CARICOM faces Venezuelan crisis
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Oprah, for telling us this heroic story.
Oprah’s second crucial decision came
when she recognized the opportunity
for sacred conversation was now, and
delay would squander the opportunity.
She had left her mother’s home, but felt
compelled to return because their story
was unfinished. Anyone who has lost
someone close knows this truth: Just
because a loved one dies does not mean
our relationship with them ends. No,
our bond will continue through all our
days. But death does seal the story of
that bond. The story can only grow and
change while our loved one lives.
Oprah tells of returning to her mother’s
side, resolved to do what she could
to craft a fitting farewell. She tells of
patiently waiting hour after hour for
the mood, the opening to appear. She
becomes frustrated with the TV shows
that preoccupy and distract her mother.
On the second day of her intentional
waiting, she turns to music, that it
might break through to the deep places
of the soul and dislodge the sacred
words waiting to be spoken. Thankfully,
the music accomplishes this goal.
As Oprah’s story about her mother
shows, it can take persistence and good
timing to have sweet closure at the end.
But only our words, and no one else’s
words, can recall a shared life, celebrate
its joys or put its painful memories to
rest. May we all have the opportunity to
follow Oprah’s wise and loving example
to a blessedly strong finish.
Barbara Coombs Lee, a former ER
and ICU nurse and physician assistant,
is the author of the new book
“Finish Strong: Putting Your Priorities
First at Life’s End.” She is president of
Compassion & Choices, the nation’s
oldest and largest organization working
to empower everyone to chart their
end-of-life journey. Source: American
Forum
Celebrating life,
its joys and
pains to the end
Continued from Page 10
Oprah Winfrey, a journalist, actress,
producer, and philanthropist, ranks
among the most powerful women in
the world. Associated Press / Richard
Shotwell
al patrols both to stem the tide of
arriving refugees and to protect fishermen
given the increasing number
of attacks in recent weeks. Efforts are
also being made to repair fixed and
rotor wing military aircraft to deal
with the crisis.
In Guyana, meanwhile, Brentnol
Ashley, the chairman of the northwestern
Barima-Waini Administration
region bordering Venezuela, complained
this week about withering pressure
the region is under as it tries to
cope with close to 4,000 Venezuelans
who have crossed over into several small
native Amerindian communities in the
past year. He even warned about large
scale criminal attacks on some parts of
the Guyanese services as he asked for
stepped up security by authorities.
“There continues to be shortage
of drugs and medical supplies as a
result of the increased number of Venezuelans
seeking medical and other
attention. We have heard that there
is a plan to hijack the ferry and this
resulted in the ferry having to be
escorted into here a few weeks ago
because there were reports that the
Sindicatos were planning an attack.
Government and residents must recognize
that because of Venezuela’s
grave economic challenges, they are
evidently desperate,” he said.
All this comes as a delegation of
regional leaders, led by CARICOM
Chairman and Kittian Prime Minister,
Timothy Harris, approached United
Nations Secretary General Antonio
Guterres in New York this week, offering
the region as a mediator in the
crisis-presumably between Venezuela
and the US and other nations which
have backed moves by Washington
to oust President Nicolas regime and
his generals from power. Other team
members included prime ministers
Keith Rowley of Trinidad, Mia Mottley
of Barbados, Grenada’s Minister
of Foreign Affairs, Peter David and
CARICOM’s Secretary General, Irwin
LaRocque.
During a meeting with diplomats in
Caracas this week, Maduro welcomed
offers from CARICOM — from Trinidad
and Tobago or wherever”—to diffuse
tensions.
“As I said to the Caribbean prime
min is ters to day. They were in New
York. They met with the UN Sec re tary
Gen er al, An to nio Gut teres. I spoke
with all of them at length dur ing the
af ter noon. I spoke with Evo Morales of
Bo livia. We are al so es tab lish ing contact
with gov ern ments who of fered
to me di ate di a logue and I told them
I am ready once again in Venezuela
or in Trinidad and To ba go or wher ever
to be gin a round of con ver sa tions,
di a logue, ne go ti a tions, with all of
the Venezue lan op po si tion when and
where they want them,” local media
quoted him as saying.
Continued from Page 8