THIS WEEK’S TOP NEWS STORIES
ACTION FROM HOLNESS ON CORRUPTION DEMANDED BY PNP
The Opposition People’s National Party (PNP) is demanding that Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness take strong action to fight corruption. Over 30 bus-loads of protesters came to Mandela Park to discuss the corruption scandals in the current administration. The PNP Opposition leader Dr. Peter Phillips headed the protest. Among the protesters was Heather Robinson, former member of parliament, who said the main demand is that Holness explain to Jamaica why he has not filed his Integrity Report in the appropriate manner.
JAMAICA’S MINIMUM WAGE COMMISSION SEEKS PUBLIC INPUT
The National Minimum Wage Commission in Jamaica plans to consult with the public in regard to the minimum wage. According to Shahine Robinson, Minister of Labor and Society Security, the action is being taken in response to the Government considering the advice of the Commission in 2018 to raise the National Minimum Wage by 12.9 percent. The amount represents the highest increase every approved. Robinson emphasized that the review of the wage is ongoing, and the public will continue to be engaged in consultation with the Commission as it makes further recommendations tor wage adjustments.
THIS WEEK’S TOP CARIBBEAN NEWS
PETER JAMADAR OF TRINIDAD NAMED NEWEST JUDGE ON CARIBBEAN COURT OF JUSTICE
The jurist Peter Jamadar of Trinidad is set to become the newest judge on the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ). He will serve from July 15, 2019, and succeed Justice David Hayton, who is retiring after 14 years on the bench. The appointment of Jamadar was announced following his swearing-in by Trinidad’s president Paula Mae-Weekes. Jamadar said he was honored and proud to be named to the Court and considers it the “pinnacle achievement” for a legal practitioner in the Caribbean.
THIS WEEK’S TOP JAMAICAN DIASPORA NEWS
JAMAICAN DIASPORA COUPLE CREATE CHILDREN’S BOOK BASED ON SIGN LANGUAGE
Jamaicans Robert Elliot and Danielle Jeffrey-Elliot are the co-authors of book designed to inspire and motivate children from an early age. The book is called ‘Zuri and Xavi Little Learners: A to Z – An Inspirational Alphabet Book’. They were prompted to create the book after discovering a lack of positive content in the Diaspora for children. The book is also meant to foster knowledge and confidence and to help children learn the letters of the alphabet to build a vocabulary using words and images. Developed for infants and toddlers, the book hopes to give them the ability to communicate before they learn to talk.
THIS WEEK’S TOP BUSINESS NEWS
DIGICEL JAMAICAN NAMES FIRST WOMAN CEO
Digicel Jamaica has appointed its first female CEO. Alison Cole-Philbert will replace Justin Morin, who was the first Jamaican CEO of the firm’s operations on the island. He has severed in this role since 2017. Cole-Philbert has more than 20 years of experience in the telecommunications industry and will take charge of the company’s new digital strategy. She has served in senior roles at the American telecom firm Verizon including a in the position of Vice President of Regional Operations New England from 2012 t9 2017. The new CEO has BS and MS degrees from George Washington University as well as an MBA from Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business.
THIS WEEK’S TOP ARTS & ENTERTAIINMENT NEWS
JAMAICAN ENTREPRENEURS JOIN ONLINE STREAMING MARKET
A group of Jamaican entrepreneurs wants to gain a portion of the lucrative online film and television streaming market. CaribFlix TV and Vueture are looking to tap the global audience that is accustomed to services like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video. David Wilson and Vueture Entertainment, which was the idea of Twain Richardson, have created their own streaming services specifically focused on Caribbean content. Their target audience is the Diaspora. Wilson, who had a “soft launch” off the CaribFlix platform in November 2017.
THIS WEEK’S TOP SPORTS NEWS
CEDELLA MARLEY CONCERNED ABOUT JFF HANDLING OF FUNDS
Cedella Marley, major patron of the Reggae Girlz national team, has raised concerns about how the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) handled funds. She also condemned the HFF citing its refusal to allow sponsorship funds to be paid directly to vendors for a pre-Pan Am Games training camp for the football team. Marley and other sponsors have raised US$42,000 for the training camp. Marley reports that her charity organization has raised a total of some US$400,000 to help the national women’s team qualify and participate in the FIFA World Cup. There is no account of how that money was spent, she says, and she wants an audit before committing more money directly to the JFF.
