CARIBBEAN TODAY


LO c n A


Young pilot given top Jamaican honors


T urism Minister Edmund
 Bartlett has proposed con-
 ferring the title of ambas-
sador for tourism for Jamaica to
pilot Barrington Irving following
his successful historic solo flight
around the world.
 During last month's World
Flight Adventure Gala, held in
Captain Irving's honor at the
Florida Memorial University in
the United States, the Jamaican
minister announced that this
honor was in addition to the
Jamaica national honor, Order
of Distinction (O.D.) Rank of
Commander, to be conferred
on the Jamaican-born pilot at
King's House in the Caribbean
nation.
 In praising the young aviator,
Bartlett told almost 400 wellwish-
ers attending the gala that Irving


had now joined the ranks of
many other deserving Jamaicans
who had accomplished notable
areas of ingenuity.

'INSPIRATION'
 Irving, a 23-year-old senior
majoring in aerospace at
Florida Memorial University,
used his single engine plane
called "Inspiration" to fly
around the world, making him
the first black and the youngest
aviator to achieve the feat.
 On June 23, Irving com-
pleted his mission, which took
97 days, carrying him more
than 26,000 miles and across
many countries since he took
off from Miami in March.
 Earlier this year, during
Jamaica's 45th Independence
celebrations, Irving and his
family were guests of the


Jamaican
govern-
ment dur-
ing a four-
day visit to
the island.
Born in
Kingston,
Irving was
raised in
Miami
Gardens,
and has


Irving


been using
his successful mission to
encourage young people to
resist negative influences and
work towards their dream.
Irving also established an
aviation learning center, at
the Opa-Locka Airport in
South Florida.
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Jamaica's first lady commissions 'Lunch for Literacy'


NEW YORK Jamaica's
early childhood and primary
education programs are soon
to benefit from a feeding pro-
gram to be commissioned by
First Lady Lorna Golding.
 Speaking with reporters
in New York last month,
Golding, wife of Prime
Minister Bruce Golding, said
she will be introducing a
"Lunch for Literacy" program
to benefit Jamaican students,
especially at the early child-
hood and primary levels.
 She was among scores of
first ladies from around the
world at the launch of the
global health and literacy ini-
tiative by Laura Bush, wife of
United States President
George W. Bush, held at the
Pierpont Morgan Library
and Museum, in midtown
Manhattan.
 "This was a very informa-


Jamaica's First Lady Lorna Golding
attending a global health and literacy
initiative in New York last month
tive meeting. I knew always
that literacy goes with health.
When you have bad health,


you are not able to read and
when you can read, you're
sure to enjoy much better
health," Mrs. Golding said.
 Noting that, "you cannot
learn unless you are well fed,"
Mrs. Golding said that the
lunch for learning project
would provide a proper nutri-
tion program for the target
groups through well equipped
canteens in a presentable envi-
ronment for dining, "and a
child would be motivated to
come to school because the
menu was going to be a good
one today."
 Training for the chefs for
the feeding program will be
provided by the HEART
Institute.

- JIS
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 AION U.S. wants resident
 IMMIGRATIONaliens to turn in old

V KORNER 'green cards'


Question: Should I replace my
"green card" even though it
has no expiration date?

Answer: Yes you should, offi-
cials of the United States
Citizenship and Immigration
Services (USCIS) say. The
agency is proposing a new rule
that would terminate "green
.ard, or permanent residency
documents that have no expira-
tion dates, according to a recent
notice in the Federal Register.
 If the rule becomes final, it
would enable USCIS to update
cardholder information, con-
duct background checks, and
electronically store applicants'
biometric information. The new
card will be a modem version
with greater security, be more
tamper-resistant, and will have
an expiration date requiring
that the card be periodically
renewed.
 The rule proposes to
require permanent residents
with Permanent Resident
Cards ("green .i rd, ) without
expiration dates and who have
not already applied for new
cards with an expiration date
to apply during a 120-day filing
period that would be estab-
lished by a final rulemaking.
 The "green card" holder
can get a new "card" by filing
Form 1-90, along with the filing
and biometric fees. Currently,
the total cost is $370 and
includes the filing fee of $290
for the 1-90 and an $80 biomet-
ric fee for photographs and fin-
gerprints.
 Applicants can e-file on
the USCIS website using the
form, but they will receive a
notice to appear in person at a


USCIS facility for photographs
and fingerprints.

PURPOSE
 Permanent Resident Cards
 (Forms 1-551) are issued to
 permanent residents to serve as
 evidence of immigration status,
 registration, identity and
 employment authorization.
 They also serve as entry docu-
 ments upon return from trips
 outside of the U.S.
 Officials of the USCIS
insist that a card that is too old,
with out-of-date photographs,
cannot effectively serve these
purposes. And, they added:
"Replacement of the outstand-
ing permanent resident cards
without expiration dates is crit-
ical to the national security
mission of USCIS".
 Since August 1989,
Permanent Resident Cards
have been issued with a 10-year
validity period, at which point
the cardholder is required to
apply to renew the card. Prior
to August 1989, "green .ird, '
were issued with no expiration
date and these are the immi-
grants the USCIS is targeting.
They Climl.ic the number is
around 750,000 nationally.
 Meanwhile, officials also
encourage eligible residents to
consider applying for natural-
ization as well.
The answers provided here are for
information purposes only, and
do not create an attorney-client
relationship, nor are they a sub-
stitute for legal advice which can
only be given by a competent
attorney after reviewing all the
facts of the case.
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Rains pepper 'Jamaican Jerk Festival', but fail to dampen its spice, spirit


 FITZGERALD SMITH
T orrential rains shortened
 its duration, but could
 not dilute the spice and
spirit of the sixth "Jamaican
Jerk T 1l ,i al held in South
Florida last month.
 Despite the early finish,
the annual festival, which pro-
motes the traditional
Caribbean method of "jerk"
seasoning food ranging from
meat, seafood, desserts and
vegetables, still managed to
serve up a winner in its "Jerk
Cook-Off" and provide a feast
of entertainment for the thou-
sands who showed up at
Markham Park in Sunrise on
Sept. 23.
 First time entrants "The
Dental Pli.L a team led by
Jamaican-born South Florida
dentist Dr. Sharon Jefferson
won the "jerk" cook-off and


the coveted
"Dutch Pot" -
trophy, plus a
cash prize.
According to Dr.
Jefferson, who
declined to
reveal her secret
winning recipe,
her team did its *
homework and
was confident of
success.
 "We knew ..
who we were
going up
against," the elat- Variety is the spi
ed winner told ent plates of food
Caribbean
Today. "And even if we didn't
win, we were going to come out
looking good."

DROVES
 The festival, a production
of Riddims Marketing and


_ a-7 I


 Photograph by Dreamy Riley
ce of life. It also helped to spice up the differ-
d at this year's "Jamaican Jerk Festival".
 Jamaica Awareness Inc. and
 presented by Air Jamaica,
 attracted dozens of vendors.
 Droves of adults and children
 lined up throughout the day to
 get their hands and mouths on
 the various jerk treats, includ-


ing jerk chicken, fish, yam,
shrimp, and even ice cream.
 Several local and interna-
tional restaurants and busi-
nesses turned out to compete.
The jerk feast was accompa-
nied by entertainment featur-
ing cultural dancers, folk
singers, poetry readings and a
musical treat by Byron Lee
and the Dragonnaires. Other
activities, which made the
event a success, included domi-
noes, cricket and netball com-
petitions, wine tasting and
games for the children.
 "The overall turnout for
the event was excellent and we
are happy," said "Eddy"
Edwards, chief executive offi-
cer of Riddims Marketing.

CUT SHORT
 However, Edwards
explained that the rains, which
came later in the day, curtailed


the event and prevented one
of the main performers from
going onstage.
 "The park had to be
closed prematurely because
of rain and Alison Hinds, who
was scheduled to perform,
could not," he said.
 Rain or shine, the jerk
pits and grills are expected
to light up again next year
for another festival, said
Edwards. Caribbean patrons are
already looking forward to it.
 "With the upset among
South Florida chefs, I think
I will have to compete next
year," said Dr. Jefferson with
relish. "But the underdogs will
forever be prepared."

Fitzgerald Smith is a freelance
writer for Caribbean Today.
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October 2007


lwww.caribbeantoday.com 11


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