IN JAMAICA: ASAFA POWELL BANNED for 18 months says it's 'unfair and unjust'......I took a legal supplement—Ephiphany D1. As it turns out, that supplement was contaminated with oxilofrine.

Thursday, April 10, 2014 | 11:57 AM    

KINGSTON, Jamaica -- Asafa Powell on Thursday said that the 18-month suspension handed down by the Jamaica Anti Doping Commission’s (JADCO) disciplinary panel exploring the circumstances under which his samples tested positive "is not only unfair, it is patently unjust".

A statement on his website iamasafapowell.com reads:

Asafa Powell, banned for 18 months

A short while ago, the independent disciplinary panel exploring the circumstances under which my samples tested positive for the stimulant oxilofrine handed down a sanction. I will confirm that the panel handed down an 18-month suspension.

This ruling is not only unfair, it is patently unjust. Panels such as these, I understood, were assembled to allow athletes who, consciously or unconsciously come into conflict with the rules of sport, a chance at equitable redemption. Unfortunately, this was not the case.

As an athlete, I took a legal supplement—Ephiphany D1. As it turns out, that supplement was contaminated with oxilofrine. My team commissioned two private laboratories that confirmed that oxilofrine was present in the supplements, despite it not being listed as an ingredient on the bottle nor on its website. I would also like to share that upon realizing that the supplement contained oxilofrine my team made contact with both The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and The United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) who not only ordered samples of the supplement from the manufacturer, but also tested and confirmed our findings. The USADA has also since issued a warning on their website for athletes to avoid the product as it contains banned substances. more

GLASGOW, SCOTLAND Showing For Jamaican Play: Jamaica's theatre industry is again earning international notice. Daughter of the late Professor Barry Chevannes is making strides in the industry internationally with her play titled The Last Bloom.

Published Thursday | April 10, 2014 

Jamaica's theatre industry is again earning international notice. Daughter of the late Professor Barry Chevannes is making strides in the industry internationally with her play titled The Last Bloom.

Amba Chevannes - Contributed

The play, written by Amba Chevannes, is showing in Glasgow, Scotland at the Oran Mors Theatre as part of their lunchtime theatre programme titled 'A Play, a Pie and a Pint'.

According to the theatre's official website, they "produce the work of many of Scotland's best-known writers, as well as presenting the work of new young playwrights"....

It describes Chevannes' work as that which "takes us into the hidden spaces of our societies and invite us, through laughter and tears, to face our own humanity."

The Last Bloom is a gripping drama that records the events in the life of the character Cynthia, who moves into a nursing home where she shares a room with the overbearing Myrtle.

A battle ensues between both women, with each struggling over the right to each other's pasts and memories.

Chevannes told The Gleaner she felt honoured by the whole experience. more

PALAS SPRING FLING DANCE FUNDRAISER at KOZY COVE , 4654 HOPE SPRING ROAD, STONE MTN GA Adm $15.00

IN JAMAICA: ‘Sparrow’ keeps the beat at Alpha Boys' School for over 50 years....the famed Kingston institution seemed in jeopardy when Minister of Youth and Culture Lisa Hanna announced Tuesday that, "antisocial and psychotic behaviour" at the 135-year-old institution has made it impossible to continue housing hundreds of boys.

BY HOWARD CAMPBELL Observer senior writer  Thursday, April 10, 2014    

IT'S been over 50 years since Winston 'Sparrow' Martin learned to play the drums at the Alpha Boys' School. Now in his late '60s, he is still there, teaching music and encouraging students to stay the straight and narrow.

Winston "Sparrow' Martin

Martin's 28-year tenure as music director at the famed Kingston institution seemed in jeopardy when Minister of Youth and Culture Lisa Hanna announced Tuesday that, "antisocial and psychotic behaviour" at the 135-year-old institution has made it impossible to continue housing hundreds of boys.

Martin says because of the school's remarkable music history, it was widely believed his department would be closed. That is not the case, he said during an interview with the Jamaica Observer yesterday.

"It's not breaking down. The music programme is still there. It will always be there," he said.

Alpha's South Camp Road location house over 100 boys and all of Martin's charges live at the location. Most play horns, an hallmark of its music programme. Despite the negative revelations given for the school's pending closure, Martin says his students, whose ages range from eight to 16, remain focused.

"They are willing to learn, there's a lot of enthusiasm and dedication. That's very important." more

MISS Lou: Louise Bennett and Jamaican Culture, is a new biography by professor Mervyn Icon....'Miss Lou' covers Miss Lou's work as a poet, performer, storyteller, singer, actress, writer, broadcaster and children's television show host. That diverse career spanned 50 years.

Thursday, April 10, 2014  

MISS Lou: Louise Bennett and Jamaican Culture, is a new biography by professor Mervyn Icon. Distributed by Kingston's Ian Randle Publishers, it will be released this month.

'Miss Lou' covers Miss Lou's work as a poet, performer, storyteller, singer, actress, writer, broadcaster and children's television show host. That diverse career spanned 50 years.

According to a release from IRP, "the book is brief and affordable, and captures the life of a woman whose actions and life's work instilled pride in Jamaicans in their language and culture".

Bennett-Coverley is a standard-bearer for modern Caribbean literature. She appeared in many pantomimes and wrote numerous poems and scripts. She also hosted radio and television programmes in Britain and at home, championing Jamaican culture.

She died in Toronto — where she lived for several years — in 2006 at age 88.

Morris is professor Emeritus of Creative Writing and West Indian Literature at the University of the West Indies (Mona).

Jamaica wants to expand use of concrete roads....Minister of Transport, Works and Housing Dr. Omar Davies confirmed yesterday

Thursday, April 10, 2014    

MINISTER of Transport, Works and Housing Dr Omar Davies confirmed yesterday that his ministry was looking at expanding the use of concrete in road construction and repairs.

Dr Davies, speaking at yesterday's final meeting of the Standing Finance Committee (SFC), said his ministry would be meeting with representatives of companies involved in the use of concrete in road construction and rehabilitation.

DAVIES… I have been engaged with
proposals for cement roads

The minister was responding to questions from Opposition spokesman on finance and planning, Audley Shaw, on the rapid deterioration of roads in his constituency, including the recently built Christiana Bypass.

Shaw said that, because there was no proper road maintenance programme, a number of the roads that were recently repaired or built were rapidly deteriorating.

"I have heard exactly the same complaints, but in recent months I have been engaged with proposals for cement roads," Dr Davies told the SFC.

He said that the use of concrete would cost approximately seven per cent more, but that the payback would be earned from the extended life of the roads. more 

IN JAMAICA : They were more concerned about looting the goods than about me..... Truck driver laments behaviour of residents after Mount Rosser crash...The vehicle was loaded with energy drinks, salt fish, and cereal estimated to value millions of dollars.

Thursday, April 10, 2014   

THE look of bewilderment on the face of the truck driver said it all. He had just escaped a scary accident without losing a limb.

The white Isuzu truck the man was driving developed mechanical problems and careened over a ledge before landing on the Church of Jesus Christ at Mount Rosser in St Catherine, yesterday.

Residents stand among two cops
 protecting a small quantity of goods
recovered at the crash site.

"As I approached the corner the timing belt broke and the truck stalled. When I tried to pull up the hand brake that failed too, and the truck rolled back so fast I couldn't believe it," said the still shaken driver, while asking that his name be withheld.

The vehicle was loaded with energy drinks, salt fish, and cereal estimated to value millions of dollars.

The crash was bad enough, but what followed was even more heart-rending.

In a matter of minutes a horde of looters converged on the scene and, with scant disregard for the safety of the driver, began emptying the storage area of the truck.

"They were more concerned about looting the goods than about helping me. Only a few wondered aloud if the driver was not injured. I am glad neither me or anyone else was injured," the driver told the Jamaica Observer.

It did not take long before the truck was emptied. The looters were still not satisfied.

They then turned their attention to scrapping the truck and removed the front and back right wheels before emptying the gas tank.

Wisely, the driver did not try to stop them as he could have been harmed by the marauding herd of callous looters.

One man acted threateningly when the Observer arrived on the scene.

"Don't come down here. Stay right there. No picture right here," the man barked.

The shattered wall and destroyed
furniture inside the Church of Jesus Christ.
 (PHOTOS: KARL MCLARTY)

When the police arrived on the scene they managed to retrieve a small quantity of the goods. They cops also managed to retrieve a quantity of the fuel that was stolen. However, it was not clear whether anyone was arrested in connection with the theft.

The truck, meanwhile, damaged a section of the church roof and a side wall.

The incident caused a major traffic pile-up which only eased after a wrecker hauled the disabled truck from the

accident scene.

BREAKING NEWS: At least 20 students were injured Wednesday morning in a stabbing incident at Franklin Regional Senior High School in the Pittsburgh area, said Dan Stevens,

BREAKING NEWS: MASSIVE STABBINGS AT HIGH SCHOOL IN PITTSBURGH, PA......At least 20 students were injured Wednesday morning in a stabbing incident at Franklin Regional Senior High School in the Pittsburgh area, said Dan Stevens, an emergency management agency spokesman.
Four people were flown to hospitals by helicopter, he said.
Dr. Chris Kaufmann at Forbes Regional Hospital in Monroeville, Pennsylvania, spoke to CNN on air. He said the facility is treating seven teens with stab wounds to their torso, abdomen, chest and back areas. He said that the injuries were "quite serious" and that "some are clearly life-threatening." An adult is also being treated there, he said.
A message on the Franklin Regional School District's website said all of its elementary schools were closed after the incident, and "the middle school and high school students are secure."
 Students stabbed at Pennsylvania school
Stevens said a suspect was in custody.
Information on what led to the stabbings and the conditions of the injured were not immediately released. The students range in age from 14 to 17, Stevens said.
The school is in Murrysville, about 15 miles east of downtown Pittsburgh.
Students were being released to their parents, Stevens said.
CNN first learned of the stabbings on Twitter. https://www.facebook.com/RulaBrownNetwork
http://www.cnn.com/2014/04/09/justice/pennsylvania-school-stabbing/index.html?hpt=hp_t1

IN JAMAICA: Young entrepreneur, 27 y-o RAVN Rae eyes first medical ganja dispensary in Jamaica.....Rae's store, Mez Jamaica, is one of Kingston's first established alternative smoking supplies shops. Ironically located just a stone's throw away from the Office of the Prime Minister on Devon Road

BY JULIAN RICHARDSON Assistant Business Co-ordinator richardsonj@jamaicaobserver.com  Wednesday, April 09, 2014    

RAVN Rae aspires to launch the first boutique medical marijuana dispensary in Jamaica. But for now, she settles on being just an apparatus supplier complementing an industry still operating outside the law locally.

"Marijuana is not legal, so I cannot have the product in the store," she stressed to the Business Observer when our news team visited her store on Monday.

Ravn Rae makes a point in discussion at
 her store, Mez Jamaica, on Devon Road
 Turn to DISPENSARY on Page 16 in Kingston.

Rae's store, Mez Jamaica, is one of Kingston's first established alternative smoking supplies shops. Ironically located just a stone's throw away from the Office of the Prime Minister on Devon Road, Mez offers a wide variety of 'pot-friendly' items such as water pipes or 'bongs', chalices and vaporisers.

The store has been open since October last year and its brand has been gaining traction in the nation's capital.

"It was derived out of inconvenience, people having to order online or travel to some other part of the island to get an apparatus," Rae, 27, told the newspaper.

"It was surprising that there was no store of this nature in Jamaica, considering how heavy we use marijuana and how well known we are for it," she added.

Clients vary across a wide demographic of adults 18 and over, with differing preferences in smoking accessories. The vaporisers are among the most popular products, and are especially a hit with the corporate white-collar workers, according to Rae, who noted that the trend has been fuelled by the government's ban on smoking in public spaces.

Vaporisation is an alternative to burning used for the inhalation of the active ingredients from

ganja or tobacco, thus avoiding harmful by-products. There is no second-hand smoke, tar or ash involved, when using vaporisers, as they function similarly to electronic cigarettes.

"I focus heavily on wellness, and with the new smoking ban in place, it has led people to looking at vaporising which is definiely a healthier option than combusting herbs," Rae said.

With decriminalisation of marijuana possibly around the corner, Rae is positioned to capitalise on her dream. Government plans to decriminalise ganja this year, paving the way for the establishment of a medicinal marijuana industry estimated to be worth billions of dollars. more

West Kingston gangsters using young boys in deadly feud.....12-y-o shottas said fearless, do not respect age or gender says Senior Superintendent Steve McGregor....

Wednesday, April 09, 2014    

CRIMINALS locked in a bloody feud in West Kingston are using boys as young as 12 to carry out their deadly attacks in the area, the police have confirmed.

“We have had reports that the men involved in this feud are using youth as young as 12, 13 and upwards to carry out these deadly attacks,” Senior Superintendent Steve McGregor told the Jamaica Observer, adding that the boy killers were fearless and had no respect for age or gender.

The information was first passed to the Observer on Monday by a resident of Tivoli Gardens, one of the communities in the constituency.

“The man dem who a do the killings nuh have nuh respect for law and order or people; dem even a use some young boys as young as 12 and over to carry out their attacks,” the resident said.

According to the resident, the latest victim of such an attack was Edward Black, a senior member of the community, who was gunned down in broad daylight along Chestnut Lane.

On Monday, during an operation that resulted in the recovery of one firearm and several rounds of ammunition, Senior Superintendent McGregor pointed out that the attacks are not confined to one side.

He also confirmed that the actions of the criminals have left members of the religious community in fear, especially after a Christian man was shot dead by gunmen when he told them that he was on Jesus’ side in response to their demand that he state which side he was supporting in the feud.

Monday’s police operation was staged two days after a 12-year-old boy and a 28-year-old man were shot dead and 10 other people shot and injured by gunmen who attacked a group of people in Denham Town.

Since that incident last Friday night, the police have released the names of several suspects who are also believed to be involved in several other incidents in the area. more

Dr. LAWRENCE WILLIAMS says more success for Guinea Hen Weed which is grown wild in JAMAICA.....and its potential for curing certain types of cancer, including those of the prostate, brain, breast, skin, lung and bladder, is also proving to be effective against degenerative diseases such as arthritis, diabetes, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease,

BY KIMONE THOMPSON Features Editor — Sunday thompsonk@jamaicaobserver.com

YOU'VE no doubt heard about the Guinea Hen Weed and its potential for curing certain types of cancer, including those of the prostate, brain, breast, skin, lung and bladder.

Dr Lawrence Williams points to a chart in his lab
 explaining how DTS attacks cancerous cells, without
 harming healthy ones. (PHOTOS: LIONEL ROOKWOOD)

But that's only half the story. The weed, which grows wild in Jamaica, is also proving to be effective against degenerative diseases such as arthritis, diabetes, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease, according to the scientist driving the research, Dr Lawrence Williams, a consultant at the Scientific Research Council (SRC).

Williams isolated a compound from the plant, called dibenzyl trisulphide (DTS), which he said is more potent than the other forms in which the weed exists on the market. He currently has a group of about 40 people using the compound — as well as a liqueur made from soaking the leaves of the plant in wine — in local trials, and said that the formulation was proving to be "very effective".

"I isolated a pure compound — the DTS — which is far more powerful than the capsules made from the guinea hen weed. When DTS is absorbed through the intestine walls and binds to the albumin, the anti-cancer properties go up 2,500-fold," he told the Jamaica Observer.

Albumin is a protein in the blood which transports hormones and fatty acids, regulates acidity levels, among other things..

"It's very effective against prostate and breast cancer," Dr Williams said.

Outside of that, however, Dr Williams said that DTS had implications for diseases associated with ageing.

"The key breakthrough is that DTS can reprogramme the thymus. We think it is going to change the face of medicine," he told the Sunday Observer in a recent interview. "It could be a broad spectrum cure for disease," he added.

Guinea Hen Weed Plant

The thymus is an organ in the chest which produces T-lymphocytes — a group of white blood cells which are critical in the adaptive immune system.

Perhaps the best news is that the DTS formulation zeros in on cancer cells and does not attack healthy cells, unlike other forms of treatment, like chemotherapy. "Research showed further that the compounds in anamu (the South American name for Guinea Hen Weed) were able to differentiate between normal cells and cancer cells, killing only the cancerous cells. In addition, other substances in the herb stimulate the body's natural defences," according to excerpts from a scientific paper on the wall in Dr Williams' lab.

"DTS is not toxic to normal cells, but any cell in the body that is pathological it will destroy, so it is selective mode of action that the DTS has when it is isolated from the Guinea Hen Weed," he stated.

"It doesn't seem to be toxic, which means there are no side effects," the scientist continued.

Williams, who is credited with developing the Bovine Serum Albumin assay — which replaces the use of animals in laboratory testing, and which was instrumental in developing the DTS — is now seeking to raise US$20 million for clinical trials and is partnering with an American scientist to that end. more

JAMAICA can be leader in ganja research, says Colorado lobbyist.....He cited, as an example, his home state of Colorado which had been experiencing an economic recession and is now making US$20 million (JA$2.1 Billion) in profits after decriminalising ganja....Apart from brain disorders, medicinal marijuana has been used to cure post-traumatic stress disorder, heart disease, arthritis and type l and ll diabetes.

BY KARYL WALKER Editor — Crime/Court Desk walkerk@jamaicaobserver.com  Wednesday, April 09, 2014  

 FOUNDER of the United States-based Strains of Hope, Josh Stanley, is urging Jamaica to grab the opportunity to become a world leader in scientific research on the marijuana plant, as the world moves towards the decriminalisation of the plant for medical uses.

Stanley's Strains of Hope is a non-profit organisation formed to assist in the accessing of cannabis.

According to Josh Stanley, Jamaica’s two leading
 universities can collaborate to lead the research on
 medical marijuana. (PHOTO: AP)

Speaking at the Jamaica Observer's weekly Monday Exchange, Stanley, a native of Colorado, said the 'economic fruits of ganja are ripe for picking' and a delay to decmiminalise the use of the weed for personal uses could be detrimental to the country's fight to rebuild its ailing economy.

Jamaica has been a world leader in medical marijuana research with the drugs Canasol and Ashtmasol, used in the treatment of glaucoma and asthma, respectively, developed locally since the 1970s.

"Jamaica has an opportunity and must not give it up; if they don't pass the torch they can become the epicentre [as] UWI (The University of the West Indies), UTech (The University of Technology)... can become the epicentre of medical marijuana research. It can revive the nation," Stanley told Observer reporters and editors.

He cited, as an example, his home state of Colorado which had been experiencing an economic recession and is now making US$20 million in profits after decriminalising ganja.

"What Jamaica stands to gain right now? Everything. But you don't just have it from a decriminalisation perspective. This industry has so many gamuts -- industry, economic, social, health and medical. It's an economic stimulator if it's industrial hemp, medicinal hemp or industrial ganja. If you look on the litmus test, Colorado is your petri dish. So, I am here to help Jamaica step out of puddles that Colorado stepped in which were many," he said.

Stanley said there was initial opposition to the move by some sections of the Colorado community. But when people heard the 'miracle stories' of children -- with severe cases of brain seizures who had no motor skills and doctors had sent them home to die after all conventional treatment had failed -- completely recovering after being treated with medicinal ganja, the mood changed dramatically.

"I want to treat every paediatric epileptic child in Jamaica. That's how it gonna start. You are going to win hearts," he said.

Apart from brain disorders, medicinal marijuana has been used to cure post-traumatic stress disorder, heart disease, arthritis and type l and ll diabetes.

According to Stanley, diabetes has affected more than 10 million Chinese who traditionally consume a lot of rice, so the Chinese Government reached out to Strains of Hope and granted them land to grow marijuana with the aim of producing pills to help stave off an impending epidemic. "They have given us 2,000 acres of land to grow the plant and produce pills to give to the younger Chinese," he said.

He also said war veterans who take opiates -- narcotic opioid alkaloids found in the opium poppy plant -- have been giving them up for a marijuana by-product and have seen significant improvement in their mental health and are now proving to be less of a danger to society as they recover from their traumatic experiences on the battlefield which results in post-traumatic stress disorder.

But Stanley's advocacy is dependent on how soon Jamaican legislators banish the law criminalising the possession of ganja for personal use from the law books, which head of the National Council on Drug Abuse Professor Wendel Abel said would be prudent if done soon.

In 2001, the Ganja Commission recommended that marijuana be decriminalised for personal, medicinal and religious use but 13 years later the Government has not budged.

Minister of Science, Technology, Energy and Mining Phillip Paulwell, however, indicated earlier in the year that by the end of the year marijuana would be decriminalised for personal use.

IN JAMAICA: Nine listed as ‘persons-of-interest’ surrender to West Kingston police......Andrew Coke, otherwise called ‘Livity’, Kirk Stephenson, otherwise called ‘Titus’ , Alex Omar Johnson, otherwise called ‘Singer J’, Michael Coke, otherwise called ‘Titty Man’, Lanchester Coke, otherwise called ‘Bomber’ ,Kemar Cole o/c Flex Devon Brown, Ricardo Medley o/c King Gratino Green

Tuesday, April 08, 2014 | 8:53 PM    

KINGSTON, Jamaica -- Nine ‘persons-of-interest’ wanted for questioning in connection with the deadly feud in West Kingston turned themselves over to the police Tuesday afternoon.

SSP Steve McGregor

Head of the Division, Senior Superintendent of Police Steve McGregor said some of the individuals surrendered to the police along with their attorneys while others were accompanied by family members.
The nine are:
Andrew Coke, otherwise called ‘Livity’
Kirk Stephenson, otherwise called ‘Titus’
Alex Omar Johnson, otherwise called ‘Singer J’
Michael Coke, otherwise called ‘Titty Man’
Lanchester Coke, otherwise called ‘Bomber’
Kemar Cole o/c Flex
Devon Brown
Ricardo Medley o/c King
Gratino Green
"These persons turned themselves in earlier today (Tuesday, April 8) and arrangements are now being made for them to be questioned in the presence of their attorneys," SSP McGregor told OBSERVER ONLINE.
Police also confirmed that the only female suspect on the list, Deborah Golding, otherwise called ‘Foxy Brown’, has been questioned and released. Investigators report that four others on the police list remain on the run.
They are: Shamal White, otherwise called ‘Gov’ or ‘Omar White’; Dillon Lobban, otherwise called ‘Kaka’; Javaein Coke, otherwise called ‘Ticko’; and Andrew Coke Jr, otherwise called ‘Poclerles’.
Kimmo Matthews

 

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Jay Z Sparks Controversy With Five Percent Nation Bling Medallion....sparking outrage and general confusion about whether reverse racism is a thing (spoiler: it definitely isn't).

During a recent Knicks game at the Barclays Center, Jay Z sported a Five Percent Nation medallion, sparking outrage and general confusion about whether reverse racism is a thing (spoiler: it definitely isn't). The impractically-sized necklace is a symbol for the group, which was founded in 1963 by Clarence 13 X, when he broke from the Nation Of Islam.

Although there are no direct comments about white people in the tenets of Five Percent Nation, their public perception is certainly affiliated with not really loving white folks or, as Michael Muhammad Knight explained in an essay for Vice, "The first lesson I learned from the Five Percent was simple: F--k white people. Seriously. White people are devils."

As NPR explained in a 2006 article on the group, the founding concept is that "Ten percent of the people of the world know the truth of existence, and those elites opt to keep 85 percent of the world in ignorance and under their controlling thumb." Other essential ideas include the belief that "black people are the original people of the planet Earth" and "the fathers and mothers of civilization."

This is not the first time Jay Z has worn the eight-pointed star with the number seven in the middle. The Christian Post reports that he wore the symbol while promoting "Magna Carta Holy Grail." It has also been noted that the phrase "Peace God" in "Run This Town" is likely a nod to Five Percenters. more

DUMB CRIMINAL: 37 y-o Evelyn Hamilton Allegedly Calls Cops To Complain About Weed Quality....Hamilton said Monday she spent $40 on "seeds and residue."

LUFKIN, Texas (AP) — Police in East Texas have arrested a woman after she called them to complain about the quality of the marijuana she had purchased from a dealer.

Lufkin police Sgt. David Casper said Monday that an officer went to the home of 37-year-old Evelyn Hamilton to hear her complaint that the dealer refused to return her money after she objected that the drug was substandard.

Casper says she pulled the small amount of marijuana from her bra when the officer asked if she still had it. She was arrested Friday on a charge of possession of drug paraphernalia.

Hamilton said Monday she spent $40 on "seeds and residue." She says she called police when she got no satisfaction from the dealer's family.

'How about demonstrating against the killers?' JAMAICA Observer online readers are largely in support of West Kingston Member of Parliament Desmond McKenzie for his stance against criminals in the troubled constituency..... online comment "I find the level of ignorance in these communities astounding"

A T-Shirt bearing the image of West
 Kingston MP Desmond McKenzie burns on
Sunday. (PHOTO: MICHAEL GORDON)

JAMAICA Observer online readers are largely in support of West Kingston Member of Parliament Desmond McKenzie for his stance against criminals in the troubled constituency. On Sunday, a handful of residents burned T-Shirts with McKenzie's image and gave him a 48-hour ultimatum to leave the constituency. Their action followed McKenzie's call on Saturday for the police to bring the criminals responsible for a fresh round of shootings in the constituency late Friday, which left two people dead and at least 10 others nursing injuries. Here are some edited comments:

Lucea Hanover

'Something is rotten in the country of Jamaica'.

mcintash

I find the level of ignorance in these communities astounding. They are burning a T-shirt of the member of Parliament because he supposedly "took sides". Shouldnt they be venting their anger at the killers and murderers in their communities? Surely they know who these people are. Why don't they provide the police with the information.

Dane mcintash

Don't forget this: they accuse the MP for taking sides, yet they're painting "PNP" all over the place. Isn't that, you know, taking sides? Plus, do they really think the PNP will do better? Ha!

Meggie Dane

Don't forget there are PNP voters in the constituency too. Interestingly, except for one man, all the faces were hidden. That demonstration could be a strategy — they probably have to do it for the gunmen.

Ricardo

This is why Jamaica has so much murder in it. We turn our anger at all times in the wrong direction. Desmond didn't killed or order the killing of anyone. He is doing the right think by exposing the wrongdoers. more

WASHINGTON, D.C: Miriam Carey Autopsy > Connecticut Woman Killed In DC Chase Was Shot 5 Times From Behind, Lawyer Says including a shot to the back of the head.....Her 1-year-old daughter was in the car but escaped serious injury.

AP  | by  WILL LESTER Posted: 04/08/2014 5:32 am EDT Updated: 04/08/2014 5:59 am EDT

WASHINGTON (AP) — The attorney for the family of a Connecticut woman killed by police on Capitol Hill six months ago says her autopsy found she was shot multiple times from behind, including a shot to the back of the head.

Attorney Eric Sanders said on his law firm's website that the autopsy found Miriam Carey was not under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Carey was shot to death after a car chase that went from the White House to near the U.S. Capitol in October of last year. The report from Sanders said the "Carey family is understandably upset."

Calls to Sanders' office and to the U.S. Capitol Police were not immediately returned late Monday.

Carey, a 34-year-old dental hygienist, tried to ram her car through a White House barrier on Oct. 3 before leading police on a chase that ended with her being killed. Her 1-year-old daughter was in the car but escaped serious injury.

Carey's relatives have challenged law enforcement accounts that she was delusional and raised questions over whether police used an appropriate level of force. Sanders has said he believes officers who shot Carey mishandled the encounter and should be prosecuted.

Carey, who had been diagnosed with postpartum depression and psychosis, told officers who responded to her Stamford, Conn., apartment prior to the Washington incident that President Barack Obama communicated with her and had set up cameras to record her life for national news outlets, police said.

In an interview Monday with the National Journal, Sanders portrayed the autopsy findings as bolstering his theory that Carey's shooting was not justified.

Beautiful, Bountiful Beaches in JAMAICA: renovated Beaches, Ocho Rios (formerly known as Beaches Boscobel)..... The resort boasts several new and improved features. These include: themed villages each with their own appropriate restaurants, bars, renovated suites and a new boardwalk.

Di-Andra Brown, Candiece Knight, Gabrielle McDowell  Tuesday, April 08, 2014    

Beautiful, Bountiful Beaches

TeenAGE Observer revelled in a weekend at the recently renovated Beaches, Ocho Rios (formerly known as Beaches Boscobel). For the duration of the stay, the experience at the resort consistently surpassed expectations.

The resort boasts several new and improved features. These include: themed villages each with their own appropriate restaurants, bars, renovated suites and a new boardwalk. Beaches Ocho Rios is also home to Jamaica's largest hotel-operated water park. This ultra-inclusive family resort has undergone a lot of changes to ensure that its customers — from toddlers to adults — have the best experience possible. There is a broad scope of things to do. Lounge by one of the five pools, or build sandcastles on the beach during the day. Treat yourself at the spa and work out in the fully equipped fitness centre. Dine with the family at one of the several restaurants located on site. Perhaps your family would enjoy one of the many land/water sports available. They also host themed events and tours of the island courtesy of Island Routes. The Kids Kamp is the ideal place for tots to pre-teens, given the variety of activities offered that change on a daily basis. Liquid by Beaches also offers teens and pre-teens a place to hang out from 10 pm to 11 pm and for adults from 11 pm to 2 am.

A section of the beach at Beaches

The weekend-filled with food, fun, and adventure. It began with a brief tour of the resort and the rooms, then pizza at Bella Napoli. To our surprise, we happened to arrive just in time for the Sesame Street Beach Party. Characters such as Big Bird, Bert, Ernie, Abby Cadabby and Zoe performed for the children, and the young at heart. Throughout the weekend, we savoured meals at The Bayside Restaurant, Josephine's Creperie, Neptune's, Eleanor's and The Venetian. This was paired with visits to Pirates Island Water Park, Trench Town, Xbox game rooms, the spa and the beach. We were also afforded the opportunity to meet a few Sesame Street characters. more

Jamaica-born police chief of Lauderhill, FLORIDA, ANDREW SMALLING, sees big drop in crime Jones Town-born police chief celebrates successes after two years.....has seen an impressive 14 per cent drop in crime, noticeably in violent crimes like murder, rape, robbery and aggravated assault involving use of weapons.

BY DESMOND ALLEN Executive Editor -- Special Assignment allend@jamaicaobserver.com  Tuesday, April 08, 2014    

ANDREW Smalling, the trail-blazing Jones Town, Jamaica-born police chief of Lauderhill, Florida, nicknamed Jamaica Hill after its dominant population, is happy with the way crime is trending — downwards — in the third year of his tenure.

Smalling

In the first two years after he swore on his 95-year-old grandmother's Bible to protect the city, Lauderhill has seen an impressive 14

per cent drop in crime, noticeably in violent crimes like murder, rape, robbery and aggravated assault involving use of weapons.

Smalling, a well-read policeman who also lectures once a week in Criminal Justice at the Broward College in Florida, was sworn-in for the second time as chief of police in September 2011, 11 years after becoming the first black to be appointed top cop in the neighbouring city of Lauderdale Lakes.

The veteran cop of 28 years may have left Jamaica at age eight, with little memory of the sprawling slums of troubled inner-city Jones Town, Kingston, where he was born 52 years ago. But he is surrounded by Jamaicans in this teeming city of 70,000 people and must deal with the best and the worst of them. More importantly, he seems to be getting the better of the situation.

As he is wont to, Smalling came home last month to celebrate his birthday with his Jamaica-born wife, Pauline, who works as an administrative assistant in the Broward County Sheriff's Office and with the Broward Courthouse.

Smalling doesn't know if his spectacular success in the crime statistics is a suggestion that Jamaicans in Lauderhill want to see another Jamaican do well. But he is happy with the way things are going, he told the Jamaica Observer in an interview. more

IN JAMAICA: Ninja Man's murder trial to go on, says judge of the March 16, 2009 gun murder of Richard Johnson. He is jointly charged with his son Janiel, and another man, Dennis Clayton.

Paul Henry  Tuesday, April 08, 2014    

ENTERTAINER Ninja Man yesterday failed in an attempt to have his murder case thrown out in the Home Circuit Court.

Entertainer Ninja Man (right, foreground) makes a point to
 music promoter Josef Bogdanovich as they arrive at the
Home Circuit Court yesterday in downtown Kingston where
 Ninja Man’s murder case is being heard. In background (right)
 is Ninja Man’s son Janiel, who is jointly charged with
murder. (PHOTO: KARL MCLARTY)

Queen's Counsel KD Knight applied to have the matter adjourned sine die or stayed on the grounds that the constitutional rights of the entertainer, whose real name is Desmond Ballentine, have been breached because of the length of time it has taken to have the case tried.

The matter has been before the court since 2009, the court was told.

In his submission, Knight noted that the case has been set for trial on many occasions and had been postponed because the prosecution could not produce their witnesses.

He said that at no time has the prosecution notified the defence that it would be relying on Section 31D of the Evidence Act to put the statements of the absent witnesses into evidence.

But in his refusal of the application, Justice Lloyd Hibbert said that the criminal court was not the proper forum for an application seeking constitutional redress to be heard. Justice Hibbert said that he would rather have a new trial date set, and if the prosecution, at that point, doesn't have its witnesses a jury is empanelled and a formal verdict of not guilty is returned.

But, yesterday, the prosecution presented its six witnesses and stated its readiness to proceed with the matter. The trial is set to begin on November 10. more

VOODO SAUCE: Dwl this is too funny, funny as hell. Like and Share

Post by Jamaica IS Nice.

NINJAMAN MURDER CASE: The Court Monday morning refused an application by entertainer Desmond ‘Ninja Man’ Ballentine to have his murder case thrown out....Ninja Man returns to court in November

Monday, April 07, 2014 | 11:38 AM    

KINGSTON, Jamaica -- The Court Monday morning refused an application by entertainer Desmond ‘Ninja Man’ Ballentine to have his murder case thrown out.

Ninja Man leaving court Monday morning. (Photo:Paul Henry)

Attorney KD Knight representing Ninja Man asked the court Monday to dismiss the case against his client and his two co accused on the grounds that their Constitutional Rights have been breached because of the length of time it's taken to have the case tried.

The matter has been on the trial list since 2009.

Ninja Man will have to return to court on November 10, 2014 for trial.

The entertainer is accused of the March 16, 2009 gun murder of Richard Johnson.

He is jointly charged with his son Janiel, and another man, Dennis Clayton.....

IN JAMAICA: Rage in Tivoli Gardens....Residents burn Desmond McKenzie T-shirts, say they want him out of community.....According to the residents, McKenzie was taking sides in the feud which claimed its latest victims Friday night — 12-year-old Kawayne ‘Timo’ McNuff and 28-year-old Ricardo Lowe — in Denham Town.

BY KIMMO MATTHEWS Observer staff reporter matthewsk@jamaicaobserver.com  Monday, April 07, 2014

THE ongoing deadly conflict in West Kingston triggered an angry protest yesterday by Tivoli Gardens residents who burnt T-shirts bearing the image of their member of parliament Desmond McKenzie and demanded that he leave the constituency.

Residents burn a green T-shirt with the image
 of Desmond McKenzie in Tivoli Gardens
 yesterday as they accuse the member of
 parliament of taking sides in an ongoing
 feud in West Kingston.
(PHOTOS: MICHAEL GORDON)

According to the residents, McKenzie was taking sides in the feud which claimed its latest victims Friday night — 12-year-old Kawayne ‘Timo’ McNuff and 28-year-old Ricardo Lowe — in Denham Town.

Ten other persons, including Kawayne’s nineyear- old brother, were injured in Friday night’s incident which saw gunmen spraying a group of persons standing at the intersection of Chestnut Lane and Charles Street.

“Desmond McKenzie must go. We are giving him 48 hours to leave the constituency,” shouted one woman.

She was among a group of men, women and children — some wearing orangecoloured clothing in an apparent show of their disfavour with the MP whose Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) uses the colour green.

The ruling People’s National Party’s colour is orange. In addition to torching green T-shirts with McKenzie’s image, the protesters also spray-painted walls in the JLP-controlled community in orange.

“People are dying but the member of parliament is taking sides and that is not fair,” said one man who accused McKenzie of only identifying suspects from Tivoli Gardens and not those from other areas. more

IN JAMAICA : Transport Authority assists Chisholm Basic School with JA$100,000.00 to develop a play area and other facilities for the over 40 children there.

Sunday, April 06, 2014    

CHISHOLM Basic School has received $100,000 from the Transport Authority to develop a play area and other facilities for the over 40 children there.

CHISHOLM Basic School

Speaking at a handing-over ceremony held March 26 at the St Andrew school, Managing Director Donald Foster said the funds were provided from the recent JDV Wellness Festival, where the authority was the overall winner in the competition.

Foster noted that the money will help to make the school compliant with standards set by the Early Childhood Commission (ECC).

"The students of the Chisholm Basic School will also benefit from the success of the authority's employees, as the school was selected because it has shown determination in pursuing the vision to foster the mental, physical and all-round development of the children for greater outcomes," Foster said.

Stressing that the authority has invested heavily in ensuring standards in the public transportation system, Foster said its long association with the school is similarly aimed at ensuring adherence to the standards of the early childhood sector, to improve teaching and learning outcomes.

The institution has been the beneficiary of several projects from the authority, including repairs to its roof for Labour Day 2013.

The Transport Authority has, since 1994, assisted other schools in the Maxfield Park community as part of "the goal of fostering and supporting the development of the community's children," Foster stated.

Meanwhile, teacher at the school Beverly McCain said the generosity of the Transport Authority has demonstrated "commitment and belief in the education of our youth for the future of Jamaica".

Flight 370 'MOST PROMISING LEAD' : Malaysia Plane Search, Official Says Ship Detects Possible Transmission

An Australian official overseeing the search for the missing Malaysia Airlines plane says underwater sounds picked up by equipment on an Australian navy ship are consistent with transmissions from black box recorders on a plane.

Angus Houston, the head of a joint agency coordinating the search in the southern Indian Ocean, calls it "very encouraging." But he said Monday that it may take days to confirm whether signals picked up by the ship Ocean Shield are indeed from the flight recorders on Flight 370.

He says the position of the noise needs to be further refined, and then an underwater autonomous vehicle can be sent in to investigate.

"Clearly, this is a most promising lead. And probably in the search so far, it's probably the best information that we have had," Houston said. "Again, I would ask all of you to treat this information cautiously and responsibly until such time as we can provide an unequivocal determination. We haven't found the aircraft yet; we need the confirmation. And I really stress this; it's very important." The plane vanished on March 8 during a flight from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, to Beijing. more

Legendary Actor Mickey Rooney Dead At 93 (VIDEO/PHOTOS)......Born Joe Yule Jr. in Brooklyn, N.Y appeared in more than 300 films and TV programs,died on April 6, Variety reported. Cause of death was not released.

Mikey Rooney

Mickey Rooney, an award-winning actor and Hollywood legend who appeared in more than 300 films and TV programs,died on April 6, Variety reported. Cause of death was not released. He was 93.

Born Joe Yule Jr. in Brooklyn, N.Y.,Rooney was only 17 months old when he took the stage in his parents' vaudeville act. After adopting the stage name of Mickey Rooney at the age of 7, he appeared in his first film, launching a career that would span nearly his entire life.

Rooney was still a teenager when he played Andy Hardy in the 1937 film "A Family Affair." The popular character, as played by Rooney, would appear in 14 more films and make him a top star at the box office. During Hollywood's golden years, the five-foot-three cherubic-faced actor worked with many of the silver screen's greatest leading ladies, including Elizabeth Taylor in "National Velvet," Judy Garland in "Thoroughbreds Don't Cry" and "Babes In Arms" and Audrey Hepburn in "Breakfast At Tiffany's." more