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THIS WEEK”S SUMMARY
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ROBINSON BLAMES FAILURE OF CCJ ON EFFECTS OF COLONIZATION—12/04/10
Patrick Robinson, a Jamaican judge, believes that Jamaica did not replace the United Kingdom Privy Council with the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) because of the lasting effects of colonization. Even after 48 years of independence, Jamaica has not left the Privy Council. Robinson, president of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former nation of Yugoslavia, says years of colonization and slavery have led Jamaicans to think they are not “good enough” and that anything “white, English, European, or American is better.”
ROBERTSON SUPPORTS RENEWABLE ENERGY—12/05/10
James Robertson, Jamaica’s Energy and Mining Minister, has provided updated information about the nation’s progress toward using more renewable energy sources, such as wind and hydroelectricity. According to Robertson, several energy policies have been written. These include the Renewable Energy Policy, the Bio Fuels Policy, and the Energy from Waste and Carbon Emissions Policy. Among operational measures already implemented is the Wigton Wind Farm in Manchester.
JAMAICAN GAY RIGHTS ACTIVIST MURDERED—12/06/10
A member of the Jamaica Forum for Lesbians, All-Sexuals and Gays (J-FLAG) was found stabbed to death in Kingston. The victim’s body was discovered behind an insurance building. His name is being withheld until his family has been notified. There are allegations that he had been threatened, and the organization is calling for a full investigation of his murder. Jamaican police have not yet made any comment in the case.
OIL SPILL IN KINGSTON HARBOR UNDER INVESTIGATION—12/06/10
Jamaica’s emergency management agency reports that police are conducting an investigation of the origin of an oil spill that occurred in the harbor of the capital city on November 22, 2010. Clean-up efforts are also underway. According to the authorities, the oil spill did not have a direct impact on Kingston, but it was unclear how much oil had actually gotten into the water. Kingston harbor is the seventh largest natural harbor in the world.
CANCER DRUG DEVELOPED BY JAMAICAN SCIENTIST—12/07/10
Dr. Henry Lowe, a noted Jamaican scientist, has announced the launch of a research and development institute designed to develop medicinal drugs from indigenous Jamaican plants. Dr. Lowe became famous worldwide for his discovery of cancer drugs made from a Jamaican plant. He plans to announce the development of a cancer nutraceutical that will be produced locally and available on international markets in 2011. The research institute will also focus on foods and fragrances made from indigenous plants.
UROLOGISTS URGE CAUTION OVER CANCER DRUG—12/08/10
Caution has been urged by the Jamaica Urological Society (JUS) concerning the prostate cancer drug under development by Dr. Henry Lowe. The drug, which is made from the local Ball Moss plant, has significant anti-cancer properties, says Lowe. Prostate cancer is the top cause of cancer deaths among Jamaican men, so the JUS welcomes the potential treatment represented by the local plant. However, the organization wants to further examine the scientific data that is said to support Lowe’s claims.
JAMAICAN MAN ARRESTED ON DRUG CHARGES—12/09/10
Kingsley Gogo, a Jamaican with dual Nigerian citizenship, appeared in the Resident Magistrates Court in Montego Bay and was offered bail of $1 million. He was arrested in September 2010 when police arrived at his home in Westgate Hills and allegedly discovered cocaine residue and drug paraphernalia. Gogo was observed emptying packages of what could have been cocaine into a toilet when police arrived.
PUBLISHERS LOSE MONEY BECAUSE OF PHOTOCOPYING—12/10/10
According to the Book Industry Association of Jamaica, local publishers lost millions of dollars every year because schools photocopy their books. Teachers are “excessively” photocopying educational materials because of shortfalls in the supplies provided by the Ministry of Education. Franklin McGibbon, head of the association, wants to remind school officials that this practice is illegal. A meeting with school principals and the heads of colleges and universities is planned for early 2011 to discuss the problem.
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JAMAICAN DIASPORA NEWS
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JAMAICAN WOMAN TURNS 107 YEAR OF AGE—12/04/10
Betsy Stanford has reached her 107th birthday. She says that drinking Guinness stout is what has allowed her to live a long and healthy life. She celebrated her birthday at the Wesley United Methodist Church in Washington, D.C. Stanford has lived in the area most of her, although she was born in Jamaica. In addition to Guinness, she credits eating pork chops and steaks for her longevity, as well as working hard as a hotel housekeeper all her life.
JAMAICAN DRUMMER GETS FOUNDATION GRANT—12/05/10
William “Willie” Stewart, a noted Jamaican percussionist, has received a grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, which is based in Miami, Florida. Stewart is the former drummer of Third World, an internationally known reggae band. He will use the grant to create a program for children in South Florida that will educate them about African rhythms and history through classes in percussion and performances throughout the community.
JAMAICAN MAN PARDONED BY GOVERNOR IN NEW YORK—12/07/10
The outgoing Governor of New York, David Paterson, has pardoned Jamaican Marlon Oscar Powell, along with two other Caribbean nationals. Powell immigrated legally to the United States from Jamaica in 1986 at the age of 13. He was convicted of using false identification to get into a club when he was 15 and was arrested for misdemeanor drug possession. He was sentenced to nine months in jail because police believed he was 21 years old. Since his release, he has become a productive member of society, raising a family and maintaining employment. He is now awaiting deportation at a New Jersey immigration detention center.
CLARKE WELCOMES PASSAGE OF DREAM ACT IN U.S.—12/09/10
Caribbean-American Congresswoman from New York, Yvette D. Clarke expressed her support of the DREAM Act by the United States Congress. The legislation is designed to permit children of undocumented immigrants to be placed on a path to U.S. citizenship. Clarke called the passage of the Act “a great victory” for the Congressional District of New York and the U.S. as a whole. For Clarke, the Act offers a solution for immigrant students who are frequently in jeopardy from the dysfunctional immigration system in the U.S.
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CARIBBEAN NEWS SUMMARY provided by Caribbeantopnews.com
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CARIBBEAN GROWTH RATE REVISED BY UNITED NATIONS—12/05/10
CANADIAN KILLED BY PIRATES IN HONDURAS—12/06/10
HAITI GETS TRADE CONCESSIONS—12/07/10
CARIBBEAN SEA SHOWS SIGNS OF GLOBAL WARMING—12/08/10
PLANE FLIES WOUNDED MANATEE TO PUERTO RICO—12/09/10
CHOLERA IN HAITI PROBABLY CAME FROM OUTSIDE THE COUNTRY—12/10/10
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BUSINESS NEWS SUMMARY
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JAMAICAN GOVERNMENT CONSIDERS LONGER LOAN REPAYMENT PERIODS—12/04/10
Small businesses may have more room to grow if the Jamaican government decides to make the loan repayment program longer. Prime Minister Bruce Golding announced that the extended period was being considered to complement the Jamaica National Small Business Loans’ current programs, which are designed to develop small and micro businesses. Golding believes that if businesses had more time to repay a loan, they could pursue activities that would “generate more value-added products.”
SCIENCE AND BUSINESS MUST INTEGRATE, SAYS GOLDING—12/06/10
Jamaican Prime Minister Bruce Golding believes that the country needs to develop a policy that will create closer partnerships between scientists doing research in the island’s 17 laboratories. Golding says there are many discoveries yet to be made, and he called on investors to provide support for good ideas. The Prime Minister made his remarks at the launch of Bio-Tech R&D Institute, a pharmaceutical firm in Kingston. The commercial interests must be integrated with the scientific research being performed to provide the best outcome for the country.
UNION ACCUSES PORT OF ATTEMPTING TO STOP ITS ORGANIZING—12/07/10
The management at Ports Management Security Limited has been accused by the Ports Supervisors Union (PSU) of firing workers who seek to join the union. A representational rights claim was filed in October on behalf of monitors and screeners who work at Ports Management Security Ltd. According to the company, it made all monitor positions redundant on November 27, 2010, and plans to do the same for screeners. The action is part of a restructuring, according to Ports Management Security. The union believes the company is involved in union-busting and has asked the government for help with the matter.
JAMAICA TO SEE POSSIBLE LOSS OF RED STRIPE JOBS—12/08/10
Red Stripe is considering the move of its export business from Jamaica. The firm says that this decision could be implemented if the government does not “level the playing field” on what it believes are unfair tax policies that favor the production of spirits. Some 300 Jamaican jobs are threatened if the export business relocates. Red Stripe has experienced lower domestic demand, with profits falling by 49 percent in fiscal 2010.
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CARIBBEAN TECHNOLOGY NEWS SUMMARY
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SHIELDS CALLS FOR MORE TECHNOLOGY IN FIGHTING CRIME—12/04/10
Former Assistant Commissioner of Police in Jamaica, Mark Shields, has called for a more technological approach to crime-fighting in the Caribbean. Shields, who is managing director of Shields Crime Security Consultants Ltd., made his remarks at the Security, Forensic and Technology Seminar 2010 in New Kingston. This is the largest crime-fighting expo of its type in the Caribbean region and is designed to introduce Jamaica and other Caribbean nations to the kinds of technology that support crime prevention and help with crime detection. The technology includes DNA testing and methods for tapping cell phones.
HUAWEI TO IMPLEMENT WIMAX IN TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO—12/07/10
Huawei announced that Telecommunications Services of Trinidad and Tobago (TSTT) has implemented the biggest commercial WiMAX network in the Caribbean. The network will be completed in early 2011, but the first phase has already been introduced. It covers certain hot spots and provides broadband Internet access to local residents and tourists. The network also provides video surveillance capabilities for businesses and government users.
BOEING, KEMA TO PARTNER ON SMART GRID TECHNOLOGY—12/08/10
The Boeing Company and KEMA, an energy consulting firm, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to collaborate on the development of Smart Grid technologies. They will also combine resources to explore opportunities in secure and sustainable energy infrastructure. The companies will partner on advanced systems development and integration, technical design, cyber security, and interoperability testing.
SPRINT NEXTEL MOVES 4G OVERSEAS—12/09/10
The Sprint Nextel Corporation has taken its 4G service beyond United States borders. The firm has signed agreements with the wireless providers Digicel in Jamaica and Global Mobile in Taiwan. This will permit customers of Sprint who visit those nations to continue using their WiMAX service on a roaming basis via 24-hour passes. The cost of these passes has yet to be announced.
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TECHNOLOGY NEWS SUMMARY
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OUTAGE AT TUMBLR ATTRIBUTED TO DATABASE CLUSTER PROBLEM—12/06/10
Tumblr, a popular micro-blogging platform, continues to have problems related to an outage that is believed to be related to one of its database clusters. Tumblr has apologized to its users but has not provided information about how the database cluster was affected. Tumblr users have inundated Twitter to express their dismay at the site being down, however.
INTERNET EXPLORER 9 GETS TRACKING PROTECTION—12/07/10
Microsoft has altered the security features of Internet Explorer 9 in order to help users keep websites from tracking their browsing activity across different sessions. The new security measures will be implemented early in 2011. They use a list that informs the browser which third-party page elements a site may or may not block from tracking.
TWITTER FACES NEW VIRUS THREAT—12/08/10
A new virus is impacting those who use Twitter. The virus uses URLs that are shortened by the goo.gl service. The virus spreads when users click on links that begin with ” http://goo.gl,” which is the URL shortener from Google. The virus then attempts to redirect users to malicious websites. The technical team at Twitter is aware of the virus and has sent out password resets to those infected.
SAMSUNG OFFERS REAL COMPETITION TO INTEL—12/09/10
Samsung, the second-largest chipmaker in the world, is showing Intel the way to success in the tablet and smartphone markets. The Galaxy Tab by Samsung is effectively competing with the iPad, and Samsung makes the device and supplies the main internal chip. Samsung, unlike Intel, has an affiliated consumer unit that makes devices like the Galaxy Tab, and these products use Samsung silicon. Intel cannot match this vertically integrated strategy.
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SPORTS
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RICHARDS, JAMAICA TEAMMATES GOING TO CARIBBEAN CUP FINALS—12/04/10
Dane Richards of the Red Bulls and his Jamaica National Team will participate in the Digicel Caribbean Cup finals. He was responsible for the first goal of Jamaica’s 2-1 overtime victory over Grenada. Jamaica will face Guadaloupe in the final match. Guadaloupe beat Cuba 2-1 to earn a place in the finale.
JAMAICA WINS CARIBBEAN CUP—12/07/10
Jamaica won the championship Digicel Caribbean Cup 2010, defeating Guadeloupe with a 5 to 4 victory on penalties. Thousands of fans in a record-breaking crowed watched the tournament finale at the Stade Municipal Pierre Aliker in Martinique. The Reggae Boyz kept their championship title for the second year, being unbeaten in Group I games. The tournament ran for nine weeks and included a total of 55 matches.
VERNAN, WOLFE COULD MOVE TO EUROPE—12/09/10
Eric Vernan and Rafe Wolfe of Portmore United may move back to Europe when the opportunity to transfer opens up in January 2011. The players have represented the local club in the Digicel Premier League for the 2010 season, but hope to go back overseas for 2011. Both players say they will likely return to Europe and play for Sweden.
UWI/BOLT TRACK TO HOST MAJOR COMPETITIONS—12/10/10
A number of Development Meets are scheduled for early in the season at the UWI/Usain Bolt track at National Stadium. The University of the West Indies (UWI) is talking with several meet organizers about using the track. There are concerns about the meets, however, due to continuing work on National Stadium, which might not be finished before the end of February 2011.
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DEVOTIONAL
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“One Thing Thou Lackest…”
As human beings we have the tendency to acquire and hold on to things. Maybe it is because when we came into the world we came in empty handed, with nothing! An interesting fact is that we will leave the world the same way, empty handed, but in between we want to get and hold on to as much as we can. The unfortunate thing is that this tendency is so ingrained within us that even when we come to the Lord, one of the hardest words in our vocabulary is the word “surrender”.
In Mark 10:17-22 we see the story of one who came to Jesus and asked “Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?” On being told to observe the commandments he replied, “Master, all these have I observed from my youth” at which point Mark continues, “Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me. And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions. And Jesus looked round about, and saith unto his disciples, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!”
Of course, Jesus was not condemning ownership of “great possessions” but pointing out how difficult it can be, and often is, to surrender those possessions for the kingdom’s sake. There are many advantages to having material things and the sense of comfort they often provide is something most of us naturally gravitate towards. However, it is important that we maintain the right perspective. There are times when God wants to do for us far more than we can ask or think but because we are holding on for dear life to what we already have, we are missing out on all that He has in store for us. We need to remember that there is good, better, and best but in order to get a hold of the best, we have to relinquish the good and the better to His care. We cannot get a hold of God’s plan and purposes for our life if we are intent on holding on to our plan and purposes.
Martin Luther reportedly said, “I have held many things in my hands, and I have lost them all. But whatever I have placed in God’s hands, that I still possess.” God wants to use what we have; the things He has blessed us with. As we give them to Him we will discover that because He is the source of our supply, we become channels of His grace. In other words, His blessing flows through us to others; we are never without.
“One thing thou lackest.” Is He talking to you?
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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.
