The Weekly Gleaner back issues from June 2008:
LEWIN WITHDRAWS RESIGNATION
Jun 05, 2008; ... Police chief remains on the job POLICE COMMISSIONER Hardley Lewin on Tuesday withdrew his resignation, less than 24-hours after telling his bosses that he was stepping down from one of Jamaica's most difficult jobs. Lewin, a former chief of staff of the Jamaica Defence Force ...
Stricter port security laws by year end
Jun 05, 2008; ... LEGISLATION GEARED towards tighter port security should be on the nation's books by year end, according to Arthur Williams, minister of state in the Ministry of National Security. "The move is in keeping with the Government's efforts to curtail the illicit trade in drugs and guns and its ...
Police under fire for presence on roads
Jun 05, 2008; ... A MANPOWER shortage is crippling the Jamaica Constabulary Force's (JCF) traffic division's efforts to police Jamaica's roads in light of escalating fatal crashes and widespread indiscipline in major townships. "One of our main problems is resource in numbers," head of the traffic ...
Gov't to announce crime plan
Jun 05, 2008; ... MINUTES AFTER being sworn in as a government senator, Colonel Trevor MacMillan, national security minister, announced on Sunday, June 1, that the administration will, in the next few days, unveil the strategies to be deployed by the security forces to tackle the serious crime ...
Railway plans put back on track
Jun 05, 2008; ... TRANSPORT MINISTER Mike Henry has said the Government would be seeking to revitalise the country's railway system, with work expected to begin before year end. Speaking during his contribution to the 2008-2009 Sectoral Debate at Gordon House on Wednesday, May 28, Henry said the move ...
AA flights to boost tourism and trade
Jun 05, 2008; ... PHIL OLIVERI, regional manager for American Airlines (AA), said the addition of the new route not only presents potentially significant benefits for the airline, but for Jamaica's tourism. JAMAICAN IMMIGRANTS He said the Broward county region in south Florida is the second-most ...
Rodney Davis sues C&WJ
Jun 05, 2008; ... RODNEY DAVIS, terminated last year as chief executive officer of Cable and Wireless Jamaica, has sued his former employers to recover £201,840 (J$28 million), or half of what he said was the agreed settlement when he was shown the door in August 2007. In court documents Davis said ...
Gas retailers report one-tenth drop in sales
Jun 05, 2008; ... Edwards says summer will be challenging GASOLENE RETAILERS are reporting a 10 per cent fall-off in sales volumes at the pumps and expect the situation to worsen in the height of summer when schools are out and traffic volumes decline. Errol Edwards, president of the Jamaica ...
JIIC heads to Dominica
Jun 05, 2008; ... THE JAMAICA International Insurance Company (JIIC), the insurance subsidiary of the GraceKennedy group, has made a foray to the eastern Caribbean island of Dominica where it hopes to gain a toehold JIIC's bosses see as a potential market for health tourism-related and other ...
C&WJ discards mobile assets
Jun 05, 2008; ... CABLE AND WIRELESS Jamaica (C&WJ) has written off a major chunk of its mobile infrastructure but is expected within a matter of months to unveil investments for replacement technology. Phil Green, the listed company's new CEO, says the write-down of mobile assets was the principal ...
Carreras Limited gives shareholders windfall
Jun 05, 2008; ... CARRERAS LIMITED will dole out to shareholders - including its parent Rothman Holdings - almost all of the $3.5 billion it had set aside to pay as penalty on a tax assessment, but only a tiny fraction of which the courts held it was liable. With this decision, topped up by proceeds from ...
Scotia maintains its profit edge
Jun 05, 2008; ... SCOTIA GROUP Jamaica continues to maintain its profit edge over its top rival, reporting net income of $4.7 billion or earnings per share of $1.50 in its half-year results. National Commercial Bank of Jamaica just weeks before, announced profit of $4.5 billion or $1.83 per share, well ...
The PM's 'stragedy' (strategy turned tragedy)
Jun 05, 2008; ... STEPHEN SACKUR of the British Broadcasting Corporation television interview programme HARDtalk, grilled Prime Minister Bruce Golding with probing, heavily loaded and biased questions on crime, corruption and homophobia in Jamaica. The PM did exceedingly well in most areas but failed to refute ...
People don't necessarily want to be silent
Jun 05, 2008; ... EDITORIAL WE UNDERSTAND the frustration of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Paula Llewellyn, and colleague prosecutors when they see potentially strong cases slip away because witnesses to crime decide not to testify in court. However, we suspect that Ms Llewellyn may ...
Queen Ifrica wants mental 'Spruce Up'
Jun 05, 2008; ... ECHOING TOURISM Minister Edmund Bartlett's mantra, 'Her Majesty' Queen Ifrica added another dimension to the campaign when she appealed to individuals to clean up their minds at the 'Spruce Up 2' launch concert at the Old Hospital Park in Montego Bay, St James, on Wednesday, May ...
Fashionweek 2008 launched in Barbados
Jun 05, 2008; ... CARIBBEAN FASHION WEEK, the region's largest and most important fashion event, was launched in Barbados recently. A packed Sherborne Centre audience, headed by the Barbadian, inister of trade, sat in rapt attention as a star-studded line-up of Pulse models from Barbados, along with ...
TOE THE LINE
Jun 05, 2008; ... Carib nationals urged to police themselves NEW YORK CITY: NEW YORK City Congresswoman, Yvette Clarke is urging immigrants to walk on the right side of the law as even minor infractions may make them liable for deportation. In what is seemingly a backlash from 9/11, ...
Barbados PM honors nationals, Diaspora
Jun 05, 2008; ... TORONTO: ON HIS first official visit to Canada, Barbados prime minister David Thompson, has commended the Barbadian Diaspora for its contribution to the health and education sectors in Barbados. The prime minister was the featured speaker at the Barbados Charity Ball 2008 held at the ...
US president honours Caribbean nationals
Jun 05, 2008; ... WASHINGTON, CMC: UNITED STATES President George W. Bush Monday honoured the contribution Caribbean nationals have made to the development of his country. In a proclamation in observance of the third anniversary of Caribbean-American Heritage Month, Bush said it is "an opportunity ...
Jagdeo says ACP countries bullied by European Union
Jun 05, 2008; ... GEORGETOWN, Guyana, CMC: PRESIDENT BHARRAT Jagdeo has accused the European Union (EU) of bullying the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) states into signing new trade and economic partnerships. Addressing the second Biennial Business Forum organised by the Guyana Bank for Trade ...
Trinidadian appointed highest police officer in York
Jun 05, 2008; ... TORONTO, Canada, CMC: TRINIDADIAN ROBERTSON Rouse has been appointed as the first black Superintendent of the York Regional Police Service. The York region, located in the Greater Toronto Area, is one of Canada's most diverse cities. Rouse served in the Canadian Armed ...
Canada's GG launches mentoring programme
Jun 05, 2008; ... OTTAWA, ONTARIO: YOUNG PERSONS across Canada will get a chance to rap with and share in the wisdom of their elders, this time - members of the Order of Canada through a new mentoring programme - the brainchild of Her Excellency the Right Honourable Michaelle Jean, Canada's governor ...
Miss Lou's Room draws visitors
Jun 05, 2008; ... TORONTO: MISS LOU'S Room, established at the Harbour-front Centre in Toronto last year, is already attracting hundreds of visitors, some of whom are learning about the Jamaican icon for the first time. Jamaica's first lady of comedy, Louise Bennett-Coverley, passed away in Toronto on ...
Unifest bash celebrates island cultures
Jun 05, 2008; ... LAUDERDALE LAKES, (Sun-Sentinel): THOUSANDS OF people enjoyed the beats of the Caribbean while playing dominoes, eating heaping plates of jerk chicken or talking politics as they came together Sunday to celebrate their cultures. As many as 10,000 people were expected to make ...
Guyana celebrates its 42nd in Toronto
Jun 05, 2008; ... TORONTO: THE GUYANESE-Canadian community recently kicked off a month-long celebration of Guyana's 42nd anniversary of Independence with an awards gala in Toronto. For the next two weeks there will be celebrations in Quebec, Manitoba, Alberta, British Columbia and Ontario. In ...
Jamaica National Overseas lauds agents
Jun 05, 2008; ... THE CLEAR message on Saturday night at the Jamaica National Overseas (Canada) Limited Agents Appreciation Dinner was that despite the market place getting very competitive, Jamaica National, North America is doing well. Down from 80 representatives to 40 the office still produced at 69 ...
Clarke Walker returned as CLC vice president
Jun 05, 2008; ... JAMAICAN-CANADIAN, Marie Clarke Walker, has been returned for a third term as the executive vice president of the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC), Canada's largest labour organization. Clarke Walker and three other officers were acclaimed at the annual convention of the CLC held at the Metro ...
Luminato Festival delivers roster of Caribbean talent
Jun 05, 2008; ... TORONTO: HARBOURFRONT CENTRE, in association with Luminato - Toronto Festival of Arts & Creativity, brings 'Luminat'eau: Carnival H20' to Toronto's waterfront. This will be a weekend-long finale for the citywide festival from Friday, June 13 through Sunday, June ...
Al Green to kick off Toronto Jazz festival
Jun 05, 2008; ... TORONTO: THE TD Canada Trust Toronto Jazz Festival gets underway this summer, (June 20 - June 29), with more than 1,500 musicians down to perform in an enthralling array of talent. For the last two years the event has been voted Canada's Best Jazz Festival, and this year ...
Good results for Jamaica at the Reebok meet
Jun 05, 2008; ... JAMAICA ALSO scored three second place finishes at the Reebox Grand prix. Shevon Stoddart, 55.54 placed second behind Lashinda Demus, 55.17 in the Women 400 meter hurdles. Jamaican born Sanya Richards (USA) won the Nutrilite Women's 400 meters, 50.04 to defeat Novlene Williams (JAM) 50.70 ....
Barbadian cultural icon dies in Trinidad
Jun 05, 2008; ... BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, CMC: BARBADIAN CULTURAL icon and former director of the Pan African Commission, Dr Ikael Tafari has died. Tafari passed away suddenly on Friday in Trinidad where he was attending a conference. He became ill at his hotel and was rushed to the Port-of-Spain ...
Caribbean's first self-service check-in opened in Aruba
Jun 05, 2008; ... ORANJESTAD, Aruba, CMC: ARUBA HAS become the first Caribbean destination allowing passengers to use the Common Use Self Service (CUSS) system to check in and print their own boarding passes. The authorities said that passengers using KLM and Martinair would be allowed to use the ...
July election date set for Grenada
Jun 05, 2008; ... ST GEORGE'S, Grenada, CMC: Prime Minister Dr. Keith Mitchell Sunday night announced Tuesday July 8 as the date for general elections in Grenada. Addressing a rally of his ruling New National Party (NNP) in the west coast fishing town of Gouyave, Mitchell said that police officers ...
Blazing 'Speaking in Tongues' at Calabash
Jun 05, 2008; ... THE NOON sun was broiling but the poetry was way hotter as the 'Speaking in Tongues' on Sunday, May 25, blazed at the Calabash International Literary Festival 2008. The tongues came from diverse places to Jakes in Treasure Beach, St Elizabeth, Aracelis Girmay from the United States of ...
...Walcott broadsides Naipaul
Jun 05, 2008; ... DEREK WALCOTT landed a poetic broadside on Trinidadian novelist V.S. Naipaul as he ended his 'Chatterbox' stint at the 2008 Calabash International Literary Festival on Saturday afternoon, May 24, at Jake's in Treasure Beach, St Elizabeth. The Nobel laureate for literature followed an ...
Lightning Bolt!
Jun 05, 2008; ... AT THE 2008 Jamaica International Invitational Track Meet on May 3, the National Stadium erupted into a frenzy. World Junior 200 metres champion, Usain Bolt, became the second-fastest man in history, clocking 9.76 seconds in the 100 metres. Now, everyone's waiting to see if he will go for the ...
The Insensitivity Gene
Jun 05, 2008; ... Homesickness killing me Me Dear Mam: DE OTHEr day me an dis foreign yardie get to talking. How, after him dress up eena him three piece suit an deh a dis foreign function wid a heap a backra an two other Black man. Him sert, de backra speaka neva do a ting more dan gi out das, if ...
Tennis on the up in Jamaica
Jun 05, 2008; ... NATIONAL TECHNICAL director of Tennis Jamaica, Douglas Burke, believes the game of tennis is coming along nicely in the local arena, and is encouraged by the performances of several young players in the recently concluded Alliance Investment Management 12 and Under All-Island ...
Levy, Findlay crowned boy and girl champs
Jun 05, 2008; ... SIMON LEVY of HiM and Shaddae Findlay of Supreme Preparatory outlasted the competition to be crowned boy and girl champions of the Alliance Investment Management All-island Under-12 tennis competition, which concluded at the Eric Bell Tennis Centre on Thesday, May 27. Levy turned back ...
Jamalco nip Tivoli in Super fashion
Jun 05, 2008; ... DEFENDING CHAMPIONS Jamalco grabbed their sixth consecutive lien on the Jamaica Netball Association (JNA) Berger Paints Super League title, after a nail-biting 43-42 victory over Tivoli Gardens in game two of the finals on Saturday night May 31, at the National Arena. Jamalco won the ...
'I'll definitely be going for the double'
Jun 05, 2008; ... Bolt make blistering 9.72 sec run in 100m at Reebok Grand Prix USAIN BOLT, the world's fastest man, stated on Sunday, June 1, that he wants to run the sprint double at this summer's Beijing Olympics in China. On his arrival at the Norman Manley International Airport Sunday, Bolt ...
'MAKE CRIME FOCUS OF DIASPORA TALKS'
Jun 12, 2008; ... IRWIN CLARE wants Jamaica's worsening crime problem, and solutions to it, to be at the top of the agenda when when hundreds of the island's overseas-based nationals meet in Kingston next week for a two-day conference. "Maybe we now need to use this Diaspora bond primarily for setting up ...
Police witness unit coming
Jun 12, 2008; ... A NEW unit is to be formed within the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) to help secure witnesses to crimes. Deputy Commissioner of Police Mark Shields told The Weekly Gleaner on Thursday, June 5, that the new initiative, called the Justice Support Unit, is part of new crime-fighting ...
More constituencies for three parishes
Jun 12, 2008; ... THE PARISHES of St James, Westmoreland and St Catherine are likely to have additional constituencies when Parliament gives the goahead for the number to be increased. There are now 60 constituencies in Jamaica, but the Electoral Commission of Jamaica (ECJ) has proposed that the upper ...
Portia popular, Bruce better leader
Jun 12, 2008; ... PRIME MINISTER Bruce Golding has maintained a nine percentage point lead over Opposition Leader Portia Simpson Miller as the person who Jamaicans say is best able to run the country at this time. But Simpson Miller has seen a sharp climb in her favourability rating, moving her ahead of ...
Police to probe PNP fraud claim
Jun 12, 2008; ... THE POLICE fraud squad has been called in to probe the People's National Party (PNP) for an alleged case of fraud. The case involves a cheque for $2 million which was issued by the party's campaign committee, but was dishonoured by the bank. The cheque was to pay for work done by ...
'No Aliens'
Jun 12, 2008; ... Restriction recieves support from populace A SLIGHT MAJORITY of Jamaicans (54 per cent) support the constitutional arrangement which restricts persons who have sworn allegiance to a foreign power from sitting in Parliament. But even as they support the provision, six out of every ...
'100% J'can MPs'
Jun 12, 2008; ... A SLIGHT MAJORITY of Jamaicans (54 per cent) support the constitutional arrangement which restricts persons who have sworn allegiance to a foreign power from sitting in Parliament. But even as they support the provision, six out of every 10 Jamaicans are opposed to the argument by ...
Bid to stop cruise-ship industry from sinking
Jun 12, 2008; ... THE RECENTLY formed National Cruise Council of Jamaica (NCCJ) says it has no intention to rest on its laurels while cruise lines shift business from the region to the Mediterranean and South America. "The ships have demonstrated that where they have a vested interest, there has been ...
Scotiabank gives C&WJ exclusivity
Jun 12, 2008; ... CABLE & WIRELESS Jamaica and Scotiabank Jamaica in a joint statement Tuesday, June 3, announced a deal worth $400 million that gives C&WJ exclusive rights as the bank's telecommunications provider for the next five years. The deal announced after market close Thursday, June 5, - ...
REIT offer extended
Jun 12, 2008; ... THE CARLTON Savannah REIT has extended its offer of shares in the first real estate initial public offering being attempted in Jamaica's financial market. The placement initially due to close May 30 will remain open to June 13 to, the financial advisors say, allow institutional investors ...
RBTT Ja makes $820m
Jun 12, 2008; ... JAMAICA'S RBTT Bank made TT$70.3 million (J$823m) in after tax profit at year end March 2008, a less than four per cent improvement in a year of strong growth for commercial banking, but a slightly better showing than its Trinidad parent RBTT Financial Holdings whose bottomline was flat, ...
Eager for forgiveness, but slow to pay
Jun 12, 2008; ... THE TAX department's amnesty programme that initially waives all penalties and interest on tax arrears has, to date, yielded more than $1.5 billion for the treasury. But, given the tax departments' target of $20 billion under the amnesty programme, the take up to date is well shy of the ...
Defective meters to go
Jun 12, 2008; ... NWC to install 100,000 new units in two years THE NATIONAL Water Commission (NWC) estimates that only two-thirds of its customers have well-functioning meters, but in two years hopes to take the numbers within the standard set by its regulator. Under a $400 million programme, the ...
First the tour, then a plan
Jun 12, 2008; ... NEWLY APPOINTED Commissioner of Customs, Danville Walker, has dropped into his new post with a promise to tackle the problems of undervaluing or fraud that government officials estimate denies the treasury tens of billions of dollars annually. The job is not expected to win Walker new ...
Sagicor sees tough year ahead
Jun 12, 2008; ... FINANCIAL CONGLOMERATE Sagicor Group continues to grow by acquisition, snapping up the Caribbean insurance portfolio of Industrial Alliance Insurance and Financial Services Inc, which writes policies in Curaçao and Aruba. The deal, finalised in the March quarter, gives Sagicor 11,000 new ...
People are 'funny' about politics
Jun 12, 2008; ... FEEDBACK TO my columns only came by published newspaper articles or word of mouth until a colleague recommended that I include an email address. This has turned out to be very enlightening. I receive about 80 emails monthly from people providing commendations, comments, advice or ...
The PIOJ and Gov't's trek uptown
Jun 12, 2008; ... EDITORIAL THIS PAST week Prime Minister Bruce Golding was the keynote speaker at the dedication of the new headquarters of the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ) and made worthy suggestions about the kinds of analyses that ought to concentrate the minds of the agency's researchers and ...
Jeneil Williams is Italian Vogue's 'MVP'
Jun 12, 2008; ... PULSE MODEL Jeneil Williams cemented her claim as one of the world's most important black models and a superstar in the making when she was selected by Italian Vogue for their special issue on black models to be published in July. Shot by the revered Steiven Meisel in New York last week, ...
CLARKE PUSHES IMMIGRATION BILLS
Jun 12, 2008; ... NEW YORK: ISSUES AFFECTING the immigrant community are at the top of the list for New York City, congresswoman Yvette Clarke, who pointed to at least two key pieces of legislation introduced during her 18-month tenure in Congress. Clarke cited the Citizenship and Immigration ...
No coddling for criminals - PM Harper
Jun 12, 2008; ... TORONTO: IT WAS a tough talking Prime Minister Stephen Harper who spoke at the 6th Annual Gala and Fundraiser for the Canadian Crime Victim Foundation last Friday. He promised reforms to trash the country's decades-old system 'that has coddled criminals and made Canadian communities less ...
KAREEM ALI uniting communities through culture
Jun 12, 2008; ... FORT LAUDERDALE: IT WAS a promise he had made to himself - to bring Caribbean cultural entertainment to Palm Beach County in an organized way. Today this is his passion. Kareem Ali of EVI international, formerly Echelon Ventures, has a knack for pairing his 'people', with the ...
THE FORGOTTEN
Jun 12, 2008; ... IT WAS a scene she could not easily forget, community that even time seemed to ave forgot. Two years ago Fort Lauderdale resident, Aldith Spencer, on a church outreach mission, with her pastor (Blackwood) came across a man in a wheelchair, a diabetic with both legs amputated, carrying a bag full ...
Driver's license or passport?
Jun 12, 2008; ... - Ontario introduces passport alternative ONTARIO: THE ONTARIO government has introduced legislation that, if passed, will allow Ontarians to use an enhanced driver's licence as an alternative to a assport when crossing Canada-US borders by land and sea. "Making ...
More internationally trained doctors for Ontario
Jun 12, 2008; ... ONTARIO: LEGISLATORS IN Ontario, Canada may soon be fast tracking plans to increase the number of internationally trained medical doctors to work in its province. A report by Etobicoke-Lakeshore MPP Laurel Broten recently recommended a five-point plan to speed up and simplify the ...