Black Immigrant Daily News

Tiffany Leann Conolly, the reigning Miss Cayman Islands Universe, was in court today (October 10) where lawyers discussed charges of damage to property, disorderly conduct at a police station and assaulting a police officer.

Unlike most court hearings of this sort, however, the focus appeared to be on Conolly’s mental health rather than the allegations.

Regarding Conolly’s mental health, one of the questions asked by Conolly’s lawyer of two police officers giving statements today was whether they had any training to deal with police matters where mental health conditions played a role.

Both officers confirmed that, while they had initial training at early stage in their careers, they did not receive any follow up or specialist training later on to learn how to deal with police matters where different types of mental health scenarios might be played out and which would need to be properly assessed.

Notwithstanding not having any specialist training in mental health scenarios, one of the officers commented that had a mental health condition been known to him at the time of Conolly’s incident, he would have considered it in making his risk assessment of the situation.

Conolly’s lawyer then asked the other officer whether she considered Conolly to be a vulnerable person given the mental health condition suggested by Conolly’s lawyer.

The officer initially answered in the negative that she did not find Conolly to be a vulnerable person but, instead, part of a “vulnerable group.”

Conolly’s lawyer then suggested that the second officer proceeded to remove Conolly’s property from Conolly’s body before a fellow officer, the custody sergeant, completed a proper risk assessment.

The second officer denied this in court, saying that she did not recall whether or not the risk assessment by the custody sergeant was complete at the time the second officer approached Conolly and started to remove Conolly’s jewelry.

This appeared to be relevant to Conolly’s lawyer as the risk assessment may have helped to guide the police as to how to best handle the situation, especially given what Conolly’s lawyer referred to as Conolly’s mental health condition. More specifically, how to best de-escalate the situation rather than make it worse.

In the circumstances, the second officer described Conolly as being “calm” at the detention centre when the second officer started to remove Conolly’s jewelry, but then later, allegedly, becoming “irate”.

The second officer also alleged that Conolly struck the second officer in the face, but she could not recall what side of the face she was allegedly struck.

The second officer further alleged that Conolly picked up a chair at the detention centre, giving the second officer the impression that Conolly might motion the chair towards the second officer.

The second officer having assessed the situation as escalating and viewing Conolly as a threat, the second officer confirmed in court that she drew her baton.

Partial CCTV footage of Conolly was then shared on the tv display in court, however, there was only time to show Conolly’s arrival at the station, during which time she appeared to be calm.

Conolly now faces two more days in court, which was agreed by lawyers on both sides to be the second week of December.

Magistrate McFarlane also reminded Conolly that, until the future court dates, Conolly would be on extended bail.

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Black Immigrant Daily News

Dear Editor:

I would appreciate some space in your newspaper to address an important issue.

Bribing You With Your Own Money

This past Saturday, I was shocked as Prime Minister Gaston Browne and his zombie-like entourage pulled up to the UPP Small Business Pull-Up in City West. It is unclear as to whether his appearance was an attempt to disrupt or intimidate.

Fortunately, he was not successful in either. But what is clear is that Gaston Browne’s behavior last Saturday was not meant to empower entrepreneurs or small business owners, but to maintain a society of beggars and to snatch dignity from our men and boys.

We watched in awe as Mr. Browne exited the passenger side of his vehicle, with pockets bulging, and proceeded to do an awkward minstrel jig.

One shirtless young man, who was inebriated grabbed hold of Mr. Browne, and together they started to gyrate. It was a pathetic sight. Perhaps it was the shocking stares of onlookers, or Mr. Browne suddenly gaining control of his senses, but once he assessed the situation, disgust and fear soon registered on Mr. Browne’s face, and the young hanger-on was abruptly dispatched.

Mr. Browne soon sought shelter in his vehicle, and a few men donned their red shirts, some shirtless, forced their way to Mr. Browne’s vehicle window, like zombies with arms outstretched, pulling away in glee with their fists full of dollars. To see this barefaced act in full view, reconfirms that Gaston likes to keep the people poor.

Was this treating or bribery? More learned minds will have to decide. The recording is making the rounds in social media and while we await its prosecution in the court of public opinion, we must say that the scene was sad and shameful. To watch the country’s prime minister engaging in such behavior was a painful reminder of the disdain Mr. Brown holds for Antiguans and Barbudans.

The strain being felt by each household is well known, but watching wads of cash thrown to grown men clawing and begging, painfully underscored the disdain and disrespect he feels for citizens and residents of Antiguan and Barbuda. Does he feel that the coonery and buffoonery he engages should earn him another term in office?

What Gaston Browne should focus on is how he can empower these young men with jobs and opportunities. How can he help rebuild community pride, where residents, businesses and civic organizations work together to uplift each other?

When generosity was needed after a number of families were left destitute following a fire earlier this year, instead of offering assistance, the prime minister accused homeowners of deliberately burning their houses to get him to offer them a new one.

This show of generosity was absent when multiple times during the year, many residents experienced unexpected hardship and for which such assistance would have been welcomed by a kind and caring leader.

Gaston Browne ought to be aware that long-suffering public servants, to include nurses, Solid Waste workers, Clarevue workers and teachers would welcome his generosity at this critical time. They are currently struggling under the weight of mass unemployment, runaway food prices, and exploding violent crime. As tax payers they deserve higher wages and a better quality of life. A few dollars from the PM will not cut it.

This wanton behavior of a leader is unacceptable and Gaston Browne will be judged by it when its time to go to the polls. Sometimes the past is something only the next generation can look at, repair, and make right. Therefore the rescue and repair of our nation now rest with the youth.

The current administration is only concerned about using money to sow seeds of division among our people. Gaston Browne can come with all the 11th hour election gimmicks. But he cannot control the truth which every citizen knows; that our nation is in crisis and in need of solutions that can improve the lives of all of us, not the few can be bribed by accepting money that is already theirs.

Let us continue to toil to build the nation that our forefathers envisioned with pride and dignity.

Sincerely,Patriot

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PARAMARIBO — De Perspectives of Freedom Foundation (PoF), een Amerikaanse consultancyonderneming met Surinaamse experts, zal een milieu-effectenanalyse uitvoeren voor het

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PHILIPSBURG — In a short press statement released on Monday morning, President of Parliament, MP Grisha Heyliger-Marten expressed her appreciation for the majority of Parliament supporting her to continue as President of Parliament.

“I am very thankful and honored to have received majority support from my colleagues to continue my work as President of Parliament”, Heyliger-Marten stated after the meeting. She added that she still forms part of the governing coalition, and supports the Jacobs II cabinet as one of the original signatories.

“As such, I will continue to work in my capacity as President of Parliament with discipline, efficiency, and transparency, and remain impartial while representing the interests of the people of Sint Maarten first and foremost, Heyliger-Marten said.

Heyliger-Marten further stated that she will maintain the pledges that she made to the people of Soualiga when taking the oath of office, and treat their interests as paramount at all times. “As MP’s, we all will have our differences of opinion at times, regardless of party or coalition lines”, she said. “However, what is important is that we all continue to act based on our true convictions, vote our conscience based on our individual free mandates, and not allow ourselves to be used as individual rubber stamps for personal agendas.”

In closing, Heyliger-Marten stated that as President of Parliament, she will continue to do the people’s work in all humbleness, while maintaining fairness and balance in her thoughts, words, and deeds.

“While doing so, I will continue to insist on competence, results, respect, discipline, honesty, accountability, and transparency from both my colleagues in Parliament and the Government”, Heyliger-Marten concluded.

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