Black Immigrant Daily News

Among the champions in the 2021 National Reading Competition is a duo from the Clarendon Parish Library Network, who share more than just a love for reading.

Fellow contestants may have noticed that the 9-11 National Champion, Kyle Bennett, calls the 21 and over National Champion, Marjorie Howitt Bennett, “Mom”.

An educator, Bennett said she became a member of the library from a very young age as she held a love for books. This was later shown in her children.

“The librarians there [at the Clarendon Parish Library] were used to seeing me twice on weekdays as I went to exchange the books I had read. Years later, I would sit with my sons in that same library from when they were just a few months old, reading to them, allowing them to touch the books, and as I hoped, they too began to read and appreciate the written word really early,” the mother of two explained.

Her younger son, Kyle, got the opportunity to become a member of the library early as he would always complain that he did not want to use his mother’s ticket, but wanted his own.

Bennett pointed out, however, that the future champion did not like to read for himself during those younger years.

“The books that I bought him would just sit on his shelf unless someone read to him, and so I decided to let him enter the National Reading Competition as soon as he turned six. As I expected, he was very distraught when he did not win because he had not read all the books,” she said.

This turn of events motivated young Kyle to develop a love for reading, as “he likes to excel at anything he does”.

He entered the competition again in 2018 and 2020 but was unsuccessful in claiming the national title.

In 2021, he made another entry, but this time with his mother.

“He and my older son signed me up for the competition, as well, and I was rather surprised when I got a call reminding me to pick up the material to read. I was reluctant at first because of time constraints, but my sons and a few of the librarians persuaded me,” Bennett said.

No stranger to the contest, Bennett had entered in 2006, and she was crowned the National Runner-Up for that year.

Fifteen years later and now with her son, the duo endured rounds of competition at the parish level and then the national level. Finally, the 2021 winners were announced.

“It was an amazing feeling hearing my son’s name and then mine being announced as the national champions,” she recalled.

The two, as well as other national champions and runners-up, received prizes from various sponsors in a presentation ceremony at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel on August 26.

Kyle, now 10, moved on to second form at Glenmuir High School in Clarendon, at the start of the new school year in September.

Bennett hailed the contest for being “a good example for my sons, my students and all the youngsters whose lives I touch”.

“I hope that more adults will get up and lead the younger generation, not just by preaching to them, but by doing it with them,” she added.

The National Reading Competition is an initiative of the Jamaica Library Service and has been held consecutively for the past 35 years. It is the flagship event of the organisation, which is aimed at fostering a love for reading, literature and literacy in general.

— JIS News

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Black Immigrant Daily News

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The number of people estimated to be facing moderate to severe levels of food insecurity in the English-speaking Caribbean has risen by an alarming 46 percent over the last six months.

Nearly 4.1 million people or 57 percent of the population now face food insecurity, according to a recent survey conducted by the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP).

While severe food insecurity in the region remained largely unchanged, when compared to February 2022, there has been a significant increase in households that have fallen into moderate levels of food insecurity.

Overall, the number of food insecure people has increased by 1.3 million over the past six months. The deterioration has been attributed to rising costs for food and other commodities, as the ripple effect of the Ukraine conflict and a slow recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic is felt throughout Latin America and the Caribbean.

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Nearly six percent of people in the English-speaking Caribbean reported going an entire day without eating in the week leading up to the survey, which is a one percent increase since February 2022.

Another 36 percent of respondents skipped meals or ate less than usual, and 32 percent ate less preferred foods in the week leading up to the survey.

In February these figures were at 30 and 25 percent, respectively.

“We are seeing worrying trends in the region with people selling off their assets and using their savings to meet basic needs. This was unheard of in the region previously”, said Regis Chapman, Representative and Country Director WFP Caribbean Multi-Country Office.

“These negative coping strategies are unsustainable, and we fear that these short-term measures will lead to a further increase in the number of people who are unable to meet their daily food requirements”

The Caribbean region continues to be impacted by external factors which threaten livelihoods and the ability of people to meet their basic needs.

On average, food inflation in the English and Dutch-speaking Caribbean has risen by 10.2 percent across 20 countries as of March 2022. High energy prices are exacerbating the food price crisis.

Ninety-seven percent of people surveyed reported seeing higher prices for food items compared to 59 percent in April 2020.

“For the first time in over two years, people’s inability to meet food and essential needs were top concerns, followed by unemployment,” said Joseph Cox, Assistant Secretary-General, Economic Integration, Innovation and Development, CARICOM Secretariat.

“CARICOM recognizes that further support is necessary to reduce the level of need in the region and establish systems which facilitate access to nutritious food for all. Leaders in the region are actively engaging with decision makers across all relevant sectors to identify solutions for increasing food production and reducing import dependency within the region in order to reduce the cost of food.”

The most recent survey results and an interactive dashboard are available to carry out a full comparison of data across all five rounds of the survey and the different countries that are covered.

The dashboard now has additional information specifically on the impact of economic conditions on the farming and fishing sectors along with livelihoods, markets, and food security.

CARICOM, WFP and other partners continue to work together to increase people’s resilience to shocks through stronger disaster management, social protection and food systems that are more effective, sustainable and responsive in meeting the needs of those most affected by crises.

Social protection programmes and other government support has been scaled up throughout the Caribbean, helping offset the impacts of the crisis. Investments in agriculture are aimed at reducing the reliance on imports.

The survey has been made possible with the support of the European Union and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Bureau of Humanitarian Assistance.

SOURCE: CARICOM Today/SLT. Headline photo: Castries vendors stock image

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Black Immigrant Daily News

Fiona ta sigui su rumbo devastador como horcan mayor

*Calor y humedad ta afecta pashentnan di varios malesa

*Na tera y riba lama tambe hende tin riesgo den su man 

ORANJESTAD (AAN) — Un disturbio na entrada di region di Caribe ta duna indicacion cu e ta kita atencion for di Fiona, e sistema cu a tuma e rumbo pa Noord di region di Caribe, caminda el a crea un desastre natural.

Cu Fiona como horcan mayor pa Noord di region di Caribe, e situacion cu e ta crea pa henter e region di cual Aruba ta forma parti, ta uno di instabilidad enorme, cu cualkier momento por provoca formacion di nubianan pisa capaz di produci yobida, strena y lamper.

Na momento cu otro sistema kier drenta region, ta bon pa recorda publico cu National Hurricane Center di Merca a wordo acepta como e autoridad cu ta centralisa tur accion necesario pa informa Region di Caribe, Golfo di Mexico y e region Atlantico den cooperacion estrecho cu tur servicio meteorologico den e region.

Nan ta experto cu ta guia publico, cu durante e temporada aki di horcan tin un tarea sumamente importante den su man.

Ningun hende por dicidi con clima ta comporta su mes. Hende, sinembargo, por dicidi con hende ta comporta su mes.

Na e momentonan aki Aruba y henter e region di Caribe ta experencia condicionnan di tempo cu ta uni humedad cu un calor intenso. Esaki ta e base ideal pa yobidanan pisa cu strena y lamper.

Yobida fuerte causa pa situacionnan manera Aruba conoce actualmente, ta dificil pa pronostica sin mas.

Autoridad meteorologico ta menciona cu e condicionnan ta favorabel y ta guia Pueblo. Pero ta imposibel pa nan bisa cu 5 minut prome cu 5or, un nubia cu por produci yobida pisa, ta cuminsa crece.

Na Aruba, tur hende por nota cu tin cambio den condicion di tempo.

Arubianonan ta conciente cu biento no ta bini di e direccion normal, cu biento ta debil, cu yobida por presenta.

For di momento cu temporada di horcan tabata na caminda y sigur ora el a cuminsa, a pidi tur hende pa ta prepara pa un temporada activo.

Na e cumbre di temporada di horcan, tur hende tin un responsabilidad grandi y esaki ta, evita peliger pa nan mes.

E calor cu tin Aruba basta dia den su gara, tin resultado pa hendenan cu ta sufri di cierto malesa. Personanan cu problema cu presion di sanger, pulmon, curazon sigur ta den e grupo cu mester cuida nan mes.

Percura pa tuma medicamento y evita situacionnan cu ta afecta salud of ta crea emergencia pa profesionalnan cu mester atende cu nan.

E comportacion di biento, cu ta wordo spera di normalisa mientras Fiona ta aleha, ta crea condicion di tempo peligroso pasobra e ta deshaci di e brisa cu cual publico na Aruba a costumbra.

Den e temporada aki tin un grupo cu mester evita bebida alcoholico, mester evita situacionnan cu ta produci hopi cansancio.

Cu e condicion di tempo ta afecta lama tambe, tur hende sa. Informacion concreto a wordo duna con e pasashi di horcannan ta afecta coriente di lama por ehempel.

Mester tene esaki na consideracion.

No crea situacion cu autoridad mester brinda asistencia den circumstancia peligroso.

Ta e momento cu mester haci tur tereno rond di cas limpi pa evita problema na momento di yobida fuerte.

Mester trece e puntonan aki dilanti pasobra tin un grupo den comunidad cu mester subi caya pa brinda asistencia. Nan tambe tin famia. Nan tambe ta hende.

Rond mundo ta topa cu e fenomeno di hende, cu kier crea situacionnan peligroso pa nan mes y pa otro.

Mas y mas autoridad internacional ta registra personanan cu ta spera pa ora lama bira bruto, nan bay enfrenta ola. Pa ora situacion ta mas peligroso cu nunca riba caretera, nan bay crea e impresion cu nan no tin miedo mientras nan man ta tembla.

Mundialmente organisacionnan cu ta brinda asistencia, ta registra mas caso di persona cu ta pone nan mes na peliger y ta crea peliger pa otronan.

Naturalesa no ta juguete.

Mester pensa semper riba personanan cu mester bandona nan cas pa bay traha y brinda asistencia na hende den problema manera personal di seguridad pero tambe di hospital y tur cu mester drenta den accion pa presta asistencia.

Cuida bo mes! Esaki ta e advertencia mas importante cu e condicionnan di clima, ta entrega hende cu tin como miho proteccion, su sentido di responsabilidad pa su mes y pa otro.

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Black Immigrant Daily News

Minister Rocco Tjon

ORANJESTAD (AAN): Recientemente, a tuma luga un anochi informativo pa tur Centro di Cuido di Mucha na Aruba. Departamento di Mucha y Hoben (DMH) conhuntamente cu Minister di Husticia y Asuntonan Social Rocco Tjon, a tene un encuentro informativo y interactivo, caminda a informa e Centronan di Cuido di Mucha riba diferente topico relaciona cu e implementacion di Ley di Kinderopvang pa Aruba.

            E topiconan cu a bin dilanti e anochi aki tawata Handleiding Kwaliteitseisen Kinderopvang Aruba; Supervision den Centro di Cuido di Mucha; Implementacion di Codigo di Proteccion den Centro di Cuido di Mucha y E plannan pa futuro.

            Minister Tjon a accentua e importancia di e anochi aki, caminda a enfoca riba e documento final, esta e ‘Handleiding Kwaliteitseisen Kinderopvang Aruba 2022’, cual ta parti den cinco paso y e rekisitonan minimo necesario pa un Centro di Cuido di Mucha por opera.

            Pa loke ta e trayecto di e manual di regulacion, por bisa cu ta trata di un trayectoria cu a tuma su debido tempo.

            For di november 2019, na momento cu sra. Sue-Ann Ras (Coordinadora Nacional Implementacion di Ley Kinderopvang) a tuma e liderazgo den implementacion di e Ley Kinderopvang, a inicia cu un Nulmeting den e Centronan di Cuido di Mucha. E Nulmeting aki tawata traha a base di e puntonan cu tabata tin den e concepto di e documento, ‘Handleidingsvoorschriften Kinderopvang’, traha door di un Stuurgroep Kinderopvang di 2015-2017.

            Despues cu e stuurgroep di 2019-2021 a analisa e resultado di e Nulmeting (2020/2021), a opta pa revisa e manual di regulacion di 2015-2017 completamente y wak kico, realisticamente, por bay den e manual nobo, pa asina no tin consecuencia grandi of di un peso financiero impactante pa e Centronan di Cuido di Mucha.

            Mas cu claro e concepto di e manual aki a bay tambe pa tur Centro di Cuido di Mucha como tambe FPNM, pa asina nan tambe por aporta pa loke ta contenido.

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