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THIS WEEK”S SUMMARY
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DEEJAY TO PAY FINE FOR WEAPON POSSESSION AND ASSAULT—01/22/11
Deejay Blak Ryno must pay a fine of $4,000 for possessing an “offensive weapon” and also faces an assault charge for an incident in which he allegedly attacked the business partner of Vybz Karel, Corey Todd. Deejay pleaded guilty to the charge in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate Court. Todd dropped the assault charge.
YOUTH LEADERS WANT PORTFOLIO REMOVED FROM CURRENT MINISTER—01/23/11
A number of youth group leaders want the youth portfolio to be removed from the responsibility of Olivia “Babsy” Grange, the current minister. They say she is not managing things well, citing a lack of leadership on her part. Representatives of the University of the West Indies Guild of Students, the National Youth Parliamentary Watch Committee, the National Youth Council, the National Youth Parliament, and the Portmore Youth Council all believe the policies established by Grange do not have relevance to the youth audience.
CMEX TO AID CHILDREN IN JAMAICA—01/24/11
The Caribbean Media Exchange (CMEx) plans to provide help to the Jamaican children living in Port Antonio. The nonprofit organization, which is based in the United States, has traveled to the area to present educational supplies to the Good Hope School, located in Portland parish. CMEx plans to make both financial and in-kind contributions to communities that demonstrate need, including schools in the Caribbean region.
POLICE COLLECT GUNS, AMMUNITION IN WATERFORD—01/24/11
Five guns and over 80 rounds of ammunition were seized by police in Jamaica during a curfew period in Waterford, Portmore. The curfew was instituted after an incident in Portmore, St. Catherine in which five males were killed by gunmen. Police performed raids, searches, and set up personnel and vehicle check points during the curfew as well. Twelve individuals were taken into police custody.
PAINTINGS MISSING FROM NATIONAL GALLERY OF JAMAICA—01/25/11
According to Verle Poupeye, executive director of the National Gallery of Jamaica, 11 art works are missing. The value of these works totals some $1.865 million. Poupeye reported that four pieces of art have been missing since 1989. The matter of the missing paintings, most of which were at Jamaica House, Vale Royal, and the Jamaican High Commission in Trinidad, has recurred in several auditor-general reports over the years. At present, 136 pieces of art are on loan to various agencies.
DUAL CITIZENSHIP TO BE REVIEWED BY PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEE—01/26/11
The issue of dual citizenship will be studied by a Joint Select Committee of Parliament. The committee resulted from a recommendation from Jamaican Prime Minister Bruce Golding. Reverend Ronald Thwaites, Member of Parliament has requested that every member declare their citizenship or permanent residency in any nation other than Jamaica. A debate ensued after his motion, focusing on the patriotism of those with other than Jamaican citizenship.
LACK OF RESOURCES HAMPERS CONTROL DRUG TRAFFICKING—01/27/11
According to Jamaica’s Prime Minister Bruce Golding, the limited resources available to the country have a negative impact on its ability to stop drug traffickers in island waters. Golding offered a comprehensive drug policy during an address to over 60 foreign and local diplomatic representatives to Jamaica. He acknowledged that the country has a serious drug problem and said there are no resources to deal with the issue effectively.
UNITED STATES DEPORTS OVER 1200 JAMAICANS—01/28/11
In 2010, the United States deported 1,268 Jamaicans. This represented a continuation of a downward trend. In 2008, 1,603 Jamaicans were deported, while in 2009, deportees totaled 1,480. According to Clifford Chambers, security attaché at Jamaica’s embassy in Washington, D.C., another 300-plus Jamaicans have exhausted all deportation proceedings and received final removal orders. Such orders are pending against 488 Jamaicans. The number of Jamaicans in custody presents a major challenge for the Jamaican consulate, said Genevieve Brown-Metzger, Jamaica’s Consul General to New York.
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JAMAICAN DIASPORA NEWS
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MYSTERY REMAINS REGARDING HALL’S DISAPPEARANCE—01/23/11
Trudie Hall, a young Jamaican woman, has been missing for six months. She is presumed dead, according to police sources, since she was pregnant and due to deliver on December 14, 2010. She disappeared after arriving in Cape Cod from Nantucket. Her mother, Vivienne Walker, says her daughter would have turned 24 in recent weeks.
CONSULATES, DIASPORA JOIN FOR JAZZ FESTIVAL—01/24/11
Staff members of the Consulates General of Jamaica in New York and Miami plan to sponsor an information booth at the yearly Jazz and Blues Festival scheduled in Falmouth, Trelawny. Genevieve Brown-Metzger, Consul General to the Northeast USA, suggested the booth, which will provide a joint venture with representatives of the Jamaica Diaspora Foundation.
JAIL POSSIBLE FOR JAMAICAN-LINKED POLITICIAN IN UK—01/26/11
Lord John Taylor, whose mother and father were born in Jamaica, is the first parliamentarian in the United Kingdom to be pronounced guilty of expenses fraud by a jury. His sentence could include jail time. A jury at Southwark Court in South London found Taylor, 58, guilty of six charges for falsely claiming over $1.5 million worth of expenses between 2006 and 2007. Taylor took advantage of a law that allows parliamentarians to claim expenses for work-related travel between their homes and London. While Taylor claimed the expenses, he lived in London and did not need to travel there.
FIRE CHIEF IN NEW ORLANDO DISTRICT HAS ROOTS IN JAMAICA—01/27/11
Hezedean A. Smith, who was promoted to the chief of Orlando, Florida’s newest fire district, was born in Jamaica. He has a Master’s degree in Organizational Management, a B.S. in business Management, associate degrees in EMS and Fire Science Technology, and is an OSHA certified occupational safety expert. He is an active member of the Caribbean Association of Fire Chiefs and has more than 22 years of experience in fire and EMS. He will supervise more than 500 career members in the fire department.
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CARIBBEAN NEWS SUMMARY provided by Caribbeantopnews.com
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KALIMBA, MEXICAN POP STAR, FACES RAPE CHARGE—01/22/11
TOURISM BOOMING IN CARIBBEAN—01/23/11
GAINS SEEN FOR CARIBBEAN, LATIN AMERICAN RATINGS—01/24/11
PROTECTIONS SOUGHT FOR 82 NEAR-EXTINCT CORALS—01/25/11
WALCOTT WINS POETRY PRIZE—01/26/11
BBC TO ELMINATE CARIBBEAN SERVICE—01/27/11
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BUSINESS NEWS SUMMARY
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FIRST INTERNATIONAL FLIGHT LANDS AT NEW AIRPORT—01/22/11
The new airport in St. Mary, the Ian Fleming International Airport, saw its first international flight touch down just one week after its official opening. A private jet from Toronto, Canada, landed at the airport, carrying officials of Roots, an international leather goods firm. The passengers were impressed with the flawless landing and reported being happy to be in Jamaica.
FREEMAN RUNS OWN BUSINESS IN JAMAICA—01/23/11
Cavalee Freeman, who attended the university in Connecticut and worked in public relations in New York and advertising in Atlanta, Georgia, started her own business in Jamaica. The Caribbean Job Network includes a website (caribbeanjobnetwork.com) and an employment agency, which is located at the Jamaica Business Development Center in Kingston. Freeman says there is demand for her services among student who want to work and travel.
REGGAE MONTH LAUNCHED BY INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION—01/25/11
The Jamaica Reggae Industry Association (JaRIA) has decided to make the month of February a time to celebrate reggae music. During Reggae Month, the annual Dennis Brown concert will be held, and other activities, including Save the Music will commence. The Save the Music initiative provides weekly concerts at the Edna Manley College. The JaRIA Honor Awards are given out as well. Olivia “Babsy” Grange, Jamaica’s culture minister, is encouraging local music industry people to adapt to the global economy.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPENDS ON PRODUCTIVITY—01/26/11
Because of the Jamaica Productivity Center, chaired by Joseph Matalon, businessmen in Jamaica know what productivity means and understand its importance for the growth of the national economy. In the manufacturing sector, productivity has been enhanced through the work of Japanese productivity expert Makoto Oyama. The center, which is a national organization, promotes and facilitates productivity improvements at all levels of the economy.
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TECHNOLOGY NEWS SUMMARY
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DO-IT-YOURSELF 3-D POSSIBLE—01/25/11
Many companies impose a premium charge for 3D, but there is a low-cost do-it-yourself option. The necessary elements are transparency film, a 1,200 dpi printer, and a monitor that is 24 inches in size or smaller. Users print their own 3D filter, which is then cut to size and laid over a regular monitor screen for 3D playback without glasses. They will also need to install the 3D driver from iZ3D, and activate its interleaved mode. The software costs $40 after the free 30-day trial period
VERIZON IPHONE PUTS PRESSURE ON MOTOROLA—01/26/11
Motorola is preparing itself for slower smartphone sales once Apple’s iPhone becomes available to customers of Verizon Wireless. The firm experienced a slowdown in sales in the fourth quarter of 2010 when Verizon announced its intention to offer the iPhone. Lower sales rates are expected to continue throughout the first quarter of 2011 as the iPhone actually goes on sale at Verizon. Motorola will be competing with its own carrier partner directly once the Verizon iPhone is available.
APPLE PRODUCTS MORE DESIRED THAN MICROSOFT, BMW—01/27/11
According to a survey of 17,000 people in several countries conducted by M&C Saatchi, consumers would rather have products that carry the Apple brand, such as the iPhone, than those from any other company. Google products ranked second, followed by BMW, Disney, Gucci, Microsoft, and IKEA, all of which are among the leading 15 brands in the world. Survey respondents came from Singapore, China, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Germany.
MOST IPHONE USERS WANT A LARGER SCREEN—01/28/11
The introduction of Android smartphones is having an effect on screen size. Of survey respondents, 61 percent said that Apple should make the screen bigger on the iPhone, compared to 30 percent who felt the size was just right. The number who wanted a larger screen rose by 12 percent in about a year, a trend industry observers attribute to the introduction of Android phones, which typically have larger screens.
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CARIBBEAN TECHNOLOGY NEWS SUMMARY provided by Caribbeantopnews.com
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JAMAICAPEDIA PROMOTES JAMAICAN CULTURE—01/23/11
HALF A MILLION JAMAICANS USE FACEBOOK—01/24/11
LG OPTIMUS ANDROID SMARTPHONE IMPRESSES USERS—01/27/11
MORE THAN TWO MILLION BUY WINDOWS PHONE 7—01/28/11
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SPORTS
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JAMAICAN RANKS THIRD AT TWENTY20—01/23/11
Jamaica obtained a third-place finish at the Caribbean Twenty20 tournament, due in part to the batting efforts of Danza Hyatt. Also, Dave Bernard had three wickets for 25 runs in four overs, while Odean Brown had three for 34 from his four overs. The third place ranking was an improvement over the team’s performance in 2010, when it finished in fourth place.
KERR FALLS TO CASLON IN FIRST STOP OF RAHLVES BANZAI TOUR—01/24/11
Daron Rahlves had achieved a challenging format in the Rahlves Banzai Tour, and even Olympic racers like Errol Kerr of Jamaica’s ski team, felt the results. Kerr was narrowly defeated in the race for first place by Marcus Caslon. Kerr said four skiers got “tangled up” at the first gate and left him in a futile search for the win.
JAMAICAN GYMNASTS WIN INTERNATIONAL TROPHY—01/26/11
Jamaican gymnast won a Level 8 team trophy at the Whitlow International Invitational competition in Orlando, Florida, achieving a score of 218,400 points. Locally based Nishida’s Gymnastics and Fitness Center in Cross Road was represented by Daniel Williams, Jiovanna Jackson, and Jamin Melbourne. The Jamaican team won four of six events to win the team trophy. They won the floor exercise, vault, parallel bars, and high bars. A second place was achieved in the pommel horse, and a third on still rings.
ATKINSON TO ENTER DALHOUSE SWIM MEET—01/27/11
Alia Atkinson, 22, will participate in the 16th Karl Dalhouse Swim Meet sponsored by LIME, the telecommunications company. The competition is a FINA qualifying world championship competition and will be held in February 2011. Atkinson won four gold medals in 2010 at the Central American and Caribbean (CAC) championships in Mayaquez, Puerto Rico. This will be her first full competition in Jamaica in a decade. She will also conduct two clinics for junior swimmers while in Jamaica.
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DEVOTIONAL
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Restoration for the Weary Soul
One of the telling things about the hustle and bustle of life is that over time it usually takes its toll on us. The stress of everyday living, being pulled in different directions by what seems like endless demands on us and our time, and dealing with various life challenges often leave us feeling depleted mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually. Charles Allen says it well – “Like a watch, the human spirit can run down. We lose our drive and push. We become less willing to attempt the difficult. We are crusaders no longer. . . . Like squeezing the juice from an orange and leaving just the pulp, life has a way of squeezing the spirit out of a person. A person can become ‘only a shell.’ We feel the thrill of no new enthusiasm, the dawn of a new day leaves us cold and hopeless.” For those of us who are able to, we take off for a few days of retreat or an extended vacation so we can rest and replenish ourselves. Deep within, our souls need to be restored.
The sheep in the shepherd’s care experiences its own depletion. Allen writes, “As the sheep start out in the morning to graze, each takes a definite place in line and holds that same position all during the day. However, some time during the day each sheep leaves its place in line and trots over to the shepherd. The shepherd gently rubs the nose and ears, lightly scratches the ears, and whispers in an ear of the sheep. Reassured and encouraged, the sheep takes its place in line again.” There are days I feel like that sheep, needing a loving and caring touch along with whispered words of encouragement to strengthen a depleted spirit. However, it is often during those times I am reminded that as a sheep in the Good Shepherd’s care, He not only leads me beside the still waters but He also restores [revitalizes, renews, revives] my soul.
It is reassuring to know that when our hearts are overwhelmed we find a Shepherd who stands ready to provide us with a safe, restful place and lots of tender loving care. When we feel we cannot make it through one more day, He knows exactly how to minister to the deep places of our beings that need to be restored. A whisper from His Word, a caress from a song that reminds us of His faithfulness, the warmth of a hug as the Holy Spirit embraces us with and in a love that only He can give. In the times we need it the most, we experience the joy of His care that serves as the platform for our joy.
No child of God has to resort to drugs, alcohol, or illicit behaviors to find that renewal. The LORD is our shepherd and it is He alone that can fully restore our souls (Psalm 23:3a). What has been your experience?
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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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