It's only after Jean-Bertrand was airborne - on a U.S government aircraft - and the genocide had just about run its course, that Mr. Global Panacea himself, George Bush, announced that he was sending marines "...to help bring order to Haiti." He's the same person who, early in the crisis stated that any Haitian refugees who attempted to enter the US would be returned to Haiti. Here in North America it's `tribalism' of another kind; the police call the players "gangs," their issues... "gang violence." [Ooops! I would be remiss if I didn't thank the Bush-Blair tandem, but especially President George Bush, on the first anniversary of that stupendous victory over Iraq - what with it's ominous repertoire of weapons of mass destruction and all. It brought an end to Saddam Hussein's decades-old reign of terror and, more importantly, the "liberation of the Iraqi people..."
No doubt the friendly, but highly-charged rivalry between Jamaica's two world record holders. [Yohan Blake] and Bolt will be the focus of attention after what has been a highlight year for both. But other Caribbean sprinters such as St. Kitts' [Kim Collins] and Trinidad and Tobago's [Richard Thompson] and fellow Jamaican Powell cannot be ruled out of the medal mix in the 100 and 200 meters. The 22-year-old Blake made a show of his aspirations when he easily won last year's World Championships after Bolt was disqualified: he then made a permanent dent in Bolt's armor of invincibility by clobbering him twice (100m and 200m) at Jamaica's Olympic trials earlier this month. Other Caribbean athletes poised to make their mark in London are Grenada's Rondell Bartolomew, (400m), Ryan Braithwaite à former World Championship gold medalist of Barbados, (110m Hurdles); St. Vincent and the Grenadines' Kineke Alexander (Women's 400m), Antiguan sprinter Daniel Bailey, (100m), and Guyana's Aliann Pompey, a former Commonwealth Games gold medalist (Women's 400m).
Jamaican sprinters Usain Bolt and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce had their names etched in history as the most decorated male and female athletes after they dominated the 14th World Athletics Championships 2013 held in Moscow between August 10 and 18. With two Olympiqf gold medals (2008 and 2012) already in her cabinet, Fraser-Pryce, also 26 years old, came to the championships ready to make a mark. Her pink dyed hair was an apt compliment to her pink nail polish and pink running shoes. Host country Russia topped the medal ranking with 17, including seven gold, while the USA snatched 25 medals, but only six gold medals. Jamaica also had six gold medals in its total tally of 9 medals.
Another report pointed out that prisoners were upset because guards had ignored their allegations that another inmate had tried to sexually assault several prisoners. A strong contingent of police officers from the GUARD and Emergency Branch (GEB) stormed the cell block section of the San Fernando Magistrates' Court to quash a threatened uprising by about 100 prisoners on April 1. One of the country's daily newspapers reported that the prisoners were protesting cramp and overcrowded conditions at the cellblock of the courthouse in southern Trinidad. And they threatened to beat and the handful of police officers assigned to secure them.
"We shouldn't celebrate a scheme that brought women from the West Indies to Canada and kept many of them under domination and subordination by Canadian families," says Ms. [Antonia Sealy], a founding member of several community groups. "Personally, I regret making the decision to come on that scheme," she says. "I had a comfortable life in Barbados and a good job in the public service, but I was young and I wanted to travel and seek other opportunities. Had I known better I would have waited and sought out a commonwealth scholarship," she said. Ms. Sealy says that nothing she was told before leaving Barbados could have prepared her for the life of "subordination" at the homes of various families in Toronto.
It's against this backdrop that filmmaker Roger Boisrond will screen SAK PASE? In the heart of the Haitian community, me grande premiere of his latest unedited documentary on the Haitian community. A Centre Mandela-King Production, the film will give viewers a better understanding of the Haitian presence in Quebec society, and the longtime solidarity that exists between Quebec and Haiti. A discussion will follow the screening.
Sunday, May 19, Grand Festival Day, things get underway at 1 :30p.m. 'til 8:00 p.m. Visitors will meet local merchants and artisans, and sample the famous gastronomy of the Caribbean and different African countries, all prepared by local and visiting chefs from Caribbean and African restaurants. And like the food and drinks (on sale throughout the day) there will be ample entertainment with a Caribbean and African flavour. Also interactive workshops featuring the African drum experience, steelpan lessons, kite-making and African dance lessons, an AfricanCaribbean teen talent show, Caribbean and African arts and crafts on display, and much more.
