May 17, 2023

TRINIDAD & TOBAGO

WAR ON CRIME FAILING

Concern for PM Rowley - Number of murders rising - existing mechanism not working

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CRISIS

BARBADOS

PM MOTTLEY, TOURISM STAKEHOLDERS SHAPERS NOT TAKERS

Tourism can lead the way to recovery but must value source

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HAITI 100,000 CHILDREN FACE STARVATION

AccordingtoUNChildren’sFund, thousands of children are sufferingfromacutemalnutrition

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NEW YORK STATE ACCESS TO REPRESENTATION ACT LAW

For immigrants. Rally by immigrant advocates

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LADY LIBERTY WEEPS

HUMANITARIAN PRINCIPLES DENIED GREATER RESTRICTIONS AT BORDERS SUFERING ON PATH TO ENTER

CONGRESS MEMBER YVETTE CLARKE

JAMAICA

ONE MILLION VISITORS FOR 2023

Reaching milestone one month earlier than last year announces Minister

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COMPREHENSIVE REFORM NEEDED FOR BROKEN IMMIGRATION SYSTEM

CaribNews

IRS Creating Software to “Shake up” Tax Prep Business

By Stacy Brown - P 9

AFRICA WORLD BRIEFS

Road Safety Week: African nations steer towards reducing deaths

Traffic accidents are the leading cause of death among African youth, so governments across the continent have resolved to drive in a new unified direction, ahead of Road Safety Week, observed 15 to 21 May.

Increasingly grim accident statistics provided the impetus for action, including two bus crashes in Senegal that claimed 62 lives in January. In nearby Côte d’Ivoire, the daily number of fatal road accidents has risen to 46, from just 12 in 2012.

UN agencies call for more collaboration over refugee, migration crisis in Americas

Raising concerns on Friday about fresh restrictions on migrants and refugees following the United States’ lifting of a COVID-19 pandemic-era measure known as Title 42, UN agencies called for great multilateral action to regularize movement across the continent.

WHO Advises Not to Use NonSugar Sweeteners for Weight Control in Newly Released Guideline - P 16

SPORTS

In the world’s region most affected by road crashes, sub-Saharan Africa’s fatality rate is 27 per 100,000 inhabitants. That is three times higher than Europe’s average of nine and well above the global average of 18, according to the UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), which manages 59 of the Organization’s legal instruments on inland transport, including the UN road safety conventions. Every year, 1.3 million people around the world are killed as a result of road crashes, and millions more are injured, the World Health Organization (WHO) said.

A quarter of world deaths

In Africa, traffic deaths account for about one quarter of the global number of victims, even though the continent has barely 2 per cent of the world’s vehicle fleet, said the UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Road Safety, Jean Todt, who just returned from a visit to the streets and highways of West Africa.

Over 500 killed by Malian troops, foreign military personnel in 2022 operation

There are “strong indications” that more than 500 people were killed – the vast majority summarily executed – by Malian troops and foreign military personnel during a five-day operation in the village of Moura in central Mali in March 2022.

That’s according to a fact-finding report from the UN human rights office (OHCHR) released on Friday, on what the Malian authorities had described as an anti-terrorist military operation against an al-Qaeda-affiliated group known as Katiba Macina.

The UN rights chief, Volker Türk, called the findings “extremely disturbing” and stressed that “ summary executions, rape and torture during armed conflict amount to war crimes and could, depending on the circumstances, amount to crimes against humanity”

Authorities blocking access

OHCHR said that the Malian authorities had repeatedly denied requests by the fact-finding team to access the village of Moura itself. Witnesses interviewed by the team reported seeing “armed white men” who spoke an unknown language operating alongside the Malian forces.

At least 58 women and girls were raped or subjected to other forms of sexual violence.

In January, UN Human Rights Council-appointed independent human rights experts called on the Malian authorities...

The UN refugee agency (UNHCR) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) issued a call for a more collaborative approach to better respond to the anticipated impact of changes on the southern US border.

“The challenges facing the Americas call for ambitious, innovative, and principled cooperation among all stakeholders,” the agencies said.

Such a plan must be based on international law and genuine solidarity to advance protection and solutions for refugees and migrants, and align with the framework laid out the Global Compact on Refugees, Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration, as well as the Los Angeles Declaration on Migration and Protection.

New US restrictions

Welcoming positive initiatives to expand resettlement and other regular pathways in the region, the agencies remain concerned about new restrictions on access to asylum following the “long overdue” lifting of the Title 42 public health order by the United States.

UN marks 75 years since displacement of 700,000 Palestinians

The UN on Monday commemorated for the first time in its history, the mass displacement of Palestinians from land that was to become Israel, 75 years ago, that turned 700,000 Palestinians into refugees, almost overnight.

The mass displacement in 1948, known as the Nakba (meaning “catastrophe” in Arabic), has an importance to Palestinians across the world, said Rosemary DiCarlo, Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, addressing a high-level event at UN Headquarters in New York, marking the day.

‘The occupation must end’

“The legacy of the event lives on, spearing us to continue our unflagging efforts to find a peaceful and lasting solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict,” she said, noting that the General Assembly had adopted a resolution in November 2022 for this commemorative day.

Currently, the Israeli and Palestinian road towards peace and the implementation of an agreed two-State solution follows decades pock-marked with war, flaring tensions, violence, and multiple negotiation processes.

Ms. DiCarlo expressed deep concerns about diminishing prospects for kickstarting the peace process on the way to forging a two-State solution...

CDC Surveillance Reveals Growing Concerns about Youth Behavior, Including Their View on Sex - P 9

Jamaica – UN Secretary-General In To Talk Haiti And Climate Change Crisis

he growing instability in Haiti is one of the main topics on the agenda for UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ two-day working visit to Jamaica. The island welcomed Guterres on Sunday afternoon. According to a statement from Jamaica House, Prime Minister Holness, and the secretary general would speak bilaterally about a number of topics, including how to collaborate with the international community and Jamaica’s leadership position in resolving the situation in Haiti.

The effect of the Caribbean climate crisis and the planned midterm review of the international framework for disaster risk

mitigation will also be topics of discussion between the two presidents.

The statement noted, “Jamaica’s leadership in efforts to reform the global financial architecture so that developing countries including middle-income countries can restructure and sustainably manage debt as well as to technology and finance at affordable rates to invest in growth inclusive sustainable development will also be on the agenda.”

PM Holness remarked: “We are pleased that the Secretary-General will visit at the pivotal juncture. I look forward to the engagements and fruitful discussion on

critical matters in which Jamaica stands ready to be a critical partner.”

The Secretary General’s approach to financing for development in the COVID-19 and beyond is co-convened by Jamaica and Canada, who are also co-chairs of the Group of Friends of SDG Financing. According to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office, Holness, and Guterres will only be available for pictures with the media today at Holness’ Devon Road offices at 11 a.m.

Immigration – Rep. Clarke Calls For Comprehensive Reform

tion advocacy group, said it was “simply outrageous for Mayor Adams to flout the law and try to suspend right-to-shelter protections that have been fundamental to New York City housing laws for decades.

“Everyone, regardless of immigration status, deserves a safe roof over their heads,” she said.

“The City has a moral obligation to do the right thing and step up to provide support—not put New Yorkers, including recently arrived people, at grave risk.

meet legal and social services needs,” said Murad Awawdeh, NYIC’s executive director. “This will ensure that asylum seekers, and all New Yorkers, are better able to integrate and build their lives here.”

Late last week, Adams announced a new program to provide up to four months of temporary sheltering in nearby New York counties, outside of New York City, to single-adult men seeking asylum who are already in the city’s care.

Caribbean American Democratic Congresswoman Yvette D Clarke has reiterated her call for comprehensive immigration reform, as immigration advocates intensify calls for solving the migration crisis in the United States that involves Caribbean and other illegal migrants and refugees.

“As a daughter of immigrants, it is not lost upon me the multitude of hardships and difficulties families experience when they come to this nation in hopes of finding the American Dream. Unfortunately, our immigration system, which has not been updated in 30 years, is broken,” Clarke, the daughter of Jamaican immigrants, told the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC) on Friday.

“At the same time, extremist MAGA Republicans are fighting tooth and nail to break it even further with H.R. 2, their Child Deportation Act,” added the representative for the 9th Congressional District in Brooklyn, New York. “This cruel legislation would force draconian restrictions and punishments on migrants and asylum seekers and set

America’s immigration priorities back years. Any bill that would allow vulnerable migrant children to be inhumanely detained by Border Patrol for up to a month is an unacceptable solution.”

As chair of the Immigration Task Force in the US House of Representatives, Clarke said she has seen “the glaring inequities, blatant racism, vicious xenophobia, and civil rights violations immigrants face –particularly in immigrant communities of African descent.

“Immigrants of color experience immigration inequities more than any other community and immigrants of European origin,” she said. “But let me very clear, immigrants—regardless of status—contribute billions every year in taxes and to the American economy. That’s why we need a concrete vision, equipped with compassion and equity, for comprehensive immigration reform.”

In response to Mayor Adams’ executive order to temporarily suspend New York City’s right-to-shelter protections, Natalia Aristizabal Betancur, deputy director of Make the Road New York, an immigra-

“We urge the Adams administration to reverse course immediately and work to provide real, appropriate, and safe solutions,” Betancur added. “We and our allies have articulated multiple alternative steps–like expanding access to CityFHEPs vouchers to all people regardless of immigration status and eliminating the 90-day rule for eligibility – that Mayor Adams should take to address the current situation and help all New Yorkers, including asylum seekers, move into permanent housing. It’s time for him to listen and act on those policy recommendations.”

On Thursday, the New York Immigration Coalition (NYIC), an umbrella policy and advocacy organization that represents over 200 immigrant and refugee rights groups throughout New York, rallied, on the steps of City Hall in lower Manhattan, with elected officials, Hudson Valley-serving nonprofit organizations and immigrant New Yorkers, urging the Biden and Adams’ administrations to step up efforts to address the crisis.

“The Adams administration needs to evolve its response from an emergency footing to a permanent one, and start investing in an infrastructure – which includes coordination with local municipalities and community-based organizations – to move people from NYC’s shelters to permanent housing using vouchers, as well as increase funding to

Many of the asylum seekers are nationals of Cuba, Haiti, and Venezuela.

In his announcement, Adams said the program will launch with two hotels located in Orange Lake and Orangeburg counties, with the potential to expand, and will provide asylum seekers with shelter for up to four months as well as the same city-funded services available at Humanitarian Emergency Relief and Response Centers.

The mayor said staff at participating hotels will also connect asylum seekers with community-based organizations and faith groups to support their transition to a new city.

With the number of asylum seekers arriving in New York City rapidly accelerating ahead of Title 42’s lifting on Thursday, and what is expected to be an even larger influx after that day, Adams said the hotels in Orange Lake and Orangeburg will “free up” additional space in New York City for the hundreds of asylum seekers continuing to arrive in the five boroughs every day.

Since last spring, the mayor said over 60,800 asylum seekers have come through New York City and been offered a place to stay, adding that over 37,500 asylum seekers are currently in the city’s care.  (CMC)

Mayor Adams Announces Launch of Asylum Seeker Arrival Center

NEW YORK – New York City Mayor Eric Adams today announced the launch of the city’s first asylum seeker arrival center and the placement of what will be the city’s ninth Humanitarian Emergency Response and Relief Center as hundreds of asylum seekers continue to arrive in New York City each day. The Roosevelt Hotel in Midtown Manhattan, which has been closed for nearly three years, will host the arrival center and deliver on a key commitment in Mayor Adams’ “Blueprint to Address New York City’s Response to the Asylum Seeker Crisis” — serving as a centralized intake center for all arriving asylum seekers and providing migrants with access to a range of legal, medical, and reconnection services, as well as placement, if needed, in a shelter or humanitarian relief center. Asylum seekers currently in the city’s care will also be able to visit the arrival center to access the host of services currently available to them.

Beginning later this week, The Roosevelt Hotel will open up 175 rooms for children and families, until it is scaled to approximately 850 rooms. An additional 100 to 150 rooms will be held for asylum seekers in transition to other locations. With the number of asylum seekers arriving in New York City expected to rapidly accelerate as Title 42 has now lifted, Mayor Adams also renewed calls to the state and federal government for additional support as the city faces this crisis.

“With the opening of yet another humanitarian relief center, we continue to ask for our federal and state partners for a real decompression strategy and hope to open and operate

temporary shelters across the state and nation, as New York City has reached its capacity,” said Mayor Adams. “New York City has now cared for more than 65,000 asylum seekers — already opening up over 140 emergency shelters and eight large-scale humanitarian relief centers in addition to this one to manage this national crisis. While this new arrival center and humanitarian relief center will create hundreds of good-paying, union jobs and provide the infrastructure to help asylum seekers reach their final destination, without federal or state assistance, we will be unable to continue treating new arrivals and those already here with the dignity and care that they deserve.”

“With the expiration of Title 42, we know that we may face an even larger number of individuals and families seeking asylum in New York City or passing through to their final destination,” said Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Anne Williams-Isom. “While we are responding to the immediate need, this is a time to, once again, call upon the state and federal government to do more to support the city’s efforts and share the burden of this humanitarian crisis.”

“New York City’s new arrival center consolidates social, medical, financial, and legal services under one roof to greet asylum seekers with the resources they need to complete their long journeys,” said Ted Long, MD, MHS, senior vice president, Ambulatory Care and Population Health, NYC Health + Hospitals.

“The streamlining of these services will help asylum seekers more readily navigate their

needs so that they can take their next steps. Our ninth Humanitarian Emergency Response and Relief Center build upon the success of our work at other centers supporting families with children, offering medical care, nutrition, mental health support, language access, connection to schools, technology, and reunification services. I am proud to be a part of the Adams administration that has met the demands of an unprecedented crisis with an unprecedented response.”

“This agreement is a win-win-win. It allows an iconic hotel to reopen its doors, hundreds of union workers to return to their good-paying jobs, and thousands of asylum seekers to have a safe place to stay,” said Rich Maroko, president of, the New York Hotel & Gaming Trades Council. “We are proud to have negotiated an extraordinary settlement with The Roosevelt Hotel that not only restores union jobs but also provides tens of millions of dollars in compensation for workers that were without jobs since the start of the pandemic. We thank Mayor Adams for his leadership and commitment to protecting the interests of workers while continuing to address the needs of migrant families.”

Asylum seekers arriving in New York City will be directed to the arrival center. In the coming weeks, services offered at the arrival center will include New York City Department of Education school enrollment, Fair Fares enrollment, IDNYC, health insurance enrollment, mental health counseling, reticketing, and various services offered by community-based organizations.

Since this humanitarian crisis began, New York City has — largely on its own — taken fast and urgent action, managing the arrival of a rapidly increasing number of buses across New York City with virtually no coordination from states sending them — opening 140 sites as emergency shelters and eight currently operating large-scale humanitarian relief centers already to shelter the 65,000+ asylum seekers who have arrived in New York City, standing up a navigation center to connect asylum seekers with critical resources, enrolling thousands of children in public schools through Project Open Arms, and more.

NYS – Rally For Access to Representation Act Law

Elected officials including Sen. Brad Hoylman-Sigal and Assemblymember Catalina Cruz joined the Campaign for Access, Representation & Equity (CARE) for Immigrant Families coalition to call on Gov. Kathy Hochul and the legislature to enact and fully fund the Access to Representation Act (ARA). This first-in-the-nation bill would establish a right to counsel in immigration court proceedings.

With weeks until the New York State budget is finalized, advocates demanded relief to the overwhelmed immigration court system in New York, which faces a backlog of more than 190,000 deportation cases. A $120 million investment in legal and immigration services would significantly boost the capacity of legal service providers and provide relief to the estimated 65,000 individuals who currently lack access to representation in immigration court.

Immigrants who can’t afford to hire an attorney are currently forced to represent themselves in court, regardless of age or language abilities, against trained government attorneys. Studies show that immigrants with legal representation are 10 times more likely to win their right to remain in the United States, making it more important than ever for legislative leaders to fund legal services and help keep immigrant families intact. Sponsored by Sen. Hoylman-Sigal and Assemblymember Cruz, the passage of the ARA will help thousands of New Yorkers stay in their homes with their families, contributing to their communities and our economy.

“Without access to legal representation, so many of our immigrant neighbors are left without access to justice,” said New York Attorney General Letitia James. “Immigrants are New Yorkers, and all New Yorkers deserve a fair chance in court. Our great state leads the nation in protecting immigrant communities, and it is imperative that we continue to uphold that legacy. I am proud to stand with Senator Hoylman-Sigal, Assemblymember Cruz, and our colleagues in advocacy and government in supporting the Access to Representation Act to establish a right to counsel in immigration court and a vital investment in legal services.”

State Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal said,

“Having a lawyer in an immigration hearing can be the difference between life and death. Non-detained people in immigration hearings are over three times more likely to achieve a successful outcome if they have representation. Our Access to Representation Act will help immigrants get the legal representation they need. I am grateful to Assemblymember Catalina Cruz, the Vera Institute of Justice, the New York Immigration Coalition, and Immigrant-ARC for their advocacy in support of this critical bill.”

“I’m proud to stand with immigrant New Yorkers knowing that the One House budget has made an unprecedented commitment to them at a time of great need. I know how challenging the legal system is to navigate for all New Yorkers, especially those who cannot afford legal representation and for those who may not speak English. The Access to Representation Act will address the already existing backlog of immigration cases as well as assist newly-arrived immigrants in securing legal services so that they can continue to call New York home. I am honored to carry this bill, and thank Senator Hoylman-Sigal and the advocates for their persistence and partnership to bring us to this moment, and I look forward to working with them to ensure the passage of the Access to Representation Act in this budget session,” said Assembly Member Catalina Cruz.

“New York has long been a progressive leader, we should not allow anyone to be denied adequate legal representation, regardless of immigration status,” said State Senator Jeremy Cooney. “Justice is undeniably tied to proper counsel, this legislation will ensure no person is denied representation, improving outcomes and ensuring our judicial system is placing justice above politics.”

“Over the past few years, we have seen increased acts of abuse towards our immigrant communities. And the fact that immigrants facing deportation are not guaranteed a right to counsel is not only outrageous, but it’s also immoral. We are a nation of immigrants, and it is our moral obligation to provide them with care and assistance. The Access to Representation Act has my full support because, like any defendant in criminal court, immigrants also have the right to legal representation.” said Assemblymember Kenny Burgos.

“Everyone deserves the right to an attorney, especially those facing seemingly grave realities,” said Assembly Member Brian A. Cunningham. “With the passage of the Access to Representation Act, immigrant New Yorkers will finally receive legal representation in immigration court proceedings regardless of financial status and language abilities...

Continued at www.nycaribnews.com

Haiti – 100,000 Children At Risk of Starving To Death

According to the UN Children’s Fund, there will be more than 115,000 kids in the Caribbean island country who might starve to death in 2023, up from over 86,000 last year. The number of children in Haiti who are suffering from severe acute malnutrition (SAM), commonly known as severe wasting, has increased dramatically, according to a statement from UNICEF.

According to Bruno Maes, a UNICEF official in Haiti, “In Haiti, more and more mothers and fathers can no longer provide appropriate care and nutrition to their children, and parents cannot take them to health centers due to increasing horrific violence caused by armed groups.”

Since President Jovenel Moise was assassinated in July 2021, rival gangs have taken over the majority of the capital city Port-au-Prince in Haiti, the poorest country in the Americas, which is currently experiencing a political and economic catastrophe.

If immediate action is not done, additional youngsters would perish from severe wasting

due to the current cholera outbreak, according to Maes’ warning.

Since the disease’s reappearance in Haiti in October, more than 41,000 suspected cases have been recorded, with youngsters under the age of 14 accounting for over half of the cases, according to the statement.

In its statement, UNICEF stated that it urgently needed $17 million to address the issue, including to enable the identification of malnutrition and to buy food and other therapies. Without such actions, “the situation could further deteriorate between now and October,” according to the statement.

“A funding gap could put the lives of more than 100,000 children at risk of immediate death,” it said, stating that children in Port-au-Prince are the most impacted.

In addition, the statement said that roughly one in four Haitian children already experience chronic undernutrition, which prevents them from reaching their “physical and cognitive capabilities.”

T&T – State of Emergency Not Coming Says Police

The Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) has refuted claims circulating on social media regarding an impending state of emergency saying it is intended to cause panic among the population.

Police Commissioner, Erla Harewood-Christopher, who on Tuesday had her tenure extended by one year, said she is aware of the existence of the voice note message being circulated on social media. She described the contents as “false news” and that the TTPS is unaware of any such information “and denounces the attempt

to cause undue anxiety and panic among the population, with the circulation of the false information”.

A police statement quotes the top cop as reminding members of the public to verify all information they receive before circulating messages via social media.

“Citizens are also urged to pay attention to and stay updated via the official TTPS Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram pages for matters concerning policing, safety, and security,” the statement.

Brooklyn NY – Digital Education Grant To Medgar Evers By Spectrum

The internet cable firm Spectrum last week donated $25,000 to the Medgar Evers College (MEC) Educational Foundation. The school will buy computers for incoming MEC freshman students as well as pay for tutoring in its Academic Support Center with money from the Spectrum Digital Education Grant.

A program called SEEK, financed by the state of New York, was created to help students from low-income families, underserved communities, or schools who weren’t adequately prepared for college. Residents of New York State are eligible for the program at senior (four-year) City University of New York campuses if they don’t satisfy the standard requirements for entrance but have a strong academic record.

On May 4, the institution held its annual Percy Ellis Sutton Search for Education, Elevation, and Knowledge (SEEK) honorscelebration. This is when the check presentation event took place.

Spectrum will donate $25,000 to our SEEK initiative. In order to help 65 students reach their full potential while earning their degrees, laptops will be acquired, according to MEC President Dr. Patricia Ramsey. “Up to this point, these young people have had to resort to doing

schoolwork and homework on their phones, due to their inability to afford their own computers. This grant goes a long way in bridging the digital divide,” she noted. According to a MEC representative, 20% to 30% of freshmenparticipating in the SEEK program alone have their own gadgets. The representative said, “Some students rely on their phones, others have borrowed laptops or iPads from the college’s laptop loaner program, and others complete their work on computers in the library or computer labs on campus.”

The grant is a component of the company’s $8 million, six-year dedication to promoting broadband technology and digital education in localities around the nation. One of two New York City beneficiaries of the Spectrum Digital Education Grant program is the Medgar Evers College Educational Foundation.

Additionally, the Northern Manhattan Improvement Corporation was given funding. Rahman Khan, group vice president of community impact for Charter Communications, Inc., which leads the Spectrum brand of internet, mobile, TV, and voice services, stated that “digital skills are critical for navigating everything from finding a job to going to school, to buying groceries–yet

too many families still have not adopted internet at home.”

He explained, “Through the Spectrum Digital Education Grant program, we’re committed to supporting local initiatives like [the] Medgar Evers College Educational Foundation to promote digital literacy and inclusion, and help educate community members in New York City about the value of adopting broadband in their lives so they can succeed in today’s connected society.”

Brooklyn NYC - Law Day Celebration, Hon. Sylvia Hinds-Radix Keynoter

A special celebration honoring Law Day was organized in the main jury chamber by the Kings County Supreme Court. The previous administrative judge of the courtroom at 36 Adams Street, Hon. Sylvia Hinds-Radix, gave the keynote presentation during the event.

Hon. Lawrence Knipel and Hon. Matthew D’Emic gave a spectacular performance at the event’s conclusion, playing “This Land is Your Land” by Woody Guthrie on acoustic guitars.

Law Day 2023 has as its topic: “Cornerstones of Democracy: Civics, Civility, and Collaboration.” It acted as a call to action

for all Americans to unite in restoring faith in our institutions, encouraging respect for one another, and working together to address the issues that our country is now facing.

Hon. Tamiko Amaker, Hon. Deborah Kaplan, Hon. Edwina Richardson-Mendelson, Hon. Frank Seddio, and Hon. Nancy Sunshine were among the other speakers, in addition to Hon. Rowan Wilson, the State of New York’s chief judge. The national anthem was performed by Hon. Danny Chun.

The US Immigration Policy, A Country Built By Immigrants

A country built by immigrants, where immigration was the center of the development of this country; where just about everyone, saving the Native Americans, are of immigrant and immigrant descent, and that immigration has been a fundamental component in the founding of this nation, the United States. Where waves of immigrants from around the world came to seek out new opportunities here and where the Statue of Liberty was constructed to welcome immigrants regardless of status, color or creed from around the world. Coming to seek economic advantages and opportunities and building a strong nation in the wake of the effort. Many fleeing oppression,  economic disadvantage or dangerous circumstances come to America to be a part of a movement.

that was the foundation of a modern nation, a nation that is indeed, founded by immigrants. It is troubling to see the current crisis in the United States and a major cause for concern is the issue of immigration and its treatment of potential immigrants coming into the United States.

It is not that immigration has not shown itself over centuries and decades and in recent times as a significant contributor to the economic development of this country, and that this country benefits tremendously from immigrants and immigration. And that in fact, in its current situation, this country needs and can use immigrants, their energy, their determination, and their commitment to

self-advancement and improvement, and their history of loyalty and support for this country.

As the years of past, the immigration policies of the United States have grown more and more restricted, as the immigrants, coming to the United States started to include people of color from the Western Hemisphere and Africa, and so these changes sometimes were systematically introduced and the discrimination or changes were solely generated by the color of the immigrant’s skin and, and what was once a welcoming mat for immigrants, what was ingrained in the development of this country and represented by the Statue of Liberty.

We have a crisis, a politically made crisis generated. by politicians, many of whom it is for selfish political advantages and a reflection of their own beliefs and history of racial discrimination. Unfortunately, we now see that the politicians often use immigration for their political grand standing, not focusing on any solution that would serve the country or to any principles of humanitarianism or even a nod to the history and contribution of immigrants, but only to their own political issues.

Issues that they have used to divide the country and  depart from what could well be the wellbeing and continued growth of the nation. Many of the current immigrants that are making their way to the United States are fleeing for the same  conditions that earlier immigrants did, fleeing dire condition in their

own country, and want to pursue, in America, pursue opportunities for a better life, a better life that so many immigrants in the past have pursued and were allowed to be safe in migrating and could contribute to  the continued growth of the nation.

Yes, we agree with Congressmember Clarke, and so many other members of Congress who are calling for a comprehensive immigration reform of the entire system.

To bring about practical and helpful solution to this immigration crisis that in fact would be helpful to the country’s economy and the country’s safety. This starts with the detangling of the many issues and regulations that have been imposed strictly for political maneuvering and reasoning and should now be examined for its real worth , in the country’s development and its own economic needs.

We are experiencing with the controversial Title 4 border policy, how it can restrict immigration and how it will use any and all political rational to deter legal immigration. Now that the use of Title 42 is to be expired there is the chaos that was predicted, a chaos that grew out of political actions that did not have any real immigration reasoning in instituting. In the first case, it was just part of the Trump administrations means of using the pandemic as a way of restricting immigration, that they opposed for political reasons.

We must urge, we urge our elected offi-

cials to stop political maneuvering and playing with people’s lives by taking  on the issue of immigration. Issues that are in fact protected under international laws where refugees and asylum seekers must be protected and that everyone has the right to seek asylum from persecution in other countries. Protect refugees from being returned to countries where there is risk of harm to them, to protect migrants  families that are in danger and migrants deserve and rightfully owed protection from deportation detention. Since the origin of modern times, these conditions have been met and respected, and we now must condemn all the actions, political and otherwise, that would depart from not only the international norms and laws, but also the tradition and legal and historical underpinning of the United States. That immigration is a part of what America is and what every day America needs.

To be very honest about it our economic dependence on immigrant labor has created better lives in this country, build better lives for immigrant and increase the number of citizens that are working, paying taxes to United States and creating a better America.

We all must decide and must truly work to uphold the ideals of America as a place of safety and refuge for immigrants and refugees. We have not been living up to that aspiration or history in the recent past, but we must continue relentless pressure on elected officials to make America a beacon of freedom and a place where people can have a good chance for making their best lives, to achieve what is known as the American Dream, but what is in fact a dream of humanity, the broader problem and this immigration issue is manmade by the politicians and can be solved by politicians. We must press Congress and the people of the United States, that they must have a meaningful way of having orderly immigration and immigration that leads to a better lives for people and for the country.

CDC Surveillance Reveals Growing Concerns about Youth Behavior, Including Their View on Sex

by Stacy Brown

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shared information from the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS), showing that young Americans face increasing health risks daily.

According to the research, young people are dealing with various difficulties, including mental health, aggression, and poor health practices.

They are also viewing the definition of sex differently.

The CDC released data to identify specific risk factors, develop interventions, and gain the support of families and youth. Data from around the country revealed that teenagers are battling suicidal ideation, bullying, dating violence, sexual assault, and poor nutrition and exercise habits.

For example, the percentage of children who spent more than two hours a day watching TV or playing video games climbed from 14.9% in 2013 to 55.5% in 2021.

Furthermore, 23.5% of youth got eight or more hours of sleep on a typical school night, and only 21.7% got 60 minutes or more of physical activity daily.

The study found that the percentage of young people who text while driving

was also significant, with 47% of young people engaged in the practice. Regarding mental health and suicide, the statistics revealed that 41.5% of youngsters felt gloomy or despairing nearly every day for two weeks or more, a considerable increase from 33% in 2017. Female and homosexual, lesbian, and bisexual students were more likely to consider suicide than their male or heterosexual counterparts.

The data show that from 12.6% in 2007 to 6.1% in 2021, fewer young people reported having their boyfriend or girlfriend hit, slap, or physically hurt them. However, 20.6% of young people received abuse verbally or emotionally from someone they were dating or going out with, and 7.7% of young people were physically forced to engage in sexual activity when they did not want to. The YRBSS survey is done at high schools nationwide every other year. For years, research has shown a fall in the rates of sex among American high school students.

The trend reportedly has continued, unsurprisingly, in the first years of the pandemic.

According to the survey, 30% of teens in 2021 reported having sex, down from

38% in 2019 and a significant reduction from three decades before, when more than half of kids reported having sex. According to Associated Press research, for today’s youth, the dialogue about sexuality is shifting from a binary to a spectrum, as are the types of sex they are having.

While the language of sex is changing, the key question on the CDC poll has remained the same since the government agency began its biannual survey in 1991: Have you “ever had sexual intercourse?”

“Honestly, that question is a little laughable,” says Kay, 18, of Lansing, Michigan, who identifies as LGBTQ and attends a public high school.

“There’s probably a lot of teenagers who are like, ‘No, I’ve never had sexual intercourse, but I’ve had other kinds of sex.’”

The Associated Press said it agreed to use teenagers’ first or middle names out of fear of retaliation or backlash at school, at home, and on social media for speaking about their peers’ sex lives and LGBTQ+ relationships.

Several experts told the AP that the CDC findings could indicate a shift in how teen sexuality is evolving, with gender fluidity becoming more widespread and stigma associated with not being hetero-

sexual decreasing.

They refer to another finding in this year’s research, which discovered that the proportion of high school students who identify as heterosexual had declined to around 75%, down from over 89% in 2015, when the CDC began asking about sexual orientation.

Meanwhile, the proportion of people who identified as homosexual, gay, or bisexual increased to 15%, up from 8% in 2015.

“I just wonder, if youth were in the room when the questions were being created, how they would be worded differently,” said Taryn Gal, executive director of the Michigan Organization on Adolescent Sexual Health.

IRS Creating Software to ‘Shake up’ Tax Prep Business

by Stacy Brown

ding to people who were briefed on the matter but asked to remain anonymous to talk about internal agency conversations.

The Inflation Reduction Act from last year, one of President Biden’s most critical congressional wins, gave the IRS $15 million to look into making a direct filing program.

The tax office reportedly asked the New America think tank, which leans to the left, to look into the issue and write a report due this week.

A free filing system from the federal government could upset that market.

By most accounts, the method of using commercial programs for online filing has been good for both taxpayers and the government.

The IRS said approximately 9 of 10 individual tax returns were made digitally in 2022.

When the IRS told Congress how it planned to spend that money in April, Commissioner Daniel Werfel said the agency would think about a “questionbased electronic service to prepare and file tax returns directly with the IRS.”

Three current and former Internal Revenue Service employees say that the IRS has quietly built a prototype system to let Americans file their tax returns digitally and for free.

According to a published report, the move amounts to government software that could shake up the tax-prep business.

The IRS and the U.S. Digital Service, a technology advisory arm of the White House, created the software.

A small group of taxpayers will have access through a trial program by January 2024, when the 2023 filing season starts, accor-

Currently, the IRS sends people who want to file for free to a group of companies offering free e-filing to taxpayers with incomes below a certain amount.

The Washington Post noted a report from the Government Accountability Office that said that even though 70% of taxpayers are eligible for these goods, less than 3% use them.

Industry giants Intuit TurboTax and H&R Block offer free goods that the IRS does not officially back for a smaller group of taxpayers.

IBIS World, a research company, says the paid tax preparation services market will be worth $14.4 billion this year.

Additionally, years of study in the U.S. and Europe show that the U.S. voluntary tax compliance rate of 85.1% is among the highest of developed economies.

The percentage of tax filers who pay their federal taxes correctly each year also reportedly remains high.

But some experts say that the private-public partnership shows the IRS’s lack of technology.

The Inflation Reduction Act gave the IRS $80 billion over ten years to help it crack down on people with high incomes, improve services for taxpayers, and update its technology.

The Biden administration said that the IRS needs more money to catch tax cheats and help low- and middle-income Americans qualify for various tax credits.

Through secure online portals, taxpayers could also ask for help from customer service agents under the plan. This could cut into another way that tax prep companies try to be different from the IRS by offering premium services that include lawyers and accountants.

Disclosures show that Intuit spent more than $1 million lobbying the House and Senate from January to March on topics like “tax system integrity” and “protecting intellectual property.”

According to its disclosure papers, H&R Block spent $720,000 on lobbying for anti-poverty tax credits, “tax administration,” and “Internal Revenue Service funding” during the same period.

President Joe Biden’s Trip to New York

On Wednesday, May 10, the President traveled to the Hudson Valley area, New York. He discussed why Congress must avoid default immediately and without conditions, and how the House Republican Default on America Act will cut veterans’ health care visits, teachers and school support staffs, and Meals on Wheels for seniors.

Tourism Leaders Urged To Unite For A Stronger Regional Product

Mia Mottley, the Prime Minister of Barbados, has issued a challenge to the industry to take charge of their future. At the Caribbean Travel Forum at the Sandals Hotel in Barbados, Mottley urged the attendees to stop being takers and start being shapers of their own destinies.

PM Mottley used a well-known quote from Marcus Mosiah Garvey to emphasize her point on encouraging the attendees to build and invest in their countries rather than relying on outsiders to make the difference, “Emancipate yourself from the mental slavery that sees you being a taker rather than a shaper. Nothing should stop you from leaving this country without agreeing to form a major Caribbean tour operator that is capable of marketing the Caribbean.”

For the Caribbean country, which is the most developed tourist destination in the world, Mottley stated that the citizens must actively participate in shaping our destiny.

She remarked, “For the most part this incarnation of tourism has been driven by foreign capital, has been driven by foreign airlifts, has been driven by foreign markets, has been driven by things that are exogenous to our development.” Mottley added, “And we can decide if that is important and certainly represents the

foundation upon which we stand today but is it sufficient to carry us forward? And if it is not sufficient to carry us forward, at what point do we pause, reset, re-calibrate?”

The Caribbean region is still susceptible to external swings and changes, such as the bankruptcy of a significant tour operator, according to Mottley, who said that the current model has taken us as far as it can.

The best way to mobilize cash and investment in this region, according to Mottley, must be explored.

“Caribbean people remain happy to deposit their money in banks at 0.001 per cent effectively paying more bank fees than receiving any return on the monies invested in banks. Have we therefore exhausted opportunities for the mobilization of capital and the creation of financial instruments necessary to mobilize that capital not only in accommodations but attractions?” she questions.

While the Caribbean is a more developed tourist destination than most, according to Mottley, we lack the same level of cash flow that other countries, like the Gulf States, have, making it difficult to update and guarantee that our product is modernized rapidly and lavishly.

The regional airlines must cooperate and form

partnerships, according to the prime minister. “If ever there was a time for cooperation and partnership across countries, across sectors, across almost every modality of how we function, it is now,” she remarked.

Mottley questioned the notion that wealth exclusively existed in the North Atlantic by taking a look at the region’s source markets.

She asked the area to look at Latin America where, according to her, there are more familial ties than the majority of Caribbean people are aware of.

She stated, “We want others to come to the Caribbean for homeporting and cruising but they can get visas to go through the US or UK yet we continue to depend on them, rather than shaping our own destiny, rather than having the air services agreements that would allow the Middle passage of the 21st century to be shaped by us rather than the Middle Passage to be a scurrilous, awful record of what others did to us.”

Recognizing that the lack of labor is a worldwide issue that has a special impact in the Caribbean due to COVID, Mottley advocated for a national discussion between labor, capital, and hospitality workers.

“The notion of short-term contracts and

long-term probation is no more acceptable to a worker in the hospitality industry as is merciless interest rates to the owners of capital. Each of you face challenges and constraints and each of you must find a way of working together to share the burden and share the bounty and it starts first and foremost with respect and tangible sharing in ways that incentivize people to be the best,” she explained.

Claiming that challenging discussions must be conducted in order to reshape the sector, she cited as an example how people of color who travel to the area are still not treated equally to those who are seen as conventional tourists. Mottley stated, “It comes from the fact that we don’t recognize and accept that the first tourist is your neighbor”

Mottley, a vocal opponent of climate change, added that collaboration and partnerships are necessary since the majority of the Caribbean would experience severe weather events and water shortages that will have an impact on the services provided to visitors.

The annual Travel Marketplace, which is being organized in Barbados for the first time by the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association, began with the Caribbean Travel Forum

Notice of Availability of the Final Environmental Assessment (Final EA) and Draft Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI)

Federal Highway Administration

Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority

New York State Department of Transportation

New York City Department of Transportation

Central Business District Tolling Program

The Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority (TBTA, an affiliate of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority), the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT), and the New York City Department of Transportation (NYCDOT) are issuing this notice to advise the public of the availability of the Final Environmental Assessment (EA) and the Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA) draft Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) (pursuant to 40 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) §1501.6 and §1506.6) for the Central Business District (CBD) Tolling Program (the Project). The purpose of the Project is to reduce traffic congestion in the CBD in a manner that will generate revenue for future transportation improvements, pursuant to acceptance of the Project into FHWA’s Value Pricing Pilot Program.

In compliance with applicable regulations promulgated by the Council on Environmental Quality and FHWA pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), respectively, 40 CFR Parts 1500-1508 and 23 CFR Part 771, the Final EA was prepared to evaluate the potential environmental impacts of, and identify any mitigation measures for, the Project, in consideration of public and agency input, and responds to comments received from the public and agencies on the EA that was published in August 2022. FHWA intends to apply Title 23 United States Code (USC) § 139(l), Limitations on Claims, to any decision it may issue with respect to the proposed public transportation project.

As a project requiring FHWA approval, the Project is subject to the requirements of Section 4(f) of the U.S. Department of Transportation Act of 1966 (now codified in 23 U.S.C. §138 and 49 U.S.C. §303), and the FHWA implementing regulations, 23 CFR Part 774. In accordance with the applicable regulations, and as documented in the Final EA, the FHWA makes a de minimis impact finding for the Section 4(f) use of Central Park and the High Line by the Project.

Availability of the Final EA and Draft FONSI

The official 30-day public availability period for the Final EA and draft FONSI for the Project will begin on May 12, 2023 and will end on June 12, 2023. The draft FONSI and Final EA will be available to the public online at mta.info/CBDTP, and in hardcopy at TBTA, NYSDOT, and NYCDOT offices and FHWA division offices in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut. In-person assistance with accessing the documents online will be available at specific libraries throughout New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut. For the list of locations where the documents are available, visit mta.info/CBDTP or contact the CBDTP Team at 646-252-7440. THE

The City of New York has Request for Proposals available for qualified Consulting Engineering Firms interested in the following Proposed Contract.

Project or Contract Title:

Request for Proposal – Resident Engineering Inspection Services in Connection with Component Rehabilitation of 10 Bridges in Queens.

Contract No. HBCR22B

Pin: 84123QUBR582

Expected Contract Term: 1155 Consecutive Calendar Days starting from the date of the Notice to Proceed

Description of Services Required:

The services to be procured is the Resident Engineering Inspection Services in Connection with Component Rehabilitation of 10 Bridges in Queens.

A Pre-Proposal Conference (Optional) has been scheduled for May 30, 2023, Time: 10:00 AM through Zoom. Proposers who wish to connect to the Zoom Conference will need a Zoom ID and Password or the link. Therefore, proposers who wish to connect will need to contact the authorized agency contact person via email at least three (3) days prior to the Pre-Proposal Conference for the information to connect. Proposers will need to provide the first name, last name of everyone who wishes to connect, name of the organization, phone number and email address.

This Procurements are subject to participation goals for Minority-Owned Business Enterprises (MBEs), as required by Section 6-129 of the New York Administrative Code. The M/WBE goal for this project is 30%.

This Request for Proposals (RFP) is released through PASSPort, New York City’s online procurement portal. Responses to this RFP must be submitted via PASSPort. To access the RFP, vendors should visit the PASSPort public Portal at https://www1.nyc.gov/site/mocs/systems/about-go-to-passport.page and click on the “Search Funding Opportunities in PASSPort” blue box. Doing so will take one to the public portal of all procurements in the PASSPort system. To quickly locate the RFP, insert the EPIN 84123P0007, into the Keyword search field. To respond to the RFP, vendors must create an account within the PASSPort system if they have not already done so.

Release Date: May 22, 2023

Pre-Proposal Conference: May 30, 2023 at 10AM

Submission of Request for Proposals are due on or before 2:00 PM on June 19, 2023

A CaribbeanAmerican Heritage Month Celebration

10th Annual Caribbean-American Power 100 - 2023

The Virtual Vibes Program Friday, June 30 , 2023 7 PM EST

T&T – Attorney General Apologizes to Barbados Police Service

Following the Barbados Police Service’s help and support to the Trinidad and Tobago Police Force in its efforts to bring Brent Thomas to justice, Trinidad and Tobago Attorney General Reginald Armour has apologized to both the Barbadian government and the Police Force for the negative remarks made about the said force who assisted in the arrest of Thomas. The TTPS officers involved had also been instructed by George Busby, the deputy director of public prosecutions, to inform Barbados authorities that warrants were in effect. However, no instructions were given as to how the remaining steps should be taken in Barbados or how Thomas should be brought back to T&T if he were to be detained there.

Armour recently made this revelation in an address to Parliament about the Thomas guns dealer case and Justice Devindra Rampersad’s April 25 verdict.

No less than 22 UNC MPs raised a clamorous objection as Armour began speaking, stating that his remarks were unlawful

because the State was appealing the ruling. In his conclusions in Thomas’ favor, Justice Rampersad mentioned what he called an “abduction” from Barbados.

Thomas, who was at the center of many TTPS investigations in 2022, was apprehended once more on October 5 in Barbados while traveling to Miami. Police from Barbados and T&T were involved.

The State appealed Rampersad’s recent ruling. According to Armour, a new appeal was filed with the court and requested to be considered immediately for “national security reasons” and to address the egregious errors committed by the trial judge. Armour stated that in the eventuality that T&T has to be protected at the Privy Council level, the State has English solicitors in place.

Attorney General Dale Marshall of Barbados sought clarification on the matter from the Barbados Police Service following Rampersad’s recent ruling (BPS). Marshall presented his results at the previous hearing earlier this week.

Armour stated that he agreed with Marshall’s comments and supported them, adding, “I offer to the government and the Barbados Police Service, my apologies for the slur which has been cast on the action of the Barbados Police Service who, consistent with the law and their oaths of office, were assisting the T&T Police Service to the best of their ability in the investigation of alleged crimes, in seeking to bring an alleged fugitive to justice.”

Armour described the State’s points of appeal but left out the arguments that the State’s legal representatives will make. In his own words, Armour said he felt constrained. “Nevertheless, I make this statement because I recognize and acknowledge the legitimate concerns which arise out of that matter, exacerbated by the judgment. Nothing that I say here falls outside our permitted hierarchical judicial structure, tiered to include within the hierarchy of our Supreme Court that judges at first instance may make errors in the discharge of their judicial functions,

and the Court of Appeal exists to correct those errors.”

According to Armour, the issue entails questions of national security, which limits the specifics he is able to discuss, and it also involves police operating systems and protocols, which are outside the purview of the Executive. According to him, the Police Commissioner authorized an investigation into the situation, which must be allowed to proceed.

Armour stated that his knowledge originated from directives supplied by the police to the legal team defending the Office of Attorney General as a defendant in the case, emphasizing that the Executive played no part in the events leading to the decision. He pointed out that the issues raised in the ruling are of an operational nature for the police.

WHO Advises Not to Use Non-Sugar Sweeteners for Weight Control in Newly Released Guideline

The World Health Organization (WHO) has released a new guideline on non-sugar sweeteners (NSS), which recommends against the use of NSS to control body weight or reduce the risk of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs).

The recommendation is based on the findings of a systematic review of the available evidence which suggests that use of NSS does not confer any long-term benefit in reducing body fat in adults or children. Results of the review also suggest that there may be potential undesirable effects from long-term use of NSS, such as an increased risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and mortality in adults. “Replacing free sugars with NSS does not help with weight control in the long term. People need to consider other ways to reduce free sugars intake, such as consuming food with naturally occurring sugars, like

fruit, or unsweetened food and beverages,” says Francesco Branca, WHO Director for Nutrition and Food Safety. “NSS are not essential dietary factors and have no nutritional value. People should reduce the sweetness of the diet altogether, starting early in life, to improve their health.”

The recommendation applies to all people except individuals with pre-existing diabetes and includes all synthetic and naturally occurring or modified non-nutritive sweeteners that are not classified as sugars found in manufactured foods and beverages, or sold on their own to be added to foods and beverages by consumers. Common NSS include acesulfame K, aspartame, advantame, cyclamates, neotame, saccharin, sucralose, stevia and stevia derivatives.

The recommendation does not apply to personal care and hygiene products

containing NSS, such as toothpaste, skin cream, and medications, or to low-calorie sugars and sugar alcohols (polyols), which are sugars or sugar derivatives containing calories and are therefore not considered NSS.

Because the link observed in the evidence between NSS and disease outcomes might be confounded by baseline characteristics of study participants and complicated patterns of NSS use, the recommendation has been assessed as conditional, following WHO processes for developing guidelines. This signals that policy decisions based on this recommendation may require substantive discussion in specific country contexts, linked for example to the extent of consumption in different age groups. The WHO guideline on NSS is part of a suite of existing and forthcoming guidelines on healthy diets that aim to establish

lifelong healthy eating habits, improve dietary quality and decrease the risk of NCDs worldwide.

National Stroke Awareness Month - New Survey Finds Stroke Survivors Not Using Long-Term Heart Monitoring

PEORIA, Ill. - A targeted survey released by patient advocacy group, United Stroke Alliance, with support from Medtronic, found that while nearly 80% of stroke survivors and 90% of caregivers were concerned about the risk of a second stroke, only 6% (2 of 30 patients) were prescribed an insertable cardiac monitor (ICM). Inserted just underneath the skin for up to several years, ICMs are able to detect intermittent abnormal heart rhythms in patients, such as atrial fibrillation (AF), which can lead to stroke.

Approximately one in four stroke survivors will experience another stroke within five years. In some cases, these patients may have AF, an irregular heartbeat that is associated with a five-fold greater risk of stroke. Long-term, continuous heart monitoring with an ICM can be a critical tool for detecting AF and informing secondary stroke prevention treatment strategies; yet the recent sampling of stroke survivors within the United Stroke Alliance community suggests many are not receiving long-term monitoring – or any heart monitoring – following stroke.

In the survey, 30% of stroke survivors reported they were given some form of short-term heart monitoring after their stroke, only 6% received an ICM for long-term monitoring, while nearly half (43%) did not receive any form of heart monitoring, either short- or long-term. “Stroke is often a life-altering event, and survivors are not only navigating recovery, but they are also often working with their care team to build a customized treatment plan to prevent a second stroke,” says Marylee Nunley, co-founder and national board member at the United Stroke Alliance. “Understanding their individual risk factors and the latest treatment and monitoring options available is not only critical to their long-term recovery, but it can also be a life-saver.”

Gaps in the Stroke Care Pathway

These survey findings reveal a critical gap in

stroke management care pathways as recent clinical research shows long-term heart monitoring significantly increases AF detection rates that short-term monitoring often does not detect. In fact, in 78% of stroke patients, AF would go undetected if monitored for only 30 days compared to a year (STROKE AF Study).ii Clinical studies have also shown that, compared to conventional cardiac monitoring, long-term cardiac monitoring increases AF detection and enhances the speed with which patients are given treatment, ultimately cutting the risk of recurrent stroke in half.iii

Of the patients surveyed, just over one-third (37%) of stroke survivors report being referred to a cardiologist or electrophysiologist following their stroke, which is consistent with findings from the DiVERT clinical study phase one results that underscored the need for stronger, standardized care pathways. Yet, stroke survivors rank being referred to a cardiologist or electrophysiologist – in addition to participating in survivor patient groups – as the most helpful ways to learn more about AF and heart monitoring, highlighting the need to strengthen the referral pathway.

“We’ve learned from clinical studies that longterm heart monitoring with a Medtronic ICM following a stroke leads to detecting more atrial fibrillation,” said Alan Cheng, M.D., chief medical officer of the Medtronic Cardiac Rhythm Management operating unit. “Often, the impact of a second stroke is more severe due to the additional damage to the brain. That’s why it is important that stroke patients have the right monitoring in place to inform their treatment plan and potentially lessen the risk of a second stroke.”

To find more information and resources from the United Stroke Alliance, visit Unitedstrokealliance.org, and to learn more about the connection between AF and stroke, as well as long-term cardiac monitoring, visit medtronic. com/StopStroke.

Classic Calypso Film ‘One Hand Don’t Clap’ Gaining New Audience

Black Stalin, the reigning Trinidad Calypso Monarch winner from 1986, was seeking to retain his title by defeating Duke and David Rudder, two up-and-coming artists. The participants are followed as they get ready to perform in One Hand Don’t Clap, a stunning documentary that documented the event. However, director Kavery Kaul doesn’t appear overly concerned with the outcome. Her recently repaired and redistributed footage places a lot more emphasis on two fabled calypso giants who are present at the competition. They consider their own life, their successes, and failures, as well as their passion for their music, while watching from the sidelines. The undisputed stars of the movie are Lord Kitchener and Calypso Rose, his protégé.

Aldwyn Roberts’ stage name, Lord Kitchener, may be best known in Britain for his moving impromptu performance of London Is the Place for Me on June 22, 1948, when a Pathé reporter stopped him as he and about 500 other Caribbean passengers were getting off the Empire Windrush ship. “I am told you are the king of calypso singers. Will you sing for us?” the journalist stated, raising a microphone in front of Lord Kitchener awaiting a response.

Tobago-born Rose, on the other hand, became the first woman to triumph in Trinidad’s annual singing competition, leading organizers to change the Calypso King award to Calypso

Monarch. She was encouraged by Kitchener to perform on stage more freely. She was “skinny, real skinny like macaroni” at the beginning of her career and was still discouraged by the advice of her Baptist preacher father that Calypso music is the devil’s work. Rose made the remark that “one hand don’t clap”—a play on the phrase “it takes two to tango”—in reference to Kitchener’s encouragement as she started to perform.

Tobago-born Rose, on the other hand, became the first woman to triumph in Trinidad’s annual singing competition, leading organizers to change the Calypso King award to Calypso Monarch. She was encouraged by Kitchener to perform on stage more freely. She was “skinny, real skinny like macaroni” at the beginning of her career and was still discouraged by the advice of her Baptist preacher father that Calypso music is the devil’s work. Rose made the remark that “one hand don’t clap”—a play on the phrase “it takes two to tango”—in reference to Kitchener’s encouragement as she started to perform.

“Calypso was the music of African slaves who weren’t allowed to speak to each other. They shared their opinions in the song”

Kaul, a native New Yorker and the child of Indian immigrants convinced Kitchener to collaborate with her on a film after seeing him perform in a Brooklyn nightclub in the early

Antigua – Angela Bassett’s Lawyers Issue Cease and Desist Letter

Antigua recently named Angela Bassett a Tourism Ambassador of Antigua and Barbuda along with Dawn Lewis a fellow actress. In response to the Antigua and Barbuda Department of Tourism’s unauthorized use of Bassett’s image, Bassett’s attorneys, who are representing the “Black Panther” actress, issued a cease-and-desist letter.

The letter was written by lawyers from Fox Rothschild LLP, and In the letter, it is demanded that the Tourism Board immediately discontinue utilizing Bassett’s name or image in any marketing or publicity initiatives. This applies up until the parties sign a typical Release Agreement approving such usage. The deadline for the Tourism Board to confirm receiving the correspondence is May 15.

Bassett who has a successful career in acting where she worked in major films and established a name for herself that will be remembered in

the history of Hollywood as a powerhouse and an icon in the movie industry, had recently traveled to Antigua & Barbuda in the Caribbean.

The Chief of Staff of the Office of the Prime Minister, Ambassador Lionel Hurst, commented on the development during a post-Cabinet media briefing and clarified that the lawyer from the letter is aiming to guarantee two things, ” First, that there are no tax liabilities attached to Angela Bassett’s agreement or agreeing to be a tourism ambassador, and second, if you are a US citizen and you agree to act on behalf of a foreign government, you also require in some instances a license almost from the State Department listing you as a foreign agent.”

He maintains that all the attorneys are trying to do is make sure she has” no liability attaches to her”.

1980s. She claims, “When I heard Kitchener, I realized this was a musical genius.” Kaul also captures Kitchener conversing and singing with Lord Pretender as they watch a horse being groomed at a racetrack in Port of Spain, Trinidad, and Tobago’s capital, with beautiful scenery highlighting the tropical treasure the twin Ilands beholds. This scene traces the impacts of one generation on the next. The vocalists who influenced him include “Tiger, Growler, Attila the Hun, Invader, and, Caresser” Kitchener referred to the musicians as the “cream of the crop”.

Calypso, according to Kaul, is “the opinion pages of music,” She noted that it frequently addresses topics like terrorism, domestic violence, male-female relationships, and insights concerning life as a whole. She added that it’s also the music of dancing, parties, politics, and culture, and it all intersects. Calypso, according to Rose, who is now 83 and resides in New York, is “about what happened to your neighbor or to the government or to your life”. She expresses anger in some of her songs directed at men (“Get out of my house / You’re a stinking louse”) and in others toward Middle Eastern politics.

Before the competition’s big finale, several songs are played that are obviously political. The centerpiece of Black Stalin’s essay on the 400 years of bloody, unsuccessful attempts by

superpowers to dominate Africa. He sings, “The more Africans they kill, the more they’ll see coming,” to applause from the crowd. “The more warriors they gun down, the more warriors they come.” This side of the genre doesn’t go in hand with the version that sells as vibrant, joyful, exciting carnival music you hear in Caribbean travel agency commercials. Kaul remarked, “Calypso started as the music of African slaves who weren’t allowed to speak to each other.” She added, “Obviously, they had opinions to share and they shared them through their songs. It’s a music of resistance – calypso has always been very political.”The opening line of a song by Lord Invader that appears in Kaul’s movie is “If you are a negro, you can plainly see / That you’re bound to suffer misery and tyranny.”

Later songs by Kitchener tend to be a little more comic; before the 1986 competition’s grand finale, he plays Pillow Fight and Sugar Bum Bum to enthusiastic crowds. Despite his personal popularity, he is contemplating his future at the age of 64, debating whether to switch to singing the quicker, more mainstream Soca or soul calypso, which he observes that people appear to like to dance to. He laughs, “I’m not going to stay on the other side of the river.” He added, “I’m going to follow the change even though I don’t agree with it because I’ve got to eat.”

Jamaica’s Minister of Tourism Announces One Million Visitor Arrivals to Date for 2023

BRIDGETOWN, BARBADOS,

May 11, 2023 – At a destination press briefing held at the 41st Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association (CHTA) Caribbean Travel Marketplace in Barbados, Jamaica’s Minister of Tourism the Hon. Edmund Bartlett announced that Jamaica has surpassed one million visitors arrivals year-to-date for 2023, reaching this milestone approximately one month earlier than in 2022. He also updated attending media about Jamaica’s robust tourism arrivals, investments, and work to build resilience for the industry on the island and throughout the world.

“From January through December 2022

Jamaica welcomed 2,478,386 stopover arrivals, a 69.2% increase over 2021 and nearly a full recovery to 2019 highs,” said Minister Bartlett. “As of May 10, we received over a million visitor arrivals to date this year, putting our destination on par with 2019 records. We have seen steady growth in our arrivals and continued investment in the tourism sector, which is a tremendous achievement. Projecting ahead for 2023 through 2025, we expect to attract more than 3.8 million

visitors in 2023 and grow to more than 5 million visitors in 2025.”

Minister Bartlett continued, “To keep this growth on an upward trajectory, we continue to build out new air service with new flights this year from Chicago Midway, Denver, St. Louis, Dallas, Kansas City, and London Gatwick. Plus, we are expanding and modernizing Sangster International Airport and have approximately 8,000 new hotel rooms slated for construction over the next two to five years.”

“Further, Jamaica has implemented the Blue Ocean Strategy to develop a more sustainable, diverse tourism product,” concluded Minister Bartlett. “We have also established Global Tourism Resilience Day with the United Nations to take place annually on February 17 with the aim of growing awareness for tourism to build back stronger and take steps to protect itself from future disruptions.”

“The fact that Jamaica’s tourism arrivals continue to rise is a clear testament to the success of our internal strategies, destination marketing initiatives, and relationships with key travel partners on island and worldwide,” added Donovan White,

Antigua and Barbuda Welcomes Back Frontier Airlines

visitor numbers. This new weekly service will help us welcome even more stayover visitors.”

Minister Fernandez added, “Frontier is the perfect partner to broaden our airlift partner by offering competitive fares complemented by a strong network. I’m excited to a significant increase in visitors from the US market.”

Director of Tourism, Jamaica Tourist Board. “We are very grateful to all who have contributed to Jamaica’s success in lifting our tourism product to new heights meeting and soon to exceed 2019 record levels.”

Minister Bartlett also noted that Jamaica is leveraging key pillars for tourism that showcase the destination’s unique culture and heritage while simultaneously

addressing the desire from today’s traveler to experience more than just sun, sea, and sand. He also emphasized the need to carefully manage the tourism industry through resilience building where it can continually adapt to issues that may arise and to put plans in place to protect it from potential future shocks.

For more information on Jamaica, please go to www.visitjamaica.com.

ST. JOHN’S, ANTIGUA - Antigua and Barbuda is busier than ever and set for a record-breaking year in visitor arrivals. Things are about to get even busier as Antigua and Barbuda is celebrating the return of direct service from Orlando with low-fare carrier Frontier Airlines. Starting November 4, 2023 Frontier will have weekly nonstop flights between Orlando International Airport (MCO) and V.C. Bird International Airport (ANU) in Antigua and Barbuda. The service marks the only nonstop flight option between the two highly popular destinations and strengthens Antigua and Barbuda’s position in the Florida market.

Antigua and Barbuda’s Minister of Tourism, Civil Aviation, Transportation and Investment, The Honourable Charles Fernandez called the return of the Frontier Airlines’ service, “incredible news for Antigua and Barbuda, as we look at another record-breaking year in

CEO of the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority Colin C. James said: “The return of Frontier is a culmination of the Tourism Authority’s aggressive efforts to return our airlift to pre-pandemic levels. Frontier has been an excellent partner and are known for their very competitive fares. This will no doubt improve the attractiveness of Antigua and Barbuda to those passengers who tend to save on the airfare, while upgrading on their hotel product”.

Frontier’s seasonal service from Orlando began in Winter 2021 and has been an incredible success for Antigua and Barbuda by offering service in a market with high demand. Antigua and Barbuda is proud to be able to offer the ideal vacation experience at every price point, and Frontier Airlines helps the destination broaden that offer to the entire travel experience.

Weekly service will commence on November 4, 2023 through March 30, 2024. Tickets are available to purchase now on FlyFrontier.com. Frequency and times are subject to change, so visitors should check FlyFrontier.com for the most updated schedule.

Curaçao and Dominican Republic Named Hosts for 2023 Concacaf Boys’ U-15 Championship

Miami, FL – Concacaf has announced that Curaçao and the Dominican Republic will host the 2023 Concacaf Boys’ U-15 Championship. The fourth edition of the competition will take place between August 6-13, 2023, and will include the participation of 42 boys’ u-15 teams, 40 from Concacaf, and two guest nations from the Asian Football Confederation. The competition will continue to be played in a three-League format (A, B, and C), starting with group stage play and followed by a knockout stage.

The 42 participating teams have been distributed into the Leagues based on the Concacaf Men’s Under-17 Ranking as of February 2023,

as follows (listed in alphabetical order per League):

League A: 16 teams (14 highest ranked and two guest nations): Canada, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Trinidad and Tobago, and United States.

League B: 16 teams (next highest ranked teams): Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, Bonaire, Cayman Islands, Curaçao, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guyana, Martinique, Nicaragua, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Suriname.

League C 10 teams (lowest ranked teams):

Anguilla, British Virgin Islands, Dominica, French Guiana, Montserrat, Saint Martin, Saint Vincent and Grenadines, Sint Maarten, Turks & Caicos Islands, and US Virgin Islands. All League A matches will take place in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, while Willemstad, Curaçao, will play host to Leagues B and C.

Further details regarding the competition format will be announced in the coming weeks.

In the last edition of the Concacaf Boys’ U-15 Championship took place in 2019 at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida. The 2021 edition of the competition was canceled due to the COVID-19 global pandemic.

Daren Sammy Appointed West Indies White-Ball Coach

of cricket, Enoch Lewis, the chair of cricket committee, Oneka Martin-Bird, the board’s HR manager, Debra Coryat-Patton, one of CWI’s newly independent directors, and Shallow conducted the interviews.

Sammy’s first assignment will be a three-match ODI series against the UAE in Sharjah in June, which will form part of the preparations for the World Cup qualifiers in Zimbabwe in June-July.

Daren Sammy, who led West Indies to two T20 World Cup titles, has been named head coach of West Indies’ T20I and ODI teams. Andre Coley, who was West Indies’ interim coach after Phil Simmons resigned, will be in charge of the Test and West Indies A teams.

Sammy had applied only for the white-ball job, according to Kishore Shallow, who took over from Ricky Skerritt as CWI president in March. Shallow also said that a total of 20 applications from around the world had come to the board. Former West Indies captain Shivnarine Chanderpaul, who had coached Jamaica Tallawahs to the CPL title in 2022, was among those who had applied for the job. A panel of five, comprising Jimmy Adams, CWI’s director

”It will be a challenge but one that I’m ready for and excited about,” Sammy said in a CWI statement. “I’m really looking forward to the opportunity, especially looking at the players we have and the impact that I believe I can have in the dressing room. I believe I will bring the same approach as I had as a player: the passion, the desire for success, and my undying love for West Indies cricket.

“When I look around there is an abundance of talent, and what I saw in South Africa in the white-ball matches under new captains Shai Hope and Rovman Powell and the leadership provided by Andre Coley, there is great belief that we can do well. I’m looking forward to imparting my knowledge, my tactical acumen, my communication skills and my management skills. I get excited about putting the plans together and seeing the players execute them.”

Sammy has coaching experience in the CPL

and the PSL, but this will be his first assignment in international cricket. While Sammy is not a certified coach, Shallow pointed out that he fulfilled all the criteria necessary for a coaching role. “There’s a different set of criteria that you know don’t necessarily need to be a Level 3 [coach],” Shallow said. “It’s ideal, but when we go through the different assessments, he certainly qualified to be the head coach, which is why he was shortlisted in the first place and then he was interviewed by a panel of five.”

Sammy’s leadership skills, both as a captain and coach, were central to St Lucia Kings’ recent success in the CPL. In 2020, he beat the odds and captained an unfancied Kings side to the CPL final despite Chris Gayle pulling out of the season.

That final was Sammy’s last game in the CPL as a player. In CPL 2021, he was appointed Kings’ T20 cricket consultant and brand ambassador. He worked with coach Andy Flower as part of the backroom staff. Last year, Sammy took over from Flower as head coach and led them to the Eliminator, where Kings lost to eventual champions Tallawahs. Fast bowler Alzarri Joseph, allrounder Roston Chase and wicketkeeperbatter Johnson Charles were among the players who flourished under Sammy’s leadership at

Kings.

At the PSL, Sammy had coached Peshawar Zalmi in 2020 and 2021 before being reappointed to the post for PSL 2023. Sammy had been a mainstay for the franchise since PSL’s inception in 2016, and had been one of the more recognisable overseas faces for the league. As for Coley, his first assignment will be the twomatch home Test series against India in July. “I am looking forward to the challenges ahead, as well as the opportunities as we sharpen our focus on moving up the Test rankings, and qualifying for the World Test Championship final in June 2025,” Coley said. “I also look forward to working with all our stakeholders, deepening relationships and fostering a high-performance mindset.

“I am also excited to be working closely with the ‘A’ team as we seek to optimise opportunities for teams to play competitive cricket outside of our first-class competition and giving players greater exposure to different conditions at the international level. I believe that my expertise in the use of analytics, my leadership style and technical knowledge along with collaborative efforts alongside Daren, will make a positive contribution to player development and team performances.”