Caribbean American Passport News Magazine - July 2021 by caribbeanamericanpassport

FREE

Your Passport to the Caribbean American Community

12 7 Emancipation Day

The United States recently made Juneteenth its newest Federal holiday to commemorate the date slavery ended, however, there was another date that was previously celebrated by U.S. abolitionist societies: Aug. 1.

August 1st, 1834, had marked the end of slavery in the British Empire, when the 1833 Abolition of Slavery Act came into force and many of Britain’s former colonies in the Caribbean, as well as Canada, Aug. 1 is celebrated as Emancipation Day. The Caribbean was the center of British imperial political economy in the 18th century. Between 1619 and the abolition of the British slave trade in 1807, at least 365,563 enslaved people disembarked in British North America and what would become the United States of America. By comparison, more than 2,221,000 enslaved people disembarked in Britain’s sugarproducing colonies in the Caribbean, including more than 1 million people in Jamaica alone. N.Y., Frederick Douglass — who had toured Britain several times, to enthusiastic crowds — weighed Britain’s achievements in the fight against slavery. The British Empire had “made the name of England known and loved in every Slave Cabin,” he said, and “spread alarm, hatred, and dread in all the accursed slave markets of our boasted republic.” But freedom for Black people remained elusive. The formal policy shift, rooted in imperialism, capitalism and coercion that occurred on Aug. 1, 1834, was something very different from the struggle for freedom celebrated on Emancipation Day.

Jul/Aug 2021

Jamaican Women Dominate at 2020 Olympics in Tokyo Japan

www.caribbeanamericanpassport.com

L I F E S T Y L E The March On Movement!!! Samuel J. Roberts

March On for Washington and Voting Rights is a mass mobilization to demand that elected Owner/Publisher/Editor

officials protect democracy, denounce voter suppression, make D.C. a state, and ensure fair, easy access to the vote. March On is a political organization composed of womenled political activist groups that grew out of the women’s marches of January 21, 2017. They have come together as a united force to take concrete, coordinated actions at the federal, state and local levels to impact elections and move the country in a progressive direction. For more information, visit wearemarchon.org. On August 28, the 58th anniversary of the historic March on Washington, we will march on cities across America to demand that the vision of MLK’s “I Have a Dream” speech be deferred no longer. That means passing the For the People Act, the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, and the Washington, D.C. Admission Act. The march is led by Drum Major Institute, March On, the National Action Network, Future Coalition, SEIU, and 51 for 51, and is joined by over 140 other partners. The march is funded through the #ForJohn campaign, a grassroots effort cofounded by Martin Luther King III and Arndrea King to

Guenet Gittens-Roberts Owner/Publisher/Editor

the country on August 28. March On for Voting Rights Orlando will feature food trucks, music and a celebration of our diverse cultures through a multi-denominational Faith Prayer and with a range of music from Gospel to R&B, Reggae, Soca, Salsa & Hip-hop throughout the day. Partners in the event include will include local community activists, faith leaders, artists, and more, all speaking and performing in support of voting rights and voter registration. Additional speakers and performers will be announced leading up to August 28. The march is co-sponsored by March On, SEIU, National Action Network and the Drum Major Institute, an organization founded by Martin Luther King Jr. and dedicated to the King legacy of addressing racism through peaceful solutions. March On Orlando is being coordinated by GGR Marketing, the Caribbean American Passport and presented by SEIU, National Action Network, the Drum Major Institute and more. See a full list of partners at https://marchonforvotingrights.org/.

fight voter suppression. In ORLANDO, on Saturday, August 28, the 58th anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.’s historic March on Washington, Florida residents who are committed to saving democracy and free elections will join together for the March On for Voting Rights, with a parking lot at Dezerland Park. The effort is part of a nationwide mass mobilization to demand Congress stop voter suppression and pass the For the People Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, which will ensure free, fair access to the ballot for every voter. In addition to Orlando, marches will also take place in Miami, Atlanta, Houston, Phoenix, Washington, D.C., and in more than 40 other cities around

1969 Alafaya Trail • Orlando, FL 32828 Office: 407-427-1800 Fax: 407-386-7925 Toll Free: 877-220-8315 For Media Information email: Publisher: sroberts@caribbeanamericanpassport.com Info: .Info@caribbeanamericanpassport.com

Should you desire to review past copies of the publication go to http:// caribbeanamericanpassport.com and click on the 'Print Archive'. Publisher & Editor................................................................................... Sam Roberts Publisher ............................................................................. Guenet Gittens-Roberts Editor & Contributing Writer................................................................Aleia Roberts Contributing Writers: ................................................................................ Tony Dyal Contributing Photographers ............ .......................................................Ted Hollins ....................................................................................................................Dillia Castillo Central Florida Distribution......................................................... .Danielle Browne South Florida Distribution .............................................................Norman Williams North Florida Distribution ...............................................................Kadeem Roberts Tampa Distribution ...................................................................................Julian Pina Copyright (C) 2016 GGR Marketing & Public Relations. All rights reserved.

www.caribbeanamericanpassport.com

What You Need to Know About the COVID-19 Delta Variant By Aleia Roberts, MPH

Information about the characteristics of the COVID-19 Delta variant is rapidly emerging. Scientists are working to learn more about how easily it spreads, whether it causes more severe illness, and how well current vaccines work against it. Here’s what’s known so far: The Delta variant of COVID-19 was first detected in the United States in March 2021, and it is now the dominant variant here. It was initially identified in India in December 2020. This variant of the virus seems to spread more easily and quickly than other variants, which may lead to more cases of COVID-19. The CDC described Delta as more transmissible than the common cold and influenza, as well as the viruses that cause Ebola, smallpox, MERS, and SARS. A CDC internal document referred to the Delta variant as just as contagious as chickenpox. An increase in the number of cases will put more strain on healthcare resources, lead to more hospitalizations, and potentially more deaths.

you to get the COVID-19 vaccine, which does protect against the Delta Variant, and to avoid crowds and poorly ventilated indoor areas.

The current authorized vaccines work on the circulating variants, including the Delta variant. The highest spread of cases and severe outcomes is happening in places with low vaccination rates, and virtually all hospitalizations and deaths have been among the unvaccinated. It’s important to continue protecting yourself using social distancing, face coverings, and by washing your hands often. Healthcare professionals and community leaders are urging

Fast-Spreading COVID-19 Delta Variant - Source - Health News Florida

www.caribbeanamericanpassport.com

Who is SANDRA FATMI-HALL? Who is Sandra Fatmi-Hall? Before we present to some and introduce to others who this woman is with a servants heart. Let's fast forward to the latest exciting news..... On July 1st 2021 Sandra Fatmi-Hall filed to run to be the next Orange County District 2 Commissioner for 2022. District 2 covers Apopka, Zellwood, Tangerine, Ocoee, Lockhart, Eatonville, College Park and Pine Hills. After being asked consecutively over the past 11 years to represent her District she finally decided to run. FatmiHall prayed about this next big step and wanted to be the change she wanted to see by putting the community and it's people first. On July 9th 2021 the Campaign had their Kick-Off Fundraiser. It was well attended and featured a list of who's who from District 2 and throughout the community. Fatmi-Hall platform issues include but are not limited to Increased foused on Education, Public safety, Affordable housing, Health Care with a focus on Food equity Access and Infrastracture. Mrs. Sandra Fatmi-Hall

Friend, Family, Food provider, Community Leader, Scholarship provider, After-School Care Giver, Mentor, Fighter for the those needing help, Advocate for a better community, Supporter of Community

Sandra Fatmi-Hall (left) and her team packaging food to feed the community

Needs, Provider for the Community during the Worst Pandemic of our times, Surrogate Mother to 100's of students in her community...the list goes on and on Sandra Fatmi-Hall is all of the above and so much more.

Sandra Fatmi-Hall load food hamper in truck of local residents car

Mr. & Mrs Braswell, Sandra Fatmi-Hall and Mr. & Mrs Roberts

Fatmi-Hall is a woman with her pulse on the community. Let's get to know who this amazing woman is. After more than 17 years’ experience in banking, including branch management in New York and Atlanta, Fatmi-Hall found relocating to Orlando a natural progression to a place she would one day call “home.” With numerous trips to Orlando, previously, to visit her sister, the Kingston, Jamaica native proudly makes it known that warm weather, nearby beaches, and Caribbean festivals lured her to “The City Beautiful.” Fatmi-Hall moved to Orlando over 12 1/2 years ago. She hit the ground running and since that time she is known as a powerhouse activist and ambassador to Orlando’s urban core. As the visionary and Executive Director of United Foundation of Central Florida, Inc., (UFCF) Fatmi-Hall says partnering with like-minded professionals to create the nonprofit organization is one of the “best decisions” she’s ever made. Established in 2014, UFCF collaborates with local community and neighborhood organizations to positively transform families and individuals with early intervention and educational resources. Continued on page 6

Sandra Fatmi-Hall & Volunteers lined up to load food hampers

Sandra Fatmi-Hall with her family & students

www.caribbeanamericanpassport.com

Wayne Golden, Sandra Fatmi-Hall & Julian O'Neil

Sandra Fatmi-Hall with her volunteers

To date Fatmi-Hall has mentored over 500 students in 10 different schools, awarded over $111,250.00 in scholarships to 114 students. She has distributed over 1,000 plus toys and provided over 1 million, and 25 thousand meals, leading to a decrease in crime in the Pine Hills area. The depth of her dedication to community enrichment is evident as she continually works to integrate new ways of enhancing the county’s strong values to keep our young people engaged and focused, with the Grand opening of the United Foundation of Central Florida's Solution Center in the heart of 32808. Nicknamed “Ms. Pine Hills” due to her innate desire to encourage, empower, and educate others about the great things taking place in the community, Fatmi-Hall is the recipient of more than forty five awards received for community service in the Orlando area. UFCF’s motto is “Empowering Communities One Family at a Time.” Fatmi-Hall believes there is nothing better than being able to positively change the life of someone, while also giving them hope for the future. UFCF’s Future Leaders United After-School Enrichment and Mentoring Program serves students at Maynard Evans High School, Robinswood Middle and Ridgewood Park Elementary in Pine Hills just to name a few. The young people receive enrichment and mentoring for STEAM Education, Higher Education, Post-high school skills, and leadership development through community service. These students are taught to develop positive values and to take leadership roles that will enable them to be productive members of society.

Sandra Fatmi-Hall has the passion and experience to be your next Orange County District 2 Commissioner based on past performance and having managed budgets in excess of $90 million dollars. Fatmi- Hall is a proven leader with results, she has the ability to be adaptable and will represent all the people in the district. When asked about how she wants to be remembered, “We all have a purpose,” says the neighborhood pioneer. “What’s important is the difference you make that will inspire others. I want to be remembered as someone who cared about people and gave genuinely from the heart.”

Sandra Fatmi-Hall will work hard for you and you will clearly know who is Sandra Fatmi-Hall!!!

Cigars and their attraction & appeal

by El Dorado Cigars

What do men, and even women, find so fascinating about smoking cigars? Is it the look, the smell or aroma or is it the flavor. If you ask the average smoker that question, the answer will vary but the truth is basically all of the above. Smoking a good cigar provides the smoker with an experience that differs from anything else, it takes the edge off, it's relaxing, it calms you down and provides a great buss. There’s the aroma and flavor. Each cigar has its own special characteristics - some have a coffee, spicy or chocolate flavor; while also having slightly different aromas. What's true about every premium cigar is that the experience and the way it treats your palate to an intriguing range of tastes is entirely unparalleled. It generally takes between 45 minutes to an hour to smoke and truly appreciate a cigar. The relaxation; you can disconnect, unplug and lay back or kick back. The time you take to smoke a cigar is the quality time for you and your cigar to contemplate anything or nothing at all. You'll find yourself looking for any justification for a celebratory cigar - a great and product day or week, any birthday or milestone you could imagine...anything!!! Lighting up is your way of saying, “This life is worth celebrating.”

There’s an unspoken ritual that takes place between the cutting, the toasting, the lighting and the puffing. The act of enjoying a cigar, its symbolic with it's own individual meaning. Whether your cigar represents quiet contemplation, a celebration or quality time with your friends, the process of smoking becomes a ritual that’s as individual as you. Creating a cigar is an art form in itself. Each puff can reveal the careful thought each blender puts into selecting the tobaccos for the filler, the binder and the wrapper. Almost every selection creates a specific smoking experience that also reflects the region where the tobaccos were grown, the conditions, the curing, the everything!!! Remember, it is an art-form!!!

at Home Promoting Literacy Development Written by Tessa Downes, Director of Terrific Kids Child Development Center I think we all hit the right check boxes when we say we want our children to read and write; literacy is undoubtedly the most important aspect of education. Literacy begins at home, long before the child starts to go to school. It is a complex process where the child learns to listen, write and read simultaneously. Language is another aspect that the child learns. An environment at home promoting various activities involving letters and words helps promote literacy skills among children at an early age. There are many simple ways to incorporate literacy development at home. The Reading Habit Parents are the role model for young children. If your little ones see you reading often, they are likely to become avid readers themselves. As a parent, you need to do your bit by creating an environment with books meant for preschoolers – keep board books or magazines meant for children handy. Encourage the child to browse through those books as often as possible so that an interest to read is created. Set aside at least an hour everyday to read aloud to your child. Ask them questions on the stories you are reading together, explore the pictures, colors, numbers and anything else you find in the story. When you ask questions about the story, it encourages the child to listen and pay attention, two more skills that also need to be developed to promote literacy. Additionally, it promotes comprehension skills in the child that is essential for the child's academic success in future. Develop a Literacy Environment at Home It is good to expose your kids to letters as much as possible. So, you could have letter magnets on your fridge, label the toy storage closet or label your child's stuff like books, schoolbag, etc. This will help the child recognize the letters of the alphabet and encourage reading skills. Practice Writing Writing is another important component of literacy. Preschoolers are learning the sounds of letters to read but the same sounds can be used to write as well. Kids that read well will write well. To write, the children should learn to hold a

pencil or crayon properly and make lines and shapes. This them write helps letters later on. It is a idea to good encourage children to draw whatever they wish – this is one way to teach them to hold a pencil in the hand and write with it. Drawing promotes creativity and imagination which are important elements of literacy. Teaching through Games Children love to play games, especially when a challenge is involved. Word games, flash card games or matching games is a great way to develop literacy in the child right from home. Playing games allows children to exercise their brain by integrating the knowledge with skills and ideas which are then used in daily life. They must be allowed to experiment with new word sounds and combinations to create new words. Story Telling Stories constitute an important part of literacy. Children are able to identify the concept of the beginning, middle and end of a story. By encouraging them to guess what might happen next, you are asking them to be creative in their thinking – another important aspect which will help them in literacy development. You could try telling them what happened at your work and ask them to describe their day. Specific questions like "Did you play today?" or "What did you draw today?" will help them remember and formulate a story to tell you about their day.

Miami Carnival 2021

www.caribbeanamericanpassport.com

Advice for parents worried about children returning to class amid COVID-19 surge

March On For Voting Rights Orlando

March On For Voting Rights Orlando is part of a national Source: ABC11 campaign to commemorate the 58th anniversary of the March The start of school usually can be exciting, but this On Washington and demand that elected officials protect year simply is unlike any voting rights. other. It's not the first time children will attend class during the pandemic, but it does come as hospitals across the country are seeing an uptick in children getting seriously sick from COVID-19. Despite the availability of effective vaccines against COVID-19, many people continue to choose not to get vaccinated. Plus, children under 12 are not yet eligible to get the shot. That all makes many parents worried about their child's safety against the virus. Public health experts say even though young children can't get vaccinated, the best way to protect them still revolves around the vaccine. "The more people that we get vaccinated around them-in their schools, in their homes--the better protected they will be," Pediatrician Dr. Judith Flores said. "You can't assume that you're going back to the status quo and business as usual in school. It's not that kind of year."

As for school, health experts said it is generally a safe space for children because school leaders have learned how to keep a safe environment. They also suggest parents keep the communication open with their children and the teachers. "The need for wearing a mask, the sanitizer, the distancing, a lot of children won't understand why their desk can't be with their friends, why they can't say hello to their friends or their teachers. Give them a big hug," Flores said.

www.caribbeanamericanpassport.com

CARIB IN THE COMMUNITY... As more and more places open back up after the COVID-19 Pandemic, Carib Beer is also opening up it's community partnerships with sales and support. "I tasted Carib beer for the first time at the

Orlando Carnival Downtown and it's one of the best beers I've had in a long time" said members of the Dutty Jouvert promo team. "This a strong, great tasting beer that hits the spot on a hot sunny Jouvert morning" continued members of the promo team.

Carib Beer launched it's community support at the Orlando Carnival Downtown and many attendees tasted their product line for the first time and they were truly impressed with the flavor and also the diversity of their product line.

Jamaica Seeking $10.6 Billion in Slave Trade Reparations from Great Britain Jamaica has put a price tag on slavery and has sent the British government the bill. State officials of the Caribbean nation said they’re asking Great Britain to pay $10.6 billion (USD) in reparations. The former British colony served as the center of the slave trade with Africans kidnapped, enslaved and forced to work on plantations which produced sugar cane, bananas and other products. That free and inhumane labor greatly enriched the slave owners. “We are hoping for reparatory justice in all forms that one would expect if they are to really ensure that we get justice from injustices to repair the damages that our ancestors experienced,” Olivia Grange, Minister of Sports, Youth, and Culture, told the Reuters news service. “Our African ancestors were forcibly removed from their home and suffered unparalleled atrocities in Africa to carry out forced labor to the benefit of the British Empire. Redress is well overdue.” In the U.S., Congresswoman Sheila Jackson-Lee has pushed H.R. 40, a bill to form a commission to study reparations for African-American victims of the transatlantic slave trade. “Has anyone addressed the question of slavery and its comprehensive impact on Black Americans in this country? This is what H.R. 40 will do,” Jackson Lee remarked.

While H.R. 40 doesn’t place a specific monetary value on reparations, it does focus on investigating and presenting the facts and truth about the unprecedented centuries of brutal enslavement of African people, racial healing and transformation. The bill would fund a commission to study and develop proposals for providing reparations to African Americans. The commission’s mission includes identifying the role of federal and state governments in supporting the institution of slavery, forms of discrimination in public and private sectors against freed slaves and their descendants and lingering adverse effects of slavery on living African Americans and society. Congresswoman Jackson Lee, who sits on numerous House committees, including the Judiciary, Budget and Homeland Security, has made the reparations legislation her top priority during the 117th Congress. “I think if people begin to associate this legislation with what happened to the descendants of enslaved Africans as a human rights violation, the sordid past that violated the human rights of all of us who are descendants of enslaved Africans, I think that we can find common ground to pass this legislation,” she said. In Jamaica, officials displayed shackles, coffles, slave collars, cotton screws, bear traps, branding irons and other items used to control slaves as Cont'd on pg 12

Jamaica Seeking $10.6 Billion in Slave Trade Reparations from Great Britain Cont'd from pg 11

stirring evidence for the case for reparations. “We need a sense of outrage directed at those who could do such things to other human beings,” Verene Shepherd, a Jamaican resident, wrote in a petition on the Facebook page of the country’s National Council on Reparations. “Reparations now,” Shepherd declared. According to the National Library of Jamaica, about 600,000 Africans landed in Jamaica during the slave trade. “Seized from Spain by the English in 1655, Jamaica was a British colony until it became independent in 1962,” the Reuters report noted. “The West Indian country of almost three million people is part of the Commonwealth and the British monarch remains head of state.”

Britain prohibited trade in slaves in its empire in 1807 but did not formally abolish the practice of slavery until 1834.

To compensate slave owners, the British government took out a 20 million-pound loan – or $27.7 million U.S. – and only finished paying off the subsequent interest payments in 2015. Slaves and their descendants have never received compensation. “I am asking for the same amount of money to be paid to the slaves." Mike Henry, a member of the ruling Jamaica Labour Party, told Reuters. “I am doing this because I have fought against this all my life, against chattel slavery, which has dehumanized human life.”

Six Reasons Why Barbados Is An Ideal Location For Your Remote Office In the aftermath of the first global pandemic in years, there will undoubtedly be a shift in the way business is conducted. One of these predicted changes will be the acceleration of the establishment of remote offices. The remote office is a corporate business site located some distance from the headquarters. There are several reasons for establishing a remote office, including costs, feasibility of transshipping, accessing talent, and many more. For persons involved in global business or simply looking for the optimal locale to live and work, Barbados offers a compelling case. 1)Well Recognized International Business Hub with world class human resources, an expanding treaty network, and a well-regulated business landscape. 2) Barbados is number 1 in the Caribbean in terms of the fastest fixed broadband internet connection speed. 3)Barbados is classified as a high-income country with a gross national income per capita of just over USD$15,000. The exchange rate to the U.S. dollar is fixed (1 U.S. dollar equals 2 Barbadian dollars). This fixed peg lends itself to easy

conversions and simplicity of doing business on the island. 4) Barbados is renowned as a prime destination with world class accommodations, for both your business and your home. 5) The healthcare system in Barbados is a universal access system with healthcare for all citizens. The government spends a significant amount of its annual budget on the provision of healthcare services which are delivered at its main hospital in the capital of Bridgetown and at various smaller clinics across the island inclusive of pharmacies, geriatric clinics and childcare facilities 6) Barbados welcomes multiple daily direct flights from New York, Miami, London and Toronto. Additionally, there are several other direct flights from North America, Europe and Latin America. The Bridgetown Port is one of the most modern in the Caribbean with both a deep-water harbor and a shallow draught facility, with international carriers such as UPS and FedEx facilitating global shipping from the island.

www.caribbeanamericanpassport.com

Renting vs. Buying Real Estate By: MARILYN PEARSON-ADAMS and LAUREN FELTS Source: Hernando Sun Renting Renting property is a great way to still find housing and engulf yourself within a community of people without taking on the responsibility that ownership entails. If you are looking for something temporary or for something that you don’t feel tied down to, then renting may be the option to go with. A benefit to renting is the flexibility for you to be able to move if necessary. Additionally, if you are new to the area, renting allows you time to learn the community prior to making a purchasing decision. Moreover, if you are an individual with moderate to lowincome, there are rental housing options within almost every community, and most Realtors are aware of these affordable options for you and your family. Renting is also a great way to start building up good references and can possibly help you save money should homeownership be a goal for you. Another benefit to renting that ownership doesn’t contain is less maintenance costs, although a very important step to renting is to always read through your lease before signing so that you understand all your obligations as the renter as well as the landlord’s obligations. Cons On that note, renting does not give you full control of your living environment. In the case that you are renting, the money you spend on living is not an investment like it would be if you owned the property. The money you put in does not work for you overtime like it would if you purchased that property. You cannot build equity and get money back in return once you decide to leave that property like you would if you had ownership and decided to sell. You are paying someone else to live there. Because of this, more risk could be involved as agreements could change, rent could increase, and in the event of you violating your lease, your landlord could evict you. Also, any changes you want to make to your living space to make it feel more like home, must be approved. Buying Buying is a great way to start building a lifestyle for you and your family where you have more options to choose where you live. Additionally, you have the freedom to make your home unique to your liking and your personal decorative style. All renovations are up to you as the owner; as are the repairs and replacements of items like plumbing, air conditioning, roof repair, unless covered by your homeowners’ insurance. Unlike renting, your money is an investment when buying. You are building up equity for as long as you live in your home. Additionally, unlike rent in which you cannot control the monthly payment except inside a lease, should you have a mortgage payment, these payments usually don’t change. Steady mortgage payments make it easy to budget for your cost of living outside of any extra expenses you may run into such as repairs or renovations, hence why a rainy-day fund is important. Cons Although, there are quite a few benefits to buying and owning property, with freedom comes responsibility. Owning a home can entail quite a bit of maintenance. Even though you may get a great deal on the actual purchase of the home, renovations could cost way more than what is expected. It is when the unexpected happens and the buyer has no contingency fund, or the repair is not covered by insurance that stressful situations can happen for the homeowner. It is always important to be prepared. This way your money is always working to your benefit. Lastly, it is important to note that your home is not a liquid asset. In other words, in the event you need to move quickly, ownership could end up costing you time and money without a well thought out plan, as relocating, even just across town, can be a long process. Your personal situation will always determine which housing options are best for you and your family. If the path is not clear write down your goals and then take some time to create your own personal pros and cons list, talk it out with those close to you and even with your REALTOR®. My wish for you is that whatever decision you make regarding Renting vs. Buying, it is ultimately the best decision for you.

New Caribbean routes coming to MIA from American Airlines By: T aylo r Dol v en

Source: Miami Herald

American Airlines plans to launch two new Caribbean routes from Miami International Airport in December: Dominica and Anguilla. The direct flights will operate twice a week, on Wednesdays and Sundays, starting on Dec. 8 to Douglas-Charles Airport in Dominica and beginning on Dec. 11 to Clayton J. Lloyd International Airport in Anguilla. “We have been strategically growing our route network to give customers more choices to new destinations, better meeting the demand for travel to Miami, the Caribbean and Latin America,” said Juan Carlos Liscano, American’s vice president of MIA hub operations, in a statement. Last month, the company announced new routes from Miami to San Andres Island, Colombia, and Chetumal, Mexico, also starting in December. A new route to Paramaribo, Suriname, was supposed to start in July, but has been delayed to September. International travel to and from MIA still lags during the COVID-19 pandemic. In May, 1,090,347 international travelers made their way through the airport, down 40% from May 2019, according to the most recent data available from the MiamiDade County aviation division. The new routes come as more carriers are moving into MIA. On Thursday, Emirates launched the first-ever direct service between Miami and Dubai. In the last year, Southwest Airlines, JetBlue and Spirit Airlines have announced their debuts at MIA. American Airlines remains the airport’s largest passenger carrier.

NorthStar First Properties, LLC.

3 Lots for Sale Near UCF (University of Central Florida) and Quadrangle Corporate Office Park PRIME LOCATION LOCATION LOCATION Current Zoning can be 2 Homes on each Lot or Executive Homes Future Zoning Multifamily valdainternational@hotmail.com . 407-536-6635 (office)

www.caribbeanamericanpassport.com

The One Immigrant Welcomed Throughout the Caribbean - By TONY DEYAL Today, I am going with the one immigrant that is welcome throughout the Caribbean. Mango. Not a penny for your thoughts this morning but a penny to buy a mango long, mango sweet. And the Scottish girl with a fake tan in an Indian restaurant. In other words, a mango lassie. My regional column from today's Jamaica Gleaner, Barbados Nation , Caribbean News Global etc.

JAMAICAN PRIDE AND PEDIGREE The website Jamaicans.com comes up with some interesting, teasing headlines almost certain to attract your attention. For example, ‘What is the Jamaican national gravy? Here are the top five’, ‘30 women names Jamaicans no longer give their children’, and one of the most recent, ‘The five mango pedigrees that only a Jamaican can relate to! Do you think we discriminate?’ The article, by Xavier Murphy, starts with, “For my JamaicanAmerican children, mangoes are just mangoes. Imagine saving an East Indian mango amongst a bunch of other mangoes only to have one of your children eat it. Yes they left the other mangoes but ate the prized East Indian mango. They are surprised at your reaction toward them. Then you realise they also ate the last Julie mango before eating one of the other mangoes. If they grew up in Jamaica, they would understand that there is a pecking order for mangoes. Some mangoes have a pedigree while others do not. We Jamaicans treat mangoes like royalty. My children say we discriminate and call us ‘Mangoists’.” In that sense, all Caribbean people are ‘Mangoists’. Even more important, like it or not, all mangoes are East Indian. While, among their top five, Jamaicans put the ‘East Indian’ as second, they give first place to the ‘Bombay’ which they call ‘The Jamaican Bombay Mango’. Bombay is, of course, an Indian city now known as Mumbai, the team for which Kieron Pollard, the Trini, plays. Fortunately, although my DNA makes it clear that my earliest ancestors were of African descent, I don’t make a fuss when I see that down at Number 5, or at the bottom of the list, the author has dumped in one heap, Graham, Haden, Kent, Robin, Long and, lastly, Black mangoes. No wonder the headline asked, “Do you think we discriminate?” If they do so at all, it is in a truly good cause. The only Indian immigrant widely accepted in the Caribbean, with no problems in any of the countries of the region, and not just able but encouraged to put down roots and multiply everywhere, is the mango. Although recently in Trinidad, supporters of the present Government were saying, “If you don’t like what we doing, Go man, go!”, those who brought the fruit from faraway India were told, “Grow Mango”. During my early days at PAHO, I once received a very hostile reception from a group of people who had a problem with me on racial rather than on any other grounds, whether cricket, football or even polo. A friend, who was abused for standing up against his “race” to support me, said consolingly, “Listen Tony, people don’t stone green mango.” Although I thought they considered me ripe enough for the plucking (although that is not how they pronounced it), I knew that if it happened in Trinidad, I would be in serious trouble because every Trini, regardless of race, loves and greedily devours green mango with lots of pepper and calls it ‘chow’.

STONING MANGO TREE There is a Jamaican story about two men who were stoning a mango tree, trying to hit down a large mango right at the top, when one said to the other, “All de stone we a stone, suppose de mango no ripe?” “True,” said his friend, “Check it out nuh.” The first man then climbed the tree, went way to the top where the

limbs were dangerously thin, felt the mango and shouted to his friend, “It ripe. We naa fling stone fi nutten.” Back down the tree he came and then they began to stone the mango tree again. And no, they weren’t stoned on anything. Whether ripe or green, mangoes are good for you, although not in the Caribbean sense where, when bad things happened that were my fault, my family and friends, including my mother, would pronounce with satisfaction, “Dat good for you!” Among the long list of benefits is that mangoes are antiinflammatory. For me, this means that you can use them against people who want to turn one group against the other, possibly by ‘pelting’ or ‘chucking’ the mangoes, especially big ones like the calabash in Trinidad, or grafted Guyanese Buxton Spice, at the troublemakers. Mangoes are also antioxidants, full of beta-carotene which, when combined with the fruit’s stores of Vitamin A, promote eye health and reduce age-related macular degeneration or eye problems in people over 50. Other benefits include that they have more iron than a Gold’s gym and prevent anaemia, nausea and seasickness as well as breast, colon and liver cancer. They are low in calories and high in Vitamins A, C, B6, E and have enough zinc to cover a small house. The most popular mango in the world is the ‘Alphonso’ (named after a Portuguese general) which is considered the ‘King’ of mangoes because of its “unparalleled taste and texture”. The second is the ‘Carabao’ from the Philippines which, although named after a native water buffalo, is in the Guinness Book of World Records as the sweetest variety across the globe. However, seventh on the global countdown is the mango that is hugely popular in every country of the Caribbean – from Jamaica in the north to Barbados in the East, Guyana to the south and across to Belize in the west. It is the ‘Julie’ which is so good that the 30th legislature of the US Virgin Islands passed a resolution declaring the Julie mango as the ‘Virgin Islands Fruit of Choice’. There is even a ‘comprehensive manual’ on ‘Julie Mango In The Eastern Caribbean’.

SERIOUS MANGO

An article by Amie Watson in Writer’s Corner 2019 on ‘Mangoes, Markets and Menus’, quotes Rogger (“Reggae”, like the music) of Bathsheba Blue Farm praising the ‘Imperial Mango’ of Barbados as “a serious mango” and “the Crocodile Dundee of all mangoes”. He, too, saw the ‘Julie’ as the best or “the Rolls-Royce” of all mangoes. What my Jamaican friends would also like is that 10th on the list of the world’s best mangoes is one named ‘Kensington Pride’. Even though the original tree emerged in the 1880s in Queensland, Australia, one of the properties on which it was grown was named Kensington. There is no better proof of who love their mangoes most than the story about three men who were sentenced to death – a Grenadian, a Jamaican, and a Trinidadian. When the dreaded day of execution came, each was told that he was entitled to a final meal of his choice and was asked, “What’s your last wish?” The Grenadian said, “Breadfruit and fried jacks.” Immediately after he ate the meal, he was hanged. The Jamaican was next. He said, “Give me some ackee, saltfish and jerk chicken.” After he finished his meal, he, too, was executed. The Trinidadian then gave his last wish. He said, “Well is a long time since I suck a mango.” The warder replied, “Sorry, this is not mango season.” The Trini grinned shrewdly and replied, “Is all right. I go wait.” Tony Deyal was last seen saying that Usain Bolt has to be a fruit. He asked, “Have you seen that mango?”