Caribbean National Weekly January 20, 2022

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CNWEEKLYNEWS.COM

THURSDAY JANUARY 20, 2022

TOP STORIES Shenseea, Megan Thee Stallion dropping New Single, Lick

COOL

Jamaica-born Winsome Sears Sworn In As Virgina’s First Female Lt. Gov.

RUNNINGS!

Jamaica Makes 2nd Arrest in Assassination of Haitian President

ANOTHER FIRST FOR JAMAICA’S BOBSLED TEAM

For the first time in Olympic history, Jamaica has qualified for three bobsled events and may also qualify for a fourth at the Winter Games in China. It has been 24 years since the country made its historic debut in the four-man event, which at the time drew worldwide attention and the creation of the popular movie, Cool Runnings.

In addition to the four-man team, the country also qualified for two others: the twoman and women’s monobob. The results were announced on Monday, after the qualifying period ended last Sunday.

Based on their international results this season, Jamaica secured the final spot in the 28team field for the Beijing Olympics, slated for next month. The team of Shanwayne Stephens (pilot), Rolando Reid, Ashley Watson, and

Matthew Wekpe (push athletes) finished fifth on the lower-level North American Cup. They will compete against powerhouses Germany, Canada, Austria, USA and Switzerland.

Jamaica first made its bobsled debut at the 1988 Calgary Winter Games, with Devon Harris, Dudley Stokes, Michael White, Freddy Powell, and last-minute replacement Chris Stokes. Although the team failed to finish, their story inspired the 1993 Disney film, “Cool continues on B4 – Cool Runnings

BARBADOS

Another 30-0 Landslide Victory for Mia Mottley in Barbados Election Prime Minister Mia Mottley and her Barbados Labor Party (BLP) has won another convincing landslide victory at the polls, taking all 30 seats in parliament for a second consecutive time in a general election, according to preliminary results.

I thank, you, you the people of Barbados for accepting us at our word that if we do not fix our problems starting from tomorrow, we will not be able to guaran tee safety to our people in the next 10 to 15 years,” – Moley

US Navy seizes US$22 million in drugs in Caribbean Sea The GRAMMYS Has A New Date And Location Popcaan Gives Historic Gambian Performance

Fresh from her leadership of moving Barbados into the republican system of government in December, the 56-year-old got a resounding vote of confidence from Barbadians. The snap election was announced December 27th almost 18 months before it was constitutionally due and was a surprise to the nation and Mottley’s political opponents.

In her victory speech, the first woman prime minister of the Eastern Caribbean Island, expressed her gratitude to the nation for the opportunity to start 2022 on a “fresh guard.” “I thank, you, you the people of Barbados for accepting us at our word that if we do not fix our problems starting from tomorrow, we will not be able to guarantee safety to continues on B4 – Landslide Victory

Jamaica’s Bobsled Team Qualies for Olympics for the rst time in over 20 years US lists several Caribbean nations among highest risk travel category

WHAT’S INSIDE NEWSMAKER

CARIBBEAN

STRICTLY LEGAL

ENTERTAINMENT

A Regional Man: CARICOM Mourns the Loss of James Moss-Solomon A3

US Navy seizes $22M in drugs in Caribbean Sea A4

US Expands Interview Waivers for Certain Nonimmigrant Caribbean Visa Applicants B1

Shenseea Collabs with Megan Thee Stallion on new Single, Lick B3

A2 – NATIONAL WEEKLY | THURSDAY, JAN 20 – JAN 26, 2022 | CNWNETWORK.COM

PAGE A2 Popular Jamaican South Florida DJ Andre Chue Sang, known widely as King Waggy Tee holds a proclama on from the City of Miramar which declares January 18 as King Waggy Tee Day. – Contributed

Jamaica's Consul General Oliver Mair (le ) shares a sample of Blue Mountain coffee with newly elected Florida State Representa ve for District 94, Jamaican-American Daryl Campbell, during his recent visit to the Consulate in Miami.

Miramar Commissioner Alexandra P. Davis (le ) joins her cousin, Commissioner Joy B. Smith of West Park in celebra ng her birthday at Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurant in Pembroke Pines on January 16, 2022. – Contributed

Former Broward County Commissioner for District 9, Dale Holness (le ) takes a photo with Torey Alston (center), who was sworn in as Commissioner for District 9 last week. Also pictured is Mayor of Fort Lauderdale, Dean J. Trantalis. – Contributed

Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness (second le ), with newly appointed Ministers and State Minister, following a virtual swearing-in ceremony on Tuesday (January 11). They are (from le ) Minister without Por olio in the Office of the Prime Minister, Hon. Floyd Green; Former A orney-General and now Minister of the newly created Ministry of Legal and Cons tu onal Affairs, Hon. Marlene Malahoo Forte; and Minister of State in the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Franklin Wi er. Photo: Yhomo Hutchinson

Local elected officials from Broward & Miami mee ng with State Legislators on behalf of their cons tuents.

(L-R) Miami-Dade County Commissioner Oliver Gilbert, Esq., Desorae GilesSmith, Lauderhill City Manager, Commissioner Denise D. Grant, City of Lauderhill, Broward County State A orney Harold Pryor, Senator elect Dr. Rosalind Osgood, Lobbyist Yolanda Cash-Jackson, Esq., Vice Mayor Melissa P. Dunn, Lauderhill, Vice Mayor Joshua Simmons, Coral Springs, Broward County Public Defender, Gordon Weekes, Commissioner Lawrence Mar n, Lauderhill – Contributed

Former DJ, Benjamin Alexander poses with the Jamaican flag a er making Olympic history as Jamaica's first ever compe tor in Alpine skiing at the Winter Olympics, which will take place next month. – Contributed

Alex Sanchez, Esq. President/CEO of Florida Bankers Associa on share lens with Commissioner Denise D. Grant of Lauderhill. The commissioner was invited to speak to 250 bankers gathered in Tallahassee to discuss banking and economic issues with Florida Legislators on January 18. – Contributed

TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE ABOUT MARIJUANA.

CNWNETWORK.COM | NATIONAL WEEKLY | THURSDAY, JAN 20 – JAN 26, 2022 –

A3

NEWSMAKER

A Regional Man CARICOM Mourns the loss of James Moss-Solomon

By Elizabeth Morgan

O

n January 4, Jamaica and the region lost, James Moss-Solomon, a strong advocate for the engagement and strengthening of the regional private sector in the work of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and especially in the building of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME).

He was interested in promoting intra- and extra-regional trade in goods and services. He stepped up to the wicket and endeavoured to play a solid innings. He was not afraid to admit that foreign trade policy was not his area of expertise, but recognized its importance, and demonstrated a willingness to learn. He brought his practical experience in business to the table.

James (Jimmy) Moss-Solomon (19512022) was the son of James Seivwright MossSolomon (1895-1977), a joint founding manager of Grace Kennedy and Company established on February 14, 1922. He attended Jamaica College and McMaster University in Canada, joining Grace Kennedy in 1971 where he remained for 35 years.

Outside of sugar and rum, GraceKennedy is one of the oldest and largest locally owned companies in Jamaica and the region, expanding from goods only into services and developing its brand. The company operates in Jamaica, the CARICOM region, United States, Canada, United Kingdom (UK), the European Union (EU), and even venturing into Africa.

Grace Kennedy will mark its 100th anniversary this year.

James Moss-Solomon recognized that for a company like GraceKennedy, it was necessary to be aware of policy developments in regional trade, and also in foreign trade policy generally, as the company was operating in international markets and had to comply with international trade rules and regulations. He also recognized

The region needs more people from the private sector, like James Moss-Solomon, who are willing to be actively engaged in strengthening the regional private sector and in partnering with the governments in promoting production and exports into the regional and external markets to generate economic growth. that strong private sector bodies were needed at both the national and regional levels to propel the growth agenda.

Moss-Solomon was clearly committed to GraceKennedy, Jamaica and the CARICOM region. Apart from his involvement in private sector organizations in Jamaica, he was engaged in the effort to revitalize the regional private sector, through the then umbrella organization, the Caribbean Association of Industry and Commerce (CAIC). The CAIC traces its origins to 1955. The Association was involved in the founding of the Caribbean Free

Trade Association (CARIFTA) in the 1960s and CARICOM in 1973, but was losing its vigour and vitality.

Recognizing the benefits of a strong regional umbrella private sector organization, Moss-Solomon took on the presidency of the CAIC between 2004-2009. After demitting office, he remained a Special Advisor.

He worked with CARICOM and the ACP Caribbean Forum (CARIFORUM) through Caribbean-Export.

In 2008, while CAIC President, he headed a Task Force of the CARICOM Agricultural Investment Forum and urged the private sector to step up to the plate and get involved in partnering with government. In 2010, he told CARICOM leaders to act decisively on matters before them.

Generally, he encouraged all groups within CARICOM to unite, acting to make progress, or they would just be paying lip service to regional trade and integration, getting nowhere.

He felt that policies should support a growth agenda and Caribbean entrepreneurs should be among inventors and innovators. He encouraged regional branding. In trade

negotiations, James Moss-Solomon was a voluntary private sector advisor to the Caribbean Regional Negotiating Machinery (CRNM) for the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) and CARIFORUM/EU Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) negotiations.

Through Caribbean-Export, he supported establishing a Caribbean Business Council, which he thought was necessary.

The Caribbean Business Council has not materialized after years in gestation. The CAIC, though still existing, seems weaker and not the strong regional umbrella organization he had envisaged, given its history.

The region needs more people from the private sector, like James Moss-Solomon, who are willing to be actively engaged in strengthening the regional private sector and in partnering with the governments in promoting production and exports into the regional and external markets to generate economic growth.

The region also needs people in the private sector who understand foreign trade policy issues. Building back better must have an actively engaged and knowledgeable private sector.

Interestingly, I read an article in the Sunday Observer (January 16, 2022), in which two members of the Jamaican business community are calling for building an export-oriented economy, focusing on export-led growth, for both goods and services.

I can hear someone like Jimmy MossSolomon saying, 'Dah! This has been on the table for a long time, numerous proposals, including from Stanford Professor Emeritus Donald Harris (1997 Towards Export-led Growth) and UWI Professor Densil Williams – it is time for the national/regional private sectors and governments to act jointly and stop paying lip service'. James Moss-Solomon, walk good. Your efforts are appreciated as the many tributes have shown.

A4 – NATIONAL WEEKLY | THURSDAY, JAN 20 – JAN 26, 2022 | CNWNETWORK.COM

CARIBBEAN

US lists Several Caribbean Countries Among Highest Risk Travel Category The British Virgin Islands had the biggest move upward in the list, moving from Level 1 or “low” risk last week, while Grenada moved from the Level 2 or “moderate” risk category it had last week.

The CDC places a destination at Level 4 when more than 500 cases per 100,000 residents are registered in the past 28 days. The CDC advises travellers to avoid travel to Level 4 countries.

Jamaica, Cuba, Saba, Saint Barthelemy and Sint Eustatius are the Caribbean countries in the Level 3 category, which applies to destinations that have had between 100 and 500 cases per 100,000 residents in the past 28 days.

The United States Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has placed several Caribbean countries on its highest risk travel category for COVID-19 as countries continue to grapple with the latest wave of infections and deaths linked to the Omicron variant of the virus.

The CDC named The Bahamas, Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands, Grenada, Guyana, St. Kitts-Nevis, St. Lucia, Suriname as well as the Turks and Caicos Islands on the Level 4 category.

Dominica says no Lockdown in the Near Future The Dominica government says it does not anticipate having to lock down the island in the foreseeable future to deal with a new wave of COVID-19 infections and has also indicated that it is holding discussions with various stakeholders on whether the country should stage its annual Carnival celebrations in March.

Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit, speaking on his weekly television programme on Sunday night, told viewers that it was important for members of the population to follow the various health protocols, including wearing of masks and social distancing in order to curb the spread of the virus. continues on B4 – No Lockdown

CDC Director Rochelle Walensky

Saba, Saint Barthelemy and Sint Eustatius moved up from Level 1, while Jamaica and Cuba moved from a Level 2 category joining almost 60 destinations at Level 3.

Destinations carrying the “Level 2: Covid19 Moderate” designation have seen 50 to 99 Covid-19 cases per 100,000 residents in the past 28 days. Montserrat is the only Caribbean country in that category. It had been described as a Level I country last week.

To be in “Level 1: Covid-19 Low,” a destination must have fewer than 50 new cases per 100,000 residents over the past 28 days.

US Navy seizes US$22 million in drugs in Caribbean Sea Cocaine valued at an estimated US$22 million was last week seized by the Miamibased United States Naval Forces South Command during an operation in the Caribbean Sea. Five suspected drug traffickers were also detained.

A statement from the US Navy said during the exercise the combat ship USS Milwaukee (LCS 5) assisted by the US Coast Guard (USCG) Law Enforcement Detachment (LEDET) 402 intercepted the drug smuggling go-fast vessel (GFV).

It says the LEDET observed packages being jettisoned into the water and then gained positive control of the GFV. After receiving permission to board the

vessel, they recovered the packages weighing about 315 kilograms, and detained the five suspected traffickers.

“It is a good feeling knowing that a large

number of drugs will not make it on to the streets of America or our partners in the Caribbean,” said USS Milwaukee Commanding Officer. Brian Forster.

“We are very pleased with the effectiveness of everyone’s response and the integration of all parties involved,” said Lieutenant Jordan Lachowsky, the LEDET’s officer in charge, adding “we are looking forward to more opportunities and more successes in the near future”.

The US Navy said the USS Milwaukee was deployed to the US 4th Fleet area of operations to support Joint Inter-agency Task Force South’s mission, which includes counter-illicit drug trafficking missions in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific.

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CNWNETWORK.COM | NATIONAL WEEKLY | THURSDAY, JAN 20 – JAN 26, 2022 –

A5

TALKUP

Misinformation thrives on social media. What do you think should be done about this?

Sheba: India/Miramar – That's funny, I'm writing a paper on how we are a generation that lives on the Internet and its effects on communication. The media portray a lot of negative things and make us afraid.

They want us to feel trapped. I say use common sense sometimes. Do our research and not just rely on news media. There are so many sites that contradict so many things that we hear on the news making us think it's the truth.

Michelle: Jamaica/Sunrise – As social media have become the new mode and avenue of information, with it comes pros, cons, and responsibilities. No different than when the computer era became our way of life and now we have law enforcement having to dedicate complete departments to eradicating cybercrimes. Social media have certainly opened up the ability for all of us to know what is happening, but I believe that we have no choice but to move with the times and figure out how to hold all facets and avenues of the media accountable for what they report.

Gilda: Miramar – ...Hmm this is tough for me because I don't go to Facebook or other social media for my news. I watch the news on TV, CNN, FOX, MSNBC AND BBC. If I don't catch it on TV, I watch their YouTube channel cause it's basically snippets from their live shows. There are times I've gone to Twitter to see what's trending but then I don't click on the sites trending info I go to the actual news sites to check out the topic.

Bharath: Trinidad/Tamarac – Fake news sites are everywhere, most of them are intentional and not a whole lot can be done about it. It comes with the democracy of the Internet. One should not believe these sites but stick to traditional news organizations like Fox and ABC. I don't believe what some of the media are pushing. Today's media outlets are too biased to the left. I just don't trust them. Evidence shows that they collude with political groups. Worst is CNN.

Kevin: Jamaica/Sunrise – The fact that we are in a democracy and the opening of the Internet is so broad that anything and everything is possible; the corruption on the web alone is unbelievable. Children no longer research, they just Google everything, then the first thing they come across is what they believe.

And we live in an age of conspiracy theories. You don't know what's real anymore. Is reality TV real?

They think so, and if that is, then everything else is.

Debbie: Boca Raton – Honestly, what I think should be done is that they (the government) should shut down these fake media sites. But realistically you can't shut down every fake social media site because it's the Internet! People try to shut down sites all the time.

But, somehow more sites are made every day. It's a bit of an oxymoron. So, honestly there is no way of stopping it! People just need to be a bit smarter and research certain media reports that sound outrageous to verify their authenticity.

Kam: Margate – I think every action has a consequence in the end. Having news sites giving out false information should be banned. Giving such inaccurate statements may have society believing the unknown even if the information is without proof.

Society will always believe everything that social media provide, it's a place for everyone to express feelings anger and other emotions. Not everything on social media is real, yet there are many who are in denial of what is true and what is false.

Domingo: Bronx: - I think the big news providers should encourage people to check the validity of these sources and news sites publishing false info should be held accountable. If people are held accountable for things like publishing false stories, I think fewer people would be inclined to put that kind of stuff out there.

A6 – NATIONAL WEEKLY | THURSDAY, JAN 20 – JAN 26, 2022 | CNWNETWORK.COM

EDITORIAL

Pathetic!

West Indies Cricket, The Embarrassment Must Stop!

“C

ricket is a game of glorious uncertainty” they said, and West Indies cricket fans have come to know this quite well about their once mighty cricket team that was feared by opponents at home and abroad. Fans no longer have the confidence in the team which was at the top of the game for more than a decade but has now crumbled so badly and failing so miserably.

The latest embarrassment came against the number 12th ranked Ireland, who registered their first series win and only third match win against the West Indies last week. Ireland even defeated the West Indies without two key players who were sidelined because of COVID-19.

But even with the uncertainty of this glorious game, few would agree that a West Indies team with so much talent, and players with so much international experience would be humiliated by Ireland.

While many were hoping for a win against a country with only 176 One-day matches in comparison to West indies' 834, the history of the Caribbean side over the last ten years showed a pathetic journey of failures and degradation by teams considered to be underdogs.

Between 2012 and the latest defeat by Ireland this month, the West Indies lost 78 One-Day Internationals (ODI) and won only 45. This is outside the World Cups and multi-nation tournaments. They have won only eight series in the decade, of which only two of the teams, Sri

Lanka and New Zealand being among the top ten in the world. They managed to win series against Bangladesh and Ireland twice, while winning once against Zimbabwe and Afghanistan. Between 2014 when the West Indies defeated Bangladesh 30, they did not win another ODI series for six years when they routed Afghanistan by the same margin.

While the losses to the lower ranked teams are shameful, one team, Bangladesh seems to have the ticket to a West Indies defeat. Over the last ten years, Bangladesh has beaten the West Indies four times with the most devastating being a 3-0 whitewash in 2021.

The record pales in comparison to the West Indies of the 1970s and eighties when opposing batsmen dreaded its bowlers and their batsmen punished opposing bowlers whether the bowling was good or bad. Those were the days of Ambrose, Walsh, Holding, Roberts, Garner, and Croft. It was when the opposing team's total needed only time to be surpassed, with the batting prowess of Richards, Richardson, Greenidge, Haynes, Kallicharran, and Lloyd. It was a time when players represented their country because they felt the pride and demonstrated it as well.

Current captain of the West Indies ODI team, Kieron Pollard, said the defeat by Ireland is a “bitter pill to swallow.” He said: “I think overall when you look back over the latter part of 2021 and throughout 2021 into 2022, I think we have a batting problem in the Caribbean in getting runs

on the board. We can't hide from that.” Obviously, Mr. Pollard is not a student of his own team's history. This is not a one or two-year problem. It has been this way for decades.

Pollard went on to tell the now impatient cricket-loving public of the Caribbean and its diaspora, that the fix is “not going to happen overnight and it's unfortunate we're in a situation.”

In his wisdom the captain suggested that they “need to really sit down and put [their] heads together and think seriously about where [they] want to take West Indies cricket.”

One would have thought that over the last twenty years players and administrators would have had that talk. And while we agree that talking is important, it is pointless if proper action that results in winning, does not occur. This type of cricket is not played for experience or to show how players can play. Winning is expected and it is also important.

One of the problems with West Indies cricket is that too many of its stars are conditioned for the most lucrative, popular, and shortest form of the game – T-20. And they have done well at it too.

They have even won two world cups in this format.

Teams all over the word clamor for Caribbean players. Just ask Messers Andre Russell, Darren Bravo, Dwayne Bravo, Lendl Simmons, Kieron Pollard, Evin Lewis, and Chris Gayle. The latter has the most T-20 records.

Former captain Clive Lloyd said recently in an article on www.kaieteurnewsonline.com, that T20 is destroying one of the promising stars for West Indies, Shai Hope. Lloyd said: “I don't think T20 cricket is for Shai Hope ….he would get into bad habits; it's destroying his cricket. I know it's like you want to take away money from people, but the point is that he should not be playing T20. He should have gone into an 'A' team, he should be playing the longer game, he needs to spend more time in the nets with a bowling machine.”

Obviously, Lloyd feels that West Indies' batsmen need more tenacity and concentration for longer periods at the wicket.

Probably Cricket West Indies should take Lloyd's recommendation and implement it for all its batsmen. Most Caribbean people can't bother to listen or watch their team in action anymore.

The experience is just too painful. It is time the players and administrators of West Indies cricket stop the pussyfooting around and bring back the days of glory to one of the most cohesive movements among Caribbean people.

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CNWNETWORK.COM | NATIONAL WEEKLY | THURSDAY, JAN 20 – JAN 26, 2022 –

A7

la section haitienne

Legislation to Measure Haiti’s Progress Passed by US Senate and developing Haiti is centered on human rights protections, anti-corruption efforts, and reconstruction efforts led by Haitians.”

Schumer said the legislation will specifically direct US policy to build the long-term capacity of the Haitian government, civil society, and private sector to foster economic opportunities in Haiti and work collaboratively with the Haitian Diaspora in the United States to meet the policy goals.

He said the measure will also strengthen Haiti’s human rights and anti-corruption efforts and “hold accountable the perpetrators of the La Saline Massacre.”

Additionally, the legislation will promote freedom of the press and assembly in Haiti; support post-earthquake, post-hurricane, and post-COVID-19 recovery and development in Haiti; report on developments in Haiti, and report on the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse.

The bill was first introduced in April, passed by the US House of Representatives in June, and advanced in October by the US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. The legislation now heads back to the US House of Representatives.

Legislation that measures the progress of post-disaster recovery and promotes efforts to address corruption, governance, the rule of law, and media freedoms in Haiti has been passed by the United States Senate.

The “Haiti Development, Accountability, and Institutional Transparency Initiative Act,” or HR. 2471 was introduced and led to passage in the US House of Representatives by New York Democratic Congressman Hakeem Jeffries.

Florida Republican Senator Marco Rubio and Maryland Democratic Senator Ben Cardin sponsored companion legislation in the Senate.

“The Haitian people are strong, resilient, and have overcome adversity time and time again. They have faced extreme instability over the past few years due to concurrent crises including food insecurity, the COVID-19 pandemic, and political unrest,” said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York.

“I have the honor of representing one of the largest Haitian Diasporas in the country (in New York), and I’m proud to have pushed this bill to passage in the Senate,” said Schumer.

“This bill ensures the United States’ approach to rebuilding

Haitians have suffered for too long.

Jeffries

Florida Republican Senator Marco Rubio, who is the Ranking Member of the Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Western Hemisphere, Transnational Crime, Civilian Security, Democracy, continues on A8 – Legislation passed

Jamaica Makes 2nd Arrest in Assassination of Haiti's President Jamaican security forces have made a second arrest related to the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse of Haiti, who mercenaries killed on July 7 last year. The arrest included several other people authorities caught before dawn on Saturday, January 15.

According to the Associated Press, Haiti’s national police said that former senator Joel Joseph was in custody in Jamaica on Saturday.

Superintendent of police in Jamaica, Stephanie Lindsay, told AP that authorities arrested other people with Joseph and are trying to determine whether they are family members. However,

Lindsay declined to give further details, saying that “For more than one reason, we’re not sharing more information.”

Joseph is a Haitian politician and opponent of the Tet Kale party to which Moïse belonged.

Among those celebrating the arrest was Claude Joseph, Haiti’s former minister of foreign affairs who briefly served as interim prime minister following Moïse’s killing.

“The arrest of John Joel Joseph shows that there will be no hiding place for those who are directly or indirectly involved in the assassination,” he wrote, saying that the international

effort he initiated continues to bear fruit.

In late October, Jamaican authorities arrested former Colombian soldier Mario Antonio Palacios. Jamaica’s supreme court ordered him deported on December 31, 2021.

US authorities subsequently charged Palacios with conspiracy to commit murder or kidnapping outside the United States. Another charge included providing material support resulting in death, knowing or intending that such material support would be used to prepare for or carry out the conspiracy to kill or kidnap.

More than 40 people, including 18 former

Colombian soldiers, have been arrested in the killing of Moïse. The president was shot several times at his private residence in an attack that injured his wife, Martine Moïse.

Colombian government officials have said that most of the former soldiers were duped and did not know about the actual mission. The soldiers, who remain in prison in Haiti, have accused authorities of torture, while the Colombian government recently said the country’s consul in Haiti was threatened after trying to provide humanitarian assistance.

A8 – NATIONAL WEEKLY | THURSDAY, JAN 20 – JAN 26, 2022 | CNWNETWORK.COM

COMMUNITY

Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick Sworn In As Newest US Rep Haitian-American Democrat Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick was sworn into office as the newest member of the House on Tuesday night, after defeating Republican Jason Mariner in last week's special election.

The ceremony took place at the US Capitol in Washington DC. Cherfilus-McCormick is now the representative for Florida's District 20, which covers parts of Broward and Palm Beach counties. The seat was made vacant following Alcee Hasting's death last April.

“Our district has been without representation for over nine months, so right now we have to get in and meet the needs of every constituent and reach out to them and ensure that their voices are being heard and their needs are being met,” Cherfilus-McCormick said at the ceremony.

She won office calling for a guaranteed income for most adults of $1,000 a month, if they earn less than $75,000 a year. As for how she plans to make good on her proposal, she said her first step will be signing on to a similar bill -- the SUPPORT Act from Congresswoman Ilhan Omar.

Colleagues, including Rep. Mario DiazBalart from Florida's District 25, welcomed Cherfilus-McCormick to the House, saying that she'll represent an extremely diverse congressional district. He noted that she began

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (left) of California, administers the House oath of ofce to Rep. Sheila Cherlus-McCormick, D-Fla. during a ceremonial swearing-in on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 18, 2022. – AP Photo

working in 1999 at Trinity Healthcare Services, a provider of in-home care, and eventually became its CEO. “This once single mother is an example of the American dream and represents the aspirations of so many of our South Florida neighbors,” Diaz-Balart said.

Cherfilus-McCormick told members of the House that she is a child of Haitian immigrants who risked their lives to come to the United States.

Legislation Passed Human Rights and Global Women’s Issues, said for far too long, the Haitian people have endured the hardships of corruption, criminal gangs, civil unrest, and devastating natural disasters.

“As we begin a new year, the US Senate is sending an important message of support to the Haitian people with the passage of our bipartisan Haiti Development, Accountability,

“I thank my colleagues who fought for me even before I was born to ensure that immigrants can actually have a place in our country and live the American dream,” she said.

Cherfilus-McCormick tried twice to unseat Hastings in the 2018 and 2020 Democratic primaries. In the 2021 primaries, she edged out Jamaica-born Dale Holness, by a margin of five votes to become the Democratic contender.

from A7

and Institutional Transparency Initiative Act,” he said.

Cardin said the Haitian people “continue to face a long list of struggles in their daily lives, as disasters and tragedies mount.”

“We are greatly concerned that a Haitian government that is both unstable and corrupt will allow or enable additional human rights abuses,” he said, stating that the United

Nations Children’s Fund has reported that 1.6 million people in Haiti, including 800,000 children, are in dire need of humanitarian assistance.

“The United States must act with urgency to help our Haitian neighbors emerge from this ongoing crisis.”

954.739.6618

Lauderhill Commissioner Denise Grant to Host Business Breakfast and Resource Fair Businesses in Lauderhill looking to rebound from the COVID-19 pandemic and maximize their growth are invited to attend the Business Breakfast and Resource Fair to introduce the city's new Rebound Lauderhill Business Program.

The free breakfast and resource fair, spearheaded by Commissioner Denise Grant, will be held at the Lauderhill Performing Arts Center, 3800 NW 11 Place, Lauderhill, FL 33313 at 8:30 AM on Monday, January 24, 2022.

The Rebound Lauderhill Business Program will assist with: • • • • • • • • •

Access to Capital (ARPA) $1 million earmarked for Lauderhill Business Business & Redevelopment Financial Assistance Programs PPP Forgiveness CRA Business Incubator Resources Safe & Clean Lauderhill Rebranding & Scaling with social media Connections with Banks/Credit Unions Business Start-up & becoming a Lauderhill Vendor Workplace Wellness & Community Engagement

Business owners who attend the fair will get the opportunity to meet with representatives from Empowerment Entities including Broward Office of Economic & Small Business Development, SBA, Florida Bankers Association, FPL, National Weekly, and Broward College. In addition, City of Lauderhill Directors, Economic Development and CRA Staff will all be available to attendees.

Interested persons may RSVP at lauderhillfl.gov/businessrebound as reservations are limited.

CNWNETWORK.COM | NATIONAL WEEKLY | THURSDAY, JAN 20 – JAN 26, 2022 –

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STRICTLY LEGAL

3 Simple Ways to Avoid Probate Costs The bad news: When a deceased person's estate (all of their money and property) has to go through probate (the court-supervised process of distributing a deceased person's money and property), it can be subject to a variety of costs stemming from attorneys, executors, appraisers, accountants, courts, and state law. Depending on the probate's complexity, fees can run into tens of thousands of dollars.

The good news: Many of these probate costs can be reduced by avoiding probate. It's really that simple.

Here are three simple ways to reduce or eliminate costs by avoiding probate: 1.Name a Beneficiary.

The probate process only applies to those accounts or other property that are in your name at your death. By naming a beneficiary, these accounts and other property will be transferred to the named individual without any court involvement. Depending on your state, common beneficiary designation assets include: • • • •

Life insurance Annuities Retirement plans Real estate

Caution: When someone is named as a beneficiary of an account or piece of property through the use of a beneficiary designation, he or she will receive that account or property outright, which could subject the account or property to claims asserted by the beneficiary's creditors.

2.Create and Fund a Revocable Living Trust (RLT).

Once the RLT has been created, and you have properly transferred the ownership

of your accounts and property to the RLT by re-titling them into the name of the trust, you remain in charge of all legal decisions until your death as the trustee, and you retain the enjoyment of those accounts and property as the current beneficiary. After your death, your named successor trustee will manage and distribute your assets – according to your wishes. A trust works well if it is properly created and funded by an experienced estate planning attorney.

3.Own Property Jointly.

Probate can also be avoided if the property you own is held jointly with a right of survivorship. Similarly to a beneficiary designation, joint ownership has the effect of automatically transferring the ownership upon your death. There are several ways that you can establish joint ownership of property, such as: •

Joint tenancy with right of

•

•

survivorship – ownership simply transfers to other tenants upon your death; Tenancy by its entirety – a form of joint tenancy with a right of survivorship, but only for married couples in some states; Community property – property obtained during a marriage in some states;

State laws play an important role here. We can help you determine which form of joint ownership, if any, is a good fit for you.

Caution: Just as with a beneficiary designation, adding a joint owner to your accounts or property can subject the accounts or property to claims asserted by the new joint owner's creditors.

Moreover, this vulnerability begins the moment they are added. This means that your accounts or property could be seized by your new joint owner's creditors even while you are still alive.

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US Expands Interview Waivers for Certain Nonimmigrant Caribbean Visa Applicants The United States Department of State has announced that consular officers in the Caribbean and other places are now temporarily authorized, through December 31, 2022, to waive inperson interviews for certain individual petition-based nonimmigrant work visas and their qualifying derivatives.

The categories for the qualifying derivatives include Persons in Specialty Occupations (H-1B visas); Trainee or Special Education Visitors (H-3 visas); Intracompany Transferees (L visas); Individuals with Extraordinary Ability or Achievement (O visas); Athletes, Artistes and Entertainers (P visas); and Participants in International Cultural Exchange Programs (Q visas).

Additionally, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has extended consular officers' current ability to waive the in-person interview, through December 31, 2022, for other categories of nonimmigrant visas: Temporary Agricultural and Nonagricultural Workers (H-2 visas); Students (F and M visas); and Student Exchange Visitors (Academic J visas).

“The Department of State recognizes the positive impact of temporary work visa holders on the US economy and is committed to facilitating nonimmigrant travel and reducing visa wait times,” said the department in a statement.

“We recognize the many contributions of international visitors to our communities and campuses,” it added, stating that the authorization to waive the in-person interview for applicants renewing a visa in the same visa class within 48 months of the prior visa's expiration has been extended indefinitely.

The State Department said the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in “profound reductions” in the department's visa processing capacity, and it is taking these temporary steps “to further our commitment to safely and efficiently reduce visa wait times while maintaining national security as our priority.”

The State Department said it made its determination with the concurrence of its Department of Homeland Security partners.

“Embassies and consulates may still require an in-person interview on a case-by-case basis and dependent upon local conditions,” the State Department said. “We encourage applicants to check embassy and consulate websites for more detailed information about this development, as well as current operating status and services.”

B2 – NATIONAL WEEKLY | THURSDAY, JAN 20 – JAN 26, 2022 | CNWNETWORK.COM A D V E R T I S E M E N T

THE SCHOOL BOARD OF MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, FLORIDA LEGAL ADVERTISEMENT FOR CONSTRUCTION BIDS FOR ALONZO AND TRACY MOURNING SENIOR HIGH BISCAYNE BAY The School Board of Miami-Dade County, Florida (Board), intends to award one Construction firm for the following project:

PROJECT NO. 02092300 ALONZO AND TRACY MOURNING SENIOR HIGH BISCAYNE BAY NEW CLASSROOM ADDITION 2601 NE 151 STREET NORTH MIAMI, FLORIDA 33160 BIDS DUE: Sealed bids will be received by The School Board of Miami-Dade County, Florida, for the project listed herein, until 2:00 P.M. local time, Tuesday March 1, 2022, at the Alonzo and Tracy Mourning Senior High Biscayne Bay Media Center, 2601 NE 151 Street, North Miami, Florida (contact ocip@dadeschools.net to submit Bids prior to March, 1, 2022), following which time and place, or as soon there-after as the Board can attend to the same, the said bids will be publicly opened, read and tabulated in the same location, by an authorized representative of the Board. Award of the contract will be made to the lowest, pre-qualified responsible and responsive bidder for the actual amount bid considering base bid and accepted alternates (if any) as listed in the bidding documents. The Board will award the contract based upon the results of the tabulations as covered by applicable laws and regulations.

Bidders desiring to participate in this solicitation must be pre-qualified by the Board prior to submitting their bid in response to this solicitation. Contact the Miami-Dade County Public Schools (M-DCPS) Office of Economic Opportunity at (305) 995-1307 or via email at oeo@dadeschools.net for information regarding Contractors' Pre-qualification procedures.

QUESTIONS: Written questions regarding this project will be accepted. All written communications must be sent to the Project Architect/Engineer, Fabio Segre (fsegre@gurrimatute.com), Gurri Matute, P.A., 5001 S.W. 74th Court, # 208, Miami, Florida, 33155 Questions will be accepted until 5:00 pm on Friday, February 11, 2022. Answers will only be issued to the Contractors who attended the mandatory Pre-bid Conference MANDATORY PRE-BID CONFERENCE: (Alonzo and Tracy Mourning Senior High Biscayne Bay): Tuesday, February 1, 2022, at 10:00 a.m. local time, at Alonzo and Tracy Mourning Senior High Biscayne Bay, 2601 NE 151 Street, North Miami, Florida 33160. There will be a sign-in period from 10:00 a.m. to 10:15 a.m. Potential bidders arriving after the fifteen (15) minute sign-in period will not be allowed to participate in this solicitation. Proposals submitted by firms not represented at the Mandatory Pre-Bid Conference will not be considered.

BOARD POLICIES: Cone of Silence A Cone of Silence, pursuant to Board Policy 6325, shall commence with the issuance of this Legal Advertisement and shall terminate at the time the item is presented by the Superintendent to the appropriate Board committee immediately prior to the Board meeting at which the Board will award or approve a contract, reject all bids or responses, or take any other action that ends the solicitation and review process. Any violation of this rule shall be investigated by the Board's Inspector General and shall result in the disqualification of the potential applicant from the competitive solicitation process, rejection of any recommendation for award, or the revocation of an award to the vendor as being void, rendering void any previous or prior awards. The potential vendor or vendor's representative determined to have violated this rule, shall be subject to debarment.

General questions regarding the legal advertisement will be sent to the Office of Capital Improvement Projects via email at ocip@dadeschools.net, and a copy filed with the Clerk of the School Board at celiarubio@dadeschools.net, who shall make copies available to the public upon request.

Lobbyist Lobbyist requirements, pursuant to Board Policy 8150, shall be applicable to this solicitation and all proposers and lobbyists shall strictly conform to, and be governed by, the requirements set forth therein. Contact the Clerk of the School Board for additional information.

Vendor and Employment Preference Local-Vendor Preference, pursuant to Board Policy 6320.05, shall apply to this solicitation. Based on Board policy, Local Business means a vendor or business that has a valid business tax receipt, issued by a jurisdiction located in MiamiDade County, that has either (1) its headquarters, manufacturing facility, or locally-owned franchise located within the legal boundaries of Miami Dade County, for at least twelve (12) months, or (2) has an office with a street address within the boundaries of Miami-Dade County for at least twenty-four (24) months, calculated from the bid or proposal opening date. Post office boxes are not verifiable and shall not be used for the purpose of establishing said physical address. In order to be considered for local preference, vendors must provide a copy of their business tax receipt and the Local Business Affidavit of Eligibility with their proposal. Proposers who fail to submit the required documents will not be considered for Vendor Preference.

Jessica Lunsford Act The successful proposer(s) shall fully comply with the State of Florida's House Bill 1877 “Jessica Lunsford Act” (JLA); FS 1012.465, 1012.32, 1012.467 & 1012.468 and Board Policy 4121.01, Employment Standards and Fingerprinting of all Employees (also refer to Board Policy 8475).

Ethics, Conflict of Interest and Anti-Fraud Proposers responding to this solicitation shall comply with the following ethics, conflict of interest and anti-fraud policies: - Board Policy 6460, Business Code of Ethics; - Board Policy 6460, Disclosure of Employment of Former School Board Employees; - Board Policy 8700, Anti-Fraud; and all related Board policies and procedures, as applicable Contractor Debarment Procedures Pursuant to Board Policy 6320.04, Contractor Discipline Procedures, debarred contractors are excluded from conducting business with the Board as agents, representatives, partners, and associates of other contractors, subcontractors or individual sureties.

Commercial Anti-discrimination, Diversity, and Inclusion Proposers responding to this solicitation shall comply with the following anti-discrimination policies: - Board Policy 6465, Commercial Anti-discrimination, Diversity, and Inclusion (proposers shall be required to certify compliance with Board Policy 6465); - Board Policy 1362.02, 3362.02 and 4362.02, Anti-discrimination/Harassment Complaint Procedure; and - all related Board policies and procedures, as applicable Protest Failure to file a protest within the time prescribed and in the manner specified in Board Policy 6320 (Purchase Approval and Competitive Bidding Process Requirements) or in accordance with FS Section 120.57(3) shall constitute a waiver of proceedings under FS Chapter 120.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: The proposer acknowledges that all information contained in their RFQ Response is part of public domain as defined by the State of Florida Sunshine Law. Therefore, any information received is subject to public inspection and copying in accordance with FS 119. No action on the part of the proposer would create an obligation of confidentiality on the part of the School Board including, but not limited to, making a reference in the RFQ Response to trade secrets FS 812.081 and FS 815.045. It is recommended that potential proposers exclude from their response any information that, in their judgment, may be considered a trade secret.

Board policies, as amended from time to time, can be accessed and downloaded at: https://go.boarddocs.com/fl/sbmd/Board.nsf/goto?open&id=BK6KUF4FFE14.

The successful proposer(s) shall fully comply with the State of Florida's House Bill 1877 “Jessica Lunsford Act” (JLA); FS 1012.465, 1012.32, 1012.467 & 1012.468 and Board Policy 4121.01, Employment Standards and Fingerprinting of all.

Failure to file a protest within the time prescribed and in the manner specified in Board Policy 6320 or in accordance with §120.57(3). Fla. Stat. (2014) shall constitute a waiver of proceedings under Chapter 120, Florida Statutes.

Pre-qualified bidders may obtain the documents for construction or a full set of printed documents for construction at the bidder's expense from the office of Go Green Document Solutions, Inc. on 3715 Grand Avenue, Coconut Grove, Florida 33133 on and after, January 18, 2022.

OFFICE OF ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY Small/Micro, Minority/Women-Owned, and Veteran Business Enterprise Programs, Board Policy 6320.02 Awarded firms will be required to comply with Board Policy 6320.02 and submit a monthly report via the Online Diversity Compliance System for compliance with Small/Micro, Minority/Women and/or Veteran sub-consultant goals, subcontractor goals, local workforce information, and/or any affirmative procurement initiatives. Awarded firms will be required to submit monthly compliance reports online at: http://miamidadeschools.diversitycompliance.com. Please note that the “Small/Micro Business Enterprise Program Administrative Procedures Manual”, Board-approved January 15, 2020, shall be applicable to this solicitation. Please contact the Office of Economic Opportunity at 305-995-1307 or via email at OEO@dadeschools.net for additional information.

Assistance levels, as established by the Goal Setting Committee: Alonzo and Tracy Mourning Senior High Biscayne Bay: S/MBE Mandatory Subcontracting Goals: 8.08% Construction and 20% Local Work Force, within a county-wide radius.

Mandatory M/WBE Subcontracting Goals: 16.92%- Non-minority women, African American, Native American and Asian American-owned firms.

The Board reserves the right to waive informalities and to reject any and all bids.

THE SCHOOL BOARD OF MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, FLORIDA By: Alberto M. Carvalho Superintendent of Schools

CNWNETWORK.COM | NATIONAL WEEKLY | THURSDAY, JAN 20 – JAN 26, 2022 –

B3

ENTERTAINMENT

Shenseea Collabs with Megan Thee Stallion on New Single

Shenseea and Megan Thee Stallion Jamaica's dancehall artiste, Shenseea has secured yet another major international feature. This time, the 'Trending Gyal' has paired up with Megan Thee Stallion, the leader of the 'Hotties.'

Shenseea revealed the news in an Instagram post on Tuesday night, thanks to her new manager, Wassim "Sal" Slaiby, popularly known as Salxo (who also manages The Weekend and Doja Cat).

The single titled Lick is expected to be released on Friday, January 21. Known for

hits like Body and Savage Megan thee Stallion has won four awards including Best Female Hip Hop Artiste.

This will be Meg Thee Stallion's first collaboration with a female Jamaican artiste.

She previously collaborated with Popcaan on the song Intercourse in 2020.

Since the news of the collaboration, Shenseea's comments have been filled with good wishes and congratulatory messages from fans and celebrities.

American Actress Tariji P Henson wrote, “patiently waiting” for the album to drop. King of Dancehall, Beenie Man also commented “Guh fi dem Shen.” Shenseaa also received congratulatory messages from fashion model Winnie Harlow, Nailah Blackman, Stefflondon, Stalk Ashley and others.

Shenseea and Meg Thee Stallion have

recently been seen hanging around in the same social circles, so a collaboration like this comes as no surprise.

In November 2021, Meg Thee Stallion tweeted that she “definitely” wanted to collaborate with Shenseea on a track.

Shenseea, whose given name is Chinsea Lin Lee, is gearing up to release her debut album and has hinted at huge international bangers with some musical powerhouses.

The artiste, regarded as one of dancehall's leading stars, was also featured on Kanye West's Grammy-nominated album, DONDA. Shenseea is one of the hottest musical talents to emerge from Jamaica in recent years. She gained major recognition after releasing her breakout single 'Loodi' with wellknown dancehall artiste, Vybz Kartel in 2017.

She has attracted attention in Jamaica and throughout the diaspora with her range of dancehall, rhythm and blues, hip hop and rap musical skills.

Her hit songs include Blessed, ShenYeng Anthem, Side Chick Song and Sure. Shenseea has also collaborated on Taurus Riley's hit song, Lighter, produced by Rvssian.

The 24-year-old Trending Gyal singer recently snagged a massive ambassadorship deal with Savage x Fenty, owned by international superstar Rihanna.

Shenseea's Savage x Fenty endorsement joins the other contracts she has landed with companies such as Carib Beer, Pepsi Jamaica, Campari, Flow, Boom Energy Drink and the Pretty Little Thing clothing line to name a few.

Shenseea became the first female singer to win the Music Of Black Origin, MOBO, Award for Best Reggae Act in 2021, and in doing so became the first female artiste to win the Reggae Award since its debut in 1996.

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Popcaan Gives Historic Gambian Performance

By Ramona Samuels

It was Popcaan's first visit to West Africa's The Gambia, and the dancehall star cemented his legacy with his die-hard 'unruly' fans.

On Saturday, Andre “Popcaan” Sutherland performed a sold-out show with his most supportive fans in full attendance at the Bakau Independence Stadium in Banjul.

The St. Thomas native was given a hero's welcome at the Banjul International Airport upon his arrival on Friday and later during a motorcade before the show.

“Poppy” and his band performed hit song after hit song for more than an hour to a very overzealous crowd who paid 1,000 Gambian Dalasis, equivalent to almost US $19.

Popcaan showed his appreciation for the turnout on his social media. An Instagram post showed a drone shot of the crowded stadium, with his caption reading: “Thank you again to the smiling coast of Africa and @AbsoluiteEGm! We made history in The Gambia last night!”

The Unstoppable deejay went on to have several adventurous and memorable visits and encounters throughout The Gambia, including playing with monkeys and shopping at the craft market.

The Inviolable artist also visited a location where he and a host of Gambians stood in the presence of some unmoved crocodiles, captioning the video “Unu doe grimey”, taking a verse from Skillibeng's hit song Crocodile Teeth.

B4 – NATIONAL WEEKLY | THURSDAY, JAN 20 – JAN 26, 2022 | CNWNETWORK.COM

CONTINUATIONS

Cool Runnings

Runnings”, considered one of the most successful Jamaican films of all time.

Jamaica has competed in bobsledding at eight straight Winter Games since its debut. The country’s highest ever finish was 14th at the 1994 Games. Jamaica’s last time having a four-man bobsled team at the Winter Games was 1998.

In congratulating the teams on qualifying, Jamaica’s Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, Olivia Grange, says the Jamaican teams “demonstrate that nothing is impossible.” “‘We don’t have no snow yet here we are competing against the world’s best on ice,” said Minister Grange at a recent news conference.

“This generation — and others to come — will look up to you and be inspired by you because of your unlikely presence at the Winter Games representing a tropical country and doing well. You are stories of dedication and commitment filled with a lot of blood, sweat and tears. Your hard work has already paid off.”

Minister Grange also used the opportunity to highlight Jamaica’s success in skiing. “For the first time at the Winter Olympics, Jamaica will have a competitor in Alpine Skiing and I want to congratulate Benjamin Alexander on this wonderful achievement for our country.”

Alexander is the second skier to represent Jamaica at the Winter

No Lockdown “I can say to the people of Dominica that there is really no need to go to any lockdown stage. So you will not see any lockdown taking place any time soon. We will not be closing our borders at all,' Skerrit said.

“So visitors to Dominica can rest assured …that there is no fear of locking down. I believe what we need to do as Dominicans is to practice the basics, washing our hands, wearing our masks and avoiding crowded places. If you don't have to go somewhere, you don't and if you do have to go protect yourself,” he said.

Skerrit said it was also necessary for nationals to be fully vaccinated against the virus, adding “vaccination, all the science is showing is helping in preventing people from getting very sick.

LEISURE

Landslide Victory

from A1

from A1

Games, following Errol Kerr, who finished ninth in the Ski Cross at the 2010 Games in Vancouver.

“As you go to Beijing, please know that the entire country is cheering you on; and you can continue to count on the support of the Ministry and the Government of Jamaica,” said Minister Grange.

The 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic Games will take place February 4-22, 2022.

from A4

'Yes you may get the virus but you may not get very sick…and to the point of death, especially if you don't have any underlying issue which could complicate the situation. So as it is now I believe things are basically under control, I think there is less anxiety among the population. There will always be groups in the society that will raise concerns, and rightly so, people want to be safe, especially if they see the numbers rising, then the normal reaction would be to call on the government to take stronger action.”

Skerrit said his administration has not yet made a decision on whether to allow Carnival celebrations to be held this year and that discussions are taking place with the various stakeholders on the issue.

“There has been a call for this among the entertainers and what we are doing in the government is having internal discussions about this, we have drafted some protocols and guidelines for hosting of events, not specifically Carnival, but also we intend to engage stakeholders on these protocols and solicit their feedback.

“We started discussing the issue of Carnival before the surge started, not only in Dominica but the rest of the world (and) since then things have changed and all of those things will have to be factored in to the proposals that we seek to put forward to the stakeholders,” Skerrit added.

“I think it is an important discussion to have to prepare ourselves for any eventualities,” he said.

our people in the next 10 to 15 years,” she said.

Responding to critics who felt the election was not warranted, the prime minister said: “We could have stayed on for another 18 months and drawn salaries and done just enough to keep us going, but we understood that it would not be enough to keep this country safe but to build the platform for prosperity.”

The island’s main opposition, the Democratic Labor Party (DLP), conceded defeat through its leader Verla De Peiza, who also extended congratulations to the Prime Minister and the BLP. In expressing her disappointment with the results, De Peiza said, “It was a reckless time to call an election,” which according to her, depressed the voter turnout. A total of 266,330 persons were eligible to vote and political commentators estimated that under 50 percent cast their ballots.

Mottley, who had already signaled that this would be her last general election, told supporters that she would be announcing her new Cabinet on Monday and that later today, she along with Dale Marshall will meet with President Dame Sandra Mason to be sworn into office.

CNWNETWORK.COM | NATIONAL WEEKLY | THURSDAY, JAN 20 – JAN 26, 2022 –

C1

SPORTS

SOCCER

Reading strip Reggae Boy Liam Moore of Captaincy English Championship club Reading has sacked Jamaican Reggae Boy Liam Moore as captain after he expressed a desire to leave the club.

A statement on Saturday night said: “We are disappointed that Liam, a player awarded one of the club’s most significant contracts, has now stated his intention to move on.”

Reading’s announcement came after a terrible week. In the FA Cup, they lost to sixthtier Kidderminster Harriers, leaked seven goals at home to Championship leaders Fulham, and suffered a third-straight defeat at Middlesbrough.

Struggling in 21st place in the league, just three points off the relegation zone, the club decided to publicize Moore’s discontent as it wanted only players committed to the cause.

In their statement, Reading said UK-born Moore, who made his debut for Jamaica last year but has been out of club action for a month through injury, had stated “his clear desire to leave” for several months.

“Whilst we have patiently waited for his representatives to provide us with options for us to consider in helping him fulfill that request, no offer or opportunity has been presented to the club to date,” they said.

“Our club, together with its manager Veljko Paunovic, is intent on selecting players in the first-team squad who are dedicated to giving their absolute all to Reading. That starts with

our captain. As a result, Moore will no longer be given the honor of our club captaincy.”

Moore’s Response to Reading Moore hit back in a seven-word social media post accompanied by 18 emojis of a man face-palming, saying: “Incredibly shocked by the club statement tonight.”

Moore, 28, has not played since a 1-0 defeat against West Bromwich Albion on December 11 due to a “soft-tissue” injury.

He joined Reading from Leicester City in 2016 and, amid heavy transfer speculation, signed a new five-year deal in 2018. Moore has made 230 appearances for the Royals, including 17 this season.

Moore should be a member of the Reggae

Boyz squad when they regroup for the next FIFA World Cup Qualifier sets at the end of the month. They play host to Mexico at the National Stadium on January 27 before traveling to Panama City to face that country on January 30. They return home to engage Costa Rica on February 2.

The Reggae Boyz are currently in sixth place in the eight-team final round on seven points.

Canada leads with 16 points, one ahead of the USA, then Mexico and Panama on 14. Costa Rica has nine points, with El Salvador seventh on six points and Honduras bringing up the rear with three points.

All teams have played eight games with six games remaining.

SOCCER

Reggae Boyz Lowe signs with Inter Miami FC After parting with his Egyptian club Ittihad of Alexandria, Jamaica Reggae Boyz central defender Damion Lowe is heading to Florida to join Inter Miami FC for the upcoming 2022 Major League Soccer (MLS) season.

On Sunday, the announcement came when the Miami outfit coached by Phil Neville and coowned by David Beckham announced the signing. The contract will run through to the 2023 Major League Soccer (MLS) season, with a club option for the 2024 campaign.

The 28-year-old Lowe says he looks forward to playing in Miami, where the massive Jamaican community in South Florida will

Poster of Damion Lowe for Inter Miami FC

undoubtedly support him.

“I'm excited for this new challenge. I got drafted back in 2014 with the Seattle Sounders, and I wasn't able to make an impact due to injuries and being a young player having to challenge for a spot. I feel like I have unfinished business in the MLS.” Lowe added: “I've done well over the years with CONCACAF and playing in Europe and Africa. I believe that I can help the Miami franchise be successful and hopefully win a lot of games.”

Inter Miami FC, Chief Soccer Officer and Sporting Director Chris Henderson said: “Damion is a capable center back who has proven himself at the international level for Jamaica, and we're happy to welcome him at Inter Miami. I've known Damion for a long

time, and I'm sure he'll welcome this challenge to break into MLS while helping us achieve our objectives. We're looking forward to continuing to solidify our backline with this signing.”

Lowe has been a regular for the Jamaican national team since making his senior international début in 2016. Overall, he has made 41 appearances for the Reggae Boyz, competing in FIFA World Cup qualifiers, CONCACAF Gold Cup, CONCACAF Nations League, the Caribbean Cup, and more.

He has been a standout for the team, serving as captain on several occasions, helping the team reach the 2017 Caribbean Cup final and 2017 CONCACAF Gold Cup final. He was also selected to the 2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup Best XI and played every minute in Jamaica's four matches at the tournament.

C2 – NATIONAL WEEKLY | THURSDAY, JAN 20 – JAN 26, 2022 | CNWNETWORK.COM

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CNWNETWORK.COM | NATIONAL WEEKLY | THURSDAY, JAN 20 – JAN 26, 2022 –

C3

SPORTS

CRICKET

Pollard Disappointed in Batting Unit Kieron Pollard, the West Indies captain, has made no secret of the fact that he was disappointed in the batting unit, after Ireland survived a lower order wobble to beat West Indies by two wickets in the series decider at Sabina Park in Jamaica on Sunday.

the fifteen guys that are here, it's around the Caribbean. And we continue to, sort of, reward a guy going to Super50 and score a couple of hundred runs and then, you know, he has to play, or he has to be able to get into the team. We keep trying to chop and change different individuals at different times, but I don't think we're actually addressing the real problem,” he

It marked only the third time they defeated the Caribbean side in a One Day International (ODI) and their first series win over the West Indies. Ireland won 2-1.

West Indies won the opening ODI by 24 runs and lost the second by five wickets. “[I am] disappointed the way we batted throughout the entire series. That is the main reason why we would have faltered,” Pollard said. “We weren't able to put enough runs on the board. The one game where we were scored 269, we were able to get over the line, but 229 and 212 at this international level is totally unacceptable.”

Adding that the West Indies had a batting problem overall, across all formats of the game, the captain said batsmen need to better assess situations and conditions and play appropriate shots when needed.

“It's not just the eleven guys that are here or

Kieron Pollard

said.

However, the skipper stressed that as team leader, he accepted responsibility for the outcome of the series.

“I can take that responsibility that we haven't done well and that is not something we can hide from.

But, as I have said before, it is not just here, it is overall across all formats, if you be totally, totally honest,” Pollard said.

Last Saturday, as West Indies prepared themselves for the third and final ODI, vice-captain Shai Hope had defended the batsmen, saying they were forced to play on a pitch that was not conducive to stroke play.

“We all know that in the morning time is a lot of moisture in the pitch...

It's not easy for batsmen to flow in those types of surfaces,” he said at the time. “I'm not saying that cricket has to be easy all the time, but it's not a freeflowing wicket, especially in the morning at Sabina, so it's just important for us as batters to adapt to that as fast as we can.”

Despite the series result, Pollard was pleased with the performances of Odean Smith, Romario Shepherd and ODI debutant Shamarh Brooks.

He said he was very proud of Smith and Shepherd who he said had to wait their turn to

get opportunities to play with the West Indies and wanted to see more done to develop talented players like the duo.

“But they have come in and they have shown, in the last series in Pakistan and even this series here, that they want to be at the international level,” he said. “Obviously, they are a bit rough on the edges – when I talk about rough, I'm talking about somebody like an Odean Smith – but you can see the raw talent and what we see around the world is that persons take those sorts of raw talents and good players and make them into great players. And that is something we need to do with some of the individuals that we have here. But are we willing to do that?”

Pollard said Shepherd was a diligent, honest, and hard worker who did whatever the team required “and he shows that he wants it.”

Brooks, who hit 93 on his ODI debut in the first match, also came in for praise from the Windies skipper.

“Brooksy, coming into this series, getting a 90 and missing out on a hundred, a 40-odd, missing out today [Sunday] – again, well done to him, but we need to be hungry in order to grab the chances. He would have been one who had not gotten a chance and he had the perfect opportunity here to cement his place. To the other guys, we need to work harder,” Pollard said.

SOCCER

Grenada Int’l Charles-Cook Inspires Ross County with brace Grenada international Regan CharlesCook bagged a brace as 10-man Ross County pulled off an impressive 3-1 win over Motherwell on Tuesday night, lifting his tally for the Scottish Premiership club to eight for the season.

The 24-year-old who made his debut for the Spice Boys last year had a hand in his side’s opener and then struck twice after the break, the second from the penalty spot.

County had two setbacks when winger Joseph Hungbo and midfielder David Cancola had to go off injured.

But against the run of play, the hosts went ahead in first-half stoppage time when the influential Charles-Cook, who is of Jamaican and Grenadian descent, beat Bevis Mugabi on the left before cutting inside and seeing an effort lashed into his own net by Sondre Solholm.

Motherwell levelled on 55 minutes through Jordan Roberts’ 20-yard strike and the visitors looked set to take charge when the hosts’ Jordan Tillson was shown a red card for a reckless lunge four minutes later.

But County’s 10 men found another gear and they cashed in on poor Motherwell defending as Dominic Samuel’s cross was only cleared to winger Charles-Cook, who finished low past goalkeeper Liam Kelly on 72 minutes.

The Spice Boy then sealed an unlikely three points seven minutes later when a cross hit Bevis Mugabi’s hand and he slotted home the resultant penalty.

The victory keeps Malky Mackay’s side 10th, but they are now seven points clear of the foot of the table.

“It was a tough first half. Getting the goal to go into half-

British Football Club Wembley FC Mourns Caribbean Goalie British football club, Wembley FC, is in mourning, after it lost its Caribbeanborn goalie to drowning in his native home of Trinidad and Tobago.

Raheem Belgrave is believed to have drowned while swimming on holiday there in the Blanchisseuse river in the Caribbean country. Police said when he was eventually pulled out of the water by his friends he was in an “unresponsive state.”

“It is with terrible sadness that we bring news of Raheem “Birdie” Belgrave’s death,” Wembley announced on Twier. “We are shocked and saddened and send our condolences to his family and closest friends.”

Charles-Cook

time was terrific. The sending off galvanized us. Off the back of that, every time we broke we looked a real threat,” said manager Mackay.

In England, Jamaica-born Simeon Jackson, 34, who later 49 appearances for Canada, salvaged a point for Chelmsford City on Monday night with a 79th-minute equalizer in a 1-1 draw against St Albans City in the sixth-tier National League South.

The former Trinidad and Tobago U-17s international was just 29. He was a member of the Men’s National U-17 squad in 2008-2009 under then head coach Anton Corneal. He was the son of former National Team manager David Muhammad.

Belgrave was part of the team that finished runners-up in the CONCACAF Caribbean Club Championships in 2017. He played for Queen’s Park in Trinidad in 2017-2018 before joining Wembley Football Club in England in 2018.

Belgrave also played 35 times for Wembley FC during the past three seasons.

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