MINISTER of Finance and Planning Dr Peter Phillips yesterday tabled a $641-billion expenditure budget for the new fiscal year, 2015/16, which starts on April 1.

MINISTER of Finance and Planning Dr Peter Phillips yesterday tabled a $641-billion expenditure budget for the new fiscal year, 2015/16, which starts on April 1.

The primary increase is approximately 18 per cent, with expenditure increasing by approximately $102 billion over the $539 billion for the current fiscal year, which ends on March 31.

JA Govt.

The estimates comprise $432.6 billion in recurrent (housekeeping) expenditure and $209 billion in combined Capital A and B expenditures, which cover estimates for projects financed solely by the Government, and projects financed primarily by external sources, respectively.

Audley Shaw, Opposition spokesman on finance and planning, pointed out in an interview with the Jamaica Observer last night that, as is customary, the finance and planning ministry has gobbled up the bulk of the resources -- over $200 billion -- primarily to pay down the country's debt.

According to Shaw, the budget would be used mainly to reduce the debt, while there was some funding available for compensation for public sector workers and outstanding Government arrears.

"There is nothing in this budget that you could call a growth budget. It is definitely not the growth budget that the country was looking for," Shaw insisted.

But Dr Phillips told a press conference at his ministry following the tabling of the estimates that the focus was to reduce the extent of the public debt as measured by the debt-to-GDP ratio.

Rudy Giuliani: Obama Criticism Not Racist Because Obama Had A White Mother

Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani (R) defended his accusation that Obama doesn't love America by arguing that Obama's upbringing by a white mother and attendance of a white school made his statement not racist. "Some people thought it was racist -- I thought that was a joke, since he was brought up by a white mother, a white grandfather, went to white schools, and most of this he learned from white people," Giuliani said in an interview with The New York Times on Thursday. During a fundraiser for Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R) in New York City on Wednesday, Giuliani said that he didn't think Obama loved the country because of the way he was raised. more

SAVANNA-LA-MAR, West-moreland (TROUBLING & SICKENING STORY): Fashion designer and photo studio operator 37-year-old Cornelius Robinson, Businessman gets life for murder of 14-year-old girl, Santoya Campbell....Subsequent post-mortem results, which proved that the young student was pregnant, also showed she was strangled by Robinson

BY HORACE HINES Observer staff reporter  Friday, February 20, 2015    

SAVANNA-LA-MAR, West-moreland — Fashion designer and photo studio operator 37-year-old Cornelius Robinson, who pleaded guilty to the murder of 14-year-old schoolgirl Santoya Campbell, was sentenced to life when he appeared in the Westmoreland Circuit Court yesterday.

The businessman, of a Shrewsbury, Westmoreland, address, will become eligible for parole after he spends 25 years behind bars.

Prior to handing down the sentence, Justice Martin Gayle gave Robinson an opportunity to speak. During his address to the court he broke down in tears as he apologised to family members of the deceased, as well as people who he said "looked up to him".

On Tuesday, January 27, Santoya's body was found in garbage bags under a bridge, near a river close to the Frome Technical High School, where she was a grade eight student.

Subsequent post-mortem results, which proved that the young student was pregnant, also showed she was strangled.

Two days after the discovery of the body, Robinson turned himself over to the police, in the company of his attorney.

He was afterwards charged by the Westmoreland police after admitting to the murder.

The matter was first called up in the Savanna-la-Mar Resident Magistrate's Court for mention on Tuesday and Wednesday, last week. The case was subsequently transferred to the Westmoreland Circuit Court where Robinson was sentenced yesterday.

Campbell whose body was
 found in garbage bags
near her school

A remorseful-looking Robinson, clad in a pair of blue jeans pants, blue and white plaid shirt, and a pair of Levi sneakers, held his head down throughout most of yesterday's procedure.

The court heard that Robinson, who had no previous conviction, admitted to the police and the probation officer that he knew Santoya, who lives in the same community as himself, since she was attending primary school and that her mother asked him to assist her with lunch money, to which he agreed.

Robinson claimed that the young schoolgirl, who used to visit his photo studio, started to make sexual advances on him to which he finally yielded once between late September and October 2014. more

Doctors take Bobbi Kristina Brown off ventilator

Thursday, February 19, 2015 | 4:39 PM    

KINGSTON, Jamaica — US media reports are that Bobbi Kristina Brown, daughter of late singer Whitney Houston, has been taken off the ventilator that has helped her breathe since she was found unresponsive in her apartment.

Bobbi Kristina

The 21-year-old was found in a bathtub last month, but no decisions have been made to take her off life support, US Media reports said on Thursday.

Bobbi Kristina Brown

Reports are that Brown’s condition has not changed but removing the breathing tube was a standard course of practice to avoid infection.

Family members have reportedly said that Brown, the only child of singers Bobby Brown and Houston, is fighting for her life at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta after she was discovered on January 31 face down and unresponsive in a bathtub in her suburban home.

Bobbi Kristina and family

Police are reportedly treating the case as a criminal investigation and have been questioning people about the circumstances leading up to Brown being found in the tub.

Brown's mother, who battled substance abuse, drowned in a hotel bathtub in Beverly Hills, California, on February 11, 2012. more

Got to get paid in sub freezing temperature by "doing da butt" dance in Georgia.

HEALTHY THURSDAYS: Depression – A Chinese Medicine Approach: Symptoms may include: 1) Feelings of sadness, unhappiness, emptiness, irritability, agitation, anxiety 2) Lack of energy and vitality and Angry outbursts.....much more

Depression (also called major depression) is a mood disorder characterised by a persistent feeling of sadness and a loss of interest in regular activities. It affects how you think, feel and behave, making it difficult to get through day-to-day activities. It's not something you can simply 'snap out of' and may require treatment.

Symptoms may include:

n Feelings of sadness, unhappiness, emptiness, irritability, agitation, anxiety

n Lack of energy and vitality

n Angry outbursts

n Excessive worrying

n Sleep disturbances, whether difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep or sleeping too much

n Appetite changes, increased or decreased

n Trouble concentrating, thinking and making decisions

n Focusing on past failures

n Poor memory

n Suicidal thoughts

n Excessive feelings of guilt and worthlessness

more

HEALTHY THURSDAY: Detox Versus Cleanse – Which Is Better?

Published on Feb 19, 2015

It is so important to rid our bodies of toxic impurities, especially after holiday periods where we usually eat a little more heavily spiced food than the norm.

A lot of persons use the words detox and cleanse interchangeable; however, they are two different things. Although both processes are vital for our bodies, understanding the distinction will allow an individual to make a more informed decision in dealing with their health status.

It is important to engage in a detox regime because the modern world puts so much stress on our bodies as we are exposed to a large number of toxins on a daily basis, and the natural detoxification mechanisms in place in our bodies cannot keep up the detox demands. Therefore, active detox is a good idea. That is: taking extra measures to ensure that your body is eliminating acid impurities in order to prevent any negative effects of toxin build-up in your body.

Our bodies were created with a natural detox mechanism. We have built-in mechanisms to detox toxins. Detox organs include the liver, kidneys, skin and lungs. Our bodies' digestive, lymphatic and circulatory systems all play a major role in the process of detox. So at this time of the year, a lot of persons will be experiencing toxin build-up which manifest as: headaches, sinus drainage, fever, coughing, rashes, joint-like pain, flu-like symptoms and sputum, to name a few.

Detoxification

How can we achieve detoxification? We can first start by reducing our intake and production of impurities from sugar, dairy products, meat products, processed products and refined foods. more

IN JAMAICA : $1 Billion — Refund Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR) orders JPS to pay back customers for unauthorised FX adjustment on accounts

Wednesday, February 18, 2015    

THE Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS) has again found itself on the receiving end of an unfavourable decision by the Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR), after it was yesterday slapped with an order to refund close to $1 billion to customers.

Jamaica Public Service

The sum is for charges made to customers’ accounts from March to December 2013 for foreign exchange adjustment on fuel supplied by Petrojam. In a lengthy release, the utility regulator said the light and power company is to refund customers for the charges, which it included on their bills without consultation.

Public education specialist at the OUR, Elizabeth Bennett-Marsh told the Jamaica Observer that the JPS’s justification for the charge was that “it adjusts the fuel cost recovered for any differences between the estimated fuel cost computed at the exchange rate at the end of the month in which it incurs the fuel cost and the exchange rate at which these US$ invoices were actually settled”.

However, the OUR determined that the sum taken from customers, totalling $973,373 million, was in contravention of the Amended and Restated All-Island Electric Licence.

“The OUR, having received JPS’s explanation for making the adjustments, considered the matter and concluded that JPS had no authority under the existing regulatory framework to unilaterally impose the additional costs on customers.

The licence explicitly states how the charges are to be determined, and once this is done, there is no provision for an adjustment and, even so, JPS is not entitled to levy charges unilaterally,” Bennett-Marsh further stated. more

ST.ANDREW, JAMAICA: 3 Cops among 6 people injured in Half-Way-Tree Road smash-up,,,,The driver of the Toyota Wish, who managed to scramble from the vehicle unaided, wept openly at the series of events. "Look how mi could a lose mi life," he bawled. "Look on the state of my car!"

Thursday, February 19, 2015BY KIMMO MATTHEWSObserver staff reporter matthewsk@jamaicaobserver.com 

SIX people, including three members of the Jamaica Constabulary Force, were rushed to hospital yesterday following a two-vehicle crash on Half- Way -Tree Road, in the vicinity of the Beechwood Avenue intersection, in St Andrew.

A traffic cop gives instructions at the scene of this motor vehicle
 crash on Half-Way-Tree Road at the Beechwood Avenue intersection,
 in St Andrew, yesterday. Six people, including three police
 officers, were injured in the two-vehicle crash. See full
story on Page 3. (PHOTO: BRYAN CUMMINGS)

Police said that the accident occurred about 12:15 pm when an unmarked police service vehicle, a Suzuki SX4, that was exiting Beechwood Avenue collided with a blue Toyota Wish that was travelling north on Half -Way-Tree Road.

"I was standing at the bus stop waiting to get a bus when I heard the loud [sound]. I almost fainted," said one woman who claimed that she witnessed the accident.

As she made the comment, police and other members of the public were seeing removing the injured from the wrecked vehicle and placing them in other police vehicles which transported them to hospital.

Meanwhile, a fire under the hood of the Toyoto Wish caused by the impact of the crash was quickly put out with extinguishers by passing motorists before firefighters arrived on the scene.

The driver of the Toyota Wish, who managed to scramble from the vehicle unaided, wept openly at the series of events.

Cops gathered at the scene

"Look how mi could a lose mi life," he bawled. "Look on the state of my car!"

The accident interrupted the flow of traffic on both Beechwood Avenue and Half-Way-Tree Road after police blocked the vicinity of site and re-routed motorists.

The crash came a day after the launch of the National Road Safety Council's (NRSC) 2015 campaign, themed 'Live Road Safety, Reap the Rewards', at the Half-Way-Tree Transportation Centre. more

IN JAMAICA: Clergyman, Errol Rattray, says some missing children being used as sacrifices....leaders said religious leaders in Jamaica have received reports that the practice of blood sacrifice or satanic sacrifices was being carried out in Jamaica....Statistics presented last month by the Office of the Children's Registry showed that 90 per cent of the 1,984 children who were reported missing in 2014 had returned home

BY KIMMO MATTHEWS Observer staff reporter matthewsk@jamaicaobserver.com  Thursday, February 19, 2015    

A senior church leader claimed yesterday that some of the cases in which children have gone missing could be linked to underground organisations carrying out satanic practices.

File Photo

The clergyman, Errol Rattray, president and CEO at Errol Rattray Evangelistic Association, said religious leaders in Jamaica have received reports that the practice of blood sacrifice or satanic sacrifices was being carried out in Jamaica.

"Based on our (church leaders') knowledge some of those children who have gone missing are being used for satanic sacrifices," said Rattray, who has more than 30 years under his belt as a religious leader in Jamaica.

Yesterday, another clergyman who asked that he not be named said the claim should not be ignored as the Bible speaks about the issue.

"The Bible says people should not to be ignorant of the devil and his devices," said the religious leader, who pointed out that there was a dark side that exists in society that a number of Christians were fearful of speaking about.

RATTRAY… religious leaders have launched
a ‘spiritual war’ to tackle the evil

Yesterday, an Assistant Commissioner of Police George Quallo, when contacted by the Jamaica Observer, said he had no knowledge of the reported acts.

"I cannot speak for other areas, but as far as I am aware we (police) in Area 4 have no knowledge of such practices," said ACP Quallo.

Statistics presented last month by the Office of the Children's Registry showed that 90 per cent of the 1,984 children who were reported missing in 2014 had returned home. more

IN JAMAICA: Trelawny records first murder in 2015 when 29 y-o Jermaine Bartley was shot and killed (1 min VIDEO)

WAKEFIELD,Trelawny — The Trelawny Police Division Tuesday night recorded the first murder since the start of the year. The police have identified the deceased as 29-year-old Jermaine Bartley who lived in the Congo Town neighborhood of Wakefield, Trelawny. According to the Wakefield police, about 11:15 pm, Bartley, who was standing along the roadway in a section of his community was pounced upon and shot by men travelling in a Toyota Corolla motorcar. He was taken to the Falmouth Public Genera

HEALTHY THURSDAYS: CRE Superbug....UCLA Warns Nearly 200 Patients About Dangerous 'Superbug' Exposure

BY BILL BRIGGS AND ANDREW BLANKSTEIN The UCLA Health System is notifying more than 160 patients that they may have been exposed to a bacterial "superbug" during endoscopies after an investigation found seven patients were infected — and the bug may have contributed to two deaths, the hospital said Wednesday. Patients being alerted underwent "complex" endoscopic procedures between October 2014 and January of this year, according to a statement emailed by Kim Irwin, spokeswoman for UCLA Health Sciences. And NBC News Investigations obtained an email — sent by Joshua Bobrowsky of the L.A. County Department of Public Health — stating the seven infections occurred at UCLA Ronald Reagan Medical Center, and that "patient notification letters of possible exposure" were sent Tuesday by UCLA to 169 patients. The "superbug" has been identified as carbapenem-resistant

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8 Reasons Avocado Is a Perfect Weight-Loss Food ...1) It's a bad guy bouncer 2) It's a belt shrinker 3) It's a nutrient booster 4. It's a radical fighter and more....

Posted: 02/15/2015 10:08 am EST Updated: 02/15/2015 10:59 am EST

Avocado

Avocado was all like, "Look at me, I'm the good fat!" and Butter was like, "Show-off!" Trendy, popular and a bit of an overachiever in the health department, avocado is like the homecoming queen of the fats parade. It's actually a single-seeded berry native to Mexico, but at 322 calories and 29 grams of fat -- 10 to 20 times what you'll find in any other item in the produce aisle -- the avocado can arguably be considered more of a fat than a fruit.

Moreover, it's the mono-unsaturated fat content of an avocado -- 20 grams per berry -- that researchers say make it so special, and deserving of the health food fame. With its proven ability to lower cholesterol, quell hunger pangs and even spot-reduce belly fat, the avocado is arguably a perfect dietary staple for weight loss. Here are eight reasons why:

Avocado sandwich

1. It's a bad guy bouncer.
Apples are so cliche. Researchers now say it's an avocado a day that can really keep the doctor -- and your cholesterol levels -- at bay. One study in the Journal of the American Heart Association put 45 overweight people on one of three different cholesterol-lowering diets for five weeks. One diet was lower in fat, providing 24 percent of total calories (11 from monounsaturated fats), and didn't include an avocado. A second, non-avocado diet was more moderate in fat, providing 34 percent of total calories (17 percent from MOFAs). The third was equally moderate in fat, at 34 percent, but included one whole Haas avocado per day. more

IN JAMAICA: Daryl Vaz Freed Police witness says he was coerced by then Assistant Commissioner of Police Justin Felice to give statement... "We were cajoled, compelled, forced, coerced, and bounded. We were told to provide statements."

BY RACQUEL PORTER Observer staff reporter porterr@jamaicaobserver.com  Tuesday, February 17, 2015

DARYL Vaz walked out of the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate's Court yesterday a free man after the prosecution's main witness, Sergeant Jubert Llewellyn, told the court that he gave a statement in the Opposition MP's corruption case under duress, saying that he had never been more "stressed in my life".

Daryl Vaz

He said also that he was told by then Assistant Commissioner of Police Justin Felice that he would not be allowed to leave his (Felice's) office at Oxford Road in Kingston until he gave a statement.

"We were there from 7:30 to midnight," he said, speaking of himself and Sergeant Delon Lewis.

Felice… accused of coercing
 witness to give statement

"Sergeant Lewis and myself, on arrival at the office [South Tower], met Inspector Reid, assistant commissioner of police, and Assistant Commissioner Haye," Llewellyn said. "We were cajoled, compelled, forced, coerced, and bounded. We were told to provide statements."

He added: "I have never been as stressed my entire life," he said.

Llewellyn said he thought that he had no option but to give the statement.

He told the court that, based on what he was told by then Commissioner Owen Ellington, he and Lewis were both allowed to leave and return the following morning -- April 28, 2012 -- with the statements. more

ANOTHER RACIST POLITICIAN ? Republican Gene Alday, Mississippi Lawmaker, Says Blacks Don't Work And Get 'Crazy Welfare Checks' ...The State Rep. says he was against increased funding for education, in particular funding to improve literacy...Alday also told the newspaper about a time he visited an emergency room. “I liked to died. I laid in there for hours because they (black people) were in there being treated for gunshots," Alday was quoted as saying.

The Huffington Post |  By Ed Mazza Email Posted: 02/17/2015 1:59 am EST 

A Mississippi lawmaker says racist comments recently attributed to him were taken out of context and supposed to be off the record.

State Rep. Gene Alday, a Republican says racist comments

State Rep. Gene Alday, a Republican, told The Clarion-Ledger he was against increased funding for education, in particular funding to improve literacy. During his explanation, Alday said he comes "from a town where all the blacks are getting food stamps and what I call 'welfare crazy checks.' They don't work."

Alday also told the newspaper about a time he visited an emergency room. “I liked to died. I laid in there for hours because they (black people) were in there being treated for gunshots," Alday was quoted as saying. Alday didn't deny the comments attributed to him. However, he said he was not a racist.

"I am definitely not a racist, at all," Alday told Mississippi News Now. "Because, I mean, I get along with everybody. And I've spent a lot of time helping people."

Alday blamed Clarion-Ledger reporter Jerry Mitchell for quoting his remarks out of context. "The interview, he just took me out of context," Alday said. "He asked for one thing and started asking another thing." more

5 Million affected as FEDERAL JUDGE HALTS OBAMA'S IMMIGRATION ACTION : While the injunction does not pronounce Obama's actions illegal, it prevents the administration from implementing them until the court rules on their constitutionality. The federal government is expected to appeal the ruling.

WASHINGTON -- A federal judge issued a preliminary injunction on Monday that will temporarily prevent the Obama administration from moving forward with its executive actions on immigration while a lawsuit against the president works its way through the courts.

Obama

The order, by Judge Andrew Hanen of the U.S. District Court in Brownsville, Texas, was an early stumble for the administration in what will likely be a long legal battle over whether President Barack Obama overstepped his constitutional authority with the wide-reaching executive actions on immigration he announced last November.

While the injunction does not pronounce Obama's actions illegal, it prevents the administration from implementing them until the court rules on their constitutionality. The federal government is expected to appeal the ruling.

The impact of the order will be felt almost immediately: One of Obama's actions is set to take effect on Feb. 18. On that day, the administration was set to begin accepting applications for an expanded version of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, program. DACA allows undocumented immigrants who came to the U.S. as children to stay in the country and work legally. more

I-Wayne calls for music clean-up : RASTAFARIAN reggae artiste I-Wayne says deejay rivalry, lewd lyrics and irresponsible disc jocks for pulling down the nation's values...."The whole culture break down. The type of filth our kids are now exposed is not healthy at all," he said.

 BY SIMONE MORGAN Observer reporter morgans@jamaicaobserver.com  Tuesday, February 17, 2015    

RASTAFARIAN reggae artiste I-Wayne says deejay rivalry, lewd lyrics and irresponsible disc jocks for pulling down the nation's values.

I-Wayne

He is calling for a clean-up of the music.

"The whole culture break down. The type of filth our kids are now exposed is not healthy at all," he said.

I-Wayne -- who is scheduled to perform at

Beer Wednesdays to be held at Usain Bolt's Tracks and Records in St Andrew, tomorrow -- was speaking with the Jamaica Observer in an exclusive interview.

The singjay, whose given name is Cliffroy Campbell, labelled some artistes "hypocrites" because they know what's right, but choose to say and play the opposite just for "hype and a buss".

"If you should ask them if they would want dem kids or mother to experience the things they are deejaying about or playing on their turntables, they would say: 'No'. A man woulda probably all war with you fi even ask him that," he said.

I-Wayne said some of these dancehall artistes, who appear to be very talented, oftentimes are 'inspired' record conscious songs that are sound in values. However, the damage they created had long lasting effects. He declined to give names.

"I hear some of them saying that parents are responsible for their children and they are not seeking to be a child's inspiration, but they are lying. If that is the case, they should just stay in their bathroom and sing," he said. more

RITA MARLEY ON THE MEND : Rita's son Ziggy confirmed that his mother was "doing good" following what he described as "some physical ailments".

Jamaica Observer Richard Johnson Feb 17, 2015

RITA Marley, the widow of reggae legend Bob Marley, is currently recovering after some health challenges last year.

Rita's son Ziggy confirmed that his mother was "doing good" following what he described as "some physical ailments".

Rita Marley

The reggae king's widow was noticeably absent from the celebrations to mark Marley's 70th birthday last weekend. "She's at the stage now where she's slowing down and taking things easy, but she's doing good," Marley told the Jamaica Observer.

Rita and Bob Marley were married on February 10, 1966. She became part of his backing vocalists the I-Three, which also comprised Marcia Griffiths and Judy Mowatt.

A solo act in her own right, Rita Marley has released memorable tracks including One Draw and Harambe. She currently resides in Ghana, where her foundation works in assisting with early childhood education as well as HIV education and prevention.

MANDEVILLE, Manchester : Tragedy hits Holmwood Technical High School again....Dead is 16-year-old Stephan Hanson of Bloomfield Street in Mandeville who was stabbed in a dispute with another student, allegedly over a girl, when a knife was brought into play.

BY ALICIA SUTHERLAND Observer staff reporter sutherlanda@jamaicaobserver.com  Monday, February 16, 2015    

MANDEVILLE, Manchester — The Manchester police say that a student of the Holmwood Technical High School who allegedly stabbed one of his schoolmates, resulting in his death in hospital on Saturday, will be charged for the crime this week.

Dead is 16-year-old Stephan Hanson of Bloomfield Street in Mandeville.

A section of the Holmwood Technical High School.

According to the police, the two students had a dispute in the town of Mandeville on Friday when Hanson was stabbed. He was taken to hospital where he died Saturday.

Stephen Hanson, father of the deceased, told the Jamaica Observer that he learnt that his son was on the scene, but it was a friend of his who was involved in a dispute with another student, allegedly over a girl, when a knife was brought into play and his son stabbed.

“He was just there. He was not trying to part them,” said the elder Hanson.

Yesterday, Hanson said the family was yet to break the news of his son’s death to his 99-year-old grandmother who had assisted in raising him. He said that she had noticed that he was not home and had asked for him but the family decided to let her pastor deliver the tragic news. “Wi nuh waan the two funeral,” he said.

Hanson said that as a “straightforward Christian” one of the lessons that his great-grandmother reinforced to him daily was to stay away from trouble. “’If no pickney ah fight don’t get into it’,” he said were her words to him before he leaves the house. more

ZMapp and the fight against Ebola In his final story for 60 Minutes, Bob Simon reports on the long and complicated development of ZMapp, a promising drug to combat Ebola

21-year-old Jamaican Lisa Mills insists she will attend Ivy League University, Stanford University to study Law in the USA...Now in her second year at the Marymount College in New York, Mills in on the Dean's List. Mills, who also attended the Havering College in London, graduated from that institution top of her class.

BY RENAE DIXON Sunday Observer staff reporter dixonr@jamaicaobserver.com  Sunday, February 15, 2015   

 IT is Lisa Mills' dream to go to Stanford University in the United States to study law, and the 21-year-old is excelling academically to make this a reality.

Lisa Mills

The last of six children, her father is putting all that he can in place to ensure that the idea becomes a reality -- Collin Mills is determined to spend all he has for his daughter to accomplish her dream of becoming a lawyer.

"If it is only one pair of shoes mi have left," the proud father declared.

Now studying politics, Lisa believes that she can achieve this dream, and there is no doubt in the minds of those around her as she has been doing well in whatever she takes on.

Now in her second year at the Marymount College in New York, Mills in on the Dean's List. Mills, who also attended the Havering College in London, graduated from that institution top of her class.

The former St Hilda's High School student was awarded the Most Academic Student after completing her studies at Havering College in 2013. When she beat over 1,500 students for the top prize, she was rewarded with the scholarship to Marymount College.

While it is a challenge studying in a foreign country, and doing so while working, Mills continues to do exceptionally well.

A reserved, hard-working woman, Mills was not the type to hit the spotlight while here at home in Jamaica. However, since going to study overseas she has been an outstanding student, gaining recognition wherever she goes.

She is happy that she has been doing well in a 'foreign' country, as she knows that it is usually harder for non-nationals to survive the rough times.

"I feel even more proud being in another country. To fall in line and to be ahead of the line means a lot to me," she stated. more

ST.THOMAS, JAMAICA (PAINFUL STORY): Time running out for class-topping student, 14-year-old Leslie-Ann Goulbourne blinded by brain tumour...Since June 2014 the second former has undergone four brain surgeries, six weeks of radiotherapy, weekly visits to the hospital and numerous tests and scans. But, the tumour has now spread to the teen's spine, crippling one of her arms and partially blinding the other eye....Since last June, Williams's expenditure report showed that she has used up close to $5 million trying to get her daughter better....."I am not ashamed to say I am drained financially. I have nothing left," a distressed Williams said. "It's the mercy of God why I feed them every day and still able to take her in (to hospital) when I have to. I still have to pay utilities, take care of the other children, and send myself to work."

BY DONNA HUSSEY-WHYTE Sunday Observer staff reporter husseyd@jamaicaobserver.com  Sunday, February 15, 2015  

Despite fighting a brain tumour that has left her without sight in her left eye and rendered one of her arms useless, 14-year-old Leslie-Ann Goulbourne managed to top her class with an average of 83.2 per cent.

14-year-old Leslie-Ann Goulbourne 

But that was June 2014 -- the last time that Leslie-Ann was able to attend classes at St Thomas Technical High School.

Since then, the second former has undergone four brain surgeries, six weeks of radiotherapy, weekly visits to the hospital and numerous tests and scans. But, the tumour has now spread to the teen's spine, crippling one of her arms and partially blinding the other eye.

Leslie-Ann is afflicted by germinoma, a non-malignant tumour that affects the brain and the spine. Germinoma is a germ cell tumour that forms in the pineal gland area of the brain. Pineal tumour patients typically experience a build-up of fluid within the brain, causing headaches, nausea and impaired vision.

"From she was in grade four the headaches come on. But the headaches weren't so intense. It was on and off. She was about nine at the time," Leslie-Ann's mother, 40-year-old Andrea Williams explained to the Jamaica Observer on Thursday.

Andrea Williams wipes the tears from her
 eyes as she talks about the pain
 that her daughter feels.

"She studies a lot because she takes her school work very seriously, so I thought that was why. At that time she started suffering minor headaches until it got worse, where instead of feeling it every two to three days she started feeling it every day."

Williams explained that she continued taking her daughter to private doctors but they kept treating her for sinusitis. However, the situation got worse, and when the child started first form in high school the headaches got so bad that teachers were calling Williams to pick her up from school numerous times per week. more

IN JAMAICA: 100 children to get free dental cleaning...On February 28, the team, which is led by Dr Anissa Holmes and Dr Keisha Smith-Pagan, is expected to offer free dental cleanings and sealants to 100 children from underserved and underprivileged communities through a community outreach.

Sunday, February 15, 2015    

FEBRUARY is celebrated as National Children's Dental Month and Jamaica Cosmetic Dental Service (JCDS) is aiming to raise awareness about the importance of oral health in children.

Dr Keisha Smith-Pagan examines Luke before his
six-month cleaning.

On February 28, the team, which is led by Dr Anissa Holmes and Dr Keisha Smith-Pagan, is expected to offer free dental cleanings and sealants to 100 children from underserved and underprivileged communities through a community outreach.

The JCDS said children must be registered for this event.

"We (also) invite children between four and 12 years of age across Jamaica to enter our "Defeat Monster Mouth" Colouring Page Competition," said JCDS office manager Melissa Whyte, while inviting parents to visit their website at visit our website at www.jamaicasmiles.com. "Through this campaign, we will reinforce that plaque "monsters" must be removed by effective toothbrushing for good oral health.

She said one child will be selected to win an Ipad mini.

The keys to promoting good oral health at home, according to JCDS, are to have a tooth-friendly diet and encourage good oral hygiene practices.

Tips to promoting good oral health at home

1. Sugar-added and high sugar-content foods and drinks/juices should be consumed at mealtimes and not as snacks. This is because saliva flow increases during meals and saliva helps to rinse food particles away, and neutralise the acids from cavity-causing bacteria found in plaque.

2. Limit between-meal snacks. If kids eat a lot of snacks, they are unlikely to eat at mealtimes. But if offering a snack, give something nutritious, like a fruit.

3. Monitor drink/juice consumption. Between meals, offer water or low-fat milk. more