Andrew Holness to host Area Council One meeting today

Sunday, January 18, 2015 | 10:55 AM    

KINGSTON, Jamaica — Leader of the Opposition Andrew Holness is today expected to host an Area Council One meeting in Olympic Gardens here.

The meeting, which is scheduled to begin at 11:00 am, will take place at the Olympic Gardens Civic Centre.

Deputy Leader of the Party Desmond McKenzie is expected to speak on the West Kingston Commission of Enquiry, while Holness is scheduled to deliver the main address.

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Andrew Holness to host Area Council One meeting today

Savannah, Sandals put perfect win records on line today

BY PAUL A REID Observer writer

Sunday, January 04, 2015    

FROME, Westmoreland — Something will have to give today at the Frome Sports Complex when Savannah SC and Sandals Whitehouse put their perfect win records up against each other in the Jamaica Football Federation Charley’s JB Rum Western Confederation Super League, starting at 3:00 pm.

Former champions Savannah SC lead with 15 points from five straight wins after edging another Westmoreland club Beaches Negril 1-0 in their rescheduled game on Tuesday.

Sandals Whitehouse are three points back on 12 and are coming off a 2-1

win over Violet Kickers in Montego Bay also on Tuesday, winning all four games played so far.

Three more games are on the schedule today, Village United hosting Wadadah FC at Elleston Wakeland Youth Centre, Salt Marsh United and Beaches Negril meeting at Long Bay Beach Park, while Jericho Rangers and Violet Kickers will meet at Watson Taylor Park in Lucea.

The Frome game will take on the atmosphere of a parish championship with both teams boasting perfect records, which could see a turnout well into the thousands.

Savannah SC managed to avoid conceding a goal on Tuesday and, despite their great start, have conceded seven goals in five games, the third highest of any team in the competition.

Sandals Whitehouse’s defence has been all but airtight, having allowed just two goals and could have the edge for this encounter today if they can hold the league’s top scorer Ron Daley at bay.

Daley scored his fifth goal of the season to help Savannah SC beat winless Beaches Negril, and he combines with Michael Kerr and Leaton Galloway for the best trio, totalling 12 goals among them so far.

Damion Wynter will lead the Sandals Whitehouse attack, along with Dervin Campbell and Dane Spence.

Salt Marsh United will be full of confidence after their big 5-1 win over Wadadah FC on Tuesday when they travel to face Beaches, who are still winless.

Omar Williams got a hat-trick for the Trelawny team and will seek to get more goals against Beaches, who have managed to score just three while conceding nine so far.

Wadadah FC will try to salvage their ego after a thrashing by the promoted team, but face a Village United team that has not lost at Elleston Wakeland all season.

The game between Jericho Rangers and Violet Kickers looks to be well balanced with the scales tipping in favour of the home team.

Jericho Rangers are on four points, one more than the former two-time Premier League champions, who have lost their last two games.

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Savannah, Sandals put perfect win records on line today

Men to be tried for Bunny Francis" murder today

Monday, September 29, 2014 | 8:44 AM    

KINGSTON, Jamaica — The four men charged with the murder of Roderick ‘Bunny’ Francis, a high-profile player in the local fishing industry, are scheduled to be tried in the Home Circuit Court today.

The accused are, 42-year-old Carlos Batista of Allerdyce Drive, Kingston 8; 27-year-old George Gardner; Sheldon Watson, 36; and Newton Welsh, all of Kingston addresses.

Sixty-six-year-old Francis was shot dead by gunmen, pretending to have car trouble, outside his Queensway home in St Andrew in July 2011.

Francis’s death is believed to be a contract killing.

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Men to be tried for Bunny Francis" murder today

Supreme Court to hear case of interdicted women"s bureau head today

Monday, September 29, 2014 | 9:21 AM    

KINGSTON, Jamaica — Faith Webster, the interdicted head of the Bureau of Women’s Affairs, is to appear in the Supreme Court today for a first hearing into her challenge of the decision to remove her from office.

Webster was removed from office pending a hearing before the Public Service Commission (PSC) regarding the finding of an internal audit of the Government-run agency.

Webster, who had been appointed executive director of the agency in 2008, filed action in the Supreme Court in March, seeking judicial review of the decision to place her on interdiction.

She’s claiming that the process of her interdiction was in breach of natural justice as she did not get an opportunity to respond to claims made against her.

Webster has named Okina Miller, the permanent secretary in the Office of the Prime Minister, and the Public Service Commission as defendants.

The embattled Webster was interdicted by way of letter from Miller on February 7. The letter followed two meetings on February 4 to discuss the audit report.

There was also a meeting on February 10, but Webster is claiming this to be a “sham” as it was clear from the February 7 letter that the permanent secretary had made a decision that Webster should be interdicted. Webster has also claimed that no reasons were given for the interdiction and the cutting of her salary by a half.

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Supreme Court to hear case of interdicted women"s bureau head today

‏Computer technician in billion-dollar tax theft returns to court today

Monday, September 29, 2014 | 8:02 AM    

KINGSTON, Jamaica — Christopher Moore, the former Tax Administration Jamaica employee, who reportedly caused the Government to lose in excess of $1 billion in tax revenues, will again appear in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate’s Court today.

Allegations are that, between October and December 2013, Moore gained access to the main taxing system for the Government from his home then manipulated the taxpayers’ revenue, causing the State to lose in excess of $1 billion.

Moore, 37, was employed at the East Street branch of the Tax Administration Jamaica (TAJ) as a computer technician when he reportedly committed the act.

Moore was arrested at his Portmore, St Catherine home during a pre-dawn operation by the Revenue Protection Division (RPD) and the Major Organised Crime and Anti-Corruption Task Force (MOCA) on June 20.

Several documents and computers with the names of individuals and companies were reportedly seized and Moore was subsequently charged with seven counts of unauthorised access to computer programme.

He was hit with three additional counts of unauthorised access to computer data and unauthorised interception of computer/ service following an appearance in court earlier this month.

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‏Computer technician in billion-dollar tax theft returns to court today

Liquor thief to know fate today

A man who stole liquor from MegaMart in St Andrew and walked out of the store with the goods, will be sentenced today after being remanded for the weekend.

Charged with larceny is Ricardo Wright.

On Friday when the matter was brought up in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate’s Court, Wright pleaded guilty and offered the court an explanation.

The goods, a box of Wray and Nephew white rum, is valued at over $23, 000.

“Your honour I have three kids to support and is the first time,” said Wright.

Senior RM Judith Pusey said: “So the man who own MegaMart don’t have any kids to support?”

A fingerprint order was made against Wright.

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Liquor thief to know fate today

Entries close today for CB Pan Chicken competition

Entries for the CB Pan Chicken Championship, Western Regional Elimination, close today.

Win, lose or draw, nobody will leave empty handed, as the annual competition is designed solely for the benefit of entrants.

“We realised that Pan chicken men and women lacked a platform to exhibit their culinary skills or develop their businesses, despite pan chicken and jerk being synonymous with the Jamaican food experience,” Alicia Bogues, CB Chicken & Bad Dawg Sausages, brand manager, said.

In its ninth season, the CB Pan Chicken Championship is regarded as Jamaica’s biggest food festival, a family friendly event, free to the public.

Bogues explained that there are benefits to be gained long before contestants get to the Kingston Waterfront for the grand showdown. They must pass the regional eliminations, where each parish winner and runner-up receive $40,000 and $20,000, respectively, plus gift baskets from sponsors. Each contestant is provided with products or items they will use in the competition.

“In essence, all the competitor has to do is show up, cook their best pan chicken, adhering to all food-handling regulations, and wow the judges with taste and presentation They prepare only a quarter of chicken for the judges, then sell what’s left and retain all profits for themselves,” Bogues explained.

The CB Pan Chicken Championship, Western Regional Elimination, is scheduled for September 27 at Dump-Up Beach in Montego Bay.

Interested persons from St James, Hanover, Trelawny, Westmoreland and St Ann need only a valid food-handler’s permit and completed registration form from Social Development Commission office. Registration is free.

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Entries close today for CB Pan Chicken competition

Entries close today for CB Pan Chicken competition

Entries for the CB Pan Chicken Championship, Western Regional Elimination, close today.

Win, lose or draw, nobody will leave empty handed, as the annual competition is designed solely for the benefit of entrants.

“We realised that Pan chicken men and women lacked a platform to exhibit their culinary skills or develop their businesses, despite pan chicken and jerk being synonymous with the Jamaican food experience,” Alicia Bogues, CB Chicken & Bad Dawg Sausages, brand manager, said.

In its ninth season, the CB Pan Chicken Championship is regarded as Jamaica’s biggest food festival, a family friendly event, free to the public.

Bogues explained that there are benefits to be gained long before contestants get to the Kingston Waterfront for the grand showdown. They must pass the regional eliminations, where each parish winner and runner-up receive $40,000 and $20,000, respectively, plus gift baskets from sponsors. Each contestant is provided with products or items they will use in the competition.

“In essence, all the competitor has to do is show up, cook their best pan chicken, adhering to all food-handling regulations, and wow the judges with taste and presentation They prepare only a quarter of chicken for the judges, then sell what’s left and retain all profits for themselves,” Bogues explained.

The CB Pan Chicken Championship, Western Regional Elimination, is scheduled for September 27 at Dump-Up Beach in Montego Bay.

Interested persons from St James, Hanover, Trelawny, Westmoreland and St Ann need only a valid food-handler’s permit and completed registration form from Social Development Commission office. Registration is free.

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Entries close today for CB Pan Chicken competition

Japanese prime minister meets with CARICOM leaders today

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe

PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad, Monday July 28, 2014, CMC – Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Sunday began an official two-day visit to Trinidad and Tobago holding talks with Prime Minister Kamla Persad Bissessar.

A statement issued afterwards said that the two leaders had discussed a wide range of issues including possible Japanese investment in the oil-rich twin island Republic and the possibility of Port-of-Spain opening an embassy in Tokyo.

Abe, whose first ever visit here forms part of his trip to Latin America and the Caribbean, will meet with Caribbean Community (CARICOM) leaders on Monday for talks that the Guyana-based CARICOM Secretariat said would include areas such as climate change, technical cooperation, trade and investment.

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The CARICOM Secretariat said that the half-day summit is also expected to provide an opportunity for discussions on the upcoming Third United Nations Conference on Small Island States to be held in Samoa in September.

“The summit provides a timely opportunity to advance CARICOM’s priorities in these areas and for fostering solidarity between CARICOM and Japan,” the statement said.

Abe, who was met on arrival by Foreign Minister Winston Dookeran, expressed his gratitude to the Trinidad and Tobago government for its decision to waive entry visa requirements for Japanese nationals coming here to conduct business for a maximum period of 90 days.

According to the statement issued by the Office of the Prime Minister, the two government leaders discussed the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) which establishes international standards for the movement of conventional arms and ammunition across borders. Both Japan and Trinidad and Tobago signed the treaty in 2013.

“In the meeting, Prime Minister Persad Bissessar sought the support of the Japanese Government to support Trinidad and Tobago’s bid to host the ATT Secretariat,” the statement said, adding that Port of Spain has also “recognised Japan’s and Trinidad and Tobago’s bid for non-permanent seats on the United Nations Security Council.”

The statement noted that during the discussions, Prime Minister Abe raised the matter of deepening bilateral relations and requested that Trinidad and Tobago consider opening an embassy in Tokyo.

“The Prime Minister promised to immediately engage in discussions with the Minister of Foreign Affairs on this issue.

“Discussions between the two Prime Ministers also focused on Trinidad and Tobago as an attractive destination for trade and investment; in particular, the recent launch of the Tamana Intech Park, the first science and technology park in the Caribbean.”

Prime Minister Persad Bissessar is encouraging Japanese firms to take up residency, particularly firms involved in the areas of ICTs, Clean Technologies, and Agro-processing.

The statement said that the Minister of Trade, Industry, Investment and Communications, Vasant Bharath, would pursue discussions with relevant members of the delegation during their stay.

“The Japanese Prime Minister agreed to consider further areas of cooperation in such ventures,” the statement said, quoting Prime Minister Persad Bissessar as noting the “positive impact on the South-Western peninsula with regard to job creation by the introduction of the dimethyl ether (DME) Project, which has been established by the Massy Group, the Mitsubishi Corporation, and Mitsubishi Gas Chemical”.

The US$850 million project is situated at la Brea, south of here.

The statement said that Japan would also host the fourth Japan/CARICOM Foreign Ministers Forum. It gave no date.

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Japanese prime minister meets with CARICOM leaders today

Commonwealth Games get underway today

The 20th edition of the Commonwealth Games gets underway on Wednesday in Glasgow, Scotland with an opening ceremony, starting at 3:00pm Jamaica time.

Jamaica will be represented in 10 disciplines, with the bulk of the representation to come from track and field.

RETV (part of the RJR Communications Group) has live coverage of the opening ceremony, starting at 3pm Wednesday afternoon. Television Jamaica (TVJ) will have a re-broadcast of the event at 9.30pm.

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Commonwealth Games get underway today

Samsung MoBay opens today

BY HORACE HINES Observer staff reporter

Wednesday, February 12, 2014    

MONTEGO BAY, St James — SAMSUNG Electronics is reinforcing its presence in Jamaica with the opening of a second Experience Store, this time at the Sagicor Montego Bay Shopping Centre in St James today.

This follows the success of the flagship location opened in Kingston last September.

“We are very excited about opening a second store here in Montego Bay. Jamaica has been so good to us that we are expanding our business in Jamaica,”Michelle Alvarez, project manager Samsung Experience, Samsung Electronics Latin America, Miami office told the Jamaica Observer during a telephone interview.

The Montego Bay store will feature the most popular in-demand and innovative Samsung mobile and consumer devices on the local market, including cameras.

Alvarez noted that the store will not only cater for locals but also tourists.

“We really want to expand into the Montego Bay area and try to reach the local market as well as to take advantage of the tourists that might go over there and enjoy Montego Bay,” Alvarez said.

The world’s first Samsung Experience Store opened in December 2012 in Paris; while the Montego Bay location, the region’s fifth Samsung Experience Store, is one of many executed as part of a 2013-2014 Caribbean expansion project.

Meanwhile, Jorge Lopez, product manager for the mobile division, Samsung Electronics Latin America, Miami office, said if the demand exists the company might open a third Experience Store in the island.

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Samsung MoBay opens today

Cleaner fuels confab today

JAMAICA is to host a two-day regional workshop on cleaner fuels at the Knutsford Court Hotel, starting today, February 3.

Dubbed the Cleaner Fuels and More Efficient Vehicles Conference for the Caribbean, the event was initiated by the Partnership for Clean Fuels and Vehicles (PCFV) and the Global Fuel Economy Initiative (GFEI), and is organised by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the FIA Foundation and the Caricom Secretariat.

The main objectives of the conference, according to member of the board of trustees of the FIA Foundation Earl Jarrett, are to “strengthen vehicle emission and fuel quality standards; as well as, to promote fuel economy to support a more fuel-efficient auto fleet in the Caribbean.”

“It is critical that countries, such as Jamaica; and others in the Caribbean region, tackle the risks posed by the continued use of fossil fuels and uninhibited vehicle emissions that can have a negative impact on our people and the environment,” said Jarrett, who is also chairman of the Jamaica Automobile Association (JAA) and general manager of Jamaica National Building Society.

He will moderate the first day’s session at the conference and make a presentation on the second day under the subject ‘Fuel Economy in the Caribbean: A Consumer Perspective’.

The broad targets of the conference are to sensitise policymakers in the region about the importance of cleaner fuels and, educate motorists about the fact that more efficient vehicles can improve air quality and urban health, as well as improve climate and environmental protection. It will also aim to provide a better understanding of the potential gains from improving the efficiency of the Caribbean’s future car fleet.

Sheila Watson, director of environment at FIA Foundation, and executive secretary of the GFEI, said the conference forms part of the GFEI’s activities to support the development of a global policy framework to promote vehicle fuel efficiency and FIA Foundation’s environment and sustainable mobility agenda.

“The Global Fuel Economy Initiative has just published our Annual Report 2014, which shows that the world is still not on target

to achieve the fuel economy improvements which are needed, particularly in non-OECD countries such as those here in the Caribbean,” she explained.

“Not only is this a huge threat to the environment and to energy security, it is also a massive financial missed opportunity of around $2 trillion globally by 2050… The GFEI is working to raise awareness about and provide information and research around fuel economy, while supporting national and regional policy making efforts,” Watson continued.

UN Under-Secretary General and UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner has said: “Air pollution linked with dirty fuels and vehicles needlessly claims the lives and compromises the health of millions of people day in and day out.”

He emphasised that a great deal has already been achieved by the PCFV partnership and “it is now time to scale up and accelerate the action underway by deploying the readily available technologies and implementing the policies that can improve the lives and the future for people everywhere”.

The two-day conference will serve as an initial step in engaging countries in further discussions and cooperation at the national level to create national action plans on the implementation of cleaner fuels and more efficient vehicles.

If successful, this meeting and subsequent follow-up activities should promote the reduction of sulphur levels in fuels with an ultimate goal of 50 ppm or below and mandate the use of cleaner, more efficient, vehicles in the region.

Participants will include stakeholders in national environmental and standards organisations from several Caribbean countries, representatives from UNEP, and the Jamaican ministries of Water, Land, Environment and Climate Change; and Science, Technology, Energy and Mining.

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Cleaner fuels confab today

Schafer arrives today for new stint as national football coach

BY IAN BURNETT SPORTS EDITOR burnetti@jamaicaobserver.com

Tuesday, January 28, 2014    

WINFRIED Schafer is scheduled to arrive in the island today to begin a four-year stint as head coach of Jamaica’s senior men’s team leading to the 2018 FIFA World Cup Finals in Russia.

The German is slated to arrive at the Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay, St James, directly from his native Germany.

The 63-year-old, who has coached in his homeland, as well as Africa, Asia and the Middle East, agreed to terms with the Captain Horace Burrell-led Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) in recent days, after mulling over a contract presented to him last December.

Captain Burrell confirmed to the Jamaica Observer yesterday that Schafer would be returning and that the deal was reached after “extensive negotiations”, but he was not prepared to reveal much, only that “details would be announced at a later date”.

But the Observer understands that the man who led Cameroon to the African Cup of Nations title in 2002 and, on a golden run, steered the Africans to the final of the FIFA Confederations Cup in 2003, is expected to immediately announce his plans for the

senior men’s football programme, especially with the Caribbean Cup, a qualifier for the CONCACAF Gold Cup, slated for the back end of the year. He is also expected to lend his expertise and play a lead role in the restructuring of the JFF technical programmes and the operations of the age-group teams.

Part of the delay in re-signing Schafer was predicated on efforts to identify corporate partners to assist in covering his salary, but the Observer also understands that the coach was not only concerned about his own salary, but that the overall programme be supported sufficiently for him to seriously move it forward.

“He says he is not coming here (Jamaica) for a pension, but to work hard to improve the sport on the island,” the source told

the Observer.

Schafer joined the Reggae Boyz at the tail end of the failed Brazil 2014 World Cup campaign last August, after succeeding Theodore Whitmore, on a four-month contract which ran out on November 30.

The source added that Schafer wants to have all age-group teams playing under one philosophy, and that he could even ask to have direct control of the Under-23 team.

It is also thought that it is Schafer’s intention to have open dialogue and working relationships with all the National Premier League teams — coaches, physical trainers and managers in an effort to better prepare local-based players.

The Reggae Boyz are expected to face 1998 World Cup winners France in a friendly international on June 8 at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy in Lille, France, and could be in action earlier, as the JFF is is still in negotiations for other games, which could be finalised before long.

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Schafer arrives today for new stint as national football coach

Watch Out Fi Dis T20 cricket bowls off today

Sport

Sherdon CowanFriday, January 03, 2014

The inaugural staging of the Watch Out Fi Dis Schools’ Invitational Twenty20 cricket competition bowls off today and will end on Sunday, as eight schools from rural and urban areas vie for a share of $200,000 in prizes.The straight knock-out competition will comprise urban area stalwarts Jamaica College, Kingston College and Excelsior High, the St Catherine trio of St Jago, Innswood High and Eltham High, alongside rural Jamaica’s best Manchester High and Vere Technical.The tournament will be played at two venues — Chedwin Park and Port Esquivel in St Catherine. The first day will see matches being played at both venues, while the second and third days will be played at Chedwin Park only.The top school will receive a prize of $100,000 and trophy, second place gets $50,000, while third and fourth place finishers will receive $30,000 and $20,000, respectively.Today’s games will see Innswood High taking on Kingston College at Chedwin Park starting at 9:30 am, and Excelsior High up against Manchester High at the same venue starting at 1:30 pm.At Port Esquivel, Vere Technical will tackle Eltham High at 9:30, then Jamaica College take on St Jago High at 1:30 pm.On Saturday patrons will see the winner of match one (Innswood vs KC) taking on the winner of match four (JC vs St Jago) starting at 9:30 am. The winner of match two (Excelsior vs Manchester High) will take on the winner of match three (Vere Tech vs Eltham High) at 1:30 pm.The competition is sponsored by Caribbean Premier League T20 and Jamaica Biscuit Company Limited, and is organised by Sports

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Watch Out Fi Dis T20 cricket bowls off today

Business House Football finals on today

Defending champion Petrojam will go for a record fourth straight Division One football title when they meet arch-rivals Scotiabank Group in the final of the 2013 Western Sports-sponsored KSA Business House Football Competition today at Emmett Park, St George’s College at 3:30 pm.

In the Division Two final at 1:30 pm, first-time entrant Metrodade Protection and Security will meet Jamaica Fire Brigade. Petrojam, who are undefeated in all competitions since 2011, are favourites to get the better of Scotiabank again, as both teams met in last year’s final when Petrojam came out victorious in a penalty shoot-out.When both teams met in the preliminary round last month, Scotiabank led 2-0, but Petrojam rallied to tie the match 2-2 and should have won it in the dying minutes.Coach Ainsworth Ennis is very confident of victory after they defeated Wisynco 4-0 in the semi-final and he will be looking to Damian Campbell, captain Jothan Watson, new Arnett Gardens National Premier League players Kimarlee Brissett, Jarron Richards, formerly of Harbour View, Fabian Reid, Robert Williams, from Tivoli Gardens, Ricardo Munroe, Aphas Bernard, and Andrew Christie of Portmore United, to ensure that they carry home the title.Coach of Scotiabank Neville ‘Bertis’ Bell is also oozing confidence that his team can go all the way this season. They defeated Jamaica Customs 2-0 in their semi-final last Sunday and he is expecting his team to come out victorious. He will be looking to the Tivoli Gardens National Premier League trio of captain Damion Gordon, Ranike Anderson, and Jamoy Sibbles, as well as goalkeeper Damion Crooks, who plays for Humble Lion, Rivoli United’s new signing Raymond Williamson, Donovan Hibbert, Richard West, Dravian Williams, and Anthony Greenland for victory.In the Division Two final, the undefeated Metrodade Protection and Security are overwhelming favourites to get the better of Jamaica Fire Brigade again, as they defeated them 4-0 in their only meeting in July. The Calvert Fitzgerald-coached Metrodade team, which consists of mostly Rivoli United National Premier League players, will be looking to Paul Francis, Kemar Bedford, Corey Burke, Liston James, Jermaine Henry, Kemar Smith, and goalkeeper Shannon Bartley to lift their first Business House title.Their only loss for the season was in the Knockout final against Petrojam two week ago. They have won nine league matches and drew only two.Morris Todd, the coach of Jamaica Fire Brigade, knows that his players will have their hands full in defeating Metrodade, but he thinks that his team can defeat them, as when they played earlier in the season, four of his top players were missing. He will rely on Gue Daley, who will be playing for August Town in this season’s National Premier League, Richard Miller, Kevin Henzil, Vincent Barnes, Leroy Orr, Venton Flectleton, and Esdars Tinglin for their first tile, after playing in the competition for four years.Damion Gordon (left) of Scotiabank gets ready to tackle David Stultz of Petrojam during an earlier game. (PHOTO: JOYCE FLETCHER)

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Business House Football finals on today

Bailey-Cole leads Jamaicans in Zagreb today

MONTEGO BAY, St James — Fresh from retaining his 100-m title at the ISTAF IAAF World Challenge meeting in Berlin on Sunday, Jamaica’s World Championships finalist Kemar Bailey-Coley will line up against another quality field in the men’s 100m at the penultimate WC meeting in Zagreb, Croatia, today.

Six Jamaicans, including horizontal jumpers Dammar Forbes and Kimberly Williams, will take part in the meet that will see several World Championship medallists taking part.One more IAAF World Challenge meeting will be held this season following today’s meet, in Rietti, Italy, on Sunday.Today, Bailey-Cole, the 21 year-old Jamaican who was fourth in the World Championships in Moscow, Russia, last month, will join compatriot Jacques Harvey in the event that will also see World Championships double silver medallist American Justin Gatlin, Mike Rodgers and St Kitts and Nevis’s evergreen Kim Collins.The 37-year-old Collins was second to Bailey-Cole on Sunday.The veteran Aileen Bailey will line up in the women’s 100m, where she will face Bulgaria’s Ivett Lalova and the American trio of Alexandria Anderson, Barbara Pierre and LaKeisha Lawson.World Championships 4×400-m relay silver medallist Edino Steel will run in the first of two men’s 400m races, while the big guns including World Champion LaShawn Merritt, Kerron Clement, Martin Rooney of Great Britain and Trinidad’s Renny Qouw will line up in the second race.Kimblerly Williams, who just missed a medal in Moscow, while achieving a personal best 14.62m in triple jump, will go into the meet with a chance of winning as her main rival will be Ukraine’s World Championships and Olympic bronze medallist Olha Saladuha.Damar Forbes, who was a finalist in the men’s long jump in Moscow, and fourth in Berlin, goes up against American triple jump specialist Christian Taylor and South Africa’s Godfrey Khotso Mokoena today.BAILEY-COLE… will face the American Justin Gatlin todayDamar Forbes of Jamaica in action at the recent IAAF World Championships in Moscow, Russia.

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Bailey-Cole leads Jamaicans in Zagreb today

IOC meetings open today, with 3 big votes ahead

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — With three major votes on the agenda, Olympic leaders begin week-long meetings today that will bring a close to Jacques Rogge’s 12-year reign as International Olympic Committee (IOC) president.

The IOC convenes in Buenos Aires to choose a host city for the 2020 Games, elect Rogge’s successor and add a sport to the 2020 line-up.First up, Rogge chairs his policymaking executive board for the last time, a two-day meeting to review a range of Olympic issues.The full IOC then convenes starting Friday for its 125th session — a landmark meeting that will set the Olympic movement’s direction for the next decade.On Saturday, the 100 or so IOC members will vote by secret ballot on the 2020 host, a three-way contest between Tokyo, Madrid and Istanbul. A day later, the members will choose between wrestling, squash and baseball-softball for a spot in the 2020 Games. And next Tuesday, the IOC will elect a new president from among six contenders.After a two-year global campaign, Tokyo is seen as a slight favourite going into the final days of the 2020 race, pushing its case as a “safe pair of hands” at a time of global uncertainty.With the leak of radioactive water from the tsunami-crippled Fukushima nuclear plant raising concerns, Tokyo bid leader Tsunekazu Takeda has written to all IOC members seeking to reassure them that the city and its Olympic plans are “completely unaffected”.Madrid has picked up momentum in recent months, despite Spain’s recession and 27 per cent unemployment rate. Madrid contends that its bid makes the most economic sense because most of the venues are already built and only $1.9 billion will be spent on construction.Istanbul is urging the IOC to make a “historic” choice by taking the games to a new region and a city that links Europe and Asia. The bid has been scrambling to overcome the fallout from June’s anti-government protests and a slew of doping case, while the civil war and chemical attacks in neighbouring Syria underline the volatility of the region.The prime ministers of Japan, Spain and Turkey will lead the bid delegations here, travelling to Buenos Aires from the G20 summit in St Petersburg, Russia.Wrestling, meanwhile, looks in strong position to win back its place for 2020 after being surprisingly dropped from the list of core sports in February by the IOC executive board.Stung by the wake-up call, wrestling body FILA responded rapidly by changing leadership, giving women and athletes a bigger role in decision-making and adopting rule changes to make the sport more fan-friendly.Men’s baseball and women’s softball, which have been out of the Olympics since the 2008 Beijing Games, have merged into a single federation to improve their chances for reinstatement. Squash is back for a third try at making it into the Olympics.IOC Vice-President Thomas Bach of Germany has been considered the longtime front-runner to succeed Rogge, the Belgian surgeon who served one eight-year term and was re-elected in 2009 to a second and final four-year mandate.Richard Carrion, a Puerto Rican banking executive who heads the IOC’s finance commission, and Vice-President Ng Ser Miang of Singapore shape up as the other main contenders.Also on the ballot are executive board members Sergei Bubka of Ukraine and C K Wu of Taiwan and former board member Denis Oswald of Switzerland.Bach, a 59-year-old lawyer, is a former Olympic athlete, winner of a team gold medal in fencing in 1976. He has served at the top levels of the IOC for years and is president of Germany’s national Olympic committee.Some members are uncomfortable with the pro-Bach lobbying by Sheik Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah, the influential Kuwaiti who heads the Association of National Olympic Committees. But Bach downplays the connection.“I would, of course, be more than happy if the national Olympic committees would support me because I am an NOC president,” Bach said in telephone interview last week with The Associated Press. “But that is not enough. I want to be a president for all. You need the support from many different sides.”The IOC is looking into comments made by Sheik Ahmad in a German television interview five months ago and aired last weekend. He openly expresses support for Bach and says he is doing everything he can to help him get elected.Such comments are against IOC election rules. Sheik Ahmad could receive a warning or reprimand from the IOC Ethics Commission, though no severe sanctions are expected.Carrion, the 60-year-old head of Puerto Rico’s Banco Popular, has earned respect as the IOC’s money man. He negotiated the record $4.38-billion deal with NBC for US TV rights through 2020. He impressed members with his emotional notes-free speech during presentations by the six candidates in Lausanne in July.“They liked what they saw. They liked what they heard,” Carrion told the AP. “I’m happy with what I’ve done. I’m following my plan. I’m where I wanted to be at this point.”Ng, a 64-year-old businessman and diplomat, organised the inaugural Youth Olympics in Singapore in 2010 and represents an Asian continent that is growing in world influence.“I believe in my heart that I have the independence, the integrity, the leadership qualities and the required experience to take the movement to new levels over the next eight years,” he said in a letter to IOC members last week.Members of the delegation of Madrid 2020 Candidate City, (from left) Madrid 2020 CEO Victor Sanchez, Spanish Minister of Economy Luis de Guindos, Madrid mayor Ana Botella, President of Madrid 2020 Bid Committee Alejandro Blanco, Spanish IOC member Juan-Antonio Samaranch Junior and Madrid 2020 CEO Theresa Zabell posing during a press conference after their bid presentation before the International Olympic Committee (IOC) members in Lausanne in July. (PHOTO: AFP)

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IOC meetings open today, with 3 big votes ahead

KSA Business House football semis on today

Sport

Sunday, September 01, 2013

DEFENDING champions Petrojam meet Wisynco in the opening game of the Division One semi-finals of the 2013 Western Sports-sponsored KSA Business House Football Competition today at the Red Stripe football field starting at 1:30 pm, while 2012 beaten finalist Scotiabank will oppose Jamaica Customs in the feature game at 3:30 pm.All fours teams will have over 20 current National Premier League players in their line-ups. Petrojam have not lost a match since 2011 in this competition and they are seeking to win their fourth straight Division One title.Coach Ainsworth Ennis will be looking to Damian Campbell, captain Jothan Watson, Fabian Reid, Robert Williams, Ricardo Munroe, Aphas Burnard, and Andrew Christie to make it to another final. The Marcel ‘Fuzzy’ Gayle-coached Wisynco team will not be a pushover and they will be trying to avenge their 1-0 defeat to their opponents in the preliminary round.They will look to the Division One leading goalscorer Girvon Brown, as well as Calbert Coke, Kemar Thomas, Adrian King, goalkeeper Kelso Cousins, Norman Bailey, and Jermaine ‘Moussy’ Taylor for victory.Coach of Scotiabank, Neville ‘Bertis’ Bell is confident that his team can go all the way this season. They defeated Jamaica Customs 2-1 in June in their first match of the season, but lost to them 4-3 in penalty shoot-out in the Knock-Out quarter-final three weeks ago. He will be looking to captain Damion Gordon, Ranike Anderson, Jamoy Sibbles, goalkeeper Damion Crooks, Rivoli United’s new signing Raymond Williamson, Donovan Hibbert, and Anthony Greenland for victory. Courtney McLean and Wayne Campbell, the coaches of Jamaica Customs, have been doing well with their team since winning Division Two in 2011. They will rely on Terrence Allen, Oda n Simpson, Rasheede Clarke, goalkeeper Horatio Nelson, Jason Forbes, and Ricardo Stern for their second victory over Scotiabank.The finals for both divisions will be played next Sunday at Emmet Park, St George’s College.Petrojam’s Fabian Reid dribbles past Metrodade defender Jermaine Henry in the KO final at Red Stripe Football Field recently. PHOTO: JOYCE FLETCHER)

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KSA Business House football semis on today

Jackson Shield showdown set for today

Sport

Paul ReidSaturday, August 31, 2013

MONTEGO BAY, St James — Cornwall College and Munro College will continue their build-up to the start of the 2013 ISSA/Lime daCosta Cup schoolboys’ football competition, when they meet in the 21st annual Jackson Shield pre-season festival set for Jarrett Park this afternoon, starting at 1:00 pm.Cornwall College, who will be coached by Dr Dean Weatherly, will be seeking their third straight hold and 17th overall in the two-game series that will also see the over-35 teams of both schools meeting in the 3:00 pm feature.The competition’s format sees the daCosta Cup teams meeting in the first game before the over-35 teams meet in the second game and the aggregate scores between both games are used to determine the winners.The Cornwall College daCosta cup team has won the last two games in the series, but reports are that Munro College under coach Andrew Edwards for the second straight season, could be one of the fancied team this season.Munro has, however, failed to score against Cornwall in the daCosta Cup game in the last three meetings, except for the 2010 game that was played in thick fog at Munro when the home team prevailed 5-1.The event is usually held just prior to the start of the daCosta competition and as such the daCosta Cup coaches usually play their best teams, at least for the start of the game, as the coaches seek to get a better idea of where they are in terms of readiness for the season.The 2013 ISSA daCosta Cup season, which was launched two days ago, is set to get underway on Saturday, September 7 with a double-header at the Montego Bay Sports Complex at Catherine Hall.

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Jackson Shield showdown set for today

Expect traffic delays on Mandela Highway today

News

Thursday, August 29, 2013

THE flow of traffic on Mandela Highway in St Catherine is expected to be disrupted today as the National Works Agency (NWA) undertakes emergency work on sections of the busy thoroughfare.In a release yesterday, the NWA said that a section of both the eastern and western carriageways between White Marl and Caymanas Crossing, will be reduced to single-lane traffic.Stephen Shaw, manager of communication and customer services at the NWA, says the works — which will last for approximately five hours between 10:00 am and 3:00 pm — will entail removing badly deteriorated sections of the road and patching with asphaltic concrete.“The NWA is advising motorists to proceed with caution while travelling along the Mandela Highway… and to observe all posted warning signs and flag persons deployed to the area,” the works agency cautioned.

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Expect traffic delays on Mandela Highway today