With COVID-19 restrictions lifting, more people are booking trips and hotels online, which is very good for Google’s advertising business. Google’s employees, however, are working from home and not traveling as much on the company dime — and that’s also good for its business.
During the first quarter, Google parent Alphabet Inc. saved $268 million in expenses from company promotions, travel and entertainment, compared with the same period a year earlier, “primarily as a result of COVID-19,” according to a company filing.
Toronto, (March 20, 2021).
A bronze bust of Marcus Garvey will be installed at the African Union headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, by August 17 to mark the 134th birthday of Jamaica's first national hero.
This is the brainchild of Afroglobal Television, the 24-hour Canada-based network, the Marcus Garvey Institute under the leadership Dr Julius Garvey, its co-founder, chairman and son of the legendary Marcus Mosiah Garvey; also included are the Pan African Technical Association, Strictly Roots, National Association of Kawaida Organizations, The Whirlwind Group, and renowned artist Nijel Binns of Los Angeles, USA.
PAN-AFRICANISM
Paris, Tuesday 27 April 2021.
The Pan-African Journalists' Caucus was launched by the African Diaspora State on Tuesday 06 April 2021. At this inaugural meeting, the decision was taken to set up a series of structures, including "Country Coordinators", who are the operational arm of the Caucus in its campaigns around the world. This will strengthen Africa's pride and dignity as the "Cradle of Humanity".
On the proposal of H.E. Ambassador Élisée Héribert-Label ADJOVI, Chairperson of the Pan-African Journalists' Caucus, the following Country Coordinators have been appointed:
West Africa: Benin, Joël Samson BOSSOU; Burkino Faso, Elie KABORE; Central African Republic, Jean Fernand KOENA;
Ivory Coast, Sylvain NAMOYA; Gambia, Sanna CAMARA; Ghana, Philip Nii LARTEY; Guinea Conakry, Billy Nankouman CONDÉ; Liberia, Hannah N. GETERMINAH; Mali, Paul MBEN; Niger, Mahamadou ABOULAYE, Nigeria; Abdoulaye ISAH; Senegal, Maymouna N'DIR; Sierra Leone; Theresa R. SESAY; Togo, Ferdinand GADE.
In March, the month of women and feminism, the State of the African Diaspora ratified its commitment to African and Afro-descendant women by creating the Development Fund in support of these Women. As a result, on 21 March, the World Day of combating racial discrimination, the results of the ‘First Call’ were released, in which 16 women-led projects were selected, with an emphasis on topics ranging from food production, health, education to remembrance of our history. It highlights the international scope of the call and its results, which expresses a remarkable area of concentration in Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as the participation of young Afro-Feminist leaders.
Chaired by our Prime Minister, The Vice Prime Minister and the Minister of Gender Equality, the first workshop was held with women whose projects were selected, starting the process of implementation of these, under a rigorous schedule, letter of commitment and an accompanying plan with international experts. There, the Network of Entrepreneurs funded by the State of the African Diaspora was born.
The general objective of this Network is promoting the autonomy of Afro-descendant and African women, through charitable and successful entrepreneurship strategies. It includes Afro-descendant and African women from Angola, Guinea-Bissau, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, Mexico, Dominican Republic, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela.
Dr. Louis-Georges Tin Dr. Rosa Campoalegre Septien
Montego Bay, Jamaica. (April 23, 2021) Dub poet extraordinaire, Cherry Natural (AKA Marcia Wedderburn) to drop new single from her latest Album, entitled “Spiritual Mastery” and Elder NswNebKaRa to speak on the Sacred Masculine on Sunday, April 25, 2021 at 1:00 p.m. (EST /Jamaica time) via the virtual Zoom Platform of Sistas of D Ankh and Ma’at Sisterhood Circle. For access use Zoom User ID: 389 841 7079 or Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/3898417079 .
Known as the leading performance Dub Poet in Jamaica and the Caribbean, Cherry Natural has the gift of speaking words sounds into creation in a lyrically unique and empowering manner. She is also a Writer, Self Defense Instructor, Motivational Speaker for adults & children, as well as, a facilitator of workshops on poetry and self-defense locally and internationally. She has written three books entitled ‘Come mek we reason’, ‘Earth Woman’ and ‘The Lyrical Contortionist’. She has in addition, two CD’s ‘Earth Woman”, “Intellectual Bad Gal”, and has completed an EP recently. “Spiritual Mastery” her third album is available soon on all Digital Platforms.
The Sisterhood Circle invites Soul Mates, Sacred Feminine and Sacred Masculine, as well as, significant others in particular to come and receive a blessing on their relationships by Elder and Spiritual Healer NswNebKaRa. The entire family is invited to join Sisters of D Ankh and Ma’at Sisterhood Circle in welcoming Cherry Natural and NswNebKaRa Asar KasaamsuRa Heri-sheta-paheru to the Sacred Space where the community becomes one in the Ubuntu and Ma’at African tradition.
NswNebKaRa Asar KasaamsuRa Herishetapaheru is respectfully known as NswNebKaRa, he hails from Aye Aye in the Virgin Islands. He is a Co-founder and the Executive Director of Per Ankh (House of Life) a non-governmental and not-for-profit organization livicated to Culture, Healing, Arts, Technology and Spirituality for Life, Inspiration, Freedom, and Education = CHATS4LIFE©. Elder NswNebKaRa is skilled in the Martial Arts and is Author of four books: The Ra-clamation of the Sa-cred Sovereign Maat Nation of Smai Tawi Em Khamet Nwt; Uat Nefer Aha Aaui-Te Em Per Ankh Em Smai Tawi Em Khamet Nwt: 2) The Way of the Harmonious Warrior Arms and Hands Systems and Spiritual Warrior Teachings of Per Ankh of Smai Tawi Khamet Nwt; 3) Per Ankh: ANKHMES (Due out Autumn 2021); and other works are pending publication.
As properties get increasingly scarce in prime areas, they are increasingly in demand by developers. The most common transaction between the landowner and developer is for the developer to purchase the land from the landowner.
This is never the best financial return for the landowner. The best return for the landowner is to enter into a joint venture with the developer, by placing his land in the deal as debt/equity investment.
The developer enters into an agreement with the landowner where the landowner invests the value of the land as debt with 0% interest and 20% equity of the profit. (Note each deal will have its own uniqueness based on land value, cost to build, and retail value of the real estate once completed).
Landowners have to explore ways to extract the highest value from their land and have a long-term vision for sustainable revenue. If you are looking to attain the highest value from your land then a joint venture with a developer could be an opportunity worth exploring.
Months before the killing of George Floyd sparked racial justice demonstrations, and before the coronavirus pandemic changed the way people shop, Sephora decided to confront an ugly truth.
“Bias is wired into our brains and shows up in every institution, from policing to real estate to online media, and so we wanted to understand the implications for retail, guided by our commitment to creating a more inclusive retail experience,” Deborah Yeh, Sephora’s chief marketing officer, tells Fortune.
The beauty retailer recruited a team of experts from both inside and outside the company who could report on racial bias in retail and come up with actionable steps that Sephora and ideally other retailers could take to make the shopping experience more inclusive. The task force worked for more than a year to study the issue and earlier this month released its findings in the company’s first-ever “Racial Bias in Retail” report.
“The study was really intended to better understand the issue, and understand how commonplace racial bias is in retail settings, as well as similarities and differences across different racial groups, and ultimately measure the problem,” Yeh says. “But we also wanted to identify tactics and actions that could help mitigate bias treatments from the shopper experience.”
Que Pasa con el Caribe y Africa? By Felipe Noguera, Deputy Coordinator of the Caribbean Regional Coordinating Committee of the Pan Africanist and Indigenous Movement.
"Love gives and forgives. Selfishness gets and forgets."
In which category do we, the people of Africa and the Caribbean fall? Can we express loving appreciation or do we consign ourselves to selfish ingratitude?
Has any country in modern history, outside of the continent of Africa, sacrificed more in life, time, blood, and resources for the liberation of Africa from the shackles of apartheid and domestic settler colonialism than Cuba?
The beautiful island nation of Xaymaca - present day Jamaica - is famous for producing pioneering and notable world figures who have initiated and contributed immensely to many fields of human endeavor.
We can easily recall the iconic pan-Africanist leader, Honorable Marcus Mosiah Garvey; the legendary Queen Nanny of the Maroons; the celebrated reggae singers Bob Marley and Peter Tosh, as well as the world champion athletes Merlene Ottey and Usain Bolt, just to name a few.
It may not come as a surprise therefore that now a small village in western Jamaica is poised to introduce to the world its most daring initiative in the form of a digital currency called THE LUMI - issued by the Central Solar Reserve Bank of Accompong, located in the sovereign Maroon dominions in the island of Jamaica.
The forward thinking that went into the creation of The Lumi was prompted by the alarming threat of climate change, the rising and crippling foreign debts of African countries, and the humiliating poverty level on the African continent in the midst of abundant natural resources.
It is no secret that Real Estate has been the greatest wealth builder with the least fluctuations in history. Real Estate is not just a hedge investment during the fall of the stock market but a solid investment in all stock market cycles.
Carefully selected Real Estate properties with proper due diligence and sound financing structure will deliver real long-term value through income and capital appreciation.
Unlike the paper investment of the bond and stock markets, the long-term value of Real Estate in your investment portfolio is backed by physical assets and is not subject to wide fluctuations that are part of investing in the stock markets.
A properly structured and managed real estate portfolio can provide a return on your Real Estate investment in excess of 10% per year even when markets are down or flat.
Your investment portfolio will experience volatility over time and will have periods of loss, even the most well-allocated portfolio.
Real Estate is highly non-correlated to the stock markets either when held directly or via a REIT. By including Real Estate in your portfolio you lower the risk and increase the possibility of more stable returns.
Other assets not correlated to the stock markets are gold, precious metals, collectibles, government bonds, art, and wine there are countless other options out there depending on your investment strategy.
Investors understand not to put their eggs in one basket i.e. not investing in a single stock, industry, or asset type.
Kingston, Jamaica (April 5, 2021). The State of the African Diaspora, Jamaica on March 1, 2021 rolled out its campaign to sensitize, educate and register Jamaican citizens to access the African Kingdoms Lumi (AKL). The Lumi is a Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC).
Over 3,000 Jamaicans have registered for the thirty-six-month stimulus package which ends October 28, 2023. Those registrants are part of a network of registrants in 138 countries now receiving their monthly stimulus deposits of 6.26 Lumi (the equivalent of US$100.00) in their accounts each month.
Dr. Linus Etube, CEO of Swifin Network, the financial platform supporting the Lumi says “The Swifin network provides the platform for Jamaicans and by extension the Diaspora to experience ease of access, financial freedom and prosperity during the Lumi Rollout campaign and beyond.”
For more information contact 876-345-4782.
Source - The Washington Post
The Eastern Caribbean has created its own form of digital currency meant to help speed transactions and serve people without bank accounts.
The Eastern Caribbean Central Bank said its “DCash” is the first such blockchain-based currency introduced by any of the world’s currency unions, though some individual nations have similar existing systems.
It became available Wednesday in four island nations under a yearlong pilot program: St. Lucia, Grenada, Antigua and Barbuda, and St. Kitts and Nevis.
Barbados will accept the pass on flights from London starting on April 16th.
After successfully trialing it on an international flight between Singapore and London earlier this month, the IATA says it will release its Travel Pass app in mid-April.
The software allows airline travelers to store verified COVID-19 test results and vaccination certificates on their phones. The trade association told Reuters it expects to make the app available to download on iPhone around April 15th, with an Android version to follow later.
Starting on April 16th, Virgin Atlantic plans to pilot the digital pass on its London to Barbados route. The Caribbean island will accept the app at its border, making it one of the first countries to admit a digital pass instead of paper documentation.
MONTEGO BAY, JAMAICA- March 13, 2021 – Sistas of D Ankh & Ma'at Sisterhood Circle Celebrates Women's Month with Sa Enya McBean. She will speak on the topic: 'How to Safeguard Your Phusical Well-being with Healing Interventions and Energy Medicines during COVID-19 Pandemic'. The virtual event will take place via Zoom on March 14, 2021 and can be accessed with the link, https://us02web.zoom.us/j/3898417079. Meeting ID: 389 841 7079.
McBean is a former member of the annual Caribbean Health Spa & Wellness Tourism Conferenice convened by Theo & Sharon Chambers from 2006-2009. She is an acclaimed author who travels the world and speaks on Health & Wellness topics. She makes Jamaica her second home.
Also on the programme is Dr. Sherrill Chong, who is described as a coach extraordinaire; she has worked in various capacities. Her main goal through her association with E & S Chong Health Ministries is to ‘empower Caribbean people world-wide through Motivation, Training, and Implementation Strategies to regain and sustain Physical, Psychological, and Spiritual health.’ With her expertise in Holistic Health where she provides assistance in lifestyle transformation for individuals, families, communities and nations, there is much assurance that she will be an excellent speaker that will have all the attendees engrossed in her presentation.
KINGSTON, Jamaica; March 8, 2021: Tourism Minister, Hon. Edmund Bartlett has outlined that the latest initiative by the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF), through its Tourism Linkages Network division, to host a virtual gastronomy forum series, will aid in preparing the culinary industry for the rebound of the tourism sector, in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Minister Bartlett lauded the initiative as he addressed the first session in the highly anticipated series recently. The forum focused on the topic: Gastronomy Tourism as part of the New Normal of Living with COVID-19.
The forum series will focus on food related topics and seeks to offer valuable information to the target audience, which includes: chefs, caterers, academia, agriculture stakeholders, restaurateurs and tour operators, with the aim of connecting the ecosystems and linking start-ups and existing businesses along the gastronomy tourism value chain.
“The presentations and information being offered to you our valued stakeholders, have been carefully packaged to prepare all of us for the way forward. As I’ve said before, it will not be business as usual and as much as our record of offering great hospitality stands, everyone is going to have to perform even better,” Bartlett expressed.
Thank you Minister Ed Bartlett for your advocacy for more vaccines to under- served communities such as those in the Caribbean, based on your research.
My question is : Can WELLNESS Solutions as a Lifestyle change be offered and Promoted by your Ministry as a Viable Remedy for COVID-19?
Can Jamaica produce her own COVID-19 Remedy and Solutions?
We are an Indigenous people who have been imposed upon to use Pharmaceuticals for temporary interventions instead of our own family and cultural cures found in our own herbaceuticls, botanicals, and indigenous phytotherapeutic solutions? (Commentary from Editor in Chief, Sharon P. Chambers)
26. Febuary 2021 Minister of Tourism, Edmund Bartlett has called for a fair and united approach to the global distribution of COVID-19 vaccines, amid growing criticism worldwide, that advanced countries are hoarding supplies of vaccines, while poor countries are not being given access to the life-saving medication.
Bartlett said this further threatens the economic recovery of tourism-dependent states and the global economy overall.
The Minister vented his concerns while speaking on Wednesday during the latest installment in the Edmund Bartlett lecture series, hosted virtually by the Global Tourism Resilience and Crisis Management Centre. The session was held under the theme: Restarting Economies Through Tourism: Vaccine Politics, Global Priorities and Destination Realities.