Author: Carma Henry

Carma Lynn Henry Westside Gazette Newspaper 545 N.W. 7th Terrace, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33311 Office: (954) 525-1489 Fax: (954) 525-1861

      It does not matter if you are a Republican, a Democrat or an Independent, right is right, and wrong is wrong. There are values and moral principles, which our leaders should use as a measuring stick to live their lives by. Senator Rick Scott and Senator Marco Rubio have failed the test, and they must be sent home packing.

     By contrast, the Constitution of the United States declares clearly, in its Preamble, that a key purpose of the U.S. government is to “promote the general welfare.” Furthermore, promoting the general welfare is the usual reason that people around the world support some sort of governing authority. After all, if a government doesn’t promote the welfare of its people, what good is it?

     While spending on energy since 2009 fell 10% to 15% across every income bracket, Americans’ non-energy spending on housing, vehicles, maintenance and insurance rose the fastest among those who could least afford increases. Real housing expenditures (excluding energy) by the lowest 40% of U.S. households by income increased about 10% between 2009 and 2019 – roughly three times the rate among wealthy households. Over the same period, real household spending on vehicles, insurance and public transit rose 35% among the lowest 20% of households by income, more than twice the rate of wealthier households.

The Embassy of Sierra Leone in Washington D.C. this week hosted U.S Congressman Gregory Meeks, a Democratic Member of the House of Representatives from Queens, New York, who recently became Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee. The invitation for the evening was made by Ambassador Sidique Abou- Bakarr Wai of Sierra Leon, the host. Also invited were Ambassador Seydou Kabore of Burkina Faso, Ambassador Kerfalla Yansene of Guinea, Ambassador Frederic Eden Hegbe of Togo, Ambassador Barfour Adjei Barwuah of Ghana, Ambassador George Patten of Liberia, Ambassador Mahmadou Nimaga of Mali and Ambassador Mathilde Mukantabana of Rwanda. Former NYC Commissioner Patricia Gatling, Rev. Dr. Abdul K. Sesay, Dr. Fouad Sheriff, and Rakie Macarthy, Head of Chancery of the Embassy of Sierra Leone, were among the other dignitaries present.

     Women are making history everyday, but we designate March as the main month for celebrating. In music, women normally almost always dominate, especially at the Grammy Awards. Although we normally would anticipate music’s biggest night in February, the event got postponed due to COVID-19. This year’s awards ceremony saw three big historic wins for females and several first time veterans that became first time Grammy Winners. Stars like Beyonce, Meg Tha Stallion, and Tiffany Haddish were some of the more memorable wins of the night.