JahDore takes on Fake People

BY KEVIN JACKSON Observer Writer

Friday, January 23, 2015    

SINGER/MUSICIAN JahDore kicks off his 2015 campaign with Fake People, a song produced by JDMP Records.

He hopes it will get him back into the spotlight after success a few years ago with the single This Love is Over.

He recently spoke about the inspiration for Fake People.

“After losing the files for an album that I was working on, I tried to get help from persons who claimed that they were my friends. I didn’t get support from any of them and that’s when I realised that people are not necessarily who they appear to be,” he said.

To help promote the song, a video will be produced and released in February.

As for the incomplete album, JahDore plans to revive the project with new producers and management led by JDMP Records. He is confident they can take his career to the next level.

“I’ve just compiled a 14-track CD with some songs that the fans are familiar with and some new ones as well, and I’m looking forward to working with some good producers,” he said.

JahDore made his debut as a vocalist in 2011 with This Love is Over. He followed up with Security Work and Hello Girl.

Born Sean McDonald, he is originally from Ebony Vale in Spanish Town and attended the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts.

Most of his early days in the music industry were spent touring Europe and the United States with Jimmy Cliff and Luciano as a saxophonist and keyboardist.

One ‘Kool’ combination

DANCEHALL artiste Mr Kool collaborates with singjay Sean Sonic on the track Pawty. It was produced by So Serious Records.

“Is basically a party song. It’s full of energy and vibes. I appreciate the support that it has been getting from underground DJs in the US,” Mr Kool told Splash.

To promote the song, a video was recently filmed in Manchester. It was directed by the London-based LJ Logan Productions, which has done videos for a number of dancehall acts including Beenie Man.

Born Damean Carter, Mr Kool is known for songs like Voom Voom, Dry Flask and Bar Sheller which were produced by Insight Records.

The Yuletide season saw him performing at GT Taylor’s Christmas Extravaganza and Sting.

His upcoming dates are in Manchester: Short Shorts Affair on January 23 and Wadup Birthday Bash in Windsor on January 31.

Barbee goes solo on Just Like That

BARBEE, known in dancehall circles for the hits Give it Up (featuring Beenie Man) and Missing You (with Junior Kelly), has her sights set on a solo hit with Just Like That.

Released late last year, it is produced by Rock City aka Planet 6, known for his work with big-name acts such as Rihanna, Miley Cyrus and Kelly Rowland.

Barbee is currently in the United Kingdom promoting the single.

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JahDore takes on Fake People

China"s Xiaomi takes aim at Apple with new phone

BEIJING, (AP) — Rising smartphone star Xiaomi is moving upmarket and taking aim at Apple’s iPhone.

The Chinese manufacturer, known for ultra-low-priced handsets, on Thursday unveiled a new model that Chairman Jun Lei said is comparable to Apple’s iPhone 6, but thinner, lighter and much cheaper. The phone starts at 2,299 yuan (US$375), less than half the 5,288 yuan (US$865) price of an iPhone 6 in China.

Xiaomi, founded in 2010, passed South Korea’s Samsung Electronics Co in the second quarter of last year as the best-selling smartphone brand in China by number of handsets sold. The company is expanding into India and other developing markets but has yet to announce plans to enter the United States or Europe.

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China"s Xiaomi takes aim at Apple with new phone

Honey Bun takes three JSE awards

Honey Bun topped three categories in the 2014 Jamaica Stock Exchange (JSE) awards held this month in Kingston. The Herbert and Michelle Chong-run company won Best Practices Award for Best Annual Report, Corporate Disclosure and Investor Relations (three years in a row), and Overall Winner.

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Honey Bun takes three JSE awards

Jay-Z takes family to $35m resort

Jay-Z took Beyonce to a Muay Thai fight in Phuket, Thailand. The 45-year-old rapper whisked his wife and daughter, Blue Ivy, off on holiday to a $35 million property at the exclusive Amanpuri resort in the region, for the festive season.

The Drunk In Love hitmaker sat ringside at the Patong Boxing Stadium to watch a number of local fighters duke it out in the ring. He is reportedly eager to learn more about the sport, before one of his latest business ventures, Roc Nation Sports (RNS), takes its first step into the world of boxing, with the debut of throne boxing in New York City next month.

A source said: “Jay is a huge supporter of the sport. If there is an opportunity for him to attend a match while on vacation, absolutely, he’ll be there. Could he have been scouting new fighters? Who knows, it’s certainly possible. Many of the fighters are not from America, they come from all over the world.”

The insider also told E! News: “Boxing has always intrigued Jay. Jay always wants to break ground wherever he can, and he saw a chance to do this with RNS. They are sexifying the boxing experience, changing things up. Never before has there been deejays and performers at a match, they’re hoping to appeal to a broader audience.”? Meanwhile, the couple, who allegedly came close to ending their marriage earlier this year, seem to be ‘very much in love’ while on holiday, according to an eyewitness.

The duo were seen frolicking in ‘huge’ waves on the beach and relaxing with their daughter in recent days.

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Jay-Z takes family to $35m resort

Hudson takes weight-watching to the extreme.Throws food across the room to prevent herself from eating it

File

Jennifer Hudson

Jennifer Hudson throws food across the room to stop herself from eating it.

The 33-year-old singer lost 56lbs four years ago after giving birth to her son, David Jr, in August 2009, but she admits she still has to watch her weight and even goes to extreme lengths to prevent herself from gorging on too many calorific treats.

Speaking to Yahoo Style, she said: “I throw the pancakes across the room! I don’t let the food intimidate me. If it’s too much, I just get rid of it, but I make sure to watch what I put in my body.

“And I make sure I know what it is. It’s all about portions for the most part. I just take care of myself in that way, being more conscious. I don’t work out a lot, but I do like to be active. Simple as that.”

However, the Spotlight hitmaker hasn’t given up all naughty treats, as she insists she always has to have chocolate by her side as it helps her calm down.

She explained: “I always have to have chocolate around – it’s my cigarette. I don’t smoke, but it calms me so well. I don’t like too much junk in my dressing room, because I have to watch what I eat. So I put everything else out of the room.”

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Hudson takes weight-watching to the extreme.Throws food across the room to prevent herself from eating it

Hudson takes weight-watching to the extreme.Throws food across the room to prevent herself from eating it

File

Jennifer Hudson

Jennifer Hudson throws food across the room to stop herself from eating it.

The 33-year-old singer lost 56lbs four years ago after giving birth to her son, David Jr, in August 2009, but she admits she still has to watch her weight and even goes to extreme lengths to prevent herself from gorging on too many calorific treats.

Speaking to Yahoo Style, she said: “I throw the pancakes across the room! I don’t let the food intimidate me. If it’s too much, I just get rid of it, but I make sure to watch what I put in my body.

“And I make sure I know what it is. It’s all about portions for the most part. I just take care of myself in that way, being more conscious. I don’t work out a lot, but I do like to be active. Simple as that.”

However, the Spotlight hitmaker hasn’t given up all naughty treats, as she insists she always has to have chocolate by her side as it helps her calm down.

She explained: “I always have to have chocolate around – it’s my cigarette. I don’t smoke, but it calms me so well. I don’t like too much junk in my dressing room, because I have to watch what I eat. So I put everything else out of the room.”

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Hudson takes weight-watching to the extreme.Throws food across the room to prevent herself from eating it

Sir Hilary Beckles takes Reparations case to UK Parliament

Caribbean historian, Professor Sir Hilary Beckles, took the case for reparations for slavery to the British Parliament on July 16 and, in doing so, presented an argument that, not only were the ex-slaves not compensated, they were cruelly required to pay for their emancipation.

Sir Hilary, Chairman of the CARICOM Reparations Commission, speaking to members of the House of Commons, asserted that, arising from the 1833 Act of Emancipation, the UK Parliament “betrayed the enslaved people of the Caribbean by forcing them to pay more than 50% of the cost of their own emancipation.”

This aspect of the history of emancipation had long been hidden from public view, charged.

Market value

Elaborating, he explained that “this Parliament in 1833 determined that the 800,000 enslaved people in the Caribbean were worth, as chattel property, £47 million. This was their assessed market value.”

“This Parliament,” he said provided the sum of £20 million in grants to the slave owners “as fair compensation for the loss of their human chattel.”

He told the British parliamentarians that their predecessors decided that the enslaved people would receive none of this compensation.

“The argument made in this House was that ‘property’ cannot receive property compensation. This Parliament, in its emancipation Act, upheld the law that black people were not human, but property.”

Hidden decision

But, according to the respected historian, the British Parliament hid one very important decision from the world. That decision, he said, was that “the remaining £27 million would be paid by the enslaved people to their enslavers, by means of a 4 year period of free labour called the Apprenticeship.”

He said this period of additional free labour by the emancipated represented the enforced extraction of £27 million by the state.

“It was a cruel and shameful method of legislating Emancipation by forcing the enslaved to pay more than 50% of the financial cost of their own freedom. The £20 million paid the enslavers by this Parliament was less than the £27 million paid by the enslaved to the enslavers as dictated by this House.”

He told the British Parliamentarians that they could not morally and legally turn their backs upon this past, “and walk away from the mess they have left behind.”

Instead, he declared, “this Parliament has to return to the scene of its crimes, and participate as a legitimate parliament, as a legal parliament, in the healing and rehabilitation of the Caribbean.”

He gave two examples of how this reparatory justice can work:

(1) Jamaica, Britain’s largest slave colony, was left with 80% black functional illiteracy at Independence in 1962. From this circumstance the great and courageous Jamaican nation has struggled with development and poverty alleviation. The deep crisis remains. This Parliament owes the people of Jamaica an educational and human resource investment initiative.

(2) Barbados, Britain’s first slave society, is now called the amputation capitol of the world. It is here that the stress profile of slavery and racial apartheid; dietary disaster and psychological trauma; and the addiction to the consumption of sugar and salt, have reached the highest peak. The country is now host to the world’s most virulent diabetes and hypertension epidemic. This Parliament owes the people of Barbados an education and health initiative.

CARICOM has already adopted a Ten Point Plan for Reparatory Justice  and according to Professor Beckles, “these development issues that are central to the case Britain has to answer.”

Legal action is also being pursued, as a new generation of Caribbean leaders, supported by academics and civil society groups, become more responsive to their people’s call for reparation.

NOTE: You may read the full text of the presentation by Professor Beckles here.

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Sir Hilary Beckles takes Reparations case to UK Parliament

Sakima Mullings takes 2014 Contender boxing series

Sakima Mullings fulfilled his long-held ambition by scoring a technical knockout of Tsetsi Davis in the seventh round in the final of the 2014 Wray & Nephew Contender boxing series on Wednesday night.

It was a closely contested fight, in which the advantage swung one way and then the other for the first six rounds; but in the seventh, with Davis having difficulty seeing out of both eyes, having suffered two cuts, and now taking a heavy pounding from Mullings, his corner intervened and stopped the contest.

The fight almost came to a bizarre end in the fifth round, when the referee signaled that it was over, after Davis turned his back on his opponent. It appeared that Davis initially thought he had knocked Mullings to the canvas. The referee ruled that it was not a knockdown, however, and it was only after the intervention of a local boxing official that the fight was re-started.

If he had been shaken by that incident, Mullings quickly recovered his poise and went on to impose himself on the contest in the decisive seventh round.

So, Mullings, 31, a proud boxer who lost in the semi-finals of the inaugural Contender series in 2011, has finally secured the championship in its fourth staging.

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Sakima Mullings takes 2014 Contender boxing series

Colin Levy takes the summer by storm

Colin Levy aka Iley Dread

Although it has been a minute since reggae singer, Colin Levy, has made music headlines, the seasoned entertainer has assured his fans that his passion for creating and delivering music remains unchanged.

In fact he will be working on major shows this summer featuring artistes such as R. Kelly, Freddie McGregor, The Whispers, Johnny Osbourne and Faith Evans.

Levy, who also uses the monikers Iley Dred and Chardavid, had taken a step away from performing, while concentrating on the production side of the business. But with 90 glorious days of summer upon us, this crooner is definitely ready to shine.

“My focus for the last two years or so has been the creative side of the music business, doing some stuff with my son, working on a project with Demolition Man and ironing out some important deals. However, I have also been doing a few shows here and there – mainly charity stuff – just to keep a presence,” the multiple award winning singer, song-writer, producer, promoter and artiste manager revealed.

He added that it was quite a bit of irony that just when he decided to redirect his focus, that was the precise time that offers for shows started coming in from places such as Africa, a country he has always wanted to visit. That aside, however, it is with renewed energy that Iley Dred anticipates his July calendar.

“July will be a very busy month for me and I am vocally and physically ready for this journey,” the soft-spoken lovers rock singer explained.

He is known for hits such as Lover’s Holiday, A Friend For Life, World Crisis and Mamma among others.

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Colin Levy takes the summer by storm

Wildcard Weekend takes centre stage as the NFL Play-offs begin

The table is set and so is the schedule for the play-offs. It is the week after the final games of the regular season and all the debates and permutations from the various experts as to which teams would make the play-offs have been put to rest.

The Seahawks, Patriots, Panthers and Broncos all have a bye this weekend as they wait to see who their respective opponents will be at the conclusion of the Wildcard round. Tomorrow the Chiefs play the Colts and the Saints take on the Eagles. On Sunday, it’s the Chargers facing the Bengals and the 49ers against the Packers. The winners will go on to the Divisional play-offs. The losers of course get to clean out their lockers and go home. I like this format because of its brutal simplicity.Winning on the road is never easy and in the post season it becomes even more difficult. That being the case it would seem to make sense to place your bets on the home teams. But in the NFL a lot of stuff that goes down just doesn’t make any sense at all. In this Saturday’s game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Indianapolis Colts we have two teams who enter the play-offs under different circumstances. The home team (Colts) won their last three games convincingly, outscoring their opponents 78-20. The Chiefs on the other hand, go into the post season having lost five of their last seven games. They rested the majority of their starters last week in their game against the Chargers which they lost 23-7. It will be interesting to see whether or not the Chiefs’ much vaunted defence will keep out Andrew Luck and his Colts. The ace up their sleeve is head coach Andy Reid and the game plan he has drawn up for this game. But even this may not be enough to beat the Colts at home.In the next game the New Orleans Saints take on the Philadelphia Eagles in Philly. Now we all know that the Saints are hard to beat at home, and they finished the regular season with an 8-0 home record. On the road is a different story as they are just 3-5. This weekend they are on the road and up against a hot Philadelphia team coached by Chip Kelly and led by Nick Foles, who is one hot quarterback. A stat worth noting is that the Eagles had a dismal home record not having won a home game at Lincoln Financial Field in 14 months. But all that changed with the Eagles winning four consecutive games to finish the regular season. So, the question arises: can the Saints win on the road at Philadelphia? We will know the answer to this late Saturday night.On Sunday afternoon, the San Diego Chargers visit the Cincinnati Bengals and this one could be tricky to call. The Chargers’ quarterback Phillip Rivers is fiercely competitive and his team went 4-1 to close out the regular season. Their defence is vastly improved from one that gave up 25 points six times in their first 11 games, to one that held opponents to an average of only 18 points in their last five regular season games. On the other hand the Bengals are hard to beat at home in Paul Brown Stadium where they have not lost a game this season (8-0). It promises to be a hard fought matchup, Phillip Rivers against Andy Dalton. The outcome of this one may very well go against the premise of home field advantage.The last game of the weekend will see the San Francisco 49ers visiting the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field in cold Green Bay. This is the only one of the four match-ups in which JustBet sports betting has the road team (the 49ers) favoured to win. The weather may well play a role in the outcome as the boys from sunny California may find it somewhat uncomfortable and hostile. The 49ers are hot right now, having won six in a row in the regular season under quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who apparently has come into his own by posting a quarterback rating of 108 which is good. But – and this is a good but to take into consideration – he is up against a guy named Aaron Rodgers, who is back from an injury that sidelined him for six weeks. Returning also is dynamic Packers’ receiver Randall Cobb to the offence. All this and the notion that home field is key in play-offs makes me wonder if it’s wise to bet against Green Bay.As expected a number of head coaches had their positions terminated which is par for the course in the NFL. It’s a tough league and owners want the franchise to succeed and the yardstick that measures success is the number of games won. But don’t feel sorry for these guys who lost their jobs. They get paid big bucks and most of them will find jobs with other teams. Take for example the head coach of the Cleveland Browns, Rob Chudzinski, he was sent packing with a cheque for $10.5 million. That ought to ease the pain. The Detroit Lions let go Jim Schwartz after a pathetic showing by a seemingly rudderless team. The Houston Texans were one of the teams touted at the start of the season to go all the way. Instead, they ended up with just two wins. Head coach Gary Kubiak was let go in light of this poor record. Other coaches who got the axe were the Minnesota Vikings’ Leslie Frazier, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ Greg Schiano and the Washington Redskins’ Mike Shanahan. Redskins QB Robert Griffin III (RGIII) must be a happy guy. It will be interesting to see for how long.The regular season has come to an end and it was most interesting for my colleagues and me in our picks against the JustBet point spread. Kudos and congratulations go out to Andre Hutchinson for a late regular season surge, which allowed him to surpass me and hang on to prevail as the overall champion. Incidentally we all finished up the regular season picks on a very strong note, yours truly posting a 12-3 mark in week 17, Lindo and Roper each posting 11-4 marks and the champion Hutchinson going 10-5. Remember that at the time of writing last week’s article, we did not yet have odds for the Bears vs Packers game due to the uncertainty of Aaron Rodgers’ playing status. So as a result we didn’t make a pick for that game.Yes folks, the play-offs are here and now things REALLY get interesting. It’s win or go home, and we can’t ask for more than that. Enjoy the games this weekend and remember to place your NFL bets with JustBet, Jamaica’s number one sports betting game. Also, remember to give us a listen on HITZ 92FM at 6:05 pm this and every Friday, for the NFL Gameday Forecast. Have a Happy New year and remember, “Just Win baby, Just Win”.To find a JustBet location near you, visit: www.supremeventures.com/justbetlocations. To find out more about JustBet, and how to bet on the NFL and other sports, visit www.supremeventures.com/justbet, www.facebook.com/justbet, www.twitter.com/justbet_ja , or call 1-888-429-5785 (toll-free).NFL WILDCARD PLAYOFF SCHEDULE& JUSTBET HANDICAPS(*JustBet Handicaps for each game in bracket, Under/Over for each game listed)Saturday, January 4IND COL_S v KC CHIEFS (+2.5), UNDER/OVER 46.5PHI EAGLES v NO SAINTS (+1.5), UNDER/OVER 54.5Sunday, January 5CIN BENGALS v SD CHARGERS (+7.5), UNDER/OVER 46.5GB PACKERS (+2.5 ) v SF 49ERS, UNDER/OVER 48.5EXPERTS’ PICKS AGAINST THE SPREADAndre Hutchinson’sWildcard Play-off PicksCOL_S v CHIEFSEAGLES v SAINTSBENGALS v CHARGERSPACKERS v 49ERSLast week’s record: 10-5Regular Season record: 136-119***REGULAR SEASON PICKS CHAMPION ***Tony Scott’sWildcard Play-off Picks COL_S v CHIEFSEAGLES v SAINTSBENGALS v CHARGERSPACKERS v 49ERSLast week’s record: 12-3Regular Season record: 132-123Peter Lindo’sWildcard Play-off PicksCOL_S v CHIEFSEAGLES v SAINTSBENGALS v CHARGERSPACKERS v 49ERSLast week’s record: 11-4Regular Season record: 129-126Andrei Roper’sWildcard Play-off Picks COL_S v CHIEFSEAGLES v SAINTSBENGALS v CHARGERSPACKERS v 49ERSLast week’s record: 11-4Regular Season record: 120-135

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Wildcard Weekend takes centre stage as the NFL Play-offs begin

South Africa beats India, takes series 1-0

DURBAN, South Africa (AP) — South Africa won retiring allrounder Jacques Kallis’ last Test yesterday to take the series against India with a 10-wicket victory on the final day at Kingsmead.

South African openers Alviro Petersen and Graeme Smith comfortably chased down the victory target of 58 and the home team finished 59 without loss in its second innings soon after tea to claim the short two-game contest 1-0.Smith ended the game with a six and then a four and raised his arms to the dressing room where Kallis was sitting. Kallis was then carried across the field on the shoulders of teammates holding a South African flag for a lap of honour around the same ground where he made his debut as a 20-year-old prodigy in 1995.He surprised many by announcing on Christmas Day that he would retire following one last Test.After Kallis made an emotional farewell century on Sunday — the 45th of his career — as top-ranked South Africa powered toward its victory over number two India early on the final day when fast bowler Dale Steyn struck off the first ball of the day and the Proteas’ bowlers took eight Indian second-innings wickets for 155 in a session-and-a-half.Steyn and fellow fast bowler Vernon Philander finished with three wickets each and left-arm spinner Robin Peterson had 4-74 as South Africa romped to the win to mark the 38-year-old Kallis’ 166th and last Test.Kallis made more than 13,000 Test runs and also took 292 wickets in his 18-year career on South Africa’s Test team to go down as one of cricket’s greatest allrounders.Only Ajinkya Rahane resisted among India’s batsmen on the last day to make 96 before falling four short of a maiden Test century.SCOREBOARDIndia 1st Innings: 334South Africa 1st Innings: 500India 2nd Innings(Overnight: 68-2)Shikhar Dhawan c Du Plessis b Peterson 19Murali Vijay c Smith b Philander 6Cheteshwar Pujara b Steyn 32Virat Kohli c De Villiers b Steyn 11Rohit Sharma lbw b Philander 25Ajinkya Rahane b Philander 96Mahendra Singh Dhoni c Petersen b Peterson 15Ravindra Jadeja c Morkel b Peterson 8Zaheer Khan lbw b Peterson 3Ishant Sharma c De Villiers b Steyn 1Mohammed Shami not out 1Extras: (4b, 2w) 6TOTAL: (all out) 223Overs: 86.Fall of wickets: 1-8, 2-53, 3-68, 4-71, 5-104, 6-146, 7-154, 8-189, 9-206.Bowling: Dale Steyn 21-8-47-3 (1w), Vernon Philander 16-4-43-3, Morne Morkel 16-6-34-0, Robin Peterson 24-3-74-4 (1w), JP Duminy 8-2-20-0, Faf du Plessis 1-0-1-0.South Africa 2nd Innings (Target: 58)Alviro Petersen not out 31Graeme Smith not out 27Extras: (1w) 1TOTAL: (for 0 wickets) 59Overs: 11.4Did not bat: Hashim Amla, Jacques Kallis, AB de Villiers, JP Duminy, Faf du Plessis, Robin Peterson, Vernon Philander, Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel.Bowling: Mohammed Shami 2-1-4-0, Ishant Sharma 5-1-29-0 (1w), Ravindra Jadeja 4-0-16-0, Rohit Sharma 0.4-0-10-0.Umpires: Steve Davis, Australia, and Rod Tucker, Australia.TV Umpire: Adrian Holdstock, South Africa. Match Referee: Andy Pycroft, Zimbabwe.PHOTO: CRICKET THREECAPTION – India’s Rohit Sharma avoids a bouncer during the fifth day of the second and final cricket Test match between South Africa and India at the Sahara stadium Kingsmead, South Africa.PHOTO: CRICKET SIXCAPTION – South African all-rounder Jacques Kallis is carried by teammates after the completion yesterday of the Test match against India at the Kingsmeade ground in South Africa in which Kallis played his last Test match. (PHOTOS: AP)

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South Africa beats India, takes series 1-0

Mother"s takes service to the streets

BY JULIAN RICHARDSON Assistant Business Co-ordinator richardsonj@jamaicaobserver.com

IN a strategic move to penetrate an increasingly fast-paced and competitive market, Mother’s Enterprise has deployed sales staff on streets across the island to bring products directly to customers.In other words, the Jamaican restaurant chain has brought point of sale to the feet of consumers.“We realise that convenience is very important and consumers from all walks of life, whether it be a business executive or a vendor, are all strapped for time,” Rojah Thomas, local area marketer at Mother’s, told the Business Observer yesterday. “We heard this cry from our consumers and came up with the strategy to send the staff out and meet the consumers.”Mother’s has aptly labelled the initiative ‘Do Road’ — a play on a Jamaican slang that means persons are going on an excursion outdoors — and introduced the concept towards the end of last year. All 18 Mother’s locations islandwide have their own ‘Do Road’ staff who are deployed on the streets daily.In addition to its flaship patty products, Mother’s menu offering includes burgers, jerk chicken, hot dog, ice cream and a host of breakfast items.The newspaper’s roving team observed a ‘Do Road’ team member, equipped with insulated bags, serving Mother’s products to customers in downtown Kingston on Monday. Thomas said the fast-food restaurant has gained a substantial amount of new clients through the initiative.“It’s something that is working very well for us,” Thomas revealed.“You can pay for your order through a rep and they take the Mother’s products to you,” he explained, adding that “You get a proper meal that is kept hot in specially designed bags.”What’s more is that regular ‘Do Road’ customers can have Mother’s products delivered to them on the dial.“You can call the restaurants, if you have built that relationship, and we will take the product to you,” the marketer said.The initiative appears to be part of a broad strategy by Mother’s to engage customers more in the highly competitive and increasingly on-the-go market for fast food in Jamaica. Mother’s several months ago launched a “7 Minutes or It’s Free” breakfast campaign, an aggressive move in the growing morning-day segment for fast food that many quick service restaurants (QSRs) are targeting.QSR experts have identified a mature fast-food industry in Jamaica, where the major brands have saturated the market with stores dotting the island across the 14 parishes. With growth opportunities limited, the restaurants have employed innovative strategies to reach the consumers’ wallets and boost sales, whether through value deals or by extending opening hours.It is in line with international trends in the fast-food industry.The world’s biggest hamburger chain, McDonald’s, said last week that it has been using “everyday value offerings” to help drive up results in the US as the restaurant juggles a variety of challenges, reported the Associated Press. With people being careful about their spending, the chain has aggressively promoted its Dollar Menu and other deals to bring in customers. Analysts have expressed concern the strategy could eat into profit margins, but executives say the sacrifice is necessary to keep customers loyal and grow over the long term, it was reported.Jamaica Observer’s roving team observed a ‘Do Road’ team member, equipped with insulated bags, carrying Mother’s products to customers in downtown Kingston on Monday. (PHOTO: BRYAN CUMMINGS)

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Mother"s takes service to the streets

VIDEO: Opposition takes Cassia Park Division by-election

THE Opposition Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) has regained control of the Cassia Park Division of the Kingston and St Andrew Corporation (KSAC) after its candidate Beverley Prince defeated the People’s National Party’s (PNP’s) Sheryn Bromfield by more than 400 votes in yesterday’s by-election.

Prince — who previously served as councillor for the division for three consecutive terms between 1998 and 2012 before leaving to run unsuccessfully in the Hagley Park Division in the 2012 local government polls — secured 1,586 votes to Bromfield’s 1,176 when counting of the 41 boxes ended at 6:30 pm yesterday.This has increased the number of JLP councillors in the KSAC to 15 compared to the PNP’s 25. It has also shifted power from the PNP in the division, which was won in 2012 by Bromfield’s mother, Cynthia Burrell, who died earlier this year, thus creating the vacancy.Bromfield was seeking to capitalise on the “goodwill” her late mother was said to have left in the division.But yesterday’s margin of victory, according to Opposition Leader Andrew Holness, is indicative of the message that voters want to send to the PNP Government.He said Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller’s recent comment that a vote in the election would be a vote for her and Finance Minister Dr Peter Phillips — in whose East Central constituency the division falls — was because the PNP was confident of the party’s victory.“This area is a microcosm of Jamaica on a whole and the people have sent a powerful message that they are not endorsing the prime minister and the finance minister,” Holness said.This, despite the Electoral Office of Jamaica reporting that only about 26 per cent of the 10,575 eligible voters actually cast their ballots.But Holness said that the turnout was better than last year and topped what he had expected.Meanwhile, an elated Prince said that she never doubted the win given the work she had put in the division even when she stepped aside from representing the area.“This means that the people of Cassia Park have placed wholehearted trust in me,” she said.Babsy Grange, chairperson of the JLP’s Public Relations Committee, said that Prince’s victory has helped to erase the myth that the PNP is a better mobilisor of supporters on the ground.“We had no resources to use and they had it all, yet we won; so the PNP is not a better organiser; that is a myth and we have shattered that today,” she said.Grange, too, believes that this win is a clear signal that people are fedup with the PNP Government.Up to two hours before Prince was declared the winner, supporters of both parties were equally optimistic of a victory.So sure was the PNP of the win that the orange-clad party supporters, who converged outside the Tarrant Baptist Church on Molynes Road to await the results, outnumbered their green-clad counterparts.Member of Parliament for St Catherine South Central Denise Daley had earlier told the Jamaica Observer that the PNP would be the party celebrating at the end of the day.“Our candidate is very young and energetic and has a vision for the division, while the opponent has already had her chance and didn’t do anything with it,” she said.Throughout the day, high-ranking officials from both parties were out in their numbers to lend support to the respective candidates and even to double as party workers at polling stations.For the most part, voting was slow and at times there were far more outdoor agents than voters on the grounds.The festivity associated with elections was also absent at some clusters where outdoor agents adorned in their party colours sat idly by awaiting the voters who trickled in. While orange was the dominant colour at the majority of the polling stations, some PNP party workers admitted that many of those present did not have a vote in the division, but were there to lend support.“We have support from all over Jamaica,” said councillor of the Bull Bay Division Patricia Morgan, who was at the Dunrobin Primary School that housed several polling stations.Dr St Aubyn Bartlett, deputy general secretary of the JLP, said that the number of JLP supporters would appear smaller than that of the PNP as those present were from the division.“All the people you see here are from the constituency and so we didn’t have to take anybody from outside; so don’t watch the numbers because what counts are the votes,” he said.Andre Stephens, who contested the local government election in the Waterford Division for the JLP last year, had earlier predicted that Prince would be a sure winner because of the work she had done in the area.“Whilst it is going to be a stiff election, Prince will be returned home like the Prodigal Son,” he said, adding that the spirit of JLP founder Sir Alexander Bustamante was with the day’s proceedings.For his part, JLP Chairman Robert Montague said that Prince would win as she was not only keen on addressing a number of local government issues, but also lived among the people in the division.See more photos in our Online Photo Gallery:Opposition and Jamaica Labour Party leader Andrew Holness and Beverley Prince share an embrace after she was declared winner in yesterday’s local government by-election in the Cassia Park Division of the Kingston and St Andrew Corporation. (PHOTO: JOSEPH WELLINGTON)A PNP supporter hangs out with her JLP friend.Supporters of the Opposition Jamaica Labour Party react after learning that the party had won yesterday’s by-election. (PHOTOS: JOSEPH WELLINGTON)People’s National Party supporters look on in disappointment after the result of the by-election was announced.Beverley Prince (centre) surrouned by elated supporters, yesterday.

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VIDEO: Opposition takes Cassia Park Division by-election

Glencore takes CAP to court

GLENCORE has filed a claim in the English courts against Clarendon Alumina Production (CAP) to block the forward sale of alumina to Hong Kong-based Noble Resources.

CAP, which owns a 45 per cent stake in Jamalco, has already received US$75 million of a US$120 million prepayment facility that would see the Jamaican holding company supply between 3.4 million and 6.1 million tons of alumina to Noble over the next 12 years.The agreement between the Hong Kong-based company and the Government agency also requires CAP to pledge all its shares in Jamalco to secure the deal, while it paves the way for the Government to finally divest its stake in the alumina refinery.At the same time, the Government is offering CAP noteholders a one-to-one debt exchange of principal, which aims to replace US$162 million ($16.5 billion) in debt owed by the state agency with bonds that will be owed by the Government.CAP previously secured a deal that requires it to supply specified annual quantities to Glencore, which now alleges that delivery of alumina to Noble would put the Government agency in breach of its contractual obligations to Glencore “based upon Glencore’s understanding of CAP’s current alumina production forecast”, according to filings by CAP to the US-based Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).The minority shareholder in Jamalco got an interim injunction filed against it in the Jamaican courts discharged on July 24, but Glencore’s claim filed in the English courts is still pending. In that action, the global diversified natural resource company seeks declaratory relief and monetary damages, as well as “an injunction against CAP from supplying alumina to Noble unless CAP first has alumina available to meet annual quantities due to Glencore”.For the first six months of 2013, Jamalco’s export volume was down 10 per cent and less than 75 per cent of its 1.4 million metric ton (tonne) capacity was utilised, suggesting that the refinery is able to deliver another 300,000 tonnes of alumina a year.However, Alcoa is entitled to 55 per cent of the plants output, while it is not clear if the Government agency can redirect any of the current production that belongs to it (the remaining 45 per cent) to Noble.In any case, CAP believes that it will have sufficient alumina to meet its obligations under both supply arrangements. But if Glencore is successful in the English courts, the Government agency may not be able to make payments on its outstanding debt, while supply contracts could be adversely affected.The new prepaid sales agreement requires all funds to be repaid to Noble by June 2025, and the supply of alumina volumes will be offset against the debt.Until then, the Hong Kong-based firm has the option to purchase all or part of CAP’s interest in Jamalco, at market price.The proceeds of the first disbursement were used to repay existing amounts owed by CAP to Jamalco “in respect of its obligations under the joint venture agreement between CAP and Alcoa Minerals of Jamaica”.But the prepayment facility also requires the Government to directly take on CAP Notes.“As a condition precedent to the first disbursement, CAP was required to show evidence that the Government of Jamaica is undertaking the exchange offer and consent solicitation in relation to the CAP Notes,” said the SEC filing.Noteholders have until August 16 if they want to get all of the principal owed to them in the debt exchange. If they wait until August 28, then they will just get 98 per cent of their principal. And if bondholders don’t participate at all, they will see their debt being subordinated to the sales agreement, which, in the event of CAP’s bankruptcy or liquidation, “Noble would be entitled to be repaid in full before the Jamalco Co-tenancy Assets would be available to satisfy its obligations on the CAP Notes”.Jamaica has already obtained commitments to participate from eligible holders of approximately 44.39 per cent of the outstanding principal amount of the CAP Notes, including 11.75 per cent held by Jamaican interest.Shifting the debt obligation from CAP to the Government, including making amendments to the Fiscal Agency Agreement, which would keep Jamaica as the guarantor of CAP Notes, would give the Government the flexibility to divest its stake in the company without “triggering the change of control provision or the negative pledge provision”.Even if proposed amendments are not approved, “CAP would still intend to divest its stake in Jamalco and CAP will evaluate alternatives that would not require the consent of eligible holders”, according to filings to the SEC.Clarendon Alumina has been in a loss-making position for years, having accumulated a US$250 million deficit and long-term debt of US$447 million up to March 31, 2013.The company also expects to lose another US$19 million this financial year, which ends next March, but the removal of the CAP Notes from its balance sheet and the reduction of debt owed to Jamalco would put the state agency in a positive equity position.On the other hand, future revenue will likely be negatively impacted, given that alumina volumes have been commited to Noble and Glencore.Indeed, completing the prepayment transaction unhindered by court actions, and the possible sale of the 45 per cent stake in Jamalco to Noble, would enable the Government to meet a structural benchmark set under the latest International Monetary Fund (IMF) agreement.The IMF requires that either the divestment of CAP or an asset lease agreement, with an option to purchase, be implemented by December 2013.CAP owns a 45 per cent stake in Jamalco, headquarted in May Pen, Clarendon.The Glencore headquarters in Baar, Switzerland.

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Glencore takes CAP to court

Xyclone takes off

Entertainment

Tuesday, August 06, 2013

SINCE his song Back Pocket Rag hit a few months ago, deejay Xyclone has enjoyed a career upswing.Back Pocket Rag is distributed by VP Records subsidiary VPAL.Xyclone recently filmed the accompanying music video in Richmond, Virginia and Maryland.His latest single is Woiii which is co-produced by the RSQTHP Music Group/ Minto Pierre/Riff Raff.

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Xyclone takes off

SAIL takes Junior Polo Tourney

SOFTWARE Automation International Limited (SAIL), through two goals from Jason Willetts, defeated Terra Nova Hotel 4-2 in the final of the Burger King Junior Friendly International Polo Tournament at the Caymanas Polo Club recently.

Preceding the championship match, ATL Autohaus defeated Burger King 6-3 in the subsidiary final to lift the Terra Nova Silver Cup.After a week-long development programme for Jamaicans and players from United States, Great Britain, Spain and Trinidad & Tobago, the competition culminated in plenty of excitement.The SAIL team with Abi Burns and Spencer Jordan of the US, along with Jamaican Dylan Wong and Willetts of Spain, grabbed the early lead through the latter, who drove a hard shot to score a 55-yard effort and put SAIL 1-0 up in the first chukka.Savannah Hussey, who was pressing all the time, pulled one back for Terra Nova four minutes into the second chukka to make it one-all, but the competitive Wong scored from a goal mouth scramble to make it 2-1.Jordan and Willetts added the other goals in the third and fourth chukkas, respectively, to end the contest 4-2 after Terra Nova had pulled back a goal.The SAIL team lifted the Burger King Trophy and individual prizes from the restaurant company.Willetts, who was named most valuable player of the final, said he enjoyed the “tough competition” and added that “most of the players here in Jamaica are very talented”.Meanwhile, Nicholas Mundell, brand and sponsorship manager at Burger King, was beaming after seven glorious days of polo.“Looking back at it, this is why Burger King is on board for the past seven years. We saw some great polo displayed by the camp members. In addition, I would like to commend the entire organising committee for making this event a success.“As a brand that is always giving back to the community we are more than satisfied that children benefitted from this initiative,” he said.The week-long activities included a four-day junior polo camp, along with the semi-final and final. (From left) SAIL coach Craig Russell, and players Dylan Wong, Abi Burns, Spencer Jordan, and Jason Willetts lift the Burger King Trophy as BK brand manager Nicholas Mundell applauds during the presentation ceremony at the Caymanas Polo Club recently. SAIL defeated Terra Nova 4-2 in the final of the Junior Friendly International Polo Tournament.

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SAIL takes Junior Polo Tourney

Bravo takes blame for Windies TriNation exit

News

Thursday, July 11, 2013 | 9:16 AM

PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC) — Captain of the West Indies One Day International (ODI) team Dwayne Bravo has accepted part of the blame for the regional side being knocked out of the Celkon Mobile Cup Tri Series.West Indies were on the brink of securing a place in the final after successive wins over Sri Lanka and India on the Jamaica leg.However Bravo’s men did not carry their winnings ways to Trinidad and when India beat Sri Lanka by 81 runs on the Duckworth/Lewis method  they were denied a berth in the finals.“Yeah obviously it (being captain) is a big responsibility and the performance of the team reflects on the captain,” Bravo told a news conference in Port of Spain on Wednesday.“I myself, whether it is due to injury or slow over rates, have some key things I need to work on as a leader. It is a new form to me, a new role so I have to get accustomed to it and address it as quickly as possible”.Stand-in captain Kieron Pollard had earlier criticised as disappointing West Indies 39 run loss to Sri Lanka on Monday.Pollard, who had scored a four-ball duck, was also critical of batsmen after Windies bowlers gave the team an advantage by taking early wickets.Bravo has echoed the sentiments of his countryman and team mate that the Windies batting department needs to show more consistency.“It is always difficult to point, to pick out what went wrong, but together as a team we have to take responsibility of a very disappointing end to a very good start,”  Bravo told reporters.“You know, we are too inconsistent as a team. We show signs of improvement and then we take a step backwards. I think that is something that we definitely need to try and iron out as early as possible in order for us to move up in the rankings of ODI cricket”.

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Bravo takes blame for Windies TriNation exit

Moncriffe takes split decision in Contender final

Devon Moncriffe tipped the balance in his favour by being more industrious and emerged winner from a split decision to become Jamaica’s Ultimate Middleweight Boxer and the Wray & Nephew Contender at the National Indoor Sport Centre in Kingston on Wednesday night.

Moncriffe, who reached the final of the inaugural Wray & Nephew Contender Boxing Series three years ago but lost, made no mistake on Wednesday night when he did enough to tilt the decision in his favour against his challenger Tsetsi Davis. Two judges, Keith Brown and Cliford Brown, scored the bout 98 to 93 and 97 to 94, respectively, in favour of Moncriffe, while judge Lindel Allen scored the bout 96 to 94 for Davis.Moncriffe pocketed $1,000,000 for winning the title, while Davis received $500,000.Earlier on the successful third edition of the Wray & Nephew entertaining late night boxing extravaganza, Richard Reittie battled past Ramel “Sub Zero” Lewis in the opening bout to pick up third money of $250,000 while Lewis took home $200,000 for his fourth place finish.The decision of the main bout did not go down altogether well with the fans of Davis, who thought that their fighter had done enough to get the decision. However, in the eyes of the majority and from knowledgeable quarters, Moncriffe did in fact win the fight to come out on top by being the more industrious of the two opponents. It was crystal clear that Davis commandeered the first three rounds, but after that Moncriffe became the more active and that weighed heavily in his favour.However, a tearful Davis had to compose himself before talking to the press after leaving the stage: “It is a hard decision to take. I trained too hard to lose this fight,” he mourned. “I thought I won at least five rounds. The first three and the eighth round and the ninth I knew I gone with it, in the eighth round I caught him clearly. The ninth round I won it and the 10th I won that clearly and thought I did everything to win the fight.”Asked what he might not have done to win the fight, he said: “I thought that I did everything that was good to win the fight, because one of the judges had me as winning the fight, but … anyway I will just try to overcome my hurt but everything criss still.”While Davis was moping at his loss, Moncriffe naturally was upbeat: “I will have to put this victory down to hard work and dedication. Tsetsi and myself are good friends, so it makes it a little more difficult to concentrate as neither of us wanted to lose.”Asked when he thought he had the fight won, Moncriffe responded: “After the fifth round I knew I had him.”“He started out so fast that when I started to beat the body it started to work wonders for me. And I said to myself if he cannot knock me out he cannot win the fight. I feel good in myself and with this gained confidence to take the fight to him. And as you see, it paid off,” Moncriffe added. Devon Moncriffe (left) connects with a straight left jab to the face of Tsetsi Davis during their Wray & Nephew Contender Boxing final at the National Indoor Sports Centre in Kingston on Wednesday night. Moncriffe won on a split decision. (PHOTO: HURBUN WILLIAMS)

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Moncriffe takes split decision in Contender final