National Weekly January 30, 2020

NATIONAL WEEKLY | THURSDAY, JAN 30 – FEB 5, 2020 | VOL. 17 NO. 4

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SHOOK! More Powerful Earthquakes Rocking The Caribbean Tuesday’s massive 7.7 magnitude earthquake that struck off the coast of Jamaica and shook the island comes on t h e h e e l s o f t h r e e e a r t hquakes—including a strong 6.4 magnitude, that hit struck off the southern coast of Puerto Rico earlier this month. The Trinidad-based Seismic Research Centre (SRC) at the University of the West Indies (UWI) has cautioned that the earthquakes should serve as a reminder to the Caribbean “that our region is seismically active and we always need to be prepared.”

Since then, Puerto Rico has been impacted by several more quakes, and the quake that rocked Jamaica struck 117 kilometers (73 miles) off the coast, northwest of Lucea, around 2:10 p.m.

by Garth A. Rose

Women from the Caribbean and many other countries, who are pregnant or appear to be pregnant, will come under new scrutiny when they are entering the United States or seeking a U.S. visitor's visa.

This, as the Trump administration announced a new immigration rule to combat “birth tourism”—a practice in which it says women, including from the Caribbean, travel to the U.S. with the purpose of giving birth to gain citizenship for their children. This new rule took effect on January 23.

According to South Florida immigration attorney Caroly Pedersen, “It will be up to the applicant to try and prove to the immigration ofcer that they are not seeking to give birth in the U.S. and are instead seeking to enter the U.S. for another 'legitimate primary purpose.' It should be noted that visa ofcers already have the power to deny visas to pregnant women who they believe want to come to the U.S. in order to give birth to a U.S. Citizen child.”

Immigration advocates and other critics of this policy see it as a measure by the Trump administration to end birthright citizenship.

The long standing principle of birthright citizenship stems from the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, providing that all children born on U.S. soil automatically obtain U.S. citizenship.

President Trump, however, regards this Constitutional requirement as an immigration loophole. “Organizations bring in large numbers of immigrants to systematically exploit this loophole and unfairly provide

citizenship for their children,” he said in a White House statement.

“Most birth tourism groups charge tens of thousands of dollars, which often doesn't include coverage for medical care. Groups are flown to the United States and often brought to motels, whose owners are also often complicit in the scheme,” he continued, adding that the State Department will stop issuing temporary visitor’s visas to applicants who are traveling to the United States to engage in birth tourism.

The new policy gives consular visa officers authority to screen for and block pregnant

sending tremors throughout Jamaica, Cuba, the Cayman Islands and as far away as Miami, South Florida.

Earlier on Tuesday, at 12.24 a.m. a 5.4 magnitude struck southwest of Trinidad and Tobago. Prior to this, other earthquakes impacted St. Lucia and Dominica between Jan 8 and 17.

The frequency of earthquakes has caused understandable uneasiness among the people in the region, with residents of Trinidad and Tobago expressing greater fear of earthquakes than hurricanes, which normally threaten the region annually.

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FEATURE

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ASAFA POWELL TO BE HONORED WITH STATUE A3

FAREWELL KOBE BRYANT B1

KOFFEE MAKES HISTORY WITH GRAMMY WIN B2

JAMAICA’S SUNSHINE GIRLS LOSE NETBALL FINALS TO NEW ZEALAND c3

A2 – NATIONAL WEEKLY

| THURSDAY, JAN 30 – FEB 5, 2020 | VOL. 17 NO. 4

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun: These lovely ladies were enjoying their music at the City of Miramar's Jazz Under the Stars. -- Photo Credit: Luke Ballen ne

Lovely Ladies Three: L-r: Karelle Chang, City of Lauderdale Lakes Mayor Hazelle Rogers, and City of Lauderhill Commissioner Denise Grant were out suppor ng Mayor Messam's Longest Table event in Miramar.

-- Photo Credit: Luke Ballen ne

55 and Radiant! Delrene Smith (le ) celebrated her 55th birthday in Sunrise, pictured here with her daughter, Alessa Noble. -- Photo Credit: Uriah Benne

Security With A Smile: Miramar Mayor Wayne Messam caught clowning around with the friendly security at The Mayor's 'Longest Table' event in Miramar.

-- Photo Credit: Luke Ballen ne

Selfie-licious: A classic photo of good mes and great music at Mayor Messam's Longest Table event in Miramar. -- Photo Credit: Luke Ballen ne Black Girls Rock! These beau ful young ladies were proudly displaying their confidence and style in Miramar as they helped to kick off Black History Month during the City's Mar n Luther King Day Parade. -- Photo Credit: Mark James

Celebra ng Black History: The City of Miramar kicked off Black History Month with Vice Mayor Alexandra Davis and the Somerset Academy Miramar's student band and choir. -- Contributed

Media Day: The House of Representa ves recently celebrated Media Day with students in Tallahassee. -- Contributed

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NEWSMAKER

Sprinter Asafa Powell To Be Honored with Statue Former 100 meters world record holder Asafa Powell will be honored by the Jamaican government with his own statue to be erected at Independence Park at the National Stadium in Kingston.

Jamaica's Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport Olivia Grange received the official “all-clear” by Powell and his wife, Alyshia, for the statue to be unveiled at the National Stadium on February 9.

According to Powell, famous Jamaican sculptor, Basil Watson got the details of the statue “just right.” The massive bronze statue will be among the statues of other remarkable Jamaican sprinters, Usain Bolt, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Veronica Campbell-Brown, who are regarded as this generation's most outstanding Jamaican sports stars.

Prior to the Usain Bolt's decade-long dominance of Jamaican tracks, there was Asafa Powell, the 6'3” well-built athlete from Spanish Town, St. Catherine, Jamaica.

Powell is the youngest of six sons born to two ministers. Growing up in St. Catherine, in an athletic family, Powell's passion for sports easily outweighed any of his other ambitions.

Like most young athletes in Jamaica, he represented his high school, Charlemont High School at the ISSA Girls and Boys Championships. There, he caught the attention of Track and Field coach Stephen Francis, who immediately took Powell under his wing.

However, it wasn't until 2003, after he won the Jamaican 100m National Championship that local track fans, and the rest of the world, began

Asafa Powell poses with a replica of the statue to be unveiled on February 9.

paying keen attention to Powell.

In 2004, the “sub-10 king” recorded his first sub-10 100m race time (9.99 s) while participating in the National Junior Track and Field Championships. After missing out on an Olympic medal at the 2004 Athens Olympics, Powell set a new national record of 9.87 s for the 100m. That same year, he recorded five IAAF Grand Prix wins and became the first man to win both the 100m and 200m races at the World Athletics Final in championship

record time. By this time, Powell was world ranked number one for the 100m.

In 2005, he was officially the leading male 100-meter sprinter, breaking the 100m world record in Athens on June 14, 2005, with a time of 9.77 s, that beat American Tim Montgomery's 2002 record of 9.78 s.

In 2007, after finishing third behind his biggest rival at the time—American Tyson Gay—in the World Championship finals, Powell set a new world record a few days later in the

opening heats of the IAAF Grand Prix in Rieti, Italy. Powell ran a new world record time of 9.74 s, making up for the disappointment of not becoming World Champion.

At the 2008 Olympics, Powell finished fifth in the 100m and then won the 100m bronze and re l ay g o l d a t t h e 2009 Wo rl d Championships. In the subsequent years, Powell battled a recurring groin injury which saw him not competing or medaling in many of the major track events.

In 2013, Powell had tested positive for the drug oxilofrine and withdrew from the 2013 World Athletics Championships as a result. In April 2014, the Jamaica Anti-Doping Commission suspended him for 18 months over doping charges, but the suspension was reduced to six months.

In 2019, the 36-year-old athlete ran his fastest time in three years, a 10.02s clocking, to finish second at the Bayer Classic in Leverkusen, Germany. Powell says his main career goal now is to become the first man to run 100 wind-legal times under 10 seconds. He has broken the ten-second barrier more than any other athlete—a record 97 times.

Asafa is regarded as much of a comedian, by his fellow track colleagues, Usain Bolt and Yohan Blake. He's an avid car enthusiast, who is deeply religious from his parents' influence. In his late teenage years, Powell's home life was marred by tragedy, after losing two brothers back-to-back. In 2002, one of Asafa's brothers, Michael Powell, was shot dead in a taxi in New York. The following year, another brother, Vaughn Powell died from a heart attack.

Asafa Powell is the father of three young children, 7-year-old Avani, 6-year-old Liam, and an infant son, Amieke who his wife, Canadian model Alyshia Miller-Powell gave birth to in 2019.

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| THURSDAY, JAN 30 – FEB 5, 2020 | VOL. 17 NO. 4

Jamaica And U.S. Deny Attempts To Divide CARICOM United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Prime Minister Andrew Holness both denied the decision to invite select CARICOM states to last week's meeting in Kingston with the secretary of state was an attempt to split the regional grouping.

“There is no intent for the United States to divide CARICOM. Not yesterday, not today, not tomorrow,” Pompeo told journalists at a joint media briefing with Holness at the Office of the Prime Minister in Kingston last week.

“We want all the countries of this region to prosper and be successful. We know that countries in this region will agree with the United States on certain positions from time to time and disagree with us from time to time.

“That's true of Jamaica, as well as it is true for many of the folks I will visit with this afternoon. We want to invite them all (CARICOM members) to be part of the economic prosperity, security zone that is this region,” Pompeo said while declaring his appreciation for the leadership displayed by Jamaica in the region.

Caribbean leaders including CARICOM

Pompeo

Chairman and Prime Minister of Barbados Mia Mottley, and Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Keith Rowley criticized the meeting claiming that Pompeo, as part of the agenda of the Trump Administration, is trying to divide CARICOM into states which support the United States' stance on Venezuela, and on the election of the next secretary general of the Organization of American States (OAS) on one

side, and the states which are not supportive of America's stance on Venezuela and the OAS on the other side.

The Trump Administration does not recognize the Government of President Nicolás Maduro in Venezuela and is also seeking votes for the re-election of Luis Almagro as General Secretary of the OAS in the election set for March 20.

Several CARICOM states still recognize Maduro as the legitimate president of Venezuela, and support Ecuadorian diplomat, Maria Fernanda Espinosa, to be the OAS secretary general.

Addressing the OAS issue at a media briefing in Kingston, Pompeo declared that the U.S. accepts the individual positions of Caribbean states.

“We made it very clear who we think should be the next leader of the OAS. We have made that very clear because we think Almagro has demonstrated his ability to return financial stability to the institution and return this institution to a really important place…for all member states of the OAS,” said Pompeo.

He said the Trump Administration welcomes dialogue with all members of CARICOM as it is convinced that there are common interests.

Holness told the media Jamaica would not engage in any policy that would divide CARICOM. “CARICOM is an important fraternity of countries. We are a trading bloc with our custom union, but more than that it is the fraternity and we want to keep it that way,” said Holness.

“In modern diplomatic relations, and in the exercise of foreign policy, we all must respect the sovereignty of countries to determine how they structure their foreign policy.

“When friends asked to be hosted, or for us to host them, we are friends so we do that. We are friends with the United States and we are happy to host [the Secretary of State] here, not to the exclusion of any country, and if anyone wanted to attend they would just have had to say so [and] from my perspective, we would have done everything to ensure that they were present,” added Holness.

Guyana Assumes Chair of the OAS Inter-American Council for Integral Development Guyana assumed the chair of the Inter-American Council for Integral Development (CIDl) of the Organization of American States (OAS) for the first half of 2020, at a ceremony held at the headquarters of the hemispheric institution in Washington, DC on January 23.

The Permanent Representative of Guyana, Riyad Insanally, said he will seek to build

consensus among member states on the development policies of the Organization. “I believe we have an excellent opportunity to advance the work program of CIDI, through dialogue and consensus building. We will do this for the benefit of all member states in the areas of convergence between Guyana's own development priorities and those of CIDI,” said the Ambassador of Guyana, who also chairs the Permanent Council of the OAS. For her part, the outgoing Chair of CIDI and Permanent Representative of Guatemala, Rita Diaz de Sciolli, highlighted the goals she shared with the OAS Secretary General, Luis

Almagro and the member states, to reduce extreme poverty in the hemisphere. “During the term of Guatemala, the importance of promoting cooperation between the states in the search for integral development and contributing to the elimination of critical poverty, a central objective of CIDI, was highlighted," said the Guatemalan diplomat.

The Permanent Representative of Jamaica, Ambassador Audrey Marks, will also serve as Vice Chair of CIDI. Insanally

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NATIONAL WEEKLY | THURSDAY, JAN 30 – FEB 5, 2020 | VOL. 17 NO. 4 –

A5

Talk UP Share your thoughts on the recent passing of Kobe Bryant Lincoln - It's amazing to see how one person touches so many, whether it's through sports, entertainment, or otherwise. When you see somebody that great at what he did, and how many fans and lives he touched, to lose his own and the life of his daughter at the same time, it becomes crippling to the mind. He was one of the greatest basketball players - the greatest basketball player to me. He was an introvert - he wasn't one of those who opened up his personal life to many, especially to the media. It's definitely a huge loss for America.

Brianna - We were at basketball practice when the news broke. All the parents were sitting together watching the kids play. One person got the news alert, and then we were all like - no, no, that can't be true, and we were all looking at the boys like - oh my gosh, who's going to tell them?

Some of these kids - he is the reason why they're even at practice, they've been inspired by him. A lot of kids wear his number. People don't just love Kobe, they want to be him. This is actually one of the first times that I've cried for someone who isn't family.

M.J. - Kobe wasn't just a 5 time NBA champion, Olympic gold medalist, MVP, he was a Dad too, a family man. A lot of people just know him for his basketball but he retired 3 - 4 years ago, and he was just getting into teaching his daughter, Gianna Bryant, the fundamentals of basketball.

She was literally the next Kobe Bryant - just a girl, and the only daughter out of the whole Kobe Bryant family that played basketball. I'm 11 years old. I play basketball because I love the sport. To honor Kobe Bryant, I would say a prayer for the family for 24 days straight.

Nicole - “The sudden passing of Kobe Bryant and his beautiful daughter, GiGi, has cast an incredible cloud of sadness not only on their family, friends, colleagues and fans—it has moved us all in such a real and permanent way. Through his death, he has taught us to love harder and deeper and to appreciate every moment because we have no way of knowing when or how we may depart from our loved ones and we want those last memories to be some of the best.”

Jerri - My husband and I were preoccupied with studying for our classes. After the news broke, we could no longer focus. We began furiously scouring the internet and social media for information, attempting to process what had just happened. My husband is a huge fan. He talks about how much young men of his generation looked up to Kobe because of his ambition and drive. He did so much for his community and for young athletes. Even more heartbreaking was that his daughter, who was more like a protégé, perished too.

Bonni - Kobe Bryant was such an inspiration to so many, promoting so many events and helping others with charity fundraising. He had a great heart and didn't let his popularity and star status get to his head. In addition, he was coaching his daughter and helping her team. We not only lost him and his daughter, but 7 other people who were loved and valued! If we could all learn to be a little more caring and supportive to those around us, we could all make a difference like he did! He will always be remembered with great fondness.

Justin - I just saw Kobe's former Lakers teammate, NBA Champion Shaq, crying as he reminisced about the good times with his world famous, larger than life friend. Indeed Kobe epitomized the American Dream - reaching the summit of his basketball career while eventually proving himself as the consummate family man.

The fact that in one flying moment, he is no longer with us is so terribly shocking. This is a stark reminder that life is so unpredictable, that no matter how wealthy, powerful, or famous an individual is, death can come swiftly.

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A6 – NATIONAL WEEKLY

| THURSDAY, JAN 30 – FEB 5, 2020 | VOL. 17 NO. 4

Education Is Pivotal To Black Success Each February, during the commemoration of Black history, we express amazement and pride as the outstanding achievements of Black people globally are highlighted. We learn more about these formidable historical achievements, from the 17th century when Black people were brought from Africa to the western world. This is the history of a phenomenal journey with major milestones in areas like politics, sports, the arts, entertainment, medicine and science—in spite of tremendous obstacles.

Some have argued that one month is not enough to pay homage to all the accomplishments Black people have made. But what Black History Month does is create a significant, penetrative focus that presents otherwise hidden information about countless Black achievers. More importantly, this focus also affords substantial inspiration for today's Black youth to become achievers themselves, often against immense odds.

Attaining success “against all odds” has been a powerful motivator behind the achievement of Blacks throughout history. Every account of the success of Black men and women is indicative of people who rose above the odds—overwhelming opposition, pain, threat to life, and seemingly impossible situations—to take their place at the forefront of history, not just Black history.

History underscores Black people were never

content to be held back, to be anyone's inferior, anyone's slave, servant, or to be in any class other than the first. Ironically, the brutal experiences of slavery, and the cruel humiliation of segregation and apartheid, motivated Blacks to cast off heavy shackles, real and perceived, and beat the odds designed to “keep them in their place.”

However, the successes attained by Blacks in almost every aspect of life were not done by simply applying brute force to hurdle over the obstacles.

Almost every account of Black history reveals one common thread—education.

Many of the early slaves on sugar and cotton plantations taught themselves to read and write.

This enabled them to understand their oppressors, communicate better among themselves, and read of the opportunities they could use to gain their freedom. In some instances, they were assisted by benevolent white plantation owners, and representatives of various churches. But, nonetheless, many Blacks initiated means of educating themselves.

After the emancipation of slavery in America in the 19th century, many free Blacks relocated to the more racially tolerant Northern states and took advantage of opportunities to further educate themselves. Former slaves like Frederick Douglass, and years later, Black immigrants like Marcus Garvey inspired an entire race, and a Black revolution by the words they wrote and published.

As the journey from slavery continued, some Blacks were not content to limit their education to segregated elementary or high schools. The desire to advance in higher levels of education was a burning passion. It is important to note that those seeking higher education didn't do so just to satisfy their ego in earning diplomas or degrees. To them, education was a necessary path to advance as leaders of their race and to inspire others.

Blacks came from the Caribbean, Africa, and

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across North America to advance themselves, their race, countries and communities through education.

When doors to white-established colleges were barred to Blacks because of segregation, they found alternatives to learn by working as assistants to white professionals, learning the various techniques. They then used the education and experience gained to enter the few colleges that would accept Black students. Moreover, they were not content to limit themselves to only historically Black colleges. Several outstanding Black professionals scored firsts by graduating with honors from traditional U.S. colleges. This was realized repeatedly in the field of medical studies.

The quest for Blacks in overcoming the odds through education hasn't been easy. But they were able to advance even when they were spat upon, set upon by attacked by dogs and riot police; when their eyes watered from tear-gas, and when they were taunted and labeled as “uppity.” Undeterred, they moved on relentlessly, influencing dithering presidents and bigoted governors to change (and create) laws that further opened the doors to various educational institutions that were once forbidden.

The current generation of Back youth has a foundation of experience laid by historical Black achievers to build on as they now seek to be educated. Although Blacks have much more opportunity today, there are still huge odds to overcome. In fact, advanced education and training is extremely hard to attain today, because this goal has become extremely competitive.

The lessons of Black history teach that education must never be taken for granted or be viewed as a burden, but must be seen as the tool for creating success. Today, over 400 years since the first slave landed in the Western Hemisphere, education is still the strongest means of succeeding against whatever odds are placed in the way of the Black population.

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NATIONAL WEEKLY | THURSDAY, JAN 30 – FEB 5, 2020 | VOL. 17 NO. 4 –

A7

LA SECTION HAITIENNE

Haiti Reaches One-year Free Of Cholera

Haitian-American Legislator Elected Chair Of Brooklyn Democratic Party

The cholera outbreak in Haiti that began in October 2010, affecting over 820,000 people and killing 9,792, has been stopped in its tracks, with the country reaching one-year free of confirmed cases this week.

The achievement follows concerted efforts from Haiti, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and other partner agencies to address the root causes of cholera, including through increased surveillance to detect and respond to possible-flare-ups; the implementation of rapid diagnosis initiatives; and the treatment of cases with adequate rehydration and care.

“Cholera is a disease of inequity that unduly sickens and kills the poorest and most vulnerable people—those without access to clean water and sanitation,” said PAHO Director Carissa F. Etienne. “Death from cholera is preventable with tools that we have today but to ensure that cholera remains a distant memory, we must also accelerate investments in clean water and adequate sanitation in Haiti,” she added.

The last confirmed case of cholera was reported in I'Estère in the Artibonite department of Haiti during the last week of January 2019. It involved a boy under the age of 5, who was admitted to hospital on the 24th of January 2019 but who recovered shortly thereafter.

PAHO and the Haitian Ministry of Health's Labo Moto project, which works on the ground to enable field nurses to rapidly transport samples from treatment centers to laboratories on motorcycles, has enabled testing of suspected cases to increase from 21 percent in 2017 to 95 percent in 2019.

Labo Moto is part of a three-step strategy to ensure that all suspected cases

Haitian-American legislator, Rodneyse Bichotte, created history by becoming the first woman and first Caribbean-American to be elected chair of the Brooklyn Democratic Party also known as the Kings County Democratic Party.

Bichotte, the New York State Assemblywoman and daughter of Haitian immigrants, who represents the 42nd Assembly District in Brooklyn, replaced Frank Seddio, 74, who recently retired. She is also a member of the Democratic State Committee for the 42nd District, and was the first Haitian-American in New York City to be elected to the New York State Assembly.

“With a new decade comes the need for a fresh perspective and a commitment to transparency, as Brooklyn's diverse group of District Leaders gathered to determine who would best unify and strengthen the Democratic stronghold in upcoming election cycles,” Bichotte told the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC) soon after her uncontested election, yesterday.

“I thank Frank Seddio for his leadership, service, and effort to unify the party. Over the last few years, we have developed mutual respect as colleagues and friends. Although we did not agree on every issue, we never lost sight of what matters most—working together to advance the Democratic Party agenda.”

Bichotte said the historic vote “will help increase the number of women, especially women of color, running for, and elected to public office across the City and State of New York.

“It is more important than ever that our leadership reflects the diverse communities that have kept Brooklyn and our Democratic Party going for decades,” she said, noting that more women of color and descendants of immigrants, like her, are running for public office “to amplify the voices of their local communities and add to the public discourse.”

The newly elected chair added, “I want to thank the Kings County Democratic District Leaders for their confidence and partnership, as we move forward into a new decade of opportunities, to truly transform New York City's political landscape.”

from high-risk areas are tested; that random sampling of patients with diarrhea is implemented in all areas of the country; and that event-based (rumor) surveillance is also carried out by epidemiologists.

PAHO has also supported Haiti in equipping primary health clinics with trained personnel that are able to respond quickly and manage cases; and in the implementation of cholera vaccination programs. For example, over 900,000 people were vaccinated following Hurricane Matthew in 2016.

Despite progress, Haiti remains behind the rest of Latin America and the Caribbean in terms of access to potable water and sanitation. Over a third of the population lack basic drinking water services and two-thirds have limited or no sanitation services. This is far below the regional average of 3 percent and 13

percent respectively.

“While cholera is under control for now, we must collectively remain alert and ready to maintain this status and verify elimination. Only when we ensure all Haitians enjoy access to clean water and sanitation can we breathe more freely,” Dr. Etienne said.

In order to end cholera in Haiti and receive validation from the World Health Organization (WHO) for eliminating the disease, the country must maintain effective surveillance systems and remain cholera-free for two more years.

Early detection and response to possible flare-ups must also continue and addressing the issue of clean water and sanitation for all Haitian people is key to preventing the transmission of cholera, and other water-borne diseases, in the long term.

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| THURSDAY, JAN 30 – FEB 5, 2020 | VOL. 17 NO. 4

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

NATIONAL WEEKLY | THURSDAY, JAN 30 – FEB 5, 2020 | VOL. 17 NO. 4 –

FEATURE

by L. Bronson

Sunday, January 26, 2020, will be remembered as the day the sporting fraternity, in particular, and the entire world, in general, were plunged into mourning due to the death of the Kobe Bryant.

The 41-year-old National Basketball Association (NBA) legend died when the Sikorsky S-76 helicopter he was aboard crashed and burst into flames in foggy conditions on the rugged hillside in Calabasas, west of Los Angeles.

Bryant was one of nine people on board the flight.

The others included his 13-year-old daughter Gianna, a budding basketball player who, from all accounts, was ready to follow in her father's footsteps; baseball coach John Altobelli, his wife Keri, and their daughter Alyssa, a teammate of Gianna; mother and daughter Sarah and Payton Chester; Mamba Academy basketball assistant coach Christina Mauser; and pilot Ara Zobayan.

The group was on its way to a tournament at the Kobe Bryant-established Mamba Sports Academy in Thousand Oaks, in which his daughter was to participate.

Self-dubbed the "Black Mamba," Bryant is a fivetime NBA champion with the Los Angeles Lakers in a career that began in 1996 at the age of 18 right out of high school and it lasted for 20 years with his retirement in 2016.

He is also a two-time Olympic Games gold medalist with the U.S. squad in 2008 in Beijing, and 2012 in London. In his last game for the Lakers, he sank 60 points before his adoring fans inside Staples Center.

The son of a former NBA player Joe "Jellybean" Bryant, Kobe, who was born in Philadelphia in 1978, lived in Italy between 1984 and 1991 when his father played there, and that appeared to have given him a global perspective as he dreamed of playing in the NBA.

"When you make a choice and say, 'Come hell or high water, I am going to be this,' then you should not be surprised when you are that.

It should not be something that is intoxicating or out of character because you have seen this moment for so long that ... when that moment comes, of course it is here because it has been here the whole time, because it has been in your mind the whole time." — Kobe Bryant Highly intelligent, ferociously competitive, highly driven to be the best he could be, and more than willing to put in the hard and long hours at practice, Kobe was the epitome of what sporting success was all about.

He realized what he wanted from early in his life and he wasn't prepared to entertain company who never had the same dream, tenacity, will to win, and more importantly, willingness to work hard at perfecting their craft.

I have always believed that a true test of a player's value to his chosen sport is the manner in which he is treated by his peers, teammates and rivals alike.

For Kobe, it was total respect. There might have been envy from some, suggestions even that he was too

arrogant, but one thing is certain, they all knew that he worked hard for what he achieved on the court.

For 20 years he inspired a host of people, not just basketball fans. For they saw his work ethic, his desire to win, his ice-cold killer instinct, and his willingness to take charge of sticky situations when many would have hidden from the glare of the media light. He wasn't afraid to fail, but he prepared himself to succeed.

Kobe Bryant transcended the sport of basketball. He was a huge success off the court too and was known in the business world as a brand builder.

He diversified his career by entering the investing world even before he retired over three years ago. In 2013 he co-founded the venture capital firm Bryant Stibel with Web.com founder Jeff Stibel.

This firm now has more than $2 billion in assets with investment in numerous technology, media and data companies. The company claims at least 10 successful exits, including Dell and Alibaba. It has investments in Fortnite creator Epic Games, digital payment company Klarna and household firm The Honest Company.

He also made millions of dollars on his investment in sports drink Body Armor, which in 2018 boosted its valuation by selling a stake in Coca Cola.

And in 2016 he founded Granity Studios, a media company focusing on creative storytelling about sports.

Via this medium, he wrote and narrated a short film called Dear Basketball, which won the Academy Award for best animated short film in 2018. The company has also released a set of books for young adults, along with his autobiography, The Mamba Mentality: How I Play.

He has also done tremendous work for charity and causes all around.

So he has definitely left a legacy for just about everyone, in sports, and in life, generally. Here was a man who showed that through grit, determination, hard work and the will to succeed, success can indeed be achieved, if his template is slavishly followed.

He has done his part, it's now time for us to take the ball into overtime.

B1

B2 – NATIONAL WEEKLY

| THURSDAY, JAN 30 – FEB 5, 2020 | VOL. 17 NO. 4

Anticipation Awaits The Regrouped Melodians For Jamaican Show It's been some time since The Melodians performed in Jamaica. On February 15, one of reggae's most acclaimed groups returns home with an appearance at the 'Red Rose For Gregory' show in Kingston.

They will do so with a lineup unfamiliar to Jamaican audiences, but Taurus Alphonso, one of its members, insists the passion and quality is intact.

"The Melodians have one of the greatest catalogs to come out of Jamaica and it would be a shame if people don't hear those songs again. To be performing in Jamaica is a dream come true for us," he said.

Winston Dias and Lee Milo are the other members of the new-look Melodians.

Milo became an official member following the death of founder Trevor McNaughton in 2018. Dias and Alphonso joined in 2014.

McNaughton, Brent Dowe and Tony Brevett formed the classic lineup that recorded songs like Swing and Dine, Sweet Sensation, Come on Little Girl and By the Rivers of Babylon. However, Dowe died in 2006; Brevett died in 2013.

The current group is based in South Florida and the members recorded as solo artists prior to joining The Melodians. For Dias, who had a hit song as a teenager in 1964 with Cericy Tea, 'Red Rose For Gregory' is a big deal for him and his colleagues.

"If we do a great show in Jamaica, it's like wi get the key because Jamaica is where everything start," he said.

'Red Rose For Gregory' is a popular annual charity show in honor of singer Gregory Isaacs who died in October, 2010.

This year shoe will also feature American Rhythm and Blues singer Deniece Williams, Third World and Sanchez.

The show, which is organized by Isaacs' widow, June, takes place at the Liguanea Golf Academy.

Koffee Makes History Youngest Person and First Woman to Win Grammy for Best Reggae Album The remarkable journey of young Jamaican entertainer 19-year-old Mikayla Simpson, popularly known as Koffee, reached another milestone on Sunday when she won the coveted Grammy award for “Best Reggae Album” at the 62nd Annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles.

She snagged the Grammy for her EP titled Rapture, emerging the winner from a field of veteran reggae artists, including Third World and Steel Pulse, as well as Julian Marley.

Koffee has now created history by becoming the youngest reggae act and also the first female artist to win the Grammy for “Best Reggae Album.”

The album Rapture spent an impressive 32

NEW YORK – In celebration of Reggae Month, Jamaica’s Consulate General in New York in collaboration with VP Records, will host pop-up exhibition entitled “A Reggae Music Journey” at the consulate from the first of February to the 21st, during Reggae Month.

The Exhibition, ‘A Reggae Music Journey’ is a historical display documenting the history of the Jamaican musical genre, and will feature artifacts including historic vinyl records from Van Pelt’s collection, and a platinum sales award for Sean Paul’s Dutty Rock LP presented to company President Randy Chin.

A Reggae Music Journey was created to document the legacy of Reggae music and the role that the Chin family, through Randy’s Record Mart in Jamaica and later, VP Records

weeks on Billboard's Reggae albums chart after debuting at number one. The EP's lead single “Toast” was arguably the biggest reggae single of 2019, receiving worldwide airplay and being featured by many international celebrities, including former U.S. President, Barack Obama and his wife Michelle.

During her impressive acceptance speech after being named the Grammy winner, Koffee heralded the other nominated reggae acts, whom she said she had “learnt a lot from.” At the end of her speech, she raised her Grammy in a salute and said, “This one is for reggae. This one is for Jamaica.”

In the next few days, Koffee will perform at the Viewtopia Music Festival, during Superbowl weekend, from January 31 to February 1 at Marlins Park, Miami. In April, she will perform at Coachella for the first time.

have contributed to the development of the genre.

An eight-panel display tells the label’s history dating to its origins as Vincent and Patricia Chin’s Randy’s Record Mart in Kingston in the late 1950s, extending to the present and featuring its 40-year run in Jamaica, Queens. The story of the company’s global impact and sustained relevance is woven into the story of Reggae itself.

Jamaica’s Consul General to New York, Mrs. Alsion Wilson said the Consulate was very pleased to join with Jamaica and the rest of the world in celebration of Reggae Month. She said the staging of this exhibition will give Jamaicans and friends of Jamaica an opportunity to view this important exhibition.

Mrs. Wilson pointed out that Reggae Month

is of great significance as Jamaican music has been an important part of our culture, a source of Jamaican recognition on the world stage.

She said on February 6, the birthday of Reggae icon, Bob Marley, the consulate will live stream the birthday celebrations from the Bob Marley museum on Hope Road.

In a statement on its website, UNESCO said of Reggae: “Its contribution to international discourse on issues of injustice, resistance, love and humanity underscores the dynamics of the element as being at once cerebral, socio-political, sensual and spiritual. The basic social functions of the music – as a vehicle for social commentary, a cathartic practice, and a means of praising God – have not changed, and the music continues to act as a voice for all.”

NATIONAL WEEKLY | THURSDAY, JAN 30 – FEB 5, 2020 | VOL. 17 NO. 4 –

B3

George Nooks Resurges As Popular Reggae Artist George Nooks was lost to a new generation of Jamaican music fans when his cover of Al Green's “God is Standing By” was released in 2000. Twenty years later, the singer is among the most popular artists in Jamaica.

“God is Standing By” marked a second coming for Nooks, whose career took off during the late 1970s with producer Joe Gibbs, for whom he did the hit songs “Tribal War,” “Left With A Broken Heart” and “Fortyleg Dread” (as deejay Prince Mohammed).

He released a steady flow of gospel singles following the success of “God is Standing By” but sporadically returned to his secular roots on songs like “For You,” his latest song. It is from his album of the same name, released in 2018 by Tad's International Record.

“I have developed a solid fan base. These are people who love real, authentic music,” said 62-year-old Nooks.

“For You” is written by Nooks who has had a number of hits covering songs by Little Roy, Dennis Brown and Paul

Simon. He stressed the importance of writing and performing originals.

“It's the right way to go because the matter of publishing and royalties is something every artist should take seriously.

I've covered songs that have done well for me and I've gotten requests to do others. I'll do them once it sounds good,” Nooks explained.

Nooks is from rural St. Andrew parish, a hilly region overlooking Kingston, Jamaica's capital. Moving to Kingston in the mid-1970s, he found a willing mentor in his hero the late reggae icon Dennis Brown, who was the flagship artist at Gibbs' studio.

Along with Brown and Culture, Nooks made Gibbs' studio a top draw in the late 1970s and early 1980s. He migrated to the United States during the 1980s and continued to record but it was not until he put a reggae spin on “God is Standing By” (a minor hit for Green in 1971) that his career got a second wind.

Since 2001, he has released 18 albums including George Nooks Sings Dennis Brown in 2006.

Nooks

Bob Marley One Love Football Celebration Attracts Reggae Miramar, FL (January 23, 2020) – Reggae icon Bob Marley was an avid soccer player, whose love for the game caused him to play at every opportunity, even while on tour, he found time to participate in friendly scrimmages at the nearest park with members of the band. After his passing, close friend and soccer administrator, Clive “Busy” Campbell began the Bob Marley One Love Football Fun-Day in Jamaica to celebrate Marley's birthday (February 6).

For the first time in its 23-year history, the celebration will be held in the USA, on Sunday, February 16 at the Ansin Sports Complex, 10801 Miramar Blvd, Miramar, FL from 4:00pm to 9:00 pm. Hosted by Miramar Commissioner Maxwell B. Chambers, and under the patronage of Jamaica's Consul General Oliver Mair, the event will feature three friendly soccer games between the Reggae Girls Invitational Team, Masters and Celebrities from Jamaica and a team of locally based former National players and celebrities.

In keeping with tradition, members of the community will be recognized for their outstanding community service. This year's honorees are soccer promoter Mikey Barnes, Minister Papa San and educators Janet Morales, and Bruce Klassner.

The Bob Marley One Love Football Celebration will also serve as a fundraiser for Commissioner Chambers' Love Drop Program water initiative. This initiative provides assistance to qualified residents with challenges in paying their water bill.

The goal is to prevent disconnection of water to these residents in the City of Miramar. Funds from the event will also benefits the Reggae Girlz Foundation and basic schools in Jamaica.

A number of celebrities and entertainers have committed to participate including artist such as, Agent Sasco, Tony Curtis, Iba MaHr, Everaldo Creary of the NoMaddz, radio personality Pat Montague and Deja of WAVS as well as former Reggae Boyz Ricardo “Bibi” Gardner to name a few.

Mikey Mike and the WZPP crew will provide music and an entertaining halftime show is being planned.

B4 – NATIONAL WEEKLY

| THURSDAY, JAN 30 – FEB 5, 2020 | VOL. 17 NO. 4

ON THE COVER

Pregnant Women Blocked women abroad from visiting the U.S. using tourist visas, allowing officials to deny visas to women who they believe are pregnant and seeking a U.S. B1/B2 tourist visa to enter the U.S. "for the primary purpose of obtaining U.S. citizenship for the child."

Pedersen said she is unsure how the new policy will be implemented and what evidence the applicant will be required to provide to prove legitimate intentions to visit the U.S. other than having a child here.

“It's not clear how consular officials will determine whether individuals seeking to travel to the U.S. are pregnant. Will all women who are slightly overweight be deemed as likely pregnant? Will, for instance, the officer require women to provide a pregnancy test to prove they are not pregnant? If pregnant, would she be required to bring proof from her doctor of how many months away she is from delivery?” she queried.

The Center for Immigration estimated that some 33,000 children are born in the U.S. annually to women who came from overseas.

The CDC, however, says it's closer to 10,000.

Reproductive health and human rights advocates believe that the new rule will discriminate against women who have other legitimate reasons for travel to the U.S. such as work or study, as well as relocating here with a spouse who is working or studying. They also believe that it will put a new strain on women who happen to be pregnant but are visiting family members or seeking specialized medical treatment.

Additionally, the new policy requires those traveling to the U.S. for medical treatment to "establish their ability to pay all costs associated

Shook!

from A1

with such treatment" including travel and living costs during their intended stay in the U.S. Most importantly, foreign pregnant women seeking visas for medical treatment in the U.S. will now be required to establish that the birth requires "specialized medical treatment,” which is not available in her home country.

The White House statement said, “Visas will still be issued to aliens whose purpose of travel is consistent with permissible business and pleasure activities. Citizenship is the crown jewel of the American immigration system and must be vigorously protected from exploitation.”

Unfortunately, since the onus is on the woman to convince consulate officers of their travel intent, they can be denied visas based on this new rule and have no recourse.

Through birth tourism, the White House said foreign nationals, including Caribbean nationals, are able to have their children avoid the scrutiny and procedures they would normally undergo if they became citizens through naturalization.

“The administration's action will protect our social welfare system from abuse by foreign nationals using our welfare system to pay for the births of their children,” said the White House, stating that, last year, the administration took action to ensure that if immigrants want to enter or remain in the United States, “they must support themselves and not rely on public benefits.”

The new policy, however, will not affect some 39 countries, whose citizens usually don't need a B visa for travel to the U.S. These include mainly Western countries—most of Europe, as well as Australia, New Zealand, Chile, Brunei, Japan, Singapore and South Korea.

from A1

“I can always prepare and seek shelter in a hurricane, as we are forewarned. There’s no such warning in an earthquake. A massive quake can hit any time, day or night, leaving us to God’s mercy,” said Marlon Julien speaking to CNW after Tuesday morning’s quake from his Port of Spain, Trinidad residence. “For several months we have been having earthquakes in Trinidad. It would be a lie to say people aren’t scared.”

From her home in Jacks Hill in upper St. Andrew, Jamaica, Michelle Mason said, “We are so grateful, and thankful to God, that [the] earthquake hit far off-shore. We cannot begin to imagine the devastation if the epicenter was somewhere on the island. This is a warning to be prepared and alert for a possible next quake.”

According to Miami geologist Martin Fleur, Tuesday’s 7.7 earthquake was caused by the

North American and Caribbean tectonic plates pushing against each other at the Oriente Fault which runs just south of Cuba. “When these two plates push against each other it creates seismic activity or earthquakes. Jamaica, Cuba and the Cayman Islands were extremely fortunate that the center of the earthquake occurred off land,” Fleur said.

Earthquakes typically occur near faults or fractures in the Earth's crust where rock formations, driven by the movements of the crustal or tectonic plates that make up the Earth's surface, grind slowly past each other or collide, building up stress.

Fleur said there are many other faults in the Caribbean region including the Septentrional fault zone that cuts through the highly populated region of the Cibao valley in the Dominican Republic. In addition, there is also the geologically active offshore Puerto Rico and Hispaniola trenches that are capable of producing earthquakes of magnitude 7.5 and higher. On its website, uwseismic.com, the SRC indicated that the Eastern Caribbean is a seismically active area with hundreds of earthquakes occurring in and around the region each year.

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NATIONAL WEEKLY | THURSDAY, JAN 30 – FEB 5, 2020 | VOL. 17 NO. 4 –

C1

CPL T20 A Major Economic Boost For The Caribbean The Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL), which took place from September 4 to October 12, 2019, had a significant economic impact on the Caribbean, resulting from increased jobs and tourist arrivals during the event.

YouGov Sport, an international sports research organization, calculated the economic gains as US$136,542,868 earned throughout the region, a 7.21% increase on the results from 2018. The figure has been calculated using organiser spend, visitor spend and media value.

The 34 match tournament took place in six Caribbean countries, with games taking place in Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica, St Kitts & Nevis, St Lucia and Trinidad & Tobago. The tournament increased the positive economic impact it made on each of those countries in 2019 compared with the figures from 2018.

In addition to that economic impact figure the Hero CPL employed more than 1500 staff, filled 36,830 hotel rooms and saw an overall increase in arrivals into the host countries by those arriving to watch CPL matches.

The CPL takes place at a time (August/September) when there are fewer tourist arrivals into the Caribbean and it is therefore pleasing to see the tournament help increase the in-bound numbers across all the markets where CPL is played. We are also delighted that Caribbean nationals who live overseas choose CPL as a time to combine visits home to see family and friends reinforcing our objective of uniting local communities through their love of cricket and their country.

Speaking about the report from YouGov Sport the Hero CPL Chief Executive Officer, Damien O'Donohoe said: “With Hero CPL showing the Caribbean in the best possible light in continues to be a wonderful way for the region to promote itself to the rest of the world. We have now had seven editions of the CPL and our total economic impact on the region is now worth hundreds of millions of US dollars. This shows we are making a positive impact in all the countries we host games in. We are here to stay, making a positive economic contribution, improving our environmental impact and developing cricketers who are going to succeed in West Indies colours.”

CPL came to an exciting end on October 12, 2019 when the Barbados Tridents defeated favorites Guyana Amazon Warriors, at the Brian Lara Stadium in Trinidad, to win their second CPL title.

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C2 – NATIONAL WEEKLY

| THURSDAY, JAN 30 – FEB 5, 2020 | VOL. 17 NO. 4

NATIONAL WEEKLY | THURSDAY, JAN 30 – FEB 5, 2020 | VOL. 17 NO. 4 –

C3

Jamaica’s Sunshine Girls Lose Netball Finals to New Zealand Netball world champions New Zealand Silver Ferns bested Jamaica's Sunshine Girls to win the Vitality Nations Cup at the Copper Box Arena in London, England, on Sunday January 24. The Girls were defeated 67-56, in what head coach Connie Francis described as a heartbreaker.

The Jamaican netballers pressured the New Zealanders in the first stages and gradually took control and got the better of the Sunshine Girls in the second half.

Despite the loss, Francis praised her team after the match, saying the Girls raised the bar with their performance against the world champions.

“There are plenty positives from this game. It was important for our girls to leave everything on the court,” she was reported saying.

“There were some questionable calls—I would have loved to see some more consistency—but that's behind us now. We did make some unforced errors which were really costly but I'm really proud of the effort of all our girls. I thought they really raised the bar in our netball.”

After a difficult Netball World Cup, and the period after, Francis believes they're in a good place to move forwards positively.

This was the second time the Sunshine Girls played New Zealand in the four-team tournament. In their preliminary round match, Jamaica lost by a whopping 26 points, but the Jamaicans significantly improved the standard of play in the finals.

The Sunshine Girls initially trailed 7-1 but rallied to tie at 7-7 before trading goals to find themselves narrowly behind at the end of the first quarter, 16-15.

Jamaica kept up their pressure and were rewarded when they went ahead 25-23 during the second quarter. Predictably, the aggressive New Zealand side hit back to leave the contest tied 30-30 at the half-time whistle.

Jamaica tended to falter in the third quarter when they were outscored 13-8 early and trailed 49-41 at the start of the fourth quarter and was never able to overcome the deficit.

England finished third in the tournament and South Africa fourth.

Brianna Williams Runs Personal Best Time at Jamaican Meet Aspiring Jamaican sprint star, teenager Brianna Williams, ran a personal best time 0f 7.15 secs in winning the 60m at the Queen's/Grace Jackson Meet at the National Stadium in Kingston, Jamaica on Saturday, January 25.

After her race, which was run in heavy rainfall, Williams told the Jamaica Gleaner she was shocked by her performance as she was not

expecting to run such a fast time under the conditions. Her previous personal best was 7.57 seconds.

“I felt pretty good warming up, and I knew that I was going to come out there and do an impressive time, which I did, because I shocked myself running 7.15 seconds,” Williams said. “It was raining, and we had to stop [warming up]. I am really happy for this PR (personal record).

“I was just making sure that I stayed down, and I have been working on my finish at practice because it needed a little practice,” she said. “I am glad that I came out here and did my best, and I know that my coach will say I did well. It gives me a lot of confidence knowing that I ran 7.15 in the rain, and so just need to work on my finish for the 100m, and I will be great for the season.”

C4 – NATIONAL WEEKLY

| THURSDAY, JAN 30 – FEB 5, 2020 | VOL. 17 NO. 4

A D V E R T I S E M E N T