NEW YORK LIBERTY STAR * October 17-30, 2014
Ask Lisa Anne TOO MANY ABSENce FROM SCHOOL
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s g in y K n n a n e e S L , d ings n e a , m hy Keyes Wash Tia R , ta icia y o s c u rr l t B a, Al r, Ke a t , e j M k a ver y Caribbean News n e n i i i n t P a i Claim l M l Ri GetPTo Americans Carib. Heritage a o a m i d S o k a , Zoe s, l dney ph, R J c e i , . N w Jr l Ali e , x r i l , a a S m a g n a jada R M n J n i i o e d a S d d d s e l i h L r d a r a smith o d l Ri , Gera torspinkett i a h G y n M c r i i a e c a R b n u h Tr a n u o a , S ; a a C aty Luke e t vitz , y . B g n y n a e r Kra , Nia Lo a Mow beiro, T Derek Dash, S arcell lds, Me ton Tamer nso Ri wson, tacey Trina, G , Kin Fie rsford eKerry d , Alfo o Da as, S l J, o c u i H l anQueens T&T Beauty R B e i , o i ar Lewis de ith Rosar Thom , LL Co orbin n Mwashington Eye GlobalSm Crown C , An o k , a , n l c a m n i l ; w n o i da n Patr nie Fi ule H saint y, Da under ticia D s i r a rr Po a l l u e a m e o i o S H p T r M Inside o e , a e d t e s K n CCH n t , k i s , a .S. A a a , Jac dom o ; s rr New York OnR Alert As , T yg k U o n d L O s d a , r i r n d o Ebola Hits U.S., P2 va Goo eckf Lama ita Eb ke a Patriots Safety Proud ganTo anne B Hodge, and Sel D. Clar Be West Indian, P15 ox e t s d i t r R d e l ckfo n Yv Semper Fidelis x , A Fo on Be oma er Tys gresswic Hold Er P.10. l story, Con erfull a Gen | NYLIBERTYSTAR.net | VOL. XII ISSUE 246
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NYC On Alert As Ebola Hits U.S.
Dr. Rudolph F. Crew, President of Medgar Evers College
Medgar Evers President Named Among Higher Education Leaders
Brooklyn – Dr. Rudolph F. Crew, President of Medgar Evers College (MEC), is named one of ten People to Watch in Higher Education by Crain’s New York Business. Dr. Crew joins a distinguished group of presidents, deans and others featured who are leading their institutions in dynamic ways, navigating the often complex world of higher education. Dr. Crew took the helm at MEC in 2013 with a large and much-needed agenda, most noteworthy of which was to reverse the decline in enrollment and increase graduation rates. Other items on his agenda include new programs in law and education, and exposing students to a wide array of jobs. He hopes to boost enrollment by 25% during the next five years. “There are students at MEC that are bright, talented and capable of being producers of new ideas,” said Dr. Crew. “They’ve got a hand to play, and the question is whether we can sustain that from elementary, middle and high school and into their college career.”
Williams Discusses ‘Stop And Frisk’ With Yale Law Students
Councilmember Jumaane D. Williams, Deputy Leader and co-chair of the City Council’s Task Force to Combat Gun Violence, appeared at Yale University’s School of Law, Sept. 26, as a panelist during a forum hosted by the school’s American Constitution Society to discuss the Community Safety Act and police reform. During the panel discussion, Williams discussed how he has long advocated to end the disparate policing of historically disenfranchised communities, be it the misuse and abuse of stop, question and frisk or the surveillance of Muslim-Americans.
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he United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed, last week, through laboratory tests the first case of the Ebola virus to be diagnosed in the United States in a person who had traveled to Dallas, Texas from West Africa. In a recent release, CDC stated the patient did not have symptoms
when leaving West Africa, but developed symptoms approximately five days after arriving in the United States. CDC recognizes that even a single case of Ebola diagnosed in the United States raises concerns. Knowing the possibility exists, medical and public health professionals across the country have been preparing to respond. “As the largest Ebola epidemic in history continues to spread, we need to use every precaution to help prevent everyone, both in the U.S. and in Africa, from being further infected with this deadly virus,” said U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer. “The federal government, led by the Centers for Disease Control and Pre-
Advice from the CDC
on how to protect yourself against the Ebola Virus, especially when traveling overseas to affected areas. •Wash hands frequently or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. •Avoid contact with blood and body fluids of any person, particularly someone who is sick. •Do not handle items that may have come in contact with an infected person’s blood or body fluids.
vention, has done good work thus far, but more commonsense steps at our airports, ports and hospitals should be taken to tighten up protections against the deadly virus’s spread in the United States.” There are no confirmed cases in New York City or the surrounding area at this time, according to New York Disaster Interfaith Services. However, New York City regularly monitors and responds to disease outbreaks. The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) has full confidence in the city’s healthcare community and when addressing possible concerns, Dr. Mary Bassett, the DOHMH Commissioner said: “The City’s healthcare community knows exactly what to do if they come across a person who might be infected.” Ebola is a severe, often fatal disease that affects humans and some animals. Ebola spreads through direct contact with an infected person’s or animal’s skin, blood or body fluids. It cannot be spread simply by being near someone who is infected. People can be infected by touching objects that contain infected blood or body fluids, such as needles or bed sheets. Symptoms start two days to three weeks after contracting the vi-
rus, with a fever, sore throat, muscle pain, and headaches, according to researchers. Typically, vomiting, diarrhea, and rash follow, along with decreased function of the liver and kidneys. Around this time, affected people may begin to bleed both within the body and externally. There are no drugs or vaccines approved to treat or prevent Ebola, according to Bloomberg News. The rarity of the disease and its prevalence in rural areas of poor African nations have provided little incentive for big drugmakers to invest in treatments, leaving smaller biotechnology firms and government-funded labs to take up the challenge. But now, companies including GlaxoSmithKline and Johnson & Johnson are accelerating programs for development of preventive vaccines, which would command a larger market than treatments. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lists the virus, alongside anthrax and smallpox, as a Category A bioterrorism agent, compelling an expensive search for remedies. The New York City Office of Emergency Management says it will continue to work closely with DOHMH and all other partners on this issue and will send out additional updates as needed.
•Do not touch the body of someone who has died from Ebola. •Do not touch bats and nonhuman primates or their blood and fluids and do not touch or eat raw meat prepared from these animals. •Avoid hospitals where Ebola patients are being treated. The U.S. Embassy or consulate is often able to provide advice on medical facilities. •Seek medical care immediately if you develop fever (temperature of 101.5F/ 38.6C) and any of the other following symptoms: headache, muscle pain, diarrhea, vomiting, stomach pain, or unexplained bruising or bleeding. •Limit your contact with other people until and when you go to the doctor. Do not travel anywhere else besides a healthcare facility. According to the CDC, U.S. citizens should avoid all nonessential travel to Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone, and take enhanced precautions when visiting Nigeria.
Publisher Lenecia Hines Publisher/Editor-in-Chief Ivrol Hines Account Managers Winston Hall Jennifer Mcleod norton wint
Highlighting the Telephone: (678) 281-3020 Fax: (215) 294-5903 Spirit of the Caribbean nylibertystar@yahoo.com www.nylibertystar.net 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: NEW YORK CITY nylibertystar@yahoo.com or visit our website at nylibertystar.net. CORPORATE OFFICE Hours of operation: M-F, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. All material due by 5 p.m., Tuesday of publication week. 397 Rockaway Ave The New York Liberty Star is not responsible for typographical errors in ads beyond the cost of the Brooklyn, NY 11212 space occupied by the error. Copyright New York Liberty Star 2001. All rights reserved.
Healthcare Oasis In A Desert Of Needs 32-Year Old Pioneer Community Health Center Breaking New Ground Every Day
NEW YORK LIBERTY STAR * October 17-30, 2014
What’s Happening now! 69Th Pct Community Council’s General Meeting Tuesday, October 21st (NOT October 28th as previously noted) Location: St. Albans Church -- 9408 Farragut Road, Brooklyn, NY
Sanitation Worker Exam
The filing period for the next Sanitation Worker exam will be open from Oct. 1 Oct. 31. Go to www.nyc.gov/examsforjobs to register for the exam, which will be offered in February 2015. The current starting salary of a Sanitation Worker is $33,746 per year. The current labor agreement provides for periodic increases to a maximum of $69,339 following the completion of 5 1/2 years.
Cement Masons Recruit Apprentices
The Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee for United Cement Masons, Local Union #780, will conduct a recruitment from November 10, 2014 through November 21, 2014 for 15 cement mason apprentices. Applications can be obtained at 150-50 14th Road, Whitestone, NY from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, during the recruitment period. This is a limited-application recruitment. Only 300 applications will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis. For further information, applicants should contact their nearest New York State Department of Labor office or Local Union #780 at (718) 357-3750.
Congresswoman Yvette Clarke and Harvey Lawrence, President & CEO BMS Family Health Center By Michael Roberts
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fter a recent 4-hour visit and site tour of BMS Family Health Center, Brooklyn Congresswoman Yvette Clarke, gave the 32-year old health care organization the “thumbs up.”
Ms. Clarke, accompanied by Assemblywomanelect Latrice Walker, BMS President and CEO, Harvey Lawrence, and members of the health center’s board of directors, toured four of the network’s seven clinical sites, including its headquarters, BMS Main, located at 592 Rockaway Avenue in the Brownsville section of Brooklyn. “I am very impressed with BMS and the work that you do and continue to do. It’s simply outstanding. This is a hidden gem; a healthcare oasis in a desert of high needs. As a supporter of New York City’s health center movement and of health centers in general, it’s important that we identify with the work that you’re doing each and every day,” Congresswoman Clarke said. The congresswoman, took time off from her busy schedule to see first-hand the work that BMS is doing to deliver quality, affordable healthcare to over 30,000 residents of an area that faces many critical healthcare challenges including endemic diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, and dental issues. At BMS Life and Wellness Institute, the Joseph K. Francois Pavilion as it’s is called, located at 408 Rockaway Avenue, she was informed about the hugely successful WIC program that now reaches over 5,000 participants, the HIV/AIDS program that is one of the very first ones in that area of Brooklyn, and substance abuse counseling. Congresswoman Clarke gave “the seal of approval” to BMS Institute for Specialty & Integrative Services (BMS ISIS@Bristol). This site honors BMS’s commitment by expanding treatments within the organization’s scope of services. Recently, its
Clarke Gives Thumbs Up
efforts in this area have been greatly advanced by a linkage agreement with NYC Department of Health & Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) to provide tuberculosis (TB) screening and treatment for those with latent TB infection (LTBI). This site also deals with adult HIV care and coordination as well as non-clinical services like smoking cessation and health education. “As a Federally qualified and funded community health center we’re mandated to provide care to anyone who walks through our doors – regardless of his or her ability to pay. We’ve also held true to the vision of our founders to provide quality healthcare to those we serve. Not because a community is poor means that healthcare services should be poor. At BMS we’re treating the entire family in a respectful, warm and friendly environment,” said Harvey Lawrence, President of BMS Family Health Center. Congresswoman Clarke’s last stop was at the brand new addition to the BMS system – BMS@ Ashford (located at the corner of Ashford Street and New Lots Avenue). This site was opened just over a year ago to meet the healthcare needs of the East New York and New Lots communities that one of the most medically underserved in all of Brooklyn. This stateof-the-art facility is situated in a changing neighborhood and also serves a large Spanish-speaking community. “I am pleasantly surprised at all of the developments and growth that BMS has achieved, and the forward thinking leadership of Harvey Lawrence and his team. It’s communities like these face on a daily basis. I applaud the work that BMS has done and continues to do,” Congresswoman Clarke said at an end of tour luncheon. During the luncheon the Brooklyn lawmaker was presented with a framed painting of BMS Family Health Center’s main offices. For more information: www.bmsfhc.org and www.facebook.com/bmsfhc
Are you ready to apply for U.S. Citizenship? The library offers FREE resources, education and legal assistance for New Americans across Brooklyn.
Prepare for Citizenship Program
Attend free Citizenship Preparation Classes at the library. Classes meet 3-6 hours per week for 11 weeks. Free legal assistance with Catholic Migration Services. Classes begin in October. Improve your English. Study all topics on the naturalization civics test. Practice for the interview. Evening, morning and weekend class schedules available.
CitizenshipWorks Application Assistance
Attend a free monthly naturalization application workshop. Submit your N-400 application on the computer. Review your application with a lawyer.
Citizenship Exam Preparation Groups Join volunteer Citizenship Exam Coaches for free drop-in weekly conversation and study groups led by volunteers. Practice for the citizenship exam with other adults. Discuss topics covered in the exam.
For questions and more information about Citizenship Application and Test Preparation, please call your local library or visit bklynpubliclibrary.org/ citizenship
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Lowe & Behold: Jamaican Chinese Trace Roots From Harlem To Circa BC By Vinette K. Pryce
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ell Vera Lowe was no ordinary woman. Despite the fact she struggled to make ends meet after migrating to New York to settle on one of the most crimeriddled blocks in Harlem she had extraordinary dreams and perhaps that is why she is the subject of a documentary film featured during the recent Urbanworld Film Festival.
In a 59-minute documentary feature directed by Jamaican Chinese filmmaker Jeneatte Kong, Lowe’s revealing life-story unfolds to reveal the path she took at age 27 arriving in the Director Jeneatte Jong, a Jamaican Chinese filmmaker and Jamaican Chinese Harlem native Paula Village of Harlem in 1945. Williams Madison by Vinette K. Pryce. Born in 1918 to Albertha Campbell, a Black Jamaican woman and Samuel Lowe, sey that ended for the newest addition to the an immigrant Chinese shopkeeper, the biracial their journey from Harlem to China. Nell died in 2006. She was able to see her Lowe family tree in Shenzhen and Guangzhou, daughter was determined to make good of her life. According to the film, Nell was deprived children grow to become accomplished, inde- China. Shipping records states that the pioneering of her father’s guidance and she recalled see- pendent citizens. What she did not know was ing him last at age three. Although much of that her children would honor her by fulfilling Chinese along with scores of Asians travelled her growing years are not included in “Find- the dream she harbored of knowing the story of to Jamaica seeking work in the booming sugar industry. Actually, it was revealed that Samuel ing Samuel Lowe: From Harlem to China,” her father and his family. Paula was determined to make Nell’s Lowe actually left the SS Andresitas when it her three children made sure her adult years in Harlem are fully revisited. Nell allegedly relied dream a reality. After retiring at age 58 after docked in 1933 after sailing from Hong Kong. on welfare checks to help her raise the depen- working for 22 years at NBC Universal in 2012, Records show that Chinese immigrants were dents she bore. Howard, Elrick and Paula she seriously committed to ensuring her family first to engage in retail trade on the island. Lowe allegedly established a local shop and quickly Williams Madison attended Catholic school. tree sprung from the roots. Already, Paula and her brothers had some traded on the open market that demanded groAnd although they assimilated into the then ceries and other products. While on the Caribmigrant community that accommodated Ca- knowledge about their Jamaican background. At least they thought they did. Paula pros- bean island, Paula and her brothers learned that ribbean immigrants and others ‘yearning to be free’ the boys knew they looked different. They pered as a successful media executive, but like after 30 years her grandfather returned to his said they were teased about their Asian-looking, African American Alex Hayles she wanted to homeland with another of his daughters named Adassa. know the beginning of her ancestry. Black appearance. Although bonded with new relatives and She thought she knew enough about the Paula, the lone girl recalls that much was Jamaican beginning of her family tree but felt a wealth of family history, Paula and director expected of her. According to Paula, a grade of B was in- there was much more to its roots and even the Kong pressed for more clues to the Lowe myssufficient for her mother’s approval. She said branches and leaves that must have survived to tery. In her quest, Paula discovered the Hakka on one occasion after showing her report card find her and her sibling brothers with a single meetings in Toronto, Canada. Jamaicans of to her mother Nell, she was politely and nicely parent mother living in Harlem. With a film crew, director Kong and her Chinese ancestry are as prevalent throughout scolded for getting the second best alphabet. “I did not come to this country for you to brothers she travelled to Jamaica. There, an the immigrant population of Canada the UK get a B,” Nell allegedly told her only daughter. entire history unfolded when they met Vincent and the US as any. Among achievers from the Chang. As head of the Chinese Benevolent As- island of Jamaica, they include the world’s top “I want you to be rich.” If any school-age lesson ever resonated, sociation, Chang escorted Paula to the place her male and female supermodels Tyson Beckford Paula learned that one. Perhaps that is why she is grandfather lived, worked and probably met her and Naomi Campbell, Canadian billionaire Michael Lee Chin, CEOs of VP Records, Vinnow richer than she could ever imagine. Along grandmother. According to film statements, Paula’s jour- cent and Pat Chin, Rockers TV reggae video with her brothers, formed Williams Group Holdings LLC, a Chicago-based, family-owned ney from Harlem to Jamaica uncovered a rich pioneer Earl Chin, “The Voice” reality show company, which has majority share investments legacy left by the immigrant post-slavery odys- winner Tessanne Chin, current Miss Jamaica in The Africa Channel. They ship Napa wines sey from Asia. That Lowe established a thriving World beauty queen, Laurie-Ann Chin and and Maine lobsters to China. They partner as business was revealing to Paula and her broth- many others. And while there are those who can be iminvestors in various real estate, consumer, fi- ers. From the downtown 48 Barry St. address mediately identified by their Chinese ancestry, nancial and trading businesses. And recently the family sold the WNBA sports franchise, the Los in the capital city of Kingston, to St. Ann’s perhaps an equal amount or more are forced to Bay, Mocho, Clarendon, Samuel Lowe’s path straddle the most dominant cultural appearance Angeles Sparks to Magic Johnson. Next year they will release a book about through the island became the beginning odys- and more often than not it is African.
In the northern city she met Chinese who gather from all over the globe in order to celebrate, validate and re-affirm their heritage and culture every four years. Inspired by the cultural ritual and the union of the race, Paula fully committed to a journey to China where her adventure led to exploration and discovery. The mission seemed to unfold in Jamaica and eventually 20 family members travelled to the ancestral village Shenzhen province for the 95th birthday celebration of Adassa, Nell’s sister and Howard, Elrick and Paula’s aunt. While there, the enquiring family learned that official documents record 151 generations of the Lowe (Luo) family. They also found out that their lineage dates back 3,000 years to 1006 BC. She wept after visiting cemeteries, temples and the 300-room village the Lowe (Luo) name claims to their heritage. That the Luos time on earth predated the era Jesus Christ walked the earth seemed overwhelming. The documentary “Finding Samuel Lowe: From Harlem to China” is making the film festival rounds and will eventually end up on television and The Africa Channel. Recently a few of all racial persuasions packed into a Manhattan movie theater to see and support the documentary. Screened during the , the film united Jamaicans and bi-racial individuals and couples who identify with the topic of retracing the family roots and origins that bind them uniquely with ancestors and fellows. Now residing in Los Angeles, Calif. with her husband, Paula is a member of the WNBA Board of Governors. As the film rolled, Jamaicans of Chinese heritage dabbed away tears. Among them Francine Chin, a radio personality who specializes in promoting reggae music, family members of Vincent and Pat Chin, operators of VP Records, a company that distributes Jamaican music and Sonia Chin, an administrative assistant at a Manhattan hospital. They all said they were emotionally moved by the familiar aspects of the film. “I felt so connected because we have such familiar stories about our Chinese family, Wow!” Sonia Chin said. Born in Jamaica to interracial parents Chin said the documentary relates to her in more ways than she can readily explain. Two days after attending the public viewing she said “It is still in my head.” Among the patrons in the audience was an individual who said she is now retracing her Jewish Jamaican roots. It would not be surprising if one of the first multicultural societies in the world records all the nationals tracing the roots of Jamaicans with those of Syrians, Indians, Australians or Alaskans. “Finding Samuel Lowe: From Harlem to China” was due to screen earlier this month in Trinidad & Tobago. Kong’s hope is that Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) will obtain the rights to screen the document for television viewers.
Queen Of Reggae Nabs Pinnacle Award By Sharon Gordon
The Board of Directors of the Coalition to Preserve Reggae Music., (CPR) announced recently that “the Queen of Reggae” Marcia Griffiths will receive the coveted Pinnacle Award for Excellence, at the 10th Annual Reggae Culture Salute, taking place on Saturday, Nov. 1, in the Performance Center at Nazareth Regional High School, located at 475 East 57th Street in Brooklyn. Marcia, who is celebrating fifty years as an integral part of the reggae music industry, came to prominence with Bob Andy in the late 1960’s with their remake of Nina Simone’s “Young, Gifted and Black”. She went on to even more fame singing backup harmony for the late “King of Reggae,” Bob Marley, along with Judy Mowatt and Rita Marley in the group known as the I-Threes, and has enjoyed a stellar solo career. Notable among Marcia’s many hits over the years, is the “Electric Slide” a perennial favorite. Whether it’s a wedding, reunion or sweet sixteen party, the song which was written for her by Bunny Wailer will always get the party started. Music lovers are encouraged to come out to support Marcia on this auspicious occasion.
The family friendly Reggae Culture Salute, which commemorates the coronation of Emperor Haile Selassie I and Empress Mennen of Ethiopia, is the longest running event of its kind in New York City. This year’s milestone staging of the multimedia celebration includes nyahbinghi drumming, dancing, rituals, video presentations and live roots reggae performances. Joining Marcia will be roots reggae crooner, Everton Blender who returns to Reggae Culture Salute by popular demand as this year’s special guest. The artist who graced the RCS stage in 2009 returns to thrill the audience with hits such as “Ghetto People Song” and “Life Up Your Head” among others. CPR members will also showcase their talents as CPR presents the Roots Reggae Revival Showcase. Slated to perform are Don Minott from Connecticut, he returns due to popular demand; Simone Gordon from New York City; from Maryland comes Da Real Storm; while Tasha T makes her way from Toronto, Canada. Former lead singer of the Wailers band Gary Pine will make his debut as will Turban X. CPR Poet Laureate, Ras Osagyefo will also perform. Backing band will be the CPR All Stars directed by
veteran guitarist Linford Carby. A special dance routine featuring dance moves through the past fifty years will include the likes of noted dancer Alphonso Castro, Shawnee Lee and Sophia Walsh-Newman. Reggae Culture Salute celebrates the unique relationship between Reggae, Rasta, Emperor Selassie and Jamaica. This year’s event has collaboration as its theme and will be the platform for the U.S. launch of SiteMedia’s Rastafari TV (RTV). In his 2010 coverage of the event, Jared McCallister of the NY Daily News pointed out that “It may be news to some, but reggae music owes a great debt of gratitude to the late Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie I.” In a preview of the 2006 staging of Reggae Culture Salute, Ben Sesario of the New York Times wrote “The big reggae concert this fall should be relatively free of the controversy that has dogged so many other recent reggae shows: homophobia,” and called Reggae Culture Salute “a celebration of reggae’s oldfashioned family values.” Reggae Culture Salute continues in this tradition as CPR, presenter of the event strives to raise the bar in reggae music. Reggae Culture Salute is widely recognized for the character, quality and
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The romantic single is off her fourth Etana’s new album premiered on MTV and studio album I Rise, to be released OctoHype TV earlier this month.
Entertainment
Reggae star Sean Paul was recently cut by his record label.
Sean Paul Released By Atlantic Records Jamaican reggae singer Marcia Griffiths to be honored in Brooklyn. authenticity of the music it presents and is topped with delicious Caribbean Cuisine, a marketplace and good vibrations. Demand to experience Reggae Culture Salute has gone global and CPR has responded with a live Pay Per View internet stream which can be ordered at www. cprreggae.org. Tickets for the concert are also available at www.cprreggae.org and in several retail outlets.
Etana Drops Her ‘Richest Girl’ ne of Jamaica’s most beloved singers Etana teams with the island’s esteemed director Ras Kassa for her new video “Richest Girl,” which premiered this week online with MTV’s Iggy and on her native country’s network program Hype TV.
NEW YORK LIBERTY STAR * October 17-30, 2014
ber 28, 2014 on VP Records. Etana continues to carry the torch as reggae's leading lady on her beautifullyorchestrated album I Rise. This classic collection of love ballads and roots anthems is helmed by the legendary Jamaican multi-instrumentalist and producer Clive Hunt, whose credits include Chaka Khan, Stevie Wonder, Peter Tosh, Rolling Stones, The Wailers, Jimmy Cliff and many more. With her poised assurance and newfound strength, she evolves spiritually, mentally, emotionally and musically. The Jamaican singer-songwriter's melodic power blended with Clive's rich arrangements sets this album apart as one of the best throughout her stellar career.
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FTER a decadelong relationship that produced a string of hit singles and two platinum albums, Atlantic Records has parted ways with deejay Sean Paul.
Rumors that the label had dropped the Grammywinning artiste have made the rounds in recent weeks. Craig Kallman, chairman and CEO of Atlantic Records, confirmed the split via email, recently. Asked by the Jamaica Observer if Sean Paul was still with the label, Kallman responded: “No longer.” He did not elaborate about what caused the split. Sean Paul signed with Atlantic Records in a joint deal with the independent VP Records in late 2002 following the success of his song Gimme the Light. Atlantic released the deejay’s major label debut album, Dutty Rock, in November that year. It scored five Top 10 United Kingdom singles and five Top 15 Billboard Hot 100 hits, including Gimme the Light, Baby Boy (with Beyonce), Like Glue, Get Busy, and I’m Still
in Love With You (featuring Sasha). Dutty Rock opened with first-week sales of 65,000 copies and peaked at number nine on the Billboard 200. In the UK, it debuted at number two and has sold over six million copies worldwide. The follow-up album, The Trinity, was released in September, 2005 and set a record for first-week sales by a Jamaican reggae act in the US with 107,000 copies. It debuted at number six on the UK Album chart and number six on the Billboard 200 Album chart. The Trinity has US sales of 1.3 million copies and worldwide sales of over 4.3 million. Imperial Blaze, Sean Paul’s third album did not do as well in the US although it was certified gold in France. In the US, it hit number one on Billboard’s Rap Album and Reggae Album charts and peaked at number 12 on the Billboard 200 and number three on the R&B/Hip Hop album chart. His next album, Tomahawk Technique, was released in January 2012, reaching number two on the Billboard Reggae Album chart and number 30 on the UK Album chart. It went gold in Switzerland where it sold over 20,000 copies. Full Frequency, Sean Paul’s latest album, was released in February.
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caribbean
Read more Caribbean news articles online @ nylibertystar.net
Jamaican Mother Gets Complicated Heart Surgery By Bevan Springer
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young woman from Jamaica is the latest beneficiary of life-enhancing surgery and care provided free of charge by the skilled team of cardiac surgeons at Health City Cayman Islands.
“The young woman was suffering, and none of the clinics on the US mainland contacted by her doctor was able to perform the procedure at no cost to the patient. Something needed to be done, so we stepped in,” reported Shomari Scott, marketing director for the ultra-modern Cayman facility. Lesha Matthews, a 25-year-old from Kingston, Jamaica, and mother of a two-yearold, was diagnosed with a heart condition as a child. For the last six years her condition worsened and rendered her capable of only routine activities. Her cardiologist then diagnosed her with a leaking heart valve that needed to be corrected surgically. However, because of financial constraints, Ms. Matthews was unable to get the urgently needed operation. Her cardiologist in Kingston, Dr. William
Lesha Matthews at Health City Cayman Islands. Foster, reached out to doctors and clinics in the United States seeking their help, but all to no avail. He said “it was an odyssey that lasted a year.” But all that changed when her serious condition caught the eye of Dr. Binoy Chattuparambil, Senior Consultant, Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery, at Health City Cayman
Islands, a few months ago. “After detailed evaluation of all her reports, including the echocardiogram, we decided to invite her to Health City for the surgery.” A delighted Dr. Foster in Jamaica moved quickly to arrange transportation and Cayman Airways stepped in to donate her airfare. “I saw her off at the airport. As she sat in a wheelchair,
she seemed apprehensive about going alone, but happy that a bright future lay ahead,” recalled the physician. Upon her arrival at Health City, Dr. Binoy, as he is known to staff and the local community, found Ms. Matthews undernourished and frail because of her longstanding heart disease: “One of the main valves in her heart was leaking severely and the pumping ability of the heart was compromised.... it was decided to take her up for surgery at the earliest.” At this stage, the experience of the Health City heart specialist came into play with Dr. Binoy and his team opting for a more complicated operation, the expertise for which is available in only a few hospitals in the United States. “The plan was to repair the valve and not to replace it - even though repair is more technically challenging than replacing the valve - as replacing the valve with an artificial valve will make her dependent on blood-thinning medications for the rest of her life, with its associated complications.” The procedure took three and half hours: “She was sitting on a chair the same evening sipping juice,” he said. “She will be on a few medications for three months and after that she will be free from all medications. The prognosis for a healthy, normal life is a very good one,” Dr. Binoy added. Lesha Matthews returned to Jamaica on Monday.
T&T Beauty Queens Eye Global Crowns By Christopher Mawji
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rinidad and Tobago beauty contestants in the next Miss World and Miss Universe pageants will have an extra pair of “eyes on the prize” when they compete for the global crowns in a few months’ time.
The Trinidad and Tobago-based optometric chain, Optometrists Today will send off Miss T&T World Sarah-Jane Waddell and Miss T&T Universe Jevon King to the official competitions in exclusive 2015 designer eyewear. Optometrists Today sponsored designer eyewear for the winner, and first and second runners-up for each of the competitions. The selections included the latest collections from designer brands Tiffany & Co., Marilyn Monroe, Givenchy, Chopard, Anna Sui and Carolina Herrera - each of which are available exclusively at the now 25-year-old pioneer
of fashionable eyewear in the twinisland republic. The Miss World competition will take place on Sunday, December 14 in London, England at the ICC Auditorium at ExCeL, the largest flexible auditorium in the UK which has played host to such high-profile events as the UK television show X Factor. Meanwhile, the Miss Universe
Miss T&T World Sarah-Jane Waddell pictured in Carolina Herrera sunglasses, available exclusively at Optometrists Today.
competition is set for Sunday, January 25, 2015 in Doral, Florida, where the reigning Gabriela Isler of Venezuela will crown her successor. "We wish the contestants the best of success," said Alana Kirk, Strategic Networking Manager of Optometrists Today, who indicated that the company is wholeheartedly supporting a positive outcome for both young ladies and the Trinidad and Tobago brand at these international competitions. Waddell, 25, who holds an undergraduate degree in Political Science, wants to serve her country in the diplomatic arena. She speaks fluent Mandarin, enjoys Latin dancing, staying fit, playing the violin and horseback riding. King, 24, believes in focusing energies on education and encouraging young people to pursue their dreams, have a purpose, and embrace discipline. Her advice to the youth of her country includes positive messages about setting life goals, seeking guidance from mentors and making continuous progress. Having endured rigorous preparation and stiff competition, both women now have the opportunity to make Trinidad and Tobago proud on Miss T&T Universe Jevon King pictured in Marilyn Monroe sunglasses, availthe international stage. able exclusively at Optometrists Today.
NEW YORK LIBERTY STAR * October 17-30, 2014
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Parents Urged To Instill Good Oral Health Care In Children By Chris Patterson
J
amaica’s Minister of Youth and Culture, Hon. Lisa Hanna, is encouraging parents to instill good oral health practices in their children from the earliest age possible.
She contended that if proper oral care is encouraged at an early stage, it is likely that this will be practised throughout a person’s adult life. Minister Hanna, who was speaking at the launch of Oral Health Month at the University of the West Indies, Mona campus, Oct. 2, noted the importance of good oral hygiene in maintaining a healthy smile, and improving appearance and selfworth. She said that many young people sometimes lose their confidence because of their smile or the appearance of their teeth. “Many of them go through a very awkward stage of their development because of (the appearance of their mouths),” she noted. Min. Hanna said that good oral
health is also important to overall health. Research has shown that cavities and gum disease may point to serious conditions, such as diabetes and respiratory diseases. She noted that treating these conditions attract high expenses in the health sector. The Minister commended the dental students at the function for embarking on such an important profession. “We need more dental hygienists, more dental nurses, especially in our rural areas. Regardless of what is happening in our lives, a smile on our faces and a laugh can do wonders, and so you are so important because you help to make our smiles and our laughs that much more effective in the world,” she stated. Orthodontist and President, Jamaica Dental Association, Dr. Jeffrey Meeks, said that educating the youth about proper oral health will reduce the number of severe dental issues overtime. “The mouth represents a very important place, not only because it is the first point of entry of nutrition into our body, but because it is the first contact with anyone. The first thing you see on someone is their smile and if they have no teeth or if they have decayed teeth, it leaves you
with a negative impression of the person right away, so it’s important for your overall health to have a healthy mouth,” he contended. Oral Health Month (October) is aimed at raising awareness about the importance of good oral hygiene. A slew of activities are being
Apostle Arlene Israel Bethel Deliverance Gospel Center 397 Rockaway Ave Brooklyn N.Y. 11212
clinic in Portmore, St. Catherine on October 28. The highlight of the month is an oral health symposium on October 30 at the Terra Nova Hotel in Kingston. The theme for Oral Health Month is ‘Know Your Mouth and Celebrate Your Smile’.
Minister of Youth and Culture, Hon. Lisa Hanna, delivers remarks at the launch of Oral Health Month on October 3, at the University of the West Indies, Mona campus. (JIS Photo)
Words of Encouragement Dear friends, How sweet the name of Jesus sounds in a believer’s ear. It soothes his sorrows, heals his wounds and drives away each fear. It makes the wounded spirit whole and calms the troubled breast. It’s manner to the hungry soul and to the weary rest. Today, if your heart was a window I could look through, oh, the pain and scars I would see. The word of God says to you in Psalm37:1, “Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity. For they shall soon be cut down like the green grass and wither like the green herb. Trust in the Lord, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land and verily thou shall be fed.” Our God is a deliverer. He is a consuming fire. He fails not. His compassion they fail not; great is His faithfulness towards us all. Though you walk in the midst of trouble, He will revive you; he will stetch forth his hand against the wrath of your enemies and His right hand shall save you. Cast all your cares upon Jesus, for He cares for you. Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning in the morning. Jesus loves you and so do I.
stated by the Jamaica Dental Association to observe the month and these include church services island-wide on Sunday (Oct. 5); oral health fairs at the Girls’ Guides Headquarters in Kingston on October 15 and at the Mount Olivet United Church in Manchester on October 20; and a dental
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Feature story
Americans To Identify With Their Caribbean Heritage U.S. Census To Finally Recognize Caribbean immigrants NEW YORK, NY -- After a battle waged since 2008, the United States government may finally be prepared to recognize Caribbean immigrants and Caribbean Americans in the United States as what they are – a district identity group within the American society. If the recommendation made by the National Advisory Committee on Racial, Ethnic and Other Populations (NAC) to the U.S. Census Bureau is accepted , Caribbean men women and children will no longer look at the Census form to find themselves invisible, and forced to choose from a list of racial and ethnic choices that do not accurately identify them. NAC recently adopted recommendations put forth in a report presented by the Census Bureau Race and Hispanic Origin Research Working Group, headed by Haitian-American Dr. Linda Marc-Clerisme, according to News Americas Now. The group recommended that U.S. Census Bureau officials conduct more research and testing on the impact of introducing the option of “Afro-Latino, Afro-Indian, Indo- Caribbean, and Caribbean/West Indian” as examples under the Black or African American example on the newly proposed ‘combined race and origin write in box,’ the report stated. Felicia Persaud, News Americas Now publisher and founder of Carib ID, the movement founded in 2008 that identified the lack of a category and to push for a Caribbean identification category on U.S. Census forms, responded cautiously to the news coming out of Washington. “This is one small but significant step for equality for Caribbean nationals but now it’s all in the hands of the Census Bureau to accept the recommendations and make it happen for the 2020 Census,” said Persaud. The Census form has far more meaning than the ability to check a box to identify who you really are. Census data, once tabulated, and released becomes the basis for government policies and allocation of funds for the next ten years. Census data directly impacts how more than $400 billion in federal funding is allocated across the country. If any group of resident is invisible, it will not get a fair share of government attention or funding through a wide range of programs. The Census data likewise becomes essential infor-
mation used by the private sector in making policy, hiring, and product marketing decisions. The issue now is if the recommendations will be accepted by the U.S. Census Bureau. Persaud expressed the hope that Census officials will finally see the light in ending the discrimination and giving Caribbean nationals who have been living in the U.S. since slavery an opportunity to finally accurately self-identify on Census forms. “The opportunity for Caribbean nationals to be identified on the Census form must become a reality since it will give furtherance to our celebration of a Caribbean American Heritage Month decree, and will bode well economically and politically for us as a people,” added Irwine G. Clare, Sr. OD, managing director of the Caribbean Immigrant Services, Inc. and Advisory Board Member of the Jamaican Diaspora USA, NE. “It is high time Caribbean immigrants and their descendants in the United States obtain the ability to be accurately counted on Census forms,” said Ann Walters, Board member of Carib ID. “We are not African Americans. Our origin is the Caribbean and we must be able to count as such and measure the economic mark we have made and continue to make at every strata of this society.” “It would be great for them to move forward with this,” commented community activist Chuck Mohan. “It’s what Carib ID has been saying since 2008 since it was the proponent of this from day one. This would be give us a sense of belonging and we deserve this. We need this demographic information on so many levels, our media, our businesses, our non-profits, our community. I hope they can make this reality by 2020.” CARIBBEAN HISTORY IN THE UNITED STATES The Caribbean and U.S. history of slavery are intrinsically linked. Africans were transshipped to North America from the Caribbean in increasing numbers in or around the 1600s. Over time, Barbadian slaves would make up
a significant part of the Black population in Virginia, mainly in the Virginia tidewater region of the Chesapeake Bay. The number of enslaved Africans imported from the Caribbean decreased after the New York City Slave revolt of 1712, as many white colonists blamed the incident on slaves recently arrived from the Caribbean. By the 1800s, many freed slaves from the Caribbean made their way to the U.S. to seek a “better life” and by the end of the Spanish American war in 1898, the U.S. emerged as a major destination for Caribbean migrants. So, in the 19th century the U.S. attracted many Caribbean who excelled in various professions such as craftsmen, scholars, teachers, preachers, doctors, inventors, religious (the Barbadian Joseph Sandiford Atwell was the first black man after the Civil War to be ordained in the Episcopal Church), comedians (as the Antiguan Bert Williams), politics (as Robert Brown Elliott, U.S Congressman and Attorney General of South Carolina), poets, songwriters, and activists (as the brothers James Weldon and John Rosamond Johnson and William Stanley Braithwaite). From the end of the nineteenth century up to 1905, most West Indian people emigrated to South Florida, New York and Massachusetts. However, shortly after, New York would become the main destination for the West Indian immigrants. And while today there is no accurate count of the number of Caribbean immigrants or those with Caribbean ancestry in the U.S., The Census puts the number at a minimal 3.5 million or 9 percent of the total foreign-born population based largely on sample data gathered from the American Community Survey. More than 90 percent of those immigrants are from Cuba, which has a clear identification category on Census forms. The others are from the Dominican Republic as well as Jamaica, Haiti, and Trinidad and Tobago. Compared to other immigrant groups, the foreign born from the Caribbean are less likely to be new arrivals, tend to have higher levels of English-language proficiency, and become naturalized U.S. citizens at higher rates. At the same time, Caribbean immigrants are more likely to be older than other immigrant groups and Caribbean men have lower rates of civilian labor force participation, according to the Migration Policy Center. Famous people born in the Caribbean or of
Americans like Jada Pinkett Smith will soon be able to identify with their Caribbean Ancestry on U.S. Census forms. Caribbean ancestry include singers Rihanna, Nicki Minaj, Busta Rhymes, Sean Kingston, Gerald Maxwell Rivera, Alicia Keyes, and Lenny Kravitz; actors Sir Sidney Poitier, Kerry Washington, Nia Long, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Romany Malco, Tia and Tamera Mowry. Cuba Godding, Jr., Jada Pinkett Smith, Alfonso Ribeiro, Tatyana Marisol Ali, Zoe Saldana, Rosario Dawson, Derek Luke, Trinidad James, Sean Patrick Thomas, Stacey Dash, Sanya Richard Ross, Melanie Fiona, LL Cool J, Trina, Garcelle Beauvais, Tyga, Karim Dule Hill, Corbin Blue, Kin Fields, Megan Good, Lorraine Toussaint, Ann Marie Horsford, Roxanne Beckford, Jackee Harry, Dawn Lewis, Rick Fox, Aldis Hodge, Lamar Odom, CCH Pounder; models Tyson Beckford and Selita Ebanks; and politicians Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke and U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder among numerous others. So great is the Caribbean immigrant contribution to the United States at all strata of the society, that in June 2005, the House of Representatives unanimously adopted H. Con. Res. 71, sponsored by Congresswoman Barbara Lee, recognizing the significance of Caribbean people and their descendants in the history and culture of the United States. Since the declaration, the White House has issued an annual proclamation recognizing June as CaribbeanAmerican Heritage Month.
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October 17-30, 2014 * NEW YORK LIBERTY STAR
business City Opens .NYC Availability To All New York City Residents And Businesses
Jamaican Opposition Leader to Headline NYC Business Forum
Former PM To Adress Nationals In NY
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More than 10,000 New Yorkers have already claimed their own personalized .nyc web address NEW YORK—The de Blasio administration this month announced the public availability of the City’s top-level domain, .nyc, for all businesses, organizations, and individuals with a physical address in New York City. New Yorkers can register their own personalized .nyc web addresses by visiting www.OwnIt. nyc and selecting an independent retailer of their choice. Domain names are available on a first come, first served basis. For the past several months, individuals, businesses and nonprofit organizations had the opportunity to request .nyc domains during the Sunrise and Landrush periods. More than 10,000 New Yorkers—representing thousands of small businesses, organizations, and dozens of business improvement districts and cultural institutions across the five boroughs—successfully secured their own .nyc domain during this early registration phase. Visit www.OwnIt.nyc to sign up.
Hon. Andrew Holness, Jamaica’s Leader of the Opposition
eader of the Parliamentary Opposition in Jamaica and former Prime Minister, Andrew Holness, will headline the 11th series of the “Outlook for the Future” meetings, to be held in New York and Toronto, Canada on Oct. 21 and Oct. 23, respectively.
The Outlook for the Future series, organised by the Jamaica National Building Society (JNBS), has been held in the USA, Canada and the United Kingdom since 2003. The Earl Jarrett, General Manager, meetings have successJamaica National Building Soci- fully brought together representatives of suc-
ety
cessive administrations and key leaders overseas to engage in frank, open discussions about issues of national importance to Jamaicans locally and in the Diaspora. In addition, the forums provide an environment in which investors can network and explore opportunities for investment in Jamaica. Past Outlook speakers have included former National Security Minister and current Finance Minister, Dr. Peter Phillips in 2003 and returned in 2013; former Prime Minister Bruce Golding, who in 2005, as Leader of the Opposition, was keynote speaker at the meetings; former Finance Minister, Audley Shaw who attended in 2009 and again in 2010; and Dr. Omar Davies, Minister of Transport, Works and Housing who headlined the events in 2013. The 2014 series will focus on the theme, “The Jamaican Economy: A Vision for Transformation.” “These meetings will
allow Jamaicans in the Diaspora to get another perspective on the vision our leaders have for the social and economic future of our country,” said Earl Jarrett, General Manager of JNBS. He noted that the vision will be discussed within the current context of the country’s ongoing programme with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and other critical economic initiatives. “The presentations will, therefore, explore critical issues, such as the nation’s relationship with multi-lateral agencies; plans for the productive sector; and plans for the achievement of economic growth; as well as, initiatives to improve education and strengthen the health system,” he explained. The format for the 2014 Outlook forums, scheduled for the New York Midtown Hotel at 7:00 p.m. on Oct. 21; and Fairmont Royal York Ho-
tel in Toronto, Oct. 23 at 7:00 p.m., will involve a panel discussion segment, which will provide an analysis of the keynote presentation and response to comments from the audience. The discussion will be moderated by well-known Jamaican broadcast journalist and attorney-at-law, Emily Crooks; and, will allow the keynote speaker; Holness, to make closing statements at the end of the discussion. Jamaica National is currently celebrating its 140th year of service to its members, locally and overseas. It is the largest building society in the English-speaking Caribbean; and, has a network of representative offices in the USA, Canada and the United Kingdom. The Society also has a broader and deeper global reach through its subsidiary, JN Money Services Limited, which markets its remittance services under the JN Money Transfer brand.
de Blasio Increases Living Wage Lowest-wage workers will see pay increase from $16,640 to $27,310 per year
M
ayor Bill de Blasio signed an executive order enacting a sweeping expansion of New York City’s Fair Wages for New Yorkers Act, last mointh.
Effective immediately, commercial tenants at projects that receive more than $1 million in City subsidy will be covered by Living Wage provisions, and the Living Wage itself will be raised to from $11.90 to $13.13 per hour—likely reaching $15.22 per hour by 2019. Increasing and expanding the Living Wage law is part of a comprehensive approach the de Blasio administration has undertaken to tackle income inequality, including expanding paid sick leave to a half-million more workers, creating new workforce development programs that help workers attain skills to compete for good-paying jobs, and secur-
ing local control of the minimum wage from Albany. The new living wage matches the contours of a higher local minimum wage that a broad coalition is working to secure the authority from Albany to implement next year. “We are raising the floor for working families struggling to get by. With this order, thousands of breadwinners working at projects that will be supported by taxpayers will earn higher wages and be more likely to receive the kind of benefits critical to supporting a family. And this is just one of many steps we’re taking on this front. From today’s executive order to the expansion of paid sick leave to our overhaul of workforce development, we are working to lift up working people and confront inequality,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. While it is difficult to make projections related to economic development, based on past patterns the City estimates the executive order will expand the reach of living wage provisions to 70 percent of all jobs at firms supported by City agencies.
The analysis indicates living wage requirements would impact roughly 18,000 jobs over the next five years, compared to 1,200 under the current law. Approximately 4,100 jobs covered under the new standards would be held by employees in retail and fast-food businesses that traditionally pay close to minimum wage. For workers earning the state’s minimum wage of $8 per hour, a Living Wage would increase their gross income from $16,640 to $27,310 per year. The Living Wage executive order eliminates an exemption for future development at Hudson Yards, bringing thousands of additional jobs under living wage provisions in the years ahead. The order will not pertain to specific types of City-backed housing developments with high levels of affordability, small businesses with gross income under $3 million, and manufacturers, for which agencies will instead pursue skill-building and upward mobility on the career ladder in exchange for City support.
The Living Wage will be set at $13.13 without benefits, or $11.50 per hour with benefits, and will be adjusted each year to match changes in the Consumer Price Index. It previously stood at $10.30 with benefits and $11.90 without. The Living Wage will be enforced by the Department of Consumer Affairs. “New York City has been and should always be a nationwide leader in civic innovation, particularly when it comes to the welfare of its residents,” said Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams. “Few things are more fundamental to advancing that welfare than helping workers struggling to support their families. Today, Mayor de Blasio has reaffirmed his commitment to civic innovation and our residents’ welfare by raising the living wage and furthering its reach to thousands more workers. This is a measure that recognizes the cost of living challenges that New Yorkers face and builds a meaningful bridge over the inequality gap we have sought to close across Brooklyn and the rest of the five borough.”
NEW YORK LIBERTY STAR * October 17-30, 2014
ASK
LISA-ANNE
Q.
My cousin received a letter from her 8 year old son’s school inquiring about his attendance. He missed 4 days of school in September. She does not feel that missing 4 days is a lot because she works nights and it’s hard to get him up some mornings. I tried to tell her that if he’s not sick he should be in school because he’s missing a lot but she doesn’t think so. Could you address this in your column?
A.
Certainly! School attendance is one of the main reasons students do not do well in school. Even missing one day can affect grades. One critical element that is taught in math, for example, may be difficult to understand later if a child misses it the day the teacher first teaches it with power point, displays, computer work, a handson activity etc. Also, she doesn’t want her son to get the idea that school is not important and that he can skip anytime.
Here are a few facts from AttendanceWorks.org * Absenteeism in the first month of school can predict poor attendance throughout the school year. Half the students who miss 2-4 days in September go on to miss nearly a month of school. * An estimated 5 million to 7.5 million U.S. students miss nearly a month of school each year. * Absenteeism and its ill effects start early. One in 10 kindergarten and first grade students are chronically absent. Poor attendance can influence whether children read proficiently by the end of third grade or be held back. * By 6th grade, chronic absence becomes a leading indicator that a student will drop out of high school. * Research shows that missing 10 percent of the school, or about 18 days in most school districts, negatively affects a student’s academic performance. That’s just two days a month and that’s known as
chronic absence. * The academic impact of missing that much school is the same whether the absences are excused or unexcused. Suspensions also add to lost time in the classroom. * Low-income students are four times more likely to be chronically absent than others often for reasons beyond their control, such as unstable housing, unreliable transportation and a lack of access to health care. * When students improve their attendance rates, they improve their academic prospects and chances for graduating. * Attendance improves when schools engage students and parents in positive ways and when schools provide mentors for chronically absent students. * Most school districts and states don’t look at all the right data to improve school attendance. They track how many students show up every day and how many are skipping school without an excuse, but not how many are missing so many days in excused and unexcused absence that they are headed off track academically. 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 books, They Say I Have ADHD, I Say Life Sucks! Thoughts From Nicholas, They S S Say I’m a St St Stutterer, But I S S Say Nothing! Meet Kelly and co-author of the books 365 Ways to Succeed With ADHD and 365+1 Ways to Succeed With ADHD available at www.Amazon. com. She is a member of the National Education Writers Association and the Education Editor of the Community Journal newspaper in Baldwin, New York. You may contact her at speechlrb@yahoo.com or by visiting her website at www.AskLisaAnne.com.
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Op-ed
President Barack Obama delivers remarks on airstrikes against Islamic State (IS) targets in Syria from the White House South Lawn September 23, 2014 in Washington, DC. During his remarks, Obama said 'We're going to do what is necessary to take the fight to this terrorist group. (Photo by Shawn Thew)
T
he New York Times editorial board has finally awakened to Obama’s “strategy” in the “war” (as it is officially called now) against ISIS.
It is essentially the same strategy that has guided literally hundreds of US military operations abroad since World War II: achieve the maximum objective with the minimum commitment of US power and prestige. Trouble is, the strategy just doesn’t work, mainly because the enemy won’t cooperate and friendly forces are either inept or unpopular (or both). Thus begins the slippery slope to wider and deeper involvement. The Sept. 16, 2014 testimony of General Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, is what got the Times’ attention: “If we got to the point where I believe our advisers should accompany Iraqi troops on attacks against specific ISIL targets, I’ll recommend that to the president.” A day later on Sept. 17, the Army chief of staff, General Ray Odierno, chimed in: “You’ve got to have ground forces that are capable of going in and rooting [IS forces] out.” In short, Obama’s supposed commitment not to deploy US ground troops to combat in Iraq or Syria—“a profound mistake,” he said Sept. 7 on the NBC News program Meet the Press—is as firm as mud. As happened in Vietnam, there will be “advisers,” more and more of them, as it becomes plain that the mini-max strategy of relying on air power to “degrade and destroy” ISIS proves insufficient. Even without Dempsey’s and Odierno’s remarks, the Times and others should have seen the handwriting on the wall: The widening of air targets from those
U.S. To Pull E-Brake On Perpetual War In Middle East By Mel Gurtov
originally announced (they were supposed to be limited to protecting threatened populations and US personnel); the increasing number of US advisers; the avoidance of a Congressional vote; the quick resort to air strikes in Syria without United Nations or Syrian authorization; the shift in categorizing the conflict from a “counterterrorism” operation to “war”; the shrill voices of prowar Republicans and former military officers tied to defense contractors—all these suggested mission creep. President Obama has followed in George W. Bush’s footsteps by indicating that the war against terrorism will extend well beyond his presidency. Recall Bush’s speech to West Point cadets in 2006: “The war began on my watch. But it’s going to end on your watch.” Now here is Obama on Sept. 12: “This [conflict] will be a problem for the next president, and probably the one after that.” At the UN on Sept. 23, Obama formally upgraded the “problem” of ISIS to an historic venture, saying it would determine, “whether the nations here today will be able to renew the purpose of the UN’s founding; and whether we will come together to reject the cancer of violent extremism.” He spoke as though announcing the start of World War III. ISIS poses a serious threat to various governments in the Middle East, but it is not a national security threat to the United States. Though several governments are now said to be contributing to the US air strikes in Iraq and Syria, make no mistake: This is an American operation, just like the two Gulf Wars and Afghanistan. Take away US control and Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Jordan and the others would actually have to defend themselves. Interviewed on “60 Minutes” last Sunday, Obama acknowledged US leadership of the war, but said that has always been the case and that—in an eerie echo of a famous Madeleine Albright remark—“we are the indispensable nation.”
In his Sept. 16 article in the Financial Times, the perceptive observer Ahmed Rashid has written that governments and publics throughout the Middle East, most certainly including those now being counted on to support the latest “coalition of the willing,” are deeply suspicious of and hateful toward the US. As much as they fear ISIS, Rashid writes, they don’t trust the US after watching it fumble and stumble in Iraq and Syria; and they worry about associating with the US and becoming a target of proISIS groups in their own country. Professor Mark Katz, reporting about a conference he attended in Riyadh, adds to this picture in his Sept. 19 blog post: Influential people in the Arabian Gulf states tend to blame the US for the rise of ISIS, believe dealing with ISIS is therefore mainly a US responsibility, and point to other security issues that are equally important to them (such as the unstable situation in Yemen, Shi’a extremism, and of course the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.) So, here are the bottom-line questions: Is it sensible, and in the US national interest, to support ever-deepening intervention in the Middle East? Does anyone believe a military solution to the ISIS advance is possible or desirable, particularly inasmuch as ISIS arose out of three civil wars (in Gaza, Syria and Iraq) that can only be resolved by political agreements? No and no. Our media may not get it fast enough. Regardless, Congress and the American public must swiftly pull the e-brake on the ISIS mission and perpetual US warmaking in the Middle East. Our national security and that of the next generation depend on it. Mel Gurtov, syndicated by PeaceVoice, is Professor Emeritus of Political Science at Portland State University, Editor-in-Chief of Asian Perspective, an international affairs quarterly and blogs at In the Human Interest.
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October 17-30, 2014 * NEW YORK LIBERTY STAR
Sports
Bolt Eyes 19-Sec. Barrier
U Samuel Dalembert, Center of New York
Samuel Dalembert of the New York Knicks defends Kelly Olynyk of the Boston Celtics during a preseason game at the XL Center, Oct. 8, in Hartford, Ct. Dalembert, a native of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, is the Knicks new center who was brought in to replace former NBA All-Star Tyson Chandler. Dalembert started at center and had five points on 1-of-2 shooting, along with eight rebounds and three blocks in the Knicks win over the Celtics. (Photo by Ned Dishman)
sain Bolt not only wants to break his world records in the 100m and 200m, he believes he can become the first man to break the 19-second barrier over the longer distance. The 28-year-old Jamaican currently holds the world record of 9.58 seconds in the 100m and 19.19 seconds in the 200m, but still believes he can do better. "Everybody wants to see the 100m go but the 200m is for me," he said in an interview with Al-Jazeera.
Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt
"If I can get a perfect season where I'm working well, without any injuries, with no time off, I'll definitely have the chance to break the 100m world record. "The 200m is my personal focus. One of my biggest goals is to try to run sub-19, pushing the barrier a little bit will be great for me." In the interview, Bolt was also asked about the positive doping tests returned for six Jamaican athletes in 2013. "There were mistakes but there weren't any serious drugs," he said. "It is still bad: the drug scandal. But it was a good thing it wasn't like they were deliberately going out of their way to take drugs."
Mayor’s Cup Soccer All-Star Games Coming To Brooklyn By Randy Vogt, Director of Public Relations, Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association
E
very New Yorker knows that “If I can make it there, I can make it anywhere.” But who is the best in New York City?
All-Stars compete at the 2013 NYC Mayor’s Cup. (Photo courtesy of NYC & Company)
Soccer fans will find out the answer when the 2014 New York City Mayor’s Cup Soccer All-Star Games will be played on the turf field at the Steinberg Athletic Complex on the campus of the Poly Prep Country Day School. Start spreading the news that New York City’s top boys and girls high school senior soccer players from the Public Schools Athletic League (PSAL), Catholic High School Athletic Association (CHSAA) and independent high schools (AAIS) will decide which league is the “Best in the City.” The great majority of these players compete in the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) when they are not playing with their high school teams. The NYC Mayor’s Cup is the only event which brings together the top players from New York City’s three high school leagues to play in an officially sanctioned all-star competition. The fun kicks off on Saturday, November 15 with the independent school girls squaring off against the CHSAA girls at 11 am, followed by the
CHSAA boys taking on the independent school boys at 1 pm. The championship games will take place on Sunday, November 16, kicking off with the PSAL girls taking on the independent school/CHSAA girls winner at 11 am, while the boys championship game will showcase the PSAL boys against the CHSAA/ independent school boys winner at 1 pm. Poly Prep Country Day School is located at 9216 Seventh Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11228 and is a short corner kick from the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge. For more information, please contact Jeff Mohl, Vice President of Sports Marketing at NYC & Company, at jmohl@nycgo.com or 212-4845410. With 123,843 youth soccer players––68,587 boys and 55,256 girls––and more than 25,000 volunteers, the non-profit Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) stretches from Montauk Point, Long Island to the Canadian border. Members are affiliated with 12 leagues throughout the association, which covers the entire state of New York east of Route 81. ENYYSA exists to promote and enhance the game of soccer for children and teenagers between the ages of 5 and 19 years old, and to encourage the healthy development of youth players, coaches, referees and administrators. All levels of soccer are offered––from intramural, travel team and premier players as well as Special Children. No child who wants to play soccer is turned away. ENYYSA is a proud member of the United States Soccer Federation and United States Youth Soccer Association. For more information, please log on to www.enysoccer.com.
NEW YORK LIBERTY STAR * October 17-30, 2014
Sports
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Pat’s Safety Proud To Be West Indian
N
ew England P a t r i o t ’s safety Patrick Chung was born in Jamaica, where his mother Sophia George was famous for singing “Girlie Girlie”, a 1985 reggae hit.
Chung migrated to the US with his family when he was ten. Far ahead of American students, Chung finished secondary school and enrolled at the University of Oregon at the age of sixteen. He describes himself as a Jamaican-American. Chung is often questioned about his Chinese name, and he spends time educating Americans about the ethnic diversity of his home country. “Growing up in Jamaica teaches you about diversity,” he says, “and
it teaches you race doesn’t matter. It’s how you live life and how you treat people.” He still remembers settling into the US. “When I got here, no one could understand me when I talked. I was a young kid speaking a different language, Jamaican Creole.” One day Chung came home from school and broke the news to his mother that he wanted to play American football. “She said, ‘Can’t you be on the swim team?’ She didn’t want me to hit people.” Chung sports tattoos that remind him of his roots. “Kingston and August, my birthday, are on my right bicep, and Jamaica is on my left bicep,” he says. “I never forget my Jamaican roots.” He tells everyone that Jamaicans are down-to-earth, good people. Chung is a Bob Marley and reggae music fan, and he’d eat jerk chicken every day if he could. With his wife Celia, Chung recently launched the
New England Patriots’ Patrick Chung (23) tackles Buffalo Bills’ Fred Jackson (22) during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Oct. 12, in Orchard Park, N.Y. Chung Changing Lives Foundation, based in Massachusetts, to help children cope with school and life in poor areas. Eventually he hopes to expand his charity work to Ja-
maica. He credits his Jamaican roots with shaping him as a hard-working, relentless NFL player. “I realise I come from a small place,” he says, “but so many West Indians have
shaped the US. I’m proud of that, and I know I can make a difference on the field. Jamaicans are fast and quick, and that helps us in football.” He adds, “I’m not just a
Jamaican. I’m from the West Indies. That means pride, hard work, and being kind to people. My parents would slap me if they ever found out I wasn’t kind to someone.”
Jerome Taylor’s Windies Comeback Trail Delhi, India - If cricket were an amusement park, Jerome Taylor’s career would be a roller coaster ride. There have been those twists and turns, that odd bump on the way, the euphoria of a high and the harsh reality of a low. Since Taylor made his ODI debut in 2003, his career has been marred by injuries. It was back in 2010 that he last played a full five-match ODI series and since then has been out of the side. Cut to 2014 and the fast bowler now finds himself on a comeback trail. Rejuvenated with an emphasis on fitness and setting short-term goals, he now looks for a revival of his cricketing career. In the first two ODIs this series, Taylor has got the Indian batsmen in trouble more often than not with sheer consistency. Some disciplined bowling got him his first ODI wicket in four years – which was also his 100th in ODIs – in Kochi, and an even better display of fast bowling yielded him three Indian scalps in Delhi. How difficult is it for a fast bowler to try and win each time he hits the ebb? From his ouster to his comeback, Taylor opens up in a
BCCI.TV exclusive. Excerpts from the interview The result didn’t go your way but it was one good day out with the ball for the team, wasn’t it? It is a game of cricket and it can go either way. You have to understand that you win some and lose some. First and foremost, it was a good bowling effort from the team. We did a good job in restricting India to that total. On a personal front it was not one of my best performances and I know there is room for improvement. I am looking forward to improving a lot as a bowler. How does it feel to reach 100 ODI wickets? Once you are playing cricket you look forward to a landmark and today my first wicket was my 100th wicket in ODIs. It is pleasing and it is a good landmark to reach for each and every player. Not many people will play the game and reach those little milestones. I was very happy and I am feeling elated about it. You made your ODI debut way back in 2003 and in 2014 you are fighting your way back into the team. What kind of a bowling space are you in? It is a case where injury comes
in and I am not sure what will happen in the future. I am working a lot on my fitness part which is helping me a lot in my bowling. I am a bit stronger than I was before. It is a wide range of stuff from running to gymming and so on and so forth to keep myself fit. If I get to naming the specifics I am going to go on and on. I don’t know what kind of a space I am in at the moment. I am more comfortable with myself getting to the crease and delivering the ball. I am not worried about pace and my aim is to execute the team plan efficiently as much as I can on a given day. Having made a comeback, do you think this is a very important phase in your career? I think it is an indeed important moment in my career. I am 30 at this point in time and as a fast bowler I don’t know how long my body will allow me to go on. It is difficult to come back each time you are out but every cricketer goes through it. Every day is a new day and you always try to better your previous performance. It doesn’t matter what it was in the past. It might be a fifer but you have to try and better it next time around. As a cricketer I am always looking to
improve. I am just trying to play each game as it comes and take it from there. I keep on believing on doing my basics right and move forward. How did you prepare yourself to bowl against a strong Indian batting line-up? India has a strong batting line-up and once you come here to play you realise that you have to put in some work. I am conditioned for that and I have conditioned my mind to go out there and work hard each and every time I go out on the park. Being a fast bowler you couldn’t have asked for a better presence than of Curtly Ambrose in the dressing room, could you? Curtly is a very close friend of ours and the fast bowling unit in the side is gaining a lot from his wealth of experience. The guys seem to be grasping it. We are trying to learn how to bowl on slow and low wickets. We have our task cut out and he is working very hard with us. We are looking forward to the games to come. Do you see yourself in the World Cup squad or is it still farfetched? World cup is still a long way away. I am thinking about now and
Jerome Taylor thinking about playing cricket here. I am really thinking about playing cricket in India. I am just trying to do what I have to do here and the World Cup will take care of itself. Hopefully we can come out and put up a good show in the next game. When the time for the World Cup comes I will think about it.
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October 17-30, 2014 * NEW YORK LIBERTY STAR