Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams and wife, India Sneed, were joined by close friends, family and colleagues
during a wedding reception at The W Loft in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, on July 15. Kyle Lamar
Caribbean Life, JULY 23-29, 2021 3
By Nelson A. King
New York Attorney General, Letitia
James says that 196 firearms were
turned in to law enforcement at a gun
buyback event hosted by her office and
the Niagara Falls Police Department.
The Office of the Attorney General
(OAG) accepts — with no questions
asked — working and non-working,
unloaded firearms in exchange for
compensation on site.
To date, James said she has taken
more than 1,600 firearms out of communities
through gun buyback events
and other efforts since taking office
in 2019.
“Gun violence is a public health crisis
that is endangering communities
across the state,” she said. “From going
after the violent drug rings responsible
for this violence, to hosting these gun
buybacks statewide, we are doing everything
in our power to get guns off our
streets and out of dangerous hands.
“We thank our partners in law
enforcement for their invaluable support
in this effort and shared commitment
to ensuring all New Yorkers are
safe,” she added.
James said the July 10 community
gun buyback resulted in 196 guns being
collected, including 92 handguns, 80
long guns, four assault rifles and 20
non-working or antique guns.
Since 2013, OAG has hosted gun
buyback events throughout New York
state and has successfully collected
nearly 3,600 firearms.
In exchange for the firearms, OAG
also offered monetary compensation,
in the form of prepaid gift cards, and
Apple iPads when an unloaded gun
was received and secured by an officer
on-site.
The New York Attorney General said
gun violence is a public health crisis
that is plaguing communities throughout
New York, adding that the Western
New York gun buyback is the latest
action she has taken to combat this
crisis and protect New Yorkers from
harm.
By Azad Ali
Six top regional icons have been
lauded for the role they played by the
Caribbean Community (CARICOM) in
shaping and sustaining the region
with the unveiling of the figures of
eminent Caribbean people during a
special ceremony recently mark Caribbean
Day, at the Caribbean Wax
Museum in Barbados.
The figures were of Barbados’ first
female Governor General, Dame Nita
Barrow, winner of the Nobel Memorial
Prize in economics, Sir Arthur Lewis
of St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines
national hero, Joseph Chatoyer,
Jamaican Olympic sprinter, Shelly-
Fraser-Pryce, former Commonwealth
Secretary-General, Sir Shridath Ramphal
of Guyana and renowned international
entertainer, 81-year-old Calypso
Rose (McCartha Lewis), of Trinidad
and Tobago.
In his remarks at the unveiling
ceremony, Ambassador to CARICOM,
David Comissiong described the exhibition
as one of “the most unique
CARICOM Day celebrations there has
ever been,” adding, “I don’t know if
any member state has ever celebrated
CARICOM Day with a wax statue exhibition.”
The region marked its 48th anniversary
on July 4, CARICOM Day.
By Nelson A. King
New York City Public Advocate,
Jumaane D. Williams on July 15 tied
the knot with lobbyist India Sneed in
a very private ceremony conducted by
Minister Kirsten John Foy at the United
States Army Garrison at Fort Hamilton
in Dyker Heights, Brooklyn.
Williams is the son of Grenadian
immigrants. Sneed, a lobbyist in New
York City for Greenberg Traurig LLP, is
a Jamaica, Queens native, whose grandparents
are from Dominica, the Bahamas
and Jamaica.
The couple later celebrated with close
friends, family and colleagues during
the wedding reception at The W Loft in
Williamsburg, Brooklyn, a very reliable
source told Caribbean Life on Wednesday
.T
he source said the event was “an
intimate gathering in light of COVID
restrictions.”
Some of the notables at the reception
included Mayor Bill de Blasio; Brooklyn
President and Democratic Mayoral nominee
Eric Adams; New York Attorney
General Letitia James; and Democratic
City Comptroller nominee, Councilman
Brad Lander; as well as several other city
and state elected officials.
“Because of COVID-19 restrictions,
there were multiple time slots in which
guests celebrated with the couple,” the
source said.
The wedding ceremony and lunch
notice stated that “all attendees must
have proof of recent negative test result
or proof of immunization prior to the
event; sign-in with contact information
required to assist with potential contact
tracing.
“Masks will be required at all times,
except when seated and eating or drinking,”
it said. “Ceremonial and sociallydistanced
dancing allowed in designated
areas.”
Requested garden attire included
sunglasses, floral prints, suits in lighter
hues, and fun hats and fascinators.
“I’m truly blessed to have married an
incredible woman, India Sneed,” Williams
tersely told Caribbean Life exclusively
Wednesday night. “We are so
grateful to everyone for their well wishes
and support, and are so excited to begin
this new phase of our lives together.”
Law enforcemeent authorities at
Niagara Falls gun buy-back. Offi ce
of New York Attorney General Letitia James
Public Advocate ties knot
Six top regional icons honored in wax
AG James
takes guns
off streets
Jamaica’s Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce.
REUTERS / Hannah Mckay, File