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THIS WEEK’S SUMMARY
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REDUNDANCIES CAUSE PROBLEMS FOR PARENTS—08/29/09
It has been difficult for parents to plan for the new school year because they are plagued by concerns about being made redundant. The global economic downturn has had a very negative impact on Jamaica, and redundancies have made parent increasingly anxious about school preparations.
GOLDING SAYS HE COULD HAVE DONE BETTER EARLY ON—08/30/09
Bruce Golding, Jamaican Prime Minister, believes that his government could have done better during the early period of his term in office. He says that his administration lost political capital when it failed to be decisive about the economic challenges facing the country.
U.S. REQUESTS EXTRADITION OF SUSPECTED DRUG DEALER—08/31/09
The United States has asked Jamaica to send Christopher “Duddus” Coke, alleged leader of the “Shower Posse,” to the U.S. on federal drug and weapons-trafficking charges in New York. An indictment in the U.S. states that Coke is the head of a gang that has agents in both America and Jamaica.
GOLDING STILL POPULAR DESPITE ISLAND’S ECONOMIC PROBLEMS—09/01/09
Jamaica’s Prime Minister Bruce Golding continues to have relatively stable approval ratings, in spite of the economic struggles facing the country. A report from the BBC found that 47 percent of Jamaicans surveyed believe Golding is “doing a good job.”
QUEEN ELIZABETH EMBARRASSED DURING 1994 VISIT—09/01/09
Britain’s Queen Elizabeth was too embarrassed to make a visit to an underwear factory in Jamaica during her 1994 visit to the island. She was slated to visit the factory, but her advisers decided she should not do so after they discovered the products manufactured there. The story was discovered recently through messages made by American diplomats under U.S. freedom of information rules.
DIGICEL JAMAICA TO LAUNCH 4G SERVICE—09/02/09
Digicel Jamaica plans to launch Digicel Broadband service and provide wireless internet services at speeds not seen in Jamaica before. Digicel has a license in the 2.5Ghz spectrum and will deploy wireless broadband, introducing 4G WiMAX services. These services will be considerably faster than the current 3G service available on the island.
ST. ANN BAUXITE PARTNERS WILL RETURN TO FULL PRODUCTION—09/03/09
St. Ann Bauxite Partners Ltd. will be ready to operate in nearly full production mode within a three-month period, according to company officials. The firm currently runs at 64 percent of its full capacity and produces three million tons of bauxite every year at its Jamaica northeast-coast mine.
JCF TO PAY $88 MILLION FOR ID SYSTEM UPGRADE—09/04/09
A total of $88 million has been earmarked by the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) to pay for an upgrade to the Automated Palm and Fingerprint Identification System. Senator Dwight Nelson, national security minister, signed the multimillion-dollar contract for the upgrade with French company, Sagem SA. The upgrade will take six months to complete and will enhance the force’s ability to solve crimes on the island..
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JAMAICAN DIASPORA NEWS
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BUJU BANTON CONCERT CANCELED DUE TO PROTESTS—08/30/09
Live Nation and AEG, concert promoters, canceled shows scheduled by Buju Banton, Jamaican reggae singer, because of the violent and homophobic lyrics of his songs. Gay rights advocates had organized protests over Banton’s appearances. Concerts in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Philadelphia, Chicago, Las Vegas, Dallas, and Houston have been canceled.
INVENTORS OF SKA WILL PLAY IN MOSCOW—08/31/09
The Skatalites, the legendary band from Jamaica that recorded with Bob Marley and whose members are considered the “inventors” of ska music, are scheduled to perform in Moscow on September 3, 2009. The band made its debut in 1964 and played together only one year. Its musicians participated in number other Jamaican music projects after the band broke up.
JAMAICAN COMMITS ADDITIONAL RAPE AFTER NOT BEING DEPORTED—09/01/09
Andrew Rowe, a Jamaican national, was convicted of raping a woman in the United Kingdom in 2008. He failed to be deported after his conviction – for the second time. In 2000, he spent 18 months in jail for the assault of a teenage girl, but never signed the sex offenders’ register. He committed another attack in 2005 and then in January 2009.
INFLUENCIAL MUSICIAN/PRODUCER DIES—09/02/09
Jamaican musician and producer Wycliffe “Steely” Johnson, who worked with Sean Paul and Shabba Ranks as part of the production team of Steely and Clevie, died at a hospital in Long Island, New York. Johnson was in his early 50s and succumbed to heart failure. Johnson was a drummer with Clevie Browne in the 1980s and played on the “Confrontation” album by Bob Marley & the Wailers.
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SPORTS
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POWELL SAYS HE IS READY TO DEFEAT BOLT—08/30/09
Jamaica’s Asafa Power promises to make a stir when he attains victory over Usain Bolt the next time the two runners meet head-to-head. Powell finished in second place, after Bolt, at the Golden League meet in Zurich, Switzerland, but he says that his performance in the race has convinced him that he can beat Bolt.
SPAIN IS OF INTEREST, BUT MAN UNITED STILL THE TEAM FOR BOLT—08/31/09
Usain Bolt, Jamaica’s sprint champion, has become a fan of Spanish football after attending Real Madrid’s season opener and victory over Deportivo La Coruna. However, Bolt says he supports Manchester United in the English League.
BROOKS CLEARED BY APPEALS TRIBUNAL—09/03/09
Jamaica’s Anti-Doping Commission has cleared sprinter Sheri-Ann Brooks of doping charges. An appeals tribunal and a disciplinary panel agreed to clear the sprinter because she had no knowledge that her backup sample was being tested. Yohan Blake, Allodin Fothergill, Lansford Spence, and Marvin Anderson will be disciplined with unknown sanctions on September 14, 2009.
DIGICEL PREMIER LEAGUE INTRODUCED—09/04/09
There are high expectations for improvements in playing standards now that the Digicel Premier League (DPL) has launched. The DPL was introduced at the headquarters of the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) in New Kingston. The league, which lost one of its chief sponsors, has gained several new ones and changed television partners. CVM Group will now have broadcasting rights for live matches.
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DEVOTIONAL
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Whose Armour Are You Wearing?
When David stood before Saul on the occasion of Goliath’s challenge to Israel, there was no doubt in his mind that he was qualified to take on the Philistine giant. Obviously, Saul had his doubts (1 Samuel 17:33), but David stated his experience and qualifications and concluded, “Moreover, The LORD that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine,” to which Saul responded, “Go, and the LORD be with thee” (v.37, KJV).
However, it wasn’t that simple. The narrative continues, “And Saul armed David with his armour, and he put an helmet of brass upon his head; also he armed him with a coat of mail. And David girded his sword upon his armour, and he assayed to go; for he had not proved it. And David said unto Saul, I cannot go with these; for I have not proved them. And David put them off him” (vv. 38-39). David’s response to Saul’s effort is an excellent model for Christians who tend to think that what works for one believer will work for all. While there are some common elements in our spiritual walk that are clearly set out in the Scriptures, God reserves the right to deal with us in any way that accomplishes His purposes.
It is difficult to trust God in the big things if we do not have a record of trusting Him in the small things. The believer without a track record with God is likely to “borrow” every suggested steps to spiritual success recommended by their favorite author, preacher, or Bible teacher. Without a proven confidence, every solution seems workable. However, David’s confidence in God was the result of his own experiences and not that of another, hence his statement, “The LORD that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine.” Having proven his God faithful, he was now in a position to reject Saul’s armour which he had not proven.
“I cannot go with these; for I have not proved them. And David put them off him.” As you prepare to fight your own giant(s), whose “armour” are you wearing? Is your confidence in God based on your personal experiences with Him or from leaning on the experiences of others?
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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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