Caribbean National Weekly April 29, 2021

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THURSDAY APRIL 29, 2021

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Runcie To Resign After almost a decade as head of one of the largest school districts in the United States, Broward County Public Schools, Superintendent Robert Runcie has decided to step down.

His resignation came on Tuesday, April 27, at an emotional Broward County school board meeting amid criticism over a perjury charge. Runcie’s resignation came hours after he released a video statement saying he would be vindicated of the perjury charge and would not step down. The district’s top lawyer, Barbara Myrick, also resigned on Tuesday night. Both were arrested last week after being indicted by a grand jury.

Runcie, 59, led the nation’s sixth-largest school district for nearly 10 years and had been lauded for closing the achievement gap between white and minority students. He had also been named superintendent of the year multiple times by both state and national Runcie

continues on B4 – Runcie Resigns

Former Barbados Gov’t Minister Jailed in US Former Barbados government minister Donville Inniss was sentenced to two years in jail on Tuesday after he was found guilty by a federal jury in January last year for his role in a scheme to launder bribes paid to him by executives of the Insurance Corporation of Barbados Limited (ICBL).

Following a one-week trial and two hours of jury deliberations, Inniss, 55, a U.S. legal permanent resident who resided in Tampa, Florida, and in Barbados, was found guilty of two counts of money laundering and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering.

Inniss has until July 29 to surrender to federal prison authorities.

The former Industry, International Business, Commerce and Small Business Development minister in Barbados appeared before Kiyo Matsumoto in the Eastern District Court of New

Inniss

York. He was accompanied by his wife Gail, former attorney general Adriel Brathwaite and Rev. Guy Hewitt.

He later said he regretted the embarrassment

he caused to his wife and family.

Matsumoto said he took into consideration Inniss's previously clean record, his personal development and having come from a poor background, as well as his community and national service in Barbados.

According to the evidence presented at trial, in 2015 and 2016, Inniss took part in a scheme to launder into the United States approximately US$36,000 in bribes that he received from highlevel executives of ICBL. At the time, Inniss was a member of the Parliament of Barbados and the Minister of Industry, International Business, Commerce, and Small Business Development of Barbados.

The court heard that in exchange for the bribes, Inniss leveraged his position as the Minister of Industry to enable ICBL to obtain two insurance continues on B4 – Minister Jailed

TOP STORIES Trinidad Gov’t Announces Minor Cabinet Reshufe Yvette Clarke Calls for TPS Designation for St. Vincent Nationals Privy Council Says PNP Ofcials Must Testify in Tragura Case Beenie Man Pleads Guilty to Breaching COVID-19 Protocol Raul Castro Steps Down as Cuba’s Communist Party Chief Broward County Lifts Most Capacity Restrictions and Sanitation Requirements for Outdoor Activities Veteran Jamaican Journalist Michael Sharpe Has Died Brazil Variant of COVID-19 Detected in Trinidad

WHAT’S INSIDE NEWSMAKER

CARIBBEAN

LA SECTION HAITIENNE

SPORTS

Jamaica Sets World Record with Vaccination Effort A3

CARICOM Chairman In Talks to Procure U.S. Vaccines A4

US Lawmakers Want Re-assessment of Policies on Haiti A7

Reggae Boy Leon Bailey Spurs Bayer Leverkusen to Victory C3

A2 – NATIONAL WEEKLY | THURSDAY, APR 29 – MAY 5, 2021 | CNWNETWORK.COM

PAGE A2 SENIOR VAX DAY: On, April 10th, Mayor of Lauderhill Ken Thurston (second from le ), Vice Mayor Denise D. Grant (second from right) and the Lauderhill Fire Department partnered with Chen Senior Medical Center to host a Senior Community Vaccina on Day. During this important ini a ve, 300 seniors were vaccinated. – Contributed

FIRST SHOT! Mayor of Miramar Wayne Messam takes a photo a er ge ng his first COVID-19 vaccina on shot at the Miramar Vizcaya Park on April 16, 2021. – Contributed

VIRTUAL SUMMIT: Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness (center), par cipates in the opening of a two-day virtual Leaders Summit on Climate, on Thursday (April 22). Also in a endance (from le ) are Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Senator the Hon. Kamina Johnson Smith; and Minister of Housing, Urban Renewal, Environment and Climate Change, Hon. Pearnel Charles Jr. The Summit was convened by President of the United States, Joe Biden. – photo by Adrian Walker

VACCINE REACH! Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tu on (right), examines a shipment of AstraZeneca vaccine from the COVAX Facility, which arrived at the Norman Manley Interna onal Airport on Monday (April 26). Sharing the moment (at le ) is PAHO/WHO Country Representa ve for Jamaica, Bermuda and the Cayman Islands, Bernade e Theodore Gandi. – photo by Adrian Walker

CONGRESS IN SESSION: President Joe Biden addresses a joint session of Congress, for the first me since becoming President on Wednesday, April 28, 2021, in the House Chamber at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, as Vice President Kamala Harris, le , and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of Calif., look on. – photo by Chip Somodevilla/Pool via AP

THE ASIAN CONNECTION: Broward Commissioner Dale V.C. Holness met with the Asian Real Estate Associa on of America (AREAA) on April 22, 2021, to promote sustainable homeownership in our communi es, especially for Asian Americans, and to spur foreign domes c investments in commercial real estate and business development throughout the U.S. From le : Kurt Nishimura, Roth Rani Pahwa, Commissioner Dale V.C. Holness, and Peter Leon. – Contributed

NATIONAL WEEKLY | THURSDAY, APR 29 – MAY 5, 2021 | CNWNETWORK.COM –

A3

NEWSMAKER

Dr. Christopher Tufton

Sets World Record With Vaccination Effort While Jamaica continues to battle the coronavirus pandemic, the island is also in the midst of the largest vaccination campaign in the history of the country.

Jamaica is no stranger to national immunization programs.

But, the negative impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the island’s healthcare system, coupled with national and global skepticism surrounding the COVID-19 vaccines, have posed an unprecedented challenge for Jamaica’s Ministry of Health and Wellness in its attempt to achieve herd immunity by March 2022.

Still, the health ministry, led by the Honorable Dr. Christopher Tufton, is already reaping success in the seemingly impossible tasks of convincing Jamaicans to take the vaccine and inoculating the population at record speed.

Between March 10 and April 15, over 135,000 Jamaicans were

vaccinated – most of whom received their shot at the nationwide vaccination blitzes. A recent vaccine coverage report by CNN revealed that Jamaica was the first country in the world to have inoculated five percent of its population in just 37 days.

The Health Minister said that he was very proud to be leading the ministry even through these difficult times and that this achievement shows that the island has the capacity to vaccinate the population.

Before becoming the Minister of Health and Wellness, Tufton served as a cabinet minister on two previous occasions – as Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries from 2008 to mid-2011 and as Minister of Industry, Investment & Commerce from June to December 2011.

As Minister of Agriculture, he spearheaded the successful divestment of Jamaica’s loss-making sugar assets, the expansion of greenhouse farming technology, and the creation of agro-processing facilities. Minister Tufton was also successful in redefining the agriculture industry as a business and created the Agro-Investment Corporation to help mobilise investments in the sector. For his impact on the Agricultural sector, he was named by the influential Jamaica Gleaner as Man of the Year for 2010.

The same drive and passion were

exuded when he headed the Industry, Investment & Commerce Ministry, where his focus was in investment facilitation, international market competitiveness, consumer protection and the creation of a climate of confidence to attract investors.

After leaving Government in December 2011, Min. Tufton served as the Co-Executive Director of the Caribbean Policy Research Institute at the University of the West Indies (UWI) while also serving as an Opposition Senator.

As a graduate of UWI and Georgia State University, he received degrees in Management Studies and Marketing respectively. He completed his Doctorate in Business Administration at the Manchester Business School at the University of Manchester in the United Kingdom in 2002.

He has used his extensive knowledge of the business world as a part-time business strategist. He has lectured and conducted business consultancy in Jamaica, the United Kingdom and the USA, in a number of areas including International Marketing, Business Strategy and Entrepreneurship.

In 2016, when the Jamaica Labour Party was elected to the government, he was appointed Minister of Health (later renamed Minister of Health and Wellness),

Tu on

also serving as Member of Parliament for West Central St. Catherine. As the leader of the health ministry, he has achieved much success thus far, including establishing the Jamaica Moves Initiative, which encouraged citizens to exercise and eat healthily. The initiative, which eventually took over the region and was renamed Caribbean Moves, also focused on a number of chronic diseases that affect Caribbean nationals.

His tenure as Minister of Health and Wellness, however, has not been without its challenges. Min. Tufton has been heavily criticized for many problems in Jamaica’s health sector including the deplorable condition of

hospitals, the wages of health professionals and the harassment in health centres.

In 2019, his ministry also came under fire for their approach to the worst dengue outbreak that Jamaica had ever seen, which resulted in the death of over 60 Jamaicans, including many children. Ironically, his ministry has so far handled the coronavirus pandemic better that many well-developed, first-world countries.

Minister Tufton is married to Neadene and they have three children: Charles, Kimberly and Adam.

A4 – NATIONAL WEEKLY | THURSDAY, APR 29 – MAY 5, 2021 | CNWNETWORK.COM

CARIBBEAN

Former J’can Top Cop Reneto Adams Hospitalized With COVID-19

Adams

Former Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) top cop Reneto Adams has been hospitalized after testing positive for COVID-19.

According to multiple reports, the former Senior Superintendent of Police blacked out after an accident at his home. He was subsequently taken to hospital where he underwent a number of tests including for the coronavirus, which returned a positive result.

Adams, 71, is said to be on oxygen and “not doing badly” at this time.

Adams retired from the JCF in June 2008 after spending close to 41 years in the organization.

Throughout his career, Adams was widely known as a no-nonsense police officer who was feared by criminals across the island.

CARICOM Chairman In Talks to Procure U.S. Vaccines On Monday, the United States announced that it plans to share millions of doses of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine with other countries.

That same day, Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister and CARICOM Chairman Dr Keith Rowley said he was in ongoing talks with the US on vaccine redistribution.

A statement issued by the Office of the Prime Minister on Monday noted that Rowley wrote President Joe Biden on March 19 asking the US to share its surplus vaccines with the region. In response, President Biden confirmed his government’s commitment to partnering with COVAX and other multinational institutions to ensure the equitable distribution of vaccines.

Prime Minister Rowley subsequently met with US Congresswoman Maxine Waters, Chairwoman of the House Committee on Financial Services, on March 25 and April 7. One of the key issues discussed at these meetings was the need for the equitable distribution of vaccines.

Additionally, Rowley held talks with Elizabeth Cameron, Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Global Health Security and Biodefense at The White House on April 19 to again highlight the critical need for the region to have an adequate and urgent supply of vaccines.

“In all these meetings, the Chairman of CARICOM raised our heightened concerns

Guyana Examining Possibility of “Vaccine Passport” Guyana authorities on Wednesday hinted at the possibility of introducing a “vaccine passport” for visitors to the country.

President Irfaan Ali told a news conference that his administration is prepared to examine all options to deal with the pandemic including a “vaccine passport” in the face of hesitancy by some persons to get vaccinated, as well as the recklessness of others in flouting the existing health protocols.

“To get back to normalcy, the introduction of a mass vaccination passport is being contemplated by many countries. In fact, we have already seen countries lower entry requirements for vaccinated persons,” Ali told reporters, adding “we here in Guyana will soon

have to consider this option.”

President Ali said that given the fact that vaccination is not mandatory, his administration has to examine all means, including the vaccine passport, so the country can “move forward.”

“While the government is taking every step to have everyone vaccinated, it is the responsibility of every citizen, though not mandatory, to understand the importance of vaccination. These vaccines come with a shelf life, cost for storage and transportation, which are enormous and will not forever be available,” he added.

He was critical of those who continue to go about their activities in a reckless manner and are flouting the COVID-19 guidelines, promising

that more law enforcement officials would be deployed to ensure compliance.

“Regardless of whether you have been vaccinated or not, we must all follow the COVID19 guidelines. We had hoped that common sense would have prevailed in following the established guidelines but, unfortunately, it hasn’t. The enforcement, therefore, of these guidelines will be further strengthened and enhanced,” President Ali told reporters.

So far this month, Guyana has registered 58 deaths from the pandemic, the most in any month since the virus was first recorded last March. More than 125,000 persons have already been vaccinated under the government’s ongoing vaccination programme.

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A6 – NATIONAL WEEKLY | THURSDAY, APR 29 – MAY 5, 2021 | CNWNETWORK.COM

editorial

Was it Really About Covid Fears or the Money?

Their reason for refusing to tour Bangladesh earlier this year was met with much skepticism.

Not that the 10 West Indies cricketers who refused to travel and, thus, significantly weakened the team didn’t have the right to decline the invitations. But their excuse at the time, all factors considered, lacked credibility in the eyes of many onlookers.

This is because some of them had travelled to England last summer during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic and its deadly ramifications in that European country.

Relatively speaking, Bangladesh had done a decent job of containing the outbreak and their protocols had met the approval of the Cricket West Indies medical panel. Yet, those players who opted out cited COVID-19 related concerns even though Bangladesh’s positivity rates and death rates were much better than what happened during the tour of England.

According to Cricket West Indies’ COVID-19 policy, any player can opt out of an overseas tour over fears of safety and the decision will not impact their future selection. Of the 10 players who opted out, Darren Bravo and Shimron Hetmyer had also declined invitations to tour England. It should be noted that the England tour was the first international cricket series since the pandemic and there were many unknowns, so fear was indeed real for many.

Notwithstanding, there are prevailing views that a tour of England by any team is always a significant revenue-earner, while that of Bangladesh is in no way similar. But a lot has happened since last summer’s ice-breaking tour of England and this year’s tour of Bangladesh. The International Cricket Council and all stakeholders were much better acquainted with the protocols deemed necessary for the successful staging of these matches.

Yet most of these 10 players have accepted huge contracts to ply their trade at the cash-rich 14th edition of the Indian Premier League now being staged in India. Their decision has left many

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MANAGING EDITOR Dr. Garth A. Rose grose@cnweeklynews.com to believe it was a case of players simply choosing huge sums of money over representing their country. These cash-rich Twenty20 leagues popping up all over the globe have continuously presented situations that have robbed the West Indies of their best players for the past decade.

Moreover, these players are risking their health at a time when India is staggering under 350,000 new infections and just under 3,000 deaths per day. And the numbers continue to increase daily at an alarming rate. It has been so bad that several foreign players have left the tournament or have indicated their willingness to do so as they try to make their way back to their respective homes.

None of those players are reported to be West Indians.

The eight-week league has faced criticism for continuing in empty stadiums during this crisis, with a leading newspaper group accusing it of “commercialism gone crass” as it suspended coverage on Sunday. The Express Publications newspaper group said it had stopped reporting the competition until a “semblance of normalcy is restored”.

The group continued, “In such a tragic time, we find it incongruous that the festival of cricket is on in India.” One senior journalist Sharda Ugra hit

out at the IPL in a column for the Hindustan Times saying the IPL was “bubble-wrapped into tonedeafness” oblivious to “the suffering outside its gates”.

But the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is anxious to hold the tournament, which generates billions of dollars for the Indian economy after last year’s edition was moved to the United Arab Emirates because of the pandemic risk.

In a letter to players a few days ago, BCCI interim CEO Hemang Amin has assured them of the organizers’ full support during and after the tournament, which ends on May 23. “The BCCI will do everything to ensure that you each reach your respective destinations seamlessly. Rest assured that the tournament isn’t over for the BCCI till each one of you has reached your home, safe and sound.”

He further added that India needed the IPL now more than ever as the four hours of cricket provided entertainment, relief and hope for the many stricken by the virus. It’s full time some of our West Indies players display similar empathy for the people of the Caribbean who have suffered for a very long time by their poor performances on the international scene.

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A7

la section haitienne

US Lawmakers Want Re-assessment of Policies on Haiti Several United States lawmakers have sent a letter to the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken urging that Washington reassess its policies towards Haiti.

Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee Gregory W. Meeks and Hakeem Jeffries, Chairman of the House Democratic Caucus, were among 68 legislators that wrote to Blinken regarding Haiti, where President Jovenel Moise is under tremendous pressure to step down from office.

The letter, which was also signed by every Democrat on the Western Hemisphere subcommittee, calls on the Biden administration to withhold funding for the constitutional referendum proposed by President Moïse and warns of the dangers of pushing forward with flawed elections later this year.

“Listen to the voices of Haitian civil society and grassroots organizations, who have been clear that no elections under the current administration in Haiti will be free, fair, and credible,” the letter noted.

It said: “The State Department should instead focus on the underlying democratic legitimacy issues identified by Haiti’s civil society and support a Haiti-led process for change.

“Elections held without meeting internationally accepted standards for participation and legitimacy will only further undermine faith in democratic governance, waste scarce resources and perpetuate a cycle of political instability and violence.”

The US legislators said that they were forced to write to Blinken to express their “serious and urgent concerns regarding the

Meeks

quickly deteriorating situation in Haiti”.

They said while they appreciated his “personal engagement with Haiti, and the State Department’s recent criticism of some of the unconstitutional actions by the administration of President Jovenel Moïse, we believe it is past time for a more significant review of U.S. policy in Haiti. We look forward to working with you to make this a reality.”

The legislators said that they were encouraging the Biden administration to “support the sovereignty of the U.S.’s oldest neighbour in the hemisphere by reaffirming the U.S. commitment to the principles of democracy and rule of law.

“The Biden Administration inherited a multifaceted crisis (constitutional, human rights, economic, social) that the actions of the previous administration exacerbated.

However, we must also recognize that the crisis of today did not start yesterday.”

They said that nationwide unrest and political turmoil have increased significantly since 2018 and have brought about severe instability and political violence.

The lengthy letter said that parliamentary,

local, and presidential elections set for later this year “could increase the risk of violence throughout the country significantly.”

But they said that “despite this alarming situation, the State Department has been insistent, both in public and in private briefings with members, that elections – now scheduled for later this year – are the only path forward.

“While elections will clearly be needed in the near future to restore democratic order, we remain deeply concerned that any electoral process held under the current administration will fail to be free, fair, or credible and that continued U.S. insistence on elections at all costs will only make this outcome more likely. President Barack Obama’s former Ambassador to Haiti, Pamela White, made clear during her testimony to the House Foreign Affairs Committee in March that legitimate elections are not possible in the current context. Witnesses from Haitian civil society agreed strenuously,” they wrote.

They said considering these factors, “we urge the State Department to: make clear that the U.S. will not provide any support, financial or technical, to facilitate the proposed constitutional referendum, including through multilateral institutions.”

Earlier this month, Washington said it was looking forward to working with the new Prime Minister of Haiti, Claude Joseph, who has pledged to continue efforts for the staging of the referendum and the organization of new elections in the country. – (CMC)

cnweeklynews.com

Kidnappers Release Three Haitian Hostages Kidnappers have released three of the religious people they abducted nearly two weeks ago, a spokesman for the Conference of Bishops of Haiti has said.

Father Loudger Mazile said that Sister Anne-Marie Dortellus, Father Hugues Baptiste and Lovely Joseph were released but that the two French nationals, Father Michel Briand, 67, and 80-year-old Sister Agnès Bordeau, as well as four Haitian nationals, including two priests are still being held hostage.

It is not known if a ransom was paid for the release of the three hostages. The kidnappers had initially demanded a one million US-dollar ransom to release all of the hostages.

“This is too much. The time has come for these inhuman acts to stop,” Monsignor Pierre-André Dumas, Bishop of Miragoâne said following the abduction, adding “the Church prays and stands in solidarity with all the victims of this odious act.”

Earlier, the Episcopal Conference of Haiti (CEH) and the Haitian Conference of Religious (CHR) said Friday they will continue the closure of all its schools, presbyters and other facilities until all those abducted have been released.

In a brief statement, the CEH and the CHR confirmed that all of its facilities, including schools, presbyters, congregants, universities and other institutions, except hospitals and health centers, had been closed from Wednesday for three days “to demand the release of the five priests and two nuns kidnapped.”

Reports said that members of the criminal gang “400 mawozo” abducted the seven including two nuns, while they were going to the installation ceremony of a priest at the Immaculate church of Galette Chambon on April 11. – (CMC)

A8 – NATIONAL WEEKLY | THURSDAY, APR 29 – MAY 5, 2021 | CNWNETWORK.COM A D V E R T I S E M E N T

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B1

COMMUNITY BROWARD COUNTY

Comm. Holness Proposes Community ID for Residents

By Sheri-kae McLeod Broward County Commissioner Dale Holness has proposed a community ID program so that residents in the county who do not have state identification can access essential services.

Since vaccinations began in the United States in December, states have required a driver’s license or an alternative US-issued ID to get the shot. But millions of undocumented immigrants and temporary farmworkers do not possess these documents.

Earlier in April, farmworker advocates such as the Coalition of Immokalee Workers and Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried had called on officials to be more lenient when requiring proof of residency now that the state has lowered the vaccine eligibility age. They said many farmworkers are in the country illegally and don’t have a driver’s license or other documents required as an alternative.

Similar points were made at a commissioner’s meeting on Tuesday, April

20, where Jamaican-born Commissioner Dale Holness says he knows of at least one immigrant who was turned away from a vaccination site after attempting to use a passport as ID. “In an email that I received, someone gave the story of an elderly immigrant Haitian woman who was in line to get the vaccination. She presented her passport to get the vaccination and she was told that she couldn’t use that form of identification to get the vaccine. Police officers told her that they only accept Florida IDs. She was turned away,” he said.

Holness says, for this reason, the county

needs to establish a community ID program.

“They’re our residents and they can help us to control the spread of this disease if we’re able to get them vaccinated.”

Broward Sheriff Gregory Tony also wrote a letter to the Commissioners saying that he supports the proposed program.

“Today, Broward County has thousands of residents who lack identification for various reasons,” the letter read. Sheriff Tony said, adding that: “with the homeless, undocumented, formerly incarcerated, to elderly, these and other bureaucraticallychallenged residents do not have access to many basic and vital services. The community ID will provide these residents with a way to access those services.”

Broward County Mayor Steve Geller noted his main concern is that he doesn’t want to put undocumented immigrants at risk for deportation by including them in the program. But at the end of the meeting, the Commissioners voted unanimously to pass the proposal. This is the first county-wide municipal ID program in Florida.

Vaccine Talks from A4

about the increased danger posed by the almost inevitable possibility of variants of the COVID-19 virus developing or entering within our regional territories,” the statement from the Office of the Prime Minister said. “A commitment was received that once the policy of redistribution is readied CARICOM will not be ignored.”

Earlier on Monday, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said the Biden administration was looking at options to share American-made AstraZeneca vaccine doses during the next few months.

He indicated that the decision was taken because of the US’ available supply of other COVID-19 vaccines approved for use. It has tens of millions of doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine stockpiled, but they have not been used because the vaccine has not yet been granted emergency use authorization by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

“Given the strong portfolio of vaccines that the United States has already authorized and that is available in large quantities, including two two-dose vaccines and one one-dose vaccine, and given that AstraZeneca is not authorized for use in the United States, we do not need to use AstraZeneca in our fight against COVID over the next few months,” Psaki said.

Broward Deputies Told Not to Enforce DeSantis Anti-riot Law Deputies in Broward County are being instructed not to enforce an anti-rioting law signed by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis last week, unless it’s absolutely necessary.

When it is deemed necessary, the decision must run it up the chain of command before taking action, according to an internal memo obtained by the South Florida Sun Sentinel.

Col. David R. Holmes, the Broward County Sheriff’s Office’s executive director of law enforcement, emailed district captains Wednesday to say the anti-rioting law

threatened to diminish the sheriff’s office’s attempts to connect with the community.

The sheriff’s office doesn’t need “any overzealous deputies utilizing the new law to conduct enforcement that could violate people’s civil liberties”, Holmes said in the email.

The so-called anti-riot law that DeSantis signed last week was a response to nationwide demonstrations that occurred in the wake of George Floyd’s murder. Most of the protests against racial injustice were peaceful, but some turned violent.

A nonprofit group last week filed a lawsuit in federal court in Orlando challenging the new law. Opponents of the law said it was a racist reaction to a problem that hasn’t occurred in Florida. They saw it as an attempt to squash the voices of groups like Black Lives Matter.

The new law enhances penalties for crimes committed during a riot or violent protest. It allows authorities to hold arrested protesters until a first court appearance and establishes new felonies for organizing or participating in a violent demonstration.

It also strips local governments of civil liability protections if they interfere with law enforcement’s efforts to respond to a violent protest and adds language to state law that could force local governments to justify a reduction in law enforcement budgets.

It also makes it a second-degree felony, punishable by up to 10 years in prison, to destroy or demolish a memorial, plaque, flag, painting, structure or other object that commemorates historical people or events.

B2 – NATIONAL WEEKLY | THURSDAY, APR 29 – MAY 5, 2021 | CNWNETWORK.COM A D V E R T I S E M E N T

NATIONAL WEEKLY | THURSDAY, APR 29 – MAY 5, 2021 | CNWNETWORK.COM –

B3

HEALTH & WELLNESS

CDC Says Vaccinated Americans Can Go Outside Without a Mask The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) eased its guidelines Tuesday on the wearing of masks outdoors, saying fully vaccinated Americans don’t need to cover their faces anymore unless they are in a big crowd of strangers.

And those who are unvaccinated can go outside without masks in some cases, too.

The new guidance represents another carefully calibrated step on the road back to normalcy from the coronavirus outbreak that has killed over 570,000 people in U.S. For most of the past year, the CDC had been advising Americans to wear masks outdoors if they are within six feet of each other.

The change comes as more than half of U.S. adults have gotten at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine, and more than a third have been fully vaccinated.

“It’s the return of freedom,” said Dr. Mike Saag, an infectious disease expert at the University of Alabama at Birmingham who welcomed the change. “It’s the return of us being able to do normal activities again. We’re not there yet, but we’re on the exit ramp. And that’s a beautiful thing.”

More people need to be vaccinated, and concerns persist about variants and other possible shifts in the epidemic. But Saag said the new guidance is a sensible reward following the development and distribution of effective vaccines and about 140 million Americans

stepping forward to get their shots.

The CDC, which has been cautious in its guidance during the crisis, essentially endorsed what many Americans have already been doing over the past several weeks.

The CDC says that fully vaccinated or not,

people do not have to wear masks outdoors when they walk, bike or run alone or with members of their household. They can also go maskless in small outdoor gatherings with fully vaccinated people.

But from there, the CDC has differing guidance for people who are fully vaccinated and those who are not.

Unvaccinated people — defined by the CDC as those who have yet to receive both doses of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine or the one-shot Johnson & Johnson formula — should wear masks at outdoor gatherings that include other unvaccinated people. They also should keep using masks at outdoor restaurants.

Fully vaccinated people do not need to cover up in those situations, the CDC says.

However, everyone should keep wearing masks at crowded outdoor events such as concerts or sporting events, the CDC says.

And the agency continues to recommend masks at indoor public places, such as hair salons, restaurants, shopping centers, museums and movie theaters.

AP medical writer Carla K. Johnson in Washington state contributed to this report.

Florida Resumes Johnson & Johnson Vaccines Shots using the Johnson & Johnson vaccine resumed Sunday, April 25, at federally supported mass vaccination sites throughout Florida, state emergency officials said.

The Florida Division of Emergency Management tweeted that it was resuming the Johnson & Johnson shots at the vaccination

sites in Tampa, Orlando, Jacksonville and Miami after reviewing guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration.

The federal agencies on April 13 called for the 11-day pause on the vaccine to be lifted after federal regulators reviewed data on blood clots and assessed risks associated with the vaccine.

Out of nearly 8 million people who received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, 15 women developed these blood clots. Johnson &

Johnson vaccine providers will now provide information about the risk and information about symptoms to watch for after vaccination.

Each of the mass vaccination sites in Florida should be able to administer 3,000 of the onedose Johnson & Johnson shots each day, according to the Florida Division of Emergency Management.

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B4 – NATIONAL WEEKLY | THURSDAY, APR 29 – MAY 5, 2021 | CNWNETWORK.COM

CONTINUATIONS

Runcie Resigns

Minister Jailed

from A1

from A1

organizations.

But the Valentine’s Day shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland in 2018 ultimately led to his downfall. Seventeen people were killed, and the parent of one victim and the wife of another now serve on the school board.

Board member Lori Alhadeff, whose daughter Alyssa was killed, has been one of Runcie’s toughest critics, asking the board to fire him in 2019. That vote failed 6-3. “I have had enough,” Alhadeff said about her desire to terminate Runcie without cause and start a national search for a new superintendent.

“I know you’ve been in enormous amounts of pain that none of us can ever imagine,” Runcie responded to Alhadeff. “I guess I’m part of the source of that in some ways. If it’s going to give you the peace you’re looking for, I will step aside.”

A grand jury, originally impaneled to review school safety after Parkland, expanded its reach and examined a $17 million technology deal, leading to the indictment of former district administrator Tony Hunter on charges of bribery and bid tampering, the South Florida SunSentinel reported.

According to official court documents, the Jamaican-born Superintendent allegedly contacted witnesses in the case

and then lied on the stand when asked if he spoke to anyone. A prosecutor said that Runcie contacted one or more witnesses on March 29th, the day before the hearing.

The video statement released by the superintendent earlier Tuesday repeated a suggestion by his attorney that politics was behind the indictment and he would be vindicated. Even so, Runcie told the board Tuesday night that he was ready to step down after a majority of members said they wanted to either place him on leave or fire him.

“I cannot put myself above the needs of our district,” he said. “We’re, unfortunately, in a climate where forgiveness, compassion and love have far too often taken a back seat to grievance, anger and hate.”

Barbara Myrick, who was arrested on a felony charge of illegally disclosing information from the grand jury, decided to resign as well.

The board will meet Thursday to discuss their separation agreements and decide who will lead the district.

Runcie’s lawyer, Johnny McCray, told the SunSentinel his client’s resignation was not part of a negotiation to resolve the criminal charge. “We intend to continue fighting these charges, and as he said earlier today, he will be vindicated.”

KID’S CORNER

Board member Laurie Rich Levinson, an ally of both Runcie and Myrick, said she was saddened by their resignations. “What happened here has nothing to do with our children, but Mr. Robert Runcie is not putting himself above the needs of our children,” she said.

Board member Debra Hixon, whose husband Chris died at Parkland, said she has never blamed Runcie or the district for the shooting. “My issue is what happened after,” she said, with tears in her eyes.

Runcie’s arraignment is set for May 12.

His attorneys filed a motion last week to dismiss the charge. If convicted of perjury, Robert Runcie faces up to five years in prison.

contracts from the Barbados government to insure over US$100 million worth of government property.

To conceal the bribes, Inniss arranged to receive them through a U.S. bank account in the name of his friend’s dental company, which had an address in Elmont, New York. The trial evidence further showed that Inniss used a personal email account to communicate with an executive from ICBL in connection with the bribe payments and the laundering of the money through the dental company in New York.

“As a government official, Inniss was responsible for improving the economic development and quality of life for Barbados and its people. But as proven at trial, he corruptly abused his position and the U.S. financial system to enrich himself,” said Richard P. Donoghue, the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, at the end of the trial. – (CMC)

NATIONAL WEEKLY | THURSDAY, APR 29 – MAY 5, 2021 | CNWNETWORK.COM –

C1

ENTERTAINMENT Since dropping the visuals for Bad Mon in 2018, his biggest hit to date that was produced by BeatsByMantra of Future, Rihanna and Bad Bunny fame has amassed more than 350,000 YouTube views. His more recent single Perseverance follows with over 100,000 views in less than a year. And on Spotify, his other singles Extraterrestrial and Drunk have together totalled more than 240,000 streams. So far, these fanfavorites have received positive responses in Atlanta, New York, Miami, Canada and the UK. “I am overwhelmed with joy and gratitude that I have been blessed with this opportunity to do what I love,” said London.

“It’s something I don’t take for granted especially being able to share my roots and culture with other parts of the world.”

The rising sensation spoke about his life and what stirred his interest in music. “My musical journey started in prep school [in Jamaica] where my friends and I started this R&B group called Back Street Boys. But later on while attending Jamaica College, I discovered Lil Wayne who inspired me to transition from R&B to rap.”

He continued, “The love for hip hop music intensified when I went to sixth form at St. George's College and bumped heads with other kids who were rapping and making hip hop beats.”

At the University of the West Indies (UWI), the Atlantabased artist started creating a buzz when he recorded a mixtape titled London Fraternity with 11 songs. By the second year, he headlined his first concert at Student Union, and produced merchandise that sold out in two weeks. London also closed out a fashion show for Jamaican publication The Gleaner at UWI, a feat he recollects with pride while noting that DJ Nico spinned his set for that performance.

Fast forward to now, the rising musician is busy working on a new project with six sensational tracks that promise to bring something new and refreshing to the market. The selfproclaimed “extraterrestrial force” says the music is a combination of luxury rap and psychedelic trap. The tracks will all be released in 2021.

The dynamic rapper, who writes all his songs and produces most of the beats, is also the creative director behind his music videos. “I am involved in every aspect of my music. It’s my passion, and I want to have a hands-on approach throughout the entire creative process. From writing the lyrics to producing the songs, as well as conceptualizing and directing the videos,” said London.

Even though he is heavily involved in creating his music, London credits his accomplishments to a supportive team that has been with him from the beginning. The young artist also expressed gratitude for his fans from Jamaica and the Diaspora who stuck with him and continue to show their love and support. He also acknowledged the instrumental role of social media in moving his career forward and growing a solid fanbase standing at 116,000 followers on Instagram.

Steady Rise for

Kalleem London

T

Talent powerhouse Kalleem London is ready to make his mark in the hip hop industry. Crafting invigorating songs that blend genres such as trap, dancehall and R&B, the Jamaican-born recording artist is already on the rise with multiple singles gaining steady views and streams on numerous platforms.

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His latest song ‘Vibe’ is a personification of emotion and energy experienced by the listener. The steamy imagery adds flavor to the audio and makes for a fitting accompaniment to the beat. The multi-national talent blends a unique derivative of various genres to combine for his flair, often described as rap with an accent.

The single ‘Vibe’ is a banger with Lincoln 3Dot’s flow over synthesized guitars, giving way to an R&B influence. He was heavily influenced by his Jamaican heritage by way of dancehall and his time spent in New York and on the hiphop scene. The uniqueness of his sound comes from the fusion of these elements.

He teamed up with Izy Beats, most widely recognized as the producer of break-out artist Koffee’s hit song ‘Toast’. The sensual side of the project comes through with provocative lyrics alluding to the connection between romantic partners.

The video, directed by Chris Moreno, showcases some of the finer things in life while paying tribute to the journey along the way. It depicts a couple and their struggle to come up and the pure bliss of living in the lap of luxury.

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NATIONAL WEEKLY | THURSDAY, APR 29 – MAY 5, 2021 | CNWNETWORK.COM –

C3

SPORTS

St. Kitts to Host 2021 C’bean Premier League

tournament, the CPL is a massive boost for the host country with US$51.5 million delivered in sponsorship value for Trinidad & Tobago. We are really looking forward to giving St Kitts & Nevis the exposure they deserve.”

St. Kitts, home of the St Kitts and Nevis Patriots, last hosted the CPL in the 2019 season when Warner Park staged five matches, including a dramatic super-over victory by the hosts over Trinbago Knight Riders.

Unlike Trinidad, however, which featured two venues for last year’s tournament in the Brian Lara Stadium and Queen’s Park Oval, organizers will have to make do with Warner Park for the anticipated 33 matches.

St. Kitts Sports Minister Jonel Powell said the country welcomed the economic activity the tournament would stimulate, but stressed that the government would not let its guard down.

“We are greatly confident that the hosting of the Caribbean Premier League in

St. Kitts and Nevis will play host to this year’s Caribbean Premier League (CPL), with organizers on Tuesday describing the country as “one of the safest places” in the region amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The high-profile Twenty20 tournament, which bowls off August 28, will again be played in a bio-secure bubble that was obtained last year when Trinidad and Tobago hosted the championship in the early days of COVID-19.

St. Kitts has reported only 44 infections to date, with no deaths or active cases, and organizers said they would partner with all key local stakeholders to “ensure the health and safety of all those involved in the tournament as well as the local population”.

“We are delighted to be able to announce that we will be having the Hero CPL in St Kitts & Nevis in 2021 and we would like to thank those involved in welcoming the tournament to this wonderful country,” said CPL’s Chief Operating Officer Pete Russell.

“As was demonstrated during the 2020

St Kitts & Nevis in 2021 will stimulate muchneeded economic activity, especially for small and medium-sized local businesses,” Powell said.

“As it relates to COVID-19, we will maintain our vigilance to ensure that our health protocols are not compromised and that the country remains protected from any serious spread of the Coronavirus.

“It will most certainly help to revive the tourism sector that has been struggling for over a year under the weight of the deadly COVID-19 global pandemic. Therefore, the economic impact is forecast to be significant.”

St. Kitts reopened to international travel last October after a seven-month lockdown to mitigate against the spread of COVID-19.

Currently, all visitors to the island must possess a valid negative PCR test and undergo a mandatory quarantine period.

TKR won their fourth CPL title last year when they beat St Lucia Zouks at the Brian Lara Stadium in Tarouba.

Reggae Boy Leon Bailey Spurs Bayer Leverkusen to Victory Jamaican international Leon Bailey scored once and turned provider for another as Bayer Leverkusen defeated Eintracht Frankfurt 3-1 in the Bundesliga at the BayArena on Saturday.

Bailey, 23, flashed a shot over the cross in the second half before breaking the deadlock in the 70th minute when substitute Moussa Diaby sent a sweeping cross to the far post where the Jamaican met it and slotted it between goalkeeper Kevin Trapp’s legs.

Reggae Boy Bailey then set up Leverkusen’s second with a neat pass for substitute Lucas Alario to dink in 10 minutes from time.

Said Bailey, who has been directly involved in five goals in Leverkusen’s last two Bundesliga home games: “Well, you know it’s always nice scoring goals and, of course, helping the team as well.

“It was an important game … so I’m happy I was able to deliver.”

Frankfurt’s Andre Silva and the hosts’ Kerem Demirbay exchanged goals in added time as Leverkusen held on to maintain their outside chance of a top-four finish, while Frankfurt’s own Champions League aspirations suffered a setback.

Bailey

CRICKET

Caribbean Nation to Fill One of Two Spots in Commonwealth Tournament A Caribbean nation will claim one of the last two spots in the historic Twenty20 tournament when women’s cricket debuts at next year’s edition of the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.

With West Indies unable to compete as one entity, this year’s T20 Blaze – the Cricket West Indies women’s domestic championship – will determine the country which joins several global powerhouses at the July 28 to August 8 Games.

“As per the qualification process, the winner of a designated Qualifying event will determine which country from the Caribbean region gets to participate as athletes will be representing their individual countries and not the West Indies as they would at ICC events,” the International Cricket Council said in a statement Monday.

CWI last hosted the T20 Blaze in 2019

when Barbados emerged winners in the tournament staged in Guyana.

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic wiped out all domestic women’s cricket in the Caribbean last year and has continued to keep a question mark over the hosting of the T20 Blaze this year.

England, meanwhile, have qualified for the eight-team tournament by virtue of being hosts, while Australia, India, New Zealand, Pakistan and South Africa all booked their spots courtesy of their current standing in the International Cricket Council Women’s T20 International rankings.

The ICC said the last spot in the Commonwealth Games tournament would be determined by another qualifying tournament scheduled to be staged before January 31 next year.

“We are incredibly proud and excited to be part of Birmingham 2022 and it is a fantastic opportunity for us to continue to grow the women’s game globally,” said the acting ICC chief executive, Geoff Allardice.

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“We are committed to maintaining the momentum that saw 86,174 fans packed into the Melbourne Cricket Ground for the final of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup last year and Birmingham 2022 gives us another global stage on which to showcase the women’s game.”

The tournament marks only the second time cricket will be played at the Commonwealth Games, the last occasion being 23 years ago when a men’s 50-overs tournament was played at the multi-discipline showpiece held in Malaysia.

Jamaica, Antigua and Barbados represented the Caribbean but none reached the knock-out stage. Commonwealth Games president Dame Louise Martin said the

women’s tournament would bring a new flavour to the event.

“Cricket is a sport that is synonymous with the Commonwealth and we are so excited to have it back in the Games for the first time since the men’s competition at Kuala Lumpur 1998,” Dame Louise said.

“The debut of women’s T20 cricket will be a historic moment for Commonwealth Sport and a wonderful showcase for women’s sport across the world.”

The Commonwealth Games will feature 4,500 athletes from 72 countries.

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