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THIS WEEK’S TOP NEWS STORIES
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JAMAICAN GOVERNMENT, CONCACAF, FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION HONOR BURELL
David John-Williams, president of the T&T Football Association, expressed “heartfelt condolences” on behalf of the organization on the passing of Captain Horace Burrell, Jamaican football president. Burrell died in the United States where he had been undergoing treatment at Johns Hopkins Cancer Treatment Center in Baltimore, Maryland. John-Williams said his organization was saddened and shocked to hear of Burrell’s passing, noting that his enthusiasm for football was “admirable.” T&T had a long relationship with Captain Burrell and shared his vision for taking the game to new levels in the region. CONCACAF also honored the late Jamaican with tributes. Burrell was senior vice president on CONCACAF’s executive and was on the disciplinary committee of FIFA, the world governing body of football. A statement from CONCACAF said Burrell’s commitment and vision for the sport of football created a strong legacy for the game in the Caribbean. Jamaica’s Prime Minister Andrew Holness said that Burrell’s passing is a loss to many communities in the area and leaves a gap in the national football program.

JAMAICA ENVIRONMENT TRUST CONCERNED ABOUT DOLPHIN HEAD SAND MINING
The Jamaica Environment Trust (JET) is working with the Duncan’s Bay Citizen’s Association in Trelawny to make improvements in the management of local beaches. JET has noted that there are problems with legal and illegal sand mining in the area, as well as with garbage pollution and beach vegetation clearance. JET has been communicating with the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) about these issues for two years. JET has objected to the lack of notice given to interested parties in regard to new sand mining operations by the Duncan’s Bay Development Company, The board of the Natural Resources Conservation Authority (NRCA) turned down this sand mining application, but it was allowed on appeal to the Prime Minister. JET does not understand how it was approved as NEPA provided evidence that the area is used by sea turtles protected under Jamaican law.

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THIS WEEK’S TOP CARIBBEAN NEWS
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EUROPEAN FUNDING PROVIDED FOR ELEVEN PROJECTS IN CARIBBEAN
The list of 11 Caribbean projects eligible for European funding under the Interreg Caribbean Program 2014-2020 has been issued. The projects include the creation of a trade facilitation team to improve knowledge about financing solutions in the Caribbean; development of an action plan to make cooperation easier between air transport operators in partnership with Antigua, Dominica, St Maarten and LIAT; identification and promotion of medicinal plants in the Caribbean in partnership with Belize, Cuba, Curacao, Dominica and Puerto Rico; support for cocoa farmers in partnership with Haiti; installation of a weather radar station in St. Maarten; development of an earth/ocean geophysical observatory together with Haiti, Cuba and the University of the West Indies; development of a network of fortifications in the region with Antigua, Cuba, Haiti, Puerto Rico, St Kitts and St Eustatius; the networking of protected marine regions dedicated to conserving marine mammals in the Greater Caribbean; creation of a global network of pop and traditional music of the region; development of internet exchange points in partnership with St. Maarten and Trinidad; and the development of a 3D mobility project in partnership with the University of Trinidad and Tobago. The total budget for the projects is 85.7 million euros.

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THIS WEEK’S TOP JAMAICAN DIASPORA NEWS
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LOCAL PRODUCTS AND SERVICES SHOWCASED IN DIASPORA MARKETPLACE
There will be a Diaspora Marketplace at the Jamaica 55 Diaspora Conference in Kingston from July 23, to 27, 2017. Earl Jarrett, chairman of the Jamaica Diaspora Conference 2017, stated that the marketplace will operate throughout the conference and provide active business interactions. There will be space for micro, small and midsized enterprises to showcase and sell their products and services. The marketplace is already 70 percent filled, with many sponsors booking spaces, including GraceKennedy, J. Wray & Nephew, Jamaica National Group, Victoria Mutual, and National Baking Company. One feature of the marketplace will be electronic boards on which business providers can publicize their products and messages.

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THIS WEEK’S TOP BUSINESS NEWS SUMMARY
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JAMAICA COMMITS TO DEVELOPING RULES FOR DEEP SEABED MINING
According to Senator Kamina Johnson Smith, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Jamaica is still committed to creating rules to protect the environment associated with deep seabed mining. The Minister’s remarks were made at a United Nations forum in New York and called for continuing vigilance in addressing priority issues to support the implementation of UN Sustainable Development Goal 14, which is designed to protect the oceans, seas and marine resources so they may be used in a sustainable way.

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THIS WEEK’S TOP ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT NEWS

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DOCUMENTARY ON JAMAICAN DANCEHALL TO DEBUT IN UNITED KINGDOM
Cori McKenna, a filmmaker from New York, will screen her female-focused documentary on Jamaican dancehall called “Bruk Out!” at the Sheffield Doc/Fest in the United Kingdom on the weekend of June 10, 2017. The film examines the world of Jamaican dancehall culture from the point of view of dancehall queens. Their performances, which have been criticized as aggressively sexual, transformed Jamaican street dance into an international phenomenon. The documentary follows six dancehall queens from around the world as they prepare to compete for the biggest prize in all of dancehall. The film features commentary by dancehall stars like Beenie Man, Major Lazer, Elephant Man, Tifa, Voicemail, Konshens, Ding Dong, and Mr Vegas, as well as Jamaican dancehall queens Mad Michelle, Latonya Style and Queen Latesha,

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THIS WEEK’S TOP SPORTS NEWS
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BOLT PLANS TO RUN THE 100 METERS AT GOLDEN SPIKE COMPETITION
Jamaica’s sprint champion Usain Bolt is scheduled to run in the 100-meter race at the Golden Spike competition in Ostrava, Czechoslovakia, on June 28, 2017. This will be Bolt’s first European race before the World Championships in August. Bolt has confirmed that he was prepared to race, according to Miroslav Cernosek, head of the TK Plus agency. The appearance at the Golden Spike will be Bolt’s ninth and last at the event. Bolt, 30, has said he will retire from global competition after London’s World Championships.