PRESORTED maRCh 2014 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. 25 No. 4 www.caribbeantoday.com THE MULTI AWARD WINNING NEWS MAGAZINE WITH THE LARGEST PROVEN CIRCULATION IN FLORIDA GUARANTEED ~ United States government reports have accused Caribbean countries of various shortcomings. Inside, Caribbean Today highlights: • Money laundering, corruption – page 4 • Human rights abuses – page 7 The United States has decided to extend Temporary Protected Status to Haitian nationals in the U.S. by 18 months. Applicants seeking extension must re-register during a 60- day period that runs through May 2, 2014, page 4. ~ U.S. reforms have helped spark heated debate on marijuana decriminalization in the Caribbean. Now countries in the region are pushing for the Tessanne Chin wowed the “green gold” to become legal, world by winning “The even if just for medicinal Voice”. Now the fabulous Jamaican songbird is telling purposes. Caribbean Today about her News on page 5, rocky career path, from nearly Viewpoint on page 9. giving up to big time success, page 7. INSIDE News ................................................................2 Food ................................................................15 Health ..............................................................21 Feature ..............................................................7 Local/FYI ........................................................16 Spring Travel ..................................................22 Viewpoint ........................................................9 Literature ........................................................18 Shipping/Cargo ..............................................23 Arts/Entertainment ........................................11 Classifieds ......................................................19 Sports ..............................................................13 Financial Planning ........................................20 Read CaRibbean Today onLine aT CaRibbeanToday.Com 2 • CARIBBEAN TODAY • MARCH 2014 NEWS White House honors Caribbean American among ‘Champions of Change’ MIAMI, Florida - A photography and film, to hip worked as a marketing man - restore the U.S. to its role as Caribbean American was hop music, to coding competi - ager for technology and gam - global leader in education; among 10 other “Champions tions and community-based ing companies. She is a fre - strengthen the nation by of Change” honored late last workshops.” quent keynote speaker, pre - improving educational out - month by the White House in Code Fever is an initiative senting talks on entrepreneur - comes for African Americans the United States capital for that trains black youth in the ship, tech education, and of all ages; and ensure that innovation in creating diversi - areas of technology and entre - embracing failure at Google American children receive a ty and access in STEM fields. preneurship. As an author, London, Girl Scouts of complete and competitive Jamaican Felecia Hatcher social entrepreneur and the America, SXSW, Coca education that prepares them is on a mission is to create chief popsicle of Feverish Ice Cola HQ, FBLA, DECA, for college, a successful career, 10,000 African American Cream, Hatcher has been fea - TEDxMiami and and productive citizenship. Start-Ups as the Co-Founder tured in Black Enterprise TEDxJamaica. The “Champions of of Code Fever. magazine’s “Innovator of the Hatcher Hatcher is also the author Change” program was created The 30-year-old was Week”, Essence Magazine of two books,”How to Start a as an opportunity for the among honorees who, the Tech Master, the NBC Today gourmet popsicle company Business on a Ramen Noodle White House to feature indi - White House said, “are creat - Show, The Cooking Channel, that donates a portion of Budget” and the “C Students viduals, businesses and organi - ing opportunities for young and Grio’s 100 African every pop sold to building Guide to Scholarships”. zations doing extraordinary people typically underrepre - American’s Making History. community program that United States President things to empower and inspire sented in STEM industries target South Florida’s 13 Barack Obama issued an members of their communi - by using unconventional TARGET Targeted Urban Areas executive order creating the ties. approaches to enhance stu - In 2008 she co-founded (TUAs). White House Initiative on dent exposure ranging from Feverish Pops, a Miami-based Before launching Feverish Educational Excellence for - Edited from News Americas. and Code Fever, Hatcher African Americans to help Æ Haiti re-opens probe into ‘Baby Doc’ Duvalier’s alleged crimes against humanity PORT AU PRINCE, Haiti – Last month, the Court of tasked with obtaining new testi - Human rights watchdog Appeal reversed a Jan. 2012 mony from victims who did not Amnesty International has wel - ruling by an investigative judge. have the chance to testify dur - comed a decision by the appeal The earlier decision stated that ing last year’s appeals hearings. court in Haiti to open new Duvalier could not be charged “The Court of Appeal has investigations into former dicta - with crimes against humanity correctly ruled that there can be tor Jean-Claude Duvalier for filed by victims of alleged no statute of limitations for crimes against humanity. forced disappearances and tor - Amnesty International said ture during his rule from 1971 the decision is a “major boost to 1986 because the time for the for the victims in their long prosecution of those offences quest for truth and justice. had elapsed. “This much-needed green light to continue the investiga - ‘EVIDENCE’ tions is a victory for the victims But the Court of Appeal of torture, enforced disappear - ruled there is “substantial evi - ances and other human rights dence,” pointing to the indirect violations committed under the involvement and alleged crimi - Duvalier rule of Duvalier and their rela - nal responsibility of Duvalier tives,” said Javier Zúñiga, spe - for the alleged human rights cial advisor for Amnesty violations during his crimes against humanity, and International. presidency. this is a major step forward for “It also bolsters hopes for a The court has appointed the Haitian justice system,” new Haiti, founded upon the one of its sitting judges to fur - Zúñiga said. rule of law and equality of jus - ther investigate the allegations. Although victims appealed tice for all,” he added. The judge has apparently been against the 2012 ruling and Jean-Claude Duvalier himself appeared before the court last year, the judicial process had been stalled since last May. Amnesty International and other human rights organiza - tions denounced last January that the “lack of political will and unacceptable court delays” were allowing Duvalier to escape justice. The Haitian authorities re- opened a criminal case against Duvalier shortly after he returned to the country on January 16, 2011, following a 25-year exile in France. He faced charges of serious human rights violations such as murder and torture of political oppo - nents, and of corruption. Duvalier, also known as “Baby Doc”, inherited power from his father François Duvalier and ruled Haiti from 1971 to 1986. - Edited from CMC. Æ CARIBBEAN TODAY • MARCH 2014• 3 NEWS U.S., Canada join forces to hunt tax evaders in Caribbean GOLDEN GLORY WASHINGTON, D.C. – The and we are which then relay that United States Department of proud to information to the IRS. the Treasury says it has signed lead the By contrast, a Model 2 intergovernmental agreements global agreement “contemplates (IGAs) with Canada to halt charge on that FFIs will provide rel - offshore tax evasion in the this pressing evant information to the Caribbean and other countries issue,” he IRS themselves, with through implementation of the added. government-to-govern - Foreign Account Tax FATCA ment cooperation serving Compliance Act (FATCA). seeks to to facilitate reporting The Treasury Department obtain when necessary to over - said last month that similar information come specific legal agreements were also signed on accounts impediments.” with Hungary, Italy and held by U.S. The Treasury Mauritius. taxpayers in other countries. It Department said each of the The department noted that requires U.S. financial institu - countries in the announcement the U.S. Congress enacted the tions to withhold a portion of – Canada, Hungary, Italy, and FATCA in 2010 to “target non- certain payments made to Mauritius – signed reciprocal compliance by U.S. taxpayers foreign financial institutions Model 1 agreements. using foreign accounts,” includ - (FFIs) that do not agree to “This means that the ing those in the Caribbean. identify and report information United States will also provide “The provision has since on U.S. account holders. tax information to these govern - become the global standard for ments regarding individuals and promoting tax transparency,” OPTIONS entities from their jurisdictions noted the statement, adding The Treasury Department with accounts in the United that the U.S. has signed 22 said governments have two States,” the statement said. IGAs and “has 12 agreements options for complying with It said the Treasury in substance to date.” FATCA: they can either permit Department and the IRS will “FATCA implementation their FFIs to enter into agree - “continue to work diligently is critical to combating interna - ments with the Internal to finalize