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NEWS IN BRIEF
FOR GENERAL DISTRIBUTION
Top News in the Print Media: The JIS, The Gleaner & The Observer
From the Overseas Department, Jamaica Information Service
Thursday October 16, 2003
POLICE ADMIN CHANGES
The Observer: Commissioner Forbes yesterday announced a number of administrative changes to the constabulary that included the establishment of an independent agency to investigate police shootings as part of a reform agenda that is expected to improve efficiency and transparency in police operations.
Aspects of the reform programme started yesterday in four police divisions -- St Andrew South, Manchester, St James and South St Catherine.
According to Forbes, a National Intelligence Bureau, that is mandated to co-ordinate the activities of all existing investigative units, has already been set up and will be implemented in every police division.
In addition, the Bureau of Special Investigations and the Police Public Complaints Authority -- two arms of the constabulary that human rights groups have complained are not truly independent -- as well as the Internal Affairs department are being merged into a Professional Standards Branch to monitor the conduct of cops.
MOORE NAMED TO REGIONAL GROUP
The Observer: Earl Moore, president of Guardian Life, Jamaica has been appointed as vice president of the Insurance Association of the Caribbean, a non-profit organisation that promotes the insurance industry within the region.
Another Guardian executive, Douglas Camacho, was also appointed as a board member of the association whose membership is drawn from senior executives of life and general insurance companies in the Caribbean. Camacho is group executive director of Guardian Holdings Limited (GHL) - the ultimate parent of Guardian Life Jamaica. He is also president of a GHL subsidiary - Guardian Life of the Caribbean.
SPOT MARKET WEIGHTED AVERAGE RATE
CURRENCY -- PURCHASES -- SALES
___US$_______59.8716_____60.1354
__CAN$_______44.0973_____45.3303
___GB£_______98.0178_____99.7642
8-HOUR GUN BATTLE
The Gleaner: In a stand-off lasting more than eight hours, three gunmen were shot and killed, three policemen shot and injured, and a large cache of ammunition was seized in the volatile Canterbury community in Montego Bay yesterday.
The heavy sounds of gunshots rang across nearby communities, as the police attempted to disarm gunmen toting powerful AK-47s in the inner-city community.
The injured policemen, who have all been admitted to the Cornwall Regional Hospital, have been identified as Corporal Franklyn Hunter, who was shot in his left arm; Constable Wilbert Hunter, who was shot in the buttocks; and Constable Lori Nelson, who was shot in the chest.
JIS NEWS
Thursday October 16, 2003
SPENDING ON EDUCATION TO INCREASE
Government spending on Education is to increase from the current 10 per cent of the total budget, to 15 per cent over the next five years, in increments of one per cent a year.
This came, as both sides of the House of Representatives, in a landmark show of consensus on Tuesday (Oct. 14), approved an amended motion by Opposition Leader, Edward Seaga, seeking Government’s commitment to increase spending on education.
Responding to the revised motion, Prime Minister, P. J. Patterson expressed his concurrence with the incremental increase in the Education budget, as investment in education was one of the principal means by which economic and social goals could be realized.
He agreed that, while basic schools needed more support, such as improved and better equipped facilities, as well as more trained teachers, he did not agree that the Government should take them over.
141 J’CANS TO RECEIVE NATIONAL HONOURS
This year, a total of 141 outstanding Jamaicans who have contributed to nation building will be recognized at the national honours and awards ceremony on National Heroes Day, October 20, on the lawns of King’s House, beginning at 9:00 a.m.
Among the awards to be presented is the Order of Merit (OM), the third highest honour, which will be conferred on James Chambers (Jimmy Cliff) for his outstanding contribution to Jamaica’s Film and Music Industry.
Meanwhile, four persons will receive the Order of Jamaica (OJ) for outstanding contribution to the Visual Arts, service to the Legislature, to the field of Commerce, Education and the Public Service.
Another 24 persons will be conferred with the Order of Distinction, in the Rank of Commander Class (CD) and 32 persons will receive the Order of Distinction in the Rank of Officer Class (OD).
KSAC REMOVES ILLEGAL BILLBOARDS
Some 300 illegal billboards and advertising signs were removed in the Corporate Area in a recent exercise carried out by the Kingston and St. Andrew Corporation (KSAC).
Speaking at the monthly KSAC meeting yesterday (October 15), Mayor of Kingston, Councillor Desmond McKenzie said the KSAC was pleased with the results of the exercise.
He said that within the first day of operation, the KSAC received over 100 enquiries from persons who wanted to regularize their illegal activities and so far over 350 contacts have been made from persons and companies wishing to comply with the law.
The Mayor pointed out that the aim was not primarily to make money from this activity, but to preserve the image of the Capital.
DISEASES ACCOUNT FOR 50% OF DEATH
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health, Grace Allen Young, has said that over 50 per cent of death and illnesses in Jamaica was now attributable to chronic non-communicable diseases including stroke, cancer, obesity, diabetes and heart disease.
She was speaking on Monday (Oct. 13), at the signing ceremony of the record of discussions for knowledge transfer from Jamaica to other CARICOM member states, through the regional five-year training programme on the Prevention of Chronic Non-Communicable Diseases, under the joint technical project between the Ministry of Health (the Southern Regional Health Authority) and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
GOV’T TO ACQUIRE BUILDING IN CANADA
Cabinet has authorised the acquisition of a building at 230 Sheppard Avenue in Western Ontario, Canada by the Government of Jamaica at a cost of Can$1.435 million, to house the Jamaica Liaison Service.
The announcement was made by Minister of Information, Senator Burchell Whiteman at a post-Cabinet press briefing on Monday (Oct.13) at Jamaica House.
The Liaison Service is responsible for ensuring the welfare of Jamaican workers in the Canada/Jamaica Farm Workers Programme. The Liaison Service currently occupies leased premises at a monthly rental cost of Can$7,955.
KSAC TO REBUILD JUBILEE MARKET
The Kingston and St. Andrew Corporation (KSAC), will be rebuilding the Jubilee Market at a cost of $12 million with construction to begin shortly.
Mayor of Kingston, Councillor Desmond McKenzie made the disclosure at the monthly press briefing yesterday (October 15) of the KSAC at its offices in Downtown Kingston.
Citing the importance of the market to the city, the Mayor said, “the KSAC is cognisant of the importance of having adequate and proper market facilities for the people who require these services, but the KSAC will not provide or upgrade these facilities for persons with other motives to take, operate and to deprive the city of the revenues that come from the operation of the market”.
Contact: Celia Lindsay
For further information about any of these news items,contact the Overseas Department at
[email protected]
.The Jamaica Information Service web page address is
www.jis.gov.jm
.Telephone: (876) 926-3740-8 / 926-3590-8, Fax: (876) 926-6715
COMMENTARY
Thursday October 16, 2003
THE OBSERVER
DR PHILLIPS NEEDS TO TELL US
AMONG the initiatives announced by Peter Phillips when he assumed the national security portfolio was the creation of a highly-skilled, specialised tactical team to give the constabulary the capacity to respond to terrorist criminals.
At one point when there were Opposition allegations about the creation of a politicised unit in the Jamaica Defence Force, presumably to be used against Jamaica Labour Party supporters, Minister Phillips and his spokesman quickly rejected the claim.
Any special training, they explained, was by this special military/police unit, which, had it been in place, would have been able to respond to the events like the 100 Lane/Park Lane killings and the shootings in the Mountain View Avenue area when the police were pinned down for several hours.
Not much has been said since those early days about this tactical response group, training for which Dr Phillips expected to get abroad.
Perhaps the team is in place, is highly trained and everything has gone swimmingly. Somehow, we doubt it.
We are reminded of this special group because of yesterday's incident in Canterbury, just outside of downtown Montego Bay, when gunmen, firing high-powered weapons and lodged in strategic positions, engaged the police in a nine-hour gunbattle. Eventually, three of the gunmen were killed, but three policemen were also wounded.
The repercussions from this incident are likely to be deep and costly. Canterbury is a gritty inner-city community, a shantytown where the residents, most of whom we believe to be decent, law-abiding people, already have little. Many are being forced to abandon what little they have. Unstable lives will face greater instability.
But there are deeper implications for Montego Bay, and the wider Jamaica, from yesterday's violence.
Montego Bay is a major centre for Jamaica's tourism, and while most visitors would never cross a community like Canterbury, foreigners are unlikely to get into the subtleties of the town's geography. Unless the island's marketing and public relations gurus can do a good job of containment, the travel trade's response is going to be to violence in Montego Bay.
If this leads to a fall-off in visitor arrivals and a decline in earnings from the tourism sector, prospects for economic growth will be further undermined. The consequences of this are obvious.
What strikes from a distance about yesterday's engagement though, was the seeming deficit in tactical sophistication of the police unit. We agree that the police were operating in difficult terrain with the gunmen having the advantage of commanding the high ground. But we did not sense that strategically this was an assured response team with cutting-edge training. There was not the sense of a clear strategic vision in responding to this outrage. At least, not what we would expect from a special tactical response team.
So a handful of gunmen, by their action, posed a grave threat to the Jamaican state. As has been the case too many times before.
It is critical, in our view, that there be the capacity by the state to respond to such threats, lest some areas become the province of warlords and assorted badmen, and Jamaica joins the ranks of failed states.
We understand that the response to the types of violence that are all too prevalent in Jamaica demands a multi-dimensional approach, but Dr Phillips needs to tell us about the promised group capable of dealing with thugs of the type who tried to hold Jamaica to ransom yesterday.
============================================
THE GLEANER
CONSENSUS ON EDUCATION
PARLIAMENT REACHED a rare plateau of political unanimity Tuesday night in adopting a revised resolution by Opposition Leader Edward Seaga aimed at revamping the financing of the education system.
Both sides of the Gordon House chamber joined in applauding Mr. Seaga's initiative. It was a unique tribute in a Parliament more attuned to sharp exchanges and divergent stances on policy proposals. The result was a nine-point commitment to increase the allocation to the Ministry of Education from 10 to 15 per cent of the national Budget over the next five years.
Mr. Seaga had sought initially in a motion tabled when the House of Representatives resumed from its summer recess calling on the Government to abandon cost-sharing and the financing of education through the PATH programme. His 12-point proposal sought to reduce the cost of schooling to parents and called on Government to assume the cost of education for all children up to age 18.
The debate which began on October 7 hit a snag from microphone malfunction in the House; but both sides sought in subsequent consultations the following week to reach compromise on an amended resolution which was adopted Tuesday night.
In essence, it has been agreed by Government to renovate, rebuild and equip basic schools; provide a comprehensive textbook-lending programme for primary and secondary schools; work with schools to provide a compulsory homework/literacy hour after classes; upgrading of teachers to degree levels; and target a teacher-to-pupil ratio of 1:25 at the primary level.
This historic parliamentary consensus comes a year after last October's General Election campaigning in which both major political parties laid great stress on Education.
It is therefore encouraging that the Parliament should move unanimously in striving to break new ground not only in pursuing the vital goals of educating our children but in a manner that does credit to the best of parliamentary traditions.
FOR GENERAL DISTRIBUTION
Top News in the Print Media: The JIS, The Gleaner & The Observer
From the Overseas Department, Jamaica Information Service
Thursday October 16, 2003
POLICE ADMIN CHANGES
The Observer: Commissioner Forbes yesterday announced a number of administrative changes to the constabulary that included the establishment of an independent agency to investigate police shootings as part of a reform agenda that is expected to improve efficiency and transparency in police operations.
Aspects of the reform programme started yesterday in four police divisions -- St Andrew South, Manchester, St James and South St Catherine.
According to Forbes, a National Intelligence Bureau, that is mandated to co-ordinate the activities of all existing investigative units, has already been set up and will be implemented in every police division.
In addition, the Bureau of Special Investigations and the Police Public Complaints Authority -- two arms of the constabulary that human rights groups have complained are not truly independent -- as well as the Internal Affairs department are being merged into a Professional Standards Branch to monitor the conduct of cops.
MOORE NAMED TO REGIONAL GROUP
The Observer: Earl Moore, president of Guardian Life, Jamaica has been appointed as vice president of the Insurance Association of the Caribbean, a non-profit organisation that promotes the insurance industry within the region.
Another Guardian executive, Douglas Camacho, was also appointed as a board member of the association whose membership is drawn from senior executives of life and general insurance companies in the Caribbean. Camacho is group executive director of Guardian Holdings Limited (GHL) - the ultimate parent of Guardian Life Jamaica. He is also president of a GHL subsidiary - Guardian Life of the Caribbean.
SPOT MARKET WEIGHTED AVERAGE RATE
CURRENCY -- PURCHASES -- SALES
___US$_______59.8716_____60.1354
__CAN$_______44.0973_____45.3303
___GB£_______98.0178_____99.7642
8-HOUR GUN BATTLE
The Gleaner: In a stand-off lasting more than eight hours, three gunmen were shot and killed, three policemen shot and injured, and a large cache of ammunition was seized in the volatile Canterbury community in Montego Bay yesterday.
The heavy sounds of gunshots rang across nearby communities, as the police attempted to disarm gunmen toting powerful AK-47s in the inner-city community.
The injured policemen, who have all been admitted to the Cornwall Regional Hospital, have been identified as Corporal Franklyn Hunter, who was shot in his left arm; Constable Wilbert Hunter, who was shot in the buttocks; and Constable Lori Nelson, who was shot in the chest.
JIS NEWS
Thursday October 16, 2003
SPENDING ON EDUCATION TO INCREASE
Government spending on Education is to increase from the current 10 per cent of the total budget, to 15 per cent over the next five years, in increments of one per cent a year.
This came, as both sides of the House of Representatives, in a landmark show of consensus on Tuesday (Oct. 14), approved an amended motion by Opposition Leader, Edward Seaga, seeking Government’s commitment to increase spending on education.
Responding to the revised motion, Prime Minister, P. J. Patterson expressed his concurrence with the incremental increase in the Education budget, as investment in education was one of the principal means by which economic and social goals could be realized.
He agreed that, while basic schools needed more support, such as improved and better equipped facilities, as well as more trained teachers, he did not agree that the Government should take them over.
141 J’CANS TO RECEIVE NATIONAL HONOURS
This year, a total of 141 outstanding Jamaicans who have contributed to nation building will be recognized at the national honours and awards ceremony on National Heroes Day, October 20, on the lawns of King’s House, beginning at 9:00 a.m.
Among the awards to be presented is the Order of Merit (OM), the third highest honour, which will be conferred on James Chambers (Jimmy Cliff) for his outstanding contribution to Jamaica’s Film and Music Industry.
Meanwhile, four persons will receive the Order of Jamaica (OJ) for outstanding contribution to the Visual Arts, service to the Legislature, to the field of Commerce, Education and the Public Service.
Another 24 persons will be conferred with the Order of Distinction, in the Rank of Commander Class (CD) and 32 persons will receive the Order of Distinction in the Rank of Officer Class (OD).
KSAC REMOVES ILLEGAL BILLBOARDS
Some 300 illegal billboards and advertising signs were removed in the Corporate Area in a recent exercise carried out by the Kingston and St. Andrew Corporation (KSAC).
Speaking at the monthly KSAC meeting yesterday (October 15), Mayor of Kingston, Councillor Desmond McKenzie said the KSAC was pleased with the results of the exercise.
He said that within the first day of operation, the KSAC received over 100 enquiries from persons who wanted to regularize their illegal activities and so far over 350 contacts have been made from persons and companies wishing to comply with the law.
The Mayor pointed out that the aim was not primarily to make money from this activity, but to preserve the image of the Capital.
DISEASES ACCOUNT FOR 50% OF DEATH
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health, Grace Allen Young, has said that over 50 per cent of death and illnesses in Jamaica was now attributable to chronic non-communicable diseases including stroke, cancer, obesity, diabetes and heart disease.
She was speaking on Monday (Oct. 13), at the signing ceremony of the record of discussions for knowledge transfer from Jamaica to other CARICOM member states, through the regional five-year training programme on the Prevention of Chronic Non-Communicable Diseases, under the joint technical project between the Ministry of Health (the Southern Regional Health Authority) and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
GOV’T TO ACQUIRE BUILDING IN CANADA
Cabinet has authorised the acquisition of a building at 230 Sheppard Avenue in Western Ontario, Canada by the Government of Jamaica at a cost of Can$1.435 million, to house the Jamaica Liaison Service.
The announcement was made by Minister of Information, Senator Burchell Whiteman at a post-Cabinet press briefing on Monday (Oct.13) at Jamaica House.
The Liaison Service is responsible for ensuring the welfare of Jamaican workers in the Canada/Jamaica Farm Workers Programme. The Liaison Service currently occupies leased premises at a monthly rental cost of Can$7,955.
KSAC TO REBUILD JUBILEE MARKET
The Kingston and St. Andrew Corporation (KSAC), will be rebuilding the Jubilee Market at a cost of $12 million with construction to begin shortly.
Mayor of Kingston, Councillor Desmond McKenzie made the disclosure at the monthly press briefing yesterday (October 15) of the KSAC at its offices in Downtown Kingston.
Citing the importance of the market to the city, the Mayor said, “the KSAC is cognisant of the importance of having adequate and proper market facilities for the people who require these services, but the KSAC will not provide or upgrade these facilities for persons with other motives to take, operate and to deprive the city of the revenues that come from the operation of the market”.
Contact: Celia Lindsay
For further information about any of these news items,contact the Overseas Department at
[email protected]
.The Jamaica Information Service web page address is
www.jis.gov.jm
.Telephone: (876) 926-3740-8 / 926-3590-8, Fax: (876) 926-6715
COMMENTARY
Thursday October 16, 2003
THE OBSERVER
DR PHILLIPS NEEDS TO TELL US
AMONG the initiatives announced by Peter Phillips when he assumed the national security portfolio was the creation of a highly-skilled, specialised tactical team to give the constabulary the capacity to respond to terrorist criminals.
At one point when there were Opposition allegations about the creation of a politicised unit in the Jamaica Defence Force, presumably to be used against Jamaica Labour Party supporters, Minister Phillips and his spokesman quickly rejected the claim.
Any special training, they explained, was by this special military/police unit, which, had it been in place, would have been able to respond to the events like the 100 Lane/Park Lane killings and the shootings in the Mountain View Avenue area when the police were pinned down for several hours.
Not much has been said since those early days about this tactical response group, training for which Dr Phillips expected to get abroad.
Perhaps the team is in place, is highly trained and everything has gone swimmingly. Somehow, we doubt it.
We are reminded of this special group because of yesterday's incident in Canterbury, just outside of downtown Montego Bay, when gunmen, firing high-powered weapons and lodged in strategic positions, engaged the police in a nine-hour gunbattle. Eventually, three of the gunmen were killed, but three policemen were also wounded.
The repercussions from this incident are likely to be deep and costly. Canterbury is a gritty inner-city community, a shantytown where the residents, most of whom we believe to be decent, law-abiding people, already have little. Many are being forced to abandon what little they have. Unstable lives will face greater instability.
But there are deeper implications for Montego Bay, and the wider Jamaica, from yesterday's violence.
Montego Bay is a major centre for Jamaica's tourism, and while most visitors would never cross a community like Canterbury, foreigners are unlikely to get into the subtleties of the town's geography. Unless the island's marketing and public relations gurus can do a good job of containment, the travel trade's response is going to be to violence in Montego Bay.
If this leads to a fall-off in visitor arrivals and a decline in earnings from the tourism sector, prospects for economic growth will be further undermined. The consequences of this are obvious.
What strikes from a distance about yesterday's engagement though, was the seeming deficit in tactical sophistication of the police unit. We agree that the police were operating in difficult terrain with the gunmen having the advantage of commanding the high ground. But we did not sense that strategically this was an assured response team with cutting-edge training. There was not the sense of a clear strategic vision in responding to this outrage. At least, not what we would expect from a special tactical response team.
So a handful of gunmen, by their action, posed a grave threat to the Jamaican state. As has been the case too many times before.
It is critical, in our view, that there be the capacity by the state to respond to such threats, lest some areas become the province of warlords and assorted badmen, and Jamaica joins the ranks of failed states.
We understand that the response to the types of violence that are all too prevalent in Jamaica demands a multi-dimensional approach, but Dr Phillips needs to tell us about the promised group capable of dealing with thugs of the type who tried to hold Jamaica to ransom yesterday.
============================================
THE GLEANER
CONSENSUS ON EDUCATION
PARLIAMENT REACHED a rare plateau of political unanimity Tuesday night in adopting a revised resolution by Opposition Leader Edward Seaga aimed at revamping the financing of the education system.
Both sides of the Gordon House chamber joined in applauding Mr. Seaga's initiative. It was a unique tribute in a Parliament more attuned to sharp exchanges and divergent stances on policy proposals. The result was a nine-point commitment to increase the allocation to the Ministry of Education from 10 to 15 per cent of the national Budget over the next five years.
Mr. Seaga had sought initially in a motion tabled when the House of Representatives resumed from its summer recess calling on the Government to abandon cost-sharing and the financing of education through the PATH programme. His 12-point proposal sought to reduce the cost of schooling to parents and called on Government to assume the cost of education for all children up to age 18.
The debate which began on October 7 hit a snag from microphone malfunction in the House; but both sides sought in subsequent consultations the following week to reach compromise on an amended resolution which was adopted Tuesday night.
In essence, it has been agreed by Government to renovate, rebuild and equip basic schools; provide a comprehensive textbook-lending programme for primary and secondary schools; work with schools to provide a compulsory homework/literacy hour after classes; upgrading of teachers to degree levels; and target a teacher-to-pupil ratio of 1:25 at the primary level.
This historic parliamentary consensus comes a year after last October's General Election campaigning in which both major political parties laid great stress on Education.
It is therefore encouraging that the Parliament should move unanimously in striving to break new ground not only in pursuing the vital goals of educating our children but in a manner that does credit to the best of parliamentary traditions.