Caribbean American Passport News Magazine - April/May 2022 by caribbeanamericanpassport

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Apr/May 2022

4 All Roads Lead to Orlando Carnival Downtown Dezerland Park 5250 International Drive.

Haitian Heritage Month Haitian Heritage Month is a nationally recognized month and an opportunity for individuals including Haitians and lovers of the the Haitian culture to celebrate the rich culture, distinctive art, delicious food and learn the traditions of Haiti and its people. The celebration is an expansion of the Haitian Flag Day on May 18th, a major patriotic day celebration in Haiti and the Diaspora created to encourage patriotism. Haitian Flag Day is a Haitian holiday to celebrate the creation of the flag of Haiti. The day is celebrated each year on the 18th of May, which is the anniversary of the date of the flag's adoption in 1803. L’Union fait la Force, with Unity there is Strength. This guiding principle has been the cornerstone of Haitian beliefs, dating back to the creation of the National Flag. During the Congress of Arcahaie in May 1803 military leaders representing divided segments of the society united their forces against the French colonial army. This union, sealed by Jean Jacques Dessalines, a former slave, and Alexandre Petion, a free colored man, paved the way for a victorious revolution that would lead to the only successful slave uprising in the world and eventually the birth of a Nation. At the Congress of Arcahaie, Dessalines ripped the white section out of the Red, White and Blue French flag. The Red and Blue cloths were then sewn together by his goddaughter, Catherine Flon, to form the first Blue and Red flag of the Republic of Haiti...Cont on Pg 9

Orlando

Carnival Downtown is heading to International Drive this year as it will be hosted at Dezerland Park. This move is all part of the growth plan for the Orlando Carnival Downtown as the event has seen significant growth over the years. The celebration has set new bars for achievement each year as members and supporters provide input and improvements are incorporated into the celebration.

held along W. Church Street and was FREE to the public, while the multicultural concert was moved into the Amway Arena with performances by Machel Montano, Raymond Ramnaraine, Tony Matterhorn, Serani, and others. In 2019 the OCD celebration delivered on par with the previous years with particulaly impressive showcases from the mas bands.

In 2017 the Orlando Carnival began it's re-branding as the 'Orlando No Orlando Carnival celebrations Carnival Downtown'. The took place in 2020 due to Covid-19. committee decided to use that year, their 30th Anniversary, to give-back In 2021, with great cooperation to their supporters with a FREE between the City of Orlando, Carnival. The celebration broke Orlando Police Department, the records with over 25,000 attendees, City of Orlando Parks and based on Orlando Police Department Recreation and the Orlando reports. Carnival Downtown planning In 2018 the celebration set one of committee, OCD was the first its highest bars to date when, due to tropical storm conditions, Carnival celebration coming out of the multicultural concert was the Covid-19 shut down. While this moved into the Amway was a smaller celebration, the Center and showcased some of Orlando Carnival Downtown went the biggest names in the Soca, viral across the USA and around Chutney and Reggae Dance-Hall the World. OCD 2021 had an music industries performing within amazing showcase of performers the walls of the Orlando Magic and with only one Mas arena. Band; Fete Masterzz.....Cont on pg 12 The Mas Bands costume parade was

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L I F E S T Y L E

Guenet Gittens-Roberts Owner/Publisher/Editor

Destiny and What was Meant to be!

Samuel J. Roberts

How many times in your life have you found yourself stressing about things in your life that seem to be beyond your control and then, without no additional effort, things just happen to fall into place? Owner/Publisher/Editor

Quite often in life obstacles seem to appear out of nowhere and and cause undeniable stress.

own in Alabama at University. I was beginning to stress myself into a state of desperation or depression - where do I go, I've got a college degree, no money, no place to really call home and everyone around me was in their own struggles putting their live in order. The job offer came along and I figured "ok" this is my path, I had a recent ex-girlfriend in Jamaica - I figured I would reconnect with her... move to Jainaca... and get started in this new role. WRONG!

My life is full of these stressful moments and many times I get too stressed to understand or even remember that On my way to the airport to catch my flight to Jamaica to there is a larger plan for you that you don't always have take the job and start the life that I assumed to be my path or access to or control of - this what I call my destiny and many destiny, the All Mighty had a different plan for me. times I can only look up to the heavens, smile and say "Do your thing....you've got the power and you're in control" The vehicle I was going to the airport in got into an accident, I broke as many bones as possible, I was hospitalized and after the 2 weeks in the hospital 2 rounds of surgery, I was It's not an easy task and many times while we're in the on a plane heading to Guyana...who was really in control of middle of these high stress situations we totally forget that my life? we may think we're in control but we're not our pre-planned destiny is in the hands of the All-Mighty. I'll quote the great To make this long story short - I went home to Guyana, Bob Marley's 'Redemption Song' worked my butt off to get myself back to my normal health and heal my broken bones. Along the way my passion for "Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery; life allowed me to cross paths with my dear wife, who, for None but ourselves can free our minds. the record, pursued me with a passion and eventually made Have no fear for atomic energy, me marry her, ok..ok, maybe she didn't make me marry her but either way, we got married, we have 2 amazing kids, 'Cause none of them can stop the time." we've grown to realize that our individual madness works Live your life with commitment to what you feel in your well together and we've been together for almost 30 years. heart of hearts is the right thing to do. Follow your heart and trust in the powers of the All Mighty and your destiny will With all this said I must trust in the ALL MIGHTY and his fall into place at your feet. There are those in our lives whose plan of 'Destiny and What was meant to be!!! sole purpose is to distract us from our path and throw us into confusion. Rid yourself of these types of people, let heart and sixth sense be your guide and trust in your own 1969 Alafaya Trail • Orlando, FL 32828 Office: personal instincts; you won't go wrong. 407-427-1800 Fax: 407-386-7925 When I was about to graduate University I was offered a job in Jamaica. It was a great job with Carib Cement Company with great benefits and a even greater starting salary. I was in my 20's and I thought this was a great move. The weeks before accepting the job offer I was worried about graduating and what that next step would be. My parents were divorced, my father was building his new family, my mother was starting over in St Lucia and I really didn't know where to call home, since for the previous 3 to 4 years I lived on my

Toll Free: 877-220-8315 For Media Information email: Publisher: sroberts@caribbeanamericanpassport.com Info: .Info@caribbeanamericanpassport.com

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

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Why do Jamaicans run so fast? by Nazma Muller/Caribbean Beat Magazine On August 16, 2008, in precisely 9.69 seconds, planet earth changed for ever. Usain Bolt flashed across our television screens, and before Ali G could say ‘Boomshakalak”, it was all over. The world went wild. And then, just in case we thought it was a fluke, on August 16, 2009, exactly one year later, he broke his own record – in 9.58 seconds. The branding experts went wild. But if you think Dr The Honourable Ambassador Usain St Leo Bolt OJ, CD can relax on his laurels, think again. Lightning Bolt, the Don Dadda of track and field, the man with the golden boots, knows the runnings. You see, here, in Jamdown, the crucible from which have sprung Rastafari, reggae, and all things irie, sprinters know what time it is. Down yah so, dem nuh ramp. Dem tek running serious.

Most train in whatever open field they can find because their school doesn’t have a proper track. So when they do run on an official track, they’re even faster. And the desire to shine at Champs, the sporting highlight of the year in Jamaica, the secondary schools track and field championship, is an obsession with children as young as three. All you have to say to a pickney in Jamaica is “Ready” and they drop to the ground, one foot in front the other. “Set”, and they stick their bums up in the air, poised to take off, like a bolt of lightning.

Two words: Yohan Blake. In the last four years since that absolutely wicked Olympics, before Bolt could say, “Wheel and come again, selector”, there was Blake hot on his heels, gunning for gold. One false start from Bolt was all he needed to win the World Championship. In March 2010, facing the Jamaican Olympic trials in June against Bolt, Asafa Powell, Nesta Carter and Michael Frater, Blake was frank. “All the guys are running really fast and most could get in a 100m final at the Olympics,” he said. “It’s going to be a really difficult one because nobody’s spot is guaranteed, and you have to be ready on the day. I think it’s going to be tougher than the Olympics!” So of course every Tom, Dick and (Prince) Harry has been trying to figure out how Jamaicans run so fast. And the list of theories, hypotheses, claims, myths and nancy stories proposed by university researchers, sports experts, rum bar drinkers, seer men and taxi drivers range from the feasible to the utterly bizarre. The psychic influence of the untameable runaway slaves known as the Maroons, the mystical ecology of the Cockpit Country and the Blue Mountains, the magnetic energy of minerals like bauxite in the soil, the effects of eating yam … “A de curry goat, man,” one sage posited. “All dem goat a run up and down de road, fast, fast, dem never get lick. De man dem just tek in de goat speed when dem nyam it.” Another, just as insistent, through a mouthful of flaky pastry and beef, stated firmly: “A de patty.”

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The most scientific explanation thus far is the identification of a “speed gene” in Jamaican sprinters, which is also found in athletes from West Africa (where many Jamaicans’ ancestors came from), and makes certain leg muscles twitch faster. There’s an anthropological theory that links to the gene pool idea: Jamaica being the last port of call in the Caribbean, the slaves who survived the horrors of the Atlantic crossing would have been the strongest, most resilient and determined to live. Hence their legendary fighting spirit. A Rastafari brethren, wreathed in smoke, declared, “A jes’ Jah works, yuh nuh see it? It’s in the air. Natural mystic.” After all, he reasoned, the greatest Jamaican sprinter ever was called “Herb” McKenley, nuh true? But no, it’s not that grass, it turns out. It’s the other one. The actual grass in fields that Jamaican pickney a run pon from the time them likkle bit.

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LOCAL BUSINESS LEADER, ORGANIZER AND ADVOCATE SHANIQUA “SHAN” ROSE RUNNING TO REPRESENT HOUSE DISTRICT 41 AS A FLORIDA STATE REPRESENTATIVE Local leader Shaniqua “Shan” Rose has launched a campaign to represent House District 41 as a Florida State Representative. With many years of public and private experience advocating for the community, Shan is passionate about youth mentor-ship, humane approaches to homelessness, community-based crime reduction, and fighting for the equality of all Central Floridians. “I have served Orlando for my entire professional career, and I’m excited at the opportunity to do even more,” Shan said. “By prioritizing community-centered approaches to our challenges, I know I can help Central Florida realize its full potential.” As Florida State Representative for House District 41, Shan will work to Build Bridges to Close the Gaps; in race, religion, political affiliation, age, and gender, and work for the greater good of the people. She will push for education, economic diversity, sustainable development, and increase public safety. She will also focus on strengthening community collaborations so people can build relationships with their neighbors and bridging the gap between law enforcement and the community. A survivor of gun violence, Shan knows the importance of public safety and quality community resources that create a safe space for everyone to live, work and play. She was a participant in the City of Orlando's night time economy study to ensure all can safely enjoy the entertainment Orlando has to offer, and also led a neighborhood association that won Neighborhood Watch of the Year twice, a testament to her dedication.

Shan lives in the Parramore area of Orlando with her young son, and has lived in Central Florida since her high school years at Poinciana High School. She holds an Associates Degree from Valencia College, a Bachelor of Business Administration from Polk State College and a Master’s in Public Administration from American Public University System. After working for the City of Orlando for six years, Shan started Change For the Community (CFTC) in 2019 to leverage group to make positive change in her action community through youth mentoring, addressing homelessness and food insecurity, beautification, and more. Shan is a member of several organizations and committees, including the NAACP, League of Women Voters, and National Congress of Black Women. In recognition of her community service, Shan has been honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award from President Joseph Biden for her lifelong commitment to building a stronger nation through volunteer service, Social Justice Game Changer from the Orlando Magic, Community Hero by the Orlando Solar Bears, the Getting Results Award from Channel 6 News and many more. Shan is on the ballot for the August 23, 2022 primary election. With Shan as your Representative, the people of our district will once again have a voice. Together, we can realize Central Florida's full potential, and to do that she will need your help. DONATE NOW - Every dollar matters in this campaign. (407) 255 - SHAN (7426) or www.vote4shan.com

For more information, please visit vote4shan.com.

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Haitian Heritage Month ......

Cont from pg 1

But more than its leaders, the heart and soul of Haiti are, as aptly described by Professor Laurent Dubois, “the culture of these masses, forged in bondage – the Kreyol language, the Vodou religion, the focus on community, dignity and selfsufficiency – that ultimately enabled them to destroy slavery and produce something new in its place”. Haitians around the world celebrate National Flag Day, expressing their national pride, honoring the forefathers of the Nation, and replenishing their resolve for Haiti’s future in the face of their ancestors’ tremendous and unique accomplishment.

Over 19,000 Orange County Residents Weigh in on Transportation Survey Ahead of April 26, 2022 Commissioner Votes

Florida’s west coast cities rank among top emerging real estate markets Influx of work-at-home employees helps power property boom

Florida’s west coast property market is heating up, boosted by remote work and sunny weather. Naples ranked No. 1 and North Port was No. 2 in the Wall Street Journal/Realtor.com’s Emerging Housing Markets Index. Three other Florida markets also made the top 20: Cape Coral, Punta Gorda and Sebastian, a city on the state’s east coast. Cont'd on page 17

On Tuesday, April 26, 2022 the Orange County Board of County Commissioners will vote on whether to place a proposed one-cent sales tax increase on the fall ballot. Voters would then decide if they want a dedicated funding source for transportation needs in Orange County. At least four affirmative votes from Commissioners are required for the Transportation Sales Tax Referendum to be on the November ballot. Back in 2019, Orange County held over 200 community meetings and received nearly 11,000 survey responses and feedback on local transportation needs and priorities. With the pandemic placing transportation efforts on hold, Mayor Jerry L. Demings re-engaged residents in January by launching another online survey to make sure Orange County’s transportation priorities in 2022 aligned with the initial survey. Orange County residents and those who travel regularly in Orange County were encouraged to participate in transportation open houses and take the survey, in English, Spanish and Creole, at www.ocfl.net/transportation. Key Findings: 2022 Transportation Survey Respondent Ages: (8,412 Respondents) 53% Age 25-54 42% Age 55+ 4% Age 18-24 Top Modes of Transportation Used: · 93% Use car as main transportation · 17% Bike or walk · 9% Use LYNX or SunRail Commute Time: · 40% Have under 30-minute commute · 28% Have 30-minutes to 1-hour · 19% Don’t work Biggest Transportation Issues: · 79% Noted congestion as biggest problem · 40% Cost of commute · 35% Time of commute @kw.com

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Dear colleagues, Please find attached story by EMS contributor Mark Hedin: Lawsuits Hope to Extinguish Racist Gerrymandering in Multiple States English Download | View on Website - We have provided a photo below: Please send us a link if you decide to use this story. Best wishes,

Sandy Close Ethnic Media Services sclose@ethnicmediaservices.org | 415-533-0765

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Orlando Carnival wants to know if you're ready for the runway? Friday May 27th, 2022 Legends Resto & Lounge 5250 International Drive Weʼll be taking over the runway to showcase a beautiful display of Carnival Culture! From Monday wear to Mas Wear, Jouvert to Limin wear! This runway show includes a special showcase of local and international designers, coming to kick-off the carnival weekend, in style!

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Cricket Carnival Will Create a Unique World-class Brand: President Ali President Irfaan Ali on Wednesday said that Guyana will be hosting the Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) finals for the next three years with “flair and pizazz.” The Head of State made this announcement as he officially launched the Cricket Carnival and CPL 2022 at the Guyana National Stadium in Providence. “On September 30, for the first time in CPL history, the finals will be in Guyana, and not only will the (2022) finals be in Guyana , but for the next three years, the finals will be in Guyana.” He said that in the continuous drive to bring people together and to unify our country, there is no better way than through sports and culture; Cricket Carnival in 2022 will be held under the ‘One Guyana’ banner. Carnival is not just about the Road March Parade, it is about culture, tourism, local business, affiliated events and a representation of the whole Caribbean diaspora. As the world begins to open up again, revelers are eager to get back out there and and feel the spirit of togetherness. Orlando Carnival is ready to open up.

“It is a fusion of the rich, vibrant Caribbean culture with the smoothness and suave of the South American culture both enjoyed here in destination Guyana, Cricket Carnival 2022 under the banner, One Guyana.”

The President assured that not only are we going to be having the best of cricket, but we will have the best of culture celebrated At least 10,000 people attend each year. Along with the surrounding events, Orlando Carnival is a most celebrated here. He noted too that while the Cricket Carnival will be a spectacular showcases of color, costumes, pageantry and product set apart from any other, its primary aim is bringing our fantasy. region together. CARNIVAL DAY IS MAY 29th 2022

Cont'd on page 14

Cricket Carnival Will Create a Unique World-class Brand: President Ali He said, “We want the entire region to be prosperous, and we are building something here to bring the region together. So, what you will see is a plan that will bring the best carnival bands in the region on the shores of Guyana in a clash of the Carnival champions from Miami, Trinidad, Jamaica, Barbados, Brazil, Guyana. We will bring them together on the shores of Guyana in the grand event in the region, the Cricket Carnival 2022.” IMPRESSIVE LINE-UP OF EVENTS The inaugural Cricket Carnival will feature a regional food festival, a regional as well as an international concert and a Guyana Night, among many other exciting events. In addition to the highlight anticipated cricket matches. Spectators were also promised excitement in the stands come September. “If you’re not coming for the excitement in the stands, do not buy your ticket because the stands will be different this time. The stands will be colourful. The stands will be energetic. The stands will be filled with life because that is what the Caribbean is about, people who enjoy life, people who are filled with life.” He also announced that the Ministry of Tourism is also working on launching a special” CPL Cricket Carnival Cruise to Guyana” to help people who might have problems getting flights to the two-week of activities. This impressive line-up of events planned, he added, will be a “world-class” event and will demonstrate that Guyana is “not playing third place or second place, we are playing among the best with the best, for the best.

“That is the new culture. We are developing a willing, winning culture with great humility, with the greatest of humanity we want to play where the best play. So, CPL would not be played louder in September here. It will be played at the loudest in Guyana.” The President also lauded the CPL’s Chief Executive Officer, Pete Russell, for his announcement that a local talent search will be launched as part of the mega event this year. “I am very delighted that my good friend Pete has already announced that CPL will be doing a talent search in Guyana to find our best male and female artistes, and those artistes will be the celebrities for Carnival Cricket 2022.” President Ali reminded of the power of cricket in unifying people from across the region. “So let me say this, we open our arms in love and unity in the hope to welcome every single guest in September for two weeks to CPL Cricket Carnival in Guyana. Go now and book your rooms and book your flight.” He urged all of Guyana to be part of welcoming the rest of the world to this mega event which will be a new product for the country. “This is much more than cricket. This is building a new product for Guyana. This is building a new product for the economy. This is building and creating opportunities for many Guyanese,” he declared. Amidst the exhilaration, the Head of State reminded of the hard work and efforts put into the development of this unique product. He, therefore, expressed appreciation to the CPL team, the Ministries of Culture, Youth and Sport, Tourism Industry and Commerce and the many sponsors and supporting units.

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AGRI-INVESTMENT FORUM - Georgetown Guyana

A group of CARICOM Heads of Government met in Georgetown, Guyana on May 19 and 20, 2022 on the occasion of the “Agri-Investment Forum and Expo: Investing in Vision 25 by 2025”, organised by the Government of Guyana and the CARICOM Secretariat. The Group took the opportunity of the important and timely Forum to discuss the current grave global situation of the shortages and high prices of imported food fertilizers and other agricultural inputs; and the severe problems affecting transportation and logistics. They noted with great concern that CARICOM Member States continue to be deeply impacted by these developments which have resulted in a dramatic increase in the cost of food, exposing still further the region’s food insecurity due to its vulnerability to external influences and the impact of climate change. The Group recognized that CARICOM member states have the capacity to attain a high level of food security for the Community as a whole provided that urgent action is taken to effectively implement necessary actions. The Group agreed that lack of action to implement the 2005 “Framework for the repositioning of Caribbean agriculture” (the Jagdeo initiative) which was agreed by CARICOM Governments, delayed the Community’s capacity to safeguard against the impact of the present crisis. In this connection, they again welcomed the timely and important vision for agricultural development presented by President Mohamed Irfaan Ali of Guyana, to the Conference of Heads of Government of CARICOM in March 2022. They resolved to recommend, for the adoption by all CARICOM Heads of Government, the following four priority areas to address food security urgently and sustainably, including critically, setting and keeping deadlines for implementation: Food insecurity The agricultural plan, proposed by President Ali and agreed to by the CARICOM Heads of Government Conference in

March 2022, should be fully implemented as swiftly as possible, with the continued involvement of all relevant stakeholders. In this regard, President Ali was requested to mandate the Ministerial Task Force on Food Security to propose an implementation schedule for urgent consideration by Heads of Government. Regional Transportation Recognizing that the lack of adequate regional transportation by sea and air is an obstacle to the transportation of food within the region, and determined that it should be overcome within the shortest possible time frame, Prime Minister of Barbados the Honourable Mia Mottley, together with the Heads of Government in the quasi-Cabinet responsible for Transport and Agriculture, have been requested to complete a proposal for establishing adequate and sustainable regional transportation, after consultation with the Caribbean private sector, the international donor community and multilateral development agencies, for consideration by Heads of Government in July 2022. In making this recommendation, the Group was heartened by the advice of the Caribbean Development Bank that it is willing to use its best efforts to mobilise resources in this effort. Trade Barriers In considering that trade barriers, particularly non-tariff barriers, are one of the biggest inhibitors to the development of the regional market for agriculture produce, and that removing these barriers requires political consensus and determination, the Group recommends that a Special Committee immediately prepare proposals with deadlines for eliminating such trade barriers. The Special Committee should be convened by the Prime Minister with Quasi Cabinet responsibility for the CARICOM Single Market and Economy, and its proposals for implementation should be presented at a Special Meeting of Heads of Government in the third quarter of 2022. Cont...on page 17

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Women and Youth Recognising and affirming the importance of the participation of women and youth in agriculture – both to enlarge the sector’s contribution to the Gross Domestic Product of national economies and to empower the two groups to share in the earnings that can be generated by a vibrant agricultural sector – the CARICOM Secretariat should be authorised to commission an urgent study, for consideration by the Special Meeting of Heads of Government proposed for the third quarter of this year, on ways to attract and expand the participation of youth and women by at least 20% by 2025. The terms of reference of the study should include mechanisms for providing access to finance; crop insurance; contract purchasing of produce; and training especially including in the use of modern technology.

The Group of Heads of Governments emphasize the urgency in implementing the four priority issues which they have identified as imperative to overcome the current grave challenges of food shortages in a sustainable manner. The Group noted the work of the Ministerial Task Force on Food production chaired by the Minister of Agriculture of Guyana, Hon. Zulfikar Mustapha, in advising on the development of a CARICOM food system. They welcomed with great appreciation the important and timely initiative by President Ali of organising the “Agri-Investment Forum and Expo” from which these deliberations and recommendations have been made. They looked forward enthusiastically to maintaining the momentum, generated by this meeting, at a follow-up “Agriculture and Food Security Forum” in Trinidad and Tobago in August 2022.

ANTIGUA CARNIVAL LAUNCH With the theme “Experience Greatness – Again!”, the Ministry of Creative Industries and Innovation (MCII) launched Antigua’s 2022 edition of Carnival on Thursday night, rich with vibrant cultural performances. The much-anticipated launch, after a two-year hiatus of the summer festival due to the Covid-19 pandemic, was staged at the historic Dow’s Hill Interpretation Centre and was punctuated by vibrant displays of the country’s culture. Minister with responsibility for festivals Dr Michael Browne told those gathered that while “there are 50 countries across the world celebrate carnival but there is none like the ‘greatest summer festival’ – Antigua’s Carnival. Browne also challenged residents to look towards “the reigniting” of the spirit of Carnival through the year's festivities. He expressed the hope that cultural performances by some of the country’s leading soca and calypso performers to include Tian Winter, Claudette ‘CP’ Peters, Jahsan Hughes, Dennise ‘Menace’ Roberts, Althea ‘Queen Althea’ Williams and Richie Francis. The minister also acknowledged the difficulties in planning this year’s event with the threat of the spread of the Covid-19 virus still looming.“Putting on Carnival this year has been a challenge and it has been a challenge primarily because we still wonder is covid gone? Is it going? Is it coming back?… we are still at that tipping point of the Covid-19 pandemic,” he warned. “

On behalf of the Ministry of Health and the government of Antigua and Barbuda, I do encourage you to take all the necessary precautions that you can to keep yourself safe.” The launch ended with a parade of rhythmic steelpan and iron band music, masqueraders, stilt walkers and fire breathers, along with other cultural fixtured during the summer festival. Organisers have changed this year’s lineup, opting for a list of pre-carnival and main events. The pre-Carnival events include a Band Meet Band showdown on Friday, July 22; T-shirt Mas on July 23; a Car Show and celebration honouring Sir McLean “King Short Shirt” Emanuel, on July 24; and a Teen Rave on July 25. The country will also see the staging of Drue’s Day on July 26. Carnival officially gets underway on July 27 with the official opening and the Jaycees Caribbean Queen Show. Other activities on the calendar include Melting Pot, Calypso Monarch Competition, Panorama Competition, Party Monarch, Watch Night Celebration, Emancipation Day, J’ouvert, Culture and Cuisine, Carnival Monday, and the Parade of the Bands and Last Lap on August 2.

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Caribbean Hollywood: 10+ actors of Caribbean heritage Caribbean actors have been lighting up Hollywood screens for decades — even if you don’t recognize their accents. Caroline Taylor looks back at the first generation of Caribbean movie and TV stars, and profiles some of today’s headliners who can claim Caribbean roots. It was sixty-five years ago that Cyrano de Bergerac was released, a film that would make Puerto Rican actor José Ferrer the first Caribbean person to win an Oscar (for best actor in a leading role, 1951). He also won a Golden Globe, and a Tony award for the Broadway production, and ultimately donated his Oscar trophy to the University of Puerto Rico. Born in 1912, he would earn more Oscar and Emmy recognition in his career, and effectively clear the way for a generation of Caribbean actors born after him who would command American and British stages and screens — breaking new ground, and some records, along the way.

Caribbean Beat - Caroline Taylor

Geoffrey Holder — who passed away in 2014 — was born in Trinidad in 1930. Holder conquered stage and screen, featuring in films like All Night Long, Annie, and Boomerang; narrating Charlie and the Chocolate Factory; playing James Bond henchman Baron Samedi in Live and Let Die; and becoming 7Up’s “uncola” spokesman in the 1970s and 80s (later reprising the role for an appearance on US TV show The Celebrity Apprentice). An actor, choreographer, director, dancer, painter, costume designer, and singer, his accolades included two Tony awards and a Guggenheim Fellowship in fine arts.

Rita Moreno became the second Puerto Rican to win an Oscar (and a Golden Globe), as best supporting actress, for her role in West Side Story. She is among just twelve individuals worldwide, and the first Hispanic, to have won all of the Oscar, Grammy, Emmy, and Tony awards.

Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Born in Britain in 1967, to an Antiguan mother and St Lucian father. Jean-Baptiste made her mark early in her career by snagging an Oscar nomination for supporting actress in Secrets & Lies in 1996, becoming the first black British (or black Caribbean) actress do to so. An actress, singer-songwriter, writer, director, and composer (she wrote the score for Mike Leigh’s film Career Girls), she’s perhaps best known for her roles on the US TV series Without a Trace, the UK series Broadchurch, and films like last year’s RoboCop.

Harry Belafonte — is among the prestigious number. Four years older than Moreno, Belafonte was born in 1927 in Harlem to a Jamaican mother and a Martiniquan father. An actor, singer, songwriter, and activist, he first appeared on the silver screen in films like Carmen Jones and the controversial Island in the Sun, filmed on location in Grenada and Barbados. His album of calypso and mento recordings, Calypso, was released in 1956. Now eighty-eight, and considered a living legend, Belafonte counts three Grammys, an Emmy, a Tony, Kennedy Centre Honours, a United States National Medal of Arts, and the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award among his many accolades.

Kerry Washington - Born in the US in 1977, to a Jamaican mother and American father. Her iconic Emmy- and Golden Globe–nominated role as Olivia Pope in US TV series Scandal has made Washington a household name. This actress and activist is the first black female lead in an American network TV drama since 1974. Other notable screen appearances include Save the Last Dance (starring Guyanese-American actor Sean Patrick Thomas), The Human Stain, Ray, The Last King of Scotland, the Fantastic Four films, For Coloured Girls, and Django Unchained. She was listed as one of the hundred “most influential people in the world” by TIME magazine in 2014.

Sidney Poitier — though raised in the Bahamas to Bahamian parents — was born in Miami. Poitier would become the first African-American, and third Caribbean man or woman (after Rita Moreno) to win an Oscar. In 1964, he took both the Golden Globe and the Academy Award for best actor in a leading role for his performance in Lilies of the Field. An actor, director, author, and diplomat, Poitier is one of the most celebrated artists of his generation, with recognition that includes a knighthood, Kennedy Centre Honours, the US Presidential Medal of Freedom, and numerous lifetime achievement awards.

CCH Pounder - Born in Guyana on Christmas Day 1962, as Carol Christine Hilaria Pounder, and grew up in the US and the UK Currently appearing in the US TV drama NCIS: New Orleans, Pounder is also known for her past roles on ER (for which she received one of four Emmy nominations), The X Files, Law & Order SVU, The Shield, and Sons of Anarchy, and in films like Face/Off, RoboCop 3, Prizzi’s Honour, Avatar, and Bagdad Café. She also starred in Home Again, a movie filmed in Trinidad in 2012 (an island she has visited with friend Lorraine Toussaint). Pounder nurtures emerging African and Caribbean diaspora visual artists through the Pounder Kone Art Space in Los Angeles and the Musée Boribana in Senegal, co-founded with her husband. She received an honorary Doctorate of Fine Arts from her alma mater, Ithaca College.

Esther Rolle was also born in Florida to Bahamian parents, just a few years earlier than Poitier, in 1920. A theatre, film, and TV actress, dancer, and singer, she aptly became best known for her role as Florida Evans on 1970s US TV series Maude and its spin-off Good Times, a role for which she was nominated for a Golden Globe. She made history in 1979 by winning the very first Emmy for outstanding supporting actress in a limited series or special, for the TV movie Summer of My German Soldier. Madge Sinclair (born in Kingston in 1938) made more Caribbean Emmy history, winning for best supporting actress in a drama series (Gabriel’s Fire), and receiving another Emmy nod for her role in the TV miniseries Roots. The voice of Simba’s mother in The Lion King film, she notably performed in the UK miniseries adaptation of Dominican Phyllis Shand Allfrey’s novel The Orchid House, directed by Trinidadian Horace Ové. After she died of leukaemia at just fifty-seven, Sinclair’s ashes were scattered in her hometown in Jamaica.

Lorraine Toussaint - Born in Trinidad and Tobago in 1960, migrating to the US as a child. Acclaimed for her performance in the hit series Orange Is the New Black, the Juilliard-trained actress, whom Caribbean Beat interviewed back in 2008; is also known for roles on US TV series Forever, Saving Grace, Any Day Now, The Fosters, Friday Night Lights, Crossing Jordan, Ugly Betty, and Law & Order, as well as films like Hudson Hawk, Dangerous Minds, The Soloist, Middle of Nowhere, and the recently released Selma, in which she grippingly played iconic civil rights activist Amelia Boynton Robinson. These days, Toussaint is focusing more on producing, with an eye for projects that are Caribbean-based, and a desire to invest in Trinidad and Tobago’s film industry and develop young acting talent.

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Marilyn Monroe quipped - By TONY DEYAL Marilyn Monroe quipped, "I don't mind making jokes but I don't want to look like one." Regardless of my looks, I don't mind making jokes either but behind the good time girl, was a lady with sense and sensitivity. There are many examples in today's regional article, but for my FB readers here's one to think about and share with your daughters, " This life is what you make it. No matter what, you're going to mess up sometimes, it's a universal truth. But the good part is you get to decide how you're going to mess it up. Girls will be your friends - they'll act like it anyway. But just remember, some come, some go. The ones that stay with you through everything - they're your true best friends. Don't let go of them." SINGING THE BLUES We hear a lot about ‘blue’ movies and ‘blue’ moons but now we have a piece of ‘blue’ art which actually blew the top off the value of American paintings. Andy Warhol, the artist who became the leading figure in the ‘Pop Art’ movement, defined art as “what you can get away with”. He also insisted, “In the future, everyone will be world-famous for 15 minutes”. Even though he died in 1987, and most of us thought he had earned and got his time in the global limelight, he has now shown how wrong one could be in measuring time and people, especially people. Warhol might have suffered in his earliest days but now he is no longer catching his art. Extremely rich people, billionaires really, are doing it for him. Earlier this week, another of Warhol’s beliefs came true. He had said, “Making money is art and working is art and good business is the best art.” On Tuesday this week, the Associated Press announced that “Andy Warhol’s ‘Shot Sage Blue Marilyn’, known as an iconic portrait of Marilyn Monroe, sold for $195 million.” It is not just the fact that a man who wore only green underpants could have created a blue artwork, but he has now exceeded his 15 minutes by creating not only the most expensive piece from the 20th century ever auctioned, but the most expensive work by a US artist ever sold at auction. The previous bestseller was the 1982 painting of a skull-like face, ‘Untitled’, by Jean-Michel Basquiat, which had sold for $110.5 million. Had Basquiat still been around (he died in 1988, one year after Warhol) he surely would have been angry with himself for not making the skull-like face a little prettier or giving his painting a real name instead of leaving it untitled. My wife, Indranie, and I were in the living room when I read the article and I immediately asked her why she hadn’t taken up painting instead of journalism. She quickly responded, “So why you didn’t take it up?” I was even faster. “I always write,” I said. She thought I had said that I am always right and replied, “Yes. You always feel so!” For a moment, I thought of telling her, “Girl, from the moment I met you, I was so taken by you that I thought you were Miss Right. What I didn’t know is that your first name was ‘Always’.” Fortunately, I did not yield to temptation or insist on being right. I left.

DIDN’T GO FAR I didn’t go far. I went to my bookshelves and computer, not to take some quick art lessons but to go back in time to my teenage years when Marilyn Monroe had a hate/love relationship with her 15 minutes of fame and ended it herself in despair and darkness. In looking back at her life, experiences and advice, the one thing I learnt is that she never was the dumb blonde she was accused of being. She had some interesting observations that are still relevant, like, “Boys think girls are like books. If the cover doesn’t catch their eye, they won’t bother to read what’s inside.” and “A girl doesn’t need anyone who doesn’t need her.” Then there are the quips you can take any way you want, “I don’t stop when I’m tired. I only stop when I’m done.”, “A wise girl knows her limits, a smart girl knows that she has none.”, “If I’d observed all the rules, I’d never got anywhere.”, and, “What do I wear in bed? Why, Chanel No. 5, of course.” FORCED TO LEAD Yet, there are not just glimpses but clear indications how she felt about the life she led or, as some of us think, was forced to lead. She explained, “I never wanted to be Marilyn – it just happened. Marilyn’s like a veil I wear over Norma Jeane.” She remembered sadly, “No one ever told me I was pretty when I was a little girl. All little girls should be told they’re pretty, even if they aren’t.” Then there was this, “There is a need for aloneness, which I don’t think most people realise for an actor. It’s almost having certain kinds of secrets for yourself that you’ll let the whole world in on only for a moment, when you’re acting. But everybody is always tugging at you. They’d all like sort of a chunk of you.” And this, “Hollywood is a place where they’ll pay you a thousand dollars for a kiss and fifty cents for your soul.” And finally, “I am alone; I am always alone no matter what.” It was followed by, “On August 5, 1962 movie actress, Marilyn Monroe, is found dead in her home in Los Angeles. She was discovered lying nude on her bed, face down, with a telephone in one hand. Empty bottles of pills, prescribed to treat her depression, were littered around the room.” Yet, for my girls and for all women and men who are willing to look beyond the Hollywood glamour and sex, the Kennedy's and what they brought and took from her, Marilyn’s advice will never die, “Just because you fail once, doesn’t mean you’re gonna fail at everything. Keep trying, hold on, and always, always, always believe in yourself, because if you don’t, then who will, sweetie? So keep your head high, keep your chin up, and most importantly, keep smiling, because life’s a beautiful thing and there’s so much to smile about.” *Tony Deyal was last seen thinking that every young lady should listen to and, for what it is worth, learn from Marilyn, “A wise girl kisses but doesn’t love, listens but doesn’t believe, and leaves before she is left.”