PALAS Students making huge strides in JAMAICA: 5 of Jamaica's promising UWI graduates under 25...Nicole Nation, medical student and author of this article & Steven Jackson, Lawyer, whose roots are from Jarrett Lane (Mtn View Ave) are both PALAS recipients.

BY NICOLE NATION Career and Education writer  for the Jamaica Observer Sunday, November 09, 2014    

THEY'RE five of Jamaica's influential youngsters, representative of what the country's youth are capable of. These young Jamaicans and University of the West Indies (UWI) graduates are smart and full of ideas, proving that the future of Jamaica is bright.

Steven Jackson

Steven Jackson Tariq Parker

At just 22, Kingstonian Steven Jackson is the proud holder of a UWI honours degree in law. It is said that Sagittarian men are wise intellectuals and this can be said of Jackson, who even as a Kingston College student, demonstrated great promise as evidenced by his insatiable thirst for knowledge. His friends say he would never miss an opportunity to win an argument, even if his views weren't popular.

Jackson has interned with prestigious law firms including Bailey, Terrelonge and Allen, and Swaby-Samuels and Associates, where he assisted some of the Caribbean's best legal minds in the preparation of cases for the Supreme Court of Jamaica, the Family Court and the Resident Magistrate's courts. His diverse skill set proved to be valuable in that he also prepared legal material for media presentations as well as accounting documents for clients.

He works with Professor Verene Shepherd on the Nationwide News Network programme Talking History.

This go-getter is also the treasurer of the Mona Law Society and a mentor in the society's 'Save the Males' initiative. Jackson also has vocal prowess as he is the head chorister of the esteemed Kingston College Chapel Choir.

Tariq Parker

Malysha Kelly Yanique DaCosta

Nicole Nation, PALAS recipient
& Medical student at UWI
received a BSc degree in Science
 with honors in Oct 2014.
She will receive her Medical degree
in 2 years from UWI.

Twenty-three-year-old Tariq Parker vividly recalls that as a young boy, he wanted to be an astronaut, inventor, then a physicist or even a lawyer like his father. However, his aptitude for science was the driving force behind his decision to become a doctor. As a student at Wolmer's Boys', he demonstrated his prowess in the sciences, as he gained 19 distinctions in his CXC, CSEC, and CAPE examinations. This progressive thinker is a graduate of the UWI's medical programme with an honours degree. He also recently received honours in general medicine, general surgery and obstetrics and gynaecology. Additionally, he received the subject prizes for the best top Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) student in internal medicine and general surgery across the UWI's four campuses. His friends will tell you that he is always laughing and that his smile is infectious.

His very laid-back personality will see him on the weekends liming with friends. more

JAMAICA HEARTBREAK : Search for missing seven-year-old Kalisha Cousins ends in tragedy...Kalisha's body was found in the Rio Cobre near Dyke Road in St Catherine...some persons claimed that they saw the body and it had multiple. "How can someone be that evil to just kill a child in cold blood and throw her in a swamp?"

Andrew Harris, Sunday Gleaner Writer

A grandmother's heart-wrenching wail signalled to everyone in the area that the three-day search for seven-year-old Kalisha Cousins had ended in the worst possible way.

Tears meander down the face of Kolien Taffe as she mourns her
daughter, Kalisha Cousins.-Ricardo Makyn/Staff Photographer

Kalisha's body was found in the Rio Cobre near Dyke Road in St Catherine last Friday, after she was reported missing on Wednesday when she failed to return from school at the usual time.

According to the police, a fisherman saw a body in the river about 3:30 last Friday and raised an alarm. The scene was processed by police investigators and the badly decomposed body, which was identified as Kalisha, removed to the morgue for post-mortem.

"We cannot yet say if there was foul play," said one senior investigator who asked not to be named. "The body was waterlogged and decomposed so we could not identify if there were any wounds or the cause of death. That will await the post-mortem," added the cop.

However, some persons claimed that they saw the body and it had multiple stab wounds.

Nice and loving

But inside the West Avenue section of Central Village, St Catherine, where Kalisha and her family call home, there was no discussion on the cause of death, just the almost unbearable pain of losing one so young.

Mother and grandmother of 7 y-o child

"She was nice and loving. You see every morning when she wake up she would come in the house and say 'Good morning Grandma and Grandpa' and give us kisses," declared her grandmother, Maureen Alexander.

"When I carried her to the bus stop Wednesday morning, she waved and kissed after me and then said "later", and I smiled and told her 'later', and I never saw her back until last night, when she came over the news as a missing person," added Alexander before placing her hands on her chest and crying mournfully.

Alexander, who is grandmother to six, told our news team that Kalisha was her closest grandchild.

"When they found her she was in her uniform. Oh Jesus, and she was so loving. She always say 'I love you'," added Alexander as she continued to weep. more

Dr. Martin Luther King, A Genius....Preaches Peace, Love and Unity

New Date Set For John Holt's Funeral....he will be buried on Saturday, November 15. The singer is survived by his widow, Merl, three sisters, three brothers, and 23 children

Published: Sunday | November 9, 2014 

There have been some changes regarding the funeral date for the late reggae singer John Holt. Holt, who died of cancer late last month, will be buried on Saturday, November 15.

John Holt

The funeral service is scheduled to take place at the National Indoor Sports Centre in Kingston and interment will be at the Dovecot Memorial Park. Accompanied by family members, Holt's body arrived in the island last Wednesday, following his death in England on October 20.

The singer is survived by his widow, Merl, three sisters, three brothers, and 23 children. Passing at the age of 69, the Stick By Me singer has left an immense catalogue of hit songs, including Stealing Stealing, Ali Baba, The Tide Is High, and If I Were A Carpenter, some of which were done as part of the reggae group The Paragons.

More information regarding the service is to be released to the media in the days leading up to the funeral.

JAMAICA CENTENARIAN: Imogene Johnson still very active at 100 not out....she has, over many years, served devotedly as deaconess, choir member, and missionary at Church. In fact, Johnson is so dedicated to her place of worship that she has planted crops specifically to earn funds for the church.

BY ALICIA SUTHERLAND Sunday Observer staff reporter sutherlanda@jamaicaobserver.com  Sunday, November 09, 2014    MANDEVILLE, Manchester — Having celebrated her 100th birthday on September 6, Imogene Johnson is, according to members of her family, now the most senior member at Cedar Grove Seventh-day Adventist Church in Manchester.

Imogene Johnson occasionally exercises with a run.

Her seniority, though, is not the only distinguishing feature of her life at the church, for she has, over many years, served devotedly as deaconess, choir member, and missionary.

In fact, Johnson is so dedicated to her place of worship that she has planted crops specifically to earn funds for the church.

"She always did her investment for the church. She plant some root of cho-cho and say this cho-cho vine is just for the church. She would pick it and sell it and carry the proceeds to the church," said her daughter Dalsie Johnson-Buchanan, with whom the centenarian has been living off Brumalia Road in Mandeville since 1998.

The yield was often good, Johnson-Buchanan said, adding that her mother would also plant pumpkin to raise money for the church.

Though respiratory problems may keep her away from church, particularly when it rains, Johnson does not foresee her faith waning.

"I am always on the Lord side," she told the Jamaica Observer. "Ah live at Cedar Grove and mi and no one never quarrel. Ah soon gone home to my Jesus, and I want to live right just the same..." more

An I-Octane crime plan after the brutal killing of a mother and her two sons in Bucknor district of Clarendon...."Me see Jamaicans from uptown and downtown block road and protest 'bout gas prices until we get change. We need to take that same mentality to the crime. We can't wait until it reach our door," said I-Octane.

Saturday, November 08, 2014    

MONDAY'S brutal killing of a mother and her two sons in Bucknor district of Clarendon has dancehall singjay I-Octane calling for Jamaicans to come together to stamp out the scourge of crime and violence.

The victims were Kareen Brown, 44, and her sons Shavian Mitchell, 17, and Shawn Mitchell, 21.

I-Octane

I-Octane -- who was born and raised in the parish -- insists that over the years Jamaicans have joined forces for a number of other causes, so it is now time to act and eliminate, or, at least, reduce the killings and instances of criminality.

"Me see Jamaicans from uptown and downtown block road and protest 'bout gas prices until we get change. We need to take that same mentality to the crime. We can't wait until it reach our door," said I-Octane.

"Just like when we hear storm a come, and everybody put down gun and knife, and join supermarket line and everybody a prepare for storm, that's how we all need to tackle the crime situation. It is a national issue and we have to take it on as one people," he continued.

For I-Octane, for too long persons have chosen to highlight the problem without providing solutions. He, therefore, notes that efforts have to be made to create employment opportunities to prevent those at risk from venturing into a life of crime. more 

JAMAICA-BORN contestant in The Voice, Anita Antoinette has soared to the top of the iTunes reggae 100 chart with Rude (The Voice Performance).

Anita Antoinette

Saturday, November 08, 2014    

JAMAICA-BORN contestant in The Voice, Anita Antoinette has soared to the top of the iTunes reggae 100 chart with Rude (The Voice Performance).

The singer's rendition of Magic!'s Rude surpassed the sales of UB40's Red Red Wine, who holds the number two spot. In the number three spot is One Day by Matisyahu. Occupying positions four and five are Three Little Birds and Is This Love by Bob Marley and the Wailers.

Antoinette also holds the number 11 spot on the reggae chart, with her cover of Bob Marley's Turn Your Lights Down Low....

Turmeric: Doctors Say This Spice Is a Brain Health Miracle: 8 Incredible Health Benefits of Turcumin ; Protection for your brain and cognitive function bottle2man ✔ Improved mental clarity and memory retention ✔ Better mood balance and more energy ✔ A healthier heart and more balanced cholesterol ✔ Fewer aches and pains and less stiffness ✔ Smoother, more youthful-looking skin ✔ Support for liver health and detoxification ✔ Antioxidant protection against free radicals ✔ An overall increased sense of vitality

Turmeric: Doctors Say This Spice Is a Brain Health Miracle

Discover the Simple Natural Solution to Lifelong Cognitive Health

By Joshua Corn, Editor-in-Chief of the Live in the Now Natural Health Newsletter Are you concerned about maintaining the health of your brain as you age?You're not alone. Losing one's memory and mental abilities to cognitive decline is something we all fear, and the current statistics on the prevalence of cognitive decline in this country are not pretty. By age 65, sadly 1 in 8 Americans will suffer from severe cognitive decline, and by age 80, an astonishing 1 in 2 will.[1] Researchers have been working for years to develop an effective treatment. But one "miracle" drug after another has failed to live up to its promises, and it's becoming more and more apparent that pharmaceuticals are not the solution. Unfortunately, the medical establishment is so narrowly focused on finding an elusive "cure" that scientifically proven prevention strategies are often ignored. I'm Joshua Corn, Editor-in-Chief of Live in the Now, one of the fastest growing natural health publications in the nation. My passion for natural health drives me to seek the truth about the causes of health problems and to educate people on alternative solutions that are both safe and effective. Please keep reading, because I'll tell you about an amazingly effective way to protect your brain from the ravages of cognitive decline and boost your thinking and memory abilities quickly, naturally and safely. Nature's Brain-Protecting Miracle There are a number of natural brain protectors out there, but did you know that one herb has shown more promise when it comes to supporting your neurological system than any other medical finding to date? It's a scientific fact that curcumin, an antioxidant compound found in the root of the turmeric plant, is one of the most powerful natural brain protecting substances on the planet! It continues to amaze scientists with its remarkable cognitive health benefits. more

Hon. LISA HANNA...Youth, Health ministries collaborate to provide assistance for wards-of- the-state

Friday, November 07, 2014 | 7:36 AM    

KINGSTON, Jamaica – The Ministry of Youth and Culture has joined with the Ministry of Health to provide medical assistance for wards of the state with disabilities.

Lisa Hanna

Minister of Youth and Culture, Lisa Hanna says that children in state care particularly those with severe disabilities, are abandoned by their parents, because they cannot afford the cost of adequate care and treatment.

Doctors now visit the children’s homes, write prescriptions, and compile files. Medication is sourced through the Ministry of Health for severe cases.

 “Many of these children remain in the homes from birth until they die because they have no one to come back for them…oftentimes the parents leave them, because the medication for a child with epilepsy or cerebral palsy or extreme autism is so expensive that they are not able to give it to them to put them in a state where you can work with them,” Hanna said.

She argued that children with disabilities should be seen as a gift, rather than a curse, and is encouraging Jamaicans to volunteer at children’s homes to assist in their care, as well as that of other wards.

“Work with the caregivers because it is not easy, especially in an environment where the rest of society still has a disdain when you bring a child forward, who is very different,” the minister noted. more

GraceKennedy reports $57.4-billion 3Q profit.... Amazing Grace!

Friday, November 07, 2014    

GraceKennedy (GK) yesterday reported a third-quarter profit of $57.4 billion, an increase of 15.5 per cent or $7.7 billion over the corresponding period last year.

Stating that the figures represented unaudited results for the group for the nine months ending September 30, 2014, the local conglomerate said net profit attributable to owners of the company increased by $406.3 million or 20.5 per cent, compared to the same period last year.

"It has been a challenging period, but we are really proud of what we have achieved," GraceKennedy Group CEO Don Wehby was quoted in a company news release.

He pointed to the company's acquisition of the business and assets of La Fe Foods Inc -- which has its operations in New Jersey, Florida, and North Carolina -- in July, as well as the acquisition of an additional 50 per cent of the shares in EC Global Insurance Company Limited, a St Lucian firm (making GK majority shareholders) in September, as two outstanding highlights.

"The La Fe acquisition has the potential to significantly expand our North American business with our own distribution, manufacturing and brand-building capabilities in that market," Wehby said. "As majority shareholder of EC Global, we are excited about the prospects that this business provides for our continued expansion in the region."

Wehby, the news release said, was quick to emphasise that even with those significant developments, the company remains extremely focused on the 'fortress' of GK -- its domestic business.

The company also reported that GraceKennedy Foods (GK Foods) recorded 21 per cent growth in revenue over the corresponding period last year, saying that the performance was boosted by the La Fe acquisition as well as the continued strong performance of business in Europe and the United Kingdom. more

Cable & Wireless To Acquire Flow Parent For US$3 Billion. Digicel Knocks Deal As Bad For Competition....

Published November 7, 2014 by Jamaica Gleaner

Digicel's Group slow creep into the cable market has been trumped by chief rival Cable & Wireless Commu-nications (CWC) with a massive deal announced on Tuesday that is expected to eventually merge the operations of phone company LIME with triple-play operator Flow.

Phil Bentley, CEO of Cable & Wireless
Commmunications Inc. File photos

CWC is buying Columbus International Inc, which owns Flow networks in seven markets and Karib Cable in one, for about US$3 billion, inclusive of debt.

The parties have a conditional agreement on the cash and shares transaction for 100 per cent of Columbus' equity, but Digicel is already signalling that it will be seeking the intervention of regulators, saying the deal raises issues about competition.

Under the agreement between the parties, CWC will pay cash of US$707.5 million and issue 1,557,529,605 new ordinary shares in CWC to three Columbus shareholders, giving them 36 per cent ownership in Cable & Wireless.

The cash and share issue are valued at US$1.85 billion. Columbus' debt of about US$1.2 billion will also be assumed by CWC.

It also plans to invest US$145 million of capital in the operation to be spent over three years, dating from the closing of the acquisition.

Columbus offers broadband, fixed-line telephony and cable or subscriber television services to a customer base of about 700,000 - operating as Flow in Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobago, Barbados, Grenada, St Vincent & the Grenadines, St Lucia and Curaçao and as Karib in Antigua.

Its business-to-business dealings are executed through subsidiary Columbus Business Solutions, and it offers fibre connectivity to some 42 markets through Columbus Networks. more

'It Is Farcical' ISSA Launches Probe After Lopsided JC, Excelsior Wins. JFF Demands Report By Monday Morning....Jamaica College mauled Denham Town 16-0 - scoring six times in six minutes and Excelsior swamped Holy Trinity 12-0

Published: Friday | November 7, 2014 3 Comments

President of the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) Captain Horace Burrell, says there could be serious implications if investigations reveal any case of match-fixing in two Inter-Secondary School Sports Association (ISSA)/LIME Manning Cup football games on Tuesday.

Horace Burrell

In one game at Constant Spring, Jamaica College mauled Denham Town 16-0 - scoring six times in six minutes added for stoppages.

In the other match, Excelsior swamped Holy Trinity 12-0. Jamaica College and Excelsior ended on seven points apiece. However, defending champions JC advanced to the semi-finals on a superior goal difference. JC scored 18 goals and conceded one, while Excelsior scored 15 times and had one goal against.

"The JFF is concerned and we have formally requested a response from the Inter-Secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA) on what took place and circumstances surrounding the games. It is very unusual," Burrell told The Gleaner yesterday afternoon.

"We are not implying anything, but we await a report from ISSA that should be on the desk of the JFF's general secretary (Raymond Grant) early Monday morning," a serious-sounding Burrell disclosed.

The JFF president, a long-serving and influential member of FIFA'sdisciplinary committee, pointed out that only days ago a seminar looking at match fixing was held here involving law enforcement and otherstakeholders, as he stressed the serious nature of match-fixing, which has led to the imprisonment of persons who have been found to violate fair play. more

(THIS IS AN OUTRAGE) 90-y-o Arnold Abbott charged for feeding homeless in Fort Lauderdale ....Despite the brush with the law, Abbott, and the ministers, Dwayne Black and Mark Sims, went back out for a feeding at a public park Wednesday night as police filmed from a distance and a crowd of nearly 100 mostly homeless and volunteers cheered their arrival.

Thursday, November 06, 2014 | 8:28 AM    

FORT LAUDERDALE, Florida (AP) — Despite being charged with violating a new ordinance by feeding the homeless in South Florida, 90-year-old advocate Arnold Abbott said he's not deterred and even went back out for another feeding at a public park.

90 y-o Arnold Abbott arrested by cops

The face-off in Fort Lauderdale over the new ordinance restricting public feeding of the homeless has pitted those with compassionate aims against residents and businesses trying to protect their neighborhoods.

Abbott and two South Florida ministers were charged last weekend as they handed out food. They were accused of breaking the ordinance and each faces up to 60 days in jail and a $500 fine.

"One of the police officers said, 'Drop that plate right now,' as if I were carrying a weapon," Abbott said.

Despite the brush with the law, Abbott, and the ministers, Dwayne Black and Mark Sims, went back out for a feeding at a public park Wednesday night as police filmed from a distance and a crowd of nearly 100 mostly homeless and volunteers cheered their arrival.

"God bless you, Arnold!" some shouted. And one man who broke out of the crowd, Eddie Hidalgo, 56, said the man he called 'Chef Arnold' was doing a great work.

"Thank God for Chef Arnold. I haven't eaten all day. He feeds a lot of people from the heart," said Hidalog, who added he's being living on the streets after losing his job and house. more

Peace and Love Academic Scholarship (PALAS) Board set goal to award 125 scholarships and 125 computers to students in the Caribbean in 2015. Estimated value is US$90,000 (J$9.9 million)

At the 2nd meeting for the 2015 fiscal year, PALAS board members voted unanimously to set goal to award 125 scholarships and 125 computers to students in the Caribbean in 2015. Estimated value is US$90,000 (J$9.9 million).

This would bring the total value in 5 years to J$19.2 million and 187 scholarships. Thus far PALAS scholarship has grown 1,485%.
Please donate at www.PALAS1.org as we work assiduosly for 'Preserving Young Minds for Posterity'.

Papaya May Cut Cervical Cancer Risk by 81% in Women With HPV

Papaya

Papaya May Cut Cervical Cancer Risk by 81% in Women With HPV: Just one serving per week of papaya was all it took to reduce the risk of developing cervical cancer by a stunning 81% in women with HPV, according to this study out of Brazil. In fact, this super-fruit was the most powerful single dietary item of any fruit or vegetable analyzed in this study. Why is papaya so powerful? It’s a great source of cancer fighting antioxidants like beta-carotene, 

lycopene and beta-cryptoxanthin—each of which may reduce cervical cancer risk by as much as 60%. But there’s something special about papaya, because researchers recently discovered that our bodies absorb these crucial nutrients far better from papaya than from other sources like carrots or tomatoes—in fact, up to 300% better. How? The answer is fascinating: this super fruit stores these antioxidants in unique micro-crystalline structures which greatly enhance their availability upon digestion. 

Papaya is also very rich in potassium, and is therefore one of the most alkalizing fruits available, with nearly double the alkalizing power of pure lemon juice! It’s great plain, mixed with yogurt, or as part of your favorite smoothie recipes. This low-calorie super fruit deserves special consideration as part of any healthy, fruit and vegetable centered diet meant to improve health and reduce cancer risk.

'100-YEAR MAJORITY' : House GOP On Track For Largest Delegation Since Truman Administration... Even A Disgraced Incumbent Rep. Comes Out A Winner... 87% White Men... New Crop Of Right-Leaning Firebrands... Rough Road Ahead For Obama... White House Aide: GOP 'Crazies' Will Prevent Any Collaboration...

Rep. Greg Walden of Oregon, the chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee, proclaimed Wednesday that Republicans may have built a “hundred-year majority” in the House.

"We're back to a majority as big as any of us have seen in our lifetimes. It may be a hundred-year majority," he said.House Republicans have swelled their majority to at least 243 and are on track for more pickups that would give them the biggest House majority since the Truman administration more than sixty years ago. 

They could end up with as many as 249 seats, which would be the largest House Republican majority since 1930. That's well past their early goal of netting 11 seats for a 245 seat majority in the next Congress. 

Walden’s language seemed to echo GOP strategist Karl Rove’s dream from ten years ago of building a “permanent” Republican majority in Washington.

But Daniel Scarpinato, a spokesman for the NRCC, said Walden was merely putting Tuesday’s resounding victory into historical context, not predicting decades of House GOP rule.

 “His reference to a ‘hundred-year majority’ was that it’s been nearly 100 years since we’ve seen a majority this size," he said, noting a NRCC memo that pointed to those likely gains. “[He] wasn’t suggesting in any way that the majority is safe for 100 years.”

Walden and other GOP leaders exulted at a press conference at Republican National Committee headquarters after the election and promised big accomplishments such as tax reform.

They were encouraged not only by big gains in the Senate and House but also victories in gubernatorial and state legislative races across the country. more

22 y-o Carlesha Freeland-Gaither, Missing Woman, Found Alive In Maryland....The suspect is Delven Barnes, 37, who's being held on an unrelated warrant from Virginia for attempted capital murder

 The Huffington Post | By Michael McLaughlin Email Posted: 11/05/2014 6:50 pm EST 

A woman violently abducted from Philadelphia on Sunday has been reportedly found alive in Maryland.

Carlesha Freeland-Gaither, 22, was discovered in Jessup, Maryland on Wednesday, according to TV station WPVI. A suspect is in custody and Freeland-Gaither is in good condition.

Carlesha Freeland-Gaither

"I just want to thank everybody. I would like to thank the Philadelphia department of police, the FBI…especially the public," said Freeland-Gaither's mother Keisha Gaither at a press conference with police department officials. "I'm taking my baby home."

The suspect is Delven Barnes, 37, who's being held on an unrelated warrant from Virginia for attempted capital murder, according to officials from the Philadelphia Police Department on Wednesday night.

"He’s a thug and this is what he does, apparently. Nothing he does make sense, don’t even try to find it," said Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey. "He’s a vicious predator, he’s off the streets, and hopefully he’ll spend the rest of his life in jail." more

Etana tops Billboard's album chart...FOR the first time in 17 years, a Jamaican female reggae artiste has topped Billboard's album chart with first-week sales of 547 copies

BY KEVIN JACKSON Observer Writer  Thursday, November 06, 2014   

FOR the first time in 17 years, a Jamaican female reggae artiste has topped Billboard's Reggae album chart.

Etana

With first-week sales of 547 copies, Etana's fourth studio album I Rise (VP Records) leaps from seven to number one.

The Clive Hunt-produced album is Etana's fourth entry on the album chart. The last time a Jamaican female reggae artiste topped the chart was 1997 with Diana King's Think like a Girl.

Etana, who is in the middle of an American tour, is ecstatic about topping the Billboard chart.

"I am grateful to all my fans who purchased the album in the United States of America the first week and all those who pre-ordered the album, also. It is because of them, actually. Thank you so much," Etana told the Jamaica Observer.

Asked what kind of work went into the album, Etana said: "It was well-thought out by the A&R, the producer and myself. But when the musicians came to each session, it was easy-going and fun. It was a good vibe. The hardest part was doing the vocal recording sessions with Dwain 'Barbwire' Campbell. But it makes me appreciate him more," she said. more

JOHN HOLT BODY COMES HOME : He is survived by his wife Merl, three sisters, three brothers, and 23 children. Holt's body will be interred at the Dovecot Memorial Park next week.

— Brian Bonitto Thursday, November 06, 2014    

THE body of veteran singer John Holt, accompanied by close relatives, arrived at Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston from England yesterday evening.

JOHN HOLT COMES HOME

Holt, 69, died in England on October 20. Here Renford Taylor, proprietor of Taylor's Funeral Home in Kingston, secures the casket bearing the body of the veteran singer. Tex Gallimore, nephew and road manager of Holt, said his uncle wanted to come back to Jamaica. "But he never made it in time," he said. Born in Greenwich Town, Kingston, in 1945, Holt left a massive catalogue of hit songs such as Stick By Me, Stealing Stealing, Ali Baba, The Tide Is High, and If I Were A Carpenter. Some of those songs were done with The Paragons, one of the rocksteady era's great acts. He is survived by his wife Merl, three sisters, three brothers, and 23 children. Holt's body will be interred at the Dovecot Memorial Park next week. more

Female deejay Spice is set to launch her new video for Conjugal Visit -- a colaboration with incarcerated artiste Vybz Kartel tonight

 Wednesday, November 05, 2014 

Spice, Kartel video launch tonight

Female deejay Spice is set to launch her new video for Conjugal Visit -- a colaboration with incarcerated artiste Vybz Kartel.

The launch is set for the Chris Gayle-owned Triple Century Sports Bar in New Kingston tonight.

The steamy video which is already making the rounds on the Internet and social media platforms features a male lead with a striking resemblance to Kartel, who is currently serving a life sentence in a Corporate Area prison.

This is not the first time Spice and Kartel have joined forces on a single. In 2009, the pair dropped Rampin Shop, another steamy track, which became an instant hit.

Since his incarceration Spice regularly performs the track using the same Vybz Kartel-look-alike who appears in this latest video, to stand in for the deejay.

Scotiabank to close several branches in the Caribbean.... The bank said it would close down 35 of its 200 branches in the Caribbean and would sever 1,500 full-time employees.

Wednesday, November 05, 2014 | 9:37 AM   

OTTAWA, Canada (CMC) – Canada’s Scotiabank has announced plans to shut or shrink 120 branches, largely in Mexico and the Caribbean, in a bid to save CAN$120 million (One Canadian dollar =US$0.87 cents) annually.

The bank said it would close down 35 of its 200 branches in the Caribbean and would sever 1, 500 full-time employees, including 500 from its international operations.

“In some of these (Caribbean) countries, we are just over-branched and we have to size it to the economic realities of these economies,” said Scotiabank chief executive officer, Brian Porter.

Porter said that the bank’s revenue growth has been encouraging outside Canada, but profit has not jumped as much he would like.

 “The frustration for us across the international footprint is we’ve had very solid asset growth over the last three or four years, and not all of that has dropped to the bottom line,” he said, adding that the bank still has plans to grow in the region

Scotiabank said the closure of the Caribbean branches were due “to the prolonged economic recovery and continued uncertain outlook” and that it had started restructuring initiatives “in order to improve the speed and quality of service it provides its customers, to reduce costs in a sustainable manner, and to achieve greater operational efficiencies. more

My Jamaica : Little Thinkers Daycare and Kindergarten in St Andrew had their heritage celebrations

Wednesday, November 05, 2014  

This little girl attempts to iron using an
 antique pressing iron

Little Thinkers Daycare and Kindergarten in St Andrew had their heritage celebrations on October 31, where the children were exposed to Jamaican culture. Here are some highlights.

Breadfruit tastes best when roasted on
a coal stove. (PHOTOS: ANTONIO GRAHAM)

Freshly-made bread, ready to eat.

(Photos: Antonio Graham)

This little boy does laundry in an enamel basin.

Fresly-made bread, ready to eat.

This little girl attempts to iron using an antique pressing iron.

Breadfruit tastes best when roasted on a coal stove.

Scientists discover genetic link to seizures in children after MMR vaccine: clues to explain why a small number of children have febrile seizures — brief convulsions — after receiving the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine....They stressed there was no need to scrap the MMR vaccine

Wednesday, November 05, 2014    

SCIENTISTS in Denmark say they have found genetic clues to explain why a small number of children have febrile seizures — brief convulsions — after receiving the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine.

Vacine : File

They stressed there was no need to scrap the MMR vaccine -- caught in a health scare in 1998 that watchdogs later declared groundless — and described its use as a "great achievement" in saving lives.

Reporting in the journal Nature Genetics, the team found that febrile seizures occurred in roughly one in every 1,000 children who were given the MMR vaccine.

Two genetic variants came to light that pointed to a higher risk of a febrile seizure in the second week following MMR vaccination, they said.

They lie on genes that play an important role in how the immune system reacts to viral intruders.

Febrile seizures are the term for when a child develops spasms, a high temperature and loses consciousness.

The episode usually lasts for a minute or two, but apart from causing alarm for parents and the need for a check-up afterwards, is typically not dangerous.

A known but rare side effect of vaccination or viral infection, febrile seizures are different from epileptic seizures, which occur without fever. more

Good News for sugar cane in JAMAICA...."Holland is one of our four farms in St Elizabeth and one of the main farms within the J Wray & Nephew agriculture division."

BY AINSWORTH MORRIS Environment Watch writer  Wednesday, November 05, 2014    

KING sugar, the crop on which the economies of the former British West Indian colonies were built, looks set to rebound as a major contributor to Jamaica's agriculture industry.

Sweet Sugar Cane

That is, if the past four years of experimenting with a fertiliser treated with micronutrients is anything to go by.

Through a partnership with fertiliser producers Newport-Fersan, J Wray & Nephew, one of the island's premier rum distilleries, has been using the formula at its farm at Holland Sugar Estate in St Elizabeth and has reported a major increase in the yield and quality of the sugar cane.

Speaking at the recent Field Day hosted jointly by the two players, senior director of the agriculture division at J Wray & Nephew said with the dry disposable micronutrient powder supplied by Newport-Fersan Jamaica Limited, the company's sugar cane crop yield increased by 23 tonnes per hectare over the four years.

"Holland is one of our four farms in St Elizabeth and one of the main farms within the J Wray & Nephew agriculture division. Over the past four years, they have seen considerable improvements in the cane production at Holland, moving from 59 tonnes per hectare (annually) four years ago, to 82 tonnes per hectare for this year," Maxwell said. more

St. Catherine, JAMAICA: "Dear God, why, why? Look how dem kill Mr Phillips!" Tourism consultant murdered in Marlie Mount.... 56 y-o Horace Phillips body found partially burnt in his rented house on the outskirts of Old Harbour.

BY KIMMO MATTHEWS Observer staff reporter matthewsk@jamaicaobserver.com  Wednesday, November 05, 2014    

THE St Catherine community of Marlie Mount was sent into shock and despair yesterday after the partially burnt body of tourism consultant Horace Phillips was found in his rented house on the outskirts of Old Harbour.

Relatives and friends of Horace Phillips console each other
 after his body was found in Marlie Mount, St Catherine, yesterday.

The gruesome discovery brought an end to a desperate search by family and friends who had reported Phillips missing from Sunday.

Residents told the Jamaica Observer that the discovery of the 56-year-old Jamaica Tourist Board consultant's body was made two days before his mother was scheduled to mark her birthday.

"Have mercy. I don't know how I am going to tell his mother what took place today," said Nadine Phillips, the slain man's niece.

"Dear God, why, why? Look how dem kill Mr Phillips!" screamed one woman as the body was removed from the house by undertakers.

Both women stood among a large group of residents, and members of the Anglican Church community, who flooded the area and waited for hours for police to finish processing the crime scene.

Police yesterday said they were called to the community about 9:00 am after the partially burnt body was found.

Andrew Robinson, a political representative from the area who said he knew Phillips, described the murder as one of the worst to take place in the community in recent years.

Suffragan Bishop of Kingston, Rt Reverend Robert Thompson,
 is surrounded by residents in Marlie Mount, St Catherine,
 the community where the partially burnt body of tourism consultant
Horace Phillips was found in the house he rented yesterday.

Suffragan Bishop of Kingston, Rt Reverend Robert Thompson, who was also at the scene, said the murder had left him in shock.

"I was in my office in Kingston when I heard, and it is certainly a loss for the community," said Bishop Thompson, who explained that Phillips was an active member of the congregation at Holy Trinity Anglican Church in Old Harbour.

The clergyman said he was deeply concerned about the violent way in which people were being killed in the country. "The level of violence is certainly giving us chills," he said. more