[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 136 (Friday, September 14, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1876-E1877]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            CELEBRATING CULTURAL DIVERSITY IN NEW YORK CITY

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                         HON. CHARLES B. RANGEL

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, September 14, 2007

  Mr. RANGEL. Madam Speaker, I rise today to introduce an article 
entitled ``Promises of More To Come,'' published in the New York CARIB 
News on July 27, 2007. This article highlights the National Association 
of Barbados Organization's (NABO) Annual gathering in Queens, NY where 
200-plus Bajans, people from Barbadian descent, were present.
  The NABO convention in Queens is a prime example of the rich 
diversity of cultures and people in New York City where a multiplicity 
of peoples from all over the world have come to live. It is exciting 
for me to know that events such as the NABO convention take place in 
New York City because I believe that the city benefits from the 
richness of cultures and exchange of ideas. The NABO convention is a 
fine example of this type of cultural exchange.

                    [From CaribNews, July 27, 2007]

                        Promises of More To Come

                             (By Tony Best)

       The spacious hotel overlooking La Guardia Airport may not 
     be in the heart of busy New York City but it is far from a 
     drab, unexciting place to hold a convention.
       The Crowne Plaza's large ballroom, its theater-style 
     meeting room, and the quiet Queens neighborhood may not offer 
     the atmosphere of a City that never sleeps but it offered its 
     own charm that grabbed and held the attention of the 200-plus 
     Bajans who attended the National Association of Barbados 
     Organization's annual gathering.
       The Bajans came from the across the U.S., the Caribbean, 
     Canada and Britain.
       ``It turned out quite well for us,'' said Mike Cummings, 
     Chairman of the NABO, an umbrella organization that brings 
     together more than 20 associations of Barbadians in the U.S. 
     and the Caribbean. ``The convention was one of the largest 
     and among the best we have had so far.''
       Pat Sobers-Fergusson, President of the Barbados-American 
     Organization of Philadelphia, shared Cummings' assessments.
       ``It was my first NABO convention and I enjoyed it,'' she 
     said.
       The convention, which began with an opening reception and a 
     launching of a three-day EXPO, organized by the Barbados 
     Investment and Development Corporation, BIDC, ended with a 
     church service at the hotel.
       And with eyes focused on Barbados where NABO plans to hold 
     its 2008 convention, the meeting with its emphasis on youth 
     may have set the stage for an interesting gathering on ``the 
     rock,'' as Bajans often call their birthplace.
       ``I look forward to welcoming the membership of NABO, 
     together with counterparts from Canada and the United Kingdom 
     when you hold your joint homecoming conference in Barbados in 
     2008,'' said Dame Billie Miller, Barbados' Foreign Minister 
     and Minister of Foreign Trade during a feature address at the 
     awards banquet.
       ``The New York convention may have set the stage, the 
     appropriate tone and atmosphere for what's to follow next 
     year,'' said Jessica Odle, Consul-General in New York.
       The workshops, breakfast sessions, luncheon meeting, the 
     EXPO, a dance in Brooklyn and other events were followed by 
     the highlight of the convention, the awards banquet.
       Dame Billie took the opportunity to bring the Bajans up-to-
     speed on the recent U.S. Caribbean Conference in Washington, 
     which she described as ``an unprecedented event on the 
     landscape of Caribbean-United States relations.''
       The Minister pointed out that the region's leaders, the 
     West Indian Diaspora and the top officials of the Bush 
     Administration, including President George Bush, senior 
     members of Congress, the private sector, ``eminent scholars 
     and entrepreneurs'' came together ``to build out a work 
     program for interaction between the Caribbean community and 
     the Caribbean Diaspora in the United States of America.''
       Focusing on the Convention's theme of ``Rekindling Pride 
     and Industry by mentoring our youth.''
       Dame Billie said that with the 18-35 year olds accounting 
     for about 30 per cent of the region's ``productive labor 
     capacity,'' the youth in and out of the Caribbean and the 
     Diaspora ``must be encouraged to contribute and produce.''
       She cited the work being done by the ``Young Barbadian 
     Professional Society as an example of what could be done, 
     explaining that the ``mission of this Society is to use the 
     intellectual capital of its members to further advance 
     positive transformations in the Barbadian and Caribbean 
     communities.''

[[Page E1877]]

       Five Bajans were honored, some of them in their absence for 
     their work at home and abroad. Rupert ``Rupee'' Clarke, the 
     well-known entertainer was presented with the ``Pride of 
     Barbados Award'' and Jonathan Ethelbert Graham, who has 
     devoted ``a lifetime of service to cricket in Barbados'' was 
     given a special recognition award. Community citations were 
     presented to the Rev. Dr. Hamilton Taitt, a prominent pastor 
     in the Wesleyan Holiness Church in Florida; Martin Ervin 
     Greenidge, a ``role model'' in the California community where 
     he lives and works; and the Rev. Canon Dr. Llewellyn 
     Armstrong, Rector of Calvary/St. Cyprian's Church in 
     Brooklyn.
       ``We all left New York with a feeling of satisfaction,'' 
     said Ed Bushell, Consul-General in Miami who chaired many of 
     the sessions during the convention. ``We all are looking 
     forward to Barbados next year.''

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