Caribbean News

Outstanding Jamaicans Honoured

Published

8 years ago

October 19, 2017

#Jamaica, October 19, 2017 – Kingston – Two hundred and fifty-seven outstanding Jamaicans who have made significant contributions to nation building, were formally recognized at the ceremony of Investiture and Presentation of National Honours and Awards, on Monday (October 16), at King’s House. Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, and his wife, Mrs. Juliet Holness, headed the list of dignitaries and other guests who attended the annual event to witness the awards being handed out by Governor-General, His Excellency the Most Hon. Sir Patrick Allen.

Heading the list of recipients this year was musical icon, the Hon. Neville O’Reilly Livingston, popularly known as “Bunny Wailer”, who was awarded the Order of Merit.

“It’s an honour to be awarded. I have been contributing over these years with Bob (Marley) and Peter (Tosh). It feels good to be recognised for the great things which happened for me in music,” he told JIS News at the ceremony.

Following his award, five persons – Mr. Vincent Francis, Mr. Phillip Gore, Mr. Anthony Hart, Professor Archibald McDonald and Ambassador Clifton Stone were presented with the Order of Jamaica.

Forty-two persons were awarded with the Order of Distinction in the rank of Commander [CD]. They were The Reverend Dr. Ronald Blair, Dr. Ellen Grizzle, Senior Superintendent Vance Carter, Mrs. Heather Cooke, Mrs. Laleta Davis-Mattis, Mr. Herrick Dear, Sister Mary Figueroa, Professor Fletcher, Mr. Ian Forbes, Dr. Marcia Forbes, Colonel (Rtd.) Samuel Francis, Mr. Christopher Gayle, Dr. Gladys Gordon-Veitch, Mr. Alexander Hamilton, Mr. Kevin Hendrickson, Mr. Paul Hoo, Mr. Clement ‘Jimmy’ Lawrence, Mr. John Lynch, Dr. Noel Lynch and The Hon. Mrs. Justice Marva McDonald-Bishop.

Others given the CD were Ambassador Vilma McNish, Major General Rocky Meade, Mr. Howard Mitchell, Professor Keith Morrison, Dr. Donald Phillibert, Dr. Fritz Pinnock, Mr. George Quallo, Mr. John Robinson, Mr. Robert Russell, Mr. Paul Scott, Mr. Lyttleton Shirley, Mr. Edward Shoucair, Mr. George Soutar, Mrs. Joy Spence, Hon. Ms. Justice Jennifer Straw, Hon. Mr. Justice Bryan Sykes, Dr. Cleo Taylor, Mr. Sylvester Tulloch, Dr. Kenneth Vaughn, Mr. Albert Webb, Senator Donald Wehby, Mr. Noel Whyte and Mr. Clifton Yap.

Dr. Marcia Forbes, co-owner and Executive Chairperson of Phase Three Productions Limited, who was awarded in this category for her sterling contribution to multimedia television production, public service and volunteerism, said she “felt fantastic”.

“I don’t work to get any recognition or award, but when you get it, it’s amazing, especially when you’re alive and young enough to appreciate it as I am. It’s really a good feeling. I thank all who have nominated me,” she told JIS News.

Sixty-six persons were awarded with the Order of Distinction in the rank of Officer [OD]. They were Mrs. Sonia Abrahams, Captain (Rtd.) Christopher Annamunthodo, Mr. Khaleel Azan, Mr. Carl Bradshaw, Mr. Patrick Brown, Mr. John Breese, Mr. Isbert Clarke, Mr. Robert Clarke, Mrs. Pearline Cooper Sharpe, The Right Reverend Harold Daniel, Mr. Alston Douglas, Mr. Michael Drakulich, Ms. Simone Edwards, Mr. Copeland Forbes, Mr. Alvin Francis, Mr. Ferdinand Gaynair, Mrs. Mabel Grandison, Mrs. Antonica Gunter Gayle, Mr. Courtney Barrington and Ms. Joyce Harris.

Also receiving the OD were Mr. George Ho Sang, Mr. Indru Khemlani, Mr. Ramesh Lakhwani, Mr. Leroy Lindsay, Ms. Eslyn Lynch, Mr. Carlos Malcolm, Dr. Donna McFarlane, The Reverend Cannon McIntyre, Mr. Clyde McKenzie, Professor Collie Miller, Mrs. Gloria Millwood, Mrs. Rosina Moder, Mr. Earl Moore, Mr. Kenneth Neale, Mrs. Delores O’Connor, Mr. Hugh Osborne, Mr. Paul Pennicook, Mr. Lloyd Pommells, Ms. Sandra Levy-Ramsay, Mr. Carl Rhoden, Mr. Gary Sadler, Ms. Hermine Salmon, Pastor Glen Samuels, Mrs. Methelina Scarlet-Jones, Mr. Richard Simpson, Dr. Iris Soutar, Mr. Lloyd Stanbury, Mr. Joseph Sterling, Ms. Stafanie Taylor, Dr. Ian Titus, Mrs. Maxine Walters, Mr. Theodore Whitmore, Mr. Joel Williams, Mr. Maurice Wilson, Mr. Dennis Wright, Ms. Joyce Young and Mrs. Margaret Steuart.

Mr. Ho Sang, a retired jockey, who was awarded the OD for his contribution to the horse racing industry in Jamaica, said he “feels great to have been awarded by his country”.

“I thank the people who nominated me for this award. I am so grateful to receive it while I am still alive to enjoy it,” he said in an interview with JIS News.

Seven Jamaicans who risked their lives to save others were awarded with the Badge of Honour for Gallantry [BH(G)] by the Governor-General. They were Mr. Howard Garcia, Ms. Anna Kay Martin, Mr. Ramone Peart, Mr. Jamwno Riley, Mr. Jermaine Riley, Ms. Davia Tucker and Mr. Tremayne Brown, who was recently added to the list for his act of bravery on September 10, after he jumped into a gully to save 12-year-old Renaldo Reynolds in Trench Town from being washed away.

Speaking with JIS News after collecting his award, Mr. Brown said he felt good about being publicly awarded. “It feels good. It feels really good,” Mr. Brown, who was overwhelmed, simply said.

Twenty-four persons were awarded with The Badge of Honour for Meritorious Service [BH(M)]. They were Dr. Winsome Christie, Ms. Opal Davis, Mr. Easton Daley, Mrs. Daphne Dennis, Mrs. Alice Downer, Mr. Baldwin Dulston, Mr. Clive Edwards, Ms. Quindell Ferguson, Mrs. Helen Gauron, Mrs. Melody Haughton-Adams, Mrs. Murleen Kelly Henry, The Reverend Uriah Lawrence, Mrs. Sonia Lee, Mrs. Hilda McAnuff, Mrs. Marjorie Monteith, Mrs. Bernice Moore, Mr. Barrington Parsons, Dr. Michelle Russell, Ms. Maudlyn Roach, Mrs. June Torey-Scott, Mrs. Constance Witter, Mr. Elphyn Wright, Father Marek Bzinkowski, Mrs. Diane Pollard and Mr. Peter Rose.

Some 37 persons were awarded with the Badge of Honour for Long and Faithful Service [BH(L)]. They were Mrs. Elaine Barker, Mr. Hebron Barrett, Mrs. Elizabeth Brown-James, Mrs. Roseline Brown-Moore, Mrs. Eumeda Byfield, Mrs. Jacqueline Champagnie, Mr. Anthony Colquhoun, Mrs. Sandra Daley Peart, Mrs. Carolm Dyer-Archer, Ms. Paulette Green, Mr. Phillip Hutchinson, Mrs. Beverley Ingram, Mr. Winston Jackson, Ms. Grace Johns, Mrs. Millicent Kerridge, Mrs. Sybil Leslie, Mrs. Nellie Lewis, Mrs. Patricia Linton-Khanni, Mrs. Linda Maragh, Ms. Lois McGregor, Ms. Marlene McGregor, Mrs. Sylvia McKenzie, Dr. Stewart McKoy, Mr. Felix Mitchell, Mrs. Yvonne Mitchell, Mrs. Matilda Morgan, Mr. Michael Nicholson, Ms. Juliet O’Sullivan, Ms. Marjorie Parkin, Mrs. Evelyn Richards, Mrs. Paula Rouse-McFarlane and Mrs. Ivet Russell. Others were Ms. Yvette Smith, Ms. Yvonne Vassell, Ms. Leith Watson, Mr. Robert White and Mr. Howard Williams.

Mr. Brandon Freeman collected an award in this category on behalf of his grandfather, Mr. Horace Vickers Freeman, who died one month prior to the ceremony.

Speaking with JIS News, Brandon said it was a bittersweet feeling both sitting in the seat and collecting the award on behalf of his grandfather.

“My grandfather was a great man and I’m glad I was able to collect what he rightfully earned. It’s sad that he was not here today to receive it himself, but I believe his legacy has been passed on through my generation, and I hope that one day I’ll be able to collect my own reward for my own legacy,” he said.

Two persons from the Department of Correctional Services were awarded with the Medal of Honour for Gallantry. They were Corporal Vincent Allen for rendering quick and alert assistance to Corporal Ivey who requested emergency medical assistance while suffering a heart attack; and Corporal Jermaine Stewart for demonstrating the act of bravery, courage and a keen sense of alertness to have discharged his firearm at two armed robbers who boarded the Department’s vehicle and attempted to rob staff members on Friday, November 25, 2016.

In the category of the Medal of Honour for Meritorious Service, 12 persons from the Jamaica Defence Force were awarded, 24 from the Jamaica Constabulary Force, 27 from the Department of Correctional Services and 11 from the Jamaica Fire Brigade.

Release: JIS

Caribbean News

Guyanese Scholar and Olympian Arrested in Iowa ICE Crackdown

Published

2 weeks ago

September 27, 2025

Deandrea Hamilton

Deandrea Hamilton | Editor

September 27, 2025 – In a shocking breach of public trust and institutional oversight, Ian Andre Roberts, superintendent of Des Moines Public Schools, who is a citizen of Guyana, was arrested on September 26 by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) under a string of serious offenses that raise troubling questions about hiring practices, accountability, and public safety.

Roberts, born in Georgetown, Guyana, is a former Olympian and accomplished scholar. According to online reports, he earned a bachelor’s degree from Coppin State University after transferring from St. Francis College in Brooklyn, where he played soccer. He holds two master’s degrees—from St. John’s University and Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business—attended an Executive MBA program at MIT Sloan School of Management and earned a doctorate in education with a focus on urban educational leadership from Trident University.

Despite these accomplishments, Roberts was living and working without legal authorization. ICE reported that he fled a traffic stop and abandoned his school-issued vehicle. At the time of his arrest, he was reportedly in possession of a loaded handgun, a fixed-blade hunting knife, and $3,000 in cash. He also has a prior weapons-related charge.

ICE officials questioned how Roberts could hold such a prominent role while subject to a final deportation order issued in May 2024. The school district said they were unaware of his immigration status, noting that he had undergone background checks and completed an I-9 form confirming work authorization. Roberts was placed on administrative leave pending further investigation.

This case highlights vulnerabilities in systems meant to safeguard public institutions and underscores the challenges ICE faces in identifying individuals operating outside U.S. immigration laws while in positions of authority.

For many, Roberts has become a near-literal poster child for these enforcement gaps.

Caribbean News

Bermuda Shaken by Targeted Murder as Crime Returns After a Decade of Calm

Published

3 weeks ago

September 21, 2025

Deandrea Hamilton

Deandrea Hamilton | Editor

Bermuda is reeling after the brazen murder of 37-year-old Janae Minors, a mother of two, who was gunned down in her own beauty supply store on Court Street, Pembroke. The attack, which police describe as “targeted,” has rattled the island, not only for its brutality but for what it says about the state of law and order in a country that less than a decade ago was celebrating a dramatic fall in violent crime.

The Attack on Court Street

According to police, at approximately 4:45 p.m. on Tuesday, September 16, a lone gunman pulled up on a stolen black motorcycle, walked into the Beauty Monster shop Minors owned, and shot her multiple times. Despite the rapid response of emergency services, she succumbed to her injuries shortly after being transported to hospital.

Detectives say the killer was thin, tall, dressed in dark clothing with a full-face helmet, and wearing bright gloves. CCTV shows him fleeing north on Court Street, down Tills Hill toward TCD, before turning onto Marsh Folly Road. Investigators are pursuing all leads, with a focus on recovering evidence from nearby cameras and eyewitness accounts.

Police Commissioner Darrin Simons confirmed the attack bore the hallmarks of gang-related violence, a chilling indicator that Bermuda’s gang rivalries — long simmering beneath the surface — may once again be spilling into broad daylight.

A Vibrant Life Cut Short

Minors, remembered as a hardworking entrepreneur with “a vibrant, beautiful personality,” leaves behind two children, ages 16 and 18. Her murder has ignited outrage across Bermuda, not just for its senselessness but for its timing: the island had once prided itself on virtually stamping out gun violence.

Then: Near-Zero Murders

Back in 2014, Bermuda made international headlines for reporting zero firearm murders — a remarkable achievement given the small island had endured a spate of gang-related shootings in the early 2010s. Police credited intelligence-led operations, tighter firearms interdictions, and aggressive prosecutions of gang leaders. Community programs and mentoring initiatives also played a role, giving at-risk youth alternatives to gang life.

By 2015 and 2016, gun crime was at historic lows. That period was hailed as proof Bermuda could beat back the tide of violence with coordinated policing, social investment, and political will.

Now: Alarming Resurgence

Fast forward nine years, and the picture looks starkly different. In 2024 and 2025, Bermuda has recorded a rise in gun-related deaths. Rival gangs such as Parkside and 42 have resurged, fueled by a new generation of recruits. Economic pressures, high youth unemployment, and the easy flow of smuggled firearms through maritime routes have undermined earlier gains.

Community trust in the police has also eroded, making investigations harder and retaliations more likely. Opposition MPs and neighborhood leaders warn that without sustained focus, Bermuda risks sliding back into the violent cycles of the early 2010s.

Public Alarm and Political Pressure

Premier David Burt condemned Minors’ killing as “an escalation of community violence that cannot be tolerated,” promising stronger enforcement and deeper engagement with residents. The Bermuda Police Service has appealed for CCTV, dashcam, and doorbell footage from the area, urging residents that even the smallest detail could break the case.

Yet among the public, frustration is growing. People remember the calm of 2014 — when zero murders were recorded — and cannot understand how the island has returned to headlines dominated by gun violence. The contrast is stark: from celebrating the elimination of gun murders to confronting the targeted execution of a businesswoman in broad daylight.

A Test for Bermuda’s Future

The murder of Janae Minors has become more than a single case; it is now a symbol of Bermuda’s struggle to hold on to the progress it once made. The question facing the island is whether the successes of a decade ago can be replicated and sustained in today’s harsher climate of economic pressure and gang rivalries.

For Minors’ family, nothing can erase the tragedy of losing a mother and daughter so violently. But for Bermuda at large, her death is a wake-up call — that the island cannot afford complacency when it comes to crime.

As one community leader put it: “Nine years ago, we had beaten this. Now, we’re back to fearing what happens when the sun goes down. That is not the Bermuda we want to live in.”

Caribbean News

CARICOM-Africa Summit Yields Draft Pact on Trade, Travel and Reparations

Published

3 weeks ago

September 19, 2025

Deandrea Hamilton

Imagine an Atlantic Bridge connecting the Caribbean Region to the African Continent

Deandrea Hamilton | Editor

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia — When CARICOM leaders convened with African counterparts and Afreximbank officials in Ethiopia, the outcomes were savory and exactly what many Caribbean people want to see materialise as the islands become uniquely reconnected to the African continent.

At the Second CARICOM-Africa Summit, held at the African Union headquarters, leaders moved beyond symbolic language to agree on a draft communiqué that, if finalized, would anchor this partnership in practical action. While not yet officially published by the AU or CARICOM, the document points to an agenda that blends history with urgent twenty-first century priorities.

The draft outlines commitments to improve air and sea transport links, including the pursuit of a multilateral air services agreement to break down the barriers that still keep the Caribbean and Africa physically apart. It also calls for visa facilitation and simplified entry regimes, making it easier for citizens of both regions to travel, study, and work across the Atlantic.

Equally significant are pledges to advance double taxation treaties that could remove one of the most stubborn obstacles to investment. With Afreximbank’s Caribbean headquarters already established in Barbados and the AfriCaribbean Trade and Investment Forum (ACTIF) gaining momentum, leaders now want to lock in the financial and legal frameworks that will drive new business.

Reparatory justice also featured prominently, with the draft communiqué sharpening a joint call for coordinated advocacy. CARICOM’s long-standing Reparations Commission is expected to work more closely with African institutions to demand global recognition and redress for the shared traumas of slavery and colonial exploitation.

CARICOM’s incoming chair, Prime Minister Dr. Terrance Drew of St. Kitts and Nevis, captured the spirit of the gathering when he urged that the Atlantic Slave Trade be reimagined as an “Atlantic Bridge — a bridge of hope, a bridge of advancement, a bridge that will ensure our people take their rightful place in this world.”

For Secretary-General Dr. Carla Barnett, the meeting was a “homecoming,” but also a reminder that concrete steps like the Health Development Partnership for Africa and the Caribbean (HeDPAC) and improved transportation links are needed to transform rhetoric into results.

For citizens back home, wrestling with inflation and economic uncertainty, the Addis outcomes — transport, visas, investment, health, and reparations — are precisely the kinds of measures that can validate leaders’ journeys and rekindle faith in South-South cooperation. What was once only rhetoric now hints at the beams of an Atlantic Bridge, connecting the Caribbean and Africa in ways that could finally turn history’s tragedy into tomorrow’s advantage.