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Vol. 33, Issue 6 QUEENS/LONG ISLAND/BRONX/MANHATTAN February 11-17, 2022
TASTE OF
CARIB
CARNIVAL
Haiti scrubs its annual
celebration altogether
By Bert Wilkinson
Signs are beginning to
emerge in the 15-nation CARICOM
bloc of nations of concerted
efforts by governments to
hint at a return to normal post
Covid life with several countries
resuming annual carnival
celebrations this year, others
doing so virtually and a few
scrubbing them altogether.
Authorities in Haiti, still
struggling to recover from the
early July assassination of President
Jovenel Moise, a string of
natural disasters and a tenuous
security situation, this week
cancelled the annual offing citing,
as well, the country’s abysmally
low vaccination rate of
less than two percent of its 11
million-plus population. Haiti’s
carnival coincides with Trinidad
mostly in February and
ends on Ash Wednesday.
“Carnival has always been a
traditional and popular festival
celebrated in all the large
and medium-sized cities of
the country. The government,
because of the economic difficulties
faced by the country,
has decided this year not to
organize a national carnival,
but to support certain town
halls who wish to offer their
community carnival festivities
by evaluating the health and
security risks,” the announcement
stated.
As the announcement was
made public, Vincentian Prime
Minister Ralph Gonsalves made
it clear his island nation was
going the other way with plans
for a full scale celebration in
late June. This is even as he
appealed for a major uptake in
vaccination rates as less than
40,000 of the 110,000 population
has been fully vaccinated.
Gonsalves said the celebrations
would be a sure and safe event
if only locals would cooperate
and take the rate up to 70
percent.
“It is a mass cultural event
where individuals express their
skills, it is an occasion for
economic activity, and it is a
relief for people. Every community
needs occasions where
people may let off steam; it’s
a catharsis. You have to have
something where you can let
off your energy because you
work all the time,” he said at
the weekend.
Others set to hold public
events include The Bahamas
and St. Lucia this year, but
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul delivers her fi rst State of the State address in the Assembly
Chamber at the state Capitol, Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2022, in Albany, N.Y. Hochul, a moderate
Democrat, is facing pressure in budget negotiations from her party’s more liberal
wing ahead of the June primary. Associated Press /Hans Pennink, Pool, File
Special Election for Richardson’s seat
By Nelson A. King
Gov. Kathy Hochul on
Wednesday issued a proclamation
declaring that a special
election to fill the vacancy in
the 43rd Assembly District,
previously held by former
Assembly Member Diana Richardson,
will be held on Tuesday,
March 22.
Richardson, the daughter of
St. Martin and Aruban immigrants,
has been appointed
deputy Brooklyn borough president.
“With Assemblymember
Richardson heading to Brooklyn
Borough Hall, I am declaring
a special election to fill this
vacancy and ensure representation
for the residents of the
43rd Assembly District,” Gov.
Hochul said.
“Central Brooklyn has been
exceptionally well-served by
Assemblymember Richardson,
and the entire borough will
be better off for having her in
Borough Hall,” she added. “The
residents of the 43rd Assembly
District will make their voices
heard next month, and I look
forward to building a productive
working relationship with
their next representative.”
On Wednesday, the Brooklyn
Democratic Party also
announced that, on Sunday,
Feb. 14, Valentine’s Day, it will
hold its first 2022 candidate
forum, featuring five democratic
candidates vying to fill
the now-vacant 43rd Assembly
District seat covering Crown
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