Trinidad"s Attorney General - Help us bring hangman back

Sunday, January 11, 2015 | 2:33 AM    

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad – As the country grapples with a murderous start to 2015, Govern¬ment is seeking to bring back the hangman by once again returning the death penalty legislation to Parliament.

There have been 16 murders in the country in the past ten days.

In February 2011, the contro¬ver¬sial “Hanging Bill” failed to secure a majority vote in the House of Representatives as the Opposition raised concerns over provisions in the legislation.

The bill was defeated as 29 Gov¬ernment members voted for the bill and 11 members of the Opposition People’s National Movement (PNM) voted against it.

As the People’s Partnership’s tenure of office comes to an end this year, the ruling party intends to once again make another effort to ensure the death penalty is carried out in the country.

Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar had signalled last year her Government will again try to work with the Opposition to make this a reality, given the high murder toll.

At the Parliament sitting last Fri¬day, at Tower D, International Waterfront Centre, Port of Spain, Attorney General Anand Ramlo¬gan han¬ded Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley a letter, requesting the

PNM make proposals to ensure the Constitution (Amendment) (Capital Offences) Bill, 2015 is passed this year.

Ramlogan stated in his letter the intention of this bill is to allow the

State to carry out the sen¬tence of death imposed by the courts on con¬victed murderers, regardless of how long they take to exhaust the various appellate procedures.

Ramlogan pointed out that in 2011 when the bill was brought to Par¬lia¬ment, the Opposition supported the death penalty as the mandatory sentence for murder.

He further noted Opposition MP Marlene McDonald indicated the Opposition was in agreement that the death penalty is good law and had stated, “The position of the PNM is that we support the law of the land, and the law of the land is in Section IV of the Offences Against the Per¬son Act, which says, ‘Every person convicted of murder shall suffer death’.”

He reminded that the Opposi¬tion voted against the Constitution (Amend-ment) (Capital Offences) Bill, 2011 although the Government made a major concession by remo¬ving the catego¬risation of murders.

“Again, the Gov¬ern¬ment would be happy to remove the categorisation of murders if the Oppo¬sition finds this objec¬tion¬able, and would support the measure,’’ stated Ram¬¬logan.

He stated subsequent to the last debate, he wrote on two occasions to soli¬cit legislative proposals from the Oppo¬si¬tion that supports the execu¬tion of convicted murderers who are sentenced to death.

“To date, I have not received any response from your Office, and I therefore renew my invitation from you to either indicate your support for the Constitution (Amendment) (Capi¬tal Offences) Bill, 2015 or pro¬vide a counter-proposal for the Government’s consideration,’’ stated Ramlogan.

“Having regard to the PNM’s public declaration of support for the implementation of the death penalty, I write to ask whether the Opposition would be minded to support the Gov¬ernment’s proposed bill to allow the sentence of death to be carried out,” he added.

“You would no doubt agree that the role of the Opposition is not limi¬ted to opposing but includes pro¬posing. It is untenable and unaccep¬table that a Parliament comprising elected members of Parliament from parties that support the death pen¬alty are unable to pass a simple amend¬ment for its implementation in the criminal justice system of Tri¬nidad and Tobago,’’ stated Ramlogan.

He pointed out in Jamaica, the Opposition joined hands with the Government in 2011 to pass simi¬lar legislation and amend its consti¬tution, section 13 (8), as follows:

13 (8) The execution of a sen¬tence of death imposed after the com¬¬mence¬ment of the Charter of Fundamental Rights and Freedoms (Constitutional Amendment) Act, 2011 on any personfor an offence against the law of Jamaica shall not be held to be incon¬sistent with, or in contravention of, this section by reason of—

(a) the length of time which elap¬ses between the date on which the sentence is imposed and the date on which the sentence is executed

(b) the physical conditions or arrangements under which such person is detained pending the exe¬cution of the sentence, by virtue of any law or practice in force imme¬di¬ately before the commence¬ment of the Charter of Fun¬da¬mental Rights and Freedoms (Con¬stitutional Amend¬ment) Act, 2011.

Ramlogan stated Parliament had an inherent duty to ensure the rule of law was upheld and that laws are not passed in vain.

He added the death penalty was part of the laws of Trinidad and Tobago, and Parliament had a duty to respond to the legal manoeuvres by convicted murders that frustrate and defeat the carrying out of a sentence of death imposed by a court after trial before a judge and jury.

“Save and except for the catego¬ri¬sation of murders (which we are prepared to remove), the Govern¬ment’s bill is similar to the Jamaican legislation,” he said.

By Anna Ramdass anna.ramdass@trinidadexpress.com

SUNDAY EXPRESS

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Trinidad"s Attorney General - Help us bring hangman back

Senate passes General Consumption Tax (GCT - amendment) Act

Saturday, September 27, 2014 | 6:56 AM    

KINGSTON, Jamaica – The General Consumption Tax (Amendment) Act was passed in the Senate on Friday, September 26.

The legislation introduces a series of adjustments, which are at facilitating smoother operations of businesses as well as achieving greater efficiency and effectiveness in the system of tax collection, and also widen the tax net.

Opening the debate on the Bill, Minister of Justice, Mark Golding, said it seeks to facilitate Jamaican businesses by leveling the playing field and making them more internationally competitive.

He noted that several of the new measures are of particular benefit to the manufacturing sector.

Citing the deferment regime, he said it allows manufacturers to delay payment of tax on the importation of raw materials, consumables, and intermediate goods or spare parts, until the manufacturer is making his next GCT return. 

“Presently, the deferment system applies only to manufacturers of taxable supplies, which are those suppliers of goods that attract GCT, and only inputs acquired for use in the manufacture of taxable goods may be deferred in this way. The scope of this regime is now being extended to benefit manufacturers, who are engaged in mixed activities (which includes) the production of goods, which are taxable and also exempt goods on which GCT does not apply,” he stated.

Golding explained that the amendments will also allow small business operators, whose sales fall below the GCT threshold, to qualify for registration under the Act, and therefore receive benefits.

“There is a threshold of annual turnover of a business. If you fall below that threshold of $3 million, you cannot register as a GCT taxpayer. This is being changed to allow traders, who may be below that threshold, to register if they so wish. This will assist the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) sector… as businesses…will no longer have to absorb the cost of the GCT on their business expenses,” Golding said.

The amendments also introduce improved measures for dealing with tax avoidance schemes, while also widening the range of offences under the Act. Penalties for braches of the Act have also been increased.

Opposition Senator, Nigel Clarke welcomed the amendments to the legislation.

He noted that the legislation enhances the efficiency and effectiveness of the regime of tax collection as it relates to the GCT Act.

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Senate passes General Consumption Tax (GCT - amendment) Act

General Degree releases new EP

General Degree – File

Dancehall star General Degree is making a major return with his new EP ‘Bambalam’, now available worldwide from all major digital retailers.

The deejay, born Cardiff Butt in Manchester, blasted on to the music scene more than 20 years ago and has remained on the airwaves and playlists for two decades. Consistently touring and keeping his brand relevant with fans, a rare accomplishment in the dancehall genre, this timeless artiste has returned with a collection of new hits, and the world is taking notice.

Bambalam debuted on the iTunes Canada Reggae Top Albums chart at No.10, on the iTunes US Reggae Top Albums chart at No. 23, and on the iTunes UK Reggae Top Albums chart No. 39.

Its lead track Bambalam peaked at No. 57 on the iTunes US Reggae Top Songs chart.

“I am very happy to know that my EP is getting such a great reception on the international market,” General Degree stated in a release sent to THE WEEKEND STAR. “I’ve been focusing 100 per cent on my career and, to be getting such good results, it’s a wonderful feeling!”

fame

General Degree first gained international fame with his dancehall hits Traffic Blocking, Granny and Boom Boom, which, among other hits, still enjoy airplay and club play worldwide. He now adds another blockbuster to his catalogue with Bambalam, as the title track on the 2014 Zumba Mega Mix 41, the official CD of the dance fitness craze.

The uptempo, high-energy tune has been serviced to all official Zumba instructors and is currently being enjoyed by Zumba aficionados globally. “I want music fans to enjoy my new collection of works as it is some of my best,” he adds.

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General Degree releases new EP

Former Governor General dies

Sir Howard Cooke passes at 98

Former Governor General Sir Howard Cooke died yesterday afternoon at age 98, THE STAR has learnt. The former governor general is reported to have been taken to the Andrews Memorial Hospital earlier this week.

Sir Howard served as an educator for 23 years before starting a life in politics in 1938, holding various capacities such as headmaster at Belle Castle All-Age School, Port Antonio Upper School and Montego Bay Boys’ School.

He was also a member and former president of the Jamaica Union of Teachers.

Sir Howard, was installed as governor general of Jamaica at King’s House on August 1, 1991 until February 15, 2006.

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Former Governor General dies

CARICOM Secretary General calls for collective solutions to Caribbean challenges

ST. JOHN’S, Antigua, Wednesday July 2, 2014, CMC – Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretary General Irwin La Rocque says regional countries must find collective solutions to the serious challenges being posed by an ever changing global environment.

La Rocque, speaking at the opening of the 35th CARICCOM Summit here on Tuesday night, said that Dickinson Bay where the three-day summit is being held provides an opportunity for Caribbean governments “to do what is required to make our integration arrangements more effective in its response to the challenges of the day”.

In December 1965, the governments of Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Guyana, and Trinidad and Tobago signed the Dickenson Bay Agreement, establishing the Caribbean Free Trade Association (CARIFTA), the forerunner to CARICOM.

But La Rocque told delegates that in order to make the transition, regional countries “must find collective solutions to the serious challenges, particularly with respect to our economic condition, that threaten the hard won gains of our people.

“The structural and institutional characteristics which affect growth in our small, vulnerable economies combine to restrict our ability to compete internationally, expose our vulnerability to external events, and constrain our capacity for adjustment.”

He said that vulnerability is demonstrated by the lingering effects of the global economic and financial crisis in the region resulting among other things in stubbornly low growth rates.

“When added to a heavy debt burden and falling fiscal revenues, it leaves our governments with precious little room to manoeuvre especially as the International Financial Institutions and our development partners use the misleading criterion of per capita income to graduate us out of access to much needed concessionary development financing.”

La Rocque said importantly, neither the economic and financial crises nor the causes of climate change, originated within the Caribbean.

“However, there is analytical evidence to prove that their impact on the economies of most CARICOM States has heightened the debt and fiscal challenges we face.

“Formidable as these challenges are, our Community’s history clearly shows that we have never been daunted in the face of trials. It is now, in this period of acute economic stress faced by our region that the spirit of unity that brings us together in all forms of adversity, is infusing our actions as we seek to build the Community’s resilience to withstand the shocks, whether they are economic, social or climatic.”

He said never before in recent history, have so many of our member states faced such challenges at the same time for such a protracted period.

La Rocque said that it is in recognition of the need to find a regional resolution to the regional problem that regional governments mandated that “we prepare a strategic plan, which seeks to reposition the Community and which will inform the institutional mechanism to carry it forward.

“Having consulted extensively throughout the Community over the past year, the first ever Community Strategic Plan has been prepared. That plan, geared towards refocusing, redirecting, and reorganising the Community, is before this meeting and will set our course for the immediate future and beyond.”

He said the plan has identified eight strategic priorities to address the challenges over the five year period.

“Broadly, this will involve building resilience in the economic, social, environmental and technological areas, as well as strengthening governance and our spirit of Community. Co-ordinating our foreign and external economic relations, and research, development and innovation are also essential elements of the strategy.”

But the region’s top public servant warned that the key to the success of the plan is agreement on the priority activities and the steps to implement them.

“That in itself will be a sign that we are truly on the way to achieving that mature regionalism which is required to guide the future of our Community. We must now harness and channel our resources optimally, to get the results that will benefit the people of the Community.

“A critical factor in delivering those benefits is how we organise ourselves to make it possible in an effective and efficient manner. This is a plan for the Community and all of the Community must be involved.

“To succeed would entail a level of co-operation and co-ordination involving our Member States, all the Institutions of the Community and the Secretariat operating, within a responsive governance structure with clear lines of accountability under the direction of our Heads of Government,” La Roque added.

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CARICOM Secretary General calls for collective solutions to Caribbean challenges

Guyana ruling party ready for general election

Guyana president, Donald Ramotar (Credit: caricom.org)

GEORGETOWN, Guyana, Friday June 27, 2014, CMC – President Donald Ramotar Wednesday signalled that his People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) is prepared for a general election if the opposition goes ahead with its threat to move a motion of no-confidence in his administration.

The PPP/C does not hold a majority in the 65-member national assembly with the opposition parties – A Partnership for National unity (APNU) and the Alliance for Change (AFC) – holding one seat majority.

AFC Vice Chairman Moses Nagamootoo told the privately-owned Stabroek Newspaper that a no-confidence vote by the opposition could come before the Parliament soon.

He said one of the reasons for considering a no-confidence motion was the fact that government has already spent GUY$4.5 billion (one Guyana dollar =US$0.004 cents) of the GUY$37.4 billion which had been cut from the GUY$220 billion budget for the fiscal year 2014-15.

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But as he addressed the Annual General Meeting of the Private Sector Commission (PSC), Ramotar said that his administration was not afraid of facing the electorate. The last election was held here on November 28, 2011.

“We do not take threats. If the opposition wants to pass a no-confidence bill, let them pass it and we will be ready to deal with the consequences of that,” he said, adding “when I say I am going to do it, I am going to do it. I wouldn’t even say it.”

In his address, President Ramotar also responded to a call for a date to be named for the long overdue local government elections.

United States Ambassador to Guyana Brent Hardt has dismissed government’s latest excuse for not holding local government elections saying it was time Guyanese directly elect their representatives at the local level.

“To my mind, it’s a constitutional requirement, it’s a legislative requirement and there is at this point no obstacle to the holding of local government elections so I would just urge government to set a date, move forward as soon as possible and give people that ability to have effective local governance and start to transform the country,” he told the Guyana-based Demerara Waves Online News.

But President Ramotar, in an apparent reference to United States practice of listening to the phone calls of people worldwide, said such actions were undermining democracy.

“What undermines democracy is when you listen to everybody’s telephone calls and read their emails and ban them from having collective bargaining in their own country in different parts of North America and Europe,” he told the business community.

Ramotar said that while he was eager for local government elections there were some uncertainties in the body politic reiterating that the lack of local government elections meant that his administration was undermining democracy.

The last Local Government elections were held on August 8, 1994 with the ruling PPP-C winning 80 percent of the Councils.

But for various reasons, the Local Government elections planned for 1997 did not materialise and the National Assembly deferred the 1997 elections to one year later. Since then, numerous obstacles have impeded Local Government elections even though the government in 2004 had named the month of October as the month for the polls.

In January 2013, a joint statement issued by the United States Ambassador D Brent Hardt, the United Kingdom High Commissioner Andrew Ayre, his Canadian counterpart David Devine and Robert Kopecky, the European Union diplomat here, recalled that during the 2011 national elections “one issue on which all political parties were in full agreement was the need to hold local government elections.”

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Guyana ruling party ready for general election

Antigua Attorney General ‘stable’ in hospital after collapse

Sunday, February 02, 2014 | 12:18 PM    

ST JOHN’S, Antigua (CMC) — Antigua and Barbuda’s Attorney General, Justin Simon QC, remained in hospital late Saturday in stable condition after collapsing at a restaurant, an official source has said.

Simon, said to be in his fifties, reportedly collapsed around 4.30 pm, while out with friends at Big Banana, a popular eatery in downtown St Johns.

He was rushed to the Mount St John’s Medical Centre, the main state hospital about a kilometre away.

A senior government official who said he was receiving regular updates on the attorney general’s health but asked not to be identified, told the Caribbean Media Corporation that Simon was conscious, alert and in stable condition.

Key figures in government could not be reached for details of Simon’s illness and condition.

The Dominica-born Simon was appointed as Minister of Legal Affairs and Attorney General in the original cabinet of Prime Minister Baldwin Spencer when his United Progressive Party (UPP) swept to power in March 2004, ending the 28-year rule of the Antigua Labour Party (ALP).

Simon, who had originally told Spencer he intended to serve one-term as the government’s principal legal adviser, has stayed on past the UPP’s election to a second term in office in 2009.

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Antigua Attorney General ‘stable’ in hospital after collapse

Administrator General gets failing grade from Auditor General

Department only able to close 19 per cent of the case files over a four year period

KINGSTON, Jamaica — Auditor General Pamela Monroe Ellis has accused the Administrator General’s Department (AGD) of failing to ensure strict adherence to the Administrator General’s Act, in carrying out its duties.In her 2012/13 report tabled in Parliament last Tuesday, the Auditor General suggested that in order to strictly observe the provisions of the Act, the AGD needs to keep complete and accurate accounting of all transactions with respect to estates and trusts vested in or administered by that government department.She said that her office has been encouraging the AGD to consummate the proposed acquisition and implementation of the trust and estate management software (TEMS), as soon as possible. Additionally, she said, the management of the department should aggressively pursue delinquent tenants to collect outstanding rent, while devising strategies to alleviate vandalism and squatting on the related properties.The position of the Auditor General was influenced by her department’s 2012/13 audit of the Administrator General’s Department, which revealed a number of flaws including:As at May 2013, the AGD was administering approximately 8,000 estates, of which 4,332 (54 per cent), valued at approximately $405 million, were categorised as backlog. “These 4,332 estates comprised of cases dated between 20 to 70 years after the death of the estate owners,” the Auditor General explained.She also pointed out that, while the AGD implemented a project in 2009, to reduce the number of backlog cases, over the four-year period, 2009 to May 2013, the department was only able to close 1,075, or 19 per cent of the case files.“At the current average rate of 864 backlog cases per year, it may take AGD at least five years to clear the existing backlog,” she commented.The Auditor General also found problems with arrears in Estate and Trust Accounts and delayed payments to beneficiaries. She noted that the AGD is in breach of the Administrator General’s Act, by not updating estates’ records on a timely basis.“As at September 4, 2013, 945 estate accounts were in arrears for periods of up to three years. We found that AGD’s inability to locate related ledger cards and the volume of transactions being processed manually, contributed to the delays in updating the estate accounts,” she stated.She added that this will impede the department’s ability to determine the true value of each estate account in its portfolio at any given time.Like our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/jamaicaobserverFollow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/JamaicaObserver

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Caricom secretary general optimistic about region"s future

GEORGETOWN, Guyana (CMC) — Caribbean Community (Caricom) Secretary General Irwin La Rocque says 2014 promises new directions for the 15-member regional integration movement as it seeks to deliver more immediate and tangible benefits to the people of the Caribbean.

In his end-of-year message, the Dominican-born LaRocque said 2013, which marked the 40th anniversary of Caricom, underscored the determination and commitment of the region to forge a common destiny as small unified states in this unique corner of the world called the Caribbean.He said the anniversary theme of “Celebration and Renewal” remained relevant “as we bask in our Caribbean-ness, rekindle the spirit of community and continue our integration quest with an outlook that is shaped by new thinking and different approaches”.He said that outlook would be influenced by the necessity for appropriate responses to the current global environment which has placed member states in dire straits, stymieing growth and development and denying the Caribbean the wherewithal to create a better standard of living for the people of the region.“Indeed, the vulnerability of our member states and their capacity for resilience came into stark relief last week in St Vincent and the Grenadines, St Lucia and Dominica, when severe weather visited death and destruction and caused a setback to development efforts there,” said the secretary general.The weather system has also been blamed for the deaths of 15 people so far and governments of these three Caribbean countries say they would require hundreds of millions of dollars in the rehabilitation exercise.La Rocque said that the new outlook would also be shaped by the review and reform of the integration movement being undertaken at the request of regional governments, adding “we are on schedule to achieve early in the new year one of our key milestones — the completion of the draft Five-Year Strategic Plan”.The plan was crafted following consultations with stakeholders across the region and sets out a common vision, identities priority areas of focus over the period and also addresses issues of implementability including the roles and responsibilities of all participants in the community’s architecture.“Unsurprisingly, sustainable economic growth and development emerged as one of the primary areas of concern for stakeholders across the spectrum with whom the Change Team interacted over the past year, and it is our intention, through the efforts of the recently established Caricom Commission on the Economy, to explore possible avenues to put us on a sustainable path,” La Rocque said.He said the commission would provide advice on implementable solutions based particularly on the priority areas set out in the Caricom growth agenda.“For the Caribbean Community, therefore, 2014 dawns with the promise of new directions, prioritisation on the critical areas that will deliver more immediate and tangible benefits to our peoples, more strategic approaches and the continued emphasis on our youth and empowerment of our citizens,” he added.

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General Accident"s net income jumps by 41%

General Accident Insurance Company Jamaica saw its net profit increase by 41 per cent.

Profit for the three months ended June 2013 was $80 million, up from $53.9 million during the corresponding period.The improved performance reflected higher gross premium revenue and better underwriting profit.Underwriting profit, which is the income generated from the company’s core business of underwriting insurance, was $32 million for the three months ended June 2013, up from $16 million during the corresponding period.The company, which listed on the Jamaica Junior Stock Exchange last year, has a portfolio mix of seven classes, with property and motor being the primary oneImprovements in net commission contributed to the increase in profit from General Accident’s core business – commercial, property and motor, which saw healthy organic growth, the company said.Commissions expense improved, to $6.5 million during the three months ended June 2013, down from $78 million during the comparative period.Commission income earned from reinsurers grew by two per cent to $84 million during the review period, moving from $82 million in the corresponding period last year.The company executed some facultative transactions on behalf of large domestic and multinational clients, according to the general insurer.General Accident said it did not take up the significant risks that were associated with the large domestic and multinational clients.But claims expenses increased by 33 per cent to $157 million during the quarter under review, up from $117 million.Its gross premiums written for the third quarter 2013 was $2 billion, 23 per cent more than the same period last year. While net premiums written during the quarter under review was four per cent higher, moving from $265 million to $254 million.Investment income for the period under review increased by 33 per cent to $52 million, down from $39 million to $52 million.During the six months ended June, the company posted $145 million in investment income; this is an increase of 68 per cent compared to $86 million last year.“This represents an annualised return on our average investment portfolio of 12 per cent, well in excess of inflation and the returns on benchmark Government of Jamaica fixed-income securities,” the company said.An aerial view of General Accident.

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General Accident"s net income jumps by 41%

Independence Message by Governor General, His Excellency Sir Patrick Allen

KINGSTON, Jamaica — The following is the August 6, 2013 Independence Day Message from Governor General Sir Patrick Allen in full:

My Fellow Jamaicans, at home and in the Diaspora,We bring the curtains down on our 50th Anniversary celebrations and begin our 51st year at a time when our country is beckoning to us for our recommitment to rise and build!This is a call to all of us; none is exempt! Our National Anthem constantly inspires us to believe that we are a country blessed by the Eternal Father.We must believe that we are uniquely equipped to pursue our bold mission outlined in Vision 2030 of making Jamaica a place where we choose to live, work, raise families and do business.We are all aware that there is some distance between where we are and where we want to be, but we must not be discouraged. Rather, let us embrace the many challenges which confront Jamaica, as a call to action and encourage each other to serve to the best of our ability, with dignity, honour and integrity!Today, we remember with pride what Jamaicans have accomplished through their dogged determination to succeed, their creative genius, their perseverance and resilience, and especially in sports, their drive to make Jamaica proud.We also remember and laud the many Jamaicans overseas who have built up a reputation for sterling contributions to the development of their country of residence.Here at home, we recognize and commend the many persons from very humble beginnings who have triumphed in their respective fields because of their commitment to hard work, their discipline, their focus on the attainment of their goals and their belief in their God-given potential to achieve their dreams.They confirm my belief that the large majority of Jamaicans are decent, hard-working, law-abiding citizens and that we have the capacity to transform Jamaica into the country which we envision. “There is nothing wrong with Jamaica that cannot be fixed by what is right with Jamaica.”In my travels across Jamaica:I have met many of our unsung heroes and heroines from all walks of life, who, motivated by the tough economic conditions, sharpen their skills and use their inventiveness to create small businesses which provide jobs for others.I have been privileged to meet children and youth whose hunger for education and whose focus on their goals inspire me to persist with my “I Believe” Initiative.I have seen people, both young and the more mature, invest of themselves in building up others through the impartation of life skills and the development of their capacity to earn a decent living.I have interacted with several of our business persons who are contributing their time, talent and resources to the upliftment of our people.I have met others in the media who commit to using their space for the advancement of positive values and attitudes, thus resisting cheap sensationalism.I salute those in the entertainment industry who recognize and accept the weight of responsibility to be good role models on and off stageI know strong people in government and politics, the Church, the security forces, civil society and academia, who will not bend their principles, but will render faithful service to God and country, thus demonstrating the independence of their spirit.These, the warm, caring and hospitable people of Jamaica, are what is right about our country. Together, let us make a significant difference, even reaching our development goals in advance of 2030. Each Jamaican, whether at home or abroad, has the responsibility to help restore our image as a peaceful and productive country. Each of us must accept our responsibility to defend what is good and what is right about us. Edmund Burke, a classical political thinker of the late 18th Century said something which is so relevant to us and our times, and I quote:“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men (and women) to do nothing.”As we celebrate our Independence, let us believe in and build the Jamaica which we are destined to be:  “triumphant, proud and free”!Lady Allen joins me in wishing you a happy Independence. May God bless Jamaica, Land we love!-JIS

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Independence Message by Governor General, His Excellency Sir Patrick Allen

General Accident, Scotiabank "B" capture Open League, KO titles

Sport

Wednesday, July 31, 2013

General Accident and Scotiabank ‘B’ captured the 2013 Business House Netball Association (BHNA) Open League and consolation Knockout titles last Saturday at the Leila Robinson Court.The day started at 10:00 am with a rally for the 26 teams who did not make it to the semi-finals in both the Open League and Knockout competitions participating.Gleaner Company defeated Facey Commodity 9-4 in the consolation final to cop the Corral Christian Trophy, while Jamaica National Building Society defeated Lime 5-3 to cop the Beverly McDonald Trophy. GraceKennedy clipped JIO 9-8 to emerge the overall rally champions for 2013 and take home the Crown Packaging Trophy.In the knockout third place play-off, Wisynco defeated JPS 22-15, and Scotiabank Group ‘A’ stopped Sagicor ‘A’ 28-14 to take third place in the open league.The knockout final was a close game from start to finish, between Scotiabank ‘B’ and Transport Authority, with quarterly scores of 5-5, 14-13 in favour of Transport Authority, and 19-18, before Scotiabank ‘B’ eventually won 26-24, with goal keeper Blessing Forbes, goal attack Tanisha Hibbert and goal shooter Christiana Morgan playing a brilliant last quarter to carry their team to their first knockout title.In the Open League final, General Accident defeated Jamaica Broilers 39-26 in a one-sided affair.General Accident lead 8-6 at the end of the first quarter, then 14-12 at half-time. The third quarter was a big one for General Accident, as they wrapped up the game in the third quarter by outscoring their opponents 14-7, for a 31-19 lead.The game eventually ended 39-25.Goal attack Kerisa Kessna and goal shooter Margaret Byfield led the way for their team with accurate shooting and they were well supported by captain Nadine Bryan, national netball coach Oberon Pitterson-Nattie, Samantha Mundle, Tamara Hylton and Sabrina Spence. The divisional leagues will begin in August.Members of the Scotiabank ‘B’ team poses with 2013 Consolation Knockout Trophy after clipping Transport Authority 26-24 in the final last Saturday.Members of the Scotiabank ‘B’ team pose with 2013 Consolation Knockout Trophy after clipping Transport Authority 26-24 in the final last Saturday.

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General Accident, Scotiabank "B" capture Open League, KO titles

JN General Insurance opens branch in MegaMart Kingston

Business

Sunday, June 30, 2013

JAMAICA National has added another outlet to its insurance arm, JN General Insurance Company (JNGI).The new “micro-branch” opened last week in the MegaMart shopping centre in Kingston. It is JNGI’s 16th outlet.Chris Hind, JNGI’s general manager, said the move represents two organisations coming together with an aim to serve customers better.“We share an ethos with MegaMart of putting our customers first and giving back to Jamaica,” Hind stated.“General insurance is about trust and peace of mind. You work hard to acquire your valuable assets and we think you deserve to have experts available to you, at your convenience, to assist you in arranging proper protection,” he contimued, noting that “By going to Megamart, we have stepped outside of our own network, for the first time, to find our customers at their location of choice.”Thousands of Jamaicans shop daily at MegaMart, one of Jamaica’s leading retail brands with shopping centres in Kingston, Portmore, Mandeville and Montego Bay.JNGI’s new outlet inside MegaMart is located in a kiosk. According to Hind, “It has an attractive physical location and offers good access to most residents in this area of St Andrew.”He added: “This branch has a staff of customer service representatives who interact freely with MegaMart shoppers. Advanced communications technology allows our staff to concentrate on customer needs, whilst normal branch back office work is carried out from JNGI’s main office on King Street in Kingston.”Gassan Azan, chairman and chief executive officer of MegaMart, said “the presence of JNGI providing general insurance services will certainly enrich the MegaMart shopping experience. Our customers have grown to appreciate the location of other service providers under our roof.”Azan pointed out that the collaboration with JNGI and its parent, Jamaica National Building Society, offers the potential for cooperation in finding new ways to keep customers satisfied.JN General Insurance (JNGI) general manager Chris Hind (left), with MegaMart chairman and CEO Gassan Azan at the launch of JNGI’s new outlet inside the MegaMart shopping centre in Kingston.

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JN General Insurance opens branch in MegaMart Kingston