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THIS WEEK’S SUMMARY
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MASSAGE PARLOR CLOSED BY ORGANIZED CRIME INVESTIGATION DIVISION—04/28/07
Members of the Organized Crime Investigation Division (OCID) have closed a massage parlor after months of surveillance for alleged noncompliance with parts of the Human Trafficking Act. The OCID also issued a warrant for the proprietor or proprietors of the shop. Authorities conducted an operation before dawn at the massage parlor in Duhaney Park, St. Andrew. Five women, aged 21 to 27, were taken into custody. Preliminary investigations reveal that the women had answered an advertisement for jobs at the massage parlor.
10 KILLED IN SEPARATE TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS—04/29/07
Among the ten individuals killed in separate traffic accidents was Clinton Dietrich, Jamaica Labor Party (JLP) caretaker for North Western Manchester. In the past eight days, the number of people killed in traffic accidents reached at least 15. Over 120 individuals have been killed in motor vehicle accidents since the start of 2007. Paula Fletcher, executive director of the National Road Safety Council, says her agency recommends using electronic surveillance to address road safety.
CLINTON DIETRICH, COUNCILLOR, DIES IN TRAFFIC ACCIDENT—04/29/07
Vince McKenzie of the Mandeville Police Station says it appears that Clinton Dietrich, who died in a traffic accident, was speeding and was thrown from the vehicle. The other four victims of the accident were burned beyond recognition. Audley Shaw, Deputy Leader and Opposition Spokesperson, says the Jamaica Labor Party (JLP) is “saddened by the tragic loss of life.” Dietrich was to have gone against the sitting Member of Parliament for Manchester North West, Dean Peart, in the general election.
MP MIKE HENRY PREDICTS JLP LANDSLIDE—04/30/07
According to Mike Henry, Member of Parliament (MP) for Central Clarendon, the Opposition Jamaica Labor Party (JLP) will take five of the six seats in Clarendon in the next general election. Henry says five seats are “in the bag.” He assured Laurie Broderick that he led Horace Dalley in Northern Clarendon.
THREE KILLED, THEFT OF $2 MILLION in MAY PEN—05/01/07
A daring daylight robbery on Manchester Avenue in May Pen, Clarendon, led to the arrest of one man. Three men, including two security guards, were killed in the rampage. About $2 million to taken by the thieves. Police continue to search for a group of gunmen, who were implicated as being part of the incident.
GOVERNMENT TO PAY $350M TO COVER CHILDREN”S HEALTH FEES—05/02/07
By the end of May 2007, Jamaica’s children, who total about 1 million, will receive an exemption from health fees charged in public hospitals, says Portia Simpson Miller, Prime Minister. Simpson Miller launched Child Month with this action, saying an exemption will cost Jamaica’s government $350 million. The program will go into effect on May 28, 2007, at all public hospitals except the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI). This hospital received an exemption because it is a regional hospital.
DR. OMAR DAVIES ACCUSES JLP OF “RECKLESS” PUBLIC SPENDING—05/03/07
Dr. Omar Davies, Finance Minister, has accused the leaders of the Opposition of promoting a “reckless” plan for more public expenditures without required accountability. Dr. Davies claims that the Jamaica Labor Party (JLP) wanted to add another $14 billion to the annual budget without any accountability as to how the money would be spent. Davies accused the JLP of wanting to buy support from voters with its promise to eliminate all secondary school fees.
WORLD BANK CALLS FOR HELP TO FIGHT CRIME IN CARIBBEAN—05/04/07
The World Bank issued a report called “Crime Violence and Development: Trends, Costs, and Policy Options in the Caribbean,” stating that crime in Jamaica is the highest in the region. And according to data collected by the United Nations in 2002, the Caribbean has more murders than anywhere else in the world, with a yearly murder rate of 30 per 100,000 population. Drug trafficking, especially cocaine, was cited as the major reason for the high crime rate. The World Bank is looking for donors to help fight crime in the Caribbean.
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JAMAICAN DIASPORA NEWS
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UK-BASED WEBSITE TO HELP WITH TRACKING JAMAICAN ANCESTRY—04/28/07
A website, www.ancestry.co.uk, plans to publish a list of slave names. This will permit Jamaicans to trace their ancestors back to the pre-emancipation era. The website has started by publishing a list of Barbados that is based on an 1834 register of 100,000 slaves. One-quarter of these were under 10 years of age. Five thousand slave owners are also listed. The Jamaican list is expected to follow shortly, according to Simon Ziviani. Jamaica is among 23 nations covered in the 700 register, which recorded slave names before the end of slavery in 1834.
JAMAICAN IN BRITAIN CHARGED AS TERRORIST—05/01/07
Abu Izzadeen, formerly called Trevor Brooks, and six others were charged under the law in Britain with inciting terrorism overseas and raising funds for terror. Izzaddeen was a spokesman for Al Ghurabaa, and was charged under the Terrorism Act of 2000.
JAMAICAN STORIES COME TO LIFE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE—05/02/07
Jamaican Self-Help, an organization based in Peterborough, which seeks to raise awareness of Caribbean issues and culture, communicated the message that children are children, regardless of where they live or the color of their skin. The group presented an evening of storytelling at Mark Street United Church in East City. Jamaican Self-Help financially supports educational and developmental projects in Jamaica.
JAMAICAN ON FLORIDA DEATH ROW—05/03/07
Lance Armstrong, a Jamaican on death row in Florida, will be put to death, or so says a recommendation of a Broward County court jury. The jury reached a 9-3 decision calling for his execution for the murder of a Broward County Deputy Sheriff, John “Jack” Greene. The Florida Supreme Court vacated an earlier death sentence in 2003, but prosecutors were successful in getting a second death sentence for Armstrong. David Rowe, Armstrong’s attorney, was disappointed but expects that appeals could continue for another three years and go all the way to the United States Supreme Court if necessary.
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SPORTS
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BOYZ READY TO TRY FOR FIFA WORLD CUP SPOT—04/28/07
The national Under-17 footballers of Jamaica will be looking to get one of three places to the FIFA World Cup in South Korea in August 2007. The last time Jamaica was in the Under-17 World Cup was in 1999. David Hunt, the team coach, thinks the Reggae Boyz have a good chance at getting to the World Cup. He urged Jamaicans to support the young players because they will make Jamaica proud, he says.
NO VICTORIES FOR JAMAICANS IN PENN RELAYS—04/29/07
Jamaican senior athletes did not attain one victory on the final day of the “United States Against the World” relays at the Penn Relays in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Jamaica ranked second in the sprint relays, third in the men’s mile, and second in the women’s 4x400m. It was still considered a good performance for the team.
ALEEN BAILEY CHANGES COACH—04/30/07
Olympic sprint relay gold-medal winner Aleen Bailey has switched coaches and no works with Lloyd Clarke’s Royalty Track Club. Bailey returned to Jamaica in 2004 to be part of Glen Mills’ Racers Track Club. Bailey says that she and Clarke get along well and that he is the kind of demanding coach she needs.
REGGAE BOYZ PRAY FOR VICTORIES—05/04/07
Jamaica must find a way to beat the United States if they want to retain their hopes of getting a spot at the FIFA Under-17 World Cup. The Reggae Boyz also need their regional peers, Trinidad and Tobago, to beat Canada if they are to remain in the competition. The Jamaicans are in fourth place after two losses in two games. The team can still move on if Canada loses.
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DEVOTIONAL
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Who is Jesus to You?
According to the book of Matthew, Jesus had just finished feeding four thousand men, besides women and children, with seven loaves and a few little fish when he had a
private conversation with his disciples at Caesarea Philippi. Despite all the teaching he had done, and the miracles preformed, he asked the disciples, “Who do men say
that I, the Son of Man, am?” to which they answered, “Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” In other words, people were
saying anything other than who he really was.
Jesus then turned the tables and asked, “But who do you say that I am?” to which Simon Peter, my favorite disciple, replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living
God.” (Matt. 16:13-16).
The entire exchange affirmed an important truth; one can have good thoughts of Christ, and yet not the right ones; a high opinion of him, yet not high enough. The
people had seen Jesus and the works he did. His life and ministry was as spoken by the prophets, yet even in his midst, they did not know who he was. The disciples all
agreed he was the promised Messiah, the Son of God, yet even in that declaration, they still missed all that Jesus was. Yes, he was the only begotten of the father, full
of grace and truth (John 1:14), but to those who believe in him, he was much more than that.
While most Christians understand Jesus as stated by Peter, we miss fully understanding all that he is to us. Scriptures teach that he is our Bread of Life, the Light
of the world, the True Vine, Comforter, Friend, Healer, the Good Shepherd, Redeemer, Savior, the Fountain of Living Water, Burden Bearer, Deliverer, Great High Priest,
Provider, among many other things. Anything that the believer needs him to be, he is all that and more! How our lives could be much different if we grasped this
important truth?
Who is Jesus to you? Is he just the Son of God? I challenge you to get more intimately acquainted with him and get to know him better. There is no area of our lives
that he is incapable of stepping into and making a difference. May he so reveal himself to you as you spend time in his presence.
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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.
