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CTDec2006.qxd 12/10/06 11:54 PM Page 1 PRESORTED DECEMBER 2006 STANDARD ® U.S. POSTAGE PAID MIAMI, FL PERMIT NO. 7315 Tel: (305) 238-2868 1-800-605-7516 [email protected] [email protected] We cover your world Vol. 18 No. 1 Jamaica: 654-7782 THE MULTI AWARD-WINNING NEWS MAGAZINE The slowly emerging political awareness of Caribbean immigrants in the United States may find a jump- start from ~ Leaders like Portia Simpson Barack Miller of Jamaica marked Obama, the U.S. senator the 30th Miami from Illinois, page 2. Conference on the Caribbean Basin by Dancehall hailing the region’s star Sean progress. But they Paul was also agreed chosen the Caribbean nations “Best Male Artiste” must stick together in the to enhance develop- pop-rock ment at home and be category competitive in the at the global marketplace, American page 8. Music Awards, the first time the Jamaican had won a major music honor, page 19. Food festivals are popping up around the Caribbean at a rapid pace. Why the sudden urge? Society’s obsession with eating has turned food into a niche market, page 21. CALL CARIBBEAN TODAY DIRECT FROM JAMAICA 654-7782 INSIDE News . .2 Food . .12 Entertainment . .19 Politics . .24 Viewpoint . .9 Local . .13 FYI . .20 Region . .25 Health . .11 Business . .15 Tourism/Travel . .21 Sport . .26 CALL CARIBBEAN TODAY DIRECT FROM JAMAICA 654-7782 CTDec2006.qxd 12/10/06 11:54 PM Page 2 2 CARIBBEAN TODAY December 2006 www.caribbeantoday.com NEWS Obama strikes a chord with Caribbean immigrants GORDON WILLIAMS appeal of Obama, highly tout- The comparison of Last month Obama, in his cial backing of nations which ed as a possible candidate in Obama with the former address to a packed Gusman continue to oppose American MIAMI - The slowly emerg- the next U.S. presidential U.S. president is particularly Theater in downtown Miami, policies. ing political awareness of race in 2008, is already being significant as Caribbean immi- showed that he may have Caribbean immigrants in noticed. grants were often drawn to found common ground with a BACKFIRED the United States may find a “He has such charisma,” Clinton’s charm. That Obama On the front burner issue reason to jumpstart from its said a Jamaican woman after is black and the son of a for- of the war in Iraq, Obama, slumber in the form of Barack hearing the senator speak eigner (Kenyan father), can- who appeared at the fair to Obama, the U.S. senator at last month’s Miami not hurt either. promote his new book titled from Illinois. International Book Fair. “He may better under- “The Audacity of Hope”, not While surveys continue “He is easy to listen to and stand our (Caribbean) issues,” only criticized the current U.S. to show that Caribbean understand. He sounds like said the woman, one of many administration’s efforts, but Americans tend to lag behind Bill Clinton and he’s like one Caribbean immigrants who also challenged the American other immigrant groups on of us. And he does make attended Obama’s presenta- people to rally against a policy the politically active front, the some interesting points.” tion. he claims has clearly backfired. “We have to insist that we get it right when we go to war,” the senator said. “…We U.S. Senator Barack Obama. can do better. “There are no good options now in Iraq,” he would population as diverse as add later. “There are bad any in the U.S. The senator options and there are worse explained that “the country’s options.” mood has begun to shift” and The senator, who claimed the audience’s continuous gen- he had opposed the invasion of erous applause indicated that Iraq, also called for a phased those listening had latched withdrawal of American onto his line of thinking and troops. are asking the same questions today. BLAME “Why would we want to However, he blamed some send $800 million a day to of the problems on the fact that some of the most hostile coun- many Americans are too busy tries on earth?” Obama asked in reference to the U.S. finan- (CONTINUED ON PAGE 6) Caribbean needs more protection from natural disasters ~ Douglas Washington, D.C. - St. Kitts canes - and the rising cost of and Nevis Prime Minister petroleum-based energy, pose Denzil Douglas has renewed tremendous challenges and the call for the establishment therefore merit priority atten- of a natural disaster fund and tion within the inter-American a special renewable energy system. resources fund to benefit the “The (OAS) cannot and Caribbean. should not be all things to all Douglas made the call people,” Douglas told a proto- while in Washington D.C., the colary session of the OAS - Photograph by Juan Manuel Herrara. Prime Minister Denzil Douglas, right, is greeted by José Miguel Insulza, secretary gen- eral of the Organization of American States. United States, last month to Permanent Council convened address the Organization of in his honor. American States Permanent “But when a significant Council. number of its constituents suf- The prime minister fer a common problem, the argued that the Caribbean organization has an obligation region’s vulnerability to natu- ral disasters - especially hurri- (CONTINUED ON PAGE 6) CTDec2006.qxd 12/10/06 11:55 PM Page 3 December 2006 CARIBBEAN TODAY 3 CTDec2006.qxd 12/10/06 11:55 PM Page 4 4 CARIBBEAN TODAY December 2006 www.caribbeantoday.com NEWS PASSPORT ON THE GO Legendary filmmaker Perry Henzell is dead erry Henzell, whose film- He most recently spearheaded making credits include the the successful opening of Pwidely acclaimed feature the stage version of London’s “The Harder They Come”, died newest hit musical “The late last month. He was 70. Harder They Come”. Henzell first came to “Perry has been an icon worldwide attention when he in the Jamaican film industry wrote, directed and produced and his legacy will live on,” “The Harder They Come”, said Del Crooks, film commis- Jamaica’s first feature film. sioner for He also authored “Power Jamaica’s Game”, a novel based on the trade agency political violence that wracked JAMPRO. Jamaica in the 1970s; and “He will be “Cane”, set in the Caribbean deeply missed. during the turbulent era of I feel he had 1780-1815 about an engineer much more to who is deported to Jamaica as give and hope an indentured worker and that what he deals with what Henzell called has done will “the geopolitics of sugar.” Henzell help others.” Henzell was honored in - Photograph by Derrick A Scott Henzell’s second film, An American citizen raises his right hand to take the oath as he applies for a United States passport during the morning coffee titled “No Place Like Home”, Toronto, Canada this year. break at Union Station, downtown Washington, D.C., hosted by the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) recently. The JTB is encouraging is an exploration and revelation “It is so amazing that even U.S. citizens to apply for passports in advance of the new law which will require them to have one when re-entering the country of a tropical culture that is after 30 years ‘The Harder after a visit to the Caribbean. Similar coffee breaks are being scheduled for other cities in the U.S. Standing at right is newly beautiful, surprising, musically They Come’’ can have such a elected U.S. Congresswoman Yvette Clarke. Next to her is Jamaica’s Ambassador to the U.S. Professor Gordon Shirley. entertaining and politically following,” Crooks added. “He revealing all at the same time. has truly made a mark on Jamaica and Jamaicans.” “It is truly the death of a legend,” said Paul Bucknor, co-founder of Flashpoint Film Festival in Jamaica. ® St. Lucia holds elections Dec. 11 CASTRIES, St. Lucia, CMC - General elections will be held in St. Lucia on Dec. 11. Prime Minister Dr. Kenny Anthony, whose St. Lucia Labour Party (SLP) is seeking Compton, left, and Anthony. an unprecedented third term in office, made the announce- ment last month. Nomination Day was on Nov. 30. The elections will be a straight fight between the ruling SLP and the main Opposition United Workers Party (UWP), led by veteran politician and former Prime Minister Sir John Compton. The SLP controls 13 seats in the Parliament and the UWP controlling three seats, with support from one inde- pendent member, a former UWP candidate. The Electoral Commission last month announced that it was ready for the polls and that 135,958 persons had been reg- istered, an increase of 14,599 electors over the 2001 figure. ® CTDec2006.qxd 12/10/06 11:55 PM Page 5 December 2006 CARIBBEAN TODAY 5 CTDec2006.qxd 12/10/06 11:55 PM Page 6 6 CARIBBEAN TODAY December 2006 www.caribbeantoday.com NEWS Consumer services caution POWER IN THE HOUSE electronic holiday shoppers he Miami-Dade County or deliver it within 30 days if Consumer Services there is no specific agreed TDepartment (CSD) in time. If the company cannot Florida is reminding con- meet these requirements it sumers of federal laws which must notify the consumer of a govern electronic shopping new date and give the con- and offer tips holiday shop- sumer the option to cancel. pers should take to protect Where the consumer opts themselves. to cancel, a full refund must “Before you place an be given. Where the product order call the consumer pro- is no longer available, the tection office where the seller merchant cannot substitute is located and find out if the company has a record of unsatis- fied complaints,” Miami-Dade County Consumer Advocate Leonard Elias advises.