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N E W S M A G A Z I N EN E W S M A G A Z I N EN E W S M A G A Z I N EN E W S M A G A Z I N EN E W S M A G A Z I N E

Continued on page 18

Bob Marley, theBob Marley, theBob Marley, theBob Marley, theBob Marley, thelegacy continueslegacy continueslegacy continueslegacy continueslegacy continues

MMMMM ore than three de-cades after Marley’sdeath, his legacy re-

mains intact. Each gen-eration feels as though theydiscovered " Bob Marley'smusic." His message of pro-moting peace through jus-tice has transcended Ja-maica, the land of hisbirth, and has impactedthe world at large.Marley's message was thatinequality, not poverty wasthe problem, and it is aproblem which should beaddressed by revolutionaryand unifying means. Hechallenged us to be thechange we want to see, todisregard all the ‘isms andscisms” of colonialism, rac-ism and every other divide.

In the Occupy Wall Street2011, protesters used thelyrics of “Get Up, StandUp” as their chant whenthey challenged social andeconomic inequalities.

When Chilean miner, Vic-tor Zamora was rescuedafter being trapped belowground for 69 days in 2010,one of his first requestswas to hear Marley’s “Buf-falo Soldier”.

In 1980 when former Brit-ish colony of Rhodesia wasliberated and officially re-named Zimbabwe, Marleyhonored them by penningthe record “Zimbabwe”

RYSE Magazine Celebrates thefirst African American to win

a Grand AM Racing Series

CELEBRATING BLACK HISTORY MONTH

Jay and Angie Singhopen 2nd location, nowon International Drive

Location...Singh'sRestaurant & Bar

The Caribbean Community nowhas an alternative for dining out

in style. Jay and Angie Singh ofSingh's Roti Shop have opened anew location with an elegant feel

Continued on page 17

See story on page 17

Above: Elan jackson-Blount, Linda Moore Jason,Jonathan Sebastian Blount, Bill and Cheryl Lester

On right: J.Jackson RYSECEO, Bill & Cheryl Lester

Photos by Nancy Jo Brown / 106FOTO

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GGR Marketing & Public Relations1230 Hillcrest Street, Orlando, FL 32803

407-427-1800 • guenetroberts@yahoo.comFor Media Information email: capnewsmagazine@yahoo.com

Copyright (C) 2010 GGR Marketing & Public Relations. All rights reserved.

L I F E S T Y L E

Guenet Gittens-Roberts,

Publisher/Editor

Publisher ........................................................... Guenet Gittens-RobertsEditor .............................................................................Audrey JohnsonContributing Writers: ..................................................... Natasha Gittens........................................................................................ Phillip Browne

. .................................. ................................................... Roger Caldwell................................................................................ Nouchelle Hastings

Contributing Photographers ....................................... Nancy Jo Brown......................................................................................... .Dilia Castillo

Distribution.................................................................... Samuel Roberts

ubscribe to Caribbean American

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This Christmas Season give the gift of a subscription to

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This issue is special to me. I love each issue that we'vepresented, however there are the special ones and thisissue to me is a little different from our February issue a

year ago. We're more grounded and settled into the commu-nity and just like we wanted to do we're reaching the Carib-bean American Community and I'm learning so much morethan I even knew about the community.

We also live in a wider American community and so you'llsee we've featured a great story on the cover of this issue aboutthe first African American racing Champion. In addition thatstory is also about RYSE magazine, a new magazine that hastaken Orlando by it's collar, shaken it and said here I am, pro-filing amazing black people, who are doing phenomenal things- look at me. During Black History month it is important tosalute both of these important people the racer and the teamof RYSE magazine. We've also featured Bob Marley againduring Black History month, as we did last year, and will prob-ably continue to feature him every year but add updates tohis legacy as they continue to come in. He has probably donemore for Caribbean Awareness and a sense of unity than anypolitician in the Caribbean. If you don't believe me - put ona Bob Marley song in any caribbean country and see if peoplearen't singing along, or go down to Bob Marleys at UniversalCity Walk and look at the diversity of islands, races and agesthat are enjoying his music and you will see what I mean.

This month we're introducing a new cartoonist to our team -Ameer Bacchus, his cartoons will be featured every month inCAP News Magazine and he summed up his feelings about hiscaribbean heritage in an interview where he said "Living inNorth America, we're exposed to many different cultures, cui-sines, music, etc... Adding this cartoon to this month's issue ofthe paper makes me incredibly proud. The reason I created this

newspaper was to give people who feel exactly like Ameer does,an opportunity to have a home. I love being from the Carib-bean, it's my home, it's in my blood, it's why I do what I do.

Those of us with West Indian/Caribbean heritage have verydiverse interests, hobbies, tastes, likes and dislikes. I, myself,listen to alternative rock and underground hip hop, read sci-ence fiction books by the dozen, practice magic tricks, love tocook, and take a sketchbook with me everywhere. But everynow and then, I'll pass through a neighborhood filled withWest Indians, and hear the sound of soca, chutney, or reggaecoming from someone's car or garage, and my shoulders willbegin to move involuntarily. Every now and then, I find my-self slipping into my broken Guyanese dialect, because it'sthe best way to express myself to the people around me. Andevery now and then, a Jamaican cola and some doubles isthe only thing that will crave my hunger. Loaded with hotpeppa sauce, of course. I originally created Hot Peppa Sauceto give a few laughs to my family and friends. While the in-tent is still the same, the feedback from this comic has mademe realize that I'm not the only one who needs a "West In-dian fix" from time to time. The people of the West Indiannations have a shared history of enslavement, struggle, andachievement and are bonded by our own melting pot of fla-vors, values, and have developed our own rich cultural iden-tity. One that deserves to be celebrated."

Adding this cartoon to this month's issue of the paper makesme incredibly proud, this is why I created this newspaper, togive people who felt exactly like Ameer did, an opportunityto have a home. I love being from the Caribbean, it's myhome, it's in my blood, it's why I do what I do. We have arich cultural heritage - one that makes us feel at home at anAsian Festival celebrating the New Year, or at an event cel-ebrating Black History month or eating dhal and rice withour hands because the food just taste sweeter that way.

This year, I'm taking that pride with me as I take on the Presi-dency of the Caribbean American Chamber of Commerce ofFlorida, I'm taking that pride with me as we showcase theCaribbean American Candidates running for office in 2012,I'm taking that pride as Caribbean American Passport worksalong with the Horizon Center to create a Caribbean Libraryat the Caribbean Cultural Center. I'm taking that pride as wepresent Caribbean business after Caribbean business in ev-ery issue of the paper, opening a new business in CentralFlorida - and adding jobs to the community. If you guysthought that, we showcased the caribbean last year, you ain'tsee nothing yet. Email us at capnewsmagazine to get a list ofCaribbean Events that are coming up this year that we willbe participating in...we invite you to join us.

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By Roger Caldwell

P resident Obama’s, 2012State of the Union Addresswas a fired up, emphatic

speech burning with passion andinspiration. His speech was over

an hour and it was packed with innovative ideas, plans, andpolicies with a theme of, “An America Built to Last.”

President Obama from the very beginning as a presidentialcandidate has always emphasized change, and his belief thathis job is to ensure that everyone in the country receiveseconomic and political fairness. He has always been a pro-ponent of shrinking the gap between rich and poor, and helpjobless Americans get work and hang onto their homes.

“We can either settle for acountry where a shrinkingnumber of people do reallywell, while a growing number of Americans barely get by. Orwe can restore an economy where everyone gets a fair shot,everyone does their fair share, and everyone plays by the sameset of rules,” says President Obama.

Many Republicans on the other side of the fence label the presi-dent as a populist and a socialist. They also argue that thecountry is worse off in the last three years under the president’sadministration, but they know that statement is not true. Someof the Republican candidates are telling the country that thepresident has not created any new jobs, but again they know itis not a true statement.

It was obvious that in this State of the Union Address the presi-dent was determined to set the record straight, and step on sometoes. President Obama asserts that the country is getting strongerand the American dream is within our reach. He spoke of restor-ing basic goals such as, owning a home, earning enough to raise

a family, and putting a little money away for retirement.

“We can do this, I know we can. Now you can call this classwarfare all you want. But asking a billionaire to pay as muchas his secretary in taxes? Most Americans would call that com-mon sense,” said the president. Throughout the entire speechthe lawmakers would jump to their feet and applaud the presi-dent, when he made a powerful point.

Even the Republicans during certain points that the presidentmade were motivated to applaud. When the president talkedabout improving our ability to be self sufficient in terms ofenergy, and increasing the drilling for oil in the country, theRepublicans loudly applauded this point.

During this speech, the president took the time to blow his hornand do some bragging. “In the last 22 months, businesses havecreated more than 3 million jobs, and manufacturers are hiringagain, creating jobs for the first time since 2005. Together, we’veagreed to cut the deficit by more than $2 trillion. And we’ve putin place new rules to hold Wall Street accountable, so a crisis like

this never happens again,”says President Obama.

The Republicans and the con-servatives can continue to argue that the president is spinninghis wheels and achieving very little, but again that statement isfalse. They know that Osama Bin Laden has been killed, theunemployment rate is 8.5% and going down and there has been22 months of job and economic growth. The war in Iraq hasended, and he has saved the auto industry and 1.5 million jobs.

“No we will not go back to an economy weakened byoutsourcing, bad debt, and phony financial profits. Tonight, Iwant to speak about how we move forward and lay out a blue-print for an economy built on American manufacturing,” saysthe president.

It is obvious that President Obama may have to drag the stub-born Republicans and conservatives along fighting and scream-ing, but he is determined to get the job done. Imagine whatcould happen in the Congress and the country, if we focusedon the mission at hand and we worked together.

State of the Union Address GivesState of the Union Address GivesState of the Union Address GivesState of the Union Address GivesState of the Union Address GivesPresident Obama Bragging RightsPresident Obama Bragging RightsPresident Obama Bragging RightsPresident Obama Bragging RightsPresident Obama Bragging Rights

“An America Built to Last.”

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You Are Invited to Attend:Meet the Candidate Series byCaribbean-American Passport

- Rick Singh -Candidate for Orange County Property Appraiser

Saturday, March 3, 2012 from 6:00 PM - 10:00 PM

You’re Invited!Please join the Caribbean American Chamber of Commerce of Florida Inc,

Caribbean American Passport News Magazine & The Majestic Event Center

For an evening of fun, conversation & Important Voter Information

Under the Distinguished Patronage of

the Consul General of Trinidad & Tobago

The Hon. Dr. Anil Ramnanan

as we host

The First Caribbean-American Candidate

for Orange County Property Appraiser.

Rick SinghEveryone is invited to rally together for this special fundraising

& community-building event to help ensure that Rick Singh

becomes the next Property Appraiser of Orange County.

March 3rd, 2012, 6pm-Majestic Event Center -

801 North John Young Parkway Orlando, FL 32804.Admission: Suggested Donation $5.00

Music by Insession Band

Food & Drinks will be on sale

To play a role in this event, please contact

Guenet Gittens-Roberts 407-427-1800

For more information:

http://capmagazinemeetthecandidate.eventbrite.com/

For more information:

Full event details are available at Facebook/votericksingh.com or 407-278-1500

or Guenet Gittens-Roberts at guenet@ggrmarketing.com or 407-427-1800.

All contribution levels are welcomed from $5.00 - $500.00.

Contributions are limited to $500.00 per person

or corporate entity. Please make checks payable to “Rick Singh Campaign”

http://votericksingh.com/

www.caccfl.com www.issuu.com/caribbeanamericanpassport

http://www.majestic-orlando.com/

POLITICAL ADVERTISEMENT PAID FOR AND APPROVED BY RICK SINGH, DEMOCRAT, FOR ORANGE COUNTY PROPERTY APPRAISER.

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By Guyaneseonline.com

CGX’s rig the Ocean Saratoga has arrived in Guyana

GEORGETOWN, Guyana (GINA) - The way has beencleared for the Canadian oil exploration company, CGXto commence drilling one of two wells in the Guyana

offshore concession with the arrival on Sunday of the OceanSaratoga, a semi-submersibledrilling rig.

President and chief executive officerof the petroleum exploration com-pany, Stephen Hermestone, made thedisclosure after meeting Guyana’sPresident Donald Ramotar.

The Ocean Saratoga rig departedthe Gulf of Mexico on January 1,en route to Guyana’s territorialwaters, and on its way stopped offin neighbouring Trinidad andTobago for refuelling.

Hermestone said that anchor lineswere secured immediately afterarrival and that drilling would bethe next major operation.

The President and CEO of the com-pany said he is hopeful of a good and safe operation and spokewith confidence about the operators conducting the drilling

“We’ll see what the well results show us... we hope to findthe oil ... you alwaysplan for success,”Hermestone said.

Drilling of the Eagle Wellwill last for a 60-day pe-riod and 180 days for theJaguar well. The latter isbeing pursued through ajoint venture operation among CGX, Repsol a Spanish com-pany, Tullow Oil of London and YPF.

CGX recently announced that acclaimed Institute of AppliedScience and Technology (IAST) professor, Guyanese born DrSuresh Narine, has been appointed on the board of directors ofCGX Energy Incorporated.

He had expressed gratitude for the appointment and spoke ofsome of the benefits of Guyana as an oil producing economyagainst that of a fuel importer.

Recently CGX announced that the 1,160 square kilometre3D marine seismic contract that was publicised in Decem-ber was completed.

Hermeston had reported that “The seismic data is expectedto provide better imaging of the up-dip limits of the EagleDeep stratigraphic play at the Turonian and Campanianand has provided us with the first 3D seismic coverage on

our two early Cretaceous, Albianprospects (Crabwood andKabukalli) which are underlyingthe Company’s 100% ownedCorentyne offshore PetroleumProspecting License (PPL). Fasttrack processing and interpreta-tion of the data will commenceon the Albian prospects and willbe followed by processing, inter-pretation and compilation of theEagle deep Turonian and Cam-panian prospects.”

Guyana is the second most attrac-tive under-explored basin in theworld with a potential of 15.2 bil-lion barrels of oil. If oil is to befound, production targets wouldbe estimated at 50 million barrelsper year.

Ramotar has been keeping abreast with activities in the oiland gas sector and in the past week has met some of the maincompanies involved in offshore drilling, including Repsol, andExxon Mobile.

Anadarko, America’slargest independent oiland gas company hassignalled to the Guyanagovernment, its interestin an offshore concessionas it sees the SouthAmerican country as one

with a great deal of promise in the oil and gas industry.

Last September vice president, business development ofAnadarko, Ian Cooling, had met former President BharratJagdeo with the proposal and on January 17 this year interna-tional business developer of the company, Richard Lapin, metGuyana’s new president with the same proposal.

A US-based petroleum company Prime Energy LLC Caribbeanproposed last year to construct a modular mini refinery on thelocal shores with a capacity to refine 20,000 barrels daily.

Offshore drilling rig arrives in GuyanaOffshore drilling rig arrives in GuyanaOffshore drilling rig arrives in GuyanaOffshore drilling rig arrives in GuyanaOffshore drilling rig arrives in Guyana

Do a Short Sale - Get $20,000 Cash Back!

Guyana is the second most attractiveunder-explored basin in the world witha potential of 15.2 billion barrels of oil.

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From the Jamaica Gleaner

Mayer Matalon, arguably Jamaica’s most lauded busi-nessman, was laid to rest yesterday at the JewishCemetery on Orange

Street following a service ofthanksgiving at the Sha’are Sha-lom Synagogue in Kingston.

Hundreds of mourners at-tended the synagogue on DukeStreet in downtown Kingston topay their respects to the bril-liant business leader, financierand negotiator, who contrib-uted significantly to the devel-opment of Jamaica across mul-tiple sectors.

The service started at 3 p.m.,moments after high profilemembers of Jamaica’s politicalcommunity took their seats atthe expansive synagogue thatwas built nearly a century ago.

Prime Minister Portia SimpsonMiller sat on the platform alongside two of the service’s officialsand listened to tributes given to the 89-year-old, who was often

An inspirational life . . .An inspirational life . . .An inspirational life . . .An inspirational life . . .An inspirational life . . .Mayer Matalon: March 3, 1922 - February 3, 2012Mayer Matalon: March 3, 1922 - February 3, 2012Mayer Matalon: March 3, 1922 - February 3, 2012Mayer Matalon: March 3, 1922 - February 3, 2012Mayer Matalon: March 3, 1922 - February 3, 2012

referred to by friends as ‘the Patriarch’.

“He always challenged managers to prove themselves,” said PatrickRosseau, a friend and former colleague of the late businessman,

who also described Matalon as a“loving husband” and “an excel-lent communicator”.

Transport and Works MinisterDr Omar Davies told mournersanecdotes of his professional re-lationship with the business-man, adding that it was a per-sonal honour to have beenasked by the Matalon family togive a tribute.

“It was my distinct honour tohave known and worked withMayer,” said Davies, who spokeof a man who “lived a full life”.

The final tribute was given byMayer’s only son, Joseph, whostarted his speech with a caveat.

“Mayer had a particular dislikefor long speeches, so I will be brief,” said the incumbent presi-dent of the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica (PSOJ).

Photo Caption: Mayer Michael Matalon’s grandchildren carry the coffincontaining his body after the service of thanksgiving at the Sha’areShalom Synagogue on Duke Street in downtown Kingston yesterday.

Rudolph Brown/Photographer

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Earlier this month, the US Senate Caucus on InternationalNarcotics Control held a hearing to discuss the strength-ening of existing security cooperation between the US and

Caribbean countries, specifically in the areas of counter-narcotics and violent crimes.

Senator Dianne Feinstein chairing the meeting and co-chairSenator Charles E. Grassley, stated that although the Carib-bean region was no longer the strategic route for narcotics traf-ficking to the US, it was important to ensure that there will notbe an upswing due to thehigh rate of crime associ-ated with drug traffick-ing. Senator Feinsteinemphasized that al-though the US has in-creased its security assis-tance to Mexico and Central America, the Caribbean must notbe forgotten. She pointed to the significant coastal areas ofthe fifteen Caribbean countries and the severe problems theypose in terms of the patrolling and interdiction efforts.

Senator Feinstein mentioned the creation by President Obama,of the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative (CBSI) which pro-vides security assistance to Caribbean Countries. Althoughfunding to that program is expected to exceed $73m this year,the Senator said that drug-related violence in the area contin-ues to rise, with Jamaica having 52 homicides per 100,000 in2010, the fourth highest in the world. Concern was also ex-pressed regarding the growing ties between Venezuela and Iran,with Venezuela being an important transshipment point forillegal drugs to the US. Given this alliance, the Senators be-lieve it is now imperative that these connections be taken seri-ously before they pose a further threat to the security of othernations in the region, including the Caribbean.

Countries in the Caribbean were represented at the hearing by

Senate Caucus on InternationalSenate Caucus on InternationalSenate Caucus on InternationalSenate Caucus on InternationalSenate Caucus on InternationalNarcotics ControlNarcotics ControlNarcotics ControlNarcotics ControlNarcotics Control

US-Caribbean security cooperationUS-Caribbean security cooperationUS-Caribbean security cooperationUS-Caribbean security cooperationUS-Caribbean security cooperationAmbassadors from the Bahamas, Dominican Republic andJamaica. Ambassador Audrey P. Marks from Jamaica pre-sented an overview and background analysis of the devastat-ing relationship between drug trafficking, crime and economicgrowth. She said that currently, the government is focusing on“dismantling organized criminal networks, strengthening thesecurity apparatus, establishment of a tracer system to trackthe origin of illegal firearms and the establishment of a na-tional firearms database”. They are also pursuing the eradi-cation, confiscation and destruction of illegal drugs and fire-

arms, and expanding so-cial intervention pro-grams, which includeconflict resolution and di-version programs foryoung people. Ambassa-dor Marks added that

these stepped up efforts by the Jamaican Security Forces haveresulted in a 44% decline in violent crimes since 2010, but thelevel is still extraordinarily high.

Pointing to the severe socio-economic challenges facing theregion, Ambassador Marks presented three recommenda-tions she believes would enhance cooperation between theUS and the region. The Caribbean, she said, is the thirdborder to the US, and should be treated with “the same de-gree of economic considerations as the other two”, as socio-economic development is crucial in the anti-crime strat-egy. She further implored the US to “strengthen your com-mitment to controlling the demand that continues to fuelthis trade which has adversely affected many lives in thisHemisphere of ours”. In addition, the Ambassador askedfor assistance in ensuring that the producers of small armsand ammunitions share the responsibility and significantcosts of managing the flow of the illegal arms which shesaid contributes to the complexity of the existing violencethroughout the region.

Senator Feinstein emphasized that although the UShas increased its security assistance to Mexico andCentral America, the Caribbean must not be forgotten.

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By David McLaughlin, Lorraine Woellert & Dawn Kopecki

Bank of America Corp., JPMorgan Chase & Co. and threeother U.S. banks reached a $25 billion settlement with49 states and the federal government to end a probe of

abusive foreclosure practices stemming from the collapse ofthe housing bubble.

In what the U.S.called the largestfederal-state civilsettlement in thenation’s history, thebanks have com-mitted $20 billion invarious forms ofmortgage relief pluspayments of $5 bil-lion to state and fed-eral governments.

“There are some-thing like 10 million-plus homes underwater to the tune ofhalf a trillion dol-lars,” said LynnTurner, the formerchief accounting of-ficer at the Securitiesand Exchange Commission and a managing director at consult-ing firm Litinomics Inc. in Los Angeles. “I don’t think this settle-ment, which lets all the bank executives off the hook for filingfalse documents with courts, is going to make much of a dent.”

The accord announced last week in Washington was 16months in the making, following a move by states to investi-gate bank foreclosure practices in 2010. The deal will “beginto turn the page on an era of recklessness” that led to thehousing bubble, President Barack Obama said last week inWashington, where he was joined by administration officialsand state attorneys general.

Five Biggest

The nation’s five largest mortgage servicers — Bank of America,JPMorgan, Wells Fargo & Co., Citigroup Inc. and Ally Finan-cial Inc. — negotiated the settlement with federal agencies,including the Justice Department, and state attorneys general.The deal comes more than a year afterattorneys general from all 50 statesannounced a probe into foreclosurepractices following disclosures thatbanks were using faulty documents toseize homes.

Oklahoma reached a separate agree-ment worth $18.6 million with thebanks and didn’t sign the federal settle-ment, according to a statement fromthe state’s attorney general, Scott Pruitt.The $25 billion agreement includes$1.5 billion in payments to some750,000 borrowers who lost their homesto foreclosure. About $17 billion willpay for mortgage debt forgiveness, for-bearance, short sales and other assis-tance to homeowners. Servicers willalso provide $3 billion in refinancingto lower homeowners’ interest rates. A website has been set upto give information on the settlement.

Cash Payments

Bank of America has committed as much as $11.8 billion, in-cluding a cash payment of $3.24 billion, according to a gov-ernment fact sheet. The balance will be applied toward mort-gage modifications and other benefits for borrowers. Wells Fargo

has committed as much as $5.35 billion; JPMorgan $5.29 bil-lion; Citigroup $2.2 billion; and Ally $310 million.

The total could grow to $40 billion if the next nine largest mort-gage servicers sign on to the agreement, said an administrationofficial who briefed reporters on condition of anonymity beforethe announcement. In a best-case scenario, if all banks partici-pate fully, the deal could be worth $45 billion to homeowners

and people who lost their homes to fore-closure, the official said.

This settlement will hold accountableinstitutions that wronged families andneighborhoods and “contributed tothe collapse of not just the Americaneconomy but the internationaleconomy,” Housing and Urban Devel-opment Secretary Shaun Donovansaid in Washington.

Reserves Set Aside

Banks have probably already set asidereserves to cover most of the costs for thissettlement, Richard Bove, a bank ana-lyst at Rochdale Securities LLC, said inan interview with Bloomberg Television.

“In terms of the impact on the banks,it’s not going to be actually that sig-

nificant despite the huge amount of money we’re talkingabout,” Bove said.

JPMorgan, the largest U.S. bank by assets, won’t need to setaside additional reserves to cover its share of the agreement,Kristin Lemkau, a spokeswoman for the New York-based bank,said in an e-mail. It expects that the financial impact on re-sults for this quarter and future periods won’t be material.

Citigroup said in a statement it expects that existing reserveswill be sufficient to cover customer relief payments and “allbut a small portion” of the cash payment. The bank will ad-just its fourth-quarter and full-year 2011 financial results toreflect an additional $84 million after-tax charge.

More Certainty

“This settlement will help provide additional support forhomeowners who need assistance, brings more certainty to the

housing marketand aligns to ourongoing commit-ment to help re-build our neighbor-hoods and get thehousing marketback on track,”Dan Frahm, aBank of Americaspokesman, said ina statement.

Borrowers whoseloans are owned bybanks and haven’tbeen pooled intomortgage bondswill be most likelyto benefit from the

agreement, said the administration official at the briefing. Bor-rowers who suffered foreclosures from the start of 2008 through2011 will be eligible for payment.

“There’s a wide array of issues and no one action is going to putall of that to a close,” Mike Heid, Wells Fargo’s mortgage presi-dent, said in an interview. “Today’s settlement is a big step for-ward in a very substantial and meaningful piece of the business.”

$25B settlement reached over$25B settlement reached over$25B settlement reached over$25B settlement reached over$25B settlement reached overforeclosure abusesforeclosure abusesforeclosure abusesforeclosure abusesforeclosure abuses

— Continued on page 26 —

Secretary Donovan announces the settlement at the Department of Justicein the company of Attorney General Eric Holder and Attorneys Generalfrom affected states.

Housing activists hold signs as they stage a demonstration in front of ahome on the verge of foreclosure.

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Saturday January 28, 2012 marked the2nd annual Indo-Caribbean SapnaBeauty Pageant held in Kissimmee,

Florida at the Orlando Sun Resort. Event Or-ganizer Seema Ragoobar, owner and directorof Diya International Academy of IndianPerforming Arts did a great job of bringinga talented group ofindividuals to show-case to the commu-nity for this culturalevent. From theyoungest models at 4years old to the youngmen and women vy-ing for the crown, thegroup was wellpoised, well spokenand talented groupand certainly were‘shining the light onIndian culture’ at thisevent. Their perfor-mances represented awide variety of talentfrom singing, dancingto answering ques-

Florida’s 2nd Annual Miss Indo-CaribbeanFlorida’s 2nd Annual Miss Indo-CaribbeanFlorida’s 2nd Annual Miss Indo-CaribbeanFlorida’s 2nd Annual Miss Indo-CaribbeanFlorida’s 2nd Annual Miss Indo-CaribbeanSapna Beauty Pageant!Sapna Beauty Pageant!Sapna Beauty Pageant!Sapna Beauty Pageant!Sapna Beauty Pageant!

tions on various subject matters includingtradition, culture, family and relationships.The participants in the events were pre-pared, ready and willing to proudly sharetheir culture with the audience. For the firsttime, a male category was part of this com-petition. The young men did a great job of

parading their cul-tural wear as well astheir elegant eveningwear. Congratula-tions to all the partici-pants for taking thetime to compete inthis event.

The winners in eachcategory are: LittleLady: Shayna Shan-kar age 4, Dutchess:Akaila Baboolallage 10, Princess:Christie Gosein age16, Queen: IndiraPryia Persaud age 22and King: Rehan Bage 15.

Orlando welcomesOrlando welcomesOrlando welcomesOrlando welcomesOrlando welcomesLt.Lt.Lt.Lt.Lt. Stitchie straightStitchie straightStitchie straightStitchie straightStitchie straight

out of Jamaica . . .out of Jamaica . . .out of Jamaica . . .out of Jamaica . . .out of Jamaica . . .Jacqueline Ritchie presents an Extraor-

dinary Evening of Gospel in Concert &Fashion Show on Saturday, March 24th2012, at Rejoice in the Lord Ministries lo-cated at 8053 Gilliam Road, Apopka, FL32703, featuring renowned Gospel King,Lt. Stitchie. Local gospel talents will sharetheir amazing God given talents with you.Sister Jascinth Brockington (formerly ofthe Grace Thrillers), Sister Arlene Aiken,Sister Shawna from Tampa, BrotherRomayne Notice, Brother Javis Mays, Pas-tor Orain Willis, Sister Neuclon “Gee Gee”Young and Pastor Shakira to name a few.Fashions by designer Marcila Brewster ofDivinely Adorned, will get you ready forEaster. Music will be provided by theHigher Praise Gospel Band and the MCfor the evening will be Glen Allgood fromWOKB 1680 - “The Yolanda Adams Morn-ing Show” Partial Proceeds to help com-bat Homelessness in Jamaica, and localAssociations in Orlando.

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In a message to Grenadians both at home and in theDiaspora- Prime Minister Tillman Thomas sent a messagefrom Grenada urging Grenadians to look beyond their present

circumstance to the potential of a people to fufill any aspirationand navigate any hurdle, if they work together to harness theirskills and talents. GAECO as the association is known in CentralFlorida certainly does that with Grenadians and with the membersof the Caribbean Communityto raise funds to donate to theGrenada National Patient Kidney Foundation each year after the

fundraising ball. In 2011, a donation of $3000.00 was made to thefoundation to supplement the fees for dialysis patients in Grenada.

Dr Kenrick Lewis, a Grenadian who is a Corporate ResearchFellow with Momentive Performance Chemicals, was the guestspeaker, the other honoree was Brooklyn-based Derek Ventourof DEE VEE International Productions. He was recognised forhis exceptional contribution towards promoting Grenada’s andby extension Caribbean culture in the US.

The Grenada American EducationalThe Grenada American EducationalThe Grenada American EducationalThe Grenada American EducationalThe Grenada American Educationaland Cultural Organisation celebratedand Cultural Organisation celebratedand Cultural Organisation celebratedand Cultural Organisation celebratedand Cultural Organisation celebratedGrenada's 38th Year of IndependenceGrenada's 38th Year of IndependenceGrenada's 38th Year of IndependenceGrenada's 38th Year of IndependenceGrenada's 38th Year of Independence

1 51 51 51 51 5

Members of the CaribbeanCommunity were at CenterCourt in the Simon Semi-

nole Towne Center Mall, SanfordFlorida, for the Official Kick-Off of the“The Diabetic You” National Diabe-tes Testing Tour! Celebrity Chef andBest Selling Author Charles Mattocks,aka “The Poor Chef” from The Dr. OzShow, Good Morning America and theTODAY show who has dedicated hislife to becoming the “Rock Star of Dia-betes” to raise the awareness, broadenthe education and expand the testingfor this potentially tragic but prevent-able and treatable disease.

The event included healthy and af-fordable cooking demonstrationsthroughout the day by Chef Mattocksand other local Chefs, free DiabetesGlucose Testing by Integrative Healthof Orlando and a donation of $5,000in testing supplies from AmericanDiabetes Wholesale. There was also

Celebrity Chef Charles Mattocks namedCelebrity Chef Charles Mattocks namedCelebrity Chef Charles Mattocks namedCelebrity Chef Charles Mattocks namedCelebrity Chef Charles Mattocks namedOfficial Spokesman for the ADA & kicksOfficial Spokesman for the ADA & kicksOfficial Spokesman for the ADA & kicksOfficial Spokesman for the ADA & kicksOfficial Spokesman for the ADA & kicksoff of his National Diabetes Testing Touroff of his National Diabetes Testing Touroff of his National Diabetes Testing Touroff of his National Diabetes Testing Touroff of his National Diabetes Testing Tour

Free Blood Pressure Screening’s andinformation from Walgreen’s Phar-macy and Life Worth Living Phar-macy, in Center Court at the mall forshoppers pasing by! Dr. Reeves ofOrlando Foot and Ankle and TheHeal2Gether Organization providedfree foot screenings to those livingwith Diabetes and Neuropathy.There was a wonderful raffle give-away from Walgreen’s Pharmacy, abook signing by Charles and muchmore to entertain people as theystopped by the area.

Charles Mattocks is the nephew ofReggae Super Star Bob Marley, andhas been named the Official Spokes-man for the American Diabetes As-sociation 2012. Learn more at hiscampaign to reach the public withdiabetes awareness at www.thepoorchef.com and www.thediabeticyou.com as he travels the USA to reachand test 1 million people.

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Caribbean Gospel VCaribbean Gospel VCaribbean Gospel VCaribbean Gospel VCaribbean Gospel VChristine Gordon Productions was birth out of frustra-

tion. Yes it sounds funny but true. Christine relocatedto Florida in 2005 after living in NY for 29 years. She

got her start in coordinating Gospel concerts through hercousin Dr. Norris Weir when he came to Orlando to perform.“ I was absolutely blown away by his amazing voice, hisshowmanship and his gut wrenching testimony. I left thatconcert feeling that Central Florida was missing out becausehe was not known in this area. I wanted to see him returnto Orlando but of course, my thought was that someone elsehad to do it since I had no experience in marketing/promot-ing or event planning. “ Christine told CAP NewsMagazine.After that concert, she started attending many gospel con-

I was absolutely blown away by his amazingvoice, his showmanship and his gut wrenchingtestimony. I left that concert feeling thatCentral Florida was missing out because hewas not known in this area.certs with the hopes of getting someone to bring Dr. Weirback to Orlando, and she recalls being very frustrated, be-cause a lot of the concerts she attended were marred withlong delays, faulty audio equipment and a lack of organiza-tion. On the way home after another one of those events,Christine spoke with Dr. Weir and received encouragementwhich gave birth to Christine Gordon Productions and Car-ibbean Gospel Xplosion. On March 19th, you’ll be able toenjoy Caribbean Gospel Explosion V with Dr. Norris Weir,and a stellar lineup of performers including Carlene Davis,Stefan Peninsilyn, Dr. Fay Weir, Dian Morgan, RamonaLawla, Tommy Cowan and much more at the Worship Cen-ter in Orlando - 8001 Silver Star Rd. Orlando, Fl. 32818.

Steel Drum BandSteel Drum BandSteel Drum BandSteel Drum BandSteel Drum Bandwins againwins againwins againwins againwins again

The Caribbean Crew Steel Drum Band Has Won Two MoreNational Awards, Including The Prestigious Top Corpo-rate Event Entertainer Award

The Caribbean Crew is the first-ever winner of the prestigiousGigmasters Rising Star Award for being the Top Corporate EventEntertainer in North America. The band received the awardbecause it booked more corporate events than any otherGigMasters entertainer in The United States and Canada. Thatmeans The Caribbean Crew beat out 10,000 entertainment actsand vendors to win the award.

The Caribbean Crew also won the 2011 Gigmasters Rising StarAward for being the Top Steel Drum Band in all of NorthAmerica. The award is given out for outstanding achievementin live music and event entertainment bookings. The Carib-bean Crew was the highest earning steel drum band through-out The United States and Canada. This is the fifth year in arow that the band has received this prestigious award.

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RYSE Magazine Celebrates the firstRYSE Magazine Celebrates the firstRYSE Magazine Celebrates the firstRYSE Magazine Celebrates the firstRYSE Magazine Celebrates the firstAfrican American to win aAfrican American to win aAfrican American to win aAfrican American to win aAfrican American to win aGrand AM Racing SeriesGrand AM Racing SeriesGrand AM Racing SeriesGrand AM Racing SeriesGrand AM Racing Series

“The 2010 census came out and Florida now has the secondlargest population of African Americans in the country, withNew York being first. There is a growing demographic with di-verse emerging markets with large disposable incomes that veryfew people are aware of,” says J Jackson. Just as the minoritymarket is emerging and growing, the magazine has begun toexpand and grow in distribution and circulation.

The magazine focuses on emerging minority entrepreneurs, suc-cessful businesses, and professionals, who are educated with avariety of resources. These new power brokers are connected to

the different social, businessand political infrastructures,and they are new players atthe corporate boards and po-litical tables. In this new glo-bal generation, networkingand expanding dimensions inbusiness will be the core fun-damentals for success. Duringthe event, there were cards andnumbers exchanged, and ev-eryone was talking, as therewere deals being made.

RYSE is a platform to recog-nize those who are excelling

in our community, whose talents and contribution are oftenoverlooked. At the event, Rhea McCauley, the niece of Rosa(McCauley) Parks was recognized for her outstanding work inkeeping her aunt’s legacy alive around the world, celebratingher Aunt’s 99th birthday.

You can join RYSE during the “All-Star Weekend Legends Rec-ognition Celebration” at Tavern on the Lake, on Fri. Feb.24,2012, from 6:00 P.M to 11:00 P.M. The cost for general admis-sion is $25.00 dollars, which includes a dinner buffet, and liveentertainment featuring Dayve Stewart.

By Roger Caldwell

I n honor of Black History Month, RYSE Maga-zine (Recognizing Young Successful Execu-tives and Entre-

preneurs) held it’s unveiling of its newest cover. The cover featuresPat Nix and Willie Fischer, Owners of Front-Line Promotions, whichspecializes in the planning and execution of special entertainmentevents and marketing campaigns. The two are also the owners ofDraft Global Lounge and Grille located directly across the streetfrom the Amway Center, home of the Orlando Magic.

At this event, the magazinerecognized the achievementsof Bill Lester, who receivedthe RYSE Trailblazer’s Awardas the first African Americanto win in a Grand AM Rac-ing Series. His wife CherylLester, Regional GeneralManager for Wal-Mart, wasalso recognized at the event.“RYSE has created a platformof diverse qualified profes-sionals, to showcase compa-nies’ diverse initiatives, andto engage with the minorityconsumer as a potential cus-tomer,” says Publisher/Editor in Chief J. Jackson Sr.

The RYSE Magazine event was packed at the fabulous Terrance390, with a diverse collaboration of professional women and men,who were dressed to impress. As one of the event sponsors, TonyJenkins, President of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida was onhand and offered a few positive words to the audience of businessand community leaders. Everyone enjoyed the phenomenal enter-tainment from Cece Teneal & Soul Kamotion, who kept the crowdon their feet. As the magazine continues to increase it’s demographicand circulation, it broadens its appeals to a wider audience.

— Continued from page 1 —

to add to your caribbean dining experience. Located on thesouthwest corner of Kirkman Road and International Drive,Singh's Restaurant offers a fusion of Caribbean Flavors. Withchoices ranging from Indian, African, Chinese, Portuguese andother flavors the menu is an absolute delight of the senses.The formal seating and dining experience coupled with afriendly staff with an aim to please attitude - makes Singh'sthe place to take family and friends for a night out to get ataste of the island experience.

They are open for business but will have a Caribbean Extrava-ganza Styled Opening on April 14th that will be free to thepublic and will provide entertainment for every age.

Jay and Angie Singh open 2nd location, now onJay and Angie Singh open 2nd location, now onJay and Angie Singh open 2nd location, now onJay and Angie Singh open 2nd location, now onJay and Angie Singh open 2nd location, now onInternational Drive Location...Singh's Restaurant & BarInternational Drive Location...Singh's Restaurant & BarInternational Drive Location...Singh's Restaurant & BarInternational Drive Location...Singh's Restaurant & BarInternational Drive Location...Singh's Restaurant & Bar

— Continued from page 1 —

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and then singing it live as a tribute tothe trials of that nation.

In Thailand, February 6th, Marley’s birth-day is celebrated as Waitangi Day. It is athree day festival which marks the uni-fying treaty signed between the indig-enous Maori and the European settlers.

In August 2008, a statue of Marley wasunveiled in war torn Serbia andCroatia: the monument’s inscriptionreads “Bob Marley, Fighter for Freedom, Armed with a Guitar.”

Bob MarleyBob MarleyBob MarleyBob MarleyBob Marley— Continued from page 1 —

We celebrate Robert “Bob” Nesta Marleyduring Black History Month for two rea-sons - his resounding impact on the worldand the fact that in February we celebratehis birthday. Born on February 6, 1945,he was born to eighteen year old CedellaMalcolm and fifty year old CaptainNorval Marley. Captain Marley was notphysically present in his life, but did pro-vide financial support and Bob grew upin a rural community, in which fables,storytelling, and many African traditions

were still practised. In his early teenage years, Bob left Nine

Miles, in favor of Kingston’sTrench Town. Trench Town wasa low income community in Ja-maica, where Bob’s musicaltalent was nurtured. It was inthe Trench Town communitythat Bob earned his nicknameTuff Gong (for his fightingskills). In spite of, or maybebecause of, his humbling be-ginnings Bob Marley ascendedand became the first interna-tional musical superstar toemerge from the Third World.

In 1980 Marley received theMedal of Peace of the thirdWorld from the United Nationsand also the Order of Meritfrom the Jamaican govern-ment for the efforts made bythe songwriter and artist topromote justice and peace.

One of his famous quotes, “Atschool the teacher say 'Who canwrite, write. Who can sing, sing.'So me sing.” hangs at the BobMarley, A tribute to Freedomclub at Universal City Walk,here in Orlando. Workingclosely with Rita Marley and theBob Marley Foundation, Uni-versal City Walk, has created areplica of Bob’s home on 56Hope Road in Kingston, Ja-maica. Inside, artifacts, photos,and video clips from his legend-ary career surround visitors inthe open-air veranda and court-yard. Marley’s songs of faith,hope, rebellion, and determina-tion have brought inspirationand joy to audiences every-where and will be featured therein a special Birthday Jam, fea-turing Stephen Marley on Sat-urday. February 25th.

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By JESSE WASHINGTON | Associated Press

The labels used to describe Americans of African descentmark the movement of a people from the slave house tothe White House. Today, many are resisting this progres-

sion by holding on to a name from the past: “black.”

For this group - some descended from U.S. slaves, some immi-grants with a separate history - “African-American” is notthe sign of progress hailed when the term was popularized inthe late 1980s. Instead, it’s a misleading connection to a dis-tant culture.

The debate has waxed and waned since African-American wentmainstream, andgained new signifi-cance after the son ofa black Kenyan and awhite Americanmoved into the WhiteHouse. PresidentBarack Obama’s iden-tity has been con-tested from all sides, renewing questions that have followedmillions of darker Americans:

What are you? Where are you from? And how do you fitinto this country?

“I prefer to be called black,” said Shawn Smith, an accountantfrom Houston. “How I really feel is, I’m American.”

“I don’t like African-American. It denotes something else tome than who I am,” said Smith, whose parents are from Mis-sissippi and North Carolina. “I can’t recall any of them tellingme anything about Africa. They told me a whole lot aboutwhere they grew up in Macomb County and Shelby, N.C.”

Gibré George, an entrepreneur from Miami, started a Facebookpage called “Don’t Call Me African-American” on a whim. Itnow has about 300 “likes.”

“We respect our African heritage, butthat term is not really us,” George said.“We’re several generations down theline. If anyone were to ship us back toAfrica, we’d be like fish out of water.”

“It just doesn’t sit well with a youngergeneration of black people,” continued George, who is 38. “Af-rica was a long time ago. Are we always going to be tethered toAfrica? Spiritually I’m American. When the war starts, I’m fight-ing for America.”

Joan Morgan, a writer born in Jamaica who moved to NewYork City as a girl, remembers the first time she publicly cor-rected someone about the term: at a book signing, when shewas introduced as African-American and her family membersin the front rows were appalled and hurt.

“That act of calling me African-American completely erasedtheir history and the sacrifice and contributions it took to makeme an author,” said Morgan, a longtime U.S. citizen who callsherself Black-Caribbean American. (Some insist Black shouldbe capitalized.)

She said people struggle with the fact that black people havemultiple ethnicities because it challenges America’s originalblack-white classifications. In her view, forcing everyone intoa name meant for descendants of American slaves distorts thenature of the contributions of immigrants like her black coun-trymen Marcus Garvey and Claude McKay.

Morgan acknowledges that her homeland of Jamaica is popu-lated by the descendants of African slaves. “But I am not Afri-can, and Africans are not African-American,” she said.

In Latin, a forerunner of the English language, the color blackis “niger.” In 1619, the first African captives in America weredescribed as “negars,” which became the epithet still used bysome today.

The Spanish word “negro” means black. That was the labelapplied by white Americans for centuries.

The word black also was given many pejorative connotations -a black mood, a blackened reputation, a black heart. “Col-

ored” seemed better, until the civil rightsmovement insisted on Negro, with acapital N.

Then, in the 1960s, “black” came back -as an expression of pride, a strategy todefy oppression.

“Every time black had been mentionedsince slavery, it was bad,” says Mary Frances Berry, a Univer-sity of Pennsylvania history professor and former chair of theU.S. Commission on Civil Rights. Reclaiming the word “was agrass-roots move, and it was oppositional. It was like, ‘In yourface.’”

Afro-American was briefly in vogue in the 1970s, and lingerstoday in the names of some newspapers and university de-partments. But it was soon overshadowed by African-Ameri-can, which first sprouted among the black intelligentsia.

The Rev. Jesse Jackson is widely credited with taking African-Ameri-can mainstream in 1988, before his second presidential run.

Berry remembers being at a 1988 gathering of civil rights groupsorganized by Jackson in Chicago when Ramona Edelin, then presi-dent of the National Urban Coalition, urged those assembled to

declare that blackpeople should be calledAfrican-American.

Edelin says today thatthere was no intent toexclude people born inother countries, or toeliminate the use of

black: “It was an attempt to start a cultural offensive, becausewe were clearly at that time always on the defensive.”

“We said, this is kind of a compromise term,” she continued. “Thereare those among us who don’t want to be referred to as African.And there also those among us who don’t want to be referred toas American. This was a way of bridging divisions among us orin our ideologies so we can move forward as a group.”

Jackson, who at the time may have been the most-quoted blackman in America, followed through with the plan.

“Every ethnic group in this country has a reference to someland base, some historical, cultural base,” Jackson told report-ers at the time. “African-Americans have hit that level of cul-tural maturity.”

The effect was immediate. “Back in those days we didn’t talkabout things going viral, but that’s what you would say today.It was quite remarkable,” said the columnist Clarence Page,then a reporter. “It was kind of like when Black Power firstcame in the ’60s, there was all kinds of buzz among black folks

Some blacks insist:Some blacks insist:Some blacks insist:Some blacks insist:Some blacks insist:‘I’m not African-American’‘I’m not African-American’‘I’m not African-American’‘I’m not African-American’‘I’m not African-American’

“Africa was a long time ago. Are we alwaysgoing to be tethered to Africa? SpirituallyI’m American. When the war starts, I’mfighting for America.”

“We respect our African heritage, but that termis not really us . . . We’re several generationsdown the line. If anyone were to ship us backto Africa, we’d be like fish out of water.”

— Continued on page 26 —

2 02 02 02 02 0

CaribbeanCaribbeanCaribbeanCaribbeanCaribbeanChamber of CommerceChamber of CommerceChamber of CommerceChamber of CommerceChamber of Commerce

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Ten Rules for the Ride of Your LifeTen Rules for the Ride of Your LifeTen Rules for the Ride of Your LifeTen Rules for the Ride of Your LifeTen Rules for the Ride of Your Lifefrom Life Coach Merrill Fraileyfrom Life Coach Merrill Fraileyfrom Life Coach Merrill Fraileyfrom Life Coach Merrill Fraileyfrom Life Coach Merrill Frailey

By Audrey Johnson

With the analogy of a bus ride, Speaker, Life Coach andWriter Merrill Frailey invited attendees at the Women of

Wisdom gathering to be the CEOs of their time by being incharge of their destiny, taking the steering wheel and do whatmakes them most fulfilled.

She encouraged them to move their bus in the right direction, andfuel their ride with positive energy. Women, she said, should stepout of the box, decide where they want to go, what their desires areand move forward in that direction. She stressed the need for fo-cus, adding that if “you aim at nothing, you will hit it every time”.

The Life coach said that those on your bus should be your sup-port system, share your vision and purpose for the road ahead,and that no time should be wasted on those who are negative.Negativity, she stressed, is a self-defeating emotion belongingto those she described as “energy vampires”. The bubbly andenthusiastic speaker said that enthusiasm attracts more pas-senger s and energizes them, and by employing the five lovelanguages of touch, affirmation, time, service and gifts, peoplecan show love, enjoy peace and bring out the best in otherswhile changing their lives for the better.

The Women of Wisdom conference took place at the Circa Res-taurant in Winter Park. It is a diverse group of professionalwomen united under the Caribbean American Chamber ofCommerce of Florida, known as CACCF with the goal of en-gaging, connecting and enriching women’s lives. The confer-ence was previously chaired for the past two years by 2011CACCF Board member Mary Ann Sheriff, with a planning com-mittee that included Past President Carol Singh and CurrentPresident Guenet Gittens-Roberts, however that mantle has beenpassed on to Sultana Haque-Bolet, an active member of thecommittee for the past two years and a member of the 2012Board of Directors of CACCF.

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The Caribbean American Chamber ofThe Caribbean American Chamber ofThe Caribbean American Chamber ofThe Caribbean American Chamber ofThe Caribbean American Chamber ofCommerce of Florida, Inc. (CACCF)Commerce of Florida, Inc. (CACCF)Commerce of Florida, Inc. (CACCF)Commerce of Florida, Inc. (CACCF)Commerce of Florida, Inc. (CACCF)

elects new officers, Publisher ofelects new officers, Publisher ofelects new officers, Publisher ofelects new officers, Publisher ofelects new officers, Publisher ofCaribbean American Passport, GuenetCaribbean American Passport, GuenetCaribbean American Passport, GuenetCaribbean American Passport, GuenetCaribbean American Passport, Guenet

Gittens-Roberts elected PresidentGittens-Roberts elected PresidentGittens-Roberts elected PresidentGittens-Roberts elected PresidentGittens-Roberts elected President

The Caribbean American Chamber of Commerce of Florida,Inc. (CACCF) held its annual elections at the end of Janu-

ary and elected Guenet Gittens-Roberts as President. Guenethas volunteered in the Caribbean Community in Orlando overthe past 7 years and held positions with a caribbean focus asVice-President of Caribbean Affairs at Realty World Orlandoand Program Director for 3 years of the Caribbean AmericanBusiness Expo. Currently she is President of GGR Marketing &Public Relations and the Publisher of Caribbean American Pass-port NewsMagazine. GGR Marketing & Public Relations spe-cializes in introducing businesses to the Caribbean Commu-nity in Orlando and works through Caribbean American Pass-port NewsMagazine, a weekly Caribbean Events Blog and out-reach through caribbean events held in Orlando to reach thediverse Caribbean community in Orlando. She has been anactive member of the Caribbean Community in Central Floridafor the past 4 year, two of which she served as Vice-PresidentAs President of the Caribbean American Chamber of Commerceof Florida, Inc., Guenet is charged with leading the CACCF to anew level of awareness in the Caribbean and American com-

— Continued on page 24 —

2 12 12 12 12 1

ImmigrationTALK ImmigrationTALK ImmigrationTALK ImmigrationTALK ImmigrationTALK TMTMTMTMTM

Commentary on Proposal forCommentary on Proposal forCommentary on Proposal forCommentary on Proposal forCommentary on Proposal forStateside Processing of WaiversStateside Processing of WaiversStateside Processing of WaiversStateside Processing of WaiversStateside Processing of Waivers

By Attorney Gail S. Seeram1-877-GAIL-LAW,www.GailLaw.com

On January 6, 2012, the Department of Homeland Security(DHS) announced that a new

regulation will be drafted and hopefullypublished which would allow waivers re-lating to unlawful presence to be filed

stateside or in the U.S. With this new process, which is not law yet,once the waiver is approved in the U.S., then individuals would berequired to leave the U.S. and pickup their immigrant visas from theU.S. Embassy abroad and return to the U.S.. As an immigrationattorney for 12 years, I commend DHS for proposing this initiative,but it may be GOOD and at the same time BAD for immigrants.

This proposal would allow individuals who havebeen in the U.S. illegally and therefore subject to the 3 or 10year ban if they leave the U.S. to file a waiver in the U.S. show-ing “extreme hardship”. The current process for individualswho are in the U.S. illegally and not eligible to apply for a“green card” or residency in the U.S. is for them to apply at theU.S. Embassy in their native country. However, the hesitationfor many immigrants in leaving the U.S. for processing at theEmbassy abroad is that when they leave the U.S., they are thensubject to a 3 or 10 years ban from returning to the U.S. basedon the time they spent illegally in the U.S. This proposal wouldonly apply to waivers for unlawful presence and would notinclude waivers for any other grounds of inadmissibility. TheGOOD is that it allows the illegal immigrant to be in the U.S.

with his/her family while a decision is being made on thewaiver. However, if the waiver is approved then the illegalimmigrants leaves the U.S., picks up their immigrant visa fromthe Embassy abroad and re-enters the U.S. with the approvedwaiver (no longer subject to the 3 or 10 years ban).

The potential pitfall in this proposal is what may hap-pen to waivers filed in the U.S. that are denied. Currently,when a petition or waiver is denied, DHS places the personinto removal or deportation proceedings. So, the BAD as-pect of this proposal is illegal immigrants with denied waiv-ers may be placed into removal/deportation proceedings.Also, when the illegal immigrant travels abroad with theapproved waiver, he may have other unanticipated issuesat the U.S. Embassy abroad that may require a differentwaiver be filed at the Embassy. If the Embassy requires an-other waiver and it is denied then the illegal immigrant isleft stuck in his native country. Remember, the proposalonly covers unlawful presence waivers and does not otherwaivers for crimes, fraud, misrepresentation, etc. So, an-other BAD aspect of this proposal is that the Embassy abroadmay create another roadblock to prevent the illegal immi-grant entry into the U.S.

The details for this proposal are still being drafted and readersshould wait for the final regulation to be published before seek-ing advice from an immigration attorney. Note, you shouldconsult with an immigration attorney before leaving the U.S.for processing abroad as you may be subject to a ban from re-entering the U.S. If you have any questions or comments, pleaseemail: Gail@Go2Lawyer.com.

GOOD -

BAD -

2 22 22 22 22 2

By Naomi Gayle

These words, eloquently spoken by the former Vice Mayorof the City of Deltona, Mrs. Lucille Wheatley, on the oc-casion of her

85th birthday celebra-tion which took placerecently in that City.

Mrs. Wheatley hasbeen very active in herchurch, the GreaterUnion First BaptistChurch, as well asmany community or-ganizations such asthe NAACP, UnitedWay, National Councilof Negro Women, Boysand Girls Club, Com-munity Outreach Ser-vices, YMCA and theFlorida League of Cities Criminal Justice Committee. Shealso worked to set up programs to celebrate Martin LutherKing’s birthday and the Lucille Wheatley Scholarship AwardAssociation has so far awarded $14,000 in scholarships to

“May the works I have done speak for me”“May the works I have done speak for me”“May the works I have done speak for me”“May the works I have done speak for me”“May the works I have done speak for me”area high school students.

Mrs. Wheatley, who was born in the US Virgin Islands, was edu-cated in New York and spent many years being involved in pro-

grams for the better-ment of her commu-nity. Through her ef-forts, children were ableto participate in sum-mer programs, and aChild DevelopmentCenter was establishedin her name in 1972.Former New YorkMayor Ed Koch also ap-pointed Mrs. Wheatleyto serve on the Anti-Poverty OperationBoard in New York.

Following her reloca-tion to Florida, Mrs.

Wheatley and her family settled in Deltona and later joined thecampaign to incorporate that City. She became one of the firstDistrict Commissioners, and later the first African American tobe appointed Vice Mayor, a position she held for two terms.

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By Roger Caldwell

Saturday evening at the Zora Festival, Keith Sweat, the Mas-ter Crooner took the stadium stage around 8:15 and keptthe audience on its feet until 9:30. The soul singer,

songwriter, and producer sang his steamy ballads and funkyhits that heated up a perfect evening under the stars inEatonville. During the dayon Saturday the weatherwas great, and the food wastasty and delicious, andthere was also an outsidebar. There was entertain-ment, arts and crafts for theyoung children, and thevendors were selling theircultural arts and merchan-dise. The vendors were fromall over the eastern coast,and they were ready forhaggling to make a deal. Iwas able to get a combination seafood platterwith crab legs, shrimp, and fried haddock withFrench fries for $15. The food was excellent andmost of the platters started at $10.00. There wereprobably 25 different food vendors at the festi-val, and any kind of festival food was availablealong with ice crème. The different festival drinksof fresh squeezed lemonade, peach, berry, andiced tea quenched the thirst of the festival goers.

In the morning, there was the conclusion of theYards & Garden Tour, and a breakfast at the TownHall. Around 2:00pm, the local officials enteredthe center stage and talked about the significanceof Eatonville, and educated the festival attendeesof the importance of Zora Neale Hurston. Mayor Bruce Mount,Mayor Teresa Jacobs, members of the Eatonville Council, andmembers of the Preserve Eatonville Community (PEC), welcomedthe festival goers to the festival and pointed out the key attrac-tions at the festival.

There was music all day on the center stage, and I particularlyenjoyed the music of Bernie Lee and friends. Bernie Lee is an81 year old local musician/bassist who enjoyed playing for thefestival. “It is really great seeing our community coming to-

If You Missed Zora,If You Missed Zora,If You Missed Zora,If You Missed Zora,If You Missed Zora,You Missed Good Fun & EntertainmentYou Missed Good Fun & EntertainmentYou Missed Good Fun & EntertainmentYou Missed Good Fun & EntertainmentYou Missed Good Fun & Entertainment

gether and having a good time. The audience enjoyed our mu-sic, and we enjoyed playing our music for them,” says BernieLee. Bernie Lee is a local legend, who started playing music atseven and his father played with Fats Waller, and they would letBernie sit in. Bernie Lee sings and plays a number of instru-ments, and locally plays at Vines on Sand Lake Rd. This was thefirst year that the Zora festival extended its hours to 9:00 pm,

and they used the stadiumfor a major concert.

The major concert startedwith African drumming andthen a local singer namedToni Lacount entertained theaudience. There was a de-cent crowd out, and the au-dience was very responsiveto her music. “It’s all aboutlove. This was an opportu-nity to showcase my talentto the community, and sup-

port the Zora festival,” says Toni Lacount. The lo-cal talent was good but the night belonged to KeithSweat. If you were not a fan of Keith Sweat, by theend of the concert you were singing his music,and were definitely are a fan of his music.

On Sunday morning there was an ecumenicalworship service at Life Center Church from 8:00to 9:30 am, and the message was delivered fromPastor Williams of St Lawrence Church ofEatonville. It was a great service, and many ofthe leaders gave words of encouragement andacknowledgement to the festival, and the festi-val leadership. There was also an afternoon pro-gram hosted by the wonderful Crazy Praise Live.

This year the leaders of the festival got outside of the box andcame up with some surprises, which enhanced the community,and there was a better reception from the local media. There is aneed for closer collaborations with other communities to join inthe festivities and the celebrations, and bring more bus loads tothe festival and concerts. The goal of the festival is to hold eventsthroughout the entire year. Stay connected with Eatonville, andthere will be more events and forums about the history of ZoraHurston, and the Town of Eatonville.

The Chinese New Year, also known as the Spring Festival,happens on a different day than the New Year celebra-tion which Western cultures enjoy. The Chinese New Year

starts on the day of the first New moon in January and endsfifteen days later on the full moon. This Year the Chinese Newyear was celebrated on January23rd and heralded the year of theWater Dragon. The Chinese havetwelve zodiacs in their calendar therat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake,horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dogand pig; each year is representedby a single zodiac. Every sixtyyears the water dragon replaces thedragon. This is especially signifi-cant because the dragon being theonly mythical creature in the zo-diac and the year it heralds isthought to be filled with optimism,power and entrepreneurship.When coupled with water, water isthought to bring balance to what the dragon signifies- power andsuperior control.

The previous year of the dragon was 1988 which followed thefinancial crash of 1987, and saw the markets rebound. 2012,the year of the water dragon is thought to bring even moregood fortune, especially in financial matters. So this year is a

The Chinese New YearThe Chinese New YearThe Chinese New YearThe Chinese New YearThe Chinese New Yeargreat time to promote the positive changes in your life thatyou want to see. You are encouraged to remain upbeat andoptimistic in pursuing your dreams; do not be swayed, becausethis is a year for great accomplishments.

Tradition

The entire house should be cleanedbefore New Year’s Eve. All cleaningutensils are then put away for fearthat good fortune will be swept away.Dirt and dust is never swept over thethreshold, for fear that you will sweepone of the family away; you may alsosweep good fortune away. Dust is al-ways taken out the back door. Shoot-ing off fire crackers on New Year’s Eveis the Chinese way of sending out theold year and welcoming the new one.Money is not loaned; all debts arepaid, as how the New Year is broken,

is the way that the year usually runs!

Natasha Solomon, lives in London, Ontario, Canada with her hus-band and two sons, she and her husband are both Guyanese whoenjoy celebrating their cultural diversity. The boys are currently ex-ploring their Chinese heritage by taking lessons in Mandarin, towhich they have taken like natives.

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- Friday, March 9th @ 8:30pm, West Palm Beach - Saturday,March 10th @ 8:00pm and Orlando - Sunday, March 11th @7:00pm. Ity and Fancy Cat promises to be clean fun, knock youoff your feet comedy. These are some of the funniest comediansto grace the stage,check out their Youtube clips of unstoppablelaughter and rave reviews. They will keep you laughing for weeks.See them in person for the first time, in Central Florida! Formore information contact Sandra Fatmi at 770-789-7004.

munity in Central Florida. Prior to her election as President,Guenet headed the communications efforts of the CACCF as aboard member, worked on the website and social media out-reach platforms for the chamber and also headed the popularCaribbean Business Directory produced annually with listingsof Caribbean owned businesses in Central Florida.

During the same elections the following officers were selected:Vice President: Kash Ramnarain, Training by Kash; Treasurer:Elizabeth Vieira, Seafreight Agencies; Secretary: Homida Rajack,Urban Trust Bank.

The newly appointed CACCF Board of Directors will be announcedat the February Business After Hours. In addition the Presidentwill appoint a Chairperson and team of advisors to guide anddevelop CACCF. Mr. Mustapha Baksh of Bancar Internationalwill continue to serve on the board as Chairman Emeritus.

— Continued from page 20 —CACCF elects new officersCACCF elects new officersCACCF elects new officersCACCF elects new officersCACCF elects new officers

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Amazing Grace in PoincianaAmazing Grace in PoincianaAmazing Grace in PoincianaAmazing Grace in PoincianaAmazing Grace in PoincianaThere is a gospel song

within recent timesthat has made a hugemark on the music charts.Of course there are versesand choruses, but one linestands out, and it says, “Igive myself away...” Wellthose words could not bemore fitting for PastorBarrington E Brown of thePoinciana PentecostalChurch. When Bishop(and Pastor) of PoincianaPentecostal Church left theisland of Jamaica, he leftto create a better life forhimself and his family. Little did he know that God wouldtake him in a direction where he would be assisting many otherWest Indian persons to stay afloat in these hard economic times.Pastor Brown and his wife Evangelist Rockell Brown moved toPoinciana from Brooklyn New York in 1987. As ordained min-isters, he and his wife started their ministry some 23 years ago.They started on their back porch with only their 3 sons (theoldest and twins just 9 years old), and 3 other members. Fromtheir porch they moved to the Poinciana community center,and from the community center to the church’s current loca-tion, 4912 Old Pleasant Hill Rd, Poinciana.Fl.

His vision for all people, but mainly his West Indian peoplestayed at the forefront of his mind, and he subscribed to thatold adage, “if you build it they will come”. After 3 renovationsthe church now has the capacity to seat 300 people, mainlyfrom the Caribbean. The church also serves the community,through its bread and pastries ministry. Every Sunday thechurch gives away (yes for free) many different types of bread,cakes, donuts etc. This is not just given to its members, but toall visitors. But the church has not stopped there, on severaloccasions families with nothing to eat have been bought gro-ceries. Electricity bills have been paid, water ,and even assis-tance with mortgages have been given. However, not being amega church he can only help so many. One Caribbean man(and his wife), one godly vision, and many years late Poinci-ana as a community is blessed to have them and their mem-bers. They celebrate 23 years of service to the community onMarch 11, 2012. Please stop by and show your support.

By Phillip BrowneKissimmee/PoincianaCorrespondent

Poinciana NewsPoinciana NewsPoinciana NewsPoinciana NewsPoinciana News

A league of their ownA league of their ownA league of their ownA league of their ownA league of their ownWhen I was asked to come and take photos at the opening

of a women’s softball league in Poinciana I did not knowwhat to expect. I knew there were leagues in Kissimmee andsurrounding areas, but were there enough interested womento support one in Poinciana. Especially, since its founder NicolaEdwards is from Jamaica (a country more familiar with cricket).And almost all of its participants are of Caribbean origin. How-ever, there were over 70 women making up over 6 differentteams, and even more spectators. The teams are,”The Angels(which is the picture above); The Diamonds; The Warriors; ThePanthers; The Punishers and the Blasters”. I encourage all Car-ibbean people to come out and support your Caribbean womenas they enjoy a game of softball. The games are played everySaturday at Deerwood Park in Poinciana (off Monterrey). Starttime is 6:30pm on all fields. Stop by, ask for Nicola, and findout how you can play, support, donate or sponsor.

The Poincianacommunity is

a thriving commu-nity, and is grow-ing daily. The gi-ants like Walmartand Lowes are justtwo of the manybusinesses thatkeep the viabilityof the area alive.However we mustnever lose sight ofthe smaller busi-nesses, becausethey play a veryimportant partalso. One suchbusiness is Elleganze. Founded on the premise of providinga needed service to the community, this West Indian ownedbusiness has done just that. Nestled on the second floor ofthe fountain view mall, located at 2950 Pleasant Hill Rd Poin-ciana, this business is one of a kind in the area. Its a one

Elleganze—An Oasis in the DesertElleganze—An Oasis in the DesertElleganze—An Oasis in the DesertElleganze—An Oasis in the DesertElleganze—An Oasis in the Desertstop shop -enter the doors and you will find a store that isfull of clothing for men and women, cosmetics, hair prod-ucts, shoes, accessories and much more. Elleganze is one ofthe only stores in the area with such a variety of products,it’s truly an oasis in the desert.

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$25B settlement reached$25B settlement reached$25B settlement reached$25B settlement reached$25B settlement reachedAmounts May Vary

Actual restitution to individual borrowers will depend on howmany make claims, with the administration official estimat-ing that each borrower could get $1,500 to $2,000.

“This agreement has more things to help homeowners thananything we’ve seen before,” said Iowa Attorney General TomMiller, who led the talks for the states.

Banks must spend the money within three years or face a fine.The proposal must be approved by a federal judge. Banks willget extra credit for funds distributed in the first 12 months, theofficial said.

California Attorney General Kamala Harris, who initially didn’tsign on the accord when states were required to decide, said ina statement that the settlement provides a commitment to thestate of as much as $18 billion.

California’s agreement with the banks includes $12 billion forprincipal reduction, with incentives for banks to move swiftlyand penalties if they don’t, Harris said today.

The state will hold banks accountable for this settlement afteran earlier accord with Countrywide Financial Corp., acquiredby Bank of America in 2008, gave the lender credit for prom-ises that went unfulfilled, she said.

Further Liability

The settlement doesn’t release banks from any criminal liabil-ity or grant any immunity, release any private claims by indi-viduals or any class-action claims, or release claims related tothe packaging of mortgage loans into securities, according tothe website outlining the agreement.

The resolution also establishes a monitor, Joseph A. Smith Jr.,North Carolina’s banking regulator, to track compliance withthe terms of the agreement.

The 50-state investigation, announced Oct. 13, 2010, cameafter New York-based JPMorgan and Ally Financial’s GMACmortgage unit said they would stop repossessions in 23states where courts supervise home seizures, and Char-lotte, North Carolina- based Bank of America froze fore-closures nationwide.

Ally, based in Detroit, was first to freeze evictions in September2010, after depositions in lawsuits challenging foreclosuressurfaced showing that employees signed affidavits containinginformation they didn’t personally know was true.

10,000 Documents

In December 2009, a GMAC employee said in a deposition ina foreclosure case filed in West Palm Beach, Florida, that histeam of 13 people signed about 10,000 documents a monthwithout verifying their accuracy.

Bank of America, JPMorgan, New York-based Citigroup, SanFrancisco-based Wells Fargo and other mortgage servicers havealso been required by the Office of the Comptroller of the Cur-rency to improve their foreclosure procedures. The OCC in April2011 announced enforcement actions against the companiesfor “unsafe and unsound” practices related to loan servicingand foreclosures.

“They fueled the downward spiral of our economy and ofcommunities nationwide,” U.S. Attorney General Eric Holdersaid today of bank practices. “They eroded faith in our fi-nancial system. And they punished American taxpayers whohave had to foot the bill for foreclosures that could havebeen avoided.”

— Continued from page 10 —

and white folks about whether or not I like this.”

Page liked it - he still uses it interchangeably with black - andsees an advantage to changing names.

“If we couldn’t control anything else, at least we could control whatpeople call us,” Page said. “That’s the most fundamental right anyhuman being has, over what other people call you. (African-Ameri-can) had a lot of psychic value from that point of view.”

It also has historical value, said Irv Randolph, managing editorof the Philadelphia Tribune, a black newspaper that uses bothterms: “It’s a historical fact that we are people of African descent.”

“African-American embraces where we came from and where weare now,” he said. “We are Americans, no doubt about that. Butto deny where we came from doesn’t make any sense to me.”

Jackson agrees about such denial. “It shows a willful ignoranceof our roots, our heritage and our lineage,” he said Tuesday.“A fruit without a root is dying.”

He observed that the history of how captives were brought herefrom Africa is unchangeable, and that Senegal is almost asclose to New York as Los Angeles.

“If a chicken is born in the oven,” Jackson said, “that doesn’tmake it a biscuit.”

Today, 24 years after Jackson popularized African-American, it’sunclear what term is preferred by the community. A series of Galluppolls from 1991 to 2007 showed no strong consensus for eitherblack or African-American. In a January 2011 NBC/Wall StreetJournal poll, 42 percent of respondents said they preferred black,35 percent said African-American, 13 percent said it doesn’t makeany difference, and 7 percent chose “some other term.”

Meanwhile, a record number of black people in America - al-most 1 in 10 - were born abroad, according to census figures.

Tomi Obaro is one of them. Her Nigerian-born parents broughther to America from England as a girl, and she became a citi-zen last year. Although she is literally African-American, theUniversity of Chicago senior says the label implies she is de-scended from slaves. It also feels vague and liberal to her.

“It just sort of screams this political correctness,” Obaro said.She and her black friends rarely use it to refer to themselves,only when they’re speaking in “proper company.”

“Or it’s a word that people who aren’t black use to describeblack people,” she said.

Or it’s a political tool. In a Senate race against Obama in 2004,Alan Keyes implied that Obama could not claim to share Keyes’“African-American heritage” because Keyes’ ancestors wereslaves. During the Democratic presidential primary, someHillary Clinton supporters made the same charge.

Last year, Herman Cain, then a Republican presidential can-didate, sought to contrast his roots in the Jim Crow south withObama’s history, and he shunned the label African-Americanin favor of “American black conservative.” Rush Limbaughmocked Obama as a “halfrican-American.”

Then there are some white Americans who were born in Africa.Paulo Seriodo is a U.S. citizen born in Mozambique to parents fromPortugal. In 2009 he filed a lawsuit against his medical school,which he said suspended him after a dispute with black classmatesover whether Seriodo could call himself African-American.

“It doesn’t matter if I’m from Africa, and they are not!” Seriodo wroteat the time. “They are not allowing me to be African-American!”

And so the saga of names continues.

“I think it’s still evolving,” said Edelin, the activist who helpedpopularize African-American. “I’m content, for now, with Af-rican and American.”

“But,” she added, “that’s not to say that it won’t change again.”

— Continued from page 19 —I’m not African-AmericanI’m not African-AmericanI’m not African-AmericanI’m not African-AmericanI’m not African-American

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Well of Hope Music FestivalWell of Hope Music FestivalWell of Hope Music FestivalWell of Hope Music FestivalWell of Hope Music Festivalin Pine Hillsin Pine Hillsin Pine Hillsin Pine Hillsin Pine Hills

Well of Hope Church held a Two-Day Festival Connectingour Children to our Heritage through music, arts and con-

versations. Included were reenactments and a play called “Freeto Reign” I am King. I am Queen. There was laughter and dis-play of comfort and contentment all day in the Kidzone - bouncehouses, snow cones, pony rides, swings, games of all kinds,healthy food, comfort foods, Live Lyrics with Ms. Shirley bookreading...the children were at peace celebrating our heritage.

They also had ahealth, political, le-gal and financialzone for informa-tion to the commu-nity. Two majorcomponents of thehealth fair were HIVTesting (people werewaiting in line) andthe Ashley WilliamsCancer Foundation.

The highlight of theday however, was the Appointed Gospel Singers - the seniorswere in the house all the way from Miami and they were filledwith spunk. Their black history tribute and legacy of music wasan experience for all races. The Well of Hope Heritage Hall, wasproudly constructed by Girl What Do You Bring to the Tablewith pieces on loan from the Wells Built Museum, BushmanTim, Greater Orlando CARES, the National Urban League, Cen-ter for Multicultural Awareness and Prevention, Students fromPine Hills Elementary and Rolling Hills contributed drawings ofwhat our heritage means to them.

Nouchelle Hastings one of the organizers of the event told CAPNews Magazine “Our heritage once carried on the back ofslaves and share croppers but filled with pride and dignity haseroded into pictures of obscurity and horrific display of char-acter. Thanks to the Susan Taylor and the National CARESMentoring Movement and the Greater Orlando CARES Circle,we are working diligently to change the landscape surround-ing our heritage and the portrayal of how it is viewed today.”

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