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A Weekly Summary of the Jamaican News
March 23rd, 2012
In This Issue • Polls, Weekly Stories & Site Announcements • Jamaican News and Sports Summary • Weekly Devotional • Sponsorship Information • Subscription Preferences/Unsubscribe
Polls, Weekly Stories & Site Announcements Last Week's Winning Wednesday Facebook Giveaway Winners
Congrats to last week's prize winners in our Winning Wednesdays: Janelle Rose $300 (JMD) Jamaica Phone Credit (Digicel or Claro). Check our fan page every Wednesday's for Giveaways. Please click here become a Fan and starting winning in our giveaways! New Articles on Jamaicans.com this Week. Live Broadcast: Usain Bolt And Belle Lubica: Reactions On The Streets Of Trelawny Recently, a picture of Usain Bolt and Slovakian born fashion designer, Belle Lubica kissing, started a wave of charged remarks on the web among Jamaicans both abroad and on the island. BoardlaneTV visited the small community of Sherwood Content in Trelawny where the record holding sprinter was born and raised to get reactions from the residents. We now bring you the reactions to the story.
"The Quiet Quail" read in Jamaican Patois "The Quiet Quail" read in Jamaican Patois. Teach yourself Jamaican patois/patwa with children stories. Listen and
our sponsors
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watch the video of "The Quiet Quail" read in Jamaican Patois. It is a part of the Alphatales series from A to Z. Get the book, follow along, practice and soon you will be speaking Jamaican patois/patwa. Book Review: The Dark Side of Darkness - Some family secrets must remain that way. The Dark Side of Darkness is a story woven around time as it takes the reader on a journey through and into the dark side of the human psyche. It explores hidden passions and secret places that perhaps should be left alone. Written as a series of flashbacks, the book embraces issues that transcend culture, gender, and race, and celebrates the triumph of the human spirit. Whose side are we on? Before we all descend on the police, let us look a little deeper. Let us examine the surroundings of those distressed mothers and girlfriends on TV news, as they grieve the loss of their loved ones during those recent police operations. Their environment is run down and dilapidated with dusty paths posing as roads. It is broad daylight and young men are milling about, obviously with no gainful employment Granny Gheeta's Hurricane Anxiety for her Canine Loves In the wake of Hurricane Irene and all its devastation and inconveniences, I couldn't help thinking about Granny Gheeta and the hurricane anxiety she experienced when it came to her ever-loving pets. Relaunch of our Jamaican Patois Dictionary We are please to announce the relaunch of Jamaican Patois/Patwa Dictionary. We have added more words, a search and audio clips. Check it out today?
Do I have a contract with this Jamaican builder? I made an agreement with a builder. The agreement is that the builder will build a house for me, and I give him a piece of land after its completion. At this point, the house is not competed and the builder is using my money for his purpose. Is our agreement binding?
Click here for Jamaican Press Releases and Announcements . Submit your press releases, announcements, event and photos to us at: mediaevents@jamaicans.com. Add your event to our Events Calendar. advertisement
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Jamaican News and Sports Summary
---------------------------------------THIS WEEK”S SUMMARY ---------------------------------------SENTENCING DELAY FOR "DUDUS" COKE—03/17/12 Jamaican drug lord Christopher "Dudus" Coke has won a delay in his sentencing by a Manhattan, New York, federal court. Coke was due to be sentence on March 16, 2012, but the judge ordered hearings to determine if the government possessed the evidence for additional crimes. Coke pleaded guilty to drug trafficking and assault. His defense attorneys objected to letters sent to the court by Jamaican nationals who charged Coke with alleged gang rape, domestic slavery, and torture, which they said would inflame any judge against their client. Hearings in the matter are set to start on May 22, 2012. JCF INDICATES SUPPORT FOR HEAD OF INDECOM—03/18/12 Members of the Jamaica Police Force (JCF) are supporting Terrence Williams, head of the Independent Commission of Investigations (INDECOM) and his presence at a press conference held by a human rights lobby, Jamaicans for Justice. Dr. Herbert Gayle, anthropologist at the University of the West Indies, found that 50 percent of the police surveyed supported Williams' decision to attend the conference. The human rights group criticized the police for the role they play in the killings of 21 civilians in March 2012. Reports indicated that Williams had remained "neutral" during these discussions, causing several police advocacy groups to call for his resignation. DISCUSSIONS CONTINUE CONCERNING GAYLE IMPASSE —03/19/12 Chris Gayle, former batsman for the West Indies cricket team, could be playing again if everything goes well during a meeting scheduled between Gayle and officials of CARICOM and the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB). The meeting is expected to address the situation arising when Gayle, 32, made certain remarks during a radio interview in 2011 where he criticized members of the WICB and the team hierarchy. Gayle is likely to either apologize for his remarks or retract the statements altogether. HEALTH MINISTRY WORKS TO BAN PUBLIC SMOKING—03/20/12 Dr. Fenton Ferguson, Jamaica's Minister of Health, has announced that his Ministry will seek Cabinet approval to pass the tobacco bill. The bill is designed to impose a ban on smoking in public places, including work sites. Ferguson was prompted to make his remarks by research showing a rise in the incidence of cancers linked to cigarette smoking. KIDNAPPED ST. ANDREW BUSINESSWOMAN RESCUED BY POLICE —03/21/12 According to Fitz Bailey, senior superintendent at the Organized Crime Investigation Division (OCID), announced that a businesswoman from St. Andrew who had been kidnapped was rescued by police during a daring raid. The woman was held hostage for two days while the kidnappers demanded a ransom totaling $5 million from her relatives. The woman, 51, was found in a Stony Hill cemetery as one of her family members was on the say to deliver the ransom money. The OCID did
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not say whether any suspects were arrested and indicated that the investigation was ongoing. PROJECT TO HARVEST RAINWATER WILL AID 300 FARMERS —03/21/12 About 300 St. Elizabeth farmers could benefit from a $4.5 million project designed to harvest rainwater. The project has the support of the United Nations Global Environmental Facility and involves the resurrection of a six-million-gallon catchment tank in Lititz. The harvested rainwater will be used for irrigation. The project will repair cracks in the tank, clearing the premises and removing debris, building a security fence, the installation of a solar pump and conveyance system, and the creation and installation of a gravity drip system. Farmers in the area are continually subjected to severely dry conditions that hamper their yields. ALCOA WARNS OF JAMALCO SHUT-DOWN—03/22/12 If the Jamaican government does not pay its share of operating costs, Alcoa says it will end operations at the Jamalco plant in Clarendon. Additionally, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is worried about the "significant arrears" owed by the state. These issues prompted the government to table the $11.2 billion Third Supplementary Estimates, which had been approved by the House of Representatives. Alcoa, an American firm, partners with Jamaica's government via Clarendon Alumina Partners (CAP) in Jamalco. The government is attempting to sell its stake in the bauxite firm. NEW TASK FORCE CHARGED WITH FIGHTING CRIME—03/23/12 A new multi-agency security task force has been created to focus on ending the operations of crime kingpins. The new program will be ready to work in May 2012, according to Peter Bunting, Jamaica's National Security Minister. The task force will receive a mandate to go after those individuals who lead criminal gangs and the professionals known to help the gangsters. It will include attorneys, forensic accountants, and others focused on bringing down those who facilitate crime. ----------------------------------------------JAMAICAN DIASPORA NEWS ----------------------------------------------TEAM JAMAICA BICKLE TO HONOR FORMER ATHLETES—03/17/12 Former top Jamaican athletes Bertland Cameron and Grace Jackson will be honored in New York in April 2012 by a leading Jamaican organization. Team Jamaica Bickle is based in the United States and provides help to thousands of high school students in Jamaica each year. Cameron was the 1983 IAAF World Champion 400-meter gold medalist, while Jackson is the Olympic 200-meter silver medalist. The athletes will be honored at the U.S. launch and awards ceremony to mark their achievements in track and field and their careers, which benefited Jamaica in coaching and sports development. FOREIGN MINISTRY WORKS TO RETRIEVE JAMAICANS DETAINED IN TRINIDAD—03/19/12 Jamaica's Foreign Ministry is attempting to obtain the return of six Jamaicans being held in Trinidad and Tobago. According to reports, the Jamaicans were refused entry to Trinidad, but have been unable to return their home island because the airline Redjet has suspended all of its flights. Two of the Jamaicans, who are sisters, were denied entry to Trinidad on March 12, 2012, while the other five individuals were already
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housed at the same detention facility to which the women were taken. The Ministry has been in contact with the High Commission in Trinidad and Tobago and is trying to find the fastest and safest way for the Jamaicans to return home. AFTER 17 YEARS, JAMAICAN COUPLE CHARGED WITH MURDER OF TEEN GIRL—03/21/12 A Jamaican man and woman have been charged with murdering a 17-year-old girl and leaving her body in a suitcase in a warehouse near Toronto, Canada. Almost 20 years ago the girl, Melonie Biddersingh, had moved to Toronto from Kingston to live with her biological father and stepmother. Her father, Everton Biddersingh, 56, and Elaine Biddersingh, 50, the stepmother, were arrested on March 5, 2010, at their home in Ontario and charged with first degree murder after police received a tip from an unknown individual. Police had found the girl's remains in a suitcase during a warehouse fire in 1994. Her biological mother did not know the girl had died until police contacted her during their investigation. VICTORIA MUTUAL, JAMAICA USA CHAMBER WILL HOST MIXER— 03/23/12 The Victoria Mutual Building Society's representative office in Florida will partner with the Jamaica USA Chamber of Commerce to host a corporate networking event. The "Wine and Cheese Mixer" will be held March 29, 2012, and is designed to facilitate contact between corporate representatives of the Jamaican Diaspora. Guests will exchange business cards and hold discussions about Victoria Mutual's Foreign Exchange Mortgage Rate reductions. The event will also promote membership in the Jamaica USA Chamber of Commerce. advertisement
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-------------------------------------CARIBBEAN NEWS HEADLINES provided by Caribbeantopnews.com --------------------------------------------------------REJET SUSPENDS ALL FLIGHTS IN CARIBBEAN CITING LACK OF FUNDS—03/17/12 MARITIME INFRASTRUCTURE IN CARIBBEAN REQUIRES OVERHAUL—03/18/12 CANADIAN BANKS WIELD MAJOR INFLUENCE IN CARIBBEAN —03/19/12 VALERO ENERGY TO SUSPEND OPERATIONS AT REFINERY IN ARUBA—03/20/12
MEN PLEAD GUILTY IN GAY CRUISE ARRESTS—03/21/12 POPE'S VISIT TO CUBA TO AID DEMOCRACY, SAYS VATICAN —03/22/12 Visit Caribbeantopnews.com for the weekly Caribbean News Summary, Caribbean Events & Announcements and Caribbean Recipes. ----------------------------------------------------BUSINESS NEWS SUMMARY ------------------------------------------JAMAICA'S GROWTH DEPENDS ON A "VIBRANT" EXPORT SECTOR —03/17/12 Jamaica's Minister of Industry Anthony Hylton believes that only a "vibrant" export sector will allow the island's economy to grow and attain long-term stability. Hylton made his remarks at a meeting of exporters at the JAMPRO Interactive Exporter Forum, which was held in Montego Bay. The export strategy of the country must be made stronger by establishing the ability to enter global markets, which will drive the creation of jobs and generate higher income. PARLIAMENT TELLS BOOK INDUSTRY TO BECOME MORE COMPETITIVE—03/18/12 The Book Industry Association of Jamaica (BIAJ) appealed to the government to eliminate the General Consumption Tax on books printed locally. The government, however, has responded by suggesting that the book industry work to become more competitive. According to BIAJ chairman Franklin McGibbon, there are concerns about how proposed tax reforms will impact the book industry. Locally printed books are taxed, while those printed in other countries are not, which imposes a significant burden on the local publishing industry. BUILDING SOCIETY REDUCES MORTGAGE RATE, PROVIDES INCENTIVES—03/21/12 Victoria Mutual Building Society (VMBS) has significantly lowered its rate on Jamaican dollar loans. The rates have been reduced by as much a 2.6 percentage points. This makes the firm the least expensive commercial participant in the retail mortgage market. VMBS offers 9.39 percent on its loans, or one-tenth of point below the previously lowest rate. Mortgage firms in Jamaica have been vying to provide the lowest rates since March 5, 2012, when National Commercial Bank introduced a 9.5 percent rate and an introductory cash-return incentive of $200,000 if mortgage applications were made by the end of August. SANDALS INTRODUCES CORPORATE UNIVERSITY—03/22/12 Sandals Resorts International has introduced a corporate university in Ocho Rios. The firm plans to bring its educational institution to 20 properties in the Caribbean. The mission of the corporate university is to expose its Caribbean team members to every division in the hospitality industry and to encourage them to move up within the firm. About $5 million will be spent on the program over the next five years. The program will receive support from the Western Hospitality Institute and the Jamaica Foundation for Life-Long Learning. Courses at the corporate university will be free to Sandals team members. ----------------------------------------------------------------------CARIBBEAN TECHNOLOGY NEWS SUMMARY provided by
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Caribbeantopnews.com ----------------------------------------------------------------------JAMAICA PLANNING FOR HYDROELECTRIC PLANT—03/17/12 CARIBBEAN FINDS MONEY FOR DECADE OF CLIMATE PLANNING —03/18/12 JAMAICA SEES ITS FIRST MEDICAL-SOCIAL WEBSITE—03/20/12 RADAR HELPS TO SAVE ENDANGERED BIRDS—03/21/12 Visit Caribbeantopnews.com for the weekly Caribbean News Summary, Caribbean Events & Announcements and Caribbean Recipes
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--------------------------ENTERTAINMENT --------------------------LEGEND ARTHUR WINT HONORED BY DAUGHTER'S MEMOIR —03/17/12 Arthur Wint was the first Jamaican to win a gold medal in track and field at the London Olympics 64 years ago. Wint won the 400 meters at the games. Wint was also a pilot, a physician, and a diplomat and died on National Heroes Day. Now his daughter Valerie Wint has written a memoir called "The Longer Run" in which she describes his life. She will perform a reading from her book at the Kingston Book Festival of 2012 in Kingston. Valerie Wint has lived in Toronto since 1985. SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA SEEING REVIVAL OF SKA WITH LATIN INFLUENCES—03/18/12 Music fans in Southern California are experiencing a rival of ska, a genre that originated in Jamaica, but this time, ska is feeling the strong influence of Latin American music. The Latin ska genre also has a strong political component. Underground music performances, with tunes sung in both English and Spanish, are occurring in warehouses and yards across the Los Angeles area, Orange County, and the Inland Empire. DOCUMENTARY FILM TO DEBUT AT JAMAICA REGGAE FILM FESTIVAL—03/19/12 "Studio Drummie One and the History of Rock Steady Music," a documentary film in which Joe Isaacs, original Rock Steady drummer,
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shares his experiences of playing drums at Kingston's Studio One in the 1960s, will have its debut showing at the Jamaica Reggae Film Festival in Kingston on April 20, 2012. The film also follows Isaacs as he investigates a variety of Jamaican drum cultures. LITTLE SUPPORT FOR JAMAICAN ARTISTES OUTSIDE OF REGGAE, DANCEHALL—03/20/12 Three Jamaican performers who are working to perfect their craft find little support in a world that expects all Jamaican artistes to perform either dancehall or reggae genres. Samantha Strachan, CharlesAnthony Moore, and Tina Simone Mowatt are ready to show that Jamaican vocalists have considerable versatility in the fields of jazz, R&B, neo-soul, and opera. advertisement
-------------------------SPORTS -------------------------BENNETT WANTS BIGGER TRAVELING SQUADS—03/17/12 Junior Bennett, coach of Jamaica's cricket team, believes the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) should make the size of traveling squads larger for regional tournaments. This would address emergency circumstances in which players could be called for senior team duty. Bennett made his comments after the win over Trinidad and Tobago at Queen's Park Oval. The situation in that match could have resulted in difficulties for the team, but luckily, a suitable replacement player was already at the location. The situation highlighted the need for additional team players when traveling. HUNGARY TO BE SITE OF FOOTBALL CONGRESS—03/18/12 The Caribbean Football Union (CFU) will attend the CFU Ordinary Congress of 2012 in Budapest, Hungary. The CFU meeting will be held in conjunction with the CONCACAF and FIFA Congresses. According to Damien Hughes, acting general secretary of the regional agency, the meeting in Hungary will center on several areas of interest to the Caribbean region, including the technical, institutional, and administrative components of the CFU's work. USAIN BOLT PREDICTS "HOME TRACK" ADVANTAGE IN LONDON OLYMPICS—03/19/12
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While Usain Bolt may not be competing in Jamaica during the 2012 Olympics, he believes that the large population of Jamaicans in London will give him a "home track" advantage in the competition. Bolt will race the same three events as he did at the Beijing Olympics in 2008: the 100 meters, 200 meters, and 4x100 meter relay. Bolt took home three gold medals in those events in 2008 and hopes to do the same in London in 2012. 26-YEAR-OLD DISCUS RECORD BROKEN—03/20/12 Allison Randall, a new Jamaican track and field star, has broken the oldest of the senior women's national records. Randall surpassed the discus throw mark set by Marlene Lewis 26 years ago and won her event at the University of Miami Hurricane Invitational with a new record of 61.21 meters. Randall, 24, beat Lewis' previous record throw of 53.58 meters set in May 1986 in Texas. Although Randall was born in the United States, she is qualified to represent Jamaica through her Jamaican mother. -------------------------------------------------JAMAICAN JOBS -------------------------------------------------REAL ESTATE SALES ASSOCIATE MARKETING RESEARCHER MECHANICAL TECHNICIAN PROGRAMMER/ANALYST - IT4 SENIOR LECTURER - ECONOMICS
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Weekly Devotional
“Not of Works” The parable was simple yet profound in its truths. Two men with the same intent, the worship of God, but who were as different as night and day in their approach. According to the narrative, "Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.' But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me, a sinner!' I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted" (Luke 18:10-14, ESV). It is not enough to worship God. How we worship Him is equally important. The Pharisee, not wanting to be associated with the reviled tax collector, reaffirmed his strict adherence to pharisaic righteousness that required doing no harm to others and observing all the ordinances
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of God, then established in the Jewish economy. In other words, his strong opinion of his own righteousness was the basis on which he built his hope of final salvation. On the other hand, the tax collector, being repentant and feeling unworthy to stand before God, demonstrated a consciousness of his guilt by smoting his breast, a token of excessive grief, and threw himself upon God's mercy as his only claim to salvation. He realized something the Pharisee had not - that salvation was not something he could claim by his works, but only by God's work of redeeming grace. The apostle Paul echoed this sentiment when he reminded the church at Ephesus, "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast" (Ephesians 2:8-9, KJV). On our best days, our best efforts at being righteous "are as filthy rags" (Isaiah 64:6); we have nothing in ourselves to boast about. God is not impressed with our trying to remind Him of how good we have been or how good we are. Jesus made it clear that it was not the Pharisee who had professed his righteousness through his works that went away justified, but the tax collector who had come with a broken and a contrite heart. It is true that today's believer is covered by the righteousness of Christ. Paul affirmed, "For He [God] hath made Him [Christ] to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him" (1 Corinthians 5:21). However, our position is not the result of our efforts, but all because of what He did. The next time we stand to pray, let us keep that in mind.
CEW
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CAMPAIGN PREVIEW JAMAICA NEWSWEEKLY For the week ending March 23rd, 2012
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