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THURSDAY MARCH 18, 2021
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Vaccine Black Market? Unauthorized “Vaccines” Being Sold in Jamaica As Immunization Campaign Gets Underway By Sheri-Kae McLeod
It’s been one week since Jamaica began its vaccination campaign and already government officials are raising concerns about a vaccine black market. Jamaica’s vaccination campaign began on Wednesday, March 10, exactly one year after the island recorded its first case of COVID-19. Healthcare workers across the island rolled up their sleeves to get their first dose of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine donated by India. Public Health Nurse Marcia Thomas Yetman and Dr. Denise Eldemire-Shearer, the wife of deceased former Prime Minister Hugh Shearer, were the first two people to get the jab. Former President of the People’s National Party Dr. Peter Phillips, 71, and Former Prime Ministers PJ Patterson, 85, and Bruce Golding, 73, were also asked to get vaccinated in a bid to raise vaccine confidence among Jamaicans. But as was the case with COVID-19 testing, Jamaicans soon found ways to cheat and beat the immunization process. One day after the inoculations began, Dr. Mindi Fitz-Henley, president of the Jamaica Medical Doctors Association, said she was made aware that some doctors were selling “vaccines” from their private offices. “I heard a report of a person on the road asking others if they wanted information for this person who was vaccinating people for JMD $4,000,” she revealed while on a local radio show. “We don’t know if it’s an actual doctor or if it’s scammers targeting vulnerable people. And we can’t verify if these people that go there are getting AstraZeneca or any vaccine for that matter because most people are not gonna check the bottle or
TOP STORIES Opposition Leader Mark Golding Wants Jamaica to Become a Republic
Florida Memorial University Aeronautical tudents’ Receive Scholarships from Safee
Disgruntled Haiti Police Raid Stations, Free Jailed Comrades
PANDEMIC RELIEF PLAN
Money in the Bank
Art Exhibition Featuring Airport Employees Opens at FLL
Americans already receiving payments from the Biden Relief Plan By CNW Reporter The U.S. Treasury Department has so far issued 90 million economic impact payments totaling $242 billion as part of President Joe Biden's $1.9 trillion pandemic relief plan, according to reports from various government agencies. Officials on Wednesday said most of these payments were by the IRS as direct deposits—which, began posting to people's bank accounts last weekend. In South Florida, residents whose bank account information in the IRS system began receiving their $1,400 deposits as early as last Saturday. Alice and Don Boswell of Miramar said they were “ecstatic with surprise” when they checked their bank account on Saturday afternoon and saw deposits for their family of five, including three children under age 18. But most people saw the deposit in their accounts on Wednesday morning. “I am impressed with how fast the Biden administration is paying out these stimulus funds,” said Leo Dyce of North Miami. “It
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WHAT’S INSIDE NEWSMAKER
CARIBBEAN
ENTERTAINMENT
SPORTS
Meet America’s First Black Deaf Female Lawyer Claudia Gordon A3
Caribbean Visitor Arrivals Decline by over 65 percent in 2021 a4
Toots and the Maytals win 2021 Grammy Award B3
Bravo Ends Drought with Century as West Indies Sweep Series 3-0 C3
Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava Pushes for Community IDs for County Residents
Jamaica’s England Based World Cup Hopefuls
More Caribbean Countries to Get Vaccines through COVAX Next Week
A2 – NATIONAL WEEKLY | THURSDAY, MAR 18 – MAR 24, 2021 | CNWNETWORK.COM
PAGE A2 LEADING BY EXAMPLE: Superintendent of Broward County Public Schools Robert Runcie speaks to a nurse just before he received his first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine at the T. Y. (Topeekeegee Yugnee) Park in Hollywood, Florida on March 11. - Contributed
FIRST ANNIVERSARY: Reggae ar st Duane Stephenson (third from le ) along with members of the popular Sunday a ernoon show, “Bar Talk” gather for a photo at their Moments2Remember studio in Sunrise, Florida recently. The event was to commemorate the first anniversary of the show, which airs on Facebook Live. - Photo by Luke Ballen ne
SENDING RELIEF: Jamaica's Consul General to Southern USA, Oliver Mair (second from right) meets with members of the Jamaica Nurses Associa on of Florida (JNAF) on Wednesday, March 10, as they prepare shipments of COVID-related medical supplies and personal packages for Jamaica. The shipments include masks, sani zers, gloves, cleaning agents and other basic medical supplies. At le is JNAF President Lorne e Patrick. - Contributed
LIFESAVER: Minister of Health and Wellness Dr. Christopher Tu on (second le ), speaks with World Health Organiza on (WHO)/Pan American Health Organiza on (PAHO) Representa ve Dr. Bernade e Theodore-Gandi (le ) at the Norman Manley Interna onal Airport in Kingston on March 15, where they witnessed the arrival of the first shipment of 14,400 doses of coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccines under the COVAX facility. Sharing in the discussion are PAHO Health Emergencies advisor Dr. Marion Bullock-DuCasse (second right); and United Na ons Children Fund (UNICEF) country representa ve Mariko Kagoshima. - Photo by Michael Sloley
LIGHTS, CAMERA, FASHION: Broward County Commissioner Dale V.C. Holness, Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis, and leaders from the movie and fashion industries met to discuss bringing the fashion and movie industries to Broward County. L-R: Paola Isaac Baraya, Broward economic developmental specialist – interna onal trade; Jean-Guy Despres, Reflec on Films Interna onal CEO, Commissioner Dale V.C. Holness, Mayor Dean Trantalis, and Sal Khokhar, Kollec ve Moda Fashion Incubator president. - Contributed
HONORING DR. ORR: Lauderhill Vice Mayor Denise Grant (right) joined members of the BrightStar Credit Union at the groundbreaking ceremony for its new loca on in Lauderhill on Wednesday. The 4000 plus sq structure will be located in front of the Lauderhill Mall. It is set to be opened in October of this year. In the loca on will be a bronze plaque to give special honor to Dr. Dorothy Orr, who served on the board of directors of the Credit Union between 1988 to 2017. – Contributed
FIRST SHOT: Public Health Nurse, Marcia Thomas-Yetman (right) receives the first coronavirus (COVID19) vaccine to be given in Jamaica, on Wednesday (March 10), at The Good Samaritan’s Inn in Kingston. Administering the vaccine is Nurse Fiona Ellis. - Photo by Michael Sloley
NATIONAL WEEKLY | THURSDAY, MAR 18 – MAR 24, 2021 | CNWNETWORK.COM –
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NEWSMAKER
Claudia Gordon
America's First Deaf Black Female Lawyer is Jamaican Born Jamaicans are known for defying the odds in pursuit of better circumstances and a better life, whether at home or in the diaspora. This is the case of Jamaica-born Claudia Gordon, who became deaf at the age of eight and left the island to escape the stigma associated with being deaf. Several years later, she was the first Black woman to become an attorney who is deaf, in the United States. Gordon was born in May 1946 and grew up in St. Mary, a parish in rural Jamaica. When she was still a child, her mother migrated to South Bronx, New York, to work as a domestic helper leaving her and her siblings in the care of her mother's eldest sister, who was a teacher. While attending the Cascade Primary School in St. Mary, Gordon began developing severe pain in her ears. The pain resulted from a serious defect in her ear which eventually led to her losing her hearing. After eventually losing her
hearing, she was taken out of school for almost two years because there were no institutions in St. Mary or surrounding parishes that could accommodate deaf students. As is traditional in some aspects of Jamaican society, her aunt took her to visit spiritual “healers” to perform religious rituals to restore her hearing, but to no avail. Like many deaf people in Jamaica, Gordon became the victim of stigmatization and discrimination. But luckily, she was able to escape the harsh realities of growing up with a disability in Jamaica because of her mother's progress in the United States. When Gordon was 11 years old, she was reunited with her mother in New York City, and later enrolled at the Lexington School for the Deaf in New York. At Lexington, Gordon began learning sign language. She was also engaged in sports and became a top student. In her junior year in high school, Gordon decided that she wanted to pursue law at the tertiary level. However, many people discouraged her from doing so. “Some cited my deafness as an obstacle rendering it impractical if not impossible to pursue a law degree. Thanks to the values that were instilled in me during my formative years, I understood then that those voices of doubt neither dictated my worth nor my capacity,”
she recalled in an interview with the White House Council on Women and Girls. Defying the odds, Gordon went on to study political science at Howard University and graduated with a bachelor of arts degree in 1995. The Jamaican subsequently made American history, by becoming the first deaf Black woman in the United States to earn a Juris Doctor (law degree) when she graduated from the American University Washington College of Law in 2000. There, she had specialized in disability rights law and policy. She then won a Skadden Fellowship (for law graduates working with disabled people) for 2000-2002 and worked as a staff attorney at the National Association of the Deaf Law and Advocacy Center. But while working at the Center, the Jamaican immigrant became interested in working for the Federal government. “I confronted the truth that passing legislation is one thing but actual implementation with enforcement is another. I felt that a job with the Federal government would more effectively allow me to affect the actual enforcement of laws, thereby alleviating the blatant discrimination that people with disabilities continue to face,” she
Gordon
said. From 2004 to 2009, she worked as senior policy advisor for the Department of Homeland Security. She assisted in the implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities in Emergency Preparedness program, monitoring how federal agencies worked together to ensure that deaf and disabled persons were included in emergency preparedness plans. During former President Barack Obama's first term she began working in the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) in the Department of Labor. In 2013, the former president had also appointed her as a public engagement advisor at the White
House working with the disability community. She was a key advisor to President Obama, analyzing federal regulations and devising recommendations for inclusion policies. Gordon has also been active in the deaf community, becoming the vice president of the National Black Deaf Advocates in 2004 and receiving the Paul G. Hearne/AAPD leadership award from the American Association of people with disabilities. The 74-year-old currently works with corporate companies like TMobile and Sprint to implement inclusion initiatives geared towards people with disabilities.
A4 – NATIONAL WEEKLY | THURSDAY, MAR 18 – MAR 24, 2021 | CNWNETWORK.COM
CARIBBEAN
Caribbean Visitor Arrivals Decline by Over 65 Percent
Barbados Relaxes COVID-19 Restrictions as Commercial Sector Reopens
Tourist arrivals to the Caribbean fell by 65.5 percent in 2020, according to the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO), but a turnaround is forecasted for this year. In a recent statement, the CTO said the impact of COVID-19 on the travel and tourism industry was particularly evident during the April to mid-June 2020 period, when there was literally no activity in some destinations. “This was characterized by empty hotels and restaurants, deserted attractions, laid-off workers, grounded airlines and crippled cruise lines. While we saw some fluctuations in the levels of visitors for the remaining months of 2020, the influx of visitors hasn't reached levels even closely comparable to those experienced prior to March 2020,” it said. “In fact, some destinations remain closed to
Barbados' commercial and retail sectors, including restaurants and bars, began reopening from Monday, while the daily curfew has been shortened, as Government relaxes COVID-19 restrictions. Prime Minister Mia Mottley also announced during a national address last weekend that from March 21, churches will again welcome worshippers, but at limited numbers, while adhering to all physical distancing protocols. The curfew will now start at 9:00 p.m. instead of 7:00 p.m. and end at 6:00 a.m. “Sundays will continue closed for supermarkets and commercial and other retail stores, until further notice. But against that background, however, we
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Sandals Resorts practicing sanitary measures at their hotels.
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Three-quarters of Bermuda COVID-19 Cases are UK Variant Bermuda Premier David Burt says more than three-quarters of the current active COVID-19 cases in the island are the UK variant. In a series of messages on social media, Burt urged residents to continue to be vigilant, saying, “Coronavirus is real, but we can't let our guard down.” Burt said 24 of Bermuda's 31 active COVID19 cases are the UK variant, writing, “This strain is known to be more transmissible and is also more deadly. As you move around the island, please remember to follow the rules.” His appeal came before police announced they had broken up a birthday party that
Burt
breached COVID-19 regulations on Sunday night. A police spokesman said the organizer, a 40-year-old woman, was reported for prosecution. The venue, said to be a guesthouse in the East End, was not identified. The birthday
celebration with 34 guests was discovered at the property after officers responded to a noise complaint. Assistant Commissioner of Police Martin Weekes said the property manager was told the event was in breach of COVID-19 regulations and had to end. Gatherings are restricted to a maximum of 25 people under protocols designed to slow the spread of COVID-19. Meanwhile, the organizer of a rule-breaking party, attended by more than 100 people the previous weekend in the Botanical Gardens, has been arrested, police said. The government has said fixed penalties are in the pipeline to slap violators of COVID-19 health restrictions with on-the-spot fines. Weekes said the planner of the Botanical
Gardens event would “absolutely” appear before the courts for the breach of COVID-19 regulations at the bash, which was held in the Horticultural Hall at the Paget parish beauty spot. He added that others who were at the event could also be charged. The event led to a ban by the Department of Parks on nighttime gatherings at parks and beaches as the island remains under a midnight to 5:00 am curfew after a rise in coronavirus cases. Weekes revealed that 175 files for breaches “across the whole of the COVID regulations” were on their way to the Director of Public Prosecutions. Bermuda has recorded 735 cases of COVID-19 in the past 12 months. Twelve people have died.
NATIONAL WEEKLY | THURSDAY, MAR 18 – MAR 24, 2021 | CNWNETWORK.COM –
Talk Up!
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TALKUP
Should Grown ups be obligated to support their parents nancially?
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A6 – NATIONAL WEEKLY | THURSDAY, MAR 18 – MAR 24, 2021 | CNWNETWORK.COM
editorial
Sexual Harassment is a Very Contentious Accusation It seems every time there are accusations of sexual harassment against a man, usually of notoriety, they are immediately tried in the court of public opinion. It is also not unusual for these judgments of innocence or guilt to be split along gender and at times culture lines. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, who gained national recognition at the height of the coronavirus pandemic, is now at the center of a sexual harassment scandal and is being pressured to resign. While this is expected, based on today’s standards, a poll released on Monday by Siena College finds that 50 percent of New York voters do not support his resignation at this time. Lest we forget, it was just about 40 years ago that our approach to sexual harassment in the workplace changed. Previously, sexual harassment—ranging from verbal overtures to physical contact—wasn’t subject to legal liability. Perpetuators usually received “a slap on the wrist,” if any consequences at all. However, civil rights activists saw such harassment as discrimination against women in the workplace, and contrary to Equal Employment Opportunity regulations. Courts here heard the first sexual harassment case in 1976, and a major step was taken in 1986 when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled sexual harassment an illegal form of sexual discrimination. However, in 1991, when the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee held highly publicized hearings on Anita Hill's sexual harassment charges against Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas, employers and employees began taking the issue seriously as a workplace infringement. More recently, the “Me Too” and other movements have made it their mission to expose sexual harassment and discrimination, primarily of women, wherever this takes place. Granted, this has led to people—men particularly, despite their specific cultural norm—becoming more aware of how they behave towards women whether in public or private. A usual question whenever these accusations are
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A usual question whenever these accusations are made, is why some women wait several years to publicly accuse a man of sexual harassment? A frequent answer is that women who are sexually abused are either embarrassed to make the incident public, or worse, are fearful of repercussions to their reputation, careers, and family if they go public. made, is why some women wait several years to publicly accuse a man of sexual harassment? A frequent answer is that women who are sexually abused are either embarrassed to make the incident public, or worse, are fearful of repercussions to their reputation, careers, and family if they go public. Both explanations are a serious blight on society, as they admit several women who believed they were sexually harassed are living under serious mental strain. Others also question the number of women that usually follow each other in accusing a popular or powerful man. Here, the explanation is once the first accusation is made, other women feel emboldened to
follow suit. It is a sad commentary on modern society, that laws have to exist to ensure men behave respectfully towards women in the workplace and the general society. It's high time that this culture of inappropriate behavior be dismantled. The bottom line is that men should not only be more aware of their behavior towards women, but should also make a conscious effort to adjust to these newer albeit long overdue, expectations. As a society, we now acknowledge the devastating effects of sexual harassment and believe the victims’ voices should always be heard; however, we should also let the accused have their day in court.
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NATIONAL WEEKLY | THURSDAY, MAR 18 – MAR 24, 2021 | CNWNETWORK.COM –
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la section haitienne
Over 4 Million Haitians Will Need Humanitarian Aid this Year Analysis of humanitarian needs in Haiti revealed that over 4.4 million Haitians, 300,000 more than in 2020, or nearly 40 percent of the population, will be food insecure and 3.5 million of these Haitian residents will have multi-dimensional vulnerabilities and need humanitarian assistance in 2021. The year 2020 was marked by the COVID19 pandemic, the passage of tropical storm Laura, socio-political issues, and numerous acts of violence which increased in the second half of the year. These occurrences contributed to a
further deterioration of the country's economic situation, reducing the purchasing power of, and increasing the vulnerability of a large number of the population. In November 2020, 69 percent of households reported a decline in their income. According to a United Nations report, the
Enhanced Earthquake Activity in Haiti The Technical Unit of Seismology of the Bureau of Mines and Energy in Haiti has revealed that throughout the month of February, 54 earthquakes of magnitudes between 1.3 and 4.5 were recorded by several seismic networks. According to reports, five of the earthquakes with magnitudes between 3.3 and 4.2 were felt by residents in the department of Nippes. In addition, 29 earthquakes occurred in the sea—these tremors could have presented a tsunami risk if the conditions had been met. Overall, the number of earthquakes recorded last month increased by 35.19 percent when compared to the month of January. Based on this latest update, the Technical Seismology Unit reminded Haitians that the population is exposed to a major seismic hazard resulting from the presence of active faults including the Septentrional fault and the Enriquillo Plantain Garden fault, two faults with a more or less East-West direction cross respectively to the north and south of the national territory. The unit says that the seismic hazard, associated with the high level of vulnerability of the population, gives rise to a high, unpredictable risk of an earthquake that is capable of causing disasters such as that linked to the earthquake of January 12, 2010.
most vulnerable population groups are: Women and girls (of childbearing age, pregnant / breastfeeding and adolescent girls, single mothers); Children (from birth to age - 5 and of school age); seniors, people with disabilities, people in displacement situation (displaced, returned, expelled, repatriated); and people living in remote or isolated areas. The agro-climatic context of Haiti in 2020, characterized by below-normal rainfall, the deterioration of the economic situation, and the COVID-19 have contributed to the increase in the number of people in food insecurity Phase 3 (Crisis) and Phase 4 (Emergency). Access to health care and to water, hygiene, and sanitation services has been reduced due in particular to the pandemic, causing a decline in immunization activities, an increase in cases of
diarrheal diseases—the main cause of malnutrition in children under age five, and increased maternal mortality. During the 2019-2020 school year, 4 million children were deprived of access to school and often left in the care of their parents, which could generate tensions within families and increase protection risks for children. The number of teenage pregnancies and cases of gender-based violence (GBV) is also said to have increased in 2020. Financial requirements for the Humanitarian Response Plan (published in March 2021) are estimated at $235.6 million. By comparison in 2020, the estimated needs were $472 million but the international community contributed only $156.9 million or 33 percent.
Barbados Reopens
from A4
agree those persons and businesses that need to work, with the exception of just a few, will be allowed to resume work from March 15,” Mottley said. Businesses allowed to reopen include hairdressers, barbers, aestheticians, fast-food restaurants for drive-thru and pick-up only, restaurants for in-house dining with distancing protocols being observed, bars – without congregating; nurseries and daycare centers, but all protocols must be followed. To facilitate the return to work by residents, the prime minister also announced public health officials had extended the 60 percent restriction on public service vehicles to 75 percent, but wearing of masks is mandatory. Meanwhile, the number of people attending church, weddings and funerals now stands at a maximum of 75, with persons maintaining the sixfoot radius according to social distancing protocols. Funerals and weddings being held at a venue other
than a church are limited to 25 people. However, wedding receptions are still prohibited, and not everyone will be allowed to reopen on Monday. Mottley said gyms, pleasure craft, whether chartered or privately owned; nightclubs, cinemas and theatres are not permitted to reopen. “The medical fraternity and public health personnel, believe the risk remains too high,” she explained. And, while non-team or non-combative sports will be allowed, Mottley said resumption of sporting activities like cricket, football and volleyball will remain on pause for another few weeks. “Sports like road tennis, lawn tennis, diving…golf, walking or hiking, will be permitted, but anything involving team sports, or any kind of contact will not be permitted at this stage. “The only two non-team sports that will not be permitted will be squash and table tennis, because of the size of the court,” she explained.
A8 – NATIONAL WEEKLY | THURSDAY, MAR 18 – MAR 24, 2021 | CNWNETWORK.COM
COMMUNITY Commissioner Bolton Spearheads Launch of City's First Women's Commission Tamarac Commissioner Marlon Bolton, in light of Women's History Month, sponsored the initiative for the city to launch a new campaign named in honor of the late U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, to advocate for women who live and work in Tamarac. The city's mayors and commissioners voted unanimously, during the March 10 Commission meeting, to implement the new Ruth Bader Ginsburg Commission on the Status of Women. First proposed by Bolton, the goal of the newly adopted Women's Commission is to identify and resolve economic, health and social disparities that fail to promote gender equality and empowerment of women in Tamarac. “Through the decades, our nation has made great strides in women's rights and concerning the fair and equal treatment of women; but we still have quite a way to go,” said Bolton. “I am proud to have advocated for Tamarac's Ruth Bader Ginsburg Commission on the Status of Women; as it is my personal responsibility as an elected official to make sure that when Tamarac rises, we rise together as a community – with no member left behind due to gender, race, economics or age.” The five-member board is tasked with conducting studies about women to make policy and ordinance recommendations to the city's mayor and commission. Recommendations will focus on fair and equal treatment, health, wellness, education and training. To reflect the diverse perspectives of the Tamarac community, the mayor and commissioners will appoint one board member to represent their respective constituents. Under the guidance of the Tamarac Human Resources Department, the Ruth Bader Ginsburg Commission on the Status of Women will also advocate for women employed by the city. The Women's Commission is additionally tasked with monitoring and evaluating the city's employee pay scale to ensure equal compensation for women performing the same work as male counterparts.
Miami Connected Providing Over 100,000 Students With Free Digital Training Opportunities With the pandemic exposing disparities in access to technology, education and employment globally, two South Florida organizations are teaming up to address these issues. On March 14, the Miami Foundation and Achieve Miami announced the launch of Miami Connected, a program geared at bringing free broadband connectivity, digital literacy and career opportunities in technology to more than 100,000 students and their families in Miami-Dade County. Joining in this critical initiative are
Miami-Dade County Public Schools (MDCPS) Superintendent Alberto M. Carvalho, Miami Mayor Francis Suarez, Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, and other company officials. The two companies say the partnership represents a unified effort to make Miami-Dade the most technologically inclusive county in the nation. Currently, more than one in five Miami-Dade County residents are disconnected from the internet. Ken Griffin, lead funder of Miami Connected said, “Connectivity is a lifeline
to opportunity. It improves outcomes and gives students and their families critical resources they need to succeed. It is inspiring to see the Miami community come together to address this important issue, and I look forward to continued progress in bridging the digital divide.” Achieve Miami executive director Sarah Emmons added, “If a student cannot connect to the internet, or don't yet know how to navigate the virtual environment, they are missing out on the opportunity to accelerate their learning. Through internet access, digital literacy continues on B4 – Miami Connected
Deadline for Jamaica National Honors and Awards 2021 is March 31 Jamaicans at home and in the diaspora have until March 31, 2021, to submit nominations for the 2021 Jamaica National Honors and Awards. The nomination forms and guidelines are available online through the Chancery of the Orders of the Societies of Honor, Office of the Prime Minister, (www.opm.gov.jm), or through the overseas locations of the Jamaican Foreign Missions. As the deadline approaches, persons are reminded that completed nomination forms can be submitted via email (chanprot@opm.gov.jm), or by mail, to The Chancery of the Orders of the Societies of Honor, Office of the Prime Minister, 1 Devon Road, Kingston 10, Jamaica. Nomination forms, once submitted,
will remain confidential and should be accompanied by a current and brief biographical outline of achievements of service rendered by the nominee. In cases where the candidate is not a citizen of Jamaica, the Government of Jamaica is required to obtain the approval of the relevant Commonwealth or foreign government prior to the award of any Order of Decoration to that nominee. National Honors and Awards are administered by the Office of the Prime Minister to formally recognize those who have contributed through their service and have had a meaningful and significant impact on national life. Orders are used to recognize merit relating to achievement and service, while Decorations and Awards acknowledge
nominees for bravery, meritorious long and/or valuable service and/or good conduct. It should be noted that only persons selected will be contacted by the Chancery of the Orders of the Societies of Honors. All honorees will be announced on Jamaica Independence Day, August 6, 2021. Candidates can be nominated for honors and awards in the following categories:- The Order of Merit (OM); The Order of Jamaica (OJ); The Order of Distinction in the rank of Commander (CD) or rank of Officer (OD). Decorations and Awards are given for Badges of Honor for Gallantry (BHG), Meritorious Service (BHM), or Long and Faithful Service (BHL).
NATIONAL WEEKLY | THURSDAY, MAR 18 – MAR 24, 2021 | CNWNETWORK.COM –
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No More Form I-944! Public Charge Rule Finally Terminated As expected, the USCIS announced last week that it will no longer apply the Trump's administration controversial Public Charge Rule. Under the rule, all residency applicants filing form I-485 were required to submit Form I-944 along with documentation to establish assets, income, and the likelihood that they would not have to rely on public assistance in the future. Effective March 9, residency applicants no longer need to submit Form I-944. The USCIS notice says it will not review any I-944 forms already submitted, and that applicants can disregard Request for Evidence of Notice of Intent to Deny that request information related to the Public Charge Final Rule. However, my suggestion is that those who receive such requests should instead simply write their name and address and sign it and send it back in. This is a safeguard to make sure that your case continues to progress through the system smoothly.
USCIS Provides Relief To Students Applying For Work Authorization Through (OPT) In January, the Biden team took over a USCIS agency in crisis, understaffed, disorganized, processing backlogs in nearly every immigration application category, and harsh anti-immigrant policies that went against our nation's creed as a country of immigrants. Under Trump's watch, the agency treated both immigrants and nonimmigrants who dared to apply for immigration benefits that are guaranteed by our laws and regulations, like enemies. To make it difficult, rules were twisted to delay and deny benefits whenever possible. However, that is all changing now, but it's important to recognize that nothing happens overnight, so improvements will steadily begin showing up in USCIS's overall operations as the months roll by. Administration professionals are reviewing all aspects of the agency for improvements that will benefit efficiency, processing times and customer service. One such improvement is the treatment given to F1 international students who are graduating college and applying for work permits under the Optional Practical Training program called “OPT.” These work permits are generally issued for 12 to 14 months. Students applying for OPT last year had a really difficult time, first in just getting the USCIS receipt, which took months, then in
processing times which took many more months. By the time the USCIS actually processed the request and issued the work permit, nearly half the time had already expired! As a result, the new administration has taken corrective measures to alleviate the situation. Under new procedures, the USCIS is providing additional flexibilities to qualifying F-1 students filing form I-765 based on OPT in light of its ongoing processing delays. It will apply to I-765 applications submitted on or after October 1, 2020, through May 1, 2021. Beginning now, the agency will approve OPT applications for the full amount of time originally requested in the application. Those who received less than the full amount of OPT time requested (up to 12 months) may now make a request for a correction of the EAD due to USCIS error. Further, any OPT application made which were rejected for improper signatures or some other technical error can now be refiled, as long as the original OPT application was filed no later than 60 days after the program end date.
Tips On Renewing Your Child's Green Card For Free Immigration rules and regulations can be obscure, seem mysterious, and are often complicated. So it's nice to come across a rule which is actually beneficial and saves you money! Under a little-known law, once a U.S. Resident child turns age 14, a Green Card renewal must be filed within 30 days. This special requirement exists because children under age 14 are exempt from fingerprinting, so once a child reaches age 14, he or she must provide biometrics fingerprints as part of the renewal process. However, in practice, most parents do not follow the rule to renew their children's Green Cards and no penalty is applied by the USCIS for failure to do so. But what if there were a benefit to filing a renewal (form I-90) on your child's 14th birthday? Well, there is...to a lucky few! The USCIS actually waives the application fee for Green Card renewal applications filed for children within 30 days of their 14th birthday, as long as the child's Green Card will expire after the child turns age 16. Strange, but true. The catch is that there is only a very short 30 day period in which the renewal can be filed without paying the USCIS filing fee and those exact requirements must be met. For instance, if a child is turning age 14, but their Green Card expires when the child is 15, the filing fee would not be waived. Similarly, if the child has turned age 14 and you filed after 30 days, the fee is not waived. In all cases, the biometrics fee of $85 must still be paid, but you will still be saving $455 for the regular renewal fee. Good to know!
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B4 – NATIONAL WEEKLY | THURSDAY, MAR 18 – MAR 24, 2021 | CNWNETWORK.COM
CONTINUATIONS Black Market
In the Bank
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the vial.” The island’s Minister of Health and Wellness Dr. Christopher Tufton later said that he was shocked to hear of the development, but ironically, back in January, Tufton had predicted that a vaccine black market would arise on the island whenever the government received the shots. At a press briefing on January 25, Dr. Tufton had warned against pop-up vaccine sites. “Like testing, I suspect that over time you will see persons or entities offering a solution for those who require vaccines and there is the likelihood that you would have an underground or black market for vaccines. I certainly would not advise anyone to take a vaccine from an entity or individual with no legitimacy because you never know what you’re going to get. Sometimes, it may not work out in your favor,” Dr. Tufton said.
was just last week Thursday that Biden signed the bill into law and people are already receiving the payments.” But some people were disappointed at not seeing the deposits in their accounts on Wednesday, despite having provided their bank account information to the IRS with their 2019 and 2020 tax filings. Lacie Tomlinson of Tamarac said her two sisters got their deposits, but she didn't and when she visited the IRS website and checked the “Get My Payment” link that the IRS has provided so people can track the status of their stimulus payment, it indicated “Payment Status Not Available.” The IRS has indicated that this response either means the payments are still being processed, or the IRS has not received or has not accessed the inquirer's 2019 or 2020 tax filing. Some taxpayers who owe money to the IRS may not have submitted their bank deposit information with the IRS, not expecting a refund. People like will receive their stimulus payments in the form of a check mailed to their address. The reports say as of Wednesday, the U.S. Treasury has also mailed out about 150,000 checks worth about $442 million. Processing of the payments began last Friday, the day after
Unregistered people already skipping the line What comes even less as a surprise is persons not among the priority list that have gotten vaccinated. Last week, Prime Minister Andrew Holness had sent a strong warning to residents who wanted to “jump the line” for vaccinations. “Regardless of who you are in the society, once the rule is set, you will abide by the rules,” Holness stated, adding that “I'm committed that the distribution of the vaccines does not fall in this category of nationally important goods to be distributed, where people break the lines [and] because of connections, they get." But two days after the vaccinations began, Tufton confirmed that there were breaches to the protocols in some vaccination centers across the island when persons who were not registered turned up seeking to access the vaccine. The health minister also revealed that it was healthcare workers facilitating the breaches by calling unregistered people to get the shot. Since the vaccination campaign got underway, there have been other bumps in the road including a stolen vial with 10 doses of the vaccine at the Cornwall Regional Hospital in Montego Bay. The health minister says he anticipated that the country would experience issues within the first month of the rollout, but opposition members including PNP General Secretary, Dr. Dayton Campbell, say the unfortunate issues highlight the need for bipartisan cooperation on the national effort to procure, store and administer the vaccines. As of March 14, 12,000 people had been vaccinated on the island. The Ministry of Health and Wellness had targeted 17,000 within the first week of vaccinations. The primary focus for the vaccines remains on healthcare workers, members of the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) and the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF), senior parliamentarians, and then Jamaican residents over the age of 60.
Miami Connected
Visitors Decline
a necessity for our region's young learners.” Greater Miami's Vision for Digital Access In addition to providing internet service, Miami Connected will teach students and their families the skills necessary to use their devices and become digitally literate. This aspect of the program will be achieved through a community advisory group executing grant programs. “In order to be the most technologically inclusive city in the nation, we must ensure children and families have access to the internet and digital literacy tools,” said Rebecca Fishman Lipsey, president and CEO of The Miami Foundation. “This bold collaboration is a massive step in that direction.” Miami Connected will also invest in career pathways that increase diversity and inclusivity in the technology sector. The effort will issue startup grants to help innovators develop new technologies aimed at solving disparity issues in disenfranchised communities. The final phase of the project will identify long-term, cost-effective strategies to maintain broadband internet for all students in need in Miami-Dade.
However, a 20.1 percent fall in the first quarter was followed by no activity the rest of the year as ships remained non-operational. This resulted in a 72 percent slide to 8.5 million cruise visits, compared to 30 million visits in 2019. Based on information derived from international partners including the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), and limited reporting by Caribbean countries, the CTO estimated that regionally visitor expenditure declined by 60 to 80 percent, similar to the decline in stayover and cruise arrivals. Preliminary data indicates the average length of stay for 2020 remained at roughly seven nights, the same as in 2019. In its forecast, the CTO said the Caribbean's performance in 2021 will depend largely on the success in combating, containing and controlling CVID-19. “Already, there are encouraging signs like the vaccine rollout in North America, Europe and the Caribbean,” it said. “However, this must be tempered by other factors including lockdowns in key source markets which are expected to continue into the second quarter, international travel confidence not expected to increase until summer, steep fall in the number of people planning to travel abroad, and the possible requirement by some countries for their citizens to vaccinate before traveling abroad.” Taking those factors into consideration, the CTO said its initial forecast is for a 20 percent rise in visitor arrivals and expenditure in 2021, compared to 2020.
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visitors, with limited airlift primarily for repatriation of locals and cargo.” There was a 72 percent slide to 8.5 million cruise visits in 2020, compared to 30 million visits in 2019. Cruise lines plying Caribbean routes remain nonoperational due to a strict ban imposed by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The CTO noted that with government restrictions in the Caribbean and globally reducing and preventing travel for large periods of time, tourist arrivals to the region in 2020 fell to just over 11 million, a decline of 65.5 percent compared to the record 32 million tourist visits in 2019. “Still, this was better than the world average decline of 73.9 percent during the same period,” it said. The CTO said a period of virtually no tourism began in mid-March, and worsened in the second quarter, with arrivals down by 97.3 percent. Tourists began visiting again in June as the sector reopened. “Still, the fall-off in stayover arrivals continued through to September—when a gradual reversal began—and continued to December. Destination initiatives like the long-stay work programs, other promotional activities. and efforts of regional organizations such as the CTO, the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association and the Caribbean Public Health Agency, contributed to the gradual rise in arrivals,” the CTO said. Like stayover arrivals, cruising was buoyed by the performance in the first three months of 2020, particularly February, with a 4.2 percent rise in visits.
SISTER ALBERTA Jealous people Can Set You Back & Block You From Obtaining Your Goals More Than You Will Ever Know.
Biden signed the American Rescue Plan, which authorized direct payments of up to $1,400 to individuals who qualify. According to the Treasury, the first batch of payments was made to eligible taxpayers who provided direct-deposit information on their 2019 or 2020 tax returns. People who don't usually file a tax return but used a non-filers tool at IRS.gov to receive their COVID-19 relief payments last year will be included in this first batch. Additional batches of payments, officials say, will be sent out in the weeks ahead via direct deposit, or be mailed as a check or debit card. So, with a little patience, people like Lacie Tomlinson who did not see their deposits on Wednesday as several other South Floridians did, should see their deposits or receive a check very soon. The payments will be automatic so most qualified individuals and families will need to take no action to receive theirs. The economic rationale behind the stimulus payments is that the recipients will spend the money within a short time on consumer goods. The accumulated expenditure, the rationale suggests, will enhance the revenue of businesses, generate employment and boost the economy.
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programs, and workforce opportunities, Miami Connected seeks to equalize the playing field so students and families can build the digital fluency they need to stay competitive in 21st-century learning and work environments.” Providing Reliable High-Speed Internet Access to Students Starting this month, Phase One of Miami Connected will provide two years of free broadband internet service to approximately 22,000 eligible M-DCPS students in four Miami-Dade County neighborhoods. The program begins in Overtown, then extends to Little Haiti, Liberty City and Homestead. Phase Two will expand coverage on a school-byschool basis to serve all under-resourced communities in the county where home internet access is severely limited or does not exist. “One year after we were forced to temporarily shut down the physical schoolhouse, it's evident this pandemic has negatively impacted under-resourced neighborhoods more than others in our community,” said Superintendent of Schools Alberto M. Carvalho. “With 52 percent of M-DCPS students engaging in online learning and the remaining 48 percent in the classroom still heavily relying on consistent broadband access to achieve educational success, high-quality home internet has become
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ENTERTAINMENT
Toots and the Maytals Wins 2021 Grammy Award The 63rd Grammy Awards show took place on Sunday, March 14 in a hybrid fashion from the Staple Center in Los Angeles saw Toots and the Maytals winning the Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album. The Got to Be Tough album was released just days before the death of Toots Hibbert, the band's frontman, who passed away on September 11, 2020. This marks the second Grammy win for the band after they won Best Reggae Album in 2005. The group has been nominated for a reggae Grammy five times. The other nominees for the Best Reggae Album this year were Higher Place by Skip Marley, One World by The Wailers, Upside Down 2020 by Buju Banton, and It All Comes Back to Love by Maxi Priest. Toots and the Maytals played a pioneering role in the birth of reggae in the 1960s. Toot's 1968 song “Do The Reggay” is said to have given the genre its name. Toots Hibbert was laid to rest at the National Heroes Park in Kingston, Jamaica on November 15, 2020. Among the other cultural icons interred at the National Heroes Park are reggae singer Dennis Brown, Olympian Herb McKinley, artist Edna Manley, folklorist Louise Bennett Coverley (Miss Lou) and actor Ranny Williams. Earlier this year, it was announced that the reggae icon would posthumously receive the Keys to the City of Kingston.
In true rival fashion, St. George's College Old Boys and Jamaica College Old Boys will go head to head in the first-ever friendly “sound clash” hosted by VP Records on Saturday, April 10.
Toots Hibbert
The African Heritage Cultural Arts Center to Host Sixth Annual “Sankofa Jazz Festival” The African Heritage Cultural Arts Center (AHCAC) will host the sixth annual Sankofa Jazz Festival on Saturday, April 3, 2021, from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. The event celebrates jazz and welcomes the AHCAC’s alumni and the greater community to reconnect on the historic grounds of Liberty City’s AHCAC, 6161 NW 22nd Avenue, Miami, at the intersection of Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard and Moonlight Way. General admission for this event is $20 per person and $50 for a group of 4. Tickets are limited and must be purchased in advance at https://6sankofajazzfest.eventbrite.com. The sixth annual Sankofa Jazz Festival, hosted by Hot 105.1’s Rodney Baltimore, is a part of the Center’s community outreach program.
The outdoor event is a platform used to maintain the rich history of music of the African Diaspora while introducing local and emerging artists. This year’s event will honor the legacy of Miami’s own, legendary jazz musician and composer Melton Mustafa, Sr. during the private renaming ceremony of the Center’s concert hall. The “Sankofa Jazz Fest” lineup includes: composer, musician, and producer, Chris Walker; saxophonist extraordinaire, Jesse Jones; international jazz vocalist, Nikki Kidd; and culturally influential singer, Cachita Lopez. This event will be a celebration and safe, family-friendly affair. Festival-goers must purchase tickets in advance. Tickets will not be sold at the door.
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Dubbed the “True Blue Sound Clash of 2021” this event is replacing the traditional True Blue weekend soccer event held in South Florida every year. Organizers of the event said that the COVID-19 pandemic has forced them to present a match between the two schools in a different way. This year marks the 17th year for the South Florida event though being held in a different format. Past True Blue 2-day weekends attracted soccer enthusiasts from Canada, the Caribbean, and Central and South America. The yearly fundraising event provides the schools with the funding necessary to present scholarships to Jamaica College and St. George's College students. The True Blue Sound Clash will be streamed live on VP Records' YouTube page starting at 7 p.m. The MC for the clash will be popular radio personality Steven “Sir Rockwell” Warner. The event is held in honor of Dennis Ziadie, who coached players at both schools to Manning Cup victories. Nearly 2,000 soccer enthusiasts and supporters typically participate in the annual event. Richard A. Lue, the director of business development at VP Music Group said, “We are pleased to host this Clash on our platform and look forward to the musical competition between two great schools. I can't wait to be supporting my school Cornwall College in the future.”
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SPORTS
Bravo Ends Drought with Century as West Indies Sweep Series 3-0 Stylish left-hander Darren Bravo stroked his first One-Day International hundred in five years to propel West Indies to a comfortable five-wicket win over Sri Lanka and a clean sweep of the three-match series in North Sound, Antigua on Sunday. The 32-year-old top-scored with 102 off 132 deliveries while irrepressible opener Shai Hope struck 64 off 72 balls and captain Kieron Pollard an unbeaten 52 off 42 deliveries, as West Indies, reeled in a target of 275 at the Vivian Richards Cricket Stadium with nine deliveries to spare. Bravo had previously gone 13 innings without a half-century, during which time he averaged a paltry 18, but his fourth ODI century saw him turn the page on that depressing run of form as he hit five fours and four sixes. “I think today was an important day for me,” said Bravo after he was adjudged man-ofthe-match. “I tried my best today. It wasn't the most fluent but at the end of the day, we got the job done, which is the most important thing,” For the home side, the result marked their third whitewash in their last five series following similar achievements against Ireland and Afghanistan and was also payback for the 3-0 drubbing they received on Sri Lankan soil last year.
SPORTS COMMENTARY
West Indies team pose for the cameras after theor victory over Sri-Lanka
The clean sweep also follows on the heels of a chastening 3-0 result in Bangladesh last month when an inexperienced side was soundly thrashed. “This gives us the confidence we can do certain things. We're going to build on this…we're looking to continue to work hard and continue to improve as we go forward,” said an obviously contented Pollard. Number eight Wanindu Hasaranga had earlier lashed a cavalier unbeaten 80 off 60 balls and Ashen Bandara, a supportive 55 not
out, to help pull Sri Lanka's innings around to 274 for six off their 50 overs. Sent in, the visitors had slumped to 151 for six in the 32nd over after being undermined by left-arm spinner Akeal Hosein's three-wicket haul, before the pair put on an invaluable 123 in an unbroken seventh-wicket partnership to ensure West Indies were given a serious target to chase. For the first time in the series, West Indies went without a solid start as left-hander Evin Lewis played down the wrong line to a full-
length delivery from pacer Suranga Lakmal (256) and was bowled for 13 in the fifth over and Jason Mohammed missed a drive at a Wanindu Hasaranga googly and was bowled for eight in the 10th. However, Bravo then anchored the innings, posting 109 for the third wicket with Hope before adding a further 80 for the fifth wicket with Pollard. He started slowly with only three runs from his first 13 balls and never really quickened his pace, reaching his half-century off 81 balls in the 30th over. His second fifty required only 49 balls and he brought up three figures with a boundary to fine leg off leg-spinner Hasaranga in the 45th, before perishing seven balls later, driving a Lakmal full toss to cover. Hope, already with a hundred and a fifty in the series, counted three fours and two sixes before holing out to long-on in the 32nd over off seamer Thisara Perera. When Nicholas Pooran missed a sweep and was lbw to part-time off-spinner Danushka Gunathilaka in the 35th-over, West Indies needed a partnership and Pollard arrived to blast four fours and a six to ensure there were no late stumbles. SCORES SRI LANKA 274 for six off 50 overs (Wanindu Hasaranga 80 not out, Ashen Bandara 55 not out, Danushka Gunathilaka 36, Dimuth Karunaratne 31; Akeal Hosein 3-33) WEST INDIES 276 for five off 48.3 overs (Darren Bravo 102, Shai Hope 64, Kieron Pollard 53 not out; Suranga Lakmal 2-56)
VIEW FROM THE SIDELINES
West Indies Cricket: Let's not even go there By L. Bronson Having ceaselessly yearned for the glory days of the past, traumatised West Indies supporters are easily deceived into believing that their beloved team has “turned the proverbial corner” after being sucked into the euphoria of a win or two. Only to fall precipitously into despair. But from our vantage point, there seems to be something happening in West Indies cricket at the moment. Not the team turning the corner, but probably a team definitely on the road. Will it manage to turn the corner? Only time will tell. When Kraigg Brathwaite was given an understrength West Indies team to contest two Test matches in Bangladesh last month, many thought it was a foregone conclusion that the men from the Caribbean would have lost, and heavily too. After all, the last time a full-strength team
toured the south Asian country, they were humiliated long before the contests were scheduled to end. But Brathwaite and his team exhibited a sense of purpose, belief, calm, maturity, coupled with doing their homework and executing their game plans. The result was upset wins in each of the Test matches, much to the chagrin of the home team and the surprise of the cricketing world. For those who might have forgotten. In the first Test match, Bangladesh made 430 and 223 for eight declared and the West Indies responded with 259 and then successfully chased 395 for the loss of seven wickets to win by three wickets. In the second Test match, West Indies made 409 and 117, while Bangladesh responded with 296 and 213 to lose by 17 runs. In that Test series, the West Indies appeared unflappable, calm, calculated and most importantly, together, in that series.
Players appeared genuinely happy for others success, and they all appeared to be pulling in the same direction. There appeared to be a belief and confidence in every player, and from all accounts, Brathwaite was the commander in chief. It was therefore no surprise when he was recommended and indeed appointed to replace fellow Barbadian Jason Holder as West Indies Test captain. Holder had served as captain for the past five years. Then on the heels of that success in Bangladesh, the West Indies Twenty20 International (T20I) and One Day International (ODI) teams led by Trinidadian Kieron Pollard, smashed Sri Lanka 2-1 in the 3-0 in the ODI series. And in much the same culture displayed by the Brathwaite-led Test team, Pollard's team appeared more methodical, meticulous, cerebral, even while maintaining their flamboyance in the shorter formats of the
game. It was refreshing to see and we now hope that they will continue in the same vein regardless of the eventual results of the Test series set to start this weekend. But nobody should be tricked into believing that everything is now perfect with West Indies cricket and that they will return to the pinnacle by next year.
Not true, and far from the truth. The team appears to be on an uptick, but to get back to the top is going to take a long time and patience. So everyone should support Brathwaite and his team and not be too quick to despise him when results go against us, especially against the better teams, some of which will tour the Caribbean later this summer.
C4 – NATIONAL WEEKLY | THURSDAY, MAR 18 – MAR 24, 2021 | CNWNETWORK.COM A D V E R T I S E M E N T