ONE LOVE Free Publication
Volume 6 Issue 8
August 2013
ARIBBEAN
COMMUNITY • CULTURE • CONNECTIONS
COMMUNITY
Attorney Simms Expert Analysis of the Trayvon Martin Case Page 4
COMING TO HOUSTON
CARIBBEAN
Guyaneses Going on Bad – Enough is Enough! Page 7
CONNECTION
Third World Live in Houston Page 8 Office: 281 568 8960 Cell: 281 740 8868
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Ask any student about taking a course in Statistics and you will swear that the wrath of God was upon him or her. You may hear, “It the worse course ever.” But if you remove the complex mathematical formulas and calculations, it is much easier than it appears.
ing a person’s characteristics or behavior to make a generalized conclusion, good or bad.
What you should know is that we use some type of statistical process in our every day decision making. For instance, the decision to avoid driving on I-610 between I-59 and I-10 (near the Galleria) at 5:00pm; Why? History will show that the traffic is extremely heavy around that time, and you know about it. In other words, we call this awareness, experience – it’s your ability to predict.
Profiling is a part of our everyday lives in the same way as statistics. At best, it keeps us safe, it protects us, and it allows us to be aware of the people and their activities around us. However, at worse, profiling allows others to see us in the way that they are trained to see us. In the very same manner, we can profile to see others in the dark light as we have been trained to do. This type of profiling can even brings out our worst behaviors.
Here is another example. You may say, “I am not going to the grocery store at 1:00 pm on Saturday because it is too crowded.” How did you come to this conclusion? Again it is some type of historical background, which is leading to your prediction.
Most employers will tell you that they will not profile you regardless of age, race, creed, color, national origin, sex or disability, sexual orientation or marital status. Yea! Right!
This is particularly true when we, as Caribbean people, see gay people.
In my many travels, I have been asked many times why are some Caribbean people homophobic (anti-gay)? Because it is a complex In a third example, the elderly folks back subject matter, it is not a question I can easily home would say, “Boy, you gon be a good answer. I decided to bring the matter directly for nuting .” Another way to say this is, to you for examination. “Young man, if you do not change your behavior, you will not amount to anything.” In society, including our own, gays have The question is how did they arrive at that been profiled as being vile, corrupters, child conclusion? It is simple! Throughout their molesters, sinners etc., all of this information lives, they have learned that certain behav- without any data to back it up. Does anyone iors and traits lead some youth to become have the data to support gays are all these vagrants, lawbreakers, and even prisoners. things and straight people are not? Yet again, over a period of time, they have determined a pattern and predicted a con- For others, being gay is seen as dangerous since it can be used to corrupt the society, clusion. Whatever that means! Does anyone have The whole thing about statistics is to look the data to support gays corrupt the commuand compile various behaviors and traits of nity and straight people do not? I dare you to a group to reach or develop a conclusion. provide the evidence! So what am I saying? It’s an ability to preFor many of us, our opinions of gay people dict an outcome. were originally formed, I believed, within our Simply put, in predicting a particular out- culture and religion. That opinion can be come, you need to collect a lot of data filled with suspicion and sometimes anger. In over a period of time. The best way to get many cases some find themselves lashing out this data is by sampling the entire class. verbally or physically at gay people because In his speech on Trayvon Martin’s killing, they are seen as been ‘other.’ In extreme President Obama said, “There are very cases there are tragic stories of people being few African Americans who haven’t had the killed. It happens every day around the world. experience of getting on an elevator and a woman clutching her purse nervously and On the religious front, many have used holding her breath until she had a chance quotes from the Bible to say homosexuality is to get off.” Is this a true statement? The an abomination, and anyone who is gay will best way to know the truth is to ask all Af- go straight to hell. “Homosexual acts are an rican Americans the question; this may be abomination to God. (Leviticus 18:22). But an impossible task. A more realistic way to I dare, who are we to judge? These words handle the task is by taking a sample of the were recently expressed by Pope Francis, group to represent its entirety. However Head of the Roman Catholic Church. in this manner, there is a sampling error, which simply means it is possible that your “Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be conprediction can be false sometimes. demned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.” I think by now, I have beaten this dead (Luke 6:37) horse long enough. We can now summarize. Anyone who is predicting an outcome As we become more enlightened, we need to should have a lot of historical data estab- examine how we view our brothers and sislished over a long period of time to back up ters in the community, who are gay. Many of them will tell you the lifestyle is not a choice, their statement. and for some it is a tough ‘row to hoe’. Even Where am I going with this, you may ask? today, they are still being discriminated Well I said all the above to arrive at this against in the work place, in housing etc. word profiling. What is profiling? It is us- Sometimes, they are in fear for their lives.
Quiet as it is kept, within our own community there are Caribbean brothers and sisters who are gay. But because they fear the backlash of their family and friends, they choose to live that part of their lives in secret. There are some of your friends and family members who are gay, but they do not want to share that information with you for fear of being judged or rejected. Imagine not being able to be who you are. Does not sound good! Does it! We are a people who are very expressive with our opinions, and sometimes we will share it with anyone who will listen. I caution you to be careful when you speak out on gay issues, there may be someone in your listening audience that may be gay or have a family member (son, daughter, relative) that is gay and may not appreciate any negative views you may have. In closing, I urge our community to examine their personal views on gays. Find it within yourself, if you have any anti-gay sentiment to put yourself in their shoes. How would you want to be treated? From the beginning of time, black people have been treated as ‘other’ because of the color of their skin. Discrimination against any group for any reason amounts to the same thing. Since we ourselves are profiled everyday based on the color of our skin, the way we appear, or how we speak, we should have a greater understanding of how it feels to be discriminated against. Finally, I will say; if being gay is a sin as you may believe, then let God be the judge. Gays have no impairment in judgment, stability, reliability, or general social and vocational capabilities. (APA). In the meantime love your gay brothers and sisters; treat them with dignity and respect. So until then, One Love! Sylvanus Donaie, BA, BSEE, MTM, MPM, MBA Publisher
August 2013 • ONE LOVE CARIBBEAN • Page 4
Expert Analysis of the Trayvon Martin Case By Sylvanus Donaie Transcribed by Andrea Jean-Baptiste
went wrong, I sat down with Attorney Leroy Simms to get his expert analysis.
To better understand the case and what
Attorney Simms migrated to the U.S. from Jamaica in 1982. He attended Prairie View A&M University and graduated with a Bachelors and two Masters degrees. He then attended Thurgood Marshall School of Law and has been a practicing attorney since 1997. He is the owner of Simms & Associates and practices immigration, criminal, family, and personal injury law.
Last month, the Caribbean experienced the pain and hurt that the African Americans felt in the acquittal of George Zimmerman for the killing of Trayvon Martin. We were taken aback as to how the jury made-up of primarily our White peers was unable to return a guilty verdict. We are still here sitting in limbo and waiting for the tide to turn.
Understanding of the “Stand your Ground” Law
Attorney Simms begins: The first thing we have to examine in this case is “Stand your Ground” (SYG). Who were the authors of SYG? I A group of Americans called ALEC (American Legislative Exchange Council). This is a right wing think tank, that came up with the idea, and their goal is to spread this law in every state in America. Stand Your Ground is now currently law in 25 states.
What does that mean to the layman? Most states have a law called Castle Law which allows you to use self-defense! Castle Law is also a defense law, if you are at home, someone is coming at you, you feel threatened, you then have to protect your property and your family. The only time you can use lethal force is if you don’t have an avenue of retreat. So your basic self-defense law says you can use lethal force only if you cannot retreat. What does SYG say now? SYG says that if you are threatened you do not even have to retreat, even if you want to or if you can. Under SYG it is legal to use lethal force if you feel threatened. The Basics of Trayvon’s Case So let’s come back to the Martin/ Zimmerman situation! Mr. Martin was profiled and followed. At the end of the day, you have to give Zimmerman’s defense team credit; they defended their client brilliantly. They did not use the “SYG” defense because they would have had to have a separate hearing, and it would be knocked down, then hey, guilt is pointing at their guy. So they used self-defense to defend Zimmerman. What does self-defense mean? You can use lethal force if you think you are threatened and cannot retreat. So how did they base their case on the facts? You saw it! They showed Zimmerman’s bloody nose and the small scratches. They said Trayvon jumped him, knocked him down, and pounded him on the ground. Zimmerman said, “I could not retreat, I was in danger, this man was on top of me; so I shot him.”
The State’s Poor Prosecution All the facts surrounding this case said race, race, race. But the state did not use that route. They said, “we have the facts to try this case without injecting race.” Stupid! Basically to me, they did a shoddy job of trying this case. The last witness the defense put on was a white lady; she said that her house had been robbed by Black teenagers before. So what did she do? Injected race into the case and poisoned the jury! The State did not come back and cross examine her and ask her whether the Black teenagers that robbed her, was one of them Trayvon Martin? So why did she see it fit to mention they were Black teenagers. Why did she not say her house was robbed; her unchallenged comments helped to inflame the jury. The State should have stepped in and said you (the defense) are going with race, let talk race, and they didn’t. In their closing, all they (The State) were doing was asking questions, what if, what if, what if. Instead of telling the jury “this is it.” They were letting the jury think so what if. They were not telling the jury, beyond a reasonable doubt, this is what happened, this is how it happened, this is who did what, and this is the final result. A SYG case with a Black defendant But if you notice after the trial was over, the district attorney that came on to do the news conference was Angela Corey. In 2012, she prosecuted a young Black woman, her name is Marisa Alexander, who experienced a history of domestic violence by her husband. She was charged with two counts of aggravated assault. She got 20 years. Her defense was “SYG.” She was at her home, she fired a shot in the ceiling, even though her history of spousal abuse is valid, but what did Angela Corey prosecutor’s office say, “Marisa Alexander had time to walk away, but instead she went in the garage came back and shot into the air.” Based on her failure to walk away she could not invoke the “SYG” defense. The Florida Times did an interesting study, where they said if the victim is Black, 73% of defendants who uses “SYG” defense get off. If the victim is
White, it is only 53% of the defendants who get off. So you can see the disparity. The Jury Selection Now let us be fair about this Martin trial. Jury selection is the place where cases are won and lost for the most part. Zimmerman looks white: his Dad is White and his mom is Hispanic. You (The State) are getting a jury -- this is a Black kid that lost his life; you have 6 women jurors: 5 Whites and one Hispanic (Juror B-29) who turned out to be Puerto Rican. She (Juror B-29) came on Good Morning America and said on her first vote, she voted for 2nd degree murder. Yet within 9 hours of deliberation, she changed her vote from guilty to not guilty. So your jury selection is very important. I think the State did a poor job during the jury selection process Now as we learned from the jury, let us step back. What did the jury say; two of them have spoken so far. The jury instructions were about 12 pages long, but 4 pages was on “SYG.” Now how does the prosecution let that kind of instruction fly? The case was never argued on SYG; it was tried on selfdefense. So, why was it important to give them an alternative? Zimmerman never claimed SYG. Yet those two jurors said that was a factor in their decision to acquit. Juror B-29 said that “Zimmerman is guilty but God will take care of that.” Really! Well, if God is the one that is going to take care of everything, why be on the jury panel? Why not say let everyone walk and God will deal with them? She said that the SYG doctrine, they got, was influential. Donaie: When you take a defense position, do you have to tell the other side your strategy? Simms: No, when you negotiating with prosecutors, let’s say, the State says you are to acknowledge what happened and I am defending you. I can say, “State you cannot prove this case. You cannot prove that my guy had knowledge of what went on.” Same here! The defense is saying that it is a case of selfdefense. Prosecutors know that but the defense does not have to
tell them the merits of their case. Donaie: So they tried the case on a self-defense, but were judged on SYG. Simms: Yes, SYG was part of the final judgment. They are saying Zimmerman had a right because he was threatened; he felt his life was in danger so he shot him. So that is the defense… We are not saying anywhere it was SYG. The Judge The Judge was part of the problem. When the prosecutors were trying to say racial profiling during the pretrial motions, the judge said that you can use the term profiling but not racial. Give me a break! It is a black case! What kind of profiling you talking about? What kind of profiling is it? Now when I go back to Angela Corey! In the case of the Florida woman, Marisa Alexander, shooting in the ceiling, she (Corey) was the one who tried the case. But in Trayvon’s case, she was on the sidelines. Are you telling me with a dead young black boy, there was no minority prosecutor in your office that could come and join the team? You had three white lawyers prosecuting for a dead Black kid, you have two white lawyers on the other side for the white defendant and a white jury. Where was the passion from the prosecutors? They were just there, bland, bland, bland. Know your job to prove to beyond a reasonable doubt that this man killed this kid. So like they say, show the road map! When you do opening statement, I am saying to you, the jury, we are going to show you unequivocally, we are going to show you from step one till the kid died, and who did it. And when we are finished, there will be no doubt in your mind that the defendant committed murder. Why the State Lose? The case was doomed from the beginning. No. 1, you let the judge tell you that you cannot use racial profiling; that is taking away from you. We know it is racial profiling. Let’s be real! No. 2, you let 6 women on the jury; none of them can identify with the Trayvon’s family. It even came out that one of juror’s hus-
band was a lawyer, the one who came out to speak first. She has a concealed weapon permit. If she has that, we know, she is going to say she has a right to… you didn’t research the jurors properly! That is issue #2. You are doomed. 3. If you look at the young girl, the Haitian girl… You are not telling your witness to lie, but you prepare your witness; it is called prep. That girl looked like none of the prosecutors even sat down with her to explain to her what it would look like! So be prepared! Even just how it would be… the media, the fright, the anxiety! When that is said and done, we are here for you. We will guide you. You can guide someone with the questions you ask so they feel relaxed on the stand. So as you go along then you will get deeper because you get them to be relaxed. But when you let defense just hit her, she is like, “Are you for real? Are you asking these questions? She was not prepared and it showed up on the stand. The rationale for a Black attorney There you go! If you had a black attorney on the panel, chances are he did not come from a rich family, so he will have an understanding… so he could relate. You let that black attorney question that kid on the stand… one of yours is talking to you, so you are more comfortable. To me, the tactic of the prosecutors was bizarre. Bizarre! You and I heard about this and knew it was about race. When he (Zimmerman) said those mother f----rs always get away with this, who did he refer to! He said it! He said it! I did not hear them pounce on that! It is in the evidence and what did they do? Doomed again! That little town where he is from Sanford, think about this my brother! If there is a killing there, and the police came on the spot, and the victim was white, and it was a black person that did the shooting. What would happen? As soon as police arrived, they would put him in handcuffs and take him down. However, they came and talked to Zimmerman and they say, “Okay you are free to go.” You are free to go? It is only when people started demonstrating that they said come Continue Page 14
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SKNAH Accepting Applications for 2013 Scholarship OLC: The St. Kitts and Nevis Association of Houston () announced that it is. It supports Kittitians, Nevisians, and their relatives in pursuit of a higher education. The eligibility requirements are as follows: • Native of St. Kitts & Nevis or relative of a Kittitian/Nevisian native. • High school senior pursuing fulltime or part-time undergraduate studies at a college, university, or trade school in St. Kitts, United States, or any other country. • College student pursuing fulltime or part-time undergraduate
and graduate studies at a college, university, or trade school in St. Kitts, United States, or any other country. • Candidates, whether pursuing their degree onsite (on campus) or via distance education, must be registered for a minimum of 6 credits per semester. • Candidates must have a proven record of involvement in community service. • Candidate must not be on full scholarship. Applicants are required to complete
an application form, write 500-word essay, and show proof of school enrollment. The deadline for applications is September 1, 2013, and the winner(s) will be announced on September 28, 2013 at their Independence Cultural Extravaganza. If you have any questions or concerns, you can email SKNAH at sknahscholarship@gmail.com.
TMW host a Grant Writing Presentation OLC: The Texas Multicultural Women (TMW) will host a Grant Writing presentation on Saturday August 17th, 10:AM to 12:00 noon. The presenter is Eldon Lewis, President of Eldon Lewis and Associates LLC, which provides comprehensive grant writing, grant source research and consulting services for nonprofit organizations. He will share information on available resources for grants as well as techniques for writing a grant request. Eldon is an accomplished grant professional who has raised millions of dollars for various causes and organizations. He holds a Masters of Public Administration (MPA) degree with a concentration in non-profit management from the Rutgers University.
After completing graduate school, Eldon joined the development (fundraising) team at Covenant House New Jersey (CHNJ). CHNJ is the largest nonprofit agency providing residential and support services to homeless and street youth in New Jersey; there he oversaw all private and government funding streams, and he secured over $5,000,000 in grant funds. Eldon volunteers as the President of the Rutgers Chapter of Pi Alpha Alpha and serves on the development committee of the Jamaica College Old Boys Association and the Digital Yard Foundation. At the Digital Yard Foundation, he was part of the team that orchestrated a gift of a $38,000,000 software grant to the University of
Technology in Jamaica. The meeting will be held at: Keller Williams Realty, 19708 Northwest Freeway Ste. 2800. There is no charge for this valuable presentation but it is important to RSVP by calling 713-3202950 or 713-906-3421.
Jamaica Foundation Donates to the Fallen Firefighters In June, the Jamaica Foundation of Houston (JFH) had a fundraiser for the fallen firefighters from Station #68, and they collected almost $500.00. According to Errol Anthony Wilkes, “We actually showed a film called ”Akwantu” by Roy Anderson, and we passed a hat around and collected over $500.00.”
On July 26, 2013, Curtis Sea-
They called it the Tropical Explosion Boat Ride; I may add that it “a giant step in collaboration” in the Houston Caribbean Community. Some seven hundred people boarded the Colonel Paddlewheel Boat for a four-hour cruise in the waters surrounding Moody Gardens in Galveston. But first, in understanding this massive undertaking, we have to know the architects behind it. It was the mission of three Caribbean Associations: St. Kitts and Nevis Association of Houston (SKNAH), Houston Association of Panamanians (HAP), and the Barbados Association of Greater Houston (BAGH). The logistics, itself, must have been weighty. The other piece of the formula was the Colonel Paddlewheel Boat. It’s a replica of an 1800-style Paddlewheeler. Quite conveniently, it has three decks, which provided a blend of three different but similar experiences. As I saw it, it was quite obvious that the Bajans had the upper deck. The Kittians/Nevisians had the middle deck, and the Panamanians the lower deck. But, it all began at the gathering location. This appeared to be the only time we, Caribbean folks, understood the use of our watch and clock. As the boarding time got closer, the crowd grew larger and larger. They waited patiently, while listening to Rony Perry playing Caribbean favorites on the steel pan. It definitely gave us that touristy feeling. As one might expect, the food serving line was a bit long, but that was complimented with the bursting taste of an island cuisine. Jerk chicken, fish, roti, rice and bean, steam cabbage, cakes, juice… “bellyful filled foods.” Other than the lights that dotted the skyline, the late night hours hampered the viewing of the beautiful scenery of Galveston.
But, for most part, the music was the key part of the whole affair. It was a striking atmosphere of shuffling and dancing in a mesmerizing style. On the upper decks, soca dominated; the mellow groovy ones to just relax and enjoy the open air deck fit for deep conversations. In the middle deck, it was a massive Caribbean blow-out. It was soca, calypso, and then more soca with a splash of reggae. The genres shifted in the lower deck. It was the driving rhythms of salsa, merengue, bachata, compas and zouk. It was a Caribbean party of the seas. No ifs, ands, or buts! Boat ride guests on the upper deck and those under the stars were treated to sights and sounds of fireworks beaming over the skies over Galveston. What a life!
Practically all segments of the Houston Caribbean Community was represented. If you did not attend you missed the opportunity to meet the “Who’s Who” in the community. Let me name a few: Dr. Louis Brown, Honorary Consul of Barbados, Arnold Richards, President of the Jamaica Foundation of Houston, Andrea Jean Baptiste, President of the Saint Lucia of Texas, Cheryl Williams, Vice President of Trinidad and Tobago Association of Texas, Colette Bannis, Vice President of the Dominica Houston Association, Paula Abraham, Dominica Nurses Association, Terry and Marva Layne of HAP, Dane McAlpine of Soca Passion, and Reggie Clarke of Jugglers United. The list goes on… But of course, Milton Royer, the defacto Mayor of Houston Dominicans was marked as present. Kudos to Melvina Audain (St. Kitts/Nevis), Eddie Clarke (Panama) and Ed McDaniel (Barbados) and their respective teams for a job well done!
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JFH generously matched the collected funds with an additional $500.00. Firefighters Matthew Renaud, Robert Bebee, Robert Garner, Anne Sullivan was killed fighting a fire inside a restaurant at the Southwest Inn Motel on the Southwest Freeway near Hillcroft in Houston.
The Boat Ride of 2013
Page 5 • ONE LOVE CARIBBEAN • August 2013
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man, a district chief at the Houston Fire Department, welcomed JFH President, Arnold Richards, and Director, Errol Wilkes to Ladder 68 where they made a donation of $1000.00.
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Wilbert J. Oliver announces the audition for the play “Big Dreamer.” It will be held at Ensemble theatre on Saturday Aug. 24,2013 at 11:30am. The time for the performance is likely to be in October or November.
ICE deports Jamaican to face charges
August 2013 • ONE LOVE CARIBBEAN • Page 6
ARIBBEAN Briefs
Whatever Happened on August 1,1834? OLC: Last month, on July 3, the US Virgin Islands celebrated Emancipation Day commemorating the freeing of slaves in former Danish West Indies in 1848. It so happened that the following day, America’s Declaration of Independence was celebrated. The Virgin Islands (St. Croix, St. John, Water Island, St. Thomas) became a U.S. territory in 1917 and today, it is a unique fusion of American and Caribbean traditions This month, the former British Islands celebrates Emancipation Day, which is usually observed during the first week of August. The Slavery Abolition Act 1833 ended slavery in the British Empire on August 1, 1834. In some Caribbean families, Emancipation Day is reserved as the time to teach their children the stories of the days before the momentous day of emancipation –
so they will never forget the lives of their ancestor life in slavery. Here is one such story. “Some timorous planter families did not go to bed on emancipation night, fearing lest the same bell which sounded freedom of the slaves might bring the death knell of the masters. At the Wesleyan Chapel when the midnight bell started to strike the congregation fell to their knees to pray. Scarcely had the clock sounded its last note, when lightning flashed vividly around and a loud peal of thunder roared along the sky. Then came the burst they shouted, they sung, “Glory!”, “Alleluia!” they clapped their hands, leaped up, fell down, clasped each other in their free hands, cried, laughed, went to and fro, tossing upward their unfettered hands, but high above the whole was a mighty sound … the uttering in broken negro dialect of grat-
St Kitts (WINN) -- Prime Minister Dr Denzil Douglas says he will not call elections in St Kitts and Nevis until he changes the constituency boundaries. “I have one more thing to do before we call these elections. We shall have the boundaries realigned! Realigned! Because they are illegal as they are!” he
told cheering supporters from the platform on Friday night. “We have a constitutional responsibility to have the boundaries realigned, and they’re frightened. They’re frightened. They’re frightened. They don’t know what to do, where to go! Dey frightened and them a bawl!” Douglas said. Meantime, the prime minister – who is facing a motion of no con-
Stephenson, who had been residing in Philadelphia, was repatriated onboard an ICE Air Operations charter flight and turned over to Jamaican authorities in Kingston. He was initially placed in removal proceedings in January 1993 by the former Immigration and Naturalization Service after he served time for a felony weapons charge. He was released on bond, and subsequently, failed to appear in immigration court.
itude to God. When the clock began to strike midnight, the people of Antigua were SLAVES ...when it ceased they were all FREEMEN! There had never been in the history of the world, so great and instantaneous change in the condition of so large a body of people. Freedom was like passing suddenly out of a dark dungeon into the light of the sun. Source - Whatever happened to August 1st? By J.R. Kerr Ritchie
St Kitts-Nevis PM: No Election Until a Change in Boundaries By Toni Frederick
Rupert Stephenson, 59, a Jamaican national, wanted in his home country since 1986 on aggravated assault charges, was deported by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO).
On March 9, 2012, he was encountered by ERO officers through Secure Communities after he was arrested in Philadelphia. He was using the name Laxy Mickenzie. Stephenson was ultimately ordered deported by an immigration judge Jan. 3. “Criminal aliens like Stephenson are on notice. The United States
Since Oct. 1, 2009, ERO has removed more than 645 foreign fugitives from the United States who were being sought in their native countries for serious crimes, including kidnapping, rape and murder. ERO works with ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Office of International Affairs, foreign consular offices in the United States and Interpol to identify foreign fugitives illegally present in the country.
Taiwan President Visits the St. Lucia On August 15, 2013, President of the Taiwan, Ma Ying-jeou, is scheduled to visit Saint Lucia, This will be President Ma’s first State Visit to Saint Lucia and the second visit to Saint Lucia by a sitting Taiwanese President. The two nation resumed diplomatic in 2007. President Ma will call on Governor General Pearlette Louisy and Prime Minister Dr. Kenny D. Anthony.
fidence in parliament -- promised that after the boundaries were changed, he would announce who would be the St Kitts and Nevis Labour Party’s candidate for Constituency Three.
is not a safe haven where you can continue to commit crimes against our citizens,” said Thomas Decker, field office director for ERO Philadelphia. “Individuals who believe they can do so will be arrested and deported.”
The Government of Saint Lucia has also extended to President Ma the courtesy and honor of addressing a joint sitting of the Senate and House of Assembly of Saint Lucia. During his visit,
President Ma will have the opportunity to interact with a cross section of the Saint Lucia population. While based in Saint Lucia, President Ma will also lead a one day visit to St. Vincent and the Grenadines and the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis.
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The Government of Jamaica is receiving interest from at least two companies to enter into a public/private partnership to build a modern adult correctional facility.
major rehabilitation and upgrading.
“Therefore, we must look at new facilities. Certainly over the medium-term, we will need at least two new facilities for adults and ju“The Development Bank of veniles, respectively,” he Jamaica (DBJ) has been noted. tasked to manage this process, and I’m hopeful that On the subject of juvewe will make some tangible nile facilities, the Security progress on this issue during Minister said that contracthis year,” said Minister of Na- tors have been selected tional Security, Peter Bunting. and renovation work will He was speaking during his re-commence during this contribution to the 2013/2014 month on the South Camp Sectorial Debate on June 19 Road facility to accomin the House of Representa- modate the juveniles from tives. Fort Augusta. Mr. Bunting explained that most of the existing correctional facilities were never designed with rehabilitation as a priority, and they are in need of
He noted however, that the more important objective of the Government is to minimize the number of juveniles, who end up in
correctional facilities.
“Therefore, I am not excited about building more facilities for juveniles, however, I am excited about fixing the system upstream, and diverting most of these young people from ending up in the correctional system,” he stated. As at June 16, there were only five female juveniles at the Horizon Remand facility, moving from 30 at June 2012, and 35 in January 2011. Additionally, the number of female juveniles at Fort Augusta has been reduced from 74 to 44 within the last year. “Therefore, we have cut the size of the problem in half over the last year,” Mr. Bunting said.
Guyanese Going on Bad – Enough is Enough!
Page 7 • ONE LOVE CARIBBEAN • August 2013
One Love Caribbean
OLC: Tension swells in Guyana over the demand to remove of Town Clerk, Carol Sooba and the passage of four Local Government Bills. Vendors were increasingly frustrated that even with the use of force, police ranks were unable to place vendors behind barriers.
Photo of the Month
In fact, even before the uproar, vendors, who were standing behind the barriers with three other groups protesting for different reasons, forced their way passed the police barricade and stood in front Parliament Building making their demands. Ranks demanded that the vendors return to their original location, but with support from members of the Guyana Youth and Student Movement, they refused to relocate. As such, ranks were forced to place additional barricades in the Parliament building compound but that too failed. Even though A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) Member of Parliament Joan Baveghems urged the protesters not to breach the barriers, they maintained their positions. Their actions were based on the premise that a Motion was passed in the National Assembly for the removal of barriers outside Parliament Building to allow for picketing, which is a constitutional right.
Protesters armed with two purple teddy bears labeled “Sooba”, and placards, some with derogatory remarks, chanted while walking in circles demanding the Acting Town Clerk’s removal and the passage of the four Local Government Bills to allow for the holding of Local Government Elections. According to one vendor, they are fed up with Sooba and need her immediate removal. From all indications the town clerk is instrumental in the proposed removal of street vendors operating on Robb, Regent and Water Streets. The vendors, feeling threatened by the impending action, said that their livelihoods are dependent on vending.
“Anyone see where de ball pass?” Well, it was the Houston Trinis and the Soca Warrior fans chanting down the BBVA Compass Stadium. On July 15, they came out to give Houston hospitality to their national soccer team. Trinidad & Tobago won against Honduras. By the way, in Houston, we have Soca Warriors and Soca Passion. Anybody see Dane McAlpine of Soca Passion in this picture? Photo Contribution of Jerry Castro-Cayetano.
“American Corner” in Dominica’s Library OLC: On July 29, 2013, the United States and Dominica signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to establish the “American Corner” of the Roseau Public Library in Dominica.
when we work together, and it’s much easier to make positive things happen, and the American Corner in Dominica is an excellent example of how true that is,” he continued.
“American Corner” serves as a resource center for information and programs highlighting American culture, history, current events, and Government.
The US Ambassador is encouraged that Dominican children and adults have been able to benefit tremendously from the “American Corner”.
In November 2009, the U.S Embassy in Barbados provided an initial grant of US$20,000 to fund the project. Additional funding of US$10,000 was given in December 2012.
“Since its opening, this wonderful space in this wonderful library has attracted so many Dominicans to enjoy a wide variety of resources, books, computers, board games and even kindles. The fantastic staff here has planned dozens of successful events and activities for youngsters and I want to take a moment to thank each member of staff for all of your hard work, not only for this year but throughout the years” he said.
Signing for the U.S. was Ambassador Larry Palmer of the US Embassy in Barbados, and Dominica’s Education Minister Peter St. Jean signed on behalf of Dominica. “Today we are here to reaffirm our Memorandum of Understanding and to continue our great partnership with the Government and the great people of Dominica. We support endeavors like this because we sincerely believe in partnership” Ambassador Palmer remarked. “In this inter connected world, we interact with people on a daily basis, with people from across the world; we share interests, and we share goals. We are stronger
The “American Corner” is a United States Department of Statesponsored initiative inaugurated worldwide more than 10 years ago. Since 2000, the U.S. has launched almost 400 “American Corners” in approximately 60 countries.
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Third World Live in Concert With four decades of smash hit songs, sold-out tours and inspirational messages, one may wonder, “Where did it all begin? What gives Third World the staying power so rare in the music industry?” Third World is more than just one of the top Reggae bands of all time, it is an institution that stands for producing and performing music that, while holding firm to the cultural and ancestral roots of its members, still pushes forward the cutting edge of music worldwide. It is an institution whose themes are positive, progressive and internationally relevant. Formed in 1973, Third World is committed to the excellence of reggae music by combining Jamaican Reggae and Folk music with all strains of African Rhythms, American Pop, Rhythm & Blues, Rap and Classical music. Third World is one of the longest running and most diverse bands Jamaica has ever produced. Born out of a drive to write and perform original material incorporating reggae, rock and funk, and a desire to tour and take music to a wider audience, Third World was conceived. For more than 30 years, Third World has continued to blaze new trails for Reggae Music. The group has traveled around the world several times spreading the message of Peace, Love, & Unity for which they have truly lived up to their title as Reggae Ambassadors. To date, Third World has released a total of 22 albums as well as solo projects from Lead Singer Bunny Rugs and Guitarist Cat Coore. Awards include: Recipients of the 1986 “United Nations Peace Medal,” 1992 and 1996 Jamaica Music Industry awards for Best Show Band, And 10 nominations for the Grammy Awards. Albums include: Third World, 96 Degrees in the Shade, Journey to Addis, Prisoner in the Street, The Story’s been Told, Arise in Harmony, Rock the World, Sense of Purpose, You’ve Got the Power, Hold on to Love, Serious Business, Committed, Live it Up, Generation Coming, Ain’t Givin’ Up and their new album Black Gold and Green.
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Page 10 • ONE LOVE CARIBBEAN • August 2013
PHOTOS
Houston Caribbean
TT Vay Event 7-29-13
Tropical Explosion The Boat Ride of the Year
Encouragement from the Word of God
BIRTHDAYS IN THE DIASPORA
Itemizing God’s Favor
we are overwhelmed with negative situations and bad things are happening. Sometimes, in order to keep our balance it’s necessary to stop and make an itemized assessment of the blessings or the good things in our lives in order to place things in right perspective. These good things represent God’s favor in our life. When life is “throwing us curve balls,” it’s easy to lose sight of the small blessings that we receive or encounter every day.
Charmaine Bailey Staff Writer cbailey@olchouston.com This year our theme at church is “Choosing to walk in God’s favor” which led me to ponder . We humans are inclined to think that good things are owed to us because of who we are or because of good deeds that we’ve done and it’s easy for us to feel that we are entitled to all the good situations. But one definition of “favor” is “something done or granted out of goodwill, rather than from justice or for compensation”. In other words, favor is not earned; it is a gift from God. Think of a time when you were overwhelmed by receiving a bill from the doctor for a huge amount. “What? There is no way that the bill could amount to so much.” So a call is placed to the hospital to demand an itemized statement. Upon examining the statement you see a list of all the services and products large and small, for which you were charged and indeed, they did add up to the stated amount. You see, the first bill gave the overview - the big picture of what was owed, but did not break it down into the small yet important details. Likewise, it is easy for us to to take a view of life focusing only on the big picture and not the details. This is particularly true when
So let’s take a moment to stop and smell the roses and savor some of the things that we may be taking for granted: loving family, friends, a job, good health, health insurance, good education, a sound mind, physical mobility, children, and grandchildren. The surgery that you had; it’s a blessing that the illness was caught early before it became more serious. Remember the pain that caused you to visit the doctor and discover the problem? That was a blessing too. Favor comes in all kinds of forms, shapes, sizes and ways and often is not easily recognized. And how about joy and peace, sunshine, rain, flowers, a sunrise, a sunset, and the ability to experience and appreciate them all? Then there is the greatest favor of all - salvation through Jesus Christ. “God saved you by His grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.” Ephesians 2:8 (NLT) There is an old hymn that says: “Count your blessings, name them one by one, and it will surprise you what The Lord has done.” Itemizing God’s favor is simply another way of taking a good look at our lives and counting God’s blessings to us. “Sing to the Lord, all you godly ones! Praise His holy name. (5) For ... His favor lasts a lifetime!...” - Psalms 30:4-5 (NLT)
Marline Decaster Aruba
Pastor Troy J. Wilson USD
Fatta Carey Jamaica
Marlon Haynes Trinidad
Rodgricia Cooper Barbados
Keith V. Harris Jamaica
Sylvia Samuels Guyana
Daintee Glover Jone Texas
Shaliza Ali Trinidad
Cheryl Paige Virgin Islands
Wycliffe Bailey Jamaica
Charmaine Bailey Jamaica
Charmaine Bailey is a speaker and a Christian Education Teacher. She studied Christian Education at Jamaica Theological Seminary and hold a BA Linguistics from the University of the West Indies.
Announcing the Wedding of Jerry & Leonie Cheryl Dyer-Moore Trinidad
Announcement is made of the engagement of Leonie Guevara Harold of Trinidad & Tobago and Jerry Castro-Cayetano of Guatemala. The bride is the daughter of Kathleen Victoria Alleyne and James Kenneth Harrold. Leonie is a business consultant. The bridegroom is Carmen Cayetano and Jerry Johnson Castro Mejia. He is active in the local city, state, and national issues affecting the country. An August 15, 2014, wedding is planned in Livingston, Guatemala at Villa del Caribe Hotel & Resort. A Houston Reception is planned for September 2014.
Andrea Browne St. Kitts/Nevis
Kiemani Samuel St. Lucia/Baytown
Kiemesha Samuel St. Lucia/Baytown
Melvina Chapman-Audain St. Kitts/Nevis
Catherine Flowers Honduras
One Love Caribbean Call 281-769-2253
Page 11 • ONE LOVE CARIBBEAN • August 2013
AN INSPIRATIONAL MOMENT
August 2013 • ONE LOVE CARIBBEAN • Page 12
OPEN EDITORIAL
Student Loans
Turning Dreams into Nightmares will find this “dream job;” buy their own cars, find an apartment or a starter home, buy their own clothes, and begin saving for their own retirement. Nowhere in that scenario does it seem reasonable to be thinking about marriage and rearing children. This sounds like a gigantic social nightmare to me; superimposed in a place where there were once “sweet dreams and moonlight by night, and rainbows by day!”
Trayvon Martin - Let Us Never Forget money to hire the best attorney possible? A case of the have and the have-nots!
By Andrea Jean Baptiste Contributing Writer The trial of George Zimmerman for the murder of Trayvon Martin will go down in history as one of the trials of the century. This case brought to the fore of our minds all that we feel is still wrong with this society. 1) The question of Race, whether this was a case of Zimmerman (white) profiling Trayvon (black) because of the color of his skin? Whether blacks and browns in this country can ever get a fair trial, whether they are the alleged perpetrator or the victim? Whether in order to stand a chance at beating a conviction, you need to have
For many of us, including myself, the verdict came as a shock. Like many others I was speechless. I had consciously decided during the case not to follow the gavel to gavel coverage, since I knew, I would be an emotional wreck during the entire time, vacillating between emotions depending on whether the prosecutors or the defense were presenting their case. Once I heard the verdict and gasped in disbelief, I chose not to follow the post analysis. I am of the opinion, that I am the captain of my ship, and I can decide what type of emotions I allow to enter my space at any point in time. Because I was emotional about Trayvor’s death to begin with, I felt it was best to remain detached as much as possible from the circus-like atmosphere flooding the media, particularly television. In the end, many of us of all races may not have gotten the verdict we wanted, or maybe we did, it depends on which side of the fence you stood on. Ultimately a a bright young man lost his life senselessly, because Zimmerman
decided to forgo common sense and follow Trayvon home. One thing we know for sure, in the aftermath of Trayvon’s death, many lives have been changed including Zimmerman’s. He will have to live with the actions he took that rainy night in February 2012. As for me, I choose to honor Trayvon Martin by looking for ways to make this a better society. I truly believe that is what he would have wanted us to do. We cannot change the verdict, the American justice system has spoken, but what we can do is never forget this young man, he could have been son/brother/ friend to any of us. The best way we can honor his memory is to choose to remember him like we remember another young black man, Emmett Till age 14. Senselessly murdered after he reportedly flirted with a White woman in Mississippi. He was kidnapped from his Uncle’s home, beaten, shot in the head and thrown in to a river, where he was found three days later. For me Trayvon Martin is our modern day Emmitt Till. Let us never forget.
Reubenites or Rubies: One of the Warrior Tribes By Dr. Daintee G. Jones Contributing Writer I’ve had some great feedback from some of One Love Caribbean’s readers and scholars regarding my last article on using the 12 Tribes of Israel in order to find one’s purpose in life. Because of their interest and for all of the people who are being laid off from their jobs, I will continue to build upon this argument, so let’s delve deeper into this theory. The tribes are named for Reuben, Issachar, Zebulun, Gad, Asher, Joseph (including his sons – Ephraim and Manasseh), Dan, Naftali, Judah, Benjamin, Simeon, and Levi. I’ve divided the twelve tribes into the categories of warriors, businesspeople, teachers, artists, and preachers. • The warriors are the Reubenites, Gadites, Ephraimites (part of Joseph’s tribe), Benjamites, and Simeonites. • The businesspeople are the Zebulunites, Manassites (part of Joseph’s tribe), Judahites • The teachers are the Issacharites and Naftalites • The artists are the Asherites and Danites • The preachers are the Levites. This article’s focus is upon Reuben, one of the warrior clan. Reuben was the first born of Ja-
cob (Israel) and Leah. His name means first born and can be nicknamed “First of all”. Jacob gives this description of Reuben, “Reuben, thou art my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength, and the excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power (Genesis 49: 3). Because of this scripture, the contributing writer of the article, “Choosing a Tribe: The Characteristics of the 12 Tribes of Israel” lists these attributes of Reubenites: • Strong-minded and strongwilled; powerful, excelling in strength • Turbulent in emotion; quick and fiery in anger • Determined to get their own way • Fierce warriors • Cattle herders (www.talmidi. co.il/htm/articles/articles96.htm) You might join this tribe based upon the traits that are listed or the promises that are given to first born children. If you are not comfortable using a JudeoChristian title to define yourself, try using the stone type that represents this tribe. It is the ruby that was found on the biblical Aaron’s breastplate. Think of the symbolism of the color red as you contemplate the power of the Reubenites. Red can represent power, life, blood, battle, birth,
and death. Based upon these definitions, are you willing to choose this tribe? If so, here are some possible purpose-driven careers that are linked to the Reubenite or Ruby traits: • Strong minds – educators, analysts • Strong bodies – athletes, coaches, umpires, referees • Determined to get their way – administration, sales • Fierce warriors – military, protective careers, fire fighters, corrections officers • Cattle herders – farmers, veterinarians, animal control, rodeo competitors For more information on possible careers for the Reuben tribe or Rubies, see my blog at dignityjobs.wordpress.com.
Terry Layne Staff Writer tlayne@olchouston.com By the time this articles reaches the print, many families would have been wishing their college bound children or other relatives well as they launch themselves from the comfort of homes to the rigors of college academic demands in classrooms. For sure, most students enrolled in colleges are enthusiastically building skills and talents in pursuit of life dreams through their selected career pathways. And in many cases, perhaps related to the financial collapse of 2008, or for other reasons too; many of these students are being forced to take on college loans at 18 years old that would eventually become a lifetime financial debt. It is common knowledge that our national debt tied up in student loans alone now exceeds one trillion dollars. We also know that many families owing these debts will be impacted in their abilities to buy homes, cars, or even major appliances long after graduation from college; because of unmanageable debts, unemployment/ underemployment and other fallout related to the financial crash. Yeah! These debts can easily turn dreams into nightmares; particularly with the average loan sitting about 27 to 30 thousand dollars after a four year degree, and no end in sight to our economic plight. Here’s the scenario facing new federally subsidized student loans as of July 2013. Loan rates will be doubled to around 6.8%, which translates into increased cost of paying for college in a slowed economy with insufficient jobs. Many will graduate from college this year and be forced into underemployment; taking on lower paying or part time jobs just to meet basic bills. Instead of emancipating to independent young adult life; many would be going back home to live with parents. By then, many students would have been well aware that student loans are lifetime contracts for paying back with stringent chances of “loan forgiveness.” In other words, “they’re in it to pay it!” In addition to these loans becoming due at or around age 25 for the average, unemployed 18 y/o, who started college some four years earlier; we still have the “unspoken expectation” that they
It was Jane Clark of Kiplinger Magazine weighing in on this whole Student Loans matter in April of this year. In her opinion, parents too frequently make decisions about colleges for their children based on “emotions about academics and not enough about affordability.” And by doing this, families are set up for financial disasters in the many years ahead. This is such an important check point for us to consider; and especially in our current economic climate where college graduates are settling for part time jobs and other opportunities outside the scope of their “dreams.” Another factor in the picture is a mythical thinking in many minds that says “high cost schools offer better education.” So, less costly colleges are frequently overlooked in planning; because they “look bad” in the marketplace. The real caution here is for families to begin paying closer attention to how we go about making decisions around selection of colleges and paying the costs of tuition. But before we get going, let’s consider one more aspect of the bigger picture. It’s no secret that the U.S. Government is making big bucks off of Student Loans Debt. Clearly, we understand that the Federal Government is not intended to function as a business. But with the reportedly huge number of business lobbyists at the highest levels of government, makes the Federal Government look like a major corporation operating in the private sector. For example, in a recent release, the Congressional Budget Office announced a profit increase in the projected 2013 fiscal year for the Department of Education at $50.6 billion. This profit margin comparatively “smokes” some of America’s largest corporations; like Apple, Inc. which showed a profit of $41.7 billion last year. The point intended here is simply to underscore how profiteering activities occur around “student borrowers.” Just think about the lobbyists…whose interest are they representing in that scenario anyway? But this is another matter for another time. The issue at hand is about navigating through the field of Student Loans. Clearly, every family will make decisions about financing college education based on their specific access to resources. But in addition to that, it may be helpful Continue on Page 14
Dr. Ka-Ron Y. Wade HOW TO PREVENT TOOTH DECAY, GUM DISEASE & TOOTH LOSS! Tooth Decay and Gum Disease are Preventable! As many as 23 percent of adults suffer from untreated tooth decay, which result in the damage of tooth structure. Neglected tooth decay can also lead to severe pain, root canal infection, abscess and tooth loss. Three-fourths of the adult population has gum disease. Almost one-fourth of adults 65 years and older have lost all of their teeth. Periodontitis (gum disease) is the leading cause of adult tooth loss and the resulting gum infection can also compromise your health. Yet, tooth decay, gum disease and tooth loss are largely preventable! Take Home Tips! The cause of both tooth decay and gum disease is plaque buildup. So here’s how to keep plaque in check: Brush and floss daily, use an oral irrigator and have regular dental exams and cleanings. It’s a good idea to cut back on between-meal snacks, especially those that stick to your teeth like dried fruit and crackers, and avoid consuming too many acidic and sugary drinks and foods. New research shows that the natural sweetener xylitol inhibits the growth of specific decaycausing bacteria and is available in gum, mints and toothpastes. With Preventive Care, 44% of Patients Don’t Need Dental Work! A recent insurance-based study examined approximately 750,000 dental claims over a 15year period. The study found that nearly 44 percent of patients treated in a given year needed nothing more than preventive and diagnostic treatments! Prevention can save you time and money! Take Home Tips! Regular six-month
check-ups
and cleanings can dramatically reduce—or eliminate—the need for extensive dental treatments and periodontal surgery. You may have no symptoms at the beginning stages of tooth decay or gum disease, so don’t wait until you have pain or discomfort to schedule your next dental appointment. Without Good Oral Hygiene, Tooth Decay is Right Around the Corner! Each day your teeth become covered with plaque; a sticky film of bacteria, saliva and food particles. Decay-causing bacteria thrive on the sugary foods and drinks that you consume. When this happens, strong acid byproducts are released and “attack” your teeth. The acid is powerful enough to bore a hole through the enamel and into the underlying layer of dentin of your teeth if left undiluted and in contact with your tooth. We want to stop the decay before it gets to this point. Once decay reaches the nerve center of your tooth, or the pulp, you’re looking at big time pain and the need for a root canal filling to prevent an extraction. We’ll help you take simple measures to effectively reduce plaque buildup and avoid this uncomfortable and expensive outcome! Take Home Tips! The extent of damage caused by food left on your teeth depends on how long it’s left there. For this reason, you never want to skip brushing or flossing. If that’s not possible, at least rinse and drink lots of water. Keep a toothbrush and floss handy when you’re away from home. The only way to break up colonies of bacteria that constantly form is to make sure you floss at least once a day. The “etching” done to your enamel by the acid can begin within 20 minutes of consuming an offending food.
Dr. Ka-Ron Y. Wade, DDS
Plaque build-up can quickly harden into calculus that can only be removed by in-office cleaning! What You Eat and Drink Matters! Refined sugar and processed carbohydrates and everywhere—from desserts, pastas and breads to sports drinks and fruit juices. Carbohydrates break down into sugar. And the more sugar you consume, the more plaque you form. The more plaque you form, the more decay and gum disease you’ll get. Their menu is your menu!! Most refined foods make perfect bitesized meals for bacteria, which is bad news for your teeth. On the other hand, most unprocessed foods can’t be “digested” by bacteria are less problematic. Take Home Tips! Try curbing your intake of refined sugar and processed foods by eating more fresh fruits, vegetables and whole grains…and drink water instead of a sports drink, soda or juice. A diet that’s good for your teeth and gums is also good for the rest of your body. For breakthrough dental technology, GIVE US A CALL TODAY! Call us at 713.654.7756 or visit our web-site at www.cosmeticdt.com.
Outbreak of intestinal bug Cyclospora OLC: If you have watery diarrhea that does not resolve over several days, you should see you doctor immediately to be tested specifically for cyclospora infection. There is an outbreak of the stomach bug.
The outbreak of the stomach illness linked to the cyclospora parasite has now spread to 15 states -- that includes Texas and Louisiana. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports of 378 cases with most of the illness onset dates have ranged from mid-June through early July. Although the source is undetermined, health officials in Iowa and Nebraska, two of the hardest-hit states, reports that the stomach
bug is linked to a salad mix. Other cases have now been reported from Arkansas, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York City, New York State, Ohio, and Wisconsin. Cyclospora is a parasite that infects the small intestine and usually causes watery diarrhea, with frequent, sometimes explosive, bowel movements. It may cause loss of appetite, weight loss, stomach cramps/pain, bloating, increased gas, nausea, and fatigue. Vomiting, body aches, headache, fever, and other flulike symptoms may be noted.
It is spread by people ingesting contaminated food or water. Dr. Thomas Frieden, CDC director, urged people who have suffered from diarrhea longer than a couple of days to be tested for cyclospora. Antibiotics can be used to treat severe cases of infection. The bug needs time, sometimes days to weeks, after being passed in a bowel movement to become infectious for another person. Therefore, it is unlikely that cyclospora is passed directly from one person to another. In the United States, foodborne outbreaks of cyclosporiasis have been linked to various types of
Page 13 • One Love Caribbean • August 2013
When it Comes to Blood Pressure Make Control Your Goal One of three American adults has high blood pressure, also called hypertension. That’s 67 million people who have to work to keep their blood pressure in check each day. Unfortunately, more than half of people with high blood pressure do not have their condition under control. Blood pressure is the force of blood on the walls of your blood vessels as blood flows through them. Blood pressure has two numbers, systolic and diastolic, and is measured in millimeters of mercury (mmHg). Systolic pressure is the force on the blood vessel walls when the heart beats and pumps blood out of the heart. Diastolic pressure is the force that occurs when the heart relaxes in between beats. Having the highest score is good in many things, but not with blood pressure—the higher your numbers, the more serious the condition. You may not have any symptoms of high blood pressure, but it can damage your health in many ways. For instance, it can harden the arteries, decreasing the flow of blood and oxygen to the heart and brain. This reduced flow can cause: • A heart attack, which occurs when the blood supply to your heart is blocked and heart muscle cells die from a lack of oxygen. • A stroke, which can occur when arteries that supply blood and oxygen to the brain become blocked or burst. • Chest pain, also called angina. • Heart failure, which occurs when the heart can’t pump enough blood and oxygen to other organs. Of the 67 million American adults who have high blood pressure, 16 million know that they have the condition and are getting treatment, but their blood pressure still remains higher than it should be. For these individuals, awareness and treatment are not enough—that’s why CDC is asking patients, families, and health care professionals to “make control the goal.” If you have high blood pressure, imported fresh produce. However, people living or traveling in tropical or subtropical regions of the world may be at increased risk for infection because cyclosporiasis is found in some countries in these zones.
there are steps you can take to get it under control, including: • Ask your doctor what your blood pressure should be. Set a goal to lower your pressure with your doctor and then discuss how you can reach your goal. Work with your doctor to make sure you meet that goal. • Take your blood pressure medication as directed. If you are having trouble, ask your doctor what you can do to make it easier. For example, you may want to discuss your medication schedule with your doctor if you are taking multiple drugs at different times of the day. Or you may want to discuss side effects you are feeling, or the cost of your medicine. • Quit smoking—and if you don’t smoke, don’t start. • Reduce sodium. Most Americans consume too much sodium, and it raises their risk for high blood pressure. Learn about tips to reduce your sodium. There are other healthy habits, in addition to taking your medication that can help keep your blood pressure under control: • Achieve and maintain a healthy body weight. • Participate in 30 minutes of moderate physical activity on most days of the week. • Eat a healthy diet that is high in fruits and vegetables and low in sodium, saturated fats, trans fat, and cholesterol. • Manage stress. • Limit the amount of alcohol you drink (no more than one drink each day for women and two for men). If you have a family member who has high blood pressure, you can help by taking many of the steps listed above with them. Go for walks together or cook meals with lower sodium. Make it a family affair! Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
August 2013 • ONE LOVE CARIBBEAN • Page 14
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From Page 4 back in. When he came back to the sheriff’s office, he walked in, and he wasn’t in cuffs. So what did Zimmerman do as someone who wanted to be police officer and took all this criminal justice classes… If you notice, for those 45 days, he went out and told his story and publicized it all over the place. And it’s the same stories which came back into evidence; he tailor-made his defense. Donaie: Explain the jury system to our folks? Does the jury have to follow the law as written? Simms: Look, they say you have a jury of your peers. You hear the evidence and you cannot separate your experience from the evidence, and as a result of that based on the evidence and what the law says, if you have a problem, you send back questions, and say hey, I am having a problem here. This is what I am hearing, these are the facts, but the law seems to be contrary to the facts. And if that is the case, you can be a holdout juror, if you are convinced based on the facts you hear then you are saying no. I cannot find for that and I cannot find for another. Donaie: Is that the same as jury nullification. Simms: Jury nullification mean somebody did something wrong during sitting, if for example you were sequestered, and they said you could not watch the news or talk to anyone, and it came out that you talked to an outside person, that is jury nullification, but if one juror holds out and says no to the evidence it is now considered a mistrial and the prosecutor will have the right to retry the case. If that one lady who voted Zimmerman for 2nd degree murder and the rest for not guilty, if she stood her ground and said “No! I am not convinced, he is guilty, it would be a mistrial.” Zimmerman would not have been found “not guilty.” If you look at the system a verdict never says he is innocent you know. It says he is not guilty. Donaie: What is the lesson we should take from this, particularly our young Caribbean men. We have many Caribbean elders really do not understand the American justice system. Most of them may know of the British type sys-
tem. I often see that when their kids get into trouble, they know something is not right. How do you explain it to them? What should they do? Simms: The first thing I would say as Caribbean people, if you are in an unfortunate situation where your kid or somebody allegedly run afoul of the law, to me the first thing you should look at, if you have the wherewithal, the money to get a lawyer. I will say get a lawyer who feels your pain, your journey, your culture; that means I can superimpose myself in your position. Like Obama said, “I could have been Trayvon Martin 34 years ago, or he could have been my son.” So right there, that makes a difference. What people need to do here, try and learn… read up a little bit more about the judicial system here in this country. In reality, my brother, there are two systems, one for white folk, and one for black and brown. It is clear, and at the end of the day, it will be those who have the economic means that will get the kind of representation needed. We have to, in our own way, learn of the system in this country. Don’t go down that trail where you go blindly saying, “Yes! It is a criminal case and it will work itself out.” No, it won’t! So if we can achieve awareness in our churches, in social gatherings, at the dinner table with our folks then we should. Let me give you another example, I know you wrote about the New England Patriots, Hernandez; the guy he murdered Antiguan-born [Odin Lloyd]. We are not hearing about the victim; we are hearing about Hernandez, because he is the superstar. This touches us. So to me, prosecution is all about that, but they should be telling the story of this victim to say he came to this country; he worked hard; he took to his craft; he was a semiprofessional ball player. This was a person who overachieved... Put him out there; don’t just let him be a nobody. He was just killed.
churches. We have to. Because, one, you speak differently, they know that; there is prejudice already, it is built in; you are a foreigner; we are black; we are people of color. What do I tell people who have their sons? Whatever faith you have, sit and discuss with them of its importance? But do not be misled, what the Defense Counsel did to Trayvon was because he was in a hoodie, they portrayed him as a thug …as up to no good. In their argument, they tried to bring up, whether he had smoked weed the day before or the day of. So what, if I smoke weed? They are trying to say it made him more aggressive. But we know, as the story is told, research shows people who smoke marijuana are melancholy; they eat more, they are subdued and all that. But, the defense kept harping, if he smoked weed he would be more aggressive. From Page 12
to look at a couple of things like Private Loans vs Federal Loans; keeping in mind factors such as loan risks, protections, and guarantees for the duration of the contract. Families also need to be informed about the interest rates (variable vs fixed rates). In addition, it may be helpful to inquire about Income based repayment plans. Many private loans are not dischargeable through bankruptcy; and there are few circumstances under which Federal Loans may be eligible for cancellation. Death is one of those conditions. But let me close with just a little twist. On Wednesday, July 31, 2013, CNBC published a recent finding about college financial assistance. In essence, they
Donaie: On the other hand, if anyone of us was on the defense side, we would want to have this type of attorneys. Simms: Of course. That is what I am saying to you! I am not mad at them. They did their drama thing… the guy brought in a piece of rock. I am telling you. They got paid, good. They were creative and innovative; you saw them straddling that live person in there, but look at what we got in evidence. They said Zimmerman had in a holster in his back, the kid was straddling him and he is on his back. The prosecution at no point time pointed out that he had a glock with a magazine. Now, if I am following you as neighborhood watch person, why would I need a bullet in the chamber? I am following you; I am expecting no violence. I am talking to 911 and police, When you are saying those mother f----r are always getting away… reported on a new study conducted by Sally Mae showing that students from high income families (annual incomes of 100,000 or more) received financial assistance averaging 10,213 dollars; while students from low income families (earning less than $35,000 per year) received an average of $7,237. So with this in mind, we can guess who’s paying more for their college education. This finding could take us in many directions. It’s a challenge to cover all aspects Student Loans in short articles. But I simply want to use this closing information to underscore an appeal to our broad community of readers to continue supporting the various scholarship drives made annually by
Donaie: The intent was there… Simms: You are not a legal man and, right away, you hit it right. You (Zimmerman) are enraged… you guys come in here and do this all the time. If he made 100 calls, 99 times they were about black kids. In the case of Trayvon he said he did not know the name of the streets in a neighborhood that he lives in. Who was hiding? Even the whole thing at the site of the incident, they should have taken sample of Zimmerman fingerprints, blood, everything, because he may have been on something. It did not happen… they gave him all the time! In the end, my brother, it was shoddy police work. Yes, shoddy prosecution preparation of this case; shoddy preparation of their witness. This case was dead even before it went into the courthouse.
our respective community based organizations and Associations. Several groups around the city provide incentive scholarships to deserving candidates. And in a financial climate like ours today, the need for financial assistance to families with college age people can hardly be overstated. And it goes without saying, the need for a cautious approach to student loans is critical.
The system is not doing that for us. But, I guarantee you if he [Lloyd] might have been the one who pulled the trigger, they would crucified him. We have to have these dialogs around the dinner table, around our social meetings, and in our
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