THIS WEEK’S TOP NEWS STORIES
JAMAICAN GOVERNMENT CONSIERS INTERGENERATIONAL MORTGAGES
Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness said his government is considering the introduction of an intergenerational or 60-year mortgage program. The program would be offered through the National Housing Trust (NHT(. Holness made his announcement at the NHT’s groundbreaking ceremony for Friendship Oaks in St. Elizabeth. The proposed program would permit older Jamaicans to access a mortgage while having it carried on by a member of their family. The proposal is part of an effort by the government to ensure that all Jamaicans have access to mortgage benefits from the NHT.
HOLNESS PROMOTES SPANISH AS SECOND LANGUAGE FOR JAMAICANS
Prime Minister Andrew Holness of Jamaica believes that stronger “bilateral cooperation” with Spain would result if more Jamaicans learned Spanish as a second language. To this end, the government is thinking about officially adopting Spanish as its second language. Jamaica has seen an increase in the number of Spanish investments in recent times, said Holness. By incorporating Spanish into Jamaican society, cooperation between the two nations would be enhanced and lead to more business initiatives.
THIS WEEK’S TOP CARIBBEAN NEWS
TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO EXPERIENCE FIVE EARTHQUAKES IN ONE WEEK
Trinidad and Tobago is still recovering from recent floods, and now the country has experienced five earthquakes in the past five days. The more recent earthquake measured 4.8 on the Richter scale and was located 57 kilometers west of Port of Spain The nation had two earthquakes on Monday, October 22, 2018, measuring 5.1 and 4.2, which were located 88 kilometers west-south-west of Port of Spain. On October 21, there was a 5.1 quake 75 kilometers northeast of Scarborough. On October 20, the country saw serious flooding in some areas and a 4.2 quake 186 kilometers northeast of Scarborough.
THIS WEEK’S TOP JAMAICAN DIASPORA NEWS
ELAINE GRANT-BRYAN NAMED JAMAICA’S HONORARY CONSUL TO ATLANTA
Jamaica’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Kamina Johnson Smith named Dr. Elaine Grant-Bryan to be Jamaica’s new Honorary Consul to the city of Atlanta. She started in her new post of October 1, 2018. As the Honorary Consul, Dr. Grant-Bryan will provide consular services to Jamaican citizens and to individuals who want to visit Jamaica. She will also promote the development of cultural, commercial, and social relationships between the island nation and the city of Atlanta. A former educator in Atlanta’s school system, Dr. Grant-Bryan works as a real estate entrepreneur. As an educator. She worked as a high school motivational speaker to empower students through mentorship programs. She was a Microsoft Education Partner and partnered with Microsoft to establish Microsoft-GECG STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) program for students.
THIS WEEK’S TOP BUSINESS NEWS SUMMARY
ECUADOR SEEKS GROCERY IMPORTS
While Jamaican firms import millions of dollars of canned fish large countries like the United States and China, it tends to ignore Ecuador, which is the second biggest producer of canned shrimp and tuna, according to Marlon Banegas Andrade, trade commissioner of Ecuador, at a forum hosted by the Jamaica Chamber of Commerce. Jamaican and Ecuadoran officials are in negotiations to eliminate any obstacles remaining to trade deals and to increase trade between the two countries. Andrade noted that Ecuador’s trade flow in exports totals US$3 million per year, while its imports are US$600,000 to Ecuador.
THIS WEEK’S TOP ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT NEWS
JAMAICA AWAITS UNESCO CULTURAL HERITAGE LISTING FOR REGGAE
Jamaica’s government is waiting for a response from the United Nationals Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to its request for a place for the country’s iconic reggae music on the agency’s Intangible Cultural Heritage Representative List. According to Olivia Grange, Jamaica’s Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, technical experts at UNESCO are examining the reggae submission from Jamaica and should provide their response in November 2018. It would be a “major achievement” for Jamaica if its effort succeeds, said Grange.
THIS WEEK’S TOP SPORTS NEWS
LUMLEY NAMED YOUNGEST JAMAICAN CERTIFIED AS SQUASH COACH
Tahjia Lumley, the former junior national squash champion, has become the youngest Jamaican to achieve Level 1 and 2 England Squash Coaching Certification. Lumley recently completed a coaching training program in Georgetown, Guyana. Lumley, 19, has played on both junior and senior national teams and earned the qualification following the challenging course in Guyana taught by that country’s National Squash Coach Carl Ince, a Level 4 Elite Coach. Other participants in the training were former Caribbean champion Nicolette Fernandes. The course covered. Describing the experience, Lumley said it was “a dream come true” to learn from Coach Ince, who is a Caribbean squash legend.
