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.

Read More

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.

Read More

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.

Read More

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.

Read More

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.

Read More

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

Read More