November 8, 2023

VOL. XLII NO. 2141 WEEK OF NOVEMBER 8 - 14, 2023 CMBC READY FOR JAMAICA The 28th Annual Business Conference in Jamaica is scheduled for November 16-19. See scroll of speakers

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Pages 10,11

NEW YORK IMMIGRANT WORKERS BILL OF RIGHTS Created by the City to combat wage and other labor abuse

Page 3 TRINIDAD & TOBAGO PRESIDENT CALLS OUT VOLUNTEER SOLDIERS TO FIGHT Crime in the country as it continues to surge

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GUYANA

TO EXPORT FRESH FRUITS AND VEGGIES TO BARBADOS As country looks to expand agriculture Page 6

JAMAICA

TRAIN JAMAICANS FOR EXPORT MARKET Plan being put forward by Labor Minister

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FOREIGN AFFAIRS ROW OVER THE COUNTRY’S POSITION ON THE UN VOTE ON ISRAELI-GAZA WAR

UNIVERSITY OF THE WEST INDIES

HAITI

CHTA TO CONTINUE SUPPORT OF TOURISM In Haiti despite the current unrest that continues in the country

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CaribNews OPED Pro-Palestinian Demonstrations Sweep Across Global Cities -P9

OPED Making Connections That Can Help Save the Planet - P 9

HEALTH WHO Urges Investing in “One Health” Actions For Better Health of the People and the Planet - P 16

SPORTS Atlanta – Jamaican Students to Benefit from NBA Game Proceeds - P 19

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WEEK ENDING NOVEMBER 14, 2023

AFRICA

WORLD BRIEFS

Sudan crisis has ‘effectively put on hold’ political dispute over Abyei

Amazon, DoorDash, Walmart, trapping workers in poverty: UN rights expert

“With the conflict in Sudan, the conditions are not conducive for talks on the final status of Abyei. The progress that was made [earlier this year] unfortunately was not something that we could build upon,” Hanna Serwaa Tetteh, Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Horn of Africa, told ambassadors.

“Key Sudanese and South Sudanese leaders have not expressed the desire to engage on these topics,” she added.

The Abyei area, which is rich in oil resources, straddles the border between Sudan and South Sudan, and is claimed by both sides. The Security Council first authorized a peacekeeping force there in June 2011, a few weeks before South Sudan became the world’s youngest independent nation.

Ms. Tetteh noted that the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which is fighting the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) in Sudan, is now getting closer to Abyei, controlling parts of the border with South Sudan.

Nevertheless, representatives of the Abyei communities, well aware of the adverse consequences of the fighting on the prospect of resuming talks, expressed the need to keep the Abyei issue on the UN and African Union’s agenda, she added.

In separate letters to Amazon CEO Andy Jassy, DoorDash CEO Tony Xu and Walmart CEO Doug McMillon, the UN-appointed independent expert on extreme poverty and human rights, Olivier De Schutter, requested a response to reports of inadequate pay, aggressive union-busting tactics, and the misclassification of workers as “independent contractors”, intentionally depriving them of traditional employment benefits such as minimum wage guarantees.

Struggling to afford basics “I am extremely disturbed that workers in some of the world’s most profitable companies – in one of the richest countries on earth – are struggling to afford to eat or pay their rent,” said Mr. De Schutter “Multi-billion-dollar companies should be setting the standard for working conditions and wages, not violating the human rights of their workers by failing to pay them a decent wage,” he added.

‘Pathway out of poverty’ As outlined in a recent report to the UN on the rise of the “working poor”, being in a non-standard employment contract is a major cause of in-work poverty.

Mali mission latest, starvation alert for ‘hotspots’, inclusive sport for all In line with the accelerated withdrawal process of the UN’s stabilization mission, MINUSMA, the convoy initially left by road on Tuesday for Gao, and suffered two attacks from improvised explosives on the way that caused vehicle damage and minor injuries to two peacekeepers which were treated on site.

Thursday’s incident involved another explosive device leading to much more serious injuries.

“A mission to evacuate the injured peacekeepers by air has been launched from Gao, and the Permanent Mission of the troop-contributing-country in question has been kept informed throughout”, said Stéphane Dujarric, briefing reporters in New York.

“The convoy, the last to depart the Kidal camp, is making its way towards the MINUSMA base in Gao in extremely challenging security conditions.”

The convoy was forced to depart without any air support due to a lack of flight authorization by the Malian military authorities, which have pressed the UN to wind up the mission by the end of next month, which it is on track to do.

The lack of air cover “has increased the threat to the safety of our peacekeepers as they travel hundreds of kilometers in very unsafe territories”, Mr. Dujarric added.

He said with the exception of the liquidation team, including the rear parties of contingents and its guard unit, the UN is determined to meet its 31 December deadline.

“We continue to look forward to Mali’s full cooperation with this process” he added.

MINUSMA has been in Mali since 2013 when it was established by Security Council mandate..

Israel-Palestine crisis: UN humanitarians plead for ‘access, access, access’ In a statement released in New York at the noon briefing to correspondents, UN Secretary-General António Guterres reiterated his “total condemnation of the acts of terror committed by Hamas in Israel for which there can be no justification.”

He said he would never forget the “horrendous images of civilians being killed and maimed and others being dragged away into captivity”, calling again for their immediate release.

“The Secretary-General remains extremely distressed by the killing of civilians in Gaza and the humanitarian catastrophe that continues to unfold in Gaza, with an unimaginable toll on civilians”, said Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric.

He also reiterated his call for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire.

160 children killed daily “Every day, you think it is the worst day and then the next day is worse,” UN health agency spokesperson Christian Lindmeier said, quoting a colleague in Gaza, which remains under almost complete blockade. “Access, access, access is necessary.”

The level of death and suffering is “hard to fathom”, Mr. Lindmeier told journalists in Geneva. On average, 160 children are killed every day in the enclave and the total death toll has passed 10,000, according to figures from the Ministry of Health in Gaza.

Meanwhile, in the Hamas-run enclave, Israeli bombardments have intensified and military operations on the ground...

WEEK ENDING NOVEMBER 14, 2023

CARIBNEWS

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T&T - Volunteer Defence Force Members Called Out to Tackle Crime

A proclamation by Her Excellency Christine Carla Kangaloo, ORTT, President of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, has been issued calling for one hundred members of the Trinidad and Tobago Volunteer Defence Force have been called out to duty to strengthen the Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force capability towards the fulfilment of operational support to the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service in the provision of a safe and secure environment during the pre-Christmas season to the 2024 Carnival period.

In an update, the Ministry of National

Security shared a proclamation signed by President Christine Kangaloo calling out one hundred TTDF volunteers to report for duty for 123 days, with effect from October 30, 2023, to February 29, 2024, to “strengthen the Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force capability towards the fulfilment of operational support to the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service in the provision of a safe and secure environment during the pre-Christmas season to the 2024 Carnival period”.

The proclamation comes following two incidents in which several people were killed, including a quadruple murder in Belmont on Sunday night and a triple

murder in Arima on Monday night.

Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley issued a statement condemning the spate of crime, saying the current crime spree would not

be tolerated and that measures would be taken to “hunt down and disarm the perpetrators”.

NYC – Immigrant Workers Bill of Rights Passed by City Council

The Immigrant Workers Bill of Rights was created by legislation that the City Council enacted last week in an effort to combat wage theft and other types of abuse.

The bill’s author, councilmember Shahana Hanif, stated that one goal of the legislation was to safeguard asylum seekers who have been granted work permits and are now starting to work in the city.

Hanif noted in a statement, “Labor laws exist on our books to protect all of our workers, including new arrivals and more established immigrants.” She added, “This Bill of Rights will go a long way to ensuring they are followed.”

According to a representative for Mayor Eric Adams, the measure will become law after the Council passed it 43–8. The mayor did not plan to veto the legislation.

Amaris Cockfield, the spokeswoman, stated in a prepared statement, “For 22 months as mayor and years before, Mayor Adams has stood up for immigrant workers and all blue-collar New Yorkers - fight-

ing for better pay and working conditions for the city’s 60,000 Deliveristas and for the rights for tens of thousands of new arrivals to work and provide for their families.”

The Bill of Rights’ specifics are still unknown, but the law requires the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs (MOIA), the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP), and the New York City Commission on Human Rights (CCHR) to collaborate in creating the document by March of next year. Employers are then required to post the document “in a conspicuous location in the workplace.”

The law also mandates that LinkNYC kiosks, advertisements in newspapers, online, and the subway be used to notify employees of their rights across the city.

New York employers are already obligated to inform employees of a number of employment rights, such as those regarding salaries and occupational hazards, but there isn’t a complete law that specifically

targets foreign workers.

The bill’s passage coincided with the announcement by state Attorney General Letitia James that Lyft and Uber would pay $328 million in settlements. Her office had been looking into the rideshare companies and discovered that they had been “cheating drivers out of hundreds of millions of dollars” in pay, primarily by billing drivers fees that should have come from riders.

There was no acknowledgment of misconduct in the agreements.

Furthermore, over $203 million in salaries were pilfered from 127,000 workers in New York during a five-year period, from 2017 to 2001, according to a study released in August by Documented and ProPublica. However, the research also noted that the total is “almost certainly a significant undercount.”

Hanif stated that the experiences of individuals like her father, who entered the US illegally from Bangladesh, served as inspiration for the law.

“My father worked under the table as a restaurant worker and then as a construction laborer, unaware of his rights in the City, and took whatever we could get at the end of the day,” she noted.

Brooklyn Councilwoman Sandy Nurse, who represents the 37th City Council District, stated that her office has been contacted on “a number of cases” involving the exploitation or deception of immigrant workers and company owners. A surge of more than 110,000 asylum seekers arrived in New York City starting in the spring of 2022.

She stated to a news media house, “We see workers being paid lower cash wages than was agreed upon and a lack of worker safety and protections provided.” Nurse added, “The worst part is that these individuals feel they have nowhere to turn because of

their status. All workers have rights and it’s our duty as a city to guarantee them.”

Darly Corniel, director of Education-Program Operations at the New York-based Consortium for Worker Education, stated that wage theft was a major issue for foreign workers during a council hearing on the measure in April.

According to Corniel, employees who don’t have sufficient paperwork find it particularly challenging to speak with their bosses about the issue; many “simply stay in a job because they’re afraid that if they leave, they’ll be retaliated against.”

She stated that some employees worry that they would face reprisals in the form of being reported to immigration authorities by an employer or previous employer.

According to Corniel, “working overtime without getting paid is another form of wage theft.”

Worker rights have become more of a concern because so many asylum seekers moved into the city since last year. As many migrants as possible will be able to leave city-run shelters if lawmakers and local authorities are successful in securing their right to work.

On October 18, 2023, Hanif said on X, the former Twitter platform, that the city had assisted in the filing of 5,600 asylum applications through its Office of Asylum Seeker Operations and that 300 applications had been submitted for Temporary Protected Status recipients, including Venezuelans who had benefitted greatly from an extension of TPS announced by the Biden administration on September 20.

Hanif stated at the time that 600 more TPS holders had appointments set up at OASO, giving them the legal authority to work in the country. Hanif ’s assistant stated that a large pick-up in speed was anticipated.

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CARIBNEWS

WEEK ENDING NOVEMBER 14, 2023

Jamaica - March for Palestine in Downtown Kingston Hundreds of Jamaicans recently protested the bloodshed that continues between Israel and Hamas in the Middle East, a conflict that has claimed hundreds of Palestinian lives and forced millions more to flee their homes.

Several Jamaicans demonstrated against Israel’s continuous bombardment of Gaza and the devastation it is causing, especially to helpless women and children, by holding banners during what is known as the “March for Palestine.”

The Left Alliance for National Democracy and Socialism was in charge of organizing the March (LANDS). The supporters made their way to Flag Circle Park across from the Tower Street Adult Correctional Centre and down the seaside Rae Town jogging track (General Penitentiary).

Christophe Simpson, the chairman and secretary of LANDS, contended, “A lot of Jamaicans are aware of what’s going on. But, whereas in the US there are evangelistic Christians who stand united, in Jamaica they are divided.”

“This war is not being fought in the name of God. God doesn’t choose some people over others as favorites.”

The demonstrators also criticized Jamaica’s two major parties for their positions on the Middle East crisis, which some characterized as Israel-led robbery and genocide.

Simpson stated, “We have criticized both the JLP (Jamaica Labor Party) and the PNP (People’s National Party). The JLP has taken a stance of supporting Israel, condemning only the things that were done by the Palestinians. But the violence that Palestinians come under,

they don’t condemn that.”

“Meanwhile, the PNP has equated Palestine

and Israel, when Palestine is in a colonial relationship where Israel is trying to colonize them. They (PNP) took a ‘both side’ approach, saying they don’t support genocide but they not taking sides. You can’t take a stance like that if you are against genocide.”

Four requests were made to the government by the demonstrators. They demand that the leaders of Jamaica openly reveal any State agreements signed with Israel, formally denounce Israel’s acts, sever diplomatic ties with Israel, and acknowledge the State of Palestine.

Simpson noted, “We know that the Government has made deals, some of them security deals, with Israel, but they won’t disclose the details. So, we don’t know if our constitutional rights or our privacy and security are being breached.”

UN Rights Chief Slams Hatred Surge Sparked by Gaza War The UN human rights chief Saturday strongly denounced the “sharp rise in hatred globally” since the war between Hamas and Israel began on October 7.

Volker Turk said in a statement he was “disgusted” by the surge in cases of antiSemitism, Islamophobia and other hatespeech, both online and offline.

“The impact of this crisis... has sent shockwaves across every region, dehumanising both Palestinians and Jews,” Turk said.

“We have witnessed a sharp spike in hate speech, violence and discrimination, deepening social fractures and polarisation... I have heard from both Jews and Muslims that they don’t feel safe, and it

saddens me,” he added.

Israeli troops have encircled Gaza’s largest city, trying to crush Hamas in retaliation for October 7 raids that Israeli officials say killed an estimated 1,400 people inside Israel, most of them civilians.

The health ministry in Gaza, run by Hamas, says nearly 9,500 Gazans, mostly women and children, have been killed in the Israeli military campaign.

Turk said that around the world “Islamophobic and anti-Semitic harassment, attacks and hate speech have multiplied, including in the context of protests relating to the conflict”.

He said homes and religious buildings had

been defaced with threatening symbols along with other images and messages “meant to frighten and provoke hate”.

The United Nations high commissioner for human rights also hit out at “inflammatory, toxic and hateful rhetoric” used by political leaders.

“The torrent of hateful language being used, including on social media, is abhorrent,” he said.

Turk said “evil words have been accompanied by vile deeds”, which he blamed on the “vicious language” emanating from the streets and from politicians.

Turk also voiced concern about undue restrictions on protests over the conflict,

saying nations often cited risks to national security or the glorification of terrorism to justify such action.

“In some cases we have seen blanket or disproportionate restrictions on assembly predominantly in the context of pro-Palestinian protests,” he said.

Turk insisted that any restrictions on peaceful assembly had to be proportionate and based on law.

Israel’s unrelenting offensive against Hamas battled on into its fifth week with no sign of slowing Saturday, as US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met Arab foreign ministers in search of a diplomatic opening to ease the crisis.

Jamaica - Foreign Affairs Row Over Country Vote on Israeli-Gaza War

Kamina Johnson Smith, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Senator tor has rejected calls for her resignation by the Opposition People’s National Party (PNP).

The PNP has charged that Johnson Smith should go over Jamaica’s failure to vote on a resolution calling for a “humanitarian

truce” in Gaza during a recent meeting of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).

Lisa Hanna, Opposition spokeswoman on foreign affairs and foreign trade made the first call for Johnson Smith to resign and doubled down in a column in this week’s Sunday Observer, saying, “My call for the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Kamina Johnson Smith to step aside last week was not taken lightly, and is not personal.” The Government’s excuse for Jamaica’s absence in the vote is unsatisfactory.

On October 27, a total of 120 countries voted in favor of the non-binding United Nations resolution which called for a “humanitarian truce” in Gaza. Johnson-Smith later clarified that a technical cross in communication led to Jamaica’s representative not voting.

Hana rebutted with “There was no need for consultation. Jamaica is chair of the Caucus of Caricom (Caribbean Community) Foreign Ministers, which had already

taken an agreed position in support; therefore, a simple vote of ‘yes’ with our other Caricom member states was appropriate.

Instead, we have trampled on years of our courageous global activism,” added Hanna as she charged that Jamaica’s respected international stature has dramatically fallen under Johnson Smith.

But speaking at the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) Ocho Rios Division Conference on Sunday, Johnson Smith argued that Hanna was commenting without being aware of the facts.

PNP President Mark Golding also weighed in on Sunday night.

Addressing a presentation of candidates at St. Elizabeth Technical High School Golding said, while the PNP condemns what Hamas did in Israel it is convinced that “two wrongs don’t make a right”.

“The citizens, the civilians in Gaza, they must not be punished for what Hamas did,” said Golding as he pointed to the number of people, including children, being killed in Israel’s response to the Hamas

attack.

“It is a disgrace and Comrade Lisa Hanna has called for the resignation of the minister of foreign affairs for what has happened in this instance and many things before, and I say time come for that too,” added Golding.

Johnson Smith also added, “A statement [was done] on behalf of the whole of Caricom, including Jamaica; we write the statement, we draft it, we led the discussion on it.”

“A little communication thing happened, yes, and that was a problem and we are going to fix that problem.”

“Different countries were suggesting all kinds of different things that complicated the matter during the day. I want to tell you that if she had just done some research and listened to the statement, listened to the fact that Jamaica said that there should be a cessation of hostilities, Jamaica said there was no justification for killing innocent people, Jamaica said we call for peace…,” said Johnson Smith.

WEEK ENDING NOVEMBER 14, 2023

CARIBNEWS

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T&T - Personal Data of Prime Minister Compromised in Cyber Attack

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – The personal information of Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley, including his passport number as well as his date of birth and a post office box address, are among documents found to have been compromised in the cyberattack on the Telecommunication Services of Trinidad and Tobago (TSTT), the Trinidad Guardian newspaper has reported.

The paper said that it has obtained a copy of the

6GB of data from TSTT which was uploaded to the dark web, following a cyberattack on the company on October 9, and was able to verify this. It said the data bundle includes scans, a list of names and credentials.

The paper said that Prime Minister Rowley was asked to comment and was sent a copy of the information which the newspaper was able to source and verify, but had not responded.

“The Prime Minister is one of hundreds of customers whose data has been posted online following the data breach at the telecommunications company,” the paper reported, adding that “as of yesterday, the data—which contains 1.2 million names—had been downloaded over 13,000 times from the dark web”.

The story by the newspaper comes as Minister of Public Utilities Marvin Gonzales in a statement on Sunday said he was “deeply concerned” about the cyberattack.

Gonsalves said that digital security invasions were becoming an increasingly frequent phenomenon worldwide and that while no organisation or individual was immune to such attacks, the breach of TSTT’s digital security apparatus “is a matter of grave concern to

Government.

“The gravity of the situation warrants a thorough and full-scale investigation to ascertain the facts and circumstances that caused the breach, TSTT’s communications regarding the matter, and the actions the organisation is (and has been) taking to reduce the possibility of future cyber incursions.

“I have therefore spoken with the chairman of TSTT and mandated that the board of directors commissions an independent inquiry into the matter and to make public the facts and findings, in so far as the details do not compromise TSTT’s customer confidentiality or further put at risk the integrity of TSTT’s data or digital infrastructure,” the Public Utilities Minister added.

TSTT last Friday acknowledged that information on some of its customers had been captured following a cyberattack last month.

“During the past seven days, TSTT has been working with its international cyber security experts and has undertaken a rigorous examination of data published on the dark web after a ransomware group claimed ownership of a cyberattack on the telecommunications

company.

“Although the published material was easily accessible, the corroboration process was time consuming because it required cross referencing data across multiple extensive databases to verify sources. With the support of our cyber security consultants, the company has determined that the data released contains largely identifying information, and TSTT apologises to those customers whose information was accessed by these cyber terrorists,” the company said in a statement.

The telecommunications company said that it is still scrutinising the data, but that what had been stolen represents less than one per cent of the petabytes of data the company produces and stores.

Late last month, international hackers Ransomexx announced it had infected TSTT with ransomware and stole as many as six gigabytes of its data, including names, e-mail addresses, national ID numbers, phone numbers and “a lot of other sensitive data”.

Guyana - African Companies Interested in Oil and Gas Sector

Dr. Ashni Singh, a senior minister in the Office of the President responsible for finance, emphasized that many African businesses are vying for the many opportunities being offered

by Guyana’s booming oil and gas sector.

It’s amazing how many of these countries already work with Guyanese companies; some even provide direct goods and services, training, and capacity building to the nation’s petroleum industry.

Minister Singh brought attention to this on Tuesday during a press conference held at the Marriott Hotel in Kingston, Georgetown, as part of the AfriCaribbean Trade and Investment Forum (ACTIF2023).

Dr. Singh clarified that there are several avenues and outlets for collaboration in the oil and gas sector.

Dr. Singh noted, “Given that a number of your countries have been producing oil for such a long time. These companies are now discovering Guyana. They are hearing that Guyana is the new hotspot in the global oil industry. They are coming to Guyana seeking out opportunities…given that they have this developed ca-

pability from years, if not decades of providing goods and services to the oil and gas sector…A number of them came during the course of this conference.”

He emphasized that several companies came to Guyana and seized the opportunities that the nation’s economy offered right away.

Some are even looking for collaborative partnerships with Guyanese companies in order to profit from the experience they have already gained in Africa.

Simultaneously, they are also taking advantage of the domestic and indigenous benefits that Guyanese businesses that comply with the Local Content Legislation get.

Accordingly, he said, they are inherently better off in the forty regions that Guyana’s local content regulations have set apart.

He also listed the big foreign companies that, either individually or in groups, bid in Guyana’s open international auction for its oil fields.

The senior Minister stated, “You would have heard in the news that just a few months ago, we went out with a public international auction of oil blocks. These are additional blocks beyond the blocks which are currently in production in Guyana. So, we have a number of blocks that we put out to international auction.”

African interests were actually included in some of the consortiums, according to Dr. Singh, suggesting that this is one way that they would be able to participate directly.

As blocks are given up, Guyana will eventually sell off additional oil blocks for a second round.

The minister emphasized that there would be plenty of chances for enterprises in Africa and other international countries to participate directly in these auctions as developers involved in exploration, production, and potentially even extraction of oil and gas.

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WEEK ENDING NOVEMBER 14, 2023

Jamaica – Government Minister Urges, Train Jamaicans for Export Market Robert Montague, a member of parliament for the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) and representative for St. Mary Western, thinks the government has to give serious thought to preparing specific segments of Jamaican workers for the export market.

Although Montague, the JLP Chairman, made the call during his most recent appearance in the House of Representatives during the State of the Constituency Debate for 2023–2024, he has been expressing this viewpoint for decades, ever since he was the only JLP council member in the St. Mary Parish Council, which is now known as St. Mary Municipal Corporation.

During the constituency discussion, Montague said that the Jamaican government should get together to talk about the failures of the US Department of Labor and Education and try to come up with a compromise.

Montague said that under the terms of

the agreement, the US government would “make the persons available to them on a contracted basis” and would also cover the cost of or contribute to the development of certain talent.

Montague specifically said that such a scheme would include educators and nurses, who go in large numbers annually for higher-paying positions in the US and the UK. He emphasized that attention should also be paid to law enforcement, skilled tradespeople, and medical support personnel.

Montague stated, “For example, our Ministry of Labor should be asking the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to talk to Homeland Security (in the United States) so that we can provide the 2,000 masons and 1,500 welders and 500 truck drivers that will be needed to help build the new wall on sections of the Southern border.

This is an opportunity worth pursuing.”

Guyana to Export Fruits to Barbados

Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha explained that he met with the Minister of Agriculture, Food, and National Security of Barbados, Indar Weir, and his team to discuss updates on several collaborative initiatives between Guyana and the Island of the Flying Fish.

“The meeting that I had with the Barbados delegation was a fruitful one, where we followed up on issues that we have had over time. Some of those issues are at a technical level, but I have a full team from the Ministry of Agriculture in Guyana and Barbados that is working to ensure that we remove any barriers so that we can have a smooth flow in accomplishing our goals.

“Guyana is currently helping Barbados with the shade house programme, and I am pleased to say that we have already supplied them with 12 shade houses so far, and very soon we will be supplying them with an additional 35 shade houses. Some of our technical people from Guyana will be going to Barbados to set it up for them

and to also examine the types of crops that they will be planting.”

After meeting with the Barbadian Agriculture Minister and his team, Minister Mustapha said that he will be coordinating with them and assisting them to set up the programme to ensure that the island and their people successfully benefit from it.

Mustapha also added that the Barbados Aquaculture Programme, which was started a few months ago, was set up by the Guyanese team, led by Mr. Simon Shaw.

“We have also discussed the black belly sheep programme, and I am pleased to relate that I was told by the delegation that we will receive another 283 black belly sheep from them by the first quarter of next year. That will bring the count to 1,000 black belly sheep received from Barbados. The programme will be rolled out shortly, physically, so that we can increase the number of sheep and create that brand that both President Ali and the Prime Minister, Mark Phillips, would have wanted us to work on,” Minister Mustapha stated.

He also noted that arrangements are in place with the Guyanese farmers to ensure that a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables will be exported to Barbados. The agriculture minister explained that Guyana currently exports small quantities of fruits and vegetables to Barbados now; it will be done on a much larger scale.

While Guyana is helping Barbados in this sector, the Agriculture Minister said, “We are leading the charge in the Caribbean when it comes to agriculture, and we are working with the leaders of many of these islands to ensure that we assist them to develop their sector.”

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WEEK ENDING NOVEMBER 14, 2023

CARIBNEWS

7

General Assembly Votes Overwhelmingly Against US Cuba Embargo

The UN General Assembly on Thursday voted by a large margin against the United States’ economic and trade embargo against Cuba, first imposed in 1960. A total of 187 States voted for the resolution put forward each year against the embargo with only the US and Israel voting against and Ukraine abstaining.

Resolution details The resolution’s full title is the “necessity of ending the economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed by the United States of America against Cuba”.

The Assembly voiced concern that despite its resolutions dating back to 1992 (Resolution 47/19), “the economic, commercial and

financial embargo against Cuba is still in place”, and that “the adverse effects of such measures on the Cuban people and on Cuban nationals living in other countries”.

It recalled measures adopted by then US President Barack Obama in 2015 and 2016 “to modify several aspects of the application of the embargo, which contrast with the measures applied since 2017 to reinforce its implementation”.

The General Assembly reiterated its call for all States to refrain from promulgating and applying such restrictive laws and measures, in line with their obligations under the UN Charter and international law.

12:29 PM That’s it for our live coverage of this annual meeting that once again, left just the US and Israel backing the more than 60 year old Washington policy to maintain economic and trade restrictions on Cuba, born out of the land and property seizures in the wake of the Castro-led Cuban revolution of 1959.

The General Assembly has adjourned.

12:21 PM United States In explaining its vote, the Representative of the United States, Paul Folmsbee, said that his country “stands resolutely” with the Cuban

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people.

In explanation of vote, representative Paul Folmsbee of the US, addresses the UN General Assembly meeting on the necessity of ending the economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed by US against Cuba.

United Nations In explanation of vote, representative Paul Folmsbee of the US, addresses the UN General Assembly meeting on the necessity of ending the economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed by US against Cuba.

“We strongly support their pursuit of a future with respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms,” he said, noting that sanctions are “one set of tools” in the US’ broader effort towards encouraging Cuba to advance democracy and promote respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms.

He said the US recognizes the challenges the Cuban people face, explaining that sanctions include exemptions and authorizations relating to exports of food, medicines, and other humanitarian goods to Cuba.

“The US opposes this resolution,” he said, encouraging the General Assembly to urge the Cuban Government to adhere to its human rights obligations “and listen to the Cuban people and their aspirations to determine their own future.”

12:04 PM Several countries are taking the opportunity to explain why they voted, including Timor Leste and Sri Lanka, speaking now.

12:01 PM Vote Cuba’s finished speaking. And now for the vote...

Those in favour: 187 Those against: 2 (the US and Israel) Abstentions: 1 (Ukraine) Action on the draft At the end of the debate, action is expected on the draft resolution entitled “Necessity of ending the economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed by the United States of America against Cuba.”

This item has been a regular fixture on the Assembly’s agenda, and the body has, in previous years, voted overwhelmingly in favour of an end to the measures.

Last year for instance, 185 Member States voted in favour to 2 against (Israel, United States), with 2 abstentions (Brazil, Ukraine), expressing concern about the adverse effects of such measures on the Cuban people and on Cuban nationals living in other countries.

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CARIBEDITORIAL

WEEK ENDING NOVEMBER 14, 2023

A Message From the Publisher and The President

We are living in a time that has been described as a “Poly Crisis”. Emerging from the tragic aftermath of the Covid 19 pandemic with its resultant decimation of countries and communities of color around the world; the Climate Crisis that threatens the existence of some of these same countries and communities; worldwide inflation and instability that has shaken the very foundation of some of these economies; and now regional and local wars that will impact countries, regions ,people and their leaders everywhere, we are indeed in a time that demands: “Global Innovation: Driving Change, Collaboration, and Growth”, the very theme of the 28th Annual Caribbean Multi-National Business Conference (CMBC).

First launched twenty-eight years ago, the CMBC aimed to provide a platform to engage political, business, cultural, and other thought leaders primarily, but not exclusively, to discuss solutions to the problems facing The Caribbean, Africa and African-American countries and communities of color wherever they are.

The seeds of inequality, disunity, and the absence of deep and sustained communication were all barriers to the development of our people. There was no lack of talent; just a diffusion of energy.

As conference planners, we sought a meaningful platform to constructively redirect the energy.

As a result of that vision, we saw a beautiful coming together of interests as well as support from elected members of the United States Congress.The Black Congressional Caucus, bonded with elected officials and business leaders in the Caribbean and in Africa. There they developed an understanding of the issues that resulted in action. It was clear then and even clearer now that working together across the diaspora provided a way for “shared good and shared growth.”

Ambassador Andrew Young, an architect of the Civil Rights Movement, a colleague, ally and friend of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and a man who went on to be a Member of the US Congress, Mayor of Atlanta, and US Ambassador to the UN, became an anchor of several CMBC conferences. There, he espoused and gave voice to “The Golden Triangle” that represents countries of color in Africa and the Caribbean, and communities of color in the United States. Ambassador Young, “The Wiseman” as he is known, opined that this triangle of interest could and should be the dominant force of global development and the catalyst for real and sustainable change.

Our goal at Carib News in organizing the CMBC has been to foster not only this idea, but to organize resources, to seek out, to promote and to implement a modern-day economic Pan-Africanism.

The existing inequalities and the global economic organizational structures have kept and will keep countries and communities of color in a perpetual state of poverty. At this very moment of our CMBC, we are living in a time of great uncertainty with fluid political, economic and war-time scenarios. Now is the time to turn to each other to strengthen “the ties that bind us”. The conference aims to provide such a vehicle expression and planning. In our three days in November in Jamaica we will have the opportunity to build on and further develop the common sense mission of collaboration, forging alliances, and building partnerships in the Diaspora within the concept and direction of the “Golden Triangle”.

The CMBC is to connect leaders and other committed practitioners representing a diverse array of disciplines, organization, and type of perspectives, a wide range of experiences and expertise. The exercise is to inform each other, relflections on the discussions and to develop a plan of action.

Ambassador Young has often further pointed out that any meaningful global advancement will emerge from effective leveraging of the resources of these referenced communities, versus the exploitation that has existed under past and current conditions where communities have been deprived of their sources of wealth. What is needed is a sustained plan to re-engineer the systems, to use the resources to benefit these countries and their people. At and

through CMBC, we see this as a moment and a vehicle to reassess Pan-Africanism and to re-define a pathway towards the socio-economic development of Africa , the Caribbean, and the African American communities in the United States. Considering the past and its many legacies, of inequality , underdevelopment, and disparate treatment leading to unrelenting suffering of people of Africa and African descent, it now rests with current leaders of government, business, and Civil Society to make a commitment to agree to foster meaningful partnership in this triangle of interest.

As Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. remarked of “a fierce urgency of now” to work together.

There have been some efforts to create direct ties between Africa and the Caribbean, and there are also programs between Africa and the United States. The splintering of efforts will only play into the hands of some of the existing institutions.

It works best for all when the triangular loop is understood, connected and linked through intentional deliberation and action.

There are many factors, among them geographical, that have and will continue to pose threats and challenges and other clearly definable obstacles, challenges.

The geographical has separated us, but the global, financial and economic structures are designed to keep the separation. Some of these are man-made barriers that must be removed, once we work and move together. The countries are communities of color in the “Golden Triangle”is “too rich to be too poor”. it is our task to realize the full potential.

But these must be faced, addressed and worked through.

As James Baldwin aptly said: “Not every thing that is faced can be changed; but nothing can be changed until it’s faced”.

And so we must face the challenges and these challenges must be “worked through”. We must keep our eyes on the prize for the vast yield for all the people for the Golden Triangle.

In the past and even today, the economic development perspective from these countries and communities was to look externally for solutions and as a result these countries and communities have been seen primarily as a source of resource extraction and as a market for inferior goods and services.

The CARICOM countries now have opportunity to facilitate the

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collaboration of the people in the Golden Triangle, helping to implement social development policies, redefining some of the governance instability in Africa, and rejecting foreign exploitation and interference, And what must be done will require the implementation of sound development policy and inclusive governance as a basis for re-development.

Such collaboration of significant consequence can be realized in the fields of Investment, Technology, Health, Education, and Climate Change, all areas in which these countries and communities suffer great deficits and have great potential. And the fusion envisioned by the Golden Triangle connection is already happening culturally, in music, where the sounds of the African America n, the Caribbean and African, are fused and while distinct are supportive of each other, as they carve out a leading role in world music. Also important as tourism is a major economic driver for all the Caribbean countries -- is the impact of the African American Tourists’ choice of the Caribbean as a destination of choice for their families and friends to re-connect, re-store and re-lax.

Our CMBC mission is as important today as it was twenty-eight years ago at it s founding. The conscious effort to build awareness, to facilitate the connection of the communities, companies, and countries in strengthening the network of the Golden Triangle and the vision of working toward permanent solutions – continues to drive our efforts. We seek to continue to connect leaders in business , elected officials, thought generators, entrepreneurs, civil society and other committed practitioners, representing a diverse set of disciplines, organizations, perspectives, generations , experiences and expertise. The exercise is to inform , to reflect, to posit and to develop sustainable plans of action. CMBC serves as a catalyst, a framework , a vehicle. You have the answers . CMBC is the vehicle; you are the drivers.

CMBC appreciates all of our participants .

We thank as well our partners, supporters, sponsors in this our 28th CMBC conference. It is your sense of purpose, passion, and potential that drives our mission and sustains our path.

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

WEEK ENDING NOVEMBER 14, 2023

CARIBOPINION

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Pro-Palestinian Demonstrations Sweep Across Global Cities

by Stacy M. Brown

Tens of thousands of pro-Palestinian demonstrators took to the streets on Saturday, marching from Washington to Milan to Paris, demanding an end to Israel’s bombardment of Gaza. The protests highlighted growing concern over the rising civilian death toll and suffering resulting from the Israel-Hamas conflict.

Protesters in countries with substantial Muslim populations, including the U.S., U.K., and France, expressed disillusionment with their governments for their support of Israel amidst intensifying attacks on hospitals and residential areas in the Gaza Strip.

According to the Hamas-run Health

Ministry in Gaza, the Palestinian death toll in the Israel-Hamas war has now reached 9,448. In Israel, over 1,400 people have lost their lives, with most casualties occurring during the October 7 Hamas attack that ignited the conflict.

In Washington, D.C., thousands gathered at the nation’s capital to protest the Biden administration’s stance on Israel and its ongoing military campaign in Gaza.

Chants of “Palestine will be free” filled Pennsylvania Avenue, leading up to the White House, as a massive Palestinian flag was unfurled.

Simultaneously, demonstrations took place in New York, London, and Paris, echoing the sentiments of the protest in Washington. Many speakers at the rallies focused on President Biden’s support for Israel’s war efforts and his opposition to a cease-fire. One member of the U.S. Campaign for Palestinian Rights referred to the president as “Genocide Joe.” Later, images circulated online of scores of demonstrators marching towards the United Nations building in Midtown Manhattan. The New York City Police Department reported temporary road closures due to the protest, but no arrests had been made.

Mayor Eric Adams said he was monitoring

the situation.

As of Saturday evening, U.N. press officers had yet to respond to emails seeking comment. On Friday, the San Francisco Chronicle reported that protesters at the Port of Oakland in California had climbed aboard a U.S. military vessel believed to be en route to Israel.

In Europe, at least 11 individuals were arrested in London on Saturday afternoon as a surge of hundreds of demonstrators brought the Oxford Circus shopping and tourist district to a standstill. Streets were blocked, and slogans in support of the Palestinian people were chanted.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected pleas by President Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken for a “humanitarian pause” in the fighting that would allow for the delivery of food and medical supplies to Gaza.

Following a meeting with Blinken in Tel Aviv, Netanyahu stated, “I have made it clear that we are continuing forcefully, and that Israel refuses a temporary cease-fire that does not include the release of our hostages. Israel does not allow the entry of fuel to the Gaza Strip and opposes the transfer of funds to Gaza.”

According to data from the Hamas-run

Gaza health ministry, Israeli airstrikes have killed 9,257 people in the coastal enclave since October 7, including 3,826 children, according to a U.N. report on Friday. Less than one-third of Gaza’s hospitals are currently operational, and the territory has only seven days’ worth of food stocks remaining, according to the U.N. Secretary of State Antony Blinken emphasized, “We stand strongly with and behind Israel in its right and obligation to defend itself, defend its people, and take the steps necessary to try to ensure that this never happens again.” He also underscored “the imperative of doing everything possible to protect civilians, the imperative of doing everything possible to get assistance to those who need it.”

Making Connections That Can Help Save the Planet

By Ben Jealous

If we’re going to realize the climate benefits of historic federal support for clean energy and jobs approved in the last two years, connections are the key. And I’m not just talking about electrifying homes and buildings.

We need to connect people to the benefits spread throughout the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Act. We do that by connecting people to others in the communities where they live and with the individuals, local units of government, and non-profits who can help them take advantage of a lengthy list of tax credits and rebates for everything from electric cars to more energy efficient windows and doors.

The need is clear. Seven in 10 Americans say they know little or nothing about the IRA by name. The same is true for specific parts of the package like tax credits for home solar panels and heat pumps.

Bobby Foley of Elephant Energy, a climate tech start-up in Colorado, sees the information gaps and hears the questions up close. “We are on the ground, scoping out a heat pump with homeowners and installing it.”

Foley can help that homeowner use

rebates from a local utility and the city of Denver, alongside state and federal tax credits, to cut the cost on a new $20,000 electric heat pump to heat and cool their homes by more than half. He can install heat pumps in homes without ducts and in places where temperatures drop below zero. The result is far less carbon and 300 percent greater energy efficiency than a furnace and air conditioner at substantially lower monthly cost to the customer, he said.

But the people Foley meets already know enough to at least inquire. There are more than 100 programs scattered through the $370 billion in the IRA that aim to assist individuals, businesses, and state and local governments. Projections show that if we can use all that money thoughtfully and equitably, we can cut greenhouse gas emissions by 40 percent.

There’s a good deal of evidence to show that people need help to connect. The National Council on Aging, for example, estimates seniors leave $30 billion of potential government assistance for food, housing, and health care unclaimed. There’s often a lack of awareness or misconceptions about the difficulty of applying. The non-profit

Code for America, which works to make government more effective and accessible, found that even the words used to offer programs like tax credits and food assistance to Americans makes a difference in their response rate.

For clean energy incentives, many states also have stepped in with their own support that can significantly improve the attractiveness of acting to switch to a cleaner product. That’s means the opportunities can vary a lot from place to place.

To help fill the gap, the Sierra Club is making a national push to recruit, prepare, and offer volunteers across the country – Community Advocates – to help people and their communities get the support that’s available to protect the planet.

Bekah Ashley has worked with Utah school districts to apply for funds from the infrastructure package to transition their transportation to electric school buses.

Communities can share $1 billion a year.

School buses account for the largest public bus fleet across the country, but school systems “often get overlooked in climate action,” Ashley noted.

School board members might have sticker shock – electric buses can cost more than

two times new diesel buses, Ashley said.

But the federal incentives and the far lower operating costs change that perspective.

Communities recognize the need and favor of government support for a cleaner economy It’s something most of us believe in. But we need to ensure that support doesn’t stay written on the pages of legislation. We need to learn more – preferably from using the incentives ourselves – and share that knowledge with others who can benefit from it.

Ben Jealous is executive director of the Sierra Club, professor of practice at the University of Pennsylvania and author of “Never Forget Our People Were Always Free.”

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CARIBNEWS

WEEK ENDING NOVEMBER 14, 2023

WEEK ENDING NOVEMBER 14, 2023

CARIBNEWS

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CARIBNEWS

WEEK ENDING NOVEMBER 14, 2023

CMBC Gears Up for Its 28th Installation in Jamaica 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 Strength-

en 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 Legacy Speaker Honored as a Trailblazer in Social Change

In a chorus of accolades from the hearts of thousands of non-profit organizations in NYC and beyond, The Rev. Dr. Valerie Oliver-Durrah of Neighborhood Technical Assistance Clinic (NTAC) extends heartfelt congratulations to the Hon. Dr. Hazel Dukes for her well-deserved recognition at the 27th Annual Caribbean Multi-National Business Conference in Jamaica.

Dr. Dukes’ legacy in the tapestry of civil rights gleams with unparalleled brilliance.

For seven decades, she has relentlessly woven a legacy of activism, tirelessly advocating for racial diversity, equity, and inclusion, sparking enduring social change. Her monumental work has become the cornerstone upon which organizations like ours stand; without her, our existence would be imperiled.

The resonance of the Living Legend’s mantra, “let my work speak for me,” reverberates in every milestone achieved. It encapsulates the essence of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s words: “The arc of the moral universe is long, but

it bends toward justice.” Dr. Dukes’ impact echoes like thunder, rattling the foundations of inequality in the corridors of power. Her speeches, protests, and challenges to policies have resonated with an unwavering faith in the possibility of change. Through her unyielding efforts, she has eradicated the sanctuaries where prejudice once lurked, pulling the arc of justice closer to us all.

The scripture, 1 Corinthians 15:58, underscores the timeless truth that our labor in the Lord is never in vain. Dr. Hazel Dukes exemplifies this eternal wisdom. Her labor, relentless endeavors, and unshakeable determination have yielded fruits that span generations. We extend our deepest gratitude for illuminating the path toward a brighter, more inclusive tomorrow.

About Dr. Dukes Dr. Hazel N. Dukes is President of the NAACP New York State Conference and a member of the NAACP National Board

of Directors, a member of the NAACP Executive Committee and well as an active member of various NAACP board sub-committees. Dr. Dukes is a woman of great strength and courage. Her dedication to human rights and equality is exemplified by her role linking business, government and social causes. Dr. Dukes is an active and dynamic leader who is known for her unselfish and devoted track record for improving the quality of life in New York State.

A harsh system of civil and human injustice persists; intimidation, violence, and the recent rash of “nooses,” speak to the widespread de facto absence of a civil and human rights agenda in America says Dukes, and the fires of frustration continue to burn.

Dr. Dukes is President of the Hazel N. Dukes & Associates Consultant Firm, specializing in the areas of public policy, health and diversity.

Dr. Dukes is a member of the Assembly of Prayer Baptist Church where she served as Executive Assistant to the Pastor, is a member of the Board of Trustees and teaches the Adult Sunday School.

Dr. Dukes received a Bachelors Degree in Business Administration from Adelphi University, Garden City, New York and completed post-graduate work at Queens College. In 1990 she was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Laws Degree from the City University of New York Law School at Queens College and in 2009 was conferred the Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters, Medgar Evers College, Brooklyn, New York. In 2012 she was awarded the Honorary Degree of Doctor of Humane Letters from Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine, Harlem New York. Dr.

Dukes has many organizational affiliations; she is former President of the Metro-Manhattan Links Chapter, in 2010 was appointed the National Links NGO Representative and is a former trustee of the State University of New York and Stillman College. Dr. Dukes is a member of the National Council of Negro Women, Inc., and National Black Leadership Commission on AIDS, INC. Dr. Dukes is the recipient of numerous awards for her outstanding leadership activities, Ellis Island Medal of Honor, YWCA City of New York John La Farge Memorial Award for Interracial Justice, Guy R. Brewer Humanitarian Award, and the 2007 The Network Journal’s 25 Most Influential Black Women in Business Award, member Ford Motor Company Funds Committee of Honor for Freedom’s Sisters, was honored and received a Proclamation at the New York City Council’s Third Annual Martin Luther King, Jr., Awards ceremony at City Hall in New York. Dukes is an active member of the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Northern Manhattan Alumnae Chapter and has been selected to receive the sorority’s Althea T.L. Simmons Social Action Award in August 2010. Dr. Dukes was Incorporated in 2007 as a Pi Eta Kappa Fellow and her biography has been selected for publication in many journals and directories including Fisk University Library, Minority Women Contribution, American Biographical Institute Personalities of Northeast, Who’s Who Among American Women and Who’s Who Among Black Women.

WEEK ENDING NOVEMBER 14, 2023

CARIBNEWS

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UN: People of African Descent Still Face Discrimination and Attacks

The U.N. body formed to promote respect for and protect people of African descent around the world says in its first report that they continue “to be victims of systemic racial discrimination and racialized attacks” and calls for reparations.

The report, which was delivered to the

U.N. General Assembly on Monday, says reparations are essential to rectify past injustices against people of African descent and are “a cornerstone of justice in the 21st century.”

Epsy Campbell Barr, chair of the Permanent Forum on People of African Descent, said at a news conference Tuesday the report underlines that “the legacies of colonialism, enslavement and apartheid are still alive today.”

These legacies still have a real impact on the lives of millions of people of African descent who “are more exposed to violence and death as a result of encounters with law enforcement officials,” she said. “It also makes them more exposed to health disparities” from “the profound impact that racism and racial discrimination have on both physical and mental health.”

Campbell Barr said the report highlights that “there is an invisibility of people of African descent,” especially for vulnerable groups.

The forum was established by a General Assembly resolution in August 2021 as a U.N. consultative body for improving the

WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 31, 2023

safety, quality of life and livelihoods of people of African descent. It also serves as an advisory body to the Geneva-based Human Rights Council.

The forum’s report and recommendations are based on its two initial sessions, one last December in Geneva and one May 30June 2 in New York.

“During the sessions of the Permanent Forum, halting and reversing the lasting consequences of enslavement, colonialism, genocide and apartheid were seen as key to addressing systemic and structural racism against people of African descent, both internationally and domestically,” the report says.

On the issue of reparations, it recommends that all 193 U.N. member nations “educate themselves and the public on the histories and legacies of colonialism and enslavement.” It says they should recognize how they contributed to or suffered from these legacies, and eliminate all forms of racial discrimination at the local, national, regional and global levels.

Campbell Barr, who was Costa Rica’s first vice president in 2018-2022, said the

CARIBA&E

report also recommends fostering panel discussions, holding a global summit and seeking legal opinions and studies on the reparations issue.

The forum has been invited to participate in a global conference on reparations hosted by Ghana in November, and next year it is planning to have consultations with representatives from civil society, she said.

The idea for the forum was conceived at the start of the International Decade of People of African Descent, which began in 2014 and ends in 2024. The forum calls in the report for an extension to a second decade, through 2034.

The 2021 assembly resolution called for the forum to consider drafting a U.N. declaration on the promotion, protection and respect for the human rights of people of African descent.

In the report, the forum strongly supports such a declaration, saying it would fill gaps in existing human rights instruments and “be a vital tool to guarantee dignity, inclusion, equity and reparatory justice for Africans and people of African descent.”

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CARIBBRIEFS

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Vincentian Breya John is the 2023 UWI Global Campus Valedictorian Breya John, a Bachelor of Education graduand with First Class Honours will represent the graduating class of 2023 as its Valedictorian on November 11 at The University of the West Indies (The UWI) Global Campus Virtual Graduation Ceremony.

John, an Early Childhood Practitioner from St Vincent and the Grenadines, is an enthusiastic educator. Breya stated that she has always aspired to become an impactful educator, a journey which began during her childhood when the positive experiences she received from her parents paved the way for her love for educating others.

“The sacrifices they made to be involved in my educational journey sparked my dedication and passion for teaching, which

fuelled my eagerness to give back to my community by providing free tutoring services to children who needed remedial assistance”, Breya explained.

Breya, who is currently employed by the Ministry of Education of St Vincent and the Grenadines as a Primary School Educator, believes that teaching is not only a noble profession, but also an honourable lifestyle. “Teaching has profoundly influenced my interactions with my family, friends, colleagues, students, and everyone else I encounter”, said Breya.

Empowered by her mantra that the only person you are to be, is the person whom you decide to be in the moments that matter, she enrolled in the Bachelor of Education Early Childhood Development

WEEK ENDING NOVEMBER 14, 2023

Bermuda Considering Full CARICOM Membership

Hamilton – Bermuda is considering becoming a full-fledged member of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and is initiating a consultation process.

Governor Rena Lalgie made the disclosure during the delivery of the government’s Throne Speech on Friday.

She told the Bermuda House of Assembly that full membership in CARICOM was a vision of former Premier Dame Jennifer Smith who desired the island nation to “strengthen the historic, familial, and

cultural ties to the Caribbean”.

She said, beginning discussion now, on the process of gaining full membership in CARICOM is right, as the country is marking 20 years as an associate member.

“In this anniversary year, the Government will renew the vision of Dame Jennifer, initiating a consultation process leading to full membership in CARICOM,” Governor Lalgie said.

Bermuda became a CARICOM associate member on July 3, 2003. (CMC)

PM Did Not Benefit from Convicted FTX Fraudster Says Government The Bahamas government says Christopher Davis, the son of Prime Minister Phillip Davis, received no funding from FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried, who on Thursday was convicted by a federal jury in New York of fraud charges.

Bankman-Fried, who was deported from the Bahamas last year, was accused of stealing an estimated US$10 billion from customers and investors in what a US prosecutor described as one of the biggest frauds in American history.

Bankman-Fried, 31, could face decades in prison after prosecutors said he cheated thousands of customers of billions of dol-

lars before the collapse of his companies in November 2022.

Prosecutors said he spent the money on investments, real estate, promotions for his cryptocurrency exchange, and political contributions.

In a statement issued before the verdict was given, the Office of the Prime Minster said that the younger Davis, an author, and researcher on the history of slavery in the Bahamas, is the founder of a non-profit organization called Sankofa Flamingo, which strengthens Bahamian ties to historical roots in Africa and promotes Junkanoo in Africa.

PJ Patterson Institute Names Laura Trevelyan Associate Fellow The British-American journalist and reparations activist Laura Trevelyan has been appointed as an associate fellow by the P.J. Patterson Institute for Africa Caribbean Advocacy.

According to a statement from the Hon. Percival Patterson, the Institute’s statesman-in-residence, Trevelyan’s new position will help it raise funds for the organization, “to strengthen the Institute’s role as a significant advocacy organization capable of facilitating positive change, extending its outreach in the global space and strengthening ties between the motherland and the diaspora”.

Jamaica’s former Prime Minister added, “at this stage, special attention is being

devoted to funding and sustainability, strengthening the human resources/technical expertise to support the work, and building of a global sphere of influence through high-quality research, publications, seminars, and workshops”.

It said in late 2022, Sankofa Flamingo was exploring ways to use NFTs, or non-fungible tokens, to benefit Junkanoo artists, straw vendors, and others whose artistry would be represented in digital form and traded online.

“In the fall of 2022, FTX was one of the most prominent exchanges for the trade of digital assets, including NFTs. NFTs were thought to hold great promise for providing artists with a new revenue stream to

WEEK ENDING NOVEMBER 14, 2023

CARIBNEWS

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CARIBHEALTH

WEEK ENDING NOVEMBER 14, 2023

WHO Urges Investing in “One Health” Actions For Better Health of the People and the Planet

The World Health Organization (WHO) calls on world leaders to increase political commitment and action to invest in the “One Health” approach to prevent and tackle common threats affecting the health and well-being of humans, animals, plants and environment together.

Today, WHO is joining community organizations observing the eighth annual “One Health Day” campaign to attract global attention to the importance of the One Health approach. One Health relies on understanding how human actions and policies could affect animal and environment health. The One Health Day provides everyone with an opportunity to educate themselves on the connections between the health of humans, animals, plants and the environment.

One Health is a proven approach to policymaking and cross-sector collaboration to prevent zoonotic and vector-borne diseases from emerging and re-emerging, ensuring food safety and maintaining sustainable food production; reducing antimicrobial-resistant infections; and addressing environmental

issues to collectively improve human, animal and environmental health, among many other areas. It creates opportunities to mobilize the whole of society so that veterinarians, doctors, epidemiologists, public health practitioners, wildlife experts, community leaders, and people from different sectors can work together without silos to tackle major health threats.

In addition to saving lives and promoting well-being, One Health actions offer huge economic benefits. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Bank estimate that One Health efforts could bring at least US$ 37 billion per year back to the global community. And investing in One Health requires less than 10% of this amount. For example, a One Health approach to prevention by reducing deforestation would generate ancillary benefits of US$ 4.3 billion from reduced carbon dioxide emissions.

“A One Health approach makes public health sense, economic sense and common sense,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “It’s obvious that we can only protect and promote the health of humans by

protecting and promoting the health of animals, and the planet on which all life depends.

We welcome the increasing political consensus on One Health globally, and we are committed to supporting countries to translate the One Health concept into action that makes a difference.”

Health impacts of climate crisis, water contamination, food safety and increasing disease outbreaks are among some of the greatest challenges humanity and the planet are facing today. For example, air pollution leads to 7 million human deaths with US$ 3 trillion losses every year. Antimicrobial resistance-related issues lead to 5 million human deaths every year, with an expected economic loss of up to US$ 100 trillion by 2050. The estimated scale of human deaths from COVID-19, a recent emerging disease, was 6 million by 2022, with more than US$ 3.5 trillion economic loss.

Among international organizations, the One Health approach is led by the Quadripartite collaboration on One health, which includes WHO together with FAO, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and World

Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH).

In October 2022, the Quadripartite launched the One Health Joint Plan of Action (OH JPA) (2022-2026), as a framework for action to advance and sustainably scale up One Health.

Further to this, a Guide to implementing the OH JPA at national level to provide practical guidance to countries on how to adopt and adapt the OH JPA will be launched in December this year.

Continued on www.nycaribnews.com

Breakthrough Research Sheds Light on Aggressive Breast Cancers in Black Women

by Stacy M. Brown

Researchers at the Indiana University Melvin and Bren Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center are spearheading a pioneering study to unravel the biological underpinnings of aggressive breast cancers in Black women. Led

by Dr. Harikrishna Nakshatri, a breast cancer researcher at the IU School of Medicine and a key researcher at the Vera Bradley Foundation Center for Breast Cancer Research at the IU Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center, the investigation holds promise for targeted treatments that could significantly reduce disparities in breast cancer outcomes among Black women.

While breast cancer incidence is now considered lower among Black women, they face significantly poorer outcomes, often developing more aggressive triple-negative breast cancers at a younger age. “Even after you correct for socioeconomic and healthcare access factors, African ancestry is still associated with the worst outcomes,” Nakshatri emphasized. Nakshatri’s lab has been dedicated to uncovering the influence of genetic ancestry on the biology of normal breast tissue and its implications for developing aggressive breast cancers.

Women of African descent had more PZP cells in their normal breast tissue than women of

Caucasian descent, according to a previous study under Nakshatri’s direction. Notably, PZP cell numbers increase when Caucasian women develop breast cancer, while they are naturally more abundant in Black women.

Adding to this, Nakshatri and his team showed that PZP cells have a significant effect on how cancer cells behave and grow, especially when they interact with epithelial cells, which is where breast cancer usually starts. Researchers have also found that PZP cells are one of the sources of metaplastic breast cancers (MBC), which are rare and aggressive and make up less than 1% of all breast cancers. The team drew upon tissue samples from the Susan G. Komen Tissue Bank at the IU Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center, the world’s sole repository of healthy breast tissue, to conduct this research.

“When these PZP cells interact with epithelial cells, they trigger the production of a crucial protein called interleukin-6. This prompts distinct behavior in the epithelial cells and activates a signaling pathway known as STAT3,” Nakshatri explained. “This is what makes tumors originating from the epithelial cells more aggressive.”

The findings have laid the foundation for an upcoming clinical trial led by Kathy Miller, MD, a prominent figure in oncology at IU School of Medicine. Miller also serves as the Ballvé Lantero professor of oncology and holds the position of associate director of clinical research at the cancer center, in addition to her role as a researcher at the Vera Bradley Foundation Center.

“This study could help us determine if physicians need to consider the genetic ancestry of the person when deciding on possible treatments for breast cancer,” Nakshatri stated.

Based on the biology of normal breast tissue, he said the study represents a significant departure from conventional treatment approaches, offering new hope for more effective, targeted treatments in the fight against breast cancer.

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CARIBA&E

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UWI Honorary Doctorate to Beres Hammond The University of the West Indies (UWI) will award reggae legend Beres Hammond an honorary doctorate of letters during the yearly commencement event on November 4, at the Mona campus.

During the university’s four commencement ceremonies, which are slated to take place over two days, November 3-4, he will receive an honorary degree alongside the other four winners.

The late Lascelles Chin and Ambassador Audrey Marks will be awarded an honorary doctorate in law; Rachel Manley will receive an honorary doctorate in letters; and Professor Dale Abel will receive an honorary doctorate in science.

A recently released statement noted, “The UWI Honorary Degree is conferred on people who have distinguished themselves by their substantial contribution to the development of the region and or the advancement of the university. Individuals upon whom such a high honor has been bestowed are not referred to as “Doctor” but are entitled to use the abbreviated honorary degree behind his or her name.”

The UWI-Mona will award degrees, diplomas, and certificates to almost 3,500 students from the Class of 2023 during the two-day event.

UWI TV and social media platforms will carry the celebrations.

The Registrar of the UWI Mona Campus, Dr. Donovan Stanberry, commented on the impending ceremonies and said, “Graduation is a special event for all our Pelicans as they have reached a milestone in their academic journey. As they prepare to cross the stage and into the next chapter of their lives, I hope they take a moment to reflect on their own hard work, as well as the support and sacrifices of their parents, guardians and well-wishers who brought them to this point. The knowledge they gained and the skills they have honed during their time at this cultural melting pot that is The UWI, I am sure contributed to their growth and will undoubtedly serve as a strong foundation for them to make a positive impact on the region and the world.”

Graduates of The UWI will be formally declared on November 3 at 10:00 a.m. from the faculties of law and social sciences (except from

MSBM). Aundrene Cameron, who received a Bachelor of Laws with First Class Honors, will speak as the valedictorian at this event.

Students from the Faculties of Humanities and Education, Science and Technology will be publicly acknowledged as graduates at 4:30 p.m. on the same day. Having received a First Class Honors Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and Linguistics, Jamar Grant will be speaking as the valedictorian on this occasion.

The UWI will formally declare the graduates of the faculties of sport and medical sciences at 10:00 a.m. on the following day. Sadieka Smith, who earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing with First Class Honors, will speak as the valedictorian at this event.

Students from the engineering faculties, the Institute of Gender, and Development Studies (IGDS), and the Mona School of Business and Management (MSBM alone) will be formally recognized as graduates at the closing ceremony on Saturday, November 4, beginning at 4:30 p.m. Charm Evans, who received a First Class Honors Bachelor of Science in Human Resource Management and Psychology (minor)

degree, will speak as the valedictorian at the ceremony.

Honorary Doctorate to Heather Headley, Renowned Entertainer

On October 27, 2023, the UWI SPEC (Sport and Physical Education Centre) in St. Augustine hosted the graduation ceremony for the University of the West Indies (UWI) Faculty of Social Sciences.

In celebration of her accomplishments in theater, film, and music, singer Heather Headley was awarded an honorary doctorate of letters.

Headley, who was raised in Barataria and was born in Trinidad, thanked the university in her graduation speech. She apologized for not being able to attend in person due to work and personal obligations, but she expressed her gratitude for the honor via a recorded greeting.

The “Wish I Wasn’t” singer remarked, “Growing up in Trinidad, I was very aware that UWI held an estimable and incomparable reputation, and that has not changed. So it is with humble pride and great excitement that I accept this degree. My thanks to the institution.”

Headley has had a prosperous music career. She rose to stardom through her appearances on Broadway and was honored with a Tony Award in 2000 for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical for her performance in Aida.

Hits like He Is, I Wish I Wasn’t, and In My Mind are featured on her two gold-certified albums, This Is Who I Am and In My Mind. She was also the recipient of a 2009 Grammy for Best R&B Gospel Album for Audience of One. Headley discussed the importance of “the hyphen” in life—the years between conception

and death—in her speech. She talked about how one can’t influence the first date—which marks one’s birth—but one may have some control over the end date by making healthy decisions and living a good life. She emphasized that one had complete power over the hyphen and urged the graduates to make it matter.

The powerhouse vocalist stated to the new graduates, “You alone have that control. You alone have that power.”

In her final words to the graduates, Headley expressed her hope for them to achieve great things and her pride in being a member of a young generation ready to make a difference.

“I’m proud to be in your number. I’m proud to be a daughter of the soil that you are now poised to cultivate and make better. As a Trinidadian, as a Caribbean woman, and now as an honorary graduate of the UWI.” Folade Quamina-Ifoma, Headley’s cousin, collected her degree in her place.

Following his graduation with first-class honors in international relations and a minor in social development policy and planning, Kyle Bisnath gave the capstone address.

To begin, Bisnath expressed his sincere gratitude and sense of pride.

“Today, we stand on the cusp of a new beginning, armed not just with knowledge but with the power to shape our destinies.”

He told his fellow graduates that despite their differences and unique tales, “the pursuit of knowledge and the promise of a brighter future.”

According to Bisnath, the graduates had exceeded expectations and had “burned the midnight oil, pushed ourselves from sunset to sunrise, and sacrificed all in the pursuit of knowledge.

“As we step into the world beyond the gates of UWI St Augustine, we must remember that this educational qualification, for which we have worked so hard, is not merely a ticket to a job. It is a passport to a life of purpose and meaning.”

LET’S GET DOWN to

THE BONE

SoSOBONE.com

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CARIBTRAVEL

WEEK ENDING NOVEMBER 14, 2023

JetBlue’s New Caribbean Connections JetBlue is making a warm, Caribbean escape easier than ever with more low-fare and great service routes for customers in the airline’s Boston, Orlando and Los Angeles focus cities.

Read on to learn more about these exciting new routes that connect customers to tropical destinations across JetBlue’s network, and start trip planning with great savings from JetBlue Vacations.

New Routes Connecting the Sunshine State Whether planning for an adventurous vacation or visiting with friends and family, JetBlue is offering customers in Central Florida more choices to the Caribbean with two new lowfare and high-quality routes to Punta Cana and Santiago in the Dominican Republic. The launch of these new routes furthers the airline’s presence across Latin America and the Caribbean with JetBlue becoming the only airline to serve Santiago with nonstop, year-round service from Orlando.

Daily Schedule between Orlando (MCO) and Punta Cana (PUJ) MCO - PUJ Flight #1077 PUJ - MCO Flight #1078

8:54 a.m. - 11:25 a.m. 12:25 p.m. - 3:23 p.m.

Daily Schedule between Orlando (MCO) and Santiago (STI)

MCO - STI Flight #1265 STI - MCO Flight #1266 8:00 a.m. - 10:15 a.m. 11:15 p.m. - 1:56 p.m.

JetBlue is also offering customers a new nonstop flight connecting Orlando to Raleigh, North Carolina, furthering the airline’s mission to establish JetBlue as Orlando’s national lowfare carrier of choice.

Daily Schedule between Orlando (MCO) and Raleigh (RDU) MCO - RDU Flight #1592 RDU - MCO Flight #1591 1:08 p.m. - 2:48 p.m. 3:33 p.m. - 5:31 p.m.

Connecting Each Coast to the Caribbean Following its inaugural service from New York to St. Kitts this month, JetBlue is continuing to make access to exciting Caribbean destinations easier with two new nonstop, Saturday-service connections from Boston to Grenada and from Los Angeles to Nassau. These new routes offer customers more ways to enjoy stunning beach-

es, explore rich cultural heritage, and delight in world-class hospitality across JetBlue’s Caribbean network. JetBlue is currently the only airline flying nonstop service between Boston and the island of Grenada, and flies daily nonstop service to the island from New York’s John F. Kennedy (JFK) airport.

Schedule between Boston (BOS) and Grenada (GND) Operating on Saturdays Only BOS - GND Flight #2153 GND - BOS Flight #2152 8:00 a.m. - 12:48 p.m. 2:47 p.m. - 8:04 p.m.

JetBlue is also expanding international service on the West Coast connecting Nassau, Bahamas with nonstop service from Los Angeles, which adds to the airline’s daily nonstop service from New York (JFK), Orlando and Fort Lauderdale. JetBlue also offers nonstop daily service from Boston, periodically.

Schedule between Los Angeles (LAX) and Nassau (NAS) Operating on Saturdays Only LAX - NAS Flight #2710 NAS - LAX Flight #2711

7:10 a.m. - 3:22 p.m. 4:42 p.m. - 7:50 p.m.

Both routes will offer JetBlue’s award-winning Mint® premium experience, featuring countless intuitive design touches that help every customer feel at home in the air. Customers in both core and Mint stay connected throughout the flight with unlimited, free and fast Fly-Fi®1.

These expanded routes to the Caribbean will be complemented by JetBlue’s upcoming launch of service to Belize in December.

Bundle your Travel with JetBlue Vacations Customers seeking to bundle their flight, hotel or cruise to either Grenada, Nassau or Punta Cana can explore great deals and savings through JetBlue Vacations and can add even more to their JetBlue travel experience with additional activities, cars, travel gear and rentals through Paisly. Customers traveling to Punta Cana and Nassau can find additional perks like the Insider Experience program, which extends JetBlue’s service in-destination, putting customers in the trusted hands of local experts to assist them throughout their entire journey.

Exclusive benefits include airport meet-andgreet, free airport transfers, concierge services, and 24/7 problem solving with an in-destination Insider—free of charge.

CHTA to Continue Support for Haiti Tourism Sector

FLORIDA, (CMC) – The Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) says its Education Foundation will continue its support for the Spoken Hospitality English course in Haiti despite the unrest and violence plaguing the French-speaking Caribbean Community (Caricom) country.

Chairperson of the Education Foundation, Karolin Troubetzcoy,speaking at the ceremony to celebrate the completion of 22 students from the four-month-long programme at the Ecole Hoteliere d’Haiti, acknowledged that the circumstances under which the students had to learn were very difficult at times.

But she said “we appreciate the determination to see this through. Your journey through this course underscores not just the culmination of one chapter but the commencement of another chapter. We are happy to continue the collaboration.”

The Spoken Hospitality English course provides industry workers who speak French and Creole, the tools to communicate and deliver service in English.

“English opens doors to the world. This programme is hands on, they learn the language of hospitality management and I would love to do the same for culinary arts, housekeeping and other programs at

the school,” said Ecole Hoteliere d’Haiti director, Karine Conde Emeran.

Haitian Tourism Minister Cassandra Francois, a former student in the programme, said “destiny led me to Minister of Tourism. I began as a personal assistant and now the minister.”

“I benefited from this programme which allowed me to improve my English.

English is considered the main commercial language. It is the most used in the tourism sector. Mastering this language is essential if you want to be a professional in tourism,” he added.

Meanwhile, the CHTA Education Foundation has acknowledged the contributions from Chelle Hulford and the team at Curtain Bluff, Antigua, who have supported the Haiti project since its inception in 2012.

“Up until her passing in September 2023, Chelle championed the programme She gave her of her personal time to our 201214 Haitian students studying in Antigua, hosted a fundraiser for Team Haiti to attend 2012 Taste of the Caribbean, and continued to offer fabulous raffle prizes over the years that the Education Foundation dedicated to our Haiti initiatives as she desired,” Troubetzcoy said.

WEEK ENDING NOVEMBER 14, 2023

CARIBSPORTS

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Atlanta – Jamaican Students to Benefit from NBA Game Proceeds The Jamaican Consulate in Atlanta has partnered with the Atlanta Hawks to assist students in Jamaica and Atlanta.

Proceeds from the basketball game, Atlanta Hawks versus the Miami Heat, which will be held at State Farm Arena, Atlanta, Georgia, USA, on November 11, 2023, will benefit tertiary and final-year high-school students who are pursuing studies in the science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM) fields.

The STEAM program, which involves a partnership with Microsoft, is a part of the Elaine Grant-Bryan Foundation, a brainchild of Jamaica’s Honorary Consul in Atlanta, Dr. Elaine Grant-Bryan.

Dr. Grant-Bryan told JIS News that she is grateful for the sponsors and partners as well as individuals who have registered for the Elaine Grant-Bryan Foundation Hawks Night.

She said that Jamaican-born dancehall recording artiste, actress and businesswoman, Grace Latoya Hamilton, known professionally as ‘Spice’, will be a guest at the game.

“At the Hawks game we will put her onstage. She will be on channel 2, which is the number-one Channel, CNN. The Hawks will be giving me the proceeds for the game for a charity of my liking, and they are happy to do it,” she said.

Dr. Grant-Bryan said that her mission is to reach those Jamaicans who are dormant and not active with Jamaican groups in Atlanta.

“There are a lot of Jamaicans who are not participating in the things that we are doing. We know they are here. They are doing very well but they are not participating in the Jamaican events,” she added.

The mission of the Elaine Grant-Bryan Foundation is to improve the achievement of students by providing education, empowerment and mentorship services and career development opportunities for young persons while inspiring them to dream big.

Road to W Gold Cup - Best of League C Cup qualifiers.

Based on statistics, here is the Best XI for the month of October in League C. Goalkeeper Anais Hatchi, Guadeloupe Hatchi was beyond spectacular in the two games for Guadeloupe. Even though she conceded five goals, she made 26 clearances and recorded 15 saves, including saving a penalty in each of the two defeats to Cuba.

Defenders

MIAMI, Florida – Goalkeeper Anais Hatchi, midfielder Jessica Alvarez, and forward Bonny Lammers are among the eleven players selected for the Best XI in League C of Road to Concacaf W Gold

Jade Thelamour, Bahamas Bahamas were able to pick up their first point of the campaign in the 0-0 draw with US Virgin Islands thanks in part to the defensive efforts of Thelamour, who made eight clearances.

Mikhaila Bowden, Belize It was another two wins for Belize, as they now have four victories from four games, with Bowden contributing two goals and an assist.

Vailene Lambert, Belize Lambert played an important role in both Belize clean sheet wins against Turks and Caicos Islands and had an assist as well.

Madison Roy, US Virgin Islands Roy was seemingly everywhere for USVI in their two matches against Grenada and Bahamas and finished the window with a whopping 13 clearances.

Midfielders Nathaniela Emerenciana, Bonaire Emerenciana helped Bonaire claim their first ever senior women’s national team victory in the 3-1 comeback win over Aruba and finished the window with four clearances.

Jessica Alvarez, Cuba It was always going to take something special to beat Anais Hatchi in the Guadeloupe net and Alvarez produced just that in Cuba’s 2-0 win at Guadeloupe when she

fired in a rocket.

Ashley Rodriguez, Belize Rodriguez was a menace in the two games against Turks and Caicos Islands with a goal and an assist and nine shots taken.

Sadeyah Rosa, Curacao Curacao climbed to the top of Group D with wins over Cayman Islands and Anguilla in which Rosa scored in each game.

She also had an assist.

Forwards Bonny Lammers, Aruba Lammers finished the window with 13 shots, the most of any player and scored in Aruba’s 5-0 win over Bonaire.

Cecil Aldana, Cuba Aldana bagged a brace in Cuba’s 3-0 home victory versus Guadeloupe, helping the Cubans finish with a perfect six-point window.

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CARIBNEWS

WEEK ENDING NOVEMBER 14, 2023