Caribbean American Weekly - Issue 52

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Shirley Patterson: Put Experience On Your Side VISIT US ONLINE AT WWW.CAWNYC.COM

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BY CAW EDITORIAL STAFF

he appointment of New York State Assemblyman Karim Camara, from the 43rd Assembly District, to an administrative position by Governor Andrew Cuomo, has created a vacancy for one of the most vibrant politically led districts in Brooklyn, and already three formidable candidates are vying to fill the vacant post by way of a special election scheduled for Tuesday, May 5, 2015. Those candidates are: the incumbent Female District Leader from the 43rd Assembly District, Shirley Patterson; the Female District Leader challenger, Diana Richardson; and the

“I’m Using all the Legal Powers Vested in Me” ...see page 10

Patterson with supporters Hamilton and Adams

continued on page 7

Being Fat & Comfortable Comes At A Price ... see page 18 (CV2) Pornography Addiction in a Relationship ... see page 19 (CV3)

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coalition of chambers: The New American Chamber of Commerce (NACC), the Hispanic-American International Chamber of Commerce (HAICC) and the African-American International Chamber of Commerce (AAICC), is teaming up with the Green Party of New York to launch the Green Party Political University. This political educational institution will focus on continued on page 14

“It is my hope that Pope Francis’ visit to the U.S. will lead to comprehensive immigration reform passage in the House and Senate.”

-Brian Figeroux

...see page 13

Green Party’s Howie Hawkins

Brian Figeroux, Esq.

Are Injuries Covered When the Employee Is Partially at Fault?... see page 25

Jamaica Top Producer of Ilegal Marijuana ... see page 2

An Invitation from NYC Comptroller ...see page 22

Dr Jeff Gardere on Family Matters ...see page 9

The Pyschological Impact on Victims of Civil Rights Violations

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BY VANDELL PARK

he history of the United States is fraught with the embarrassment of one race using its wealth and power to suppress other races or people of other ethnic origin. This elitist attitude exercised by the white population here in the United States seems to have its genesis in a culture itself that perpetuates feelings of doubt, fear, hate, an inept attitude and

repression, to the extent that it becomes a way of existence. The history of the arrival of whites to the shores of this country demonstrates that those who came were escaping the suppression of their own people, but have used that same attitude of bigotry to establish themselves here in the United States as they unreservedly and mercilessly destroyed the indigenous people of this land to establish

Six Overlooked Tax Breaks for Individuals ...see page 24

continued on page 4

Meet David Arthur Granger ...see page 6

Rihanna Is A Girl On Fire ...see page 17 (CV1)

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Caribbean Consulates

Anguilla 845 Third Avenue New York, N.Y. 10022 Tel: 212-745-0277

Antigua & Barbuda 610 Fifth Avenue, Suite 311 New York, N.Y. 10020 Tel: 212-541-4117

The Bahamas 231 East 46th Street New York, N.Y. 10020 Tel: 212-421-6420

Barbados 820 Second Avenue, 5th Floor New York, N.Y. 10017 Tel: 212-551-4325

Belize 675 Third Avenue, Suite 1911 New York, N.Y. 10017 Tel: 212-949-1240

Dominica 800 Second Avenue, Suite 400H New York, N.Y. 10017 Tel: 212-949-0853

Dominican Republic 1500 Broadway, Suite 410 New York, N.Y. 10036 Tel: 212-768-2480

Grenada 800 Second Avenue, Suite 400K New York, N.Y. 10017 Tel: 212-599-0301

Guyana 308 West 38th Street New York, N.Y. 10018 Tel: 212-947-5119

Haiti 815 Second Avenue,6th Floor New York, N.Y. 10017 Tel: 212-697-9767

Jamaica 767 Third Avenue New York, N.Y. 10017 Tel: 212-935-9000

Martinique 444 Madison Avenue, 16th Floor New York, N.Y. 10022 Tel: 212-838-6887

Montserrat 845 Third Avenue New York, N.Y. 10022 Tel: 212-745-0200

Panama 1212 Avenue of the Americas, 6th Floor New York, N.Y. 10036 Tel: 212-840-2450

St. Kitts & Nevis 414 East 75th Street, 5th Floor New York, N.Y. 10021 Tel: 212-535-5521

St. Lucia 800 Second Avenue, 9th Floor New York, N.Y. 10007 Tel: 212-697-9360

CARIBBEAN SPECIAL REPORT One Third of all the Marijuana Produced in the Caribbean Comes from One Island

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ONDON, United Kingdom, (CMC): A report by the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) has found that Jamaica remains the largest illicit producer and exporter of cannabis herb in Central America and the Caribbean.

The INCB 2014 report showed that the island accounts for approximately one third of cannabis herb produced in the Caribbean.

It said that increased production of the drug has been noted in other countries, in particular Dominica and St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

“Jamaica has also become a hub for the trafficking of cocaine, owing to the displacement of trafficking routes as a result of the strengthening of drug trafficking countermeasures in Latin America,” the report stated, noting that the problem is compounded by the “fact that Jamaican criminal groups are using the elaborate networks originally established to traffick cannabis and cocaine as well.”

The report, which examines the global trade in illegal drugs, noted that in Jamaica, drug trafficking takes place at airports through drug couriers, baggage and air freight and at seaports via containers, cargo vessels, underwater canisters attached to ship hulls, shipping vessels and speedboats.

“Illicit drugs are traded for money, guns and other goods, and much of the proceeds are used to foster criminal activities. The ports of Kingston and Montego Bay, which are used for the bulk movement of containerized shipments of cannabis herb and cocaine to Europe and North America, continue to experience serious issues involving corruption, violence, intimidation and the circumvention of legal controls.”

The INCB said that in addition, illicit drugs are often attached to the bottom of shipping vessels destined for Guyana, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago.

It noted that in 2013, Jamaica had the Caribbean’s second-highest reported murder rate, behind the much smaller Saint Kitts and Nevis, with 1,197 homicides, up nine per cent from 1,099 in 2012.

In 2013, the Jamaica government eradicated 247 hectares of cannabis plant, compared with 711 hectares the previous year.

“The total area of cannabis plant cultivation in Jamaica was estimated at 15,000 hectares, out of total arable land of approximately 120,000 hectares. Statistics indicate that 30,900 kg of cannabis were seized in 2013, compared with 66,832 kg in 2012.

“Cannabis trafficking organizations in Jamaica focus on trafficking directly to Canada and the United Kingdom, as well as to the Bahamas, the Cayman Islands, the Dominican Republic and Haiti, for onward shipment to Europe and North America.

“There has also been a significant increase in shipments of cannabis herb to Barbados, Guyana, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, and Curaçao, in some cases in exchange for cocaine trafficked back to Jamaica,” the report stated, adding that “heroin and “ecstasy” have entered the Jamaican domestic market in small amounts only during the past few years”.

It said that with respect to cocaine, official statistics indicate that 1,230 kg of cocaine were seized in Jamaica in 2013, compared with 338 kg in 2012.

“Organized criminal groups from South and Central America and local groups continue to take advantage of the country’s weak State and police structures. Corruption, along with porous maritime borders, with isolated beaches and coastal villages, and the country’s status as a popular tourist destination and major container transshipment point, further facilitate the tra!cking of illicit drugs between Jamaica and North America, Europe and elsewhere in the

Caribbean.”

The report notes that while Barbados is not a major producer of illicit drugs, cannabis cultivation has been found in sugarcane fields, gullies and enclosed yards near private homes.

“Cocaine continues to be trafficked using private boats, cargo vessels, yachts, shipping vessels and “go-fast” boats. Shipments of illicit drugs may be transferred at sea at predetermined Global Positioning System (GPS) coordinates for retrieval by local vessels at sea.”

It said the shipments are later unloaded on deserted beaches in Barbados.

“The majority of cocaine is believed to be sourced from Colombia, trafficked through the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Trinidad and Tobago and/or Guyana before entering Barbados, and then further trafficked to Europe and/or North America. There are no reports of production, trafficking or consumption of methamphetamines or other designer drugs.”

According to the Caribbean Human Development Report of the United Nations Development Programme, Barbados is one of two countries, Suriname being the other, out of seven countries surveyed where the homicide rate, including gang-related killings, has not increased substantially in the past 12 years.

The report notes that Belize is a trans-shipment country for cocaine and precursor chemicals used in the production of illegal drugs, including synthetic drugs.

In 2012, Belizean authorities seized and destroyed 19.1 tons of cannabis, 156 tons of precursor chemicals, 114.9 kg of cocaine, 1.4 kg of “crack” cocaine and 4.9 kg of crystalline methamphetamine.

Law enforcement entities in Trinidad and Tobago seized 110 kg of cocaine and 3.7 tons of cannabis between January and September 2013.

A total of 328,600 mature cannabis plants were destroyed during the same period.

The reported notes that the other Caribbean countries surveyed were Antigua and Barbuda, Guyana, Jamaica and St. Lucia.

It said that the development and successful implementation of initiatives for the prevention and treatment of drug abuse in Central America and the Caribbean are largely restricted by the limited resources and institutional capacity of countries in the region.

“Given those constraints, governments have had to strike a balance between competing developmental priorities and the need to adopt drug abuse prevention and treatment measures.

“In Central America and the Caribbean, use of cannabis and cocaine remains high; with the exception of amphetamine-type stimulants, the use of other illicit substances remains low. The estimated average prevalence of cocaine in Central America and the Caribbean, at 0.6 per cent and 0.7 per cent, respectively, is higher than the global average,” the report added.l

Source: www.caribbean360news.com

St. Maarten 675 Third Avenue, Suite 1807 New York, N.Y. 10017 Tel: 800-786-2278

St. Vincent & The Grenadines 801 Second Avenue, 21st Floor New York, N.Y. 10017 Tel: 212-687-4981 Trinidad & Tobago 125 Maiden Lane New York, N.Y. 10038 Tel: 212-682-7272

For more Consulate information go to www.cawnyc.com/directory

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CONVERSATIONS

The American Indian Influence on the American Constitution

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BY CAW EDITORIAL STAFF

he saying: “The more you live, the more you learn,” undoubtedly proved true in the understanding and knowledge of who were among the key players responsible for framing the Constitution of the United States of America. A 1993 article written by Robert J. Miller entitled: “American Indian Influence on The United States Constitution and Its Framers,” highlights the integral role of the Native North American Indians in the construction and legal parameters of the laws that govern this great country. A thorough understanding of how the laws of this country came into being will greatly impact one’s response to their enforcement and overall perception of their intent and application.

Knowing how the Native Indians influenced the framing of the U.S. Constitution not only exposes white supremacist theories about the American Native Indians, but also unravels the hegemonic concept lived and portrayed by both colonialists and their descendants regarding rights and ownership of this great nation.

In fact, such knowledge will also enlighten many on the immigration debate that is so often hijacked by conservative white politicians. It is therefore essential for our readership to be educated on matters of such crucial importance, since their livelihood and future survival hinges on the facts contained in the historical records of this country’s existence and development. The very introduction of Miller’s article states: “History is usually written by the strong or the victori-

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My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. —Hosea 4:6 Publisher I.Q. INC.

Managing Editor & Editor-in-Chief Pearl Phillip

Senior Editor Colin A. Moore, Esq. Legal Advisor Brian Figeroux, Esq.

Assistant Editor Marilyn Silverman ous and the role of the minor or the vanquished participants is usually downplayed or forgotten. Similarly, many writers of the history of the United States portray Indians as having had little impact or playing no role at all in the development of this country. However, a closer examination shows a major Indian influence on many aspects of American life affecting us to this day.”

In light of this understanding and the crucial importance of such knowledge, Caribbean American Weekly (CAW), in collaboration with the Immigrant’s Journal Legal & Educational Fund (IJLEF), will embark on disseminating the contents of Miller’s article as a public education guide. The article which can be accessed on the internet at a cost, can now be even more accessible without a cost since it is now displayed on the websites of both CAW (www.cawnyc.com) and IJLEF (www.ijlef.org). It is important at this

point in time for minority communities, and in particular the immigrant community, to be cognizant of these historical facts so as to be informed about the issues of social justice, immigration, rezoning of housing boundaries and other key issues that may affect their future livelihood.

Individuals across the tri-state area and wherever the Caribbean American Weekly circulates, are invited to read the article and share it with their close friends and colleagues so as to ignite the flame of knowledge about the true history of these United States. It is only as we understand where we came from and where we are headed, that the many obstacles and challenges in our path to realizing the American Dream can be overcome, in order for us, as a people, to fulfill Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream for us to be victorious and evidently free.l

President Obama to Visit Jamaica

.S. President Barack Obama is to visit Jamaica on April 9 for talks with Caribbean Community (CARICOM) leaders, Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller has said.

“The Government of Jamaica is delighted that President Obama will be visiting Jamaica at this time. The visit of President Obama will take place on the eve of the Summit of the Americas to be held in Panama from the 10th to the 11th April 2015.”

“It is expected that the President will be proceeding from Jamaica to Panama for this hemispheric encounter which will welcome for the first time the participation of our closest neighbor the Republic of Cuba,”

TEAM

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Prime Minister Simpson Miller said in a statement to Parliament.

Obama will meet with regional leaders prior to his arrival in Panama for the Summit of the Americas.

It will be his second meeting with CARICOM leaders following his meeting in Port

of Spain, Trinidad during the Summit of the Americas six years ago.

“As a member of the hemispheric family of nations…during this historic visit, Jamaica will also host an encounter between President Obama and the Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community for discussions on issues on the CARICOM/USA including security and trade.

“Heads of Government will also exchange views on regional and international issues of mutual interest. As is the regional interest the CARICOM/US summit will be cochaired by the US president and the current Chairman of CARICOM Perry Christie, Prime Minister of the Bahamas,” she added.l

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Impact on Victims of Civil Rights Violations continued from page 1

dominance and control.

Through the centuries, this suppressive culture phased its way in different paths, even as it impacts the lives of its fellow Europeans who came to these shores seeking a better way of life, before the colonial masters who had captured the black race from Africa and used them for their personal gains, traded them to these shores to serve as slaves. The historical evidence of this humiliating practice and torture of the black race will continue to be indelibly etched in the walls of history. Sadly, though, while the open practice of slavery, colonialism, and the hate exerted toward whites abated, the practice continue to exists and from time to time flares unchecked even in the modern day justice system. The civil rights and liberties that should be dominant in a country where freedom of speech and expression are the hallmarks of the nation’s success are still being blatantly trampled on systematically by federal and state policies and laws, and more often over the years, by police officers and the justice system.

In fact, despite having constitutional laws to recognize the equal civil rights and liberties of all human beings in this country, those civil rights are very often denied and trampled on. In her book, And Justice for Some: An Expose of Lawyers and Judges who let Dangerous Criminals Go Free; Wendy Murphy wrote: “Victims rights laws are often ignored because in most states these laws contain a sneaky

the emotional response of hate violence victims appears to be the absence of lowered self-esteem.

The ability of some hate violence victims to maintain their selfesteem may be associated with their attribution of responsibility for the attacks to the prejudice and racism of the perpetrators.”

The recent reacEsaw Garner, center, wife of Eric Garner, breaks down tion of whites, clause stuck somewhere toward the end, blacks and other minorities following the that typically says—in so many words— Eric Garner choke hold death at the hands none of the aforementioned rights shall be of police officers, and the unarmed shootenforceable.” ing of Michael Brown in Missouri, The result of these blatant atrocities authenticate the 1994 research findings, as leads to diverse emotional and psychologthousands took to the streets in anger to ical effects on the victims. While some protest the atrocities of the crimes. One victims suffer from fear, future victimizawhite observer, Davi Cohen, commenting tion, sadness, and depression, social scion the civil rights cases of Garner and ence researchers have discovered that vicBrown, had this to say: “This violence and tims of crimes, including civil rights violasuffering are disproportionately felt by tions develop intense rage and anger. In people of color and just not different peo1994, Arnold Barnes and Paul H. Ephross, ple. Whether it’s the lack of context or my writing under the topic, “The Impact of unconscious use of language that reinHate Violence on Victims Emotional and forces White supremacy, it is important to Behavioral Responses to Attacks,” states: me to be clear. What I mean is that a racist “Crime victims often experience feelings system causes suffering to all, but that of powerlessness and increased suspicion when it comes to police violence, Black of other people (Bard & Sangrey, 1986). people are suffering and affected in ways These emotions were also reported by victhat I— as a white person—have never tims of hate violence. A major difference in experienced directly.”

CIVIL RIGHTS

The emotional and psychological scars imbedded in the minds of civil rights victims serves as both a defense mechanism as well as a revenge motivator, while in other instances may just be passive acceptance of the circumstances that exists, in order to survive and achieve one’s long term objectives. Kristen Bumiller in her book, the Civil Rights Society-The Social Construction of Victims, says: “Victims often comes away from situations in which they perceive prejudicial treatment feeling isolated and broken. Their anger, emotions and outrage are dissolved by a sense of confusion and fear. People cannot begin to see their grievances as part of a collective struggle unless they can make sense out of the complex social processes that produce their disadvantaged position in society.”

Researchers are still trying to identify the severity of the psychological impact of civil rights crimes on victims. Meanwhile, minorities, though at times lash out at what they perceived to be injustices perpetrated against them by the policies and systems enforced daily across the United States, remain subdued to the point of complacency, as they are prepared to accept what they term, the indelible emotional and psychological effects of slavery on their lives. Rather than continue the fight for civil rights and justice started during the 1960’s, many minorities have concluded that it is better to look after one’s self interest and flow with the tide of the system and survive.l

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FAITH IN THE COMMUNITY

A Clarion Call for Men to Step Up to Their Responsibility in Society

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BY VANDELL PARK

he Men’s Ministry Department of the Northeastern Conference of Seventh-Day Adventists is undertaking the crucial role of empowering men within the organization. At a recent men’s retreat held at Camp Berkshire, Upstate New York, more than 100 men were encouraged to stem the tide of the feminization of men within the Christian church, the home and society by standing up to their God-given responsibility as leaders. Director of the Men’s Ministry Department, Fred Patasaw, says that while women make up about 80 percent of our societal structure and are quickly taking advantage of key leadership positions in society, the time has come for men to step up and assume their God-designed role: “The objective of this program is to empower our men, to strengthen them, heal them and give them the tools that they need to accomplish these goals. One of the topics discussed was the Feminization of Adventists Men. You see, what is now happening in a number of Christian churches, we have not been fulfilling God’s design for men to lead his church; therefore, men need to step up. We want to get there, so that is why we chose this topic. The way churches are structured today are turning away men and we want to change that, so making men conscious of what is happening around them may inspire them to step

up and take up their God-given role as leaders in the home, the church and eventually in the society.”

The Northeastern Conference Men’s Ministry Department has organized this empowerment retreat annually for the past five years. At these forums, the men are exposed to conversations on topics such as: The Manipulated Man- -a growing practice by women who consciously or unconsciously use every form of psychology to impose their authority to get their way, upon the men in their lives—mainly their husbands or significant others. Men, on the other hand, though knowingly aware of the imposition, choose to either allow or deliberately overlook women’s aggression in the name of peace. Other topics are: The Conspiracy against

Fatherhood, Men Marry Their Imaginations…the Power of Sex, and How to Deal with Verbal Abuse. According to Elder Patasaw, the growing trend of womens’ power in society is emasculating men, thus weakening the core fabric of our homes, culture, church and our society. He says education and constant activism among men may serve as an effective barrier to this growing trend among women.

Meanwhile, one presenter, Clifford Fields, a life skills coach and counselor, turned the torch towards the men, whom he believes have abdicated their roles as men. He metaphorically classified some men as having ADHD, since many of them operate as though diagnosed with a similar symptom. He explains: “ADHD stands for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. I

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took the acronym and I put it as Absent Dad from the Home Disorder, meaning, as Christian men we are supposed to be in our children’s lives, working with them every day along with our wives. A lot of men both forego and usurp that opportunity that they have done nothing about it, so the kids come out messed up; the wife doesn’t feel like the man really loves and cares for her; therefore, my presentation basically intends to get men to focus on what their role is supposed to be based on what God says. Men need to be men by showing they care and that they are there to provide moral, financial, social and spiritual support for their wives and children. A woman loves a strong man-- a man whom she can count on to protect and guide her; failure to do so… will [make her] disrespect you in more ways than one.

Men just need to take more responsibility especially Christian men. Once this is done, there will be a fair balance of mutual respect among the genders.”

The men who attended the retreat also voiced their observations about the women phenomenon that is unfolding in their personal experiences. Many men expressed their gratefulness to the department leaders for organizing the forum and for the knowledge imparted to them, making them more cognizant of the issues, and equipping them with the right attitude and knowledge to deal with the situation. l

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6 NEWS

CARIBBEAN POLITICS

Hon. David Arthur Granger: Soldier, Scholar and Public Servant

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BY COLIN A. MOORE, ESQ.

n his relatively brief career, David Arthur Granger has played many roles— that of an esteemed soldier, an illustrious scholar and a visionary public servant. He is, in many respects, a force of nature, a breadth of fresh air, a multi-dimensional Renaissance man. He is the leader of the opposition party in the National Assembly in Guyana, the leader of a partnership for national unity (APNU), a leader of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) and a leader of the new coalition between APNU and Alliance for Change (AFC).

David Granger is a graduate of the University of Guyana where he received the BA and MA degrees, the University of the West Indies where he received a post-graduate diploma in International Relations, and the University of Maryland where he was a Hubert Humphrey Fellow. He also attended the University of California at Los Angeles, where he took a course on Urban Policy Development, and the National Defense University in Washington, DC, where he took a course in Defense Planning and Resource Management; and the University of Florida where he attended a workshop on Counter Terrorism and Joint Special Operations.

Brigadier Granger is a former commander of the Guyana Defense Force and National Security Adviser to the President. He received his military training at the Mons Officer Cadet School and School of Infantry in the United

Kingdom. He also attended the Jungle Warfare Instruction Center in Brazil and the Army Command and Staff College in Nigeria.

Granger has written extensively on national defense and public security issues. He is a author of National Defense: A Brief History of the Guyana Defense Force, 1965-2005; Public Security; Criminal Violence and Policing in Guyana; and the Crisis of Government in Guyana.

David Granger has also written several monographs including, Five Thousand Day War; The Struggle for Haiti’s Independence 1789-1804; The British Guyana Volunteer Force 1948-1966; The Guyana National Service 1974-2000; The Guyana People’s Militia 1976-1997; The Queen’s College Cadet Core 18891975; The Village Movement 1839-1889.

He is co-editor with Winston McGowan and James Rose of Themes in African Guyanese History.

During his four-year career as a political leader, Granger has outlined the three significant issues facing Guyana -- 1) The One Guyana Project; 2) The Concept of Inclusionary Democracy and 3) Local Government Reform.

•The One Guyana Project Professor David Granger, the historian, has traced the historical antecedents of the One Guyana Project to the coalition government established by LFS Burnham on May 26, 1966 under the mantra of One People, One Nation, One

Destiny. He also pointed out that LFS Burnham had entered coalition talks with the PPP in 1966, and resumed those talks in 1984, with the intent of establishing a government of national unity. It was under the leadership of the second leader of the PNC, Hugh Desmond Hoyt, that attempts were made to incorporate members of civil society into the PNC, and the name of the party was changed to the PNC Reform (PNCR). Under the leadership of the third leader of the party, Robert Corbin, an attempt was made to bring the parties together and to forge the One Guyana Alliance. Granger, as the fourth leader of the party has tried to advance the One Guyana Project by creating A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and by establishing a partnership with the AFC. He intends to establish a government of national unity after the elections of May 11, 2015.

•The Concept of Inclusionary Democracy Granger has also articulated the concept of Inclusionary Democracy. He has pointed out that the PPP has implemented a policy of “winner take all” —the philosophy that “to the winner goes the stash, and to the vanquished goes the trash.” “This winner take all” ideology has been supplemented by a system of constitutional government that “articulates the concept of the Imperial Presidency — that the President is the head of state, the executive leader of the cabinet, and commander in chief of the armed forces, while, the leader of the opposition has been relegated to the status of a “paper tiger” or “a toothless bulldog.” Prior to the elections of 2011, the PPP had dominated both the executive and legislative branches of government, and had established a one party dictatorship. When the PPP lost its majority status in the legislature after the elections of 2011, it orchestrated a systematic campaign to diminish the authority of the National Assembly. It has challenged the Assembly’s decisions in the High Court.

The President failed to assent to the bill to which he disagreed. The PPP has spent monies that have not been authorized by the Legislature. The PPP failed to adopt and implement legislation passed by the Assembly. The PPP deployed the state

media as a weapon to be used against the opposition.

Granger has proposed a constitutional system under which the Legislature may be independent from the executive branch of government. An independent procurement commission will ensure legislative oversight over contracts negotiated by the executive branch of government, an independent judiciary will adjudicate the constitutionality of both legislation passed by the assembly and the executive actions taken by the President,; and an independent press, the fourth estate, will debate the propriety of actions taken by the other three branches of government — legislature, the executive and the judiciary.

•Local Government Reform Granger has persistently called for local government elections in 2015. Local government election is not a sexy topic.

It does not have the cachet or resonance of a topic, such as the No Confidence motion. Granger has pointed out that under the PPP administration, there has been a twenty-one year delay in the holding of Local Government elections. This constitutes not only a violation of the letter and spirit of the constitution, it is a violation of the statutes passed by the National Assembly, and a violation of the pledge made by the PPP in its election manifesto of 2011. Granger has pointed out that the twenty-one-year-old delay in the holding of Local Government elections has led to 1) a decline in Local Government democracy; 2) the imposition by the Central Government of a colonial-era system of direct rule imposed by the central government; 3) has paralyzed the entire Local Government administration; 4) has undermined the economic development in many municipalities and village communities; 5) has led to the deterioration in the physical infrastructure; and, 6) has led to the onset of urban and rural blight in many municipalities and rural communities. Granger has advocated the resurgence of the most dynamic system of village and municipal governance, since the Local Government reforms of the 1950s.

I would like to conclude this profile of Granger by quoting the words of another nationalist, Rabindranath Tagore, as he expressed his aspirations to create a united and integrated nation on the Indian subcontinent: Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high, Where words come out from the depth of truth, Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way Into the dreary desert sand of dead habit, Into that heaven of freedom, my father, let my country awake.l

Colin A. Moore is the Senior Editor of Caribbean American Weekly.

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7

NY POLITICS

Shirley Patterson: Put Experience On Your Side continued from page 1

current Male District Leader, Geoffrey Davis, the brother of former New York City Councilman, James Davis.

However, the incumbent Female District Leader, Shirley Patterson says she is the most qualified person to fill the position since she is already a leader in the district and has a keen understanding of the needs of the people and the challenges they face. Patterson believes that her knowledge of the various issues encountered by the district at the New York State level, gives her the edge above her opponents in the upcoming special elections: “I am currently dealing with the housing problem that plagues the district. I know the ins and outs of this district. I have been fighting for this district as its leader for almost 15 years. I believe the time has come for me to take the fight for my people to Albany. I am committed to continuing the good work of our outgoing Assemblyman, Karim Camara, and to continue building on the foundation that he has built over the last ten years.”

According to Patterson, it is incumbent upon her to fight for the rights of the people in the district, especially in the wake of what appears to be a hostile takeover of the district by housing developers. She noted that already the issue of affordable housing is a huge challenge in the district as a number of individuals are losing their rent-stabilized housing and landlords are squeezing every penny from the many residents who are already earning below the poverty line: “My platform will be centered around the housing problem since it is my pet peeve. A number of landlords and even the city, seems to care less about the well-being of the lowincome workers who live in this district.

My goal is that once I get to Albany, I will advocate on behalf of these people and try to pass legislation that will allow

Shirley with son, Malik and grandchildren, Leila, Amira and Nadia

these people to pay rent equivalent to about 30 percent of what they earn. It is one thing to talk about affordable housing, yet the Area Median Income (AMI) stipulated by the New York State Housing Department is way above the earning capacity of the people. Other issues I want to deal with are the equal rights for women, especially the pay parity that now exists between men and women. It is a shame that here in New York women still earn 15% less than a man who has the same job. I want to ensure that immigrants living in my district and across New York State have fair access to the essentials needed to live in this state such as their children being able to access financial assistance for college and being able to obtain a good education, [and] immigrant parents being able to drive to work and provide for their chil-

dren most of whom are citizens of this country. I worked for seven years in the city education system; thus, education is one of my priority agenda. I also want to advocate on behalf of our senior citizens and women and men who suffer from domestic violence. These are just some of the key issues I intend to deal with when I get to Albany.”

Patterson says that once given the opportunity to represent the district as its Assemblywoman, she will ensure that the concerns of the people are brought to the state legislature, since she intends to meet regularly with the residents, even by visiting their homes to understand their problems so that she can adequately represent their needs. She says a vote for her means their voice in Albany: “I don’t know how better to say this, than to say, come out and vote for me on Tuesday,

May 5th 2015. You have placed your trust in me before by electing me as your District Leader; you have seen the work that I have done on your behalf over the past 15 years. I want to take my representation for you to a higher level. All I am asking is your support by coming out to vote. If you stay at home, someone else might win that may not represent you the way I would, so kindly make sure that you come out and vote for me, Shirley Patterson, to become your next voice in the New York State Legislature.”

Patterson will run as an independent candidate for the Assembly seat since a hiccup in the Democratic Party Primary nominations for the candidate resulted in her name being left off the ballot for this special election on Tuesday, May 5th, 2015.l

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8 NEWS

NY POLITICS

Assemblyman Barron Lashes Out at NYC Mayor and Police Commissioner

V

BY VANDELL PARK

eteran politician and first-time New York State Assemblyman, Charles Barron, is outrage at both Mayor Bill De Blasio and NYPD Commissioner William Bill Bratton, for insisting on enforcing the Broken-window policy extensively used by the New York City Police Department. According to Barron, the policy should not be used because it unfairly targets people of color and gives them a criminal record that will damage their characters for life: “First of all, my objection is to the Mayor, the socalled progressive Mayor, to bring in Bill Bratton who was hired by the most racist, vile mayor we have ever had in the history of New York City and that is, Rudolph Giuliani. For him to bring in Bratton and call himself progressive is a major contradiction because in 1994, when Bratton was here they had a Broken Window Policy; they called it Stop and Frisk, but is really racial profiling.Little Nicholas Heywood, 13 years old, in the hallway in the projects development, killed by Bratton’s police; Anthony Byass up in the Bronx, football Histacar choked to death

by Bratton’s police; for you to bring him back and then everybody is complaining about the police turning their backs on De Blasio at a funeral, that is not the

issue…the bottom line is that BrokenWindow’s theory says that if you stop every Black and Latino youth in economically depressed neighborhoods that this capitalist system produces, that they will then not commit certain crimes, that is a fallacy and a theory that is not working.

We are saying to De Blasio that you are now giving our people criminal records that they shouldn’t have because of littering, loitering, jumping a turnstile, an open container or bag left unattended, riding a bike on a sidewalk; you go through the system now, you no longer just get a summons, and that’s the reason why Eric Garner is dead now, because of selling loose cigarettes, loose, cigarettes!

You choke somebody for loose cigaretts.

They already knew he had some summonses for that.”

Assemblyman Barron says if Mayor Blasio wants to resolve the standoff between the community and the police and rebuild the relationship between himself and the police, he has to fire NYPD Commissioner Bratton who introduced the Broken-Window Policy that is creating the tension between the police and members of the community: “Bratton needs to go and take his theory with him. This policy has you arrested and put through the system for minor offenses, and the stupidity of the theory, in fact, the racism of the theory is that, that will stop you from committing bigger crimes later. You mean you are going to bust me for loitering and that will stop me from becoming a bank robber later on, it’s just plain stupid, and it allows for the continual contact and conflict between our community and the police department that is racist to the core.

When we talk about racism in the police department we are talking about a systemic thing. It doesn’t matter if a black cop does it or if a white cop does or if a Latino cop does it, the policy is racist. If Eric Garner were white, in a white neighborhood selling loosies, the police would have said to him, Eric we got you again and wrote him a summons and kept going, they wouldn’t have choked him to death. Then worse than the police, is the judicial system itself. The whole world saw him being choked to death and still we can’t get a jury system to indict these officers and send them to jail. After all these atrocities committed by the police, they say these officers need training, these officers were already trained; they need cultural sensitivity; they need to understand the black communities. Put their behinds in jail for 20 years for murder, then I will buy them a black history book to read while in jai;, they need punishment when they take our lives.”

According to Assemblyman Barron, the silent protest staged by the New York City police officers following the deaths of the two NYPD officers, Wenjian Liu and Rafael Ramos in December of 2014, clearly shows that the Broken-Window policy is used as a revenue-generating machine for the city, rather than a proactive crime protection mechanism. Barron

declares: “If you can have a slowdown and have less arrest and crime doesn’t shoot up, it shows you that they should not have been arresting us in the first place. So, for Bill De Blasio to say that he will take the police officers to court so they can give us more summons because the city is losing revenue, he is just as bad as the police are, and therefore they themselves by way of their own actions, exposes the NYPD for what it is. It is a foreign occupying force in our neighborhood that is arresting us and giving us summons so that the city could make more revenue. Even with the marijuana issue where they are not just going to give you a summons alone, that’s just capitalism trying to earn revenue, so for me the police should slow down some more.”

Assemblyman Barron says Blacks, Latinos and Asians, all minorities, need to be empowered by understanding the system they are dealing with and eradicate the scourge of racism and capitalism being imposed upon them by voting politically to ensure that there are people in power who will represent their rights.

He noted that just putting a Black man in office is not the way to go since many Black politicians are not culturally authentic and would take the position and continue the same racist policies. He noted that the majority of the 52 New York City council seats are occupied by minorities and still they are not using their power to make the necessary changes that will benefit their constituents.

The Broken–Window theory was introduced by social scientists James Q. Wilson and George L. Kelling in 1982, as a theory to stop vandalizing of property and other small crimes from escalating into larger criminal infringement of the law. Barron says it was first introduced in New York City by now Police Commissioner William Bratton under Mayor Rudy Giuliani, therefore, Mayor Blasio is now solely responsible for the continuance of this Broken-Window policy that unnecessarily gives mostly multicultural residents of New York City a criminal record. l

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9

FAMILY MATTERS

A Brand-New Family Has Emerged: Multiple Children By Multiple Fathers

I

BY MARILYN SILVERMAN

n homes, in rural and urban communities, resides the stereotypical American family—1 mother, 1 father plus 1+ children. But behind some of these closed doors a unique, sad, and stressful family infrastructure has emerged on the scene among our population of African American women—multiple children with multiple fathers, as this is commonly alluded to in academic circles.

An investigation of this novel societal phenomenon has been extensively explored in a 2011 study entitled, “A Portrait of Multiple Partners Fertility,” presented at a meeting of the Population Association of America that found that even though this is idiosyncratic of the population at large, viz., ¼ of all American women today are defined by this unit, it is a more prevalent portrait among African American women and unfortunately, as would be expected, there is a detrimental impact on the families that are touched.

Pertinent statistics tell the best story.

According to the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth, 1 in 5 American moms out there have given birth to more than one child with more than one father. And according to Cassandra Dorius, the lead researcher of “A Portrait,” a whooping 59% of all African American women share their homes with these family members. This alarmingly and disturbingly high rate occurs simultaneously as out-ofcontrol and out-of-wedlock rate within the perimeters of the African American community.

Dorius states that their status in the labor market is in the category of the underemployed, and consequently they have tinier weekly paychecks to deposit in their bank accounts and furthermore, are less educated—all three contributory factors leading to a downward spiral: a present and future life of impoverishment.

It is an encouraging bit of news that the father does in fact enjoy loving relationships with their children. The paternal instinct is there, but it is not enough.

According to Dr. Jeff Gardere, better known as Dr. Jeff, who enjoys the distinction of being among the most revered mental health professionals in the nation and a regular guest on such television shows as “The Bill Cunningham Show” on PIX11, “I would say it’s a rare case where a father doesn’t love a child and is not doing the best that he can. Of course you do have the situation where there may be some men—this is not relevant to black men only—who are irresponsible or who have their own emotional issues and are not present for their children the way they should be.”

Despite the paternal love, placing that ring on their baby mamma’ s finger is not on their agenda. Obviously, waiting for years for him to make a decision and enter that jewelry store and make that purchase can explain why the mother makes the painful decision to break up and to again embark on a new relationship producing

ever more children. Still no marriage proposal and no marriage ceremony as they jump into relationships where they hope they will graduate from baby mamma to wife.

It’s disturbing how these innocent offspring of these troubling unions will become transformed from innocent child to dysfunctional child manifesting such negative behavior as drug abuse and experimentation with sex at an early stage of maturation—kids who are unwittingly the unwilling victims in this scenario. As Dr. Jeff articulated, “Black males are much more at risk for being arrested, killed in their neighborhoods and also in altercations with law enforcement. So when you don’t have two parents to be there to support the child, the child becomes more at risk.”

Who are the culprits who are creating this unhealthy home milieu? The mother, who apparently is not visiting the pharmacy and purchasing birth control and using it when those bedroom lights are switched off and who are apparently not selecting available men from the available pool of men who are capable of assuming responsibility. But folks, let’s not let the man off the hook so easily. Why is he hopping into bed with so many women with no thought of tomorrow? Why isn’t he transformed from lover/boyfriend/father into husband?

According to Amerah Shabazz-Bridge,

Memphis Child Advocacy Center, while growing up she had no role model. “In the environment that I came out of, sex was the only thing that would get and keep a man.” She got caught up in a tangled web of getting pregnant from different relationships—all the while desperately on the hunt for a husband. But what is important for Shabazz-Bridge, is that her “half siblings… were always my children….They always knew who their father was.”

As Dr. Jeff said, “Siblings get along.

They realize they’re a family unit. It doesn’t matter where there are different fathers. The fact is that it’s the same mother….We know that African American women, whether it’s in a steady relationship or whether there’s been numerous relationships have been at the forefront of raising these black families. Do we want to see more stable relationships? Do we want to see more marriages? That’s the goal of all society…it’s not necessarily a black issue.”

So in essence, both halves of the equation are the culprits—something must be done to stem this growing epidemic since generations of children will most probably enter the judicial system due to drug abuse and there will be unwanted pregnancies and a life of poverty for all involved.

Nsenga K. Burton, editor at large and regular contributor, The Root, says that these women are not brainstorming and decid-

ing that their dream is to bear children by a melange of men. These breakups occur for other reasons beside an uncommitted father—domestic violence, financial stress, philandering and verbal abuse.

That African American mother you see leisurely strolling down the street on a sunny afternoon holding hands with, or pushing a carriage with, half siblings, is an unhealthy family environment that must be addressed and ameliorated. According to Shabazz-Bridge, the solution resides in one word—“Education,… Women who had multiple children came out of a dysfunctional family in that they had no role model.” Who should assume responsibility for this educational initiative?

“Education should start in the home with parents. If the parent doesn’t know that we have a cycle of babies having babies it will continue.“ She offers another solution. The community and churches should be the teachers. Why the church?

“Because churches are where we go when we’re hurting. We must tell the black man to take responsibility of having sex. You get unwanted pregnancies….”

The year of this study was 2011, but as Shabazz-Bridge, said, this problem has been around “Forever,…”

In summation, Dr. Jeff astutely observed, “ I don’t think they [A Portrait] was just looking at 2011. They’re looking at a retrospective…trends and behavior that’s been going on for many years.”l

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10

MONEY MATTERS

How to Talk About Money Before Marriage

W

BY MATT BELL

hen you’re getting to know the person you’re thinking about marrying, there’s so much to learn. Some of it comes about through questions as you ask each other about past experiences and future goals. Some of it also comes about through observation. Does he respect his parents? Is she usually on time?

But it isn’t always easy for couples to talk about money. Nor is it easy to understand the truth about the other person’s finances just through observation. You can see if they’re a generous tipper, but just because they drive a nice car doesn’t mean they’re doing okay financially. The car may have come hitched to a boatload of debt.

That’s why, if you’re seriously considering getting married, it’s important to talk about each other’s finances. When asking the following questions focus on listening and understanding, not judging or fixing.

Five Key Financial Questions Here are my picks for the five most important pre-marriage money questions: 1) How much debt do you have?

Research shows that having debt increases the likelihood that couples will fight

about money, and couples who argue about money are more likely to divorce than any other topic of dispute. If one person has a lot of debt, find out what happened. Did it come about through some unusual circumstance or plain old overspending? The key here is to see if the cause of the debt has been addressed.

If not, hold off on the wedding until it is addressed.

2) What’s your credit score? Scores range from 300 to 850. The higher the score, the better. If a person’s score is below 700, you’ll want to dig deeper. Do they tend to pay their bills late? Whether or not bills are paid on time is the most influential factor in determining your score, counting for 35%. A really low score may also indicate a prior bankruptcy or foreclosure.

It may sound boring or intrusive, but it’s an act of love to share your credit reports with each other. Just as with the first question, if there’s a problem, the key is to see if steps have been taken to fix the problem. If the person has a history of late payments, is that still going on or was that in the past?

Get your free credit reports from each of the three national credit bureaus at AnnualCreditReport.com, and then buy one of your credit scores for $19.95 from MyFICO.com. You’ll have the option of

4) Do you use a budget? National research I’ve conducted has found that couples who use a budget, experience fewer financial disagreements than those who don’t. Do you both agree that you will operate your household with the use of a budget? Even better, put together a budget for your first year as husband and wife before you get married.

5) How much do you give away each year? If generosity is a priority for you, you’ll want to make sure your spouse is like-minded.

buying scores from two of the bureaus, but you just need one for now. It doesn’t matter which one you choose.

3) Do you want to have children? This one isn’t directly a financial question, but the natural follow-up question has huge financial implications: will one of us stay home full-time if and when we do have kids? I encourage all couples to live primarily on one income, but this is especially important for couples who want to have children and want to have one parent step out of the paid workforce. The single most helpful financial move you can make is to prepare to live your prechildren days primarily on one income.

Are you both on the same page on this?

There are plenty of other questions to ask as well. In fact, early in my new book, “Money & Marriage: A Complete Guide for Engaged and Newly Married Couples,” I devote two chapters to questions and other exercises designed to help you get to know each other financially. But I believe these are five of the most important questions to discuss before getting married.l Matt Bell is a personal finance author, speaker, and blogger at MattAboutMoney.com. He has written three books, including Money, Purpose, Joy. Matt has been featured in USA TODAY, US News & World Report, and many other media outlets.

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11

OBAMA ADMINISTRATION

President Obama: Being ‘As Aggressive As We Can’ Defending Executive Actions

P

BY AMANDA BEADLE PETERSON

resident Obama said during a recent town hall in Florida that his Administration is being “as aggressive as we can” to defend his executive actions against a legal challenge brought by 26 states. After a federal judge in Texas temporarily halted the President’s deferred action initiatives, the expansion of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents (DAPA), the Justice Department filed an emergency stay asking the federal judge in Texas to lift the temporary hold.

The President said, “I’m using all of the legal power vested in me in order to solve this problem.”

“We’ve got some disagreements with some members of Congress and some members of the judiciary about what should be done, but what I’m confident about is, ultimately, this is going to get done.” Later, he added, Congress must approve legislative reforms to improve the U.S. immigration system instead of relying on temporary fixes. President Obama acknowledged that his initiatives do not help everyone, noting that his

Date: Friday, April 17, 2015 10am-12noon

“I’m using all of the legal power vested in me in order to solve this problem. We’ve got some disagreements with some

members of Congress and some members of the judiciary about what should be

done, but what I’m confident about is, ultimately, this is going to get done.”

—President Obama

executive authority has limits, and that his actions could be undone by another administration. “In order to make sure that we don’t have any heart-breaking stories with respect to immigration, we’re going to have to fix the law,” he said. And he assured low-priority immigrants that they should not be afraid, according to the New York Times:

I]mmigrants who would qualify for deportation reprieves and work permits under those actions — including people brought to the United States as young children, and the parents of American citizens — should be confident that they

will not be deported. He said he had ordered immigration and border officials to focus on criminals and recent immigrants in carrying out any deportations.

“Even with legal uncertainty,” Mr. Obama said, “they should be in a good place.”

Despite the temporary hold on the deferred action initiatives, the enforcement changes included in President Obama’s November executive actions should continue to move forward. In addition to the lawsuit, some Republicans in Congress are pushing for a bill to defund DAPA and the expanded requirements for DACA that President

Obama announced in November. The President told MSNBC’s Jose DiazBalart that he would not be deterred. “In the short term, if Mr. McConnell, the leader of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House, John Boehner, want to have a vote over whether what I’m doing is legal or not, they can have that vote,” President Obama said. “I will veto that vote because I’m absolutely confident it’s the right thing to do.”

Despite the short-term roadblocks to his executive actions, President Obama said there would be a long-term solution on immigration reform. “This is going to get solved because at some point there’s going to be a President Rodriguez or there’s going to be a President Chen,” Obama said. “The country is a nation of immigrants, and ultimately it will reflect who we are and its politics are going to reflect who we are.” l

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12 NEWS

IMMIGRATION

Overview of Criminal Bars to DAPA

O

n November 20, 2014, President Obama announced a series of reforms modifying immigration policy (“Executive Action”). After the announcement, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary, Jeh Johnson issued agency-wide memoranda expanding deferred action and revising immigration enforcement priorities.

This advisory offers strategies to prevent the removal of individuals who meet the criteria set forth in the memoranda, thus qualifying for the expanded Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program (“Expanded DACA”) or the newly-created prosecutorial discretion program for certain parents of U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents, Deferred Action for Parental Accountability (“DAPA”).

The Administration also announced that it has established new priorities for enforcement, many of which are based on criminal conduct or convictions. It stated that these priorities will serve as the bars to the new DAPA program.

DAPA offers benefits similar to the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program that has existed since 2012. It provides “deferred action,” which means that, even though the individual is undocumented and subject to deportation, the government agrees to “defer” any actions to remove him or her.

While deferred action does not provide a

pathway to lawful permanent resident status (a Green Card) or citizenship, it will allow recipients to remain in the U.S. and obtain an employment authorization document that will entitle them to work here legally. Deferred Action status will be for three-year periods. Because the program is a change in policy and not in law, it can be withdrawn at any time and without the procedural protections associated with a person’s visa or immigration status. In the DACA context, DHS has indicated that it may, at its discretion, terminate deferred action at any time.

The DHS Enforcement Memo sets out factors that make certain removable immigrants a priority target for arrest and removal. These factors also act as bars to eligibility for DAPA.

Crime Bars to Deferred Action for Child Arrivals (DACA) Not really. DAPA is subject to the abovecited Enforcement Memo, while DACA is not. The DAPA and DACA crimes bars are very similar in some ways. Both DAPA and DACA are barred by conviction of any felony, a “significant” misdemeanor, or three misdemeanors.

However, even here there are differences, for example, in the definition of what constitutes a felony and misdemeanor. Also, it is clear that an expungement removes a conviction as an

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absolute bar to DACA, but this has not yet been clarified for DAPA.

How are the crimes bars to DAPA and DACA different?

The Enforcement Memo includes bars that apply to DAPA but not to DACA, such as conviction of an aggravated felony and certain convictions and conduct relating to gangs. (Of course, while such conduct or convictions are not absolute bars to DACA, they may serve as negative discretionary or public safety factors in cases.)

Criminal Bars: One Felony, Three Misdemeanors, or a Significant Misdemeanor Defenders who are familiar with the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) criminal bars will find this part familiar, because this part of the DAPA bars is very similar (although not identical).

Felony For purposes of DAPA, a felony is “an offense classified as a felony in the convicting jurisdiction, other than a state or local offense for which an essential element was the alien's immigration status.”

Some states, such as Maryland and Massachusetts, define misdemeanors to include certain convictions that have a potential sentence of more than a year, for example, 18 months or two years.

Under the above definition, these should not be “felonies” for DAPA purposes, because the convicting jurisdiction does not classify them as felonies. (The result is different under DACA, which defines a felony as an offense with a potential sentence of more than a year.)

The Enforcement Memo provides that a state conviction for which immigration status is an essential element of the offense is not a disqualifying “felony.”

However, a federal felony conviction relating to immigration law – for example, illegal re-entry – is likely to be a bar to DAPA and have additional penalties.

Warn any undocumented person with such a conviction not to submit any application to immigration authorities without first getting expert consultation, because he or she might be referred for removal and further federal criminal prosecution.

Three Misdemeanor Convictions DAPA can be barred by convictions of “three or more misdemeanor offenses, other than minor traffic offenses or state or local offenses for which an essential element is the alien's immigration status, provided the offenses arise out of three separate incidents.” Minor traffic convictions might include driving without a license, speeding, or driving without insurance.

Some offenses, often called “infractions” or “offenses,” are considered to be less than misdemeanors. As of November 24, 2014, it is not clear whether or not these will constitute one of the three misdemeanors for DAPA. If this is important, get expert assistance to evaluate whether the following will be treated as less than a misdemeanor for DAPA purposes: (1) an offense that is punishable by five days in jail or less (this was not a misdemeanor under DACA rules), or (2) the proceeding lacked key constitutional protections for a criminal case, such as the availability at some point of a jury trial, the requirement that guilt be established beyond a reasonable doubt, or other factors (some state dispositions created without these protections have been held not to be a “conviction” for immigration purposes).

Note: Any misdemeanor will become a “significant misdemeanor” if it is for certain types of offenses, or if the person was sentenced to 90 days or more (not including suspended sentences) on any single count.

Conviction of One “Significant Misdemeanor” A “significant misdemeanor” is a standard that applies to both DACA and DAPA. It appears not to be subject to the categorical approach (the federal standard for comparing elements of a prior conviction to a generic definition), and there is not strict uniformity or court review of the definition of the term.l

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13

IMMIGRATION

Pope Should Remind Congress that Values Matter in Immigration Debate

H

BY ERIC GIBBLE

ouse Speaker John Boehner recently announced that Pope Francis has accepted an invitation to address a joint session of Congress during his first visit to the U.S. later this year. While we do not know if the Pope will share his views on U.S. immigration policy, if he does, it won’t be the first time he has urged word leaders to show more humanity towards migrants arriving at our borders.

Ironically, announcement of the papal visit comes as the House debate continues over whether to withhold funding for the Department of Homeland Security as a way to protest President Obama’s executive action on immigration—an announcement which was applauded by the Catholic Church.

Since the papal conclave elected him to lead the Catholic Church in February 2013, Pope Francis hasn’t shied away from urging Americans to adopt a humane, compassionate response to our immigration challenges. For example, when tens of thousands of immigrant women and children arrived at the U.S. border after fleeing violence in Central America, the Pope called on U.S. legislators to be compassionate to those seeking

“A change of attitude towards migrants and refugees is needed on the part of everyone, moving away from attitudes of defensiveness and fear, indifference and marginalization —all typical of a throwaway culture — towards attitudes based on a culture of encounter, the only culture capable of building a better, more just and fraternal world.”

—Pope Francis

refuge from the world’s most dangerous countries noting, “This humanitarian emergency requires, as a first urgent measure, these children be welcomed and protected.”

The Pope also recently wrote a personal letter to teen workers at the Kino Border Initiative, a bi-national organiza-

tion that is based in Nogales, Arizona and in Mexico, who serve migrants on the U.S.-Mexico Border. Twenty Kino teens wrote to the Pope about their experiences living on the border and serving migrants. His letter encouraged the teens to continue their work aiding migrants and added: “These young people, who have come to learn how to strive against the propagation of stereotypes, from people who only see in immigration a source of illegality, social conflict and violence, can contribute much to show the world a Church, without borders. Never tire of working to build fraternity and welcome against discrimination and exclusion.“ Also, in contrast to the sealed-border policies Congress is currently considering, Pope Francis suggested to reporters in January that if he were to visit Mexico it would be a great show of solidarity with migrants to walk through the U.S. border with Mexico.

In September, with the full attention of Congress, the Pope should use his address as an opportunity to remind lawmakers the immigration debate before them is about far more than politics—it’s a reflection of their values and humanity.l

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14 NEWS

GREEN PARTY CORNER

10 Things You Didn’t Know About the New York Green Party

T

Needless to say, the Democratic and Republican parties remain staunch supporters of Israeli apartheid.

BY BRIAN JONES CANDIDATE FOR LT. GOVERNOR 2014

he Green Party of New York State incorporates in its agenda a commitment to such values as environmentalism, non -violence, social justice and grassroots organizing, in essence, renewing the ideals of democracy without depending on the support of corporate donors and providing real solutions for real problems.

1. Greens are part of the movement to end the New Jim Crow. The Green Party of New York has called for an end to the War on Drugs. New York leads the nation in marijuana arrests, which is the main reason that our jails are filling up with young Black and Brown people. Not only have the Greens marched alongside thousands of other New Yorkers in the new #BlackLivesMatter movement, they have joined calls for ending Broken Windows policing, ending Stop and Frisk, for the restoration of voting rights for felons, and for the formation of a Truth and Reconciliation commission to examine the impact of the War on Drugs on communities of color, and to recommend appropriate reparations to its victims.

2. Greens are staunch supporters of immigrant rights. While the Democrats and Republicans go out of their way to attack immigrants, the Greens have consistently called for New York to be a sanctuary state for immigrants. They support full legal equality and access to public services for immigrants, regardless of their status.

3. Starting with raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour, the Green Party’s jobs plan builds on the best anti-poverty ideas of the Civil Rights Movement. In the late 1960s, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. joined with other civil rights movement leaders to propose a Freedom Budget for All Americans. This budget showed that it was possible to end poverty in America by providing every able-bodied adult with a living wage job, and everyone else with a guaranteed income. Today, we can provide millions of New Yorkers with wellpaying work by a state-sponsored program to build our renewable energy infrastructure.

4. The Green Party is the only party that can solve the climate crisis. While the planet continues to burn, New York’s top Democratic politicians receive tens of millions of dollars from the fossil fuel industry. In the long run, that means they are committed to hydrofracking, natural gas extraction, and so-called “cleaner” fossil fuels. The Green Party supports research-based plans to convert the state’s entire energy infrastructure to renewable energy within 20 years. This plan would create millions of jobs. We are going to have a Green economy in the future, or no economy.

5. The Green Party’s health care plan is

better than Obama’s. We support universal, single-payer health care. Everybody in, nobody out, and no hospital bills. All over the world, free, tax-supported universal health care systems have the best outcomes for the lowest cost. Private health insurance companies are an obstacle to quality care because they make money by denying claims. Only a universal, singlepayer system can give everyone access to high-quality medical care and get the profit motive out of the way.

6. The Green Party opposes privatization and union busting. The public sector is five times more unionized than the private sector. Collective bargaining means more wealth and power for working-class people, and the public sector is necessary for providing essential services without serving a profit motive. The Democratic and Republican parties have both promoted the privatization of schools, hospitals, and transportation services, to name a few.

The Green Party wants to strengthen the public sector, and expand collective bargaining rights to more workers in more occupations.

7. The Green Party is a truly independent party. The Democratic and Republican parties rely on donations from millionaires and corporations. The Green Party refuses to take money from corporate donors, and limits individual contributions (in New York State) to $2,500. The Green Party aspires to be the party of working people. The rich already have two parties. We need one of our own.

8. The Green Party can win elections.

Green mayors have been elected in the villages of New Paltz, Greenwich, Victory, and Cobbleskill. Greens have been elected to town boards, school boards, and city councils in Ithaca, Afton, Ellenville, and other New York cities and towns. In many races in New York’s biggest cities, the Greens on the left have displaced the Republicans on the right as the second party and the main opposition to the status quo Democrats. In the last statewide election, the Green gubernatorial ticket received 5% for third place and received 50% more votes than Govornor Cuomo received on the Working Families Party ballot line. There may be eight ballot qualified parties in New York State ballots, but all the other “third parties” cross-endorse major party candidates. The Green Party is the only “third party” that runs its own candidates against both the Democrats and Republicans.

9. The Green Party supports the movement for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions on Israel. Israel’s illegal and brutal occupation of Palestine must end.

The Green Party has pledged, if elected to executive office in this state, to divest New York State financially from Israel.

10. You can join the Green Party today.

You can do this by changing your party registration.

You can get the registration form online from the state Board of Elections: http://www.elections.ny.gov/VoterRegFor mRequest.html. You can become a duespaying supporting member by going to the Green Party website: http://www.web.gpnys.com. As a member of the Green Party, you can not only participate in local campaigns, you can help to shape the policy of the state-wide organization.l

Register Now for Law, Business & Politics Leadership Program/continued from page 1

preparing individuals across the five boroughs of New York City and the tri-state area, on the various aspects of political leadership and voter preparation for all levels of federal, state, city and local district elections. Green Party 2014 Gubernatorial Candidate Howie Hawkins, says that after his experience in the 2014 gubernatorial race and the lack of knowledge shown by many New Yorkers about the political process and elections, and in particular, the vast number of individuals who are not cognizant about political leadership for their state, city and local communities, he is very excited to partnering with the Coalition of Chambers of Commerce to provide the relevant political education to all who wish to attend the new University: “I am very thrilled to be a part of this great movement to ensure my constituents across New York State and the five boroughs of New York City, be given the opportunity to learn the political process of this nation and this state. Many individuals have the potential to become political leaders and with this University opening up to them, they now have an excellent chance to become the next District Leader, City Council Member, State Assembly Representative, or even the next Mayor or Governor of this great state of New York. I am happy to partner with Coalition of Chambers of Commerce to launch this University and therefore encourage as many individuals to seize the opportunity to educate themselves about the different processes of political leadership. You are the ones who stand to benefit from this new venture, so grasp the oppor-

tunity now.”

The Green Party will undertake to provide a structured curriculum on Leadership Development, Political Advocate Programs, New York Election Law, Campaign Financing/Budgeting, Petitioning, Introduction to Community Organizing, Introduction to Federal Election Law and preparation of New York Campaign Questionnaires.

According to Hawkins, this academic institution will help to alleviate the many political problems and hiccups currently existing across New York State and nationally. He says: “It is my hope that with more people being educated about the political process, they will share with their friends and communities, the valuable lessons they will learn at these classes so that the members in their communities will make more informed choices about the people they elect to political leadership. As we have noticed in the past elections in New York State, people have been elected to office who do not have the people’s interest at heart, for instance, Governor Andrew Cuomo and the decisions he is making that are harming our people, especially his decision to partner with the charter schools and cut spending on public education. We need leaders who will represent the needs of their constituents and not their own agenda, and this kind of leadership will only come through proper political education; thus I hope this University will provide that kind of informative and educational structure.” l

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16 NEWS

AMERICAN DREAM

Are You Struggling to Pay Your Mortgage?

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he possibility of losing your home because you can’t make the mortgage payments can be terrifying.

Perhaps you’re having trouble making ends meet because you or a family member lost a job, or you’re having other financial problems. Or maybe you’re one of the many consumers who took out a mortgage that had a fixed rate for the first two or three years and then had an adjustable rate – and you want to know what your payments will be and whether you’ll be able to make them.

Regardless of the reason for your mortgage anxiety, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the nation’s consumer protection agency, wants you to know how to help save your home, and how to recognize and avoid foreclosure scams.

Know Your Mortgage Do you know what kind of mortgage you have? Do you know whether your payments are going to increase? If you can’t tell by reading the mortgage documents you received at settlement, contact your loan servicer and ask. A loan servicer is responsible for collecting your monthly loan payments and crediting your account.

Here are some examples of types of mortgages: •Hybrid Adjustable Rate Mortgages (ARMs): Mortgages that have fixed payments for a few years, and then turn into adjustable loans.

•your payment on your first mortgage (including principal, interest, taxes, insurance and homeowner’s association dues, if applicable) is more than 31 percent of your current gross income; and •you can’t afford your mortgage payment because of a financial hardship, like a job loss or medical bills.

•ARMs: Mortgages that have adjustable rates from the start, which means your payments change over time.

•Fixed Rate Mortgages: Mortgages where the rate is fixed for the life of the loan; the only change in your payment would result from changes in your taxes and insurance if you have an escrow account with your loan servicer.

If you have a hybrid ARM or an ARM and the payments will increase – and you have trouble making the increased payments – find out if you can refinance to a fixed-rate loan. Review your contract first, checking for prepayment penalties.

Many ARMs carry prepayment penalties that force borrowers to come up with thousands of dollars if they decide to refinance within the first few years of the loan. If you’re planning to sell soon after your adjustment, refinancing may not be worth the cost. But if you’re planning to stay in your home for a while, a fixed-rate mortgage might be the way to go. Online

calculators can help you determine your costs and payments.

If You’re Behind On Your Payment If you are having trouble making your payments, contact your loan servicer to discuss your options as early as you can.

The longer you wait to call, the fewer options you will have.

Many loan servicers are expanding the options available to borrowers – it’s worth calling your servicer even if your request has been turned down before. Servicers are getting lots of calls: Be patient, and be persistent if you don’t reach your servicer on the first try.

•You may qualify for a loan modification under the Making Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP) if: •your home is your primary residence; •you owe less than $729,750 on your first mortgage; •you got your mortgage before January 1, 2009;

If you meet these qualifications, contact your servicer. You will need to provide documentation that may include: •information about the monthly gross (before tax) income of your household, including recent pay stubs.

•your most recent income tax return.

•information about your savings and other assets.

•your monthly mortgage statement.

•information about any second mortgage or home equity line of credit on your home.

•account balances and minimum monthly payments due on your credit cards.

•account balances and monthly payments on your other debts, like student loans or car loans.

•a completed Hardship Affidavit describing the circumstances responsible for the decrease in your income or the increase in your expenses.l

Source: Federal Trade Commission

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CV1

NEWS

nHEALTH

nENTERTAINMENT

nRELATIONSHIPS

nRECIPES

nSPORTS

RIhanna is A Girl On Fire

BY PERLITA

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hen Alicia Keys penned and sang the song, “This Girl Is On Fire,” we can pretty much bet that she wasn’t referring to Rihanna at the time. The Barbados-born, Caribbeanloved and world–adored and iconic superstar is definitely on fire. The year 2015 is young, but it’s clearly the Year of Rihanna. At the tender age of 27, Rihanna is breaking and setting records at a historic, neck-breaking speed. On the heels of being named the most streamed female artist in the world, Rihanna has been hired as the first black model to front Dior’s “Secret Garden” campaign this spring; a feat achieved almost 70 years after the label’s founding. That it took so long is another story. We are proud and glad it’s Rihanna, who happens to be doing so

F

much better than the “supermodels”. Additionally, The International Business Times reported that Rihanna would also become the face of the “J’adore Dior” campaign, replacing Charlize Theron. Rihanna has been filmed for the campaign in a sparkly silver sequin dress in Versailles’s Hall of Mirrors.

Beverly Johnson, the supermodel who made history by being Vogue’s first black cover model in 1974, told the Daily Beast on the news that Rihanna was about to become the first black model to front a Christian Dior campaign: “I’m elated. I guess it’s better late than never. Welcome to the 21st century.” On Rihanna, she had this to say: “I adore her style. She loves fashion, she’s unafraid. She uses her imagination, which is something we should all strive to do.”

Speaking on her latest fait de accompli, Rihanna explained: “It feels fantastic. It is such a big deal for me, for my culture, for a lot of young girls of any color. I think to be acknowledged by Dior means a lot, as a woman, to feel beautiful — to feel elegant and timeless.”

Currently, Rihanna stars in the new animated movie, Home, which tells the story of Oh, a sensitive alien (played

by Jim Parsons) who inadvertently sabotages his race’s conquest of Earth. Steve Martin is the captain who orders Oh’s arrest, while Rihanna gives voice to Tip Tucci, the refreshingly wry preteen human who goes on a globetrotting adventure with Oh to evade capture.

From alien to Earth, Rihanna’s domination continues.

Months after putting CBS in its place for pulling her intro from Thursday Night Football, Rihanna and CBS seem to have kissed and made up. A new Rihanna song, American Oxygen, will serve as the official “musical backdrop” for the NCAA tournament and the singer will perform in Indianapolis during the NCAA March Madness Music Festival.

Right now, I‘m just hoping and waiting for People’s magazine most beautiful, Rihanna cover. See ya!l

nHOROSCOPE

Kitchen Corner

Slow Cooker Pernill Pork SUBMITTED BY COUNTRY COOK ALLRECIPIES.COM

"Puerto Rican style pork roast, but done in the slow cooker. It's so tender and flavorful. Best of all, it's so easy to make!" " — Country Cook Ingredients cloves garlic (your choice) 1 large onion, quartered 2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano 1 tablespoon ground cumin 2 teaspoons ground ancho chile pepper 2 teaspoons salt 2 teaspoons ground black pepper 1 teaspoon olive oil 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar 1 (3 pound) boneless pork loin roast 1 lime, cut into wedges

Directions 1.Place the garlic, onion, oregano, cumin, chile pepper, salt, and pepper into a blender. Pour in the olive oil and vinegar. Puree until smooth. Spread

this mixture all over the pork loin, and place into a slow cooker.

2.Cook on low until the pork is fork tender, 6 to 8 hours. When ready, cut the pork into chunks, or shred; garnish with lime wedges to serve.l • • •

PREP 20 mins COOK 6 hrs READY IN 6 hr 20 mins

Visit www.cawnyc.com for the latest Caribbean news, sports, information and more!

Jamaica Spells Spring Break

rom beach parties and live reggae concerts to cliff-side sunsets and rainforest adventures, Jamaica is the best place for families, friends and couples to jet to when spring arrives. The destination offers special packages for those looking to share in its spring break or carnival events, or simply wanting to relax on Jamaica’s white sand beaches.

With non-stop flights available from most major cities across the U.S., Jamaica continues to be a popular, easily accessible destination.

“Whether traveling to experience spring break events, or to relax and unwind with family, Jamaica offers live music on the beach, outdoor excursions, a vibrant culinary scene, world-class attractions and more,” said Jamaica’s Director of Tourism, Paul Pennicook. “This year

marks the 27th anniversary of Carnival in Jamaica and we welcome travelers to break out of their winter coats and experience the vibrant activities taking place here in Jamaica, the Home of All Right."

For details on upcoming special events, attractions and accommodations in Jamaica go to the JTB’s Web site at www.visitjamaica.com or call the Jamaica Tourist Board at 1-800-JAMAICA (1-800-526-2422). Follow the JTB on Facebook at www.facebok.com/visitjamaica, on Instagram at www.instagram.com/visitjamaica.View the JTB blog at www.islandbuzzjamaica.com.l

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CV2 NEWS

HEALTH

Being Fat and Comfortable Comes At A Price

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BY RHONDA HALL

ow. “You have a better chance of turning 25 again than you do of losing 25 lbs."

Wow! All I could think was "wow" when I heard that arrow shot directly towards me. Too many of us hear discouraging words on a daily basis that determine our own mind-set on how we are going to treat ourselves.

When I heard that foolishness I made up in my mind that I was going to lose the weight. Being the overachiever that I am, I not only lost the 25pounds, I lost 50. So take that, I thought. Then what happened next is what most dieters' experience. I gained it all back plus some. I placed those very harsh words that once fueled my determination in the back of my mind, and I became very comfortable being obese. However, being fat and comfortable comes with a price. I know morbid obesity is the politically correct term but I think the real way to say it is fat and dying. Don't judge it, just respect it.

I knew I needed to lose weight but didn't. For me to make the lifestyle changes I needed, it took a diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes, the expense of medications and supplies, and a talk with God. Have you ever heard, "you have such a nice face" and the compliments stop there because clearly you don't have society's ideal body image. People disregard what you say because you look like you have no

control over your life. Even when you go to the doctor and due to the fact that you're on the larger size, they minimize your concerns and take your complaints as something that just happens to big people.

Don't let it happen! Become a better advocate for yourself, and be ready to push for more answers if you know something isn't normal for you.

Being my own advocate helped save my life. I went to the doctors complaining that my ankles were swollen while I was on a trip. The physician advised me that everyone swells up when they travel. I was frustrated with her response; it felt like a total disregard for my very valid concerns. I've been traveling all my life. My family is from the South, and I live in New

England. I don't normally experience swelling when I travel.

When the phone rang the next morning, I knew it meant there was a problem. The doubting-doctor informed me my thyroid doesn't work; I was diagnosed with hypothydroidism, a condition in which the thyroid doesn't produce enough hormones. All I could think about is why I had to work so hard to convince her that something was wrong. She said if untreated, it can lead to complications including obesity and heart disease. Medication was prescribed.

What came next was not good. My health was on a steady decline. My diagnosis, medications and bills were on a steady incline. I still didn't feel well and required four shots of insulin a day to live.

I had sleep apnea (breathing that temporarily stops during sleep), high blood pressure and high cholesterol. A perfect recipe for heart disease, which causes one in three women's deaths each year, killing approximately one woman every minute.

However, 80 percent of heart disease is preventable. Like most people with a family history of these types of health conditions I thought this is just how things are going to be. My mom and grandmother both have been diagnosed with diabetes and they live with it. I know I gained weight but with my hypothyroidism compounded by the voices in my head that said you'll never be able to do this I had convinced myself that this is just how

things are. No need to exercise I'm never going to be skinny.

But I changed my mind-set. I truly thank God for waking me up to the realization that skinny was never supposed to be my goal. Healthy was, and continues to be, the goal. I'm 100 pounds down and no longer insulin dependent. Working out each morning before work and sticking to a strict diet plan was the healthy combination needed to shed those unwanted pounds. I lost weight and reduced my thyroid, blood pressure and cholesterol medicines. I feel better than ever.

I want to show the world that if I can do it, so can you. I'm not going backwards, and I thank the people who called it impossible because I got a chance to prove that I am more than a conqueror through Christ who strengthens me. Healthy is my New Skinny!

I am proud to volunteer with the American Heart Association and share my story with other women. I encourage them to take responsibility for their health and make sure they get the medical care they need.l

This post is part of a series produced by The Huffington Post and the American Heart Association's Go Red For Women in recognition of National Wear Red Day (Feb. 6, 2015), the aim of which is to raise awareness that today women are more likely than men to have heart disease or a stroke, and 1 in 3 will die.

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CV3

LOVE & RELATIONSHIPS

Pornography Addiction—What to Do When the Other Woman Is on a Screen

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BY JHODIE-ANN WILLIAMS

eroin, cocaine, high consumption of alcohol—these are known addictions and red flags in any relationship—but what about porn?

We live in a culture where sex, ambiguous or not, is constantly flooding our consciousness. As a result we’ve become desensitized to how serious the consequences can be for individuals who experience sexually driven addictions, such as pornography. This, coupled with a “boys will be boys” mentality, has blurred the lines of what women should and should not expect in a healthy relationship.

According to the American Psychiatric Association, addiction is “a chronic brain disease that causes compulsive substance use despite harmful consequences.”

Regardless of what substance is placed in front of the word addiction, it remains an addiction—a disease. It’s easier to reason away behaviors that are harmful to a relationship, when the harm is not as blatant, but porn addiction can destroy the fundamental qualities of a relationship.

Here are some signs that women should pay attention to: 1.) He is spending a significant amount of time online and is secretive about what he is doing on the internet 2.) He is emotionally and mentally

unavailable to you 3.) His sexual tastes have changed drastically—more rough and aggressive 4.) He is increasingly critical of your body and comparing you to adult film stars 5.) He becomes defensive and evasive when you bring up the amount of porn he is watching Recent studies from the American Psychological Association show that there are parallels between porn and other forms of addictions, but the effects are not as evident as kidney failure, loss of

teeth, hallucinations, and extreme weight loss, so the severity is hard to measure.

Still, sexually driven addictions are increasingly being discussed in the science world and counseling sessions, as women begin to realize that their partner’s obsession with sex on a screen can be more than just an innocent pastime.

The connecting thread that links all addiction is a neurotransmitter and hormone in the brain called dopamine. The brain releases the hormone when it is exposed to any stimuli, which makes a person feel good. Different levels of this neurotransmitter affects our emotions. If it’s too low we can experience sadness, fatigue and depression. When high levels are released, triggered by whatever stimulant works for us, happiness, excitement, and euphoria can be experienced.

Women who choose to stay in a relationship, without seeking relationship counseling, despite signs of porn addiction need to put the concept of addiction into perspective. The same hormone released in the brain when a porn addict is exposed to sexual explicit material is no different from when a crack addict sees a crack pipe or an alcoholic pulls into the parking lot of a bar. If the compulsion to watch porn becomes stronger than his desire to spend time with his girlfriend, fiancée, or wife, then the neurochemical release of

dopamine, as with any other addiction, cannot be matched—not even by her. It’s the reason why drug and alcohol addicts completely give up their families, friends, jobs, and self-respect for their substance of choice. They crave that high and will completely disregard all logical reasoning to achieve it.

Long-term implications of staying in a relationship with someone who is addicted to porn can be detrimental to a relationship. Very rarely does the same degree of sexual explicitness continue to achieve the same level of neurochemical reaction that the addict is used to.

Eventually they hit a plateau, which propels them into a search to find something stronger. Pornography can be a gateway to other behavior, like cheating, which is more difficult to just sweep under the rug.

The feelings of self-consciousness and inadequateness are often inevitable for women who are in a relationship with a man addicted to pornography; however, men who suffer with porn addiction cannot see their partner for who she is they can only see her for what she can’t be. It doesn’t matter how beautiful, caring, attentive, and intelligent a woman is, she simply cannot compete with an addiction.

That’s why it’s important for couples to seek help and counseling, especially if they plan on continuing a relationship. l

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NEWS 21

SMALL BUSINESS MATTERS

AAICC Launches Small Business Educational Drive via a Radio Talk Show

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ewly-appointed President of the African American International Chamber of Commerce (AAICC), Anthony Herbert, will be launching a special two-hour radio talk show to educate the multicultural demographics across New York City on how to seize businesses opportunities and access funding that is already made available by the New York State and New York City administrations. Herbert says the time has come for multicultural people to develop themselves beyond landing middle-class jobs with state and city agencies and with the private sector and become business owners and employers themselves. He added that his radio talk show will focus specifically on how to start a small business and how to access the financial help needed for those startups: “The focus is to speak out more to the issue of business ownership and to encourage [the] same among our…[multicultural] communities. So the program idea for this talk show is geared to educating our people. The talk show will be called “State Your Business” and it will be a combination of business and politics and it is structured in such a way that we explore opportunities and point our listeners in the right direction where they can be registered as minority business owners and get themselves certified so they can develop themselves. This talk show will give them the necessary information and guide them as to how to access resources. As you know, small businesses are the engine of our economic growth and therefore we need more minority-owned businesses here in New York City and across the State in general.”

According to Herbert, the multicultural communities have the potential to elevate themselves, but what they need is guidance from their political, community and faith-based leaders who will also guide them into making those potentials a reality. He stated that his radio show will be the catalyst for small business development in multicultural communities and it will provide essential information from all sectors of the community that will ensure people are driven to action: “On this talk show we will have influential members of society, budding entrepreneurs, established business owners, franchise holders, financers, loan officials, hedge fund investors, people who are successful in the local and external business field to talk to our listeners and share their experiences on how they succeed to be where they are today and to encourage our listeners to become new financial giants and employers of their respective communities.”

Herbert, who is also a local politician, says he will make it his duty to go doorto-door throughout the multicultural communities in Brooklyn in particular, and encourage other political, community and faith-based leaders to do the same in the other boroughs, until blacks,

“This radio show will be the catalyst for small business

development in multicultural communities and it will provide essential

information from all sectors of the community that will

ensure people are driven to action...

Hispanics and other minority groups get the message that they hold their economic progress in their hands and the time has come for them to do something about it. He emphasized that the City and the State governments have allocated funds and resources for entrepreneurial development, but the multicultural demographics has to step up and capitalize on the provisions that are in place, the same way other demographics are utilizing the

—Anthony Herbert, President, AAICC

resources provided: “Look there are a number of franchising opportunities that African Americans, and particularly the Caribbean and Latin American communities, are not taking hold of. It is my intention to bring that information forward and working with potential businesses owners on how to own those franchises, be it a McDonald’s, a Taco Bell, a large fruit stand or even industrial businesses. The more small businesses we

develop in our communities, the more jobs we will create and this kind of advancement will only raise the bar of confidence other demographics will have in our communities. We have to set high expectations and work toward making those expectations fruitful and meaningful realities, tangible money-earning businesses, thus raising the standards of our communities. As the President of the AAICC, I will work collaboratively with the New American Chamber of Commerce and its affiliates and all other chambers of commerce across New York City to ensure my people access the resources available to business owners in New York City and New York State. We can do it and with your help and the efforts of countless others who are willing to see our communities engaged more in business, together we can succeed and become a force to reckon with, while at the same time fulfilling our American Dream.”

The two-hour talk show will be aired on www.allblackradio.com every Tuesday from 7pm-9pm. Herbert says listeners will be allowed to call in to ask questions as well as share what type of business interest they have so that they can be guided in the right direction. l

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22 NEWS

SMALL BUSINESS MATTERS

Comptroller Invites Small Businesses to Attend Minority Procurement Conference; Discusses First Year in Office

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“Part of what I am going to work on this year is

BY VANDELL PARK

ew York City Comptroller Scott Stringer says he will not leave any stone unturned as he seeks to ensure small businesses benefit from the $18 billion the city spends on goods and services yearly. Stringer says his job as Chief Fiscal Officer of the city is to provide a level playing field for all businesses operating in the city and to ensure they all benefit from the economy, since they are all owned by people who are working hard to provide a good life for themselves and others. The Comptroller stated that the city currently is delinquent in its obligation to disburse equitably its procurement contracts, offering minorityand women-owned businesses enterprises (MWBEs) a meager 4% of its contracts for goods and services and that is unacceptable. As a result, he is launching a new watchdog organization called the “Red Tape Commission” to adequately police the city procurement process. He explains: “Part of what I am going to work on this year is ways to make it easier for small businesses to survive in this tough city of ours. New York has a lot of

ways to make it easier for small businesses to survive in this tough city of ours. New York has a lot of programs to assist small businesses; we actually applaud when these small businesses open, whatever

industry that small business is about. We love the fact that they are located in our communities....”

programs to assist small businesses; we actually applaud when these small businesses open, whatever industry that small business is about. We love the fact that they are located in our communities.

Politicians run to cut ribbons when a new business opens, but it’s downhill from there; once the business opens, the city comes right back and issues fines and fees and tries to overregulate every struggling small business. The majority of them have a real hard time growing and sustaining themselves, so many small businesses fail and the city just kicks the business owner in the shin and the knees because of the way we treat these businesses. Through our Red Tape

Commission, I’m going to look at ways to use regulations to call out the city agencies that have been burdensome to small businesses, whether you own a bodega or a tech company; we have to give small businesses the opportunity they need. I am also arguing that we must invest more money from our budget in buying goods and services from our women- and minority-owned businesses. How else are you going to grow the economy in our diverse communities if you don’t invest in these businesses? Let’s face it, if you are an MWBE you are going to hire a kid locally, you are going to locate in Brooklyn and other places. Yet the city for all the big talk about income and equality, what is this all about when we can only give 4% … to our minorityowned businesses?”

Comptroller Stringer would like to extend an invitation to MWBEs to attend the Minority Procurement Conference presented by the New American Chamber of Commerce in partnership with the African American International Chamber of Commerce, the Hispanic American International Chamber of Commerce and the New York State Coalition of Hispanic Chambers of Commerce, Thursday, April 23, 2015, BNY Mellon. For more information, visit www.chambercoalition.org.

When questioned why he named the regulating body the Red Tape Commission, the Comptroller said: “I could have called it a lot of things like the harassment commission, destroy local businesses commission, but now that I am Comptroller, I’d like to be more moderate and I thought that [the] Red Tape Commission is a nice way to say that we are going to look at regulations; we are going to hold agencies accountable, but we are going to do it in a way that will hopefully get us cooperation…the goal is to break down roadblocks and help New Yorkers, so this is what we want to do so that businesses can aspire to the American Dream.”

Stringer has appointed Jessica Lappin, President of the Downtown Alliance and Michael Lambert, Executive Director of the Bed-Stuy Gateway Business Association, both small business representatives, as co-chairs of the commission; the other members of the commission are comprised of small business

—Comptroller Stringer

owners and other regulatory experts. The work of the commission is to strategically implement ways to eliminate the bureaucratic red tape that stifles the growth of small businesses across the city.

Meanwhile, the Comptroller quite humbly blew his own horn as he highlights his accomplishments since taking office one year ago: “It’s been such an exciting year. It’s certainly an honor and a privilege to represent the diverse communities of New York. Everywhere I travel across the boroughs I’ve seen so many people who aspire to do great things within our city.…I manage a $160 billion pension fund for the city; that’s 760, 000 individuals who will get a pension. We make sure that we invest our money carefully so that people have retirement security. I’ve also worked very hard to ensure that we rule out waste and fraud in our city agencies; we’ve issued very strong audits regarding the New York City Public Housing Authority (NYCPHA) and how they do not access to money that can be used to do repairs and fight mold and do the work that we need to do in public housing and we have called NYCPHA out on that. We looked at the Department of Education (DOE) and question why they lost 28,000 computers, computers that could go to children in the classroom, and we found out that they have no inventory to watch out for where those computers are, and you know that every time we find a computer in the closet or locker, unpacked, unused, that’s a child that is not getting the 21st century education that they need. We also [have] been very active in making sure that there is some justice as it relates to women- and minority-owned [businesses] (MWBEs). I cannot believe that the city of New York spends $18 billion a year on law firms, accounting firms, buying paper clips and paper, and, we spend $18 billion on procurement and only 4 % of that money goes to women- and minority-owned businesses, so this year we graded city agencies, failed a lot of them, and say that the city has to do better, because the only way that we are going to invest in our neighborhoods is if we invest in our MWBEs and I have taken the lead on this issue both locally and nationally as City Comptroller.”l

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24 NEWS

TAXES

Six Overlooked Tax Breaks for Individuals

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onfused about which credits and deductions you can claim on your 2014 tax return? You're not alone.

Here are six tax breaks that you won't want to overlook.

1. State Sales and Income Taxes Thanks to last-minute tax extender legislation passed last December, taxpayers filing their 2014 returns can still deduct either state income tax paid or state sales tax paid, whichever is greater.

Here's how it works. If you bought a big ticket item like a car or boat in 2014, it might be more advantageous to deduct the sales tax, but don't forget to figure any state income taxes withheld from your paycheck just in case. If you're selfemployed, you can include the state income paid from your estimated payments. In addition, if you owed taxes when filing your 2013 tax return in 2014, you can include the amount when you itemize your state taxes this year on your 2014 return.

2. Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit Most parents realize that there is a tax credit for daycare when their child is young, but they might not realize that once a child starts school, the same credit can be used for before and after school care, as well as day camps during school vacations. This child and dependent care

tax credit can also be taken by anyone who pays a home health aide to care for a spouse or other dependent—such as an elderly parent—who is physically or mentally unable to care for him or herself. The credit is worth a maximum of $1,050 or 35 percent of $3,000 of eligible expenses per dependent.

3. Job Search Expenses Job search expenses are 100 percent deductible, whether you are gainfully employed or not currently working—as long as you are looking for a position in your current profession. Expenses include fees paid to join professional organizations, as well as employment placement agencies that you used during your job search. Travel to interviews is also deductible (as long as it was not paid by your prospective employer) as is paper, envelopes, and costs associated with resumes or portfolios. The catch is that you can only deduct expenses greater than 2 percent of your Adjusted Gross Income (AGI). Also, you cannot deduct job search expenses if you are looking for a job for the first time.

4. Student Loan Interest Paid by Parents Typically, a taxpayer is only able to deduct interest on mortgage and student loans if he or she is liable for the debt; however, if a parent pays back their child's student loans, that money is treat-

ed by the IRS as if the child paid it. As long as the child is not claimed as a dependent, he or she can deduct up to $2,500 in student loan interest paid by the parent. The deduction can be claimed even if the child does not itemize.

5. Medical Expenses Most people know that medical expenses are deductible as long as they are more than 10 percent of AGI for tax year 2014.

What they often don't realize is what medical expenses can be deducted, such as medical miles (23.5 cents per mile) driven to and from appointments and travel (airline fares or hotel rooms) for out of town medical treatment.

Other deductible medical expenses that taxpayers might not be aware of include health insurance premiums, prescription drugs, co-pays, and dental premiums and treatment. Long-term care insurance (deductible dollar amounts vary depending on age) is also deductible, as are prescription glasses and contacts, counseling, therapy, hearing aids and batteries, dentures, oxygen, walkers, and wheelchairs.

If you're self-employed, you may be able to deduct medical, dental, or longterm care insurance. Even better, you can deduct 100 percent of the premium. In addition, if you pay health insurance premiums for an adult child under age 27, you may be able to deduct those premiums as well.

6. Bad Debt If you've ever loaned money to a friend, but were never repaid, you may qualify for a non-business bad debt tax deduction of up to $3,000 per year. To qualify, however, the debt must be totally worthless, in that there is no reasonable expectation of payment.

Non-business bad debt is deducted as a short-term capital loss, subject to the capital loss limitations. You may take the deduction only in the year the debt becomes worthless. You do not have to wait until a debt is due to determine whether it is worthless. Any amount you are not able to deduct can be carried forward to reduce future tax liability.

Are you getting all of the tax credits and deductions that you are entitled to?

Maybe you are...but maybe you're not.

Why take a chance? Call 718-834-0190 today and make sure you get all of the tax breaks you deserve. l Source:www.nettaxservices.com

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KNOW YOUR RIGHTS Are Injuries Covered When the Employee Is Partially at Fault?

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orkers’ compensation provides a claim and benefit system for workers who become ill, are injured, or die on the job. To be covered by workers’ compensation, an injury need not be caused by a sudden accident (such as a fall or equipment malfunction). Equally common claims are for injuries due to repeated physical motions—backstrain from lifting heavy boxes, for example. Physical conditions that are aggravated by workplace conditions—such as emphysema made worse by airborne chemicals—may also be covered. And, workers can sometimes be compensated for the effects of psychological stress caused by the job. The common requirement for any of these types of injuries is that they happened at work or are related to work.

From the employee’s standpoint, workers’ comp is a no-fault system. It does not matter whether a worker was careless when injured. However, claims made by employees who hurt themselves while drunk or fighting have often been rejected as outside the bounds of “work-related activity.” In some states, being intoxicated is not usually enough to bar a claim; in these states only if the intoxication caused the injury will it not be covered by workers' comp.

Some states restrict coverage for

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Technology Tips for Domestic Violence Victims

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BY LISA WEINTRAUB SCHIFFERLE, ESQ. FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION

injuries caused by employees’ own misconduct.

For example, in California injuries that are intentionally self-inflicted are not covered by workers' comp, nor are injuries received by someone who started a fight or engaged in horseplay that was clearly discouraged by the employer. And a number of states expressly restrict or deny benefits when an employee’s claim is based on injuries caused by the use of nonprescription, illegal drugs.

However, courts have often sided with the injured worker when such cases are disputed, ruling that the injury is covered as long as the employee’s behavior was not the only thing that caused the injury. Another questionable area is injuries caused by a coworker’s violent behavior, although the workers’ comp laws in a few states, including California, specifically cover them.l Source: www.nolo.com

e love technology. So it’s disturbing when it’s used to threaten or harass people — especially domestic violence and stalking victims.

With computers and mobile phones, abusers have more tools for stalking. They can install spyware to hack into your email, use Bluetooth or GPS to track your every move, even secretly turn on your device’s camera or microphone to watch and listen to you.

Online safety is important for everyone but for domestic violence victims, these tips may be particularly useful:

•Use strong passwords and change them frequently. Make sure you have passwords on your phone, computer and all online accounts. Keep your passwords private.

•If you think someone may be monitoring you, then try to use a safer computer – one that the abuser does not have access to. It’s especially important to use a safer computer if you are researching an escape plan, new jobs or a place to live.

•Change usernames and passwords of your online accounts on the safer computer.

Then, don’t log into those accounts on any

computer that you think is monitored.

Abusers may not stop at your computer. If you’re using a mobile phone, here are a few more things to consider:

•Know where your phone is at all times. Malware, spyware and tracking apps can be installed in just a few minutes.

•Check your phone’s settings.

Bluetooth and GPS can be used to track you. A victim advocate can help strategize a specific tech safety plan for your situation.

•If you think your phone is being monitored, get a new one. The safest thing is to get a new phone with an account that the abuser does not have access to.

Remember to put a password on your new phone, then disable Bluetooth and GPS Additional information and resources on domestic violence are available through the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1800-799-SAFE. If you think you may be in danger right now, call 911.l

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26 NEWS

DIASPORA CONCERNS

The Fear of Losing Cultural History Still Looms in Crown Heights Rezoning Scheme

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BY JANET HOWARD

he proposal by Community Board 9 and New York City Housing Department to rezone the Crown Heights and Lefferts Garden area in Brooklyn, still faces opposition despite new measures that are being considered regarding the specificity of the area air marked for housing development within the district. Some members of the group called the Movement to Protect the People (MTOPP), say the proposal for high-rise housing development in the area will kill a community culture that existed for over twenty-five years, since the main aim of the development project is primarily to encourage gentrification rather than lowincome housing for the people of Brooklyn. Vice President of the J’ouvert (JUVEY) organization, Yvette Rennie, says the culture of the steel pan bands traveling along the Empire Boulevard route during the annual Labor Day Celebrations in Brooklyn is threatened since those expected to occupy the new housing development would be opposed to the culture. She explains: “Already, some of the gentrified residents who recently moved into the area are complaining about the noise made by the steel bands that practice constantly for the J’ouvert celebration and competition. For instance, we have a band that practices on Classon Avenue; the gentrifiers call the precinct

every night the band practices, so with the new housing development, people who will come in may not adapt to our culture and will create problems for us who have established our community and culture here for years.”

In addition to what Rennie terms the destruction of a culture, she says the new housing development project will displace a number of residents who have lived in the area for years. She says while the community would welcome some new development to help with the housing needs for the existing community residents, community members need to play a more integral role in the decision-making process: “We would like to be a part of the discussion table in this matter. We, as a community, have been left out and that is not fair. We are the ones who can express our concerns

the way we want to and should be included in all discussions regarding the changes that will be made to our community.

These high-rise houses will not bring relief to the housing needs of our community, since [a] majority of the housing units will be priced at rates our community residents cannot afford.

Most of the residents in this area are low- income earners and most [of the] time the city and developers talk about low-income housing; it is way above our pay grade. What we are asking for is for our community to have an input in the discussions so that our people can benefit from the development that will take place in our community.”

Meanwhile, the initial proposed housing development plan which includes rezoning the area for the accommodation of both commercial and residential space, and will allow for the construction of high-rise buildings up to thirty stories high within the area, was scrapped due to irregularities in the counting of a vote held by Community Board 9 members to rescind the proposal of density along Empire Boulevard. As a result of that voting fail-

ure, Community Board 9 is reported to have forwarded a new letter to the City Planning Department, significantly changing the initial proposal to that of contextual zoning, which means that developers could only build buildings as high as the existing buildings located in the area, and rather than rezoning to allow density along the entire stretch of Empire Boulevard from Flatbush Avenue to Nostrand Avenue, the density will now be concentrated to specific blocks and lots.

However, even this new proposal doesn’t sit well with residents of the community since they believe that Community Board 9 District Manager, Pearl Miles, continues to make unilateral decisions regarding the development project and is bulldozing her way with certain members of Community Board 9, to the point where she may have illegally tallied the votes that led to the discrepancy that resulted in the new measures, rather than to have a complete rescinding of the entire development project. The community activist group, Movement to Protect the People, have since moved to the courts and filed a Freedom of Information Law Request, ordering Miles to turn over all records of the voting process that took place. The activist group is also considering filing charges against Miles for what they term, “her fraudulent practice in tampering the results of the vote.”l

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JOBS & RECESSION

Law Interviews Dos and Don’ts

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will not if you are a junior (associate), have a problem underestimating the importance of scheduling, managing and billing time.”

BY PETER VOGT MONSTER SENIOR CONTRIBUTING WRITER

n some ways, the interview process for an attorney, paralegal, legal assistant or other law-based position is similar to interviewing for other jobs.

You need to be well-prepared, solid with your responses and smart in your followup. But legal interviews carry their own unique nuances and expectations as well.

Here are a few key dos and don’ts to keep in mind.

Interview Dos •Dress Conservatively: If you’re a man, go with a navy or black suit, a white shirt and “a simple striped or solid tie that is bold but not loud,” says Ed Shioyazono, Senior Director of Direct-Hire Staffing for the legal placement firm Hudson.

Women will want to accompany a conservative skirt suit with polished shoes and “very minimal jewelry,” he adds.

“Law firms may have five-day business casual, but the ‘uniform’ is expected for all interviews.”

•Go in with a Game Plan: Legal interviewers use a variety of interviewing styles, but the most common is a conversational, nondirected approach, says Bridget Kenadjian, Assistant Director of Career Services at the William Mitchell College of Law in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Knowing this may put you at ease, but

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the downside is that you risk not being able to get your key messages across. So you need to have a game plan “regarding what messages you want the employer to receive,” says Kenadjian. “Look for ways to slip in the content that you know [the interviewers] need to have in order to hire you — even if they don’t ask the right questions.”

•Be Ready to Address Weaknesses Without Getting Defensive: The legal job market is extremely competitive, so you need to carefully consider— from the employer’s perspective — what your potential weaknesses might be, and then be ready “to tactfully and gracefully overcome those objections in an interview,” says Kenadjian.

“Such questions or statements as, ‘Why

weren’t your grades better?’ or ‘You don’t seem to have much experience in X’ may need to be addressed without [your] becoming defensive,” Kenadjian adds.

“Try to predict what they might be, and prepare in advance effective, nonargumentative responses to them.”

Interview Don’ts •Be Late— Ever: In fact, arriving for your interview at least 15 minutes early “makes a stronger impression than you might think,” advises Shioyazono.

“In a law firm, and the practice of law generally, everything revolves around billable time — time billed to the client for work completed — and deadlines,” Shioyazono explains. “Arriving early communicates that you do not, or likely

•Criticize Others: In particular, “don’t bad-mouth your former employer,” says Maureen Brady, a Division Manager for Hudson. Doing so will make your interviewer wonder what you’ll say about him if you’re hired.

Perhaps more importantly, the person you’re bad-mouthing might be a close friend of the person you’re interviewing with. Remember: The legal world is surprisingly small.

•Forget to Thank Your Interviewers: Send a thank-you note via snail mail within 24 hours of your interview, says Deborah Schneider, author of Should You Really Be a Lawyer?

“I can’t believe how many people overlook this basic interview etiquette,” says Schneider. “The note doesn’t have to be long — several sentences on a note card are fine — but sending one is a must. I know plenty of candidates who did not get a second interview, because they failed to send a thank-you note after the first.” l For a listing of jobs from Monster, visit www.mynacc.org

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