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Written: Michael Thomas- Caribbean Media Network
Buju Banton renowned global reggae and dancehall artiste made a statement at his recent tour date in Atlanta, Georgia. Banton merged as a leading figure in the 1990s, blending traditional roots reggae with the faster-paced, more aggressive dancehall style. His deep, gravelly voice became a signature, earning him a place among reggae’s most influential voices. Buju Banton’s breakthrough came in 1992 with the album Mr. Mention, which featured hits like “Bogle” and “Love Me Browning.” While Banton started in the dancehall scene with rougher, more controversial lyrics, especially in his early work, he transitioned toward more conscious, roots-oriented reggae over time. His 1995 album ‘Til Shiloh marked this shift, showcasing themes of spirituality and social issues. Notable tracks include “Destiny,” “Untold Stories,” “Wanna Be Loved,” and “Driver A.”
Banton is currently on his “Overcomer” 2024 tour, which includes 15 stops across North America. The tour kicked off in Florida and will visit major cities such as Washington D.C., Boston, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Houston, Dallas, and Chicago. The US mainland will conclude with a final show at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, on November 17, 2024. This tour follows his first U.S. concerts in 13 years, after sold-out shows in New York in mid-2024.
In his recent Atlanta stop, he was joined by up-and-coming artist Friday, R&B Legend and song writer Neyo, and reggae star Gramps Morgan. The audience of over 10,000 fans from various countries around the world attended the concert. The concert mood was one of excitement as Banton energic performance lasted over an hour. The tour is a must see experience that music lovers should not miss out on this year.
The Overcomer
Banton faced legal challenges when he was convicted of drug-related charges in the U.S. in 2011. He was released from prison in December 2018 after serving nearly a decade. While serving a prison sentence in the United States, Buju Banton pursued self-improvement through education. During his time in prison, Banton earned a master’s degree in music business management from the University of New York. This achievement reflected his desire to continue his growth, both as a musician and as a person, despite the challenges he faced. His time in prison also deepened his connection to spirituality and shaped his post-prison comeback in the music world.
In 2025, Buju Banton is scheduled to perform in the U.S. Virgin Islands as part of his “Long Walk to Freedom” tour. The shows will take place on February 14, 2025, in St. Thomas, and on February 15, 2025, in St. Croix. These performances are set to be special Valentine’s Day weekend events, with reggae legends Tarius Riley, and Beenie Man.
Banton career spans decades and has been a testament to the resilience of genre of reggae music to breakdownbarriers, unite communities, and over come obstacles.
US VIRGIN ISLANDS — On behalf of Governor Albert Bryan Jr., Government House Communications Director Richard Motta urged Virgin Islanders to express support for a land exchange agreement between the Virgin Islands Government and the National Park Service for the exchange of an uninhabited Cay off the coast of St. John for almost a dozen acres of centrally located land for the construction of a pre-k through 12th-grade public school on St. John.
Motta made the request during the weekly Government House press briefing on Monday.
“We ask that the Virgin Islands community express their support for this measure and their support for the unencumbered and equal education of children living on St. John,” Motta said. He urged the community to testify at a legislative Committee of the Whole hearing on Tuesday, July 11, on St. John.
“Make your voices and your concerns known,” Motta said, reminding the community that the 35thLegislature will vote on the legislation on July 20.
School thefts
Calling recent thefts at schools on St. Croix and St. Thomas “vexing and unfortunate,” Motta pleaded with the perpetrators to return the stolen goods. More than 100 solar panels were stolen from the St. Croix Educational Complex over the weekend and on St. Thomas vandalism incidents on at least oneadditional campus caused damage significant enough to set back the Department of Education’s plans for the successful start of a new school year.
“As a community we have to do better,” Motta said. “I am pleading with you as a citizen. Please come forward so that we will be able to get those resources back.”
Income tax refunds
Motta announced that the Bryan Roach administration has recently issued another round of income tax refund payments as part of the administration’s continued push to pay past obligations to Virgin Islands residents. The latest round of income tax refunds totals about $17 million. It covers individuals who are due an income tax refunds for tax years 2021 and prior who filed that refund before April 11, 2022.
VIFire/EMS
Also in his remarks Monday, Motta thanked firefighters of the Virgin Islands Fire and Emergency Medical Service for their hard work over the weekend battling and containing the fire at the Bovoni Landfill.
“On behalf of Governor Bryan, Lieutenant Governor Roach and the entire Bryan Roach administration, we thank you for your bravery and are grateful for your continued service in protecting life and property for all Virgin Islanders,” Motta said.
Director Motta said the medical condition of Firefighter Jerrel Brown, who was injured battling the Vester Gade blaze in Savan, is improving. He asked the community to pray for the speedy recovery of Brown and Firefighter Melanesia Hendrickson, who was also injured in the Vester Gade fire.
On a happier note, Motta congratulated Aliyah Boston on being named a starter in the WNBA Finals and congratulated Nicholas D’Amour, who brought home the gold in archery at the CAC games in El Salvador.
The Bryan-Roach Administration is investing in the Territory’s people, infrastructure and future through transparency, stabilizing the economy, restoring trust in the government and ensuring that recovery projects are completed as quickly as possible. Visit www.transparency.vi.gov.
Article by : Ryan Browne of CNBC
The XRP cryptocurrency soared on Wednesday as investors grew hopeful that Ripple, a company closely associated with the token, would win its prolonged legal battle with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
The token was worth around 45 cents at about 8 a.m. ET, according to data from CoinGecko, up over 11% in the last 24 hours. It was earlier trading up as much as 20%.
Traders pointed to a supplemental notice submitted by Ripple on Monday which pointed to a ruling in a separate case concerning Binance.US’ rescue plan for collapsed crypto lender Voyager Digital. Under the plan, Binance’s U.S. unit was to buy all of Voyager’s assets, including its native VGX token, in a $1.3 billion deal.
The SEC rejected the plan, arguing VGX was akin to a security and calling Binance an unregistered securities exchange, according to the notice from Ripple.
However, the judge rejected the SEC’s objections and approved the bankruptcy plan citing what he called the “vagueness” of the regulator’s arguments and stating the SEC had not “offered any guidance at all as to just what it was that the Debtors allegedly were supposed to prove” to demonstrate VGX was not a security, according to the Ripple letter.
The SEC wasn’t immediately available for comment when contacted by CNBC.
The SEC accuses Ripple, CEO Brad Garlinghouse and co-founder Chris Larsen of breaching U.S. securities laws by selling XRP without first registering it with the regulator. Ripple contests the SEC’s allegations, maintaining the view that XRP should be considered a digital currency rather than a security.
Monica Long, president of Ripple, told CNBC Wednesday morning that she was “very hopeful” about achieving a positive resolution to the SEC battle, adding she thinks it will reach a conclusion sometime this year.
Long said she thinks it’s “very unlikely” the judge will rule in favor of the SEC “considering by our view both the facts and the law are on our side.”
If XRP were to be deemed a security, it could have huge ramifications for the digital currency industry.
Floods of tokens may end up falling into the same category, making them regulated financial instruments that would need SEC supervision and frequent transparency disclosures.
Market sentiment improving
Ripple and the SEC have now both submitted their final round of briefs seeking a summary judgment to the case. The case now rests with Judge Analisa Torres of the Southern District of New York, who is expected to issue a verdict soon.
It is not clear when she will make her decision. However, some crypto investors believe an outcome will arrive in the coming days.
XRP “is being bolstered by a potential positive outcome in the SEC case,” Vijay Ayyar, vice president of international at crpyto exchange Luno, told CNBC via email Wednesday.
The token, which is the sixth-largest globally by market value, is also being boosted by the broader crypto market sentiment, Ayyar said.
Bitcoin is up 70% since the start of the year and is currently trading above $28,000 for the first time in nine months. Ether, the second-biggest token, has risen 50% year-to-date.
“Overall, crypto markets have rallied in the past week or so, given the anticipation of a pause or slow down in interest rates and the slowdown in inflation,” according to Ayyar.
Regulation by enforcement?
Ripple’s Long said she believed the SEC was regulating through enforcement rather than establishing clear regulations for the sector. Europe is more advanced in its treatment of crypto, she argued, highlighting the bloc’s Markets in Crypto Assets regulation as an example.
“We’re seeing action through enforcement vs. setting clear rules and regulation which is what all of us in the industry desire,” Long said.
“Europe is really emerging as a leader in setting really clear regulations and rules that allow crypto companies and also traditional finance to embrace crypto.”
For its part, the SEC has said it wants all crypto companies and projects to bring their operations into compliance with federal securities laws.
In an interview with CNBC in February after a crackdown on the crypto exchange Kraken, SEC Chair Gary Gensler said, “There’s a handful of tokens that have actually registered. The intermediaries, the storefronts if you wish, the casinos that people are investing in and investing at need to properly comply and disentangle these bundled products.”
“If this field has any chance of survival and success, it’s time-tested rules and laws to protect the investing public.”
In recent weeks, the regulator has taken aim at numerous crypto firms alleging they are engaged in illegal securities offerings.
Stablecoin issuer Paxos said the SEC served it with a notice threatening legal action over claims that BUSD, the native stablecoin of crypto exchange Binance, was a security that should have been registered with the regulator.
The regulator also hit crypto lender Genesis and exchange Gemini with charges alleging a high-yield investment product offered by the two companies should have been treated as a security.
U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS — Governor Albert Bryan Jr. issued the following statement on the passing of Senior District Judge Raymond Finch:
“It is with great sadness that I learned of the passing of one of the Virgin Islands most noted jurists, District Judge Raymond Finch, who served the people of the Territory fairly and prudently for decades, first in the Territorial Court and then for more than 15 years as a federal judge in the U.S. District Court after being nominated to consecutive terms by President George W. Bush and President Bill Clinton.
“A native Crucian, Judge Finch served for six years as the Chief Judge of the U.S. District Court and set an eminent example as an honorable and impartial arbiter of the law. His service for the betterment of our community and its people will not be forgotten.
“On behalf of First Lady Yolanda Bryan, my family, and the people of the Virgin Islands, I express my sincere condolences to his family, friends and loved ones during their time of bereavement.”