UN calls for game-changing action to stem global water crisis

Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: Caribbean News Service

With mounting pressures on water from rising consumption demands, increased pollution and climate change, world leaders, civil society, businesses, youth and other stakeholders are gathering at the UN 2023 Water Conference from 22 to 24 March at the UN Headquarters in New York to make bold commitments to address the global water crisis.

“This is more than a conference on water. It is a conference on today’s world seen from the perspective of its most important resource,” said United Nations Secretary-General Ant?nio Guterres in his opening remarks. “This conference must represent a quantum leap in the capacity of Member States and the international community to recognize and act upon the vital importance of water to our world’s sustainability and as a tool to foster peace and international co-operation.”

Access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene is the most basic human need for health and well-being, and a declared human right. But some 2 billion people around the world still lack access to safe drinking water. More people have access to mobile phones than toilets and sanitation, with 80 per cent of wastewater discharged untreated into the environment. More than 90 per cent of disasters are water-related, with climate change adding to the pressure. And humanity’s demand for water keeps growing, with pressure on freshwater projected to increase by more than 40 per cent by 2050.

Despite these challenges, a breakthrough to a water-secure planet is still possible. But urgent action is needed now. With this at the top of their minds, world leaders, together with over 6,000 registered civil society, business leaders, young people, and experts are attending the three-day Conference to present innovative solutions and bold commitments to accelerate transformational change for water. Coming from all sectors, the Conference is an opportunity to unite the global community around a common goal and trigger real action.

“During this conference, we want to get the water wheel spinning,” stated His Highness Willem-Alexander, the King of the Netherlands in his opening statement. “We won’t rest until water is given the place it rightly deserves on global agendas and policy programmes. We will bring all our commitments, pledges and actions together in a Water Action Agenda.”

The key outcome of the UN 2023 Water Conference will be the Water Action Agenda, a collection of commitments from Member States and other stakeholders that aims to present game-changing solutions to accelerate progress on SDG 6. To date, more than 500 commitments have been registered from Governments, UN agencies, business leaders and civil society, ranging from targeting open data sources and improving education around water, to scaling effective water management practices and mobilizing funds to drive action towards water. While many commitments are already available online here, key announcements will be made throughout the three days of the Conference.

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Dutch Government Supports Five Presidential Compacts on Water and Sanitation in Africa

Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: Caribbean News Service

On the sidelines of the UN Water Conference, African Heads of State committed to five new Presidential Compacts which will accelerate access to water and sanitation services, including increasing budget allocations, reducing open defecation and delivering climate-resilient services.

The announcement took place at a meeting hosted by The Kingdom of the Netherlands, which is also a co-host of the UN Water Conference. Other conveners of the meeting were UNICEF, the UN-hosted Sanitation and Water for All global partnership (SWA), and think-tank IRC WASH.

In the presence of His Majesty King Willem-Alexander of The Netherlands, during the opening of the event, Liesje Schreinemacher Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation expressed that she is committed to ”following the lead of national governments, and through our partners UNICEF, SWA and IRC WASH, we support resilient national water, sanitation and hygiene systems capable of delivering safe and sustainable services to all.”

Key commitments made during the high-level meeting include:

Ethiopia: A Presidential Compact that will revise the loan policy and directives to accommodate loan access for water and sanitation for businesses and consumers. It will also strengthen accountability among water and sanitation stakeholders (policymakers, service providers and the community) and development partners through establishing a strong accountability framework which aligns with the ONEWASH National Programme.
Ghana: A Presidential Compact to establish a National Sanitation Authority, reduce inequalities in water and sanitation services, particularly in poor and rural communities, and make Ghana’s cities some of the cleanest in Africa.
Liberia: A Presidential Compact to increase access to basic sanitation by ending open defecation, as well as to create a unifying monitoring mechanism at all governance levels (national, county, district, and community) to improve institutional coordination.
Uganda: A Presidential Compact to increase public financing for water, sanitation and hygiene.
Zimbabwe: A Presidential Compact to create a State of Emergency on Water and Sanitation which will trigger budget and coordination prioritization.

These commitments were announced by President Sahle-Work Zewde of Ethiopia, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo of Ghana, President George Manneh Weah of Liberia, President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni of Uganda and President Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa of Zimbabwe.

They will be supported by the Kingdom of the Netherlands, UNICEF, SWA and IRC WASH.

Catarina de Albuquerque, CEO of SWA said: “We’re so pleased and encouraged to see these government leaders stepping up, committing, prioritizing water and sanitation at the highest levels and taking action and accountability for the human rights to water and sanitation. The only way to make sustainable change is through the political prioritization at the highest level that we see here today. SWA commits to mobilize our more than 350 partners to support and learn from these Presidential Compacts. Our vision is that these announcements will inspire other countries around the world.”

Patrick Moriarty, CEO of IRC WASH said: “As an organization, we have long championed the transformation of national systems to deliver the human right to safe water and sanitation for everyone, everywhere, and forever. Yet we also know that a truly transformative agenda for national systems strengthening can only follow visionary national leadership – from the highest political level. What we have seen today in this room is an inspiring example of such visionary political leadership and we commit to follow and support it in whatever ways we can.”

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Guyana, US discuss energy sector

Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: Caribbean News Service

The president of Guyana, Irfaan Ali has sought to assure the United States that his country is ready to guarantee America’s energy security.

He made the statement as members of the Congressional House Ways and Means Committee are here, laying the groundwork to displace China as a preferred business partner in Latin America and the Caribbean.

“I even asked the Congressional delegation to ensure that Guyana and the US can advance the strategic partnership formally on energy security for the United States and Guyana and climate security and on food security,” he said.

Following a meeting with Ali, chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee Chairman, Jason Smith issued a statement in which he said that the aim of the Biden administration is to lead the way in developing, extracting, and selling Guyanese oil and that this increasing production has the potential to greatly benefit both the US and Guyana, and help thwart China’s attempts to achieve energy dominance.

“China also is participating in Guyana’s oil production. America must be committed to outcompeting China around the world while strengthening key American supply chains, increasing US production of affordable energy resources, and improving partnerships with allies in the Western Hemisphere and beyond. Our delegation’s meetings have shown how US bilateral relationships in the region benefit American workers and provide a much-needed alternative to countries that might otherwise orient their economies toward China,” he said in a statement.

In their meetings with the Congressional delegation, the government of Guyana as well as members of the opposition discussed relations with China and Venezuela. Chinese companies have over the decades won major infrastructural contracts and provided multimillion dollar loans.

Ali, in referring to the United States as a “trusted partner”, he said that Guyana is open to more American investors.

“Guyana is and will continue to be an important strategic partner of the United States and the opportunities here are open to all and open to the United States and your private sector and we want to see greater participation from the US private sector and the US here in Guyana. There is no second-guessing this agenda. This is a clear strategy of the government.”

Concerning climate change, Ali offered to provide “global” leadership in the area of climate services by teaming up with the US at the next global climate summit, Conference of the Parties”.

“We want the US to be a part of this, we want the US to be a strategic partner with us on the environment because we understand the importance of this relationship,” he said.

Meanwhile, US Ambassador to Guyana Sarah-Ann Lynch lauded the Guyana government for taking steps to modernise the country.

“We applaud the government of Guyana for the strides it has taken to make this country so attractive to investors. They have been excellent partners in energy, in agri-business and in security. They are taking bold leaps to transform the financial, education, health and tourism sectors,” she said.

The delegation from the United States comprised chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee Smith and other members Terri Sewell, Carol Miller, Michelle Fischbach, Beth Van Duyne, Mike Carey as well as Kelly Armstrong of the House Energy and Commerce Committee.

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Venezuelan teen to reappear in Trinidad court on murder charge

Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: Caribbean News Service

A 15-year-old Venezuelan teenager will reappear in a Children’s Court on April 14, after he had been charged with murdering a 41-year old man earlier this month.

Police said that the teenager, whose name cannot be disclosed because of his age, appeared in the Children Court last weekend, charged with the murder of Anil Alladin, who was allegedly stabbed to death during an altercation at his home in Fyzabad, south of here on March 5.

“The teen appeared before Master Cielto Jones, on Friday 17th March, 2023, to answer to the charge. The matter was adjourned to April 14th, 2023,” the statement said.

It said that the suspect was arrested three days after the incident and formally charged on March 16.

Trinidad and Tobago has a high number of Venezuelan nationals, several of whom are illegal, who have fled to the oil-rich twin island republic following the political situation in the South American country where opposition parties are seeking to remove President Nicolas Maduro from office.

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Caribbean ministers to address fisheries crimes at Blue Justice Conference 2023

Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: Caribbean News Service

High-level delegations from several Member States of the Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism (CRFM) will participate this week in the Blue Justice Conference 2023, billed by organizers as the largest global high-level event on transnational organised crime in the global fishing industry. The Blue Justice Caribbean Hub–to be housed in Jamaica–will also be launched at the high-level event.

Officials from twelve CRFM Member States–Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Haiti, Jamaica, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, and The Turks and Caicos Islands–will be among the participants from approximately 80 countries and territories expected to attend the hybrid event, slated for 23-24 March 2023, in UN City, Copenhagen, Denmark.

The CRFM–the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) institution which leads the region’s efforts to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing and transnational organized crime in fishing industry–is among the partners joining the Government of Norway and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in convening the international conference.

Mr. Milton Haughton, CRFM Executive Director, will deliver official remarks at the Opening Ceremony on Thursday, 23 March, and will subsequently speak with Conference attendees about regional cooperation mechanisms in the Caribbean.

Haughton said: “The Blue Justice Initiative offers our countries significant opportunities to obtain intelligence, improve maritime domain awareness, access technical assistance, and strengthen national and regional capacities to better monitor and protect our marine resources and combat fisheries crimes, including illegal fishing. We are very grateful for the support being provided by the Blue Justice Initiative and the Government of Norway and other Nordic countries to support our countries in turning the tide against fisheries crime in the region and globally.”

During the conference’s high-level session, delegates from several participating CRFM Member States will present their “Country insights”. This segment of the conference will conclude with a discussion on governance and space technology in support of SDG 14 (Life Below Water) and SDG 16 (Peace, justice and strong institutions).

Conference side events will be held on the Blue Enforcement Project (UNODC) – “Understanding gender roles in tackling crimes in the fisheries sector in Sri Lanka and Maldives”, and the Blue Fairness Project (ILO/UNODC/IOM) – “Using data to inform policies to combat trafficking for forced labour in fishing”.

The second day of the Blue Justice Conference, Friday, 24 March, is dedicated to the Blue Justice Action Forum. During that event, CRFM Member States will participate in a tabletop exercise.

The CRFM solidified its partnership with Norway and the Blue Justice Initiative in 2022, when 12 Member States signed the International Declaration on Transnational Organized Crime in the Global Fishing Industry (the Copenhagen Declaration) en bloc and pledged their support for the Blue Justice Initiative.

To date, fifty-one countries have signed the Copenhagen Declaration, and other countries have been invited to likewise sign the agreement at the upcoming conference and to join the Blue Justice Initiative. Dominica, a CRFM Member State, intends to sign the declaration at the event and join the global effort against transnational crime in the fishing industry.

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Ricco Ras Shares The Advice He Got From Valiant After He Was Booed At UWI Carnival

Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: DanceHallMag

 

Dancehall artist Ricco Ras is still licking his wounds after he was roundly booed during Valiant’s much-heralded set at the UWI Carnival over the weekend.

As Ricco deejayed over the hip-hop beat Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Can See, boos descended from every corner of the venue. Valiant waited patiently while his friend crashed and burned before taking the microphone from him.

After the clip of his remarkable flame-out went viral, Ricco Ras told DancehallMag that he has learned a valuable lesson from Valiant.

“Valiant said I have to put in more work, I have to put in the time and pay attention and that I should come to rehearsals with the team, so that when the riddim drop, mi de pon timing when him call mi out next time, and everything will go accordingly,” he said.

Ricco Ras explained the possible reasons behind his poor showing.

“Normally, the deejay would call me out after him mash up the place and mi go deejay on the Bounce Cheque riddim, but he told them to play my riddim, and there was a little delay so that throw mi off and mi get a little flustered,” he explained.

“Ah just life and music, Valiant said these are the things you go through before you reach your peak as an artist,” he added.

RICCO RAS

It is a full circle moment, as Valiant knows a thing or two about turbulent times onstage.

During his performance at the UWI Carnival on Saturday, the Speed Off singer recalled what he now describes as a “disrespectful” moment onstage during his mentorship with Popcaan in 2019.

Valiant admitted last month that he still had work to do to make his stagecraft even remotely good as that of Beres Hammond after observing the Lovers Rock Reggae icon’s recent show in Antigua.

Valiant, Beres Hammond

Beres’ performance was “flawless,” he told CVM at Sunrise.

“So me as a younger artist, me teck een dat fi know seh me need more work; work di stage.  Me check mi performance, wha mi need fi improve pan.   Master mi a master mi craft; mi know mi sound.”

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Climate Change, Disaster Displacement and Environmental Migration High on OECS-IOM Workshop Agenda

Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: Caribbean News Service

A two-day workshop kicked off this morning in Saint Lucia to discuss policy recommendations built on the human security framework, one day after the IPCC released an alarming report regarding the state of climate change.

The workshop brought together technical officers in the fields of disaster management, immigration, regional integration, environment, climate change, and more, as well as representatives of national Red Cross Societies, to identify best-practices, and work towards improving and coordinating the responses of member states of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) to disaster displacement and environmental migration.

In the face of climate change and recent experiences (2017 hurricane season and 2021 volcanic eruptions), that threaten the human security of people in the region, governments in the OECS have seen the need to assess policies to better manage the complex effects of displacement and migration due to environmental factors and climate impacts, including to ensure regional coordination in the event of cross-border evacuations. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) is supporting this coordinated effort with resources from the UN Trust Fund for Human Security (UNTFHS).

The human security approach recognizes that when people are displaced because of climate impacts, or disasters that affect their environment, they can become exposed to a complex combination of risks and increased insecurities. Comprehensive, people-centred and prevention-oriented policies that consider the specific contexts of displacement can help OECS Member States to protect and empower their populations.

The workshop will focus on discussing the draft best practices in the eastern Caribbean on the protection of persons crossing borders in the context of disasters, environmental degradation and climate change, and importantly the protocols on cross-border evacuation in the OECS region that will be tested by a tabletop exercise. It is expected that the guiding documents will be finalized and ready for application by relevant sectors of government in the OECS and other regions, as this project seeks to deepen the collaboration and sharing of knowledge between SIDS in the Caribbean and other regions including the Pacific.

The 21-22 March 2023 workshop will be hosted by the IOM in partnership with the donor – UN Trust Fund for Human Security (UNTFHS). Other contributing stakeholders include the OECS Commission, the UN Resident Coordinator Office for Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean, UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), and the Platform for Disaster Displacement (PDD).

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Shenseea Among Ebony’s Black Women Who Rule Break

Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: DanceHallMag

 

Jamaican singer Shenseea and American singer and actress Chloe Bailey are the first two “dynamic, badass women” featured in Ebony Magazine’s ‘Women Who Rule Break’ series, in celebration of Women’s History Month.

The 26-year-old single mom, from modest beginnings, shared how she carved out her own lane by breaking the rules and pursuing her passion.

“Being a barrier breaker means … going against all the odds, going against everybody who tries to put me in a box,” she told EBONY. “Just following my own spirit and my own voice and just listening to myself and doing what I want …as a rebel,” she continued.

The Blessed singer explained that for her, being a “rebel” means blocking out others’ expectations and living her true purpose in life.

“Sometimes (being a rebel) doesn’t mean it’s a bad thing, it’s just about living and going through with your purpose, and your life. You can’t follow other people’s lives and hopes of what they have for you, you have to follow yourself because it’s your life,” she said.  Adding, “At the end of the day you’re either gonna be happy or you’re gonna be miserable. I always choose happiness so I do whatever I want.”

While chasing her dreams of a career in music was easy, she admitted that navigating the industry wasn’t.  “I would advise those who are facing the same obstacles as me to follow your own voice. If you feel like something is right within you then do it and move towards that,” she said.

After breaking into the international market with massive hits like Blessed featuring American rapper Tyga, Rebel, Sidechick Song, Foreplay, and Loodi with Vybz Kartel, to later scoring collabs with rapper Kanye West last year, plus a list of other musical accolades, the Jamaican singer is more focused than ever and has set her sights on achieving greatness.

“A very important lesson I’m learning now is to be patient… I recognize that (to achieve) greatness, you have to take your time because you need time to learn, you need time to grow, you need time to make mistakes. It’s all about being patient. That’s the biggest lesson I’ve learned,” she said.

The Rebel singer is fresh off the heels of her Rolling Loud performance in California earlier this month.

After a few upcoming engagements, including an appearance at Kings Theatre in Brooklyn, New York on March 18, Shen will take the stage at this year’s Coachella Music and Art Festival on April 15 and 22.

Watch Shenseea’s Ebony sit down here: https://cdn.jwplayer.com/previews/UcUYLWob

More episodes of the ‘Women Who Rule Break’ series will be released throughout March.

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Beenie Man’s New Management Confident His US Visa Will Be Restored

Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: DanceHallMag

 

Beenie Man has new management for his career, and they are confident that U.S. fans of the Dancehall star will get a chance to see him perform again “soon.”

St Croix businessman, event promoter, and founder of Ciga Records, Shawn Baptiste, who now also manages Dark Room artist Shane O, said that Beenie Man only has two limitations on his growth. 

“The level of communication with management, that is sorted out, and the fact that he has not been travelling to America,” Baptise told the Star.

“I recognised that he has not been able to travel to the US, which has limited the opportunities,” he said. “Running a business without communication, you end up lose. The communication part was a big downfall because a man with a career like Beenie Man needs a team of persons who not only manage his music, but understand the business, and handle the travel arrangements.”

The Girls Dem Sugar deejay, 50, hasn’t been to the United States for a performance since September 2015, according to checks made by DancehallMag.

Beenie Man

The entertainer had been billed for several appearances in the country during 2022, including the Essence Music Festival in New Orleans, the LETSGETFR.EE Carnival in Queens, NY, and the House Of Blues in Boston—but he did not show up, or the events were postponed.

Baptiste (more popularly known as Ciga) says his team is pulling out all the stops—which includes involving attorneys—to have thedeejay’s visa restored.

“He’s already out the door and it’s through the roof [at a high level] in getting this sorted soon. I guarantee it, and this is our goal. When I researched everything, it’s really as I said, a no-brainer,” he told the STAR.

“The visa legalities are just a matter of putting the right people, specifically the right attorneys who know what they do … in the right place. US fans will see him soon.”

Beenie is billed for the Afro Nation Music Festival in Miami in May 2023, alongside the Gully Gad Mavado and Nigerian headliners Burna Boy and Wizkid.

When fans on social media raised questions about the legitimacy of his pending performance, Afro Nation reassured that “he’s allowed into the US as of this year.”

Beenie’s travel woes began in 2010 when he was among several Dancehall deejays whose US visas were revoked, the others being Bounty Killer, Sizzla, Aidonia, and Mavado.  The US Embassy did not state the reason for the revocation back then but subsequently reissued Aidonia and Mavado with their visas. 

In July 2011, the Jamaica Gleaner reported that Beenie’s visa was restored, which saw him returning to the US for performances, including the Groovin In The Park concert in New York, which also featured Jimmy Cliff, Beres Hammond, Konshens, Chronixx, and Sanchez. 

He then made an appearance at the BET Awards show in 2013, took the stage with Ashanti in New York in 2014, and performed at several other venues across the country until September 2015, according to online records.

After that, it was back to square one.

In May 2020, there were fresh calls for both Beenie Man and Bounty Killer to be given back their US visas, following the duo’s performance on the VERZUZ show

Beenie Man and Shane O announced their new management deals with Ciga last Thursday, according to the Gleaner. The agreements cover the overall management of their careers.

The Girls Dem Sugar deejay, however, clarified that his brother Rohan Smith was still involved with his brand.

“I want to make it clear that my brand is my brand, and with my brother [Rohan Smith] who everyone knows as ‘Blue’ we have MD Entertainment. ‘Cigar’, who is my friend from he was called ‘Cigarette’ is the manager of my career, is not new management,” he said.

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Commonwealth Secretary-General launches redesigned website for Commonwealth Youth Networks

Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: Caribbean News Service

The Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland KC, has launched a new website, YourCommonwealth.org, for young leaders to collaborate, promote their innovations and initiatives, and advocate for action on youth development.

In addition to a more modern look, the website continues to provide a dedicated space for Young Commonwealth Correspondents and now has dedicated microsites for the Commonwealth’s 13 youth networks.

Unveiling the new website at the Commonwealth Youth Network Summit in London, the Secretary-General said: “This initiative is yet another example of our commitment to our young leaders and the 1.5 billion young people they represent. This website will provide them with more tools to share their ideas and solutions to some of the most challenging development issues. In addition, they can achieve their goals by combining their talent, innovation and initiatives.”

She added: “This launch is part of our celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Commonwealth Youth Programme. The website will also play a critical role in amplifying our Year of Youth, a landmark declaration by our 56 Heads of Government at their summit last year. At its heart, it recognises the power of our youth and acknowledges that we will certainly fail to achieve our sustainable development goals if we do not empower and engage our young people and prioritise them in all aspects of our development work.”

The new site is an upgrade of the long-running YourCommonwealth.org website – a dedicated platform for more than 70 Young Commonwealth correspondents, made up of commentators as well as practising and aspiring journalists. To bolster its talent pool, the Commonwealth Secretariat is inviting young people, aged 15-29, to apply to become a Commonwealth Young Correspondent.

In 2012, the website was named ‘Communicator of the Year’ in the Nexus Commonwealth Awards. Head of Social Policy, Layne Robinson, coordinated the website in collaboration with young people from across the Commonwealth and staff members from the communications and youth divisions.

“The vision was to give young people from all over the Commonwealth the opportunity to air their views on events and challenges in their country and globally. This gives us a unique insight into issues and experiences on the ground and the opportunity to respond with targeted initiatives and programmes,” said Mr Robinson.

Commonwealth Senior Communications and Engagement Officer Natricia Duncan, who worked with the youth leaders across the networks to manage the upgrade, said the aim was to create a multimedia collaboration space.

She said: “Though our thirteen networks are each dedicated to a different issue, such as health, education, disability and climate change, collaboration among them is critical to the success of their campaigns and initiatives. Therefore, we focussed the upgrade on creating the architecture to accommodate more multimedia and creative content and providing a platform where the networks can synergise and co-create.”

Coordinator of the Commonwealth Correspondents, Chimaobi Omeye, said the upgrade would boost an already powerful platform.

He added: “We already engage thousands of young people through thought-provoking articles, and the tools available from this website will enable us to multiply this number and extend our reach. This is also an opportunity for youth networks across the Commonwealth to further collaborate with the correspondents to share their voices, ideas stories, and hopes.”

Clare Keizer, the new editor of the website, added: “We are really excited about this new platform because it is an important part of our strategy to hone the skills of our correspondents, raise the profile of our networks and increase their membership. We will work to ensure that every young person in the Commonwealth is aware of this amazing resource and the opportunities it provides.”

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