New York Liberty Star

FRIDAY, JULY 30, 2010 * NEW YORK LIBERTY STAR

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LOCAL US PROBES JAMAICANS IN OLINT SCHEME, PAGE 6

FRIDAY, JULY 30, 2010

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Copyright © 2006, New York Liberty Star

Page 12

JAM $35 | US $0.50

Entertainment

JAMES WINS MISS TROPICAL PARADISE

MONIQUE JAMES captured the top sport during 11th Annual Miss Tropical Paradise Beauty Pageant at Nakisaki Night Club, in front of a packed house.

Page 11

Caribbean News

WYCLEF RUNS FOR HAITI PRESIDENCY

WYCLEF JEAN has taken legal steps toward contesting the presidential elections in Haiti later this year.

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VOL. 10 ISSUE 208

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FRIDAY, JULY 30, 2010 * NEW YORK LIBERTY STAR

FRIDAY, JULY 30, 2010 * NEW YORK LIBERTY STAR

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NEW YORK LIBERTY STAR

FRIDAY, JULY 30, 2010 * NEW YORK LIBERTY STAR

Local News

Sparrow Recuperating After Hernia Surgery Doctors for legendary calypsonian Slinger Fransisco, known to his fans as the Mighty Sparrow, say the singer is in stable condition after undergoing surgery in the United States.

Sparrow, 75, was rushed off stage and to the Montgomery General Hospital in Maryland after experiencing crippling pains during a performance on Saturday night.

Patricia Sandiford, one of the doctors who administered emergency care, said the veteran entertainer had suffered an “acute attack of right groin pain” and was “administered emergency care on the premises” of the concert venue.

“Mr. Francisco was diagnosed with an incarcerated right inguinal hernia, which was reduced within six to eight hours,” Dr. Sandiford, a Trinidadian, said.

She said Sparrow subsequently had emergency surgery, performed by Dr. George Conrad, on Sunday, at the same hospital.

“He tolerated the procedure well and was in stable condition immediately after surgery,” Dr. Sandiford

Hugh G. Beckford, founder of the Caribbean American Family Services was laid to rest today at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in the Bronx. Scores of Caribbean nationals and well wishers paid their respects to the long time community leader and advocate for immigrants’

said.

Carlton Joseph and Fred Thornhill, considered to be members of Sparrow’s inner circle, said Wednesday that the New York-based calypsonian was released from hospital on Monday and is recuperating at a private home in Silver Spring, Maryland. “He is expected to make a quick and full recovery,” they said.

Sparrow began his performance on Saturday by joking about rumours about his fading health and singing two verses of the popular tune ‘Sparrow Dead’.

“It was a more subdued Sparrow who performed from a seated position centre stage … Although he appeared to be physically weak and less than his normally active, on-stage self, his humour was there, and the voice strong and unmistakably Sparrow,” Joseph and Thornhill added.

However, nearing the end of his

EDITORIAL STAFF LENECIA HINES EDITOR-IN-CHIEF IVROL HINES MANAGING EDITOR LEONARDO HARRISON GRAPHIC DESIGNER & WEBMASTER EARL “JR JAMROC” LYN VP OF OPERATIONS

Legendary calypsonian Slinger Fransisco, “The Mighty Sparrow” is recovering well after undergoing surgery at Montgomery General Hospital in Maryland this week.

PAUL HAUGHTON COMMUNITY RELATIONS LIASON DAVID LESTER NEAL JOHN ACCOUNTS MANAGER MARJORIE FLASH PHOTOJOURNALIST DEREK NOEL STRATEGIC MARKETING PARTNER

NEW YORK CITY performance, Sparrow began clutching his lower right side with a painful grimace, bringing his performance and the show to a premature end.

“After surgery, Sparrow looking and sounding as his old self, jokingly declared when questioned about his ordeal, ‘The only thing is, I ain’t dead yet. Hallelujah,’” Joseph and Thornhill continued.

Earlier in July, Sparrow appeared to be a shadow of himself and miss-

ing lines during a performance in Trinidad , when he had to be taken off stage in a wheelchair.

Sparrow is scheduled to perform, August 16th, during Long Island's First Annual Caribbean American International Festival to be held at the Lakeside Theatre in Eisenhower Park, in Hempstead, Long Island, starting at 5 pm. The event is organized by Nassau County and the Jamaica Cultural Alliance.

Jamaican Woman, Son In Suspected Murder-suicide

Caribbean Community Bids Farewell To Hugh Beckford

New York police say a Jamaican woman, frustrated over the demands of raising an autistic child, shot the boy to death before turning the gun on herself.

rights. The Warsop, Trelawny, Jamaica native passed away recently after battling cancer.

Beckford’s organization has helped more than 30,000 immigrants in their quest to become US citizen. He was also the founder of The Caribbean and American Political Club.

Police said Micaela Jackson, 37, and Kenneth Holmes, 12, were found in the bed of the single mother’s apartment in the Bronx on Wednesday night with a single gunshot to their heads.

“I don’t see the reason for any of this,” the child’s Jamaican father, Kenneth Holmes Sr., told reporters.

“We were just getting ready to

go to Jamaica, and now this,” he added. Holmes, who was not married to Jackson, said he was shocked because Jackson had just been promoted at her job at Montefiore Medical Centre.

“She was at a good point in her life,” he added. Holmes said his son was “a gift,” adding that, while he was autistic, “he had charm.”

Police said they responded to a call on Wednesday night from Jackson’s sister, who was worried because she could not reach her.

Police said the door of the apartment was locked and fastened with a chain from the inside, strengthening investigators’ belief that the deaths were a murder-suicide.

SPIRITUAL READING Man from Jamaica ~ Clairvoyant

Prayer of the Guardian Angel

Oh protector spirit who incessantly watch over me. You who have received this mission, because you enjoy doing good works; and you need to do it for me and my family, so your soul will advance. Save me and my family during the night when our spirits wander through the unknown passage. Guide us safely to friends and loved-ones and those who would teach us lessons and grant us council useful to my living which are enact tomorrow. Guide our souls through nature. Help us contemplate it and lift our souls above new challenges that could make us lose our hope. Amen. In the name of the father, son and holy spirit.

Light a guardian angel candle, starting on Mondays. Best use with this prayer.

For reading call for appointment: Email: ssreading@yahoo.com

917-216-1507

www.shawnspiritualreading.webs.com

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New York Liberty Star welcomes letters from readers and press releases. We reserve the right to edit all materials, in keeping with publication standards. To submit an article, send email to: nylibertystar@yahoo.com. Hours of operation: M-F, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. All material due by 12 p.m., two days prior to publication. The New York Liberty Star is not responsible for typographical errors in ads beyond the cost of the space occupied by the error. Copyright New York Liberty Star 2001.

All rights reserved / Ivrol D. Hines.

FRIDAY, JULY 30, 2010 * NEW YORK LIBERTY STAR

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Digicel New York Jerk & Yam Festival For Roy Wilkins Park

New York needs its own Jerk Festival and the team behind the inaugural Digicel New York Jerk & Yam Festival, Caribbean Media Marketing, intends to give them just that on Sunday, August 15, and in fine style.

Sponsored by Digicel, the best value mobile operator in the Caribbean, Central America and the Pacific, the Digicel New York Jerk & Yam Festival will take place at Roy Wilkins Park, in Queens.

The festival promises a fun-filled day for the entire family; Food, Fun, Music. According to the organizers the groundwork has been set; the table is laid for a fantastic event, one which will see food take centre stage…in a nutshell, “It’s All About The Food.”

“We are excited to have Digicel on board with us”, said Ms. Andrea Daley, event organizer. “Digicel is leading the way in serving the telecommunications needs of our Diaspora through its innovative top up and calling card service. An event like ours connects them to what is important to us: the culture and traditional elements of our homeland; and their support confirms that.”

On show will be the exotic taste of the best

of Jamaica Jerk Cuisine and Yam. Not to be outdone the taste of the Island’s national dish, Ackee & Saltfish will take centre stage which according to the event organizers may just steal the show.

The Caribbean Brunch will lead off the day and will take on a gospel feel. Members of the local clergy will offer prayer for Jamaica & Haiti, their Rebirth & Rebuilding.

“We feel this is a perfect way to kick off the day,” continues Ms. Daley. “Both countries have been through a lot recently. To unite the community in support we’ve built this effort around food symbolic of a family gathering around the dining table. We want to replicate that synergy.”

The brunch begins at 11 a.m. and will end 2 p.m. Popular gospel acts will round off that segment. A full day of fun will continue with a Jerk Masters Cook-off. World renowned Chefs from the San-Francisco Bay Area will face-off against the Jerk Masters of Boston, Jamaica. The winner gets the pimento shield.

A culture yard sponsored by Culture Jam 93.5 FM and led by The Caribbean Cultural Theatre will feature traditional pieces such as maypole, storytelling and drummers.

The kiddies’ village will be incorporated in the culture yard as a means of exposing that generation to the cultural traditions, and will also have face-painting, story-telling and other fun activities.

The Fabulous Fab 5 band will provide non-stop entertainment. Music will be by DJ Face, Andrew D & Bobby Channel I. Gates open 11 am – 8 pm. Admission is adults $25 with children under 12 free of cost.

For more information contact Caribbean Media

Marketing @ 718.235.0604.

The event is supported by Footprints Café and Statements, with media partners Courier Life group of papers, Culture Jam Radio 93.5 FM, ImagesNewsletter.com, Fever Eyes, and the New York Liberty Star Newspaper.

The Fabulous Fab 5 band is scheduled to perform at the Digicel New York Jerk & Yam Fest.

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FRIDAY, JULY 30, 2010 * NEW YORK LIBERTY STAR

Guyanese Plotters, All Talk

During closing arguments on Monday, in Brooklyn federal court, Guyanese-American Russell DeFreitas, the leader of the John F. Kennedy Airport terror plot, was portrayed as a hapless, hopeless big talker, by his defence lawyer.

And she also told the court that her client actually did not intended to blow up the fuel tanks and the pipelines.

Mildred Whalen, the defence attorney, said, “Russell DeFreitas is man with a small mind, a big mouth and an ugly imagination, but those are character flaws, not crimes ... This was not a conspiracy. This was just a lot of stupid, ugly talk.”

According to prosecutor Zainab Ahmad’s arguments, DeFreitas, who lit a fuse on a plan that could lead to becoming a dangerous threat, was seething with anger against the United States.

Further, Zainab said, “The years Russell DeFreitas has spent in this country ... have left him resentful and angry, and they boiled over into concrete action. He made it clear that nothing less than the airport’s total devastation would satisfy him.”

Charged with involvement in a conspiracy to attack jet fuel tanks and pipelines in 2006

Lawyer Says Big Mouth Client Never Intended To Attack JFK

and 2007, are 67-year-old DeFreitas, who was formerly working as a cargo worker at Kennedy airport, and a Guyanese former mayor of Linden, 58-year-old Abdul Kadir.

A testimony and tapes recorded secretly by an FBI mole, who was posing as a plotter for over a year, featured in the trial, which began a month ago. DeFreitas and Kadir are both facing life in prison.

Defence attorney Whalen said that many of the various odd schemes of DeFreitas were out of a video game, which ranged from using ninjas or rats for an attack and even employing operatives of Al-Qaida. She added, “These guys have seen too many Bruce Willis movies and don’t have enough to fill their time.”

In response, prosecutor Marshall Miller told the jury, “I don’t think you’ll be surprised to learn that people who commit crimes don’t have to be rocket scientists. Nobody ever stood up here and told you Russell DeFreitas was James Bond, Osama bin Laden or Al Capone.”

In his defence, Kadir testified that he pretended to participate in tapes with DeFreitas in the hope for cooperation in business ventures, but actually he never joined the plot. But this defence argument was dismissed by Miller, saying, “This isn’t junior high school, you can’t say ‘I had my fingers crossed behind my back.’

That isn’t a defence.”

Abdel Nur (center), another suspect in the terror plot against JFK International Airport, on his way to court.

US Probes Jamaicans In Olint Does NY State Money Laundering Scheme Owe You Money?

The United States government is investigating 15 Jamaicans for alleged involvement in money laundering following the collapse of the multi-billion dollar foreign exchange trading scheme, Olint.

A judge has given the local authorities the green light to investigate the Jamaican accounts of David Smith, the former boss of Olint, as well as the accounts of other persons who have been named on a list submitted by Washington.

Smith was arrested and charged last year with fraud and money laundering in the Turks and Caicos Islands following the collapse of Olint. All his assets and those of Olint have since been frozen.

Last December a court issued an order restraining Smith, his wife and brother from selling or dealing with any of their assets on behalf of other persons.

Media reports said that the time of its collapse, Olint had investments of US $220 million.

The new United States request follows a statement by Assistant Sec-

retary of State Arturo Valenzuela that his country is looking forward to Jamaica’s response to a series of extradition requests for nationals suspected of committing crimes in that country.

Two weeks ago, the Director of

David Smith

Public Prosecutions (DPP), acting on behalf of the US government, obtained a court order giving local investigators the power to examine the accounts of Smith those held by several individuals and companies.

The application which was made under the Mutual Legal Assistance Criminal Matters Act, requested a showing of all documents, letters and articles related to the accounts of the individuals and their companies.

The Central Bank - the Bank of Jamaica (BOJ) - has been instructed to disclose the information.

The BOJ, which regulates the financial sector here, is expected to instruct one of the major financial institutions to turn over the documents and informatio0n on the accounts.

In addition to Smith, other persons being investigated include Smith’s wife – Tracey-Ann, his brother Gilbert as well as the son of a well known member of the ruling Jamaica Labour Party (JLP).

The US government also says it wants to look into the accounts of a petroleum company.

Hundreds Of Millions Returned To New Yorkers Annually Majority Conference Leader, Senator John L. Sampson announced this week that New Yorkers are owed hundreds of millions in unclaimed funds from the State, and can get any money they are owed simply by calling the state Comptroller’s office or going online.

“The Comptroller has made it easy for New Yorkers to find out if

KILLERS SP ARED F AMIL Y SPARED FAMIL AMILY

Police Search For Killers Of Barbados Businessman Shot In Brooklyn Police were searching for two persons who shot and killed a Barbadian-born businessman as he slept in the basement of his home in Brooklyn on Thursday.

Police said the two killers took advantage of businessman Stevenson Blackett’s habit of leaving his keys in the lock of the second door to gain entry to the home.

The 60-year-old man owned Stevenson Maintenance

Inc., a plumbing company, in the Bronx, for the past 32 years.

The police said the killers spared other sleeping family members, including Blackett’s wife, Brenda, 59, three grandchildren and his father-in-law.

The authorities said Blackett was shot twice in the head.

NYC Comptroller John Liu

the state owes them money,” said Senator Sampson. “This money does not belong to the state and I urge all New Yorkers to take a minute of their time to find out if they have money coming to them.”

The Comptroller has more than 25 million outstanding accounts, which may be worth as little as a few dollars to several thousand. For consumer protection, the state requires that banks, insurance companies, utilities, investment companies and other businesses are required by law to surrender inactive accounts for oversight. The Comptroller’s office then serves as a custodian of the money until claimed by the rightful owner. The state never takes ownership of this money. If one can prove they are entitled to the money, including that of a deceased relative, the state will return it without any charge.

New Yorkers can call (800) 221-9311 or visit the Comptroller’s website at www.osc.state.ny.us and search the list of unclaimed funds by entering their last name, first name and middle initial, or the name of a business along with a city in the search fields.

“Some people forgot they left money in a neighborhood savings bank after moving, or they forgot to update their information on an investment account after taking a new job. That money is just waiting to be claimed,” Senator Sampson said.

NEW YORK LIBERTY STAR

FRIDAY, JULY 30, 2010 * NEW YORK LIBERTY STAR

Caribbean

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J’cans Split On End To State Of Emergency

By Vanessa Barnes, NYLS Jamaica Correspondent

KINGSTON, Jamaica – The State of Emergency here is finally over, and local residents are split on the government’s decision.

The extended state of emergency, covering the parishes of Kingston, St. Andrew and St. Catherine, was brought to an end, last week, after the opposition People’s National Party refused to support Prime Minister Bruce Golding’s move to acquire another extension.

Golding urged the House on behalf of his security force to grant the requested extension, however, the opposition, with all its Members of Parliament present as opposed to the ruling Jamaica Labour Party, denied the request. The opposition insisted that the government needed to provide clarity on more intricate matters, such matters as the number of persons detained, arrested and processed.

They noted also, that the PM’s reasons for the extension had not met the requirements of the Jamaica Constitution.

According to Golding, more than 1,300 civilians were detained in St. Catherine and more than 2,700 in the Corporate Area, since July 14.

Although not in support of any

long-term extensions, the People’s National Party suggested a 15 days extension to the State of Emergency to give time for the revision of the issue at hand and another 15 days to enable security forces to conclude operations. This, however, was promptly rejected by the government, who maintained an all (30 days) or nothing stance.

The decision saw mixed views from persons residing in and around neighboring parishes.

“I think we were better off with the State of Emergency, because the recent rise of bus and taxi fares will see many people walking home from their jobs, at late hours of the night and seeing the security forces have made us feel a sense of safety, “ said Sophia, a resident of Arnett Gardens, Kingston.

Others didn’t share the same sentiment.

“I’m glad the emergency status has ended. People no longer have to worry about being harassed by lawmen, nor be fearful that their rights

Police patrol a crowded market in Kingston, last week. are going to be violated, because of the powers given to them by the government,” said a resident from a lower St. Andrew.

“I agree that security forces have made major improvements in seizing ganja, guns and ammunitions during the State of Emergency. However, this should have been done along time ago. I’m still not wowed by their performance considering they had so many casualties and took so many innocent lives, most of which they are yet to find criminal charges for,” said

Patricia from Linstead in St. Catherine. “The whole thing was a joke. Fifteen plus 15 equals 30, what really is the difference in any case?

Above everything else crime should be fought with the same energy and will power even after. Weh a go happen? Wi nah go eva come outta state of emergency den?”

According to local reports, Peter Bunting, the opposition spokesman of National Security, said that cordons and curfews could be carried out without imposing a State of Emergency

and that the government has to put forward a plan to fight crime.

“We are at a stand still right now.

In my opinion the security forces and other people of greater influence in the country have the situation under a microscope, dem si seh di country nuh completely rid of criminals and maybe dem nuh have every area under control yet. Suh mi believe seh dem still worried,” expressed a resident from Kingston, who would not be identified.

Many residents feel that the future after the State of Emergency will be determined by the actions of the government and security forces and if they can implement an effective crime plan, as well as continue to apply pressure on gangs and criminal activities.

Officials, however, seem confident in the government’s plan to continue the fight against crime now that the state of emergency has been rescinded.

“The state of emergency was very effective. Curfews are still in effect in many areas, and the government plans to implement more strategies, including increasing the presence of security forces in the streets,” said a member of the security force on condition of anonymity.

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FRIDAY, JULY 30, 2010 * NEW YORK LIBERTY STAR

Haiti Still Under Rubble Six Months After Earthquake Caribbean Consulates In New York Antigua & Barbuda 305 East 47th Street New York, N.Y. 10017 Tel. 212-541-4119 Bahamas 231 East 46th Street New York, NY 10017 (212) 421-6420 Barbados 820 Second Avenue, 2nd Fl. New York, N.Y. 10017 Tel. 212-551-4300 Belize 800 Second Avenue, Suite 400G New York, N.Y. 10017 Tel. 212-421-6934 Cayman Islands (Dept. of Tourism) 641 Lexington Ave, Suite 1435 New York, NY 10170 (877) 874-5104 Dominican Republic 1501 Broadway, Suite 410 New York, N.Y. 10036 Tel. 212-768-2480 Grenada 820 Second Avenue, Suite 900D New York, N.Y. 10017 Tel. 212-599-0301 Guyana 370 7th Avenue New York, N.Y. 10017 Tel. 212-947-5110 Haiti 271 Madison Avenue, 5th Floor New York, N.Y. 10016 Tel. 212-697-9767 Honduras 80 Wall Street, Suite 415, 4th Floor New York, N.Y. 10005 Tel. 212-269-3611 Jamaica 767 Third Avenue New York, N.Y. 10017-2993 Tel. 212-935-9000 Martinique 444 Madison Avenue, 16th Floor New York, N.Y. 10022 Tel. 212-838-6887 Montserrat 845 Third Avenue New York, N.Y. 10022 Tel. 212-745-0200 Panama 1212 Avenue of the Americas, 6th Floor New York, N.Y. 10036 Tel. 212-840-2450 Puerto Rico 666 Fifth Avenue, 15th Floor New York, N.Y. 10103 Tel. 800-223-6530 St. Kitts & Nevis 414 East 75th Street, 5th Floor New York, N.Y. 10021 Tel. 212-535-1234 St. Lucia 800 Second Avenue, 9th Floor New York, N.Y. 10007 Tel. 212-697-9360 St. Maarten 675 Third Avenue, Ste. 1807 New York, N.Y. 10017 Tel. 800-786-2278 St. Vincent & The Grenadines 801 Second Avenue, 21st Floor New York, N.Y. 10017 Tel. 212-687-4981 Trinidad & Tobago 125 Maiden Lane, #4 New York, N.Y. Tel. 212-742-8021

Haiti is suffering from misguided foreign aid. The rains are coming in Haiti, but there are more homeless people in Haiti today than the day after the earthquake hit in January.

More than 1.5 million Haitians are living under tattered tents, tarps and sheets, which will provide little protection during hurricane season.

Immediately after the earthquake, there were 20,000 US troops and 14,000 UN troops in Haiti.

But these troops didn’t help remove the earthquake rubble. Haitians themselves, using their bare hands, did almost all of the search and rescue. Today, 98 percent of the rubble remains, as Haitians have not received the heavy machinery needed to remove it.

Only a small fraction of the billions of dollars of international aid for Haiti has actually reached the quake victims. And much of the aid raised by UN Envoy Bill Clinton is geared to small and medium-size businesses.

But the quake victims are not small- and medium-size businesses. They are ordinary people who need a place to live in the city or who need tools to work their fields.

Instead of enabling the millions of small Haitian farmers to become food self-sufficient by growing rice, millet, corn and a variety of fruits and vegetables, however, Clinton has announced that Coca-Cola will be running a project to use Haitian fields to grow mangoes for a new drink.

In the last six months, a number of industrial parks have been built by foreign corporations to take advantage of Haiti’s $3-a-day minimum wage.

The “new Haiti” after the earthquake is not much different from the old Haiti the United States has been attempting to bring forth for two centuries: a place governed by business-oriented Haitian technocrats who take their marching orders from Washington.

Clinton and others in the international aid community opine that the slow disbursement of funds and rebuilding of the country is the fault of Haiti’s weak government. Ironically, it was the Bush ad-

People walk in front of a burning barricade set up during a small protest against the government for the lack of help to rebuild the area after January 12 earthquake in downtown Port-au-Prince, Haiti,Tuesday. ministration that rendered Haiti weak by overthrowing in 2004 the elected government of JeanBertrand Aristide.

Members of the aid community also say Haiti doesn’t have the capacity to absorb the aid. But it was the World Bank and US policies that destroyed Haiti’s food sovereignty, forced the government industries to privatize, and left basic services like education, water, sanitation and health care to the free market, which did not deliver.

The Obama administration and the international community had a choice to make right after the earthquake. They could help empower the Haitian people and the Haitian government to lead the relief and the rebuilding efforts with an eye toward Haitian self-sufficiency, not only in food but in other

daily necessities and in manufacturing. Or they could run the efforts the old-fashioned way: top down, with the US military, the United Nations and the nongovernmental organizations in charge, with an eye toward letting even more foreign corporations cash in on Haiti.

They chose the latter. And Haitians are suffering as a consequence.

Millions of Haitians seek the return of President Aristide. Millions of Haitians seek empowerment with community organizing, community policing, domestic manufacturing, fair-wage jobs and participatory democracy.

But like the relief aid, this is not materializing.

Instead, Haitians are being left more dependent than ever.

Passengers File Legal Claims Against Airline For Kingston Crash Several passengers on the ill-fated American Airlines (AA) plane that crash landed in Kingston, Jamaica last December have reportedly filed legal claims against the airline.

A total of 92 of the 154 people on board AA flight 331 on December 22 were injured when the aircraft overshot the runway in driving night rain.

The aircraft then busted through a perimeter fence, crossed the Port Royal road and ended up on the beach across from the Norman Manley International Airport. The plane broke into three, but there were no reported fatalities.

Claims for damages against the airline could run into millions of dollars. The probe into the cause of the accident is still underway.

It was reported that the pilot opted not to utilise a mis-approach, as suggested by local air traffic controllers.

The mis-approach option, which

American Airlines flight AA331 crash landed on a flight from Miami to Jamaica, just beyond the runway of Norman Manley International Airport, in Kingston Jamaica, on December 23, 2009. More than 90 passengers reported were injuries. would require the pilot to circle and make another landing attempt, was offered as the Boeing 737-800 approached the runway with a tailwind and in heavy rain.

The Jamaica Civil Aviation Authority had indicated that its prelimi-

nary investigations did not reveal any mechanical failure of the commercial jet.

Jamaica's Transport Minister Mike Henry, speaking at a press conference a few days after the crash, said the airline crew had contacted the Ja-

maica Air Traffic Control to request the Instrument Landing System approach for Runway 12, the designated runway broadcasted by the Automatic Terminal Information Service for arrivals that night.

They were, however, advised of tailwind conditions on Runway 12 and offered a circling approach (or missed approach) for landing on Runway 30.

The crew repeated their request for Runway 12 and were subsequently cleared to land on that runway with the controller further advising the crew that the runway was wet, Henry said.

The pilots, said the minister, reported that after descending through the cloud cover they made visual contact with the runway at between 1,000 feet and 700 feet above ground level.

The Flight Data Recorder (FDR) indicated that the aircraft bounced once, then settled onto the runway, Henry said, adding that the FDR did not indicate any anomalies or malfunctions with the operation of the brakes, spoilers or thrust reversers, adding that it also indicated that the rate of deceleration appeared normal for a wet runway.

FRIDAY, JULY 30, 2010 * NEW YORK LIBERTY STAR

OFFICE SPACE FOR RENT EASTCHESTER ROAD, BRONX CALL (718) 600-6563

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Pastor Gunned Down in Hanover

By Vanessa Barnes, NYLS Jamaica Correspondent

HANOVER, Jamaica — A church body was left to mourn the loss of a loved one Tuesday, as Keaven Dixon, a 32 year old pastor was gunned down while speaking on his cellular phone, shortly after receiving an acceptance letter to begin teaching at the Hope Well High School in September of this year.

Rev. Keaven Dixon

Mr. Dixon received a shot to the top half of his body and was taken to the Cornwall Hospital where he succumbed to injury.

The incident is the second of its kind in the past five months. Bishop Donald Roberts of the same church was also a victim to an unsuccessful robbery, where he was stabbed in his home.

Pastor Dixon, a former resident of Cassava Piece, an inner city community of St. Andrew, who attended the New Testament Church of God, now leaves behind his son Jordan and his wife Gayle.

“We are very shocked and traumatized by the incident. While no school was in session, the football team was attending a training camp at the school,” said Principal Joyce Irving of Hope Well High School.

According to local reports, the gunman had been at the school demanding to talk to the principal. He later aimed a gun at the secretary, who then allowed him into the office. After which he continued to hit angrily on the principal’s door. When Principal Irving raised an alarm, the unidentified man ran out, shooting Mr. Dixon in the process.

Members from the Riverside community where Mr. Dixon hailed from, were saddened by his passing.

“He was a God fearing person and really down to earth. Mi feel it for him family,” one man said. “May God keep them strong.”

Police are yet to find the unknown gunman, who adds Mr. Keaven Dixon to the list of 897 killed in the island since the start of the year.

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MORE NEWS FROM THE CARIBBEAN ANTIGUA

Minister Blames Opposition For Huge National Debt Finance Minister Harold Lovell has accused the main opposition Antigua Labour Party (ALP) of saddling the country with a significant amount of debt when it governed this Caribbean Community (CARICOM) country up until six years ago.

Lovell said that Opposition Leader Lester Bird in his weekly radio broadcasts was not giving the true picture of the island’s economic position.

“Even as the new Prime Minister of Britain freezes wages and increases taxes within days of coming to power in the midst of a worldwide recession; when the most powerful country in the world, the USA, is battling the highest unemployment ever; when Dubai, the mecca of foreign investment, falls prey to the global economic tsunami, Lester Bird claims that the United Progressive Party (UPP) government is to be blamed for Antigua and Barbuda’s current economic challenges,” Lovell said.

The finance minister said that Bird’s assertion that the UPP is responsible for accumulating most of the national debt “is simply not true” and that nearly half of the island’s debt of EC$3.4 billion (US$1.2 billion) represents arrears or overdue money that the ALP government borrowed and should have repaid decades ago.

BARBADOS

School Teacher Fined On Drug Charges A school teacher has been fined BDS$25,000 (US$12,500) after law enforcement officials discovered 11 marijuana plants growing in her front yard earlier this week.

Acting Magistrate Alliston Seale convicted, reprimanded and discharged 54-year-old Alison Vaughn Gale, 54, of having a traffickable quantity of the drug, possession with intent to supply, and cultivation of the plants.

But the Acting Magistrate fined the teacher

BDS$$10 000 (US$5,000) for simple possession, in addition to BDS$15 000, (US$7,500) for growing the illegal substance. If he does not pay the fines, she will spend 12 months in prison.

The court heard that lawmen from the Drug Squad executed a search warrant at Gale’s home and found the plants growing in her front yard.

They also found a loose quantity of ganja in the house.

GUYANA

New Cable System Linking Guyana, Trinidad And Suriname Guyana has launched a new submarine cable system linking it to two other Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries that officials say will provide a new generation of opportunities in the information communication technology (ICT) sector.

President Bharrat Jagdeo was among dignitaries witnessing the launch of the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph’s (GT&T’s) Suriname Guyana Submarine Cable System (SG-SCS) which will make use of a high speed fibre optic cable that has a capacity of 1,000 times the current bandwidth.

The 1,240 kilometre cable will connect Guyana and Suriname to Trinidad and Tobago and was installed by Global Marine Systems Limited (GMSL), a worldwide provider of submarine cable installation and maintenance.

The cable laying began on the northern coast of Trinidad and Tobago, and proceeded in a south easterly direction over a distance of 654 kilometres to a branching unit in the Atlantic Ocean.

JAMAICA

Court Sentences Man To Life For Murdering British Nurse A High Court judge Friday chastised a 32year old man for throwing the body a British

nurse “into a pit like garbage” before sentencing him to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole before 25 years.

Omar Reid, a mason, was found guilty of murdering 61-year-old Barbara Scott in March and Justice Paulette Williams said she was struck by his utter lack of remorse for the crime to which he pleaded not guilty.

“You and the deceased were friends, she goes missing from March 12 and you do nothing to help. The jury believed that you hit her so hard in the head it fractured her skull, threw her into the pit like garbage and disappeared for weeks, that is what I have to sentence you for,” she said.

Reid’s attorney Kenneth McLeod, who asked the court to exercise the utmost leniency in passing sentence, said he will be appealing the matter.

The court was told that Reid had informed the police that he hit Scott in her head during the course of a fight. However Reid, the father of a five-year-old son, denied the statement.

Scott’s body was fished from a sewerage pit at her home in Somerton, St James, following a seven-day search.

HAITI

Singer Takes First Legal Steps To Contesting Presidential Elections Internationally-renowned singer Wyclef Jean has taken legal steps toward contesting the presidential elections in Haiti later this year.

But the Grammy award singer told reporters he is not sure whether or not he will run to replace President Rene Preval in the elections in November.

Jean said he is qualified to run for Haiti’s highest office and was here to meet with his lawyers and have his fingerprints taken by the judicial police as part of the legal process of preparing to contest the polls.

“I basically come out to Haiti today because it was important that I do my fingerprints,” Jean said prior to boarding a flight back to the United States.

“There are a lot of rumors that I am running for president. I have not declared that. If

we decide to move forward, I am pretty sure that we have all our paperwork straight.”

The deadline for candidates to register is August 7. Jean, 37, said he would take his decision with his family.

“As a family, we must decide on what we’re going to do because it is a big sacrifice,” he said.

There is much speculation that Jean, who is very popular among Haitians, particularly the young, will announce his position on television in the United States next week.

TRINIDAD

Government Moves To Ban Motorists Using Cell Phones While Driving The Trinidad and Tobago government is proposing a TT$5,000 (US$833) or a two year jail term for motorists caught using mobile phones while driving.

Works and Transport Minister Jack Warner said that the amendment to the Motor Vehicle Amendment Bill, 2010 will be taken to Parliament within a month.

“This bill will make it a statutory offence for the use of mobile phones in cars,” Warner said following Thursday’s Cabinet meeting. He said a three-month moratorium would be given to allow drivers to equip their vehicles with the necessary gadgets which will allow them to use the cell phones hands-free.

Warner said a study done in Canada in 1997 showed that people who use cell phones were 18 times more susceptible to cause accidents.

According to Warner, motorists will now have the option of pulling over at the side of the road when they receive a call; could allow a passenger to speak on their behalf or allow the caller to leave a voicemail and return the call later.

He said motorists could also decide to allow another person to drive while they answer the call.

“It has become even worse now that people are now text messaging while driving and all of this is what contributes to the carnage on the roads,” Warner said.

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Entertainment

MOVIES now in theatres New Releases Despicable Me The Twilight Saga: Eclipse Predators Toy Story 3 The Last Airbender Grown Ups Knight and Day The Karate Kid Salt Inception

INCEPTION Dom Cobb is a skilled thief, the absolute best in the dangerous art of extraction, stealing valuable secrets from deep within the subconscious during the dream state when the mind is at its most vulnerable. Cobb's rare ability has made him a coveted player in this treacherous new world of corporate espionage, but it has also made him an international fugitive and cost him everything he has ever loved. Now Cobb is being offered a chance at redemption.

One last job could give him his life back but only if he can accomplish the impossible -- inception.

Instead of the perfect heist, Cobb and his team of specialists have to pull off the reverse: their task is not to steal an idea but to plant one. If they succeed, it could be the perfect crime. But no amount of careful planning or expertise can prepare the team for the dangerous enemy that seems to predict their every move. An enemy that only Cobb could have seen coming.

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Beauty Pageant Benefits Haitian American Vets

By Marjorie Flash

Marcia Deans, CEO of MVD Entertainment presented the 11th Annual Miss Tropical Paradise Beauty Pageant at Nakisaki Night Club, July 18, to a stacked room of stylish patrons.

The event was hosted by funny man Boogie G from 101.5FM radio station who had the audience rolling with laughter throughout the night, and Carter Brock of 4Pl Media Group, LLC who made a plausible straight man to Boogie G’s comedy.

There were a total of nine lovely contestants vying to win this leg of the Miss Tropical Paradise competition which will enable the winner and six runner up to go on to compete in the final contest to be held in October at the luxurious beachfront resort, Travellers Beach Resort, in Negril. Contestants, Monique James, Racine Roland, Nina Kayne, Mariah Nimako, Chantal Manning, Jonelle Figaro, Thersea Morris, Imani Bullen, and Christina Balan are all beautiful and charming young women with their eyes on the prize. The top seven contestants from New York will then compete with contestants from Jamaica, Trinidad, Guyana and Barbados for the official title of Miss Tropical Paradise 2010.

Designer Ramish Paraque, the son of well-known local designer Michael Gillings, draped the models with his designs for their opening outfits and also from his eye-catching swimwear collection.

The models sashayed in form fitting and elegant gowns provided by LA Vida Bridal Galleria. Models were judged on their style, grace walking down the catwalk, beauty and appearance and answers to questions posed by the hosts.

(Above) Earl “Jam Roc” Lyn, Jr., of Nakisaki Restaurant, and Patricia Chin, of VP Records, at the 11th Annual Miss Tropical Paradise Beauty Pageant, held at Nakisaki Night Club, July 18,. (Photos by Marjorie Flash) (Right) A model walks the runway during the pageant.

Live performances by Veronica Faith, Suga, Modlowe, Teddy Brown who was joined for a cameo appearance by his long time friend, entertainer Willow Wilson, veteran Studio One artist Cherry Rock, Patrick Irie and Happy Love who gave a soulful rendition of Sam Cooke’s super hit song A Change is Gonna Come.

Internationally renowned artist Nardo Ranks gave an energized performance of a few of his dancehall hits including his smash hit single Burrup.

After a lengthy deliberation by the judges, the winner and runner ups were announced.

Nina Kayne was named second runner up, Racine Roland was given first runner up and

the winner was awarded to Monique James representing Moments Night Club.

Rightfully billed as a beauty pageant for a cause, a portion of the proceeds from ticket sales for the New York show will be donated to the Haitian-American Veteran’s Association.

The final competition, The Crowning Affair takes place at the Travellers Beach Resort in Negril from October 7th – 9th, 2010. Performing live will be long-time favorite Dobby Dobson along with Junior Soul, Modlowe, Dennison George, I Jon, Tanisha Hudson, Don G and Tinga Stewart.

The festivities in Jamaica begin with a Welcome Reception on October 7th, an all day Beach Party and Swimwear Fashion show on October 8th, and the Miss Tropical Paradise Crowning Affair on the evening of October 9th.

Contestants on stage during the 11th Annual Miss Tropical Paradise Beauty Pageant. (Photo by Marjorie Flash)

FRIDAY, JULY 30, 2010 * NEW YORK LIBERTY STAR

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Nassau County Launches First Annual Long Island Caribbean-American International Festival County Executive Edward Mangano Continues To Support Minority Communities

HEMPSTEAD, L.I. — Nassau County Executive, Edward P. Mangano, and the Jamaica Cultural Alliance are pleased to announce the launch of the First Annual Long Island Caribbean American International Festival (LICAIF), to be held at the Harry Chapin Lakeside Amphi Theatre at Eisenhower Park in Westbury, L.I., on Monday, August 16, 2010.

According to Earl Lyn, Jr., VP of Marketing and promotions of the Jamaica Cultural Alliance, and chairman of the LICAIF the theme for this year’s event, “WE ALL ARE ONE”, is geared towards bringing communities together in unison and celebrating each other’s passions, heritage and cultures.

LICAIF is a free family-oriented event which will feature a wide array of music,food, arts and craft, and displays from the various Caribbean islands. The event will also feature reknown Caribbean artists, to include the king and queen of Soca music, The Mighty Sparrow and Calypso Rose; reggae icon Freddie McGregor and Angel Band along with an array of steel pan performers. There will also be a costume and fashion show, highlighting the culture and a variety of styles from the Caribbean.

Special invited guests for this historic event include: Nassau County Executive, Edward P. Mangano; Mayor of the City of Hempstead Wayne J. Hall, Sr.; New York State Senate Majority Leader Senator John Sampson; Hon. Geneive Brown Metzger, Council General of Jamaica to New York; Dr. Roy Hastick, Sr., President of the Caribbean American Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Inc.; Yolanda Lezama-Clarke, President of the West Indian American Day Carnival Association; Amanda Cohen, Nassau County Region office, American Cancer Society; and Jose Richards, President of the Sons & Daughters of Jamaica, Inc. LICAIF will also commemorate

the life of several legends, whose great contributions to the Caribbean and American communities in New York State continue to bear a significant impact on the lives of millions of New Yorkers. These will include the late Earl Lyn, Sr., founder of Nakisaki Restaurants; the late Carlos Lezama, founder of North America’s largest festival, the West Indian American Day Carnival; and the late Vincent Chin, founder of VP Records.

LICAIF will also take timeout to recognize the birthday of Jamaican national hero, the Hon. Marcus Mosiah Garvey, who became a civil rights champion in the United States.

LICAIF will also join the Caribbean American Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc., and celebrate their 25th Anniversary. CACCI, founded in August 1985, is a statewide membership organization, which has developed expertise in providing business assistance to small and startup business owners, in areas of business planning, financing, certification, procurement, business expansion, and export/import opportunities.

CACCI has developed a partnership with NYC Department of Small Business Services to provide business services to Women and Minority Business Enterprises, to expand their capacities and increase their access to procurement contracts.

This year’s festival is also geared towards bringing about awareness in the community on the importance of getting tested early for Colorectal and other cancers. According to the American Cancer Society, nearly 150,000 Americans are diagnosed with colorectal cancer annually and an estimated 50,000 die, most of them unnecessarily. Sadly, over 15,000 people in the U.S. are diagnosed under the recommended screening age of 50 each year. LICAIF hopes to use this year’s event to enlighten residents of Long Island and our neighboring cities of the risk associated with Colorectal cancer and how important it is to get tested early. Representatives from the Nassau County Regional office of the American Cancer Society are scheduled to take part in this event.

LICAIF is sponsored by Nassau County Parks and Recreation, Wachovia Bank, MGM Funding, Wee Radio,Caribbean Style TV, MD TV (Jamaica) Cannon (USA), Culture Jam Radio, Caribbean Vibes Radio, Irie Jam Media, VP Records, New York Liberty Star Newspaper, Jewel Shannon Designs, Khanami Kreations, Padlock Records, Ruff Stuff Studios, Jam Roc Records, House of Hits Records, Digi Waxx Media,and Sam’s Caribbean Market Place.

For more information, contact the Jamaica Cultural Alliance at (646) 750-0045 or New York Liberty Star at (718) 785-9722 ext. 104.

The Mighty Sparrow

Slinger Francisco, better known as The Mighty Sparrow, affectionately dubbed, The Birdie is the unrivaled Calypso King of the World, with a career that spans over 40 years and counting. This artist par excellence has earned his rightful place as “King of the Calypso World” by defeating every other competitor/pretender to his throne. He has entertained audiences across the globe, including, the Caribbean, Europe, Asia, Africa, North and South America, to name but a few.

Sparrow’s roots are in Gran Roi, a rural fishing village in Grenada. He was born to a poor working class family. They migrated to his adopted homeland, Trinidad, when he was just one year old. He attended the New Town Boys School where he was selected to sing in the boys. choir of St. Patrick’s Catholic Church.

This was his initial involvement in music. The harmonics of the Gregorian Chants and the Plainsongs of the church that were embedded in him would later affect the depth and intensity of his compositions. His vocal abilities also reflect his childhood role as the head choirboy who sang baritone and tenor in Latin in the church.

Other influences included listening to American street quartets, pop tunes by Nat King Cole and Frankie Laine, Sarah Vaughn, Billy Eckstein, Frank Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald with their jazz contributions, and the early calypsoes of Lord Melody, Lord Kitchener, Lord Christo, Lord Invader (of Rum and Coca Cola fame) and the Mighty Spoiler, to name a few.

At the tender age of 20, Sparrow emerged, as the leading Calypsonian with his record-breaking hit, Jean and Dinah. (Yankees Gone, 1956 covered by Harry Belafonte). Throughout the years he managed to showcase his diversity each year with the release of at least one album dating from the catchy Jean and Dinah. in 1956 to Carnival Boycott (1957, a song responsible for the many changes and improvement for mass men, calypsonians and steelband men). This song was eventually responsible for the formation of the Carnival Development Committee. An organization to assist calypsonians, steelband men and mas men. This committee was fully endorsed by the Founding Father of Trinidad and Tobago, Dr. Eric Eustace Williams.

In 1958 he became the only calypsonian to have had a triple win, in the same year, in the Road March Competition. The calypsoes were P.A.Y.E. (Pay As You Earn, a song that enabled the citizens of Trinidad and Tobago, to understand the importance of paying taxes).

Russian Satellite (a song reflecting on the act of cruelty to animals) and Theresa (a number where, for the first time in his career, he utilized other languages). In an unprecedented move, he was awarded a cash prize by the Carnival Development Committee, for winning the Road March Competition that year.

In 1959 he released Federation, (a song that reflected his disappointment over the breaking up of the proposed Caribbean Federation). In 1960 his career continued to soar with the melodious May May and Leave the damn Doctor, Royal Jail and Ten to one is Murder followed in 1961. In 1962 he presented us with Sparrow Come Back Home and Model Nation. Dan is the Man in the Van came in 1963 and the Village Ram in 1964.

In 1965 we experienced Congo Man. In that same year Sparrow proved himself a balladeer with his remake of Arthur Prysock’s original, Only A Fool Breaks His Own Heart accompanied by Byron Lee and the Dragonaires. This rendition won him a Gold Record in Holland. He also recorded Frank Sinatra’s My Way and Lucho Gatica’s “El Reloj”.

In 1966, He won the Road March Competition again with Melda and 1967 he advised the youth on the importance of Education. Mr. Walker was his hit in 1968, he won the Road March Competition again in 1969 with Sa Sa Yea and in 1970 he appealed to the people of this world to Love one Another and Lend A Hand. These songs appealed to the country for unity “Unity somehow if Trinidad ever needed you is now”.

In 1971 Good Citizen followed and in 1972 he won the Calypso Monarch and Road March Competitions with Drunk and Disorderly. No Kind of Man at all was released in 1973 and We Pass That Stage (a strong social commentary in 1974. In 1975 he gave us a psychological analysis, showing where the rich is envious of the poor with Neurosis of the Rich. The Mayor of Detroit, Coleman Young, also presented him with the keys to the city.

In 1976 we got the humorous Salt Fish, and in 1977 he lead the Caribbean with a tribute to Hasley Crawford, the Olympic Gold Medallist. In the same year, during FESTAC, in Nigeria, Sparrow received the honorary title of Chief of the Yorubas, (which is Chief Omo Wale of Ikoyi).

In 1978 he paid tribute to Penny Commissiong (the first black Miss Universe) with The First Black Miss Universe, and chided Idi Amin Dada, tyrant in Africa. Kerry Packer (a song about the cricket revolution) followed in 1979 and in 1980 the Shah of Iran (Wanted Dead or Alive ). This number was covered by the popular American group, Manhattan Transfer.

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Health

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A Complex Link Between Marijuana And Schizophrenia

By Maia Szalavitz

Since the days of Reefer Madness, scientists have sought to understand the complex connection between marijuana and psychosis.

Cannabis can cause short-term psychotic experiences, such as hallucinations and paranoia, even in healthy people, but researchers have also long noted a link between marijuana use and the chronic psychotic disorder, schizophrenia.

Repeatedly, studies have found that people with schizophrenia are about twice as likely to smoke pot as those who are unaffected. Conversely, data suggest that those who smoke cannabis are twice as likely to develop schizophrenia as nonsmokers. One widely publicized 2007 review of the research even concluded that trying marijuana just once was associated with a 40% increase in risk of schizo-

phrenia and other psychotic disorders.

But here’s the conundrum: while marijuana went from being a secret shared by a small community of hepcats and beatniks in the 1940s and ’50s to a rite of passage for some 70% of youth by the turn of the century, rates of schizophrenia in the U.S. have remained flat, or possibly declined.

For as long as it has been tracked, schizophrenia has been found to affect about 1% of the population.

One explanation may be that the two factors are coincidental, not causal: perhaps people who have a genetic susceptibility to schizophrenia also happen to especially enjoy marijuana. Still, some studies suggest that smoking pot can actually trigger the disease earlier in individuals who are predisposed, and yet researchers still aren’t seeing increases in the overall schizophrenia rate or decreases in the average age of onset.

In recent months, new research has explored some of these issues.

One study led by Dr. Serge Sevy, an associate professor of psychiatry at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City, looked at 100 patients between the ages of 16 and 40

with schizophrenia, half of whom smoked marijuana. Sevy and colleagues found that among the marijuana users, 75% had begun smoking before the onset of schizophrenia and that their disease appeared about two years earlier than in those who did not use the drug. But when the researchers controlled for other factors known

Steve Ball of Denver exhales while evaluating some marijuana submitted to a quality competition.

to influence schizophrenia risk, including gender, education and socioeconomic status, the association between disease onset and marijuana disappeared.

Gender alone accounted for a large proportion of the risk of early onset in Sevy’s study, which included 69 men and 31 women. “Males in general have earlier age of onset of schizophrenia,” says Sevy. In men, the disease tends to take hold around age 19, while in women it isn’t typically seen until 22 - irrespective of marijuana use. But, typically, teenage boys are four times more likely than girls to be heavy pot smokers, which may create an illusory association between the drug and onset of the disease.

Yet past studies limited to males have found exactly such a link, associating marijuana use with earlier development of full-blown psychosis.

And other research has found that ongoing cannabis use increases hospitalizations for psychotic symptoms in schizophrenic patients and decreases social and cognitive functioning. A 2008 review of the data found that relapse and failure to take prescribed medication was consistently

associated with cannabis use, although, again, controlling for other factors weakened the link.

One explanation could be that the effects of marijuana vary depending on the genetics of the individual patient’s schizophrenia. Marie-Odile Krebs, professor of psychiatry at the National Institute of Health and Medical Research (INSERM) laboratory in France, and her colleagues published a study in June that identified two broad groups of people with schizophrenia who used cannabis: those whose disease was profoundly affected by their drug use and those who were not.

Within Krebs’s study population of 190 patients (121 of whom had used cannabis), researchers found a subgroup of 44 whose disease was powerfully affected by the drug. These patients either developed schizophrenia within a month of beginning to smoke pot or saw their existing psychosis severely exacerbated with each successive exposure to the drug.

Schizophrenia appeared in these patients nearly three years earlier than in other marijuana-users with the disease.

Can Secondhand Smoke Hurt Kids’ Grades?

Children and teenagers exposed to secondhand smoke at home may get poorer grades than their peers from smokefree homes, a study of Hong Kong students suggests.

Secondhand smoke is a well-known health threat to children, being linked to increased risks of asthma, as well as bronchitis, pneumonia and other respiratory infections. Studies have also found a connection between smoking during pregnancy and higher risks of childhood behavior problems and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

Some research has also found that children exposed to cigarette smoke in the womb or at home may trail their peers when it comes to cognitive abilities like reasoning and remembering.

But whether secondhand smoke itself is to blame remains unclear.

In the new study, researchers found that among 23,000 11- to 20-year-old non-smoking students, the one-third who lived with at least one smoker were more likely to describe their own school performance as “poor.”

Of students who said they were exposed to smoking at home at least five days a week, 23 percent said their school performance was poor compared with their classmates’. That rate was 20 percent among kids who had less frequent secondhand-smoke exposure at home, and 17 percent among those from smoke-free homes.

The researchers were able to account for certain other factors, like parents’ education lev-

els and the type of housing — both markers of socioeconomic status. They found that students’ exposure to secondhand smoke, itself, was linked to a 14 percent to 28 percent greater risk of poor school performance, depending on how frequent the exposure was.

Dr. Sai-Yin Ho and colleagues at the University of Hong Kong report the results in the Journal of Pediatrics.

The findings do not prove that secondhand smoke was the reason for the poorer grades.

The study had a number of limitations, including its reliance on students’ ratings of their own academic performance and exposure to tobacco smoke. Future studies should include objective measures of secondhand-smoke exposure, using urine samples, as well as official school records, Ho’s team writes.

The researchers also could not account for the full range of factors that might be related to both secondhand-smoke exposure and children’s school performance. They lacked information, for example, on whether students were exposed to smoking in the womb.

Still, Ho’s team notes, it is biologically plausible that the many toxic compounds in tobacco smoke — including lead, arsenic, ammonia and hydrogen cyanide — could affect children’s cognitive abilities.

Regardless of whether secondhand smoke does hurt kids’ school performance, there are many established reasons for parents to quit smoking and limit their children’s exposure to smokers.

These findings, the researchers write, offer another potential reason for parents to “eliminate smoking at home” and warn their children to avoid secondhand exposure.

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Travel

Bucuti & Tara Beach Resorts Introduces ...

Eco-Chic Weddings

Bucuti & Tara Beach Resorts, Aruba’s premier resort for romance, has launched a new EcoChic Aruba Wedding Experience for couples looking to go green on their big day. Bucuti has been committed to sustainable tourism for more than 25 years and has incorporated both environmentally friendly and locally influenced elements into its EcoChic Aruba Wedding Experience including: · A location on one of the “Dream Beaches of the World” that provides spectacular scenery, reducing the need for air conditioning and lighting · A ceremony and reception at the same location, or within close proximity to limit travel impact and expenses. If the distance between venues is too great to walk, earth-friendly options can be arranged. A horse drawn carriage is efficient, romantic and it doesn’t burn gas. Group transportation can also be arranged. · Locally inspired décor including centerpieces made from recycled wine bottles and indigenous flowers or cacti in terra cotta pots · Do it yourself (DIY) indigenous favors such as handmade boxes tied with palm leaves · Reception menus including locally produced, grown and organically prepared food; authentic local dishes can also be incorporated · Authentic Aruban entertainment such as a renowned steel pan player, Aruban waltz dancers and a crank

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Florida............................... 168 Trinidad..............................258 Kingston............................ 238 Montego Bay..................... 238 Haiti................................... 312 London...............................641 St. Lucia.............................310 Barbados........................... 348 St. Vincent......................... 480 George Town..................... 498 Grenada............................ 518

Taxes not included. Restrictions apply. All rates are subject to change.

operated piano known as Kah’I Orgel or a Tingilingi Box · Traditional Aruban wedding favors like the “Bolo Preto” or “Black Cake” which is similar to a groom’s fruit cake · Programs and place cards printed using recycled paper and nontoxic ink · Palm leaf confetti instead of rice, which can be harmful to wildlife Brides and grooms can rest assured that they have minimized the carbon footprint of their nuptials by choosing one of the greenest resorts in the Caribbean for themselves and their guests. Bucuti has an exhaustive amount of water and energy saving practices in place, sponsors several local environmental groups and has been certified Green Globe 21 since 2000 and ISO 14001 since 2003.

Click here for a full list of environmental initiatives.

“At Bucuti, we are passionate about preserving the environment so we can share our spectacular island with brides and grooms well into the future,” said owner and CEO Ewald Biemans. “We look forward to many new couples immersing themselves in the natural beauty of Aruba through the Eco-Chic Aruba Wedding Experience.”

For more information on the EcoChic Aruba Wedding Experience, couples can contact Bucuti’s in-house wedding coordinator Nashette Wouters at weddings@bucuti.com.

Nashette is trained by the Association of Certified Professional Wedding Consultants and holds one of the highest distinctions in the industry as a Beverly Clark Certified Wedding Professional. Weddings start at $920.

U.S. - CARIBBEAN CURRENCY EXCHANGE Antigua & Barbuda.........$2.70 Bahamas...........................$1.00 Barbados..........................$2.00 Belize...............................$2.00 Cayman Islands................$0.83 Dominican Republic........$36.20 (Pesos) Grenada ..........................$2.70 (EC) Guyana ............................$194.80 Honduras..........................$18.89

Jamaica ..........................$84 Martinique......................$4.36 (FF) St. Kitts & Nevis.............$ 2.70 (EC) St. Lucia..........................$2.70 (EC) St. Vincent & The Grenadines...$2.70 (EC) Trinidad & Tobago...........$6.28 EC = Eastern Caribbean Dollars FF French Frank

FRIDAY, JULY 30, 2010 * NEW YORK LIBERTY STAR

W E E K LY W O R D S E A R C H

COMICS

CARTOON CHARACTERS

Arthur, Bambi, Barney Rubble, Betty Boop, Bugs Bunny, Charlie Brown, Daffy Duck, Donald Duck, Dumbo, Eeyore, Elmer Fudd, Felix The Cat, Fred Flintstone, Garfield, Goofy, Mickey Mouse, Mighty Mouse, Mr Magoo, Pluto, Popeye, Porky Pig, Road Runner, Scooby-Doo, Snoopy, Sylvester, The Simpsons, Tigger, Tom And Jerry, Top Cat, Tweety, Winnie The Pooh

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Commentary

How Can My Family Make A Smooth Transition Back To School?

Q. How can my family make a smooth transition back to school? I really hate this time of year. I get stressed out and so do my kids. Any suggestions?

A. Everyone knows that kids need supplies to get ready for school. However, the emotional transition back to school is rough on everyone, too. New school clothes, supplies, forms to fill out, deadlines to meet, getting up early again, packing lunches, homework, a new teacher and in this economy, finding enough money for it all. There is also the emotional side of going back to school for children. Children who are entering a new school district, repeating a grade, entering a new building, and who are going for the first time, are the most stressed. No matter how unprepared you think you are, there are some ways to avoid back-toschool nightmares with expert tips and also learn how to make a game plan. The GreatSchools.net website and I offer these suggestions: Talk positively about the pending school experience. Parents’ emotions are easily read by children who pick up on parental fears, sadness about separation, or concerns about their child’s adjustment.

Shop together for school supplies or clothes. Treat going to school as a wonderful new adventure.

Start getting them back on their school-time schedule slowly — about a week ahead of the first day.

The night before, prepare lunches and snacks and set out clothes and backpacks. If you're unsure of the school's snack policy, send extra food with your child just in case.

Many parents like to accompany their child to school on the first day, but that is not always possible. If this is a big issue for you and your child, you could certainly slip a note in a lunch box or backpack or in with some new school supplies.

Establish TV, video, and computer use rules before the first day of school, and stick to them.

Do not drop off your child and leave. Your job is to make sure all the child's concerns have been addressed before you leave them anywhere!

If your child is anxious about going to school, don’t freak

out if your child’s anxiety escalates into screaming and crying, ‘I won’t go!’ Remain calm, cool, and collected.

Find another child in your neighborhood who may be going to school with your child and invite them over so your child has at least one friend.

Have a back to school party with your family and friends to ease the transition.

Provides lots of hugs and reassurance for your children. Let them know that you know how they feel. Share some of your stories of when you were a kid going to school.

Questions to Ask at Your Back-to-School Night.

Denis Cruz, 2006 California suggests asking these questions: What is the policy on late work and make-up work?

How does it affect the student's grade?

How do absences affect the grade?

How do I teach my son or daughter to gain independence in school?

How can I check on my son's or daughter's progress in school? Do you give weekly progress reports?

How do I know what the homework is? Is there an online homework calendar?

Should I call or email the teacher?

Are there field trips?

How can I check on detentions or behavior issues?

Is there anything you'd like me to do?

May I volunteer in the classroom?

Visit www.greatschools.net for developing a game plan with your family. Good luck everyone!

Lisa-Anne Ray-Byers is a licensed and certified speech-language pathologist who has worked in education for over two decades. She holds graduate degrees in speech-language pathology and multicultural education. She also holds certification in educational administration. She is the author of the book, They Say I Have ADHD, I Say Life Sucks!

Thoughts From Nicholas. She is currently employed in the Hempstead School District. You may contact her at

speechlrb@yahoo.com or by visiting her website at www.AskLisaAnne.com.

The Death Of An 8-Year-Old Is Enough To Resume Capital Punishment In Belize

By Wellington C. Ramos When I heard that two men came out of a car, with one carrying an AK47, and started to fire shots in a private property at 48-year-old Calvin Graham killing him instantly, then turning that same weapon on 8-yearold Marquis Mahler, a little child, I was shocked and appalled at this senseless and brutal murder.

What is the reasoning for any individual to take the life of another human being without any justifiable reason. The taking of a person’s life brings about severe pain and suffering to the relatives that they must endure for a considerable period of time.

When this child saw this person carrying the weapon he apparently yelled out, “Gunman,” and the culprit carrying the weapon turned his gun on this poor innocent child and shot him like an animal.

The country of Belize has never experienced in its entire history a year like this, where almost every day a person is killed in the city of Belize.

Many Belizeans are living in fear because of the amount of people that have been killed so far.

It is now time for the government of Belize to remind Belizeans that the punishment for committing murder in the country of Belize according to the law is still death by hanging and that has not changed despite the fact that a person has not been hanged in Belize for a long time for committing murder.

Up until June of this year, in all crimes committed in Belize the final court to determine the resolution of those hearings was the Privy Council in London, England. That court was in the habit of throwing out the cases, reducing the sentences and granting the murderers life in prison without parole.

Many people will say that hanging is cruel and inhumane treatment but the taking of a person’s life for no justifiable reason in my opinion is also cruel and inhumane punishment to the deceased and his or her family. The punishment starts when the individual

decides on his or her own to end a human life for no reason. We have been spending too many years being concerned about the rights of the criminals and less time focusing on the rights of the victims and law abiding citizens.

The failure of our government to make an open declaration that as of now they will do whatever they can to make sure that these individuals be brought to justice, convicted and be dealt with in accordance with the laws of Belize, will leave many to assume that our government does not value the lives of its citizens.

Belizeans are becoming so disgusted with this ongoing dilemma that one family recently indicated that they were going to take the law into their own hands in looking for the culprits and kill them themselves when they are caught.

Before we reach the point where Belizeans start to take the law into their own hands, our government needs to reassure the general public that they have the crime situation un-

der control and with little patience the measures that they have put in place will soon bring about positive results.

Many Belizeans are beginning to believe that the government has lost control over the crime situation and the criminals are now in control of Belize City’s streets.

Guns are coming into Belize in large numbers and we need to find out who are the individuals that are bringing in these guns into our country.

Without the guns the crimes will not be able to be committed with them. Stopping the gun flow from our neighboring countries of Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, the United States and other countries in the region should now be a top priority.

I have said in previous articles that if our government does not find a way to end this madness, these criminals will not be fearful to target members of our government and other high ranking officials. The Belize government cannot wait for this situation to further get out of control because, once the people lose confi-

dence in the government, they will start to think about replacing this government with another one.

The government of Belize recently outlined several new initiatives to deal with the reduction of crime but instead of the violence decreasing it seems to be increasing.

It normally takes some time to see if new policies are working after they were implemented. I just hope and pray that time doesn’t run out on this government.

This problem is not only costing our country a human toll but a financial one likewise. Tourists are going to be discouraged from coming to Belize because of our current crime statistics.

We need to restore Belize’s image as one of the friendly nations of the world where visitors and citizens can move freely without being victims of criminals. We cannot afford to give in to these lawless individuals because once we surrender, our country will remain under their control and we will remain their victims forever.

NEW YORK LIBERTY STAR

Sports Atkinson Wins Gold

Jamaica’s Alia Atkinson swims the women 100m breaststroke final of the swimming competition in the Central American and Caribbean Games in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico.

Jamaican Alia Atkinson headlined the evening session of the Central American and Caribbean Games on Sunday as she picked up gold in the women’s 200 metres breaststroke in record time.

previous record she set earlier in the heats by almost three seconds.

She finished ahead of the Mexican pair of Byanca Rodriguez (2:35.82) and Arantxa Medina (2:36.67) who finished second and third, respectively.

Jamaica won a second medal in the pool when Dominic Walter clocked 17:11.60 for bronze in the 1500 metres freestyle. Juan Rodolfo Prem Biere of Guatemal won in 16:44.64.

The 21-year-old, who contested the event at the Beijing Olympics two years ago, clocked two minutes, 30.99 seconds to win the event, bettering the

Cause for celebration The Caribbean had cause for further celebration in the men’s 100 metres backstroke as Barbadian

Nicky Neckles claimed silver.

Neckles, who has competed in three Olympic Games, touched the wall in 56.44 seconds, narrowly ahead of Mexico’s Miguel Castro, who was third in 56.45. The event was won by Venezuelan Albert Subirats in a time of 56.06 seconds.

Shaune Fraser of the Cayman Islands clocked 50.26 seconds to clinch bronze in the men’s 100 metres freestyle, trailing home behind winner Subirats, who finished just outside his record in the event.

Atkinson also bagged her second gold of the Games. She won the 200m individual medley in a record 2:17.31 to bring Jamaica’s medal tally to three.

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Bravo Blitz Gives T&T Easy Win

Trinidad and Tobago flexed their muscles in front of an adoring home crowd to beat Jamaica and surge past them to top the group.

Once the rains cleared after washing out the first encounter of the day at the Queens Park Oval, Darren Bravo ensured the hosts claimed bragging rights in Zone A with a delightfully aggressive innings.

In a match reduced to 18 overs a side, Jamaica elected to field with the intention of exploiting any moisture left on the pitch. William Perkins kept them concerned in the first over, lofting Andre Russell over long off for six and flicking through midwicket for four. The tone of the innings was about to change in the next over though.

David Bernard cramped Adrian Barath into chopping a pull shot onto his off stump. Jamaica’s captain Tamar Lambert replaced Russell with Krishmar Santokie for the third over and the move paid off immediately. Perkins paid for his impetuosness, walking across the stumps to the first ball and losing his leg stump as he failed to connect with a paddle sweep. The hosts were under pressure now and Jamaica were rampant in the look-out for another early strike. It came in the first ball of Santokie’s second over, Lendl Simmons slicing one outside off stump straight to point.

Round one to Jamaica.

The tide was about to turn though, for the second time in the innings, and T&T captain Daren Ganga kickstarted the revival by lofting Bernard for six in the sixth over. Jamaica blinked first, replacing Santokie with Nikita Miller in the seventh over, thereby handing the hosts an escape route. Ganga fell in the eighth trying to carve Lam-

Darren Bravo bert over the cover fence, but by now Darren Bravo had settled in well. He checked by dispatching a long hop from Miller over midwicket, and followed it up by lofting over-pitched offerings from Russell and Lambert over the leg side boundaries. Dwayne Bravo did the smart thing, turning the strike over to his aggressive brother and in the process, getting his eye in.

The crowd of 16,500 began to get behind their team as Dwayne opened up, looting Wavell Hinds for a four and a six in the 13th over which went for 19 runs. Darren continued to feast on Miller’s left-arm spin, running him down to third man to reach his fifty before launching him over long off for six. The Bravo brothers had added 69 in 39 balls when Santokie sent Dwayne back with the third ball of his second spell. With Kieron Pollard still in the reserves, T&T were set to finish with a flourish, but Santokie had other plans. He castled Pollard with an inswinger and foxed Darren into lofting straight to midwicket to complete a rare five-for. Russell kept things tight at the other end as T&T managed just 31 runs in the last four overs. The damage however, had already been done.

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Volcanoes Thrash Sunsplash, 28-12

Senators (GA, C) and SunSplash (GD, C) Juniors, will be chasing the ball and division honours in the LIME/CANA 2010 Summer Netball tournament which continues this weekend (Sat/ Sun) with a full schedule of matches at the Lincoln Terrace Park (East New York & Buffallo Avenues), Brooklyn. NY. Tip off time is 4 pm each day. (Photo by Sharon Bennett)

It is becoming a little bit clearer which clubs are playing the better ball as the 13th season of the LIME endorsed Caribbean American Netball Association tournament heads into the home stretch.

Unfazed by the rain which forced the postponement of four matches on Sunday afternoon, Volcanoes4 (Juniors), Pitons3 (Intermediate), Upsetters2 (Seniors2) and Volcanoes2 (Seniors), scored impressive victories to move to the top of their division.

With four rounds to go, Volcanoes4 look set to take top honours among the juniors, cruising to their fourth straight win (4-0), by an easy 28-12 margin over SunSplash3.

In the senior division, Volcanoes2 is making a run for top honours, picking up two big wins on the weekend.

They clobbered Pitons1, 40-24 on Saturday evening and returned on Sunday for another laugher, a 49-31 outcome. In the Saturday

evening feature, the result was never in doubt with the veteran pair of Yvonne Vernon (WD) and Anciel Langaigne (GS), outplaying the opposing pair of Tisha Pike (GD) and Nikita McSween (GK).

In the A2 section where 11 teams are contending and where the competition is fever pitch, Upsetters2 has a slim one game lead over Pitons2. Upsetters2 were twice as good as Senators1 on Sunday, winning 33-17, in pretty much the same way that Pitons2 had their way with SunSplash1, 31-17, on Saturday.

Pitons3 are ahead by a mere point (21) in the Intermediate section after their narrow 3330 win over United2. Unbeaten Senators2 which did not have a game last weekend, remain on 20 points.

In one other game of note on Saturday, Crusaders were 44-32 winners over United1 to remain in striking distance on 26 points, 10 points (2 games) out of first place.

Key match ups this weekend at the Lincoln Terrace Park, Brooklyn, include, Crusaders3 against Senators2 on Saturday at 5:30 pm, and on Sunday at 6:00 pm, Upsetters2 (7-1) taking on Crusaders2 (5-1) for leadership of the A2 division.

Extol Blames Staff For 4x400 Metres Letdown

Dwayne Extol, who captained Jamaica’s team at the recent 13th IAAF World Junior Championships in Moncton, Canada, has blamed the coaching staff for the men’s 4x400 metres failure.

Extol was handed the baton third in the men’s 4x400m final but faded in the last 100m as Jamaica finished fourth in three minutes, 07.36 seconds behind winners USA (3:04.76), Nigeria (3:06.36) and Great Britain & N.I. (3:06.49).

However, he complained that said the coaching staff made an error in choosing the line-up.

“If we had organized the team the way the athletes thought it should have, we would definitely be among the medals, but its one of those things ....,” Extol said on his return to the island this week. Manager Alfred Francis, however, believes a way must be found to improve the athletes during a World Junior Champs year.

“The season is long and we have to look at

ways and means of focusing on the Championships and have them peak at the Championships ...,” he said.

“More work has to go into where the Championships are concerned and we had a few injuries, so those are matters we have to look into.”

Jamaica’s juniors had have had a tough schedule, contesting the CARIFTA Games trials, Boys and Girls National Champs, CARIFTA Games in Cayman Islands, Junior Trials, and the Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Junior Championships, all in less than five months.

Dexter Lee, who repeated his gold medal run from Poland, the men’s 4x100m team and the women’s 4x400m teams, won Jamaica’s three medals at the World Juniors.

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Recipes Blue Drawers Otherwise known as Tie Leaf or Duckoono is a popular Jamaican recipe.

INGREDIENTS: ¼ cup raisins 1 cup grated coconut 3 cups grated green bananas 2 tbsp melted margarine 2 cups grated sweet potatoes 1 tsp allspice 1 cup flour 1 tsp baking powder 1tsp vanilla 1 tsp salt 2 cups coconut milk 1½ cups brown sugar

METHOD: 1. Combine all dry ingredients with margarine.

2. Sweeten coconut milk with sugar and add vanilla.

3. Pour milk mixture and banana mixture together and blend well.

4. Wrap mixture in a banana leaf.

5. Place in boiling water and then cover and bring to boil.

Remove allow to cool and serve in tie leaf

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SPORTS

JAMAICA’S ATKINSON WINS SWIM GOLD IN RECORD TIME P. 23