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Questionable killings costing cops millions

Police Federation complains about legal bills for fatal shootings

By ALESIA EDWARDS, Observer staff reporter, editorial@jamaicaobserver.com

Wednesday, September 01, 2010

OCHO RIOS, St Ann — General Secretary of the Jamaica Police Federation Sergeant Jacqueline Brown, says payment of legal fees for members involved in questionable fatal police shootings is costing the federation millions of dollars.

Addressing the opening session of the 67th annual joint conference of the central executive this morning here in St Ann, Brown said the federation has had to pay between $1.5 million and $3 million for a case of fatal shooting.

She said the federation presently has more than 30 such cases and that Government has not reimbursed the group for legal fees paid since 2008.

Brown said there have also been an unprecedented number of dismissals, whilst other cops were not allowed to be re-enlisted.

“In some instances we believe that the principles of natural justice were breached. There was also an increase in the number of members charged for alleged corruption and corrupt activities, which created a triple jeopardy effect for the federation,” she said.

Despite the many challenges facing members, Brown urged them to “remain a professional body and resolute in the tenets of professionalism that guide our organisation and our actions”

Search ongoing for missing policeman

Fell in river during morning gun battle

BY COREY ROBINSON Observer staff reporter robinsonc@jamaicaobserver.com

Thursday, September 02, 2010

POLICE and divers are still looking for the body of Corporal Vincent Bent, believed to have drowned after falling into the Rio Cobre during a shootout with gunmen in Gordon Pen, Spanish Town, St Catherine this morning.

Divers from the community are currently in the river using flotation devices and long bamboo sticks to locate the body.

According to one diver that section of the river is very deep.

"Especially right there where they are searching, and because the rain have been falling from week, the river is running faster," he said.

The incident happened about 6:00 am this morning when a police patrol was reportedly fired at by gunmen, when they went to a house in the 'Monkey Town' area of the community.

The gunmen then ran towards the river bank and the police gave chase. Minutes later the two policemen fell into the river.

Two illegal firearms were reportedly found at the house. One of the alleged gunmen who was seen hiding in bushes, was taken to the Spanish Town Police Station.  

Girls disappoint

... Whipped 42-53 by England in 1st Test

BY DANIA BOGLE Observer staff reporter

Thursday, September 02, 2010

JAMAICA'S senior netballers crashed 42-53 to England in the first game of the two-Test 2010 Sunshine Series at the National Indoor Sports Centre (NISC) last night.

The Jamaicans drew first blood as the returning Romelda Aiken was quick to the draw, a shadow of the former non-assertive player before her days in the highly-competitive ANZ Championships.

  The teams were fairly evenly-matched at the outset, but unlike previous years when fitness was a clear issue, last night the Sunshine Girls were plagued by unforced errors.

Their struggle to get the ball to its intended target left some spectators watching in bewilderment as passes meant for team members went flying off court.

It helped England take an eight-point lead before the midway point and after taking the first quarter, 13-10, they were up 27-19 at the end of the second.

Centre Paula Thompson looks heir apparent to Nadine Bryan who must be close to the end of her international career, while the once-sprightly English goal-attack Pamela Cookey looked decidedly out of sorts while yet managing to lead the scoring.

Substituted newcomer Jhanelle Fowler helped the Jamaicans reduce a deficit which had gone up to 10 points within minutes of the start of the third quarter, but it was a yo-yo affair as the Sunshine Girls started to let it slide and were down by as many as 12 points before Fowler dragged them back to within 10 points as the English girls led after the third quarter, 41-28.

It was England's 14th victory against the Jamaicans in 25 matches played in the last 19 years.

Jamaica — Romelda Aiken (GS) (Jhanelle Fowler), Simone Forbes (GA) Ana Kay Griffith, Nadine Bryan (WA), Paula Thompson (C), Georgia Gordon (WD), Althea Byfield (GK) , Kasey Evering (GD).

Substitutes: Malysha Kelly, Sasher Gaye Henry, Kimone Tulloch, Anna Kay Griffith, Jhanelle Fowler.

Coach: Connie Francis,

England — Jo Harten (GS) (Rachel Dunn), Pamela Cookey (GA), Tamsin Greenway (WA), Sara Bayman (C) (Karen Atkinson), Jade Clarke (WD), Sonia Mkoloma (GD) (Stacey Francis), Geva Mentor (GK)

Substitutes: Rachel Dunn, Rosie Allison, Karen Atkinson, Stacey Francis, Eboni Beckford-Chambers

Coach: Maggie Jackson

Charge parents!

Holness wants action against persons who keep kids from school

BY LUKE DOUGLAS Observer writer editorial@jamaicaobserver.com

Thursday, September 02, 2010

EDUCATION Minister Andrew Holness is advocating for parents who refuse to send their children to school to be arrested and charged.

Holness, who was speaking yesterday at a press conference at his ministry to address back-to-school issues, he said poverty would no longer be accepted as a reason for a child not to attend school, and that adults in charge could face penalties under the Education Act or the Child Care and Protection Act for their children's absence.

He called on parents with financial challenges to contact the Programme for Advancement Through Health and Education (PATH) or seek assistance from political representatives, principals, guidance counsellors or ministers of religion.

"If your household does not have the economic resources to send the children to school on a regular basis, that in itself is not an excuse. Your duty as a parent is to reach out. I could only forgive you if you tried and the system does not respond," Holness said.

PATH is a conditional cash transfer programme funded by the Government and the World Bank, aimed at benefiting the most needy and vulnerable in the society.

Average attendance in school is approximately 80 per cent, which the education minister said is not acceptable.

At the same time, Holness said he was considering having certain areas declared compulsory attendance zones under the Education Act. He said there are penalties in place for truancy under the law. "We intend to enforce those," he said.

The minister acknowledged, however, that violence was a major reason for non-attendance in schools, particularly in urban inner-city communities, and he appealled to the police "to take the necessary action to defend our schools against criminals".

On the question of auxiliary contributions by parents, Holness said he continued to receive reports of schools setting these contributions out the reach of some students, and of schools discriminating against such students.

"Those schools are in breach of the ministry's policy," he said, noting that board chairmen and principals could face disciplinary actions as a result. Legislation to protect students against such discrimination or exclusion from education was being considered, he said.

Meanwhile, the minister said he was "hoping and praying" for a smooth start to the school year which officially begins on, Monday, September 6. Localised problems, he said, could be resolved by the ministry's regional offices.

INDECOM takes over from police

BSI loses control of several major investigations into alleged police, army human

Jamaica Observer

Monday, August 30, 2010 rights abuses

THE Independent Commission of Investigations (INDECOM) today announced that it would be taking over several major investigations of the Jamaica Constabulary Force’s Bureau of Special Investigations.

In a release to the media Commissioner of INDECOM Terrence Williams, said INDECOM would takeover several probes being conducted by the BSI including the fatal shooting of Keith Clarke.

In the Caribbean, Earl caused flooding in low-lying areas and damaged homes on islands including Antigua and Barbuda, Anguilla and St Maarten. Several countries and territories reported power outages. Cruise ships were diverted and flights canceled across the region.

"We are getting a battering with wind and rain," said Martin Gussie, a police officer in Anguilla. Several utility poles were down and a couple of roofs had blown away, and it was still too dangerous to go out and assess the full extent of damage, he said.

The rapid development of Earl, which only became a hurricane Sunday, took some islanders and tourists by surprise.

Wind was already rattling the walls of Lila Elly Ali's wooden house in Anegada, the northernmost of the British Virgin Islands, when she and her son went out to nail the doors shut today.

There were no reports so far of major damage from Earl.

In St Maarten, sand and debris littered the streets, and winds knocked down trees and electricity poles and damaged roofs. But police spokesman Ricardo Henson said there was no extensive damage to property.

In Antigua, at least one home was destroyed but there were no reports of serious injuries. Governor General Dame Louise Agnetha Lake-Tack declared Monday a public holiday to keep islanders off the road and give them a chance to clean up.

Jeremy Collymoore, head of the Barbados-based Caribbean Disaster Emergency Response Agency, said islands such as Antigua and Anguilla appeared to have been spared worse damage because they were raked by the system's northwestern quadrant — the most forgiving part.

Mudslides and flooding were still a risk, with 4 to 8 inches (10 to 20 centimetres) of rain forecast to fall on islands including Puerto Rico.

The US Virgin Islands imposed a curfew for tonight.

This afternoon, Earl was about 110 miles (180km) northeast of San Juan, Puerto Rico, and headed west-northwest at 15 mph (24 km/h), according to the centre in Miami. Hurricane-force winds extended outward up to 70 miles (110km) from its centre.

Also Monday, Tropical Storm Fiona formed behind Earl in the Atlantic east of the Leeward Islands.

Public Defender probing treatment of prisoners in police custody

KINGSTON, Jamaica – The Office of the Public Defender is expressing concern over attempts to stall a probe to determine the conditions at police cells and the treatment of prisoners while in police custody.

Public Defender Earl Witter told a local radio station that he had written to the Commissioner of Police Owen Ellington regarding the three-day investigations and was surprised at the efforts to prevent personnel from the Office of the Public Defender from visiting the cells at one police station in the capital.

Witter said he may have to go to the courts for assistance and recalled that the intention of the probe is to determine whether there have been infringements of human rights or inhumane treatment of persons while in police custody. (CMC)

Tourism to Jamaica drops after drug-lord clashes

Tourism to Jamaica has dropped this year in the aftermath of a bloody government manhunt for alleged drug lord Christopher "Dudus" Coke, the Jamaica Observer newspaper reports.

Citing data released Wednesday by the Planning Institute of Jamaica, the Observer says stay-over visits to the island dropped 3.3% in June. "Overall, more than 6,300 less individuals stayed over in Jamaica during the quarter when compared to the corresponding period in 2009," the paper said.

The drop is blamed on days-long clashes between supporters of Coke and government forces in late May that left 76 people dead. Foreigners on Jamaica's tourist beaches were not considered in danger during the battles. But the violence brought international media attention to the slums of Kingston, Jamaica's capital, and the role of powerful gang leaders, such as Coke, who control them.

Coke was captured on June 22 (while wearing a disguise) and now faces multiple drug-related charges in the United States.

— Daniel Hernandez in Mexico City

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Dengue death reported in Manchester

MOH continues appeal for elimination of mosquito breeding sites

Jamaica Observer

Monday, August 30, 2010
 

THE Ministry of Health has confirmed one death of a patient in Manchester who had contracted the severe form of dengue fever - dengue haemorrhagic fever.

The identity of the dengue victim has not been released.

Chief Medical Officer, Dr Sheila Campbell Forrester expressed condolences to the family members of the individual and urged people to be vigilant in identifying and destroying mosquito breeding sites.

“Dengue can only be transmitted when an Aedes aegypti mosquito bites an infected person and then bites another. It is therefore important that we take steps to prevent the breeding of this mosquito and protect ourselves from being bitten by mosquitoes,” she said.

She urged persons who believe they have dengue fever to visit their health care provider.

“Persons who have had dengue at least once before are susceptible to getting dengue haemorrhagic fever. It is therefore very important that persons who feel they may have this more severe form go to the nearest hospital immediately. We want to initiate early treatment so that we can have better health outcomes,” she explained.

Symptoms of dengue fever include severe headache, pain behind the eyes, muscle pains, joint or bone pains, skin rash and nausea. In addition to the symptoms of dengue fever, dengue haemorrhagic fever usually presents with skin bruising, bleeding from the nose, mouth or gums, severe and continuous stomach pains, pale, cold and clammy skin, difficulty breathing, fainting and frequent vomiting.

Jamaica has now recorded 120 confirmed cases of dengue fever, including three cases of dengue haemorrhagic fever.

The Ministry continues to appeal to persons to follow the guidelines to eliminate the breeding sites for mosquitoes. Look for anything in which water can settle and either cover it, keep the area dry, clean it regularly, fill it with soil or sand, punch holes into it or recycle or dispose of it.

As much as possible, persons should avoid being bitten by mosquitoes by using insect repellent, mosquito nets, mosquito destroyers or putting screens on windows and doors.

Persons who wish to obtain more information on dengue may call the Ministry’s Emergency Operations Centre at 1888-663-5683begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              1888-663-5683      end_of_the_skype_highlightingbegin_of_the_skype_highlighting              1888-663-5683      end_of_the_skype_highlighting(1888 ONE LOVE).

Residents protest cop

killing by cop

Claim policeman was murdered by colleagues

BY ALESIA EDWARDS Observer reporter alesiae@jamaicaobserver.com

Monday, August 30, 2010

RELATIVES and friends of a policeman who was fatally shot by his colleagues today protested in front of the Ocho Rios Police Station. The dead cop has been identified as Constable Sheldon Williams otherwise called 'Sylvan' of the police armoury in Kingston and Gayle, St Mary.

The placard-bearing protesters are claiming that he was murdered by his colleagues.

Police say Williams was at a dance on a boat when he fired shots from his gun. He was arrested by his colleagues who took him to the Ocho Rios police station and while he was being processed he grabbed his gun and fled the station, police report.

Heavy rains overwhelm NWC in west

Water supply dries up in sections of Trelawny and St James

Jamaica Observer

Monday, August 30, 2010

MONTEGO BAY, St James — The National Water Commission is reporting that torrential rainfall over the weekend has severely affected operations at the Great River and Martha Brae Treatment plants, in St James and Trelawny respectively.

At the same, the NWC said, the Great River Treatment plant is also being affected by low voltage.

As a result both systems are operating at 50 per cent capacity.

The NWC said customers served by the two facilities will therefore experience  low water pressure and no water supply, due to the decline in the output of water.

According to the NWC, the heavy rains have resulted in many broken pipelines, as well as high turbidity at the Martha Brae Treatment plant.

“The impact of the torrential rainfall is far reaching and has severely affected the commission’s ability to provide regular service to the Greater Montego Bay area and sections of Trelawny,” said Ajay Vijayan, NWC vice president for Western Jamaica.

Affected areas include Falmouth, Greenwood, Rose Hall, Coral Gardens, Duncans, Granville, Hague, Carey Park, Stewart Castle and Silver Sands.     

AN Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) report on Jamaica's catastrophe risk profile has revealed that the country is at risk of average annual losses of US$105 million due to hurricanes and US$30 million from earthquakes.

The study estimates the current exposure value of physical assets to earthquakes and hurricanes at approximately US$19 billion. These assets, the report said, mostly include transportation and communication infrastructure such as roads, bridges, residential commercial and industrial buildings and plants, and public utilities.

The findings from the report were released at a two-day workshop on disaster risk indicators hosted by the Planning Institute of Jamaica and the IDB recently at the PIOJ's offices in Kingston.

According to the PIOJ, the study said the parishes with the highest population density — St Andrew, St Catherine, Kingston and Clarendon — were more at risk from hurricane hazards.

According to the report, Jamaica is located in a high seismic and hurricane hazard zone with potential to be impacted by great destructive events.

IDB division chief for rural development, environment and disaster risk management, Héctor Malarín, in a presentation at the workshop, said "the figures will allow the government to make decisions regarding what is the best way to cope and reduce those expected losses that we have calculated".

The IDB has, at the same time, recommended that a more pro-active stance should be taken to disaster risk management and reduction; a comprehensive approach to include risk analysis, prevention and mitigation, financial protection and risk transfer, rehabilitation and reconstruction, and that emphasis should be placed on pre-disaster assistance.

The PIOJ said the workshop, which had more than 30 public and private sector representatives in attendance, was intended to enhance knowledge and awareness of the country's disaster risk and to facilitate sector dialogue with the Government on disaster risk management prioritisation and to explore opportunities for IDB support.

Police still seeking wife of One Order member

19 others interviewed and released

Jamaica Observer

Tuesday, August 31, 2010

THE Spanish Town police say they have yet been able to interview one of the 20 women who were named as persons of interest by them last week.

She has been identified as Samantha Minott, wife of alleged high-ranking One Order member, Everton Minott also called 'Rado'.

"She has not turned herself in and have not been detained by us," one cop said.

The other 19 women who are either mothers or spouses of members of the One Order and Klansman gangs have all been interviewed and released.

They were interviewed by detectives from the St Catherine North Police Division, The Financial Investigation Division and the Organised Crime Investigative Division.

Police report that the women were questioned about their association with criminals, money laundering, harbouring and hiding known fugitives and hiding ill-gotten gains such as motor cars and real estate.

Although they have been released, police said they were not yet through with their investigations.

"There might be a need to recall some of those persons," an officer told the Observer.

Jewellery heist at Bijoux

Gunmen rob store, located next to police station

By COREY ROBINSON, Observer staff reporter, robinsonc@jamaicaobserver.com

Tuesday, August 31, 2010

GUNMEN this morning barged into the Bijoux jewellery store — located next door to the police station in New Kingston — where they held several employees and customers hostage before making off with an undetermined some of cash and valuables.

The owner of the establishment declined to speak with representatives from the media about the incident, but one male worker told the Observer that the thugs disguised themselves as customers.

"Is about three of them come in, the man them all a look pon jewellery and were smelling cologne before they started," said the employee, noting that he stepped outside the establishment minutes before the robbery started to unfold.

According to him, the men brandished their guns and ordered employees and workers into a small room at the rear of the premises, robbing them of their cell phones and money.

They then opened the showcases and stole several watches and other items before fleeing in a waiting motorcar.

No one was injured, however.

The entire incident took about 20 minutes but the police, who are posted in a neighbouring building, had no knowledge of it.

Investigators are now observing closed-circuit television footage in an attempt to identify the bandits.

JTB takes Jamaican food and music to Notting Hill Carnival

Tuesday, August 31, 2010

JAMAICA Tourist Board bought the rhythms and flavours of Jamaica to the streets of London yesterday after participating in the Notting Hill Carnival, the largest festival of its kind in Europe.

Spectators turned out in their thousands to cheer the Tourist Board-sponsored Jamaican Twist band as it paraded through west London, with reggae beats and live MCs getting the crowds jumping and dancing in the streets.

'Ackee and Saltfish' was the theme of this year's carnival band, with costumed performers illustrating Jamaica's national dish. The Carnival King wore a spectacular Saltfish costume in shimmering blue, surrounded by dozens of female dancers in gold Ackee costumes. The costumed performers included eight finalists from the Miss Jamaica UK pageant. The Doctor Bird and Anansi were other characters brought to life by Carnival costumes.

The costume section was followed by a T-shirt band of around 40 men, women and children in customised Jamaican clothing. As a reflection of the national motto 'Out of Many, One People', participation was open to the public this year and this band included people from the UK, South Africa, Australia and the USA as well as Jamaicans and British-born Jamaicans.

Notting Hill Carnival is the UK's biggest celebration of Caribbean culture, consisting of 20 miles of vibrant colourful costumes and floats, over 40 static sound systems, hundreds of Caribbean food stalls, over 40,000 volunteers and over one million revellers. The annual Carnival has been running for over 40 years, taking place over the final Sunday and Monday in August.

As well as the Jamaican Twist band, which paraded the streets with floats from other Caribbean islands, Jamaica was represented by The Jolly Boys who gave a live performance to a rapturous reception. The Jolly Boys have proved to be a huge success in the UK with their modern mento covers of popular songs including Amy Winehouse's Rehab, Johnny Cash's Ring of Fire and Iggy Pop's The Passenger. The old-timers from Port Antonio are touring the UK ahead of their Great Expectation album launch.

Celebrity chef Levi Roots was also at Carnival, where he first made a name for his Reggae Reggae sauce. Hungry members of the public lined up for a taste of his Jamaican jerk and were also entertained by musical interludes from Roots.

It has been announced that its theme for 2011 will be 'Bob Marley - The King of Reggae Music', commemorating 30 years since the legend's death. In 2012, the band will celebrate 50 years of Jamaica's Independence.

Officer steals the show

 KINGSTON, Jamaica – It may have been Prime Minister Bruce Golding hosting a fun day for the children of Tivoli Gardens, West Kingston, but the real rock star at the event was police Sergeant Nicholas Charlton.

Charlton moved effortlessly among the crowd of Tivoli Gardens residents, flanked by more than ten children at a time, at the back-to-school treat and summer concert held Tuesday at the Bumps basketball court in the community. (Jamaica Gleaner)

Golding: I’ve said everything

KINGSTON, Jamaica – Bruce Golding has gone on the offensive while suggesting that critics of his handling of the Manatt, Phelps & Phillips issue have been unfair, unkind and political.

According to Golding, the critics, which he implied included sections of the media, were seeking to detract from the achievements of his administration.

“I have declared all that I know about this Manatt matter but that still don’t satisfy some people,” Golding said as he addressed Jamaica Labour Party supporters at a meeting of its Area Council One in Papine, St Andrew, on Sunday.

“Some people say you haven’t said all that you know. I have said that the government did not employ Manatt, Phelps & Phillips and I went further to say that if the government did employ [the law firm], there would be some document signed by the attorney general or the solicitor general or by me or the foreign minister,” Golding added.

With his supporters cheering his every word, Golding declared that he had presented all the facts and outlined all the issues but the Manatt matter has provided an opportunity for persons to coalesce in opposition to the Government. (Jamaica Gleaner)