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THIS WEEK”S SUMMARY
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JAMAICA INFRASTRUCTURE WILL DRIVE GDP, SAYS HOLNESS—11/19/11
Andrew Holness, Jamaica’s Prime Minister, has established a government plan to focus on public-private ventures that will drive economic expansion. He does not expect to depend on public spending for growth, says Holness, and is working with companies in China, the United States, and Europe to enhance investment in the island’s housing, roads, and water facilities.
JAMAICANS SHOULD SUPPORT PUBLIC SECTOR TRANSFORMATION—11/20/11
According to the Management Institute for National Development (MIND), all Jamaicans should be encouraged to support the public sector transformation process. Glynix Salmon, director of business development and communication, says support from all sectors of society will help the government to find its way forward in the public sector.
HOLNESS HINTS AT DECEMBER ELECTIONS—11/20/11
Andrew Holness, Jamaica’s Prime Minister, has stated that parliamentary elections could be set for as early as December 2011. He made his remarks at a conference of the Jamaica Labor Party in Kingston, saying he will call for elections “in just a short time,” adding that Jamaica cannot wait until 2012 to resolve uncertainties about the government.
TINO GEDDES MEMORALIZED, HONORED—11/21/11
Many people came to pay tribute to Mortimer “Tino” Geddes, veteran journalist. The celebration of Geddes was held in Unity Jamaica Church in Kingston. People from all walks of life gave tributes and words of praise for the journalist. Among them was Olivia “Babsy” Grange, Minister of Youth, Culture and Sports. She remembered Geddes as being “fearless, but fair.”
ATTACKS BY PNP AGAINST DEVELOPMENT INFRASTRUCTURE PROGRAM BLASTED—11/22/11
Audley Shaw, Jamaica’s Minister of Finance, has sharply criticized the attacks of the People’s National Party (PNP) against the Jamaica Development Infrastructure Program. Shaw is the deputy leader of the Jamaica Labor Party (JLP) and was upset at the PNP attack. He has called on the PNP to apologize.
SLUM POLITICS TARGETED BY HOLNESS—11/23/11
Jamaica’s new Prime Minister, Andrew Holness, says that the time is right to eliminate the connections between the legal and illegal power brokers in the country. Bruce Golding, the previous Prime Minister, resigned, in part, because of his reluctance to extradite Christopher “Dudus” Coke, an alleged gang leader and power broker in Tivoli Gardens who was linked to ruling politicians. Holness is focusing on “cutting the ties” between top politicians and leaders of criminal organizations.
JAMAICA LOSES GREAT EDUCATOR WITH DEATH OF AGGREY BROWN—11/24/11
Senator Arthur Williams, who is responsible for Information, reports that Jamaica and the entire Caribbean region have lost a great educator due to the passing of Professor Emeritus Dr. Aggrey Brown. Brown was former Dean of the Faculty of Humanities and Education and former director of the Caribbean Institute of Media and Communication (CARIMAC) at the University of the West Indies. Brown served for 22 years as head of the organization. He also hosted a call-in radio program, “Public Eye,” for the Jamaica Broadcasting Corporation.
CONTRACTOR GENERAL’S OFFICE HAPPY WITH WONG RULING—11/25/11
Jamaica’s Office of the Contractor General (OCG) has praised the ruling against Patrick Wong, former chief executive officer of the National Works Agency (NWA). The OCG believes the ruling will help to ensure that awarding government contracts is done in a fair way. Wong pleaded guilty to two counts of breaching the Contractor General Act. He was fine $5,000 or 30 days in jail for each count.
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JAMAICAN DIASPORA NEWS
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HEC INCIDENT RESULTS IN SENSITIVITY TRAINING—11/19/11
As a result of an incident at HEC Montreal in September 2011, in which some students painted their faces black to pretend to be Usain Bolt, Jamaica’s Olympic champion, authorities at the business school announced a series of sensitivity training measures designed to enhance awareness of racial issues. HEC Montreal has joined with Vivian Barbot, a women’s advocate and expert on intercultural education who was born in Haiti, to provide the training for students.
FOREIGN CRIMINAL “BABYFATHERS” AVOID DEPORTATION FROM UK—11/20/11
According to the Home Office in the United Kingdom, foreign criminals are having children with different women in order to avoid deportation under human rights laws. One officials says these immigrants are fathering a “network of children” so they may claim that their right to family life will be breached if they are sent back to their home countries. The Home Office has issued warnings about the phenomenon of “babyfathers,” which is a Jamaican slang term for absent fathers.
HUMANITARIAN AWARD PRESENTED TO DIGICEL CHAIRMAN AND FOUNDER—11/22/11
Denis O’Brien, the founder and chairman of Digicel, was presented with a humanitarian award from the American Friends of Jamaica in New York. The award recognizes O’Brien’s committed actions in moving communities forward in a positive manner. In his acceptance speech, O’Brien said he has always thought that if “you do business in a country and make money there, you should also be reinvesting some of that money in positive community development.”
THREE JAMAICANS ARRESTED IN RAID IN UNITED STATES—11/23/11
Three Jamaicans and 50 other convicted immigrants were arrested during four-day enforcement operation in Boston, Massachusetts. The United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency, reported arrests of immigrants from several Caribbean nations, including Jamaica. All of the immigrants taken into custody had prior criminal records.
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CARIBBEAN NEWS SUMMARY provided by Caribbeantopnews.com
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ADDITIONAL SIX OFFICIALS BANNED BY FIFA—11/19/11
MORE MONEY ALLOCATED TO POLICE IN PUERTO RICO IN RESPONSE TO KILLINGS—11/20/11
PARASAILING SPORT UNDER SCRUTINY AFTER ACCIDENT—11/21/11
CANADA WANTS TO EXTEND FREE TRADE AGREEMENT IN CARIBBEAN—11/23/11
MORE TOURISTS IN CARIBBEAN, BUT THEY ARE SPENDING LESS MONEY—11/24/11
HIV IN CARIBBEAN LESSENS—11/25/11
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BUSINESS NEWS SUMMARY
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RECYCLING INDUSTRY HAS NEW PLAYER—11/20/11
One Jamaica Recycling, which is located in Kingston, started its operations in 2009 under the leadership of Raul Haynes, who has evolved his business naturally and is glad he went into business for himself. Haynes, who was formerly a research analyst/fixed income trader at Stocks and Securities Ltd., believes he was always an entrepreneur and just waited for the right opportunity. His company offers recycling of plastics, paper, cardboard, and aluminum waste through a network of waste collection trucks that run on schedules convenient for its clients. There is no charge for the collection of corporate or residential materials.
SMALL COMPANIES SHOULD CONSIDER LICENSING AS MARKETING TOOL—11/21/11
Dr. Densil Williams, head of the Management Studies Department at the University of the West Indies, believes that small firms should consider making partnerships with larger organizations in order to enhance their capacity and market reach. Small companies should also consider licensing to help them create larger markets for their goods and services. It is also helpful to small firms to ask state agencies like JAMPRO for help in making commercial links with large companies that are already established in global markets.
BAF GLOBAL GROUP BECOMES AGENT FOR JN MONEY SERVICES—11/23/11
A division of BAF Global Group has agreed to become the exclusive agent for a Jamaican money transmission and bill payment service in the Bahamas. Bramer Money Transfers (BMT) is ready to act as the agent for JN Money Services (JNMS) in the Bahamas. JNMS offers remittance and bill payment services as a unit of the Jamaica National Building Society. This partnership will give JNMS full services with all Cash N’ Go money stores in the Bahamas.
TWICE-WEEKLY FLIGHTS TO CUBA OFFERED BY JAMAICA AIR SHUTTLE—11/24/11
The winter tourist season for 2011-2012 will see twice-a-week flights from Jamaica to Santiago de Cuba via the services of Jamaica Air Shuttle. The service will launch on December 15, 2011, according to Deryck Dwyer, marketing manager for the airline firm. The flights are scheduled for Thursdays and Sundays and will link Kingston and Montego Bay with Santiago de Cuba, the second largest city in the country. This is the destination for many Jamaican students who attend the universities in that city and the surrounding areas.
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CARIBBEAN TECHNOLOGY NEWS SUMMARY provided by Caribbeantopnews.com
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DIGICEL TO ADDRESS WICB SNUB—11/21/11
PUBLIC SECURITY MINISTERS TO IMPROVE POLICE TRAINING, TECHNOLOGY—11/22/11
TECHNOLOGY FUTURE OF MONTSERRAT TO BE DISCUSSED—11/23/11
JAMPRO SUPPPORTS REGIONAL TECHNOLOGY ENTREPRENEURSHIP MEETING—11/24/11
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TECHNOLOGY NEWS SUMMARY
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MICROWAVE SHOWS YOUTUBE VIDEOS—11/22/11
The uWave microwave allows users to watch videos from YouTube on their microwaves while waiting for food to be heated. The device involves an HP TouchPad that is connected to a microwave oven. When the microwave starts, a process is also started to pull a YouTube video that will play on the TouchPad. When the timer goes off, the user receives a text message and a tweet. The developers of the device submitted the project to PennApps, a bi-annual competition held at the University of Pennsylvania, and won the first place prize.
RESEARCHERS FIND THAT STRESS LEADS TO “SLEEP TEXTING”—11/23/11
Among the iPhone users who sleep with the phone next to their beds, many are sending emails and text messages, unconsciously, in the middle of the night. According reports, the messages are often incoherent. Dr. David Cunnington, sleep expert at the Melbourne Sleep Disorder Center in Australia, says that he has seen patients who send text messages and emails to friends and family while sleeping. He attributes the activity largely to stress.
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ENTERTAINMENT
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MAJOR ANIMATORS FEATURED AT ANIMAE CARIBE EVENT—11/19/11
Jamaica’s animation industry received a boost from the international experts who attended the tenth Flow-sponsored Animae Caribe Film Festival. Award-winning animators included James Parris, whose work includes “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,” “Lion King,” and “Spiderman.” The event was held at JAMPRO and provided a forum for local producers to share with and learn from international professionals in the field. The international animation sector represents trillions of dollars, and Jamaica has a great potential to enter the market, especially as major firms like Disney begin to outsource the work.
OPERA BASED ON LIFE OF DUB POET MIKEY SMITH—11/20/11
An opera has been created to tell the story of Mikey Smith, Jamaican dub poet. The opera, called “Mikey,” will make its debut in 2012. The work has been described as the first reggae opera. It was created by musician and teacher Peter Ashbourne. Ashbourne believes that Smith’s life is a perfect fit for opera because it is full of twists and turns. He collaborated with Mervyn Morris, lecturer at the University of the West Indies to develop the opera. The production is to be funded by the CHASE fund.
RUSSIAN PLAY GETS JAMAICAN TREATMENT—11/21/11
The popular Russian play “The Inspector General” has been adapted for Jamaican audiences by William F. Lampert, lecturer at the Edna Manley College School of Drama (SODr). The original play is based on the story of a small town that is to be inspected by a government official and displays a comedy of errors. The Jamaican adaptation follows a major in Montego Bay, who realizes that his administration will be reviewed by a higher authority and becomes concerned about his job security. The play has been performed to great audience praise.
JAMAICAN FILM LEADS FILM FESTIVAL IN BAHAMAS—11/22/11
Storm Saulter, the writer-director of “Better Mus’ Come,” has seen his first feature film be the only one to represent Jamaica in 2011 at the prestigious Bahamas International Film Festival. The film has gained in popularity and critical acclaim since its opening in Jamaica. It has been called a “new benchmark” for Jamaican films. It provides an account of the late 1970s in Jamaica and its “political tribalism.”
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SPORTS
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HOWARD ARIS, TRACK AND FIELD EXECUTIVE, DEAD AT 75—11/12/11
Howard Aris, the track and field executive who led Jamaica to its best performance at the 2008 Olympics and 2008 World Championships, has died. He was found in an unconscious state at a campaign rally for the People’s National Party and was transported to a hospital, where he later died. Aris had been president of Jamaica’s track and field federation since 2003. He was also a friend of PNP President Portia Simpson Miller and of the former Jamaican Prime Minister.
LEGAL ACTION AGAINST JAMAICA CRICKET BOARD TAKEN BY ROWE—11/13/11
Lawrence Rowe, legendary batting star for the West Indies, has started a legal action against the Jamaica Cricket Association (JCA). He is fighting the organization’s decision to withdraw his name from the Players’ Pavilion in Sabina Park. Rowe’s name was withdrawn after he made remarks during an interview that were seen as controversial by the JCA. He was one of several players to defy international sanction and played in South Africa during its years of apartheid; he was subsequently banned from cricket, and his international career ended.
EARLY OUSTER FOR JAMAICANS AT U.S. BADMINTON MEET—11/14/11
Charles Pyne, Gareth Henry, and Samuel Ricketts were eliminated from the Bill Graham Miami Badminton International in Miami Lakes, Florida. Pyne was ranked 131 in the world and lasted on the court for 30 minutes before being defeated by Niluka Karunaratne of Sri Lanka. Henry had a career-best world rank of 162 was defeated by Daniel Messersi of Italy, while Ricketts, who was at his first tournament as a senior, lost to Virgil Soeroredjo of Suriname.
BOLT WINS WORLD ATHLETE OF THE YEAR AWARD—11/15/11
Jamaica’s Olympic champion sprinter Usain Bolt was named World Athlete of the Year for the third time by the International Athletics Foundation. The award was made in Monaco. Bolt is now the second man in history to have won this major award three times. Yohan Blake of Jamaica won the Performer of the Year award for his 19.26-second 200-meter race, the second fastest time in history, at the Memorial Van Damme Diamond League meet in Brussels in September 2011.
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JAMAICAN JOBS
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Visit JAMAICAN JOBS.
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DEVOTIONAL
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“Render to God the Things that are God’s”
It was yet another trap and the synoptic writers said as much. The scribes and chief priests had sent certain of the Pharisees and some followers of Herod to try and bait Jesus, “hoping to catch Him saying something incriminating” (Mark 12:13, The Message). Mark continues, “And when they were come, they say unto Him, Master, we know that thou art true, and carest for no man: for thou regardest not the person of men, but teachest the way of God in truth: Is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar, or not? Shall we give, or shall we not give? But He, knowing their hypocrisy, said unto them, Why tempt ye me? bring me a penny, that I may see it. And they brought it. And He saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? And they said unto him, Caesar’s. And Jesus answering said unto them, Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s. And they marvelled at Him” (vv. 14-17, KJV).
The groups of men working in collusion to trap Jesus had their own differences and were not always amiable towards each other. However, they were united in a common cause. Wise in their own eyes, the question asked of Jesus was a political hand grenade for if Jesus answered “yes”, He would be branded a friend of the Romans, and if He answered “no”, He would be branded a traitor. Of course, Jesus saw through their hypocrisy and gave them an answer that was so profound, they “marvelled at Him”. Because Caesar’s image was etched on the coin, it was due to Caesar. Or as Matthew Henry observes, “The circulation of the money is from him as the fountain, and therefore it must return to him.” Interestingly, Jesus did not stop there for while rendering to the emperor what belonged to the emperor, they were to render to God what belonged to God. What does that mean? What was Jesus getting at?
The clear implication in Jesus’ statement is that in the same way that the coin, imprinted with Caesar’s image, was ultimately his and so was due to him at tax time, so we who are engraved with the image of God ultimately belong to Him. The Bible is clear that we are created in the image or likeness of God (Gen. 1:26). The created belongs to the Creator, and so in the same way that we give to the various levels of governments their due, so we must be diligent to give to God His due. Ourselves and all the gifts and talents we possess. Like the hymn writer Francis R. Havergal, our prayer should always be, “Take my life and let it be / Consecrated, Lord, to Thee / Take my moments and my days / Let them flow in endless praise”. A life of endless praise is the “perfect” offering we can offer to the One to whom we belong.
“Render to Ceasar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” How are you doing in that regard?
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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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