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Jamaican-American 911 operator honored for saving life

The Broward County Commissioners proclaimed April 2017 as National 911 Education Month. Earlier this week, the Commission awarded two county 911 operators, Erin Kafka and Charmaine Buckner, for outstanding performance during the execution of their duties.

Both operators were awarded the 2017 Tom Gallagher Memorial Public Safety Award.

Kafka works for the Coral Springs Police Department, and was honored for the sense of calm she displayed during a   911 call she received during a deadly shooting incident at the Coral Spring Mall last November.

Buckner, assigned to the Broward County Sherriff Office, was honored for the role she played in dispatching fire and police rescuers to save the life of an infant in Pembroke Pines from drowning last year.

Buckner is a veteran of seventeen and one-half years at the BSO. The Jamaican who migrated to the US when she was age-5, and currently resides in Atlantis, Palm Beach County, says he became a Communications 911 Operator “by accident.” She said while working at the State Attorney office, she accompanied a friend to a job fair and was encouraged to apply for the job for which there were vacancies.

She applied, was interviewed, had background check conducted, and was accepted to the Sheriff’s Academy where she underwent training. She has no regrets regarding her job, although it can be stressful and takes time away from her family.

“It’s a mentally challenging job, so it can be quite mentally tiring, but I cope by letting everything go at the end of the day, and by exercising. I try to get sufficient exercise to cope with the stress.”

Regarding her family life, the wife and mother of two says  the long hours, normally 12-hour shifts, often takes away from time she would normally spend with her family on holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners. She ways she works most weekends, and in her almost 18-years on the job “I have had weekends off during three years.”

She says the most important thing about her job is it offers her an opportunity to “really help people.”

She encourages Caribbean-Americans to enter the profession if they care about helping people. “Despite the long and demanding shifts, the pay and benefits, especially the pension plan are good, and the job is exciting and challenging.”

Expressing humility, Buckner doesn’t regard the incident which played a role in her being honored as an act of bravery. “I was just doing my job.” She said when the frantic caller called screaming about a child in danger of drowning, the caller hung up without identifying the address where the child was in danger. Buckner said she to used the “longitude and latitude coordinates” of the call to identify the location that call came from. By doing this she was able to quickly dispatch fire and police rescue to the location to save the child.

Buckner expressed great honor at being awarded by the County, after so many years on the job.

Woman is now Miami Garden’s top cop

In the City of Miami gardens where within the last two years two male police chiefs have either been terminated, or resigned early in their assignment, a woman police officer, Delma K. Noel Pratt, a 24 year veteran, has been appointed the police chief of that city, effective May 1.

The historical announcement of the city’s first female African police chief was made by city manager Cameron Benson on Tuesday. Later in the day Mayor Oliver Gilbert hailed Chief Noel-Pratt’s appointment say he is “excited” to welcome her as the police chief.

Some citizens were surprised to hear of Noel-Pratt’s appointment. Although they were aware that a new chief would be appointed to fill the vacancy after former Police Chief Antonio Brooklen resigned last year, some were surprised it was not filled by Acting Police Chief, Cynthia Mechanic..

“I can’t understand why the city officials did not hire the acting chief,” said city resident Lydia Wynfield, a middle school teacher.

However, Reverend Horace Ward, pastor of the Holy Family Episcopal Church in Miami Gardens, and a member of the city’s Citizen Advisory Board said according to information he received, Mechanic didn’t apply for the position. “She was called out of retirement or from being on the verge of retirement to act as police chief when Chief Brooklen resigned,” Ward said.Rev, Ward said he was not aware of the appointment of the new chief until he was advised on Tuesday. He says he has not met her, but from what he has heard she appears “to be well suited and capable to lead the city’s law enforcement responsibility.”

Chief Noel-Pratt Noel-Pratt’s began her law enforcement career with the City of Miami Police Department in 1989 as a public service aide. In 1993 she joined the Miami-Dade Police Department as a certified police officer, rising to the position of Major.  In 2013, she was appointed to Division Chief and was assigned to the county’s North Operations, with responsibility for command and control of all functions within the Court Services, Economic Crimes, Narcotics, Homeland Security and Warrants Bureaus.

“The city of Miami Gardens is fortunate to have a leader of her caliber, expertise, and talent in service of the greater Miami Gardens’ community,” said City Manager Benson. 

The new police chief regards her appointment as giving hope to young black women, as it signifies to them that irrespective of the challenges they face “anything is possible.” She says she wants her achievements to be an inspiration and an example to other female police officers.

Faced with the challenge to curb a persistent crime rate in the primarily African and Caribbean-American populated city, Chief Noel-Pratt says her strategy to do this include increasing community policing, engaging the community and making the police more visible in the community. She says she wants the city’s residents to know that she is “here for them and don’t intend to let them down.”

Recipe: Plait Bread (Guyana)

Plait Bread

Tired of the usual white bread bought at your local grocery store? Ever wanted to create your own bread? Try Guyanese Plait Bread, paired perfectly with Guyanese Pepper Pot.

What you’ll need:

  • 3 ½ cups of all-purpose flour
  • 1 tbsp dry yeast
  • 1 ¼ cup plus 1 tbsp warm water
  • ¼ cup of melted butter
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • 1 egg yolk + 1 tsp water

What you’ll need to do:

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
  2. In a large bowl add warm water and sugar, add yeast and let sit for 10 minutes
  3. Add flour, melted butter, and salt and mix to form a dough
  4. Add 2 tablespoon and knead for 5 to 10 minutes.
  5. Cover bowl with a cloth and set aside in a warm place to allow dough to rise for 45 minutes
  6. After 45 minutes remove from bowl and place on floured surface. Knead for 2 minutes and a form into a smooth ball.
  7. Cut the dough into 3 even pieces and roll each piece into 14-inch logs
  8. Braid the logs to form a loaf. Press the ends together and tuck underneath to form a loaf shape.
  9. Let the loaf self-rise for another 45 minutes.
  10. In a small bowl, add egg yolk and water and mix. Use this mixture to brush on the top of the dough
  11. Place the dough in over and bake for 30 minutes
  12. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
  13. Serve to hungry friends and family.

Hezron to launch The Life I Live (d) at the Gardens

Reggae artiste Hezron has had his share of trials including being refused the privilege to travel to the United States for almost a decade. Now that he has been given another chance to enter the country, Hezron is using the opportunity to launch his sophomore album, The Life I Live (d).

The album will be launched in Fort Lauderdale at the Gardens. It is a double disc offering from which the Rastafarian singer will be showcasing several songs on April 9 during an up close and personal performance. He will be accompanied by the Code Red Band and the event will be bolstered by a cameo appearance from ‘the Ganagalee’, Louis Culture, who is featured on The Life I Live (d).

Hezron has been an artiste who has not been swayed by the lure of the flashy lifestyle and hype that is often associated with music that offers less to the brain and more to the hips. He has definitely kept his head above the mire of rhymes and beats and has stayed true to the mantra of Rastafari and used his talent to portray peace, love and upliftment.

Reggae is his first love and an art form that has brought him Global recognition, but Hezron is now above experimenting with other genres and as such has delved into the rhythm and blues groove. A move which has been reaping dividends from audiences across the entertainment landscape.

The artiste sees his ten-year hiatus from the U.S as a blessing rather than a setback as it has afforded him time to deep dig and create new message music for his fans.

“As a singer, I am supposed to tell the people’s story, to feel it the way they would feel it and execute it in the realest way, because that’s me, a representative of the people,” he said.

The album was released on March 25 on all major digital platforms.

Illegal poachers held in Jamaican waters…again

For the second time in just over a week, the Jamaica Defence Force Coast Guard has collared illegal poachers in Jamaican waters.

Last Wednesday April 5, a team of JDF Coast Guard soldiers on board one of the newly acquired Offshore Patrol Vessels, HMJS Cornwall, were conducting routine patrols in a vicinity South of the Pedro Cays. The team spotted a suspicious vessel in the area and signaled them to halt, before carrying out a boarding and search. The vessel was later found with 59 Dominican Republic nationals on board and more than 7,675 pounds of fish in storage.

All 59 men were detained and the vessel seized and towed to the JDF Coast Guard Base at Cagway in Port Royal.

Within hours of intercepting that first vessel, the JDF Coast Guard team was alerted to a second fishing vessel in the vicinity experiencing mechanical difficulties.

Upon boarding it to carry out repairs and an inspection, 23 Jamaicans and more than 5,480 pounds of fish were discovered. None of the men has a license to fish. They were also detained their boat seized.

This week’s operations brings to 114, the number of illegal fishermen caught in Jamaican waters in just over a week.

On Sunday, March 26, 32 fishermen from the Dominican Republic were caught by the same HMJS Cornwall crew, about 120 miles south of Jamaica and close to the Pedro Cays. The estimated value of all three seizures is approximately $16.5m, at a weight of over 33,000 pounds.

According to Major Basil Jarrett, Civil Military Cooperation Officer for the JDF, these arrests are nothing new.

“The JDF Coast Guard is the country’s only Maritime Law Enforcement agency in these offshore waters and so it is our duty to routinely patrol the extensive range of our maritime domain. These patrols have the capability to detect and the authority to arrest foreign nationals in our waters and so we have standard operating procedures for handling these cases. This typically involves us working closely with the Ministries of Health and Foreign Affairs a well as the maritime police and the Passport Immigration and Citizenship Agency (PICA).”

US missile launch strikes “significant blow” to US-Russia relations

In response to Tuesday’s chemical attack on Syrian town, Khan Sheikhoun, killing over 80 people, President Trump retaliated by launching 59 Tomahawk cruise missiles at a Syrian Shayrat airbase Thursday night from a US naval ship.

According to several Syrian reports, the missiles destroyed a warehouse of material and technical property, a training building, a canteen, six MIG-23 aircraft in repair hangars, nine planes, and a radar station. Reportedly killing six people.

“Tonight, I ordered a targeted military strike on the air field in Syria from where the chemical attack was launched,” Trump said from his Mar-a-Lago resort, where he ordered the launch.

He added, “There can be no dispute that Syria used banned chemical weapons, violated its obligations under the Chemical Weapons Convention and ignored the urging of the UN Security Council.”

Syrian President, Bashar al-Assad, released a statement that said the American missile strikes, which were response to a chemical weapons attack in Idlib Province on Tuesday was the result of a “false propaganda campaign.”

Syria has denied it has chemically bombed its own people and denies having chemical weapons, claiming the “terrorists” could have used chemical weapons themselves.

Russia, Syria’s alley, condemned the missile strike, calling it an “act of aggression.”

Russian Prime Minister, Dmitry Medvedev, said the action taken by the American was in breach of international law and their own internal procedures, and “barely avoiding combat clashes with Russia”.

However, the US claims they warned Russia one hour before the missile launch to avoid any Russian military casualties during the airstrike.

According to reports from BBC, Russia has promised to strengthen Syria’s anti-aircraft defenses after the US attack.

Dmitri S. Peskov, a spokesman for President Vladimir Putin, said the missile strikes represented a “significant blow” to American-Russian ties.

Bahram Ghasemi, a spokeman for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, said in a statement that his government condemned the missile strikes, saying that they would lead to “to strengthening of failing terrorists”.

Michael Fallon, the British defense secretary, was in support of the missile strike.

“One of the purpose of this very limited and appropriate action was to deter the regime from using gas in this appalling way,” Fallon told BBC reporters.

Other countries such as Isreal and Saudi Arabia were also in support of the missile attack.

US Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson, will make his first visit to Russia next week to discuss relations with the communist country.

Rastas not satisfied with Government’s apology

Legal advisor to the Coral Gardens Benevolent Society, Miguel Lorne, has described the apology issued by the Jamaican government to the Rastafarian community for the Coral Gardens Massacre as unsatisfactory.

Prime Minister, Andrew Holness, had on Tuesday apologized and announced that a J$10 million fund for reparations to the victims had been set aside. Some 21 families have been identified as being victims of the assault by agents of the state.

Holness also announced that six plots at the site of the first formal Rastafarian commune, Pinnacle in St Catherine would be set aside and marked as heritage sites in honor of the Rastafarian faith, which has been responsible for placing Jamaica on the map, through Reggae Music, vegetarian cuisine and other lifestyles.

But Lorne was not impressed. The attorney at law said Holness did not do enough as the apology should have been issued to the entire Rastafarian community and not just the victims of the fateful April 1963 incident.

“The apology falls short, while we accept the apology, because it is a start it is not enough. You must apologise to the Rastari community worldwide

Seven Rastafarians were killed by police and dozens more inured after bearded men set a gas station alight and killed its owner during a land dispute in the St James community. In the aftermath of the arson attack, the rastas and a policeman were killed and another policeman chopped several times and hospitalized for months as a result of his injuries.

That incident sparked a nationwide persecution against rastas, endorsed by National Hero and former Prime Minister, Alexander Bustamante.

That, Lorne said, has not been addressed as many Rastafarians who had nothing to do with the Coral Gardens incident faced the wrath of the state who called on the populace to help round up, maul and trim rastas.

“Rastas in Portland, Manchester, Kingston and all over the island felt the hands of the police and the citizens, who were paid one guinea for every Rasta they brought in. It spilled over even a decade after the atrocities. I myself suffered from persecution. I was fired from the Half Way Tree Court after two weeks when they found out I had locks. When I graduated from law school the Justices in the High Court held a meeting and voted whether or not they would allow me to practice law. Families would put out their own children who decided to become rastas. Rastas were stoned and beaten. They were not accepted on public transport and had to travel in gullies. So an apology to the victims is barely enough,” Lorne said.

Lorne said the police and the courts in particular were merciless against Rastas as many brethren would be imprisoned for periods of up to seven years for the possession of a marijuana spliff.

He also had problems with the amount of money that the government had decided on as reparations for what he described as a most heinous act.

“That amount is disrespectful. We cannot accept that. For what has been suffered they should offer much more than that and we may seek legal redress,” he said.

Rastafarian author, filmmaker and former senator Barbara Blake Hannah was a more reserved in her view of the government’s apology.

“For me, the apology is long overdue and I am glad it finally came, especially from a JLP government. The $10Million is a good start. I know that more is coming including land. The meetings to be held with the Coral Gardens Benevolent Society will sort out how they want to use it. I personally hope that it will be placed on deposit and the interest used to finance not only the needs of the 21 families presently identified, but to invest in businesses, farms and other means of income. Some will say it’s not enough and that it should amount to the entire budget of Jamaica today, but to be realistic it’s a good beginning,” she said.

Kingston’s mayor: “You’ll be safe in Kingston”

kingston

Attempting to attract visitors to Jamaica’s capital city, Mayor of Kingston Delroy Williams has assured South Florida residents who make up a sizeable portion of the Jamaican Diaspora, that they’ll be safe whenever they choose to visit Kingston.

The city was once known for its vibrant nightlife and was a destination of choice for visitors to the Caribbean island. However, crime and poor infrastructural development resulted in the drastic decline of visitor arrivals over the past two decades.

Now, many visitors opt to travel to Jamaica’s north coast resorts and stay in all-inclusive hotels rather than visit Kingston.

But Mayor Williams says a number of measures have been implemented, and others are in the pipeline that will make a visit to Jamaica’s bustling capital an enjoyable and hazard free one.

Speaking to CNW during his recent visit to South Florida where he addressed a town hall meeting in conjunction with Mayor Wayne Messam of Miramar, Williams assured potential visitors that they had very little to fear.

“We have been dealing with the issue of public order in the city. The issue of crime is one that the central government and the KSAC are working feverishly on. The government has just drafted a comprehensive anti-crime plan which is workable. We are confident it will bear fruit.  We have more than a million people travelling to the city daily, and about 600,000 at night, and very few persons are victims of crime. You will be safe when you visit Kingston!” Williams emphasized.

Despite having a relatively high murder rate, visitors to Jamaica are rarely affected as the country is hugely dependent on tourism. Most murder victims are killed during gang conflicts in concentrated hot spots.

“We know there are issues, but as a visitor you are unlikely to be harmed if you act as you would in any city around the world. Kingston is no different,” the mayor said.

Williams also cited the government would be implementing measures to ensure the visitor experience is enhanced. Historic sites like the Ward Theater and the Victoria Craft Market would be upgraded to “first world status.”

Downtown Kingston has been earmarked for  infrastructural development through the Kingston Restoration initiative being undertaken by private sector and non-profit organizations.

A number of private companies including GraceKennedy and Digicel, have constructed modern offices close to the Kingston waterfront. Plans are also afoot to relocate the Police Commissioner’s Office in downtown, Kingston.

The mayor also said, housing in communities in and around Kingston will be improved.

“We have to ensure housing and community facilities in and around downtown, Kingston is suitable. We understand that improving the standard of living residents in these communities is essential to improving the city,” Williams said.

Williams and Mayor Messam have both signaled their intention to fast track the twinning of both cities and to cement plans to bolster bilateral  relations, trade and cultural exchange.

70,000 child abuse cases recorded in Jamaica in eight years

The Office of the Children’s Registry (OCR) in Jamaica has released mind-boggling data revealing that close to 70,000 cases of child abuse were reported in Jamaica over eight years, from 2007.

The data also show a disturbing increase in the number of cases reported in 2015.

OCR Registrar Grieg Smith, reported that 13,948 reports were received in 2015, this represents an increase of about 19 per cent over the previous year.

Smith was speaking at the Child Month 2017 media launch held on Thursday morning at GraceKennedy Limited headquarters in downtown Kingston.

Of the reports tallied, 9,883 represented children who were being reported to the OCR for the first time. Of this number, 55 per cent were girls, 43 per cent were boys, while the gender for the remaining two per cent was not specified.

“Unlike the previous year where there was a decline in the number of ‘first reports’ observed, there was a 15 per cent increase in the number of new cases received in 2015,” Smith said.

“Neglect continues to be the most common report received by the OCR over the years,” he said. “Fifty-one per cent of the total reports made to the OCR in 2015 had elements of neglect. The other categories which featured high percentages were children in need of care and protection (41 per cent), those who exhibited behavioural problems (35 per cent) and children who were sexually abused (27 per cent).”

Smith stressed that a holistic approach to protecting children requires an equally holistic coalition of partners and urged Jamaicans to work together with child care agencies as well as the Government to protect and secure the future of the nation’s children.

Protesters arrested for attempting to block Chinese President’s car in Palm Beach

Five protesters were arrested after they attempted to run in front of a vehicle transporting Chinese President Xi Jinping to Palm Beach, Florida on Thursday for his summit at President Donald Trump’s Mar al Lago estate.

The protesters were charged with obstruction or resisting arrest as Xi Jinping’s motorcade moved from the airport to his room at the Eau Palm Beach Resort and Spa in Manalapan, At least three of these protesters tried to jump in front of Xi’s car, but were subdued by police. 

Protesters lined the motorway to express their opposition to the Chinese government. Some held up placards which read: “Free Tibet now,” “the Chinese communist party is gangsters, mafia and evil,”  and, “Xi Jinping Suck!”

.However, the protesters were outnumbered by Chinese government supporters who lined the motorway dressed in red, waving both Chinese and American flags to greet Xi. 

The Vietnamese and Chinese supporters engaged each other in shouting matches and jostling but matters never got out of hand despite the tense atmosphere.

National Weekly April 6, 2017

Elaine Thompson to headline women’s 100 meters in Shangai

Olympic sprint double champion Elaine Thompson will be the headliner in women’s 100 metres at the Shanghai Diamond League meeting on May 13.

Thompson will be challenged by Olympic silver medalist Tori Bowie and Trinidad and Tobago’s Michelle Lee Ahye.

Thompson, 24, became the first ever Jamaican woman to win an Olympic sprint double and the first woman in 28 years to achieve the feat.

Michelle Lee Ahye TTO
Lee Ahye..to challenge double Olympic champion Elaine Thompson in Shangai Diamond League

She will also run against fellow Jamaican Veronica Campbell Brown, Olympic long jump champion, Tianna Bartoletta, and the Ivory Coast’s fast-rising star Marie-Josée Ta Lou, in a powerhouse field.

In the men’s sprint, veterans Kim Collins and American Justin Gatlin will go up against home talent, Su Bingtian.

The half-lap sprint will feature Britain’s 2014 European champion Adam Gemili, Netherland’s European 100m champion, Churandy Martina, Jamaica’s Julian Forte, and Panama’s 2009 world silver medallist Alonso Edward.

Two-time world and 2008 Olympic 400m champion LaShawn Merritt will also line up in the 200 meters along with Chinese record-holder Xie Zhenye.

GraceKennedy contemplates local production of “Bully Beef”

Jamaican manufacturing and distribution company, GraceKennedy is exploring contemplating producing corned beef.

This follows the recent implementation of a ban on the importation of the product from Brazil based on reports that several major meat processers were “selling rotten beef and poultry”.

Jamaica and other countries in the region have since lifted the ban but GraceKennedy is now interested in producing a “home grown” product.

“We recognize that innovation requires thinking outside of the box and because we priorities local production and pursue every opportunity to do so, I have asked the innovation team to look at what it would take to produce corned beef at Grace Food Processors –  our meat processing plant in Westmoreland,” said GraceKennedy CEO, Don Wehby.

The company’s meat processing plant produces a wide range of products including Grace Vienna Sausages, frankfurters and ham.

“It would be great if we could deliver to our consumers “Grace Bully Beef”, manufactured in Savanna-La-mar, Jamaica,” he said adding that the team will explore this innovation and “provide a report to me as soon as possible.”

However, Agriculture Minister Karl Samuda says the proposal might not be practical.

“I don’t think at the moment that we are in a position to produce our own corned beef.  When you talking about the production 4,800 factories in Brazil produce at a volume that the economies of scale would strip us dry, we wouldn’t be able to competitive ….. so we import those things,” Samuda said.

The ban on corned beef manufactured in the South American country was lifted following a report that was submitted by a Jamaican delegation that went to Brazil to meet with authorities and inspected operations.

Based on the positive findings, the ban was lifted.

According to Wehby, the government’s decision is reflective of the due diligence in protecting the health and safety of Jamaica’s citizens .

Lauderhill Lions youth teams shine in Naples tournament

The young soccer players who represent the Lauderhill Lions Football team turned in impressive performances in the KickOff tournament at the North Collier Regional Park in Naples, Florida last weekend.

The  teams, who featured youth from the under 9, under 10 and under 11 age categories did not come up winners but were beaten finalists in the two older age group tournaments and came away with high praises for the organizational play and true grit.

The under 10 and under 11 teams both made the finals of the Naples Kickoff. The under 10 team competed in the Silver division and suffered their only defeat in the finals. Their determination, grit, passion and skill were all on display.  The team came up with 4-0, 3-0 and 2-2 results in their first three encounters, but were outclassed in the final 3-0 by Bonita Springs.

Midfielder Brandon Camron was voted most valuable player, while Jamar Smith won the top goal scorer award for his three goals.

The under 11 team played in the Gold division and similar to their younger counterparts had a dream run to the finals but could not get past Cape Coral Danish Lions in the final which the lost 2-0.

The teams were conditioned by executive coach Keith Davis and his assistants Rajiv Moncrieffe, Damion Tomlin and Patrick Lewin.

Trinbago Red Force, Jamaica score victories in Lauderhill T20

The Trinbago Red Force and Jamaica returned to winning ways in the Lauderhill T20 night cricket tournament at the Lauderhill Park on Saturday night.

The Red Force handed Combined Islands their first loss while defending champions Jamaica kept their unbeaten streak intact with a comprehensive six wicket win over India, guaranteeing themselves a playoff spot in the process.

In the opening encounter the Trinbago Red Force scored  an impressive  to 193 for 4 in the allotted 20 overs with former USA National representative Timothy Surajbally slamming 52 including seven fours and two sixes. Neil Mungal scored with 28 while Jason Holder got 27 and Ken Singh 26. Bowling for the Combined Islands N. Thomas claimed 1 for 20, D. Brathwaite 1 for 33, P. Davis 1 for 37 and G. White 1 for 43.

In reply, Combined Islands were dismissed for 107 in 18 overs with Joey Pierre top scoring with 15 not out.  G. White chipped in with 14. while A. Scott and R. Forbes both scored 13. Bowling for Trinbago Red Force, K. Khan was the wrecker-in-chief claiming 5 for 13 and S. Babula bagging 3 for 19.

Jamaica, registered their fourth consecutive victory after winning the toss and electing to take first strike, the Jamaicans piled up 246 for 5 with Omari Williams and Danza Hyatt entertaining the large crowd at the Lauderhill Sports Park. Williams shared two successive half century partnerships, putting on 72 with fellow opener Steven Taylor (35) and former Jamaica and West Indies player Hyatt. Williams ended on 85 from 52 balls including nine fours and four sixes while Hyatt smashed 80 from 36 balls laced with three fours and nine huge sixes. Bowling for India, P. Shetty claimed 2 for 50 and P. Pareekh 1 for 25.

In reply, the Indian batsmen scratched around against the Jamaican bowlers and ended on 102 in 16.5 overs. Batting for India, D. Persaud scored 25 whilst V. Dokur got 19 and A. Pareekh 18. Bowling for Jamaica, game MVP Omari Williams bagged 3 for 20, E. Watson 2 for 16 and H. Johnson snared 2 for 20.

The tournament continues on Saturday, April 18, 2017 starting at 5pm with Barbados All-Stars v. Pakistan follow by Jamaica v. Combined Islands at 8:00pm. All matches are played at the Lauderhill Sports Park

 

Report: 582 people in Broward lost lives to drug overdose in 2016

Its Thursday, April 6. We are looking at some of the top stories across your Caribbean-American community. Welcome…….I’m……, and you’re watching CNW 90. Your coverage today is brought to you by Grace Soups. Spice up your kitchen with Grace soups today. Genuine Caribbean taste enjoyed worldwide.

The Jamaican government has apologized to the Rastafarian community for atrocities committed against them by the police at Coral Gardens in St James in 1963. Prime Minister Andrew Holness issued a formal apology on behalf of the Government during a presentation in Parliament on Tuesday. Holness said that the incident was a grave injustice and acknowledged that it took place at a time when it was considered appropriate to use state machinery against citizens.

The Office of Medical Examiner and Trauma Services has revealed that 582 people lost their lives to drug overdoses in Broward County in 2016, more than double the amount in 2014, and up by 260 deaths from 2015. The latest trend among drug dealers is to lace or replace heroin with f cheaply made synthetic drugs. In South Florida, someone overdoses on these powerful drugs every two hours

The main opposition Free National Movement (FNM) in Bahamas says it regards the upcoming general election as a referendum on failed government leadership and urged Bahamians to ensure they are registered to vote by April 10. The country’s Parliament will be dissolved on April 11.

And in sports…

Former 100-metre world record holder Asafa Powell and 2003 World Champion Kim Collins will take on veteran American sprinter Justin Gatlin over 100 metres when the Diamond League kicks on in Doha, Qatar on  May 5. The three veterans will face challenges from Andre De Grasse, the 22-year-old Canadian who win bronze in the 100 metres in Rio last summer as well as silver in the 200 metres.

Here’s What’s trending

President Donald Trump defended Fox News’ host Bill O’Reilly against new allegations that he, Fox News and parent company 21st Century Fox had paid a total of $13 million in settlements to five women who accused him of sexual harassment or verbal abuse.

Trump said he thought O’Reilly was a good person and that he should not have settled with his accusers. O’Reilly has denied the merits of all the claims against him,

For Tomorrow’s weather forecast

It will be sunny in Broward, Palm Beach and Miami-Dade Counties with a high of 81 and a low of 57. For more on these and other stories, visit us online at caribbeannewsweekly.com. Make sure to pick up your copy of the Caribbean News Weekly at your nearest Caribbean American outlet.

Palm Beach County man stabs woman repeatedly in sacrifice killing attempt

A 19-year-old Boynton Beach man is facing an attempted first-degree murder charge in the stabbing of a woman in her apartment Tuesday night, city police said.

The accused, Benito Felipe Crisanto, reportedly left the apartment with about $3,000 in cash that the victim and her boyfriend kept in their bedroom at Gateway Boulevard and Congress Avenue, a police stated.

It wasn’t clear from the report, however, whether robbery was the only motive behind the attack. “I have to make a sacrifice,” the victim quoted Crisanto as saying while he was stabbing her, according to the report.

Besides attempted first-degree murder, he faces charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and robbery with a deadly weapon, police said.

The victim was admitted to the Delray Medical Center, said police, who described her condition as stable.

Police say they took Crisanto — known as “Phil” — into custody at a restaurant near the apartment complex on Congress Avenue. When officers asked Tuesday night who had stabbed her, she replied “Phil,” according to the police report.

The boyfriend, told officers he and Crisanto had been friends for about two years. He said the victim told him Crisanto, who lived near the apartments and the restaurant, had texted her to say he was coming to say goodbye before he moved to New York, according to the report.

The victim’s boyfriend said he was in the living room wearing headphones and playing on his computer when he heard her scream from the bedroom — something like, “Take the money,” the report said. He turned and saw Crisanto with a gun in his hand about two feet away.

The boyfriend told police he grabbed the gun and Crisanto fell to the ground while he tried to wrestle the weapon back, according to the report. The boyfriend was able to disarm Crisanto and ran outside, not knowing where his girlfriend was, police said.

The woman told police she tried to run out after her boyfriend, but Crisanto grabbed her by the waist, pulled her back and started stabbing her, according to the report.

The boyfriend told detectives he had $2,000 to $3,000 hidden in a Prilosec medication box in the top nightstand drawer, according to the report. The money was never found, but there was a blood trail leading from the bedroom entrance to the drawer, police said. There was also a large amount of blood found on and in the drawer and on the medication box, according to police. The report did not specify whose blood it was.

After she was stabbed multiple times, the victim told police she grabbed Crisanto and told him he could take the money from the night stand. He walked behind her with a knife as she went to the drawer and handed the money to him, according to the arrest report.

TT police warn of extortion scams on highway

The Trinidad and Tobago police Wednesday warned motorists to be careful of an extortion scam occurring on the Churchill Roosevelt Highway, the major east-west highway in Trinidad and Tobago that runs for 15 miles.

In a statement, the police said that the persons create a situation “where their vending carts make contact with the vehicle of an unsuspecting motorists.

“The scam artiste thereafter accuses the motorists of causing damage to his cart and proceeds under threat to extort money from the motorist,” the police warned.

The police said they are warning motorists who become involved in such “accidents” to make a report to the nearest police station and under no circumstance make “any private arrangements to settle” the matter.

“Persons who may have fallen victim  to this highway scam are urged to come forward and make a report to the police,” the statement added.

Political party in the Bahamas names shadow cabinet ahead of general election

A confident Democratic National Alliance (DNA) has named its shadow cabinet as Bahamians await the date for the next general election.

Prime Minister Perry Christie has already indicated that the Parliament will be dissolved on April 11 and that the writ for the poll will be issued on that day. He has however not yet made public, the date for the election.

But DNA leader, Branville McCartney, in a lengthy statement said  the party has been able to launch its “impressive slate of candidates comprised of some of the best and brightest in the world of finance, business, law, law enforcement, healthcare, labor and civil society”.

He said outside of the role of the Attorney General which, under the DNA will be an independently selected Bahamian chosen from civil society and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, “members of the Shadow Cabinet as outlined will speak to the issues plaguing their specific portfolios, offering not just an opposing view but a glimpse into how a DNA government will – in the short, medium and long term – reverse some of the distressing trends which have emerged in our 21st century Bahamas”.

McCartney, who said he will be responsible for National Security & Immigration, said that “in the coming weeks and days Bahamians will be able to see, hear and feel the DNA in a way that speaks to their needs at every level and through the voting public will usher in a new era of governance in our Bahamas”.

He described the “shadow cabinet” of comprising “patriotic Bahamians” and “qualified non-career politicians whose main goal is to bring effective transparent and accountable governance to the people of this country”.

The other two main political parties hoping that will contest the elections are the ruling Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) and the main opposition Free National Movement (FNM).

Caribbean nationals nabbed in immigration sweep

The United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency says it has arrested a number of Caribbean nationals in a three-day immigration sweep.

ICE said that the unidentified Caribbean nationals were among 31 foreigners arrested during the operation “targeting at-large criminal aliens, illegal re-entrants and immigration fugitives.”

ICE said the immigrants will be deported either after serving jail sentences or after an immigration judge hearing.

The authorities said that two Trinidad and Tobago nationals, two from Haiti and a Guyanese national were among the 29 men and two women nabbed during the operations with the others coming from  Mexico, the Dominican Republic, Guatemala ; Honduras;  El Salvador; Korea; Pakistan; Indonesia; Nepal and Colombia..

ICE said of the people arrested, 30 had criminal histories, including prior convictions for sex crimes, drug offenses and fraud. The other has a pending dangerous drug charge and a final order of removal.

Bahamas launches electronic bail system

The Bahamas has launched a new bail management system (BMS) allowing for the processing of bail applications, persons who are granted bail, suretors, as well as police station check-ins, to be done electronically.

The government said that the BMS represents a continued effort by the Office of the Attorney-General to crack down on persons acting as suretor for more than one person’s bail. The authorities said the system will also rely on biometrics – fingerprints and photos- to keep track of persons who have been granted bail with conditions.

The launch of the BMS comes after two amendments to the Bail Act passed in 2014 and 2015.

Pregnant Trinidad woman charged for stealing fast car

A pregnant Trinidadian has been charged with stealing a Mitsubishi Evolution race car.

Sharice Joseph, 23 of Arima woman appeared in court on Wednesday and was offered bail and ordered to return to court next month.

That court was told that on March 19 at Gulf View Link Road Jospeh stole the car valued $89,000.

Joseph was arrested last Saturday. Tthe car was not recovered.

She was given TT$75,000 bail with clerk of peace approval and $15,000 cash alternative. Joseph will return to court on May 3.

Guyana Government told to secure rights to oil sector

The former Commonwealth secretary general, Sir Shridath Ramphal is urging the Guyana government to ensure that it secures all rights to its recently discovered oil sector before the decades-old standoff with Venezuela enters a new phase.

“But we have to prepare properly; we have to secure that oil. We have to get rid of the Venezuela issue, and we have to do all that, as the lawyers say, seriatim; one after the other,’ The Guyana-born Sir Shridath told the state-owned Guyana Chronicle newspaper.

The border dispute between the two countries may be heading to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) if efforts by the United Nations to broker a deal by year-end fails.

The newly-appointed United Nations Secretary General Personal Representative on the so-called Good Offices Process, Dag Halvor Nylander, a former Norwegian diplomat, is expected in Guyana next week to meet with officials on the border issue.

“By the end of the year, if it doesn’t yield satisfactory progress of a solution, then we go to the ICJ. So we can look ahead to 2018 seeing us in the court, which we hope will put an end to this evil,” said Sir Shridath, who is also an advisor to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the Guyana-Venezuela border controversy.”

Guyana has been seeking to consolidate its oil and energy sector after the US oil giant, ExxonMobil recently announced that it had made another significant oil discovery on the Snoek Well offshore Guyana, in the Stabroek Block.

Bahamas opposition urges public to vote against government in upcoming election

Prime Minister Hubert Minnis

The main opposition Free National Movement (FNM) says it regards the upcoming general election as a “referendum on the failed government leadership” and urged Bahamians to ensure they are registered to vote by April 10.

Prime Minister Perry Christie said over the weekend that the Parliament would be dissolved on April 11 and also urged “all my fellow Bahamians to play their part in our democracy by registering to vote if they have not already done so, and to do so without further delay”.

No date has yet been announced for the polls but Prime Minister Christie did indicate that he would “cause the writs of elections to be issued the same day” the Parliament is dissolved.

In a statement, FNM leader, Dr. Hubert Minnis said the announcement of the election date “signals an opportunity for a referendum on the failed government leadership that has been the unfortunate experience of all Bahamians over the last five years.

St. Vincent to introduce legislation outlawing killing of orcas

The government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines says it will pass legislation outlawing the killing of orcas, after fishermen killed two of the marine mammals in the presence of a whale-watching group last week.

The killing of the orcas — commonly called killer whales – bring to six the number of the dolphins known to have been killed in St. Vincent since July 2015.

Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves said that the law to be introduced by his government,will be in keeping with an international ban that the country signed on to years ago.

Gonsalves made the announcement on radio five days after the two orcas were killed while being watched by some 40 cruise ship passengers on a whale and dolphin watching tour with a local operator.

Thomson Cruises, owners of TUI Discovery, the cruise ship on which the tourists arrived in St. Vincent, have since cancelled all of its whale and dolphin watch bookings with Fantasea Tours, the local operator that conducted the tours last week.

While on a radio programme on Tuesday, Gonsalves said that “the person or persons who were involved in killing the two ‘killer whales’, the orcas, … is a very hard working fisherman.

“But what he did was plain wrong. What he did, I want to emphasise this, what he did was plain wrong. Not just because it happened in front of tourists, but (because) he must not kill the orcas.”

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