NATIONAL WEEKLY | THURSDAY, MAY 26 – JUN 1, 2016 | VOL. 13 NO. 21
N E T W O R K T H E
M O S T
W I D E L Y
CARIBBEAN
OVER 300 JAMAICANS DENIED ENTRY INTO T&T PAGE A4
C I R C U L A T E D
C A R I B B E A N
A M E R I C A N
N E W S P A P E R
I N
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F L O R I D A
Best of the Best and more this Memorial Weekend The iconic Caribbean musical showcase, Best of the Best Music Fest, celebrates its 10th anniversary this Sunday, May 29th, as the show returns to Bayfront Park in Downtown Miami. In honor of the landmark, this year's concert is going all out with a stellar line up of stars, including Beres Hammond, Cocoa Tea, Tarrus Riley, Cham, Mr. Vegas, Chris Martin and more.
ENTERTAINMENT
JAH CURE TOPS REGGAE CHART PAGE B3
See more memorial Weekend events in our Memorial Weekend Must-Do guide Con't B5
Mothers rally with Fulton and Clinton against gun violence
IS SMOKING MARIJUANA A SIN?
PAGE A5 JAMAICA
EDITORIAL
GUYANA INDEPENDENCE FEATURE PAGE B1
LOCAL
TATI GIVES BACK: LOCAL CHARITY HONORS DAUGHTER’S MEMORY PAGE A3
SPORTS
“CAPTAIN MORGAN” LEADS BOYZ TO COPA CUP
PAGE B7
More than just Reggae Diaspora vital to creative development, says Jamaica's Culture Minister Dr. Garth Rose & Jahlisa Harvey Jamaica's Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sports Olivia “Babsy” Grange assures Jamaicans overseas that the government is committed to “seeking closer relations, collaboration and exchange” between Jamaica and the Diaspora, as the nation launches new initiatives to boost profitable creative industries. In town last week to deliver an address at the “Creative and Cultural Industries Symposium” at Broward College, Davie Campus, Minister Grange outlined plans to turn continues on B6 – More than reggae
Grange
MIAMI GARDENS
Super Bowl 54 economic boom for Miami Gardens? Dr. Garth A. Rose The city of Miami Gardens will play host to the Super Bowl, following confirmation from the National Football League (NFL) that the 54th annual national championship game is set for February 2020 at the Miami Dolphin stadium in the city. Officials expect the games to bring a much-needed economic boost leading up to the event.
Despite the lucrative attention and estimated $450 million renovations invested by Dolphins' owner Stephen Ross, the stadium has yet to translate to big dollars for local residents. Carlos Potts, a sub-contractor on the stadium's renovation, says job opportunities for city residents related to the stadium have been limited to temporary jobs. “The stadium attracts large crowds when NFL games are played there during the NFL season, but this really hasn't continues on B4 – Super Bowl 54
Hundreds of South Floridians gathered to rally against gun violence at this year's Circle of Mothers conference in Fort Lauderdale, as current Democratic presidential candidate and conference keynote speaker, Hillary Clinton, asserted her support for reform. “We must do something about gun violence that stalks communities and terrorize families,” said Clinton during her speech at the recent conference Gala, hosted by Sybrina Fulton, President/CEO of the Trayvon Martin Foundation (TMF), founded in memory of her late 17-year-old son who was a victim of gun violence. “We have a moral obligation to protect our children, no matter what zip code they live in.” Founded by Fulton and Trayvon's father Tracy Martin, the conference seeks “to enable mothers who lost their children to gun violence to return and empower their communities, showing that they won't be devastated by their heartache and pain, but are returning to help build safe communities,” said Tracy Martin in an interview with National Weekly. The conference included workshops with professionals and public officials offering guidance for mothers on personal restoration. But the conference also serves as an opportunity for mothers to establish both local strategies and a national agenda in combating gun violence. The cause is a personal one for Circle of continues on B4 Rally
Fulton