Caribbean American Passport News Magazine - August 2021 by caribbeanamericanpassport

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One month after Haiti earthquake: UNICEF One month 7.2 after a magnitude jolted earthquake southwest Haiti, an estimated 650,000 people, including 260,000 children, still need urgent humanitarian assistance, UNICEF warned today. “Children in Haiti are still struggling to come to terms with the aftermath of an earthquake that caused their homes, schools, health facilities and entire communities to crumble,” said Jean Gough, UNICEF Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean.

Aug/Sept 2021

March On for Voting Rights rallies in Florida Orlando - West Palm - Miami join Civil Rights Organizations to Mobilize Millions of Members to Create Diverse Coalition for Voting Rights On August 28, 1963 the March on Washington, had a diverse coalition of activists who marched to secure the passage of the historic Civil Rights Act and Voting Rights Act. Today, with over 400 voter suppression bills being proposed around the country, we’re facing the same urgency to rise up and demand Congressional action to protect our right to vote.

VoterCade in Miami

“Health services remain largely disrupted in Southwestern Haiti. Many hospital buildings are or destroyed. either damaged Many families with children are fearful of seeking treatment at the few health facilities left standing. Limited access to safe water and basic health services is putting young lives at risk.” Health systems are struggling to keep up with the needs, with 12,000 people injured and an estimated 82 health facilities in the affected departments most damaged or destroyed. Even a month on, some rural communities remain unable to access functional health facilities due to infrastructure damage. Limited health care capacity presents elevated health risks - such as wound infection and risk of tetanus. The lack of routine health care services has increased the risk of maternal and newborn deaths as many maternity and surgical ... cont'd on pg 6

Soca Artist Bunji Garlin and R&B Artist Sevyn Streeter were the headliners at the Orlando Parking Lot Concert billed as the Ultimate Tailgate Party for Voting Rights " Throughout the civil rights movement, progress was made through the power of

diverse alliances that formed from the ground up," said Andi Pringle, Political and Strategic Campaigns Director for March On. "The March On for Voting Rights has formed a powerful coalition that represents a cross-section of the vibrant, multicultural community that makes up the fabric of America today, and we are proud to join together on August 28—in more than 40 cities across the country—and demand that Congress pass federal voting rights protection for all." cont'd on pg 12

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L I F E S T Y L E Samuel J. Roberts

Guenet Gittens-Roberts Owner/Publisher/Editor

COVID-19 AND THE LOSS OF LIFE

As we reflect on the many things that happened in 2020/21 during the Pandemic, the change we made in our daily lives, work environmental changes and even our social exchanges changes...'The 'New Norm' is the catch phrase of the day.

being vaccinated. We break down the argument that we should know what's in the vaccine - when truly we are not smart enough to know what is in many things we use. We go through all of the effort to convince a person that the risk is real...and then -

It is a strange and different time for many adjusting to this 'New Norm'... limited socializing, limited physical contact, no hugging, no hand shaking, no gathering over 10 people and don't you dare cough in public, a fart...maybe, but not coughing!!!

Two weeks, a month, a week...and I hear that the same person now has COVID-19, didn't take the vaccine, their mother, wife, father and a brother all now have COVID-10. How do I respond to this?

Owner/Publisher/Editor

The President, (No. 44) and many others across the Nation and within his administration were giving strange and sometimes contradictory advice - wear a mask or don't wear a mask, stay home or don't stay home, drink bleach, use infrared light, the virus will die out in the Summer because of the heat...etc...etc.

I won't say "I told you so", because I don't want them to die. But, it is tiresome to fight about children wearing a mask, people wearing a mask, and a bunch of other conspiracy theories when the reality is currently 2000 people are dying daily in the United States from covid. But people want to go out and have a normal life without taking any precautions and expect that they are right. I'm tired.

The deaths appeared to be elderly folks with compromised immune systems or simply folks with other underlying health conditions. A few of my close friends lost loved ones because the family fit into either one of those categories. Compounding that shock for their immediate family, was the inability to gather, show support, express sympathy or simply being a shoulder to cry on was one of the most difficult 'New Norms'. However, as we progressed deeper into the cycle of the pandemic and the possibility of vaccines became a reality along with clear and concise messages from the new President and his administration, we all began to see a light at the end of the tunnel. In many States the light turned out to be only a candle fly, who changed direction and flew back out of the tunnel because the Governor or Mayor advised accordingly. Either way, there is a vaccine, or rather, a few different vaccine options out there for anyone to choose. However, the vaccines too now have their own conspiracy theory built in to their story - from population control by Bill Gates and his wife, to tracking systems being installed in all of us to follow our every move, to vaccine experiments still being conducted on us with each new vaccine approved and I'm sure you can add a few more stories about vaccines that you've heard about or read about. Here is my dilemma: If I engage in a debate with a friend, family member or colleague about the covid vaccines and

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.

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Mental Health & Suicide Prevention Month www.centralfloridacares.org

Central Florida Cares Health System, Inc. Highlights the Importance of Behavioral Health Services During Suicide Prevention Awareness Month Orlando, Fla. – Emergency room visits involving suspected suicide attempts jumped by 51% for girls ages 12 to 17 compared to 2019 according to the CDC. Central Florida Cares Health System, Inc. is highlighting Suicide Prevention Awareness Month this September and encouraging Floridians facing mental health or substance use disorder challenges to get help by calling 2-1-1 or visiting www.centralfloridacares.org. According to the National Foundation for Suicide Prevention, people have become increasingly comfortable talking about their mental health, particularly this past year. But the topic of suicide – when it comes up – is still scary for many people to think about. “If you need help, please contact the Suicide Prevention Lifeline or call 1-800-273TALK or www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org,” said Maria Bledsoe, Chief Executive Officer of Central Florida Cares Health System, Inc. It is important for people to know that behavioral health care services are available to Floridians, including those without insurance or the means to pay. According to the Addiction Center, nearly 21 million Americans have at least one addiction, yet only 10% receive some type of behavioral health care treatment. Additionally, about 1 in 5 Americans who have depression, or an anxiety disorder also have a coexisting substance use concern. As rates of isolation, depression, anxiety, and substance use disorder rise due to the pandemic, behavioral health care services have become even more vital to help individuals in crisis

move into recovery. Behavioral health providers assist individuals with recovery through counseling, assessments, inpatient and outpatient care, and care coordination. Behavioral health care providers meet the patients’ diverse needs with “wraparound services” that not only address mental health issues and substance use but also assist with housing, transportation, and employment.

ABOUT CENTRAL FLORIDA CARES HEALTH SYSTEM, INC. is a not-for-profit organization that manages state and federal funded mental health and substance abuse treatment services in Brevard, Orange, Osceola, and Seminole counties. One of seven Managing Entity, which works with a network of over 30 behavioral health care providers that deliver services to uninsured Floridians, including children, expectant mothers, veterans, and the chronically homeless. We are a behavioral health administrative and management organization, and our primary focus is to promote a comprehensive, seamless system of recovery and resiliency to those in need of these services.

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European Union-style bloc pitched for Latin America, Caribbean By David Alire Garcia and Noe Torre

Latin American and and Caribbean nations should aspire to a bloc like the European Union, Mexico's president and other leaders said at a summit on Saturday, in a bid to wrest influence away from the Washington-based OAS, Organization of American States (OAS).

Mexico President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (centre) with leaders and prime ministers during the summit of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), at the National Palace in Mexico City. (Reuters)

For years, a few of the region's leftist standard-bearers who attended the gathering of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) have viewed the Uruguay's center-right President Luis Lacalle said his OAS as too close to the United States, resenting in particular participation should not be interpreted as an embrace of its exclusion of Cuba from its members states. some of the region's more authoritarian regimes or a rejection of the OAS. The host of Saturday's summit, Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, told more than a dozen "We are worried and look gravely at what's happening in presidents and prime ministers at the opening ceremony that Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela," he said, ticking off what such a revamped diplomatic body could better boost the he described as repressive actions including jailing of region's inequality-stricken economies as well as confront political opponents. health and other crises. Cuba's Diaz-Canel fired back by attacking neo-liberal "In these times, CELAC can become the principal instrument policies that he said have retarded social progress. He also to consolidate relations between our Latin American criticized Lacalle's leadership, noting the large response and Caribbean nations," he said in a cavernous ballroomat from a recent petition drive by his domestic political Mexico's ornate national palace where leaders took turns opposition. speaking and some sparks flew between ideological The Uruguayan responded by criticizing Cuba's adversaries. communist government, noting it does not tolerate "We should build in the American continent something opposition or allow its people to elect their own leaders. similar to what was the economic community that was the Bolivian President Luis Arce called for a global beginning of the current European Union," the leftist agreement to forgive debts for poor countries while Lopez Obrador said. He emphasized the need to respect Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez called for a national sovereignty and adhere to non-interventionist and regional body to combat climate change. pro-development policies. The leaders gathered at the invitation of Lopez Obrador with a stated aim of weakening the OAS. The summit's kickoff focused attention on the region's center-left leaders, including Peru's new president, Pedro Castillo, Cuba's Miguel Diaz-Canel and Venezuela's Nicolas Maduro.

A new CELAC fund to respond to natural disasters was also announced. Venezuela's late President Hugo Chavez helped set up CELAC in 2011, and his embattled successor Maduro arrived in the Mexican capital late on Friday as a surprise addition.

Brazil's right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro pulled out from CELAC last year, criticizing it for elevating undemo- In remarks Friday night, Maduro suggested a new cratic countries. CELAC headquarters be established in the Mexican capital. Mexico's Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard Argentina's Alberto Fernandez canceled at the last minute politely sidestepped that proposal on Saturday when due to a sudden cabinet shuffle in his country. asked by reporters, describing the idea as premature.

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One month after Haiti earthquake: 260,000 children still need humanitarian assistance - UNICEF wards do not meet the criteria for safe deliveries. The ability of health authorities to prevent, identify and treat malnutrition has also been weakened by the earthquake. In response to these increased needs, UNICEF is working with partners to provide essential medicines, medical supplies and equipment and nutritional commodities, support the resumption of health care services for damaged or destroyed health centers, and strengthen health supply chain management. UNICEF has equipped 24 mobile clinic teams with essential medical equipment and medicines to provide integrated health and nutrition services – including the identification and treatment of acute malnutrition – in remote communes. “If families with children cannot access health facilities after the earthquake, it’s critical to bring lifesaving health services to them so we can prevent child deaths,” said Gough. “UNICEF is setting up more mobile clinics on the ground to keep children healthy. With thousands of families and children in urgent need of medical attention, we cannot wait for the health facilities to be rebuilt.” Other key health results to date include the following: • 50,000 people reached with essential medical supplies for a period of three months in 19 main hospitals involved in victims’ emergency care. • 300,000 people received Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for a period of three months. In infant and maternal health, UNICEF is prioritizing the continuation of primary health care for children and women, in close coordination with the Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization (WHO). Over the next six months, UNICEF will support the provision of essential health and nutrition services targeting over 251,000 children and women, including the delivery of essential supplies to treat common childhood illnesses.

UNICEF will also support the reconstruction and reparation of 30 damaged hospitals and primary care centres, as well as the training of 3,000 healthcare facility staff and community health workers in infection prevention and control (IPC), including the continuation of COVID-19 prevention and the provision of personal protective equipment (PPE). UNICEF is requesting US$73.3 million to respond to the humanitarian needs due to the earthquake, focusing on providing urgent support in health, education, WASH, nutrition and child protection, including gender-based violence (GBV), over the next six months. To date, less than 11 per cent has been received.

Other health interventions that will be scaled up include the expansion of routine immunization coverage for 35,000 children, the identification and treatment of acutely malnourished children, programmes in support of infant and young child feeding and nutrition supplementation to prevent malnutrition and the provision of maternal, newborn and childcare.

Oliva

Cigar of the Month

by El Dorado Cigars

Serie V Melanio Churchill cigars are a special smoke, made from a blend of Nicaraguan Habano grown in the Jalapa region of the country and wrapped in a Mexican maduro from the lush San Andres Valley. This unique cigar is sure to satisfy the highest expectations of maduro cigar smokers. The wrapper is Mexico tobaco, the binder is Nicaragua tobaco along with the filler.

The brand was named after Melanio Oliva who, according to family lore, was the first Oliva to grow tobacco some time back in the 1800s. Oliva created a Nicaraguan blend of tobaccos that were grown mostly in Jalapa, an area of Nicaragua known for mellower, more nuanced leaf than other growing regions. The Olivas wrapped the binder and filler in a brilliant cover leaf grown in Ecuador.

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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)

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Trinidad Carnival 2022: To Be Or Not To Be? A Q&A With The Trinidad And Tobago Promoters Association by: Baz Dreisinger

What’s the opposite of a global pandemic? Trinidad Carnival. The ultimate life-affirming ritual, a celebration of freedom in its most distilled sense, the Caribbean’s largest Carnival has of course been on pause due to the pandemic—leaving legions of devotees overwhelmingly distraught. But as vaccinations ramp up in the region, Carnival junkies the world over are asking one thing and one thing only: Will the bacchanal return in 2022? To that end, Paige de Leon of the Trinidad and Tobago Promoters Association, which represents carnival content creators in Trinidad and Tobago and beyond, chats with us about the future of the festival. Should there or should there not be a Trinidad Carnival 2022? Make your best case. The balancing act that every government and human being has been engaged in since this pandemic began comes down to the balance between lives and livelihoods, between lives and living. So maybe it is not about whether we should have carnival but more importantly whether we need to have carnival in 2022. Carnival is about freedom. It was born as rebellion against oppression; enslaved people used it as an ideological weapon against their captors, a mockery of everything that held them hostage. The Monday and Tuesday before Ash Wednesday was a time when enslaved people were allowed to sing their own songs, in their own language, and be themselves, portraying characters from their own stories—which their captors tried so hard to erase. They were permitted to abandon

their captors’ systems of control and, as we say in T&T, “free up.” For us, in 2021, Carnival is still our opportunity to be free, to sing our own songs: Calypso, Soca, Rapso, Steel Pan. This is not something that we do just as an activity; it is a response to the call of a spirit that moves us to travel from every corner of the globe to be fully present in our own lives and pay homage to happiness. For two months, our little island explodes with light and life and becomes the center of the world. That same world finds itself in impossible captivity right now. Since February 2020, when we staged our last Carnival on the streets of Port of Spain, we have all—not just in Trinidad and Tobago but the whole world—been in a state of deep melancholy. If the spirit of Carnival truly calls us to face our enemies, then maybe this is when we need it the most. Our most important assets— our culture, our people-assets—are largely idle.

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THREE EVENTS WERE HELD ACROSS FLORIDA TO RAISE AWARENESS OF VOTING RIGHTS A parking lot concert in Orlando featuring Sevyn Streeter and Bunji Garlin A prayer vigil in West Palm Beach A Voter Cade from Congressional Offices in Miami Dr. King marched on Washington for us all. Now, 58 years later, we march to tell Congress that a country that allows voters to be silenced is not a democracy. www.marchonforvotingrights.org/florida

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THREE EVENTS HELD ACROSS FLORIDA TO RAISE AWARENESS OF VOTING RIGHTS March On for Voting Rights is a Nationwide Mass Mobilization to Demand that Elected Officials Protect Democracy, Denounce Voter Suppression and Ensure Fair, Easy Access to the Vote for All. On August 28, on the 58th anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.’s historic March on Washington, three Florida cities joined the national movement in forty cities by presenting events. They were able to create events in three major cities, a parking lot concert in Orlando at Dezerland Park, a prayer vigil in West Palm Beach and a The Miami votercade started outside multiple offices of votercade from the offices of local members of Congress congressional delegates across Miami-Dade County and concluded to a drive-in rally at Florida International University in with a rally and concert at Florida International University: Miami. The effort was part of a nationwide mass ● CD 24 - Congresswoman Frederica Wilson (18425 NW 2 Ave, Miami, FL 33169) ● CD 25 - Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart (8669 NW 36 St, Doral, FL 33166) mobilization to demand Congress stop voter suppression ● CD 26 - Congressman Carlos Gimenez (14221 SW 120 St, Miami, FL 33186) and pass the For the People Act and the John Lewis ● CD 27 - Congresswoman Maria Elvira Salazar (3951 NW 7 St, Miami, FL 33126) Voting Rights Advancement Act, which will ensure free, ● U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (7400 SW 87 Ave, Miami, FL 33173) fair access to the ballot for every voter. Slashed voting hours and days. Reduced ballot boxes. In addition to the events in Florida, marches also took No vote by mail. place in Atlanta, Houston, Phoenix, Washington, D.C., No voting on Sunday. and in more than 40 other cities around the country on Purged voter rolls. August 28. This is why we march on August 28.

"Over the last several years, we have seen the death of the Voting Right Act of 1965, which was meant to protect Brown, Black and low-income communities at the ballot box, and states around the country are using this opportunity to return to the time of Jim Crow and engineer the election outcomes they want," Chavez, Deputy State Director of said Alejandro Arizona March On for Voting Rights and grandson of legendary organizer César Chávez.

Orlando’s event had live performances by Sevyn Streeter and Bunji Garlin as well as 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. Local Orlando DJ’s spoke about the importance of voting for them prior to the event as well as on the day of the free community event. All streamed LIVE on our local 89.3FM March On is a political organization composed of women-led 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.

We’re marching across the country to demand our elected officials pass federal voting rights protection before it’s too late. The March On for Voting Rights is a mass mobilization to demand that elected officials denounce voter suppression, ensure fair, easy access to the vote for all, and finally give the 700,000 mostly Black and Brown residents in D.C. a vote in Congress by making D.C. a state. Join us: marchonforvotingrights.org

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CALYPSO CLASH 2021 In the past months the calypso fraternity has been plunged into uncertainty. Many have used social media and virtual landscapes to comfort and entertain the Caribbean diaspora.

Meet our Team Leaders/ Captains and their teams: stay tuned to our facebook page for tickets as this is a pay per view event...Gayelle The Caribbean is the official network of this event.

Caribbean Vizon and the Caribbean Calypso Community a body that holds the interest of Calypso in high regards, has launched an interesting and exciting initiative. This same body has decided to add some adrenaline to the end of 2021. The new buzz will be about CALYPSO CLASH - a premier exhibition for Calypso and Caribbean heritage. This September, over 40 of our best practitioners, emerging youth talent, and arts administrators will kick off Season 1 of the round robin clash series. This virtual battlefield will host an invigorating experience of excellence in humor and comradery. This is not a competition, It’s a CLASH!... & YOU will be the judge. Hardcore face-offs, 5 teams, 5 territories, 7 categories. Every Saturday from September 25th, two teams will meet for battle. Who will dominate? Which teams’ A game will give us the KO effect? How are Team Leaders strategizing for victory? They meet to battle in Political, Social, Humor, Party and an open category. Unfiltered picong, lyrics, gambadge and comedy will all be included in their declaration of comradely war! Team Leaders were poised for battle already when they met for a Draft Pick event on September 4th; where they chose from the 20 artistes in the Lottery Pool lineup. Already we can see full representation from the islands and the diaspora, so each team will reflect a confluence of true Caribbean culture.

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Facebook pages CCC Clash 2021, Global Goliaths, Gayelle The Caribbean.

In the Bahamas, special parades and the culture that surrounds them are known by one word: Junkanoo. For historian Arlene Nash Ferguson, it's been a lifelong passion. By: Alexander Trowbridge For two winter days in The Bahamas each year, the main street of the country's capital is transformed into a river of sound and colour. Drums, horns and cow bells permeate the Caribbean air as thousands in elaborately decorated costumes dance down the pavement. In The Bahamas, an archipelago with a population just less than 400,000, these parades, the culture that surrounds them and the related performances that take place throughout the year are known by one word: Junkanoo. For historian Arlene Nash Ferguson, it's been a lifelong passion. She was just four when she asked her family if she could dance in the parades, inspired by her uncle, Ivern Bosfield, who helped convince the government to bring back the festival after it was banned in the 1940s following a riot. "It was not something that 'good' people did in those days," she said. "It had a social stigma attached to it and especially when it came to women. But my family thought it was cute that I was taking after him. And they allowed me to do it, and the rest as they say is history." The history of Junkanoo is deeply intertwined with the country's history of slavery. Though the origins of its name are disputed, the celebration days of Boxing Day and New Year's Day correspond with the only days that slaves were given a break from their forced labour.

"I think of our ancestors who were in the crisis of slavery, and you are no longer owned by you. You are owned by somebody," she said. "You are classified as an animal. And in the midst of the horror and the degradation of slavery, you say to yourself, 'I cannot be an animal. Because when we were back home in the mother country, we had rituals and ceremonies. Animals don't have those things.' And so we will remind, if only ourselves, that we are members of the human family by recreating our festivals from home, and we'll steal away under cover of night to reclaim our heritage." In 2019, the Bahamas suffered the effects of Hurricane Dorian, the most powerful storm to hit the country in recorded history. In 2020, the Covid-19 pandemic dealt a massive blow to the country's tourism industry and forced the cancellation of that year's Junkanoo parades, though smaller Junkanoo performances continued throughout the year. But to Ferguson, the spirit of the festival will help carry her country through trying times now and in the future, as it's done in the past. "Junkanoo itself is the story of resilience. It really is a symbol of how strong and determined we are as a people," she said. "We've had Dorian and now we have Covid. And as we have done with every other crisis before this, we will survive. As we say in the Bahamas, we will bounce back."

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8 Caribbean Cultural Foods for Combatting Inflammation Chronic inflammation — which may be influenced by diet, inadequate sleep, and high stress levels — is linked to overweight and obesity, insulin resistance, diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. Fortunately, studies have shown that some cultural foods common to the Caribbean region fight inflammation. Here they are: 1. Cocoa and dark chocolate Flavanols in cocoa and dark chocolate may reduce inflammation and support your blood vessels, potentially reducing your risk of developing heart disease and stroke. 2. West Indian cherry (acerola) West Indian cherry (acerola) is a potent source of the anti-inflammatory antioxidant vitamin C. It provides up to 22 times the daily recommended value. 3. Pimento pepper Peppers of the capsicum family, including pimento pepper, contain phytochemical compounds that may have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. These include flavonoids, quercetin, alkaloids, carotenoids, and capsaicinoids

4. Red sorrel Red sorrel (Hibiscus sabdariffa), also called roselle, is a mainstay in traditional medicine. Red sorrel may lower blood pressure and cholesterol. It may also reduce body weight, insulin resistance, and markers of inflammation. 5. Passion fruit Passion fruit has anti-inflammatory compounds that may help reduce blood sugar and cholesterol. It may also have antihypertensive effects. 6. Curcumin (turmeric) Curcumin is the active ingredient in turmeric and is responsible for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Piperine from black pepper may enhance the absorption of curcumin in the body. 7. Ginger Ginger has anti-inflammatory benefits that protect against rheumatoid arthritis, aging, and neurodegenerative diseases. It’s being studied for potential use as an asthma treatment. 8. Cinnamon Cinnamon is a popular spice that may reduce blood sugar levels and cholesterol.

Caribbean Islands Added to the CDC's 'Do Not Travel' List The CDC uses a four-level system to alert travelers to health threats around the world. Countries with a Level 4 travel health notice are deemed to have a “very high risk” of Covid-19 with a “Do Not Travel” recommendation for Americans. The Caribbean islands at Level 4 now include: Aruba, the Bahamas, British Virgin Islands, Curacao, Dominica, Haiti, Jamaica, Martinique, Puerto Rico, St. Barts, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Martin/Sint Maarten and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Caribbean islands currently at Level 3, which means “high risk” of Covid-19, include: Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Bermuda, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Turks and Caicos. Tourists from the United States can travel to Belize if they show proof of a negative COVID-19 PCR test taken within 96 hours of traveling or proof of a negative rapid antigen test taken within 48 hours of traveling, according to the Belize

Tourism Board. Travelers heading to St. Kitts and Nevis must be fully vaccinated and also provide proof of a negative COVID-19 PCR test taken within 72 hours of their arrival. Travelers then have to quarantine, or "vacation in place" at an approved hotel, for four days before being tested again. Children under 18 who are traveling with fully vaccinated parents or guardians will be subject to the same rules. On the contrary, the CDC lowered its warning for the Dominican Republic to a "Level 2." It was previously classified as a "Level 3." The island — which is shaping up to be a popular holiday destination — does not require U.S. travelers to show proof of a negative COVID-19 test to enter, according to the Dominican Republic Ministry of Tourism. All travelers who fly back to the U.S. from an international destination are required to get tested within three days of boarding a flight, regardless of their vaccination status.

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Shut the Duck Up!!! - By TONY DEYAL My friend, Kathryn Stollmeyer Wight posted this classic: "The sign said, 'Duck, eggs!' I thought, 'That's an unnecessary comma.' Then it hit me." I remembered a couple others. Daffy didn’t mind that he lost the swimming match against Bugs. It was like water off a duck’s back. The rest of Joey’s aviary is so well behaved! He just couldn’t get his ducks in a row. So without further aduck, my column in today's Jamaica Gleaner, Barbados Nation, Caribbean News Global etc. SHUT THE DUCK UP. Donald Duck walked into a bar and demanded, “Bartender, give me 200 beers”. The bartender, not seeing any pants pockets or other receptacles in which Donald could safely store a wallet, questioned suspiciously, “How are you going to pay for that?” Donald replied, “Just put it on my bill!” While talking-duck jokes will generally make you go quackers, the BBC’s ‘Quiz of the Week’ recently asked, “What did the ‘talking’ duck say?”. The options provided were, “You big galah”, “You bloody fool”, and “You little ripper”. The question was based on the audio of an Australian musk duck called Ripper which was recorded by researcher Dr Peter Fullagar in 1987 at a Nature Reserve in Canberra. Dutch professor Carel ten Cate describes it as a “very special rediscovery”. He pointed out that while songbirds, parrots and hummingbirds can learn to make specific sounds, vocal learning is rare among ducks and the find is extra remarkable. This may be because no Australian unable to sleep because of a noisy pet has ever been known to shout, in anger and desperation, the title of a book by Adelaide illustrator, Mandy Hills, Shut The Duck Up! In which case Ripper would have said, as he did in the recording, “You bloody fool” or worse. While there is no historical record of talking ducks, the Bible mentions two other animals which spoke to humans. Early on, the serpent, supposedly the Devil in borrowed snakeskin robes, told Eve, “You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, know good and evil.” This is, of course, the Genesis of all humanity’s problems. In the case of Balaam (Numbers 22:21 -38), he smote his donkey with a staff and “The Lord opened the mouth of the ass, and it said unto Balaam, ‘What have I done unto thee that though has smitten me three times?’” Perhaps a more experienced Eve would have shouted to the serpent what Balaam was too afraid to tell his donkey, “Shut your ass!” VOCAL LEARNERS While there might be donkeys and serpents capable of speech, there is well-documented proof that some are what the BBC calls “vocal learners”. Among them was a dog named ‘Fluffy’ that barked, “I want my momma” and made other noises which sounded like “Run around”, “I want it”, and “Hello.” Another dog, Odie, able to say “I love you”, appeared on several TV shows. Cats do more than start from scratch when it comes to talking. There was one titled 'Oh Long Johnson' which mouthed phrases like "Oh my dog", "Why I eyes ya" and "All the live long day." 'Blackie' was another fluent feline which didn't need Dr Doolittle to translate "I love you" and "I want my momma." There have been several great apes who knew words but the best is Rocky, an orangutan in the Indianapolis Zoo who calls out "Hi" and is able to produce words outside the orangutan vocabulary. In terms of other animals, most

elephants can trumpet but one from Kazakhstan, named ‘Batyr’, was capable of saying “Batyr is good”, “Batyr is hungry”, “drink” and “give.” There is also ‘Wikie’, a killer whale that can manage “Hello” and, of course, “Goodbye”. While it is unusual for goats to make noises that sound like human words, the best and perhaps most curious of all is the tenacious Tennessee baby goat that keeps asking, “What? What? What?” The answer is parrots. While from my own experience I knew parrots could speak, loudly for the most part, and my grandfather, a hunter, had even given me one as a pet, it was not until the mid-1970s that scientists found out that the walnut-size brains of parrots were capable of much more than mimicry. Dr Irene Peppeberg revealed that Alex, an African grey parrot, could identify 50 different objects, knew seven colours and shapes, and many different kinds of materials like wool, paper and wood. To show how smart parrots are, Donald Trump walked into a bar with a big, green parrot on his shoulder. The bartender exclaimed, “Wow! That thing is awful-looking. Where did you get it?” The parrot replied, “In America. They got millions like him.” In another example, where a parrot was being auctioned, the first bid was for $500. Someone in the back upped the ante and raised it to $1,000. And so it went until the first bidder, determined not to be outdone, took it to $25,000 and there was no counter-bid. When paying for his purchase, the winner told the auctioneer, “I sure hope this parrot can talk. I would hate to have paid so much for a parrot that can’t talk.” The auctioneer laughed, “Don’t worry, he can talk all right. Who do you think kept bidding against you?” SITTING NEXT TO PARROT If that buyer was surprised, think about the man in the cinema who noticed what looked like a parrot sitting next to him. He looked closer, stunned, and managed to ask, “Are you a parrot?” When the parrot nodded his head in agreement, the man’s next question was, “What are you doing in the movies?” The parrot replied, “Well, I liked the book.” However, not all of them are so bright. One of my favourite parrot stories is about a man who went into a pet shop and asked the owner to help choose a pet for his mom who lived alone and could really use some company. The shop owner recommended what he thought would be perfect – a parrot that spoke five languages and would be a lot of fun to have around. Despite an extremely high price for the bird, the man bought it and had it delivered to his mom. After a few days, the man, wondering how his mom liked the bird he sent, phoned her. She almost caused him to faint when she told him, “Son. The parrot was delicious!” Struggling to digest this shocking bit of news, the man muttered, “Mom, you ate that bird? Why, that bird could speak five languages?” His mother’s reply was, “Well, he should have said something.” The most I can say is that I am completely different from that man. As a dutiful and loving son, I would have tried really hard to curry favour with my Mom, a great cook especially of Indian food, and, for her birthday, I would have given her a duck to go along with her famous dhal-puri. If the bird was dumb enough to insult my mother with, “You bloody fool”, better yet. - Tony Deyal was last seen remembering when his mom cooked curried duck and he “abduckted” it, but could not duck the blows that followed.