Monthly Archives: June 2017

Posted: 4:50 p.m., June 25, 2017

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NEW ORLEANS-- For the fourth year in a row, New Orleans is honoring its Caribbean roots with the 4th annual Caribbean fest.Caribbean cuisine, music, dance, and culture while highlighting New Orleans' deeply-rooted cultural connections as the Caribbean's northern-most city! Enjoy a Kids Corner, salsa tent, African drum lessons and "New Orleans first ever Dancehall vs. Bounce dance competition.

Sunday the music travels to the islands of Trinidad and Tobago with the eight-piece Neptune Steel Pan Orchestra. It then heads to the Dominican Republic for the 10-piece Merengue 4. A new experience for some reggae lovers will hearing the socially and politically conscious lyrics typical in the genre sung in Spanish by Puerto Rico native I-Majesty.

Both Saturday and Sunday the Caribbean Festival closes out with a Dancehall Queen competition with the finalists going up against each other and the winner declared on Sunday night. Admission to the festival is $12 on Saturday and $10 on Sunday.

"The purpose of the festival is to show how intertwined our culture is with that of the Caribbean. From architecture, to music, to the culinary world, to crops, we want to show the city of New Orleans that we really are apart of a Caribbean melting pot," said festival organization Joel Hitchcock.

Vendors include: Johnny's Jamaican Grill, Taylor Made Wings, Boswell's, The Pupusa Lady, Fritai, Island Paradise, Karibu Kitchen, Central City BBQ, Trini Queen, Amina Dada's Rasta Burgers, Zippy Fruit, Irie Nyammings.

This is a rain or shine event, with both indoor and outdoor seating and activities for all ages.

General admission tickets are only $10 and VIP tickets are $25.

Festigals fun returns with women-centered events thisweekend

9-year-old wows crowd with amazing dance moves at Chicago streetfest

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Take a trip to the Caribbean, without leaving New Orleans - WGNO

ROME Two former Latin American presidents said the world is running out of time to find a solution to the crisis in Venezuela as President Nicolas Maduro aims to consolidate power over the country.

Despite widespread protests, Maduros push to put a group of his friends in what is called a constituent assembly, would be the end of democracy and the annihilation of the Republic of Venezuela, said Jorge Quiroga, former president of Bolivia.

That election will install a Soviet state in Venezuela, liquidate democracy, end the Congress, cancel elections and turn Venezuela into a sort of Caribbean North Korea,' he said.

Joined by former Colombian President Andres Pastrana, Quiroga spoke to journalists at the Vatican June 23 on the deteriorating situation in Venezuela and attempts to diffuse the crisis following their meeting with Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican secretary of state.

Protests began after March 29, when the Venezuelan Supreme Court ruled to dissolve the countrys parliament, in which the opposition had a two-thirds majority following the 2015 elections. The unprecedented ruling transferred legislative powers to the Supreme Court, which is comprised of judges nominated by Maduro.

Quiroga said he was grateful for Parolins call for humanitarian aid, free elections and the release of political prisoners. He also hoped the international community would insist and persist on the Vaticans recommendations.

The Vatican has enormous moral and political weight and its position in the name of Cardinal Parolin and the Holy Father would be a determining factor to reel Venezuela back in toward the path of democracy, he said.

However, Quiroga added, Maduros push for a constituent assembly June 30, comprised mainly of his supporters and aimed at changing the countrys constitution, would finish off Venezuela and destroy the country.

Both men also denounced former Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Zapatero and Ernesto Samper, former Colombian president and current secretary general of the Union of South American Nations, for their indirect support for Maduro despite their roles as impartial negotiators between the government and the opposition.

At a June 21 meeting on immigration in Cochabamba, Bolivian President Evo Morales flanked by Zapatero, Samper and former Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa expressed his support for the Venezuelan governments actions against protestors.

Dale duro, Maduro (Hit them harder, Maduro), Morales said as he, Samper and others raised their fists in solidarity. Correa and Zapatero, however, did not raise their fists.

What meaning does this have when former presidents ask a dictatorship like the one in Venezuela to hit them harder? Do they mean keep killing, continue slaughtering youth who are raising their voices in Venezuela?' Pastrana asked.

The former Colombian president condemned the indirect support of two negotiators following the release of images showing government forces shooting and killing a 22-year-old protester, saying that their support decreases the likelihood of a peaceful solution.

I think dialogue has ended in Venezuela, that word has been stricken from the Venezuelan dictionary. There is no dialogue, there is no possibility for dialogue and less, when Zapatero, Samper and Correa are holding hands with Evo Morales and shouting, Hit them harder, Maduro,' he said.

Quiroga added that he was profoundly saddened by Moraless support for Maduro who continues repressing and killing young people in the streets of Venezuela; Continues detaining and judging civilians in military courts; continues to disband the Congress and muzzle the press.

He also accused Zapatero of acting as a foreign operative of the Maduro government, claiming the former Spanish prime minister tried to act on Maduros behalf to scare opposition members before the parliamentary election that saw them win a two-thirds majority.

We know his position and that hes pretending to be a negotiator, Quiroga said of Zapatero.

Describing the current situation in Venezuela as a surrealist dystopia, Quiroga said that calls made by the Vatican supporting democracy must prevail. However, he said, time is running out.

The risk is that on June 30, Maduro has decided to deliver the final blow of his coup, calling it a vote for a constituent assembly, but in reality, it is a final blow for Venezuelan democracy, he said.

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Venezuela risks becoming Caribbean 'North Korea,' former leaders ... - Crux: Covering all things Catholic

Life Needs the Caribbean! So read the tagline of a full-length commercial that ran in frequent rotation on national network television a couple years ago. The declaration was made against a backdrop of scenic images of the idyllic blue waters of the Caribbean Sea. For further emphasis, the rhythmic sounds of island music were heard in the background.

Though there has been a monumental movement toward change, the fact is that in the past, there was a lingering perception that the Caribbean is music, sea, sand and surf. This view was reinforced by the strong cultural distinctiveness that Caribbean people maintained since migrating to the U.S. Hence, when Marcus Garvey was celebrated during Black History Month, it was as a black hero and not as a Caribbean-American contributor. Or when America celebrated the achievement of General Colin Powell as the first black to attain the position of secretary of state, his Jamaican heritage was barely a whisper.

Thankfully, this climate has drastically evolved and with the emergency of Caribbean Heritage Month 12 years ago, a new paradigm by which the contributions of Caribbean Americans are evaluated has emerged. Now, a classroom without walls exists in which we not only just discuss, but celebrate the achievements and contributions of people like Alexander Hamilton,one of the founding fathers of the U.S. and the first secretary of the treasury; and Bertram L. Baker, the first black elected to the state legislator from Brooklyn both of whom born in Nevis. We also celebrate the Caribbean roots of Hulan Jack, the Harlem politician who in 1953 became the first black borough president of Manhattan.

For yet another year, the commemoration of June as Caribbean American Heritage Month reminds us that our greatness lies in our differences as we recognize the significance of Caribbean people and their descendants in the history and culture of the U.S. In addition, by producing Americas largest heritage street festival that attracts people from every corner of the globe to Eastern Parkway, the Caribbean American community has shown us not just the beauty, but also the strength in diversity. However, the Brooklyn Labor Day Carnival Parade is justa microcosm of whoCaribbean Americans are asa people. Their essential contributions in business, politics, education, literature, the arts, medicine, science, sports, the military and religious endeavors rise way above the din of the reggae, calypso or kompa music we have all grown to love.

As a state senator representing one of the largest concentrations of Caribbean Americans in the state of New York, I am proud of our Caribbean political trailblazers like Basil Paterson, former secretary of state and deputy mayor of the City of New York. Who could ever forget my second mother and Brooklyns own Dr. Una Clarke, who was the first Caribbean-American person elected to the New York City Council. Her daughter, the dynamic U.S. Rep. Yvette Clarke, is too a significant Caribbean American political contributor who has followed in the footsteps of her mom and the Hon. Shirley Chisholm the first black woman elected to Congress. Moreover, I am proud of being an integral part of the election of David Paterson as the first African-American minority leader of the New York State Senate, who subsequently created similar history as governor of New York state. In the same vein, I am happy to serve alongside long-standing Assemblymembers Nick Perry and Herman Denny Farrell both of whom are of Caribbean ancestry.

New York City has the largest concentration of Haitians in the U.S., as well as the oldest established Haitian communities of the country. The district that I am honored to serve bears the largest Haitian population in the state of New York. It is therefore significant that in the past five years we have witnessed an upsurge in the election of state officials of Haitian ancestry, like Rodneyse Bichotte, Clyde Vanel, Michaelle Solages and Kimberly Jean-Pierre, who all serve in the New York State Assembly. Other Caribbean-American elected officials contributing to the health and vitality of our communities include state Sen. Roxanne Persaud and state Assemblymember Diana Richardson.

Numbering conservatively at some 3 million by the U.S. Census, or just over 9 percent of the total foreign-born population according to the Migration Policy Institute, the Caribbean population in the U.S. has surged more than 17-fold over the past half-century. Therefore, the time is rife to balance past inequality and put a face on the sweeping contributions made by Caribbean Americans to the building of American society.

It is said that the greatest legacy we can leave for our children are roots and wings. Caribbean American Heritage Month accomplishes both of these ends. And by reconstructing an environment of social equality, the spirits of generations of great Caribbean men and women will continuously be elevated and live on.

State Sen. Kevin Parker represents District 21, which includes Flaubush, Flatlands, Park Slope and Kensington.

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OPINION: Caribbean Heritage Month and its importance to African-American history - Brooklyn Daily Eagle

Effective July 1, Royal Caribbean International plans to introduce a new nonrefundable deposit program.

Nonrefundable deposit fares now give Royal Caribbean an opportunity to simplify our promotional landscape, while also providing our guests with added confidence to book early and our travel partners the reassurance in more qualified, dependable business, the line told agents in its written communications with the trade.

So, basically, what are the prime benefits? And how does the new program work?

First, it providesan early booking incentive. Clients will earn a booking incentive based on the early booking timeframe and stateroom category.

Second, the line believes the new nonrefundable deposit program will build stronger bookings and provide a higher retention of those bookings.

Third, the new program offers flexibility with deposit options.

"It's similar to the Carnival Early Saver rate and I sell a lot of that," saysJohn Gawne, an independent travel agent with Cruises Inc., Virginia Beach, VA. "I haven't had any problem selling the Carnival Cruise LineEarly Saver and don't expect a problem selling Royal Caribbean's."

Key Points

Royal Caribbean says the nonrefundable deposit fare will default at the best rate whenever available, as it will always be priced lower than the regular brand promotion. In other words, clients will get a great deal if they understand the nonrefundable terms and conditions.

The fare name will have No Ref Dep as part of the name to indicate that it is part of the nonrefundable deposit program. So agents can immediately see what type of fare it is and that a nonrefundable deposit is required.

When agents are viewing the pricing screen in Espresso, there will be a button to change the view between the nonrefundable deposit fare and the regular fare, so agents can easily compare the fares.

Before the travel agent makes a nonrefundable deposit reservation, the line insists that the agent inform the client that he or she is creating a reservations for which the fare is nonrefundable.

Gawne concurs, noting that "it's important on both fares [Carnival's and Royal Caribbean's] to ensure the prospect is fully awareof the conditions/restrictions on this nonrefundable deposit fare."

Why? If the client with a Royal Caribbean nonrefundable deposit reservationwishes to change ship or sailing date, that clientwill incur a $100 per person change fee.Or, it's a deduction of $100 from any future cruise credit. Carnival's change fees are $50 for both of those circumstances, he notes.

Early Booking Incentive

If the nonrefundable deposit fare reservation is being made farther out than six months prior to sailing, Royal Caribbean will provide an Early Booking Incentivefor bookings of interior, ocean view, balcony and suite category accommodations.

On cruises of one to five nights, the incentives range from $25 for interior and oceanview stateroom bookings to $50 for balcony stateroomand suite bookings.

On cruises of six or more nights, those early booking incentives are $50 and $100, respectively.

In a help document for agents, Royal Caribbean summarizes thekey points of the new nonrefundable deposit fare andshowsagents how to add in future cruise certificates for the new fare within the Espresso reservations system.

A separate Q&A documenttackles more nitty-gritty questions such as what happens if the client wishes to downgrade from a suite to a balcony stateroom, or is it possible to switch from nonrefundable to a regular deposit fare later?

A trainingwebcast also can be viewed atwww.cruisingpower.com.

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Royal Caribbean to Introduce New Non-Refundable Deposit Fares - Travel Agent

Newser

US Tourist Shot While on Caribbean Vacation Newser (Newser) An American tourist vacationing in the Caribbean with his family was medically evacuated to Florida Friday after being shot outside his resort in what police are investigating as an attempted robbery. According to WTVM, Kevin Newman of ... Dad is left in coma after being shot during robbery on dream holiday to Caribbean paradise islands Turks and CaicosThe Sun Fundraiser for Tiffany Newman by April Browning Herring : Medical Expenses For Kevin Newman - GoFundMeGoFundMe American tourist robbed, shot in Turks and Caicos is medically evacuated to USABC News all 24 news articles »

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US Tourist Shot While on Caribbean Vacation - Newser

Troops from the east African division serving in Burma. Photo Credit: DW

The U.K. recently unveiled a monument in remembrance of the thousands of African and Caribbean soldiers who fought and died in the service of the kingdom during the First and Second World Wars.

The monument, formed of two 6-feet (1.8m) long obelisks, is sculpted from Scottish whinstone and weighs just under 5 tons, according to the BBC.

Described as the first of its kind in the U.K., the monument carries the names of the African and Caribbean regiments in both wars.

The world wars memorial in Windrush Square, Brixton Photo Credit: BBC

U.K. Defense Secretary Sir Michael Fallon described the recognition as long overdue Thursday.

I hope this memorial will remind us of the ongoing contribution of our African and Caribbean communities to our country and to the defense of our country, Fallon said.

Black Service

A photo of three African soldiers taken during the Second World War. Photo credit: BBC

Thousands of able-bodied young men from British colonies in Africa and the Caribbean volunteered to serve in the Army and Navy, after Britain joined World War I in 1914.

In some cases, though, men were forcefully conscripted when they went to visit a local market or through the orders of a local chief.

The bulk of their numbers came from British colonies, including Nigeria, the Gambia, Rhodesia (Zimbabwe), South Africa, Sierra Leone, Uganda, Nyasaland (Malawi), Kenya, the Gold Coast (Ghana), and Jamaica.

Many men would go on to fight in the deserts of North Africa, the jungles of Burma, and over the skies of Germany.

A group of colored Royal Air Force officers during World War II. Front row, from left: [1] unknown, from Jamaica or Belize; [2] Dusty Miller, from Guyana; [3] S/L Corbett (liason); [4] Ulric Cross, from Trinidad; [5] Johnny Smythe, from Sierra Leone; [6] Mark Walker, from Trinidad; Second row from left: [1] E.A. Gordon from Jamaica; [4] Percy Messiah, from Trinidad; [5] possibly his brother C.A. Messiah from Trinidad; [6] Vivian Thomas from Manchester, Jamaica; [7] Jellicoe Scoon from Grenada. Third row from left: [1] E.R Braithwaite from Guyana. Photo credit: Caribbean Aircrew

Speaking at the unveiling ceremony, Mayor of London Sadiq Khansaid, Britain owes an enormous debt to the African and Caribbean service men and women who fought alongside their British-based peers during the First and Second World Wars.

These brave individuals, who came from what was formerly the British Empire, sacrificed an enormous amount to defend the freedoms that we now enjoy.

The Department of Communities and Local Government provided 80,000 in funding for the project, which is located at the Windrush Square in Brixton.

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UK Unveils Memorial for African, Caribbean Soldiers Who Served During World Wars - Face2Face Africa

Head of the European Union Delegation to Barbados, the Eastern Caribbean States, the OECS, and CARICOM-CARIFORUM, Ambassador Daniela Tramacere. (Photo Credit: Desmond Brown/IPS)

By Desmond Brown

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, Monday June 26, 2017, IPS A senior European Union (EU) official in the Caribbean said Europe is ready to continue the global leadership on the fight against climate change, including helping the poor and vulnerable countries in the region.

Underlining the challenges posed by climate change, Head of the European Union Delegation to Barbados, the Eastern Caribbean States, the OECS, and CARICOM/CARIFORUM, Ambassador Daniela Tramacere made it clear that the EU has no plan to abandon the extraordinary Agreement reached in Paris in 2015 by nearly 200 countries.

Climate change is a challenge we can only tackle together and, since the beginning, Europe has been at the forefront of this collective engagement. Today, more than ever, Europe recognizes the necessity to lead the way on its implementation, through effective climate policies and strengthened cooperation to build strong partnerships, Tramacere said.

Now we must work as partners on its implementation. There can be no complacency. Too much is at stake for our common good. For Europe, dealing with climate change is a matter of political responsibility and multilateral engagement, as well as of security, prevention of conflicts and even radicalization. In this, the European Union also intends to support the poorest and most vulnerable.

For all these reasons, the European Union will not renegotiate the Paris Agreement. We have spent 20 years negotiating. Now it is time for action, the worlds priority is implementation, she added.

The 2015 Paris deal, which seeks to keep global temperature rises well below 2 degrees C, entered into force late last year, binding countries that have ratified it to draw up specific climate change plans. The Caribbean countries, the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries and the EU played a key role in the successful negotiations.

On June 1 this year, President Donald Trump said he will withdraw the United States from the landmark agreement, spurning pleas from U.S. allies and corporate leaders.

The announcement was met with widespread dismay and fears that the decision would put the entire global agreement in peril. But to date, there has been no sign that any other country is preparing to leave the Paris agreement.

Tramacere noted that together with the global 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda, the Paris Agreement has the potential to significantly accelerate the economic and societal transformation needed in order to preserve a common future.

As we address climate change with an eye on the future, we picture the creation of countless opportunities, with the establishment of new and better ways of production and consumption, investment and trade and the protection of lives, for the benefit of the planet, she said.

To accelerate the transition to a climate friendly environment, we have started to strengthen our existing partnerships and to seek and find new alliances, from the worlds largest economies to the most vulnerable island states. From the Arctic to the Sahel, climate change is a reality today, not a remote concept of the future.

However, to deliver the change that is needed and maintain the political momentum, it is vital that the targets pledged by countries and their adaptation priorities are now translated into concrete, actionable policies and measures that involve all sectors of the economy. This is why the EU has decided to channel 40 percent of development funding towards climate-related projects in an effort to accelerate countries commitment to the process, Tramacere said.

The EU has provided substantial funding to support climate action in partner countries and Tramacere said it will also continue to encourage and back initiatives in vulnerable countries that are climate relevant as well as safe, sustainable energy sources.

For the Caribbean region, grant funding for projects worth 80 million (US$89.7 million) is available, Tramacere said, noting that the aim is twofold: to improve resilience to impacts of climate change and natural disasters and to promote energy efficiency and development of renewable energy.

This funding will be complemented by substantial financing of bankable climate change investment programmes from the European Investment Bank and other regional development banks active in the region. With the Global Climate Change Alliance (GCCA) instrument, the European Union already works with agencies in the Caribbean such as the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) or the Caribbean Climate Change Community Center (5Cs), Tramacere said.

In November this year, countries will gather in Bonn for the next UN climate conference COP23 to continue to flesh out the work programme for implementing the Paris Agreement.

Next year, the facilitative dialogue to be held as part of the UN climate process will be the first opportunity since Paris to assess what has been done concretely to deliver on the commitments made. These are key steps for turning the political agreement reached in Paris into reality.

The challenges identified in the Paris Agreement are of unprecedented breadth and scale. We need enhanced cooperation and coordination between governments, civil society, the private sector and other key actors, Tramacere said.

Initiatives undertaken not only by countries but also by regions, cities and businesses under the Global Climate Action Agenda have the potential to transform the impact on the ground. Only together will we be able to live up to the level of ambition we have set ourselves and the expectations of future generations. The world can continue to count on Europe for global leadership in the fight against climate change.

Caribbean countries are highly vulnerable and a significant rise in global temperatures could lead to reduced arable land, the loss of low-lying islands and coastal regions, and more extreme weather events in many of these countries. Many urban in the region are situated along coasts, and Caribbean islands are susceptible to rising sea levels that would damage infrastructure and contaminate freshwater wetlands.

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Europe Stands by Caribbean on Climate Funding - Caribbean360.com (subscription)