Gunmen Attack Police In Rockfort

KINGSTON, Jamaica — Gunmen Friday morning engaged the police in a heated gun battle in the east Kingston community of Rockfort. Police report that at about 6:00 am they went to a section of the volatile community and were attacked by criminals in the area. "No one was injured in the attack," said police from the East Kingston Police Division. Police say they will be maintaining a strong presence in the area.

Cops accused of leaking info on Vybz Kartel arrest

DEFENCE lawyers were scathing in their cross-examination of two senior police officers who gave evidence during the trial of Vybz Kartel and four other men in the Supreme Court in downtown, Kingston yesterday. Attorney Tom Tavares-Finson, who along with his son Christian is representing Vybz Kartel, accused the police of leaking information to the media when the police had arrested Vybz Kartel and were taking him to his three properties in St Andrew and St Catherine to search for guns and unlawful property. Vybz Kartel, Shawn 'Shawn Storm' Campbell; Kahira Jones; André St John; and Shane Williams are being tried for the August 16, 2011 murder of Clive 'Lizard' Williams During his cross-examination of head of Senior Superintendent Cornwall 'Bigga' Ford — who heads the Flying Squad — Tavares-Finson suggested that the police had intentionally informed the media of the operation in order to prejudice the case against his client. "Did you notify the press?" Tavares-Finson asked Ford. "I had no communication with the press," Ford answered. "So, I take it you were alarmed when Mr Palmer was being paraded around on TV in handcuffs?" the attorney added. "Good news travel fast. I cannot speak for what the press does," Ford replied. "Mr Ford, I am suggesting that this is part of a police conspiracy to prejudice the trial of this man Adijah Palmer," Tavares-Finson said. He also suggested that the police had concocted a theory that a burnt-out, decomposed body was found at house on Swallowfield Avenue, which was owned by Vybz Kartel. "Did you, Mr Ford, tell anybody that a decomposed body was found at Swallowfield Avenue?" he asked. "No, sir, I am not authorised to speak on behalf of the police," Ford replied. Earlier, the attorney suggested the same thing to Superintendent Winston Henderson and Detective Corporal Avrel Thomas, who also gave evidence. Both officers denied having leaked any information to the press about the police operation or a burnt-out decomposing body. Henderson also came under fire from attorney Miguel Lorne, who represents Shawn 'Storm' Campbell. Lorne asked Henderson if he had arrested Calvin Haye, who was acquitted on Wednesday, and his girlfriend, before releasing them days later and then re-arresting Haye again ten days later after naming him as a person of interest, before releasing him again. Henderson replied in the affirmative. "Mr Henderson, you don't know what you are doing? You pick up the man, release the man, pick him up back and then the man is dismissed. You are fishing," Lorne said forcefully. Henderson testified that armed with three search warrants — two for illegal possession of a firearm and one for illegal possession of property -- he led a joint police/military team to houses a Hacienda Drive in Norbrook in St Andrew, Swallowfield Avenue in Havendale, St Andrew and Independence City in Portmore, St Catherine which were owned by Vybz Kartel. He said he seized 14 cellular phones and placed them in a secure place in his office to which no other person has access. He said the phones were held at the Flying Squad headquarters at Harbour Street in downtown Kingston for two months because the police wanted to display them for people who had been robbed to identify if any of the instruments belonged to them. The phones were then handed over to the Cyber Crimes Unit, Henderson said. Thomas, who is assigned to the Major Investigation Task Force, displayed photographs that he had taken of the house at Havendale one of which showed a red coloured stain on a door jam which resembled blood. He said he swabbed the area and secured the sample before taking it to a mini laboratory at the MIT before it was handed over to the Government Forensic Laboratory for testing. Evidence was also tendered by a sister of Williams, who admitted under cross-examination that her brother had been previously charged for illegal possession of a firearm and shooting with intent. The sobbing witness also admitted, under cross-examination from Lorne, that her brother and Campbell were close friends and that he appeared in several music videos which featured Campbell's dancehall brand of music. "You know the popular term, he wanted to buss him or make him more famous?" Lorne asked. To which the witness replied, "Yes." The trial continues today.

US Man Charged With Entombing Baby In Concrete

PLEASANT HILL, Missouri (AP) — A northwest Missouri man is charged with disposing of a baby's body by placing it in a bucket that he then filled with concrete. Cass County authorities said that Matthew Scroggs of Pleasant Hill was charged Thursday with abandonment of a corpse and tampering with a vehicle. Police had received a tip about the baby before they went to Scroggs' home in November to investigate reports of drugs and a stolen car. Officers saw the bucket in the garage during a search for the drugs. A probable cause statement says Scroggs told investigators that he put the boy's body in a bucket and filled it with concrete after the child was stillborn in October of 2013. The results of an autopsy are pending.

Ban On Sale Of Malcolm X Diary Extended Indefinitely

NEW YORK (AP) — A New York judge has extended her ban on sales of a book containing Malcolm X's diaries until a challenge can be heard next year. Federal Judge Laura Taylor Swain in Manhattan extended an order Friday that she signed two weeks ago to block the sales. She acted after heirs of Malcolm X sued to stop a Chicago company from publishing the activist leader's diaries. Lawyers for the heirs said Third World Press in Chicago does not have the right to publish "The Diary of Malcolm X." The heirs say they plan to release the diaries in two years on the 50th anniversary of Malcolm X's 1965 assassination. A lawyer for Third World said Friday the publisher has a signed contract from one of Malcolm X's six daughters.

IT’S NOT HIS FAULT Chris Brown Mother Finally Breaks Silence

Chris Brown’s mother reportedly blames his friends for “turning him into a thug”. SMDH! The singer checked into rehab for anger management issues at the end of last month, after allegations he punched a man in the face over a disagreement about a photo. We toldya he left the facility last week, following an argument with his mother Joyce. Witnesses say he threw at rock threw his mom’s car window! This week it was ruled his behavior violated the terms of his 2009 probation for assaulting Rihanna and he was sentenced to 90 days in anger management rehab. But Joyce says none of this is Chris’ fault. “Chris Brown’s mom thinks his friends are a bunch of disrespectful scumbags who got him hooked on drugs and turned him into a thug… this according to sources close to the Brown family,” TMZ reports. Joyce is thought to be concerned about her son’s use of marijuana. The court has ordered him to submit to random drug tests while he’s being treated and it has been reported he thinks he should be allowed to use medical marijuana to combat his fiery temper. Apparently, Chris’ mother is concerned his friends have no real interest in him and just like his status and money. She also believes they introduced him to weed, which she fears he can’t do without.“We’re told the pot smoking got so bad… Chris was regularly stoned around his own mother … and she got fed up with his disrespectful behavior,” reports TMZ. Joyce’s worries are said to be one of the reasons why she got into a disagreement with her son while he was receiving care at a facility in Malibu, California. She reportedly attended a family therapy session and urged the 24-year-old star to continue treatment, which pissed him off. That’s when he damaged her car, and got kicked out of the clinic after just two weeks. What do you think…are Chris’ friends to blame or is he to blame?

Hospital Told Wrong Patients They Had HIV #Video

This is just scary! Bad lab work at a Brooklyn hospital caused numerous patients to be told they had HIV when they didn’t and that they had tested negative for hepatitis C when they really did have it, a new lawsuit charges. WTH!! Kings County Hospital Center supervisors covered for lab workers who botched HIV and hepatitis C test paperwork, longtime employee Lili Hutchison claims in the lawsuit. She is suing the East Flatbush hospital, accusing her bosses and administrators of making her work life miserable after she blew the whistle on routine and potentially deadly foul-ups in the hospital’s pathology lab. “We believe that, because Lili has spoken out about matters impacting the health and safety of the public, that she has been subjected to a steady stream of retaliation and harassment,” her lawyer, Thomas A. Ricotta, told DNAinfo New York. “We intend to pursue all of her rights and remedies to the fullest extent permissible under the law, as no hospital or health care provider should take action to punish employees who seek to protect the public. “ Hutchison, 51, who still works at the hospital as a lab associate, said the retaliation began in 2002, when she complained to the inspector general for the city’s Health and Hospitals Corporation about the egregious errors. At the time, she told the inspector general’s office that the hospital hired incompetent and unqualified lab staff, leading to compromises on patient safety, the lawsuit says. Patients were given incorrect test results, she said. Her boss, pathology lab administrator Sajjad Ahmed, covered up the flubs and endangered the welfare of the patients, Hutchison said. The misdiagnoses and mix-up of samples prevented patients from receiving timely care, according to the lawsuit filed Nov. 4 in Brooklyn Civil Supreme Court. During the next three years, she continued to press the issue with the inspector general’s office and alerted the hospital’s executive director, Jean Leon, and the deputy executive director, George Proctor, to the lousy lab work, the lawsuit says. Throughout that time, her supervisors and co-workers disparaged her and one threatened her with physical assault because of the whistle-blowing, according to the lawsuit. Eventually, her supervisors transferred her to the hematology lab, where her career apparently stalled. Despite having 17 years experience and all the right certifications, in 2007 she was denied a promotion to the higher-paying title of lab technician, the lawsuit says. Her warnings also didn’t lead to changes, according to the lawsuit. In 2008, an investigator from the inspector general’s office told her he had interviewed witnesses and found her allegations to have merit, but no action was taken, the lawsuit says. However, in 2011, after Hutchison alerted the state Department of Health, an investigation substantiated her claims, according to the lawsuit. The Health Department, which oversees the state’s hospitals, slapped Kings County with violations for patient safety and quality assurance standards based on its lab’s practices, the lawsuit says. All the while, Hutchison said her direct bosses retaliated by giving her lousy evaluations and brought her up on two department charges of yelling at a colleague and disrespecting another. Hutchison said she notified the state Health Department, the College of American Pathologists and the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Health Care Organizations of more glaring mistakes, including a patient’s death due to a failure to report blood-level changes. Those complaints led to further violations against the hospital, according to the lawsuit. In retaliation, Hutchison’s bosses socked her with a third work violation and she was suspended for two days without pay, she said. She sued the hospital out of fear she would be treated even worse. “In light of the prior history surrounding Lili’s whistle-blower complaints, Lili fears she will be further harassed, disciplined or ultimately terminated [as a] result,” the lawsuit says. What do you think? : DNAINFO

Watch Porsha’s Date With Man From The Steve Harvey Show #Video

The divorce isn’t even final yet but yo girl Porsha Stewart is wasting no time finding a new man sponsor. After sitting down for an interview and matchmaking with Steve Harvey, the Real Housewives of Atlanta star went on a romantic date with a new man. SIDE NOTE…Watch crazy azz Steve Harvey tell Porsha to calm da hell down! Stewart was a guest on the “Steve Harvey Show” this week and played a dating game where three men competed for her affections. In the end a very giggly Stewart chose a man named Kinyumba Mutakabbir, an aspiring actor and life coach, for a night on the town. Porsha later posted an Instagram photo (below) of her date at Los Angeles’ Del Frisco’s Grille. “Kin is super sweet, I really like him,” said Porsha during a confessional for the “Steve Harvey Show” cameras that captured their night. “It seems really good so far, he seems really genuine,” she added. “It’s great,” said Kinyumba when asked how he was enjoying his time with Stewart. “It looks like it’s going well.” Fans of Stewart have been split over her decision to date while still legally married. Her divorce is set to be finalized in less than 30 days. Watch Porsha’s date with Kinyumba below…

Olivia ‘Babsy’ Grange shocked after TVJ reporter shoved by PM entourage

Opposition Spokesperson on Information, Olivia ‘Babsy’ Grange expressed shock at the treatment meted out to Journalists by the Prime Minister and her entourage today in Rose Town, Kingston. Reports are that, bodyguards assigned to the Prime Minister shoved TVJ reporter Vashon Brown as he attempted to question Mrs. Portia Simpson-Miller over the reinstatement of Richard Azan to the Work Ministry as a State Minister. “This is the latest in a string of incidents where members of the government and their functionaries have treated journalists in a disrespectful way,” said Ms. Grange, who expressed hope that the PAJ move swiftly to protect the rights of Journalists. A copy of the press release posted on the Andrew Holness Facebook page can be viewed below and/or downloaded in Pdf format.

Three Jamaica Police Take Stand in Vybz Kartel High Profile Trial #Update

Three police officers took the stand in the Vybz Kartel murder trial in the Home Circuit Court yesterday. The officers, Constable Avril Thomas, Superintendent Winston Henderson and Senior Superintendent Cornwall “Bigga” Ford, all gave testimony, where it was revealed that search warrants were issued for three residencies belonging to Kartel. At one of the locations 12 passports and ten cell phones were turned into evidence, however no evidence was found at the other two homes. During cross-examination, Kartel’s lawyer suggested that his client was paraded before the media to prejudice a fair trial for the entertainer, this claim was denied by the officers. A number of questions were posed to SSP Ford on reports that a body was found and a video recording linking Vybz Kartel to the murder of Clive “Lizard” Williams was leaked, however this was also denied by the Officer. The trial will continue tomorrow with SSP Forbes back in the witness box.

14 Year Old Teen Rapes And Kills 24 Year Old Teacher #News

The 14-year-old accused of murdering his young math teacher at Danvers High School allegedly raped 24-year-old Colleen Ritzer before killing her, prosecutors said Thursday in outlining a first-degree murder indictment against Philip D. Chism. Chism, a top junior varsity soccer player at the Massachusetts school, allegedly attacked Ritzer after she asked him to stay after school in October to prep for an upcoming test. The teen is accused of stabbing Ritzer to death in a school bathroom before dumping her body in a patch of woods behind the school. Chism is charged as an adult on the murder count, the Essex County district attorney wrote in a statement, and faces the aggravated rape and armed robbery charges as a juvenile. He allegedly stole her credit cards, iPhone and her underwear after sexually assaulting Ritzer with an object and killing her, prosecutors contend.The indictments returned today detail horrific and unspeakable acts,” District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett said in a statement. “This is the first step in a long process to secure justice for Ms. Ritzer and her family.” The teen, who moved from Tennessee over the summer and had started at the school this year, is being held without bail at a juvenile facility.It’s unclear when he’ll be arraigned on the charges. Police still have not revealed a possible motive for why the 14-year-old allegedly followed Ritzer into the second-floor bathroom on Oct. 22 and punched her in the face before slashing her throat with a box cutter. Police began searching for Ritzer after being alerted that she did not return home from work or answer her cellphone. Cops found her in the woods after blood was found in the bathroom. Chism, too, was reported missing, and cops found him wandering along a road sometime later. He reportedly went to see the Woody Allen flick “Blue Jasmine” after the killing. Days later, more than 1,000 turned out at a memorial service for Ritzer, who was remembered by a former teacher as “the most beautiful and amazing soul that any parent could ask for, any friend could ask for.” What do you think? : NYD

DON’T EAT THAT! The Cotton Ball Diet Is Killing Young Models #Video

The Cotton Ball Diet is exactly that: Eating cotton balls to feel full with a goal of losing weight. It sounds dangerous, but a search online finds videos of young people doing it! Eddie Murphy’s model daughter, Bria Murphy, talked about this extreme form of dieting in the modeling industry. She told Good Morning America in the video below that she’s heard of people eating cotton balls with orange juice to help them feel full. Fairwinds Eating Disorder Program Manager Kourtney Gordon says this “fad” of dieting can lead to a more severe case of eating disorders, which could eventually lead to death. She says, “The problem being that taking the non-nutritive foods in you’re not getting the vitamins, the minerals, the calories, the proteins, the fats that our bodies need to survive off of. So you can have a lot of growth and development issues, you can have complications of being malnourished.” Swallowing cotton balls can also lead to digestive complications. Lauri Wright, PhD, a registered dietician and assistant professor at USF College of Public Health says there are real physical concerns. Dr. Wright says, “It can actually stay in the stomach or in the intestines and cause blockage. And could actually permanently damage the intestines.” She says pressures to look certain ways that are not obtainable push teens into eating disorders. She says, “There are not any quick fixes. Unfortunately, when you have these extreme diets what you’ll lose first is fluid, so you lose water weight and then you lose muscle. The fat is the last component you pull from, which is what people ultimately want to get rid of, but when you do these extreme diets that the last thing it’s pulled from.” The Cotton Ball Diet is a trend both experts say they hope fades quickly. “Long term complications of that we have no clue what that’s going to do and even in the short term because it can lead to much more severe eating behaviors in those high risk groups. It’s just not even worth trying.” Watch Eddie Murphy’s daughter Bria talk about models eating cotton balls to stay thin around the 1 minute mark …

Three Jamaicans plead guilty to Ganja charges in Cayman #Reports

Three Jamaicans identified as 49-year-old Glenval George Grant, Noel Alexander Samuels and Derrick Antonio Adlam both aged 46, have pleaded guilty to various drug charges in Cayman. The men all from Westmoreland are accused of importing 185.5 pounds of Ganja into Cayman Brac on September 27 in the vicinity of the Tiara Beach. Samuels pleaded guilty, while Grant pleaded with explanation, according to the Caymancompass News. The third Jamaican’s plea is being reviewed after he pleaded guilty to importing 20 pounds of Ganja and not 185.5 pounds of the weed. Adlam will return to court on November 26, while Samuels and Grant will be sentenced on January 30, 2013.

Belgian woman sleeps next to the grisly remains of her dead husband for almost a year #GRAPHICCONTENT

A grieving woman was so devastated by her husband’s death that she couldn’t bear to report it – and slept next to his corpse for almost a year. The mummified remains of Marcel H, 79, lay undiscovered in a Brussels apartment. It’s thought that he died of an asthma attack in November last year, but his beloved 69-year-old wife, who hasn’t been named, continued to sleep next to the grisly remains, despite the smell of decomposition. Neighbours didn’t detect any unusual odours and the authorities in Belgium only became suspicious after the landlord claimed the couple had not paid their rent since 2012. When they entered the apartment they found the mummified remains of Marcel H. Philippe Boxho, pathologist at the Forensic Center of Liege said: ‘A body can mummify in a dry, warm environment. ‘It takes at least a week to reach such a state. In this case the body had rotten in the bed and his internal organs had melted and liquefied. ‘This liquid would have spread and the bed would have been swarming with insects as the body rotted, this would have been a real shame. ‘Even though the smell of human decay is quite specific, many people equate that smell to the smell of garbage and once the body has become rotten the smell does decrease significantly. ‘This is not the first time I have made a discovery of this kind, I’ve been faced with two or three other occasions where people have continued to sleep with the corpse of their partner.’

NBA Star Cracked Out Lamar Odom Makes Shocking Confession #Exclusive

Lamar Odom Cracked Out Rap Video -- I Cheated on Khloe Kardashian - Watch More Celebrity Videos or Subscribe

Lamar Odom’s drug problem is only getting worse — at least that’s how it looks in this video, shot this month showing Lamar incoherently rapping without his shirt on … talking about drugs, making money without the NBA, and cheating on Khloe Kardashian. Lamar appears out of it, rapping about making money off his fragrance “Unbreakable,” and how he smokes drugs to make “the pain go away.” He even drops Kanye’s name. But the crazy part — Lamar raps, “And when Khloe’s out of town / I still be on the DL.” His friend then follows up, “You know what it is / We the QU [Queens] pimps / Ask any of these shorties / We ran through their cribs.” Translation: when Khloe’s away, Lamar will play. As we reported, Lamar’s currently training hard in Rhode Island, trying to get his azz back in shape for the NBA — but drugs are still obviously a big part of his life. He makes the Khloe confession around the 1:45 mark…

Sizzla Kalonji US Visa Revoked, Jamaican Gay Rights Group Celebrate

Reggae/dancehall star Sizzla Kalonji was hit with a major setback this week when the United States Embassy revoked his work visa. The development resulted in a cancellation of his upcoming US Tour.Jamaican gay rights group Jamaica Association of Gays and Lesbians Abroad (JAGLA) are celebrating the news calling it a victory for gays. “This is the result of the “Fyah Bun” anti-gay lyrics. If you hate gays so much, why desire to perform in countries that protect the rights of members of the LGBT community? Hypocrisy,” the group wrote on their Facebook page. “Thanks to members of the LGBT community in the USA who lobbied against Sizzla’s Tour! Big Unnu Self,” the group added. The promoters of Sizzla’s tour are not giving up on their effort to bring the reggae veteran to the United States. In a statement sent to Urban Islandz, Stephen Brush of International Artists Agency says the tour is postponed until February. “It is not a dead issue, but I am no longer comfortable waiting and seeing,” Brush said. “What I would like to do is postpone the tour and look at rebooking it for February and MArch. In the meantime once he does gain entrance into the states, we will fly him over to do a national press release on the tour and explain how all of the promoters on this tour were so supportive and patient with the process.” The tour was scheduled to run from November 21st through to December 22 with seven shows in Virginia, Washington D.C., New York and Colorado. Sizzla has not performed in the United States in over 5 years after his visa was revoked in 2008.

Clive Williams Charged With Shooting With Intent & Illegal Possession Of Gun

Clive “Lizard” Williams, the victim in Vybz Kartel’s murder case, was previously charged with illegal possession of a firearm and shooting with intent. Williams’ sister broke down in tears on the witness stand in court this morning under cross examination by defense attorneys Tom Tavares-Finson and Miguel Lorne.She told the attorneys the her brother had been charged with the two serious offense before he went missing on August 16, 2011. She was also asked if Clive Williams was friends with Shawn Storm Campbell. This morning a detective also testified that he found blood stain at the home in Havendale where Williams was allegedly beaten to death. The trial is currently underway.

Vybz Kartel Trial Update: Investigator Says Bloodstain Was In Home

Vybz Kartel is back in the Home Circuit court in Kingston today to continue his second murder trial. Today marks day four of the high profile case against the dancehall star and more witnesses are taking the stand. This morning, a forensic investigator told the court that he found blood stain in the home in Havendale where Clive “Lizard” Williams was allegedly murdered. Avrel Thomas, a detective constable, testified that he saw what appeared to be bloodstain at the four bedroom home at address 7 Swallowfield Avenue, Havendale, St Andrew. Clive Williams was alleged beaten to death on August 16, 2011 at the home in Havendale. His body was not found. Williams’ sister also took back the stand this morning for cross examination by defense attorney Pierre Rogers where she said she gave asked her brother to leave the community but found out two days later that he did not leave. Under re-examination by the prosecution she broke down in tears saying she just want to know if her brother is alive. She also said she gave her brother $3000 to leave Waterford Portmore on August 14.

Two Arrested After Assault Rifle Found in Salt Spring #News

Two men have been arrested after a 7.62mm AK-57 assault rifle was seized by the police this morning in Salt Spring, St. James. Police stated that the assault rifle was found during an operation conducted in a section of the area between 4 am and 8 am. The identities of the men have not been released pending further investigations

Don’t Come This Island, 13 Jamaicans Turned Away From Trinidad #News

IN a direct breach of the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas, and a snub of a recent ruling by the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), Trinidadian immigration officers denied 13 Jamaicans entry into that country on Tuesday night, detained them and sent them back home on the first flight yesterday morning. The Jamaicans were angry when the Jamaica Observer spoke to them immediately after they were processed by immigration officials at the Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston yesterday afternoon. They said that their passports were confiscated by the Trinidadians and they were ordered to sit on a wooden bench throughout the night before they were rudely bundled on a Caribbean Airlines flight on which the majority of the Reggae Boyz football team were being flown home after their friendly match at the Hasely Crawford Stadium. Among those turned away from her fellow Caribbean Community (Caricom) state was Anne Gordon, who was given the task of chaperoning an 11-year-old girl to see her father who resides in that country with his Trinidadian wife. However, both Gordon and the girl were denied entry, despite carrying Caricom passports.“She cried all night. They just took our passports and told us we did not meet their entry requirements. If her father lives there why did they refuse the child the chance to see her father?” Gordon questioned. The child was picture of dejection. “I don’t see my father since last year,” she said. In a recent ruling in the landmark case involving Shanique Myrie against the Barbadian Government, the CCJ ruled that where a Caricom national is refused entry into a member state, that national should be given the opportunity to consult an attorney or a consular official of his or her country, or to contact a family member. The Jamaicans said that they were not allowed to contact anybody nor were they even allowed to use their cellular phones to contact the persons who were waiting outside the Piarco Airport to receive them. They also claimed they were threatened that their phones would be seized if they attempted to use them. “When I gave them the number of my sister-in-law, the woman (immigration officer) pretended to make a call and then told me that it was a man on the other end. While she did that I called my sister-in-law, who had invited me to visit her, and got her. I tried to give the immigration officer the phone but she said she was not talking to anyone,” Onicia Robinson, one of the Jamaicans denied entry to Trinidad, said. When the Observer contacted Robinson’s sister-in-law, Gillian Leben, she confirmed that she was not contacted by any immigration official in regards to her receiving Robinson. “I was outside the airport with a taxi to pick her up until 4:00 this morning (yesterday) and my phone did not ring. No one contacted me,” Leben said.The CCJ had also ruled that member states should give, promptly and in writing, reasons for refusing entry to Caricom nationals. The receiving state is also obliged to inform the refused national of his or her right to challenge the decision. The Jamaicans claimed that this was not done, saying that they were threatened to sign a refusal of entry form or spend the night in jail. “I did not sign any form and I saw when the woman sign the form for me,” said Cassandara Douse, who was among the 13. For Omar Campbell the denial of entry was particularly painful. Campbell showed stamps in his passport to show that he had spent 10 months in that country and to compound matters he is married to a Trinidadian woman. He showed his marriage certificate to prove his claim. “To make matters worse, yesterday was my wife’s birthday,” Campbell said with a sad look on his face. The Jamaicans also complained that they were verbally abused and told they were being turned back because of the recent murder of Trinidadian national Keron Fraser, whose body was found in a shallow grave at Duncan’s Pen in Spanish Town, St Catherine, recently. Fraser disappeared on October 18, two days after he arrived in the island from Trinidad. Police said that, upon arriving in the island on October 16, Fraser, who was with a female companion, rented a motor vehicle and headed towards an undisclosed location in Clarendon. He was reported missing two days later. According to the police, a few days after Fraser’s disappearance, two men were detained by the police after they were intercepted in the motor car which he had rented. The vehicle had bloodstains, the police said. In addition, the Jamaicans said they were only given two minutes to use the bathroom when they requested to do so, and security officials followed them to the bathroom. “They sat and watched us all night and said we are prisoners. Dem don’t like Jamaicans and say dem turn us back because we kill Trini in our country,” said June Henry, who was visiting the twin-island republic for a three-week vacation. The Jamaicans also complained that they were extremely uncomfortable sitting up all night after more than eight hours of travel. “I had to sleep on a carpet, and we got some raw tasting chicken about 3:00 am,” Jodian Davidson said. For years, Jamaicans have complained that they have been subjected to sub-standard treatment at the hands of Trinidadian airport officials and have advocated a boycott of goods from that country as retaliation for the xenophobic behaviour of the Eastern Caribbean nationals. Jamaica is a major market for Trinidadian goods and a number of Trinidadians have worked and lived in the country without hassle and in accordance with free movement within Caricom. A passenger who travelled on the same flight with the denied Jamaicans told the Observer that an airline official informed him that last week 26 Jamaicans were turned back from Trinidad. There was, however, no confirmation. A security guard at the Norman Manley International Airport said that he had overheard a number of Jamaicans returning from Trinidad complaining of bad treatment at the hands of Trinidadian officials. Yesterday, Jamaica’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade raised concerns about the number of Jamaicans who have been denied entry to the twin islands in recent times. “The ministry is concerned at this development and continues to interface with the relevant authorities in Trinidad and Tobago on the matter, including in the light of the Shanique Myrie ruling by the Caribbean Court of Justice,” it said in a release. Airline tickets to Trinidad and Tobago cost between US$520 and US$750 depending on when the ticket is purchased.

Breaking News, Caribbean November 21, 2013 Female Mowed down by Coaster Bus along Constant Spring Road #News

An unidentified woman was mowed down by a Coaster Bus along Constant Spring Road in the vicinity of the Tru Value Hardware in St. Andrew this afternoon. Unconfirmed reports are that, the bus was reversing to avoid traffic along the thoroughfare, and the woman was hit and run over by the bus; she died on the spot. The driver of the bus fled the scene. Police have now cordoned off the area, which has resulted in a pile up of traffic.