By Tangerine Clarke
Polls will open bright and early on
Oct. 23, and close on Oct. 31, followed
by Election Day Tuesday, Nov. 2, for
local elections.
The League of Women Voters of New
York City said, Local elections affect
the daily life of all city residents, from
trash collection to policing to education
for our children.
“This fall, we will decide our next
mayor, public advocate, comptroller,
borough pPresidents, and 35 of the
51 City Council members. Voters in
Manhattan and Brooklyn will also be
selecting new district attorneys,” said
the organization.
“We will also vote on five important
ballot proposals that would amend the
New York State Constitution. The proposals
deal respectively with 1) redistricting,
2) environmental rights, 3)
removal of restrictions on voter registration
deadlines, 4) removal of restrictions
on voting absentee, and 5) expansion
of the New York City Civil Court to
include claims of up to $50,000.”
The City League supports a “YES”
vote on Ballot Proposals 2, 3, and 4.
Together, they will protect our environmental
rights and make it easier for
citizens to vote.
Proposal No. 2 would establish the
right to clean air and water, and a
healthful environment. State and local
governments and businesses will have
to consider citizens’ relationship to the
environment in all decision making.
This will also create a mechanism for
combating the inequities faced by communities
of color and low-income communities
from disproportionate exposure
to pollution, said a release.
Proposal No. 3 would delete the
requirement that citizens be registered
to vote at least 10 days before an election.
The State Legislature would then
be able to enact laws to move the voter
registration deadline closer to the election,
or even allow same-day registration,
where people could register at
their poll site. Presently, twenty states
allow for same-day voter registration.
This would lead to an increase in voter
turnout, while also making it easier for
voter rolls to be updated for accuracy
during early voting or on Election Day.
Proposal No. 4 would delete the
requirement that a voter must be unable
to appear at the polls by reason of
absence from New York City, illness,
or physical disability, to vote absentee.
Any voter could request an absentee
ballot without a specific excuse, including
in case of another pandemic like
COVID-19. It would also take pressure
off poll sites, since fewer voters would
need to appear in-person to vote. New
York would join thirty-four other states
that do not require an excuse to vote
absentee or by mail.
Caribbean Life, OCTOBER 22-28, 2021 3
First Panamanian Drum & Bugle Corp. (Coalition Marching Band) DICPNY/Oko Okoko
Panamanian culture, pride
shine bright at annual parade
By Nelson A. King
The morning of the annual Panamanian
Parade in Brooklyn started out
cloudy, with a chance of rain, but soon
turned to “complete sunshine” at the
commencement of the flag ceremony,
as Panamanian culture and pride shone
bright on Saturday, Oct. 9, 2021, according
to lawyer Angélica L. Thomas.
Thomas, recording secretary of the
organizing group, Day of Independence
Committee of Panamanians in New
York, Inc. (DICPNY), told Caribbean
Life on Wednesday that the ceremony
honored parade grand marshals Alfonso
Greaves and Bishop Eric D. Garnes; José
Luis Fábregaa, Mayor of Panamá (Samuel
Samuels of Panama City, Panamá
accepted the award on behalf of Fabrega);
and Parade Godparents (Padrinos)
James A. “DJ Coochie” Smith, Sherwin
H. Johnson, Jr. and Graciela Pollard-
Johnson.
Thomas said essential workers, nurse
Desiree Betty and Barbara Duck, were
also recognized for their sacrifice and
dedication during the height of NYC
COVID-19 health crisis in 2020.
She said posthumous recognitions
were given to DICPNY founders José
Brerenton and Telma Lobo.
Edwin Pitti, National Correspondent
for Univision Network News in Washington,
D.C, was the Master of Ceremonies,
Thomas said.
She said a large number of dignitaries
attend the flag ceremony and
parade, including Elias Levy, Consul
General of Panama in New York; Vilma
de Bello, Vice-Consul of Panamá in New
York); Georgia Athanasopulos, Consul
General of Panamá in Pennsylvania;
Mackie Holder, Consul General of Barbados
in New York; Eugenio Delgado,
President of the National Association
of Representatives in Colón, Panamá;
Eliezer Montenegro, representative of
the Municipality and president of the
Provincial Council of Colón, Panamá;
and Flor K. Flores, Minister of Foreign
Affairs of Panamá.
Among other attendees were: Caribbean
American Congresswoman Yvette
D. Clarke and Caribbean American New
York City Public Advocate Jumaane
Williams; Archbishop Roberto Brown,
invocation speaker; Melanie Brown,
DICPNY Junior Queen; Alera Osborne,
Miss New York Panama; Dr. Patricia
Ramsey, president of Medgar Evers College,
CUNY; Earl Phillips, secretarytreasurer
of the Transit Workers Union;
State Sen. Guyanese Roxanne Persaud;
Assemblywoman Haitian American
Phara Soufrant Forest; Democratic
nominees for City Council Haitianborn
Rita Joseph, Jamaican American
Crystal Hudson and Sandy Nurse; and
Roman Foster, Panamanian Filmmaker
of Diggers documentary.
“While the number of parade participants
from Panamá and USA were
notably fewer due to the pandemic, the
quality of the parade was not compromised,”
Thomas told Caribbean Life,
adding that the parade comprised,
among others, comparsa and folkloric
dance groups, a coalition of marching
bands, a float, and a Barbadian delegation.
She said the parade was followed by
a festival, with live entertainment food
and artisan vendors.
Among festival performers were
Orquesta La K’Shamba (a Panamanian
salsa musical group), Eyedeal Bayano,
King Blak, Anyuri “Cuchita”, Italian
Somali, DJ Rigo and DJ Ray.
“At the sunset of the 2021 Panamanian
Parade, the organizers, pleased
by the outpour of support and positive
feedback, began looking ahead to
2022,” Thomas said. “Viva Panama!”
Besides Thomas, other DICPNY
members are: Enrique Small, president;
María C. Willis, 1st vice president;
Oliver Prince, Jr., 2nd vice president;
Federico Beaumont, corresponding
secretary; and Tamara L. Bell Brown,
treasurer.
Molas De Panama Float. DICPNY/
Oko Okoko
League of
Women Voters
NY: Vote early