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THIS WEEK”S SUMMARY
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REHAB CENTER OPENS—02/26/11
The Jamaican government has opened a facility capable of accommodating 28 deportees and ex-offenders under the nation’s Reducing Re-Offending Action Plan (JRRAP). Maureen’s Place, which was named for Dr. Maureen Irons Morgan, director of mental health and substance abuse for the Ministry of Health, represents a partnership between the British and Jamaican governments. It is located inside the Open Arms Drop-in Center on the premises of Bellevue Hospital in Kingston. It is designed to provide food and shelter and treatment for mental illnesses on a short-term and medium-term basis for deported individuals and ex-offenders.
BUSTAMANTE 127th ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATED IN BLENHEIM—02/27/11
Jamaicans celebrated the 127th anniversary of Sir William Alexander Bustamante’s birth in Blenheim, Hanover. Bustamante was the country’s first Prime Minister since its independence. He was born in 1884 and founded the Jamaica Labor Party in 1943. He became Prime Minister in August 1962 and died in 1977. He also founded the Bustamante Industrial Trade Union in 1938. Jamaican residents and government officials attended the festivities.
ROBINSON SAYS DUDUS’ RIGHTS VIOLATED—02/28/11
Lackston Robinson, deputy solicitor general, said that the constitutional rights of Christopher “Dudus” Coke, alleged drug kingpin, were breached during extradition efforts. Robinson stated that information was illegally obtained from intercepted communications about Coke. Robinson, who is also the head of the Attorney General’s Litigation Department, contends that Section 22 of the Jamaican Constitution ensures that Jamaicans have a right to private conversations.
JAMAICAN HELD IN ANTIGUA PRISON DIES—02/28/11
Dwayne “Troy” Davis, 26, died while being held in a police cell in Antigua. He is said to have used his shoe laces to hang himself from a door after he turned himself in to the Gray’s Farm police following an argument. Davis was married to a Jamaican woman, and both lived in Antigua with their 3-year-old daughter. Police asked him to report to the station after it was reported that he had threatened the life of a female relative. Upon his arrival at the station, he was placed in a cell and was found dead when police checked on him minutes later.
AIR CARGO FLIGHTS FROM JAMAICA TO U.S. SUSPENDED TEMPORARILY—03/01/11
Cargo flights bound for the United States have been temporarily suspended as a precautionary measure after there was an “unconfirmed report” about a threat to such flights. According to Nicholas Kimball, spokesperson for the U.S. Transportation Security Administration, that agency is aiding authorities in Jamaica with security efforts following the reported threat. Specifics of the report were not provided.
TUFTON LAUNCHES “EAT JAMAICAN” CAMPAIGN—03/02/11
Dr. Christopher Tufton, Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, called for more agricultural sector investments, noting the opportunities available in the growing of local produce. Tufton believes this is a good time to use entrepreneurial methods and creativity to improving systems for production via better management and more investing. He made his remarks at the Eat Jamaican Campaign launch. This $17.2 million project has been created through efforts of the Food and Agricultural Organization, the European Union, and the Agriculture Ministry to encourage consumption of locally produced food.
CHILD OFFENDERS STUDIED TO DEVELOP INTERVENTIONS—03/03/11
Jamaica’s Office of the Children’s Advocate has begun research to study the characteristics of children who have broken the law. The study results will be used to create and implement necessary prevention and intervention programs. Results are scheduled for release in 2012. In 2009, 36 children were arrested for murder, 93 for break-ins, and 82 for carnal abuse.
COLE SAYS CLAIMS BY LIGHTBOURNE UNTRUE—03/04/11
Patrick Cole, Lieutenant Colonel in the Jamaica Defense Force, has denied the claims put forth by Dorothy Lightbourne, Minister of Justice, in regard to a conversation he allegedly had with her on the phone. Lightbourne claims that he spoke to her while visiting Lisa Palmer Hamilton, Acting Director of Public Prosecution. The issue involved the extradition to the United States of alleged drug lord Christopher “Dudus” Coke. Cole says he never spoke to Lightbourne.
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JAMAICAN DIASPORA NEWS
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CANADIAN GUEST WORKERS TO RECEIVE BACK PAY—02/26/11
The Agriculture Workers Alliance/UFCW Canada has made it possible for some 130 farm workers to receive the money earned while employed on a farm in Ontario that went bankrupt in the fall of 2010. The workers were from Jamaica and other Caribbean countries. They were stranded in Ontario and owed back pay after Ghesquiere Farms went bankrupt. The efforts of the organization to address this issue began just hours after the filing, and ultimately, the workers will recover approximately $250,000 dollars in total.
THOUSANDS OF JAMAICANS IMPRISONED IN UNITED STATES—02/27/11
Statistics from Florida’s Department of Corrections Bureau of Research and Data Analysis show that 857 Jamaican men were in the state’s prisons as of February 11, 2011. This does not include individuals in local jails. Additionally, Jamaican men who are classified as aliens represent the third-largest group of people from Caribbean countries in prison in Florida. Cubans represent the largest group, followed by Puerto Rico.
JAMAICAN STUDENT GETS PERFECT SCORE ON SCHOLASTIC EXAM—03/02/11
Damien Chang is the first Jamaican student to receive a perfect score of 1,800 on the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT). This test is required to enter a college in the United States. Audrey P. Marks, Jamaican ambassador to the U.S., congratulated Chang on his achievement in a letter. She said that Jamaicans everywhere view his action as “heroic.” Chang attended Hillel Prep and high schools in Kingston, and he now goes to Woodberry Forest School in Virginia.
JAMAICAN ATTORNEY HAS ROLE IN SUCCESSFUL UN CONVICTION—03/03/11
Chester Stamp, a Jamaican attorney, has had an instrumental role in obtaining what has been characterized as the most successful conviction ever achieved by the United Nations International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia. The case involved a Serbian police chief who received a sentence of 27 years for his part in the murder of over 700 ethnic Albanians in Kosovo during 1999. Stamp started with the case in 2001 as senior prosecutor for the Court, his major duty to prosecute war crimes.
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CARIBBEAN NEWS SUMMARY provided by Caribbeantopnews.com
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BUTLER CALLS FOR MORE EFFORT TOWARD GOALS OF CARIBBEAN WOMEN—02/26/11
CANADIAN TO SPEAK AT SUSTAINABILITY CONFERENCE IN BERMUDA—02/27/11
HAITIAN CARNIVAL KING GETS SUPPORT FOR PRESIDENTIAL RUN—02/28/11
LAWMAKER IN PUERTO RICO RESIGNS AFTER FAILING DRUG TEST—03/01/11
UNION LEADER IN MARTINIQUE FOUND GUILTY OF INCITING RACIAL HATE—03/02/11
THIEF STEALS MONEY FROM AIRCRAFT CARGO HOLD—03/04/11
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BUSINESS NEWS SUMMARY
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ANGER ERUPTS AT PEGASUS HOTEL SHAREHOLDER MEETING—02/26/11
A meeting of shareholders of the Pegasus Hotel was to discuss amendments to the firm’s ownership articles, but ultimately became a shouting match as minority interests complained about being denied critical information. This information would help them make an informed decision about an offer from Quivin Holdings Ltd. to acquire their interest.
SHAW’S TAX POLICY ENABLES CIGARETTE SMUGGLERS—02/27/11
According to Carreras Ltd., the tax policy imposed by Finance Minister Audley Shaw may be helping cigarette smugglers to the detriment of legitimate distributors. Carreras says its volume of sales has dropped significantly as smokers move to buying black-market products instead of its more expensive legal offerings. Revenues at the firm decreased by seven percent in the third quarter of 2010, and Carreras blamed Shaw’s application of excise tax policy and uncontrolled smuggling and counterfeiting.
GOVERNMENT TURNS TO ALTERNATIVE ENERGY AS OIL PRICES RISE—03/01/11
Jamaica’s government is looking to renewable energy from sources like wind, solar, tides, and geothermal heat as world oil prices continue to increase. Jamaica plans to incorporate alternative energy sources into its overall mix. It has created the first national energy policy to create an efficient and modern energy infrastructure. Energy management is a key element of the plan.
LOAN PLAN TO HELP SMALL TOURISM FIRMS—03/02/11
Small tourism operators that provide goods and services in that business sector will benefit from a $100 million loan facility launched in February 2011 by Jamaica’s Ministry of Tourism and the National Small Business Loans entity. The “Five for Five” loan program is driven by the Tourism Enhancement Fund and offers loans totaling as much as $5 million at an interest rate of five percent over five years. The loans are designed to benefit small providers of tourism services, such as hotels, transport, and attractions.
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TECHNOLOGY NEWS SUMMARY
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ANTENNA PROBLEMS IN VERIZON IPHONE—02/26/11
According to Consumer Reports, the Verizon iPhone 4 has antenna problems similar to those of the original iPhone. If a user holds the phone in a particular way, he or she will experience dropped calls or have problems dialing out. Consumer Reports tested the new phone as it does all smart phones and found that covering the small gaps in the metal band running around the edge of the phone leads to a “meaningful decline in performance.” Apple denies there are problems with the antenna, but did provide free cases in 2010 that mitigated the problem.
CHINA UNICOM TO INTRODUCE ITS OWN MOBILE OS—02/28/11
One of the three largest wireless operators in China, China Unicom, will launch its own mobile operating system, competing directly with the iPhone from Apple and the Android OS from Google. The wireless firm is constructing the 3G wireless network that will also compete with China Mobile and China Telecom. The new OS is based on Linux and is designed for mobile handsets and tablet computers.
SCIENTIST AT MIT CAPTURES SON’S FIRST 90,000 HOURS ON VIDEO—03/02/11
Deb Roy used a series of fisheye cameras located in every room of his house to capture the first five years of his son’s life on video and to record the development of his language. Then, using a combination of software and human transcription called Blitzscribe, Roy and his wife parsed the resulting 200 TB of data to find the evolution of certain words in the boy’s vocabulary. For example, they recorded how the sound “gaga” became the word “water” over a period of six months. Roy is applying the capabilities he obtained during this experiment to commerce, using the methods to television broadcasts and social media conversations to discover the “engagement” of listeners.
3D GLASSES WITH STYLE NOW AVAILABLE—03/03/11
Marchon Eyeware, a manufacturer of glasses for several different brands of eyewear, including Fendi, Coach, and others, has developed a new brand of passive 3-D glasses. These glasses, called EX3D, provide UV protection and minimize peripheral light via several wraparound design options. The glasses are available in 25 styles and are priced at an affordable $35 a pair.
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CARIBBEAN TECHNOLOGY NEWS SUMMARY provided by Caribbeantopnews.com
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LIME OPENS NEW CALL CENTER FOR SMALL, MIDSIZED CLIENTS—02/28/11
CARIBBEANCAMPUS.COM MAY CLOSE—03/02/11
PDF FILES POPULAR AS ATTACK VECTORS—03/03/11
APPLE FIXES ITUNES SECURITY ISSUES—03/04/11
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SPORTS
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YOUNG REGGAE BOYZ SHOW WHAT CAN BE ACHIEVED, SAYS GRANGE—02/26/11
Olivia “Babsy” Grange, Jamaica’s Minister of Youth, Sports, and Culture, issued her congratulations to the Young Reggae Boyz, the nation’s youth football team. The team qualified for the FIFA Under-17 World Cup with a victory over Honduras at CONCACAF in Montego Bay. Grange said the team showed how Jamaica’s youth can accomplish any goal as long as they receive appropriate guidance.
BOLT TO RACE IN PARIS 200 METER COMPETITION—02/27/11
Usain Bolt, Jamaica’s Olympic and World champion sprinter, plans to run in the 200-meter race at the Paris Diamond League meet in July 2011. This will be Bolt’s third confirmed appearance in Europe for the year. He will defend his 100 and 200 world titles in Daegu, South Korea, later in the year. Bolt plans to run a 100-meter race in Rome in May and a 200-meter race in Oslo in June. All the meets are part of the Diamond League series.
MONTEGO BAY TO HOST REGGAE BOYZ V. VENEZUELA—03/03/11
Jamaica’s Reggae Boyz are ready to face their opponents from Venezuela in a friendly international game at the end of March in Montego Bay’s Catherine Hall stadium. However, there could be higher-than-usual ticket prices for fans, since the stadium seats only 7,000. Limited gate receipts could mean a price hike to obtain future revenues.
JAMAICA LOOKS TO KEEP RECORD STREAK RUNNING—03/04/11
According to Tamar Lambert, captain of Jamaica’s senior cricket team, there is considerable motivation to obtain a fourth straight tournament title in the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) Regional Four-day competition. The goal is to win that fourth title, says Lambert, and players are focusing their efforts on that goal.
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DEVOTIONAL
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Bruised and Hurting But Cared For
To a young child, there is something magical about a mother’s kiss. Usually after experiencing a bit of hurt, the crying child comes to mother and somehow as soon as she kisses the hurting spot it is as if all is well with the world again. Some of you are chuckling because you remember those and other “let me kiss it again” moments.
The sheep in the shepherd’s care also had its bruising moments. Though the plateau was prepared and the “enemies” in the form of poison and prickly plants removed, every now and again the sheep’s head and tender nose would get bruised by the edges of stones buried in the grass. This is in addition to the long hours spent in the hot sun as it made its way from pasture to pasture. So at the end of the day, not only is the flock tired but some of the sheep are bruised and hurting. As they made their way into the fold, the caring shepherd would stand by the door and examine each sheep individually. In his “The Healing Power of the 23rd Psalm” Charles Allen tells us that at this moment, “If there were hurt places, the shepherd would apply soothing and healing oil. Instead of becoming infected, the hurt would soon heal. Also, the shepherd had a large earthen jug of water, the kind of a jar that kept the water refreshingly cool through evaporation. As the sheep came in, the shepherd would dip down into the water with his big cup and bring it up brimful. The tired sheep drank deeply of the life-quickening draft.”
This was the picture in David’s mind as he reflected on his Shepherd’s care, “Thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over” (Psalm 23:5b). He was intimately aware that whatever hurt and exhaustion he experienced, the LORD as his Shepherd would daily tend to those. Not only would He pour the oil of healing in to his wounds, but He would also provide the refreshing, from an overflowing cup, that his body and soul needed.
As the Christian goes through life, we too experience bruising and hurting moments when all we want is for someone to “kiss” our bruises and make the hurts go away. For some of us life has been cruel; the hurts have been many and the joys too few. Despite our best efforts, our energies are spent and our physical and spiritual man exhausted. However, like the Psalmist, let us understand and appreciate that at the end of every day, we can trust the LORD, if we make Him our Shepherd, to “anoint” our hurts with His healing oil and from His unlimited supply, He offers us an overflowing cup from which to drink.
We cannot escape the bumps and the bruises. What we have is a Shepherd who cares. We may feel like one among many but we are reminded that “He calleth his own sheep by name” (John 10:3). He knows who you are, where you are hurting, and He is committed to ministering to you. Allen writes, “I like that. It makes me feel important” and I readily agree. I encourage you to run to “Daddy”; to trust your Shepherd with your hurts. Not only does He know what He is doing, He also knows exactly what to do. And His “kisses” are more than magical.
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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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