News Americas, New York, NY, August 29, 2024: Hilton, the global luxury hotel brand, has announced plans to construct its first two hotels in Guyana, marking a significant expansion into the oil rich South American CARICOM nation. The new developments, Hilton Georgetown and DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Georgetown, will both be located in the country’s capital, Georgetown.

Hilton will soon have two hotels in Guyana.

According to the company, these two hotels will be part of a larger oceanfront, mixed-use business and entertainment complex, offering a combined total of over 400 rooms. The project will be owned by an affiliate of the Assets Group and managed by Hilton.

This announcement comes nearly four years after a private company initially signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Guyanese government to build two Hilton-branded hotels. However, that project never advanced, and now Hilton has decided to take the reins directly.

“We believe in investing in Guyana, a country poised for significant growth and a promising future in tourism and hospitality,” said Moutaz Al Khayyat, Chairman of Assets Group. He highlighted the company’s commitment to entering emerging markets with high potential and expressed confidence in Guyana’s economic trajectory.

The 11-story Hilton Georgetown will feature 253 guest rooms and suites, providing an elevated stay experience, while the DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Georgetown will offer 158 contemporary suites.

“We are proud to bring the flagship Hilton Hotels & Resorts brand, which continues to set the standard for travel, and the renowned DoubleTree by Hilton tradition of warm welcomes and upscale comfort to Guyana,” said Gary Steffen, Global Category Head for Full-Service Brands at Hilton. He added that the company is eager to introduce its iconic hospitality to the Guyanese market through these two award-winning brands.

Hilton emphasized that these new properties will underscore its commitment to delivering premium, luxurious experiences that cater to the discerning needs of its guests.

News Americas, New York, NY, August 8, 2024: “Preventive healthcare is my passion,” says Jamaican-born Adult Health Nurse Practitioner, Dr. Karlene Lawrence, who has over two decades of experience in Preventive Medicine across various health centers in New York City and Long Island.

Dr. Karlene Lawrence is a nurse practitioner based in NYC but born in Jamaica. (Photo courtesy of Ian Buddington)

Born in St. Thomas, Jamaica, Dr. Lawrence attended Holy Childhood Preparatory and High Schools in Kingston, Jamaica, before immigrating to the USA at 17. She earned a Bachelor’s degree in Nursing from Molloy College in Rockville Centre with the goal of becoming a Nurse-Midwife. After obtaining a Midwifery and Women’s Health Graduate degree from New York University, she began practicing in outpatient settings in Queens and Brooklyn. It was at this juncture that her focus changed. “I realized that the care of my female patients was incomplete because I was unable to care for their male partners. That prompted me to pursue an Adult Nurse Practitioner Post Graduate Certificate. Over time, it became apparent that my true passion was educating patients about illness prevention and achieving wellness, rather than ‘problem-focused’ appointments and treating an illness after it was already diagnosed.”

Dr. Lawrence returned to school in 2017 and received a Doctor of Nursing Practice Degree from SUNY Stony Brook University in 2019. During this time, she married educator, musician, and cultural historian LeRoy Graham Jr., who “stepped up in a major way” to assist with raising their three children while she pursued her academic and professional goals.

Dr Karlene Lawrence and husband LeRoy Graham. (Photo courtesy of Ian Buddington)

Among her many honors are The Louis and Rachel Rudin Foundation Scholarship, the New York State Advanced Nursing Education Traineeship Scholarship, and the New York State Primary Care Service Corps Scholarship. She is also a member of the Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing.

Currently, Dr. Lawrence serves as the Doctor of Nursing Practice / Nurse Practitioner on a multimillion-dollar Geriatric Workforce Enhancement Program (GWEP) grant from the federal Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). The program aims to transform the healthcare workforce and community in Brooklyn by establishing a new wellness clinic for adults aged 65 years and older. The clinic will also serve as a training facility for students from all schools and colleges at SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University.

“Many chronic health conditions are preventable with proper nutrition, adherence to periodic screenings, and taking medication as advised, leading to longer, healthier lives free of common illnesses,” states Dr. Lawrence.

She emphasized that regular screenings for conditions like diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol, and cancers such as breast, prostate, and colon can lead to early diagnosis, less complicated treatments, lower healthcare costs, and more successful outcomes. “This is why preventive healthcare and wellness are my passions. Early in my career, I realized that ‘prevention is better than cure’ is very accurate and applicable. Preventive healthcare became the focus of my practice many years ago and remains so until today.”

Dr. Lawrence also addresses challenges in the healthcare system, such as lack of access to affordable healthcare, payment constraints from insurance companies, stigmas towards various health conditions, and biases against older patients and those with mental health issues. “The sad reality is that a majority of the world’s population have challenges understanding healthcare discussions or instructions due to low or no literacy. This hinders the achievement of desired preventive healthcare goals. Unfortunately, the current United States health system can be complicated and difficult to navigate, a longstanding and complex issue that requires an immediate solution to ensure that ‘best treatment’ is always the goal for ALL patients.”

“My goal as a health and wellness educator-presenter is to increase awareness, comprehension, and adherence to recommended preventive health screening guidelines, improve health literacy, and eliminate occurrences of health disparities. I am also passionate about empowering individuals through education to prevent diseases, promote health, and maintain wellness as they age in their own residences,” she explained.

However, Dr. Lawrence acknowledges that she cannot achieve these goals alone. “At the end of the day, we still have to resolve the challenges in our healthcare system, and that will not be done overnight. It is vital that we foster the necessary cooperation between all healthcare stakeholders to arrive at more effective healthcare solutions. The lives of our fellow citizens literally depend on it.”

News Americas, New York, NY, July 23, 2024: ExxonMobil Guyana is moving forward with plans to develop its seventh oil project in the country, targeting the Hammerhead field in the Stabroek Block. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has begun reviewing ExxonMobil’s application for this new venture.

The ExxonMobil Guyana offices at 86 Duke Street in Georgetown, Guyana. Photographer: Jose A. Alvarado Jr./Bloomberg via Getty Images

Officials estimate that the Hammerhead project could push Guyana’s oil output beyond 1.5 million barrels per day (bpd) by 2029. According to the project summary on the EPA’s website, the new development is expected to add between 120,000 and 180,000 bpd once operational in 2029.

ExxonMobil also projects gas production of 60 to 120 million standard cubic feet per day. The company emphasized in its project summary that it aims to “safely optimize that capacity” following initial startup.

When the Hammerhead project comes online, it will join six other sanctioned projects in the Stabroek Block, collectively boosting Guyana’s oil production to approximately 1.5 million bpd.

The EPA’s public notice, published earlier this week, stated that the proposed project will largely occur in the marine offshore environment. The notice highlighted potential environmental impacts, including effects on marine water quality, air quality, marine fauna, and socio-economic resources. Consequently, the EPA has instructed ExxonMobil Guyana to submit an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for the Hammerhead project.

The environmental regulator also invited the public to submit written questions and concerns within 28 days of the July 14 notice for consideration in the EIA.

Documents filed with the EPA reveal that the Hammerhead project is located in the south-central portion of the Stabroek Block, approximately 160 km from Georgetown, amidst previous Stabroek projects. The current plans involve drilling via drill ships to produce oil using approximately 14 to 30 production and injection wells.

The project will include the installation of subsea equipment on the seafloor and processing equipment on a floating, production, storage, and offloading (FPSO) vessel. The FPSO vessel will have the capacity to store approximately 1.4 to 2 million barrels of oil. Third-party oil tankers will offload the oil from the FPSO, making it available for export to the international market.

The FPSO will also process, dehydrate, and compress associated gas produced from the reservoir. Several options for managing the associated gas are currently being evaluated.

The Hammerhead project is expected to significantly contribute to Guyana’s economic growth by increasing national revenues, procuring local goods and services, and creating direct and indirect employment opportunities. These benefits are anticipated to drive positive “multiplier” impacts throughout the local economy.

News Americas, New York, NY, July 18, 2024: A Caribbean distilled and the world’s first award-winning Island Vodka handcrafted from breadfruit, has so far raised over USD800,000 in a crowdfunding equity raise on the platform Start Engine.

This Caribbean Based Vodka Made From Breadfruit has raised Over 800K To Date. (mutinyislandvodka.com image)

Mutiny Island Vodka, the world’s first award-winning vodka handcrafted from breadfruit, has successfully has secured $855,507.81 from 499 investors, with a minimum investment of $495.60 or $4.72 per share raised as of July 17, 2024.

Founded in 2017 by American-born Chef Todd Manley, Mutiny Island Vodka operates out of the 20,000 sq. ft. solar-powered Sion Farm distillery on St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands. The company is committed to zero waste production and also offers ginger and turmeric-infused vodka, hot pepper-infused vodka, and Puerto Rican coffee-infused vodka. To date, the company has reported $5 million in sales.

Mutiny Island Vodka takes its name from the historic Mutiny on the Bounty. According to the company, they combined breadfruit with purified Caribbean rainwater to create the unique vodka. Manley, a graduate and former graduate student at Virginia Commonwealth University, previously ran multiple restaurants with average revenues of $1.4M per year each. After relocating to the U.S. Virgin Islands, he opened several successful businesses and was honored by the local Chamber of Commerce as “Business Man of the Year” in 2015. He also received the U.S. Congressional Award for his contributions to the community of St. Croix.

In recognition of his work with breadfruit, Manley was honored at the Global Breadfruit Summit in Hawaii in 2018 and 2022. Mutiny Island Vodka has also received endorsement from the Trees That Feed Foundation for using breadfruit as a substrate, encouraging the planting of breadfruit trees. The vodka has also been featured in Forbes, further cementing its reputation.

The history of breadfruit in the Caribbean dates back to the late 18th century, when it was introduced by the British as a cheap food source for slaves. Today, breadfruit is valued for its versatility, nutritional benefits, and climate resilience. A new study published in the journal Current Biology highlights the crop’s potential to improve food security and sovereignty in tropical regions.

Breadfruit trees are low-maintenance and can produce fruit for decades, sequestering carbon and requiring fewer resources than annual staple crops. “It should fare better than some major crops under climate change scenarios and can be utilized in a variety of ways,” said Nyree Zerega of Northwestern University.

Mutiny Island Vodka’s success in raising capital underscores the growing interest in sustainable and innovative food and beverage products. The vodka can be purchased at mutinyislandvodka.com.

News Americas, New York, NY, Mon. July 15, 2024: Jamaican-born engineer and community leader Lesleyann Samuel is celebrating a lifetime of volunteer service with her latest accolade – the Kingston College Old Boys Association USA, (KCOBA), Community Award for Leadership and Philanthropy.

Lesleyann Samuel, l., accepts her award from Rainford “Perry” Bloomfield, Immediate Past President of the KC Old Boys Association New York Chapter. (Photo courtesy of  Leonard McKenzie)

The award is one of several handed out annually by the New York Chapter of the Kingston College alumni organization to individuals who have significantly contributed to their communities in the USA. Samuel, an alumna of the Immaculate Conception High School (ICHS) in Jamaica and a former president of the Union of Jamaican Alumni Associations (USA) Inc. (UJAA), was recognized for her contribution to the ICHS Alumnae Association and her achievements as UJAA President during her eight-year tenure from 2014 to 2022.

Presented at the KCOBA USA Annual Reunion and Awards Gala at Antun’s in Queens Village, New York in May, the award is the latest in a long line of tributes bestowed on Samuel for her voluntary and philanthropic community efforts, which span nearly four decades.

Born in Kingston, Jamaica to R. Karl and Olga Samuel, Lesleyann’s passion for community service was ignited at an early age by her aunt, the late Dothlyn Joyce (“Dotty”) Campbell, former head of dance at Jamaica’s Festival Commission (now the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission – JCDC).

“In addition to her job, my aunt volunteered in a number of organizations and was always helping others. I learned then that life is more than just our day-to-day jobs. Life is about stepping up to our calling. For me, that means doing what I believe I am supposed to do in the service of others who may need whatever help I may be able to offer,” Samuel shared.

Samuel immigrated to the USA at the age of 13 and attended Samuel J. Tilden High School in Brooklyn (now Meyer Levin Junior High School). She earned a scholarship to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, an engineering school in upstate New York, graduating with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Engineering. This achievement led her to become one of a small but growing number of Black female engineers hired at major communication and tech companies in the early 1980s. She landed a position with New Jersey Bell, which later became Bell Atlantic and ultimately Verizon. After over a decade with Verizon in Maryland, she returned to the Tri-State area with a strong desire to “give forward.”

“It started with my getting involved with my alma mater, Immaculate, because I was part of the fifth generation in my family to attend the school. My mom was always involved in the alumnae association, in Jamaica and then in New York, so my sisters and I followed suit. By 2012, I was working extensively with UJAA on the board and really enjoying traveling to Jamaica and making my contribution. So, in 2014, I decided to take the next major step and run for UJAA president, following in the footsteps of my sister Karlene who was president before me.”

Karlene encouraged Lesleyann to “step up” and supported her throughout the journey.

“Most of us are active in our alumni associations because we attended phenomenal schools with phenomenal teachers. By giving forward (I deliberately do not ever use the word giving ‘back,’ because that is not our direction), we demonstrate our patriotism – our love for Jamaica – by helping to ensure that those who come after us have as good or better experiences than ours,” Samuel explained.

Her term as UJAA president was extended due to the COVID pandemic, and by the time it concluded in 2022, the UJAA membership had grown from 32 to over 60 alumni organizations during her presidency – an achievement of which she is especially proud.

With her engineering background, Samuel has been a major force behind UJAA’s support of robotics in Jamaican schools, and has chaperoned several Jamaican student delegations to international robotics competitions in recent years. Her latest project with her own Immaculate Alumnae Association includes extending the robotics program to Immaculate’s Preparatory school, where they participated in the FIRST® LEGO League Jamaica program in late June.

Samuel finds that one of the great ironies in her life of service has been the way her community volunteer activities have influenced her professionally, rather than the other way around.

“Curiously, my leadership and communication skills were developed through my community efforts and helped me in my engineering career, not the other way round. To both, I bring my commitment to a high standard of performance. I also understand that working with volunteers is very different than working with persons who are being paid to do a job. And I also stay positive and proceed as if success is inevitable.”

In addition to her latest award from KCOBA, Samuel has been the recipient of numerous others including The Bob Marley One Love Leadership Award from The Stop The Violence Alliance, The Caribbean Life Impact Award, The Founders Award from the ICHS Alumnae Association, and the United States House of Representatives Proclamation from Congresswoman Yvette Clarke.

As for the future, Samuel is not yet ready to slow down.

“I would like to obtain my doctorate in Organizational Leadership,” she says, “So I’m currently looking for the right programs for me. I would also like to do more work in Jamaica and am always looking at how to contribute in new ways. But generally, I’m staying open to the possibilities – ready as I’ve always been to step through the doors as they open.”