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THIS WEEK’S TOP NEWS   STORIES
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BROWN SAYS OVERSEAS JAMAICANS MAY YET GET VOTE—06/14/15
According to Arlando Brown, Jamaica’s state minister in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, the issue of giving Jamaicans living overseas a vote in national matters “is not dead.” While he noted that the idea must be subject to further discussion to find the “best possible decision,” it is not an issue that the government is dismissing altogether.

75TH ANNIVERSARY OF MARCUS GARVEY DEATH MARKED IN U.S.—06/15/15
The 75th anniversary of the date of Marcus Garvey’s death was marked during a ceremony at the Jamaican Embassy in Washington D.C. The ceremony commemorating the Jamaican national hero was co-hosted by the Universal Negro Improvement Association and African Communities League and the Jamaican Embassy. Featured presentations at the ceremony concerned the pardon of Marcus Garvey in the United States and his lasting legacy in Africa, the Caribbean, North and South America, and throughout the world. Ambassador Stephen Vasciannie described the legal and policy matters associated with trying to clear Garvey’s name.

ALLEN PRAISES WORK OF CHILD ADVOCATES—06/18/15
Sir Patrick Allen, the Governor General of Jamaica, offered high praise for public agencies working to protect the rights of Jamaican children. He also called on citizens and religious leaders to strengthen their efforts in this area. Allen noted the distress experienced by all Jamaicans as a result of the violence perpetrated on the nation’s children and young people.

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THIS WEEK’S TOP JAMAICAN DIASPORA NEWS
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PRIME MINISTER SAYS DIASPORA MEMBERS SHOULD BE AMBASSADORS—06/16 /15
Speaking at the Sixth Biennial Jamaica Diaspora Conference in Montego Bay, the country’s Prime Minister, Portia Simpson Miller, called on all members of the Diaspora to act as ambassadors for their home island. She noted their influence in promoting Jamaica as a brand throughout the world and noted that all Jamaicans must protect the standards, values and resources of Jamaica to ensure that the country’s cultural contributions are esteemed worldwide.

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THIS WEEK’S TOP BUSINESS NEWS SUMMARY
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RUSSIA WILL SUPPORT JAMAICAN AGRICULTURE, ENVIRONMENT—06/19/15
Russia’s government has promised to help Jamaica in the agricultural and environmental sectors. According to Phillip Paulwell, Jamaica’s Minister of Science, Technology, Energy and Mining, meetings between representatives of the two nations are focused on strengthening ties between them in specific areas. During the St Petersburg International Economic Forum in Moscow at which Paulwell represented Jamaica, Russian Agriculture Minister Alexander Tkachov pledged to provide assistance with restoring bauxite lands and sharing technology to foster exports of livestock and food crops from Jamaica to Russia.

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THIS WEEK’S TOP ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT NEWS
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JAMAICAN SINGER REACHES TOP 10 OF BILLBOARD RANKINGS IN U.S.—06/18/15
Omi, noted Jamaican singer, has reached the Top Ten in the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart rankings in the United States. He is the seventh artiste from Jamaica to achieve this standing. A remix of Omi’s 2012 single, Cheerleader, rose from Number 11 to Number 7, being in its eighth week on the main Billboard singles list. This is its 12th week on Billboard’s Digital Reggae Singles chart. Cheerleader has sold more than 641,000 copies in the U.S. and been certified “gold.”

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THIS WEEK’S TOP SPORTS NEWS
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BOLT WINS 200 METER RACE, JUST BARELY—06/14/15
Jamaican Olympic sprint champion Usain Bolt took the top spot in the 200 meter competition at the Adidas Grand Prix in New York, in a race that has been characterized as his “worst turn ever.” A strong headwind was a contributing factor, as Bolt barely won the race with a time of 20.29 seconds. Bolt has expressed his discouragement at his season “not going so smoothly” so far in 2015. Bolt set world records in the 100-meter and 200-meter competitions at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.