May 24, 2023

VOL. XLII NO. 2117 WEEK OF MAY 24 - 30, 2023

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CELEBRATING GUYANA

57 YEARS OF INDEPENDENCE

(SEE SCROLL OF OUTSTANDING GUYANESE-AMERICANS) PAGES 9 - 12

JAMAICA

CABINET RESHUFFLE More of Samuda. Shaw out.

Floyd Green is back

Page 14 GUYANA

20 CHILDREN DIE IN SCHOOL FIRE Several others were injured in school serving mostly Indigenous children

DR. SHERYL LEE RALPH

Page 14 HAITI

GET OUT. U.S. WARNS CITIZENS Due to crime, kidnapping and civil unrest

RUTGERS UNIVERSITY CONFERRED HONORARY DOCTORATE ON ICONIC JAMAICAN-AMERICAN ENTERTAINER

UNITED KINGDOM

Page 3 TRAVEL

SANDALS DUNNS RIVER OPENS Spectacular celebration, tribute to Butch Stewart - great entertainment

Page 18

TRINI FOR KING’S PORTRAIT

VISIT US AT NYCARIBNEWS.COM FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL

MEMBER, NATIONAL NEWSPAPER PUBLISHERS ASSOCIATION (NNPA) BLACK PRESS OF AMERICA GATEWAY TO 20 MILLION READERS WEEKLY

TRINIDADIAN SARAH KNIGHTS COMMISSIONED TO PAINT KING’S PORTRAIT

CARIBNEWS

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CaribNews GUEST EDITORIAL Fueling a Sustainable Future: Guyana’s Youth and the Oil and Gas Industry by Terrence Blackman, Ph. D. & Utamu Bell - P 9

MESSAGES Community messages in celebration of Guyana’s 57th Independence - P 13

HEALTH CARPHA Signs Collaboration Agreement with UK Health Security Agency - P 16

SPORTS Honduras Narrowly Falls to Gambia in U20 World Cup Opener - P 19

WEEK ENDING MAY 30, 2023,

AFRICA

WORLD BRIEFS

Horn of Africa: Over 7 million children under the age of 5 remain malnourished

El Salvador: Renewed state of emergency undermines right to fair trial

Children in the Horn of Africa are living through an unprecedented large-scale crisis of hunger, displacement, water scarcity, and insecurity, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said on Monday.

More than seven million children under the age of five remain malnourished and in need of urgent nutrition aid, and over 1.9 million boys and girls* are at risk of dying from severe malnutrition.

As the region comes out of one of the worst droughts in 40 years, vulnerable communities have lost cattle, crops, and entire livelihoods over the past three years of failed rains.

“The crisis in the Horn has been devastating for children,” said Mohamed Fall, UNICEF Regional Director for Eastern and Southern Africa.

“Over the past three years, communities have been forced to take extreme measures to survive, with millions of children and families leaving their homes out of pure desperation in search of food and water. This crisis has deprived children of the essentials of childhood – having enough to eat, a home, safe water, and going to school.”

Deadly consequences While the rains postponed the worst, they have also led to floods, as the extremely thirsty ground is unable to absorb large quantities of water, leading to further displacement, increased risk of disease, livestock loss and crop damage.

Ceasefire in Sudan could ‘pave the way’ to peace talks

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A crucial ceasefire poised to enter into force in restive Sudan on Monday evening should “pave the way” for peace talks to end the month-old conflict, the top UN official in the country has said.

“Lives and infrastructure are being destroyed, and the security situation is impeding the delivery of humanitarian aid,” said Volker Perthes, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Sudan, briefing the Security Council on Monday about recent developments.

Five weeks since the eruption of fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on 15 April, the conflict had shown no signs of slowing down despite repeated declarations of ceasefire by both sides, said Mr. Perthes, who also heads the UN mission in the country, UNITAMS. If honoured, the pending week-long renewable ceasefire should ease aid deliveries to millions in need and “pave the way for peace talks”, he told the Council.

Civilians paying steep price However, he raised myriad grave concerns about serious human rights violations, rampant looting, and a flood of weapons throughout the country.

In addition, he said the growing ethnicization of the conflict risks engulfing the country in a prolonged conflict, with implications for the region, calling on both parties to return to dialogue in the interest of Sudan and its people.

The decision by El Salvador to extend a state of emergency aimed at cracking down on gangs undermines the right to fair trial, three experts appointed by the UN Human Rights Council said on Monday.

The state of emergency was first approved in March 2022, and initially for a month, but has been renewed ever since, generating a wave of mass incarceration.

The experts called for the measure to be lifted immediately and for the Government to review the sweeping new powers introduced to tackle the country’s gang problem.

Trampling on rights “The state of emergency was declared following a series of gang-related killings. Despite its obligation to protect citizens from such atrocious acts, the Government cannot trample on fair trial rights in the name of public safety,” they said in a statement.

The UN experts urged the authorities to ensure that people are not arrested on mere suspicion of gang membership or association without sufficient legal authorization.

Gaza: Over a quarter of UNRWA centre patients needing mental health support More than one in four patients screened in violence-afflicted Gaza at UN-run health centres, require mental health and psychosocial support, the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) said on Tuesday, publishing its annual overview.

This is the highest rate of mental health need ever recorded, across UNRWA’s medical system.

UNRWA’s health programmes support some two million Palestine refugees across Jordan, Lebanon, the occupied Palestinian territory composed of the West Bank, including East Jerusalem and Gaza, as well as in Syria.

Immensely challenging year Speaking to reporters in Geneva, Dr. Akihiro Seita, UNRWA’s Director of Health, highlighted the “immense challenges” faced by the agency’s health programmes in the past year: in addition to the COVID-19 pandemic, he listed the devastating cholera outbreak in Syria and Lebanon, regional turbulence and UNRWA’s ongoing funding crisis.

He stressed that UNRWA health centres in Gaza and the occupied West Bank continue to provide vital healthcare amid hostilities.

Eight million seen Last year, the UN agency managed to provide around eight million medical consultations.

That includes around 300,000 people living with diabetes and hypertension or non-communicable diseases and also 90,000 pregnant mothers”, said Dr. Seita.

WEEK ENDING MAY 30, 2023

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NYC – Harlem Turns Out To Mourn Jordan Neely

Jordan Neely, a 30-year-old homeless man, was strangled to death aboard a New York City subway train on May 1 by a 24-yearold guy called Daniel Penny. Later, Penny was accused of manslaughter. Neely’s choking was viewed by many New Yorkers as a horrifying act of violence, yet it was also perceived by some as a response to concerns about public safety.

Conservatives on the political right have immediately adopted Penny.

A large crowd, including the Rev. Al Sharpton, gathered to pay their respects to Mr. Neely, who was strangled to death earlier this month on the F train.

The Rev. Al Sharpton delivered a eulogy at the burial for homeless man Jordan Neely, who was popularly known by New Yorkers for impersonating King of Pop, Micheal Jackon. Mr. Neely was slain by another subway rider in New York City, who stated that the homeless man was displaying hostile behavior towards the other passengers.

Jordan Neely spent his final two weeks alone with no family that could express care towards him, hungry, and in need on New York’s subway system.

However, hundreds attended Mr. Neely’s funeral at Mount Neboh Baptist Church in Harlem, including friends, family,

well-known Democratic politicians, and the Rev. Al Sharpton, who gave the eulogy.

This was a show of support for a man who died alone and in anonymity.

It has sparked debate between those who believe that Mr. Neely’s murderer, Daniel Penny, behaved brutally vigilante in reaction to a person who needed help and those who believe he was attempting to stop a threat. Additionally, it has raised questions about the safety of the trains as well as the care provided to locals who are homeless and mentally ill.

In a passionate eulogy, Mr. Sharpton called for an act of responsibility for Mr. Neely’s murder and claimed that there had been a “distortion of values” in the weeks before, alluding to the portrayal of Mr. Penny by his attorneys and others as a hero who was guarding terrified passengers.

“Jordan was screaming for help.”Mr. Sharpton stated. He added, In a speech that led the audience to stand up, “We keep criminalizing people with mental illness. “ Rev. Sharpton noted, “They don’t need abuse, they need help.”

Mr. Neely was well known as a Michael Jackson impersonator among visitors and locals in New York. An online fundraising drive was begun to assist Mr. Penny with his legal defense. The funding increased to almost $2.6 million in donations after receiving support from conservative leaders.

The chokehold was captured on camera for four minutes, but there are still many questions about what transpired before that. Witnesses told police that Mr. Neely had claimed to be hungry, thirsty, and “ready to die.” There is no evidence that he physically attacked anyone.

More than 200 people crowded into the chapel where Mr. Neely’s body was interred in a white casket covered with red and white flowers. In memory of Mr. Neely, a performer who impersonat-

ed Michael Jackson on the street, some mourners showed up in Michael Jackson costumes.

The funeral, according to church authorities, should be a time to reflect on Mr. Neely’s life. The Curtis Mayfield song “People Get Ready” was sung by a cappella ensemble. Photos showing Mr. Neely as a young child, a beaming graduate, and wearing a red and black leather jacket evocative of Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” era were shown in the funeral program.

But a large portion of the ceremony was devoted to the indignation that Mr. Neely’s death had caused.

Yusef Salaam, a candidate for Harlem City Council, attended the burial with his mother. During his eulogy, he drew comparisons between Mr. Neely’s passing and his own experience as one of the Exonerated Five, a group of youths wrongfully convicted of the 1989 rape of a white woman in Central Park.

“Here we are in the year 2023, having witnessed the lynching, a lynching, a lynching in the public square,” said Mr. Salaam, whose sentence was revoked in 2002. “A lynching of a Black man who was never given a chance by the system designed to keep him oppressed,” the statement reads.

Politicians in the city have questioned why Mr. Penny was not detained right away after the killing; this criticism was reiterated by attendees at the memorial service.

According to Mr. Sharpton, if Mr. Neely had been a black man who had choked a white Elvis Presley lookalike, the police “would not have let that Black guy leave the precinct that night.”

Clio Calvo-Platero, a spokesperson for the Civilian Complaint Review Board, an impartial organization charged with looking into police wrongdoing, announced on Friday that the board had received a complaint over the police’s choice not to press charges straight away.

As an “abuse of authority,” the allegation was being looked into by the agency, according to Ms. Calvo-Platero.

Police stated in a statement that they looked into situations to “ensure probable cause exists to make an arrest.”

The N.Y.P.D. ” collected and examined the evidence, interviewed multiple witnesses at the scene, and immediately began searching for additional witnesses to gain a complete picture of the facts,” according to the police. Together with the Manhattan district attorney’s office, the inquiry was conducted.

A small number of demonstrators carried signs demanding responsibility outside the church on the day of the funeral, and there were numerous police officers there.

Mourners inside listened carefully to Mr. Sharpton’s statement as the environment remained largely peaceful.

Mr. Neely served as an illustration of how the city’s systems are “choking the homeless” and “choking the mentally ill,” he claimed.

He remarked, “When they choked Jordan, they put their arms around all of us.” He expressed, “All of us have the right to live.”

Mr. Sharpton was unwavering in his condemnation of Mr. Penny and of officials like Florida’s Republican governor Ron DeSantis who characterized Mr. Penny as a good Samaritan throughout his speech.

“A good Samaritan helps those in trouble,” he expresses. “They don’t choke them.”

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, and Lt. Governor Antonio Delgado were among the Democratic officials who attended the burial. Mayor Eric Adams, who has come under fire from Mr. Neely’s family and left-leaning legislators for his subdued first response to the tragedy, was not there.

Continued at www.nycaribnews.com

US Government Advises Citizens to Leave Haiti WASHINGTON, (CMC) – The United States government is urging Americans that they should “consider departing Haiti now” as it issued a Level 4 advisory for the French-speaking Caribbean Community (Caricom) country.

“Do not travel to Haiti due to kidnapping, crime, civil unrest, and poor health care infrastructure. US citizens in Haiti should consider departing Haiti now by commercial or other privately available transportation options, in light of the current security situation and infrastructure challenges. US citizens wishing to depart Port-au-Prince should monitor local news and only do so when considered safe,” said the US State Department.

It said kidnapping is widespread, and victims regularly include US citizens.

“Kidnappers may use sophisticated planning or take advantage of unplanned opportunities, and even convoys have been attacked. Kidnapping cases often involve ransom negotiations

and US citizen victims have been physically harmed during kidnappings. Victims’ families have paid thousands of dollars to rescue their family members,” it said.

The State Department said that violent crime, such as armed robbery, carjackings, and kidnappings for ransom that include American citizens are common.

“Mob killings against presumed criminals have been on the rise since late April. Travellers are sometimes followed and violently attacked and robbed shortly after leaving the Port-auPrince international airport. Robbers and carjackers also attack private vehicles stuck in heavy traffic congestion and often target lone drivers, particularly women. As a result, the US Embassy requires its personnel to use official transportation to and from the airport,”’ the statement said.

Last week, the United Nations Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, described Haiti

as a “tragic situation” noting that a number of people have been killed, several are unable to live their lives and that the country also faces dramatic food insecurity.

The UN Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) said in the month of April alone, more than 600

people were killed in violence in the country’s capital. This follows the killing of at least 846 people in the first three months of 2023.

BINUH said that overall, the number of victims of killings, injuries and kidnappings increased by 28 per cent in the first quarter of the year, with a total of 1,634 cases reported.

In its advisory, Washington said that protests, demonstrations, tire burning, and roadblocks are frequent, unpredictable, and can turn violent and that the “US government is “extremely limited in its ability to provide emergency services to US citizens in Haiti”.

It warned US citizens that should they decide to travel to Haiti, avoid demonstrations and crowds and do not attempt to drive through roadblocks.

It listed a number of measures American citizens should take while in Haiti as well as purchasing travel insurance and medical evacuation insurance ahead of time.

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WEEK ENDING MAY 30, 2023

Haiti – Gang Members Kill Haitian Police In the most recent assault on Haiti’s National Police force, suspected gang members attacked a group of police officers, torching their armored vehicle and killing one officer, according to officials.

According to authorities, the incident took place late on Wednesday in Source Matelas, a neighborhood north of Port-au-Prince.

The Haitian National Police issued a statement saying, “This criminal act is beyond reprehensible and will not go unpunished,” adding that police would not be intimidated.

In a video that has been making the rounds on social media, the police officer’s body is shown while accused gang members refer to Izo, the “5 Seconds” group’s boss, while one of them poses with the victim.

Since the killing of President Jovenel Mose in July 2021, gangs have grown so dominant that they are now thought to rule up to 80% of the metropolis and have taken over towns north of Port-au-Prince that were formerly seen as

secure.

The UN reports that more than 21 police officers were slain in the first three months of 2023.

As the UN head and others push for the quick dispatch of an international military force that Haiti’s prime minister sought in October to quiet gang violence, that number has increased; three more people were slain in early April. But no one has shown a desire to be in charge of such a force.

With just 13,200 active-duty police officers servicing a population of more than 11 million, Haiti’s National Police is grossly understaffed and underfunded.

However, a number of these have been taken by heavily armed gangs. The international community has contributed police training and equipment, including armored trucks paid for

by Haiti’s government.

Haiti – Robust International Forces Needed To Solve Situation

United Nations (UN) SecretaryGeneral Antonio Guterres has once more made a forceful demand for a powerful international police force to root out criminal gangs in Haiti while complimenting Jamaica for taking a step forward and taking the initiative to bring about a political solution to the current crisis in Haiti since past president Jovenel Moise assassination back in 2021.

The CARICOM state is ripped apart by gang violence and political instability, and Guterres, who was on a two-day visit to the island, admitted that Jamaica was the first government to show a desire to join an international police force to stop the heinous crimes of the gang members.

Guterres states, “Jamaica, in the context of CARICOM, is involved in a very important political process trying to bring together the different stakeholders to find a way out of this

political crisis.”

The UN chief stated there has been hesitancy on the side of the other nations that have a greater amount of resources to be able to lead this sort of operation when recently speaking to journalists at the media center at Jamaica House in St Andrew.

The head of the UN asked the advanced countries that have the ability to take the reins of the security operation to do so.

He said that Haiti is an issue for everyone, not just the people who live there.

It affects the entire area and, to a considerable extent, all of us.

He did point out that establishing a viable political process is the best way to resolve the international community’s hesitation to intervene. The Jamaican initiative is crucial because of this, he claimed.

A group of CARICOM leaders had high-level discussions with Haitian

government representatives and members of civil society at the end of February under the leadership of Prime Minister Andrew Holness.

The group had discussions with diverse stakeholders in an effort to find a way to forge a consensus and bring peace and stability back to Haiti.

News that Haiti was about to enter a civil war first surfaced earlier this month. A local humanitarian organization issued a warning that criminal gang violence against people was on the rise.

Guterres recently described the situation in Haiti as “tragic”.

He noted, “You have dramatic humanitarian needs; you have a political system that is paralyzed and you have levels of violence by gangs that are absolutely appalling. The number of people killed, the number of people unable to live their lives, the dramatic food insecurity problems are indeed

something that needs a stronger commitment by the international community.”

In his speech, Prime Minister Holness said that the world community had “listened to” the appeals for assistance and that they may not have gone unanswered. The slowness of any deliberate action worried the prime minister, though.

According to him, nations who wish to offer assistance would also like to be confident that a political mechanism was in place that could produce a solution in a fair amount of time.

According to Holness, CARICOM and Jamaica have begun a process aimed at fostering political unanimity in Haiti.

“We are making some progress in that regard, but there still should be more tangible effort into what we are doing in terms of supporting Haiti,” Holness remarked.

WEEK ENDING MAY 30, 2023

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Bishop Calls for Boycott of Labor Day Activities to Protest Salary Increases for Politicians Bishop Dr. Alvin Bailey, the esteemed leader of the Holiness Christian Church, Chairman of Jamaica CAUSE, and head of the Jamaica Evangelical Alliance, has made a compelling plea to all Jamaicans.

In a bold move to express their disapproval of the exorbitant salary hikes granted to politicians, Bishop Bailey has called for a nationwide boycott of the upcoming Labor Day activities on May 23, 2023.

In an impassioned address, Bishop Bailey urged fellow citizens to refrain from participating in the public events organized by the government and instead dedicate the day to their personal endeavors. By staying at home and engaging in labor within their individual spaces, he believes that Jamaicans can deliver a powerful message to political leaders. This collective action seeks to demonstrate that Jamaicans refuse to be taken for granted or exploited and emphasizes the importance of elected officials serving the interests of

society and the welfare of all Jamaicans.

Bishop Bailey maintains that the essence of the Labor Day holiday, which has traditionally aimed to acknowledge the significant contributions of workers to nation-building, has been undermined.

The objective of enhancing physical spaces throughout the country and fostering national pride has been overshadowed by what he considers to be an act of greed.

Having previously pledged to lead a public campaign, Bishop Bailey is resolute in his mission to rally support from the church community, private sector, and like-minded Jamaicans. Together, they will vocally oppose what he perceives as an injustice to the citizens, persisting in their protests until the revised salary package for politicians is thoroughly reviewed.

The Bishop’s call for a boycott of Labor Day activities resonates with the ideals of fairness, accountability, and justice.

Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso Proposes Immediate Legal Opportunities to Address Migrants and Homelessness BROOKLYN, NY – Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso today proposed three legal opportunities for Governor Hochul, Mayor Adams, and the City Council to address the deep need for immediate shelter and longterm, affordable housing in and around New York City and to advance a regional, comprehensive response to the influx of asylum-seekers in New York that calls for the participation of private landlords, businesses, and other members of the sector. The Borough President was joined by Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, Council Member Alexa Avilés, Council Member Rita Joseph, Council Member Chi Ossé, Council Member Lincoln Restler, and representatives from the offices of State Senator Andrew Gounardes, State Senator Julia Salazar, and Assembly Member Phara Souffrant Forrest.

“Immigration is a national issue and must be met with a national solution. But just because President Biden is declining to show up in any real way for the cities that are taking in thousands and thousands of people seeking asylum, and just because we here in Brooklyn can’t do everything, doesn’t mean we can’t do something,” said Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso. “This is about our City and State showing up – along with every New Yorker and every neighborhood – to put forward creative solutions that help us get people into stable, dignified housing and protect the rights and dignity of people arriving here from the border. The people are not the crisis – homelessness and our defunded city services are the crisis. I call on the City Council, Mayor Adams, and Governor Hochul to take legal steps toward empowering our

government to get those who have been stuck in our shelter system the longest into the tens of thousands of apartments that sit vacant and ensuring the communities outside of New York City contribute to the greater good as well.”

The Borough President’s proposed actions at the city level have the potential to open up tens of thousands of vacant apartments that are currently unlisted and/or unleased to those who are experiencing homelessness – with deference given to those who have been in city shelters longest – making space in city shelters for people and families arriving to New York in seek of asylum. At the state level, Borough President Reynoso’s proposal could compel municipal governments outside of but near New York City to collaborate in providing temporary shelter and contribute their fair share of affordable housing in the long term.

Borough President Reynoso’s call for intervention comes at a time when President Biden and the U.S. Congress has failed to show up with meaningful aid despite immigration being a federal issue. Earlier in May, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced its first allocation of funding to New York City’s Office of Emergency Management (OEM) for migrants: a measly total of $30.5 million. The City already has spent more than $1 billion on asylum seekers and anticipate spending four times that in the next year. Governor Hochul allocated $1 billion to New York City for support on the migrant situation in her FY24 executive budget passed early February.

Read more at www.nycaribnews.com

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CARIBNEWS

WEEK ENDING MAY 30, 2023

Dr. Sheryl Lee Ralph, OJ – Honorary Doctorate Conferred by Rutgers Sheryl Lee Ralph, a well-known actress, author, singer, and activist, with Jamaican roots has received an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts degree from Rutgers University, adding yet another distinction to her impressive resume.

Jonathan Holloway, the president of Rutgers, presented Dr. Ralph with the honor.

Ralph entered college at 16, finished in three years, and became the school’s youngest graduate at age 19 in 1972. Ralph was listed as one of the top 10 college women in America at the time by Glamour magazine.

Dr. Ralph, who delivered the commencement speech at the Rutgers University-New Brunswick and Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences (RBHS) Commencement Ceremony on Mother’s Day, discussed her time at the school.

The Abbott Elementary actress who played Barbara Howard a Kindergarten teacher and the main character of the comical sitcom, acknowledged her experience at Rutgers University as the starting point of her career and urged the graduates to pursue their dreams.

The powerhouse speaker who has a passion for encouraging others shared with the graduating class, “I could have just imagined what it was

like when you first came here to the campus as freshmen. Our country and the world took a tragic and difficult turn. Kobe died, George Floyd was killed and then the world and everything changed when COVID-19 … shut down the world. But, you stayed the course, you never gave up, you kept doing. We need people who have been through something and still have so much to give and share, that’s you.”

Ralph added, “Don’t chase money. Money will come. Figure out what makes you happy. If you enjoy what you do, it doesn’t feel like a job.”

Throughout her diversified career, Dr. Ralph has captivated audiences with her superb performances. She received tremendous acclaim for her breakthrough performance as Deena Jones in the original Broadway production of Dreamgirls, earned a Tony Award nomination, and cemented her place in theatergoers’ hearts.

She transitioned from stage to film and television with ease, putting forth outstanding performances in shows like Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit and the well-regarded television series Moesha. She was awarded the Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for her contributions to the enter-

tainment business, and she opened the path for future generations of African-American celebrities.

For her outstanding contributions to the global cinema business, she was also elevated to the Order of Jamaica.

The influence of Dr. Ralph goes well beyond the world of entertainment. She has advocated for significant social problems using her platform, notably the battle against HIV/AIDS. She collaborated in the establishment of the DIVA (Divinely Inspired Victoriously Aware) Foundation in 1990 in reaction to the epidemic’s catastrophic effects on the African-American community. Dr. Ralph has dedicated his life to spreading knowledge about the condition, encouraging prevention, and helping people who are impacted by it.

She has received several honors for her unrelenting commitment to HIV/AIDS advocacy, including the coveted Red Ribbon Award from the United Nations.

Her initial major at Rutgers was pre-medicine, but she later switched to English literature and theater arts. Unfortunately, Dr. Ralph would have had to miss her own graduation to work

on a Skippy Peanut Butter Commercial, but she was delighted to cross the stage in her cap and gown as Dr. Sheryl-Lee OJ Ralph.

Trinidadian Artist Paints King Charles’ Portrait

Trinidad-born artist Sarah Knights has been commissioned to do a potrait of King Charles III. Discovered via social media by Tatler, a British fashion and lifestyle magazine, she was asked to do the portrait for its July cover.

With no time for much of the attention she has garnered over time, Knights was only too excited to jump at the opportunity when asked to produce the commission. She said the opportunity was ‘very special’ but added it had been difficult to complete the portrait.

She said she used the opportunity to encourage other local artists to let their passion drive them to great opportunities in life.

The portrait is set to go up for auction at Sotheby’s this summer.

Knights was born in Sangre Grande, Trinidad and discovered at a young age that she had a love for drawing and art. She recalls honing her skills drawing Bart Simpson and Fido Dido as a child.

She admitted to the Daily Mail that she had little knowledge of King Charles and watched his coronation on May 6. She also drew inspiration for the piece from the work of Sir George Hayter when he depicted

Queen Victoria after her coronation in 1838.

She did two portraits, one where the King was facing West, but decided to use the one facing East to ‘capture the King looking hopeful’.

As Tatler Magazine writes “The Trinidadian artist has portrayed the king facing east, towards ‘the rising of the sun, the beginning of a new day, a new dawn.”

Knights draws inspiration for her works from Francis Bacon, Claude Monet and others.

In 2012, she was offered a solo exhibition

by Martin D Mouttet, director and owner of Trinidad’s leading gallery, Medulla Art Gallery in Port of Spain. In 2017, she was ready to showcase One Thousand Mes, was a collection of self-portraits.

Although the show was a sold out, she did not become a full-time artist.

Knights is a full-time art teacher in Trinidad, with pupils aged from 12 to 19. She studied art for four years at John Donaldson Technical Institute and three more at The UWI, where she majored in painting and met her future husband, Stefano Caines, also an art graduate specializing in design and

animation.

WEEK ENDING MAY 30, 2023

CARIBNEWS

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WEEK ENDING MAY 30, 2023,

Guest Editorial: Fueling a Sustainable Future: Guyana’s Youth and the Oil and Gas Industry

by Terrence Blackman, Ph. D. & Utamu Bell

Guyana’s oil and gas industry is rapidly growing, and with it comes an opportunity to empower the country’s youth, particularly the marginalized, to actively participate in its economy.

During the most recent “Transforming Guyana” webinar, experts discussed the need to invest in technology and new energy generation, evaluate young people’s role in the future, provide education, training, and opportunities for young people to acquire assets and housing, empower girls through technology, create infrastructure for innovators, and develop a comprehensive youth development plan with buy-in from all stakeholders and legislative protection.

Guyana is a young country where the median age is 26.2 years. The majority of the population in Guyana are young people, but unfortunately, a significant number of them are at risk of being left behind. The youth unemployment rate for the first quarter of 2021 was 31.4%, and more young women are unemployed (41.9%) compared to young men (23.7%).

Shockingly, 35.9% of youth (young men and women) must be employed, educated, or trained. Among young women, the rate is even higher at 45.6%. This situation is mainly due to talent migration.

Guyana gained independence from Britain in 1966, but political turmoil and economic hardship marked the next few decades.

In the 1970s and 1980s, Guyana’s socialist government nationalized many industries and implemented policies that led to economic stagnation and high inflation. This, in turn, led to widespread poverty and limited job opportunities for highly skilled workers. As a result, many educated and experienced Guyanese left the country for better opportunities abroad. The United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom

were popular destinations for Guyanese immigrants, who often found work in fields such as engineering, medicine, and finance.

In recent years, the Guyanese government has tried to address the issue of talent migration by implementing policies to encourage skilled Guyanese to stay in the country. For example, the government has a scholarship program for students pursuing degrees in fields such as engineering and agriculture, with the condition that they serve Guyana after completing their studies.

However, talent remains a significant challenge for Guyana, particularly in healthcare and education. The country continues to lose many of its most talented doctors, nurses, and teachers to other countries, significantly impacting Guyana’s quality of these services.

Also important is the intersection of talent migration and local content policies in Guyana, particularly considering the country’s recent oil discoveries. Local content policies aim to promote the participation of local businesses and workers in the oil and gas sector. At the same time, talent migration results in the loss of skilled workers and expertise needed to support the development of various industries.

One approach to addressing the intersection of talent migration and local content policies is to create opportunities for skilled Guyanese living abroad to contribute to the country’s development. For example, the government could establish programs targeted explicitly to Guyanese living abroad to encourage them to return home and work in the oil and gas sector or to provide consulting services to local businesses and organizations.

Empowering Guyana’s youth in the emerging oil and gas sector will require

rigorous, sustained, innovative education, training, access to capital, and legislative support.

Dr. David Lewis, CPC Fellow, and CoChair, emphasized investing in technology and new energy generation for Guyana’s future. With Guyana on the brink of becoming the country with the most barrels of oil per person globally, Lewis noted the critical need to define young people’s role in this rapidly changing future. He argued that investing in technology and new energy generation should be a priority for the government, as it will pave the way for continuing economic growth and development.

Elson Low, the Youth and Economics Advisor to the Leader of the Opposition, proposed education, training, and opportunities for young people to acquire assets and housing. Low also stressed the need to give young entrepreneurs access to capital, allowing them to compete and scale their businesses, thereby contributing to Guyana’s economic prosperity.

Karen Abrams, CEO STEMGuyana, pointed to the employment mismatch in the country, where many young people need more skills for various industries. She emphasized the need to purposefully prepare young people for meaningful contributions to Guyana’s development.

Abrams also stressed empowering girls through technology, breaking the cycle of poverty, and addressing societal issues.

She argued that the government should provide infrastructure and a level playing field for innovators rather than attempting to drive innovation itself.

Ronald Austin Jr., Columnist and Former Vice President of the University of Guyana Student Society, suggested creating a youth development master plan connected to the country’s overall development plan, with buy-in from all stakeholders. He called

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for legislative protection and structured interventions aligned with the vision of using oil and gas revenues to develop a knowledge-based economy.

A comprehensive development plan, supported by all stakeholders, will ensure the country’s sustainable growth and a bright future for its younger generations.

Investing in technology and new energy generation, providing education, and training, and creating infrastructure for innovators are crucial steps toward achieving this goal. Moreover, it is essential to be intentional about our girls and endeavor to connect them to technology to catalyze their contributions to the country’s development and to break the cycle of poverty.

Dr. Terrence Richard Blackman, associate professor of mathematics and a founding member of the Undergraduate Program in Mathematics at Medgar Evers College, is a member of the Guyanese diaspora. He is a former Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Visiting Professor at MIT and a Visitor to The School of Mathematics at The Institute for Advanced Study. Dr. Blackman has previously served as Chair of the Mathematics Department and Dean of the School of Science, Health, and Technology at Medgar Evers College, where he has worked for almost thirty years.

He graduated from Queen’s College, Guyana, Brooklyn College, CUNY, and the City University of New York Graduate School. He is the Founder of the Guyana Business Journal & Magazine.

Utamu Belle is an award-winning Guyanese journalist with a career spanning over a decade.

Her experience includes writing for print, television, and online media. In addition, she has worked as a Radio and Television host. She is the Founder of A-to-Z Media (Guyana) and an Upscale Magazine News and Digital Editor.

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

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Guyana 57th Independence Messages Ambassador Michael E. Brotherson, Consul General. Consulate General of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, New York on the observance of the Fifty-Seventh Anniversary of Independence of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana I am happy to extend greetings to our Guyanese Diaspora as we observe Guyana’s FiftySeventh Independence Anniversary.

As we celebrate our independence this year, I must first take some time to reflect on the sad and tragic incident that took place today Monday May 22, 2023, that ensued in the loss of lives and injury to the students of the Madhia Secondary School. Even though the

full details are still emerging at this time, the focus of the His Excellency, President Mohamed lrfaan Ali and his entire Government is on the affected children and their families to ensure that everything is being done to provide them with the best possible care and assistance needed. It is indeed a sad time in our country.

The people of Guyana unreservedly and collectively mourn the loss of our children’s lives.

In this 57th year of our independence, I must also reiterate our Government’s commitment to democratic values such as good governance and respect for human rights and freedoms.

These are the pillars which shape our country’s comprehensive policy agenda to ensure we accomplish impartial development through

the equitable distribution of our resources.

President Ali’s ‘One Guyana’ vision is about promoting greater inclusion at the legislative, political and social levels. The Diaspora support is key in the promotion and success of the President’s vision.

Independence is a time when we reflect as Guyanese on the hard work of our forefathers in acquiring the freedoms we enjoy today. It is a truly a blessing for our country as we continue to strive for betterment for ourselves, our families and the nation as a whole. I, therefore, implore you to get involved in every way possible towards the development of our country.

Happy 57th Independence Anniversary Guyana!

Democracy is the pillar of Guyana’s development, and this effort is paramount to the success for all Guyanese as our Nation move forward into sometimes unchartered waters, however, Guyana is now at the cusp of being a Global and regional Leader so we must ensure that each Guyanese plays their part responsibly at all times in the prosperity of Guyana. This Phase of Guyana’s History is exciting, there will be miss steps, but immediate corrective action is a must that will answer the question of inclusiveness. Guyanese in Unity are

all stakeholders and must ensure that the legacy we will leave behind will be one of Unity and togetherness, a proud and successful people moving onwards as one sharing and working towards this effort, this fight is a perpetual one What do the people of Guyana want at this critical time in our History? In 1966, 57 years ago, as Guyana Raised the Flag, Our Golden Arrowhead, signifying our Independence, and freedom, Guyanese and our Heroes of that era who fought vigorously so that Guyana, and Guyanese will have

autonomy over their lives, the answer was/ is freedom, positive change, progress and Unity. That was centrally the struggle and sacrifice against the colonial shackles.

Guyanese, do not now shackle your Spirit, but let freedom become you.

Happy Guyana 57th Independence Day

Guyana Independence Day Message from Senator Roxanne J Persaud I am pleased to commemorate the 57th Anniversary of Guyana’s Independence.

Her citizens, ex-patriates, and others have persevered and inspired the world around them through all of the struggles. Happy Independence to all Guyanese! Let us continue to strive to live by our Motto, “One People, One Nation, One Destiny.”

Patricia Jordon-Langford President Guyana Tri-State Alliance, Inc

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Fire Kills 20 Children in Guyana, PM Mottley

Pledges Support

Guyanese officials say that at least 20 children have died in a fire.

Yesterday, even as medical evacuation efforts continued in light of the devastating fire that claimed the lives of at least 20 children at a dormitory in the central mining town of Mahdia, Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni), and left others injured or in critical condition, President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali was preparing to travel to meet with the relatives of the deceased and injured.

National Security Advisor, Gerry Gouveia, made the disclosure to the media on Monday morning at the Ogle International Airport,

where an emergency center has been set up to examine and transfer patients to the Ocean View Intensive Care Hospital and Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC).

Gouveia noted that the medevac is a national effort that is still ongoing and expressed respect and appreciation for those pilots and personnel who responded immediately.

President Irfaan Ali said, “This is a major disaster. It is horrible, it is painful.”

He advised that medical teams were stationed at the airport, and that Georgetown’s two major hospitals would be prepared “so that every single child who requires attention be given the

best possible opportunity to get that attention”.

Gouveia shared: “It was really a national effort and still continues. All the operators—Trans Guyana, Roraima, GDF, the Air Force— responded immediately as the horrific details came to us this morning. It was a battle for us, because of the weather. There was a lot of lightning and thunder, and Mahdia is in the mountains. [But] the pilots were very brave and very determined, and the air services pilots were already on the ground, so we were able to alert them, and they brought out the first three sets of patients.

“It was really a massive operation, and one

that was done in very dangerous conditions, but… this is a case where everybody put their shoulder to the wheel, and they made a gigantic effort to try to save who we could have saved.

And I think a great effort was made,” he noted.

The fire broke out just after midnight on Monday, at a secondary school dormitory trapping students aged 12 through 18.

Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley issued the following statement on the fire and loss of life at the Mahdia Secondary School in Guyana: “Prime Minister The Honourable Mia Amor Mottley has offered her condolences Contined at www.nycaribnews.com

PM Holness Makes Changes to Cabinet

Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, has announced a reshuffle of Cabinet and merging of some portfolios to create two new Ministries.

The two Ministries are Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining, headed by Hon. Floyd Green, with Minister of State, Hon. Franklin Witter; and the Ministry of Science, Energy, Telecommunications and Transport, led by Hon. Daryl Vaz, with Minister of State, Hon. JC Hutchinson.

The new Minister of Labour and Social Security is Hon. Pearnel Charles Jr., following the resignation of Hon. Karl Samuda.

Minister Charles Jr. will be supported by Dr. the Hon. Norman Dunn, who assumes the role of Minister of State.

“This Ministry will require significant transformations… [including] a transformation of the Programme of Advancement Through Health and Education (PATH) programme,” the Prime Minister said, during a press conference on Monday (May 22).

He noted that the “digitisation of social welfare and conditional transfer services” is a key focus of the Ministry.

Additionally, newly appointed Senator, Dr. Dana Morris Dixon will assume the role of Minister without Portfolio in the Office of the Prime Minister and will have direct oversight for Skills and Digital Transformation.

Prime Minister Holness informed that she will be responsible for liaising with the private sector and the HEART/NSTA Trust to address skill gaps.

“The private sector is crying regarding the

availability of skilled labour. It is now becoming a constraint on our growth, and so we need to pay attention to [making] sure that we’re training people to be job-ready, not just for the skills of the past but more so the skills of the future that will drive growth in the economy,” Mr. Holness said.

Other changes announced by the Prime Minister include the appointment of Hon. Marsha Smith as Minister of State in the Ministry of Education and Youth; Hon. Alando Terrelonge is the new Minister of State in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade; Hon. Zavia Mayne, State Minister in the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service; and Hon. Juliet Cuthbert-Flynn, State Minister in the Ministry of National Security.

Listing of the reshuffled Cabinet Prime Minister: Andrew Holness Office of the Prime Minister: Robert Nesta Morgan, Minister without Portfolio Senator Dr. Dana Morris Dixon – Minister without Portfolio Homer Davis – Minister of State Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation: Andrew Holness C. Everald Warmington – Minister without Portfolio Matthew Samuda – Minister without Portfolio Ministry of National Security: Deputy Prime Minister Dr Horace Chang, Juliet Cuthbert- Flynn – Minister of State Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining: Floyd Green Franklin Witter – Minister of State Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport: Olivia Grange Ministry of Education and Youth: Fayval Williams Marsha Smith – Minister of State Ministry of Finance and the Public Service: Dr Nigel Clarke Zavia Mayne – Minister of State Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade: Senator Kamina Johnson Smith

Alando Terrelonge – Minister of State Ministry of Health and Wellness: Dr Christopher Tufton Ministry of Industry, Investment and Commerce: Senator Aubyn Hill Ministry of Justice: Delroy Chuck Ministry of Legal and Constitutional Affairs: Marlene Malahoo Forte Ministry of Local Government and Community Development:

Desmond McKenzie Ministry of Science, Energy, Telecommunications and Transport: Daryl Vaz William J.C. Hutchinson – Minister of State Ministry of Tourism: Edmund Bartlett Ministry of Labour and Social Security: Pearnel Charles Jr. Norman Dunn – Minister of State

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CARPHA Signs Collaboration Agreement with UK Health Security Agency to Improve Regional Health Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago - The Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) to work together in preventing disease, promoting, and protecting public health. This agreement builds on a long-term collaboration to improve regional health security across the Caribbean, enhancing disease surveillance and better protecting people from health threats. More than one third of the visitors to the Caribbean are from the United Kingdom. The UK Overseas Territories (UKOTs) of Anguilla, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, and Montserrat are also CARPHA Member States.

Dr. Joy St. John, Executive Director of CARPHA, said “I welcome this agreement with UKHSA because CARPHA is committed to maintaining our relationship for the longterm, in order to address a range of public health issues towards improving health and saving lives.” Professor Neil Squires, Director of Global Operations, UKHSA added “I am very pleased to sign this agreement with CARPHA as we further develop an equal partnership of shared learn-

ing, focused on common challenges to protect people’s health.”

The MoU includes commitments to define strategies for combatting infectious disease threats, non-communicable diseases, strengthening outbreak response, building laboratory and workforce capacity, and improving healthy safer tourism, given the highly tourism dependant economies of UK Overseas Territories in the Region. There is specific emphasis on genomic surveillance of high priority pathogens which emerged as a new service during the COVID-19 pandemic. There are also plans of building more capacity to deal with antimicrobial resistance and lessons learned will be shared across field epidemiology and laboratory training programs at CARPHA and UKHSA. The UKHSA visited CARPHA’s Headquarters and met with CARPHA’s technical team in April 2022 and March 2023 to identify and expand on the areas of collaboration for improving health security. Dr. Natalie Wright and Professor Squires met with CARPHA’s Executive Management team in April 2023 in the margins of

the 67th Annual Health Research Conference to advance discussions. The UKHSA supported CARPHA with secondments in communicable disease surveillance and field epidemiology training programmes from January to March 2023.

WHO Launches Global Network to Detect and Prevent Infectious Disease Threats

WHO and partners are launching a global network to help protect people from infectious disease threats through the power of pathogen genomics. The International Pathogen Surveillance Network (IPSN) will provide a platform to connect countries and regions, improving systems for collecting and analyzing samples, using these data to drive public health decision-making, and sharing that information more broadly.

Pathogen genomics analyzes the genetic code of viruses, bacteria and other disease-causing organisms to understand how infectious they are, how deadly they are, and how they spread.

With this information, scientists and public health officials can identify and track diseases to prevent and respond to outbreaks as part of a broader disease surveillance system, and to develop treatments and vaccines.

The IPSN, with a Secretariat hosted by the WHO Hub for Pandemic and Epidemic Intelligence, brings together experts worldwide at the cutting-edge of genomics and data analytics, from governments, philanthropic foundations, multilateral organizations, civil society, academia and the private sector. All share a common goal: to detect and respond to disease threats before they become epidemics and pandemics, and to optimize routine disease surveillance.

The goal of this new network is ambitious, but it can also play a vital role in health security: to give every country access to pathogen genomic sequencing and analytics as part of its public health system,” said WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. “As was so clearly demonstrated to us during the COVID-19 pandemic, the world is stronger when it stands together to fight shared health threats.”

COVID-19 highlighted the critical role pathogen genomics plays in responding to pandemic threats. Without the rapid sequencing of the SARS-COV-2 genome, vaccines would not have been as effective, or have been made

available so quickly. New, more transmissible variants of the virus would not have been as quickly identified. Genomics lies at the heart of effective epidemic and pandemic preparedness and response, as well as part of the ongoing surveillance of a vast range of diseases, from foodborne diseases and influenza to tuberculosis and HIV. Its use in monitoring the spread of HIV drug resistance, for example, has led to antiretroviral regimes that have saved countless lives.

“Global collaboration in pathogen genomic surveillance has been critical as the world fights COVID-19 together,” said Dr Rajiv J. Shah, President of The Rockefeller Foundation.

“IPSN builds upon this experience by creating a strong platform for partners across sectors and borders to share knowledge, tools, and practices to ensure that pandemic prevention and response is innovative and robust in the future.”

Despite recent scale-up in genomics capacity in countries as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, many still lack effective systems for collecting and analyzing samples or using those data to drive public health decision-making.

There is not enough sharing of data, practices, and innovations to build a robust global health surveillance architecture. Budgets that soared during the pandemic, allowing a rapid build-up of capabilities, are now being slashed, even in the wealthiest countries.

“Argentina is deeply invested in building our own country capacity in pathogen genomics and the capacity of other countries,” said Josefina Campos, Director of the National Genomics and Bioinformatics Center at ANLIS Malbrán, Argentina. “Diseases do not respect borders: a disease threat in one country is also a threat to others. We look forward to collaborating with IPSN members to achieve our common goal of preventing illness and saving lives.”

The IPSN will tackle these challenges through a global network, connecting geographies and disease-specific networks...

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Lester Sterling of Skatalites Has Passed

After enduring a prolonged illness, Lester Sterling, a prominent saxophonist from Jamaica and a founding member of the iconic band The Skatalites, died in the United States at the age of 87.

The news was made by Olivia Grange, Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment, and Sport, at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel’s One Blood concert premiere.

Grange told the crowd that Sterling wanted to be buried in his native country.

Minister Grange stated, “Lester Sterling, one of the original members of the Skatalites passed this morning early in the US. It was just the day before I was having a discussion about him. I had been called by former Prime Minister PJ Patterson to say that Lester Sterling was not in good shape and they were expecting him to pass at any time but he wanted his remains to come back to Jamaica. That’s how committed and nationalistic he was about his

St. Lucia Jazz Fest In Chaos With Use of Expletives by Afrobeat Artists The St. Lucia Jazz & Arts Festival had a picnic-like atmosphere from the start of the day on May 13 as shown by beach chairs, blankets, and an overall mood searching for entertainment.

However, a rumor of an “altercation” backstage between the event’s organizer, St. Lucia Tourism Authority (SLTA), and one of the Afrobeats artists crushed hopes for African greatness and prevented Joeboy and announced headliner Kizz Daniel from performing.

According to reports from an SLTA official, a high-ranking official of the organization issued a firm warning to desist from using profanity onstage because children were present at the family-friendly event after hearing an Afrobeats artist, the DJ/hype man for the Afrobeats stars, openly employ expletives to urge the audience participation, “Make some f***ing noise.”

The DJ apologized to the crowd and said he was sorry for not realizing there were kids there.

However, the rest of the lineup—including Joeboy and Kizz Daniel, who never left his hotel room—was cut short after a second Afrobeats artist swore onstage.

In response, Joeboy wrote on Instagram: We were not given a memo that we couldn’t use any curse words on stage…I was willing to perform but I was told I couldn’t and one of the promoters threatened to call security on us and also get us arrested.”

Leaving aside the drama, the event’s continuing musical diversity made it a huge audience-building exercise. The Venezuelan band Alfredo Naranjo Quintet performed on the main stage for global music, bringing a Hispanic touch to the Kwéyl zouk and African

modernist mood.

More than 10,000 people, according to preliminary estimates, gathered on Pigeon Island National Landmark Park on the night of World Beats. To accommodate the variety of performances, the park had two stages. The second stage, known as the Bacchanal Stage, let well-known local DJs Hollywood HP and Scady perform among many Dennery Segment and Bouyon musicians. With costumed dancers assisting and featuring carnival advertisements on the video screens, this approach successfully branded this stage as a sort of sales point for the impending St. Lucia Carnival in July.

As a predecessor to the Africans and Kassav’, St. Lucians Kayo and Michael Robinson presented a popular and chauvinistic Lucian flavor. The masses outside the front of the stage, who were searching for authentic Afrobeats and zouk rather than a West Indies-born clone, may have missed Kayo’s current R&B. The outcome was a largely flat response.

Despite considerable petulance onstage and offstage, Robinson was a success. He made a point of censoring St. Lucian artists’ live performances during his onstage tirade. The music industry needs local talent to expand. Generic descriptions like “World Beats,” which include music from every genre to appeal to certain niche audiences, can be overused to describe themed nights.

Collectively, this might not work because streaming has commoditized many people’s listening preferences in the contemporary music industry.

Continued on www.nycaribnews.com

country. And, Mr. Patterson wanted to know if I could make the arrangements for this to happen. And, I told him ‘Yes’. So when I got the word this morning that he had passed, I had already put some things in place.”

The Minister continued, “I just want to use the opportunity to express my condolences to his family and to say that we will be bringing his remains back to Jamaica and we will have him interred here,” Grange added.

On the dreadful day of Sterling’s passing, the band, through its Facebook page, informed fans that the legendary saxophonist is no longer with us.

The band states, “It’s a sad day for all of us with the passing of our legendary founder and original saxophonist Lester ‘Ska’ Sterling. Our heart goes out to the family, the fans and to all who were very close to him. We celebrate his greatness and his contribution of being one of the pioneers of Ska and reggae music. He has left a legacy for now and future generations to follow and we will continue to preserve it stage by stage.”

Sterling was the only living survivor of the

original Skatalites hornsmen. He received the order of distinction in 1988 for his part in ska and reggae music’s rise to popularity.

The musicians Doreen Shaffer, Rolando Alphonso, Tommy McCook, Lester Sterling, Lloyd Brevett, Lloyd Knibb, Don Drummond, Jah Jerry Haynes, Jackie Mittoo, Johnny Moore, and Lloyd Knibb were the Skatalites’ founders. Lester Sterling, who passed away in 2023, was also a founding member.

The Skatalites first performed between 1963 and 1965, and at that time they also recorded several of their best-known songs, including Guns of Navarone. They got back together in 1983 and have been performing ever since. Additionally, they contributed to Prince Buster’s recordings and provided support for many other Jamaican artists that released music at the time, including the legendary Bob Marley & The Wailers on their first track Simmer Down produced by Clement “Coxsone” Dodd in the year 1963.

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A Grand Reveal and Momentous Return: SANDALS® Dunn’s River Celebrates Grand Opening

OCHO RIOS, Jamaica - Under the transformational light of a new moon, Sandals Resorts International (SRI) unveiled its latest resort, the all-new 260-room Sandals Dunn’s River, with a celebration befitting its legendary lore in Jamaica’s tourism history. The night brought together leaders in the Caribbean, valued members of the Sandals Resorts family, and Jamaica’s most quintessential performers – including GRAMMY-Award winning artist Shaggy and The Voice winner Tessanne Chin – to commemorate the next chapter in the new resort’s storied history.

The Hon. Andrew Holness, Prime Minister of Jamaica (center); Adam Stewart, Exec Chair of Sandals Resorts; and Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, Prime Minister of St. Vincent & the Grenadines. From L to R: Deryk Meany, GM; Gebhard Rainer, CEO, SRI; Nigel Clarke, Min. of Finance; Mark Golding, Leader of the Opposition; Edmund Bartlett, Min. of Tourism; Karl Samuda, Min. of Labour and Social Security; and Marsha Smith, State Min. in the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service and the Member of Parliament.

The Hon. Andrew Holness, Prime Minister of Jamaica (center); Adam Stewart, Exec Chair of Sandals Resorts; and Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, Prime Minister of St. Vincent & the Grenadines. From L to R: Deryk Meany, GM; Gebhard Rainer, CEO, SRI; Nigel Clarke, Min. of Finance; Mark Golding, Leader of the Opposition; Edmund Bartlett, Min. of Tourism; Karl Samuda, Min. of Labour and Social Security; and Marsha Smith, State Min. in the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service and the Member of Parliament.

The international cast of STOMP performs their inventive stage show to the beat of Jamaica at the Grand Opening Celebration of Sandals Dunn’s River.

The international cast of STOMP performs their inventive stage show to the beat of Jamaica at the Grand Opening Celebration of Sandals Dunn’s River.

Legendary Jamaican singer-songwriter, Shaggy, invigorates the crowd alongside Jamaican Dancehall artist, Teejay, at the Grand Opening Celebration of Sandals Dunn’s River.

Legendary Jamaican singer-songwriter, Shaggy, invigorates the crowd alongside Jamaican Dancehall artist, Teejay, at the Grand Opening Celebration of Sandals Dunn’s River.

Floating on authentic bamboo rafts, performers captivated the crowd throughout the evening at the Grand Opening Celebration of Sandals Dunn’s River.

Floating on authentic bamboo rafts, performers

captivated the crowd throughout the evening at the Grand Opening Celebration of Sandals Dunn’s River.

Aerial view of Sandals Dunn’s River during the resort’s Grand Opening Celebration in Ocho Rios, Jamaica, on May 19th, 2023.

Aerial view of Sandals Dunn’s River during the resort’s Grand Opening Celebration in Ocho Rios, Jamaica, on May 19th, 2023.

“This is the place where everything began for Sandals Resorts, and from where we stand, it’s a stunning representation of where we’re headed,” said Adam Stewart, Executive Chairman of Sandals Resorts. “Sandals Dunn’s River is the continuation of my father’s journey to better. It is a hero’s tale about an ambitious boy who began selling fish to local resorts and how he went on to change how people prefer to vacation, making Jamaica and the Caribbean the centerpiece of his efforts. It is an epic story about an incredible person who continues to inspire us to dream bigger, do more, be better.

It is the stuff of legends and that is what this evening is all about,” said Stewart.

Prime Ministers, including The Most Honourable Andrew Michael Holness of Jamaica and The Honourable Ralph Gonsalves of St. Vincent and the Grenadines; Ministers of Government including Minister of Tourism of Jamaica The Honourable Edmund Bartlett; and local dignitaries from across the Caribbean region, as well as other distinguished guests, joined together with Stewart, SRI CEO Gebhard Rainer and other members of the Sandals Resorts team for an official invocation of the resort and a momentous ribbon cutting ceremony, toasting to the future of luxury tourism in Ocho Rios.

Prime Minister Holness in his main address recalled his conversation with the late Gordon ‘Butch’ Stewart about purchasing the property.

“It is such an impressive thing to see a dream come to reality and if there is one thing you could say about Gordon ‘Butch’ Stewart, it’s that he was a dreamer. He was also a doer that will bring that dream to fruition, a man who will always get the job done. We are standing here literally living in ‘Butch’ Stewart’s dream,” he said.

A Tribute to a Legendary Past, A Celebration of the Future Surrounded by the sounds of flowing water and tropical birds and under a canopy of thatched branches invoking the lush Jamaican rainforest, guests were met with cocktails expertly crafted with local ingredients paired with an array of cuisines from the resort’s restaurants, including concepts entirely new to the Sandals brand. The

evening was a nod to the resort’s earlier days as the Arawak Hotel, built in 1957, and originally designed by visionary architect Morris Lapidus, whose joyful, flamboyant designs defined the epitome of 1950s and 1960s Caribbean chic.

The event themed the “Return of a Legend,” featured an experience and vibe artfully recreated for the event. The outdoor spaces of the luxury all-inclusive resort were transformed into a retro supper club, complete with lounge music, glittering gold accents, vibrant green palms and SWAG servers – a new take on the ‘cigarette servers’ from decades past. Melodies from a 40-member choir from the University of the West Indies, the Edna Manley College and the Ashe Company, featured a spanning tribute to Sandals late founder, Gordon ‘Butch’ Stewart, honoring a life well lived, a dream realized, and a legacy that will never be forgotten.

Echoing the Heartbeat of Jamaica Like the resort itself, whose design inspiration is pulled from the flowing water of the nearby Dunn’s River Falls, the event infused and celebrated the soul of Jamaica throughout the festivities. Guests were treated to the sounds of a steel-drum band; ribbon dancers; aerial performances, with costumes matching the vibrancy of the island’s culture, in front of a state-of-the-art video mapping of the Falls; as well as local musicians such as the Jamaican

instrumental trio, Touch of Elegance.

Mimicking the pathway of the flowing water from Dunn’s River Falls, entertainers also performed within the pool, floating on original bamboo rafts custom made by Jamaican artisans. An electrifying performance from the renowned cast of STOMP, fresh off their Broadway run, brought the ‘beat’ of Jamaica to the stage with a wordless percussion spectacle.

A Star-Studded Beginning The celebration culminated in awe with a crowd rousing performance from the ever-iconic Mr. Boombastic himself, Shaggy. Capping off the evening, an impressive fireworks display lit up the Ocho Rios sky, and – moved by the momentum – a lunar after-party continued with a beach bash under a new moon, signaling yet another phase in the story of Sandals Dunn’s River.

“Now, with the future before us, we stand on solid ground, committed as ever to celebrating our Caribbean heritage and delivering to the next generations of Sandals customers the unsurpassed level of innovation, excitement and unparalleled service they have come to expect and that they so well deserve,” Stewart concluded.

For more information about the all-new Sandals Dunn’s River, visit https://www.sandals. com/dunns-river/.

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CARIBSPORTS

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Honduras Narrowly Falls to Gambia in U20 World Cup Opener Mendoza, Argentina – Honduras narrowly fell 2-1 to Gambia to open their 2023 FIFA Men’s Under-20 World Cup campaign in Group F on Monday night at the Estadio Malvinas Argentinas in Mendoza, Argentina.

Just 22 seconds into the match Gambia held a 1-0 lead when Adama Bojang scored from outside the area, but Honduras answered right back in the 5’ and evened the score at 1-1.

The Catrachos recovered possession deep in the Gambia area and Isaac Castillo floated in a cross from the right for Marco Aceituno to steer a header into net for the equalizer.

After the frantic start, the two teams settled into the match and it stayed level going into the second half during which Honduras DF Geremy Rodas made a spectacular goal-line clearance in the 71’ to keep things tied.

Juergen Garcia in the Honduras GK made several big stops going into the final minutes, but Gambia’s pressure finally gave away in the 84’ with Bojang’s second of the night to complete the 2-1 scoreline.

Both the United States and Guatemala will return to action on Tuesday with their second matches of the group stage.

The U.S. will be out to claim another three points in Group B against Fiji at the Estadio San Juan del Bicentenario in San Juan.

A second half stoppage time strike from Jonathan Gomez earned the 2022 Concacaf Men’s Under-20 Championship winners a dramatic 1-0 victory over Ecuador in their opening match, and now a win against a Fiji side that fell 4-0 to Slovakia on Saturday would all but secure their place in the next round.

After a heartbreaking late 1-0 loss to New Zealand to open their campaign in Group A, Guatemala will look to regroup against host nation Argentina at the Estadio Unico Madre de Ciudades in Santiago del Estero.

The Chapines certainly had their fair share of chances in their first match, but were unable to convert and now will look to bounce back against Argentina, who emerged victorious 2-1 against Uzbekistan in their opening match.

West Indies and Sri Lanka in Opposite Groups at ODI World Cup Qualifiers

West Indies and Sri Lanka have been drawn in separate groups for the 2023 ODI World Cup qualifier, which will take place in Zimbabwe between June 18 and July 9. The ten-team event is made up of two groups of five, with hosts Zimbabwe, West Indies, Netherlands, Nepal and USA making up Group A, and Sri Lanka, Ireland, Scotland, Oman and UAE in Group B. After initially only confirming the presence of third umpires to monitor run-outs, the ICC has announced

that DRS will be in use from the Super Sixes phase of the competition.

In the first round of the competition, each side will play the other teams in their group once. The top three from each group will then progress to the Super Sixes stage, where they will only play the sides they did not meet in the group stage. The points won in the group stage against the other qualifiers will carry over to Super Sixes. The two teams with the most points at the end of the Super Sixes stage will compete in the final, though the outcome of that contest is of no immediate consequence, since both finalists will qualify for the World Cup, to be held in India in October and November this year.

The two finalists will join hosts India, Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, defending champions England, New Zealand, Pakistan and South Africa, who qualified automatically through the World Cup Super League.

The five bottom-placed teams from the Super League - West Indies, Sri Lanka, Ireland, Zimbabwe and Netherlands - along with the top-three teams from the World Cup League 2 - Nepal, Oman and Scotland - and two

teams from a qualifier playoff - USA and UAE - will compete in the qualifier.

Hosts Zimbabwe will take on Nepal while West Indies will face USA on the opening day at Harare Sports Club and Takashinga Cricket Club respectively.

The competition consists of 34 matches and will be played across four venues in Zimbabwe: Harare Sports Club and Takashinga Cricket Club in Harare, and Queen’s Sports Club and Bulawayo Athletic Club in Bulawayo.

This is the second time the World Cup qualifier is being played in Zimbabwe, after they also hosted the 2018 edition of the tournament. There, with some fixtures affected by rain, Zimbabwe and Scotland narrowly missed out on qualification to the 2019 World Cup while West Indies and Afghanistan progressed to the tournament. West Indies will now make a second successive appearance at the qualifying tournament, while Sri Lanka appear for the first time. Zimbabwe, Ireland, UAE, Netherlands, Scotland and Nepal also feature for the second time.

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