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.
