April 17, 2024

CaribNews

Investing in Tomorrow: Clean Energy as the Path to Prosperity for All by Ben Jealous - P 9

Guest Editorial: Where the Climate Discourse Has Gone Wrong by Guillemette Gandon - P 9

HEALTH

PAHO Shares Innovative Country Experiences to Promote Vaccination in the Americas - P 16

SPORTS

World Athletics Introduces Prize Money for Olympic Gold Medalists - P 20

HOW YOU CAN HELP HAITI

Haiti’s security issue is a US National Security problem.

Congressman Mike Johnson and Michael McCaul please vote to fund the international security mission to Haiti to avoid a genocide. National security is not a partisan issue. People are dying every day in Haiti, show your humanity! Call to Action, please call, urgent action is needed now.

Hon. Mike Johnson, Speaker of the House (202) 225-2777

Hon. Mike McCaul, Chairman House Foreign Affairs Committee (202) 225-2401

AFRICA

Libyan leaders must put national interests above their own, top envoy tells Security Council

Efforts to foster dialogue and address the concerns of Libyan politicians are being met with “stubborn resistance, unreasonable expectations and indifference” on their part, contrary to the national interest, the UN envoy to the North African nation said on Tuesday.

Special Representative Abdoulaye Bathily told the Security Council that since the end of 2022, UN-led efforts to resolve Libya’s political crisis have encountered national and regional pushbacks, “revealing an intentional defiance to engage in earnest and a tenacity to perpetually delay elections”.

“With a deep sense of disappointment, it is disheartening to witness individuals in positions of power putting their personal interests above the needs of their country,” he said. He emphasized the necessity for Libyan leaders to prioritize national interests over personal ones, urging them to reach a political settlement through negotiations and compromise.

“We cannot allow the aspirations of 2.8 million registered Libyan voters to be overshadowed by the narrow interests of a few,” he added.

Entrenched positions persist

Mr. Bathily told ambassadors the five key Libyan stakeholders – Mohamed Takala, President of the High Council of State; Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh, Government of National Unity Prime Minister; Agila Saleh, Speaker of the House of Representatives; General Khalifa Haftar, Commander of the LNA; and Mohamed al-Menfi, President of the Presidential Council –have not budged from their preconditions to attend the talks.

‘Concerted global push’ for Sudan ceasefire is essential: Guterres

“The world is forgetting about the people of Sudan” the UN chief warned on Monday, calling for a boost in humanitarian funding and a global push for peace to end a year of brutal fighting between rival militaries.

With attention over the weekend focused on the Middle East he said the conflict between the national army and Rapid Support Forces militia had turned into “a war being waged on the Sudanese people.”

“It is a war on the many thousands of civilians who have been killed, and tens of thousands more maimed for life, said UN Secretary-General António Guterres.

“It is a war on the 18 million people facing acute hunger and the communities now staring down the terrifying threat of famine in the months ahead.”

No aspect of civilian life has been spared, including rampant sexual violence and the targeting of aid convoys and aid workers.

Meanwhile, the violence which erupted in and around the capital Khartoum a year ago, has forced more than eight million to flee their homes while two million have become refugees.

One year on, half of Sudan’s population needs lifesaving assistance.

WORLD BRIEFS

Gaza: No let up in deadly toll as rights chief demands end to suffering

Nearly 10,000 women have been killed in Gaza since war erupted six months ago and one child is injured or dies every 10 minutes, UN agencies warned on Tuesday, amid spiralling violence in the West Bank and concerns over a regional escalation of the conflict following Iran’s missile and drone strike on Israel.

“Six months into the war, 10,000 Palestinian women in Gaza have been killed, among them an estimated 6,000 mothers, leaving 19,000 children orphaned,” said UN Women, in a new report.

“More than one million women and girls in Gaza have almost no food, no access to safe water, latrines, washrooms, or sanitary pads, with disease growing amidst inhumane living conditions.”

Echoing those concerns, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) issued a new ceasefire call so that humanitarian relief can be brought into Gaza to help rebuild hospitals including Al Shifa, which has been “basically destroyed” after a recent Israeli incursion.

“The management is trying to get the emergency department cleaned (but) the work is just enormous to get just a cleaning done, let alone to get supplies,” said WHO spokesperson Tarik Jasarevic, following a new UN health agency mission to the devastated medical facility in Gaza City on Monday.

Colombia serves as ‘a model’ for countries using dialogue to forge peace

Colombia has reached an “important juncture” in advancing peace after decades of war, but efforts to sustain the current momentum must be redoubled, the head of a UN mission in the country told the Security Council on Tuesday.

“However difficult and demanding of patience, Colombia’s decision to prioritise dialogue as a principal means to resolve conflict sets the country apart as a model that is more relevant than ever in today’s world,” said Carlos Ruiz Massieu, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative and head of the UN Verification Mission in Colombia.

Emerging from decades of war, the Government has since made critical strides in implementing the 2016 Final Peace Agreement by advancing ongoing dialogue initiatives, he said, recalling the Council’s recent visit when members were able to observe firsthand the “deep desire for peace”, from the highest levels of government and state institutions through civil society and vulnerable communities in the regions still afflicted by conflict.

‘Still a long way to go’

“The key challenge for transforming that aspiration into reality is to channel the abundant political will and the drive of civil society into ever more tangible dividends of peace on the ground,” he said.

Haiti – Transition Council Concerned with Stall in PM

Henry’s Resignation

The parties in Haiti that are going to establish the long-awaited governing council have demanded that it be seated “as soon as possible,” charging that the departing prime minister has altered the conditions of their previous agreement. The announcement followed a proclamation published in the official gazette of Haiti announcing the council’s establishment on April 12, 2024, one month after Prime Minister Ariel Henry announced his resignation in the face of a flurry of attacks in the nation’s capital by armed gangs.

The council’s purpose is to facilitate a peaceful exit for Henry, who has served as Haiti’s unelected leader since President Jovenel Moise was assassinated in 2021, making room for fresh presidential elections. However, weeks of political backstabbing have delayed its establishment, and its recent edict seems to have stoked even more conflict.

Said in a text message dated April 13, 2024, the decision “deeply shocked” the nine organizations and political parties that would have representation on the council.

They questioned the text’s legitimacy and decried “the introduction of major modifications” that “distort” the initiative.

They specifically asked that a political agreement made on April 3 that described the goals and composition of the council, as well as its membership, be published in the official gazette.

The departing administration recognized the council’s establishment in its proclamation, but it omitted a list of its members.

Then the government issued a request for “the personalities designated by the stakeholders” to provide paperwork to be approved by authorities.

This seemed to cause a delay in the council’s formation and sparked concerns that some of the names would be rejected by the government.

The nine stakeholders underlined that Henry and his administration must make it easier for the council to be installed “as soon as possible,” as per the terms of the April 3 agreement.

Elections have not been conducted in Haiti since 2016. Since Moise’s murder, the poor country has struggled with escalating political and security issues.

A UN-backed force headed by Kenya was supposed to arrive in the nation last year and assist its struggling police in keeping criminal gangs from causing devastation. However, despite appeals for assistance from humanitarian organizations due to escalating hunger, extreme poverty, and inadequate healthcare, the force has not yet been sent into action.

In February, when Henry was in Kenya attempting to arrange the multinational force’s deployment, gangs plotted an attack and demanded that the 74-year-old quit.

Following the outburst of violence, thousands of Port-au-Prince citizens fled the city and foreigners were evacuated, despite warnings from relief organizations that their numbers would not be supported by infrastructure in other areas of the nation.

Henry consented to stand down and help the transitional council form in March under significant pressure from the US and the region.

Two non-voting observers and seven voting members chosen from Haiti’s political spectrum will comprise the council.

If there is political infighting, there are questions about its ability to control the gangs.

Jamaica – Repeal Anti-WhistleBlower Law Say Civil Society Groups

Danielle Archer, Principal Director of National Integrity Action (NIA), is advocating for the immediate repeal of the Official Secrets Act. She argues that the Protective Disclosure Act, often known as whistleblower legislation, is too modern to coexist with the antiquated, colonial statute.

Also, the Executive Director of Jamaicans for Justice Mickel Jackson has called for the implementation of the long-overdue revision to the Access to Information Act. Archer recently expressed her disapproval of the act as she recently argued against the legislation at an Advocates Network post-Budget governance press conference in New Kingston that the 1911 colonial legislation works to defeat the purpose of the more recent whistleblower statute. The purpose of whistleblower laws is to safeguard those who expose misconduct within the public sector. It will cover incidences of mismanagement that have already happened or are about to happen, and it is meant to cover every kind of malfeasance that may be reported inside an organization.

Public employees are not allowed to disclose certain information to the public under the Official Secrets Act.

“If we are serious about accountability, there has to be the repeal of the Official

Secrets Act. There must be a repeal of the archaic law and a strengthening of the Protected Disclosures Act because if we don’t find a way to allow people to talk, governance would be pointless,” she said. The head of the Jamaica Confederation of Trade Unions, St. Patrice Ennis, called an internal letter delivered to Jamaica Customs Agency employees in late January that cautioned them against violating the Official Secrets Act “nonsense.” The letter was released in response to a study on air quality assessment that was leaked and revealed that the surrounding area was hazardous.

He claimed to The Gleaner that state agencies frequently abused the law to suppress employees who voiced concerns. Archer is requesting a precise schedule for the evaluation of important laws, such as the Access to Information Act, to guarantee the implementation of stronger accountability measures.

She criticized lawmakers for the House’s few sessions, saying that because they are now receiving highly attractive incomes thanks to a compensation reform operation that increased their pay by more than 200 percent, there is no room for justification.

“Parliamentarians are required to sit and draft laws and make sure that we have a

strong legislative scheme. It’s been an excuse for decades to say that we don’t have enough time,” she remarked. “We are paying the politicians quality money. There should be no excuses about accommodation or time constraints,” she noted.

When the government would examine the nation’s laws to make them more appropriate for the present state of affairs in Jamaica, Archer expressed her anticipation.

The executive director of JFJ reminded Jamaicans that several requests have been made over the years for an evaluation of the Access to Information Act, but that no action has been taken to amend the legislation as of yet.

A pledge to revise the Access to Information Act was announced in the Governor General’s Throne Speech of 2021.

Speaking at an event organized by the Press Association of Jamaica called “Right to Know Week 2021,” the then-state minis-

ter for education, youth, and information Robert Morgan stated that changes to the ATI Act were unlikely to occur anytime soon.

The ATI Act, which was passed in June 2002, grants individuals and other people a wide legal right of access to official government records that are not generally available.

“I do not expect us to have a new law until probably late 2022-23 because the legislative agenda is very packed. I think that’s a little ambitious, but I think if we push, we can get it done” at that moment, he stated.

According to Jackson, the ATI Act had not been used to JFJ’s advantage in obtaining precise information on the Armadale fire, which killed seven girls. She said right now, “We are unaware of how people have been held accountable”.

“When we were speaking to the Protected Disclosures Act at the joint select committee (of Parliament), we made a recommendation that you can’t have a whistleblower law, but there are challenges in how the ATI Act is being utilized and that there is a lack of clarity around the Official Secrets Act,” Jackson stated.

“In other words, you can’t eradicate corruption. You can’t have accountability if the public officials are not aware of what limitations there may be,” she concluded.

T&T – Families of Dead Babies In Hospital to Sue Government

A class action lawsuit for medical negligence has been filed against Port-of-Spain General Hospital (P0SGH) by seven families whose newborns passed away from neonatal sepsis over four days in the NICU.

Former attorney general Anand Ramlogan, SC, is representing the parents, Shaniya Raymond-Adams, Natasha Samuel, Shaquille Harry, Danyelle Samaroo, Tinelle Saunders, Jodie Molino, and Shirese Moore-Beckles.

Ramlogan described his intended goal in a nine-page letter recently sent to the CEO of the Northwest Regional Health Authority (NWRHA), “to file an unprecedented class action claim for medical negligence based on the mass death of seven innocent babies.” He stated that the families were invited over the weekend to attend a meeting with high-ranking NWRHA officials on April 13, 2024, but they expressed reservations regarding the meeting’s objectives, the attendees, and whether the families’ legal representation was permitted.

“While seven deaths have been exposed by the media, we wish to make it clear that we are still in the process of assessing the true impact and scale of this tragedy, as several other parents have since contacted us with similar horror stories regarding their experience at the PoSGH and the negligent death of their babies.”

The letter further notes, “We are therefore in the process of taking the necessary instructions and expressly reserve the right to add further claimants to this class action claim for medical negligence. In the meantime, we seek full, frank disclosure regarding the number of babies that have died at the PoSGH since January 1, 2024, to present.”

According to Ramlogan, the families have voiced serious concerns over the accuracy of the medical records and notes for the moms and their children. They have made many requests for these records, but they have not yet received them.

“They are troubled by the bureaucratic stonewalling and continuing failure and/or refusal to provide these critical documents. They are worried that the medical notes and records could be changed and altered to fabricate a defense or mitigate the negligent conduct of the medical staff at the PoSGH,” the letter further mentioned.

“We appreciate and understand our client’s fears and anxieties on this issue because we are involved in medical negligence cases in which we have reason to believe that the medical notes and records were doctored and changed. In other cases, the entire file containing the patient’s medical notes and records mysterious-

ly vanished. We therefore see these concerns as legitimate and reasonable and therefore urge you to disclose our client’s medical records,” it stated.

According to the letter, a baby who was “suffering from a serious viral infection was transferred from the St Clair Medical Centre to the NICU in circumstances where the risk of transmission and exposure to infection was reasonably foreseeable.”

It claimed that no effort was made to appropriately segregate the infants of our clients to avoid infection.

“In the circumstances, we intend to seek an order for disclosure regarding the transfer of this baby, which clearly placed our clients’ babies at serious risk and at compromise to their health with fatal consequences,” it noted. Ramlogan said that he planned to pursue exceptional and aggravating damages, “for the arbitrary and oppressive conduct of the staff at the PoSGH given the reckless, incompetent, unprofessional, and irresponsible manner in which our clients and the babies were treated.”

He added, “To knowingly expose innocent babies to such a clear risk of foreseeable harm without implementing appropriate preventative measures to manage the risk of exposure and prevent transmission is cruel and inhuman and

could justify a criminal investigation to determine whether charges for manslaughter and misbehavior in public office occurred.”

“The fact that these deaths were hidden from the public with no timely statement by the Ministry of Health (which is quick to boast about the excellent level of health care in our public hospitals), speaks volumes. The “hushhush” policy of the NWRHA illustrates that they were prepared to bury their heads in the sand in the hope that these deaths would be simply forgotten over time.”

He maintained that the NWRHA was required to report that six more babies had passed away in the NICU and near one another.

“The NWRHA breached this duty to make full and frank disclosure and is therefore guilty of the worst form of hypocrisy and deception. It is clear that the plan of action was to deal with each family separately and individually in the hope that it could pacify them and simply let them walk away on the understanding that the pain and suffering over their loss would ease over time. Our clients will never, however, be able to overcome their loss, far less forget about the manner in which their babies were treated,” he added.

Continued online at www.nycaribnews.com

Grenada – Bust of Maurice Bishop Will Be Installed On National Heroes Day

Grenada’s Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell says the government will be working along with a Cuban foundation for a sculptured bust of former Prime Minister Maurice Bishop and other people who were killed on October 19, 1983. Mitchell, who has returned from an official visit to Cuba, said the plans are for the busts to be installed as part of activities to commemorate National Heroes Day on October 19 this year.

Grenada observed National Heroes Day for the first time last October, coinciding with the 40th anniversary of the assassination of Bishop, the island’s first left-wing prime minister, who along with several of his cabinet ministers were killed during a palace coup.

The coup led to the demise of the People’s Revolutionary Government (PRG) and the Bishop’s body has never been officially identified as a result, there is no known final resting place of the revolutionary leader. Mitchell told a news conference that while in Havana he held discussions with the son of the sculptor who designed the Maurice Bishop bust and that a partnership has been established with a foundation for a similar undertaking in Grenada.

“We had the opportunity to meet with the son of the sculptor who operates a Foundation and a company that has significant experience and expertise in the creation of busts.

“We engaged in discussions surrounding or commissioning a bust to represent Maurice Bishop and the 18 colleagues who were killed on the 19th of October 1983 to be done by the sculptor and his Foundation,” said Mitchell.

“And so, we anticipate before October 19, 2024, that we will have a bust of Maurice Bishop together with the 18 colleagues who fell and most importantly we will signal the commencement of a relationship with that foundation to teach Grenadians students in particular the art of bust making, the art of sculpture and all that goes with it,” Mitchell told reporters. (CMC)

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries Calls on Republicans to Release Funding for Haiti

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries on Thursday demanded that Republican lawmakers immediately back the release of millions of dollars in funding for Haiti as the Caribbean nation is beset by political violence and instability.

“America needs to stand with the people of Haiti,” Jeffries, a Brooklyn Democrat, told theGrio during his weekly presser. Jeffries said the money should have been released on Wednesday.

Haiti has seen a rise in violence, deaths and kidnappings since late February as armed gangs members staged attacks to take control over large swathes of the nation and raided prisons, freeing more than 4,000 inmates. The attacks targeted the country’s airports, police stations

and largest port, disrupting food supplies and destabilizing life for Haitians.

Prime Minister Ariel Henry, who has lobbied for a United Nations-backed deployment of Kenyan police officers, remains locked out of Haiti and faces pressure to resign, according to the Associated Press.

Democrats have urged House Speaker Mike Johnson to speak with Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, about the release of $40 million in security aid to address the unrest. McCaul chairs the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

Yet, McCaul and ranking member of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations Sen. Jim Risch, R-Idaho, say they need more details before releasing the funds. Last month, the Biden-Harris administration sent McCaul

and Risch their plans to assist Haiti, however neither Republican has changed their stance on releasing the funds.

“This is what the Republican party does,” Rep. Jamaal Bowman, D-N.Y., told theGrio on Thursday. “They don’t want to send funding where it needs to go, especially when they’re Black or brown countries … Haiti needs funding.”

Rep. Yvette Clarke, D-N.Y., said Haiti “is experiencing some of the most horrific times in our modern, civil society.”

Haiti has seen an increase in unrest as gangs seeking political power have grown frustrated with the postponement of elections following the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in 2021.

“We cannot continue to sit on the sidelines,” Clarke said.

Biden to NAN – “We’ve Kept Our Promises” - Seeking the Black Vote

Speaking almost entirely to the Rev. Al Sharpton’s racial justice conference on April 12, 2024, President Joe Biden reassured an understanding audience that “we’ve kept our promises” as he stepped up efforts to mobilize Black voters, who will be crucial to his reelection campaign this fall.

Speaking to a crowd of several hundred people at the annual National Action Network Convention in New York, Biden ran down a lengthy list of what he claimed to be some of the major achievements of his administration for Black Americans. He explained how federal public works funding could be used to reunite divided city neighborhoods caused by the construction of highways decades ago. Additionally, billions of dollars could be invested in historically Black colleges and universities.

“Together, we’ve kept our promises to make some of the most significant investments in the Black American community ever,” Biden said. He also mentioned the hundreds of prisoners he had pardoned for their convictions on federal marijuana crimes, the fight against racial discrimination in the real estate industry, and the millions of Americans whose student loans he had canceled.

The US president refers to this change within the black community as a transformational “change”, he continues his statement noting, “We know there’s much more work to do.” He stated that he still intended to sign significant laws extending voting rights and the George Floyd Act, a police reform package

named for a Black man whose death at the hands of Minneapolis police in 2020 prompted nationwide demonstrations for racial justice and calls for federal legislation.

Republican former president Donald Trump, who has attempted to increase his appeal to Black voters, will face Biden again in November.

Trump claims that the four criminal indictments he has received have improved his standing with members of the influential voting bloc, who view him as a victim of discrimination and have compared the historical legacy of anti-Black prejudice in the American legal system to his legal predicament. Additionally, the former president has frequently drawn comparisons between himself and anti-apartheid campaigner Nelson Mandela, claiming that he and his companies have been singled out by federal and state prosecutors for political motives.

The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research conducted a poll in March that found that, despite Biden’s past strong support and acceptance among Black Democrats, 45% of Black Americans disapproved of the way he is managing his role as president. A little over half expressed approval.

In his previous address, Biden stressed that senior Republicans oppose abortion rights and increased voting access, but he did not specifically reference Trump, “There are real threats we face.”

Biden remarked, “There are more extreme

Security Council Press Statement on Guyana–Venezuela Situation

The following Security Council press statement was issued today by Council President Vanessa Frazier (Malta): The members of the Security Council expressed their concern about the possible escalation of tensions between Venezuela and Guyana. They urged the parties to exercise maximum restraint, reminding them of their obligations to comply with the Order of Provisional Measures issued by the International Court of Justice on 1 December 2023.

The Council also underlined the im-

portance of maintaining regional peace and security and ensuring that the Latin America and Caribbean region remains a zone of peace. In this regard, it commended regional efforts which resulted in the conclusion of the Declaration of Peace and Dialogue of Argyle of 14 December 2023 in which Guyana and Venezuela, inter alia, agreed that any controversy between the two States will be resolved in accordance with international law, including the Geneva Agreement of 1966.

The members of the Security Council urged the parties to resolve their differences through peaceful means and to uphold their obligations under international law and the Charter of the United Nations. They also stressed the importance of regional actors playing a facilitating role in easing the tensions.

The members of the Security Council reaffirmed the importance of upholding the principles of respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity and the prohibition to any party, on the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of another State, as enshrined in Article 2(4) of the Charter of the United Nations.

voices out there who simply don’t want to see people of color in the future of our country.”

The brother of George Floyd, Terrence Floyd, stated that hearing Biden promise to continue pushing for improvements in his brother’s honor meant a lot.

“For him to still be adamant on passing that bill, I appreciate it,” he said. “He’s got the Floyd family behind him.”

In 2021, the measure was approved by the Democratic-controlled House, but it was blocked by Republicans in the Senate. There were plenty of other excited people in the throng. As the president neared the platform in a White House auditorium that was streamed live, about half of the crowd rose and cheered. A week of visits by government officials and other notable local and national figures culminated with Biden’s virtual speech. Last year,

Vice President Kamala Harris gave a keynote speech at the gathering.

Elaine Duval, a resident of New York City, stated that she believes the president is sincere when he tries to win over Black people “think that he has gotten the praise and merit that he deserves.” However, she said that Biden had a chance to speak about Palestinian suffering during Israel’s conflict with Hamas in the Gaza Strip, which he had overlooked.

“Oppression of any people anywhere is oppression of humanity,” Duval stated. “And Black people, the Black race, we have been used to oppression and subjugation. I wish he had mentioned that because they are our kinfolk. He should bring the power of the presidency to bear upon that.”

Biden has often encountered demonstrators criticizing his administration’s handling of the Gaza War while touring the nation in support of his reelection.

In his introduction of Biden, Sharpton—who has been hosting frequent gatherings of civil rights leaders at the White House to discuss issues impacting African Americans—recounted his years of involvement with the National Action Network.

“I give that background, so people won’t think he’s just doing his viral speech to get votes,” Sharpton noted.

Continued online at www.nycaribnews.com

UK – Church Apologizes for Its Role in Slavery

As part of a ten-person delegation touring Jamaica, a religious denomination from the United Kingdom has brought a formal apology for the churches’ historical complicity in the issue of human trafficking and the enslavement of Africans.

The team, which is composed of representatives from many UK faith denominations, is now spending 12 days on the island, which has been characterized as “part of the journey towards repentance for one of the modern era’s most destructive collective sins.”

A press statement announcing the group’s arrival said that one of the denominations will offer an official apology during the 12-day trip, called the Ecumenical Pilgrimage for Justice, Reconciliation, and Unity, and that the moderator of the United Church in Jamaica and the

Cayman Islands will accept it at an ecumenical service on Sunday, April 14, 2024, at 4 p.m. at the Webster Memorial Church, Half-Way Tree Road, Kingston.

The Rt Reverend Christine Benguche, President of the Jamaica Council of Churches and Bishop of the Methodist Church in Jamaica will deliver the sermon.

According to the announcement, the principals of the Churches’ Reparations Action Forum (CRAF) from Jamaica visited the UK in June 2023, which prompted a trip to the island. Pastor Bruce Fletcher, convenor of CRAF stated, “Our visit to the UK was to share our perspectives on reparation and to encourage the churches, para-church organizations, and civic society to embrace, or take on, the call for reparation and to join us in the work of advo-

cacy for repair, which for us is both relational and financial. We were grateful to God for the overwhelming reception we received in that country.”

He further mentioned, “Whilst British Churches may have profited directly from the trade-in and enslavement of Africans, the inhumanity of enslaving others and molding our theology to justify it also casts a scandalous shadow on the churches’ spiritual legacy and integrity.”

The UK delegation is scheduled to depart the island on April 22, 2024, after making polite calls to government officials and meeting with representatives from various churches, the National Council on Reparation, and civic associations. The delegation will also take tours of special historic sites and various communities.

Jamaica – Scholarships in Memory of Marcia Erskine

At the Thanksgiving ceremony for public relations maven Marcia Erskine on April 13, 2024, two scholarships in her honor were revealed.

Roshal Marshall, Erskine’s daughter, informed the attendees that a $15 million Marcia Erskine Scholarship Fund will be established by the family to “help create and educate the next wave of women journalists at The University of the West Indies.”

In closing, she paid a moving homage to her mother and announced that the scholarship would “honor her legacy of love, community, and mentorship”. Marshall remarked on the unique bond she had with her mother and how her mother had embraced her chosen course in life.

Tears welling up in her eyes, she replied, “She prepared me, loved me, nurtured me and now she’s left me — and I miss her

beyond reason.”

“But I’m trying to take comfort in that, that all I have to do is miss her, and though the pain of her absence often feels overwhelming it pales in comparison to the gratitude to have known such an extraordinary woman. There are no regrets, only cherished memories and a legacy of love that will never fade because, in a way, she lives in me and Machel, in my children, in all who loved her and whose lives she touched,” Marshall remarked. “Thank you for imprinting my life with your boundless love, wisdom, and praise. I will love you forever, I will miss you forever. I wish we had more time together, but it was enough. Thank you for everything, mummy,” She spoke while shedding many tears.

The program at the burial included further information on the scholarship.

It stated that the scholarship, created in

honor of Erskine’s outstanding contributions to public relations and journalism, “will provide full tuition for three years of studies at UWI, ensuring that talented and deserving female students have the opportunity to pursue their passion for journalism” enabling them “to make meaningful contributions to the media landscape of the Caribbean and beyond”.

Children of Jamaica Outreach (COJO) chairman and founder Gary Williams revealed the second scholarship during his homage, recalling Erskine’s significant involvement as a board member in the organization.

He stated, “To honor her work and legacy, COJO will be presenting the Marcia Erskine Scholarship. The first presentation will take place at our upcoming scholarship awards luncheon next month.”

Leaders, Clergy Call for Affordable Energy Solutions at NAN Convention for Black and Brown Americans

New York, NY — Reverend Malcolm T. Byrd, Senior Pastor at Mother AME Zion Church joined former Senator Mary Landrieu, former Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter, and former Congressman Kendrick Meek to shed light on the urgent need for affordable energy solutions in the fight against climate change. The Honorable Donald Cravins, former Under Secretary for Minority Business Development at the U.S. Department of Commerce, moderated a panel at Rev. Al Sharpton’s National Action Network (NAN) Convention called “Affordable Energy is a Civil Rights Issue: Why we can’t leave Black and Brown voices out of the clean energy conversation.”

The NAN Convention galvanized leaders around critical issues in the ongoing fight for civil rights. Chief among these was the ability of Black and Brown Americans to keep the lights on with mounting energy prices and the rise in extreme weather conditions – from winter storms to record-breaking heat in the summers.

Rev. Byrd kicked off the affordable energy panel, which comes seven months ahead of the 2024 election, by describing his experience with this firsthand. Byrd shells out a staggering $6,000 every ten days to keep his NYC congregation warm with fuel oil during the winter, while a natural gas pipeline is nearby. It’s imperative for Byrd’s congregations, a sanctuary for the Black community, to withstand energy costs without the added burden of impractical energy solutions.

Unfortunately, Byrd’s experience is not unique. Many families struggle to pay the bills in the winter, having to decide if they will heat or eat. According to the Department of Energy, low-income households, a demographic in which Black and Brown Americans are disproportionately represented, contribute an average of 8.6% of their income to energy bills, compared to 3% for non-low-income households.

“We need to pay attention closely in this energy conversation,” said Sen. Landrieu. “We need to make sure this energy transition is affordable,

or the bill will come due to the poor and the middle class.”

The panelists discussed how natural gas in combination with renewables can lower emissions, create job opportunities, and address energy disparities among Black, Brown, and low-income Americans.

“Natural gas is a clean-burning fuel,” explained Rep. Meek. “We become a stronger country by allowing individuals to have the dollars to send their children to school and do the things they need to do to improve the situation for their families, and not have to pay through their nose to stay warm in the winter time.”

As Mayor Nutter described his experience navigating complex energy solutions while leading one of the biggest cities in the country, he also articulated the opportunity presented by reliable energy sources like natural gas.

“We need to make sure there is affordable, reliable, dependable energy source for folks,” said Mayor Nutter, pointing to both the need for affordable energy and the opportunity for

economic growth for communities nationwide.

“Someone has to run that plant, someone has to rehabilitate those pipes. Those are jobs.”

“It’s about clean energy. It’s about affordable energy,” said Rev. Malcolm Byrd in his powerful closing remarks. “It’s about us being able as a people to keep the landmarks in our communities, to let future generations know, this Church was paid for by a grandmother that fried chicken and fried fish and did what she had to do to give us this institution. And we are not going to sell it, we are not going to lose it, because we cannot afford the oil prices.”

As legislators craft energy solutions, the panelists emphasized, Black and Brown perspectives must be at the center of these conversations, so clean energy policy can better the livelihoods of all communities nationwide.

Check our website for a full recording of the panel.

St. Vincent – PM Gonsalves Thanks Sandals for Boost in Economy

Sandals Resorts has already had a positive impact on St. Vincent and the Grenadines, as noted by Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves. The opulent all-inclusive chain gave the nation hope during the COVID-19 pandemic and following the La Soufrière volcano eruption in 2021.

Gonsalves spoke to visitors during Sandals St. Vincent’s recent grand opening, “During COVID, unemployment went up, and there was a decline in economic activity in the region. At the time we also had volcanic

eruptions. Sandals came to us with a proposal to recruit Vincentians and send them to their resorts across the Caribbean to be trained. We had to evacuate 20,000 persons, with some in shelters for four to six months. Along came a friend in Sandals who said they could ease some of the pressure, providing opportunities for 500 people, and these little things talk to me about partnership.”

“This might have been small for Sandals, but it was a huge thing for us in the condition in which we found ourselves, and I want to thank Sandals and Adam,” Speaking of Adam Stewart, the son of the late Gordon “Butch” Stewart, the founder of the renowned resort business, Sandals Resorts, he added.

“It is an understatement really to call Sandals a brand. It has become an existential part of our Caribbean civilization. This civilization is tailor-made for tourism and Butch Stewart has helped to shape this aspect of the material to help sustain us. I think that when the history of the 20th into the 21st century is written, there would be a towering place for this legend,” PM Gonsalves stated.

Prime Minister Gonsalves described his nation’s plans to honor Butch Stewart’s legacy and his contributions to the growth of the Caribbean’s tourist industry and economy, emphasizing that the two had a terrific connection.

“The Government of St Vincent and the Gren-

adines had indicated to Sandals that we will build the road coming to the entrance of the hotel. Having built it, we will call it the Gordon “Butch” Stewart Boulevard,” Gonsalves made his announcement to resounding cheers.

The eighteenth resort in the Sandals group in the Caribbean is Sandals St Vincent and the Grenadines. Scattered over 50 verdant acres, it provides 301 rooms and apartments.

Stewart states that the chain’s newest resort “is a multi-generational act in the making that began with my extraordinary father, Gordon “Butch” Stewart, and Prime Minister Gonsalves many years ago”.

He stated that the two guys had made serious attempts to fly the flag of St. Vincent and the Grenadines not just in that nation but also on every other Caribbean island where Sandals functions.

“Little did we know that 43 years later the Sandals brand would grow from one 99-room hotel in Montego Bay to a top 500 brand known on the world stage as a super brand. The only Caribbean-born commercial super brand known across the United States, Europe, and Canada, with over 84 percent brand penetration and recognition,” he stated.

Stewart discussed the implications of the new resort’s launch for Sandals, the island, and the Caribbean region.

“First and foremost, we market the destina-

tion — both St Vincent and the Grenadines. The landscape that makes up this incredible archipelago will benefit. Directly and indirectly, for linkages, tour operators, taxi operators, restaurateurs, musicians, farmers, fishers, entrepreneurs, hardware store operators, the entire ecosystem and connectivity we plan to make sure that the entire world knows,” he remarked.

Airlift has expanded tremendously since Sandals arrived on the island, and additional flights are soon to be available. Stewart claims that many airlines have changed their itineraries to accommodate the increased demand.

“American Airlines used to fly twice per week to and from the Argyle Airport. Since April the airline has increased [flights] to four times per week and is expected to have daily flights by the end of 2024,” he stated.

“Air Canada and Virgin have increased their airlift, with JetBlue and United Airlines now flying to the island for the first time. Nationals and visitors will have the opportunity to fly more conveniently, and we will continue to grow,” Stewart noted.

Approximately 300 of the world’s best travel consultants are scheduled to visit the resort next month, making this the largest group of foreign travel experts to ever visit St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

Haiti in Crisis: Republicans Holding Up the Funds to Help

As Haiti tries to recover with the transition council officially in place, there is some hope that the country can recover and survive.

Funds to help with security and humanitarian relief are being held up in the US Congress by a handful of Republican members in the amount of $40 million.

Democrats are pushing the members and President Biden to make the funds available at this critical time. A special appeal by representative Yvette Clarke is today’s Guest editorial, it is a crucial issue for our community now.

In a vote for further aid for Haiti, a Caribbean nation that has been struck with a humanitarian crisis due to ongoing gang violence that led to citizens fleeing the country for a chance of survival, congress member Yvette Clarke made her stance known and continue to press for the preservation of Haiti. The congresswoman recently made her address through a speech at the House of Representatives to “stand on the right side of history.”

Mr. Speaker, I rise on this day to help shed light on the escalating crisis in Haiti. There is no doubt that the Haitian people

are experiencing some of the most horrific times in our modern, civil society. There is no viable government. There is no protection for the people. This is a humanitarian crisis that has reached unprecedented levels with widespread hunger and undeterred gang violence, filling the void and terrorizing the country. According to the U.N., 4 million people in Haiti face “acute food insecurity” and one million are one step away from famine.

Imagine, the population of Los Angeles, subject to severe food insecurity and violence that has led to a spike in starvation, with goods unable to move freely while people are forced to remain in their homes out of fear for their lives. Haiti is a mere 90 miles from our shores. And yet, in many ways, Haiti has been forgotten. But it is urgent that we pay attention.

American mythology paints the United States as a Nation of Immigrants, but our nation has historically eulogized and welcomed mostly White immigrants. Like Donald Trump, who once asked “Why are we having all these people from s-hole countries come here?” Like some of the richest people in the world, who despite being immigrants themselves, continue

to push insane conspiracies, completely devoid of compassion and logic and reason. They repeatedly use the rhetoric of the white supremacist “great replacement” conspiracy theory.

Praying for the erasure of Black immigrants from our history, and hoping for a whitewashed version to endure. Their cruelty has only enabled the treatment of Black immigrants as illegitimate – As temporary workers rather than permanent immigrants, As illegal immigrants rather than asylum seekers, As political tools rather than people in need. They describe Haitians as “invaders”.

Desperate families clinging to life and their fleeting futures are not invaders. Such rhetoric reflects the vicious quest for a racial hierarchy in immigration policy that deters and black, Black non-citizens from entering the US. So, I say again – it is urgent that we pay attention. Because the Black diaspora has always been a defining component to American Blackness. From Malcom X, who’s mother was Grenadian to Vice President Kamala Harris, who is from Afro-Indo-Caribbean Heritage. And as we continue to watch hell unfold on a

small nation a mere 90 miles off of our coasts, We can never again forget That Black History IS American History. In closing, I implore my colleagues and the Administration to come together for our Haitian brothers and sisters.

My co-chairs from the Haiti Caucus and I will continue to push this Administration to extend TPS for Haiti and a pause in deportations. The whole country is unstable and dangerous. There is no excuse to send anyone anywhere in Haiti. Let me repeat:

There is no excuse to send anyone anywhere in Haiti. We cannot give credence to those who would have us give in to fear –forsaking our American values for reasons beyond logic and comprehension.

We cannot forsake our American values for reasons beyond comprehension or give credence to those who would have us give in to fear. Our nation rises to its greatest heights when we are guided by our hearts and compassion and moral obligations to our neighbors in need. We have an opportunity to stand on the right side of history – and we must take it.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, I yield back.

Recognizing Earth Day: Communities, Countries, and People of Color Are Seriously Impacted

We must understand the environmental rules of the road, and its impact on our development through health, environment, economic and even our cultural and spiritual development. People of Color with a deep connection to Mother Earth are disproportionately affected by environmental challenges, pollution and challenges of climate change, experiencing higher cancer risk and other challenges. Earth Day and the awareness it serves must be recognized by our communities and we must play a role in the solution. We want to share with you the Secretary General of the United Nations’ point of view on the matter as a Guest Editorial.

‘We Must Restore Harmony with Nature’, Secretary-General Stresses, in Message

for International Mother Earth Day

Following is UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ message for International Mother Earth Day, observed on 22 April:

Humanity is acting like Mother Earth’s delinquent child.

We depend on nature for the food we eat, the air we breathe and the water we drink. Yet, we have brought chaos to the natural world: poisoning our planet with pollution, wiping out species and ecosystems with abandon and destabilizing our climate with greenhouse gas emissions. These actions harm nature, and they harm humanity. We are imperilling food production, polluting our ocean and air, creating a more dangerous, less stable

environment and holding back sustainable development.

Together, we must restore harmony with nature, embrace sustainable production and consumption, and protect ourselves from harm — creating jobs, reducing poverty and driving sustainable development as we do so.

That means slamming the brakes on biodiversity loss, putting a stop to pollution, and slashing greenhouse gas emissions globally. It means supporting Indigenous Peoples, local communities and others being hit hardest by the pollution, climate and biodiversity crises. It means delivering climate justice to countries on the frontline of climate chaos, and swiftly mobilizing the finance and support countries need to act on climate, protect

nature and promote sustainable development.

Countries must produce new national climate plans that align with limiting the rise in global temperature to 1.5°C. These can double as national transition plans and national investment plans, underpinning sustainable development for generations to come. And the G20 must lead a fast, fair and funded global phaseout of fossil fuels, and put a stop to nature-wrecking subsidies, such as those that underwrite runaway production of planetchoking plastics.

Repairing relations with Mother Earth is the mother of all of humanity’s challenges. We must act — and act now — to create a better future for us all.

Investing in Tomorrow: Clean Energy As The Path To Prosperity For All

by Ben Jealous

On Earth Day 1993, I delivered the first major speech of my life. It was in New York City’s Bryant Park, kicking off a nationwide tour to rally opposition to the passage of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). The crowd was about 10,000 people. I was there representing the Student Environmental Action Coalition (SEAC) and joining national leaders from the environmental and labor movements. I was 20 years old and it was nerve-racking. It was my first time speaking to a crowd that was not principally students. And helped me find my public voice, not just on the environment but on the rights of working people.

Now, 31 years later, Earth Day 2024 again marks a moment when the fate of our planet and the fate of working people in our country are tied together. The climate crisis can only be solved with our transition to an economy based on clean energy. And that next economy is here.

Unlike 31 years ago, the landmark policies now shifting the economic landscape are providing powerful incentives for investments in the country and the planet. They are bills like the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and the Biden-Harris administration’s infrastructure law.

NAFTA’s incentives all pointed in the wrong direction for the environment (as well as jobs). It gave polluters legal backdoors to challenge environmental protections outside our courts. It made it harder for Canada to regulate fossil fuels. And it created pressure to increase environmentally harmful farming and mining practices in Mexico.

Now the incentives are pointing the right way. The IRA has $40 billion in tax credits to expand clean technology manufacturing. That includes a manufacturing production tax credit to support the expansion of solar, wind, and battery manufacturing and critical minerals processing. These four sectors are part of the foundation of the next economy. And this tax credit – only a fraction of the power of the IRA – will create more than 560,000 good jobs over the next decade. It also represents the path to keeping the US competitive globally by helping to bring supply chains to America.

E2 is an organization of business leaders pushing policies that are both good for the economy and good for the environment. As of last week, they report at least 301 major clean energy projects have been announced in 41 states and Puerto Rico since passage of the IRA.

The eight projects announced just last month alone will create at least 1,700 jobs and pump more than $3 billion into the economy. E2’s federal advocacy director Sandra Purohit said, “the clean energy economy is once again showing no signs of slowing down. Federal clean energy investments in the IRA are working; they are spurring private investment, thousands more jobs in America’s resurgent manufacturing sector, and they will spark thousands more jobs in those communities to support the new workers and clean energy supply chains being built across the US.”

Critically, sectors other than manufacturing have an important part to play as well. Financial institutions must divest from fossil fuels to make way for clean energy. Aside from tax incentives, the clean energy transition itself offers a powerful incentive for this. As the transition picks up steam, fossil fuel companies are a riskier and riskier bet for long-term growth.

And companies across the board – whether they manufacture goods outside of green tech or provide services – can choose to make their own energy decisions greener. One example is the deal announced in January, between Microsoft and the solar panel manufacturer Qcells. Microsoft agreed to purchase 12 gigawatts of

solar modules and Engineering, Procurement and Construction services over eight years. That is enough energy to power more than 1.8 million homes annually. It will help Microsoft hit its own sustainability goals and it will help Qcells – which has the Western Hemisphere’s largest solar manufacturing facility in Dalton, Georgia – create even more good-paying manufacturing jobs.

Every year, companies commemorate Earth Day by changing their logo for a day or putting out empty public relations messages. In some cases, they attempt to “greenwash” their own poor environmental records. This year, companies have the opportunity to take a more genuine approach and commit to being part of the clean energy transition. The IRA and infrastructure bill offer immediate financial incentives. Clean energy’s increasing resilience and affordability make it good for business in the long term. And it will create a windfall of good jobs, so it is an investment in the American worker.

Guest Editorial: Where the Climate Discourse Has Gone Wrong

by Guillemette Gandon

In the mist of growing environmental actions and climate change mitigation promises, let us pause and reflect. What are we trying to protect? Has climate become the new focus, and plants been forgotten? The climate discourse has been diverging and distorted across the last decade. We need to remind ourselves of the true ecological crisis at stake.

Reading new releases in scientific research, I came across this new study. A scientific paper released December 2023 that compares a photovoltaic field to a forest in its ability to store carbon. The study concluded that, under arid conditions, a photovoltaic field is a better emission reduction solution than planting trees.

One of the main reasons for this is the fact that trees, although absorbing carbon dioxide (CO2), also absorb heat from the atmosphere, due to their low reflectance properties (also known as albedo). The study revealed that it would take up more than a decade of photosynthesis to compensate for the heat effect of planting trees. Meanwhile, it would take only two and half years for a solar farm to compensate for its heat emitted, thanks to the energy it produces.

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I understood the point of the study: while it sounds promising, an afforestation project

in the desert is both counterintuitive and counterproductive. If the goal is to cool down our planet, creating a photovoltaic field, in this case, would be more effective. Yet, if you ask me, covering a desert of silicon panels seems as intriguing as planting a forest on arid lands. The concept was curious: comparing nature to technology. And yet, this approach is becoming increasingly common, in an era where fighting climate change is increasingly dominated by technological solutions and carbon capture has become one of the main subjects of discussion. We look at trees as carbon capture technologies. We forget that they breathe, live, die.

But there is more to it. As an ecologist and conservationist, my studies focused mainly on understanding living organisms, the way they interact with each other, and understanding natural cycles: the air, the wind, the soil, the water. Nature across scales. Lives across climates. Yet today, most of the discussion revolves around one component of this immense cycle: carbon dioxide. While the climate crisis must be tackled, and quickly, we must find a balance between focusing on CO2 and protecting ecosystems.

Aside from the intrinsic value of nature, whose beauty and curiosity are, according to me, worth saving, protecting ecosystems has a far greater reach. By saving plants, and the system within which they live, we save cycles. Water, energy, oxygen. The things that keep us alive, that regulate the Earth. What made the appearance of life possible in the first place. Care for nature is a need rather than an interest,

since without it, we cannot exist. Yet we seem to forget it.

People are less and less connected to nature. Populations are increasingly living in urban areas and away from natural landscapes. Additionally, the political discourse around climate change emphasises on a purely technical focus: emissions, carbon, climate, temperatures. But the risk of simplifying the environmental crisis under these simple terms, often exasperated by media coverage, is to forget the systems within which climate is attached to, and forget why we are trying to regulate it in the first place. The effect of climate change has been observed by scientists and ecologists for decades, raising concerns for the wellbeing of ecosystems. Yet this issue has now become a political matter, a growing concern not only for nature per se, but about the way in which nature can and will serve us: natural resources, ecosystems services. Perhaps a realisation that capitalism has driven us away from the land, a reminder that if the little green sprouts die, we will starve and die, too.

The climate change discourse has moved beyond our dependency over natural resources into re-questioning the organisation of our society as a whole. On a warmer planet, the marginalised will be further marginalised. The victims of our globalised economy will be the first one to suffer from rising sea levels, wildfires, droughts, and extreme weather events. An exacerbation of the inegalitarian society within which we are living. Maybe a realisation of the weakness of our system, that “growth” only means so little.

What surprises me even more is how we tend to entangle the climate discourse with the international development discourse. The “white saviour” comes back to the rescue by not only reducing emissions but also saving marginalised groups. We offer “clean cooking alternatives” to communities for which the bare necessities of societal needs are not being met, such as accessing health care and a secure access to food to feed the family. Why change the structure of our own energy systems in the western and wealthy world when we can save the poor and ask them to use renewable energy instead?

We become heroes. Yet trees are still falling, hunger is still spreading.

We cover the mould with paint to avoid dealing with the root of the issue.

Now coming back to solar panels versus trees in the desert. Both are nonsense. Think of preserving both the desert and the rainforest. Get the carbon capture, but also keep the hydrological cycle healthy, the rain falling in autumn, the freeze coming in winter, the beetles reproducing, the leaves breathing.

Think abundance, not scarcity.

We destroy trees to make money then spend money to build carbon capture technologies and climate mitigation plans, to replace the services that the trees were providing in the first place. We are stuck in a vicious circle and seem unable to pause it.

It is thus a matter of thinking further. Picture the whole ecosystem, not just the gas exchange. Think life, not degrees. Think people, not carbon.

Ben Jealous is the Executive Director of the Sierra Club and a Professor of Practice at the University of Pennsylvania.

Con Edison to Host Interactive Clean Energy Exhibit to Celebrate Earth Day 2024

NEW YORK – Con Edison will host an interactive exhibit in Union Square Park in Manhattan to celebrate Earth Day 2024. The exhibit will teach visitors about Con Edison’s work to usher in a clean energy future.

The Clean Energy Headspace will kick off the Earth Day Celebrations on April 14, 2024, from noon to 6 p.m. at East 17th Street and Park Ave South in Union Square Park. The Clean Energy Headspace

will include personal accounts of the positive impact the clean energy transition has had on New York City -- from the oysters in the Hudson to bodegas in Queens.

“Con Edison’s vision is for every New Yorker to share the benefits of the clean energy transition. Still, many New Yorkers aren’t aware of exactly how this transition will benefit them,” said Tim Cawley, Con Edison’s chairman and chief executive. “That is why we are hitting the streets on

Earth Day to speak with New Yorkers about why our investments in clean energy are so important – not just for the planet, but also for the lives of our customers and the communities we serve.”

Visitors to the Clean Energy Headspace exhibit will hear stories from community members about Con Edison’s milestone clean energy achievements, like their installation of “soft” shorelines with native vegetation which have increased shoreline resiliency and biodiversity; their planting of trees which have the potential to reduce urban heat island effect by up to 6 degrees; and the construction of green roofs on new substations, which reduces the risk of flooding. Audio will be available in both English and Spanish.

The Clean Energy Headspace Exhibit is part of the Earth Day 2024 Festival, which brings together dozens of environmental nonprofits, climate campaigns, and sustainable businesses, as well as live entertainment, kids’ activities, and climate art.

Con Edison is proud to support additional Earth Day 2024 events throughout the five boroughs and Westchester including:

Bronx: Education and stewardship activities with The Bronx is Blooming (events throughout the month of April)

Manhattan: Harlem Grown’s Earth Day Festival (April 20; rain date April 21)

Staten Island: Con Edison Family Science: Earth Day Edition at Greenbelt Conservancy (April 23)

Westchester County: Arbor Day with White Plains Beautification Foundation (April 26)

Brooklyn: Earth Day Festival at Fort Greene Park Conservancy (April 27)

Queens: Climate Arts Festival at Queens Botanical Garden (April 27)

CCH Pounder to Present AFUWI Award to President Ali

New York, NY – The American Foundation for The University of the West Indies (AFUWI) is honored to announce that award-winning actress, philanthropist, and advocate CCH Pounder will present AFUWI’s Legacy Award to His Excellency

Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali, President of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, at the 27th Annual “The Legacy Continues” Gala. This prestigious event will be held on Thursday, April 18, 2024, at 583 Park Avenue (@63rd Street), New York City, at 6:00 pm.

Ms. Pounder, a Guyanese-born actress recognized for her remarkable career spanning five decades and her profound contributions to art and culture, is the 2018 recipient of AFUWI’s Bob Marley Award. Recipients of this award symbolize hope and inspiration for young scholars aspiring to make a societal impact. Her journey with AFUWI, from honoree to

a staunch advocate for educational access, reflects a commitment to lighting the path for the Caribbean’s brightest minds. Since joining the AFUWI family, CCH Pounder has significantly bolstered the foundation’s mission to provide scholarships for exceptionally bright yet financially challenged students at The University of the West Indies (UWI).

“The Legacy Continues” Gala is AFUWI’s principal fundraising event, directly supporting the scholarship program for deserving students at the UWI. On aver age, 50 exceptional students receive scholarships annually through this initiative. With the lowest higher education enrollment in the hemisphere, the Caribbean’s tertiary enrollment rate is less than 25% compared with the North American average of nearly 60% and the Latin American average of 52%, according to The World Bank 2020. This stark disparity highlights the importance of our mission and the urgent need to support the bright minds of the Caribbean.

Over the last decade, approximately 600 tuition scholarships have been awarded, alongside fostering relationships with other leading institutions. The need for support has notably increased in the wake of the global pandemic, doubling the demand from deserving students. AFUWI is dedicated to meeting this need and encourages support through the #donatetoeducate campaign. For ticket and table purchases, please visit www.afuwi.org.

AFUWI is recognized as a 501(c)(3) charitable non-profit organization. Contributions, whether financial or in-kind, are tax-deductible as permitted by state and federal laws.

Toyota Ventures Raises Another $300 Million to Expand Early-Stage Investments in Frontier Technology and Climate Solutions

LOS ALTOS, Calif. – Toyota Ventures, the early-stage venture capital arm of Toyota, announced two $150 million funds to expand its investments in startups developing disruptive technologies and business models at the forefront of innovation.

The addition of the new funds, Toyota Ventures Frontier Fund II (TVFF II) and Toyota Ventures Climate Fund II (TVCF II), brings the firm’s total assets under management to over $800 million.

Since its founding in July 2017, Toyota Ventures has furthered its mission of helping Toyota discover what’s next by investing in more than 75 startups across areas ranging from artificial intelligence and robotics to hydrogen solutions and renewable energy. Toyota Ventures is based in the San Francisco Bay Area and has portfolio companies in North America, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific. With these new funds, the firm can support more entrepreneurs around the world as they tackle tough challenges to build a better future for society and the planet.

“At Toyota Ventures, we are explorers. Our role is to understand technology trends that could advance Toyota’s mobility transformation in the near term and embrace the next generation of disruptive innovation in the long term,” said Jim Adler, founder and general partner of Toyota Ventures. “At a time when some investors have scaled back, we’re scaling up by doubling down on our initial Frontier and Climate Funds. With seismic breakthroughs in generative AI, e-fuels, space commercialization, carbon capture, and synthetic biology, it’s a crucial time to be investing for Toyota.”

TVFF II will focus on startups at the cutting edge of deep technology in areas like AI, robotics, mobility, cloud, and quantum computing, with an eye towards expanding Toyota Ventures’ international presence. The new fund will be led by Frontier Fund partner David Sokolic, a veteran investor and operating executive. Portfolio companies in the initial Frontier

Fund include satellite servicing provider Starfish Space, biosensor maker Scentian Bio, and quantum computing software startup Haiqu, among others.

TVCF II will seek out startups developing smart, scalable solutions that combat climate change and promote environmental sustainability. It will build on the firm’s inaugural climate-focused fund, which launched in 2021 and grew to a portfolio of 18 companies under the leadership of Climate Fund partner Lisa Coca. The first Climate Fund portfolio includes companies in renewable energy like Avalanche Energy; energy storage and batteries like e-Zinc and AM Batteries; carbon capture, removal and utilization like Air Company and Living Carbon; hydrogen solutions like Ecolectro; and other areas aligned with Toyota’s carbon neutrality goals. “Innovation is a team sport, and today, more than ever, it’s important for leaders like Toyota to collaborate with up-andcoming startups to take on the critical challenges we all face in a rapidly evolving world,” said Gill Pratt, chief scientist of Toyota Motor Corporation, CEO of TRI, and board member at Toyota Ventures.

“These new funds underscore our dedication to supporting entrepreneurs who are pushing the boundaries of what’s possible, and I’m thrilled to continue this journey alongside the Toyota Ventures team and portfolio.”

Going beyond capital, Toyota Ventures aims to leverage Toyota’s global network, deep technical expertise, and strategic partnerships to assist startups in its portfolio. It has a portfolio support team dedicated to providing guidance in product and business development, fundraising, marketing, and other areas to help companies scale effectively. Some of the firm’s early portfolio companies that continue to partner with Toyota include aerial ridesharing pioneer Joby Aviation and autonomous vehicle leader May Mobility.

Entrepreneurs seeking early-stage funding are invited to learn more and submit

an online pitch at the Toyota Ventures website.

Supporting quotes and testimonials

“The team at Toyota Ventures has been instrumental in our growth, having gone above and beyond by not simply offering capital support but also their mentorship in navigating various challenges and paving pathways into Toyota as an early customer,” said Dor Skuler, co-founder and CEO of Intuition Robotics.

“Toyota Ventures has been a committed strategic partner to Revel since 2018, working with us hand-in-hand as we expanded our business into all-electric rideshare and public fast charging infrastructure in dense cities like New York,” said Frank Reig, co-founder and CEO of Revel. “Beyond financial investments, Toyota Ventures has been essential in creating new relationships to support and develop our mission — the best kind of partner a founder can ask for.”

“The Toyota Ventures team had a deep of the technical aspects around the large

problems we are solving in the green hydrogen space,” said Gabriel G. Rodríguez-Calero, co-founder and CEO of Ecolectro. “On top of this, the level of guidance we received was well beyond the technical aspects of our business, and it has created enormous value for Ecolectro. Toyota Ventures’ unique approach and engagement shows the holistic support they provide around our whole business beyond just capital.”

“AM Batteries has experienced significant growth over the past year, thanks in no small part to the invaluable support from Toyota Ventures, “ said Lie Shi, CEO of AM Batteries. “In the time we’ve been working together with Lisa Coca and her team, it has become clear that Toyota Ventures possesses a deep understanding of how corporate venture capital can effectively cultivate successful alliances with startups. Their insight, financial backing, and partnership have been pivotal as we chart the course for AM Batteries’ future endeavors.”

Dr. Marcella Maxwell 1927-2024: An Auspicious Celebration of Life Well Lived!

by Hazel Rosetta Smith

Renowned educator, once Dean at Medgar Evers College, Commissioner of Human Rights for New York City and so many other distinguished positions an iconic community influencer.

Dr. Marcella Maxwell who died on March 21, 2024, at the age of 96. was celebrated at a memorial service at the Abyssinian Baptist Church in Harlem, founded in 1808, Abyssinian Baptist Church is one of the oldest African American Baptist churches in the United States, Dr. Maxwell was a member for several decades. Friday, April 5th, 2024, was a full day of celebration for a beloved community leader. It started at 9:30 am with a `White Rose’ ceremony of the Greater New York Links, each member dressed in all white

recited the ceremonial narrative of the Links in unison in a farewell ceremony.

The celebration continued at 10:45 when the Delta Sigma Theta Inc. Sorority of which Dr. Marcella has been a member for many years performed the Omega Omega service in black robes, a final rite of passage at the farewell service during the ceremony. Soror Carla Harris sang a rendition of ` His Eye Is on The Sparrow’ in tribute to Marcella.

The official service started at noon but throughout the morning attendees shared amongst themselves the wonderful stories about Dr, Maxwell and her impact on them and their lives, everyone had a story and complimented Dr. Maxwell.

The church was full, and the New York Police Department closed off the street and cleared it to facilitate the movement of attendees arriving at the service and the flow of dignitaries attending the service at noon.

The celebration of the “Golden Life’ of Marcella Maxwell continued with the service, a collection of pastors and ministers of religion attended some participating and many in the audience the invocation was done by the Reverend Rashad Raymond Moore, Pastor of the First Baptist Church of Crown Heights in Brooklyn, New York the prayer of comfort was by Roslyn M Brock, Chairman Emeritus, NAACP National Board of Directors.

Two beautifully rendered solos of `Ava Maria’ and ‘If I Can Help Somebody’ were well received by the congregation. There were acknowledgments and resolutions from the various ministries at Abyssinian

that Dr. Maxwell played an important role in, and they were all there to pay her tribute and recognition.

Tributes were also delivered by a series of leaders within the community Debra Fraser-Howze founder and president of Choose Healthy Life, Dr. Gwendolyn Boyd, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Leon W. Russell, Chair, of the NAACP National Board of Directors, Ethel Isaacs Williams, National President The Links Incorporated and several other individuals the political salutations came from honorable Charles Rangel former member of the US Congress who knew Marcella well and talked about her years of service to the community and the value that it brought to every one of us.

Eric Adams Mayor of New York City was also there and the spoke of how much Marcella meant to the city and how much she poured into him and to others in the city government.

The honorable Hazel Dukes, the current President of the New York State chapter of the NAACP, spoke of Marcella as her friend for 67-plus years they partnered in the work they valiantly did together and shared a kind friendship. Dr. Dukes the president of the New York Conference of NAACP and a National Board Member and Civil Rights icon herself spoke of the years of working together with Marcella and the value it brought to her. Dr. Dukes told the congregation that Marcella in her final days was in the hospital doing work still making sure things that she planned would come to fruition, that was

Marcella working to the very end.

Grandson Vaughn Young and his wife spoke lovingly of his grandmother, how much he admired her and loved her, and how much she meant to him and his family. Her granddaughter Story Young sang a musical tribute.

Rev. S. Rashaad Hoggard did the eulogy, The Executive Minister considers himself a student of Dr. Maxwell’, a mentee, and an admirer. He talked about the early days when he met her at Medgar Evers College and the impact, she had on him and described her as one of the great Black women of this country for all that she has done and for her achievements and the many `firsts’ that she has achieved. She had worked with and for so many issues and movements, The Black Women’s Agenda through the Links, Delta Sigma Theta Inc., and various organizations, and was very active in the church and the church programs he felt that he had gotten so much from her not only him but the church, the community and the city and we can celebrate her knowing that God is with her.

After the service families and friends gathered at the repass and the celebration continued into the evening with more stories of Marcella and her work and more celebration of what she has meant to so many in the audience so many in the city and people were just relaxed and felt proud to tell their own Dr. Marcella Maxwell story they were not in a hurry to depart from the gathering and what a celebration it was for a truly remarkable woman.

Ben Crump - Major Book Deal with Bantam Books

Florida-based civil rights attorney Ben Crump has inked a lucrative deal with Bantam Books for a gripping new series of crime thrillers. The series will follow the adventures of Beau Lee Cooper, a Black civil rights lawyer, as he navigates a world fraught with corruption and injustice while championing Black love and resilience. Crump, known for his landmark legal battles and advocacy work, took to Instagram to announce the exciting news, revealing that the series draws from his decades of courtroom experience and personal revelations.

In an interview with the Tallahassee Democrat, Crump shared his enthusiasm for sharing stories that not only entertain but also inspire the next generation of civil rights lawyers and social justice advocates. He emphasized the importance of representation, noting the absence of Black hero lawyers in popular legal thrillers. With his series, Crump aims to fill this gap by crafting relatable characters who use their legal expertise to fight for justice.

The first two books in the series are already complete, with the third and fourth installments nearing completion. While the release date is yet to be announced, anticipation is high for Crump’s foray into fictional writing. This venture marks another milestone in Crump’s diverse career, which has seen him featured in a short film and recognized as a prominent voice in civil rights advocacy.

For Crump, storytelling offers a unique opportunity to shed light on the intricacies of the legal system and the challenges faced by marginalized communities. By blending real-world experiences with fictional narratives, he hopes to demystify the legal process and inspire readers to become agents of change in their own communities.

As Crump continues to make waves both inside and outside the courtroom, his debut series promises to captivate audiences with its gripping tales of justice, resilience, and the enduring power of the human spirit.

CARIBBRIEFS

20 Haitian Migrants Found Dead on Boat in Brazil

According to authorities’ recent report, twenty presumed Haitian migrants were discovered dead aboard a boat in northern Brazil, with symptoms of starvation and advanced decomposition on their corpses.

According to a federal police spokeswoman, fishermen discovered the boat close to the town of Braganca, which is in the state of Para on Brazil’s northern coast, and

notified the authorities.

“According to civil police and forensics experts, there were 20 bodies. The federal police chief for Braganca, Alexandre Calvinho, said they were believed to be Haitian refugees,” police noted in a recent interview.

“However, further investigation is needed to confirm the cause of death and the victims’ identities.”

St Kitts and Nevis PM Raises Red Flag Over CDB

Dr Gene Leon’s return to his position as president of the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) appears unlikely in the near future, as concerns persist regarding the bank’s handling of whistleblower complaints against him.

Tensions escalated in February following perceived disregard from Ahmed Hussen, the Canadian minister currently chairing the CDB board of governors, in response to concerns raised by nine heads of government from the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS). Dr Terrance Drew, the St Kitts and Nevis prime

minister, in his capacity as chairman of the OECS Authority, wrote a letter to Hussen expressing concerns.

But in a sharp reply through a law firm, the CDB said, “This is an internal bank matter and is not within the jurisdiction of the OECS.”

The missive continued: “Therefore, to maintain the integrity and confidentiality of the investigation, we recommend you cease from commenting on this matter publicly and from contacting the board of governors regarding the investigation.”

Former Surinamese President Bouterse Ineligible to Enter the US

The United States on Friday imposed sanctions on former Surinamese President Desiré Delano Bouterse and six former Surinamese military officials for alleged “gross violations of human rights.”

State Department spokesman Matthew Miller who made the announcement said the decision of the US government follows the conviction of Bouterse and the six other ex-military officers for their part in the

Edna M. Stewart (Chin Len), 97, of

Edna migrated to America in 1966 and married the late Harry T. Stewart the same year. They resided in the Dorie Miller Cooperative Apartments and participated in the activities of the co-op. Edna was a generous, loving and full-of-life, independent woman. She was loved by her family, friends, and members of the Queens community where she resided. Predeceased by her husband Harry and her stepchildren (Doris, Marvin, and Donald). Edna is survived by her Stepson, Harry Stewart Jr., Nieces (Patricia, June, Cynthia, Janet, Joan, Velta, Pamela, Suzanne, Marie), Nephews (Richard, Peter), Elaine Winograd Stewart, Inez Blake, and their families.

so-called ‘December murders’, a crime in which soldiers led by Bouterse executed 15 political opponents in Fort Zeelandia on December 8, 1982.

Bouterse was then commander of the army and de facto head of government of Suriname, after coming to power through a military coup on February 25, 1980.

Four family members of the seven convicted ex-military officers are also banned

Edna was an active member of her community and devoted her life to supporting those in need. She was an activist in upholding standards of human rights through her involvement with the Corona East Elmhurst Community Development Corporation, Corona East Elmhurst ABC Youth Program and NYS Human Rights Division Advisory Council. Her contribution to the Civil Rights Movement through her involvement in, and support of, the NAACP during the 1980s and beyond was a remarkable accomplishment that her family is proud to remember Edna by.

Even as we grieve the loss of Edna, we remember her generous spirit, the warmth of her love and the wisdom of her life’s experiences. Edna M. Stewart will be deeply missed but never forgotten, may she rest in peace by the grace of God, knowing her family and friends continue to carry on her memory in their hearts.

Viewing services will be held on Wednesday, April 17, 2024, from 4-6pm at Cobbs Funeral Chapel in East Elmhurst, Queens, NY. A funeral mass will take place at Church of Grace and Resurrection in East Elmhurst, Queens, NY on Thursday, April 18, 2024, at 10:00am. Interment will follow at Flushing Cemetery, Flushing, NY.

Donations on behalf of Mrs. Edna Stewart: Make checks payable to: Corona-East Elmhurst Branch-NAACP

Mail to: Corona-East Elmhurst Branch-NAACP

C/O George R Dixon, President

2236 100 Street

East Elmhurst, NY 11369

from entering the US.

However, their names were not mentioned in the statement.

“The United States is today announcing the designations of former Surinamese President Bouterse and six former Surinamese military officials: Benny Brondenstein, Stephanus Marinus Dendoe, Iwan Dijksteel, Ernst Gefferie, Kenneth Kempes, and Lucien Lewis pursuant to Section

7031(c) of the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, due to their involvement in extrajudicial killings of political opponents during the “December Murders” of 1982. These individuals and four family members are generally ineligible for entry into the United States,” the statement said.

A Celebration of Life

Edna M Stewart (Chin Len) May 13, 1926 – April 7, 2024 Obituary

Queens, NY, beloved wife, mother, aunt, cousin, friend, mentor passed away on Sunday, April 7, 2024. She was born in Snow Hill, Portland, Jamaica.

Barbette Lherisson: Committed to Community Care

Barbette Lherisson epitomizes the spirit of community care like no other. As a firstgeneration Haitian American educated in the United States, Lherisson’s commitment to serving others runs deep in her veins.

A graduate of the University of Albany, she learned early on in college that volunteering with community groups, registering students to vote, and marching for causes she believed in gave her purpose. Reflecting on her Haitian roots, Lherisson shared, “As a child of Haitian descent it’s ingrained in you to work hard, uplift the needy and stand for what’s right.”

Whether it’s volunteering after natural disasters (working as a translator with doctors, comforting the grief stricken and preparing meals immediately following

the powerful 2010, 7.1 magnitude Haiti earthquake or assisting recent migrants in need), Lherisson’s hands-on approach underscores her unwavering dedication to making a difference.

For the past 20 years, she has worked in the public and private sector. With a wealth of experience in crisis management, strategic planning, and community engagement. Currently, the Manager for Regional and Community Affairs at Con Edison, she maintains and develops relationships with community organizations, elected officials, government agencies, and business leaders.

“At Con Edison,we are committed to engaging the communities and stakeholders that we serve and supporting them in their initiatives to positively impact the lives of many.” Lherisson shared. Lherisson’s engagement with the community involves managing various partnerships with environmental justice advocates, initiatives supporting green job training, clean energy programs; hiring from disadvantaged communities; and

training through nonprofits.

Her portfolio not only promotes economic growth in disadvantage communities but also creates opportunities for communities that Con Edison serves.

Beyond her professional role, Lherisson is deeply involved in humanitarian efforts across the Caribbean and Africa, advocating for social justice issues related to women, children, environmental justice, and human rights.

She is an active member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated and works alongside New Jersey For Haiti, and various other organizations.

In essence, Lherisson embodies the values of hard work, advocacy and volunteerism, serving as a beacon of hope for humanity and paving the way.

Claudine Gay on Her Haitian Mother’s Journey

In a campus chapel, Claudine Gay gave her first public remarks as Harvard’s president since stepping down in January. Her words didn’t come from lecture notes in a classroom.

During Wednesday morning prayers at Harvard Yard’s Memorial Church, Gay related her mother’s inspirational story of arriving in Boston as a Haitian immigrant. Gay, who quit amid controversy over the Israel-Hamas conflict, anti-Semitism on campus, and claims that she plagiarized academic writings, is still an instructor at the Ivy League school.

She mentioned that her mother left Haiti to immigrate. “buoyed by a clear and urgent vision for her future,” and an agency placed her with a family in the Boston area, for whom she served as a live-in nanny with the understanding that they would help enroll her in English language courses, but the agreement was never honored. “It was not long before she realized that the family did not share her vision,” Gay stated, as per a transcript of her statements that Harvard Magazine released. Her duties around the house increased. Her mobility diminished. Her questions about ESL courses went unanswered. All of the assurances that had emboldened my mother to leave Haiti were swept aside to impose what felt, at best, like indentured servitude.”

According to Gay, her mother subtly started preparing to move out of the house and live with her sister in New York. She started going to the post office once a week to ship little parcels of her possessions to her Brooklyn-based sister.

“Eventually, a day arrived when she set out for her weekly errands, carrying nothing more than her purse, and this time walked past the post office and continued on to the bus station where, heart racing and determined, she boarded a Greyhound for New York to begin again,” Gay stated.

Gay claimed that when she was younger and heard this story, she thought it was “an epic adventure story” and was “captivated mostly by the subterfuge and [her mother’s] cleverness,” but as she grew older, “the adventure receded as the focal narrative.”

“I wondered instead about how she decided what to send ahead and what to leave behind. What was important to her, what mattered most for her future,” Gay remarked. Gay had already mentioned her mother in statements made at the church in September of last year; she passed away in May.

On April 10, 2024, Gay stated that she has been thinking about her mother’s trip lately, “about her resilience through setbacks, about the courage to pursue a bold vision for her future despite forces intent on her diminishment, about the hope that allowed her to begin again.”

She stated that her mother’s story is now perceived “less as entertainment” and more as “a reminder of what lies within us in outof-the-way places of the heart, and what may lie ahead if we dare to let go of the past and trust in the process of renewal.”

She concluded, “As I stand on the threshold of a new chapter, I miss my mother’s voice, but I find comfort in the knowledge that I am my mother’s daughter with her resilience, courage, and hope, with a soul that delights in beginnings, and that is enough to step into the unknown with confidence.”

PAHO Shares Innovative Country Experiences to Promote Vaccination in the Americas

Washington, D.C., April 16, 2024. In the context of the 22nd Vaccination Week in the Americas, celebrated from 20-27 April, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) is sharing more than 15 innovative experiences that countries in the Region have implemented to promote vaccination in their communities. The slogan of the week this year is Engage now to protect your future. The experiences, available to read here, showcase innovations, creativity and investments from national immunization programs, including in vaccine mobilization, cold chain, epidemiological surveillance, and awareness campaigns, among others.

“We created a digital space to recognize the innovative work and tireless efforts that countries have made to recover vaccination coverage in recent years and ensure a healthy future for all,” Dr. Daniel

Salas, Executive Manager of the Special Program for Comprehensive Immunization at PAHO, said. “It also highlights the importance of sharing lessons learned

from countries in their work to protect communities from vaccine-preventable diseases.”

Some of the experiences highlighted on

the website include:

- Mobile vaccination unit in Uruguay that travels to various points in Montevideo to facilitate access to vaccination.

- Cross-border vaccination between Mexico and Guatemala to provide vaccination in areas of high traffic and movement.

- Focusing on the emotional approach to vaccination to combat hesitancy in Argentina, where people are encouraged to express their feelings using plush dolls.

- Awareness campaigns on the importance of vaccination in the Bahamas with messages from children and influential pediatricians in the community.

“We look forward to continuing to nurture this digital and collaborative space that we have dedicated to experiences promoting vaccination,” Dr. Salas added. “We also congratulate the region’s health personnel for their efforts to bring vaccines to even the most remote communities.”

WHO Announces Health for All Film Festival Shortlist and Jury

More than 900 filmmakers from 110 countries have submitted short films for the 5th edition of the WHO Health for All Film Festival on themes ranging from climate change, refugees, tobacco, and gender-based violence. Some 60 films have been selected for the shortlist, for review by a jury of international artists and health experts, before the announcement of the winners on 26 May 2024. “Storytelling through film brings a human dimension to WHO’s scientific work and helps us to better understand people’s experiences with health,” said WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. “The Health for All Film Festival is an important way to raise awareness on a wide range of health issues, contributing to WHO’s goal to ensure universal access to health as a human right.”

The following distinguished professionals, artists and activists, joined by WHO senior experts, comprise this year’s festival jury: Sharon Stone (actor from the USA); Alfonso Herrera (actor from Mexico); Nandita Das (actor from India); Apolline Traore (film director and producer from Burkina Faso); Yusra Mardini (refugee Olympic athlete from Syria); Mário Macilau (photographer from Mozambique).

The 61 shortlisted films can be watched in four YouTube playlists available on the Health for All Film Festival website, one for each of the competition categories: universal health coverage; emergencies, refugee and migrant health; better health and physical activity, and very short films. The public is encouraged to view and comment on their favorite shortlisted films and champion them on social media using the hashtag #Film4Health.

In the coming weeks, jurors will review the shortlisted films and recommend seven winners to the WHO Director-General, who will make the final decision. Three “Grand Prix” and four special film prizes will be announced on 26 May at an Awards Ceremony on the eve of the 77th World Health Assembly in Geneva.

Since the festival launched in 2020, more than 5000 films have been submitted by patients, health workers, activists, students, and professional filmmakers from all over the world.

Ziggy and Marley Brothers Tribute to Bob Marley

“The Marley Brothers; Ziggy, Stephen, Julian, Ky-Mani, and Damian have revealed the details of their 22-date, Live Nationproduced tour, “The Marley Brothers: The Legacy Tour,” which will be their first joint venture in twenty years. The tour will start on September 5, 2024, at Vancouver, British Columbia’s Festival Lawn at Deer Lake Park, and it will go through the fall across both the United States and Canada. The pre-sale for tickets will commence on April 16, 2024, using code MARLEY2024, and the general sale will start on April 19, 2024, at MARLEYBROTHERS.com.

Bob Marley’s songs continue to inspire courage, optimism, and solidarity, drawing a devoted following throughout the world. His sons have been successful solo performers for over 30 years, and among them, they have won 22 Grammy Awards. Julian Marley won the title of “Best Reggae Album” in 2024.

Reunited for “The Marley Brothers: The

Legacy Tour,” they will pay tribute to their father’s global influence by performing both solo successes and iconic Bob Marley tunes in a year that will be historic for the genre. The best way to honor Bob Marley as he approaches his 80th birthday in 2025 is to see his music performed live by his sons, who continue his legacy of enduring impact in popular culture.”

The Marley family made this year a fan favorite with the release of the Bob Marley Biopic, Bob Marley: One Love by Paramount Pictures which gave worldwide fans a glance at the reggae legend’s music journey. The film made its way to theaters on February 14, 2023.  Now fans are excited for, yet another exhilarating experience brought to us by the Marley Brothers. Please see the following tour information to book your ticket as soon as they are available.

See Website for tour dates.

NY - Pat Chin, VP Records Co-Founder, Says “Retirement Is Not A Word For Me”

New York - “Music is my life and I still have to keep the momentum going from the past sixty years. I love to communicate and unite people. Doing nothing is not my goal.”

So says 86-year-old entrepreneur and co-founder of VP Records, Patricia ‘Miss Pat’ Chin, as she and her team prepare for International Record Store Day 2024 which will be observed this Saturday, April 20 across the United States, Europe and parts of Asia.

International Record Store Day originated in the United States in 2007 and is celebrated in countries including the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Canada and Japan. The day brings together fans, artists and thousands of record stores globally to celebrate the culture of independently owned record stores and the vinyl record culture that has brought these stores into a new era of relevance. The organization Record Store Day provides promotions, marketing and other opportunities for stores throughout the year, maintaining a website, social media and other means of sharing its views about the value of independent record stores. A highlight of the day is the issuing of special vinyl releases along with other promotional offerings to mark the occasion, and which are only available at participating stores.

Miss Pat is eagerly anticipating VP Records’ annual Record Store Day celebration, which will take place this Saturday from noon to 6 PM at their flagship store in Jamaica Queens and at their retail store in Miramar Florida. A special

guest for the day at the Jamaica Queens event will be VP recording artist Romain Virgo. According to Miss Pat, “It will be a celebration of Romain’s new album release, The Gentle Man, and also the work that he has done over the years. We want to honor his accomplishments from his Rising Stars days up till now. He will be present to do a meet and greet, take photos with his fans and sign copies of the album. It promises to be a fun day and will shine a light on the sound system and vinyl culture, showing everyone that our music is alive and well, even with all the stages that we have passed through.”

At an age when many of her peers are enjoying retirement and slowing down, the tireless Miss Pat smilingly asserts that none of that is on her agenda.

“I’m not retired,” she laughs. “I don’t think of myself as retired at all. I still have work to do and I still have my ears to the streets. I’ve been through it all from mento, and ska, to rocksteady, reggae, dancehall and dub and I’ve never lost track of the different trends in the music. My plan is to keep going and to keep preserving our musical legacy for as long as I can.”

Miss Pat and her late husband Vincent Chin together founded VP Records -the label name paying homage to their initials, V and P- in New York in 1979. They had immigrated to the USA from Jamaica having run a small record store, Randy’s Record Mart, and a recording studio, Studio 17, for some 20 years in downtown Kingston. From a tiny retail outlet on Jamaica Avenue in Queens, VP Records has grown to become the largest independent reggae label and distributor of Caribbean music in the world.

She believes that entrepreneurship was in her DNA, as she started her own business during childhood while growing up in Kingston as the eldest of three children born to her Chinese mother and Indian father.

Continued on website at nycaribnews.com

CTO’s Sustainable Tourism Conference Presents Dynamic Study Tours to Promote Sustainable Practices

BARBADOS (April 15, 2024) – The Caribbean Sustainable Tourism Conference (STC 2024), slated for April 22-24, 2024 in Grenada, will feature a series of exclusive study tours aligned with the conference theme, The 5 Ps – People, Planet, Prosperity, Purpose and Partnership. These tours have been thoughtfully curated to offer participants an enriching and unique opportunity to delve into innovative sustainability practices and glean insights intended to catalyze transformative action for a more resilient and sustainable Caribbean. STC 2024 is jointly hosted by the Caribbean Tourism Organization in collaboration with the Government of Grenada, through the Grenada Tourism Authority, and will welcome a wide range of participants, including government officials, tourism professionals, environmental-

ists, members of the media and researchers. This valuable addition to the conference will allow participants to visit various sites and interact with local communities, gaining firsthand knowledge of best practices in sustainable tourism management, conservation efforts, and community engagement.

Study Tour Options:

The Underwater Sculpture Park/Grand Anse

Artificial Reef Tour: Led by Aquanauts Grenada, guests dive into the intricate ecosystem of the Underwater Sculpture Park and Grand Anse Artificial Reef and learn about sustainable practices aimed at protecting and preserving these vital marine habitats.

Grand Etang Nature Tour: Dr. Guido Marcelle, an esteemed botanist, guides participants

through the lush rainforests surrounding Grand Etang Lake to explore Grenada’s rich biodiversity and gain valuable insights into rainforest conservation efforts.

The Rasta Roots Expedition: Immersive Journey into Rastafari Culture and Lands: Led by Ras Ginga, an elder of the Nyahbinghi Tribe, guests experience the Rastafari culture firsthand, learning about organic living practices and farming practices of Grenada’s Rastafari community, complete with a taste of local culinary delights.

Mt. Parnassus Plantation and Cocoa Pod

Botanicals: Experts Michael Jessamy and Tricia Simon guide participants through the cocoa and spice plantation, uncovering innovative applications of these crops in cosmetics and health products.

The conference’s diverse program, comprising presentations, panel discussions, workshops, study tours and networking opportunities, aims to foster collaboration and facilitate knowledge sharing to advance sustainable tourism in the Caribbean region.

Event sponsors and partners include interCaribbean Airways; Royal Caribbean International; Silversands Grenada; Six Senses La Sagesse, Grenada’s newest resort; and LINK Strategic Partners, an international strategic communications and community engagement consulting firm with offices across the U.S. and in Manchester, England.

Visit caribbeanstc.com for further information about the conference and registration details. To learn more about the Grenada Tourism Authority, visit puregrenada.com.

UWI MOU with Sandals Corporate University

The University of the West Indies (The UWI) Global Campus (UWIGC) and the Sandals Corporate University (SCU) recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), allowing the SCU to move forward with its multimillion-dollar initiative with EON Reality. With the use of the EON Reality platform, the two institutions will be able to collaborate on mutually beneficial projects aimed at developing extended reality projects during the twoyear partnership.

The Memorandum of Understanding, which was signed at a ceremony held at Sandals Barbados, gives The UWI Global Campus and the SCU a foundation for future collaboration on training and educational projects throughout the Caribbean.

Senior Corporate Director for the SCU Dr. Luz Longsworth called the occasion a historic one in which two outstanding institutions unite to do great things.

“Both institutions have much in common which allows us to join forces to impact the sustainability of our region. We focus on the development and education of our people and countries of this beautiful Caribbean. This MoU will create a framework for the SCU and The UWI Global Campus to work towards coordinating digital and technology-related projects and initiatives across campuses and across the Sandals group.”

Dr. Longsworth continued by outlining the principal topics that the Memorandum of Understanding would address, “The UWI Global Campus will provide technical input and subject matter expertise for the develop ment of 3D assets and 360-degree experiences in the development of hospitality training

content specifically relating to rooms, food and beverage, bookings, watersports, and others. In turn, the SCU and Sandals will provide internship programs for students, faculty, and staff at various levels. The MoU also makes provisions for collaborating with other institutions to foster an appreciation of new and emerging technological opportunities in the hospitality industry and to help in the understanding of how tourism can aid in environmental protection, climate change mitigation, and adaptation strategies. Finally, it will facilitate the use of technology, including without limitation, AR, VR, XR and AI to boost corporate social responsibility efforts,” she noted.

Pro Vice-Chancellor and Principal of The UWI Global Campus, Dr. Francis O. Severin, conveyed his appreciation for this ground-breaking chance to work with the SCU. He revealed, “in 2021 The UWI Global Campus decided to invest in advanced digital skills for its faculty to help prepare students academically for emerging digital technologies. It is even more important now to introduce and encourage skills to leverage platforms and technologies to generate digitally created goods and services for global audiences. This allows us to eliminate traditional barriers to productive participation like location, gender, and disabilities. These are the values we hold true which opens opportunities to collaborate with like-minded organizations. By harmoniously weaving into the teaching, technological, and applied research capacities of the University through XR, AI, and other emerging platforms alongside the SCU, we have no doubt we will be better able to support the movement of the Caribbean curriculum.”

In closing, he said that the goal of The UWI

Global Campus is to provide an immersive learning environment where employees, students, and other stakeholders may train, learn, and work as effectively and efficiently as possible. “This will be the first of its kind for the region and will usher in a new approach to education and training that engages learners in experiential environments,” he stated. As of right now, both sides are putting in effort on the Digital Immersive Virtual Enhancement

(DIVE) Project, the first of several projects. With the help of this initiative, tourists will be able to enjoy the beauty of underwater adventures while simultaneously learning about environmental protection through recorded encounters exhibiting coral reefs, diving locations, and protected regions.

It is a reaction to the ecological issues that climate change, human activity, and natural disasters have brought about in our area.

World Athletics Introduces Prize Money for Olympic Gold Medalists

In a landmark decision, World Athletics has today (10 April) announced it will become the first international federation to award prize money at an Olympic Games, financially rewarding athletes for achieving the pinnacle of sporting success, starting at this summer’s Olympic Games in Paris.

A total prize pot of US$2.4 million has been ring fenced from the International Olympic Committee’s revenue share allocation, which is received by World Athletics every four years. This will be used to reward athletes who win a gold medal in each of the 48 athletics events in Paris with US$50,000.

This initiative by World Athletics also includes a firm commitment to extend the prize money at a tiered level, to Olympic silver and bronze medal winners at the LA 2028 Olympic Games.

When sharing details of the decision, World Athletics President Sebastian Coe commented: “The introduction of prize money for Olympic gold medallists is a pivotal moment for World Athletics and the sport of athletics as a whole, under-

scoring our commitment to empowering the athletes and recognising the critical role they play in the success of any Olympic Games.

“This is the continuation of a journey we started back in 2015, which sees all the money World Athletics receives from the International Olympic Committee for the Olympic Games go directly back into our sport.

“We started with the Olympic dividend payments to our Member Federations, which saw us distribute an extra US$5m a year on top of existing grants aimed at athletics growth projects, and we are now in a position to also fund gold medal performances for athletes in Paris, with a commitment to reward all three medallists at the LA28 Olympic Games.

“While it is impossible to put a marketable value on winning an Olympic medal, or on the commitment and focus it takes to even represent your country at an Olympic Games, I think it is important we start somewhere and make sure some of the revenues generated by our athletes at the Olympic Games are directly returned to

those who make the Games the global spectacle that it is.”

The payment of prize money will depend upon the World Athletics ratification process, including athletes undergoing and clearing the usual anti-doping procedures.

Each individual Olympic

champion will receive US$50,000. Relay teams will receive the same amount, to be shared among the team. The format and structure of the LA28 Olympic bonuses will be announced nearer the time. (World Athletics)

Saint Lucia Poised to Showcase Its Passion for Cricket to the World

In the heart of the Caribbean, where the sun kisses the sea and the rhythm of life beats to the sound of calypso, lies the enchanting island of Saint Lucia. Beyond its stunning landscapes and vibrant culture, Saint Lucia is also a haven for cricket enthusiasts. As the host of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup from June 15-24, 2024, this idyllic island is poised to showcase its passion for cricket to the world.

Cricket isn’t just a sport in Saint Lucia; it’s a way of life. From the bustling streets to the tranquil beaches, the love for cricket permeates every corner of the island. Whether it’s a casual game in the neighborhood or a fiercely contested match at the national stadium, cricket unites communities and ignites passions like nothing else.

Saint Lucia has produced prolific stars in the cricketing world. Names like Darren Sammy, Johnson Charles, Kimani Melius, Qiana Joseph, and Nerissa Crafton. As the T20 World Cup descends upon Saint Lucia, these local heroes will undoubtedly be beaming with pride. T20 cricket is more than just a game; it’s a

spectacle. With its fast-paced action and electrifying atmosphere, T20 cricket has captivated audiences worldwide. In Saint Lucia, where the energy is infectious and the party never stops, T20 cricket is the perfect embodiment of the island’s spirit. Expect ‘fireworks’ both on and off the field as teams battle it out for T20 glory amidst the pulsating rhythms of Dennery Segment, Soca, Reggae, and the ever-present sounds of conch shells and solo music. In Saint Lucia, all eyes are on young, aspiring professional cricketers like Akeem Auguste, Tarrique Edward, Johnnel Eugene, and McKenny Clarke. Their journeys in cricket began like many others – on the dusty pitches of their hometowns, where they honed their skills with nothing but passion and determination. Despite facing obstacles along the way, including financial and limited resources, their love for the game remained unwavering, propelling them to greater heights, pursuing their dreams, whether at the West Indies Academy, playing with West Indies Under-19 Squad, the Windward Islands, participating in developmental programs with the Ministry of Youth Development and Sports or debuting with the Saint Lucia Kings in the Caribbean Premier League. As the countdown to the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup begins, Saint Lucia stands ready to welcome the cricketing world with open arms. With its passion for cricket, unlimited adventure offerings, and unique Caribbean charm, Saint Lucia promises an unforgettable experience for players and fans alike. So, mark your calendars, pack your bags, and get ready to witness cricketing magic in Sweet Saint Lucia – Let her Inspire You!