THIS WEEK’S TOP NEWS STORIES
JAMAICAN GOVERNMENT APPROVES PREMIER LEAGUE FOOTBALL RETURN
Desmond McKenzie, Jamaica’s Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, announced that the Jamaica Premier League football has been given approval to return after over a year in lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Authorities are also considering the return proposals of other sporting bodies and competition. The decision to reopen local football followed months of discussion and planning between Premier Football Jamaica Limited and the government to ensure efficient prevention and management of COVID-19 in all aspects of club competition, including the health and safety of the players, referees, and administrators. Charles emphasized that climate change represents a danger to the economic base of Jamaica.
THIS WEEK’S TOP CARIBBEAN NEWS
DUTCH CARIBBEAN ISLAND OFFICIALLY OPENS TO TOURISM
Saba, an island in the Dutch Caribbean, opened for tourism on May 1, 2021, lifting its COVID-19 quarantine requirements for fully vaccinated travelers. The move came after a vaccination drive in Saba that resulted in the vaccination of over 85 percent of the island’s population. Several resorts in Saba took advantage of the pandemic to expand and renovate their facilities and are now ready to welcomes to one of the safest post-COVID destinations. There are also new ways to reach Saba, including regular service on Winair and a new charter flight on SXM Airways.
THIS WEEK’S TOP JAMAICAN DIASPORA NEWS
SPECIAL INVESTMENT ENVOY FOR JAMAICA APPOINTED TO FOUR AFRICAN STATES
The Jamaican government has appointed Marjorie Grant Fuller to the post of Ambassador/Special Envoy to Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa, and Togo. Jamaican-born Grant Fuller is a member of the Jamaican Diaspora in the United States. She was appointed for a duration of two years on March 1, 2021. Her appointment was announced by Senator Kamina Johnson Smith, Jamaica’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade. The position represents another step by Jamaica to enhance its outreach to Africa and to find specific opportunities for trade and investment enhancements that will support Jamaica’s economic development.
THIS WEEK’S TOP BUSINESS NEWS
FIRST AUTOMATED CAR WASH OPENS IN JAMAICA
Total Jamaica, a multi-energy company, officially opened the first automated car wash in the country in St. Catherine. Total Wash is an eco-friendly enterprise that reclaims wastewater via septic tanks that will result in water savings of as much as 80 percent. Engineering manager Kamala Johnson said that all the detergents used at Total Wash are 100-percent biodegradable, and all water is treated at the site before it is disposed of to ensure there is no contamination of the aquifer. Total, with some 75 gas stations on the island, is one of the largest retailers in Jamaica.
THIS WEEK’S TOP ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT NEWS
INTERNATIONAL REGGAE AND WORLD MUSIC AWARDS SHOW SET FOR MAY 16, 2021
The 2021 virtual staging of the International Reggae and World Music Awards (IRAWMA) will be hosted by Grammy award winning reggae artist Gramps Morgan and dancehall performer D’Angel on May 16, 2021. This will be the event’s 36th year in operation. Awards will be presented in 33 categories. Ephraim Morgan, the creator of the IRAWMA awards, said the show will include performances Shatta Wale, Master KG and Nomcebo. Reggae acts Ziggy Marley and Papa Michigan will perform a tribute to the genre’s foundation artists who have died in the past year. The list of nominees is topped by Buju Banton who has a total of 10 nominations, including Marcus Garvey Humanitarian Award; Best Caribbean Entertainer; Best Music Video; Best Collaborated Song; Best Dancehall Stagecraft Entertainer; U-Roy Award for Best Male Dancehall Artiste; Toots Hibbert Award for Best Album; Gregory Isaacs Award for Best Song; Peter Tosh Award for Recording Artiste of the Year; and the Emperor of Reggae and World Music Bob Marley Award for Entertainer of the Year. Other multiple nominees include Koffee and Popcaan, Protojer, Bounty Killer, Tarrus Riley, Gramps Morgan, Beenie Man, Sevana, Shenseea, Skip Marley, Sizzla, Lila Ike, Rvssian, The Wailers, Spice, Agent Sasco, and Capelton. The awards show will air on the IRAWMA website and YouTube page, as well as OnStage TV, and the Public Broadcasting Corporation of Jamaica, (PBCJ).
THIS WEEK’S TOP SPORTS NEWS
JAMAICAN DIVER YONA KNIGHT-WISDOM QUALIFIES FOR 2021 SUMMER OLYMPICS IN TOKYO
Diver Yona Knight-Wisdom, who was born in the United Kingdom but competes for Jamaica, has qualified to participate in the 2021 Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan. He finished 13th overall in the 3-meter springboard event at the 2021 Diving World Cup in Japan, ensuring his participation at the Olympic Games with a score of 405.20 points. This will be the second appearance at the Olympics for Knight-Wisdom, 25, who competed at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.
