Black Immigrant Daily News

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Justice Lisa Ramsumair-Hinds.

KESTON “Chucky” Allen has a little under a decade again to serve on his multiple prison sentences for the murder of a teenager, her rape, the sexual assault of her cousin, both of whom he shot, and the kidnapping and robbery of a Curepe taxi driver which took place in 2008.

He was sentenced by Justice Lisa Ramsumair-Hinds on Wednesday.

Allen, who was initially on over a dozen indictments for murdering and raping a 19-year-old girl, sexually assaulting her cousin, kidnapping and robbing them and robbing and false imprisonment of a Curepe taxi driver, pleaded guilty to ten counts of felony murder, false imprisonment, robbery with aggravation, grievous sexual assault, larceny of a car and rape in July.

The judge broke down each sentence she imposed for each charge. They will run concurrently and some of them have already been considered served as he has spent a little over 13 years in prison while for others that time exceeded the sentences he received.

He was also ordered to go to the Barataria police station seven days after he leaves prison in nine years, four months and 13 days to register as a sex offender. Allen will have to report to the station for ten years, six times a year or once every two months. His information will also be published on the public sex offender website by the Commissioner of Police.

Allen, who got married five years ago while in prison, was told by the judge when he leaves prison, it will be with a number of convictions against him.

“Once you are released and discharged, steer clear of the criminal justice system,” she warned, as she also told him there will be consequences if he fails to report to the police as required.

“Leaving with convictions of this nature, if you are to find yourself in trouble, it will read very poorly.” She warned him not to subject anyone else to the grief he subjected to the two cousins and the taxi driver more than a decade ago.

“Don’t take away from anybody else.”

Before going through the mathematical calculations of each of his sentences, the judge outlined the factors she found to be aggravating.

She said what began as a robbery of the taxi driver developed into the robbery and kidnapping of the two women, their unlawful detention, their sexual degradation and assault and the forcing of the male victim to perform criminal sexual acts on them.

One of the cousins, 22, was shot six times in the ordeal and managed to survive while her cousin was also shot six times, but died at hospital five hours after they were found by police.

“The pain and suffering involved. They were left for dead.”

She also found aggravating that the women were both on their menstrual cycles when one was raped and the other sexually assaulted.

“The deceased was told she was a waste of time after she was raped. She pleaded for her life… dragged from the road by her hair.

There were not many mitigating factors, Ramsumair-Hinds admitted as Allen, she said, had a “director role” in the escalation of the crime.

“It was he who exited the vehicle and robbed the women. It was he who pulled her by her hair and asked them if they had children. It was he who said ‘I could do with something tonight’ and started the sexual assault. It was he who directed the male victim to perform the sexual acts on the female victims.”

She also admitted she was troubled by his suggestion he was genuinely remorseful.

“That troubled me. He is still saying, at this age, he was influenced by peers and friends yet it was he who directed the offences.” Allen was 20 at the time of the offences.

“That he embraced his wrongdoing, I took with a pinch of salt.”

However, she said his willingness to enter the plea bargain process and agree to heavy sentence recommendations was to his credit.

Allen entered plea discussions with the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions and on June 22, it was agreed he would plead guilty to 11 counts and will be discharged of the others.

Allen committed the offences on October 19, 2008.

He and two accomplices, a man and a woman, pretended to be passengers as they boarded the taxi driver’s car after a party in St Augustine.

After approximately 15 minutes, Allen forced the driver to stop next to two women who were walking on the road. The women were then robbed of their cellphones and were forced to enter the taxi.

The driver was then forced to drive to an abandoned house in Mt Lambert.

At the house, the teenager was raped, and her 22-year-old cousin, who had her period, was sexually assaulted.

One of the women was forced to perform oral sex on the taxi driver. As they were leaving the house, the taxi driver managed to run away.

Allen and his accomplices attempted to find him but were unsuccessful and left in his car.

However, they were forced to abandon the car in Champ Fleurs as he were unable to properly drive the vehicle as it had a manual transmission.

The cousins were shot and when police eventually found the car, the teenager had already succumbed to her injuries. Her older cousin was taken to hospital and survived.

Allen was arrested and charged after he was identified by her and the taxi driver.

The State was represented by assistant DPP Danielle Thompson. His attorney was public defender Michelle Gonzalez.

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Haley and Naomi Browne went from seeing their new-found friend Abrielle Lovell every day at their new school, to not seeing her ever again in what feels like the blink of an eye.

Tragedy struck just before they wrapped up their first Trinity Term at The Combermere School and Abrielle – Haley’s close friend – disappeared overnight.

At age 12, Abrielle tragically passed away on July 4, 2022 in a house fire. Her mother, Allison Lovell, father Anthony and 10-year-old brother Alexander also died in the blaze at Breezy Hill, St Philip.

It’s been just over four months, since the fatal blaze, and though that may seem like a short time for some, the twins who felt the impact of Abrielle’s life, wanted to make sure that her spirit remains alive at the Waterford, St Michael institute. Together they wrote to the Board of Management at the School and the principal, and then their wish was passed on to the Ministry of Environment and National Beautification.

Their efforts were successful.

Today, Wednesday, November 16, a tree was planted by the basketball courts, where Abrielle limed with her friends.

“My class always sat under this particular tree because that was the last place that we saw her. It was a Tuesday because exams were happening. That was the last time we saw her and then the next week on Monday she died,” Haley told Loop.

The second-form secondary student expressed that she was happy to see her friend will not be forgotten and that she and others could still come to Abrielle’s spot in the future.

“… that tree will grow as big as her spirit and kindness,” Haley added.

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Opposition Spokesman on National Security, Senator Peter Bunting, has described as “political theatre”, Prime Minister Andrew Holness’ declaration of states of emergency (SOEs) in seven parishes.

“… This is not about law and order. This is not about reducing violent crime. This is about political theatre and political propaganda; the main core competence of this Andrew Holness-led Administration,” declared Bunting on Wednesday.

Holness, at a press conference on Tuesday, cited the increase in murders and gang activities as justification for the security measure across the southern arc of Kingston and St Andrew, St Catherine and Clarendon, and the tri-parish area of Westmoreland, Hanover and St James.

However, Bunting is pushing back against the latest use of the SOEs as a crime-fighting tool, even amid hope expressed by Holness that the Opposition People’s National Party (PNP) would support the measure, given that he said some of its own parliamentarians had appealed to him (Holness) for help with crime in their respective constituencies.

“It’s reasonable to conclude that the declarations of the states of emergency across a number of parishes is the prime minister performing political theatre,” insisted Bunting in a video statement that has been shared by the PNP.

He said National Security Minister and Deputy Prime Minister, Dr Horace Chang, in trying to build interest for Sunday’s Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) annual conference, had indicated weeks before that Holness would “announce something”.

At the time, Chang, the JLP General Secretary, had stated that the prime minister would be unveiling the Government’s plan to tackle crime.

Bunting also took a swipe at Chang for his “continued management-by-excuses approach to his portfolio”, arguing that from last weekend the national security minister has been “willing to go back seven years to say that we (the PNP) didn’t fund the police adequately.

Dr Horace Chang

“In fact, he (Chang) copied the defund the police slogan that is popular in the USA,” the senator claimed.

“… But the truth of the matter is, we could all see this building up to try and create some interest in their (the JLP’s) conference.”

Arming himself with purported police statistics, Bunting said since this year, Kingston and St Andrew have been among the few parishes in which significant reductions have been seen in murders and shootings. According to him, murders were down by 17.5 per cent, while shootings decreased by 23 per cent.

“Yet, a state of emergency has been declared in Kingston and St Andrew. So, even by the JLP’s justification of using it to address increase in violent crimes, this doesn’t qualify,” Bunting maintained.

He said, “curiously”, murders in St Elizabeth, Trelanwy and Manchester have increased by more than 70 per cent so far this year, yet SOEs were not declared in any of those parishes.

“The Opposition has long held that the routine use of states of emergency as a tool of policing is unconstitutional. The courts have upheld that view in at least two cases, one of which is now before the Court of Appeal.

“We would have anticipated that the Government, out of respect for the judgments of the court, would not have continued this unconstitutional use,” stated Bunting.

Pushing back at Holness’ hope that the Opposition would support the current SOEs and any extension to be sought by the Government, Bunting said the JLP leader, while in Opposition, purportedly stated: “‘This (crime-fighting) is not a whole-of-society-approach; this is the responsibility of Government. There is a lot that can be done!’”

Seven years later, said the former PNP Member of Parliament (MP), “We still haven’t seen what that ‘lot’ is from the prime minister.

“… And now, he (Holness) is constantly seeking to deflect responsibility from himself – the figure in authority – to the Opposition.”

Bunting charged that the country is now “fed up” with such an approach, pointing to the JLP Administration’s time in office for 11 of the last 15 years.

“Stop trying to blame others, or as former Opposition leader Keith Rowley (in Trinidad and Tobago) said: ‘When a Government is constantly blaming an Opposition for their failure to perform, it’s time to go,” Bunting concluded.

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Ashli Randall-White has been on a mission to change the face of the mani industry in Jamaica.

She’s monitored every detail in the process of making her start-up Mani Aesthetics so the process feels “like a nail boutique”.

Randall-White’s designer nails were created to bring bling – or understated glam – to the fingertips, just like the nail shop around the way, but not quite.

Her brand – Mani Aesthetics – was created on the ease and functionality of press-on nails, providing pro-designed nails to jazz up your digits.

And, with an extensive colour palette that ranges from the deepest blue to the reddest red, her very own YouTube tutorials, and a nail-sizing kit for beginners, your press-on experience should be as easy as click and press on.

The options range from the coffin-, ballerina-, stiletto-, square-, or round-shaped nails; Mani Aesthetics currently has three mainstay categories: Make A Statement, Everyday Slay, and The Caf?: Nude Collection.

The best part is, each nail set is designed, handmade, and packaged in Jamaica by Randall-White.

Mani Aesthetics Creator Ashli Randall-White

In 2019, under some serious downtime during the thick of the panini pandemic, Randall-White realised that her love for art and design could be paired with her favourite hobby: painting nails.

Randall-White believes nail art and design offer sheer sophistication, and in an interview with Loop Lifestyle, she shared some other beliefs on the art.

Kadeem Rodgers (KR): Why was the Mani Aesthetics brand created?

Ashli Randall (AR): Mani Aesthetics was born out of a passion for design. I’m an artist and a nail technician so I found a way to merge the two. Our press-on nails are created to bring salon-quality nails to the homes of the booked, busy, and fabulous.

This design, known as ‘Pitchy Patchy’ is a modern approach to the Jamaican festival figure that wears a suit with multiple pieces of fabric.

KR: How did you decide on the details from a marketing standpoint?

AR: When I first thought of starting this business I wanted it to feel like a nail boutique. From there I’ve tried to tailor each component [of the brand] this way, from the social media to the packaging.

KR: What are your top three fave things about creating for Mani Aesthetics?

AR: Three things I love about creating for Mani Aesthetics are the general peace I feel when designing, seeing the finished product, and watching customers get excited about their custom sets.

KR: What inspires your designs?

AR: Many things inspire my nail art. I love colours, modern design, mixing textures, etc. The aim is for each nail set to be a beautiful accessory that people get excited about.

The ‘Black, Green and Gold’ design was created to celebrate our national flag, the flag is also positioned on the nail as a unique take on the traditional French tip.

KR: What are some of the challenges you face as a young entrepreneur in the aesthetician space?

AR: The main challenges are resources: time and money. It’s really difficult balancing a demanding 9-5 with a very new business that requires a lot of input to get off the ground.

KR: What’s the next project you’re working on and how do you imagine the press-on could evolve?

AR: We’re approaching the end of the year so Christmas and New Year’s collections are just about ready. I’m also looking at collaborations with other creatives as press-on nails evolve into a strong component in the fashion industry.

KR: Where can we find your press-on nails?

AR: You can follow Mani Aesthetics on Instagram @mani.aesthetics and check out our website www.maniaesthetics.com

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Grenada Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell gives the feature address during the Trinidad and Tobago Manufacturers’ Association (TTMA) president’s dinner and awards at the Hyatt Regency, Port of Spain, Tuesday. – AYANNA KINSALE

PRIME Minister of Grenada Dickon Mitchell says travel within Caricom must be fixed and that the excuses which allow the issues to persist must stop.

He was giving the feature address at the TT Manufacturers Association’s (TTMA) 2022 awards ceremony on Tuesday night at the Hyatt Regency, Port of Spain.

He began his speech by praising TTMA president Tricia Coosal for her persistence in getting him to attend as “it was quite easy to say no given the challenges of, first of all, travelling in and out of Grenada.

“I’m only here because I’m the Prime Minister of Grenada, because I can come on the aircraft used by the Regional Security System (RSS) to fly me in and out of Trinidad. Otherwise, it will literally require me to spend an entire week…and the options for getting to Trinidad require me to get to Miami and then fly back to Trinidad.

“That is how difficult it is to travel within the region.”

He said since trade was being discussed at the ceremony, “if we can’t even move people, then it’s obvious that we can’t trade.”

He said he feels the pain of people in the region, especially as he can only travel freely within the region because of the RSS.

“And if I’m seeing that much trouble, imagine what the citizens of the region have to go through.”

He said although the covid19 pandemic created “significant challenges” in the region, “We collectively need to stop making excuses and start taking action and putting the resources where it’s required.”

He added, “We don’t ask whether the roads are profitable…I don’t think we ask ourselves, ‘Are we making money from asphalt in the roads?’ So it’s difficult for me to understand why we ask, ‘Are we making money from airlines?’ if we recognise the importance of trade.”

He said he is looking forward to his country strengthening its ties with TT when it comes to trade.

The two countries, he said, already enjoy “strong cultural and familial ties that are only strengthened by the robust trading relationship between our nations.”

He said he used the word robust as it was clear which country benefits more.

In 2019, he said, Grenada exported US$5 million worth of goods to TT, but imported US$248 million worth of goods.

“I’m not complaining, I’m just pointing out the obvious,” he said as he chuckled.”

He said his administration believes in the power of trade as a “catalyst for social and economic development.”

He added that trade contributes to growth, development and creation of sustainable jobs.

He listed five areas he believes are important in transforming the approach to trade, nationally and regionally: supporting regional food security through trade in fish and agro-processed goods, diversifying the production of goods and services to cater to diverse tastes and interests, strengthening private sector engagement, embracing technological advancements to new means of production and public sensitisation and education.

He said the need for technological advancement is crucial for policy makers and businesses.

“We must ensure that our human resource capacity is well equipped to function in the economies of the future.

“There is an urgent need for new digital policies if we are to increase our collective competitiveness.”

He urged Caricom leaders, “Let us invest in ourselves today, in our citizens, in our innovation, in our sustainable practices and in the future of our countries.”

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