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THIS WEEK”S SUMMARY
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JAMAICAN LEADERS URGE CITIZENS TO TAKE ISLAND BACK FROM CRIMINALS—03/01/14
Head of State Governor Sir Patrick Allen, Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller, and Opposition Leader Andrew Holness joined at King’s House to ask Jamaicans to consider during the Lenten season how to overcome negativity and overcome the island’s high rate of crime.
NO CHINESE ENCLAVE IN GOAT ISLANDS, SAYS DAVIES—03/02/14
Dr. Omar Davies, Jamaica’s Minister of Transport, Works, and Housing, confirmed that the ratio between Jamaican and Chinese nationals working for the China Harbor Engineering Company (CHEC) is 1 to 1. He also noted, however, that Chinese investors have not completely used their quota, so of the more than 1,000 workers currently employed on the Highway 2000 project, over 600 are Jamaicans. He also assured government representatives that the proposed US$1.5 billion investment in the Goat islands will not become an enclave or economic zone for the Chinese firm.
BARTLETT SAYS GOVERNMENT SHOULD BE WARY OF CHINESE DEALS—03/03/14
Edmund Bartlett, Jamaican Opposition Spokesman on Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, wants the government to address concerns related to a major Chinese economic investment into Jamaica. This could have a negative impact on the sovereignty of the island, Bartlett warns.
JAMAICA BIGGEST U.S. MARIJUANA SUPPLIER—03/04/14
According to the 2014 International Narcotics Control Strategy Report from the United States State Department, Jamaica is still the largest supplier of marijuana in the Caribbean. The report also noted that while cocaine and other drugs are not manufactured locally, Jamaica is a major transit location for drug traffickers moving from South America to North America.
NUAMBER PORTABILITY ON TRACK, SAYS GOVERNMENT—03/05/14
Jamaica’s government reports that number portability for mobile phones is on schedule and should be available within eight or nine months. According to Julian Robinson, State Minister for Science, Technology, Energy, and Mining, progress is being a made steadily toward implementation and should be n place between November and December 2014.
ATKINSON SAYS PUBLIC NEEDS TO KNOW TRUTH OF “DUDUS” MATTER—03/06/14
Patrick Atkinson, Jamaica’s Attorney General, believes that Jamaicans need to know what actually happened during the incidents in which security forces attempted to arrest drug suspect Christopher “Dudus” Coke in 2010. He also dismissed any suggestions that Justice Velma Hylton, former OECS Supreme Court judge, was biased and should be removed from the Commission of Enquiry.
MANY JAMAICAN POLICE OFFICERS FAIL LIE DETECTOR TESTS—03/07/14
Approximately 100 Jamaican police officers who voluntarily took lie-detector tests before the scheduled April 2014 visit by the Inter-American Convention Against Corruption failed the tests. The voluntary tests were taken in the first eight months of 2013, and 95 of the 190 officers taking the tests failed.
HEALTH MINISTRY TO DETERMINE FATE OF IMPORTED JAPANESE BUS—03/07/14
Customs officials in Jamaica have asked the Ministry of Health and the Bureau of Standards to decide whether a bus shipped from Japan should be released from the port. The bus, which had higher-than-normal radiation levels, was determined to be within safe radiation limits by Japanese officials before shipping. The Health Ministry was asked to determine what level of radiation is to be considered “acceptable.”
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JAMAICAN DIASPORA NEWS
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BOLT PARTIES IN TRINIDAD—03/01/14
The world’s fastest man, Jamaican Usain Bolt, is as famous for his love of partying as for his championship running ability. He spent some leisure time at the carnival celebrations in Trinidad and was said to “turn things up” during his visit.
JAMAICAN JOURNALIST IN CANADA ATTACKS BUSTAMANTE—03/02/14
The Jamaica Labor Party (JLP) celebrates its leader Sir Alexander Bustamante, but a Jamaican journalist who is based in Canada, Ewart ‘Fats’ Walters, believes that Jamaica would have been better off if Bustamante had not left the People’s National Party (PNP) and, in his opinion, damaged the national movement. Walters has written a book “We Come from Jamaica: The National Movement 1937-1962” to expound his argument that the split put Jamaica on the path to violence and poor economic development. The book has created some controversy among its readers.
TESSANNE CHIN TO PERFORM IN TORONTO—03/03/14
Jamaica’s Tessanne Chin, winner of “The Voice” television singing competition, plans to be in Toronto on March 29, 2014, to receive a Luminary Award, and then she will return to the city in May for a concert with her Bread & Butter Band. Chin will receive the Luminary Award alongside legendary reggae star Jimmy Cliff, her mentor.
UK LOVES JAMAICAN RECORDINGS—03/04/14
Jamaican music hitting the top positions on charts and having an impact on British culture is becoming commonplace in the United Kingdom. Millie Small’s 1964 remake of the 1957 hit by Barbie Gayle “my Boy Lollipop” rose to Number 2 on the British charts and opened the way for an increasing influx of Jamaican sound, which continues in 2014.
JAMAICAN MUSHER AIDS FELLOW RACER ON IDITAROD TRAIL—03/05/14
Newton Marshall, Jamaican musher, found Scott Janssen’s dog team without its driver along the Iditarod trail in Alaska, and then discovered Janssen with a broken ankle and concussion nearby. Marshall tried to get Janssen into his sled, but the pain was too severe, so he hit the button on Janssen’s satellite beacon to call for help.
JAMAICAN BISHOP WELCOMED IN TEXAS—03/06/14
The Most Reverend Bishop Burchell McPherson of Jamaica paid a visit to a small town in Texas to officiate at the wedding of Jamaican Tim Wong and Lara Conrady, who was born and raised in the town of Windthorst. Reverend McPherson is the Bishop of Montego Bay and said he was very close to the groom’s family.
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CARIBBEAN NEWS SUMMARY provided by Caribbeantopnews.com
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ATTEMPTS MADE TO SAVE BANANA INDUSTRY IN DOMINICA—03/01/14
OPPOSITION LEADER IN ST.VINCENT WANTS CHANGE AT CONSULATE IN NY—03/02/14
HUMAN RIGHTS PRACTICES IN CARIBBEAN CRITICIZED BY U.S.—03/03/14
GUYANA WELCOMES INVESTORS FROM CHINA—03/04/14
CONSERVATIONISTS LAUNCH CAMPAIGN TO SAVE SHARKS—03/05/14
CHANGING RAINY SEASON HARMS CROPS IN BARBUDA—03/06/14
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BUSINESS NEWS SUMMARY
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TOURIST BOARD RECEIVES INDUSTRY AWARD—03/01/14
The Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) was recognized by the Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International by being award a Gold Adrian for excellence in public relations. The award was given for the JTB entry in the television category for “Revisiting Our Roots,” in which it worked with NBC’s “Today” show anchors Jenna Wolfe and Lester Holt. The anchors visited Jamaica to explore their Jamaican heritage.
LUCEA COCOA FERMENTARY TO BE SOLD—03/02/14
Lands owned by the Cocoa industry Board in Lucea are being offered for sale by the Development Bank of Jamaica (DBJ). The property has not been in operation for over 20 years. The DBJ is looking for investors that have the money to buy the Board’s commercial assets and to take on the development, operations, and management of the properties. The offered fermentaries are in St. Mary, Morgans Valley, Clarendon, Richmond, and Montrose Farm.
JAMAICAN FIRMS URGED TO DEVELOP MORE PARTNERSHIPS WITH GERMANY—03/03/14
A delegation from Germany has called for companies in Jamaica to look for more economic partnerships with Germans. The invitation was extended to Jamaican companies during a visit of Germany representatives to the Jamaican German Automotive School in Kingston.
TOURISM MINISTRY TARGETS DIASPORA DURING WORLD CUP—03/04/14
The Reggae Boyz of Jamaica will not participate in the World Cup in the summer of 2014, but Damion Crawford, Jamaica’s Minister of Tourism and Entertainment, plans to provide entertainment to visitors to Jamaica during the World Cup season. Jamaica plans to get a share of the travelers going to the event and is particularly interested in attracting the Diaspora.
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Caribbean Science and Technology News provided by Caribbeantopnews.com
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SCHOOLS RECEIVE TABLET COMPUTERS TO ENCOURAGE LOCAL ANIMATORS—03/01/14
DIGITAL JAM 3.0 TO OFFER DIGITAL OPPORTUNITIES TO YOUTH—03/06/14
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ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT
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RURAL ARTISTES NEED OPPORTUNITIES, RECOGNITION—03/01/14
Young artistes dream of becoming a part of the growing number of Jamaican entertainers performing around the world, but those in rural areas have a difficult time showcasing their talents. Santrez Green of St. Elizabeth parish has always loved music and he wants to make it in the entertainment business. He says it is a struggle, however, since there are few opportunities to perform unless an artiste is already well known. He would like DJs to be more respectful of young talent and listen to their work.
DA COSTA PLANNING FANTASY REGGAE EXPERIENCE—03/02/14
Glen DaCosta, a member of the 1970s reggae band Zap Pow, has won an award from the Jamaica Reggae Industry Association during Reggae Month, and now he is ready to begin the planning for a project known as “Jamaica Reggae Fantasy Experience” in the summer of 2014 in Ocho Rios. The project is designed to attract tourists and allow them to meet iconic reggae performers and pioneers. Visitors will also be able to do a video to reggae rhythm to send to family and friends. Cultural torus of the Bob Marley Museum and other locations will also be featured.
GOSPEL SHOW CELEBRATES “DIFFERENCE”—03/06/14
The show “Gospel with a Difference” presents Kamila Isaac, a visually challenged singer, and is designed to provide a testimony to God through song and a history of gospel music. The event was held at Campion College and featured two prayers followed by an MC who related the history of gospel music. The Reverend Grace Jarvis offered the words of “Amazing Grace” done by John Newton, a former slave owner.
RESTORATION OF WARD THEATER LOOKS TO GOVERNMENT FOR HELP—03/07/14
Restoration of the Ward Theater in Kingston appears to be moving forward after a meeting of the relevant parties was held. At the meeting were representatives of the Ward Theater Foundation, members of the Ministry of Youth and Culture, and the mayor of Kingston. The Jamaican government and the Kingston and St. Andrew Corporation have committed to helping with the restoration of the theater, which is currently in a dilapidated state.
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SPORTS
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REGGAE BOYZ PLAN TO DOMINATE FOOTBALL IN CARIBBEAN—03/01/14
The head coach of the Reggae Boyz, Winfried Schaefer, is taking the Jamaican team to the Eastern Caribbean in his first attempt to dominate the region. The team will play Barbados and St. Lucia in a three-day tour that will allow Schaefer to assess the abilities of his players.
BOLT THINKING ABOUT PLAYING ON SOCCER TEAM—03/02/14
Winfried Schaefer, the new coach of the Jamaican national soccer team, would like to see Usain Bolt play with the Reggae Boyz. Bolt has frequently said he would like to try competitive soccer and dreams of playing with his favorite team Manchester United. Schaefer says that because Bolt is Jamaica, he should play for a Jamaican team.
IAAF YEARBOOK FEATURES FIVE YOUNG ATHLETES FROM JAMAICA—03/03/14
The “Faces of the Future” yearbook published by the International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) features five young athletes of Jamaica. They include Yanique Thompson, Jaheel Hyde, Marvin Williams, Michael O’Hara and Martin Manley. The publication showcases these athletes as the “next generation” of top performers.
WRIGHT LOSES JOB AT ANTI-DOPING COMMISSION—03/05/14
Dr. Paul Wright no longer works at the Jamaican Anti-Doping Commission after criticizing Jamaica’s testing protocols. Dr. Wright was the doping control officer who made allegations that raised suspicions about the nation’s top sprinters and the strength of the island’s drug-testing program. Wright was dismissed from his job in November 2013, but the dismissal was not made public at that time. He was given no reason for his dismissal, Dr. Wright said.
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JAMAICAN JOBS
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- JOB TITLE: Program Administrator – Details Here
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Visit JAMAICAN JOBS.
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DEVOTIONAL
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A Guiding Light
A fellow student at the Bible College I attended was blind and used a guide dog to get around. On a couple of occasions, I watched Paul’s (not his real name) interaction with the dog and how he quietly issued commands to “sit”, “stay”, “here”, and so on, to which the dog would immediately respond. Once they were moving, the dog was Paul’s eyes. He seemed to know where everything was and as the master moved around in a world of darkness, he relied on his ‘best friend’ to guide him around obstacles and whatever else was in the way. It was obvious that the bond between them was one of trust.
In Psalm 119 we read, “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path” (v.105, KJV), and in these words we find a similar kind of relationship. As the believer goes about in a darkened world, we need our own “guide dog” and we have the light of God’s word to show us the way. In his commentary on this verse, Bible Scholar Matthew Henry writes, “It [the Word] discovers to us, concerning God and ourselves, that which otherwise we could not have known; it shows us what is amiss, and will be dangerous; it directs us in our work and way, and a dark place indeed the world would be without it. It is a lamp which we may set up by us, and take into our hands for our own particular use…to direct us in the right ordering of our conversation, both in the choice of our way in general and in the particular steps we take in that way, that we may not take a false way nor a false step in the right way. We are then truly sensible of God’s goodness to us in giving us such a lamp and light when we make it a guide to our feet, our path.”
The Christian cannot afford to go about our business without the security of God’s word lighting our way. In his notes on the Bible, Albert Barnes writes, “He who makes the word of God his guide, and marks its teachings, is in the right way. He will clearly see the path. He will be able to mark the road in which he ought to go, and to avoid all those by-paths which would lead him astray. He will see where those by-roads turn off from the main path – often at a very small angle, and so that there seems to be no divergence. He will see any obstruction which may lie in his path; any declivity or precipice which may be near, and down which, in a dark night, one might fall. Man needs such a guide, and the Bible is such a guide.”
Because the word of God is so encompassing, it has something to say about every area of our lives. Every step we need to take, every decision we need to make, we can trust it to guide us in the right direction. A lamp unto our feet and a light to our path. As you go day to day, are you making effective use of 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.
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