Black Immigrant Daily News

Another defamation lawsuit has been filed against Police Sergeant Dion Bascom over his accusations that Police ranks have accepted bribes and are “covering up” the murder of Ricardo Fagundes also called “Paper Shorts”.

In this accusation, Bascom had identified several persons including Superintendent Mitchell Caesar, Superintendent Chabinauth Singh, Mark Richmond, and businessman Azruddin Mohamed.

However, the claimant this time is 44-year-old Mark Richmond, who is attached to Mohamed’s Enterprise as a security detail. He has since claimed $50 million in damages for defamation.

In the lawsuit filed on his behalf by lawyers Naresh, Rajendra, and Sohan Poonai, Richmond said that on August 11, 12, 13, and 14, 2022, Sergeant Bascom broadcast on Facebook, several statements about him that were false, untrue, disingenuous, dangerous, malicious, irrational, unfair, unsubstantiated, and baseless.

Police Sergeant, Dion Bascom

This, he argued, has resulted in his reputation being tarnished and lowered and has caused him great embarrassment, psychological trauma, emotional distress, and public humiliation. Besides damages, the security officer wants an injunction to restrain the policeman from further uttering defamatory statements and an injunction compelling him to permanently remove the Facebook posts.

He is also asking the High Court to order interest at the rate of six per cent per annum from the date of the filing of the lawsuit and thereafter at a rate of four per cent per annum from the date of judgement until the entire sum awarded is paid, costs and such further or other order the court may deem just.

Richmond said he has no antecedents, an unblemished criminal record, has never been charged with any criminal offence, and is of reputable status, adding that he is a practicing devout Muslim and strives to uphold the tenets of Islam.

Ricardo Fagundes, also called “Paper Shorts”

In court documents seen by this publication, Richmond pointed out that the social media platform is widely and freely accessible by members of the public and is used by a large section of society for social, news, and other purposes.

Despite sending Sergeant Bascom a written letter of demand on August 12 calling on him to retract the statements, apologise and pay compensation, he said that the following day, the cop, again, broadcast a live video on his Facebook page in which he made several offending utterances and statements about him.

Richmond said that Sergeant Bascom through his Attorney-at-Law Nigel Hughes, sent a written response on August 15 rejecting his demands and contended that the statements he made about him were justified and true.

He related that he was again defamed on August 19 at a press conference hosted by Sergeant Bascom and his lawyer, while pointing out that the utterances were understood to mean and suggest that he is associated with criminal activities.

These include: that he was at the scene of the shooting of Fagundes, that he shot him, was in contact with persons on the night of the shooting, that he threatened Sergeant Bascom, that he and others will kill or cause grievous bodily harm, conspired to kill or cause grievous bodily harm to an unnamed journalist and that he is guilty of murder and other serious criminal offences.

He further contends that Bascom’s statements were without merit, vile, deliberate, malicious, unfair, irrational, and intentional falsehoods that were intended to tarnish, besmirch, sully, and stain his reputation without justification.

He said that he has been repeatedly asked about the statements made by Sergeant Bascom and has been subjected to questions regarding the truthfulness of the statements, words, utterances, statements, and publication made.

To date, he argued that the offending Facebook post made on August 12, is still available for public viewing, and along with the other publications, has irreparably and severely damaged his business reputation.

In light of this, Richmond argued that he continues to suffer financial injury, constant emotional and psychological distress, humiliation, embarrassment, indignity, pain, and suffering and is pleading with the court to grant the reliefs he is seeking.

Businessman Azruddin Mohamed, who from the outset had distanced himself from the allegations, has since filed a $200 million defamation lawsuit against Sergeant Bascom.

Azruddin Mohamed 

The businessman, in his Statement of Claim, has argued that the words and statements uttered by Bascom are all untrue, false, dangerous, disingenuous, malicious, irrational, unfair, unsubstantiated, unfounded, and baseless, thereby tarnishing and lowering his reputation.

Superintendent Caesar, through his lawyer, had threatened to take legal action against Sergeant Bascom if he did not remove the posts and offered him an apology and $50 million compensation.

In an invited comment, business tycoon, Nazar Mohamed, owner of Mohamed’s Enterprise, said that while he is saddened by Fagundes’s murder, he would not allow innocent persons to be implicated in something they have absolutely no involvement in.

“I will not allow Mark Richmond to be no fall guy for anyone. I have solid proof that he has no involvement and l will make it available at the appropriate time.” He further stated that Bascom’s allegations were riddled with lies and totally unsubstantiated after he found himself in a very awkward situation. “He was vulnerable and was used,” the businessman stated.

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Black Immigrant Daily News

Barbados will welcome some of the biggest names in the fintech world for its first-ever global fintech summit from tomorrow, October 5.

The Fintech Islands Experience (FiX 2022), produced by the US-based FinCAP Global LLC., takes place from October 5 through October 7 at the Hilton Barbados Resort.

Attendees will participate in a three-day schedule of thought-leadership panel discussions, one-on-one meetings and unique networking events that allow them to make business connections while experiencing local island culture. The content programme will feature 100+ world-class speakers sharing insights on financial inclusion, climate fintech, embedded finance, Web3.0, cryptocurrencies, blockchain technology and decentralized finance (DeFi).

Chief Executive Officer of FinCAP Global LLC., Allison Hunte, asserts that the time is now for increased fintech adoption and advancement across the Caribbean.

“The fintech ecosystem in the Caribbean is relatively new but evolving rapidly. Across the region, innovative startups are building fintech solutions – from digital wallets to alternative lending and together, the islands represent a substantial market opportunity and an attractive environment for building new fintech companies and expanding existing companies globally.

“Our goal at Fintech Islands Experience (FiX) is to connect the global community of founders, investors, corporate executives and thought leaders to their Caribbean counterparts at a time when meaningful collaboration still comes down to getting the right people in the room.”

Fintech Islands has announced global payments technology solution provider Mastercard as the event’s first platinum partner.

“We are connecting the financial services and the technology ecosystem through discussions, collaboration, networking, and deal-making,” explains Andrew B. Morris, the first Chief Content Officer for the Money20/20 conference and now Senior Advisor, Content and Partnerships for FiX 2022. “The endorsement of global stakeholders like Mastercard and others will contribute significantly to the overall conversation as a catalyst for fintech expansion across the Caribbean market.”

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Black Immigrant Daily News

Leanni Tibbetts, who was crowned Miss World Cayman Islands 2022 on Saturday, September 24 is now a pilot with Cayman Airways’ Twin Otter fleet.

Tibbetts and another young Caymanian pilot — Nathan Myers — successfully completed Cayman Airways’ rigorous recruitment and training programme to become the newest First Officers on the airline’s Twin Otter fleet, which is operated by Cayman Airways Express, which is a subsidiary of Cayman Airways Limited (CAL).

“We are thrilled to welcome these two very talented and qualified Caymanian pilots to the Cayman Airways family and we look forward to watching them advance up the ranks to Captain of the B737-8 jet fleet,” said Captain Dave Scott, executive vice president of Operations, and chief operations officer.

Leanni Tibbetts and Nathan Myers in the cockpit.

Cayman Airways offers a special training programme for entry-level Caymanian pilots.

The two new pilots joined Cayman Airways Express on May 23, 2022, with First Officer Myers passing his training flight on September 2 and flying his first commercial flight with Express on September 13. First Officer Tibbetts passed hers on Friday, September 23. She will fly her firstcommercial flight with Express on October 3.

Their Ground School and Flight Training was conducted in-house by Captain Johan Bjuroe, who is the manager of Flight Training for Cayman Airways Express.

“It has been a pleasure working with Nathan and Leanni,” said Captain Bjuroe. “I’ve trained a lot of Caymanian pilots over the years and I’m very proud to see another group of young Caymanians come through successfully.”

Eight Caymanian pilots, including Nathan and Leanni, were recently offered the position of First Officer on the Twin Otter fleet, and the remaining six are awaiting the required Ground School Training in the coming months.

Captain Gary Hydes, Acting Chief Pilot for Cayman Airways, noted that the airline’s objective is for all new pilot hires to eventually become B737-8 captains. He explained that a pilot’s career progression at CAL starts with the entry-level pilot position of First Officer on the Twin Otter fleet, followed by the First Officer position on the Saab 340B+ fleet.

They then progress to Captain of the Twin Otter fleet, followed by movement to the B737-8 fleet as First Officer, then Captain on the Saab 340B+, and finally to Captain on the B737-8 jets, which is considered the pinnacle of each CAL pilot’s career.

“I would like to congratulate both Leanni and Nathan and welcome them to the Cayman Airways pilots fraternity,” said Captain Hydes. “I look forward to working with them as they navigate through their careers at Cayman Airways.”

When asked how she feels about achieving this milestone, First Officer Tibbetts said: “It’s exciting because it’s been a long time coming. I graduated in 2019 but Cayman Airways wasn’t hiring at the time so I left the aviation field for a while until I heard that Cayman Airways was hiring pilots again, and clearly the love and passion is still there for flying.”

First Officer Myers shared similar sentiments, stating: “Ever since I was a young boy, it was a goal to fly for Cayman Airways, so now that I’m finally here it feels surreal, and I can’t believe it’s actually happening!”

Both new pilots praised the extensive time and attention they received from CAL’s pilots throughout their training process, and thanked them for their encouragement and support.

In addition to their pilot licenses and Cayman Airways’ pilot training, both new Express pilots have Bachelor of Science degrees.

First Officer Myers has a Bachelor of Science degree in Aeronautics from Liberty University in Virginia and an Associate Degree in Science from the University College of the Cayman Islands with a concentration in Physics and Environmental Science. He has a Commercial Multi-Engine License with Instrument Rating.

First Officer Tibbetts has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Aviation Management, with a Flight Minor in Aviation Environmental Science from the Florida Institute of Technology (FIT).

She has a Commercial Multi-Engine license with Instrument Rating. She was also President of Women in Aviation at FIT and currently serves as a volunteer Sub-Lieutenant with the Cayman Islands Cadet Corps and is a volunteer Call-Taker with the National Emergency Operations Centre.

First Officer Tibbetts is now the fourth active female pilot at Cayman Airways overall, which is 10% of the 44 pilots currently employed by the airline. The female pilots are: First Officer Giselah Ebanks, B737-8 fleet; Captain Crystal Godet, Twin Otter fleet; First Officer Amber Hydes, Twin Otter fleet; andFirst Officer Leanni Tibbetts, Twin Otter Fleet.

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Black Immigrant Daily News

When schools reopened for face-to-face classes in March, the administration at the Seaview Gardens Primary School faced a problem – extreme learning loss across all age groups, particularly in literacy.

Having assessed the situation and crafted an action plan, School principal Sangieanna Reid-Prince reached out to the Desnoes and Geddes (D&G) Foundation for help to get the students back on track.

After consultations and planning, stakeholders gathered on the school grounds on September 29 to celebrate the official launch of the Seaview Gardens Primary Literacy Programme – a three-year, $8 million initiative funded by the D&G Foundation to close the literacy gap and set students on a path to excellence.

Acting Chief Education Officer at the Ministry of Education and Youth, Dr Kasan Troupe described the launch as a watershed moment.

“Today is a turning point and a sign that this institution is committed. It also signals that the D&G Foundation is invested in developing this community. The greatest gift you can give anyone is the gift of education, starting with the basic principles of reading and writing. Today is a testament to what can be achieved through collaboration. This investment shows a strong belief in these students, who will eventually become the leaders of this community and our country.”

Troupe concluded, “I am an example of someone teachers believed in. I started out in Greenwich Town and did not grow up privileged, but just like these children, my teachers and principal had hope in me, which is what took me to where I am today. Let us never give up on the students of Seaview Primary. Let’s continue to partner with teachers, parents, community, and stakeholders to make the dreams of these boys and girls a reality.”

The Seaview Gardens programme is designed to support literacy development across all subject areas. In addition to literacy levels, students will be assessed based on their skills, interests, learning styles, and sensory awareness abilities. The methods to be deployed will enable teachers and specialists to design individual learning tools for each student. For lower grades, the programme will focus on literacy development, fluency in reading and comprehension-skill building. Students in upper school, grades four through six, will also include critical thinking as a core component.

“Education is one of a nation’s most valuable assets, and the impact of the phenomenal depletion caused by the COVID-19 pandemic is immeasurable,” said Reid-Prince. “As a community school, we recognised that our students were in peril, which is why we reached out for support. The situation was scary, but it also inspired us to act quickly.”

D&G Foundation Accountant Dennis Beckford applauded Prince and her team for the level of detail and speed with which they responded to the problem.

“We were so impressed by the school’s proposal, and we’re eager to see the development that will take place over the next three years. Our goal is for the intervention programme to provide critical literacy development assistance for all students at Seaview Primary. Together we have put measures in place to ensure that these goals are achieved. Due to the intensity and scope of this intervention, we have established a project team that will meet monthly to review the programme. These reviews will allow us to correct deviations to stay on track. All students must emerge from this programme better than they were at the start,” said Beckford.

The programme launch was an exciting affair with students performing original music, dance, and poetry to entertain more than 100 invited guests, which included community residents, school board members, staff of the D&G Foundation and senior members of the Education Ministry.

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Black Immigrant Daily News

Antigua and Barbuda on Monday 3rd October, hosted the 21st Meeting of Fisheries Ministers of countries of the OECS under the theme ‘the Sustainable Use of Living Marine Resources’, held at the Trade Winds Hotel in Antigua and Barbuda.

Under the auspices of the Hon. Samantha Marshall, Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, the meeting saw fellow ministers, policy makers and technical experts of the region’s fishing industry gather for two days of deliberations focusing on the sustainable use of marine resources.

Representatives from Grenada, Dominica, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname and host country, Antigua and Barbuda attended the meeting. Both CARICOM and OECS fisheries officials were also present.

His Excellency AKIMOTO Masatoshi Parliamentary Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan addressed the gathering of Ministers during the opening ceremony.

Minister Marshall stated in her official correspondence that “the meeting is expected to deliberate on a number of issues including, post-COVID challenges of sustainable fisheries development as it pertains to sustainable use of living marine resources and livelihoods, Coastal environmental issues affecting fisheries development and management, opportunities for the development of the Blue Economy, International Maritime Organization, the International Whaling Commission and CITES and bilateral assistance for fisheries development.

Presentations were also be made by Honourable Saboto Caesar Minister of Agriculture, Forestry, Fisheries, Rural Transformation, Industry and Labour – St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Mr. Milton Haughton, and Executive Director Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism (CRFM) Mr. Horace Walters – IWC Commissioner, St. Lucia and Ambassador Daven Joseph – IWC Commissioner, Antigua and Barbuda

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