Caribbean National Weekly May 19, 2022

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THURSDAY MAY 19, 2022

TOP STORIES CARICOM countries to vote their choice for Commonwealth Sec-Gen. post

Harder Times Ahead for Jamaica

Leader of Jamaica's Opposition People's National Party (PNP), Mark Golding has urged all Jamaicans to brace for harder times ahead of increasing gas prices and rising inflation. continues on B4 – Harder Times

Florida Bans Protests in Front of Homes

By Santana Salmon CNW Reporter

Violators face 60 days in jail and fines of up to $500.

Anyone who protests in front of a private residence in Florida can face jail time and fines under a bill Republican Governor Ron DeSantis signed Monday.

The legislation makes it a second-degree misdemeanor to protest in a manner that is aimed at intentionally harassing or disturbing someone in their home. Violators face 60 days in jail and fines of up to $500.

Protesters can only be arrested after ignoring law enforcement’s orders to disperse, however.

The governor said the new law will prevent protests in Florida like those waged by abortion rights protesters in front of U.S. Supreme Court justices’ homes in Virginia.

Protesters can only be arrested aer ignoring law enforcement’s orders to disperse.

Chief Justice John Roberts and Justices Samuel Alito, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett have all had protesters gather outside their Virginia homes.

“Sending unruly mobs to private residences, like we have seen with the angry crowds in front of the homes of Supreme Court justices, is inappropriate,” DeSantis said in an email to news agencies. “This bill will provide protection to those living in residential

communities and I am glad to sign it into law.”

Some Democrats opposed the bill, arguing it infringes on people’s First Amendment rights to free speech.

State Sen. Keith Perry of Gainesville sponsored the bill through the Florida Senate.

“This bill recognizes the right of privacy, safety and peace that we all deserve in our own home,” he said in March in backing the law.

The law is scheduled to take effect on October 1.

WHAT’S INSIDE NEWSMAKER

CARIBBEAN

COMMUNITY

ENTERTAINMENT

Shaggy to Receive Honorary Degree from Brown University A3

Barbados Tourism ofcials worried about shortage of industry workers A4

Gov. DeSantis Yet to Decide on Consequences for Broward Sheriff B1

Miami Prepares for Best of the Best Music Festival C1

Guyana announces new incentives for population India wants shared ideas with Jamaica to turn into strong partnerships Family of exHaitian senator implicated in the assassination of President Moïse to be deported Trinidad Gov’t identies preferred bidder for oil renery Petrotrin Caribbean American legislators outraged over mass shooting in Buffalo Former US Rep. Corrine Brown to plead guilty in fraud case

A2 – NATIONAL WEEKLY | THURSDAY, MAY 19 – MAY 25, 2022 | CNWNETWORK.COM

PAGE A2

Jamaica 60 Service: Jamaica's Consul General for Southern USA Oliver Mair (le ), Jamaica's Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport Olivia Grange and Minister Marion Hall (formerly Lady Saw) were among the guests who a ended the Jamaica 60 Church Service in Florida earlier this month. – Contributed

Pro-Choice: Former Broward County Mayor Dale Holness joined residents of Broward who took to the streets recently to protest against overturning abor on legisla on in the United States. – Contributed

An African Treat: Jamaica's Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Senator Kamina Johnson Smith was honored in Ghana by the Akropong Tribe as 'Nana Abena Otwiwa Asiedu' – Tourism and Diaspora Queen. She received the honor at a ceremony at the palace of Ghanian ruler Oseadeeyo Kwasi Akuffo III last week. – Contributed

Caught Off Guard: Tampa na ve Lisa Peterkin Coore, celebra ng her 50th birthday earlier this week, was surprised by friends on the beach in Athens Greece, Photo contributed by Guava Tours. – Contributed

Congratula ons to these new officers who recently graduated from the 343 Police Academy at Broward College! – Contributed

Le ers of Credence: Jamaica's Governor General Sir Patrick Allen (le ) receives Le ers of Credence from AmbassadorDesignate of the United States of America to Jamaica, Nick Perry. The le ers were presented on Friday (May 13) at King's House. Photo by Adrian Walker / JIS

Proud Graduate: Congratula ons to 2022 high school graduate, Jada Moore. At only 16 years she is now a graduate of Cypress Bay High School, a year earlier than her peers, while juggling academics, being a star athlete and a volunteer for several community based organiza ons. Photo by Luke Ballen ne.

A Presiden al Welocme: President of the Republic of India, Ram Nath Kovind (le ), is greeted by Prime Minister Andrew Holness (fourth right), on his arrival at the Norman Manley Interna onal Airport in Kingston on May 15. Pictured at second le is First Lady, Savita Kovind. Wai ng to greet the Indian President (from third right) are: Opposi on Spokesperson for Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Lisa Hanna; Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Senator Kamina Johnson Smith; and Minister of Educa on and Youth, Fayval Williams. Photo by Rudranath Fraser / JIS

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NEWSMAKER

Shaggy to Receive Honorary Degree from Brown University Jamaican American international artiste Shaggy will soon have the title “Dr.” added to his name when he receives an honorary doctorate from Brown University later this month. He is one of nine people who will be conferred with honorary doctorates by the prestigious Ivy League university on May 28. Shaggy, whose given name is Orville Burrell, will receive a Doctor of Fine Arts during the undergraduate class of 2020 commencement ceremony.

According to a release from Brown University, honorary doctorates are conferred on people “who have achieved great distinction in a variety of fields.”

The other recipients of honorary doctorates this year include Dr. Nicole Alexander-Scott, physician, and public health leader; Dr. Seth Berkley, physician, and public health leader; Guido Imbens, Nobel Laureate, and economist; Stanley Nelson, Oscar-nominated filmmaker; Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives; Alice and Thomas Tisch, Brown leaders and benefactors and Zeynep Tüfekçi, technology scholar and educator.

“A Brown tradition since 1769, the annual presentation of honorary degrees offers our community the chance to acknowledge and celebrate the achievements of leaders from a wide variety of backgrounds,” said Brown

Shaggy

Brown University

President Christina H. Paxson.

“Having made tremendous impacts in government, public health, the arts, global affairs, science and technology, and more, this year's distinguished recipients offer a superb example to our newest graduates.”

Brown University noted Shaggy's service as a U.S. marine, followed by his legendary career as a dancehall artiste, coupled with his philanthropist efforts as reasons for his inclusion on the list of honorees.

This year's honorary degree highlights will include a commencement oration delivered by Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi; a baccalaureate address by public health leader Dr. Seth Berkley, CEO of Gavi, the

Vaccine Alliance; and an honorary degree oration for the Class of 2020 delivered by Shaggy.

Brown University noted Shaggy's service as a U.S. marine, followed by his legendary career as a dancehall artiste, coupled with his philanthropist efforts as reasons for his inclusion on the list of honorees.

“Born Orville Richard Burrell and raised in Kingston, Jamaica, two-time Grammy Award winner Shaggy got his start as an emcee in New York City's dancehall scene after moving to Brooklyn in his teens. Not long after serving four years in the U.S. marines, including two tours of duty in the Middle East as part of Operation Desert Storm, he earned his first record deal and scored a global crossover hit with “Oh Carolina.”

As the only diamond-selling dancehall artiste in music history, Shaggy has sold more than 40 million album units to date in addition to landing eight singles on the Billboard Hot 100 and seven albums on the Billboard 200, including four in the top 40. He is among the top three streamed reggae artistes of all time on Spotify,” the University stated.

They also lauded Shaggy as not only a pioneering songwriter, but an artiste who used “his platform to strengthen his community and homeland.”

In 2007, he was awarded the Jamaican Order of Distinction with the rank of Commander. In 2009, he established the Shaggy Make a Difference Foundation and organized the first of many Shaggy & Friends benefit concerts, which to date have raised millions for the Bustamante Children's Hospital in Kingston.

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A4 – NATIONAL WEEKLY | THURSDAY, MAY 19 – MAY 25, 2022 | CNWNETWORK.COM

CARIBBEAN

Barbados Tourism officials worried about shortage of industry workers

Guyana Gov’t announces new incentives for population

The Barbados Hotel and Tourism Association (BHTA) has expressed concern at the low level of workers in the sector and is worried that even more workers are eying the cruise ship industry.

BHTA chief executive officer, Rudy Grant said many of the workers laid off at the height of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic have not returned to the industry and an offer of up to 1,000 jobs from the world's second largest cruise line operator, Royal Caribbean Group (RCL), could worsen the situation.

“The reality is that I think workers would have been looking to see and to ensure regardless of the things that were happening, that they would still be able to survive. So it wasn't surprising in an environment that is still very fluid and with the sector that has been impacted the most that you are seeing people looking at other opportunities,” Grant told reporters.

The Guyana government Monday announced a series of measures aimed at improving the lives of citizens including the purchase of one billion dollars in fertilizer for free distribution to farmers and GUY$25,000 to households in Riverain and hinterland communities.

President Dr Irfaan Ali in a broadcast said the grant to every household in the riverine and hinterland communities will result in an estimated GUY$800M being pumped into the economy and will cushion the impacts of the rising cost of living.

Ali said the funds will come from the five billion dollars allocated in the national budget to cushion the impact of the rising cost of living due to the ongoing war as a result of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

“In order to cushion the impact of the rising cost of fertilizer on farmers and to limit the pass-through to food prices, my government would be purchasing one billion dollars' worth of fertilizer for free distribution to farmers for use in their planting and replanting activities,” he said.

He said with fertilizer accounting for 15 to 30 per cent of operational costs, the free fertilizer initiative would significantly reduce input costs and help scale up production and adequate supply “which is critical for maintaining price stability”.

Ali also announced that his administration will establish a

continues on B4 – Worker Shortage

St. Kitts Opposition party predicts Prime Minister Harris will not be factor in general election The leader of the opposition People's Action Movement (PAM), Shawn Richards, is predicting that the next general election will be a straight fight between the main opposition St. Kitts-Nevis Labour Party (SNKLP) and a new coalition that includes his party.

PAM was part of the coalition unity government of Prime Minister Dr. Timothy Harris that had won the last general election in 2020.

But Harris last week dismissed Richards as his deputy and fired Premier Mark Brantley, whose Nevis-based Concerned Citizens Movement (CCM) had also been part of the coalition.

Harris, who leads the People's Labour Party (PLP), was due to face a motion of no confidence

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in the Parliament, but instead asked the governor general to dissolve the Parliament and has until August to announce a date for the general election.

Speaking at a PAM public meeting on Monday night, Richards said the new coalition contesting the next general election will be with the CCM, which now controls all three seats in Nevis.

“Tonight, I am here to make the case that real unity between the People's Action Movement and the Concerned Citizens Movement represents the surest vehicles to ensure national unity and continued economic success.

“Our platform offers hope, and it offers stability. There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that the next general election will be a straight fight between the People's Action Movement and the original Labour Party, not the fake Labour Party “The CCM will take care of business in Nevis.

There is absolutely no serious analysis which

indicates that the PLP is a serious political force in this country, especially without the help and support of PAM supporters,” Richards said, making “a special appeal to all of you, who have moved away from PAM …to come home.”

In the last general election, the PAM and the CCM won seven of the 11 seats in the Parliament with the other four being equally divided among the two labour parties.

Richards said the PAM and CCM will continue to “push on keeping the flame of real unity alive.

He said the election must now be called within the next 80 days “unless the illegal man decides to breach our Constitution”.

He said some people have regarded the last few weeks as “being very tumultuous, but the debate which has ensued about the direction in which the country should go, it is a very good debate.

continues on A7 – Incentives

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A5

TALKUP

Too many teens die in car accidents. Should teens be prohibited from driving before age 18?

A6 – NATIONAL WEEKLY | THURSDAY, MAY 19 – MAY 25, 2022 | CNWNETWORK.COM

EDITORIAL

Lack of trust within CARICOM and its impact on development

By Elizabeth Morgan CMC Contributor The issue of trust, or lack of it, within the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and its member countries has been on my mind this week.

This came to me from the discussions in Jamaica about becoming a republic and using the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) as the country’s final court of appeal. Of the 15 Commonwealth countries still having the British Monarch as their national Head of State, eight are in CARICOM and of the 12 countries still using the British Privy Council, eight are in CARICOM as well, including Trinidad and Tobago, which is a republic and headquarters of the CCJ. Since 1975, Jamaican leaders have expressed the wish to move the country from a monarchy to a republic, which remained without execution.

CARICOM Members established the CCJ, which is currently being used by only four of the 12 Commonwealth Caribbean Countries.

I also include the 20-year inability to fully implement the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME). In my assessment, all of this inability to implement, to deliver on stated objectives, arise from a lack of trust within CARICOM, among governments, countries (Most Developed versus Less Developed), and peoples (ethnic groups and classes).

Within countries, the lack of trust in and between public and private sector intuitions can be added. Corruption concerns also fuel mistrust.

Of course, this lack of trust has historical links, enslaved African people did not trust their slave masters. The Afro-Jamaican population was receptive to the 1866 introduction of Crown Colony rule (direct rule from Britain) due to their distrust of the planter dominated elected Legislative Assembly. When the Jamaican business community proposed the return of the elected Assembly in the 1880s, this was resisted by representatives of Afro-Jamaicans and was a serious consideration

for the British colonial government when limited constitutional reform was implemented in 1884.

Thus the lack of trust among peoples and of local intuitions has been a significant, continuing factor reflected in CARICOM. This has been recognized by others before me, including in the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).

IDB Report on Trust In my research, I came upon this January 2022 report from the IDB titled “Trust: The Key to Social Cohesion and Growth in Latin America and The Caribbean”.

In its opening, the report states of Latin America and the Caribbean, “Mistrust in the region is high, increasing, and permeating all corners of society. It undermines productive relationships between and within firms, it erodes citizenship, and limits citizens’ ability to undertake collective action in support of the laws and institutions that promote sustainable development.”

The report sees trust as a scarce commodity in Latin America and the Caribbean which affects reform and change, and growth and development.

It points out that Latin America and the Caribbean, for many years, has recorded the lowest level of economic growth among regions of the world as well as the lowest level of trust (in political parties, government institutions, the security forces and

judiciary, and the private sector).

The two are linked. This lack of trust is associated with: more fragile democracies; less innovation and risk taking; lower tax revenues; more labor informality; inefficiencies in financial markets; more onerous regulations; harsher and less effective anti-crime policies. The high expenditure on security to address the high crime rate is also a consequence of mistrust. Though considered a most pressing issue, lack of trust is not widely discussed in the region.

Of course, now, disinformation from social media platforms is amplifying the lack of trust.

This IDB report does not have adequate data on CARICOM countries. For me, a separate study is required on CARICOM countries to really highlight the depth of this problem in this region, which in my opinion has prevented countries from following through with constitutional and economic reforms and from implementing decisions taken in CARICOM at all levels.

This IDB report offers the view that the lack of trust can be addressed by focusing on education, empowerment and transparency. A process of confidence-building is required to strengthen civil society to hold public and private sector institutions accountable.

I am hoping that this IDB report on trust will be widely reviewed and considered at the national and regional levels within CARICOM with data specific to CARICOM countries. We should be interrogating this matter of trust and confidencebuilding to strengthen our institutions/governance systems and citizens’ support so that we can move on.

Elizabeth Morgan, who writes for CMC, is a specialist in international trade policy and international politics.

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A7

la section haitienne

US Coast Guard calls off search for missing Haitians The Commander of the Coast Guard Sector, San Juan, Capt. Gregory H. Magee, has warned Haitians about making illegal voyages in “grossly overloaded makeshift boats” as the authorities Sunday night called off the search for survivors from last weeks' boat disaster that left at least 11 Haitians dead.

“Our most heartfelt condolences to the families, friends and loved ones of those who did not survive or remain missing, our prayers are with them,” said Magee, commending “all the partner agency crews who responded in this case.

“Their bravery and actions helped save 38 lives from almost certain death, as well as the air, surface, and land-based crews involved in the search. These crews have done their utmost to ensure that if there were any more survivors, they would have had the best chance to be rescued,” he said.

But Magee said unfortunately, as the threat of illegal voyages continues, “we could be forced to respond to similar events in the future.

“The dangers of these voyages are real, we see them every day, people aboard grossly overloaded makeshift boats taking on water in high seas with little or no lifesaving equipment.

“These people are at the mercy of ruthless smugglers who are not concerned with their lives or safety. To anyone thinking of taking part in an illegal voyage, don't take to the sea! It could just save your life,” the Coast Guard Commander said.

The Coast Guard Sunday night suspended the search for

Incentives special unit to help landowners of both private and government owned lots secure financing, construction, and delivery of predesigned houses worth GUY$12 million The unit will support applicants with the process of applying to banks for financing and with the initial phase of construction by releasing the necessary resources.

The president indicated that government will examine the possibility of

Family of Accused Haitian senator to be deported The family members of a former Haitian senator, who appeared in a United States court last week, charged with the July 7 assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse last year, are to be deported from Jamaica.

survivors which had been continuing for four days, following the sinking last Thursday of a boat overloaded with illegal Haitian migrants in the waters of the Mona Maritime Passage between Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic Haiti's Prime Minister Dr. Ariel Henry had over the weekend said he was 'deeply upset” at the incident, extending condolences to the relatives of those killed.

“The news of the sinking of a boat off the coast of Puerto Rico which caused the death of 11 of our compatriots deeply upsets me”.

Last Thursday, the United States Coast Guard said it had repatriated 207 Haitian migrants to Cap-Haitien, Haiti, after they were intercepted 20 miles south of the Turks and Caicos Islands during another exercise.

from A4

“releasing resources” for the initial phases and would also construct complete homes.

“We expect that this measure will help to drastically accelerate the capacity of Guyanese families to own and occupy their own home and house lots that they have already owned, or they have been allocated but on which they are currently having difficulties managing the complex process of home-ownership and also having access to financing,” he said.

Ali also announced the removal of

value added tax (VAT) on additional construction materials until the market stabilizes, reminding the population that these new measures are in addition to a wide range of initiatives already announced by his government to address the rising cost of living and to bring relief to all citizens.

He is promising that the government will continue consultations and will in the future make more announcements aimed at bringing further relief to the public.

John Jöel Joseph was extradited from Jamaica last weekend, and now the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court has ordered that his wife, Edume, 38, and her sons, Schopenhauer, 17, and a nine-year-old be deported.

Their lawyer Donahue Martin had applied for refugee status, but it was denied.

Joseph and his family had fled to Jamaica and was charged with illegally entering the Caribbean Island by boat in January.

In February, Martin made an application for refugee status to the Passport Immigration and Citizenship Agency (PICA) for Edume and the two sons, arguing that the family fled Haiti and entered Jamaica illegally over fear of being killed by angry citizens in Haiti who believe they were involved in Moïse's murder. But the application was denied.

Martin had promised to appeal the ruling, but he told the court on Monday that he was abandoning the appeal as the matter would not have been heard before this court date.

He, however, asked the court to admonish and discharge the charge against his clients especially since they would have spent four months in custody.

Senior Parish Judge Lori-Ann Cole-Montaque granted the attorney's request and admonished and discharged the illegal entry charges against the three.

Joseph has been charged with the same offenses as two previous defendants who were brought to Miami earlier this year in connection with the assassination of Moise at his private residence overlooking the capital Port au prince.

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COMMUNITY

Governor Ron DeSantis Yet to Decide on Consequences for Broward Sheriff Florida Governor Ron DeSantis still has not said if he will discipline the Broward County sheriff he appointed who state investigators found lied repeatedly about killing another teenager almost 30 years ago despite saying more than three months ago that he would soon review the case.

DeSantis said on Feb. 1 he and his staff would “in the coming days” consider a Florida Department of Law Enforcement report that concluded Broward County Sheriff Gregory Tony lied repeatedly on police applications about the shooting, his teenage drug use, and his driving record. As of Wednesday, that was 100 days ago.

DeSantis' press office did not respond to an email sent Tuesday by The Associated Press or a Wednesday phone call seeking an update.

Under Florida law, a governor can permanently or temporarily suspend any local elected official for malfeasance or other infractions, with the official having the right to appeal to the Senate.

The Broward County Sheriff's Office declined comment last Wednesday.

Ben Wilcox, co-founder of the government watchdog group Integrity Florida, said to a layperson, 100 days seems more than sufficient for DeSantis to decide, particularly since the investigation is complete. But, he said, it is hard to say for sure without knowing what the governor and his staff are doing with their review.

“I want to give him the benefit of the doubt.

It is a weighty case,” Wilcox said. “But he has also removed people from office quickly.”

Tony

That's what happened in 2019 when DeSantis, three days after taking office, fired Broward County's then-sheriff, Scott Israel, and appointed Tony. DeSantis said Israel mishandled the February 2018 massacre at Parkland's Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School that left 17 dead.

The firing was anticipated, but Tony's appointment was not — he was a former suburban police sergeant with little public profile. The father of a Stoneman Douglas victim who is a staunch DeSantis supporter had recommended him; the dad and Tony worked out at the same gym. The vetting process was completed in days and did not uncover the fatal shooting, which happened in Tony's hometown of Philadelphia.

Tony was elected to a full four-year term later in November 2020.

That was six months after the Florida Bulldog website reported that Tony, then 14, fatally shot an 18-year-old neighbor during a

DeSantis

1993 fight at his family's home using his father's gun. He was charged with murder but was acquitted in juvenile court after arguing selfdefense. Tony never disclosed the shooting during his career, even when required, saying he did not see the need because of his acquittal.

After the Bulldog's report, DeSantis downplayed Tony's appointment, which he announced outside the sheriff's office headquarters with Tony at his side.

“It's not like he's my sheriff,” DeSantis said two years ago. “I didn't even know the guy. It was not like he was a political ally.”

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement launched an investigation. In its 20-page report issued January 31, the agency said Tony repeatedly lied about the shooting on job applications.

Tony answered “no” when asked if he had ever been arrested for a felony when he successfully applied to the police academy in 2004, and again when he was hired in 2005 by

the police department in Coral Springs, a Fort Lauderdale suburb. The report said he also falsely answered “no” on a Coral Springs background questionnaire when asked “Have you ever injured or caused the death of another person?” and “Were you ever in a fight involving a weapon?”

Coral Springs eventually promoted Tony to sergeant. He resigned in 2016 to run a police consulting firm, the job he held when DeSantis appointed him.

The day after the FDLE report's release, DeSantis said at a Miami news conference, “We are going to review everything, take a look. We saw the initial report. It will be something we will be reviewing in the coming days.”

The FDLE also submitted its report to the state ethics commission, which could also recommend DeSantis suspends Tony.

According to its agendas, the ethics commission did not discuss Tony at its March or April meetings. It meets again next month.

Commission officials declined comment Wednesday, saying any filings are confidential until they are discussed at a meeting.

The FDLE also found that in 2003, Tony answered truthfully that he once used LSD as a teenager when he applied for a job with the Tallahassee Police Department, his first law enforcement application. After that admission caused his rejection, investigators found that on subsequent police applications Tony answered “no” when asked if he had ever used hallucinogenic drugs.

Investigators say Tony also repeatedly lied on police and Florida driver's license applications by answering “no” when asked if his license was ever suspended. Pennsylvania had suspended his license in 1996 for failing to pay traffic tickets. That last happened in 2019 when he applied for a new license shortly after he became sheriff.

The FDLE said Tony declined to be interviewed by its investigators.

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STRICTLY LEGAL

Justices Limit Federal Court Review of some Deportations A sharply divided Supreme Court on Monday ruled that federal courts are powerless to review immigration officials' decisions in some deportation cases, even when they have made what a dissenting justice called “egregious factual mistakes.”

The court ruled 5-4 against Georgia resident Pankajkumar Patel, who checked a box indicating he was a U.S. citizen when renewing his Georgia driver's license in 2008.

An immigration judge, who is a Justice

Department employee, concluded Patel intended to misrepresent his status for the purpose of getting his license, even though Georgia law entitled a noncitizen in Patel's situation to a license to drive.

Patel and his wife, Jyotsnaben, concede they entered the U.S. illegally roughly 30 years ago since leaving their native India. In 2007, Patel applied for a “green card,” legal permanent residency status, with the support of his employer. The Patels have three children. One is a U.S. citizen and the other two are greencard holders who are married to Americans.

But Patel's quest for legal status foundered on the license application, and the immigration judge's decision that Patel had intentionally misrepresented his citizenship status. The judge

ordered Patel and his wife deported.

Justice Amy Coney Barrett wrote for five conservative justices that federal courts can't review such decisions under immigration law.

The U.S. attorney general can grant protection from deportation, but people must first be eligible, and the result of the immigration judge's decision was that Patel was ineligible.

“Federal courts have a very limited role to play in this process,” Barrett wrote, concluding that immigration law “precludes judicial review of factual findings that underlie a denial of relief.”

Justice Neil Gorsuch joined with the court's three liberal justices in dissent. “As a result, no court may correct even the agency's most egregious factual mistakes about an individual's

statutory eligibility for relief,” Gorsuch wrote, noting the agency itself sided with Patel at the Supreme Court.

While the high-court case dealt with deportation, Gorsuch wrote that the decision could foreclose court review when immigration officials make errors of fact in other contexts, “the student hoping to remain in the country, the foreigner who marries a U.S. citizen, the skilled worker sponsored by her employer.”

Pointing to government statistics, Gorsuch wrote that the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services rejected 13,000 greencard applications in the last three months of 2021 and has a backlog of nearly 790,000 pending cases.

White House moves to loosen remittance, flight rules on Cuba The Biden administration says it will expand flights to Cuba, take steps to loosen restrictions on U.S. travelers to the island, and lift Trump-era restrictions on remittances that immigrants can send to people on the island.

Price

The State Department said in a statement Monday that it will remove the current $1,000per-quarter limit on family remittances, and will allow non-family remittance, which will support independent Cuban entrepreneurs.

The U.S. will also allow scheduled and charter flights to locations beyond Havana, according to the State Department.

The administration said it will also move to reinstate the Cuban Family Reunification

Parole Program, which has a backlog of more than 20,000 applications, and increase consular services and visa processing.

“With these actions, we aim to support Cubans' aspirations for freedom and for greater economic opportunities so that they can lead successful lives at home,” State Department spokesman Ned Price added. “We continue to call on the Cuban government to immediately

release political prisoners, to respect the Cuban people's fundamental freedoms and to allow the Cuban people to determine their own futures.”

The policy changes come after a review that began soon after a series of widespread protests on the island last July.

Former President Donald Trump had increased sanctions against Cuba, including the cancellation of permits to send remittances and the punishment of oil tankers bound for the island.

These measures and the pandemic contributed to an economic crisis in Cuba, where people suffer from shortages of basic products, power outages and rationing.

The economic situation led thousands of people to the streets across Cuba on July 11, 2021 — the largest such protests in decades.

Many people were frustrated with shortages and low salaries, as well with the socialist

government. Nongovernmental organizations have reported more than 1,400 arrests and 500 people sentenced to up to 20 years in prison for vandalism or sedition.

In recent weeks, both the U.S. and the Cuban governments have started some conversations, amid a surge of Cubans trying to emigrate illegally to the U.S. The first week of April, the U.S. Embassy in Havana resumed processing visas for Cubans, though on a limited basis, more than four years after stopping consular services on the island amid a hardening of relations.

Senator Robert Menendez, a New Jersey Democrat who heads the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said the moves send the “wrong message” to Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel's government. Menendez was particularly critical of the administration's decision to reinstate travel by groups for educational and cultural exchanges as well as continues on B4 – Loosens Rules on Cuba

B4 – NATIONAL WEEKLY | THURSDAY, MAY 19 – MAY 25, 2022 | CNWNETWORK.COM

CONTINUATIONS Loosens Rules on Cuba from B3

some travel for professional meetings and professional research on the island.

“I am dismayed to learn the Biden administration will begin authorizing group travel to Cuba through visits akin to tourism,” Menendez said. “To be clear, those who still believe that increasing travel will breed democracy in Cuba are simply in a state of denial.”

Two senior administration officials, who briefed reporters on the condition of anonymity, noted that the Treasury Department has the authority to audit groups that are organizing travel and will ensure that travel is purposeful and in accordance with U.S. law. The U.S. is restricting American tourism on the island and won't allow individuals to travel there for educational purposes, officials said.

One official defending the move noted that the president has underscored his belief that “Americans are the best ambassadors for democratic values.”

Biden said as a presidential candidate that he would revert to Obama-era policies that loosened decades of embargo restrictions on Havana. Meanwhile, Republicans accused him of not being supportive enough of Cuban dissidents.

President Barack Obama's rapprochement was reversed by Trump, who sharply curtailed remittances that Cuban Americans were allowed to send to relatives on the island, barred financial and commercial transactions with most Cuban companies affiliated with the government or military and, in his final days in office, redesignated Cuba a “state sponsor of terrorism,” in part for its support of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

LEISURE

Harder Times Ahead Golding said it is not beyond the Andrew Holness government to assist Jamaicans, but instead the present administration does not listen.

“And I can tell you what you see happening now with the industrial unrest is partly because of those things, because the pressure is on public sector workers. And the process to bring in this reclassification of their employment arrangements and their salary is being done in a way that don't build no confidence. It is being done in a way that has eroded trust in the process and in the government.”

Trade unions representing the public sector workers in Jamaica have been complaining that they have not been getting the information in a timely basis, and they are not being brought to the table to negotiate any of those details around the reclassification package.

Golding also highlighted the several strike actions of various public sector entities last week as an indication of what is to come. “And here we have last week's strike; water commission strike, housing trust strike, air traffic controllers strike, all in one week. And who next? So it is a bitter time. The people are going to be looking for an alternative to this government,” he added.

from A1

“This is not the year to be so tight with the thing.

This is a year when sufferation is going to be bier on the people.

Government has an obligation, a duty to cushion the crises for the people,” – Mark Golding Over the last week, the Jamaican government has come under pressure from several groups of the public sector workers who have walked off the job or threatened to strike over salary negotiations.

On Monday, the People's National Party (PNP), led a march at the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service over the soaring costs of fuel.

The Opposition Leader was accompanied by party members and supporters who were also

protesting against the general high cost of living in Jamaica.

In his budget presentation earlier this year, Golding had drafted a proposal that would see a cut in gas tax. His approach sees the Government imposing a cap on the ad valorem special consumption tax on petroleum products where the oil price of Jamaica's purchases exceeds US$67.50 per barrel.

Golding said with gas prices rising weekly, his proposal would ease the burden on motorists. But according to the PNP leader, Finance Minister Dr. Nigel Clarke has not yet moved to implement the measure.

In his letter to Dr. Clarke, Golding said the “inflation crisis is ravaging people's lives in Jamaica.”

He said adopting his proposal would lead to a “meaningful break to Jamaican consumers, given the impact of gas prices on so many aspects of our lives.

Among the other party members who accompanied Golding at the march were Phillip Paulwell, Julian Robinson, Dr Angela BrownBurke, and Dr. Dayton Campbell.

CARIBBEAN NEWS CONT’D

Worker Shortage “Further, you have situations where you had RCL, for example, that is now looking to recruit Barbadian workers to work on their cruise lines and I think individuals will be looking at opportunities, particularly in an environment where, because of COVID and because of the war that is taking place, you are seeing the supply chain impacted, not only with respect to the goods and in getting the supply of the goods, but also with respect to the fact that prices are going up.

“I think people are going to look at their individual circumstances and determine how they will go forward,” Grant said, noting that while several tourism stakeholders were

from A4

expressing concern about the labor shortage, the shortfall was not a large percentage but is high enough to “cause us to focus and pay some attention.

“We talk a lot about the industry, we talk a lot about occupancy, we talk about visitor arrival numbers, we talk about the attractions. The reality is that the sustainable development of this industry really depends in a significant manner on the workers.

“The workers are critical, the workers are important to the future growth and development of this industry, and we have to ensure that we have the adequate skills and the adequate personnel to continue to facilitate the develop-

ment of this industry and therefore we are going to be having those discussions to speak to this issue,” Grant said.

The BHTA official said the association is compiling data from tourism bosses to get a more detailed understanding of the problems and about the main areas where the void of workers exists.

“We have had preliminary discussions with the minister of tourism as well as the minister of education. Our expectation is that we will soon have the relevant stakeholders including the ministry of labor to discuss this issue and determine how best we can go forward,” said Grant.

CNWNETWORK.COM | NATIONAL WEEKLY | THURSDAY, MAY 19 – MAY 25, 2022 –

C1

ENTERTAINMENT

Miami Prepares for Best of the Best Miami is gearing up for what is being described as the Superbowl of events, with the staging of the Best of the Best concert on Sunday, May 29 at Bayfront Park, Downtown Miami.

The city of Miami is looking forward to the thousands of visitors who will attend the event. This year's staging promises to be an exciting one with a mixture of performers to mark the return of the festival on Memorial Weekend.

Boasting a star-studded lineup that includes some of the best reggae, dancehall and soca acts, Best of the Best is aiming to live up to expectations of being the best Caribbean show in North America.

For its 16th annual staging, there will be a mixture of legends and young ones who will be taking the stage. Acts such as: Cham, famous for his hits including Ghetto Story and Vitamin S; Vegas, who is known for Heads High and Hot Wuk; Christopher Martin who is famous for I'm a Big Deal, Mama and more.

Emerging acts such as Lalee, Yaksta and 10Tik, with their hit singles Dirt, Ambition and Roll Deep, respectively, are set to take the stage in Miami for the musical marathon.

After six years, reggae icon Beres Hammond is set to return to the Best of the Best stage. For Hammond, this is his first live performance in the United States in almost three years.

Overlooking the waters of Biscayne Bay, patrons are in for a

fun, safe and music-filled weekend. Organizers are expecting to have a great turn out as local and international fans try to see the stars live in action.

Gates open at 3:00 p.m. and the action kicks off at 3:30 p.m. sharp at Bayfront Park, Downtown Miami. Children 12 and under enter free with an adult. Visit bestofthebestconcert.com for more information.

Best of the Best International Music Festival is an event like no other, with nothing but the best performances in Caribbean music. This is an event that you definitely don't want to miss!

Sean Paul to Join Pitbull's 2022 North American Tour Skillibeng

Summer tours, despite the pandemic, appear to be back in action with the latest addition to the mix being Jamaican dancehall artiste Sean Paul, who will be joining forces with Pitbull for the Latino rapper's 2022 North American summer tour dubbed 'Can't Stop Us Now,' presented by Live Nation.

The Grammy superstar is slated to perform at 19 shows from the Cuban American artiste's highly anticipated tour. The Jamaican dancehall legend is eager and excited to reconnect with his fans live and in-person following a two-year hiatus from touring due to the pandemic.

The tour will stop at some of the biggest cities in the United States and Canada, including Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Cincinnati, Phoenix, Toronto, Montreal, Orlando among others before wrapping up at Hard Rock Live in Hollywood, Florida on October 19.

Sean Paul has been making big moves and is gearing up to release his eighth album titled 'Scorcha' on May 27. The album will have a number of features such as the already released Only Fanz with Ty Dolla $ign, How We Do It with Pia Mia and Dynamite with Sia. In a recent interview with Billboard, Sean Paul shared that fans should expect great things from Scorcha and highlighted how the album got its name.

“The album is called Scorcha because I'm a hot boy and I'm still fresh and I keep on doing my thing,” Sean Paul stated.

The artiste further highlighted that whatever he does, it is to the best of his ability.

“I put out excellence, I'm not just doing this for a buck. There are times where I need to present an album and get some money from the label. But I'm doing this from the perspective of that euphoria that I want you to feel,” he added.

In addition to touring with Pitbull, Sean Paul will also be doing a promotional tour for his album Scorcha in the United States. The artiste is scheduled to make stops in Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, Nevada, and California.

C2 – NATIONAL WEEKLY | THURSDAY, MAY 19 – MAY 25, 2022 | CNWNETWORK.COM

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C3

SPORTS

SOCCER

JFF backs Blaine, technical staff in Reggae Girlz' loss of confidence claim The Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) has backed the technical staff of Jamaica's National Senior Women's Team, the Reggae Girlz, including Head Coach Vin Blaine, after he and his technical staff were targeted in a scathing letter from the majority of the members of the current Reggae Girlz squad.

But on Tuesday, the JFF announced that it had accepted the recommendation of the JFF Technical and Development Committee to retain Blaine and his technical staff.

In its report, subsequent to an initial investigation into concerns expressed by team members, the committee cited there was insufficient evidence to warrant any such change in personnel at this time.

The JFF Technical and Development Committee noted that “it was in the best interest of the JFF to continue on its present course, with the current coaching staff, where the progress would be closely monitored and evaluated periodically.”

It added: “Further, based on results so far and with less than two months before the CONCACAF Women's qualifying tournament gets underway in Mexico, it is felt that introducing changes at this time would not be prudent.

“Towards this end, the JFF has the full confidence in the coaching staff and the team members but recognizes the need to share in and support the process with some critical core values of the organization, including professionalism, teamwork and respect.”

Former Coach Blaine issuing instructions

Shaw

Swaby

Schneider

The local governing body has pledged to put everything in place, within its powers, to ensure the team is comfortable and can perform at its optimum to achieve Jamaica's second consecutive qualification to the FIFA Women's World Cup in Australia and New Zealand next year.

The Jamaicans qualified for the CONCACAF Women's Championship, the final

Carter

round of qualification to the FIFA Women's World Cup and have been drawn into a tough group which includes World Champions USA, hosts Mexico and Caribbean powerhouse Haiti.

The final round is slated for Guadalajara in Mexico in July.

But problems have been brewing for some time, as the Reggae Girlz, first-time qualifiers to the France 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup,

appeared less than impressive in advancing to this stage.

The discontent prompted a letter signed by 20 players addressed to the JFF citing a lack of confidence in the coaching staff's competence to guide the team to qualification.

In the two-page letter dated April 25, the 20 players said they were unable to commit to the “cause” if the JFF did not intervene in a “meaningful” manner.

In fact, the letter stated categorically that while the players appreciated the “conundrum you are now placed in to remedy the highlighted deficiencies, our commitment is contingent on decisive and serious actions, as anything less is an indication of a futureless Reggae Girlz.”

The players claimed that their concerns did not “suddenly” arise, but that they were compounded during the last two playing windows.

Their main concerns were lack of details in training sessions, lack of video analysis, set pieces, post-match review for team improvement, the absence of an organized game plan, no tactical training sessions, lack of specificity of training sessions leading up to matches, the absence of specific positive instructions, lack of incorporation of all aspects of training, recovery methodology, strength work, communications deficiencies, lack of professionalism, scant regard for punctuality and the absence of a schedule, daily or otherwise.

The signatories to the letter are said to be Khadija Shaw, Allyson Swaby, Trudi Carter, Jody Brown, Sydney Schneider, Chantelle Swaby, Sashana Campbell, Kayla McCoy, Paige Bailey-Gayle, Drew Spence, Tiernney Wiltshire, Courtney Douglas, Vyan Sampson, Yazmeen Jamieson, Rebecca Spencer, Chinyelu Asher, Tiffany Cameron, Miyera Grey, Kalyssa Van Zanten and Alika Keene.

CRICKET

Former Australian Cricketer Andrew Symonds killed in Car Accident

Sporting facility ready for first-class debut in West Indies Championship Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board (TTCB) president Azim Bassarath says all venues are ready for the much-anticipated resumption of the four-day West Indies Championship on Wednesday, including the newest facility in Diego Martin which he said is “well-suited for first-class cricket”.

Symonds

Former Australia all-rounder and two-time World Cup winner Andrew Symonds has died following a car accident in Queensland, Cricket Australia (CA) announced on Sunday.

Queensland Police say they are investigating a fatal single-vehicle crash in Hervey Range, about 31 miles from Townsville. Emergency services attending the crash had tried to revive Symonds, but he died from his injuries.

Early information indicated the crash happened shortly after 11:00 p.m.

Saturday.

After retiring in 2012, Symonds worked as a TV commentator for Fox Sports.

CA chairman Lachlan Henderson said

Australian cricket had lost “another of its very best.”

“Andrew was a generational talent who was instrumental in Australia's success at World Cups and as part of Queensland's rich cricket history,” he said in a statement.

“He was a cult figure to many and was treasured by his fans and friends,” he said.

“On behalf of Australian cricket our deepest sympathies are with Andrew's family, teammates, and friends.”

Symonds is the third Australian cricket icon to die this year after Shane Warne and Rod Marsh.

Andrew Symonds played 238 matches, including 26 Tests, for Australia between 1998-2009. He was also a member of Australia's World Cup-winning teams in 2003 and 2007 and appeared in 198 oneday internationals in addition to 14 T20 Internationals.

Trinidad and Tobago are hosting the remaining three rounds of the competition, from May 18 to June 4, with matches at the Queen’s Park Oval, the Brian Lara Cricket Academy, and the Diego Martin Sporting Complex.

The latter will make its first-class debut when home team Trinidad and Tobago Red Force play Leeward Islands Hurricanes.

“Diego Martin is a community ground and we are very happy that Cricket West Indies has granted first-class status to the ground…. We are looking forward to the first game being played down there and we know everything will be in place on Wednesday morning to start,” Bassarath said, according to the Trinidad and Tobago Express newspaper.

“Nothing is needed to be done to the venue.

The venue is in perfect condition.”

Red Force recently played a practice game on the ground and the TTCB president said they were happy with the facility.

Captain Imran Khan confirmed satisfaction with the pitch on Monday at a virtual press conference ahead of the resumption of the championship.

“It’s a really nice facility. The outfield is really good. We got one of the training pitches,

so it was a bit decent. It’s something to look forward to on Wednesday,” he said.

Bassarath said all the other venues – Queen’s Park Oval where Barbados Pride and Guyana Harpy Eagles will face each other, and Brian Lara Cricket Academy which will be the venue for the encounter between the bottom two teams, Windward Island Volcanoes and Jamaica Scorpions – are ready.

“We have three first-class venues and . . . all in all, the players were pleased,” he said.

The TTCB boss said COVID-19 protocols would be observed at all venues and compliance officers will be on hand to ensure patrons follow sanitization, social distancing and maskwearing protocols.

“We must continue to follow the protocols.

It is no longer a safe-zone scenario, so people must act responsibly. We know people were starved for live sports during the last two years, so we are looking for huge turnouts at the venues and I want to give the national community the assurance that everything will be in place to accommodate everyone safely,” he said.

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C4 – NATIONAL WEEKLY | THURSDAY, MAY 19 – MAY 25, 2022 | CNWNETWORK.COM A D V E R T I S E M E N T