I have received this email from literally dozens of people. So mi decide fi share it wid mzja since everybody a sen it to me!

Do you know how many children are out of schools because their school fees used to be paid from Cash Plus earnings?? Michael Lee Chin is solely responsible for this......

I heard ppl saying music has changed them into a new person.

CAPE postponed

Monday, May 12 2008
c

ALL CARIBBEAN Advanced Proficiency Examinations (CAPE) scheduled today, May 12 to June 13, 2008 in Trinidad and Tobago have been postponed by the Caribbean Examination Council (CXC) based in Barbados.

At least 4,000 students will be affected by this decision.

This is the word from the Minister of Education Esther Le Gendre in releases and in a statement late yesterday evening. It was discovered and confirmed by the Ministry in Port-of-Spain that students could have purchased copies of the leaked CAPE paper for $5,000.

The Council took this decision after confirming the leak of Communication Studies Paper II in Trinidad and Tobago on May 8, followed by unconfirmed reports of possible breaches in other subject areas.

As a consequence, the Communications Paper II and all CAPE examination papers, which are yet to be done, have been withdrawn.

These include Mathematics, English, Literature, Business Studies, Physics, Biology, History, Chemistry, Languages and others.

New papers will be issued.

Students will be given new dates for the examinations today. The Ministrys release said more detailed information will be provided today.

The Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate examinations (CSEC) have not been affected.

The Council assures all candidates and their families that these decisions, in respect to (CAPE), have been taken in the best interest of students and was taken to maintain the integrity of the examinations.

The Council has initiated the process to facilitate new arrangements for these examinations, including having students resit the Communications Paper II.

Officials from the CXC examination unit in Barbados arrived in Trinidad on Saturday last. They met with Education Minister Le Gendre, and other Ministry stakeholders. As a result of this meeting and subsequent investigations, Le Gendre issued this statement:

I wish to advise all principals, centre supervisors, invigilators, students and parents that all subsequent CAPE examinations Units I and II and the Communication Studies Paper II are to be rescheduled.

The Ministry supports the decision taken by the CXC, despite the fact that this latest report, in respect to other subjects, has not been confirmed and initial investigations indicate that all papers received have been accounted for.

In addition, the Minister said, it should be noted that all papers are received in sealed packages and remain so until opened by authorised persons on the day and time of the scheduled examinations, in the presence of candidates and exam personnel.

We believe, however, that this threat to the integrity of the examinations is sufficient to warrant CXCs actions in the interest of our students.

All current examination papers have, therefore, been recalled and the Ministry has contracted the services of an expert security agency to redesign the security procedures to be utilised in the management of examinations in the future. The CXC is also undertaking a similar exercise.

The statement continued, Fellow citizens, students, we view this incident and its implications of adult criminal activity impacting on young persons as a serious matter. It is contrary to all the values we continue to instill in our youth. This criminal act increases the level of anxiety in students at this critical time in their development.

While the matter is in the hands of the police, the Ministry renews its call to members of the public who have information to come forward. The Ministry, CXC and the Ministry of National Security have a responsibility to determine the facts and to take action on this basis only. We have acted promptly on information we have received and the public is to be commended for its support to date.

This is not the first time that examination papers have been leaked to students.

-- Edited by Bucky at 02:14, 2008-05-13

PUTNAM COUNTY, FL -- The Putnam County Sheriff's Office is investigating the suicide of an inmate.

Matthew Phillip Bowen, 28, was found dead in his cell Sunday night.  Authorities say he committed suicide by hanging himself from the cell bars.

Bowen was arrested last week on child pornography charges.

May 11, 2008. Looks like Chris Brown and Rihanna had a bit of trouble last night at a Washington D.C. club. Here's the official report from one of MediaTakeOut.com's faithful readers:

So I was club Love in D.C. tonight, and guess who was there Chris Brown, but I knew that because it was his birthday celebration and he was suppose to be there. Kanye was [also] supposed to be there but he wasn't - I dont really know why.

But anyway Chris was there and everybody was going crazy and yelling. Then he walks away for like a few minutes then of course he brings out his little girlfriend Rihanna. They both were just standing around dancing, and just sitting.

[At some point during the night] some girl starts dancing in front of Chris and he didn't hesitate to continue. He started grinding all up on the floor with her. And ol' girl was getting low.

Rihanna had this look on her face like she was mad, and she gave him a little push, and I could tell something was up. So next thing you know [Rihanna] starts dancing all up on the guy, (and she wasn't bad) and I guess it was to make Chris jealous but he wasn't paying her no mind.

Then [Rihanna] stopped dancing with the guy, and just sat there looking dumb. [After a while] Chris left the girl he was dancing with, and then [the girl] left and I dont know where she went.

Chris ended up leaving the club with Rihanna, but I can tell she was mad

Grinding on some chick when your girl's in the club ... That's a no-no Chris....

I am a 19-year-old male. I have a woman who is 29 years old and she wants to marry me. I love her, but not so much. She has given me what every man wants, but I don't know.

Should I marry her?

J.W., St. Andrew, Jamaica

Dear J. W.,

You are not ready for marriage. And if you were, you are questioning whether you should marry a 29-year-old woman. She excites you in bed and is probably giving you some money, but whatever she is doing with you will not last. So keep yourself quiet and try to get a skill.

Pastor

PALATKA, FL -- Palatka police are looking for a man who robbed a store clerk of his shorts.

Authorities say a man went into the store at 700 North 19th street with a white shirt wrapped around his head and a plastic bag covering a gun in his hand.

Investigators say the man took a cash box, a handgun, and the clerk's blue jean shorts.

Detectives say the man was last seen getting into a white car, possibly a buick, behind the store. He is described as a black male, 6 feet tall, 200 pounds with short dreads.

Anyone with information should contact the Palatka Police Department at (386) 329-0110.

A MAN living with a girl of 15 got another 14-year-old pregnant then "ruined her life", it emerged yesterday.

We told last week how predator Jack Moore, 26, shacked up with Victoria Pilkington, 15 and police said they couldnt do anything about it, even though she is underage.

It has emerged Moore bedded Aquilla Newble, now 21, and left her to look after their three kids aged six, four and three.

Yet police also refused to act when her parents reported him seven years ago just as they have snubbed appeals from Victorias family to save her from his cl**tches.

 

Aquilla, of Crawley, West Sussex, said: "Jacks a predator who likes young girls because he can manipulate them. He always knew how old I was.

"He got me so young and ground me down. Now I see an evil pattern to his behaviour. He got me pregnant again and again to trap me. Hell do the same to Victoria. I ran away to be with him just like Victoria and my mum called police but they didnt do anything.

"Jack told me he had been with hundreds of girls one of his many lies, so I did feel pressured into sleeping with him."

Jack has two kids from an earlier relationship but has not seen them for ten years. Victorias mum Suzanne Woolven, 45, has urged police to arrest him.

But child protection officers said they would be "jobsworths" if they removed him from the hovel they share in Bletchingly, Surrey, adding it could be difficult to prosecute.

CCTV to hit Manchester streets by year end
published: Monday | May 12, 2008

Mark Titus, Enterprise Reporter

Police investigators carry a body bag after recovering the remains of Richard and Julia Lyn from the Martin's Hill dump in Manchester. - File

Stakeholders in Manchester are fine-tuning efforts to install closed-circuit television (CCTV) surveillance by year end. The move to bolster the capacity of the police with high-tech resources is in line with a historic bipartisan pact to help curb crime there.

The local police had, in an April 2007 memorandum of understanding signed with the Closed to Crime Initiative (CTCI), committed to specific service delivery standards, contingent on the group's pledge to boost resources.

Manchester, a mainly rural parish on Jamaica's south coast, is a melting pot of diverse topographies, ranging from the bustling streets of Mandeville proper to the winding hills of rustic Plowden. Best known for its cool climes, the parish has been scarred by violence, as the tentacles of a national crime wave continue to launch out from urban centres.

Tipping point

The tipping point was the abduction and murder of prominent husband-and-wife entrepreneurs Richard and Julia Lyn in December 2006.

The Lyns, operators of Bargain House furniture store in the parish capital, Mandeville, went missing from their Ingleside home on December 10. As prayerful optimism for a safe return waned, the nation's worst fears were realised. After wide-scale police investigations and sweeping searches, the remains of the elderly couple were found 19 days later at the Martin's Hill dump.

Spurred to action by the grisly slaying, custos of Manchester, Dr Gilbert Allen, organised a meeting with the business community and sections of civil society, which spawned the Closed To Crime Initiative. The mission of the collaborative thrust was to engineer systemic change aimed at managing crime.

The group, led by the Manchester Chamber of Commerce, identified the expansion of the District Intelligence Unit, the improvement of the Investigative Unit, the ramping up of police patrol capabilities and the installation of a CCTV network as critical to the success of the $10-million project.

With the Ministry of National Security, several civic bodies and corporate sponsors on-board, the group has so far delivered three of the four elements of the initiative.

"We are now hoping to have the CCTV up and running by the end of the year," director of the CTCI, Robert Cunningham, tells The Gleaner. "We have sought the advice of the police, as well as specialists from the United Kingdom and the United States, to where these cameras should be located."

Approval granted

Winston Lawson, president of the Manchester Chamber of Commerce. - Photo by Mark Titus

Cognisant of the Government's own plan for a national CCTV grid, Cunningham says the group sought the approval of the Ministry of National Security and the National Works Agency.

"The initial reaction was that CTCI must ensure that the software used will be able to cross-tie with the national grid," the CTCI director says. "The challenge to that is that the national grid might not happen any time soon, because it is a very costly venture, but I think we are very close to brokering a deal."

With the importation and installation of the cameras attracting a price tag of approximately $7 million, Cunningham says CTCI will be banking on the Government to waive import duty and other taxes that the exercise attracts.

"We will be pressing the Ministry of National Security to make representation on our behalf to remove the import duty and GCT (general consumption tax) on these cameras when they come in. That will take a substantial chunk of the cost right out," he explains.

In the meantime, Cunningham hopes the CTCI will become a template for other communities in Manchester which will eventually mushroom across the country.

Increase in value

"Models like CTCI are viable for communities throughout Jamaica," he states. "Shareholders inside these communities must understand that they can add so much value with even small donations.

"The Government of Jamaica is not currently in a position to do anything about this (the crime situation) in a large way," he argues, "Despite the substantial increase in budgetary allocation for security in the country, there is so much to be done."

Though some commercial interests have given the CTCI their support, Winston Lawson, president of the Manchester Chamber of Commerce, is urging big business to step up to the plate.

"We have got support from a couple of large businesses, a whole bunch of medium and small businesses, as well as a few individuals. I think the larger industries in this town need to get involved in this effort, as crime fighting should be everybody's business," Lawson urges.

Jamaica recorded 1,574 murders last year, just 100 fewer than the record 1,674 homicides in 2005. Despite a raft of crime plans and special squad deployments, murders shot up in the 1990s under the People's National Party administration which lost power in a national election in 2007. Eight months since taking the reins, the Jamaica Labour Party government has so far failed to tame the crime beast, with the murder rate keeping pace with last year's.

Helping boys become men - Bishop starts leadership programme for Jamaica's boys
published: Monday | May 12, 2008

Mark Dawes, Staff Reporter

Bishop Thomas

A newly created leadership organisation in Jamaica has as its prime mission, the honing of leadership skills and character in the nation's boys and men.

A newly created leadership organisation in Jamaica has as its prime mission, the honing of leadership skills and character in the nation's boys and men.

The new organisation, The Centre for Leadership Wisdom (Jamaica), is the brainchild of Bishop André Thomas, a certified trainer and partner of EQUIP - one of the leadership development organisations of expert, John C. Maxwell.

Bishop Thomas, 40, was born in England and raised in Sierra Leone. He became a born-again Christian in his pre-teen years. At 19 he was a minister of the gospel. At 20 he relocated to England and became a pastor, church planter and civil servant. Though not formerly schooled in theology, he has read extensively, a range of books on theology, and has received on-the-job training from a number of spiritual mentors.

A vision

At about 20, he said, the Lord gave him a vision to go and work in the Caribbean .

After a fact-finding trip to Barbados in 1994, Bishop Thomas decided to settle there in 1998 with his goal being to help the Caribbean people "move from bondage to greatness."

After years of ministry in Barbados, he became a pastor and the founder of an educational institution - Harvesters Christian University, a satellite of Life Christian institution which has its main campus in Virginia, United States.

In the last five years, Harves-ters has trained between 400-500 persons in theology and/or counselling.

But as he ran the affairs of the university, Bishop Thomas began to notice an anomaly.

The institution was graduating students with great vision but little ability to execute such.

Object of frustration

"I knew that their problem was their ability to lead," he told The Gleaner. He believes: "If your vision is greater than your leadership wisdom, your vision will become the object of your frustration."

He refocused his energies and became totally engaged in leadership training. He wanted to provide the highest levels of leadership training, not just to church folk but also persons in business, and the social sector. Thus was birthed The Centre for Leadership Wisdom (Barbados). That school has been around for about a year and has so far graduated 1,500 in Barbados.

Following the successes experienced in Barbados, Bishop Thomas now wants to plant such centres in every, territory within the Caribbean.

The training offered at these centres are steeped in the teachings of John C. Maxwell and complemented with the leadership wisdom gained by Bishop Thomas in doing ministry.

From the writings of John C. Maxwell, who is himself a former pastor of a Wesleyan church in the United States, Bishop Thomas has crafted a leadership development curriculum for Barbados. It includes leadership and citizenship.

The curriculum manual integrates the Barbados Strategic Vision as well as the United Nations Millennium Development Goals. The course is designed to be taught in one year. It is presently being used in few schools in Barbados.

Just before the last general election in Barbados, he reported that the Owen Arthur government had bought into his curriculum and had signed off on making the curriculum a staple in every school. However, with the changing of administration, the David Thompson administration, he said, has dissolved the arm of government that was to influence the adoption of the curriculum in schools.

Series of camps

Beginning in August, Bishop Thomas will be convening a series of camps where he will be introducing the curriculum to Jamaican boys. This time, it will be augmented with an addition to the syllabus - the seven laws of manhood.

Bishop Thomas explained that the seven laws of manhood seeks to promote a biblical concept of maleness in ways that will resonate with young men.

The boys will be trained in a three-week residential setting, which he calls Boys to Men. The camps will carry with it, a rites of passage ethos. Boys will be taken through the signposts they need to pass on the journey into manhood. Bishop Thomas explained, "There are three signposts boys need to pass on the road to manhood. First, taking responsibility for your own achievement. Second, taking on the responsibility of being family leaders. Third, getting an understanding of your place in life. The rites of passage camp will be a training of boys in manhood; it will teach them how to lead; and there will also be times of personal interaction between the boys and a mentor/coach."

First such ministry

When the camp gets under way it will be the first such ministry to boys organised by Bishop Thomas for the region.

For adult males, Bishop Thomas' strategy will be to get churches to buy into his manual on the seven laws of manhood and teach it to their men. He will also be establishing an organisation called male Mentorship Institute where the seven laws of manhood and other useful material from the teachings of John C. Maxwell will be shared. The Male Mentorship Institute, he explained, will seek to work not only with men in the church, but also men in business and the social sector.

According to Bishop Thomas, "If you want to create a new generation of leaders, you have got to manufacture them - the philosophy of the classroom in one generation will be the philosophy of government and the nation in the next generation."

PT1 Below




PT2 below

GOOD FOR HER!! Girl That Was Hara**ing Elderly Woman On The Train Was ARRESTED ... Family Claim She's BI-POLAR
http://www.zshare.net/audio/1177988823c05603/

-- Edited by alligcold at 02:40, 2008-05-12

-- Edited by alligcold at 13:16, 2008-05-12

I once witnessed a young mother scold her male toddler by threatening to "wipe di knife" across his neck for disobeying her directive to leave it alone. I've seen a mother thump her little boy with staggering force because he wouldn't stop crying for ice cream.

Violence and threats of violence render violent acts commonplace. Violence then becomes the language through which forceful messages are conveyed.

Soon after Minister of Education Andrew Holness warned parents against promoting violence, I asked M.J. (a 50-year-old inner-city mother that raised several decent and law-abiding children) what were her views on inner-city parenting and the impact on our society. Given the opportunity to vent, she exploded into a plaintiff diatribe on the pitfalls of poor parenting. I had known M.J. for most of my life but I never before appreciated her ability for detailed observations and analytical reasoning.

Spurred on by years of sequestered emotions kept secret for fear of retribution from her neighbours, M.J. provided first-hand confirmation of what many have been postulating all along - that many inner-city parents (especially mothers) know of the illegal activities of their children but cover them up out of fear, out of 'love', because they see their boys as 'soldiers' (sources of pride and protection), or to benefit from the spoils of nefarious acts. She related how she had seen many little boys grow up with parents that never admit to their children's blatant wrongdoing.

For many parents, their young ones can commit no sin. M.J. opined that failing to correct and discipline children that threaten playmates to 'shot dem inna dem head' and mounting spirited and defiant defences whenever anyone dared to blame their little 'angels' for some wrongdoing serve to foster criminal behaviour.

Hardened criminals

That misguided protection carries over into the adult lives of those children as they grow into hardened criminals and cold-*lo**ed murderers who employ warped and evil thinking to justify their most heinous acts. Many mothers of slain criminals know all too well that their sons are 'shottahs' (gunmen) and killers; however, when they are killed in legitimate gun battles with the police, those same mothers are among the first to block the roads and demonstrate in support of their 'innocent babies'. Parents often portray heartless killers as harmless men who habitually and quietly read their Bibles in bed. The perfunctory and hypocritical demands for justice from those parents render justifiable killings indistinguishable from illegal and immoral extrajudicial executions.

M.J. related how she repeatedly witnessed neighbours sprawled out on the ground or physically supported by friends while bawling, "Him ah no gunman an dem kill him!" on television when the entire community knew him as a shottah with his M-16 assault rifle securely hidden but always within easy reach should the need arise.

M.J. also revealed to me something that I never considered before. She explained that remittances (which have surpassed our export earnings) were sometimes to blame for our criminal activities. She said that remittances funded many gunmen and allowed them to party with careless girls (that eventually have babies for them). The monthly monies buy food and 'bling', while leaving the youths free to pursue a life of criminality and terrorism.

She went on to explain that, even after incarceration, many mothers made their weekly pilgrimage to prison, heavily laden with bags of groceries, toiletries and other items to comfort their children behind bars. With all this in mind, it is clear that we must actively involve parents (especially mothers) in our fight against crime.

A CONSCIENCE debate on whether to abolish or maintain the death penalty in Jamaica is on Parliament's agenda and members of both the Upper and Lower houses are expected to speak their minds and vote on the burning issue before the summer break.

Dorothy Lightbourne, attorney general and minister of legal affairs, said on Friday that debate on capital punishment would take place before the Charter of Rights was considered by the legislature.

Her comments were in response to a call by her opposition counterpart, A.J. Nicholson, who made a compelling case for the debate on the controversial subject to take place now.

Describing the results of a recent media poll on the death penalty as startling, Senator Nicholson said 71 per cent of Jamaicans wanted hanging to resume.

"There should be a full constructive debate so that Jamaicans could know what are the pros and cons," he said.

The Senate was debating a bill to amend the Firearms Act and to validate and confirm the actions or decisions of officials at the Firearms Licensing Authority and Review Board between 2005 and present.

Law was not properly enforced

The validation became necessary because the legislation enacted in 2005 was not gazetted, which meant that the legislation was not properly enforced.

Nicholson, a former attorney general and justice minister, said the question of the death penalty should not remain in limbo.

Government Senator Tom Tavares-Finson said Nicholson and his former government colleagues owe the country an explanation as to why the death penalty debate did not take place while they held the reins of government.

He said the previous administration for more than 18 years had not addressed the question of the death penalty in any meaningful way.

This, however, was challenged by Opposition Senator Mark Golding, who said that the People's National Party (PNP) government had amended the Offences Against the Person Act, creating a distinction between capital and non-capital murders.

The amendment to the Firearms Act, which was the ninth since Independence, was passed by the Senate.

Palace Amusement makes Moms' wishes come true
published: Monday | May 12, 2008

Sacha Walters, Staff Reporter

Coleen Brown Jackson (right, front) of Virgen Advertising presents Tony Robinson, one of the judges of the Moms with a Style Wish promotion, with a token. In the background (from left) are Melanie Graham of Palace Amusement, Melody Aarons, Damaris Mayne and Paula-Anne Porter-Jones, also judges of the competition. - Junior Dowie / Staff Photographer

The winners for the moms with a Style Wish promotion, put on by Palace Amusement and The Gleaner Company, were chosen last Thursday afternoon at the cinema's downtown offices on Blake Road.

The promotion invited mothers who visited any of the five cinemas across the island in recent weeks to submit the answer to two main questions: Why do you go to the movies? And what is your style wish?

The winners will be treated to a specially designed day of pampering geared towards fulfilling their style wish, topped off with an evening at the cinema on Mother's Day.

Judges, columnist Tony Robinson, Damaris Mayne from Gold Jewellers, Paula-Anne Porter-Jones, broadcaster from RJR, and Melody Aarons of Chic Lines Hair Designs got deep into the entries, offering witty banter back and forth. They went as far as reminiscing about the days at Carib in the 'cave', the back of the theatre, and succulent beef sandwiches made with hardough bread. Entrants were given points based on their reason for going to the cinema, feasibility of their style wish, legibility of entry, availability for make-over.

Three mothers were chosen from each cinema. The winners include:

Carib 5

1st place: Michelle-Ann Barrett

2nd place: Marja Hamilton

3rd place: Claudette Flowers

Palace Cineplex

1st place: Nicola Smith

2nd place: Natalie Carthesy

3rd place: Michelle Brown

Odeon Cineplex (Mandeville)

1st place: Trudy-Ann Lane

2nd place: Deborah E. Rampaul

3rd place: Kamille McNish

Palace Multiplex (MOBAY)

1st place: Cassandra Monteith

2nd place: Egona Rose

3rd place: Marjorie Blake-McKay

Other sponsors who will facilitate Moms' wishes include: Salon Innovation, Elan for Women, Beyond Jewellery, Soft Sheen Carson, Woman's Panadol, Ribena, Diva's House of Beauty, Anne Martin, The Hair Zone and Master's Unisex Salon.

Spanish Town

The casket with the body of a man killed by police recently, was placed at the entrance of the Riversdale Police Station by mourners who broke several of the station's windows last Saturday, police told The STAR.

Several of the mourners have been arrested and the police are preparing documents to charge others.

Inspector David White, sub-officer in charge of the station, said the police will also be seeking legal advice as to what steps can be taken against the North East St Catherine Member of Parliament Gregory Mair and Councillor for the Trojah Division, William Cytall.

It is alleged that Mair and Cytall were part of a group of protesters who paraded the casket with the body of the man on the steps of the station during the funeral procession.

Inspector White said both the MP and the councillor were party to the persons who broke the station's windows. He said no one who acts outside of the law, including politicians, will receive special treatment.

But Mair, however, categorically denied the allegations. He said the police are not stating exactly what happened, as his vehicle was at the back of the procession and he was wondering what was happening up front. He insisted that at no time did he participate in any acts of violence against the police. Efforts to contact the councillor were unsuccessful.

The man being buried was Trevorton Phillips, 30, of Burwick district. He was one of two persons killed by police during an alleged shoot-out on April 18.

Everton Dawes, 47, was also killed in that incident. Police said they recovered a Llama .22 pistol, serial number 268305, with seven .22 cartridges from one of the men, but residents staged a demonstration in the area, claiming there was no shoot-out and the men were killed in cold *lo**.

Operation Kingfish is seeking the following men who are suspects in cases of murder and other serious crimes committed in the Clarendon Police Division.

The cops are seeking Garfield Augustus otherwise called "Garth" in his early twenties and about 5' 0" tall. He is of dark complexion, medium build, bow-legged and sports unkempt hair.

Andrew Smith otherwise called "Rocka" is also on the police wanted list. He is in his early twenties, 5' 11", of brown complexion, stoutly build and sports unkempt hairstyle (sometimes plaited).

Roberts is a man known only as "Rup Rup" of Buck Town district, Free Town in the parish. He is of dark complexion, slimly build and about 4' 5". "Rup Rup" sports an afro, which is sometimes plaited.

Operation Kingfish is making a special appeal to residents to assist in the fight against crime in these communities by calling 811, 990-8863 or 9862529.

Sadeke Brooks, Staff Reporter

( L - R ) Shane O, Sean Paul - File photos

There is new hope for young dancehall artiste Shane O, as he has teamed up with dancehall superstar Sean Paul for a new single, Girl Territory.

The track, which is featured on producer, Leftside's 'Sand Fly' riddim, was released two weeks ago.

Shane O, whose real name is Roshane McDonald, says he has been working closely with Sean Paul, who is helping to build his career.

"I have been working with Sean Paul. Him a tek care a things fi mi. Wi a roll and him a promote de thing fi mi," Shane O told The STAR.

"From long time mi rate him an' him rate mi. We ready fi do a thing together now. Mi an' him a put in the work fi get the thing globalised. Him a my father inna di business right now and a him a teach mi."

Doing well

Though there is much emphasis on promoting his new single, Shane O says he has other new singles like Life Gonna Be So Nice, Nutten Dis Time and Stones Broke My Mirror. In addition, he says Crab Inna Barrel, which was produced by his manager Damian 'Iceman' Pinnock, is still doing well.

He says he is also working on an album that will be called Naah Go Down. Sean Paul will also be on the album and, he says, he will be doing collaborations with other top dancehall artistes like Spragga Benz and Wayne Wonder, as well as Canadian artiste Jarvis Church.

Shane O is now 20 years old and says he has matured since entering the dancehall scene several years ago. He says he has improved as an artiste, especially in terms of his stage performances, recordings and image.

"Mi a settle onstage now. I can reason with the people, have fun and run jokes onstage. Nutten nuh happen before time. Mi thing a work right now," he said, while noting that he performed well at the Westmoreland Curry Festival recently.

For now, he says he is focusing on doing reality and 'girl' songs. Nonetheless, the public can 'look out fi anything from Shane O.

What's Poppin' Sizzla of to tour regardless of Gay Protest edit_sizzla_feature.jpgA story was released on Europe's largest gay news service, Pink News by Tony Grew, on May 6, that the interior minister informed the Lesbian and Gay Federation in Germany, that Reggae Artiste Sizzla Kalonji will not be granted a Schengen visa for his proposed European tour this month and has been refused the entry visa. Attempts to contact the Jamaican German Embassy were futile. However, despite their claims, Sizzla and his band departed for their European tour last night for his first show in Poland on Saturday. Sizzla and other artistes Capelton, Bounty Killer, Beenie Man, and others continue to be a target by the gay community. As a result, a Coalition to Defend the Rights of Black Businesses, Black Organizations and Reggae Artists has been formed to provide a unified voice to defend the Reggae Industry against these attacks by the Gay community and other issues. To sign on to this coalition contact 773-9558. ------------------------------ Spice has shot a new video spice_e_edt.jpgSpice has shot a new medley video from her new singles 'Giddy Up' and 'Whoa'. 'Giddy Up' was shot at two locations: Portmore, Caymanas Park track and Ferdie Nieta Park . The video was a two-day shoot, and was also done to compliment a new dance 'High Energy'. The other song 'Whoa' is all about Spice. Done in several spots around the Portmore area namely Braeton and Reflection Boutique in Portmore Mall. The video was directed by Ras Tingle and will be premiering soon on local TV. Posted by yardFlex at May 9, 2008 11:45 AM

A 13-YEAR-OLD boy who stabbed a boy of 14 at school, today admitted to a court he had wounded the teen. The defendant, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was arrested after an incident at a secondary school in Leeds on February 1. Police and paramedics were called to the school where a teenager, who also cannot be named, was taken to hospital with knife wounds to his chest and stomach. Today, at Leeds Crown Court, the 13-year-old pleaded guilty to a charge of unlawful wounding and another of having a bladed article on school premises. He was due to go on trial today charged with the more serious offence of wounding the youngster with intent. But prosecutor Peter Moulson said the defendants pleas to the lesser charges were acceptable and he would be offering no evidence on the more serious matter. Mr Moulson stressed this decision had been taken after extensive consultation, including with the victims family. Judge John Taylor said this move was a "very sensible step". The case was not opened and few details of the incident were given in court. But the judge did inspect the weapon involved in the incident which appeared to be a wooden handled kitchen-type knife, with a blade about four inches long which was clearly bent. The court heard how the knife was bent on a school desk during the "scuffle". Advertisement Judge Taylor adjourned the case so reports on the defendant could be prepared. The defendant will be sentenced at Bradford Crown Court on June 6.

THE bodies of two babies have been found in a box at a house, police confirmed today.

The grim discovery was made by the relative of an elderly woman, clearing out her home after her recent death.

A box was found, which contained two further boxes - each holding one set of remains.

Some of the bones are very old and a paediatric expert will carry out tests to find out how old the children were when they died.

A post-mortem will also be held today to find out how the children died, and DNA tests will be held on the relative to find out if the elderly woman was the mother.

No names have been released by police.

Investigators will look into whether the occupant of the house on Rowcon Close, a 1960s council maisonette in Audenshaw, Greater Manchester, was the mother of the children and for some reason kept the deaths a secret for decades.

A spokeswoman for Greater Manchester Police said: "The bones are believed to be from two babies and had been at the address for some time.

"A post mortem will be conducted to try and establish a cause of death.

"Inquiries are continuing

Jah Cure Mesmerises Caribbean Fans Jah%20Cure%20In%20St%20Maarten%202.jpg Very few Jamaican artistes have the ability to bring out record crowds outside of the island and even more difficult, maintain this form year after year. This year Jah Cure has upped the ante. Jah Cure's three country tour of the Caribbean which began in St Kitts on April 26th 2008, still has the Eastern Caribbean and the Reggae world talking. "Jamaican mega Reggae entertainer "Jah Cure" performed early Sunday (April 27th) at around 2:20 am in front of the largest crowd ever at Carnival Village in St. Kitts as thousands rushed to get a glimpse of 'Cure'. Scores of cheers and applause echoed from the excited audience as Jah Cure dished out an hour and a half of conscious tunes that included True Reflections, What Will it Take, To Your Arms of Love and Longing For, bringing many female fans to tears with his timeless hits." - St Kitts Vibes Entertainment. With a sold out concert in St Kitts behind him, Jah Cure maintained his momentum by giving a spirited performance at the Digicel Reggae on the Hill 2008 Concert on April 29th in Barbados receiving three encores from a crowd of 25,000. Jah Cure continued with his message of peace and love and even won commendations from the Prime Minister of Barbados David Thompson, who confessed he was an ardent fan of the artist. ReadMore-color.jpg Jah Cure also broke another record on Friday May 2nd by bringing out 18,000 fans in St Maarten at their Carnival 2008 Reggae Show. Jah Cure Brought out the largest crowd ever to attend a stage show in that country and road manager Dean Dryden was overwhelmed by the response of the St Maarten fans. "Jah Cure had four encores and to top that off brought in a record 18,000 people for the largest reggae audience ever in St Maarten. Cure entered the stage at about 1:30 AM Saturday (May 3rd) singing Longing For and the audience sang along word for word. Some of the ladies screamed 'Jah Cure I Love you!' with outstretched arms while the crowd rocked to his every word" Dean Dryden, Jah Cure's Road Manager. This is not the first time Jah Cure has made history; In St Lucia on November 30, 2007, the Mendo Phillip Park was at capacity with eight thousand. At 'The Next Chapter' in Trinidad on December 15th last year at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Port of Spain more than 15,000 patrons came out to experience the cure. In the Turks and Caicus on December 24th, the Williams Auditorium got its largest crowd for 2007 with over four thousand patrons and over 15,000 fans came out in full force in Suriname on the 29th of December to culminate Jah Cure's Successful Year. Jah Cure is now getting ready for his multi-country tour of Europe in June and July, which will see him visiting Germany, Portugal, Sweden, Norway, Holland, Italy and many other European states. Also look out for the release of the Journey video this month directed by Jay-Will and his Danger Zone/SoBe Entertainment "Jah, The Universal Cure" album Slated for a fourth quarter release in 2008.

The job's mine! - MacMillan says he's taking charge as security minister in Jamaica
published: Monday | May 12, 2008

Mark Beckford, Staff Reporter

Colonel Trevor MacMillan has confirmed that he will be assuming the post of national security minister. - File

Former police chief, Colonel Trevor MacMillan, last night confirmed that he will replace Derrick Smith as minister of national security after reports of the switch emerged last Friday.

"It is factual, it is going to happen. Like I have greeted every time I have been asked to serve my country by either political parties, it is an honour to serve my country," he told The Gleaner yesterday.

MacMillan, who served as the head of the Jamaica Constabulary Force from 1993-96, did not elaborate on plans he might have to battle the persistent crime gripping the island until the official announcement is made by Prime Minister Bruce Golding.

Cabinet meets today

Confirmation is likely to occur today after Cabinet meets to discuss the planned change in the leadership of the security ministry.

Deputy general secretary of the Jamaica Labour Party, Senator Ian Murray, has been tapped as the sacrificial lamb as MacMillan will need a seat in the Upper House to slide into the Cabinet.

When contacted yesterday, Murray did not confirm or deny if he would be the one to go.

"The only comment I can make is that I know the prime minister will be making some announcement in that regard."

Murray went on to say he would give up his seat if it was in the national good.

"Certainly, if it is for the national good, it would be something worth doing. I am part of a team and if it is for the national good, it is something I would not deny."

Rank rift

The move, however, is being greeted with caution by some government officials who say there could be problems in the relationship between MacMillan and current top cop, Rear Admiral Hardley Lewin, both former army men.

Sources also claim that the rank chasm between the two - MacMillan left the Jamaica Defence Force as a colonel, while Lewin was head honcho - could cause a rift in their working relationship.

Despite the impending appointment, players in the national security sector remained mum yesterday when asked for comment.

Opposition spokesman on national security, Peter Phillips, was coy when asked to comment on the scenario.

"All I hear is the speculation at the moment and I would want to wait until the official word is given," he told The Gleaner last night.

General secretary of the Police Federation, Corporal Hartley Stewart, was in similar mood.

"It is the Government who determines how they allocate the portfolio at the ministry level for policy purposes and the Jamaica Constabulary Force is there for operational purposes. Therefore, we have always championed that the policy persons do not get too much involved with operations and it is not our place to get involved with policy," he told The Gleaner last night.

"The prime minister has the right to select the minister most capable to deal with security issues," he continued.

Spiralling murders

With more than 500 persons murdered across the island since January, government officials are concerned that Smith's replacement must be someone who will not have a long learning curve.

It is believed that MacMillan will provide a stronger presence in the security ministry with his in-your-face style and media savvy.

Smith has faced the brunt of criticism levelled at the eight-month-old Golding administration for its failure to collar crime. Even among his government colleagues, Smith has detractors who claim that his laid-back style has not inspired confidence.

Monday Water Cooler - Beenie drama at Passion Sundays

SANTA ANA, California (AP) - A man who cut out his girlfriend's tongue and let her bleed to death has been given a life sentence in prison without chance of parole.
The judge who sentenced Frank Mallory yesterday called it an unjustified and extraordinarily brutal murder.

Prosecutors said the 50-year-old longshoreman attacked Patricia Dunthorne three years ago at the home they shared. Police found Dunthorne's decomposed body in the garage weeks after her killing.

At his trial, Mallory denied killing Dunthorne or cutting out her tongue. He testified that he thought she died of a drug and alcohol overdose.

In February, a jury convicted him of first-degree murder with a special circumstance of torture.

ONLY IN AMERICA TO ra**!!!!!!

Ver hits top form to land sprint double
published: Monday | May 12, 2008

Raymond Graham, Freelance Writer

Veronica Campbell-Brown - file

Jamaica's world 100 metres champion, Veronica Campbell-Brown, returned to her best form to win the sprint double at the Central Florida University Invitational in Orlando, Florida, last Saturday.

Campbell-Brown became the second-fastest Jamaican in both the 100 and 200 metres this season as she won the former in 11.02 and the latter in 22.38 seconds. Only Kerron Stewart with 10.96 and 22.35 has run faster.

Excellent double

American Alexis Joyce was second in the 100m in 11.21, as World Indoor 60m champion Angella Williams finished third in 11.25. In the 200m, runner-up Ginou Etienne of the United States was well back in 23.16.

Spurred on by Campbell-Brown's excellent double, husband Omar Brown, after a slow start this season, finished a respectable third in the 200m. The 2006 Commonwealth 200m champion clocked 20.98 as former Jamaica College athlete Sekou Clarke finished fifth in 21.25. Clarke earlier took second place in the 400m in 46.67.

Three other Jamaicans scored victories at the same meet. Former Immaculate Conception standout Deandra Doyley, competing for the University of Miami, completed a double by winning the long jump, with 5.91m, and the triple jump with 12.39m. Former Queen's athlete Yanique Booth, who earlier finished eighth in the 100m in 11.84, won the 100m hurdles in 13.47. National senior representative Natalie Grant won the hammer throw with 59.36m.

At the Florida State Seminole meet, former national junior representative Nolle Graham won the long jump with 6.32m.

At the Sooner Twilight In-vitational in Oklahoma, many-time 400m senior representative Michael Blackwood won the 800m in 1:51.10.

Other wins

There were also victories for Latoya Greaves, Latoya Heath and Sherene Pinnock.

Greaves, competing for Oklahoma University, won the 100m hurdles in 13.42, just ahead of teammate Heath in 13.52. Heath returned later to win the triple jump with a leap of 12.90m.

After ending third in the 200m in 23.92, Pinnock, the former Edwin Allen High athlete, now competing for Oklahoma Baptist University, captured the 400m hurdles in 59.71.

Djokovic rules in Rome
published: Monday | May 12, 2008

Novak Djokovic of Serbia celebrates after winning a point during his men's final match against Stanislas Wawrinka, of Switzerland, at the Rome Masters tennis tournament, in Rome, yesterday. Djokovic won 4-6, 6-3, 6-3. - AP

ROME (AP):

Novak Djokovic already displayed his prowess on hard courts this season. Now, he's shown he's capable of dominating on clay too.

Djokovic won the 10th title of his career yesterday, rallying to beat unseeded Stanislas Wawrinka 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 at the Rome Masters.

"I was aiming for Rome and Roland Garros as my two priorities on clay courts this season," Djokovic said. "Now I have more confidence approaching big events on clay, and other surfaces as well."

This tournament was an important clay-court warm-up for the French Open, which begins in two weeks.

The third-ranked Djokovic won the Australian Open in January for his first Grand Slam title, then captured the Masters Series event in Indian Wells, California, in March.

Djokovic's third victory of 2008 will move him within 310 points of second-ranked Rafael Nadal in the ATP rankings.

A dream come true

"This year has been like a dream for me, but I want to continue. I want to finish the year as number one - in the race," Djokovic said with a big grin, as if he was almost amused at his own precociousness.

Djokovic is already on top of the ATP Race rankings, which coincide with the actual rankings at the end of the year.

Djokovic, who will turn 21 later this month, has been winning more than top-ranked Roger Federer and Nadal lately. He reached his first Grand Slam final at the US Open to end 2007, and has followed his win in Melbourne by taking two of the four Masters Series events this year so far.

Nadal was upset by Juan Carlos Ferrero in the second round in Rome, and Federer fell to Radek Stepanek in the quarter-finals.

Struggling

"Everybody got used to Federer and Nadal playing the finals of every major event," Djokovic said. "Mentally, they're struggling because there is so much pressure and so much expectation that they have to be in the final on every surface and in every tournament that they play."

Djokovic faced pressure yesterday as the favorite against Wawrinka, who was playing his first Masters Series final.

"If I really want to stay on the top of men's tennis, I need to get used to those things," Djokovic said.

Djokovic improved to 8-1 on clay this season and 25-5 overall. At the Monte Carlo Masters last month, Djokovic retired from his semi-final match with Federer due to strep throat. The Serb showed no signs of sickness this week, although many other players did.

Both Djokovic and Wawrinka advanced to the final when their semi-final opponents retired. First, Andy Roddick pulled out with a back problem against Wawrinka, then Stepanek quit with apparent heat stroke against Djokovic.

Russia's Dinara Safina returns the ball during her match against contry woman Elena Dementieva during the final of the German Open tennis tournament in Berlin, yesterday. Safina won 3-6, 6-2, 6-2 to take the title. - AP

'Speed Racer' not fast enough for 'Iron Man'
published: Monday | May 12, 2008

Iron Man - Contributed

LOS ANGELES (AP)

Speed Racer was lapped in its opening weekend at the box office as Iron Man continued to fire its jets with $50.5 million in ticket sales, according to studio estimates on Sunday.

The anime-inspired race movie edged into the No. 2 spot with $20.2 million, slightly ahead of the 20th Century Fox comedy What Happens in Vegas, which debuted at $20 million.

"Our tracking was stalled toward the end," said Dan Fellman, president of Warner Bros theatrical distribution of market surveys before the Speed Racer opening.

Fellman added Speed Racer would have difficulty recouping its $120 million budget. "Unfortunately, it didn't perform to our expectations," he said.

Speed Racer was panned by many film critics and was made by the Wachowski brothers, best known for the Matrix franchise.

Sandwiched

What Happens in Vegas, a romantic comedy that cost $35 million and stars Cameron Diaz and Ashton Kutcher, shot the gap between the action flicks, said Chris Aronson, senior vice-president at 20th Century Fox.

"We were sandwiched between the comic book movie of Iron Man and Speed Racer," Aronson said. "We come along with a character-driven movie in what is now considered summer and it's just a great result."

Revenue for Marvel Studios' Iron Man slipped just 49 per cent in its second week in theatres, a respectable showing considering its massive opening, said Paul Dergarabedian, president of tracking firm Media By Numbers LLC.

"Iron Man is basically pulling everybody's audience. It's really dominating the marketplace," he said.

Revenue still down

Five of the top 10 grossing movies were comedies, including Sony Pictures' Patrick Dempsey-led film, Made of Honor, which took in $7.6 million in its second week for fourth place.

The weekend's total domestic box office gross hit $128 million, up 21 per cent from last year. But year-to-date revenue was still down 2.5 per cent at $2.93 billion, while attendance was off 5.3 per cent.

Over the next few weeks, several big movies will take a shot at knocking Iron Man off its perch, starting with The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian, opening May 16, and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull on May 22.

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at US and Canadian theatres, according to Media By Numbers LLC. Final figures will be released today.

1. Iron Man, $50.5 million.

2. Speed Racer, $20.2 million.

3. What Happens in Vegas, $20 million.

4. Made of Honor, $7.6 million.

5. Baby Mama, $5.8 million.

6. Forgetting Sarah Marshall, $3.8 million.

7. Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay, $3.2 million.

8. The Forbidden Kingdom, $1.9 million.

9. Nim's Island, $1.3 million.

10. Redbelt, $1.1 million.

Collector's Spin for mothers, moms to be
published: Monday | May 12, 2008

Controversial teen superstar MILEY CYRUS has been offered the chance to pose naked for Playboy magazine, as soon as she turns 18.

Playboy boss HUGH HEFNER wants to the 15-year-old to follow up her photographs for Vanity Fair, and strip off completely in the pages of his legendary men's magazine - but only when she reaches the legal age.

The Hannah Montana star sparked outrage when the candid snaps - which show Cyrus posing bare-backed, wrapped in a satin sheet - emerged online, forcing the singer/actress to issue an apology over the controversial Annie Leibovitz photos.

Hefner says Cyrus would be "welcomed in the magazine".

The 82-year-old also slammed the furore surrounding her poses for Vanity Fair: "I think to make such a big to do over something as innocent as those photos, I think is a reflection on how schizophrenic America is about sexuality."

Rihanna denies Jay-Z affair rumours Rihanna says rumours of a romance with Jay-Z are "crazy". rihanna_sexy_photo_breast.jpgThe Umbrella singer has denied anything other than professional involvement with the rapper, who has mentored the 20-year-old singer since the early stages of her career. Dismissing the rumours, the Barbados-born singer said: "I get asked about it all the time and I'm like, 'You are asking, but you know the answer.' "I dont even like to address it anymore, it's crazy that the press ask me that. People know that its not true." Rihanna - who has previously been romantically linked to actor Josh Hartnett - also refused to comment on a budding romance with singer Chris Brown, but admitted they were "very close". She added to America's Elle magazine: "We've always been friends, but we are very close now." The 20-year-old singer previously said she avoided dating men in the entertainment industry, as they would never get to see each other. She said: If I was dating someone who wasn't in this industry they would be in the same place, all the time, so I could go back to that place and know where they were. "If they did what I do we'd both be travelling at the same time and we would never see each other." Rihanna is on tour in the US throughout May and June.

One876 is wishing all mothers all over the world a happy Mother's Day. We asked a number of artistes how they planned to spend this Mother's Day, and we got some colourful responses.

Vybz Kartel a.k.a Addi Di Teacha, is planning to chill out with one of his babymothers.

"I am just going to be chilling with my babymom Sophia at home, Later, I am gonna go to my moms for dinner," he said.

While Kartel is taking it easy, hardcore female deejay Danielle plans to go all out, starting with whipping up an early morning nutritious meal to give her mom a breakfast in bed.

"I am going to give my mommy the utmost attention and Iove I can give her. I am going to give her breakfast in bed, a nice meal of steamed fish, and present her with a Louis Vuitton handbag that she had wanted. In the afternoon, we're going to have a nice girlie day, with lunch and then dinner at Mac's Chophouse. She has come a far way with me, especially as a single mom, she has helped to mold me into the woman I am today, " she said.

Reggae crooner Courtney John who topped both the reggae singles and album charts this year will be missing his mother today because she is overseas on tour. Instead, he plans to spend Mother's Day with his 97 year-old grandmother.

"I plan to go check my granny in Port Maria, St. Mary. She kinda don't move around much anymore. Her name is Granny Dye Dye but we call her Granny Live Live 'cause we not into the die ting. I am just going to drive down and spend the whole day with her," he said.

In the meantime, the hardworking Anthony B who is in New York today to deal with the video shoot for a single from his upcoming Life Over Death album orchestrated a pre-emptive strike earlier this week to make up for the fact he would be away on the official Mother's Day.

"I treated her before I left to shoot my video in New York on Sunday. I carried her to Montego Bay, and paid for a full spa treatment, she did her nails and her hair. Then in the night, I took her to a really nice restaurant. Mi just decide fi go all out and treat mommy this year," he told One876

Eight hours after a 23-year-old man died of a stab wound, a woman turned herself in and was charged with murder, according to Brunswick police.
Just after 2 a.m. Saturday morning, officers called to a disturbance in the area of Brooklyn Homes north found Daquan Pullin of Brunswick with a stab wound to the chest. He was transported to the Southeast Georgia Health System, where he was later pronounced dead.
At 10:05 a.m., as detectives were investigating the stabbing death, April Lynn Carroll, 55, turned herself in at the Brunswick Police Department. She was interviewed by detectives and charged with murder in connection to the case.
Police said Carroll is a resident of Brooklyn Homes.
Investigators have not released details of what led to the disturbance and stabbing.

MALABAR, Fla. -- Hundreds of families were evacuated from their homes and Interstate 95 and other major roads were closed Sunday night as brush fires burned along Florida's east coast.
Wind-whipped fires burning near I-95 near neighborhoods in Malabar threatened several homes and livestock Sunday night.
In another part of the county, a fire forced residents out of about 100 to 200 homes near Cocoa, said Brevard County Fire and Rescue spokesman Orlando Dominguez.
That fire was larger than 100 acres, Dominguez said.
A portion of I-95 in Brevard County was shut down because of heavy smoke from a blaze near Malabar.

Homes Evacuated In Daytona Beach

About 400 Volusia County homes near Daytona Beach were under a mandatory evacuation order Sunday and about 200 homes were under a voluntary evacuation advisory, authorities said.
The Volusia County brush fire burned about 500 to 600 acres and also led to road closures, Florida Division of Forestry spokesman Timber Weller said.
Weller said he was not sure how many residents of the Bayberry Lakes subdivision, along LPGA Boulevard, were forced to leave their homes. He said 20-mph winds and dry conditions made the fire especially challenging for crews.
"Control is extremely difficult and there's basically several small subdivisions in the area and fires burning, in some cases, very close to the homes," Weller said.
An American Red Cross shelter was set up at a Daytona Beach hotel for Volusia County evacuees and the city has established a hot line, according to a news release.
About 200 animals housed at the Halifax Humane Society were also evacuated.

Wind-Driven Fire Forces Evacuations In St. Johns County

A 50-acre fire in St. Johns County also forced people from their homes along state Road 207.
Firefighters in Flagler County, Jacksonville and East Palatka are helping St. Johns County try to keep the wind from spreading the flames beyond fire lines.
No homes were lost by Sunday night.
"I'm hoping that it's going to go past us, but it's still scary," said Mary Melvin, one of a handful of families evacuated. "The way the winds blowing, it could blow it away from us, it could take it to us. I wish it would just stop."
The National Weather Service said the winds are not expected to die down until Tuesday or Wednesday and has issued a red flag warning for much of central and north Florida for Monday.
A second fire in St. Johns County on Sunday burned 40 or 50 acres before it was contained. Officials said that fire, in the Vermont Heights area, may have been intentionally set by three juveniles who were seen playing with a lighter.

I LOVE IT

Which you prefer?

A man who stabbed another during an argument over $40, pleaded guilty to felonious wounding when he appeared in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate's Court yesterday.

Collin Koyle, who is from the Corporate Area, appeared before Resident Magistrate Glen Brown after he stabbed the complainant twice after an argument over the money.

borrowed money

Koyle told the court that he owed the complainant and since he borrowed the money, it has been hell for him. "Ever since mi borrow the $40, him nuh stop bugging me fi the money and seh him know weh mi live and how him a go sen man fi mi and mi did dun tell him seh mi nuh have it," he said.

He said he had repaid $15, however the complainant was still not satisfied. He said he was at work when the complainant and his friends made an attempt to assault him and he had to defend himself. Koyle said he was peeling an orange and used the knife in self-defence to stab the complainant to the chest and side.

Koyle pleaded with RM Brown to be lenient with him because he was only defending himself. "Your honour, I had to defend myself, I've never been detained or charged." he said

Koyle was granted bail in the sum of $50,000 and is to reappear in court on June 12.

A California judge has reportedly reinstated a wrongful death lawsuit that charges that LAPD officers had a role in the 1997 murder of rap icon Notorious B.I.G.

 

The original suit, which named the City of Los Angeles and two LAPD officers as defendants, was dismissed in December of 2007, after the rapper's family missed state deadlines. It claimed that B.I.G., born Christopher Wallace, was shot on orders from Marion Suge Knight, who allegedly hired off-duty officers Rafael Perez and David Mack to execute the murder.

 

 

 

 

 

Among the family's contentions is that Lil Kims former manager Damien D-Roc Butler allegedly witnessed Mack standing near the Petersen Auto Museum moments before B.I.G. was shot and killed. According to reports, Butler identified Mack in a photo lineup shortly after the shooting. The officer was not supposed to be on duty that night due to a sick leave.

 

Mack and Perez, who have both been convicted on unrelated corruption crimes, deny that they were involved in B.I.G.s murder.

 

"This was a standalone action based on state laws, but the rigorous rules state that if you don't file suit within six months of the injury, then the suit cannot go forward, and we didn't find out that Perez was on duty until August 2006," said Wallace family lawyer Perry Sanders just after the first lawsuit was dismissed.

Fyakin recently took over Gordontown, in St. Andrew, as select locations brought his song, You Are My Lady to life. With the talented, Asha serving as director, the music video was shot and will be released in a few weeks.

Princess Menen, known for her song, Listen To Me Sing, played the leading lady in the music video. When I was in New York, I briefly met Fyakin and he gave me a copy of his CD. When I got in my car, I put in my CD player and You Are My Lady was the first track that played. For weeks, it was the only song I listened to in my car, she explained in honesty. I had to be in his video when he asked. I just couldnt say no.

You Are My Lady, produced by Solar Records on their Cloud Nine riddim, has been getting good airplay and gaining its rightful popularity. The riddim also features songs by Gyptian, Bascom X, Turbulence as well as a collaboration with Shabba Ranks, Sean Paul and Erup.

Fyakin is a young artiste poised to rise out of Portmore, St. Catherine, whose music can be oxymoronically described as having a refined rawness to it. He seamlessly teams honest lyrics with his signature delivery to create music compared to that of a seasoned Reggae veteran. And at only 19 years old, much can be anticipated from this talent for Fearless Records.

Hollywood was recently courting Amy Winehouse to sing the theme song for the next James Bond movie. After several weeks of hearsay, its reported that the troubled singer passed up the opportunity, saying that shes not ready to return to recording music.

A commendable move, perhaps as Winehouse continues to exhibit her strong commitment to artistic integrity and you know that lesser, more ubiquitous talents such as Norah Jones or Justin Timberlake would have jumped on the opportunity. That said, were all waiting for Amys next musical move, wondering what shell sing about, if shell continue her path down retro-soul, or if shell ever rebound from her substance abuse.

And playing devils advocate, maybe returning to the studio will turn her attention to doing something more productive than making headlines for slugging various people at nightclubs, lighting up crack pipes and basically wasting her talents away.

 

The Kingwood teenager's story of decapitating a corpse and using the head to smoke marijuana was so outlandish that at first Houston Police Department senior police officer Jim Adkins did not believe it.

Yet, Kevin Wade Jones Jr., 17, appeared almost indifferent as he relayed the bizarre description of his and two friends' activities at an Humble area graveyard, Adkins said.

"I just doubted it because it's very morbid, and I couldn't see anybody doing something like this," Adkins said Thursday.

Not until police went to the home of another Kingwood 17-year-old, Matthew Richard Gonzalez, did the officer believe the tale.

"He regurgitated in his plate of food when I asked him about it," Adkins said. "So I knew there was some truth to the story."

Now, Jones, Gonzalez and a juvenile whose name has not been released are each charged with abuse of a corpse, a misdemeanor. All three were arrested Wednesday night.

Police said a fourth suspect is wanted for questioning.

Houston police believe the teens disturbed the grave of an 11-year-old boy who died in 1921.

The child was buried at an unmarked cemetery believed to be reserved for black veterans and their families, Adkins said.

Under the law, a person can be charged with abuse of a corpse simply by vandalizing, damaging or treating a gravesite offensively even if the human remains buried there are not touched, Adkins said.

The child's skull has not been found. If recovered later, however, such a discovery will not change the charges filed against the three suspects, Adkins said.

The teens first came to police's attention during a vehicle burglary investigation. While being questioned, Jones told of desecrating the gravesite a month or two ago. Adkins said he believes the tale was intended to distract police from the vehicle break-in.

Jones claimed he and his friends used shovels to dig up the body and removed the corpse's head with a garden tool, Adkins said. Jones also revealed he and the other two boys took the severed head to the juvenile's home, where they used the skull as a "bong" to smoke marijuana, the officer said.

Police made three trips to the heavily wooded, snake-infested graveyard near the Eastex Freeway feeder road and FM 1960 before finding the disturbed grave several days ago.

"The grave was uncovered, and the headstone had been thrown off the grave and broken," Adkins said.

Because the grave is flooded with murky water from recent heavy rains, police have been unable to determine if the child's casket is still in the ground.

All three teens gave written and verbal confessions admitting they tried to dig up a body over a two-day period, Adkins said.

But the boys told conflicting stories about whether they actually severed the head so police aren't sure if that gruesome detail really happened.

Even so, HPD is working closely with Humble police to try and find any surviving relatives of the child whose grave was disturbed. According to court papers, the grave belonged to Willie Simms.

"The ultimate goal will be to put this body back to rest," Adkins said.

Little is known about the graveyard. The Humble Bicentennial Museum could not confirm that it was reserved for black veterans, but Adkins said he observed "many, many headstones" for black soldiers killed during World War I and World War II.

The three boys, all home-schooled, have also been charged in connection with the vehicle break-in. Jones and the juvenile are charged with credit card abuse, while Gonzalez pleaded guilty to a charge of misdemeanor theft between $50 and $500.

A man who visited the Super Plus Food Store in Cross Roads and stole several items pleaded guilty to simple larceny when he appeared in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate's Court on Tuesday.

Errol Todd told the court that he took the items, which included a bottle of Herbal Essences shampoo, a packet of coconut milk, a canister of flea and tick spray and insect powder, without paying for them. The goods were valued at $1,100.

In attempting to explain his actions, he said, "I was having a few drinks and I went to pick up a few things and I get confused your honour."

He was sentenced to 10 days in jail.

SERANI DOUBLES UP

Getting over from a failed relationship is not an easy task. For many women they never really do. Even if they get involved with another man, the poor man must bear the sins of his predecessor as she lays everything on him. If she couldnt trust him and worse if it was his cheating ways that ended that relationship, you can bet your bottom dollar that she is gonna watch him like a hawk, search his phone and maybe get a detective to watch his every move. On the other hand some women can shake off the hurt in a couple of months and move on like it never happened, she will go into another relationship like it's the first time without any baggage but with a heart open to love and trust again. It's hard to tell in the relationship game cause men on the other hand have a knack of moving on while he is still in the relationship and the poor woman is the last to know that it is really over.

where would u rather keep u finger...on p*u**yy or on trigger of a gun?

i ask cuz nowadays wid the number of gangsters an wannabe gangsters an screw face in the dance increasing...i jus wonder...some gwan like dem ratha keep it on the trigger

do busy signal have a new 2007-08 album do anyone on if can u link me plz

Media sources are saying that dried up Hillary is playing the race card:

I have a much broader base to build a winning coalition on, she told USA Today in an interview published yesterday. She referred to an Associated Press story on Indiana and North Carolina exit polls that found how Sen. Obamas support among working, hardworking Americans, white Americans, is weakening again, and how whites in both states who had not completed college were supporting me. She added, Theres a pattern emerging here.

Pitiful. She acts more like a Republican everyday - on some racism will save the day sh*t. Weve had it with this sea hag. Sit down and shut the F*$k up already.

he Police High Command is making inroads in weeding out corrupt cops from the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF), with an increasing number of policemen being arrested for corruption.

 Since the start of the year, at least 20 policemen have been arrested for breaches of the Anti-Corruption Act, a feat that Assistant Commissioner of Police Justin Felice, who is in charge of the Anti-Corruption Branch, said is an indication that the force is moving in the right direction.

The Anti-Corruption Branch evolved from the Professional Standards Branch, which had responsibility for investigating complaints against the police, as well as anti-corruption.

The figures have given credence to the view that corruption is rife in the JCF, which has the responsibility of upholding the law.  The list of offences by corrupt cops is varied and includes larceny, robbery and soliciting bribes.  In recent weeks over six policemen have been arrested for taking bribes from civilians, especially motorists.  

Four weeks ago a member of the Island Special Constabulary Force (ISCF) was nabbed in Clarendon during a sting operation.  The special constable was charged with accepting a bribe to drop a court case against a motorist.

According to reports the constable charged the motorist for a traffic offence and offered to drop the charge if the motorist paid him $3,000.  A sting operation was organised and the policeman was allegedly caught accepting the bribe.

Two weeks earlier, Constable Keffin Murray, who is attached to the Spanish Town Police Station, was also charged with breaches of the anti-corruption act for soliciting bribes from a motorist. 

It is alleged that on March 28, the policeman was on duty on Burke Road in Spanish Town, when he stopped a motorist who had reportedly committed a traffic offence.

The motorists car was seized and a wrecker operator was asked to move the vehicle to a pound.  Murray and the wrecker operator allegedly asked the motorist for $5,500 for the vehicle to be released.  The driver reported the matter to the Police Office of Professional Responsibility and both men were arrested.  

The JCF has implemented a one-year plan aimed at deterring corrupt cops in the force and ultimately reducing the incidents of corruption.  ACP Felice said the main aim of the programme was to increase the fear of detection among policemen.

We are moving from a reactive type of organisation to a proactive type of organisation, he said, adding that they are also trying to improve confidence with the public.

We make sure that the information we get is treated confidentially, he said, adding that they were moving to provide protection for policemen who report wrongdoing.

Low conviction rate
The successes gained in just four months of the implementation of the anti-corruption plan have far outweighed that of previous years, as only in 2006 were the total number of arrests for the year higher than 20.  In that year a total of 26 persons were arrested.

In the four months, I think progress is being made, but we should not be complacent, ACP Felice said.

Over the last five years, a total of 82 persons have been arrested for breaches of the Anti-Corruption Act.  The lowest number of arrests was six made in 2005, while 2007 and 2004 recorded 11 arrests each.  In 2003, 15 persons were arrested. 

Despite the moderate number of arrests made, however, the rate of conviction has been extremely low.  Of the 82 persons arrested in the last five years, only 20 persons have been convicted.  A significant number of cases have also been dismissed.  In 2006, over 50 per cent of cases were dismissed, a total of 15.  The statistics show that the situation was the same for 2004, when seven of the 11 cases brought before the courts were dismissed, and in 2003 when eight of the 15 cases were dismissed.

Sources in the JCF said the low conviction rate could bring into question the quality of the investigations undertaken into corruption cases.

We have to be careful that we do not make a bad situation worse, the source said.

Dangerous thing
Some policemen have justified the practice of taking bribes on the meager salaries that they get, but this reasoning has been considered flawed by many in the JCF.
    It is always a dangerous thing to link levels of pay and possible corruption because you basically would have to acknowledge something that is not necessarily true, and that is that levels of poverty would equal levels of crime, said Corporal Hartley Stewart, general secretary of the Police Federation.
    He conceded, however, that the harsh economic climate makes some members of the JCF vulnerable.
    We still have to acknowledge that we have policemen who are at risk or vulnerable as a result of the economic pressures that they are facing.  They are not going out there to be corrupt, but given an opportunity, they become vulnerable, he said.

The Ministry of Tourism has more than $100 million to spend on projects in Spanish Town but it is afraid to do so because of the frequent outbreak of gun violence.

With its magnificent Georgian buildings and historical sites, Spanish Town has been selected as one of the perfect destinations for Jamaica's push towards heritage tourism.

Already, the money has been found by the Tourism Enhancement Fund to restore and preserve the old buildings to create one of the island's premier heritage-tourism sites.

Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett told The Sunday Gleaner that the restoration project should have already started but the frequent outbreak of gang violence has been a deterrent.

"Spanish Town is still on our radar as a premier destination for heritage tourism. It has a treasure trove of Jamaica's historical heritage, but we must ensure that it is safe and secure," said Bartlett.

Frequent instability

He was responding to questions from The Sunday Gleaner during a tour of one of Cuba's premier heritage-tourism sites, Old Havana.

An obviously frustrated Bartlett declared that crime and the frequent instability in Spanish Town had to be addressed.

"The crime will determine how and when this project will proceed. I want the leaders of the comm-unity to understand the impact that crime is having on the develop-ment of Spanish Town," Bartlett added.

He said he will be working with the Jamaica National Heritage Trust, the Spanish Town Restora-tion Committee and the members of parliament for the area - Information Minister Olivia Grange and Sharon Hay-Webster of the Opposition - in attempting to find solutions.

"I saw what they have done with the preservation and restoration of buildings in Old Havana and the impact that this is having on the economic life of the residents of that area.

"I am determined that we cannot allow crime to retard the develop-ment of what could be a significant addition to Jamaica's tourism product," Bartlett said.

Violent incidents

Spanish Town has been the scene of several major violent incidents resulting from clashes between the Jamaica Labour Party-aligned 'One Order' gang and the People's National Party-linked 'Clansman' gang.

In recent months, an unofficial peace treaty and increased police presence have resulted in a reduction in crime in Spanish Town, which was Jamaica's capital for more than 300 years.

But with several illegal guns still in the hands of criminals, the town is vulnerable to violent outbreaks, which could scuttle the heritage-tourism plans.

The tourism minister has already announced plans for significant developments in Falmouth, Tre-lawny, and Port Royal as part of the drive towards heritage tourism.

Millions of dollars will also be spent in Lucea, Hanover and Port Antonio, Portland, as part of the heritage-tourism drive.

The nation should hear more about these developments when Bartlett makes his contribution to the Sectoral Debate on Wednesday.

A woman who attempted to smuggle 10 pounds of marijuana to St Maarten, will have to serve at least three months in jail for the offence.

Patsy Sharifa Plinton, 30, of a Westmoreland address, pleaded guilty to possession of, dealing in and attempting to export marijuana. The court was told that Plinton was preparing to board a flight to St Maarten when her luggage was searched and two tins of cheese, containing marijuana, were found.

When she appeared in court, Plinton told Resident Magistrate Glen Brown that she was given the cheese by a man whom she only knew his first name. She told the court that the man used to live where she was living.

Plinton was sentenced to pay $15,000 or serve six months for possession. She was admonished and discharged for dealing and was ordered to pay $48,000 or serve six months for taking steps to export drugs. In addition, she will serve a mandatory three-month sentence.

If she fails to pay the fines, she will have to serve nine months in jail.