#and the importance of not disregarding local elections in addition to voting for the presidency

[lunar-years]

Chappell’s thoughts on the election sound a heck of lot like many of the takes I see daily on social media in fandom spaces and leftist spaces and on my personal accounts from people I went to high school/college with etc. etc. and I actually think it’s helpful that she’s giving voice to the thoughts a lot of people are clearly having and acknowledging a fairly prominent point of view amongst a portion of young voters whilst STILL ultimately saying she’s going to vote (for Kamala!) and emphasizing the importance of local elections. Like, I personally don’t agree with her stance but many people do and many in that group are the ones going around saying they’re not voting entirely or trying to get us all to vote Jill fucking Stein. Maybe what Chappell is saying will register with some of that group? Maybe they will get out and vote for Kamala despite not agreeing with all of her policies and viewpoints? Which is…a positive thing? What am I missing here 😭

[kyndaris]

2020: Unprecedented Times

Most people, at the start of the year, had high hopes for 2020. For many, it was the start of a new decade (though, ask anyone on the street and the start of a decade is open to debate). Here in Australia, the start of 2020 merely carried on the disasters of 2019. Beset by bushfires all along the Eastern coast, we watched as our tourism numbers slump as the denizens of Sydney wore masks as a means to fight the harmful effects of smoke inhalation. Many small businesses, particularly in small towns, felt the brunt of the natural disaster. Homes were destroyed by the thousands. Worse was the fact that livelihoods that were dependent on visitors from all around the world (in particular, China) were also badly affected.

Why would anyone come to Australia, after all, when there was smoke in the air and the air quality was teetering on dangerously toxic?

Many hoped that once the fires had petered out, however, life would return to normal. Little did they know that by March, the world would be caught in the grips of COVID-19. After all, though there were the occasional news headlines of a new disease plaguing China in early January (which resulted in me warning my grandmother that maybe she not go over to celebrate the Year of the Rat), most people were focused on Donald Trump’s impeachment.

Then, of course, there was the assassination of an infamous Iranian general:  Qasem Soleimani. Once again, the world’s attention was arrested by the acts of the United States of America. Most were worried that the tension between Iran and the United States of America would boil over. At the time, it almost felt like a repeat of Trump’s antagonism towards North Korea.

In the United Kingdom, Brexit was well underway. After his re-election in December 2019, Boris Johnson continued his negotiations for a way that Britain could leave the European Union.

On a more personal scale, Australia was wracked by sport club funding scandals and climate change protests.

As for me, I was more concerned about the video game delays. Now that I write this, in December of 2020, I look back and think that perhaps it was appropriate for Cyberpunk 2077 to have been delayed until next year in order to fix the bugs that have the plagued the title ever since launch. Still, I was also vastly disappointed that Vampires the Masquerade II would not be releasing anytime soon. And saddened to hear that The Last of Us Part II had been pushed back.

After COVID-19 swept across the globe and taken hold in most countries and continents (which now extends to Antarctica thanks to a few Chileans testing positive), I watched as stupidity rose to the fore. Lockdown protests, the politicisation of the wearing of masks and the attacks on East Asians. Despite the severity of the virus and how infectious it was, I was disheartened to see so many people flout social distancing rules and break lockdown requirements. Most notably among the rich and famous such as politicians and NRL (National Rugby League) players.

Of course, being in Australia, our bid to ‘flatten the curve’ proved incredibly effective. Articles I’ve read indicate that this was mostly due to Australian’s observance of laws and regulations, as well as our trust in science. In fact, I’ve heard the refrain, ‘at least we’re not America’ spoken quite a few times this year. And honestly, after looking at the statistics, with the Land of the Free having upwards of 18.5 million cases with 326,000 (and counting) deaths, I couldn't agree more to the sentiment.

The whole ‘do as we say, not as we do’ approach by its President further served to fracture society and gave rise to conspiracy theories that served no purpose but showcase the height of people’s ignorance and distrust. It didn’t help that most Western countries also placed more importance on the ‘economy’ than people’s lives. Many global leaders were of the opinion that the ‘cure should not be worse than the disease’ and that a few deaths to keep the budget afloat was a necessary evil. 

Well, to that, I say, ‘Bah! Humbug!’ Without acting decisively and quickly, many nations have ruined their economy AND seen their people die in droves. When people are falling sick and suffering from long-term effects, they’re hardly likely to spend money. Nor will they be able to contribute to society and be able to continue working. Instead, you’ll be saddled with additional welfare taxes. By going hard and fast, closing down the economy for two months, maybe three, you can bounce back harder and stronger without fear of contagion.

Now, many countries are struggling with high numbers of new infected each day AND an economy that’s in tatters. Good job. 

It also doesn’t hurt to give back to the community and help struggling businesses. Schemes such as Jobkeeper and Jobseeker (at least in Australia) were able to alleviate some of the stress for many workers. And honestly, perhaps if the world had implemented a universal basic income, this would also enable people ensure their basic needs are met without sinking into poverty.

The fact that so many only see the short-term rather than long-term is astounding. And as for Sweden’s model? The less said about it, the better. ‘Herd immunity’ without a working vaccine? Madness. Utter madness. Particularly when the virus is airborne.

After enjoying a decent summer, numbers rose again in Europe and much of it was back under lockdown. A new strain, that has proven much more infectious, was discovered in the South of England! Trump tested positive for COVID-19, but to the dismay of many, he recovered quite quickly.

But 2020 did not end there. Once again, the struggles between ethnic minorities were brought again to the limelight. The death of George Floyd saw the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement and served to highlight the disproportionate number of those living in poverty and in prison. As a person of colour myself (being of East Asian descent), I tried to explain some of this to my colleagues. But some of them saw Black Lives Matter as a predominantly American issue - and disregarded the fact that many Indigenous Australians were also in prison, caught in a vicious cycle of crime and violence.

It wasn’t long, however, that Australia experienced its own second wave in Melbourne, due to breaches in hotel quarantine. And honestly, it came as a surprise when it also happened in Adelaide and we learned that they weren’t testing hospital workers or those in high-risk workplaces on a REGULAR basis. You would have thought that all workers that transported aircrew or worked as security for those quarantining in hotels would be temperature-checked and given a swab every few days (or at least once a week). But no.

This is why we can’t have good things. 

Christmas in Sydney has also been somewhat neutered by the fact that there has been another sizeable outbreak in the Northern Beaches local council. And, of course, many people in Greater Sydney have been barred from other states. Gotta love those hard state borders where we treat each other as separate countries. Still - if it protects the people, the Premiers will stop at nothing. Even if it means families can’t be together. But better that than seeing Australia become the United States of America. 

Jumping from COVID-19, 2020 also saw an explosion in Beirut due to the storing of large amounts of ammonium nitrate at the port. Approximately 178 people were killed and more than 6,500 were injured. Locust swarms in Africa  descended upon crops, threatening food supply and livelihoods for millions of people. The West Coast of the United States of America suffered from catastrophic wildfires. Meanwhile, in south-east Asia, countries were hit by flooding and typhoons. As a side note, Armenia and Azerbaijan  restarted their ongoing feud. 

And to cap it all off, 2020 decided to further traumatise the future generation, a suicide video was uploaded to Tiktok. 

And oh, the US election. Where our favourite President tried to delay and impede mail-in-votes. In the days following the 3 November 2020 election, the world eagerly watched as the votes were counted and each state was certified. Trump, as is always his way, attempted to claim victory in the early hours of the morning of 4 November 2020, before deriding voter fraud with no evidence to substantiate his claims.

The weeks that followed saw a number of lawsuits that were lodged. Most, of which, were simply dismissed out of hand. And while his supporters have continued to claim that fraud was evident in the 2020 election, there has been no substantial pieces of evidence provided. Affidavits and hearsay, fortunately, do not a case make.

In Australia, our once promising relationship with China took a turn for the worse. While instances of racism, after the initial COVID-19, did not help, it also seemed that the finger pointing among government officials and demands for inquiries into wet markets only served to fuel the fire between the two nations. After initiating a trade war with the United States of America, China then saw fit to put significant tariffs on Australian beef, barley, wine and coal (to name but a few). 

The spat between Australia and China also took on a more insidious tone when several Australian journalists were forced to flee.

And with the unveiling of alleged war crimes committed by Australian troops in Afghanistan, the relationship between the two nations have come to an all-time low. China’s tweet of a doctored image that had an Australian soldier about to cut the throat of an Afghan child saw our Prime Minister taking to social media to demand an apology. 

All in all, 2020 has felt like both an incredibly short and long year in equal measure. For an introvert, such as myself, it’s been mostly the same. In fact, I can’t believe that it’s already at an end. Though my gaming has continued, as has my writing, I felt like I hardly interacted with any of my friends or did anything conducive to my social skills. While I’ve been made permanent at my place of work, it’s also felt a little stagnant. For a good long while, particularly in March, it felt like we were on the cusp of something huge and terrible. As the numbers climbed, I desperately wanted a hard lockdown to be called when leaders vacillated. 

2021 does not promise to be much better. While vaccines have rolled out in several countries, it’ll be a long time coming before the world manages to attain a sense of normalcy. For this blogger, I look forward to just kicking back and finally getting my hands on a PlayStation 5.

As for anyone that has worked on the front lines during this pandemic, I just want to say a big hearty ‘thank you.’ All of  you have sacrificed so much and seen so many terrible things. I wish that we all listened to your warnings instead of inundating emergency rooms thinking COVID-19 was a hoax.

Remember: keep at least 1.5 metres away from another person, wash/ sanitise your hands regularly and wear a mask if you can’t socially distance or are in an enclosed space. 

[rumoursontheubangui]

The Bemba Surprise – Version 2.0

18 June 2018

 Bemba’s walled compound in the centre of Gemena (notice the street light pole) - August 2013

In a 2008 article entitled ‘Elections in the DRC, the Bemba Surprise’ Carayanis explains how almost out of the blue, Bemba challenged Kabila in the 2006 presidential elections, the first held in DR Congo since 1960. Because a majority of the votes was needed, Kabila and Bemba went to a runoff, won by Kabila with 58% (against 42% for Bemba). The elections were contested and resulted first in riots and later (March 2007) in deadly clashes between Bemba’s troops and Kabila’s republic guard (Carayannis 2008, 14). In April 2007, Bemba saw himself forced to leave the country, to never return, until today. Only a couple of months later the International Criminal Court (ICC) opened an investigation against him for war crimes committed during 2002-2003 in the Central African Republic (CAR). He was arrested in May 2008 in Brussels and sent to a prison at The Hague’s seaside.

There are three issues that always intrigued me regarding the arrest of Bemba:

(1)The first one touches upon the number of actors in the CAR conflict. Bemba was called in by Patassé, the incumbent president at the time, who, in turn, was never judged. Moreover, Bemba’s troops were certainly not the only militant troops; also Bozizé entered and conquered Bangui with the help of Chadian mercenaries and much terror, not to mention the presence of forces sent by Tripoli to assist Patassé. 

(2) The second issue relates to the crimes committed by the MLC (Bemba’s rebel group) in DR Congo. While the crimes committed in CAR need to be accounted for, one must not forget that Bemba also led a ‘succesful’ rebel group inside his home country, and authored particular dark chapters in Eastern Congo, for which he was never charged. 

(3) Third, a lot can be said about the timing of the arrest warrant and the arrest itself. Was it a way to impede Bemba to take part in the 2011 elections, when Kabila presented himself for a second mandate? Congolese analysts have referred to his arrestment as being ‘political rather than legal’ (Muambi 2018) and have deformed the ICC’s acronym in French CPI: Court Pénale Internationale into Court Politique Internationale– or in English: International Political Court (Mayizo 2018).

Painting representing the clashes between the Bemba troops and the presidential guard, followed by Bemba’s flight. By Congolese artist Sapin Makengele (2007). 

In March 2016, Bemba was condemned for war crimes and crimes against humanity – people in CAR rejoiced and celebrated this decision. It sent a strong message against impunity, especially as the head of a rebel group had been judged. Bemba would challenge the court’s appeal, it was only a question of time and so June 8, 2018 arrived. Out of the blue, so it seemed, Bemba’s charges were dismissed. Grave errors had been found in the process, it was said, and a week later Bemba was, to the surprise of many, liberated: Bemba’s second surprise!

As I carried out research both in CAR and DR Congo, in particular the Sud-Ubangi’s province and the home town of Bemba, Gemena, I have followed his liberation, described by some as a ‘coup de théâtre’ (RFI 2018), and the discussion which it has brought about with great interest.

Across the CAR and Congo border, the Bemba release was received in opposing ways, like day and night. While Kinshasa and many of the Congolese communities in the Diaspora burst out in celebration, Bangui’s reaction was one of apprehension, disappointment and straight disbelief (Pabandji 2018; Kassai 2018). Without a doubt, many people in Congo see Bemba as their next president, the opposing figure who will oust Kabila by the ballot in the upcoming December 2018 elections. He is beloved because in comparison to Kabila he is a local, Bemba’s Congolité is not brought into question, he is a local.

However, within DRC not everyone is jubilating either. As a warlord Bemba committed grave crimes against his fellow countrymen (Pottier 2007) siding with Uganda forces and terrorizing the East in Ituri, what came to be called a ‘war within a war’. Likewise in Kinshasa, where there were deaths among his supporters, deaths that could have been avoided, and even in his Sud-Ubangi province, where even adored by many, some remember the specially violent fighting between Bemba and Kabila as the first time they were forced to flee their country.

In addition to the disregard, and almost insult, that the release of Bemba sends to the war crime victims in CAR, it also has implications for the newly established Court Pénale Spéciale (CPS) and the investigative work that Bensouda recently started in CAR. It is simply a symbolic blow. With Bemba released, after an eight-year long court case, what is the meaning of internationally-led  justice? Can the CPS succeed at all? Can it even be viewed as legitimate in the eyes of the population?

There are a couple of important question we need to ask ourselves:

(1) The first one relates to the credibility and the legitimacy of the ICC. Many sceptics point to the fact that the ICC only brings Africans to court. Muambi even reads in it a ‘image of (modern) slavery’. African criminals should be prosecuted within the confines of the African continent. In 2016 an important and strong, and until now successful, precedent stood case. Chad’s former president, Habré, was prosecuted and convicted of crimes against humanity, war crimes, and torture by the Extraordinary African Chambers in the Senegalese court system. The trial provides model for international justice.

(2) The second question relates to the figure of the successful politico-military entrepreneurs in Central Africa, whose ‘fluid loyalities’, to use Debos’ elegant term (Debos 2008), allow them to switch smoothly between national armies, rebel groups, political parties, etc… Nobody words it better than one of my informants in Kinshasa, a principled and educated young man active in his community’s grassroots politics, but partly stuck with regards to his own aspirations: “It seems like in order to become a president in Central Africa, you have to be a rebel first”. What kind of message does such a release sends to the Central African youth in general? One of hope or despair?   

I cannot say I am for or against Bemba’s release. It would be too simple. I am divided by the opinions of friends and informants on both sides of the border. However one thing is for sure, with only a couple of months to go to the long-awaited, and unconstitutionally postponed elections (at two reprisals) in Congo, on the one hand; and the ongoing impunity in CAR, not only with regards to rebel groups, but also to the peace keeping forces, as pointed out by Juan Branco (RFI 2018a), that impedes a settling of the conflict, the acquittal of Bemba seems to be, once again, politically more than legally informed.

Cited sources:

Carayannis, Tatiana. 2008. ‘Elections in the DRC: The Bemba Surprise’. 200. Special Report. Washington: United States Institute of Peace.

Debos, Marielle. 2008. ‘Fluid Loyalties in a Regional Crisis: Chadian “Ex-Liberators” in the Central African Republic’. African Affairs 107 (427): 225–41. https://doi.org/10.1093/afraf/adn004.

Kassai, Max-Landry. 2018. ‘L’acquittement de Bemba, une grande humiliation pour la nation centrafricaine.’ Le Chroniqueur Centrafricain. 14 June 2018. http://lechroniqeurcentrafricain.over-blog.com/2018/06/l-acquittement-de-bemba-une-grande-humiliation-pour-la-nation-centrafricaine.html.

Mayizo, Kerwin. 2018. Analyse Du Weekend Du 09/06/2018. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJJv2nmgLD0.

Muambi, Alphonse. 2018. Votre réaction sur la libération de Mr. Jean-Pierre Bemba Interview by Studio Guy. Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/alphonse.muambi/videos/1969819883051480/.

Pabandji, Pacôme. 2018. Coup de théâtre à la CPI. TV5 Monde. https://information.tv5monde.com/afrique/coup-de-theatre-la-cpi-le-congolais-jean-pierre-bemba-acquitte-242460.

Pottier, Johan. 2007. ‘Rights Violations, Rumour, and Rhetoric: Making Sense of Cannibalism in Mambasa, Ituri(Democratic Republic of Congo)’. The Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute 13 (4): 825–43.

RFI. 2018a. ‘RCA: l’avocat français Juan Branco évincé de la Cour pénale spéciale et expulsé’. RFI Afrique, 30 May 2018. http://www.rfi.fr/afrique/20180530-rca-avocat-francais-juan-branco-cour-penale-speciale-expulse.

———. 2018b. ‘CPI: Jean-Pierre Bemba acquitté en appel - RFI’. RFI Afrique. 6 August 2018. http://www.rfi.fr/afrique/20180608-cpi-jean-pierre-bemba-acquitte-appel.

[annoyingcherryblossomnight-blog1]

Journey Insurance coverage And Kenya's Election

When you're about to take that journey to Kenya, you should just be sure you go to your physician so that you just take the necessary vaccinations and keep away from falling sick whereas in your keep within the country. Try to head for the Cottar 1920 Mari Safari Camp, where the 22,000 acre private concession homes only 12 visitors, but it surely's nicely worth it, and no luxurious journey journey to Kenya should miss a go to to Cottars. Kenya has over forty parks and recreation reserves the place you'll have a unique alternative to look at essentially the most magnificent wildlife in Africa. That is significantly essential when you're visiting the highlands elements of Kenya like the rift valley, Mount Kenya or Mount Elgon since there have been a number of reported cases in these areas. When it was introduced that President Mwai Kibaki had gained the election by simply 230,000 votes (out of 10,000,000 constituents) widespread political fury unfold across the country - and violence broke out. During your keep in Mombasa, I suggest at all times requesting for bottled water to drink versus the tap water which is usually questionable. Moi worldwide airport -The airport is about 10 minutes from town center enable an extra half -an-hour in your journey to the south coast because of the ferry crossing. Attempt to get a private deal, with just the two of you touring, quite than being half of a giant group, and guantee that your journey is commensurate with the luxury you're looking for: a minimum of business class flights, and top notch rail and street journey where it's involved. Yellow fever is also prevalent in Kenya and what you can do to protect yourself from this is by taking the Yellow Fever injection which often lasts within the physique for a really long time and is generally advisable for travelers who're planning to remain within the nation for a considerably long time. The key international airports embody; Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Moi Worldwide Airport and Eldoret International Airport. Mombasa is on the identical time zone as the rest of Kenya. Most of such safaris would invariably be the price range sort. The nation is known as after Mount Kenya, the second highest mountain in Africa. Nationwide Reserve The world's most famous Recreation Reserve as a result of annual wildebeest, zebra and gazelle migration over this vast plain offering breathtaking views; residence to a profusion of wildlife and birds; activities embody excellent sport viewing year round, balloon rides and chook watching. One common factor with these two Islands is their lengthy beaches, best for picnic and leisure below the recent solar. There are lots of types of resort in Nairobi, but in case you can, try to book into one of many few boutique resorts that accommodate just a few company, twelve being a superb number. However, in case you are touring alone and don't thoughts becoming a member of different like-minded, although strangers on safaris, you may break by the cost barrier and revel in magnificent safaris. The broad mouth of the coastal waters at Kilifi Creek makes Mombasa an ideal place for sailing and there are yachts as well as trained crew obtainable for rent. Jomo Kenyatta is the main arrival level for all guests flying to Kenya. Marsabit National Park is essentially the most distant national park in Kenya, situated in a desert area. After a current visit to Yellowstone Nationwide Park, this felt very true for me. A visitors jam brought on by younger buffalo calves and their mothers crossing the street is an experience not to be missed. Nationals of sure countries may require a visa to enter Kenya and it is advisable to test together with your native Kenyan embassy or consulate to confirm this. A small daypack is ideal for carrying cameras, journey documents and fundamental on a regular basis objects. You could possibly save over $200 as compared to traveling in the high season. Purposes could be made at any Kenya excessive fee or embassy prior to traveling. It will be important additionally to notice that a few of these injections will final in your physique for a long time frame and a few can up to 25 years just like the Hepatitis B. These should cowl particularly the long run travellers. The one entry visa (obtainable upon arrival) is USD50 (appropriate at the time of printing) or the equivalent in native currency. Forex Laws There are no restrictions on the movement of currency into Kenya for currency transactions. Ensure that to examine any electrical appliance that you may be bringing together with you for compatibility. Departure taxes can be paid in local or international foreign money. You're suggested to take these injections when visiting such areas and at all times keep in mind to hold with you bottled water. Since members are joining from diverse backgrounds, it may not be straightforward to make modifications on the instances to do some of he safari actions. Self drive-in Kenya most worldwide automobile hire corporations operate in Kenya. Mombasa is not a particularly unsafe town but you ought to be careful when walking alone and after dark. You can also have a private safari and go to all the highest destinations in the country or even journey in a small group. Phone providers: Public pay telephones (card and Coin) are automatedphone cards could also be bought from put up offices or worldwide call offices. For viewing sea animals, the most effective places include the Channel Islands off the coast of California. It has a tropical climate and receives supreme sunshine throughout the year, allowing travelers to go to the nation any time of the yr. Inhabiting these numerous landscapes and wilderness areas are Kenya's world-well-known wildlife, which might be considered from horseback, 4x4 automobile, verandah or on foot. Although most people desire to go on guided safaris, others prefer fishing and nature walks, and even simply to lie by the pool. Right here, you will note the Black Rhino at this Kenya's Oldest Park. Travelers who are mostly touring the nationwide parks are actually suggested to take this vaccination as a result of snakes can attack you anytime within the forests. Kenyan visas are generally obtainable upon arrival at the international airports in Kenya for USD25 (be sure to have exact change) with no value for children underneath 16, but it is prudent to obtain your visa previous to travel. Jomo Kenyatta airport additionally connects regular flights to Lamu, Malindi, Mombasa and Kisumu. Safari's range from inexpensive options starting around $500.00 for an 8 day excursion to very luxurious safaris costing up to $9,000. Bank cards- All main international cards are accepted. cheap flights australia domestic Subsequently, the Federation of Tour Operators cancelled all holidays to Kenya, and a lot of people beforehand booked to visit the fascinating country have been left with no option however to cancel, and hurriedly verify the small print of their worldwide travel insurance policies! Initially of a year, Kenya may usually anticipate to be welcoming hundreds of vacationers a day - the current fall out lowered the numbers down to a courageous few who had determined to disregard the inevitable warnings from the overseas workplace about travelling to the country, which was then placed within the 'civil unrest' record of locations to not visit. Another space great for water animals is Glacier Bay in Alaska. In addition to land excursions, you can too take a sea kayak across the park and see coral reefs, fish, dolphins, whales and sea turtles. It is all the time advisable to analysis your vacation spot and what could also be required of you earlier than you plan your trip in order to avoid a situation where you're unprepared for sure situations. But there is additionally the option of taking a look at this as a chance to fulfill new folks and make pals. Activities are likely going to be scheduled so that every one who needs to participate must join in on the agreed scheduled time. The Masai Mara game reserve is one of the hottest safari destinations in Kenya. Your physician or private physician is aware of you better and so you must make a degree of consulting him or her to advise you better on a very powerful vaccinations that you will need to take before you travel to Kenya. One area this has affected probably the most is Kenya's beforehand buzzing tourism industry, and is one that is easily the country's largest source of foreign income, totalling an estimated £500,000,000 per year. 4 climatic zones exist: tropical, equatorial, semi-desert and desert. Wildlife has made this East African country probably the most favorite vacationer points of interest on this planet. There are not any restrictions on the amount of foreign currency that may be introduced into Kenya, but taking out more than 500,000 Kenya Shillings requires written authorization from the Central Financial institution. A good luxurious trip company will give you all-inclusive deals that may work out cheaper in the long term than attempting to maintain your preliminary costs low and pay your individual approach. The local currency in Kenya is the Kenya Shilling which has been known to fluctuate towards the US greenback and visitors to Kenya are suggested to check forex exchange rates often. Safety it is a wise precaution not to walk alone within the isolated towns or seashore areas particularly after dark. Take your credit cards collectively Traveller's Cheques and a few U.S. Dollars cash. You'll be able to have a customized tour to fit your requirements or select a number of price range and luxurious safari packages with the assistance of your company. Conversely the obvious downside of this sort of safaris is that you are in the company of persons which might be strangers to you. Other Africa finest-identified national parks embrace the Amboseli, Tsavo and Lake Nakuru which are all located in Kenya. You can too do it in type, however be sure that your value is all-inclusive since the extras for the flights and safari trips might be high. International foreign money comparable to US dollars, British kilos and Deutschmarks will be exchanged at banks, bureaux de change and approved accommodations. Make full use of the view point and visit the Euphobia forest. It boasts a large chook species and The Massive 5 that is Lion, Leopard, Elephant, Buffalo and the Rhino which provides you each reason to travel to Kenya. In case you are travelling by home/chartered flights within Kenya, remember that there are luggage restrictions, notably on smaller aircraft. Calvin Cottar is without doubt one of the greatest guides in the nation, and can take you on a game drive in a 4WD or perhaps a more traditional ox cart. These might be less expensive than consuming out at unique restaurants or accommodations. Wildlife and the Kenyan seashores are the main highlights of vacationer attraction. Nairobi has loads supply someone in search of adventure travel to Kenya, and you don't have to travel to unknown locations to discover a few of Kenya's best kept secrets and techniques. You should also check out Masai crafts at the Utamanduni Craft heart and visit the giraffes on the Giraffe Middle. It made me surprise about different places that would be conducive to viewing wildlife in a natural setting. You may discover the Malindi Nationwide Park by boat as you watch the marine life. So far there have been 600 deaths and some 250,000 individuals (more than the alleged 'majority' of Kibaki) fleeing their houses. Resort invoice funds- This can be usually be paid in shillings or convertible overseas forex. There are regular international flights into Mombasa's Moi International Airport but more choices can be found for flights into Jomo Kenyatta Worldwide Airport in Nairobi, from the place you may connect with Mombasa. The nice and cozy and calm open waters make this a really perfect place for rookies to take diving lessons from the licensed operators on web site. There are various places to see on the mainland of Mombasa Kenya. Safari's can take you through the likes of Masai Mara Nationwide Park, Amboseli Sport Reserve and Mt. Kilimanjaro to view lions, leopards, cheetahs, wildebeests, zebras, flamingos, black rhinos, giraffes and elephants. A yellow fever vaccination is beneficial if the traveller comes from an infected country or area. With many airways flying to Kenya, this airport has develop into a journey hub for East and Central Africa. Why not spend a while in the park and take a look at the elephants, leopards and cheetahs, and of course the lions. Most accommodations and eating places include a ten% service charge. The high cost of transportation in some locations makes it troublesome to get pleasure from varied tours. The park is residence to 116 species of amphibians and reptiles, 139 species of mammals and more than four hundred species of birds. Mombasa is a excessive-threat area for Malaria and it is important to take a course of anti-malarial tablets. This situation was hardly safe for visitors coming to Kenya. Though English is also widely spoken, it is useful to know some common words and phrases to use while visiting Mombasa.

[stephaniefchase]

Bajan Newscap 3/24/2017

Good Morning #realdreamchasers! Here is your daily news cap for Friday 24th March 2017. Remember you can read full articles via Barbados Today (BT), or by purchasing a Weekend Nation Newspaper (WN).

WRONG CALL, MR JONES – The reversal of a ban on cell phone use in schools is not going down well with teachers, who contend there are already too many problems associated with smart phones at school. Minister of Education Ronald Jones last Saturday announced that a new policy on mobile technology use in nursery, primary and secondary schools would be ready in time for the new academic year in September, paving the way for students to use their mobile devices. However, this has angered the Barbados Secondary Teachers’ Union (BSTU), which accused Jones of not only excluding the union from consultations on the issue “even though the teachers would be responsible policy implementation”, but also flatly disregarding the teachers’ previous objection. “We were asked several years ago to submit our position and we made it clear to the ministry that we were not in favour of it [cell phones in schools] and that was years ago. So I don’t know where this policy has come from and how long ago he [Jones] has been in contact with these new groups, but we have not seen any new policy. “I really don’t know what he is talking about, but we have not been included. It is really indicative of how they have been treating the teachers’ unions generally. There are many things in terms of educational planning and implementation that we were once involved with at a level that does not exist anymore,” BSTU President Mary Redman told Barbados TODAY in an interview on Tuesday. The Minister of Education has long held that the ban was outdated and contradictory, since it suggested one set of rules for teachers and a different set for students. On the other hand, teachers have contended that mobile phone use would be a distraction, and would worsen an already serious problem of ill-discipline, as well as force teachers to act as phone police. They also point to cases where students use their mobile phones to record sexual acts in school toilets, as well as fights, and share the videos on social media. The BSTU’s position runs contrary to that of the Barbados Association of Principals of Public Secondary Schools, whose president, Vere Parris, has gone on record as saying that his organization had been part of the deliberations on the new policy two years ago. Parris has argued that the issue was not one of cell phone use, but rather an incorporation of technology into the school system. (BT)

TEACHERS ON EDGE - An incident at a rural school which has left a 14-year-old student hospitalised has teachers shaken and frustrated. In fact, some teachers say they are fed up with the increased number of violent acts at the school and quick action is needed to control the festering problem. According to reports, during a fight at the school on Tuesday a male student struck the victim around his head with a piece of wood. The victim is currently in the Intensive Care Unit at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital. A source told the WEEKEND NATION the boy was struck during an industrial arts class. (WN)

CHILD SEX – A Government legislator and church leader has led a savage attack on one of the United Nations’ key strategies for combating the spread of HIV and AIDS among children and young people. Senator David Durant, senior pastor at Restoration Ministries in Brittons Hill, St Michael, has described comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) as “one of the greatest assaults on the health and innocence of children”. The UN agency UNESCO describes CSE as “an age-appropriate, culturally relevant approach to teaching about sex and relationships by providing scientifically accurate, realistic, non-judgemental information”. UNESCO says that by adopting a comprehensive strategy, CSE emphasizes “an approach to sexuality education that encompasses the full range of information, skills and values to enable young people to exercise their sexual and reproductive rights and to make decisions about their health and sexuality”. In addition, it says the programme is integral to its strategy on HIV and AIDS “with a focus on HIV prevention, treatment, care and support for children and young people through in-school and out of school based responses”. However, Durant said it was a sinister way to introduce children to sex, and he pleaded with the authorities here not to introduce CSE to Barbadian schools. “I am appealing to the Ministry of Education and the PTA not to allow comprehensive sexuality education to enter our school system. It should not be embraced here because comprehensive sexuality education is one of the greatest assaults on the health and innocence of children. This is because unlike traditional sexual education, comprehensive sexuality education uses explicit material to promote promiscuity and high risk sexual behaviour to children as healthy and normal,” he said yesterday as he contributed to the debate on the 2017/2018 Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure. According to Durant, the programme has an almost excessive focus on teaching children how to obtain sexual pleasure or gratification in various ways, including masturbation, anal and oral sex. “I do not think it is anything we should impose on our six, seven, eight, nine and ten-year-old children and even children a little older. The main goal of comprehensive sexuality education is to change the sexual norms of society. I am appealing that we do not allow it to have a firm root in our society,” he stressed.  (BT)

IMAGE OF UNIONS NEED TO CHANGE – The man challenging the president of the National Union of Public Workers (NUPW), Akanni McDowall, in the upcoming election believes the time has come for the union to change its image.  And Roy Greenidge is pledging a makeover if he is elected at the April 5 vote. Greenidge, a senior immigration officer, is contending that under the presidency of McDowall, the NUPW has been immature in its handling of labour-management issues. He said public officers were also genuinely concerned about the direction in which the union was going.  (WN)

PM URGES BUSIENSS SECTOR TO EXPORT – The Barbadian and regional private sector is being urged to be proactive and creative by increasing the number of projects that would qualify for support under the Caribbean Export Development Agency (Caribbean Export). The call comes from Prime Minister Freundel Stuart, who is advocating a shift in focus by the private sector from import to export, as a means of earning precious foreign exchange. Stuart was speaking yesterday at the signing of the 11th European Development Fund (EDF) programme at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre. The agreement between Caribbean Export and the European Union represents a €24 million (BDS$51.6 million) boost to regional private sector development. The agency, which is an initiative of the Caribbean Forum (CARIFORUM) – the grouping of Caribbean Community countries and the Dominican Republic – has the primary objective of increasing the competitiveness of Caribbean countries in the global market. However, in his address, Stuart questioned why Barbadian businesses were slow to take advantage of opportunities available through Caribbean Export. The Prime Minister made reference to the launch of the 10th EDF, which ran from 2008 to 2013, at which Senator Darcy Boyce had urged the regional private sector to renew its focus towards the growing and marketing of West Indian Sea Island Cotton. “This could involve rebranding the cotton because of trademark issues, haute couture design by local and well known foreign designers, manufacturing of high valued clothing locally, contract weaving and spinning of cotton. What are the obstacles to doing this, I ask?” Stuart contended that given the urgent need to generate foreign exchange inflows, even businesses within the retail sector must find innovative ways to become exporters. “Countries like Barbados need foreign exchange for almost every stage of our production in the various sectors. But if we do not earn it we cannot spend it without serious effects on our entire economy and society. For example, companies in the retail sector – which use a large proportion of foreign reserves in providing the goods that we both need and want – must be creative and explore how they can assist in producing more foreign exchange, through contributing in some way to our export thrust,” Stuart pointed out. Stating that the region was still recovering from the global recession, the Prime Minister said exporters played a pivotal role in diversifying the recovering economies, and therefore governments must empower this component of the business sector. “In the end, our local economies will reap the benefits. I think that we can all agree that enabling and strengthening the private sector is the most effective way of ensuring continued economic growth in this region. Governments must do their part, and our Government is actively exploring ways of improving business facilitation and improving our competitiveness.” he added. (BT)

INNISS URGES BUSINESSES TO REPAY LOANS – As fund access prepares to introduce several new loan packages, Minister of Commerce Donville Inniss is making one plea to entrepreneurs. Pay back what you owe. The minister was delivering the feature address at the agency’s media launch Wednesday at the Savannah Hotel. Inniss highlighted the important contribution micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) made to the country’s economy.  (WN)

PUBLIC STILL IN THE DARK ON BNTCL SALE, SAYS RUBIS – With the Fair Trading Commission (FTC) looking into the proposed sale of the state-owned Barbados National Terminal Company Limited (BNTCL) to regional petroleum products giant Sol to determine whether or not it should be approved, Sol’s main competitor is calling for transparency in the process. The FTC last month invited “all industry participants, representatives of consumer interest groups and other parties that may have an interest in this matter to share their views on the proposed transaction”. However, Rubis Caribbean, which had put in an unsuccessful bid for BNTCL, is contending that it is virtually impossible to make an informed contribution to the process without details of the key aspects of the proposed deal between Sol and the Freundel Stuart administration. At the top of Rubis’ list of concerns is the absence of information on how much more it would cost businesses that use the terminal after its sale. The summary of the proposed acquisition states: “BNTCL has been operating at a sub-optimal rate of return as the Government operated with a different mandate from a private investor. As a result, a condition of the sale is that the throughput fee will be increased across the board to allow the investor a utility rate of return.” Even though the summary further states that “the increase in the throughput rate resulting from the transaction will have a negligible impact on consumer fuel prices”, Nicholls argued that the public was speculating on this matter. Similar concerns were raised earlier by leader of the fledgling Barbados Integrity Movement Neil Holder, who had taken issue with the fact that the sale price for the oil terminal was excluded from the summary document. Nicholls today said while his company had also recognized the omission, he was fairly confident that the sale price was indeed USD$100 million, given that this figure has been repeatedly mentioned in other official documents. In the meantime the Rubis boss told Barbados TODAY while the company awaited the FTC decision, all options remained on the table should the final verdict not go their way. (BT)

CALLS FOR CHANGE IN ROAD TAX LAWS - The island’s lone dealer in electric vehicles is calling for a change to the criterion used by Government to determine the amount of the road tax vehicle owners must pay. MegaPower Barbados says the old method of taxing vehicles based on weight should be replaced with a system that determines taxes based on emission. Edgill predicted that an increasing number of Barbadians would turn to electric vehicles, and the signs from Government appeared to be encouraging. The Energy Division has purchased two such vehicles and plans to buy another six before the end of summer this year. The MagaPower executive revealed that approximately 60 per cent of MegaPower’s business had come from commercial customers. However, as it seeks to expand, the company was planning to enter the taxi and rental car market. Edghill said the company was also busy expanding its charging network, with some 60 stations available around the island. Barbados currently has no emissions regulations in place, but an official of the Barbados National Standards Institution said the agency had established a series of emissions standards that would serve as guidelines for such legislation.   (BT)

INSURERS FEELING IMPACT OF ACCIDENTS –The careless driving of Barbadians is digging deep into the pockets of insurance companies.  That is the cry of several insurance executives, amidst an alarming increase in vehicular accidents and road fatalities for the year. Chad Calvin Butcher, 20, formerly of Waverly Cot, St George, became the 13th person to die on the nation’s roads this year after his car collided with a wall outside the National Sports Council, My Lord’s Hill, St Michael, in the early hours of Tuesday morning. There were ten road fatalities in 2016. (DN)

FALSE PROMISE – President of the Barbados Road Safety Association (BRSA) Sharmane Roland-Bowen has dismissed as “false promises”, an announcement by Minister of Transport Michael Lashley that improved road traffic legislation would go before Parliament by June of this year. Lashley said last week during debate on the 2017/2018 Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure that there would be a “comprehensive overhaul” of legislation governing the transportation sector “hopefully in June”, that would result in better monitoring and inspection of road users and improved tax collection. Just short of four years earlier, in May 2013, the minister had told the Second International Road Federation Caribbean Regional Congress here that his ministry was in the process of amending the Road Traffic Act to include the wearing of helmets by cyclists, semi-annual inspection of public service vehicles, annual inspection of private motor vehicles over a certain age, speeding, and the use of communication devices while driving. With no visible signs of progress since, Roland-Bowen told Barbados TODAY said she was not taking the minister seriously. “We have been hearing the same thing. He has come with nothing new. This is the same thing we have been hearing all last year and the year before. Until we actually see something put in action . . . it is only false promises again,” a less than optimistic Roland-Bowen said. She argued that if Lashley were serious about bringing legislation in about three months’ time, the necessary provisions would already have been in place. “Up to now I haven’t heard of any equipment for breathalyzer being bought, no police officer has started training for the use of the breathalyzer, so I don’t know how we could be getting this legislation in June. When that gets approved we now have to go through the whole process and that is going to take time and just now is Crop Over and all of these collisions are going to be upon us,” Roland-Bowen complained. “If he is so sure that these amendments are going before the House and they are going to start, why not start sourcing the equipment and start training the officers? The officers need to be properly trained in the use of this type of equipment and the proper procedure they need to follow when they are exposing people for the preliminary testing and more evidentiary testing at the station. Nothing so has been done, so I just see it as a whole set of promises.” The road safety advocate said the BRSA would continue its safe driving education campaign by distributing copies of the highway code and embarking on a series of road shows.She also called on private sector entities to join the initiative. (BT)

WTO STANDARDS PROVE USEFUL – There are no standards governing corned beef in the region. But, said the technical officer responsible for Standards at the CARICOM Regional Organisation for Standards and Quality (CROSQ), Fulgence St Prix, World Trade Organisation (WTO) standards allowed Barbados and other islands to move quickly to deal with the tainted beef and beef by-products that came from Brazil. The technical officer was speaking to the WEEKEND NATION after attending the 10th European Development Fund/Technical Barriers to Trade (EDF-TBT) programme regional press conference at CROSQ’s headquarters at Baobab Towers yesterday. St Prix stressed the corned beef issue was a sanitary phyto-sanitary (PSP) problem coming out of Brazil, where investigators have discovered breaches in sanitary conditions. This breach has resulted in Barbados, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Grenada, Dominica, St Lucia and The Bahamas, as well as major importer China, banning beef products from the South American country. (DN)

ALTER CALL – With general elections less than a year away, one of Barbados’ newest political leaders Thursday made a direct appeal to the Church to “stand up and be counted” for the good of the country. Leader of the Barbados Integrity Movement (BIM) Neil Holder made the call in an open letter to the island’s religious leaders in which he totally dismissed the notion of politics being “a nasty game” that must be avoided by the Church at all costs. Amid serious economic challenges, Holder, whose fringe party is looking to take the fight to the ruling Democratic Labour Party and the main Opposition Barbados Labour Party and has already announced plans for the decriminalization of marijuana, further stressed the need for the Church to play an important role in the national conversation, while telling church leaders they could no longer be satisfied to sit on the sidelines and to “prepare and preach sermons” to congregations, while the rest of the nation is left to its own peril. In fact, he took a nasty jab at the religious leaders themselves, saying several of them secretly engage political agendas from their pulpits while telling their congregations “there should be no involvement in politics”. While identifying himself as “a true believer”, Holder also took a swipe at the current political directorate which he said not only displayed “a severe lack of decisive management and a patriotic vision”, but frequently, in both their speech and actions, demonstrated “no respect for the Almighty God”. He also criticized them saying they had become more focused on the academic accomplishments rather than the social and spiritual well-being of the people. And while stressing the need for Barbadians to get back to the word of God and to be their “brother’s keeper”, he made a point of identifying with the Errol Barrow mantra of “friends of all and satellites of none”. “Rome is burning while we sleep! I am therefore encouraging all churches to join with BIM to rebuild our nation Barbados, line upon line and precept upon precept without compromise or shame,” he said, while calling on the Church to work with his political grouping on a series of town hall meetings entitled Together We Will.  (BT)

DOVER WOODS DANGER – Sandals Resorts Barbados is being accused of massively deforesting Dover Woods, Christ Church and exacerbating the problems in the historically flood-prone area. The charges come as the hotel chain pushes ahead with the completion of its US$160 million luxury hotel, which is slated to open this December. The new hotel sits on 14 acres of what used to be a heavily forested area and the wholesale removal of the trees has provoked outrage on social media. Google Earth photographs, taken from 2013 to 2016, show the scale of the deforestation. But Sandals’ public relations manager David Hinds told the Weekend NATION: “We wish to assure all Barbadians that development of Sandals Royal Barbados Resort is in accordance with all necessary permissions, environmental assessments and permits, and within the guidelines provided to us, as we do in every territory in which Sandals operates.” (WN)

BWU WANTS FORENSIC PROBE INTO KOMI – A day after Minister of Sports Stephen Lashley revealed that an urgent probe had been ordered into the operations of the state-owned Kensington Oval Management Incorporated (KOMI), the Barbados Workers’ Union (BWU), bargaining agent for KOMI workers, today went one step further in calling for a forensic audit of the local cricket management body. Paul, who had met on April 7 last year with Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Sports Ruth Blackman to try to resolve the concerns of the staff, also revealed that the union had carried out its own investigation into KOMI, adding that “what we have uncovered is cause for serious concern”. He also said the union was preparing to brief the minister on its findings. Just yesterday, Lashley revealed to Barbados TODAY that he had instructed the KOMI Chairman Anthony Waldron to carry out an investigation into the contents of an unsigned letter, purportedly from staff, containing startling allegations of mismanagement and abuse. Lashley said he expected the chairman to submit a report to him in the shortest possible time. The correspondence, dated February 22, 2017, includes a number of serious allegations which Barbados TODAY has decided not to publish because of the legal implications. However, there were questions raised about the ethics involved in some business decisions, and concerns about the company’s direction and its financial viability, with the authors making it clear there was a crisis of confidence at KOMI. The letter also raised concerns about the Permanent Secretary’s handling of the workers’ grievances, saying Blackman had not kept her promise to convene follow up talks with their union. Having failed to get a response from Blackman, they decided to turn to Lashley, the letter stated.  When contacted today, KOMI’s Chief Executive Officer Ben Toppin said he had no comment to make on the matter.  (BT)

FUNDING FOR PRISON PROJECT CUT BY HALF – Yet another social programme has been hit by a significant drop in funding, but the administrators have vowed to keep fighting to maintain the level of assistance. The Barbados chapter of the Prison Fellowship Group, which assists families of inmates, said it has had to work with about half of its projected annual budget of $100 000. As such, director Thomas Watts said financing is their major challenge at this time. “Some people have written to us saying, ‘What we used to give you we cannot give anymore but we will give you [something] so you can carry on your programme because you all are doing good work’. They also say, ‘What you are doing we cannot do that’,” he said.  (WN)

BENEDICT LOSES SURETY – A 26-year-old man will spend the next three weeks at the Psychiatric Hospital undergoing drug counselling. Magistrate Kristie Cuffy-Sargeant remanded Thomas Benedict, of Apartment 3 Roumaika, Dayrells Road, Christ Church, to the Black Rock institution today, after his surety withdrew. Benedict is accused of stealing a handbag worth $237.60; a Louis Vuitton wallet worth $1,782; a bag worth $99; an Iphone 6s worth $1,188; a Huawei cellular phone worth $100; and $100 in cash belonging to Jennifer Fannin, on October 28. He was granted $3,500 bail with one surety when he made his first appearance before the magistrate back in October last year and pleaded not guilty. However, his surety told the court today that Benedict needed help for his drug use, as his behaviour was getting out of hand and he caused her to be evicted. With no replacement surety, Benedict was remanded to the Psychiatric Hospital. He will return to the No. 2 District ‘A’ Magistrates’ Court on April 13. (BT)

THEFT LANDS CHARLES IN JAIL – A man who pleaded guilty to several theft charges will spend some time at HMP Dodds, not only for stealing but for breaching a bond imposed by the court. St Elias Charles of Queen’s Street, St Michael, who has been on remand from January, made another appearance before Magistrate Douglas Frederick Wednesday when he admitted to offences dating back to December 4 last year. His guilty plea meant that Charles had breached a bond previously imposed on him, that carried a forthwith fine of $1,500 or a 12-month prison term. He was unable to pay the fine. The magistrate then imposed six-month concurrent sentences for theft of a clutch bag and $13 in cash belonging to Tricia Springer; damaging a motorcar belonging to Fiona Pilgrim; stealing a purse, $200 in cash, a Barbados identification card and two debit cards belonging to Theresa Warner; and stealing a doll, a book set and a bag of sweets belonging to Elaine Layne-Husbands. He will serve those sentences simultaneously with a 12-month sentence for stealing a laptop bag, a laptop computer, a laptop charger, a hard drive and a CD holder belonging to Rasheed Singh. For his guilty plea of loitering on St Michael’s Row with cause to suspect he was about to commit theft, he was slapped with a one-month jail term; and three-month sentences for taking a cellular phone belonging to Ian Griffith and an iPod, wallet, and two cables belonging to Harvey Read and three colognes belonging to Cave Shepherd and Company Limited. (BT)

YOUNG MEN FINED FOR DRUGS – Three men who pleaded guilty to drug charges will have to dig deep into their pockets to pay a Bridgetown Court a total of $5,500. Fines were imposed on Dwayne Irvin Calderon, of Wildey Meadows, Wildey, St Michael and Romario Antonio Walcott, 22, of Bamboo Road, St Lawrence, Christ Church, after they pleaded guilty to possession of cannabis, while Joshua Ricardo Walcott, 21, also of Bamboo Road, St Lawrence, Christ Church, was fined for possession of cocaine. The offences were all committed earlier Thursday. According to Station Sergeant Neville Reid, the men were arrested after a car in which they were travelling in the car park of Tri Mart Supermarket, Rendezvous, Christ Church was stopped by police on mobile patrol. A loose quantity of cannabis was found under the seat occupied by Calderon after lawmen, having received the consent of the occupants, conducted a search of the vehicle. They were taken to Worthing Police Station for further questioning. While there, Romario asked to use the bathroom, and he was observed throwing three small Zip Loc bags into the toilet. He attempted to flush it but was stopped by police. The bags were retrieved and found to contain cannabis. “I forgot all about them,” he told police when asked to account for the substance in his possession. Romario, who is known to the law courts, wasted no time in pleading for a break when asked by Magistrate Kristie Cuffy-Sargeant if he had anything to say. “If it is possible that you will give me a chance please, so I will not get into trouble like that no more, Ma’am?” Walcott asked of the magistrate. Calderon also threw himself at the mercy of the court. “Since 2013, I turned my life around in a big way doing positive things. That is one mistake that will never ever happen again, Ma’am,” he said in pleading for leniency. Joshua told Magistrate Cuffy-Sargeant he had nothing to say. The cocaine that he admitted to having was found after police executed a warrant at his residence. It was found in the pocket of a pants among other clothing in a backyard shed. The magistrate then imposed fines of $1,500 each on Romario and Calderon. They must pay up in one month to avoid spending six months in jail. They return to the No. 2 District ‘A’ Magistrates’ Court on April 24 to show proof of payment, while Joshua returns on May 5 to bring the receipt to show that he has paid a $2,500 fine. If he does not pay the money in six weeks, he will spend eight months at HMP Dodds. (BT)

TENANT FORCES LANDLORD OUT - Sandra Walkes IS living every landlord’s worst nightmare. After bending over backwards to accommodate a needy tenant, Walkes has now found herself out in the cold. Unable to pay her bills because her tenant has refused to pay rent for the past three months, or to move out despite being served two eviction notices, Walkes has been forced to leave the house she built at Lot 42, Rices, St Philip 18 years ago, to reside with her elderly mother. Speaking to the WEEKEND NATION, a distraught Walkes explained that her tenant – a teacher by profession – had moved into the three-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment in December 2015. (DN)

COACHES CALL – “A BUNCH of crap”. That is how one coach has described the clash between the Pine Hill Dairy National Primary Schools’ Athletics Championships (NAPSAC) finals and the second day of the Powerade Barbados Secondary Schools Athletics Championships (BSSAC) preliminaries. When a WEEKENDSPORT team visited the National Stadium yesterday at the start of the BSSAC Esther Maynard Zone, a few coaches voiced their displeasure about the clash between the two events the previous day. This is the second year that NAPSAC and BSSAC have been Scheduled on the same day. (WN)  

APRIL 8TH BIG DAY FOR SPORTS – The Barbados Olympic Association Inc. (BOA) Thursday officially announced its plans for the annual International Day of Sport for Development and Peace (IDSDP) next month, at a press conference at the BOA headquarters in Wildey, St Michael. The BOA and UNICEF have come together for another year to partner with the U.S. Embassy in Barbados as well as 14 local community teams to host a multi-sport youth rally event including basketball, dominoes, football, netball, and road tennis. The IDSDP event is to be held on Sunday, April 9 at Gall Hill, St John playing field from 9.30 a.m. onward and is intended to highlight the role of sport to promote community development and cohesion. Representatives from the BOA, UNICEF and CEO of Pinelands Creative Workshop, Rodney Grant, all spoke about the significance of IDSDP, the event programme, and the value of sports to foster peace and development within communities. BOA president Steve Stoute said he was pleased to be able to host such an important event and to have such strong support from across Barbados. “This event is a fine example of just how many facets of life are touched by sports. Sports is now not only just about the athletic component, it is also seen as a major tool for strengthening community ties and creating a sense of fellowship amongst people from all walks of life,” he said. Grant who spoke on behalf of the local community groups, agreed. “Sport is the new industry for economic development and is a great vehicle to drive social change. Anything that brings communities together in solidarity must be commended and on behalf of the participating communities, we thank the BOA, UNICEF and the U.S. Embassy for their support and look forward to taking part in next month’s event,” he said. UNICEF Communication for Development Specialist Dr. Lisa McClean Trotman also emphasised the important role sport plays in contributing towards the UN’s objectives for development and peace. “The adoption of this special day signifies the positive influence that sport can have on the advancement of human rights, and social and economic development. We are fully supportive of this event and encourage all Barbadians to come out and support their local teams on Sunday 9th April,” she said. Public affairs officer at the U.S. Embassy, James Rodriguez, has donated 15 basketballs, 15 netballs, 15 soccer balls and 36 training bibs to the event on behalf of the Embassy to assist with the development of sport and unity in Barbados’ communities. “This is a great opportunity for us to partner with you, to get out into the communities to meet with people and explain the importance of sports and peace. On behalf of the U.S. Ambassador to Barbados and the U.S. Embassy community, I want to thank you for this opportunity,” he said. The IDSDP is an annual celebration of the power of sport to drive social change, community development, and foster peace and understanding. The United Nations (UN) General Assembly declared April 6 as the IDSDP in 2013, and it has been celebrated annually since 2014. The IOC is supportive of this initiative, recognising the role of sports organisations to support social change and human development. (BT)

A TON OF PRIDE – KRAIGG BRATHWAITE and Shai Hope both hit attractive centuries yesterday to put Barbados in a strong position on the opening day of their Digicel Regional 4-Day eighth-round match between Barbados Pride and the Guyana Jaguars at Kensington Oval. Barbados took full advantage of Brathwaite’s decision to bat after winning the toss, closing on 293 for two. Brathwaite, in his 50th match for Barbados, celebrated the occasion with his tenth regional and 18th first-class century, while Hope scored his fifth first-class hundred and will resume today on 118. Brathwaite added 45 for the first wicket with Anthony Alleyne, who was dismissed immediately after the first water break when he nibbled at a delivery from left-arm medium-pacer Raymon Reifer and was caught behind by wicket Anthony Bramble for eight.  (WN)

WINDIES LOOKING FOR HOME ADVANTAGE – West Indies batting coach Toby Radford said Thursday the regional side would try to make home advantage count in the upcoming Twenty20 series against Pakistan, as they attempted to make amends for their dismal showing last September. Just seven months ago, the reigning Twenty20 World champions found themselves on the end of a humiliating series whitewash in the United Arab Emirates as Pakistan convincingly won the three-match series on ‘home turf’. However, with much more familiar conditions expected, Radford said he was anticipating a change in fortunes. “I think the big thing when we played out there is we found that the pitches were particularly slow and obviously suited their spin bowlers and they made very, very big boundaries and made us run a lot,” the Englishman pointed out. While the side will be without the likes of T20 stars Chris Gayle, Dwayne Bravo and Andre Russell, it includes other big names like batsmen Kieron Pollard and Marlon Samuels, along with leg-spinner Samuel Badree. Selectors have also opted for first-timers Jonathan Carter, Jason Mohammed and Veerasammy Permaul coming on the heels of their good form against England in the recent one-day series, and the move is one Radford endorsed. Radford continued: “I think it’s an exciting team, a mix of real talent that’s been there and done it, and some youngsters who show real quality and I think putting those together, I would love to see [West Indies] put some good performances together.”(BT)

CHEFETTE FUN RUN LAUNCHED – In the four years since it took over the annual Fun Run for children’s charities initiated by the late Dame Olga Lopes-Seale, Chefette Restaurants has raised over $310,000 and has helped thousands of needy children throughout Barbados, according to an official of the fast food restaurant. One of the main beneficiaries of the run is the children’s charity Variety, which assists needy Barbadians with school supplies. Executive Director Donnah Russell said there had been a noticeable rise in the number of people seeking help. “These days it is not just unemployed people who need help, we are getting calls for assistance from people who may be working three days a week and cannot meet their expenses, so when it is time for back to school, it is even more difficult. “Everybody had the experience of going back into school in September with a brand-new uniform, and children might be affected psychologically if they have to go back to school in their old uniforms. New outfits and supplies would put them in the right frame of mind when they go back to school,” Russell said. This year’s Fun Run will take place on Sunday, June 11. (BT)

GET READY TO UP IT - There is a new dance in town. And if creators Tyson Dirty Versee Wilson and Jomario Joe Cloudy Goddard have their way, Up It will soar to new heights. Up It is not only slang which means to have a good time, it’s also the name of their bashment soca song which they have complemented with its own dance. The two entertainers recently spoke to WEEKEND BUZZ about their inspiration for the song and dance. Dirty Versee, a radio DJ, said in the past he has created phrases such as “azham”, which he said worked out in his favour but now he is also “upping” the marketing in hopes of making the moves the new craze during Crop Over and beyond.  (WN)

That’s all for today folks. There are 283 days left in the year Shalom! #thechasefiles #dailynewscaps Follow us on Twitter, Facebook & Instagram for your daily news. #bajannewscaps #newscapsbystephaniefchase