Caribbean American Passport News Magazine - November 2017 by caribbeanamericanpassport

FREE Your Passport to the Caribbean American Community

Nov/Dec 2017

US TO END PROTECTED STATUS FOR HAITIANS

Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Elaine Duke announced her decision to terminate the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) designation for Haiti with a delayed effective date of 18 months to allow for an orderly transition before the designation terminates on July 22, 2019. This decision follows then Secretary Kelly’s announcement in May 2017 that Haiti had made considerable progress, and that the country’s designation will likely not be extended past six months. Haitians with TPS must either return to Haiti by that date or request permission to stay in the U.S. permanently.

Jamaican Consulate General's Diaspora Honours 2017

Award recipients from left to right are listed below.

Consul General Franz Hall, standing in the middle of the recipients of the Jamaican Consulate General's Diaspora Honours 2017 at the Awards Reception and Presentation on Saturday, 28th October 2017 at the Sunrise Civic Center Theater. From left to right are Mr. Hugh Ferguson (Business Leadership), Ms. Sandra Fatmi (Education), Rev. Dr. Wesley Green (Faith and Religious Leadership), Ms. Georgia Robinson, Esq. (Public Service), Ms. Merline Barton (Public Service), Mrs. Jewel Scott (Law and Justice), Dr. Malou C. Harrison (Consul General's Special Award), the Atlanta Jamaican Association (Community Organization), Mr. Eugene Grey (Cultural Arts and Entertainment), and Ms. Julie Mansfield (Philanthropy). Also pictured is Mr. Mark Douglas, Esq, Commissioner of the City of Sunrise who was a co-host of the event.

End Time Sabbath Worship Center partners with FEMA for massive outreach program

Opponents of the administration’s decision note that Haiti has been hit by three damaging hurricanes recently. They also say it continues to suffer from a deadly spread of cholera. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen is a Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives. Many Haitians live in the part of South Florida that she represents. She sharply criticized the administration’s decision.

A day for Jeannine Charles, Administrator for End Time Sabbath Worship Center is not typical by any means.

The calls for assistance begins before the dawn of the day. She is the connection in this Haitian church. Continued on Page 11

If you love young people and giving back during the Holiday Season, this is the event to attend and or support. This event is a family day designed with you in mind as we Celebrate the Diversity of the 72,000 residents of Pine Hills, showcasing food from Haiti, The Caribbean, Vietnam, China and America, while introducing our citizens to the services and programs available in the Pine Hills Community. We will have face painting, bounce houses and entertainment to name a few. It's an event you don't want to miss. If you are interested in participating in this event as a partner, sponsor, vendor or volunteer, please log on to www.unitedfoundationcf.org or call Sandra Fatmi at 770-789-7004 or Julien O'neil at 407-409-9614. www.caribbeanamericanpassport.com

L I F E S T Y L E

Guenet Gittens-Roberts, Publisher/Editor

Are you thankful for your life, you can change it you know. It's the season of Thanksgiving. After spending more years in America, than I've spent in Guyana, it's on the list of my all time favorite holidays. Right up there with Phagwah and Christmas. One of the things I like about during Thanksgiving is the message about being Thankful. Ok, the Black Friday shopping craze spoils it a bit. But you can train your kids to not engage and hold on to that for dear life or as long as you possibly can. I truly feel that tying Thanksgiving up with Black Friday is sending the wrong message to your family. It's always easy to throw money at a problem. But it's always harder to spend time, real time. Time talking and listening, really listening. Children of all ages, love actually being able to talk and be themselves with you in a real way. Whether they admit it, pout about it, or give you grief about it. Samuel J. Roberts, Publisher/Editor

Most of our fondest memories are made up of the things that we didn't really appreciate fully at the time. Cooking with Grandma, talking with Grandpa. Fishing with your uncle. Yes, you'll remember that great gift, you received, but it's not the same as the investment of time. That's the same for relationships with friends. Are you spending time or throwing money at your relationships? The sum of who we are, is not what we've spent in life, but it is how we spent our time in this world. We all have a point of reckoning in our lives. A point where we wonder if we've done it right, if we have enough time to fix it. The most common regrets most people have at the end of their lives have to do with spending time in the right way. Some of the most common regrets are: Not living a life that's true to you, but living a life for others. When people realize that their life is almost over and look back clearly on it, it is easy to see how many dreams have gone unfulfilled. Most people had not honored even a half of their dreams and had to die knowing that it was due to choices they had made, or not made. Working too much and not living enough. Many men have admitted that they deeply regretted spending so much of their lives on the treadmill of a work existence.

Wishing you had stayed in touch with your friends. Many do not realize the full benefits of old friends until their dying weeks, and it is not always possible to track them down. Many had become so caught up in their own lives that they had let golden friendships slip by over the years. Many people's biggest regret is that they wish that they had let themselves be happier. Many people don't realize until the end of their life that happiness is a choice. They stay stuck in old patterns and habits. The 'comfort' of familiarity overflowed into their emotions, as well as their physical lives. So be thankful, use every day that you wake up to be aware. Be thankful, every day you wake up to the chance to create your own version of life.

1969 Alafaya Trail â&#x20AC;˘ 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.

Hurricane Resource Guide for those Florida, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands Article Courtesy Career Source Florida

APPLYING FOR FEMA ASSISTANCE If you are in need of assistance from Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, or Maria, you may apply for benefits by contacting FEMA at: www.disasterassistance.gov or call 1-800-621-FEMA (1-800-621-3362) TTY: 1 -800-462-7585. You may also visit any FEMA Disaster Recovery Center where representatives from multiple government agencies are available to answer questions. To find the nearest center visit: https://www.fema.gov/disaster/updates/4337/visit-us-disasterrecovery-center-drc To find federal government services in response to Hurricane Maria visit: https://www.usa.gov/hurricane-maria or call 1-844-872-4681. FIND OR REUNITE WITH LOVED ONES The Safe and Well Registry run by the American Red Cross helps those affected by disasters and their loved ones check in with one another. The site is available in both English and Spanish. To register as safe text SAFE to 78876 or register directly on the American Red Cross website at: https:// safeandwell.communityos.org/cms/index.php. To search the registry for your loved ones, use the search feature of the Red Cross website: https:// safeandwell.communityos.org/cms/index.php. To speak with a representative about a missing relative with a health condition call: 1-800-RED-CROSS (1-800-733-2767) LOCAL RESOURCES

The San Juan VA Medical Center emergency room and inpatient services are operational. Appointments have resumed and VA Outpatient Clinics continue to reopen. The San Juan VAMC can be reached by phone at: (910) 475-6515 or 1(800) 449-8729. Veterans in need of assistance may call a 24/7 patient and family hotline at 1-800-449-8729 ext. 19400. For prescription drug refills the VA has activated the Pharmacy Disaster Relief Plan. Veterans needing emergency supply of medications can go to any retail pharmacy open to the public with a written prescription or active VA prescription bottle to receive a 30 day supply. Updates for the VA Caribbean Healthcare System, including a list of reopened vet centers, can be found at: http:// www.blogs.va.gov/VAntage/hurricane-irma/, or https:// www.caribbean.va.gov/ MENTAL HEALTH If you or someone you know is experiencing emotional distress please call the Disaster Distress Helpline at 1-800-985-5990 or text TalkWithUs to 66746 to connect with a trained counselor. You may also visit: http://bit.ly/2vH2Huc for more information about managing stress after a disaster and talking with children about traumatic events. TAX RELIEF Taxpayers in affected areas may be eligible for tax relief from the IRS. To learn more about IRS assistance for victims of Hurricane Maria visit:

The Puerto Rico Federal Affairs Administration is directing those seeking information or assistance to call 202-800-3133 or email: maria1@prfaa.pr.gov.

https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/help-for-victims-ofhurricanes-irma-and-maria.

POINT OF DISTRIBUTION LOCATIONS

DISASTER RECOVERY LOANS

To find a list of distribution locations for food, water, and other supplies set up throughout Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands visit: https://www.fema.gov/hurricane-maria. Select â&#x20AC;&#x153;Point of Distribution Locations.â&#x20AC;?

The U.S. Small Business Administration is providing various disaster loans to qualifying Americans. For more information about SBA disaster loans visit: https:// www.sba.gov/disaster-assistance/hurricane-maria. The U.S. Department of Agriculture provides loans to qualifying individuals, businesses, and communities after disasters. For more information visit: https:// www.usda.gov/topics/disaster/storms.

FEMA ASSISTANCE Those affected by Hurricane Maria should apply for assistance with FEMA as soon as their Municipality is granted Individual Assistance. Financial help and direct services may be available from FEMA for temporary housing, medical, moving expenses, and more. To apply visit: www.disasterassistance.gov or call 1-800-621-FEMA (1-800-621-3362). For a list of municipalities approved for Individual Assistance visit: https:// www.fema.gov/disaster/4339. HELP FOR VETERANS Veterans in need of assistance or in need of their medication can contact the Veteran Disaster Hotline at 1-800-507-4571 or go to any VA medical facility for assistance.

DISASTER UNEMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE Those who are unemployed as a result of the disaster, and who are ineligible for regular state unemployment insurance, are encouraged to apply for Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) through the U.S. Department of Labor. For additional information about DUA visit: https://www.dol.gov/general/hurricanerecovery or contact the U.S. Department of Labor by phone at 1-866-487-2365. Continued on Page 5

www.caribbeanamericanpassport.com

Hurricane Resource Guide for those in Florida, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands

FIND JOBS THROUGH CAREER SOURCE: https://careersourceflorida.com/recovery-job-opportunities-available-for-florida-families/ Article Continued from page 4

MORTGAGE RELIEF To find out if you qualify for temporary mortgage relief such as a suspension of mortgage payments for up to 12 months, or suspension of late fees, visit the Freddie Mac website at: http://www.freddiemac.com/about/hurricanerelief.html. For additional information visit the Fannie Mae website at: http://www.fanniemae.com/portal/aboutfm/hurricane-relief.html or by phone at 1-800-2FANNIE (800-232-6643).

affected by recent disasters. For more information visit: https://www.sba.gov/disaster-assistance/hurricaneresponse-jobs-sba. For FEMA hiring visit: https://careers.fema.gov/ hurricane-workforce. For federal jobs in Puerto Rico visit: http://federalgovernmentjobs.us/job-location/ puerto-rico-pr.html SHIPPING GOODS

You may also contact the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to find out if you quality for any hurricane related help with your mortgage or mortgage insurance. For more information about HUD disaster assistance visit: https://www.hud.gov/ program_offices/housing/sfh/ins/203h-dft

For donations or information for small businesses wanting to ship goods visit the FEMA National Business Emergency Operations Center (NBEOC) at https://www.fema.gov/nbeoc. Shipments may be coordinated through FEMA by contacting: NBEOC@fema.dhs.gov.

HURRICANE

Private companies with private air transportation wishing to fly into PR or the USVI must coordinate with the FAA to file a flight plan and receive a slot time for arrival. The FAA can be reached at: (540) 422-4029, (540) 422-4033, or (540) 422-4036.

RESPONSE

HIRING

The U.S. Small Business Administration is hiring a variety of temporary positions located throughout areas

www.caribbeanamericanpassport.com

USING EVENT MARKETING TO GROW YOUR BRAND OR BUSINESS Marketing events are a great way to get your brand noticed. Events can take place in many environments: in-store; at a festival or concert; or even on the street. Of the many attention-grabbing event trends, one effective technique is guerrilla marketing. Defined as “an advertisement strategy concept designed for businesses to promote their products or services in an unconventional way with little budget to spend,” guerrilla marketing is one of the best ways to stretch a budget. And because it embraces the unconventional, brands have a broad creative brush to paint with. Many brands have taken that opportunity and run with it. From Match.com to Mini Cooper, here are a few examples of successful guerrilla marketing.

behind him passing out information about the dating site and instructing people on how to find their “true love.” 5. Use Amateur Video and Storytelling: Blair Witch Project One of the trendsetting types of guerilla marketing was the amateur video “documentary” that was used in the Blair Witch project. The movie makers didn’t want to release just an ordinary horror movie so they used storytelling to ensure people were second guessing whether Blair Witch was a real story or not. It used amateur-looking video to make it look like it was just a bunch of ordinary people filming. This idea has been duplicated countless times now but it created so much stir, people had to go see the movie for themselves.

This type of marketing makes a statement and spurs on word of mouth. Thrill your audience and they’ll talk about you. But how do you make that happen? It takes a little creativity and interest in doing something new...and an Event Planner with a marketing and branding background can give your event the opportunity to be an amazing opportunity for you to sell your services to clients old and new. Some ideas that work: 1. Use Facebook Live: Use Facebook Live to improve your reach, get people who couldn’t be there excited about your event, and show those who are considering attending what the event is really like. This particular example does a great job of capturing the event’s flavor and energy. The other thing that is really effective is the secondary call to action of pointing out that the audience is welcome to follow the Snapchat channel as well. While you have their attention with guerilla marketing you should give them something to do. 2. Secure Press Attention: One of the things that makes guerilla marketing effective is when you can catch the eyes of the press. This happens when something out of the ordinary occurs. When Mini Cooper was launching in the US, they placed the tiny car on top of a Chevy Suburban and drove it around 12 markets to get people talking. That idea paid off when the press latched on. The PR stunt made for great images on the press end and on sites like Instagram and Facebook. 3. Get Your Name Out There: This concept is used by many publishers of magazines. Invite readers to share a picture of themselves holding your publication (or conference agenda) anywhere in the world. Give them a hashtag to use and call them out in your next edition. People love seeing themselves on social media and in print. 4. Employ an Ideal: . In a fun campaign held in Madrid for the popular dating site, Match.com hired an actor to portray a prince. He walked through the crowded streets with a glass slipper looking for his love. The Match.com team followed

www.caribbeanamericanpassport.com

Continued from page 1

Jamaican Consulate General's Diaspora Honours 2017

Dr. Malou Harrison (Consul General's Special Award)

Rev. Dr. Wesley Green (Faith and Religious Leadership)

Ms. Julie Mansfield(Philanthropy)

Mr. Eugene Grey(Cultural Arts and Entertainment)

Alan Stewart for Altanta Jamaica Association

Ms. Sandra Fatmi(Education)

Ms. Merline Barton(Public Service)

Mr. Hugh Ferguson(Business Leadership)

Accredited & License # ST38788

www.caribbeanamericanpassport.com

Ms. Georgia Robinson, Esq (Public Service)

BBIF FLORIDA HOSTS BOSS EVENT RELAUNCH TO INCREASE LOAN, CONTRACTUAL AND PROCUREMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR UNDERSERVED SMALL BUSINESSES

Back from a two-year hiatus – and by popular demand, the kickoff event included the Fifth Third Bank Financial Empowerment Mobile, the eBus. The 40-foot bus, retro-fitted as a mobile classroom, is equipped with 14 personal computers and satellite technology. Certified credit counselors pulled and reviewed credit reports. The event featured a special partner expo, and a presentation by George Morning which rallied Minority Buyers about the important part that they played in community building through their work.

The planning team behind the scenes

The BOSS event platform serves as BBIF Florida's conduit to connect executives, entrepreneurs, procurement officers, professionals and small, minority and underserved business owners. “BBIF Florida has themed the 2017 BOSS, Bigger, Better, Best!, a simple title that is reflective of what we believe is our role - to help small business grow their businesses to be bigger, better or the absolute best” said Jasmine Gebon, BBIF Florida Operations and Marketing Manager. Adds Gebon, “Each symposium in the series is designed to ensure attendees gain valuable insight to take their business to the next level, connecting directly with key procurement personnel and decision makers.”

www.caribbeanamericanpassport.com

JET BLUE PREPARES TO LAUNCH FLIGHTS IN DECEMBER DIRECTLY FROM ORLANDO TO HAITI

Haitian and other Caribbean Community Leaders toured Jet Blue University and won tickets to visit Haiti

Caribbean Designer Sonia Noel Visits Orlando

Sonia Noel, one of Guyana's most well known designers visited Orlando and set up a "Pop Up Shop" for the day in Caribbean Passport's office at Fashion Square Mall. Sonia Noel is a fashion icon from Guyana, and she is the leading designer in the country with a prolific track record of trailblazing experience in the region and in the Diaspora. She is a designated fashion ambassador, a Lifetime Achievement Award recipient for Caribbean Fashion, she has shown in Miami, Atlanta, New York, Toronto, London and many of the Caribbean based â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Fashion Weeksâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; in the region and in the Diaspora.

Designer Sonia Noel with the Parchments who came to the Pop up Shop

www.caribbeanamericanpassport.com

Antigua and Barbuda’s 36th Independence Anniversary Independence of Antigua and Barbuda is celebrated on November 1. This holiday commemorates the independence of Antigua and Barbuda from the United Kingdom in 1981. Antigua and Barbuda is a small island country that consists of two major islands and a number of smaller islands. Christopher Columbus was the first to sight the islands in 1493. They were colonized by the English in 1632. In 1672, the islands of Barbuda and Antigua became part of the colony known as the Leeward Islands. In 1816, the colony was divided in two (with Montserrat, Barbuda, and Antigua as one colony), but it was eventually reformed in 1833 and existed until 1958. After the Second World War, the colonial system began to decline. In 1958, Antigua and Barbuda joined the West Indies Federation.

The short-lived federation collapsed in 1962. Antigua and Barbuda became a separate colony. In 1967, the islands became a state in free association with the UK. On November 1, 1981, Antigua and Barbuda became a fully independent state within the Commonwealth of Nations. The anniversary of independence is now celebrated as a national holiday. It is marked with various festive events. The island of Barbuda was recently devastated by Hurricane Irma, the strongest recorded hurricane ever to hit the Atlantic, with sustained winds of 185 mph. The monstrous storm hit Barbuda with an initial $600 million worth of damage. It destroyed 95 percent of Barbuda’s infrastructure, including 1,086 homes. Forty-four percent of the island’s structures must be demolished and rebuilt. The tragedy that Irma brought has tested the people of Barbuda, but they have remained resilient through these trying times. It’s time to create a sustainable development plan for the devastated island of Barbuda, according to Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Minister Asot Michael.

Dr. Dabbrio and local Antiguans celebrated in Orlando

www.caribbeanamericanpassport.com

End Time Sabbath Worship Center partners with FEMA for massive outreach program She is fluent in Kreyol and English. Most churches offer free food and clothes as a charitable contribution to the community. But, this church offers services like help for mothers and babies, the elderly with a hot lunch on Saturday, literacy classes, tutoring for school children, cleaning a neighborâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s yard, painting houses, translation for new comers and much more. Yet all this goes un-noticed by the community. Not anymore! Because hurricane Maria arrived and knocked on their door and they became a shelter for many families, FEMA knocked looking for warehouse space to store twenty-six hundred pallets of food and they said â&#x20AC;&#x153;yesâ&#x20AC;?. Try and calculate this delivery; sixty tractor trailer loads of food being delivered and unloaded every ninety minutes. Sometimes there are three trucks lining up waiting their turn to be un-loaded. Disaster relief now takes precedence to bring a sense of peace to Orange County residents. The combined effort with FEMA and the Caribbean Resource Center, operated by the Caribbean American Passport is the perfect collaboration for this Haitian community of faithful believers. Their vision to offer an outreach worship center to the community is a remarkable feat for these immigrants from Haiti who themselves are seeking a better life in America. Out of their need for ministry resources they have pooled their money together to purchase a building of over a hundred thousand square feet of total working space.

Volunteers packing fortified meals to distribute at an earlier outreach

Their doors are open to three hundred or more families per week who are seeking assistance. This is not just for food but for a prayer, a hug and reassurance that there are people who care for them. At this poignant time in the midst of them surviving Maria they said yes to expand themselves to a larger audience. And again, this means storing food in the sanctuary, the dining hall, the chapel and the warehouse with the hope of making a difference in Orange County. The vision for distribution is extended to other churches, schools, businesses and organizations willing to join them in this massive opportunity of blessings. For more information and how you could strengthen their arms as a community service provider please call Jeannine Charles at (407) 718-9589, Rosemarie Roth (352) 321-0932 or Guenet Gittens-Roberts (407) 421-8118

Grace Jamaican Jerk Festival 2017

www.caribbeanamericanpassport.com

Photos by Gail Zucker

Diamonds Are Forever "Dorothy Parker tells me of the last time she encountered playwright Clare Boothe. The two ladies were trying to get out of a doorway at the same time. Clare drew back and cracked, 'Age before beauty, Miss Parker.' As Dotty swept out, she turned to the other guests and said, "Pearls before swine.'" This massive putdown by the famous Ms Parker, poet, writer, wit and wise-cracker par excellence was reported by celebrity gossip columnist Sheilah Graham on October 14, 1938 in the Hartford Courant newspaper. Ms Parker was famous for her scathing sarcasm and comments like, "Beauty is only skin deep, but ugly goes clean to the bone." Not for her the banality of telling someone, "Go to hell," she did it her way.

by Tony Deyal

lips. Ms Parker could do it, but not me. I muttered an unfelt "thanks" and went inside wishing I had the combination of strength and boldness, violets and vinegar, to say what I wanted instead of meekly surrendering to my fear of offending. No Such Restriction Women have absolutely no such restriction. For example, Imogene Fey made me rethink the close resemblance of my children to me when she observed, "A man finds out what is meant by a spitting image when he tries to feed cereal to his infant."

When she was offended by the amount of money a producer offered her to write a script, she remarked, "You can't take it with you, and even if you did, it would probably melt." When jilted by someone she cared for deeply, she still bravely quipped, "It serves me right for putting all my eggs in one bastard."

Fran Lebowitz, an American author and public speaker, who is more sardonic than snide, on the same subject of children, said in her inimitable style, "Children sleep either alone or with small toy animals. The wisdom of such behaviour is unquestionable, as it frees them from the immeasurable tedium of being privy to the whispered confessions of others. I have yet to come across a teddy bear who was harbouring the secret desire to wear a maid's uniform."

Mae West was called the "vamp of the high camp" and known as someone capable of finding a double meaning in every situation. In one of her stage acts, she was told, "Ten men are waiting to meet you at home." Her response? "I'm tired. Send one of them home." The 'straight' comedian setting up the joke said sympathetically, "You must be good and tired," and Ms West replied, "No, just tired."

Whether Dorothy Parker or Mae West, Ms Cooper herself or Fran Lebowitz, what women humorists have that men can only aspire to is style. They have style to burn and often their victims are not just charred, but immolated. Eliza Savage displayed the aptness of her surname when she uttered the vain hope, "I saw Mr Gladstone in the street last night. I waited and waited, but no cab ran him over."

In the movie Night After Night, the young lady in the coatroom gushes over Ms West's jewellery, "Goodness, what lovely diamonds!" The reply was, "Goodness had nothing to do with it." When Mae West played Catherine the Great on stage, Field Marshal Potemkin brought her news of war with the Turks, and she responded with a variation of her famous tag line (Come up and see me sometime) by saying, "Come up to the royal suite later tonight - and let's talk Turkey."

Diane de Poitiers, French noblewoman and courtier, as early as the 16th Century observed, "The years that a woman subtracts from her age are not lost. They are added to the ages of other women."

If we are bent on talking turkey even though it is still five days before Thanksgiving, what I would like is to give thanks to the witty women of a comedic bent who are not as well known or respected as the male quipsters. Jilly Cooper, the British journalist and novelist, put together an anthology in 1980 of women's writings and sayings with Tom Hartman.

Even though the Queen dearly loved her sister Margaret, she, too, sometimes shows the fire beneath the ice.

In her introduction, Ms Cooper made the telling point: "Some time ago, it occurred to us that in most anthologies and dictionaries of quotations, the contributors have been at least 90 per cent male." While agreeing that men dominate art and music, her view was that literature is different, and it is unfair that anthologies of prose and poetry should be so maledominated. This is the background to Violets and Vinegar, a book which I love dearly, tattered and torn though it is, and which remained forlorn in boxes and shelves over the past 25 years as I moved from pillar to posting, from Boston and Washington to Barbados, Trinidad and then Belize, on to Antigua and back to Trinidad.

I know that while I included Imogene Fey, I did not quote anything from Tina Fey, and I have stuck with the women of a previous generation or two (or even three or more). It is not that modern women cannot be as biting, as funny, or as compassionate as their predecessors, it is the combination of style, substance and subtlety that women writers and humorists of the past seemed to possess. The much-married Zsa Zsa Gabor was both witty and wise when she stated flatly, "I never hated a man enough to give him back his diamonds." Obviously, you can cast your pearls before swine, but diamonds are forever.

I thought of the book when someone opened the door at an eating place for me and remarked, "Age before beauty." "Pearls before swine" came quickly to my head, but not my

One of Queen Mary's courtiers, Margaret Greville, admitted with a delicious pun, "You mustn't think I dislike Lady Cunard. I'm always telling Queen Mary that she isn't half as bad as she's painted."

Speaking about Princess Margaret's children, Her Majesty made it quite clear, "They are not royal. They just happen to have me as their aunt."

- Tony Deyal was last seen quoting from Margaret Halsey's 'Malice Towards Some': "Englishwomen's shoes look as if they had been made by someone who had often heard shoes described but had never seen any."

www.caribbeanamericanpassport.com

ImmigrationINFO

Immigration News For Our Community Lottery for Green Cards open from Oct 18th – Nov 22nd By Attorney Gail S. Seeram, Gail@GailLaw.com 1-877-GAIL-LAW @GailSeeram

FREE In-Office Consultation FREE Live Chat www.MyOrlandoImmigrationLawyer.com

he visa lottery program will be accepting applications for the 2019 Diversity Visa Lottery program from October 18, 2017 to November 22, 2017. Each year, the Diversity Visa

Lottery program makes 50,000 permanent resident visas available to people from eligible countries. The Department of State chooses the winners of the Diversity Visa Lottery program randomly through a computer-generated lottery drawing. Anyone selected under the Diversity Visa Lottery program will be notified directly by the U.S. Department of State through the mail. Applicants can check the status of their application to see if they are a winner by visiting www.dvlottery.state.gov. If the winner is granted permanent residency, s/he will be authorized to live and work in the United States along with their spouse and children under age 21. There are four basic entry requirements for the Diversity Visa Lottery program. Native of Eligible Country: Applicants must be a native of an eligible country. Natives from the following countries are NOT ELIGIBLE to apply because they sent more than 50,000 immigrants to the United States during the past five (5) years: Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, China (mainland-born), Colombia, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Haiti, India, Jamaica, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, South Korea, United Kingdom (except Northern Ireland) and its dependent territories, and Vietnam. Persons born in Hong Kong SAR, Macau SAR, and Taiwan are eligible.If you were born in a country whose natives are ineligible but your spouse was born in a country whose natives are eligible, you can claim your spouse’s country of birth —provided that both you and your spouse are on the selected entry, are issued visas, and enter the United States simultaneously.

Second, if you were born in a country whose natives are ineligible, but neither of your parents was born there or resided there at the time of your birth, you may claim nativity in one of your parents’ countries of birth if it is a country whose natives qualify. Education or Work Experience: Applicants must have either a high school education or its equivalent (completion of a 12-year course of elementary and secondary education) or two years of work experience within the past five years in an occupation requiring at least two years of training or experience to perform. Photograph: Recent photographs of the applicant and his family (spouse and unmarried children under age 21) must be submitted with their application. Note, a group or family photo will not be accepted. Separate digital passport style photos of each family member must be submitted with the Diversity Visa Lottery application. Since the application is submitted on-line, the digital photos are also required to be submitted on-line. Note, this is the most cumbersome part of the process because if your photo does not meet specific requirements, your application will not be accepted on-line. Application: The Diversity Visa Lottery application is accessible only at www.dvlottery.state.gov and must be submitted on-line. Note, when your application and photo have been accepted online, a confirmation screen will appear and this should be printed for your records. Remember to keep a copy of your confirmation page from the online registration entry submission because you can conduct a status check on your visa lottery entry starting May 15, 2018, through at least September 30, 2018 by returning to www.dvlottery.state.gov, clicking on Entrant Status Check, and entering your confirmation number and personal information. Entrant Status Check will be the only way to find out if you were selected through the visa lottery. Copyright © Law Offices of Gail S. Seeram, 2016. All Rights Reserved. 1-877-GAIL-LAW or 407-292-7730 www.MyOrlandoImmigrationLawyer.com

www.caribbeanamericanpassport.com

High and Lifted up

By Rosemarie Roth

oan Myers, Musical Director for “High and Lifted up

Praise, first anniversary musical concert held at the New covenant Baptist Church of Orlando delivered a vision straight from her heart. It is very appropriate that during this season she transcribed her thankfulness into a praise. The entire program represented “Voices 4 Him” as a praise offering that lifted the souls of the listeners. Noel O. Willis was on target with his voice of praise while the Dawkins Sisters lifted the spirit into the presence of God. Abraham Ogunlade arrived without Gabriel as he declared the power of music through the saxophone. For His Glory dancers interpreted the music with their hands, their feet and their hearts in unison of praise. Claude Edwards recruited every listener to join the choir with his vibrant rendition of gospel serenade. Linton Atkinson made sure his wife knew he brought her to the concert and he would be taking her home…all in fun because the musicians really wow the crowd and the presence of joy was everywhere. For His Glory dancers interpreted the music with their hands, their feet and their hearts in unison of praise. At the end of the function Miss Myers thanked everyone for their contribution as a team which produced a program honoring the Lord and not themselves. In her own words Miss Myers said; “Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for.

O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever! 1 Chronicles 16:34 Having constant gratitude proves your faith in God because not only do you thank Him for what He has done in the past, you thank Him for what He will do in the future. It's that kind of faith that pleases God. Constant gratitude also shows humility because when we are thankful, we magnify God instead of magnifying our problems. It gives us proper perspective and opens the door for God's grace, favor and supernatural empowerment. As you choose an attitude of constant gratitude, you'll experience His mercy and loving kindness in greater ways. You'll be filled with His peace and joy and pave the way to move forward into the abundant life He has prepared for you!”

MEMBERS OF PARTICIPATING ORGANIZATIONS: FREE NON -MEMBERS: $10.00 INCLUDES COMPLIMENTARTY APPETIZERS CASH BAR AT NEW CARIBBEAN RESOURCE CENTER ORLANDO FASHION SQUARE MALL 1ST FLOOR 3201 E. COLONIAL DRIVE, ORLANDO, FL. 32803 www.caribbeanamericanpassport.com

Members of the Executive Board of the Caribbean And Floridian Association, Inc. (CAFA) recently presented a check to Chief O'Dell of Kissimmee Police Department in honor of Officer Matthew Baxter and Sergeant Sam Howard memorial fund.

Pictured from right to left-Deputy Chief John Lewis, CAFA Vice President-Penny Simon, Corresponding Secretary-Cheryl Reid-Payne, Asst. Treasurer-Eslyn Fung, Chief O'Dell, CAFA President-Andy King, TreasurerLudlow Muir

www.caribbeanamericanpassport.com

AG Jeff Sessions and Other Republicans Keep Having Mental Lapses By Roger Caldwell

Attorney General Jeff Sessions is having problems with remembering and maybe needs to take better notes. This appears to be a problem in the entire Trump administration, and maybe the president himself should teach a note taking class.

Maybe the administration is unable to get seven or eight hours of sleep and this also affects memory/clarity in thinking. There could also be a problem with the beginning of Alzheimer’s, or just absent mindedness, but America is counting on the administrations’ judgment.

really weird because it does not appear that anything Jeff Sessions says is close to the truth, and he keeps changing his original statements. Late last month, former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort, and longtime Manafort and Trump associate Rick Gates were indicted by Robert Mueller’s investigation team. They were indicted on charges associated with money laundering, but they had a small and insignificant role in Trump’s campaign, according to his press secretary.

“Jeff Sessions was selected to serve as chief law enforcement officer of the United States, but a web of lies that he’s been caught in casts his qualification for the position into serious question. Now he has a new excuse for his lying – the Trump campaign was in such a state of “chaos” that according to him, there’s no way he should be expected to remember all the times that a staffer reached out or attempted to reach out to Russia,” says Caleb Newton , reporter of Bipartisan Report.

On the same day, George Papadopolous who also had an insignificant role in the Trump campaign was revealed to have pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI. At a meeting on March 2016, between Trump and top members of his campaign, Papadopolous suggested a secret meeting between the U.S. president and Russian President Putin that Sessions initially did not remember, but last week he somehow remembered.

This is a bizarre defense for the Attorney General of the United States, but Sessions used this defense while appearing before the House Judiciary Committee last week. This is

Here again, it appears the president needs to have a class on note-taking because Sessions is having mental lapses concerning many campaign members having contact with any Russian associates.

www.caribbeanamericanpassport.com

Democrats running for Florida governor show unity and love By BRENDAN FARRINGTON, AP.

Republican Gov. Rick Scott of Florida will probably be on the ballot next year, but it won’t be for governor. That didn’t stop the three major Democratic candidates hoping to replace him from taking shots at him instead of each other. Former U. S. Rep. Gwen Graham, businessman Chris King and Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum participated in a candidate forum Saturday night at the state Democratic Party’s biennial convention and criticized Scott for not expanding health care, refusing federal money for a high-speed train, denying climate change and not being more prepared for Hurricane Irma. Scott is leaving office due to term limits and is expected to announce a run against Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson. The Democrats hoping to replace him were more unified than divided during the party convention. The candidates showed no differences on issues like immigration, the environment and juvenile justice and restoring felons voting rights once they complete their sentences. One might say it was a lovefest. “Andrew and I have been friends for a very long time,” Graham, a Tallahassee resident, said of Gillum. “I love Andrew. And I have got to know Chris and his family in this process and I love you Chris and your family.” “I love Gwen,” King replied. Gillum, too, called for unity and said he will support his opponents should either of them win the nomination for governor, saying either would be “light years better” than Republicans seeking to replace Scott. There were differences on style, background and experience that each noted. Graham, daughter of former Governor and Sen. Bob Graham, pointed out that just because she is a lover, doesn’t mean she’s also not a fighter. “Many of you know that I’m a hugger,” Graham said, before listing the names of the Republicans running or thinking about running for governor. “I may be a hugger, but in a moment, in a second, just like that, it can turn into a headlock.”

She then pointed out her success in the only other political campaign she’s run — beating Republican U.S. Rep. Steve Southerland in 2014 in a district that leaned toward the GOP. “I sent a tea party Republican Party Republican packing. I won in a red year in a red district,” she said. King, who has never run for political office, pointed out his business background and his success in developing affordable housing. “I am a new candidate,” said King, who has spent $1 million of his own money on the campaign. “I am a fresh voice trying to earn your trust. I am not the typical candidate. I am not a career politician. I’m not beholden. I don’t have a lifetime of political debts.” Gillum was a 23-year-old college student when he became the youngest person elected in 2003 to the Tallahassee City Commission. He was elected mayor in 2014. “I don’t believe you have to be from a famous family or write your own check to become governor of the state of Florida,” Gillum said to loud applause. Convention delegate Dave Wottitz said it was the first time he heard any of the candidates speak, and while he said he would be comfortable with any of the three as the nominee, he thought Gillum had the best delivery. Wottitz is exactly the type of voter that Democrats hope turn out next year. Wottitz, 68, of Boca Raton said he is returning to political activism for the first time since the 1970s because he’s unhappy with President Donald Trump. “I need to know that my daughter has a place in this society. My daughter is adopted. She’s black, she’s Jewish, she’s a woman and she’s gay. Where does she fit in Donald Trump’s world?” he said. “I need to know that I did something to find her that place.” Republicans running for the seat include Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam and state Sen. Jack Latvala. House Speaker Richard Corcoran is considering a run.

www.caribbeanamericanpassport.com

AG Jeff Sessions and Other Republicans Keep Having Mental Lapses Cont'd from page 16 â&#x20AC;&#x153;Most of you have not participated in a presidential campaign. And none of you had a part in the Trump campaign. It was a brilliant campaign in many ways. But it was a form of chaos every day from day one. We traveled all the time, sometimes to several places in one day. Sleep was in short supply. And I was still a full-time Senator keeping a very full schedule during this time,â&#x20AC;? explained Attorney General Sessions. So Sessions should get a pass for things he cannot remember. Maybe it does not matter how many times he has to change his stories until he gets it right, because Republicans believe in alternative facts anyway. When the number one cop in the land is struggling to remember things, and is having mental lapses, it is probably time to replace him. How can citizens trust the Attorney General when he cannot remember what happened a year ago? According to Wikipedia, the United States Attorney General is appointed by the President of the United States, and takes office after confirmation by the United States Senate. The Attorney General is subject to summary dismissal by the President and impeachment by Congress. Hopefully, Trump is aware of the process required to fire Sessions. Again it appears Trump needs to give his entire cabinet and top members of his campaign team, a note taking class because they are having problems with remembering. Maybe the president should start with himself because he definitely has problems with mental lapses and remembering things.