For the week ending March 28 2003

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THIS WEEKS NEW SUMMARY
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TOURISM MASTER PLAN LACKS FUNDING (28/03/03)
A master plan set to revolutionise the Tourist Industry is struggling to get on the way due to a lack of adequate funding. The plan was set to begin in 2000 through to 2010 and is forecasted to cost approximately US$200 million dollars...

EFFECT OF THE DRUG TRADE ON THE JAMAICAN ECONOMY
The illicit drug trade has been a major concern to international drug control agencies. The latest concern regarding JamaicaE28099s illicit drug trade has come from the United Nations International Narcotics Control Board. The board is concerned with JamaicaE28099s plans to decriminalise individual use of ganja. According to the Board, Jamaica the current cultivation of ganja has declined by five times the quantity cultivated in 1980...

POLITICAL PARTIES ACCUSED OF RECRUITING UNDERAFE VOTERS (27/03/03)
The director of elections, Danville Walker has warned the two major political parties of the consequences of recruiting underage children for voting. The public relations officer of the Electoral Office of Jamaica says investigations are underway and the findings may be made public. The officer said a trend was revealed of juveniles trying to get on the voters lists....

TOURISM MINISTER PLEADS FOR CALM
Minister of Tourism, Aloun Assamba is making a plea to the people in the tourism industry to remain positive and calm as news of the war on Iraq threatens to destabilise the tourism industry. Ms Assamba has pointed to the fact that panic is unnecessary because Jamaica is still open for business regardless of the fallout in the airline and tourism industry

POLICE COMMAND POST BRINGS PEACE (26/03/03)
The installation of a police command post in the Kintyre community has stemmed the spate of murders being experienced in that area. The police are reporting that calm is evident in the community and by the installation of the post any acts of violence will have been squashed. Ten persons have been killed in the past two weeks in the Kintyre community and reprisal killings were anticipated

LEVELS OF FOOD SUPPLIES MET WITH PANIC (25/03/03)
The relevant authorities are allaying fears that the levels of food supplies will be drastically affected by the war in Iraq. Representatives of the local private sector have given their assurance that there is enough food and medicine in the country to last for the next three months

ANXIOUS MOMENTS IN JONES TOWN
South St. Andrew is under a tense calm after the killing of an area don in a drive-by shooting. Jones Town area has erected barriers in defense of the community as they fear that this incident could be repeated and women and children could be in danger of loosing their lives

TECHNOLOGY SECTOR IN A QUANDARY (24/03/03)
The chaos being experienced in the technology industry is due to war in Iraq. Some IT call centres are experiencing fallouts in business contracts as they explain that people in the United States are on edge when the phone rings. Another company said its American supplier had cancelled contracts due to the war in Iraq.

COPS ON EXTORTION CHARGES
Four of five police men charged with extortion were yesterday granted bail in the sum of 2 million dollars. The four policemen and an ex-police were given bail with conditions. These conditions demand that the men turn in their travel documents as well as remain home between the hours of 8:00pm and 6:00am, the were to report to the police three days per week and stay away from several areas in Kingston and St. Andrew s of 8:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. and are to stay away from several areas in Kingston and St. Andrew

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SPORTS
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JAMAICA STOPS ST LUCIA IN GOLD CUP QUALIFER (March 27)
JAMAICA'S Reggae Boyz dominated St Lucia, 5-0, in a CONCACAF Gold Cup qualifying game at the National Stadium in Jamaica last night. Goals were scored by midfielder, Andy Williams in the 10th minute, Fabian Taylor in the 11th, Cornel Chinsue in the 38th, Claude Davis in the 56th minute and Omar Daley in the 62nd minute. The Boyz totally dominated the game and never faced any serious threats from their opponents. The Reggae Boyz will next play Martinique in the feature match of another double header at the same venue tomorrow, starting at 7:00pm. Haiti will also tackle St Lucia in the curtain-raiser at 5:00. The Jamaican team was Donovan Ricketts, Claude Davis, Gerald Neil, Tyrone Marshall (Craig Ziadie, 20th), Shavar Thomas, Andew Williams, Omar daley (Jermaine Johnson, 6th), Cornel Chinsue, Theodore Whitmore, Kevin Lisbie, Fabian Taylor (Deon Burton, 76th).

AUSTRALIA HOLDS EDGE OVER JAMAICAN NETBALLERS
Australia kept a constant edge on the Jamaican netballers in a three game series held at the National Stadium. The Australians won by one and two points in two games and the Jamaican won by one point in one game

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REGGAE BOYZ UPCOMING GAMES
March 26: Martinique vs. Haiti at 5:00pm; Reggae Boyz vs. St Lucia 7:00pm; Friday, March 28: Haiti vs. St Lucia at 5:00pm Reggae Boyz vs. Martinique at 7:00pm. Sunday, March 30: Martinique vs. St Lucia at 4:00pm Reggae Boyz vs. Haiti at 6:00pm.