2 WHILE THIS newspaper shares Belize’s concern of its territory being used as a staging point for people being smuggled into the United States, the Belizean authorities must be mindful that the sustainable solution is not to walk away from its obligations to its partners in the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). THAT ONLY weakens the regional integration process and further frustrates CARICOM’s effort to transform itself into a single market economy, to which successive Belizean administrations, including the one headed by Prime Minister John Briceno, have said they are committed. Put another way, strong institutions cannot be built on flexible or fairweather rules that are adhered to or broken on individual whim. If that were the case, the idea of a treaty and community law governing CARICOM would mean naught, and regional states would have no cause to pay mind to the Shanique Myrie ruling by the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), acting in its original jurisdiction in interpreting the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas. In that regard, perhaps it is timely that the Shanique Myrie case be revisited to determine its applicability to recent events, and whether Belize can find in it sufficient purchase in support of its actions. Earlier this month, Mr Briceno’s government imposed a rule that Jamaicans travelling to Belize must have fully paid, non-refundable hotel reservations before boarding flights to that country. With respect to Haitians, Belize went further. Haitians require visas to enter the country. Mr Briceno defended the decision on the claim that nationals from the two CARICOM states are, with the help of people smugglers, increasingly using illegal border crossings from his country into Mexico, hoping to make their way to the USA. RIGHT OF ENTRY Over the past 14months, the Belizean authorities say, of the 1,673 Jamaicans who entered their country from points other than the United States, 895 (53 per cent) were unaccounted for. During the same period, 2,095 Haitians were recorded as entering Belize. Only 121, approximately six per cent, were documented as having left. “We have done this reluctantly,” Mr Briceno said in relation to the restrictions on Jamaicans. “We consider Jamaica a close friend and ally. Historically, we have always supported each other, but we had no choice.” His government, the prime minister said, was open to finding other ways to deal with the problem. It is not clear what his views were on the Haitian component. Neither have the Belizean authorities – nor anyone for that matter – said how their actions square with the Myrie ruling. Ms Myrie is Jamaican. In 2011, she travelled to Barbados, was denied entry, and subsequently put on a flight back home. Ms Myrie complained that she was subjected to humiliating body-cavity searches. In 2013, the CCJ ruled that Ms Myrie, as a CARICOM national, had a right of entry under a 2007 decision by the conference of heads of government on the free movement of citizens within the community, without harassment or undue impediments. While the court acknowledged that the 2007 decision afforded member states the right to limit free movement if a person was“undesirable”and would “become a charge on public funds”, the CCJ held that the exercise of these powers should be construed as an exception rather than the rule. It warned against discrimination between citizens of member states, placed the burden of proof of the cause for exclusion on the member state, and said that people who are denied entry should be given the reason promptly in writing. They should have access to consular services. It seems that there might be points to be argued on whether a visa regime for one set of CARICOM nationals, such as Belize has on Haitians, comports with the idea of hassle-free movement of all citizens within the community. Or more importantly, whether it is with the spirit or the letter of community law determined by the CCJ. DISCRIMINATORY Similarly, the economic burden imposed on Jamaicans that they must have “non-refundable reservations” for accommodations is, on the face of it, discriminatory. It locks visitors into specific accommodations, on the pain of losing their money, if, for any reason, their booked accommodations turn out to be unsuitable or not in keeping with what was promised. The argument that early, unreported departures by guests have hurt hotels seems overstated. It is usually the case that accommodation contracts insulate hotels against such behaviour, including freeing booked rooms whose occupants have clearly skipped their obligations. Belize has a genuine problem, which it must fix. But a solution should not start by weakening CARICOM, if the authorities in Belmopan believe it is a community worth having, and of which it wants to be a member. It is one of those matters that should be put to the collective wisdom of the community. Belize and the Myrie case Prime Minister of Belize, John Briceno Deronie Jones (foreground) and Devonte Simpson (background), winners in the greased pig competition, hold aloft the animals they caught as their prizes at the St Mary Association of Branch Societies/JAS Annual Agricultural Show held at the Grays Inn Sports Complex in Annotto Bay, St Mary, on Monday. RICARDO MAKYN/MULTIMEDIA PHOTO EDITOR Erica Virtue/Senior Gleaner Writer JAMAICA’S RELATIONS with the continent of Africa is expected to receive a strong boost with the posting of High Commissioner Joan Thomas Edwards who heads to Pretoria in South Africa in a week’s time, with a promise to strengthen ties between the motherland and Jamaica. Her mission is to build stronger familial, trade, cultural and diplomatic relations. The experienced diplomat with more than 30 years in the foreign service has had postings in the United States and United Kingdom and at the United Nations. She returns to South Africa as the head of mission, 17 years after having pioneered and established Jamaica’s first high commission there, and served as acting high commissioner. Credited with the successful recruitment and training of 10 members of staff in operational standards and protocols for the high commission there, a registry for communication systems was also established. That deployment in 2006 laid the foundation for bilateral engagements in the areas of cultural exchanges and trade relations. It is in these areas that she hopes tomake the greatest impact for the next four years. Speaking with The Gleaner on Thursday, days before she swaps home here for South Africa, she describes the posting as an honour. “Africa is the new frontier and Jamaicans love Africa and Africans love Jamaicans. This is largely due to the historical links. From as far back as the 1930s Jamaicans have been migrating to Africa, the motherland. The Rastafarian movement has sensitised us to Africa, a history we already knew, but other than that, Jamaican professionals have gone to countries in Africa to work,”she told The Gleaner in an exclusive interview. “They helped to build Africa and have been involved in the bureaucratic and administrative functions of a number of government offices of African countries. So it’s not strange that Jamaicans are there. So there is a love for Africa and love for Jamaica,” she stated. NATURAL SYNERGY In announcing her new assignment Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Kamina Johnson Smith describes her as an experienced diplomat, “who has acquired expertise in the areas of foreign trade, multilateral, bilateral, and regional affairs. I am confident that she will use the opportunity of this new assignment to strengthen the bonds of friendship and cooperation between Jamaica and the Republic of South Africa, as well as the rest of the southern and east African regions.” While unable to quantify the size of the diaspora on the continent, she said in southern Africa at least 300 Jamaicans are there and in the eastern parts of Africa, another 300. She strongly believes, however, that the numbers combined is closer to 1000 people. She will man countries of southern and east Africa, including South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Lesotho, Eswatini (formerly Swaziland) Zambia, Zimbabwe, Ethiopia, Eritrea and Rwanda, An at torney-at - l aw, High Commissioner Thomas Edwards has served as the under secretary in the Foreign Trade Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade and as a senior director, Foreign Trade Department. She previously served as director, international organisations, Top priority High Commissioner Joan Thomas Edwards RUDOLPH BROWN/PHOTOGRAPHER HC Joan Thomas Edwards to strengthen trade, cultural and sporting ties with African continent EDITORIAL PLEASE SEE CULTURE, 3 PHOTO OF THE WEEK THE MONTHLY GLEANER | APRIL 17 - MAY 23, 2023 | www.jamaica-gleaner.com | FEATURE
3 WASHINGTON (AP): P RESIDENT JOE Biden announced Thursday that hundreds of thousands of immigrants brought to the US illegally as children will be able to apply for Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act’s health insurance exchanges. The action will allow participants in the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals programme, or DACA, to access government-funded health insurance programs. “They’re American in every way except for on paper,”Biden said in a video released on his Twitter page. “We need to give Dreamers the opportunities and support they deserve.” The action is likely to generate significant pushback from conservative leaders of states that have been have been reluctant to expand Medicaid and critical of the Biden administration’s response to migrants who enter the US illegally. While the federal government provides funding and guidelines for Medicaid, the programme is administered by the states. Then-President Barack Obama launched the 2012 DACA initiative to shield from deportation immigrants who were brought to the US illegally by their parents as children and to allow them to work legally in the country. However, the immigrants, known as “Dreamers”, were still ineligible for government-subsidised health insurance programmes because they did not meet the definition for having “lawful presence” in the US. Biden’s Department of Health and Human Services will aim to change that by the end of the month. The White House action comes as the DACA programme is in legal peril and the number of people eligible is shrinking. An estimated 580,000 people were still enrolled in DACA at the end of last year, according to US Citizenship and Immigration Services. That number is down fromprevious years. Court orders currently prevent the US Department of Homeland Security from processing new applications. The DACA programme has been mired in legal challenges for years, while Congress has been unable to reach consensus on broader immigration reforms. DACA recipients can work legally and must pay taxes, but they don’t have full legal status and are denied many benefits, including access to federally funded health insurance, available to US citizens and foreigners living in the US. Other classes of immigrants – including asylum seekers and people with temporary protected status – are already eligible to purchase insurance through the marketplaces of the ACA, Obama’s 2010 health are law, often called “Obamacare”. and was responsible for the management of Jamaica’s relations with international organisations, such as the United Nations and the Commonwealth. Among her duties was the provision of policy advice to government delegations; monitoring international political developments in the preparation of policy recommendations, and providing responses to Jamaican overseas missions and other ministries. “One of the most important things that we need to strengthen is our cultural relations. That is a natural synergy, because both cultures are so similar. We came from them. We are them, but we have evolved and have our own persona. So, one of the first things that I would want to do is to strengthen our culture,” she told The Gleaner. STRENGTHEN PROJECTS In the sphere of cultural corporation there are already some agreements, she said, but stated that a number of projects are in the pipeline to be strengthened, beginning in the southern part of Africa and moving to the east. Cultural links will spawn a number of areas to include education, tourism, and training services, as she believes there are lessons to be learnt both ways. High Commissioner Thomas Edwards will also be seeking to cement relationships using low-hanging fruits that are likely to bring quick successes in the shortest possible time in areas of trade. “Then we are going to move towards trade issues. Right now the trade between and Africa is almost negligible and we want to improve on that. But it is something that you have to build over time. So that’s another prong in terms of our objectives that we want to build on. So we want to promote an exchange of ideas and understanding between the continent and Jamaica,” she stated. According to COMTRADE, the UN database, Jamaica imports from South Africa US$5M in 2021. In the same period COMTRADE noted that Jamaican exports to South Africa were US$74,014. She hopes to boost the numbers from Jamaica. Asked how she will navigate duties in the 18 countries she said there were many lessons learnt from the COVID-19 pandemic that will assist, but she will be working closely with a network of hard-working honorary consuls in each country for the most part. She promised to visit all 18 countries. She challenged the diaspora to hold up the country’s flag. “To the Jamaicans in the diaspora, continue to build, to stamp Jamaica’s footprint in Africa. One of the things I want to see is that Jamaica is seen not only as sea, sand and reggae, but we are country that is serious about making its name known evenmore on the world stage,”she told The Gleaner. High Commissioner Edwards holds a master’s degree in public policy from the American University inWashington, DC; a Bachelor of Law from the University of London, and a Bachelor of Arts fromThe University of theWest Indies. She was called to the Bar in Jamaica and Belize. A past student of Excelsior High School, St Andrew, she is married with three children. CULTURE Continued from, 2 moya.thomas@gleanerjm.com Moya Thomas Biden says he’s expanding some migrants’ healthcare access President Joe Biden speaks about his administration’s plans to protect Social Security and Medicare and lower healthcare costs, Thursday, February 9, 2023, at the University of Tampa in Tampa, Florida AP THE MONTHLY GLEANER | APRIL 17 - MAY 23, 2023 | www.jamaica-gleaner.com | NEWS
4 Aubrey Campbell /Gleaner Writer NEW YORK, NY, USA: T HREE JAMAICANS in the diaspora, and spanning continents, who have given exemplary and dedicated service will be honoured on Sunday, April 23 by the Organization for International Development Inc (OID) at its annual spring luncheon, the marquee fundraiser for the body. The event to be held at the Greentree Country Club, New Rochelle, NewYork, is being held under the theme‘33 years of HOPE’. The three are Heather Tucker, who will receive the OID Volunteer Service Award; Garnet Spence for Community Service; and Dr. Roy Streete, the current chair of the body whose vision for the marginalised and those living in under-served communities in his native Jamaica, has taken on global significance. Streete, a career dental surgeon in the Bronx, NY, and a one-time diaspora representative, will be presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award, for unwavering service in 33 years. In 1990 Dr Streete, and a group of individuals founded (OID), Inc, with the goal of improving the quality of life for the under-privileged populations around the world. OID is now a multidisciplinary, multifaceted, non-political, not-for-profit organisation, registered with the IRS as a 501©3 entity, which makes all donations tax deductible as per applicable law. Since then, OID has expanded its services to countries beyond Jamaica to include Brazil, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Haiti, Carriacou and Petit Martinique, St. Vincent (Bequia, Canouan) and The Grenadines, St. Lucia, India, Ghana, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Kenya, Zambia, South Africa and The United States. Much-needed services in the areas of paediatrics, gynaecology, medicine, dentistry, ophthalmology, physical therapy and social services have been provided. HAVING NO FRILLS “I am delighted for the cadre of volunteers who, over the years, have bought into the motto of the organisation, Helping Others to Help Themselves,” offered Dr Streete, who is described as soft-spoken and having no frills. In January 2023, OID led a medical mission in Jamaica with a team of about 50 volunteers who provided dental care to 702 patients, medical care to 732 people; performed 127 pap smears; prescribed 191 reading glasses; and prescribed and dispensed 967 medications. In partnership with Montefiore Medical Centre, the cardiacsurgical team performed 10 surgeries in collaboration with Northwell Health. The obstetrics surgical team performed uterine fibroid surgeries on eight patients, all at The University Hospital of the West Indies in St Andrew, Jamaica. OID is not limited to medicine and healthcare. It sponsors vocational programmes, rebuild homes, funds academically talented students, and helps communities with building of libraries and health centres. OID is working with Northern Caribbean University to acquire a mobile mammography van to address the cancer-screening needs of women in Jamaica. OIDmember, Dr. Michelle James, said all proceeds will benefit on-going work in Jamaica and the planned medical mission to the southern region of Africa, next year. A limited number of tickets are still available from members of the organisation. THREE DECADES OF HOPE The mobile medical van donated to OID by the Vincent HoSang Family Foundation. Organization for International Development (OID) Inc to fete volunteers at spring luncheon Dr. Roy Streete (right, foreground) and a teamof volunteer medical professionals in Jamaica earlier this year. CONTRIBUTED PHOTOS Heather Tucker, RN, MSN THE MONTHLY GLEANER | APRIL 17 - MAY 23, 2023 | www.jamaica-gleaner.com | NEWS
THE MONTHLY GLEANER | APRIL 17 - MAY 17, 2023 | www.jamaica-gleaner.com | NEWS 5 CARIBBEAN FOOD Delights (CFD), the world’s leading producer of Jamaican-style patties, has announced that it will be investing US$17m for the expansion of its Tappan, USA headquarters to celebrate its 45th year, to enable the frozen food manufacturer to undergo a major expansion to add to its physical structure andmuch-needed updates. “With the expansion we will see new innovations to include facility renovations and expanded production capabilities,”Chief Executive Officer Sabrina HoSang Jordan was quoted in a news release. Sitting on 10 acres of Rockland County’s prime real estate, “the plant facility purchased in the early 1990’s will see a transformation of its offices, a bigger lunch and locker rooms as well as new and upgraded lines for greater efficiency”, said HoSang Jordan. “What represents the second largest expansion in the company’s history comes at a time when product sales are at an all-time high. The company has seen sales growth of approximately 40 per cent since 2019, allowing us to embark on our timely expansion,” the CEO said. While crediting a major part of the investment to the family business’s success, she was quick tomention that the grant of $2.75m received in 2018 from the Mid-Hudson Regional Economic Development Council, MHREDC, encouraged the company to act sooner than later. The Safe Quality Foods (SQF) Level 3 certified factory facility will also see a nationwide product expansion highlighted by Shop & Stop, Big Y Foods, Food Lion and Costco Business Centres. The new partnerships will complement the brand’s already impressive list of major retailers, including Sam’s Club, Walmart, Costco and BJs, as well as leading supermarkets and grocers, including ShopRite, Key Food, Western Beef, Publix, Harris Teeter, Winn Dixie, HEB, and more. The CFD line of products include Jamaican beef, chicken, vegetables, and plant-based (jackfruit) patties, jerk wings, chicken pot pies, plantain tarts and the Sabrina’s Delights brand of puff pastries. The groundbreaking ceremony is slated for Tuesday, July 11, 2023. Caribbean Food Delights (CFD) is the leading Caribbean frozen food manufacturer of Jamaican style patties: beef, chicken and vegetable. CFD began its operations in 1978 by Chinese Jamaican businessmanVincent HoSang on Dyre Avenue in the Bronx, New York. A privately owned and operated company, CFD remains rooted in its motto, “Quality is Our Priority”. Quality, taste and safety have earned the company the coveted Safe Quality Food Institute’s highest achievement award – SQF Level 3. CFD boasts numerous other distinctions, awards and accolades from local and international organizations. The company and its affiliates: Royal Caribbean Bakery, JerkQ’zine Caribbean Grille and the Vincent HoSang Family Foundation are owned and operated by the HoSang family. US multimillion-dollar expansion for Caribbean Food Delights Sabrina HoSang Jordan, CEO, Caribbean Food Delights FILE Patty makers going big for 45th anniversary Neil Armstrong/Gleaner Writer A Jamaican entrepreneur has been appointed by the City of Toronto to the Toronto Police Services Board, the seven-member civilian body that governs and oversees the 7,600-member Toronto Police Service under Ontario’s Police Services Act. Nadine Spencer, who is currently the interim CEO of the Black Business and Professional Association (BBPA), will serve a four-year term. She was officially sworn in as a boardmember on April 5 and was scheduled to attend a special board meeting on April 13. Spencer will be formally introduced in person at the board’s next regular public meeting on April 28. “As a Black woman, a Torontonian, and an advocate for equity and justice, I amhonoured to have the opportunity to serve on the Toronto Police Services Board. This position affords me a unique and important opportunity to bring my perspective to bear on the real issues faced by the city and people of Toronto, particularly as they relate to policing,” said Spencer who is from Kingston, Jamaica. She said she is committed to working with fellow board members and the police services to promote transparency, accountability, and community engagement in policing. “I take this responsibility very seriously and hope to make meaningful contributions that will help move policing and community relations forward in a positive and productive direction,” she said. A seasoned entrepreneur, Spencer has founded multiple businesses, including BrandEQ Group Inc., a social-change marketing, communications, and public relations agency with operations in Toronto, New York, and Kingston. As interim CEO of BBPA, she has helmed several initiatives aimed at fostering economic opportunities within the black community at all levels, including the RiseUp pitch competition and entrepreneurship training programme, the Business Advisory Implementation Development Services (BAIDS) programme, and various innovative programmes launched in collaboration with the Diversity Institute and Future Skills Centre. “The board looks forward to working with Ms Spencer and welcomes the unique expertise and important perspective she will bring as a visionary entrepreneur, as well as a collaborative, inspirational, and dedicated community-builder,”said interimTPSB Chair Ann Morgan. Jamaican Ainsworth Morgan, who was appointed by the province to the TPSB, served from January 9, 2020 to January 31, 2023. He was the interim chair of the board fromNovember 19, 2022 until his tenure ended. Jamaican Canadian entrepreneur appointed to Toronto Police Services Board Nadine Spencer, president of the Black Business and Professional Association (BBPA). CONTRIBUTED THE MONTHLY GLEANER | APRIL 17 - MAY 23, 2023 | www.jamaica-gleaner.com | NEWS
6 Dave Rodney/Gleaner Writer JAMAICA’S DEPUTY director of tourism for the Americas, Donald Dawson, has stepped down from managing the lion’s share of Jamaica’s tourism fortunes worldwide. Donnie Dawson, as he is called in tourist industry circles contributed over 44 years to the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB). Over the decades, Dawson earned the unwavering respect of industry partners far and wide, and last week he was lauded at a send-off reception in Miami for overseeing the astonishing growth of Jamaica’s biggest markets – The United States, Canada, and to a lesser extent, Central and South America. “HE HAS been the consummate ambassador of distinction for destination Jamaica throughout the years,”Tourism Minister Ed Bartlett stated. “ Jamaica is deeply indebted to Donnie for his decades of service in developing and promoting Jamaica to make it one of the world’s leading destinations,” Minister Bartlett added. Dawson’s epic journey in tourism began almost by accident, at the iconic tourism pink building on Harbour Street, next to Air Jamaica’s headquarters in 1975. He was looking for a job and his mother ran into then tourism director, Anthony Abrahams, whom she asked about employment opportunities at the JTB for her son. Donnie was interviewed, landed a job in sales, and the rest is history. Dawson attributes much of his success in the industry to his impeccable work ethic. “I delivered on everything that I promised,”he revealed. “I listened to and learned from some of the best people in the business. I was never afraid to champion ideas that I was passionate about. I was dispatched to Los Angeles to introduce Jamaica to the western United States and the efforts paid off hugely, opening the door for Jamaica to start non-stop air service from Los Angeles to Montego Bay.” DRAMATIC CHANGES Not every day was postcard-perfect during Dawson’s tenure at the (JTB). He had to confront some of the biggest challenges to face the industry, including Hurricane Gilbert that wiped out Jamaica’s tourism infrastructure, the 9/11 terrorist attack that shut down travel, and, more recently, the COVID19 pandemic. In each episode of crisis, Dawson’s resilience, strategic vision and steely resolve enabled him to skilfully guide his team back to dominance in the marketplace. Dawson has also seen dramatic changes in the industry over the years. “Forty odd years ago there were no all-inclusive resorts in Jamaica. Jonkonno Lounge was jumping in Kingston, and Montego Bay and Ocho Rios were alive with restaurants and nightclubs. Banana Boat Club, Ispo Facto, the Cave at Seawind, Footprints and Disco Inferno to name a few. Visitors walked around freely with no harassment and Jamaicans could walk into any hotel for drinks and dinner,”he reminisced,”It was an entirely different vibe back then.” The retiring deputy director credits a number of early influencers for providing him with the oxygen to rise to the top. Among them, Harry Knowles, a JTB executive, who he said taught him the nuts and bolts of the industry. He also gave glowing mentions to Marianne Steele, his first manager in Miami, and Tony Santana, the owner and CEO of Suntrips, who taught him about charters and the airline business. He also sees his current staff as a priceless treasure, and he often goes out of the way to address every worry and concern so as to keep his sales and marketing team optimally motivated. So what’s Dawson’s word of advice to the next generation of career travel executives?“Be honest, be transparent and never be afraid to speak up, good or bad. The travel business is built on relationships, so nurture those with integrity,” he advised. “We are truly saddened to see Donnie go as his passion and drive helped to cement Jamaica’s strong presence in the marketplace,” director of tourism, Donovan Whyte, told the send-off gathering. For his part, Dawson said it was a fantastic journey. “My one regret is not stopping to smell the roses. And one of the moments of great joy was certainly meeting my wife of 40 years in the travel business,” he said in retrospect. diademata@aol.cNom Jamaica’s tourism boss for the Americas steps down Donnie Dawson (third from right) is surrounded by staff and industry partners as he accepts a number of travel awards for Jamaica’s excellence in tourism CONTRIBUTED Deputy director of tourism Donnie Dawson gets ready to cut a cake at his sendoff reception in Miami last week . THE MONTHLY GLEANER | APRIL 17 - MAY 23, 2023 | www.jamaica-gleaner.com | NEWS
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8 NYPD hunting killers who gunned down J’can INVESTIGATORS IN New York City are still searching for two men who killed a Jamaican man outside a St Albans nightclub in Queens earlier this month. THE MURDER was caught on closed circuit television. Footage of the incident is being circulated on social media. The victimhas been identified as 23-yearold Jevaughn ‘Blingaz’ Jeminson. According to the New York Post, Jeminson, who is of a Florida address and originally from east Kingston, was chased by two gunmen, who fired more than a dozen shots combined at the intersection of Selover Road and Merrick Boulevard in Jamaica, Queens, about 2 a.m. Saturday, April 8. The victim was taken to the Jamaica Hospital Medical Centre, where he died, the police said. The attackers, who were dressed in hoodies, casually left the scene after the shooting, leaving Jeminson for dead. When The Gleaner checked with the NYPD onTuesday, a spokesperson said that the killers were still at large. The police indicated that Jeminson was found with gunshot wounds to his torso. His killing is the second such incident that has shocked the Jamaican community in the Tri-State area over the Easter holidays. Last week, popular veteran music selector Ricky Trooper was left questioning God’s plan hours after his daughter was found murdered at her home in Connecticut in the United States. Brianna Destiny McKoy, the 23-year-old mother of a one-year-old boy, was found unresponsive on Thursday around 11:20 a.m. inside her condominium in Bridgeport, the police said. The Bridgeport police have since listed Derrick Francis, 41, as wanted in connection with the death of McKoy. The police say Francis is known to frequent the North End in Bridgeport and Bronx, NY, and should be considered armed and dangerous. Several members of the entertainment fraternity have publicly called for Francis to turn himself in to the authorities. Lobby seeks US intervention after American convicted of sex with minor AN AMERICAN advocacy group has sought the intervention of the United States (US) government in the case of an American citizen who was convicted in Jamaica for having sex with an underage girl. Robert Benoit was found guilty by a jury in the St James Circuit Court last month for having sex with a 12-year-old girl in December 2020, hours after he had a telephone conversation with the child’s father. “Go spend the night with him and bring back the money,” the girl’s father was quoted as telling her as she left their home with Benoit, prosecutors disclosed, citing evidence presented during the trial. But the NewYork City-based Families for Freedom (FFF) has slammed the conviction, charging that Benoit is the victim of an attempted shakedown led by the girl’s family and that the evidence used to secure his conviction was coerced by investigators. Benoit knew the girl’s family through her mother, prosecutors said. Janay Cauthen, executive director of FFF, said their assertions are among the findings of a private investigator hired by the lobby and statements made by the victim in video-recorded messages. She disclosed, during an interview with The Gleaner last Tuesday, that the findings will be shared with officials at the US State Department, which has already agreed to a meeting on April 26 in Washington, DC. “I am going to the State Department to get some intervention,” she insisted. A legal observer based in Jamaica called the evidence against Benoit “very, very poor and [the verdict] really should not have been left up to the jurors”. But Jamaica’s chief prosecutor, Paula Llewellyn, defended the prosecution, saying that the evidentiary materials presented to her office were“sufficient” to lay an indictment against Benoit for the offence of having sex with a person under 16 years old. Benoit is scheduled to be sentenced on May 5. Cauthen, who was born in Jamaica, confirmed that Benoit’s conviction will be challenged in the Court of Appeal and that the lobby is close to identifying an attorney to argue the case. She claimed, too, that the police have not been able to account for a motorcycle, an undetermined sum of cash and Benoit’s American passport, which were taken from his home at the time of his arrest. Cauthen said that a report has been made to the police oversight body, the Independent Commission of Investigations. INDECOM Senior Public Relations Officer Denyelle Anderson said three complaints have been filed on Benoit’s behalf since 2020. Jevaughn ‘Blingaz’ Jeminson. CONTRIBUTED ROBERT NESTA Morgan, the de facto information minister, has sought to assure Jamaica that the Constitutional ReformCommittee (CRC) was formed in the best interest of the society. His declaration follows concerns from some local Christians that Canadian Professor Richard Albert, who was named to the 14-member committee last month, has a distinct pro-LGBT and pro-abortion bias. The religious leaders have called for Albert, the only non-Jamaican on the committee, and who has previously worked with a number of countries in modernising their constitutions, to be removed. At a post-Cabinet press briefing last Wednesday, Morgan stated that the constitutional reform process “will not disturb such a wide range of issues”. Rather, it will focus on guiding Jamaica’s transition from a constitutional monarchy to a republic. “The issue that consumes the conversation is not a matter that is being contemplated by the Government,” he said. Further, the minister noted that the committee was representative of a wide cross section of society, including the Church. He dismissed suggestions that any one individual will have undue influence on the reform process. Jamaica’s 1864 Offences Against the Person Act explicitly makes buggery illegal. Under this same act, a woman can be imprisoned for life at hard labour for having an abortion. Anyone who aids in the abortion can also be jailed for up to three years. In the wake of the United States Supreme Court’s decision to overturn the landmark Roe v Wade ruling last year, Albert told KVUE news in Austin, Texas, that the decision would not necessarily prevent abortions but force women to seek unsafe means to undergo the procedure. “It is very sad. It’s a devastation for the country, for women and anyone who believes in fundamental rights and freedom,” he said. He has argued that if the US overturns its previous ruling on same-sex relationships, it would be a fundamental breach of the right to privacy for all, including homosexuals. Albert also believes that the right to privacy in sexual relationships between two persons, whether they are of the same sex or not, should be respected. Among those voicing objection to Albert’s inclusion is Bishop Dr Alvin Bailey, chairman of Jamaica CAUSE and president of the Jamaica Evangelical Alliance. “We are against it because he is a non-national. The Constitution is our local document, which will be sacrosanct, legal, and binding ... . I believe that no outsider should have a part to play in its construction,”Bailey told The Gleaner last week. Abortion, gay rights not being contemplated in constitutional reform–Gov’t MORE THAN 2,000 Jamaicans who travelled to Panama between 2018 and March this year were denied entry into the Central American country while 81 were deported, Minister of Foreign Affairs Senator Kamina Johnson Smith has disclosed. For the same period, 143 Jamaicans were denied entry into Mexico in North America, as the two countries ramp up efforts to limit illegal migration to the southern border of the United States. Johnson Smith made the disclosure during last Wednesday’s post-Cabinet press briefing at Jamaica House, days after CARICOM member state Belize signalled that it would introduce a new travel policy for Jamaicans, who were using that country as a transit point to get into the US. Johnson Smith said that having recognised that there are no direct flights to Mexico, Panama is the route travelled to get to both Mexico and Belize. As a result, the country has heightened its immigration surveillance, the minister said, which is now affecting both travellers with lawful and unlawful intent. “We want you to keep this in mind because as much as we try to build relationships and keep strong friendships and lines of communication with our partner countries, these types of decisions can impact lawful travel,” Johnson Smith said. The US, Panama and Colombia announced on Tuesday that they will launch a 60-day campaign aimed at halting illegal migration through the treacherous Darien Gap, where the flow of migrants has multiplied this year. The Darien Gap is the geographic region which connects South and North America through Central America. Nearly 90,000 migrants travelled through the dense, lawless jungle in just the first three months of this year. “We are trying to be proactive and bring to the attention of Jamaicans that this is not a good decision to take. It is extremely risky for you personally, but it also affects the reputation of our passports,” said Johnson Smith. Last year, the Mexican government toughened immigration processes in permitting landing to Jamaicans amid growing concerns over an illegal “human-smuggling”corridor to the US. Hundreds of J’cans denied entry into Mexico, Panama since 2018 Professor Richard Albert, International Constitutional Law Expert. FILE Johnson Smith [ NEWS BRIEFS ] THE WEEKLY GLEANER | APRIL 17 - MAY 23, 2023 | www.jamaica-gleaner.com | NEWS
9 THE MONTHLY GLEANER | APRIL 17 - MAY 23, 2023 | www.jamaica-gleaner.com | ENTERTAINMENT Stephanie Lyew/Gleaner Writer MARKING THE Third World band’s golden anniversary, Ronnie Tomlinson, public relations and communications manager of the Love and Harmony Cruise, presented the musicians with an honorary award to express gratitude for their contribution to the cruise and to the culture, following their performance at the Solid Love All-White Concert last Friday night. “For five decades, Third World has been an essential part of the global music scene, spreading messages of love, unity, and positivity through their unparalleled sound. Through their music, Third World has become an ambassador for Jamaica, showcasing the beauty and culture of the island to the world. Their influence and contributions to reggae music are immeasurable, and they have inspired generations of artistes to follow in their footsteps,” Tomlinson said in her speech. She added, “As we celebrate this special milestone, let us not forget the impact that ThirdWorld has had on the world. Their music has transcended borders and brought people together, breaking down cultural barriers and promoting a message of harmony… here’s to another 50 years of their music, continuing to inspire us all.” Foundingmember andmulti-instrumentalist Stephen ‘Cat’ Coore could hardly find the words to express gratitude on behalf of the band, who he referred to as “family”. As he and Tony ‘Ruption’ Williams, the percussionist of the group passed the crystal facet tower trophy to the each other, Coore said, “Love and Harmony, my family here, breeze nearly blowme down, but you hold me up. Nuff respect and love, gentlemen, this is yours.” Speaking to The Gleaner, he said, “There is definitely more work to be done,”which, ironically, is the name of their 2020 Grammy-nominated work, produced by Damian ‘Jr Gong’Marley. ThirdWorld holds the record of having nine Grammy Award nominations but no wins thus far, for which Coore, offered, “we feel honoured each time”. Their first-ever Grammy Award nomination was for Best Ethnic of Traditional Folk Recording for Reggae Sunsplash ’81: A Tribute to Bob Marley in the 25th Annual Grammy Award in 1983 on which they had two songs, Rock TheWorld and the hit single 1865 (96 Degrees in the Shade). The album featured other bands such as Steel Pulse, Mighty Diamonds, and Black Uhuru, as well as Ziggy Marley and The Melody Makers, I Three, Carlene Davis, Gregory Isaacs and Dennis Brown. In the Best Reggae Album category, ThirdWorld’s nominations include Hold On To Love (1988); Serious Business (1990); Committed (1993); Live It Up (1996); Generation Coming (2000); Ain’t Giving Up (2004); Black, Gold and Green (2006); and MoreWork To Be Done (2020). Coore revealed that the band is already working with Jr Gong on the production of a new album, “which hopefully can be done in time for submission to the awards’ committee later this year”. “As soon as we have more information to give, we will informour supporters. Right now, we are just extremely grateful for the love and respect we have been getting and hope we can contribute more to the culture,”Coore continued. stephanie.lyew@gleanerjm.com Third World Band honoured on Love and Harmony Cruise Members of Third World band show their appreciation after they are honoured on stage the Love and Harmony Cruise by Ronnie Tomlinson, public relations and communications manager, who presented them with a plaque from the organisers in recognition of their 50 years in the music industry. PHOTOS BY STEPHANIE LYEW Stephanie Lyew/Gleaner Writer COUNTLESS TOURS, several brand endorsements and eight World Sound Clash Championship titles later, internationally acclaimed sound system pioneers, Mighty Crown, has announced their retirement. Established in Yokohama, in 1991, the group has been influencing and leading on the dancehall scene in Japan and not only represented for their birthplace but have carved their names as global ambassadors for the Jamaican genres of music. In 1993, when they started clashing other Japanese sound systems, they became known as the ‘undisputed and undefeated sound clash champions’ in Japan. Originators of the annual Yokohama Reggae Sai event, Mighty Crown has attracted over 30,000 people annually to the central baseball stadium. “Sound system culture birthed everything we have accomplished. We had a great run. We are satisfied, happy business men now ... who started off in sound system culture but we don’t want to stop there. Leaving the game will allow us to represent sound culture in an even bigger way,” said Mighty Crown co-founder Sami T to The Gleaner. He added, “So, why retire now? The time is right. After this year, all our dubs will be locked away and Mighty Crown members will stop playing altogether but can continue to work together on other projects. One of our greatest successes has been forming a family among all Mighty Crown members, where each person is valued and plays a different role.” Sami T also explained that he, along with the other members of the sound – Masta Simon, Cojie and Ninja – never planned to be involved in the industry for as long as three decades but from early in their careers, gained popularity that they were able to capitalise on and retirement allows for 100 per cent focus to be placed on other businesses. Mighty Crown’s myriad of businesses and commercial ventures have catapulted the sound to a prime position, worth further cultivating he said. “Enabling growth for the Mighty Crown brand has always been our key focus; the goal was never to become just a sound team. Our ambition was always to work hard to become popular and then market our popularity to open doors for other businesses, including our own Nine Rulaz clothing line and a label, Lifestyle Records, which was signed to a major label here in Japan, where we were able to help and further develop Japanese reggae,” he said. “I believe we became one of the sound clash arena’s most visible and respected sound teams and used that to score five sneaker collaborations with Nike, one with Diadora in Italy, one with French brand, La Coq Sportif, one with Clae and we also partnered with Clarks Originals a second time to release five new, custom shoes. Now, as we celebrate 30 years, there are some major opportunities on the table, which will not allow us to focus on being soundmen with the discipline needed to win competitions. We will, however, be sound men, mentally, for the rest over our lives.” TOUR Having lived in the US from the early ‘90s, they gradually learned the Jamaican language and “the dancehall flex” by frequenting studios, record shops, and engaging music loves in the streets of Brooklyn, New York. With their tour, ‘The Final Round Tour’, culminating the three decades in the entertainment industry, Mighty Crown shared that it is “emotional”. Currently under way, the tour sees them travelling across Japan, Canada, the United Kingdom, the United States, and the Caribbean region. The first leg of the tour dubbed ‘Early Juggling’ was in Japan from March 17-22 and featured popular disc jockey and radio personality David Rodigan. The 30th anniversary commemorations will officially conclude with the five-day Far East Reggae Cruise, the first reggae-themed cruise to touch the Asian region, sailing from Japan to Korea aboard the luxurious MSC Bellissima from July 15 to July 20. It will feature performances by leading Japanese and Jamaican recording artistes and sound systems. It was inspired by Damian ‘Jr Gong’ Marley’s Welcome to Jamrock cruise, Sami T shared. “We always wanted Japanese people to fall in love with the real culture and not be fooled by the commercialised version of Jamaican culture. Having travelled the world to entertain fans with reggae and dancehall, now, we’re asking the world to come to our side of the world and witness our last performances, which many have never enjoyed or experienced. There are a lot of emotions with this serving as the ultimate farewell, and our final connection with the people we love, the authentic people of reggae and dancehall,” he said. Although the sound may be playing its final round, Mighty Crown’s manager Garfield‘Chin’Bourne of Irish and Chin, said there are still select performance dates available fromMarch to June. He commended the team on a job well done. “The entire teamhas achieved something that even the greats before did not accomplish. For me, one of the most memorable endorsements was our first sneaker deal with Nike because when those sneakers were released, it changed the game; people were lined up for blocks at the Mighty Crown store inYokohama, Japan, to buy a pair. It was a confidence builder. It said we were on the right track and we are about to take the game to another level,” Chin said. stephanie.lyew@gleanerjm.com ‘We had a great run’ Sound systemMighty Crown satisfied with track record, retires Mighty Crown CONTRIBUTED
10 Raymond KC Graham/Gleaner Writer WEEKS AFTER brilliant performances at the Issa Boys’ and Girls’ Athletics Championships and the recent Carifta Games in The Bahamas, Jamaican high school athletes are expected to produce dominant performance when they journey to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to participate at the 127th staging of the Penn Relays from April 27-29. The biggest relay carnival in the world, which highlights mega high school clashes between Jamaican and their United States counterparts, the athletes from ‘the land of wood and water’ look set for another three days of exhilarating performances just like they have done over the years. Despite adjustments to the schedule of the meet, where high school females will showcase their talents on a Saturday for the first time, as they will compete on Friday and Saturday while their male counterparts to do so on a Thursday and Friday, this should not affect the usually large turnout of fans at the meet. Jamaicans in the diaspora usually turn out in large numbers to support their alma maters, and to enjoy a weekend lyming with friends who they normally see once a year. Despite most fans missing last year’s epic 4x100-mclashbetween EdwinAllen andHydel in a feisty contest where both teams had five of the fastest junior female sprinters in the world on show, both teams produced sub-44 seconds clocking, another great clash is anticipated this year. EdwinAllen took pride of place then, winning in a record 43.18 seconds for their fourth-ever sub -4 seconds clocking at the relays, whileHydel was second in43.69 seconds for their first-ever under-the-44-seconds barrier. The two teams are expected to take the expectedmassive crowd in frenzy on Saturday. Edwin Allen, which has not lost the event since winning in 2014 will be without the Clayton twins, Tia andTina, while Hydel will be without Kerrica Hill and Brianna Lyston, but both teams still have the fire power to make the event very special once again. Hydel will be hoping to win their first title andwill be led by Alana Reid, the newnational junior 100-m record-holder, who clocked 10.92 to win the Class 1 event at Champs, the first girls’sub-11 seconds at that the championship. Jamaican school rivalries continue at Penn Relays! Hydel, Edwin Allen girls expected to sizzle, JC, KC, C’down among boys Kingston College’s Kenyan pair of Brian Kiprop (right) and Nahashon Ruto are well ahead of their rivals in the Class Two boys 1500metres at the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys andGirls’ Athletics Championships at the National Stadium. KENYON HEMNAS/PHOTOGRAPHER PLEASE SEE JAMAICA, 12 THE MONTHLY GLEANER | APRIL 17 - MAY 23, 2023 | www.jamaica-gleaner.com | NEWS Aubrey Campbell/Gleaner Writer CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA: PENN RELAYS carnival organisers have tinkered with the programme and will have the girls taking pride of place during Saturday’s final day, instead of the boys. The reasons for the programme changes are unclear, but there is enough speculation to go around the iconic Benjamin Franklin, ranging from the increased participation and support from Grace Foods, more visibility for title/presenting sponsor-Toyota, the withdrawal of the USAT&F, an amicable divorce with NIKE, the absence of the USA v The World (Jamaica) featured segment, as well as the need to spread the crowd over the three days. The carnival will have a different look and feel this year, something that is of concern to NewYorker DonovanWilson, a St Elizabeth Technical (STETHS) alum, now president of the Union of Jamaican Alumni Associations (UJAA), and a proud supporter of the PRC since the 1980s. “If one did not know the history of the Penn Relays, this change would not be cause for concern or comment. The USA vs TheWorld (read USA vs Jamaica) events are gone. Now we just have Olympic Development events. I suppose that athletes from other countries will be invited to participate in those events,” he theorised. STETHS finished in the top 10 among girls at the recently concluded Boys and Girls athletics championship and are expected to take part in this year’s pilgrimage. Wilson said the overall schedule (this year) seems geared to showcase college athletes, not high school athletes, especially on the final day considering that of the 44 events on Saturday, only three will feature the schoolgirls, with nine being Olympic development and 22 for colleges. The girls will have the opportunity to showcase their talents before 45,000 - 60,000 spectators on Saturday. Another significant change is the introduction of the ‘Power Hour’, starting at 4:25 p.m., Friday and ending 5:50 p.m. This section will start with the girls DMR mile and 3,000m, then the boys will take the track for the same events, and conclude with the Championship of America 4x800-m relay. Penn Relays make events change to showcase girls
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