National Weekly March 4, 2021 by Creative Network Media

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THURSDAY MARCH 4, 2021

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TOP STORIES Palm Beach County Health Care District Expands Eligibility on Vaccination Form

FAREWELL, JAH B

BUNNY WAILER Neville O'Riley Livingston, a.k.a. Bunny Wailer—the last of the legendary reggae trio, the Wailers—has died. Livingston passed away at Medical Associates Hospital in Kingston, Jamaica on Tuesday morning. He was 73. His death came on the heels of reggae toastmaster, U-Roy, who died two weeks ago.

Florida Gas Prices Reach 19-Month Highs

Bunny Wailer Wrote One of the Biggest Party Songs of All Time

The details surrounding Bunny Wailer's death are not yet known, but the iconic reggae singer had been ailing for many years. In 2018, Wailer suffered a minor stroke, resulting in speech problems. In July 2020, he suffered a second stroke. His passing was confirmed by Jamaica's Culture Minister Olivia “Babsy” Grange. Known as Jah B or Bunny Livingston, Wailer was the youngest of the three original Wailers. The other two band members were two late legends, Bob Marley (1945 – 1981) and Peter Tosh (1944 – 1987). The Wailers formed in Trench Town, an

urban community in Kingston, during the early 1960s. They had a number of hit songs in the ska and rocksteady eras, including “Simmer Down,” “Lonesome Feeling” and “Thank You Lord.” After recording two extremely popular albums, Catch A Fire and Burnin', Bunny Wailer and Tosh left for solo careers in 1974. Throughout his solo career, Wailer released over 10 albums. He won the Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album in 1991 for the album Time Will Tell: A Tribute to Bob Marley, 1995 for Crucial! Roots Classics, and 1997 for Hall of Fame: A continues on B4 – Bunny Wailer

Jamaican Sprinter Yohan Blake Says He’d Rather Miss the Olympics Than Take a COVID-19 Vaccine

Grenada to Lift UK Travel Ban and Reopen Tourism Industry

Negative COVID Test Now Mandatory for Travel to Jamaica By Garth A. Rose

In announcing stricter restrictions to stem new spikes of the COVID-19 virus in Jamaica last Sunday, Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness said all travelers entering Jamaica will be required, eﬀective March 4, to present a negative COVID-19 test, concluded within 72 hours before the date of travel, to enter the country.

Prior to the new requirement, only citizens of the United States, Brazil, Dominican Republic, Mexico and Panama, countries Jamaica had classiﬁed as high-risk because of high COVID-19 cases, were required to provide a negative test. In announcing the new travel requirements, Holness said, “We had great faith that our Jamaicans coming home would have this very high sense of patriotism and understand the pressure that our system would be under, if they were to behave in deviant ways from what we recommend as socially responsible in the pandemic. It has not always been the case that our traveling Jamaicans

do this—certainly in the maintenance of the quarantine and it is having an impact on the numbers,” he said. The prime minister pointed that when the government ﬁrst began its controlled reentry program that included pre-testing for nonJamaican visitors, the government contemplated applying this requirement to Jamaican travelers, but eventually they were exempted due to certain considerations. He noted however that “given where we are where, it (COVID-19) is now a threat to lives…with this new spike…we think it is now justiﬁed in these

Johnson & Johnson Shot Cleared, Giving US 3rd COVID-19 Vaccine

Florida Ofcials, Leaders Call for Immigration Consensus

continues on B4 – COVID Test Mandatory

WHAT’S INSIDE LA SECTION HAITIENNE

COMMUNITY

SPORTS

Prison Break in Haiti Results in Death of 25 People A7

Voters Urged to Participate in March 9 Municipal Elections A8

Have the Reggae Boyz Lost Their Minds?! Boyz Ask for over $10k in Match Fees Per Game C3

COMMENTARY

A2 – NATIONAL WEEKLY | THURSDAY, MAR 4 – MAR 10, 2021 | CNWNETWORK.COM

PAGE A2 STUNNER: Hostess Jody Ann Gray shows oﬀ her stunning dress on the red carpet at the second annual Reggae Icon Awards held in Miramar on February 27, 2021. - Contributed

GIVING BACK: Titchﬁeld High School principal Sheryll Horne-Mair accepts a check in the amount of US$6,000 from Hugh Perry Jr., a representa ve of The Alumni Associa on of Titchﬁeld High School - South Florida Chapter (TAATHS), last Friday. Tablets and computers were also donated during the presenta on. This cash dona on will be used to purchase addi onal tablets and computers for the school as part of the Technology fundraiser undertaken by TAATHS. - Contributed

CANVASSING: Broward County Commissioner Dale V.C. Holness joined Yve e Colbourne, incumbent candidate for Miramar City Commission, Seat 2, canvassing at the Cleveland's Old Fashion Ice Cream in Miramar on February 28, 2021. From le : Dale Holness, District 9 Commissioner; Cleveland and Sonia Smith, owners of Cleveland's Old Fashion Ice Cream and Yve e Colbourne. - Contributed

REGGAE AMBASSADORS: Members of the legendary reggae band Third World receive their icon award at the second annual Reggae Icon Awards in Miramar on February 27, 2021. From le : Host, Jody Ann Gray, Miramar Commissioner Alexandra David and Third World members AJ Brown and Norris "Noreiga" Webb. - Contributed

The Leaders: (L-R) Commissioner Dale Holness, Miramar Commissioner Alexandra Davis and Jamaica’s Consul General to Miami Oliver Mair strike a pose for the camera at the Reggae Icon Awards held recently. – Contributed

GIFT OF GADGETS: Students of the Drapers All Age School and the Rock Hall Primary, both in Portland, Jamaica, expressing gra tude to the South Florida Diaspora for the contribu on of tablets donated by the Jamaica United Relief Associa on (JURA) and the Florida Perinatal Center, Coral Springs. This was in response to the appeal by Consul General Oliver Mair for Diaspora support to the Ministry of Educa on ini a ve “A Device for every Child - Bridging the Digital Divide.” - Contributed ICONIC: Commissioner Alexandra Davis (center) presents the icon award to Angela Chung (le ), who accepted on behalf of her mother, Patricia Chung, co-founder of VP Records. Angela Chung's husband, Howard, also joined her on stage. - Contributed

MUSIC MAN: South Florida-based Jamaican Saxophonist Conrad Pinnock performs for the crowd at the second annual Reggae Icon Awards on Saturday, February 27, 2021. - Contributed

NATIONAL WEEKLY | THURSDAY, MAR 4 – MAR 10, 2021 | CNWNETWORK.COM –

NEWSMAKER

Beres Hammond

Spreads Love From A Distance Beres Hammond said it's been almost two years since he's performed for fans on stage, but on Sunday, February 28, the legendary crooner made up for lost time with a memorable virtual concert titled, “Love From a Distance.” Hammond's concert, which was streamed on his Facebook page, VP Records' YouTube page and all Reggae Month social media accounts, was a ﬁtting closure curtain call to this year's Reggae Month celebrations. Jamaicans and reggae fans from across the wide diaspora tuned in to see Hammond take the stage at 9 p.m. Backed by an excellent live band and impressive singers, the 65-year-old belted out hit after hit from his phenomenal repertoire bringing the same energy he's known for in front of a live audience. As the show went on, to the audience's surprise and delight, Beres was joined by his longtime friend and collaborator, Grammy Award-winning artist Buju Banton, to perform “A Little More Time,” “Falling In Love All Over Again” and “Can You Play Some More.” The 'Queen of Reggae,' Marcia Griﬃths, also joined Hammond on stage to perform the hit “Live On.” The biggest surprise of the night was an appearance by dancehall star, Popcaan, who shared the stage with Hammond, performing a yet-to-be-released collaboration, “God is Love.” Popcaan hailed Hammond as a “living legend.” Across the diaspora, Beres Hammond's name has become synonymous with the 'lover's- rock' genre. Born Hugh Beresford Hammond, the ninth of 10 children, he grew up in Annotto

The concert pulled millions of fans from across the world. Within one day of the event, the virtual concert had received over 600,000 views on VP Records' YouTube page alone, making it one of the biggest virtual shows held in Jamaica since COVID-19. Bay, St. Mary. His father owned an extensive collection of American soul and jazz music including Sam Cooke and Otis Redding. He was also inﬂuenced by rocksteady musicians like Alton Ellis. Beres began singing on a community church choir, and after graduating high school, he entered several local talent shows including the Merritone Amateur Talent Contest, where several reggae stars including Sugar Minott and the late Jacob 'Killer' Miller also got their starts.

In 1975, he joined the band, Zap Pow as lead singer, which led to the hit 1978 single, “The System.” However, he simultaneously sought a solo career, releasing his debut album, Soul Reggae in 1976. His solo ballads "One Step Ahead" (1976) and “I'm in Love” (1978), were both instant hits in Jamaica. He left Zap Pow in 1979 to focus on his solo career, and later formed his own record label, Harmony Records in 1985. That year, he released his Make a Song album, which had

two Jamaican chart-toppers, “Groovy Little Thing” and “What One Dance Can Do.” The latter, produced by Willie Lindo, began to break Hammond into the international market. In 1987, he left Jamaica temporarily after being tied up as thieves ransacked his house during a home invasion, and relocated to New York City. A few years later, Hammond returned briefly to Jamaica to record the Putting Up Resistance album, which spawned the hits "Putting Up Resistance" and “Strange.” He signed with Penthouse Records in 1990 and returned to Jamaica permanently to record the dancehall smash “Tempted to Touch,” with producer Donovan Germain. This is perhaps his best-known song in the United States and United Kingdom. After gaining international acclaim, Hammond recorded five more albums in the 1990s, establishing himself as the top loversrock artist. He continued to release compilation albums in the new millennium and later scored more massive hits with songs like “Rockaway" and “I Feel Good.” His 2012 album, One Love, One Life topped the Billboard Reggae Albums chart. In January 2014, it was nominated for a Grammy Award. For his contributions to Jamaican music, Hammond was awarded the Order of Jamaica by the Jamaican government in 2013. In 2018, he released his first album in almost six years, Never Ending. After its first week of release, it topped the Billboard Reggae Albums Chart. Throughout his career, Hammond has released some 19 solo albums, and several compilations. Hammond has never been married, but is the father of six children, at least three of whom are music industry professionals.

A4 – NATIONAL WEEKLY | THURSDAY, MAR 4 – MAR 10, 2021 | CNWNETWORK.COM

CARIBBEAN Jamaica's Ambassador lauds Caribbean contribution to US Development Jamaica's ambassador to the United States Audrey Marks has lauded the contribution of Caribbean immigrants to the development of the United States.

Marks

“I am always uplifted and inspired at the remarkable contribution of members of the Jamaican and wider Caribbean diaspora to the economic, social, cultural and political landscape of the United States. From the classroom to the board room, from the corporate world to the hallowed halls of Capitol Hill and now to the White House, our nationals have demonstrated that “we likkle but we tallawah,” said Ambassador Marks. Ambassador was addressing a Black History Month forum held by the Jamaican Nationals Association of Washington, D.C. on the February 28, to spotlight the contribution of the Caribbean diaspora to the United States, which according to the U.S. Census bureau, amounted to some eight million persons in 2017. While the rationale for migration has evolved over time, she said, migration has remained constant, hence Black History Month cannot take place without recognition of the myriad contributions of our nationals to the progress in the United States. continues on A6 – Lauds Caribbean

JAMAICA

Jamaica to Receive 50k Doses of COVID Vaccine from India Jamaica is to receive 50,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines from India as early as this week. In announcing the oﬀer last week, Indian High Commissioner to Jamaica Masakui Rungsung speaking at a handover ceremony for medicine and supplies worth US$100,000 ($13.5 million) to the Jamaican government, indicated the vaccines should've already arrived in the country, but were delayed due to uncontrollable issues. “Jamaica's share is ready to be shipped! The vaccines should have been here by now, as we speak. The shipment could not be scheduled on time as expected. This situation has given us sleepless nights. As much as you're worried, we're even more worried. But today, just before I came here, I received good news that the vaccines are about to arrive next week,” Rungsung said, while also indicating he would not disclose a speciﬁc arrival date. continues on B4 – 50,000 Vaccines

CUBA

Cuba's COVID-19 Vaccine Anticipated The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) says work is advanced on the development of a COVID-19 vaccine in Cuba. Speaking during PAHO's COVID-19 digital briefing last week, Assistant Director Dr. Jarbas Barbosa said information received indicated the vaccine's development will shortly enter the third and final stage of clinical trials. He cautioned, however, that no timeline could be determined for the completion of the process, “as the [third] phase takes the longest.” The Cuban vaccine producer joins several others, whose candidates are at various stages of development and analysis. Among them are the Moderna vaccine, which Dr. Barbosa indicated is in the final

stages of analysis; the Sinopharm vaccine, for which the producer has requested evaluation; and the Johnson & Johnson vaccine which, he pointed out, is “also being assessed.” The Pﬁzer vaccine and both AstraZeneca vaccines, which are produced in India and South Korea, are the candidates already approved by the World Health Organization (WHO). Dr. Barbosa said it is imperative for PAHO member countries to be involved in the development and production of vaccines, medicines and other inputs that can potentially control the pandemic across the region and beyond. “It is very important to have many

producers so that they can provide the vaccines that the countries need. We believe that the more vaccines [that] can be developed, the better it will be to achieve this and for them to participate in the COVAX [COVID-19 Vaccine Global Access] facility,” the assistant PAHO director said. The WHO COVAX facility is designed to accelerate equitable access by countries, globally, to appropriate, safe and efficacious vaccines. Dr Barbosa said while all vaccine producers are welcome to join the facility, “they all need to comply with the certification criteria as well as safety and efficacy [protocols].”

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March is International Women’s Month. Do you think women have received the respect they deserve in the community?

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editorial

Time for Immigration Reform for America's Undocumented Immigrants

ne of the early actions taken by President Joe Biden was proposing a major overhaul in the nation's immigration system in a bill called the U.S. Citizenship Act of 2021. The bill, if passed, would provide legal status for millions of undocumented immigrants, and be the most sweeping reform of U.S. immigration since 1986. The proposed bill offers possibility of citizenship to over 11 million undocumented immigrants. These people would be given temporary legal status and be allowed to apply for permanent residence after five years, after passing a criminal background check and proving they paid taxes. Three years later, they would become eligible to apply for citizenship. The history of U.S. immigration is fraught with hypocrisy, inconsistencies, prejudices, and it's ironic that immigration is one of the nation's more insoluble controversies, though its origins are steeped in immigration. A ship, the Mayflower, docked near Cape Cod in Massachusetts in 1620 bringing the original immigrants, 102 English passengers, the Pilgrims, and 20 crew members to America. Following this landing, more ships brought migrants from the British Isles, and what was once a small community spread across the land. These immigrants found the land occupied by Native Americans, but they chose to chase these rightful owners off, wantonly slaughtering them in the process. As the usurpers turned to toiling the land growing tobacco, cotton and sugar, unable to cope with the hard rigors of plantation life, they traveled half-way around the world to West Africa. There they captured Africans, forcing them in overcrowded ships to travel to America to work plantations under excruciating cruelty as slaves. On the scarred backs of these Africans, America's economy and reputation as the world's richest country grew, attracting more immigrants from across the globe to find jobs and a better life. These immigrants were welcomed here, and after 1886 were greeted at New York City's port by the

towering Statue of Liberty inviting “The tired, the poor, the huddled masses yearning to breathe free, the wretched refuse of your teeming shore.” As the country's economy continued to develop, especially after World War II, successive presidential administrations, realizing the workforce needed to be sustained by more immigrant workers, passed new immigration laws and reformed existing ones. History conﬁrms there is no doubt whatsoever the United States is a land of immigrants built by immigrants.

As immigrants continued to flow into the country, people who came as visitors overstayed, determined to share the American dream. Today, there are well over 11 million undocumented immigrants the U.S., some brought as children by their parents and are ignorant of the countries from which they originate. In some states like Florida, immigrants gradually far outnumber people born in those states. Florida, because of its geographical proximity, attracted droves of Cuban immigrants fleeing Fidel Castro's regime, and were warmly welcomed with open arms. Even in 1980 when Castro played America by opening the Port of Mariel and forcibly, over a period of five months, deported over 125,000 dissidents, including Cuba's “wretched refuse” of convicted criminals, mental hospital patients, and prostitutes, people who Castro called “trash,” in the Mariel Boat Lift, Democratic President Jimmy Carter eagerly welcomed them. Ironically, most of them later registered as Republicans. Successive administrations have failed to legislate immigration reforms that address the legal status of immigrants. While the last administration

used its tenure between 2017 to 2021 to make it more difficult for new immigrants to enter the country, or become permanent residents, not much was done about reforms to address the large community of America's undocumented immigrants who continue to live under adverse circumstances. Now, the ball falls firmly into the court of Joe Biden's administration. Although Biden has slight majorities in the U.S. House and Senate, it will be a Herculean task to succeed in getting the reforms he outlined in his proposed bill. Compounding Biden's problem is that the hungry masses in Central America are seizing the opportunity with a new administration in place to come to America. But, as serious as the plight of these people are, it may not be advantageous to the administration to open our borders to thousands of refugees. For years, it has been advocated that the U.S. address the grave problems of poverty, violence, and corruption in Central America, and stem the flow of refugees, by increasing financial aid to the region. Biden seems to accept this view in indicating he wants to enact a $4 billion aid plan to Central America. It's painfully frustrating that for decades the undocumented immigrant population in the U.S. has been promised potential reforms only to be disappointed. Now that another opportunity has arisen, it's incumbent on immigration advocates to aggressively push the Biden administration, and supportive Republicans, to get the proposed bill passed. These undocumented immigrants, like the original immigrants that came on the Mayflower, the Africans brought here forcefully, and the Cubans that came on the Mariel Boatlift have helped to build America. It is full time reforms are implemented to treat them as legal Americans.

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la section haitienne

Prison Break Results in Death of Twenty-ve People A mass prison outbreak in Haiti's Croix-desBouquets jail on February 27, resulted in the death of 25 people including a notorious gang leader, Arnel Joseph, and a prison director being killed. More than 200 inmates escaped in the prison break, and as the inmates fled from the jail several bystanders were caught up in the resulting violence and some were killed. Joseph was Haiti's most-wanted criminal prior to his arrest in 2019 on charges including rape, murder and kidnapping. According to some reports, there's a belief the jailbreak was an attempt to free Joseph. After escaping in the prison outbreak, Joseph fled as a passenger on a waiting motorcycle which was later apprehended at a checkpoint. According to police report, at the checkpoint, Joseph attempted to shoot at the police stationed there who in turn fatally shot him. Witnesses to the prison break reported hearing bursts of gunfire at around midday on Thursday before inmates were seen fleeing from the prison. Employers at clothing store nearby the jail said they were accosted by escaping prisoners and forced to give them clothing and other items.

The jail built by the Canadian government and opened in 2012, and located near Haiti's capital Port-au-Prince had a maximum capacity of 872 inmates. However, at the time of the breakout on Thursday it held over 1,500 prisoners. Frantz Exantus, Haiti's communications secretary, told a news conference on February 27. “Twenty-ﬁve people died including six prisoners and Divisional Inspector Paul Hector Joseph who was in charge of the prison. Among those killed were some ordinary citizens who were killed by the prisoners during their escape.”

Exantus said authorities have created several commissions and the ongoing investigation will look into who organised the breakout and why. He added in a Tweet on Friday that 60 inmates had so far been captured. Helen La Lime, Haiti's special representative of the secretary general of the United Nations, said in a statement: “This prison break further highlights the problem of prolonged preventive detention and prison overcrowding, which remains a matter of concern that must be urgently addressed by Haitian authorities.”

Dominican Republic to Build Wall on Haiti Border The president of the Dominican Republic Luis Abinader has announced plans to build a fence along its border with Haiti which extends for about 380kms or 236 miles. According to Abinader, the barrier will help curb illegal immigration, drugs and the ﬂow of stolen vehicles between the two countries, which share the Caribbean island of Hispaniola. He also said work on the barrier would start later this year. “In a period of two years, we want to put an

end to the serious problems of illegal immigration, drug traﬃcking and the movement of stolen vehicles,” Abinader said in an address to Congress. The cost of the project has not been disclosed. Abinader said the barrier in some “conﬂictive” sections would include a double fence along with motion sensors, infrared systems and facial recognition cameras. Haiti is one of the poorest nations in the western hemisphere and relations between the

two neighbors have been historically diﬃcult. The Dominican Republic, which has a population of about 11 million, has already constructed some stretches of fencing along the border. It is estimated that about 500,000 Haitian migrants are living in the country—many of them there illegally. In January, the government agreed to help Haiti provide identity papers to its citizens living in the neighboring territory.

Lauds Caribbean from A4

She pointed to the contribution of Pan Africanist Marcus Garvey, Jamaica's National Hero who was one of the first leaders of the civil and human rights movement in the United States. “In the early twentieth century, he was an advocate for the social, political and economic independence for people of African descent around the world. Much of what we have achieved is grounded in the foundation laid and the course charted by this beloved national hero,” she said. Ambassador Marks observed that Black History Month coincided with Reggae Month which Jamaica also celebrates in February. “Reggae music, which is widely recognized as the “heartbeat of the world,” is Jamaica's gift to humanity; for many decades soothing many weary, suffering souls and lifting the spirits of millions in their struggle for liberation, helping ordinary people to rise and overcome their challenging circumstances. “Reggae became a voice for the voiceless and represented hope for the hopeless. As the Caribbean Diaspora, like so many across the world, seeks to come to grips with the tremendous loss and suffering occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic, it is my hope that we will find solace in our music and, like Bob Marley says, “feel alright” she concluded.

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A8 – NATIONAL WEEKLY | THURSDAY, MAR 4 – MAR 10, 2021 | CNWNETWORK.COM

COMMUNITY

Voters Urged to Participate in March 9 Municipal Elections Traditionally, municipal elections in South Florida, unless they coincide with general elections, attract a low turnout of voters. It's only a relatively few voters who seem to be concerned or are even aware of what city commissions or councils are responsible for. Repeatedly, city oﬃcials have tried to advise their residents that city management that has more of an impact on their day-to-day lives than the people elected to federal oﬃces, but based on the turnout of voters in past municipal elections, only a relatively few residents seem to take heed of this advice. Perhaps if more people knew that city commissions and councils are the ones that set

the taxes they pay on their property, ensure they have effective law enforcement, a clean and affordable water supply, that businesses are attracted to the cites, and also that there are parks and other recreational facilities for the youth, among others, they would participate in local elections. This year, those seeking offices in several cities in Broward and Palm Beach counties are urging voters to break the tradition and turn out in large numbers. On Tuesday March 9, aside from the Miramar municipal elections will be held in the Broward County cities of Coconut Creek, Delray Beach, Deerfield Beach, Hillsboro Beach and

Sea Ranch Lakes. The municipal elections in Palm Beach county include the cities of Delray Beach, Boca Raton, and Riviera Beach. Although Broward County has the largest concentration of Caribbean Americans in Florida, the population in those cities is relatively small, compared to cities like Miramar, Lauderhill, Lauderdale Lakes, Pembroke Pines, Plantation and Sunrise. Nonetheless, there is indication of a slow growth of Caribbean Americans, especially in Coconut Creek. In Palm Beach County, a relatively small but solid and thriving Caribbean-American

community exists in Boca Raton, while in recent years, the Caribbean-American community has been growing in Delray Beach and Riviera Beach. For the beneﬁt of Caribbean-American voters residing in these cities, the Caribbean National Weekly recommends:

City of Coconut Creek Despite being a city with a young population, median age of only 40.2 years, the city commission has been controlled for the past several election cycles by seniors, and although 17 percent of the population of some 62,000 continues on B4 – Municipal Elections

Broward County Leaders Debate Spring Break Restrictions Broward County leaders are debating whether or not to impose a curfew or shutdown businesses for the pending Spring Break which traditionally beings large crowd of students annually. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the entire South Florida region is anticipating thousands of college students looking to party, starting this week. Broward County Mayor Steve Gellar and the Broward Commission want to avoid a repeat of last year's events, when a series of spring break parties contributed to the jump in COVID-19 cases and the closure of beaches. Mayor Gellar said he's particularly concerned about the city of Fort Lauderdale. “We're still in the middle of a pandemic. We have spring break coming here. and there are two things it is my desire to avoid: a superspreader event and we're trying to recruit national ﬁnancial and tech companies, and

having national pictures of crazy college kids in Fort Lauderdale partying in the middle of a pandemic will be counter-productive to our goal,” Geller said at a county commission meeting last week. Mayor Geller and Broward County Commissioner Nan Rich suggested a curfew as one of the possible restrictions for the spring

break period. However, the curfew suggestion has already been shot down by the federal appeals court. Fort Lauderdale's Mayor Dean Trantalis also disagreed with the curfew. In a letter to the county mayor, Trantalis claimed if a curfew is

issued, partygoers will leave bars and continue to party in hotel rooms and Airbnbs. Broward Commissioner Dale Holness also raised the point of unregulated events and parties that will take place if a curfew is imposed. “How we regulate and manage that is the other issue that we'll have to deal with,” he said. Commissioner Holness said one restriction that the county should strongly consider is shutting down businesses that are noncompliant with COVID-19 protocols. “Deﬁnitely the businesses that aren't complying, they ought to be closed if they won't follow the rules,” Holness said. Geller said for the spring break period, which ends in March, there will be an increased police presence along with the enforcement of social distancing and mask wearing.

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HEALTH & WELLNESS

Colorectal Cancer Since 2000, March has been designated as Colorectal Cancer Awareness month. As South-Miami gastroenterologist Dr. Jeremy Spurgess explains, this common cancer which affects thousands of Americans annually is a cancer that affects the larger intestines (colon) or the passage leading to the anus. He cited there have been signs of increase in this cancer in recent years, which in his opinion, are related to poor diet and insufficient preventative screenings by too many people. Signs that could be symptomatic of cancer in the colon includes seeing blood in the stool regularly when emptying ones bowels, change in bowel habits including over regularity and irregularity, narrow stools especially over a long period, feeling the rectum is still full even after a bowl action, fatigue, sudden significant weight loss, stomach discomfort like bloating and cramps and vomiting after eating. The result of damages to the colon is the growth of polyps, in which cancerous cells can grow. Although there is no one factor that causes colon or colorectal cancer, one of the factors leading to this disease is obesity, especially belly fat. Other factors include excessive smoking, a sedentary lifestyle with little exercise, regular consumption of alcohol, red meat and processed meats consumption especially if it's under cooked, diets consisting of insufficient fruits and vegetables, a family history of colorectal issues and ulcerative diseases like colitis or Crohn's disease. With Americans having the tendency to eat quite a lot of red and processed meats, it is advised they begin preventative screenings of the colon from as early as age 45. Preventative screenings for colorectal diseases include colonoscopy, an examination of the interior walls of the large intestine and the colon. Today, most health plans including those purchased under Obamacare, covers colonoscopy, and despite having to purge the intestine prior to the screening, the procedure isn't uncomfortable as patients are given a mild anesthetic. “A colonoscopy is still the best way to discover if there are polyps in the colon, and if there are, a biopsy has to be done to detect if they are cancerous or malignant,” Dr. Spurgess said. He suggests for those in their mid forties to age 60, a colonoscopy should be done every ten years, unless they see certain symptoms, and people over 60 every five years. Other screenings for colorectal cancer include a flexible sigmoidoscopy, and/or a barium enema, both which are recommended every 5 years. Dr. Spurgess advised as in most diseases, one's lifestyle can go a long way to prevent colon cancer. This healthy lifestyle includes maintaining one's weight, brisk exercise like walking, jogging or cycling for 20-30 minutes at least four to five times weekly, not smoking and reducing consumption of alcohol. He also suggested eating a regular diet rich in fiber consisting of fruits, vegetable, and whole grains and drinking plenty of water.

March is Save Your Vision Month By Dr. Melanie Reese, Optometrist

March is National Save Your Vision Month. Many of us believe that having good vision means that our eyes are healthy, but that is not always the case. Regular comprehensive eye exams can ensure that you not only maintain good vision, but that you keep your eyes, and ultimately your body, healthy as well. Getting an eye exam is the first step that you need to take to save your vision. Adults, especially those over age 40, should have their eyes tested yearly; not only to keep their prescriptions for glasses or contacts current, but also to check for early signs of eye disease. Your eye doctor can detect common eye diseases such as cataracts, glaucoma, dry eyes, floaters and macular degeneration. The health of your eyes is also an indicator of your overall health. Eye doctors are often the first health care providers to detect systemic diseases such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure and diabetes. Annual eye exams are not just for adults. Children need to get regular eye exams as well. Healthy vision is essential to a child's ability to learn and achieve their academic potential. Most people think that just because a child can see the eye chart at a vision screening at school or the pediatrician's office, that that means that they have perfect vision. A child who can see 20/20 can still have a vision problem. It is important for parents to know that vision screenings are not a substitute for a comprehensive eye exam. Even if your child seems to be able to see OK, and doesn't complain, you still need to schedule an eye exam. Routine eye exams are important for everyone, no matter your age. In honor of Save Your Vision Month, please make sure you schedule your eye exam this month, if you haven't already had an exam this year.

B2 – NATIONAL WEEKLY | THURSDAY, MAR 4 – MAR 10, 2021 | CNWNETWORK.COM A D V E R T I S E M E N T

THE SCHOOL BOARD OF MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, FLORIDA LEGAL ADVERTISEMENT FOR CONSTRUCTION BIDS FOR MIAMI BEACH SOUTH POINTE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL The School Board of Miami-Dade County, Florida (Board), intends to award one Construction ﬁrm for the following project:

PROJECT NO. 01530400 MIAMI BEACH SOUTH POINTE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ADDITION & RENOVATIONS 1050 FOURTH STREET MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA 33139 BIDS DUE: Sealed bids will be received by The School Board of Miami-Dade County, Florida, for the project listed herein, until 1:00 P.M. local time, Tuesday April 13, 2021, at a location to be determined, following which time and place, or as soon there-after as the Board can attend to the same, the said bids will be publicly opened, read, and tabulated at a location to be determined, by an authorized representative of the Board. Award of the contract will be made to the lowest, pre-qualified responsible and responsive bidder for the actual amount bid considering base bid and accepted alternates (if any) as listed in the bidding documents. The Board will award the contract based upon the results of the tabulations as covered by applicable laws and regulations. Bidders desiring to participate in this solicitation must be pre-qualified by the Board prior to submitting their bid in response to this solicitation. Contact the Miami-Dade County Public Schools (M-DCPS) Office of Economic Opportunity at (305) 995-1307 or via email at oeo@dadeschools.net for information regarding Contractors' Pre-qualification procedures. QUESTIONS: Written questions regarding this project will be accepted. All written communications must be sent to the Project Architect/Engineer, Ana T. Lorenzo (ana@lmptc.com), Laura M. Perez & Associates, Inc.; 2401 N.W. 7th Street, Miami, Florida 33125. Questions will be accepted until 5:00 pm on Friday, March 26, 2021. Answers will only be issued to the Prime Contractors who attended the mandatory Pre-bid Conference. MANDATORY PRE-BID CONFERENCE (Miami Beach South Pointe Elementary School): Wednesday, March 17, 2021 at Miami Beach South Pointe Elementary School Media Center, 1050 Fourth Street, Miami Beach, Florida 33139. Due to site gathering limitations, any Prime Contractor who would like to attend is strongly encouraged to submit an email request to Laura M. Perez & Associates (see instructions below) to do so, and will be scheduled in the order of when said request is received. There may be up to four sessions scheduled (based on quantity of requests): Session 1: 8:30 AM to 9:45 AM Session 2: 10:00 AM to 11:15 AM Session 3: to be scheduled as needed Session 4: to be scheduled as needed Each session will be restricted to one representative from Prime Contracting firms only, limiting each group to a maximum of seven potential bidders for each of the proposed conferences. All attendees must always wear face masks and maintain a minimum of 6 feet distance from all other persons. Gloves are optional but recommended. There will be a sign-in period for each session of 15 minutes from the start time scheduled. Potential bidders arriving after the 15-minute sign-in period (of the final scheduled session) will not be allowed to participate in this solicitation. Prime Contractors without a reservation who arrive prior to the end of the 15-minute sign-in period of the final session will be accommodated at the discretion of the Project Team, on the same day. Proposals submitted by firms not represented at the Mandatory Pre-Bid Conference will not be considered. SUBMITTING REQUEST TO ATTEND PRE-BID CONFERENCE: All Prime Contractors wishing to attend are strongly encouraged to submit an e-mail to Laura M. Perez & Associates, Inc. (ana@lmptc.com), confirming their attendance by Monday, March 15, 2021. A Pre-Bid Conference reservation email containing a scheduled time will be sent by the Project Architect/Engineer, to each potential attendee, no later than Tuesday, March 16, 2021. Reservations received after March 15, 2021 will be accommodated at the Project Team's discretion. Prime contractors will be instructed at the Pre-Bid Conference of the procedure to schedule any additional site visits and/or walkthroughs, as needed. Please note that the District and Laura M. Perez & Associates are adhering to all CDC and DOH COVID-19 recommendations by limiting the number of persons at a site to a maximum of ten persons at any one time (Project Architect/Engineer, Project Manager, a school representative to facilitate opening of the site, and seven Prime Contractors), and requiring the use of Personal Protection Equipment. BOARD POLICIES: Cone of Silence A Cone of Silence, pursuant to Board Policy 6325, shall commence with the issuance of this Legal Advertisement and shall terminate at the time the item is presented by the Superintendent to the appropriate Board committee immediately prior to the Board meeting at which the Board will award or approve a contract, reject all bids or responses, or take any other action that ends the solicitation and review process. Any violation of this rule shall be investigated by the Board's Inspector General and shall result in the disqualification of the potential applicant from the competitive solicitation process, rejection of any recommendation for award, or the revocation of an award to the vendor as being void, rendering void any previous or prior awards. The potential vendor or vendor's representative determined to have violated this rule, shall be subject to debarment. General questions regarding the legal advertisement will be sent to the Office of Capital Improvement Projects via email at ocip@dadeschools.net, and a copy filed with the Clerk of the School Board at celiarubio@dadeschools.net, who shall make copies available to the public upon request. Lobbyist Lobbyist requirements, pursuant to Board Policy 8150, shall be applicable to this solicitation and all proposers and lobbyists shall strictly conform to, and be governed by, the requirements set forth therein. Contact the Clerk of the School Board for additional information. Vendor and Employment Preference Local-Vendor Preference, pursuant to Board Policy 6320.05, shall apply to this solicitation. Based on Board policy, Local Business means a vendor or business that has a valid business tax receipt, issued by a jurisdiction located in Miami-Dade County, that has either (1) its headquarters, manufacturing facility, or locally-owned franchise located within the legal boundaries of Miami Dade County, for at least twelve (12) months, or (2) has an office with a street address within the boundaries of Miami-Dade County for at least twenty-four (24) months, calculated from the bid or proposal opening date. Post office boxes are not verifiable and shall not be used for the purpose of establishing said physical address. In order to be considered for local preference, vendors must provide a copy of their business tax receipt and the Local Business Affidavit of Eligibility with their proposal. Proposers who fail to submit the required documents will not be considered for Vendor Preference. Jessica Lunsford Act The successful proposer(s) shall fully comply with the State of Florida's House Bill 1877 “Jessica Lunsford Act” (JLA); FS 1012.465, 1012.32, 1012.467 & 1012.468 and Board Policy 4121.01, Employment Standards and Fingerprinting of all Employees (also refer to Board Policy 8475). Ethics, Conflict of Interest and Anti-Fraud Proposers responding to this solicitation shall comply with the following ethics, conflict of interest and anti-fraud policies: - Board Policy 6460, Business Code of Ethics; - Board Policy 6460, Disclosure of Employment of Former School Board Employees; - Board Policy 8700, Anti-Fraud; and all related Board policies and procedures, as applicable Contractor Debarment Procedures Pursuant to Board Policy 6320.04, Contractor Discipline Procedures, debarred contractors are excluded from conducting business with the Board as agents, representatives, partners, and associates of other contractors, subcontractors or individual sureties. Commercial Anti-discrimination, Diversity, and Inclusion Proposers responding to this solicitation shall comply with the following anti-discrimination policies: - Board Policy 6465, Commercial Anti-discrimination, Diversity, and Inclusion (proposers shall be required to certify compliance with Board Policy 6465); - Board Policy 1362.02, 3362.02 and 4362.02, Anti-discrimination/Harassment Complaint Procedure; and - all related Board policies and procedures, as applicable Protest Failure to file a protest within the time prescribed and in the manner specified in Board Policy 6320 (Purchase Approval and Competitive Bidding Process Requirements) or in accordance with FS Section 120.57(3) shall constitute a waiver of proceedings under FS Chapter 120. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: The proposer acknowledges that all information contained in their RFQ Response is part of public domain as defined by the State of Florida Sunshine Law. Therefore, any information received is subject to public inspection and copying in accordance with FS 119. No action on the part of the proposer would create an obligation of confidentiality on the part of the School Board including, but not limited to, making a reference in the RFQ Response to trade secrets FS 812.081 and 815.045. It is recommended that potential proposers exclude from their response any information that, in their judgment, may be considered a trade secret. Board policies, as amended from time to time, can be accessed and downloaded at: https://go.boarddocs.com/fl/sbmd/Board.nsf/goto?open&id=BK6KUF4FFE14. The successful proposer(s) shall fully comply with the State of Florida's House Bill 1877 “Jessica Lunsford Act” (JLA); FS 1012.465, 1012.32, 1012.467 & 1012.468 and Board Policy 4121.01, Employment Standards and Fingerprinting of all. Failure to file a protest within the time prescribed and in the manner specified in Board Policy 6320 or in accordance with §120.57(3). Fla. Stat. (2014) shall constitute a waiver of proceedings under Chapter 120, Florida Statutes. Pre-qualified bidders may obtain a CD of the documents for construction or a full set of printed documents for construction at the bidder's expense from the office of Go Green Document Solutions, Inc. on 3715 Grand Avenue, Coconut Grove, Florida 33133 on and after, March 1, 2021. OFFICE OF ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY Small/Micro, Minority/Women-Owned, and Veteran Business Enterprise Programs, Board Policy 6320.02 Awarded firms will be required to comply with Board Policy 6320.02 and submit a monthly report via the Online Diversity Compliance System for compliance with Small/Micro, Minority/Women and/or Veteran sub-consultant goals, sub-contractor goals, local workforce information, and/or any affirmative procurement initiatives. Awarded firms will be required to submit monthly compliance reports online at: http://miamidadeschools.diversitycompliance.com. Please note that the “Small/Micro Business Enterprise Program Administrative Procedures Manual”, Board-approved January 15, 2020, shall be applicable to this solicitation. Please contact the Office of Economic Opportunity at 305-995-1307 or via email at OEO@dadeschools.net for additional information. Assistance levels, as established by the Goal Setting Committee: Miami Beach South Pointe Elementary School:: S/MBE Mandatory Subcontracting Goals: 20.87% Construction and 20% Local Work Force, within a County-wide radius. Mandatory M/WBE Subcontracting Goals: 4.13% African American, Native American and Asian American firms. . The Board reserves the right to waive informalities and to reject any and all bids. THE SCHOOL BOARD OF MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, FLORIDA By: Alberto M. Carvalho Superintendent of Schools

NATIONAL WEEKLY | THURSDAY, MAR 4 – MAR 10, 2021 | CNWNETWORK.COM –

HEALTH & WELLNESS

The Persistence of COVID-19 Variants Even as there's hope that the COVID-19 pandemic will soon be controlled with several vaccines now available globally, there's still growing concern the situation could grow worse as new, fast-spreading variants of the virus, including strains from The United Kingdom (UK), Brazil and South Africa, have been identiﬁed in the U.S., including South Florida. On Monday, March 1, appearing on national television, the director of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), Dr. Rochelle P. Walensky, reiterated her concern that the continued spread in the COVID-19 virus could spike and reverse gains being made in control the primary strain of the virus. Viruses constantly change through mutation, and new variants of a virus are expected to occur over time. Sometimes new variants emerge and disappear. Other times, new variants emerge and persist. Multiple variants of the virus that causes COVID-19 have been documented in the United States and globally during this pandemic. The virus that causes COVID-19 is a type of coronavirus, a large family of viruses. Coronaviruses are named for the crown-like spikes on their surfaces. Scientists monitor changes in the virus, including changes to the spikes on the surface of the virus. These studies, including genetic analyses of the virus, are helping scientists understand how changes to the virus might aﬀect how it spreads and what happens to people who are infected with it. These variants seem to spread more easily and quickly than other variants, which may lead to more cases of COVID-19. An increase in the number of cases will put more strain on U.S. and global health care

Multiple variants of the virus that causes COVID-19 are circulating globally:

The United Kingdom (UK) identified a variant called B.1.1.7 with a large number of mutations in the fall of 2020. This variant spreads more easily and quickly than other variants. In January 2021, experts in the UK reported this variant may be associated with an increased risk of death compared to other variant viruses, but more studies are needed to confirm this finding. It has since been detected in many countries around the world. This variant was first detected in the U.S. at the end of December 2020.

In South Africa, another variant called B.1.351 emerged independently of B.1.1.7. Originally detected in early October 2020, B.1.351 shares some mutations with B.1.1.7. Cases caused by this variant have been reported in the US at the end of January 2021.

In Brazil, a variant called P.1 emerged first identified in travelers from Brazil, who were tested during routine screening at an airport in Japan, in early January. This variant contains a set of additional mutations that may affect its ability to be recognized by antibodies. This variant was also first detected in the U.S. at the end of January 2021.

resources, lead to more hospitalizations, and potentially more deaths. So far, studies suggest that antibodies generated through vaccination with currently authorized vaccines recognize these variants. This is being closely investigated, and more studies are underway. Rigorous and increased compliance with public health mitigation strategies, such as vaccination, physical distancing, use of masks, hand hygiene, and isolation and quarantine, is essential to limit the spread of the all variants of COVID-19 and protect public health.

Scientists are working to learn: ● How widely these new variants have spread ● How the disease caused by these new variants differs from the disease caused by other variants that are currently circulating ● How these variants may affect existing therapies, vaccines, and tests Public health officials are studying these variants quickly to learn more to control their spread. They want to understand whether the variants: ● Spread more easily from person-to-person ● Cause milder or more severe disease in people ● Are detected by currently available viral tests ● Respond to medicines currently being used to treat people for COVID-19 ● Change the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines The Center for Disease Control (CDC) in Atlanta, in collaboration with other public health agencies, is monitoring the situation closely. CDC is working to monitor the spread of identified variants, characterize emerging viral variants, and expand its ability to find new variants.

Statement from CDC Director Rochelle P. Walensky on Recommendation to Use Johnson and Johnson COVID-19 Vaccine On Sunday, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) gave the go-ahead for the third vaccine to be used in the U.S. to counter the spread of COVID-19. The following day, distribution of the vaccine produced by Johnson and Johnson begun nationally, and on Tuesday Americans in some states began to receive the vaccine which unlike its predecessors produced by Pfizer and Moderna only requires one dose. Following certifying that Americans can receive the latest vaccine, CDC Director Rochelle P. Walensky issued the following statement: “Today, I signed CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices' (ACIP) recommendation that endorsed the safety and effectiveness of Janssen (Johnson & Johnson)'s COVID-19 vaccine and its use in people age 18 and older. T h i s o ffi c i a l C D C recommendation—which follows Saturday's FDA decision to authorize emergency use of the vaccine—is another milestone toward an end to the pandemic. As vaccination scales up, so too does our nation's overall protection from serious outcomes due to COVID-19. The Janssen vaccine has been shown to be safe and effective in preventing severe COVID-19 illness, hospitalization, and death. This vaccine is also another important tool in our toolbox to equitably vaccinate as many people as possible, as quickly as possible. As a one-dose vaccine, people do not have to return for a second dose to be protected. In addition, this vaccine does not need to be kept in a freezer and can be stored at refrigerated temperatures—so it is easy to transport and store and allows for expanded availability in most community settings and mobile sites, as supply scales up. This third safe, effective COVID-19 vaccine comes at a potentially pivotal time. CDC's latest data suggest that recent declines in COVID-19 cases may be stalling and potentially leveling off at still very high numbers. That is why it is so critical that we remain vigilant and consistently take all of the mitigation steps we know work to stop the spread of COVID-19 while we work our way toward mass vaccination.

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B4 – NATIONAL WEEKLY | THURSDAY, MAR 4 – MAR 10, 2021 | CNWNETWORK.COM

CONTINUATIONS Bunny Wailer

from A1

Tribute to Bob Marley's 50th Anniversary. He was also featured on the album True Love by Toots and the Maytals, which won the Grammy Award in 2004 for Best Reggae Album. The singer-songwriter and three-time Grammy winner is considered one of the longtime standard-bearers of reggae music. In 2012, Bunny Wailer received Jamaica's ﬁfth highest honor, the Order of Jamaica. Five years later, in 2017, he was awarded the Order of Merit by the Jamaican government, the nation's fourth-highest honor.

Bunny Wailer Wrote One of the Biggest Party Songs of All Time During his time as a member of the reggae group The Wailers, alongside Bob Marley and Peter Tosh, Bunny Wailer was credited as the writer of “Love and Aﬀection” (1965) and “Dreamland” (1971), recorded by the group. But perhaps Wailer’s biggest songwriting credit is “Electric Boogie”, which was rerecorded by “the Queen of Reggae”, Marcia Griﬃths.

Grifths

The hit song was written and originally recorded by Bunny Wailer in 1976. At the time, Wailer was well established as a reggae singer and Marcia Griﬃths was a member of the I Threes, a trio of backup singers, which supported Bob Marley and The Wailers. In 1983, she released her re-recording of the “Electric Boogie” via Island Records. This

Mandatory COVID Tests circumstances to require Jamaicans coming home to also present a negative COVID-19 test.” The prime minister also announced business travelers who were always required to present a COVID-negative test, then undergo a PCR test upon arrival in Jamaica at no cost, will now be required to pay for that Jamaican test, due to limitations on the government's budget. Holness also informed that the restrictions against ﬂights coming directly from the United Kingdom will remain in eﬀect until March 22, 2021.

Negative reactions in the Jamaican diaspora The response garnered by CNW from Jamaicans in the diaspora to the new travel restrictions is that this could seriously curtail travel to the homeland. Gerry Simmonds of South Miami, said she had made several trips to Jamaica over the past six months, having business to attend there.

Jamaica is among several Caribbean Community countries that will benefit from a donation of 500,000 Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccines by the government of India. India has been pushing for Jamaica to get the vaccines, Rungsung said, admitting his own involvement. “I've gone to the extent of pushing our people in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, we've gone to pushing the Serum Institute who are the producers of these vaccines. We've gone even a step further to go to the Ministry of Civil Aviation to find out exactly what the situation was,” he said. Responding to the Indian offer, Jamaica's Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Kamina Johnson Smith said: “I am so pleased

from A1

“Although I am an American citizen, I was able to get by the COVID test requirements by traveling as a Jamaican on my Jamaican passport. I guess that won't help anymore. Having to be tested to travel home is one thing, but only 72 hours before travel will be a real deterrent.” Jacquie Rose of Plantation had similar comments. “Getting a test just 72 hours before travel will be a hassle. Trust me, and don't get me wrong, I understand the need for this measure, but I prefer to wait for COVID cases to drop oﬀ in Jamaica, and the travel restrictions are lifted before I travel home.” The new measure could also have an additional negative impact on the island's tourist industry. West Kendall resident, Cuban American Carlos Gutierrez, said he was contemplating taking his wife and two teenage daughters to Jamaica to “spend spring break on the Jamaican north coast. Although I understand we needed to be pretested, having to do this within a short 72-hour window before

50,000 Vaccines

version became a minor hit for Griﬃths, but a remixed version featured on her album Carousel became an international hit in 1990. It was this version that made the Electric Slide, a line dance, an international dance craze. The song reached number 51 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, making it her most successful single. It is currently the highestselling single by a female reggae singer of all time. The song and dance have since become a celebratory staple, popular at weddings, bar and bat mitzvahs, and other special occasions around the world. According to Essence Magazine, the song changed how Black people around the world celebrate events, speciﬁcally weddings. “”The Electric Boogie” became one of the biggest dance crazes of the disco era even though it was never really a disco song. And now the dance has not only become a mainstay at Black weddings, but also at Black barbeques, Black baby showers, and even Black funerals. We just can’t seem to get enough of it,” the magazine stated.

from A8

residents is Black, the commission does not reflect any racial diversity. All this can change on March 9. Elections will be held in Districts: B, C, and E. District B: Nikitress Lewis, 57, is seeking to hold off the challenge from 77year-old Jacqueline Railey. District C: African American Patricia Duaybes, 52, is making her fifth attempt to be elected to the commission. She is one of two candidates try to deny 72-year-old Sandra Welch a third term as commissioner. Not only is Duaybes seeking to be the first Black person to serve on the commission, she is keenly interested in making a difference in the quality of service provided by the commission to the residents. District E: Lauren Lynville, 32, is challenging 39-year-old Joshua Rydell, the city's vice mayor. Rydell's commitment to the city is questionable. He is returning to seek reelection after a failed bid for state attorney. Lynville has the potential to bring fresh ideas to the city commission.

Deerﬁeld Beach Reelect incumbent Bernie Parness in the Seat 3 Commission election.

Hillsboro Beach

Holness

traveling is not encouraging, then having to be tested again in Jamaica before returning to the U.S. This is too much.”

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When CNW spoke to some residents of Hillsboro Beach, they said they believed there's no need for an election because the three incumbents—Deb Tarrant, Vicky Feaman and Barbara Baldasarre, who are all up for reelection—are already doing a ﬁne job for the city. This city is unique among Broward cities, as its election candidates are chosen from one batch of candidates. On March 9, voters need to elect three of four candidates, and it is recommended that Feaman, Baldasarre and Tarrant be reelected.

City of Miramar

from A4

that our friends and partners, the government and people at the Republic of India, have conﬁrmed that their kind gift of 50,000 COVID-19 vaccines will arrive in Jamaica next week.” Among the medicines donated by India were 14,000 metronidazole, an antibiotic used to treat a wide variety of infections and stops the growth of certain bacteria; 11,800 paracetamol for pain or fever; and 713 hydroxychloroquine tablets (200mg) to treat rheumatoid arthritis or lupus. “Ultimately, these medicines are for meeting the requirements of common people, and it cannot have come at a better time than this day. On behalf of the government on India,

Municipal Elections

I'm honored to formally hand over medicines donated by India to the people and government of Jamaica,” Rungsung said, applauding Jamaica's eﬀorts to combat the novel coronavirus. “These medicines are essential and critical to Jamaica's response to COVID-19. It could help save many lives in health facilities across the country. We are living in extraordinary times where the best of health and medical facilities that human minds and knowledge have invented were caught completely oﬀ guard and thousands of lives from many developed countries have fallen victim,” added Rungsung.

Seat 1: Incumbent Maxwell Chambers should be reelected to continue his work in the community. Seat 2: Yvette Colbourne, with her wealth of knowledge and expertise as an oﬃcial, should be reelected to continue serving the people of Miramar. Seat 3: Incumbent Winston Barnes faces a challenge from Val B. Glenister, but is expected to retain his seat.

Delray Beach City Mayor: Reelect incumbent Shelly Petroila City Commission – Seat 1: Price Patton City Commission – Seat 3: Ryan Boylston

Boca Raton City Council – Seat C: Constance Scott City Council – Seat D: Monica Mayotte City Charter Questions: 1. Increase residence requirement for candidates seeking city oﬃce – Vote: Yes. 2. Remove qualiﬁcation fees for candidates – Vote: Yes

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ENTERTAINMENT

Movie Featuring the Life of Marcus Garvey Underway

Chadwick Boseman Wins Golden Globe Award Posthumously

Plans are underway to produce the movie, Marked Man, based on the life of Jamaican National Hero and Pan African leader Marcus Garvey.

By Garth A. Rose

Tobago actor Winston Duke, who rose to stardom through his role in the blockbuster Black Panther movie, will play Garvey. Deadline reports the project is being funded by Amazon Studios. Marked Man is written by British actor/playwright Kwame Kwei-Armah and will be directed by Nigerian ﬁlmmaker Andrew Dosunmu. Other prospective stars are Jesse Williams and DeWanda Wise. Duke, whose acting credits also include Avengers: Inﬁnity War and Endgame, moved to the United States with his family at age nine. Based on Colin Grant's biography Negro with a Hat: The Rise and Fall of Marcus Garvey. The movie Marked Man is

Duke

set in the early 1920s when Garvey was at the height of his powers while living in Harlem, New York, where he was a leader of a cultural renaissance. The movie traces the activities of a young Black man who joins the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), and inﬁltrates the Universal Negro Improvement Association, which Garvey founded in Jamaica in 1914, and the African Communities League. Garvey was eventually charged with mail fraud in 1923 and sentenced to ﬁve GayleHe was released after years in prison.

Garvey

serving 33 months in a federal penitentiary in Georgia. He was deported to Jamaica in 1927, but later left for England. He died in London at age 52 in 1940. In 1969, his body was brought back and interred at the National Heroes Park, when the then Jamaican government declared Garvey as Jamaica's ﬁrst national hero.

No Spicemas Carnival in Grenada for 2021 There will be no Carnival celebrations this year, even if 60 percent of the population get the COVID-19 vaccine, Grenada’s Prime Minister Dr. Keith Mitchell said on Friday. This will be the second consecutive year Spicemas has been cancelled due to the pandemic. Grenada’s immunization rollout began on February 12 and health oﬃcials are working towards having 60 percent of the island’s population of 110,000 vaccinated. “I don’t see how we will be able to

achieve 60 percent by July, but even if we did, I think it will be a mistake to go and have a mass event because you will still have 40 percent of the people who will not have been vaccinated. I don’t think it is a smart thing,” said Prime Minister Mitchell during an interview with selected journalists, in a format adopted as part of the new COVID-19 health protocols aimed at avoiding any mass gathering of media workers. He acknowledged that the Carnival period is not only a major revenue earner

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for the Government but also for many citizens who use the Carnival period to make a living. Grenada’s Carnival climaxes in August annually but is normally launched during the second quarter of the year. There were no celebrations in 2020 because of measures enforced to control and contain the spread of COVID-19. However, many people deﬁed orders and held J’ouvert celebrations in communities and villages across the island.

American actor Chadwick Boseman, of Black Panther fame, who died from colon cancer in August 2020, won the Golden Globe Best Actor in a Motion Picture Drama award at the 78th annual Golden Globes awards presentation on Sunday night. Boseman, who died at age 43, won the award for his performance of a rather eccentric jazz saxophone player named Levee in the Netflix movie, Ma Rainey's Black Bottom in which he costarred with Viola Davis as 1930s jazz singer Ma Rainey. Most people who have seen the movie seemed to be in consensus that Boseman, who was an extremely gifted actor, would receive top awards, including the Oscar, for his outstanding performance which he played shortly before his death. He died while the film was in postproduction, before its release. Indeed, Boseman has already received several posthumous nominations for his performance. His Golden Globe win was his first in the prestigious awards, and also his first nomination. Bosman's award was presented by actress Renée Zellweger to his widow Taylor Simone Ledward. In an emotional speech Ledward said, “He would have said something beautiful, something inspiring, something that would amplify that little voice inside of all of us that tells you, you can, that tells you to keep going, that calls you back to what you are meant to be doing at this moment in history.” For his performance in Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, Boseman has also been nominated for a Screen Actors Guild Award, a Critics Choice Award, and is a favorite for this year's Academy Award for Best Actor, though nominations won't be announced until later this month. Boseman has also won numerous critics' prizes throughout the year.

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SPORTS SOCCER

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Have the Reggae Boyz Lost Their Minds? By L. Bronson Jamaica, like most other developing countries, has been significantly impacted by the novel coronavirus pandemic, particularly as it pertains to sports. And with several disciplines canceled last year, and many yet to resume this year, including National Premier League football, there was great optimism earlier this week when the Jamaica Football Federation announced a friendly international versus the United States of America at the Stadion Wiener Neustadt in Austria on March 25. But as quickly as it was announced, as well as confirmation that the federation was in the process of trying to acquire the services of some professional players in Europe who are interested in representing the black, green and gold colors of Jamaica, news emerged that the local governing body and the players were farther apart in their contract negotiations than ever before. According to reports, the Reggae Boyz, through an acquired attorney, have opened discussions for appearance fees with a demand for US$7,000 per player per game for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers, which would total 14. This excludes match incentives for wins and draws. It said the players have asked for 70 percent of the World Cup Finals qualification bonus from FIFA, should the team qualify; for friendly games US$5,000 and US$3,000 for the Nations League competition. That is against the JFF’s opening proposal of US$1,000 appearance fees plus US$1,500 for wins and US$1,000 for drawn games. It is understood that the JFF has since increased the appearance fees to US$2,000, as well as US$1,000 for high-profile friendlies and US$500 for lower-ranked games. It was also said that the JFF agreed to share equally image rights with players on an individual basis, based on kits sold with their names. The JFF is expected to issue these contracts soon for players who agree to sign, to finalize an agreement for the remainder of this World Cup cycle. Head coach Theodore Whitmore and team manager Roy Simpson had lashed out at the end of the team’s last international friendly games against Saudi Arabia last November, when contract issues, as well as travel arrangement differences, created chaos on the two-game series. Both gentlemen were adamant they did not want to be a part of the setup if these same issues kept repeating themselves, thus hindering their efforts to progress the team. On Monday Whitmore said: “The game versus the U.S. in Austria will be a very good test of our readiness as a unit. I do not want any distraction or side issues as we need to be 100 percent concentrated. All outstanding issues

must be resolved before then, as we are not guaranteed another competitive match opportunity before the Gold Cup.” The players had also issued a statement on Monday indicating that news items carried on the said day included inaccuracies, but they refused to elaborate, citing an agreement by both parties to keep details of the negotiations out of the public domain. Reggae Boyz captain Andre Blake was interviewed on cable television channel SportsMax on Tuesday, and his contribution, I believe, added more confusion than clarity. One could only assume based on his position, that the Boyz did not take the negotiations seriously. Blake, without confirming or denying the opening proposal of a US$7,000 appearance fee by his group, suggested that the players did not trust the JFF and the numbers they provided them. He said similar to the JFF simply presenting numbers, they felt they could just open with a “number” for appearance fees and other demands. When confronted with the fact that not many, if any national team could afford to pay such fees, especially one as cash-strapped as the JFF, Blake said it was not for the players to work out and devise plans and strategies to find ways of acquiring funds, but those responsible for running the federation. The JFF indicated that it had made the players aware of the plan, the budget for the program, the financial position of the federation and the financial outcome of the last Gold Cup and the international friendlies last November. The JFF had established a special committee that reviewed a proposal from selected players based on a standard contract. Last Friday a response was communicated regarding the proposal where a timeline of

Wednesday, March 3, 2021, was established to finalise the document and thereafter the standard contract template would be offered to potential players to establish the pool of players for the team. According to the JFF, this approach being used is a paradigm shift where players should aspire to represent their national team for the pride and the platform it provides to gain an opportunity to enhance careers or improve the professional status, rather than the immediate commercial gains. It adds that the decisions taken are always incumbent on the ability to pay, placed in the context of the pandemic, the debt of over $238 million and the possibility of playing games (World Cup qualifiers) without fans. They also considered the enormous cost of air transportation and the depreciation of the Jamaican dollar. “The new paradigm also recognises the JFF as a business and must be fiscally prudent to operate as a going concern. It is expected the principles will be shared as the JFF implements the wider program with approximately 12 national teams.” The show must go on, with or without these players and it is full time those elected to lead, do so without fear or favor. We remember well in 2015 when the players got every single penny earned in finishing runners-up at the Gold Cup. That should never, ever happen again. It was a mistake made by the late Captain Horace Burrell then, and it should have been corrected long ago and a mutually beneficial template agreed upon and implemented long ago. But it’s never too late to start doing the right things.

Pollard Hails Senior Players for Key Role in T&T Regional Cricket Win Trinidad and Tobago's Red Force captain Kieron Pollard has underscored the critical role played by veteran players in his team's win of the Regional Super50 Cup last weekend. In a lopsided final at Coolidge Cricket Ground on Saturday, Red Force crushed Guyana Jaguars by 152 runs, to complete a flawless campaign that saw them go unbeaten throughout the tournament. The final was dominated by two 36year-olds: opener Lendl Simmons hitting a career-best 146 to fire Red Force to 362 for five off their 50 overs and seamer Ravi Rampaul snatching four for 52 to help send Jaguars crashing for 210. “I think the experienced guys that we have around in the batting department [have been important],” Pollard said. “We had Lendl Simmons scoring a big hundred [in the final], Evin Lewis at the start scoring runs, you had Denesh Ramdin one of the more experienced players. “Then in the bowling department, Ravi Rampaul after a five, six-year hiatus playing West Indies cricket…coming back sharing his experience and working with the guys. “Dwayne Bravo as well, although he was not part of our squad, was around the entire tournament. He played a helping hand in the younger bowlers as well.” Pollard, the West Indies white-ball captain, was one of the plethora of experienced players in the squad, and played a key part with his aggressive leadership. For the 33-year-old, the title marked his first in regional domestic 50-over as captain, and he said he had simply tried to inject a winning mentality into the unit. “Anything you do you want to do it to the best of your ability, and I've only been honest and straightforward to the guys,” he explained. “I know how I want to play and how we should play and that winning mentality. You go all around the world and win titles and there's nothing better than winning for your country. “It's just for me to give the guys that confidence and coming in when needed.” Pollard also praised the level of preparation for the tournament, noting this had been the foundation of Red Force's campaign. “Preparation was good. Guys were training from since October [last year, even though] we had COVID,” Pollard said. “The guys joined the team after playing different tournaments and then we actually left the team and went off to Dubai [for the Abu Dhabi T10] and we joined back together just before the start of the tournament. “So kudos to the management staff and everybody back in Trinidad for the preparation.”

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