Black Immigrant Daily News

INDEPENDENCE DAY MESSAGE 2022Harold Lovell, UPP Political Leader 

Today, we celebrate the anniversary of the birth of our nation. It was a memorable night 41 years ago when, as a people, we hoisted our national flag as a symbol of hope and great expectations.

Our nation decided that we wanted to live in a free and fair society. One in which we governed ourselves, charting our own destiny. Our people rejected the idea that as a people we should just do as we were told and accept colonial rule.

But what were those hopes and expectations?

– That we would entrench and deepen our unity as a people, as expressed in our motto “Each Endeavouring, All Achieving.”

– That we would develop our economy through investment, trade and the creation of jobs so that we could enjoy a quality of life as good as anywhere else in the world.

– That we would eliminate the social and economic inequalities that differentiated us, not by pulling down those at the top but by lifting up those at the bottom.

– That all our people, no matter how poor or humble their circumstances, would have the opportunity to build a better life through access to education and proper healthcare and by their own hard work.

– That every community would enjoy the infrastructure and basic services that would make them places where people would want to live, work and raise their families.

We have come a long way over these 41 years. Much has been accomplished, but the dream of independence has not yet been fulfilled as much more remains to be done. Today, our prospects for the future appear dim under this Gaston Browne-led Government. We still do not have a reliable supply of water after months of promises and commitments. Our roads and infrastructure are collapsing. Our children have fewer opportunities, some still have no access to online learning and have fallen behind.

But what will it take to overcome the adversities and challenges which confront us in our daily lives?

Crime and violence are out of control and people are living in fear. Our health sector is in disarray, with people unable to get basic care and medication. There is significant inequality and under-performance in education, as well as poverty and hunger amidst the terrible cost of living crisis.

There is also underperformance and uncertainty in our major industries – tourism and agriculture, lack of investments, jobs, educational and training opportunities, particularly for our youth. These persistent challenges will require a great unity of purpose to overcome and improve the quality of life of all Antiguans and Barbudans.

The UPP believes that we must put our people at the centre of development as we plan for the next 41 years. Social transformation requires investing in our people, to build our capacity to compete and excel among the nations of the world.

Our country and our people deserve better. The UPP will be a Government that cares about its citizens and will take decisive action to improve our circumstances. This is the type of government that Antiguans and Barbudans deserve.

We survived the pandemic by coming together as a people and even as we battle in the recovery process we face many exogenous forces and influences. But we must accept that as a united people our future and our fortunes lie in our hands.

The very spirit that has inspired us to achieve independence, the belief that we are a people who can accomplish great things, must never be allowed to die. For it is this very spirit that will propel us to make up the lost ground and will guide us to achieve the goals that our founding fathers laid out for us.

For many of the pioneers that have gone before, achieving independence was itself, a dream and on the journey to independence, there were setbacks and disappointments; but they never gave up hope and never lost sight of that dream.

As we celebrate our 41st anniversary, let us demonstrate the will and energy to make up the ground that was lost as a result of the pandemic. We must fill the social and economic gaps that have been left behind, overcome the challenges that face us and go forward to break new ground and conquer new frontiers.  For the spirit of independence can never die, as we rebuild our country and economy.

Although the pandemic left behind a path of destruction and despair, it has also ignited an outpouring of love and unity among our citizens and residents. It has helped to strengthen the bond of interdependence, not only within our twin island state, but it has also reinforced the circle of commitment between Antiguans and Barbudans at home and in the Diaspora. It has also brought us closer to many of our brothers and sisters in neighboring islands throughout the Caribbean chain.

As a proud country, there are so many issues that still threaten to divide us – from the unfounded and aggressive Barbuda Land Act by PM Browne, that disregards Barbudan residents as they struggle to rebuild their lives and to restore some level of normalcy in their communities.

These are all issues which transcend politics and require a mature, responsible and united front among us as a people, as we attempt to find the best solutions to address some of these ongoing issues.

As we continue to mature as a nation and face many challenges that beset us, we must find effective ways to restore the strength and dignity of our people through meaningful employment and social programs that will uplift lives and offer hope. We must commit to honest management of the people’s money, and to putting that money to work for all Antiguans and Barbudans, not just for a chosen few. We must also hold our leaders to the highest standards of integrity, so that the image and reputation of our country is one that we can be proud of both at home and abroad.

As Political Leader of the UPP, I call on all citizens to stand up and take action and work together to rebuild and restore our nation to greatness. I commit that the next era of UPP governance will be one in which we will work for the good of all Antiguans and Barbudans and the growth, development and protection of this fair country.  It is our Pride for our country that makes us great!

I wish each and every one of you a Happy Independence and may we continue to Dwell in Love and Unity.

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At a very young age, Prime Minister Hon. Philip J. Pierre needed surgery and rehabilitative therapy to correct a disability that affected his feet.

Hon. Pierre shared his experience and how he was able to overcome during a recent meeting with officials representing the local Farmers with Disabilities Beekeeping Association.

SOURCE: Office of the Prime Minister

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Twenty-four-year-old pig farmer Giovanni Morris dreams of establishing his own state-of-the-art facility, which will integrate technology into the animal-rearing process.

Currently, the Portland resident shares a farm in Boston Bay with mentor and business partner Seymour Duncan, which, he said, needs improvement.

“Whenever I reach a level where I can acquire the [farm] that I want, I want it to be completely indoors where I’ll be able to keep my animals cool, have proper waste management, proper air exchange management, and so forth. Hopefully, in the future, I can put that down,” he told JIS News.

Morris, who studies Construction Management at the University of Technology (UTech), Jamaica, said he intends to use the knowledge and skills gained from his studies to assist in the expansion and upgrade of the space he currently occupies until he can establish the modern facility he desires.

“We are planning to expand the facility that we’re using [because] it’s been there before I was born… but we try to take care of it as best as possible,” he noted.

The young entrepreneur, who started farming less than two years ago, said he decided to focus on pig rearing to tap into the high demand for jerk pork in Boston Bay.

He and his business partner also manufacture and sell jerk seasoning.

Morris told JIS News that there have been many challenges along the way, noting that proper waste management is the hardest part of his job.

A sow feeds her piglets on Giovanni Morris’ farm in Boston Bay, Portland. (Photo: JIS)

He said he must ensure that the “waste doesn’t become a nuisance to anybody, whether it is the smell or the spread of bacteria”.

“[Pig-rearing is] a very delicate situation [and] we want to be able to produce the best product possible without disturbing the environment,” he pointed out.

He added that even though he lives in a farming community, “every farmer should be conscious and know that if they are going to farm it will affect [others]”.

Proper access to a water supply is also critical, Morris said, noting that infrastructure work being done in the parish is expected to improve access to the commodity.

Morris, who was involved in party promotion before getting into farming, said he had to pivot due to the downturn in the staging of events consequent on COVID-19.

“My friends and I were promoters [and] we were focused on keeping our annual event. Unfortunately, when the pandemic hit, we had to put that aside,” he noted.

“So, I decided that I wanted to try something new, and that’s where I said, ‘I’m going to start raising some animals, seeing that I’m an animal lover,” he noted.

He said that his friend, Everton Dennis, who is a student at the College of Agriculture, Science and Education (CASE) in Portland, walked him through the processes involved in operating a farm before he purchased his first animal.

“He basically gave me a rundown of everything, and he said I should go ahead and try,” Morris told JIS News.

Pig farmer, Giovanni Morris, holds a jar of jerk seasoning that was produced by him and business partner, Seymour Duncan, in Boston Bay, Portland. (Photo: JIS)

With the mentoring support from Duncan, who offered to share his farm, he learned the practicalities of animal rearing.

“Every morning, Seymour would call me at 6am to go to the pen. He walked me through the whole process for about two months… and I had to get used to the animals,” he pointed out.

Morris said that due to the demand of his studies and the farm-upgrade plans, he has reduced the number of pigs to five, but should be back in full production in January.

He said that the farming experience has been rewarding, so far, and has changed his outlook on life as well as enhanced his belief in the importance of agriculture.

“I appreciate every type of farming because I think, going forward, we should be looking into growing what we eat and producing our own food. It can only be better for us,” he said.

Morris knows that his dream of a modern, technology-driven facility will not come overnight, but until that improvement comes, he says he remains committed to “doing it the hard way”.

“Doing it the hard way [helps me to] appreciate the basics. So, when technology comes in, it’ll be much easier for me to integrate and to be able to produce more while doing less… and that’s the dream,” he said.

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Mass devotions at Oberlin High School will likely be placed on hold, at least for the rest of the school term, after Minister of Education and Youth, Fayval Williams on Monday encouraged school administrators to shelve the practice.

Instead, the minister has suggested that devotional exercises should be held in individual classrooms instead of the auditorium.

This follows last Wednesday’s incident at the school that left the student population traumatised after a series of “bizarre events” during the school’s regular devotional exercise.

While a teacher delivered a word she said she had received from God, during which she “spoke in tongues” for an extended period, a number of students started shaking and falling to the ground. Some reportedly started foaming at the mouth and several were taken for medical attention.

Over the weekend, Williams urged parents to send their children back to classes on Monday, after hundreds stayed away on Thursday and Friday. She said fewer than 100 of the 1500-strong student population turned out for classes on those two days.

On Monday, the minister journeyed to the Lawrence Tavern, west rural St Andrew school where she met with school administrators and parents and also addressed students.

“I fully understand that we are a nation of persons who pray, but I also understand that we have a number of different religions in the society and what is practised one way for either religion is not necessarily the same way for another. In light of what took place on Wednesday, I believe, at least for the next month, that we ought to be simple in what we do,” Williams said.

Continuing, she said: “I have encouraged devotions to be in the classrooms rather than in a mass way because children are still going through things that they are not yet understanding, and we don’t want to layer on top of them any other situation in which anything can happen.”

“So, at least for the rest of the term…I am advocating for us to take things simple. Simple devotions, simple prayers, simple exhortations. Let us not do anything in mass, because big crowds are hard to control and we have no idea what will happen,” Williams added.

When she addressed students, she told them: “We don’t know what happened but we want to assure you that you are in good hands here at Oberlin High School.”

She also encouraged the school’s leadership to develop a closer working relationship with parents after the mother of a third form student expressed that parents felt slighted by how they have been treated.

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Black Immigrant Daily News

A young man, who has only been identified as “Buss Mouth” was this morning killed by a gang of men during a drinking spree.

The incident occurred at Konawaruk, Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni).

Reports are that the victim and the group of men got involved in an argument during which “Buss Mouth” was chopped to the back of his head.

“It’s a lil gang that does always come out deh on the landing, always hot up the landing, always beating somebody, always running down somebody, always creating problem,” someone from the area told this publication.

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