Caribbean American Passport News Magazine July 2017 by caribbeanamericanpassport

FREE Your Passport to the Caribbean American Community

7 Curry Fest Florida Presented and Delivered 2017

he Government of Jamaica outlines Jamaica 55’ Legacy Projects as part of the 55th Anniversary of Jamaica's Independence.

Jamaica’s elite athletes will soon no longer need to travel outside of the country to receive the best treatment for injuries and other ailments. This, as the Government plans to set up a Caribbean Sports Medicine Centre on the Mona Campus of the University of the West Indies (UWI). To be established in collaboration with UWI and sprinting sensation Usain Bolt and his team, the centre is one of the legacy projects being undertaken as part of the year-long ‘Jamaica 55’ Independence celebrations. The projects and other commemorative activities were unveiled during the media launch of Jamaica 55. Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, in his address said the Legacy Projects programme is a key component of Jamaica 55, “which signifies that we are committed to leaving a legacy, building a stronger nation”. He noted that the “ambitious projects” identified include significant improvements of infrastructure in sports, entertainment and culture, education, gender relations and public administration...Continued on Page 17

BARRINGTON LEVY

RIKKI JAI

urry Fest - Florida music was pumping 2017 was was held on and the attendees all Saturday July 15th at the came out to taste the Central Florida Fairdelicious Caribbean grounds. This year the foods and drink refre'Gods' smiled on the shing coconut water. ALISON HINDS planners, promoters and The performers delivered their attendees with a picture perfect day, music and lyrics in perfect rhythm that nobody could complain about. in the heart of Central Florida. The smell of curry was in the air, the see more pictures on Page 11. Photos by VIII.XII Photography

CAFA Celebrates 25th Year of Scholarships The Caribbean And Floridian Association (CAFA), Inc. this year celebrates it's 25th Annual Scholarship and Community Awards Banquet. at the Kissimmee Civic Center on Sunday August 13th.

for all members of the community. The Association also supports and participates in activities of other 501(c) (3) organizations located within Central Florida.

The Caribbean And Floridian Association, Inc. is a non-profit organization that was formed in Central Florida by like-minded individuals who decided that there was a need for an association, which would assist new arrivals to Central Florida particularly those with Caribbean backgrounds. Its members would be involved positively in all aspects of the community. The Association is organized exclusively for charitable, educational, religous and scientific purposes

Each year the Educational Committee receives applications from High School seniors from across Central Florida and they award over $5,000 in Scholarship Awards to these deserving students. The awardees have returned on many occasions to express their gratitude and also tell their story of the impact that CAFA has made on their lives. For more information or to support please visit www.cafainc.org.

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L I F E S T Y L E

Guenet Gittens-Roberts, Publisher/Editor

Celebrating Emancipation Day - August 1st

rowing up in Guyana, August Monday, popularly known as Emancipation Day was a holiday that I looked forward to. I think it may have been the authentic African culture that seemed to rise up at that time, in dress and song. There is an emphasis on African roots and on the history of the emancipation event, but the whole community seems to be involved in celebrating a turning point in the nation’s history. Samuel J. Roberts, Publisher/Editor

Much of Guyana’s colonial population was made up of African slaves brought over to work coastal plantations across some 250 years. Once slavery was finally abolished in 1834, Guyana’s economy and social structure underwent radical changes. Many former slaves left the plantations and populated villages outside of Georgetown and the main cities or even ply inland to settle the frontier. Indentured servants were then brought in from India, China, and Portugal to fill in the labour gap on the plantations. Eventually, however, these new ethnic groups also gained their freedom and moved on to other things. Thus, while those of African descent were immediately and most directly impacted by the abolition of slavery, in reality, it touched everyone. The events sent the whole nation in a whole new direction and led to greater cultural diversity as well. This diversity has led Guyana to adopt as its national motto: “One People, One Nation, and One Destiny.” But what does Emancipation Day really mark? Guyana celebrates Emancipation Day as do other Caribbean nations that were formerly British colonies. In reality, it was a matter of slavery being abolished within the British Empire. Originally, the name of this holiday was “Freedom Day,” but today, the name “Emancipation Day” is usually preferred. Emancipation Day in most commonwealth countries marks the Season of Emancipation. Since the Slavery Abolition Act 1833, abolished slavery throughout the British Empire came into force the following year, on 1 August 1834. Only slaves below the age of six were freed. Former slaves over the age of six were redesignated as "apprentices" required to work, 40 hours per week without pay, as part of compensation payment to their former owners. Full emancipation was finally achieved at midnight on 31 July 1838. Whether it is Barbados’ Crop Over, Antigua’s Carnival, Anguilla’s Carnival they are all celebrated around Emancipation Day. Even in Canada, Caribana is celebrated around Simcoe Day - to commemorate Ontario's first Lieutenant Governor John Graves Simcoe, who in 1793 approved legislation to abolish slavery in Upper Canada. Now known as Ontario, this was the first jurisdiction in the British Empire to do so. Emancipation Day in Barbados is part of the annual "Season of Emancipation", which began in 2005, the Season runs from April 14 to August 23. It is marked by the anniversary of the Bussa's rebellion, a major slave rebellion in 1816. Crop Over festival, which includes May, June and the first week of August, Africa Day, May 25, Day of National Significance, which commemorates the Labour Rebellion of 1937, July 26, Emancipation Day, August 1, birthday of Marcus Garvey, August 17 and ends with the International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition, August 23.

on August 6, 1962. Both August 1 and August 6 are public holidays. Traditionally people would keep at vigil on July 31 and at midnight ring church bells and play drums in parks and public squares to reenact the first moments of freedom for enslaved Africans.On Emancipation Day there is a reenactment of the reading of the Emancipation Declaration in town centres especially Spanish Town which was the seat of the Jamaican government when the Emancipation Act was passed in 1838. Bermuda celebrates its Emancipation day on the Thursday before the first Monday in August placing it in either July or August. Some countries observe the holiday as "August Monday". Antigua celebrates carnival on and around the 1st Monday of August. Since 1834 Antigua & Barbuda have observed the end of slavery. The first Monday and Tuesday in August are observed as a bank holiday so everyone can celebrate Emancipation Day. Monday is J'ouvert, a street party that mimics the early morning emancipation. Anguilla in addition to commemorating emancipation, as the first day of "August Week", the Anguillian Carnival celebrations. J'ouvert is celebrated August 1, as Carnival commences. British Virgin Islands: The first Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday of August are celebrated as "August Festival". Continued on Page 10 1969 Alafaya Trail • Orlando, FL 32828 Office: 407-427-1800

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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.

In Jamaica Emancipation Day is part of a week long cultural celebration, during which Jamaicans also commemorate Jamaican Independence Day

ImmigrationINFO

Immigration News For Our Community U.S. Cannot Revoke Citizenship over False Statements By Attorney Gail S. Seeram, Gail@GailLaw.com 1-877-GAIL-LAW @GailSeeram

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

n the recently decided U.S. Supreme Court case, Maslenjak v. United States, 6/22/17, the justices unanimously rejected the government’s position that a naturalized U.S. citizen can be stripped of U.S. citizenship based on misstatements during the naturalization proceedings or on the citizenship application. A government lawyer argued that failing to disclose a speeding violation could be enough to revoke citizenship even years later. Justice Elena Kagan stated that the law required a tighter connection between the lie and the procurement of citizenship. “We hold that the government must establish that an illegal act by the defendant played some role in her acquisition of citizenship,” she wrote. “When the illegal act is a false statement, that means demonstrating that the defendant lied about facts that would have mattered to an immigration official, because they would have justified denying naturalization or would predictably have led to other facts warranting that result.”

The case concerned Divna Maslenjak, an ethnic Serb who had refugee status and became a United States citizen in 2007. During the application process for U.S. citizenship, she made a false statement that her husband feared the Bosnian Serb military but in fact her husband served in a Bosnian Serb military unit. Ms. Maslenjak was charged with obtaining her citizenship illegally. She sought to argue that her lie was immaterial, but the trial judge told the jury that any lie, however significant, was enough. Ms. Maslenjak was convicted, her citizenship was ordered revoked, and she and her husband were deported to Serbia. The U.S. Supreme Court decision stated that the Government’s interpretation of the law would create a profound mismatch between the requirements for naturalization and those for denaturalization: Some legal violations that do not justify denying citizenship should not justify revoking it later. For example, lies told out of “embarrassment, fear, or a desire for privacy” (rather than “for the qualifying under the statutory requirement of “good moral character.” But under the Government’s reading of §1425(a), any lie told in the naturalization process would provide a basis for rescinding citizenship. The U.S. Supreme Court disagreed with this argument. Copyright © Law Offices of Gail S. Seeram, 2016. All Rights Reserved. 1-877-GAIL-LAW or 407-292-7730 www.MyOrlandoImmigrationLawyer.com

Accredited & License # ST38788

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Caribbean Airlines Boeing 737 named “Calypso Rose, Queen of the World” A Caribbean Airlines (CAL) Boeing 737 will now be known as the Calypso Rose, Queen of the World. It was a Cabinet promise to name one aircraft, in the Caribbean Airlines fleet in honour of Dr Mc Cartha Linda Sandy-Lewis, better known as Calypso Rose. The formal commissioning of the aircraft took place at the Hanger 10 Caribbean Airlines, Iere House, Golden Grove Road, Piarco. This honour is in recognition of Calypso Rose's remarkable achievements as a soca artiste, to her attaining the prestigious “Album de Musique de Monde”/ World Music Album of the Year for her album “Far from Home” at the French “Victories de la Musique” award ceremony held in Paris, France on February 10. “We must protect what she has and continues to give to us as a nation and celebrate her talent, beauty and enormous star power on the world stage,” said chairman of Caribbean Airlines Sameer Ronnie Mohammed, who praised Rose as a source of great pride and inspiration, noting that she continues to champion the Caribbean brand at the age of 77. He said that in too many cases this country delays the celebration of its icons until they have passed on but he was pleased that Caribbean Airlines and the Ministry of Community Development, Culture and the Arts had chosen to honour Rose during her lifetime.

He said the airline is discussing with her management team other honours including travel benefits and Caribbean Club membership, in addition to putting the celebrated album “Far From Home” and the documentary “The Lioness of the Jungle”, which is based on Rose’s life, on its in-flight playlist “As the region’s premier air carrier, Caribbean Airlines takes its role as an ambassador of the “Caribbean Brand”, which includes show-casing our cultural icons very seriously. Like Calypso Rose, who has contributed greatly to bringing Caribbean music, especially Calypso, to the world stage, Caribbean Airlines continues to do our part in connecting the Caribbean to the world.” Calypso Rose, a Tobagonian by birth began writing songs at the young age of 15 and turned professional by the 1960s. She has written more than 800 songs and recorded over 20 albums. Calypso Rose has received several awards and honours including the WOMEX Artist of the Year Award in 2016, an Honorary Doctor of Letter in 2014 by the University of the West Indies, the Africa Festival Lifetime Achievement Award in 2011, International Caribbean Music Award's Lifetime Achievement Award in 1999, are among a few bestowed to her.

Congresswoman Val Demings Reminding Haitians with TPS Status to Re-Register and Apply for Renewal Congresswoman Val Demings, Florida’s 10th District, is reminding Haitians with a Temporary Protected Status (TPS) to re-register and to apply for renewal of their Employment Authorization Documents (EAD) with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to reregister before July 23. The Department of Homeland Security has extended the designation of Haiti for Temporary Protected Status through January 22, 2018, if Haitians with TPS re-register during the 60-day period between May 24, 2017 and July 24, 2017. USCIS will issue EAD’s with a January 22, 2018 expiration date to eligible Haiti TPS beneficiaries who timely reregister and apply for renewal of their documents. Provided a Haiti TPS beneficiary re-registers and properly files an application for an EAD during the 60-day re-registration period, his or her employment authorization will be automatically extended for an additional period not to exceed 180 days from January 18, 2018.

1. Application for Temporary Protected Status (Form I-821) • If you are filling an application for re-registration, you do not need to pay a fee. 2. Application for Employment Authorization (Form I-765) • If you are applying for re-registration, you must pay the fee (or request a waiver) for the form only if you want an EAD, regardless of age. • If you do not want to request an EAD now, you may also file Form I-765 later to request an EAD, and pay the fee (or request a fee waiver), if you still have TPS or a pending TPS application. Assuming the current M.O. of ICE holds, they will seek to deport anyone that misses the re-registration deadline and whose status lapses. You must submit both completed application forms together, even if you are not currently requesting an EAD. If you live in Florida, mail your application to: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services P.O. Box 4464 Chicago, IL 60680

For general questions about the employment eligibility To register or re-register for TPS, an applicant must submit verification process, employees may call USCIS at each of the following two applications: 888-897-7781 or email at I-0Central@dhs.gov.

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Here are the six teams:

By Ryan Davis

The Defending champions, the Jamaica Tallawahs will be looking to become the first team to repeat as

CPL 2017

he sound of leather on willow, the crowd roaring after a wicket has been taken, the carnival atmosphere in the stands, these are sights and sounds of the biggest party in sports. The Caribbean Premier league 2017 is set to kick off its 5th annual T20 tournament on the 4th of August and it’s shaping up to be the best one yet.

champions. They are led by West Indian batsman Lendl Simmons and SriSri Lankan legend Kumar Sangakkara. The Jamaican’s strength lies in their batting. They will be looking to score early and often to put pressure on opposing teams with their powerful line up.

The competition begins in the beautiful island in St Lucia, then it turns its sights to the shores of the United States. Here cricket fans from all over North America will make the voyage to the Central Broward Stadium in Ft. Lauderdale to enjoy two double headers on the 5th and 6th. Then it is back to the Caribbean where five other countries (Jamaica, Barbados, St Kitts and Nevis, Trinidad and Guyana) host this incredible event.

Next up is the Trinbago Knight Riders. The 2015 champs are led by West Indian allrounder Dwayne Bravo and a host of other stars. Notably the New Zealand swashbuckler Brendon McCullum, the prolific South African Hasim Amla and West Indian spinner Sunil Narine. This team is littered with game changers and will be optimistic about their chances in regaining their crown.

Six teams (franchises) will partake in this year’s competition. Each team will play each other twice, home and away.

Always the bridesmaid but never the bride. This proud franchise has been runner up in three out of the four tournaments but were unable to take the final step. If batting is the strength of the Tallawahs then bowling is the strtength of the Warriors. Spearheaded by the 6ft 5 Pakistani fast bowler Sohail Tamir and their new acquisition, leg spinner Rashid Khan from Afghanistan, the Warriors will have the most formidable bowling attack in the competition The St Lucian Stars are captained by West Indies veteran Darren Sammy. This team boast the most stars on any squad, such as Australian allrounder Shane Watson, Sri Lankan slinger Malinga, West Indies opening batsmen Darren Fletcher and Fletcher and Jason Charles as well as fast bowler Jason Taylor. The sheer quantity of game changers in this line up make the St Lucian Stars instant contenders. The 2014 champs are led by West Indian allrounder Kieron Pollard. Along with opener Dwayne Smith, middle order batsmen Shoaib Malik and Nicholas Pooran, the Tridents will be looking to score big totals in order to give themselves a chance to win in 2017. St Kitts Patriots will be taking the place of last year’s Antigua Hawkbills. Led by legendary West Indian batsman and last year’s winning captain Chris Gayle. The Patriots will be boasting a balanced squad with the likes of shot make Evin Lewis, leg spinner Samuel Badree and Australian limited overs specialist Ben Cutting, Chris Gayle may well be holding the trophy at the end of the campaign when it is all said and done.

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The Image Caribbean Cultural Society Inc. Image Caribbean Cultural Society Inc. recently staged its press launch in preparation for the staging of the Ms. Orlando Caribbean 2017 Pageant. The launch, which was staged under the distinguished patronage of Dr. Dorine Maraire, trustee for African Women in Leadership Organisation (AWLO) of Southern. Africa, presented a festive celebration of Caribbean culture while promoting this program which facilitates the empowerment of young women. The young women involved, who represent Haiti, Jamaica, Guyana and the United States Virgin Islands will culminate in a grand showcase of talent, cultural and community awareness strengths, intelligence and stage presence on October 1, 2017 at the Hilton Orlando Hotel at 350 Northlake Blvd in Altamonte Springs at 6pm. This promises to be a celebration of Caribbean spirit and cultural excellence.

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IS OUR KIDS’ DIET MAKING THEM SICK? Eleven years ago, a plate of scrambled eggs changed my life.

thought nothing about the blue yogurt I’d put out for breakfast for my four little kids, or the plate of scrambled eggs. Not until our youngest started to fuss. I thought she was tired, so I put her down for a nap. For some reason, which I still cannot explain, I went to check on her, and her face was swollen shut. I raced her to the emergency room.

“This looks like an allergic reaction,” the pediatrician said. “What did you feed the kids for breakfast?” And she started rattling off data on food allergies. A life threatening allergic reaction sends someone to the emergency room in the U.S. once every three minutes. The condition now impacts 1 in 13 kids, 2 kids in every classroom.

My heart raced as I watched my baby struggle to breathe, and as we got her under control, I wanted to understand what was happening: why do so many American children now have food allergies? Nothing could have prepared me for what I would uncover. Before having kids, I worked in the world of finance. I’d been an equity analyst on a team that managed $20 billion in assets. I was the only woman on the team, and I covered the food industry, so I understood why the food industry had removed real ingredients from their products and replaced them with fake ones: it drove margins and profitability. But I’d never thought to ask what all of this was doing to the health of our families. From 1997-2007, the rate of hospitalizations related to food allergic reactions increased 265%, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Today, the life-saving device, EpiPen, is now a $1 billion brand, and its manufacturer, Mylan, has profited enormously from the condition. They have hiked the price of the drug over 500% in the U.S. market to over $600. It sells for about $100 in other countries. In the fall of 2016, families came together to demand action in what is now known as #epigate. Congressional hearings occurred, but families are still struggling to afford the device, even as Mylan initiated a global recall. If the food allergy community were a state, it would be the 5th largest state in the U.S. by population – right after California, Texas, New York and Florida. The number of people with food allergies in the U.S. is greater than the entire populations of New York City, Los Angeles and Chicago combined. The number of people with peanut allergy in the United States more than quadrupled since 1997. And it isn’t just peanuts, milk, soy, corn and other allergies are all increasing at record rates. Genetics don’t change this quickly. So what has? Researchers reporting in the Journal of the American Medical Association states that the costs of food allergies, from medical care

by Robyn O’Brien

to food to pharmaceuticals is $4,184 per child per year, costing our economy $25 billion, including lost productivity. To discount this condition in any way is irresponsible. Thankfully, not everyone is. Mondelez, formerly known as Kraft, recently acquired Enjoy Life Foods, a well-loved brand in the allergy space. It was a $40 million company, and it was acquired for $130 million. The plan is to grow it into a billion-dollar brand. The company is free from genetically engineered ingredients, allergens and artificial additives. In the United States, we are quickly learning that our food supply contains a lot of ingredients that simply did not exist when we were kids, from artificial food dyes and artificial growth hormones, to excess levels of pesticides now used on genetically engineered foods (GMOs). But it isn’t like this in other countries, and our own American corporations don’t use these ingredients in the products they sell overseas. That double standard is tough to swallow. So are we allergic to food – or are we allergic to what’s been done to it in America? With no labels on things like GMOs in the U.S., the biotech industry is able to claim that there is not a single documented case of these foods ever causing harm. There is no evidence without labels, because there is no traceability – there is just the escalating rates of allergic diseases in our families. Correlation is not causation, but as a growing number of consumers opt out of these artificial and genetically engineered ingredients, companies are, too. Target, Costco, Chipotle, Kroger, General Mills and Cheerios have responded to this demand for “free-from” food and are producing more foods free-from allergens, artificial dyes, GMOs and artificial ingredients. It can’t happen fast enough. A study in the Journal of the American Medical Association says that living in the United States “significantly” increases your risk of allergic disease. “Children born outside the United States had significantly lower prevalence of any allergic diseases (20.3%) than those born in the United States (34.5%),” said the study led by Jonathan Silverberg of St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital Center in New York.

According to Reuters and Dr. Ruchi Gupta, who studies allergies at the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, “Food allergies have increased tremendously,” she told Reuters Health. “We do see people who come from other countries don’t tend to have it.” So are we allergic to food – or to what’s been done to it in America? Especially as other countries take precautions that we haven’t and keep things like GMOs out of their food products? The skyrocketing number of American dealing with food allergies should serve as an alarm to rethink our food. Food allergies are not a “niche,” just as cancer is not a fad. It’s time to #rethinkfood. The future of our country’s economy and our quality of life depends on it.

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PHOTOS AROUND TOWN

ORANGE COUNTY SHERIFF JERRY DEMINGS RECEIVES AN AWARD FROM THE PLANNING COMMITTEEE OF ORLANDO CARNIVAL DOWNTOWN 2017

MEMBERS OF (B.A.D.) BAHAMIAN AMERICAN DESCENT 2017 ORLANDO CARNIVAL DOWNTOWN BAND OF THE YEAR

The Caribbean American Association of Lake County (CAALC) JERK & CARIBBEAN FESTIVAL

CARIBBEAN AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH CELEBRATION DOWNTOWN

BRIAN EDUN OF LAPARKAN, SPONSOR, 2017 CAHM BUSINESS EXPO

Celebrating Emancipation Day - August 1st Continued from Page 3

In Bahamas celebrations are mainly concentrated in Fox Hill Village, Nassau, a former slave village whose inhabitants, according to folklore, heard about their freedom a week after everyone else on the island. The celebration known as the Bay Fest, begins on August 1 and lasts several days. It is held in the settlement of Hatchet Bay on the island of Eleuthera, and "Back to the Bay" is held in the settlement of Tarpum Bay, also on Eleuthera. Saint Kitts and Nevis: The first Monday and Tuesday are celebrated as "Emancipation Day" and also "Culturama" in Nevis. Dominica: The first Monday is celebrated as August Monday.

Grenada: The first Monday in August is celebrated as "Emancipation Day" with Cultural activities. On 1 August 1985 Trinidad and Tobago became the first country in the world to declare a national holiday to commemorate the abolition of slavery. It replaced Columbus Discovery Day, which commemorated the arrival of Christopher Columbus at Moruga on 31 July 1498, as a national public holiday. The commemoration begins the night before with an all-night vigil and includes church services, street processions past historic landmarks and addresses from dignitaries including an address from the President of Trinidad and Tobago.

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CURRY FEST - Florida 2017

Photos by VIII.XII Photography

The Legends were there...

RIKKI JAI

BARRINGTON LEVY WITH CARIBBEAN AMERICAN PASSPORT REPORTER STEPHNEY SANASIE

ALLSON HINDS WITH IMANI ROBERTS, OF CARIBBEAN AMERICAN PASSPORT

LEON COLDERO

Jessalee Marley Coldero

And so was the Future

JUMO

Terry Garjraj and his wife enjoying a fresh coconut from Gary the coconut man

Thousands came out for the food, the flavor, the fashion and most of all the ENTERTAINMENT...and The weather, the atmosphere and the planning were all delivered for the enjoyment of the attendees. www.caribbeanamericanpassport.com

CARIBBEAN INTELLIGENCE TESTby Tony Deyal

he Caribbean has a global reputation for the creativity of its people. The musical geniuses, the artists and poets, the celebrations and festivals, are famous and can be used as indicators of the talent within us. The best proof, however, can be found in the streets of our capital cities. Go for a walk in Kingston if you dare, stroll through Port-of-Spain if you and your bodyguards are armed, head for Cave Shepherd if you’re in Bridgetown, or listen to the street chatter outside of Stabroek Market in Georgetown. What do you hear? The loud and continuous cursing, strings and streams of obscenities, four-letter words in greater abundance than the goods of the street vendors. That is your proof, your evidence more solid than fingerprints or DNA. A study by Kristin L. Jay and Timothy B. Jay shatter the common assumption that if all you can do is use cusswords, you have a limited vocabulary. Instead, what the study proves is that fluency is fluency regardless of subject matter and that there is no reason to propose a difference in lexicon size and ease of access for taboo as opposed to emotionally-neutral words. In other words, those who can speak easily and familiarly about your anatomy and that of your mother and other relatives, can be just as fluent about the cost of living, the Prime Minister or Donald Trump.

The Independent newspaper, in an article headlined “Intelligent people tend to be messy, stay awake longer, and swear more” reinforces the point that if you think about it, those who don't use any swear words are the ones who limit their vocabulary. The Independent makes an even more important point - people who could name the most swear words within a minute also tend to score higher on an IQ test. In other words, a rich vocabulary of swear words is a sign of rhetorical strength rather than the attempt to hide verbal deficits. As a Trini, having been proven right, would say, “Take that in your rookoong ki toong koong” or use some other better known and more Caribbean

expression which would cause the built-in swear-word detectors and censors in the computers of the Gleaner, Express and Nation News to reject this article. I would say that if the fluent and frequent use of obscenity is proof of genius, I have met and lived among many, many geniuses in my time. As Thomas Grey the poet mused as he walked through a country churchyard and considered the limitations that restrict many rural, or, in this case, third world people from achieving their full potential, “Some mute inglorious Milton here may rest” and many flowers are born to cuss unseen and waste their sweetness on the desert air. Listening to the convicts in Georgetown trying to break out of the burning prison which they themselves set alight, and the crowd blocking the street and expressing themselves raucously and with considerable emotion, or the angry cricket fans seeing the President of Cricket West Indies, Dave Cameron, pass across their line of vision, or the Ministers of Finance of both Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago or even their images in the newspapers on sale by itinerant street vendors, we have ample, adequate and even overwhelming proof of our native genius and geniuses. Unfortunately, the ability to be obscene and not unheard is merely one component of the many criteria that together constitute genius. While it can be seen as a sign that the "cussbud” (as they call the child prodigy in Trinidad) has one of the attributes required for ranking as a genius, it is not the sine qua non that confers the stamp of approval for immediate and automatic entry into Valholler where the Gods of cussing dwell. Psychological scientist Kathleen Vohs found that intelligent people also tend to be messy, which accounts for the condition of the aforementioned capital cities of Kingston, Georgetown and Portof-Spain and, to a lesser extent, Bridgetown. Ms. Vohs has proof that messy rooms provoke more creative thinking or thinking outside the lines of “conventional” reasoning than tidy rooms. When it came to untidy, Einstein was a Messiah. He said, “If a cluttered desk is a sign of a cluttered mind, then what are we to think of an empty desk?” Two of my other heroes, Mark Twain and Steve Jobs were also messy and I really wish I had known that when my mother and, later, my wife fussed about the mess I wallowed in. Messmerised though they were, little did they know that they were getting a first-hand and unique opportunity to observe and even pamper genius at work.

They say swearing is due to limited vocabulary. I know thousands of words, but I still prefer "f**k off" to "go away"

The third trait that must be present is already evident in the region – from the Bahamas to Suriname and from Barbados to Belize. It is that scientific research now links night owls with higher IQ scores and The Independent gives us a few examples including Barrack Obama, Charles Darwin, Winston Churchill, Keith Richards and Elvis Presley. On the outskirts of Port-ofSpain is St James, the city that never sleeps. Bridgetown, in its heyday, had Baxter’s Road where the music was live and the jazz was lively. Kingston and Georgetown are famous (and infamous) for their night life. In other words, the four major Caribbean cities, replete as they are with mess, cussing and nightlife, demonstrate our genius. And if any of you doubt me, you know into what part of your or your immediate female ancestor’s anatomy you can shove your extremely unwelcome criticisms. *Tony Deyal was last seen saying that in the Caribbean life is a four-letter word that you hear frequently but not as much and as often as most of the others.

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“Alive! ”

By Rosemarie Roth

harles loved to write “Alive” on his facebook - timeline. How ironic that it’s called a “timeline” almost signifying the timespan or the length of one’s life! His friends would press “like” each time they saw this. I too loved it. It’s always good to be six feet above no matter the circumstances. Then one week later “RIP” appears in the space that spoke of life.

Debby wakes each morning with the thought “alive” and wondering what to do with another day. This day she must face the loss of both her baby fathers who passed away within a month of each other. The pressure of providing for her children while in college and the fear of telling them what happened to both their fathers is just too much for her to face again. But she is alive! John was awakened by his nurse to take his vitals just as the sun was coming up to start the day. He too is “alive” today. His memory is failing, his eye sight is dimmed, his speech is slurred by the last stroke and he is not able to stand and walk. But he is “alive” because in one week his great-grand baby is coming into the world and his hope is to hear of his arrival. Tony woke up under a tent off Lee Road not knowing where his next meal is coming from, but that was ok because he was “alive”. Another day to hunt or be hunted. He took his chances and visited The Human Crisis Center on Edgewater Drive and they gave him a free loaf of bread, free fruits and a nice salad. He thanked them walked to the side of the building and proceeded to eat while thanking God for his “daily bread”. Something was different today! He noticed they were unloading a truck with pallets of supplies so he offered to help. Joyously, he gave navigation to the forklift operator as he lifted and positioned the goods neatly in a large room. A box opened and they gave him a drink, a can of tuna and some fresh grapes. He deferred from eating until the job was complete and thus began a conversation and a hand extended to join the team. He could have said no but his decision was to join them and maybe he could be a part of the solution instead of being a part of the problem.

things: It has "put off" any hurt, doubt, fear, bitterness, etc.”, any wrong thinking, any negativity and has "put on" the Mind of Christ. And that mind thinks on lovely successful thoughts…life! Hal Lindsey points out that "to renew" means to exchange one thing for another. In other words, when we put off and put on, we're exchanging our thinking for better thinking. We are willing to set aside and relinquish our thoughts of defeat and then we will renew our minds and our lives will feel the transformation. A disciplined mind is a mind that resists negative thoughts. We will then receive power to crush down those negative thoughts. Sometimes I feel pressured to just give in and let my own feelings rule. But, I know what happens if I do that? Those negative thoughts and emotions "take me captive," and then I’m down for sure! I love the story of the eagle who picks up a snake and carries him high above the earth…this takes him out of this enemy’s comfort zone. At that point, the eagle is able to conquer and soar way above familiar territory of his catch. And it's the same with us. When we "put off" the old and "put on" the new, we too receive God's supernatural strength to soar above our enemies (Isaiah 59:19). You are reading this today, which means you’re “alive” and you can make a change today as you celebrate life.

Tony reached a place where he said, "I have had enough of homelessness and hunger”. He was alive and that day would be the first day of the rest of his life. How do we reach to this place? Romans 12:2 “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect”. A "transformed mind," then, is one that has done two

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For support, prayer or supplies: please call RosemarieRoth at (352) 321-0932.

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A Tribute to a 'True Patriot' - Dr. Ivor Mitchell

o attempt to tell the story or stories of Dr. Ivor Mitchell in this article could not truly do justice to the man, the mentor, the visionary, the teacher/Professor, the great encourager, the friend...'The Patriot'. Dr. Mitchell, known as Doc, was born on September 10, 1940 in Ulverton Village, Berbice, Guyana and grew up in Essequibo. Dr. Mitchell's life and career has been dedicated to the teaching and inspiring of others. On a personal note, he was the person who encouraged me to leave Guyana to pursue my MBA at Clarke Atlanta University under his mentorship. Doc, started as a Primary School teacher in Guyana, he taught in Berbice and Georgetown and moved on to earn his B.S in Economics and an MBA in Marketing at University of Oregon. Throughout his life he has served in the role of teacher, advisor, mentor and many other roles, all in the field of sharing knowledge and providing advice and guidance.

â&#x20AC;Śliterally on his dying bed his thoughts and actions were on the development of Guyana and Guyanese. Dr. Ivor Mitchell has left his mark on this world, on his friends and on his country - Guyana. On July 7th, the day that the Guyanese Association of Georgia hosted a 'Celebration of the Life of Dr. Mitchell', that same day back home in Guyana, the University of Guyana launched the School of Entrepreneurship and Business Innovation. Dr. Mitchell was a 'campaigner' for this iniative. It was his passion for Marketing, Business and Innovative ideas that inspired his strong advocacy of this as an addition to the University of Guyana.

Attending his memorial services and the events that celebrated his life and story, it was clear that he touched the lives of so many and was an inspiration to thousands. From raising over $25 Million for Clark Atlanta University, to inspiring youngsters to go to college, to advising businessmen/ businesswomen on various ventures, to instilling the confidence in young adults to branch out on their own and giving them the confidence to believe in themselves. Doc, was a true inspiration in the lives of those who knew him. However, he, most of all, was a visionary who saw the true potential of Guyana as an international agricultural resource to the Caribbean and beyond and his patriotism was unquestionable.

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For continued coverage on the Life of Dr. Mitchell, go to www.caribbeanamericanpassport.com

TWEET TOO BAD -

t is widely thought that January 20, 2017, was the inaugural “Big Idiot” day, because that was when Donald Trump, described by an IS spokesman as “an ugly idiot”, became President of the United States. However, as a cricket fan, I believe that “Big Idiot” day was July 12, 2017 when the same term “Big Idiot”, supposedly or possibly referring to the President of Cricket West Indies (CWI), on his insistence and continued hostility towards, and total rejection of the person who allegedly used it to refer to him, was removed from Twitter.

The reason I am calling it “Big Idiot” day is because it led me to wonder whether I can be sued for calling someone a “Big Idiot”. One US legal source said, “In this day and age anyone can sue anyone for just about anything. The issue is proving you have damages. Typically when you are suing someone for name calling it is slander.....one name would not be considered slander. And likely the judge would dismiss the case.” Another said, “Some words you can sue over, some words you can't… Hyperboles are words that are not meant to be taken literally. Idiot and retard are generally considered hyperboles - unless the person saying someone is an idiot or retard is falsely stating or implying by their comment that the person has a medically diagnosed mental impairment. These slang words are generally not used that way, or meant to be taken that way. If they are used as hyperboles, that is free speech and, although it is not nice to call someone a retard or an idiot, they are generally not considered defamatory.” Adding “Big” in front of “Idiot” just adds to the hyperbole. Of course, if you can prove that the person you called a “Big Idiot” is really a big idiot then you’re home free. In fact, you would probably get a cricket version of the Bravo Award when it expands from football to other sports. If you’re looking for evidence for calling a person a “Big Idiot” you might say that when King Hussein of Jordan died the person was asked for a comment and replied, “I'm inconsolable at the present time. I was a very big fan of Jordan.

by Kamal Abdool

He was to basketball what I am to cricket. We will never see his like again”. Or, if this really happened, you could say that he called the head groundsman at the Antigua Recreation Ground on the day of a Test Match with the instructions to water only half of the pitch. When the perplexed employee asked the reason for this the reply was, “Well the weatherman just say that there is a fifty-percent chance of rain today.” I suppose you could always be declared not guilty of slander if you say that the last time the board of the CWI went to the nearby Jabberwock beach in Antigua, they were several sandwiches short of a picnic. I can understand, and I am sure most judges will agree, that any organisation which wants its meetings to be absolutely private would take the door off the conference room so that nobody could peep through the keyhole. A “Big Idiot” could be the President of the company who was debriefing one of his Directors he had asked to interview a candidate for a CEO position. The Director, a University lecturer, described the person as rather monosyllabic. The boss responded, “Really? Where is Monosyllabia?" Thinking that he was joking, the Director said that it was just south of Elbonia. The President replied, "Oh, you mean it is in Guyana?” A “Big Idiot” could also be someone who, in the early days when players started to have agents, thought that an agent was someone who kept track of the player’s age so the Board would know if the player was under or over 19. He is the kind of person who got a guitar as a gift from Bob Marley and returned it because it had a hole. In other words, let us celebrate “Big Idiot” day with all the pomp, ceremony and tweets it deserves. And if you feel that I am wrong, all I would ask is, “Why is it acceptable for someone to be and behave like a big idiot and not acceptable for me or anyone else to point it out?”

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Jamaica Celebrates 55th Year of Independence Cont...page 1 “The value to be gained from them will last for many generations. The chosen projects are strategically aligned to our areas of national priority,” he said. The Prime Minister noted that the celebration of the country’s emerald anniversary provides an opportunity for Jamaicans at home and in the diaspora to reaffirm their pride in and commitment to national development and the achievement of a prosperous Jamaica. “With a positive outlook, we are assiduously carving out and building the Jamaican spirit, vision and ethos for our secured future. We look forward to great involvement in our legacy projects through Jamaica 55 and beyond,” he said. Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, Hon. Olivia Grange, in providing details on some of the legacy projects, noted that they have been created to ensure that “these celebrations have a lasting legacy for generations to come”. Ms. Grange informed that a virtual sports museum, which will trace and showcase Jamaica’s performance in sports, is expected to be completed during the period. This is to be followed by the establishment of a physical sports museum at the Independence Park Complex at the National Stadium. In addition, Ms. Grange informed that the Trelawny Stadium is to be redeveloped to become the centre of sports tourism. This will be done in collaboration with the private sector and overseas companies. Mini stadia will also be created at the Goodyear Oval in St. Thomas; Drax Hall, St. Ann; Portmore, St. Catherine; and the Herb McKenley Stadium in Clarendon. At least one of the stadia is to be completed during the Jamaica 55 celebration period.

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Letters to My Lawyerâ&#x201E;˘ This column is primarily for educational purposes as well as to give the reader general information and a general understanding of the law, not to provide any legal advice whatsoever. By reading this column you understand that there is no attorney-cliet relationship between you and writer/pub-lisher. This column should not be used as a substitute for competent legal advice from a licensed professional attorney. This column is not published for advertising or solicitation purposes. The hiring of a lawyer is an important decision that should not be based solely upon advertisements.

by: Sasha Watson, Esq.D

ear

Dear Lawyer: My brother was a green card holder for over twenty years. In 2010, he went home to Guyana and has not returned to the US. His green card has since expired and he wants to travel back to the US. Can he travel on the expired green card or can he renew his green card from Guyana?

during the past seven years he did not intend to abandon his permanent resident status in the US. In order to do this, he will have to present evidence that he has maintained a residence in the US, filed all US tax returns during the period, maintained bank accounts and other similar evidence of a continued intent to remain a US resident. If the interviewing officer grants the SB-1 visa, he will then have to undergo medical exam and police clearance before the visa is issued in his passport. Otherwise, his permanent resident status will be deemed abandoned and he will have to obtain lawful permanent residency again through a new petition. In other words, he will have to start the process over again to obtain green card. Please submit your letters to letters@hawmlaw.com. Each month a readerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s letter will be chosen for response.

Please help, Brother of Returning Resident Dear Brother of Returning Resident:

Letters to My Lawyerâ&#x201E;˘ is a publication of Karlyn Hylton & Sasha Watson of Hylton, Adamson Watson, PLLC 120 E. Colonial Drive |Orlando, FL 32801 Phone: 407-802-3223 | F: 407-377-1971 Email: letters@hawmlaw.com

Unfortunately, your brother will not be able to renew his green card from outside the US or travel on the expired card to the US. Your brother has been outside the US for seven years. It is likely that his permanent resident status will be deemed abandoned. Generally, any absences outside the US for longer than a year interrupts your continuous residence and would require you to make an application to return to the US prior to leaving the US. Otherwise, he may apply at the US embassy in Guyana for a returning resident visa (SB-1). He will have to demonstrate to the immigration officer that

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