CARIBBEAN GOVERNMENTS HURTING TOURISM WITH SUPPORT OF JAPAN—03/14/10
Several governments in the Caribbean are damaging a sustainable tourism industry by continuing to support Japan’s activities in killing whales. A number of International Whaling Commission countries have considered a recommendation that Japan, Iceland, and Norway receive permission to hunt whales in spite of the 1986 moratorium on commercial whaling.

JONES-FERRETTE READY TO WIN WORLD INDOOR SPRINT TITLE—03/15/10
LaVerne Jones-Ferrette, the favorite to win the women’s 60-meters at the IAAF World Indoor Championships, went into the final with the fastest time. Jones-Ferrette, the U.S. Virgin Islands’ national record holder and woman with the fastest time this season at 6.97 seconds, ran a fast 7.05 seconds.

CARIBBEAN-AMERICAN ADVOCACY GROUP TO LAUNCH IN JERSEY CITY—03/16/10
A new advocacy organization, Caribbean One, has decided to launch its activities at the same time as the U.S. 2010 Census. The group, which is based in Jersey City, New Jersey, will take on as its first task the distribution of information encouraging people in the Caribbean-American community to fill out the census forms and include their Caribbean background as part of the census data.

JOURNALIST KILLING IN HONDURAS SPARKS PROTEST—03/17/10
Dozens of journalists demonstrated in the streets of northern Honduras as a protest against attacks on their colleagues. Gunmen shot and killed a television journalist as he drove home, the third such killing in a two-week period. It was not clear if the killing of Nahum Palacios, the director of a television station in Tocoa near the Caribbean coast, was related to his work. His car was riddled with 42 bullet holes.

CARIBBEAN GROUPS URGE FILLING IN RACE ON CENSUS FORM—03/18/10
CaribLifeCentral.com and Caribbean One are two of several groups that have joined the Carib ID movement, which was formed to make sure that Caribbean nationals are counted in the U.S. 2010 Census. The groups are encouraging Caribbean nationals to write in their country of origin in the “Some Other Race” section of the census form.

WOMEN SURVIVORS OF HAITI EARTHQUAKE NOW FEAR RAPE—03/19/10
For the women and girls who are fighting to survive in the damage and destruction is left in Haiti following the January 2010 earthquake, rape is their new fear. The women and children, some as young as two years old, are becoming victims of rapists in the tent cities where they now live. Survivors of the quake are increasingly terrorized by violence, with rapes becoming more common.

AIR CANADA WILL EXPAND SERVICE TO JAMAICA—03/16/10
Air Canada has announced that it will make significant increases to its service from Toronto to Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston. Beginning in May 2010, the airline will double the number of weekly flights to the capital and use larger aircraft on specific days. The airline will provide special introductory fares as low as $149 each way. Air Canada has served Jamaica for 62 years.

BUREAU HONORS JAMAICAN WOMEN—03/17/10
The Bureau of Women’s Affairs (BWA) has recognized Olivia “Babsey” Grange and Portia Simpson Miller for their achievements in fulfilling the charge for women’s rights in their work as ministers responsible for women’s affairs. The honors represent part of the celebration of the Inter-American Year of Women.

GAY JAMAICAN CHRISTIANS MUST WORSHIP “UNDERGROUND”—03/18/10
Gay, bisexual, transgender, and lesbian Christians in Jamaica must congregate in hidden and secluded places for their Sunday worship. They await calls that inform them at the last minute of where they will be able to hold their Christian service each week. They must worship in a different place each week because there is too high a risk if it is discovered they are queer.

CHRISTIE INVESTIGATES GOVERNMENT LINKS TO MANATT AGREEMENT—03/19/10
Jamaica’s Contractor General Greg Christie is looking into the government’s involvement with Manatt, an American law firm. Questions have arisen about the issue, and Christie will examine documents posted on the U.S. Justice Department website concerning the alleged agreement. Prime Minister Bruce Golding has said that his government has not engaged any law firm in connection with any extradition matter.

The Jamaican News is provided by: Jamaicans.com