National Weekly February 11, 2021

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THURSDAY FEBRUARY 11, 2021

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Is Jamaica...

TOP STORIES CanadianJamaicans Lament Canada’s “Unfair” Caribbean Travel Ban

Running Out of Ganja?

Jamaican Alumni Association Donates J$11M in Computer Devices to Students

By CNW Reporter

When people around the world think of Jamaica, a few things come to mind—beautiful beaches, reggae music, and high-grade marijuana. So to learn that Jamaica is running low on one of its most famous commodities is akin to hearing that the Middle East is running out of oil. continues on B4 – Ganja Shortage

OAS Concerned about Political Stalemate in Haiti

In 2019, the Cannabis Licensing Authority (CLA) promised to establish a transitional permit so small farmers could enter the cannabis industry. But this has not yet happened and Thompson says many farmers have given up farming the plant.

Dominica Says COVID-19 Vaccine Signals Start of Fightback

Canada’s Caribbean Travel Ban Will Cost Jamaica US $350M

Ian Bishop Labels West Indies Squad “Heroes” for Decision to Tour Bangladesh

By Sheri-Kae McLeod

In the last two months, Jamaica’s top three tourist markets, the United Kingdom, Canada, and United States, have all imposed new travel requirements to limit international travel.

But it’s Canada’s new protocols that will have the most negative impact on the island and the diaspora.

On January 29, Canada’s Prime Minister

Justin Trudeau moved to suspend all flights to the Caribbean and Mexico as part of a host of new travel restrictions. The suspension of flights began on Sunday, January 31, and will run until April 30.

Since the announcement, Jamaica’s Tourism

Minister Ed Bartlett has lashed out at the new restrictions. He estimates that the ban will cost Jamaica some $350 million US dollars. That estimate is based on what the country would see during a regular peak winter season when Jamaica continues on B4 – Travel Ban

Florida Congresswoman Frederica Wilson Named Chair of the Education and Labor Subcommittee

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WHAT’S INSIDE NEWSMAKER

LA SECTION HAITIENNE

FEATURE

SPORTS

Shaggy: First Jamaican Entertainer to Score a Super Bowl Commercial A3

Supreme Court Judge Among Several Arrested in Plot to Oust Haitian President A7

Reggae Month: From Revivalism to Reggae B2

Former West Indies Pacer Killed in Accident C3

A2 – NATIONAL WEEKLY | THURSDAY, FEB 11 – FEB 17, 2021 | CNWNETWORK.COM

PAGE A2 BETTER FOR BUSINESS: Lauderhill Mayor Ken Thurston is flanked by Lauderhill Chamber of Commerce (LCC) board member Jackie Vernon Thompson (le ), and LCC president Karrelle Chang.

They were at the media launch for LCC's 'Shop Local Lauderhill' ini a ve at the LCC office recently. 'Shop Local Lauderhill' is a grand marke ng campaign geared to crea ng opportuni es for local businesses to benefit from the exposure the ini a ve offers. – Contributed BOXES OF GOODNESS: Dania Beach Mayor Tamar James helps to distribute lunches to Broward residents during a drive-thru relief program on February 10, hosted by the Miami Dolphins Founda on in partnership with the Broward Sheriff's Office. The meals were provided by Jamaican restaurant, Island Joe's Cafe. - Contributed

DELIVERING DEVICES: At the Econo-Caribe Shipping warehouse in Queens, New York, members of the Union of Jamaican Alumni Associa ons (UJAA) brave the icy New York weather to deliver boxes of laptops and tablets for shipment to students in Jamaica on February 9, 2021. - Photo by Derrick Sco .

RECESS: Jamaican-born Superintendent of Broward Schools Robert Runcie joins a group of students in breaking in a new playground located at Benne Elementary School, Fort Lauderdale, during the recently held ribbon-cu ng ceremony. - Contributed

GREETINGS: Lauderhill Police Chaplain Michael Calderine (le ) fist bumps Commissioner Ray Mar n as they pose for a photo at the media launch for Lauderhill Chamber of Commerce's 'Shop Local Lauderhill' ini a ve at the chamber office recently. - Contributed WINNER: Miramar Commissioner Alexandra Davis presents a check for $300 to ar st Ivan Roque, the winner of the city's Art in Public Places Bravo Mural Contest recently. His mural is featured on the Bravo Supermarket located at 6819 Miramar Parkway. - Contributed

AWARDED: Richard Pandohie, the President of the Jamaica Manufacturers and Exporters Associa on and CEO of Seprod (le ) receives an award from Leighton “Fyah” McKnight, during the David "Wagga" Hunt Founda on Fundraiser event recently. The Founda on honored Pandohie as a Calabar Old Boy who has been an exemplar of excellence. - Contributed

SWORN-IN: Miramar city officials stand with a group of fourteen police officers from the Miramar Police Department who were sworn-in during an official ceremony on February 9, 2021. From le to right: Miramar Commissioners Maxwell Chambers and Yve e Colbourne, Mayor Wayne Messam, Commissioner Alexandra Davis and City Manager Vernon Hargray. – Contributed

PAINTED PERFECTION: Mural by ar st Ivan Roque, the winner of the city's Art in Public Places Bravo Mural Contest, featured on the Bravo Supermarket located at 6819 Miramar Parkway. - Contributed

NATIONAL WEEKLY | THURSDAY, FEB 11 – FEB 17, 2021 | CNWNETWORK.COM –

A3

NEWSMAKER

Orville “Shaggy” Richard Burrell

First Jamaican Entertainer to Score Super Bowl Commercial On February 7 popular Jamaican dancehall/reggae artist Shaggy made his countrymen and women proud when a commercial featuring him and his hit “It wasn't me” aired during the Super Bowl game. His appearance in the commercial made him the first Jamaican musician to score a Super Bowl commercial.

In the hilarious commercial advertising the snack Cheetos, alongside Hollywood couple Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis, Shaggy played the role of enabler for a Cheetos-obsessed Kunis, who keeps stealing the snack from her husband.

Kutcher catches his wife “orangehanded” with his Cheetos but Shaggy encourages her to deny the allegations by saying: “It wasn't me.”

The ad was a nod to the 2000 international hit by Shaggy, which helped catalyzed him to superstardom. The release of the commercial for Super Bowl LV also marks the 21st anniversary of the song. “It Wasn't Me" was Shaggy's first number one hit in the United States.

As if there needed to be any more convincing, the ad has certified Shaggy as the top JamaicanAmerican superstar of this decade.

Shaggy said it was an honor to be able to bring a Jamaican flavor to this year's Super Bowl. "I've always flown the dancehall flag for my culture and my country. And to be put in this position once more, again, is an honor," he said in an interview with Billboard. "So it's great for this platform to educate people on the significance of the Jamaican culture and dancehall culture and popular music.”

Shaggy: A Dancehall/Reggae Anomaly In recent decades, Jamaica has yet to see the likes of another entertainer quite like Shaggy—a diamond-selling, worldwide superstar, who has dedicated much of his career to fixing one of Jamaica's most important industries.

Shaggy, whose real name is Orville Richard Burrell, was born on October 22, 1968, in Kingston. As a teenager, he began taking singing classes and continued to indulge in music as a hobby throughout his teenage years.

In 1988, 20-year-old Shaggy enlisted in the United States Marine Corps and obtained the MOS of 0811 (Field Artillery Cannon Crewman).

He served in the 10th Marine Regiment during the Persian Gulf War. Shaggy continued to practice

and perfect music while in the Marine Corps, and at the end of his military career in the 1990s, he began his professional career in music.

In 1993, Shaggy achieved his first hit song, "Oh Carolina," a dancehall remake of a 60s ska hit by the Folkes Brothers. Three years later, he released his debut album Boombastic, which earned him his first Grammy Award for 'Best Reggae Album.'

His second album, Hot Shot was released in 2000 and featured some of his most popular singles, "It Wasn't Me" and "Angel." The album went on to be certified six times platinum in the United States and was the second highest-charting studio album of 2001 on the Billboard Year-End charts. To date,

the album is the only diamondselling reggae album, having sold more than 10 million records worldwide.

Over the next few years, Shaggy went on to release several studio

albums which made him a frontrunner in dancehall and reggae music on the international scene. In 2001, after seeing the condition of the Bustamante Hospital for Children, Shaggy was inspired to start the Make A Difference Foundation.

Through the foundation came “Shaggy and Friends,” a biannual concert that raises money for equipment and facilities at the hospital. Since 2009, the concert has raised over JMD $400 million to that end.

With over 25 years in the music industry, Shaggy, who is a recipient of the Jamaican Order of Distinction, continues to put reggae music on the international stage. In 2019, he won his second Grammy for 44/876, his collaborative album with rock artist Sting. He also received rave reviews for his portrayal of Sebastian in the musical television special, The Little Mermaid Live!' on ABC. Shaggy has been in a relationship with Rebecca Packer, since the early 2000s. The pair officially married in 2014. Together, they have three girls, Sydney and twins, Kelsey and Madison. Shaggy also has two adult sons from a previous relationship, one of whom is also a musician by the name of Robb Banks. Shaggy recently purchased a massive $2.15million mansion near the ocean in Coral Gables, establishing a second home in South Florida, where his sons reside.

A4 – NATIONAL WEEKLY | THURSDAY, FEB 11 – FEB 17, 2021 | CNWNETWORK.COM

CARIBBEAN US Congratulates Grenada on 47th Independence Anniversary The new Joe Biden administration in the United States on Sunday congratulated Grenada on its 47th anniversary of political independence from Great Britain, saying it “appreciates” the Caribbean island's “regional leadership and partnership as we work toward greater security, prosperity and democracy.”

In a statement, U.S. Secretary of State Anthony J. Blinken said this past year, the U.S. government contributed more than US$6 million to construct emergency operations centers in Grenada and Carriacou “to boost their preparedness and disaster response capabilities.

“We have stood together to fight COVIDcontinues on B2 – Grenada Independence

Jamaican Extradited to US After 20 Years on the Run A Jamaican man who fled Miami over 20 years ago after being convicted of killing three women in a car accident, has been extradited to the United States to finally serve his time.

Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle said convicted fugitive Christopher Harvey, who first fled to Cuba before being held in Jamaica, “will now see the justice he so long sought to avoid.”

“The families of these three women killed

by Christopher Harvey were revictimized when he fled the country in 2000. Mr. Harvey admitted his guilt in Criminal Court but ran away from his personal responsibility for these crimes, just as he ran away on the night of this dreadful incident 22 years ago,” she said.

Harvey was originally arrested on January

31, 1999, charged with three counts of vehicular homicide and one count of leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death, the result of an automobile crash that occurred when he ran a red light, traveling at 75 miles per hour, at the intersection of Northwest 199th Street and Northwest 37th Avenue in Miami-Dade County in the early hours of January 30.

The collision killed 24-year-old Daylin Bueno, 37-year-old Becky Ballestas Marquez, and 24-year-old Maria Arandaans, a college visiting her grandmother from out of town. The women were returning home from a gathering when the accident occurred.

After the accident, Harvey fled the scene.

On March 27, 2000, after entering a notguilty plea, He was found guilty and sentenced

to 12 and a half years in prison.

At his lawyer's request to organize his affairs, the court gave Harvey until June 1, 2000, to turn himself in to begin serving his sentence. Instead, Harvey fled the country.

In 2007, a tip was received that Harvey was possibly in custody in Cuba, but with the U.S. having no extradition agreement with Cuba, his extradition wasn't possible. In 2019, news came that Harvey was in Jamaica. An extradition request was submitted to Jamaica and he was taken into custody by Jamaican authorities, and subsequently returned to Miami.

Director of the U.S. Department of Justice's Office of International Affairs (OIA), Vaughn Ary, thanked Jamaica for its critical assistance on the case.

BARBADOS

COVID-19 Pandemic Causing Deep Recession The COVID-19 pandemic is causing a deep recession in Barbados, but implementation of the Barbados Economic Recovery and Transformation (BERT) program remains strong and targets are still being met, an International Monetary Fund (IMF) staff mission reported last week.

The comments came at the end of an IMF staff visit, via videoconferencing, between February 2 and 5, to discuss the implementation of the BERT plan, supported by the IMF under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF).

“The prolonged COVID-19 pandemic

continues to have a major impact on Barbados.

The economy is estimated to have contracted by about 18 percent in 2020, with a gradual recovery projected to start in 2021,” said team leader Bert van Selm in a statement.

“Tourism arrivals remain at a fraction of normal levels, and recent increases in COVID19 cases in key source markets, including the US and the UK, will likely delay the recovery. In addition, a recent outbreak of COVID-19 in Barbados led to an ongoing lockdown that will reduce economic activity in the first quarter of this year.”

Despite the COVID-19 shock, van Selm added, Barbados was making some strides.

He said in this very challenging environment, the country continues to make good progress in implementing its ambitious and comprehensive economic reform program while expanding critical investments in social

protection.

“Key indicative targets for end-December under the EFF were met. International reserves, which reached a low of US$220 million (5-6 weeks of import coverage) at endMay 2018, increased to more than US$1.3 billion at the end of 2020,” van Selm said.

Discussions for the fifth review under the EFF are scheduled for May. In October 2018, the IMF agreed to a fouryear deal that will see it provide US$290 million for the BERT program, under the EFF. The government must meet specific targets in order for payments to be disbursed.

van Selm

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Talk Up!

TALKUP

Should Immunization Against Infectious Diseases Be Mandatory?

Janice - Hollywood, FL I grew up in an environment where immunization was mandatory and it was to our benefit. There are many deadly infectious diseases that, if left unchecked, can wreak unnecessary havoc on our daycare, school systems and society in general. As such, I believe that, in the interest of public safety, immunization should be required.

Evans - Sunrise, FL Personally, I do not like the idea of immunization. I believe in a more proactive, preventative approach like good nutrition, frequent hand washing, vitamins & supplements etc. Many of these vaccines may have side effects which might be unknown to us. I think the idea of Government requiring that people be immunized is an encroachment of our rights.

You can also look for us in Jamaica

Tresha - Tamarac, FL I understand that there may be many reasons why parents would be apprehensive about vaccinating their children, however, I believe that it should be mandatory especially for those entering the school system. The risk of contracting COVID-19 or any life threatening disease is far too great to not be protected.

Louis - Jamaica If requiring vaccinations is in the interest of individual and public safety, which it is, then it is crucial that people comply. Non-compliance could prove to have disastrous effects.

Bernisha – Miami, FL I think that people should have a choice about whether or not they should get a vaccine. These vaccines have side effects and half the time, we don't even know what those are. People have the right to choose what they put in their bodies.

Walter – Lauderhill, FL I'm a little nervous whenever the government requires me to do anything, but I agree the people should be vaccinated. There are a lot of diseases out there, so if the only way to keep our children and our population safe is to be vaccinated then I'm for it. Whether or not it should be required is another matter. I'm leaning towards giving people the choice.

Melissa – New York, NY This country is built on certain freedoms so I don't believe in requiring or forcing people to do anything.

People should have the right to choose. Vaccinations are important, a matter of public safety however, the government should concern themselves with providing people with accurate information and then trust us to make the right decisions for ourselves and our community.

Rena - Ft. Lauderdale, FL I agree that vaccinations should be required. There are so many germs and diseases out there. It is important to protect ourselves and our children especially in the school systems. Children should not be allowed to enroll in school unless they have received all the required vaccines.

Alton – West Park, FL I think that people should have a choice about what they put into their bodies. It is our right. Some of those vaccines have side effects and are not really healthy so I don't even advocate taking them. People should be allowed to focus on taking care of themselves and controlling their own health.

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A6 – NATIONAL WEEKLY | THURSDAY, FEB 11 – FEB 17, 2021 | CNWNETWORK.COM

editorial

Democrats Should use Their Advantage Wisely I

n sports, when one team has a distinct advantage over an opposing team, it's used aggressively to win the game. Last Sunday's Super Bowl is a prime example, with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers using their advantages to soundly defeat the Kansas City Chiefs.

The same can be said in politics. The ruling party—in this case, Democrats—usually holds a significant advantage, but this should be used wisely and fairly to benefit the people.

After years of trying to negotiate blockades by the Republican Party, more pointedly from a Republican-controlled U.S. Senate, the Democratic Party now controls the White House, the House of Representatives, and the Senate. Democrats now have a distinct advantage to pass legislation Republicans snubbed when they held power.

While President Joe Biden touted bipartisan cooperation during his presidential campaign, and in his inaugural address, offered to preside with a bipartisan approach, such bipartisanship cannot be realized if one party refuses to cooperate.

When he took office, Biden proposed a $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package—the American Rescue Plan—which includes, among other benefits, one-time relief payments of $1,400 each to qualified Americans; continued monthly unemployment benefits, and funds to assist states with implementation of COVID-19 vaccination plans.

While Republicans in the U.S. House and Senate seem increasingly less inclined to support the plan, arguing it's too large, the rules of both chambers allow Democrats to approve the related bill when it comes up for a vote on their own, through a legal process called Budget Reconciliation.

With millions of American still experiencing severe financial challenges as COVID-19 continue to rob jobs and incomes, there's urgency in passing the American Rescue Plan when it's presented to

both houses. If the Republicans continue to refuse to cooperate with the Biden administration, Democrats have the advantage and shouldn't hesitate to use it to approve the plan.

But, even with this advantage, there are indications of divisions within the Biden administration, particularly related to the individual relief payments. While Biden is adamant the payments will be $1,400, some argue payments shouldn't be made to individuals earning high incomes, for example, over $75,000 annually.

Without analysis, it seems unwarranted for the government to allocate relief funds to employed individuals, earning, say, $75,000 a year.

Undoubtedly, such a salary is very attractive and beneficial for individuals working in a low-tax state like Florida. But what really matters is the real income earned by the individual.

What of Real Income?

There is a vast difference between the real income—the income after inescapable expenses—of a single individual unburdened with the expenses of a family and another individual who is the head-ofhousehold of a family of four. Economic analysis suggests the single individual earning $75,000 even taking into account rent/mortgage, car payments, and taxes, averages an estimated annual real income of $40,000, while the person who heads the family of four has a real income average of about $15,000.

Bearing this in mind, it's difficult to implement a broad policy where individuals earning high salaries shouldn't receive relief funding. It seems a better policy is to take into consideration both income and family size, or the taxpayer-dependent ratio, in deciding who gets the relief funding and how much.

Some people argue the relief payments should be distributed by other agencies besides the IRS. But it's the IRS, based on tax returns submitted by

Americans, that is best equipped to determine the real income of individuals related to their dependents.

It can be agreed single individuals earning “higher-end” salaries, not having stated dependents, should receive lower relief payments than those with verifiable dependents.

The relief payments have two primary objectives. First, assisting people experiencing financial challenges because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Secondly, generating cash into the national economy to stimulate economic development.

Individuals with a high real income are less likely to spend their relief checks and are more likely to place them into saving accounts or pay down credit card bills. While maintaining saving accounts is a positive financial strategy for individuals and families, it doesn't help the economy recover from a downward spiral. The more money consumers spend on goods and services, the more cash goes to businesses—small, medium, and large—and the better it is for these businesses to expand employment, and ultimately the better are the chances for economic growth.

While it's incumbent on the Biden administration to take advantage of the Budget Reconciliation to approve the American Rescue Plan, it must act wisely to ensure the relief goes to Americans who need it the most.

If this plan is approved, it means the federal government, would have approved over $5 trillion to stimulate the U.S. economy within a year. This isn't money plucked from the air without repayment consequences. Even if the Federal Reserve cushions this huge bill by selling government treasury bills, ultimately the responsibility will fall on every American in some form of taxes. So, the government is urged to allocate the funds within the American Rescue Plan wisely.

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la section haitienne

Supreme Court Judge Among Several Arrested in Plot to Oust Haitian President A Supreme Court judge and a senior police official were among several people arrested in Haiti on February 7 for their role in an alleged plot to oust President Jovenel Moïse.

According to Prime Minister Joseph Jouthe, who described the plot as “operation catastrophe,” judge Hiviquel Dabrezil and inspector general for the national police force, Marie Louise Gauthier, were included in the 23 people detained. Some United States and Haitian currency, guns and ammunition were also seized during the operation in Habitation Petit Bois in the Tabarre neighborhood of the Port-au-Prince.

“Those people contacted the official in charge of security for the national palace who were to arrest the president and take him to Habitation Petit Bois and also facilitate the swearing-in of a new provisional president who would oversee the transition,” Jouthe said during a press conference.

The arrests were made after leading opposition figures this week announced a plan to replace Moïse with a new head of state.

The opposition members have accused the president of being authoritarian and presiding over economic chaos.

However, Moïse insisted during a national address on Sunday that he is “not a dictator.”

Moïse, who recently announced plans to hold a referendum on amending the Haitian constitution, claimed the aim of those arrested was to make an “attempt on my life.”

Earlier on February 7, anti-government demonstrators in Port-Au-Prince clashed with police, who responded with tear gas.

The opposition called on members of civil society to pick a new president from one of the sitting Supreme Court judges, instead of waiting for general elections scheduled for September.

Moïse, who has ruled by decree since midJanuary, has stated he would hand over power to the winner of the elections but would not step down until his term expires in 2022.

On Friday, the U.S. government called on the Haitian administration to hold talks to resolve the crisis and said an elected president should succeed President Moïse when his term ends on February 7, 2022.

The opposition parties in Haiti have declared 72-year-old judge Joseph Mecene Jean-Louis the country's interim leader, a day after an alleged coup plot was foiled, as they insist that President Jovenel Moïse must step down.

In a video message, Jean-Louis, the longest-serving judge in the Supreme Court, said he “accepted the choice of the opposition and civil society, to serve (his) country as interim president for the transition.”

Moise, who has ruled by decree since mid-January, has stated he would hand over power to the winner of the next elections but would not step down until his term expires in 2022. But the opposition has rejected his interpretation of the constitution and has insisted his term came to an end on Sunday.

“We are waiting for Jovenel Moise to leave the National Palace so that we can get on with installing Mr. Mecene Jean-Louis,” opposition figure Andre Michel told international news agency AFP. Former senator Youri Latortue said that the transition period was expected to last around 24 months.

“There's a two-year roadmap laid out, with the establishing of a national conference, the setting out of a new constitution and the holding of elections,” he said.

On Sunday, Prime Minister Joseph Jouthe said Supreme Court judge Hiviquel Dabrezil and inspector general for the national police force, Marie Louise Gauthier, were among 23 people who were detained for their role in an alleged plot to oust President Jovenel Moïse.

A8 – NATIONAL WEEKLY | THURSDAY, FEB 11 – FEB 17, 2021 | CNWNETWORK.COM A D V E R T I S E M E N T

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COMMUNITY

Miami-Dade Commission has Most-ever Black Commissioners For the first time since its founding in 1836, Miami-Dade County is represented by five Black county commissioners—Vice Chairman and District 1 Commissioner Oliver Gilbert III, District 2 Commissioner Jean Monestime, District 3 Commissioner Keon Hardemon, District 8 Commissioner Danielle Cohen Higgins, and District 9 Commissioner Kionne McGhee.

These five commissioners recently released a joint statement in recognizing the historic significance of having the highest number of Black commissioners ever seated at the same time on the Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners (BCC).

Cohen-Higgins is also the first Jamaican-American to be appointed to the MiamiDade BCC. Together, these esteemed commissioners are committed to representing the diverse and emerging needs of all of the county's residents, businesses, and visitors.

The Commissioners issued this joint statement: “We are proud to stand on the shoulders of those that came before us. We want every little boy and girl in our great community to know that they can achieve greatness and that their voices matter.

Together, we are black history.”

Walmart, Sam's Club and WinnDixie to Begin Administering COVID-19 Vaccines As the Biden administration works to increase COVID-19 vaccine distribution nationally, some of Florida's most popular retailers have joined the rollout.

As of this week, Winn-Dixie, Sam's Club and Walmart will be distributors of COVID-19 vaccines offered through the Federal Retail Pharmacy Program.

The retail chains join Publix, which has already begun administering the shots in some counties in Florida. CVS and Walgreens will also offer the shots in other states.

Cohen-Higgins

Miami-Dade Public Schools Increases Student Meals, Consolidates Distribution In keeping with its commitment to serving supporting students and families, Miami-Dade County Public Schools (M-DCPS) has made changes to its food distribution program that will both increase the amount of food students receive and be a time-saver for parents.

M-DCPS has consolidated its meal distributions for remote learners to once per week. Meals will be distributed on Thursdays, from 4 – 5:30 p.m., and will consist of bulk food items equaling 21 meals per student per pick up - seven breakfast, seven lunch and seven after-school meals.

Last November, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced it would extend the summer meals flexibility waiver, allowing M-DCPS to continue to serve free meals to all children throughout the entire 2020-2021 school year.

Parents/adults are required to provide proof of valid identification—student ID, report card, or progress report—that the meal is for a child 18 years old or younger, if the child does not accompany them to the distribution. To date, the District has provided over 16 million meals to students at no cost.

The vaccinations are expected to start late this week, and those eligible will be able to make an appointment online. Walmart has already introduced its online portal at walmart.com/COVIDvaccine, The COVID-19 response coordinator in the White House, Jeff Zients explained the initiative in detail on Tuesday.

“Starting on February 11, the federal government will deliver vaccines to select pharmacies across the country. This will provide more sites for people to get vaccinated in their communities,” Zients said.

The White House said the ultimate goal was to distribute the vaccines through more than 40,000 pharmacies nationwide. State and local guidelines will continues on B4 – COVID-19 Vaccines

B2 – NATIONAL WEEKLY | THURSDAY, FEB 11 – FEB 17, 2021 | CNWNETWORK.COM

REGGAE MONTH

FEATURE

From Revivalism to Reggae The Evolution of Jamaican Music and Dance

J

amaica is traditionally described as the “land of wood and water,” but that description would be more accurate, as the “the land of wood, water and music.”

Music, and dance, have been a part of Jamaica’s history dating back to slavery—serving as expressions of faith, hope, resistance, love, romance, and national pride. Over the years, Jamaican music has evolved from its traditional roots that included gospel, pocomania, quadrille, dinki mini, and Zion revival music. Influenced by the African culture from which enslaved people in Jamaica originated, the music throughout the early years featured heavy use of drums and wind instruments like bamboo flutes.

As the slaves grew emboldened to seek emancipation from the British colonial masters, and, influenced by visiting Christian evangelists, Revivalism grew into not just an appeal to a higher power, but into a movement characterized by passionate, pulsating revival music and dance.

The Revival ritual involves singing, drumming, dancing, handclapping, foot-stomping, and groaning along with the use of prayers to invite spiritual possession.

It also includes music and songs from orthodox religion. Revivalism still exists in Jamaica, found chiefly in the parishes of Kingston, St. Andrew, St. Catherine, St. Elizabeth and St. Ann. After emancipation in the 1860s, another genre of music evolved out of, and side by side with, Revivalism.

This genre was called mento—a fusion of African and British influences, which was played liberally during the plantation period providing much-needed entertainment and relief for mostly rural Jamaicans toiling under colonialism.

Rhythms of Mento Mento music placed strong emphasis on a rhythm created by the combination of drums, banjo guitars, flutes, and horns.

Mento is described as having a “performance mode with a rhythmic impulse, with a response type of singing that is African in origin, while the scale patterns, harmonic concepts, and verse and chorus song types are British.” But, when performed, it was quintessentially Jamaican. development of Jamaican music to be regarded as Jamaica’s MoTown.

The explosion of singers, musicians and recording studios in Jamaica in the late 50s produced a new Jamaican musical genre—ska.

The Birth of Ska Ska, a combined musical element of mento and calypso with some infusion of American jazz and rhythm and blues, featuring a strong bass line with upbeat rhythms from guitar, saxophone and even the Mento is regarded in some circles as the Jamaican equivalent to calypso. While some of the songs were aired regularly, others were banned as they were thought to be too sexually explicit. Mento was first recorded by artists such as Lord Flea and Lord Fly and ‘Sugar Belly’ Walker. In the 1960s and early 70s, one of Jamaica’s more popular dance bands, Carlos Malcolm and the Troubadours, featured mento heavily in its repertoire. Among the band’s greatest hits was ‘Rukumbine’ a distinctive mento song with sexual overtones.

In the 1950s and early 60s, the music in Jamaica took on a more populist form. Sound systems like Duke Reid and Coxones emerged

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and played to large enthusiastic audiences and dancers at venues like the Silver Slipper Club in Cross Roads and Chocomo Lawn on North Street in Kingston. But like music played on local radio Station RJR, and then JBC from 1959, it was mainly foreign in origin.

In the late 1950s, more young Jamaicans emerged as singers and musicians and began recording their music. Around this time, a young politician of Lebanese descent, Edward Seaga, who developed a keen interest in Jamaican music and artists, established a modern recording studio, which released early recordings of ‘blues’ artists like Higgs and Wilson and the Blues Busters, and a new, extremely popular band, Byron Lee and the Dragonaires. In 1962, Seaga sold the company to Byron Lee, who renamed it Dynamic Sounds. It would grow in influence to the

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piano, or keyboard.

In the early 1960s, ska was insanely popular and was the dominant music genre for Jamaicans of all classes. The music was definitely made for dancing.

Bands like Byron Lee and the Dragonaires, and The Skatalites, pulled large crowds wherever they played. One of the more popular clubs to dance the ska was the Glass Bucket Club on Half-Way-Tree Road in St. Andrew, where Jamaicans, including many overseas visitors, came to dance the ska; bending low, swinging their arms upwards and downwards, side by side, backward and forward, while lifting their legs bent at the knees alternatively to the beat.

Traditional ska bands like The Skatalites featured bass, drums, guitars, keyboards, horns with sax, trombone and trumpet being most common. Individual members of The Skatalites like Don Drummond on trombone and Jackie Mittoo on keyboards stood out as outstanding ska artists.

The lyrics of ska were often about the prevailing socio-economic commentaries of the less privileged in the society at the time. Popular songs of the ska era included Count Ossie’s “Oh Carolina,” Prince Buster’s “It’s Burke Law” and Desmond Keer and the Aces, “Shanty Town.”

The music and dance were so popular that two Jamaican dancers, Ronnie Nassralla, who died recently, and his partner Jeanette Phillips were invited to the 1964 World’s Fair in New York City, along with acclaimed Jamaican musicians, where they performed this new Jamaican dance to great acclaim.

Ska hits popularized by Jamaican artists like Prince Buster, Stranger Cole, Toots and the Maytals, Desmond Dekker, and Deryck Morgan got heavy airplay on Jamaican radio. When JBC-TV went live in 1963, some local entertainment programs featured ska bands and dancers.

Ska gradually gained popularity overseas, especially in Jamaican diaspora communities in the U.S., UK and Canada. It was the first real exposure of Jamaican music to the rest of the world.

Without a doubt, ska set a musical standard for genres that followed it such as rocksteady, reggae and dancehall. With ska, Jamaican music secured its niche, replacing American rock and roll and R&B as the main attraction at Jamaican clubs and house parties.

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NATIONAL WEEKLY | THURSDAY, FEB 11 – FEB 17, 2021 | CNWNETWORK.COM –

BLACK HISTORY MONTH

B3

FEATURE

African-American Cabinet Secretaries Throughout American History PART 2 Samuel Riley Pierce Jr. (September 8, 1922 – October 31, 2000) Attorney and politician Samuel Riley Pierce Jr. served under the Ronald Reagan administration as secretary of housing and urban development from January 23, 1981, until January 20, 1989.

educator—and was the founding dean of the Morehouse School of Medicine.

Educated at Booker T. Washington high school, where he graduated as a class salutatorian, Sullivan excelled at Morehouse College, graduating magna cum laude in 1954. Four years later, he earned his medical degree, cum

American Sons and Daughters—a fraternal society that managed the Afro-American Hospital, which served Black people in the state from the 1920s to the 1970s.

Espy's interest and activism in politics were already in place when he attended Howard University, where he held several elective posts.

In 1978, he graduated from the Santa Clara University School of Law with a Juris Doctor degree.

Ronald Harmon Brown (August 1, 1941 – April 3, 1996)

Pierce

He was born in Glen Cove, NY in 1922 and graduated from Cornell University in 1989 with a law degree.

In 1952 he earned his master's of law degree from New York University School of Law. A lifelong Republican, Pierce served in the United States Army's Criminal Investigation Division during World War II and first entered government during the Eisenhower presidency.

In 1955, Pierce served as an assistant to the undersecretary of labor and was appointed as a New York City judge by Governor Nelson Rockefeller. A year later, he was named a partner at the law firm of Battle Fowler, becoming the first African-American partner of a major firm in New York.

Pierce is known for arguing before the U.S. Supreme Court on behalf of civil rights icon Martin Luther King Jr. and the New York Times. This case, the New York Times v. Sullivan, was considered a very important First Amendment case.

When he ascended to the HUD secretary in 1981, Pierce was the sole African-American cabinet member in Reagan's administration and the only cabinet member to serve in both of Reagan's terms.

During President Clinton's first term in office, he selected Ronald Harmon Brown to serve as secretary of commerce. Before he was elevated to this position, he served as chairman of the Democratic National Committee (DNC), becoming the first African American to hold these posts. Brown lost his life, along with 34 others, in a 1996 plane crash in Croatia.

Brown was born to a middlelaude, from Boston University School of Medicine.

Sullivan, who is certified in internal medicine and hematology, became co-director of hematology at Boston University Medical Center, and soon after, founded the Boston University Hematology Service at Boston City Hospital. Sullivan also served as an assistant professor of medicine, associate professor of medicine, and professor of medicine at Boston University.

Alphonso Michael Espy (born November 30, 1953) Rising to the level of U.S. secretary of agriculture, under President Clinton, Alphonso Michael Espy, who was born in Yazoo City Mississippi, has the distinction of being the first African American and the first person from the Deep South to hold the post. His tenure lasted for a year.

Espy, who is a Democrat, had served as a congressman for Mississippi's 2nd congressional district from 1987 to 1993.

Espy's grandfather, Thomas J. Huddleston Sr., founded the Afro-

Brown

class family in Washington, D.C., and was raised in Harlem, New York. He attended Middlebury College in Vermont, where he made history as the first African-American member of the Sigma Phi Epsilon collegiate fraternity.

He joined the National Urban League in 1967 after serving in the U.S. Army for five years. He attended law school at St. John's Univerity and graduated in 1970 with a law degree.

Six years later, Brown was appointed deputy executive director

Brown

Jesse Brown (March 27, 1944 – August 15, 2002)

Another African American to serve in the Clinton administration was Jesse Brown—a veteran of the United States Marine Corps. He served as secretary of Veterans Affairs from 1993 to 1997 and was the first African American to do so.

A Detroit, Michigan native, Jesse Brown was raised in Chicago, Illinois and attended City Colleges of Chicago, where he graduated with honors.

In 1963, Brown enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps, reaching the rank of Corporal. While serving in the Vietnam War he suffered a serious injury in 1965 near Da Nang, which left his right arm partly paralyzed.

Brown returned to Chicago and in 1967 he turned his attention to the Disabled American Veterans (DAV), where he served in several positions.

There, he became the first AfricanAmerican executive director of the organization from 1988 to 1993, then he was tapped by President Clinton for the cabinet position.

Hazel Reid O'Leary (born May 17, 1937)

Louis Wade Sullivan (born November 3, 1933) Sullivan, an Atlanta native, was the secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under President George H. W. Bush's administration. Sullivan wore many hats—active health policy leader, minority health advocate, author, physician, and

Sullivan

Espy

for programs and governmental affairs of the National Urban League, and in 1979, served as a deputy campaign manager in Senator Edward M. Kennedy's presidential campaign. Brown also worked as campaign director in Rev. Jesse Jackson's presidential campaign and in 1988.

The next year, he was elected chairman of the DNC and played a key role in running a successful 1992 Democratic National Convention and helping Bill Clinton succeed in his 1992 presidential bid.

O’Leary

O'Leary has the distinction of being the first woman and first African American to hold the position of U.S. secretary of energy.

She was elevated to the post under President Bill Clinton and served from 1993 to 1997.

Born in Newport News, Virginia, O'Leary, attended a segregated school in her early years. Later, she moved to New Jersey, where she attended an integrated school, Arts High School. In 1966, she graduated with a law degree from Rutger's Law School and later worked as a career

prosecutor in organized crime cases in New Jersey.

During her history-making tenure as secretary of energy, O'Leary was praised for declassifying old Department of Energy documents, which include exposing Cold War-era records showing that the U.S. conducted secret testing on the effects of radiation on unsuspecting American citizens.

O'Leary also served as president of Fisk University, a historically Black college, and her alma mater, from 2004 to 2013.

Alexis Margaret Herman (born July 16, 1947)

Herman

Herman served as the 23rd and first African-American secretary of labor, under President Bill Clinton.

Prior to serving as secretary, she was assistant to the president and director of the White House Office of Public Engagement.

Herman grew up in Mobile, Alabama. After college, she worked to improve employment opportunities for Black laborers and women. She then joined the administration of President Jimmy Carter, working as director of the Labor Department's Women's Bureau. She became active in the Democratic Party, working in the campaigns of Jesse Jackson and then serving as chief of staff for the Democratic National Committee under Ronald H. Brown.

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B4 – NATIONAL WEEKLY | THURSDAY, FEB 11 – FEB 17, 2021 | CNWNETWORK.COM

CONTINUATIONS Ganja Shortage

from A1

Reports out of the island confirm that the cannabis industry is taking a shellacking from a growing demand for the plant, coupled with slower cultivation. Heavy rains and a subsequent prolonged drought are being blamed for the decline in cultivation and experts are saying this is the worst case they have seen.

Triston Thompson, the chief opportunity explorer at cannabis consulting firm Tacaya Group, says more people on the island are now interested in “using cannabis for medicinal and therapeutic purposes.”

Jamaica decriminalized small amounts of marijuana in 2015. But the trading of the plant is still illegal on the island. In 2019, the Cannabis Licensing Authority (CLA) promised to establish a transitional permit so small farmers could enter the cannabis industry. But this has not yet happened and Thompson says many farmers have given up farming the plant.

Cultural Embarrassment Thompson has called this shortage “a cultural embarrassment” but Scheril Murray Powell, a cannabis, agricultural, and dietary supplement attorney, has a slightly different perspective.

The attorney, who is also the chief marketing officer of Cannabiziac.com, believes that “The true cultural embarrassment is the delay of the inclusion of the small farmers and Rastafarian community that has lent Jamaica the cultural identity of being associated with high-quality cannabis.”

Murray Powell, who brings a holistic perspective to the business of cannabis, thinks, in addition to other natural factors such as seasonality and biodiversity, there are legal and governmental issues that play a role in the current shortage.

“Jamaica needs a robust system of expunction, and amnesty provisions need to be created to integrate expert ganja farmers—who have had detrimental seizures of product, unjust arrests, and wrongful incarcerations due to the worldwide war on drugs—into the cannabis industry. This should include education on the legal cannabis industry for those formerly incarcerated,” said Murray Powell.

The government, she believes, should

Powell

provide legal support for farmers to help prevent predatory contracts and to “protect their intellectual property with regards to growing techniques and proprietary genetic material.” Her suggestion is pairing farmers with practicing attorneys or other legal teams.

Despite the current situation, attorney Murray Powell believes the government is taking a step in the right direction to remove the economic barriers for small farmers based on its plan to eliminate some of the costly requirements such as security. However, its plans to incorporate small farmers are taking too to be activated.

Jamaica, even before this shortage, was lagging way behind in the cannabis industry, and many experts believe with both its reputation and ability to produce high-quality marijuana, the country should have been further ahead by now. It might be a matter of how the island is approaching the industry.

“Historically, there has been a punitive approach to the industry that has its roots in the stigma from the period of prohibition. The vigor that was used to suppress and oppress industry participants need to be put towards

Canada Travel Ban welcomes between 175,000 and 200,000 Canadians.

Minister Bartlett said that he is hoping that Canada will be able to relax its measures soon to avoid a complete fallout.

Canadian-Jamaicans, who will be unable to travel to the island anytime soon, have also lamented the ban.

“It doesn’t make sense to me and I really do think it’s unfair,” said Troy Rose, a Canadian-Jamaican living in Toronto, in an interview with CNW Network.

“It’s a year later and they are just putting in this ban. This should’ve been done from the beginning of the pandemic for countries all over. Now, because of the ban, a lot of people who work with these airlines are gonna be getting laid off.”

His sentiments were echoed by a member of the Global Jamaica Diaspora Council, Bishop Ransford Jones, who referred to the new move by Prime Minister Trudeau as “disappointing.”

Bishop Jones said he was part of a larger

Canadian-Jamaican group that wrote to Trudeau expressing their disapproval of the ban.

“We believe that this action that he took will have a negative impact on the Caribbean

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19 as the United States donated masks, gloves, hazmat suits and other personal protection equipment to help keep the Grenadian people safe,” he said.

“We also partnered with the Royal Grenada Police Force Coast Guard to upgrade its nearshore interceptor vessels as part of our work together to improve security for citizens of Grenada and the region,” Blinken added.

“The United States values the strong relationship between our two countries and wishes the citizens of Grenada a happy Independence Day,” he continued.

The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) also congratulated Grenada on its independence anniversary, praising its “great example of resilience.”

CARICOM Secretary-General Ambassador Irwin LaRocque, in a congratulatory message to Prime Minister Dr. Keith Mitchell, said Grenada has “made great strides, and its citizens have made their mark globally in academia, diplomacy and sport, to name a few.”

La Roque said the theme for this year's celebration, “Rebuilding Together a safer, More Resilient Nation in these Challenging Times,” resonates throughout the community during this current period.

“The people of Grenada have been a great example of resilience throughout the period of nationhood, demonstrating time and again a resolve to surmount whatever challenges stood in the way of developing the country,” the CARICOM Secretary-General said.

He also lauded Grenada for being a strong and dedicated advocate of regional integration.

“The community has benefitted significantly from your enlightened contribution in the field of Science and Technology (including Information and Communications), the country's portfolio in the Quasi-Cabinet of the Heads of Government,” La Roque said.

“The new reality brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic has emphasized the need for the use of ICT (Information Communications Technology) in its efforts at recovery,” he added while reaffirming the community's commitment to support[ing] Grenada's efforts at achieving sustainable development.

Grenada became an independent nation on February 7, 1974.

from A1

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growing the industry with the same strength.”

Attorney Murray Powell believes that “The small farmers and Rastafarian community should have been the foundation for the ganja forecasting model, especially (but not limited to) the local market. The growth strategy should not be created by each license holder in a silo. There needs to be a national industry forecasting model and incentives to drive the industry towards those growth objectives."

While the CLA might be right about not having a shortage in the regulated industry, for many farmers, dispensers, and activists, it’s a different story.

"It's a real supply and demand problem and it's been going on for years, but now because of the pandemic, it just made everything worse because people aren't farming as much and the demand is still the same," said Oshane W, a resident of Portmore, Jamaica. He owns a small weed edibles business and has to source his raw materials from street vendors.

Oshane pointed out that dispensaries on the island that are licensed to sell the plant are now doing so at an average cost of USD $15 per gram (roughly JMD $2000). The annual license fee to run a dispensary in Jamaica is USD $2,500, and the license to transport the plant is USD $10,000, which most local farmers and small vendors cannot afford.

So can Jamaica recover from this decline and capitalize on its reputation for producing the highest-grade marijuana? Murray Powell certainly thinks so, but she believes the approach has to include the people responsible for the reputation in the first place, as well as incorporating the expertise of scientists and researchers.

“I think that Jamaica's reputation for producing the highest-grade marijuana is owed to small farmers and the Rastafarian community. When they elevate those communities, they will be able to restore and maximize results from that reputation. The quality achievement is a forever moving target which is why we need to incorporate our world-class Jamaican Universities and researchers so that as laboratories get more sophisticated, we are preparing the next generation of experts with superior standards.”

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economy and I think that he should rescind it, or at least make the ban for everyone. People are still coming from Europe or Brazil and bringing in the virus,” Bishop Jones said.

Jones proposes that the ban should be modified over time to allow people, especially Caribbean nationals, to travel back and forth to the island to do business and visit their loved ones. He said that many Caribbean islands, including Jamaica, have been successful in managing the COVID-19 pandemic and would benefit from relaxed travel protocols from major countries like Canada.

The Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association states that 47 percent of hotels on the island are still closed, despite the industry reopening in June 2020. The hotels that are open have reported between 10 to 20 percent occupancy levels.

The association says that new travel restrictions will only further decrease tourism revenue and keep thousands of tourism workers unemployed.

Vaccines

from B1

determine who is eligible to get a shot at their neighborhood pharmacy. Availability will be limited at first.

Local leaders in Florida, including Broward Mayor Steve Geller, have welcomed the move. But Geller wants more vaccination done in the large Black and Latin communities in the county. He says for this to happen, the county needs way more doses than what is currently being given.

“While the 16 percent increase that the Biden Administration has promised is certainly welcome, it is certainly not enough,” he said.

As more seniors get the vaccine, Caribbean-American leaders in South Florida like Broward Schools Superintendent Robert Runcie and Commissioner Danielle CohenHiggins have called for other residents—teachers, school staff, and tourism workers, to be prioritized for the next round of vaccines.

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C1

ENTERTAINMENT Bob Marley's 76th Birthday Celebrated Virtually The traditional birthday celebration for reggae legend Bob Marley took a new format this year for his 76th birthday on February 6.

Koffee, Buju, Skip Marley Land NAACP Award Nominations Reggae artists Skip Marley, Buju Banton and Koffee are among musicians nominated for the 2021 NAACP Image Awards.

Skip Marley's debut EP, Higher Price earned him a nomination in the Outstanding New Artist category. He is nominated alongside Chika, Doja Cat, D Smoke, and Giveon. The EP is also nominated in the 'Best Reggae Album' category for the 2021 Grammy

Awards, and the leading single of the project, “Slow Down” featuring R&B singer H.E.R. is also nominated for a Grammy award.

Both Banton and Koffee were nominated in the same category for Outstanding International Song.

Buju's single Blessed from his comeback album Upside Down 2020 will go up against Koffee's summer anthem “Lockdown.”

The pair also received a nomination for the remix of “Pressure,” a single from Koffee which features Buju Banton. Nigerian singers Davido and Tiwa Savage were also nominated in the category.

The 52nd NAACP Image Awards will be simulcast on March 27 at 8 p.m. ET across Viacom CBS Networks, which includes BET, CBS, MTV, VH1, MTV2, BET Her and LOGO.

Dancehall Star Yanique 'Curvy Diva' Barrett Releases First Single for 2021 Dancehall star Yanique 'Curvy Diva' Barrett has released her first single from her upcoming “Underestimated” EP called Eleganza Remix, a collaboration with trending Nigerian-based Afrobeat artist Solid Star.

The single is a remake of his original track released more than a year ago. The remix adds the saucy and sultry sound of Yanique's vocals to his masculine melody and definitely showcases another dimension of her artiste ability.

“The EP will showcase my ability to tap into different flows and sounds that my fans have never heard before and that's why it's called Underestimated,” Yanique shared.

Currently balancing her artiste career with her entrepreneurial endeavors, Yanique is set to officially launch her Dining With Curvy The Restaurant in Kingston Jamaica on Valentine's Day, Sunday, February 14, 2021.

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Eleganza Remix can now be streamed on the artiste's Vevo Channel and is now available for digital purchase in all stores.

The Underestimated EP will have seven tracks with a mix of Afrobeat, Dancehall, R&B, Reggae and Trap sound. Curvy Diva is looking at releasing the entire project this April.

The celebrations included a global virtual birthday event hosted by the Bob Marley Museum, a Tribute Livestream by Stephen Marley, a limited edition release of Songs of Freedom: The Island Years, and a day of specialty programming on SiriusXM's new Bob Marley's Tuff Gong Radio channel.

The global virtual hosted by the Bob Marley Foundation was in lieu of the live annual birthday celebration that usually occurs at the Bob Marley Museum every year.

Inspired by Marley's most militant album, the Marley family, friends, and fans worldwide celebrated his birth anniversary under the theme, 'SURVIVAL'. The twelvehour celebration mirrored the usual festivities beginning at 7 a.m. ET, including messages from the family, a Miami performance mash-up featuring the Marley brothers and a Survival Cypher performance featuring Skip Marley, Jo Mersa, Tifa, Kabaka Pyramid, Agent Sasco, and Tanya Stephens, More Family Time with Ziggy Marley, Memorial Tributes for Toots Hibbert and Betty Wright, performances from Papa Michigan, Richie Spice, and Beenie Man. It has been 40 years since Jamaica and the world said their final goodbye to the “king of reggae,” but nonetheless Marley is still regarded as the most prolific, most successful and most influential reggae musician of all time.

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C3

SPORTS HORSE RACING

CRICKET

Barbados Trainer Saffie Joseph Takes Aim at Lead with Double at Gulfstream Park Gifted Barbadian trainer Saffie Joseph took aim at the lead at Gulfstream Park after winning twice on the February 5 10-race card.

The 32-year-old won with favorite Foxxy Belle in race four and with 3-5 choice Berhanu, to move to 32 wins for the winter season and ease within two of leader Todd Pletcher.

Michael Maker lies five back in third on 26 with Antonio in fourth on 21, in the fourmonth campaign which wraps on March 28.

Joseph opened his account in a US$31 000 claiming event when jockey Tyler Gaffalione guided Foxxy Belle, a six-year-old chestnut mare, to a 1-¾ length victory over the four-year-old and upward fillies and mares.

Joseph

In a five-furlong dash, Gaffalione raced Foxxy Belle just off the pace set by the dueling Coin the Phrase and Precocious Peach, before challenging at the top of the stretch and getting by to reach the wire in a time of 56.66 seconds.

Joseph was in winner's row again in a $19 000 maiden claiming as jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. took three-year-old gelding Berhanu to a handsome 2-¾ length win over the three-year-old maidens.

Going 5-½ furlongs, Ortiz stalked the pace set by favorite Beeboo before drawing Berhanu level at the five-sixteenth and getting the better of the final yards to win in a time of one minute, 05.90 seconds.

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Reid

Former Windies Pacer Moseley Killed in Accident Former West Indies fast bowler and coach Ezra Moseley died in Barbados early Saturday following a vehicular accident.

Local reports say the 63-year-old Barbadian was pronounced dead at the scene after the bicycle he was riding collided with an SUV, at the junction of the ABC Highway and Providence Road in the southern parish of Christ Church.

A nippy right-arm seamer, Moseley featured in two Tests for West Indies in 1990 claiming six wickets and went on to also play nine One-Day

Internationals, finishing with seven scalps.

Overall, Moseley claimed 279 wickets from 79 matches in a first-class career that involved stints with English county Glamorgan.

A member of the controversial rebel tour to South Africa in 1983, Moseley also turned out for Eastern Province and Northern Transvaal in South Africa.

Since his retirement, Moseley served as a coach with the West Indies women's side and at the St Michael School here which produced current Test captain and world-rated allrounder Jason Holder.

Moseley

Windies Scores Surprise Test Victory Over Bangladesh, But Coach Not Relaxing Windies coach Phil Simmons has emphasized celebrations over the Windies victory in the first of two Test matches in Bangladesh is short-lived, as he focuses on the team producing another high-quality performance in the second Test beginning on February 11.

Last Sunday, an under-strength West Indies team pulled off a historic final-day run chase in Chattogram, Bangladesh overhauling an improbable 395 to upset Bangladesh by three wickets and take a 1-0 lead in the twoTest series.

With just five days between the two test matches, Simmons said there was little time to savor the recent accomplishment.

“My emotions will die again after we have a little bit of a celebration because I believe we have to celebrate every win, whether you're on top of the table or the bottom,” he pointed out.

“We have five days to play and one of the things that we talked about earlier on is making sure we get to the fifth day and we got to the fifth day and we had a chance [in this Test].

“So we're looking at getting to the fifth day in the next Test with a chance of winning that Test match, so we're looking forward to that.”

Simmons, in his second stint with the West Indies following his appointment in 2019, said too many times in the past, the Windies scored significant wins only to follow up with sub-par performances.

The head coach said the team needed consistency.

“That's what we're searching for right now because I'm tired of these one wins here, one win there. We need to continue with the way we have prepared, we need to improve on

some things and continue with that intensity in the way we have prepared and make sure we don't go backwards again.”

In the first Test, West Indies watched as Bangladesh piled up 430 in their first innings, and then conceded a 171-run lead after being dismissed 259 in reply.

The Caribbean side bowled well to restrict Bangladesh to 223 for eight declared in their second inning, before producing an excellent batting performance when they returned to bat.

Simmons said despite the result, there were improvements to be made in every department.

“Every time you win it's more important that you look at ways to improve and that's the way we're going to look at it,” he explained.

Scores: Bangladesh: 430 (Mehidy Hasan Miraz 103, Shakib-al-Hasan 68, Shadman Islam 59, Musfiqur Rahim 38, Liton Das 38, Mominul Haque 26, Najmul Hossain 25; Jomel Warrican 4-133, Rahkeem Cornwall 2-114) and 223 for eight decl. (Mominul Haque 115, Liton Das 69; Jomel Warrican 3-57, Rahkeem Cornwall 3-81) West Indies: 259 (Kraigg Brathwaite 76, Jermaine Blackwood 68, Joshua Da Silva 42, Kyle Mayers 40; Mehidy Hasan Miraz 4-58, Mustafizur Rahman 2-46) and 395 for seven (Kyle Mayers 210 not out, Nkrumah Bonner 86, John Campbell 23; Mehidy Hasan Miraz 4-113, Taijul Islam 2-91)

C4 – NATIONAL WEEKLY | THURSDAY, FEB 11 – FEB 17, 2021 | CNWNETWORK.COM A D V E R T I S E M E N T