Different & Dynamic. Bigga, Brighta, Betta! Volume 12 • Number 06 • June 21, 2018 • Website: www.CaribbeanGraphic.ca
Tel: 647-669-9320 • Fax: 416-292-2943 • Email: graphiclyn@gmail.com
Chris Gayle, Darren Sammy Showdown To Kick Off Global T20! A match up featuring West Indies stars and teammates Daren Sammy, Chris Gayle and Andre Russell will open the inaugural edition of Global T20 Canada as part of the schedule for the first professional Twenty20 cricket league in North America. Sammy's Toronto Nationals will face Vancouver Knights with Chris Gayle and Andre Russell on June 28 in the first match of the 22-fixture schedule that will ultimately crown a champion on July 15 at Maple Leaf Cricket Club in King City, Ontario, just north of Toronto. Other schedule highlights include Australian captain Steve Smith
making his league debut in the opener with Toronto and squaring off against his country mate David Warner and Winnipeg Hawks on July 2. Canada Day long weekend will provide fans an opportunity to see all of the league's marquee players with six matches over three days. Six franchise teams will vie for the c h a m p i o n s h i p – To r o n t o Nationals, Vancouver Knights, Edmonton Royals, Montreal Tigers, Winnipeg Hawks and C r i c k e t We s t I n d i e s Representative Team, comprised entirely of players from the Caribbean.
Guyana Receives US$35M World Bank Loan For Oil Preparations ! The World Bank has approved a US$35 million Development Policy Credit to Guyana. This sum is expected to support Guyana's efforts to strengthen financial sector development and fiscal management to better prepare the country to benefit from its newly discovered oil and gas reserves and transform its oil wealth into human capital. While currently nearly one in four people in Guyana live in poverty, experts estimate that GDP will surge when commercial production of newly-discovered oil and gas begins. In response, the government has embarked on a series of reforms to diversify the economy and turn oil windfalls into human
development and sustainable growth in the long term. “Guyana is making important strides to promote financial resilience and improve fiscal management, and has embarked on a broad-based reform programme,” said Tahseen Sayed, World Bank's Country Director for the Caribbean. “These reforms will be key to building a strong economy that is underpinned by a strategic management of public resources for the benefit of the Guyanese people.” The World Bank's said that the money will go towards enabling sound financial development to promote macroeconomic stability and long-term growth. In particular, the money will support banking reforms and depositor protection, the establishment of a deposit insurance scheme, implementation of a new insurance law, and the country's anti-money laundering efforts.
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CARIBBEAN GRAPHIC
Barbados PM Calls For More Focus On Inter-Regional Travel CASTRIES, St Lucia, The time has come for the introduction of interisland ferry transportation, said Barbados Prime Minister M i a M o t t l e y, a s s h e delivered remarks at the June 19 opening ceremony of the 65th Meeting of the Organisation of the Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Authority in Saint Lucia. Mottley told her audience, including the prime ministers of OECS countries, that the issue of interisland transportation required their resolution and stated that she looked forward to engaging with them on matters pertaining to LIAT. “But I do so cognisant that modalities that were relevant decades ago cannot continue to be relevant as we enter the third decade of the 21st century; and that a review of governance structures, while at the same time recognising how we operate, is absolutely critical if we are to ensure the viability of an airline
that is really the life blood of this region,” she stressed. The prime minister said that unless countries moved to the stage where they could facilitate movement of not just people but of vehicles and cargo, they would not get the full benefit of the space they occupied. Given the complexity of governance that small states face, Mottley was of the opinion that there must be deeper forms of functional cooperation to reduce the costs of government and governance to individual states. She said citizens in the region were concerned that while in transit at various sea and airports, they were not allowed to clear Immigration and go into the country.
Volume 12 • Number 06 • June 21, 2018
Grenada Launches National Task Force To Drive CariSECURE Project
ST GEORGE'S, Grenada — Grenada has become the sixth country in the Eastern and Southern Caribbean to establish a national task force to drive implementation of the United States government-supported CariSECURE project. Since 2016, CariSECURE, which is being implemented by United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has been promoting the use of evidence-based decision-making and fosters a reliance on valid, reliable, and comparable citizen security data. Acting Prime Minister Gregory Clarence Bowen presided over the launch of the CariSECURE Task Force and Citizen Security Toolkit. In delivering the feature address he told the gathering: “This is a watershed moment for Grenada as we embark on a journey to effectively address crime and violence.” The acting prime minister also signed an agreement to officially endorse the toolkit that will help agencies to standardize, disaggregate and share crime data under the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) project. The Task Force is comprised of key representatives from the Royal Grenada Police Force, Prison Department, Statistical Office and the ministry of national security.
Volume 12 • Number 06 • June 21, 2018
CARIBBEAN GRAPHIC
www.CaribbeanGraphic.ca • Page 3
St Kitts Welcomes Air Canada's Expanded Service BASSETERRE, St Kitts — For the first time in the island's history, Air Canada will serve St Kitts for a full six months for the 20182019 peak season. The non-stop Saturday flights from Toronto will operate from November 3, 2018, all the way through April 27, 2019. “This is an unprecendented air service expansion by Air Canada that marks yet another historic first for St Kitts,” said Lindsay Grant, minister of tourism, international trade, industry and commerce. “I could not be more pleased to welcome this additional flying, which expands the options for visitors and Diaspora from our key Canadian source market to get to island.” From November 3 through December 10, Air Canada will operate a 136-seat Airbus A319-100 Rouge aircraft with 124 economy class and 12 business class seats for the non-stop Saturday flights. From December 15, 2018 through April 27, 2019, Air Canada will operate a 200-seat Airbus A321-200 Rouge aircraft with 184 economy class and 16 business class seats for these flights. “Air Canada's decision to expand service into St Kitts is a testament to the strength of our growing tourism sector,” said Racquel Brown, CEO of the St Kitts Tourism Authority. “As our airlift from North America expands to accommodate our recently announced new hotel developments and upgrades to existing hotel product which include all-inclusive options, Canadians now have a full range of vacation choices available. This is truly is a complement to our existing North American airlift and gives us significantly increased
capacity for this season and beyond.” Air Canada first began serving St Kitts non-stop on Fridays in peak season from Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) in 2011 and subsequently shifted to Saturday service. It is the island's only non-stop scheduled service from Canada. In previous years, the flight operated from late December through early April. With the expanded service, St Kitts will receive an additional six weeks of non-stop flying that provides the potential for an increase in Canadian air passenger arrivals
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CARIBBEAN GRAPHIC
Volume 12 • Number 06 • June 21, 2018
Today The CCJ Rules On The Power Ambition Of Bharrat Jagdeo TONY MCWATT
For this Issue's Commentary, I was all set to write about recently experienced profound disappointments on Guyana Tourism, in addition to sharing my thoughts on the Indian cricket circus that has come into Toronto in the form of the Global T20 To u r n a m e n t ! H o w e v e r, Freddie Kissoon's Kaieteur News Commentary on the impending historic Caribbean Court of Justice ruling on whether Guyana's President should be allowed to hold office for more than the current two term limitation, was simply, just too worthy not to be shared. Enjoy! Tony McWatt Guest Editorial: Worth Repeating Kaieteur News: June 26, 2018 By Freddie Kissoon Whether the Caribbean Court of Justice rules in favour of or against Bharrat Jagdeo today on the presidential term restriction, the farce of this court case will enter the political history books of this c o u n t r y. I t m a y b e appropriate to use the adjective “depraved” in front of farce. The Constitution allows for a president to serve two terms only whether consecutive or separated by ten, fifteen, twenty years. Bharrat Jagdeo
served two elected tenures of five years each and had two extra years because President Janet Jagan appointed him to succeed her. He had three years of de facto power because the Ramotar presidency was a Medvedev syndrome. It was a total of 15 years of control. Not satisfied with fifteen years of hegemony, Jagdeo took the advice of some lawyer(s) and came up with the idea that the National Assembly through a two/thirds majority vote could not have inserted into the constitution, the term restriction. It had to be done by a referendum. So he went to court. He went to court in the belief that the PPP was invincible and it could not lose general elections and that since he is the monarch of the PPP then if he wins the court case he can run again. It must be remembered that nowhere in any part of Jagdeo's mind that when he took the step of the legal challenge, he believed that the PPP could lose power. When he won the court battle in Guyana, it was too late in coming. He could not run in 2015 because Justice Ian Chang's decision was not given in time. So he chose Ramotar. Then Jagdeo got a shock of his life – the “unthinkable” occurred – the PPP lost power in 2015. The loss of Jagdeo's hegemony by the defeat of the Medvedev syndrome devastated ambition of Jagdeo. A new
government would appeal Justice Chang's decision and even go to the CCJ. That is what has happened. Now for the farce. From the time he challenged the term restriction, Jagdeo had made himself a centre piece of depravity, comic strip and h y p o c r i s y. Tw o u g l y dimensions were graphically emboldened on the comic strip. One was the incessant assertions by Jagdeo that he was not interested in contesting presidential elections for a third time. So who wanted to remove this constitutional amendment? No one knows the answer to that question to this day. When the court rules today, we still would not know who wanted the constitutional change thrown out. Like Shaggy, Mr. Jagdeo said, “it wasn't me.” Ramotar said it wasn't him. None of the PPP leaders spoke in agreement of removing the two-term limitation. In fact, not one major player in the PPP came forward and said they welcomed the court challenge. In fact, some seminal players in the PPP publicly stated that they accept the term limit amendment. The mystery is deeper than the resting place of the Malaysian flight M H 3 7 0 . H e r e i s w h y. No one in Guyana has publicly spoken of their involvement in this court matter. The man in whose name the writ was filed, Cedric Richardson, is a puzzle too. He has not publicly spoken at all on his
CARIBBEAN GRAPHIC The People’s Paper, daring to be different. Website: www.CaribbeanGraphic.ca Tel: 647.669.9320 • Fax: 905.813.9403 Email: graphiclyn@gmail.com
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legal battle ever since it was in front of Justice Chang. No one knows who he really is except that we know he lives in a very modest house in Laing Avenue in South Georgetown. One can assume by his standards, he is not a moneyed man. One can assume, too, that he cannot be the financier of the three court battles – High Court, Court of Appeal, CCJ. The farce of this case became depraved when it hit the CCJ. Richardson had some expensive Caribbean lawyers arguing his challenge. Are we to believe a man from Laing Avenue in South Georgetown has an obsessive determination to overturn this constitutional amendment and he spends big money to do it? The answer is no. The long attempt to overturn the two-term restriction was pioneered and financed by none other than Bharrat Jagdeo himself. But the entire episode shows what a strategic blunderer he is. A most commonsensical thing to do was to get a businessman, university lecturer, engineer, an NGO head, or doctor to openly confront the constitutional amendment and to openly declare that it has nothing to do with Jagdeo wanting to run for a third time. In such a situation, the farcical nature of the situation is removed. The entire affair is indicative of Jagdeo's power intoxication. This man is obsessed with power. He should be stopped.
Tony McWatt Selwyn Baboolal, Chef Phillip Hendricks, Dr. George Traitses, Mala Rambharose, Rudy Lochan, Sanjay Patel, Cherry Khan Oumarally and Baboolal Haroon Gafur Julie Rambali, infiniteLinx.ca
Volume 12 • Number 06 • June 21, 2018
CARIBBEAN GRAPHIC
Granger Gone To Vietnam President David Granger depart Guyana on June 24 for the Socialist Republic of Vietnam to attend the Sixth Assembly of the Global Environment Facility (GEF), where he will be delivering a special address. The Head of State wias accompanied by his Political Assistant, William Cox and his Aidede-Camp, Major Mark St. Clair. The Assembly and associated meetings will be held at the Furama International Conference Centre in Da Nang, Vietnam. The GEF Assembly is the governing body of the GEF and is made up of
183 countries. It meets every four years to review policies, review and evaluate its operations, review membership of the facility and consider for approval, amendments to the Instrument for the Establishment of the Restructured Global Environment Facility.
Jagdeo Making Plans Ahead of the June 26 decision by the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) on whether presidential term limit is unconstitutional, Bharrat Jagdeo said he would not be giving up the position of General Secretary of the People's Progressive Party. “I am moved to publicly assure that whatever the ruling is, I am and will remain the General Secretary of the PPP. In that capacity, I will continue to spearhead the Party's struggle for a better life for all Guyanese, especially the working people, the poor and the under-privileged, for racial and national unity and for victory at the polls at the next Local Government, Regional and National Elections” said Jagdeo who is also a former Guyana President. Though he has sought to downplay speculation that he is the architect behind Cedric Richardson's constitutional challenge, it is widely believed that Jagdeo is interested in running for the presidency again. He was twice elected in 2006 and 2011. Jagdeo, who is now Opposition Leader, has also made it clear that he would be a PPP candidate in the 2020 elections and if his party is elected, he would be a minister. “Unlike the 2011-2015 period, where I played no formal part in the PPP Administration, I intend to be a formal part of the next PPP government as we resume the implementation of plans to build a better country of which all our people can feel proud,” he said. Although party insiders believe that Jagdeo has been playing dominant role and has formed his own clique against the established old guard, he has suggested that the politics was not about him. The former Guyanese leader said he was moved to issue a statement after “multitudes of supporters” and persons from “across the political divide” contacted him about the implications of the CCJ ruling scheduled for 2 PM on Tuesday, June 26, 2018. He said he remained humbled and eternally grateful to Guyanese for their support. The applicant, Cedric Richardson, had argued in Guyanese courts that that section of the constitution could not have been amended by Parliament to provide for a presidential term limit, but should have been done by a referendum. The CCJ has said that its decision would be about the validity of an amendment to the Guyana Constitution that altered the qualification to be elected as President of Guyana. Among other things, there was an amendment which prohibited candidates who had served two presidential terms of office from serving a third term. The Guyana Court of Appeal had ruled, by a majority of 2-1 with the present Acting Chancellor dissenting, that that the amendment indirectly breached Articles 1 and 9 of the Constitution which Articles entrench the concept that Guyana is a secular, democratic state in which sovereignty belongs to the people of Guyana. Mr Richardson had earlier successfully argued in the Guyanese courts that the amendment breached his right to elect a President of his choice.
www.CaribbeanGraphic.ca • Page 5
Westjet Says It Has No Plans To Operate In Guyana GEORGETOWN, Guyana — Canada's second largest airline, Westjet, said that it has “no plans to operate to Guyana,” and distanced itself from a statement made by Wesley Kirton, director of the Roraima Group of Companies, at the Caribbean Aviation Handlers Association (CAHA) symposium in Guyana recently that the airline is looking to enter the Guyana market. The airline said that it did not release or authorize Kirton's statement apologizing for the absence of the West Jet representative, Beverly GarciaCottrell due to a personal emergency: Kirton added that a one-on-one meeting had been set up for Garcia-Cottrell, a manager at WestJet, with the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA). WestJet has denied all of this. WestJet representative, Lauren Steward, said in an email, “WestJet did not issue any statement – the statement that you have is from your government not WestJet. As I mentioned, and reconfirmed, WestJet does not have any plans to operate to Guyana.” When asked to contact Garcia-Cottrell, WestJet did not answer that part of the email. There are, however, unconfirmed reports that a date for Garcia-Cottrell to meet with the GCAA has been scheduled. Toronto and New York City have a large Guyanese diaspora community and airlift from these cities to Guyana is very limited and of poor quality. Meanwhile, GCAA director general, Egbert Field, has told that, while other carriers have signaled their intent to enter the Guyana market, “there have been no concrete decisions made.”
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CARIBBEAN GRAPHIC
Volume 12 • Number 06 • June 21, 2018
Terry Gajraj, Fuh Fun To Headline 2018 Last Lap Lime Popular Indo-Guyanese
Guyanese-Canadian
entertainer Terry Gajraj and the
Community's most popular
Guyanese-Canadian
summer events. Reputed to be
Community's most dynamic
the largest annual gathering of
music band, Fuh Fun, will be the
overseas Guyanese, the Last
headline entertainers at this
Lap Lime is currently hosted by
year's 2018 Last Lap Lime. The
four non-profit Guyanese
2018 Last Lap Lime will be held
Alumni Associations in
from 1:00 pm to 9:00 p, on
Toronto: Bishop's High, St
M o n d a y, A u g u s t 6 a t t h e
Joseph's High, St Stanislaus
Woodbridge Fair Grounds (100
High and Queen's College. A
Porter Avenue, Woodbridge).
fifth founding Association, St
Deejay Tee Cee and a host of
Rose's High recently opted out
other entertainers will also be in attendance at the
of its involvement with the Lime.
Lime which has long established itself as one of the
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Volume 12 • Number 06 • June 21, 2018
CARIBBEAN GRAPHIC
www.CaribbeanGraphic.ca • Page 7
Ten Years Of High Quality Musical Entertainment Provided Just “Fuh Fun!” Roughly ten years ago, three musically oriented members of the GuyaneseCanadian community along with a fourth Jamaican-born close friend came up with the idea of utilizing their musical talents by forming a band. Their decided main purpose in doing was born of the desire to provide quality musical entertainment for others simply for the joyous fun of doing so. It was June 2008 and that was the premise under which the band Fuh Fun was created. It's name creolezed in typical Guyanese fashion to reflect both its origins and purpose. In the ten years that have passed since that momentous decision was taken, Fuh Fun has long since grown from its original four man origins to a five person ensemble. The addition of Ingrid Veerasammy as its keyboard player and sole female member, has also equipped Fuh Fun with another front line singer to add to the obvious talents of the bands two main vocalists lead singer George DeSilva and guitar man Wayne Dalmada. Drummer Rick DaSilva also occasionally chimes in with his customized vocal renditions of judiciously selected tunes. Fuh Fun's fifth member, percussionist Brian Irwin, has however always demonstrated the utmost respect for his limitations as a vocalist by never ever harboring any such pretensions. As a group of very talented, fully disciplined, admirably committed, fun oriented musicians, Fuh Fun has since its inception blossomed into becoming one of the Canadian Caribbean community's most popular and well respected bands. Fuh Fun's regular bookings include the annual dances of several Guyanese-Canadian Community Organizations, particularly the Alumni Associations.
St Joseph's High, St Rose's High and St Stanislaus College are all regular users of Fuh Fun's musical talents. So too is the Guyana Christian Charities Association. Fuh Fun's popular reputation, as a guaranteed crowd pleaser, has also resulted in its appearances at several events during Toronto's outdoor summer season. The annual Last Lap Lime and the Scarborough Ribfest are two such major events the band has often graced with its appearances. Fuh Fun has also been a hit at some of Toronto's live music oriented bars and restaurants. Pickering's Juke Box and Island Mix are among that mix as is Scarborough's Tropical Nights, Tropix and Twilight. As a band Fuh Fun's strongest asset is its versatility. Its members can play anything and everything from Reggae, Soca, Calypso, Latin, Pop and Funk with admirable competence. Everything FuhFun's five members play is also consistently produced with harmonies that are smooth, tight and delightfully irresistible. Their respective styles complement each other so well that the final musical product is always immensely pleasing to the ear. If Versatility is FuhFun's strongest characteristic as a band, infectious would be the best description for their music. Invariably their genuine enjoyment of playing together is always persuasive and often serving to fill venues. Those in attendance find themselves unable to resist grooving to the intoxicating lure of FuhFun's sweet music”. Thanks Fuh Fun for the past ten years of extremely enjoyable, high quality musical entertainment. Here's to another ten years and may you continue to provide outstanding musical entertainment simply “fuh fun!”
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CARIBBEAN GRAPHIC
Volume 12 • Number 06 • June 21, 2018
Exciting Artiste Lineups Slated For 2018 Culture Bridge Festival! The two day July 14-15, 2018
commence with a performance
Culture Bridge Festival will
by the Chinese Collective Dance
feature an exciting slate of
Troupe. There will also be a
performers, including
Violinist performance, Japanese
Bollywood Divas and Reggae
drumming, dances by the Irish
artiste Jason Lindo. The Festival
Dance Studio and the Italian
will be hosted by the City of
Music Theatre, Canadian Stage
Newmarket and staged at its
Territorial Tales, performances
Riverwalk Commons waterfront
b y S e n t i r Ve n e z u e l a , t h e
Park.
Bangladesh Geetanjali Music
T h e S a t u r d a y. , J u l y 1 4
Academy and Raizes
Programme, which gets started at
Portuguesas. A Dominica
4:00 pm will feature a Tabla
Fashion Show, Jason Lindo's
House performance, Kerala
Reggae, the Equadorian
Dances by local children, the
Imbayakunas and the African
aforementioned Bollywood Divas, the 2018 Panorama Junior Indian
Drumming Circle will close the curtains on the two day Festival.
Idol Aditya Matkar, Ontario's Bhangra Crew, the Topaz Ensemble
The Culture Bridge Festival is an annual initiative of the Newmarket
and illusionist Raman Sharma. It's closing item will be a
based Culture Bridges Initiative. The Association's Guyanese-born
“neighborhood Jam” with Divya Viviekanandan.
CEO, Ranji Singh was recently conferred with the prestigious Civic
On Sunday, July 15, the 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm programme will
Leadership Award by York Regional Services Police Board.
Volume 12 • Number 05 • May 24, 2018
CARIBBEAN GRAPHIC
www.CaribbeanGraphic.ca • Page 9
Your Favourite Caribbean Brews Are Now Available At More Beer Stores!
In response to growing consumer demand, Carib Brewery has made a significant investment in listings for its popular Caribbean brands In Beer Stores across Ontario. Carib Lager (bottles & cans), Stag Lager and Mackeson Stout are therefore now available in more cities and in more Beer stores than ever before, so Beer and Stout lovers could find these brews closer to home. Carib bottles and Mackeson are also available in selected LCBO stores. FIND CARIB BOTTLES & MACKESON AT YOUR LOCAL LCBO, AT:
FIND CARIB BOTTLES & CANS, STAG AND MACKESON AT YOUR LOCAL BEER STORE, AT:
www.lcbosearch.com
www.thebeerstore.ca
Note: Carib cans would be on sale from May 28, 2018 Stay connected on Instagram: @therealcarib @stagcanada @mackesontriplexcanada
Page 10 • www.CaribbeanGraphic.ca
CARIBBEAN GRAPHIC
Volume 12 • Number 06 • June 21, 2018
All Of Us Hosts Pre Caribana Weekend Entertainment The John Persaud
Cruise, on board the
(Canadian Superbilt
Enterprise 2000. Tickets
Shutters) led All Of Us
for the Timehri Buffet
group will be hosting its
inclusive Cruise are
annual Pre-Caribana
$40/per person. Music
W e e k e n d
o f
will be provided by
Entertainment on
deejays Massive Splash
Saturday July 28 and
Sounds and Impulse.
Sunday, July 29. Part
The All of Us Sunday,
proceeds from the
July 29 entertainment
weekend will go towards
offering will be its annual
the Group's charitable contributions.
Picnic at Malton's Wildwood Park, 3430 Derry
As part of the weekend's entertainment All of Us
Road. The Picnic will get under way at 1:00 pm
will on Saturday, July 28 host its annual Boat
and wrap up at 9:00 pm.
Do you want to help your family members migrate to Canada, but don’t know where to start?
Nadine is a weekly guest on “Immigration Mondays” on Nationwide 90FM in Jamaica Monday mornings at 10am - streaming live on the Internet.
Facebook: Nadine Mahabeer www.cdnintl.com
Please note that we go by appointments only.
Volume 12 • Number 06 • June 21, 2018
CARIBBEAN GRAPHIC
www.CaribbeanGraphic.ca • Page 11
Uni-TnT's 2nd Annual Boat Cruise Uni-TnT will host its 2nd Annual Boat Cruise on Saturday, July 21 abroad the Enterprise 2000. Boarding for the Cruise will be at 12:30 pm sharp at the Enterprise's 242 Cherry Street dock. Tickets for the dinner inclusive Cruise are $45/per person. Music will be provided by a slew of Toronto's finest deejays, including Dj Sin and Don San Juan. Headed by the ever popular Ticket Gateway-The Printing Press Trinidadian-Canadian Owner, Tony Chankar, Uni-TnT was recently formed by a group of friends and acquaintances from a variety of career backgrounds, including law, business, real estate, banking and trades who came together as Trinidadian-Canadians. Uni-TnT Members' commonly shared goal is to give back to the community and culture that has significantly contributed to their lives and helped shape the people they are today. Uni-TnT's desire is to raise funds to be able to assist those in need in Trinidad and Tobago. Toward this end Uni-TnT welcomes all those, whether from the Caribbean or any part of the world, who would like to be of assistance in achieving its goal. Eventually, as it grows, Uni-Tnt's intention is to help disadvantaged people throughout the Caribbean. The group's name was chosen to represent Unity as its purpose and strength, hence Uni-TnT! The group's fund raising activities includes an annual Family Day which will be held this year at the expansive Markham Fair Grounds.
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CARIBBEAN GRAPHIC
Volume 12 • Number 06 • June 21, 2018
GUYALICIOUS
Nothing Better Than Some Curry Goat To Nyam While Watching The World Cup Looking for a tasty dish to compliment your W o r l d C u p entertainment, why not some curry goat. It may come as a surprise to some but Ashley Yo u n g , o n e o f England's key players in its bid to capture the World Cup for the first time since 1966, has listed curry goat as his favorite food. Here then, compliments of Grace Food is a curry goat recipe. Happy nyaming, Go England!
Ingredients Recipe · 3 pound(s) goat meat · 2 tablespoon(s) Grace White Vinegar · 2 tablespoon(s) curry powder · 1 medium onion, chopped · 2 stalk(s) escallion, chopped · 4 clove(s) garlic, chopped · 1 teaspoon(s) ginger, chopped · 2 teaspoon(s) thyme, chopped · 1/2 whole scotch bonnet pepper, chopped · 1 teaspoon(s) black pepper · 1 teaspoon(s) salt · 1/4 cup(s) Grace Vegetable Oil · 4 cup(s) boiling water · 1 large Irish potato, diced · 1 medium carrot, sliced · 4 whole pimento berries, crushed Curried Goat Directions 1. Trim meat, cut into bite-size pieces and wash in a mixture of water and vinegar.
2. Add 1 tablespoon curry powder, chopped onion, escallion, garlic, ginger, thyme, scotch bonnet pepper, black pepper and salt; rub the seasonings into the meat, cover and put to marinate for two hours. 3. Heat vegetable oil in a heavy bottom skillet over medium heat and add the remaining one tablespoon curry powder. Add the marinated meat and allow to sear. Turn the meat and add 4 cups boiling water. Cover and allow to simmer for about 1 hour 20 minutes or until the meat is tender. Add the diced potato and cook for 5 minutes. Fold in the sliced carrot and pimento berries and cook for five minutes. To serve: Serve with Plain Rice, Vegetable Salad and Mango Chutney.
Volume 12 • Number 06 • June 21, 2018
CARIBBEAN GRAPHIC
www.CaribbeanGraphic.ca • Page 13
Immigrate To Canada As A Self-Employed Person
PENSION INCOME SPLITTING VERSUS SPOUSAL RRSPs
Canadian Immigration allows Self-Employed foreign nationals to apply for Permanent Residency, provided they meet the requirements of this category. The Self-employed person should have relevant experience, intends and is able to self-employed in Canada and will be able to contribute to Canada's economy. Examples would include world-class athletes, musicians etc. Relevant experience means at least two-years as a Self-employed person in Cultural Activities or Athletics at a world-class level. The applicant will be assessed on experience, education, age, language abilities and adaptability. Points will be awarded for each criterion and the applicant will need 35 points in order to qualify. In addition, the applicant will need to complete a medical and Police Record checks. The main applicant and their spouse (if applicable), will need to complete a Language proficiency exam - either the IELTS or CELPIP General Test. For Education assessment, they will also need to have their education assessed by an organization in Canada. Points will also be awarded based on their spouse's education, work or study in Canada and relatives in Canada who are Permanent Residents or Citizens. It is important to review the criterions for the various programmes before submitting your profile. Most programmes require English Test Results and Assessment of your education, if your Tertiary Level Education was not completed in Canada. Nadine Mahabeer is a weekly guest on “Immigration Mondays” on Nationwide 90FM in Jamaica – Monday mornings at 10am – streaming live on the Internet.
are applied based on when the co n tr ib u tio n w as mad e, n o t deducted, this plan provides you with a decision window every three years – to withdraw or to contribute. This strategy does have a couple of downsides: lost investment gains because of the delayed contributions, and lost RRSP contribution room, since RRSP/RRIF withdrawals cannot be recontributed like TFSA withdrawals can. Not restricted to 50 per cent After age 65, you can split up to 50 per cent of your RRIF income with your spouse. With spousal RRSPs, in contrast, you determine the amount of income to split by deciding how much to contribute to the spousal RRSP.2 This is helpful if your goal is to have equal incomes in retirement and keep your tax bill as low as possible. Another plus Although you can't contribute to your own RRSP after age 71, you can make contributions to your younger spouse's RRSP until the end of the year your spouse turns 71, provided you still have RRSP room. The income from those RRSP contributions can also be delayed until the year after your spouse's 71st birthday. Take advantage of unused room at death If you have unused RRSP room at the time of your death and your spouse didn't turn 71 the previous year, your executor could reduce the taxes paid by your estate by contributing to a spousal RRSP. Take action The disadvantage of a spousal RRSP, of course, is that a spousal contribution goes into an account held by your spouse and not your own personal RRSP. However, if the values of each spouse's account are roughly equal, income taken from those accounts can also be nearly equal, achieving some income splitting. With pension income splitting, no assets are transferred. You and your spouse just file a joint tax election each year. This also means that you can choose on a yearly basis whether or not income splitting makes sense. The best course of action? Consult with your tax advisor.
Determining when each tax strategy works best. PENSION INCOME SPLITTING CAN BE A GREAT WAY to reduce taxes. Couples can split their income once their Registered Retirement Savings Plans (RRSPs) become Registered Retirement Income Funds (RRIFs). The rules allow a pensioner to transfer up to one half of his or her eligible pension income to a spouse.1 Sounds great, right? So why keep that spousal RRSP? Spousal RRSPs may still offer some advantages, particularly if one spouse earns significantly more income than the other. Income splitting with a RRIF Under the pension income splitting rules, you must be at least age 65 and convert your RRSP into a RRIF in order to split income. Regular RRSP withdrawals do not qualify for pension income splitting. For people who retire early, a spousal RRSP provides more flexibility. This is because you choose how much to contribute to the spousal RRSP, which has the potential to equalize retirement income and save taxes. Contribution strategies It's important to remember that spousal RRSPs have a three-year rule: if funds are withdrawn from a spousal RRSP within three calendar years of a contribution (the income attribution period), all or part of the income could be taxed to the contributor spouse. It is usually best to make spousal contributions within the calendar year, instead of during the first 60 days of the following year. For example, if a spousal contribution is made in February 2018 for the 2017 tax year, the contributor spouse would be taxed, all or in part, on withdrawals made before January 1, 2021 (provided no further spousal contributions are made). However, if the contribution were made before December 31, 2017, the contributor spouse would be taxed, all or in part, only on withdrawals made before January 1, 2020. If you are making contributions regularly, another strategy is to wait until you have three years' worth of RRSP room, then make the full contribution all at once and deduct it over the next three years. At the end of the three-year income attribution period, your spouse could make a withdrawal and you, as the contributor spouse, would not be taxed. The following year, you could make another lump-sum deposit that maximizes all your unused RRSP room. Because the attribution rules
Isa Rahamat is a Financial Advisor with Manulife Securities Inc. This content is provided courtesy of Solutions from Manulife. © 2017 Manulife. The persons and situations depicted are fictional and their resemblance to anyone living or dead is purely coincidental. This media is for information purposes only and is not intended to provide specific financial, tax, legal, accounting or other advice and should not be relied upon in that regard. Many of the issues discussed will vary by province. Individuals should seek the advice of professionals to ensure that any action taken with respect to this information is appropriate to their specific situation. E & O E. Commissions, trailing commissions, management fees and expenses all may be associated with mutual fund investments. Please read the prospectus before investing. Mutual funds are not guaranteed, their values change frequently and past performance may not be repeated. Any amount that is allocated to a segregated fund is invested at the risk of the contractholder and may increase or decrease in value. Manulife, the Block Design, the Four Cubes Design, and Strong Reliable Trustworthy Forward-thinking are trademarks of The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company and are used by it, and by its affiliates under license. 2017
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CARIBBEAN GRAPHIC
Transitioning From Renter To Home Owner Rudy LOCHAN
Becoming a home owner is absolutely worth it; but it’s crucial that you are prepared for the differences between renting and being a home owner. But rent doesn’t simply translate into mortgage payments on a 1:1 ratio — quite a bit more goes into the transition from renter to home owner than you might think, from the upfront costs involved to what happens if your dishwasher malfunctions and spews food-flavored water all over your floor. As you prepare to “pick up the torch” of home ownership, keep these five things in mind, and you’ll be just fine and be stoked you went from a renter to home owner. There’s a lot more to pay for upfront Say goodbye to making your security deposit and calling it good. When you buy a house, there are a few different costs that await you. The biggest one (usually, unless you have a zero-down mortgage), which poses one of biggest obstacles for hopeful home buyers, is the down payment. The amount you need depends on your mortgage program, but expect to pay between 3% to 20% of the purchase price of the home. If you don’t have the money for a down payment, there are options to pay much less upfront — sometimes as little as 3% (and sometimes ZERO down) — with private mortgage insurance or a loan. These lower down payments, however, make for higher monthly payments and a higher home price overall. And then there are those dang closing costs, which average about $2,100 on a $200,000 home. These “closing costs” often covers several necessities: home loan origination, title insurance, land surveys (if applicable), home inspection, insurance escrow, appraisal, and more. Monthly payments go beyond mortgages Monthly, your mortgage payment can look pretty similar to your rent check. In fact, a recent study found that in the vast majority of states, being a home owner and making a mortgage payment is easier on your pocketbook than renting. Your home is most likely your largest investment, so you’ll want to protect it with insurance (duh!). Sure, renters’ insurance was “highly recommended,” but homeowners insurance is absolutely necessary to protect your investment, your belongings, and your mortgage. In fact, pretty much all mortgage lenders require it. Don’t worry though, the homeowners insurance payment will be wrapped into your one single mortgage payment. And lastly, you’ll want to tuck away money each month for property taxes, which is usually a percentage of the assessed value of the land and the structures on it. These rates are highly localized, but the average household pays just over $2,000. Here’s the good news; Although property tax is generally billed by your City on an annual or semiannual basis, your mortgage payment will include enough to put
money aside in an escrow account to pay your property taxes automatically when that bill becomes due. If you don’t have your emergency funds set aside yet, now is the time Setting aside a good sized “emergency fund” isn’t specific to homeowners, but it’s even more important as a home owner. The bare minimum recommendation is to have at least three months of living expenses to fall back on — rent, food, utilities, and every other expense you have — but six months is better. Some even go so far as to recommend two years’ worth, which is definitely something worth aspiring to, but not an easy task. These funds will protect you in the event of job loss, appliance failure, or major medical bills. Imagine how much less stressful your life would be if you knew that you had 36 months of expenses in the bank, just in case something crazy happens! You are your own maintenance crew Your maintenance budget now must cover more than light bulbs and smoke detector batteries. Aside from the emergency funds you’ve saved up, you’ll want to plan on spending at least 1% of the home’s value on maintenance projects each year. When you move in (and pretty regularly after that) take stock of the appliances you have and what kind of shape they’re in to prioritize upgrades and service. When was your furnace last inspected? Is the water heater an original from the 70’s? Price a few out and put that water heater near the top of your list — above, for example, an air conditioner or dishwasher. If unused, this maintenance cash will come in handy for larger projects, such as a roof replacement. More regular maintenance is required of you as a homeowner, too. That yard you’ve been dreaming about — it needs to be mowed, often. And that means you need to have a lawnmower. Still doesn’t look as naturally manicured as the neighbors’ yard? Pick up a weedwacker to and clean up those edges. Depending on where you live, you’ll also need a rake come fall (and leaf bags or a tarp to move leaves to the curb), and a shovel and deicer come winter. Plan ahead: You’re going to want that shovel before the snowy December morning you need it. Your neighbors are forever (or at least for quite a while) This one is the easiest change to make when going from renter to home owner, and probably one of the most fun. Your neighbors are no longer unseen producers of endless stomping on the other side of your ceiling — they’re your allies in the mission to create a great place to live. You don’t have to bake banana bread before you go, but you should go introduce yourself and get to know them and their lifestyles a little bit (which is a good thing to do even before you buy). Before you deny their requests to turn down your music at 11 pm — or too aggressively ask the same of them — just remember that they’ll still be there the next day. And the day after that. Moving from renter to home owner can seem daunting and complicated, but if you know what to expect, it’s a much less stressful transition. *Article provided by ABODO
Volume 12 • Number 06 • June 21, 2018
Become Your Own Home Inspector Prior To Purchase! Here's some useful advice to consider prior to purchasing a home. If you're considering purchasing a home, you've probably realized that there are a lot of things to consider. This home fits your needs right now, but will it work for you five years from now? Are you okay with giving up on finding a home that has some qualities as long as it has the others that you're looking for? Does its location provide you with easy access to all of the things that you do for fun? Each and every person who is looking at homes is looking for something a little different, but in today's post, the expert Scottsdale mortgage brokers at Scout Mortgage have a bit of advice about what you can look for in the homes that you're checking out. “But won't I have an inspection done after I put in an offer?” you ask. That's a great question, but there are a few things you can do before you even put in an offer to make sure that the home you're considering should even still be an option for you. Keep reading to learn more! What Can You Look For On Your Own? As we mentioned above, an inspector will check out your home, but in many instances, this only happens after you've already put in an offer. If the inspector finds something that gives you pause, you have a good reason to back out. The truth, however, is that there are a few things you can do while your realtor is showing you around the home for the first time to make certain that it meets your most basic needs before you get further into the process. Your inspector will be looking for structural issues, electrical problems, landscaping red flags, and the like, but what can you be looking for on your own? See How the Water Functions In this day and age, plumbing is something that many of us
take for granted. In many instances, how everything works doesn't really cross our minds–until, of course, it's not working the way it's supposed to. You can avoid a huge headache in the future by doing a bit of work right now. If you find a home that you're interested in, put the home's plumbing to the test. You can do this by flushing the toilets in each room, turning on the faucets, and running the dishwasher if possible. This will ensure that everything is working the way it's supposed to, because after all, there's nothing worse than moving into a home only to find out that there's a collapsed pipe outside that can't handle water without backing up into the home. Older homes in particular will experience issues with tree roots growing through the pipes, so taking a look on your own can save you a big headache later on. Look at the Electrical Panel It's just a fact of life that at some point or another, your home is going to lose power. Whether that's because of a storm that causes the power grid to go down, an accident with construction in your neighborhood, or something else entirely, it's inevitable that something will happen. What's likely to happen even more often is that some device that you use will cause the breaker to blow a fuse. Perhaps you'll need to swap out some smoke detectors that are hardwired to your electrical panel. Maybe you'll decide that it's time to change out the ceiling fan for something more suited to your style. In those instances, you'll need to use the electrical panel. You'll appreciate having an electrical panel that is welllabeled and ready to be used when it comes time for you to need it. Otherwise, you might end up in the garage flipping switches while someone upstairs checks for whether or not the light switches are working.
Volume 12 • Number 06 • June 21, 2018
CARIBBEAN GRAPHIC
Hero CPL T20 Guyana Bound
Caribbean Airlines Cited As Hero CPL T20's Official Airline Caribbean Airlines is the Official Airline for the Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL T20) 2018 series. As the Official Airline partner, all teams and officials traveling to CPL matches and related activities will travel on Caribbean Airlines to and from the events. Garvin Medera, Chief Executive Officer, Caribbean Airlines stated: “For the fifth consecutive year, Caribbean Airlines is the Official Airline sponsor for the Hero Caribbean Premier League 20/20 (CPLT20) Series, which takes place from August 08September 16. It is our pleasure to connect cricket fans and teams throughout the Caribbean and North and South America to enjoy the excitement of this premier cricket league. Caribbean Airlines understands the value of cricket in uniting the region and we
Guyanese cricket lovers can now breathe a sigh of relief after Guyana was confirmed as a host venue for this year's Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) season. The confirmation came on June 20 after Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Social Cohesion with responsibility for Culture, Youth and Sport Ms. Melissa Tucker, and Team Operations Manager of the Guyana Amazon Warriors, Omar Khan, signed the Host Venue Agreement. Information released to the media confirmed that Guyana will host five games. The local franchise is
set to play St Kitts & Nevis Patriots on August 9, St Lucia Stars on August 11, Barbados Tridents on August 12, Jamaica Tallawahs on September 8 and Trinbago Knight Riders on September 9. However, it was also announced that there is a possibility of two playoff matches here, on September 11 and 12 but that confirmation lies with CPL who is expected to make an announcement shortly. The league will enter its sixth year and the Amazon Warriors have played in three of the five finals to date but are yet to lift the title.
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look forward to sharing the warmth of the islands with the enthusiastic fans, teams and other officials.” Caribbean Airlines operates more than 600 weekly flights to 20 destinations in the Caribbean and North and South America and is committed to delivering reliable service to its valued customers.Caribbean Airlines operates more than 600 weekly flights to 20 destinations in the Caribbean and North and South America. The airline's fleet is comprised of Boeing 737-800 and ATR72-600 aircraft. Jointly owned by the people of Trinidad & Tobago and Jamaica, headquartered in Trinidad and Tobago, and with an operational base in Jamaica, Caribbean Airlines employs more than 1600 people.
Gayle Backs Windies Women To Repeat As T20 World Cup Champions Chris Gayle has thrown his weight behind West Indies Women in their bid to recapture the Twenty20 World Cup set to be staged in the Caribbean in November, and he believes the excitement of the Caribbean culture will also make the tournament a success. Gayle recently attended the Women's T20 Blaze and said he had been very impressed with the level of skill and talent demonstrated by the region's best players. On that account, Gayle believes the Windies can repeat their success. “(It is) great to be hosting the ICC Women's World T20 in the West Indies. I know it's going to be great in Antigua, St Lucia and Guyana,” said the iconic T20 opener. “This is great news for our girls and even better to be defending the trophy at home. Was great when we both won (men's and women's
teams) back in India a few years ago, so you know me, I'm backing them to win it again.” The tournament, which runs from November 9 to 24, will be the first standalone ICC Women's World T20 tournament. All matches will be broadcast to the global audience for the first time and the Decision Review System will also be implemented. The venues are Guyana National Stadium, Darren Sammy Cricket Ground in St Lucia, and the Vivian Richards Cricket Ground in Antigua. West Indies Women are the defending champions, having won their first global title two years ago against Australia on the same day the men's team beat England in spectacular fashion to make it a day of double celebrations for Caribbean cricket.