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THIS WEEK”S SUMMARY
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MISS JAMAICA WORLD TO WEAR ONLY JAMAICAN DESIGNS—11/08/08
Brittany Lyons, Miss Jamaica World 2008, will wear fashions designed exclusively by local Jamaican designers from the Jamaica Fashion and Apparel Cluster during this year’s Miss World pageant. The designers featured are Julan, Shades of Africa, Yola Gray, Keneea Linton, T&T Fashions, Poshe, So-Anns, Blaazin Designs, Akira Lyn. and Heather Laine. The only provider of accessories will be Cinderella Hats.
GOVERNMENT WORRIED ABOUT DECLINE OF JAMAICAN DOLLAR—11/09/08
The government of Jamaica and the Bank of Jamaica have been called upon to take all steps necessary to stop the “assault” on the Jamaican dollar. The Jamaica Chamber of Commerce and the Jamaica Manufacturers Association are concerned that the Jamaican dollar currently is valued at about 77.5 cents to one U.S. dollar. The Jamaican dollar has dropped nearly five percent compared to the U.S. currency in the past five weeks.
DEATH PENALTY SUPPORTED IN CARIBBEAN—11/10/08
Terrence Brown, a Jamaican pastor, has offered to trade his clergyman’s collar for a hangman’s hood in order to support the death penalty as a deterrent to a crime wave experienced by his parishioners. If the government doesn’t take responsibility, Brown says, “You’re going to have jungle justice.” Rising rates of crime have Jamaicans demanding an increase in executions and encouraging politicians to find ways around restrictions on capital punishment imposed by Europe.
OMAR DAVIES, PNP AT FAULT FOR FALLING DOLLAR—11/11/08
Jamaica’s Prime Minister, Bruce Golding, says that the borrowing strategies used by the former Government, which was headed by the People’s National Party (PNP), and former Finance Minister Omar Davies, put the pressure on Jamaica’s currency. The dollar has dropped from a relatively stable rate of J$72 to 1 U.S. dollar to 76-77 J$ to US$1 in a matter of weeks. Financial analysts expect further slippage in the near future as well.
JAMAICAN WORD ADDED TO OXFORD SLANG DICTIONARY—11/12/08
The word “politricks” was coined in Jamaica and will be added to the second edition of the Oxford Dictionary of Modern Slang. The word originated in Jamaica and refers to politics that are characterized by dishonesty. According to Hubert Devonish, professor and head of the Department of Language, Linguistics, and Philosophy at the University of the West Indies, says the word dates from some time in the 1960s. It was invented by political activists, he says.
MEDICAL GROUP CITES LACK OF MONEY FOR HEALTH—11/13/08
Dr. Rosemarie Wright-Pascoe, the president of the Medical Association of Jamaica, reports that the shortage of resources and other systemic problems continue to plague public health facilities in Jamaica seven months after fees were eliminated. She is concerned about the lack of funding for the health sector, noting a lack of equipment maintenance, poorly operating air conditioners, and non-functional laboratory facilities.
FOOD PRICES TO REMAIN HIGH—11/14/08
Major suppliers of basic foods in Jamaica say that the steep decline in value of the Jamaican dollar against the United States dollar means that food prices will remain at their current high levels, and some will go even higher. High prices are expected to be the norm at several food supply firms, including the Jamaica Broilers Group, the island’s chief supplier of chicken meat.
SOCIOLOGIST SAYS JLP AND PNP ARE THE TWO MAIN GANGS IN JAMAICA—11/14/08
According to Dr. Herbert Gayle, a sociologist, the two major political parties of Jamaica – the Jamaica Labor Party (JLP) and the People’s National Party (PNP) – are the two “main gangs” that are “wreaking havoc” on the country. Gayle says the two parties cannot exclude themselves from being defined as gangs. “A gang is any group that has some degree of permanence that competes violently," according to Gayle.
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JAMAICAN DIASPORA NEWS
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CONCERT CANCELLED WHEN SWISS GAYS PROTEST—11/11/08
A performance by reggae star Capleton in Basel, Switzerland, was cancelled, according to the local gay rights group Homosexuelle Arbeitsgruppen Basel (HABS). The organization, together with Stop Murder Music Bern, had opposed the concert because the musician performed songs that encouraged violence against gays and lesbians. The concert was scheduled for November 6.
NO ARRESTS YET IN MURDER OF JAMAICAN-AMERICAN TEEN—11/12/08
New York police have made no arrests in connection with the murder of Sabrina Matthews, 14. The Jamaican-American teenager was found dead in her Cambria Heights home with her throat cut. In spite of efforts by paramedics, Matthews died at the scene. She was in the ninth grade at Martin Van Buren High School.
JAMAICAN IN NAMIBIA FACES LEGAL ACTION FOR NON-PAYMENT OF BILLS—11/13/08
Norman Lockland Escoffery has been in detention for more than 20 months in Namibia without yet facing trial on charges linked to his very large unpaid hotel bill. He must wait another six months before finally being heard in the Windhoek Regional Court. Escoffery, 68, was a long-term guest at the Windhoek Country Club between April 2005 and March 2006. He was allowed to run up a bill of N$472,922 during that time. The hotel took Escoffery to court in February 2006 for non-payment of his bill.
TENSIONS RISE BETWEEN JAMAICA AND CAYMANS—11/14/08
Growing tensions characterize relations between the Jamaican community in Grand Cayman and the Caymanians after a series of violent incidents that have occurred recently. One such incident was the murder of a Caymanian woman, which has been linked to Jamaicans. Mark Wallace, a Jamaican who lives and works in the Caymans, says he is afraid to go out because of the tense environment.
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SPORTS
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JAMAICAN BOXER HONORED—11/08/08
Mike McCullum, a Jamaican boxing legend, was one of three Jamaican sports stars honored at the first Caribbean Awards Sports Icons Ceremony at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel. McCullum, 1984 WBA junior middleweight world champion, was honored for his success in the sport. Veronica Campbell-Brown, track and field star, was also honored at the event.
LENNOX LEWIS LOOKS TO CREATE BOXING CLUBS IN JAMAICA—11/09/08
Lennox Lewis, former World Heavyweight Boxing Champion, will begin talks with Olivia Grange, Jamaica’s Minister of Sports, seeking to establish boxing clubs for Jamaican youth interested in pursuing the sport. Lewis announced his intention when he accepted the American Friends of Jamaica (AFJ) 2008 International Achievement Award in New York.
JAMAICAN BOBSLEDDERS MAY HAVE BASE IN PEMBERTON—11/12/08
The Jamaican Bobsled Team wants to find a base for training for the 2010 Winter Olympics, and the residents of Pemberton in Canada are willing to help them out. Ian Porter, owners of the Copperdome Lodge in the Pemberton Valley, has committed to providing housing, food, and local transportation during the team’s training.
SURFERS FROM JAMAICAN TAKE ON TOP U.S. EAST COAST SURFERS—11/13/08
The top surfers of Jamaica will compete with the top surfers of the East Coast in the United States at the 2008 Jupiter Fall Classic Surf Contest in Jupiter Beach Florida in mid-November. Jamaica’s Wilmot Family will head the team.
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DEVOTIONAL
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"My Grace is Sufficient..."
In 2 Corinthians 12:7, Paul speaks of his thorn in the flesh. Theologians have long speculated on what that might have been, but regardless of what it was, we know that Paul asked the Lord to remove it three times (v.9), however the answer wasn't what he might have expected. The Apostle wrote, "And he [Christ] said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness" (v.10, KJV).
Space limitation does not allow for a full discourse on this compelling portion of Scripture, however there are at least two very important lessons we can take from it. First, our fervent prayers are not necessarily answered in ways we would expect, and second, whatever God allows us to bear, He provides the grace for us to do so successfully. It is understandable that we, like Paul, would ask God to remove physical, emotional, psychological, or mental stressors, but in His wisdom and as He seeks to shape our lives to conform to the image of Christ, He may choose to leave us with those issues and the resulting pain. This does not mean that we are left to fend for ourselves. We have the assurance of Christ Himself that not only do we have the Holy Spirit as our Helper, but that the measure of grace that He has made available to us is sufficient. This grace will manifest itself in our moments of weakness, enabling us to rise above our challenging circumstances - no matter how painful, or how difficult.
Paul continued, "Once I heard that, I was glad to let it happen. I quit focusing on the handicap and began appreciating the gift. It was a case of Christ's strength moving in on my weakness. Now I take limitations in stride, and with good cheer, these limitations that cut me down to size--abuse, accidents, opposition, bad breaks. I just let Christ take over! And so the weaker I get, the stronger I become" (vv. 9b-10, The Message). The KJV renders the last clause in verse 9, "that the power of Christ may rest upon me." On the word "rest", Albert Barnes wrote, "The word properly means to pitch a tent upon; and then to dwell in or upon. Here it is used in the sense of abiding upon, or remaining with. The sense is, that the power which Christ manifested to his people rested with them, or abode with them in their trials."
Have you been given a thorn in the flesh? A situation that seems far more than you can bear? God has not lost your address; He knows exactly where you are. Amidst the many struggles and discouragement is a supernatural power resting on us, and an abundance of grace that He promises is sufficient. Take hold of those truths; go forward and conquer!
CEW
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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.
