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THIS WEEK”S SUMMARY
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GOLDING MEETS WITH CHINESE REPRESENTATIVE—01/19/08
Jamaican Prime Minister Bruce Golding met with Chen Fengxiang, deputy head of the International Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC) in Mexico City. Golding, president of the Jamaican Labor Party (JLP) thanks the Chinese government for giving long-term aid to Jamaica. Golding added that his government will continue to support the one-China policy.
CHURCH LEADERS PRAISE CONTABLE”S CONFESSION—01/20/08
Bishop Delford Davis, president of the Jamaica Association of Full Gospel Churches, and other church leaders, have commended Detective Constable Carey Lyn-Shue for admitting to making up evidence in a murder case. The church leaders hope that Lyn-Shue’s admission will encourage others who have done wrong to come clean. Lyn-Shue confessed that he had fabricated evidence in a 22-year-old murder case against Jason James.
HIGH FOOD PRICES FUEL ETHANOL DEBATE—01/21/08
As Jamaicans pay more money for food, environmentalists and other interested parties continue a serious debate over whether Jamaica should move ahead in producing biofuels like ethanol. John Maxwell, environmentalist, is strongly opposed to Jamaica’s endorsement of biofuel production. He believes the production occurs at too great a cost, although some scientists believe bioethanol and biodiesel provide good solutions to the world’s energy crisis.
TRADE UNIONIST AUDLEY GAYLE DIES—01/22/08
Audley Gayle, 82, who was created with providing the foundation for Jamaica’s trade union movement, died at Andrews Memorial Hospital in Kingston following a long illness. Gayle had fought diabetes for some time and was admitted to the hospital on January 11. He died of heart failure on January 14, 2008. Vincent Morrison, president of the NWU, expressed the union’s deep condolences to the family and friends of Gayle and noted his contribution to the trade union movement in Jamaica.
REGGAE MONTH TO BE CELEBRATED IN FEBRUARY—01/23/08
Jamaicans will celebrate reggae music, which has had an impact worldwide, during the month of February. Bruce Golding, Jamaican Prime Minister, made the announcement of the celebration with the goal of emphasizing the impact of reggae music on the social, cultural, and economic development of Jamaica.
TOP FOREIGN EXCHANGE EARNERS EXPOSED TO US RECESSION—01/23/08
According to Dr. Peter John Gordon, director of Economic Planning and Research at the Planning Institute of Jamaica, says Jamaica’s remittance, tourism, and bauxite-alumina sectors would feel the most impact from a recession occurring in the United States during 2008. These sectors are the largest foreign exchange earners in Jamaica and accounted for nearly US$4.9 billion in inflows in 2006 and US$3.17 billion for the first seven months of 2007.
JAMAICAN GAS PRICES TO EASE—01/24/08
Consumers in Jamaica may see a slight decrease in gasoline prices in the next few months as worries about a recession in the United States are likely to push the price of oil lower, says Dr. Raymond Wright, consultant and former group managing director of the Petroleum Corporation of Jamaica (PCJ).
CON MAN ASKS COURT FOR HELP—01/25/08
Horace Haughton, who faces seven counts of fraudulently obtaining goods and services, asked the Montego Bay Resident Magistrate’s Court to help him kick his habit. Haughton told the court that no rehabilitation system existed in the Jamaica prison system that would help him. He told the court he has a serious problem and wants aid in obtaining counseling. His police record indicates he has at least 44 convictions for similar offenses.
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JAMAICAN DIASPORA NEWS
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JAMAICAN PLAY TO BE PERFORMED AT BROWARD ARTS CENTER—01/19/08
The play, Jamaica, Farewell, tells the story of Debra Ehrhardt’s journey from her home in Kingston, Jamaica, to America during the Jamaican revolution in the 1970s. The play, featuring Ehrhardt in her true life story, is being adapted for film and will be presented at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts in Florida on January 20, 2008, after receiving an excellent response from the audience during two performances in November 2007.
JAMAICAN MAN JAILED FOR DEALING DRUGS—01/20/08
Winston Forbes, 36, faces six years in prison and possible deportation due to a guilty verdict following charges of intending to supply crack cocaine and heroin in London. Forbes was sentences at London Crown Court. The judge recommended his deportation following the completion of his jail term.
JAMAICAN MUSICOLOGIST IN WEBCAST—01/23/08
Marjorie Whylie, award-winning Jamaican musician, will be one of several artists to perform in a live Webcast to be broadcast worldwide at the 2008 Air Jamaica Jazz & Blues Festival begins. Whylie will perform on opening night, January 24, 2008, with Myrna Hague during the Art of Music Jamaica portion of the festival. Their performance will be streamed live over the Internet at www.cbeanmedia.tv. Whylie has been a major contributor to Jamaican music for fifty years in her roles as composer, arranger, performer, and music educator.
JAMAICAN DOGSLEDDERS RACE IN CANADA—01/25/08
Damion Robb and his four-dog sled team are competing in the Winterfest dog sled races in Halliburton. His teammate on the Jamaica Dogsled Team, Newton Marshall, will compete in a two-day, 80-mil race in Canada to prepare for the Yukon Quest race in February 2008. Robb had never even seen snow until December 2007, but he speaks of how his dogs love to race. He will compete in the Halliburton Sled Dog Races at Delta Pinestone Resort in Canada.
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SPORTS
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JAMAICA AND GUYANA BATTLE IN CARIB BEER TOURNAMENT—01/19/08
Jamaica and Guyana fought for first innings points in a third-round match at the Carib Beer Series at Sabina Park. Thirteen wickets fell for 227 runs on the first day. Jermaine Lawson, former West Indies fast bowler, bowled well to take 5-41 as Guyana, batting first, was dismissed for 171 in 67 overs. Lawson was nearly removed from the team after poor performance in the first two games.
USAIN BOLT PLANS TO DO BETTER IN 2008—01/20/08
After great success in his 2007 season, Usain Bolt is ready to improve his performance in 2008. Bolt, who reached personal-best times in the 100, 200, and 400 meter races, and who received a silver medal in the 200 meters at the senior World Championships in 2007, says he will be in better shape in 2008 and believes he will be able to do the 100 meters in less than 10 seconds. Bolt ran the 100 meters at 10.03 seconds in July 2007.
NASH LEADS JAMAICA TO VICTORY—01/21/08
Brendan Nash performed flawlessly and with discipline to guide Jamaica to a 69 point lead over Guyana on the second day of the Carib Beer Series in Sabina Park. Nash, a 30-year-old Australian-born left-hander, was instrumental in guiding the home team to 240 all out.
CHRIS GAYLE TO LEAVE SOUTH AFRICA TOUR—01/22/08
West Indies captain Chris Gayle will return home because of a broken thumb. He will be leaving the team’s South Africa tour, and his batting expertise will be sorely missed. He will not be ready to play in any of the four remaining one-day internationals that end the tour, according to team manager Clive Lloyd. Lloyd noted that Gayle’s absence will give younger players a chance to show their ability, however. Dwayne Bravo will lead the team in Gayle’s absence.
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DEVOTIONAL
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A God of the Impossible
Sarah laughed within herself. I agree with noted Bible Commentator Matthew Henry who posited that, "It was not a pleasing laughter of faith, like Abraham's (Gen 17:17), but it was a laughter of doubting and mistrust." Really, who could blame her? She was now eighty-nine years old, and had long resigned herself to the fact that she and Abraham could not have children together.
We cannot fully appreciate how devastating her condition was in a culture where women were expected to present their husbands with heirs. Solomon wrote, "Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb a reward. ... Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate" (Psalm 127:3,5). Who can forget Rachel's plea, who when she saw that she bore Jacob no children, she envied her sister and said to Jacob, "Give me children, or I shall die!" (Genesis 30:1)? Hannah, in her barreness, was harrassed by Peninnah who "provoked her sore, for to make her fret" (1 Sam. 1:6).
So in Sarah we see someone who had lived with the lifelong shame of being childless. At sixty-five, there had been some hope after God had promised Abraham a son by her, but it was now twenty-four years later, and despite their best efforts, there was no pregnancy. Now here was this stranger, sitting in their tent, declaring to Abraham that which was now physically impossible - "... lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son" (Genesis 18:10b). As a matter of fact, it was so impossible that the Biblical writer emphasized that Abraham and Sarah "were old and well stricken in age; and it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women" (18:11).
Sarah was right; this was an impossible situation. But the man among them was no ordinary stranger, He was the LORD! In response to her laughter, He uttered words that should serve as the bedrock for every believer when confronted with fear and doubt - "Is any thing too hard for the LORD?" (18:14).
What 'impossible' situation are you facing? What is that one thing for which there seem to be no answer? Rest assured that we serve a God who calls things that are not as though they were (Romans 4:17b), and so with Him, absolutely nothing is impossible. In the fullness of time we are told that "The LORD visited Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did to Sarah as he had promised. And Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age at the time of which God had spoken to him" (Genesis 21:1,2). If He promised it, He will deliver it, in His time. He's just that kind of a God.
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.
