Caribbean Life News Update – 20 December 2016

Caribbean Life News Update – 20 December 2016

Carib­bean RoundUp    

BY AZAD ALI | CARIBBEAN

The European Union EU) is funding a multi-million program INTERREG V Carib­bean to stren­gthen regional partne­rships, which was recently launched in St. Lucia.

A tiny tornado takes a leap of faith

BY TERRI SCHLICHENMEYER | BOOKS

It took a leap of faith.

A new job, a big move, a new skill, a major purchase, a ring on your finger and “I Do.” Even if you knew you were on the right path and you could handle whatever came next, you still felt like you were stepping off into the unknown. It defin­itely took a leap of faith but, as in the new book “Courage to Soar” by Simone Biles (with Michelle Burford), somet­imes, you just have to close your eyes and jump.

Weekly Previews That Make Choosing a Film Fun

BY KAM WILLIAMS | MOVIES

20th Century Women (R for sexua­lity, nudity, profa­nity and brief drug use) Tale of female empowe­rment, set in Santa Barbara during the summer of ‘79, revol­ving around the explor­ation of love and freedom by a landlady (Annette Bening), one of her tenants (Greta Gerwig) and her teenage son’s (Lucas Jade Zumann) BFF (Elle Fanning). With Billy Crudup, Alia Shawkat and Alison Elliott.

Denzel, Viola co-star in prize-winning play

BY KAM WILLIAMS | MOVIES

Back in 1987, Fences won both the Pulitzer Prize for Drama and the Tony Award for Best Play. The August Wilson classic, set in the Pitts­burgh in the Fifties, chron­icled the day-to-day struggle of a blue-collar, African-American family.

Queens College alumni’s first woman presi­dent moving group into 21st century

BY TANGERINE CLARKE | NEW YORK

Karen Wharton, the first woman to be unanim­ously voted in as Presi­dent of the Queen’s College Alumni Associ­ation, NY, is focused on mobil­izing the talents of former students and friends of the presti­gious school, to ensure the instit­ution receives the approp­riate resou­rces to advance into the 21st century.

Legend in La La Land!

BY KAM WILLIAMS | MOVIES

Ohio-born John Legend is an award-winning, platinum-selling singer-songw­riter. His work has garnered him 10 Grammy Awards, an Oscar and a Golden Globe, among others. A graduate of the Unive­rsity of Pennsy­lvania, where he studied English and African-American liter­ature, John partic­ipated in a wide range of musical activ­ities while in college.

Carib­bean hotel­iers stress impor­tance of tourism in US-Carib­bean relat­ions

BY NELSON A. KING

Carib­bean hotel­iers meeting in Miami are stres­sing the impor­tance of tourism in United States-Carib­bean relat­ions, saying it is key to both sides’ inter­ests.

Girts, enterta­inment, delight kids at Sen. Parker’s annual party

BY TANGERINE CLARKE | NEW YORK

The cheerful atmos­phere of Chris­tmas was felt by the little merry makers of District 21 in Brooklyn, who showed off their dance moves, sang carols, and enjoyed festive fare at the Flatbush YMCA.

Bolt is it! Usain again wins ‘World Athlete’ award

BY AZAD ALI | SPORTS

Jamaica sprint super­star Usain Bolt has won his record sixth Men’s Interna­tional Associ­ation of Athletes Feder­ation World Athlete Award, this time for his outsta­nding feats at the Summer Olympics in Rio, Brazil.

Brooklyn library compet­ition awards 19 winners

BY ALEXANDRA SIMON

The 13th PowerUP! Business Plan Compet­ition awarded three compet­itors with top prizes for their business plans at Brooklyn Central Library on Dec. 6.

Vincen­tians offers support for storm relief

BY NELSON A. KING

Vincen­tians in the United States on Sunday displ­ayed their true patri­otism by lending a helping hand, when most needed, and by provi­ding much-needed relief to natio­nals affected by the recent storms at home.

Feds crack down on Jamaican lottery scams

BY NELSON A. KING

This guy’s not a winner!

Tribute to the martyrs of Howard Beach circa 1996

BY VINETTE K. PRYCE

It’s hard to imagine that three decades have passed since the ill-fated tragedy in Howard Beach, Queens shocked the nation.

Guyana consu­late to address gun violence

BY TANGERINE CLARKE | NEW YORK

Guyana Consul General, Barbara Atherly said her 2017 planned programs would include gun violence and domestic abuse educa­tion in light of the recent tragic murder of 25-year old Alast­asia Bryan, one of the youngest corre­ction officers to serve at the Rikers Island Correc­tional facility.

Williams rallies for incre­ased temper­atures in reside­ntial build­ings

BY NELSON A. KING | NEW YORK

Brooklyn Council Member Jumaane D. Williams (D–Flatb­ush) on Monday held a rally on the steps of City Hall calling on the Adminis­tration to move forward with Intro 0722, a bill that would amend the minimum temper­ature to be maint­ained in reside­ntial dwell­ings overn­ight.

Surin­amese jailed in NY for consp­iring to import cocaine

BY NELSON A. KING

Preet Bharara, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, says that Edmund Quincy Muntslag, a citizen of Suriname, has been sente­nced in Manha­ttan federal court to 135 months in prison for consp­iring to import cocaine into the United States.

New St. Lucia envoy presents creden­tials to OAS

BY NELSON A. KING | CARIBBEAN

The Washi­ngton, D.C.-based Organi­zation of American States (OAS) says the new Perma­nent Represe­ntative of St. Lucia, Anton E. Edmunds, has prese­nted his creden­tials to the Secre­tary General of the hemisp­heric body, Luis Almagro.

Gains in Haiti cholera fight show more resou­rces can ensure ‘cholera will go’: Senior UN official

BY NELSON A. KING | CARIBBEAN

A senior United Nations official has stressed that recent succe­sses in the fight against cholera in Haiti demons­trate that when the U.N. and Haitian author­ities receive the neces­sary funds, real progress can be made, and that, event­ually, “cholera will go.”

Tille­rson scrubs Guyana visit

BY BERT WILKINSON

The man Donald Trump, the controv­ersial U.S. Presi­dent-Elect, has nomin­ated to be his adminis­tration’s secre­tary of state has been forced to scrub a visit to Guyana this week after he was formally named as the person for one of the more powerful posit­ions in the cabinet.

Cricket telev­ision viewe­rship way up

BY AZAD ALI | SPORTS

Organ­izers of the Carib­bean Premier League have annou­nced that the Twenty20 cricket tourn­ament has exceeded global viewe­rship figures for the just-concl­uded season, with a nearly 44 percent increase over the previous year.