FREE Your Passport to the Caribbean American Community
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Mar/Apr 2018
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Kaya Farms now open for business First cannabis dispensary in Jamaica Article from Jamaica Gleaner
Machel Montano and the Monk Band to Headline Orlando Carnival Downtown
Kaya Inc. has been carefully putting everything in place for their ganja wellness centre and cafe which opened this month in Jamaica. The St Ann-based facility also hosts sister companies Kaya Café, Kaya Herbhouse Kaya Spa. Following the official cutting of the ribbon, guests were allowed inside the herb house. It featured miniature weed pipes, grinders, fancy wooden storage cases, lighters, rolling paper, and ash trays. In order to purchase Cannabis from the herb house, you must present a doctor’s recommendation. A doctor will be present at Kaya Herbhouse daily. If you feel like having a smoke after you have made your purchase, a smoking room is readily available. There are other ways to experience the plant in various forms, all housed in the spa. Kaya spa has a variety of hemp-based products that you can try – lotions, facial scrubs, therapeutic pain relievers by Nature’s Roots, as well as spa treatments. Balram Vaswani, the owner, said that opening the first medical marijuana dispensary in Jamaica was a dream come true. A dream that he has had since 1999. Gloria Palomino was the first Jamaican woman to receive a recommendation by Continued on Page 3
Last year Caribbean American Passport pooled resources with it's sister companies GGR Marketing and Roberts & Roberts Management Services to work for The Original Orlando Carnival Association to rebrand the name of the association and to reposition the Carnival as the biggest Caribbean Festival in Central Florida.
To celebrate the 30th year, we did a free celebration while reintroducing both the Organization and the Carnival with a new name - The Original Orlando Carnival Association and Orlando Carnival Downtown. We also set out to rediscover old supporter and also find new Carnival Fans. There were too many locals who had never heard of Orlando Carnival - even after 30 years.
S U N D A Y
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201 LAKEVIEW KISSIMMEE • FL 34741
12:00PM - 8:00PM
BRINGING DIVERSITY INTO OSCEOLA COUNTY BY SHOWCASING THE BEST OF CARIBBEAN CULTURE THROUGH MUSIC, FOOD, CRAFT AND DANCE ENTERTAINMENT STEELBAND , REGGAE, SOCA, LATIN AND CHUTNEY FREE HEALTH FAIR
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FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL: DONNA: 407.856.4612 • ANDY: 407.826.5256 • CAFA: 407.429.5304 WEBSITE: cafainc.org
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L I F E S T Y L E
Guenet Gittens-Roberts, Publisher/Editor
Commentary: 'Black Panther' unearths 2 'what-if' questions Samuel J. Roberts, Publisher/Editor
This month's editorial is by Jeremy Levitt, distinguished professor of international law at Florida A&M University College of Law.
The Disney-Marvel movie “Black Panther” is an iconic black cultural revolution, revival and renaissance that intelligently interrogates nativism, privilege and influence that fortifies global apathy toward poor and disenfranchised people.
nations and disenfranchised blacks in, for example, the United States. The secret source of Wakanda’s power is vibranium – an inestimable celestial metal found only in Wakanda.
“Black Panther” had an epic debut weekend, grossing $201.8 million and $426.6 million in global ticket sales. It is the fifth highest-grossing movie opening in history, and the most profitable “black” movie ever.
The movie brilliantly reinvigorates this tension by unearthing two classical Pan-Africanist questions that shape black history and form a vital part of the black international tradition:
As a youth in Los Angeles in the 1970s, I dreamed of Hollywood birthing a black-conscious superhero movie. I imagined one with superhuman strength, futuristic technology and deadly fighting skills — a master of African martial arts, like Laamb and Nuba wresting, Dambe and Musangwe boxing, Engolgo kicking, Nguni and Istunka stick fighting and modern Angolan capoeira. Nearly five decades later, “Black Panther” delivers.
To what extent, if any, should violence be used as a tactic in black liberation?
This is the first major superhero movie with a black director, black executive producer, black writers, black costume and production designers and, most important, a nearly all black cast. Its two talented African-American stars, Chadwick Boseman and Michael B. Jordan, deliver stellar performances. If that weren’t enough, Angela Bassett and Forest Whitaker illuminate the stage along with other actors of African descent, including Lupita Nyongo (Kenyan origin) of “Star Wars,” Danai Gurira (Zimbabwe) of “The Walking Dead” and Daniel Kaluuya (an African-American of Ugandan origin) of “Get Out.” “Black Panther” director Ryan Coogler, executive producer Nate Moore, and music curator Kendrick Lamar deliver a masterpiece. Boseman plays King T’Challa, the sovereign leader of Wakanda, a humane, democratic, wealthy and technologically advanced society of black people. The king of Wakanda also doubles as the Black Panther, a sophisticated black African warrior with panther-like superpowers he uses to protect Wakanda and fight evil. Wakanda is not simply a fictitious African nation; it’s an ideal embedded in the imagination and souls of black folk and liberation-orientated discourses on black power and PanAfricanism. Harriet Tubman and Nat Turner imagined Wakanda. A predominant theme that contextualizes the counter-nativist message of “Black Panther” is the tension between using Wakanda’s extraordinary wealth, technology and power for Wakanda or employing it to help other African
What role, if any, should African nations play in liberating blacks in Africa and in the diaspora?
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 publicationgo to http://caribbeanamericanpassport.com and click on the 'Print Archive'. Editor & Publisher............................................................... Sam Roberts Publisher ........................................................... Guenet Gittens-Roberts Graphic Design & Layout .................................................Samuel Roberts Contributing Writers: ............................................................ Tony Dyal ................................................................................................Ryan Davis .............................................................................................Sandra Fatmi ...............................................................................................Gail Seeram ...........................................................................................Sasha Watson ..........................................................................................Kamal Abdool Contributing Photographers ............ ...................................Ted Hollins ..................................................................................................Dilia Castillo .............................................. .......................................Nancy-Joe Brown Central Florida Distribution...................................................Roy Benn South Florida Distribution ...........................................Norman Williams NorthFlorida Distribution ......................................................Theo Jack Jr. Tampa Distribution ...........................................................Kadeem Roberts Copyright (C) 2016 GGR Marketing & Public Relations. All rights reserved.
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Kaya Farms now open for business - First cannabis dispensary in Jamaica Cont'd from Page 1
Dr Uma Dhanabalan and Dr Shantell Neely-James to legally purchase Cannabis in Jamaica. At the opening of the first legal dispensary in Jamaica, Palomino purchased her hemp pills, telling Living that for a long time, she has been taking medication to treat joint pain, and arthritis pain caused by lupus, but has yet to gain any long-term relief. “I don’t want to be taking medication forever,” says Palomino as she expressed her need to find something more natural. The Cannabis plant can be used to offer therapeutic relief for many illnesses such as glaucoma, chronic pains, muscle spasms, and cancer. Under the guidelines for the dispensing of medical marijuana in Jamaica, individuals must be recommended by a doctor before they can make a purchase.
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This is one of the special offerings of the Kaya Herbhouse in St Ann, where there is a doctor available every day to make recommendations. Palomino hopes that her new medication will, over time, give her the relief she desires. Kaya Farm aims to showcase Jamaica’s cannabis history and give guests a place to relax and refresh. “What we’re trying to do is create an ecosystem,” company chairman Balram Vaswani told Leafly. Visitors can see how plants are grown, pick out products, and enjoy them in a social setting that Vaswani likens to “old coffeehouses in Vienna,” which played a central role in civil society. “After that,” he said, “they can have a drink from the juice bar or they can have a massage with CBD creams.”
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Commentary: 'Black Panther' unearths 2 'what-if'...by Professor Jeremy Levitt resonates with most black Americans. He is a dark hero, an uncomfortable combination of Marcus Garvey and Joseph Stalin, seeking to use Wakanda’s great resources and advanced weaponry to reverse the balance of power between blacks and whites because, in his words, "where I'm from, when black folks started revolutions, they never had the firepower or the resources to fight their oppressors.” Killmonger sought to arm black people worldwide, to “rise up and kill those in power."
These questions have preoccupied black intellectuals, warriors and leaders for centuries including, among others, Yaa Asantewa, Queen Nzinga, C.L.R. James, W.E.B. Du Bois, George Padmore, Marcus Garvey, Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, Winnie Mandela, Assata Shakur, Kwame Nkrumah, Sékou Touré and Jomo Kenyatta.
While King T’Challa disagrees with Killmonger’s bloodthirsty scheme, he ultimately declares that Wakanda must empower poor and disenfranchised blacks and others through STEM education beginning in Oakland, thereby, raising a vital question: What if African states actually utilized their sovereignty, ingenuity and vast resources to empower black Americans to predominate America’s political and economic landscape?
The nativist “Wakanda First” and continentalist “Africa First” approaches represent two flawed ideologies that have undermined Pan-Africanism and Africa’s ability to empower itself, and be empowered by the Black Diaspora. Pan-Africanism is the internationalization of African liberation philosophy, which seeks to unify and empower black people all over the world to demand and attain freedom, equality, and justice from the domestic and global forces of white domination, and maximize their human potential. These ideological schisms are boldly illuminated by Jordan’s character Killmonger, T’Challa’s abandoned royal cousin and nemesis — a minted Navy SEAL black-ops executioner, who grew up as an African-American in Oakland’s projects. Killmonger’s pro-black persona
Jeremy Levitt is the distinguished professor of international law at the Florida A&M University College of Law. @drjeremylevitt
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Haitian-born Henri Ford’s incredible journey to the deanship of the Miller School of Medicine
A MAN OF MEDICINE global health.”Ford had been considered for deanships at other medical schools in the past, but had always turned them down, hoping that the UM job would one day open up.
His abdomen distended and tender, the 6-year-old boy had gone without medical attention for four days. A ceiling had collapsed on top of him in the mayhem of Haiti’s devastating 7.1-magnitude earthquake, crushing his pelvis. Now, the boy lay in a makeshift infirmary at the U.S. Embassy in Port-auPrince, which was being used by doctors to treat quake victims. Henri Ronald Ford, a Haitian-born pediatric surgeon who flew to his homeland from Los Angeles to care for the injured, knew that if the youngster didn’t get immediate care, he would surely perish. “But there was no place to operate on him at the embassy,” Ford recalls. “We used a closet as a surgical suite to perform amputations. But this boy required much more serious surgery with intubation.” So Ford and the boy were airlifted by helicopter to the USS Carl Vinson, anchored off the coast of Port-au-Prince to support disaster relief efforts. There, in the supercarrier’s better-equipped medical facility, Ford saved the boy’s life, staying aboard ship to treat other victims—among them, a girl with a piece of concrete embedded in her skull. Ford’s devotion to his discipline and desire to help others doesn’t surprise those who know him well. Indeed, the surgeon “always has the best interests of children at the forefront of everything he does,” Richard D. Cordova, the former president and CEO of Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, where Ford serves as vice president and chief of surgery, once said. Now, Ford—who in 1972 at the age of 13 fled with his family from the government of Papa Doc Duvalier, settling among the Haitian community in Brooklyn, New York, and going on to earn a bachelor’s degree from Princeton and an M.D. from Harvard Medical School—is poised to begin the latest chapter in a life that embodies the American Dream. On June 1, he joins the University of Miami’s Miller School of Medicine as its new dean. Ford, the son of a preacher, calls it his “dream job.” “As I reflect on my journey in American medicine, I feel that I’ve been preparing all my life to assume what is an incredibly important role for such a time as this,” said Ford, who is also professor and vice chair for clinical affairs in the Department of Surgery at the University of Southern California’s Keck School of Medicine. “As a physician-scientist, physicianeducator, and administrator, I feel that I must establish a culture of excellence in scientific research and promote the translation of discoveries into interventions that will transform lives, build healthier communities, and improve
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“I’ve always said that the only reason I would consider leaving my current position is to become dean of the Miller School of Medicine,”said Ford, explaining that University of Miami President Julio Frenk’s vision of making UM the hemispheric, excellent, relevant, and exemplary university is why the Miller School job appealed to him. “The Miller School of Medicine has a unique opportunity to leverage the strength of UHealth, its affiliated hospitals, and other schools and colleges, as well as its outstanding centers and institutes, to achieve this goal and strengthen its national and international preeminence,” Ford said. UHealth and the Miller School, he said, must become “the preferred destination for people seeking the latest advances in healthcare and biomedical research, especially since we are the gateway to Latin America and the Caribbean. We must become an incubator and a major hub for both clinical and biomedical innovation and partner with our executive vice president and CEO of UHealth, Dr. Edward Abraham, and our provost, Jeffrey Duerk, to help UHealth and the Miller School of Medicine achieve their fullest potential.” Lofty and ambitious goals are nothing new to Ford. He graduated from John Jay High School in Brooklyn despite speaking no English when he came to the United States. “The principles that my father and mother had inculcated in our minds pretty much were applicable whether in Haiti or in the United States,” said Ford, the sixth oldest of nine children. “We had to work hard and do our best. There was no satisfactory substitute for excellence. So I had to quickly learn English so I could adapt.” And adapt he did. He is looking forward to becoming dean of a medical school that has a long history of providing care in Haiti. In conjunction with Project Medishare, the Miller School and the School of Nursing and Health Studies have brought critical and primary care, medical equipment, and training to Haiti. “I’m very excited about the tremendous opportunity to potentially help Haiti establish a much-needed trauma and critical-care infrastructure so that Haitians don’t have to jump on an airplane to come to the U or Jackson Memorial for treatment or simply die in country whenever they sustain significant multisystem trauma, a heart attack, or a critical burn,” he said. “And the same also applies to other impoverished Caribbean and Latin American nations that may potentially benefit from the expertise that is readily available at the Hemispheric University.”
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Jamaica Diaspora Education Task Force Summit set for City of Miramar
The Jamaica Diaspora Education Task Force 3rd Biennial Diaspora Education Task Force Summit 2018 will be held in the City of Miramar from March 21st to 25th. This is the first Summit being hosted in the United States. The significance to attract educators from Jamaica and around the Diaspora is in keeping true with JDETF’s mission to advance education in Jamaica to realize VISION 2030. Led by JDETF Co-Chairpersons Karlene Largie of the Union of Jamaican Alumni Associations, Inc., (UJAA) and Lorraine Tracey of Legacy Learning Foundation, Inc., Summit 2018 will address the major aspects of STEM/STEAM, SPECIAL EDUCATION, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, ALUMNI ENGAGEMENT through plenary sessions with Q & A opportunities and an open forum on the state of education for the betterment and growth of all schools in Jamaica. The Summit has the full support of the Jamaican Ministry of Education. The Minister of Education Ruel Reid has confirmed his full attendance for the week-long activities; Mayor Wayne Messam of the City of Miramar is the esteemed host, along with Dr. Robert Runcie, Superintendent of Broward County Public Schools and Commissioner Dale V.C. Holness of Broward County. The Jamaican ambassador to the USA, Her Excellency Audrey Marks, will also be in attendance. With the Summit being held in South Florida, there will also be robust engagement with the worldwide alumni groups, with pledged support from the five umbrella organizations in New York, Canada, England, Jamaica, and, of course, Florida. Representatives from the Jamaica National Education Inspectorate (NEI), the National Education Trust (NET) have confirmed their participation. The JDETF Summit will continue to foster a culture of excellence through the sharing of best practices, intense training in top-tier pedagogy, and data-driven, transformative methodologies between educators in Jamaica and the Diaspora in order to positively impact every student in the island nation. An invitation is extended to anyone interested in the advancement of education in Jamaica to attend the Summit. It is the belief of the JDETF that education is everyone’s business so everyone can play a role. For registration please visit: information please contact: jdetfeducationsummit@gmail.com
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INTERNATIONALLY RENOWNED ARTIST DERRICK ADAMS TO HEADLINE IN THE ARTIST’S STUDIO
Multi-disciplinary artist Derrick Adams, heralded as an exceptional talent in the art world, will headline the Orlando Downtown Arts District’s annual fundraiser “In the Artist’s Studio” on Friday, April 20 from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. at The MEZZ. Adams, raised in Baltimore and a current resident of Brooklyn, NY, received his BFA and MFA at Columbia University and Pratt Institute respectively. His impressive list of residencies and exhibitions include: the William H. Johnson Prize (Los Angeles, CA), the Louis Comfort Tiffany Award (New York), Galerie Anne de Villepoix (Paris), Hales Gallery (London) and Prospect (New Orleans). Articles praising his poignant work can be seen in Interview, W, The New York Times, ArtForum, The Wall Street Journal and recently in ArtNews where he was listed as one of Ten Black Artists to Celebrate.
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Adams’ most recent work at the Museum of Arts and Design in New York entitled Sanctuary is an installation comprised of 50 works of mixed media collage on wood panels that represents safe destinations for the American black traveler inspired by The Negro Motorist Green Book. Often referred to as The Green Book, this Jim Crow era travel periodical offered a comprehensive listing of friendly hotels and restaurants during a time of discrimination against nonwhites. This work, like others in Adams oeuvre, represents a dialogue of social and racial experiences that continue to shape our nation. “Adams’ visit far surpasses simply exposing Central Florida to a nationally-renowned visual artist. It places Orlando on the national stage, opens the local arts aperture and contributes to the Downtown Arts District’s goal of providing stellar contemporary artists and programming to the residents and visitors of our great city,” said Downtown Arts District board member Tiffany Sanders. In the Artist’s Studio is an intimate semi-formal affair that offers a moderated discussion about Adam’s work along with live entertainment, hors d’ oeuvres and limited complimentary cocktails. Tickets are $50 per person and corporate sponsorships are available, with proceeds benefiting the Downtown Arts District. More information and tickets are available http:// intheartists.studio. The event is expected to sell out.
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Event Marketing at Work #GGREVENTS
NAWBO President Wendy Phillips with DJ & Singer Chris Bouille part of the GGR team that organized the Decor of NAWBO'S Wine Women & Chocolate Event at the National Entrepreneur Center CFABJ BLACK PANTHER VIP MOVIE SCREENING
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Jazz in the Gardens “A Tale of Two Cities It’s that time of year again when the weather starts to warm up and soul, funk and R&B returns to South Florida. The Jazz in the Gardens concert – now in its 13th year featured headliners such as Anita Baker, Chaka Khan, Fantasia, Smokey Robinson, Salt-N-Pepa, Trick Daddy and Kid ‘n Play with a soul stirring Sunday’s Best lineup featuring Tasha Cobbs. Much of the buzz was about the dynamic sultry Ms. Anita Baker - sadly for her fans, this was the Grammy-winner Baker’s last time performing at the festival as part of her farewell tour. Earlier this year, the sultry songstress announced she was retiring. “Such a pleasure to accept your invitation to headline the Festival this year, I am humbled. A beautiful way to celebrate, my farewell concert series abxo,” Baker, 60, wrote on her Twitter account in January. Anita who received the Grammy for (“Rapture,” “Giving You the Best that I Got”) did not disappoint and already fans are making plans to get the best she has to give at other Farewell Tour concert cities. The Jazz in the Gardens concert is monstrous in size and planning - each year we enjoy being a part of the pizzazz and the music and tweeting highlights on location. It’s the boldest and sweetest way to slide into spring. We applaud the JITG team, committee, City of Miami, vendors and sponsors for all of the amazing before hand and behind the scene preparation that makes this one of the most coveted concerts in the music world. People come from all walks of life and families plan their spring vacations around the concert. I’ve always said it’s good to have the best talent and even better when the talent has a full audience to perform to. (that’s when an event turns into a concert). Each year there are the lists – What to Do, What to Bring, What to Eat … Everybody knows besides the old school tunes, one of the best parts of the concert is the food. Attendees stand in long lines to enjoy island fare such as Jamaican jerk chicken,Trinidadian curry roti, Cuban croquetas and sandwiches. This year there was organic options for vegans – the food was certainly on point. One notable mention is that What to Eat went beyond the music, outside of the stadium and into the neighboring city of Fort Lauderdale, FL. Hundreds of concert attendees poured into Shooters Waterfront Restaurant in Fort Lauderdale for their world famous Sunday Brunch, delightful drinks and their soulful band. It was like a New York City theatre scene when the line wraps around the block. What’s impressive is that Shooters Sunday Brunch has become so popular that reservations are a must – it’s the best way to guarantee a seat at the table not to mention a seat on the magical patio where service is top shelf. The management team welcomed the crowd and pulled out all of the stops to meet the demand with excellent grace and service. The JITG patrons were the perfect guests as their patience and anticipation added to the Sunday Brunch vibe. It was all hands on deck kind of a day as the managers were on their feet rearranging tables, chairs, pulling orders,
directing staff and answering questions a true culinary concert of its own. “Out of all the days to be in the restaurant today is one of the best; getting the opportunity to serve the guests from the concert was a pleasure. Everyone at nearly every table and on the buffet line is talking about the concert. It almost makes you feel as if you are right there with them in the mix.” says Peter Lopez, Director of Operations. Jazz in the Gardens has come to a close but the memory and the buzz of this year’s concert will be the talk of town for months to come the music, the food, the experience and the power of social media made it happen – Jazz in the Gardens moving forward will be the music and the tale of two cities. Follow us at Caribbean American Passport News Magazine as we continue to follow the music and our local venue of choice Shooters Waterfront Restaurant the place with the magical patio.
Nouchelle Hastings, Weekend Reporter @RelevantBook relevantbookwriter@gmail.com www.caribbeanamericanpassport.com
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Around Town OUC welcomes Dr. Larry Mills to the Board Orlando Utilities Commission,welcomed their newest member Dr Larry Mills. Dr. Mills replaced term limited Comissioner, Dan Kirby, who served for more than a decade. Dan served as Chair just before ending his term. " It is important to have representation for our diverse community. In the case of African Americans, I insured that we always had a seat at the table of opportunity as vendors and service professionals," observed Kirby. Mayor Dyer in nominating Mills from the floor, insured the continuity of that process by-passing the lengthly, time consuming competitive standard nominating process. Jonathan Sebastian Blount, pictured with Dr. Mills addressed the Board on the historical significance of having a seat at the table and praised Mayor Dyer for keeping his promise of equality of representation.
Annual Dr. John T. Washington Scholarship Luncheon honors four recipients The UCF Africana Studies Program Awards held its annual Dr. John T. Washington Community Service and Scholarship Luncheon on Feb. 19, 2018. The awards luncheon honors Dr. John T Washington, one of UCF’s first African-American professors, by recognizing UCF students along with community adults and youth who have made outstanding contributions to our local area. This year’s luncheon theme “Drum Majors for Service” featured renowned historian Dr. Evelyn Brooks Higginbotham, the Victor S. Thomas Professor of
History and of African and African American Studies at Harvard University. Dr. Brooks Higginbotham is also the National President of the Association for the Study of African American Life and History which was founded in 1915 by Carter G. Woodson, the Father of Black History. Recipients of this year’s awards luncheon included “The Tom Joyrner Morning Show” host Monica May, of STAR 94.5, Ocoee High School senior Howard Daley and UCF students Uzoamaka Catherine Mbionwu and Andrew Ezigbo.
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ImmigrationINFO
TM
Immigration News For Our Community Can U.S. Immigration Officers force you to unlock your cell phone and digital devices before you enter the U.S.? By Attorney Gail S. Seeram, Gail@GailLaw.com 1-877-GAIL-LAW @GailSeeram
FREE In-Office Consultation FREE Live Chat www.MyOrlandoImmigrationLawyer.com YES! Foreign travelers who are not U.S. citizens trying to enter the United States are not guarantee entry into the United States. Instead, foreign travelers (including green card holders) apply for entry into the United States and everything on them is subject to search when they present their visa or green card at the airport (or port of entry). The New York Times has reported that in 2015, U.S. Immigration Border Agents inspected 4,444 cell phones and 320 other electronic devices – 2016 statistics is unavailable. Recently, many foreign travelers have reported that immigration and security inspections at the border/port of entry and airport have extended to digital devices (including laptops and cell phones). In this day in age, inspecting a digital device can be more intrusive than inspecting a suitcase. Most digital devices have access to personal emails, social media accounts, photos, videos, text, web browsing history, etc.
The bad news is that U.S. immigration officers can force a foreign traveler (non-U.S. citizen) to unlock their digital device (laptop, cell phone, tablet, etc.) and if the traveler refuses then the digital device can be seize. Also, U.S. immigration officers will most likely deny foreign travelers entry into the U.S. if they refuse to submit their digital device to inspection. How can foreign travelers prepare digital devices for inspection? 1. Power down the digital device before entering the airport or port of entry. 2. Disable the touch ID and enable a passcode to turn on digital devices. 3. Clear browsing history from web browser. 4. Remove apps such as whatsapp, Facebook messenger and other chat apps. 5. Remove social media app and passwords from cell phones, tablets and laptops. 6. Reduce the amount of data (including phone numbers) that are stored on your cell phones, tablets and laptops. 7. Encrypt all data on your digital device. Copyright Š Law Offices of Gail S. Seeram, 2018. All Rights Reserved.
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U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS RECEIVES ENCOURAGING FEEDBACK FOLLOWING SEATRADE CRUISE GLOBAL during which she underscored the posthurricane resilience of both the Caribbean and the cruise industry, and spoke of the strong partnership the region shares with the FCCA. "If we thought the FCCA and its members were our travel partners before, we learned that you are really family ... when we were most in need, you came to our aid," Commissioner Nicholson-Doty said, referring to the recovery support provided by the association and various cruise lines.
U.S. Virgin Islands Governor Kenneth E. Mapp with the FCCA's Michele Paige in Fort Lauderdale this month.
Governor Kenneth E. Mapp led the USVI delegation ahead of the official opening of Seatrade in Fort Lauderdale, where he met with the FCCA leadership and cruise ship executives. Also participating at Seatrade this year were representatives from the Department of Tourism, the Virgin Islands Port Authority and The West Indian Company Limited, as well as some members of the 32nd Legislature of the Virgin Islands. During a USVI-branded event at The Boatyard restaurant in Fort Lauderdale, Governor Mapp shared the Virgin Islands Government's commitment to the industry and emphasized the importance of working with neighboring islands to build a strong cruise itinerary.
On the trade show floor, patrons learned more about the destination at the USVI booth, which featured colorful carnival dancers and a mocko jumbie, steel pan music and a sampling of Virgin Islands products. "This year's convention was especially meaningful given the importance of cruise visits to bolstering our economy as we carry on with the varying stages of our recovery," said Commissioner Nicholson-Doty.
At Seatrade, Commissioner Nicholson-Doty joined cruise executives for a panel discussion entitled Regional Spotlight - The Future Outlook for Caribbean Cruising,
From left: Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association President Michele Paige; Terry Thornton, Senior Vice President - International, Carnival Cruise Line; Bob Lepisto, President, SeaDream Yacht Club; Roberto Fusaro, President, MSC Cruises USA; and USVI Tourism Commissioner Beverly Nicholson-Doty delivered a panel on the posthurricane resilience of the Caribbean and the cruise industry.
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With some cruise lines reporting higher posthurricane guest satisfaction scores compared with pre-storm scores, FCCA President and panel moderator Michele Paige said: "The Caribbean is delivering, and delivering better than ever before."
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Where There's A Will by Tony Deyal "I don't make jokes. I just watch the government and report the facts." This is one of the many still valid and wellknown quips by William Penn Adair 'Will' Rogers (November 4, 1879-August 15, 1935), a stage and motion picture actor, cowboy, humorist, newspaper columnist and comedian at large. His biting commentaries on politics and government, delivered as homespun humour, made Will Rogers a household name. Despite his mixed race and his insistence that he was a Cherokee Indian, Will was adored by the American people and was the leading political wit of his time, as well as the highest paid Hollywood star. In fact, he combined both his wit and acting in a memorable joke, "I'm not a real movie star. I've still got the same wife I started out with 28 years ago." Wikipedia states that as an entertainer and humorist, Will travelled around the world three times, made 71 movies (50 silent films and 21 'talkies'), and wrote more than 4,000 nationally syndicated newspaper columns. He died in a plane crash in 1935. Blogger Susan Doll, film buff and Will Rogers fan, wrote in 2010 that although Rogers had died 75 years before "in this era of divisive politics and an exhausted citizenry, his name keeps popping up". She asked, "When Ya Comin' Back, Will Rogers?" Now in 2018, in the era of Donald Trump, Rogers and his views on American politics are even more important. Here are some priceless ones: "Things in our country run in spite of government, not by aid of it." "The more you observe politics, the more you've got to admit that each party is worse than the other." "Alexander Hamilton started the US Treasury with nothing, and that was the closest our country has ever been to being even." And, given the present preoccupation with Mueller and the Russian links to Donald Trump's election, "About all I can say for the United States Senate is that it opens with a prayer and closes with an investigation." Trump's America is not the only country (or era) relevant to the wit and wisdom of Will Rogers. Wherever versions of democracy are preached or practised, his observations are funny and accurate. For example, "The short memories of the American voters is what keeps our politicians in office."
It also takes a lot of institutions. As Rogers said, "Ancient Rome declined because it had a Senate; now what's going to happen to us with both a Senate and a House?" This is a question that the independent countries of the Caribbean should have been asking a long time ago. We should also ask, "If stupidity got us into this mess, how come it can't get us out?" One line I have always used is that the only jokes I stay far away from are political jokes, mainly because most of them end up being elected and some, funnily enough, end up as presidents and prime ministers. Will Rogers observed almost 90 years ago, "Everything is changing. People are taking their comedians seriously, and the politicians as a joke, when it used to be vice versa." He also discovered something I learnt as a columnist commenting on national and regional affairs, "There's no trick to being a humorist when you have the entire government working for you." It tends to make you cynical enough to come up with observations like, "If you ever injected truth into politics, you have no politics." Or: "It's getting so if a man wants to stand well socially, he can't afford to be seen with either the Democrats or the Republicans." And: "We all joke about Congress but we can't improve on them. Have you noticed that no matter who we elect, he is just as bad as the one he replaces?" Perhaps this is why in Trinidad and Tobago, and increasingly in the rest of the region, we are into one-term governments. Collision
Election Expenditure We Caribbean folk will readily admit that this is one arena in which we can successfully compete with the Yankees. We can also hold our own in terms of expenditure on elections, not in total spending, but in the proportion spent and, of course, in the payback to the 'donors'.
It would have been really interesting to witness the inevitable collision between Will Rogers and Donald Trump, perhaps the most thin-skinned president of all time who, CNN says, has a long history of attacking Native Americans. It is possible that Will Rogers might tell the Donald, "Never miss a good chance to shut up."
We, too, are well aware that money is the mother's milk of politics and that was as true in the 1930s even during the Great Depression in the US as it is now. Rogers observed, "Politics has become so expensive that it takes a lot of money even to be defeated." He added, "A fool and his money are soon elected."
Then there is this one that will hit Trump in two places simultaneously, "The income tax has made liars out of more Americans than golf." This might be the most accurate arrow of all: "A politician is just like a pickpocket; it's almost impossible to get one to reform."
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Dr. Odette Harris, the first African-American female Professor of Neurosurgery in the country Harris has served as the director of brain injury in the department of neurosurgery and the associate chief of staff of polytrauma and rehabilitation at the Palo Alto Veterans Administration Health Care System since 2009. During her illustrious career, she has a achieve many accolades including being named a Clayman Institute Faculty Research Fellow and winning the William P. Van Wagenen Fellowship Award from the American Association of Neurological Surgeons. Despite her challenges, she believes in diversity and what it could bring to the medical field. “I do, but I also think that everybody has something. In answering the question, well, should I say, I do think women have more to offer? I think we’re then discounting the male perspective. My answer is that I feel like we all have that little slither, that unique thing that we bring, regardless of what we look like, regardless of what gender we are.” Dr. Odette Harris has made history by becoming America’s first African-American female professor of neurosurgery at her alma mater Stanford University, according to The Stanford Daily. As a young girl, the Jamaican-American doctor developed a love for the physical sciences and chemistry while studying at an all-girls high school. That passion fueled her. She studied at Dartmouth University for her undergraduate degree, then went on to Stanford School of Medicine were she experienced a “turning point both in terms of gender and race.” Studying at the prestigious school of medicine was difficult for her because Harris was the only black woman in the class of 1996. She was also one of only two women during her neurosurgical residency at Stanford University Medical Center. Race and gender have always been at the forefront. “You’re black, you’re a woman, you’re in an all-white hospital – patients are constantly reminding you of that," Harris told Stanford Medicine last year. "I could list probably a hundred different experiences where I was asked to empty the garbage, or take out the trays, or clean out the toilets when I was just there to use the bathroom myself.” As her career began to take off, her colleagues began to stand up for her and call patients out who tried to demean her. “My [male] co-resident used to always say to the patient, ‘Actually, she’s our chief.’”
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Where There's A Will by Tony Deyal When it comes to the present evolving Washington scenario, Rogers was on the ball: "The Democrats and the Republicans are equally corrupt where money is concerned. It's only in the amount where the Republicans excel." It is not only his lampooning of politics and politicians that made Will Rogers popular and loved. For example, his comment on diplomacy remains a classic. He described it as "the art of saying 'nice doggie' until you can find a rock". He warned against inaction: "Even if you're on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there." Reacting to changing times, especially women's clothing or the lack of it, he quipped, "I never expected to see the day when girls would get sunburned in the places they do today." While one of his slogans was, "Make crime pay; become a lawyer" my favourite is, "Live in such a way that you would not be ashamed to sell your parrot to the town gossip."
- Tony Deyal was last seen quoting Rogers, "There are three kinds of men. one that learns by reading. The few learn by observation. The rest of them to pee on the electric fence for themselves."
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Will The who have
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