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THIS WEEK”S SUMMARY
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POLICE KILL JAMAICAN WHO ATTACKED PASTOR WITH MACHETE—10/18/08
Jamaican police shot and killed a man who allegedly attacked a pastor with a machete during a morning church service at Kingston’s Universal Church of the Kingdom of God. Ricardo Taylor, 43, slashed the ear of the pastor before running from the scene. He was arrested late and taken to a neighboring precinct. He then attempted to attack an officer with a knife and was shot. Police took him to a hospital where he died.
COLIN POWELL ENDORSES OBAMA FOR U.S. PRESIDENT—10/19/08
Colin Powell, who has Jamaican parents, provided a huge boost to Barack Obama’s presidential hopes when he endorsed him as his favored candidate to be President of the United States. The public had been waiting for some time to see which of the candidates Powell, a highly respected personage in the U.S., would support.
POLICE SEARCH FOR STOLEN BEACH—10/20/08
The Jamaican police are looking for the thieves who allegedly stole tons of sand – about 500 truckloads – from the white-sand beach at a planner resort at Coral Spring. The theft occurred in July 2008, but no arrests have been made to date. According to detectives, the thieves could be other hotel operators who want their own beaches.
JAMAICAN BISHOP IN FAVOR OF DEATH PENALTY—10/21/08
Bishop Ronald Blair, a popular Jamaican bishop and church leader, supports having the state resume hanging convicted murderers. Blair, who is the brother of Political Ombudsman Herro Blair, said there is a need for “tough decisions” if any change is to occur in the nation.
INVESTORS FROM INDIA CONSIDER OUTSOURCING TO JAMAICA—10/22/08
A group of Indian investors is visiting Jamaica with an eye to establishing several outsourcing projects. According to reports, Prasad Garapati, vice chairman of the Indian Electronics and Computer Software Export Promotion Council (ESC) has started negotiations concerning the construction of a “tech park” to be built in Jamaica.
HIGH-SCHOOL DROPOUTS GET SECOND CHANCE FOR JOBS—10/23/08
About 10,000 Jamaican young people without jobs or high-school diplomas will receive a second chance to establish a career thanks to the efforts of the Ministry of labor and the Social Security Special Youth Employment and Training Project.
MOST JAMAICANS FAVOR OBAMA FOR U.S. PRESIDENT—10/23/08
Senator Barack Obama, the candidate of the Democratic Party in the 2008 U.S. presidential election, is the choice of most Jamaicans. Jamaicans have shown a preference for the Democrats in the past, according to anecdotal evidence, but Senator John McCain, Obama’s opponent, still received the favor of 5.7 percent of Jamaicans asked who they would prefer to win the U.S. election.
SHAW CRITICIZES DAVIES OVER JTA SALARY AGREEMENT—10/24/08
Audley Shaw, Finance and Public Service Minister, has accused Dr. Omar Davies, his predecessor, of signing an agreement with the Jamaica Teachers’ Association (JTA) in 2006 without receiving an endorsement from the Cabinet. Shaw said Davies “unilaterally” approved a company that conducted a study to bring salaries for teachers up to 80 percent of those in the private sector.
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JAMAICAN DIASPORA NEWS
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CALIFORNIA COUNCIL MEMBER TURNS TO CHOCOLATE—10/18/08
Oakland, California Councilmember Nancy Nadel has become a chocolatier in her spare time. She got her start during a visit to Jamaica, where she became acquainted with the island’s cacao farmers and then decided to try her hand at farming and making chocolate. After years of research and outreach, Nadel and her Jamaican partners met with cacao farmers in February 2008 to discuss their plans for a cooperative and fermentary and efforts to join the Jamaican Organic Agriculture Movement.
ALTON ELLIS DIES IN LONDON—10/19/08
Alton Ellis, Jamaican singer, songwriter, and the “godfather” of Rock Steady, died in London at the age of 70. He had lived in Middlesex, England for almost 20 years. Ellis died of multiple myeloma, a type of bone cancer, according to his business manager, Trish De Rosa.
“REGGAE POET” CHERRY NATURAL RETURNS TO INDIANA UNIVERSITY—10/21/08
Indiana University’s Residential Programs and Services & Foster International Living-Learning Center will sponsor several workshops and performances by the “reggae poet” and activist, Cherry Natural. This will be Natural’s fourth visit to the campus. Natural, whose real name is Marcia A. Wedderburn, is one of Jamaica’s top female poets and women’s rights advocates.
JAMAICAN BOXING CHAMPION TO BE HONORED—10/22/08
Lennox Lewis, former World Heavyweight boxing champion, will receive the American Friends of Jamaica (AFJ) International Achievement Award at the group’s 27 annual gala and auction on November 6 at Gotham Hall in New York City. Lewis will be given the humanitarian award for his involvement in many philanthropic initiatives in the areas of academics and sports.
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SPORTS
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GOLDING SAYS GOVERNMENT COMMITTED TO SPORTS DEVELOPMENT—10/18/08
Jamaican Prime Minister Bruce Golding issued an assurance that his government is committed to having an important role in the development of sports as a major industry on the island. The government is already addressing several areas that will lead to new opportunities for new talents, he said.
TOP ATHLETICS ADMINISTRATORS FROM JAMAICA VISIT ST. KITTS—10/20/08
Howard Aris and Donald Quarrie, two Jamaican athletics administrators responded to an invitation from St. Kitts Prime Minister Denzil Douglas and participated in a “very productive exchange of ideas” aimed at promoting sports development in the region. Aris is the President of the Jamaica Amateur Athletics Association. Quarrie is a former Olympian and Technical Leader for the Beijing Olympics champion team.
JAMAICA TO HAVE SKI TEAM AT OLYMPIC WINTER GAMES—10/22/08
The island of Jamaica will see its first ski team participate in the 2010 Winter Olympics to be held in Vancouver, Canada. The team’s first member is Errol Kerr, and its second member will be Gregg Samuels. They will participate in skier cross, a race in which four skiers travel down an obstacle course at the same time.
REGGAE BOYZ A LONG SHOT FOR CONCACAF—10/23/08
The Reggae Boyz of Jamaica have earned a passage to the CONCACAF finals, although their odds of winning remain long. After five matches, the Reggae Boyz have seven points, while Honduras has nine and Mexico has ten. There is a good chance that the team could tie for second place in the competition.
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DEVOTIONAL
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Divine Restoration
God sure has a sense of humor, doesn’t He? During one of my recent quiet times, and as I reflected on the believer being “under construction”, it occurred to me that some of us were restoration projects. At one time or another, the love of God flowed through us and we were so in love with Him that every waking moment was spent with Him on our minds. We cherished the times we spent in His company, the times we talked, fellowshipped, unloaded our deepest fears and concerns while embracing His peace over our minds and hearts. We loved the intimacy.
Yet, as time progressed, something changed. Amidst the hustle and bustle of everyday living, we became pressed for time and before we realized it, the moments with Him became fewer and farther between. The relationship that needed to be nurtured and watered to remain vibrant started to suffer. Like a building showing signs of continued neglect, spiritually, cracks appear in the foundation of our faith, dust and cobwebs cover our perception of truth, our convictions go to and fro like broken shingles caught in the wind, and our witness to the world became dulled like the building’s weather-worn paint. Do you recognize yourself in that picture? Not appealing to look at, but the perfect situation for a God who specializes in restorations!
While our salvation is by grace and God alone, our restoration to our rightful place in the kingdom is a cooperative effort. We need to recognize and acknowledge the emptiness of life and it’s experiences outside of Christ, and like the prodigal son, purpose within ourselves to return home. In relating the parable as told by Jesus, Luke tells us that after looking at where he was, and remembering where he belonged, “he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him” (15:20, KAVA).
It really didn’t matter what the son had done, or how damaging his actions were to the relationship. With sincere repentance, in his father he found not condemnation and judgment, but forgiveness and restoration. For those of us who have drifted away from God, He offers the same today. With that in mind, isn’t it time to come home?
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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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