Tommy Lee Sparta Ready For Reggae Sumfest Days After Release From Prison

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Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: DanceHallMag

 

Tommy Lee Sparta is delighting in his recent booking for Reggae Sumfest 2023, days after his release from prison.

The Spartan Soldier took to his Instagram page on Tuesday, where he shared the Sumfest poster of himself, and told his fans to look out for him on Concert Night One (Dancehall Night) at the Catherine Hall Entertainment Centre, in his hometown Montego Bay, in July.

“Sumfest! Get ready for me fi take over the stage July 21st!” he captioned the post, which evoked cheers from Beenie Man, Macka Diamond, IOctane, Mr. Lexx, and producer Stephen “Di Genius” McGregor.

Reggae Sumfest Marketing Strategist Skatta Burrell also shared the post of Tommy Lee and, while encouraging Dancehall fans to “tag yuh friend dem weh yah bring to the music festival, declared: “Sumfest! Get ready for the Spartan Soldier fi take over the stage July 21st!”

Tommy Lee will perform on a line-up that includes Valiant and Chronic Law, who have also been confirmed to perform on Concert Night One. 

Their compatriots Minister Marion Hall, Richie Spice, Freddie McGregor and the Big Ship Crew, Kabaka Pyramid, and Morgan Heritage are set to perform on Saturday, July 22.

Tommy Lee was released from the Horizon Remand Centre last week Thursday, after serving three years for illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition.  

He has had a longstanding relationship with Reggae Sumfest, where he made his debut performance as a professional artist at Reggae Sumfest in 2012.

However, on July 16, 2015, the police had barred Tommy Lee from performing at the festival. 

News reports at the time were that police investigators had decided to bar the Gaza artist, while they probed an upsurge in violence in the community of Flanker in St. James a day prior.

Sometime after, the Constabulary issued a notification that they wanted to question the artist regarding criminal activities that were taking place in St. James.

At the time, however, his manager, Heavy D, had claimed that he thought the reason for the sudden questioning was because Tommy Lee publicly stated that he planned to sue for loss of earnings.

Sparta, whose given name is Leroy Russell, had at the time, taken to social media to rebuke the Police.

“The Police High command has refused me permission on stage,” he had told his fans, and then went on to point out that the actions of the constabulary was in breach of the Charter of Rights and the Constitution of Jamaica.

“How can the Police prevent a citizen from engaging in legitimate employment ?” he had said, declaring that his attorney would be filing an action in the Supreme Court for compensation.

In 2016, he made a cameo appearance after being called on stage by Beenie Man.

In 2017, Tommy Lee, returned to the Reggae Sumfest stage where he delivered a brief, but commendable performance as the closing artist, belting out songs such as Holding Out The Pressure, Spartan Soldier, Stacking Up The Paper and Buss a Blank.

Following the performance, which lasted for just 15 minutes, Tommy Lee had said that his set had ended abruptly, as he had been told that the show had been running over time and so he had to adjust.

“You have Westmoreland people, people from Trelawny, people from Kingston and everywhere in Jamaica who come out fi da show yah and come out fi me… A one likkle festival a year time and so the whole a Jamaica deh deh. Me feel good bout me performance although it did short. Me come fi perform but dem say do show a run long and me just deal wid it quick and fast,” he told The Star at the time.

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UN general assembly backs landmark request for an ICJ opinion on climate change

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Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: Caribbean News Service
Reacting to a UN General Assembly decision requesting that the International Court of Justice (ICJ) provide an authoritative opinion on states’ obligations and responsibilities surrounding climate change, Ambassador Nerys Dockery, St. Kitts and Nevis’ UN Permanent Representative to the United Nations said:

“Today marks another historic moment in the fight for climate justice. Just about three weeks ago, we saw the agreement on the landmark legally-binding international Treaty on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity in the high seas. The adoption of the Resolution today is a major achievement that will allow the ICJ to provide clarity on how existing international law, especially human rights and environmental legislation, can be applied to strengthen action on climate change.

“The moment was made even greater by the consensual adoption by a united General Assembly that chose to stand up for the millions around the world, especially those who live in small island developing states, for whom climate change poses an existential threat.

“I salute Vanuatu, in particular, for its intrepid and tenacious advocacy to garner support for the resolution and the youth activists in the Pacific Islands who initiated this urgent call in the fight for redistributive justice and the protection of the human rights of future generations.

“The ICJ can now choose to provide a robust advisory opinion that will offer much-needed clarity on state obligations and spur action that will help mitigate the causes and consequences of the damage done to the climate and ultimately protect people and the environment globally.

“I am very proud that St. Kitts and Nevis can be counted among the 130 countries that endorsed and co-sponsored the resolution. It is my hope that the advisory opinion will add impetus and commitment to addressing the impacts of global warming.”

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Best Practices Training for Better Farming in Barbados

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Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: Caribbean News Service

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has been an important partner in Barbados’ drive to achieve its agricultural and marine development priorities, including natural resource management and climate change adaptation.

This partnership has continued under the ‘Addressing the Water-Energy-Food Nexus’ (WEF) sub-project of the “Mexico – CARICOM – FAO Initiative Cooperation for Adaptation and Resilience to Climate Change in the Caribbean.”

The initiative targets actions that contribute to reducing the impacts of global shocks such as climate change and COVID-19 on household livelihoods, food and water availability, including practices in technologies for improved water productivity. Critical to achieving this is the implementation of best practices training within the agriculture sector to ensure environmental management.

Sixteen farmers under the WEF subproject are receiving training in ‘Farming Best Practices’ to learn efficient irrigation techniques, water resource management, and conservation agriculture methods. The distribution of rainwater harvesting/storage facilities and assistance with solar powered irrigation systems for sustainable open field production and soil conditioning are key components of the training to further support the technical knowledge. The training is being facilitated by FAO National Project Coordinator (NPC) for the WEF sub-projectKris Grogan and Agricultural Best Practices Specialist Mr Colin Maynard.

FAO Representative Barbados Mr Juan CheazPelaez, noted that “This sub-project seeks to address the Water-Energy-Food nexus. We know that, among others, climate change will exacerbate water scarcity. Inadequate access to water for agricultural production, along with the high dependence on imported fossil fuels combine to worsen the vulnerability of producers in Barbados.”

The Barbados Climate Change and Agricultural Policy Framework encourages adaptation and mitigation measures for the agricultural sector to build resilience against the impact of climate change. The FAO ‘Farming Best Practices’ training is another program which will facilitate agricultural development as the participants identify problems, test solutions, and adopt appropriate practices.

FAO NPC Kris Grogan stated “We are happy with the attendance at today’s training as we aim to boost resilience and facilitate adaptation to climate change in Barbados. These opportunities under this project will help farmers further develop best practices and skills by providing learning experiences and promoting exchange of information.“

This farmer-to-farmer knowledge exchange adds to the value of the training as the sessions allow for discussion in a collaborative manner where farmers’ can learn from each other’s abilities and experience. The training also seeks to empower farmers in innovation with the use of on-farm renewable energy systems, solar powered irrigation systems and water storage facilities provided.

Workshop participant Tanisha Hunte spoke to the value of the training indicating that, “Sometimes on-farm rainwater harvesting seems farfetched but today made it seem more feasible.“

The “Mexico – CARICOM – FAO Initiative Cooperation for Adaptation and Resilience to Climate Change in the Caribbean” or ‘Resilient Caribbean Initiative’ aims at improving the resilience and adaptation to climate change of agriculture, food systems and rural communities in vulnerable populations in Caribbean countries. The initiative will advance water resource management to increase agricultural productivity. The project will also address the challenge of the low productivity of small-scale farming by providing technological innovation to agricultural producers.

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Nevis extends deadline for bids on drilling phase of geothermal energy project

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Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: Caribbean News Service

The Nevis Island Administration (NIA) has once again extended the deadline for bids on the drilling phase of Nevis’ geothermal energy project.

“The geothermal project has been proceeding apace. We had indicated that the bidding process on the production well drilling phase had been extended to March 09, 2023; that has since been further extended to April 09, and so we are waiting for those bids.

“As indicated before, the response has been overwhelming and the CDB [Caribbean Development Bank] has indicated that consistent with the guidelines for bids, those people showing an interest, some of them had questions and needed clarification and therefore they extended the timeframe to allow them an opportunity to provide that clarification,” Mark Brantley, Premier of Nevis and Minister of Energy in the NIA informed at his March 28 press conference.

The Premier explained that while some 30 companies have already indicated their interest in bidding for the project, the government is obligated to provide clarification and information for those entities requesting such.

“My last report from NEVLEC [Nevis Electricity Company], the entity that is guiding this process on Nevis, was that they had responded to over 100 enquiries for information.”

Once the bidding process is closed, all bids would be evaluated and then the necessary approvals obtained with respect to awarding a contract. That evaluation period is expected to last six months and drilling is anticipated to commence within a period of six months from the signing of the contract.

The drilling phase of the geothermal project is being funded by the CDB, which approved US $17 million for the drilling of three production wells and two injection wells at the site in Hamilton, Nevis.

Premier Brantley said his administration is eager to move forward with this particular development, as it will be transformative for the island of Nevis.

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The Caribbean Gets Better Prepared: CDEMA Leads Regional Training for 7 Countries

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Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: Caribbean News Service

Seven CDEMA Participating States are set to benefit from a five-day Regional Training Workshop in Post-Disaster Needs Assessment (PDNA) Methodology being held in Barbados from March 27 – 31.

This workshop will build resilience among the Participating States as it will maximize and accelerate effective response and recovery. This initiative is being executed by the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) with support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean, the European Union through the PARTICIP Project, and by the Enabling Gender-Responsive Disaster Recovery, Climate and Environmental Resilience in the Caribbean (EnGenDER) Project, which is funded by Global Affairs Canada and Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office from the Government of the United Kingdom. The initiative aims to develop professionals with the capacity to support the assessment of damage and loss and sectoral recovery needs in the wake of a disaster.

Climate change has increased the frequency and intensity of natural disasters, making vulnerable groups such as low-income communities and coastal populations more susceptible to their impacts; for instance, in the Caribbean and thus the Participating States, rising sea levels and stronger hurricanes threaten the livelihoods and safety of island nations that heavily rely on tourism and fishing industries.

Since 2020, the EnGenDER project has been implementing initiatives in nine Caribbean countries to integrate gender equality and human-rights based approaches to strengthen disaster risk management and build resilience for the effects of climate change.

The PDNA methodology training will be provided to senior economic planning and sectoral representatives from the seven CDEMA Participating States Antigua & Barbuda, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Jamaica, Saint Lucia and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. The UNDP support includes technical support from the Panama Regional Hub (PARH) and sponsorship of some of the Trainer Experts from UNDP Global through PARH.

The purpose of this training workshop is to provide technical support to 40 professionals who are responsible for planning and executing needs assessments and designing their own recovery frameworks within their country. The ultimate goal is to ensure a consistent and coherent approach while delivering an objective and comprehensive estimation of recovery needs. Furthermore, the workshop aims to facilitate swift decision-making and action.

The workshop will enable participants to acquire the necessary knowledge and skills to support their respective Participating States in post-disaster recovery efforts. This event underscores the importance of regional cooperation and partnership in disaster risk reduction and management. It is a step towards building a more resilient Caribbean region.

Head of Cooperation for the Eastern Caribbean at the High Commission of Canada, Abebech Assefa shared, “Canada is committed to reducing the impacts of natural disasters and providing timely and effective assistance for those who have been affected as they recover and rebuild. Canada stands at the forefront of promoting and supporting gender equality and I am happy that gender will be a cross cutting theme of the training. The reality is that men, women, boys, girls and all other groupings are impacted by events differently and if we don’t acknowledge that when we undertake our needs assessments, we risk exacerbating pre-existing inequalities or creating new ones.”

Richard Carter, Team Leader of Climate Change and Disaster Risk Reduction for the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office addressed the audience in the Opening Ceremony and noted, “In the current context of increasing frequency and intensity of natural disasters in the region; the absolute necessity for evidence-driven prioritisation of limited financial resources post-disaster; and the expected requirement of internationally standardised disaster impact assessments as the basis for claims against loss and damage funding, this PDNA training is far from an esoteric or academic exercise – it is a functional necessity for the Caribbean region.”

Lieutenant Colonel Kester Craig, Deputy Executive Director of CDEMA stated, “This workshop forms a key part of CDEMA’s thrust to enhance recovery capacities in the region, and it contributes to the mandate of the Caribbean Resilient Recovery Facility (CRRF), which is being established, in collaboration with other regional and international partners, to effectively operationalize and manage recovery in the Region. CDEMA is striving for resilient recovery that is nationally driven by strengthening Governments’ recovery systems before a disaster strikes. Given the uncertainty around future climate impacts and other emerging hazards, CDEMA is seeking to strengthen the capacities of national governments to plan for and effectively manage recovery from disasters. By hosting this workshop on the methodology for post-disaster needs assessment and by operationalizing the Caribbean Resilient Recovery Facility, CDEMA is working on many different fronts to advance recovery and Comprehensive Disaster Management in the region.”

Ugo Blanco, Deputy Resident Representative for UNDP Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean stated, “This training is timely as the Caribbean is well known to be among the most hazard prone regions in the world and is particularly exposed to geological and hydrometeorological hazards.” As he provided Caribbean examples of the hazards, he stated, “all [disaster examples] underscore the need for recovery planning, institutionalizing recovery in government and the building of recovery capacity to reduce the loss of life, property, environmental assets and livelihoods in Caribbean SIDS.”

As climate change effects become more prevalent in the region, it is vital that developmental efforts continue to reinforce the need for regional resilience and bolstering livelihoods for traditionally vulnerable groups. UNDP Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean, in partnership with governments and stakeholders, remains dedicated to the advancement of inclusive and sustainable development throughout the region. This intervention is part of the work of UNDP Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean in its commitment to building resilient communities that can withstand shocks and crises while reducing gender vulnerabilities.

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New Fisheries Food Safety Hub launched by IICA and CRFM under EU-funded project

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Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: Caribbean News Service

Fish processing establishments and fishers across the Caribbean now have access to a new online hub of fisheries food safety resources. The Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), in partnership with the Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism (CRFM) today announced the launch of the new Fisheries Food Safety Hub, developed with funding from the European Union (EU) under the 11th European Development Fund (EDF) Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Measures Project.

“At the European Union, we view our environmental and health ambitions – set in the EU’s Farm to Fork Strategy – as drivers for raising global standards through trade. Ensuring fisheries food safety is at the core of these standards, allowing not only for exports to the EU, but also within Caribbean countries. We therefore welcome the launch of the Fisheries Food Safety Hub which will serve as a learning platform for stakeholders and as a product of the longstanding partnership between the EU, IICA, and CRFM,” stated EU Ambassador, Malgorzata Wasilewska.

The purpose of the Fisheries Food Safety Hub is to increase accessibility to fisheries food safety compliance materials. It serves as the central access point for a wealth of food safety resources for the Caribbean, primarily developed under the 10th and 11th EDF SPS Measures Project. These include guides and manuals, training videos, infographics, and policy documents covering the entire fisheries value chain: pre-harvest, harvest, and post-harvest.

The Hub also features resources developed through complementary initiatives to strengthen food safety in the region, including the Leadership Institute of the Caribbean Network of Fisherfolk Organisations (CNFO). IICA and the CRFM developed the Hub for stakeholders from both the public and private sectors in the fifteen CARIFORUM countries.

The partners especially catered to the needs of fishers and fisher organizations, as well as aquaculture farmers, thereby expanding the reach of the project’s online platform to the agriculture, fisheries, and aquaculture sectors. “Having ready access to current scientifically based information on a timely basis is fundamental for strengthening compliance with international Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures and ultimately contributes towards improved market access and trade in the Caribbean Region.

Hence IICA is very pleased to collaborate with the CRFM with funding from the European Union to develop this important information resource for the fisheries sector,” stated the Head of IICA’s Agricultural Health, Food Safety and Quality Programme, Dr Jose Urdaz. Mr. Milton Haughton, Executive Director of the Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism said: “The Fisheries Food Safety Hub is a very important development and will be beneficial to all our stakeholders in the CARIFORUM countries–from producers to consumers, as well as national and regional regulatory authorities with responsibility for ensuring safe and wholesome supplies of fish and fishery products to local markets, and for monitoring the implementation and compliance with trading measures and standards to promote sustainable trade. This is of particular importance given that food safety is of highest priority, especially in the context of expanding trade while also reaching the target of a 25% reduction in the Caribbean’s food import bill by 2025, as mandated by our Heads of Government.”

Adrian LaRoda, Chair of the Caribbean Network of Fisherfolk Organisations, said: “The Hub itself will be very beneficial to the CNFO, as it is another platform for us, small-scale fishers, to be able to share our message… to reach a greater number of participants, particularly those who are not within the CNFO constituency.”

LaRoda added that CNFO members will take advantage of the Fisheries Food Safety Hub, and they will continue to update the information from the CNFO Leadership Institute which is featured on the Hub, and to use the platform as a part of their ongoing efforts to strengthen the capacity of fishers in the Caribbean.

Udo Karg, the Acting Chair of the Suriname Seafood Association and CEO of Ocean Delight, underscored that food safety is the highest priority. One of Suriname’s export establishments, Ocean Delight, is featured on the Fisheries Food Safety Hub, as one of entities which received training under the 11th EDF SPS Measures Project. All the materials for that training are available for open access on the Fisheries Food Safety Hub.

Karg also sees the Food Safety Hub as a marketing tool which demonstrates the work done in Suriname to ensure fisheries food safety, particularly for exporting to the EU.

Eardley Simmons, Managing Director of Bequia Seafood in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, which has been in operation since October 2017, agreed that the Fisheries SPS Hub can be used as a tool to strengthen capacity in the fisheries sector. He said that they would greatly benefit if they could get assistance from another processing plant to train their workers, and this exchange could help them to improve their standards by learning from what other establishments have been doing to address their challenges. Bequia Seafood could, in turn, offer training to other establishments in the region.

The resources that are showcased on the Fisheries Food Safety Hub will help persons in the fisheries and aquaculture sector to strengthen their knowledge on food safety, and especially the Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures that are important for trade within and outside of the Caribbean Region. The Fisheries Food Safety Hub is linked with the e-Library of the project, available on edfspscariforum.online, which offers authoritative digital resources dedicated to stakeholders interested in Agricultural Health, Food Safety and Food Quality in the CARIFORUM region.

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The Pantheon Returns After First Major Trinidad Carnival

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Black Immigrant Daily News

By Marcia Braveboy

NAN

News Americas, PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad, Weds. March 29, 2023: The PANTHEON Exhibition in Trinidad was born out of the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown in 2020, and frustrating restrictions that crippled Carnival and the world.

This year, the first PANTHEON Exhibition post COVID and on the heels of the first major Trinidad and Tobago carnival was held on Sunday March 12th to Sunday 19th March, at Mille Fleur, one of the magnificent seven buildings around the Savannah in Port of Spain.

Curator and creator, Rubadir Victor who is also president of the Artist’s Coalition of Trinidad and Tobago, (ACTT). (Marcia Braveboy image)

Curator and creator, Rubadir Victor, resumed the reinforcing, persistent and motivational work of showcasing the phenomenal costumes of the Kings and Queens of Carnival.

Children delight in the costumes on display at the Pantheon Exhibit from March 12-19, 2023. (Marcia Braveboy image)

Carnival lovers, creators of the mas and citizens and children from across Trinidad and Tobago, continue to salivate over this exhibition, even after the first major Carnival event was held on February 20 and 21, 2023 for the first time without any COVID-19 restrictions

Many are spellbound not because it is the first of its kind in T&T’s Carnival history or that the exhibition was born out of a crippling pandemic but over the creativity of the Kings and Queens costumes and the intellectual presentations of why Carnival and the mas is so valuable to societies worldwide.

Citizens of T&T are still embracing the exhibition, weeks after carnival 2023, which saw mas creation slowly returning to a stronger sense of traditional mas.

Children have attended with their parents as well as tourists, mas creators and many other people from different walks of life were there.

Fiona Coomber was one among scores of visitors who visited and absorbed the exhibition on Saturday 18th March. Her mother was born in T&T, her grandmother in Grenada and her Grandfather in Barbados. (Marcia Braveboy image)

Fiona Coomber was one among scores of visitors who visited and absorbed the exhibition on Saturday 18th March, the seventh day of the showcase. She said more people need to see and appreciate all the hard work that go into the magnificent structures.

“I think it should be regular, every year, everybody should be able to see it; I think the creativity is extraordinary, it is magnificent, and I really think the whole world should know about it,” said Coomber, a British white woman of Caribbean parentage, about PANTHEON the Exhibition.

Some of the costumes on display at Pantheon 2023. (Marcia Braveboy image).

The majestic Peacock at Pantheon 2023. (Marcia Braveboy image)

She hopes that a space can be developed to at least house miniature versions of the costumes, as a way of preserving their significance for some time and maybe add just one giant size structure, since it is not practical to find the space required for several large sized costumes.

Deron Atz, the mas man. (Marcia Braveboy image)

Coomber said while it is not possible to house 50 years of Kings and Queens costumes, but she does see value in replicating the finished pieces into miniatures, and save that, so one can see the evolution of ideas to help assist the continued creation of mas costumes. She finds it heart breaking that they get destroyed immediately after Carnival events and one wild weekend.

Additional to the PANTHEON the Exhibition, were large screens and technological darkroom display of a history of traditional mas in Trinidad and Tobago.

The digital immersive experience room where the traditional costumes of past Kings and Queens of Carnival were shown. (Marcia Braveboy image)

NAN’s Marcia Braveboy (r) at Pantheon 2023.

PANTHEON the exhibition will be back in 2024 Victor told NAN news and promised to continue working with stakeholders, to find an adequate space to house the Kings and Queens costumes.

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Guyana welcomes inaugural British Airways flight

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Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: Caribbean News Service

Guyana on Monday night welcomed the arrival of the British Airways flight from London with the government saying it underscores its aggressive policy-driven approach to development and heavy investments.

“Connecting the world to Guyana remains a priority of this government. We see Guyana as an active part of a global travel network, and we are continually engaging major airlines with a view to encouraging them to serve this destination.

“Our pursuit of airline connectivity is part of a wider strategic economic objective to make Guyana easily and affordably accessible to all business in all sectors, including the leisure and pleasure travel sector,” said Tourism, Industry and Commerce Minister, Oneidge Walrond, adding that the introduction of the flights presents a myriad of opportunities for Guyana.

Public Works Minister, Bishop Juan Edghill, told the welcoming ceremony that “we are growing, and we will continue to grow. So, there are two things we’re doing. We’re expanding facilities at the airport, and we are growing routes”.

Minister within the Ministry of Public Works, Deodat Indar, said “Guyanese should be proud that what we have now is an environment that can bring more aircraft from different destinations.

“For an investment decision to fly the Guyana route, it took some amount of doing, some amount of calculation, and some amount of confidence in Guyana, and I am hoping that other airways follow suit as British Airways did to fly this route,” said Indar.

Among the passengers on the inaugural flight at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport,

were the United Kingdom’s Minister for the Caribbean and the Americas, David Rutley, and St. Lucia’s Tourism, Investment, Creative Industries, Culture and Information, Dr. Ernest Hilaire.

Hilaire said the return of British Airways to Guyana – United Kingdom (UK) route is a win for Caribbean integration.

“We came to celebrate you receiving this flight… I cannot recall a direct flight from Guyana to St Lucia, so just like this is a milestone for you, the flight returning is a milestone of St Lucia,” Hilaire said as he pointed to the new possibilities for people-to-people and tourism exchanges.

The airline will service the route twice weekly with one stop in St Lucia.

Last last year, London announced that Guyanese nationals would be allowed visa-free entry into the European country for up to 180 days.

Rutley said he would be using his visit here to “launch a new chamber of commerce as well which will then help to cement those relationships at the business level.”

UK High Commissioner to Guyana, Jane Miller said the inaugural flight is not only the culmination of hard work at the business and diplomatic levels but also a personal win for so many people.

“It feels transformational. It’s a huge step for me both personally and professionally,” she said.

The new organization, BritCham Guyana says it will foster an open networking environment where companies can engage and discuss issues impacting their businesses and UK-Guyana trade.

“We would like to congratulate BritCham Guyana and we look forward to working with the team,” said Anne-Marie Martin, Director of Membership UK & International at the British Chambers of Commerce.

“BritCham Guyana offers an opportunity to bring together a rich and diverse network of UK investors, exports, and services with strong governance, world-class standards, and experience that complement the ambitions of Guyana’s business community through long-term and sustainable partnerships,” Miller added.

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Trinidadian Olympian released on bail after being charged with gun and drug charges

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Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: Caribbean News Service

Olympian Njisane Phillip will return to court on April 24 after being granted TT$300,000 (One TT dollar=US$ 0.16 cents) bail on firearm and drug-related charges.

Phillip, 31, appeared virtually before Senior Magistrate Armina Deonarinesingh in the San Fernando Court on three charges, including possession of a firearm, possession of ammunition and possession of marijuana.

He was ordered to surrender both his Trinidad and Tobago and United States passports and to report to a police station every Wednesday.

Njisane Phillip, a two-time Olympic cyclist, was arrested on Saturday evening after police pulled over his vehicle for allegedly speeding along the Solomon Hochoy Highway. Media reports said that while he was being questioned by the police, the officers got a strong scent of marijuana coming from his vehicle.

The officers searched the vehicle and allegedly found 62 grams of marijuana and a firearm with a magazine containing four rounds of 9 mm ammunition.

He was arrested and later charged.

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Jamaican farmers urged to guard against the TR4 Disease

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Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: Caribbean News Service

The Banana Board is urging Jamaican farmers to implement measures to protect their holdings against the TR4 disease even though the disease has not yet been detected in any Caribbean country.

TR4 disease, which is also known as Fusarium odoratissimum, is a threat to commercial varieties of the local banana, plantain, and ornamental Heliconia crops.

“It is not in Jamaica and it is not yet in the Caribbean but in 2019 it came to South America to Colombia and it stayed there for a while. In 2021, it moved from Colombia to Peru and in January 2023, just two months ago, it jumped into Venezuela,” said Banana Board general manager, Janet Conie.

She said that the disease has the real danger or potential to wipe out the entire industry and that the TR4 is a soil-borne fungal disease that can stay in the soil for 30 years for which there is no cure and no resistant commercial varieties.

“What we need to do is to keep it out. What happens when it comes is that it spreads in the soil, in water, on tools and equipment, and by people moving. We are very concerned that it is in Venezuela because the traffic between Venezuela and Trinidad is real and the traffic between Jamaica and Trinidad is very real,” she added.

With the potential effects of the TR4, farmers are being encouraged to ramp up border security, farm biosecurity, as well as diagnostic and surveillance measures, which are critical to preventing the spread of the disease.

“We are motivating our farmers to secure their farms in Jamaica. We are telling them to fence them and put footpaths for persons that come on the farms, that they walk in these footpaths and to disinfect their shoes,” Mrs. Conie said, noting that the Banana Board is also encouraging Jamaicans who travel to be mindful of their movements in countries where the TR4 is present.

“Anybody can bring it in if they are unaware of what they do. If you go to a South American country now, into a banana field, we ask you not to bring your clothes and shoes back, because you may bring it inadvertently,” Mrs. Conie said.

So far, the Banana Board has been working to strengthen the industry against the threat of the disease.

“We have been preparing. We have varieties that are not so commercial but are fairly resistant and we have been multiplying those in Jamaica, so we have something for food security should we be affected,” she added.

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