Caribbean American Passport News Magazine - September 2020

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Your Passport to the Caribbean American Community

Sept/Oct 2020

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It's our 10th Anniversary issue!

Hispanic Heritage observance began in 1968 as Hispanic Heritage Week under President Lyndon Johnson, and was expanded by President Ronald Reagan in 1988 to cover a 30-day period starting on September 15 and ending on October 15.

The September 15th date is significant because it is the anniversary of independence for the Latin American countries Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua.

In addition, Mexico and Chile celebrate their independence days on September 16 and September 18, respectively.

Also, Columbus Day or DĂ­a de la Raza, which is October 12, falls within this 30 day period.

This year’s theme - Hispanics: Be Proud of Your Past, Embrace the Future - invites Hispanics to embrace their backgrounds , to be proud of who they are and where they came from.

As of July 1, 2019, the Hispanic population of the United States was 60.6 million people, making people of Hispanic origin the nation's largest ethnic or racial minority (18.5% of the total U.S. population).

The United States has the 2nd largest population of Hispanic people in the world, second only Mexico.

It has been 10 years. We are blown away that we are at such a significant anniversary and it seems like we just got started.

We remember the self doubt, the anxiety, the decision to create something that showed our community in it's diversity, showing our strengths and our contributions to America. This land that we chose as Caribbean- Americans.

What we do with this News Magazine is more of a service to the community than it is a money maker.

We make money to support the paper through our sister companies, through our events and through the ads featured in our pages. So we need you to keep the people who support us in business. Make a decision to purchase a product or service from one of our advertisers. While we can't host our usual array of events, we still have our marketing arm that can work with you to create a marketing campaign for you and your business - from a simple graphic creation, to digital marketing or website redesign.

We are here! I'm proud to say that it was hard, but it was also worth it. And most importantly the community needs it. Right now more than ever, independent media sources showing you people and situations that reflect your community, are more important than they ever were For those of you who can purchase a subscription through your company before. please do so, we would love to deliver But now more than ever, we need your copies to your office. Or let's deliver a help. Not just us, but all of the small subscription to your home, or to businesses in your community. someone you love.

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L I F E S T Y L E

Guenet Gittens-Roberts, Publisher/Editor

10 years old...a struggle that was worth it Samuel J. Roberts

A

new month, a new issue...but this

one is even more special. It is our 10th Anniversary issue. Yes! Ten years ago, we published our very first issue. Eleven years ago, my world had imploded, I was reeling from losing a career that I loved as a real estate agent. I was not making money, we were losing properties, losing money and losing hope.

Owner/Publisher/Editor

At that time, I couldn't see a light at the end of the tunnel, no one seemed to have an answer. We just knew the economy had crashed. Our home had lost more than half of it's value and we were upside down. Our tenants were not paying their rent, but we were continuing to pay the mortgages until we just couldn't.

It is surreal to think about those times and how we thought we knew it all prior to that crash...just because we were making money. But I have had to reflect as I spoke Dee Harrison for an interview this month. Listening to her took me back to that time in my life, and the events that lead to the birth to Caribbean American Passport News Magazine.

Dee's story is carried in this issue. It is about how she stayed in the real estate industry, sacrificing a lot to do so. It was her calling, she had realized that. Ten years later she is happy she did.

I didn't stay in the real estate industry. I used that time for deep reflection about what I loved and what I wanted. I had been in my marketing business for a few years at that point and my company was focused on the Caribbean community. I had also joined the Caribbean American Chamber of Commerce and had worked with Caribbean Sun Newspaper to create events and promote their advertisers. I loved being between the Caribbean community and I felt that it was very hidden and not celebrated.

With no career to focus on, my mind was focused on my past, the way I grew up in Guyana and how much of an appreciation it had given me for different cultures, people and religion. I really loved the way I had been raised and I wanted to celebrate it, I wanted to share it with my children. I wanted to ensure that they grew up surrounded by positive imaging of people like them, just as I had grown up.

I made up my mind to do something I love, while giving it the time to make money. Ten years later, I am so grateful that I made that pivot!

to simply create something that I wanted to do.

When he applied his structured brain to my creative one, we were able to set this business on a great path to one that is an expression of our love for our community and our love for our upbringing. It has taken us down roads of adventure that we will always be grateful for and I can say that whether we lost or made money along the way, we have been genuinely happy with the path we have taken as a result of this paper.

I am so thankful to that economic depression because without it, I would have never gone down this unknown path that has led me to a bigger and brighter future. When I look back, it is not with a sense of loss, it is with a sense of wonder that life opened up for us to realize our calling.

It is fitting that our ten year anniversary falls within a pandemic where people will face unprecedented hardships again, so that I can share this important lesson with you: LIFE IS LESS ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS TO YOU, IT IS MORE ABOUT HOW YOU RESPOND TO WHAT HAPPENS TO YOU! CREATE A LIFE THAT YOU LOVE! BE RESPONSIVE, IT IS YOUR TIME...PIVOT! 1969 Alafaya Trail • Orlando, FL 32828 Office: 407-427-1800 Fax: 407-386-7925 Toll Free: 877-220-8315 For Media Information email: Publisher: sroberts@caribbeanamericanpassport.com Info: .Info@caribbeanamericanpassport.com

Should you desire to review past copies of the publicationgo to http://caribbeanamericanpassport.com and click on the 'Print Archive'.

Editor & Publisher................................................................................... Sam Roberts Publisher ............................................................................. Guenet Gittens-Roberts Graphic Design & Layout .....................................................................Aleia Roberts Contributing Writers: ................................................................................ Tony Dyal .......................................................................................................................Ryan Davis ...................................................................................................................Sandra Fatmi .......................................................................................................................Gail Seeram .................................................................................................................Sasha Watson ..................................................................................................................Aleia Roberts Contributing Photographers ............ .......................................................Ted Hollins .....................................................................................................................Dilia Castillo .............................................. .............................................................Nancy-Joe Brown Central Florida Distribution........................................................Kadeem Roberts South Florida Distribution .............................................................Norman Williams NorthFlorida Distribution .....................................................................Theo Jack Jr. Tampa Distribution ..................................................................................Julian Pina Copyright (C) 2016 GGR Marketing & Public Relations. All rights reserved.

Sam still had his 9 to 5 job and it gave me the security I needed www.caribbeanamericanpassport.com

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TWO CANDIDATES IN SEMINOLE COUNTY THAT WE ENDORSE

Pasha Baker Candidate for Florida House District 28 Pasha is a native of Sanford, Florida, and she is a true “Southern Belle”. She graduated from the University of South Florida with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in International Relations. Ms. Baker’s humble beginnings and life lessons led her to entrepreneurship. It was this experience that encouraged Pasha to create a entrepreneur ecosystem. She set her sights on really making a difference within her community.

Pernell Bush Candidate for Seminole County Commission - District 5

Pernell Bush, MSW, CNP is a native of Seminole County, raised in the heart of Sanford’s historic Goldsboro community. He attended Seminole County Public Schools (Goldsboro Elementary, Sanford Middle and Lake Mary High) throughout his formative years. His hands-on, result-oriented servant leadership is focused on empowering communities to get the results they deserve.

CARIVS 2020 - First Caribbean Virtual Oil & Gas Summit Three days of 45 successful keynotes and panel discussions delivered by leading Oil & Gas professionals [Virtual Summit] September 15-17. CARIVS 2020 brought together a network of senior decision-makers in the Oil and Gas sector with the focus countries being Suriname, Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, and The Bahamas.

This summit connected an audience of around 1300 and specialists across regions. After attending this seminar – in my home office, then networked virtually, I don’t see how I can comfortably go back to in-person seminars. I wasn’t groggy from catching the red-eye in, nor was I semi distracted trying to maximize my time. Instead, I listened keenly, and I focused. If there was something that I wanted to re-cap, then I had the opportunity to listen to a rebroadcast at the end of the day. There’s something to be said for clicking on the name of a booth and getting the contact details about that company.

Of every company that had booths actually.

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Guyana, Alistair Routledge President & General Manager Exxon Mobile, and others.

Experts shared opportunities (and threats) around doing business in the region, so while the focus is Oil and Gas, there are many other opportunities arising from this emerging sector. A large opportunity is in the field of Education, but Technicians, Biologists, and Engineers are just some of the fields that are and will be in demand.

As in every economy, when one sector rises, it has the ability to uplift others. So as job opportunities increase, so will the demand for food, housing, cars, and everything else.

The main message: We are open for business.

The demand for improved quality of services available should also increase; companies need reliable internet, accommodations, and food services.

Speakers included Hon. Mia Mottley PM Barbados, Hon. Vickram Bharrat M.P. Minister of Natural Resources,

The Oil and Gas Summit was dynamic and informative.

My takeaway message – Business is coming, Get ready.

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For this teacher, this transition is bittersweet

Fed Ingram is a former Miami-Dade Teacher of the Year, former president of United Teachers of Dade, and outgoing president of the Florida Education Association. that you place on yourself. My students loved music,worked hard and overcame the odds to win top ratings and state championships. Today, some of them are doctors and lawyers – and please know that I couldn’t be prouder of former students who are now teachers.

Since I left the classroom to become a full-time union officer, I’ve marched, lobbied, negotiated, and advocated alongside Florida educators for better funding for students and schools and professional rights for educators. I did this first at the United Teachers of Dade (UTD) and later at the statewide Florida Education Association (FEA).

My passion has always been to open doors for every student, regardless of race, class, income or geography. That passion will be the center of my work at AFT –building on the grassroots activism and coalition-building that I learned in Florida.

As I write this, the FEA has just won an injunction preventing an out-of-control governor from re-opening our schools without a plan to prevent the spread of Covid-19. FEA won because we stood up for our students and public safety and we had strong support from parents and the community.

The beginning of the school year is a fresh start and a time of transition. For this teacher, it’s bittersweet.

I was recently elected secretary-treasurer of my national union, the American Federation of Teachers (AFT).

Beginning in September, I will serve as one of its top two officers, representing 1.8 million educators and public employees. I’ll be relocating with my family to Washington, D.C

We don’t know what the courts will ultimately deefor solutions to ensure that Florida students have safe and high-quality learning environments no matter if it is in brick and mortar or remote classrooms. It’s a bittersweet time for me to leave this state that I love, but I am taking our fight that this band teacher has been living my entire life to the national stage.

I’ve had an amazing and blessed journey here in the Sunshine State, although not always an easy one.

I started out as a poor kid with a stutter living in Miami’s housing projects. But my parents taught me the sky was the limit, so long as I worked hard, respected those around me, and valued education.

They were right. I could barely speak when I started school. My life turned around when a public school music teacher taught me to sing.

I learned to control my stutter, to speak in public, and I gained the desire to go on to become a teacher and a mentor to others.

After graduating from Bethune Cookman University, I spent 10 years as a band teacher at two inner-city Miami high schools, Booker T. Washington and Carol City, where almost all students qualified for free and reduced lunch. We had broken down instruments and second-rate facilities. Nobody expected much from our schools or our students... Except for those students who had other ideas and parents like mine, who taught them the only limits you can’t exceed at are those www.caribbeanamericanpassport.com

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-SUMMER READING CARIBBEAN AUTHORS

“Til’ The Well Runs Dry”

by Lauren Francis- Sharma (Trinidad) “When Lauren Francis-Sharma visited her grandmother’s birthplace, Blanchisseuse — a tiny beach hamlet perched on the windward side of Trinidad’s northern mountains — she was stunned by the beauty of the place, and she got a crazy idea.

That idea became ‘Til the Well Runs Dry (Henry Holt), a savory, sensuous, and seductive debut novel steeped in the full and pungent flavor of life on the island, and an homage loosely based on her grandmother’s story.” –ELLE Magazine, May, 2014 “This expansive first novel opens in Trinidad in 1943, when a fiery 16-year old becomes involved with a seductive but unreliable police officer; their relationship sets off a chain of events that brings a family’s dirty laundry into public view.” –10 Titles to Pick Up Now! O, The Oprah Magazine, May, 2014

“Land of Love and Drowning”

by Tiphanie Yanique (St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands) Set in Trinidad, in 1865. Michel Jean Cazabon returns home to be at his beloved mother’s deathbed. Life on the island seems very different after the freedoms of post-Revolutionary Paris, where his paintings have hung in the Louvre.

Despite the Emancipation Act, his childhood home is still in the grip of colonial power, its people riven by the legacy of slavery. Michel Jean finds himself caught between the powerful and the dispossessed. As an artist, he enjoys the governor’s patronage, painting for him the island’s vistas and its women; as a Trinidadian he shares easy wisdom and nips of rum with the local boat-builders. But domestic tensions and haunting reminders of the past threaten his equanimity. His fiery halfsister, Josie – the daughter of a slave – still provokes in him a youthful passion; his flirtatious muse, Augusta, tempts him as he paints her ‘for posterity’. Meanwhile, letters from his white, French wife and children remind him of their imminent arrival on the island.

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Barbados plans to become a Republic - No More Queen as Head of State Barbados has announced its intention to remove the Queen of England as its head of state and become a republic by November, 2021.

The statement was part of the Throne Speech, which outlines the government's policies and programs ahead of the new session of parliament.

While it is read out by the governor-general, it is written by the country's prime minister. Prime Minister Mia Mottley quoted the Caribbean island nation’s first premier Errol Barrow’s warning against “loitering on colonial premises” and went on to say “The time has come to fully leave our colonial past behind. Barbadians want a Barbadian Head of State. “This is the ultimate statement of confidence in who we are and what we are capable of achieving.

“Hence, Barbados will take the next logical step toward full sovereignty and become a Republic by the time we celebrate our 55th Anniversary of Independence.”

The country gained its independence from Britain in 1966, though the Queen remains its constitutional monarch.

In 1998, a Barbados constitutional review commission recommended republican status, and in 2015 Prime Minister Freundel Stuart said “we have to move from a monarchical system to a republican form of government in the very near future”.

Most Caribbean countries have kept formal links with the monarchy after achieving independence. Barbados would join Trinidad and Tobago, Dominica and Guyana if it proceeds with its plan to become a republic.

Caribbean G-8 islands collaborate on intra-regional tourism campaign As Caribbean destinations across the region reopen their borders in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, a group of eight neighboring islands have joined together to rethink and re-imagine their tourism marketing strategy in the post-Covid era. Nevis, St. Kitts, Saba, Statia, St. Maarten, Saint Martin, Anguilla and St. Barths have come together to form a Caribbean Group of 8, recognizing that through a joint collaboration they can amplify their presence in the marketplace and create new travel possibilities and fresh itineraries for consumers.

“We are delighted to launch this new initiative,” said Jadine Yarde, CEO, Nevis Tourism Authority. “Our common objective is to promote intra-regional travel, capitalizing on our proximity to each other, and today’s travelers’ desire to discover new experiences, collecting passport stamps along the way for bragging rights.”

The collaboration has produced an introductory video, with highlights of what makes each island special and different from their neighbors. The underlying message is that there is no better place than the Caribbean for travelers who are ready to venture forth when the time is right.

“We are uniquely positioned to launch this program,” said Chantelle Richardson, Coordinator, International Markets for the Anguilla Tourist Board. “Our islands are easily accessible by air and sea, and we need to educate our potential visitors, both within the region and from our traditional source markets, on how to plan and make the most of their visit.”

Nevis, St. Kitts, Saba, Statia, St. Maarten, Saint Martin , Anguilla and St. Barths represent a combination of current and former Dutch, British and French island territories.

Each island is a unique encounter, reflecting the vibrant Caribbean culture, creativity and hospitality which has made the region the preferred destination for travelers across the globe.

Together they offer a huge array of experiences, cuisines, art, music and literature, against the backdrop of stunning landscapes, spectacular beaches, land and water sports, and boutique accommodations at a range of price points.

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CARIBBEAN AMERICAN PASSPORT AND OUR SISTER COMPANIES If you are looking for ways to support our local community during this time of uncertainty, we ask you to please remember to continue supporting Caribbean American Passport in one of a few ways: 1 - MARKETING WITH US

2- SUBSCRIBING TO US

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Jamaica Labor Party wins big in bet on early elections

Prime Minister Andrew Holness won big in his bet on early elections as his Jamaica Labour Party captured 49 of 63 seats in Parliament, swamping the rival People’s National Party.

Addressing the nation on a virtual livestream after the PNP conceded defeat Thursday evening, Holness congratulated Jamaicans for a smooth and fair election held amid restrictions aimed at stifling the coronavirus pandemic.

“Tonight the victor is the people of Jamaica. What it says to me is that the Jamaican people are maturing in their

outlook; they understand that populist policies can have destructive impact on the national good,” he said.

A record number of eight women have been appointed to serve in the 21-member Senate. Four of the 13 selected Government Senators are women, while four of the eight appointed Opposition Senators are women.

This was noted by reappointed Leader of Government Business in the Senate, Senator the Hon. Kamina Johnson Smith, who was herself appointed for a third time by Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness.

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United Foundation of Central Florida Message from the President Sandra Fatmi-Hall

Thank you to our partners and sponsors that help make this happen: Dr. Trisha Bailey of Bailey's Pharmacy, Feed The Need Florida/ 4Roots Farm Campus - Ms.Betsy & her team, Zorida Pritipal-Manoo of Golden Krust, Attorney Walter Arnold, Mr. Malachi, United Foundation of Central Florida-Mr.Hall & Ms.Myra, Pepsi & Gatorade, Ms.Latoya Morgan, THE WIRE 98.5, WOKB 1680am-Andrea Jackson/ Lady D./ Junior B./ Carter & Phayz, Printcfl, Walmart, & Future Leaders United w/ all other volunteers!

Dear UFCF Community, Dr. Trisha Bailey of Bailey's Pharmacy partnered with the United Foundation of Central Florida to feed families in Orange County’s Pine Hills Community. We had such a large number of people in the community reaching out and calling, which is why we selected the Pine Hills Community Center as the event site and now 98.5 FM The Wire. We will be increasing the meals donated to accommodate more individuals in our community Since the start of our Food Distribution Program in July, we've grown our partnerships of purpose to ensure we are meeting the needs of our community. Our new Food Distribution Partners are Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida, Samaroo Law Personal Injury led by Attorney Avita Samaroo, Sierra Rainge of Limitless Cares, Inc., Onyx Magazine, One Heart For Women & Children, Caribbean American Passport News Magazine, Jay Yoko Entertainment, Orlando's 105 The Beat.

As of September 14th, 2020 we have fed 5,300 families which is the equivalent of 26,500 people in our community.

The upcoming dates for our Food Distributions are as follows: September 17th, 2020 from 10:30 AM - 11:30 AM September 24th, 2020 from 10:30 AM - 11:30 AM Location: The Wire 98.5 - 6003 Silver Star Road Suite 1, Orlando, FL 32808 This is a drive-thru event walk-ups are welcome.

Whistleblower alleges high rate of hysterectomies and medical neglect at ICE facility Reprinted from Priscilla Alvarez, CNN A whistleblower who previously worked at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Georgia detailed a high rate of hysterectomies and alleged medical neglect in a complaint filed to the Department of Homeland Security inspector general Monday.

Dawn Wooten, a licensed practical nurse employed by the center who's represented by the Government Accountability Project and Project South, stated in a complaint that while some women may have required a hysterectomy, "everybody's uterus cannot be that bad."

The Government Accountability Project provides representation for whistleblowers and Project South is a social justice organization. The complaint is also signed by several immigrant advocacy organizations: Georgia Detention Watch, Georgia Latino Alliance for Human Rights and South Georgia Immigrant Support Network.

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THINKING ABOUT SELLING? At Next Home My Way IT’S ALL ABOUT THE HOUSE.

WE MARKET BETTER CALL FOR DETAILS.

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Toots Hibbert, Reggae Ambassador And Leader Of Toots And The Maytals, Dies At 77...he was the first to use the word Reggae Revival Zion and Pocomania, were essential in shaping Hibbert's performances. Hibbert also cites Elvis Presley, gospel icon Mahalia Jackson, and soul superstars James Brown, Wilson Pickett and Otis Redding as influences.

Frederick "Toots" Hibbert, the lead singer and songwriter of Toots and the Maytals and one of reggae's foundational figures, died Friday in Kingston, Jamaica. He was 77.

The cause of death was not revealed, but his Facebook account confirmed on Aug. 31 that Hibbert was tested for coronavirus in the last two weeks and placed in intensive care.

Hibbert's soulful, electrifying performances thrilled live music lovers for more than 50 years and brought a distinctive Jamaican expression to international audiences.

His 1968 song "Do The Reggay" gave a name to Jamaica's signature beat, but his artistry defied boundaries. His vocals are an amalgam of rousing gospel, vintage soul, gritty R&B, and classic country fused with pliant, indigenous Jamaican rhythms. Hibbert brought a stunning island lilt to Otis Redding's standard "(I've Got) Dreams to Remember," he transformed Ann Peebles' "I Can't Stand The Rain" into a scorching serenade, and forever altered John Denver's "Country Roads" into a beloved sing-along reggae anthem.

Hibbert's humble demeanor and affable personality belied his towering global stature. Regarded as a national treasure in Jamaica, in 2012 he was conferred the Order of Jamaica, the country's fifth highest honor.

"For my generation, Toots is the ultimate performer," said Roy "Gramps" Morgan of the reggae group Morgan Heritage. "The [kind of] artist that leaves everything on the stage, physically and spiritually. Toots is the James Brown of reggae, and one of the greatest Jamaican singers of all time. You won't find another singer that sounds like Toots and you are not going to hear that sound again."

Frederick Nathaniel "Toots" Hibbert was born on Dec. 8, 1942, in rural May Pen, Clarendon,. Hibbert's parents were preachers and he was raised singing gospel in what he calls "a salvation church." The hand clapping, foot stomping, and soul-shaking vocals associated with Jamaica's Afro-Christian religious traditions, including

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In his early teens, Hibbert moved to Trench Town, an economically poor yet musically thriving community in western Kingston, also home to future reggae artists including Peter Tosh, Bunny Wailer and Bob Marley, who became The Wailers. While working as a barber, Hibbert met Nathaniel "Jerry" Matthias and Henry "Raleigh" Gordon and they formed The Maytals vocal trio, circa 1961, at the dawn of Jamaica's ska era.

Matthias and Gordon had previously cut a single together and they knew Hibbert's powerful voice would enhance their sound. The Maytals went on to release numerous singles for the top Jamaican producers of the 1960s. They signed with Clement "Sir Coxsone" Dodd's Studio One label in 1962, releasing such ska gems as "Hallelujah," "Fever" and the exceptional "Six and Seven Books of Moses," featuring Hibbert's galvanizing gospel delivery.

Studio One was regarded as Jamaica's Motown, home to many outstanding young singing, songwriting and instrumental talents, including The Wailers, Bob Andy, The Heptones, Marcia Griffiths and Jackie Mittoo. The Maytals, however, were dissatisfied with Dodd's payments and moved on. They recorded the rollicking "Dog War," which alludes to leaving Dodd and working instead with his rival Prince Buster. They made history with producer and band leader Byron Lee when their joyous ska romp "It's You," and its b-side, the R&B ballad "Daddy," both topped the Jamaica charts. In August 1966, The Maytals' "Bam Bam," also produced

by Lee, won the inaugural Jamaica Festival Song competition, held annually to coincide with the island's Independence Day celebrations. (The chorus of "Bam Bam" was featured in Sister Nancy's 1982 song of the same name.) Hibbert was arrested shortly after The Maytals' victory and sentenced to 18 months for possession of marijuana; he described the incident as "political, a means to keep me down."

At the time of Hibbert's release from jail, the jaunty ska beat created in Kingston studios had slowed down and morphed into rocksteady. The reunited Maytals began recording their first release "54-46 (That's My Number)," which Toots wrote about his prison sentence,. It became The Maytals' biggest hit of that era Kong's other productions with The Maytals include "Monkey Man," which broke through to the UK singles charts, and "Do The Reggay," which became the first song to brand the beat that followed rocksteady, which is Jamaica's most successful (musical) export.

When asked about the origins of the word, reggay, shortly thereafter spelled "reggae," Toots offered: "Streggay was a slang word in Jamaica, it meant something that looked raggedy, scruffy so one day I was talking with Raleigh and Jerry and just changed the word to reggae and said, let's make music, let's do the reggae."

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The Annual Caribbean Health Summit is one of the many vehicles that the Center for Multicultural Wellness and Prevention, Inc. (CMWP) have been using over the past 16 years to reach individuals in the Caribbean Community to make positive lifestyle changes. But, the shelter-in-Place, social distancing and wearing of mask have all limited our ability to serve our clients and provide traditional (hands-on) screenings to our community.

So, as we face unprecedented challenges during COVID-19 pandemic, the Planning Committee of the 17th Annual Caribbean Health Summit have decided to take an innovative approach to provide key services to our community by the use of advance technology.

SEPTEMBER 21st 2020

VIRTUAL

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Dee Harrison, celebrating 30 years in the Title Industry

Dee Harrison President/ CEO and her Alpha Reliable Title team Dee Harrison is President and CEO of Alpha Reliable Title in Orlando Florida. She was born in Jamaica and started her career in Banking in Jamaica after obtaining a two-year college diploma in Accounting. When she moved to the US, she simultaneously worked two jobs at two different TV stations but it didn't take her long to get into the Title Industry‌and stay. September 2020 marks 30 years of her being in the Title Industry.

30 years ago, Dee began working with Ensure Title Corporation, a Jamaican owned Title Company in Hollywood Florida owned by Joan Lake. Dee worked there for three and a half years before she transitioned to Excel Title Corp., where she worked for two years. The birth of her daughter also was the catalyst for the birth of her own title career. Dee wanted to get back to work as soon as possible to support her family. However, the Title Company wanted her to take her entire maternity leave.

Instead of waiting, Dee began temporary jobs with two law firms while she studied for her Title License. By the time her maternity leave was over and the Title Company was ready for her to go back to work, Dee had earned her License and was ready to get into business for herself. The business was started out of her car. Lack of resources, a newborn, and two other little children were not going to hold Dee back. People called her Mobile Title since she worked so much out of her car. That was it, Trinity Title and Escrow was started. Once she was able to get a location, the office opened in Hollywood Florida.

she closed the Ft. Lauderdale location and concentrated on building the Orlando office.

The housing market in Orlando was booming and Dee's company grew rapidly. Dee was able to purchase a new location in Metro West. After 5 great years of growth in Orlando, the economic recession hit, affecting the housing market the most. Business declined to the point where Dee had to close her company and like many in the market, lost a lot, including her first office space. Many people in the real estate industry moved into different careers - but while Dee had lost everything and closed her offices, she knew that she had found her passion in the Title Industry and she wanted to remain in it. It was what she wanted to do forever. People were not making money in Real Estate, but Dee knew that it couldn't last forever. She had to wait it out.

Dee says at the beginning of her success as the market was booming, she was praying about every decision. After things started taking off, Dee felt convicted that she failed to pray as much and just started buying properties. Upon reflection, she strongly feels as though "God slowed her down to get her attention". She wanted to get back to basics and for her, that meant God. Since then she has prayed before making any big decision.

The Hollywood location stayed open for 10 years. It had always been Dee and her husband's intention to raise their children in Orlando based on their preference for the Orlando school system. So, even though they divorced, they settled in Orlando to co-parent. Upon moving to Orlando Dee set up Alpha Title Corporation on Pine Hills Road.

For a while, she kept both companies alive by spending 3 days in South Florida and 4 in Orlando. Raising kids and commuting and keeping both offices open was tough, so

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Dee Harrison, celebrating 30 years in the Title Industry Continued from page 14

Dee says that she knew she had to let it all go, she had to fall and then start getting back up. A quote by Les Brown,"When life knocks you down, try to land on your back. Because if you can look up, you can get up. Let your reason get you back up." was key to her survival. She says her children remember that time as a period when she simply kept looking out the window of her home, deep in thought.

Her business was closed. She took a regular job, but stayed in the Title Industry, by taking a job with Lawyer's Advantage Title. For Dee, it was important that she kept her License. She focused on her mind and her relationship with God and felt the need to remain busy.

When her kids were at their father's she volunteered with Hospice. She went back to school. She earned her paralegal degree with Florida Memorial University. As a single mother, working full time, she graduated with a 4.0 GPA, Summa Cum Laude.

Three years later she was able to reopen a new Title company, Alpha Reliable Title. That was eight years ago…

Over the last ten years, Dee has brought her experience as a paralegal, her experience as a real estate investor, and her experience in the Title Industry together to provide her customers with first-class service and peace of mind. That's an important combination in the Title Industry.

That is evident in a recent award that Alpha Reliable Title has been nominated for by a customer. The award for ‘ALTA Honors – We Deliver’ is through the American Land Title Association, the National Trade Association representing more than 6200 Title Insurance companies, Title and Settlement Agents, Independent

Abstracters, Title Searchers, and Real Estate Attorneys.As if to validate that it was all worth it, in the month of her 30th Anniversary in the Title Industry, Dee Harrison won that award for ‘We Deliver’ from the American Land Title Association.

As a Caribbean National, Dee is proud to be recognized on a National Level by a prestigious organization such as ALTA. When asked about the motivating factors in her life Dee had two words, “my kids.”

When asked what she would say to anyone who has doubts about their business ideas, Dee says her advice is to pray first, listen to God, then act on your instincts, always remaining true to yourself and surround yourself with positive people.

Congratulations to Dee Harrison and her team at Alpha Reliable Title! Happy Anniversary Dee!

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Whistleblower alleges high rate of hysterectomies and medical neglect at ICE facility Continued from page 10 Reprinted from Priscilla Alvarez, CNN The complaint, which also included a series of concerns about the facility's handling of the coronavirus, immediately received responses from Democratic lawmakers.

"The allegations put forth in this whistleblower complaint point to an alarming pattern of unsafe conditions and a lack of oversight at privately-run ICE facilities," said Rep. Bennie Thompson of Mississippi, chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, in a statement, adding that allegations of hysterectomies being performed on women without consent is "incredibly disturbing."

Thompson's committee is investigating on the conditions at ICE contractor facilities. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Democrat of California, urged the DHS inspector general to investigate Wooten's allegations.

"Everybody he sees has a hysterectomy—just about everybody. He's even taken out the wrong ovary on a young lady [detained immigrant woman]. She was supposed to get her left ovary removed because it had a cyst on the left ovary; he took out the right one. She was upset. She had to go back to take out the left and she wound up with a total hysterectomy," Wooten explains in the complaint.

"She still wanted children—so she has to go back home now and tell her husband that she can't bear kids... she said she was not all the way out under anesthesia and heard him [doctor] tell the nurse that he took the wrong ovary," she continued.

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The complaint doesn't disclose the name of the gynecologist or the number of women allegedly coerced into receiving the procedure, nor when it occurred. ICE said it doesn't comment on matters presented to the inspector general.

"ICE takes all allegations seriously and defers to the (Office of the Inspector General) regarding any potential investigation and/or results. That said, in general, anonymous, unproven allegations, made without any factcheckable specifics, should be treated with the appropriate skepticism they deserve," the agency said.

Since 2018, only two individuals at Irwin County Detention Center have been referred to certified, credentialed medical professionals at gynecological and obstetrical health care facilities for hysterectomies, according to Dr. Ada Rivera, medical director of the ICE Health Service Corps, citing agency data. "Based on their evaluations, these specialists recommended hysterectomies.

These recommendations were reviewed by the facility clinical authority and approved," Rivera said in a statement.

Irwin County Detention Center, the facility at the center of the complaint, is required to follow medical standards put in place by ICE in 2011. The standards state that "female detainees shall receive routine, age appropriate gynecological and obstetrical health care, consistent with recognized community guidelines for women's health services."

Continued on page 17

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Whistleblower alleges high rate of hysterectomies and medical neglect at ICE facility Reprinted from Priscilla Alvarez, CNN Continued from page 16 According to those standards, health care services must be provided by personnel who are "licensed, certified, credentialed and/or registered in compliance with applicable state and federal requirements."

Health care providers are chosen by the facility from among the local community providers willing to accept ICE detainees as patients, an ICE official said, adding that in some cases, the facility provider or clinical director may have community contacts they routinely work with.

Wooten didn't elaborate on the hysterectomy allegations during a news conference in Georgia on Tuesday. Priyanka Bhatt, a staff attorney at Project South, said, however, that over the years "our coalition has heard from several women who have either had a hysterectomy done or have talked to other immigrants who have had a hysterectomy done."

A detained immigrant told Project South that she had spoken to five different women at Irwin County Detention Center between October and December 2019 who had a hysterectomy.

"When I met all these women who had had surgeries, I thought this was like an experimental concentration camp.

It was like they're experimenting with our bodies," said the immigrant, whose name was not disclosed by the organization.

Leeann Culbreath, co-founder and co-chair of South Georgia Immigrant Support Network, a humanitarian organization, recalled conversations with a handful of detained women over recent years who shared concerns about gynecological care.

depending on who explains it to them," Wooten said.

The complaint also alleges the facility didn't take necessary precautions to avoid the spread of Covid-19, which ultimately motivated Wooten to come forward.

"I began to ask questions about why would the detainees not be tested -- symptomatic or non-symptomatic," Wooten said. "But what broke the back and the last straw was looking in and living it for yourself. Coming to work and being told that even though you're being tested, you can report when CDC guidelines says stay home and a doctor's note says stay home."

The allegations raised by Wooten are similar to those surfacing around the country from immigrants held at ICE facilities, according to court documents, lawyers and other whistleblowers. They include treating Covid-19 symptoms with over-the-counter cold medication, lack of social distancing and transfers of detainees despite heightened risk of spreading the virus.

Wooten, according to the complaint, had "pleaded with ICDC Warden David Paulk in March when the facility had its first Covid-19 case to stop all transfers of individuals in and out the facility, but the Warden did not listen."

According to ICE statistics, there have been 43 total confirmed Covid-19 cases at the Irwin County Detention Center. There have been more than 5,799 cases overall nationwide at ICE detention centers.

With Pompeo trip, oil boom raises focus on Guyana, Suriname

"With alarming frequency we hear about women who've received gynecological procedures," Culbreath said. Mike Pompeo is the first US secretary of state to visit "Sometimes they were not given an opportunity to give Guyana and Suriname as the discovery of oil fuels a sudden consent for that." new interest in the small South American nations. The stops come at the start of a three-day tour that will also take The anecdotes in the whistleblower complaint confirmed Pompeo to Colombia and the Amazonian border areas of Culbreath's concerns. "That affirmed my worst fears about Brazil, part of his campaign to highlight the economic what might be happening here," she told CNN. devastation in Nicolas Maduro's Venezuela.

Wooten describes speaking with detained women who Pompeo will meet freshly elected leaders in Guyana and didn't fully understand why they had the medical Suriname, which are also being courted by China as the two procedure. nations -- underdeveloped and with sharp ethnic faultlines -- seek a surge of investment.

"These immigrant women, I don't think they really, totally, "I used to work at the State Department and getting any secretary of state to travel anywhere in Latin America and all the way understand this is what's going to happen the Caribbean was a heavy lift," said Eric Farnsworth, vice president of the Council of the Americas. "For him to go to both of these countries is extraordinary and shows that something big is happening."

ExxonMobil in 2015 announced it had found one of the world's largest oil reserves in years in the waters off Guyana, with the US giant also heavily involved in Suriname.

Pompeo's trip comes as Guyana reviews its deal with Exxon in which the country would keep about half the oil revenue -- an arrangement that some advocates for developing nations say is too paltry. A State Department official said that Pompeo was not traveling to lobby for Exxon -- but that he would encourage both countries to be responsible with the financial windfall. www.caribbeanamericanpassport.com

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Tony Deyal | Monday Night For Rum I have known Kamla Persad-Bissessar for more than fifty years, taught her at school and was her netball coach. I can say that she is not a racist. We who grew up in the town of Siparia could not be. However, her remarks about Dr. Rowley and the people of Syrian descent were inconsistent with both her history and her position. They cannot be justified. I will not be posting pictures on this one.

"She gone stark raving crackers," said one of my friends.

"Who?" I asked. "Kamla," he replied, referring to the former prime minister of Trinidad and Tobago and now leader of the Opposition. "What happen? What she do now?" Pause.

"She call de prime minister of the country an 'oreo'." I got it immediately.

According to Wikipedia, "Oreo is a commercial brand of cookie (or biscuit) usually consisting of two chocolate wafers with a sweet creme filling in-between ... . Oreo has become the best-selling cookie in the United States."

Had the comment been about Prime Minister Rowley's sweetness, popularity and appeal, it would have been taken as a compliment. However, and rightly in this instance, the comment was not seen as complimentary and reference was immediately made by Mr Rowley's supporters, and others, like me, who want the country to vote on principle rather than personality, reason rather than race, to the Urban Dictionary.

The Urban Dictionary is a 'crowd-sourced' and open online reference for slang words and phrases. It tells you how language is applied in real life and specific situations. Under the word 'oreo', I found several different meanings. One is: "A very cute dog that is black in colour and has a white stripe on its belly."

I saw a picture of a shirtless prime minister at the beach, and although visibility was not 100 per cent, there was no white stripe to be seen on any part of his anatomy. A second, and I expect some supporters of the opposition leader to jump on this as a belated explanation for her referring to Dr Rowley as an 'oreo' is, "A good cookie; made up of two chocolate cookies with vanilla filling, and sometimes peanut butter and can come in double-stuffed and Halloween varieties."

Betraying roots Where the trick or treat ends is in the third and most supported meaning. It is a "term for African Americans that the black community is generally offended with for betraying their roots usually for dating Caucasian girls, dressing too white, talking too white, etc. The term is branded OREO since they are 'black on the outside, white on the inside."

Mrs Persad-Bissessar made the Oreo remark at a weekly meeting held by her party called 'Monday Night Forum'. I have often said that if I were someone accused of alcoholism, as the opposition leader has been for many years of her political life, I would not call my party gathering a 'forum', which has been twisted by many into a 'foh rum'.

But in the Oreo meeting she went a step further. During a

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lunch with the now-deceased celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain, a local businessman, Mario Sabga-Aboud, said that the one per cent of people of Syrian descent, the majority of whom were born and live in Trinidad and Tobago, controlled the economy of Trinidad and Tobago. This immediately precipitated a massive backlash against people of SyrianLebanese descent, causing one of my friends to complain bitterly, "Boy, yesterday I was 100% Trini and today I become 1%."

Although it is believed that all political parties receive support from that powerful interest group, the opposition leader did not spare them in her 'Forum'. According to the Trinidad Guardian newspaper, which incidentally is owned by one of the so-called 'one per cent', the 'one per cent owns Keith Christopher Rowley." She is quoted as saying, "They tried to own Mr Manning, eh, they couldn't do that, they didn't get away with that ... . They tried their luck ... . They tried to own me, but I sent them packing ...They have their 'Oreo' now, who is their guy in Keith Christopher Rowley, and that's how the one per cent friends and family of Rowley control him."

Guilty of racist comments Opposition supporters will inevitably claim that the government speakers at various events in the past and over the years are also guilty of statements about them that may be interpreted as racist. However, when I raised that with my friend, his immediate response was, "Two wrongs don't make a right."

He also reminded me of a previous public statement by the opposition leader when she referred crudely to who did or did not "put down pipe" by her. I had no answer to that, but got lost thinking about whether any biscuit would be appropriate for describing Dr Rowley or anyone else. Oreo produces a 'Chocolate' variety that is dark inside, but although this slur lessens the political impact of what was termed 'Afro-Saxon' by the Black Power leaders in the early 1970s, it also makes it more directly racist instead of less.

Would Dr Rowley's clean-shaven scalp or my lack of hair entitle her to call us 'Garibaldi'? While saying someone is a 'Boortsog' might sound like an insult, it is really a Mongolian dessert with lots of honey and sugar dipped in tea. There are people who might compare a minister in the present government to a 'Caramel Shortbread', also known as the 'Millionaire's Shortbread', because of its rich caramel and chocolate mix.

A great statesman or woman would earn the accolade 'Lincoln Biscuit', but, given the level to which our politics, made even worse by blatant racism has descended, none of our leaders has yet reached this elevated status, and it would take more than four score and seven years for them to do so.

There is one cookie I favour called the 'snickerdoodle' because of its cracked surface. If anybody asks me why, it is because that is the way the cookie crumbles.

Tony Deyal was last seen saying it is a rum thing for an Oreo to leave a bad taste in his or anyone else's mouth.

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