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Healthy living this festive season and beyond

Nationnews Desk
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Healthy living this festive season and beyond

The holidays are coming – and so are the Christmas parties, the second helpings and “nuff” food and drinks.

The holidays in the Caribbean are a time of joy, family, and food – plenty of it. But while the ham, black cake, golden apple juice and sorrel are calling your name, remember: the best gift you can give yourself is feeling good in your body.

Let’s talk about how to enjoy the season without needing a New Year’s rescue plan. But don’t worry, you can still enjoy the season without inviting those extra pounds to the party. Want to know the secret? (Even if you’re just asking for a friend!) A little balance, a dash of planning, and a whole lot of joyful movement.

Mindful eating and portion control

Slow down, bossman. Take your time, man: your belly isn’t in a race (LOL). It takes about 20 minutes to say, “I full”. So slow down, chew well, and enjoy every bite like it’s your granny’s famous stew. Let your fork take a breather between bites.

Slow eating allows the body to digest food properly, and prevent fullness and bloating. On the other hand, fast eating confuses the gut, leads to overeating, acid reflux, and the uncomfortable feeling of being too full.

• Lead with the good stuff. Start with veggies and lean proteins – like turkey breast or a salad with beets and spinach. They fill you up and leave less room for the sugar parade.

Consuming more fruit and vegetables at the expense of ultra-processed foods also makes a difference.

• Smaller plates, bigger wins. You don’t have to eat like you were born hungry. Trick your eyes and your appetite by using a smaller plate. It’s portion control without the drama.

• Pre-party snack attack. Heading to a lime? Don’t go hungry. Have a light snack: a small yogurt or an apple can save you from turning into a buffet bandit. Skipping meals to “save space” is a trap.

• Pick your pleasures. You don’t need to sample every dessert on the table. Choose your favourite, enjoy it guilt-free, and skip the rest. Your taste buds will thank you. Eating “nuff” great cake isn’t great, (nor is fighting in the cashier check-out lines to snatch great cake from someone else’s trolley).

Smart swaps and hydration

Your body deserves better than a sugar tsunami.

• Beware the liquid sugar bombs: sorrel, ginger beer, punch de crème – they’re festive, yes, but also sneaky calorie ninjas. Enjoy in moderation.

•Water is your holiday MVP. Sip throughout the day and between drinks. Sometimes thirst shows up dressed as hunger. “Hydration isn’t just a drop in the bucket – it’s the whole ocean of good health.”

• Mix and match: bake instead of fry. Choose brown rice over white.

Use whole grain bread for stuffing.

And bring in the Caribbean stars – breadfruit, okra, and sweet potato.

They’re tasty and good for you. Whole grain bread for stuffing? Yes, please.

And don’t forget the seasonal stars – cranberries, squash and dark leafy greens.

Lifestyle adjustments

Move more, stress less, and laugh often.

• Don’t wait for January. New Year’s resolutions are like fireworks – bright, loud, and often gone by the second week. Start now. A walk after dinner, a dance in the kitchen or a game of cricket with the kids all count.

• Make memories, not just meals.

The holidays are about connection, not just consumption. Focus on laughter, stories, and quality time.

• Plan like a pro. Write your grocery list before you hit the shops. Bring a healthy dish to the Christmas lunch. Be the one who shows that healthy can still taste like home.

• Be the healthy hero. Show up with a colourful salad or roasted veggie platter. You’ll inspire others – and guarantee something wholesome on your plate.

• Stay active. Incorporate physical activity into your holiday routine. Do not plan to start exercising as part of your New Year’s resolution, which for the last two decades rarely made it into the second week of the New Year.

Whether it’s a post-dinner family walk or playing a game at the park, staying active can help balance out indulgent meals.

Regular physical activity helps balance out indulgent meals.

Incorporate family walks, dancing, or a morning workout into your holiday routine. You don’t have to train like a beast. Aim for 30 to 60 minutes of physical activity each day to help you feel healthier during the holiday season. A brisk walk after a holiday dinner is a great idea. Be an example and get the kids involved in exercise.

“Trying to out-sweat a bad diet is like trying to mop up a flood with a sponge the size of a postage stamp.”

Scientists have found that a brisk 15-minute walk, to getting regular sleep – doing these things in your 30s could help you stay fit well into your 70s and beyond.

If you saw granny end up in hospital with heart problems or grandpa fall down and break (fracture) his hip when they got old and fragile, and you don’t want to end up there when you are in your 70s or 80s, plan from your 30s to avoid this predicament. So plan when you’re young to have a long and healthy life, well into your 80s and 90s.

Based on what we now know, most people could expect to live to 90 or even 95 in good health if they were to optimise their lifestyles. It’s never too late to improve your health at any age through making positive lifestyle adjustments, whether that’s exercising more, eating better or cutting back on alcohol, you will likely fare best if you start sooner.

• Focus on friends and family, not food. Shift the focus from the buffet table to conversations and quality time with loved ones. The holidays are about connection, not just eating.

• Laugh a lot. Laughter is a good “stress breaker”, and it is reputed to be the best medicine. What does the Christmas tree say to the light bulbs when it’s sad? Lighten up. Why are turkeys wiser than chickens?

Ever heard of Kentucky fried turkey?

What’s the difference between a snowman and snow woman? Snow balls, of course.

Santa, in case you’re reading this, I’ve been a good boy all year.

[Or at least that’s my story and I’m sticking with it.] One wish is for the Caribbean to remain a zone of peace, and that we seriously move in a direction to build resilience against the pandemics of the noncommunicable diseases and the climate change. This may at least preserve, if not improve, the health of Caribbean peoples.

This festive season, spare a thought for our medical colleagues, many of whom work year-round in circumstances of limited resources, both of human and other materials.

They battle, among others, the noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), diseases like obesity, diabetes, hypertension and many cancers.

These diseases are related, to a significant extent, to inappropriate eating and exercise habits. Plan your lifestyle. Do not add to their heavy overloads of the medical persons by yourself performing inappropriate eating and exercise habits.

Plan to feel good and stay healthy.

People who maintain healthier lifestyles from mid-life have lower risks of NCDs, cognitive decline and frailty – even decades later. That said, enjoy a merry Christmas and hope for a happy New Year.

Dr Colin V. Alert is a family physician.

This article was submitted was a letter to the editor.

Picking peas runs in Archer family

Sherrylyn Clarke
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Picking peas runs in Archer family

The tradition of picking, shelling and selling peas is very much alive among one extended family in Christ Church.

Movita Archer, 88, and her sister Eutavine Griffith, 80, both learnt the art at their mother’s feet and have passed it on their children, grandchildren and even the great grands.

The DAILY NATION caught up with Movita’s granddaughter Allison Archer in the pea ground at Yorkshire plantation, Christ Church, yesterday morning.

“We go out to various pea grounds yearly and we pick peas and it is a variety of pea grounds. There’s always a crowd, a large crowd, a large gathering I should say, and we do this as a traditional thing where we sell our peas. We pick them, we shell them, and so we shall sell them,” Allison said.

She was working alongside two of her cousins, Jennifer and Sophia. Jennifer picked 37 pounds and Allison, 38. There is a still a way to go for the family this season, with trips planned to Halton Plantation in St Philip and Featherbed Lane in St John.

45 pints

“It’s been a pleasure picking peas with my cousins because it is fun. We don’t realise that you’re out there picking peas in the sun. We talk, we laugh, it’s exercise, the brain juggles, so you don’t feel anything.”

Allison was also filling an order for 45 pints. She went into the ground because she was a few pints short, but aimed to satisfy all of her customers, including Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley.

The DAILY NATION team later caught up with Allison at home in Kendal Hill. Her grandmother Movita was in the veranda with a big bowl of peas, happily shelling a batch she said would take her about two days.

“My mom used to work on the plantation. She’d just bring the peas, put them there, I shelled them, and bagged them for her to sell. So I raise with that in me all the time. I love this job. Don’t mind the fingers hurt, but I love the job,” she said.

She was helping Allison fill the big order and noted how the price increased over time. Peas are retailing at $15 a pint this year, $2 more than last year.

Like her mother before her, Movita raised ten children, virtually on her own since their father died young, but she said it “wasn’t as rough as now” because food was easier to get.

In nearby Silver Hill, her sister Eutavine was steadily going through an equally big batch of peas, assisted by her daughter Jennifer and great grandchildren Tequori Callender, 6, and Jazayla Archer, 12.

“I have a lady that wants 10 pints,” she said as her hands stayed busy. “She might want 10 pints now and then she’ll send and say she wants more because she will send some overseas.” Eutavine said she used to go to the grounds to pick peas, but deferred to the younger ones now due to failing eyesight.

(SAT)

Roomba vacuum cleaner firm files for bankruptcy

Nationnews Desk
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Roomba vacuum cleaner firm files for bankruptcy

The US firm behind the Roomba smart vacuum cleaner, iRobot, has filed for bankruptcy protection after facing competition from Chinese rivals and being hit by tariffs.

Under the so-called pre-packaged Chapter 11 process, the main manufacturer of its devices, Shenzhen-based Picea Robotics, will take ownership of the firm.

The tough commercial landscape had forced iRobot to cut its prices and make major investments in new technology, according to documents filed on Sunday.

US import duties of 46% on goods from Vietnam, where most of iRobot’s devices for the American market are made, increased its costs by $23m (£17.2m) this year, the firm said.

The loss-making company was valued at $3.56bn in 2021 after the pandemic helped to drive strong demand for its products. It is now valued at around $140m.

On Friday, iRobot’s shares fell by more than 13% on the technology-heavy Nasdaq trading platform in New York.

iRobot said the bankruptcy filing was not expected to disrupt its app, supply chains or product support.

Founded in 1990 by three members of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s (MIT) Artificial Intelligence Lab, iRobot initially focused on defence and space technology before launching the Roomba in 2002.

The Roomba holds about 42% of the US market share and 65% of the Japanese market share for robotic vacuum cleaners, according to the company.

Last year, a planned $1.7bn takeover deal by online retail giant Amazon was derailed by the European Union’s competition watchdog.

Trade tariffs imposed by US Donald Trump on goods entering America from overseas has added to costs to many businesses, including iRobot, which rely on imports for product manufacturing.

Trump has argued that the import taxes will boost American jobs and industry.

Picea is a manufacturer of robotic vacuum cleaners, with research and development and production facilities in China and Vietnam.

It has more than 7,000 employees worldwide and has sold more than 20 million robotic vacuum cleaners. (BBC News)

Business owners urged to be on the alert

Nationnews Desk
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Business owners urged to be on the alert

Be alert and take proactive measures against commercial burglaries!

That’s the message this holiday season to all business owners from crime prevention officer with the Barbados Police Service, Inspector Roger Babb.

He urged business owners to put in place effective security practices to protect themselves, their staff and assets. He added that the Police Service remained “committed to working with the business community to ensure a safe and secure environment for all”.

With regard to cash-handling practices, the crime prevention officer said businesses should vary their routines to avoid predictability and minimise the amount of money readily available.

He stressed that employees should not leave money unattended in the cash register and they should leave the cash tray open at the end of the work day.

Inspector Babb shared several security tips for businesses, including:

• Invest in security systems: Install alarm systems and CCTV cameras to deter criminals and provide valuable footage during investigations.

• Maintain visibility: Ensure all entrances are well lit, especially at night.

• Beware of strangers: Avoid opening doors to unfamiliar individuals outside of regular business hours.

• Report suspicious activity: If someone is loitering on your property, obtain a description and immediately contact the Barbados Police Service at 211.

• Secure your premises: Lock all rear and side doors during closing hours.

• Cashier awareness: Encourage cashiers to observe customers carefully for future identification purposes.

(BGIS)

Fontaine re-elected leader of main opposition party in Dominica

Nationnews Desk
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Fontaine re-elected leader of main opposition party in Dominica

Economist Dr. Thomson Fontaine has been narrowly re-elected leader of the main opposition United Workers Party (UWP), warning supporters it is important to end the divisiveness that could prevent the party taking control of the government in the near future.

Fontaine on Sunday polled 83 votes to the 75  received by newcomer, Pastor Randy Rodney, who had indicated that his decision to seek the top post of the opposition party was not taken lightly.

“It is one taken out of a burden, a burden to see justice strengthen, opportunities expanded and unity restored,” he said.

The pastor at the Truth and Grace Fellowship Global Church later declined nomination for the position of deputy leader.

In his address, Fontaine, a former employee of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), told supporters that infighting within the party targeting him needed to come to an end.

“We are all in this together, Let us combine our efforts.  Stop seeing faults, or  the many faults in your leader and let us stand together. Let us resolve our differences and let us do it together.

“It is not acceptable that you sit on the sidelines, hoping that I fail as a leader, that’s  not  acceptable. If one of us fails, all of us fail and let me be the first to tell you that I am not in this to fail. We are in this together to win the next general election,”  Fontaine said.

The UWP  had formed the government here from 1995 to 2000 under Edison James, but lost out to the Dominica Labour Party (DLP) under Rosie Douglas who served from February 2000 until his death on October 1, 2000 and Pierre Charles, who succeeded him, serving from October 3, 2000, until his death on January 6, 2004.

The arty is now led by Prime Ministers Roosevelt Skerrit, who has been in office office since 2004.

Fontaine told supporters at the UWP event on Sunday that contesting the leadership of  the party “is not child play…where you get vex and take your ball and go home”  when you get vex.

“There is too heavy a price to pay if we fail.  We are talking about the future of this country, for goodness sake,”  Fontaine said, urging supporters to be patient as he implements strategies aimed at putting the party back in the corridors of power.

“So I am doing some things differently…in 2025, we are not in 1998. So I understand some of what I am doing may be different because we are not used to it…but…just be patient, be patient give it a chance, what is the rush.

“Give it a chance, don’t’  say it will not work, give it a chance. You know I wonder sometimes what exactly are we afraid of. The fact of the matter is and I challenge anyone to contradict me on this, we are gaining converts across this country.

“Persons who previously dismiss our party are willing to give us a second chance. They are drawn to our message of shared prosperity and how  a United Workers Party government under my leadership will transform this country,”  he added.

Prior to the elections for a new leadership, former UWP president  Lennox Linton said the party remains confident that its annual leadership elections represent not a triviality, but a pillar of internal democracy “intended to keep us united, focused, and responsive to the people we serve”.

Linton issued a statement in response to a recent statement by Fontaine, in which he described the constitutionally mandated annual leadership elections as a “wash-your-foot-and-come” affair

Fontaine said he had concerns with the situation “because anybody come off the streets, wash their feet and challenge me for the leader.

“Are you really helping the party to have persons just come off the street every year and challenge for the leadership of the party. That’s what we have,” he added.

But in a statement, Linton, a former opposition leader, said that the National Executive Committee of the UWP had discussed the matter and that Fontaine has agreed to the release of the statement “because he wants us to “let the country decide”. (CMC)

Humphrey defends Growth Fund

Colville Mounsey
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Humphrey defends Growth Fund

Minister of People Empowerment and Elder Affairs Kirk Humphrey says the Economic Diversification And Growth Fund Bill is a measured, transparent and accountable response to Barbados’ economic realities and long-term social needs.

In a press release titled Understanding The Economic Diversification And Growth Fund, he acknowledged that debate over the Bill had been “strong and, in many cases, emotional”, but said such reactions were understandable when public funds, employment and the country’s economic future were at stake.

“What the country deserves in return is a calm and factual explanation,” he said.

Humphrey pointed out that Barbados, as a small open economy, does not print foreign currency and therefore relies heavily on foreign exchange earnings to pay for essential imports such as food, fuel and medicine, while maintaining economic stability.

He noted that changes in international rules governing tax incentives had narrowed Government’s traditional policy options, requiring a shift towards “disciplined, transparent and rules-based approaches that deliver real outcomes”.

Within that context, the minister said the Economic Diversification and Growth Fund was designed to link public support to measurable performance. Companies seeking assistance must commit to creating significant employment for Barbadians, earning foreign exchange, remaining tax compliant and establishing a long-term presence in the country, he outlined.

“These are firm expectations,” he said, adding that funds could be withheld or recovered where commitments were not met, and that oversight mechanisms, including monitoring and annual audits by the Auditor General, were built into the framework.

He said support under the fund was limited to companies that create at least 100 jobs for Barbadians and maintain those jobs for a minimum of seven years.

The proposed fund will be capped at $225 million over three years, with annual allocations of $75 million. Humphrey said this represented roughly half of one per cent of Barbados’ gross domestic product per year.

“That scale is targeted, time-bound and manageable for a Government that has demonstrated steady and credible economic management over the past seven years,” he said.

Responding to concerns about the use of public funds, he stressed that the resources involved belonged to the people of Barbados and therefore had to be applied carefully in ways that strengthened the economy and expanded opportunity over time.

He argued that when employment grows and foreign exchange earnings increase, benefits extend beyond individual companies to households and the State. Increased revenue, he said, reduces pressure on social programmes and improves the country’s capacity to fund health care, education and targeted social support.

Humphrey cautioned of the consequences of inaction, noting that weak job creation and foreign exchange earnings in a small economy place strain on families first, before increasing demands on public finances. Using public funds to strengthen the economic base, he said, helped reduce that strain and provided greater longterm stability.

Challenging the notion that social policy should focus only on responding after problems arise, the minister said effective social development required creating economic space first, which could then be used to build skills, opportunity and dignity, particularly for the most vulnerable.

Addressing claims that the fund prioritised companies over people, Humphrey said people benefited most when jobs were created and the economy remained stable, since wages, public services and social programmes depend on a strong revenue base.

He also rejected suggestions that the policy sidelined local businesses, pointing out that many Barbadian firms were oriented towards the domestic market and already benefited from lower corporate tax rates, domestic financing and sector-specific support. Engagement with local businesses, he said, would continue, while the fund addressed a different need: large-scale employment and foreign exchange generation.

Humphrey dismissed concerns that the Bill vested excessive power in a minister, saying decisions would be informed by a multi-agency committee and guided by senior public officials. The advisory committee includes the Director of Finance and Economic Affairs, the Governor of the Central Bank, and the chief executive officers of Invest Barbados and Export Barbados.

“The minister acts on advice and within authority granted by Parliament, as is standard in public finance,” he said, emphasising that the structure prioritised review and accountability.

(CLM)

Hollywood director Rob Reiner and wife Michele found dead in LA home

Nationnews Desk
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Hollywood director Rob Reiner and wife Michele found dead in LA home

Legendary Hollywood film-maker and actor Rob Reiner and his wife Michele have been found dead in their Los Angeles home.

Authorities are investigating the incident as an apparent homicide after police and firefighters were called to the couple’s house on Sunday afternoon in an upmarket neighbourhood of LA.

Reiner is known for directing classic films in a variety of genres, including When Harry Met Sally, This is Spinal Tap, Stand By Me, Misery and A Few Good Men.

A family spokesperson confirmed the couple’s death in a statement to US media. Tributes have arrived from major Hollywood figures as well as prominent Democratic politicians including Barack Obama and Nancy Pelosi.

“It is with profound sorrow that we announce the tragic passing of Michele and Rob Reiner,” the family statement said. “We are heartbroken by this sudden loss, and we ask for privacy during this unbelievably difficult time.”

Police said a 78-year-old man and 68-year-old woman were pronounced dead at the home, but officers did not immediately identify the couple or the circumstances surrounding their deaths.

Police also said no-one had been arrested, but that no suspect or person of interest was currently being sought.

A spokesperson for the Los Angeles Fire Department told the BBC they received a call at about 15:38 local time (23:38 GMT) for medical aid to a home in Brentwood, a neighbourhood that is home to many celebrities.

Robbery homicide detectives from the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) also responded to the home and have opened a homicide investigation.

In a news conference on Sunday night, the LAPD did not offer any details about the deaths or what they found when they responded.

Deputy Chief Alan Hamilton said both bodies were still inside the house, more than six hours after police and firefighters had been called.

Sunday night’s police press conference also did not yield any details about any injuries the pair sustained, nor if any weapon was found or used. Hamilton said a cause of death would be determined by the LA coroner’s office.

Reiner, the son of comedy great Carl Reiner, started his career in the 1960s and made it big playing Meathead in groundbreaking TV sitcom All in The Family in the 1970s.

The programme was a US remake of British comedy Till Death Us Do Part, and scored him two Emmy Awards.

Reiner achieved futher success with cult mockumentary This Is Spinal Tap in 1984, which he directed as well as playing on-screen director Marty DiBergi.

That began a run of classic Hollywood movies directed by Reiner, including Stand By Me (1986), The Princess Bride (1987), When Harry Met Sally (1989), Misery (1990) and A Few Good Men (1992), the latter of which scored him an Academy Award nomination for best picture.

He reunited with Spinal Tap for long-awaited sequel Spinal Tap II: The End Continues, which was released in September.

As an actor, he also appeared in The Wolf of Wall Street, Postcards from the Edge and Bullets Over Broadway, as well as TV shows including New Girl and The Bear. (BBC News)

Man charged with robbery and criminal deception

Nationnews Desk
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Man charged with robbery and criminal deception

A 22-year-old St Michael man has been charged in connection with two robberies and a related offence of criminal deception involving property valued at nearly $87 000.

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‘Person of interest’ detained over Brown University shooting, police say

Nationnews Desk
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‘Person of interest’ detained over Brown University shooting, police say

A person of interest has been detained in connection with a shooting at Brown University in the US which left two people dead, police said.

Nine others were injured after a gunman opened fire at the university in Providence, Rhode Island, on Saturday.

Police said the detained suspect was in his 20s, but have not named him.

Providence Mayor Brett Smiley said seven people who were injured in the incident remained in a stable condition, one of them is in critical condition, and another was discharged.

The gunman opened fire in a classroom at around 16:00 local time (21:00 GMT) on Saturday at the Holley engineering building at the eastern end of Brown’s campus, according to officials.

The identities of those killed or injured have not yet been released, but Brown University President Christina Paxson told reporters on Saturday that all the victims, including those killed and wounded, were students.

In a statement released by the university on Sunday, Paxson said some areas of campus were still restricted as police continued their investigations.

Around 2,000 students were relocated to safe locations overnight, she said, adding that she was “deeply moved” by students and locals who opened up their homes.

Paxson said the families of the two students killed were being supported.

“There are not enough words of comfort for families who lose a child, but we will do all we can,” she added.

In a news conference on Sunday, Smiley said an earlier order for residents to shelter had now been lifted.

The mayor said he had met with victims and their families in the hospital and was “overwhelmed” by their “courage, hope, and gratitude”.

A vigil will be held on Sunday evening for the community.

Police had earlier released CCTV footage of a male suspect walking away from the scene wearing all black clothing. Officers said a firearm was not found in a sweep of the building.

In a post on X, FBI director Kash Patel said the suspect was detained at a hotel in Coventry, in the early hours of Sunday morning based on a lead from Providence Police.

Providence Police Chief Oscar Perez confirmed on Sunday that officers were not looking for anyone else and were working with prosecutors to collect evidence.

Hundreds of police officers and federal agents were sent to Providence on Saturday to find the suspect.

Speaking at the White House, President Trump said he hoped the nine injured students “get well fast” and paid respects to the families of the two people who died.

The attack on the Ivy League university brings the number of mass shootings to 389 in the US for this year, according to the Gun Violence Archive.

It defines mass shootings as having four or more victims killed or injured, not including the attacker. (BBC News)

From soca roots to global rhythm

Nationnews Desk
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From soca roots to global rhythm

By the time Kees Dieffenthaller, better known simply as Kes, and his bandmates step onto the stage of Frederick P. Rose Hall this January, it won’t just be another concert. It’ll be a full-circle moment two decades in the making.

“Caribbean music has always been a voice of resilience, rhythm and unity and stages like Jazz at Lincoln Center give us the chance to share that unique voice with the world,” Kes said.

“Headlining Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Unity Jazz Festival is a dream come true for us. We feel so aligned in a bigger purpose.”

Set for January 8-9, the Unity Jazz Festival celebrates global connection and cross-cultural storytelling, anchored this year by the theme Mother Africa – a salute to the African roots of jazz and the diaspora rhythms that continue to shape it.

For KestheBand, celebrating their 20th anniversary on one of the world’s most iconic stages feels almost poetic.

“Headlining the Unity Jazz Festival feels like the perfect way to enter this chapter of our 21st year as musicians,” Kes said. “Jazz at Lincoln Center is a place where legacy and innovation stand side by side and that’s exactly the space where our band has always lived in. This opportunity to bring Caribbean soul, soca and calypso to one of the world’s most iconic jazz stages . . . it’s a dream that took over two decades to build. Now more than ever, we feel aligned with something bigger: a movement to show how Caribbean music continues to shape global sound.”

That sense of purpose runs deep in Kes’ reflections on the festival’s Mother Africa theme.

“Africa is in everything we as Caribbean people do, whether we consciously think about it or not. You hear it in the rhythm patterns, the percussion, the call-andresponse lyrics, the spiritual grounding of the music. Soca and calypso bridge the history, joy, resistance, community and creativity of the African diaspora.

“So when we take that Caribbean sound to a jazz stage under the theme of Mother Africa, it feels like coming full circle. It reconnects the roots with the branches.”

Stripped-down show The band’s Unity Jazz Festival performance will also mark a first: KestheBand’s debut stripped down show.

“This will be the most intimate version of KestheBand that fans will experience to date,” Kes told Weekend Buzz. “With everything stripped down, the melodies, the lyrics and the emotional core of the songs come forward in a new way. You’ll hear the Caribbean heartbeat in fluid conversation with jazz, giving the music space to breathe, to improvise, to let the groove stretch and reshape itself.”

Joining Kes onstage will be long-time collaborator and acclaimed Trinidadian trumpeter Etienne Charles, whose Afro-Caribbean jazz sound will infuse the performance with new energy.

“Etienne is family,” Kes said. “We’ve been creating and exploring together for almost a decade, and his musicianship carries the full weight of Afro-Caribbean wisdom, jazz mastery and Caribbean storytelling that I really appreciate as a music lover. Working with him on this Unity Jazz Festival set elevates the conversation we’ve been having for years about

identity, diaspora, culture and the brilliance of Caribbean musicianship.” With new singles such as Rum And Coca Cola and Carnival Friend slated for release in early 2026, Kes sees this performance as both a reflection and a rebirth. “It’s perfect timing. Revisiting and re-imagining our catalogue in such an intimate setting reminds us where we came from, while new music shows where we’re going next. This stage . . . this festival . . . feels like a bridge between those worlds. It honours 20 years of growth while opening the door to a future filled with new collaborations, new stories and new sounds.”

Bigger than the beat

When the lights dim and the first notes fill the House of Swing, Kes hopes the audience feels something much bigger than the beat.

“I hope the experience inspires people to leave with a deeper appreciation for how connected we all are. Caribbean music is built on unity: cultures blending, histories meeting, energies crossing borders. I hope the audience walks out feeling more connected to the music, to themselves and to each other. If people leave the House of Swing feeling that our story is part of their story too, then we’ve done what we came to do.”

As for his hopes for the year ahead? Kes keeps it grounded.

“For myself, I’m wishing for clarity and courage. To keep growing as an artiste, a storyteller, a dad, and a human being. For KestheBand, my wish is a guided purpose: that we stay aligned with the mission of uplifting our culture in the sacredness of our brotherhood, representing the Caribbean proudly everywhere we go, and connecting people around the world through music.” For more than three decades, Jazz at Lincoln Center has been a pillar of artistic expression, uniting musicians, fans, students and educators across cultures and perspectives. Unity Jazz Festival invites audiences to experience a carefully curated programme that fosters creative exchange and celebrates the dynamic future of jazz.

Unity Jazz Festival showcases an exciting line-up of more than 20 acclaimed acts and emerging artistes across five stages. In addition to entertainment celebrating the legacy of the legendary Eddie Palmieri, there will be a first-time Jazz at Lincoln Center performance by DJ Logic and sets featuring Tomeka Reid, Veronica Swift, Erena Terakubo, Gabriel Chakarji, Rajna Swaminathan.

Unity Festival proudly presents the first Jazz Legacies Fellowship Honours All-Star Concert, spotlighting over 17 masters of the music: Valerie Capers, Amina Claudine Myers, George Coleman, Akua Dixon, Tom Harrell, Billy Hart, Bertha Hope, Roger Humphries, Carmen Lundy, Roscoe Mitchell, Johnny O’Neal, Shannon Powell, Julian Priester, Herlin Riley, Michele Rosewoman, Dom Slavador and Reggie Workman. (NS)

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