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THIS WEEKS NEWS SUMMARY
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AIR JAMAICA CONTINUES RETRENCHMENT – January 14, 2005
Air Jamaica is to continue it retrenchment exercise as they reorganise the national carrier to begin their path to profitability. Vincent Morrison, supervisor of the islands National Workers Union, confirmed further retrenchment of another 34 staff members. This latest group is the second set of workers to be sent home by the company since this week. On Wednesday, the company gave 100 flight attendants redundancy letters…

JCF TO GET BRITISH AGENTS
The Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) will begin seeing many changes from a new chief commissioner to a few British agents. Reports are that the British lawmen will be coming to be involved in the areas of forensic science and investigation…

BRUCE TO SUCCEED SEAGA IN THE WEST
It is alleged that Bruce Golding contender for the leadership position of the Jamaica Labour Party is said to be heading to Western Kingston to become the constituency’s new caretaker. This, they say, became possible when councillor for the area, Desmond McKenzie decided against launching his candidacy, opting instead to remain as mayor of Kingston…

MEDICAL FRATERNITY CALLS FOR CHANGES TO ABORTION LAW – January 13, 2005

The Medical Fraternity has called for changes to the Abortion Law. This comes in view of the rising incidents of death due to unsafe abortions. Presently, the law allows abortion only in cases of medical emergencies. Dr. Trevor McCartney, the council’s chairman, said yesterday that the policy statement seeks to facilitate the amendment of current legislation in order to reduce or prevent maternal deaths and disability linked to unsafe abortions.

CAMPERDOWN HIGH STUDENTS IS PARISH SPELLING BEE FINALIST

Camperdown High is on top once again as Kevaughn Newland has made it to the Parish finals of the Spelling Bee Kingston Parish finals. He was also a finalist last year and achieved third place in the National finals. Kevaughn used the same strategy he used last year and is now touted to be one of the favourites to win the National finals…

HORRIBLE FIRE LEAVES 47 HOMELESS
In 1999 the residents of Railway Lane in Montego Bay were to be relocated to under a government project called the Providence Heights Housing Development in St. James. However, the residents did not move from their unsafe location and to date, O.D Ramtallie has been unable tell the country why the residents are still occupying housing at their unsafe location. Prime Minister P.J. Patterson officially handed over the $165 million development to residents last May. However, many of the fire victims were benefactors of the houses, which were built under a government’s project designed to relocate them to better living conditions…

NEW CRIME INVESTIGATIVE DIVISION TO BE AUDITED – January 12, 2005

Outgoing Commissioner of police Francis Forbes has ordered an audit of the newly formed, Organised Crime Investigative Division. The Division has been in the news following last week’s abduction of two men and the involvement of two its officers. Outgoing Commissioner Forbes has given the mandate to Assistant Commissioner Alrick Lecky to audit the Division, exactly two years into its existence. Mr. Lecky will be paying keen attention to performance of the unit’s members and the overall operation of the unit…

SEAGA PAYS COURTESY CALL ON PM
Mr. Seaga has paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister Patterson to bid him farewell from active politics and as Opposition Leader. The 75-year-old Seaga handed his an official resignation to the Governor General, which becomes effective January 19. The Prime Minister said he would convene a special sitting of Parliament to bid Mr. Seaga farewell, but on a personal note he conveyed his best wishes to the outgoing Opposition. A successor has not yet been chosen…

NO SUCCESSOR? NATION AWAITS

The days of Mr. Seaga as Leader of the Opposition effectively come to an end on January 19, but who will succeed him? The nation awaits new Jamaica Labour Party Leader and Opposition as Seaga’s thirty-year reign comes to an end. Under Section 80 of the of the Constitution, the Governor General has to authority to appoint a Leader of the Opposition from the House of Representative who can command the support of the majority of the House and who is not a supporter of the Government…

LAWMEN FROM SCOTLAND YARD CALLED IN AGAIN! – January 11, 2005

Commissioner Forbes has called in Scotland Yard again. This time, they have been called in to probe the circumstances of the missing two men who were allegedly abducted by two policemen and a civilian man. One of the two policemen involved is from the Organised Crime Investigative Division, which the outgoing Commissioner has just ordered an audit.

MURDER TOLL ON THE RISE AS NEW YEAR BEGINS…

The murder rate since the beginning of 2005 has begun rising with three double murders. The latest double murder occurred less than a few hundred metres from the Hunts Bay Police Station in Hagley Park. Those killed have been identified by the police as Ricardo Hemmings, 23, of a Galloway Road address in Kingston 13, and a 22-year-old man known as Dale Spence of no known address…

JAMAICA CONTINUES THEIR FIGHT ON DRUGS
The Port Authority of Jamaica has made moves to secure a new drug-detecting device to be used to secure the island’s port from drug operations. The new device called DrugCon and is widely used by the US Customs department and other international companies. However, the head of the Port Security Corp, James Forbes said they were also looking at other similar equipments. He further pointed out that DrugCon came highly recommended…

TEACH ENTREPRENEURIAL SKILLS IN SCHOOL – January 10, 2005

Head of the Bank of Nova Scotia William ‘Bill’ Clarke says that, with the job market so insecure he is challenging the curriculum developers to integrate entrepreneurial skills into secondary education. Mr. Clarke was speaking at the annual staff party of Mack D’s Auto Sales and Rental. He said they were among the fortunate to have a job, as there was no such thing as a sure job anymore. He said that all students at the secondary level, regardless of their subject preference, should be thought entrepreneurial skills. This he posits would cause more people to want to start their own businesses…

CARICOM SINGLE MARKET WELCOMED BY TEACERS ASSOCIATION

The Jamaica Teachers Association has praised the Caribbean Single Market Economy. President of the Association Michael Clarke says that, the idea is especially good for Jamaica and the Caribbean as a whole. However, Mr Clarke pointed out that countries that did not have a well-trained labour force would not benefit from the market. He further pointed out that the HEART Trust NTA of Jamaica would have to certify Jamaicans who wished to work across the region…

IT’S A WOMAN FOR THE JOB
At least one successor of the outgoing Edward Seaga has been revealed. Olivia ‘Babsy’ Grange has been asked by the leader himself to take up the challenge of being MP for West Kingston. Miss Grange has asked for time to think it over even though her own constituency is not satisfied with her performance lately. Within her Central St. Catherine constituency, Miss Grange has been criticised for her performance, but this did not cause her to jump at the chance of succeeding Mr. Seaga. However, Babsy says she is not daunted by those echoing discontent as there are even more people in her constituency who are contented with her performance…

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SPORTS
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WI BEAT AUSTRALIA A BY FOUR WICKETS
Skipper Brian Lara as stepped up to the challenge as he led his team to victory over Australia A. The elegant lefthander raced to 116 from 86 balls, hitting 12 fours and four sixes. Lara added 104 for the fifth wicket with Shivnarine Chanderpaul (42) as West Indies reached 266 for eight from 48.4 overs in reply to Australia A’s 263 for eight from 50.

CRICKET FRATERNITY RAISE MILLIONS FOR TSUNAMI FUND

The cricket fraternity raised millions of dollars for the tsunami relief fund in an exciting game played in Melbourne Australia on Monday. The World XI against the Asian X1 saw cricket stars like Ricky Ponting, Brian Lara, Chris Cairns and Shane Warne for the World team and the Asian attack featuring returning Sri Lankan off spinner Muttiah Muralitharan and India’s legspinner Anil Kumble. The final score World X1 344 off 50 overs and Asian X1 all out for 232. Shane Warne came out of retirement to play the game and others cancelled important engagement to play for a worthy cause…

DEON HEMMINGS AND WINTHROP GRAHAM TO BE HONOURED
Jamaica’s first Olympian gold medal winner Deon Hemmings and Winthrop Graham 1992 Barcelona Olympic 400m hurdles silver medallist, will be honoured for their outstanding contributions to the development of the track and field in Jamaica. The two will be honoured at the 15th staging of the PUMA/JAAA Development Meet to be held at Windalco’s, Kirkvine’s Sports Club, starting at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday…

French Guiana Gets 5-0 from Jamaica
Jan. 8, 2005
Jamaica’s Reggae Boyz destroyed French Guiana 5-0 in their third round Digicel Caribbean Cup game at the National Stadium last night. An estimated 3,000 spectators viewed Jamaica’s opening score by Jermaine Hue in the 13th minute, followed by teammates Damion Stewart (57th), Luton Shelton (62nd), Robert Scarlett (75th) and substitute Teofore Bennett (83rd) for an easy victory. Jamaica now has the advantage in the second leg of the two-way tie set for French Guiana on Saturday, and should easily move on to the final round of the competition slated for Barbados next month. Jamaica slipped to 116th on FIFA’s list, and sixth in the CFU.

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