A very special wish from us to all mothers and mothers-to-be, everywhere. We want to let you know, among all the other greetings, that whether you are mommy, momma, mamma, mom, grandma or auntie, you are greatly appreciated. We could never do without you, although we couldn’t do without dad either. You have been always there to give us comfort, whether physical or spiritual. You always were able to feed, clothe and shelter us, even when the coffers were bare. So many miracles you made. You never turned your back on us. Whatever we did, wherever we went, fortunately you were there to return to – even when everyone else may have left.

You have given us great values; paved the way for us to build a better society. Many lessons you have taught us mother. You are always with us, wherever you may be. God bless you mother. MANY THANKS.

A Caribbean media

Events currently taking place in the US and the Caribbean are making it increasingly necessary for to have strong Caribbean media – broadcast media – in Florida.

Dear Sir:

You think that racism happens only in America, or racism just means differences between black and white people? If you think so, then man, you are sadly mistaken. Look just what happened in Trinidad. It shows that racism is very rampant and has bad consequences in the Caribbean. This is especially so in Guyana and Trinidad, where there are strong divisions between black people and Indian people.

That is why Panday not only got two years, but two years hard labor. That is what you must publish. No way does what he was accused of justify such a harsh sentence. But the man is an Indian. So he gets it bad. I am not saying he should have gotten away free. He did something wrong, but not two years hard labor man. He could have gotten a huge fine.

The man was a prime minister of the country. He did serve his country well. But there is this push and pull between him and the government and a black prime minister, and a message had to be sent. The thing there just not fair, man.

Everyone who drives a motor vehicle is frustrated because of rising gas prices. People are taking both the state and federal government to task for not intervening and taking measures to curb the rising prices; or do something, anything, to roll them back. It is perhaps more difficult for some of us from the Caribbean to understand this conundrum, as many are accustomed to blocking roads, and otherwise demonstrating in mass protests, thus ensuring that their government roll back high gas prices.

However, let’s be realistic. The problem of gas prices is not one which the government in Tallahassee or in Washington D.C. can solve. Yes, the government can do something to ease our “pain at the pump,” but whatever is done can only be temporary. For example, President Bush is seeking to reverse tax breaks to oil companies, and has ordered an investigation into price gouging. The Democrats in Congress want to suspend the federal sales tax on gasoline for 60 days, while taxing oil companies more. This is well and good. But, what happens after those 60 days. Neither that measure, nor reversing tax breaks to oil and energy companies is really going to reduce the price of oil on the international market.

These measures, acceptable as they may be, are not going to prevent the gas prices rising again when these measures expire. We must take sensible measures to conserve gasoline.

Dear Sir:

I read your article “Caribbean American women run things” CNWeekly News vol3.no14. After reading this article, I was a little concerned, confused and worried that so many of these articles seem to focus on what can be perceived to be negatively affect black men in general.

Why are we so eager, oftentimes unintentionally, to jump on the “black men bashing” bandwagon? The American political and justice system is already filled with purposefully orchestrated strategies designed to achieve the goal of denigrating the black man, why add to it?  

It seems like there is a plague of gullibility affecting or community recently.

Last week there was the report of a woman who was sexually abused by a man who claimed to be a medical professional involved in performing house-to-house breast examinations.

Reports have also reached us of two sisters from St. Vincent who each lost $5,000 when they paid a strange man to find them men to marry so that they could obtain their immigration green cards. They both gave this man cash over two months ago and the man cannot be found since.

These incidences of abuse and scams on the unsuspecting, and those in great need seem never ending. People are desperately in need of something daily. They need to solidify their immigration status, get documents to rent an apartment, get a mortgage, buy a car, or something. In their desperation they shell out large sums to people they hardly know, but who convince them that they can fulfill their needs. In so many cases these facilitators can and will never be able to do anything to help, but to take one’s money and run. Difficult situations have opened the way for an entire new breed of scam artists.