iNews Briefs, More & Community Events
Community Events
Education Bill 2015 District Meetings
The Ministry of Education, Employment and Gender Affairs will be hosting public meetings in every district, including Cayman Brac, to discuss the Education Bill, 2015 and gain the public’s feedback on the proposed changes.
The meetings will be as follows:
- Cayman Brac: Saturday 20th June, 2015, Layman E. Scott Snr. High School Hall from 2:00pm – 3:30pm
- George Town: Monday 22nd June, 2015, Mary Miller Hall, from 7:00pm – 8:30pm
- West Bay: Wednesday 24th June, 2015, Shirley Kidd Memorial Hall, Sir John A. Cumber Primary School from 7:30pm – 9:00pm
- North Side: Thursday 25th June, 2015, Craddock Ebanks Civic Centre from 7:30pm – 9:00pm
- East End: Tuesday 30th June, 2015, East End Primary School Hall from 7:30pm – 9:00pm
- Bodden Town: Wednesday 1st July, 2015, Savannah Primary School Hall from 7:30pm – 9:00pm
All residents of the Cayman Islands are invited to attend the meetings.
Members of the public can also obtain and review the Education Bill, 2015 and complete the online survey on the Ministry of Education’s website: www.education.gov.ky.
The Grand Court jury report date has been changed
Grand Court Jurors who are in the 1 April – 30 June 2015 session are now to report on Wednesday, 24 June 2015 at 9:45 a.m.
Please call the Jury Information line at 945-5072 for the most up-to-date information.
TUE JUNE 23
Moonlight and Movies Summer Series
The Moonlight and Movies Summer Series is Tuesday (23 Jun) at 7pm in Gardenia Court. The feature film will be Mamma Mia!
Play Read Learn
Children 3 — 5 are invited to Play Read Learn at the George Town public library every Tuesday thru Jun 23rd at 1030am.
FRI JUNE 26
BBQ & GOSPEL HOEDOWN
St George’s Anglican Church 6PM
Annual Fundraiser
From the grill: Choice of BBQ Chicken, Pig Tails, Pork Ribs, Beef
Ribs or Fish. Plus a large selection of Side Dishes. Drinks and Desserts on sale.
Entertainment: Earl LaPierre on Steel Pan, Line Dancing and so much more!
TripAdvisor names Barbados and Cayman Islands in Travellers’ Choice Awards
Barbados ranks third in 2015 TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice Awards for Islands
Barbados has been named as one of the world’s top islands 2015 TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice awards for Islands. (FP)
For the third straight year TripAdvisor has highlighted the world’s top islands based on the millions of reviews and opinions collected in a single year from travellers around the globe.
William Griffith, chief executive officer of the Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc. (BTMI) acknowledged the award stating: “Barbados’ steady climb in popularity from eighth position two years ago is a clear indication of the level of engagement of all of the island’s tourism accommodations, restaurants, tour operators and ancillary services. They are the ones that must be congratulated for the superior service being exhibited in all establishments”.
He added that his team has been working hard to broaden the image of the island across the globe so that the island is renowned as much for its culture, events and culinary offerings as it is for its beaches, landscape and weather.
TripAdvisor’s chief marketing officer, Barbara Messing, congratulated Barbados stating that the results reflected independent views of over 340 million unique monthly visitors.
“Our well-travelled community has uncovered the best islands around the world for that perfect island escape whether you want to lie on the beach or seek adventure,” said Messing. “To help travellers book their trips to these remarkable destinations, TripAdvisor has surfaced amazing island hotels to accommodate a range of travel budgets.”
The Top Ten:
- Providenciales, Turks and Caicos, 2. Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands, 3. Barbados, 4. Jamaica, 5. St Maarten/St Martin, 6. St Lucia, 7. St John, US Virgin Islands, 8. Aruba, 9. Puerto Rico, 10. Antigua, Antigua & Barbuda. (PR)
Christian group protests yogurt company’s lesbian ad
By Courtney Coren From Newsmax
A Christian group is protesting the yogurt company Chobani for its new commercial that features a naked married lesbian couple in bed, saying it’s an attempt “to normalize sin.”
One Million Moms, a group started by the American Family Association, has launched a campaign to get the commercial pulled and may launch a boycott if Chobani refuses.
“Chobani should be ashamed of their latest commercial for attempting to normalize sin by featuring two women naked in bed together,” the group said in a statement.
The commercial shows one woman eating yogurt in bed and stroking the other woman’s foot, whose face is not shown until the end of the commercial, when it’s revealed that the two women are wearing matching wedding bands, which One Million Moms says also promotes same-sex marriage.
The ad is part of a series of commercials the company is doing called “Love this Life,” which are supposed to be more about more about lifestyle than product.
Chobani Chief Marketing Officer Peter McGuinness told Ad Week that the commercial is a “natural progression” of the campaign.
“For us, it’s why not [feature a same-sex couple] — not why,” McGuinness explained.
“There’s nothing new here, per se. Inclusion and equality has been and is foundational and fundamental to the company.”
For more and video: http://www.newsmax.com/US/One-Million-Moms-Chobani-lesbian-christian/2015/06/18/id/651233/#ixzz3dXJjBMTM
5 Cuban migrants found in Little Cayman
Last Monday (15) five illegal Cuban migrants were discovered and taken into custody where they were taken to Cayman Brac before being transferred to the Fairbanks Immigration Detention Centre in George Town, Grand Cayman
An unconfirmed report said the men swam to shore after their boat t rolled over on to a reef on the south-west side of the island, near the Blossom Village area.
Haitians in the Dominican Republic
From the Economist
Dread swept immigrant areas of the Dominican Republic, fanned by a history of discrimination against the country’s poorer, darker, Haitian neighbours. An unknown number of Haitians and others faced expulsion after the passing of a deadline to apply to stay legally. Some had queued for days to get paperwork in. Only just over half of the 500,000 immigrants, mostly Haitian, had filed their forms shortly before the deadline expired on June 17th. Those under threat include people of Haitian descent born in the Dominican Republic decades ago. Many have never lived in Haiti. “People could be expatriated from the country in which they were born. That would make them stateless in Haiti,” says Bridget Wooding of Obmica, a think-tank in Santo Domingo.
For more: http://www.economist.com/news/americas/21654661-haitians-dominican-republic
Cayman Islands businessman held in Puerto Rico to be sentenced on Thu (25)
Gilroy Bryce Merren will be sentenced next Thursday (25) on U.S. federal court charges that he attempted to conspire with undercover law enforcement agents to ship cocaine from Puerto Rico and launder money earned from the drug sale proceeds through businesses located in the Cayman Islands and Curacao.
Merren has pleaded guilty to the charges.
George Soros: US must forge a ‘partnership’ with China to avoid world war
By Dan Weil From Newsmax
The United States and China are in conflict over a number of issues, from China’s discriminatory trade policy to its menacing moves toward its neighbors, and hedge fund legend George Soros is concerned.
“Both the US and China have a vital interest in reaching an understanding because the alternative is so unpalatable,” he writes in The New York Review of Books. “The benefits of an eventual agreement between China and the U.S. could be equally far-reaching.”
Soros cites the recent agreement between President Barack Obama and Chinese strongman Xi Jinping on climate-change policy as an example.
“If this approach could be extended to other aspects of energy policy and to the financial and economic spheres, the threat of a military alignment between China and Russia would be removed and the prospect of a global conflict would be greatly diminished,” he says.
“That is worth trying. . . . Fully recognizing the difficulties, the U.S. government should nevertheless make a bona fide attempt at forging a strategic partnership with China.”
Elsewhere on the U.S.-Asia front, most free-market economists support the idea of fast-track authority for the president to expedite the free-trade agreement with Asia– the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).
But hold on a minute, says Ralph Benko, senior economic adviser for American Principles in Action, and advocacy group for life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
“There is another point of view,” he writes on Forbes.com. “America’s great supply-side founding father, Alexander Hamilton, was, of course, no enemy of tariffs.”
While that was 240 years ago, Nobel laureate, supply-side economist Robert Mundell told Forbes.com in 2013, “‘it has been a mistake to let U.S. manufacturing run down so low,'” Benko explains.
“‘While other nations have industrial policies to maximize their trade benefits, the United States leaves itself open like a naked woman. A big problem is with nations that may prove to be future enemies.’ Strong words,'” Benko notes.
The House of Representatives so far has rebuffed President Obama’s effort to gain fast-track authority, but there is still a chance that it may pass.
Barbados blow out Cayman Islands
JM, From Barbados Nation News
IMAGE: Bounced! Captain Jeremy Gill (left) absorbing contact from Craig Williams while trying to score this lay-up attempt. (GP)
Bajan rector a first for Cayman…
Barbados qualify for Netball World…
Cayman end search for missing man…
Akeem Marsh had 16 points and ten rebounds as the ultramarine and gold rolled into the classification rounds with Friday’s wire-to-wire 85-50 blowout of a winless Cayman Islands at the Caribbean Basketball Confederation Championships.
There wasn’t the customary slow start this time, not with Keefe Birkett, Mark Bridgeman and Jeremy Gill drilling five first-quarter treys between them for an early 19-12 lead.
That advantage could’ve been more too were Barbados better equipped at containing Cayman ball-handlers in pick-and-roll situations.
Yet it was the bench that duly put this one to bed, more specifically Brooklyn-based guard Jabar Williams, who accounted for seven of 12 unanswered Bajan points to start the second period.
Showing the confidence of a wily vet, the little used reserve guard drilled back-to-back long jumpers and then a tough fall-away to beat the shot clock after Rahiim Gibbons got the ball rolling with a trey of his own (31-12).
Cayman did threaten, albeit briefly, as small forward Samuel Ogarro scored seven quick points, including a deep trey, a coast-to-coast lay-up plus two free throws to cut the deficit to 14 (33-19).
But Barbados’ starters simply returned to pick up where their reserves left off, rattling off another nine unanswered points when John Jones started the surge by beating everyone down the floor for an easy dunk.
Birkett and Gill finished with 14 and ten points respectively for Barbados – who will play successive classification games for fifth place – while Ebanks led Cayman with 15. (JM)
For more: http://www.nationnews.com/nationnews/news/68900/barbados-blow-cayman-islands#sthash.OCPnwisG.dpuf
Ticketing small quantities of ganja in Jamaica to reduce court backlogs
From CARIBBEAN360
KINGSTON, Jamaica, Friday June 19, 2015 – Government’s move to make possession of small quantities of ganja a non-criminal offence will reduce the number of marijuana cases going before the courts by about 15,000 a year.
That’s according to Minister of Justice Senator Mark Golding.
The amendments to the Dangerous Drugs Act will, among other things, make the possession of two ounces or less of ganja a ticketable offence. Anyone ticketed by the police would have 30 days to pay the money online or at a tax office.
Golding said dealing with minor ganja cases, over 1,000 per month, was contributing significantly to clogging up the court system.
The law will allow for certain individuals held with the drug, such as an adolescent or a person deemed to be totally dependent on marijuana, to be taken before the court to be evaluated and referred to the National Council for Drug Abuse for counselling.
However, Golding made it clear that smoking ganja in public places, just like smoking cigarettes, would still not be permitted.
Public spaces include workplaces, and any place for use of, or is accessible to the public such as sidewalks, bus stops, restaurants, offices, educational institutions, pharmacies, hospitals, areas used by children, supermarkets, and parks.
For more: http://www.caribbean360.com/news/1123587#ixzz3dbgiAc3o
Cayman Islands: ACLI Clinic 2015 at the Truman Bodden Law School
In 2015 the Truman Bodden Law School hosted the American Caribbean Law Initiative’s Law Clinic, where students from different Caribbean and American law schools had to work together to moot legal arguments, applying Cayman law. To view a video blog of their experiences go to: http://www.gov.ky/portal/page?_pageid=4661,8752030&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL
Another arrest made in Jamaican lottery scam
By T J Nelson, From KVRR
Another suspect tied to a Jamaican lottery scam in North Dakota is arrested.
Melinda Bulgin was taken into custody in Providence, Rhode Island.
She is accused of receiving money on behalf of Sanjay Williams, who was convicted last month in Bismarck and faces 40 years in prison.
One 86-year-old woman from Harvey lost $300-thousand in the scam.
For more: http://www.kvrr.com/news/local-news/Another-Arrest-Made-in-Jamaican-Lottery-Scam/33660360
Thailand says 175 exposed to MERS patient; South Korea reports no new case
From Reuters
A total of 175 people were exposed to Thailand’s only case of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and the patient’s condition has improved, the health ministry said on Saturday.
In a statement, the ministry said it had been in touch with all 175 and had instructed them to stay away from public spaces and for medical personnel to monitor their health.
In South Korea, the health ministry said that no new cases of the disease had been recorded in the country for the first time in 16 days. Health authorities said on Friday the outbreak first reported on May 20 seemed to have leveled off.
South Korea’s health ministry said later on Saturday that a 63-year-old male MERS patient with an existing heart ailment and diabetes had died, becoming the 25th fatality in an outbreak that had spread through hospitals and infected 166 people.
On Friday, Thai health minister Rajata Rajatanavin told reporters the chances of a MERS outbreak in Thailand like the one in South Korea were low as the authorities had isolated the patient quickly.
The virus was first detected in Thailand in a 75-year-old man from Oman who traveled to Bangkok for treatment of a heart condition.
Travel to Cuba could change the game in the Caribbean
By Kurt Weinsheimer – Travel Weekly / Caribbean Digital Network
IMAGE:DSC_7515Photo: Willie Lora
Cuba is now the No. 1 destination for U.S. travelers to the Caribbean. OK, that’s not true. But given the warming relations between the U.S. and Cuba, including easing of travel restrictions, and recent press, it’s not as far-fetched as it seemed six months ago.
Let’s start with the numbers.
We sifted through our 350 million traveler profiles to track recent searches for Cuba worldwide. As our travel search data shows, the White House announcement in December led to a burst of interest in Cuba among U.S. travelers. Since then, Cuba has moved up four places to No. 15 on the list of top 20 most popular destinations in the Caribbean for Americans. That’s not No. 1, but it’s significant, considering no U.S. carriers currently fly direct routes to Cuba.
As the accompanying “Hot for Havana” infographic illustrates, U.S. consumer interest continues to rise dramatically any time Cuba is in the news. Most recently, searches for Cuba jumped 87% the day after Airbnb announced it will host properties in Cuba. Destination dreaming for Cuba is on the rise.
So with all the interest, why isn’t Cuba making it to the top? For now, other Caribbean islands are not losing significant market share to Cuba, due to a few factors:
Travel restrictions are still in place.
A perception (and certain reality) persists that the infrastructure is not yet there for travel to Cuba and, once there, for accommodations.
Cuba does not yet have the beach paradise cachet of established destinations such as Puerto Rico, Jamaica or the Virgin Islands.
At least two of the three factors limiting travel to Cuba will change relatively quickly. The Obama administration seems to be moving ahead at full speed with the proposed opening of an embassy (although there is Republican resistance in the House of Representatives).
Once a U.S. embassy is in place and a Cuban embassy is established in Washington, D.C., the path toward lifting travel restrictions is clear.
Regarding the perception that travel infrastructure is not yet in place relative to many Caribbean destinations, this is true. Cuba has suffered from trade embargoes and limited infrastructure investment for decades.
But with respect to lodging, we tend to forget that Cuba has been under embargo by the U.S. but not by the rest of the world. There’s a healthy stream of tourism from Canada, Europe and the rest of Latin America. Major European hotel chains such as Accor, Barcelo and Melia are firmly rooted in the market, and major U.S. chains such as Marriott have announced plans to enter Cuba in the near future.
In short, a solid foundation is in place, and momentum is building for a significant supply increase over the coming years.
From a transportation standpoint, there are many things to consider.
On a global basis, Jose Marti Airport welcomes more than 25 carriers, which in total bring about 4 million passengers to the island each year. U.S. airlines have limited-to-no presence in Cuba, but many of these airlines are making inroads toward establishing charter flights to Havana.
Similarly, as an island nation with three large ports and dozens of smaller ones, Cuba is well suited to welcome an influx of cruise ships on a relatively short time line and with minimal infrastructure investment.
The question is: Will pent-up demand transform Cuba into a top Caribbean destination once sufficient travel infrastructure is in place? Or will the desire for the “forbidden island” wane before things come together? Only time will tell, so we’ll keep our eye on the numbers.
For more: http://www.travelweekly.com/Articles/Travel-to-Cuba-could-change-the-game-in-the-Caribbean
Cayman Islands Triathlon
November 1 @ 6:45 am – 12:00 pm Public Beach
The 2015 Cayman Islands Triathlon takes place on November 1st. More information will be added when available.
The Cayman Triathlon is one of the Cayman Islands’ premier annual sporting events always attracting a strong field of local and international competitors, as well as keen amateurs and spectators.
— 2014 details below for reference —
Minimum age on race day is 15 years with 1 exception: Team swimmers minimum age 13 years.
Starting at 6:45 am, Public Beach on Cayman’s Seven Mile Beach.
Olympic Distance: 1500m Swim, 40k Bike, 10k Run
Sprint Distance: 750m Swim, 20k Bike, 5k Run
Website: https://www.cayman.com/event/cayman-islands-triathlon/
A Cayman car cannot fly but it tries to
From Mototods
Dashcam: Porsche goes airborne and crash lands on a rain-soaked highway in Russia
Russia is a land of extreme and the interweb is awash with evidence suggesting the same. There are some really stupefying and sometimes, unbelievable dashcam footages on the interweb, this is certainly one amongst them. The scene starts off with a dashcam recording boring stuff such as a traffic-clogged highway and an overcast sky above. However, this being Russia, it doesn’t take long before something random and inexplicably spectacular happens.
A white Porsche Cayman S comes speeding down the rain-soaked highway, and guess what? The driver loses control and the sports car heads straight towards a concrete embankment. Still travelling at a considerable rate of speed, the Cayman goes up the ramp and becomes airborne for a brief period. However, it doesn’t take long for gravity to kick in, and down comes the sports car and its hopes of flying. The crash ‘landing’ looks pretty severe and sends metal, glass and other debris flying across the road.
The Porsche lands hard on its side and then performs a gut-wrenching somersault. Though the sports car is likely to be written off, its two occupants didn’t suffer the same grisly fate. Thanks to robust German engineering and seatbelts, the driver and his passenger escaped with their lives. They did however, suffer from concussion and some more minor injuries. It was quite fortunate that there were no other vehicles following the Porsche, else this could have been far more catastrophic.
IMAGES:
Image of a Porsche Cayman GT4 for representation purpose only.
Still taken from video – This is why you should never overspeed in the rain.
For more and video go to: http://www.motoroids.com/news/dashcam-porsche-goes-airborne-and-crash-lands-on-a-rain-soaked-highway-in-russia/
LATAM, Caribbean States urged to broaden tax bases
By Mike Godfrey, Tax-News.com, Washington
Those participating in a recent seminar on fiscal policy in Latin American and Caribbean countries discussed the need for comprehensive tax modernization.
The forum took place in San Jose, Costa Rica, between June 16 and 17, 2015, and was set up by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) with support from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), the World Bank, the Economic Commission of the United Nations for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), and the Inter-American Center of Tax Administrations (CIAT).
The event was attended by international experts and government officials from 14 countries in the region.
During the forum, participants discussed the fiscal challenges faced by economies in the region. It was noted that new legislation should be developed to combat tax avoidance and evasion and to strengthen tax administration.
Participants also said that economies in the region should expand their tax bases by reining in tax incentives. They also agreed that tax rules should be formalized to attract more companies and individual investors.
Costa Rica’s Finance Ministry noted that tax revenues for the region are low compared with gross domestic product, especially relative to OECD country levels. According to a report jointly published by the OECD, ECLAC, CIAT, and the IDB, the tax revenues of countries in Latin America and the Caribbean in 2013 accounted for 21.3 percent of gross domestic product on average, compared with an average of 34.1 percent in OECD countries.
For more go to: http://www.tax-news.com/news/LATAM_Caribbean_States_Urged_To_Broaden_Tax_Bases____68403.html#sthash.LcSb8OT6.dpuf
Establishment of Commonwealth Caribbean Integrity Commission to be discussed at inaugural conference
From Caricom
GEORGES, Grenada, CMC – The inaugural conference of Integrity Commissions and Anti-Corruption bodies in the Commonwealth will be held here under the theme “Strengthening integrity commissions and anti-corruption bodies in the Commonwealth Caribbean.”
Initiated by the Commonwealth Secretariat in London, the purpose of the Conference, is to discuss the establishment of a Commonwealth Caribbean Association of Integrity Commissions and Anti-Corruption Bodies.
Hosted by Grenada’s Integrity Commission, OAS and UN observers will join over 30 delegates from across the Region.
Administrative Manager at Grenada’s Integrity Commission office Eunice Sandy-David said the representatives will come from countries that have units established for the purpose of enforcing Anti-corruption in Public Life legislations.
“Some of these offices go by different names but they were all established as a result of the countries tailoring the Inter American convention against corruption to align with the territory’s legislation,” she said.
Each country will be presenting a country paper and there will also be presentations from non-Caribbean commonwealth members.
Prime Minister Dr. Keith Mitchell will address the opening ceremony, scheduled to take place on Monday.
Caribbean nations move to protect dwindling lobster
From Caribbean News Service
ST GEORGE’S, Grenada, Jun 18 2015 – Caribbean countries have agreed a set of common rules to manage and conserve a local lobster species, following scientific evidence of its decline.
The member states of the Caribbean Community (Caricom) met in Grenada recently to sign a declaration providing minimum standards for the fishing of Panulirus argus, known as the Caribbean spiny lobster. It will be valid in the 17 nations of the Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism (CRFM).
The spiny lobster is a major source of income for local fisheries, and is critical to the socioeconomic wellbeing of many Caribbean communities.
The deal follows growing concerns about the long-term economic viability of lobster fishing in the region.
According to the CRFM, catches are declining and overexploitation of the species is having knock-on effects on other marine life.
Milton Haughton, head of the CRFM secretariat, says that socioeconomic importance aside, the lobster plays a critical role in maintaining the “ecological integrity and delicate balance” of the coral reef ecosystem.
“We therefore need to be very careful in the way we harvest the resources. These are so important to us that we cannot allow the stocks to decline through poor management and irresponsible harvesting.”
The non-binding agreement aims to improve and standardise data collection on lobster catches and encourage the use of biodegradable traps to reduce ocean littering and protect other marine species.
It also aims to reduce illegal and unsustainable fishing to strengthen conservation, the CRFM said.
According to Haughton, better use of data would improve local conservation research, which would in turn strengthen understanding of the biological, economic and nutritional aspects of lobster fishing.
“All of this requires a scientific approach informed by good governance systems and intimate knowledge,” he said.
In most Caribbean countries, lobster fishing is governed by the Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species, which includes a quota system, periodic scientific surveys and a limited fishing season. In the Caribbean, however, capacity for such monitoring varies between states, and a lack of regulations around lobster fishing puts the resource at risk, the Grenada meeting heard. Caribbean fisheries’ representatives cautiously welcomed the deal and called for rules that distinguish between subsistence fisheries and large commercial fishing operations.
For more: http://caribbeannewsservice.com/now/caribbean-nations-move-to-protect-dwindling-lobster/
Caribbean fashion will feature in the Pan Am Games 2015
From Antigua Observer
IMAGE: Richard Young (source: linkedin)
For the first time the taste of Caribbean fashion will feature in the Pan Am Games 2015 in Toronto, Canada. Trinidad’s very own fashion designer Richard Young will partner with Joan Pierre, the artistic and creative director of Cuttin’ Style Caribbean, in this project.
Both have been commissioned by the organisers of the 17th Pan American Games. The Games is a major international multi-sport event, to be held from July 10 to 26 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, with some events held in other Golden Horseshoe communities. Some 6,135 athletes from 41 nations will participate in 36 sports.
Young, currently based in Antigua, recently visited T&T where he spoke with the T&T Guardian.
“We were granted this fund to do alternative extracurricular activities around the sports. We got a Caribbean fashion show, which will be a three-day affair where we will be exposing Caribbean-style fashion exhibitions,” Young said. The event will feature several Caribbean designers.
The T&T Government has committed financial support to Young for the event. Other Caribbean governments are being asked to assist.
In Antigua, Young is working as a creative consultant for the Minister of Culture, Chet Greene.
“We share the same interest in the development of the creative arts for Caribbean society’s movement forward,” Young said.
In Antigua, Young has restyled the seats at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, making it look like the Antiguan flag by colour-coding the seats. He is responsible for rebranding the Miss Antigua and Barbuda pageant and is currently preparing them for the international shows.
“What I am doing now is organising a fashion weekend, which has become very consistent throughout the region as a tourism activity event,” Young said.
“It is a Caribbean product that I am selling: not T&T, Antiguan or St Lucian. The inflections of the culture will certainly influence the style coming out of the geographical space,” he said.
Caribbean identity branding has become Young’s vocation: “They say I am an evangelist—that is how I feel (about shaping) what we bring to the world.”
Young believes in identifying talent and development issues, and thinks fashion can be an agent of larger cultural meanings, inclusive of matters historical and anthropological: “I would like to get people motivated to understand there is a new fashion direction, inclusive of their biography; and not just one wanting to plagiarise someone else’s signature brand. It lies in the methodology: how we do the shows, how we film the landscape, how we reveal the texture of our peoples. So it (fashion) is a lot deeper for me.”
T&T, according to Young, is truly blessed with creative juices deriving from our cultural mosaic: “I think it is because of our eclectic influences,” he said.
“Because it is an age of economic diversification, I am looking for non-traditional ways of generating income for young people. I don’t want them to be stifled for going to traditional ways, but how do we really engage the young people? Through the new ways of doing things—new media, graphics, performing arts, theatrical approaches. Our dancers, musicians, spoken arts people, have great voices. Why not marry those art forms with fashion arts? All make sense for identity branding, which is my mission…as long as we start liking it, and appreciating it,” Young said.
“Fashion is a way of building self-confidence,” he said.
Young is proving that fashion can be much more than just a model trotting down a catwalk.
For more: http://antiguaobserver.com/caribbean-fashion-will-feature-in-the-pan-am-games-2015/
