THE MONTHLY GLEANER | FEBRUARY 14 - MARCH 16, 2022 | www.jamaica-gleaner.com | NEWS 3 WASHINGTON, CMC : United States Senate Majority Leader Charles “Chuck” Schumer has introduced Jamaicaborn New York City Assemblyman Nick Perry to the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee as the nominee for US ambassador to Jamaica. “It is my honour to introduce a proud New Yorker, a dear and longtime friend, we’ve known each other for 30 years, and fellow Brooklynite, Nick Perry, to serve as the next US ambassador to Jamaica,” said Democrat Schumer on Tuesday, February 8. Perry was present at Tuesday’s initial hearing with his Jamaica-born wife, Joyce, and their son Nicholas. Schumer described Perry as a native of the island and he would become the first ever “Jamaican-born person to serve as its American ambassador. “It is truly an important milestone, one that I would add is long, long overdue,”Schumer said, adding that Perry, who represents the 58th Assembly District in Brooklyn, is “a well-known face in the community. “He has a knack for doing politics the old-fashioned way: shaking hands, showing up at every event, and just listening to people from everyday life. Nick is an immigrant, he is a veteran, and a lifelong public servant, and he represents the best of what America is all about. I am certain that Nick will be a wonderful ambassador to Jamaica.” President Joe Biden on November 3 last year announced Perry’s nomination. Perry was born and raised in Jamaica and migrated to the US in 1971. He served in the US Army for two years of active duty and four years on reserve status. He received several service medals and was honourably discharged. Perry was first elected to the New York State Assembly in 1992 to represent the 58th Assembly District in Brooklyn and was re-elected to serve his 15th consecutive term in November 2020. He is currently the assistant speaker pro tempore of the New York State Assembly, and regional vice-chairman of the National Black Caucus of State Legislators. NEW YORK, CMC: A UNITED States congresswoman and activist legislator in New York has passed a bill through the US House of Representatives to support debt relief for Caribbean and other developing countries. Congresswoman Alexandr ia Ocasio-Cortez, known by her initials AOC, who represents NewYork’s 14th Congressional District, told CMC that the measure was passed in the House on Friday, February 4, as part of the America COMPETES Act. “The legislation strengthens the G-20’s (Group of 20) Common Framework, a multilateral debt relief initiative, to reflect the challenges countries have faced during the pandemic,” said Ocasio-Cortez, whose district includes the eastern part of the Bronx, portions of north-central Queens and Rikers Island in New York City. “Critically, the legislation also places a moratorium on debt payments for countries that are applying to be part of the Common Framework,” she added. “Developing nations whose early economies and political systems were crippled by colonialism and foreign intervention deserve a real opportunity to compete – to build independent, sustainable economies, unburdened by impossible levels of debt.” The congresswoman said the legislation will also have benefits at home as well as overseas. “The race-to-the-bottom for wages that has cost the US so many manufacturing jobs is driven by the economic vulnerability of developing nations,” said Ocasio-Cortez, who drew national recognition when she won the Democratic Party’s primary election for NewYork’s 14th Congressional district on June 26, 2018. TheWorld Bank has warned of a significant 12 per cent increase in the debt burden of developing countries to a record US$860 billion in view of the COVID-19 pandemic, called for expeditious efforts to reduce debt levels. Among other things, Ocasio-Cortez advocates for abolishing the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the agency responsible for rounding up and deporting undocumented Caribbean and other immigrants. US passes bill supporting debt relief for C’bean, other developing countries CASTRIES, ST LUCIA: LEADERS OF the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) have agreed to co-sign a letter being sent to United States President Joe Biden as they announced their support to the continued advocacy efforts for the posthumous exoneration of Marcus Garvey, the Jamaicaborn black nationalist and leader of the Pan-Africanism movement. A statement issued by the St Luciabased OECS Commission said that the leaders of Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, St Kitts-Nevis, Montserrat as well as Anguilla and the British Virgin Islands, discussed the Garvey issue at their recently held summit. It said that the request was made by former Jamaica Prime Minister P. J. Patterson of The P. J. Patterson Centre for Africa-Caribbean Advocacy at The University of the West Indies, Mona Campus, as the centre prepared to launch an appeal to US President Joe Biden for the posthumous exoneration of Garvey. “The efforts are being supported by the Marcus Garvey Institute, which launched a petition making the request of President Biden. The petition to posthumously exonerate the late Marcus Garvey is seeking 100,000 signatures in the month of February (Black History Month), a milestone which will trigger a response from the US President Joe Biden. “As part of their contribution towards this effort, the OECS heads of government agreed to co-sign a letter addressed to President Biden calling for the posthumous exoneration of Marcus Garvey. The heads also agreed to lead a National Appeal for signatories to the petition in their respective countries,” the OECS Commission said. The OECS Commission said it is urging all citizens, organisations, civil society and residents in the diaspora to join the efforts to exonerate“one of the all-time great leaders in the Caribbean and globally”. OECS leaders support efforts for posthumous exoneration of Marcus Garvey US Senate moves to confirm nominee for US Ambassador to Jamaica Nick Perry BRITISH JOURNALIST Kuba ShandBaptiste, winner of the 2020 Barbara Blake-Hannah Press Gazette Award, receives a copy of the RJRGleaner Communications Group Jamaican Women of Distinction souvenir book, from Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport Olivia ‘Babsy’ Grange. ShandBaptiste paid a courtesy call on the minister during her prize trip to Jamaica, which was sponsored by the Jamaica Tourist Board.
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