ROSEAU, Dominica (CMC) – St Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves is calling for greater unity among member states of the Caribbean, noting that a united region is needed to deal with the mounting global challenges. Delivering the annual Dame Eugenia Charles Memorial Lecture here on Monday night, Gonsalves, one of the region’s longest serving head of government, spoke on the topic “Our Caribbean Civilization and its Political Prospects”. “The necessity and desirability for an independent Caribbean united is more urgent than ever,” he told the audience, saying “I know there are problems in getting there, but we have to cooperate and do things more together. “As Prime Minister, you have so many domestic challenges, but you really can’t deal with the serious ones unless you work together across the Caribbean.” He said issues such as climate change, climate financing, the issue of war and peace and the ongoing war in Ukraine are matters where the region needs a united position. Gonsalves said on Monday he has sent a letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin, US President Joe Biden, the Ukrainian leader, Volodymyr Zelenskyy as well as the United Nations Secretary General, Antonio  Guterres “making a plea for peace” and that he intends to send the letter to every head of state in the world. Gonsalves said with the threat of nuclear weapons being used, it is important “for all of us to be in solidarity on certain questions even when we disagree with each other politically. “There are some things which we must at least, for the good of the nation, and for our civilization regionally, work together,” he added. During the lecture, Gonsalves defended his government’s decision to have diplomatic relations with Taiwan, which China considers a renegade province even though most of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries enjoy diplomatic status with Beijing rather than Taipei. Asked by a member of the audience whether he believes China’s influence in the Caribbean is akin to it recolonizing the region, Gonsalves replied that within the seven-member Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), the governments of St Lucia, St Kitts-Nevis and St Vincent and the Grenadines envy diplomatic stats with Taiwan. “The other country in the region that has diplomatic relations with Taiwan is Haiti. The mainland Chinese from time to time they send their emissaries directly and indirectly for me to change the relations. ‘We are not going to do so. Let me make it plain. I have nothing, I don’t say anything against mainland China. Our position is simple, there is one Chinese civilization of which you can have more than one legitimate political organizers of state.” He said Taiwan is part of mainland China for centuries and in 1949 the defeated Chinese nationalists fled to the island. “They claimed that they represented the whole of China, more and more that became threadbare because you can’t have a small island representing the whole of China,” Gonsalves said, adding that “for all practical purposes two entities emerged. “You cannot tell me that in order for me to have diplomatic relations with you, I have to break diplomatic relations with Taiwan. You can’t dictate to me. We have a relationship (and) anytime you say that I  can have relations with you while having with Taiwan, tomorrow morning I am ready to have relations with you. “But we view that in our interest to maintain these relations,” Gonsalves said, highlighting the efforts his administration has been making over the years to get Taiwan accepted in the major global forums. “What I want to see across the Taiwan Straits there be peace because if you think Ukraine is bad, if war breaks out across the Taiwan Straits and I say it all the time some time, I don’t know if it is going to 200, 300 years from now, 50 years from now, 30 years from now, Taiwan and mainland China will work out their problems without anything to do with me,” Gonsalves said. “They have a different view of time than we have,” he said, telling the audience “do not expect me to pick a fight with a country with 1.4 billion people”.

KINGSTON, Jamaica –As Jamaica joins the world in commemorating International Day for Persons with Disabilities, the People’s National Party (PNP) says it stands in solidarity with individuals living with disabilities and to champion the theme, “Inclusion in Action: Building Accessible Communities.” The PNP in a news release Tuesday said the theme serves as a timely reminder of the pressing need for concrete actions to create a society where everyone, regardless of ability, has equal opportunities to thrive. Shadow Minister of Gender Affairs, Persons with Disabilities & Inclusion, Denise Daley, emphasised the importance of moving beyond token gestures and addressing systemic barriers that continue to marginalize persons with disabilities. “We cannot speak of progress as a nation if we are leaving behind individuals with disabilities,” Daley stated. “Accessibility must become a cornerstone of our development agenda. From creating inclusive learning environments to ensuring public spaces, transportation, and technology are accessible, we must implement policies that reflect the value of every Jamaican.” Despite past efforts, significant gaps remain in addressing the needs of persons with disabilities, the PNP said. Access to quality education, gainful employment, affordable healthcare, and equitable participation in society are areas that require immediate and sustained attention, the party continued. The PNP said it recognizes these challenges and is committed to advancing comprehensive policies that foster inclusion and protect the rights of all citizens. Daley called for increased collaboration among government agencies, the private sector, and civil society to drive meaningful change. “Inclusion is not a task for one entity—it requires a collective effort. We urge all Jamaicans to join in creating communities that reflect dignity, respect, and opportunity for everyone,” Daley said. “As we reflect on this year’s theme, let us move beyond conversations and commit to measurable actions that build accessible communities,” she added. “An inclusive Jamaica is not only a fairer Jamaica; it is a stronger and more united nation.” The PNP said it remains steadfast in its mission to create a Jamaica where inclusion is not just an aspiration but a lived reality for all.

KINGSTON, Jamaica – The Tax Administration of Jamaica (TAJ) has extended the deadline for the submission of new applications for the Government of Jamaica’s Reverse Income Tax Credit (RITC) from December 2 to December 13, 2024, as the eligibility period for the filing of returns has been adjusted from August 31 to October 15, 2024. The RITC allows residents who earned below $3,000,000 in 2023 to apply for a one-time tax return of $20,000. With the extension, self-employed individuals, Pay-As-You-Earn (PAYE) employed individuals and domestic workers filing a Stamp Card, now have until December 13 to apply for the RITC, once they had completed their required tax filings and/or payments by October 15, 2024. The TAJ says the extension is primarily to facilitate employers who filed their Employer’s Annual Return (S04) after the previous August 31, 2024 date but by the extended October 15, 2024 date, now allowing additional employees who earned below $3 million in the year 2023 to benefit. Additionally, individuals who are National Insurance Scheme (NIS) stamp card holders, and had updated their Taxpayer Registration Number (TRN) information with the NIS, are being advised that their information has now been updated in the supplemental database. This means that Stamp Card holders who had previously submitted applications, may now do so again. Similarly, other individuals who have been advised by TAJ to reapply, due to an earlier challenge that has been rectified, may also reapply. Such individuals will have until December 31, 2024 to resubmit their applications. The TAJ says so far, 290,912 individuals have benefitted from the government’s tax give back, with total payments of $5.8 billion disbursed up to the end of November. A further 38,263 applications are currently at various stages of the application process.

KINGSTON, Jamaica – The Police High Command launched an investigation into an online video showing a beating during entertainer Rebel’s birthday party over the weekend, allegedly involving an off-duty cop. The matter is now in the hands of the Independent Commission of Investigations (INDECOM), the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) announced in a statement Monday. “The High Command only became aware of this incident and the reported connection to a member after it was raised publicly by a talk show host. Upon learning of the incident, the High Command immediately launched an internal investigation,” the JCF said, adding “However, the matter has since become the subject of an independent investigation by INDECOM, which is responsible for investigating allegations of police misconduct.” The JCF says it will fully cooperate with INDECOM’s investigation into the incident. On Sunday, music executive Romeich Major publicly apologized to the reported victims of the beating, TikTokers TJ and Moya. Major had come under public scrutiny for allegedly being linked to the beating, videos of which have since gone viral on social media. The High Command rejected any allegations of delays in its response to the matter and reminded the public it permits members to engage in private service, commonly referred to as “extra work,” under strict guidelines outlined in Force Orders. “Private Service arrangements must adhere to established rules regarding eligibility, prohibited activities, and operational standards. The policy ensures that such engagements are conducted transparently, ethically, and without conflict of interest. While extra work is allowed, all officers are required to uphold the highest professional standards at all times, whether on-duty or off-duty,” the police said. Prior to INDECOM opening an investigation the police had been probing whether these standards had been breached. “Any misconduct or breach of policy is treated with the utmost seriousness. We assure the public that any member found in breach of JCF policies or the law will be held accountable,” the High Command stressed.

Rosen Baugh to run for Netball Jamaica presidency, shares vision for programme Senior netball administrator Karen Rosen Baugh has indicated that she will be putting herself up for the presidency of Netball Jamaica (NJ) at next month’s annual general meeting (AGM). Originally scheduled for December 14, the AGM was postponed to January due to the unavailability of the organisation’s audited financial statements. The last AGM was held in 2021, with all NJ positions, including the presidency and directorship roles, up for re-election in the upcoming meeting. President Tricia Robinson, now serving her second term, will also be eligible for re-election. Rosen Baugh, who has been NJ’s director of marketing and sponsorship since 2021, is widely regarded in the netball community as a strong contender for the position. She explained to the Jamaica Observer that her decision to run was made after careful consideration and consultation with family and key stakeholders in the sport. “I have thought long and hard about this and consulted with my family, friends, and colleagues,” she said. “I have received many calls encouraging me to run, but for a while, I was undecided as my desire has always been just to quietly serve and contribute as best as I can to the success of the sport and the support for these awesome Sunshine Girls. “Our stakeholders rightly demand that we be accountable and transparent, and that is my mantra as well.” Rosen Baugh expressed her commitment to working closely with all stakeholders to ensure significant global growth for the sport and for the Sunshine Girls to rise to become the number one team in the world. “I think I have more to offer to the sport,” she said. “We need a reset in certain areas, especially governance, communication, and national development of the sport. The proper marketing and support of the team is a huge need and they deserve so much more. “We want them to be in a well-supported elite environment, and for them and the coaches to be properly remunerated when they represent the country. The rest of the programme will be impacted by their success.” Rosen Baugh says she intends to strengthen grassroots development and ensure that local coaches and umpires receive the necessary support to become internationally certified. “Development opportunities for our clubs, coaches, and umpires is also a big priority if we are to sustain our progress and properly feed the national programme,” she said. “There is so much to do, so the team leading the charge is very important.” Baugh previously served on the NJ board from 2012 to 2016, primarily during the presidency of Marva Bernard. Robinson has remained reserved about whether she will seek re-election. Several calls to her mobile phone Monday for clarity on her plans went unanswered.

DESPITE trailing by 211 runs West Indies all-rounder Justin Greaves remains optimistic about his team’s chances, citing a spirited fightback with the ball on day three as a turning point. The West Indies had a tough day with the bat, being bowled out for a mere 146 (65 overs) in their first innings in response to Bangladesh’s first innings of 164, but they bounced back strongly with the ball. Bangladesh, who had gained a slender, 18-run lead in the first innings, were then restricted to 193-5 at stumps on the third day of the Test match at Sabina Park on Monday, thanks to some tight bowling by the West Indies. Shadman Islam top-scored for Bangladesh with 46 runs (82 balls), with Captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz getting 42 runs (39 balls). Jaker Ali (29 runs/49 balls) and Tajiul Islam (9 runs/22 balls) are the not out batsmen for Bangladesh at the crease. For the West Indies, Shamar Joseph was the pick of the bowlers with two wickets from 10 overs that cost 70 runs. Jayden Seales, Alzarri Joseph, and Greaves got one wicket each. “We’re pretty much in the balance,” Greaves said, highlighting the team’s resilience despite a disappointing batting display. Greaves was pleased with the team’s effort with the ball, saying, “I liked how the guys came out and fought in the second innings with the ball.” He also acknowledged that the pitch was still good for batting, but expressed confidence that the West Indies could still make a game of it. “We want to keep them around 250 or 275, the most. It’s a pretty good batting pitch; the ball didn’t misbehave a lot, and once our batters get in I think we will do well. With Bangladesh still holding a significant lead, the West Indies will need to produce a strong batting performance on the fourth day to stay in the game. However, Greaves’ positive outlook and the team’s fighting spirit on day three suggest they are still very much in contention. The West Indies’ overnight lead of 70-1 quickly turned into a batting collapse as they lost their last nine wickets for a mere 76 runs. This dramatic turn of events resulted in the West Indies being bowled out for 146, giving Bangladesh a slim 18-run, first-innings lead. This unexpected twist is only the second time Bangladesh has managed to secure a first-innings lead, after scoring less than 200 runs. The previous instance was in 2008 when they scored 192 against South Africa, resulting in a 22-run lead. Keary Carty was the top scorer for the West Indies, contributing a patient 40 runs from 115 balls with just one boundary. Captain Kraigg Brathwaite also played a solid innings, scoring 39 runs from 129 balls, including three boundaries. Brathwaite was the first to fall on the day, departing at 85-2 in 42.3 overs. However, it was the loss of Carty at 117-7 that marked the beginning of the end for the West Indies. The chief destroyer for Bangladesh was Nahid Rana who claimed five wickets from 18 overs, conceding 61 runs. Rana’s impressive bowling display was instrumental in Bangladesh’s ability to restrict the West Indies and secure a narrow lead.

Ding Dong grateful for endorsements, career boost Ding Dong’s impact on the dancehall music industry is unquestionable. From creating contagious dance moves to cultivating a culture of movement among young people, the dancer-turned-artiste has cemented himself as a force on the entertainment scene. But his clean, catchy songs and masterfully crafted choreography have not only made him a favorite among dancehall fans, but also a standout among corporate companies. Over the past decade Ding Dong has received huge endorsements from notable brands, among them GraceKennedy, Magnum Tonic Wine, H&L Rapid True Value, and Western Union. Continuing to expand his corporate relationships, the entertainer recently landed the Jamaica Public Service’s (JPS) Christmas campaign. He told the Jamaica Observer that corporate continues to knock at his door because he has nurtured relationships with his vibrant personality. “There are a lot of talented artistes out there who are of such high calibre [so] whenever I’m selected to be the ambassador for any brand, I am always honoured. It really does a lot for one’s career. But I think corporate keeps coming back to Ding Dong to represent their brand because of who I am and what I stand for. I represent dancehall, the fun side of the music, the happiness, the partying, the energy. It’s my personality,” he shared. “One of the key aspects of Ding Dong also is that I am easy to work with. I have gotten that from every brand, every company that I work with, and that’s why I always have long-term relationships with them. To me, it’s not just a gig or a campaign, it’s a partnership, a relationship, and everyone respects that approach.” The artiste says the recent partnership with JPS is one for the books as the company has chosen to bring joy to families during a season many families struggle financially. “When a company gives back to the society in these times it’s huge; and JPS is giving back to 101 customers and that is a lot… It’s the holidays and sometimes the weight that comes on parents to ensure that their children enjoy it, it can be a lot,” he said. “Giving back at any time is always good, but in this season it bears even more weight, especially on families because it allows persons the opportunity to enjoy the Christmas even more.” Ding Dong commended JPS and said he was happy to be a part of the campaign. “We all complain about the bills sometimes, so for the company to pay some of these bills, it’s nothing short of blessings. So what JPS is doing, kudos to them,” he said.

Family grieves teen among two killed in crash; mom wants to see driver MAY PEN, Clarendon — Latoya Lodge is a broken woman. Her world as she knew it was shattered on Monday and she would love a chance to confront the man responsible for the crash that claimed the life of her daughter Jody-Ann Lodge and her schoolmate Richard Tulloch. “Dem fi bring mi go see him, dat dem fi do; bring mi go see him,” the grieving mother muttered when told the police had nabbed the 34-year-old man at Norman Manley International Airport as he allegedly tried to flee the country. As she spoke she almost reverently went through her daughter’s bloodied school bag perched in her lap. Inside, along with a handful of hard cover notebooks, was $2,000 for Jody-Ann’s lunch. The teenager never made it to school. Her head hung low, her voice trailing off in-between sentences, Lodge described how she learnt of the death of her 16-year-old child who they fondly called Princess. “She and her little sister left for school this morning, a she alone come back,” she sighed. News came via a phone call to another of her daughter’s cellphone. Flustered, Lodge left the house without shoes. “I was already getting ready to go May Pen, and a mi daughter run me down with the slippers because a barefoot me reach out a road a go way. She wash off mi foot and put on my slippers, and I don’t remember much after that,” she told the Jamaica Observer at the family home. She didn’t have the courage to take a close look at the scene of the crash that also left two other students injured, one seriously. “I didn’t go at the exact spot where the accident was, mi stay from far and look, then I go to the hospital,” Lodge said. She called her brother and asked him to go see if it was really his niece who had died in the crash. “Him say him pass the person on the ground, but him never know. He turned back and go on the scene and when he pushed and pushed and when he went she lift up her head because she never dead. Him say a head lick she get because she was out of the car,” Lodge said mournfully. In-between deep, heavy breaths, she spoke of the quirks that had endeared Jody-Ann to them all. “She was feisty and quick to cuss out someone, but she is a nice person,” said Lodge. Jody-Ann was her third child, one of three girls, and she said she took pride in her appearance, especially her hair. She loved wearing glasses. “She was a proper hot girl,” said Lodge. Jody-Ann’s uncle Cecil Lodge is among those devastated by her death. He narrowly missed being on the road where it happened. “Is a good thing mi drive the highway, because if I did take that road, mi would buck up in that accident and all drop down. This rough man, mi stressed out,” he said. He said the entire family is shaken up and he is particularly worried about his brother, Jody-Ann’s father. “He has high blood pressure and I don’t even know what to say to him,” he said. Students of Lennon High School received counselling Monday as they struggled to cope with news that two of their classmates had died on the nation’s roads. Principal Tanesha Powell asked for prayers for her school community and also used the opportunity to ask for a safe and secure school transportation system. “The students in the rural areas suffer, and this may be one of the challenges that we face. We are asking [for a steady school bus system for the rural schools],” she appealed. In reacting to the crash, Transport Minister Daryl Vaz said a proposal for operation of the rural transportation for students has been completed by the ministry and will be presented to Cabinet on Monday of next week. According to police reports, a Subaru Impreza was travelling westward towards Four Paths. It is alleged that the driver lost control of the vehicle and collided with an Isuzu motor truck which caused it to overturn and crash into a Toyota Probox. The police were summoned and a total of five passengers were taken to the hospital where the two students succumbed to their injuries. The police said the driver left the scene of the crash but was held at the airport shortly before noon. There have been allegations that the Subaru crashed as the driver tried to elude the police. Assistant Commissioner of Police Gary McKenzie, who is in charge of Public Safety and Traffic Enforcement Branch (PSTEB), said police who were pursuing the car stopped after seeing his reckless overtaking, and soon after they received reports that the vehicle had crashed. According to McKenzie, the vehicle was being illegally operated as a taxi and the insurance had expired.

New York, USA — As the countdown to January 20, 2025 begins for the return of Donald Trump to office, many undocumented Jamaicans here are scrambling to find ways to evade the mass deportation net that the incoming Administration has threatened to cast over the United States. At least three Jamaican American immigration attorneys — Florida-based Wayne Golding and Winston Tucker as well as Simone Archer of New York — have reported an uptick in the number of people seeking advice on how to deal with their status. A similar situation has also been reported by well-known Jamaican American immigration advocate Irwine Clare Sr, head of Caribbean Immigration Services. Clare and all three attorneys have struck a common theme in their advice, which is that “people should ensure that they are in possession of their documents”. And they are encouraging their panic-stricken compatriots to “act with urgency in filing their paperwork”. Tucker told the Jamaica Observer that he has seen “about a 25 per cent increase in the number of those seeking information on how best to proceed with their immigration issues”. He noted that while each case is different, “my advice has been that they should seek counsel, with one caveat — be careful”. “People need to be in possession of all relevant documents, which should include an indication of how long they have been in the country, among other things,” Tucker advised. As he did in a previous interview, Tucker reiterated that he does not believe that the incoming Trump Administration will be able to just pick up and deport large numbers of undocumented immigrants. He noted that people who are designated as serious criminals and a danger to the society, and others who crossed the border with Mexico, have faced a hearing and ordered removed but are still in the country are likely to be dealt with first. Meanwhile, Archer of Archer Law PLLC said she too has “noticed a considerable increase in the number of people seeking advice on the best way forward with their immigration matters”. The jump in people seeking advice became noticeable close to the November 5 election, which Trump won decisively after warning on the campaign trail that he intended to deport millions of illegal immigrants if he won. It has since accelerated, people who work with immigrants said. “Some of those seeking advice have specific avenues available to them to deal with their situation. Each situation is different, but one advice I try to impart to everyone is that they need to have their documents in their possession,” Archer said. “It is important that they act immediately to deal with their situation. People who are married to United States citizens, for example, should file right away,” she advised. She said that those with children whose situation needs to be formalised should also act with urgency as their cases will have to go through the Special Immigrant Juvenile Status programme under which the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services seeks to make a decision on a special immigrant juvenile petition within six months. Golding told the Observer that the inquiries are coming from people who benefited from an executive order by President Barack Obama between 2008 and 2016 which allowed them to remain in the US while their cases were being dealt with. “There is now a real concern that this particular benefit could be removed, causing serious problems for the beneficiaries,” said Golding, adding: “Most Jamaicans who are in the country illegally did not enter through the southern border with Mexico but have generally overstayed their time.” A Westchester County, New York, immigration attorney, Doug Stone, said he too has seen an uptick in the number of people seeking advice about their status since the election. Early last month, a Trump-appointed federal judge in Texas struck down a policy by the Joseph Biden Administration which was aimed to make a path to citizenship for some undocumented immigrants who are married to US citizens. The measure, which was seen as one of the most beneficial presidential actions to help immigrant families, would have allowed undocumented spouses and stepchildren of US citizens to apply for a green card without having to leave the country, according to published reports. The judge, J Campbell Barker, ruled that the Biden Administration had overstepped its authority by implementing the programme. In the meantime, Christopher Benjamin, the community relations officer at the Jamaican Consulate in Manhattan, said that Jamaicans with immigration issues should seek the services of a qualified attorney, as the consulate cannot interfere in the immigration laws of the United States. Immigration attorney Wayne Golding.

A small delegation of journalists from the Caribbean, including Jamaica Observer staff reporter Jason Cross, arrived in Israel on Sunday and will spend the next five days visiting specific sites impacted by war, as well as locations that have great historical significance and biblical connections. The purpose of the visit to the Middle East by the journalists will be to capture some of the happenings on the ground in Israel, a country that has been in armed conflict with Hamas-led Palestinian militant groups in the Gaza Strip and Israel since October 7, 2023. As a result of the conflicts, the International Criminal Court (ICC) in November this year, issued three arrest warrants for Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant as well as a senior Hamas official. The three are accused of war crimes during and after the October 7 attacks on Israel last year which led to hundreds of people being tortured and killed. The ICC said in a statement on November 21 that it found reasonable grounds that Netanyahu is criminally responsible for war crimes such as “starvation as a method of warfare”, murder, persecution and other inhumane acts. Jamaica Observer staff reporter, Jason Cross, in Israel. The prime minister’s office has since denied the accusations, labelling them as absurd and antisemitic. It also styled the ICC as a discriminatory body that has political bias and defended Israel’s participation in the conflict as being just, following a murderous attack by Hamas. The attack was described by the PM’s office as the largest massacre against Jewish people since the Holocaust, a genocide of European Jews during World War 2 which began in 1941 and ended in 1945. The Holocaust was carried out by Adolf Hitler’s Nazi German forces and their collaborators, which were said to have claimed the lives of six million Jews. An Israeli official told the Jamaica Observer that the government is happy to host the delegation because it provides the opportunity to show reporters from the Caribbean, “the things from our point of view”. “We really wish that after you see and experience Israel, your opinion would reflect more of how we see things and we would be happy if you could share it with your readers. We see Jamaica as a very important place in the Caribbean. It is one of the most important islands in the Caribbean and also worldwide. Jamaica is a place of international culture that affects the world. It is small but is a very important island and everybody knows Jamaica,” the official said. The official source told the Observer that the situation involving Israel did not spring up overnight and described it as complicated. “It has history. From the press you will read about two sides of the story. From our side, you will hear the Israeli side of the story. A lot of people follow the news but you can see there is a lot of ignorance about the details, the challenges and complexities. They don’t know what is the ideology of Hamas, what is Israel and why Hamas attacked Israel on the 7th of October. “I meet a lot of people who have a lot of interest in the situation in Israel, in Gaza and Lebanon. It is mainly because it is the Holy Land. At the same time, when you try to go deeper you see that they only know the surface news and they don’t really know the details of the story. I think you being in Israel, you will hear a lot of details and go deeper into the issues, to show what you see to your audience in Jamaica,” the official pointed out. While in Israel, the delegation of Caribbean journalists will visit the south of Israel and tour various areas around the Gaza strip which stretches 41 kilometres from north to south. The journalists will meet with a Bedouin leader in the south of Israel and will visit the car cemetery and the site of the Nova Festival where more than 380 people were killed. There was to have been roughly 3,500 people at the Festival on October 7 last year. Many of them were raped before they were killed and some were abducted. The delegation will also sit in on roundtable talks at the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs, during which discussions regarding relations between Israel, Latin America and the Caribbean will be discussed. A visit will also be made to the Holocaust Museum, among other sites of historical significance. On October 7 last year, roughly 3,000 Hamas-led terrorists reportedly forced their way across the Israeli border from Gaza, killing roughly 1,800 people and taking scores of civilians as hostages, exacting on them many acts of brutality including sexual assault. The attack on Israel led to ongoing war against Hamas as well as Hezbollah which is an Iran-backed Lebanese Shia Islamist political party that has a paramilitary arm and several other allied groups of Hamas. There appears to be some form of peace at the moment after a ceasefire agreement reached between Israel and Hezbollah. The ceasefire which was brokered by the United States and France took effect on Wednesday November 27, clearing the way for an end to conflict across the Israel-Lebanese border. The conflict killed thousands of people since being sparked by the Gaza war which started in October last year.

CLARENDON, Jamaica — Two students died as a result of injuries they sustained in a two-vehicle crash on the Bustamante Highway in Clarendon Monday morning. Preliminary reports are that the crash involved a Toyota Probox being operated as a taxi and a Subaru Impreza motor car. The crash happened approximately 200 meters east of the highway’s intersection with Foga Road. Further details surrounding the crash are unclear at this time but it is believed the taxi was being chased by the Transport Authority.

UNITED NATIONS, United States (AFP)— More than 40,000 people fled their homes in Port-au-Prince over just ten days this month as the Haitian capital was rocked by a spike in gang violence, the UN’s migration agency said Monday. The International Organization for Migration described it as the worst wave of displacement in two years, with a total of 40,965 people in Port-au-Prince on the move between November 11 and 20 — some for the second or third time. “The scale of this displacement is unprecedented since we began responding to the humanitarian crisis in 2022,” Gregoire Goodstein, the IOM chief in Haiti, said in a statement. For the past two weeks, several neighborhoods of Port-au-Prince and the surrounding area have been the sites of violent clashes involving “Viv Ansanm” (“Living Together”), an alliance of gangs formed in February aimed at overthrowing then-Prime Minister Ariel Henry, who resigned in April. In total, over 700,000 people have been displaced in Haiti, the organization said. “This crisis is not just a humanitarian challenge. It is a test of our collective responsibility,” Goodstein added. Haiti has suffered from political instability for decades, with the latest security crisis linked to the presence of armed gangs that are accused of widespread murder, kidnapping and sexual violence.

KINGSTON, Jamaica— No decision has been made by the governing Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) on who will replace Karl Samuda as its standard-bearer in St Andrew North Central Observer Online has been reliably informed. A report surfaced in the media on Sunday that Senior Advisor in the tourism ministry, Delano Seiveright has been confirmed as Samuda’s successor as the party’s standard-bearer in the constituency. However, Observer Online has confirmed that no decision has been taken by the JLP. The Jamaica Labour Party’s constitution reportedly requires sign-off from the party’s Operations Council before standard-bearers are confirmed. Seiveright was earlier this week appointed as deputy constituency chairman for North St Andrew North Central following a vote by delegates. He replaces a former member of the Karl Samuda-led executive who retired. JLP General Secretary, Dr Horace Chang told a media briefing on Thursday last week that Samuda would not be contesting the next General Election. Samuda, who is 82 years old, later confirmed the development but said he was surprised by the timing of Dr Chang’s announcement.

KINGSTON, Jamaica— Sculptures of Jamaican superstars, the late reggae icon Bob Marley and sprint legend Usain Bolt are now on their way to the World Expo 2025 in Osaka, Japan. As the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) prepares for World Expo 2025, S Hotels Jamaica, which commissioned the sculptures, has allowed the JTB to use the two statutes for one year on loan at the expo. These statues were completed by the talented sculptor Scheed Cole and are permanent attractions in Montego Bay, Jamaica. World Expo 2025 will be held under the theme: ‘Designing Future Society for Our Lives’. It is one of the oldest and largest international events, held every five years since 1851. A global platform for achievement, innovation, collaboration and cooperation, Jamaica will be among more than 150 participating countries and 25 international organizations in Osaka. Danielle Shaw, manager at S Hotels, Kingston said the sculptures symbolize the extraordinary cultural and athletic legacy of our nation. “Usain Bolt represents the boundless energy and determination of Jamaica, while Bob Marley embodies the enduring power of our music and message of peace,” Shaw said. “This partnership with the Jamaica Tourist Board is not just about showcasing our icons, it’s about showing the world the richness of Jamaica, a destination where culture and hospitality blend seamlessly,” she added. S Hotels Jamaica has become a cultural attraction in the hospitality sector. Bolt and Marley are among several life-size statues commissioned by the group. The Japan Association for the 2025 expo has projected that more than 25 million visitors will attend the expo, including more than 3.5 million international visitors. Jamaica will participate under the ‘Connecting Lives’ sub theme and will invite expo visitors to its pavilion; ‘Out of Many, One People-Let’s Link Up’. The Jamaica pavilion will promote collaboration and unity in a global and inter connected environment. Commissioner General of Section, Jamaica Pavilion Expo 2025 and Promotions and Events Officer at the Jamaica Tourist Board, Maureen Smith predicted that Usain Bolt and Bob Marley will captivate the global audience in Osaka and inspire millions at the World Expo, carrying the spirit of Jamaica across continents. “We want to promote sustainable tourism, achieving our sustainable development goals, and how we are progressing towards Vision 2030. Tourism is a very important factor for that. Eighty per cent of the guests at the Expo will be Japanese and we want to ensure that we connect with them,” Smith said. “The statues will be an appealing aspect of the presence of Jamaica and to have them in the same space will speak volumes. People often associate Jamaica with the talent that we have, and Bob Marley and Usain Bolt are world recognised names, that people associate with music and athletics,” Smith added.

Many horse-racing enthusiasts and Mouttet Mile lovers are gearing up for another staging come Saturday December 7, at Caymanas Park. As the excitement and anticipation builds, a lot of thought is being put into not only first past the post, but, too, the right outfit for the occasion. With this year’s theme being Western Style, Tuesday Style Fashion (TSF) is removing all the guesswork and has come up with its own list of must-haves. First things first, though, Beyonce’s Texas Hold ‘Em on speed dial as we turn the pages of our look book that features Mouttet Mile models Debbie Bissoon and Tafari Forbes in denim, sturdy boots and wide-brimmed hats. Western wear typically incorporates one or more of the following: Western button-down shirts with pearl snap fasteners and vaquero design accents, blue jeans, Stetson hat, a leather belt with conchos and large belt buckles and cowboy boots. None of these will break your budget or should be difficult to find. Accessories? Yes, please; the sky’s the limit here! Jazzing these up with chunky jewellery, bolo ties and neckerchiefs can add the right flair to your outfit. See you at the races! Some of the pieces were sourced from Resortwear by Eroleen. Others sourced from the models’ personal collection.

JAAA confirms renewal of Puma partnership JAMAICA Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA) has confirmed renewal of its sponsorship agreement with German sporting gear brand Puma. This confirmation follows a report first made by the Jamaica Observer earlier this month that a deal was agreed upon. This comes months after reports, also by the Observer, that JAAA was approached by rival sporting gear brand adidas to enter into a partnership when the JAAA’s existing deal with Puma ends in December. President Garth Gayle describes the new deal as having “far exceeded that of their competitors”. The comments were said to have been made at Saturday’s annual general meeting (AGM) held at Jamaica College, where Gayle was re-elected unopposed to serve a second-consecutive term, along with his executives. A release sent on behalf of JAAA said Gayle made the announcement during his address to the AGM, describing it as “another highlight from the past year”. Without going into any details about the value or duration of the sponsorship, the release said, “The president expressed gratitude for Puma’s unwavering support, particularly through the pandemic, and the company’s significant contribution to various grass roots initiatives, high school sponsorships, and national events like the Gibson Relays and the boys’ & girls’ championships.” Gayle is understood to have said in his address that, “Puma’s commitment far exceeded that of their competitors, ensuring that the JAAA remains well-equipped to support its athletes and continue its mission of excellence.” The Observer has seen a counter proposal from adidas valuing over US$40 million (over $6 billion) over eight years between 2025-2032, an increase from another offer of US$26,000,000 (over $4 billion) that was said to have been made in 2013 and was to have also been for eight years. The adidas proposal offered an “annual retainer of US$2.5 million (around $397 million)” included in a budget of just under US$3 million ($476 million), in addition to products worth up to another US$2.13 million ($338 million) per year. The Observer received no response from the JAAA when a comment was sought.

ST JOHN’S, Antigua (CMC) — Veteran fast bowler Kemar Roach and his protege Jayden Seales grabbed three wickets apiece to put the West Indies in prime position to push for victory against Bangladesh on an eventful, penultimate day in the first Test match that saw 17 wickets fall. Roach and Seales’ performances made up for a poor, second-innings batting performance by the Windies and overshadowed a spectacular showing by Bangladesh’s fast bowler Taskin Ahmed who grabbed a career-best six-wicket haul. After the visitors surprisingly declared on their overnight total of 269 for nine to concede a first-innings lead of 181 runs, Ahmed then snared 6-64 to rout the West Indies for just 152 to give Bangladesh a slim chance of pulling off a come-from-behind win. However, in pursuit of 334, Roach and Seales all but bowled the home side to victory by restricting their opponents to 109 for seven before bad light ended play early on Monday’s penultimate day. Now in the twilight of his career, the 36-year-old Roach gave the West Indies the perfect start when the fifth ball of the innings to Zakir Hasn deflected off the inside of his bat and crashed into the stumps with only one run on the board. Seales then increased the pressure by having Mahmudul Hasan Joy caught at third slip by Justin Greaves, after the opener played at a wide delivery away from his body to leave Bangladesh seven for two. Roach claimed his second wicket on review after Umpire Kumar Dharmasena had initially given Shahadat Hossain not out following a caught behind appeal. However, the replay showed that the ball had brushed Hossain’s glove on the way through to the wicketkeeper, to see the visitors slide further into trouble at 20 for three. Pacer Shamar Joseph was then unlucky not to have dismissed Mominul Haque on two occasions in the same over. First, wicketkeeper Joshua Da Silva spilled a difficult chance diving to the leg side, and with his very night delivery Mikyle Louis put down an easy catch at gully. The missed chanches did not prove costly, though, as Roach completed a stunning return catch in the next over to account for Haque after he scored 11, leaving the visitors in dire straits at 23 for four. Captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Litton Das tried to rebuild the innings in a 36-run stand, until Shamar Joseph was deservingly awarded when he enticed Das to pull a delivery straight into the hands of Alzarri Joseph at deep backward square. Miraz and Jaker Ali frustrated the West Indies during a 43-run partnership that carried the visitors past the 100-run mark. But shortly after doing so, Miraz flirted with a ball outside off stump and was brilliantly caught by a diving Da Silva off the bowling of Seales for a well-played 45 from 46 balls. Seales then clean-bowled Taijul Islam for four to give the West Indies hope of ending the match on the fourth day with the score on 108 for seven, before bad light eventually had the final say. Roach has so far taken 3-20 while Seales finished with 3-31. Earlier, Ahmed led a Bangladesh fightback with a classy spell of pace bowling. Ahmed had both Mikyle Louis and Keacy Carty caught behind the wicket while Shoriful Islam dismissed West Indies skipper Kraigg Brathwaite for 23 to make the score 39 for three. Ahmed also accounted for the wickets of Kavem Hodge for 15, first-innings centurion Justin Greaves for two, before returning to wrap up the tail by taking the last two wickets of Shamar Joseph and Kemar Roach to leave the match interestingly poised heading into the final session.

Some Ocho Rios craft traders rebuff PM’s fee waiver OCHO RIOS, St Ann — Some craft traders who are struggling to earn a living at Ocho Rios Craft Market have rebuffed an offer from the prime minister to have their fees waived until next June. They have described it as a short-sighted measure that will have no long-term benefit, and see it as yet another signal that the Government is not listening. “We nuh wah nobody fi pay wi rent; that is not what we want. The market needs to be repaired, and then more tourists will start coming in and we can more than pay our rent. We don’t need someone to She has been a craft trader for more than 20 years, and was among a group of about six of her peers who congregated at the entrance of the market Monday morning. None of them completely embraced the announcement made by leader of the governing Jamaica Labour Party Andrew Holness as he closed the party’s 81st annual conference on Sunday. In outlining measures that would show that the Administration cares about the tourism sector and its employees Holness said the fee waiver is supposed to help “stakeholders in our craft market who were badly affected by fall-off in cruise visitors”. “To lighten the burden that they face, the Government will waive fees for all craft vendors in Government-owned craft markets for the months of December and January, and write off any outstanding fees owed by craft vendors. This is designed to ease the economic burden on the craft vendor and give them a head start in the winter tourism season,” he told the throng of supporters gathered at the National Arena. He singled out craft vendors in St Ann — hard hit by damage to the Ocho Rios cruise ship pier — for extra support. “I have instructed that the waiving of fees for craft vendors in St Ann will extend until June of next year when the pier is set to reopen,” Holness said to cheers. The reaction from Henry and others at the market was starkly different. “I think it is an insult; this is way off from what my concerns and problems are. I’m having a great issue to get my shop in a state to apply for my Jamaica Tourist Board licence where I can go to the bank and open an account and have proof of my funds. That is one of our great issues. And then you’re gonna come and talk about paying shop rent? I’m not frightened over someone paying the rent,” she scoffed. The third generation in her family to earn a living at the craft market, she said that she is not affiliated with any political party. Vendors said they pay about $2,500 per month. “They need to come in here and fix the property and bring it up to international standards so tourists will be excited to stop here. Every day we hear how much is being made by the tourism industry, so where is the millions being used? The market needs to be upgraded,” Henry insisted. Her colleagues agreed, and complained that the facility is in a deplorable state, their shops are leaking and have dilapidated floor boards, the pavements leading to them are broken and, most annoying, there is a rodent infestation. The closest thing to praise Holness’s suggestion received from the vendors was a grudging acknowledgement that it was a good gesture. This came from advisor at the market Renford Henry, but he also said it was not enough. “What he is doing won’t put money in our pockets and goods in our shop because there is nothing that we are holding in our hands. How long will that bellyful which he is giving us now going to last? Where is the food coming from after that?” he asked. “They see the condition and suffering of the craft market and [yet] nothing has been done. The whole craft fraternity is suffering because they are not helping us to get people into the craft market. We have items for months and years that are not being sold,” Renford Henry added. He suggested that Urban Development Corporation, the State agency in charge of operations at the craft market, fix the infrastructure. “We want improvements and developments in the craft market so when the tourists come they don’t turn away because of the shambles,” he said. Another vendor, Andrea Green, urged Holness to visit the market. She believes it will help him understand their frustration. “We are suffering in here; we are not getting no business. Waiving the fees will help us a little bit but that is not the root of the problem. We’re not making any money, and I’m stressed to my neck. He should look into coming here, have a dialogue, and listen to our plea,” she said. Craft vendors at the Ocho Rios market have not been shy in expressing themselves over the years. In May this year they staged a protest to voice concerns about changes made to their licensing agreement, and the decrepit state of the market. In September 2021 they blasted the tourism ministry and threatened to take to the streets because tour bus operators were not taking cruise ship visitors to craft markets. In May 2020 they spoke out after delays to reopen the facility, which was closed as part of efforts to curb COVID-19. Their grouses about the need for repairs and lack of clients have been repeated by other markets across the country over the years.

What could have been a disaster of a show for promoters turned into a delightful evening of entertainment at the inaugural Love Jamaica Music and Food Festival. Held at UWI Bowl in Mona, St Andrew, an hour delay in the show’s announced start time had audience members growing iincreasingly impatient to experience the action-packed night promised. However, the annoyance plastered across their faces quickly transformed into smiles accompanied by screams of pleasure as soon as the opening act graced the stage. From the very first note delivered by the 2024 Digicel Rising Stars winner, Akeen Fennel, it became evident that the show was about to serve up a thrilling musical experience. Fennel’s welcome may not have been the warmest. However, by the time the singer was through with his set the crowd gave him his due respect, as he masterfully handled a brief sound cut with some powerful vocals. He even got the audience to sing along a capella as organisers feverishly worked behind the scenes to restore the audio. Picking up exactly where the music let off, Fennel continued to woo the crowd as he serenaded the ladies with a soulful medley of hits, which included Shaggy’s Mr Boombastic, Daddy Screw’s Model Pan Yuh One Time Man, and Dexa Daps’ Breaking News and See Mi Bed. He then made way for L.U.S.T, who then took the show to new musical heights. Despite being a man down, with a member of the quartet being snowed-in in America, the group did not miss a beat. Delivering an hour-long set, the trio of Lukie D, Tony Curtis and Singing Melody showed exactly why they remain one of the most-sought-after ensembles in local music history. Coming to the aid of their musical brother, Tony Curtis and Singing Melody had the audience laughing as they helped Lukie D remove his close-fitting jacket. Lukie D had his ‘clapback’ moment when he assured Singing Melody that he was allowed to jump about the stage and shouldn’t worry too much about the rhinestones on his pants. Laughter aside, L.U.S.T’s performance had something for everyone’s enjoyment. Songs like You’re the Inspiration, Shower Me With Your Love, Centre of Attraction, and Garnett Silk’s Splashing Dashing and, of course, Just As I Am. Following L.U.S.T. was R&B singing sensation Joe. One half of the international line-up for the evening, the entertainer entered the stage donning a bright yellow suit paired with a leopard print undershirt. With vocals as pleasing to the ear as his attire was to the eyes, Joe had the audience — particularly the ladies — mesmerised. Joe loved on his local fanbase by delivering some of their favourites including All The Things, The Love Scene, Ride Wit You, What If A Woman, and crowd-favourite I Wanna Know. But the singer didn’t just rely on his popular hits to connect with the crowd. Serving up a pleasant surprise, Joe triggered screams when he delved into a rendition of the late Gregory Isaacs’ Night Nurse. Going even further to display his love for Jamaican music, he also described Dawn Penn’s widely popular hit single, No No No, as one of the “sexiest” songs ever recorded. He said Jamaicans had been “rocking with me for over 30 years, I appreciate you”. The seemingly satisfied crowd by this had shrugged off the disappointment of the start and was pleased with promoters holding to the promise of performances of the highest calibre. A timeless talent, Sanchez, took to the stage and proved just why he is one of Jamaica’s most beloved entertainers. The singer served up a masterclass in music and had the crowd savouring every note as he drew on a bevy of classics from his extensive catalogue, including Pretty Girl, Loneliness Leave Me Alone, Let Me Love You Down, Are You Still In Love With Me, Brown Eye Girl, Fall In Love, and Frenzy. But if his arsenal of songs catering to the ladies weren’t enough to keep the crowd captivated, Sanchez took the audience ‘to church’ as he delivered a prayerful rendition of Amazing Grace. He then carried on with Praise Him and Never Dis Di Man. Closing acts, The Manhattans, ended the show on a high, as the trio also ran through several crowd-favourites. With more than five decades of history in the entertainment industry, they thrilled with timeless music and sharp choreography. They drew on No Me Without You, Never Find Another Like You, My Shining Star, and I Wanta Thank You. Thanking their Jamaican fan base for their unwavering support since the 1970s, the group fittingly ended their set with their 1976 global hit single, L et’s Just Kiss And Say Goodbye. Highlighting that there is an obvious gap in live shows that cater to mature audiences, the festival’s promoter, Richard “Richie D” Martin told the Jamaica Observer that he just wanted to bring quality entertainment to an audience that’s not catered to as much. “I’m a deejay and a lover of music and I know for a fact that there is a void for a certain age group in entertainment so my concept was to bring together three generations on one night. There are so many young things going on, and there’s nothing wrong with that, but this is timeless music and people want to hear more of it,” he said. “I feel good about the show’s infusion of RnB and Reggae… I am happy with the outcome despite the challenges we experienced, and now it’s time to go back to the drawing board and see what we can improve on for next year.”

Barrington Watson paintings among works stolen from his family Two family members of late renowned Jamaican painter Barrington Watson say thieves broke into their house on Saturday evening and stole 10 paintings worth tens of millions of dollars. The robbery has left Watson’s former wife and son — who asked not to be named — rattled and worried as it was committed while they were at home and had fallen asleep after smelling a strange odour. A few of the stolen paintings — including one that was featured in the Bob Marley movie One Love — were done by Watson, who died in 2016. The stolen works, the former wife said, were not insured. “My son and I were here. I was out on the verandah until about 5:00 pm, then I went inside. I locked the grille to the house. The main gate entrance was opened because my son was going to lock it later in the night. I was watching TV in my room and he was in his room. When he came out at about 7:00 pm, he came into my room and said I didn’t lock the entrance grille. I came out and looked and I saw the chain and padlock on the ground. It was frightening,” she told the Jamaica Observer on Monday morning. “We started looking around and we saw that paintings were missing. One was right here on this verandah wall. Everything else other than the painting remained the same — untouched,” she said, pointing to the wall and stating that the painting is too large for one person to lift. “They lifted off the painting on the verandah, which two people have to lift. Then they went into the foyer and took another big one off the wall. Stacked close to that one were several other smaller paintings on the ground,” she added. “From the start of the hurricane season we just took down most of the paintings that were hanging out here and put them inside,” she explained. The mother said that what has worried her most is the fact the robbers struck at a time when she and her son were at home and before the time they would normally go off to bed. “We could be dead,” she said, sharing that the thieves must have seen her as she had fallen asleep watching television. She told the Observer that she recalled a strange odour in the air before she fell asleep. “They could see me from where they were taking off the painting off the wall. I was sitting in my chair. One interesting thing is that I smelled something funny… I went to see if my bedroom window was opened, but it was closed… They definitely could see me because my night light was on as well as the TV light,” she said. “I never heard any car drive in, and I usually hear everything out there from my bedroom,” the woman added. “We called the police and the detectives came from Matilda’s Corner and they were given photographs [of the stolen paintings]. About three or four paintings were from Barrington Watson, one was by Lois Lake-Sherwood, and others were from other painters. I don’t think they really went into any other part of the house. I think they came specifically for those paintings,” she said. “The very big one that they took was in the Bob Marley movie. It was nicely framed. We have had it for donkey years. It is called Orange Park and it is a painting of where we used to live in Yallahs,” she told the Observer. “The interesting thing is that people hardly steal paintings here in Jamaica. We feel invaded. That is frightening and worrying more than anything else because material things come and go. We do miss the paintings, because we are used to having them around and seeing them, but this makes us feel vulnerable now.” Amid her unease she offered words of advice to people who are in possession of expensive artwork and other valuables. “One of the things we can do, that I have been thinking of since Saturday, is that people can put tracking devices on valuables, even if you are not going to use them. Put trackers on things like your artwork and furniture. We really need to take more precaution at home, like having cameras, even if it is expensive,” she said. Additionally, she advised people buying artwork to ask questions such as how the person selling the pieces got them and have them show proof of ownership. Her son was not so open in speaking on the matter, other than to share that he felt violated. “It’s just messed up. It just annoys me that someone can invade your personal space just like that,” he told the Observer. Watson, regarded as one of Jamaica’s greatest artists, was educated at Kingston College, Royal College of Art in London as well as several other major European art academies, including Académie de la Grande Chaumière in Paris and Rijksakademie in Amsterdam. He returned to Jamaica in 1961 and quickly rose to prominence as a major artist in post-Independence Jamaica. In 1984 the Government made him a member of the Order of Distinction in the rank of Commander, and in 2006 he was vested with the country’s fourth highest national honour, the Order of Jamaica. The Institute of Jamaica awarded him its Gold Musgrave Medal in 2000, and in 2012 the National Gallery of Jamaica honoured him with a major retrospective which was presented as part of the gallery’s Jamaica 50 programme. Two of his sons, Basil and Raymond Watson, are renowned sculptors.

KINGSTON, Jamaica – A team of lawmen assigned to the St Andrew South Police Division seized one .22 Diana G27 rifle during an operation on Glen Road, Kingston 13 on Tuesday. Reports from the Hunts Bay police are that about 5:40 pm, lawmen were in the area when a premises was searched. During the search, the weapon was seen inside the roof. No one was arrested in relation to this seizure. The police say the investigation continues.

MANCHESTER, Jamaica— Political rivalry is heating up in the ruling Jamaica Labour Party camp in Manchester North East since Audley Shaw’s announcement that he will not be seeking re-election. Earlier this week, Craighead councillor, Omar Miller rubbished claims by Hidran McKulsky that the educator was not invited to the constituency’s Jamaica Labour Party conference on Sunday. Both Miller and McKulsky have applied to take over from Shaw as the JLP’s aspirant for the constituency. “Please note that… Audley Shaw has always held his conference the Sunday before the national conference in Kingston and hence it is a fixed date for us to have our conferences. I have been a councillor for the past 13 years and that has never changed, not once,” Miller said in a voice message on Tuesday. “Always the Sunday before our annual conference. The Labor Party conferences are public gatherings and therefore doesn’t require any special invitations. We are free. Any Jamaican and visitor is welcomed to come to our conferences,” he added. Miller, who was endorsed by Shaw at the conference, said McKulsky would have been given the opportunity to speak there if he had attended. “I believe if Mr McKulsky and his team wanted to be a part of the conference, it would have been a priority. The platform party would have welcomed him and gave him an opportunity to address the gathering as good laborites. The decision from the Member of Parliament would have not changed as it relates to endorsing yours truly, Omar Miller, because the voice of the people is always the first priority for the Member of Parliament,” said Miller. “I will make a priority to note that Mr McKulsky and his team will be invited to our next conference next year going into our annual conference. We want to work together to build this constituency as we move forward,” added Miller.

The case of two policemen charged with murder among other offences in the fatal shooting of three men in east Kingston last week was postponed to December 17, 2024 when it came up for mention in the Gun Court on Tuesday morning. The hearing was postponed because the court was told that the defense had not received full disclosure of documents from the prosecution regarding their clients. Corporal Mark Roye and Constable Kelby White were each charged earlier this week with three counts of murder; using firearm in the commission of a felony; discharging firearm within 40 yards of a public thoroughfare; and placing an item on the scene of a crime. They are being represented by attorneys King’s Counsel Peter Champagnie and Althea Grant. The cops reported that about 2:30am on Sunday, November 10, while on patrol they had encountered a group of men along Windward Road and, during the encounter, gunfire was exchanged, resulting in the death of three men. One of the cops sustained a non-life-threatening injury and two illegal firearms were reportedly recovered from the scene. It was also initially reported that the now-deceased men were suspected to be involved in a robbery ring. However, following a probe into the incident by the Independent Commission of Investigations (INDECOM), the cops were charged.

KINGSTON, Jamaica — President of the Union of Clerical, Administrative, and Supervisory Employees (UCASE), Vincent Morrison is confident that justice will prevail in the ongoing legal battle between the newly formed Security Guard Taskforce, and security firm Marksman Limited and its parent group Guardsman Limited. “We are presently in the court with the security guard issue in which they were given a contract to sign which states explicitly that upon signing the contract, all the benefits, the years of service — some workers having worked for 40 odd years — all of that would be extinguished. And we believe that contract is unreasonable and they took that matter to the court,” Morrison told Observer Online. With the next court hearing scheduled for December 8, the union leader has expressed strong faith in Jamaica’s judicial system in resolving the matter. “I have an abundance of faith in our jurisprudence, in our judicial system that justice will be done for the workers in the security guard industry,” he said. The controversy surrounding the contracts intensified after a landmark Supreme Court ruling in 2022, which declared that security guards at Marksman Limited were employees, not independent contractors. Following that judgement, several security guards refused to sign the new employment contracts, citing concerns over the absence of specific transitional arrangements relating to their previous years of service and vacation leave. The contracts, a version of which was seen by the Jamaica Observer, read: “The officer was engaged as an independent contractor on a fixed-term contract that would have come to an end pursuant to the Supreme Court judgment in which the court determined, “with prospective effect that the security engaged under the contract and who provided services to third parties are in fact employees”. “And because of that decision, the parties to the contract have agreed that the contract will terminate by mutual agreement without blame or fault as of March 31, 2023 on the terms and conditions set out…”

The Realtors Association of Jamaica (RAJ) has continued to advocate for a number of issues within the local real estate industry to be remedied, especially as its members seek to operate on a level playing field. In outlining issues which cut across overdue policy reforms and other compliance matters, the challenges, if adequately addressed, the association believes will auger well for transparency, efficiency, and growth within the real estate sector. The once-booming real estate sector, which enjoyed consecutive periods of growth during the COVID-19 pandemic, has in the last few years witnessed back-to-back downturns as output slowed, due mainly to unstable market conditions. Speaking with the Jamaica Observer recently, RAJ president, Newton Johnson, said the challenges, which largely calls for stricter enforcement, could push some “rogue” operators in the space into conformity. With issues surrounding approval processes and long wait times for transaction processing remaining among the strongest pain points, he called on bodies such as the municipal authorities to step up their monitoring and oversight so as to have improved service delivery in the respective areas. Pointing to delays with a number of other state agencies, including Tax Administration Jamaica (TAJ), National Land Agency (NLA), National Housing Trust (NHT), and some mortgage providers, Johnson stressed the need for legal engineering to modernise a number of the current legislative frameworks, particularly those which concern the Transfer Tax and Stamp Duty Acts as well as Residential Tenancies Act. “These are issues that we have been facing for a number of years, a lot of which has to do with policy, and we are of the opinion that while much of them may not be a quick fix, they can all be addressed. To this end we have been meeting successively with the relevant stakeholders to see how best we can come up with solutions,” Johnson told the Business Observer. “We continue to advocate in having the issues fixed, as unlike most workers, our pay is based on commission, so the longer it takes to have an approval sorted and for a property to be sold that will negatively affect our members. What we have found is that too much of the processes in this sector are taking way too long, as gone are the days when a transaction could be processed in about 90 days maximum. Instead, what we are looking at now is anywhere between 120-180 days, up to even a year, which is untenable,” he added. In seeking to have a permanent seat on the Real Estate Board, the body likewise believes it can, through further collaboration with this stakeholder grouping, enhance policies that will lead to an overall betterment of the sector. Further bemoaning what he described as a type of disproportionality, Johnson said developers were also not being held to the same level of scrutiny as realtors, who, by nature of their profession, have to comply with all the stipulated regulations. “We understand and appreciate the need for full regulatory compliance, but what we want is a level playing field where other players in the sector will be held to the same level of account. We all operate under the [Real Estate (Dealers and Developers) Act], which means the same rules should apply for all parties concerned. “For years we have been advocating to the policymakers, and to date nothing much has been done, and we want to see a change where that is concerned. As an association, the RAJ adheres to international best practices, as all our dealings have to be above board and anything otherwise will be dealt with according to our by-laws. Through our organisation we have already established that it cannot be a free-for-all, and so we want to ensure that there is equity across the sector,” the president noted. The RAJ, which is a body made up of some 1,600 members, represents the interest of local real estate professionals and affiliates dedicated to the industry’s growth. The entity, as a support network, offers members educational resources, legislative advocacy, and professional standards enforcement. Despite the challenges, the RAJ president, in expressing optimism for the future growth of the sector, said that much of its progress continues to rest on how much further the interest rate will be brought down. “There still remains a vibrant market in certain spectrums, whether for commercial or residential purposes, but the real issue affecting higher levels of output right now concerns the interest rate. It has started to come down, but if we can adjust it further, I think we will see even more activity in the market, as most people are waiting to buy property but are currently in a wait-and-see mode. The slowing down of the market has impacted us to some extent, but amid the challenges, the industry, I think, remains very vibrant, as there is a lot that is going on now and we are very optimistic in terms of where the market is headed. “If we can, however, move forward in solving the outlined issues, the industry, I think, will be in a much better place. Things will also become even much better if the policymakers can get more people to toe the line where a number of these issues are concerned,” Johnson stated.

THE pain that one 16-year-old student of Alpha Institute in Kingston felt after his older girlfriend exposed him to sexual intercourse and then dumped him, is the only lesson he needed to understand that he should wait until he is an adult and is emotionally ready for that activity. Even though has recovered from a state of depression and has found himself another girlfriend who is currently pressuring him to have sex, he is determined to hold out until he is ready. On Tuesday, the student was a participant in an International Men’s Day workshop ‘Jamaican Boys becoming men’, hosted by Terri Salmon, head of the non-governmental organization Youth for Arts and Recreational Development (YARD) Empire. The workshop was held at the Alpha Mercy Historical Centre and targeted at risk boys and young men who attend the Alpha Institute on South Camp Road. The theme of the workshop was “Risky Behaviour-Nuh Dweet”. “I was dating a girl when I was 15. She was around age 16 or 17. We dated for around nine months. Around five months into the relationship I finally got to have sex with her. She left me after nine months. That happened pretty recently. We were both good until all of a sudden she just said the relationship was done. “It mash up my meditation, like, 100 per cent. I loved her, so when she left I had a mental block. I wasn’t focusing on school at all. When I came to school, I wouldn’t do any work. I would just look in the teacher’s face every day. My mind was gone, basically. Right now, I am not focusing on those things because you live and you learn. “I am not going to lie, I have another girl now but we are not having sexual intercourse. From the experience I had, I don’t even think about those things. I am not going to rush it. I think the right time to do that is when I leave school. This new girl wants me to have sex with her, but I tell her no. She is saying that I am behaving like a boy. I told her that the pain I felt with my last girlfriend is what created the person I am now. She said if I keep moving the same way, she is going to leave me. Today, I want to buy her some KFC and reason with her,” the young man said. Salmon’s workshop sought not only to highlight the dangers of boys and young adults engaging in sexual intercourse and various forms of risky behaviours such as drug usage, but also aimed to make them aware of and be able to identify occurrences of same-sex harassment. The boys were very appreciative of the lessons imparted about same-sex harassment and gave thumbs up to a short film highlighting the issue. The film was directed by Salmon, who is a known actress and director. The short video, entitled The Mentor, depicts a male employer cheekily wanting to assume the role of mentor-sponsor to a young male employee who is a university aspirant. The employer seeks to shower the young man with gifts and takes him out for lunch. The young man eventually finds himself in an uncomfortable position after lunch, when the employer touches him on his thigh “The presentation was meaningful. It shined some light on my darkness. To be honest, I saw it happening to one of my friends but I never knew there was a hotline we could call. Now that I have the paper and the information, I am going to take the picture and send it to him. He was going through the same thing in the video. A man was trying to help him and little did he know that it was ‘something’ the man wanted from him,” one of the Alpha Institute students said. As it relates to heterosexual sex, the young man said that he has learned to leave that alone for now and focus on his education. His advice to vulnerable young men was: “Try to get out of the ghetto and do your thing. We came into the world because of sex. We came and saw it and it will be here after we are gone, so we don’t have to run it down.” Another student spoke on both topics of same-sex harassment and engaging in heterosexual sex far too early. “The workshop was informative because it showed me certain ways how it can happen. If a man is trying hard to be your friend, you can pick up on it and know what it can lead to. If he is telling you about lunch, he is instigating certain things to try and catch you in a trap that he is trying to set. “As it relates to the big women who come after us as young men, it happened to me many times. I think about doing it with them but I don’t want to be in certain bangarang. I am a good youth. I am 17 and plenty times big woman look me. I am talking even women in their 30s. My advice to youth is that they should basically hold their own,” he said. Mark Davidson, the actor who plays the role of the predatory employer in the film, wanted to make it clear to people who come across the video that he is no homosexual in real life. His reason for deciding to play the role, however, is that he is aware that many young men fall victim to sexual harassment from other males. His advice is that young men must do their best, work hard and avoid loving handouts. “The character I play is a harasser. I am not a harasser in real life. A lot of it is going on in the performing arts and even among ghetto youths. You have young ghetto youths who go into a space where they are vulnerable. They get a particular job and

PM outlines inclusive growth strategy Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness on Tuesday opened what he termed the next chapter of Jamaica’s economic transformation by outlining six key pillars of the Government’s growth strategy that, he said, will “move beyond plans and policies and deliver tangible results for the Jamaican people”. Against the backdrop of a digital display driving home his message that the Administration is set on pivoting to inclusive growth, Holness told guests at the Office of the Prime Minister in St Andrew, and Jamaicans listening and watching a live stream of his policy statement that the time for talk had passed and it is now time for action. “As we move to the next chapter of our development journey we must now come together and forge a new national consensus on economic growth, just as we united around debt reduction and stabilization,” Holness said. “It is time for us to set ambitious goals, to think big, and to focus on policies that will enable Jamaica to realize our immense potential as a nation,” he added. He listed the key pillars of the growth strategy as: Human capital development; diversification of the country’s economic base and development of new industries; infrastructure development; improving the ease, cost and speed of doing business; security; and inclusive growth which, he said, is in keeping with the Jamaica Social Protection Strategy, 2014, which established the provision of support to the most vulnerable groups in the society. Holness explained that under the human capital development pillar the Government will invest heavily in preparing Jamaicans for the opportunities of tomorrow to counter the shortage of skilled labor which, he said, “is now a binding constraint on our growth”. Stating that a comprehensive transformation of the education system is already underway with the implementation of recommendations of the Orlando Patterson Commission report, Holness said that the Administration will give priority to the basics; namely literacy, numeracy, early childhood education, and computer literacy. He said the Administration is currently working on the establishment of the Jamaica Institute of Technology in partnership with the Government of India and India’s National Institute of Electronics and Information Technology. “This will be a game-changer for creating the labour force for the industries of the future for which Jamaica must position itself,” the prime minister said. In relation to the development of new industries he said the focus will be in the areas where Jamaica has unique comparative advantages. Those include the link between the agriculture and tourism sectors to “reduce imports, boost local production, and create a sustainable economic ecosystem”; the island’s geographic location that “positions us perfectly to become a global logistics hub”; meeting the “massive demand” from the ageing population in North America for affordable, high-quality medical services; investment in Jamaica’s creative and cultural industries to maximise their economic potential; and the creation of a digital society that will transition Jamaica from being a consumer of technology to a regional leader in the development of technology. “Our vision is to make Jamaica the Silicon Valley of the region. We have already started investing in making this vision a reality,” he said. His declaration that the Government is determined to “tear down the walls of bureaucracy” elicited sustained applause. “The Jamaican bureaucracy has become self-serving… it has no concern as to whether or not the country grows; that must change,” he said to nods of agreement and more applause. He said the Government intends to amend certain pieces of legislation and realign some regulations “to ensure that they are not obstacles to development” and that they are practical. He announced the creation of an Efficiency Programme Oversight Committee to ensure that bureaucracy supports growth, and said the Administration will also be looking at the tax and Customs laws with a view to streamlining them and making them easier to implement, as well as to provide incentives and drive productivity and economic growth. He traced the country’s economic turnaround “from being dismissed as a basket case to now being celebrated as a global model of resilience and fiscal reform. “We have achieved even more than we set out to when we embarked on this path in 2009. So today, I can proudly say, on behalf of every Jamaican, that we’ve accomplished the mission of economic stability,” Holness said. “This success that we now celebrate and mark officially was a national effort, and I believe it is important for me to stress this, and it is not my intention to lay singular claim to this,” he said. He thanked former prime ministers Bruce Golding and Portia Simpson Miller, former opposition leader and finance minister Dr Peter Phillips, former finance ministers Audley Shaw and Dr Nigel Clarke, as well as Bank of Jamaica Governor Richard Byles who was the first chairman of the Economic Programme Oversight Committee, his successor Keith Duncan, and all the members of the National Partnership Council. “But most of all, I want to thank the people of Jamaica for their patience, resilience, courage, and sacrifice. Jamaica’s turnaround would have been impossible without the willingness of the Jamaican people to endure the hardships that they had to bear. “We will never forget that, and no future Government should ever forget the sacrifices that were made to get to this point. It is my solemn pledge as prime minister that I will never allow Jamaica to return to those dark days when we were on the edge of the precipice,” Holness said. “This new chapter is about our economic independence; it is about generating our own opportunities and using our own resources to achieve our dreams and aspirations. This chapter is about us fulfilling our destiny as a great people,” he said. “Let me be clear, moving on to the next chapter does not in any way mean that we are going to abandon fiscal prudence. We will not go back to ‘run wid it’ – not under my watch,” he declared. “We have worked too hard and sacrificed too much

KINGSTON, Jamaica —The University of the West Indies (The UWI) says it has formalised a new global partnership through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Breda University of Applied Sciences (BUas) from the Netherlands. This cross-continental academic collaboration was signed into effect by the Pro Vice-Chancellor for Global Affairs at The UWI, Sandrea Maynard, and the President of BUas, Dr Jorrit Snijder, during a virtual ceremony on November 12, the university announced in a news release. Over the past decade, The UWI has developed joint global centres and initiatives with various respected universities, advancing its strategic goal of increasing access to higher education. Specifically, The UWI aims to expand its offerings across all continents, the release stated. The UWI and BUas are international research institutions that offer undergraduate and graduate degree programmes. The areas of collaboration will include faculty and student exchanges, exposure to corporate partners, volunteering, internship opportunities, and co-internships. These initiatives are designed to better prepare students from both universities to meet the demands and opportunities of a rapidly changing world, the regional university said. The release further stated that BUas will gain from The UWI’s extensive research outputs, Caribbean expertise, and scholarship related to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs). In turn, The UWI will benefit from BUas’ innovative approaches in digital media and game design. Expressing enthusiasm about the new partnership PVC Maynard said, “The cross-continental collaboration not only bridges European and Caribbean educational cultures but also promotes global understanding and development, aligning with both institutions’ strategic goals of international engagement and innovation”. Dr Snijder noted, “Ultimately, this partnership will enhance educational quality and research impact on both continents. By combining resources and expertise, both institutions can foster greater internationalisation, develop joint academic programmes, and facilitate student and faculty exchanges, contributing to a richer, more diverse academic environment.” This collaboration bridges European and Caribbean educational cultures, promoting global understanding and development. It aligns with both institutions’ strategic goals of international engagement and innovation. Ultimately, this partnership aims to enhance academic quality and research impact on both continents, the release stated.

The National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA) is advising the public that persistent rainfall across the island has significantly impacted its operations at disposal sites recently. NSWMA said in a release Monday that the adverse weather conditions have resulted in soggy and waterlogged grounds at several disposal sites, creating challenges for vehicular navigation and reducing efficiency. Consequently, waste collection operations, particularly in Kingston and St Andrew, have been slowed, resulting in longer turnaround times for garbage trucks, the authority said. It said it recognizes that this situation may cause delays in garbage collection for residents and businesses, and it deeply regrets any inconvenience caused. To address the issue, the NSWMA said it commenced urgent remedial work on disposal sites access roads. River shingle and stones are being utilized to stabilize these roads and facilitate improved movement of vehicles, the authority said. Executive Director of the NSWMA Audley Gordon sought to reassure the public of the authority’s commitment to resolving the challenges posed by the persistent rains. “Our teams are working around the clock to restore normal operations. We have experienced personnel and the necessary equipment at our disposal. We ask for the public’s patience and understanding as we push forward to ensure efficient waste management despite these challenges,” Gordon said.

McClaren, Bailey confident Boyz can overcome USA challenge in second leg IN a game they must win to advance to the semi-finals, Jamaica’s Reggae Boyz Head Coach Steve McClaren and winger Leon Bailey say they have to play with belief against hosts United States in the second leg of the Concacaf Nations League (CNL) A quarter-final at Energizer Park in Missouri. Kick off is at 8:00 this evening. Jamaica’s senior men’s team went down 0-1 on Thursday at the National Stadium, after giving up a fifth-minute goal to Ricardo Pepi. Jamaica’s Demarai Gray missed a penalty in the 13th minute which could have made honours even. The defeat pushed Jamaica’s all time record against the United States to 21 losses. They have also been winless in their last eight games versus the Americans. However, McClaren’s two wins since becoming head coach in July have been away from home, those results coming against Honduras and Nicaragua. Jamaica, under then Coach Heimir Hallgrimsson, also overturned a deficit away to Canada at the same stage last year to book their spot in the Nations League finals. McClaren says talent and tactics won’t be enough, and urges his team to be brave against Mauricio Pochettino’s men. “The process, the tactics, everything is important but if you don’t believe you can win, don’t bother turning up. So, we have to believe; we have to have the confidence to do that. It doesn’t matter if we concede a goal because we know we need to score two, so we have to be ambitious and creative,” he said. “We’ve done that in away games — we’ve been solid, we’ve defended well, and in transitions we’ve been good, which is why we won in Nicaragua and Honduras. When I reflect on the game when we were 2-1 against Canada and won 3-2, there’s resilience in this team. That becomes more apparent in away games, and I want to see that tomorrow. We have to start very well, we have to be on the front foot, and we have players in our squad that can win games — so if we do our job defensively we expect our match-winners to win the game for us.” Bailey, who made his return to the team on Thursday after a year’s absence, says the team has what it takes to overcome the one-goal deficit. “Everything is a process, and I believe you just have to keep believing in the process — and if you don’t, it doesn’t make sense,” he said. “Not because you lose one game [means] you [should] make that define everything else that’s been happening. I believe we have to keep believing, showing up, and believing in the process. We’ll bounce back and get results in the future.” The Boyz will once again be without English Premier League stars Michail Antonio, Ethan Pinnock and Bobby Reid, but have been given a boost with the return of midfielder Ravel Morrison. As they seek goals McClaren believes Morrison can make a difference with his creativity. “I’m always looking out for good players and players who can make a difference, handle the ball, big-game players — and Ravel has always been one of them. I worked with him for two years at Derby County and I got to know him well. I like him; he’s got a great personality and a big, unbelievable talent,” he said. “He wasn’t picked before because he wasn’t playing. All of a sudden he gets a club in Dubai and [has been] playing very well, scoring goals and assisting. I think it’s a perfect game and opportunity for Ravel to come into the squad. This is a big game, and whether he starts or comes on he’s one of those players who can win a game of football.” Striker Corey Bennett earns a recall to the squad while Kaheim Dixon (travel documents) and Mason Holgate (suspension) will be absent. The USA will be strengthened by the return of Leeds midfielder Brenden Aaronsen, who has recovered from illness, and Juventus forward Tim Weah who missed the first leg through suspension. Jamaica’s Leon Bailey (left) takes on Antonee Robinson of the United States during the first-leg Concacaf Nations League quarter-final football match at the National Stadium on Thursday. (Photo: Garfield Robinson)

KINGSTON, Jamaica— People’s National Party (PNP) President Mark Golding says Sunday afternoon’s staircase collapse at Torrington Park Housing Scheme in St Andrew, during which an elderly woman was injured, could have been avoided if his alleged years of warnings were heeded. In a news release following the incident, Golding stated that he has been calling attention to the deteriorating state of the building since 2018. “I have repeatedly reached out to key officials, including then Permanent Secretary Audrey Sewell, former Minister of Housing Pearnel Charles in 2021 and even Prime Minister Andrew Holness in both 2022 and 2023,” the Opposition leader said. “For nearly five years there has been no effective action taken to ensure the necessary repairs were done, in spite of meetings, inspections and assurances that the repairs have been approved, only for the work to be deferred, with nothing done to address this avoidable risk,” he added. Golding said that a year ago, a community meeting was scheduled to be held with representatives from the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation to inform residents that the issues with the building were going to be addressed, however this was not done. He added that he was informed last Wednesday that the emergency procurement to make repairs to the building was blocked by the Public Procurement Commission. “It’s a procurement issue within the government system that has prevented this from being addressed over the last year, but my representations to the government on this I think go back four or so years, and we brought engineers here to look at it, and it’s clear that something needs to be done, because this is obviously rotten, and there’s some other issues as well with the building, and now this thing has collapsed,” Golding said. He opined that for emergency situations, where lives are at risk the Public Procurement Commission should not be able to block decisions. “I think that where there’s a situation where people’s lives are endangered by a structure, a government structure, I don’t think the procurement system should be able to take a decision to block the procurement based on some assessment from reading a document, they should come and have a look, I don’t believe they came to see it,” Golding said. He added: “There needs to be a greater connection between the bureaucrats who are making these decisions, and what’s actually happening on the ground. If they’re told this is a situation of urgency, and an emergency situation, they shouldn’t just be able to say, well they’re not satisfied with it, and then that’s the end of the matter.” Golding in the release spoke to the residents of Torrington Park stating that he shares in their frustration, pain and anger. He said the government owes the Torrington Park residents “more than apologies; it owes them action.”

Portland shelter for homeless, people with mental illness seeking US$45,000 to keep going Buoyed by success stories like that of a man who was previously jobless on the streets after suffering a mental breakdown following a crash in which his family perished, Portland Rehabilitation Management Homeless Shelter has launched a GoFundMe account to raise US$45,000 to expand and keep its operations going. The shelter, headed by rights advocate Carla Gulotta, is dedicated to supporting homeless individuals and those struggling with mental illness. Currently, it provides shelter, clothing, and meals to more than 40 residents, and 36 others who come daily, while also offering rehabilitative services to homeless individuals across Jamaica. Gulotta told the Jamaica Observer last Friday that she was determined to continue the work of the entity which places heavy emphasis on rehabilitation. “A lot of people just have a drop-off centre. Drop-off centres you have a crowd at 5:00 pm, and they take a shower, get a meal, but the following day they are back on the street. It’s nicer to shelter them. All around is full of homeless, they lie down in the middle of the street. I have my office downtown Kingston and you see them all around,” she told the Observer. She said the encounter with the man who suffered the mental breakdown and who now lives and works in the United States, happened because he had taken up refuge outside her office in downtown Kingston. “Now and then I would give him a lunch or a lunch money. Then one day I was carrying in some boxes and I asked him, ‘Could you give me some help?’ and he said ‘No problem,’ ” Gulotta shared. “The following day I had more boxes and he helped. After some time the caretaker resigned and I asked him ‘Would you like this job?’ and he was very happy. The only thing is, he asked to use the bathroom, because he had nowhere to wash himself. So he was there and he was liking what he was doing,” the rights advocate continued. “One day I was in office and I was struggling with QuickBooks and he was there behind me and he was telling me “No, don’t do that, do this.” I was astonished. So I said, ‘Tell me your story,’ ” Gulotta recalled. When that story came tumbling out, she was floored. “He and his family were driving one Sunday. He had an accident, his wife and children died, he went completely out of his mind, nobody was helping him so he lost his job, he couldn’t pay his rent and he ended up in the streets,” Gulotta shared. Through the help of the shelter and a social worker the widower began the trek towards healing and getting his life back fully on track. “He got a job. He is now in New York in jacket and tie [employed],” Gulotta said, then pointed out that this was just one story. “What happened to the other 5,000, 10,000?” she said. “That’s why I want to work with the shelter. I know we can’t take in thousands, but I want to start the conversation and rescue those who are traumatized and become both mentally ill and homeless.” “Two months ago, thanks to a vocational center in Port Antonio, we sent three of them and two got a job, and now we are sending some more. So, the idea is not only charity, it is to work on inclusion. I am very proud of them,” Gulotta added. “I see that it is possible, and it is one of the reasons for the GoFundMe, because I want to increase the programmed, but I need funds and I want to buy more material for them to work. It is my pilot experiment with mental illness to show that another avenue is possible,” she said, noting that beneficiaries are kept occupied and productive. “We raise chickens, rabbits, and vegetables. So the idea is not only shelter, but to work on them so that at least some of them can go back to living their lives. It works, honestly it works. I am proud, I am determined to continue,” she said. In the GoFundMe appeal, launched on Friday, the centre outlined that many residents have endured abuse, mental health challenges, illness, and substance use disorders. “To help them heal and rebuild their lives we provide not only counselling and health care, but also creative and entrepreneurial activities that foster self-love and self-confidence. Our main goal is to rehabilitate most of them in order to, when possible, reintegrate them in their families and communities,” it said. The appeal also stated that maintaining those vital services carry significant costs for the shelter which has been operating for decades and suffered major damage in the recent hurricanes. As such, it urgently needs support to continue serving residents and offering quality services. “Your donation will directly fund our essential services, helping to pay our staff, including nurses and counsellors, providing food and shelter, and facilitating rehabilitative programmes. One-third of our budget is dedicated to food and bedding, another third to staff salaries, and the rest supports the programmes that empower our residents to rebuild their lives,” it said further. A donation of $25 will cover meals for residents and non-residents; $50 will cover a week’s basic necessities for one resident; $100 will help two residents; and $200 will directly fund entrepreneurial activities, such as raising chickens for residents to earn extra cash. The centre, in the meantime, said a total of US$35,000 will enable it to provide essential services to residents, but US$45,000 could expand its rehabilitation efforts, offer entrepreneurial courses, and, importantly, enrol more residents in remedial education or vocational training. The link can be found at https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-an-jamaican-homeless-shelter-stay-open for those wishing to assist. Some of the vegetables planted by residents of Portland Rehabilitation Management Homeless Shelter. Chickens being raised by Portland Rehabilitation Management Homeless Shelter for residents to earn extra cash.

Residents react after staircase collapse injures woman, displaces occupants AFTER the collapse of a staircase on Sunday afternoon that injured one woman, residents of a more than 30-year-old apartment building in Torrington Park housing scheme in St Andrew are breathing a collective sigh of relief that the situation was not worse, but are worried for the safety of themselves and their children. When the Jamaica Observer team arrived on the scene, the staircase leading from the second to the third floor at the front of the building was resting on the bottom step leading to the ground floor, surrounded by large chunks of rubble. The clearly shaken residents, some of whom had to be rescued from their apartments by firefighters, could be seen milling around outside the police caution tapes, speaking amongst themselves about the incident that left 50-year-old resident Althea McIntosh, injured. She had been sitting on the stairs when it collapsed. McIntosh was assisted to Kingston Public Hospital by the police. Residents said that some minutes after 2:00 pm yesterday, they heard a loud rumbling and at first thought it was an earthquake, but were shocked when they saw the stairs give way and crash below. No one could confirm the total number of people impacted but the Observer understands that more than 20 residents have been displaced. A resident who gave her name as Rosie said she was outside at the time of the incident and heard someone calling out to Althea — the injured woman — to get down as the building was collapsing, but she dismissed the warning, saying this was not the case. “By the time she fi seh so, the whole building came down with her. Mi think she dead! The children play on and underneath the staircase like everyday [so] God was in the midst today,” she said. Rosie, who also acts as a community liaison officer, said she is worried about the state of the other flights of stairs and the rest of the deteriorating building, fearing that one day the roof of her top-floor apartment, which has been breaking away, will cave in on her. “Can you imagine this building is here from 1988 and until now it [has] never [been] service[d] once?” she asked incredulously. She said the deplorable state of the building has been brought to the attention of the authorities, who were reportedly to have rectified the situation a year ago, but nothing yet. She said the rains the country has been experiencing in the past weeks, coupled with the recent earthquakes, have only worsened the situation. “A year now they came and have a community meeting with us…They came with engineers. That was last year September and they said the work would start by November last year, and this is November 2024 and this come happen — one year after. Nutten nuh fix,” she said. But Leader of the Opposition Mark Golding, who is also Member of Parliament for St Andrew Southern in which the Torrington Park property is located, told the Observer that he has been trying for four years to have the building addressed. “This is a long-standing problem… over time there’s been wear and tear and decay, and they’re not safe,” he said, adding that there are some other issues with the building as well. “I’ve been writing to the prime minister and his ministry about it, because housing comes under him. A year ago we had a community meeting because the work was supposed to have started. It never did start. They wrote to me last Wednesday to tell me that the procurement commission blocked it from going through as an emergency procurement and said the contract had to go to limited tender, and a few days after, this is what has happened with the staircase collapsing,” he later told the residents via a bullhorn. Golding also shared with residents that he had spoken to the prime minister regarding the incident and that he promised to mobilized the National Works Agency to see if something can be done immediately to address the staircase situation. “I spoke to Desmond McKenzie, minister of local government…and he is mobilising an officer to come and have a look at the situation as well,” he added. Residents are blaming the collapse on neglect. Some say they had observed the building rapidly deteriorating and on the brink of collapse, and had sought to get the relevant authorities to address the situation, including sending pictures and videos of the rotting stairs and cracked building. The injured woman’s niece, who gave her name as Akera, also decried the poor state of the aged building. She visits her family at the location often, from Toronto, Canada, where she resides, and said on that morning she had heard residents commenting that the steps “had seen its last days”. “It was already shaking and it was not stable, and residents have been making reports to the authorities. Big chunks of the building would fall down.” Her cousin, Shanice Dixon, concurred. Dixon, who is the daughter-in-law of the injured woman, said she knew the building would break down, but didn’t expect it would be the staircase. “I was lying down and heard the excitement…At first I thought it was the ceiling that collapsed….and I heard that [Althea] came down with the stairs, so I was shocked. I throw off the slide window, I went to the back and throw [my daughter] through the window for somebody to catch her,” she said, noting that she took the chance to come down the collapsed steps with other residents. In the meantime, Golding urged residents not to walk under the lower staircase, which now has the weight of the middle staircase resting on it. “The lower staircase is bearing a lot of extra load. Please don’t walk under there. I know it’s inconvenient not to be able to walk under there but every time you traverse under there where the yellow tape is, you’re taking a big risk because that lower

Dr Kevin Blake leads initiative; promotes bike safety MANDEVILLE, Manchester — Wearing his safety gear, Commissioner of Police Dr Kevin Blake led by example as he emphasized that motorcycling is a “wonderful sport” while also encouraging other bikers to “arrive alive in 2025”. Blake pointed out that although road fatalities are down by 13 per cent, the figure is still too high. “We have, so far, 320 deaths on our roads — which is 47 less deaths than it was last year. Notwithstanding the reductions, we have not met the target that we have set and so we are pushing very hard to stop the deaths,” he said on World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims on Sunday in Mandeville. He then compared Jamaica Constabulary Force’s success in reducing serious crimes to a similar effort by the force to decrease road fatalities through public education and enforcement. “We are seeing a significant reduction in major crimes — particularly murders and shootings — and so we are trying to save the lives of Jamaicans. And we are doing well with good cooperation from citizens and excellent support from the general public but [despite the] the lives that we are saving through [reduced] homicides, we are seeing too many lives being lost on our roadways,” he said. The commissioner, on a Honda VTX 1300 R cruiser on Sunday, led a convoy of motorcycle-driving police officers — including Assistant Commissioner of Police Gary McKenzie, Superintendent Raymond Wilson, and Deputy Superintendent Carey Duncan — from St Catherine to Mandeville to commemorate World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims. Other motorcyclists from Federal International Automobile Association and Jamaica Motorcycle Association supported the initiative which was dubbed Ride Out. The initiative was organised by National Helmet Wearing Coalition, Jamaica National Foundation, and custos of Manchester Garfield Green. The custos, in addressing the commemoration ceremony across from Mandeville Regional Hospital, pointed out that Caledonia Road (in front of the hospital) is used for racing. “This stretch of road is used mainly at night for racing and stunt driving — and some persons end up across the road. I want to ask our motorcyclists not to use the roadway for that. We see a lot of drag racing happening on this stretch of road, and [this] will sometimes cause accidents,” said Green. Meanwhile, the police commissioner said motorcycling is an excellent sport that helps people to relax and develop agility. “But not only that, it is an excellent means of transportation. You notice how vibrant our food delivery services are with motorcyclists? And those are people who are honest, decent, working people trying to make an impact,” Blake said. But, unfortunately, motorcycles also feature prominently in crimes and reckless driving, the commissioner added. “[People] use motorcycles not only to commit crime, but sometimes are a nuisance on the road and so I am going to ask you: ‘Whilst you make bad decisions and endanger yourself, first and foremost you also endanger other road users. Sometimes the mere activity you are trying to avoid [because of] some ridiculous manoeuvre on the road, [you] met in an accident,’ ” he said. He implored road users to practise safety on the nation’s roads. “I want to encourage everyone to let us go into this festive season responsibly. Let us enjoy the season and let us arrive in 2025 alive,” he said. Scores of helmets were distributed to motorcyclists in Mandeville as part of yesterday’s initiative. “Let us wear our helmets. The data is showing that over 30 per cent of the road fatalities are motorcyclists, and over 90 per cent of those who have died driving a motorcycle were not wearing a helmet, and so we don’t know how many lives we would have saved had they been wearing their helmets. So, we encourage everyone [to wear helmets],” said Blake “It is a wonderful sport — that is what I heard,” he added, evoking laughter. Commissioner of Police Dr Kevin Blake on a Honda VTX 1300 R cruiser leading a convoy on World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims, on Highway 2000 on Sunday. Commissioner of Police Dr Kevin Blake (second right) and (from right) Superintendent Raymond Wilson, JN Foundation General Manager Claudine Allen, custos of Manchester Garfield Green, president of the Jamaica Motorcyclists Association Marlon “Crazy Cutter” Fletcher, ACP Gary McKenzie, along with president of Upshifterz Motorcycle Club Christopher “Choppy” Atkinson, pose for a photo on World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims on Sunday in Mandeville, Manchester. (Kasey Williams)

Lee Jaffe immortalises Marley in new book For much of the six years he lived in Jamaica during the 1970s, Lee Jaffe was a member of Bob Marley’s inner circle. He was with the reggae legend during his rise to global stardom, and captured key moments of that surge on his cameras. Many of those photographs are in Hit Me With Music: Roots, Rock Reggae, a book released in September by Rizzoli International Publications. Like One Love: Life With Bob Marley and The Wailers, the American’s first book, it has intimate photos of Marley, Peter Tosh and Bunny Wailer — his colleagues in The Wailers — as well as the era’s leading artistes, musicians and producers. In a recent interview with the Jamaica Observer Jaffe spoke about the difference between Hit Me With Music and Life With Bob Marley and The Wailers, which came out in 2003. “This book has many more photographs and extensive essays. I’ve learned so much technically in the 20-plus years that have passed that has enabled me to do a better job preparing the images for printing,” he explained. The most glaring similarity is Jaffe’s focus on Marley, who died in May 1981 at age 36. He first met Marley in New York City during the early 1970s and was struck by a cassette with a draft of Catch A Fire, which became The Wailers’ first album for Island Records. By the time Marley went solo, in early 1974, Jaffe was long aware he was in the presence of a genius. He captured the Rastafarian artiste’s recording sessions, live shows, and leisure time on film. “Having a camera, there was always a fine line not to be crossed of being intrusive, of avoiding self-consciousness, avoiding the sense of ‘capture’ inherent in the ‘snap’, the ‘shot’ of the camera machine — the device that can change mechanical motion into energy or contrarily stasis. And I was always aware of the historical significance of what I was witnessing daily — the creation of music at the highest level of art — and I was interminably grateful to be part of advancing something so enormously and transcendently important,” said Jaffe. There are a number of iconic photographs in Hit Me With Music; of Marley hanging out with friends in Trench Town; Tosh in a ganja field in his native Westmoreland; and of the 1975 visit by The Jackson 5 to Marley’s home (now the Marley Museum) at Hope Road. Jaffe played harmonica on Natty Dread, Marley’s 1974 solo album for Island Records. That year he joined Tosh’s camp and eventually helped him get a deal with Columbia Records, which distributed Legalize It and its 1977 follow-up Equal Rights. During the 1980s, Jaffe worked as a producer with acts such as Barrington Levy and Joe Higgs, mentor to The Wailers. He has also toured with Stephen Marley. Bob Marley (second centre) with friends in Trench Town. Michael Jackson (left) and brother Jermaine (centre) with Wailers percussionist Alvin “Seeco” Patterson (right) during The Jackson 5’s visit to Bob Marley’s Hope Road home in March 1975.

MONTEGO BAY, St James — Bahamasair commenced twice weekly flights between Nassau and Montego Bay on Sunday, and received a warm welcome from Jamaican tourism officials who praised the carrier for the direct air link between the two Caribbean states that Sandals Resorts International Executive Chairman Adam Stewart described as “superpower tourism destinations”. “As a sixth-generation Jamaican in the tourism business, having this connection between these two countries, first and foremost, unlocks the ability between our two economies for locals to do business; to trade; to visit family, friends; for school and education — which has been one of the main thoroughfares for us over the years,” Stewart, who chair’s Jamaica’s Tourism Linkages Network, said at the welcome ceremony at Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay. “But, of course, for those of us in the tourism business it allows us to split sales and expand the reach of a single trip by connecting these two superpower tourism destinations,” added Stewart, who is also executive chairman of the Jamaica Observer. He commended the airline’s chair, Tanya Pratt, and Managing Director Tracy Cooper for their vision in establishing the route, saying, “You are going to be in great hands coming to Jamaica… We are going to make sure this is an incredibly successful route. “To my Bahamian family: ‘Welcome back to Jamaica!’ And, of course, to the Jamaican team: ‘We have to do everything possible to make this route successful and to continue to grow.’ To me, this is like a homecoming, a reunion of my two favorites places on the planet,” Stewart said. “Thank you so much, Bahamasair, for taking the gamble. And I can tell you, from the Air Jamaica days this was one of our most successful routes and I have no doubt it is going to grow and be amazing,” he added. Stewart’s reference was to the 1990s when Air Jamaica — at the time chaired by his father, tourism mogul Gordon “Butch” Stewart (now deceased) — in expansion mode, took over the Kingston to Bahamas route. On Sunday, Tourism Minister Ed Bartlett also welcomed the Bahamasair service which will move passengers between both destinations on Thursdays and Sundays, saying it will enhance multi-destination tourism in the Caribbean. “The fact that this flight inaugurated today in Jamaica signals a very important part of the link in that particular chain which will enable regional connectivity and the realisation of multi-destination tourism,” Bartlett said. Bahamas’ Minister of Immigration and National Insurance Alfred Sears — representing his country’s Deputy Prime Minister Isaac Chester Cooper, who is also minister of tourism, investment and aviation — said the inaugural flight is of great magnitude, even as The Bahamas recorded a historic 9.7 million visitor arrivals last year and is expected to top that this year. He also said the new service has “special significance for our Caribbean Community and the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO)”, as the airline continues to break barriers with new connectivity in the UK, the US, Canada, and other source markets. He said the flight represents an emerging chapter in Caribbean connectivity discussions advanced by The Bahamas’s Prime Minister Phillip Edward Davis during his chairmanship of Caricom, and supported by the deputy prime minister with responsibility for tourism in his many interventions at CTO. “The flight will undoubtedly bring us closer to these realities and have immense benefit for both of our countries,” he added. Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association President Robin Russell also hailed the potential boost to multi-destination tourism that the flights between the two destinations now provide. “With Bahamasair demonstrating that commitment, we know that this will make it happen. Now persons can come to Jamaica, they can go to The Bahamas, they can go to Dom Rep, they can go to St Lucia, because of the increased connectivity. So, we welcome it,” Russell said. “We know that this is the next phase in tourism, where persons will no longer just go to one island but experience different cultures — and that’s what this is all about,” he added. Shane Munroe, chief executive officer of MBJ Airports Limited, operators of Sangster International Airport, expressed pride in the relationship being built with Bahamasair which, he said, “aligns with our goals to increase regional air connectivity that is crucial for the continued growth of travel and tourism within the Caribbean”. “Today marks a historic moment as we launch this service between Nassau and Montego Bay. For too long connectivity between these two cities has been too complicated. Today we changed that with this non-stop flight between these two cities twice weekly, serving our tourism sector but also connecting families and friends,” Munroe said. Pratt described the establishment of the Nassau to Montego Bay route as a significant milestone. “We embrace the new relationships established with our family now here in Jamaica, and salute our counterparts dedicated to the development of air transport and tourism throughout the world,” she said. Shane Munroe (right), chief executive officer of MBJ Airports Limited, operators of Sangster International Airport, presents a welcome plaque to The Bahamas’s Minister of of Immigration and National Insurance Alfred Sears at Sangster International Airport on Sunday. The occasion was the inauguration of twice-weekly service between Nassau and Montego Bay by Bahamasair.

Adventist official chides State agencies for Saturday recruitment ASeventh-day Adventist (SDA) church official has taken issue with the practice of some State agencies staging recruitment drives on Saturdays, and has urged the Government to examine the possibility of including other days in the employment exercise. Nigel Coke, communication, public affairs, and religious liberty director of Jamaica Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, made the call on Sunday at the church’s Public Affairs and Religious Liberty Recognition and Awards Ceremony at Hotel Four Seasons in St Andrew, saying that he has been concerned about the issue for more than a year. “I have realised that the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF), the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF), the Jamaica Fire Brigade, and the Department of Correctional Services (DCS) are involved. Just yesterday, November 16, the JCF had a recruitment drive at the Portmore Community College in Old Harbour,” Coke said in brief prepared remarks for the ceremony. While that was the only recruitment drive Coke referenced, JCF staged another on November 16 for agricultural wardens at Albert Town High School in Trelawny; DCS invited applicants to visit its recruitment booth at an expo it staged on November 2 at National Indoor Sports Centre; while on October 26 JDF staged a recruitment drive at Whitehorne Barracks in St Mary. According to Coke, the practice excludes Sabbath keepers who wish to apply to these agencies in person. He said that while he is aware that applications can be made online, “the recruitment drive would prove a better alternative for Sabbath observers who want a more physical and interactive experience”. “Through these agencies I urge the Government to examine the situation and extend recruitment drives to other days of the week to facilitate Sabbath observers… maybe Sunday would be another day that recruitment can be done,” he suggested. The SDA has, in the past, complained about employment difficulties being experienced by its members who observe Saturday as the Sabbath. In 2019, for instance, Coke chided business process outsourcing (BPO) companies for denying Adventists employment, describing it as discriminatory. “It has come to my attention that despite the significant growth in the BPO [sector], Adventist members are not benefiting. This, I am reliably informed, is because this sector does not employ Seventh-day Adventists because of the Sabbath. Once they disclose that they are Adventists, they are told that the hours of work are not flexible to accommodate their day of worship or rest,” Coke said in a sermon at Kencot SDA Church in St Andrew. Coke said although Adventists are employed in the sector, some comply with the work hours rules because of economic reasons. “I believe there are Adventist members employed in the sector, but because of the economic reasons they bow to the pressure and break the Sabbath from time to time, maybe not every week,” he said, adding that some of these individuals may have left the church because of the clash between their Sabbath and work obligations. He said that while he accepts the nature of the services provided by the BPO sector, which includes its obligations to clients worldwide, arrangements can be made under the sector’s shift system to accommodate Seventh-day Adventists.

UNITED NATIONS, (CMC) — The United Nations says this year has seen a staggering ten-fold surge in sexual violence against children in Haiti during an unprecedented crisis which has also seen armed gangs continue to terrorise communities amid a growing humanitarian disaster. “Children are being used by armed gangs in Haiti, and we are witnessing some recent troubling trends, notably the use of sexual violence, including rape and collective rape, as a weapon of war by gangs,” said Virginia Gamba, UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict. Highlighting the impact on children of the extreme levels of brutality and lawlessness across the French-speaking Caribbean country, she called on “all actors to ensure that children are protected from violence, including sexual violence and clashes, and that they are not involved in hostilities”. The UN said political instability continues to plague Haiti, as members of the transitional governing council, which was formed in April, removed interim Prime Minister Garry Conille from office amid reported in-fighting, replacing him with businessman Alix Didier Fils-Aime. UN Secretary-General António Guterres urged all Haitian stakeholders to work constructively together to advance the political transition, his spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric told journalists at the regular news briefing in New York on Monday. “Overcoming their differences and putting the country first remains critical to that end,” Dujarric said. Conille, a former UN official, was sworn in as interim Prime Minister in June and the UN said that the crisis in Haiti has also disrupted essential services, including education and healthcare, leaving over 300,000 children without access to schools. It said gangs have targeted hospitals and schools in the capital Port-au-Prince and surrounding areas, and schools have turned into temporary shelters for the thousands displaced by violence. The UN said this surge “reflects the stark vulnerability of minors in a country where approximately 2.7 million people, including 1.6 million women and children, live in areas under gang control. “Alarmingly, children under 18 are estimated to make up between a third and half of the gang members,” the UN said. Gamba called on all actors and those with influence “to do everything to prevent grave violations against children” and to immediately hand them over to civilian child protection officials. She underscored the urgent need for “safe and unobstructed humanitarian access to provide critical services” and renewed the call for enhanced voluntary contributions to the UN-administered trust fund, which supports the Multinational Security Support mission (MSS) to bolster Haiti’s security and respond to humanitarian needs.” The UN said the MSS mission, which was re-authorised by the UN Security Council in September for another year, is “seen as pivotal to stabilizing the country.” But the UN said it lacks sufficient police officers and funding, restricting its operations. The UN said the humanitarian impact of the violence extends far beyond immediate threats. In October, armed clashes in Port-au-Prince’s neighborhoods of Solino and Tabarre, and the adjoining district of Arcahaie led to mass displacements, “compounding existing aid challenges,” the UN said. It said estimates indicate that over 12,600 people were displaced in Solino and Tabarre alone, with many forced into makeshift shelters. The UN International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported that 58 per cent of these displaced individuals found refuge in 14 sites, including newly-created shelters following the outbreaks of violence. The UN said Arcahaie witnessed a parallel wave of displacement, with over 21,000 people fleeing their homes.

Apoliceman who was shot last Thursday outside his Portmore home has died at hospital, Observer Online has learned. The deceased is Sergeant Patrick Mahoney, who was assigned to the St Catherine North Division. It is reported that sometime after 9pm, the sergeant was called out of his home when explosions sounding like gunshots were heard. When the shooting subsided, it was discovered that the sergeant had been shot. He was rushed to hospital where he underwent emergency surgery. The Police Federation had issued an urgent appeal for blood donation for the injured cop.

KINGSTON, Jamaica – Breakthrough Communications on Monday introduced four new business communication services which it said are tailored to meet the evolving needs of the corporate sector. Corporate social media management, event management, video production and neuromarketing research were unveiled as the latest additions to the company’s portfolio at the launch event, ‘Breakthrough Reimagined’, held at the AC Hotel in St Andrew. “We are thrilled that our clients drove this change because it was their queries, their input, their feedback that led us to offer these services,” said the company’s managing director, Carlette DeLeon. Touting neuromarketing as a cutting-edge solution, the company used the platform of the launch to demonstrate how neuroscience technology can transform marketing by tapping directly into the consumer’s brain and help businesses to better understand customer behavior. Addressing questions about data protection, DeLeon revealed that this was something her team took into consideration. “There may be hesitation from candidates who think that it’s (the neuromarketing technology) reading their mind… it’s not reading your mind, it’s just feeding for the electro sensors in your head, so there is nothing to worry about and we are going to be having that communication with the candidates,” she said. Adrian Dunkley, chief data scientist at Breakthrough Communications, added: “We are using industry standards and beyond to ensure that you own your data and we are responsible to ensure that your data is used effectively.” DeLeon meanwhile said she is particularly excited about the event planning solution. “I am excited about the event planning; we’ve been involved in event planning for a long time but we’ve never offered it as a service. Now we are able to offer that service to people,” she said. Breakthrough Communications is among a number of medium-sized enterprises that have benefitted from the Development Bank of Jamaica’s (DBJ) Innovation Grant Fund. Christopher Brown, programme manager of DBJ’s Boosting Innovation, Growth and Entrepreneurship Ecosystems (BIGEE), expressed the bank’s desire to see Breakthrough expand internationally with its services. “This launch of the Reimagined Breakthrough is something that we at DBJ are very proud of. We work with companies for specifically this purpose to get them to be viewed or even reimagined in another way and to deliver services for their clients,” Brown said, adding “Ultimately we want to see them grow, serve a wider market … it is not limited to just Jamaica, the Caribbean is here as well as outside and that’s what we’re here to support.”

“We ‘bout to tear the rest of the Caribbean up, everybody’s waiting. And Jamaica, I’m sorry, I’m not there yet, but I’m coming your way. You’re gonna have something special too,” said Bajan billionaire Rihanna last Thursday during the launch party for Fenty Beauty, Fenty Skin and Fenty Eau de Parfum in her home town of Barbados. Her return to her homeland was not only a celebration of her global success, but also of her heritage, as she officially opened two Fenty Beauty stores, the flagship located on Broad Street and another at Sunset Mall on the island’s west coast. As we wait with bated breath for deets on the official drop, Tuesday Style Dryer (TSD) spotlights the Fenty Beauty products used to achieve her make-up look at the launch event. Make-up #ProFiltr Longwear Soft Matte foundation in ‘310’ applied with the 110 brush #We’re Even #FentyConcealer in ‘300N’ #MatchStix Contour Skinstick in ‘Mocha’ #CheeksOut Cream Blush in ‘Petal Poppin’ #Invisimatte Instant Setting + Blotting Powder #BrowMVP Brow Pencil + Styler in ‘Medium Blonde’ + ‘Ash Blonde’ #Flyliner Longwear Liquid Eyeliner in ‘Cuz I’m Black’ #HellaThicc Volumizing Mascara in ‘Cuz I’m Black’ #SnapShadow Palette in ‘Cool Neutrals’ topped with #Killawatt Highlighter in ‘Trophy Wife’ #TracedOut Lip Liner in ‘Extra Thigh’ + #GlossBombStix   Check fentybeauty.com for products and holidays faves.