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THIS WEEK’S TOP NEWS   STORIES
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SIMPSON MILLER CONCERNED ABOUT NEW VOTERS, SAYS HOLNESS—11/23/15
Andrew Holness, head of the Jamaica Labor Party (JLP), believes that Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller is worried about the impact that thousands of new, young voters will have on the outcome of the general election. Holness said that Simpson Miller knows she “is in trouble” and is having a hard time setting a date for the election. Holness says she is “afraid of the young people” who are registering in large numbers.

FORMER JAMAICAN WORLD BOXING CHAMPION SHOT AND KILLED IN U.S.—11/26/15
O’Neil “Supernova” Bell, 40, a former world boxing champion from Jamaica, was killed during a robbery as he got off a public transit bus in Atlanta, Georgia. His body was found in the street by a police officer; another man in the area had also been shot, but survived the attack. Born in Jamaica, Bell was the cruiserweight champion in 2006 and won titles from the World boxing Council, World Boxing Association, and International Boxing Federation. He achieved a total of 27 victors, four losses, and one draw. Twenty-five of his wins were by knock-out. Bell found his last fight in 2011.

JAMAICAN PARLIAMENT PROPOSES NATIONAL ELECTION CAMPAIGN FUND—11/27/15
Jamaica’s legislators are considering a bill that would establish a National Election Campaign Fund. The fund would allow individuals to donate money marked for the nation’s electoral process. The proposal represents one of the recommendations for changes to the Representation of the People (Amendment) Act of 2015. This Act addresses the issue of campaign financing reform on the island. According to Phillips Paulwell, Minister of Science, Technology, Energy and Mining, the fund would make room for donors who are not comfortable making direct contributions to a political party. The fund would also be able to accept donations from “legal and natural persons” and Jamaicans in the Diaspora.

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THIS WEEK’S TOP JAMAICAN DIASPORA NEWS
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AMERICAN CONGRESSWOMAN NOTES IMPACT OF JAMAICANS ON U.S.—11/22/15
According to United States Congresswoman Yvette Clarke, many Americans with Jamaican roots are impacting various sectors of the American economy. Clarke, herself of Jamaican descent, said the achievements of the Jamaican Diaspora in the U.S. have created a pathway for the island nation to become a leader in U.S.-Caribbean relations. Clarke noted the accomplishments of Jamaicans in the Diaspora in areas including politics, entertainment, business, and sports. These people act as ambassadors for Jamaica and make the relationship between the two countries stronger.

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THIS WEEK’S TOP BUSINESS NEWS SUMMARY
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BOLT PROMOTES HIGH-SPEED INTERNET SERVICE IN SOUTH AFRICA—11/23/15
The world’s fastest man, champion sprinter Usain Bolt of Jamaica, is partnering with Telkom, a national telecommunications company in South Africa, to promote the firm’s fiber technology. The technology makes high-speed internet connections possible in the country. It is not known how much the Jamaican super sports star will be paid for his presence in the promotion campaign, but Telkom said he is the perfect representative for the launch of their fiber-optic network. With Bolt as the spokesperson, it is expected that the public will link the speed of Bolt as a runner with the network’s internet access speed.

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THIS WEEK’S TOP ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT NEWS
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MAXI PRIEST RECOGNIZED BY CARIBBEAN STUDIES INSTITUTE—11/22/15
Maxi Priest was among the Jamaicans receiving recognition from the Institute of Caribbean Studies (ICS in Washington D.C. Three Jamaicans were selected, along with five other Caribbean-Americans, to receive the highest honors at the Caribbean American Heritage Awards Gala on November 30, 2015. Along with Maxi Priest, who was given the Luminary award for his contributions to reggae music, were Beverly East, who received the Forerunner award for her work in document forensics, a field typically dominated by males. Also receiving recognition was Jamaica’s Michael Thompson, a graphic designer who received the Outstanding Community Service award for starting the International Reggae Poster Contest.

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THIS WEEK’S TOP SPORTS NEWS
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FRASER-PRYCE, BOLT WIN CASJA SPORTS AWARDS—11/24/15
Jamaica’s Usain Bolt and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, both Olympic sprint champions, received most of the awards at the second annual Caribbean Sports Awards ceremony sponsored by the Caribbean Sports Journalists’ Association (CASJA). Bolt was the unanimous choice for Sportsman of the Year, while Fraser-Pryce received the title of Sportswoman of the Year from among 10 other nominees.