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THIS WEEK’S SUMMARY
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BRITISH DIPLOMAT “STRANGLED TO DEATH” IN JAMAICA—09/12/09
John Terry, British honorary consul, was killed at his home in Montego Bay and was found to have died from asphyxiation following a beating and strangulation, according to police. Terry’s body was found unclothed with a cord tied around the neck in the bedroom of the home. Police say the killing may have been an anti-gay attack, since there was a handwritten note at the scene that described Terry as a homosexual in Jamaican slang. Terry, 65, had lived on the island since 1967.
MEXICO NOTES SIMILARITIES WITH JAMAICA—09/13/09
Mexico’s ambassador to Jamaica, Leonara Rueda, believes that Mexico and Jamaica share many struggles in terms of poverty, criminality, and other political and social issues. Her remarks were made in conjunction with Mexico’s celebration of 199 years of independence, saying that her country’s resilience should serve as a “symbol of solidarity for Jamaica.
PLANE HIJACKER’S TRIAL BEGINS—09/14/09
Stephen Fray, the Jamaican man accused of attempting to hijack a CanJet airliner at the airport in Montego Bay, is set to go on trial on six charges. The charges include robbery and assault, and if convicted, Fray, 21, could face a prison sentence of 20 years. Three passengers who saw Fray push onto the plane with a handgun will be the first to testify.
KILLING OF DIPLOMAT “NOT ANTI-GAY CRIME” SAY POLICE—09/14/09
A police commissioner in Jamaica does not believe that the killing of John Terry, a 65-year-old British diplomat, was a homophobic attack. Although reports in the United Kingdom have characterized the killing as having anti-gay features, police say their information differs and that such a scenario is unlikely. Terry was found naked and battered to death with a cord around his neck outside his home in Montego Bay.
CHIN CLAIMS IGNORANCE OF CUBAN LIGHT BULB SCANDAL—09/15/09
Rodney Chin, chief prosecution witness in the trial regarding the Cuban light bulb corruption and money-laundering charges against Kern Spencer and Coleen Wright, says he learned about the program only while in jail. Spencer told him about the scope of the situation in jail, says Chin.
TREVOR RHONE DEAD AT 69—09/16/09
Trevor Rhone, Jamaican screenwriter and playwright, died as the result of a heart attack in a Kingston hospital. He was 69. Rhone is best known for being the co-writer of “The Harder They Come,” the classic film that introduced Jamaica’s pop culture to the world and that won an award at the Venice Film Festival in 1973.
EDUCATION MINISTRY ADDRESSES CONCERNS AT SCHOOLS—09/17/09
Although school has not yet started for the 115 new students place at the Steer Town Primary and Junior High School in St. Ann, construction of additional classrooms continues, as does teacher recruitment. Andrew Holness, Minister of Education, cautions against calling the situation “chaotic,” however.
NEW TRAFFIC TICKET SYSTEM TO CURB CORRUPTION—09/18/09
As of October 20, 2009, there will be a new traffic ticketing system in effect. The new system is designed to address problems in the current system by creating an automated operation to replace the manual system in use. According to Senator Dwight Nelson, national security minister, the new system will make motorists more accountable and will provide a basis for sanctions on those who cause trouble on the roads.
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JAMAICAN DIASPORA NEWS
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JAMAICAN SPRINTER TO SPEAK AT HARROW COLLEGE—09/15/09
Aleen Bailey, Jamaican Olympic sprinter, will provide a motivational speech to students at Harrow College in the United Kingdom on September 17, 2009. Bailey won a gold medal in the 4 x 100 relay at the 2004 Olympics. Her talk is designed to inspire young athletes to follow her path.
FOUR JAMAICAN WOMEN ARRESTED IN UNITED KINGDOM—09/16/09
Four Jamaican women have been arrested in the United Kingdom by that nation’s Border Agency for their participation in a plan that targeted individuals suspected of being party to false marriages. The women, who are between the ages of 35 and 53, were arrested during raids in Birmingham and were alleged to have married UK citizens in order to remain in the country after their visas expired.
DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER LAUDS SHIPPING COMPANY—09/17/09
Laparkan Shipping Company has been praised by Dr. Kenneth Baugh, Jamaica’s deputy prime minister and minister of foreign affairs and foreign trade, at the 4th Annual Jamaica Business Expo in South Florida. The expo was sponsored by the Jamaica/USA Chamber of Commerce and gave participants a chance to display their goods and services to the Caribbean American community in the region.
JAMAICA NATIONAL AWARD GIVEN TO NORMA DARBY—09/18/09
Norma E. Darby, the director of the Jamaica Folk Revue, received the Badge of Honor for Meritorios Service (BHM) from Jamaica’s government. Mrs. Darby was honored for her work with the cultural group, which is based in Miami, Florida. She was singled out for her service to Jamaica and the Diaspora as a folklore expert.
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SPORTS
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BOLT WINS 200 METERS IN GREECE—09/13/09
Usain Bolt, Jamaica’s Olympic champion and sprint superstar, won the 200-meter race in Thessaloniki, Greece. He did not improve on a record time set in an August race, however. At the 2009 World Championships, Bolt clocked 19.19 in the 200 meters, while in Greece he ran the course with a time of 19.68 seconds.
FOUR JAMAICAN ATHLETES SUSPENDED FOR THREE MONTHS—09/14/09
Yohan Blake, Lansford Spence, Marvin Anderson, and Allodin Fothergill were suspended from track and field events for a period of three months for their acknowledged use of a banned substance. A disciplinary panel had cleared the four athletes initially, but the ruling was appealed by the Jamaica Anti-Doping Commission. None of the runners commented on the suspension.
POWELL VICTORIOUS IN 100 METER RACE—09/15/09
Asafa Powell, Jamaican sprinter, won the 100-meter race at the Pedro’s Cup in Poland with a time of 9.82 seconds. Powell took the lead from the beginning and never had a serious challenge from the others in the running. Nesta Carter took second place, while Powell’s Jamaican teammate Michael Frater was in third place with a time of 10.23 seconds.
GAMES FEDERATION HEAD UNHAPPY WITH 2010 GAMES PREP—09/18/09
Michael Fennell, chief of the Commonwealth Games Federation and a Jamaican, warned New Delhi that any delays in preparing for the 2010 games would place their success at risk. Fennell is reported to have communicated with Suresh Kalmadi, chairman of the Delhi organizing committee, that there must be a change in the management culture and preparations or the Games will fail.
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DEVOTIONAL
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Alone and Afraid
Have you ever felt so alone that it seemed God had “lost” your address? Maybe that is exactly how you are feeling now. For some of us, we have become so good at keeping our Sunday morning faces on that no one knows the longing and aching we feel on the inside. We wrestle with doubt, discouragement, fear, and depression, and like the prophet Elisha we wonder to ourselves, “Where is the Lord God of Elijah?” (2 Kings 2:14, KJV). It is a confusing place to be.
In the book of Nahum we read, “The LORD is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and [H]e knoweth them that trust in [H]im” (1:7, KJV). What a comforting thought! Regardless of how discouraged we are, God not only knows exactly where we are, “he knoweth them that trust in [H]im.” Our individual circumstances do not change the fact that, “The LORD is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble.” A strong hold is defined as a “fortified place … a place of security or survival,” and that is exactly what we find in the LORD. In those days of discouragement, fear, and doubt, we can run to the One who is our fortified place. It is no wonder the Psalmist proclaims, “When my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy” (Psalm 61:2-3).
Regardless of how you are feeling, God has not lost your address; He knows them that trust in Him and He’s still in control.
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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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