Submitted by Rickford Burke

The Caribbean Diaspora in the United States and the Caribbean region will from Sunday March 19, 2012, benefit from news, opinions and information from a new Television talk show – “The Caribbean American Forum,” to be hosted by Rickford Burke, a New York based media commentator and human rights advocate who is also President of the Caribbean Guyana Institute for Democracy (CGID).

Producers said the weekly two-hour, Internet based show will “air” live Sundays from 6:00 – 8:00 P.M on TCN HD at:www.tcnhd.com. TCN HD is a 24-hour all Caribbean TV network: The show will also air on TCN Mobile TV – The Caribbean’s #1 Mobile TV Network at: www.tcnhd.com, and on Hott Caribbean Radio: www.hottcaribbean.com.

First guests to appear on the show this Sunday are New York State Assemblyman Hakeem Jeffries, a candidate for the United States Congress in the 10th Congressional District, which encompasses several Caribbean communities in Brooklyn; National Security Expert and Provost of York College – City University of New York, Dr. Ivelaw Griffith; and Immigration law expert –Attorney at Law Donnell Saures.

“The Forum,” a collaboration between its host and Junior George, owner of Total Caribbean Network (TCN) stations, will feature expert opinions and news makers and will be simulcasted live by various news websites as well as radio and television stations in the US and the Caribbean. “In recognition of the growing influence of Caribbean-Americans in the US, we hope to soon initiate discussions for the program to be picked up by a Cable channel in the US,” producers disclosed.

Burke said the program would be a platform to ventilate and brainstorm issues of salience to the Caribbean American community and peoples of the region. “I see it as an interchange of news, information, ideas and opinion from the Caribbean Diaspora and the region.”

He observed that because it is Internet based, he hopes it will help to transform how members of the Diaspora and nationals back in the region interact. “The Forum” will not only facilitate instant and simultaneous feedback to political and other developments on both sides of the Atlantic, but it must be a meeting place where, regardless of our geographic location, we as Caribbean people can all come together to listen to points of common interest, interact and exchange our thoughts and opinions on matters of mutual import. This is the intrinsic and central purpose behind the creation of “The Forum” Burke posited.

Burke, a political consultant with expertise is public policy,international law and foreign policy, provides television

and radio commentary for several New York and Caribbean media outlets, and co-hosts the “Caribbean Corner” on New York’s WRL1600 A.M Radio, which airs Saturdays from 5:00 to 7:00 P.M.

A leading figure in New York’s Guyanese and Caribbean communities, Burke previously served as aide to various government officials in Guyana, including as an Assistant to late Guyanese President Desmond Hoyte. He has worked in government and politics in the US, serving as policy advisor to New York City Council member David Yassky and on three gubernatorial and several mayoral campaigns. He has also managed and consulted on several other national, state, citywide and judicial campaigns. In 2005 The Network Journal named him one of forty influential African Americans under forty years ol