National Weekly November 19, 2020

THE MOST WIDELY CIRCULATED CARIBBEAN AMERICAN NEWSPAPER IN FLORIDA

THURSDAY NOVEMBER 19, 2020

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Wrong Move!

Peter Phillips Admits His Decision to Challenge Portia Simpson Miller was “Ill-advised”

Caribbean American Heritage Museum Now a Reality

CNW Reporter

After saying goodbye to the top post of the opposition following the September general election, veteran Jamaican politician Dr. Peter Phillips is reflecting on his time as leader of the 82-year-old People’s National Party (PNP).

By Garth A. Rose

One of the fastest-growing communities in the United States, Caribbean Americans account over 3 million people, including an estimated 600,000 in South Florida. Despite the very rich history that Caribbean immigrants bring with them to the U.S., there was no one place where one could see a wide variety of artifacts and learn about this history—until now.

Through the initiative and determined efforts of the Island Society for the Promotion of Artistic and Cultural Education or Island SPACE, this omission is being remedied.

On Monday, November 16, Island SPACE launched the soft opening of the first Caribbean Heritage Museum located at the Westfield Broward Mall in Plantation, Florida.

Plans for the development and opening of this unique museum have been in the works for several months, thanks to the determined undertaking by the president and executive director of Island SPACE, David Muir and Calibe Thompson respectively.

Within the creatively designed museum, exhibits, archives and artifacts from around the Caribbean tell the stories of the region's robust and colorful history, while highlighting contributions to U.S. culture and economy. Visitors will enjoy the gallery's display of fine Caribbean art and are encouraged to consider hosting

Current members of the party are still searching for answers for its landslide defeat at the polls in September, but Phillips has acknowledged that he underestimated the depth of the divisiveness within the ranks of the political organization.

While on a local radio show, Phillips admitted that his decision to break tradition and challenge the then-leader of the party, Portia Simpson-Miller, was not an easy decision to make and was ill-advised.

“I debated with myself long and hard whether to accept the call to offer myself to continues on B4 – Wrong Move

Peter Phillips

TOP STORIES Haitian Migrants Arrested Near Private Property of U.S. President

Jamaica Becomes First CARICOM Country to Register 10,000 COVID Cases

Olympic Athletes can Skip COVID19 Vaccinations, IOC President Says

Florida’s Average Gas Price is Under $2 a Gallon for the First Time since June

Civil Rights Attorney Benjamin Crump Represents Families of 2 Teens Fatally Shot in Florida

‘More People May Die’: Biden Urges Trump to Aid Transition

continues on B4 – Caribbean Heritage Museum

WHAT’S INSIDE John Antonio Briceño Elected As Belize's FIFTH Prime Minister A3

CARIBBEAN

ENTERTAINMENT

SPORTS

BARBADOS REMOVES LORD NELSON STATUE A4

KOFFEE MAKES BILLBOARD’S ‘21 UNDER 21’ LIST C1

Jamaican Jhaniele Fowler Wins Fever's Prized Netball Awards in Australia C3

A2 – NATIONAL WEEKLY | THURSDAY, NOV 19 – NOV 25, 2020 | CNWNETWORK.COM

PAGE 2 ELECTED OFFICIALS: Tamarac Vice Mayor Marlon D. Bolton poses with Broward County Mayor Dale V.C. Holness. Bolton was sworn in on Monday by Broward Commissioner Mark Bogen as the youngest and the first Black Commissioner elected in Tamarac’s history. – Contributed

FOR THE FAMILY: Tamarac Vice Mayor Marlon Bolton shares the moment with his wife, Carla and son, Ma hew – Contributed

HE MEANS BUSINESS: During a courtesy call to the Jamaican Consulate, CaribShopper execu ve Kadion Preston (right) engages Consul General Oliver Mair about his pla orm which allows Caribbean manufacturers to effec vely transport goods to overseas markets. Mair used the opportunity to call on the overseas community to support Jamaican-owned enterprises locally and this pla orm is a gateway for diaspora support.Contributed

TAKING THE OATH: Elected official Karlene Maxwell-Williams, being sworn in as Commissioner-Elect, Seat 4 of the City of Lauderdale Lakes at their swearing-in ceremony – Contributed

FOR THE CAUSE: Island SPACE's president, David Muir, and execu ve director, Calibe Thompson, receiving a $20,000 check from Florida Power and Light’s external affairs director, Juliet Roulhac, for the Music display at the recent so launch of the Island SPACE Museum in Planta on, FL. - Photo by R.J. Reed

SWEARING IN: Lauderdale Lakes elected officials pose at their swearing-in ceremony on November 16. (L-r) Commissioner Beverly Williams, Vice Mayor Veronica Edwards Phillips, Mayor Hazelle P. Rogers, Commissioner Marilyn Davis, and Commissioner Karlene Maxwell-Williams. – Contributed

ISLAND SPACE: Junkanoo, Straw Market and Fes val display cases at the Island SPACE Museum in Planta on, FL- Photo by David I. Muir

SAVVY SPA: Consul General Oliver Mair (right) cu ng the ribbon with Jamaican businesswoman, Melinda Smith (third from le ) to officially open a full-service wellness spa EPIDER-MASTERS located in Miramar, South Florida last Saturday. Sharing in the proud moment are (l-r) Miramar Vice Mayor Maxwell Chambers and Dr. Rupert Francis, community ac vist serving the diaspora community. – Contributed

NATIONAL WEEKLY | THURSDAY, NOV 19 – NOV 25, 2020 | CNWNETWORK.COM –

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John Antonio Briceño Elected As Belize's Fifth Prime Minister From working on a farm with his father to now becoming Belize's fifth and first out-ofdistrict Prime Minister, John Antonio Briceño has become the symbol of positive change for the county's leadership.

Briceno was sworn in on November 12 after leading the then opposition party, the People's United Party (PUP) to a landslide victory in last week's general election. The PUP won 26 of the 31 seats, defeating the United Democratic Party (UDP) that had been seeking an unprecedented fourth consecutive term in office.

During his victory speech, Briceño borrowed a popular line used in the United States' election, saying that citizens have “rebuilt the blue wall” in Belize and given the PUP another chance at leadership after 17 years in the opposition.

Ushering the new era for the country's leadership is Johnny Briceño, whose humble beginnings and hard work has guided him through a career in politics, which has spanned almost half of his lifetime.

Briceño was born on July 17, 1960, in Orange Walk Town, also called 'Suga City.'

During his childhood and teenage years, he worked with his father, Elijio Briceño, in the family-owned cane fields and tended to cattle.

John would later buy the properties from his father and continue farming even after his father died in 2016.

He earned an associate degree in business administration from St. John's College in Belize in 1980, and a bachelor's degree in business administration from the University of Texas at Austin in 1985.

Upon returning to Belize after college,

Briceño

Briceño and his brother Jaime founded Centaur Communications in 1990, a cable television provider which later branched out into Internet service, television news, and radio. The company became and remains the leading cable TV and Internet service provider in Briceño's hometown.

He first entered electoral politics in 1993, when he was elected to the National Assembly as the representative for the Orange Walk Central constituency. In the following year, he successfully ran in the municipal elections in his hometown and served as a member of the Town Council for two terms from 1994 to 2001. Also, in 1994, Briceño was elected co-chairman of the People's United Party and in 1996, he was elected deputy party leader. At 36 years old, he

was the youngest Belizean ever to become deputy leader of the PUP. During his years as deputy party leader, his party won the national elections in 1998 and 2003. Briceño's then served as minister of natural resources and the environment.

While in government, he was one of the ministers who opposed former Prime Minister Said Musa's proposal to settle the country's Universal Health Services debt. As a result, Musa attempted to demote Briceño from his position as deputy prime minister, but Briceño refused to accept the lesser posts in the Cabinet and instead resigned in 2007. At a PUP national convention later that year, Briceño was reelected as one of the party's deputy leaders.

A year later, in 2008, Briceño was elected as the leader of the PUP, succeeding Musa. The party had lost the 2008 election after which Musa retired from politics.

Citing unspecified health issues, Briceño abruptly resigned as both PUP and opposition leader in October 2011 without leading the party in a general election. The party subsequently lost two consecutive elections, in 2012 and 2015 but Briceño remained successful as a member of parliament for his Orange Walk Central constituency.

In 2016, during an internal election, he was re-elected as leader of the party. In November 2020, Вrісеñо managed to bring the PUP back to the capital city of Belmopan, with a resounding victory in the general elections. He became the first prime minister who is not from Belize City. Вrісеñо was officially sworn in on November 12 and also announced he will serve as the minister of finance, economic development and investment.

Briceño and his wife Rossana have two children.

A4 – NATIONAL WEEKLY | THURSDAY, NOV 19 – NOV 25, 2020 | CNWNETWORK.COM

Constitutional Changes Approved In The Cayman Islands by Privy Council The UK Privy Council has approved a number of amendments to Cayman's Constitution, including the changing of the name of the Legislative Assembly to Parliament.

The Constitution (Amendment) Order 2020 that was tabled before the Privy Council last week, includes mandatory consultation on laws directly affecting the Cayman Islands; the removal of the governor's power to write Standing Orders for the Legislative Assembly, creation of Parliamentary Secretaries and the creation of a Police Service Commission.

An earlier version of the draft order had included a proposed amendment to remove Section 81 of the Constitution, which gives the governor of the Cayman Islands the power to enact legislation with the approval of the UK Secretary of State. However, that amendment was removed after legislators in July voted to reject the Domestic Partnership Bill, which aimed to provide a legal status for same-sex unions in Cayman.

Following that rejection, Governor Martyn Roper assented to a similarly worded, retitled Civil Partnership Law. The UK Minister for Sustainable Development and the Overseas Territories, Baroness Liz Sugg, in a letter to Premier Alden McLaughlin in August, said the decision to retain Section 81 was because the governor had had to use it to uphold the rule of law following the failure of the Legislative Assembly to approve the Domestic Partnership Bill.

Under the amended Constitution, the Cayman Islands will become the third British Overseas Territory to have a legislative body known as Parliament.

The Legislative Assembly sat for the last time on November 2 and will have its first sitting as Parliament in December.

Barbados Removes Lord Nelson Statue On Monday, November 16, Barbados removed the 207-year-old statute of Lord Nelson from Trafalgar Square in Bridgetown. Addressing the occasion, Prime Minister Mia Mottley underscored the importance of emancipation to the Barbados and Caribbean populations.

The bronze statue had been erected on March, 22, 1813, opposite Parliament Buildings, where Mottley said the early legislators were able to pass legislation that ensured a slavery mentality in the country.

“But thank God those of us who constituted the majority of this nation started to stand tall and you ask yourself how does a statue of Nelson get there in the same era of a Busa, who fought against chattel slavery so that none of us could be used as somebody else's property, pelt from here to there, separated from families and shipped overseas and all…without any consideration taken from us.

Mottley told the audience that the

screen saver on her cell phone is that of the late Jamaican Reggae superstar, Bob Marley, who urged Black people to emancipate themselves from mental slavery.

“It is important that we understand that those who went before us ran their leg of the relay to allow you to walk these streets free, but are you really free and are you really free until your mind is liberated,” she said, adding that Marley's photo “is to remind me always that the mission of our generation is the mental emancipation of our people.

“And while Bob popularized it, Marcus Mosiah Garvey, who had acolytes in this country as well, before the riots would have told us that this was part and parcel of our obligation and yet almost 100 years after Marcus Mosiah Garvey declared those words we continue to fight for mental emancipation.”

continues on B4 – Statue Removed

Belize Opposition Party Romps Home To Victory Belize main opposition People's United Party (PUP) won a convincing victory in the November 12 general election and urged the entire nation to come together to build a “better Belize” in the future. The PUP won 27 of the 31 seats in the Parliament.

In the party's victory speech, PUP leader and incoming prime minister, John Briceno, acknowledged he had received a telephone call from the leader of the United Democratic Party (UDP), Patrick Faber, who led that party into a general election for the first time since

outgoing Prime Minister Dean Barrow had earlier retired from active politics.

The UDP was seeking an unprecedented fourth consecutive term in office, having won the 2015 general election by a 17 to 14 margin under Barrow.

In conceding defeat, Faber in a brief statement, said that he was wishing the PUP and Briceno “a successful administration.

“I call on all our people. UDP's, PUP's and those that voted for the third party and independent candidates to choose national unity as we ban together

in the face of the challenges we will no doubt face.

“While there were winners and losers, the democracy that we have continued to enjoy throughout the life of this great young nation is by far the greatest winner today,” said Faber.

The Election and Boundaries Department said that at least 80 percent of the 182,815 voters voted in the election. There were 88 candidates representing four political parties and several independents.

FREIGHT CONSOLIDATORS

WEEKEND SPECIAL

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Talk UP Do you think Donald Trump should concede the 2020 U.S. Presidential election and why?

Julien: “The main reason why Trump should concede is that Joe Biden received (and exceeded) the 270 Electoral votes needed to win the election. While Donald Trump is claiming there was voter fraud, the examples given are not enough votes to change the election results. Joe Biden won by more than 5 million votes.

Likewise, as of today, out of the 20 court filings Trump's lawyers filed, 18 have been dismissed due to a failure to provide evidence. When asked by multiple sources, the Trump administration doesn't have an answer to where they will get enough votes to overturn the results.”

Suzan: “I think Trump should concede to President-elect Biden. By not doing so, he continues to polarize America. I think he is using the next 50 days to cause complete chaos before he is forced out of the White House. It is important for the Biden administration to be able to get the necessary access they need so that on day one they are ready with no excuses.”

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Dexton: Not only should he concede, he should step down forthwith. He is a clear and present danger for the future and legacy of generations to come. He has always taken from society, no military service, not repaid many taxpayer loans, paid less than a fair share of taxes, "stiffed" many workers, and now he wants to sacrifice the whole for the good of self. Unfortunately, evil has many accomplices in a Republican Party I have supported many times.

Julian: Well I think the president should concede, and accept his defeat. There's a lot at stake here for people that work for him and his administration, for example. They need to know if they need to look for other jobs or career paths if they have to move on. Also, we are dealing with a serious pandemic that needs to be addressed. Lots of us Americans look to the president, whoever he is, for direction and leadership and he's not displaying that right now.

Glen: “The Trump Presidency the worst in the History of the United States of America has been voted out of office by 79 million people. His narcissism and childish pestilence have fashioned the death of 251,000 of our fellow Americans, possibly double that amount by the end of the year because of the mishandling of the pandemic by his administration. The transition should be immediately granted to President-elect Biden so that a plan to save the population can be constructed.”

Mia: “Yes, I think Trump needs to concede the election. This is necessary for Biden to start getting access to more intelligence information.

They need to just do the right thing and let Biden's transition team go through the process of ascertainment because that would unlock access to national security tools.”

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EDITORIAL

Failure of Amendment 3 Temporary Relief for Caribbean Americans One of the many issues with living in an adopted country is understanding how the politics there works. For Caribbean Americans and other immigrants living here in the United States, it is not enough to follow what our neighbors do. We need to understand why they do it and whether it is also beneficial for us. We remain ignorant at our own peril.

For instance, in the recent election, many Caribbean Americans didn’t vote on a key constitutional amendment on the ballot.

According to a post-election analysis, while some 82 percent of Caribbean Americans in South Florida voted for either of the presidential/vice-presidential candidates, only 57 percent voted on one or more of the six constitutional amendments on the ballot. Of those who voted for or against the amendments, 91 percent voted for or against Amendment 2 to increase Florida’s minimum wage, but only 59 percent voted for or against Amendment 3, which sought to allow all Florida registered voters to vote in primary elections—whether they are affiliated to a political party or not.

Some Caribbean Americans who voted for Amendment 3, which failed by just three percent of the required 60 percent vote needed to pass, said they voted although not really understanding the implications of the amendment. This is alarming because—as this newspaper cautioned when it recommended a no vote on the amendment—if passed, it could likely negate the trend of CaribbeanAmerican candidates being elected in Florida primary elections to represent voters in various public offices.

With the failure of the amendment, Florida continues to be among nine states that maintain closed primary elections. This means registered Democrats vote in Democratic primaries and registered Republicans vote in Republican primaries.

Voters who are registered without party affiliation, or NPA, cannot vote in either party primary elections.

With every Florida primary election, whether it is for federal, state or municipal elections, NPA registered voters complain that it is unfair to not have a vote because of their voter affiliation.

The proponents for Amendment 3 claimed they were trying to make the system fair to voters by proposing all registered voters should vote in open primary elections.

They also argued since open primary elections allowed NPA or independent voters to participate in the candidate-nominating process, these voters are more likely to vote in the general election.

Objectively, there is some validity in this argument. For general elections, in which voters regardless of party affiliation can vote, those who could not vote in the primaries are in effect voting for candidates they did not nominate or may not have nominated.

On the other hand, it’s well known that since Florida has a closed primary election, those who want to vote are advised to re-register to one of the main political parties, as this newspaper has been advising for the past 15 years.

When migrants in South Florida are sworn in as new U.S. citizens, they are given the option to register with either of the main political parties. But several chose to register NPA, some obviously unaware they would be unable to vote in Florida’s primary elections.

It could be assumed Florida’s closed primary system would offer an incentive for citizens to register with either of the major parties, instead of opting for NPA status. Contrary to arguments postulated by the proponents of Amendment 3, its opponents believe if more Florida voters are

registered with party affiliation, then more voters would vote in both primary and general elections.

They further argue the open primary system encourages more “independent” voters who could be less likely to participate in the primary or general elections.

There is little doubt the closed primary system, which also exists in New York, is favorable to candidates of minority races advancing to the general election. In South Florida’s 2020 primary elections, a record number of Caribbean-American candidates on the ballots for various city, county, and state offices advanced to the general election ballot.

The likelihood of this happening in an open primary system would largely diminish, as voters of other races and ethnicities may not vote for CaribbeanAmerican candidates. Therefore, it’s an advantage, at least for the immediate future of CaribbeanAmerican candidates seeking to advance in Florida’s representational politics, that Amendment 3 failed.

But although the amendment failed, it could be only a matter of time before Florida becomes an open-primary state. Having failed narrowly, it’s possible the Amendment 3 proponents could make a renewed and more aggressive effort to place it on Florida’s ballot as early as the 2022 mid-term election.

Caribbean Americans in Florida with political ambitions should be proactive in their attempts to get on ballots before another attempt to make Florida an open-primary state succeeds.

It is also crucial that Caribbean Americans privileged to be elected to representational office serve with the utmost responsibility and credibility that brands Caribbean-American public officials as appealing to voters irrespective of political, racial, or ethnic affiliations.

The community’s political advancement must not be deterred by the possibility of Florida having an open primary system in the future.

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Changing of the Guard Holness’ term as mayor ends, Steve Geller’s begins

By Garth A. Rose

After presiding over one of the most challenging years in recent history, Broward Mayor Dale V.C. Holness handed the reigns to newly appointed Mayor Steve Geller, on Tuesday, November 17.

Unlike neighboring Miami-Dade County, the post of mayor in Broward County is largely ceremonial, with the mayor being appointed by his or her peers on the county commission.

However, Mayor Holness’ one-year tenure was far from being ceremonial. During the year, he was challenged in coping with the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Black Lives Matter protests in the aftermath of the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota; and, just recently, severe flooding in the county resulting from tropical storm Eta. But Holness—the first Jamaican-American mayor in the county— was committed to coping with these challenges. Holness told CNW he had to make the tough but necessary decision to lock down the county, then reopen it, as COVID-19 surged in the summer. “These are unusual challenges, but with God’s guidance we will cope.” As attested by many of the residents of the county, Mayor Holness did a good job, especially with the many obstacles the year presented.

“Mayor Holness made me very proud as a Jamaican living in Broward County. He sure served well, and it’s a pity he could only serve one term,” said banker, Jacqueline Jacques of Miramar.

“Through his leadership, Holness generated much confidence to small business people, like me, during the bad days of COVID. Yes, he did well,” said Paul Alvaranga, a small-business operator in Lauderhill.

As Holness hands over the baton, he leaves with a sense of confidence that he served well, reiterating to CNW what he summarized in his departing State of the County (SOTC) address, delivered as he prepared to demit office, “Yes. I am confident I did the job well, with the county on the road to recovery from a difficult year.”

In his SOTC address, Holness said of the county, “I would say it is on the road to recovery. A road that will sometimes be straightforward and smooth, and at other times bumpy.”

With his one-year term ended, on Tuesday, Holness was again sworn into office to serve as commissioner of District 9—a district he has served since 2010, winning re-election in 2012, 2016, and 2020. He also served as vice mayor in 2018.

The outgoing mayor recalled on assuming the role last November he planned for the ensuing year to be one of “Prosperity for All.” But, his

plans were dashed by COVID-19 which seriously damaged the county’s economy as businesses were forced to shut down.

He noted, “These were unprecedented times. No government had ever told us to stay home, shut down our businesses, leave our jobs. No one had ever told us to stay away from each other.”

Among the accomplishments during his tenure as mayor, Holness cited the approval for a Police and Criminal Justice Review Board; approval of $120 million to fund city planned transportation projects under the voter-approved Mobility Advancement Plan, projected to create nearly 1,500 new jobs; completion of the $95-million reconstruction of the North Runway at Fort Lauderdale Hollywood International Airport, that brought payments to small businesses of more than $90 million in ongoing aviation contracts; and the $5.3 billion passed by the county commission without placing any property tax burden on the county’s homeowners.

“We know that 2020 will definitely go down in history. It is my hope that it will change history as we strive to build a better, fairer, more equitable future for everyone,” said Holness in his address.

Steve Geller Geller, 62, an attorney, served as vice mayor to Mayor Holness and represents District 5 as a county commissioner. He was elected as a Florida State Representative in 1988, and later to the Florida Senate where he served for 10 years. He was elected to the Broward Commission in 2016.

Geller said one of his first acts as mayor was to send a letter to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis requesting a statewide mask mandate, saying coronavirus infections in the state and in Broward were getting worse and could increase over the upcoming holidays.

Michael Udine was also appointed as the new vice mayor.

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Broward County Health Officials Preparing for COVID Vaccine as Cases Rise Cases of COVID-19 have been surging in Florida. On Sunday November 15, Florida added more than 10,000 new COVID-19 cases, the highest number of daily cases reported since July. The 10,105 new cases brought the state's total that much closer to the 900,000 case mark.

The increase was fueled by an unprecedented number of test results—more than 146,000 in one day. Several testing sites, particularity in South Florida, had been closed last week due to flood rains resulting from Tropical Storm Eta. Hospitalizations in South Florida have also risen exponentially. According to the Sun-Sentinel, Broward, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach Counties saw a 44 percent increase in COVID-19 patients over the last two weeks.

Statewide figures as of Monday show 3,243 people were hospitalized with COVID19, a 31 percent increase from just two weeks ago, and up about 58 percent from last month.

The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation has projected that more than 23,000 Floridians will die from the virus by March 1 given that a new wave of the virus is expected this winter.

Florida's current COVID-19 death toll is at 17,000.

Despite the increase in cases and grim predictions of a new wave, county and state leaders have not yet shown any intentions of implementing any new COVID-19 restrictions.

Broward County Mayor Dale Holness told CNW Network that while cases are rising, state officials are now better equipped to deal with increase in cases. continues on B4 – Broward Prepares

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The First 100 Days Joe Biden's Immigration To-do List

By Attorney Caroly Pedersen

There is a very ugly mess waiting for President Biden on his January 20th inauguration day, with nearly all of the Obama Administration's policies and initiatives thrown out, and agencies like the USCIS critically underfunded.

THE CHECKLIST During his time in office, President Donald Trump transferred millions in government funds from the USCIS to enforcement, and stripped its resources to the bone, leaving only minimal staffing, relegating it as a low-priority agency. Over the past four years, Trump reduced legal immigration by some 50 percent and virtually brought all family and employment immigration from abroad to a standstill with his administration's “immigration ban.”

There's certainly a lot to be done and there will be extreme pressure on the new Biden Administration to get it done quickly. Unfortunately, many positive changes in immigration, including comprehensive immigration reform require congressional action, which may not be forthcoming if the Democrats are not able to win a majority of seats in the Senate. So, in the early days, Biden will need to issue several Executive Orders, to start the clean-up.

Here is a list of some of the immigration priorities the Biden administration plans to tackle:

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Readopt the pre-Trump mission statement of the USCIS “America's promise as a nation of immigrants” and ensure that all policies going forward focus on encouraging and enabling immigration, rather than on enforcement by ending ICE raids and enforcement actions which intimidate immigrant communities, end arrests and detention for law abiding immigrants and shift resources to immigration processing, rather than punishment. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) personnel will answer directly to President Biden.

Re-direct enforcement funds back to USCIS to reduce processing time and put policies in place to reduce agency Requests For Evidence (RFE) for H-1B work visas and other applications to increase efficiency Issue new Executive Orders to reverse all of Trump's proclamations and Executive Orders, including the “Immigration ban,” “Muslim Ban” and others Undo Trump's restrictive immigration regulations including the Public Charge Rule, restrictions on International Student visas, child separation at the border,

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restrictive asylum policies, H-1B restrictions and others Re-institute DACA and issue immediate protections for Dreamers Issue TPS to Venezuelans Streamline the naturalization process for Residents to make it faster and easier to become a U.S. Citizen.

Work with Congress to -Modernize America's Immigration System to create legal status and path to citizenship for millions of undocumented immigrants in the U.S. through comprehensive immigration reform Work with Congress to reform temporary work visa programs for seasonal workers to make it more streamlined and less bureaucratic and provide a path to citizenship for agricultural workers Work with Congress to enact a program for Startup Visas to encourage foreignborn entrepreneurs to start new businesses in the U.S. to create jobs and revitalize our economy, similar to programs in Canada, the U.K, Australia and New Zealand Reduce backlogs at U.S. Consulates abroad and speed up visa processing

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New Immigration Naturalization Test Could Make It Harder For Applicants To Obtain Citizenship Last week the USCIS announced plans to implement a revised version of the naturalization civics test to ensure that it “comprehensively assesses applicants' knowledge of American history, government and civic values.”

The new test is required for all residents who apply for U.S. citizenship, naturalization, on or after December 1, 2020.

The new test contains 128 questions in three categories—American government, American history, up from 100 in the current version and increases the questions from 10 to 20, requiring applicants to answer 12 out of 20 questions correctly, rather than the current 6 out of 10. Officers will now be required to ask all 20 questions, even though currently, an officer usually stops the test once the applicant has answered at least six correctly. The English test portion of the new naturalization test has not changed.

The new test seems blatantly political, for instance, one of the civics questions asks applicants, “Who does a U.S. senator represent?” Under the current test, the correct answer is “All people of the state.”

However, under the new version, the correct answer is “Citizens of their state.”

In obvious reference to the Trump administration's recent failed attempts to exclude undocumented immigrants from the decennial census for the purposes of assigning congressional seats and federal funds.

There are, however, exceptions to the new test under the 65/20 Special Consideration rule for applicants who are continues on B4 – New Test

B4 – NATIONAL WEEKLY | THURSDAY, NOV 19 – NOV 25, 2020 | CNWNETWORK.COM

Caribbean Heritage Museum their own small cultural events, meetings, and activities at the centrally located museum.

Financial resources are often the primary challenge to implementing ventures like the Caribbean Heritage museum, but although Thompson admits that the challenge does exist, she commends the support from the local community.

According to Thompson, “Community members are encouraged to get involved in this undertaking through volunteerism, donations, sponsorships, and brand ambassadorships. Donations in the form of artifacts from around the Caribbean are highly sought after, and cash and in-kind contributions are needed.”

Muir, one of South Florida's renowned photographers, explained that “Donations are used in support of this local resource for historical and cultural information, to create interactive programs to enrich the community, and in most cases are taxdeductible.”

Wrong Move

Over the past several months, the organizers of the museum have been very involved in collecting related artifacts from around the wider Caribbean, including the Spanish, French, Dutch and English-speaking Caribbean countries.

Cognizant of imparting the Caribbean's history from slavery in the 17th century to the modern era, especially to non-Caribbean visitors to the museum, and the younger generation of Caribbean Americans, Thompson and the organizers have presented this eclectic history in creative format throughout the museum.

Following the soft opening, the public is invited to preview the facility from November 19. The museum will maintain limited hours of operation with no admission fees through January 2021 when the grand opening takes place. “We are eager to start receiving guests and hearing their thoughts and feedback during this soft launch period,” says Andrea M. JohnBaptiste, board member. “Come

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office,” he revealed.

“I pulled a group of confidants around me and asked the questions very frankly, ‘Why should I do this?' The answer that I got was that and accepted was that in the context of the divide in the party, I was most likely the one who could forge unity in the party. But that unity was to elude us.”

The 70-year-old St Andrew East Central member of parliament also stated that the consequences of his decision were seen and felt at the September 3 polls when the party suffered a massive 49-14 seat loss to the Jamaica Labo Party.

“In the process, what we did was dislodge a tradition, which was that you don’t challenge a [party] leader in office.

In the end, dislodging that tradition may have opened a Pandora’s box in the party and created a period of instability.”

He added that the party paid a “very great price in the last election.”

The party now looks to get back on its feet, under the leadership of newly elected president, Mark Golding.

As for Phillips, the former lecturer at The University of the West Indies, Mona, plans to use his newfound free time to engage in something “close enough” to academic research.

New Test

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January, we will have completed installation, worked out any kinks and be ready for full operations.”

Donors to the development of the museum include to date: Funds at the Community Foundation of Broward: Helen and Frank Stoykov Charitable Endowment Fund, David and Francie Horvitz Family Fund, Ann Adams Fund, Mary and Alex Mackenzie Community Impact Fund; Florida Power & Light Company (FPL), GraceKennedy USA LLC (Grace Foods), the Jamaican Diaspora Legacy Foundation and several individual private donors.

Derrick Reckord and Donna Callender of Grace Foods who were present at Monday's soft opening presented a check for $10,000.

“Our support for this museum makes sense, as we are committed to supporting our customers and communities, and it is with pride that we present this check to support the Culinary exhibit,” said Reckord.

Broward Prepares

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65 years old or older and have been living in the U.S. as a lawful permanent residents for 20 or more years. Those who qualify only need to study 20 questions which are marked with an asterisk (*) and may take the naturalization test in their language of choice. These applicants only need to answer 10 out of the 20 civics test questions with an asterisk and get at least 6 correct.

The new test is slated to be effective for all naturalization applicants who apply on or after Dec. 1, 2020, however, experts predict that incoming president, Joe Biden will throw out Trump's new test and go back to the original version in favor of encouraging immigrants to become U.S. Citizens, rather than trying to make it harder.

Statue Removed

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“We've seen an alarming increase in COVID-19 cases in Broward County, across Florida and the United States. Superintendent [of Broward County Public Schools], Robert Runcie has said there isn't a great deal of spread within the schools, but the spread is still occurring. The hospitals also said cases are rising but they are now better equipped to deal with an uptick.”

He urged residents to continue to follow the CDC rules of wearing masks, and social distancing, while the county makes preparations for a vaccine.

“Even though there's a vaccine coming, we still have to wear masks, social distance and do the things we did that got us to this point,” Holness said. “In my conversation with Dr. Paula Thaqi, director of Broward County's Health Department, we're making good progress and getting the necessary equipment ready to dispense this vaccine that is forthcoming.”

While some states and cities have announced lockdown restrictions to abate recent spikes of COVID-19, American biotechnology company, Moderna Inc. announced its experimental coronavirus vaccine appears to be over 94 percent effective, based on early results. A week ago, another company, Pfizer disclosed similar findings with its own formula.

The news raised hopes that at least two vaccines could win emergency authorization and become available in the U.S. before the end of 2020.

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In July, the government said it would remove Vice Admiral Lord Horatio Nelson statue from the National Heroes Square, with Minister with responsibility for culture, John King, saying the Cabinet had agreed to its relocation.

Nelson visited Barbados in 1805 and was considered a hero by locals of the day for his battles against the French who controlled some of the other islands in the Caribbean.

The call for the removal was also galvanized by the global movement to remove statues of persons many people had considered to be slave owners, human rights violators and symbols of colonialism.

Mottley told the ceremony that her administration would not sit idly by and allow various aspects of the country's nationalism and identity, including Heroes Day, the establishment of Emancipation Day “as a solemn holiday” to be wasted.

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Koffee Makes Billboard's 21 Under 21 List Billboard Magazine has hailed Jamaican reggae artist Koffee for her massive global impact by including her in the list of '21 Under 21′ artists of 2020.

The reggae star is ranked with other famous musicians including Billie Eilish, Lil TJay, and Chloe x Halle.

Billboard noted that, “Three weeks before turning 20, the multi-talented artiste Koffee, born Mikayla Simpson. made history at the 2020 Grammys: She not only became the first female artist to win best reggae album in the award's 35-year history but also the category's youngest all-time winner.”

Koffee's breakout single “Toast” boosted her to global superstardom in 2019, even landing on the summer playlist of former U.S. President Barack Obama. In February, her debut EP, Rapture beat out projects by Third World, Steel Pulse, Sly & Robbie, and Julian Marley to take the reggae Grammy award.

When she was asked, “What's the most

powerful thing about being a young artiste in the music industry?” she said, “This is a big opportunity for me, a big platform that I can use to set an example for those younger than me. To keep things positive and inspire others to reach their full potential—it's a huge responsibility, and I want to do a lot of good with it.”

Although she has yet to release a debut album, Koffee has already amassed a grand total of 189.2 million streams.

She has been busy this year with a slew of singles, like “Repeat” with UK star J Hus and the “Pressure” remix with reggae icon Buju Banton. Her summer hit song, “Lockdown” also made her the first Jamaican artist to receive over one million views on YouTube in 48 hours.

Billboard said the list was compiled based on (among other things) “career trajectory; reputation among peers; and overall impact in the industry, specifically during the past 12 months.”

Koffee

Bob Marley Ranked #8 on Forbes' 2020 List The legacy of Bob Marley continues to make millions almost 40 years after his death.

The reggae icon was recently listed among the 10 top-earning deceased celebrities globally by Forbes magazine.

Marley placed eighth on the annual Forbes list, with an estimated annual earnings of US$14 million. Most of his earnings are from his music streams, which the magazine said soared this year “after the reggae legend accumulated more than a billion spins globally.”

Forbes further outlined the “House of Marley, his line of speakers, turntables and headphones, and sales of T-shirts and lighters

adorned with his likeness, also added more than $3 million to his coffers.”

Marley was ranked fifth on the list of topearning deceased celebrities in the world last year.

Meanwhile, Pop icon Michael Jackson topped the list for the eighth straight year.

Jackson, who died on June 25, 2009, earned US$48 million for the 12-month period ending October 1, 2020. Forbes noted that Jackson was able to retain his top spot on the list despite the release of the damning documentary 'Leaving Neverland' last year.

Jackson placed far ahead of fellow musical

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Judy Mowatt to be Honored at the Caribbean American Heritage Awards The 27th Annual Caribbean American Heritage Awards (CARAH) will be staged virtually on Friday, November 20.

Among the 2020 honorees is Jamaican reggae singer Judy Mowatt, a member of Bob Marley's former backup group the iconic I-Threes.

Mowatt, at the height of Marley's popularity, kept her solo career on track, releasing a solo album, Mellow Mood, in 1975. Mowatt's five solo albums after Mellow Mood were all released in the United States.

As a producer of her own albums, Mowatt was among the first female Jamaican musicians to seize creative control of her own music. Through all the phases of her career, she remained an advocate for women's ideas in a genre heavily dominated by men.

She will be honored with the Marcus Garvey Lifetime Achievement Award.

The CARAH Awards show celebrates the accomplishments and contributions of outstanding individuals of Caribbean descent who have made extraordinary contributions to their fields of expertise..

Founder and president of ICS, Dr. Claire Nelson, says the decision to host a virtual event was a tough but necessary one.

“We have lost many noble citizens in our community this year. Many who have come to America in search of the American dream have perished because of their diligent pursuit of honest work to support their families at home and abroad. For them, we have decided to go forward together to face the reality of this 'Covidemic' scourge by finding reasons to celebrate life. Even though we cannot celebrate in a physical space, we believe the experience will still be intimate in a new way and joyful,” she said.

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C3

Jamaican Jhaniele Fowler Wins Fever's Prized Netball Awards in Australia execution is a reflection of her dedication, hard work and leadership.”

The two awards are more proof of the quality of Fowler, who has cemented herself as the best shooter in the world, finishing the past Super Netball League season with 965 goals, the most in the League for the third year running.

“Jhaniele is a true professional on and off the court,” he said. “She has made significant sacrifices to play in the 2020 season and with that she certainly ensured that she made the most of that decision.

“We are incredibly proud of what she has achieved at our club. Knowing the professional that she is, I am looking forward to seeing what she can do to evolve her game and take into the next season.”

Fowler has broken a host of records in the League, leaving defenders in her wake and was named Super Netball Player-of-the-Year in her first year in 2019.

She also played a pivotal role in the Fever's ascent to their maiden Grand Final appearance.

Australia's West Coast Fever head coach Stacey Marinkovich hailed Jamaican goal shooter Jhaniele Fowler as the best overseas goal shooter to ever play in domestic Australia competition.

Marinkovich congratulated Fowler following another outstanding season, which culminated in her being crowned the Fever's Most Valuable Player for the second consecutive year and also the Player's Player Award for the third consecutive year at the club's awards ceremony on Sunday.

“Jhaniele is a truly deserving winner of the MVP award,” Marinkovich said.

“She has consistently performed at the highest level under immense pressure and against world-leading defenders. Her elite level of

Jhaniele Fowler (2nd left)

Usain Bolt Gives Back to Rural Schools in Jamaica Retired Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt has given back to over 20 rural schools in Jamaica through his Usain Bolt Foundation.

Twenty-one early-childhood institutions in Trelawny, St. Ann, St. James, St. Elizabeth and Clarendon have benefited from a donation of supplies valued at J$2.2 million from the charity.

Each institution has received one laserjet printer with four print, five reams of paper, one handwashing station, one thermometer, one storage bin for learning resources, and one step-on/non-touch garbage bin.

The resources will better enable the teachers of the schools to meet the learning needs of children while they are at home due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

In an Instagram video, Bolt said he knows it is a tiring time for students and its hard for students in the rural area and urged them to continue working hard and remember that anything is possible.

“Some 1,250 children are set to benefit,” said chairman of the Usain Bolt Foundation, Winsome Wilkins, at the handover ceremony held at the Early Childhood Commission's (ECC) Kingston offices last Thursday. She added that the ECC identified the schools with the most urgent needs.

Junior Flemmings Dropped by USL’s Phoenix Rising Jamaican footballer Junior Flemmings has been released by Phoenix Rising FC, but Kevon Lambert has been re-signed and the future with the club of their fellow Jamaican Damion Lowe hangs in the balance for the 2021 season of the United Soccer League.

Wilkins noted the printers are to teachers produce worksheets for students who are learning from home.

Mrs. Wilkins said: “The goal of the Foundation is to impact children, especially those from rural communities whose education has been disrupted due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We are committed to giving support in whatever way we can.”

Chairman of the ECC's Board of Commissioners, Trisha WilliamsSingh, said the ECIs have been impacted by the pandemic, and more so the children.

She noted that while remote learning has become the new normal “it's very important that as soon as we can, we need to have these children back in a safe learning environment, face-to-face. The Usain Bolt Foundation, you are making this possible.”

Principal of Parry Town Basic School in St. Ann, Vanessa McKoy, in her response said, “our institutions are grateful for this assistance, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.”

“The Usain Bolt Foundation came to our rescue at a time we are in need of these items,” she noted. She said the early years are critical to the development of children and is the period where the foundation for learning is laid.

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Rising announced on Friday it had re-signed eight players from the squad that won the 2020 Western Conference Championship, but questions about the remainder of the roster remain unanswered—but not Flemmings.

With the contract of the 24-year-old forward coming to an end on November 30, it was unclear what his future with the club held, after the management placed him on administrative leave following allegations of his use of a homophobic slur towards San Diego Loyals midfielder Collin Martin during a match in September.

Rising coach Rick Schantz confirmed that Flemmings was released but said it was as a result of finances.

“His contract ended and there's not a whole lot to be said other than that really,” Schantz said. “Junior has lots of opportunities and I think he's going to be extremely successful wherever he goes.

“You have to understand, with our team and our club, we have to be intelligent about how we spend money on players.”

Flemmings, the winner of the League's Golden Boot award for his 14 goals this past season, was handed a six-match suspension and fined an undisclosed sum by the League, following the racial-slur incident.

Flemmings denied the allegations but the USL, the secondtier football championship in the US, banned him “for the use of foul and abusive language in the form of a homophobic slur” for the period covering the entirety of the 2020 USL Championship Playoffs.

C4 – NATIONAL WEEKLY | THURSDAY, NOV 19 – NOV 25, 2020 | CNWNETWORK.COM A D V E R T I S E M E N T