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THIS WEEK”S SUMMARY
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EDUCATION SYSTEM GETS MILLIONS FROM WORLD BANK—11/28/09
Jamaica has received a loan totaling US$16 million from the World Bank’s Board of Directors to reform the nation’s education system. Andrew Holness, Member of Parliament and Minister of Education, said the project supports the island’s efforts to provide more efficient and effective educational services via aid for establishing independent agencies that will be accountable for their results.
ROBERT F. KENNEDY JR. FEATURED IN JAMAICA HOTEL INFOMERCIAL—11/29/09
An infomercial for the Iberostar Jamaican hotel features Robert F. Kennedy Jr., along with John O’Hurley and Carl Weathers. The Jamaica Tourist Board and its partners, Air Jamaica and Round Hill, provided support to Kennedy’s Waterkeeper Alliance during the Iberostar Jamaica Celebrity Sports Invitation at the Iberstar Rose Hall Grand Hotel in Montego Bay.
RESTRUCTURING OF DUBAI WORLD HELPS JAMAICA INVESTMENTS—11/30/09
Although Jamaican has experienced much bad news recently in its economic and financial sectors,, resulting in a downgrade by Standard & Poor in August 2009, the restructuring of Dubai World is making investments in Jamaica look more attractive in comparison.
PRESIDENT OF TANZANIA PRAISES JAMAICA’S TOURISM—12/01/09
Jakaya Kikwete, President of Tanzania, is impressed with Jamaican tourism and believes his country can learn much from the Caribbean island. Kikwete toured Jamaica and Trinidad & Tobago recently and stated that the tourism sector in Tanzania was not performing up to the level of Jamaica. He has called for efforts to encourage the development of tourism in Tanzania that would highlight wildlife, culture, beaches, and sites of historic interest.
JAMAICAN POLICEMAN IN COURT FOR CORRUPTION—12/02/09
Sergeant Karl Morrison, a Jamaican policeman, has been charged with three counts of violating the Corruption Prevention Act. The case involves Morrison’s alleged offer to drop the charges filed against a man arrested in connection with a murder. Morrison was caught during a sting operation established by the Anti-Corruption Branch of the Jamaica Constabulary Force.
JAMAICA LOOKING FOR BIPARTISANSHIP IN COPENHAGEN—12/02/09
Bruce Golding, Jamaican Prime Minister, has requested that the opposition People’s National Party (PNP) nominate a representative to be a member of the official delegation traveling to the United Nations Conference on Climate Change in Copenhagen December 7 through 18, 2009. Golding says he is approaching the conference with mixed feelings of disappointment and hope.
SOFTWARE PROVIDER RECEIVE DISTRIBUTORSHIP FROM CANADIAN FIRM—12/03/09
Management Control Systems (MCS), a large Jamaican software firm, has made an agreement with ACL Services Ltd. The agreement makes MCS the distributor for products of the Canadian company in the English-speaking Caribbean. The agreement went into effect on November 1, 2009.
JAMAICA ORDERS 145 VOLVO BUSES—12/04/09
An order for 145 bus chassis from Volvo Buses has been made by Jamaica. The buses will be used in the Jamaican government’s effort to make improvements to Kingston’s urban transport system. Delivery of the buses will occur in 2010. Volvo has had a strong relationship with Jamaica for some time, with more than 60 percent of the buses in Kingston built on the Volvo chassis.
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JAMAICAN DIASPORA NEWS
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JAMAICAN SOCCER PLAYER HELD BY IMMIGRATION IN SOUTH AFRICA—11/30/09
Omar Cummings, Colorado Rapids frontman, has been held by immigration officials in South Africa after attempting to enter the country with a damaged passport. Cummings’ two-hour detention delayed the entire team on their journey at OR Tambo International Airport. His passport was torn, and the covers were loose from the document. Jamaican football officials succeeded in reasoning with the South African authorities, and Cummings ultimately was allowed to enter the country. Cummings aid immigration officials in the United States ripped part of his passport as he was leaving the U.S.
COSTA RICA PRESSURES JAMAICA TO CRACK DOWN ON CRIMINALS—12/01/09
Jamaicans who live in Costa Rica face additional visa restrictions as the Costa Rican government attempts to address an increase in crime thought to be related to gangs in Jamaica. Under the new regime, Jamaican residents in Costa Rica must now submit their cases to the San Jose Immigration Administration for special review. Mario Zamora, head of the Immigration Administration, says the restriction has been taken in response to major crimes committed by Jamaican thugs in his country.
SOUTH FLORIDA TRIBUTE PROCEEDS TO GO TOWARD SCHOLARSHIP—12/03/09
The fourth annual cultural tribute and scholarship fundraiser at the Holy Family Episcopal Church in North Miami raised more than $5,000, which is intended to honor the life and legacy of “Miss Lou,” the late Honorable Louise Bennett-Coverley. The proceeds will support the Miss Lou scholarship fund established after her death in 2006. The scholarship is designed to benefit students pursuing studies in drama, song, and dance at the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing arts in Kingston.
ENTREPRENEUR BEGINS SEMINARS TO SUPPORT BUSINESS OWNERS—12/04/09
Andrew P. Yap, Jamaican-American entrepreneur and president of LEASA Industries Co. Inc., is launching a series of Breakthrough Seminars in Miami and Fort Lauderdale in order to empower small businesses to align their lives and organizational interests. The seminars have online learning modules to provide subscribers with tools needed to develop the potential of their businesses.
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SPORTS
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PANEL WILL NOT PUNISH POWELL—11/28/09
Asafa Powell and five other athletes will not receive further punishment for skipping a training session. The athletes, including Shelly-Ann Fraser, women’s 100-meter Olympic champion, and Powell, did not attend Jamaica’s chief athletics training camp prior to the August 15-23 Worlds meet. The athletes were sanctioned, but the sanctions were withdrawn after the intervention of the president of the IAAF.
FIVE JAMAICAN TENNIS PLAYERS READY FOR CHAMPIONSHIP—11/30/09
Five male junior tennis players from Jamaica will compete at the Eddie Herr International Junior Tennis Championship in Bradenton, Florida, beginning November 27, 2009. The group will be lead by Brandon Burke, 17, currently ranked 113 on the ITF World Junior Rankings.
HEADLEY’S RECORD BROKEN BY BARATH—12/01/09
Adrian Barath, batsman for Trinidad and Tobago, broke a 79-year-old record set by Jamaican George Headley, and became the youngest West Indian batsman to score a Test century during his debut. Barath, 19, is the seventh youngest batsman in Test history to do so. Headley was 21 when he scored 176 in the second innings of his debut Test versus England in 1930.
BOLT NOT CONFIRMED FOR COMMONWEALTH GAMES IN 2010—12/03/09
Usain Bolt, Jamaica’s Olympic gold medalist, has not yet confirmed that he will participate in the Commonwealth Games in 2010. According to Suresh Kalmadi, Commonwealth Games organizing chair, Bolt has been invited and asked for his participation. After speaking with Bolt personally, Kalmadi says he is sure the Olympian will participate. There is plenty of time for him to provide confirmation, Kalmadi notes.
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DEVOTIONAL
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Manifesting His Works
True to the tradition of the day they thought that anyone born with an infirmity was being punished by God, and so as they passed by the man, blind from birth, the disciples asked Jesus, “Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?” (John 9:2, KJV). The reply must have stunned them; “Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him” (v.3).
While there are some who hold the view that every instance of the child of God being in a tough spot is indicative of sin in that believer’s life, this narrative shows that view is not absolute. It also shows the Sovereignty of God in our lives in that nothing that happens to us is by chance nor is it without purpose. While it is true that some difficulties we experience are the results of our own actions, in other cases it could be that God allows us to walk a difficult path in order that His works should be made manifest in our lives. Of course, this is not always obvious when we are going through those challenging times, but we can trust Him that He knows what He is doing. God “needs” men and women who are broken to show the world what He is capable of, and because He is God we are all candidates. The blind man did not get a vote nor did he volunteer for the position. However, his life-long infirmity provide the perfect platform for a miracle that confounded those who saw it.
On this point Bible Scholar Matthew Henry notes, “[1.] We must take heed of judging any to be great sinners merely because they are great sufferers, lest we be found, not only persecuting those whom God has smitten (Psalm 69:26), but accusing those whom he has justified, and condemning those for whom Christ died, which is daring and dangerous, Romans 8:33, Romans 8:34. [2.] That they are sometimes intended purely for the glory of God, and the manifesting of his works. God has a sovereignty over all his creatures and an exclusive right in them, and may make them serviceable to his glory in such a way as he thinks fit, in doing or suffering; and if God be glorified, either by us or in us, we were not made in vain.”
This should be encouragement for those who while serving God faithfully, struggle with things and situations they do not understand. Like Job, maybe you are the one “chosen” to be the vessel through whom the works of God should be made manifest. Regardless of where we find ourselves, let our prayer be that of the song writer, “In my life Lord, be glorified, be glorified / In my life Lord, be glorified today.” Are you up to it?
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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.
