July 5, 2023

DARK DAYS AT THE SUPREME COURT

50 YEARS OF

STRIKES DOWN RACE-BASED AFFIRMATIVE ACTION IN COLLEGE ADMISSIONS

STRIKES DOWN BIDEN’S PLAN TO FORGIVE MILLIONS OF STUDENT LOANS

IN RECENT DAYS

SUPREME COURT RULES BUSINESSES CAN TURN DOWN SAME-SEX RELATED CUSTOMERS

Introduced at Dunn’s River in Ocho Rios, Jamaica

Between Mayor Eric Adams and Speaker Adams for new fiscal year

Blinken

AFRICA WORLD BRIEFS

OPED

Biden Blasts Supreme Court’s Affirmative Action Decision by Stacy

M. Brown - P 9

OPED

HEALTH

From seeds to solar power in Madagascar: A UN Resident Coordinator blog

Last year, thanks to relatively sufficient rainfall and scaled-up humanitarian assistance from our UN Country Team and partners food security and nutrition improved in southern Madagascar. Our multi-sectoral humanitarian response benefited close to 1.1 million people in the areas of nutrition, food security and livelihoods, water, sanitation and hygiene, education, health and protections, and cash transfers. In 2022, no district was classified as facing a nutritional emergency, compared to five districts the previous year. But, accelerating recovery from the drought and tackling these long-term impacts across the region require more than emergency assistance alone.

SPORTS

This is why, alongside ongoing humanitarian efforts, our UN Country Team has been working together to help communities across the region build greater resilience to the effects of droughts and prepare for future climate shocks. The Resident Coordinator’s Office played a key role in promoting greater integration of agencies’ interventions; helping to increase synergies and boost the impact of our cooperation.

In April of this year, I visited the region to see the how our joint efforts were impacting communities on ground.

UN Security Council terminates Mali peacekeeping mission

Security Council members reiterated strong support for the full withdrawal of the decade-old UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA), and the transfer of security responsibilities to the country’s transitional Government, which has been in power since a coup in 2021.

Commending the peacekeeping operation and its staff, UN Secretary-General António Guterres called for the “full cooperation of the transitional Government for an orderly and safe withdrawal of the mission’s personnel and assets in the coming months”, said Farhan Haq, his deputy spokesperson.

The UN chief also urged all the signatory parties to the 2015 Agreement on Peace and Reconciliation in Mali “to continue honouring the ceasefire as MINUSMA withdraws”, Mr. Haq said.

However, the UN chief remains concerned by the fact that the level and duration of the financial commitment authority required to facilitate the drawdown process have been significantly reduced during budget negotiations in the General Assembly’s Fifth Committee, the deputy spokesperson said, adding that “this increases the complexities and risks of the drawdown operation”. Meanwhile, the Secretary-General will continue to engage with the transitional Government on how best to serve the interests of the people of Mali in cooperation with the UN Country Team in Mali, the UN Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS) and other partners.

Syrians facing ‘ever worsening’ conditions, top UN officials warn

Syrians are facing an “ever worsening humanitarian crisis” amid the ongoing 12-year-long conflict, top UN officials told the Security Council on Thursday, as the General Assembly adopted a resolution to create a first-of-its-kind institution to address the issue of more than 100,000 people still missing in the country.

“The violence and suffering of the Syrian people remind us of what is at stake as diplomatic efforts continue on Syria,” said Najat Rochdi, UN Deputy Special Envoy for the country. “Ultimately, we need a nationwide ceasefire in line with Security Council resolution 2254.” Worsening crisis

Briefing on current conditions, she said recent reports have tracked deadly drone attacks, shelling, terrorist attacks, and a spate of pro-Government airstrikes.

“Syrians face an ever-worsening humanitarian crisis,” she said.

Against this backdrop, Syrians still face massive displacement, an acute economic crisis, and the tragedy of the detained, disappeared, and missing, she said.

Ukraine: Concerns mount over influx of weapons and growing civilian casualties

Highlighting the risk of diversion and insufficient control over arms supplies, the UN representative urged the implementation of measures to prevent further instability and insecurity.

She emphasized the importance of pre-transfer diversion risk assessments, end-user certificates, non-retransfer clauses, effective legal and enforcement measures, and post-shipment verifications.

She underscored the importance of supply chain transparency and information exchange covering all States involved.

Speaking of the grave impact of the intensifying war on civilians, the High Representative said that according to the UN human rights office (OHCHR), from the beginning of the invasion in February 2022 to 18 June this year, there have been 24,862 civilian casualties in Ukraine, with 9,083 killed and 15,779 injured.

The real figures are believed to be significantly higher, however. The majority of civilian casualties have resulted from the use of explosive weapons in populated areas, she explained. “The missile attack in central Kramatorsk on 27 June which killed 12 people is a case in point,” said Ms. Nakamitsu and reminded ambassadors of the political declaration adopted last November to strengthen the protection of civilians from the humanitarian consequences of explosives being used in urban areas.

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Haiti - Now is Not the Time to Forget Haiti or Weaken Our Solidarity

U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres visited Haiti on Saturday and again called on foreign governments with strong security forces to help the struggling country fight a surge in gang violence.

The appeal was made after Guterres met with Prime Minister Ariel Henry, civil society leaders, U.N. staff and the heads of various political parties during his one-day trip.

“Now is not the time to forget Haiti or weaken our solidarity with its people,” he said.

Haitians need aid and face ‘staggering levels’ of gender violence, UN children’s chief says UN human rights official says arms embargo and deployment of special force needed for Haiti UN agencies decry humanitarian crisis in Haiti and seek help for hungry families fleeing violence 30,000 Haitian kids live in private orphanages. Officials want to shutter them and reunite families.

Guterres met with reporters at Haiti’s international airport in Port-au-Prince, who pressed him on whether an international security force would be deployed as requested by the prime minister last October.

Guterres said he spoke about the issue with Henry, as well as the need to hold credible elections.

“I am not here to tell Haitians what to do. I am here to listen to them and to encourage them to build consensus as broadly as possible to move the transition process forward,” he said. Henry, who has been running the country since the July 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moïse, has been under pressure to hold elections. But experts have noted it is impossible to do so given the current level of violence in the country, with gangs controlling an estimated 80% of the capital. There are no democratically elected institutions left in Haiti, with the country failing to hold legislative elections since October 2019.

“Haiti must return to democratic order as soon as possible,” Guterres said.

He also said Haiti urgently needs more humanitarian aid as poverty deepens and starvation cases spike. Gangs are preventing the movement of goods and people and controlling access to water, food and health care as civilians attempt to fight back via a violent uprising.

“I felt all the exhaustion of a population that has been facing for too long a cascade of crises and unsustainable living conditions,” Guterres said. “One in two people in Haiti live in extreme poverty, face hunger and lack regular access to drinking water.”

Guterres’ visit came just days after the U.N.’s human rights expert in Haiti visited the country and also called for an international security force and a weapons embargo.

Guterres is scheduled to attend a summit Sunday in Trinidad and Tobago held by Caricom, a Caribbean trade bloc.

Guterres Warns ‘Generations of Haitians’ at Risk, Calls for International Force to Help Quell Gang Violence

The UN chief expressed deep concern at the extreme vulnerability faced by the Haitian people – especially women and girls – because of brutally violent and “predatory” armed gangs, like those encircling the capital, blocking main roads and controlling access to water, food, health care.

Contents Deployment of an international force Political entente to end the crisis

‘A matter of moral justice’

‘No solution without the Haitian people’ “I condemn in the strongest possible terms the widespread sexual violence which the armed gangs have used as a weapon to instil fear,” he said, calling on the entire international community to urgently “put the victims and the civilian population at the centre of our concerns and priorities.”

Deployment of an international force

Speaking to reporters in the Haitian capital, Mr. Guterres said that lasting and fully representative political solutions in Haiti would be impossible without a drastic improvement in the security situation.

“Every day counts. If we do not act now, instability and violence will have a lasting impact on generations of Haitians,” warned the Secretary-General, calling on all partners to increase their support for the national police in the form of financing, training or equipment. However, such assistance alone might not be enough to restore the authority of the State.

“I continue to urge the Security Council to

authorize the immediate deployment of a robust international force to assist the Haitian National Police in its fight against the gangs,” emphasized the UN chief.

Political entente

to end the crisis

During his one-day visit to the Haitian capital, the Secretary-General he met with Prime Minister Ariel Henry, the High Transitional Council, members of civil society and the political parties, speaking to all of them on the need for ‘a political entente to end the crisis’.

“I call on all actors to create the conditions necessary for the restoration of democratic institutions,” said Mr. Guterres, inviting all parties involved to “rise above personal interests and make concessions” enabling emergence of a common vision and setting a viable and credible electoral pathway.

He commended the recent inter-Haitian talks, facilitated by the CARICOM Eminent Persons Group, aimed at reaching agreement on the formation of a national

unity government and the expansion of the High Transitional Council.

“Only an inclusive national dialogue –with the full participation of women and young people – will help end the insecurity and find lasting political solutions,” Mr. Guterres said, and added that the UN Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) and the entire UN system would continue to back these efforts.

‘A matter of moral justice’

While in Port-au-Prince, the SecretaryGeneral met local men and women.

“I felt all the exhaustion of a people who have long been grappling with a cascade of crises and unacceptable living conditions. I listened to their call for help,” said the UN chief, noting that currently, one in two Haitians lives in extreme poverty, suffers from hunger, and does not have regular access to drinking water.

With the Haitian people facing such grave

challenges, the Secretary-General lamented that the UN humanitarian response plan, which requires $720 million to assist more than three million people, is only 23 per cent funded.

It is “a matter of solidarity and moral justice” that the international community step up, he stated.

He specially commended the courage and dedication of humanitarian workers who provide assistance despite many obstacles and asked all stakeholders to uphold human rights and international law and to ensure safe and unhindered humanitarian access to people in need in Haiti.

‘No solution without the Haitian people’ Only inclusive and sustainable development will help to break the historical cycle of crises, address the humanitarian and security challenges, and create a stable constitutional and political environment, stated the UN chief.

“No solution can be found without the Haitian people,” he continued, but acknowledged that the scale of the problems demands the full support of the international community.

To garner that and more, the SecrtaryGeneral said that he is heading on Sunday to Trinidad and Tobago, where will participate in the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Summit, which brings together the region’s 20 countries, among others.

by Mell P

Supreme Court Strikes Down Affirmative Action in University Admissions

On Thursday, in a historic decision, the Supreme Court severely limited, if not effectively ended, the use of affirmative action in college admissions. With a vote of 6-3, the justices ruled that the admissions programs used by the University of North Carolina and Harvard College violate the Constitution’s equal protection clause, which bars racial discrimination by government entities. The majority effectively, though not explicitly, overruled its 2003 decision in Grutter v. Bollinger, in which the court upheld the University of Michigan Law School’s consideration of race “as one factor among many, in an effort to assemble a student body that is diverse in ways broader than race.”

Chief Justice John Roberts explained that college admissions programs can consider race merely to allow an applicant to explain how their race influenced their character in a way that would have a concrete effect on the university. But a student “must be treated based on his or her experiences as an individual — not on the basis of race.”

Justice Sonia Sotomayor disagreed, in an opinion that was joined by Justices Ketanji Brown Jackson and Elena Kagan.

Sotomayor emphasized that the majority’s decision had rolled “back

decades of precedent and momentous progress” and “cement[ed] a superficial rule of colorblindness as a constitutional principle in an endemically segregated society.” She also accused the majority of being color blind to the reality of “an endemically segregated society.” “Ignoring race will not equalize a society that is racially unequal. What was true in the 1860s, and again in 1954, is true today:

Equality requires acknowledgment of

inequality,” she wrote.

Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, and Amy Coney Barrett agreed with the Roberts opinion. The court said that universities were free to consider an applicant’s background — whether, for example, they grew up experiencing racism — in weighing their application over more academically qualified students, but deciding primarily based on whether the applicant is white,

black or other is itself racial discrimination, Roberts wrote. He said, “Our constitutional history does not tolerate that choice.”

Affirmative action policies arose in the 1960s from the Civil Rights Movement aiming to help address the legacy of discrimination in higher education against African Americans.

Harvard and UNC, which brought the motion, like a number of other competitive US schools, consider an applicant’s race or ethnicity as a factor to ensure a diverse student body and representation of minorities. While conservatives agreed with the decision, believing that now the college admission process will be fairer, and argued that affirmative action is fundamentally unfair and that the policy has outlived its need due to significant gains by black people and other minorities, progressives and liberals see the ruling as another major setback. Democratic Senator Cory Booker via Twitter called it a “devastating blow” to the US education system, and said, “Affirmative action has been a tool to break down systemic barriers and we must continue to advance our ideals of inclusivity & opportunity for all.”

UNCF Statement on Supreme Court Ruling on Affirmative Action

“When historically Black college and university (HBCU) presidents founded UNCF (United Negro College Fund) in 1944, only small numbers of Black students were admitted to predominantly White American colleges and universities. Our founders knew that a college education was important, and they created UNCF to raise dollars to support HBCUs and the hundreds of thousands of students who attended them. For 79 years, UNCF has worked tirelessly to support America’s HBCUs and their students. We have raised over $5 billion and supported more than 500,000 students on their college journeys. HBCUs have built Black America’s middle class, and UNCF scholarships have helped students pay for their college degrees and move upward economically.

“Along the way, HBCUs and UNCF have urged all American colleges and universities to provide educational opportunity to Black and other students of color. Why? Because we believe that all higher education institutions have an important role to play to ensure equita-

ble educational opportunity for students who, because of race, have been marginalized and excluded. Open opportunities for earning college credentials help ensure access to today’s careers and financial security.

“This Supreme Court ruling will close the door to educational opportunity for many Black students and students of color who want to attend non-HBCUs.

“With this new ruling, UNCF knows that more students will turn to HBCUs for their college educations. We also know that our HBCUs will do everything they can to meet increased student demand.

So, today, UNCF is asking all Americans to contribute to UNCF and to HBCUs to help more students earn college degrees, compete successfully for well-paying jobs in competitive career fields, and move from poverty into the middle class.

“America needs HBCUs now more than ever, and UNCF needs all Americans’ support to do our important work.

Statement From Senator Kevin Parker on the Future of Affirmative Action in Higher Education

“Today, the conservative Justices of our Supreme Court rendered a deadly blow to the future of affirmative action in higher education. The 6-3 decision erroneously recognizes the impressionable marks of slavery, the Black Codes, Jim Crow, and the New Jim Crow as relics rather than the current reality for Black and Brown people. The conservative Justices mistakenly believed that the adverse effects of discrimination had been cured and that educational benefits that flow from a diverse student body are no longer a compelling government interest in admissions decisions to allow narrowly tailored affirmative action policies. The court is absolutely misguided in its opinion that affirmative action policies are discriminatory. Moreover, it is unconscionable to think that

this decision will not harm students of color as it did with the University of Michigan, which saw its Black student population decrease by 44% between 2006 and 2021 after adopting race-neutral policies. Though today’s decision is rendered in the context of educational opportunities, the ruling provides a bleak forecast for other areas of affirmative action, like in awarding contracts and opportunities for Minority-Owned Women Businesses. The State of New York must act to protect the progress we have made at leveling the playing field for Black and Brown communities, and I stand eager to work with the Senate Majority to enact legislation to do just that.”

CNBC Chair Condemns Supreme Court Decision to Strike Down Equal Access to Higher Education

ATLANTA, GA – Dr. W. Franklyn Richardson, Chairman of the Conference of National Black Churches (CNBC), issued the following statement in response to today’s Supreme Court ruling to end affirmative action in higher education. The 6-3 and 6-2 decisions decreed that colleges and universities cannot explicitly consider race in college applications. This policy has long been a lifeline to prospective Black students who were able to pursue their dreams.

“The Black Church is repulsed by the Supreme Court’s decision to end affirmative action. The conservative makeup of the bench has turned on the fundamental principles of the constitution. Higher education should be a right for Black Americans to equally climb the opportunity ladder, and affirmative action was in place to keep it steady and secure. Our response must be seen and felt in November – not only this year but in the years to come. We much not get weary. We must not

be discouraged. We must take this assault as an occasion to renew our resolve. Ours is an intergenerational fight. It is a continuous journey toward making this country fulfill its declared intention of equality for all. We will not be despaired. We will not be discouraged. And we are not disillusioned. We know the nature of the enemy and we are ready for the battle.”

Clarke Issues Statement Regarding Supreme Court Decision on Affirmative Action

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke (D-NY) issued the following statement regarding the Supreme Court’s ruling in Students for Fair Admissions v. President and Fellows of Harvard College and Students for Fair Admissions v. University of North Carolina:

“For decades, affirmative action stood as a policy that promoted diversity and a chance at equal education to remedy the lingering

impacts of slavery, Jim Crow, and the history of segregation that has threatened to keep the American Dream out of reach for so many people of color. The Supreme Court’s ruling to dismantle affirmative action in college admissions will have serious consequences for Black and brown students across the nation and for generations to come,” said Congresswoman Clarke.

“Our nation was founded on the basic principle

that we all deserve the same opportunity to achieve our highest aspirations. The Supreme Court’s decision is a reminder of how far we still have to go to ensure all Americans are treated equally. It’s clear that the American people continue to see this Court faces a legitimacy crisis, and we cannot falter in our fight for racial justice and equal opportunity for every single student.”

AALDEF Condemns SCOTUS Decision to Undermine Affirmative Action at Harvard and UNC

WASHINGTON, DC — Today, the United States Supreme Court issued a decision on two cases challenging race-conscious admissions programs at Harvard University and the University of North Carolina, ruling that the schools’ programs were unconstitutional. Chief Justice Roberts cited the Equal Protection Clause in his opinion for the conservative majority. The Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF) issued the below statement in response: “The Supreme Court has rolled back progress in the fight for racial justice by undermining affirmative action programs at Harvard and UNC. By pitting

communities of color against each other, the Court’s decision discounts broad Asian American support for race-conscious admissions and the importance of ensuring diversity in our classrooms.

Together with other communities of color, we will continue to ensure that the pathways to opportunity and leadership are open to all,” said Margaret Fung, executive director of AALDEF.

“It makes me angry to see the Supreme Court wield the Equal Protection Clause and the legacy of Brown v. Board of Education in a way that is antithetical to their purpose. Brown helped desegregate our schools and give students of color a

fighting chance at a good education. The decision today uses the false myth of color blindness to undermine an important tool for correcting these disparities. When you purport to be color blind, you’re saying you don’t see race. But if you don’t see race, you don’t see the disparities in education, in health, in jobs, and in society at large that racial minorities including Asian Americans have historically faced and continue to face today,” said Bethany Li, legal director of AALDEF.

Last year, AALDEF and co-counsel Foley Hoag submitted an amicus brief on behalf of 121 Asian American legal scholars

and groups in support of race-conscious admissions programs at colleges and universities.

The Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) is to receive a major boost to its mobility following the provision of approximately $428 million in grant aid from the Government of Japan. The sum, which is equivalent to 400 million Japanese Yen, is being provided through Japan’s Economic and SocialDevelopment Programme and will be used to purchase five ambulances and 33 pickups for the JCF.

During a signing ceremony on Friday (June 30)

Former MP Leslie Campbell was surprised at the decision to refer him for possible prosecution.

The former MP has been accused of failing to provide the information requested by the Integrity Commission FORMER

Jamaica Labour Party Member of Parliament (MP) Leslie Campbell has expressed surprise at the decision by the director of the corruption prosecution at the Integrity Commission (IC) Keisha Prince-Kameka that he be charged for breaching the Integrity Commission Act. Campbell is also requesting an urgent review of the decision.

Prince-Kameka made the decision to charge Campbell after the director of investigation (DI) at the Integrity

for the exchange of notes between both governments at the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service in Kingston, Portfolio Minister, Dr. the Hon. Nigel Clarke, pointed out that Japan has been a dependable and long-standing partner of Jamaica and has supported the country’s development in several areas.

“This latest iteration of support speaks volumes of our shared values and shared economic model, structure, goals and aims,” the Minister

Commission Kevon Stephenson referred him for possible prosecution. Campbell is facing possible prosecution for his alleged failure to provide the commission with additional information it requested in relation to statutory declarations he filed between 2016 and 2020. Campbell, who recently resigned as a government senator, is facing allegations of breaching the Parliament (Integrity of Members) Act (PIMA) and the Integrity Commission Act (ICA).

In a report tabled in the Senate on Friday, Stephenson said, following a probe, he concluded that Campbell was legally obligated to file statutory declarations with the commission during the period of 2016-2020 when he served as Member of

said.

The funds will come through the Consolidated Fund, which, according to Dr. Clarke, is a testimony to the years of reforms and improvements that have been made in Jamaica’s public financial management.

“It is because Jamaica has a strong record of fiscal management that meets international standards that governments feel comfortable to provide budget support to our country,” he stated.

Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Senator the Hon. Kamina Johnson Smith, in her remarks, said the grant represents another milestone in the special relationship between the Government and people of Japan and the Government and people of Jamaica.

“These funds will significantly improve our ability to effectively tackle criminality across the length and breadth of Jamaica and to better respond to emergency situations, Mrs. Johnson Smith said.

She added, “Jamaica is very serious about addressing crime, and Japan is showing how much they’re willing to partner and support our serious efforts.”

In his address, Ambassador of Japan to Jamaica, His Excellency Yasuhiro Atsumi noted, “Today marks the beginning of another

Japan Provides $428M to Bolster the Jamaica Police’s Mobility Jamaica - Integrity Commission Shocker

new cooperation on the security front. This grant aid programme is aimed at strengthening Jamaica’s capacity for stabilising society.”

He affirmed that Japan stands in solidarity with Jamaica as “we are well aware that crime and violence [are] a growing concern and… the biggest challenge that Jamaica is facing at present”.

State Minister in the Ministry of National Security, Hon. Juliet Cuthbert Flynn, revealed that the parishes/areas that are set to be beneficiaries of the pickups include St. Catherine North (3), St. Thomas (2), St. Andrew North (2), St. Andrew South (1), St. Mary (2), Portland (2), Westmoreland (3), St. James (3), St. Elizabeth (2), Clarendon (3), Hanover (2), Trelawny (2), and Kingston East (1). Additionally, the Specialised Operations Branch will receive two of the vehicles.

The ambulances will be used to support emergency relief activities by the JCF’s medical services branch to transport sick and/or injured members of the Force. One unit will be deployed to each of the JCF’s five areas. Jamaica and Japan established diplomatic relations in 1964.

Parliament for St Catherine North Eastern. Stephenson said while Campbell did file his statutory declarations as required, he was requested, on more than one occasion, to file additional information, and while he indicated that he was aware of the requests, he failed to do so.

“The [DI] further concludes that Mr Campbell’s failure to provide the referenced information contravenes Section 15 (1) (c ) of the PIMA and Section 43(1)(b) of the ICA,” said the report.

Stephenson recommended that the report should be referred to the commission’s for consideration.

CARICOM – World Leaders to Attend 50th AnniversaryCelebrations

PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC –United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken will be among high level officials invited to attend the 50th anniversary of the formation of the Caribbean Community (Caricom) taking place in Trinidad this week.

A statement on the US State Department’s website said Blinken will be in the island on July 5 to “participate in the Caribbean Community (Caricom) Heads of Government meeting and the 50th anniversary of Caricom celebration”.

While here he is expected to “engage on pressing issues in the region with the represented heads of governments, including Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley, and incoming Caricom Chair and Dominica Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit”. United Nations (UN) Secretary-General António Guterres is also expected to attend and address the august body, reiterating the UN’s “commitment to call for more ambitious action” in the areas of climate crisis and the restructuring of the

international financial system for the benefit of small developing economies such as those of the Caricom states. Commonwealth Secretary-General, Baroness Patricia Scotland, is also expected to attend and to engage leaders on their perspectives on collaboration “on strategies to provide more tailored and practical assistance to the region”, a statement from the Commonwealth Secretariat said. Twelve of the 15 Caricom member states are also members of Commonwealth and the Secretary General plans to “reaffirm

the Commonwealth’s unwavering commitment to championing the concerns and interests of small states on the global stage, with a focus on urgent climate action and advocating for a new global financing system that addresses the needs of the small and vulnerable”, the statement added.

Caricom Day is July 4 and this 50th anniversary would be observed across member states with a national holiday.

Remarks by President Biden on the Supreme Court’s Decision on Affirmative Action

to meet those standards.

Then, and only then, after first meeting the qualifications required by the school, do colleges look at other factors in addition to their grades, such as race.

The way it works in practice is this: Colleges first establish a qualified pool of candidates based on meeting certain grade, test scores, and other criteria.

Then, and only then — then, and only then, and it’s from this pool of applicants — all of whom have already met the school’s standards –- that the class is chosen, after weighing a wide range of factors, among them being race.

You know, I’ve always believed that one of the greatest strengths of America — and you’re tired of hearing me say it — is our diversity, but I believe that.

expands opportunity.

So, today I want to offer some guidance to our nation’s colleges as they review their admissions systems after today’s decision — guidance that is consistent with today’s decision.

They should not abandon — let me say this again: They should not abandon their commitment to ensure student bodies of diverse backgrounds and experience that reflect all of America.

What I propose for consideration is a new standard, where colleges take into account the adversity a student has overcome when selecting among qualified applicants.

tion, a college should recognize and value that.

Our nation’s colleges and universities should be engines of expanding opportunity through upward mobility. But today, too often that’s not the case.

The statistics — one statistic: Students from the top 1 percent of family incomes in America are 77 times more likely to get into an elite college than one from the bottom 20 percent of family incomes. Seventy-seven ti— percent great- — greater opportunity.

Forty-five years — for forty-five years, the United States Supreme Court has recognized a college’s freedom to decide how — how to build diverse student bodies and to meet their responsibility of opening doors of opportunity for every single American.

In case after case, including recently, just as a few years ago in 2016, the Court has affirmed and reaffirmed this view: that colleges could use race not as a determinative factor for admission, but as one of the factors among many in deciding who to admit from a quali— from a qualified — already qualified pool of applicants.

Today, the Court once again walked away from decades of precedent and make — as the dissent has made clear.

The dissent states that today’s decision, quote, “rolls back decades of precedent and momentous progress.” End of quote.

I agree with that statement from the dissents — from the dissent.

The Court has effectively ended affirmative action in college admissions. And I strongly — strongly disagree with the Court’s decision.

Because affirmative action is so misunderstood, I want to be clear — make sure everybody is clear about what the law has been and what it has not been, until today.

Many people wrongly believe that affirmative action allows unqualified students — unqualified students — to be admitted ahead of qualified students. This is not — this is not how college admissions work.

Rather, colleges set out standards for admission, and every student — every student has

If you have any doubt about this, just look at the United States military, the finest fighting force in the history of the world. It’s been a model of diversity. And it’s not only been our — made our nation better, stronger, but safer.

And I believe the same is true for our schools. I’ve always believed that the promise of America is big enough for everyone to succeed and that every generation of Americans, we have benefitted by opening the doors of opportunity just a little bit wider to include those who have been left behind. I believe our colleges are stronger when they are racially diverse. Our nation is stronger because we use what we — because we are tapping into the full range of talent in this nation.

I also believe that while talent, creativity, and hard work are everywhere across this country, not equal opportunity. It is not everywhere across this country. We cannot let this decision be the last word. I want to emphasize: We cannot let this decision be the last word.

While the Court can render a decision, it cannot change what America stands for. America is an idea — an idea unique in the world. An idea of hope and opportunity, of possibilities, of giving everyone a fair shot, of leaving no one behind. We have never fully lived up to it, but we’ve never walked away from it either. We will not walk away from it now.

We should never allow the country to walk away from the dream upon which it was founded: that opportunity is for everyone, not just a few.

We need a new path forward — a path consistent with a law that protects diversity and

Let’s be clear: Under this new standard, just as was true under the earlier standard, students first have to be qualified applicants. They need the GPA and test scores to meet the school’s standards.

Once that test is met, then adversity should be considered, including — including its lack — a student’s lack of financial means, because we know too few students of low-income families, whether in big cities or rural communities, are getting an opportunity to go to college.

When the poor kid — when a poor kid — may be the first in their family to go to college — gets the same grades and test scores as a wealthy kid whose whole family has gone to the most elite colleges in the country and whose path has been a lot easier, well, the kid who faced tougher challenges has demonstrated more grit, more determination. And that should be a factor that colleges should take into account in admissions. And many still do.

It also means examining where the student grew up and went to high school.

It means understanding the particular hardships that each individual student has faced in life, including racial discrimination that individuals have faced in their own lives.

The Court says, quote, “[N]othing in this opinion should be construed as prohibiting universities from considering an application’s [applicant’s] discussion of how race [has] affected his or her life,” but it’s — it’s through — but “be it through discrimination [or] inspiration or otherwise.”

Because the truth is — we all know it: Discrimination still exists in America. Discrimination still exists in America. Discrimination still exists in America.

Today’s decision does not change that. It’s a simple fact.

If a student has — has overcome — had to overcome adversity on their path to educa-

Today, for too many schools, the only people who benefit from the system are the wealthy and the well-connected. The odds have been stacked against working people for much too long.

We need a higher education system that works for everyone, from App- — from Appalachia to Atlanta and to far beyond. We can and must do better, and we will.

Today, I’m directing the Department of Education to analyze what practices help build a more inclusive and diverse student bodies and what practices hold that back, practices like legacy admissions and other systems that expand privilege instead of opportunity. Colleges and universities should continue their commitment to support, retain, and graduate diverse students and classes. You know, and companies — companies who are already realizing the value in diversity should not use this decision as an excuse to turn away from diversity either. We can’t go backwards.

You know, I know today’s Court decision is a severe disappointment to so many people, including me, but we cannot let the decision be a permanent setback for the country. We need to keep an open door of opportunities. We need to remember that diversity is our strength. We have to find a way forward. We need to remember that the promise of America is big enough for everyone to succeed.

You know, that’s the work of my administration, and I’m always going to fight for that. And I want to thank you all. And I know you’ve been told I have a helicopter out there waiting to go up to do an interview in New York. I’ll be talking to more about this in a live interview. But thank you very much. And we’re going to have plenty of time to talk about this. But we’re not going to let this break us. Thank you.

Biden Blasts Supreme Court’s Affirmative Action Decision

by Stacy Brown

The United States Supreme Court has sent shockwaves through the nation’s education system by departing from decades of precedent that have fostered diversity and inclusivity in colleges and universities.

The ruling has ignited concerns about the future of creating vibrant learning environments where students can grow and learn from one another.

President Biden, a vocal advocate for equal opportunity in education, expressed his disappointment with the Supreme Court’s decision.

He emphasized that while talent and hard work are abundant across the country, equal opportunity remains elusive.

The President urged that this decision not be the final say in the matter and called on colleges and universities to lead in expanding access to educational opportunities for all students.

The President highlighted diversity’s strength to educational institutions and the entire nation.

He emphasized that when colleges and universities embrace racial diversity, they tap into the full range of talent present in the country.

President Biden urged institutions of higher learning to consider the adversities that students have overcome, including financial struggles, upbringing, high school attendance, and personal experiences of hardship

or discrimination, including racial discrimination.

By considering these factors during the admissions process, colleges and universities can recognize and value the resilience and determination shown by aspiring students in the face of challenges.

To support colleges and universities in this pursuit, the Biden-Harris Administration has pledged to clarify admissions practices and additional programs within the next 45 days.

This guidance will help institutions prepare for the upcoming application cycle.

The administration also plans to convene a National Summit on Educational Opportunity and release a report outlining strategies to increase diversity and expand educational opportunities.

Transparency in college admissions and enrollment practices will be promoted, and states will receive assistance in analyzing data to enhance access to education for underserved communities.

These measures build upon the Biden-Harris Administration’s ongoing efforts to ensure equal access to higher education.

Previous accomplishments include:

• Securing historic increases in Pell Grants.

• Prioritizing college completion.

• Supporting historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), Tribal colleges, and minority-serving institutions.

Additionally, the administration is addressing issues in the student loan system to provide relief to borrowers burdened by loans. Although the affirmative action decision threatens to undermine progress in advancing racial equity and civil rights, the Biden-Harris Administration vows that it remains committed to fighting against this setback.

In the wake of the Court’s decision, Biden pledged to “safeguard the hard-earned achievements and preserve opportunities for all Americans to pursue higher education.”

Biden said the battle for diversity and equal opportunity in higher education continues.

“Because affirmative action is so misunderstood, I want to make sure everybody is clear about what the law has been and what it has not been, until today,” the President stated. “Many people wrongly believe that affirmative action allows unqualified students to be admitted ahead of qualified students. This is not how college admissions work.”

The President continued:

“Rather, colleges set out standards for admission, and every student — every student has to meet those standards. Then, and only then, after first meeting the qualifications required by the school, do colleges look at other factors in addition to their grades, such as race.

“The way it works in practice is this: Colleges

first establish a qualified pool of candidates based on meeting certain grades, test scores, and other criteria. Then, and only then, and it’s from this pool of applicants, all of whom have already met the school’s standards, that the class is chosen, after weighing a wide range of factors, among them being race.”

Finally, the President said he believes the nation’s colleges are more robust when racially diverse.

“Our nation is stronger because we are tapping into the full range of talent in this nation,” he asserted.

“I also believe that while talent, creativity, and hard work are everywhere across this country, not equal opportunity. It is not everywhere across this country. We cannot let this decision be the last word. I want to emphasize: We cannot let this decision be the last word. While the Court can render a decision, it cannot change what America stands for.”

A Deep South Governor’s Race To Watch In US

by Ben Jealous

A year in which there are only three races for governor’s seats, all in the Deep South, wouldn’t normally create a lot of political speculation. Kentucky’s popular Democratic incumbent may have a tough race, and chalking up Louisiana and its neighbor to the east to a Republican would be typical conventional wisdom. But “Mississippi Miracle” may well become the catchphrase of this election season. Brandon Presley is making a strong bid to become the first Democratic elected governor in the Magnolia State this century.

Presley (yes, Elvis from Tupelo is a cousin) has won a seat on the state’s Public Service Commission four times, where he’s opposed a huge coal-fired power plant and a proposal to dump nuclear waste in Mississippi and fought to expand internet access in rural areas.

He’s hard to pin as a typical Democrat. He lowered taxes and balanced budgets as a mayor, endorsed George W. Bush in the 2004 presidential election and describes himself as a pro-life Christian (which he is quick to note demands supporting health care, education, and seniors as well).

Presley has a powerful personal story that

reaches well beyond his kinship with the King of Rock and Roll. He was raised by a single mom who worked in a garment factory after his father was murdered. He’s told poor and working-class voters that they should see their own names on the ballot when they see his.

Nettleton, the town of about 2,000 people in the northeastern Mississippi that Presley hails from and he first became mayor at age 23, is split about 60% White and 40% Black like the state as a whole but has a median income $10,000 below the median in one of the poorest states in the country.

It’s no surprise that Presley is campaigning on issues that matter most to those voters. He responded to Gov. Tate Reeves’ state of the state address outside a shuttered rural hospital to highlight his $1 billion Medicaid expansion plan, which he says will improve health care to low-income residents and save nearly 40 Mississippi hospitals at risk of closing.

Reeves is unpopular even among his party’s voters. Six in 10 voters in a recent poll, including a third of Republicans and two thirds of independents, said they want “someone else” to be governor. While he’s

campaigning on a raise he gave educators, the teachers union has endorsed Presley. The incumbent has been tied to a scandal in which up to $94 million in welfare funds were diverted to pet projects of the state’s most powerful while many families in need were being denied $170 a month in assistance. It’s a particularly salient issue at this moment when Mississippi and other states are beginning to seek and spend hundreds of billions in federal dollars to build infrastructure and create clean energy jobs.

Presley will need a big turnout from the 38 percent of Mississippi voters who are Black. He’s not well known in Jackson and the southern end of the state where most of them live. He had the endorsement of Rep. Bennie Thompson, the state’s only Black member of Congress, almost immediately after announcing his campaign (the last Democrat who ran did not).

Black and low-income voters would gain much from Medicaid expansion and Presley’s plan to cut Mississippi’s regressive 7 percent grocery tax. Having suffered with a Republican leading the state a decade ago, they’d have a champion as

governor as legislative and Congressional districts are redrawn in response to the census this time around.

Even more broadly, a Presley victory and his economic proposals might begin to shift what’s been a historical migration pattern for Blacks out of the state up the Mississippi River and westward to California. When I was a young organizer in Mississippi in the 1990s, a mentor who had helped build the state’s public health clinics during the Kennedy and Johnson years told me that there were more Black doctors who’d been born in Mississippi living in Los Angeles County than in the entire state of Mississippi.

No state can thrive indefinitely letting its best and brightest look for opportunity elsewhere. Mississippi may decide to turn off that spigot in November.

Written in the Stars: Sandals Dunn’s River Introduces New Stargazing Concierge

met with their very own Stargazing Concierge, a complimentary new Butler service offering. Upon request, the Stargazing Concierge will arrange bespoke stargazing experiences for couples to enjoy on their private rooftops. Beyond creating a romantic respite under the stars, the Stargazing Concierge will also help guests identify constellations and meteor activity in the Caribbean sky. To commemorate their trip, Sandals is providing couples staying in the villas with a complimentary custom star map of their personal stargazing experience, created by The Night Sky.*

that ‘stellar’ stay,” says Deryk Meany, General Manager at Sandals Dunn’s River. “Creating the perfect cozy Caribbean evenings - from moonlit cocktails to wine and cheese pairings to decadent dessert offerings under a canopy of stars, creates a new moment to relax and connect while staying with us.”

In celebration of the Summer solstice, Sandals Resorts announces its very first Stargazing Concierge at the completely reimagined Sandals Dunn’s River in Ocho Rios, Jamaica. The luxury all-inclusive resort company is inviting guests to embrace this planetary new offering included with a stay in the resort’s new Coyaba Sky Villa Swim-up Rondoval Suites.

The recently debuted Sandals Dunn’s River ushers in a new era of hospitality and many ‘Sandals Firsts,’ including the brand’s first openair rooftop suites complete with state-of-the-art telescopes to now the debut of Sandals’ first Stargazing Concierge. Guests who reserve a stay in a Coyaba Sky Villa Swim-up Rondoval Suite for travel beginning July 1, 2023, will be

The innovative new stargazing service offered by Sandals is research backed. Earlier this year, a recent survey conducted by the Sandals Institute of Romance cited that the vast majority of couples (80%) want to prioritize romance this year, with beach vacations (67%) and secluded places (57%) being the preferred settings for connection.

“We are constantly listening to our guests and looking for additional ways to give them

Offering unmatched views of the Ocho Rios skyscape, the Coyaba Sky Villa Rondoval Suites reinvent the state of romance and luxury with private soaking tubs, a sun-lounging area, and direct access to a sprawling river pool. Guests checking in to Sandals Dunn’s River will also delight in 12 Global Gourmet™ restaurants –with 10 concepts entirely new to the Sandals brand – as well as nine bars, including Dunn’s Rum Club, where the island’s signature libation is shaken and stirred into authentic, expertly mixed craft cocktails. Located on a stunning stretch of white sand beach, the 260-room resort welcomes guests to a remarkable luxury all-inclusive experience on Jamaica’s north coast.

JetBlue Expands Caribbean Network, Adding Service to Belize and St. Kitts, Out For Sale Starting Today

Launching later this year, JetBlue will now offer nonstop flights to two new destinations from New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK): Robert Llewellyn Bradshaw International Airport (SKB) in St. Kitts and Nevis and Philip S. W. Goldson International Airport (BZE) in Belize City, Belize (a). JetBlue is also set to launch service between Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and Lynden Pindling International Airport (NAS) in Nassau, Bahamas; Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) and Maurice Bishop International Airport (GND) in Grenada (a); and Orlando International Airport (MCO) and Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU) in North Carolina. Seats are out for sale today with fares as low as $59, $149, $159, and $179 (b).

“We are proud to continue diversifying our network and to introduce even more options to connect our customers in our focus cities of New York, Boston, Orlando, and Los Angeles to the places they want to fly, bringing more great service and everyday low fares to more customers,” said David Jehn, vice president, network planning and partnerships, JetBlue. “These new routes will position JetBlue to deliver even more growth and connectivity to popular destinations, while also furthering the airline’s significant presence across Latin America and the Caribbean.”

JetBlue – currently the sixth largest airline in the U.S. – is known for having the most legroom in coach (c), live television and on-demand entertainment on every seatback, free and fast Fly-Fi broadband internet (d), complimentary snacks and soft drinks and great customer service.

Connecting New York to Popular Caribbean Destinations

JetBlue’s growth in the Caribbean is part of a broader reach into international markets. In recent years, the airline has built a robust

network throughout Latin America and the Caribbean. With JetBlue’s entry into St. Kitts and Nevis and Belize, the airline will now operate in 27 countries within the region and introduce a new era of customer-focused, low-fare travel for leisure and visiting family and friends travelers. As a leader at JFK, JetBlue’s new routes to Belize and St. Kitts are part of JetBlue’s strategy to continue to grow in under-served geographies while bringing more choices and options for our customers. JetBlue will now serve 29 countries from JFK and will offer an average of up to 192 departures per day during peak periods.

Service from New York (JFK) to St. Kitts will begin November 2 bringing a new choice to a route with limited competition today. St. Kitts is the larger of two islands that make up the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis. St. Kitts boasts a wealth of cultural attractions, lush greenery, pristine beaches, majestic volcanic peaks, and vibrant festivals that showcase the island’s unique heritage and traditions.

“We welcome JetBlue’s announcement of nonstop, 3x weekly service from New York to St. Kitts as a testament to the growing interest in our beautiful island,” said Honourable Dr. Terrance Drew, Prime Minister of St. Kitts & Nevis. “This addition not only adds year-round airlift capacity for the growing travel demand but also enhances the tourism industry, thus generating economic activity for our nationals and residents. I look forward to a positive and mutually beneficial fruitful partnership with JetBlue as we work to create a self-sustaining nation and premier tourism destination.”

Schedule between New York (JFK) and St. Kitts (SKB)

Operating Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays beginning November 2, 2023.

Guyana – Looking to CARICOM Markets to Deal with Fish Market Glut

GEORGETOWN, Guyana, CMC – Guyana says it is looking towards Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago and the Eastern Caribbean to help deal with a glut in the local fish market resulting in fisherfolk here unable to meet their expenses.

Agriculture Minister Zulifikar Mustapha said that he held discussions with officials attending the just-concluded meeting of Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) on the matter. “I have spoken to them and we are looking to find markets for your catches in places like Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, and the Eastern Caribbean countries so not only we are trying to give you the tools to catch more fishes but we are ensuring that we work with you that we find market for your produce,” Mustapha told a ceremony to mark National Fisherfolk Day 2023. Chairman of the Guyana National Fisherfolk Organisation, Parmeshwar Jainarine told the ceremony that falling fish prices were seriously affecting his members.“We

have seen a sharp, sharp decline in the prices of our catch. Fish prices have gone down by more than 70 per cent and the expenses have remained the same. Many of the boats in the Berbice area are not fishing because it cannot pay them to work,” he said.

Jainarine has complained of a “glut in the market” and that the solution is for more fish processing plants to be established here given that the country only has two major processors.

“If these two processors’ markets are filled then other persons would be able to purchase so that the price could remain stable so that we can make a money,” he said. The fisheries sector accounts for three per cent of Guyana’s agriculture gross domestic product (GDP) and GUY$11.9 billion (One Guyana dollar=US$0.004 cents) worth of exports.

Last year, Guyana produced more than 33,500 metric tonnes of seafood.

St. Kitts Launches Public Education on Marijuana Industry

Basseterre – The St Kitts-Nevis government has launched a public education campaign regarding the marijuana industry in the twin island Federation.

Attorney General, Garth Wilkin, said the campaign dubbed #CannabisClaritySKN, follows the publication of various pieces of legislation including the Rastafari Rights Recognition Act, the Freedom of Conscience (Cannabis) Act, the Drugs (Amendment) Act and the Smoking (Designated Areas) Act in the official Gazette.

He said with these pieces of legislation now in force, the Ministry of Justice and Legal Affairs “has turned its energies into educating the general public about these new laws related to Rastafari and personal cannabis cultivation, use and possession in St Kitts -Nevis.

“The passage of laws without education and how they work in the real world is problematic,” he said, adding that the #CannabisClaritySKN public education campaign “is therefore aimed at informing our people and our visitors about what this comprehensive suite of legislation means for them and what are the dos and don’ts with respect to cannabis cultivation, use and possession going forward”.

The Attorney General said that the epicenter of the public education campaign is the website www.cannabisclarityskn.com, “which provides salient and summarized information about the new cannabis-related laws”.

He said that the ministry has also launched social media pages as part of the campaign.

“We have summarized the laws into bite-sized information graphics and have engaged local influencers to push the information. We know people are busy, so we tried our best to condense the salient points for ease of consumption.

“Info jingles are also being produced to be aired on radio stations. The whole campaign has been professionally developed by Kittitians and we are proud of this. I encourage everyone to visit the website and to share the #CannabisClaritySKN social media clippings with your friends and neighbours,” said Wilkin. Last week, Prime Minister Dr Terrance Drew issued a formal apology to members of the Rastafarians movement here, as the Parliament approved legislation aimed at “bringing us closer together as a people”.

The Parliament gave the green light to the Rastafari Rights Recognition Bill, 2023, with Prime Minister Drew saying it is “indeed a historic moment and an emotional moment not just for me, but the entire Rastafarian community”. The bill also provides for the process of registration of Rastafari groups, recognition of various rights related to the use of cannabis by registered Rastafari groups, licencing for the freedom of conscience possession and use of cannabis in certain public places.(CMC)

Mayor Adams, Speaker Adams Reach Handshake Agreement for Fiscal Year 2024 Budget

NEW YORK – New York City Mayor Eric Adams, New York City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, Council Finance Chair Justin Brannan, and members of the City Council today announced an agreement for an on-time, balanced, and fiscally-responsible approximately $107 billion Adopted Budget for Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24). Despite facing strong headwinds, the budget makes upstream investments in working people and keeps New York safe and clean while contributing to the city’s robust savings program.

“The agreement we reached today comes in the midst of a budget cycle dominated by great challenges and unexpected crises, but I am proud to say that we have successfully navigated through these many crosscurrents to arrive at a strong and fiscally responsible budget,” said Mayor Adams. “Our mission is not to simply save money — it is to set priorities, which include fair labor contracts for our unions, funding for education, the arts, and our libraries, and support for New Yorkers in the greatest need. I thank Speaker Adams, Council Finance Chair Brannan, and the entire Council for their partnership through this process.”

“The Council’s focus in this budget has been to protect the essential services that the people of this city rely on to be healthy, safe, and successful,” said City Council Speaker Adams.

“We took seriously our task to negotiate the best possible outcomes and deliver results for the people of our city. Through difficult negotiations, the Council worked to bridge the

distance between us and the administration, fighting to restore investments in essential services and funding many programs that we know our families, communities, and city need. Though we have come to a budget agreement today, the Council knows we must continue to push forward in our year-long budgetary, legislative, and oversight efforts to secure the investments that New Yorkers deserve.”

The agreement on the $107 billion budget includes increased funding for youth jobs and apprenticeships and innovative educational programming for public school students.

As part of the budget agreement, the city is expanding access to Fair Fares discounted MetroCards, providing more meals for seniors and low-income New Yorkers, and extending the hours for many vacant early childhood education seats, so working families can more easily enroll their children. Additionally, the budget takes advantage of higher-than-anticipated revenues to restore and provide additional funding for libraries and cultural institutions, which will both be funded at a higher level in FY24 than they were a year ago in the FY23 Adopted Budget, even before including City Council discretionary additions. Further, no New York City Department of Education (DOE) public school will have an initial budget lower than their initial budget last year, even if their student population has declined.

The Adopted Budget was crafted in the midst of an ongoing asylum seeker crisis that is currently projected to cost the city $4.35 billion

over Fiscal Years 2023 and 2024 –– with $2.9 billion in estimated spending over FY24 alone. Though New York City continues the longstanding tradition of helping immigrants, the city has –– virtually on its own –– cared for more than 81,000 migrants since last spring, and has, thus far, received inadequate federal and state assistance. For this reason, at adoption, the city must add $465 million in FY24 to make up for less-than-expected federal asylum seeker aid.

The administration was able to balance the budget in adoption despite substantial challenges by controlling new agency spending and through a higher-than-anticipated increase in the city’s revenue of $2.1 billion in FY23, driven by continued strength in the local economy ––though tax revenue growth is still expected to slow in coming years. These additional resources were used to pay for agency needs, meet increased asylum seeker costs, and fund City Council discretionary spending and shared Adams administration/Council priorities.

Throughout this budget cycle, the administration has made tough choices that reflect an ongoing commitment to strong fiscal management, including by making government more efficient through budget savings and by maintaining robust reserves.

Since last June, the Adams administration has achieved gap-closing savings of more than $4.7 billion over Fiscal Years 2023 and 2024, which include less-than-anticipated agency spending of $72 million in FY23 and debt service saving

of $137 million in FY23 and FY24 recognized in this plan. These savings were achieved without reducing funding to programs or services, laying off a single employee, or cutting school or classrooms budgets.

The FY24 Adopted Budget maintains a near-record $8.0 billion in reserves, which includes $1.2 billion in the General Reserve, $2.0 billion in the Rainy Day Fund, $4.58 billion in the Retiree Health Benefits Trust, and $250 million in the Capital Stabilization Reserve.

Investment Highlights of the FY24 Adopted Budget Include:

Keeping New York City Safe and Clean:

Funding to expand Supervised Release services and pilot an “Intensive Case Management” model to provide stronger support for recidivists ($36.8 million).

Continuing the increased frequency of litter basket pickups citywide ($22 million).

Funding the New York City Department of Sanitation’s highway cleaning program, which includes a focus on cleaning highways, medians, and road shoulders citywide ($9.6 million). Increasing funding for the CleaNYC program, which cleans streets and sidewalks in targeted corridors ($3 million).

Expanding neighborhood-based community navigators in Gun Violence Prevention Task Force districts ($1.9 million).

Continued on website at nycaribnews.com

Dr. Machelle Allen Recognized by Modern Healthcare as One of the Year’s ‘50 Most Influential Clinical Executives’

Health system’s Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer honored by prominent health care industry publication for creating an Office of Women’s Health Services and an Office of Clinical Operations to address the needs of the city’s most vulnerable populations

NYC Health + Hospitals announced that Senior Vice President (SVP) and Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dr. Machelle Allen is among the honorees in this year’s list of ’50 Most Influential Clinical Executives’ by Modern Healthcare. These leaders were chosen by the prominent health care industry publication for their innovative recruitment strategies, bold expansion maneuvers, and their ongoing commitment to advocacy. Dr. Allen is recognized for her service to vulnerable New Yorkers. Early in her career, she treated pregnant patients with substance use disorder and those who were at risk for HIV infection. As SVP and CMO, Dr. Allen established the Office of Clinical

Operations, which instituted surveillance of the health system’s wastewater to detect emerging infections. She also created a systemwide Office of Women’s Health Services. Under this effort, the NYC Health + Hospitals Maternal Home was “birthed” – one of the few in New York State. She recently joined Mayor Eric Adams to outline his vision for the future of women’s health in New York City.

“I am so proud to represent a health system that provides high-quality, comprehensive care to New York City’s most vulnerable populations. We must never forget that health care is a basic human right. It is our duty to create spaces where anyone – no matter their race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, immigration status, or ability to pay – can access services that are vital to their well-being Thank you to Modern Healthcare for including me on this esteemed list of health care leaders,” said NYC Health + Hospitals Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer Machelle

and that of their families. I also want to thank my amazing colleagues for nominating me. I am humbled and grateful for your trust in me and for the work that you do so selflessly. Allen,

Health At Sunrise Quick Tip

by Dr. Rahsan Abdul Hakim

Somewhere along our journey between Africa, The Caribbean and The United States, we’ve lost some of our roots, traditional culture and wisdom from our Ancient African Forefathers. In Ancient Africa Herbalism, the healing spirits of the herbs are used to heal one physically, mentally and spiritually. Just by being in the physical presence of the herbs or trees, the medicinal properties of the plants are transmitted directly into the body by the plants without you having to pick a leaf, flower or any part of the plant.

Soursop Annona MuricataTree is native to the West Indies and Central America. It also grows in the Sub-Sahara regions of Africa, and in most frost free areas of the Americas, Asia and Hawaii. The delicious fruit of the Soursop has a leathery, somewhat spiky outer skin; the inside looks somewhat like plump wet cotton. The fruit comes with about 50 to 75 shiny black seeds. The leaves, fruit and seeds and bark are all used for various purposes. The fruit can be eaten fresh or made into Soursop nectar or a dairy-free ice cream.

Nutritionally it is rich in Vitamins B-1, B-12, and B-Complex, Vitamin -C, Calcium, and rich in carbohydrates.

Traditional Uses: In the West Indies and Latin America a common bush tea is made and taken daily by both children and adults as a nerve tonic especially for restlessness; it is calming and is also used for depression and high blood pressure. The leaves are strewn around beds and pillows to bring on restful, peaceful sleep. The crushed leaves are used instead of smelling salts to revive one from a fainting spell. In Jamaica, the leaves are also used for kidney and all gall bladder problems and to eliminate inorganic calcium deposits in the joints, rheumatism, and to aid diges-

tion and can be used in the treatment of diarrhea and vomiting. In the Bahamas a remedy for a high blood pressure is made by adding 15 leaves to a pint of boiling water. One cupful is taken in the morning and another s taken at night. The crushed leaves are used as a poultice for wounds, sores and all skin eruptions. A tea of the dried fruit is commonly used for dysentery and jaundice. The fruit is eaten for liver conditions.

In Trinidad, a tea of the leaves is taken for flu, insomnia and to relieve burning urine. In Costa Rica the crushed leaves are rubbed on the legs to repel chiggers and other body parasites; it is also used to repel bed bugs and head lice. The shiny black seeds can be powered and used as an insecticide and fish poison.

The National Cancer Institute performed the first ever scientific research on the possibility of Soursop cancer cure and prevention in the year 1976. Results showed that Soursop leaves and stems were found quite effective in attacking and destroying the malignant cells. Also, a study published in the Journal of Natural Products, following a recent study conducted at the Catholic University of South Korea, stated that a certain chemical found in Soursop can selectively kill colon cancer cells at almost ‘ten thousand times the potency of drugs commonly used for chemotherapy. It selectively targets only the harmful cancer cells, while it leaves behind healthy cells of the body untouched.

The wild Soursop Annona Montana is smaller but has the same properties and medicinal use.

Let’s get back to our roots and culture! Peace and Blessings.

MD.

In response to the mental health crisis in New York City, the Office of Behavioral Health under Dr. Allen’s leadership launched B-HEARD (Behavioral Health Emergency Assistance Response Division) in 2021, which deploys social workers along with EMS personnel as first responders, in lieu of police officers.

Dr. Allen is a veteran of the municipal health care system: She completed her residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at NYC Health + Hospitals/Jacobi, worked as an attending physician at Harlem and Bellevue hospitals, and served as the Associate Medical Director at Bellevue until 2013 when she became the System’s Deputy CMO. Dr. Allen was promoted to SVP and CMO in 2017.

Dr. Allen is a graduate of Cornell University and the University of California, San Francisco, School of Medicine.

West Indies’ World Cup Hopes Crushed by Scotland

Five years ago in Harare, West Indies were the beneficiaries of a controversial umpiring decision and a timely rain interruption that secured their place in the 2019 ODI World Cup, at Scotland’s expense. There was no such luck for the two-time champions in 2023, as West Indies crashed out of the running to qualify for the World Cup in India by suffering a seven-wicket loss to Scotland in Harare.

Thus the 13th edition of the ODI World Cup will be the first without the West Indies, who won the first two tournaments in 1975 and 1979, and also made the final in 1983.

Scotland, meanwhile, are strong contenders for one of two World Cup spots up for grabs at the Qualifiers; they have four points, while Super Six leaders Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe have six each. Allrounder Brandon McMullen was the star with both ball and bat, taking three wickets and scoring a half-century in Scotland’s maiden ODI win against West Indies. West Indies came into this match knowing that a loss would knock them out because of the Qualifier format, which had them carrying forward zero points from the group stage to the Super Six.

To pile on the pressure, Scotland captain Richie Berrington asked them to bat in tough conditions, and their top three fell to McMullen within the first six overs. Johnson Charles wafted one to cover point, Shamarh Brooks was out slashing a wide ball to slip and Brandon King was double-bluffed by the cover fielder being pushed back, and ended up spooning a full and straight ball back to the bowler.

Chris Sole went bouncer and then length to send Kyle Mayers’ off stump cartwheeling. Shai Hope’s attempt to temper aggression with caution was ended by Safyaan Sharif, who turned back the clock to their face-off in the 2018 Qualifier by opening up and nicking off Hope. McMullen bowled nine overs on the trot and ended with match-winning figures of 3 for 32.

With the score on 60 for 5, Jason Holder and Nicholas Pooran focussed on stabilising a rocky start, batting together for 50 balls and scoring only 21 runs. But Mark Watt tempted Pooran with a flighted ball that was slog-swept, out of nowhere, into the hands of Christopher McBride at the cow-corner boundary. Romario Shepherd joined Holder to put on 77 runs for the seventh wicket, but when Shepherd tried to raise the tempo in the 37th over, he was caught by a flying Sharif at point. Three balls later, Chris Greaves trapped Holder lbw and West Indies were eventually all out for 181 in the 44th over.

Scotland lost McBride in the first over of the chase but that wicket united McMullen with Matthew Cross and the pair carefully negotiated the new-ball threat. In the 12th over, Akeal Hosein lured McMullen into a slog sweep but Mayers dropped the chance at deep midwicket.

McMullen flat-batting a hard-length ball from Alzarri Joseph for a six down the ground in the 17th over indicated that he was in control of the chase. Both batters predominantly worked the ball around, rotated strike and racked up fifties during their 125-run stand. When McMullen found long-on off Joseph, Scotland did not panic as Cross was there to continue guiding the chase, first

Honduras End Gold Cup on High Note with Comeback Victory

with George Munsey and then with Berrington, to complete victory in the 44th over.

For West Indies, this defeat continued their decline in white-ball cricket. The two-time T20 World Cup champions had crashed out in the group stage of that tournament last year. It led to a major white-ball shake-up with Pooran stepping down as captain and Daren Sammy being appointed as the white-ball coach. Sammy joined forces with Hope for this World Cup Qualifier, but the campaign has been disappointing, with defeats to Zimbabwe, Netherlands and now Scotland ending West Indies’ chances of qualifying for the 2023 ODI World Cup in India this October.

MIAMI, Florida – Honduras rallied to beat Haiti 2-1 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina in the teams’ final match in Group B of the 2023 Concacaf Gold Cup.

The result, combined with Qatar’s 1-0 victory over Mexico, means neither team will advance from Group B. Both now turn their attention to Concacaf Nations League play, beginning in September, with places in the 2024 Concacaf Nations League Final Four and the 2024 Copa America in the United States up for grabs. Haiti was ahead 1-0 in the 20th minute thanks to a goal from FW Frantzdy Pierrot. His forward partner, Duckens Nazon, fired in a shot from near the corner of the

area and saw it saved by Honduras GK Edrick Menjivar. But the shot-stopper was unable to control the rebound, and Pierrot tapped in from close-range to put Haiti in position to move into the next round. After Haiti’s opener, it was the Central American team closest to finding the back of the net. Honduras DF Devron Garcia sent a header from a corner kick just over the bar in the 24th minute, and at the half-hour mark FW Jorge Benguche got enough space in the box to turn and fire a shot on target, but Haiti GK Alexandre Pierre dove to his right to stop it. Honduras kept searching for its opportunity to equalize and it came in the 43rd minute. FW Jerry Bengtson nodded a header to the back post after a cross from DF Maylor Nunez. With the goal, the 36-year-old became Honduras’ oldest-ever Gold Cup scorer.

After the break, Honduras doubled its lead. In the 59th minute, MF Jorge Alvarez scooped a pass over Haiti’s back line that club and country teammate Jose Pinto was able to bring it down with his first touch and finish.

Haiti nearly had a leveler in stoppage time when FW Fafa Picault tried a shot from distance that took a bounce in front of goal and had Menjivar beaten, but the ball hit the post and eventually the goalkeeper was able to collect.