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THIS WEEK”S SUMMARY
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GOLDING SAYS U.S. FAVORED BY EXTRADITION TREATY—03/19/11
Jamaican Prime Minister Bruce Golding believes the extradition treaty existing between his country and the United States heavily favors the U.S., compromising the sovereignty of Jamaica. Golding made his remarks to the Manatt-Dudus commission and said the imbalance must be corrected. “Some rebalancing” is necessary because there is an “inequity” for Jamaica, he said.
CHILDREN HELD IN TERRIBLE CONDITIONS—03/20/11
A jail cell just five feet by seven feet holds 15 children aged 12 to 17 at the Freeport Police Station in Montego Bay. This station has the most juveniles in custody on the island. After the Armadale fire in 2009, the terrible conditions in which juveniles are remanded gained the attention of Prime Minister Bruce Golding, who ordered that minors be transferred to correctional centers. In particular, buildings at Montpelier and Metcalfe were designated as appropriate for juvenile offenders. However, these facilities have yet to go into operation. A recent report from the Office of the Children’s Advocate showed that conditions in which children are detained have not improved since Golding’s order.
GORDON PECK PUSHES FOR PROSECUTION OF ABUSIVE PARENTS—03/21/11
Andrene Gordon Peck, head of Bustamante Hospital for Children’s social work department, wants parents who abuse their children to be prosecuted. She also calls for a public education program meant to prevent the injuries to children treated at the hospital. In her 17 years working at Bustamante, Gordon Peck says she has never seen a parent prosecuted in a case of a child with a broken bone. More people need to be charged, she says.
US$50 MILLION FOR JAMAICA FROM IDB LOAN—03/22/11
Jamaica’s government will receive US$50 million in a policy base loan from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). The loan is meant to provide protection for basic education, health, nutrition, and early childhood development. The IDB said the money is intended to protect the island’s most vulnerable population from the impact of economic downturns and to improve the effectiveness of anti-poverty programs.
JAMAICAN OFFICIAL CORRUPTION REACHES “SYSTEMIC” LEVELS—03/23/11
According to an independent investigator working for the island’s parliament, a special agency should be created to battle corruption. Greg Christie, Contractor General, said there is evidence that law enforcement and anti-corruption institutions in Jamaica are not effective in catching “big fish” associated with corrupt practices. He also noted that official graft is found at “systemic” levels in Jamaica.
ARSCOTT WANTS PROTECTION FOR BAUXITE MUD LAKES—03/23/11
Noel Arscott, Member of Parliament for South West Clarendon, wants Jamaica’s government to provide appropriate mechanisms to save bauxite mud lakes. He appealed for these protections after Prime Minster Bruce Golding’s announcement that is a need for a new mud lake for JAMALCO, a bauxite firm. Arscott noted the problems with a breakaway mud lake in Hungary that damaged neighboring communities and said efforts must be made to protect Jamaican mud lakes.
GOLDING SAYS OFFICIALS OF U.S. HARASSED GOVERNMENT—03/24/11
Bruce Golding, Jamaica’s Prime Minister, stated that officials at the United States Embassy were “belligerent” toward his government after the U.S. sought extradition of Christopher “Dudus” Coke, alleged drug lord. According to Golding, the charge d’affaires at the Embassy put pressure on Jamaica’s justice minister to hand over Dudus during phone calls made just days after the request for extradition was received by Golding’s government in August 2009.
GOLDING SAYS JLP DOES NOT HAVE TO DIVULGE EVERYTHING—03/25/11
Bruce Golding, Jamaican Prime Minister, stated that a political party does not have to reveal everything about its internal operations. He made his remarks in answer to questions from PNP attorney K.D. Knight during the Manatt-Dudus inquiry. The questions involved the hiring by the Jamaica Labor Party (JLP) of the law firm of Manatt, Phelps, and Phillips.
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JAMAICAN DIASPORA NEWS
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NY PROSECUTORS MAKE CHARGES IN DEATH OF JAMAICAN PATIENT—03/19/11
Prosecutors in New York have brought charges against medical staff members in the death of a Jamaican woman who was a psychiatric patient at Kings County Hospital in Brooklyn over two years ago. According to prosecutors, a nurse and an aide at the hospital face charges of allowing Esmin Green, 49, to die on the psychiatric ward’s floor. They are also charged with attempting to cover up the death. Green’s death was caught on video tape from a hospital surveillance camera.
UK INTRODUCES “MEET JAMAICA 2012” PROGRAM—03/22/11
The official beginning of the Meet Jamaica 2012 program occurred at the Council House in Birmingham in the United Kingdom. The program is joint public-private venture designed to increase trade between Jamaica and the UK in goods and services. It is also hoped the program will impact wider world markets as well. Jamaica plans to capitalize on the attention focused on the UK during the London Olympics in 2012.
DUDLEY LAWS, ACTIVIST, DIES—03/24/11
Dudley Laws, a community activist and freedom fighter, who was honored on March 20 by the North York Jamaican-Canadian Center, has passed after a long fight with kidney disease. Laws, who was 76 at his death, was born in Jamaica and immigrated to the United Kingdom before moving to Toronto, Canada, in 1965. He was a life-long activist, founded the Black Action Defense Committee in answer to the police shootings of a number of black men in the greater Toronto area.
UK COURT SAYS DETENTION OF JAMAICAN AN ABUSE OF POWER—03/25/11
The Supreme Court in the United Kingdom has found that the illegal detention of a Jamaican and a man from the Democratic Republic of Congo was a major abuse of power. The Jamaican, Kadian Mighty, and the Congolese man, were imprisoned illegally in 2006 under a Home Office policy pending their deportation. Mighty had been in jail for over three years on a drug charge. The high court ruled that the men should receive nominal damages totaling one pound each, reflecting the court’s belief that they would have been in prison under other laws anyway.
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CARIBBEAN NEWS SUMMARY provided by Caribbeantopnews.com
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WARMINGTON CONDEMNED BY MEDIA GROUP IN CARIBBEAN—03/19/11
ST. MAARTEN WELCOES WORLD WAR II AIRCRAFT, PILOTS—03/20/11
2011 TRAVELING CARIBBEAN FILM SHOWCASE LAUNCHED—03/21/11
ROBERT ROSS, FOUNDER OF ROSS UNIVERSITY, DIES—03/22/11
ST. LUCIA JAZZ FESTIVAL CELEBRATES 20TH YEAR—03/24/11
CARIBBEAN NATIONS TO JOIN IN FIRST TSUNAMI ALERT TEST—03/25/11
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BUSINESS NEWS SUMMARY
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TELECOM SOLUTIONS OFFERED BY COLUMBUS—03/19/11
Columbus Business Solutions (CBS) offers high-tech communications, data storage, and data retrieval programs, along with teleconferencing solution to small and mid-sized businesses in Jamaica. An investment of US$750 million in the Caribbean will allow the firm to expand its product range for Jamaican businesses, allowing them to become more competitive.
JAMAICAN VILLAGE HOSTED AT MIAMI CONVENTION —03/20/11
The Jamaican Village, hosted by the Port Authority of Jamaica, is a featured highlight at the 27th annual Cruise Shipping Convention in Miami Beach, Florida. The four-day event will allow the Port Authority to promote the new Falmouth cruise ship terminal in Trelawney.
JAMAICA CONSIDERING DIVESTMENT—03/21/11
According to Jamaican officials, the government of the island wants to privatize several key businesses, including airports and Blue Mountain coffee, the largest exporter in the country. Karl Samuda, Jamaica’s minister of industry, said his country’s economic growth is expected to increase from the flat numbers currently measured.
JAMAICA TO HOST INTERNATIONAL MOBILE FINANCIAL SERVICES EXPERT—03/22/11
One of the most experienced and well-respected strategic business consultants, Carl Rosenquist, will visit Jamaica in March to conduct several consultations with regulators and policymakers in the telecommunications and financial industries. He will help to define the best approach for delivering mobile commerce and mobile financial services in Jamaica.
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TECHNOLOGY NEWS SUMMARY
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AT&T TO BUY T-MOBILE USA—03/20/11
AT&T is reportedly purchasing T-Mobile USA. AT&T will pay $39 billion for the company in a deal approved by the boards of both firms. T-Mobile has a unique AWS band for 3G, but may decide to use the frequencies of AT&T. T-Mobile has a faster HSPA network than AT&T. Experts believe that LTE will become a major focus for the companies as they compete with Verizon to be the top wireless provider in the United States.
WISCONSIN STUDENTS JOIN NERVE CELLS, SEMICONDUCTOR TUBES—03/23/11
In a groundbreaking project, graduate students at the University of Wisconsin in Madison say they have been successful in getting nerve cell tendrils to grow through tubes constructed of semiconductor materials. The technology could be used one day to re-grow nerve cells damaged by illness or injury. It could also result in better brain-computer interfacing.
SOUTH KOREA PROPOSES LAW TO PREVENT ZOMBIE PC USE—03/24/11
The proposed Zombie PC Prevention Bill in South Korea is designed to battle botnets by requiring PC users to implement security software. However, the proposed bill would allow a “back door” to exist, so the government could examine business details and other information of users and firms that do not comply with the mandatory software requirement.
MOBILE BANKING CONTINUES TO GROW—03/25/11
More people are accessing bank and brokerage accounts via mobile devices than ever before. In the fourth quarter of 2010, the number of individuals taking such action increased by 54 percent, compared to the fourth quarter of 2009, according to ComScore. In the fourth quarter of 2010, nearly 30 million Americans used cell phones and other mobile devices to access their bank and brokerage accounts. Nearly 19 million accessed these account through a mobile browser.
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CARIBBEAN TECHNOLOGY NEWS SUMMARY provided by Caribbeantopnews.com
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CELL PHONES, SOCIAL MEDIA USED TO FIGHT CHRONIC DISEASE—03/21/11
NETBOSS TECHNOLOGIES ANNOUNCES RESELLER AGREEMENT—03/22/11
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC TO SHOWCASE ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY—03/23/11
ST. KITTS TO REVIEW GAPS IN INFORMATION TECH INFRASTRUCTURE—03/24/11
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SPORTS
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MAN WHO “STARTED” BOLT HOPES FOR NEW RECORD FROM SPRINTER—03/19/11
Alan Bell is the man who fired the gun that started Usain Bolt in the 100 meters at the Berlin World Championship two years ago. Bolt’s time astonished onlookers as he ran the race in 9.58 seconds. Now, Bell is preparing to start Bolt again when he officiates at the World Championships in Korea in August 2011. He is hoping that Bolt will break his own record this year.
JAMAICAN TO PLAY FOR CHARLESTON BATTERY—03/22/11
The Charleston Battery Football Club has made an agreement with Dane Kelly, Jamaican forward, for the coming USL professional season. Kelly will join the Battery from Digicel Premier League Tivoli Gardens. According to head coach Mike Anhaeuser, Kelly is a great prospect because he is young and has much potential.
POWELL, BOLT TO RACE IN ROME—03/24/11
Jamaicans Asafa Powell and Usain Bolt will competed against each other in the 100-meter race in the third leg of the Diamond League to be held at Olympic Stadium in Rome, Italy. Powell’s participation in the event has been confirmed recently, while Bolt said he would join the event in January 2011. Bolt has beaten Powell eight times, while Powell has been victorious against Bolt only once.
WHITMORE SAYS REGGAE BOYZ ARE READY—03/25/11
Theodore “Tappa” Whitmore, the national senior football team head coach, says the Reggae Boyz are ready for a friendly international versus Venezuela at Catherine Hall in St. James. The team held an intense fitness session in Jarrett Park, after which Whitmore said the session went well and he was pleased with the Boyz performance. Whitmore expects Venezuela to play in a Latin American style similar to Brazil.
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DEVOTIONAL
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No More Strangers
Being close to someone we love is a wonderful feeling. Being close to someone who loves us is also wonderful. What feeling then describes being close to the Someone who broke down the wall of partition that stood between us and God? Who gave His life so that we might live?
In the book of Ephesians, Paul speaks of the uniting of Jews and Gentiles into the church, the body of Christ. He reminds the non-Jewish Christians, i.e. the Gentiles, of their original state: “In time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others” (2:2-3, KJV). He continues, “Remember that at one time you were Gentiles (heathens) in the flesh, called Uncircumcision by those who called themselves Circumcision, [itself a mere mark] in the flesh made by human hands. [Remember] that you were at that time separated (living apart) from Christ [excluded from all part in Him], utterly estranged and outlawed from the rights of Israel as a nation, and strangers with no share in the sacred compacts of the [Messianic] promise [with no knowledge of or right in God’s agreements, His covenants]. And you had no hope (no promise); you were in the world without God” (vv. 11-12, The Amplified).
With no hope and without God? Perish the thought! Definitely not the position to be in. The worst thing about it is that there was absolutely nothing that any Gentile, including us, could do about our sorry condition. But thanks be to God the story did not stop there for the Apostle affirms, “But now in Christ Jesus, you who once were [so] far away, through (by, in) the blood of Christ have been brought near. . . . Therefore you are no longer outsiders (exiles, migrants, and aliens, excluded from the rights of citizens), but you now share citizenship with the saints (God’s own people, consecrated and set apart for Himself); and you belong to God’s [own] household” (v.14, 19). In other words, we are no longer on the outside looking in; we have been grafted into the family with full access, rights and privileges. Our relationship with God can now be one of intimacy, one of closeness. As the hen gathers her chickens under her wings, so our Heavenly Father draws us close to Himself. And there are no words to describe that feeling.
How close are you to the Father?
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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.
