THIS WEEK’S TOP NEWS STORIES
YELLOWSTONE CLUB SUED BY JAMAICANS OVER TIPS CONTROVERSY
Several Jamaican citizens are suing the Yellowstone Club along with an employment staffing agency. The Jamaicans are charging the club and agency with robbing them of tips and service charges during the period they worked there in 2017-2018. The Jamaicans also said they were treated differently from other workers at the club, and instead of the opportunity they were promised when they took the jobs, the Jamaicans said their winter at the Montana venue was marked by disappointment, illegally low pay, and discrimination. The suite was filed on September 20, 2018, at the United States District Court in Butte, Montana.
JAMAICA IS CALLING FOR A LARGER ROLE IN CARIBBEAN FINANCIAL MATTERS
Fayval Williams, Jamaica’s Minister without portfolio in the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service, stated that Jamaica is moving to raise its profile in the Caribbean region on issues related to the financial sector. Williams will lead a delegation from Jamaica to the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF) to quicken the pace of the nation’s representation to that body. The CFATF comprises 25 countries in the Caribbean Basin, Central and South America, which have agreed to take common countermeasures designed to address money laundering. He made his remarks at the opening of the 7th Annual Anti-Money Laundering/Counter-Financing of Terrorism Conference in New Kingston.
THIS WEEK’S TOP CARIBBEAN NEWS
BERMUDA CONSIDERS IENGLISH LANGUAGE TEST TO OBTAIN WORK PERMITS
Bermuda’s Home Affairs Minister Walton Brown confirmed that the government is thinking about imposing an English language test on individuals seeking work permits. The Progressive Labor Party government is consulting on a proposal to implement English exams. The tests could be imposed before the end of October 2018. According to Brown, the English-speaking work permit policy is being reviewed by key stakeholders; the deadline for providing feedback is October 12, 2018. The policy requires any person from a country where English is not the first language to demonstrate they have passed an English-as-a-second-language exam in order to receive a work permit for some job positions.
THIS WEEK’S TOP JAMAICAN DIASPORA NEWS
FIRE DEPARTMENT IN GEORGIA OFFERS TO TRAIN JAMAICAN FIREFIGHTERS
The Atlanta, Georgia, fire and rescue department has made an offer to the St. James Fire Department in Jamaica to train 15 of its firefighter at a six-week-long program in the United States. Atlanta’s Fire Chief Randall Slaughter announced the offer at a meeting with Homer Davis, the mayor of Montego Bay and his delegation at the Public Safety Headquarters in Atlanta. Slaughter told Davis that the training would include high-level firefighting techniques designed to improve safety and reducing response time. The training is set to begin in April 2019.
THIS WEEK’S TOP BUSINESS NEWS SUMMARY
JAMAICA AND FRANCE TO SIGN AIR SERVICE AGREEMENT
Jamaica’s Minister of Tourism Edmund Bartlett has traveled to Paris, France, to finalize an air service agreement that will lead to direct flights from Montego Bay to the European country in the near future. Bartlett said he was excited to announce that Jamaica will enjoy increased connectivity with France through this agreement. He will meet with his Air France/KLM and French Tourism investors during his visit to make arrangements that will benefit Jamaica. According to the Jamaica Tourist Board, stopover arrivals from Fran increased by 40.2 percent in 2017.
THIS WEEK’S TOP ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT NEWS
OLD SCHOOL MUSIC COMES TO CARIBBEAN VIA JAMAICA FRENZY
Consumers are looking for bigger experiences from their music festivals, and promoters are rushing to meet the demand. Jamaica is receiving a new house festival in March 2019 as Jamaica Frenzy brings its magic to the region. The festival will feature Francois K, David Morales, DJ Spinna, The Ritual with Anané and Louie Vega and Ultra Naté. The festival will be held in Negril from March 25 to 31. The founders, who originate in New York, say the festival will offer catamaran parties and other excursions that will allow participants to explore the island while enjoying classic house and disco sounds.
THIS WEEK’S TOP SPORTS NEWS
JAMAICA OLYMPIC ASSOCIATION BROKERS PARTNERSHIP WITH LASCO
Athletes and administrators of Jamaica’s 41 sporting agencies are set to benefit from a US$200,000 deal with Lasco brokered by the Jamaica Olympic Association (JOA(. The partnership provides cash and product support over a period of four years and meshes with the Association’s plan to send athletes from ten sport disciplines to the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan. Additionally, Lasco will provide as much as five percent in discounted cost to members of the JOA and other member associations on selected Lasco food products and services from certain supermarkets across the island through a loyalty card and a reward card, which are in development. .
