Jamaican News & Announcements
JAMAICA NEWSWEEKLY For the week ending July 8th, 2011
Published Jul 8, 2011----------------------------------------
THIS WEEK”S SUMMARY
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U.S. PROSECUTORS WANT "DUDUS" WIRETAP EVIDENCE ALLOWED—07/02/11
United States prosecutors have filed a request requesting that the court allow wiretap evidence that could put Christopher "Dudus" Coke, alleged Jamaican drug lord, in prison for a considerable length of time. Prosecutors have criticized Coke, who is facing illegal arms and drug charges, for failing to raise the legality of the wiretaps as an issue in a Jamaican court before waiving his right to challenge the order of extradition.
ANGRY MOTORIST SHOOTS KINGSTON STUDENT—07/03/11
Physicians at Kingston Public Hospital tried to save the life of Khajeel Mais, 17, after he was shot by an angry driver. The driver of a black or blue BMW X5 was angry because he had been hit by a taxi. Mais was a passenger in that taxi. The Kingston College student was on his way to past-students' celebration at Meadowbrook High School when he was shot.
JAMAICAN POLICE OFFICER JAILED AFTER DOPE FIND—07/04/11
An inspector with the Jamaican police force is in jail, put there by his fellow officers after they found 150 pounds of marijuana in his automobile trunk. The inspector was stopped by anti-corruption agents as he drove toward Kingston with three boxes and a knapsack filled with marijuana bricks. Although the officer was not identified, Karl Angell, a spokesperson for the police, said the suspect had worked in law enforcement for twelve years.
SALE OF CITRUS PLANTS BANNED IN JAMAICA—07/05/11
Jamaican authorities have prohibited the sale of all citrus plants in the country in an attempt to stop the spread of an invasive pest that carries bacteria capable of destroying the commercial citrus industry. That industry is valued at some $43 million. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, all nurseries are closed until further notice and all plant sales halted to stop the spread of the "citrus greening" disease. This disease, also known as "yellow dragon disease," has been found in all of the island's parishes.
BAUXITE INDUSTRY RECOVERING—07/06/11
According to industry observers, there are indications that the aluminum industry is recovering from the economic downturn. Alumina Company Jamalco has reported its best six-month period in 52 years in terms of company performance. The increase in production was attributed to the replacement of old equipment and the efficiency of using caustic soda to extract alumina from bauxite.
PLANS FOR 50th ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION IN THE WORKS—07/07/11
Plans are already being made for the celebration of Jamaica's 50th Anniversary of Independence in 2012, according to Olivia Grange, Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture. Grange said the celebration will last all year, beginning on December 31, 2011, and running until December 31, 2012. The government plans to expand the celebrations with links to the Jamaican Diaspora rather than confining them to the island itself.
PABLO MCNEIL, JAMAICAN OLYMPIAN, DIES—07/07/11
Pablo McNeil, the two-time Olympic champion and Jamaican sprinter, died after a long illness at the age of 71. McNeil had been Jamaica's 100-meter representative at the Olympic Games in Tokyo in 1964 and in Mexico City in 1968. McNeil became a sprint coach in his later years and was responsible for convincing Usain Bolt to switch from cricket to track. McNeil coached Bolt until the runner turned 16.
SHRIMP VENDORS PARTICIPATE IN TRAINING—07/08/11
Over 40 shrimp vendors in Middle Quarters, St. Elizabeth, are taking part in Team Jamaica training as part of the Jamaica Social Investment Fund's Rural Economic Initiative program. The program is supported by $3 million in funding. The training covers topics such as self-esteem, customer service, cultural awareness, and history. The vendors will also be trained in business development and food handling.
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JAMAICAN DIASPORA NEWS
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DEBATE CONTINUES OVER DIASPORA RIGHT TO VOTE—07/03/11
While many Jamaicans believe that individuals in the Diaspora should be able to vote in Jamaican elections, others do not support this position. Jamaicans overseas consist of those who currently live outside Jamaica on a permanent basis, and those who only live beyond Jamaican boundaries temporarily. Some observers believe the debate should focus on whether those overseas Jamaicans who are currently eligible to vote should be allowed to continue this practice, and whether those who do not have current eligibility to vote should be given that right.
CANADIAN ALUMNI GROUP HONORS JAMAICAN GRADUATES—07/04/11
The Alliance of Jamaican Alumni Associations held a reception for students of Jamaican heritage who graduated from high school in Ontario, Canada. About 45 students participated in the event, receiving certificates presented by Margarett Best, Ontario's Jamaican-born Minister of Health Promotion. Seven students received monetary awards for their achievements in scholarship.
JAMAICAN MAKES GOOD IN MARTHA'S VINEYARD WITH FOOD TRUCK—07/06/11
Sharnel Abraham, whose uncle owned a jerk chicken food cart in Jamaica, is preparing authentic Jamaican food in a food truck located on Main Street in Vineyard Haven, Massachusetts. Abraham feels optimistic about his future with the truck in Martha's Vineyard and plans to expand his Jamaican food concept throughout the United States.
JAMAICAN LESBIAN GRANTED ASYLUM IN UNITED KINGDOM—07/07/11
A lesbian from Jamaica has obtained "refugee protection" from a tribunal in the United Kingdom. The woman had appealed to UK authorities, saying she would face persecution and clinical depression if she returned to her home country. The woman came to the UK to study in 2003 and was originally refused the right to remain in the country. After her appeal based on the claim that Jamaica was a "deeply homophobic" nation where she had been threatened with "corrective rape," she was granted asylum in the UK.
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CARIBBEAN NEWS SUMMARY provided by Caribbeantopnews.com
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POLICE CHIEF IN PUERTO RICO QUITS OVER CRITICISMS—07/02/11
LICENSES FOR TRAVEL TO CUBA ISSUED BY U.S.—07/03/11
CUBA ATTEMPTS TO SHINE LIGHT ON "SHADOW ECONOMY"—07/04/11
EFFORTS MADE TO CONTROL RISING FOOD COSTS IN CARIBBEAN—07/05/11
PRESIDENT OF HAITI ANNOUNCES SECOND CHOICE FOR PRIME MINISTER—07/06/11
AGREEMENT TO CREATE PUBLIC HEALTH AGENCY PRAISED—07/07/11
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BUSINESS NEWS SUMMARY
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REPORT SUPPORTS MONOPOLY AND LNG CONVERSION—07/02/11
International consultants have recommended that Jamaica make changing the chief fuel source for generating electricity to liquefied natural gas (LNG) a priority. Making this change would cause a reduction in power supply costs to consumers by 33 percent. Additionally, an expert report from Castalia notes that the Jamaican government should not break up the existing monopoly in the area of power distribution held by the Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS). A breakup would cause higher rates for residential and small business consumers and not result in lowered costs for large industrial consumers.
GROUP ENCOURAGES STUDENTS TO MAKE DEMANDS OF GOVERNMENT—07/03/11
Jamaicans for Justice (JFJ) wants the island's students to take the lead in changing the way government currently withholds information from the public. Dr. Carolyn Gomes, chairman of the group, made her remarks at an event held to recognize three students for their submissions to an essay contest sponsored by the Access to Information (ATI) unit in the Prime Minister's Office. The competition was designed to enhance awareness of citizens' rights to obtain official documents under the provisions of the ATI Act of 2002.
LOWER TAXES FOR THOSE WHO PRACTICE CONSERVATION—07/04/11
Jamaican consumers can avoid the special ten-percent General Consumption Tax (GCT) if they conserve on their usage of electricity. Those residential customers who use more than 200 kilowatt hours of electricity are subject to this special tax, which was imposed beginning in December of 2009.
DEVELOPMENT BANK HANDED OUT $1.2 BILLION IN LOANS—07/05/11
Nearly $1.2 billion in concessionary loans has been provided by the Development Bank of Jamaica (DBJ) between April 2010 and March 2011. The loans were used to finance projects in local productive sectors and allocated via 12 approved financial institutions. The projects targeted small and midsized businesses and micro and large endeavors in manufacturing, mining, energy, agriculture, and tourism.
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TECHNOLOGY NEWS SUMMARY
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PRIUS CONCEPT BICYCLE ALLOWS SHIFTING BY THINKING—07/06/11
The new concept bicycle introduced by the Prius Project allows the rider to shift gears just by thinking. The concept works via electrodes in the rider's helmet that pick up neuroelectrical activity and then transmits those signals to an electronic shifter under the seat, which shifts the gears. The Prius X Parlee (PXP) bike is being manufactured by Parlee Cycles of Beverly, Massachusetts, as part of the Prius Projects campaign of Toyota.
FACEBOOK SAYS USERS CAN NOW MAKE VIDEO CALLS—07/07/11
Following Google's lead in introducing state-of-the-art social networking features, Facebook reports that its users can now make video calls at the Facebook website. The feature is handled by Skype, an internet phone service. However, there is no option to conduct a video chat with more than one person at a time on Facebook.
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CARIBBEAN TECHNOLOGY NEWS SUMMARY provided by Caribbeantopnews.com
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AFRICAN-CARIBBEAN CENTER OFFERS DIGITAL EDUCATION PROGRAM—07/02/11
The African-Caribbean Center has started Digital U, a program that teaches technology skills to teenagers in Fort Myers, Florida. The free two-week program introduces digital technology topics to students in one of the poorest areas of the community. Teachers in the program believe that learning the latest technology will change the lives of the middle and high school students in this area.
NETFLIX TO EXPAND SERVICES INTO CARIBBEAN REGION—07/05/11
Netflix, the video rental and streaming company, has decided to expand its services to include the Caribbean, Latin American, and South American markets. The move is expected to provide the company with additional credence to expand into other foreign countries.
NEW OFFICE EQUIPMENT INTRODUCED BY ATL BUSINESS SOLUTIONS—07/07/11
A new line of multifunction office equipment from the Canon company was introduced by ATL Business Solutions. ATL is the first company to carry the imageRUNNER ADVANCE series of equipment in the Caribbean. The ADVANCE series offers higher quality printing, more profitability, and greater ease of use than previous models. The line includes large format printers that are capable of scanning, copying, and printing documents all in one piece of equipment.
NEW FACILITY OF LIME MONTSERRAT OPENS—07/08/11
The grand opening of a new LIME Montserrat administration building and retail venue was announced by Joseph Cassell, the firm's general manager. LIME has provided its services in Montserrat for more than 85 years, but has been using temporary offices since the volcano crisis. The new building indicates that LIME is ready to stay in Montserrat, says Cassell.
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ENTERTAINMENT
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FANS IN ZIMBABWE SHORT-CHANGED BY PROMOTERS—07/02/11
Local music providers in Zimbabwe have been criticized for placing the value of money before the welfare of music fans. According to critics who attended the concert performed by Jamaican musician Elephant Man, the conditions of the concert were terrible and reflected the ignorance and lack of organization in catering with fans. The stage was too crowded for Elephant Man to move about freely, which hampered his performance for fans.
PROMOTERS OF SUMFEST CRITICIZED BY MUTA AND CORDEL GREEN—07/04/11
Two important music industry leaders, Mutabaruka and Cordel Green, spoken-word artist and executive director of Jamaica's Broadcasting Commission, have criticized the promoters of Sumfest for failing to have Jamaican reggae stars as the headlining acts at the reggae festival. Mutabarauka and Green noted the difference between Sumfest and a reggae festival in Germany that featured Jamaican artistes.
TIANA EMERGES AS NEW DANCEHALL DIVA—07/05/11
Tiana, whose real name is Danielle Shand, is becoming one of the most popular dancehall artists in Jamaican music. The singer, based in St. Mary, made her break-through single "I Won't" in 2009. The single addresses issues of domestic violence. It was recorded after the infamous incident that involved the pop superstars Rihanna and Chris Brown.
"FREEZE" IS "COOL"—07/06/11
Sanjay "Freeze" Pennant is one of the most influential producers of Jamaican music today. Freeze, who comes from Mandeville, was inspired by locals Don Corleon Christopher and Pharrell. He broke through in producing in 2009 with a single for Jah Mason. He has showcased his skills on a wider stage since coming in second in the Smirnoff Ice Press Play Riddim Competition in 2009.
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SPORTS
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SUNSHINE GIRLS PREPARED FOR WORLD NETBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS—07/02/11
Jamaica's Sunshine Girls are ready for the opening match at the World Netball Championship competition versus South Africa. According to the Girls' head coach Oberon Pitterson, all of the team's members are in excellent shape and ready to play. Pitterson says the team has the tools and equipment to handle the competition.
NEWTON MARSHALL LEADS JAMAICAN DOGSLED TEAM—07/05/11
Jamaican Newton Marshall rose to prominence in 2009 when he entered the Yukon Quest dogsled race in that year. He finished in 13th place, a respectable showing for a rookie racer, and fans acknowledged that the Jamaican was a real competitor. He is a favorite with the media and with fans, but he has come up from extreme poverty, bad education, and overcome personal obstacles to get to where he is. His story is told in a new book by John Firth called "One Mush," which examines the events that brought Marshall to international fame.
DISCUS HISTORY MADE BY DACRES—07/06/11
Fedrick Dacres is the first Jamaican to be victorious in winning a gold medal in the discus event at an IAAF athletics championship. He threw the discus 67/05 meters for a world record at the IAAF World Youth Championships in France. Dacres is coached at Calabar High School by Julian Robinson.
NO COMPLACENCY FROM BOLT BEFORE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS—07/07/11
Usain Bolt, Jamaica's triple Olympic sprint champion has attributed his injuries in 2010 on his laid-back personality. Bolt says he has now learned from his mistakes and will not be complacent as he prepares for the world championship competition in South Korea. Bolt acknowledged that having an easy year made him lazy, but promised it would not happen again.
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DEVOTIONAL
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On Being A Role Model
It would probably be a nice thing if we all had good role models to emulate. It is commonly held that a role model is a "person who serves as an example, whose behaviour is emulated by others" and it is difficult to argue with that. However, that does not tell us anything about the quality and character of the person being modeled. Role models can be good or bad depending on how they influence or affect us. Because such influences can have lasting consequences, it is extremely important that we choose our role models carefully.
In his first letter to the Corinthians, Paul writes, "Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ" (1 Cor. 11:1, KJV). Other translations put it differently. For example: "You must follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ" (CEV) and "Be imitators of me, as I also am of Christ" (HCSB). I do not believe Paul's intent was for the believers to shift their focus from following Jesus to following him. After all, Jesus is the perfect example and the best role model one could ask for. However, what we see is that as Paul gave instructions to the church on a number of issues, he concludes what we know as the previous chapter with the words, "Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God : Even as I please all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved" (10:31-33). It is on that note that he proceeded to say, "Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ." In other words, emulate me; imitate me; learn from me as I emulate/imitate Christ. This emulation was a form of discipleship that allowed for the spiritual growth of the believers, as well as it placed them in a position of holding Paul accountable for walking in "the Way of Christ" so he would not be a stumbling block to them.
It is important to note that this was not a call to blind allegiance; they were to follow the Apostle only to the extent that he was following Christ. The principle here is that good role models are not interested in amassing followers at any cost. They realize the burden of their responsibility and the importance of influencing the lives of others in positive ways. As we go about our daily lives, who are we role models to? What kind of a role model are you? Are you leaving a positive and lasting legacy or are you influencing the lives of others in ways that are questionable?
"Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ." As you resolve to follow in the steps of Christ, ask God to help you to let that be your appeal to someone in your sphere of influence. Become a role model and model Jesus. Someone is looking for one to follow.
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CREDITS/SOURCES
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The weekly news is compilation of new articles from top Caribbean and Jamaican news sources.
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