National Weekly March 16, 2017 by Creative Network Media

NATIONAL WEEKLY | THURSDAY, MAR 16 – MAR 22, 2017 | VOL. 14 NO. 11

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Miramar woman detained in lottery scam A woman has been arrested in Miami for alleged involvement in the Jamaican lottery scam. Investigators say the woman, identified as Vennesa Hawkins, faces several charges. According to a police report, an elderly couple in New York lost more than $40,000 after being told they had won $2.5 million and a brand new car. Investigators, who watched as Hawkins receive several packages at a home in a gated Miramar community, said she told them the items were for her brother in Jamaica. The packages – from the couple in New York - contained thousands of dollars in cash, checks and Apple electronics. According to Detective Mark Moretti, the victims were told that they needed to send those items to pay the taxes on their 'prizes'. “They'll (the scammers) contact you and say, 'Oh you won a prize but you have to pay for it upfront,'” Moretti explained. “No company does that. That right there is the red flag.” Moretti said some of the phone numbers used to contact the victims in New York were Jamaican. “They're (the scammers) very persistent,” Moretti said. “They're very quick. And they know how to manipulate and control people.” When questioned, the couple said they sent the items to Hawkins as she told them that they won a Publisher's Clearing House sweepstake. “We order magazines and things from them (Publisher's Clearing House) and we enter the things that they send.” Jamaican and US law enforcement have stepped up activities in recent months to apprehend players in the multi-million scam which has fleeced innocent victims, mostly seniors, in the US.

Hawkins

Vybz Kartel gets leave for appeal Incarcerated dancehall star, Vybz Kartel and his three co-accused in the murder of Clive 'Lizard' Williams were Wednesday granted leave to appeal their conviction and life sentences. See full story on C2

Colbourne

Barnes

Chambers

They’re back! Incumbent Miramar commissioners, Winston Barnes, Yvette Colbourne and Max Chambers were returned to their respective seats in the city's municipal elections on March 14. In Seat 3, Barnes overwhelmingly defeated his challenger Dalton Bonheur, receiving over 67 percent of the votes. In Seat 2, Colbourne turned back Dr. Venessa Walker, while in Seat 1 Maxwell Chambers beat Norman Hemming. continues on A6 – They’re back

ICE Body Camera Act Caribbean American Congresswoman introduces body camera bill Caribbean American Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke has introduced the ICE Body Camera Act of 2017 in the United States House of Representatives that would require the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents to wear body cameras during ﬁeld operations and removal proceedings. The bill would mandate that ICE develop procedures for training agents and deploying body cameras – including the storage of digital information obtained through the cameras – and would require

Clarke

ICE agents to start wearing body cameras within 18 months. “As Donald Trump has dramatically expanded the number of undocumented Americans who are a priority for deportation, many immigrants in Brooklyn and across the United States now fear a knock on the door in the middle of the night or checkpoints on their drive home from work,” said Clarke, the daughter of Jamaican immigrants, who represents the 9th Congressional District in Brooklyn, New York. “These immigrants, as well as advocates, are concerned about the possibility of abuse, particularly when individuals detained by continues on A6 – Body Camera Bill

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BROWARD COLLEGE BECOMES NATIONAL “COLLEGE OF DISTINCTION” A3

CELEBRATING MARCH: A MONTH DEDICATED TO HONORING WOMEN B1

JIMMY CLIFF SEEKS TO UPLIFT THE DOWNTRODDEN WITH “LIFE” C3

BOLT UNLIKELY TO GRACE WORLD RELAYS TRACK D1

A2 – NATIONAL WEEKLY

| THURSDAY, MAR 16 – MAR 22, 2017 | VOL. 14 NO. 11

Holi Fes val of Colors Young Ariana with Dad Vanesh Sugrim at the Annual Holi Fes val at Larry and Penny Thompson Memorial Park in Miami. - Contributed

Business Women's Conference MBDA Export Center's Interna onal Women's Day conference panelists and a endees with Lauderdale Lakes Mayor Hazelle Rogers (c) and Export Center Operator, Marie Gill (c-r). – Contributed

Vegas comes to Florida Mr. Vegas (3rd from right) – stopped by the Caribbean Riddims studio. – Contributed

Maxwell Chambers Chambers (c) with supporters on Elec on Day in Miramar. – Contributed

Swans at Tea St. Hugh's Alumnae gathered at the Annual Swansa on Tea Party. – Contributed

Westgate Prayer Brunch Ben Williams, former Lauderdale Lakes Commissioner (l) with Dr. Gwen Benton (r), and Beatrice Esdelle (c) at the Neighborhood 10th Annual Community Prayer Brunch. – Contributed

Campaigning for Winston Campaigners suppor ng Commissioner Winston Barnes for re-elec on in Miramar. – Contributed

Safety ﬁrst! Orlando Vice-Mayor District 6, Hai an-American Victoria P. Siplin (c) and friends of Florida Maynard Evans High School recognize the importance of looking out for and yielding to people walking. – Contributed

For the love of Yve e Commissioner Yve e Colbourne (2nd from right) surrounded by campaign supporters. – Contributed

NATIONAL WEEKLY | THURSDAY, MAR 16 – MAR 22, 2017 | VOL. 14 NO. 11 –

LOCAL BROWARD

Broward college becomes a national “College of Distinction” Broward College, one of the largest community colleges in Florida has been recognized as a “College of Distinction” by the Aspen Institute based in Washington DC. With three campuses, several educational centers, a student body of over 67,000 and staﬀ of over 2,000, the college was bestowed with the award by the Aspen Institute that assesses the top performing colleges in the nation. The top award - the Community College Excellence award, this year went to Lake Area Technical Institute in South Dakota. Broward College tied for second place position out of the top ten colleges for the “College of Distinction” award with another Florida college, the Indian River State College in Fort Pierce. The winning college received a cash prize of $600,000, and the Colleges of Distinction receives a prize of $100,000 each. In 2013, Broward College was also included in the top 10 community colleges selected by Aspen Institute. The highlights identiﬁed by Aspen in selecting Broward

College included - increasing the number of students who complete degrees and graduate in a shorter time span; for its Pathways educational model which allow more students to pursue courses in keeping with their plans for continued education in four-year colleges, and to assist them in obtaining easy access to employment on graduation. Broward College has played an increasingly important role in the higher education of Caribbean Americans. “The college's population is extremely diverse, and students originating from the Caribbean make up some 30 percent of the college's annual population,” said Brandon Laidlaw an admission oﬃcer at the college.

Stanford Bucknor, originally of Jamaica, graduated from Broward College having attended the Davie Campus from 1974 to 1975. His wife, Lily, and three sons and daughter are also graduates . “We all went on to other colleges after graduating from BC. I can honestly attest that the foundation we got from attending BC made it easier for every member in my family and myself to graduate from the advanced colleges we attended. The academic, ﬁnancial administration and counseling staﬀ at BC were consistent in their professionalism and assistance during our tenure at the college. The college genuinely deserve this award.” In presenting the “College of Distinction” award to Broward College's president, J. David Armstrong, former US Congressman George Miller referred to the college as a “Shining example of how community colleges can enroll very diverse populations and prepare them for four-year universities,” Armstrong expressed gratitude to the college's faculty, counselors, community partners, and student body for the award the college received. He referred to the accomplishment of the students over the years as a testament “to the impressive accomplishments of the students made by applying grit and determination.”

PALM BEACH

Employees could receive paid maternity leave The Palm Beach County Commission is taking steps that could see employees receiving paid maternity leave - a policy that has already been enacted in other South Florida municipalities. If this becomes reality, it could bring to an end challenging situations faced by Caribbean migrants to South Florida, and other regions in the US, in which several women are not paid on taking maternity leave. The absence of paid maternity leave has forced several women to

return to work within a few weeks after giving birth. However, during a recent meeting of the Palm Beach County Commission, members of staﬀ were directed to draft a policy which would essentially provide six weeks fully paid leave to county non-unionized employees. The leave would be for the proposes not only of child birth, but also for adoption or foster-home placement. The proposed county policy was initially tabled by Commissioner Melissa McKinley, who was forced to return to her job when she was employed by Sarasota County even through her new born was sick.

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Florida law does not require or offer paid maternity leave. Employers are free to do what they deem best for their business. They can offer a voluntary option, which allows workers to participate via payroll deduction. As a result, there is no consistent policy for maternity leave in South Florida, although Federal law requires employers to provide up to 12 weeks of job-protected, unpaid maternity/paternity leave. Some private companies offer a combination of full and reduced paid maternity leave; some only significantly reduced paid leave; and some maternity leave without pay. Other companies offer stay accumulated paid-time-off

(PTO) which can be used towards maternity or paternity leave for childbirth or for parents to attend to their sick kids when needed. Kahlila Bertram, a Caribbean American social worker in Palm beach County, said she “continues to ﬁnd it shocking that neither the federal or Florida government have a policy that makes maternity leave mandatory. Even in the struggling Caribbean nations, and right next door in Canada, maternity leave is mandatory.” Other South Florida municipalities that oﬀer paid maternity leave to employees, include Miami Beach, Doral, West Palm Beach, Wellington. Miami-Dade County has also implemented the policy.

A4 – NATIONAL WEEKLY

| THURSDAY, MAR 16 – MAR 22, 2017 | VOL. 14 NO. 11

CARIBBEAN

Gunmen attack home of St. Kitts Deputy PM Police in St Kitts are probing an attack by gunmen on the home of the St Kitts Deputy Prime Minister Shawn Richards recently.

Richards

Police in the Eastern Caribbean country have picked up several people for questioning, they were released and investigations into the incident are still continuing. No one has yet been charged for the brazen attack. According to police, they received a report around 3:15 a.m. of gunﬁre at Richards’ Sandy Point residence. While the deputy PM and family escaped injury when the house was shot at, the house and his vehicle were damaged. In a strong statement, Prime Minister Dr Timothy Harris condemned the shooting and vowed that the perpetrators would be hunted down. “The security forces have been mobilized to deal with this latest dastardly act to undermine safety and security in the country, as they continue to do their best to maintain law and order for all citizens and residents of St. Kitts and Nevis,” he said. Harris also expressed relief that the Richards

Engineer falls to death in concrete mixer in TT

and his family were physically unharmed, and assured that the family had the nation’s support. Stressing that government is determined more than ever to crack down on crime, the Prime Minister appealed to residents to play their part to help stamp out the problem. “The Government wishes to reassure all that it will not be deterred in the fight against crime and will continue to fully support the security forces in the protection of all the citizens and residents,” he said. “Persons are encouraged to cooperate with the police if they have any information on the incident.” Richards told local radio station WINN FM that he and his family were doing fine despite the traumatic incident. He thanked all who expressed concern for their safety and said he would leave the matter in the hands of God and the police. He also issued a statement expressing confidence that law enforcement agencies would “handle the matter through to its logical conclusion within the limits of the law”. Richards added that the incident would not prevent him or his family from going about their normal routines.

LOUISIANA, U.S.A.

Jamaican detainee dies in Louisiana hospital The United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency says a 47-year-old Jamaican in its custody has died at Lafayette General Hospital in Lafayette, Louisiana. ICE said the cause of death is believed to be cardiac arrest. Roger Rayson, who was transferred from the LaSalle Detention Facility to LaSalle General Hospital on February 11 for nausea, vomiting and increased pain, died on Monday.

ICE said LaSalle General Hospital diagnosed Rayson with Burkitt Lymphoma (non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma). “Consistent with agency protocols, the appropriate state health and local law enforcement agencies have been advised of the death, as have the [US] Department of Homeland Security's Office of Inspector General and the ICE Office of Professional Responsibility,” ICE said, adding that it has also informed Jamaican consular officials and the deceased's next of kin.

BUZZFEED

Rayson was arrested on November 24, 2014, by US Customs and Border Protection in Miami for possession of cocaine. On April 24, 2015, Rayson was convicted of importation of cocaine and sentenced to 30 months incarceration by the US District Court for the Southern District of Florida. The Federal Bureau of Prisons released Rayson to the custody of New Orleans ICE on January 28, 2017. Rayson is the second detainee to pass away in ICE custody so far this year .

A 55-year-old British engineer died on Tuesday after he fell into a concrete mixer at a construction site in Matilda, Princes Town, located to the south of the capital Port of Spain. Police said they are investigating the death of civil engineer John Morris, who was reported to have been working at the construction site when he fell into the mixer. He was rushed to the Princes Town District facility where he was pronounced dead. Media reports state that MorrisSkerrit was attempting to ﬁx a problem at the aggregate mixing bin when he fell inside. An autopsy is expected to be performed Wednesday.

Barbados PM says no to IMF The Prime Minister of Barbados, Freundel Stuart on Wednesday rejected a suggestion from former Prime Minister Owen Arthur that the island has no option but to go to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for assistance in dealing with the ailing economy. Speaking in the Parliament on the debate of the 2017-2018 Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure Arthur, an economist, said that the move to the Washington-based ﬁnancial institution was inevitable and warned that the country could not tackle its BDS$3.3 billion dollar debt crisis on its own. But Prime Minister Stuart reiterated that his government would not go the IMF routeat least not now. Stuart said Barbados was not bulldozed into becoming a member of the IMF and there is no fear of the international ﬁnancial institution but he sees no need to seek them out at this time. But he also admitted that the country was spending more than it was earning, which had led to enlarged foreign debt and the excess printing of money.

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NATIONAL WEEKLY | THURSDAY, MAR 16 – MAR 22, 2017 | VOL. 14 NO. 11 –

Talk UP

TALKUP

Do you believe in life after death? Ruby: Miami Lakes/Trinidad – There is judgment time when you die, He will gather up everybody according to how you live. When you dead, you dead, your soul gone, your breath gone, your spirit gone, but still there is some kind of rebirth in life. My grandson was born the same year my Daddy died, and so for me, he came to replace him. And sleep is the closest thing to death, because we don't know what's going on even though you're breathing. Sleep is death's cousin. Megan: Ocala/Jamaica – I believe and I know that I am going to a place where it will be a better life than I have here. I am going to Jesus, he is going to take care of me and life will be better there. That's what I do expect, if I do what I'm supposed to do here on earth, do the right thing. I believe that those who have passed ﬁnd a way to communicate with us here, because I know of dreams that (people) have had where they get messages from those who have passed. Katrina: Ft. Lauderdale/Jamaican heritage – I'm not entirely sure. Part of me believes in reincarnation, I'd like to think that because of my sister (who passed), but I don't know. I haven't necessarily experienced any ghosts, but I've deﬁnitely seen things that make me wonder, like on TV. I don't believe in a heaven with everyone wearing white, with wings, living happily; I think that was made up to comfort people because we all know that we're going to die and it will make it easier for us to cope. You can also look for us in Jamaica

Naomi: Deltona/Jamaica – I believe in life after death, but not in the form where I am going to come back. I would imagine that that life would be determined by how we live on this earth, so my belief stems from the Christian doctrine that I believe in. So depending on how we live, whether we live a good life, whether we have a good heart for people, whether we accept God; Jesus is the connection between us and the eternity, and that determines our life after we die. Dreamy: Lauderhill/Jamaica – Yes, I believe, it must be better than this. I believe, because that is how I was brought up. I see it as paradise. People who pass on move on to paradise, keeping a watch over their loved ones. I dream of my grandparents all the time, so I guess that there must be some form of communication there. That's how the communication would come; they just don't come and talk to you. Natassjia: Ft. Lauderdale/Jamaican heritage – I don't know what I believe, I just feel like there have been lots of reporting on this, and lots of people who have claimed to see stuff, people who can speak to people in the afterlife and stuff like that, and I don't necessarily think that people are making that stuff up, so why can't it be real? Alvin: Tallahassee/Florida – Yes, I believe in life after death, I always have. I'm not really super religious, but I have a little bit of faith and that is what I believe. I think it's much better than life here on earth. Life, in general, is tough and I think that believing that there is a better life after death, gives you a sense of purpose here on Earth. Ian: Port St. Lucie/ Jamaica – No, not really, I don't believe in life after death. I think life, like everything else is just part of a cycle we go through. When we are gone, that is still one question that I still ponder. I'm not going to pretend to know. I've thought about it, is it possible, or is it like other groups believe that you have 3 strikes in life and each time you get back, you have to get to that higher plateau - it could be any series of things. Dan: Ft. Lauderdale/New York – No, now that I think about it, there is no life after death. I think that after we die, there is just nothingness. How we were before we were born, so we just wouldn't be even aware of anything. I haven't had anyone particularly close to me pass, but I've heard instances of dreams, but I've never experienced it.

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A6 – NATIONAL WEEKLY

| THURSDAY, MAR 16 – MAR 22, 2017 | VOL. 14 NO. 11

Politics without compassion Last week, the Broward County School Board took a bold step by unanimously passing a resolution to protect students sought by immigration agents for possible deportation. The resolution states that if agents want to enter a county school for information, or remove a student, they must be authorized by a county judge. The school board and Palm Beach County School district, have also taken steps to protect students from immigration officers. The Miami-Dade School Board is scheduled to vote on a similar measure as adapted by the Broward School board, and must be commended. Respective school officials will likely attract criticism from proponents of recent harsh federal immigration policies. They may be criticized for impeding the work of immigration authorities. These critics could argue that it's against recently declared federal policy for these schools to protect, or offer sanctuary, to undocumented students. The critics could base this argument on policies of the Trump administration that implicitly makes it illegal for cities where these schools are located to be sanctuary cities that shelter undocumented immigrants from detention and deportation. However, these school officials have shown the kind of compassion often lacking from politicians now leading all sectors of government in Washington. One hopes more organizations will act similarly to the Broward School Board in having compassion for undocumented children and families. One hopes those responsible for making laws and policies find compassion to consider the pain meted out to lowincome families, those trying to help themselves, and to undocumented immigrants striving to be legally documented, in creating these laws and policies. A little compassion could make a real difference in this “land of the free.”

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School ofcials likely be criticized for impeding the work of immigration authorities. These critics could argue that it's against recently declared federal policy for these schools to protect, or offer sanctuary, to undocumented students.

Republican healthcare plan would be “devastating” for Florida Should the federal healthcare bill drafted by Republicans Rubio in the US House of Representative become law, it would have a “devastating impact” on South Florida residents. This is the opinion of Nadia Nichols-Cruz, a South Miami health insurance broker who assisted thousands of people to purchase health insurance under the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare. Subsequent to the latest enrollment of customers under Obamacare, ending last month, it is estimated that 1.8 million Floridians are enrolled. Approximately one million reside in South Florida. “(The) overwhelming majority of those in South Florida who purchased healthcare insurance under Obamacare are in the lower income bracket, earning between $20,000 to $45,000 annually. These people were only able to pay for the premiums through the tax credits, or subsidies, they received under the ACA,” says Nicholas–Cruz. Under the Republican bill, American Healthcare Act, aimed at replacing the ACA, it is proposed that tax credits would be significantly reduced. The bill also proposes reducing federal funds for Medicaid Expansion and phasing out Medicaid Expansion by January 2020. Announcing its assessment of the Republican's bill, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) on Monday indicated that 14 million Americans would lose health coverage by 2018, and 24 million by 2026. “The CBO's score confirms what most analysts, including some Republicans, of the proposed bill have already deduced. If people at

They’re back!

the lower end of the income bracket cannot afford health insurance, and less people are able to access Medicaid it follows that millions will not have any health insurance coverage.” Nicolas-Cruz also predicts that for Florida residents, the CBO assessment “is very devastating, because over a million people who are currently beneficiaries of Obamacare would not be able to afford health insurance.” “At least another 500,000 Floridians could not have health coverage. These are recipients of Medicaid, who could lose this benefit if as proposed under the Republican healthcare bill, the federal government reduces state grants for Medicaid,” she added. The proposed bill would provide grants to states which would be reallocated to low income residents to purchase health insurance on the private insurance market. “That is a ridiculous proposal. The allocations to these lowincome people would be insufficient to enable them to afford a decent insurance plan, or any insurance plan, that provides the required healthcare for themselves and their family members.” It is widely speculated that in the aftermath of the CBO's assessment of the American Healthcare Act, the related bill could have serious problems advancing through the House to the Senate, then approved by the Senate. Several moderate Republicans are concerned about people in their districts losing health coverage. US House Speaker Paul Ryan, the main orchestrator of the proposed healthcare bill, is attempting to have the full House membership vote on it next week. If it passes the House, it could be voted on by the Senate as early as mid-April.

from A1

The results reflected the mood of voters interviewed by National Weekly last week. Most voters expressed an “if ain't broke don't fix it,” attitude and were of the opinion that the incumbent body led by Mayor Wayne Messam and Commissioner Darlene Riggs were doing a “satisfactory” job developing the city of 120,000 residents which includes approximately 40 percent Caribbean Americans. This vast demographic is reflected in the commission's all-Caribbean composition. Barnes and Chambers are Jamaican-Americans; Messam and Colbourne are of Jamaican descent, and Riggs is Haitian-American. Barnes' victory was described by supporter Alex Rodriquez as “one hell of a shellacking”. First elected in 2003, he said he was humbled to be reelected and thanked the diverse group of electors who returned him to office. Prior to the elections, Messam supported Hemmings and Walker. He told National Weekly that although the former commission had great achievements, he believed if Hemming and Dr. Walker were elected their presence would make it even more effective. He readily offered his congratulations to the winning commissioners. Chambers and Colbourne said they are grateful to be returned and plan to work relentlessly to advance the city. Colbourne, first elected in 2013, said her mission is to continue working toward a united city, “One Miramar” as she describes it. Chambers, who most voters describe as an “approachable people's man” thanked them for their confidence in him. Municipal Elections were also held in Coconut Creek, Deerfield Beach, Lighthouse Point, Hillsborough Beach and Weston. Turnout in these elections are traditionally low, averaging just over 10 percent. However, in Miramar over 21,000 residents voted, representing 25 percent of the city's 81,000 registered voters.

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Body Camera

from A1

Immigration and Customs Enforcement have only severely limited access to attorneys and to the due process of law,” she added. “We need to establish procedures that protect their rights.” The Congresswomen said, in recent years, many law enforcement agencies in the United States have required their officers to wear body cameras, when conducting arrests or interacting with the community in order to increase accountability and build the public's trust in law enforcement officials. “The early results are promising,” she said, adding that a study cited by President Obama's Task Force on 21st Century Policing found that police officers wearing body cameras were involved in 87.5 per cent fewer incidents where force was used, and received 59 percent fewer complaints than police officers who did not wear cameras. “We should apply this same approach to immigration enforcement. Immigrants and their families are entitled to respect for their humanity and to the full rights guaranteed under the law. With the ICE Body Camera Act of 2017, we will secure their rights,” she added.

NATIONAL WEEKLY | THURSDAY, MAR 16 – MAR 22, 2017 | VOL. 14 NO. 11 –

LA SECTION HAITIENNE UN expert urges Haiti to work on human rights issues

Haiti's President calls for investigation into bus tragedy President Jovenel Moïse has called on the competent authorities to investigate “as soon as possible” the accident that occurred on Sunday resulting in the death of 34 people and injuring 17 others. Police said that the accident occurred when a bus slammed into a crowd in the city of Gonaives, north of here. In a statement, Moise said he was dismayed by the “terrible accident” and expressed his “deep sadness. “The Head of State conveys, on behalf of the Government, his sincere condolences to the families and relatives of the victims of this too much drama on our national roads,” the statement noted. It said that President Moïse, while urging road users to be vigilant, has called on the competent authorities “to investigate as soon as possible (the accident) to shed light on the tragedy.” Meanwhile, the Civil Protection Coordinator for the Artibonite Department, Faustin Joseph, said that people who were not victims of the accident tried to burn the bus with the passengers inside. He said that following the intervention of the police, the bus, his passengers and his driver were taken to the police station of Gonaïves. The bus was travelling from Cap Haitien to Port-au-Prince at the time of the incident.

New PM outlines priorities to Parliament Prime Minister Dr. Jack Guy Lafontant Monday said his administration will seek to consolidate public finances, reduce expenditure and ensure sustained economic growth and sustainable development in the country. In his general policy statement to Parliament, Lafontant said the effects of the economic and financial crisis continue to affect the global economy and that the current context imposes on all countries the need to implement “courageous reforms to combat waste and direct resources mainly towards programmes to improve the living conditions of citizens.” He told legislators that while Haiti has seen some progress in the last five years, it remained

Lafontant

glued into the category of countries with low human development. “Eﬀorts will be made by my government to consolidate public ﬁnances, reduce the State's lifestyle and ensure a sustained economic

growth and sustainable in our country. “We have understood the legitimate aspiration of our compatriots to live a better life, to meet their basic needs, to have jobs, to increase their incomes and to live in peace and security. These concrete demands are a legitimate quest for more economic and social progress,” he added. Lafontant, who was appointed soon as after newly elected President Jovenel Moise was sworn into oﬃce in February, said that with the assistance of the head of state “we have decided to accelerate our country's march towards an emerging economy, a rule of law, a solidarityinclusive society with a renewed public administration”.

An independent expert on human rights has welcomed the recent completion of the electoral process in Haiti as “remarkable progress” while also urging the authorities to address the situation in prisons and to redouble efforts to help Haitians affected by Hurricane Matthew and the 2010 massive earthquake. Gustavo Gallón, who has just completed an official mission to the country, praised “the transparency, professionalism and commitment of the Provisional Electoral Council, and the provisional government authorities in leading the elections.” Gallón said detention conditions in Haitian prisons are “extremely inhuman, cruel and degrading,” and that long pre-trial detention, which amounts to an average of 70 per cent at national level, is among the main causes of prison overcrowding, which reaches a rate of 358 per cent, equivalent to 1.43 square meters per prisoner. The United Nations said there are prisons where the situation is even worse, according to a study conducted in 2016. “It can be said that 91 per cent of all detainees in this prison who are awaiting trial are illegally or arbitrarily detained, which represents an increase of 23 per cent since 2014,” said Gallón , adding that the excessive level of overcrowding is also a factor, among others, that contributes to the high level of death in prison. “If the current trend continues, projections for the year 2017 can result in the death of 229 prisoners, an annual mortality rate of 21.8 per 1,000,” he said. Taking note of the establishment of a new Presidential Commission to assess the situation in prisons, Gallón appealed to the authorities to implement urgent actions aimed at the abolition of prolonged pre-trial detention in order to improve prison conditions and to respect the rights of people deprived of their liberty.

A8 – NATIONAL WEEKLY

| THURSDAY, MAR 16 – MAR 22, 2017 | VOL. 14 NO. 11

Mosaic Group CEO receives 2017 HERstory award The National Coalition of Black Women, West Palm Beach Chapter presented the Mosaic Group CEO, Ann Marie Sorrell and three other recipients with the 2017 HERstory award, honoring tralblazing women in labor and business at the St. John missionary Baptist Church on March 12. The award came as part of the 2017 HERstory Women's History Month and was presented to honor those who have succeeded in expanding women's participation in commerce and female power in the paid labor force.

“I am truly honored to be recognized by such a prestigious organization as the Coalition of 100 Black Women,” said Sorrell, the Mosaic Group Founder and CEO. The Mosaic Group is an eleven-year old full service marketing/events/PR company servicing the tri-county area of Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade. The Coalition of 100 Black Women is a national organization advocating on behalf of black women and girls to promote leadership development and gender equity in the areas of health, education and economic empowerment.

Plans underway for Jamaica 55 Diaspora Conference Business and investment opportunities, philanthropy, social investment and crime intervention and prevention will be among the issues discussed during the Jamaica 55 Diaspora Conference, slated for July 23-26 in Kingston to coincide with Emancipation and Independence celebrations. Representatives of the Diaspora have been participating in preliminary planning meetings. They expressed enthusiasm of the planning that is going into making this year's conference relevant to both Jamaica and the Diaspora. They were particularly encouraged by the participation of the Jamaican private sector in this year's planning initiatives. The first meeting of national Stakeholders was held on March 8 at the Kingston office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign

Johnson Smith

Trade, where 50 entities met to initiate planning strategies for the staging of the Conference. Jamaica's Foreign Minister, Senator Kamina Johnson Smith, who was in London attending the Commonwealth Trade Ministers Meeting, addressed the meeting via video message. She reiterated the emphasis placed by the Jamaican government on structured and

results-oriented engagement with the Diaspora, through the Conference. “It is my hope that we will build on the achievements of previous years and coming out of this conference, create effective mechanisms for specific, measurable and implementable actions aligned with the Government's priorities and Diaspora interests,” she said. Permanent Secretary in the Foreign Affairs Ministry, Ambassador Marcia Gilbert-Roberts in noting the strong representation of agencies at the meeting, cited this as an indication of the commitment towards the public-private partnership required to execute the conference. During discussions, plans were outlined to develop a tailored experience for Diaspora members to access areas of specific interest to them. Attendees can also expect expositions and cultural activities to provide a unique Jamaican experience during the three-day Conference.

MIRAMAR

Small Businesses invited to participate in CBE Mentoring Services Program Broward County, FL - Keeping a business on track is hard work. Finding an experienced business owner to coach you is even harder. Business owners, entrepreneurs and residents are invited to learn from a knowledgeable, veteran government vendor through the new CBE Mentoring Services Program. Held in collaboration with Sunshine Cleaning Systems, the Broward County Oﬃce of Economic and Small Business Development (OESBD) presents this free three-part educational seminar to nurture and support Broward-based businesses. The series begins on Saturday, March 18th at the Tamarac Branch Library,

located at 8701 W. Commercial Boulevard. This program was developed to provide small businesses certified in Broward's County Business Enterprise (CBE) program with firsthand access to the expertise of a prime vendor; however, start up entrepreneurs and business owners of firms not yet CBE-certified may also take advantage of this unique learning opportunity. Participants are encouraged to attend each of the three sessions. “The CBE Mentoring Services Program will provide novice entrepreneurs and established business owners valuable insight into the skills needed to sustain a business," said Sandy-

Michael E. McDonald, OESBD Director. "We invite more prime vendors to join us in our ongoing efforts to cultivate a stronger business community by participating in the planned Broward County mentor-protege pilot program." The CBE Mentoring Program is free and open to the public. Space is limited. Registration is strongly encouraged. For more information on this program and the small business certification programs, contact the Office of Economic and Small Business Development at 954-357-6400 or visit Broward.org/EconDev.

NATIONAL WEEKLY | THURSDAY, MAR 16 – MAR 22, 2017 | VOL. 14 NO. 11 –

C E L E B R AT I N G

MARCH

om en

The month dedicated to

Honoring In commemoration of Women History Month, the National Weekly continues its series recognizing women in the South Florida community for their various contributions. This week we recognize women for their contributions in...

Legal and Law Enforcement IIene Lieberman Ilene Lieberman is Partner at the Law Oﬃce of Stuart R. Michelson. She has over 26 years of experience as a practicing attorney specializing in probate, wills, trusts, guardianship, commercial transactions, appeals, representation before the Florida Commission on Ethics and the Florida Elections Commission. Lieberman also taught Local Government Law at Nova Southeastern Shepard Broad Law Center. Veda Coleman-Wright

Ilene Lieberman She is most well known for her work in public service. Ilene Lieberman was the Frist Female Strong Mayor in Broward County and the ﬁrst Female Mayor for the City of Lauderhill. She also served as Chair of the Broward County Courthouse Task Force and Chair of the South Florida Regional Planning Council. She is most proud of her work around organ transplant. She sat on the Board of Directors for the Transplant Foundation of South Florida for over sixteen years and served as Board of Director for the Boys & Girls Club for over 19 years. She is married to Stuart R. Michelson. They have 3 children, 4 grandchildren, and 1 great grandchild.

Veda ColemanWright Veda Coleman-Wright has been described as a consummate professional. She joined the Broward Sheriff's Office in 1996 and is currently the director of the Public Information Office. She prides

herself on being a strong, reputable voice in her community. Veda holds a B.S. degree in Broadcast Journalism from Florida A&M University, and is a 2015 graduate of Leadership Broward Class XXXIII. In 2012, she completed BSO's Institute for Criminal Justice Studies' Executive Leadership Program at Nova Southeastern University. In 2010, she was honored by Success South Florida magazine as one of the 50 most powerful black professionals. In 2008, she was recognized for her contributions, leadership and service to the South Florida community in the area of community empowerment by the Zeta Rho Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Veda serves in the Drama Ministry at the New Mount Olive Baptist Church in Fort Lauderdale. She lives in Hollywood with her husband Dennis Wright and their two sons, Justin and Myles. She is a ﬁrm believer that through Christ all things are possible. Her motto is “Appreciate your portion and rejoice in others' successes.”

Caroly Pedersen Attorney Caroly Pedersen, founder of the American Immigration Law Centers, has practiced Immigration law in South Florida for 28 years. She has actively advocating for the rights and legal status for Immigrants in our community and country. While primarily focused on bringing families together through Family, Marriage and Fiancée Immigration

Visas and Residency, she also represents Dreamers under the DACA program, Immigrant Investors, Workers and others before U.S. Government agencies including the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), National Visa Center, Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and Consular Sections of U.S. Embassies in foreign countries worldwide. As the child of an Immigrant, Caroly has a strong conviction that America is indeed the land of Immigrants, and understands that this is what makes our country unique and exceptional throughout the world. She is deeply devoted to immigrants' rights and committed to providing the highest quality immigration legal representation in most areas of U.S. Immigration law. Attorney Pedersen is dedicated to providing each client with friendly, personalized legal services and personally handles all aspects of each Immigration case herself, from start

Court of Florida and U. S. District Court, Southern District of Florida. She was awarded the Weston Reader' Choice “Best Immigration Attorney” (2013 & 2014).

Devona A. Reynolds Perez Devona A. Reynolds Perez is the General Counsel of CP Franchising, LLC. She was born in Jamaica and is an alumna of Immaculate Schuyler Smith

Devona Reynolds Perez

Caroly Pedersen to ﬁnish. Unlike many large ﬁrms, Clients have direct personal access to her, through emails and calls so that her clients stay fully informed and updated. She provides free legal advice and consultations to the Caribbean Diaspora and seeks to inform and educate the public about important and emerging Immigration issues through her Immigration columns and editorials in the National Weekly newspaper and free public library lectures. Having graduated from Nova Law School in 1989, she is a member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), the Florida Bar Association, and admitted to practice by the Supreme

PART 2

Conception High in Kingston, Jamaica. Mrs. Reynolds Perez received her B.B.A. from the University of Miami and her J.D. from Shepard Broad College of Law at Nova Southeastern University. She has extensive experience in the areas of franchising, commercial litigation, and labor and employment law. She has represented national and regional franchisors as well as startup franchisors and developers and has successfully defended her clients against civil rights and employment discrimination claims. Mrs. Reynolds Perez is the current President of the Caribbean Bar Association and is a Class IV Fellow of the Florida Bar's Wm. Reece Smith, Jr. Leadership Academy. She has been recognized as a Top 40 Under 40 Black Leader of Today and Tomorrow by Legacy Magazine in 2016 and has been recognized as a Super Lawyers Rising Star in 2015, 2016, and 2017

Schuyler A. Smith Schuyler A. Smith is a senior associate in the Miami, Florida Law

ﬁrm, Hamilton, Miller & Birthsel. Attorney Smith concentrates her practice on commercial litigation matters and defending, personal injury, premises liability, and products liability lawsuits. She represents major hotels and resort chains, Fortune 500 companies, insurers, cruise lines, and transportation companies, in state and federal courts throughout Florida and the United States Virgin Islands. She has extensive courtroom experience having begun her legal career as a trial attorney for the State of Florida Department of Children and Families and subsequently at a large Florida defense ﬁrm where she handled business litigation, professional liability, and labor and employment matters. Born and raised in Jamaica, Attorney Smith obtained the Juris Doctor from St. Thomas University School of Law and the Bachelor of Science in Political Science from the University of the West Indies. In law school, she served as an Editor for the St. Thomas Intercultural Human Rights Law Review. Consistently recognized as a Florida Super Lawyers “Rising Star,” Attorney Smith served as President of the Caribbean Bar Association from 2012 to 2013, She also served on the Board of Directors of the Dade County Bar Young Lawyers Section; the Board of Governors of the Florida Bar Young Lawyers Division, She was the Diversity Scholar of the American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division, (2012 to 2013), and Vice Chair of the Women in the Profession Committee of the American Bar Association from 2013 to 2014.

B2 – NATIONAL WEEKLY

| THURSDAY, MAR 16 – MAR 22, 2017 | VOL. 14 NO. 11

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

NATIONAL WEEKLY | THURSDAY, MAR 16 – MAR 22, 2017 | VOL. 14 NO. 11 –

An uncontested divorce UNDER THE LAW ATTORNEY YANIQUE OTTO THE OTTO LAW GROUP

Well you feel your marriage is ﬁnished, and you want to get a divorce. However, everyone tells you doing this one of the most draining processes you'll ever go through, that it's going take all your money, be extremely time consuming, and leave you feeling emotionally drained. In many circumstances, that would be accurate – but there's something you should consider that may make it not have to be so. In Florida, as in most other states, you are allowed to have what is called an “uncontested divorce”. In this process, the paperwork that is submitted to the court indicates you're both not going to ﬁght over parting, but you've agreed to all the terms, and you both just want it to be done. I always tell my clients that divorce is one of the most devastating processes they will go through in their life. Even as a family attorney that makes a living helping people in these situations, my advice always is – if possible, save your marriage – for more reasons than I can articulate in this very short article. However, if this isn't a possibility, after praying about it, gone to counselling, and have utilized all the resources available to you and there is still no hope, an uncontested divorce should be considered, rather than getting a divorce through litigation.

An uncontested divorce will help you save in three major ways: First: Time: once you provide us with everything that we need we can usually have your paperwork ready and submitted to the courts within just 2 weeks, and often less. Second: Money: your court cost will be the same, but attorney's fees are usually much less when the divorce is uncontested. Third: Most importantly, it will likely help to save you emotional energy. Emotions can rage high in a divorce. You're facing the end of what you started out thinking would be your “happily ever after”. It may be difficult to sit across the room and actually discuss the issues that need to be resolved in a divorce with someone you feel betrayed or hurt by. One of our goals when working with you is to help you make this process as peaceful as possible, because it doesn't HAVE to be a war. In fact, we've created a division of our law firm devoted specifically to this process, called PeacefulDivorce.com. Finally, remember that in order to utilize this uncontested process, both parties must agree on ALL issues – which usually means we need to work through how you're going to divide your assets and liabilities, and how timesharing with the children will be handled, and also spousal and child support.

The Florida Relocation Statute is the Florida law which provides guidance to parents regarding removal of children when they do not have a court order or judgment clearly addressing the relocation of a minor child. This same statute provides serious sanctions to parents who already are under a Court's order or judgment establishing a time-sharing plan, parental plan, or custody – but the parent relocates the minor child without first following certain legal steps or requirements. Parents in this situation are not confined to the house that they live in. You're free to move to another home if you so desire, but there are guidelines. Whenever a parent wants to move away with the kids that are subject to a parenting plan, and the move will be more than 50 miles away from the originally designated primary physical residential home, that parent must either get the consent of the other parent, or approval from the court, by filing what is known as a Petition for Relocation. So in the example we started out with, the parent who got this attractive job offer and wishes to move more than 50 miles away, needs to consult with the other parent and get their permission, in writing and signed. OR that parent will need to file a Petition for Relocation with the court, and convince the judge that the move is in the best interest of the child.

Relocating after divorce You may have a court order governing timesharing of your children between you and the other parent of your children. You've recently gotten a better job oﬀer in another city, and want to relocate taking the kids with you.

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Federal judges blocks new travel ban Two federal judges—one in Maryland on Thursday and another in Hawaii, issued temporary restraining orders against President Donald Trump's new 90-day travel ban. Finding that the state had established a strong likelihood of success on the merits, Hawaii District Judge Derrick Watson issued an opinion permitting continued travel from six predominantly Muslim countries listed on Trump's order.

Watson

Trump responded to the order, calling it "the bad, sad news," and "an unprecedented judicial overreach." The new order, which dropped Iraq from the banned countries list, would have limited emigration from Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen for 90 days, and completely banned immigration of refugees for 120 days. The Justice Department has vowed to ﬁght for the ban, and Trump proposed the question go to the Supreme Court. As with Trump's last travel ban, the new immigration order has engendered signiﬁcant courtroom drama. Earlier this week, Massachusetts, California, Maryland, New York, Oregon and Washington joined in a lawsuit opposing the ban. These lawsuits are premised on what the JURIST guest columnist – Jonathan Hafetz described as underlying racial discrimination in the ban.

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B4 – NATIONAL WEEKLY

| THURSDAY, MAR 16 – MAR 22, 2017 | VOL. 14 NO. 11

Contempt of a Divorce Settlement When you got divorced a few years ago, the judge ordered your now ex-wife to pay you $800/month in alimony, and to maintain the mortgage on the home you owned together when married. She continues to live in the home, but has stopped making the payments, and in addition, is not paying you the $800/month ordered by the court. You've called, e-mailed and begged her to do what the court said she should, but you get nothing! Recently you've been served with a foreclosure lawsuit from the bank, and your credit is all messed up because she won't uphold her end of the agreement! As you probably know, once a judge enters a legal ruling that is not necessarily the end of the story. In many cases, it's only the beginning. Sometimes, as in the example above, a judge will order one party to pay child support, alimony, or even mortgage payments, but the party will not comply with that order. Or, a party may be ordered to comply with an equitable distribution decree, but refuses to do so. When someone refuses to obey a legal order that has been entered by a judge, this is called, contempt. In a civil matter (like a family law case), contempt is generally used to convince or compel a party to comply with a judicial order or decree. Under these circumstances, Florida law gives the judge that entered the order continued jurisdiction over the case, in order to ensure that the parties comply with all rulings. When required, Florida judges have the ability to enter monetary judgments, garnish wages, place liens on property, and suspend professional and/or driver's licenses. In certain cases, the judge can even go so far as to have the non-compliant party put in jail.

Child Custody in Florida You had a child with someone. Maybe you were both married, maybe not, but for whatever reason, the relationship has disintegrated. You plan to go your separate ways, but now you both want full custody of the child. What do you do? In Florida, we refer to share or joint custody arrangements as timesharing. Typically, the court prefers a shared custody arrangement, allowing both parents quality, liberal time with their child. In making the determination regarding time sharing, Florida courts are governed by the “best interest of the child” standard. The court weighs several factors in determining what is in the best interest of the child - whether he should spend the majority of his time with the mom or dad, or whether time sharing should be equally divided. The statute that governs this lists over 20 factors that must be considered by the court in reaching this decision. Here are a few of those factors:

The mental, physical and emotional health of the parents Ÿ History of any child abuse, domestic violence, child neglect or abandonment, Ÿ Parent's ability to respond to the needs of the child, and not his or her own needs. Ÿ The stability of the home that each parent can provide for the child. Ÿ

Formerly, it used to be presumed that the mother was in the best position to care for the child. The father would have limited rights, usually given, at most, weekend visitations, or every other weekend. However, this is no longer the presumption under Florida family laws. Both parents are deemed equally fit and qualified to provide care for their children. It doesn't matter that one parent does not want the other parent to see the child, for moral or other reasons, things like smoking weed, too much partying, multiple sexual partners, and so on. That parent would have to show, under the law, that the other parent is unfit to raise a child, based on the factors listed in the statute. Creating an effective timesharing plan is a fairly nuanced process, but a competent attorney can assist you in navigating this kind of matter. If you're facing a child support or child custody issue, give your attorney a call.

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C2 – NATIONAL WEEKLY

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Vybz Kartel gets leave to appeal murder conviction

1 Lovesick Romain Virgo

2 Borrowed Time

Incarcerated dancehall star, Vybz Kartel and his three co-accused in the murder of Clive 'Lizard' Williams were Wednesday granted leave to appeal their conviction and life sentences.

Sasha Dias

3 One Draw Fab 5 / Marcia Griﬃths

4 Nail Pon Cross Damian Marley

Vybz Kartel, whose real name is Adidja Palmer; Shawn Campbell; Kahira Jones; and Andre St John are now able to have the Court of Appeal rule whether or not to overturn their conviction and sentence. The men were convicted in the Home Circuit Court, in March 2014, for murdering Williams. His remains were never found, but an 11-member jury found them guilty based on evidence of their former crony, Leonard Chow, who gave evidence that they himself and Williams were marked for death after they mislaid two illegal guns that belonged to a gang which Vybz Kartel led. Chow testiﬁed that he saw Williams being beaten and only escaped with his life because he ﬂed the Havendale, St Andrew house where the mauling was taking place. The prosecution also used video and text evidence to aid their successful conviction bid. However attorneys for the convicted men are arguing that the judge who ruled in the matter erred in his instructions to the jury and may have prejudiced their clients' case. They were sentenced the to life imprisonment, with the possibility of parole after serving a period of 25 and 35 years behind bars. The men are represented by Tom Tavares-Finson, QC, and Michael Lorne.

5 Rockabye Clean Bandit / Sean Paul

6 Times So Hard Bunny Lye Lye / Junior Cat

7 My Love Christopher Martin

8 Stay Up Popcaan

9 Don’t Come Back Tarrus Riley

10 Dis A Kind Of Loving Nana McLean

11 Blood Money Proteje

MIAMI GARDENS

Jazz In The Gardens Music Festival ready to go Come this Saturday and Sunday the two-day Jazz in the Gardens Music Festival will bring renewed energy to Miami Gardens. Featuring a star-studded lineup, the event is expected to live up to its billing as one of South Florida's premier festivals. With artistes of the ilk of Jill Scott, Herbie Hancock and LL Cool J featuring DJ Z Trip,

booked to rock the house, the Hard Rock Stadium is set to come alight with excitement. The event, which is being held for the second straight year, will also feature performances from Common, The Roots, Esperanza Spalding, Betty Wright, Andra Day, Morris Day & The Time, Smokie Norful, Jazz All-Stars featuring Chante Moore, Will Downing and Marion Meadows. Radio personality Rickey Smiley, host of the popular nationally syndicated Rickey Smiley Morning Show, will take on emcee

Alkaline to perform in Jamaica for the ﬁrst time in three years

There is no doubt that Alkaline is the hottest dancehall act to emerge out of Jamaica in the last two years. The strains of his music can be heard pounding through speakers in nightclubs, at parties, in taxis, minibuses and on almost every street corner in his homeland, Jamaica. But as popular as he is in Jamaica, Alkaline has not performed for his hometown fans in the last three years. He has shunned most major dancehall events, including the acid test of dancehall shows, Sting as he ventured overseas to build a base on the global dancehall stage. But now his fans in the land of his birth will be able to see him in live and living color at the Magnum New Rule concert on March 25 at the

National Stadium Car Park in Kingston. The concert also features dancehall heavyweights such as Shaggy, Mavado and I Octane, while the silky vocals of Tarrus Riley and the rising Jahmiel are also included on the roster. Alkaline has signaled his anticipation to rock the house and said he is eager to please his fans. The DJ, whose given name is Earlan Bartley, grabbed the headlines for the wrong reasons earlier this year after he was named by the Jamaican Criminal Investigation Bureau as a person of interest in the murder of Rohan 'Head' Morris on January 13. He was arrested before being questioned and released after spending four days behind bars. New Level Unlocked, his 15-track 2016 album, is ranked by Billboard as the thirrd best Reggae album of 2016. It features hits like Conquer the World, City and Champion Boy.

duties. Miami Gardens Mayor Oliver Gilbert promised patrons an unforgettable experience and value for their money. He boasted that there was no better city than Miami Gardens to host such a prestigious event. “The Jazz in the Gardens Music Festival is coming back to Miami Gardens with a bang! We're excited to bring some of the hottest, most talented performers in music, such as Jill Scott and Common, and welcome hip-hop performers who are heavily inﬂuenced by jazz,

like The Roots and LL COOL J feat. DJ Z-TRIP. In our twelfth year, we feel positioned to evolve and reach across generations and genres to take Jazz in the Gardens to the next level, ” Mayor Oliver said. Doors to the Jazz in the Gardens Music Festival will open at 3 p.m. and the show will start at 4 pm.

NATIONAL WEEKLY | THURSDAY, MAR 16 – MAR 22, 2017 | VOL. 14 NO. 11 –

Jimmy Cliff seeks to uplift the downtrodden with

Life.

As a curtain raiser for his upcoming album, Reggae great, Jimmy Cliﬀ, has chosen Life. The singer released the new single on March 10 with the hope that the spirits of the downtrodden and depressed may be raised up.

The song is penned by the award-winning artiste and produced by Steven 'Lenky' Marsden and Life is just a taste of things soon to come when the not yet titled album is released. Cliff is confident that the single will be a hit especially in his homeland of Jamaica. “I wrote and sang Life. I know that Jamaicans will love it as that is the mood they want to be in. They are waiting on this song to uplift the spirit. I hope that this song will motivate the people ... a song to uplift and inspire,” Jimmy Cliff told the Jamaica Observer. “I am really excited about this album. I haven't finalized the name yet, but I, right now, I am concentrating on releasing singles,” he added. Producer Clive Hunt has been mandated to produce eight singles for Cliff's latest project. Jimmy Cliff's, real name is James Chambers. He hails from Somerton in St James and has been one of Jamaica's leading voices for more than four decades. He is the star of the 1972 Jamaican cult classic The Harder They Come, and turned heads with his hit single of the same name. His Many Rivers to Cross, Wonderful World, Beautiful People; Treat the Youths Right, Reggae Night, You Can Get It You Really Want and Harder They Come are all well known around the globe. Jimmy Cliff is the only living musician to hold the Order of Merit, which is the highest honor awarded by the Jamaican government for achievements in the arts and sciences. Apart from being a singer and actor Jimmy Cliff also plays the guitar, keyboards and conga drums.

MIRAMAR

Simply Myrna returns to Miramar Cultural Center Jamaica's First Lady of Jazz, Myrna Hague will make her annual visit to South Florida on April 1st for the staging of her annual signature show entitled Simply Myrna. The show which has earned rave reviews as a high caliber event on the local entertainment circuit, will be returning to the Miramar Cultural Center for another spectacular presentation. Patrons can expect another classy display from Myrna Hague, as she delights her audience on a musical journey, with a special verve she brings to her performances. Myrna's accompanying acts will include renown vocalists Ernie Smith, who is celebrating 50 years in music this year. Smith has a repertoire of hits and plans

to deliver a special show for the South Florida audience. Also performing is Brazilian Voices, an all-female vocal ensemble that has been captivating audiences with an energy-packed performance of Brazilian music and dance, with selections of Brazilian Jazz and Samba favorites. Simply Myrna serves as a fundraiser for the University of the West Indies Alumni, Florida Chapter and tickets can be reserved from members and are available at the Miramar Cultural Center Box Oﬃce or online at MiramarCulturalCenter.org. Sponsors include Jamaica National Money Transfer, Robinson Law and Mediation and WAVS Radio. Simply Myrna is presented by The Partners for Youth Foundation and is produced by Riddims Marketing and LDC Enterprises.

C4 – NATIONAL WEEKLY

| THURSDAY, MAR 16 – MAR 22, 2017 | VOL. 14 NO. 11

Sudoku 1

29. 30. 31. 33. 37. 39. 40. 41. 42. 43. 45. 47. 48. 49.

Pro Modiﬁed Scoundrel Condense, as a dictionary London’s Big _____ Protective gear Arrow part Postpone Actress _____ Burstyn Property documents Intermission Devour Watering Place Opposite of WSW

1. Prepare potatoes 5. Papa’s house 9. Make a seam 12. Inactive 13. Pub orders 14. Fin. fund 15. High _____ 16. Scatterer 18. Sarcastic 20. Amusement

1. Short skirts 2. Revere 3. Sailboat 4. Hair coloring 5. Lash thickener 6. Swiss peak 7. Highway sign 8. On a cruise 9. Motorcycle adjunct 10. Before, in poems 11. Military conﬂict 17. Pedro’s friend 19. Extreme anger 22. Less wild 24. Christmas _____ 25. _____ Moines 28. Do sums

21. Detach 23. Like summertime tea 26. Pitching stat 27. Donated 28. Distant 32. Physicians’ gp. 34. Native minerals 35. Extinct creature 36. Wane 38. Haul

Took into custody Cat’s sound Take a breath Respected Competent Large primate Melody Ran away Tiny amount Birch or spruce Hamilton bills

39. 44. 46. 47. 50. 51. 52. 53. 54. 55. 56.

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NATIONAL WEEKLY | THURSDAY, MAR 16 – MAR 22, 2017 | VOL. 14 NO. 11 –

Bolt unlikely to grace World Relays track

Usain Bolt

The world's fastest man, Usain 'Lightning' Bolt seems set to miss the IAAF World Relays scheduled to take place in the Bahamas this summer. Bolt has sent signals that his participation at the third running of the relays is unlikely. "My coach hasn't said anything about it, so I doubt that I will be competing there this year,” Bolt told the Jamaica Observer. Meanwhile, Bolt said his preparations have been going well for this season when he is expected to hang up his spikes following the IAAF World Championships in London. "Everything is going smooth, so the key thing is to stay injury free. I am just going to continue pushing myself and pushing my body and I hope it will work out," he said. Bolt is only scheduled to perform at the World Championships in London in August and the Racers Grand Prix on June 10 in Jamaica. The meet is expected to be his ﬁnal appearance in Jamaica before retiring at the end of this season. Bolt has only raced so far this year in relays and 150 meters in Australia in February.

The IAAF World Relays started in 2014 and have taken place every year outside of Olympic years. Bolt's one and only appearance at the meet was in 2015, when he and the Jamaican 4x100m team were upset by the U.S. Bolt set world records in both 100 and 200m at the World Championships in 2009, and has won the sprint double every championship since except for 2011 when he false started in the 100m in Daegu, South Korea. In previous years the sprinter was dogged by injuries which forced him out of several meets and saw him seeking medical attention for a bad back in Germany, but there is no indication that he is being hampered by any injury so far this season.

CRICKET

SOCCER

Sammy lauds Cricket West Indies administrative changes

Andre Waugh takes up CONCACAF post

Discarded West Indies Twenty20 skipper Darren Sammy has lauded recent administrative changes to Cricket West Indies which he hopes will assist in settling ongoing disputes between players and the board. Johnny Grave, who was previously with the Professional Cricketers' Association in the UK, was appointed chief executive of CWI and former Windies captain Jimmy Adams given the post of director of cricket; Stuart Law a former Australia batsman took over as head coach. Grave and Adams have replaced Michael Muirhead and Richard Pybus respectively.

Sammy

Former Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) physical trainer and University of Technology (UTECH) lecturer, Andre Waugh, has taken up a new role as Caribbean Development Manager for CONCACAF. The former Portmore United Technical Director resigned from his JFF and UTECH posts to take up the offer. Waugh expressed the desire to help uplift the general standard of football in the region and believes his experience from both of his former jobs will serve him well in his new capacity. "I really want to make a mark. Money is rewarding but I want to lay in my bed at night and feel I have made a contribution and a mark," he told The Gleaner. "It has always been my desire to serve at the highest level, so this opportunity from CONCACAF will allow me to pretty much put what I have been doing in both organizations, JFF and UTech, together and try to give back on a wider scale," he added. As Caribbean Development Manager, Waugh will coordinate and supervise development activities specific to the Caribbean through CONCACAF. This includes coaching education programs, women's football, liaising with different technical directors of the region, and assisting with development programs.

Muirhead and Pybus were previously at the center of high proﬁle disputes with the players and Sammy hopes the new appointments will soften the strained relationship between the parties and the West Indies administrators. The former two-time T20 World Cup winner cautioned that ﬁnding a solution would require a buy-in from all parties. He also praised the attitude of Adams who he said had some good ideas on how to improve the game in the Caribbean. Sammy, now 33, was dropped from the West Indies T20 squad after criticizing the board in wake of the team's World Cup T20 triumph last year.

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SOCCER / UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

Wes Morgan over the moon after Leicester's Champions League win Leicester City captain, Wes Morgan is on top of the world following his club's 2-0 win over Sevilla in the Champions League. According to Morgan, the win, which placed Leicester City into the Champions League quarter-finals, is the best night in Leicester's history. Morgan opened the scoring to give Leicester the lead to level the scores at 2-2 on aggregate before Marc Albrighton rammed home box to secure another famous victory for the reigning Premier League champions. Kasper Schmeichel saved Steven N'Zonzi's penalty after Samir Nasri was sent off for Sevilla and Morgan said Leicester are continuing to prove their critics wrong. “Incredible, I can't quite believe it. We didn't expect to get this far and here we are,” Morgan told BT Sport. “It must be [the greatest night in the club's history]. I'm not sure it'll ever happen again but we did it, we proved a lot of people wrong. We pulled off the impossible again.” There was an element of luck about Morgan's goal as Riyad Mahrez's free-kick bounced in off him at the back post but the centre-back insisted Leicester will not get carried away with their success, having won their third straight game under new manager Craig Shakespeare. “I just bundled it in,” said Morgan. “I was in the right place at the right time and just happy it went over the line. “We'll take whoever comes. We'll enjoy this moment, dust ourselves down and we've still got to concentrate on the league.”

CRICKET

Jamaica and Pakistan register victories in Lauderhill T20 The large crowd at Lauderhill Sports Park witnessed Jamaica demolished Trinidad & Tobago by 9 wickets in the third round of the 2017 City of Lauderhill Int'l T20 Night Cricket Tournament. Winning the toss and electing to bat first, Trinibago Red Force could only muster 130 in the allotted 20 overs with captain, Timothy Surujbally scoring 43 including five fours and three bludgeoning sixes to the delight of the Red Force spectators. The remaining Red Force batsmen failed miserly against the penetrative Jamaican's bowling attack with former Jamaica and West Indies player, Danza Hyatt claiming 3 for 13 from his allotted four overs. Keyonie Gayle 3 for 18 and Elvis Watson 2 for 20 were the other wreckers for the Jamaicans. In reply, Jamaica opening paired of Omari Williams and Sherwyn Powell raced to 94 for the first wicket within 6.5 overs before Powell was caught for 46. Williams stroked a delightful unbeaten 62 including six fours and four sixes.

Pakistan edged India by 6 runs Meanwhile India suffered its second straight defeat after losing to Pakistan in a thriller by 6 runs in game 4 of the 2017 City of Lauderhill Int'l T20 Night Cricket Tournament. Batting first, Pakistan piled up 195 from its allotted 20 overs, after Syed Hassan and Sunil Kumar shared 136 runs second wicket partnership. Hassan blasted 74 from 43 balls including seven fours and four sixes, whilst Kuman smashed 72 featuring eleven fours and one six. Bowling for India, A. Pareekh grabbed 3 for 33, whilst S. Nandina took 2 for 29 and S. Nimmala 2 for 31. In reply, India suffered a dramatic collapsed after being 103 without loss at the end of 9 over. S. Siddique got off to a blistering start, slamming 69 from 38 balls including ten fours and two sixes. Other useful contributions came from D. Persaud 25, R. Chandran 20, S. Nandina 17 and M. Diwan 17. Bowling for Pakistan, Ayud Tanveer claimed 2 for 15, Usman Malik 2 for 35 and Rehan Baig 2 for 50. The tournament continues on Saturday, March 18, 2017 starting at 5pm with Guyana v. Combined Islands, followed by Jamaica v. Pakistan at 8:00pm. All matches are played at the Lauderhill Sports Park, 7500 W. Oakland Park Blvd, Lauderhill.

SOCCER

FIFA reminds US of World Cup obligations amidst visa concerns FIFA President, Gianni Infantino, reminded the US of its obligation to guarantee full access to the country for players, oﬃcials and supporters if they bid for the 2026 World Cup. President Donald Trump‘s latest executive order bars new visas for people from six countries and temporarily shuts down America’s refugee program, aﬀecting would-be visitors and immigrants from Iran, Syria, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen and Libya.

“It’s obvious when it comes to FIFA competitions as well, any team, including the supporters and ofcials of that team, who qualify for a World Cup need to have access to the country, otherwise there is no World Cup. The requirements will be clear. And then each country can make up their decision, whether they want to bid or not based on the requirements.” – Infantino The 2026 World Cup is nine years away, but bidding is expected to begin next year with the host to be decided in 2020. “Mr. Trump is the president of the United States of America and as such of course (I have) huge respect for what he does,” Infantino said following FIFA meetings in London. “He’s in charge, together with his government, to take the decisions that are best for his country. That’s why he has been elected.” FIFA has recently had to deal with the impact of a country restricting visas for one of its events. The FIFA Congress in May has been moved to Bahrain from Kuala Lumpur after Malaysia withdrew from hosting, citing problems allowing entry to some delegates, including oﬃcials from Israel. “In the world there are certainly many countries who have bans, travel bans, visa requirements and so on and so forth,” Infantino said. The United States is mulling a three-way hosting bid with Canada and Mexico. A potential obstacle to the triple hosting is Trump’s determination to build a wall on the Mexican border to help stem illegal immigration, with tensions between the countries over who would fund the border barrier.

SPORTS

BUZZFEED

Father and son Chanderpaul combination stars for Guyana Former West Indies middle order batsman, Shivnarine ChanderPaul and his son Tagenarine, both starred with the bat for Guyana in a four-day ﬁrst class cricket match against Jamaica on Saturday. Shivnarine, now 42, made 57 in the Guyana innings while his son, Tagenarine, who opened the innings scored 58. Both are left handed batsmen and just like his father, Tagenarine using a bail to mark his guard at the batting crease. He made his ﬁrst class debut in 2013. Shivnarine Chanderpaul retired from international cricket in 2015 and is the second highest run scorer in test matches for the West Indies only bested by the legendary Brian Lara. The dogged batsman with an unorthodox style scored 11,867 runs at an average of 51.37 in 164 test matches. He also amassed 8,778 runs in one day internationals and 343 runs from 22 T20 games.

Andre Russell appeal hearing set for May 8 The appeal brought by the Jamaica Anti-Doping Commission (JADCO) against West Indies all-rounder Andre Russell is scheduled to be heard by an Anti-Doping Appeal Tribunal on May 8. Russell was slapped with a one-year ban in February of this year after a tribunal ruled that the cricketer was guilty of being negligent in ﬁling his whereabouts on three separate occasions within a 12-month period in 2015. The violation equates to a failed drug test under World AntiDoping regulations. However Andre Russell was not given the full penalty which could have resulted in a two-year suspension. His attorney, Patrick Foster, has urged the tribunal to be mindful of the player's history of complying with testing protocols in the past. JADCO had subsequently signaled its intention to appeal for a tougher sentence for the player, citing suﬃcient evidence being presented for the maximum penalty being issued. The hearing will be held at the Jamaica Conference Centre.

D4 – NATIONAL WEEKLY

| THURSDAY, MAR 16 – MAR 22, 2017 | VOL. 14 NO. 11

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