THIS WEEK’S TOP NEWS STORIES
JAMAICA RANKS NUMBER 8 ON INDEX OF GLOBAL PRESS FREEDOM
On the World Press Freedom Index for 2019, which was compiled by the organization Reporters Without Borders, Jamaica was ranked eighth out of 180 countries included in the study. Thirteen Caribbean countries were listed on the index. In reaching its decision, the organization noted that there had been no serious act of violence or threat of violence to media freedom in Jamaica since 2009. Norway was at the top of the Press Freedom Index in 2019 for the third year in a row.
BARTLETT NAMED ADVISOR TO TRAVEL WRITERS GROUP
Edmund Bartlett, Jamaica’s Minister of Tourism, accepted an invitation to become an advisor to the Pacific Area Travel Writers Association (PATWA)., an international travel writers organization. PATWA’s Secretary General Sagur Ahluwalia made the invitation to Bartlett, citing the benefits that the Minister’s “rich experience” would bring to the group. In accepting the invitation, Bartlett said it will be an honor to advise the prestigious organization and that he hopes sharing his ideas will have a positive effect on the growth of tourism in the region and around the world.
THIS WEEK’S TOP CARIBBEAN NEWS
YACHT SERVICES ASSOCIATION OF T&T TO ADDRESS REPORT OF PIRATE ATTACK
The Yacht Services Association of Trinidad and Tobago (YSATT) plans to discuss a reported pirate attack with the Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard (TTCG).. According to Tommy Johnson, president of YSATT, the attack occurred on the northeaster part of the Hibiscus platform on the morning of Sunday, April 14, 2019. It is believed the incident involved eight men of Venezuelan nationality who tried to board a vessel. Although shots were fired, no injuries were reported as the vessel evaded the attempted piracy.
THIS WEEK’S TOP JAMAICAN DIASPORA NEWS
UK JAMAICANS WELCOME WINDRUSH COMPENSATION PLANS
Jamaicans and the Jamaican government have welcomed plans by Britain to offer compensation to the thousands of individuals from the Caribbean -most of them being Jamaican nationals – who have suffered under the UK’s current immigration system, which has deported legal residents by force back to Jamaica because they had been misclassified as illegal residents. The Windrush Generation refers to Caribbean nationals who were transported to the UK in 1948 to help rebuild the country after World War II. Many of these people, who were assured legal residency and who have lived there since then, did not bother to verify their immigration status or understand UK immigration policies until they changed dramatically in the 1980s.
THIS WEEK’S TOP BUSINESS NEWS SUMMARY
8,000-ROOM PROJECT IN TRELAWNY RAISES ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS
Environmentalists are concerned about plans to build an 8,000-room hotel in Stewart Castle, Trelawny, There are concerns that the Amaterra Group, which is the developer on the project, obtained the permits to go ahead on the basis of environmental impact statements performed in 2005. According to Suzanne Stanley, CEO of the Jamaica Environment Trust, believes the environmental assessments are outdated and that another assessment should be performed before construction begins.
THIS WEEK’S TOP ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT NEWS
BUNNY WAILER CELEBRATES BIRTHDAY IN KINGSTON
Reggae icon Bunny Wailer celebrated his 72nd birthday in Kingston at Rebel T International HQ on April 13, 2019, although he was actually born on Aril 10, with family and friends surrounding him. Wailer is the sole surviving member of the three most famous Wailer musicians. The celebration was headed by Abijah Asadenaki’ Livingston, his only son. The birthday celebration was themed “Rootsman Skankin’,” which referred to the name of Bunny Wailer’s first dancehall-style album of 1987. The sounds for the party were provided by Rebel T International and High Vibes sound system that spun classic tracks from the extensive catalog of Wailer’s music and the music of his contemporaries.
THIS WEEK’S TOP SPORTS NEWS
JAMAICA’S 80-MEMBER CARIFTA TEAM DISPLAYS HIGH CONFIDENCE
The 80 Jamaican athletes who comprise the nation’s representatives to the CARIFTA Championship left for the Cayman Islands on April 18, 2019, confident of their ability to defend a title they’ve held for several consecutive years. The team includes experienced juniors and first-time competitors chosen after the CARIFTA Trials at National Stadiu, which were held a week earlier. The team is highly motivated and expects to win more medals at this year’s competition than the 82 they won in 2018.
