JG - Genesis of a racket

From my archive of press clippings:

Jamaica Gleaner

Genesis of a racket


Published: Sunday April 12, 2009


Paul Williams, Gleaner writer


Historic Sam Sharpe Square in Montego Bay is one of the many locations where illicit deals are conducted. The city is grappling with a high crime rate which is said to be fuelled by the illegal lottery-scam activity. - File


Already more than 20 members of the police force and at least 30 civilians have been arrested. The scammer collects the money and immediately breaks off communication with the victim.


THE MULTIMILLION-dollar lottery scam that has gripped western Jamaica for more than five years may have started in a little apartment near the upscale community of Coral Gardens in St James.

Read the whole article here.

Snippet(s):

"But what began as a top-secret operation among a group of friends is now the centre of local and international criminal investigations.

Already more than 20 members of the police force and at least 30 civilians have been arrested in connection with the scam which is believed to have netted the criminals more than US$30 million. "

&

"(A)s the foreigners found out that they were being conned. With the money no longer coming in, the criminals turned to other sources: telemarketing companies, located in the Montego Bay Free Port. Lists of names, email addresses and telephone numbers were obtained. Stage two was now activated.

The modus operandi was, and still is, to call overseas to tell the 'victim' that he or she has won the lottery or some other betting game but before they can collect the 'winnings', they must send a processing fee. This money is usually sent through a remittance agency.

The scammer collects the money and immediately breaks off communication with the victim. However, there are times when the scammer calls the victim a second time to say more money is needed as the first sum was not enough to process the prize."

JO - Most ex-MPs destitute

From my archive of press clippings:

Jamaica Observer


Most ex-MPs destitute

By HG Helps Editor-at-Large Special Coverage Unit specialcoverageunit@jamaicaobserver.com

Sunday, March 29, 2009


A majority of the 122 retired Jamaican parliamentarians still alive are facing destitution, some ravaged by health problems and dependent on alms to survive.

Read the whole article here.

Hessenweg 1 sign

Taken in Herborn, Germany, on August 26, 2006.

USA-T - Our view on legal immigration: Congratulations, graduate. Now leave the USA. Limits on skilled-immigrant visas hurt the nation's competitivene

USA Today

Our view on legal immigration: Congratulations, graduate. Now leave the USA. Limits on skilled-immigrant visas hurt the nation's competitiveness.


Posted at 12:22 AM/ET, May 12, 2009

Around this time each year, thousands of foreign students graduate with science and engineering degrees from U.S. universities. Many are eager to stay in America and contribute to the U.S. economy.

Read the whole article here.

Snippet(s):

"For years, Congress has limited the number of highly skilled foreign workers whom U.S. companies can hire under what's known as the H-1B program. Every April 1, companies — from high-tech to financial firms — file petitions to hire these individuals.

In recent years, the cap of 85,000 (including 20,000 set aside for those with advanced degrees from U.S. institutions) has been reached within days, sometimes the first day. Last year, about 78,000 of the best and brightest didn't make the cut. "

MP - H-1B workers stuck in home countries

Marketplace

H-1B workers stuck in home countries


Thursday, May 7, 2009

Read the whole, short, article here.

JG - The 'game' - Sweepstakes scam takes root in MoBay ...

From my archive of press clippings:

Jamaica Gleaner

The 'game' - Sweepstakes scam takes root in MoBay ...


Published: Sunday April 12, 2009


Lovelette Brooks, News Editor

'Mother involved, grandfather involved, pickney involved. They make a lot of money and they are not afraid to talk about it'.


WE ARE are in the belly of Montego Bay, Jamaica's tourist capital. Not many visitors come to this area, which is inhabited by the street-savvy who like to party.

Read the whole article here.

Snippet(s):

"Many unsuspecting individuals and habitual gamblers fall for the trick. Most of the victims are Americans, but the scammers have also fleeced unsuspecting persons from Canada and Europe, another source who works for one of the remittance companies confides. "

&

"This fraudulent game has taken root in Montego Bay, St James - the hub of offshore call centres in Jamaica - and has slowly spread to neighbouring parishes. Despite efforts by local law enforcers and the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation to capture leading players, the scam is flourishing. "

_____

lovelette.brooks@gleanerjm.com

JO - Politicians ought to declare their citizenship status

From my archive of press clippings:

Jamaica Observer


Politicians ought to declare their citizenship status


Sunday, March 29, 2009


Dear Editor,

Mrs Portia Simpson Miller, in response to Mr Bruce Golding's assertion that the Opposition is trying to wrest power from the government through the courts, said that the PNP "will never take power in this country unless it is by the ballots".

Read the whole letter here.

Snippet(s):

"But this is exactly what they tried to do by seeking to oust Mr Daryl Vaz on the grounds that he had dual citizenship. Ironically, they then offered a candidate who also has dual citizenship, albeit Jamaican-Canadian and a Commonwealth member."

"They will argue that they were within their constitutional right to offer this candidate for MP even though he has dual citizenship, and contrary to the principle on which this whole event unfolded."

"(E)ither dual citizens are accepted in Parliament (Commonwealth or not) or they are not accepted."

"As the purpose of the Commonwealth and its member nations continue to evolve and their personal agendas diverge, there can be no gainsaying the fact that allegiance issues will arise should a person hold dual citizenship involving two member states. This is clearly no different from a Jamaican-American dual citizenship."

"The Government and Opposition must now move with alacrity and purpose and deal with the dual-citizenship issue."

&

"(A)ll parliamentarians should declare their citizenship status. Anyone who has dual citizenship should either renounce it or secede their current position. The ultimate show of loyalty to one's country is to be shackled by the same laws that govern the people one represents."

_____

Jermaine Boreland

jirmz@yahoo.co.uk

Babylon Ruins (VI)

Taken at Ancient Babylon, Iraq, on March 5, 2004.

DNT - Returning from Canada gets tougher June 1. Officials with U.S. Customs and Border Protection say they will be ready on June 1...

Duluth News Tribune

Returning from Canada gets tougher June 1. Officials with U.S. Customs and Border Protection say they will be ready on June 1, the day the United States fully implements the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative.

Published May 12 2009

By: Peter Passi, Duluth News Tribune

As of June 1, you’d better pack a U.S. passport or passport card if you’re planning a trip to Canada.

Read the whole article here.

Snippet(s):

"The new border rules originally had been scheduled to take effect in January 2008, but they were delayed to give people more time to come into compliance.
Don’t count on a second reprieve."

"Anyone who has travel plans to Canada in the early part of June and who hasn’t already applied for proper documentation could face problems. Obtaining a passport currently requires four to six weeks of lead time. Expedited service is available for a charge, but even this option currently takes two to three weeks."

"A U.S. passport costs $100, is good for 10 years and allows the bearer to travel by land, water or air.

The newly created passport card costs $45 and remains valid for 10 years, but is good only for ground travel."

&

"The harder part could be for U.S. citizens lacking proper passport or passport cards to return home from Canada."

_____

On the Web: www.getyouhome.gov.

S&S - Troops in South Korea have new tour option

From my archive of press clippings:

Stars and Stripes

Troops in South Korea have new tour option

By Ashley Rowland, Stars and Stripes

Pacific edition, Sunday, April 12, 2009

SEOUL — Troops in much of South Korea will be able to serve two-year accompanied tours, offering them another option under a new policy that will let more servicemembers bring their families to South Korea, U.S. Forces Korea commander Gen. Walter Sharp announced last week.

Read the whole article here.

Snippet(s):

"When Sharp announced the tour normalization policy in December, he said troops in northern South Korea, also known as Area 1, would be able to get three-year, command-sponsored tours but did not extend the two-year option to them.

However, under a revised Joint Federal Travel Regulation approved by the Department of Defense on March 2, troops in Pyeongtaek, Osan, Daegu, Chinhae and Seoul can now apply for two- or three-year command-sponsored tours.

Under the tour normalization policy, about half of the 28,500 servicemembers in South Korea eventually will be allowed to bring their families with them. "

JG - More modern etiquette

From my archive of press clippings:

Jamaica Gleaner

More modern etiquette

Published: Sunday March 29, 2009

Photo by Rita Elliott

Choose centrepieces that allow for the good flow of conversation.


Chester Francis-Jackson, Contributor


With the trend in recent times being the glorification of all things vulgar, banal and/or trite, the line between what is acceptable social behaviour and what is not has been completely blurred.

Read the whole article here.

Snippet(s):

"It is as if the vulgar things have now become the operational mode of the society, with the commonsensical approach to good manners not only frowned upon by some, but the idea of doing the right thing by way of manners and protocol is regarded with a sense of mistrust and downright disdain. In today's culture, the young man who opens the car door and allows his female companion to be seated then closes the door before making his way to the driver's side runs the risk of being ridiculed or being subjected to name-calling. The same is true of the young man who holds the chair for his female companion at a restaurant.

Sadly, the women have been contributing to the erosion of these traditional values and attitudes by giving in to what passes for the popular culture, as against holding out for the more time-honoured signs of respect that this deference accommodates. And even more sadly, this erosion knows no social barrier, as in the popular subculture of the dancehall, the more demeaning the lyrics are to women, the more they embrace and revel in it! "

"Before you get caught up in the circus of being led by the etiquette-impaired, however, always remember the basic rule of etiquette: one's actions must be dictated primarily out of the concern and well-being of others, and not one's own. Such as, when sitting at the table, in reaching for a dish, instead of piling food on to your own plate then passing on what's left to others, first pass the dish to others and wait until it makes its way back to you before you serve yourself. "

"The protocol of wine, however, is fairly simple. When it comes to red or white wine, the protocol is that reds are best suited to dishes such as beef, lamb, mutton, pork (including sausages) and heavy stews.

Conversely, whites are best suited for fish, fowls, crepes and generally light dishes. In recent times, however, the protocol has been relaxed in some quarters, which has seen some rosé being paired with spicy fish, fowls and even some reds used in this mode; the operational rule here being individual taste."

&

"(F)or years the debate has raged here as to how best to serve red, as the 'purists' from their position of ignorance, have always maintained that reds should be served at room temperature. This is a fallacy that continues to be propagated by ignorance. In the old wine countries, room temperature was derived from the fact that wines were stored in dank cellars and room temperature there meant that the wine was taken from the cold cellar and taken above, where it was more than not decanted and allowed to 'cool' down to room temperature before drinking.

In hot climes such as obtains here in the Caribbean, red wine is at its best if it's first stored in a wine-cooler or in the crisper of your regular refrigerator. The wine is best if opened some time before it is actually served to allow it to 'breathe', as this process allows it to fluff itself and thus create a more pleasing experience. If you run into people (and you will) who insist that red wine should only be served at room temperature, pity them, as the acidic levels likely to be present in any such wine make it best suited for cooking as against fine drinking, and no amount of posing can alter that simple fact."

re: "Mr. Jones: Point, Counterpoint"

Charlie at Undiplomatic ("dedicated to covering the intersection of foreign policy, global issues, U.S. politics, and pop culture") explains how the professionals do it.

Money quote(s):

"Late hours do not translate into chaos. The idea that his staff is sloppy or lazy or unprofessional is nonsense — they all are, without exception, experienced foreign policy professionals who have dedicated their lives to making the United States a better place. You may disagree with their vision, but do not question their professionalism (and for the record, I would make the exact same point about Bush’s White House staff)."

"(O)nly in Washington could someone putting in a twelve-hour day be considered a slacker. The White House is a hothouse culture that tends to reinforce certain behaviors that are not always useful. To put it another way, what is a strength — the ability to work long hours and produce results — can become a liability if it’s overused. Our bodies simply cannot sustain themselves on caffeine and adrenaline. Sooner or later performance will erode; the key is to keep enough in reserve so that, like a marathoner, you have the ability to give your best when it’s absolutely necessary."

&

"(T)here are times for hard work and long hours (and pizza), and there are times when it makes sense to keep a more regular schedule so that you’re rested when the crisis comes."

This is the individual equivalent of staying on "red alert" all the time. You simply cannot sustain a constantly heightened alert all the time, day after day, year after year. Something gives, and sometimes catastrophically.

The professionals know that when you're on a 24-hour alert, you set up shifts so that people aren't trying to work 24 hour days.

re: "The Art of the Visa Adjudication"

NoDoubleStandards at Calling a Spade a Spade ("Rants of a Foreign Service Officer on the things that matter to you -- and matter to you not at all") provides some insights into visa interviewing.

Money quote(s):

"I've heard consular officers deny they profile visa applicants; then, when they describe exactly how they adjudicate, you're left with the impression that profiling is exactly what they're doing."

"I don't ask a single question I don't already know the answer to. Why? Credibility. I don't care how much an applicant makes, how often he's traveled or what kind of dirt he has under his fingernails. My sole concern is this: is the applicant in front of me going to return to his country of residence when he says he will."

This is true, but only in terms of overcoming the presumption of being an intending immigrant, "two-fourteen-bee" in other words (referring to Section 214b of the Immigration and Nationality Act). There are lots (and lots) of other grounds for visa ineligibility, ranging from everything from being a public charge to having committed crimes of moral turpitude, but this is far and away the most common grounds for visa refusal.

"The vast majority of documents provided aren't material to the adjudication, in any case. If I make a show of reviewing the documents before rendering my decision, it's because I'm heading off an inquiry at the pass: "The officer didn't even look at my documents.""

If a document can be forged (and just about any document can be forged), it has been forged. Or be genuine but chock-full-o' false and misleading information, because the issuing authority was bought or otherwise corrupted.

"How can any human being make an accurate snap judgment in two minutes? You wouldn't think it was possible, but it is. I wish I had a dollar for every time I refused an applicant who earned a great salary and demonstrated a sound travel history, and I was later provided with derogatory information. Why did I refuse these guys? Primarily ambiguity regarding purpose of travel. I don't give a damn what you make or where you've been. Post 9/11, if you can't tell me EXACTLY what you'll be doing in the U.S., I won't issue you a visa. I don't have that luxury."

&

"(W)hen you look at the percentages, I and my colleagues are good, very good at what we do. This is why post-9/11 discussions over removing the visa function from State and giving it to DHS were so misguided. You can't replace experience. You simply can't. Good consular officers develop these skills over years and thousands of interviews; you can't teach these skills, to a large extent, through classroom simulations. They have to be developed through experience. And let me suggest this: if you could teach it in a classroom, it would be much easier for terrorists to break it down."

The obvious objection to the immediately above is the 9/11 hijackers. Bear in mind that prior to 9/11, not every visa applicant was required to have an interview with an adjudicating officer. That has changed. There are vanishingly few exceptions to the interview requirement nowadays, and it'll be important to hold that line when, as will inevitably occur, someone promotes the idea that it's a waste of resources to interview all those applicants.

Don't fall into that trap.

re: "Officially In: Capricia Marshall to Protocol (S/CPR)"

DS at Diplopundit has some welcome news.

Money quote(s):

"Yesterday, President Obama announced his intent to nominate Capricia Penavic Marshall, for Chief of Protocol (S/CPR), with the rank of Ambassador during her tenure of service, Department of State. "

&

"In October 1997, at the age of 32, Marshall was appointed Deputy Assistant to the President and Social Secretary to the White House, becoming the youngest Social Secretary in recent history. Marshall's official responsibilities included the planning and execution of all White House international and domestic events."

Edinburgh Castle (VII)

Taken on in Edinburgh, Scotland, on February 19, 2006.

AO - Two Cubans and a Somalian seeking refugee status find favor with Supreme Court

Amandala Online


Two Cubans and a Somalian seeking refugee status find favor with Supreme Court


Posted: 07/05/2009 - 10:55 PM


Author: Rowland A. Parks

It is standard procedure for the Government of Belize to ship people back to their countries of origin once they arrive in Belize seeking some kind of refugee status. At the Kolbe-managed prison, there are a number of persons who are awaiting repatriation to their countries of origin. Although Belize has a refugee law and is a signatory to the United Nations Refugee Convention, the rights of persons seeking refugee status in Belize are at times overlooked.

Read the whole article here.

Snippet(s):

"But today in the Supreme Court, Belize’s Refugee Law was upheld, when Justice Michelle Arana ruled in favor of human rights activist Antoinette Moore in a judicial review that she filed on behalf of two Cubans and a citizen of Somalia, who are seeking refugee status in Belize.

The two Cubans filed an application for a judicial review, challenging the Government of Belize’s policy in relation to their refugee interest. The Cubans, Pedro Garcia Carrera and Karelis de Los Angeles Sosa Sanchez, and the Somalian, Nur Abdi Shire, took the Attorney General, the Minister of National Security, and the Director of Immigration to court, asking the court to affirm their rights to seek refugee status in Belize.

In her judgment that was issued in the applicants’ favor, Justice Arana ruled that the petitioners have a right to a refugee hearing. But most importantly, while they are awaiting such a hearing, they will do so in protective custody outside the walls of the prison."

S&S - Airlift wing recruiters want ‘pioneers’ to come to Papa, Hungary

From my archive of press clippings:

Stars and Stripes

Airlift wing recruiters want ‘pioneers’ to come to Papa, Hungary


By John Vandiver, Stars and Stripes


Mideast edition, Sunday, April 12, 2009

John Vandiver / S&S
U.S. airmen are becoming a common sight on the streets of Papa, a small town of 32,000 in western Hungary. Personnel from 10 NATO countries and two non-NATO countries have joined forces to form the Strategic Airlift Capability project, a multinational consortium that involves a Heavy Airlift Wing of three C-17s. With about 150 personnel, plus family members and contractors, the international crowd is adding an economic jolt to the sleepy city 100 miles west of Budapest.

John Vandiver / Stripes
First Lt. Szabolcs Szaloky of Hungary gathers up English- language phonebooks at city hall in Papa. Though there are few English speakers in town, city leaders and local business owners have been responding to the need for more English services in an area, where German is the most common second language. English menus are now commonplace at local restaurants.

PAPA, Hungary — It didn’t take long for Master Sgt. Frank Prebble to make an impression on the people of Papa.

Read the whole article here.

Snippet(s):

"Commanders from the 12 countries involved in the new Strategic Airlift Capability project are looking to recruit people like Prebble who they’ve come to call pioneers."

&

"After all, those troops are on three-year tours in a place where few speak English. Common services such as a commissary, base exchange, base housing or a base school are nonexistent, not to mention VAT cards, tax-free gas or any of the usual accoutrements of an overseas assignment.

There’s no place to hide in Papa or pretend you’re in America, which is an easy thing to do in places like Ramstein.

But what has made the transition to Papa a little easier for this group is that they aren’t in hostile territory. Indeed, many of the locals have embraced the multinational group, who are bringing an economic jolt to the area during difficult financial times."

S&S - AFRICOM pleased with Capitol Hill trip. No talk of budget cuts or restructuring during Gen. Ward’s appearance before House panel.

From my archive of press clippings:

Stars and Stripes

AFRICOM pleased with Capitol Hill trip

No talk of budget cuts or restructuring during Gen. Ward’s appearance before House panel

By John Vandiver, Stars and Stripes

European edition, Sunday, March 29, 2009

Gen. William "Kip" Ward, Commander of the U.S. Africa Command.

STUTTGART, Germany — Gen. William "Kip" Ward couldn’t be blamed if he thought he was headed for a grilling from the congressional subcommittee that controls the purse strings for defense programs.

Read the whole article here.

Snippet(s):

"Following its rollout in 2007, AFRICOM has been engaged in something of a public relations war as it seeks to explain itself to people far and wide."

"Perhaps the lack of a showdown on Capitol Hill is a sign that the new command is making progress on the PR front. A Government Accountability Office report released this month noted that AFRICOM has made strides in its efforts to explain itself in Africa and to other U.S. agencies that feared a further militarization of U.S. foreign policy.

Still, skepticism persists about AFRICOM both in Africa and within U.S. diplomatic circles and nongovernmental aid groups, with which the command works in partnership, according to the GAO report. "

&

"An African headquarters was part of the initial plan, announced by President George W. Bush in 2007, but the concept provoked a firestorm of controversy and suspicion in Africa about U.S. intentions on the continent. It didn’t take long for the military to abandon the idea, but suspicions linger."

VARF is coming!

VARF is coming!

May 16 & 17 are Romance Weekend.

Herborn mailbox (II)

Taken in Herborn, Germany, on August 26, 2006.

JG - The complex dance of engagement with Cuba

Stars and Stripes

The complex dance of engagement with Cuba

Published: Sunday May 10, 2009

David Jessop - THIS WEEK IN EUROPE

What will be the long-term impact of a changed economic relationship between Cuba and the United States on the Caribbean?

Read the whole article here.

Snippet(s):

"How might the region develop and its relationship change if the US were ever to restore full diplomatic relations with Havana?

These are questions that are beginning to be considered informally outside of the region in a quiet recognition that the mood in Washington towards Cuba has changed fundamentally and with it, most probably, the likely stance of Europe and other developed nations.

At and before the Summit of the Americas, US Pres-ident Barack Obama made clear that his administration's approach towards Cuba would be very different from that of all of his predecessors. "

&

"(I)t became clear that talks have begun to establish formal channels of communication, with the US Assistant Secretary of State for the Western Hemisphere, Thomas Shannon, holding meetings with Jorge Bolanos, the very senior diplomat who heads the Cuban Interests Section in Washington."

_____

David Jessop is director of the Caribbean Council. Email: david.jessop@caribbean-council.org.

LAT - Obama budget puts security first at the border. He'll ask Congress to help curb the flow of arms to Mexico before seeking any immigration reform

Los Angeles Times



Obama budget puts security first at the border. He'll ask Congress to help curb the flow of arms to Mexico before seeking any immigration reform.

By Anna Gorman and Peter Nicholas

May 6, 2009

Reporting from Washington and Los Angeles -- President Obama will ask Congress for $27 billion for border and transportation security in the next budget year, fulfilling a promise to the Mexican government to battle the southbound flow of illegal weapons and setting the stage for immigration reform by first addressing enforcement, administration officials said Tuesday.

Read the whole article here.

Snippet(s):

"The spending, an 8% increase over this year's, will enable the administration to hire more agents and enhance security at air- and seaports. Obama also will request more money to expand screening for illegal immigrants in jail and to improve a Web-based program for verifying workers' employment eligibility."

"During his visit to Mexico last month, Obama said the U.S. would do more to stop the weapons that have found their way from the U.S. to Mexican drug cartels."

&

"Specifically, the budget doubles Department of Homeland Security funding to nearly $47 million to combat southbound firearms and currency smuggling, and adds more than 100 Border Patrol agents and Customs and Border Protection officers."

Let me be sure I've got this right: the increases in DHS's budget are to keep Mexico's border with us secure, because of all the traffic headed south from the U.S.

Okay, right, got it now.

_____

anna.gorman@latimes.com

peter.nicholas@latimes.com

WDT - Passport, Customs officials to talk on new travel rules

From my archive of press clippings:

Watertown Daily Times


Passport, Customs officials to talk on new travel rules

SUNDAY, APRIL 12, 2009

Snippet(s):

Beginning June 1, travelers entering the United States by land or sea will be required to show an enhanced driver's license, passport, trusted traveler card or some other Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative-compliant travel document.

JO - Constitutional Crisis in Turks and Caicos

From my archive of press clippings:

Jamaica Observer

Constitutional Crisis in Turks and Caicos


DIANE ABBOTT


Sunday, March 29, 2009


THE Turks and Caicos Islands are in the middle of a constitutional car crash. Last year the British government launched a corruption probe led by British judge Sir Hugh Auld. He will not report in full until April, but an interim report was produced at the end of February. And in response Foreign Office ministers announced this week that Britain is going to suspend the Turks and Caicos constitution and that the British government will be running the island directly from London.

DIANE ABBOTT

This may seem draconian. But Sir Hugh Auld's interim report described the current situation in Turks and Caicos as a "national emergency".


Read the whole article here.

Snippet(s):


"His report is utterly damning. British government reports tend to be muted, but Sir Hugh does not mince his words. He talks about "systemic corruption" and describes the political culture on the islands as one of "amorality, immaturity and of general administrative incompetence". He says the Cabinet is divided and unstable and that the government is at a near standstill. Sir Hugh is also highly critical of the civil servants in Turks and Caicos. He says, "There is an urgent need for a vast improvement in the quality of senior and middle management" and "There is a vital need to establish an active training programme."

&

"The embattled Turks and Caicos Prime Minister Michael Misick resigned this week. He came into office just six years ago with a mere $50,000 in declared assets. He is now a multimillionaire with two private jets and a string of luxury homes. But given the tone of Sir Hugh's interim report, Misick might do well to flee the island for some country that does not have an extradition treaty with Britain. The British judge makes it clear that he expects senior politicians to stand trial."

Babylon Ruins (V)

Taken in Ancient Babylon, Iraq, on March 5, 2004.

JG - Maroons crash BBC taping - Not on sacred grounds, they say

Jamaica Gleaner

Maroons crash BBC taping - Not on sacred grounds, they say

Published: Sunday May 10, 2009

Paul H. Williams, Gleaner Writer


Patrons gather and wait for the festivities to begin under the Kinda tree in Accompong town, St Elizabeth, on Saturday January 6, 2006. The occasion was the 269th anniversary celebration to mark the signing of the peace treaty between the maroons and the British. The Kinda Tree is considered sacred. - File


A TENSE stand-off exists between Maroon leaders and a group of local community members over the taping of a British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) documentary on April 4.

Read the whole article here.

Snippet(s):

"Members of the community, led by Richard Robinson, the co-chair of the Full Council of Maroons, allegedly crashed the taping, destroying video equipment and utensils that were being used on the set to showcase Maroon traditional meat jerking. "

"While production was taking place, Robinson and president of the Accompong United
Youth and Sports Club got wind of the activities and proceeded to Kinda - the Maroon sacred site, with machete in hand. He halted the proceedings, as he was not interested in a financial 'negotiation' that was about to take place. "

&

"While some Maroons are upset with Robinson, he seems to have strong support from many residents who said the filming should not have gone on with or without permission, for monetary gains or not, as it would defile sacred Maroon grounds. Even if permission were granted to the BBC team, Robinson and his supporters said it was done without consultation with and approval of the Full Maroon Council as stipulated by The (2004) constitution of the Trelawny Town Maroons of the Sovereign State of Accompong.

Paragraph three of the constitution's preamble says, "The colonel shall not have the sole power and/or authority to enter into any agreement on behalf of the Trelawny Town Maroons of the Sovereign State of Accompong without the consent of the Full Council."

Paragraph four states, "It is customary and traditional that the colonel does not have the right to enter into any transactions or agreement on behalf of the Trelawny Town Maroons of the Sovereign State of Accompong without the approval of the council.""

_____

paul.williams@gleanerjm.com

CNA - China suspends express visa service for Americans

Channel News Asia

China suspends express visa service for Americans


Posted: 06 May 2009 1134 hrs

BEIJING: China said it had suspended expedited processing of visa applications by US citizens but declined comment on whether it was part of measures to prevent the H1N1 flu reaching Chinese shores.

Read the whole article here.

Snippet(s):

"A foreign ministry spokesman on Tuesday declined to answer when asked whether the measure was linked to the (A)H1N1 virus and whether China was making similar changes for applicants from other countries.

China has instituted tough measures to try to prevent the spread of the virus onto its soil, including quarantining some foreign visitors."

&

"A spokeswoman for the US embassy in Beijing told AFP that China had informed the United States of the change but said she was unaware of the reason."

JG - Thumbing your nose, Mrs Robinson?

From my archive of press clippings:

Jamaica Gleaner


Thumbing your nose, Mrs Robinson?

Published: Sunday April 12, 2009

For the first time since 1944, the integrity of the composition of our legislature, in particular, the legitimacy of the Government is seriously in question. That is a message that has been sent by the ruling of our Court of Appeal which is constitutionally empowered to adjudicate finally on these matters.

Read the whole article here.

Snippet(s):

"There can be no matter of greater importance to the manner in which we are to be governed than the composition of our Parliament and the qualification for membership of the Senate and the House of Representatives.

The provisions relating to these matters are of such substance that they are among the very few areas of our constitution which require the vote of the electorate in a national referendum for any change to be made. These provisions are what are referred to as being deeply entrenched."

WT - Visa issues ground Nats prospect

From my archive of press clippings:

Washington Times

Visa issues ground Nats prospect

Mark Zuckerman

Sunday, March 29, 2009

Peter Lockley / The Washington Times The prospect formerly known as Esmailyn Gonzalez — who's now Carlos Alvarez.


VIERA, Fla. The Dominican prospect who falsified his identity before signing with the Washington Nationals three years ago may not return to the United States this season.

Read the whole article here.

Snippet(s):

"Carlos Alvarez, the player formerly known as Esmailyn Gonzalez, remains in the Dominican Republic and has yet to secure a work visa that would allow him to enter the country. Nationals president Stan Kasten said there is still "a lot going on behind the scenes" but added the shortstop may not make it back in time for the season. "

&

"Gonzalez claimed to be 16 when the Nationals gave him a $1.4 million signing bonus in July 2006. An investigation headed by Major League Baseball determined Alvarez is four years older than he claimed."

Edinburgh Castle (VI)

Taken in Edinburgh, Scotland, on February 19, 2006.