JAMAICAN Singer Samantha-J Inks HUGE Deal... If Samantha sticks with Columbia through her 6th album -- she'll collect up to a US$1.1 million advance!

5/24/2014 12:20 AM PDT BY TMZ STAFF
'Memba mi tell yu, Jamaican singer Samantha J ah do big tings ... di pretty gyal just sign a record deal fi ah whole heap ah cheddar. Jah! Rastafari!!
SAMANTHA-J
Now, the translation: Samantha recently signed with Columbia Records -- and TMZ obtained a copy of the deal ... which will make the "Tight Skirt" star a very rich 17-year-old ... if she sticks with the label long enough. The pay structure is set up so that Samantha's first album gets her an advance of at least $325,000 ... and as high as $700,000, if needed. According to the contract -- if Samantha sticks with Columbia through her 6th album -- she'll collect up to a $1.1 million advance!
She's also getting fat royalties ... at least 16% of sales. That's the kinda scratch that'll get Samantha ... one 'nuff yaad down ah Jamrock ... right near di beach, boyee! more: 

IN JAMAICA (FYAH POWER) : Police seize 13 firearms, over 2000 rounds in two days.... The lawmen also apprehended a man they believe is the leader of Kingston’s notorious Scare Dem Crew Gang.....An Uzi submachine gun, a .38 revolver, and a 9mm Bryco pistol containing three 9mm cartridges, were reportedly taken from the couple.

Thursday, May 29, 2014 | 7:21 PM
ST CATHERINE, JAMAICA -- Police operating in Kingston West and St Catherine divisions say that in less than 24 hours, they removed 13 firearms and more than 2,000 rounds of ammunition from the possession of criminals
The lawmen also apprehended a man they believe is the leader of Kingston’s notorious Scare Dem Crew Gang.
The police said they were able to accomplish this in separate incidents between Wednesday, May 28 and Thursday, May 29.
Reports are that about 1:30 pm Wednesday, a team of officers were patrolling Red Pond, Frazers Content in St Catherine when a man was seen acting suspiciously.
When approached by the lawmen, he allegedly threw a bag to the ground. He was accosted and the bag retrieved, searched and a .38 revolver with one 9mm round found. He was taken into custody and according to the police formal charges will be laid.
About 5:20 Thursday morning, police officers carried out an operation on Percy Street in Denham Town, Kingston 14, which led to the apprehension of the leader of the Scare Dem Crew Gang and a female companion. An Uzi submachine gun, a .38 revolver, and a 9mm Bryco pistol containing three 9mm cartridges, were reportedly taken from the couple.
Later Thursday, officers attached to the St Catherine South Division were carrying out stop and search activities along the Cumberland main road when the driver of a Toyota Corolla station wagon was signalled to stop. The driver refused to comply and a chase ensued. more 

BREAKING NEWS: Steve Ballmer To Buy Clippers For $2 Billion: REPORTS

Steve Ballmer, the former CEO of Microsoft, has made the winning bid of $2 billion to purchase the Los Angeles Clippers, the Los Angeles Times reported on Thursday.
Citing unnamed sources, ESPN's Darren Rovell reported that Ballmer beat the bids of groups led by David Geffen and Los Angeles investors Tony Ressler and Steve Karsh.
Steve Ballmer (L)
Clippers owner Donald Sterling, who was banned from the NBA for life by league commissioner Adam Silver after recordings of him making racist comments were made public, had authorized his wife Shelly to negotiate a sale of the team, per the Associated Press. But as the Los Angeles Times notes, "the tentative deal still must receive [his] blessing" and the approval of the other 29 owners.
The AP reported on Wednesday that Shelly Sterling was reviewing bids from five groups. more
This story is developing.

PORTLAND, JAMAICA: 24 y-o Cancer survivor, SASHA-GAY LEWIS has been given a second chance at life as 'Many don't get to see another day'..... Woman thankful for second chance at life as stomach cancer disappears

BY INGRID BROWN Associate editor -- special assignment browni@jamaicaobserver.com  Thursday, May 29, 2014    
TWENTY-FOUR-YEAR-OLD Sasha-Gay Lewis has been given a second chance at life and one which she fully intends to make use of now that the cancer of the stomach which took her to death's door is in recession.
Cancer survivor Sasha-Gay Lewis and her mother
Irene Moore are a picture of joy as they pose at their
 home in Port Antonio, Portland, with the certificate from
 the Radiation Oncology Centre of Jamaica indicating
the successful completion of chemo-radiation therapy.
 (PHOTOS: LIONEL ROOKWOOD)
But this charming, young woman, whose personality captivates those she comes in contact with, could not have done it without the support of well-thinking Jamaicans who contributed to the $1.7 million she spent for chemo and radiation therapy.
Lewis' plight was first highlighted by the Jamaica Observer last August after her family's effort at sourcing the money through various fund-raising events failed to yield the required amount
for her to begin radiation therapy. Following the article, individuals and organisations reached out to assist her, making it possible for her to begin treatment a few weeks later.
"Now I don't ever wake up one morning without saying 'thank you, Jesus, for one more beautiful day', because many don't get to see another day," Lewis said, explaining that her close shave with death has given her a new outlook on life. Now the ever-smiling Lewis said the happiest day was receiving the news that the cancer was gone two months after completing the therapy.
"When I went to UHWI (University Hospital of the West Indies) to collect the report, I was as nervous as ever, and so I had to ask a friend to open the envelope and read it, and then when I saw him smiling I just jumped up and screamed with joy," Lewis told the Observer when the team visited her at her Port Antonio home in Portland.
And, although she still makes monthly visits for medical check-ups, Lewis' only restriction is to manage her diet and to eat mainly fish and vegetables.
"The doctor said I must go and enjoy myself, so that is what I am doing, although I still do everything in moderation," she quipped.
Lewis had high praises for the staff at the Radiation Oncology Centre of Jamaica, who she said helped to make the experience of undergoing chemo-radiation more tolerable.
She said she is extremely grateful and happy that so many persons reached out to help her.
"I felt so happy that people reached out to help, especially seeing how the economy is now and for people to reach down in their pockets to help little old me, it's just overwhelming," she said. "I was so elated that sometimes I just lie in the dark and smile to myself." more

IN JAMAICA: SIMONE Foster, 27, parent of slain 9-y-o boy blames herself for son’s death... A Mother's Regret...."Mi regret seh mi leave because if mi never leave, mi son wouldn't die. Mi regret it because if I was here I could a protect him. Mi blame myself 100 per cent,"

BY HORACE HINES Observer West reporter hinesh@jamaicaobserver.com  Thursday, May 29, 2014  
 PLANTATION HEIGHTS, St James
SIMONE Foster, 27, the distressed mother of nine-year-old Romaine Robinson, also called 'Star Boy', who was viciously murdered in this normally quiet community last week, is blaming herself for her son's death, having left him to live with her boyfriend in Linstead, St Catherine.
Romaine's grandmother, Gwendolyn
Todd-Foster (right), her daughter Simone
 Foster (seated left), with her two children,
 Keira and Daniel Fletcher, was a
 picture of grief when the Observer
West visited Plantation Heights yesterday.
"Mi regret seh mi leave because if mi never leave, mi son wouldn't die. Mi regret it because if I was here I could a protect him. Mi blame myself 100 per cent," said the mother who was a picture of grief yesterday.
"When I am here he doesn't leave out the yard because mi have him under strict rule. When him come from school in the evenings mi don't make him go nowhere. Mi have him under strict rule. Mi seh, Romaine, stay in the yard, mi don't want him walk 'bout because you see every minute them beat him up."
Reports from the Cambridge Police are that about 6:22 am, on Thursday, May 22, Romaine's body was found tied up in bushes with stab wounds to the neck.
Subsequently, a 14-year-old member of the community, who is said to be a close friend of the deceased, was arrested and charged with the gruesome murder, after he reportedly confessed to the crime.
The murder weapon was allegedly discovered at his grandmother's home.
According to Senior Superintendent in charge of the St James police division, Egbert Parkins, investigation led to the arrest of the juvenile, who "gave an account of what transpired."
SSP Parkins, who offered condolences to the family of the deceased, however, expressed relief at an early breakthrough in the case.
Meanwhile, when the Jamaica Observer West visited the area yesterday, Foster's mother, Gwendolyn Todd-Foster, said that her grandson who was left in her care, occasionally slept at the home of 'Nyah', an elderly man who lives close by.
She reiterated that when she went to look for her grandson at a nearby shop late on the evening of Wednesday, May 21, and did not see him, she was not perturbed as she thought he was at the home of 'Nyah,' who customarily cooks and shares meals with Romaine.
"Mi believe he was at Nyah because Nyah cook for both of them and when him ready him sleep over Nyah. So through mi seh him gone over Nyah, mi never worry myself because mi never know seh any harm would come to him," the grief-stricken grandmother explained. more

MAYA ANGELOU as Miss Calypso! - Super Soul Sunday - Oprah Winfrey Network (ABSOLUTELY MAGNICENT SINGING)...1957 Movie "Calypso Heatwave"

Maya Angelou and Arsenio Hall...Watch as She Raps "Jump Back Baby, Jump Back"

IN JAMAICA: Former Prime Minister, PJ PATTERSON, 'We are at the edge of the precipice' PJ laments state of social, moral decline...."I spoke then of the growing tide of social incivility, indiscipline, disorder, disrespect for each other, the fight against corruption in all its forms and the critical need to promote integrity in every facet of national endeavour.

Basil Walters  Thursday, May 29, 2014    
CITING an urgency to arrest the swelling tide of anti-social attitudes in the society, former Prime Minister PJ Patterson says the time has come for a renewed look at the values and attitudes campaign he introduced 20 years ago.
PATTERSON... there is a growing sense of alienation and
 greater distrust of leadership in politics, in our legal system,
our national institutions, corporate business, and in the church
In his address to members of the Rotary Club of Spanish Town at the Police Officers' Club in St Andrew on Tuesday, Patterson said the aim of the campaign was to develop a national strategy and programme of action to promote attitudinal change and social renewal.
"I spoke then of the growing tide of social incivility, indiscipline, disorder, disrespect for each other, the fight against corruption in all its forms and the critical need to promote integrity in every facet of national endeavour. Every speaker at the launch of that original campaign emphasised the need to
arrest moral decline in our country and enunciated compelling reasons to stem this growing tide.
"Twenty years later, even those who doubted the validity of the plea or contended that the call was driven by partisan political motives, now openly admit its national urgency as our condition has deteriorated beyond belief," Patterson told the Rotarians.
"In spite of the efforts that began at that time, we have seen a massive increase in crime and violence; drug warfare is more rampant, the urban ghettos have spread across our countryside and elsewhere, our ethical standards have fallen. Today, there is a growing sense of alienation and greater distrust of leadership in politics, in our legal system, our national institutions, corporate business, even in the church. This means, ladies and gentlemen, we are at the extreme edge of the precipice," Patterson lamented. more

JAMAICA Tourism sector continues to perform well, says minister, Dr Wykeham McNeill..."We are getting an average of 178,000 visitors per month in the winter and 160,000 for the summer,"

Thursday, May 29, 2014    
TOURISM Minister Dr Wykeham McNeill says the sector continues to perform well, having recorded a two per cent increase in stopover arrivals for the 2013 winter tourist season and further projected growth for the summer season.
Minister of Tourism and Entertainment Dr Wykeham
McNeill (2nd right) cuts the ribbon for the newly renovated
Berrydale Jetty, which is the embarkation point for
Rio Grande River rafting during a ribbon-cutting and
 handing-over ceremony earlier this month. He is ably
 assisted by (from left) Mayor of Port Antonio Benny White;
 Custos of Portland Lincoln Thaxter; Member of Parliament
for East Portland Dr Lynvale Bloomfield; and Minister
 of State for Tourism and Entertainment Damion Crawford.
McNeill, who was responding to questions on his sectoral debate presentation at a post-Cabinet press briefing at Jamaica House in St Andrew, yesterday, said there are some positive industry trends which contribute to this success. This, he said, are the increase in occupancy rate and average daily rates for the rooms as well as a more sustained tourism season.
"In other words, where we used to have wild swings between winters and summers we are balancing off," the minister said.
For 2013, McNeill said occupancy rates across all categories of accommodation went up 9.1 per cent. He explained that among the reasons for higher occupancy rates is the increase in visitors from the European markets whose length of stay is now longer. He also attributed the higher occupancy rate to the increase in Jamaicans opting to vacation at home and enjoy the reduced rates under the Experience Jamaica programme.
Additionally, the tourism minister said the sector is now benefiting from higher room rates.
"We had a talk with our largest tour operator that brings persons to Jamaica and they are saying the average daily rate of rooms has gone up between 13 and 15 per cent, which is really good news for us," he said.
McNeill further noted that historically, hotels would open for the winter season in December through to May but cease operation by June. However, over time hotels have been opening all year round but with rotation of staff in the summers.
"But now we are coming to the point where we are building on the summers because last year we had tremendous growth of over three per cent and we are seeing where we are getting an average of 178,000 visitors per month in the winter and 160,000 for the summer," McNeill said. more

Sports in JAMAICA: XLCR High retain U-16 cricket title.....Excelsior piled up a mammoth 362 in their second innings for an overall lead of 494, and had Innswood at 54 for four when the game was called off. Scores: (Excelsior 249 & 362; Innswood 117 & 54-4).

Thursday, May 29, 2014 BY SHERDON COWAN OBSERVER WRITER    
EXCELSIOR High successfully defended their Inter-secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA)/Allied Brokers Insurance Under-16 title after defeating Innswood High by virtue of first innings on day two at Melbourne Cricket Oval yesterday.
SSA’s competition director George Forbes (left) presents
 the championship trophy to Excelsior High captain Orande
 Pearson after the latter’s team defeated Innswood High
 in the final of the ISSA/Allied Brokers Insurance Under-16
 cricket competition at Melbourne Oval yesterday.
(PHOTO: BRYAN CUMMINGS)
Excelsior piled up a mammoth 362 in their second innings for an overall lead of 494, and had Innswood at 54 for four when the game was called off.
Scores: (Excelsior 249 & 362; Innswood 117 & 54-4).
Resuming on 44 for two, Excelsior lost skipper Orande Pearson for 18, who added just nine to his overnight score. He went leg-before-wicket to Kevin Peterson with the score at
70 for three.
The diminutive Okachie Brown (44) added 39 to his overnight score, being involved in a fourth-wicket stand of 87 with Raewin Senior, before he was bowled by Jeavor Royal. Senior and Orlando Rowe took Excelsior to lunch at 176 for four.
Rowe's stay in the middle was short-lived as Oshane Levy had him caught behind for 11 shortly after the break, to leave the score at 188 for five. Romario Brown came and went for a duck, when he was beaten in the air by a full delivery from Levy and was bowled with the score at 192 for six.
Senior and Raymond Hall then added 37, before Senior went for a topscore of 68, after he was trapped in front by Omario Wallace, with the score at 229 for seven. It was 254 for eight when Royal had Keanu Marr caught for seven, and by the time Hall (59) went caught and bowled Royal, it was 321 for nine. The innings was, however, wrapped up at 362 when Kevin Peterson bowled Keshawn Graham for 25. Qwayne Moore was left unbeaten on 30, as Royal topped the bowling with four for 110, for an overall match haul of nine for 173. more

KINGSTON, Jamaica: Major Investigations Task Force (MIT) murder investigations reap success, says JCF.... Six men arrested for murders committed between 2009 and 2014

 Wednesday, May 28, 2014 | 6:46 PM    
KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Police are reporting that over the past week (Monday, May 19 to Monday, May 26) the Major Investigations Task Force (MIT) made breakthroughs in several murder investigations resulting in six people being arrested and charged for murders committed between 2009 and 2014.
They six are: Twenty-eight-year-old Andrew Watson, otherwise called ‘Luther’ of Waltham Park Road, Kingston 13. He was charged for the murder of 19-year-old Shemeil Moore who was shot and killed on Waltham Park Road, Kingston 13 on September 10, 2009;
Twenty-five-year-old Damaine Taylor otherwise called ‘Itchy’ and ‘Demo’ of Silver Head Pathway, Arnett Gardens, Kingston 12. He was charged for the murder of 24-year-old Kevin Black who was shot and killed on Lincoln Crescent, Kingston 12 on Wednesday, May 7, 2014;
Rosheed Williams, otherwise called ‘Yanks’, of Scott Town in New Green, Manchester. He was charged for the murder of 27-year-old Zenardo Williamson who was shot and killed in Norbrook Farm, Stony Hill, St Andrew on Monday, May 19, 2014;
Nasahal Thomas, otherwise called ‘Nash’, of Block C, Bond Street, Kingston 14. He was charged on Monday, May 26, 2014 for the murder of Hubert Pinnock, farmer of Kellits, Clarendon, who was shot in Coronation Market on Monday, May 5, 2014;
Seventeen-year-old Steven Tomlinson, otherwise called ‘TeTe’ of Denham. Town, Kingston 14; and 19-year-old Fabian O’Connor, otherwise called ‘Nicholas’, of Last Street, Denham Town, Kingston 14; more

Dr. MAYA ANGELOU DIED at 86 y-o in NORTH CAROLINA THIS MORNING as Reported by NBC News

NBC has reported that Dr. Maya Angelou died this morning.
  1. Maya Angelou
    Author
  2. Maya Angelou is an American author and poet. She has published seven autobiographies, three books of essays, and several books of poetry, and is credited with a list of plays, movies, and television shows spanning more than fifty years. Wikipedia
  3. BornApril 4, 1928 (age 86), St. Louis, MO
  4. AwardsPresidential Medal of FreedomMore
  5. SpousePaul du Feu (m. 1973–1981), Vusumzi Make (m. 1960–1963),Enistasious Tosh Angelos (m. 1951–1954)

Maya Angelou (/ˈmaɪ.É™ ËˆÃ¦ndÊ’É™loÊŠ/;[1][2] born Marguerite Ann Johnson; April 4, 1928 – May 28, 2014[3]) was an American author and poet. She published seven autobiographies, three books of essays, and several books of poetry, and is credited with a list of plays, movies, and television shows spanning more than fifty years. She received dozens of awards and over thirty honorary doctoral degrees. Angelou is best known for her series of seven autobiographies, which focus on her childhood and early adult experiences. The first, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings (1969), tells of her life up to the age of seventeen, and brought her international recognition and acclaim.
Maya Angelou awarded
Presential Honor of Freedom
She became a poet and writer after a series of occupations as a young adult, including fry cook, prostitute, night-club dancer and performer, cast-member of the opera Porgy and Bess, coordinator for the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, and journalist in Egypt and Ghana during the days of decolonization. She was an actor, writer, director, and producer of plays, movies, and public television programs. Since 1982, she taught at Wake Forest University in Winston-SalemNorth Carolina, where she holds the first lifetime Reynolds Professorship of American Studies. She was active in the Civil Rights movement, and worked with Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X. Since the 1990s she made around eighty appearances a year on the lecture circuit, something she continued into her eighties. In 1993, Angelou recited her poem "On the Pulse of Morning" at President Bill Clinton's inauguration, the first poet to make an inaugural recitation since Robert Frost at John F. Kennedy's inauguration in 1961.
With the publication of I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, Angelou publicly discussed aspects of her personal life. She was respected as a spokesperson of black people and women, and her works have been considered a defense of black culture. Although attempts have been made to ban her books from some US libraries, her works are widely used in schools and universities worldwide. Angelou's major works have been labeled as autobiographical fiction, but many critics have characterized them as autobiographies. She made a deliberate attempt to challenge the common structure of the autobiography by critiquing, changing, and expanding the genre. Her books center on themes such as racism, identity, family, and travel. Angelou is best known for her autobiographies, but she is also an established poet, although her poems have received mixed reviews......more

IN JAMAICA: More Murders Hit St James - Two Cabbies Shot Dead, Teen Fatally Stabbed.....Two taxi operators were shot and killed gangland-style in downtown Montego Bay and a female teenager stabbed to death in Granville as the spate of recent murders in St James took another ugly twist....killing 27-year-old Jodie Phillips of a Norwood address, and 48-year-old Roy Jones of Paradise.

Adrian Frater, News Editor  Published: Wednesday | May 28, 2014 Western Bureau
Two taxi operators were shot and killed gangland-style in downtown Montego Bay and a female teenager stabbed to death in Granville as the spate of recent murders in St James took another ugly twist on Monday night, much to the chagrin of the local police.
At approximately 10:45 p.m., two men armed with handguns opened fire on a group of taxi operators at the popular 'Gully Bus Stop' on St James Street, killing 27-year-old Jodie Phillips of a Norwood address, and 48-year-old Roy Jones of Paradise.
Two bystanders were also shot and injured.
"It is disheartening to know that despite all the work we have been putting in to curb the lawlessness, we are still having these killings," a senior police officer told The Gleaner on condition of anonymity yesterday.
"Maybe the security minister was right when he said we need divine intervention."
In the stabbing incident in Granville, which occurred at approximately 10:30 p.m., 14-year-old Ashley Morris, of Guns Drive, was stabbed to death by a 17-year-old female resident of the same community.
According to the residents' account of the incident, the two girls, who were reportedly dating the same boy, got into a heated argument, which escalated into a fight. During the fight, a knife was brought into play and the 14-year old was stabbed.
The 14-year-old, a student of the Maldon High School, also in St James, died on the spot. The girl, who inflicted the fatal wound, has since be taken into police custody.
TRAIL OF BLOOD
Monday night's violence follows sharply on the heels of Sunday night's brutal murder of popular People's National Party (PNP) activist Kenrick 'Bebe' Stephenson, who was shot dead at his Coral Gardens home; and nine-year-old Romaine Robinson, who was stabbed to death in Plantation Heights, Cambridge, last Wednesday night.
Stephenson, who was recently elected vice-chairman of the PNP's West Central St James executive, was killed by unknown assailants at approximately 8:30 p.m. shortly after exiting his house.
Two male companions who were with him at the time escaped unhurt.
Robinson was murdered by a 14-year-old Cambridge High School student, who subsequently confessed to the killing. He was found with his mouth gagged and his hands and feet bound.
He had stab wounds to the face and neck. more
adrian.frater@gleanerjm.com

JAMAICANS form private equity firm on Wall St....Commonwealth soon to acquire large stake in local financial services institution...FLUSH with US$30 million in capital to invest, a group of Jamaican bankers and investors has set up shop on Wall Street where they plan to give Caribbean investors close access to the global capital markets.

Wednesday, May 28, 2014    
FLUSH with US$30 million in capital to invest, a group of Jamaican bankers and investors has set up shop on Wall Street where they plan to give Caribbean investors close access to the global capital markets.
Rohan Barnett (second right), general partner and
chairman of Commonwealth Partners, chief financial
 officer, Weldon Maddan (right), and directors, Paul Simpson
 (left), and Wayne Seaton on the floor of the New York
Stock Exchange (NYSE).
Commonwealth Partners, which is led by former Financial Services Commission (FSC) head, Rohan Barnett, has already partnered with an existing broker dealer outfit in New York and a Cayman-based pension fund administrator.
What's more, the US-incorporated private equity firm is on the verge of finalising a deal that will see it recapitalise and partner with a Jamaican-based financial services institution.
"We will utilise our numerous local and overseas relationships to grow our funding base and deliver the financial services model that the market is demanding," Barnett told the Business Observer.
Indeed, the newly formed company's primary focus will be on acquisition of hard assets both in the Caribbean and the US, as well as developing an investment portfolio targeted at highly rated emerging market opportunities.
No doubt the investment house's stance on raising funds is reflected by its inclusion on the board of the 30-year-old rainmaker, Paul Simpson, who led Proven Investments' first US$10-million rights issue after co-leading the largest private placement in the Caribbean, which saw Proven raise US$20 million.
Commonwealth's board and mangement also includes Jamaicans who are verteran bankers in the US, such as Director Wayne Seaton and chief financial officer, Weldon Maddan, who had 12 years experience with Citigroup North America.
The strategic alliance with the Cayman Fund administrator gives Commonwealth a customer base and a platform which spreads into several Caribbean markets, while the soon-to-be-acquired stake in the Jamaican financial services institution gives the Cayman entity a toehold in the fund administration business in Jamaica. more

IN JAMAICA: 'Dutty labourite' comment unfortunate, says Damion Crawford.....Less than an hour after JLP Chairman Robert Montague issued a statement to the media slapping Crawford and demanding an apology

Wednesday, May 28, 2014
DAMION Crawford was swift with his apology yesterday as the Opposition Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) scolded him for calling its supporters 'dutty labourites'.
CRAWFORD... it is clear that I got carried away and
 reverted to negative language (left) MONTAGUE... the very
 same classist behaviour he accuses others of,
is clearly in his heart
Less than an hour after JLP Chairman Robert Montague issued a statement to the media slapping Crawford and demanding an apology, the popular member of parliament for the ruling People's National Party (PNP) and junior tourism minister said sorry for the comments made during a party conference in East Kingston Sunday.
"I would like to apologise unreservedly for a most unfortunate comment that I made at a political meeting in East Kingston and Port Royal in reference to the Opposition.
"It is clear that I got carried away and reverted to negative language that has been used in the past by both political parties. This ought not to be part of any vocabulary going forward by me or anyone else. I pledge to never allow this kind of utterance to escape my lips in the future as I try to make a positive difference in my country," said Crawford.
The JLP chairman, in his statement earlier, called for an immediate national apology to all supporters of the Opposition from Crawford.
Montague said that he was shocked and disappointed at the comments made by Minister Crawford, who consistently tries to position himself as an advocate for poor people.
"We know that generally when the PNP says they love the poor it's about politics and not development, but now Minister Crawford has shown his true colours too. The very same classist behaviour he accuses others of, is clearly in his heart if the card he draws to make a point is one of the worst classist phrases to ever be brought by the PNP into the politics of Jamaica," Montague said.
Crawford's statement, claimed the JLP chairman, reflected the growing disconnection between the PNP and the people of Jamaica as well as between the words and actions of the Government. more

IN JAMAICA: Orville Bentley is victim of his own kindness..... Mom says son’s attempt to help shot youth results in him being crippled by sniper soldier perched on top of Kingston Public Hospital....

BY KARYL WALKER Editor — Crime/Court Desk walkerk@jamaicaobserver.com  Wednesday, May 28, 2014    
ORVILLE Bentley is the epitome of the term casualty of war.
In the prime of his life he cannot speak, is totally incontinent, wheelchair-bound and, in short, lives in a totally vegetative state.
Hilda Johnson shows the bullet wounds on her son
Orville Bentley’s body yesterday. He was shot, she said,
 by a soldier during the Tivoli Gardens operation four
 years ago. (PHOTO: JOSEPH WELLINGTON)
That condition has beset the 30-year-old ever since he was shot multiple times by a sniper perched on top of the Kingston Public Hospital during the security forces' operation in Tivoli Gardens, West Kingston, in search of now incarcerated strongman Christopher 'Dudus' Coke four years ago.
According to his still shaken mother, Hilda Johnson, her son is a victim of his own kindness as he was gainfully employed and was not among the alleged horde of gangsters who had barricaded themselves into the former untouchable garrison and vowed to defend Coke against any arrest by the security forces.
"Him was standing at him door and see when a youth get shot by a soldier who was on top of the hospital. Him run to try and help the youth and the same soldier shot him up. Lord have mercy, my son never do anything to deserve this life," the woman, who was on the verge of tears, said.
As she spoke, Bentley's expression depicted confirmation but sadly he could not say a word and a small tear trickled from his right eye.
As a result of the gunshot injuries, Bentley's kidney, liver and lungs have been permanently damaged.
His brain has also been badly damaged as, according to Johnson, the oxygen supply that had been hooked up to his brain had been cut off for some reason and caused him to lose his ability to speak.
"It not fair to him. All he was doing was what him do all him life, help people. Him used to work and take care of himself. Him never depend on anybody, now him can't even move from one place to another without somebody help him. We have to feed him, clean him, him can't even hold a spoon. It hard, 'cause him wasn't no gunman," she said.
Johnson told the Jamaica Observer that she and her family have lived at premises on Orange Street known as 'Big Yard' -- the former home of the late Crown Prince of Reggae Dennis Brown -- for all their lives and none of her sons or male relatives is aligned with any faction from Tivoli Gardens.
Traditionally, people who live in the section of downtown Kingston where Johnson and her relatives reside are on a different side of the political fence than those in Denham Town and Tivoli Gardens -- the main areas that were being targeted by the security forces during the Coke operation.
Johnson is also upset that her son was forced to lay in the street for seven hours before residents were allowed to take him to hospital for treatment.
"Him get shot from 12 and never get treatment until seven. Is some youth push him to hospital on a handcart. Look how near the hospital is to where him get shot?" she said.
Johnson is also pleading for assistance as she has been burdened with the weight of the financial cost of taking care of her son and said she has even approached the Office of the Public Defender in a bid to get redress. more

NEW YORK, N.Y: Jamaican youth, Dowayne Henry, 20, shot dead in NY on Memorial Day.... youth working two jobs in hopes of attending college and playing basketball was shot and killed on Monday, Memorial Day, while sitting on his front step in Queens.

Tuesday, May 27, 2014 | 2:04 PM 
NEW YORK, Jamaica (CMC) – New York Police say a Jamaican youth working two jobs in hopes of attending college and playing basketball was shot and killed on Monday, Memorial Day, while sitting on his front step in Queens.
They said Dowayne Henry, 20, was at his family’s home with two other men when a lone gunman opened fire.
According to police, Henry, who worked as a preschool teacher and as a salesman at a sports store at Green Acres Mall in Valley Stream, Long Island, was shot in the stomach and head.
Police also said that a 25-year-old man was shot in the back and taken to Jamaica Hospital in Queens in stable condition.
The authorities said they were looking for the gunman, who was wearing a gray hoodie.
“Most important to him was basketball,” said Henry's Jamaican-born uncle, Andrew Douglas, 49. “That was his life. He loved it”.
Douglas said he heard that the shooting might have been over some fancy Michael Jordan sneakers Henry was wearing.
Family members said Henry attended Monroe College in the Bronx but was planning to transfer to York College in Queens to play basketball there.
Henry was a shooting guard at Coconut Creek High School in Broward County, Florida, where his father lives, and graduated in 2011.
Henry’s neighbour, Tariq Miller, 20, said he heard one shot followed by a pause and nine more. He said he immediately went outside and saw his friend sprawled out face down
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To listen, click PLAY icon above then unmute speaker icon at bottom left on player after a brief commercial. You may also listen commercial FREE by clicking ON AIR-Listen LIVE AUDIO BOX above or TUNE-IN LINK or call in on Tele at 213-401-0061. Enjoy the sweet music.To chat below, please sign in with your RBN account.Please support the scholarship program by considering to donate at least $10.00 at www.PALAS1.org. Thank you very much.

KINGSTON, Jamaica – The US dollar Monday, May 26 ended trading at J$111.17

Photo: 1US$= JA$111.17 #BringBackOurJamaica 
KINGSTON, Jamaica – The US dollar Monday, May 26 ended trading at J$111.17, according to the Bank of Jamaica’s daily foreign exchange trading summary.

The Canadian dollar closed at J$101.97 while the British pound ended the day’s trading at J$186.95.1US$= JA$111.17 #BringBackOurJamaica 
KINGSTON, Jamaica – The US dollar Monday, May 26 ended trading at J$111.17, according to the Bank of Jamaica’s daily foreign exchange trading summary.

The Canadian dollar closed at J$101.97 while the British pound ended the day’s trading at J$186.95.

JAVON Francis makes return to the track with 400m win in a creditable 46.21 seconds at Saturday's JAAA All Comers Meet at the National Stadium.

Tuesday, May 27, 2014    
JAVON Francis made his long-awaited return to competitive racing to win the men's 400m in a creditable 46.21 seconds at Saturday's JAAA All Comers Meet at the National Stadium.....
After being left out of Jamaica's team to the inaugural IAAF World Relays in Nassau, Bahamas, due to an injury he picked up in March at the ISSA Boys'
FRANCIS... clocked a creditable
46.21 seconds
and Girls' Athletics Championships, Francis made his first appearance in almost two months a
good one.
A couple hours after winning the Class One boys' 400m in a new record 45.00 seconds, Francis pulled up in the 200m and limped off the track with what turned out to be a "grade one strain just between the glutes and the hamstring", his coach Michael Clarke told the Jamaica Observer in April.
Peter Mathews (46.52 seconds) and Annsert Whyte (46.90), both of Racers TC, were second and third, respectively.
World Youth Championships 200m gold medallist Michael O'Hara ran a personal best 10.19 seconds (wind 1.8m/s) to place second in the event behind Winston Barnes of MVP, who won in a season's best 10.17 seconds.
The University of Technology's Adolphus Nevers was third in 10.32 seconds.
Latoya Greaves of MVP won the 100m hurdles in a season's best 13.16 seconds to beat Chrisdale McCarthy of UTech (13.41 seconds) and Peta-Gay Williams (13.47). more

Exec. Director of PALAS, RULA BROWN presents certificate of appreciation to Hon. DAMION CRAWFORD....Peace and Love Academic Scholarship (PALAS) will hold it's 4th Annual Awards presentation at the University of The West Indies (UWI-Mona) on Saturday, August 23, 2014 in Kingston, JAMAICA.

Photo: Exec. Director of PALAS, RULA BROWN presents certificate of appreciation to Hon. DAMION CRAWFORD at 2013 awards ceremony at UWI-Mona in Kingston, JAMAICA. 

Peace and Love Academic Scholarship (PALAS) will hold it's 4th Annual Awards presentation at the University of The West Indies (UWI-Mona) on Saturday, August 23, 2014 in Kingston, JAMAICA. PALAS awarded 115 scholarships in the past 3 years. PALAS' goal is to award 100 scholarships in 2014. Please make a contribution at www.PALAS1.org . Thank you.Exec. Director of PALAS, RULA BROWN presents certificate of appreciation to Hon. DAMION CRAWFORD at 2013 awards ceremony at UWI-Mona in Kingston, JAMAICA. 

Peace and Love Academic Scholarship (PALAS) will hold it's 4th Annual Awards presentation at the University of The West Indies (UWI-Mona) on Saturday, August 23, 2014 in Kingston, JAMAICA. PALAS awarded 115 scholarships in the past 3 years. PALAS' goal is to award 100 scholarships in 2014. Please make a contribution at www.PALAS1.org . Thank you.

Americans consume 80 percent of the world's supply of painkillers -- more than 110 tons of pure, addictive opiates every year -- as the country's prescription drug abuse epidemic explodes.

Displaying 80 percent.pngAmericans consume 80 percent of the world's supply of painkillers -- more than 110 tons of pure, addictive opiates every year -- as the country's prescription drug abuse epidemic explodes.
That's enough drugs to give every single American 64 Percocets or Vicodin. And pain pill prescriptions continue to surge, up 600 percent in ten year, thanks to doctors who are more and more willing to hand out drugs to patients who are suffering. 
As more people get their hands on these potentially-dangerous drugs, more are taking them to get high. Their drug abuse leads to 14,800 deaths a year -- more than from heroin and cocaine combined.

'We've become a society of wusses,' Long Island, New York, pharmacist Howard Levine told the BBC
Mr Levine stopped carrying all of the major addictive prescription drugs after he was robbed twice by addicts looking to get high.
 
Nationwide, police are reporting increases in robberies and other crimes by people who are addicted to oxycodone and hydrocodone, the key ingredient in most prescription pain pills. 
One of the people lured into crime by drug dependency was Rich Elassar, 36, who once owned a successful business in New Jersey. more: