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THIS WEEK”S SUMMARY
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CHINESE TO BE TAUGHT IN JAMAICA’S HIGH SCHOOLS—10/20/12
Campion College and Ardenne High School in the Corporate Area are the first institutions in Jamaica to teach Mandarin, the chief language spoken in China. About 30 students at Ardenne and 150 at Campion are taking Mandarin classes from teachers at the University of the West Indies. Mona, Confucius Institute. Gordon Shirley, principal of UWI Mona, believes this is an exciting opportunity for the students at these schools.
LLEWELLYN REVIEWS DRUG CHARGES BROUGHT AGAINST JAMAICANS—10/21/12
Paula Llewellyn, Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), is reviewing a case that involves five Jamaican men facing drug charges. The charges stem from the alleged discovery of about 7,000 pounds of ganja on their boat. Zacia Mayne, attorney for the five men, believes that a jurisdiction issue is involved with the charges brought by Jamaican authorities against them. Mayne said Jamaica has no jurisdiction to bring the men to trial because there were not held in Jamaica.
JAMAICAN PRIME MINISTER DISCUSSES “REPUBLIC” IN CANADA—10/22/12
During a visit to Canada, Jamaica’s Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller said that the country is considering becoming a republic and removing the British Queen as its head of state. The Prime Minister is making an official visit to Canada and is meeting that nation’s head, Stephen Harper, whose government promotes links with royalty. Simpson Miller said it was time for Jamaica to determine its own form of government, but that Jamaicans will always respect and honor the Queen.
JAMAICAN READIES ITSELF FOR TROPICAL STORM SANDY—10/23/12
Jamaicans stocked up on supplies in anticipation of Tropical Storm Sandy, which is expected to arrive on the island with hurricane force, heavy rains, and high winds. According to the United States National Hurricane Center in Miami, Florida, Sandy was becoming stronger as it moved over the warm waters of the Caribbean. Bands of heavy rains ahead of the storm already drenched portions of Jamaica and caused concerns across the island.
TROPICAL STORM BECOMES HURRICANE—10/24/12
Tropical Storm Sandy was upgraded to a Category 1 hurricane as weather conditions continued to worsen in the Caribbean. It is the tenth hurricane of the 2012 season. Its center is currently located 50 miles to the south of Jamaica and is expected to pass directly over the city of Kingston, bringing heavy rains and winds.
PRIME MINISTER RETURNS FROM CANADA TO DEAL WITH TROPICAL STORM—10/24/12
Portia Simpson Miller, Jamaica’s Prime Minister, cut short her official visit to Canada to deal with the potential impacts of Tropical Storm Sandy, which is expected to make a direct hit on the island as a hurricane. Simpson Miller and Prime Minister of Canada Stephen Harper were scheduled to discuss trade, investment and development during a five-day visit until the storm became a threat to Jamaica.
JAMAICANS SHOULD CONSULT PROFESSIONALS ABOUT SYMPTOMS OF DENGUE—10/25/12
Government authorities in Jamaica have advised residents to seek care if they have symptoms of dengue fever. The 2012 outbreak of the illness in Jamaica is already four times as large as that of 2011. According to Dr. Marion Bullock DuCasses, the director of emergency, disaster management and special services in Jamaica, said anyone experiencing dengue symptoms should immediately go to the nearest health facility. As of October 13, 2012, there were 1,710 suspected cases of dengue reported on the island.
JAMAICA HIT BY HURRICANE SANDY, TWO DEAD—10/26/12
The winds and rains of Hurricane Sandy pummeled Jamaican shantytowns, brought down power lines, and stranded tourists as it traveled across the island on its way to Cuba and potentially Florida and the Bahamas. The death toll from the storm was at least two: an elderly man in Jamaica and a woman in Haiti. Several crocodiles were caught in the rushing waters caused by the storm in southern Jamaica and were flooded out of their homes in the mangrove thickets. One crocodile made its home in the front yard of a family in Portmore.
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JAMAICAN DIASPORA NEWS
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JAMAICAN IDENTIFIED AS SUSPECT IN MASS WISCONSIN SHOOTING—10/21/12
Radcliffe Haughton, 45, was identified as the only suspect in a mass shooting at a spa in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The Jamaican was found dead at the scene of what has been called a self-inflicted gunshot. According to Daniel Tushaus, police chief of Brookfield, Wisconsin, at least three other people were dead and four injured in the shootings. Haughton was from Kingston.
JAMAICA’S HIGH COMMISSIONER MAKES SUCCESSFUL VISIT TO SCOTLAND—10/22/12
Jamaica’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom paid a two-day visit to Scotland with the goal of forging stronger social and business ties in advance of the 2014 Commonwealth Games, which will be held in Glasgow. Aloun Ndombet-Assamba headed a team that included Laurence Jones, head of the UK and European offices of JAMPRO, and Elizabeth Fox, the regional director of the Jamaica Tourist Board. The team was invited to Scotland and met with business and political leaders in Glasgow and Edinburgh.
JAMAICAN FARMERS TO RECEIVE AID FROM CANADA, SAYS HARPER—10/24/12
Canada’s Prime Minister Stephen Harper says that his country plans to help the agricultural sector of Jamaica. Harper made his remarks during a press conference held to welcome Portia Simpson Miller, Jamaican Prime Minister, on her first official visit to the country. Harper made the announcement in response to concerns about the fragility of Jamaica’s economy and acknowledgement by Simpson Miller that agriculture is a sector that has the potential to make a great contribution to the nation’s economic growth.
CARIBBEAN-AMERICANS ENCOURAGED TO ASK FOR ABSENTEE BALLOTS—10/25/12
The United States authorities are encouraging Caribbean-Americans who live overseas to request absentee ballots so they can vote in the November 6, 2012 presidential election. These individuals were given the right to vote by Congress in 1975. The Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act of 1986 currently governs the procedures. Those living overseas must register to vote and ask for a ballot from their local voting authorities in the areas in which they lived in the U.S. The recently enacted MOVE Act requires these people to make a new request for a ballot every year.
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CARIBBEAN NEWS SUMMARY provided by Caribbeantopnews.com
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POLICE FROM JAMAICA MOVING TO CAYMANS—10/21/12
PROTESTS AGAINST PANAMA LAND LAW CONTINUE, BUT WITHOUT VIOLENCE—10/22/12
AGRICULTURAL LAWS IN CUBA MODIFIED—10/23/12
MARIA BELLO HONORED IN HAITI FOR WOMEN’S ADVOCACY—10/24/12
CLINTONS VISIT HAITI FOR OPENING OF INDUSTRIAL PARK—10/25/12
BAHAMAS POUNDED BY HURRICANE SANDY—10/26/12
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BUSINESS NEWS SUMMARY
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CARIBBEAN PUBLIC HEALTH AGENCY HOLDS STAKEHOLDER MEETING—10/23/12
The Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) held its first stakeholder meeting to increase awareness concerning the most significant healthcare needs in the regions and to find ways to collaborate to find the best solutions. The topics addressed at the meeting included communicable diseases, environmental health, and nutrition. Fenton Ferguson, Jamaica’s Health Minister and organization chair, said the meeting marked the first step in changing the health environment in the Caribbean region.
JAMAICA IMPORTS OF LUMBER TOTAL $3 BILLION PER YEAR—10/24/12
Jamaica imports about $3 billion worth of lumber every year in spite of being known as the “land of wood and water.” At least one local lumber producer, Dalkeith Hanna, has called for Jamaicans to invest more in planting trees that can be used for lumber. Hanna, head of Croydon in the Mountains, a 132-acre farm in St. James, noted that investors should not be dissuaded by the 20 years required for trees to mature. This is a much shorter period of time than the 60 years required by some of the trees used for lumber that Jamaica imports.
JAMAICA PLANS TO REDUCE BUREAUCRACY TO LURE CANADIAN INVESTORS—10/26/12
The government of Jamaica plans to cut the bureaucracy associated with starting new businesses on the island in a bid to lure more investments from Canada. Portia Simpson Miller, Jamaica’s Prime Minister, promised less red tape during a speech delivered by Jamaica’s foreign affairs minister at a conference on doing business in Jamaica. The speech was part of Simpson Miller’s first official trip to Canada. but she was unable to give it herself because she returned home to deal with the impact of Hurricane Sandy. The island’s government has created a national competitiveness council to improve the business environment in Jamaica.
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CARIBBEAN TECHNOLOGY NEWS SUMMARY provided by Caribbeantopnews.com
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SMALL, MID-SIZED BUSINESSES TO USE TECHNOLOGY—10/23/12
CARICOM GROUP OFFERS YOUTH TRAINING IN ENTREPRENEURSHIP—10/24/12
SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED BUSINESSES BENEFIT FROM TECHNOLOGY WORKSHOP—10/25/12
BAMBOO PROMOTED AS SOURCE OF ENERGY—10/26/12
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ENTERTAINMENT
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DOWNSOUND RECORDS TOUTS REASON FOR SUCCESSES—10/20/12
Sean Edwards, known as “Contractor,” has been credited with being a key influence in the recent success of Downsound Records, both internationally and locally. Edwards, a marketing guru, has managed to provide successful advertising efforts to the label that was largely unknown before he came on board. He has had charge of Bounty Killer, Sizzla, Beenie Man, Elephant Man, and others. He recently started a promotional and marketing tour of the United Kingdom, appearing on Reggae Showcase and Ben TV’s Lifestyle Show to promote the projects of Downsound Records.
SEAGA LAUNCHES 100-SONG COLLECTION THAT CHARTS MUSICAL HISTORY—10/23/12
VP Records has collaborated with Edward Seaga, former Jamaican Prime Minister, to introduce the Reggae Golden Jubilee: Origins of Jamaican Music CD set. Seaga, a record producer, chose the songs, which represent 100 of the most successful reggae classic. He believes reggae is a powerful and creative force that led to the development of dancehall, dub, hip-hop, and rap.
AUTHORS EMBRACE CARIBBEAN CULTURE AT BOOK LAUNCH IN CANADA—10/25/12
In “Beyond Sangre Grande: Caribbean Writing Today,” author H. Nigel Thomas, has collected works by West Indian fiction writers and poets who living in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, and the Caribbean. Thomas was a teacher in St. Vincent before moving to Montreal, Canada, where he was a high school and elementary teacher. He says his anthology, which includes about 30 authors, is useful in reintroducing the writers to a new audience and prompt greater interest in Caribbean culture.
CHAIRMAN OF JAMPRO WANTS MORE INVESTMENT IN HERITAGE SITES—10/26/12
Milton Samuda, chairman of JAMPRO, is urging a greater interest in protecting and supporting local heritage sites in Jamaica. He made his remarks on a visit to Croydon in the Mountains Plantation. This 132-acre farm is the birthplace of Sam Sharpe, a national hero. Samuda believes the first investment should be in the Jamaica people and that protecting heritage sites provides people with a sense of who they are and encourages national pride.
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SPORTS
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REGGAE BOYZ WIN RESUSCITATES WOMEN’S PROGRAM—10/22/12
The victory of the Reggae Boyz over Antigua and Barbuda allowed them to advance to the final round of the CONCACAF World Cup Qualifiers, and it also renewed interest in the women’s program. This program has little financial support and was suspended by the Jamaica Football Federation in 2002, following a reduction in government funding of 65 percent. The success of the Reggae Boyz means the soccer program obtains necessary resources, which then filter into other programs.
MORE COACHES, TRAINING FOR JAMAICA SYNCHRONIZED SWIMMING—10/24/12
Charlotte Davis, a synchronized swimming coaching clinician from the United States, is calling for more coaches and more training, so that Jamaica can be successful at the international level of this sport. Davis provided her assessment of the Jamaican program during a two-week visit, in which she also judged the Jamaica International Synchronized Swimming Championship matches. For the program to progress, Davis said there needs to be an increase in the number of coaches. Jamaican wants to send athletes to the 2015 Pan American Games in Canada.
15TH GOAL MADE BY MORRISSEY IN FINLAND—10/25/12
Jamaican Steven Morrissey became the most prolific scorer during overseas domestic competition in the 2012 season when he scored his 15th goal as his team lost 2 to 1 in the Finland Premier Division. Morrissey, 26, leads in scoring 42 percent of the team’s points and scored seven of his goals in the first half hour of competition.
COMMONWEALTH SPORTS AWARD GIVEN TO CUNNINGHAM—10/26/12
Alphanso Cunningham was recognized as the Most Outstanding Male Athlete with Disability at the Commonwealth Sports Awards ceremony in Trinidad and Tobago. Cunningham won gold in the F52/53 javelin competition at the Paralympic Games in London in 2012. He also won gold medals in javelin in 2003, 2004, 2007, and 2010.
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JAMAICAN JOBS
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DIRECTOR
NURSE
LABORATORY TECHNICIAN – PHYSICS, CHEMISTRY & BIOLOGY
LIBRARIAN
CHAIR – IN WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT
Visit JAMAICAN JOBS.
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DEVOTIONAL
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By Accident or On Assignment?
She was a young Jewish girl and a slave in the household of a Syrian solider. Like many other females in the Bible, we do not know her name. Yet the only recorded words she spoke live on almost 3,000 years later. The writer of the book of Kings tells us, “And she said unto her mistress, Would God my lord were with the prophet that is in Samaria! for he would recover him of his leprosy” (2 Kings 5:3, KJV).
Verses 4-15 record the story of Naaman and his healing from the dreaded disease. However, central to the story are the young girl’s words. Because she had the courage to mention the God of Israel and his servant the prophet in a household in what to her was a foreign land, her witness set in motion the chain of events behind this narrative. So what is the big deal? Consider this. She was captured from Israel, taken to Syria, and was made a servant in the house of Naaman (v. 2). She was far away from her home, isolated from her family and from the worship of her God. If anyone had an excuse to abandon the God of Israel, she did! Seen from the human perspective, He had not protected her from the Syrian raiders and He had not kept her out of a life of slavery! She had more than enough reasons to complain, yet despite her circumstances not being the best, she had not abandoned her faith in the God of Abraham, Jacob, and Isacc. On the contrary, she was looking for opportunities to spread His message and light in the place where she had been taken. The flame of her faith was still burning and she was not afraid to declare that faith to the people around her.
Contrast her attitude with that of those who use their situation in life as an excuse for not being able to be faithful to God, and not being able to be a witness for Him. Struggling through sicknesses, financial distress, family crisis, being the only Christian at home or in the workplace, and whatever else, some ask, “Why should I keep faith in God when He has not been all that helpful to me?” Because some of us do not trust God when we find ourselves in difficult places, we often feel He has abandoned us; we find it difficult to stay true to our faith. However, in an environment that was hostile to her race, country, and faith, the young girl remained faithful.
Pastor Tim Chester was right when he said, “Notice that the girl didn’t have to heal Naaman herself, or even pray for him to be healed; all she had to do was point him in the right direction. . . . Her role was really a very small role, but it was a vital one nonetheless. Without Elisha, Naaman could not have been healed, but without the young girl, Naaman would never have gone to Elisha to ask for healing.” That is powerful stuff! I believe God’s people are everywhere with a message of hope for a world that is lost. In their search for answers, people need someone to tell them about Jesus. Why are you where you are? Are you there by accident or is it possible that you are there on assignment?
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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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