PRESORTED JanUaRy 2016 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. 27 No. 2 www.caribbeantoday.com THE MULTI AWARD WINNING NEWS MAGAZINE WITH THE LARGEST PROVEN CIRCULATION IN FLORIDA GUARANTEED ~ Usain Bolt earned multiple honors for his dominance on the track during 2015. The Jamaican battled adversity and doubters to make the entire Caribbean proud and, once again, forced the world to respect the The “greener pasture”, which outstanding qualities the region travel to the United States continues to produce, page 7. promises many Caribbean peo - ple, may be stained with fear following recent terrorist attacks, but that hasn’t dimmed the urge of people from the region who want to come to America, page 3 ~ No matter what their situation, Caribbean people love a good meal. And all across the United States, if seems, fantastic Caribbean dishes are being served. Find out who’s rated the best, page 12. For the Caribbean, last year INSIDE was dominated by politics. News ..........................................2 Food ..........................................12 Classifieds ..............................17 Governments changed hands. Feature .......................................7 Finance ....................................14 Tourism/Travel ........................18 Others cemented long-time rule. Some results are still being Viewpoint ..................................9 Health .......................................15 Sports .......................................19 contested. Starting with Haiti, Arts/Entertainment ................11 FYI/Local ..................................16 page 2, and continuing with our wrap-up on page 7, Caribbean Read CaRibbean Today onLine aT CaRibbeanToday.Com Today looks back at 2015. 2 • CARIBBEAN TODAY • JANUARY 2016 Over 9,792,000 copies printed and delivered in 27 years NEWS ~ ‘EYE ON HAITI’ A CArIbbEAN TOdAY spECIAl fEATurE NEW ‘GUARANTEE’: Jan 24 set for Haiti’s presidential election run-off PORT AU PRINCE, Haiti – This announced that the elections insists was In a statement earlier this The date for the presidential announce - council had warned that the rigged in favor month, U.N. Secretary and legislative run-off votes ment fol - run-offs must be held by Jan. of govern - General Ban Ki-moon again will be Jan. 24, according to lowed uncer - 17, at the latest, to fulfill the ment-backed said that he was concerned Pierre-Louis Opont, head of tainty that constitutional mandate of candidate – about the “prolonged election the French-speaking was voiced by inaugurating a new president banana process” and urged Haitians to Caribbean nation’s Provisial the CEP in a Feb. 7. exporter, ensure it was “concluded as Electoral Council (CEP). letter that was Jovenel soon as possible in a transpar - Following a meeting earli - sent to NEW PLAN Moise. Moise ent, inclusive and credible er this month with other mem - Martley earli - Opont The run-off was scheduled will go up Martelly manner.” bers of the CEP, Opont, in a er. In that let - to take place in December, but against the On Haiti’s 212th anniver - letter to President Michel ter the CEP said more time was jettisoned after Opposition former head of a construction sary of Independence Day on Martellly, said he can “guaran - was needed to organize the factions alleged fraud during company, Jude Celestin, who Jan. 1, U.S. Secretary of State tee” that the council will be run-offs and 12 days of prepa - the first round in October. came second in the first round John Kerry called for “free, fair able to organize the final elec - ration “will not be sufficient”. A special commission was of voting. and transparent” elections in tion round on that date. Late last month, Martelly asked to investigate the elec - the country, saying that it will toral process following wide - APPEAL attract broad participation and spread street protests. Martelly, In the midst of the uncer - reflect the will of the people. who is constitutionally prohibit - tainty in Haiti, the United U.S. State Department ed from seeking re-election, Nations, United States and Counselor Thomas Shannon urged nationals respect the representatives of the “core and the U.S. special coordina - election rules and go to the group” called on state institu - tor for Haiti were scheduled to polls. tions and political actors to visit the country on Jan. 6. The Opposition had “take all steps necessary to demanded an independent ensure a peaceful transfer of - Edited from CMC. review of the late October power to a newly elected presi - first round of voting, which it dent” by the Feb. 7 deadline. Æ Dominican Republic tightens border with Haiti SANTO DOMINGO, guards, immi - Dominican Republic – The gration inspec - northwest border between tors and other the Dominican Republic and security agen - Haiti has been tightened as, cies comply according to officials, hun - with the coun - dreds of Haitians – many of try’s immigra - them undocumented - are try - tion law. ing to enter the country. Last year, the A contingent of 900 Dominican troops was dispatched to the Republic gov - border recently in what offi - ernment issued cials are calling “Operation More Haitians seeking D.R. entry. residency per - Shield”. They have joined mits to 184,000 At a recent press confer - 1,200 solders already assigned people who could prove they ence, Dominican Republic to patrol the area that divides had been living in the country Immigration Agency the island of Hispaniola. before Oct. 2011. Supervisor Rafael M. Vasquez The Immigration Agency An estimated 300,000 are said, in conjunction with other says the Haitians who are not thought to be in Dominican agencies, security and surveil - qualified to immigrate to the Republic without legal status. lance along the border have Dominican Republic have Officials have warned that been bolstered to prevent the been trying to enter collective - anyone without legal residen - entry of undocumented per - ly as immigrants, while others cy may face deportation. sons. He also noted that entered for a bi-national mar - Haitians with proper docu - ket held on Mondays and - Edited from CMC. ments are allowed to cross the Fridays. border as the army, border Æ IDB approves new $41M grant for industrial park WASHINGTON, D.C. - The The IDB said the CIP The current stage of the Inter-American Development contributes to economic devel - project aims to create 5,400 new Bank (IDB) has approved a opment in the north of the jobs. The goal is to reach 20,000 $41 million grant for the fifth country, a priority for the positions by 2020. IDB said this and last phase of the Caracol Haitian government, by offer - latest grant brings to $200.5 mil - Industrial Park (CIP), the ing attractive conditions for lion it has contributed to the main manufacturing hub in companies to invest and gen - project since 2011. northern Haiti. erate formal employment. Æ Over 9,792,000 copies printed and delivered in 27 years CARIBBEAN TODAY • JANUARY 2016• 3 NEWS Opportunity trumps fear as Caribbean nationals seek Ex-soccer boss ‘Jack’ Warner America’s ‘greener pasture’, despite terrorist threats to know U.S. fate on Jan. 22 GOrdON WIllIAMs Census Bureau. Trinidad and Tobago’s Austin Warner is seeking leave More want to come. “Jack” Warner, a once power - to have the High Court The “greener pasture”, which According to a recent report ful influence on global soccer, review the extradition treaty travel to the United States published in The Gleaner should know this month if he T&T has with the U.S., as promises many Caribbean newspaper, for example, the will be extradited to the well as the Authority to people, may be stained with United States Embassy in United States to face fraud- Proceed (ATP) signed by fear following recent terrorist Kingston disclosed that Attorney General Faris Al attacks, but that hasn’t Jamaicans forked over $25 Rawi in September which dimmed the urge of people million to apply for 159,000 gave the chief magistrate the from the region who want to U.S. visas last year, the most authority to proceed with come to America. in two decades, even the extradition proceedings in the Even as evidence shows though the application rejec - lower court. the mounting influence of tion rate was 35 percent. Justice Aboud, after hear - extremist groups such as ISIS, - File photograph This has happened even ing from attorneys for Warner coupled with threats of more U.S. is still a big attraction. as possibilities for Caribbean and those representing the attorney general, set Jan. 22, attacks to come, the desire to and more than 20 injured by a visitors to the U.S., who har - when he will give his ruling on visit the U.S. – with the hope married couple pledging sup - bor thoughts of over-staying whether Warner, a former sen - of benefiting from its wealth - port for ISIS. their allotted welcome time, ior T&T government minister, appears still strong. A recent Associated may have also become slim - will be given leave to take his “(Terrorism in the U.S.) Press/GfK poll indicated that mer recently. The current Warner challenge to the next step. comes up in discussions, but roughly 70 percent of administration of President not in a serious way,” Americans now believe the Barack Obama has deported related charges in connection CHARGES explained Cee*, a Jamaican risk of terrorist attacks in the vast amounts of immigrants. with a scandal engulfing the Under the ATP, Warner woman who recently moved U.S. is at least somewhat high. Plans for the U.S. government world’s most popular sport. is charged with 29 counts of to the U.S. with her teenaged That’s a hike from 50 percent to launch raids to round up The decision on the extra - several statutory offenses, son.