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THIS WEEK”S SUMMARY
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HIV MANAGEMENT CONFERENCE HELD IN MONTEGO BAY—08/20/11
Approximately 275 delegates from 21 nations around the world met at the Hilton Rose Hall Resort in Montego Bay for the International HIV Management Conference. This is the first time the conference was held in Jamaica. The conference will be hosted by Dr. Michelle Hamilton, Director of Immunology at National Laboratory Services.
ACQUISITION OF GARVEY BIRTHPLACE APPROVED BY CABINET—08/20/11
Jamaica’s Cabinet has given its approval to the compulsory acquisition of the birthplace of the country’s first national hero, Marcus Mosiah Garvey. The property at 32 Market Street in St. Ann’s Bay will be rehabilitated, according to Laleta Davis Mattis, executive director of the Jamaica National Heritage Trust. The site was the location of the 124th anniversary celebration of Garvey’s birth on August 17, 2011.
JAMAICAN TELEVISION REFUSES TO SHOW PRO-GAY ANNOUNCEMENT—08/21/11
A public service announcement (PSA) produced by the Jamaican gay rights group J-FLAG and starting Christine Straw, former Miss World and Miss Jamaica pageant queen, and Matthew Straw, her gay brother, will not be aired on Jamaica television. It is believed that Christian organizations pressured the leading TV network in Jamaica not to air the ad because it was “too controversial.”
NIGERIA, JAMAICA SIGN TOURISM AGREEMENT—08/22/11
Jamaica and Nigeria have reached an agreement designed to promote culture and tourism. Robert Miller, Jamaican High Commissioner, visited the Nigerian Minister of Culture and Tourism, Edem Duke, to explore methods for creating jobs in the tourism sector. Jamaica attracts more tourists each year than its total population of 2.8 million. Nigeria wants to grow its tourist industry and wants to transform its Abuja carnival into a black festival to attract Africans to the country.
LOCAL MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS CONCERNED ABOUT BRAIN-EATING AMOEBAE—08/23/11
Researchers at the University of the West Indies are investigating the free-living amoebae (FLA) of several genera to fight against its infecting of humans and other animals around the world. All of the amoebae can infect the central nervous system and have lethal consequences. The amoebae enter a body via the nose and feed on the brain until the infected organism dies. Since its discovery in Australia in the 1960s, the amoebae have been imported to 15 other nations, with incidents of infection increasing every year.
JAMAICANS TO BE EMPOWERED BY VISION 2030—08/24/11
Vision 2030 is Jamaica’s first long-term development program, and it was designed to put the nation on the way to realizing its potential over the coming 20-year period. The program seeks to accomplish its goal by economic growth and infrastructure building, as well as creating a society that encourages people to live, work, and raise families there. The program has the support of both major political parties.
JUDGE REJECTS “DUDUS” MOTION—08/25/11
A district judge in the United States has rejected a motion by alleged Jamaican drug lord Christopher “Dudus” Coke to suppress wiretap information. According to David Rowe, a Jamaican law professor based in the U.S., the ruling means that Coke has very little chance of being freed in regard to the indictment. Prosecutors in the case relied heavily on the wiretap evidence to convict Coke on charges of conspiracy to distributed drugs and to traffic in firearms.
IMF CHANGES APPROVED BY JAMAICA—08/26/11
Jamaica has approved 2008 and 2010 amendments to the articles of an International Monetary Fund (IMF) agreement and 14th general review of quotas. According to Daryl Vaz, the minister responsible for information, Finance Minister Audley Shaw will ensure that an order amending the schedule to the Bretton Woods Agreement to incorporate the amendments into Jamaica law will be prepared by parliamentary counsel.
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JAMAICAN DIASPORA NEWS
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JAMAICAN GOES AHEAD WITH CREATION OF RADIO STATION IN CANADA—08/20/11
Fitzroy Gordon of Jamaica first applied for a broadcast license a decade ago, and will finally be able to offer his radio station in Toronto, Canada, in just a few weeks. According to Gordon, the station’s name and size of staff will be on the air by October 2011. The format will include chiefly American R&B music, reggae, soca, and hip hop, as well as discussions of informational and educational topics.
GILBERT-ROBERTS HONORED FOR CONTRIBUTIONS TO FOREIGN SERVICE—08/22/11
Marcia Gilbert-Roberts, Jamaican Ambassador to Belgium and the European Union has received the Order of Distinction and rank of Commander for her work in Jamaica’s Foreign Service. In 2006, she also received the Pontifical Knighthood of Dame Grand Cross of the order of St. Gregory the Great by Pope John Paul II. This is awarded for service to the community, church, and nation in the international field.
JAMAICA’S HIGH COMMISSIONER VISITS SCOTLAND—08/23/11
Nearly 50 years after Jamaica declared independence, Anthony Jackson, the nation’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, has made a visit to Edinburgh in Scotland. His visit is designed to strengthen ties between Jamaica and the UK, which is so closely linked to island history. Johnson will visit businesses and politicians during his four-day visit, only the second official visit to Scotland by a Jamaican High Commissioner in history.
LAWSUIT FILED BY JAMAICAN AGAINST NYC POLICE OFFICER—08/24/11
Otis Stone, a 42-year-old Jamaican who owns a restaurant in New York, has filed a $10 million lawsuit against Lieutenant Jack Ryan of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey for running a “vicious campaign” for two years against the restaurant located at John F. Kennedy International Airport. Stone says Ryan began to harass him in 2009 after Stone purchased a liquor license for his business.
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CARIBBEAN NEWS SUMMARY provided by Caribbeantopnews.com
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GUYANA WANTS HELP TO OPERATE PROBLEM SUGAR MILL—08/20/11
BODIES RECOVERED FROM HELICOPTER CRASH—08/21/11
KATE WINSLET SURVIVES FIRE AT BRANSON MANSION—08/22/11
TROPICAL STORM IRENE THREATENS TO BECOME FIRST HURRICANE FOR 2011—08/23/11
FLORIDA OFFICIALS MONITOR HURRICANE IRENE—08/24/11
ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS FROM CARIBBEAN OFFERED HOPE IN U.S.—08/25/11
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BUSINESS NEWS SUMMARY
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SUGAR INDUSTRY PRIVATIZATION COMPLETED—08/20/11
The Jamaican government has completed the privatization of the nation’s sugar industry. A divestment agreement with COMPLANT Group of Companies was signed, turning over the three remaining factories to the organization. COMPLANT, a Chinese firm, has acquired Bernard Lodge, St. Catherine, Frome, Westmoreland, Monymusk, Clarendon, and related land at a cost of US$9 million.
BUSINESS EXCHANGE STARTED BY ANDREW PAIRMAN—08/21/11
The CEO of Anbell Group of Companies, Andrew Pairman, has established an online exchange by which firms may barter goods and services. Anbell Trade Exchange (ATX) was launched on August 15, 2011; however, the online portion will not begin its trading until September. Jamaica provides the perfect environment for establishing a business exchange, said Pairman.
VISTAPRINT TO CONSTRUCT CALL CENTER IN MONTEGO BAY—08/22/11
Vistaprint, a United States technology firm, will begin building its US$14.8 million Montego Bay call center in 2012. The construction will account for as much as 20 percent of the firm’s total capital expenditures for that year. The new center will be built on 12 acres of land bought by Vistaprint. The 92,000 square foot center will house customer service, sales, and design support business.
JAMAICAN BROKERS TO PARTICIPATE IN T&T SECURITIES MARKET AGAIN—08/24/11
Jamaica Money Market Brokers (JMMB) plans to re-enter the securities market in Trinidad after leaving that same market three years ago. JMMB left as a result of the economic recession and a need for cash. According to Keith Duncan, CEO of JMMB, the market is ready for expansion now, and the firm will also investigate additional opportunities in Central America.
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CARIBBEAN TECHNOLOGY NEWS SUMMARY provided by Caribbeantopnews.com
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MOBILE TECHNOLOGY USED BY SANDALS RESORTS—08/20/11
QR CODES UNCOMMON IN CARIBBEAN—08/22/11
NATIONS IN CARIBBEAN PARTNER TO CREATE CLIMATE STRATEGIES—08/24/11
SMITHS DETECTION CONTRACTS WITH CAYMANS FOR ADVANCED SCREENING TECH—08/25/11
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TECHNOLOGY NEWS SUMMARY
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HUMAN MOTION USED TO CHARGE PORTABLE DEVICES—08/24/11
Researchers at the University of Wisconsin at Madison believe that human motion will soon be used to charge batteries in mobile devices like smartphones. According to Tom Krupenkin, associate professor of mechanical engineering, walking and running generate significant amounts of energy. Krupenkin and J. Ashley Taylor, senior scientist, believe that “reverse electrowetting” can be embedded in footwear to generate electricity. The process involves using the energy of moving liquid converted to electricity.
GOOGLE MAPS ADDS VOICE SEARCH CAPABILITY—08/25/11
Google has decided to add voice search functionality to its mapping service. Google Voice Search is an incremental advance to the technology announced in June 2011, and it permits users to speak a destination into a computer microphone. The technology is meant to make things easier for users. It is already on mobile phones running Google’s Android operating system.
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ENTERTAINMENT
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REMIX BY TIANA RECEIVES RAVE REVIEWS—08/23/11
Tiana, known as the “princess of dancehall,” is a dominant force on the Internet and the streets with her latest offering “Pum Pum Phat.” This is a remix of Popcaan’s “Raving.” Tiana’s version has received tens of thousands of YouTube views and has become a popular topic of discussion on Dancehall forums around the world.
ANDREW TOSH DISCUSSES FATHER’S TUNES—08/24/11
Peter Tosh was part of the Jamaican music scene in the early 1960s that also featured Bob Marley and Bunny Wailer. The three musicians built the foundation for what became reggae music. Tosh and Wailer went out on their own in 1974 and watched Marley become the “face” of reggae. However, Tosh continued to play and record his more strident brand, and now his son Andrew is standing up for his father’s political recordings. Columbia/Legacy has reissued the elder Tosh’s recordings with outtakes, alternate versions, unreleased material, and extensive liner notes with pictures.
CARIBBEAN FILMS TO BE INTRODUCED IN TORONTO—08/25/11
Several major Caribbean films will be introduced at the 2011 Caribbean Tales Toronto Film Showcase in September. The films include “Hollywood North,” Calypso Rose: Lioness of the Jungle,” “Ghett’a Life,” and “The Skin.” The films are made by Trinidadian, Jamaica, and Antiguan filmmakers, respectively. Other films will also be screen during the ten days of the Showcase event.
DANCEHALL DEEJAY SIZZLA IN HOSPITAL AFTER CRASH—08/26/11
The Dancehall Deejay Sizzla was taken to the hospital following a motorcycle accident in St. Ann. Sizzla suffered a number of broken bones and internal bleeding as a result of the crash. Sizzla, whose real name is Miguel Collins, collided with a bus on the Salem main road near Runaway Bay. According to reports, he was not wearing a helmet at the time of the crash.
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SPORTS
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POWELL READY TO MOVE OUT OF BOLT’S SHADOW—08/20/11
Asafa Powell, Jamaican sprint champion, believes it is time he takes center stage in the running world, stepping out of the shadow of another Jamaican champion, Usain Bolt. Power has been ranked first in the world in 2011. His best time of 9.78 seconds in the 100-meter race is one-tenth of a second faster than Bolt’s best time in the 100 meters.
JAMAICA COULD WIN GOLD IN WOMEN’S RELAY AT IAAF—08/22/11
The Jamaican women’s 4×400 relay team is ready to win gold at the IAAF World Championships in Athletics. Jamaica has won first place at the meet in the past. In 2001, Jamaica’s team ran its best time in the race. Shericka Williams, Novlene Williams-Mills, Christine Day, and Kaliese Spencer want to defeat the United States team, denying that team a third consecutive victory at Daegu, South Korea this year.
BOLT EXPECTED TO WIN MEN’S 100 METERS—08/24/11
According to forecasters, Jamaica’s Usain Bolt will win the men’s 100-meter race at the IAAF World Athletics Championships. Jamaicans Bolt, Asafa Powell, and Yohan Blake are among the favorites at the competition. Jamaica’s Veronica Campbell-Brown is expected to turn in an excellent performance in the women’s 100 meters.
BOLT MAKES NO PROMISES FOR PERFORMANCE IN DAEGU—08/25/11
Jamaica’s Usain Bolt set two new world records and took three gold medals when he last competed at the world championship sprint races, but he says that faster times for the 100-meter and 200-meter races in Daegu, South Korea’s competition are unlikely. Bolt experienced a lay-off due to an injury, and this has ended any thought of going faster at the world competitions in September. Bolt reminds his fans that he is human and that expecting him to turn in ever-faster times with each race is unrealistic.
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DEVOTIONAL
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“Not As I Will”
The place was Gethsemane, a garden outside the city, a place planted with the olive and other trees, across the Kidron brook and on the Mount of Olives. It was a place that Jesus and His disciples were familiar with (John 18:1-2), and so on this night it would not have been unusual for them to be have gone there. According to Matthew’s narrative, they had just finished their last meal together and Jesus, knowing what was imminent, spoke to them about a number of things. The narrative continues, “And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy. Then saith He unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me. And He went a little further, and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt” (Matthew 26:37-39, KJV).
It is hard to imagine the “weight” that was on Jesus’ shoulders. He who was born to die, in His humanity felt the deepest anguish, and there in the garden with His friends close by He seemingly struggled with the burden of what was ahead. This was He of whom the angels declared to Joseph, “Thou shalt call His name JESUS: for He shall save His people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21). Here He was, pleading with the father, “O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.” The word “cup” is often used in this context in Scripture to point out sorrow, anguish, terror, and death. In essence Jesus’ prayer was, “If the world can be redeemed – if it be consistent with justice, and with maintaining the government of the universe, that people should be saved without this extremity of sorrow, let it be done” (Albert Barnes). However, He did not stop there but continued, “Nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.”
For sure that has to be the hardest part. Yielding our will to that of the Father. Giving up what we want to do, for what He wants us to do. Giving up what we would like to have, for what He wills for our lives. Giving up where we would rather go to go wherever He sends us. Giving up the known for the unknown. His will versus our will – the two are not always the same. Left to our own ways we would take the easy way out, we would take only the best of what life has to offer. However, where is the growth in that? How is God glorified on “Easy Street”? How do we put Him first if we are not prepared to surrender our will for His? Yet, as His representatives on earth that is exactly what we are called to do. There is nothing to say that His way is easy and comfortable. Lest we forget, it is never about us but all about Him and Jesus demonstrated that to the fullest.
“Nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.” As you strive to please God in your service and obedience to Him, do you finish your prayers with that sentence?
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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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