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THIS WEEK’S SUMMARY
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INCREASE IN CAR THEFT RATE – CORPORATE AREA TARGETED—12/16/06
Authorities have noted an increase in the number of carjacking and car theft reports, most coming from the Corporate Area. According to a detective corporal in the Organized Crime Investigation Division (OCID), an increase in car thefts has occurred during the Christmas season for several years. The increase has been attributed to the fact that more people buy cars during the holidays. Criminals steal the models that are in high demand and then resell them. A common method used by car thieves is to follow motorists to their homes and then robbing them. Cars are also taken during church functions like funerals. The most popular car among car thieves is a white Toyota Corolla.

CIVIC LEADERS IN ST. JAMES CONCERNED ABOUT HOTEL DEVELOPMENTS—12/17/06
The idea of having large-scale hotel developments in St. James excites the Simpson Miller Administration, but critics say such developments could result in the creation of unplanned and crime-ridden communities. Stakeholders in St.James, which is a popular tourist area, want the government to provide housing and social facilities for the thousands of people who would work in the new resorts. Several informal settlements of workers have been plagued by a rising rate of violent crime. An additional 12,000 hotel rooms and 15,000 direct jobs are planned for the area by 2010.

JAMAICA BAUXITE MINING DENIES SABOTAGE OF CRUISE EXPANSION PLAN—12/18/06
Jamaica Bauxite Mining (JBM) will not hand over the Reynolds’ Pier in Ocho Rios to be used exclusively for tourism purposes, says Coy Roache, managing director of the company. Critics charge that JBM, which owns the Pier, is sabotaging development plans and that its actions are costing the nation some $5 billion per year. Roache says JBM would support an expansion of the facility only if the cruise firms can coexist with other kinds of commercial enterprises. The tourism interests want the facility exclusively for cruise shipping, but JBM wants to continue to export limestone and sugar from the Pier. Jamaica has lost more than 200 calls in 2006 because of the lack of berthing space in Ocho Rios.

ADDITIONAL $58 MILLION TO BE SPENT TO FIGHT MALARIA OUTBREAK—12/19/06
The Cabinet approved another $58.4 million for use by Jamaica’s continuing anti-malaria program. This brings the total for fighting the outbreak to nearly $90 million to date. Just after the availability of additional funds was announced by Donald Buchanan, Information Minister, Dr. Sheila Campbell Forrester, acting chief medical officers at the Health Ministry, stated that the number of individuals infected with the disease had reached 103. Of 317 samples sent to Atlanta, Georgia, for testing, 15 have returned positive. A second batch of tests was expected shortly, and the Health Ministry continues to receive between 200 and 300 samples a day.

MANDEVILLE COUPLE, RICHARD AND JULIA LYN, STILL MISSING—12/20/06
After ten days of searching, Richard and Julia Lyn remain missing, and their children and friends continue to worry. According to reports, the Lyns were abducted from their Battersea home on the evening of December 9. The quiet, upscale community in which Richard Lyn, 75, and his wife Julia, 71, lived has been shaken, and residents fear other abductions. The police have two men in custody as suspects in the Lyn’s disappearance, but there has been no information released about what happened to the couple. The Lyn’s children have offered a $1 million reward for information leading to whereabouts of their parents.

JAMAICAN GOVERNMENT TO COMPENSATE WOMAN SHOT BY POLICE—12/20/06
A ruling from the Supreme Court requires the Government to pay damages totaling $13.5 million to Deborah Douglas, 29, who was shot by the police and became an epileptic for life as a result of the shooting. The Attorney-General accepted liability as respondent when the negligence suit was filed. Douglas, a former accounts clerk, was injured on March 27, 2000, while in a taxi in the Caymanas Area of St. Catherine. According to reports, police were chasing four gunmen and accidentally fired shots. One of these shots hit Douglas in the head. Douglas asked the court for a substantial award because her brain injury precludes her from ever being able to work again.

POPULAR RADIO BROADCASTER DIES OF AUTO ACCIDENT INJURIES—12/21/06
Neville Willoughby, known as “Uncle Neville,” died on December 20 at the University Hospital of the West Indies. He was one of the top broadcasters in the country, with a career that spanned nearly 50 years. Willoughby, 69, started in journalism in the late 1950s at Radio Jamaica (RJR), but moved to the Jamaica Broadcasting Corporation (JBC) in the 1960s. In the 1970s, he again worked at RJR, hosting The Evening People Show. In 1973, Willoughby won an exclusive interview with Bob Marley of The Wailers at the time its founding members, Peter Tosh and Bunny Livingstone, were about to leave to pursue solo careers. Willoughby was also a singer and had a hit song with “Christmas JA.” Neville Willoughby is survived by his two daughters.

FIVE INNER CITY YOUTHS REALIZE CHRISTMAS DREAMS—12/22/06
Five children who told their stories to The Gleaner on December 6 touched the hearts of people around the world. The children shared their Christmas wish lists, which included things like shoes, money to go back to school, and aid for their parents. After reading the children’s stories, readers donated everything the children asked for and more. Scotiabank volunteers and representatives of the National AIDS Committee and UNAIDS presented the children with money to help with their schooling, as well as gifts for Christmas.

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JAMAICAN DIASPORA NEWS
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JAMAICAN SENTENCED TO TEN YEARS FOR MURDER OF UK DJ—12/18/06
Neville Borland, 35, of Birmingham, England, received a sentence of ten years for stabbing a 26-year-old DJ in May of 2006. The Jamaican migrant was convicted of manslaughter for the death of Marlvin Jiro, a DJ at the Gems nightclub. The stabbing, which involved two other men who have been found not guilty for the crime, resulted from a fight over a woman. Borland will be deported back to Jamaica after he serves his sentence.

CANDIDATES VIE FOR COUNCIL SEAT OFJAMAICAN-AMERICAN CONGRESSWOMAN-ELECT—12/20/06
Although Yvette Clarke will not be officially sworn in as a member of Congress on Capitol Hill in Washington D.C. for several days, candidates are lining up to fill her vacated position, which represents Brooklyn on the New York City Council. Several Caribbean nationals are among those vying for the seat, including Grenadian Gerry Hopkins, Guyanese businessman Victor Babb, and the Haitians Ferdinand Zizi, Michele Adolphe, and Wellington Sharpe.

CHASTANET, FORMER AIR JAMAICA EXEC, NAMED TO ST. LUCIA CABINET—12/20/06
Allen Chastanet, former vice president of marketing and sales at Air Jamaica, and the own of Coco Kreole and Coco Palm in St. Lucia, will be part of the new cabinet of Sir John Compton. Compton won the general election on December 11, and he appointed Chastanet the new minister of tourism and civil aviation of the island. Chastanet attended a CMEx event in Brooklyn, New York, in 2005.

MUSEUM IN MIAMI TO SHOW EXHIBIT ON PORT ROYAL HISTORY—12/21/06
The Historical Museum of Southern Florida in downtown Miami will hold a four-month-long exhibition to showcase the history of Port Royal. This exhibit will open on February 16 and run through June 3. The exhibition is coordinated jointly by the museum and the Institute of Jamaica, and it will feature rare artifacts from Port Royal, a seaside town that suffered a major earthquake in 1692. The exhibit in Miami will include many artifacts recovered underwater such as Chinese porcelain, German stoneware, and Spanish silver coins. This will be the first time such artifacts have been on display in the United States.
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SPORTS
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MAURICE CHUNG VOTED OUTSTANDING UMPIRE FOR 2006—12/16/06
Maurice Chung was named 2006’s most outstanding umpire at the Jamaica Cricket Umpire’s Association annual function and was presented with the Lyndel Wright Trophy. The awards dinner was held at the Hilton Hotel. Chung has been an umpire for 15 years.

WEST INDIES LOSE 3-1 IN PAKISTAN—12/17/06
The 101 hit by opener Shivnarine Chanderpaul was not enough to save the West Indies from defeat in the fifth and final one-day international. Pakistan drove to a seven-wicket win and a 3-1 series success. Chanderpaul hit 101 from 142 balls. Brian Lara, captain, stroked 44 off 55 deliveries, while pacer Rana Navid ul-Hasan and left-arm spinner Abdur Rehman both gave impressive performances as well.

IN SPITE OF LOSS, WINDIES HOPE FOR THE WORLD CUP—12/18/06
In spite of losing to Pakistan in the 5-match one-day international series, Brian Lara, West Indies captain, says his team still has hopes for the World Cup. Lara also says the team is not upset by the defeat, although they will play Pakistan in the first World Cup match at Sabina Park. Lara remains confident of the team’s ability in spite of the loss of key players such as Ramnaresh Sarwan and Dwayne Bravo.

FRIDAY DEADLINE FOR WORLD NETBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS—12/21/06
The Jamaica Netball Association (JNA) must respond by Friday, December 22, to a request from the International Federation of Netball Associations (IFNA) to offer to host the World Netball Championships (WNC) in 2007. Molly Rhone, president of IFNA, promised to come to a decision about the WNC by Christmas. Jamaica, New Zealand, and England must make a decision about hosting the tournament by that date. Marva Bernard, JNA president, says the organization is working on the matter, but she did not give a definitive answer about whether Jamaica would be hosting the tournament for the second consecutive time.

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DEVOTIONAL
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God Among Us

In a couple of days, people all over the world will be celebrating Christmas. That time of year when over 2,000 years ago, God left the splendours of Heaven and in the person of Jesus Christ, came and dwelt among mankind for a while. The birth of Jesus, foretold thousands of years before, was no ordinary event. There may have been other births on that night, and there may have been other males named Jesus, but this Jesus was different and not only because of the bright star in the night sky, or the presence of angels announcing His birth to the shepherds. Wrapped up in swaddling clothes and lying in Mary’s arms was God Himself.

In his account of Jesus’ birth, Matthew made reference to the prophecy: “…they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us” (1:23). The Apostle Paul, in his epistle to the Colossians years later, said of Jesus: “…in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily” (2:9). The Contemporary English Version of the Bible is more emphatic in its rendering of that verse: “God lives fully in Christ”. There is no other event in human history that is comparable. The angelic pronunciation of His given name was also of great significance: “…thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins” (Matt. 1:21). Not only was God among us, but He came for a very special reason; the salvation of mankind and to bring us back into a right relationship with Him.

Christmas is a joyful time, and especially for those who are Christians, we do have reasons to celebrate. Don’t be put off by the commercialisation of the season, or the secularity of some of the festivities. Remember, Jesus is the reason for the season. It is His coming into the world that we celebrate, and I am ever so thankful that He did.

A very merry Christmas to you and yours.

CEW

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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.