THIS WEEK’S TOP NEWS STORIES
STUDENT WINS RIGHT TO FIGHT FOR DOCTORAL DEGREE FROM UWI
PhD student Suzette Curtello received a go-ahead from the Court of Appeals to continue her fight against the Board of Graduate Studies and Research at the University of the West Indies (UWI) Mona campus. UWI claims she needs to meet specific requirements to complete her degree. Ctttello asked the Court of Appeals to reinstate her request for judicial review of the decisions made by UWI that prevented her from being permitted to defend her thesis, which had been denied by the Supreme Court/ Curtello claims UWI insists she complete nine additional credits to finish her program and resubmit her thesis. She claims the credits were waived when she entered the program in 2007 due to her extensive science journal publications.
JAMAICAN EDUCATION MINISTER WANTS END TO CORPORAL PUNISHMENT
Ruel Reid, Jamaica’s Minister of Education, Youth and Information, is calling for a “cultural shift” that will eliminate the use of corporal punishment in Jamaica and throughout the Caribbean region. Reid believes it is because corporal punishment is entrenched in the culture that it continues to be a normal behavior in many families. He made his remarks at the closing ceremony of the 2nd Regional Caribbean Conference of the International Society for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect.
THIS WEEK’S TOP CARIBBEAN NEWS
CARICOM TO GRANT FREE MOVEMENT FOR MORE CATEGORIES OF WORKERS
More CARICOM nationals will be permitted to look for work in member states other than their home states under a new commitment by the organization’s leaders to implement free movement and a shared market. Under a new agreement, CARICOM members will expand the categories of workers to the skilled nationals able to move freely throughout the Single Market to agricultural workers, beauty service practitioners, barbers and security guards. Additionally, a skills certificate issued in one member state will be recognized in all member states.
THIS WEEK’S TOP JAMAICAN DIASPORA NEWS
RETURNEE ORGANIZATION TELLS JAMAICANS NOT TO RETURN HOME
The president of the Jamaica Association for the Resettlement of Returning residents, Percival LaTouche, has urged Jamaicans who have been living overseas not to return to their home island. According to LaTouche, it doesn’t make sense for Jamaicans who have spent decades overseas to return home only to face violence and crime. LaToughe, who lived in the United Kingdom for more than 30 years, made his remarks in response to the murder of a returning Jamaican-born resident, Karen Cleary, who was killed after her return to Jamaica following 20 years working in England.
THIS WEEK’S TOP BUSINESS NEWS SUMMARY
JAMAICA THE BIG WINNER AT WORLD TRAVEL AWARDS
Jamaica and Jamaican travel firms topped the list of winners at the World Travel Awards grand finale gala ceremony in Lisbon, Portugal. Jamaica won eight of the prestigious awards, including the World’s Leading Beach Destination and World’s Leading Cruise Destination for 2018. Responding to the awards, Edmund Bartlett, Jamaica’s Minister of Tourism, said he was proud to share the moment with John Lynch, chairman of the Jamaica Tourist Board, and noted that the awards show that Jamaica’s tourism product is of “the highest quality” and is favored by millions of visitors.
THIS WEEK’S TOP ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT NEWS
DALTON HARRIS CHOSEN GLOBAL AMBASSADOR FOR DIGICEL RISING STARS
The sponsors of the local Jamaican talent show “Rising Stars,” Digicel, has named Dalton Harris, the 2018 winner of the X Factor UK, as its global ambassador. Citing the singer’s ability to win the hearts and minds of the international television audience of the X Factor UK, the firm stated that Harris had proven himself to be a fine Jamaican musical talent and an example to others with the characteristics required to represent Rising Stars around the world.
THIS WEEK’S TOP SPORTS NEWS
SELECTION OF JAMAICA REFEREES SHOWS STRENGTH OF WOMEN’S FOOTBALL
Jamaican referees Princess Brown and Stephanie-Dale Yee Sing have made history by becoming the first female referees from the Caribbean to officiate at a FIFA World Cup final. The due fulfilled their durries in the Under-17 Women’s deciding match between Span and Mexico in Uruguay. The performance of the two women illustrated how strong the women’s football program is in Jamaica, and Yee Sing and Brown were selected for the short list for the Senior Women’s World Cup slated for France in 2019.
