Jamaica Could Decriminalize Marijuana This Year.....But Jamaican leaders feared that loosening pot regulations would defy international treaties and possibly bring sanctions from the United States

It's been nearly 40 years since Peter Tosh said "Legalize It," and Jamaica is finally thinking about moving in that direction.
Marijuana JamaicaMarijuana is in some ways a part of Jamaican culture. Citizens of the island nation have used it medicinally for decades; Rastafarians believe it brings them closer to God; there's even a small marijuana tourism industry for foreign visitors. Nevertheless, growing and possessing cannabis has been a criminal offense in Jamaica since 1913.
But that could change soon. Jamaican Parliament member Phillip Paulwell told a local newspaper Monday that he thinks the possession of small amounts of marijuana could be decriminalized this year. Doing so would make pot a civil violation rather than a criminal offense.
Efforts to ease Jamaica's anti-weed laws have been in the works for more than a decade. A government-appointed commission recommended decriminalization back in 2001, noting that marijuana was "culturally entrenched" in the country. But Jamaican leaders feared that loosening pot regulations would defy international treaties and possibly bring sanctions from the United States, according to The Associated Press. Jamaica is the Caribbean's largest exporter of cannabis to the U.S., the AP notes, and drug war violence has taken its toll in parts of the country. more

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IN JAMAICA: Dr Omar Davies....."there is no likelihood of China's proposed Goat Islands investment coming on stream within five years."

BY BALFORD HENRY Senior staff reporter balfordh@jamaicaobserver.com  Friday, February 28, 2014    
MINISTER of Transport, Works and Housing Dr Omar Davies says there is no likelihood of China's proposed Goat Islands investment coming on stream within five years.
Dr. Omar Davies
"The port is not expected to be engaged in trans-shipment activities for several years yet," Dr Davies told the House of Representatives, in a statement on Tuesday.
"It will require time for technical development after the signing of the implementation and concession agreements prior to the start of construction, and another period for construction," he stated.
"Assuming that the agreements will be concluded about a year from now, the port will not be in operation for approximately four years. It is also expected to be limited in scope at the start," he added.
Davies, who was speaking on the issue of competition between the Chinese proposed development, and the planned privatisation of the Kingston Container Terminal (KCT), noted that, on the other hand, the KCT concessionaire will be acquiring a going concern with excess capacity and with the ability for that capacity to be expanded within a short time frame through changes to the equipment at the terminal. more 

GOOD ECONOMIC NEWS FOR JAMAICA: Fitch moves Jamaica’s credit rating up a few notches to “B-“ from “CCC.”......The outlook was also upgraded to “Stable”.

imageAccording to the Wall Street Journal, the upgrade concludes Fitch's assessment of the country's domestic debt exchange offer launched on February 12.



NEW YORK, United States, February 27, 2014, CMC – International credit rating agency, Fitch, has upgraded Jamaica's credit rating after the country completed its debt exchange Thursday.
The agency lifted Jamaica's long-term foreign currency issuer default ratings to triple-C, seven notches into junk territory, from  restricted default .
According to the Wall Street Journal, the upgrade concludes Fitch's assessment of the country's domestic debt exchange offer launched on February 12.
“The ratings firm considered the operation a distressed debt exchange as the swap hurts the original contractual terms of domestic bondholders,” the paper said.
On Tuesday, a Jamaica government statement issued said Fitch Ratings upgraded the island’s long term foreign currency and local currency Issuer Default Ratings (IDR) to “B-“ from “CCC.”
The rating agency also raised the short-term foreign currency rating from “C” to “B” and the Country Ceiling from “B-“ to “B”, the statement said. The outlook was also upgraded to “Stable”. more
  

Barbados labour minister, Dr. Esther Byer Suckoo calls on citizens to help reverse economic woes

imageLabour Minister Dr. Esther Byer Suckoo said that whilst the Freundel Stuart government was fully conscious of the challenges and has a mandate to seek and implement solutions which will engender economic recovery, “we all have a role to play in the recove
BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, Thursday February 27, 2014, CMC – 
A senior Barbados government Minister Tuesday said every citizen must play a role in the turning around the ailing economy warning “if you are not part of the solution you are part of the problem”.
Labour Minister Dr. Esther Byer Suckoo, addressing the Productivity Council’s Week of Excellence, said that whilst the Freundel Stuart government was fully conscious of the challenges and has a mandate to seek and implement solutions which will engender economic recovery, “we all have a role to play in the recovery process. 
“We know that there is no panacea for all the challenges which we encounter, whether it be at the level of Government, social partnership, the workplace or even in our personal lives; but whatever the solutions we decide upon, ingenuity, proactivity and fortitude would make them attainable,” she said. more: 

IN JAMAICA: Turn In The Guns, McGregor Tells Peace-Hungry Gangsters......Has to be genuine "But people have to be genuine in what they are saying ... a man can't say 'peace' and have his two hands behind him with his guns."

Published: Friday | February 28, 2014
McGregor

Turn In The Guns, McGregor Tells Peace-Hungry Gangters

Even as he welcomed early signs that the 'combatants' in the protracted gang feud in west Kingston appear to be finally embracing peace, Superintendent of Police Steve McGregor yesterday warned that the first order of business is for the guns to be taken out of the hands of gangsters.
"The proof of the pudding is in the eating," said McGregor, who has been in charge of the tough Kingston Western Police Division since late 2013. "It's early days and it's just word of mouth. We want to see the action that will support such talk."
The Gleaner reported yesterday that gangsters in the area were seeking to initiate peace after two years of severe bloodletting that claimed scores of lives. A peace dance and march was reportedly held on Tuesday as a signal of their intent.
McGregor said fresh in his mind was the violence unleashed on the other side of the Corporate Area in east Kingston on Valentine's Day, when men who were under the impression that communities had agreed on peace, ventured into a neighbouring area, but were turned back.
17-month-old killed
The men reportedly returned with high-powered guns and opened fire. When the smoke cleared, a 17-month-old baby and a man lay dead. The shooting triggered reprisals in which a two-month-old infant narrowly missed death, as his parents took bullets for him.....more

KINGSTON, Jamaica — IRIE FM radio has reported that its CEO and managing director Chad Young died at his St Ann home today (Thursday, February 27) at age 27.

Chad Young owner CEO Irie FM Zip FM dead 27 brain tumor cancer
27 y-o Chad Young
KINGSTON, Jamaica — IRIE FM radio has reported that its CEO and managing director Chad Young died at his St Ann home today (Thursday, February 27) at age 27.
Young’s death follows a brief illness. Young took over management and control of Grove Broadcasting Company, which also operates ZIP FM, following the death of his father Karl Young, four years ago.
The company has expressed “its deep sorrow” over Young's passing, the St Ann-based radio station reported. more

Spanish Town, St Catherine: Shock, anger over 15-y-o, Rachael Robinson's death.......police said they wanted to speak to a 25-year-old man who is reported to be the boyfriend of the girl

 BY KIMMO MATTHEWS Observer staff reporter matthewsk@jamaicaobserver.com  Friday, February 28, 2014    
RESIDENTS of St John's Road, Spanish Town, St Catherine, were yesterday morning still expressing anger and shock at the death of a 15-year-old girl whose body was found inside a house in the community Wednesday night.
ROBINSON… found dead inside a
 house (PHOTOS: GARFIELD ROBINSON)
"We are calling on the police to step up their probe into the incident as we are all in shock," said the girl's grandmother, Janice Lewin.
"She was a humble and jovial person," added Lewin, her pain obvious.
Yesterday, the police said they wanted to speak to a 25-year-old man who is reported to be the boyfriend of the girl, who was identified as Rachael Robinson.
The St Catherine North Police said that a visitor to the house discovered the body of the teen about 7:00 pm and raised an alarm.
"Police are at this time awaiting a post-mortem to determine the cause of death," head of St Catherine North Police Division Anthony Castelle said. Police say, while they continue to search for clues, they were not ruling out foul play. The residents said they believe Robinson was beaten and strangled. more

IN JAMAICA: 17-year-old St Jago High School student athlete Cavahn McKenzie.....Cavahn’s autopsy inconclusive Government considering further tests to determine junior athlete's cause of death......Trinidad Express newspaper that the athlete died "from a massive heart attack".

THE Government of Jamaica is considering further scientific tests to "conclusively" determine the cause of death of 17-year-old St Jago High School student athlete Cavahn McKenzie, who died after competing in the 6K race at the North American, Central American and Caribbean Athletics Association Cross-Country Championship in Tobago on Saturday.
Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller (in hat);
 minister with responsibility for sports,
 Natalie Neita Headley (with hands clasped)
 and Cavahn McKenzie’s parents
Pauline Dennis (third right), and John McKenzie
 (second right, partly hidden) watch as
Cavahn’s body arrives yesterday 
The Office of the Prime Minister disclosed yesterday that the results of the autopsy done in Trinidad were "inconclusive" immediately after the athlete's body arrived at the Norman Manley International Airport on a Caribbean Airlines flight.
"The results of the autopsy to determine the cause of Cavahn's death are inconclusive. Consequently, further tests are underway in Trinidad and Tobago. The Government of Jamaica, in accordance with procedures, is also considering further scientific review in an attempt to conclusively determine the cause of his death," the OPM said in a release.
Yesterday's disclosure came amidst reports by the Trinidad Express newspaper that the athlete died "from a massive heart attack". The article, published on the Trinidad Express website on February 24, quoted Peter Samuel, public relations officer of the twin-island's National Association of Athletics Administrations, as saying that the autopsy had confirmed the cause of death. more

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Sport outa JAMAICA: Athlete's attorney pleads with disciplinary panel to be lenient Don’t lynch Asafa Powell!

ASAFA Powell's future in athletics will be known on April 10 and his attorney Kwame Gordon pleaded with the disciplinary panel for him not to be lynched, but commended for coming forward and assisting the authorities after the analytical finding last May.

POWELL... will know fate on April 10
(OBSERVER FILE PHOTO)
But Jamaica Anti-Doping Commission's (JADCO) attorney, Lackston Robinson, suggested no reduction in sanctions was possible for Powell while outlining discrepancies in the athlete's statements.
Robinson outlined the inconsistencies in the invoice that Canadian trainer Chris Xuereb sent to agent Paul Doyle when he purchased the supplements; Powell's reasons for not mentioning Epiphany D1 on the doping control form and his research method.
"It goes to credibility, it does. It affects all the witnesses' credibility. There are so many discrepancies given by Mr Doyle, Mr Powell, Miss (Sherone) Simpson his witness and Mr Plummer," noted Robinson.
"When you look at this invoice, Epiphany D1 is not on it at all, so the plot thickens. We don't know what to believe, Mr Chairman," he added.
"The evidence that we have is that Mr Xuereb left Jamaica on the fifth of June, 2013, and returned on the sixth with the supplements. But if you look at the invoice it is dated June 1, 2013. It pre-dates the time the supplements were purchased," he pointed out. more

Entertainment : Remembering Philip Smart.....an engineer/producer, died Tuesday in Port Washington, New York, from pancreatic cancer. He was in his late 50s.....SHAGGY's songs such as Mampie, Big Up and his international breakthrough Oh Carolina, were recorded at HC&F.

BY HOWARD CAMPBELL Observer senior writer
Thursday, February 27, 2014 
ANYONE who moved in New York reggae circles for the last 30 years would be familiar with Philip Smart, the quiet, influential founder and head of HC&F Recording Studio in Long Island.
Smart, an engineer/producer, died Tuesday in Port Washington, New York, from pancreatic cancer. He was in his late 50s.
Philip Smart
His brother-in-law and business partner, Michael McDonald, told the Jamaica Observer that Smart was admitted to a hospice last week.
The prolific engineer/ producer worked with countless artistes at his HC&F Recording Studio in Long Island, most notably Shaggy, who recorded several of his hit songs there.
Some of the Grammy-winning toaster's early songs such as Mampie, Big Up and his international breakthrough Oh Carolina, were recorded at HC&F.
Musician Derrick Barnett of Sagitarius Band fame also did numerous sessions at the facility. He knew Smart since the early 1980s. "Philip was one of the nicest persons I knew in the music business. He was always willing to share his knowledge," Barnett told the Observer yesterday. more

ST CATHERINE, Jamaica :15-year-old girl body found in house on St Johns Road

Thursday, February 27, 2014 | 7:49 AM    
ST CATHERINE, Jamaica -- The body of a 15-year-old girl was found in a house in her community of St Johns Road, St Catherine on Wednesday night.
Reports reaching OBSERVER ONLINE are that the girl's body was discovered about 7:30 pm by someone who had gone to the house.
Lawmen are now probing the matter and trying to locate the individual who is believed to live at the house where the girl was found.
More info later.....

Free Passage - Gov't waives visas for Chinese nationals......Government, China in discussions to lift visa restriction on J’cans.....In 2012, Chinese nationals spent US$102 billion on outbound travel, helping the country earn the classification as the leading tourism source market in the world.

THE Jamaican Government has conditionally waived visa requirements for tourists from China travelling to the island as it moves to boost visitor arrivals from that Asian country.
01The announcement came yesterday from Tourism and Entertainment Minister Wykeham McNeill during the post-Cabinet press briefing. It came a day after Government gave the clearest indication yet that the Chinese will get the go ahead to develop a trans-shipment port on the Goat Islands, despite protests.
"In our efforts to ease the difficulties experienced while harnessing the market potential, Cabinet has approved the conditional waiver of visa requirements for nationals of the People's Republic of China who travel to Jamaica for tourism purposes for 30 days or less," McNeill said.
What now obtains is that, in many cases, Chinese citizens have to fly long distances to the Jamaican embassy in Beijing to apply for a visa. That, according to McNeill, has thwarted their efforts to travel to the island.
Some 2,420 visitors arrived here from China last year, a 15 per cent increase when compared to 2012. There was an increase of 24 per cent in 2012 over 2011.
In 2012, Chinese nationals spent US$102 billion on outbound travel, helping the country earn the classification as the leading tourism source market in the world. more

JAMAICA Business .....Paulwell: No sign of Digicel moving headquarters overseas.... Moody's had also noted that slowing subscriber growth, lower pricing plans and adverse foreign currency movements relative to the US dollar in Digicel's three largest geographies, (Jamaica, Haiti and Papua New Guinea)

MINISTER of Science, Technology, Energy and Mining (STEM) Phillip Paulwell says that the Government is unaware of any intention by telecoms giant Digicel to relocate its headquarters from Jamaica.
The Digicel headquarters in
 downtown Kingston.
(OBSERVER FILE PHOTOS
"They came here as a small enterprise, and now they are a multinational company operating from their base here in Jamaica, and based on the plans they have revealed to me, they intend to stay here and to grow even further," Paulwell told the House of Representatives on Tuesday in response to questions from Dr Andrew Wheatly, the Opposition spokesman on science, ICT and digital society development and the environment.
"Digicel continues to be a highly successful company...and we are proud of their achievements," Paulwell added.
Dr Wheatley had asked the minister if he was aware that, under the Urban Renewal (Tax Relief) Act, Digicel — the largest telecommunications provider in Jamaica — was an approved developer pursuant to which the company constructed its corporate headquarters in downtown Kingston, Jamaica.more

William Skinner report on Peace and Love Vibration Show w/ RULA BROWN Fri, Feb 28th on www.RulaBrownNetwork.com 9am-12 Noon ET simulcast on 13 radio Networks. See you in the chat room with your questions.


Britain reports £60m (approx 11.0 Billion JMD) of cocaine seized in Caribbean Sea in January.....1.3 metric ton of cocaine had been seized during the counter-narcotics operation

Britain reports £60m of cocaine seized in Caribbean Sea in January

image
British Armed Forces Minister Mark Francois told Parliament Tuesday that the 1.3 metric tone of cocaine had been seized during the counter-narcotics operation in the Caribbean Sea on January 22.
LONDON, United Kingdom, Wednesday February 26, 2014, CMC – Britain says cocaine estimated at 60 million pounds (One British pound = US$1.66 cents) had been seized in the Caribbean Sea last month as part of a joint operation with the United States Coast Guard.
British Armed Forces Minister Mark Francois told Parliament Tuesday that the 1.3 metric tone of cocaine had been seized during the counter-narcotics operation in the Caribbean Sea on January 22.
“The Ministry of Defence routinely deploys a Royal Navy frigate or destroyer and a Royal Fleet Auxiliary vessel to the Caribbean under the Atlantic Patrol Task (North),” Francois said.
“We are also working to improve our co-operation with regional partners,” he said, noting for example, the Royal Fleet Auxiliary has recently concluded an agreement with the US Coast Guard to allow their helicopters to operate from an RFA vessel. more 

VYBZ KARTEL MURDER TRIAL VERDICT WATCH: ???????? STAY TUNED.......Meanwhile, defence attorney Tamika Harris completed her address to the jurors Wednesday afternoon

KINGSTON, Jamaica -- There will be no verdict in the Vybz Kartel murder trial underway in the Home Circuit court downtown Kingston until after next week.
Justice Lennox Campbell had hoped to start his summation of the evidence on Friday because a member of the 11-panel jury would not be available on Thursday. 
But the Forewoman Wednesday afternoon informed the court that another member of the panel is scheduled to do surgery and would not be available. The juror said that she would be available next week Thursday, when the judge will then begin his summation. 
Meanwhile, defence attorney Tamika Harris completed her address to the jurors Wednesday afternoon by asking them to find her client Andre St John, and all the other accused, not guilty. “You cannot ignore what is rotten in this case. You just cannot wuk wid it. You cannot put on blinkers...,” she said.
Entertainer Vybz Kartel, along with St John, Shawn Campbell, Shane Williams and Kahira Jones are on trial for the August 2011 murder of Clive ‘Lizard’ Williams, believed committed at Kartel’s Havendale, St Andrew house. more

The things that dog us; what they say about us, JAMAICA........A week before, an 11-month-old British girl, Ava-Jayne Corless, was mauled to death by her parents' pit bull while she slept in their Blackburn residence.

Grace VIRTUE
Wednesday, February 26, 2014 

Three disparate entities, three potent symbols of why, with all our wonderful potential and big dreams, it is so hard to climb out of the hole we have been digging since Independence.
Despite many pit bull attacks, several of them fatal, no action has been taken to address the issue. Even as Dr Barbara Carby, a certified dog trainer, writing in this newspaper recently, sought to make a case for why the breed should not be banned outright, there continues to be far more persuasive evidence for why it needs to be, as well as the need for 21st century animal control legislation overall. In the meantime, the pit bull's extreme aggressive tendencies and unpredictable nature make it an unwelcome addition to an already undisciplined and highly stressed environment.
A week ago, in Westmoreland, a man was shot during an argument which developed because a pit bull killed a dog owned by one of the victim's relatives. A week before, an 11-month-old British girl, Ava-Jayne Corless, was mauled to death by her parents' pit bull while she slept in their Blackburn residence.
"What will it take to convince people not to keep dogs like these; and to get across to owners of every breed, that no dog should ever be left unsupervised with a baby? asked Jack Straw, member of Parliament for Blackburn.

Will it take the mauling of a tourist to get our responsible ministries to treat this as a serious issue?
Forget the clichéd it's-not-the-breed-it's-the-owner argument snatched from American gun right activists talking points — the same ones who oppose legislation aimed at reducing mass murders. For that argument to make sense there would have to be a prototype of an owner that would guarantee only positive outcomes. No such thing exists. Equally misleading is the idea that pit bulls are a loving, gentle breed. They were created by crossing Old English terriers and Old English bulldogs to combine the fighting abilities of the one and the strength and speed of the other. They were created to be dangerous, and they are. This is why they are banned in their land of origin — Great Britain. Additional legislation will be introduced there this spring to include tougher sentencing for violations.  more

No visa for Chinese visitors to Jamaica.....According to the Minister, China is now the largest spender globally in international tourism.

KINGSTON, Jamaica – Citizens of China will now be able to enter Jamaica without a visa.
Speaking at the Jamaica House Post Cabinet press briefing on Wednesday, Minister of Information, Sandrea Falconer said that government has approved a new regime that will allow Chinese nationals to visit Jamaica as tourists for up to 30 days without a visa.
Falconer said that it has been difficult to achieve substantial growth in arrivals from China as many Chinese citizens have had to travel great distances to obtain a visa from the Jamaican Embassy in Beijing.
“This administration recognises Chinese potential for growth as a tourism market in Jamaica, but also recognises the difficulties entailed in developing it,” she said.
According to the Minister, China is now the largest spender globally in international tourism. 
She added that the government has been making concerted efforts to develop new markets in the tourism industry by relaxing its visa requirements for several countries in Latin America, Russia and Eastern Europe. 
Falconer said these efforts have been successful thus far producing double digit performance in a short period of time.  Visa requirements have already been relaxed for Colombia, Panama, Venezuela, Ukraine and the Czech Republic among others. more
Candiese Leveridge

KINGSTON, Jamaica: Double murder in Caribbean Terrace.....opposite Harbour View in east Kingston

Wednesday, February 26, 2014 | 2:13 PM
KINGSTON, Jamaica -- Police have stepped up their presence in Caribbean Terrace, opposite Harbour View in east Kingston following a double murder in the seaside community Tuesday night.
Police report that at about 9:00pm Tuesday two men were attacked and shot dead by unknown assailants.
The two men up to Wednesday afternoon have still not been identified. more
Kimmo Matthews

Reggae music has lost a significant figure, Radio personality in Philip Smart of New York who died from cancer Tuesday night.....The first hit recorded with Pro Tools was Dirtsman's "Hot This Year....He later produced and worked on "Rikers Island”" by Cocoa Tea and Nardo Ranks, making the edits in the system. Later that year, Shaggy recorded "Mampie" with Philip; Red Fox and Screechie Dan's "Pose Off"; and "Shot Mek You Wiggle" by Junior Demus

Reggae music has lost a key figure, personality in Philip Smart of New York who died from cancer. Philip has been battling cancer for quite awhile in New York.
Smart's career spans over five decades. While in high school, he produced his first record with reggae instrumentalist Augustus Pablo and vocalist Lee "Scratch" Perry.
PhilipSmart:WNYU-FM
Philip Smart at the Radio Controls
The transition to recording engineering came when the Augustus Pablo's album Java was being recorded. Errol Thompson was the project engineer and Philip was taught how to record to sixteen-track tape machines and how to make rough mixes to two-track tapes. This was followed by working with King Tubby and then for producer Bunny Lee, who gave him the nickname Prince Philip. He was in fact King Tubby's first trainee, recording and mixing such hits as "None Shall Escape" byJohnny Clarke, "Jah Love" by Yabby U, and most of Dr. Alimantado's albums.
HC&F Recording Studio was built in 1981 and opened in 1982. The first recording project was with the group Monyaka, titled "Go Deh Yaka," which was an instant hit, and reached #14 on the UK charts. Since that time, the studio had several very successful projects such as Jah Life Productions, which featured such artists as Sister Carol, Scion Success, Barrington Levy, and Carlton Livingston. He is also known for his work with artists under labels other than his own, such as Island In the Sun Productions artist Horace Andy; Narrows Records artist Mr Easy; Donovan Germain Productions artists Audrey HallOwen Gray, Tanto Irie, and Johnny Osbourne; and Witty's Music Master Productions artists Shelly Thunder, Junior Wilson, and Barrington Levy.
With the nineties came digital recording and the introduction of Pro Tools' two-track computer-recording program to the studio. The first hit recorded with Pro Tools was Dirtsman's "Hot This Year," which was released on TanYah records. He later produced and worked on "Rikers Island”" by Cocoa Tea and Nardo Ranks, making the edits in the system. Later that year, Shaggy recorded "Mampie" with Philip; Red Fox and Screechie Dan's "Pose Off"; and "Shot Mek You Wiggle" by Junior Demus, which was later used in the film "Dancehall Queen". During 1993–1999, Shaggyrecorded five albums from with Philip, which included "Boombastic" and "Hot Shot."
As dance music got bigger in 2000, multitrack Digidesign Pro Tools TDM was in demand, along with 24-track tapes. Mixes such as "Headacke," "All Out," and "Blue Drawers" were synced with 24-track tape and Pro Tools technology to achieve fatness and warmth placing emphasis on digital mixing and editing features. Philip's early Pro Tools and analog technology knowledge gave him a cutting edge in the 1990s, which provided reggae artists with the ability to record Jamaican-quality sound in New York.[1]

JAMAICANS are becoming more conscious of climate change.....Oral Khan, one of the conceptualiser of the green paper tabled in Parliament

JAMAICANS are becoming more conscious of climate change as their knowledge of the phenomenon and the risks it poses to the country increase.
That is the feeling of chief technical officer in the Ministry of Water, Land, Environment and Climate Change Oral Khan, one of the conceptualiser of the green paper tabled in Parliament in November 2013 titled Climate Change Policy Framework and Action Plan.
A section of the crowd at the public consultations
 on the green paper titled Climate Change
 Policy Framework and Action Plan.
The paper supports the goals of Vision 2030 to reduce the country's risk to hazards and adapt to climate change, and recommends actions to mitigate the effects on the agriculture, water, health, coastal and marine resources, disaster risk and response management, energy, forestry, waste management and transportation sectors.
Khan, who was speaking with the Jamaica Observer at The Pegasus Hotel in Kingston last Thursday on the occasion of the final in a series of public consultations on the green paper, said with the influence of the media and public awareness campaign initiatives globally, there has been an increase in the interest of Jamaicans in climate change.
The previous sessions were held in Port Maria, St Mary; Santa Cruz, St Elizabeth and Montego Bay, St James.
"With regard to climate change, everywhere we go, people are keenly interested in what is happening," Khan said. He didn't have statistical evidence, but provided anecdotal references to support his claim. more

Jamaican Govt cuts budget by $21B......The cut was much more than the J$12 billion to J$16 billion which was expected

Tuesday, February 25, 2014 | 8:27 PM  
KINGSTON, Jamaica -- The government has cut the 2013/14 budget by J$21 billion. This was indicated in the first Supplementary Estimates which were tabled in Gordon House Tuesday afternoon.
The cut was much more than the J$12 billion to J$16 billion which was expected, primarily due to an $11-to-$12 billion hole created by under performing projected tax revenues up to the end of January this year.
The estimates show that despite predictions that the major cut would be from the Capital A and B budgets, $12 billion was cut from the recurrent budgets, mainly affecting interest rate payments on the public debt and $1.8 billion on pension payments.
Increases were granted to the ministries of education and health under the recurrent estimates.
Balford Henry

Obamacare Enrollment Reaches 4 Million......call center has handled more than 12 million calls so far and is open 24/7

Main Entry Image
President Obama
WASHINGTON -- Approximately 4 million individuals have now signed up for health care plans under the newly created Obamacare insurance exchanges, a senior administration official told The Huffington Post on Tuesday.
The numbers mean that roughly 700,000 people have signed up for health care plans since the end of January. And with five weeks before the enrollment period deadline at the end of March, they put the administration on pace to come close to the Congressional Budget Office's initial projection that 7 million individuals would sign up for insurance coverage during the period.
"With individuals and families enrolling in coverage every day, we continue to see strong demand nationwide from consumers who want access to quality, affordable coverage," reads a statement from the administration, passed in advance to The Huffington Post. "Consumers are shopping and enrolling in plans on HealthCare.gov every day; system error rates are low and response times are consistently less than half a second. Our call center has handled more than 12 million calls so far and is open 24/7 to assist consumers in English, Spanish and more than 150 languages." more

GEORGETOWN, Guyana : Commission of Inquiry appointed to probe Walter Rodney's death

Tuesday, February 25, 2014 | 5:01 PM
GEORGETOWN, Guyana (CMC) – More than two decades after renowned academic Dr Walter Rodney was killed by a bomb, a three-member Commission has been appointed to probe his death.
Walter Rodney
The Commission is headed by Barbadian jurist Sir Richard Cheltenham and includes Jamaican Queen’s Counsel (QC) Jacqueline Samuels-Brown and Trinidad and Tobago Senior Counsel (SC) Senath Jairam. They all took the Oath of Office before President Donald Ramotar on Monday.
Rodney, the co-founder of the Working People’s Alliance (WPA), was killed on June 13, 1980, after a walkie-talkie, given to him by now deceased Guyana Defence Force member Gregory Smith, exploded as he sat in car.
The then ruling People’s National Congress (PNC) has long been blamed for the murder. But the party has continuously denied any responsibility.
Sir Richard sought to assure nationals of the importance of the Commission of Inquiry in light of the passage of time since Rodney’s death.
“The fact that it happened 30 years or so ago need not be any bar to a full exposure of what took place and for the commission to make some firm conclusions,” he said, adding that he had been advised that there will be over 100 persons testifying.
He said there were many potential witnesses who did not want to give statements until the commission had been established. more

Canadian doctor gets 10 years conviction for sexually assaulting 21 sedated women during surgeries was sentenced Tuesday to 10 years in prison.....victims between the ages of 25 and 75 took the stand against Doodnaught, a 26-year veteran.

Tuesday, February 25, 2014 | 12:05 PM 
TORONTO (AP) — A Canadian anaesthesiologist convicted of sexually assaulting 21 sedated women during surgeries was sentenced Tuesday to 10 years in prison.
Ontario Superior Court Justice David McCombs said Dr George Doodnaught exploited the extraordinarily high degree of trust the patients placed in him and his conduct was "reprehensible in the extreme".
Doodnaught was convicted in November.
He reportedly committed the acts while concealed from other medical staff only by a surgical drape. The first six assaults were spread over 3 1/2 years and 15 others in the last six months before he was stopped. All but one of the assaults happened at North York General Hospital in Toronto.
During his trial, most of the 21 victims, between the ages of 25 and 75 took the stand against Doodnaught, a 26-year veteran. They gave generally similar accounts of being kissed and fondled by him, and of having his penis placed in their mouths or hands. The women testified they were conscious enough to be aware of what was happening, but were not able to move their limbs.
An anaesthesiologist since 1981, Doodnaught had worked at North York General for 28 years.
The hospital's chief of staff, Dr David White, had said at the time of Doodnaught's arrest in March 2010, that it was possible for an anaesthesiologist to be alone with a patient. Doodnaught's lawyer said he will appeal the convictions......

Vybz Kartel Trial: Near End this week....Police acted maliciously, attorney tells jurors

KINGSTON, Jamaica -- Defence attorney Pierre Rogers Tuesday continued his address to jurors in the Vybz Kartel murder trial telling the 11-member panel that the police acted maliciously in creating a message about chopping up Clive ‘Lizard’ Williams.
"It shows malicious intent on the part of the police," Rogers said. "The police created this with one aim in mind, one aim. This is malicious.”
Rogers called what was done in the case by the police "nastiness" and said that the prosecution has failed to address critical inconsistencies in the case. "It disappoints me and I suspect that it disappoints you," he said. "If this is not a set-up then what is? If this is not a conspiracy, what is?
“Why is the Crown making castles in the sky and asking you to join him up there? Rogers told the jurors.
Rogers started his final argument to the court last Friday. Kartel (Adijah Palmer) and four co accused Shane Williams; André St John; entertainer Shawn Campbell, popularly known as Shawn Storm; and Kahira Jones -- are on trial for the August 16, 2011 killing of Williams. more
Paul Henry

TAKE A LISTEN TO THIS BROTHER WHO WAS BORN IN JAMAICA.....Speak about Elijah, Blackness etc... WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT HIS MESSAGE. LIKE & SHARE.

STELLAR performances highlighted the Dennis Brown Concert held at Downtown Kingston......pays tribute to Brown who died in 1999 at 42.

STELLAR performances highlighted the Dennis Brown Concert held at Downtown Kingston's waterfront on Sunday.
John Holt
Organised by the Jamaica Reggae Industry Association (JaRIA), the concert, now in its fifth year, pays tribute to Brown who died in 1999 at 42.
Sunday's free concert drew a sizeable audience who were appreciative of the musicial offerings.
John Holt, who has been performing for over four decades, showed he had not lost his edge.
With the audience eating out of his palm, the veteran singer delivered a hit-filled set which included Police in Helicopter, Sweetie Come Brush Me and Stealing Stealing.
Johnny Clarke was also in fine form as he Moved Out A Babylon.
Special mention must be made of 2009 Rising Star winner, Shuga, whose command performance displayed her vocal range and confidence. Marla Brown — daughter of late Dennis Brown, Crown Prince of Reggae — proved herself worthy by effortlessly offering renditions of her father's songs to the audience's delight. more 

'Never say die'...... St Jago hopes to honor fallen athlete who DIED in Trinidad & Tobago, Cavahn McKenzie with Champs win.....Quitters never win and winners never quit, that was part of his philosophy

Cavahn McKenzie’s schoolmates are
comforted by a teacher as they mourn his
untimely death during morning devotion at
the school yesterday.
INDOMITABILITY pushed through the heavy pall of grief that engulfed St Jago High School yesterday morning as Cavahn McKenzie's colleagues fixed their minds on winning the upcoming ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys' and Girls' Championships in tribute to his 'never say die attitude'.
"We want to do it (win champs) for him, we want to follow what he left off. Quitters never win and winners never quit, that was part of his philosophy and he was that sort of person," said coach Donald Hawthorne.
D'Jean Allwood, captain of the St Jago athletics team, agreed.
St Jago High School students grieve
 for their departed schoolmate Cavahn McKenzie
 yesterday during morning devotion.
 McKenzie died in Trinidad and Tobago on
 Saturday after competing in the North American,
Central American and Caribbean Athletics
 Association Cross-Country Championships.
 (PHOTO: LIONEL ROOKWOOD)
"We lost someone valuable to the team. We will use this as a reason to go forward and not backward," Allwood said as he led members of the team to an emotion-filled devotion where students and teachers wept openly for the promising athlete who died on Saturday in Trinidad and Tobago.
While the St Jago team were competing at the annual Gibson Relays inside the National Stadium in Kingston, McKenzie was representing Jamaica at the three-day North American, Central American and Caribbean Athletics Association Cross-Country Championships.
But 17-year-old McKenzie collapsed at the end of the six-kilometre event and died shortly after being rushed to Scarborough General Hospital. more 

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KINGSTON, Jamaica : Farewell Bunny Rugs

KINGSTON, Jamaica -- The funeral service for noted reggae singer William ‘Bunny Rugs’ Clarke was held on Monday (February 24), at the Holy Trinity Cathedral North Street, downtown Kingston.
Bunny Rugs, lead singer for the Third World band for over thirty years died in Orlando, Florida on February 2. more 

Vybz Kartel Trial: Defence closing arguments continue on Monday

KINGSTON, Jamaica -- Defence attorney Pierre Rogers Monday in the Vybz Kartel murder trial cited the alleged tampering of evidence by the police and the action of the Crown as reasons he thinks there was a conspiracy to imprison the five accused men.
"There is something stink in the state of Denmark," Rogers told the 11-member panel of jurors during his final argument to the court.
Rogers also pointed to what he said are various inconsistencies in the testimony of the prosecution's star witness as further evidence that the prosecution had no case against the accused men.
The five are on trial for the killing of Clive ‘Lizard’ Williams believed to have been committed at Kartel’s Havendale home in August 2011. Kartel (Adijah Palmer), Shawn Campbell, Kahira Jones, Shane Williams and Andre St John will most likely know their fate by the end of this week. 
Two more defence attorneys, Tamika Harris and Everton Dewar, are expected to present their final arguments after Rogers. Justice Lennox Campbell will then present his summation before the matter is handed over to the jurors for their deliberation. more

Alec Balwin retires from public life...... Actor blames the ‘Gay Department of Justice’

Alec Baldwin
KINGSTON, Jamaica -- Actor Alec Baldwin has announced he is retiring from public life blaming the “Gay Department of Justice”.
Baldwin made his announcement via a lengthy article in the New York Magazine titled ‘I Give Up’, following a scandal-plagued 12 months.
According to News.com, Baldwin’s troubles began after fellow actor James Gandolfini’s funeral last June, when a reporter accused his wife, Hilaria, of live-tweeting the funeral. Baldwin responded by calling the reporter a “toxic little queen”.
After that, Baldwin was reportedly involved in a scuffle with a photographer, whom he allegedly called a homophobic slur. 
These two incidents led to a string of accusations of homophobia from members of the gay community.
The controversy surrounding Baldwin’s clashes with the media last year also led to the cancellation of his talk show ‘Up Late with Alec Baldwin’. Now, he says he’s done with all of the appearances — interviews, talk shows, red carpets — that are a part of a professional actor’s life. more

Acts Warm Music Fest.....Chronixx repeated: "The breeze cold, eeh?!!".....Tanya Stephens blamed the altitude and thin air, along with old age, when she forgot the lines to one of her popular tracks

HOLYWELL Recreational Park's chilly climbs took on a life of its own on Saturday's opening night of the two-day Blue Mountain Music Festival.
Every artiste who took the stage made mention of the less that tropical air.
Chronixx
Tanya Stephens blamed the altitude and thin air, along with old age, when she forgot the lines to one of her popular tracks; Kabaka Pyramid paid respect to all the persons who could just wear one layer of clothing — he was wearing three; and reggae's man- of-the-moment Chronixx repeated: "The breeze cold, eeh?!!".
A strong line-up, however, allowed patrons to forget the temperature and be warmed by the pulsating sounds of reggae.
Dub sister Jah9 was impressive as she kicked off the evening's major acts. Delivering all the popular tracks from her debut album New Name, she was able to get patrons going with a strong performance. more

JAMAICA call to decriminalising ganja.......Ganja green light this year Paulwell says Jamaica must not be left behind as world takes on marijuana

JAMAICA will this year join a virtual tidal wave of countries across the globe in decriminalising ganja, forerunner to the establishment of a medicinal marijuana industry estimated to be worth billions of dollars.
Paulwell
The undertaking was given to the Cannabis Commercial and Medicinal Research Taskforce (CCMRT) by Leader of Government Business in the House of Representatives Phillip Paulwell, according to one of the main taskforce leaders, Delano Seiveright.
In a press statement yesterday, Seiveright said Paulwell, who is also the minister of science, technology, energy and mining, told members of the taskforce at a meeting last Thursday that “ganja will be decriminalised in Jamaica this year and emphasised that Jamaica cannot be allowed to be left behind on the issue”.
“He also reiterated the multiple economic, social and cultural benefits that Jamaica stands to gain if the laws are adjusted sooner rather than later,” Seiveright said.more

NATION WIDE MANHUNT.....Child Rapist Escapes: Eric Eugene Hartwell, 51, was convicted of raping a 6-year-old Flees After Cutting Off Ankle Monitor, Police Say

A convicted child rapist living in a Denver group home has cut off his ankle monitor and escaped, police say. Eric Eugene Hartwell, 51, was convicted of raping a 6-year-old in 1991 and attempting to sexually assault a teen in 1996, according to 7 News in Denver.
Eric Eugene Hartwell
Hartwell
Hartwell was released on parole in December after serving part of a 5-year sentence for failing to register as a sex offender in Texas. That conviction came after he cut off an ankle monitor and fled to Texas from a group home in Washington state in 2009 just one week after being placed on parole, the Department of Justice stated.
Hartwell is wanted by both federal officials and the Colorado Corrections Department. "This is an active investigation of an absconder that we are hoping not to send even farther underground," Colorado Corrections Department spokesman Roger Hudson told CNN. more