Top 7 Jamaican & Caribbean News Stories You Missed The Week Ending March 6th, 2020 – Jamaicans.com

THIS WEEKS TOP NEWS STORIES

Top 7 Jamaican & Caribbean News Stories

CHARLES TO LEAVE POST AS SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE IN JAMAICAPearnel Patroe Charles, a veteran Jamaica Labor Party political leader and current Speaker the House of Representatives, will leave this post in a few weeks. As the veteran politician and trade unionist steps down, it will mean the end of his lifetime career in representative politics. It is expected that Parliamentary Secretary Robert Morgan will be the front-runner for the position.

GOVERNMENT PORVIDES GUIDANCE ON PREPARING FOR COVID-19Karl Samuda, Jamaicas Minister with Oversight for Education, has provided guidelines for parents and guardians of children who may show symptoms of the coronavirus, also known as covid-19. Samuda told parents and guardians that they should keep their children at home. He also warned that if the virus reaches a school, exams would be postponed. Samuda announced the guidelines at a meeting of Jamaicas National Disaster Risk Management Council, which was held at Jamaica House.

CARIBBEAN NATIONS IMPOSE TRAVEL BANS ON CRUISE SHIPSCruise ships in the Caribbean have had to be diverted as countries in the region implement travel bans in response to the risks posed by coronavirus. The cruise ships Carnival Horizon and Carnival Freedom, which were set to dock in the Cayman Islands and Jamaica were diverted when the companys CEO Arnold Donald failed to get timely assurances that the ships would be allowed to dock. Donald told Caribbean leaders that he needs more certainty about being able to call before maintaining the regular schedule.

CABINET APPROVES NATIONAL DIASPORA POLICY FOR TABLINGThe National Diaspora Policy (NDP) has been given approval, in its draft form. The Cabinet approval was announced on March 3, 2020, by Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Senator Kamina Johnson Smith, made the announcement during her speech to the members of the Diplomatic Corps at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel in Kingston. The address was part of the activities relating to Diplomatic Week 2020, which has as its theme Delivering a Decade of Resilience for All. The policy seeks to provide an institutional structure and path for meaningful engagement with the Jamaican Diaspora, a population dispersed among many different countries.

HOLNESS, BARTLETT BREAK GROUND FOR US$1 BILLION DEVELOPMENTJamaicas Prime Minister Andrew Holness and the countrys Minister of Tourism Edmund Bartlett broke ground on February 28, 2020, on a US$1 billion multi-resort development project known as Sugarcane Bay Jamaica. The project is located in Llandovery, St Ann, and is being developed by Karisma Hotels and Resorts on a site comprising 220 acres. It will bring 4,700 additional rooms to Jamaicas tourism sector.

13TH ANNUAL REGGAE MONTH DEEMED SUCCESSWhen the 13th staging of Reggae Month ended on March 1, 2020, with the final portion of the Jamaica Music Museums Grounation Series, the consensus was that it provided a spectacular showcase of Jamaicas music and musical talent and culture. The theme of the 2020 staging was Come Ketch di Riddim. The final event was held at the Institute of Jamaica and included the Prime Ministers Reception at Jamaica House. The 13th annual celebration of reggae encompassed many events hosted by Jamaicas Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment, and Sport.

JAMAICA SCORPIONS CAPTAIN READY TO MEET TEAM GOALSJohn Campbell, the captain of the Jamaica Scorpions, is working to meet the goals of his team rather than his own personal milestones. The team is set to meet the Windward Islands Volcanoes during the seventh round of the West Indies Championships in Grenada. While Campbell only needs four runs to reach 3,000 Championship runs, he stated that his personal achievements come second after the needs of the team. He is focusing on getting the Scorpions return to a winning track and rise in the rankings.