Mayor of the City of Schenectady, New York, Honorable Gary McCarthy, proclaimed February 23, 2020, Guyana Republic Day in Schenectady, the day Guyana in 1970, when Guyana became a Republic, during a colorful cultural celebration in the Rotunda of City Hall, to honor Guyana’s 50thJubilee Republic Anniversary. Comment

Viewpoints: Earlier this month, Maria Fuertes, a beloved anchor in our Richmond Hill community known for her pleasant and kindhearted nature, was murdered. We mourn with her family and many neighbors. As women, we are gutted by this horrific crime that ended her life with such brutality. Comment

Environment: ILLINOIS, United States, Feb 14, 2020 (IPS) — Recently, the Associated Press cropped out Ugandan climate change activist Vanessa Nakate from a photo at the World Economic Forum. The remaining activists in the photo, including Greta Thunberg, were all white. Comment

Antigua The Antigua and Barbuda government is moving to establish a forensic laboratory to ensure that the likelihood of there being any miscarriage of justice is significantly reduced in 2020. This is according to Minister of Public Safety, Steadroy “Cutie” Benjamin who said that this year there are plans are in place to ensure the ease and speed of gathering data for analysis and for use in legal proceedings. He said the police department is very concerned about solving crime and to use the best possible information and scientific developments to assist in resolving those issues, adding in that regard, great attention will be paid this year to develop our scientific and forensic potential. “We shall be looking at establishing a forensic laboratory here in Antigua, where we can analyze information and analysis bits of evidence to help in solving crime,” Benjamin said. Comment

Jamaica: The church must find ways to “facilitate a respectful and protected space for all members of the society in so far as they do not breach the rights of others in terms of liberty and justice,” and this includes women’s rights to abortion. Comment

Cuba: HAVANA (AP) — Two dozen athletes from the U.S. flew to Cuba despite rising tensions between the countries to participate in the island’s most important Greco-Roman and freestyle annual wrestling competition. Comment

Barbados: Edward Kamau Brathwaite, a literary great of Barbados whose work will have a lasting effect on the Caribbean, much of Africa and the wider world has passed away, setting the island in mourning. Comment