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Born in Anguilla, singer songwriter, Omari Banks is on a musical mission to spread messages of love and consciousness with his assimilation of traditional Jamaican Reggae music accentuated with Rock and Blues backbeats, in an adult contemporary fusion that he blends seamlessly with Lovers Rock and R ‘n’ B Since his unexpected retirement in 2012 from a successful, professional cricket career, Omarihas dedi-cated himself to his music and is now ready to unleash his first message to the world with his debut album, Move On. The 10-track album recorded in Jamaica, Houston, Texas and at home in Anguilla, is a melange of Om-ari’smusical influences and what he likes to call his “contribution to a legacy his dad (Bankie Banx) started in the early 70s.” Omari was only five years old the first time he performed on stage with his father at a concert in Italy. Thus, in many ways he has come full circle and is now able to forge ahead on his musi-cal journey. He currently performs four to six times a week around his native land with his band, Eleven, or in simpler acoustic sets. Like most of the album, Omari wrote both the lyrics and the music on the title track, which was produced by Stanley Stevens. Renowned musicians Junior Jazz, Glen Bowne, Robbie Lyn and Sly Dunbar accompany Omari on this autobiographical song about his transi-tion from cricket to music. Locally, the soft release of the single, Move On, gar-nered airplay on all of Anguilla’s radio stations in-cluding 92.9 Klass FM, 95.5 FM Radio Anguilla, 97.7 FM Up Beat Radio and 103.3 Kool FM. On February 22, 2013, Omari Banks returns to the Caribbean’s largest privately owned music festival, Moon Splash to perform songs from his debut album. Omari Banks is a man with a message and the desire to succeed; his brilliant cricket career is a testament to Omari’s drive and determination, but his musical journey has only just begun. “I want to take my music to an international market because I have an opinion based on knowledge and information. I want to use the gifts I’ve been blessed with to have a positive influence on people. Being someone who has already travelled the world with sports, I’m able to have a broader perspective than a lot of other people. I can communicate to all levels of thinking from a child to an adult and my music is ageless and really touches lives because the stories are true and talk about what’s really going on.” Such tracks include Still The Youth, Oh Africa and Jehovah’s Message. His music is food for the soul. His narrative ballads tell stories about society and relationships that convey lessons learned while others, filled with inspiration and hope, support his musical recipe where love is always the key ingredient. “It’s message music and I speak through the song” explains Omari, “once I’ve decided on the concept (something I’m passionate about), I go within myself to paint the best picture about what I’m really feel-ing…the music also has to fit the concept of the song. The chords need to convey the right attitude to evoke the right meaning. I’m very honest, very genuine and very personal, and I think that’s what people connect to because I say things that people are afraid to say. I’m not afraid to say how I’m truly feeling and I put my emotions out there.” Although he dabbles with bass occasionally, Omari’s instrument of choice is the guitar and unlike his con-temporaries, Omari plays, sings, and writes his own songs. He also writes, arranges and produces the mu-sic that is filled with rich horns, snare drums, heavy bass and electric guitar chords and melodies, that bring Omari’s words to life, setting Omari Banks apart from most contemporary Reggae artists. In his own words.......... “I want to take my music to an international market because I have an opinion based on knowledge and information.”

An infidelity is a betrayal, a loss of trust of a love one in a relationship. It is lying or been disloyalty to your partner or lover. Infidelity may be sexual or emotional in nature and typically involves a third person. Infidelity does not necessarily involve physical separation, but can be characterized by emotional detachment as well. Emotional detachment can happen when you lose your partner’s trust or if you lie to your partner or tell them half-truths. Betraying your partner may inflict a deep pain that is difficult to repair and sometimes causes irrevocable damage to the relationship that hastens its end. There are many things that can occur in the wake of an infidelity. If you are married, an infidelity could lead to divorce. If you are in a committed relationship, it could lead to a break up. SO WHAT HAPPENS AFTER INFIDELITY OCCURS IN YOUR RELATIONSHIP? There are distinct stages a relationship goes through in the wake of an infidelity. 1. ROLLER COASTER STAGE. This is the stage where strong emotions arise emotions such as anger and self-blame followed by a period of introspection and appreciation of the relationship. Just like it says, your emotions go for a roller coaster ride, up and down, round and round and it’s a bit hard to figure out exactly where or who you are. 2. MORATORIUM STAGE. This stage is a less emotional stage, at least for the person who was cheated upon. In this stage, the person affected tries to make sense of the betrayal. They may ask for more detail about the affair or retreat into themselves or quietly seek help from others regarding the issue. 3. TRUST BUILDING STAGE. This stage takes place when the couple has decided to stay together. During this stage, the couple really tries to make their marriage work. They decide that a continued commitment to their relationship is important and with time, eventually forgiveness and trust can be achieved. After an infidelity occurs, you may still find yourself often doubting your partner. Don’t lose heart, there is hope. People sometimes do learn from their mistake and can change for the better. Here are some signs that may indicate if a person is still worthy of your love. Expresses sincere remorse and regret for cheating on you Heartfelt apologies feel true when you hear them Accepts total blame for his or her betrayal Cuts off all contact with the third party Shows a renewed appreciation, admiration, respect and devotion to only you Displays a willingness and openness to talk about what happened Is willing and eager to go into marriage counseling with you If both of you are willing to participate in a deep, open, and honest conversation regarding your relationship and how you would like it to progress, there is a good chance you will be able to work through your issues. If, on the other hand, your partner is not open to discussing these things with you and not demonstrating any of the possible reconcilement signs listed above, it may be time to cut your losses and get out. Additional signs that it might be time to end the relationship are: your partner seems to be more agitated than usual and seems to emotionally and physically withdraw from you. They may go out alone more often and may be making clandestine phone calls or working late hours. You might even receive anonymous phone calls at the house. If several of these things are occurring, then most probably your partner is cheating on you. If you can find concrete evidence of this infidelity, then it’s probably a good idea to break up. A relationship that is based on lies, lacks trust and lack of commitment is doomed to fail. After an infidelity occurs, be aware of any signs that may indicate your partner's willingness to stay and work it out or clear intention to follow along the path of continued betrayal. Just be careful and pay attention. Make the best decision for you.

At the Annual Independence State Banquet in Antigua and Barbuda, actress Anna Maria Horsford was appointed the country’s tourism ambassador. The award-winning actress and producer took a few days off from filming“Reed Between the Lines”, her latest sitcom project to travel to the destination to accept the prestigious appointment. Horsford was conferred with the appointment by Tourism Minister John Maginley, who also recognised the actress for her successful 40-year career. Horsford thanked the government and people of Antigua and Barbuda for the warm welcome and the recognition and support that she has received over the years. She expressed pride for her Antiguan heritage and described being raised in Harlem by an Antiguan father, entrepreneur Victor Horsford, helped to shape her values and passion. “My father was not a man of many words, but he was firm in setting high standards for his children. He worked extremely hard to provide for his family and was very supportive of other Antiguans who immigrated to New York. He was strict and focused, and I strive to bring this same work ethic to my career. I am here to say that I survived having an Antiguan father,” the new ambassador noted. Horsford, who is best known for her roles as Thelma Frye on the sitcom “Amen”, and security guard Dee on The “Wayans Bros”, became the fifth tourism ambassador to be appointed. The ambassadorship created by the Tourism Ministry to highlight how the “One Family” vision can bring all citizens together to support tourism promotions. Horsford was warmly greeted by attendees at the Independence Banquet. Though most were familiar with her work, many were surprised to hear about her Antiguan roots. The new ambassador is already in discussions with tourism officials about how she can present the destination’s attractions and diverse offerings during her public appearances. She also wants to contribute to the development of the local film industry and is passionate about youth development and empowerment. Horsford was a special guest at Guyana Fashion Weekend 2008 and spokesperson for GFW 2009.

Barbadian beauty Marsha Thompson is the newly crownedMiss Caribbean Gemz. Marsha spoke to us about her journey to winning the crown, her projects and among other interesting issues. What was your reason behind taking part in Ms. Caribbean Gemz Beauty Pageant? Did anyone inspire you or you always wanted to enter? I wanted to participate in the Caribbean Gemz beauty pageant because the mission of the CG organization is to enlighten, educate & uplift the Caribbean people through different events and informative literature. Caribbean Gemz is a new system and intends to give back to the West Indian community by donating to various charities in need. Their mission is in line with the goals that I have set for myself as a Caribbean American woman. I was inspired to submit my story to be considered by Alton Aimable of Tropicalfete.com he has been a strong supporter and friend since the day we have met. Was your family supportive of your decision to participate in the Ms. Caribbean Gemz contest? My family was definitely supportive if my decision to participate in the Miss Caribbean Gemz contest. Although my mom, Ordean Babb emigrated to New York City when I was really young, she made sure that my siblings and I had a strong sense of our Bajan culture. So while we were very far she kept home (Barbados) close in her food, morals, ethics and faith. My sister Joyann Reid has been a driving force and motivation behind why I pursued competing in beauty pageants as well. What was the feeling when your name was announced as the winner, how did you react? Ok, I hear goes... I felt happy, excited, surprised, grateful, humbled, beautiful, thankful, loved, overjoyed, blessed! I think I felt every positive emotion possible in that moment. I definitely shed a few tears! What does winning the competition means to you? Winning this competition means a win for Barbados! It also means that although there were times that I have felt misplaced in the America as a Caribbean woman of color and have doubted my beauty, intelligence and self in the past that I am living proof that your story and your culture is all in God's Plan and you can win in the skin you are in! What do you think made you stood out from the other contestants? All of the contestants did an amazing job and we definitely all made it hard on the judges. I believe that the judges saw the hard work and effort I put into each segment of the pageant to give them a good show. The sincerity in my motivation to be the Caribbean Gemz Queen and the pride in my Bajan when I opened up and shared my story through cultural dance and answers. How will you like to be remembered after your reign as queen? I would like to be remembered as the Queen who enlightened, educated and uplifted the Caribbean culture and served as a role model for Caribbean people in the United States. I want to be remembered for my caring heart through the various charitable efforts over the next year and last but not least I want to make not only all of Barbados and Bajans everywhere, but the entire Caribbean proud to have me as their ambassador in the name of Peace, beauty and Charity. Tell us about your experiences since becoming the queen? And what are some projects that you will be embarking as the queen? I have only been Miss Caribbean Gemz for a week now, but the experience has been a whirlwind and so many interesting opportunities have been offered. From the moment of the announcement the camera flashes and congratulations from everyone who was in attendance filled me with joy. I have a busy schedule coming up of events, fundraisers, photo shoots and appearances so stay tuned! Like the Caribbean Gemz Facebook pageto stay updated on what is yet to come! What was your favourite thing about the Contest? I had 2 favourite aspects of the Ms Caribbean Pageant the first was the cultural costume/Question and Answer segment of the pageant. It was beautiful to have each girl come up with a costume to represent their island in addition to a short trivia to test our Caribbean knowledge and the allowance of each girl to explain why they were competing. My second favorite aspect was the support system that we were provided with. We had numerous rehearsal and chances to meet all of the other contestants. We all had a chance to bond with one another and Caribbean Gemz team. Who or What inspires you? It would be hard for me to name one person, thing or event that has inspired me but I will say that I believe that every new person or experience that is introduced into your life is an opportunity to learn, I am inspired everyday by family, music, food, art, the changing world, God, and so much more. What's your definition of an achiever? Everyday I arise in the morning torn between a desire to improve the world and a desire to enjoy it. This makes it hard to plan the day! With that said, an achiever is anyone that can find a happy balance between the two. What do you like most about yourself? What I like most about myself is what those around me have found endearing and it is my open mind and caring heart. I believe that I was raised by one of the most generous women on earth, my mother Ordean Babb. This woman has bent over backwards to help any and everyone that is need that has crossed her paths. Most recently, she has continued to adopt children in need of homes for numerous reasons due to rape, sexual orientation, abuse, etc. My mom has passed this on to me. I always find a way to take action and do my best to make the world a better place. I get it from my mommy! Let’s talk about fashion…………… What's your fashion must-have? All things Mac! I am obsessed with Mac Make Up! At the moment I am in love with their Rihanna inspired line. I wear the red lipstick as much as possible. Go Barbados! What's your Fashion sin, something you always indulge in? Shoes!!! I am a sucker for great shoes. I see it, like it, buy it! It is getting out of hand. I am now using 2 closets, 2 shoe racks, and underneath the bed for storage! Another guilty pleasure of mine is anything that sparkles. I like Sequins, glitter, sparkles, diamonds! Hey, I am a pageant girl! Which item in your make-up bag can you not do without? I have 2 items that are life savers over and over again. The first is Nivea's "A Kiss of Milk and Honey" chopstick and Creme of Nature or Olive Oil edge control with Argan Oil. Tell us about your beauty routine? I have a pretty laid back beauty routine besides the everyday hygiene routine of brushing, flossing and washing my face. I like to make sure my face is moisturized and use a light foundation, blush, mascara, chapstick or nude lipstick. I also make sure that I wash and deep condition my hair once a week. There is a new leave in or wash out conditioner out of Italy made specifically for women of color. It is a miracle in a bottle by the name of COCO AMO. What Advice would you give to young girls who are aspiring to enter Beauty Pageants? The advice that I would give to young girls who are interested in pageantry is to lead with confidence, let your personality shine through, practice is key and to never be discouraged if the results are not always in your favor. I have definitely been disappointed when I have not won or placed in past pageants, but I took those experiences to improve on what I needed to and those No's have turned into a Yes today! What are your hopes and aspirations for the future? I hope in the near future that I can use my title to take my career to the next level while expanding on the great reputation that Caribbean Gemz is building. In the distant future I am working to grow my events company and enroll in law school. I want to have a family of my own, but until then I will continue to be the best daughter, sister, aunt, friend, family member, role model, queen and Me that I can be! ................................................................................................................ Copyright 2014 Caribbean E-Magazine All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without credit..

Twenty two year old Zoe Trotman is the newly crowned Miss Barbados World 2014, at the Hilton Barbados. She will compete in Miss World 2014 to be held in London, England in December. Trotman also won the pre-judged talent segment and was second runner up for the Beauty with a Purpose project. Second place went to Melanie Mark, who was also voted the People's Choice winner and Best Smile. While Shakela Bellamy was the third place winner and was also awarded “Best Gown”. Miss Barbados Zoe Trotman posing with other delegates Rounding out the eight delegates were Danielle Dottin, Juanita Rock, Emilomo Akpevwiehor, Samantha Gittens and Sharika Stanford. ............................................................................................................................................... Copyright 2014 Caribbean E-Magazine All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without credit..

Rafieya Husain was last night crowned Miss Guyana World 2014 at the National Cultural Center. She will now represent Guyana at the Miss World 2014competition, to be held in London, England on December 14th, 2014. Atisha Gaskill was 1st runner and was also awarded “Fitness and Beach Beauty”. 2nd runner up went to Denicia Williams and Ayana Whitehead, who was the crowd favorite came in as 3rd runner up and also awarded “Best Talent”. The top five contestants were Cherese James, Rafieya Husain, Atisha Gaskin, Denicia Williams and Ayana Whitehead. Other sectional awards were Gericia Francis who copped the Multimedia award and Rufieya Hussain won the Beauty with a purpose and People’s Choice Awards. ...............................................................................................................................................Copyright 2014 Caribbean E-Magazine All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without credit..

Jamaican singer Samantha J has inked a lucrative deal with major American label, Columbia Records. According to TMZ, the 17-year-old, who is best known for her hit single, “Tight Skirt”, is set to get an advance of at least $325,000 and as high as $700,000, if needed for her first album. If she remains with Columbia through her 6th album she’ll collect up to a $1.1 million advance! Also, she will also make gets royalties of 16% of sales. Samantha J, whose real name is Samantha Gonsalves, said in a statement… "I cannot express how happy I am to be a part of the Columbia Records family. The label has a rich history of developing great artistes and music. As soon as I have my exams under my belt, I can't wait to get back to producing music and most of all making Jamaica proud." Since its release last summer “Tight Skirt” has garnered a lot of attention to the young singer. The song features a sample from dancehall track ‘Tight Up Skirt’ by Red Rat. The video on YouTube has topped two million views. Samantha J has since once the Youth View Award for Favorite Breakout Celebrity. She has since released her follow-up single, Hot Gyal Anthem ............................................................................................................................................. Copyright 2014 Caribbean E-Magazine All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without credit..

It is now time for hitting the beach and we are here to help you pick and choose some of the best swimwear by our Caribbean Designers. Swimwear exposes the alluring vixen within every woman so take a stroll down the turquoise Caribbean beach in the some of the best Caribbean designers. When it comes to looking your best and feeling your sexiest, choose Caribbean Fashion Swimwear. BANG! by Neil Robinson http://www.bangswimwear.com HIGH TIDE by Cedella Maley MUSHROOM by Brigid & Jason Lawson SHELNIEL by Cassandra Mottley SYIIM by Juanita Reid www.facebook.com/syiim WILD/FREE by Raecine Williams http://www.wildfreewear.com/

Summer is here, and we are scouting the web for the must to must-have colours and designs of the season. These Margo one-shoulder dresses with asymmetrical necklines by BCBG. These dresses give an effortlessly sleek and flattering look on any woman. A captivating contrast of color-blocked detail and a classic, flowing silhouette make this a show stopping style for any special night out.

Kick off the summer in fresh new styles. Let those clogs do the walking. Can’t live without spring and summer sandals, from wedges, platforms, pumps and flats. Get footloose this summer with sassy, hot-on-trend sandals coated in sultry-chic cool. Shoes are always girl’s best friend, next to diamonds. It's going be a great summer with all these fabulous shoes to pick from. These shoes are made for walking

Many women tend to shy away from wearing leggings because they are afraid of getting a camel toe. However, leggings is a good choice you just have to learn how to wear it. Finding the right leggings is easy, just stick to these four rules: Thick, unshiny fabrics like double knits don't show bulges. Layering is crucial. Think of leggings as tights rather than pants; put them under skirts, dresses, or tunics. 3. Leggings can look tacky with the wrong footwear. I prefer flats, boots, or a low heel. 4. Avoid patterned leggings.

A n extraordinary and talented persona within the art arena takes the form of Mr. Richard Rampersad. Born in the sub-urban area of Valsayn, on the 2nd August 1990, Mr. Rampersad possesses a profound wealth of artistic competencies in all spheres. Mr. Ramper-sad is currently a full time practicing artist. He is the recipient of a first class honours degree in Visual Art from the University of the West Indies (U.W.I). In addition, he possesses certified knowledge in Graphic Design at the School of Business and Computer Sci-ence (S.B.C.S) as well as Mehndi (U.W.I). Mr. Rampersad`s thorough exposure to workshops in Puppetry, Painting, Ceramics, Textile Design, Wire bending, Costume making and Stilt walking bombarded him with a melange of artistic abilities that cannot be disputed. Richard Rampersad is indeed a promising, pervasive and all- encompassing artist, whose works merit close watching. The relationship between an image and the reality it purports to represent is, according to many contemporary critics, inherently political. This stems in part from the work of post structuralist theorists, who have identified a connection between images and power. In my exhibition, each piece seems to indicate something specific and contributes meaningfully to my visual language. The highly sophisticated spatial organization, negative space treat-ment and non orthodox idiom in the figure rendering supersede naturalistic accuracy. My artistic expression goes beyond pictorial representation and becomes the affirmation of one whose ontological foundation expresses the will to use the media as a vehicle to convey an idea or narrative. I seek to make advancement in the visual understanding of the figures and in how they may be rendered. This body of work reflects my personal journey in exploring the idea of cleansing. I draw, paint, create and strive to find fulfillment in my ability to translate thoughts and visions on the canvas without words, instead, with the ripeness of colour and texture. The body of work seeks to interrogate the notion of "wash-in to wash-out" and examines the narrative of cleansing. The context of cleansing is not used in its literal sense but in the context of applying symbolic genres and dynamic structures with in which the human experience, meaning and value are stimulated and emerged. Figurative drawing/painting has been a practice since time immemorial. The simple figures inscribed on the walls of prehistoric caves are eloquent testimony that this is an activity that is virtually as old as humankind itself. There is an incredibly amount of diversity in this genre, but plenty of challenges when it comes to painting figures with power and depth. My fascination with the human figure propelled and accounted for the choice of subject matter. More so, the female form. This body of work seeks to utilize the female fig-ure as the main "motif" to illustrate women and the plethora of issues and challenges they are bombarded with, particularly violence. In the conceptualization and execution of this work I thought about the use of media and technique as well as how it can symbolically and meaningfully relate to the idea. Conse-quently, the gesticulations and manner in which paint application methods were manipulated lends itself to the nature of my narrative. The paintings are large, on a scale considerably greater than life size. When one stands in front of them it is possible to feel surrounded and enveloped by the colour and monumental scale. These large scaled-figures are by themselves on each canvas with their heads turned graceful-ly sideways, or blocked from the observer. This bodily posture is emblematic of the afore-mentioned social-ill women are subjected to. As well as representative of how these women are ostracized, alienated and isolated by society. Splashing, bleeding and dripping of paints onto the canvas are a symbolic approach to illustrate and simulate cleansing, i.e. the behav-iour of water while bathing. These techniques were predominately utilized on the background or negative space which carries the same weight as the positive space. The slender dripping effect of paint on the background surmounted by the portrait orientation of the canvases ech-oes the vertical starts of the figures. The results are immense bright, joyful and abstract pat-terns that created a context for the figures. There is indeed a strong awareness of the contrast of tone and always a conspicuous depiction of light, whether subdued or intense. There is the brilliance of colours and tones, shimmering in the vivid finger strokes of the impressionist technique. These graphic statements are capable of speaking very clearly to us about our cur-rent concerns and are a joy to the observer. Colour was used for emotional expression and the direst effect it has on the spectator. Gener-ally speaking, colour directly influences the soul. Colour is the keyboard, the eyes are the hammers, and the soul is the piano with many keys. The artist is the hand that plays touching one key or another purposively to cause vibrations in the soul. The colours used on each pan-el have been orchestrated in harmony as if they were instruments performing in a concert. The paint application method of finger painting was executed to paint the actual figures. This was the chosen technique as it attempts to create a link and dialogue between the finger marks and the physical effects of domestic violence. Predominantly an analogous colour scheme was utilized for the mathematical colour harmony of the compositions, for the monu-mental stillness of the figures and for the limpid clarity of the light that bathes them. Not-withstanding, in some aspects of the composition, there is a delicacy and unity of colour in the handling of paint, and a sense of great simplicity, warmth and directness. The remarkable use of colour adds greatly to the suggestive and symbolic air surrounding the works and as-sists immensely in the beauty, economy and emotional fluency resonated in each piece. In the background of the painting, colour has a more translucent quality and in the foreground it is more opaque.