REST IN PEACE AVETTE

A young mother is dead and her family claims she was burnt to death by her jealous boyfriend. The deceased mother of two is 23 year old Avette Arana and she died last night at the KHMH. That was exactly one week after she suffered severe burns to 70% of body – in a fire at her home in Georgetown Village in southern Belize. Her family alleges that Arana’s boyfriend, 28 year old Alvin Guzman doused the mattress she was sleeping on with a combustible liquid then set it - and the door to the bedroom - on fire.

Avette’s mom Augustina Arana says when she saw her daughter at the Southern Regional Hospital – she told her that it was because of a number he found in her cell phone.

Augustine Arana, Mother of Deceased
“I stepped in and I called her. I asked her how this happened, what happened. She told me that, ‘mom it is off of one phone number in the phone.’ I asked my daughter what he did. She says he picked up a gallon, I don’t where he got it, but he poured some on the door, poured some on her, and then he lit the door and he lit her. She said she was screaming for me but he didn’t respond to her. I told her this is the last time, if you get up – you should say thank God. I said this is the time for you to talk to me and she told me it was about a phone number. I asked her what else but she told me he lit her and…. I told her, ‘my daughter this is the end of it,’ and I walked out and that is the last time I spoke to my daughter.

Her body was burnt. I am trying to recover from it because it has already happened so I can’t do nothing and she passed away."

We should note that this allegedly occurred in front of the couple’s 2-year-old son and one-year-old daughter. Independence Police confirm that Avette’s boyfriend Alvin Guzman is hospitalized under police guard at the Southern Regional Hospital. He is hospitalized because he also suffered burns to his body. So was it an accident or intentional? A post mortem is scheduled for tomorrow and police say the file will be forwarded to the DPP before the end of the week.

But Avette Arana’s family isn’t waiting on the DPP’s determination. They allege Avette was murdered – and what’s worse is that they claim that it was an abusive relationship.

Augustina Arana,
“I want court action, that is what I want and I don’t need none of his family to press me down and I want it to get up because that is killing. That is killing.”

Bernadine Zuniga, Aunt of Deceased
“Avette’s mom is my niece and Avette is a nice girl and what happened to Avette, I don’t think she deserves it. We want to have justice because this is too much. This is too much. That is all I have to say.”

Keith Swift,
Has your daughter tried to leave this man before?

Augustina Arana,
“Yes and he went after back and I told her that she had already come home and not to go back. But behind my back, when I was at work, he stepped in again and she had him got back today. But it wasn’t a life that was good because she only went and slept and came back home because all her clothes was at my house. Everything she had is at my house.”

Leonie Arana, Cousin of Deceased
“I would actually send an advice to children who are living together or who are in the world on a whole. You don’t have to wait until anybody hurts you before you get out of a relationship because what hurts me is that my sister will take care of two children now by herself when Avette could have gotten out of the life. She didn’t have to stay there to make her actually get hurt from her children because now the children will stay without parents at this time because the father is going to jail and the mother is already dead. So we ladies on a whole, we don’t actually have to stay in abusive relationships – we could make decisions because if we could have left our parent’s breast which we had to feed on – then we could leave a man too.”

Again, Alvin Guzman has not been charged. Independence Police will forward the case file to the DPP for his determination.

This is a little Poem put together by us here at PROGYM

An angel has risen to the sky
My instant reaction is to cry
I begin to question again and again as to why
To say that an angel has received its wings impossible to deny
All I'm able to do is watch her smile through to the sky
Even though you were given wings too soo to fly
It hurts me to say the word goodbye.

Garifuna Collective and Paul Nabor sweeps through New York and Brings Down the 'House"

The day began with City Hall security escorting Paul Nabor through the gates as members of the Garifuna and Caribbean community from the city and state of New York held a special tribute and honoring on the steps of New York's symbolic legislative buildings. The tribute featured New York City Commissioner of Immigrant Affairs, former and the first Dominican American to be elected to legislative office in the State of New York, Hon. Guillermo Linares, Councilmebers:Kendall Stewart (D-Brooklyn), Mathew Eugene (D-Brooklyn), Melissa Mark-Viverito (D-East Harlem/ElBarrio), Charles Barron (D-Brooklyn), Bronx Borough President Adolfo Carrion's Office (D-Bronx), Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz (D-Brooklyn), Office of New York State Assemblyman Ruben Diaz, Jr. (D-Bronx), Office of New York State Senator Ruben Diaz, Sr., Belize Mission to the United Nations, Caribbean American Chamber of Commerce, World Music Institute and the Garifuna-Caribbean American Organization Coalition.

During the City Hall tribute, Proclamations were presented to both the late Andy Palacio and Paul Nabor. Elected officials praised the Garifuna and caribbean communities of New York and highlighted their commitment to work with these groups.

In the afternoon, there was light luch of fried fish, fulitas (smashed fried bananas, rice and beans with coconut and beans) over at the Garifuna restaurant in the Bronx with Paula Castillo and Paul Nabor.

The Concert was something remarkable. First with Michael Stone (Princeton University) pre-concert talk that featured the artists. In one moment, Rolando "Chichiman" Sosa choked and held back emotions describing the work with Andy Palacio. Some in the crowd felt it and slowly dried their tears as well, hugging and embracing themselves for support.

Aurelio Martinez danced and dazzled. Like a figure skater in the Olympics, he went for the Gold. People sang, clapped and danced. Lloyd Augustine was like John Legend: crisp and to the point.

One concert highlight was when Aurelio Martinez's mother silenced everybody in the hall with the melodic voice. He had been talking about his singing skills and crediting his mother. To hear the woman or the source come out like that was simply breathtaking.

The Main Event was when Aurelio Martinez told the crowd about the evening's special guest. When Paul Nabor got on stage, it was like Barack Obama just won the Presidency. People jumped out their seats. They sang along - "lau bala banda habunanei". About four rows behind me, my mother had took off her shoes and tighten her Garifuna head scarf. When I turned to check, her arms were wide opened, eyes closed and looking to the sky, singing and moving along the main event. Next to me were a group as well who just could not sit. They knew all the songs and served as invicible chorus. sitting next to me was the representative from the Bronx Borough President Office who went on stage to read the Proclamation from the 1.3 million residents of the Bronx. She too clapped, shook the leg and and couldn't stay still. Cameras tried to captured the moment, but it was too dark. No flashes, please.

On stage, Paul Nabor moved like a 45 year old. No, a 35 year old. No, a 25 year old. No, more like a 21 year old. He danced, moved, sang, stood still. Looked at the people who appreciated the music. When he jumped to end a session, the hall went wild! Black, white, garifuna Hispanic, Asians, Africans, Caribbeans all stood up and hailed the Chief.

Yes, it was a good Day in New York indeed! What a way to celebrate Garifuna Heritage and Survival Month.