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THIS WEEK’S NEWS SUMMARY
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GUNS SEIZED IN PORT—5/6/2006
Police seized five illegal guns in Kingston Port yesterday and arrested one man in connection to their investigation. Three handguns and two 9mm rifles were discovered when polices moved in to seize a refrigerator they had been watching. According to reports, the 9mm rifles were also capable of shooting .22 caliber bullets with the adapters also confiscated. Additionally, police found assorted ammunition magazines and bullet rounds. Assistant Superintendent of Police, Victor Barrett, led the investigation with help from Kingfish, Customs and international agencies.

SPANISH GOVERNMENT TO DEVELOP SPANISH TOWN—5/7/2006
Members of the Spanish Embassy were in town last Friday to visit Spanish Town, the Old Capital, to view historic buildings. The delegation is reviewing these building as part of a possible restoration project for the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation. Members of the delegation included Dr. Luis Suarez Carino, Director of Cultural Patrimony of Development. According to reports, the team toured the gang ravaged city and visited historic cites including Old King’s House, Rodney Memorial and St. Jago Cathedral.

ANOTHER POLICE OFFICER KILLED—5/8/2006
Constable Buele Oxford, 22 of the Rock River Police in Clarendon, was murdered Saturday night. The perpetrators then stole his firearm. Reports indicate Constable Oxford had reported recent threats on his life to the police. He was killed near his Thompson Town, Clarendon home. Oxford, the fifth police officer to be killed this year for his firearm, was found by other police officers responding to a call by his family. He died just outside is home from a gunshot wound to the chest.

BUSINESSMAN GETS RETRIAL—5/9/2006
Steven Grant, a 34-year-old businessman from St. Andrew, will be going back to court on July 3. Grant is charged with the murder of 19-year-old Kymani Bailey. Bailey was shot 13 times in a parking lot outside Asylum Nightclub in New Kingston on his birthday, several years ago. Grant’s attorney applied for bail, however bail was turned down this time because the retrial is so close. The retrial was granted after Lord Gifford, Grant’s attorney, has evidence from a witness who could not be present at the original trial in February 2003.

NEIGHBORS STUNNED BY MURDER—5/9/2006
The murder rate has risen to 463 after the recent murders of two common-law couples in St. James and St. Andrew. In St. James, Gary McKenzie, 32, and Taniesha Lawrence, 19, were shot by three men who forced themselves into McKenzie’s home. Reports then say McKenzie was taken out of the home and decapitated. In another gruesome murder, police in St. Andrew reported Ricardo Campbell and Camiesha Anderson of Golden Hill had been shot and stabbed several times in Campbell’s home. Since the start of the year, more than 55 people have been murdered in St. James alone.

JPS CREATES PLANT SAFTEY PLANS—5/10/2006
According to Labor and Social Security Minister, Derrick Kellier, the Jamaica Public Service Company has been asked to submit a plant safety program by May 22. This direction came after a meeting with the utilities company to discuss report findings from the death of three employees while at work last year. Reports say Alvin McIntosh, Permanent Secretary in the Labor Ministry, directed the JPS to create a comprehensive safety plan that must meet the standards of the International Labor Organization. Last September, three JPS employees were killed at the Old Harbour Power Plant after inhaling hazardous gas fumes.

FINAL PREPERATIONS FOR SUIT AGAINST MAGIL CONSTRUCTION—5/11/2006
The National Water Commission is finalizing plans to sue Magil Construction Jamaica Company Ltd. and Magil Palms after one of the company’s senior officers accepted a $100,000 bribe. Reports indicate the NWC is taking legal action against Joseph Gustadt and the CEO of both companies. In a statement recently released, Gustadt alleges bribery demands and corrupt business practices cost his business more than $120 million and he states they have stopped operations in Jamaica and left the country due to corruption by Government officials. Magil Construction began building on the island in 1997 with the West Cumberland project in St. Catherine.

DELTA AIRLINES OFFERS NEW FLIGHT TO ATLANTA—5/12/2006
Delta Airlines has announced a new, direct flight from Kingston to Atlanta, Georgia beginning on June 1. The airline hopes to appeal to Jamaican’s who are conducting business in and around the Atlanta area. Currently Delta flies nonstop from Montego Bay to Atlanta and also offers a non-stop flight from Montego Bay to Cincinnati, Ohio. Delta’s competition on the island, Air Jamaica is trying to recover from a US$1.9 million loss last year and a project loss of US$32.6 million this year.

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SPORTS
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STREETBALLERS TOUR CANCELLED—5/7/2006
The Jamrock Streetballers tour has been cancelled due to the loss of a major sponsor last week. The sponsor has not been named, however Legend Sports Management, Jamrock promoters, had to cancel the event pending further support. Local fans of the popular program were ready to watch players that included Grayson Boucher, John Harvey, Dennis Chism and more. The event was to feature the most popular AND1 players. According to reports from Legend Sports Management, interest in the event was good. Some believe the competing Caribbean Basketball Championships did not help in terms of garnering sponsors.

REGGAE GIRLS BEAT ST. LUCIA—5/9/2006
Reggae Girls won easy against St. Lucia, 5-0, in the first set of the Group C of the Caribbean Women’s Gold Cup qualifiers. The game was held at National Stadium. Venevia Reid and Omolyn Davis gave the Girls a 2-0 lead by halftime, and in the second half it was all Reggae Girls again with a goal by Kimmia Parker, Shakira Duncan and Nordia Reid. In a statement by St. Lucia’s coach, he was not surprised by the Girls’ domination, as they are a much better team. In the other Cup game, St. Kitts/Mevis beach Antigua 3-2.

PORTMORE UNITED CUP WINNERS—5/10/2006
Portmore United proved victorious over Tivoli Gardens to win the Wray and Nephew Knockout Cup. The 5-4 victory came after a successful sudden death penalty kick. With the win, Portmore also received $400,000. Tivoli walks away with the runner-up prize of $250,000. This much needed win came on the heels of the United’s loss to Tivoli in the All-Island Red Stripe Cup. After 120 minutes of play, the game ended in a tie of 0-0, leading the two teams to a series of penalty kicks. Jason Morrison, Adrian Reid, Ricardo Cousins, Shawn Sawyers and Mario Swaby all scored their kicks for the win.

WORLD CRICKET CUP VENUES APPROVED—5/11/2006
Twelve venues have been approved by the International Cricket Council (ICC) for next year’s Cricket World Cup. There are nine host countries for the event. According to Don Lockerbie of the ICC, all venues are progressing nicely. However, the exception is Brian Lara Stadium in Trinidad. This stadium, to host games March 2-9, may have started too late. Tournament matches will be held in Barbados, Jamaica, St. Lucia, St, Kitts, Antigua, Grenada, Trinidad and Guyana. Opening ceremonies will be held in Trelawny March 11 with the final at Kensington Oval April 28.

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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.