THE MONTHLY GLEANER | FEBRUARY 20 - MARCH 22, 2023 | www.jamaica-gleaner.com | FEATURE 2 VIEWERS OF BBC News may be familiar with Laura Trevelyan, one of its correspondents in Washington. She is a scion of an English aristocratic family who owned 1,004 slaves on six sugar plantations in Grenada, for whom they were compensated at the abolition of slavery. Last month, scores of family members agreed to apologise for the actions of their forefathers. Near the end of February, Ms Trevelyan will travel to Grenada, where, in tandemwith Sir Hilary Beckles, chairman of the Caribbean Community’s Reparation Commission, she will launch a £100,000 fund, donated by the journalist. Descendants of slave owners, who, like the Trevelyans, acknowledge that crimes against humanity were committed against the Africans transported to the Americas, bolster the argument of Caribbean governments for reparations from European slave nations. But, with respect to Jamaica, an even more compelling case for restitution has been made by the distinguished sociologist and academic Professor Orlando Patterson, who last week cast the 183 years of slavery in the island as a period of genocide that cost over 5.7 million lives. To put that number into context, it is approximately the same as the six million Jews who were killed in the Holocaust, except that the Jewish experience at the hands of Hitler was compressed over a dozen years. More recently, Professor Patterson, a Harvard University academic, has been prominent in Jamaica for the report of the commission that bears his name on the reform of Jamaica’s education system – which is not removed from the question of slavery and, this newspaper would argue, the case for reparations. For, as Professor Patterson noted last Friday in his Rex Nettleford Foundation lecture, Jamaica’s crisis of violence, its low levels of trust, and the problems in its education system“are closely linked to the level of violence that existed for 183 years” of slavery. NOT SUFFICIENT Against that background, we agree with Professor Patterson’s contention that it is not sufficient – and certainly not persuasive – to say, as many do, that Jamaica and the Caribbean should “move on” from slavery “if we are still living with …(its) consequences”. Broadly, Professor Patterson arrived at his figure of the genocide of blacks in Jamaica using a range of demographic data, such as the number of Africans who were shipped to the island, the black population at the end of slavery, and an extrapolation of what that population ought to have been if it had been allowed to grow at comparative rates as that of the United States and other countries with slaves. For example, between 1650 and 1830, just over one million Africans were brought to Jamaica, compared to roughly 388,000 who went to North America – a difference that emphasises the relative economic strengths and importance of the two regions at the period (Jamaica’s white population was multiples wealthier than their American counterparts) and their respective strategies towards slave ownership. At the abolition of slavery, there were a bit more than a third of a million black people in Jamaica, compared to two million slaves in the United States in 1830. Using regression analysis, starting with the number of slaves brought to the island and data such as the black population growth in other places over the comparative period, Professor Patterson concluded that Jamaica’s immediate post-slavery population should have been over 5.73million. The difference between that number and the actual black population provides the number for what he referred to as “the protracted genocide”. VIOLENCE OF SLAVERY The reason for this depletion – or stunted growth – of Jamaica’s black population, Professor Patterson contends, was the violence of slavery in Jamaica as well as economic analysis slave owners in Jamaica brought to the process. They calculated that it was cheaper to import new slaves rather than to have the existing population breed and grow, thus having to bear the cost of feeding them. Indeed, childbearing would also mean that female slaves would require time off from work during pregnancy, and to give birth. Also, Professor Patterson noted, rape of female slaves soon after arriving in Jamaica left many with venereal diseases that impeded their fertility and childbearing. Even if Jamaica’s ‘lost’ black population was half, or less than what Professor Patterson calculated, reparatory justice demands a reckoning beyond the important acknowledgement of wrong, and offers of reparations by the Trevelyans and other families and institutions that benefited from this crime against humanity. The nation states of Europe that established the legal framework for slavery and compensated their citizens for having to forfeit human chattel have not only a moral, but profoundly legal, obligation to compensate the descendants of the victims, who still suffer from this transgression. In December, Mark Rutte, prime minister of the Netherlands, formally apologised for his country’s involvement in slavery, the most full-throated acknowledgement of the wrong by a European leader on behalf of the state. We insisted then that Mr Rutte must go further by formally engaging the countries where Holland facilitated slavery by negotiating the quantum of compensation demanded by reparatory justice. He should also press to have the matter placed on the agenda of the European Council, to be resolved by Europe’s leaders. Indeed, we recommend to Mr Rutte and his European counterparts Professor Patterson’s analysis of the dimensions of the genocide of slavery. Governor General Sir Patrick Allen inspects the guard of honour by members of the Jamaica Defence Force during the ceremonial opening of Parliament on Duke Street Tuesday. NICHOLAS NUNES/PHOTOGRAPHER St George’s Girls Primary and Infant School students watch with excitement the ceremonial opening of Parliament from an elevated spot on Duke Street. NICHOLAS NUNES/PHOTOGRAPHER Deepened case for reparations EDITORIAL
THE MONTHLY GLEANER | FEBRUARY 20 - MARCH 22, 2023 | www.jamaica-gleaner.com | NEWS 3 Items needed: MOTHER SEEKING DONATION FOR A NURSERY Please contact me at 876-295-7749 High Chairs Play Pens Baby Mats Toys Tablets Etc. Kimone Francis/ Senior Staff Reporter AT LEAST one member of the oversight committee of the Integrity Commission has said that the commissioners have questions to answer following the delayed release of a ruling that exonerated Prime Minister Andrew Holness from conflict-of-interest allegations. JULIAN ROBINSON, an opposition member on the committee, suggested that, if commissioners had the opinion of Director of Corruption Prosecution Keisha Prince-Kameka, it should have been presented at the same time the report was tabled in Parliament. The report, which was tabled last Tuesday, detailed the findings of an investigation into the award of more than 40 government contracts totalling approximately $57 million toWestcon Construction Limited, whose directors were Robert Garvin and Donovan Simpson. Holness admitted to knowing the two men for more than 20 years but said that only Garvin is known to him “personally”. The Integrity Commission referred the report implicating Holness in an alleged conflict of interest to PrinceKameka after it concluded that he may have influenced the awarding of the contracts to the company of Garvin, his business associate. Holness has denied the allegations, insisting he made the recommendations “in good faith” and that it was a convention of parliamentarians. Prince-Kameka subsequently ruled that no charges would be preferred against Holness. The director of corruption prosecution, in her ruling dated January 12, 2023, said that additional material was made available that investigations failed to contradict or prove more evidence in support of the offences contemplated. “No criminal charges can be laid,” she said. The ruling was released a month after it was prepared and submitted, and two days after the report implicating Holness was tabled. “There are questions about the release of the information in the tabling of documents in Parliament because I think, if people knew at the time of the tabling that there was already an opinion that there’d be no prosecution, then maybe they would have had a different perspective on the issue,”Robinson told The Gleaner on Thursday. “I do think this warrants an explanation from them as to the timing of the report and then the opinion, and, fromwhat we’re seeing now, it appears as if both things were in hand at the same time or before. There’s obviously a delay in the release of the opinion, which obviously influenced how we would have responded to the report,” he added. Justice Minister Delroy Chuck, who sits on the committee as a government member, said that “it is quite clear” that the review commission examining the Integrity Commission Act should meet in the shortest possible time. “We need to examine the provision of the Integrity Commission and how it is behaving,” he said. Chairman of the committee, Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett, said that there is a possibility that the issue may come up for discussion at the next committee, though an agenda has already been set. He declined to say whether the committee will summon commissioners to answer questions on the matter. Edmond Campbell/ Senior Parliamentary Reporter SENIOR CABINET minister Delroy Chuck is calling for swift action against the “responsible” person(s) at the Integrity Commission (IC) who caused the tabling of a report referring Prime Minister Andrew Holness for a corruption probe despite having prior knowledge of his exoneration. LAST THURSDAY, Keisha PrinceKameka, the director of corruption prosecution, ruled that no charges would be preferred against the prime minister. The justice minister is not alone in his call for the sacking of commission officials as he has received support from Jeanette Calder, executive director of the Jamaica Accountability Meter Portal (JAMP). The anti-corruption campaigner told The Gleaner Thursday evening that after the tabling of the investigation report on Tuesday, the ruling should have been published on the same day once the commission had complied with Section 53(3), often labelled the ‘gag clause’. She has demanded that the anti-corruption watchdog conduct a probe into the presumed faux pas. An incensed Chuck told The Gleaner that he was “extremely annoyed and disappointed that the Integrity Commission could allow a report to be tabled knowing full well that a month before the report exonerated the prime minister”. Prince-Kameka’s rul ing was dated January 12, 2023, while the investigation report by Kevon Stephenson was sent to Parliament on February 13 and tabled a day later. However, Parliament did not release the report until February 15. The ruling was published on Thursday, February 16. ‘DELETERIOUS EFFECT’ “The Integrity Commission must be aware that this report would have a deleterious effect not only in Jamaica, but across the world. It must be obvious to them that the decision that would have made the report benign was available and then a day after an instruction was given by the commission’s chairman to release the decision,” Chuck said. “It brings into question what could have happened and why a report was tabled when there is a decision on the report, and as far as I am concerned, heads must roll,” he insisted. The justice minister said that Cabinet ministers and members of parliament are peeved by the commission’s action. “I am very disappointed, and as far as I am concerned, heads must roll because what took place over the last two days where the reputation of the leader of this country was brought into disrepute, not only nationally but internationally, someone must take responsibility.” Calder also questioned the anticorruption body’s decision to tweet media reports on its website and social media regarding the report while having knowledge of the unpublished ruling. The JAMP executive director said there had been communication “via the social-media timeline of the commission and there had been communication via the timeline of the executive director after it was tabled that did not suggest that they knew that the prime minister was exonerated”. Calder also flagged the commission’s tweeting of a Gleaner article which said that the “PNP is appalled by the Holness conflict-of-interest allegation”. “It is hard to believe that the Integrity Commission was making those posts knowing that the prime minister was not going to be put before the courts,” she said. However, executive director of the commission, Greg Christie, said that once the director of investigations and the director of corruption prosecutions complete their report and ruling, respectively, they go to the commissioners the same day, most times within an hour. Explaining the process, Christie said that once the investigative report has been completed, it is submitted to the commissioners through the executive director on the same day. He said that he “is a conduit” and does not read reports and rulings preliminarily but hands them directly to the commissioners. Christie said that he read the Director of Investigations Kevon Stephenson-authored report on Holness for the first time on Wednesday. Christie said that the commissioners instruct all the directors with the exception of the director of corruption prosecution. Prince-Kameka also made a ruling in relation to a possible breach of Section 29 of the then Contractor General’s Act in which the Ministry of Education, the National Works Agency, and the Social Development Commission failed to submit quarterly contract reports of contracts awarded to Westcon Construction Limited to the then Office of the Contractor General. Prince-Kameka ruled that although evidence has been identified sufficient to mount charges for the noted offences, the prosecution would be hardpressed to resist the abuse of process application with regard to undue delay. Turning to a recommendation that Dr Dwayne Vernon, head of the Social Development Commission, allegedly wilfully made a false statement to mislead the contractor general and, therefore, breached Section 29 of the Contractor General’s Act, the director of corruption prosecution said“the evidence does not reveal prima facie case with a realistic prospect of conviction in relation to the alleged offence, therefore, no criminal charges are being recommended in respect of this offence”. edmond.campbell@gleanerjm.com ‘Heads must roll’ Jeanette Calder, executive director of JAMP. Minister of Justice Delroy Chuck. Chuck, Calder call for accountability in Holness ruling controversy Commissioners must explain timing of ruling – Robinson
THE MONTHLY GLEANER | FEBRUARY 20 - MARCH 22, 2023 | www.jamaica-gleaner.com | NEWS 4 Anyone knowing the whereabouts of Henley George Forrest whose last known address is Woodland Point Drive, Tamarac, Florida please contact the offices of Knight Junor & Samuels Attorneys-at-Law at 1(876) 922-4384 or 1(876) 999-0898. N O T I C E Barbara Gayle and Sashana Small/ Gleaner Writers THE JAMAICAN Government has won a key victory in its battle to cleanse the financial system of tainted money, imposing on lawyers criminal sanctions if they fail to report suspicious client transactions to the finance ministry’s chief investigative unit. THE UNITED Kingdom-based Privy Council handed down the landmark ruling on Thursday, February 9 concluding that the regime did not contravene constitutional rights and thus upheld a decision by Jamaica’s Constitutional Court. The Privy Council also said that the General Legal Council’s (GLC) powers of inspection do not interfere with legal professional privilege. King’s Counsel Symone Mayhew, one of the lawyers representing the GLC, said the decision had far-reaching consequences for lawyers and Jamaica at large. “The judgment settles the issue that the regime is not unconstitutional in its application to attorneys-at-law. The judgment expounds on several important principles of law, to include legal professional privilege, which the Privy Council confirms is protected under the regime,” Mayhew told The Gleaner Thursday. “It is true that the duties imposed on attorneys are onerous, and there is much work to be done as we will now have to implement the various procedures in our practices to be in compliance with the regulations while at the same time handling our clients’ business.” However, Mayhew shared that attorneys across the world, including the Caribbean, have similar obligations imposed by legislation. Mayhew appeared along with Allan Wood, KC, and attorney-at-law Sundiata Gibbs for the GLC. Attorneys-at-law Lisa Whyte and Faith Hall represented the attorney general, who appealed on behalf of the Government. Meanwhile, two senior civil-society activists have welcomed the Privy Council ruling, which has implications for the Anti-Money Laundering/ Combating the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) regime. Principal director of National Integrity Action, Professor Trevor Munroe, contends that the ruling by Jamaica’s final appellate court does not infringe on human rights. “My understanding, subject to correction, is that the Jamaican lawyers’ association was the only one in the Caribbean that sought to ensure the lawyers do not come under the suspicious transaction anti-money laundering and terrorism regime. It is an important ruling,” he said in a Gleaner interview. “What this does is to make us understand our Charter of Rights and Fundamental Freedoms is not blocking, as some alleged. ... The existing charter ... says that our rights can be infringed but only to the extent demonstrably justifiable in a free and democratic society.” Chairman of the Crime Consensus Monitoring and Oversight Committee, Lloyd Distant Jr, said stakeholders were anticipating the“positive” ruling, which he hopes will give impetus to the Government’s bid to fast-track the UnexplainedWealth Orders under the Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA). That law would allow courts to issue orders for the seizure of unexplained wealth on the basis of civil, rather than criminal, standards. Finance Minister Dr Nigel Clarke signalled early that the State would be moving fast to implement what he dubbed a “game-changer” in the war against money laundering. Clarke said that Jamaica now satisfies the international standard of bringing all Designated Non-Financial Businesses and Professionals under its AML/CFT. He said Jamaica will nowmove with expedition to ensure that attorneys fulfil their obligations under the law. “The decision enables the General Legal Council to resume its role of monitoring compliance by attorneys as the first step, with support from Jamaica’s AML/CFT Prime Contact Secretariat of the BOJ, to resensitise attorneys particularly with regard to the suspicious transaction reporting regime,” Clarke said. In 2013, Jamaica extended its anti-money laundering regime to include attorneys carrying out certain activities such as purchasing and selling businesses or real estate or creating companies of trusts. It was also extended in order to address national-security concerns and comply with international standards in respect of the prevention of money laundering and terrorist financing. The Jamaican Bar Association challenged the regime on the basis that it was unconstitutional on a number of grounds and took the matter to the Full Court. In July 2021, the Court of Appeal ruled that certain aspects of the regime were invalid on the basis that they contravened the constitutional rights to privacy, liberty, and freedom from search of property without demonstrable justification. The Privy Council restored the Full Court’s ruling in the Supreme Court, which was handed down by Justices Paulette Williams and David Fraser (now Court of Appeal judges), as well as Justice Sharon George. The Privy Council said it was accepted by the parties and the courts below that the anti-money laundering regime involves some interference with attorney-client confidentiality. This is because both inspection powers of the GLC and the obligation to report suspicious transactions would be likely to involve some disclosure by attorneys of their clients’ confidential information. “However, the board agrees with the Jamaican Supreme Court that the interference is demonstrably justified. There can be no doubt that combating money laundering is of first importance to Jamaica. The inclusion of criminal sanctions, as opposed to a purely regulatory approach, is within the range of options open to Parliament,” the Privy Council ruled. “Interference with attorney-client confidentiality is much less serious than any infringement of legal professional privilege would be and is justified by the importance to Jamaican society of preventing money laundering.” The board said it considered that the regime did not infringe the constitutional right to protection from search of property. “The power of the General Legal Council to conduct inspection does not confer a coercive power to search and seizure. In the absence of a warrant or court order, the General Legal Council would need an attorney’s consent to enter their office or take documents,” the Privy Council ruled. Privy Council ruling hailed as ‘game changer’ CLARKE DISTANT MUNROE
GUN POSSESSION convict got light sentence because he was charged under wrong section of law – DPP Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Paula Llewellyn has admitted that the St Catherine man handed a four-year sentence for illegal possession of firearm and ammunition last Friday was indicted under the wrong section of the Firearms Prohibition Act passed in November. The error resulted in 28-year-old Dennis Mundell being given a discretionary sentence that drew the ire of hundreds of social-media users and triggered strong criticism of the judiciary. Mundell’s sentence of four years and six months each for unauthorised possession of firearm and unauthorised possession of ammunition was also inconsistent with the Governmenttoutedmandatory minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment. In a Gleaner interview at the weekend, Llewellyn disclosed that Mundell, who was the first person to be sentenced under the new law, should have been indicted under Section 5 of the act instead of Section 45. The development has now forced a suspension of matters related to the taking of a guilty plea or trial in relation to the illegal possession of a firearm under sections 5 and 45 of the new act. Senior Deputy DPP Jeremy Taylor has been assigned to lead a team of prosecutors in reviewing all charges under the sections. BAHAMIAN PRIME Minister Philip Davis, chairman of CARICOM, said his country has not ruled out sending troops to assist Haiti to combat gang violence that has ravaged the country. “This would not be the first time that we as a country would have provided assistance by allowing members of our security force to go into Haiti to provide peacekeeping initiatives, and so in that regard, we are discussing doing the same thing again, if we are called upon to do so,” he said at the CARICOMHeads of Government press conference on Tuesday. Davis’ statement is in accord with a recent declaration by Prime Minister AndrewHolness that Jamaica would be willing to participate in a multinational security team geared towards stabilising the nation. Davis, too, stressed that Bahamas’ action would be in tandem with the international partners as “CARICOM, by itself, does not have the capacity to effectively bring stability to Haiti”. “What we in CARICOM have come to appreciate is that we do not have the resources to be able to deal with the Haiti problem ourselves, and we do need outside help. And we are looking to the North, Canada and the United States, to come to the fore to help and it has to be a Haitian solution, not an American, Canadian or CARICOM solution,” he said. THE MONTHLY GLEANER | FEBRUARY 20 - MARCH 22, 2023 | www.jamaica-gleaner.com | NEWS 5 [News You May Have Missed] Finance Minister Dr Nigel Clarke (left) and Prime Minister Andrew Holness in a tete-a-tete in Parliament Tuesday. KENYON HEMANS/PHOTOGRAPHER Then Major General Rocky Meade (right) meeting with Prime Minister Andrew Holness at Vale Royal on January 1, 2019. Meade was appointed Monday ambassador plenipotentiary with responsibility for national strategic initiatives. FILE REELING FROM backlash since the February 1 implementation of the Road Traffic Act and Regulations, the Government has made several concessions, including scrapping the requirement for children to be restrained in special seats in public passenger vehicles. There will also be a three-month window for additional amendments to the act. Taxi drivers railed against the provisions, refusing, in some cases, to transport children for fear of being ticketed. Following days of discontent, including a patchy withdrawal of cab service in several parishes, Transport Minister Audley Shaw outlined the concessions in a brief statement to the House of Representatives on Tuesday. He sought to remind the public that the child seat provision had always been a requirement but was not previously enforced. “In the case of licensed public passenger cars or buses, children under one year old must be restrained by an adult. One to three years oldmay travel with no restraint or be restrained by an adult. Three to six years old may travel without restraint, restrained by an adult, or seat belt. Six to nine years oldmay travel without restraint or with a lap belt, and children over nine years may travel without restraint, with a lap belt or a three-point seat belt ... ,”Shaw told colleague lawmakers. “Only children of the weight and size to use an adult seat belt are permitted to travel in the front passenger seat. In addition, where an adult is restraining a child, the adult should not be in the front. Children under one year old are to be restrained by an adult in all forms of transport.” All other children must be transported using appropriate restraints based on their size and weight, Shaw said. Shaw said the Government listened to feedback and acknowledged that the realities of public transportation system placed undue burden on parents whose children travel on buses and taxis, whether accompanied by an adult or not. Opposition members asked that a number of other issues be considered, such as offering a reprieve for malfunctioning lights on a vehicle on first-time offences, the requirement for all cars being imported to have rear seat belts, and who will determine age when some children are overdeveloped. Shaw also promised that public education will be stepped up. Gov’t strikes compromise in traffic law controversy JAMAICA’S DEBT-TO-GDP is expected to hit a more-than-two-decade low by March 31, a paradigm shift from a record high of 145 per cent. Tabling a historic trillion-dollar Budget on Tuesday, Finance Minister Dr Nigel Clarke said that overall public debt is projected to end the current fiscal year at 79.7 per cent of GDP. He said that is forecast to decline further to 74.2 per cent of GDP by fiscal year 2023-2024. Gross domestic product, or the total value of goods and services produced in Jamaica, was $2.32 trillion as at December 2022, the Statistical Institute of Jamaica has reported. “Should it (the 74.2 per cent) be achieved … it would mark the first time since the nationalisation of the financial-sector crisis, through FINSAC, in the latter half of the 1990s, that debt has entered the domain of pre-FINSAC levels,” Clarke said. The positive debt-to-GDP data and the recent Article 4 consultation report from the International Monetary Fund are likely to be considered when next Jamaica’s economy is examined by international ratings agencies. Jamaica’s upcoming Budget is $23 billion, or 2.3 per cent, more than the $998-billion final Budget for financial year 2022-23, Clarke revealed. The total recurrent, or day-to-day, expenses are just under $947 billion, while the money allocated for capital projects is just over $75.37 billion for a grand sum of $1,021,672,645,000. Factoring annual inflation up to December 2022 of 9.4 per cent, that means that the 2023-2024 Budget is, in real terms, 7.1 per cent less than the previous edition. Reacting to Clarke’s initial presentation, Opposition Leader Mark Golding said there was nothing to celebrate in the trillion-dollar Budget, noting that the cost of living has risen sharply and the Jamaican dollar has depreciated over the years. Golding told The Gleaner that he is awaiting details of the Budget to see whether it contains significant support for the Jamaican people. “The fact that it is a trillion dollars indicates that the value of each dollar has really depreciated between inflation and depreciation of the currency over the years,” Golding said. Gov’t tables trillion-dollar Budget Bahamas joins Jamaica in pledging support for Haiti FORMER ARMY chief Lieutenant General Rocky Meade, who last September declined a controversial appointment as Cabinet secretary, has been named ambassador plenipotentiary with responsibility for national strategic initiatives. The appointment means that Meade, who has nearly four decades of leadership experience, has full powers to sign treaties or otherwise act on behalf of the country. He is also expected to advise Prime Minister Andrew Holness and Cabinet on, as well as coordinate, national strategic initiatives and projects across ministries, departments and agencies within the Government, a statement issued by the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) on Tuesday said. His appointment took effect on Monday. Meade named ambassador with sweeping authority BUNGLED! Paula Llewellyn
THE MONTHLY GLEANER | FEBRUARY 20 - MARCH 22, 2023 | www.jamaica-gleaner.com | NEWS 6 BLACK HISTORY®GAE MONTH Union of Jamaican Alumni Associations (USA), Inc. 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Shirley Nathan-Pulliam was honoured at a ribbon-cutting ceremony held in Baltimore on Monday, January 30, under the theme ‘Seeds of Change’. The recognition for Nathan-Pulliam’s work includes her name being put on the newest multi-million dollar wing to the nursing school. The first Jamaicaborn person to attend the UM School of Nursing, Nathan-Pulliam did the honours, cutting the ribbon to formally open the new facility. The university also celebrated another alumna, Esther McCready, the first black woman to attend the nursing school. President of the University of Maryland Dr Bruce Jarrell lauded Nathan-Pulliam for her outstanding work in healthcare. He further announced that, in recognition of her selfless contribution and public service, she will be awarded a University of Maryland honorary doctorate in public health. The conferring of the honorary doctorate will coincide with NathanPulliam’s 84th birthday in May. Declaring herself “a champion for the poor, the underserved and the needy”, Nathan-Pulliam said in her acceptance remarks, with her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren also present: “This is a tremendous honour and I am glad that I am alive to see it.” INCREDIBLE LEGACY UM School of Nursing dean Dr Jane Kirshling explained that the school where Nathan-Pulliam got her start was honouring the work she and Esther McCready had done – work that will impact future nursing students as well. “It’s really an important part of our history to recognise these two phenomenal alumni [who] both opened doors to generations of nurses of colour to be able to enter the profession, and to make a difference in the lives of the people that they care for.” Kirshling told the gathering at Monday’s ceremony at the School of Nursing that she wanted other nursing students to know their single actions can be just as impactful if they, too, stayed persistent.“Their actions can make a difference similar to action Shirley Nathan-Pulliam has taken,” said Kirshling. “So, continue to push for equality, continue to push for health equity issues, just stay in the present moment to advocate on behalf of all people of Maryland.” Of the two honourees, Dr. Kirshling noted “their bold actions, fortitude, perseverance, and their abiding commitment to equity and justice”. She said the objective of the University of Maryland’s School of Nursing expansion was to remember the past while honouring the future. Nathan-Pulliam was also cited as the first Jamaica-born and first Caribbean person to ascend to the Maryland General Assembly in its more than 300-year history. “When we think of her incredible legacy, her journey from Jamaica to Baltimore working in hospitals across the state and the work she has done in the state senate and the impact he has had, I think it is often easy to forget just how forward-thinking Shirley Nathan Pulliam was from the moment she set foot in public office over a 30-year period,”offered president of the Maryland State Senate, William Ferguson, in his tribute. “This woman impacted and changed hundreds of lives by promulgating healthcare bills and others,” the state senate leader continued. “On the behalf of the Senate of Maryland, I just want to sincerely say thank you for living a life of service, a life of purpose that we can all live to emulate every day.” CHAMPION FOR HEALTH AND EQUITY Meanwhile, Speaker of the Maryland House of Delegates Adrienne Jones described Shirley Nathan-Pulliam as a trailblazer and outstanding voice in Annapolis, the Maryland state capital city, “and an advocate for her community. She has been the champion for health and equity and for women. In her first year in office, she secured $2.6 million for a breast cancer diagnosis and treatment centre for low income women. “She sponsored so many healthcare bills that last year we named one in her honour. Shirley is a model for people in public service and I cannot think of a more deserving person to have their name on the University of Maryland School of Nursing building than Shirley Nathan-Pulliam.” A large contingent of Jamaicans in Maryland joined in witnessing the inauguration of the new School of Nursing wing. Born in Sherwood, in the parish of Trelawny, Jamaica, Nathan-Pulliam grew up in Kingston, where she attended Mico Teachers’ College (now The Mico University College). She later migrated to Britain and became a nurse before migrating to the United States, distinguishing herself in the field of healthcare. She then turned to representational politics in the state of Maryland in 1994. A Democratic member of the Maryland House of Delegates, she represented District 10, Baltimore County, from January 1995 to January 2015. In 2014, she was elected to the Senate of Maryland. Shirley Nathan-Pulliamhas also been an active member of the Jamaican and Caribbean diaspora communities, notably in Maryland. University of Maryland celebrates Jamaican nurse-turned-politician Former Maryland senator, Shirley Nathan-Pulliam is flanked by, from left: Taryn Faulkner and Brianna Faulkner (granddaughters), Sharon Pulliam (daughter) Zoey Lee Faulkner (great granddaughter), Wayne Pulliam (son), and Wanda Bell. They were celebrating her after the University of Maryland School of Nursing opened a new wing bearing her name, on Monday, January 30. Retired Maryland senator, Shirley Nathan-Pulliam, cuts the ribbon declaring open the University of Maryland School of Nursing’s multimillion dollar new wing bearing her name. She is assisted by the Dean of the School of Nursing, Dr. Jane Kirshling. Beside Dr. Kirshling is Speaker of the Maryland House of Delegates Adrienne Jones. Nathan-Pulliam is joined by university officials, state and local Baltimore leaders on hand to witness the inauguration of the new School of Nursing wing. The ceremony was held at the University’s Baltimore campus on Monday, January 30. PHOTOS BY DERRICK SCOTT
7 For the past 17 years, Clifton Flushy has been a part of the TD Bank Group (TD) landscape in various capacities. He started out as a Customer Experience Associate at the Bramalea Branch in Brampton, Ontario. Over the span of his career, Flushy worked in various markets in the Greater Toronto Area, including past roles as Financial Advisor, Branch Manager, Group Manager, Manager and Segment Strategy, which equipped him to navigate his involvement with the TD Black Employee Network, which he says, “was the place where we, as a Black community within the Bank, would come together.” Fast forward to today, where he leads the charge for the Black Customer Experience (BCE) Strategy as National Manager, Black Community Business Development and you’ll find a proud Black man of Jamaican descent, enjoying the thrill and challenge of being a leader. In his role with the TD Black Employee Network, he helps the team to promote awareness and enhance the employee experience. They put together townhalls and send out newsletters to Black employees and allies, to inform them of what is going on in the Black community and help community members navigate the corporate environment. “At the end of the day, it is education on what Blackness is and what anti-Black racism is also,” explains Flushy, who holds an undergraduate degree in Political Science from York University and an MBA from the University of Guelph. After the murder of George Floyd in 2020, the Bank made a number of commitments including to expand the diversity of its leadership teams and extend the support and services it offers to Black, Indigenous and other minority communities. Flushy’s current role, supporting the Black Customer Experience Strategy, was created as part of these changes. “Our lived experience is very different from people who are of the majority… My voice matters, and my team’s voice should matter as well,” he says. In an interview with The Gleaner, Flushy shares that he is still astounded by the huge influx of community members and allies who have joined the Black Employee Network at TD since its creation. “Initially when I started, the Black Employee Network had about 700 members and I am proud of where the network has grown now standing at 5,000 members, which is a big deal because there are over 95,000 total employees,” remarks the banker, who also leads the allyship pillar of the TD Wealth Visible Minority Council. Flushy says he is similarly encouraged by what he’s seeing in his day job. “My current role as National Manager, Black Community Business Development is incredible. It’s a great role where we go out and thank Black customers for their business and say thank you for being with us. The goal is to bring the Bank to Black communities with the intention of bettering the financial services and support provided by the Bank to Black communities.” As part of the Strategy, Flushy’s team is focused on creating better relationships with Black communities and businesses in which TD Black leaders, managers and personal bankers across Canada have been trained to provide elevated advice and a tailored customer experience for Black Customers, all backed by a research-based approach. “The strategy is defined by the belief that we must take the initiative to better our financial services by recognizing gaps in service and addressing them ourselves through proactive outreach to Black communities,” says Flushy. Clifton Flushy commits to Black excellence Clifton Flushy-National Manager, Black Community Business Development - TD Bank Group The Black Customer Experience Strategy also provides financial literacy to community organizations the bank has worked with through the TD Ready Commitment, the bank’s corporate citizenship platform. “We do a lot of work - both internally and externally- to make sure that people know that we want to do Black business,” he reiterates. Flushy is happy to see positive change and reflects on the times in his past role where people would mistake a Caucasian colleague to be his boss and were surprised when he was the one in-charge. He hopes for a time when that bias no longer exists. According to Flushy, the Black Employee Network is working to change that as it educates employees internally, helping them gain a better understanding of the unique perspectives of Black communities. Flushy has worked hard to achieve his well-deserved success at the Bank, including receiving several internal awards recognizing his accomplishments and zeroing in on his leadership around the Black Customer Experience Strategy. His work on that initiative has helped strengthen the financial services and support provided by TD to Black communities and accelerated the corporation’s broader and long term goals around Diversity and Inclusion. Sponsored by Sophia Findlay ® The TD logo and other TD trademarks are the property of The Toronto-Dominion Bank or its subsidiaries. THE MONTHLY GLEANER | FEBRUARY 20 - MARCH 22, 2023 | www.jamaica-gleaner.com | ADVERTISEMENT
“AS WE celebrate the beginning of Black History Month, we reflect on the rich history of black communities in Canada and commit to building an equitable future for all. This is a time for Canadians to honour the legacy of black communities from coast to coast and celebrate the contributions they have made across the country. From scientists to artists, from business owners to philanthropists, Canadians from black communities continue to shape our country each and every day. “ONE OF the many stories we celebrate this February, as part of this year’s Black History Month theme, ‘Ours to tell’, is that of the Honourable Jean Augustine. Thirty years ago, she made history as the first black Canadian woman to be elected to the House of Commons and later when she became the first black Canadian woman to be appointed to the federal Cabinet. Her advocacy led to the national recognition of Black History Month, and she continues to be a beacon of excellence for communities across Canada and for others to follow in her footsteps. From Jean Augustine to medical pioneers like Dr June Marion James, athletes-turned-successful entrepreneurs like Donovan Bailey, scientists and comedians like Boucar Diouf, and artists like Dionne Brand, this year’s Black History Month theme celebrates stories that are worth telling. “Last year, the Government of Canada committed $1.5 million to support the ongoing activities of the JeanAugustine chair in education, community, and diaspora at York University, which works to address systemic barriers to improve educational outcomes for black students. We also provided funding through the Supporting Black Canadian Communities Initiative to support black community organisations across Canada, while the Black Entrepreneurship Program continues to offer black-led businesses, organisations, and financial institutions across Canada the financial resources to succeed now and into the future. These investments are key pieces to making sure we’re building an equitable Canada. “Canada has a history of anti-black racism, and communities continue to face the impact of systemic racism today. It is our collective responsibility to end it by listening, learning, and taking action. That is why in 2018, Canada officially recognised the United Nations International Decade for People of African Descent, which provides a global framework for recognition, justice, and development for people of African descent. Building on this framework, our government will continue to address the unique challenges that black communities face. “We know that more work still needs to be done, and the Government of Canada will continue to support the advancement of black communities. This includes our ongoing efforts, working closely with provinces, territories, and black communities, to develop Canada’s Black Justice Strategy, which will help address systemic discrimination and the overrepresentation of members of black communities in our criminal justice system. And through Canada’s AntiRacism Strategy, we will continue fighting anti-black racism, eliminating inequities, empowering communities, and changing attitudes by building awareness. “This month, I invite everyone to take part in community events for Black History Month and to listen to and actively share the stories black communities have to tell. Let’s continue to celebrate their many past and ongoing contributions. Together, we will continue to build a stronger and more resilient country, where all Canadians can succeed, thrive, and have their voices heard.” Justin Trudeau Prime Minister of Canada BLACK HISTORY Month is an annual celebration of achievements by African Americans and a time for recognizing their central role in U.S. history. Also known as African American History Month, the event grew out of “Negro History Week,” the brainchild of noted historian Carter G. Woodson and other prominent African Americans. Since 1976, every U.S. president has officially designated the month of February as Black History Month. Other countries around the world, including Canada and the United Kingdom, also devote a month to celebrating Black history. ORIGINS OF BLACK HISTORY MONTH The story of Black History Month begins in 1915, half a century after the Thirteenth Amendment abolished slavery in the United States. That September, the Harvard-trained historian Carter G. Woodson and the prominent minister Jesse E. Moorland founded the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History (ASNLH), an organization dedicated to researching and promoting achievements by Black Americans and other peoples of African descent. Known today as the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH), the group sponsored a national Negro History week in 1926, choosing the second week of February to coincide with the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass. The event inspired schools and communities nationwide to organize local celebrations, establish history clubs and host performances and lectures. The NAACP was founded on February 12, 1909, the centennial anniversary of the birth of Abraham Lincoln. In the decades that followed, mayors of cities across the country began issuing yearly proclamations recognizing “Negro History Week.” By the late 1960s, thanks in part to the civil rights movement and a growing awareness of Black identity, “Negro HistoryWeek” had evolved into Black History Month on many college campuses. President Gerald Ford officially recognized Black History Month in 1976, calling upon the public to “seize the opportunity to honour the too-often neglected accomplishments of Black Americans in every area of endeavour throughout our history.” Today, Black History Month is a time to honour the contributions and legacy of African Americans across U.S. history and society—from activists and civil rights pioneers such as Harriet Tubman, Sojourner Truth, Marcus Garvey, Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X and Rosa Parks to leaders in industry, politics, science, culture and more. Since 1976, every American president has designated February as Black History Month and endorsed a specific theme. The Black History Month 2023 theme, “Black Resistance,” explores how “African Americans have resisted historic and ongoing oppression, in all forms, especially the racial terrorism of lynching, racial pogroms and police killings,”since the nation’s earliest days. Source: ht tps : / /www.hi stor y. com/topics/black-history/ black-history-month BLACK RESISTANCE - honouring the contributions and legacy BLACK HISTORY MONTH Honour the legacy of black communities - Trudeau MESSAGE Justin Trudeau. AP THE MONTHLY GLEANER | FEBRUARY 20 - MARCH 22, 2023 | www.jamaica-gleaner.com | FEATURE 8
9 Ukrainian President urges CARICOM leaders to support his country NASSAU, BAHAMAS, CMC: UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT Volodymyr Zelenskyy Friday urged Caribbean Community (CARICIOM) leaders to support a motion being presented at the United Nations this week condemning Russia’s invasion and continued war with Ukraine. “I thank you for being on the side of the law. I thank you for your efforts to bring stability to your region and the world. But real stability is possible only when we all together protect the world from state thuggery,”Zelenskyy said, adding“ so I encourage you to further cooperation”. In a virtual address to the regional leaders who wrapped up their 44th summit here, the Ukrainian leader said next week “we will present at the UN General Assembly a resolution on a comprehensive, just, and sustainable peace in Ukraine, and hence the restoration of the full force of the international rules-based order. “Your votes matter,” he added. CARICOM had in February last year, issued a statement “strongly” condemning the military attacks and invasion of Ukraine by Russia and called “for the immediate and complete withdrawal of the military presence and cessation of any further actions that may intensify the current perilous situation in that country. The 15-member regional integration grouping called on all parties involved“to urgently embark on intensified diplomatic dialogue to immediately de-escalate hostilities and work towards a sustainable peace”. UNESCO and EU to promote Caribbean cinema at European filmmarket HAVANA, CUBA, CMC: THE CARIBBEAN film industry, is for the first time in its history being promoted at one of the sector’s most important international markets with a dedicated stand at the European Film Market (EFM). The UNESCO programme Transcultura: Integrating Cuba, the Caribbean and the European Union through Culture and Creativity, funded by the European Union, is funding the region’s participation at the Berlin International Film Festival (Berlinale) which ends on February 22 and attracting more than 10,000 representatives of the international film andmedia industries from over 100 countries. “The Caribbean is a place rich in cultures, traditions and mutual influences, which makes it an endless reservoir for creativity and innovation. UNESCO, through the Transcultura programme, is committed to supporting the region’s cultural and creative industries and making their stories accessible to the world,’ said Alessandra Borchi, Transcultura Programme Coordinator. Under the slogan ‘Meet the creative impulse of diversity’, Transcultura’s ‘Cinema from the Caribbean’ stand will offer a promotional display window to institutions and festivals from 10 countries in the region, including the International Havana Film Festival, the production house Collectif 2004 Images fromHaiti and the National Film Commission of Barbados. These, in turn, will particularly focus on promoting the work of young filmmakers from their countries. US imposes visa restrictions on Haitians involved in street gangs, criminal activities WASHINGTON, CMC: THE UNITED States has imposed visa restrictions on Haitians involved in street gangs and other criminal organizations, saying that the additional steps are necessary to support French speaking Caribbean Community (CARICOM) country by continuing to promote accountability for individuals who foment violence, corruption and instability. “The United States remains deeply concerned by the ongoing lawlessness associated with armed gangs,” said US Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken in a statement. “We condemn in the strongest terms the violent gang activity that led to the death of 14 members of the Haitian National Police in January.” Blinken said the US State Department has designated an additional five individuals and seven family members as subject to visa restrictions under the Immigration and Nationality Act. “This policy impacts Haitian officials and other individuals involved in the operation of street gangs and criminal organizations that have threatened the livelihoods of the Haitian people and are blocking life-saving humanitarian support. This action sends a clear message of our continued commitment to root out corruption and impact the behaviour of bad actors whose influence underpins the lawlessness in Haiti.” This will bring the number of individuals identified as subject to visa restrictions under this policy to 44 since the policy was first announced on October 13, 2022. In addition to these visa restrictions, Blinken said the State Department has also designated three Haitian officials, including Joseph Lambert and Rommel Bell, under another visa restriction authority. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, attend a joint news conference with Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson in Kyiv, Ukraine, Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2023. AP Markenzy Lapointe, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, left, speaks as Matthew Olsen, Assistant Attorney General for National Security, right, looks on during a news conference, Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2023, in Miami. U.S. authorities have arrested four more people in the slaying of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse, including the owner of a Miami-area security company that hired former soldiers from Colombia for the mission. AP THE MONTHLY GLEANER | FEBRUARY 20 - MARCH 22, 2023 | www.jamaica-gleaner.com | REGIONAL
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