October 18, 2023

VOL. XLII NO. 2138 WEEK OF OCTOBER 18 - 24, 2023 HAITI

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The unauthorized forces can now be deployed to the gang-controlled country - local police welcome the news

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NEW YORK STATE

“EXPAND THE CANNABIS MARKET” That is the order of Governor Hochul as hundreds of new licences to be made available

Page 3 NEW YORK

RECORD 38.4% GROWTH IN 2023 IMF forecasts continued strong economic performance driven by massive oil industry growth

SHIRLEY CHISHOLM CENTER

Page 4 TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO

CRIME CRIPPLING BUSINESSES Operators forced to spend millions of dollars on security - complains the Merchant Association

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A&E

GROUNDBREAKING FOR THE $141 MILLION RECREATION CENTER NAMED FOR THE ICONIC CARIBBEANAMERICAN POLITICIAN AND ACTIVIST

JAMAICA

THREE JAMAICANS ON LIST Of greatest guitarists by Rolling Stone magazine

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MISSION OF MURDER US NAVAL OFFICER FLEW TO JAMAICA TO ORDER KILLING OF MP PAULWELL’S DAUGHTER AND MOTHER IN JEALOUSY

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CaribNews OPED Bold Measures to Expand Homeownership Opportunities

by Stacy M. Brown - P 9

WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 24, 2023

AFRICA Libya: Mission chief updates Security Council on flood disaster ‘beyond imagination’

Humanitarians delivering aid in the wake of Libya’s “unprecedented” flood disaster centred on the coastal city of Derna, have reached more than 146,000 in need, said the head of the OPED UN support mission there (UNSMIL) on Monday.

The Dirty Truth about Utility Briefing the Security Council, Abdoulaye Bathily noted the Companies’ Clean Energy Efforts thousands of lives lost by the dam bursts which destroyed

by Ben Jealous - P 9 whole neighbourhoods after Storm Daniel slammed the region on 10 September.

The Special Representative told ambassadors that despite the HEALTH sense of national unity and compassion shown by ordinary Bahamas – Nurses from Ghana to Relieve Libyans, the disaster had revealed “severe governance Shortage in the Country deficits” across the divided nation, with its two rival admin- P 16 istrations: the internationally recognized Government in Tripoli and the Benghazi-based parliament in the east.

Eyewitness to ‘apocalyptic scene’ SPORTS Saint Martin Edges Anguilla While BVI “I saw first-hand the magnitude of the disaster and heard from families about their losses, including individuals who Win Over Turks & Caicos - P 19 lost all their loved ones”, said Mr. Bathily. “I saw an apocalyptic scene where large portions of the city were literally swallowed up by the water,” he shared with the Council.

The UN, along with local and international partners, swiftly responded to the crisis, providing life-saving aid and leading search and rescue operations. The focus now is on early recovery and reconstruction.

Sudan: UN expert warns of child recruitment by armed forces

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An independent UN human rights expert on Monday expressed concern about the increased risk of recruitment and use of children by armed forces and armed groups in Sudan, as the months-long war between rival militaries continues.

Siobhán Mullally, UN Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, said unaccompanied children and children from poor families have reportedly been targeted by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militia in the outskirts of the capital Khartoum and elsewhere.

They’ve forcibly recruited women and children especially, she warned.

Girls have also reportedly been abducted from Khartoum to Darfur for sexual exploitation, including sexual slavery.

To date, an estimated 9,000 people have been killed, over 5.6 million driven from their homes in the civil conflict between military Government forces and the RSF, and 25 million people are reliant on aid.

Children ‘easy targets’ “The deteriorating humanitarian situation and lack of access to food and other basic services make children, especially unaccompanied and separated children on the streets, easy targets for recruitment by armed groups,” Ms. Mullally said.

The UN Human Rights Council-appointed expert stressed that recruitment of children by armed groups for any form of exploitation, including in combat roles...

WORLD BRIEFS Tackling disasters means safer and fairer future for Caribbean Reducing the risk of disasters will not only save lives but can provide the platform to tackle inequality in places like the Caribbean, that’s according to senior UN officials in the region.

Earthquakes, hurricanes, volcanic activity and other natural disasters regularly cause destruction and the loss of life in parts of the Caribbean.

On the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction marked annually on 13 October, UN Resident Coordinator for Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean, Didier Trebucq and Nahuel Arenas, regional chief of the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) consider the connection between disasters and inequality.

“In the Caribbean, we share a deep understanding of the intricate link between disasters and inequality. It’s a narrative of uneven access to crucial resources, leaving the most vulnerable exposed to the impacts of disasters.

When disasters strike, they disproportionately affect marginalized communities, exacerbating existing inequalities and pushing them deeper into poverty.

Fighting inequality is critical to build a stronger and safer future for everyone.

Security Council rejects Russian resolution on Gaza The UN Security Council on Monday night in New York failed to adopt a resolution proposed by Russia that would have called for a humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza, which has been ravaged by almost 10 days of fighting between Israel and Hamas militants.

The Russian-led draft resolution received five votes in favour (China, Gabon, Mozambique, Russia, and the United Arab Emirates) and four against (France, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States), with six abstentions (Albania, Brazil, Ecuador, Ghana, Malta, and Switzerland).

Members were divided over the lack of specific condemnation of extremist group Hamas, which began the current escalation of violence, sending hundreds of fighters to carry out massacres in settlements near to the Gaza Strip on 7 October.

For the Council to adopt a resolution, the proposal must receive at least nine votes in favour, with none of its five permanent members opposing or casting a veto.

The draft text had called for a humanitarian ceasefire, release of all hostages, aid access, and safe evacuation of civilians.

‘Selfish interest’ of the West Vassily Nebenzia, Permanent Representative of Russia to the UN expressed regret over the Security Council’s failure to adopt the resolution, blaming the “selfish intention of the western bloc.”

WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 24, 2023

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Kenya – Cabinet Approved Sending Troops to Haiti The deployment of 1,000 police officers to spearhead a global peacekeeping operation to Haiti to curb gang violence recently received approval from Kenya’s Cabinet.

The resolution must now be approved by Haiti’s parliament.

The most current United Nations (UN) figures show that from January 1 to August 15, there were over 2,400 documented fatalities, over 950 reported kidnappings, and another 902 reported injuries in Haiti.

A challenge to the deployment brought by a local lawmaker will be considered on October 24. Kenya’s high court blocked the deployment, which the UN Security Council had authorized earlier this month, for two weeks.

In a recent appearance before a committee of the national assembly, Interior Minister Kithure Kindiki advocated for getting parliamentary consent before deploying any soldiers.

Inspector General of Police Japhet Koome, who was with the minister, declared that the initial batch of cops headed for Haiti had begun their training.

On October 2, the UN Security Council adopted a resolution approving the Kenya-led peacekeeping mission. The US has committed up to $200 million in voluntary contributions to support the operation.

Kenyan opposition leader Raila Odinga last week criticized the nation’s participation in the deployment, claiming that Kenya has its own security issues.

The 1,000 policemen Kenya intended to send to Haiti have not yet received confirmation of their deployment date. The army commanded

by Kenya, according to President William Ruto, won’t “fail the people of Haiti,” he stated on October 3.

Haiti – Police Chief Welcomes Help in the Fight Against the Gangs

According to the police commissioner of the Caribbean Island, a multinational force commanded by Kenya would hopefully contribute to some kind of stability in Haiti, where gang conflict has intensified into an instance of “urban guerrilla” warfare.

After a year of continuous requests for assistance from Haiti, the UN Security Council approved this month the deployment of a 1,000-strong support group led by Kenyan police.

During a two-year email interview with the media, Frantz Elbe, the head of the Haitian National Police, stated that his organization force “was not created to confront armed criminal urban guerrilla groups.” The gangs, which rule over around 80% of Port-au-Prince, Haiti’s capital, are armed with “military-grade weapons and connections with mafia networks, transnational criminals and major financial resources,” he stated.

Even before the killing of President Jovenel Moise in 2021, it sparked a political crisis that spiraled out of control, the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere had been in upheaval for years.

There is hardly any working administration, the economy and public health system are in ruins, and elections have not been held since 2016.

Elbe said that the gangs had expanded in strength and amassed increasingly deadly weaponry.

Elbe noted that gangsters used to carry revolvers or pistols, but presently “they are armed with assault rifles.”

As Haitians attempt to protect themselves, many have been forced to evacuate their homes, and vigilante organizations have developed.

Elbe cited operations in which suspected gang members were detained or seriously injured in shootouts with security agents as evidence that police had made some progress.

He said that police also successfully seized a sizable number of weapons and ammo.

The presence of urban guerrilla gangs, however, has kept the nation in a condition of “generalized terror,” and there aren’t enough police officers trained to deal with this sort of issue, he claimed.

Elbe, who was appointed by Prime Minister Ariel Henry, explained that a powerful, specialized, and deterrent foreign force might collaborate with the Haitian National Police in significant operations to destroy armed gangs.

He predicted that the Kenyan force would be armed with gang-fighting equipment and expressed the hope that it would enable his guys to “carry out their operations more efficiently.”

In addition to being able to “transfer technology” and equipment at the conclusion of their mission, he expects the force will be able to “conduct joint training and simulation sessions with special units” of the national police.

The United Nations did not provide a timeline for the deployment, and a Kenyan court halted it on Monday due to a lack of legal support.

However, the operation has been justified by Kenyan President William Ruto as a humanitarian effort for a nation that has “borne the brunt of colonial plunder and repression,” according to Ruto.

He also mentioned Kenya’s long involvement in peacekeeping operations.

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WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 24, 2023

St. Vincent – Calls for UN Security Council Intervention in Israeli-Gaza Conflict

The Government of St Vincent and the Grenadines says “war crimes” are being committed in the ongoing Israeli-Gaza conflict and has called for an end to hostilities on both sides. The government made the call in a statement on Friday, five days after the regional bloc, Caricom, said “The savage nature of the attacks and counterattacks is the antithesis of civilized life and living”.

On October 7, Hamas militants fired rockets into Israel, killing scores of people and taking more than 100 others hostage.

Since then, Israel has been bombing Gaza and economists have been monitoring the economic fallout amidst the emerging humanitarian situation.

In its statement on Friday, the Ralph Gonsalves-led government said it endorses Caricom’s statement on the current attacks and counter-attacks.

“We reiterate the foundational principles for settlement of the conflict as contained in the United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 242, which was adopted on November 22, 1967, following the Six-Day War in June 1967 between Israel, on the one hand, and Arab nations, including the Palestinians, on the other hand,” Kingstown said.

The government noted that the Resolution emphasizes, centrally, among other things, “a just and lasting peace in which every State in the area can live in security”, and acknowledges “the sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence of every

state in the area and their right to live in peace within secure and recognized boundaries free from threats or acts of force…

“This Resolution has become a pivotal cornerstone of Middle East diplomatic efforts since then,” the government said, noting that the resolution proposes “a two-state solution” for Israel and Palestine to live alongside each other in peace within secure and recognized boundaries free from threats or acts of force.

“Successive governments of Israel, more particularly those headed, or unduly influenced, by right-wing and ultra -nationalist forces, including the current government, have refused repeatedly to ensure the practical implementation of a just and lasting peace’,” the GoSVG said.

“Indeed, Israel has imposed a veritable colonialism, including a harsh settlercolonialism and a forceful, illegal occupation of Palestinian lands, which has given rise to intense Palestinian resistance and a brutal Israeli response. Sadly, innocent lives are being lost, needlessly.” Kingstown repeated Caricom’s expression of abhorrence at the recent attacks and counter-attacks of the combatants — the Israeli Defense Force and Hamas– and their savage nature, in Israel and Gaza.

“War crimes, contrary to international law, are evidently being committed with impunity. A day of reckoning on these crimes surely must come.

“We call for a cessation of hostilities on all sides and the embarkation of a quest for a just and

lasting peace in accordance with the principles and provisions of the UNSCR 242.”

Kingstown further demanded “the urgent, just, and merciful intervention of the United Nations Security Council to assist in bringing hostilities to an end and to ensure that international humanitarian law is upheld in Gaza for the sake of humanity.

“Accordingly, three of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council — USA, Britain, and France — who routinely support Israel and its colonizing policies, bear a especial responsibility to facilitate an immediate cessation of hostilities and to insist on the upholding

of international law.

“We embrace the Psalmist’s injunction: “Depart from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.” [Psalm 34:14]. We acknowledge that seeking and pursuing a just peace, in the current circumstances, is a difficult path; but there is no other way that will endure. We thus implore the responsible international community and the parties to the conflict to act accordingly, urgently,” Kingstown further stated.

Continued at www.nycaribnews.com

Guyana – 38.4% Growth Expected in the Economy says IMF The International Monetary Fund (IMF) in its new Regional Economic Outlook report for the Western Hemisphere says Guyana will continue to experience robust economic expansion even as other countries in Latin America and the Caribbean face less favorable growth conditions and brace for a slowdown in their productive sectors.

The report noted that Guyana should record a 38.4 percent real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth rate this year and next year the country’s growth should continue with an expansion of 26.6 percent expected.

The debt taken on by the government is projected to be about 29.9 percent of GDP

while a 7.2 percent inflation rate is also expected.

This debt refers to all external financial obligations including loans taken while inflation, generally, is the rate of price increases over a period of time.

Guyana is the only country expecting double-digit growth. St. Vincent and the Grenadines (6.2 percent) and Panama (6 percent) are the countries with the next highest growth rates.

The entire Latin America and Caribbean region expects a 2.3 percent growth rate this year while growth among the non-tourism-dependent countries in the Caribbean – Haiti,

Guyana, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago -should be 13.6 percent this year.

The IMF also projects a 1.6 percent growth rate for South America and a 3.8 percent growth rate for the bloc of countries encompassing Central America, Panama, and the Dominican Republic.

In Guyana’s case, massive oil finds offshore are contributing to the high economic growth rates expected. “… growth in the Caribbean commodity exporters will slow down in 2023 and further in 2024 as these countries face less favorable external conditions, although Guyana will continue to grow at a robust pace following the

discovery of sizable oil reserves,” the IMF said.

The slowdown in other countries has been attributed to a weaker external environment, severe weather conditions, and a softening demand for tourism services.

In September, President Dr. Irfaan Ali announced that Guyana recorded a 59.5 p economic growth rate at the half-year mark with the non-oil economy growing by 12.3 percent.

Based on the mid-year report, the government projects that real GDP growth for the entire 2023 will be 28.2 percent while non-oil growth alone will be 9.3 percent. CMC

Miami – Guilty Plea in Haitian Assassination John Joel Joseph, a former Haitian senator, pleaded guilty in a Miami federal court on Tuesday to charges related to the assassination of former President Jovenel Moïse in 2021. This development came after Joseph reached an agreement with the government.

The sentencing for Joseph has been scheduled for December 19th, and he could potentially face a life sentence. However, it is worth noting that the U.S. government may recommend a reduced sentence if Joseph cooperates fully with the ongoing investigation, as reported by the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals.

This case highlights the international nature

of criminal investigations and how different countries work together to bring justice in high-profile cases. The guilty plea from John Joel Joseph marks a significant step forward in the pursuit of justice for the assassination of former President Jovenel Moïse.

The charges against Joseph and the other defendants include conspiracy to commit kidnapping and conspiracy to commit murder of a foreign official.

The investigation into the assassination of President Moïse has been ongoing, and these upcoming trials will be a significant step in seeking justice for his death. The involvement

of individuals from different countries, such as Colombia and Haiti, highlights the international nature of this case.

It is important to note that these defendants are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The trial process will allow for evidence to be presented and for the defendants to have an opportunity to defend themselves.

The assassination of President Moïse sent shockwaves through Haiti and the international community. Bringing those responsible to justice will not only provide closure for his family and loved ones but also serve as a deterrent against similar acts of violence in the future.

WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 24, 2023

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Jamaica – US Woman Flew to Jamaica to Arrange Murder of MP’s Daughter and Her Mother

According to reports, opposition congressman Phillip Paulwell’s American lover, Leoda Bradshaw, went to Jamaica with the sole intent of killing Paulwell’s young daughter and her mother.

This occurred one day after she questioned the mother on Facebook over the child.

Four days prior to Toshyna Patterson, 27, and Sarayah Paulwell, 10 months, being kidnapped outside of their St. Andrew house on September 9, the 34-year-old US Navy Lieutenant reportedly landed on the island. They supposedly were transported to east Kingston where they were shot, murdered, and then had their remains burned.

Bradshaw is said to have given the hitmen

J$100,000 (or its equivalent in US dollars) as a deposit for the J$500,000 hit.

The accusations were recently made public in Kingston’s Home Circuit Court after Bradshaw and her cousin Roland Balfour were hauled before Justice Simone Wolfe Reece on a voluntary bill of indictment to avoid the parish court’s procedures.

The mother of one appeared devastated and thoroughly depressed as she was portrayed as the mastermind behind the terrible kidnapping and murder. She was dressed in an enormous lavender print dress.

Balfour, one of the four suspects in the fatal plan, appeared similarly dejected.

In addition, Bradshaw and Paulwell are parents

of the same child. He faces two charges of capital murder, conspiracy to kill, abduction, and conspiracy to kidnap.

Both kidnapping and murder accessories before the fact charges were brought against Balfour on two counts each.

Bradshaw dropped her head in court as Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Andrea Martin-Swaby laid out the devastating claims.

The court heard about how Bradshaw got in touch with the guys and devised a plot to kill and abduct the lady and child before they arrived in Jamaica.

The claims state that Bradshaw contacted Patterson via Facebook on September 5 and introduced herself as the parliamentarian’s wife after learning of the child’s existence.

She apparently suggested that Patterson get a paternity test during that chat, but the lady afterward banned her on the social networking site.

According to the prosecution, American-born Bradshaw landed on the island the next day with plans to kill the mother and her 10-month-old baby.

Bradshaw allegedly hired individuals, including Rushane Miller and Richard Brown, to abduct and kill the mother and daughter with the assistance of her cousin and fellow defendant, Balfour.

The men reportedly proceeded to investigate Patterson’s neighborhood later that evening.

Further allegations include that they met at Bradshaw’s accommodation at Stony Hill, St Andrew, on September 7 to plan the execution of the kidnapping and murder scheme.

Bradshaw allegedly called Patterson numerous times before 7 a.m. the next day to lure her out

of her house, but he was unsuccessful.

According to the evidence, Bradshaw arrived at Patterson’s home on Gilmore Drive in Kingston 20 around 7 a.m. in an SUV with tinted windows.

Entering the car, Patterson and her infant stayed there for more than 15 minutes.

At 7:22 in the morning, the car drove away leaving the area.

Martin-Swaby continued by saying that according to the Crown, Bradshaw then allegedly brought them to Stony Hill and gave them to the individuals there.

The mother and her daughter were carried against their will to Wareika Hill in St. Andrew, where they were murdered with a gun and then burned.

Later, when police returned to the crime scene, they discovered blood and dry bones close to where the two are thought to have been slain.

In the meanwhile, the prosecutor stated that disclosure will occur by October 23.

Debra Martin, a lawyer for Bradshaw, provided the court with more guidance. They were both placed on remand.

The two additional defendants, Brown and Miller, were voluntarily indicted earlier this week before the Home Circuit Court, according to a news statement from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions. Their cases will be discussed when they return to court later this month.

While Brown is accused with two charges each of conspiracy to kill and kidnap, Miller is accused of two counts of accessory before the fact of murder and accessory before the fact of abduction.

T&T – Crime Crippling Businesses in Country, Security Cost is High The capital city of the twin islands has seen a spike in crime.

The problem was brought to light when, on October 6, 62-yearold Maralyn Callender-Morrison, a dual citizen of T&T and the United States, was battered by thieves before being robbed of $170,000 in cash on Queen Janelle Commissiong Street in Port-of-Spain. She had taken out $65,000 (T&T) from a bank on Independence Square and had an extra $15,000 with her to fix her Toco house. A video of the event quickly gained popularity on social media.

A woman police officer in Tobago who was a part of the victim support unit had a $8,000 gold chain robbed from her neck hours before the Callender-Morrison heist. Morrison was strolling through Independence Square at the time the incident took place.

Businesses in T&T are being crippled by the rise in criminal activity, with owners having to spend millions of dollars on security just to stay open.

To defend their lives, incomes, commodities, and properties, the Downtown Owners and Merchants Association (DOMA), which represents business owners in Portof-Spain and nearby areas, spends $10 million yearly. Gregory Aboud, the president of DOMA, told the media that a large number of city-based company owners provide the funding.

He claimed that a well-organized gang of criminals operating in the capital city has been spreading terror in the populace, and he has been appealing for months for the safety and security of enterprises in Port-of-Spain to be given priority. The thieves have been networking to escape being apprehended by the authorities and are well-known to several company owners and vendors.

Some of these perpetrators employ youngsters as well.

His remarks follow a spike in blatant daylight thefts in the city that have made customers, suppliers, and business owners uncomfortable as they go about their regular business.

The business owners have been investing their money because they place a high importance on keeping themselves protected.

According to Aboud, who broke down the cost of security, a significant amount of the money is spent on guard response services, alarm systems, and daytime guard services.

He noted, “A major component of security turned out to be cash-in-transit services which is an armed courier that will come to your premises to collect sales and take it and deposit it to the bank.”

“It is our estimate that the annual additional cost of security in the city of Port-of-Spain is in excess of $10 million per annum.

It becomes very important to understand that most of this is focused on protection of the premises of the business people and protection during the night-time hours,” Aboud revealed, in light of the data gathered in previously mentioned categories.

He also noted that “There is no budget in there for protection of the daytime shoppers and persons using the streets of Port-ofSpain.”

When asked if the expense of protecting their companies has increased, Aboud responded that the whole cost of security should also be considered as an opportunity cost in addition to the money spent on security services and security measures.

“Many great opportunities are being lost because the grave security situation is extremely discouraging to investment and discouraging to expansion,” he shared.

The cost of security has both financial and non-financial ramifications, according to Aboud.

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WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 24, 2023

Bahamas – Nurses from Ghana to Relieve Shortage in The Country Eighteen specialty nurses from Ghana are scheduled to arrive in The Bahamas by the end of October to help relieve a shortage of nurses.

According to Health Minister Dr Michael Darville said 18 specialty Ghanaian nurses will arrive in the Bahamas to help.

“I would like to see them in the country before the end of the month,” said Health Minister Dr Michael Darville who was speaking on the sidelines of the Ministry of Health’s Leadership Forum’s opening ceremony on Friday.

“I believe we will be able to accomplish that so that we can fill a lot of gaps of specialty nurses that exist at the Princess Margaret Hospital and some at the Rand Memorial Hospital.

“And to be able to improve the delivery of quality services that we want to provide at our hospitals and take a lot of burdens from a lot of our specialty nurses who are working a lot of overtime and we don’t want them to burn out.

So we look forward to these nurses to come to the country.”

There has been continuing nurses shortages in the country with many frontline workers continuously complaining of exhaustion – both physically and mentally.

According to Darville the Ghanaian nurses, will help in the fight to provide quality service

in the country.

“I want the Bahamian people to know that while we are recruiting, developed countries are recruiting in our country and it’s a burden that we currently face on a daily basis.

“We’re not alone in the Caribbean, other Caribbean colleagues and ministers of health are constantly presenting this issue of excessive recruitment in the Caribbean and the Bahamas is no exception.

“But for us at the Ministry of Health and Wellness, it is our responsibility to do all that we need to ensure that these services are provided in the country and that requires going outside and recruiting from abroad.

“So, we look forward to the nurses coming from Ghana into the country to help us to deliver quality health care services, not only in Grand Bahama and New Providence but throughout the country.”

Last month, Public Hospital Authority Managing Director Aubynette Rolle said that officials were making various attempts to address the nursing shortage in the country.

She noted that in addition to Ghana, the government is expecting nurses from the Philippines and possibly India. (CMC)

Barbados – Teacher Joins Fulbright Exchange Program The Grantley Adams Memorial School’s English and Social Studies teacher Keisha Russell-Greaves has been chosen to participate in the Fulbright Teaching Excellence and Achievement (TEA) Program.

The highly selected, eight-week-long Fulbright Teaching Excellence and Achievement Program, funded by the US Department of State, sends foreign instructors to a host university in the US for professional development.

Russell-Greaves will participate in academic seminars on novel teaching approaches, student-centered learning, content-based

instruction, lesson planning, and training in instructional technology at the University of North Carolina, Greensboro.

The Fulbright TEA Program’s objectives are to support diversity in the learning environment and in the classroom, to train teachers in global best practices in education, and to provide them the opportunity to share their own professional expertise with educators and students in the United States.

NYC – Shirley Chisholm Recreation Center Groundbreaking

New York City Mayor Eric Adams, New York City Department of Design and Construction (DDC) Commissioner Thomas Foley, and New York City Department of Parks and Recreation (NYC Parks) Commissioner Sue Donoghue were today joined by New York City Councilmember Farah N. Louis, New York State Assemblymember Rodneyse Bichotte-Hermelyn, and community members to break ground on the new, $141 million Shirley Chisholm Recreation Center at the Nostrand Playground in East Flatbush, Brooklyn. DDC is managing the construction on behalf of NYC Parks.

The new center is named for Brooklyn-born politician, and the first African American woman to serve in Congress, Shirley Chisholm.

The daughter of immigrant parents from Guyana, Chisholm also made history as the first woman and African American to seek the nomination for president of the United States from one of the two major political parties. Her

contributions to her community and country are reflective of her desire to affect change.

“Shirley Chisholm inspired millions of young girls to pursue dreams they never thought possible. And when the Shirley Chisholm Recreational Center opens, her name will once again inspire another generation, while providing the residents of East Flatbush with a state-of-the-art recreational center that honors the rich history and heritage of this vibrant community,” said Mayor Adams. “I am especially pleased to see that the media lab will bear the name of a personal friend and mentor, Dr. Roy Hastick, who was a true champion of the Caribbean community in East Flatbush.

With this project, our administration is using all the tools at our disposal to deliver amenities for New Yorkers more quickly and efficiently than ever before.” “Shirley Chisholm dared to be a catalyst of change, and this state-of-theart recreation center will be the inspirational starting blocks for the next generation of New

Yorkers to make their mark in the history of our city and beyond,” said Deputy Mayor for Operations Meera Joshi. “Thanks to DDC’s design-build program, we will complete this project two years faster than under design-bidbuild contracting, and with higher M/WBE utilization rates. Facilities like these underscores the urgency of additional tools, as outlined by the Capital Process Reform Task Force, that will help us to deliver much-needed capital projects throughout the city faster, cheaper, and with greater participation.”

“This project is not only a monument to the famed civil rights leader Shirley Chisholm, it also represents a milestone in city construction as we continue to implement design-build in our capital program,” said DDC Commissioner Foley. “The design-build method involves contracting teams’ designers and builders together as one unit, leading to fewer delays and conflicts, better problem solving, and faster and more efficient projects. Using design-build,

we plan to complete the new Shirley Chisholm Recreation Center by the end of 2025 – two full years faster than would be expected with lowest bidder contracting.”

“New Yorkers remember Shirley Chisholm as a trailblazer, organizer, and icon. Soon, generations of New Yorkers will also associate her name with this vibrant community hub in the heart of Central Brooklyn – a demonstration of the city’s investing in communities that have historically been neglected,” said NYC Parks Commissioner Donoghue. “True to Shirley Chisholm’s legacy, this administration believes that all New Yorkers – regardless of race, gender, or ZIP code – deserve to be full participants in our city’s cultural, social, political, and economic life. With this new recreation center, the first new Parks recreation center to begin construction in the past eight years, Central Brooklyn residents will have access to vital recreation resources, a beautiful community space, and a state-of-the-art media lab.”

CARIBNEWS

WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 24, 2023

7

NYC – Shirley Chisholm Recreation Center Groundbreaking (Cont’d)

Upon its completion at the end of 2025, the state-of the art recreation center will offer a host of programming offerings and amenities to encourage learning, recreation, and community and civic engagement. The center’s features will include multipurpose rooms; a gymnasium; a walking track; an indoor swimming pool; fitness, strength, and cardio rooms; and a teaching kitchen. The center will also include a media lab named in honor of Dr. Roy A. Hastick, Sr. A Grenadian emigrant and community stalwart, Dr. Hastick founded the Caribbean American Chamber of Commerce and Industry and served on a number of economic development and community boards to advocate on behalf of the East Flatbush community.

The project is part of DDC’s design-build pilot program and

■

will be completed by the end of 2025, a full two years faster than would be expected under the preexisting lowest-bidder contracting system. Under design-build, design and construction firms cooperate under one overall contract for all design and construction services. This approach increases cooperation between the teams and can cut nine to 12 months off a project’s timeline. The use of design-build also means that construction can begin while the building’s final design is still being developed, something that would not be possible under lowest-bidder contracting.

Earlier this year, Mayor Adams’ Capital Process Reform Task Force – comprised of a group of leaders representing the construction industry, labor, and minority- and women-owned business enterprises – released a slate of 39 recommendations to improve the city’s capital process, from project initiation to closeout. One recommendation advocated for New York state to authorize progressive design-build, a one-step procurement process that would allow the city to quickly select a project team based on qualifications and collaborate throughout the essential early phases of design. This step would build on the city’s successful use of design-build, which was authorized by the state in 2019 and implemented in 2022.

“Today’s groundbreaking of the Shirley Chisholm Recreation Center is a milestone for our community, whose residents of all ages will soon immensely benefit from a first-of-its kind community hub right in our backyard,” said New York State Assemblymember Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn. “I’m proud to play a role in offering historic assets and activities for Flatbush, including a teaching commercial kitchen, a state-of-the-art pool, indoor track, a green roof, the Dr. Roy Hastick Media Lab and Business Center, and much more. The $141 million recreation center is carrying Shirley Chisholm’s legacy forward by champi-

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oning equity with vast opportunities for minority- and women-owned businesses.”

“At the groundbreaking ceremony for the new Shirley Chisholm Community Center, it’s a moment of great pride and a valuable resource for our community,” said New York State Assemblymember Monique Chandler-Waterman. “This facility has been a longstanding need to provide our youth with a secure alternative to the streets. I’m especially honored to have been involved in the initial planning stages before my election, along with families impacted by gun violence, the youth, and my neighbors.

Since taking office we created the Assembly District 58 Public Safety Taskforce that continues to advocate for more resources to invest in public safety and public health. I want to thank Public Advocate Jumaane Williams for laying this foundation, the mayor, DDC, NYC Parks, and my colleagues for bringing this to the finish line and for their commitment to investing in our youth and communities, so that they have the resources they need to live healthy and productive lives. This is a perfect example of ‘It is not an I thing, It is a WE thing!’”

“A portrait of Shirley Chisholm hangs proudly in Brooklyn Borough Hall, reminding us every day that Black and brown voices belong here, in our city, our state, and our nation,” said Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso. “I’m thrilled that we will continue to honor Chisholm’s contributions to Black excellence and the strength of our democracy with the new Shirley Chisholm Recreation Center in East Flatbush. Through community, health, and joy, we find the hope that keeps us fighting for a better future. Thank you to Mayor Adams, the Department of Design and Construction, and NYC Parks for breaking ground today on this tribute to a leader who continues to inspire new generations every day.”

Continued at www.nycaribnews.com

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8

CARIBEDITORIAL

WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 24, 2023

Hope for Haiti: Foreign intervention, Risks and Benefits

After several months of descending into a political and humanitarian crisis. That has engulfed the country of Haiti. Since the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse there is now a serious effort to bring about international intervention to prevent further humanitarian disaster.

In a country that has had its own share of disasters over the years. Secretary General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, as a response to Caribbean leaders has, had the UN authorize the use of Kenyan forces, augmented by the Caribbean contribution of manpower to finally be organized, to be deployed in Haiti and to bring about some relief to the gripping paralysis, that gangs and violence. has done to destroy the infrastructure of the country and the operation of the country’s business. Haiti has had its share of previous foreign intervention. A country, a French, Caribbean colony that became the world’s first black republic at the start of the 19th century and has been an inspiration for revolt against foreign intervention and victory for their independence. Haiti has been an inspiration to black countries.

She wrote the world for its braveness and its success in getting rid of foreign oppression.

But Haiti was also invaded and occupied

by the US from 1915 to 1935, when Marines and military occupation were sent in to run the country. Further U.S. military intervention occurred in 1994 and 2004 and to defend democracy and restore order as it is described by the U.S. So intervention in Haiti is a very sensitive subject and many Haitians are very wary of intervention, especially those involved in the U.S. But even past peacekeeping deployment in Haiti by Brazilian led forces in 2004 -2017. Has had its controversy.

In the morning were blamed for bringing cholera after the devastating 2010 earthquake.

But we believe this current step. This current organization of troops is a step in the right direction. And the move to put international boots on the ground is currently the only viable alternative to restoring some sort of semblance of stability in Haiti and to prevent more bloodshed and to remove the grip of gangs and the current government. Based on the U.N. security resolution that approved the mission, the force will carry out security operation and will have the authority to make arrests in coordination with the Haitian police. It will also aim to create the condition to hold elections, meaning that it has not had an election since 2016.

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This will require a robust use of force that will be needed to disarm the gangs and restore order. These gangs have taken control of large parts of the country waging terror on the residents and killing hundreds. The foreign minister of Kenya, Alfred Nganga Mutua has said that his countries deployment of forces would also like to help Haiti rebuild its vital infrastructure and establish a stable government. The Bahamas, Jamaica, Antigua, Barbuda and Belize have all said they will take part in the mission, it is understood that Spain, Senegal and Chile are also likely to deploy security personnel. CARICOM as a group strongly back this international approach to deal with the complex of political and humanitarian crises that as and go the country, Haiti and CARICOM has named an eminent persons group, Former Prime Minister Bruce Golding of Jamaica, Perry Christie of the Bahamas and Kenny Anthony of Saint Lucia, as well as, CARICOM Secretary General Carla Barnett. Although I’ve been wrestling with the policy of what needs to be done in Haiti. And how fully endorse this movement of an international security force Deployment. This is no small task and an effort to reach each a solution that connects political, security, development and humanitarian dimension all has to be taken into account and all has to be KARLISA RODNEY VICE PRESIDENT PROMOTIONS/SPECIAL EVENTS CARIB NEWS welcomes letters from readers. Short typed letters stand the best chance of being published. Include your name address and phone number. Names will be withheld at your request.

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addressed. A group of democratic institutions, elected official have said in a letter to President Biden, as noted, that the turmoil in Haiti has deepened. A Biden administration has failed to replace the US personal envoy to the country and as in fact compounded the situation in Haiti by the ongoing deportation more than 9 million more to the country, it has flown more than 26,000 Haitians back to Haiti in most cases, allowing them to apply for asylum.

This is such an inhumane behavior that the U.S., the richest country in the world would punish one of the poorest countries.

A constant flow of returning. Immigrants amidst an economic, humanitarian and security crisis. With all the risk it carries, the approach to an international sensitive force would provide the only current hope, even in the short term, to restore some stability to Haiti. And we believe and so does CARICOM and most of the Caribbean leaders, that this is a step that must be taken, and everyone should be working towards making this mission a success.

The people of Haiti deserve it, and efforts should be made to achieve it.

KARL B. RODNEY PUBLISHER/EDITOR IN CHIEF TONY BEST SENIOR EDITOR KARLISA RODNEY NEWS EDITOR MELL P MANAGING EDITOR

WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 24, 2023

CARIBOPINION

9

Bold Measures to Expand Homeownership Opportunities

by Stacy Brown, NNPA Correspondent In a concerted effort to bolster homeownership for millions of Americans, the Biden-Harris Administration has unveiled a multi-pronged strategy to increase accessibility, affordability, and support for existing and aspiring homeowners.

For many Americans, owning a home is a cornerstone of their lives and a primary source of wealth. In a news release, the administration said it is determined to break down barriers and ensure the wealth-building potential of homeownership is accessible to all.

The Treasury Department released data showcasing the “significant federal investment” in homeownership under President Biden’s “Investing in America” agenda, providing over $12 billion in support. Notably, the White House said the American Rescue Plan’s Homeowner Assistance Fund has aided nearly 400,000 homeowners at risk of foreclosure.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) reported that the Federal Housing Administration’s firsttime homebuyer rate is at its highest since 2000, with 1.8 million homeowners ben-

efiting from FHA-backed mortgages, 83.6 percent of whom are first-time buyers. Additionally, the Department of Agriculture announced that it has made strides, offering over 7,100 direct housing loans in the past fiscal year, benefiting borrowers with an average income of $42,918. The White House said 55 percent of those borrowers were from female-headed households, and 22 percent identified as Black or African American.

Meanwhile, the Department of Veterans Affairs said it has assisted 145,480 Veterans in retaining homeownership and avoiding foreclosure in 2023.

Biden has proposed a substantial $16 billion for the Neighborhood Homes Tax Credit, which could lead to the construction or rehabilitation of over 400,000 homes, paving the way for more families to enter the housing market and begin building their wealth. A $10 billion down payment assistance program is on the table, specifically tailored to help first-time homebuyers whose parents do not own a home.

The administration urged Congress to address the current housing market con-

straints swiftly.

The Biden-Harris Administration announced the following new measures: 1. Leveraging Accessory Dwelling Units: HUD, through FHA, has implemented a policy allowing prospective borrowers to include rental income from Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) in their qualification for FHA-insured mortgages. This move aims to expand access to affordable mortgage credit for a broader range of homebuyers.

2. Empowering Native American Communities: The USDA is allocating $9 million in loans to nine Native American Community Development Institutions, part of an initiative to improve access to homeownership on Tribal Lands.

3. Pilot Program for Community Land Trust Organizations: The USDA will launch a pilot program to assess alternative eligibility criteria for Community Land Trust Organizations under its Section 502 Direct Home Loan Program, potentially increasing access to affordable homeownership opportunities.

4. Streamlining Home Repairs Financing: HUD is actively working on updating the 203(k) Rehabilitation Mortgage Insurance

Program to facilitate the financing of home improvements, allowing homeowners to restore properties to viable use.

5. Strengthening Consumer Protections: The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is working on reforms to streamline rules for homeowners facing difficulties in mortgage payments, ensuring timely and effective assistance.

6. Support for Severely Impacted Veterans: In fiscal year 2024, the VA will introduce the VA Servicing Purchase program, offering a long-term solution for Veterans struggling with mortgage payments.

The Dirty Truth About Utility Companies’ Clean Energy Efforts

by Ben Jealous

Imagine telling your boss that you’ll complete less than half of the work that’s needed, getting almost nothing done over 12 months, then asking for a raise.

That’s essentially the story of the 77 utility companies still most heavily invested in fossil fuel-fired electric plants, according to a report last week by the Sierra Club and Bloomberg Philanthropies. The utilities plan to replace only 30 percent of that coal and gas with clean energy by 2030, and more than half of them have made no progress since last year.

For example, We Energies announced in 2020 that it would retire the mainly coal-fired Oak Creek power plant in Milwaukee. Two years later, it extended the timeline by 18 months. In August, on a call with investors, corporate officials wouldn’t commit to that schedule.

Nonetheless, the company is asking the state public service for a 3 percent rate increase, which would follow an 11 percent rate increase last year.

“We Energies is asking for an additional increase saying they need it

to move toward green energy and lower greenhouse gas emissions,” said Keviea Guiden of Citizen Action Wisconsin.

“They should be doing that more quickly, but they shouldn’t be doing that on the backs of their poorest customers.”

The homes that those customers live in typically are 100 or more years old; they aren’t well insulated or weatherized, Guiden noted. “We’re pulling more gas for heating and more electricity for cooling.”

At the same time, those same residents face exposure to gas and particulate pollution from Oak Creek every month that the transition is delayed, she said.

Wisconsin’s minimum wage still stands at $7.25 an hour. “If you’re a family making $18-20,000 a year, 10 percent of that income would go to those electric and gas bills,” said Guiden, who organized 24 residents to oppose the rate increase at a state hearing last week.

We Energies isn’t struggling. It reported increased revenue of more than $1 billion last year. Wisconsin allows the public utility to earn a profit of almost 10 percent.

The fact is there’s never been a more

opportune moment for We Energies and other utility companies to make the switch to clean energy. The cost of solar power, which We Energies said would replace more than half of the coal-fired plant’s generated electricity, has fallen nearly 100 percent in the last decade. In its plans, the company acknowledged it would save $50 million in lower fuel and maintenance costs alone at Oak Creek. Yet the company only has plans to build enough clean energy capacity to replace 8 percent of the energy it makes with dirty fuels and plans to add 66 megawatts of natural gas-fired power – which like coal is more expensive than solar power – by 2030.

More significantly, the historic clean energy and jobs package President Biden and Congress approved last year offers corporate tax credits that can lower the cost of solar, wind, and battery storage projects by more than 30 percent (50 percent if they are built with domestic materials and in the most impacted communities). The oil, gas, and coal industries have benefitted for decades from subsidies for everything from exploration to depletion of their re-

serves in the ground, giving them among the lowest effective corporate tax rates and ballooning their profit margins.

In addition, utilities can apply for $30 billion in grants and loans to increase their clean energy capacity.

So utilities can spend less than ever to generate electricity without dirty fuels that will lead to lower energy costs for Americans.

It’s past time for utilities to stop making excuses and to take seriously our national target of 100 percent clean energy by 2035. It’s time for the rest of us to be like Guiden and her neighbors and stop accepting those excuses.

10

CARIBAROUND

WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 24, 2023

Photos courtesy Hubert Williams

WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 24, 2023

CARIBAROUND

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Photos courtesy Hubert Williams

CARIBNEWS

12

WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 24, 2023

CMBC 28 - 2023 Unveils Conference Discussions The 2023 Caribbean Multinational Business Conference will resume its in-person conference from November 16 - 19, 2023, at Sandals Ochi Beach Resort Conference Center in Jamaica. The theme for this year is “Global Innovation, Driving Change, Collaboration and Growth” promises to address the dynamics of this changing world.

Since the launch of the annual Carib News Business Conference 27 years ago, the world has experienced life-altering changes. Significant, rapid, and impactful innovations have been seen in technology, politics, global demographics, world system integration, climate change and, of course, public health.

The 2023 conference distinguished guest speakers will include Global Private Sector Industry Thought Leaders and Innovators, Prime Ministers, Presidents, members of the US Congress, members of the UK Parliament, and Cultural Ambassadors all of whom are impacting meaningful collaboration and leading game changing efforts in the frontier markets Ambassador Andrew Young calls the “Golden Triangle” of people of color: Africa, the Caribbean, and the United States.

Some of the highlight discussions you can

expect for 2023 include:

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 16 Golden Triangle – Communities and Countries of Color - Caribbean, African, and African American Realizing the Promise & Potential Golden Triangle – Communities and Countries of Color - The Garveyism Alive FRIDAY NOVEMBER 17 Connecting Global Businesses in the Heart of the Caribbean - Premier Event of International Business Leaders Keynote Address - “The Value of the Golden Triangle – Collaboration - Partners Investment - Fostering Economic Development SATURDAY NOVEMBER 18 Africa, Caribbean, US - A Necessary Path to Development - A Strategic Alliance The PJ Patterson Center at UWI - For Advocacy to Advance the Economic and Cultural Development of Africa, The Caribbean and the Diaspora Leadership Forum - Urgent Need of Collaboration to Strengthen the Golden Triangle - Communities and

Countries of Color See www.cmbc2023.com for the full schedule.

The 2023 Speaker List includes: - Hakeem Jeffries, House Minority Leader - Carl Heastie, Speaker of the New York State Assembly - Yvette Clarke, Member of US Congress, Brooklyn, NY - Gregory Meeks, US Congressman - Letitia James, NY State Attorney General - Dr. Terrance Drew, Prime Minister, St. Kitts/Nevis - Hon. Andrew Holness, Prime Minister, Jamaica - The Most Honorable P.J. Patterson, who served longer than anyone as Jamaica’s Prime Minister - Olivia Grange, CD MP, Minister of Sports, Youth and Culture - Sir Hilary Beckles, Vice-Chancellor of the UWI, Chairman, CARICOM Reparations Commission - Hon. Edmund Bartlett, CD MP, Minister of Tourism, Jamaica - Lorna Johnson, CEO/Founder, CribMD - Carolyn Young, Philanthropist - Trisha Bailey, Entrepreneur - Dr. Sachin Narode, CEO Xeni

- Dr. Pamela Jolly, CEO, Torch Enterprises - Diane Abbott, Member of Parliament, United Kingdom - Hon. Kevin Parker, NYS Senator - Dr. Julius Garvey, Garvey Exoneration Project - Paul Williams, Attorney - Patricia Chin, Founder, VP Records - Dr. Lesly Kernisant, Obstretrics & Gynecology - Adam Stewart, CEO, Sandals Resorts - Amir Windom, Grammy Award-winning, Entertainment Executive - Tremaine Wright, Chairwoman, NYS Cannabis Control Board The CMBC conference is an opportunity to tap into the minds of thought leaders across the global diaspora from the Americas, Africa and the Caribbean as we plan a path forward post-COVID. Registration is available via cmbc2023.com When: NOVEMBER 16 - 19, 2023 Where: SANDALS OCHI BEACH RESORT CONFERENCE CENTER Jamaica.

The Caribbean’s only luxury 5 star inclusive resort.

CMBC -28 2023 Speakers: Kevin Parker & Yvette Clarke

State Senator Kevin S. Parker is committed to restoring the overall quality of life for the constituents of the 21st Senatorial District in Brooklyn. A lifelong Brooklyn resident, Senator Parker has been a Flatbush resident for more than 31 years, Senator Parker is intimately familiar with the needs of the 21st District, which consists of many diverse communities: Flatbush, East Flatbush, Kensington, Ditmas Park, Midwood, Flatlands, Canarsie, Georgetown, Old Mill Basin, Mill Basin, Bergen Beach and Marine Park.

A product of the New York City Public School system, Senator Parker’s professional background reflects a wide range of public service and an unwavering commitment to a better New York. As the Special Assistant to former New York State Comptroller H. Carl McCall, Senator Parker managed intergovernmental relations in New York City, and was the liaison between the Comptroller; city, state, and federal elected officials. Before taking office, Senator Parker was a New York City Urban Fellow and also served as Special Assistant to former Manhattan Borough President Ruth Messinger; Legislative Aide to former New

York City Councilmember Una Clarke, and Special Assistant to Assemblyman Nick Perry.

As Project Manager with the New York State Urban Development Corporation, Senator Parker financed minority and women owned businesses and promoted community business redevelopment.

He worked on a wide range of issues within the financial service industry at UBS PaineWebber in the Chairman’s office concerning Government Affairs. In 2005, he participated in intensive government course work with professionals of various fields from around the country at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government.

For the 2014/15 legislative term, his committee assignments include: Energy and Telecommunications; Finance; Rules; Banks; Insurance; Higher Education; Alcoholism and Drug Abuse; Cultural Affairs, Tourism, Parks and Recreation. He is currently the Ranking Member of the Senate Energy and Telecommunications Committee, Former Majority Whip and First Vice Chair of the Association of Black, Puerto Rican & Asian Legislators. Senator Parker is also a member of the New American Task Force. Senator Parker has been appointed Parliamentarian to the NY State Association of Black and Puerto Rican Legislators, Incorporated, and was appointed as the Democratic lead of the Joint Budget Committee on Environment, Agriculture and Housing.

Senator Parker’s commitment to his community is reflected in his leadership in civic organizations.

His commitment to education has taken him into the classroom as a professor of both African-American Studies and Political Science at several colleges, including: CUNYs: Baruch College, John Jay College, Medgar Evers College, City College; SUNY, Old Westbury; and Long Island University. Brooklyn College is where Senator Parker teaches a majority of his classes and is a faculty advisor to student organizations and activities.

Hailing from central Brooklyn, Congresswoman Yvette Diane Clarke feels honored to represent the community that raised her. She is the proud daughter of Jamaican immigrants and takes her passion for her Caribbean heritage to Congress, where she co-chairs the Congressional Caribbean Caucus and works to foster relationships between the United States and the Caribbean Community. Clarke is a Senior Member of both the House Energy and Commerce Committee and House Committee on Homeland Security. Clarke has been a member of the Congressional Black Caucus since coming to Congress in 2007 and today chairs its Immigration Task Force.

As the Representative of the Ninth Congressional District of New York, Congresswoman Clarke has dedicated herself to continuing the legacy of excellence established by the late Honorable Shirley Chisholm, the first Black woman and Caribbean American elected to Congress. In the 117th Congress, Congresswoman Clarke introduced land-

mark legislation, which passed in the House, the Dream and Promise Act (H.R. 6). This legislation would give 2.5 million DREAMers, temporary protected status, and deferred enforcement departure recipients a clear citizenship pathway.

Clarke is a leader in the tech and media policy space as co-chair of the Smart Cities Caucus and co-chair of the Multicultural Media Caucus. Congresswoman Clarke believes smart technology will make communities more sustainable, resilient, and livable and works hard to ensure communities of color are not left behind while these technological advancements are made. Clarke formed the Multicultural Media Caucus to address diversity and inclusion issues in the media, telecom, and tech industries. Clarke is one of the Co-Chairs of the Congressional Caucus on Black Women and Girls, which develops programs to support the aspirations of Black women of all ages. Congresswoman Clarke is also the co-chair of the Medicare for All Caucus, where she is fighting for the right to universal health care.

Prior to being elected to the United States House of Representatives, Congresswoman Clarke served on New York’s City Council, representing the 40th District. She succeeded her pioneering mother, former City Council Member Dr. Una S. T. Clarke, making them the first mother-daughter succession in the City Council’s history. She cosponsored City Council resolutions that opposed the war in Iraq, criticized the federal USA PATRIOT Act, and called for a national moratorium on the death penalty.

Congresswoman Clarke is a graduate of Oberlin College and was a recipient of the prestigious APPAM/Sloan Fellowship in Public Policy and Policy Analysis.

WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 24, 2023

CARIBNEWS

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Dance Grenada Returns for Fourth Season as Hub for Innovation and Diaspora Engagement

The Dance Grenada Festival returns for its fourth season on the beautiful island of Grenada. Taking place under the theme “The Time is Now: Unification under the Grenadian Sun”, this year’s festival focuses on the important role dance plays in the preservation of culture and history, the promotion of cooperative economics and as a key contributor to the important creative industries sector, known as the Orange Economy.

From October 20-23, the four-day festival will feature nine dance workshops that will take participants on a journey across the African Diaspora. Among the classes will be Caribbean Contemporary, Afro Cuban, Soca, Traditional Grenadian Folk Dance, and Hip Hop taught by internationally acclaimed dance artists from Grenada, Trinidad, New Orleans and New York.

The Dance Grenada Festival is a central hub for dance innovation, scholarship and entrepreneurship. It celebrates its fourth season at a pivotal time for the cultural and creative industries sector with the recent creation of the Grenada Office Of Creative Affairs.

“At a time when we are pushing the creative arts and the orange economy in Grenada and providing tools and resources for what can be viable careers, we have to create the spaces for unity and collaboration as well as economic empowerment,” says Founder and Artistic Director, Shola K. Roberts. “We cannot do this by ourselves and there is strength in unification, there is strength in coming together to continue to spread this message of the cultural, educational, economic value of dance and the creative

arts. Dance Grenada is proud to be a source of the continued support needed to grow this important sector on the island and beyond,” says Roberts, a Caribbean Dance expert and professor of dance at Arizona State University.

As the premiere dance festival taking place in a cultural epicenter like Grenada, Dance Grenada continues to serve as a unique platform for engaging international cultural exchange and empowerment. It expands exposure to African diasporic dance styles and techniques among Grenada’s artistic community, illuminates the island’s traditional dance styles and all that Grenada, known as The Spice of Caribbean, has to offer.

The Dance Grenada festival also provides consistent support and investment in the dance and wider creative sector through its cultural and educational programming, student scholarships, and advocacy.

In addition to an array of dance classes and performances, other festival highlights include a series of panel discussions featuring local and international talent, cooking demonstrations with beloved Grenadian chefs Belinda Bishop and Joachim Joseph and an international vendor’s marketplace. Dance Grenada will bring university students and faculty to the island and honor some of the island’s renowned cultural practitioners for a second year in a row.

“This festival is a hub for legacy, scholarship, innovation and entrepreneurship as we try to connect our brothers and sisters across the diaspora in the name of dance,” says Roberts.

For more information on Dance Grenada and how you can purchase tickets to this dance festival, please visit www.dancegrenada.com.

14

CARIBBRIEFS

WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 24, 2023

T&T- Samantha Rampersad Guyana - Jagdeo Calls for Works to Save Youth Corruption Probe Recently appointed Caricom Youth Ambassador, 25-year-old Samantha Rampersad is from Central Trinidad. Her ability to forge and maintain partnerships through networking has allowed her the opportunity to work with large organisations such as the European Union and the United Nations.

She is a youth advisor to the United Nations Population Fund Activities (UNFPA), where she advocates for the topics of youth and national development, gender-based violence, sexual and reproductive health, human rights, and peacebuilding.

Ms Rampersad sees her role as being a true representative to young people, both male and female, to ensure their rights and

needs are addressed.

Rampersad wants young people to keep in mind as they navigate the challenges of life.

“I know this might sound very cliche, but helping people and trying to prepare a better world for the generations that come after me gives me a sense of belonging, happiness, and fulfilment.”

She said the world is not a safe place and the crime situation in T&T was already bad. She believes if T&T does not progress in preserving its culture, society and youth, who are the future leaders, it may end up in a similar situation to the conflict between Palestine and Israel, and that is not the kind of world she wants her nephew or her future children to live in.

GEORGETOWN (CMC): Vice President Dr Bharrat Jagdeo says that any attempt between public officials and contractors to engage in corrupt practices should be reported to the highest offices in government.

Speaking on Thursday as over 7, 000 government projects have been awarded, Jagdeo said that with this high volume of work and associated large spending across the economy, there could be corruption.

He, however, said the Irfaan Ali-led administration is prepared to expose and fight it.

“Earlier this week we found an engineer trying to shake down a contractor.”

Jagdeo said while these instances are hard to track, the government is open to inves-

tigating all reports of corruption.

“With 7,000 contracts under implementation now, we can’t know if a clerk of work on a project in Black Bush Polder is asking a contractor for money.

“Contractors need to understand if they comply with this they are not only breaching the contract but doing something illegal.

“They should contact us. Contact the President’s Office or my office or Public Works, it will be treated as a high priority.”

Jagdeo said there are numerous reports of shakedowns, or middlemen promising they can get house lots, but said many times the reports are made long after and the culprits are hard to apprehend.

Jamaican Scotch Boyz Sauce Among People Magazine’s 50 Top Food

The Scotch Boyz Jamaican jerk spice came in as number 29 on People Magazine’s list of the top 50 foods in the US in 2023.

Scotch Boyz’s Ashley Fraser, the company’s business manager, appreciated the rating by the renowned magazine and saw it as a fantastic chance to promote a genuine Jamaican brand.

Fraser told the media, “First and Last PR really helped us. They were the ones who told us about the list and that People’s

Magazine was looking for different types of food businesses and so we applied and sent over samples of our jerk seasoning.”

The People’s Magazine described the sauce as a “fiery spice” combination, acquired from small local farms on the Caribbean Island known for its tasty food and beautiful scenery. They noted that it derives its heat from ground Scotch bonnet peppers. Drew Gray, co-founder and COO of Scotch Boyz claimed that his granddad,

who originated from the remarkable parish of Portland and migrated and settled in Westmoreland, gave the family the prized recipe as well as his expertise in spices and sauces.

His last adjustments to his grandpa’s recipe set the ground for developing the Scotch Boyz spicy sauce.

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Dominica – PM Skerrit To Co-Chair Canada-Caricom Summit

The inaugural Canada-CARICOM Summit will be co-chaired by the Hon. Roosevelt Skerrit, Prime Minister of Dominica, and Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada, in Ottawa, Canada, from October 17–19, 2023.

The summit, which will focus on strengthening current collaboration between Canada and CARICOM member states, will be conducted under the theme “Strategic Partners for a Resilient Future.”

In order to address the ongoing political and humanitarian crisis in Haiti, the current CARICOM Chairman will lead discussions with his fellow head of state counterparts on creating inclusive and sustainable economies, boosting trade and investment, combating climate change, and receiving international support. To learn more about business potential in the area, leaders will also interact with investors and top Canadian businessmen.

The Hon. Dr. Irving McIntyre, Minister of Finance, Economic Development, Climate Resilience, and Social Security will function as Prime Minister while he is out of the country.

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WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 24, 2023

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CARIBHEALTH

WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 24, 2023

Bahamas – Nurses from Ghana to Relieve Shortage in the Country Eighteen specialty nurses from Ghana are scheduled to arrive in The Bahamas by the end of October to help relieve a shortage of nurses.

According to Health Minister Dr Michael Darville said 18 specialty Ghanaian nurses will arrive in the Bahamas to help# “I would like to see them in the country before the end of the month,” said Health Minister Dr Michael Darville who was speaking on the sidelines of the Ministry of Health’s Leadership Forum’s opening ceremony on Friday.

“I believe we will be able to accomplish that so that we can fill a lot of gaps of specialty nurses that exist at the Princess Margaret Hospital and some at the Rand Memorial Hospital.

“And to be able to improve the delivery of quality services that we want to provide at our hospitals and take a lot of burdens from a lot of our specialty nurses who are working a lot of

overtime and we don’t want them to burn out.

So we look forward to these nurses to come to the country.”

There has been continuing nurses shortages in the country with many frontline workers continuously complaining of exhaustion – both physically and mentally.

According to Darville the Ghanaian nurses, will help in the fight to provide quality service in the country.

“I want the Bahamian people to know that while we are recruiting, developed countries are recruiting in our country and it’s a burden that we currently face on a daily basis.

“We’re not alone in the Caribbean, other Caribbean colleagues and ministers of health are constantly presenting this issue of excessive recruitment in the Caribbean and the Bahamas

is no exception.

“But for us at the Ministry of Health and Wellness, it is our responsibility to do all that we need to ensure that these services are provided in the country and that requires going outside and recruiting from abroad.

“So, we look forward to the nurses coming from Ghana into the country to help us to deliver quality health care services, not only in Grand Bahama and New Providence but throughout the country.”

Last month, Public Hospital Authority Managing Director Aubynette Rolle said that officials were making various attempts to address the nursing shortage in the country.

She noted that in addition to Ghana, the government is expecting nurses from the Philippines and possibly India. CMC

WHO Pleads for Immediate Reversal of Gaza Evacuation Order to Protect Health and Reduce Suffering

WHO joins the wider United Nations in appealing to Israel to immediately rescind orders for the evacuation of over 1 million people living north of Wadi Gaza. A mass evacuation would be disastrous—for patients, health workers and other civilians left behind or caught in the mass movement.

With ongoing airstrikes and closed borders, civilians have no safe place to go. Almost half of the population of Gaza is under 18 years of age. With dwindling supplies of safe food, clean water, health services, and without adequate shelter, children and adults, including the elderly, will all be at heightened risk of disease.

The Palestinian Ministry of Health has informed WHO that it is impossible to evacuate vulnerable hospital patients without endangering their lives. Vulnerable patients include those who are critically injured or dependent on life support. Moving them amid hostilities puts their lives at immediate risk.

The two Ministry of Health hospitals in the North of Gaza that continue to be operational, have greatly exceeded their combined 760-bed capacity with severe overcrowding.

Of the thousands of patients with injuries and other conditions receiving care in hospitals, there are hundreds that are severely wounded and over 100 who require critical care. These are the sickest of the sick. Many thousands more, also with wounds or other health needs, cannot access any kind of care.

The compressed timeframe, complex transport logistics, damaged roads, and, above all, lack of supportive care during transport all add to the difficulty of moving them.

Furthermore, the four Ministry of Health hospitals in the south of Gaza are already at or beyond capacity, and lack the critical care capacity and supplies needed to treat additional patients.

The lack of medical supplies is already endangering patients and hampering health workers. Supplies which WHO had pre-positioned in Gaza have mostly been consumed.

On 9 October, WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus met with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, who agreed to a WHO request to facilitate the delivery of health and other humanitarian supplies from WHO to Gaza via the Rafah crossing.

WHO has prepared medical supplies in its logistics hub in Dubai and is ready to deliver them to Areesh, Egypt—just 20 minutes from Rafah—as soon as landing permit is received. The supplies would be enough to care for more than 300,000 patients with a range of wounds and diseases.

WHO asks for the immediate establishment of a humanitarian corridor for their onward, safe delivery to health care facilities in Gaza, including via Rafah.

WHO reiterates its plea for humanitarian access for life-saving supplies and the delivery of fuel, water, and food; for protection under international humanitarian law for civilians, health workers and health infrastructure; and ultimately, for an end to hostilities and violence.

WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 24, 2023

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Three Jamaicans on List of Greatest Guitarists by Rolling Stone The iconic Stephen “Cat” Coore (#91), Ernie Ranglin (#179), and Earl “Chinna” Smith (#181) are the three Jamaican guitarists who were included in Rolling Stone’s list of the 250 best guitarists ever.

In its most current online iteration, Rolling Stone praised Coore, a founding member of the reggae group Third World, for his expertise, posting: “He practically redefined the heights that reggae guitar could soar to, with searing solos that can stand alongside those of the most acclaimed rock guitar gods.”

The publication went one step further in its homage to Coore by urging readers to listen to Coore’s string arrangements on Third World’s 1982 hit song “Try Jah Love” as an illustration of why his lead guitar style is sometimes compared to Carlos Santana’s.

In the article written by Rolling Stone, they acknowledge the contribution that Ranglin made to the genre of reggae, “It’s a simple equation: No Ernest Ranglin, no reggae.

Ranglin was a chief architect of Jamaican ska in the early 1960s, inventing the rhythm-guitar pattern of playing on the upbeat, paving the way for rocksteady and then reggae. He played on the first international ska hit, Millie Small’s 1964 smash “My Boy Lollipop”, and came up with the classic riff on Toots and the Maytals’ seminal “54-46 Was My Number”.

The influential works of Bob Marley, Dennis Brown, Bunny Wailer, Sugar Minott, Jacob Miller, Black Uhuru, Mighty Diamonds, Augustus Pablo, Gregory Isaacs, and

Freddie McGregor all feature Earl “Chinna” Smith as a guitarist.

According to Rolling Stone, he may be the guitarist with the most recordings from the classic reggae era.

Smith impacted a generation of Jamaican players while a member of Bunny Lee’s Aggrovators and subsequently the Soul Syndicate. He was renowned for creating the guitar intros to songs like Bob Marley’s “Rat Race” and Dennis Brown’s “Cassandra,” in addition to his crisp rhythm and riff playing.

Sean Paul Launches Dutty Rock Merch Line, Now Available for Purchase

The “Dutty” branded shirts offered in the line are a symbol of the immense success and longevity of Sean Paul’s career, paying homage to his chart-topping album. Each piece boasts the iconic “Dutty” logo, an emblem that stands for rebellious unbridled creativity, and evokes a sense of empowerment in those who wear it.

Global music icon, Sean Paul, unveils his highly anticipated Dutty Merch Line, showcasing an introductory line of trendy apparel for both males and females. Stemming from his multi-platinum sophomore album, and his esteemed production company, Dutty Rock Productions, Sean Paul’s merch line represents his ongoing creativity and influence in the industry.

The Dutty Merch Line harnesses the spirit of rebellion ingrained in each one of us, encompassing a unique, vibrant energy that transcends boundaries, the initial offering includes tshirts, caps and hoodies but will soon add “dutty socks” along with other items. Seamlessly blending fashion and music, this exclusive collection serves as an authentic representation of Sean Paul’s indomitable talent and his dedication to craftsmanship.

Sean Paul’s dedication to creating a distinct brand experience will be evident throughout his entire merchandise line. Recognizing the diverse tastes and styles of his global fanbase, the Dutty Rock Merch Line offers a variety of options with bold colors.

To celebrate the launch of the Dutty Merch Line, Sean Paul extends his gratitude to his loyal fanbase for their unwavering support and invites them to visit merch.allseanpaul. com. The website has been curated to offer a seamless shopping experience, allowing fans from across the globe to effortlessly access and own a piece of the Dutty Rock legacy.

As an artist who continually pushes boundaries, Sean Paul encourages his followers to embrace their individuality and ignite their rebellious spirit. The Dutty Merch Line is a reflection of this very ethos, designed to inspire fans to showcase their authentic selves with confidence and style.

Jimi Hendrix topped the Rolling Stone list, with Jimmy Page coming in third and Chuck Berry coming in second.

Edilio Paredes (244) of the Dominican Republic and Lynn Taitt of Trinidad also make the list (204).

Taitt gained notoriety in Jamaica by playing on early rocksteady records like Hopeton Lewis’ “Take It Easy” and Derrick Morgan’s “Tougher Than Tough,” essentially inventing the guitar sound of that genre.

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CARIBTRAVEL

WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 24, 2023

Guyana’s President Irfaan Ali Outlines Investment and Growth Strategies in Caribbean Business Publication Guyana’s President Irfaan Ali and the country’s manufacturing and tourism sectors are featured in the 2023 edition of Caribbean Business & Travel (CBT).

The business publication, produced by Florida-based Carigold Signature, a consulting, communications and professional development group, is distributed to business organisations and leaders, business conferences, travel agents and Diaspora leaders in New York, Florida and Toronto, “We are happy to throw the spotlight on Guyana, one of the fastest growing economies in the world. We invited President Ali to outline his administration’s track record, policies and strategies to sustain economic growth and attract investment,” said the publication’s Publisher and Editor Sandra Ann Baptiste, who was the first head of the Guyana Office for Investment (GO-Invest), President Ali reports on the level of recent Foreign Direct Investment inflows into Guyana, including from the Caribbean, Europe, Latin America and the Middle East, and new investment projects being pursued.

The Guyanese leader highlights initiatives to improve the business climate and infrastructure projects in the pipeline as well as plans to bolster the tourism and hospitality sector.

President Ali provides an update on the CARICOM programme to reduce the region’s food

import bill by 25 percent by 2025. He also identifies projects on his priority list to complete before the next general election in 2025.

The President of the Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association (GMSA) Ramsay Ali identifies a wide range of investment opportunities in the manufacturing sector and encourages Caribbean and global entrepreneurs to take advantage of the emerging and rapidly growing business opportunities and investment incentives available.

The publication profiles the work of the Caribbean Association of Investment Promotion Agencies (CAIPA) and highlights some of its initiatives to spur more Foreign Direct Investment to the region, including tapping new sources of capital, while addressing issues such as logistics and supply chain challenges.

Caribbean Business & Travel also features investment opportunities in Barbados, Saint Lucia, St. Kitts and Nevis, Grenada and the USVI. The Caribbean Investment Forum to be held later this month in The Bahamas and the annual Caribbean Hotel Investment Conference and Operations Summit (CHICOS), scheduled for November in the USVI, are also highlighted.

Caribbean Business & Travel is distributed at CHICOS. ‘”We are committed to educating and informing the business community in North America

Barbados - Not Offering Citizenship

by Investment

The Minister stated that Barbados has never supported an investment-based citizenship program and that the government was not considering it.

He said that the new law will see the implementation of a points-based system, which might eventually see individuals qualifying under a new and enlarged basis

to apply for citizenship, as opposed to the current limited requirements.

The Barbados government maintains that even in a points-based system, investment will never be the sole criterion for awarding citizenship in Barbados.

about the myriad business ventures available for investment throughout the Caribbean, projects identified by investment agencies and promoting business events with a focus on the region,” said Baptiste, a business and communications consultant who has held the Canadian Certified International Trade Professional (CITP) designation for over ten years and is a

specialist in Caribbean affairs.

The President of the Tourism and Hospitality Association of Guyana (THAG) Dee George, why her association is upbeat about the future of Guyana’s tourism industry and identifies her who is also featured in the publication, outlines priorities as the head of the national association while the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA) provides an overview of recent initiatives to grow the sector and new projects being pursued.

“CBT has also for many years thrown the spotlight on the diverse and spectacular Caribbean tourism destinations and products as we feel our business audience with high disposable income can also contribute to tourism growth in the region,” Baptiste said.

The Barbados Minister of Tourism and International Transport Ian Gooding-Edghill highlights strategies to significantly increase tourism arrivals while the President of the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA), Nicola Madden-Greig lays out the Association’s plans and initiatives to increase hotel occupancy and revenue.

Caribbean Business & Travel also introduces the new Secretary General of the Caribbean Tourism Organizaiton (CTO) Dona RegisProsper.

WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 24, 2023

CARIBSPORTS

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Queens, NY – First Soccer Stadium Held Up by BP Over Vendors

The Adams administration must bring back Corona Plaza’s well-liked street vendor market before the Queens borough president would provide crucial permission for a $780 million soccer stadium at Willets Point.

Democratic Party leader Donovan Richards made the ultimatum public last week during remarks at the organization Street Vendor Project’s fundraiser at MoMA PS1 and then reiterated it to the media. The project must go through a thorough land-use review, which includes street maps.

To raucous cheers, Richards continued, “What I said to the administration is: I will not sign off on any fútbol stadium until my vendors are returned to Corona Plaza,” he added, “And you can tweet that.”

He continued, “Those [street] maps will collect dust for the rest of the year because we will not turn our backs on the working people of our borough.”

Charles Lutvak, a spokesman for City Hall, stated in a statement that he anticipates the land-use review to start as scheduled “in the coming weeks” without any delays.

The ultimatum adds a new twist to a protracted debate over Corona Plaza, where the city earlier this year shut down a popular street vendor market in response to concerns about sani-

tation, crime, and overpopulation, including from owners of brick-and-mortar establishments. Many of the street sellers are immigrants operating their businesses illegally.

The New York City Football Club will call the 25,000-seat stadium its home when it makes its debut there in 2027.

After sanitation police removed hundreds of vendors from Corona Plaza in July in response to continuous complaints of obstructed walkways, unclean conditions, and “illegal vending” too near to businesses, city authorities have stated that they are still working out long-term plans for a market there.

Richards has been a vociferous supporter of the Willets Point project, especially the mixed-use complex that is also envisioned for the location.

Francisco Moya, a member of the city council who has backed both the stadium proposal and business owners who are in conflict with the street sellers, was unable to comment on Richards’ ultimatum right away. Additionally, the New York City Football Club opted not to comment.

Additionally, on the city-owned site, Related Companies and Sterling Equities intend to build a hotel, a school, ground-floor retail stores, and 2,500 affordable housing units.

To “improve quality of life” at the plaza,

according to Lutvak, the administration has been trying to set up an “outdoor market concession on the plaza to better serve the space’s diverse uses and improve the experience for everyone living in, working in, or visiting the area.”

It was anticipated that the Department of Transportation, which built Corona Plaza, would issue a call for proposals for a third-party business or organization to run the plaza’s long-term market. Last month, agency spokesman Vincent Barone told the media that authorities were also looking into more immediate ways to get suppliers back.

Richards stated that he is currently haggling with the Adams administration about how many merchants would be permitted to return to the plaza, which originally had over 80 kiosks. Richards said that 28 merchants are his “magic number,” but he added that he is still resisting plans to ban sellers from the plaza indefinitely.

“I’m going to use every tool in my toolbox to ensure that they’re not left out of the conversation,” Richards noted.

He noted, “Hell, no. I’m not gonna put this stadium in drive while the vendors are in neutral.”

During their summer sweep, the Department of Sanitation police advised vendors without

one of the city’s few and highly prized permits and licenses to depart. Only a few long-standing vendors are still there, and they are joined by a few newcomers who moved in after the purge.

Richards cited the Adams administration’s use of what he called “hypocritical” doublespeak, urging the Biden administration to issue more work permits to recently arrived immigrants while simultaneously refusing to award additional licenses to established merchants in the city.

For decades, there have been only a certain number of licenses and licenses required to lawfully sell goods in the city. The expansion of the supply has been plagued by protracted delays.

Many of the merchants, many of whom said they had been collaborating with the city to address neighborhood problems, said they were surprised by the Corona Plaza sweep.

Many sellers claimed that since being expelled from the plaza, it has been difficult for them to find other jobs and cover daily expenditures.

The Street Vendor Project’s deputy director, Carina Kaufman-Gutierrez, stated that “people have now been out of work for over 75 days.”

Two rent cycles, then.

Saint Martin Edges Anguilla While BVI Win Over Turks & Caicos MIAMI, Florida – Group A and Group C of League C of the 2023-24 Concacaf Nations League wrapped up their respective windows, with Saint Martin earning a commanding victory and British Virgin Islands rescuing a late draw at Turks and Caicos Islands.

Saint Martin vs. Anguilla Stanley Segarel scored four goals, while Axel Raga had a hat-trick as Saint Martin rolled to an 8-0 victory against Anguilla at the SKNFA Technical Center in Basseterre, Saint Kitts and Nevis.

Saint Martin now lead Group A with nine points through three matches, while Anguilla are still without a point through three games.

Saint Martin broke the deadlock in the 17’ through Segarel, who had an easy tap-in off a

cross. Saint Martin kept their foot on the gas and Segarel scored his second of the afternoon from the penalty spot for a 2-0 lead in the 32’ after an Anguilla handball in the area.

Segarel’s banner day continued with his third goal of the afternoon in the 39’ as he stroked home a right-footed shot to extend the lead to 3-0.

Segarel showed no slowing down and he tallied his fourth of the day in the 47’ by finishing past Anguilla GK Danniell Bailey for a 4-0 lead.

A minute later in the 48’ the scoreboard read 5-0, as Emmanuel Richardson got in on the act with a goal.

Anguilla’s long day grew even more frustrating in the 56’ when DF Luke Paris was sent off, leaving the visitors with 10 men for more than the final half-hour.

A giveaway deep in the Anguilla half led to an-

other goal for Saint Martin, this time with Raga doing the finishing in the 65’ for a 6-0 lead.

Raga was back at it in the 70’, heading in his second goal of the day for a 7-0 Saint Martin advantage.

Raga then completed his hat trick and rounded out the 8-0 scoreline in the 89’ with a header into net off a corner kick.

Turks and Caicos Islands vs. British Virgin Islands Justin Smith scored in the fifth minute of second half stoppage time to rescue a 2-2 draw for British Virgin Islands at Turks and Caicos Islands at the TCIFA National Stadium in Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands.

BVI now sit atop the group with five points through three matches, while Turks and Caicos Islands have one point after three games.

BVI were in dreamland not even three minutes into the match, as Miguel Marshall knifed through the Turks and Caicos Islands defense and played a ball to Joshua Bertie, who onetimed a left-footed shot into goal for a 1-0 BVI lead.

Turks and Caicos Islands went to work on finding an equalizer and an inch-perfect pass from Billy Forbes up to Junior Paul in the BVI area led to BVI GK Daniel Gilford fouling Paul, resulting in a penalty. Forbes stepped and confidently drilled home the spot kick to even the score at 1-1 in the 28.

Turks and Caicos GK Sebastian Turbyfield kept things level with two big saves on one-on-one chances for BVI. The hosts then grabbed a 2-1 lead when Forbes curled in a free kick into the top right corner in the 75’.

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WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 24, 2023