Jamaica - Full Feed

Disappearance Of Missing Jamaican Men In Bahamas

Wed, 16 May 2012 03:15:00 UT

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade has received reports from concerned family members seeking support in locating their loved ones who travelled to the Bahamas in late February and early March 2012.

Unconfirmed accounts indicate that approximately ten (10) Jamaican men travelled from Freeport, Bahamas to Miami, Florida by boat on Friday, 9 March 2012. Family members of five (5) of these missing men, have made contact with the Ministry, to request assistance in locating them. According to their families, no word has been received from them, since the date they were alleged to have gone on the afore-mentioned boat trip. Assistance has been sought through the Jamaican Consulate in the Bahamas and the Jamaican Consulate General in Miami as well as the local police.

Individual family members have independently sought the assistance of the police in Jamaica, the Bahamas and the pertinent authorities in the United States of America. So far, these investigations have revealed no boating accident or the detention of the men in those countries.

The Ministry is therefore requesting that individuals who believe that they have family members on this vessel and in particular anyone with information regarding this matter to make contact with the Diaspora and Consular Affairs Department. The Department may be reached on 936 0942 and/or email dca@mfaft.gov.jm.

2nd Show Added!! Daniela Nardi & Gabriele Mirabassi May 15 & 16, 2012

Wed, 16 May 2012 02:50:00 UT

Due to overwhelming response, LULA MUSIC AND ARTS CENTRE has just announced that they will present a second night showcasing the award-winning singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist DANIELA NARDI. With special guest GABRIELE MIRABASSI on board, Nardi will release her new CD Espresso Manifesto - The Songs of Paolo Conte on both Tuesday, May 15 and Wednesday, May 16 at Lula Lounge, as part of the 2012 annual Lulaworld festival. To purchase tickets and for more information on this and other Lulaworld concerts, please visit www.lula.ca

DANIELA NARDI CD RELEASE featuring GABRIELE MIRABASSI (ITALY)

Tuesday, May 15 & Wednesday, May 16 – 7pm doors / 8:30pm show

Tickets: $15 adv / $20 door

Award-winning singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Daniela Nardi releases her new CD Espresso Manifesto - The Songs of Paolo Conte. Engineered by legendary engineer/producer Pasquale Minieri, this debut by Nardi’s new project Espresso Manifesto, sees Nardi’s signature style interpreting the songs of the legendary Italian singer/songwriter Paolo Conte, whose stature is comparable to Jacques Brel or Tom Waits.

Daniela and her husband, celebrated jazz pianist Ron Davis, spent the fall of 2011 in Italy, recording with many of that country’s A-list jazz musicians, including Fabrizio Bosso, Fausto Mesolella Gabriele Mirabassi and Dario Rosciglione. Conte is a legend responsible for the careers of many of Italy’s great singers like Mina, Celentano and Caterina Caselli.

WHO: DANIELA NARDI & GABRIELE MIRABASSI

WHAT: CD release of Espresso Manifesto - The Songs of Paolo Conte

WHEN: Tuesday, May 15 & Wednesday, May 16

WHERE: Lula Lounge, 1585 Dundas St. West

TICKETS: $15 adv / $20 door / Dinner reservations guarantee seating. Call 416 588 0307 or email reserve@lula.ca

WEBSITES: www.lula.ca

US Virgin Islands Leadership Salutes Aviation Pioneer

Wed, 16 May 2012 02:45:00 UT

An aviation giant was lauded by the US Virgin Islands for his huge contribution to the regional airline, travel and hospitality industry.

The invaluable contribution of retiring airline industry veteran, Peter Dolara of American Airlines (AA), to the development of tourism across the territory and the region has been officially recognized by the leadership of the US Virgin Islands.

Governor John P. de Jongh Jr. thanked Mr. Dolara, American Airlines' Senior Vice President for Mexico, the Caribbean and Latin America, for his commitment to the hospitality industry in the US Virgin Islands for decades, as well as for his personal affection for the island of St. Croix.

"We wanted to personally thank you for all that you have done," said Governor de Jongh who presented the airline veteran with a USVI-branded token of appreciation at AA's Miami Headquarters on Monday.

The Governor, and Commissioner of Tourism Beverly Nicholson-Doty, updated the American Airlines executive on tourism development plans across the territory as well as efforts to sharpen the skills of industry stakeholders through training and customer service initiatives.

They briefed Mr. Dolara on capital development projects to boost the tourism appeal of St. Thomas, St. John and St. Croix, as well as efforts to stimulate future jobs and economic development activity with the closing of the HOVENSA oil refinery.

Commissioner Nicholson-Doty recalled Mr. Dolara's personal commitment to the territory and the wider Caribbean region. "Mr. Dolara saw the potential of the region as well as the contributions of territories like the USVI before many others and acted on it," she asserted.

"Fortunately for us Mr. Dolara is a powerful and charismatic executive who was able to take the lead in laying down the aviation foundations of the Caribbean," she added, "and all of us in the territory and the region owe him a debt of gratitude."

Jamaica Celebrates Golden Anniversary With Islandwide Events Through 2012

Wed, 16 May 2012 02:45:00 UT

A wide array of events have been planned islandwide as Jamaica ramps up activities in observance of the island’s 50th Anniversary of Independence celebrations. With non-stop flights available from most major cities across the U.S., Jamaica is easily accessible and provides a tremendous value for travelers.

“This is a significant year for us as a destination and we’re encouraging visitors including Jamaicans living overseas to come celebrate this milestone and experience a host of on-island events throughout the year,” said John Lynch, Director of Tourism. “Now is a great time to book a Jamaican vacation and benefit from the special offers from a range of hotels and attractions.”

Below is a sampling of celebratory events for visitors to take part in throughout the year.

FASHION

StyleWeek Jamaica/FashionBlock, May 23 – 30: Fashionistas from around the world will make a statement in the entertainment capital as organizers Saint International stage its 6th annual Style Week Jamaica. Style Week Jamaica/Fashion-Block, has become a major event on the Jamaican entertainment and fashion calendar. The three-day extravaganza includes multiple after parties, VIP cocktail receptions, fashion seminars and glamorous runway shows.

Caribbean Fashion Week, June 7 – 11: The region’s premier fashion and style event, will again be held at the National Indoor Sports Centre in the nation’s capital, highlighting the “best of the best” in fashion. Celebrating its 11th staging, the fashion collections will take centre stage at the week-long showcase, and will be enhanced with live entertainment packages, nightly parties as well as a major business forum.

MUSIC

Live Music Nation, Yearlong: Those eager to check out Kingston’s music scene can experience Live Music Nation, by attending one of the city’s weekly live music events, free to the public.

Each week music-lovers can enjoy 90-minute sets of Jamaican beats while enjoying the island’s signature cuisine and beverages. Visit the Live Music Nation website for venues as they change weekly.

Ocho Rios Jazz Festival, June 9-16: June is Jazz Month and again the event will offer exciting days of great music, superb entertainment and healthy family and community participation. This pure jazz festival includes international performers from Europe, the United States and the Caribbean along with renowned Jamaican jazz artistes.

Reggae Sumfest, July 15-22: This much anticipated annual Reggae event showcases the best talents in roots, rock and reggae music. In keeping with the motto, ‘Promoting Music, the Universal Force’, each year, top Jamaican acts perform along with international artistes to a diverse audience. As the festival says goodbye to its teenage years, and turn 20, the promoters of the premier event are pulling out all stops to ensure that this year’s staging surpasses everyone’s expectations. Previous headliners included: Chris Brown, Usher, R&B queen Mary J. Blige, Neyo, Jasmin Sullivan, Kerry Hilson, , LL Cool J, Rihanna, 50-Cent & G-Unit, Missy Elliott, Morgan’s Heritage, Lil Wayne, Elephant Man, Beenie Man, Bounty Killa & others.

ART

Kingston on the Edge Urban Art Festival, June 16-24: For art collectors, Kingston On The Edge (KOTE) provides a platform for contemporary artists to showcase work that pushes the boundaries of cutting-edge avant garde art. This festival welcomes all artists, including those working in more traditional styles. KOTE will host multiple events to include visual art shows, movie showings, plays, concerts, an art auction, open houses, and digital/multi-media shows.

CUISINE

Wine & Food Festival, September 24: Boasting over 30 booths, this signature fundraising event, is held under the patronage of the Rt. Hon. Edward Zacca and his wife. Funds raised from this event are used for the Heart Foundation’s ongoing fight against heart disease in Jamaica. In addition to wine and food, companies are invited to showcase their heart healthy products to patrons.

Caribbean Broilers (CB) Pan Chicken Festival, November 18: Lovers of pan chicken, a unique Jamaican style grill, are in for a tasty treat during the flavorful festival in the cultural and entertainment capital, Kingston. Sponsored by Caribbean Broilers, the festival provides a platform for city cooks and chefs to showcase their mouth-watering dishes. This year’s contest will include a series of entertaining, family-oriented, regional competitions at the Ranny Williams Entertainment Centre in Kingston on Saturday, May 27, at Dump Up Beach in Montego Bay on Saturday, June 30 and on Saturday, September 29 at Leiba’s Esso in Clarendon. The event culminates with an exciting grand finale on Sunday, November 18 and will be staged on the scenic waterfront of historic Downtown Kingston for the very first time.

SPORTS

Makka Pro Surf Contest, July 13-15: This highly anticipated surfing event brings together amateur and professional surfers from across the world to compete in a non-traditional and rustic setting. This Caribbean Challenge Cup series event is one of several events. Through the partnership with Jamaica Surfing Association, Caribbean Surf Network and Western Atlantic Pro Surf Series, Makka Pro has risen to new levels and has been attracting more competitors from a wider field.

Reggae Marathon, December 1: Now in its 12th year, the Reggae Marathon Grand Prix Series – Reggae Marathon, Half Marathon & 10K has earned the reputation for being a well-organized international event, focused on runner enjoyment. Presented by Jamdammers, the event is now a staple on the local and international road race calendar. Participants combine an island vacation and a great sporting event for a truly unique experience.

TDC International Surf Festival 2012 A Huge Success!

Wed, 16 May 2012 02:35:00 UT

The Trinidad and Tobago Tourism Development Company (TDC) International Surf Festival 2012 (ISF12) was blessed with a weekend of excellent waves, beautiful weather, great entertainment, and most importantly world class performance surfing. The Surfing Association of Trinidad and Tobago hosted the event and welcomed surfers and officials from Australia, Barbados, Jamaica, United States, and Venezuela.

The visitors and locals were greeted by the best surf conditions the event has experienced in its 3-year history, with waves in the 5 to 7 foot range. These surf conditions provided the perfect platform for the pro surfers to express themselves with both high-flying aerial maneuvers and traditional power surfing, much to the amazement of the large crowd of spectators on hand.

Last years Open Men’s Champion Francisco Bellorin of Venezuela, who was regarded the man to beat in this event, was able to hold onto his title for a second year in a hard fought final heat against Florida’s Jesse Heilman who held onto the lead until the last minute. Bellorin walked away with US$3500 for first place, while Heilman won US$1500 for his performance. Chris Duff of Florida and Rafael Perreira of Venezuela were held =3rd Place and took home US$500 each. Balandra’s Christopher Dennis was the top performing T&T local surfer, reaching the quarterfinal round where Chris Duff narrowly beat him.

In the Women’s Pro Division it was the Battle of the Bajan Chelsea’s that stole the show, with Chelsea Roett winning first place and US$250 while Chelsea Tuach took second place and US$150. Local girl Kathy-Ann Smith, aka Toco Slasher, took third place in the Women’s Pro Division, winning US$50.

In the Pro Junior (U21) Division, which was stacked with young talent from Barbados, it was Bruce Mackie that took top honors and went home US$600 wealthier. Fellow Barbadian Che Allen, who was the youngest surfer in the division at 11 years old, performed extremely well surfing with maturity well beyond his age and took second place and US$400. Local standout Dario Jordan managed to secure 3rd place and US$250, while Chelsea Tuach of Barbados finished 4th and took home an additional US$100.

The Beacon Insurance U16 Division was an opportunity for the up and coming junior surfers to show their stuff. Young Che Allen took first place, followed by Joshua Burke in second. Local boys Josh Galt, Elton John and Jayel Lewis took third, fourth and fifth place respectively. All competitors in this division received Trophies courtesy of Beacon Insurance and prize packages from the Western Atlantic Pro Surf Series.

In the final division of the day, the Expression Session gave competitors an opportunity to free surf and show the crowd just how radical they could perform without the pressure of being eliminated from the contest. After 30 minutes of great action it was Joshua Burke of Barbados that won “Best Wave” and US$250, while Rafael Perreira took home US$250 for the “Best Maneuver”.

Chairman of the Trinidad and Tobago Tourism Development Company (TDC), Rajiv Shandilya, was

on hand for the entire event and presented prizes to the champions in the Open Division. Shandilya took the time to speak to the large crowd on hand and re-affirm the TDC’s commitment to sports tourism in Trinidad and Tobago, and specifically to the Sport of Surfing.

The TDC ISF12 is the 3rd sanctioned event of the Western Atlantic Pro Surf Series 2012, the only Pro Surfing Tour in the Eastern US and Caribbean, and the 2nd event of the Caribbean Surfing Championship 2012, which began in Barbados and will be concluded at the final event in Jamaica in July. Surfers at the ISF12 earned valuable points to better their standing in both of these Championships.

The International visitors to the TDC ISF12 were exposed to a very unique cultural experience as the surfing was capped off on Saturday with this country’s top Bikini Contest featuring 10 stunning beauties from both T&T and overseas. As the sun set, the streets on Sans Souci came alive with a street party that eventually moved into the community Basketball Court and featured incredible live performances by local legends Orange Sky and Joint Pop.

The City Of Miami Welcomes Best Of The Best Weekend, May 25-27, 2012, South Florida

Wed, 16 May 2012 02:30:00 UT

Best Of The Best Weekend 2012 proudly returns to South Florida this May 25th - 27th. Celebrating it's 6th year, the Memorial weekend extravaganza, produced by XO Management, Rockers Island and Massive B, will consist of back-to-back blockbuster parties and community events all anchored by the country's largest, family-oriented, all-ages multicultural love fest showcasing music, arts & crafts, food and people from all over the globe.

The blazing lineup for the Best Of The Best Concert on Sunday May 27th at Bicentennial Park (1075 Biscayne Blvd.) features the Top 25 acts in Reggae, Hip-Hop, Dancehall, Soca and Kompa: Shaggy, Mavado, DJ Khaled, Marcia Griffiths, Fat Joe, Admiral Bailey, Fabolous, Iwer George, Mr. Vegas, French Montana,Frankie Paul, T-Vice, I-Octane, Ace Hood, Ghost, Brianna, Tony Matterhorn, Meek Mill, Demarco, 2 Chainz, Wayne Marshall, Laza Morgan, Serani, Khago, Christopher Martin. The concert will be hosted by Funkmaster Flex alongside Jabba.

Best Of The Best Weekend consistently draws people from urban centers across the United States, including New York, D.C., Atlanta, Houston, as well as from the Caribbean, South America and Europe. Greater Miami and Broward County encourage visitors to partake in the beautiful weather, sandy beaches, and countless cultural landmarks and activities. The City of Miami Beach, home to South Beach and the historic Art Deco District, also welcomes visitors to enjoy an eclectic mix of street cafes and restaurants, shopping on Lincoln Road, and an array nightlife choices.

Grace Kennedy Ceo Don Webhy To Address Cojo Scholarship Luncheon In Kingston On May 22, 2012

Wed, 16 May 2012 02:30:00 UT

Group Chief Executive Officer of Grace Kennedy Limited Don Wehby will be guest speaker at COJO’s Scholarship Luncheon, to be held at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel on Tuesday, May 22 at 12:30 pm. The luncheon is among the activities being organized as part of the group’s week-long visit to Jamaica in observance of Child’s Month. Children of Jamaica Outreach (COJO) Inc., is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization in New York, whose mission is to help improve the health, education and general well being of underprivileged children.

Three scholarships will be presented to deserving wards of the state who are currently pursuing tertiary level studies. The scholarships were made possible from proceeds raised from a benefit raffle, which will also see the grand drawing and the announcement of the winners during the luncheon. Sponsors of the raffle include Hilton Rose Hall Resort & Spa, Sunset Jamaica Grande, Sandals, Jewel Dunn’s River and JetBlue Airways.

Following the luncheon on Tuesday, the group will visit child care facilities in Trelawny and Westmoreland. This year, COJO will be making presentations of computers, appliances, office equipment and sneakers to Granville Child Care Facility on May 23 and Clifton Boys Home on May 24.

Last May, the organization donated computers, appliances, school supplies and sneakers to Muirton Boy's Home in Portland, Windsor Lodge Children's Home in Manchester and Windsor Girls' Home in St. Ann.

Over the past decade, the volunteer-driven organization has supported a number of institutions in Jamaica as well as the United States. Among them, the Alpha Boys’ Home, Glenhope Place of Safety, Marigold Child Care Centre, Musgrave Girls’ Home, City of Refuge, Homestead Place of Safety, St. Augustine Place of Safety for Boys, Manning’s Boys’ Home, and Summerfield Boys Home in Jamaica; and in New York, the Jamaica, Queens YMCA and Leaf of Life.

COJO Founder & Chairman Gary Williams is looking forward to this annual visit which in recent years has been expanded beyond assisting corporate area institutions to the rural areas as there is a great need to support these facilities, which are often overlooked. Appliance Traders Limited and PUMA have supported this year’s outreach project. The annual visit is made possible from proceeds raised from COJO’s Annual Scholarship Gala held the first Saturday in December each year in New York City.

Jamaica House At The O2 Arena, August 2 - 12, 2012, London

Tue, 15 May 2012 18:00:00 UT

WHAT: Jamaica House at the O2 Arena - 2nd August 2012 - Sunday, 12th August 2012, London

WHEN: Thursday, 2nd August 2012 - Sunday, 12th August 2012

WHERE: O2 Arena, London SE10 0DX

MORE INFO: The best of Jamaican culture in art, music, and food will be on show at the ‘Jamaica House at the O2’ event, which will be held from August 2 to 12 at the O2 Arena, London. The event will be used to promote Brand Jamaica and attract tourists and investors to the island at a time when the world’s eyes will be on the country, as the athletes complete in the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

Jamaican Association Of Switzerland Party Celebrates 50th Anniversary Of Jamiaca's Independance, June 2, 2012

Tue, 15 May 2012 18:00:00 UT

WHAT: Jamaican Association of Switzerland Party Celebrates 50th Anniversary of Jamiaca's Independance

WHEN: Saturday, June 2, 2012

WHERE: Eysins (near Nyon)

For more details or tickets contact Margaret Detraz, President JAS (078 601 3950) or Donna Thompson Clarke, Public Relations Manager (079 842 5592)

JAMPACT General Body Meeting, May 16, 2012, New York

Tue, 15 May 2012 17:50:00 UT

WHAT: JAMPACT General Body Meeting

WHEN: Wednesday, May 16, 2012 6:00 PM

WHERE: Ruder Finn

301 E 57th Street, 4th Fl

New York, NY

DISCUSSION: Topic include Annual Gala, School Supply Drive and more.

Usain Bolt Partners with SOUL Electronics

Tue, 15 May 2012 13:35:00 UT

SOUL Electronics and the world's fastest man, Usain Bolt, have announced a branding partnership. The track and field star will be representing the SOUL brand during various events throughout the year and will be a development partner for his own special edition headphones, scheduled to hit the market this summer.

"Bolt's accomplishments as a three-time Olympic gold medalist showcase what a driven and exceptional person can do when they are motivated and striving for greatness," commented Len Davi, Executive Director of SOUL Electronics. "He's a perfect representation of what SOUL stands for, and an ideal Brand Ambassador."

Usain Bolt noted, "I work hard at attaining my goals and in addition, I always try to inspire others to work hard and attain their dreams. I am looking forward to working with SOUL to deliver this message."

In addition to public appearances, the star athlete will be featured in the company's upcoming "SOUL of Greatness" video series, which is being developed to inspire people worldwide to aim for greatness and achieve their goals.

SOUL headphone models currently under development with Bolt include a Bluetooth earbud with removable ear safety-hooks for added stability (perfect for an athletic lifestyle) called the RUN FREE and a version of the company's popular SL300 that pays a stylish homage to the athlete's home, Jamaica.

Jamaican John Powell's Work For Exhibition In Hungary, Europe, May 18, 2012

Tue, 15 May 2012 13:35:00 UT

WHAT: John Powell's work for exhibition

WHEN: May 18, 2012

WHERE: Hungary, Europe

Pay Attention! The New Musical Experience, May 19, 2012

Tue, 15 May 2012 13:30:00 UT

After a successful launch in April, a second staging of the local Hip Hop party and showcase, #PayAttention, will be held on Saturday, May 19, at the Heather’s Garden Restaurant, 9 Haining Road, starting at 8PM.

Music will be played by DJ Andre Young and Inztinkz who thrilled the crowd at the last event with diverse selections. There will also be performances by local R&B artiste, Tari Prime and Hip Hop artistes, Shermon Dadz & Five Steez.

“We were tremendously pleased with the turnout at the first one,” said event promoter, Perry Burnett. “We intend to turn it up more in May by providing quality music you won’t hear anywhere else as well as compelling up-and-coming performers.”

There is no admission to enter #PayAttention as it is free to the public. The bar at Heather’s Garden Restaurants will be offering drink specials and food, prepared by its chefs, will also be on sale.

#PayAttention is the latest party series in Kingston, dedicated to providing a space for local Hip Hop fans and artistes.

Carlene Davis To Perform At The First Annual Gospel In The Sun Music Fest June 9, 2012

Tue, 15 May 2012 04:00:00 UT

Gospel music's nationally recognized and successful artists will converge June 9th, 2012 for worship through song at the first Gospel in the Son Outreach (GITSO) Music Fest and family fun day.

The nondenominational event brings together the top, soulful artists today in gospel music to perform at Central Broward Regional Park & Stadium, 3700 NW 11th Pl., Lauderhill FL 33311. Gates open at 10 a.m. with a "Walk a mile for Jesus" walk-a-thon.

"Gospel in the Son Outreach is a family organization that is about families, and staging this event one week before Father's Day underscores our commitment to families," said Brother Colin Forbes, Director of Ministry and Productions for Gospel in the Son Outreach and founder of Class Act Management Group Inc., the organizers. "The GITSO festivities are another forum we use for praise and worship."

The Concert opens at 3 p.m. to acts such as eight-time Grammy Award-nominated Pastor Marvin Sapp, whose radio hit Never would have made it stayed at No. 1 on the radio charts for 43 weeks, and Double Platinum achiever Fred Hammond. Others to bless the stage of grace include, JARS of Clay; Tye Tribbett; Christian hip-hop artist KJ52; Caribbean Hall of Famer Carlene Davis; and UnmasKd, a local five-piece Christian Contemporary Rock Band.

Tickets, which cost start at $35, are on sale at www.itickets.com, www.Ticketmaster.com, and select faith-based organizations in the Tri-County area.

The ticket price includes access to a refreshing Aquatic Park and a chance to hear up-and-coming artists on the Unsigned Artist Stage. Community organizations such as Father Focus will present workshops and Voter Registration, as well as a Health Fair.

"The workshop by Father Focus is not to be missed because it prepares young men to be responsible fathers, whether or not they are still in the relationship with their children's mothers," Forbes said. "Bring your blankets and prepare to be moved spiritually by what you hear and see."

Ultimate Jamaica 50 Peoples Independence Bash, August 5, 2012, Bronx, NY

Tue, 15 May 2012 04:00:00 UT

WHEN: Saturday, August 4 from 8:30 PM to Sunday, August 5 at 2:00 AM

WHERE: Eastwood Manor3371 Eastchester Road, Bronx, NY 10469

You are invited to join us as we claim our Independence, paint the picture of the "Out of many, One love people, Jamaican people".

"Wid big time acks performin, we will dance from night till soon o' mornin" . In style we celebrate, with dignity, we salute the birth of our nation...."Jamaica land we love"

Cocktails and hors d'oeuvres: 9pm-10pm

Dinner: open Jamaican buffet 10:30pm – 12:30pm

Bar: Open Bar

Tickets: $95.00 in advance, $120.00 at the door

Dress: Jamaica chic

Bands/Artist line-up:

Band: Likkle Big Band/New Release Band

Mikey ‘MacDaddy” Jarrett, Living Truth, Levantay

DJ: Road International

Adopt A Basic School For A Day Project, May 28, 2012

Tue, 15 May 2012 03:50:00 UT

The Jamaica Ex-Police Association of South Florida, Inc., (JEPA) 2012 “Adopt a Basic School for A Day Project” will take place on Monday, May 28, 2012, at the Hilloughby Basic School, Cascade, Hanover. The object of the project is to expose the thirty students, three to six years old, to positive role models. The day’s activities will include reading for the children, storytelling, role play, entertainment and games. Awards will also be presented to students for outstanding academic achievements, discipline, and in other areas. Each child will also receive a gift bag with school supplies.

A first aid kit, books, building blocks, and other educational supplies will also be donated to the school. The initial project was launched in 2012 at Fair Prospect in Portland.

The following day, Tuesday, May 29, JEPA’s annual Jamaica Police Station Refurbishing Project will take place at Warsop Police Station, Trelawny. At the conclusion of the refurbishing project, JEPA’s Annual Jamaican Scholarship will be awarded to a high school student from Trelawny, and a special presentation of a bass guitar will be made to the JCF. Medical equipment and supplies will also be donated to a medical institution from Trelawny. The scholarship winner will be selected by the Community Security Branch of the JCF.

This is the ninth year of the police station project. The initial project was launched at Four Paths, Clarendon. Since then, Luceau Police Post, Hanover, Richmond Police Station, St. Mary, Ocho Rios Police Station, St. Ann, Negril Police Station, Westmoreland, Bog Walk Police Station, St. Catherine, Alligator Pond Police Station, Manchester and Castle Police Station, Portland, have all benefitted from the project.

The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of National Security, Mrs. Dianne McIntosh, other dignitaries, and the JCF hierarchy are expected to be in attendance.

President of JEPA and 2012 Project Coordinator, Dub poet Malachi Smith, will conclude the evening’s presentation with a short performance. Malachi was the JCDC 2009 Most Outstanding Writer and 2011, Independent Voyces Lifetime Achievement Award winner. He is a nominee for IRAWMA’s 2012 Poet of the Year and will represent Jamaica at the 22nd Medellin International Poetry Festival in Colombia from June 24 to June 30.

Members of JEPA will be in Jamaica from May 24 to May 31.

Inner Circle Live Performance At Ricochet Lounge, June 6, 2012, Miami

Tue, 15 May 2012 03:10:00 UT

June 6th, 2012, as one of the greatest reggae groups of all time, Inner Circle has established themselves as a band that can transcend the traditional reggae niche and enjoy widespread crossover appeal. To commemorate over 40 years of making Reggae music, The Abebe Lewis Marketing & Branding Group would like to invite you to a special event including a rare intimate performance by Inner Circle and birthday celebration of founding member, Reggae legend Roger Lewis at Ricochet Lounge in Midtown district, Miami. To commemorate this special occasion, the evening will include an exclusive video premier of "this is reggae music", single off of the upcoming Reggae Wave compilation as well as a memorial for the late founding vocalist Jacob Miller.

As one of the world's most respected Reggae groups, Inner Circle has enjoyed a long string of successes stretching back to the mid-70's. After over four decades of making Reggae music, band member Roger Lewis was at the group's foundation and has been a major driving force in the proliferation of reggae music. To coincide with the reggae legends birthday, the evening's entertainment will include an opening performance by Jahfe and be marked by a rare, intimate performance by Inner Circle. As a mark of respect and appreciation for his contribution to reggae music, the night will also include a special memorial for the late Jacob Miller, the bands founding vocalist. Adding to the celebration, Inner Circle will be premiering the exclusive video for "this is Reggae music", the latest release from the Reggae Wave compilation which features 8 unique bands from Miami from all different cultures with one vision: Reggae music.

Inner Circle live performance & reggae legend Roger Lewis Birthday Celebration is all going down June 6th at Ricochet Lounge, which is located at 3250 Buena Vista Blvd #122B Miami, FL 33127. Cover charge is $10 before 12:00am and $15 after. Doors open at 9:00 pm.

Charitable. Hopeful. Impactful. Classy, June 16, 2012, New York

Tue, 15 May 2012 03:00:00 UT

WHAT: Jamaica Impact, Inc. (JAMPACT) invites you to Charitable. Hopeful. Impactful. Classy

WHEN: June 16, 2012, 7:00 PM - 11:00 pm

WHERE: DiMenna Center for Classical Music

450 W 37th Street

New York, NY 10036

Live Broadcast: Usain Bolt And Belle Lubica Split - Reactions On The Streets (Satire)

Joelle "Wendy" Wright — Mon, 14 May 2012 13:45:01 UT

Just six months into their relationship, there are reports that Usain Bolt, and Slovakian fashion designer Lubica Slovak, has ended. With the new turn of events, Boardlane TV took the streets once again to obtain reaction from the Jamaican people.

Boardlane TV: Hello, how are you? Did you hear about the latest on the break up of Usain and Belle? If so, what can you say about the matter?

Yvette: Well, is about dyam time dat dun wid. Dat was di langess 6 monts inna my life. Nutten more dan dat gyal a look free plane ride goh Londan fi di Olympics . Dats why shi goh hitch up harself unda Usain soh all of a sudden. Fram mi si har, mi know seh shi a big ginal. Shi well paas har curfew time.. an Usian shoulda sen har back har yaad lang time.

Boardlane TV: Do you realize they are gown folks and they are allowed to make mistakes? What do you think about that?

Yvette: Dat is some blinking, dumb-ass mistake im mek! If im did inna soh much haste fi deh wid ooman, im neva si seh Yendi an Asafa lef? Im tek carelissness an im mek Chino crape har up an im get lef wid buffy di vampire slayer! Im betta noh mek dat mistake again, arelse wi naah ramp fi trow rackstone inna im blouse an skirt head tap!

Boardlane TV: Ok then Miss …thanks for the candid remarks. Sir, step over here. What is your reaction to the Usain break up news now circulating?

Cotton Bud: (Stroking his chin) All mi can do is to speculate seh di stock unda di gyal frock neva too upright. A man naah lef a ooman soh if di ting TUN UP right. Mi a pree di girl Belle pan pan TV an har bumpa nat even have aan noh park light pan it to rahtid! Mi feel seh di bumpa neva fit Bolt cyar an shi cudden grease di rims, good an prapa! Yuh si mi? Dats why Bolt buss dah move deh.A di right ting im do still…caah if a girl cyaan charge di battery, shi haffi get erase, displace an replace. Cotton Bud have di REAL TALK!

Boardlane TV: So Mister Cotton Bud, you really think the cause of the break up was due to lack of romance?

Cotton Bud: A who seh anyting bout romance? A di bedroom wok mi a chat bout! Straight! Romance a fi man like Jah Cure who sing bout “Unconditional Love” an dem sheggries deh! (Kiss teet) Bolt a race harse …im noh have noh time fi slow romancing, dancing an prancing. Di man a defen pap dung bed spring an tear aff weave kina loving.

Boardlane TV: OK sir we will leave it there. Hi sir.. you with the yellow shirt. Can we get your reaction to the Bolt split. We are live on TV.

Garfield: Mi cyaan chat too lang enoh lady. Mi bus a come. But hear wah… mek mi mek dis ting shart an sweet. Bolt cyaan pronounce di gyal name a backside! When yuh hear Bolt a chat more time..it come een like im tongue a gallop fasta dan im bombawt brain! Prably a call di gyal by di wrang name an shi shat im two bax an a deh soh di relationship get sour. Nex time im fi wid ooman wid simple name like “Patsy, Suzette an Nadine.” (Seeing his bus driving away) DRIVA!! DRIVA whole aaan deh! Lady, mi gaan cause si yuh nearly mek mi bus lef mi a road. But put mi dung pan tape seh Bolt goh tek aan farrin ooman wid stooshas name weh im cyaan manige. Lickle more!

Boardlane TV: These are very interesting comments from the folks on the street. We have just enough time for one more point of view. Young lady, I see you have been standing there and listening in. What is your take?

Janet: You know I were very upset when I font out dat Bolt tek up wid dat girl. But I am very elastic dat im realize dat training for the Olympic gole muss be priority. On di odda han, mi feel kina sarry fi im.

Boardlane TV: I think you meant “ecstatic” and not “elastic”. Anyway, why do you feel sorry for him?

Janet: Now dat im doan have a ooman in im life, im might get backed up an dat load may cause im to slow down pan di track. Im need time to release all of that … uuuhhmm ..yuh know… uhhmmm. Well, let us juss say dat im lickle tadpoles need fi tek a swim wance in a while. Dis could be hardardous fi im.

Boardlane TV: The word is “hazardous.” So would you say you would rather him stay with Miss Lubica?

Janet: No, no no! Nat she! Smaddy else! Shi may name Lubica but she is NO lubricant?! Shi noh have what it takes fi tickle Bolt pickle. Dat is my honest opinion. Im waan wan a dem sexy gyal fram country weh can do Satan wok pan Satidey an mek im wake up Sunday marning a bawl fi Jesas Chrise! Tek it fram mi..is dat I believe im waan! Mi wish im di very bess dowe, cause a mi hawt dat. Bolt to di woorrll!!!

Boardlane TV: Thank you for taking the time to talk with us. Well, the ever so candid remarks from the Jamaican people are always interesting to hear. We certainly hope for the best for the Olympic star and his upcoming performance at the 2012 Olympics. This is Wendy reporting with Boardlane TV. Thanks for joining us.

About the Writer
Wendy is an aspiring playwriter and the author of the book “A Soh Wi Do It!”. She recently completed her second book "A Soh It Goh!". Many of her ‘Jamaicanized’ stories and original sketches have been ‘viral’ on the Internet for several years. Many who have read her work has been known to laugh uncontrollably from the hilarious portrayal of the characters in the sketches. Wendy’s impressive writing portfolio includes the very funny Jamaicanized version of the Titanic, Cinderella (Punchinella) and most recently the sketch on the American Airline crash in Jamaica. Her work has been featured on the Jamaicans.com forums for over 12 years and enjoyed by many around the world.
Check out her website for more information on her books and appearances - http://www.ackeepodpublishing.com/

Interview with Daun Ferguson on the “For the Love of You” Jamaica project

X Murphy — Mon, 14 May 2012 13:30:02 UT

This week we interview leading South Floirda hairstylist and makeup expert Daun Ferguson. Each summer, since 2006, she travels to Jamaica where she donates her time to mentor the young ladies at the Windsor Girls Home in Ocho Rios. Last year she donated over $10K US worth of hair and feminine products to these young ladies. Here is our conversation with Daun Ferguson

Where are you from originally?
Nassau Bahamas

What is your connection to Jamaica?
My Emperor (Hubby) Wesley Frater is Jamaican from Bethany Alexandria, St. Anns. He is a very proud Jamaican and insist that our companies assist charities not only in Jamaica but thge Caribbean

What is the “For the Love of You” Jamaica project you do with the Windsor Girls Home?
We actually met this charity through our efforts with The Sandals Foundation. When i saw the conditions I immediately knew my company thru its charity "For the Love of You" could assist these young ladies with education and products. Miami Heat Udonis Haslem assisted me with my first ever visit...He was great.

How did you come up with the idea?
For the Love of you started in 2006 with the hopes of bringing education, self esteem, Proper hair care, personal hygiene, to South Florida Disadvantaged youths and group homes. I then expand my efforts to the Caribbean including Bimini, Turks Caicos, Nassau. I encourage all to visit www.fortheloveofyou.org for further information on the charity and how they can assist.

What are the main goals for the project?
To bring about increased awareness of personal hygiene, self imaging and to increase of themselves and others around them as young ladies.

How was the Windsor Girls Home chosen for the project?
We we learn of charities through the resorts that accommodates us. We have assisted numerous charities in Jamaica including building computer lab at Bethany Primary, donations to Browns Town Primary, We cried tears for Category when we visited, We assist charities in Negril through Zein Nakasha and Superclubs, we host various basketball camps and donations to youths of Ochi Rios via Pierre Battaglia and Couples Resort at the Buckfield Courts downtown Ochie. Being a young lady of Caribbean heritage, I felt the pain of those ladies who have been abused by their parents, men, society and the Windsor Girls Home became the favorite of myself and husband...We have two daughters ourselves.

Can you tell us about the some successes of the project?
Our success was quite simple...while we spoke and encouraged even with NBA stars...what these young ladies lacked and received was simple everyday items as feminine napkins, deodorant, toiletries, undergarments, TV, shoes, clothing, makeup...these young ladies we very happy to see us coming and they expressed gratitude. We were saddened to hear that the Windsor Girls Home is no longer operating.

If someone what to help with the project what do you suggest they do?
Visit http://www.dauncosmetics.com or call 305-281-9561

What are your personal beliefs on make-up and beauty for young girls?
Young girls are naturally beautiful...Makeup just brings out that beauty

As a make-up artist what is the biggest mistake you see most women make when applying making?
(1) Choosing the wrong shade...wrong color selection for their skin type. (2) Not choosing Dauncosmetics hahahahah

What is the one tip you give women about make-up?
Don't over do it

Outside of the work you do with the Windsor Girl’s Home, what is your favorite thing you love to do on our visit to Jamaica?
(1) their is a little hut in Bethany Alexandria that serves the best jerk chicken...we call it Prime 112. (2) Dunns River. (3) Nine Mime and the Bob Marley museum

Thanks for the interview. Do you have any final thoughts for the readers of Jamaicans.com?
Jamaica is a beautiful country and one that i hope to visit and have a part time home. Jamaicans will be seeing Dauncosmetics in stores soon and can order on www.dauncosmetics.com

Review - Kingston Pon Di River Festival: Jamaica’s Latest Cultural Festival

Andrea E. Shaw — Mon, 14 May 2012 13:30:02 UT

This year’s Kingston Pon Di River Literary, Arts, and Music Festival boasted a mesmerizing weekend of performances and is yet another great reason to pack your bags and hop on a flight to Kingston, Jamaica!

Known for its vibrant nightlife—clubs pulsating to the beat of dancehall and sidesplitting theatre productions—Jamaica’s capital city is sometimes overlooked as a holiday destination. Instead visitors flock to the coast for a mellow sea and sand vacation. But Kingston Pon Di River featured an stunning showcase of performances.

Now in its second year, the festival took place the weekend of April 27th and kicked off on the Friday night at Studio 38 in New Kingston. Billed as an “adults only” affair, the evening featured performances sizzling with erotic undertones. Acts were interspersed between seductive rounds jazz, and the lineup included Rosie Murray, Tomlin Ellis, and poet Tanya Shirley, who gave an outstanding reading of her great work.

Events on Saturday and Sunday took place on the enchanting grounds of Boone Hall Oasis in Stony Hill, a suburb of Kingston. Boone Hall, a picturesque property with towering spathodea trees and a river running through is a popular venue for weddings and other functions and served as a stunning backdrop for the festival.

Boone Hall owner, Stephen Jones, explained that he recently acquired land adjacent to the original property, making the grounds even larger than it was for the festival in 2011. According to Jones, he hopes to be involved in many more collaborative ventures like Kingston Pon Di River.

Saturday night’s performances primarily featured various drumming ensembles. The lineup included Charles Town Maroon Drummers and Dancers, Rekala Drummers, L’Acadco Drum Xplosion, Latin Roots, and Kingston Drummers. An entire night of drumming did not at first seem terribly appealing, but the performances ended up being nothing short of astounding. From Latin Roots’ mellow beat of the bongo drums to the Kingston Drummers’ energized drumming skits, the audience swayed, clapped, and danced the night away.

L’Acadco Drum Xplosion gave a lively performance, and afterwards members Stephan Sinclair, Shane Blake, and Kemoy Outar filled me in on the genesis of the group. Most of the members attended St Catherine High School or St. George’s College, where they participated in their school’s drumming group. They describe their drumming style as Jamaican traditional and West African, and their instruments include djunjon and djembe drums. Some of their drums are made in Jamaica and some imported from West Africa.

Kingston Drummers also delivered a vibrant and highly animated performance, their faces contorted into dramatic expressions as they pounded away on their drums. In their wordless conversation with the audience, a great deal was said through only music and body movement. Employing the African storytelling style of call and response, Kingston Drummers served up a lengthy and delightful “dance and response” that involved bringing audience members on stage.

But the act that stole the night was not even listed on the program: a Revival service delivered by Bishop Christie and his congregation from St. Paul’s Halibethian Church in Yallahs, St. Thomas. This was a spectacular addition to the program and the climax of the evening, indeed of the entire weekend. The “act” was a Revival church service, which included a fully decorated Revival table laden with sodas, candles, duck breads and fruit. The performance was electrifying, the presence of an ancestral force palpable as the St. Paul’s congregation moaned and stomped in tune with an unseen power.

Sunday’s festivities lasted all day and included writers, politicians, and musical artists. The performances were enjoyable and breaks between performances gave guests a chance to sample some of the delicious food for sale—the curried fish in coconut sauce was especially tasty. Guests could also meander past stalls filled with art, jewelry, clothing and accessories made by some of Jamaica’s best craftsmen.

While most of the performers on Sunday were entertaining, some of the readings were distinctly less sophisticated than others or seemed to have been plugged in to fill a vacuum in the program. Open mic acts were interspersed throughout the day, and the organizers deserve credit for providing a venue where emerging writers could share their work. But maybe there were too many of these acts, and at some points they threatened to compromise the overall quality of the performances. Perhaps containing these contributions in the future will be beneficial.Kingston Pon Di River

holds great potential as a cultural arts tourist product, and one of the presenters, American novelist Charlie Newton, compared Kingston to New Orleans and suggested that despite Kingston’s urban grittiness, it could like New Orleans become a venue for tourists. According to Janet Silvera, one of the festival organizers, Kingston Pon Di River “is seeking to position [Kingston] as the cultural hub of the Caribbean.” Heritage sites like Port Royal and Devon House, Kingston’s gastronomic offerings, and everything else from its street dances to sophisticated hot spots make the city an excellent venue for visitors who want to escape the all-inclusive hotels for a sampling of Jamaica in the raw.

If you go to Kingston Pon Di River Literary, Arts, and Music Festival:

Don’t try to drive to Boone Hall Oasis. While the property is delightful, the road the property is not. Park at the designated location and avail yourself of the free shuttle service.
If the organizers maintain the same format in upcoming years, no matter what you do, don’t leave early on the Saturday night and miss a performance like the church Revival service that took place this year!
Don’t be too disappointed by the limited range of foods on Saturday night (no fish, no vegetarian meals), they bring out the big culinary guns Sunday morning.

(Look out for my follow up piece to this on the St. Paul’s Halibethian Church performance)

New Blog: Kate and Kayla …

Mon, 14 May 2012 13:30:02 UT

Kate and Kayla

Settling In: What Is For You - Part 5

Aisha Scales — Mon, 14 May 2012 13:30:02 UT

Later that night, I was about to get into bed when I decided I had better call home. The past little while had been hectic and I’d barely had a chance to speak to my parents throughout orientation. I knew they must be dying to know how I was doing and if I was OK.

“Bwoy, yu’ jus’ dash us weh!” scolded my mother as soon as she realized it was me on the other end of the line. “We haven’t heard from you in a week, Nadiya!”

I rolled my eyes, glad that she couldn’t see me. “Mummy, it’s been orientation. You know how that goes. I didn’t have much time to call you, and I wanted to make sure I had a while to talk before I called.”

“Alright, well, just don’t try and get off the telephone too fast. Tell me everything.” I proceeded to tell her about all the activities and events that we’d been doing for orientation, Arlene, Cassandra and the other girls we lived with, Kevin and other guys that I’d met on hall, and the few family members that I’d been able to see so far.

“I’m so happy that you’re having a good time out there; I knew that you would love it. But make sure you get a lot of sleep tonight for your classes tomorrow! Now hold on, your father wants to talk to you.”

She passed off the phone to my father. After he grumbled something about me needing to check in more often, I told him about the people I was meeting from the other Caribbean islands, about the family, about current events in Jamaica, and about how Jeremy was enjoying Chancellor Hall. I could just see him puffing up with pride at the latter. It was funny how different my parents were in terms of what they wanted to talk about.

I talked to him for about five more minutes, said a quick goodbye to my mother, and then went to bed. I had thought talking to my parents would make me homesick, but I was pleasantly surprised to see that I didn’t feel that way at all.

Almost two weeks later, I was sitting at my desk, completely but happily submerged in my studies. I already had a huge amount of reading to do, but I was enjoying my classes too much to feel overwhelmed by it. I had done a good job in picking my courses; all of my professors were really knowledgeable and really enthusiastic about what they were teaching and I found everything that we talked about fascinating. Jeremy had already started teasing me about how much I liked school but I didn’t care. I was learning about the authors, culture, and politics of the Caribbean, and by doing that, I felt like I was learning more about who I was and where I had come from. “How can I not be excited?” I often responded. I never quite got through to Jeremy with that one though; that answer usually led to an eye-roll and the words “nerd” or “geek” being thrown out.

But as much as I loved my courses, I loved the social aspect of being at UWI even more. Now that classes had started, things on hall had calmed down a little as people got into their books, but it was still a very bustling and active place. I had learned to fall asleep to the sounds of yells, laughter and pounding bass outside my window every night, and had gotten accustomed to people bawling out my name below my window when they wanted to get my attention. I had already made tons of friends from all walks of life both in class and on hall, and I adored all the girls that I lived with. And it wasn’t just all gossip and lighthearted banter; we got into plenty of deep conversations and political debates on campus, and I loved the intellectual stimulation.

As for my family, I was getting to know Jeremy and Adrianne better every day, and I had promised to go on a girls’ day with Bridget once I got back from Mandeville, which I was headed to that upcoming weekend with Arlene.

The only downer of it all was that I’d only seen Kevin one time since our meeting at Jeremy’s. We had bumped into each other once on campus and since we’d both had some free time, we had gone for lunch together that day. We’d had such a great conversation that we had completely lost track of time, and I ended up being late for class. I had found out that we had some mutual family friends, although really, that hadn’t surprised me too much, since in the Jamaican middle class there seemed to always be only one or two degrees of separation. But wonderful as our conversation had been, we spoke strictly as friends, there hadn’t even been a hint of flirting this time around. If that was all that I could get though, I would gladly settle for it. He was someone that, near-obsessive attraction to him aside, I could see as a lifelong friend if we ever got the opportunity. We had so much in common! But I was just too shy to ask him for his phone number. I didn’t want him to think that I was hitting on him.

Anyway, although my attraction to Kevin had only gotten stronger, I was also well aware that he was not the only guy on campus. Take Omar. He was a guy on hall, who was also in one of my classes, and he had made it very clear to me that he was interested. I figured it wouldn’t be too long before he asked me out on a date, and I was pretty sure that I would say yes. He wasn’t the best looking guy in the world, but he was a lot of fun to be around, and very funny.

A knock at my door woke me up out of my reverie. “Hey Nadiya, what are you doing tonight?” It was Kimberly, one of the other girls that I lived with. I knew right away why Kim was asking. She was the stereotypical Trini; she loved nothing more than to fete. She often joked that since she was so far away from her strict parents, she needed to maximize on enjoying her freedom. She had chosen to go to the Jamaican campus of UWI instead of to the Trinidadian campus just to get away from under her parents’ thumb.

“I have no plans and I’m almost done my reading. Why, what’s up? What party is going on tonight?”

Kim giggled. “Am I that obvious?”

“Well, let’s just say you never come to my door asking if I want to go the library. So really, what’s the party tonight?”

“My friend told me that there’s some uptown party going on, in New Kingston. It should be rayl nice,” she said in her Trini drawl. “Do you have class tomorrow?” It was a Thursday night.

“Yeah, but not until the afternoon.” I thought quickly. “Sure, I’ll go, why not? Sounds like fun.”

“OK, great! It’s me, you, Arlene, Cassie and one of my other friends. We’re going to leave by eleven, alright?”

“I’ll be ready!” I knew I could be ready by eleven, but I had already learned that Jamaican time was not the same as real time. The earliest that we would leave would be eleven-thirty. I had plenty of time.

Despite that, I quickly raced through the rest of my reading. It was interesting stuff, yes, but now my mind was on going out partying. Just as I closed my book, as if she had been waiting for me, Cassandra appeared at the door. “Oh good, you’re done your work! I just finished mine too. So, you know the crucial question...”

“What am I wearing tonight?”

“You got it! Do you know yet?”

“No, I hadn’t thought about it. You?”

“I have some options, but let me know what you think. I tink one of dem too conservative and the other one too skimpy.”

Cassandra’s room was right across the hall from mine, so we spent the next while walking back and forth between each other’s rooms, comparing outfits and trying on clothes. Kim quickly joined in the act. We had decided on an outfit for Cassandra (mixing pieces of the conservative and skimpy choices) and one for Kim when Arlene came rushing through the door.

“Hello girls,” she sang. “Wow, you already starting to get ready? Lemme hurry up, I was just visiting with a friend.” Arlene’s room was right next to mine, so she hurried into her room and opened her wardrobe. By the time that the four of us were dressed and finally ready to go, I had gotten a serious workout from all the laughing, running back and forth, and posing for impromptu pictures that we had done. But we all looked fabulous, even if I did say so myself. I had my hair slicked back into a high bun, and was wearing a blue short romper with nude strappy heels. I had to admit I was pretty pleased with my appearance.

Kimberly’s friend had a car and was picking us up, so we all walked down to the gate to meet her once eleven-thirty hit. As we were walking down the path toward the gate, Omar happened to be walking up. His eyes lit up when he saw me. “Hot girls!” he teased. “Where yu all goin’ tonight?”

Kim told him where it was that we were headed. “Good!” he grinned. “That’s where I’m going tonight too. I’ll see all you there in a little while, OK?” He gave me a wink as he walked past.

Arlene elbowed me as soon as he was out of earshot. “So what do you think of Omar?” she asked in a low voice, as the other two girls were chatting. “I know he’s not Kevin, but…”

I laughed. “Well, no, he’s not, but I think he’d be fun to go out with.”

“Well, well, well! Tonight is going to be very interesting then because he was looking at you like he wanted to eat you up!”

As we got closer to the gate and in view of Kim’s friend, she started honking the horn impatiently. We said goodnight to the guards as we hurried through the gate and piled into the car. “Come on, girls!” proclaimed our driver as we put our seatbelts on and she started to drive. “I hope we are all ready to have a good time tonight! School is stressing me out and I need a stress-reliever!” She turned the stereo up loud, the five of us started chatting louder, and before I knew it, our drive through the streets of Kingston was over and we had reached the party. With the group of girls that I was with, and knowing that Omar would be showing up later, I was really looking forward to the night.

When we got there, the line-up to get in wasn’t too long so within minutes of arriving, we had paid our money and were inside the party. Although inside probably wasn't the right word to use. As was typical of most Jamaican social events, the party was actually being held outdoors. Who knew weather was such a huge part of quality of life? I thought to myself as I looked around. Give me warm temperatures and a cool breeze and life is good! Jamaica's year-round tropical weather allowed for way more time outdoors than was possible in Canada, at least for someone like me who wasn't into skiing and other winter activities, and I was sure it contributed to why the culture here was so laid-back and friendly. There was no winter weather to keep people locked up in their houses for half the year, or to have them rushing around in a foul mood when they were outside. Here I was, in October, at a party where I could look directly up at the night sky, with stars as my ceiling, feeling a cool breeze on my skin. I couldn’t keep the satisfied grin off of my face.

“Let’s go get a drink,” suggested Cassandra, interrupting my thoughts, “before it gets too ram up and we can’t get to the bar.” We each got ourselves something and then positioned ourselves at a spot near the entrance so that we could watch everyone as they came in. But before long, the party started to fill up, and as the crowd got bigger and bigger, and the music got better and better, we couldn’t fight it anymore; we had to leave our spot and go dance. Now, my friends had been trying since orientation week to teach me all the current Jamaican dance moves, but for the life of me, my attempts were still too shoddy for me to feel comfortable busting them out yet. All this time, I'd thought that I was a good dancer but being in Jamaica had me admitting otherwise! Still, I loved seeing the whole crowd feeling the music and doing one dance all together, it made for a beautiful scene. I just wished that I could fully participate.

As I was dancing and singing along to the music, looking around the party, I suddenly caught a glimpse of Kevin’s face in the crowd. My heart instantly started to beat faster. He had already spotted me by the time that I saw him, and he made his way through the crowd towards me with a smile on his face.

“Hey Nadiya!” he laughed, giving my hand a squeeze. “You’re coming out to experience some Jamaican party life?”

I smiled and looked down, feeling self-conscious. He made me sound like some kind of Canadian anthropologist. “I can’t study all the time, right?”

He slid behind me, put an arm around my waist, and said into my ear, “Well, let’s see how good you Canadians are at dancing.” I thought for a second that I might faint, but thankfully I managed to stay on my feet. We danced for the next twenty minutes or so, and in that time I could swear I'd died and gone to heaven. I couldn’t remember ever meshing so well with a guy on the dance floor before, and for that little while, I was convinced that dancing right there on that spot with him was where I was meant to be for the rest of my life. We didn't talk at all during the time that we were dancing, but it still felt totally comfortable. Now I felt that I was fully participating with the rest of the crowd. So I was absolutely and completely deflated when he abruptly stopped dancing as if the music had cut off suddenly. But it hadn’t. “Well, thank you for the dance,” he grinned with a mock bow. “Check yu lata, alright?” Then he just turned and walked away, disappearing into the crowd.

I felt totally dejected and rejected. I tried to keep on dancing by myself just to save face, but I didn’t even recognize the songs that were being played anymore. I stopped moving and sighed audibly. It seemed obvious that Kevin had gotten bored of dancing with me, and that he hadn’t at all been feeling what I had. That’s what I get for getting my hopes up again, I chastised myself. For a while there, I had started to think, again, that he was interested in me too. Get it together, Nadiya! I ordered myself. I couldn’t let it ruin my night. After all, I hadn’t come to the party to spend time with him, I'd come to have fun with my girls. My girls! Where are they anyway? Suddenly, I realized that I’d temporarily forgotten all about the people I'd come with. Fortunately, I hadn’t lost them; they were standing only a few feet away, all watching me with amused looks on their faces, so I sheepishly stepped over to where they were.

“Hi!” giggled Cassandra, “you’re back!”

“Yeah, sorry, I was kind of off in my own little world for a while there. That was the famous Kevin, although that probably goes without saying.”

“Well, now I see what all the fuss is about!” Arlene giggled. “He is gorgeous, just like you said.”

“Tell me about it! But anyway, enough about him. He's gone off to do whatever so I'm not going to worry about him anymore tonight. What about you guys, are you having fun?”

Cassandra nodded. “Yeh man! Hey, Omar is here now, you know. I saw him watching you. I think he was keeping his distance when he saw you with Kevin, but I’m sure he’ll be appearing any second now.”

Arlene interjected, “Four…three…two…”

I had to bite the inside of my cheek to hold in the laughter when Omar appeared at my side. Out of one ear, I could hear Arlene cussing to Cassandra about being one second too slow.

“Nadiya, you’re finally free! Do you mind if I get a little dance now?”

“Of course not, Omar,” I grinned. I loved his enthusiasm. He stepped in behind me just as Kevin had, although admittedly it felt totally different.
“I wanted to dance with you earlier, you know,” he volunteered, “but I noticed that you were occupied and I didn’t want to interrupt. Should I be jealous?”

I dismissed him with a wave of my hand. “Not at all, Kevin and I are just friends. Actually, he’s a friend of my cousin’s.”

“OK, that's good. I'm glad to hear it.”

I raised an eyebrow and smiled coyly. “Oh really? And why is that?” I asked teasingly.

“Well, because when I take you out to dinner and a movie, I don’t want any angry man calling and cussing me!”

I burst out laughing. “Now, in order for you to take me to dinner and a movie, I have to agree to go. How do you know that that's going to happen?” I had to admit that I liked Omar’s style, and enjoyed flirting with him. He was a very charming guy.

“Hmm, well, I guess I don't. So that's the all-important question then. Are you going to agree to dinner and a movie with me?”

I was silent for a minute, trying to look like I was thinking hard, with a teasing smile on my face.

“Don’t keep me in suspense!” he finally burst out. He actually looked a little nervous, which was really cute.

I giggled again. “OK, OK. Yes, Omar, I would love to go out with you.”

“Good!" He grinned widely, looking relieved. "So when are we going to go? What about this weekend?”

“Arlene and I are going to Mandeville tomorrow evening, but I’ll be back by Sunday afternoon.”

“Is Sunday night too early then?”

I tried not to laugh at his eagerness. I suspected he would have taken me out that same night if he could have. “No, that’s fine. We should be back with plenty of time.”

“Great. I’m really looking forward to it.”

“Me too, Omar.”

“Well, let me leave you to have fun with your friends. I'm sure they don't want me to monopolize all your time. Lata, yu hear?” He squeezed my arm and headed off through the crowd, glancing back once with a huge grin.

I watched him walk away with my own smile on my face. I really appreciated the fact that he had spent a good amount of time with me, but then left me to have fun with the people I came with. Classy guy. I knew that Sunday night was going to be a good time. As I watched him walk away, I couldn’t help noticing that he happened to walk past Kevin. Which meant that I couldn't help noticing that Kevin was now dancing with another girl, a very pretty girl who was a lot closer to his height than I was, and that he was whispering into her ear. They both started to beam at whatever it was he was saying to her, and I decided to turn away. I didn’t need to see anymore. I needed to focus on being friends only with Kevin, since that seemed to be all that he was interested in, and on dating other guys, starting with Omar.

Granny Knows Best

Margaret Juliet Bailey — Mon, 14 May 2012 13:30:02 UT

Granny Gheeta was a woman of many talents, however, her most famous talents included being dutiful Grandmother and Soothsayer.
Perhaps it was her reverence and devotion to God that gave her the ability to forecast the future, because when it came to advice, Granny always seemed to have tremendous foresight regarding people, places and circumstances.

Most of the times, her sentiments were conveyed in Jamaican phrases or proverbs. For instance, if any of her grandchildren encountered a disagreement with someone and it was absolutely uncalled for, Granny would remark, “You know, there is more to that argument than meets the eye, that person is probably frying somebody else’s fat.” Oftentimes, we would look at her in bewilderment, wondering what she meant. Our childlike minds would conjure up little people being fried up in a dutch pot for no good reason. Then, Granny would explain…”In other words the person you are having an argument with is probably inflating the situation because of another party.” Sometimes she was “spot on” regarding her assessment of the situation.

How many times have we experienced arguments with other people out of the blue, and when we analyze the circumstances we find out that the matter really had nothing to do with us in the first place? Then, there were the occasions when we as children would overreact when scolded and Granny would comment, “When you’re wrong, you can’t be strong.”

To a child who has been reprimanded, this remark seemed very patronizing but, in Granny’s old fashioned way, she was trying to tell us that when we are in error, to graciously accept defeat. She would go on to elaborate,”It takes a very “Big” person to admit they are sorry or wrong, besides, he who fights and runs away, lives to fight another day.”

When it came to success and striving to get ahead, Granny Gheeta would comment, “Leave no stone unturned, remember, it is your raw meat you are looking after.”

Granny urged us, never to commit our futures in other peoples’ hands, to be proactive, and seek what is right for us. She felt that no one else would look out for us better than ourselves.”

Granny Gheeta’s views on life seemed a bit archaic, but her sayings and colloquialisms made sense. She lectured, “All things in moderation!” Most children growing up, love the act of playing. Being able to indulge in Child’s Play is one of the joys of being young. But, Granny Gheeta felt, that too much playing lead to mischievousness and truancy. So, she would often be heard saying, “Okay, it is time to read your school books or the bible, what sweet nanny goat, soon run him belly.”

We would look at Granny with mass confusion, exclaiming a big “Huh???”

In our minds we wondered what nannny goats had to do with playing. We soon found out, that the saying had nothing to do with goats, it was Granny’s way of telling us to straighten up our nickers and get cracking on our school work, or we would experience dire consequences.One fond memory I have of Granny’s antiquated sayings happened when I turned a teenager, I became stricken with a bad case of the giggles. I would laugh at the most peculiar times, incessantly. Even when nothing funny was actually happening. Granny agonized over my new found emotion, remarking, “Only cheshire cats grin all the time. Get a grip of yourself or folks are going to think you’re an idiot, skinning your teeth all the time.”

As Jamaicans, I am sure everyone is familiar with the phrase, “Laughing like wan cheshire cat.” The act of laughing from ear to ear or being overjoyed. In my situation, I went through my early teens with the cheshire cat syndrome which ired Granny Gheets at times.

However, like most childhood traits, we eventually outgrow them and move on to more positive characteristics. I must admit, there is some truth concerning Granny’s assessment of appearing overjoyed all the time. People tend to misconstrue your happiness as an indication that you are a simpleton, mad, an idiot or a class clown. They very rarely take an effervescent person seriously, unless they are blonde…..and even then, not so much....

Granny’s talents for soothsaying were like covert operations. She would revert to spy mode, except, she didn’t wear a cloak, and lurk in dark corners. She would whisper gently, “ Magli, I have something to tell you….Ssshh…I can’t say it loud , because, you know, bush have ears.”

By the time Granny finished her sentence, she had your full attention, and you were usually bursting with curiosity to find out what insights she had for your future. Granny would take her time, quietly unfolding her visions in a “hush-hush” manner because she felt that spirits, both good and bad, surrounded us. If they were bad spirits, they would cast negativity on the good tidings God had planned for us in our lives, therefore, it was prudent for us to be careful who we shared our personal hopes and dreams with. Granny often emphasized, a bad minded person will try to put the “kabosh” on the best laid plans.

As a scholar of the world, Granny always encouraged her grandchildren to travel, embrace new experiences , places and things. Sometimes as youngsters we are not always receptive to exploring or venturing outside of our comfort zones. Granny encouraged us to explore, because it was her belief that the air we experienced in other places, spiritually, rejuvenated our minds, bodies and souls. So whenever, we received invitations to anywhere, and felt ambivalent about it, Granny would coax by saying, “Go, and make some fresh breeze bless you and your spirit.”

Granny always knew best, because she was often right. Experiencing different places seemed to have magical qualities of refreshing our senses. She emphasized, that when our spirits get blessed, as spiritual beings, we often bless the places we visit with our essences and good wishes….

The positive vibes we emit circulates and blesses the Universe.

Today, the young generation rarely pay attention to the elder folks and their ancient beliefs, which is the greatest injustice they can do to themselves,
because some of their ideologies and advice are priceless!

Tags: Granny Knows Best

Interview with French reggae artist, Hosny

Xavier Murphy — Mon, 14 May 2012 13:30:02 UT

This week we interview French reggae artist Hosny. He is the leader of the upcoming band French reggae band, Good Morning Babylones. Here is our conversation with Hosny.

Question: Can you tell us about the first time you heard reggae. What was that experience like? The first time I’ve heard Reggae Music I was 3 or 4 years old and it was Bob Marley’s song “Is this Love”. It was a very deep powerful impression inside of me, a feeling, a vibe.

Question: Was it then that you decided to be a reggae artist?

I was too young at 3 or 4 years old! After I became naturally a Rastaman. Jah decides

Question: What is life like for a reggae artist in your country (France)?

The life for a reggae Artist in France is hard. When you come from ghettos, from a tough life, like in Jamaica or everywhere in the world, it’s more difficult for us.Reggae Music makes feel the sufferings of people.

Do you do alot of concerts?

Not now because for the moment I just finished my 4^th Album, I put tracks on my website to promote my new Album. I prepare the launch of this Album and after the release in September or October; I will make concerts of course.

Question: Have you performed outside your country?

Yes I’ve performed in England, Switzerland, Portugal, and Tunisia. I’ve never play in America, but I hope I will do it

Question: Tell us about your first reggae album?
I made my first Album naturally. I didn’t know I was an artist who makes powerful roots reggae music felt by lots of people.

Question: Is it in your native language, French?

It was in English, it’s called “Radical Fighters”. I make this Album with musicians like Tyrone Downie, keyboard player for Bob Marley, different musicians from London, Paris.

Question: When will your next album be released?

In September or October 2012.

Question: What first drew your attention to Reggae?

It’s music of fight, to spread Love all over the world. Its strength comes from Kingdom of JAH. Only the true Rastaman can feel it but everybody can feel the musical strength of Reggae. Reggae Music is for all the people.

Question: What was the first Reggae song you ever heard?

“Is this Love” Bob Marley

Question: Who and what are your influences?

I’ve listened lots of Reggae bands like Dennis Brown, Burning Spear, Israël Vibrations and others…. But for me Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, Jacob Miller, Hugh Mundell represent truly the real roots of Reggae Music

Question: What style of reggae is played often in your country?

It’s “French” Reggae. Some artists distinguish themselves from the others.

Question: Was the fact that Reggae is English and Patois a barrier? Is there French Patois..lol?

Not at all, there are any barriers in Reggae Music. There is a French patois, in the country, but we don’t use it in Reggae!

Question: Is Reggae mainstream and is it played on the radio there?

Yes Reggae Music is played on radio.

Question: How is Reggae influencing your culture?

Reggae is a culture. It’s Rastafari Culture

Question: If someone traveled to visit your home and wanted to hear reggae music what would they have to do?

It’s easy, people can look in specialized magazines, newspapers, on internet, and find different Reggae events in Paris.

Question: How would you describe your country's reggae sound and development?

Records companies and journalists are not very open on reggae music, But I think it’s gonna be better, it’s gonna be cool.

Question: Who is your favorite Reggae Artist?

Bob Marley by the strength of his musical technic and the power of his vibes.

Question: Where do you think Reggae will be in 10 years time in your country?

I think reggae Music will always be there in France and everywhere. It will be nice.

Reggae Music is a Culture, a way of life and the Rastamen will be there forever

Question: Do you think there is anything preventing Reggae from flourishing for you and your fellow artists in your country?

Yes in every countries because Reggae Music tell the true and Babylon don’t like it!

Reggae Music is a Music of Love

Question: In some countries you might see people wearing a Jamaican-style hat with fake dreadlocks attached when they attend reggae concerts and other events. Do you see anything that you see in your country?

Of course there are lots of Rastamen in France, lots of Reggae events.France has a musical Power, Paris is a city with lots of musicians.

Question: Have you ever been to Jamaica?

Yes I’ve been to Jamaica to record my second Album and my third Album in Kingston studio, Peter Black studio, with the Wailers such as Aston Familyman Barrett, Vin Gordon, Glen Da Costa, Bembow Creary (first drummer of Bob Marley)….

And I love Jamaica a lot!

Question: Do you have many/any Jamaican people living in your country?

Yes they are some Jamaicans living in France, especially in Paris.

Question: Do you eat Jamaican food? Can you get it in your country?

Yes I eat Jamaican food, African food and French food!

Yes we can find Jamaican food in Paris! Paris is a big city, very cosmopolitan, with lots of people from all the countries.

Question: Thanks for the interview. Do you have any final words?

Big hello to all the Rastaman and all the Jamaicans. I wish them a Good Life and Good Vibes God Bless You All and I Love Jamaica. Thanks to Jamaica I’m a Rastaman

I’m also Jamaican in my heart

Please explain how they come up with these charges on goods I am to collect at the Jamaica post office?

Legal Wiz — Mon, 14 May 2012 13:00:00 UT

QUESTION: Dear Legal Wiz,

Before I go out of my mind, please help me to understand how they come up with taxes and charges on things I get from abroad AT THE POST OFFICE of all places. I asked for an explanation, but because I was so upset I was not really listening.

Tonya

The first step, according to Moncrieffe, is assessing the value by invoice, or estimation if no invoice exists. This value referred to as the CIF for convenience is based upon cost, freight, and insurance. In one particular case for example where no invoice was submitted, the unit cost of the item was assessed as if an invoice had being submitted.

RESPONSE: Dear Tonya,

Charging on imported items is another way any country earns money. In Jamaica the customs system is based on standards set by the World Trade Organisation (WTO).

If you happen to be on the receiving end in Jamaica, whether of bought or free goods sent to you by air or sea, a good understanding of how charges come into place and are calculated before you go to collect your item, will be meaningful. Senior supervisor Miss Carol Moncrieffe, Actg. Customs Manager Parcels Post at the South Camp road headquarters of the Post Office seeks to assist Jamaicans with easing their frustrations often experienced. All duties and taxes are fixed by Policy Decisions she emphasises. These includes Import Duty, General Consumption Tax (GCT), Customs User Fee (CUF), Environmental Levy and any other tax applicable.
Before we go to the charges and calculations, here are some terms and facts you need to know.
If you are an importer, charges that will apply are:
General Consumption tax (GCT) and Duty (unless exempt from either or both)
CUF
Environmental levy

The holding area at all points of entry and warehouses, such as the post office will also charge you a daily fee. This is worked out after the allowed grace period and varies according to port of entry. One should note that storage charges is not a function of Customs unless your goods are in a Queens Warehouse which is the Governments warehouse.

Late notice and storage

This is so, even if you get a notice late or none at all – you are subjected to a daily fee from the date by documentation, that it has arrived. Bear in mind that storage and storage fees is not the portfolio of Customs. The entity responsible for holding the goods are responsible for sending the notice and charging storage such as the post office. Sometimes, this fee is dropped for reasons such as a waiver or due consideration.
Where GCT is concerned, it is applicable to most items unless deemed 0-rated, or in situations where waivers are granted, or an exemption made by policy decisions. Now where no invoice is made available, the item is subject to customs valuation.
“Duty is applied to all items where applicable, whether the item was purchased or not, whether the item is for personal usage or trade” says Moncrieffe. Whenever items are imported, the importer is required to provide an invoice to reflect the cost of the item. At the Post Office, she says “we are often told that the items are gifts. In these instances, the supplier is asked to forward an invoice through fax or email. Where no such invoice is forthcoming, then the importer is informed that the item will be subject to Customs Valuation.”

Simply put, if your item is dutiable, it will not matter if the invoice is 0.00 as duty is then charged on a value estimated by the customs officer, plus taxes listed above, unless exempted from either GCT or duty. An officer at the post office in her attempt to explain further to a client, was overheard as saying “Nothing is free, there must be some manufacturing cost to make the product, phone, fliers or so.. so just consider that the cost estimated is the manufacturing costs.” Ms Moncrieffe however did not give much explanation on how estimated value was achieved beyond ‘experience of officers’ or by institutions set up for appraising. The National Gallery is one such entity called upon to value paintings where no invoice is available..
Information on items on which duty will be applied is available to any member of the public in the customs tariff. A copy of this book can be bought at the printing office, downtown. The tariff also tells the percentage of duty that would apply to imported items.
To obtain information on the GCT – whether its applicable to your item or not, you must read the GCT act.

Calculating the costs:

(ALL duties and taxes are fixed and are policy decisions. Customs are agents of the Government who are charged with the responsibility to collect these revenues on items imported.)
The first step, according to Moncrieffe, is assessing the value by invoice, or estimation if no invoice exists. This value referred to as the CIF for convenience is based upon cost, freight, and insurance. In one particular case for example where no invoice was submitted, the unit cost of the item was assessed as if an invoice had being submitted. Therefore, based on the type of flyer and the simplicity of the graphics and size (1/3 letterhead), the minimum cost per flyer was assessed as one cent US ($.01) each as the larger the volume the lower cost. “I was able to make this assessment base on my experience as a field officer and a supervisor,” she explains.
The second step is to calculate all taxes, which may be applicable by the Post Office Customs Operations if goods are to be collected at the Post Office. In total these are import duty (20% generally), GCT (17.5% fixed by government), CUF (2% of CIF) and Environmental Levy (0.5% of CIF). Full tax charges applied reflect 43.5 % of the CIF.

Let’s have an example. On specific advertising material the total percentage is 43.50%
If the value of CIF is 100 (cost + freight or shipping + Insurance)
GCT(17.5%) is charged on the total (CIF of 100) + Duty ($100×20% =$20) so %120×17.5 = $21.00
ID ($100×20%) =$20)
CUF (100×2%) = $2.00
Environmental Levy is (100x.5%) = $0.50 cents
The cost on the value you will pay therefore is $43.50 cents or 43.5% of the CIF($100.00)

Tags: cif, freight, jamaica post office, jamaica tax, users fees

Jamaican Headlines News, Jamaican Diaspora News & Jamaican Sports Headlines for the week ending May 11th, 2012

Mon, 14 May 2012 06:00:01 UT

Jamaican Headlines News, Jamaican Diaspora News & Jamaican Sports Headlines for the week ending for the week ending May 11th, 2012

Mother's Day Lunch & Dinner, May 13, 2012

Mon, 14 May 2012 04:35:00 UT

WHAT: Mother's Day Sumptuous Buffet Lunch and Candle Light Buffet Dinner

WHEN: May 13, 2012

WHERE: Terra Nova All-Suite Hotel

17 Waterloo Road, Kgn 10

Taboo Yardies Will Be Screen At The 22nd Annual DC Black Pride - Washington DC - May 26th, 2012

Mon, 14 May 2012 04:30:00 UT

WHAT: Taboo Yardies will be screen at the 22nd Annual DC Black Pride Festival followed by Q&A Please get your tickets @ http://tabooyardies.com

WHEN: Saturday May 26th, 2012, 3:30pm

WHERE: the Hyatt Regency-Capital Ball Room

Darien Lake Opens For The 2012 Season

Mon, 14 May 2012 04:25:00 UT

After a mild winter and a relatively balmy spring, fun-seekers are hungry for some action. The wait has finally come to an end now that Darien Lake is officially open for the summer season. The park and its extensive on-site lodging offerings opened today to the first visitors of the season. With the addition of more than $5 million in new attractions and significant park upgrades, this season is bound to be one for the record books. And, for Canadians, Darien Lake is the perfect thrill & chill getaway, with a variety of on-site accommodations just steps from the excitement of 45 rides, waterpark, live shows and lots of other amusements, shops and food.

“Canadians love coming to Darien Lake because everything is right on-site, so they can come and go between their hotel room, cabin or campsite and set their own pace for both relaxation and thrills. This year our team has put in a lot of hard work to improve and expand our offerings, so we’re excited for Canadians to re-discover us with a great family getaway,”said Bob Montgomery, general manager at Darien Lake.“We look forward to welcoming Canadians and saluting them with a special piece in our nightly Laser Blast show.”

Guests Will Enjoy $5 Million Dollars in Improvements

Guests have more to see and do than ever before, with the addition of three new family rides, internationally acclaimed live entertainment, new cabins and numerous upgrades at the park, RV sites and the lodge.

New family rides. The new “Rowdy’s Ridge” family area is now open and features three, brand-new, fun-for-the-whole-family rides. Moose on the Loose is a fun backwoods adventure on a “runaway moose” with funny encounters along the way. On Heave Ho!, riders pull themselves up to the top of a three-story tower by rope and then are gently descend. Riders on the Hornet’s Nest can do exciting flying on a tall swing, controlling flight angle and height. A number of other family-friendly rides have also been updated in the renamed Beaver Brothers Bay, and the park is introducing new beaver characters who will star in two high energy shows.

New and expanded lodging offerings. Guests can take advantage of numerous improvements to the park’s on-site lodging options, including 15 brand-new cabins equipped with free Wi-Fi and flat screen TVs; seven new pull-through RV campsites that accommodate larger vehicles with more power requirements; and a larger game room, a new fitness room and an expanded café menu at the Lodge on the Lake Hotel.

Overnight getaways include unlimited park fun.All lodging offerings include free admission to all of Darien Lake’s regular rides, in-park shows and waterpark.Visitors can come and go as often as they want. Two night getaways include THREE days of park fun.

Special getaway deal offers the 3rd night for 50% off. Darien Lake is now offering a special invitation to Canadians with an offer of the third night at 50% off with any two-night stay. Deals include three days of park admission for four people and are available on campsites, cabins, RV rentals and Lodge rooms.

Live Entertainment Promises to Please a Wide Range of Audiences

Live, in-park entertainment at Darien Lake will be better than ever this season, with several new live shows making their New York state debuts, including several live comedy acts, performing dogs, a renowned magician, a mesmerizing hypnotist, and a modern rhythm and stomp group – all of which guests can enjoy for free with the price of park admission. ~Live shows will rotate during the season, bringing a constant stream of all-ages comedy and amazing thrills to the park. The nightly Laser Blast show returns as well,with a Canadian tribute,Friday, Saturday and Sunday beginning May 18 – June 22, and then every night from June 23 – Sept. 3, with popular music, laser effects and fireworks. More details on shows and showtimes are available at www.darienlake.com/2012-in-park-shows/.

Darien Lake Performing Arts Centre

The Darien Lake Performing Arts Centre (PAC) continues to announce upcoming concert acts, attracting the world’s biggest stars. Starting the season off with a bang, Canadian international hip-hop phenom Drake takes over the stage on June 8 with help from J. Cole, Waka Flocka Flame and more! The line-up of acts booked to date includes Juno Award-winning Canadian rock band Nickelback (July 25), the Dave Matthews Band, Jason Aldean, Brad Paisley, Big Time Rush, Rascal Flatts, Toby Keith, IronMaiden with special guest Alice Cooper, the Beach Boys,KISS and The Vans Warped Tour and more! For more information, visit www.livenation.com.

Making a trip to Darien Lake, near the splendour of Niagara Falls, is fun for the whole family and an affordable and easy getaway for Canadians. Boasting an array of lodging options with exciting entertainment right on site, Canadians really can have it all! The Park also now accepts Canadian cash at par. The park is easy to find – just 45 minutes from the Peace Bridge off Interstate 90.

24th Annual Afrofest 2012, July 7-8, 2012

Sun, 13 May 2012 04:40:00 UT

Afrofest 2012 is a chance to discover Africa in the heart of Toronto, presented by Music Africa. Held annually since 1989, it is a free showcase of the rich and diverse African culture, on the weekend of Saturday July 7 and Sunday July 8 at our new location - Woodbine Park, Lakeshore Boulevard East and Coxwell Avenue.

The festival features music, dance, drumming and theatre, with over 25 bands, both local and international. With a bustling African marketplace, boasting more than 60 food and craft vendors, artistic displays, a Children's Village, a drum area, music workshops and organized fun and educational activities for youth and children, Afrofest is the African cultural event of the summer!

In addition to the performances on the main stage there will be non-stop activity at the Baobab Stage, with music and dance workshops, including by main-stage performers. The Children's Village area is designed to teach and inform about the diversity of the culture through art and crafts, drumming, and storytelling.

This year, Afrofest is going green! The festival will dedicate the weekend to promoting green initiatives and that of community and local not-for-profit organizations doing work to preserve the environment.

Save the date!

Full festival details will be announced and celebrated June 7th from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. at the Gladstone Hotel, 1214 Queen Street West.

Music Africa gratefully acknowledges the support of the Department of Canadian Heritage, the Toronto Arts Council and the Ontario Arts Council.

Irish And Chin Gives Cash In Hand To Bronx Patrons With Toll Reimbursement

Sat, 12 May 2012 17:45:00 UT

Since plans for the smash hit play "The Politician" have been underway, an onslaught of theater fans have sought the play in the Bronx. Leading promotions company Irish and Chin has heard the requests and dutifully listened. Although Irish and Chin has not locked down a Bronx date, the promoters have decided to give Bronx theater patrons the ultimate incentive in tight financial times, toll reimbursement. This marks the second time in the company's history that they have extended this gracious offer to loyal consumers. On Sunday, May 27, 2012, to receive reimbursement on the spot for tolls paid, travelers are encouraged to present their toll receipts upon entering York College. Irish and Chin recognizes the importance of building an ongoing relationship with those who support their efforts. With customer service as a priority, Irish and Chin believes that toll reimbursement is a worthwhile perk for Bronx patrons. .

Promotional plans for the staging of one of Jamaica's funniest plays to date "The Politician" are moving full speed ahead for Memorial Day Weekend. The ragingly funny play boasts a cast to be rivaled, including a triple threat package of top actors/characters Andrea "Delcita" Wright, Keith "Shebada" Ramsay and Christoper "Johnny" Daley of "Lime Tree Lane" fame. The energy from this top cadre of actors, among other esteemed, vested cast members is causing a stir among the New York Tri-State theater community, as stagings are set for Saturday, May 26, 2012 in Hartford, Connecticut (Weaver High School) and Sunday, May 27, 2012 in Queens, New York (York College) during Memorial Day Weekend.

Annual Ecumenical Service, August 5, 2012, Florida

Sat, 12 May 2012 17:40:00 UT

WHAT: The Consulate General of Jamaica requests the honour of your presence at its Annual Ecumenical Service in recognition of Jamiaca's 50th Annioversary of Independence

GUEST CLERGY: The Most Rev. Charles Dufour, Archbishop of Kingston

WHEN: August 5, 2012, 4:00 PM

WHERE: Christian Life Center

2699 West Commercial Boulevard, Fl 33309

One Caribbean Television Returns As Partner Of Invest Caribbean Now 2012

Sat, 12 May 2012 06:55:00 UT

Reiterating its commitment to the Caribbean region, One Caribbean Television returns this June as a partner of the 2012 Invest Caribbean Now Power Forum.

OCTV, which jumped on board to help present the inaugural forum last June, has again signed on to the second annual Caribbean Tourism Organization and Hard Beat Communications investment forum, slated for June 6, 2012 at the New York Marriott Marquis in New York City.

"We are pleased to be joined by OCTV for a second year in a row," said Felicia Persaud, CEO of Hard Beat Communications and convener of Invest Caribbean Now. "What OCTV has done is reiterated its investment commitment to this region and that is certainly a breath of fresh air in an investment arena here few respect this region as a fertile investment destination."

One Caribbean Television (OCTV) started off as a Caribbean Weather Channel, serving the Caribbean, Latin, Central and South America with current conditions and severe weather, tropical storm and hurricane coverage. That platform has been rapidly expanding to News, Business Reports, Sports Reports, Entertainment and Local Events as well as reports from correspondents on the islands and reports from New York City, Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico. Our goal is to provide as much Caribbean content as possible and to continue to provide our viewers the quality programming that they deserve.

OCTV is expanding its cable penetration in the Caribbean, Latin, Central and South America and is projecting its launch in the US and Canadian markets!

The Invest Caribbean Now Power Forum is done in collaboration with the Caribbean Tourism Organization to educate the private sector on Wall Street of the hot Caribbean market as well and boost interest in investment opportunities in the Caribbean and its Diaspora.

This year's panelists are Chairman of Blue Equity, Jonathan Blue; President and co-founder of Solamon Energy Corp, Jay Yeo, Hon. Chairman of the Caribbean Tourism Organization & Minister of Tourism & International Transport Government of St. Kitts & Nevis, Ricky Skerritt and Lisa Lake, the chief development director of the Branson Centre of Entrepreneurship - Caribbean. The 2012 Leadership Award recipient is Sir Richard Branson, founder of Virgin Group.

Invest Caribbean Now returns for a second year as Chinese investment in the Caribbean continues to boom in this free trade region that is politically stable and boosts attractive tax incentives, a highly literate work force and an established tourism market,and which the International Monetary Fund and World Bank forecast will see a 3.5 percent growth into 2013, higher than those of Eastern Europe and Central Asia, and similar to those of East Asia.

Invest Caribbean Now 2012 sponsors include La Chambre Consulaire Interprofessionnelle de Saint-Martin, (CCISM) and One Caribbean Television while supporting sponsors are the PR Newswire, WSEE TV, CaribPR Wire, News Americas Now, Damoola Inc., The Museum of American Finance and The Affiliated Lawyers of the Americas.

BoJ Projects 6-8 Per Cent Inflation For 2012/13

Sat, 12 May 2012 04:55:00 UT

The Bank of Jamaica is projecting that headline inflation will be within the range of 6.0 per cent to 8.0 per cent for 2012/13 financial year, largely similar to the previous fiscal year’s out-turn.

This was disclosed by Governor of the Bank of Jamaica (BoJ), Brian Wynter, during his presentation of the Central Bank’s report for the January to March, 2012 quarter.

With respect to the inflation forecast for the June, 2012 quarter, the projection is that it will be in the range of 1.5 per cent to 2.5 per cent. This follows the out-turn of 1.7 per cent for the March 2012 quarter, which was within the forecast range of 1.0 per cent to 2.0 per cent.

However, the Central Bank Governor cautioned that the current forecast “assumes that imported inflation, domestic inflation expectations and capacity conditions will be relatively stable during the quarter."

Meanwhile, the inflation forecast for the entire financial year is underpinned by assumptions which include, “generally favourable weather patterns, both in Jamaica and the major grain producing countries, and a moderate increase in the price of crude oil, given the projection for continued growth in the global economy,” Mr. Wynter said.

However, Governor Wynter pointed to “significant upside risks to the forecast for inflation, for both the current quarter and the fiscal year.”

The primary risk, the Governor said, relates to the measures that may be announced in the “imminent budget presentation to set the fiscal accounts and debt dynamics on a sustainable path for the medium term."

He observed that these measures could result in “inflation exceeding the upper bound of the forecast range for both the June quarter and the fiscal year. This could be exacerbated by higher-than-anticipated oil prices if there is a resurgence in geopolitical tensions and growth in the world economy is stronger than is currently being projected.”

With respect to “real GDP growth” the Bank of Jamaica projects continued slow growth of domestic output for the June 2012 quarter, largely similar to the estimated expansion for the March 2012 quarter.

“Agriculture, Forestry & Fishing continues to be the major drivers of growth and is expected to be supported by expansion in Mining & Quarrying, Hotels & Restaurants and Electricity & Water Supply,” he said.

For the 2012/13 financial year, economic output is projected to grow marginally in the range of 0.0 per cent to 1.0 per cent. The current outlook reflects the expectation of continued weak domestic demand, albeit improving relative to the crisis period, and a slower pace of expansion in world growth in calendar year 2012, relative to 2011.

In spite of the forecast for a slowdown in world growth in 2012 relative to 2011, the Central Bank anticipates that with the steady recovery in the US economy, there will be an increase in external demand for Jamaica’s goods and services as well as acceleration in remittance flows to Jamaica.

According to the Central Bank, “upside risks” to the growth forecast include the impact on growth and employment of major investment projects later in the fiscal year. However, the risks to the growth forecast at this time are largely to the “downside,” primarily the uncertainty regarding the extent of the fiscal consolidation to be announced.

“Fiscal consolidation would result in reduced domestic demand in the near-term, which could be exacerbated by weaker global growth and the impact of adverse weather,” he observed.

However, the Bank is forecasting that should the fiscal measures materialise, the adverse impact on growth will be temporary.

“Inflation, after the initial impact of potential fiscal measures, is expected to decelerate over the medium term towards the rate of inflation of our major trading partners. Additionally, economic growth should pick up in 2013/14 financial year and strengthen in the subsequent years, consistent with the forecast for expansion in the world economy, the successful implementation of a number of foreign direct investment projects and the re-opening of two alumina plants,” Mr. Wynter argued.

Jamaica To Play Active Role In Revitalising CARICOM

Sat, 12 May 2012 04:50:00 UT

Governor-General, His Excellency, the Most Hon. Sir Patrick Allen, says Jamaica will play an active role in revitalising CARICOM.

He says the building of the CARICOM Single Market and the pursuit of functional co-operation and the co-ordination of foreign policy will be priorities of the Government this legislative year.

“Foreign policy is an important part of our governance. It is a means through which, as a country, we can make a meaningful contribution to good order, sustainable development in all countries and peaceful co-existence between the peoples on our planet,” the Governor-General said, as he delivered the Throne Speech in Gordon House on Thursday to mark the opening of the new Parliamentary year.

He said Jamaica intends to strengthen its relations with South and Central America to open new avenues for trade, investment and tourism flows and to extend functional co-operation and cultural exchange.

“We will be represented at the African Union-Africa Diaspora Summit this month. An embassy in Kuwait was officially opened by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade last month. Our embassy will provide Jamaica with an important link in a region that is a source of capital and a potential supplier of energy to the country,” he said.

He said Jamaica will also be actively engaged in on-going discussion at the multilateral level, aimed at addressing the illicit proliferation of small arms and light weapons.

"As a member of the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG), we will continue to support adherence to the fundamental values and principles of the Commonwealth,” the Governor-General added.

The CMAG was established at the 1995 Commonwealth Heads of Government in Auckland, New Zealand, with the mandate to assess the nature of any infringement to the fundamental political values of the Commonwealth and recommend measures of collective action, aimed at the speedy resolution of democracy and constitutional rule.

Jamaica and the Foreign Ministers of eight other countries are members of CMAG. They are Australia, Bangladesh, Ghana, Maldives, Namibia, New Zealand, Trinidad and Tobago, and Vanuatu.

Strong Reserves At BoJ

Sat, 12 May 2012 04:50:00 UT

The gross reserves at the Bank of Jamaica (BoJ), at the end of March 2012, amounted to just over US$2.6 billion, representing some 17 weeks of projected goods and services imports.

This was stated by Governor of the Bank of Jamaica, Brian Wynter, during his presentation of the Bank’s Monetary Policy Report for the January to March 2012 quarter.

The Central Bank Governor said that there were intermittent periods of excess demand for foreign currency during the quarter, “in spite of the adequacy of net private capital flows to finance the demand for current account transactions."

“To augment supplies in the market, the Bank sold US$102.1 million net, which contributed to a decline of US$189.0 million in the net international reserves (NIR) to US$1,777.1 million by the end of March. Partly as a result of these sales, the bank’s gross reserves at the end of March 2012 amounted to US$2,638.9 million, representing 17 weeks of projected goods and services imports,” he noted.

Mr. Wynter further stated that during the review quarter, there were also concerns about the volatility of international commodity prices, particularly that of crude oil. He explained that it was against the background of the uncertainties that the bank maintained its monetary policy rate at 6.25 per cent for the March quarter.

With respect to the broader picture, Mr. Wynter informed that the performance of the main macro-economic indicators was largely favourable in the March 2012 quarter.

“Inflation was 1.7 per cent for the review quarter, within the bank’s forecast range, which contributed to inflation of 7.3 per cent for the fiscal year, also within the range expected for the year. The foreign exchange market was also relatively stable with the weighted average selling rate of the US Dollar vis-à-vis the Jamaica Dollar depreciating by 0.8 per cent for the quarter and 1.8 per cent for 2011/12 financial year,” he informed.

In addition, the estimates of the Bank suggest that “the nascent recovery in economic activity” continued in the review quarter and resulted in the expansion for the fiscal year being also within the forecast range of 1.0 per cent to 2.0 per cent, the Governor said.

“Of note, the up-tick in credit to the private sector which was observed in the December 2011 quarter continued into the March 2012 quarter. The increased demand for private sector loans could be reflective of the continued decline in commercial bank loan rates as depicted in the fall of 35 basis points in the weighted average rate of interest on private sector credit,” he stated.

The Governor also cited the marginal improvement in the quality of private sector credit with the ratio of non-performing loans, three-months and over, declining to 8.4 per cent at end-March 2012, from 8.8 per cent at end-December 2011.

In addition, during the March 2012 quarter, market-determined interest rates remained broadly stable in the regular auctions of 30, 90 and 180-day Government of Jamaica (GOJ) Treasury Bills.

As examples of the stability, the Central Bank Governor stated that the average yield on the 180-day Treasury Bill was 6.47 per cent at the March auction, compared to 6.46 per cent at the auction last December.

Jobs in Jamaica: Financial Controller

Fri, 11 May 2012 19:15:00 UT

Location: Flow Jamaica, Kingston and St Andrew

Description: Prepare financial statements within stipulated timelines; Maintain overall control of the GL inputs, bank reconciliations and cash flow; Maintain accurate inventory system and manage the cash flow integrity of all retail stores or other points of cash intake; Day to day management of intercompany, accruals, AR and AP controls and timely and accurate cash forecasting; Conduct timely reviews of the company’s financial status and identify trends and opportunities for improvement; Lead financial audits on an ongoing basis; Ensure that the company’s accounting procedures conform to accepted accounting principles

Qualifications: Post graduate Degree in Accounting/Finance, ACCA Level III, CIMA or equivalent qualifications; At least five (5) years working experience at a managerial level in Finance; In-depth understanding of financial and accounting concepts and IFRS; Advanced working knowledge of Microsoft Excel, Word and Power-point; Knowledge of Solomon and other accounting software would be an asset; Proven ability to effectively manage a team; Results driven and organized with a proven track record in process improvement; Critical thinking skills and a genuine willingness to excel

Contact: Human Resources Manager, Flow Jamaica

Application Deadline: May 18, 2012

Jobs in Jamaica: Ambassador of Administration

Fri, 11 May 2012 16:00:00 UT

Location: Embassy of Japan, Kingston

Description: Ambassador of Administration & Accounts Department: 1 year contract - renewable

Qualifications: Must have at least five (5) years working experience in a similar position; Must be PROFICIENT in computer including Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook; Must be able to work on own initiative; Must have EXCELLENT written and oral communication skills; NB: All applications include the name and addresses of two references.

Contact: Embassy of Japan, NCB Towers, North Tower, 6th Floor, 2 Oxford Road, Kingston 5

Application Deadline: May 14, 2012

Jamaica Sports Day Celebrating 50th Year of Independence, May 12, 2012, GA

Fri, 11 May 2012 13:45:00 UT

WHAT: Jamaica Sports Day Celebrating 50th Year of Independence

WHEN: May 12, 2012

WHERE: Burdett Park

2945 Burdett Road, College Park, GA 30349

Palmyra Foundation Announces Successful Online Charity Auction

Fri, 11 May 2012 10:00:00 UT

The Delta team attended “en force”; Olive Brown, MBJ Delta Station Manager Olive Brown, Delta Administrative Assistant Delta Georgia Young and Delta Supervisors Charmain Haughton and Renee Campbell. Photographer: Heidi Zech

The Palmyra Foundation announced today the successful completion of its first ever Online Charity Auction. The charity celebrated the last 3 hours of the web auction with a “virtual bidding party” at Montego Bay hotspot BlueBeat, Friday May 4th, 2012. A creative and interactive way to raise money for charity, participants were keenly eyeing their favourite items on big scrolling boards that showed “live” bids placed in real time. Among 100 fantastic items on the “virtual auction block”, DELTA and Jetblue Airways tickets, luxury vacation stays all over the world, a Royal Caribbean cruise, concert tickets and meet & greet with the world’s most revered flutist Sir James Galway in Washington DC and a cricket bat signed by Freddie Flintoff were all up for grabs.

120 party-goers actively bid on a string of coveted items with mobile phones, iPads and via onsite computer stations in support of the charity. 2 roundtrip Business Class airline tickets donated by DELTA Air Lines proved to be among the evenings most coveted items. Said Olive Brown, DELTA Station Manager in Montego Bay, who was in attendance together with the DELTA team: “My staff and I truly enjoyed the function and the excitement of bidding!”

MC Gordon Brown egged on the crowd to fabulous sounds from the 70s, 80s and 90’s, while people were enjoying action food stations courtesy of Island Entertainment Brand and an abundance of drinks provided by sponsors J. Wray & Nephew, Diageo and Betco. Bidding reached an all time high towards the auctions midnight close, particularly on lavish hotels stays at several beautiful Jamaican resorts including GoldenEye, Iberostar Grand Hotel, Secrets Resorts, Gran Palladium Hotel, the Ritz-Carlton Rose Hall and Half Moon, a Rock Resort. Said volunteer Madhu Mahtani who attended the party with husband Ranjeet Mahtani of sponsors Chulani Jewlers; “We had a great evening at the Palmyra Foundation event. We had a lot of fun participating in the live online auction and it was more enjoyable knowing that it was for a worthwhile cause that will benefit the children of Jamaica.”

With people bidding from all over the world, the auction website had close to 11,000 hits in two weeks and more than 2,000 hits on its last day alone. Many auction participants made off with great deals on luxury vacation stays in Hawaii, Bali, Miami, Colorado, Italy, Orlando, Malta, Spain, Germany, Dubai and Thailand. Said Dave and Maryann Petree from California, who were the winning bidders on two luxury vacation stays in Hawaii and Germany; “It was fun following the last few minutes of bidding, we were circling waiting to strike! I am grateful that we were able to support The Palmyra Foundation.”

The auction raised US$27,366 towards the charity’s goal of delivering book bags with a pack of crayons, a pencil, a colorful 300 page BrainQuest Workbook and 2 Scholastic reading books to 5,000 four and five year old Pre-K and Kindergarten children in September 2012 under the slogan "The future is bright, when you can read and write!"

Commented attendee Philipp Hofer, Resort Managing Director, Iberostar Hotel, Montego Bay; “It is amazing that everybody at the Palmyra Foundation is trying to make a difference in a child's life. So much effort to help children grow up and get the education they need for a bright future. It is great to be able to be part of this fundraising and I wish more companies would follow the example.”

Tanisa Samuel, Western Operations Manager for J. Wray & Nephew and event sponsors said that her company was delighted to work with the Palmyra Foundation in their quest to improve the lives of so many of Jamaica’s children. “This year the Palmyra foundation partnered with our Appleton Estate Jamaica Rum, Wray & Nephew Rum Cream and Jack Daniels’ brands to host the event that raises much needed funds for a cause dear to all of our hearts. We look forward to the book distribution every year!”

The Palmyra Foundation thanks all companies and private individuals who donated services & products to the Online Charity Auction as well as all the people who supported the auction through their online bids.

Atlantic City Carnival Caribbean Concert And Festival, July 12, 2012, NJ

Fri, 11 May 2012 07:45:00 UT

WHAT: Atlantic City Carnival Caribbean Concert and Festival

WHEN/WHERE: The Carnival Costume Parade will begin at July 21, 2012, 12:00 noon on the famous Atlantic City, Boardwalk at Showboat Casino, 801 Boardwalk, Atlantic City, NJ. It will then end with a Caribbean Concert over to Bader Field Stadium NJ, 600 Albany Ave, Atlantic City, NJ

Cabbie Chronicles Now On TVJ Starting May 11th, 2012

Fri, 11 May 2012 07:40:00 UT

Cabbie Chronicles the animated series about a taximan, navigating the absurd complexities of modern Jamaican life is now aired in TVJ starting May 11, 2012 at 9:30 PM.

Emerging Market Investment Forum Returns To NYC, June 6, 2012

Fri, 11 May 2012 07:35:00 UT

This ongoing series is focused on the entrepreneurial promise of the Caribbean which is important to every one of us.

Everyone with any involvement of any kind in the Caribbean and anyone looking for a new "promised land" just waiting to be fully explored should want to be at our Forum.

There is no better place to find out what is truly happening in business in the Caribbean than at the June 6th Invest Caribbean Power Forum. So please be sure to be there with us. Register now. Be part of the future throughout the Caribbean.

SPEAKERS:

- Jonathan S. Blue, Chairman & Managing Director, Blue Equity, LLC.

- Jay Yeo, President, Solamon Energy Corp.

- Lisa Lake, Chief Development Director, Branson Centre of Entrepreneurship - Caribbean

- Hon. Minister of Tourism of St. Kitts and Chairman of the Caribbean Tourism Organization, Ricky Skerritt.

- Official of the U.S. Department of Commerce's International Trade Administration

2012 AWARDEE: Sir Richard Branson, Founder, Virgin Group

CONVENER: Hard Beat Communications, Inc., CEO, Felicia Persaud

ATTENDEES: will include ministers, directors and commissioners of tourism from across the Caribbean region, investment agencies and representatives from the Chamber of Commerce of Saint Martin, other U.S. investors, bankers and builders and union heads.

When: Wednesday June 6, 2012 from 7:30 AM to 10:00 AM EDT

Where: Marriott Marquis Hotel

1535 Broadway

New York, NY 10036

Former Prime Minister Of Jamaica Cousin Making Strides As Reggae Singer

Fri, 11 May 2012 07:30:00 UT

When New Jersey-based reggae singer Jah Jah Yute is introduced to Jamaicans overseas, the first thing he is asked is if he is related to a former Jamaican prime minister. Why? Because his real name is Steadman Shearer and people want to know if this tall, talented and statesmanlike artist is connected to former Jamaican Prime Minister Hugh Shearer. And, yes, they are indeed cousins!

Jah Jah Yute was born in the hills of Hanover, Jamaica and he got an early all-access pass to the world of reggae music because his dad was a sound system operator. After partnering with a number of sound systems and producers, most notably African Symbol in Montego Bay, he migrated to the US where he has been recording in New Jersey and performing locally since, selling thousands of EP and albums at local trade fairs in the New York tri-stat region. To date, he has five albums that are commercially available.

His latest full-length album is called I-Ration (Enel Productions), a set with eleven blazing roots and culture songs. As his career escalates and the buzz builds around him, Jah Jah Yute will be perform on a number of area shows during the summer period so keep your eyes open for the electrifying Jah Jah Yute at a show near you.

Monty For New York Performance, June 6, 2012

Fri, 11 May 2012 07:30:00 UT

The legendary pianist Monty Alexander, a true son of Jamaica, and his friends Dean Fraser and Tarrus Riley, will perform at a benefit concert on his birthday, June 6, 2012, at Merkin Concert Hall at Kaufman Center, New York City. This Birthday Bash will also commemorate Monty’s 50 years in music and the 50th anniversary of the independence of Jamaica from Great Britain.

Monty Alexander’s legacy of musical excellence bridges the worlds of Jazz and Jamaican music with over 70 albums and an international following of dedicated fans. Reggae stars, Dean Fraser and Tarrus Riley, will join Monty on the Merkin Concert Hall stage for this happy occasion.

Proceeds from the concert will benefit Heartbeats of the World, a 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization that serves to enrich the lives of children, adolescents, and women in Jamaica, WI by providing educational opportunities to address poverty and unemployment. The concert will also celebrate the tenth anniversary of Heartbeats of the World, which was founded by its President, Dr. Karlene ChinQuee.

Mr. Alexander was first approached by Pat Chin, founder of VP Records, to volunteer his services to the Heartbeats’ charity. Speaking for the Board of Directors of Heartbeats, Mrs. Chin said: “We thank Monty, Dean and Tarrus for their generous donation of time and talent to such a worthy cause; we all look forward to celebrating Monty’s birthday.”

JAMAICA NEWSWEEKLY For the week ending May 11th, 2012

Fri, 11 May 2012 07:30:00 UT

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THIS WEEK”S SUMMARY
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RIVERTON RESIDENTS WANT REDRESS FROM FIRE EFFECTS—05/05/12
Earl Witter, public defender, stated that his office is conducting a forensic examination concerning complaints made by residents of Portmore and the Corporate Area about the negative effects arising from fumes from the landfill fire there. Witter is waiting for medical certifications on several of the 24 complaints his office is handling. He plans to make claims against the National Solid Waste Management Authority or the attorney general to obtain compensation for the residents who suffered harm from the fire.

EDUCATION LEADERS COMMIT TO IMPROVING THE SYSTEM—05/06/12
The leaders of Jamaica's education system are promising to build on their past achievements and make further improvements in the future to ensure high quality education on the island. Paul Adams, president of the Jamaica Teachers' Association (JTA) and Education Minister Ronald Thwaites have called for more commitment to education in this 50th year of the nation's independence. Thwaites says it is the government's responsibility to promote partnerships that will improve the system, and he praised the JTA for its work over the years.

DEBT INTEREST PAYMENTS WERE HIGHEST IN JAMAICA IN 2011—05/07/12
The "unsustainable" burden of public debt faced by Jamaica is continuing to impede necessary investments and prevent long-term economic growth, according to a report from the Center for Economic and Policy Research. In 2011, Jamaica faced the highest debt interest payments in the world, when determined as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product. The high debt ratio and certain micro-economic policies supported by the International Monetary Fund have slowed the nation's recovery, according to the report, entitled "Update on the Jamaican Economy."

DIGICEL OFFICE RAIDED—05/08/12
Digicel, the Caribbean mobile network owned by Denis O'Brien, an Irish businessman, is having a dispute with the government of Jamaica after a raid on the Digicel offices by Tax Authority Jamaica (TAJ). The company's offices in New Kingston were raided in an effort to find records the TAJ had been trying to obtain for some months. The TAJ was acting according to an order from the Jamaican Supreme Court and wanted information to confirm the company had paid the general consumption tax, which it collected from customers, to the tax authority. Digicel then got a court order to bar the TAJ from taking any information from its servers. The TAJ said it performed the raid because the company had not provided requested data in a timely manner.

CLAIM STATES THAT JAMAICAN POLITICAL PARTIES FUNDED BY FRAUDSTER—05/08/12
According to a confiscation order in a Turks and Caicos court, the two major political parties of Jamaica received millions from a fraudster in 2007. The parties are investigating these allegations, which state that David Smith, a convicted criminal, provided generous donations to both the People's National Party (PNP) and the Jamaica Labor Party (JLP). P.J. Patterson, former Prime Minister and PNP member, is accused of taking $1 million from Smith, who ran a Ponzi scheme through a fraudulent investment group known as Olint. Patterson denies taking the money. The JLP is accused of taking some $5 million from Smith, who is serving 30 years in prison in Florida for wire fraud and money laundering.

JAMAICAN ECONOMY CRIPPLED BY IMF POLICIES—05/09/12
The weak economy of Jamaica will not recover as it should if it accedes to demands from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), according to a report from the Center for Economic and Policy Research (CEPR).Jamaica pays more debt interest than any nation in the world, owing about $18 billion. The "pro-cyclical macroeconomic policies" of the IMF have damaged the island's economic prospects, the report concluded. Jamaica's debts have risen by almost 33 percent since 2008.

Jamaica is currently paying more debt interest than any other country, including those in Europe that have been reeling under the near collapse of the euro. In total, the island owes around 18 billion dollars.

LOSSES CONTINUE FOR AIR JAMAICA—05/10/12
Air Jamaica is still losing money under its new ownership program. The firm had one of the most negative economic impacts on Caribbean Airlines Limited in 2011.The US$38 million losses suffered by Air Jamaica represented an improvement of 75 percent over the previous year, however. In 2010, the airline lost US$150 million, according to sources on the divestment committee. Jamaica continues to own a 16 percent stake in Caribbean Airlines, so the government will have to address the losses in order to protect jobs and consumers.

GOVERNMENT DEFENDS ITS RAID ON DIGICEL—05/11/12
According to the Jamaican Ministry of Finance and Planning, there appeared to be a "concerted campaign" to discredit the efforts of the Tax Administration of Jamaica (TAJ) in doing its job in connection with investigations of Digicel. The Ministry has made suggestions that Digicel is attempting to try the case in the court of public opinion, and while the Ministry does not usually comment on such matters, it said it was forced to speak out because of the numerous inaccuracies being communicated in public statements. In 2011, the TAJ began an audit of various economic sectors, including the telecoms sector, and only in the case of Digicel has the TAJ been compelled to go to the courts to obtain requested information. The TAJ turned to the court after all other means of obtaining the data had been exhausted, according to the Ministry.

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JAMAICAN DIASPORA NEWS
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LAMONT NAMED NEW JAMAICAN CONSUL GENERAL TO NEW YORK—05/05/12
Herman Lamont, a career diplomat, has been named as Jamaica's new consul general to New York. Lamont replaces Genieve Brown-Metzger. Lamont has previously worked as deputy consul general in Miami, Florida and in Toronto, Canada. He was introduced to his new role by Jamaican Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller, who was on a visit to the city. She also introduced the new community relations officer for the consulate, Christopher Castriota and noted that both men will work for the interests of all Jamaicans in the Diaspora.

JAMAICA 50 CELEBRATED WITH JAAC BRUNCH—05/06/12
The Jamaica Awareness Association of California (JAAC), a nonprofit organization, marked Jamaica's 50 years of independence with more than 250 guests at the annual Caribbean spring brunch on April 29, 2012. The theme of the event was "Celebrating Jamaica 50th Anniversary." It was held at Friendship Auditorium in Los Angeles. Yasmin Facey, president of JAAC, stated that the anniversary celebrated the long way Jamaicans have come as a country and believed the event showcases the pride of the Jamaica Diaspora community.

JERK FESTIVAL IN U.S. TO CELEBRATE JAMAICA'S INDEPENDENCE, GRACE FOODS—05/08/12
The Grace Jamaican Jerk Festival of 2012 will celebrate both Jamaica's 50th anniversary of independence and the 90th birthday of Grace Foods itself. Organizers of the event promise considerable excitement in the promotions they have lined up before the event, which is scheduled for July 22, 2012, at Roy Wilkins Park in Queens, New York. Organizers expect over 10,000 people to participate and enjoy spicy jerk food at the festival. With the event, Grace Foods is reaffirming its commitment to the community and laying the groundwork for future traditions.

COMPETITION INTRODUCED FOR DIASPORA ENTREPRENEURS—05/08/12
In partnership with the Inter-American Development Bank and other supporters, the United States State Department has introduced a business plan competition aimed at the Caribbean region. The plan seeks to promote economic growth and job opportunities and to create partnerships among the members of the Caribbean Diaspora. The fund, the Caribbean Idea Marketplace, will offer a grant of $100,000 to each of the ten best business plans presented that target the following countries: Jamaica, St. Lucia, Antigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, the Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, St. Kitts and Nevis, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago. Plans must be submitted by May 30, 2012.

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CARIBBEAN NEWS SUMMARY provided by Caribbeantopnews.com
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CARIBBEAN, LATIN AMERICA RECEIVE US$153 BILLION IN FOREIGN INVESTMENT—05/05/12

WORLD'S LARGEST FROGS HOPEFULLY TO ESCAPE EXTINCTION—05/06/12

T&T ATTORNEY GENERALNAMES CCJ RESPONSIBLE FOR DEATH PENALTY CASES—05/07/12

PRIME MINISTER OF CURACAO SUSPENDS THE SECRET SERVICE AGENCY—05/08/12

AMNESTY LAW IN SURINAME QUESTIONED BY ROMAN CATHOLIC BISHOPS—05/09/12

PUERTO RICO TO BE FULLY BILINGUAL BY 2022—05/10/12

Visit Caribbeantopnews.com for the weekly Caribbean News Summary, Caribbean Events & Announcements and Caribbean Recipes.

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BUSINESS NEWS SUMMARY
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TEN-YEAR DEVELOPMENT PLAN ANNOUNCED FOR NEW CREDIT BUREAU—05/05/12
Neal and Massy plan to spend US$1.5 million in the first year to establish a credit bureau subsidiary called CRIF NM Credit Assure Limited. The complete development of the new company will take about ten years. The initial money will be used to fund the acquisition of hardware and software and to implement strict data security and confidentiality measures, said Robert Gordon, the general manager of the CRIF NM. The new bureau is a joint venture of Neal and Massy Holdings Ltd. and CRIF, a global credit bureau firm with existing operations in Europe and Asia.

ASAFA POWELL BECOMES AN ENTREPRENEUR—05/06/12
Asafa Powell, Jamaica's former 100-meter world record holder, has moved into the entrepreneurial field with the introduction of an online business aimed at Jamaican consumers. IrieSocial will help people discover Jamaican products and services, as well as provide an entry to global markets for Caribbean businesses. IrieSocial will include daily deals and features businesses like restaurants, hotels, beauty parlors, and spas. The deals represent risk-free advertising for Jamaican businesses and allow them to find new customers.

NO MECHANISM FOR POLICING CONTAMINATED JAPANESE IMPORTS—05/07/12
While many agree that damaged vehicles, even those contaminated with radiation, will be able to enter Jamaican markets from Japan, authorities believe the risk of entry is slight. They believe this in spite of the fact that there is no way to police the entry of contaminated goods. Some vehicles clearly marked as water-damaged or exposed to radiation on Japanese car dealer websites are being bought and sold very cheaply. Dealers say they are not doing business with these websites, but it is understood that neither the Customs border control division or the Trade Board, which is responsible for issuing import permits, have any way to know whether a radiation-contaminated vehicle is entering Jamaica.

CORRUPTION EXISTS IN SUGAR SECTOR, SAYS CHINESE INVESTOR—05/08/12
According to Chinese investor Francis Hehanqi, the sugar industry in Jamaica is rife with corruption, abuses of power, bureaucracy, and money abuse. Hehanqi, who is the deputy chief executive officer of Pan Caribbean Sugar Company, also says his firm is committed to changing things, and the changes will bring higher prices for the farmers that supply sugar cane. Hehanqi made his charges at a ceremony marking the signing of an agreement to allow his company to market sugar milled at the factories in Monymusk, Frome, and Bernard Lodge.

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CARIBBEAN TECHNOLOGY NEWS SUMMARY provided by Caribbeantopnews.com
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IRIESOCIAL LAUNCHES IN JAMAICA—05/05/12

JAMAICA DRIVEN TO CLEAN ENERGY BY HIGH COST OF OIL—05/06/12

JAMAICAN YOUTH SHOWCASES TECHNOLOGY SKILLS IN MOBILE APPS—05/07/12

HYLTON SAYS STOPPING TOXIC GOODS AT PORTS TOO EXPENSIVE—05/09/12

Visit Caribbeantopnews.com for the weekly Caribbean News Summary, Caribbean Events & Announcements and Caribbean Recipes.

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ENTERTAINMENT
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ESTELLE WELCOMED TO CARIBBEAN FASHIONWEEK—05/06/12
Estelle, a Grammy winning singer and global music star, will be one of the acts performing at June's Caribbean Fashionweek 2012. This will be the 12th year of the event, which will be held at National Indoor Sports Center from June 7 to June 11, 2012. Designers from throughout the Caribbean region will participate and showcase their work for the audience. Participating in the event for the fourth time will be Jamaica-based Lubica, who has been the focus of attention for her relationship with champion sprinter Usain Bolt.

BUSINESS OWNERS PROMOTE BELLY DANCE AS MAINSTREAM EXERCISE—05/07/12
Shari-lee Perrin and Gabriel Beckford, the owners of Raks Sharki JA, are trying to encourage Jamaicans to accept belly dance and other Eastern styles of dancing as alternative exercise forms. According to Beckford, both he and Perrin are adventurous and want to be innovative, so they are enthusiastic about bringing the dance genre to Jamaica. Raks Sharki JA is an Oriental dance group that focuses chiefly on belly dance of Egyptian origin.

"JAMAICA, FAREWELL" PRESENTS EXUBERANT VIEW OF JAMAICA—05/09/12
The play "Jamaica, Farewell," performed by Debra Ehrhardt, fills the space at the Chopin Theater with excellent storytelling. Ehrhardt, who was raised in Jamaica and who now lives in Los Angeles, California, wrote the one-woman show to tell the story of how she emigrated from the Caribbean to the United States. It follows her life from age seven to age 20 and describes the many facets of her journey.

SPECIAL PRIZES TO BE AWARDED AT NATIONAL VISUAL ARTS COMPETITION—05/10/12
Two special Jamaica 50 prizes will be awarded at the National Visual Arts Competition (NVAC) in 2012, the 49th year of the competition. The NVAC has been a part of the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission's list of events for 48 years. Sana Rose-Savage, NVAC coordinator, said she is looking forward to a wide range of entries for the prizes. The deadline to submit is May 18, 2012.

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SPORTS
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ASAFA POWELL WITHDRAWS FROM JAMAICA INVITATIONAL—05/05/12
Jamaica's former record holder in the 100 meters, Asafa Powell, has withdrawn his entry from the Jamaica International Invitational meet due to a groin injury. He was to have raced in the 200 meters, but his agent said he would not participate because of soreness, and since he would not race the 200, he decided to forego the 100 meter race as well. The injury has ended any chance of Powell facing Usain Bolt, current record holder in the 00-meter distance, head to head at the competition.

BOLT FACES CHARGES OF RACISM FOR PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP—05/06/12
Jamaica's champion sprinter Usain Bolt faced charges of having "white woman complex" from some critics because of his six-month relationship with Lubica Slovak, fashion designer. Some black Jamaicans are unhappy that Bolt, 25, has chosen a white woman as his romantic partner. Friends of the couple note that love has no race, however, and that the two have a real connection.

BOLT WINS 100 METER RACE AT JAMAICA INVITATIONAL—05/07/12
Usain Bolt ran the 100 meters at the Jamaica International Invitational in a time of 9.82 seconds to win the event just one month before the trials for the 2012 Olympics. This was Bolt's first 100-meter win of the year, and the crowd of fans gave him a standing ovation for his performance. Michael Frater of Jamaica won second place in the race with a time of 10.00 seconds.

24 JAMAICANS PARTICIPATE AT CAYMAN INVITATIONAL—05/09/12
A contingent of 24 Jamaican athletes led by Yohan Blake and Novelene Williams-Mills are participating in the first Cayman Invitational track and field competition at Truman Bodden Sports Complex. The Jamaicans are represented among a group of athletes totaling nearly 80 from 11 nations around the world. Blake and Williams-Mills are predicted to win their events, and Michael Frater and Kemar Bailey-Cole are also expected to do well for Jamaica at the meet.

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JAMAICAN JOBS
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OFFICE ADMINISTRATOR

AMBASSADOR OF ADMINISTRATION

PROCUMENT MANAGER

FINANCIAL CONTROLLER

WEBSITE DEVELOPER / PROGRAMMER

Visit JAMAICAN JOBS.

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DEVOTIONAL
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TGIF!

Thank God, It's Friday! Four magic words greeted with exhilaration and which signal the end of the workweek for millions of working people. For some of us, tired from weekends that seem far too short, we start looking forward to Friday from the time we get up on Monday! No matter how bad a week we are having, there is something about the "magical" Friday that puts a pep in our step and seem to flood our bodies with feel good hormones. It is as if for the next two days we can leave behind the hustle and bustle of life and its challenges.

However, what if we were to wake up every day and declare TGIF? No, not as in "Thank God It's Friday" but rather, "Today God Is First"? Ezra Taft Benson puts it this way, "When we put God first, all other things fall into their proper place or drop out of our lives." There is a lot of truth in that statement. Invariably, whatever we put first becomes our priority. There are times when it is our material needs that sit at the forefront of our minds and which consume our thinking. Jesus affirmed the importance of putting God first when He states, "Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you" Matthew 6:31-33, ESV).

It would be pointing out the obvious to note that if Jesus said so then it must be true; above all else, seek first the kingdom of God. Centuries earlier the proverb writer declared, "In everything you do, put God first, and He will direct you and crown your efforts with success” (Proverbs 3:5-6, TLB). There is no other priority that we can establish that is able to transcend that of putting God first. It is no wonder that Abraham Lincoln, while president of the United States, lamented, "I have been driven many times to my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go. My own wisdom, and that of all about me seemed insufficient for the day." By putting God first, we can rest comfortably in the knowledge that He knows what He is doing. More importantly, He knows what is best.

So, how about it? TGIF - Today God Is First! You do not have to wait until Friday to reorder your priorities; you can start doing so any day of the week. Whatever you do, put Him first. Make it a habit to do so daily. No one or nothing else matters as much.

CEW

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The weekly news is compilation of new articles from top Caribbean and Jamaican news sources.

Jobs in Jamaica: Website Developer/Programmer

Fri, 11 May 2012 07:25:00 UT

Location: Kingston and St Andrew

Description: Responsible for: Accurate and timely integration of website Content Management Systems; The development and integration of custom PHP-based applications into new or existing websites;

Troubleshooting and/or maintenance of existing/legacy websites and PHP-based systems.

Qualifications: PHP / MySQL; PHPMyAdmin; XHTML; CSS 2/3; Javascript; Zend Framework; Ability to administer LAMP server; Drupal; Wordpress; Joomla; Outstanding work ethic; Basic understanding of Photoshop; Strong understanding of Apache and associated configuration files; good oral and written communication skills (must be able to communicate complicated concepts coherently in lay terms); Experience with Magento or another Ecommerce framework, as well as the PlugNPay Gateway would be an asset.

Contact: Managing Director, A New Media Firm

24th Annual Atlanta Caribbean Carnival, May 26, 2012, GA

Fri, 11 May 2012 07:15:00 UT

WHAT: Official 24th Annual Atlanta Caribbean Carnival

WHEN: May 26, 2012

WHERE: Festival Village, GA

Atlanta Caribbean Carnival Children's Carnival, May 19, 2012, GA

Fri, 11 May 2012 07:10:00 UT

WHAT: Atlanta Caribbean Carnival Children's Carnival featuring costime parade, food, arts and crafts vendors, live music and entertainment by youth performers

WHEN: May 19, 2012

WHERE: Salem Park

5290 Salem Road Lithonia, GA 30038