students are taught how to play it from an early age, and festivals and concerts are central to ensuring its viability," it added.

Reggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broad sense to refer to most types of popular Jamaican dance music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that evolved out of the earlier genres like Ska and Rocksteady.

The origin of the word reggae is from the term “regerege” which means rags or ragged clothes.

It started out in Jamaica around the late 1960s, and was considered a rag-tag, hodge-podge of other musical styles; Jamaican Mento and contemporary Jamaican Ska music, along with American jazz and rhythm & blues, close to a New Orleans style sound at the time. Most listeners didn’t even distinguish reggae from Jamaican dancehall music or

Reggae has gone on to become a pillar in the foundation of hip-hop and has spurred the innovation of a whole new range of musical styles, like modern Jamaican Dub, and reggaeton and been infused into many other popular genres, like hip-hop and rap. Songs like “Bam Bam” have been sampled countless times by artists including Jay-Z, Kanye West and Lauryn Hill.

Yet still today, you can find bands in every corner of the world playing that authentic, roots reggae like it was when it started out in Jamaica over 50 years ago.

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Nick Cave FEAT. on display at Orlando Museum of Art The Orlando Museum of Art is proud to present "Nick Cave: Feat." currently on view until December 30, 2018.

This exhibition’s title, Feat., refers to the exceedingly hard work that goes into attaining success. Through this immersive installation, Cave hopes to provide a transformative place where your narrative can be featured and your dreams can soar. This exhibition was organized by the Frist Art Museum, Nashville. Chicagobased artist Nick Cave produces work in a wide range of mediums, including sculpture, installation, video and performance. His creations, bursting with color and texture, are optical delights that can be enjoyed by audiences of all ages and backgrounds. A deeper look reveals that they speak to issues surrounding identity and social justice, specifically race, gun violence and civic responsibility. His trademark human-shaped sculptures —called soundsuits because of the noise made when they move—began as a response to the beating of Rodney King by policemen in Los Angeles more than twenty-five years ago. As an African American man, Cave felt particularly vulnerable after the incident so he formed a type of armor that protected him from profiling by concealing race, gender, and class.

Along with broadcasting an increasingly urgent call for equity, Cave wants his art to spark viewers’ imaginations and aspirations. This exhibition’s title, Feat., refers to the exceedingly hard work that goes into attaining success (it takes, for example, roughly seven hours to hand-sew just one square foot of a button soundsuit). It also plays on how talent is often listed in promotional materials—an appropriate nod to Music City and its creative community. Through this immersive installation, Cave hopes to provide a transformative place where your narrative can be featured and your dreams can soar.

CONGRATULATIONS TO TOWN OF DAVIE, MAYOR JUDY PAUL Twenty Years of Public Service. Serving the citizens of Broward County since 1998 Cont'd on pg 18

While many officials throw big shindigs at these types of milestones, Mayor Paul has amped up her commitment to education, service, cultural diversity and raising awareness to the opioid epidemic and suicide awareness and prevention.

Mayor Paul before, during and after receiving the news of running unopposed was putting processes in place to make Davie an even more incredible town to live, work, worship and enjoy by announcing that history will be made in 2019 with the Town of Davie’s first-ever Jazz, Arts and Humanities Festival which will be held on Sunday, April 28th, 2019 at the Bergeron Rodeo Grounds.

One of the things on the Mayor’s mind was raising awareness about several causes; The Homeless, The Wounded and Disabled Veterans and those who suffer with mental illness.

The Humanities Village at the Festival will have musicians playing for change (Causes) where information and professionals will be readily available for those seeking support in these areas.

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The Mayor is dedicated to reducing mortality and morbidity from suicide and attempted suicide.

The Town of Davie is currently bringing together concerned citizens and mental health professionals to join forces with programs and groups who are: Creating systematic processes for fostering and initiating collaborative, multidisciplinary suicide research and prevention programs.

Conducting research aimed at understanding the fundam-

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"I can be Me Here" Fusion Fest Celebrates Orlando's Diversity

Cont'd from pg 1

The Diversitastic! parade marked the start of FusionFest, and it featured the flags of over 100 nations carried by people who identified with that heritage.

Each performance was entrancing and unique, much like the cultures they came from.

The aim of the festival was to celebrate diversity and unity. As Orlando grows every day, we need to acknowledge and appreciate the melting pot that we have created.

The FusionFest team did an amazing job of this and we are looking forward to seeing it grow and thrive in the years to come. www.caribbeanamericanpassport.com

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SUNDAY JANUARY 27TH . 1PM - 6PM FOR BOOTH & SPONSORSHIP INFORMATION CONTACT: SAM: 407-810-6435 . GUENET:407-421-8118 . CHRIS: 407-687-5242

https://socareggae5kfestival.eventbrite.com 7

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Toast to the Holidays Christmas Party at Bronze Kingdom

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BBIF Florida Opens New Regional Office in South Florida Inez Long, President/CEO of BBIF announced: “We are so excited for the opportunity to strengthen our ties with the south Florida community. We see so much need for capital and business development services in these communities, and we’re honored to have the capacity to bring these resources to those in need.”

BBIF Florida (BBIF), Florida’s leading Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) and non-profit organization, with over 30 years’ experience developing underserved businesses throughout the state, recently celebrated the grand opening of a new regional office in south Florida!

The office, located at 1111 Park Center Blvd Suite 203, Miami, Florida 33169, opened as part of a long-term strategic commitment to expand BBIF’s physical footprint throughout the state. By bringing staff and resources into regional markets, BBIF is able to provide better access to capital and business development services to underserved communities.

Additionally, the non-profit is scheduled to launch a north Florida regional office in Jacksonville, Florida in early 2019.

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Historic Oath of Office Ceremony

Cont'd from pg 1

residents, businesses and guests.”

With recordbreaking attendance, the ceremony at the Orange County Convention Center was attended by more than 1,400 residents and watched by many more online.

Orange County also welcomed District 2 Commissioner Christine Moore, District 3 Commissioner Mayra Uribe and District 4 Commissioner Maribel Gomez Cordero, who were all sworn in for their first terms on Tuesday morning. Commissioner Victoria P. Siplin will serve District 6 for another term.

Commissioner Moore, who was sworn in by Senior Pastor Paula White of New Destiny Christian Center, will serve District 2, the northwest part of the County which includes Apopka, Ocoee, Pine Hills, Orlando, Zellwood and Lockhart.

District 3 Commissioner Mayra Uribe

“This is the beginning of a new journey of servant leadership for me. We must address the issues which constituents expressed to me the most – traffic, an inadequate transportation network, pedestrian safety, protecting a strong economy, and ensuring high paying jobs as the foundation of a healthy community,” Commissioner Moore said. “Finally, my folks are extremely concerned about the septic regulations, in conjunction with, protecting our lakes, springs and water.”

District 3 Commissioner Uribe, who was sown in by Rev. Paul J. Henry of the Basilica of the National Shrine of Mary, Queen of the Universe, serves the southcentral region including Azalea Park, Conway, Pine Castle, Sky Lake and Rio Pinar.

“I am honored and privileged to have this opportunity to serve the citizens of District 3 in Orange County. As a dedicated wife, mother, business owner, and first generation American born and raised here, I pledge to work hard to serve the many needs of our residents and to fulfill the trust you have bestowed upon me,” Commissioner Uribe said. “I look forward to working with the citizens of District 3 to continue building a brighter future for our community.”

Cont'd on pg 12

District 4 Commissioner Maribel Gomez Cordero

District 2 Commissioner Christine Moore,

District 6 Commissioner Victoria Siplin

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Historic Oath of Office

Cont'd from pg 11

Commissioner Gomez Cordero represents District 4, southeast Orange County which includes Orlando, Southchase, Alafaya, Lake Nona, Taft and Meadow Woods, and was sworn in by Judge Tina Caraballo of the Ninth Judicial Circuit Court of Florida.

ZORA! Festival is Celebrating 30 YEARS in Eatonville Florida!

First presented in 1990, the ZORA!™ Festival is a multi-day, multi-disciplinary, intergenerational event composed of public talks, museum exhibitions, theatrical productions, arts education programming, and a 3-day Outdoor Festival of the Arts.

Join them to celebrate their 30th Anniversary Outdoor Festival of the Arts, International Banquet, Concert Series & Closing Banquet with World Renown Author/Activist Alice Walker!

“My heavenly father, my family, my friends, and my supporters, I humbly thank you for your faith in my ability to serve. I have always been passionate in serving the families of my community,” Commissioner Cordero said. “Through servant leadership and experience, I am prepared to meet the challenges of District 4. On day one, with the greatest integrity, I am committed and prepared to protect and enhance the way of life for all District 4 residents.”

Commissioner Siplin, who was sworn in by Pastor Marc Adolphe of the First Haitian Free Church of Nazarene By Faith, will continue to serve District 6, which includes Pine Hills, Parramore, MetroWest and the International Drive Corridor.

“As I embark on the collective journey of ushering in a new level of progress for our community for the next four years, I look forward to working with the Mayor and my fellow Commissioners to create solutions to meet our county’s unique challenges,” Commissioner Siplin.

We welcome the new Commissioners and Mayor of Orange County and look forward to the new leadership that this diverse group will bring to Orange County Government.

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Rep. Thompson visits Bronze Kingdom for a tour based on her ancestry Representative Geraldine Thompson visited Bronze Kingdom for a tour of the pieces that represented her ancestry.

Rep. Thompson currently serves as a member of the Florida House of Representatives, representing the 44th District.

Representative Thompson is highlighted in a traveling exhibit that the History Center is called Genome: Unlocking Life’s Code. It examines the complexities of the genome – the complete set of genetic or hereditary material of a living organism – and chronicles the remarkable breakthroughs that have taken place. Thompson was born in New Orleans, Louisiana but through the History Center’s DNA testing, results shows that she is of 41% Nigerian descent, 12% Ghanaian, 9% Cameroonian/Congolese, and 9% Beninese/Togolese.

At the Bronze Kingdom, Representative Thompson was given a full tour, with emphasis on art from the areas in which her ancestors came from. The 16,000 square foot art gallery is located in the Orlando Fashion Square Mall and boasts over 2,000 pieces of African bronze, beaded, and wood sculptures from all over the African continent. Most notable are the pieces from Nigeria, Cameroon, Mali, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Senegal, The Democratic Republic of The Congo and grand palatial pieces from the Benin and Bamoun tribal kingdoms, some dating back to the early 1600s.

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“Opportunity Zones” The New Trump Executive Order For Blacks - By Roger Caldwell After almost two years President Trump has laid out a policy, with an executive order to spend money and investments in the “distressed communities across the country.” Last week (12-12-18) at an executive order signing at the White House, with the majority of African Americans in attendance, President Trump said, “his order would draw investment into neglected and underserved communities in America.”

With a sea of Black faces, starting with Billionaire Bob Johnson, Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina and United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, Ben Carson has assured the main stream media that this is one of the solutions to fix the numerous economic problems in urban America. Under the leadership and direction of Secretary Ben Carson and 13 federal agencies has already put together a list of 8,761 potential designated action zones.

“The White House’s new executive order for agencies to prioritize OZs is a positive first step to transform more communities into walkable, equitable, and thriving places and repair the mistakes of the 20th century that led to sprawl and disinvestment,” said Christopher Cotes, Director of LOCUS, a program of Small Growth America.

“Most importantly, this new council must encourage greater transparency to ensure any federal investment in OZs achieves equitable development outcomes that are good for both residents and businesses.”

On paper “Opportunity Zones” appears to be an excellent concept and major corporations have an opportunity to invest in distressed communities and get a break on their taxes. These Opportunity Zones were created a year ago under the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, but a year later there are still no established rules to implement the program.

All 50 states, the District of Columbia, and five U.S. territories are able to participate in the Opportunity Zones initiative. State governors are responsible for nominating low-income communities based on qualified census tracts, and the U.S. Department of the Treasury will certify Opportunity Zones within 30 days of receiving nominations.

Presently, the major question is how will the African American community benefit from Opportunity Zones?

To begin, very few African American are aware or have information about Opportunity Zones, and many consumer advocates warn that the investments may not reach distressed areas. Many of these projects will be a public-private-partnership, and many companies refuse to invest money in a poor community, where they don’t see them getting a return on their investment.

But at the executive order signing, different prominent Blacks spoke in favor of the project. Pastor Donte’ Hickman of the Southern Baptist Church and in partnership with other faith-based stakeholders institutions have created the East Baltimore Revitalization Plan, addressing development needs of 100 acres, approved and adapted by the City Planning Development of Baltimore.

“Our area has been federally designated an Opportunity Zone, and this bipartisan legislation can leverage public and private funding toward community revitalization,” says Pastor Hickman. After Pastor Hickman give his remarks, Billionaire Bob Johnson of BET spoke.

Mr. Johnson is also a big supporter of Opportunity Zones.

“What this proves is the efficacy, Mr. President of a program that allows capital to flow to places where people are seeking out opportunity. And I am convinced that this program , where the tax incentives out of the Treasury Department to business people, will cause people to invest money where before they saw risk, now they see opportunity,” says Bob Johnson of BET. It is too early to make an informed opinion on this Opportunity Zone project. There are different numbers from different leaders to the amount of money the government is willing to invest. Some say $1.3 billion and others say $2.2 billion, but both numbers are substantial.

As everyone gets excited about the Opportunity Zones project, everyone must remember no Opportunity Zones have been identified, and the Treasury Department has yet to establish rules for the program.

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CONGRATULATIONS TO TOWN OF DAVIE, MAYOR JUDY PAUL

Caribbean Manufacturing Sector Promoted in Caribbean Business & Travel

Cont'd from pg 5

mental psychiatric, psychological, social, cultural, and medical factors that contribute to suicide and attempted suicide.

Fostering the development of programs to prevent suicide and attempted suicide, and to promote rigorous methods of evaluating outcomes.

Establishing a national and international resource for research methodology development and program evaluation.

Establishing comprehensive programs of education, training, and information dissemination devoted to suicide research and prevention, in collaboration with national organizations.

Catalyzing and facilitating the development of local, regional, state, and federal policies relating to suicide prevention research and services, mindful of current and future gaps in knowledge at the pre-invention, preventative intervention, and preventive services systems levels.

Doing the work with boots on the ground and having effective impact in outreach. The Mayor realizes that this crisis did not happen overnight, and change will not happen overnight; but her call to action, her response and her bringing the professionals, the community and the concerned citizens together is awesome start.

Congratulations, Mayor Paul on 20 Years of Service and more importantly, for being a leader in this day and time who places the safety and security of her citizens at the head of everything she does. You are a relevant and forwardthinking leader that our world needs and appreciates.

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Investment Opportunities in the Caribbean manufacturing sector is one of the highlights of the new edition of the Caribbean Business and Travel Magazine.

The publication features the Presidents of Manufacturing Associations in Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, Guyana, Barbados and St. Lucia. The Barbados-based Caribbean Export also identifies investment opportunities in the region’s manufacturing sector.

The magazine was recently presented to the Mayor of Miramar, Wayne Messam and several U.S. agencies. Bermuda.

Small Business Encouraged to Connect, Communicate & Grow at 14th Annual “How To Do Business With GOAA” Event - Pictures by Ted Hollins A record-breaking crowd of over 800 small business leaders gathered at the 14th annual “How to Do Business with GOAA” networking event Thursday morning at the Hyatt Regency on International Drive. The theme this year, Connect, Communicate and Grow, as newly elected Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings used the platform to make one of his first official public appearances as Mayor to address the attendees and stress the importance of small business and job creation in the county.

Healthy and successful small businesses and their employees pay taxes and are vital to our community.

Small business is the barometer of our healthy, wholesome quality of life for our children and all of our residents,” says Jerry Demings, Orange County Mayor. “A lot of our community business success starts with networking events like this.”

CFABJ Celebrates 35th Anniversary - Sponsored by Disney - Pictures by 106 FOTO

On December 1st, the Central Florida Association of Black Journalists inducted Monica Mays, Mark McEwen, Kena Lewis Gail Paschall-Brown, Drs. Florence and Stanley Alexander into the CFABJ Hall of fame.

They join an esteemed group of journalists and media professionals that have all left their indelible marks on our community and this organization.

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SHIPPING TIP: *Proper Barrel Procedure Always ensure that your barrel is sealed in your presence!

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Laying down the law by Tony Deyal In England, it is illegal to handle a salmon in suspicious circumstances. Although 'suspicious' is not defined in the statute, being drunk to the gills might constitute a cause.

Perhaps drunk with power, the British lawmakers also made it an offence to be drunk in a pub or while in charge of cattle. You can be arrested for carrying a plank along a pavement (as well as any ladder, wheel, pole, cask, placard, showboard, or hoop), and even beating or shaking any carpet, rug, or mat (except doormats before 8 a.m.) in a thoroughfare in the Metropolitan Police District.

Britain's Independent newspaper reports that Christopher Sargeant, a PhD student at Cambridge University, spent two months analysing British laws and compiling a list of 10 lesser-known ones that remain on the statute books despite being, in some cases, ancient, and in others simply bizarre.

England, however, is not the only country where this is the case. The US has many more such laws. In the city of Gainesville, Georgia, it is illegal to consume fried chicken any way other than by hand. In Carmel, California, where Clint Eastwood was once the mayor, you can make every bounty hunter's day by wearing shoes with heels that are more than two inches (5cm) high or with less than a onesquare-inch base. If you decide to ignore the law, you have to be well-heeled to pay all the fines.

In Alabama, it is a criminal "offence against public health and morals" to engage in playing cards, shooting, hunting, gaming and racing on a Sunday, and in addition to a fine of $10 to $100, you can be sentenced to hard labour for up to three months for any of these "immoral" acts.

In Virginia, fornication is completely banned except for married persons. The one that beats them all is an Idaho law which states, "Cannibalism is strictly prohibited and punishable by up to 14 years in prison, except under 'lifethreatening conditions as the only apparent means of survival'." Eat your heart out, folks!

Here in the Caribbean, some of the British laws are still around. Last month, former Jamaican Prime Minister Bruce Golding identified some in Jamaica that were enacted more than 100 years ago and have become "fossilised". One, the Kingston Sailors Home Act of 1879, requires the Government to establish a home, administered by a board chaired by the custos of Kingston, to provide accomodation for sailors laid off from ships that have left Jamaica's ports.

Another, the Bicycles (Control of Second-Hand) Act, still makes it illegal to sell, purchase or even repair a secondhand bicycle without a licence and payment of the appropriate licence fee. Mr Golding also cited the Women (Employment of) Act, which makes it illegal to employ women to work at nights, except in specified circumstances (such as nursing); the Recruitment of Workers Act, which requires that a licence be obtained and the appropriate fee

paid in order to recruit workers beyond a radius of 20 miles from the place of employment; and the Licence and Registration Duties Act, which requires dog owners to obtain a licence, pay an annual fee, and submit an annual return for each dog that they have.

Why my interest in these archaic laws? First of all, we have laws that need to be changed and yet are allowed to remain.

In Trinidad, for instance, while these acts are commonplace, it is still illegal to be drunk, beg, sleep, loiter, wash cars or let your kids run naked in the streets.

Importing or owning a mongoose is also forbidden.

My second and perhaps more important reason is that despite all the anachronisms in the laws and the long delays in obtaining or dispensing justice, the lawmakers, lawbreakers and law shakers are dominating the news headlines. The Law Association of Trinidad and Tobago has asked Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley,to trigger a constitutional process to investigate allegations of misconduct against Chief Justice Ivor Archie.

The Law Breakers have not just killed 500 people so far this year, but home invasions and robberies are increasing as we head into the Christmas season. The main law up-keeper in-chief, Police Commissioner Gary Griffith, is front and centre in person and personality, winning massive public support despite the murder rate. And a former government minister, Devant Maharaj, publicly shared the phone numbers of the prime Minister and the Minister of National Security, lawyer Stuart Young.

At the same time all these events are synchronous with a much-advertised 'Sex Island Party', supposedly taking place in Trinidad this weekend, which claims official support and promises prostitutes and drugs at a cost of around US $5,000 per head (or whatever).

The police commissioner has decreed, "Before the first joint is lighted, before the first lap dance is had, that will never happen." The chief justice is silent on the matter, as is the prime minister. The media are interviewing people who have said these parties are commonplace in Trinidad and there was one last year. As of yesterday, the Law Association has not met on this extremely serious matter to impeach anyone, and Devant Maharaj has not yet shared the phone number of the organiser of the party or any ministers or other dignitaries who may have given permission or would be present at the party.

Under all the pressure and insecurity, National Security Minister Stuart Young, who believes that Maharaj's action may constitute 'sedition', is supposedly looking for a 'seditive'.

- Tony Deyal was last seen saying that the Sex Party was initially scheduled for Maryland until the organisers found out that giving and receiving oral sex is illegal there.

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