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JAMAICA: Cultural Tribute for Mr. Seaga

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#Kingston, June 20, 2019 – Jamaica – Late former Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Edward Seaga, was saluted in a special cultural showcase held last evening (June 18) at the Little Theatre in St. Andrew.

The approximately three-hour event, which started at 7:30, featured performances in song, poetry and dance from the University Singers, National Dance Theatre Company (NDTC), Nexus Performing Company, Dean Fraser, and the Tivoli Dance Troupe.

There were also tributes from members of Government, academia and representatives of institutions established by the late former Prime Minister. 

Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, Hon. Olivia Grange, in her remarks said that Mr. Seaga was “the master craftsman”, who “laboured” for the upliftment of the culture of Jamaicans and promoted understanding and appreciation of the rituals that “our people have created”.

“We salute a great man, who developed institutions, people, communities, and an entire nation. He was a man who made a difference, and his legacy will live on in the many agencies that he created,” she noted.

Pro-Vice Chancellor at the University of Technology (UTech), Richard Powell, said Mr. Seaga, who was the institution’s Chancellor, dedicated himself to the growth of the university, and used his links in the private sector to improve the cause of students and staff.

“Many have been touched by his practicality, sound judgment, and commitment to Jamaica. The Most Hon. Edward Seaga has given us a life of hard work, diligence and commitment,” Mr. Powell said.

Managing Director of the HEART Trust/NTA, Dr. Janet Dyer, for her part, noted that the late former Prime Minister was a man of “far-reaching vision and wisdom”.  She noted that he established the HEART Trust as “a powerful tool for human capital development”, transforming the nation’s youth, and positioning Jamaica with critical skills.

Deputy Principal of the University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona Campus, Professor Ian Boxill, noted that Mr. Seaga contributed to the university as a Senior Research Fellow and was a “productive member” of the Mona academic community.

He noted that Mr. Seaga was a “fierce advocate of education for all”.

“He understood the transformational power of education and how it can be truly used to move our society to sustainable economic growth and prosperity, grounded in the principle of equity.  His commitment to building bridges between the haves and the have-nots serves as a true hallmark of the character of the man, and the leader,” Professor Boxill said.

Mr. Seaga, who was Jamaica’s fifth Prime Minister, died on May 28 at age 89. He served as Member of Parliament for Western Kingston for 43 years.  The State funeral for Mr. Seaga will be held on Sunday, June 23 at the Cathedral of the Most Holy Trinity, 1 George Headley Drive in Kingston, with interment at National Heroes Park.

An official period of mourning is being observed from June 19 to 22, during which the National Flag is to be flown at half-mast on all public buildings.

Contact: Garfield Angus

Release: JIS

Photo Captions:

Header: The National Dance Theatre Company (NDTC), performs at the special tribute to the late former Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Edward Seaga, held at the Little Theatre, St. Andrew, on June 18.

First Insert: Members of the National Dance Theatre Company (NDTC) in performance at a special tribute to the late former Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Edward Seaga, held at the Little Theatre in St. Andrew on June 18.

Second Insert: Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, Hon. Olivia Grange, deliverers the closing address at a special tribute to the late former Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Edward Seaga, held at the Little Theatre in St. Andrew on Tuesday (June 18).

Third Insert: Managing Director of the HEART Trust/NTA, Dr. Janet Dyer, pays tribute to the late former Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Edward Seaga, at a special function in his honour, held at the Little Theatre in St. Andrew on June 18.

Fourth Insert: Saxophonist Dean Fraser, performs at the special tribute to the late former Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Edward Seaga, held at the Little Theatre, St. Andrew, on Tuesday (June 18).

Photos by Mark Bell

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Guyanese Scholar and Olympian Arrested in Iowa ICE Crackdown

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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.

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

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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.”

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

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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.

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