Caribbean Corner

Gov. Kathy Hochul on Dec. 20 granted clemency to 22 individuals, including 21 pardons and one commutation. Hochul said this action “recognizes individuals demonstrating remorse, exemplifying rehabilitation and displaying a commitment to improving themselves and their communities.” After implementing procedural reforms to strengthen the clemency process, the governor has made a total of 94 grants of clemency during her time in office. “Upon taking office, I implemented a series of reforms to bring additional transparency and accountability to the clemency process,” Hochul said. “I will continue working with law enforcement, victims’ rights groups, prosecutors, reform advocates and all stakeholders to ensure this process is operationalized responsibly.” The Governor's Office said it has taken a number of steps to improve transparency and communication in the clemency process. Hochul said the Executive Clemency Bureau has implemented a new policy of sending regular le...

Once the holidays are over, you may look around you at a floor full of spent wrapping paper and sad ribbons and wonder, “What’s next?” A whole new year, that’s what, and a dozen great books worthy of reaching back to find. Here they are, in no certain order, the Bookworm’s Best of 2024… FICTION If you’re a fan of best-selling novels, you won’t be surprised to see “Extinction” by Douglas Preston ($29.99, Forge) on this list. It’s the tale of a high-level vacation spot run by a big-money corporation and scientists determined to bring back certain kinds of long-extinct animals. Problem is, someone – or some thing – is hunting the lodge’s guests... For the mystery lover who likes a bit of mysticism and some true-life in their novels, “Spirit Crossing” by William Kent Krueger ($28.99, Atria) is a great pick. When the body of a Native American teen girl is discovered, Cork O’Connor’s son-in-law hopes the body solves a missing-persons case. Or cases , plural. This book is part...

Authorities in Suriname have returned the body of former military strongman and ex-president Desi Bouterse to close relatives and to his National Democratic Party (NDP) after learning over the weekend that he had died of liver failure linked to excessive drinking while in hiding from a 20-year prison sentence for mass murder. The autopsy performed on Bouterse, 79, showed that “that the probable date of death was on Monday or Tuesday. The cause of death was determined to be complication of liver failure in severe liver fibrosis, caused by chronic alcohol use," the report stated. The former army sergeant major who along with about 15 other comrades had toppled the elected government in a February 1980 coup, had vanished into hiding in January after an appeals court had upheld a 20-year prison sentence for the December 1982 murders of 15 government opponents that the military-led regime had accused of plotting with The Netherlands and other western nations to reverse the coup...

On Dec. 12, the Brooklyn Public Library's Center for Brooklyn History (BPL-CBH) hosted a hybrid conversation with Dr. Zinga Fraser about her newly edited book, " Shirley Chisholm: In Her Own Words" (University of California Press, 2024). The book description states: "This long-overdue treatment of her work establishes Chisholm as an unparalleled public intellectual and Black feminist both in her time and now. The book not only contextualizes the Civil Rights and Black Power era; it also provides timeless insights on issues that are exceedingly relevant in our current moment." It also introduces a new generation to one of the most impactful proponents of democracy in America. Fraser is an assistant professor of Africana Studies and Women's and Gender Studies at Brooklyn College and the director of the Shirley Chisholm Project on Brooklyn Women's Activism. She started the conversation by sharing why writing the book took so long. "I thi...

As 2024 ends, I am proud of a year of great progress for The City University of New York that has given us good reason to feel optimistic. In 2024, our colleges welcomed more students and implemented more programs to help guide them to careers. It was a year of record-breaking funding for the University’s research, and a year of growth with the expansion of one school. CUNY’s enrollment growth – 3% for the second year in a row – has solidified our rebound from the post-pandemic enrollment declines that impacted colleges nationwide and kept too many city students away from the transforming power of a college degree. And we’re not slowing down. This fall, more than 55,000 New York high school seniors applied to CUNY colleges during our four-week fee-waiver period – a 62% increase over last year’s inaugural fee waiver campaign. These students view college as key to their pursuit of fulfilling careers, and we are working hard to deliver on that promise. This year, we aggress...

Caribbean-American legislators have been extending holiday greetings to their respective constituents – whether it’s Christmas, Hanukkah or Kwanzaa. “As we come to the close of another year, I want to take a moment to wish you and your loved ones a joyful and peaceful holiday season,” said Assembly Member Brian Cunningham, the son of Jamaican immigrants, who represents the 43 rd Assembly District in Brooklyn. “Whether you are celebrating Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or simply taking time to reflect and rest, the holidays are a wonderful opportunity to come together, share love, and cherish the bonds that unite us as a community. “In the spirit of the season, let us continue to embody kindness, generosity, and hope as we look ahead to the new year,” he added. “I am deeply grateful for the privilege of representing such a vibrant and diverse district, and I remain committed to serving you with dedication and care. “From my family to yours, happy holidays and best wishes for ...

Surinamese citizens awoke to the sad news on Christmas Day after authorities confirmed the death of former military strongman and two-time elected president Desi Bouterse, almost a year after he went into hiding to avoid a 20-year jail sentence for mass murder committed 42 years ago. It is unclear as to exactly where and how Bouterse, 79, had died and how his lifeless body ended up in his riverside home, which was being closely watched by authorities for clues to his hiding place. His death sometime on Christmas Eve came just days after police had stepped up raids of possible hiding places of Bouterse, who had disappeared in mid-January, hours before he, trusted bodyguard Iwan Dijksteel, and three others convicted for the December 1982 mass murders of 15 government opponents, were scheduled to surrender to authorities to begin serving sentences. [caption id="attachment_69355" align="aligncenter" width="700"] Relatives of victims of the December mu...

When I was sworn in as the 110th mayor of New York City, I promised to “Get Stuff Done.” That has been our focus ever since coming into office, and this past year was no different. But, in 2024, we did more than just get stuff done — we delivered for you, every day and everywhere. We drove down crime, put billions of dollars back into working-class New Yorkers’ pockets, and shattered records for the most jobs, small businesses, and affordable housing construction in our city’s history. Thanks to our tireless police officers, New York remains the safest big city in America. Overall crime is down, with shootings, homicides, and transit crime all down by more than 6 percent this year. We put more police officers on our streets and took thousands of illegal guns, mopeds, and ATVs off of them. We seized more than 6,000 illegal guns in 2024, bringing the total number of guns removed from the streets to 19,600 since January 2022. We also cracked down on car theft and had 12 straigh...

Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson on Wednesday joined Principal of the Family Life Academy Charter School II Valerie Marchionno, Assistant Principal Marilea Alberto and Music Director Nicholas Diaz in debuting her first-ever Winter Holiday Concert, “Tis the Season.” The two-hour-long event took place in the Rotunda of Bronx Borough Hall, 851 Grand Concourse. Gibson, the daughter of a Trinidadian-immigrant father, told Caribbean Life that over 300 parents, relatives and caregivers gathered to hear more than 200 Kindergarten through 5th Grade students, enrolled at the Mott Haven school, sing holiday hits. They included “Joy to the World,” “Sleigh Ride,” “Holidays,” “Light of Kwanzaa,” “Ready,” “Steady Go Now!,” “Mele Kalikimaka,”and others. “It was a true joy to celebrate the holidays with over 200 students from Family Life Academy Charter School II at our first-ever Winter Holiday Concert, held in the Rotunda of Bronx Borough Hall,” Gibson said. “Through their ...

“Resist! How a Century of Young Black Activists Shaped America” by Rita Omokha c.2024, St. Martin’s Press                                           $29.00                                 352 pages   Historically, when decisions were needed, the answer has often been “no.” No, certain people don’t get the same education as others. No, there is no such thing as equality. No, voting can be denied , and no, the laws are different depending on the color of one’s skin. And in the new book, “Resist!” by Rita Omokha, no, those things have not been accepted meekly. In 1995, after she and her brothers traveled from their native Nigeria to join their mother at her new home in the South Bronx, young Rita Omokha’s eyes were opened . She quickly understood that the color of her skin – which was “synonymous with endless striving and a pursuit of excellence” in Nigeria – was “so problematic in America.” That became a more significant matter to Omokha, 15 years...

Jamaican-born Bronx businessman Walford Stewart, chief executive officer of Brand GOFAAH, has announced plans to honor three prominent Jamaican coaches, including Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) National Youth Technical Director Wendell Downswell. Downswell will be honored at the St. Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS) World Cup event (Yard vs. Foreign), scheduled for Friday, Dec. 27, 2024, at the iconic STETHS grounds in St. Elizabeth, Jamaica. Other honorees include Clive "Lazza" Ledgister, a distinguished cricket coach, and Janet Burke, a dedicated netball coach. Stewart told Caribbean Life on Monday that Downswell was recently conferred with the Order of Distinction in the Rank of Officer (OD) from the government of Jamaica for his outstanding contribution to football. As coach of the acclaimed Reggae Boyz from 2004 to 2006, Downswell oversaw the team's victory in the 2005 Caribbean Cup. He also coached the Reggae Boys to a silver medal a...

A mere five years after the first barrel of light crude was lifted from the seabed, Guyana has now been ranked as the third largest per capita oil producer globally and is on course to double its current daily average of about 650,000 barrels in about five years, officials said this week. Celebrating five years since actual production started in December 2019, American oil giant ExxonMobil said the country’s sweet, light crude oil being produced from three oilfields near the Surinamese border, its current fiscal and other arrangements and relatively cheap operating costs have made Guyana the ideal production destination. It will, therefore, remain in the country for the long haul. Commercial quantities of oil and gas were first discovered back in 2015, allowing the Caribbean Community’s largest and most resource-rich member nation to begin switching from economic dependence on raw gold, bauxite, cane sugar and timber production among other products to oil and gas today, a point...

Grenadian-born educator Dr. Ansha Clement, a STEM learning specialist, mother, and author, has won The Internation Impact Book Award for Best STEM Education from a Phoenix, AZ company that carries that name. Dr. Clement, who resides in Baldwin in Nassau County, Long Island, told Caribbean Life on Monday that the award is "an incredible honor and validation of the work I'm so passionate about. "Personally, it reinforces my belief in the importance of early STEM education," she said about the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics acronym. "Professionally, it highlights the impact of creating resources that connect with diverse audiences. "I hope this recognition inspires others to invest in the next generation of scientists and innovators," she added. "In the making are ideas of expanding this science series and developing workshops for parents and educators to integrate STEM learning into everyday activities." Dr...

Authorities in the US northeast are clearly not the only ones concerned with drones operating illegally in the US as the civil aviation authority in Trinidad, Wednesday said the nation could have awakened to a major air disaster if a low flying drone had made actual contact with a commercial airline in local airspace on Dec. 8. Releasing details of the near miss, the authority said in a statement that a commercial jet aircraft on its way to land at the Piarco International Airport had encountered a low flying drone which had come within 20 feet of the left wingtip of the aircraft in an area just south of Port of Spain, the capital. The authority described the incident as “reckless and a very serious threat to the safety of the flight,” reminding everyone, drone operators especially, that such unmanned aircraft should not exceed 400 feet in altitude. “The use of an unmanned aircraft system with the intent to disrupt or endanger civil aviation or any public or private property co...

Watching U.S. Rep. Yvette Clarke excel, adapt brilliantly, and make significant strides in the United States political arena is overwhelming. This is genuinely an ascension for her career. As a young college student at the age of 23 or 24, somewhere there, she was one of the many people volunteering with the campaign for her mother, former New York City Council Member Dr. Una Clarke. Yvette later became a New York City Council Member, representing Brooklyn's 40th City Council District. Since then, her upward trend in New York City politics, particularly in Brooklyn, has not stopped. Clarke has played a safe and steady game as if groomed for what was to come. Her modus operandi, her mother, Una Clarke, has grounded her through all her positions. Dr. Clarke also campaigned for her daughter, "Just remember one word…Clarke," she said as she campaigned for her daughter, the first time Yvette ran for Congress. Yvette Clarke has now become the leader of the Congressional...

Bermuda Prime Minister David Burt recently said that his administration is on course to return a balanced budget this year. While delivering the pre-budget report to legislators, Burt said his administration is also considering other concessions for Bermudians given the encouraging current financial situation and that he has no plans to introduce any tax increases in the 2025-26 financial year, but there will be proposed cuts in taxes, duties, and fees on a range of items, including energy, building materials, land tax, and vehicle licenses. Burt said that next year, a universal healthcare system will finally be launched to drive down healthcare costs, promising also a boost in capital expenditure, which will be used to build more affordable homes and other infrastructure projects. He said the concessions will be financed in part by an expected US$187 million boost to the economy from the corporate income tax, which is expected to be introduced next year. The net re...