June 2016
Issue 37
Lata Mangeshkar: The Nightingale of India Africa Needs a Collective Thinking Space The Quest to Save Our Ocean
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Woodford & Warner
Contact Woodford and Warner: 07725 869 577 2 www.woodfordandwarner.com email info@woodfordandwarner.com
Contents Africa Needs a Collective Thinking Space
p.4
Caribbean Winer
p.7
The Quest to Save Our Ocean
p.11
GC Powerlist UK 2016
p.13
Notting Hill Carnival at 50
p.14
Lata Mangeshkar: The Nightingale of India
p.16
Why Choose Agape
p.23
Being Black and the Caribbean Self-Identity
p.14
Cat cafĂŠ
p.17
The Chelsea Flower Show
p.31
Production and concept: D.T. Kalloo
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Culturepulse contributors: Nasser Khan Ansel Wong, Amos Armstrong, Soshina Stephen, Akilah Holder-Stewart, Rhianna Kalloo, Chris Boothman, David Wears, Michael LaRose, Ron Ramdin, Dr Michelle Yaa, Juanita Cox-Wesmass, Jimmy Kainja, Tessa Robinson, Malaika Crichlow, Angelique Antonio, Mas Assassin, Dorothy Scott, David Rudder, D.A-Kalloo and Selwyn R. Cudjoe. You too can become a contributor to Culturepulse magazine, if you have flair for writing and would like to submit an article please contact us at culturepulse@hotmail.co.uk or call 07738864335 for further information.
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Africa Needs a Collective Thinking Space
about our shared colonial and pre-colonial period but contemporary Africa as well. Today what happens in one African country is most likely to replicate itself elsewhere. And here is where my general reflection on Re:publica lay. I found the conference a huge collective thinking space where likeminded people converge, not just to share ideas but also to inspire each other. The diversity of a largely nerdy yet sociable group of presenters and participants at the conference was a true reflection of our own group – Africa Blogging and GIG.
By Jimmy Kainja It has become very common in the increasingly narrow global sphere to hear people correcting one another that Africa is not a country. Indeed, Africa is a continent with 50 plus countries; countries with distinct cultural traditions, regional and national dialects. There are estimated 1,500 – 2,000 languages spoken in Africa. These are important issues if one wants to fully understand Africa, let alone making decisions and/ or conclusion about it.
Here I realised that the Re:publica-type of gathering is something that Africa needs – in Africa we need what I call “collective thinking space.” Yes, the internet has opened up discursive platforms and spaces such as blogs, Facebook, WhatsApp, Twitter etc. These decentralised networks have opened up a useful cross-border and trans-national interactions yet we know discussions and reflections on these spaces are very random and often lack focus, something the Re:publica handled extraordinary well.
Yet, as an African from Malawi, a landlocked country in Southern Africa, I understand that apart from the abovepointed issues, there is also a lot that Africans have in common. In fact, the stated issues that make-up African continent are just as true within African countries. My own country, with estimated population of 16 million people has more than 12 tribes and more than 15 languages are spoken. Yet it is called it a country.
After all, internet shutdowns are becoming common in Africa. Telecommunication companies in Africa, in pursuit of favourable deals and operating conditions are colluding with African governments, eager to strengthen their hold on power, to shutdown social media whenever they feel their grip on power is threatened.
I recently reflected on this while attending Re:publica conference in Berlin, Germany along with my fellow African political bloggers, blogging at Africablogging.org and a group of wonderful Africans working with Global Innovation Gathering (GIG). We had fun; even though some of us – Africa Blogging and GIG members were meeting for the first time.
As pointed out earlier, what happens in one African country is likely to reappear in another country. At the time of writing, Ugandan government was at pains trying to limit social media use in the country as Yoweri Museveni was being sworn in following elections, which the country’s opposition are disputing. This trend was a topic of discussion by members of Africa Blogging at the Re:publica.
Discussions with these fellow patriotic young Africans over meals and in our hotel rooms for a week we were in Berlin got me thinking: “so Africa is a country after all.” African countries have a lot in common in terms of its socioeconomic and political make-up. I am not just talking 4
Apart from individual presentations, which I hugely benefited from, as a blogger, and an academic, Re:publica has convinced me that as great as the online spaces are, they are insufficient and they are not a substitute to the old-fashioned physical gathering of like-minded people determined to get things done. Spaces like Re:publica may just be what young generation of Africa needs, in order to shape its socioeconomic and political feature.
Do you have a story to tell, an event happening in your community or just want to explore your writing? Culturepulse magazine would like to give you the platform to express that creativity. We particularly want to encourage young people from all walks of the diaspora to share their experiences and achievements with our readers.
Jimmy Kainja is a lecturer at Chancellor College, University of Malawi. Department of Language Communications Skills. He is also a columnist with Nysa Times
Whether you’re a budding travel writer, blogger or an aspiring journalist or simply want to explore your potential as a writer, send your story or articles to: culturepulse@hotmail.co.uk or cashewmedialtd@gmail.com
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Caribbean Winer By Malaika Crichlow an aspect of Caribbean culture to the pop cultural forefront.
I was unaware that the director of Rihanna's “Work” video was Trini, not even when I saw the interview that featured him all over Facebook. And I must say, I am ashamed of myself that I didn't know who this talented individual was. After looking him up on social media, I was impressed. He seems to be a thinker, someone that cares about the planet and someone that is very private. He doesn't appear to be a showboat, but rather someone quietly working on his craft and passion and making major moves in these avenues. In the interview with Director X for Fader magazine, he discusses the dance scene with Rihanna and Drake in the “Work” video, and addresses the remarks that they should get together. So, let me just say, Rihanna and Drake dancing as they are, is common at Caribbean parties and definitely doesn't mean they are sleeping together. Come on, it's a video; people act for music videos, so let's not get carried away with ourselves.
But I do want to address the onedimensionality of carnival culture that is being broadcasted far and wide by party brands and carnival websites on YouTube etc., as the norm, without any true representation of how this all plays out. I cannot speak for dancehall culture; I don't really partake in it too much, and yes, although I may dance to a few songs in a soca party, I don't really know the origins and how the participants feel about a dance. But as a Caribbean woman and a lover of carnival, soca and Trinidad, I have to somewhat disagree with some of X’s sentiments. I feel it needs to be said, as apparently no one else feels the nudge to do so, and I just wanted to offer another side, or maybe a better, more multidimensional understanding.
Director X talks in depth about “doing the reggae thing” with the video’s theme, and about Caribbean culture stating, “In West Indian culture, a dance is a dance.” Moreover, that people dance like that, sometimes even with their boyfriend next to them and it’s not a big deal because it's just a dance after all. He then references Trinidad and soca culture and it being even worse, where “it really goes crazy.” This is where I start to feel some type of way. And essentially he is right, a lot of times a dance is just a dance, and it doesn't mean anything more. But sometimes, just sometimes, it's more than that, and sometimes a wine can mean different things. I have to address the little nuances, but I want to do so delicately without taking away from the awesomeness of the Caribbean working together and bringing
Photo courtesy directlyrics.com
Let me start by addressing wining (dancing in a provocative manner, gyrating one’s waist): everyone is different in the wining thing. I know those of you that are born in foreign but are proud of your Trini heritage may have a slightly skewered outlook on ‘wining up in a band and jammin somebody man’ as the song goes. So, I am trying to clarify some things for all, because there is clearly a 7
disconnect in the culture between those of us born there and grown there on the island and those of us born in foreign; however, the thing uniting us all is love for this beautiful island in the sun. The skewered look is no fault of your own, in fact, the passion and love you have for your music and culture is to be applauded. The fact that you want to connect with your heritage and culture leaves my heart full of pride for my people.
that I wouldn’t give a random guy a small wine, but most times it's because I don't want them to feel bad. Now, if he's taking too long to leave my bumpa, there are ways I give him a hint, such as, stop dancing and stand up still, start talking to friends and move off, or go to the bar or the bathroom. Don't know if you folks know this or not, but just in case, I want to clarify: you are not obligated to wine with or on anyone you are not feeling.
Firstly, there are some of us who like to jam (dance intimately) with every and anybody, usually we are either pretty drunk or have a little low self-esteem and jammin everyone makes us feel wanted and special, but that is not all of us - just some. I know that is all you see when you search videos of carnival or soca, but it is not the case 100% of the time. In actuality, when you pay attention, most winers who wine up on anybody, are dismissed as hungry for attention, or you’ll see comments like “what happen to she, how she getting on slack so” being made. But nobody is telling you folks that though because all you see in the videos are women smiling sweetly and being welcoming to every dance partner.
There is no rule that says you have to and a lot of us don't. I have had several party experiences where someone tries to holla and ask where I am from and once I say Trinidad, they immediately imply that I must be some kind of wining queen that they can jam however they want. When I decline to dance, they question my Trini-ness, but this only happens with gentlemen that are not from and did not grow up in Trinidad. They are buying into the media image of the island. X’s statement that your man could be standing there while you dance with someone else is probably possible but improbable. I have only personally witnessed and encountered break-ups and fights in such situations. To pretend wining is not sexual is the stupidest thing I have ever heard. It is a very sexual dance and the looser your waist is, the more you are rated sexually and that's a fact. If it wasn't sexual, men wouldn't get hard off a wine, and they sure as hell don't get hard dancing the waltz. If a significant other is wining with another and their partner is present, it may be to get them jealous, because there is no way you could be in a relationship with someone and stand there, and watch them dance as Rihanna was dancing with Drake and think, oh well, it was just a dance. The kind of wine she gave him in that video, in real life, is a wine you give someone you checking for, someone you are interested in, and most likely numbers would be exchanged and links made. Wining can also be a form of
Photo courtesy Trinidadcarnivaldiaries.com
There are some of us who don't care to wine on everything that moves be it man or woman. Some of us like to dance with folks we know, or find attractive, or we just like to wild out with our girls and don't necessarily enjoy being jammed by sweaty random dudes. I belong to this category, if you haven't guessed. That is not to say 8
empowerment, especially for women, if you know you looking good and you have a really flexible waist and legs, you know all eyes will be on you. Other women will want to wine like you and men will want to wine with you. You will be the center of attention and that feeling can be quite empowering. What I am really trying to say is that wining is an art form and a form of communication, and like all art forms and forms of communication, it's subject to interpretation and translation. It means different things to different people and different cultures, so for it to be generalized as only one thing is irresponsible and frankly obtuse. There are all types of wines: there is the stush wine (trying to look proper while wining, the pity wine (you feel bad for the other person), the wickedest wine (you save this for special dance partners i.e. sexy men/women), the chippin’ and wining (this you do while the music truck moving), the tired wine (your foot hurting), and the list goes on.
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I wanted to clarify these little things because I wasn't sure if folks knew, and if you did, great, you get it. If you didn't, I hope this only expands your love for your culture. I see a slightly misconstrued, onesided depiction of the culture being promoted and I had to at least know that I tried to address this or my conscience wouldn't rest well. I had to say something because I see that the culture is changing to just a wine-and-jam culture, and we are losing the little touches that make us special and add complexities to who we are. More and more, people are emphasizing this one dimensional twist that is being pushed for the sake of increasing revenue, and let me just say that these businesses that are in party promoting may not have seen this consequence, but now that we see it, I think little tweaks can be made to give a more accurate picture of ‘we ting’ something that we can be proud of passing down to the younger generations. 9
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The Quest to Save our Ocean After more than a decade, world nations have finally managed to sit down at the negotiating table in an attempt to hammer out a collective solution for protecting and to rescue ocean life.
human activity on the oceans and creating areas that would be protected. At present, negotiations are set to continue to the end of 2017 with the preparatory committee. Plans would then be put forward to the United Nations who will then decide whether there is a ‘foundation for negotiating a legal binding treaty’ which could eventually act as a guide. However, judging from the twenty-year squabble on how to tackle global warming, there isn’t much optimism for an early breakthrough on how to tackle the troubles of the oceans.
The oceans produce half of the worlds oxygen and, it is surprising that this gathering in New York has taken this long to materialise. The ocean is humanity’s single largest source of protein and without it, the planet could well be, a barren desert. There is no one thing that is currently affecting ocean’s chemistry. A multitude of elements are causing trouble to the ocean, they include overfishing, climate change, polluting, and other ‘human impacts have contributed to the depleted marine resources’ as well as unhealthy ecosystems. Studies have shown that humans are the oceans greatest enemy, harvesting marine species to the ‘edge of extinction’ and using the ocean as a literal garbage dump are seen as great catastrophes of the ocean.
Marine biologists claim that a mere 3% of the oceans are off limits to commercial exploitation and suggested that by 2020 a target of 10% should be a realistic achievement of protected oceans. There has been a recommendation in 2014 by the World Park Congress to have at least 30% of oceans set aside as international parks. Reports claim that the loss of marine life is so advanced that the only way to protect the biodiversity of the ocean and to help replenish fish stock is to have larger areas of the ocean as conservation protected through international treaty. At present, there are no rules and the ocean is a virtual free-for-all and the impasse facing world nations is how to set up ‘environmental impact assessments, enforcements and technology transfer’ on multi-lateral scale that will benefit us globally.
One of the biggest problems facing marine biologists is the fact that there is no international treaty protecting marine areas beyond national jurisdiction. “Everyone owns the high seas but nobody takes responsibility for them” according to Callum Roberts at the University of York. The lack of a global treaty leaves the ocean vulnerable and exposed to all sundry to ‘pillage marine flora and fauna at will.’ Presently, over 90 million tonnes of fish is harvested from the high seas annually and with ‘efficient advances in technology’ those percentages are set to significantly rise. The aim of world nations who attended the meeting in March is to set up an agreement of governance to constrain the impact of 11
many varieties of turtles worldwide were on the brink of extinction. Mostly, by fishing, pollution, coastal developments and through illegal hunting. One group, The State of the World’s Sea Turtles (SWOT) have already created a world database that provides comprehensive maps of sea turtle nesting beaches and tracking facilities to monitor the endangered species.
One of the major concerns from the 5 Gyres Institute is the use of microbeads in everyday products such as toothpaste, body creams and shaving gel which pollute our water system and finally make its way to the ocean. The institute claim that trillions of microbeads will go down US drains before a ban on the use by 2018. However, this does not prevent other countries from using microbeads the manufacture of beauty and household products.
There is an enormous task ahead in the hopes of hammering out a resolution to protect the ocean and divert it from the current course of catastrophe that threatens the high seas. While world nations continue to squabble and iron out individual needs there are numerous organisations around the globe who are making a difference in the fight to save our ocean.
Global warming and the threat of rising sea level are also having its effect on the ocean. The Great Barrier Reef in Australia has suffered its worst ‘bleaching ‘on record. Bleaching occurs in the ocean when ‘abnormal environmental conditions, such as warmer sea temperatures’ causing corals to expel tiny photosynthetic algae. This drains the corals of their colour and subsequently they perish. The extent of the bleaching was only discovered after an aerial survey was undertaken.
D. Kalloo Photos courtesy: www.Passblue.com www.steamregister.com www.5gyeres.org
Many positive steps to protect the ocean and ocean life are already in motion, especially conservation areas for turtles as 12
The GC Powerlist UK 2016 For 28 years The Legal 500 has been analysing the capabilities of Law firms across the world. They produce comprehensive research programmes that are revised and update each year, bringing the most-up-to-date ‘vision of the global legal market.’
Nominations for those names followed a model of three questions: 1; Which individual general counsel would you highlight as outstanding in terms of performance and overall contribution? 2; What qualities would you say makes this lawyer outstanding? 3; What career achievements would you highlight that illustrate their abilities and potential? The online process, according to GC Powerlist generated 150 nominations. A rigorous process followed that involved five journalist and senior lawyers from various practices before the comprehensive Powerlist was finalised.
The Legal 500 in association with Legal Business, GC, IHL and backed by sponsors; RPC, Barclay Simpson, Iken, and Risk Advisory have just published their GC Powerlist UK 2016. I am particularly making mention of this because for decades’ people from the ethnic minority backgrounds have been neglected in the legal profession. Over the last few years however, a conscious effort by Law firms in the City and bolstered by the Law Society changes are taking place.
GC Powerlist is published in several other countries. For a full list visit: www.legal500.com/gcpowerlist www.gcmagazine.com
This year there has been a number of people from ethnic minority background that has made it into the GC Powerlist. They include; Donny Ching- Legal Director, Royal Dutch Shell, Jasveer Singh – General Counsel, Man Group, Funke Abimbola – General Counsel, Roche Products, Sarah Davis – Legal Director, Guardian Media Group, Nilema Bhakta-Jones – Legal Director, Ascential, Sajid Hussain – General Counsel, Merrill Lynch, Ifther Ali – Senior Vice President, UNICREDIT, Mine Hifzi – Chief Legal Adviser, Virgin Media, Maria da Cunha – Director of People and legal government affairs, British Airways, Carol Hui – General Counsel, Heathrow Airport Holdings and Musonda Kapotwe – Resolutions and Recovery, CITIGROUP. These are just a few of those who have been recognised for their efforts in the legal profession.
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Notting Hill Carnival at 50…again the carnival culture of Trinidad and Tobago, this too, without a doubt was the first emergence of Caribbean carnival culture in the UK. In 1951 TAPSO arrived to perform at the Festival of Britain at the Southbank Festival Hall. It was the first time a wider audience was treated to the amazing sounds of steel pan. The history of Notting Hill carnival is tainted with inaccuracies that I will not attempt to give a historical account. However, what I will endeavour, is to guide you through the existence of Notting Hill Carnival and its emergence as one of the cultural celebrations that has helped to shape, nurture and transform London into one of the most diverse cultural melting pots in the universe.
And so, the carnival seed impregnated Britain and, an embryo began to grow. Through Claudia Jones and finally the birth of the carnival baby emerged through Rhuanne Laslett with Russell Henderson helping to deliver the baby-Notting Hill Carnival. It took the sound of Henderson’s lone steel pan to resonate through the streets, starting from Portobello Road through to Bayswater Road, Westbourne Grove, Ladbroke Grove and back to Portobello Road-the first carnival route. It was the first time that pan was heard on the streets of London. The sound of steel drew West Indians out of their homes onto the streets of Ladbroke Grove to sway and move to that joyful ‘chip’and memories of home. It didn’t take long before Rhuanne Laslett children’s carnival emerged to what we know today as Notting Hill Carnival.
For as long as Notting Hill Carnival has existed, it has done so by the sheer cosmopolitan nature of bringing people and cultures together. London has always been a melting pot because of the Empire and colonialism. Today, colonialism is in reverse, the Empire no longer needs to venture into faraway lands to adorn itself with exotic tokens; it is being brought directly to her. London Notting Hill Carnival is a perfect example of this. The exotic revelry of carnival culture was subdued to nightclubs and bars across the capital and absorbed by the few West Indians already here and those who frequented London night life entertainment. This carnival culture, weaves a tapestry that incorporates diversity, social and cultural creativity that continues to evolve year after year for over five decades.
As Notting Hill Carnival enters its golden age, at fifty (spread over 3 years), it has not only emerged as one of the most spectacular cultural events in Europe, it is also an economic generator for the capital. But that’s another story.
D.Kalloo Photo courtesy www.visitlondon.com
As early as 1950 Boscoe Holder, a Trinidadian, may have been the first person to bring steel pan to the UK. Together with his wife Sheila they set up a dance troupe that entertained London with 14
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Lata Mangeshkar: The Nightingale of India By D T Kalloo Lata Mangeshkar: the name is legendary. She is known as the ‘Nightingale of India’ and the pride of the Indian music industry. Her career in the music and filmdom spans over seven decades recording no less than 30,000 songs in 20 Indian languages.
The song ‘Aayega Aanewaala’ from the movie Mahal in 1949 helped to launch Lata as a singer. The song was a major hit and sparked a tremendous growth in her career from the early period of the 50s. Bollywood’s top composers and directors such as S D Burman, Naushad Ali, Anil Biswas, Pandit Amarnath Husan Lal Bhagat Ram, Hemant Kumar, Salil Chowdhury, Laxmikant Pyarelal and Shankar Jaikishan were eager to have her voice used as the play back singer in their movies. Shankar Jaikishan was so stunned by her voice, that he wanted Lata for all his songs. Her association with music director Laxmikant Pyarelal saw her sing over 700 songs over a period of 35years. Such was her haunting melodious timbre, that she brought the then Prime Minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru to tears in 1963 with her rendition of ‘Aye Mere Watan Ke Logo’(Oh People of My Count
Born on 28 September 1929 in the princely state of Indore in Madhya Pradesh, India, she was given the name Hema at birth but her parents later changed it to Lata, after a female character Latika, in one of her father’s productions. Her family name also went through a change from Hardikar to Mangeshkar. Her father, Deenanath Hardikar had the name changed to Mangeshkar in order to identify with the family’s home town in Mangeshi in Goa. Mangeshkar began singing lessons at the tender age of five from her father Deenanath Mangeshkar who was a theatre actor and classical singer. She worked on her father’s musical plays. After her father’s death in 1942, the owner of Navyug Chitrapat movie company, and a close friend of the Mangeshkar’s aided Lata into a career as a singer and actress. She recorded the song ‘Naachu Yaa Gade, Khelu Saari Mani haus Bhaari’ for the movie ‘Kiti Hasaal’ however, the song was dropped from the movie. She was later given a role in the movie Pahili Mangalaa-gaur in which she sang ‘Natali Chaitraachi Navalaai.’ Her first Hindi song was ‘Meta Ek sapoot Ki Duniya Badal De Tu’ for the film Gajaabhaau.
Lata Mangeshkar’s career has surpassed any living (or deceased) artiste. She has recorded songs for over one thousand Hindi films singing in over thirty-six regional Indian languages. She is the recipient of India’s highest award in cinema, the Dada Saheb Phalke Award and is only the second vocalist to ever receive India’s highest civilian award, the Bharat Ratna. Lata has played in concerts around the globe, including Canada, the Caribbean, Asia and Europe. 16
She was the first India singer to perform at the Royal Albert Hall in London in 1974. She has received honorary doctorates from six leading universities across the globe including York University of Canada, the Universities of Hyderbad and Kolhapur. Her name was also feature in the Guinness Book of Records from 1974 to 1991 for having made the most recordings in the world which included Duets, solo and chorus-backed songs. Some of her other awards include; the Padma Bhushan1969, Padma Vibhushan 1999.
2000, Best Playback Singer of the Millennium (Female) by Stardust Magazine- 2001, Noorjehan Award - 2001 Mangeshkar kept her personal life a closely guarded secret, yet controversy did hound her for periods of her life. Having recorded a number of duets with several leading Indian male vocalists, including Kishore Kumar, Manna Dey, Mukesh, Mahendra Kapoor and Mohammed Rafi, a bitter taste ensued with Mohammed Rafi during the 1960s. An issue arising out of royalty payments between the two created tension which led to them refusing to work with each other after recording Tasveer Teri Dil Mein in 1961. Years later the music director, Shankar Jaikishan intervened and a reconciliation between Lata and Rafi was reached.
In 1980 she was presented with the key to the city of Georgetown, Guyana and made an Honorary Citizen of the Republic of
Lata with Amitabh Bachan
Suriname as well as an Honorary Citizen of Houston, Texas in 1987. In Toronto, Canada June 9th 1985 was declared Asia Day in her honour while France made her Legion of Honour in 2006, the highest civilian award of France. She also has to her name several Filmfare Awards (‘58,’62,’65,’69, ‘93, ‘94 & 2005) for Best Female Playback Singer.
Lata and Mohammed Rafi
Although Lata never married she was said to have had a long lasting love affair with the late Raj Singh Dingapur. It is believed that because the two came from different caste background a union would not have been allowed and so, the two remained unmarried. Controversy surrounding her entry into the Guinness Book of Records regarding the number of songs she has recorded came into question. Guinness claimed that 25,000 songs were recorded by the artist. However, records found that up until 1991, she had only 5025 songs
Other awards to her name includes; National Awards (1972, 1975 & 1990), Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award 1993, Star Screen Lifetime Award – 1996, Rajiv Ghandi Award – 1997, NTR Award – 1999, Zee Cine Award for Lifetime Achievement – 1999, Lifetime Achievement Award II FA London – 17
recorded in Hindi films. Later the Guinness Book of Records removed her
During the early 60s Lata had a close brush with death when she was slow poisoned. It is not clear who tried to poison her however, after the incident, her cook vanished without taking his wages. Her doctor, in a bid to counter the poison gave her an injection that rendered her unconscious. After ten days she was on the road to recovery but the poison had left her weak and she was bed-ridden for almost three months. It is rumoured that Bollywood lyricist Majrooh Sultanpuri used to visit Lata daily and taste her food before she was allowed to eat.
Lata and her sister Asha Bhosle
from the listing and replaced her with Mohammed Rafi who contested that he had sung around 28,000 songs. In 2011, Guinness stated that Lata’s younger sister Asha Bhosle was the most recorded artist in the world with 11,000 songs.
Lata Mangeshkar is a highly versatile artist, her talent does not stop at singing, she is a composer and film director too. She composed music for the first time in 1955 for the movie Ram Ram Pavhane and for the movies Maratha Tituka Melvava, Mohityanchi Manjula, Tambadi Mati and Lata also drew criticism when she was Sadhi Manase for which she won the nominated as a member of Rajya Sabha, Maharashtra State (Council of Government’s Best States). Music Director Award. However, she did Lataji as she is fondly not attend regular known in Bollywood sessions of the circles also produced House and was four films: Vaadal strongly (1953), Jhaanjhar criticised by (1953), Kanchan members (1955) and Lekin including (1990). In 2012 she Shabana Azmi. launched her own Lata explained music label LM music that her absence releasing an album of was due to illbhajans in which she health and said Lata Mangeshkar sang with her younger she had not taken sister Usha. a salary neither had she taken allowances or a house in Delhi for being a Member of Parliament.
In 2001 Lata Mangeshkar established the Master Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital in 18
Sheesha Ho Ya Dil Ho, Tu Kitne Baras Ka, Zindagi Har Qadam, Dekho Mahe ‘ine Dekha,Aayega Aanewala, Aaja Re Pardesi, Me Na Bhoolon Ga, Pani Re Pani and Khabi Khabi Mere Dil Main are just a few of Lataji’s collection. It would be remiss not to include her block buster hits such as; Hum Aapke Hain Kaun, Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayeene, Dil Se, Dil To Pagal Hai, Khabie Khushi Khabie Gham, Veer Zara and Mohabatein. At 86, she is still the choice of playback singer for 17-year – old film heroines. Lata Mangeshkar is a living legend across the globe and her contribution to India and the Bollywood film industry has earned her the title the ‘Nightingale of India.’
Pune and managed by the Lata Mangeshkar Medical Foundation which was founded by the Mangeshkar family in 1989. She has helped raised money for several charities including United Way of Greater Toronto where she filled the Maple Leaf Gardens, raising $150,000 for the charity and on the request of Anne Murray, Lata sang You Needed Me. Lataji, as she is also affectionately known, also designed a collection of jewellery called Swaranjali which was crafted by Indian diamond company, Adora. Five pieces from the collection were auctioned at Christie’s and raised £105,000. Most of the money raised was donated to the 2005 Kashmir earthquake relief. In 1999 a perfume, Lata Eau de Parfum was launched in her honour.
Photos courtesy: www.indianexpress.com www.forum.sontanbanta.com www.iloveindia.com www.youtube.com www.indiasgoldenperson-blogspot.com
Lata Mangeshkar’s career is unparalleled: she is unique in her field. She is undoubtedly the goddess of music. Her illustrious career spans over seven decades recording songs in languages such as; Urdu, Marathi, Hindi, Bengali and Tamil. Her catalogue of songs are too numerous to mention here however, songs such as Aaj Phir Jeene Ki Tamanna Hai, Gata Rahe Mera Dil, Aye Mere Watan Ke Logo, Chalte Chalte, Roothe Roothe Piya, 19
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To Freeze or not to Freeze For thousands of years’ humans have been using freezing as a means of preserving food. But it wasn’t until Clarence Birdseye in the 1920s developed home refrigerators and created a line of frozen foods that really kick-started the frozen food industry. the infamous horsemeat scandal that literally rocked the industry and sent it on a tail spin. However, the market is recovering steadily but it still needs to shed the stigma that cheap frozen food is inferior to fresh alternative. Iceland, the British frozen food retailer is currently struggling to shake off the ‘cheap and inferior’ image that has plagued it for years. In comparison their French counterpart Picard is a name trusted by the French and continues to enjoy huge success in the frozen food market.
Frozen food brought convenience to the masses, especially working mothers who could then buy in bulk and save time by stocking up with frozen meals, meats and vegetables. In recent years frozen foods have come under heavy criticism of being over-processed and because it is far cheaper to buy frozen than it is to buy fresh food, frozen products are often perceived to be inferior. While this may be the perception with \British and US consumers, the French see frozen products as being healthy and of extremely high quality – giving the French reputation for fine food.
It is worth noting that not everything is suitable for freezing. The process of freezing creates ice crystals and the more water there is in food the bigger the ice crystals which in turn can damage the food structure. Items such as cucumbers, mushrooms and lettuce leaves do not make good freezing candidates. Berries, sweetcorn, peas, chopped cabbage, meat and fish are sound contenders. Freezing aromatic spices also help to retain their flavour and aromas too. The next time you stroll down your supermarket aisles be sure to visit the frozen section and stock up on some frozen goodness.
Several studies have shown that the method of freezing is beneficial in locking in the nutrients of fruits and vegetables. Fruits and vegetables stored in a household fridge for up to three days had lost most of its antioxidant concentration while the same study on a domestic freezer at 20degrees food produce retained its levels of antioxidants. Freezing left over food also has its benefits by locking flavours and nutrients in. Giving that Britain has one of the highest level of food wastage in Europe, freezing excess food could also help to save an average household up to £470 a year. Confidence in frozen foods, especially meats and ready meals was tarnished by 21
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friend? Is this love for a friend characterised by various different shared experiences between you and The One? In fact, this kind of love is one form of love that should be propagated for when Eros love fizzles out. Invariably, Eros does. 'Hench' soon turns to flab and aesthetic beauty may fade. As time wears on, as you grow older in years and wisdom together, you know that sexual desire, physical attraction or the ability to put the winner of Master Chef to shame will not be enough to sustain your relationship.
Why Choose Agape? There are so many applications of the word Love. Often the word is used to express a feeling about a particular person, object, or experience. We hear people say, "I love potato salad", or when a stranger hands them back their wallet they lost a few meters down the road, they proffer gratitude with the expression, "I love you man." Even in Deus a Machina; moments when we get rescued from an untimely demise by some natural phenomenon, out of overwhelming emotions we say, "I love you," when all that is meant is "thank you."
Although Philos love between you may be wonderful at times, it proves to be unreliable. You may not always be friends to each other. You may not always feel like listening when your love interest wants to talk. You may not always feel like comforting The One when they feel down. You may not always be able to be on hand when you are needed. When prospects don't look to promising for you, your mate or both as a couple, it may be easy to become disillusioned with the whole idea of a relationship altogether. Philos love could mean that you are unable to give each other aspects of friendship required in times when you are needed or when you need them. At times when you attempt to be assertive and strong, you bulldoze over each other's feelings and end up hurting each other
But the fundamental truth is that true love is not a feeling. It is not Eros. The kind of love Eros refers to is desire and longing. This form of love is transient and often comes with conditions: so long as he stays fit, I will love him, so long as she cooks well, I will love her .. and so on. When a relationship is based on Eros it becomes a contract where boxes have to be ticked as opposed to a covenant. In a marriage, you make a permanent commitment; a covenant with sexual intimacy as the covenant seal. Love was never intended to be selfish. Desire and longing which makes up sexual love is crucial in a marriage but not the basis of it. This type of love is meant to be preserved between a couple and is essential for a healthy marriage. So what should the love you have for The One be based on then? Is it based on Philos? Do you love The One like your brother or sister or even a 23
with words. When you attempt to be tender, you overdose with niceness and end up with an undesirable tattoo on your forehead: Doormat. So what is love?
inadequacy is going to be validated by our mate's words, that we control the words that leave their lips. Allow them to be able to tell you how they feel when things go wrong. Allow them to have a voice uninterrupted.
Ultimately Love is a decision. When you decide to love, you begin to cast away all negativity; failure, anger, disappointment, unforgiving, fear. What may be perceived as debts are wiped out through love. You decide to let go and let the healing, restorative power of love take place within you and between you and your loved ones. Love is Agape. Real love is the decision to love unconditionally. This is the best of the three types of love.
Speak without accusing. When you have your pow-wows with a loved one if there is a disagreement, avoid your returns being accusatory. Sometimes voicing a fear can take the tone of accusing your mate of either of not loving you or of wanting to leave you or of wanting to be with someone else. A parent may be reprimanding a child but use such accusing words that they speak the child's eternal demise. Many prisoners lament that their mother or father had told them that they would amount to no good on a particular occasion when they did something inappropriate.
Agape love is the unconditional, God-like love: feelings described hitherto, however real, does not mean that they are absolutely incontrovertible. Au contraire, love is more of a set of thoughts, words and actions, emerging out of the battlefield that is the mind, that you you adopt to be able to live peacefully with your mate.
Give without sparing. Don't hold back. Past betrayals force us to make inner vows. You expect that The One will do the same. We vow that we will never let anyone hurt us again so we adopt a set of thoughts, words and actions that quintessentially are barriers. If we replace these barriers with support, and inner vows with appreciation for all that they are and not, it is much better than reproach. You know that you do not mean to be reproachful; that you are trying to show them how much you love them through how much you do for them. But love is not a braggart.
You have simply decide to give it, which means that there is no control, no accusing, not ceasing, no sparing, no doubting. You expect nothing. You decide to love regardless of The One's foibles. You hope for harmony, tranquillity with giving this type of love. You become the epitome of love and that is how you get the love you were longing for.
Our impatience with The One at times could range from expecting them to remember an event, a place or an occasion to asking you where the scissors are. Heavens, the scissors have not moved from the designated storage space you have both been retrieving it from for the last 20 years, have they?!
Your decision to love should consist of these 9 facets at the very least. These facets, be certain, will override the fallout from the ways you didn't love The One or indeed anyone else before. Listen without interrupting. Sometimes we can be so afraid that our feelings of 24
Our responses to an innocuous enquiry could carry an edgy tone. This tone can often be due to unresolved issues between you. But true love is answering without arguing.
the past. The best way then, to move forward with your mate from conflict is to forgive without reminding them of what they did to you. Replace punishing words that can tear them down with words that bring edification and healing.
You will share without pretending. When you step in to help with any aspect of your domestic life with your mate, your sharing should not be pretensive. You may have informed views on who does what in the relationship; one typically is expected to provide financially whilst the other is expected to take charge of the domestic aspect. Should these roles switch by sheer circumstance either tacitly or by verbal arrangement, then it really ought not to be raised up in any disagreement.
Promises, they say, are made to be broken. Not this one! You promise without forgetting. In any form of partnership, some form of promise is made. In marriage you make vows to each other. But no sooner than conflict appears in the marriage, than the marriage ceases to be a covenant and now is a contract that can be broken. All broken contracts have a fine levied on them. Even a common-law arrangement incurs a cost for breaking a promise. The disparity between emotional cost and the gain from not keeping your word is immeasurable. Love yourself enough to keep your promise.
Enjoy everything about The One without complaint. Let them know if you have an issue with something they have done, said or thought, without complaining about it. Complaining takes on the tone of attack in their view. This 'attack' could then lead to feelings of inadequacy which in turn could lead to barriers, inner vows, arguing.....The so-called 'vicious cycle' is perpetuated.
Why choose agape? Because it is the only kind of permanent love. It always protects the tangible and intangible aspects of our loved ones. It always trusts. It always hopes. It always perseveres. Love never fails.
You will trust without wavering. When you believe in something, it ought to be steadfast, rooted in what you know that thing to be. So if The One has your trust one minute and then they don’t the next, where do you reside emotionally? You will be like a ship on the wave being tossed. Your trust in them should be rooted, even more importantly, in who you know yourself to be: a new creation who chose to love unconditionally.
D A Kalloo
Forgive without punishing. You have forgiven them for any pain and disappointment you have experienced with them, decided to let go. Of course in some instances, forgiving a person does not mean that you wish to continue the relationship with them. However is all cases, apropos past events, THEY HAVE PASSED. Every second that ticks by is 25
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Being Black and the Caribbean Self-Identity Self-identity is a personal issue. How a person self identifies is really a matter of their own concern. I, myself, have self-identified in a number of ways throughout my life. Anyone that tried to put me in a box really pissed me off. Nobody can tell me who I am. And of course I would never even attempt to tell someone who they are, but do blacks in the Caribbean even consider themselves black?
important than any other death in world. I didn't expect to be addressed by anyone I didn't know as I was addressing my friend that posted the comment, but I guess he felt so strongly on the issue himself that, he had to address my comment. I then countered that although his death may not have been more important, that it was just as important as any other unjust death in the world. It didn't end there, between the two of them, they continued arrogantly making fun of his mother.
This question has been plaguing me since the Oscars when the question of the award show’s diversity came into discussion. The responses to the issue by my fellow Trinidadians still residing in Trinidad sort of shocked me and made me painfully aware that they do not identify with the struggles of blacks in America. This could also be true in regard to us not relating to the struggles of blacks worldwide, but I haven't been privy to such exchanges yet.
At first I didn't get how they could not relate or identify on some level with this woman's pain, or the injustice of her son’s death. As black males I thought they could see how harshly and unfairly they were judged in the world as a whole and know what it was to be treated unfairly just because of the colour of their skin. But then it dawned on me, they are in denial, they have to have some form of defence to deal with the everyday reality that something unjust or unpleasant can happen at any time and nobody would care who they were because they are black.
As I think back, honestly, I noticed this back to the Mike Brown atrocity. A Facebook friend that I have known since childhood, a black, highly educated man and when I say highly educated, I mean university level, made fun of Mike Brown’s mother's speech at the United Nations. He focused on the colour of her hair and the style and, implied that this hairstyle was an example of her bad parenting and the horrible result that it incurred. When I read the post on Facebook, my heart started to pound; I tried to ignore the comment and move on, but I couldn't move, I just stared at the words hoping they would change their formation to mean something else -- they never did. And as much as I hated confrontation, I had to say something.
They spend their entire lives trying to prove they are good enough, that they are not like those other blacks, the ghetto blacks, that they have education and money, that they have good upbringing, and they hope that this is evident in their speech or their walk. They hope that is the reason that nothing terrible has happened to them thus far. They have to believe this story they tell themselves to feel safe and blame the terrible things that happen to others on their bad parental raising, dealing in drugs or just being terrible people. Which can be true in some instances but is not always the automatic reason.
What ensued was a horrible look into the middle class black Trinidadian mind. I first interjected that cultural differences in hairstyle does not equate with bad parenting, nor shouldn’t imply that such a thing could justify the death of a young man. In response, one of his friends, another black male but I cannot confirm a middle class existence, informed me that Mike Brown's death was not more
This again came to my attention with the issue of diversity at the Academy Awards; social media again was the vehicle through which the discourse occurred. Comments predominated such as: why are blacks always whining about something; they should work harder to be nominated like the other ethnic groups; and Will Smith is only doing this because he 27
wasn't nominated otherwise he wouldn't care. Now, I didn't watch the Oscars because I wasn't about to support a show that didn't award diversity but I saw a video of it on Facebook. I know Facebook seems to be the source of my issues, but anyway, another friend posted his support of Chris Rock’s opening monologue, which I hated, and I have admired his work forever, and still do, I just did not enjoy his Academy Awards opening monologue. It literally made me cringe when he referenced hanging grandmas, but I digress. He was in a tough position and he was trying to make everyone happy, I guess; I don't know what it was like for him to be in such position, or what I would have done if I was in the same position, but I definitely didn't like the monologue and couldn't understand how any other person of colour could. So, this question came to me, do black middle class Trinidadians identify as black?
Trinidadians do, just by their Rastafarian movement alone that is evident, and their pride in their Maroon history and Queen Nanny. Do they still have issues with colourism? Yes of course; that is obvious too by the skin bleaching of some, but they know that they are black. They are not in denial about it and they don't try to prove they are less black by referring to their non-black ancestors. If Rihanna’s comment about black girls being beautiful under a pic of her and her friends at last Crop Over is any indication of Bajans’ acceptance of their black roots, then it speaks for itself. I do not blame ourselves; however, the whole societal system is to blame. The colonial system of the European standard of beauty and success has been ingrained for hundreds years and it may take just as long for it to be eradicated. Are we making progress? I think so. I sincerely hope so and the more conversations we have about it and the more aware we become of it, I know we will become more comfortable identifying as black too.
The answer is a tough one, and I don't even know if I can answer it, but I will try to state what I have observed from others and my own personal struggles with it. What I have observed thus far is that we do not identify as black. We try our hardest to prove we have other ethnicities in our heritage like my greatgrandmother was Chinese or Portuguese, my great-great-grandfather was Scottish or Indian, which is all good but we never say my great grandfather was a black slave; we never boast about our black ancestors. I am not saying we can't be proud of our entire heritage, but I am asking, why don't we ever shed light on our black ancestors too? They are just as important as all the others. I am now just as proud of my great grandmother Mama Annie, a black woman, as I am of her Scottish husband Duncan Campbell. I saw this again in the resistance by black Trinidadians to be acknowledged as Afro Trinidadians. Some argue, we are all Trinidadians, so why do we need to be identified as Afro Trinidadians, but I don't see Indian Trinidadians having any objections with being acknowledged as Indo Trinidadian. They embrace their Indian roots.
By Malaika Crichlow Malaika Crichlow is the author of Iridescent Illuminations of a Black Madonna. Available online now.
I do not believe all Caribbean islands are the same though. I think Jamaica has a better acceptance of their black selves than 28
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The Rise of the Cat Café Cat cafés are not a new concept, it is quite popular in Taiwan, Japan and other parts of Asia and Europe however, in recent years the concept has gained popularity in the Czech city of Prague.
Most people who frequent cat cafes are cat lovers who go there to soak up the unique atmosphere and not gulp down their coffee. It is not uncommon for a feline to leap onto a table curious about your chocolate cake or coffee. Not everyone finds cat cafés appealing and are not partial to the curious furry felines. Given the current surge in cat cafés in Prague’s tourist district it may not be long before the trend catches on in the UK and in other cities as a tourist magnet. Presently, you can visit cat café’s in Nottingham City, London and the quite popular Maison de Moggy in Stockbridge, Edinburgh.
It is said that cats radiate calm and a purring cat is very pleasant, people simply like the idea of having cats mingling about the café according to one café owner in Prague. “Cats bring people together it gives guest something to talk about.” She said. One of the more favourite cat café in Prague is the Kockafe (kocka meaning cat in Czech), here the owner adopts cats from animal shelters and customers are allowed to adopt the animals should they wish to do so. In other Cat cafes however, cats are clearly specific to the café with owners opting for breeds that like being caressed such as British marbled cats. One café owner remarked that, cats from shelters are often afraid of people and therefore not comfortable with stroking and are easily frightened.
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The Chelsea Flower Show One commentator responding to the lack of female judges in the Show Garden category said. “Having women judges is important…but the calibre of the judges is what matters most.” The RHS response to the lack of female judges was that they
The curtains have come down on another fantastic year for the Chelsea Flower Show put on by The Royal Horticultural Society (RHC) at the grounds of the Royal Chelsea Hospital. The event attraction hundreds of exhibitors from around the world transforming the area into an amazing display of flora and fauna with cutting edge garden designs.
had ‘less trained female judges available to judge the Show Gardens.’ However, a spokesperson for the RHS said. “Overall, over 40 per cent of the judges at the Chelsea Flower Show were women.” The show also had three times as many women Show Garden designers and five women designing small gardens.
Despite another year of success, the RHS Chelsea Flower Show managed to court some controversy with gender and diversity issues. There was criticism for the lack of female judges in the Show Garden category and the RHS’s failure to do more, to promote and encourage participation from ethnic minority backgrounds.
Tanzanian-born Juliet Sargeant, the first black garden designer in the RHS 103-year history, won a Gold medal for her design, Modern Slavery Garden. Juliet Sargeant
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criticised the RHS for not ‘doing enough to encourage young people from ethnic minority backgrounds.’ It seems peculiar that the RHS should find itself in this position as in 1927 when a campaign was led to have foreign exhibits banned in order to reduce competition with British firms but the Royal Horticultural Society refused to budge claiming that ‘horticulture knows nothing of nationality.’ In responding to the lack of diversity, The RHS said. “it was addressing the problem.” They appointed Baroness Benjamin as its ambassador to look into ways of promoting and encouraging diversity. The Chelsea Flower Show has been running at its current site since 1913 and attracts thousands of visitors each year. It was once the largest flower show in Britain but it is now dwarfed by the Hampton Court Palace Flower Show. However, the Chelsea Flower Show still maintains a prestige position in horticultural circles around the globe. The show still has two of its original exhibitors who began at the present site. Blackmore and Langdon and McBean’s Orchids have exhibited at the Chelsea Flower Show since 1913.
Di Marvel an exhibitor at Chelsea Flower Show to creation of carnival-type theme displaying floral arrangement of headpieces and body costume won her the Chelsea Florist of the Year – may her work is a fitting tribute to Notting Carnival 50th anniversary. Photos courtesy Beverly Charmaine Toney and the RHS
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Apple Talks of a Time Warner purchase
Apple as the world’s top media company and put it in a commanding position when negotiating distribution deals with other media conglomerates. Apple’s turnover last year represented ‘$234bn with 12 per cent resulting from service revenue’ which incidentally have risen from 9 per cent the previous year.
Apple, the world’s most valuable company has had a major hand in driving the media industry into the digital age. The company have now expressed interest in becoming involved in the business itself.
There is no clear indication to suggest that Apple intends to make an offer for Time Warner however, with Netflix increasingly encroaching on HBO as a rival it could be some of the signs that Apple is considering the dramatic move that will make it the largest media company in the world.
A senior executive at Apple recently broached the subject of a ‘possible purchase of Time Warner’ the boldest sign yet of Apple’s interest in the media industry. Since the launch of Apple’s iPhone, the company has seen a decline in revenue from smartphones. Apple’s relies heavily on the revenue from Smartphones which produced almost two-thirds of the company’s income in the last six months. Digital music and movies have also emerged as another large source of Apple’s revenue after iPhone. Apple music have over 13m paying subscribers to this service since it was launched last June and additionally, with subscriptions from video service and pay TV could put Apple in a powerful position. The acquisition of a media company such as Time Warner, who owns assets like Warner Brothers and HBO could propel 33
New Website Launch
After months of hard work, we pleased to announce the launch of the NAGB’s new website and modernised online presence. With our new site, you will be able to access information about the NAGB’s mission and vision, programming and exhibitions. Through the website, online visitors get a clearer understanding of our ongoing operations and the ways in which we lend support to the local creative community through our National Collection and membership.
You are invited to the NAGB’s new film series – curated with The Bahamas in mind! Each film was selected by NAGB Director Amanda Coulson, NAGB Chief Curator Holly Bynoe and Canadian film programmer Francis Litzinger. The series is intended to reflect on the themes that resonates with and, relative to the NAGB’s exhibition programming and current day social issues. The series begins on Thursday 2nd of June with Spike Lee’s Do The Right Thing (120mins) and will continue throughout 2016. Litzinger will be on hand at the end of each film for questions and comments. All films are free to attend and begin at 8pm. To make your experience that much more enjoyable, we will be offering popcorn and refreshments for sale. See you soon!
We will be updating current content on a regular basis including press releases for upcoming shows and gallery events, education resources, articles, announcements and the open call National Exhibition 8 to be released later this month. Among the site’s new features are our artist directory, which is currently under construction. Over the coming months we will be working n developing a compendium of Bahamian artists accessible from anywhere in the world.
Series dates: Do the Right Thing – June 2nd Kon-Tiki – June 23rd Always for Pleasure – July 7th Beast of Southern Wild – August 11th Rosetta – August 25th Follow the NAGB: @NAGBahamas
Working along with Kriston Chen from Notsirk Designs was particularly enriching. He was able to work with the entire team to understand our current needs and the vision for each department. We hope that you enjoy our new site. If you have questions, comments or suggestions, please send them to info@nagb.org.bs
www.facebook.com/TheNAGB info@nagb.org.bs www.nagb.org.bs
www.nagb.org.bs 34
Caribbean News In a session of the second day of the 34th Congress of the Latin American Studies Association (LASA), the diplomat noted that these agreements could be signed in the coming months. An official specified that the possible cooperation tools would reach the areas of health, the fight against drugs, search and rescue, oil spill response in the Gulf of Mexico and the Straits of Florida, and meteorology. Also cited was seismic monitoring, plant and animal health and terrestrial areas. In addition, there will be work on new high level visits between the two countries, in order to promote dialogue on the issues raised.
The International Monetary Fund have recently awarded a loan totalling $478m to the government of Suriname to boost its economic reform programme. Suriname is the second South American country to seek a bailout in just under a decade. As part of the two-year deal, the IMF will make available $81m immediately to the government. Suriname will have to adhere to a series of measures under the stand-by-arrangement of the government adopting policies aimed at stabilising the country’s finances and economy. The reforms are designed to enhance Suriname’s finances following a drop in prices for its principal exports that includes gold and oil. Last year the country’s main alumina refinery was shut down.
Josefina Vidal, also commented about the plans for Havana and Washington holding in the coming months, two meetings of the Bilateral Commission, a mechanism activated last year to monitor relations and boost cooperation in sectors profitable for the two parties, which has already had three meetings. Vidal highlighted at the LASA forum that from the approach that Cuba and the US that began in December 2014 and the resumption of diplomatic ties in July 2015, the two countries have taken important steps for cooperation.
An IMF loan was sought after the country was faced with fiscal deficits and a rundown of international reserves. The IMF said that ‘implementing a structural reform agenda is essential’ to ensuring a prosperous future for Suriname. Part of the reforms includes; implementing value-added-tax and eliminating the subsidies on electricity. There will also be strategies for schemes to increase private sector growth and attract foreign investors.
Also mentioned was the signing of nine agreements, including those intended to reestablish regular flights and direct mail. Moreover, the Empress de Telecommunications de Cuba, ETECSA, signed four agreements with United States counterparts, while entities of the island signed contracts with Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide to manage two hotels in Havana, and they are currently negotiating a third possibility. The Cuban ambassador in Washington DC Jose Ramon Cabanas, and the US ambassador to the island, Jeffery Delaurentis, participated in a panel of the 34th LASA Congress on the new bilateral scenario.
In 2007, Peru sought a bailout programme from the IMF and there is wide speculation that countries such as Ecuador and Venezuela could put their mistrust of the IMF aside and follow in the footsteps of Suriname and Peru as their economies shrink and, the threat of recession emerges.
The government of Cuba and the United States have negotiated agreements in areas of mutual interest, ranging from health to confronting illegal acts. The announcement was made by Josefina Vidal, director general of the United States Department of the island’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 35
In Loving Memory of
Holly Betaudier ‘The Arima Kid’ 27 January 192536– 30 May 2016