THIS WEEK’S TOP NEWS STORIES
HOLNESS TO MAKE SPECIAL PRESENTATION AT G7 SUMMIT IN CANADA
Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness was invited by Justin Trudeau, the Prime Minister of Canada, to make a special presentation to the global leaders attending the Outreach Session of the G7 Summit in Quebec, Canada. The historic special invitation from Trudeau makes him the first Jamaican Prime Minister to speak at the Summit, which will focus on building resilient coasts and communities, ocean science, and sustainability of oceans and fisheries. The G7 is a group countries with advanced economics and includes Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States.
JAMAICAN GOVERNMENT SEEKS WAIVER OF SANCTIONS ON UC RUSAL
Jamaica’s government plans intensive discussions with the United States Treasury Department concerning a waiver for Jamaica in an attempt to address consequences from US sanctions imposed on UC Rusal, a Russian-owned bauxite firm. According to Robert Montague, Mining Minister, the discussions are progressing in a positive way, but there are no guarantees of results to date. The sanctions, which were announced in April 2018, will impact operations at the Windaico Plant in Ewarton as they freeze the assets of seven Russian oligarchs and 12 companies they own or control. The Ministry is working with the Jamaica Bauxite Institute and the Ministry of Finance, among other stakeholders, to prepare for any contingencies arising from the sanctions.
THIS WEEK’S TOP CARIBBEAN NEWS
MARINE LIFE AT RISK AS SEAWEED THREATENS TOURISM IN CARIBBEAN
Sea turtles and other marine life were threatened when a strange outbreak of Sargassum, a brown seaweed, massed off the shores of Barbados on June 4, 2018. Many sea turtles were rescued from the heavy, foul-smelling, thick, brown layers of seaweed, but others, along with baby dolphins, were found deaf, according to the Barbados Sea Turtle Project. A similar incident occurred in 2015 and killed hundreds of eels, crabs, and fish. Continuing incidents of seaweed inundation could threaten popular vacation spots and have a negative impact on Caribbean tourism. Sargassum is a brown algae species that usually floats on the surface of the North Atlantic Ocean, but have recently been found in the waters between Africa and northeastern South America. The outbreaks may be related to ocean currents, sea temperature, patterns of rainfall, hurricanes, and nutrient levels.
THIS WEEK’S TOP JAMAICAN DIASPORA NEWS
JAMAICAN NURSES WILL JOIN TRAINING PROGRAMS IN CHINA, UK
Eighteen nurses and five supervisors/educators from Jamaica will participate in a Nurses Training Exchange Program in the People’s Republic of China. Another group will go to the United Kingdom to participate in a similar training program there in early 2019. Dr. Christopher Tufton, Jamaica’s Health Minister, announced the training program on June 5, 2019. According to Tufton, the program participation were the result of bilateral agreements with the governments of Jamaica, the UK and China. The programs will allow Jamaican nurses to access hospital facilities in both countries.
THIS WEEK’S TOP BUSINESS NEWS SUMMARY
MINISTRY OF HEALTH ESTABLISHES MEDICAL CANNABIS UNIT
Jamaica’s Ministry of Health has created a Medicinal Cannabis Unit. This represents part of the measures designed to facilitate the medical marijuana industry in Jamaica. According to the Ministry, permits for products made locally can be obtained from the Cannabis Licensing Authority and Pharmacy Council. Lacking permits, companies that supply registered products have no choice but to import them for distribution locally. The new unit has registered some 61 medicinal cannabis product to date.
THIS WEEK’S TOP ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT NEWS
STORY OF BOB MARLEY;S LIFE TO BECOME HOLLYWOOD FILM
Paramount Pictures in Hollywood is set to make a film on the life of Jamaican Bob Marley, the iconic reggae musician who introduced the genre to the world. Marley died in 1981 at the age of 36. No details were released about the film, but according to Deadline Hollywood, Ziggy Marley, Bob Marley’s son and a successful reggae artist in his own right, is heading its production plans. Concert films and documentaries have extensively covered the legendary musician, most notably the film “Marley” directed in 2012 by Kevin Macdonald. This film combined archival footage with interviews. As Marley has become beloved by audiences around the world, the production company acknowledges that any biographical film is like to receive considerable scrutiny both in Marley’s home of Jamaica and overseas.
THIS WEEK’S TOP SPORTS NEWS
JAMAICA TO HOST FINALS OF 2018 CONCACAF CARIBBEAN WOMEN’S QUALIFIERS
Jamaica will be the host country for the final round of the CONCACAF Caribbean Women’s Qualifiers in 2018. The finals will run from August 25 through September 2, 2018, and will be played in a round-robin format. Three teams will qualify to the Women’s Championship, which will be held in the United States. Participants will include the group winners of the first-round :Antigua and Barbuda, Bermuda, Cuba, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago. Jamaican will start their qualification attempt versus Antigua at National Stadium on August 25, and then face Bermuda on August 27. The Reggae Girlz will then play Trinidad on August 31 finish against Cuba on September 2. The CONCACAF Women’s Championship is scheduled for October 4 through 17, 2018. Three teams will then move on to the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup in France.
