64 y-o Marcia Griffiths to receive Order of Distinction at King's House. It is the country's fifth highest honour.

BY HOWARD CAMPBELL Observer senior writer  Thursday, August 07, 2014    

MARCIA Griffiths, one of reggae's enduring talents, leads a field of entertainment stalwarts receiving awards in the annual National Honours and Awards.

Griffiths will receive the Order of Distinction (Commander class) at the ceremony which takes place October 20 at King's House. It is the country's fifth highest honour.

Griffiths was previously awarded the OD (Officer class).

The 64-year-old singer is celebrating her 50th anniversary in the music business, an accomplishment recognised this year by organisers of the Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival and organisations like the Jamaica Reggae Industry Association.

Her recording career began at Studio One in the rocksteady era. There, she cut a number of dance hits including Feel Like Jumping, Melody Life and Really Together (with Bob Andy).

A highlight of Griffiths' career came in the 1970s when she toured and recorded as a member of the I Three, Bob Marley's harmony group. more

IN JAMAICA: The garrison — Our great shame of Independence

The garrison — Our great shame of Independence

IT happens every year as we celebrate our Independence that we grab for the names of a few icons — living and those who left us — and parade them as the true spirit of what is in us, b ... Read More

TWENTY-FIVE-YEAR-OLD attorney, Ashley Ann Foster to take PNP East Central St James constituency

Ann Foster

MONTEGO BAY, St James - TWENTY-FIVE-YEAR-OLD attorney, Ashley Ann Foster, is likely to be elected Chairman of the People's National Party (PNP's) East Central St James constituency. Delegates in th ... Read More

IN JAMAICA: Glen Mills headlines nine sports personalities receive National Honours and Awards

Nine sports personalities receive National Honours and Awards

Glen Mills

GLEN Mills, head coach of Racers Track Club, headlined nine Jamaican sports personalities who were appointed to the Orders of the Societies of Honour and awarded the Badge of Honour with effect fr ... Read More

Teacher Turns Up Drunk And Pantsless On First Day at Wagoner High School : Cops

 Lorie Ann Hill

Don't worry about forgetting your homework; this teacher forgot her pants, witnesses said.

Oklahoma schoolteacher Lorie Ann Hill, 49, was allegedly spotted drunk and without pants on her first day of work at Wagoner High School Monday, Fox 23 reported.

“She was found in a room kind of disoriented,” Police Chief Bob Haley told Tulsa World. “By the time we got there she was in a room and wearing shorts.”

Hill was hired by the school this yearfor a special education position, according to the Muskogee Phoenix. She allegedly admitted to drinking vodka before coming to work, and was charged with public intoxication.

Classes do not start in Wagoner until Thursday.

Stitchie Pens Autobiography......Titled, The Power of Determination, "No ghostwriter, I wrote it myself,"

Published: Wednesday | August 6, 2014

Having had his fair share of struggles during his formative years, gospel artiste Stitchie has penned an autobiography that he hopes will provide motivation for others.

Stitchie

Titled, The Power of Determination, the book is set for release later this year.

"No ghostwriter, I wrote it myself," Stitchie told The Gleaner.

"That makes me the first reggae artiste to write a book. A lot of books have been written about them and for them. This is real. It is my autobiography. It is a motivational tool," he said.

According to Stitchie, physical and digital copies of the book will be available by the end of September, and on his website,kingstitchie.net.

Stitchie has been in the music industry for decades so, according to him, it was important, "to document my life experience and share them with others, because I believe others can benefit from them as well. I will also show that people can be academically inclined and gifted in the performing arts."

He also explained that he thought it necessary to write the book, as it shows his journey, and the fact that he did not allow his environment to consume him despite growing up very poor.

"I never had the textbooks, but I was never in the low grade. I was one of the top students. Once you want to move forward, you will find ways and means to do it. Going to a tertiary institution, it was not finances that brought me there, it was determination," said Stitchie, who studied physical education and biology at the GC Foster College.

Stitchie also plans to give persons a taste of his book at Morris Heights Health Center (MHHC) National Health Center Week Festival and Fun Day in Bronx, New York, on August 16. more

Jamaica: The good, the bad and the ugly..... JAMAICANS, dispersed across the vast expanse of the globe, will today celebrate with pride and joy the Independence of their country.

Wednesday, August 06, 2014    

JAMAICANS, dispersed across the vast expanse of the globe, will today celebrate with pride and joy the Independence of their country. And, whatever their differences, the one thing they will have in common is their undepleted love for the land of their birth.

Jamaica: the good , the bad and the ugly

No one must begrudge us this moment of celebration, but it might not come to much, if we lose the opportunity to pause and reflect on the prevailing circumstances in Jamaica and to contemplate the future. Looking ahead, Jamaica is at a tipping point in which there is the good, the bad and the ugly.

The good: There is much that augurs well for the future. Indeed, our current predicament must not blind us to the wonders about our land and our people. We are blessed with one of the most beautiful lands on the Earth, from the Negril beaches to the Blue Mountains; a great people enriched by their creativity, talent, resilience, capacity to work hard, and a willingness to resist injustice. An inspirational history of overcoming slavery, colonialism and natural disasters tells us that there is nothing we cannot do.

The Jamaican people are special: Marcus Garvey, Bob Marley, Usain Bolt and a pantheon of other heroes. The world knows that if you are in trouble the best person to find is a Jamaican. At one time we were the largest producer in the world of sugar, bananas and bauxite. We still have the best rum, coffee and sprinters. We gave the world reggae, jerk, beef patties, Rastafarianism, and so much more. more

Montserrat's 15-year-old entrepreneur and author Warren Cassell Jr launches third company....is seeking to take advantage of a number of opportunities on the Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago stock exchanges.

BY KARENA BENNETT Business Observer reporter bennettk@jamaicaobserver.com  Wednesday, August 06, 2014    

Montserrat's 15-year-old entrepreneur and author Warren Cassell Jr has launched his third company, an investment holding firm named Abella Group LLC.

The company, primarily aimed at purchasing minority stakes in firms listed on the New York Stock Exchange, is also seeking to take advantage of a number of opportunities on the Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago stock exchanges.

CASSELL... I prefer to fall short on an impossible
 goal than to fall short or even achieve a mediocre one

"There are several gems in the Caribbean stock markets and regional stock exchanges are significantly undervalued," Cassell told the Jamaica Observer in an e-mailed response.

No stranger to the world of business, Cassell currently holds an investment portfolio comprising US Government bonds and shares in Sagicor Financial Corporation, Bank of Montserrat, in addition to 10 per cent preferred shares in a legal publishing company, West Indian Lawyers.

Through this newly incorporated investment vehicle, the teenager hopes to dramatically expand his investment holdings by carefully leveraging external capital to deploy in a number of globally diverse sectors, including media, financial services, commercial banking, Internet, technology, and consumer goods.

"There is a particular company that I have been looking at on the Jamaica Stock Exchange that has been growing steadily over the last five years," Cassell stated in a press release. "However, despite the impressive growth, the stock price has been dormant."

In fact, the young entrepreneur explained that the market price for the company is 50 per cent less than the actual value of the firm.

"This simply means that if I purchase a stake in that company, I'll be getting it at a discount because the price that I will be buying the stock at is 50 per cent less than what it is actually worth. It is no different from buying a house for $300,000 that is really worth $600,000," the young entrepreneur added.  more

THE EMBASSY: Q: I'm a dual United States and Jamaican citizen. Can I still use my Jamaican passport when I arrive in Jamaica? Dual citizens can't enter or leave US on Jamaican passport

Q: I'm a dual United States and Jamaican citizen. Can I still use my Jamaican passport when I arrive in Jamaica?

A: The short answer is: Yes. A dual citizen can present a Jamaican passport to immigration authorities when he or she arrives in Jamaica. Many Jamaican-Americans enjoy the freedom of using a Jamaican passport here for extended stays.

There are, however, strict rules about travelling with two passports that all dual citizens must follow.

US federal law generally requires all citizens to travel in and out of the country using a valid US passport or passport card with limited exceptions, such as travel on cruise ships. Failure to comply with this regulation can wreak havoc on travel plans. That means dual citizens should not get on a plane to the US without a valid US passport.

Lately, US Embassy Kingston has seen an uptick in the number of dual nationals who find themselves temporarily stranded here because they left their US passports at home or their US passports have expired. Airlines in Jamaica will not board a passenger on a

US-bound jet without a

valid passport. Naturalisation certificates cannot be used.

Fortunately, we offer passport services at the Embassy in Kingston as well as our Consular Agency in Montego Bay. It can, however, take seven to 10 business days for a new passport to be processed (much faster than processing time for applications filed in the US, but still inconvenient for most travellers wanting to head home). It can take particularly long if a US citizen is applying for a passport for the first time in Jamaica and doesn't have proper documentation.

During this time, the US citizen may incur significant expenses from extra hotel nights and airline

rebooking fees.

In extreme cases, embassy staff can issue a same-day emergency passport. Emergency passports are primarily meant to help people with an urgent medical need to travel or for crime or accident victims. Poor planning does not constitute an emergency. more

JAMAICA gets birthday gift with opening of highway first leg..... Motorists get one month free pass on North/South link. THE Linstead to Moneague leg of the North/South link of Highway 2000 was officially opened yesterday, giving the nation a huge 52nd birthday gift

BY KARYL WALKER walkerk@jamaicaobserver.com  Wednesday, August 06, 2014    

THE Linstead to Moneague leg of the North/South link of Highway 2000 was officially opened yesterday, giving the nation a huge 52nd birthday gift that will significantly slash the average two-hour travel time between the capital and the north coast tourism belt.

As of 6:00 am today, motorists can travel for free on the high-speed motorway until September 5, cutting out the narrow, winding and treacherous Mount Rosser route.

Vehicles travel on the first leg of the north/south highway,
yesterday. (PHOTO: JIS)

Opening the highway during a ceremony at the Treadways toll both yesterday, Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller urged local business interests to seize the economic opportunities that will flow from the new development.

“We are expecting new opportunities for tourism. I am urging local entrepreneurs to position themselves for new economic activities to be derived from the new highway,” Simpson Miller said.

The four-lane highway is 19.3 kilometres long and has 11 bridges, a toll plaza, brake checkpoints, and escape lanes.

It will now take approximately 18 minutes to cover the journey which would previously take anywhere over 45 minutes on the Mount Rosser route, which was not designed to accommodate large trucks and trailers that traverse the hilly terrain daily.

Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller holds a scissors
 aloft after she cut the ribbon signalling the official
 opening of the second leg of the North/South leg
of Highway 2000 yesterday.

After September 5, it will cost motorists $200 for sedans, $420 for sport utility vehicles, and $1,000 for trucks and large units in toll fees to use the highway.

Managing director of the National Road Operating and Constructing Company (NROCC), said there were plans to construct a rest stop along the highway and relocate 50 of the vendors from the popular Faith’s Pen food stop who have expressed concern that their livelihood would be severely affected as fewer motorists would be using the Mount Rosser route. more

IN JAMAICA: A beauty of a goat, named 'Boy Anderson' ..... Animal attracts much attention at Denbigh show...."Him boasy sah, come een like dem bring him a hairdresser," said one man, as he stood admiring the goat. "How him suh pretty. A first mi see a goat pretty suh."

BY TANESHA MUNDLE Observer staff reporter mundlet@jamaicaobserver.com  Tuesday, August 05, 2014    

IF there was a prize for the most photographed animal at the recently concluded Denbigh Agricultural, Industrial and Food Show in Clarendon a goat named 'Boy Anderson' would have easily won it for the many admirers he attracted.

Boy Anderson

The 11-month-old mixed breed animal, who was awarded a medal for being the most beautiful goat in the Native Goat category, was like a magnet capturing the attention of everyone who entered the livestock section where he was on display with other goats and sheep.

From the very young to the old, they could not help snapping photographs of the animal on their mobile phones and cameras and even taking videos.

Boy Anderson's black hair which sat atop its head like a wig drew curious onlookers by the minute.

"Him boasy sah, come een like dem bring him a hairdresser," said one man, as he stood admiring the goat.

"Him head look betta than nuff wig," a female onlooker chimed in.

Said one young man who was walking by but was forced to stop, "How him suh pretty. A first mi see a goat pretty suh."

One woman was so besotted with the goat, she openly proclaimed her love for him.

"Him nice eeh, mi wud ah buy yuh now; mi wud ah carry yuh home now. I love him," she said before facing the goat and uttering "I love you." more

EXQUISITE -- The Ultimate Red Carpet Party at The Palms in Kingston. Jamaican mafia comes to town...."based on real-life incidents"..."It's a shoot them up, bang bang, but it also explores family values.

Monday, August 04, 2014    

JAMAICAN Mafia, the independent movie starring Paul Campbell, is scheduled to officially premiere in New York City on August 27.

Orville Matherson, one of the film's executive producers, did not disclose a location, but told the Jamaica Observer that expectations are high for the flick, which he says is "based on real-life incidents".

Paul Campbell

Filmed entirely in New York City last year, Jamaican Mafia is directed by Nigerian Vafomba Donzo and stars Paul Campbell, whose credits include Dancehall Queen and Third World Cop.

Campbell and co-star Mykal Fax (who also wrote the screenplay) will be special guests this evening at EXQUISITE -- The Ultimate Red Carpet Party at The Palms in Kingston.

Matherson told the Observer that the film's plot "is based on a group of people who are from Jamaica, so naturally we will target Jamaicans and people from the Caribbean".

Campbell, who has also featured in gritty pieces like Shottas, plays Soljie, the family patriarch in Jamaican Mafia.

"It's a shoot them up, bang bang, but it also explores family values. That's one of the things I liked about the script," he said. The 3 minute promo received over 100,000 views/hits on the Facebook page #BringBackOurJamaica Source Jamaica Observer

Amigo...Yu Ever See Teet Like Dese? RulaBrownNetwork.com

Post by Bring Back Our JAMAICA, #BBOJ.

JAMAICA 52, upsets ENGLAND 48, in a netball thriller at Commonwealth Games: Sunshine for Girls in gutsy bronze medal performance

BY SEAN WILLIAMS Assistant Sport Editor  Monday, August 04, 2014    

GLASGOW, Scotland — Marva Bernard's eyes were bloodshot. She had been shedding tears, and a hell of a lot of it at that.

But they were tears of joy. For the Netball Jamaica boss had just witnessed her Sunshine Girls win a Commonwealth Games bronze in a heart-stopping third-place play-off match against England at the Hydro Arena here yesterday..

Jamaica Bronze medallist

The score tells the story of the competitive nature of the game: Jamaica 52, England 48. But what it does not unveil is the heart, discipline and overall sacrifice that were put in that ultimately ended Jamaica's drought at major championships.

Yesterday's bronze medal took Jamaica's tally for these Games to 22, equalling the all-time best, with 10 gold, four silver and eight bronze.

The medals were gained in three sporting disciplines -- 19 in track and field athletics, two in swimming and one in netball.

"We have struggled with the negative that has been thrown at us, we have struggled with being told that we are not good enough, but I never doubted my team.

"My faith is very strong but they (detractors) tested it, and I just want to say to those people who criticised us and said we are not good enough, thank you because you made us work even harder," said Bernard, with eyes still overflowing with tears.

To Netball Jamaica's loyal sponsors and supporters, she said: "Thanks to all those who supported us."

Even though she never doubted the ability of the team, Bernard shared that a pep talk by her and JOA president Mike Fennel before the game must have hit the collective soul of the girls.

"I told them this (yesterday) morning that they have got to play for their country... Mike Fennel came and he spoke to them after I spoke," she told Jamaican journalists immediately after the match.

Coach Minneth Reynolds was beside herself with joy, catching her breath before she said: "I am so elated." more

IN JAMAICA: Madness in Half Way Tree Square....A madman disarms police constable of his Glock service pistol and went on a wild, shoots two....

Monday, August 04, 2014    

TRAFFIC in the usually busy Half-Way-Tree square was diverted for several hours yesterday afternoon after a man believed to be of unsound mind relieved a police constable of his Glock service pistol and went on a wild, but short-lived shooting spree, injuring two civilians.

The man is said to have run into the bus layby in the direction of Constant Spring Road, then fired close to 10 shots in the direction of Half-Way-Tree Road.

Traffic cops give statements about yesterday’s
 incident to detectives from the CIB Half-Way-Tree square.

The Constabulary Force Corporate Communications Unit confirmed the incident in a skeletal late afternoon release to the media, but promised to give more information as the investigation proceeds.

However, a police source, which spoke to the Jamaica Observer on condition of anonymity given the force's media policy, said that as is customary when there is to be a shift change, a Toyota Hiace service vehicle was parked close to the clock just outside the layby just after 2:00 pm. The constable, a fresh graduate of the National Police Academy who has been assigned to the traffic division, was standing behind the bus when the mentally challenged man reportedly sneaked up behind him and disarmed him.

"I understand he pulled both the gun and the holster from the man's waist," the source said.

Another police source added: "It look like him used to gun cause him cock it as it come out (of the holster).

An off-duty policeman who was in the vicinity came to the rescue by shooting the man and recovered the pistol.

Apparently commiserating with his young colleague, one of the sources pointed to the number of people of unsound mind in the

St Andrew capital.

"It could have happened to anybody because a nuff madman deh ah Half-Way-Tree. An' mi hear say is not one of the regulars, is a new one," the source said.

The assailant and the civilians were taken to hospital.

The police information unit said the incident has been reported to the Independent Commission of Investigations. Source Jamaica Observer

IN JAMAICA: A brilliant girl's dream shattered.....Shenordo Balgrave wants to study pathology, but…"Right now my sister and I are working on a community club which involves getting youths involved in sports, mainly netball, cheerleading and basketball,"

BY VERNON DAVIDSON Executive editor - publications davidsonv@jamaicaobserver.com  Sunday, August 03, 2014    

Shenordo Balgrave has always wanted to study medicine.

"Ever since I was little, that's why I made a straight path to that," she admitted to the Jamaica Observer.

That path saw her pursuing the sciences and achieving grade 1 scores in eight of the nine subjects she sat in Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) exams.

BALGRAVE… science facilitates curiosity

At the higher Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) Balgrave's Unit 1 scores were biology, grade 1; chemistry, grade 2; and physics, grade 3.

At Unit 2 she achieved grade 1 in biology and physics, and grade 2 in chemistry. She also holds a grade 1 in communication studies and grade 2 in Caribbean studies.

The scores earned her an Advanced Proficiency Diploma and an associate's degree in natural sciences from the Caribbean Examinations Council in August 2013.

To her great delight, Balgrave was accepted at the University of the West Indies (UWI) last September to begin studying medicine.

However, she had a major problem. She was unable to come up with the tuition.

Luckily, though, Balgrave was among a few students whom the education ministry was able to assist with a major chunk of the funds to pursue their tertiary studies.

"I got $2 million from the Ministry of Education, but the school fee was $2.84 million [and] I was unable to come up with the additional amount by the second semester," she told the Sunday Observer.

According to Balgrave, she applied for a semester break, but was not successful as she made the request too late. And even though the university appeared willing to bend over backwards to accommodate her, she just could not come up with the balance of the tuition, mostly because her mother is not working and her stepfather, who most likely would have been able to assist, passed away a few years ago.

In an apparent effort to earn the money to resume her studies, Balgrave got a job at a cafe. That, however, didn't last long, as she fell ill and had to be hospitalised in April this year.

The thought that she was no longer attending university left her in tears, she said. more

PRESS RELEASE: PALAS to award 72 new scholarships in 2014-2015. Hon. Lisa Hanna & Attorney Patrick Campbell to deliver keynote addresses at awards presentation at University of the West Indies (UWI)-Mona Campus, Sat Aug 23, in JAMAICA. Reggae singer, Winsome Benjamin will provide the entertainment.."30 other students who met our criteria regrettably will be bypassed due to lack of funds." Stats; 17 male & 55 female students, 29 high school & 43 university students, there were 140 applicants....One-hundred eighty-seven (187) total scholarships awarded in 4 years....We are still seeking donations at www.PALAS1.org.

72 PALAS recipients (29 High School & 43 University students)

ATLANTA, GA – August 2, 2014 (Update): Peace and Love Academic Scholarship, Inc. (PALAS) will award seventy (72) new scholarships for the academic year 2014-2015 to worthy, but economically challenged high school and University/College students  in Jamaica and the wider Caribbean region. Honourable Lisa Hanna, Minister of Youth & Culture and Attorney Patrick Campbell of Washington D.C will deliver the Keynote addresses at the 4^th annual award ceremony - UWI in Kingston, Jamaica on Saturday, August 23, 2014, commencing at 5:00pm. Reggae songbird, Winsome Benjamin will provide the entertainment. The Master of Ceremonies will be Mr. Winston Cowans.

Hon. Lisa Hanna,
 Minister of Youth & Culture

PALAS, the Atlanta-headquartered charity organization, has received the support of various corporate bodies and individuals to support the students. The stated mission of the group is to recognize and honor outstanding academic performances of under privileged students residing in the Caribbean region.

The PALAS program was established in December 2010, to honor the memory of young Vanessa Campbell, an aspiring Jamaican artiste who was a casualty of the burgeoning crime and violence problem in Portmore, Jamaica. After Vanessa’s untimely death, an initial scholarship program was created as the SSSJamz/Vanessa Campbell Academic Scholarship to assist high school students from her alma mater, Bridgeport High School. To sustain this effort PALAS has been soliciting funds from all quarters.

Patrick Campbell, Attorney

Since the inception of the program, PALAS awarded 187 scholarships valued approx. J$8.5 million (US$84,000.00), 20 computers and mentoring for some of the students. Some highlights over the 4 years are; 1,515% increase in scholarships, 376 applicants including Medical Students, Science & Engineering, Law students, Nursing, Business/Accounting and Liberal/Fine arts student applicants. The program is available to students residing in the Caribbean region. The students range in age 12-32 years old from various high schools, UWI, UTECH, NCU, EXED, Shortwood College, UTECH-Guyana and AAIMS Medical School. 

PALAS continues to strive for “Preserving Young Minds for Posterity”; we would like to thank all the supporters of these most deserving students who are aiming to reach above the sky. The PALAS scholarship application process for the 2014-2015 academic years was opened April 1, through May 30, 2014. 

Founder, Rula Brown said “the unfortunate news about PALAS’s effort is that, there were an additional thirty-three (33) students who met the criteria for scholarships, but due to the lack of funds we could not assist at this time.”  You may Partner with PALAS (PWP) to have a scholarship in your name, loved one or business by donating a minimum of US$350.00.

Please make a donation to the PALAS program before July 31st. by sending a check to:

PALAS or Peace and Love Academic Scholarship
P.O. Box 5461
Alpharetta, GA 30023-5461. USA
Email: peaceandlovescholarship@gmail.com

Or donate online at www.PALAS1.org with PAYPAL, VISA, MASTERCARD or Check.

About Peace and Love Academic Scholarship, Inc.

Singer, Winsome Benjamin will 
entertain and present the 
WINSOME BENJAMIN ACADEMIC
 SCHOLARSHIP to a student at event

Peace and Love Academic Scholarship is a non-profit, 501(c) (3) organization in Atlanta, Georgia founded by Jamaican-born Rula Brown. PALAS’ mission is to help improve the health, education and general well-being of less fortunate children residing in the Caribbean region.

Since its formal launch in December 2010, PALAS has dedicated its resources, human and financial, to help make a difference in the lives of underserved children in Jamaica, West Indies as the well as the wider Caribbean region. For further information about PALAS including sponsorship opportunities, please visit www.PALAS1.org.

For additional information contact:
Rula Brown, PALAS Exec. Director
rulabrown@gmail.com or (770) 715-0224
Or send email to peaceandlovescholarship@gmail.com