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<strong>Times</strong><br />

<strong>Times</strong><br />

One People Under The Sun<br />

www.caribbeantimesnyc.com | May 4-17, 2017<br />

Selling Guyana<br />

President David Granger seeks European investors<br />

LONDON, England (CMC) – President<br />

David Granger told European investors,<br />

today, that Guyana has the most exciting<br />

investment prospects in the <strong>Caribbean</strong>, and<br />

that the country holds an enviable and strategic<br />

position as the link between the South<br />

American continent, the <strong>Caribbean</strong> region<br />

and the rest of the world.<br />

“We have the land, we have an intelligent<br />

English-speaking population, we have<br />

the resources, and I think people who are<br />

looking for something different, something<br />

unique, will come to Guyana. I am not suggesting<br />

that you leave Belize or Antigua or<br />

Barbados,” President Granger told an investment<br />

seminar, organised by the <strong>Caribbean</strong><br />

Council in London.<br />

In the audience at the Investment Seminar<br />

on Guyana were business executives<br />

from infrastructure, port development, oil<br />

and gas, tourism and hospitality and shipping<br />

sectors, as well as some members of<br />

the diplomatic community.<br />

In the audience at the Investment Seminar<br />

on Guyana were business executives<br />

from infrastructure, port development, oil<br />

and gas, tourism and hospitality and shipping<br />

sectors, as well as some members of<br />

President David Granger<br />

the diplomatic community.<br />

“But I am suggesting, for long-term development,<br />

Guyana is the best prospect for<br />

investment,” he said, as he painted a picture<br />

of Guyana’s potential and the ‘green’ State<br />

development policy, which would see it<br />

Photo credit via Facebook<br />

taking advantage of its eco-tourism product,<br />

preserving its environment, pursuing<br />

‘green’ energy development, while taking<br />

advantage of coming oil and gas revenues to<br />

accomplish these goals.<br />

“Oil and gas is a very attractive prospect.<br />

We probably wouldn’t start to produce oil<br />

and gas till maybe 2020.<br />

“We will continue to develop our sources<br />

of renewable energy and, at the same time,<br />

use the revenues from the petroleum industry<br />

to funnel our development of infrastructure<br />

and education in particular, and<br />

ensure that other industries could be diversified<br />

away from what we call, our six sisters<br />

— sugar, rice, bauxite, timber and gold and<br />

diamonds.<br />

Investors queued up to speak one-on-one<br />

with President David Granger, left, following<br />

the formal presentations. Here the Head<br />

of State is pictured in discussion with Director<br />

at ION Geophysical, Folarin Lajumoke.<br />

Investors queued up to speak one-on-one<br />

with President David Granger, left, following<br />

the formal presentations. Here the Head<br />

of State is pictured in discussion with Director<br />

at ION Geophysical, Folarin Lajumoke.<br />

Continued on page 26<br />

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Millions in<br />

damages caused<br />

by heavy<br />

rains in Jamaica<br />

KINGSTON, Jamaica (CMC) – The Jamaica<br />

government says preliminary estimates<br />

for damages, caused by rain over the<br />

past few days, could reach at least half a billion<br />

dollars.<br />

Local Government and Community Development<br />

Minister, Desmond McKenzie,<br />

said a preliminary report of the National<br />

Works Agency showed that there is damage<br />

to the main road network across 10 parishes,<br />

with Clarendon, St. Thomas, St. Catherine,<br />

St. Elizabeth and Portland being particularly<br />

affected. The estimate to repair the damage is<br />

J$352 million.<br />

“The assessment of the municipal infrastructure<br />

by the Ministry’s technical team<br />

and the local authorities has, so far, revealed<br />

a damage assessment total of J$139.8 million<br />

across three parishes: Clarendon ($86.3 million);<br />

St. Elizabeth ($23.5 million) and St.<br />

Thomas ($30 million),” he said, noting that<br />

the total damage estimate, to this point, is<br />

J$491.8 million.<br />

In a statement to the House of Representatives,<br />

yesterday, McKenzie said the social<br />

impact is of great concern, and the Ministry<br />

of Labour and Social Security, along with<br />

Continued on page 21<br />

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<strong>Caribbean</strong> <strong>Times</strong> | May 4-17, 2017<br />

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news<br />

3<br />

Prime Minister<br />

Chastanet<br />

confirms cut in<br />

subvention to<br />

St. Lucia<br />

National Trust<br />

By Ernie Seon<br />

CMC Correspondent<br />

CASTRIES, St. Lucia, (CMC) — Prime<br />

Minister, Allen Chastanet, says cash flow<br />

problems being experienced by his government<br />

is the main cause for the removal of<br />

the EC$700,000 subvention to the St. Lucia<br />

National Trust (SNT) for the 2017/2018 financial<br />

year.<br />

Confirming the subvention removal to<br />

reporters, today, has prompted the SNT to<br />

call on the government to rethink its plan<br />

to withdraw the funds, and summoned an<br />

emergency membership meeting for Saturday,<br />

to discuss the issue.<br />

Calling the subvention removal “unprecedented,<br />

unjustified and an exceedingly<br />

unfortunate measure, given its record as<br />

the country’s leading quasi-government institution<br />

for conservation,” the SNT called<br />

on all Members of Parliament to insist on<br />

the reinstatement of the subvention for the<br />

2017/2018 period.<br />

It said it would “ also seek the support of<br />

its international partners, civil society and<br />

the entire St. Lucian populace, home and<br />

abroad, to advocate on its behalf ”.<br />

However, Chastanet said the subvention<br />

removal had nothing to do with the differences<br />

between his government and the Trust<br />

on the proposal of a “dolphinarium” for the<br />

Pigeon Island National landmark, but rather<br />

with the government’s lack of money and his<br />

belief that government should be paying for<br />

the Trust’s recurrent expenditure.<br />

“Right now, we have a cash problem in the<br />

government. We are not generating enough<br />

revenue to cover all the costs that we have.<br />

We have to prioritize where we are going to<br />

spend our money,” Chastanet said.<br />

He explained that as a result of the country’s<br />

cash flow problems, several government<br />

and quasi-government entities were now<br />

under review, such as the St. Lucia Tourist<br />

Board, which is being replaced by a new entity.The<br />

annual Jazz Festival has now changed<br />

into a Summer Festival, while Radio St. Lucia<br />

is under review, as well as the Government<br />

Printery, General Post Office, St. Lucia Mar-<br />

Continued on page 26<br />

Jamaica gets a new<br />

Commissioner of Police<br />

KINGSTON, Jamaica – A new Commissioner<br />

of Police has been appointed in Jamaica.<br />

He is George Quallo.<br />

Speaking at his installation as the island’s<br />

29th Commissioner of Police on Friday,<br />

Quallo pledged to develop culture of proactive<br />

policing within the Jamaica Constabulary<br />

Force (JCF).<br />

The new Commissioner also said that<br />

central to the JCF’s focus on arresting crime<br />

and violence is the need for the organization’s<br />

intelligence capabilities to reflect the<br />

current demands.<br />

Simultaneously, he said, the JCF’s analytical<br />

tools have to be upgraded to produce<br />

relevant and reliable information.<br />

“I commit to ensuring that greater attention<br />

and resources are focused on the expansion<br />

and improvement of our intelligence<br />

machinery. I firmly believe that with better<br />

and more calculated intelligence, the quest<br />

for preventing crime will be enriched and<br />

will find expression in more coordinated<br />

and successful responses.”<br />

The Commissioner assured members of<br />

the force that he would also be placing significant<br />

focus on safeguarding their welfare<br />

in order to make it easier for them to carry<br />

out the tasks they were trained for “and that<br />

is to serve and to protect all of us”.<br />

Quallo said his stewardship would also<br />

be characterized by a “valiant” fight against<br />

corruption in the JCF.<br />

Trinidad and Tobago businessman selected<br />

as University of the West Indies Chancellor<br />

George Quallo.<br />

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad and Tobago,<br />

(CMC) – Trinidad and Tobago businessman,<br />

Robert Bermudez, has been selected<br />

as the next Chancellor of the University of<br />

the West Indies (UWI).<br />

Education Minister, Anthony Garcia,<br />

made the announcement at a post Cabinet<br />

press conference, today.<br />

Bermudez will be the second Trinidadian<br />

to hold this position, following Dr. Eric Williams.<br />

The term of the current chancellor,<br />

George Alleyne, expires in late July 2017.<br />

Garcia said the UWI Council had established<br />

a search committee – that included<br />

representatives from contributing governments,<br />

the UWI Senate, the UWI Students’<br />

Guild, the Post-Graduates Association and<br />

the University Teachers Group – to find a<br />

new chancellor.<br />

The decision to appoint Bermudez was ratified<br />

by <strong>Caribbean</strong> Community (CARICOM)<br />

Heads in their last meeting in Guyana.<br />

Bermudez is the chairman of the Board of<br />

Directors of the Bermudez Group of Companies<br />

and has led the growth of the Bermudez<br />

Group, from a local, family-owned<br />

business, to a regional business throughout<br />

the <strong>Caribbean</strong> and Latin America.<br />

He has enjoyed a distinguished career in<br />

business and is associated with several other<br />

corporate bodies in Trinidad and Tobago<br />

and the <strong>Caribbean</strong>.<br />

He is also a non-executive director of the<br />

Massy Group.<br />

He was elected to the Board of Neal<br />

& Massy Holdings Limited, now Massy<br />

Holdings Ltd., in 1997 and has served on<br />

the Company’s Audit and Governance and<br />

Compensation Committees.<br />

<strong>Caribbean</strong> <strong>Times</strong> | May 4-17, 2017


4<br />

<strong>Caribbean</strong> <strong>Times</strong> | May 4-17, 2017<br />

Resource Guide<br />

<strong>Caribbean</strong> Consulates in NY<br />

Antigua & Barbuda<br />

(212) 541-4117<br />

The Bahamas<br />

(212) 421-6420<br />

Barbados<br />

(212) 551-4325<br />

Dominica<br />

(212) 949-0853<br />

Grenada<br />

(212) 599-0301<br />

Guyana<br />

(212) 947-5110<br />

Haiti<br />

(212) 697-9767<br />

Jamaica<br />

(212) 935-9000<br />

Montserrat<br />

(212) 745-0200<br />

St. Kitts & Nevis<br />

(212) 535-1234<br />

St. Lucia<br />

(212) 697-9360<br />

St. Vincent & The Grenadines<br />

(212) 687-4490<br />

Suriname<br />

(212) 826-0660<br />

Trinidad & Tobago<br />

(212) 682-7272 / 4<br />

Contact Us<br />

<strong>Caribbean</strong> <strong>Times</strong>, LLC.<br />

P. O. Box 100470<br />

Brooklyn, NY 11210<br />

production@caribbeantimesnews.com<br />

718-909-1841<br />

Publisher<br />

Michael Babwar<br />

mike@caribbeantimesnews.com<br />

Editor<br />

Kenton Kirby<br />

Associate Editor<br />

Michael D. Roberts<br />

Advertising Director<br />

Michael Smith<br />

Contributors<br />

Dave Rodney<br />

Anthony Turner<br />

Anthony Verona<br />

Stephen Carr<br />

Carlyle Harry<br />

Roland Hyde<br />

Gerry Hopkin, JD<br />

<strong>Caribbean</strong> <strong>Times</strong>, LLC. is published<br />

bi-weekly. The entire contents of this<br />

publication are copyright 2017. All rights reserved.<br />

The newspaper will not be liable for<br />

errors appearing in any advertising beyond<br />

the cost of the space occupied by the error.<br />

commentary<br />

The pros and cons around E-cigarettes<br />

By Carlyle Harry<br />

In the <strong>Caribbean</strong> <strong>Times</strong>’ issue<br />

of April 6-19, I did a Commentary<br />

on the effects of (addictive)<br />

opioids, and substances like heroin.<br />

That Commentary prompted<br />

personnel who are locked in<br />

research-pursuits and debates<br />

around the pros and cons of<br />

utilizing E-cigarettes to request<br />

a Commentary on that topic;--<br />

and I am hereby complying with<br />

those requests.<br />

Full-Disclosure, I have no<br />

personal interest in this topic,<br />

because I was never a smoker--I<br />

am merely assembling an evidence<br />

based analysis}.<br />

Because of the several medical<br />

and associated battles that were<br />

being won against ‘tobacco-laden<br />

cigarettes’, entrepreneurs have<br />

turned to the manufacture—<br />

marketing—and promotion of<br />

E-cigarettes.<br />

And as had happened with<br />

tobacco-laden cigarettes, a variety<br />

of opponents including the<br />

Food and Drug Administration<br />

and Health-Care personnel, have<br />

been pointing out the disadvantages<br />

of consumers using E-cigarettes.<br />

Thus,principal combatants<br />

in the E-cigarette battle, are the<br />

Producers on the one hand,<br />

and Medical Entities/ Researchers(and<br />

their financial-backers)<br />

on the other hand.<br />

** According to Li Lun and<br />

Corinne Husten of the Food and<br />

Drug Administration’s Center<br />

for Tobacco products, sales of<br />

E-cigarettes during 2016, are<br />

projected to hit an estimated<br />

$1.7 Billion...It is being reported<br />

that more than 250 brands of<br />

E-cigarettes are now available on<br />

the market.<br />

The pair added that E-cigarettes’<br />

sales might exceed the sale<br />

of traditional cigarettes within<br />

ten years.<br />

They opine that at least in every<br />

five smokers has tried E-cigarettes;<br />

while 10% of U.S. High<br />

school students has tried those<br />

cigarettes.<br />

Engineers developed E-cigarettes<br />

several years ago, in order<br />

to provide tobacco-users with a<br />

smoke free source of nicotine...<br />

The devices heat up a liquid that<br />

the user inhales. Because E-cigarettes<br />

burn nothing they do not<br />

release any smoke.<br />

Though E-cigarettes do no release<br />

smoke, several Municipal<br />

leaders are moving to ban them<br />

from being used in public, and at<br />

parks.<br />

E-CIGARETTES<br />

Electronic Cigarettes (“e cigarette”)<br />

are electronic devices that<br />

vaporize a liquid solution, usually<br />

referred to as “e liquid” or “e<br />

juice”, to produce vapor with appearance,<br />

sensation and flavour<br />

of regular smoking without any<br />

combustion.<br />

Vaping or vape, as it is commonly<br />

referred to as, is spreading<br />

rapidly.The resulting vapor (reportedly)<br />

doesn’t contain any tar,<br />

carbon monoxide or chemicals<br />

normally present in ordinary<br />

tobacco cigarettes, hookahs and<br />

cigars.<br />

Because vaporizers like E-cigarettes<br />

(reportedly) do not produce<br />

any foul odour or smoke<br />

they facilitate a more pleasant<br />

social experience for non-smokers<br />

and non-vapers around audiences.<br />

Electronic cigarettes are battery-operated<br />

devices designed<br />

to look like, and to be used in the<br />

same manner as conventional<br />

cigarettes...The devices generally<br />

contain cartridges filled with<br />

nicotine, flavor and other chemicals...They<br />

turn nicotine (which<br />

is claimed to be highly addictive)<br />

into a vapor, that is inhaled by<br />

the user.<br />

RESEARCH-CLAIMS<br />

The debates around the pros<br />

and cons of using E-cigarettes,<br />

normally center on a few queries.<br />

They are:<br />

*Are E-cigarettes and vaporizers<br />

safe to use?<br />

* Are there side effects to<br />

E-cigarettes and vaping?<br />

* Does nicotine cause cancer?<br />

Should Consumers use E-juice<br />

with nicotine?, and<br />

What is the right nicotine<br />

strength for Consumers?<br />

** Commissioner of Food and<br />

Drugs-Margaret A.Hamburg<br />

contends”the FDA is concerned<br />

about the safety of E-cigarettes,<br />

and how they are marketed to<br />

the public...The Agency is concerned<br />

that E-cigarettes can increase<br />

nicotine addiction”.<br />

CONTENTIONS<br />

As I proceed with the penning<br />

of this article, I need to remind<br />

that while the battles and advocacies<br />

against the production<br />

and marketing of E-cigarettes<br />

has been launched, little progress<br />

has been made with stemming<br />

production-flows.<br />

But readers stay tuned for and<br />

to the Parliamentary and Legislative<br />

battles that will soon come<br />

on stream, because the opponents<br />

and researchers are now<br />

armed with reams of pages of<br />

evidence.<br />

IN OTHER WORDS<br />

The nicotine researchers<br />

are checking vaporizers<br />

for their health dangers<br />

to consumers<br />

and curious teen-agers.<br />

They are bent on putting pressure<br />

on the E-cigarette producers.


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6<br />

<strong>Caribbean</strong> <strong>Times</strong> | May 4-17, 2017


environmental news<br />

7<br />

Limiting the effects<br />

of climate change<br />

<strong>Caribbean</strong> scientists work to reduce climate impact on marine environment<br />

<strong>Caribbean</strong> <strong>Times</strong> | May 4-17, 2017<br />

By Zadie Neufville<br />

KINGSTON, Jamaica, (IPS) – <strong>Caribbean</strong><br />

scientists say fishermen are already seeing<br />

the effects of climate change, so for a dozen<br />

or so years they’ve been designing systems<br />

and strategies to reduce the impacts on the<br />

industry.<br />

While some work on reef gardens and<br />

strategies to repopulate over fished areas,<br />

others crunch the data and develop tools<br />

designed to prepare the region, raise awareness<br />

of climate change issues and provide<br />

the information to help leaders make decisions.<br />

In December 2017, the <strong>Caribbean</strong> Regional<br />

Fisheries Mechanism (CRFM) secretariat,<br />

with funding from the UK government,<br />

announced a Climate Report Card to<br />

help formulate strategies to lessen the impact<br />

of climate change on regional fisheries.<br />

“The CRFM is trying to ensure that the<br />

issue of climate change as it relates to the<br />

fisheries sector comes to the fore… because<br />

Continued on page 24<br />

Bad weather claims Haiti’s harvest<br />

Downpour ruins<br />

spring harvest<br />

in beleaguered<br />

southwest Haiti<br />

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti – Flooding<br />

in southwest Haiti has wiped out as much<br />

as 80 percent of the spring harvest in a beleaguered<br />

region that is nearly completely<br />

dependent on farming, officials said Friday.<br />

About five days of rain saturated swaths<br />

of the <strong>Caribbean</strong> region and triggered<br />

flooding across southwest Haiti, drowning<br />

crops and causing at least four deaths in the<br />

area that was overwhelmed by Hurricane<br />

Matthew last year.<br />

Enzo Di Taranto, the head of Haiti’s U.N.<br />

In the Turks and Caicos, the government is searching for new ways to manage the conch and lobster<br />

populations. <br />

Credit: Zadieufville/IPS<br />

Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian<br />

Affairs, said the destructive downpours<br />

that finally tapered off on Monday “certainly<br />

came at a very bad time.” The 80 percent figure<br />

was an initial estimate provided by Hai-<br />

Continued on page 25<br />

Increased activity at<br />

Grenada’s Kick ’em<br />

Jenny volcano<br />

ST GEORGE’S, Grenada – Disaster officials<br />

are monitoring an increase in activities<br />

taking place at Kick ‘em Jenny, the region’s<br />

only submarine volcano located between<br />

Grenada and the Grenadine island of Carriacou.<br />

In a release early Sunday, the National Disaster<br />

Management Agency said it has been<br />

advised of the increase in activity by the Seismic<br />

Research Centre (SRC) of the University<br />

of the West Indies (UWI).<br />

“The UWI/SRC recorded a high amplitude<br />

signal, lasting about 25 seconds, on one<br />

of the Grenada stations. The signal was also<br />

recorded on a station in Montserrat. This<br />

signal follows an increase in the number of<br />

background events associated with the Kick-<br />

‘em-Jenny volcano,” said the release which<br />

confirmed that persons in the St Patrick’s area<br />

have reported feeling tremors.<br />

As a result, the alert level is now on yellow<br />

and sea users and ships have been warned to<br />

stay away from the vicinity of the volcano.<br />

“In light of the ongoing activity, we are advising<br />

all sea users that the 5km (3.1 miles)<br />

exclusion zone of Kick ‘em Jenny be strictly<br />

observed. The SRC has advised that heightened<br />

alert is necessary for the exclusion zone,”<br />

the release added.<br />

A yellow alert means the volcano is restless;<br />

seismicity and/or fumarolic activity are<br />

above the historical level or other unusual activity<br />

has been observed or can be expected<br />

without warning.


8<br />

letters to the editor<br />

poetry corner<br />

<strong>Caribbean</strong> <strong>Times</strong> | May 4-17, 2017<br />

Op-Ed<br />

FIXING EDUCATION<br />

Dear Sir,<br />

I have been a teacher for several years;<br />

since retirement, I am now functioning as as<br />

a substitute-teacher.<br />

After years of analyzing the school system,<br />

I have concluded that the system is broken,<br />

and is in need of immediate fixing.<br />

This system displaces students displaces<br />

students from their local high schools, rather<br />

than facing the issues at hand.<br />

This system treats students as if they are<br />

disposable persons.<br />

The problem is not the teachers, the problem<br />

is not the administration, the problem is<br />

a system that allows students to do whatever<br />

they want to, by tying the hands of those who<br />

can do something about it.<br />

Another part of the problem, is a system<br />

that treats education like a business, a system<br />

that focuses on numbers rather than realizing<br />

that we are dealing with teen agers.<br />

Our system is broken, and we insist on<br />

blaming the adults running the buildings.<br />

These adults are simply puppets that must<br />

do what the system wants them to do, in order<br />

to keep their jobs and reputation.<br />

— Ludmi P.<br />

IMPROVING NEW YORK<br />

Dear Editor,<br />

The usual complaints are returning, that we<br />

the inhabitants do not go on enough tours of<br />

New York.<br />

But one has to ask, what is Mayor DeBlasio<br />

and his team doing to make things easier for<br />

New Yorkers to want to leave their homes to go<br />

on visits around the State and City at weekends.<br />

To begin with, traffic is at a crawl at weekends,<br />

because of repairs being done to the subways,<br />

the bridges, and the roads.<br />

Does the Mayor and his team ever travel<br />

through New York City on public transportation?<br />

Do they go on those subways where people<br />

are packed like sardines and groped by mentally<br />

deranged homeless people, or pushed on to the<br />

tracks by them?<br />

Do they enjoy seeing people expose themselves<br />

and/or urinating in public?<br />

Do they ever sit in gridlocked traffic on roads<br />

in the city, because there is an unmanned construction<br />

site in the middle of actual streets.<br />

These are only some of the problems, the others<br />

are already known or could be found out.<br />

— Colin S.<br />

HONORING RESPONDENTS<br />

Dear Editor,<br />

With the death of yet another public safety<br />

officer, FDNY Fire- fighter William Tolley,<br />

this now brings the total to approximately<br />

40 Law enforcement officers, and 30 fire and<br />

rescue respondents who have died so far this<br />

year while on duty.<br />

As members of their families, fellow officers,<br />

and a grateful public continue to grieve<br />

their loss, when will our country set aside a<br />

single “National Day of Appreciation”, honoring<br />

all members of our law enforcement<br />

and rescue teams?<br />

Last year, a Bill was introduced to Congress--HR<br />

5425...It was sponsored by Rep.<br />

Michael Capuano for a “National First Responders<br />

Day, my hope is that this new Congress<br />

will approve and sign into Law this Bill.<br />

This Honor is long overdue.<br />

— Bob S.<br />

Cuomo’s “Excelsior Scholarship” Program<br />

benefits <strong>Caribbean</strong> community<br />

By Michael Derek Roberts<br />

Associate Editor<br />

<strong>Caribbean</strong> <strong>Times</strong> News<br />

Once again New York State is at the forefront<br />

of progressive reforms that put ordinary<br />

working people first. Mindful of the<br />

need to educate and prepare a new generation<br />

of young people for new technology<br />

jobs, and changes occasioned by globalization,<br />

the New York State legislature acted in<br />

concert to put in place a “first in the nation”<br />

tuition-free higher education program.<br />

Called the Excelsior Scholarship Program,<br />

its included in this year’s $153 Billion state<br />

budget, and makes attending New York<br />

State’s public universities tuition-free for<br />

families making up to $250,000 per year.<br />

The program also takes into consideration<br />

the crushing student debt that generations of<br />

young people are saddled with after leaving<br />

college. The Excelsior Scholarship program<br />

would alleviate this debt and put many New<br />

Yorkers on a path to genuine sustained financial<br />

security and educational achievements.<br />

This is great news for the <strong>Caribbean</strong>-American<br />

community in New York City.<br />

Today, many parents struggle with how to<br />

pay for their children’s higher education in<br />

the midst of rising and prohibitive costs.<br />

Indeed, nearly 80 percent or more than<br />

940,000 such families with college-aged children<br />

across the state are now eligible and will<br />

qualify for tuition-free college education at<br />

SUNY and CUNY. The 2017 Budget also includes<br />

$8 million to provide open educational<br />

resources, including e-books, to students<br />

at SUNY and CUNY colleges to help defray<br />

the prohibitive cost of traditional textbooks.<br />

These much-needed and timely higher educational<br />

reforms will not only put a college<br />

education within the reach of many working<br />

and middle class families for the first time,<br />

but it’s a radical departure from traditional<br />

educational processes. The program also<br />

specifically targets a sub-set of New York<br />

State’s population that was disproportionately<br />

affected by the last Great Recession. As<br />

Governor Cuomo so eloquently put it: “The<br />

Excelsior Scholarship will make college accessible<br />

to thousands of working and middle<br />

class students and shows the difference that<br />

government can make. There is no child who<br />

will go to sleep tonight and say, I have great<br />

dreams, but I don’t believe I’ll be able to get<br />

a college education because parents can’t afford<br />

it. With this program, every child will<br />

have the opportunity that education provides.”<br />

The new program will be phased in over<br />

three years, starting with New Yorkers making<br />

up to $100,000 annually in the fall of<br />

2017, increasing to $110,000 in 2018, and<br />

reaching $125,000 in 2019. Scholars must<br />

be enrolled in college full-time and average<br />

30 credits per year (including Summer and<br />

January semesters) in order to receive the<br />

funding. However, the program has built in<br />

flexibility so that any student facing hardship<br />

is able to pause and restart the program, or<br />

take fewer credits one semester than another.<br />

But perhaps the most far-reaching and<br />

progressive aspect of the Excelsior Scholarship<br />

Program is the fact that its results will<br />

directly impact New York State’s future economy<br />

and skilled, professional labor pool. For<br />

example, to make the program work and aim<br />

for success, enrolled students are required to<br />

maintain a grade point average necessary for<br />

the successful completion of their coursework,<br />

and, as the program makes a major<br />

investment in the state’s greatest asset – our<br />

young people – scholars will be required to<br />

live and work in-state for the same number<br />

of years after graduation as they received the<br />

scholarship while in school.<br />

UNITY<br />

Like the fist poised in defiance ready<br />

defense<br />

Like fingers separated but yielding in<br />

obedience<br />

We come together as one<br />

One for all and all for one<br />

As the elements yield in submission to<br />

volcano and monsoon<br />

Like teeth in a gear, like links in a chain<br />

We bond and build together as one<br />

One for all and all for one<br />

Like raindrops on my cheeks<br />

Like leaves dropping in the fall<br />

Like clouds passing a brilliant sun<br />

Like me leaving before the start<br />

I am here in my innermost heart<br />

Like winds rowing a huge ship or a plane<br />

Journeying with poise<br />

To a distant land I clinched my fist<br />

Mumble a prayer<br />

Thank God we have come together as a fist<br />

— By Noel Moses<br />

NOT SO EASY<br />

As a business owner,<br />

One has the power<br />

to make quick decisions<br />

on critical situations.<br />

As a Government Leader,<br />

One has more levers;<br />

But it is not easy<br />

navigating the Bureaucracy.<br />

As a Candidate<br />

there is no debate<br />

before making promises<br />

to the cheering masses.<br />

But after winning Office<br />

One has to face the crisis<br />

of battling with elected Bodies<br />

to implement policies.<br />

The elected Leader<br />

quickly discovers<br />

that it is not easy<br />

to please everybody.<br />

<br />

— Carlyle Harry<br />

to advertise your<br />

business, or event<br />

contact us at<br />

(718) 909-1841<br />

or email<br />

production@<br />

caribbeantimesnews.com


news<br />

9<br />

<strong>Caribbean</strong> Princess<br />

Cruise Lines fined for<br />

Illegal dumping and<br />

falsifying records<br />

Court papers allege that<br />

the <strong>Caribbean</strong> Princess<br />

had been making illegal<br />

discharges through<br />

bypass equipment since<br />

2005, one year after the<br />

ship began operations.<br />

The August 2013 discharge<br />

approximately<br />

23 miles off the coast of<br />

England involved approximately<br />

4,227 gallons<br />

within the country’s Exclusive<br />

Economic Zone.<br />

BROOKLYN (New York): Informed<br />

sources tell CARIBBEAN TIMES NEWSPA-<br />

PER that a major cruise line that calls on the<br />

<strong>Caribbean</strong> region will have to pay a US$40<br />

million penalty – the largest-ever for crimes<br />

involving deliberate vessel pollution.<br />

Reports out of Florida say that the sentence<br />

was imposed on Princess Cruise Lines<br />

Ltd by US District Judge Patricia Seitz in Miami,<br />

for illegally dumping oil-contaminated<br />

waste overboard and falsifying official logs to<br />

conceal the crime. In her ruling, Judge Seitz<br />

also ordered that US$1 million be awarded<br />

to a British engineer, who first reported the<br />

illegal discharges to the British Maritime and<br />

Coastguard Agency (MCA), that in turn provided<br />

the evidence to the US Coast Guard.<br />

The newly hired engineer on the <strong>Caribbean</strong><br />

Princess reported that a so-called “magic<br />

pipe” had been used on August 23, 2013, to<br />

illegally discharge oily waste off the coast of<br />

England without the use of required pollution<br />

prevention equipment. Evidence gathered<br />

by the whistleblower, including photographs<br />

of the magic pipe, led to an inspection<br />

of the cruise ship both in England and then<br />

when it reached New York on September 14,<br />

2013. During each of the separate inspections<br />

certain crew members concealed the illegal<br />

activity by lying to the authorities in accordance<br />

with orders they had received from<br />

<strong>Caribbean</strong> Princess engineering officers.<br />

The sentence imposed by the judge also<br />

requires that the Princess Cruise Line remain<br />

on probation for a period of five years<br />

during which time all of the related Carnival<br />

cruise ship companies trading in the US will<br />

be required to implement an environmental<br />

compliance plan that includes independent<br />

audits by an outside company and oversight<br />

by a court appointed monitor.<br />

Reports say that as a result of the government’s<br />

investigation, Princess has already<br />

taken various corrective measures, including<br />

upgrading the oily water separators and oil<br />

content monitors on every ship in its fleet<br />

and instituting many new policies. Court<br />

papers allege that the <strong>Caribbean</strong> Princess<br />

had been making illegal discharges through<br />

bypass equipment since 2005, one year after<br />

the ship began operations. The August<br />

2013 discharge approximately 23 miles off<br />

the coast of England involved approximately<br />

4,227 gallons within the country’s Exclusive<br />

Economic Zone. At the same time as the discharge,<br />

engineers ran clean seawater through<br />

the ship’s monitoring equipment in order to<br />

conceal the criminal conduct and create a<br />

false digital record for a legitimate discharge.<br />

The case against Princess included illegal<br />

practices that were found to have taken place<br />

on five Princess ships – <strong>Caribbean</strong> Princess,<br />

Star Princess, Grand Princess, Coral Princess<br />

and Golden Princess.<br />

A perceived motive for the crimes was financial<br />

– the chief engineer that ordered the<br />

dumping off the coast of England told subordinate<br />

engineers that it cost too much to<br />

properly offload the waste in port and that<br />

the shore-side superintendent who he reported<br />

to would not want to pay the expense.<br />

The <strong>Caribbean</strong> Cruise line is a regular visitor<br />

to the <strong>Caribbean</strong> region but it is not known if<br />

the line was engaged in illegal waste dumping<br />

in the region.<br />

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10<br />

<strong>Caribbean</strong> <strong>Times</strong> | May 4-17, 2017<br />

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news<br />

11<br />

“New York’s <strong>Caribbean</strong><br />

Dynamos” Roland Guy<br />

By Dave Elcock<br />

He’s a loyal and loving boy-child of Trinidad<br />

and Tobago who decades ago first inhaled<br />

her rarified atmosphere at Olton Road,<br />

Belmont. After attending Belmont Intermediate<br />

School, he worked from 1961 to 1964<br />

with the Port of Spain City Council before<br />

opting to experience life in the often harsh<br />

precincts of New York City in 1964.<br />

Today he is an astute entrepreneur, author,<br />

poet, artist, benefactor and consummate<br />

masman as well as husband, father and<br />

grandfather. He holds Bachelor’s degrees in<br />

TV Directing and Production and Herbology<br />

as well as a PhD in Naturopathy.<br />

He is also my innately unassuming friend<br />

and mentor, Mr. Roland Michael Guy whose<br />

amazing elevation from visitor to achiever of<br />

the American dream this narrative will attempt<br />

to trace.<br />

Proprietor of a thriving health and wellness<br />

store now managed by an adult son and<br />

formerly, of two defunct similar operations<br />

in Port of Spain, Roland has long been seriously<br />

involved in a raft of widely diverse activities.<br />

We conversed in an office at his Church<br />

Avenue Ambrosia Health Food Store and<br />

Clinic in Brooklyn, a space abounding with a<br />

veritable mini-museum of artifacts and glittering<br />

wall decorations (his handiwork).<br />

One of the early “diverse activities” the resourceful<br />

gent adopted on his resolute trek<br />

to success was made privy to me, “To change<br />

my (visitor’s) status, I went to dental technology<br />

school,” he stated, “it was of passing<br />

interest to me but just to change my status,<br />

permitting me as a student to join the American<br />

army.”<br />

Labeling “a wonderful exercise,” his recruitment<br />

and training as a youth during the<br />

“hot” Vietnam era, my dreadlocked and always<br />

engaging respondent told of receiving<br />

advanced tuition for service as a medic then<br />

being assigned until his discharge to attending<br />

the returning wounded at a New Jersey<br />

military hospital.<br />

Indulging an avid desire to study television<br />

directing and production, he enrolled<br />

at a RCA school eventually earning his BA,<br />

adding, “l did this while working evenings<br />

as an EMT with my tuition covered under<br />

the GI Bill.” However, a TV career proved<br />

almost impossible back then.<br />

Happily, Roland’s resulting frustration<br />

proved a conduit to a creative and fruitful<br />

opportunity as he explains, “I went to the<br />

Brooklyn Library and saw books on jewelry-making<br />

and leather craft, took them home<br />

and taught myself to make jewelry and leather<br />

goods in my kitchen.”<br />

Terming this enterprise “very, very rewarding,”<br />

he tagged as his primary product,<br />

so-called West Indian silver bracelets that<br />

were “hot in the 60s,” later crafting chains<br />

and other adornments in gold upon request.<br />

Still working the same EMT shift, my tireless<br />

countryman would fashion his wares<br />

late on weeknights then on weekends drive<br />

to Greenwich Village to vend them on the<br />

sidewalk.<br />

After 17 years of this dual occupation<br />

during which the irrepressible Guy gained<br />

promotion to New York City’s EMT and<br />

paramedics supervisor, he confessed, “I was<br />

just tired of being ‘on the plantation,’ so I decided<br />

to quit my job. I went to Church Avenue,<br />

got a tray and started selling my jewelry<br />

in the street together with oils and incense.”<br />

He further tells of ongoing weekend trips<br />

to the Village plying his in-demand silver<br />

creations then extending sales to jewelry<br />

stores, ventures he affirmed proving “very<br />

good to me.” As he expanded his product<br />

line to leather sandals and handbags, business<br />

roared.<br />

I then quizzed Roland M. Guy, ND (Naturopathy<br />

Doctor), about the genesis of his<br />

interest therewith, to learn that the Jethro<br />

Kloss 1939 landmark text, “Back To Eden”<br />

with its profusion of herbal remedies for sundry<br />

ailments intensely fascinated him and revived<br />

precious childhood memories.<br />

“I would remember my Vincentian<br />

grandmother going in the backyard and<br />

pulling up weeds and making tea for us when<br />

we had a fever,” said he, “and I related that to<br />

what Kloss was saying so I started to study<br />

herbology on my own.”<br />

Before long, my friend began attending<br />

seminars in Manhattan on vitamins<br />

and herbology, etc., which promptly induced<br />

him to pursue an online Bachelor’s degree<br />

from Canada’s Emmerson College, achieving<br />

this in 1990. Thus qualified, Roland further<br />

triumphed by securing rental space opposite<br />

the Church Avenue sidewalk locale to profitably<br />

launch his first health food store.<br />

Next followed periodic trips home to initiate<br />

pavement vending on bustling Frederick<br />

Street which swiftly blossomed first into<br />

one, then two thriving stores lower down,<br />

inside the aptly branded “People’s Mall” offering<br />

exclusively, herbal preparations and<br />

vitamins.<br />

The gratified proprietor effused about<br />

having trained “intelligent young ladies” to<br />

knowledgeably operate those enterprises,<br />

five of whom are now owners and “the best<br />

herbologists in the <strong>Caribbean</strong>.” (Sic)<br />

Sadly, fire leveled the People’s Mall over<br />

a decade ago displacing some 200 businesses<br />

and terminating 29 years of Guy’s flourishing<br />

enterprise. To condense, in the face<br />

of unyielding space limitations, more of his<br />

vertical track toward the acme of remarkable<br />

material accomplishments, I proffer these<br />

passing glimpses which hopefully will adequately<br />

impress:<br />

• Graduate, Helen Woods School for Colon<br />

Therapy, Florida, 1990<br />

• Doctor of Naturopathy, Trinity School of<br />

Natural Health, Indiana, 2009<br />

• Author, “Old Dreams and New Ideas,<br />

published 2011<br />

• Artist with 50+ pieces to be exhibited in<br />

August<br />

• Annual Santa Claus portrayals at private<br />

Continued on page 22<br />

“Alternative<br />

Tourism” and<br />

The <strong>Caribbean</strong><br />

By Michael Derek Roberts<br />

Associate Editor<br />

<strong>Caribbean</strong> <strong>Times</strong> News<br />

Yes, there is such a thing called “alternative<br />

tourism.” Not to be confused with<br />

“alternative facts.” And while <strong>Caribbean</strong><br />

governments continue to develop, promote,<br />

and build their tourism products<br />

based on sun, sea and sand, perhaps its<br />

time to inject new thinking, rebranding,<br />

and systems development more in keeping<br />

with a 21st century dispensation.<br />

There is also “mass tourism” the kind of<br />

tourism characterized by large-scale standardized<br />

affordable packages the “masses”<br />

could buy, in contrast to luxury tourism<br />

noted for golf, excursions and the like. A<br />

version of this exists today in all <strong>Caribbean</strong><br />

countries.<br />

For the <strong>Caribbean</strong>, tourism was and<br />

is an economic alternative to the old one<br />

or two crop raw materials exports and<br />

dependency on foreign aid, usually from<br />

the former colonial master. To be sure, the<br />

<strong>Caribbean</strong> benefitted somewhat from the<br />

mass tourism characterized by the heavy<br />

concentration of tourists in one place.<br />

Mass tourism is futher defined by the volume<br />

of tourists compared to the targeted<br />

territory and to the local population density.<br />

For example, total visitors to <strong>Caribbean</strong><br />

islands is humble compared to the scale<br />

of global activity. The combined <strong>Caribbean</strong><br />

region (English, French and Spanish-speaking)<br />

on average accounts for less<br />

than 25 million annual tourist stay-overs<br />

or two times less than Northern Europe.<br />

However, it is necessary to consider the<br />

total tourist arrivals for the purpose of the<br />

small size of these islands (a total of 90,734<br />

square miles) and a combined population<br />

of 37 million people; their limited resources<br />

(such as freshwater) and the fragility of<br />

host environments (coral reefs) etc. So,<br />

the challenge for <strong>Caribbean</strong> governments<br />

now is how to redefine their tourism product(s)<br />

in a way that utilizes foundation<br />

attractions like sea, sun and sand, with<br />

other non-traditional attractions that improve,<br />

build, and enhance a “total tourism<br />

experience” rather than a set of products<br />

and services.<br />

Such models of “new tourism” development<br />

and practices must be built on other<br />

Continued on page 24<br />

<strong>Caribbean</strong> <strong>Times</strong> | May 4-17, 2017


12<br />

organizational profile<br />

<strong>Caribbean</strong> <strong>Times</strong> | May 4-17, 2017<br />

H.E.R.O.C helps fight cancer<br />

By Carlyle Harry<br />

The Health Relief Organization for Cancer<br />

Inc, (H.E.R.O.C.), was started in October<br />

2013, the primary goal of H.E.R.O.C.is<br />

to provide assistance through education and<br />

awareness to promote early detection and<br />

screening of Cancer in the United States of<br />

America, and other parts of the world.<br />

H.E.R.O.C was founded by Onconologist-Dr.Latoya<br />

Gooding.<br />

The Organization also distributes Mrdical<br />

Supplies, Prosthetics and Prosthetic Bras and<br />

wigs to Cancer Patients .In October of 2016,<br />

H.E.R.O.C was endorsed as the support organization<br />

for the Giving Hope Foundation<br />

of Guyana.<br />

THE EXECUTIVE BOARD<br />

The Executive-Board that leads H.E.R.O.C.<br />

is:<br />

Lorna Welshman- Neblett – President<br />

Harold Lutchman – Vice President<br />

Theresa Nadir recording Secretary<br />

Francien Williams – PR /Corresponding<br />

Secretary<br />

Maria Hinds-Lutchman – Treasurer<br />

Barbara Chase – Event & Education<br />

Coordinator<br />

Cleveland John- Parliamentarian/Asst.<br />

Treasurer<br />

Shirley Collins, Asst. Secretary<br />

There is a board of Advisors that includes<br />

a Medical Doctor, A Social Worker, A Community<br />

Activist, A Nurse Practitioner, and a<br />

Health Care Administrator<br />

The Organization mobilizes funds to carry<br />

out its obligations via membership-dues;<br />

public-appeals and a variety of fund-raising<br />

ventures.<br />

H.E.R.O.C. operates with a planned<br />

budget, that stipulates that the funds that it<br />

accumulates can only be spent on projects<br />

and activities that are pertinent to the Organization’s<br />

mission and operational activities.<br />

COMMITMENTS<br />

H.E.R.O.C’s publicized commitments read<br />

as follows:--<br />

(i).. H.E.R.O.C is dedicated to the commitment<br />

of Healthcare; Education; and Nutrition<br />

for cancer-patients and others in the<br />

community;<br />

(ii).. To improve and enhance the well being<br />

and health of individuals;<br />

Above: H.E.R.O.C’s operational-team.<br />

Photos 1,2,3, 4: H.E.R.O.C’s fourth annual Tea Party and Hat-competition held on Sunday, April 23rd. at<br />

St.Gabriel’s Church auditorium, on Hawthorne street, Brooklyn.<br />

(iii).. To provide the required help that is<br />

needed in the fight against cancer;<br />

(iv).. To be a source of improved care and<br />

well being though the work of H.E.R.O.C’s<br />

members and its Associates/Partners;<br />

(v).. To provide the necessary services that<br />

will benefit those with little or no access to<br />

the much needed treatment to help conquer<br />

cancer.<br />

One of the most popular and useful services<br />

that H.E.R.O.C. offers with regards<br />

to (v), is helping cancer victims from other<br />

countries with transportation and accommodation<br />

in order to obtain treatment in the<br />

United States of America.<br />

The Organization is currently based in<br />

Brooklyn, New York; but it has linkages with<br />

several Groups that share pertinent goals and<br />

objectives.<br />

1<br />

2<br />

3<br />

4<br />

If you are a leader of an organization and would like your group to be featured in The <strong>Caribbean</strong> <strong>Times</strong> Newspaper,<br />

please contact us at (718) 909-1841 or email us at production@caribbeantimesnews.com.


13<br />

<strong>Caribbean</strong> <strong>Times</strong> | May 4-17, 2017<br />

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<strong>Caribbean</strong> <strong>Times</strong> | May 4-17, 2017<br />

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news<br />

Guyana ranked as “Developing Country”<br />

in latest human development report<br />

GEORGETOWN, Guyana (CMC) – Guyana<br />

has been ranked as a “developing country” in<br />

the latest Human Development Report (HDR),<br />

compiled by the United Nations.<br />

The <strong>Caribbean</strong> Community (CARICOM)<br />

country has been placed at 127 out of the 188<br />

countries examined in the 2016 HDR that was<br />

compiled under the theme “Human Development<br />

for Everyone”. Program Specialist and<br />

Assistant Resident Representative of the United<br />

Nations Development Program (UNDP), Dr.<br />

Patrick Chesney, will, on Wednesday, make a<br />

presentation of key findings of the HDR 2016<br />

to Finance Minister Winston Jordan. The 2016<br />

HDR outlines how human development can be<br />

ensured for everyone, now and in the future.<br />

“It starts with an account of the achievements,<br />

challenges and hopes for human progress, envisioning<br />

where humanity wants to go. Its vision<br />

draws from, and builds on, the 2030 Agenda for<br />

Sustainable Development that the 193 member<br />

states of the United Nations endorsed, last year,<br />

and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals that<br />

the world has committed to achieve,” the report<br />

noted.<br />

“It explores who has been left out in the progress<br />

in human development and why. It argues<br />

that to ensure human development for everyone,<br />

a mere mapping of the nature and location of<br />

deprivations is not enough. Some aspects of the<br />

human development approach and assessment<br />

perspectives have to be brought to the fore,” it<br />

added. The document also identifies the national<br />

policies and key strategies that will enable every<br />

human being to achieve basic human development<br />

and to sustain and protect the gains.<br />

The composite Human Development Index<br />

(HDI) integrates three basic dimensions of human<br />

development. Life expectancy at birth reflects<br />

the ability to lead a long and healthy life.<br />

Mean years of schooling and expected years of<br />

schooling reflect the ability to acquire knowledge.<br />

And gross national income per capita reflects<br />

the ability to achieve a decent standard of<br />

living. To measure human development more<br />

comprehensively, the HDR also presents four<br />

other composite indices: the Inequality-adjusted<br />

HDI discounts the HDI according to the<br />

extent of inequality; the Gender Development<br />

Index compares female and male HDI values;<br />

the Gender Inequality Index highlights women’s<br />

empowerment.<br />

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<strong>Caribbean</strong> <strong>Times</strong> | May 4-17, 2017


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<strong>Caribbean</strong> <strong>Times</strong> | May 4-17, 2017<br />

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17<br />

entertainment<br />

Haitian-born ballet dancer Sanford<br />

Placide makes big strides in NYC<br />

<strong>Caribbean</strong> <strong>Times</strong> | May 4-17, 2017<br />

By Lyndon Taylor<br />

Contributor<br />

DEXTA DAPS TO<br />

PERFORM / HOST<br />

ALL WHITE, PARTY<br />

IN New York City<br />

New York: Long Island music fans,<br />

fasten your seat belts as singjay Dexta<br />

Daps is coming to town. After wreaking<br />

havoc in 2015 with a stellar performance<br />

at Roy Wilkins Park in Queens,<br />

the ‘7eleven’ artiste returns to the Big<br />

Apple for an encore performance that<br />

organizers are predicting will be much<br />

better the second time around. Daps will<br />

be a performer and host at Oracabessa<br />

BLISS, the newly minted ‘All white, All<br />

inclusive, Premium Day Party,’ that takes<br />

place on Memorial Monday, May 29 at<br />

the Eisenhower Park, Nassau County in<br />

Long Island, NY.<br />

“We are very excited to welcome Dexta<br />

Daps to Long Island and to Oracabessa<br />

BLISS” said event organizer / Irie<br />

Continued on page 26<br />

Following a successful season with the<br />

world-renowned Dance Theatre of Harlem<br />

(DTH), Sanford Placide, Haitian born professional<br />

ballet dancer, now has his sights set<br />

on taking on another challenge.<br />

“I’m pleased to have been given the opportunity<br />

to showcase my classical dance skills<br />

during the past season with Dance Theatre of<br />

Harlem, a long held dream of mine,” noted<br />

Placide.<br />

Placide became the second Haitian born<br />

dancer with Dance Theater of Harlem, following<br />

in the footsteps of Carld Jonassaint<br />

who performed with the company in the early<br />

‘80’s, before later dancing with American<br />

Ballet Theatre.<br />

In an interview with <strong>Caribbean</strong> <strong>Times</strong>, Mr.<br />

Placide noted that his journey to the DTH<br />

stage was not an easy one. In 2008, while a<br />

student at Ballet Etudes of South Florida,<br />

the young dancer participated in his first<br />

summer intensive (intermediate level) on a<br />

full tuition scholarship at DTH and has not<br />

looked back since. After attending that summer<br />

intensive, he was accepted at and attended<br />

other summer or full year programs at<br />

other prestigious establishments including<br />

American Ballet Theatre, Lines Ballet, Bal-<br />

Sanford Placide<br />

let Hispanico, Ballet Austin, and Miami City<br />

Ballet, just to name a few.<br />

After moving to New York in 2010, Placide<br />

continued to pursue his dream, despite<br />

numerous obstacles, but determined to be a<br />

professional ballet dancer, he trained privately<br />

under the tutelage of Nadege Hottier, while<br />

attending ballet school full time.<br />

Following his graduation from the NY<br />

Continued on page 24<br />

Daddy U Roy<br />

Daddy U Roy’s first New York City<br />

performance in over 25 years<br />

New York: Jamaican music pioneer<br />

Daddy U Roy, who ruled the charts in the 70s<br />

with hit singles, ‘Penny For Your Song’ (with<br />

Derrick Harriott); ‘Stop that Train;’ ‘Dread in<br />

a Babylon;’ ‘Wake The Town;’ ‘Rule The Nation’<br />

and ‘Wear You To The Ball’ (with John<br />

Holt) is set to perform In Queens on Sunday,<br />

June 25.<br />

‘The Originator, as he is known, has earned<br />

an invitation to perform at New York’s Groovin<br />

In The Park at Roy Wilkins Park where he<br />

will join reggae/rocksteady hitmaker Freddie<br />

McGregor, chart topper Ken Boothe and music<br />

magician Leroy Sibbles. All four acts will<br />

form part of a special package that celebrates<br />

the magic of the Rocksteady/reggae era. It is<br />

his first outdoor concert performance in New<br />

York City in more than 25 years and he is over<br />

the moon.<br />

“This performance is a big, big thing! The<br />

last time I performed outdoor in New York<br />

was with Toots in Central Park in the 80s” he<br />

recalled.<br />

“I have heard about Groovin but this is the<br />

first time I am being invited to perform. Its an<br />

honor and I will do my best to please everyone”<br />

he affirmed.<br />

Roy is a major superstar in Europe and<br />

Africa when he performs regularly. A few<br />

Continued on page 21


18<br />

business<br />

small biz tips<br />

<strong>Caribbean</strong> <strong>Times</strong> | May 4-17, 2017<br />

Black Businesses: Why Black<br />

people don’t support them<br />

By Michael Derek Roberts<br />

Associate Editor<br />

<strong>Caribbean</strong> <strong>Times</strong> News<br />

Part I of Three Part Series<br />

If you travel around Brooklyn and visit<br />

sundry “watering holes” that Black men (and<br />

some women) frequent, the topic of which<br />

“pays you when you work for them,” invariably<br />

comes up. And you’ll oftentimes be treated to<br />

a vehement rejection of honesty and inbound<br />

dislike of Black businesspeople that “still owe<br />

me.” Juxtapose that with an out and out fawning<br />

admiration for “the Jew man and the white<br />

man” who “pays me when I work for him,” and<br />

you have a formula for Black self-hate based on<br />

bad experiences working for Black construction<br />

and other businesses.<br />

But how did we come to this? And by “we”<br />

I mean the Black Diaspora – immigrants from<br />

the <strong>Caribbean</strong>, African-Americans, and others<br />

from Africa.<br />

Let’s start by acknowledging that businesses,<br />

all businesses, are places we visit every day. We<br />

pick up a roti on the way home, get our fingernails<br />

done on weekends, and scour the racks<br />

of consignment stores for affordable children’s<br />

clothes. It’s this socio-economic construct that<br />

helps drive all communities – forward or backwards.<br />

This is what makes the case for supporting<br />

local businesses, Black ones included, so<br />

important.<br />

So let us put this fact on the table: Black people<br />

in America have a history of not supporting<br />

black-owned businesses – they rather buy<br />

from people who do not “look like us.” In turn,<br />

consciously or unconsciously, Black people<br />

don’t support the communities where blackowned<br />

businesses operate and in which they<br />

also live. Unlike other races and ethnicities —<br />

such as the Jewish, Hispanic and Chinese communities<br />

that heavily and deliberately support<br />

one another’s businesses — black-owned business<br />

don’t get the same support within their<br />

own community.<br />

The reasons? First, There is still a negative<br />

stigma associated with Black products and<br />

services. They are still considered, in 2017, low<br />

quality, substandard, and less valuable when<br />

compared with products and services of other<br />

races (white, Jewish etc.). No matter that is<br />

not always accurate and is just another manifestation<br />

of unconscious Black self-hate, this<br />

thinking persists. The bottom line? We just<br />

don’t love ourselves enough so we don’t trust<br />

ourselves enough to support one another.<br />

To be certain there is more to this social<br />

phenomenon because it’s very complex and<br />

relegating it to just an individual commercial<br />

transaction runs the risk of trivializing it. For<br />

the Black community this distrust of ourselves<br />

that drives a lack of support for Black<br />

businesses, enterprises and other social and<br />

economic institutions is based on years of<br />

repression and learned associations inculcated<br />

in consistently negative messages telling<br />

Black people that all black products are not<br />

as good as so-called “white products.”<br />

When this negative stereotype blankets<br />

and covers all Black business as lower in value,<br />

Black people will go where they perceive<br />

that they will get both better values and a<br />

bigger “bang for their buck.” The end result<br />

is that Black businesses suffer and become<br />

cash-strapped because of the tsunami outflow<br />

of money from the Black community<br />

to non-white ones. This in turn helps to perpetuate<br />

the cycle of Black poverty, crime and<br />

stuttering community economics that turns<br />

off non-white businesses from investing in<br />

Black communities. Do not ever wonder why<br />

Black people leave the community in droves<br />

every weekend to travel miles and miles for<br />

“better deals and cheaper” stuff found in<br />

white and non-Black shopping areas.<br />

Another issue that piggybacks on the perception<br />

of low-value Black products and services<br />

is the belief that there is no money to be<br />

made in the Black community, hence Black<br />

businesses are simply marking time and<br />

“spinning their tops in mud.” But that’s patently<br />

false since Black-spending power (that<br />

includes the <strong>Caribbean</strong> community) is conservatively<br />

put at $188 billion. Also consider<br />

the following: Black owned businesses in<br />

the United States increased 34.5% between<br />

2007 and 2012 totaling 2.6 million Black<br />

firms. More than 95% of these businesses are<br />

mostly sole proprietorship or partnerships<br />

that have no paid employees. About 4 in 10<br />

black-owned businesses (1.1 Million) in 2012<br />

operated in the health care, social assistance<br />

and other services such as repair, maintenance,<br />

personal and laundry services sectors.<br />

[Source: http://blackdemographics.com/ ].<br />

In short the Black business community, despite<br />

a lack of support from Black people is<br />

alive, thriving, and well.<br />

Why is it important to support Black-owned<br />

businesses? Everyday, media outlets continue<br />

to devalue the Black experience and existence<br />

in the United States. But Black people still turn<br />

around and invest into companies owned by<br />

the same people who keep that system of injustice<br />

in place. I urge and encourage all people,<br />

but especially Black people, to invest into our<br />

own businesses to increase their longevity and<br />

influence within our communities.<br />

[Next: Part II: How to Support Black Businesses]<br />

‘After-work<br />

Network’ offers<br />

helpful tips for<br />

small businesses<br />

By Carlyle Harry<br />

When the Leadership of the ‘After-Work<br />

Network’ held its monthly meeting last week<br />

Wednesday at the Trelawni Lounge, it facilitated<br />

presentations from six business persons.<br />

The presenters were Ms.Jewel Nash, CEO<br />

of Supreme Concept Cleaning Inc; Mr.Neil<br />

Cummimgs,Founder/President of Grenadian<br />

Connection; Mr.Roland Ottley, Attorney-at-Law<br />

and Healthcare Consultant;<br />

Ms.Alisha Hall, President, SS Elder In-Home<br />

Care Inc.; Ms.Sharon Coombs-Rose, Executive<br />

Director-Christopher Rose Community<br />

Empowerment Campaign; and Ms.Esther Riley,<br />

Owner of E.Riley H.R.Group.<br />

Each presenter described the business that<br />

he/she was involved with; the motives and<br />

drives that stimulated them to launch their<br />

businesses; steps that they have taken to maintain,<br />

grow and promote their businesses; as<br />

well as the efforts that they have been making<br />

to please and keep customers.<br />

The Resource-Persons accommodated<br />

questions and discussions after their presentations.<br />

TIPS<br />

The tips that were offered to the<br />

audience by the presenters included:<br />

* Retaining passion for doing business<br />

* Human Resources’ tools for doing<br />

business<br />

* Hiring and Firing staff<br />

* Organizational Development and<br />

improvements<br />

* Using Social-Media to promote<br />

businesses<br />

* Finding out the needs of specific<br />

demographics<br />

* Raising families while managing<br />

businesses<br />

* Problem-solving<br />

* Seeking solutions to different<br />

problems that arise in the course of d<br />

oing business<br />

* Personal sacrifices involved in<br />

managing businesses<br />

* Winning the confidence of<br />

consumers and customers, and<br />

* Handling the F’s in businesses, for<br />

example Friend, Family, and Feelings.<br />

In welcoming participants to the meeting,<br />

one of the co-Hosts, Mr.Gerry Hopkin out-<br />

Continued on page 24


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<strong>Caribbean</strong> <strong>Times</strong> | May 4-17, 2017<br />

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legal notes<br />

21<br />

My last will and testament,<br />

By Wayne Marsh, Esq.<br />

Will it be done?<br />

The history of honoring the dead is a history<br />

of the living paying respect to the wishes of the<br />

dead. From early Afro-Egyptian history to later<br />

British civilization, enlightened men have made<br />

efforts to prevent frauds on the dead. Those<br />

familiar with legal history will be very familiar<br />

with The Statute of Fraud. This Act of the British<br />

Legislature which is reflected in the legal culture<br />

of The United States had at its core, the avoidance<br />

of fraud.<br />

Why then does it appear that we have forgotten<br />

the lessons of history? The answer may lie<br />

in the fact that we simply don’t get it. In recent<br />

times, it seems we have become accustomed<br />

to things the easy way, hence we appear to rely<br />

heavily on legal self-help softwares instead of<br />

getting professional assistance. Remember, a<br />

will only takes effect at the death of its creator.<br />

Therefore, a mistake in its creation is a fatal mistake.<br />

In other words, make a mistake and loved<br />

ones may realize that the wish of the dead is<br />

totally disregarded by the courts.<br />

When dealing with administration of estates,<br />

a court must be satisfied that at all cost it is carrying<br />

out the intention of the dead. It must determine<br />

whether the will was created according<br />

to the formalities to create a valid will. It must<br />

determine whether the document has been<br />

properly witnessed, published and that the legacy<br />

it seeks to distribute is properly identified and<br />

that the intended recipient receives the legacy.<br />

Too often we see wills contested where alligations<br />

are made that the creator of the purported<br />

will lacked mental capacity to create the will in<br />

question. A serious error in creating a will may<br />

result in no will. Is writing your will something<br />

to take lightly? The answer may vary depending<br />

upon the importance we place on ensuring our<br />

desire is carried out after death.<br />

If the living is serious about ensuring his or<br />

her wishes are carried out at death, the living<br />

will take every effort to do so while alive.<br />

The preceding is not intended as legal advice<br />

and readers should not rely on the above<br />

when making legal decisions. On the contrary,<br />

the preceding is simply an attempt to stimulate<br />

dscussionon.<br />

Anyone needing legal advice is encouraged<br />

to contact the author: 718-593-9501.<br />

daddy u roy<br />

Continued from page 17<br />

years ago he had a minor hit stateside with<br />

singer Richie Stephens called ‘Real Reggae<br />

Music’ and ‘Ebony Eyes’ featuring Winsome<br />

Benjamin. A follow up single ‘Nah Complain’<br />

with entertainer Kafinal topped reggae charts<br />

in Canada and New York. Earlier this year he<br />

recorded ‘Pumps & Pride’ with singer Tarrus<br />

Riley that is getting traction on numerous stations<br />

in the Diaspora. His biggest hit is still his<br />

collaborative song ‘Wear You To The Ball’ that<br />

was released with John Holt in the early 70s. It<br />

reached #1 on the Jamaican chart and stayed<br />

there for 12 weeks.<br />

“’Wear You To The Ball’ is my biggest song.<br />

It is requested by fans everywhere I perform.<br />

They love it!” he disclosed.<br />

When asked which other artiste he would<br />

consider recording with, the ‘Wake The Town’<br />

singer said emphatically, “I would love to do<br />

a collaboration with Mariah Carey. She has a<br />

musical range that only Minnie Riperton can<br />

match. She is a high grade singer. I also love<br />

Gladys Knight, Patti Labelle, Dianna Ross and<br />

Whitney Houston. These are some of the best<br />

singers of all time” he explained.<br />

<strong>Caribbean</strong> <strong>Times</strong> | May 4-17, 2017<br />

rain<br />

Continued from page 1<br />

the Poor Relief Departments of the local authorities,<br />

and voluntary agencies, such as the<br />

Salvation Army and the Red Cross, are gathering<br />

the necessary information.<br />

“The intention is to use this information<br />

to implement a comprehensive assistance<br />

program to restore dignity to our affected<br />

citizens. The details of the program will be<br />

shared with the House in due course,” he<br />

said.<br />

He added that the Ministry will also be<br />

providing financial assistance to affected municipal<br />

corporations.<br />

“Additionally, the rubble created by the<br />

flooding and landslides will be removed. Just<br />

as importantly, the Ministry of Health is being<br />

engaged, as we try to guard against any<br />

potential mosquito nuisance or water-borne<br />

diseases, as the floodwaters subside,” McKenzie<br />

said.<br />

The Minister said the Office of Disaster<br />

Preparedness and Emergency Management<br />

and local authorities responded, quickly, to<br />

the needs of residents, and ensured that relief<br />

materials, including mattresses, blankets,<br />

sheets, cases of drinking water and tarpaulins,<br />

were supplied.<br />

McKenzie said that the Ministry will be<br />

reviewing the existing structures, particularly<br />

in town centres and other urban areas<br />

of the country, to see where run-off capacity<br />

can be significantly expanded, in the shortto<br />

medium-term.<br />

“While there are other factors that can be<br />

cited as causes of flooding, there is simply no<br />

denying that insufficient drainage capacity is<br />

a fundamental reason, and the time has come<br />

to address the problems associated with rain<br />

events, in a fundamental way,” he said.<br />

McKenzie said the Local Government<br />

Ministry will be collaborating with the Ministry<br />

of Economic Growth and Job Creation<br />

to develop a program to expand the country’s<br />

infrastructure, so as to put an end to flooding,<br />

once any type of rain occurs.<br />

Looking For:<br />

✓PREP COOKS<br />

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for the most current news from the<br />

caribbean Visit us at<br />

www.caribbeantimesnyc.com<br />

✓DISHWASHERS<br />

Call Andrew 917-346-7996


22<br />

<strong>Caribbean</strong> <strong>Times</strong> | May 4-17, 2017<br />

Tax -filing extension<br />

This year’s Tax-Filing deadline was April<br />

18th...However Tax-payers who requested<br />

extensions to file, have until Monday, October<br />

16th to do so.<br />

The toll free number to the IRS is 844-545-<br />

5640.<br />

Employment opportunities<br />

Persons looking for jobs within New<br />

York’s private and public sectors, can visit--<br />

jobs.ny.gov.<br />

Brooklyn DA’s office offers<br />

internships to students<br />

The Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office, is<br />

offering Internships to High school and College<br />

students.<br />

Free educational conference<br />

The Alzheimer’s Foundation of America<br />

is holding a free educational conference for<br />

caregivers on Friday, May fifth at the New<br />

York Hilton. For information, call 866-232-<br />

8484.<br />

Health Exposition<br />

The Guyana Ex-Police Association is holding<br />

a Health-exposition on Sunday, May seventh,<br />

from 11.00a.m. to 4.00p.m.at 609, East<br />

53rd.street.<br />

Producer George A Brash<br />

Events Such As:<br />

• Vending<br />

• Workshops<br />

• Party Promotions<br />

• Fundraisers<br />

• Small Businesses, etc.<br />

Our rates are affordable<br />

• 1 minute spots<br />

• 30 second spots<br />

• Live interviews spots, etc.<br />

what’s happening<br />

with Carlyle harry<br />

May 13: Guyana Action Committee’s Mother’s Day Brunch<br />

Seniors get help for repairs on their<br />

homes<br />

The Metropolitan Council on Jewish poverty<br />

has a program that is helping senior-citizens(over<br />

60 years) with small-scale repairs<br />

to their homes. For information, call 212-<br />

453-9542.<br />

Mother’s Day brunch<br />

The Guyana Action Committee is holding<br />

its annual Mothers-Day Brunch on Saturday,<br />

May13th at Cristo Rey, 1377, Brooklyn avenue.<br />

For information, call 718-879-2662.<br />

Culture Zone Radio Show<br />

Culture Zone Radio Show<br />

Jamaican conculate hosts<br />

Saturday 4 to 9 PM Live conference On The AIR<br />

Saturday 4 to 9 PM Live On The AIR<br />

Culture Zone radio program on WPAT 930am is a program dedicated to<br />

mark Jamaica’s fifty-fifth Independence anniversary.<br />

tomorrow through motivation<br />

building a strong community for today and<br />

and exposure to different aspects of American Theme and of <strong>Caribbean</strong> the conference, life. is ‘Celebrating By that<br />

we bring to the airwaves experienced and qualified Jamaicans at Home professionals and Abroad.’ in For their information,<br />

call 212-935-9000. broadcast segment of<br />

field to give guidance during our weekly magazine<br />

Culture Zone show. Culture Zone program is independently produced by<br />

Culture Zone Company that is solely responsible for its contents therefore<br />

all financial responsibilities for air time and cost of programming is the re-<br />

Culture Zone radio program on WPAT 930am is a program dedicated to building a strong<br />

community for today and tomorrow through motivation and exposure to different aspects<br />

of American and <strong>Caribbean</strong> life. By that we bring to the airwaves experienced and qualified<br />

professionals in their field to give guidance during our weekly magazine broadcast<br />

segment of Culture Zone show. Culture Zone program is independently produced by<br />

Culture Zone Company that is solely responsible for its contents therefore all financial<br />

responsibilities for air time and cost of programming is the responsibility of Culture Zone<br />

Company.<br />

Program airs every Saturday sponsibility from 4 PM to 9 of PM Culture with the best Zone in American Company. and <strong>Caribbean</strong><br />

music.<br />

Program airs every Saturday from 4 PM to 9 PM with the best in American<br />

and <strong>Caribbean</strong> music.<br />

Contact us at<br />

(646) 269-9820<br />

www.wpat930am.com<br />

P.O. Box 230173 • Jamaica, NY 11423<br />

The organization LIFT offers<br />

legal advice to families<br />

The Legal Information for Families Today(LIFT)<br />

is offering legal advice on a variety<br />

of family-related matters, including caregiving;<br />

child-support; custody and visitation.<br />

For information call 212-343-1122.<br />

Lunchtime concert series<br />

Brooklyn Borough Hall is holding a<br />

‘Lunch-Time’ concert series from May tenth<br />

to June 14th. For information, call 718-802-<br />

3832.<br />

Meanwhile, on May 16th, Brooklyn Borough<br />

President Eric Adams will host a celebration<br />

for older Americans.<br />

Summer Workshop Series<br />

The Guyana Cultural Association is conducting<br />

its annual ‘Summer Workshop Series’<br />

from July fifth to August tenth. For information,<br />

call 718-209-5207.<br />

MTA mobile van becomes more<br />

accessible<br />

In order to make it easier for his constituents<br />

to transact business with the MTA,<br />

City-Council Member, Alan Maisel has concluded<br />

arrangements for a MTA Mobile van<br />

to be outside of his Office every third Friday<br />

from 10.00 a.m to noon.<br />

The Office is located at 2424, Ralph avenue.<br />

The Manhattan-based Jamaican Consulate<br />

is holding a conference from July 23-26 to<br />

roland guy<br />

Continued from page 11<br />

functions ongoing<br />

• Masquerader from age 2 and recurrent<br />

Individual prize-winner in Brooklyn’s two<br />

fold Labor Day Carnival contests, including<br />

2016 (WIACDA’s)<br />

Given the totality of these experiences and<br />

attainments, I confidently rank Dr. Roland<br />

Guy among that elite cadre the cognoscenti<br />

applaud as “Renaissance men.”<br />

Webster’s Dictionary styles the Renaissance<br />

man: “a person who has wide interests<br />

and is expert in several areas.” I trust it will<br />

now be unfailingly clear that our <strong>Caribbean</strong><br />

Guy is indeed worthy of this rare accolade.


23<br />

Achievers<br />

1476 Flatbush Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11210<br />

(between Glenwood Rd/Farragut Rd)<br />

Business: (718) 758-0600 www.C21Achievers.com<br />

<strong>Caribbean</strong> <strong>Times</strong> | May 4-17, 2017<br />

IF YOU OR SOMEONE YOU<br />

KNOW IS INTERESTED IN:<br />

• Selling a Home<br />

• Buying a Home<br />

• Renting an Apartment<br />

• The Current Value of a Home<br />

• Foreclosure Issues<br />

Kindly Give Edmund Sadio<br />

A Call Today<br />

917-478-4272<br />

Email: Sadioc21@yahoo.com


24<br />

<strong>Caribbean</strong> <strong>Times</strong> | May 4-17, 2017<br />

placide<br />

Continued from page 17<br />

based French Académie of Ballet under the<br />

guidance of François Perron, he landed a job<br />

at the North Carolina Dance Theatre present<br />

day Charlotte Ballet’s second company,<br />

before joining Ballet West in Utah, one of<br />

the top ten US ballet companies, and subsequently<br />

Alberta Ballet in Canada. Despite<br />

his many travels and transitions, Placide<br />

remained persistent and focused never allowing<br />

the disappointments to dissuade his<br />

passion and kept auditioning.<br />

With the completion of his season at<br />

Dance Theatre of Harlem, Mr. Placide looks<br />

back with fond memories. “I’m very proud<br />

of the season I have had with DTH. Now<br />

that I’ve accomplished my long held dream<br />

of performing with the company, I am ready<br />

for any challenge that comes my way,” noted<br />

Placide.<br />

<strong>Caribbean</strong> <strong>Times</strong> had the privilege of seeing<br />

Mr. Placide during the just concluded<br />

season and was amazed and enamored by<br />

his extraordinary abilities. He demonstrated<br />

such great poise and precision during his<br />

climate<br />

Continued from page 7<br />

the CARICOM Heads of Government have<br />

put fish and fishery products among the priority<br />

commodities for CARICOM. It means<br />

that things that affect that development are<br />

important to us and so climate change is of<br />

primary importance,” said Peter Murray, the<br />

CRFM’s Programme Manager for Fisheries<br />

and Development.<br />

The grouping of small, developing states<br />

are ‘fortifying’ the sectors that rely on the<br />

marine environment, or the Blue Economy,<br />

to withstand the expected ravages of climate<br />

change which scientists say will increase the<br />

intensity of hurricanes, droughts, coastal<br />

sea level rise and coral bleaching.<br />

In its last report AR5, the Intergovernmental<br />

Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)<br />

reported: “Many terrestrial, freshwater and<br />

marine species have shifted their geographic<br />

ranges, seasonal activities, migration patterns,<br />

abundances and species interactions<br />

in response to ongoing climate change,” patterns<br />

that are already being noted by <strong>Caribbean</strong><br />

fishers.<br />

In an email to IPS, Murray outlined several<br />

initiatives across the <strong>Caribbean</strong> that<br />

,he says are crucial to regional efforts. The<br />

Report Card, which has been available since<br />

March, will provide the in-depth data governments<br />

need to make critical decisions<br />

on mitigation and adaptation. It provides<br />

information covering ocean processes such<br />

as ocean acidification; extreme events like<br />

storms, surges and sea temperature; biodiversity<br />

and civil society including fisheries,<br />

tourism and settlements.<br />

Sanford Placide<br />

season, leaving audiences spellbound with<br />

his vigor and passion.<br />

Carole Alexis, Director of Ballet des<br />

Amériques, who has had the pleasure of<br />

working with Placide had nothing but high<br />

praises for the talented dancer. “Sanford’s<br />

relationship to music is very profound and<br />

In addition, the 17-members of the<br />

CRFM agreed to incorporate the management<br />

of fisheries into their national disaster<br />

plans, and signed off on the Climate Change<br />

Adaptation and Disaster Risk Reduction<br />

Strategy for the fisheries sector.<br />

“It means that anything looking at climate<br />

change and potential impacts is important<br />

to us,” Murray says.<br />

The IPCC’s gloomy projections for world<br />

fisheries has been confirmed by a 2015<br />

World Wildlife Fund (WWF) report indicating<br />

that for the last 30 years, world fisheries<br />

have been in decline due to climate<br />

change. In the <strong>Caribbean</strong>, reduced catches<br />

are directly impacting the stability of entire<br />

communities and the diets and livelihoods<br />

of some of the region’s poorest. Further decline<br />

could devastate the economies of some<br />

islands.<br />

But even as climate change is expected<br />

to intensify the effects of warming ocean<br />

waters, pelagic species could avoid the <strong>Caribbean</strong><br />

altogether, bringing even more<br />

hardships. So the regional plan is centred<br />

on a Common Fisheries Policy that includes<br />

effective management, monitoring and enforcement<br />

systems and tools to improve risk<br />

planning.<br />

In addition to the disaster plan and its<br />

other activities, the Community has over<br />

time installed a Coral Reef Early Warning<br />

System; new data collection protocols; improved<br />

computing capacity to crunch climate<br />

data; an insurance scheme to increase<br />

the resilience of fishing communities and<br />

stakeholders; as well as several tools to predict<br />

drought and excessive rainfall.<br />

Worldwide, three billion people rely on<br />

fish as their major source of protein. The<br />

subtle. He has a unique way of interpreting<br />

complex rhythm and transcends the human<br />

form with his amazing lines,” noted Alexis.<br />

As he embarks on the next phase of his<br />

journey, Placide is the relishing the occasion<br />

he had during the past season and looks<br />

ahead with optimism. “When I look back at<br />

all the things I’ve been through and everything<br />

I’ve accomplished, I realize how fortunate<br />

and blessed I am.”<br />

Mr. Placide says “his way forward is upward”<br />

and hopes his story of persistence and<br />

perseverance will serve to inspire even one<br />

child or young artist to pursue their passion.<br />

The young artist remains focused and<br />

continues on his quest to be ranked among<br />

the pantheon of male ballet dancers, pushing<br />

the door open for others to follow. He<br />

ended our interview with a quote from<br />

life-changing speaker and bestselling author<br />

Dr. Steve Maraboli who said “As I look back<br />

on my life, I realize that every time I thought<br />

I was being rejected from something good,<br />

I was actually being redirected to something<br />

better.”<br />

Sanford Placide…rising Haitian ballet<br />

star on a mission for success!<br />

industry provides a livelihood for about 12<br />

per cent of the world’s population and earns<br />

approximately 2.9 trillion dollars per year,<br />

the WWF reports. With regional production<br />

barely registering internationally, the<br />

<strong>Caribbean</strong> is putting all its efforts into preserving<br />

the Blue Economy, which the World<br />

Bank said earned the region 407 billion dollars<br />

in 2012.<br />

In the coming weeks the <strong>Caribbean</strong> Community<br />

Climate Change Centre, known regionally<br />

as the 5Cs, has coordinated and<br />

implemented a raft of programmes aimed<br />

at building systems that will help the region<br />

cope the effects of climate change.<br />

Through collaboration with the US National<br />

Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration<br />

(NOAA), the 5Cs has been setting<br />

up an integrated network of climate and<br />

biological monitoring stations to strengthen<br />

the region’s early warning mechanism.<br />

And as the oceans absorb more carbon,<br />

the region’s supply of conch and oysters, the<br />

mainstay of some communities, is expected<br />

to decline further. In addition, warming sea<br />

water is expected to shift migration routes<br />

for pelagic fish further north, reducing the<br />

supply of available deep sea fish even more.<br />

Added to that, competition for the dwindling<br />

resources could cause negative impacts<br />

of one industry over another.<br />

And while many continue to puzzle about<br />

the reasons behind the region’s climate<br />

readiness, scientists caution that there is no<br />

time to ease up. This week they rolled out,<br />

among other things, a coastal adaptation<br />

project and a public education and awareness<br />

(PAE) program launched on April 26<br />

in Belize City.<br />

tourism<br />

Continued from page 11<br />

relationships that in turn create “alternative tourism”<br />

models. For me, alternative tourism, if it is<br />

to work for <strong>Caribbean</strong> countries, concerns a variety<br />

of new approaches: eco-tourism, agro-tourism,<br />

community tourism and ethical tourism, to<br />

name a few. Indeed, there are many possible alternative<br />

approaches which can help <strong>Caribbean</strong><br />

countries to get out of the dominant mass tourism<br />

model that has worked more for Europe and<br />

North America but with only limited success for<br />

the <strong>Caribbean</strong> region. <strong>Caribbean</strong> governments<br />

must also consider the social and cultural dimensions,<br />

relationship to the environment, the<br />

participation of host communities, and the longterm<br />

develop of sustainable tourism strategies<br />

with much more significant economic benefits<br />

for their countries.<br />

Still, <strong>Caribbean</strong> governments are understandably<br />

loath to get rid of mass tourism alltogether<br />

for a number of valid reasons. Tourism today<br />

brings a direct volume of revenue that supports<br />

economic growth. The large-scale arrival of visitors<br />

on cruise ships, for example, (who are all<br />

consumers) offers hope for growth and a beneficial<br />

and vibrant tourism entrepreneurship sector.<br />

And too, mass tourism supports employment<br />

and multiple opportunities for small investors.<br />

These jobs are directly related to tourism (hotels,<br />

restaurants, craftshops, taxis etc.), indirectly (to<br />

trade in general) or induced (stimulated by the<br />

additional money supply circulating in the economy<br />

of the host countryy).<br />

But governments should “mix and match”<br />

tourism products and learn from other nations<br />

with similar demographics and sizes that now<br />

promote viable “alternative tourism” industries.<br />

The old model of <strong>Caribbean</strong> tourism will work<br />

for only so long. It’s time to think about the future.<br />

Maybe its time to rethink “community<br />

tourism?” I’ll discuss that in our next issue.<br />

biz tips<br />

Continued from page 18<br />

lined the purpose of the monthly Network<br />

meetings, as well as the benefits that they<br />

could relay to business owners as they proceeded<br />

to interact and communicate with<br />

each other.<br />

He encouraged the meeting’s participants<br />

to ensure that they sought advice and suggestions<br />

from colleagues on an on-going basis.<br />

Founder and co-Host, Mr.Edmund Sadio<br />

drew attention to the fact that the presenters<br />

were sharing important and valuable knowledge<br />

free of cost, and he urged participants to<br />

make use of that knowledge.<br />

Mr.Sadio who is also Chairman of the <strong>Caribbean</strong><br />

American Chamber of Commerce<br />

and Industry encouraged participants to continue<br />

to support members within their own<br />

communities.


community news<br />

25<br />

Community group holds meeting to<br />

discuss neighborhood improvements<br />

By Carlyle Harry<br />

The Flatlands-Flatbush Civic<br />

Group held its monthly meeting<br />

on Thursday, April 20th. at P.S. 109,<br />

East 45 street.<br />

The Civic-Group’s theme is<br />

‘Strengthening the Flatlands-Flatbush<br />

community today, in preparation<br />

for tomorrow’<br />

The meeting commenced with<br />

reports from Police-Officer--Garrio<br />

Coicou of the 67th Precinct<br />

Community Affairs Department,<br />

and Police-Officer Thomas Podd of<br />

the 63rd. Precinct Community Affairs<br />

Department.<br />

The Police-Officers admitted<br />

that while there were reductions<br />

in violent crimes and thefts, there<br />

was an increase in car break-ins<br />

and vehicular vandalism within the<br />

District.<br />

They warned meeting-attendees<br />

to secure their vehicles properly,<br />

and to avoid leaving valuables such<br />

as cell-phones, purses and wallets<br />

in their cars.<br />

The Police-Officers also reported<br />

on steps that were being taken<br />

to reduce traffic congestions in various<br />

parts of the Flatlands-Flatbush<br />

district.<br />

They indicated that they were<br />

targeting 18-wheelers which were<br />

often being parked illegally.<br />

District-Assemblywoman, Helene<br />

Weinstein told the meeting<br />

that her Office was willing to make<br />

funds available to help to discipline<br />

the drivers of those trucks.<br />

The Assemblywoman added<br />

that she was pleased that after long<br />

periods of Advocacy, the State Assembly<br />

had finally agreed to raise<br />

the age at which teen-agers could<br />

be charged and treated as adults;<br />

while placing convicted juveniles<br />

in Educational and Job-Training<br />

programs.<br />

In closing, Ms.Weinstein distributed<br />

pamphlets, and reminded the<br />

meeting’s participants to make use<br />

of the services that her Office was<br />

offering.<br />

The meeting concluded with the<br />

Group’s Leadership informing the<br />

meeting about negotiations that<br />

it was continuing to have with the<br />

MTA; the DOT; the DEP; and the<br />

Sanitation Department.<br />

Those negotiations are aimed at<br />

improving the services that those<br />

City-Departments deliver to the<br />

Flatlands-Flatbush district.<br />

The Leadership also expressed<br />

its gratitude to the Ownership of<br />

the <strong>Caribbean</strong> <strong>Times</strong>’ Newspaper<br />

for covering its meetings, and<br />

bringing attention to the District’s<br />

needs and concerns.<br />

The next meeting of the Flatlands-Flatbush<br />

Group will take<br />

place on the third Thursday of May<br />

at P.S.109.<br />

The Group is holding a street fair<br />

and community day on Saturday,<br />

June 17th.<br />

<strong>Caribbean</strong> <strong>Times</strong> | May 4-17, 2017<br />

195 years between them<br />

By Carlyle Harry<br />

Readers, I have known this couple<br />

for some time — via their children,<br />

and I feel obliged to bring<br />

this human-interest experience to<br />

your attention and consumption.<br />

Claude Sinclair Joseph is (approximately)<br />

98 years old, while<br />

his wife-Agnes is approximately 97<br />

years of age.<br />

Claude and Agnes are originally<br />

from West Coast Berbice, Guyana,<br />

and they have been married for sixty-five<br />

years.<br />

Claude is November-born while<br />

Agnes is January-born.<br />

They grew up 10.1 miles apart,<br />

but they got to know each other at<br />

another location, Georgetown, via<br />

Claude’s aunt, Pearl.<br />

This couple has co-produced<br />

fourteen children--7 boys and 7<br />

girls.<br />

Both Claude and Agnes are still<br />

very active, they are quite active in<br />

their religious activities, and each<br />

year, they return to their homeland<br />

for the winter period.<br />

If singles or couples are looking<br />

for practical (relationship) advice,<br />

as well as motivation or stimuli to<br />

carry-on, I strongly suggest that<br />

they should seek discourses and<br />

consultation(s) with Claude and<br />

Agnes.<br />

An amazing factor, is that while<br />

Claude was employed by Guyana’s<br />

bauxite and sugar industries,...Agnes<br />

never worked(I am imagining<br />

that raising 14 children is full-time<br />

work by itself.)<br />

Try as I may, the only answers<br />

that I kept getting from Claude and<br />

Agnes around their long(personal)<br />

lives, as well as their long(marriage)<br />

lives, were”work hard; pray<br />

hard; have strong beliefs in God;<br />

love one another; learn one another;<br />

have healthy communications;<br />

and practice FORGIVENESS.”<br />

In addition to their long lives<br />

together, I was impressed by the<br />

sacrifices that Claude was willing<br />

to make in order to give his wife<br />

and fourteen children “proper and<br />

successful upbringings.”<br />

harvest<br />

Continued from page 7<br />

tian authorities in the region, he<br />

said.<br />

The rugged region’s farmers<br />

were given seeds after Matthew<br />

hit in October so they could<br />

start reaping corn and beans<br />

now. But the rains that tapered<br />

off Monday have ruined the<br />

harvest or left gravel and other<br />

debris scattered on cultivated<br />

fields where planting was set to<br />

take place.<br />

“Nature isn’t giving the<br />

people any slack,” said Hervil<br />

Cherubin, country director for<br />

Heifer International, an international<br />

nonprofit working with<br />

farmers in Haiti.<br />

Following Matthew’s destruction,<br />

Haitian and international<br />

agricultural officials said it<br />

could be a decade or more before<br />

the southwestern peninsula<br />

recovers economically. In the<br />

Grand-Anse department, nearly<br />

all crops and half the livestock<br />

were destroyed by Matthew, according<br />

to the World Food Programme.<br />

When the hurricane hit, the<br />

southwest area was just starting<br />

to recover from a drought that<br />

had decreased crop production<br />

by half.<br />

Cherubin said Haiti needed<br />

to learn from countries such as<br />

Bangladesh that face heavy rains<br />

and flooding each year but mitigate<br />

the risks with watershed<br />

management, reforestation and<br />

other strategies.<br />

“We can’t do emergency work<br />

every day,” he said. (AP)<br />

to advertise your business, or event contact us<br />

at (718) 909-1841 or email production@<br />

caribbeantimesnews.com


26<br />

<strong>Caribbean</strong> <strong>Times</strong> | May 4-17, 2017<br />

chastanet<br />

Continued from page 3<br />

keting Board and Fisheries Department.<br />

“So I am not vexed with the Trust,” Chastanet<br />

said, explaining that the Trust, like all<br />

entities in St. Lucia, is required to justify how<br />

it spends monies given to it.<br />

“I’ve been elected by the people to make<br />

decisions to best benefit and re-prioritize<br />

how we are going about government’s business.<br />

There are too many St. Lucians who are<br />

suffering and who believe government has<br />

abandoned them.<br />

“The decisions we make, on a day-to-day<br />

basis, do not reflect their needs. So we have<br />

to reprioritize how we are going to spend the<br />

money in St. Lucia, and if there was enough<br />

money to go around, this would be a non-issue.<br />

“Everybody has to justify every single<br />

cent that we are spending. The government<br />

spends about $114 million a year on different<br />

entities and every single cent that we have is<br />

under review.<br />

In the case of the National Trust, the intention<br />

is that I don’t believe government<br />

should be paying for the recurrent expenditure<br />

of the Trust,” Chastanet said, adding<br />

“so if the Trust has a business plan and wants<br />

to make an investment, then they are free to<br />

approach the government and make that request<br />

and we will invest it on the basis of the<br />

merit of the project.”<br />

Chastanet told reporters that the SNT had,<br />

at some time, submitted a plan to Cabinet<br />

and that ministers were still awaiting final<br />

information on the feasibility study, which<br />

seeks to convert the current museum into a<br />

conference facility.<br />

“I’m still waiting to see whether this has financial<br />

sense,” Chastanet said, reiterating the<br />

subvention had nothing to do with him being<br />

upset with the Trust and seeking revenge.<br />

“This is so far from the truth. The Trust<br />

is an advocacy group and I trust and respect<br />

them as an advocacy group and, at no time,<br />

has my government tried to bypass the Trust.<br />

“In fact, the dolphin park investment that<br />

came, went to the Trust. I did not make any<br />

pre-announcements, I did not lobby anybody.<br />

It’s for the Trust to make the decision.<br />

“All I indicated to the Trust was that a vote<br />

by the membership is not a sufficient answer.<br />

You must give us, in writing, the pros and the<br />

cons of the project and tell us what your position<br />

is.<br />

“So that when Cabinet sits down to make<br />

a decision, that we have that information to<br />

put into our decision-making process,” Chastanet<br />

said.<br />

The main opposition St. Lucia Labour Party<br />

(SLP) has criticised the decision to cut the<br />

subvention to the SNT that was established<br />

more than four decades ago.<br />

The SLP, today, described as “vicious, vindictive<br />

and reeking of victimization” the decision<br />

of the Allen Chastanet government to<br />

drastically reduce its annual subvention to<br />

the St. Lucia National Trust (SNT).<br />

In a statement, the SLP linked the move<br />

to the SNT’s “principled position on the Dolphin<br />

Park at Pigeon Island National Landmark,<br />

and the DSH Project and its environmental<br />

impacts”.<br />

The SNT is among groups opposed to the<br />

multi-billion dollar project, claiming that it<br />

could lead to the destruction of the eco-system<br />

in the south of the island.<br />

In a statement, the SNT said that it “is now<br />

sufficiently certain” that the government,<br />

which will present its first budget to Parliament<br />

on Wednesday, proposes a reduction<br />

of the annual subvention from EC$700,000<br />

to zero “or effectively a 100 percent decrease.<br />

“While the Trust has not yet received any<br />

written or verbal notification of the same,<br />

from either the Office of the Prime Minister,<br />

which acts as our line ministry, or the Ministry<br />

of Finance, based on the Draft Estimates<br />

which were circulated to members of the<br />

House of Assembly last week, it has become<br />

apparent that the government wishes to take<br />

such action,” the SNT said in the statement.<br />

In its lengthy statement, the SNT said that<br />

it has enjoyed the support of governments<br />

through an annual subvention ever since it<br />

was established by Act of Parliament in 1975.<br />

“Over the past 20 years, the government’s<br />

contribution to the Trust has been<br />

EC$500,000, which has been put towards<br />

programs and operations. Since 2000,<br />

this amount was further augmented by a<br />

EC$200,000 special annual contribution to<br />

help the Trust fund the establishment of its<br />

head offices.”<br />

SLP and Opposition Leader, Phillip J<br />

Pierre, said that he strongly condemns the<br />

action of the government to cut the subvention<br />

of the SNT that was formed 42 years ago.<br />

“The St. Lucia Labour Party wishes to<br />

place on record, its support for the National<br />

Trust, as the legal entity entrusted with the<br />

protection of our environment and patrimony.<br />

“The SLP also re-affirms its non-discriminatory<br />

policy on governance, and puts Prime<br />

Minister Chastanet on notice, that such acts<br />

of pettiness and bullying will not be accepted<br />

by the Opposition and the people of St. Lucia,”<br />

he said, assuring the SNT that if it wins<br />

the next general election, it will restore the<br />

subvention.<br />

guyana<br />

Continued from page 1<br />

“Oil and gas is not going to distract us.<br />

We are going to ensure that the revenues…<br />

go into our Sovereign Wealth Fund, but we<br />

will also ensure that we continue to become<br />

a ‘green’ state by developing our sustainable<br />

energy resources,” President Granger added.<br />

Granger was supported in his views by Gil<br />

Holzman, the President and chief executive<br />

officer of ECO Atlantic Oil and Gas, which<br />

has a stake in oil and gas exploration in Guyana.<br />

“With everything combined together under<br />

the management of the President and his<br />

administration, I think the next two to five<br />

to 10 years will be very transformational and<br />

again, from my personal perspective, this is<br />

probably the best investment destination in<br />

the world at the moment,” Holzman said.<br />

Granger and Holzman were part of a<br />

panel, which included Minister of Foreign<br />

Affairs, Carl Greenidge, British High Commissioner<br />

to Guyana, Greg Quinn, and Andy<br />

Thorne, Group Chairman of the Kestrel<br />

Group, which is involved in the shipping industry<br />

in Guyana.<br />

Andy Thorne, Group Chairman of the<br />

Kestrel Group, makes a point as British High<br />

Commissioner to Guyana, Greg Quinn, and<br />

Gil Holzman, President and Chief Executive<br />

Officer of ECO Atlantic Oil and Gas, listen<br />

attentively.<br />

Andy Thorne, Group Chairman of the<br />

Kestrel Group, makes a point as British High<br />

Commissioner to Guyana, Greg Quinn, and<br />

Gil Holzman, President and Chief Executive<br />

Officer of ECO Atlantic Oil and Gas, listen<br />

attentively.<br />

The session was facilitated by British<br />

Member of Parliament, Lord Bruce of Bennachie.<br />

Granger noted that with the need for<br />

cheaper energy to boost the manufacturing<br />

sector, there was need for investments in<br />

solar and wind energy, biomass and hydropower.<br />

“We can generate electricity from about<br />

100 sites… We have huge savannahs and the<br />

sunlight is sufficient to generate electricity<br />

in many of our hinterland communities…<br />

We are the largest CARICOM [<strong>Caribbean</strong><br />

Community] sugar producer, up to the<br />

present time and, although there have been<br />

uncertainties in the market in the European<br />

Union, we still have a viable sugar industry,<br />

which can generate enough biomass to produce<br />

energy,” he said.<br />

President Granger told the conference that<br />

progress is already being made, with regard<br />

visit us at www.caribbeantimesnyc.com<br />

to the legal and regulatory environment.<br />

He said this, combined with the fact that<br />

Guyana — the only English speaking country<br />

on the continent of South America — has a<br />

similar common law, parliamentary system<br />

and institutional infrastructure that can be<br />

found in other Commonwealth countries,<br />

means that there would be some ease of doing<br />

business for companies from those parts<br />

of the world.<br />

President David Granger, earlier in the<br />

day, had an audience with Her Majesty<br />

Queen Elizabeth II, at Windsor Castle during<br />

his first official visit to the United Kingdom.<br />

President David Granger, earlier in the<br />

day, had an audience with Her Majesty<br />

Queen Elizabeth II, at Windsor Castle during<br />

his first official visit to the United Kingdom.<br />

“We can assure that your profits can be<br />

repatriated. We can assure you that our legal<br />

system, our judiciary, our ombudsman, our<br />

auditor general, our elections, are all entirely<br />

in consonance with what is required in Western<br />

Europe and the Commonwealth.<br />

“Only last year, we had our Local Government<br />

Elections which, under the previous<br />

administration, had been suspended for<br />

nearly two decades, and when the elections<br />

were held, we created three new towns. The<br />

urbanisation of our hinterland is proceeding<br />

apace,” he said.<br />

dexTa daps<br />

Continued from page 17<br />

Jam Radio host DJ Roy. “He is a fan favorite<br />

plus New York is his home away from home<br />

which is why we booked him for this event”<br />

Roy disclosed.<br />

Dexta Daps popular has continued to soar<br />

stateside since he emerged on the scene with<br />

his dancehall anthem ‘7eleven,’ which became<br />

a staple on reggae charts globally. His follow<br />

up hit “Shabba Madda Pot” - an ode to the<br />

mother of dancehall Emperor Shabba was another<br />

chart banger that is still burning up the<br />

airwaves in the tri-state area. Since then he<br />

has been consistently putting out great songs<br />

like ‘Dreaming,’ ‘Pretty Nicky,’ ‘Morning Love’<br />

and ‘Jealous Ova,’ an erotic duet he recorded<br />

with dancehall diva Tifa. His music appeals,<br />

not just to his core 17-26 year old fanbase but<br />

to all who love good reggae/dancehall music.<br />

The All White party kicks off at noon<br />

and goes until 8pm. It includes a tantalizing<br />

food village with Gourmet cuisine by 5 star<br />

celebrity chefs. The all-inclusive party price<br />

includes exotic drinks and beverages all day.<br />

Their will be on site masseuses, a VIP cabanas,<br />

a fashion show with celebrity guest hosts.<br />

Top Jamaica and NY area selectors including<br />

Rory from Stone Love; Renaissance Disco<br />

with Jazzy T & Delano; Captain Collin Hinds<br />

of FAME FM; Road International; Dubbmaster<br />

Chris will entertain patrons all day with<br />

the best selections of reggae, dancehall, soca<br />

and R&B music.


SPIRITUAL READER & ADVISOR<br />

SISTER DOBONG<br />

1752 FLATBUSH AVENUE, BROOKLYN<br />

kingandqueenradio.com & brooklynstation.com<br />

GUARANTEES TO RESTORE YOUR LOST NATURE<br />

HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH<br />

27<br />

<strong>Caribbean</strong> <strong>Times</strong> | May 4-17, 2017<br />

I lost my nature and my loved<br />

one left me. But Thank God<br />

after one visit I’ve regained<br />

my nature and we are back<br />

together and very happy.<br />

I was flat on my back<br />

suffering from an incurable<br />

disease there was no hope<br />

until I met this gifted healer.<br />

Thank God for her I am well.<br />

We were unsuccessful in<br />

marriage and separated for<br />

years. After one visit we are<br />

back together again and very<br />

happy.<br />

HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH<br />

Friends, we urge you to see this religious holy person who heals the sick and ailing and removes all<br />

suffering & bad luck from your body. She tells you who to keep away from. She shows you with your own<br />

eyes how she removes sorrow, sickness, pain & bad luck. What your eyes see your heart will believe &<br />

then your heart will be convinced that she is the holy religious woman you’ve been looking for. The touch<br />

of her hand will heal you. She has God given power to heal by prayer. Everyone is welcome at her home.<br />

Are you suffering? Sick? Do you need help? Do you have bad luck? Bring your problems to her today and<br />

be rid of them tomorrow. In this area for the first time, she reunites the separated & solemnly swears to<br />

heal the sick & help all who come to her & remove all evil spells.<br />

WVIP 93.5FM, kingandqueenradio.com, brooklynstation.com, Tuesdays 1AM-5AM, Thursdays, 1AM-2AM<br />

APPOINTMENT NECESSARY 718-253-7273<br />

DJs, Musicians, Promoters,<br />

Business Owners, you should<br />

have your own radio show!<br />

Come and educate the public about your products,<br />

services and events!<br />

Call Gina Bevel @ 718-253-7273<br />

Carle Moore @ 347-659-7062


28<br />

<strong>Caribbean</strong> <strong>Times</strong> | May 4-17, 2017<br />

R. STEVEN LeGaLL<br />

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