I DON'T WANT ASAFA DANCING - Athlete's parents not pleased

While thousands of fans worldwide cannot get enough of Asafa Powell's recent displays of the local 'Nuh Linga' and 'Gully Creepa' dance moves, his two biggest fans, his parents, are not pleased at all.


Recent indulgence

The Reverend William Powell and his wife, Cislyn, said they are "not happy" about their son's recent indulgence in dancehall moves and are praying, literally, that he stops doing them.

"I just don't like the dancing. Everything else makes me happy, is the dancing I don't love," said Cislyn Powell, Asafa's mother.

"It makes me sad because I have a congregation that I have to preach to, and I don't enjoy seeing him out there like that."


No 'nuh Linga'

She continued: "God gave him those feet to bring joy to the world, but not in that form of dancing. We don't want 'Nuh Linga', we just want Jesus." Cislyn said that she does not want her son to end up in the dancehall culture and has been encouraging him to dare to be Daniel, despite what everyone else might be doing. She notes he continues to be in her prayers.

The Reverend William Powell, father of the world's second-fastest man, echoed similar sentiments to those expressed by his wife. The Church of God pastor told The Star that they wanted their beloved son to stay true to the standards he grew up with and not stray from them. "We just want him to be the same Asafa that we know. He started out with Christ, and we want him to stay with Him," the Reverend Powell said.

"If Asafa don't dance, it won't kill him, so we just want him to remain the same."

Up to press time yesterday, attempts to get a comment from Asafa Powell were unsuccessful. However, the athlete's mother said she spoke with him after Saturday night's Olympic gala at the National Stadium and he promised not to dance anymore, since it made her unhappy.

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Vybz Kartel finally divorced!

DJ Vybz Kartel a.k.a Addi the Teacha is now officially a single man, joining the ranks of eligible celebrity bachelors, as his divorce has been granted by the Supreme Court of Jamaica.
The decree absolute for the dissolution of marriage was granted on September 9, 2008. Attorney-at-law, Seymour Stewart, filed it.


XtraNews obtained official documents which stated that the marriage be “dissolved on the ground that it had broken down irretrievably and no cause having been shown to the court why the said decree should be made absolute.” Judge McIntosh granted the divorce.

A decree nisi for dissolution of marriage had been granted in February this year. It came to the public attention in February that Kartel had decided to end his two-year marriage to Stacy-Ann Alicia Elliott who resides in the United States.

In papers filed with the Jamaican Supreme Court, Kartel, whose real name is Adidja Azim Palmer, alleged that his 31-year-old bride had given birth to a son who was fathered by another man. He said he never lived with his wife since the January 9, 2006 private wedding, pictures of which are posted on the Internet. Kartel also provided for the court a copy of the child’s birth certificate. Kartel said also that his wife never visited him in Jamaica after the US revoked his visa to that country some time after the wedding.

The two met at a stage show in Brooklyn, New York and dated for four years prior to tying the knot in a private ceremony before a marriage officer at the Registrar General Department branch on Trevennion Park Road in Cross Roads, Kingston.

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Motorised Patrol? Why? - MoBay business community upset at McGregor's transfer

HORACE HINES, Observer West reporter
Thursday, October 09, 2008



Superintendent Steve McGregor

MONTEGO BAY, St James

The Montego Bay business community is angry at the police high command's decision to transfer commander of the St James Police Division, Superintendent Steve McGregor from that post to head the Motorised Patrol division, come Monday.

"I think the whole situation has been very badly handled I thought there would have been some amount of consultation with us, the community at large before such a decision was taken. So we are very unhappy about it," president of Montego Bay Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MBCCI) , Lloyd B Smith told the OBSERVER WEST.

Westmoreland divisional commander Superintendent Maurice Robinson, will replace Superintendent McGregor, while Superintendent Dezeita Taylor, who was transferred to the Area One headquarters from Superintendent Robinson's post just over a year ago, will return as Westmoreland's divisional commander.

Superintendent McGregor will take over from Superintendent Que Morgan at the motorised patrol who will head for the Services division which is headed by Senior Superintendent George Quallo. McGregor, who was transferred from St Thomas to St James 18 months ago, was one of 36 senior cops reassigned by then police commissioner Lucius Thomas as part of his strategy to bring crime under control, especially in St James where a lottery scam has been blamed for several murders.

During that period McGregor has been credited with devising strategies that have resulted in significantly weakening the notorious Stone Crusher gang, said to be responsible for carrying out several contract killings arising from fall-outs between players involved in the lottery racket.

However, the number of homicides in the St James police division has continued to spiral out of control, reaching a record high of 188 last year. That figure surpassed the previous year's figure by 10. Meanwhile, up to yesterday, 152 killings were recorded in the parish.

But despite the escalation of homicides during Superintendent McGregor's tenure in the parish, Smith lamented his exodus.

"The chamber is of the view that he has been doing a reasonably good job against the background of what had been happening in this parish. Notwithstanding the increasing homicides, one has to understand that he alone cannot deal with that particular problem. That problem needs social intervention. It is unfortunate that he is being asked to leave at this time because we believe he was beginning to get a good grasp of the situation."

Smith pointed to the good relationship which McGregor enjoyed with the business community and the very meaningful relationship he had begun to develop with some of the volatile communities.

"We feel that when a cop is transferred in this manner it sends a wrong impression to the society at large because it comes across as the cop is being punished, is being disciplined for not being able to carry out his task effectively," Smith argued.

But director of communication in the Jamaica Constabulary Force Karl Angell explained that the Motorised Division plays an integral role in the battle against crime.

"The Motorised Division is a big division for fighting crime especially in Kingston and St Andrew. It is the team that does most of the road patrols," Angell told the OBSERVER WEST.

"Tranfers within the Jamaica Constabulary Force are a natural part of policing and all policemen and women know that at some time or another they will be transferred. It is part of the normal movement within the constabulary force," he added.

McGregor came to St James at a time when there was much talk that the parish was tainted with corrupt cops.

Yesterday he told the Observer West he has sought to successfully dispel that notion and has subsequently won the confidence of St James residents.

"On taking command of the St James police division I found that the morale of the men was at rock bottom. The confidence that people had in the police was also at an all-time low. As the commanding officer I had to set about repairing that. I am satisfied that I have succeeded, because the morale of the men is at the highest it has ever been in St James.

"The confidence that the people had in the police has tripled or even quadrupled under my command.

"What is also significant is that the last top 10 wanted men list that we put out because of the network confidence we have with the people we have succeeded in catching six of them, two were fatally shot and two taken into custody, so it speaks volumes to the sort of confidence that the people have in the police. And the fear of crime is not as high as it used to be.
Because people are leaving things up to the police more than they used to," he said.

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Gramps injured - Morgan Heritage cancels club tour of Europe

Thursday, October 09, 2008

Reggae group Morgan Heritage, which kicked off their world tour earlier this year, has cancelled their highly anticipated club tour of Europe.

The six-week sojourn, part of the promotion for the group's critically acclaimed album, Mission In Progress, was scheduled for the beginning of November to the middle of December.

"We were really looking forward to touring behind the new album in Europe," a spokesperson for the group said.
"It was gonna be our first club tour in Europe since 2005, so we were really looking forward to doing more intimate, more up-close-and-personal shows all over Europe," the Heritage representative explained.

Morgan Heritage says a medical injury which group member Gramps suffered last week has resulted in the cancellation of the tour. "Gramps needs time to heal before we hit the road for such an extended period," a member of the group stated.

Looking at it philosophically, the group member reflected, "All things in life have their purpose, because this cancellation gives us the chance to spend much-needed time with our families over the next two months."

Morgan Heritage, however, will not be totally grounded as they will be doing one-off shows in the Caribbean while Gramps heals. Among the islands where the group is scheduled to perform are Cayman, Nassau, the Bahamas and Dominica. They will also be doing a benefit concert on Saturday for the city of New Orleans, and a hurricane relief concert in Turks and Caicos for the damage caused by Gustav.

"Hopefully, Gramps will be fully recovered in time for our African tour starting in Sierra Leone in the middle of December. The tour is also scheduled to be going to Liberia, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Senegal and Gambia," Morgan Heritage stated.

And, for those who are wondering when the group will return to Europe, they will be doing a festival tour in May and June of 2009.

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Soldier dies in road accident

KIMMO MATTHEWS, Observer staff reporter
Thursday, October 09, 2008



The mangled wreck of a Jamaica Defence Force jeep beside a Jamaica Urban Transit Company bus with which it collided along Washington Boulevard in St Andrew, yesterday. One soldier died and two others were injured in the accident. (Photo: Lionel Rookwood)

A Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) soldier yesterday died and two others injured when the jeep in which they were travelling slammed into the side of a Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC) bus along Washington Boulevard, St Andrew, in the vicinity of Six Miles.

Last night the JDF declined to give the names and ranks of the dead soldier and his injured colleagues pending notification of their families. However, Observer sources said the deceased was a captain.

According to the police, the vehicle was heading in an easterly direction on the boulevard when it apparently got out of control, "scaled the embankment and collided" with a #21 JUTC bus that was travelling on the opposite side of the road.

Last night, the JUTC said no one on the bus was injured but the accident left its driver "in shock".

Yesterday, a pool of blood near the mangled remains of the jeep told a sad tale. There were long skid marks from where the vehicle first got out of control to where it made angry contact with the bus.

As soldiers tried to help police on the scene to remove the wrecked jeep, it was obvious that the death of their colleague had hit home.

One soldier, who declined to give his name, said that it appeared the wet road surface from heavy afternoon showers had contributed to thedeadly accident.

The accident, which occurred minutes before 4:00 pm, severely slowed traffic on the normally busy boulevard. Police had to warn several motorists who tried to stop at the scene.

Last night, communication officer at the JDF, Major Charlene Steer, said the army was deeply saddened by the news. She also praised a medical doctor who she said had stopped to help the injured soldiers.

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Shaw in health scare - Finance minister falls ill during meeting with PM, cabinet colleagues

BALFORD HENRY, Observer writer
Thursday, October 09, 2008



SHAW... fell ill and had to be admitted to the University Hospital of the West Indies

Minister of Finance and the Public Service Audley Shaw gave loved ones and close associates a scare yesterday when he fell ill suddenly and had to be admitted to the University Hospital of the West Indies, Mona.

However, members of the Cabinet - who were with him up to last night - confirmed that he was conscious, was in no pain or discomfort and were optimistic that he would be back on the job soon.

Shaw reportedly complained of feeling ill during a meeting of Cabinet colleagues with Prime Minister Bruce Golding. Minister without portfolio at the finance ministry, Senator Dwight Nelson, said that Shaw had no history of ailment and that yesterday's incident came as a surprise.

Minister of Industry, Investments and Commerce Karl Samuda said that it was "out of an abundance of caution" that Shaw was referred to the Tony Thwaites Wing of the University Hospital.

"We were having a discussion when he fell ill. Dr Ken Baugh and Dr Horace Chang (two medical doctors) were both there and we felt that out of an abundance of caution, we should take him to the University Hospital where he could be properly observed," Samuda said last night.

Asked whether he felt that the illness was serious, Samuda said that he did not want to guess what would result from the tests being carried out by the medical team. He confirmed that Shaw was conscious throughout and was "not in any pain or discomfort".

Shaw's colleague minister, Senator Don Wehby felt that Shaw might still be able to attend this weekend's scheduled annual meeting of the board of governors of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank Group in Washington DC.

The finance minister was scheduled to leave today for that meeting which started October 6 and ends on Monday.

Senator Wehby will be leaving for the meeting this afternoon, accompanied by other officials including newly appointed Financial Secretary Sharon Crooks, who only took office yesterday.

"We will be engaging in meetings with the multilaterals, and we will also use the opportunity to update the rating agencies and our lead bankers," Senator Wehby said.

He said that the team was hopeful that Shaw would be able to join them over the weekend for crucial discussions with multilateral agencies, which also include the Inter-American Development Bank and the Caribbean Development Bank

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Welcoming home our Olympians
published: Sunday | October 5, 2008



Gleaner photographers Norman Grindley and Peta-Gaye Clachar captured scenes from the motorcade which paraded Jamaican Olympians who participated in the recent Beijing Games through the streets of the Corporate Area on Friday, as well as from the sports gala held in their honour at the National Stadium yesterday. At that event, several athletes and sports administrators were conferred with national honours.

The events formed part of Government's 11-day homecoming celebrations for the Olympic heroes. The Jamaican contingent won 11 medals at the Games.

Awardees:


Order of Distinction
(Commander rank):

Howard Aris

Usain Bolt

Veronica Campbell-Brown

Glen Mills

Asafa Powell

Donald Quarrie

Order of Distinction
(Officer rank):

Shelly-Ann Fraser

Nesta Carter

Bridgette Foster-Hylton

Michael Frater

Danny McFarlane

Dwight Thomas

Melaine Walker
FROM LEFT:

(1) Prime Minister Bruce Golding (left) greets the fastest man on Earth, Usain Bolt, during Friday's welcome celebrations.

(2) Olympic 100 metres gold medallist, Shelly-Ann Fraser, is being conferred with the Order of Distinction, officer rank, by Governor General Professor Sir Kenneth Hall.

(3) Prime Minister Bruce Golding (left) greets Dwight Thomas, Olympic sprint relay gold medallist, while Minister of Information, Culture and Sports Olivia Grange looks on.

(4) Mayor of Kingston Desmond McKenzie presents the key to the city and other gifts to Olympic 200-metres champion Veronica Campbell-Brown.

(5) Olympic record holder in the 100 metres, Usain Bolt (right), chats with Olympic sprint relay gold medallist, Asafa Powell, before the start of the gala national awards at the National Stadium, yesterday.

(6) These fans went to great lengths to get a view of the Olympians.

(7) Enthusiastic fans greet the Olympians along motorcade route.

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Housing fallout - Jamaicans overseas lose homes amid US crisis, crash of local investment schemes

published: Tuesday | October 7, 2008

Shelly-Ann Thompson, Staff Reporter


A NUMBER of Jamaicans living in the United States (US) have lost their homes after mortgaging properties and investing the money in risky Jamaican alternative investment schemes, several of which have gone bust.

Some have since resorted to paying rent, while others have returned home.

Audrey Wilson, a Jamaican living in Florida, was sad yesterday as she told stories of her country folk who have lost their homes.

Compounded problems

Wilson, who is from Kingston, has been living in the US for 19 years. She owns a mortgage-brokerage business and is a licensed real-estate broker. She told The Gleaner that Jamaicans living there, who had invested in unregistered schemes which have failed, had their problems compounded because of the financial crisis now gripping the US.

"It is a shame. Many persons are embarrassed because they have lost their homes and investment. Oh God! It's just sad and unbelievable!" she said.

Great loss

A female friend of Wilson's lost her Pembroke Pines, Florida, home after mortgaging her property for US$120,000 (J$8.64 million) and investing the money in the once-popular Cash Plus, which is now bankrupt. She now lives in a rented home.

To make matters worse, the friend lost her accounting job shortly after the 10 per cent monthly returns on her Cash Plus investment dried up.

"So, she had mortgage plus payments and the US$12,000 (the monthly returns) stopped. She then realised that she could not meet her financial obligations, so she had to sell her home," said Wilson.

Another friend of Wilson's is currently facing foreclosure on his home. He met a similar fate, having taken out a mortgage on his property and investing the money in Cash Plus.

Assistant Commissioner of Police, Les Green, head of the Major Investigations Task force which is spearheading the enquiry into the operation of the failed investment scheme, said foreigners with Jamaican ties ranked among the top investors of such entities.

Green could not state how many people were affected or the sum involved, but said a number of foreign-based Jamaicans had made complaints to the investigative team.

"It's a real tragedy for these people," said Green, adding "there are certainly people who have invested heavily, several who invested over US$1 million."

A study conducted by the Caribbean Policy Research Institute (CaPRI) last November, showed that 21 per cent of 402 local investors in alternative schemes had borrowed from financial institutions to obtain their deposits.

Kim-Marie Spence, a consultant at CaPRI, said while conducting the study, anecdotal evidence showed that a number of US residents, with ties to Jamaica, had mortgaged their properties to invest in the schemes.

"The study was conducted locally, so we don't have figures pertaining to the number of foreign investments, but we did get anecdotal evidence of Jamaicans who had mortgaged homes to invest," said Spence.

The study also showed that of the hundreds of respondents, 13.6 per cent had sold assets and another 44.5 per cent had used their savings to invest in the unregulated schemes.

The financial crisis in the US is already affecting many Jamaicans, said Wilson.

For some Jamaicans working in the US, the situation has become worse as they are among the 750,000 people who have lost their jobs since the start of the year. Wilson said four of her friends who lost their jobs have since returned to Jamaica.

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'Waite' is over - Arnett coach quits after string of poor DPL results

By Howard Walker Observer staff reporter
Tuesday, October 07, 2008


Jerome Waite became the first coaching casualty of the Digicel Premier League season when he was replaced by Fabian Davis as head coach at Arnett Gardens yesterday.

Waite, who was the saviour last season when he helped Arnett avoid relegation, was parting company with the club for a second time.

Waite coached the team to its most successful stint in recent years with back-to-back titles in the 2000-01, 2001-02 seasons and also coached the team when it lost the 2002-03 final, its third championship game in a row to Portmore United in extra-time.

Patrick Roberts, president of the club, told the Observer sounded diplomatic, when he said Waite wanted to "step back".

"As you know in every football club when a team is not doing good the first thing you look at is the coach... at the end of the day, four (games) straight without a point is unacceptable. We met and amicably, he (Waite) realised that the team is not doing good and (he) asked to step back," said Roberts.

"What we want is results and we are not getting results and we looked at everything and if he feels that he has to step back, then we respect that from Jerome Waite," he added.

Arnett Gardens have lost all their four games so far this season, including 0-1 losses to Boys' Town, Portmore United and Waterhouse.

On Sunday, they went down to 1-2 to Sporting Central Academy to be rooted at the bottom of the league without a point.

Efforts to contact Waite last night proved futile as calls went straight to his cellular phone's voicemail.

"In the meantime we appointed Fabian Davis as the interim coach. He has the respect and will have full control of the team," said Roberts.

Davis, 34, who represented Jamaica 72 times and scored six goals, will be the player/coach and said he is ready for the mammoth challenge.

"As you know the team has been doing badly so we are trying our best to do what is best for the club. It is for me to instil my experience of years of playing and have these players motivated to be on the same page on game day.

"I have a better understanding of how the players think, I hope I can get into their heads and have them think at a higher level," Davis told the Observer after meeting with his senior players before training started yesterday.

Davis, who is no stranger to success, was voted MVP after leading Arnett Gardens to the premier league title and again with Tivoli Gardens in their championship year.

Davis' first game in charge will be a fiery one against archrivals Tivoli Gardens on October 12.

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723 kids missing - Over 1,000 people unaccounted-for since January

KARYL WALKER, Crime/Court co-ordinator
Monday, October 06, 2008



Jullene Edwards, 15, missing since September 9. (Photo: CCN)

More than 700 children have been reported missing since the start of the year, according to figures released by the Constabulary Communication Network (CCN) last week. The figure represents 65 per cent of the 1,112 persons listed as missing between January 1 and September 23 this year.

Two of the 723 children reported missing have been found dead.

They are 11-year-old Aamir Scott, whose dissected remains were found in bushes at Sandside district in St Mary where he lived, and 15-year-old Baggio Easy, whose decomposing remains were found in water on the edge of the Riverton City landfill in early September this year.

An on-the-spot post-mortem revealed that Easy drowned, while a teenager has been charged with the gruesome murder of Aamir Scott after police said he confessed to killing the child.

Up to yesterday, police were still awaiting the results of a DNA test to determine the identity of a child's body found in Red Hills, St Andrew last week.

Relatives of 11-year-old Ananda Dean believe that it was her body that was found, arguing that a shoe and school tunic found at the scene belonged to the missing child.

Police reported that of the 1,112 persons who were listed as missing, 353 have been found or returned home.

However, the police were not able to say how many of the missing children have been found.

The police say the majority of youngsters who go missing are girls who often run away from home only to be found holed up with a male partner or who return home voluntarily.

"A lot of times the persons who reported the children missing are so overjoyed that they sometimes forget to report that the child was found," Deputy Superintendent Sonia James of the CCN told the Observer.

Since the start of the year, 58 children have been murdered.
Some of the persons reported missing are:

. Jullene Edwards, 15 - Left home in Harbour View to visit her mother in Gordon Town, St Andrew on September 23 and has not been seen or heard from since:

. Chivaughn Haughton, 14, of Olympic Gardens, St Andrew - Missing since September 19. Police say Chivaughn is of dark complexion, slim build and 157 centimetres tall. Chivaughn left home for an undisclosed location and has not been seen since. She was wearing a purple blouse, blue jeans pants and a pair of black slippers when she went missing;

. Dave Davis, 32, otherwise called 'Spangler' of Guava Road, St Andrew has been reported missing since Wednesday, August 27. He is of brown complexion, slim build and about 5 feet 8 inches tall;

. Javane Patterson of Tower Avenue, St Andrew. Police say on September 19 Javane left his home and has not been seen or heard from since;

. Nerryssa Hitulah, 15, otherwise called 'Paige' of Evans Avenue, St Johns Heights, St Catherine - Missing since Monday, August 25; and

. Seventy-two-year-old Gloria Scott of Spanish Town, St Catherine. Police say on August 24 the elderly woman walked out of her home and has not been seen since.

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DPP office bungle - Boy charged with carnal abuse is 13, not 11 years old

BY PAUL HENRY Observer staff reporter
Tuesday, October 07, 2008



A charge of carnal abuse against a schoolboy was not withdrawn in the Home Circuit Court yesterday because the youth is not 11 years old as was earlier reported by the Observer on information from a prosecutor.

Paula Llewellyn, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), told the court yesterday that her office had confirmed that the boy was in fact 13 years old and not an 11-year-old as was reported by the Daily Observer on September 26 and in an article published in this week's Sunday Observer.

As a result of the age mix-up, Llewellyn told the court that she will now be asking defence lawyers to furnish certified copies of the birth certificate of any accused whose case is being transferred from the Family Court.

In blasting the Sunday Observer story, Llewellyn suggested that the article seemed to be "calculated to undermine the
public's confidence" in the justice system.

However, Llewellyn made her accusation against the newspaper after being informed by this reporter that the incorrect information in the September 26 story was provided by her office.

The claim that the charge against the boy would have been withdrawn yesterday and which was reported in this week's Sunday Observer story, was made to the newspaper by a second prosecutor who also knocked the Office of the DPP for sloppy work on the case.

"No preparation was done by the Crown, and now everybody is left with eggs on their faces," said the prosecutor, who had requested anonymity.

The youth and three other boys, 13 years to 14 years old, were jointly charged with carnal abuse for sexually assaulting a schoolmate in January and February of this year.

Presiding judge, Justice Bertram Morrison said in court yesterday that he had verified the ages of the boys before he took their guilty pleas when the matter was first brought before him on Thursday, September 25 after being transferred from the Family Court.

The boys' mothers, who were present in court yesterday, also confirmed their ages.

The boys, who are currently on $50,000 bail, were also scheduled for sentencing yesterday but the sentence hearing was put off until October 24 because all the social inquiry reports were not ready. The boys' lawyer was also absent from court.

The Child Care and Protection Act, which replaced the Juvenile Act in 2004, prevents any child under age 12 from being charged or convicted for any offence, including murder.

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Billions in arms - Police say lottery scam funding weapons purchase in St James

published: Friday | October 3, 2008

Nagra Plunkett, Assignment Coordinator


Assistant Commissioner of Police Denver Frater, officer in charge of the Area One Police Division. - Photo by Noel Thompson

WESTERN BUREAU:

DESPITE POLICE efforts to break the back of the lottery scam in St James, the scheme remains vibrant and is reportedly pumping billions of dollars into the criminal underworld.

"If you look in recent times at the calibre weapons that are recovered by the police, the amount of rounds, ammunition being expended and recovered at crime scenes and the motives, investigations point to the lotto scam," Assistant Commissioner of Police Denver Frater, officer in charge of the Area One Police Division, told The Gleaner during a visit to its Western Bureau offices in Montego Bay yesterday.

Frater, who has responsibility for the parishes of Trelawny, St James, Hanover and Westmoreland, described the scam as a "unique challenge to law enforcement".

"It is a clear indication that billions of dollars are in circulation coming from this scheme."

He further stated: "If you look at some communities, the sudden rise to fame in terms of assets (such as) houses and motor cars, these are not cheap. The lifestyles of some persons clearly demonstrate the volume of cash that is being circulated."

The lotto scam involves fleecing unsuspecting Americans of large sums of money. Local scam artists use illicitly obtained personal information on potential victims, particularly retirees, to con them into sending them money on the pretext that they have won a lottery and need to send a processing fee to claim their winnings.

Police information indicates that players, who also include schoolchildren, make US$4,000 (J$288,000) to US$10,000 (J$720,000) on average weekly.

The lotto scam has also been linked to several murders, kidnappings and robberies in St James, which accounts for 12 per cent of the country's crime rate.

Frater, who managed the Criminal Investigation Branch portfolio before his transfer to Area One last month, noted that despite some disappointment with the cooperation of potential complainants, investigators will be using the Proceeds of Crime and Money Laundering Acts to counter lotto players.

"Investigation of this sort is not a one slam thing. It is going to take some time to get our case together. We have some success, we have had persons' properties forfeited, persons have gone to prison, and there are a number of other persons from St James in the waiting gallery to go to prison," the Frater said.

nagra.plunkett@gleanerjm.com

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Lottery scammers go regional

Lottery scammers who operated out of St James have reportedly moved their operations to other Caribbean islands because of increased pressures from the authorities here.

Police intelligence has revealed that several suspected lottery scammers are travelling across the region to collect money transferred to them by unsuspecting victims.

Citizens and residents in the United States are the primary targets.

However, newly appointed commanding officer in charge of Area One, Assistant Commissioner Denver Frater, refused to say what countries form part of the police investigations.

He said a number of police personnel in Montego Bay have been placed under the radar of the Area One Police High Command for their alleged involvement in the ongoing lottery scam.

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Jamaicans eating less of what they grow

PATRICK FOSTER, Observer writer
Friday, October 03, 2008



(L-R) Inter-American Institute for Co-operation on Agriculture representative in Jamaica, Cynthia Currie; permanent secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture, Donovan Stanberry; and Dr Dunstan Campbell, Food and Agriculture Organisation representative in Jamaica, field questions at Tuesday's launch of World Food Day at the ministry's Hope Road, Kingston headquarters. (Photo: Bryan Cummings) Only 39 per cent of the foodstuff that is consumed in the island is locally produced, pushing the country's food import bill over $662 million and threatening the success of government's "eat what you grow, grow what you eat" drive.

"Sixty-one per cent of products in the food basket are import-based," Donovan Stanberry, permanent secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture said Tuesday, adding that Jamaica's food bill was rising at an alarming rate, standing at $479 million in 2002 and climbing to $662m in November 2007.

"This is a major statement on our level of dependency, hence our vulnerability to external shocks," said Stanberry.
He was speaking at the launch of World Food Day at the agriculture ministry on Hope Road in Kingston.

World Food Day will be observed October 16 under the theme 'World Food Security: The Challenge of Climate Change and Bioenergy'.

"Given the prospects of continuing increases in prices, we (Jamaica) must attempt to reduce dependence on imports for consumption," Stanberry warned.

According to Stanberry, the "frightening" situation has led the agriculture ministry, through the Rural Agriculture Development Authority (RADA), to implement several strategies to stimulate local production.

He said that greenhouse clusters are being established to significantly increase production of fruits and vegetables that will consistently produce "what the market requires".

Focus is also being placed on the production of tubers, Stanberry said, and meetings have been held with yam farmers and the Irish potato growers' association.

An increase in the numbers, and improved training for agriculture extension officers was also critical, said Stanberry, who added that overseas training of additional officers was being conducted.

He added that a revitalisation of the dairy industry, through the disbursement of loans to dairy farmers was under way.
"We are providing loans to increase pasture and improve our breed and undertake rapid multiplication," Stanberry said. "People are taking up the loans," he added.

Stanberry, however, charged that food security was more than simply producing food.

"We have to build infrastructure, increase the number of extension officers and improve the marketing and distribution network," said Stanberry. "That's why we have been improving RADA."

He added that the ministry would also be promoting the food security programme in schools, and plans to have 900 school gardens in three years to "lay the foundation for a sustainable programme".

The permanent secretary declared that while many people frowned on government's backyard garden kits as a gimmick, empirical evidence proved that planting the items in the kit could save as much as $12,000 per year in food bills.

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Back a yard! - Jamaican Olympians return for week of celebration

Howard Walker, Observer staff reporter
Friday, October 03, 2008



Jamaica's Olympians strike a pose in the VIP Lounge at the Norman Manley International Airport yesterday after arriving for the 10-day Olympic Homecoming Celebrations. From left are Dwight Thomas, Veronica Campbell-Brown, Maurice Smith, Kerron Stewart and Richard Phillips. (Photo: Garfield Robinson)

TWO-TIME Olympic 200 metres champion, Veronica Campbell-Brown, says it doesn't matter where Jamaicans train; they are destined to run fast. She also says she has no intention of training locally any time soon.

Campbell-Brown arrived in the island yesterday, along with a number of other athletes, for the 10-day Olympic Homecoming Week to mark their outstanding achievements at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

The diminutive star, along with double medallist Kerron Stewart, decathalon and team captain Maurice Smith, Dwight Thomas and Richard Phillips, touched down on Air Jamaica at 5:55 pm.

They were greeted by Sports Minister Olivia Grange; Jamaica Athletic Amateur Association (JAAA) president Howard Aris; the legendary Olympian Donald Quarrie; Insports executives Ian Andrews, and Bruce McFarlane, and family members in the VIP Lounge.

"It doesn't matter who you train with, as long as you are talented you're going to run fast," Campbell-Brown told the Observer yesterday.


Double Olympic champion Veronica Campbell-Brown (right) walks with Sports Minister Olivia 'Babsy' Grange while waving to well-wishers on arrival at the Norman Manley International Airport yesterday. (Photo: Garfield Robinson)

"I have been through the high school system and have gained a lot from it. I have been away from Jamaica since 2001 at Barton County, Arkansas and recently moved to Florida and I have been working with my training programme and it seems to work for me, so I have no interest in changing it; all I can do is improve on it,"
she reiterated.

"Jamaica is known for its rich tradition in sprinting. I am proud for my teammates," she added.

Campbell-Brown, who defended her 200 metres title in August, said she was more than happy with her performance.
"I am satisfied. I could not have asked for anything better. I have to be thankful, it was a great Olympic Games. It feels good to be home," she beamed.

Meanwhile, Stewart, who won silver in the 100 metres and bronze in the 200 metres, was also delighted to be home.
Said Stewart: "I am feeling great. I didn't expect this welcome. I am happy and proud. I am just happy to be home."

Stewart, who started as favourite in the 100 metres, said she couldn't complain after capturing two medals at the Games in Beijing, China.

"Getting two medals... I went there with the intention of getting gold, but a silver and a bronze, what more can I ask for?" said Stewart.

"Just to see three Jamaicans on the podium was most fulfilling than any thing else," she added.

Jamaican athletes took Beijing by storm and to celebrate that glorious accomplishment, government leaders will host an "around town" Float Parade in Kingston.

The athletes will board the three Digicel floats - "Olympic Dreams", "Lightning Bolt" and "Golden Girls"; which will make stops in all the major towns in the Corporate Area, including some of the athletes' own communities.

The excitement will hit the streets in the western part of the island on Tuesday when the parade is staged all over again, moving from Montego Bay through to Falmouth.

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9-month-old boy dies after being sodomised by male relative

KARYL WALKER, Crime/Court co-ordinator
Wednesday, October 01, 2008



A nine-month-old boy is now dead after being viciously sodomised by a 21-year-old male relative in the community of Arnett Gardens in South St Andrew on Monday night.
The male relative, whose identity has been withheld by police, is now in the custody of officers from the Centre for Investigation of Sexual Offences and Child Abuse. He was arrested by cops from the Denham Town Police Station.

According to head of the West Kingston police division,
Superintendent Delroy Hewitt, the accused child rapist is believed to be mentally challenged and is suspected of sexually molesting the infant on more than one occasion.
"We believe that this abuse has been going on for some time.
The child died in the Bustamante Hospital for Children last night (Monday). The man in custody is our main suspect in this sordid case," Hewitt, who was clearly shaken by the incident, told the Observer.

The child's anus was severely ruptured and his abdomen was also badly damaged, police said last night.
Police said the child's mother is serving a five-year sentence in the Fort Augusta Adult Correctional Centre where he was born. He was handed over to a female relative who was identified by the inmate as someone who could care for her baby.

Police say the child's guardian left him in the custody of a neighbour when the assault occurred.

Last night, head of the Department of Correctional Services, Major Richard Reese, said the mother of the dead infant would be afforded counselling to help her deal with the tragedy.

"We have arranged for psychological support for the inmate and arranged for a visit from the child's father,"
Reese said.

The infant is the fourth child to have met a brutal end last month. On Sunday, what is believed to be the remains of 11-year-old Ananda Dean, who had been missing for two weeks, was found in bushes in Red Hills, St Andrew by residents who went to investigate a lingering stench.

The same day Ananda went missing, the dissected body of 11-year-old Aamir Scott was found in a rice bag in bushes at Sandside in St Mary. His head, arms and legs were severed while his torso was cut in two. Police said a teenager has since confessed to the macabre murder and is now in custody.

Aamir was buried after an emotional funeral service at the Port Maria Seventh-Day Adventist Church last Sunday.
On September 9, the decomposing body of 15-year-old Baggio Easy was found in water at the edge of the Riverton City landfill in Kingston. Easy had also been reported missing by his parents, police said.

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