June2006.qxd 6/4/06 9:22 PM Page 1 PRESORTED JUNE 2006 STANDARD ® U.S. POSTAGE PAID MIAMI, FL PERMIT NO. 7315 Tel: (305) 238-2868 1-800-605-7516 [email protected] We cover your world Vol. 17 No. 7 [email protected] The mango is the world’s most popular fruit, and all it takes is a bite to under- stand why. The abundant flesh is gold- en, juicy, fra- Trinidad and Tobago’s Soca Warriors grant and sweet, and its fla- make an historic march into the finals of vor can be liked to the blend World Cup 2006 - soccer’s biggest show of pineapple and peaches, just ask Caribbean people, beginning this month in Germany - led by page 12. coach Leo Beenhakker, left, and captain Dwight Yorke, and the entire Caribbean is rooting them on, page 2. No easing into the gritty real- ity of Jamaica’s poverty politics, Dr. Imani Tafari- Ama cuts to the chase from the very first page of her book “Blood Bullets And Bodies: Sexual Politics Below Jamaica’s Poverty Line”, page 17. Kevin Lyttle is among the artistes down to perform during “Caribbean Week 2006”, which should give New Yorkers the opportunity to experience the sights, sounds, colors, culture and tastes of the region over an entire week this month, page 18. INSIDE News ..................................2 Education/Youth ..............11 Culture ..............................15 Sport ..................................23 Feature ................................7 Food ..................................12 Books ................................17 Tourism/Travel ................24 Viewpoint .......................... 9 Health................................13 Arts/Entertainment..........18 Business ..........................25 June2006.qxd 6/4/06 9:22 PM Page 2 2 CARIBBEAN TODAY June 2006 NEWS U.S. immigration debate stirs deep Experts hail progress in freedom emotions in Caribbean community of expression in the region DAMIAN P. GREGORY one of the most heated while protesters in key immi- WASHINGTON, CMC – “growing wave of self-censor- debates in recent history. She gration states stage rallies and Experts at an Organization of ship that is undermining the arie Thompson is emphatic about how she work stoppages in an attempt American States (OAS) role of the press as a watch- knows what it is like feels. to let their political clout be forum concluded last month dog in a democratic society.” Mto live and work in “Many of us who are here heard and felt - is the silence said that despite major chal- She welcomed legal the shadows. legally today, were here ille- and lack of participation by lenges to freedom of expres- advances in access to informa- At 22, Thompson decided gally at one time,” Thompson those from the Caribbean who sion in the Caribbean and tion legislation in Jamaica, to leave her native Jamaica to told Caribbean Today. “Don’t now live in the U.S. Latin America, significant Trinidad and Tobago and the move to the United States. At knock the people that are Fort Lauderdale-based, progress is being made. Dominican Republic among home, the adventurous young here who are undocumented.” Jamaican-born immigration They noted positive other countries. woman had a job she enjoyed Thompson, 54, recalls attorney, Sherna Spencer, says developments, such as more working at Scotia Bank in vividly what it was like to she understands why the countries introducing access to PROBLEMS Kingston. clean a lady’s home in New Caribbean community, for the information laws, but lament- Another panelist, journal- Thompson agreed to York while she was in the U.S. most part has remained silent ed that challenges continue to ist Pablo Bachelet of the speak to Caribbean Today if illegally. on the debate. threaten the consolidation of Miami Herald’s Washington her correct name was not used “One day she threw “We have a different cul- democracy in the region. Bureau, noted that “political because of the fear of conse- money at me and told me to tural background. We had a Diana Daniels, the presi- instability, institutional weak- quences of stepping out of the get out of her house,” she different cultural upbringing,” dent of the Inter-American ness, and soaring and frustrat- shadows. said, her voice quivering with Spencer told Caribbean Press Association (IAPA), who ed popular Wanting to explore the emotion. “A lot of us had Today. “I think that we are is also vice president of the expectations, possibilities, she came to the decent jobs and had to scrub not a marching people.” Washington Post Company, impact the U.S. on a visitor’s visa. She floors and do the dirty work, She says that people from attributed some of the progress media directly, liked her new surroundings the real dirty work.” the Caribbean tend to stay out to “the greater availability of often resulting and stayed. That simple act of the immigration debate information, better access to in less free- changed her life forever. SILENCE because of how many in the information, more in-depth dom of the Though it has been more Thompson says what community perceives them- reporting, and the wider dis- press.” than 30 years since she bothers her most about the selves. semination of information.” Daniels He detailed became a legal resident in immigration debate - that has “I don’t know if we see Speaking on a panel dis- instances of America, Thompson identifies captivated much of the nation ourselves as that much illegal, cussion on “Freedom of problems with closely with the estimated tens as President George W. Bush because to many people, ille- Expression in the 21st Century freedom of information laws, of millions of illegal immi- and Congress inch toward gals are seen as taking from in the Americas”, the seventh calling for the “culture of grants who are at the center of immigration reform legislation event in The Americas Project secrecy” to be overcome in (CONTINUED ON PAGE 6) series, Daniels said “a coun- the Caribbean and Latin try’s degree of democracy is America. directly proportional to the Bachelet said the media T&T’s Soca Warriors make historic level of press freedom that face major challenges as they exists there.” try to be independent, particu- The Americas Project larly vis-à-vis governments, march into soccer’s World Cup 2006 is an OAS joint initiative pointing to, for instance, with Washington’s Rice advertising budgets by nation- GORDON WILLIAMS wrapping up the group fix- University’s James A. Baker al and local governments that tures on June 20 against III Institute for Public Policy. favor media that cover the he Caribbean will have Paraguay in Kaiserslautern. The annual Americas Project, governments more favorably. much to cheer about While T&T’s players are which began in 1997, is part of He said it is “more difficult Tthis month when World hoping to do well enough to the institute’s effort to for media to be independent Cup 2006, soccer’s premier advance from the group stage, increase awareness of where the government is by event, kicks off in Germany. a more realistic target could Caribbean and Latin far the biggest advertiser.” At the top of the list will be matching the performance American issues. be the fortunes of first time of fellow Caribbean team Daniels said there is a ® entrants Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica. The Reggae Boyz, which survived a tough quali- who were bounced from the fication run, including a last 2006 tournament early in the International expert predicts ditch play-off round with qualifying stages, scored one Bahrain, to make a historical win against two losses – economic fallout in Caribbean as entrance to the big show. Croatia and Argentina - in the But the twin-island repub- 1998 finals in France. a result of rising oil prices lic of some 1.3 million, which Yorke, who played top just failed to make it to the level club football in England NEW YORK-CMC – A sen- she said. 1990 finals, has no intention of Yorke for years, but now represents ior analyst with a top interna- being intimidated by the tal- a club in Australia, has some tional credit rating agency EXCEPTIONS website of world soccer’s gov- ented field of 32 entrants, knowledge of his group rivals. says that Caribbean states Hessel, however, ruled erning body. including the game’s mighty “Our opening opponents, could face serious economic out any nega- “What I can guarantee is names such as Brazil, Sweden, are a tricky cus- and political fallout from tive effect on we will give 100 percent every Argentina, Germany and tomer,” he told FIFA’s web- escalating oil prices. Trinidad and time. The manager will get us Italy. On the field, the players site. “They’ve beaten England Helena Hessel, of the Tobago and to play extremely well and have exuded confidence going in the past few years and have Wall Street firm of Standard Suriname. make it very difficult for into the tournament as under- a wealth of talent…England and Poor’s, said in a state- “All of the teams to beat us. If we do that dogs, especially when lumped are a team everyone expects ment last month that the countries, and stick to the methods into a preliminary round to beat us very easily. They skyrocketing impact could except for which took us so far, I don’t group which includes have some fantastic players cause governments grave Trinidad and think we’ll have a major prob- European powers England throughout the team and even problems. Tobago and lem.” Hessel and Sweden, plus Paraguay on the bench, and they’re a “Apart from the impact Suriname - from soccer-mad South team all our guys are familiar on the balance of payments, their balance HURDLES America.