Guyana: United States government sanctions on the Russian government and some of that country’s state and private firms are beginning to affect some aspects of Guyanese bauxite production, with a major German bulk carrier operator announcing plans to pull out of Guyana almost immediately. Authorities said they were bracing for the fall out. Comments (1)

Haiti: Brooklyn Assembly Member Diana Richardson has vehemently denied making anti-Semitic remarks at a community board meeting in her district, as a firestorm envelops over her alleged remarks. Comment

Puerto Rico: A massive blackout hit hurricane-ravaged island of Puerto Rico on April 18. The outage affected all of the islands 3.3 millions residents, just days after a previous blackout cut power to about 870,000 people. In statement, Bronx borough president Ruben Diaz Jr., who is of Puerto Rican descent, said this latest power outage only displays a lack of progress in the island’s recovery, and immediate action is needed. Comment

Immigration: The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) has appealed to the United Kingdom (UK) Government to commit to finding a permanent solution for pre-1971 Commonwealth Caribbean undocumented immigrants seeking permanent residence in the United Kingdom. Comment

Immigration: Newcomers to our country, city, and borough — and even those immigrants who have lived and worked here for a few years — may not be knowledgeable about all of the rights, opportunities, services and assistance that may be available to them, or where to turn to find out about them. In such cases, the offices of local elected officials — in particular, those who represent districts with significant numbers of immigrant constituents — can be “go-to” places for such information. In Brooklyn, two officeholders — State Sen. Jesse Hamilton and Councilman Mathieu Eugene — have compiled lists of such groups and organizations. Comment

Arts & Theater: In the spirit of the evening, echoing Garifuna colors, New York City Council Member Vanessa L. Gibson wore a dress in bold geometric designs of black, yellow, and white at the City Hall event ‘Celebrate Garifuna Heritage.’ “We should celebrate the culture of the Garifuna every day,” she beamed. Comments (1)

Brooklyn: With the ongoing fear of increased deportation under the Trump administration, immigrants are reminded of Mayor Bill de Blasio’s signing into law Introductions 486-A and 487-A, dramatically limiting New York City’s cooperation with overbroad federal immigration enforcement practices, except in instances where there are public safety concerns. Comment

People: Many applicants in New York for Special Immigrant Juvenile status have had their applications rejected by the Trump administration, according to reports. Comment

Sports: West Indies all-rounder, Dwayne Bravo says he is not seeking a return to the regional side for next year’s World Cup in England. He refuted international media reports suggesting that he is actively seeking a recall to the West Indies team. Comment

Sports: West Indies players made minimal upward movement in the latest ICC One-Day International rankings, despite their recent success in recent World Cup Qualifiers in Zimbabwe. Comment

Barbados: After the state denied many Commonwealth citizens the right to vote in Barbados, lawyers challenged that refusal in court and won, but the government appealed that High Court decision only to concede this week that it was in error. Comment

St Vincent: The three-year-old Friends of Sion Hill, a Brooklyn-based Vincentian group, last Saturday night honored four individuals and an organization for their outstanding service to the community. Comment

Barbados: A daily newspaper found itself on the receiving end of a government minister’s acid tongue for reporting that former members of parliament are being paid a total of half-a-million dollars monthly though the island has no parliament. Comment

Manhattan: Fifty years after the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. politicians and celebrities are expected to revisit his dream of racial harmony, peace and tolerance during the annual convention of the National Action Network, a Civil Rights organization mobilized in tribute to his lifelong message of tolerance. The four-day convention begins on April 18 at the Sheraton Times Square Hotel in Manhattan. Comment

They’re stepping back into Brooklyn. Comment

Saturday, April 14, 2018 was proclaimed Phagwah Parade Day by NYC Mayor, Bill de Blasio, whose representative, Nick Gulotta, presented a proclamation to the planning committee, co-chaired by Herman Singh and Romeo Hitlall to honor the Hindu and Indo-Caribbean communities’ 30th annual parade. Comment

Brooklyn: The Consulate of St. Lucia is set to host its fourth annual immigration forum at the St. Lucia House in East Flatbush on April 25. The forum will provide local residents with information about immigrant rights, the types of forms they may need, and discuss the subject of deportation, which is a growing concern for many, said the Vice Consul Jeremiah Hyacinth. Comment

St Vincent: David Augustine “Darkie” Williams, described as the “consummate culture man” and the “Father of Drumming” in St. Vincent and the Grenadines was honored Saturday night with a Lifetime Achievement Award. Comment

Books: Cuban novelist Leonardo Padura will be talking about his books at the PEN World Voices Festival at Nuyorican Poets Cafe on April 20. The famous writer will be joined by author Mark Kurlansky, who recently wrote a book about the city of Havana in literature. The pair will discuss the city, its history, and Padura’s representation of it in his novels, according to Padura. Comment

Arts & Theater: Juliana Hughes was presented with the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Award of Excellence for Handicrafts, for her commitment to ecology — utilizing seeds and beads, found in her homeland of Guyana, to create fine jewelry. Comment

Trinidad and Tobago: Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley fired his Sports Minister, Darryl Smith — 24 hours after he reassigned him to another ministry as a junior minister over damning sexual harassment allegations. Comment

Food: Two cultures meet on a dish. A pizza spot in Prospect Lefferts Garden combines the flavors of the Caribbean with Neapolitan style pizza. ZuriLee Pizza Bar, opened by two Guyanese-American brothers in 2015, a few doors down from their traditional Caribbean restaurant MangoSeed, offered them a chance to expand while staying true to their background, said one of the co-owners. Comment

New York: Despite the onslaught by the Trump administration on undocumented Caribbean and other immigrants, New York City offers a wide array of resources for immigrants. Comment

St Vincent: A Vincentian-born immigration attorney in Brooklyn is lamenting the “terrific” situation for 800, 000 undocumented, young Caribbean and other immigrants in the United States, who are dependent on the deferred action for early childhood arrivals, or DACA. Comment

Immigration: The Mayor’s Office says undocumented Caribbean and other immigrants, including eight million New Yorkers, can connect with IDNYC. “IDNYC is the new, free identification card for all New York City residents, which gives all of us the opportunity to show who we are — New Yorkers,” the office said. Comment

Health: Leaders at a Bedford-Stuyvesant hospital and a local health-insurance provider are inviting teenagers to an information-packed fair on April 21 where they can receive medical tips and advice geared towards their young-adult years. Comment

Trinidad and Tobago: Antigua Antigua and Barbuda Police Commissioner Wendel Robinson was suspended over an alleged sex scandal involving three of his junior officers. Comment

Grenada: Grenada Prime Minister Dr Keith Mitchell wants to reopen discussions on the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) — two years after the electorate voted to reject the Trinidad-based court as it final appellate court. Comment

People: There must be some compelling reasons why Paul Ryan has decided not to seek re-election and retire from politics. The Speaker of the House of Representatives is third in line to become president of the United States under the United States Constitution. Comments (1)

Movies: “They made us many promises... more than I can remember, but they never kept but one. They promised to take our land... and they took it.” That observation was made by Chief Red Cloud (1822-1909) towards the end of his life, after he’d witnessed the white man break treaty after treaty made with Native American tribes. Comment

Music: Last week, an 80-minute documentary titled “Two Beats One Soul” premiered in New York to a select crowd of insiders who witnessed first-hand, the making of an album on the island of Cuba. Comment

Sports: Caricom is moving ahead with plans to ensure the restructuring of the governance of West Indies cricket, despite the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) request to have Cricket West Indies (CWI) president Dave Cameron at any meeting between the two bodies. Comment

Queens: The annual Phagwah parade celebrated its 30-year anniversary in Richmond Hill on April 14. The parade, usually held in March, was pushed back to April earlier this year to avoid cold weather. The rescheduling did not disappoint, and parade-goers came out in droves, said the parade’s co-chair. Comment

Brooklyn: A group of culturally curious explorers hit the streets of Little Caribbean in parts of Prospect-Lefferts Gardens and Flatbush for a taste of what some local businesses are serving up in the area. Comment

Jamaica: Team Jamaica Bickle, the Queens-based organization that supports Caribbean athletes at the prestigious Penn Relays in Philadelphia, says it is preparing for its 24th hosting of the athletes with a plethora of activities in the weeks leading up to the April 26-28 event. Comment

Trinidad and Tobago: Saturday April 21st marks the 48th anniversary of the declaration of the State of Emergency to quell the Black Power Revolution in Trinidad in 1970. The uprising was led by Makandal Daaga and his chey-la [disciple], Kafra Kambon, of the National Joint Action Committee (NJAC). Comment

Brooklyn: Brooklyn Borough President Eric L. Adams on Wednesday presented a posthumous “Hero of the Month” award and ceremonial wreath to 15-year-old Brooklyn-born student Peter Wang, who was tragically killed while bravely holding the door open in his classroom at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fl, so that his classmates could escape a mass shooter. Comment

After Auschwitz (Unrated) Holocaust documentary belatedly recounting the trauma experienced by a half-dozen survivors who had been evacuated to the U.S. and pressured to suffer in silence without ever discussing the horrors they’d witnessed in Hitler’s death camps. Comment