More than 40,000 could be added to voters’ list

At Friday September 30th’s close of enumeration for the November 30 voters’ list, in excess of 40,000 persons had applied to be added since publication of the last list on May 31. Of that number, a record 9,000 applied in the final week.

According to Director of Elections Orette Fisher, the Electoral Office of Jamaica (EOJ) would now be processing the applications before the final publication of the list. 

“At this stage we could not say if these 40,000 applicants would be going on the list until they have been processed. We have to now do things like check fingerprints to make sure they have not been on the list before and to ensure that they are eligible, resident verification to make sure persons actually live at the address they give, and so on,” he stated.

“I also could not say the exact number of those who would be removed, because of death. So when the new list is published, we would have those successful applicants being added and those reported as dead being removed.”

Fisher said there were over 1.6 million persons on the list before, so if all the applicants are successful there would be more than 40,000 added to the list. 

Persons who missed Friday’s deadline will have to wait until next year May to be added to the voters’ list.

Going into the general elections constitutionally due next year, he said at this stage EOJ was in a basic state of readiness, which included the November 30 voters’ list, polling locations identified and blank ballots to be printed. 

He added that the things such as workers, equipment and technicians would be left until closer to the election.

Fisher also said that some of the equipment used in the last election needed replacement, while additional equipment were needed in some cases, which would be funded from the election budget.

Andrew Holness to be new JLP Leader

Andrew Holness

Education Minister, Andrew Holness, is set to become Jamaica’s next Prime Minister after his parliamentary colleagues put aside their own ambitions to endorse his candidacy to become leader of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP).

The announcement that the party leaders had reached a consensus on selecting Holness was made at a press conference on October 5.

However, the decision will have to be ratified by the JLP secretariat and delegates.

Holness accepted the endorsement and thanked his colleagues for putting their personal ambitions aside.

Holness noted that he has been preparing for this day for years, and stated that one of the important themes of his leadership would be unity.

The education minister also said he would be leading a government of equity and efficiency.

Continuity was also a major theme of the speech delivered by Holness, as he promised to continue the policies, programmes and anti-corruption stance on which the party was elected in 2007.

Holness also addressed the issue of youth which has been a subject of intense debate since Prime Minister Bruce Golding stated that it was time for younger leaders to take the helm.

Ratification of the decision by the delegates of the party will pave the way for Holness to become Jamaica’s ninth prime minister.

Prime Minister Bruce Golding has already indicated he will soon be stepping down from that position.

2011 Digicel Rising Star : Chantal ‘Tash’ Lamont

Chantal ‘Tash’ Lamont

After 12 long weeks of performance shows, Jamaica has finally chosen their 2011 Digicel Rising star.

Seventeen year old Chantal Lamont aka Tash, set the bar high in the beginning of the season, and for the most part maintained her standard, until it all finally paid off.

“I feel wonderful, I feel great! Actually doing so much hard work and it paid off? Awesome!” she said moments after being announced the winner.

Jamaicans carried Tash all season like a favourite football team, but do they really know who Tash is? Hailing from St. Thomas, the intriguing and eccentric Tash, raised primarily by her grandmother, is a recent graduate of the Yallahs High School. “I have graduated, yes, but them call me back, and said come back to school Monday morning, because I never got to do all of my subjects.” She said noting that she has to meet the minimum CXC subject requirements to take advantage of one of her prizes, a one year scholarship to the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts.

Her most memorable performance, and eclectic, high energy performance of Beyonce and Lady Gaga’s Telephone, blew the minds of voters and viewers alike and will definitely go down in Digicel Rising Star History as the performance that sealed the deal ! 

Now that she finally has the title she has worked so hard for, what’s next? “By the end of next year mi supposed to have, hopefully three or more albums” noting that she is eager to work with artistes such as Taurus Riley, I-Octane, Wayne Marshall, Shaggy and hopefully, even Lady Gaga, “I love her!”

Apart from her title Digicel’s 2011 Rising Star, and her scholarship to the Edna Manley College, Chantal ‘Tash’ Lamont also walks away with a cheque for $1Million, a BlackBerry smart phone, a record single and a music video .

Gayle recommended for Jamaica captain

Chris Gayle

Chris Gayle could be back in charge of the Jamaica national team for this month’s WICB Regional Super50 Championship in Guyana.

Gayle has been recommended as captain of the team and is awaiting ratification from the Jamaica Cricket Association.

“In terms of naming a captain, it has to be ratified by the board, so we can’t say anything about that,” chairman of the National Selection Panel Courtney Daley said. “But we have recommended (a captain).”

Gayle has not captained Jamaica over the last three years, but would bring plenty of experience to the position having been a former national and West Indies captain.

Jamaica has not won this version of the game in the last four years, but have shown their strength in the first-class game with four back-to-back regional titles.

Gayle’s presence in the side will be a major boost to Jamaica’s batting and should enhance their chances of winning.

Reports also indicated that the Jamaicans have included the uncapped pair of Jermaine Blackwood and Kenardo Lewis in their 14-man squad for the tournament which opens on October 19.

The Jamaicans are scheduled to leave for Guyana on October 17 and play Leeward Islands in their opening match on October 20 at the Guyana  National Stadium.

The other sides in Group B are Trinidad and Tobago and Combined Campuses & Colleges.

Christopher Henry “Chris” Gayle (born 21 September 1979 in Kingston, Jamaica) is a Jamaican cricketer.

Jamaican song to feature on “Jersey Shore”

M’ Lonie

A song from the local ‘In The Dance’ show will be featured on MTV’s hit reality series ‘Jersey Shore.’

The song will be played in the “First Pump” episode of the show.

The song being featured is upcoming singer M’Lonie’s Watch It produced by In the Dance producer The Wizard of the Fiwi Music Label.

Dubbed a cultural phenomenon, Jersey Shore is an American reality television series that follows the lives of eight housemates spending their summer at the Jersey Shore. The show is currently in its fourth season.

In The Dance is aired every Friday on a Jamaican tv station and is number one in its time slot on the station.

The show, which is currently in its second season, gives exposure to, upcoming dances and new artistes alike.

This season the show features songs from various artistes all produced by The Wizard. M’Lonie is happy that her song is being used on the MTV show.

She was quoted as saying, “I’m extremely thankful and excited for such an amazing blessing! I’m proud to have such a great team around me, Fiwi Music, The Wizard, Richard ‘Shams’ Browne and Denise Scott, my managers, who believe in me and have all worked really hard to show the world M’lonie. This is an awesome opportunity, I’m overwhelmed. In fact, Jersey Shore is one of my favourite reality series. This is truly the perfect union of dreams meet reality.”

Courtney John CEO of FiWi Music also commented in the release saying, “M’Lonie has washed a shore on Jersey Shore.”

Watch It is one of In The Dance’s more popular songs on the show with its dancers. The In The Dance brand continues to grow with the release of its music compilation coming soon on iTunes, with songs from Denyque, G-Whizz, Timberlee, Macka Diamond, Mr Lexx and more.

Blake outshines Bolt

Usain Bolt (left) congratulates his compatriot
Yohan Blake

Usain Bolt is back on top of the world in the 100 metres but not even the year’s fastest run by the world’s fastest man could steal the show in Brussels from the training partner who stole his world title in Daegu.

Yohan Blake, who won the 100m  title three weeks ago after Bolt’ s disqualification for a false start, watched his fellow Jamaican leap to the top of the year’s rankings with a time of 9.76sec in the final Samsung Diamond League meeting of the year.

Six minutes later, Blake trumped that with the second fastest 200 metres ever run, surpassing Michael Johnson’s former world record with a time of 19.26sec. Only the time of 19.19 sec that won Bolt the world title in Berlin two years ago is faster.

‘A wild time,’ Bolt called it, revealing that he had advised Blake beforehand how he should run an event in which he had not bettered 20.33sec this year. ‘He’s run some bad ones, so I told him to take it easy round the bend,’ said Bolt.

Blake, three years younger than Bolt and almost six inches shorter, followed the advice, only pulling away from American Walter Dix in the last 70m. It was a half second improvement on his previous best. Dix with a time of 19.53sec the fourth fastest man of all time.

‘Tonight I was looking for 19.50. I was expecting something fast like that but not this fast. I am like a beast,’ said Blake.

Britain’s world 400m hurdles champion Dai Greene was beaten into second place by Puerto Rican Javier Culson but picked up the $40,000 prize as Diamond League champion. Phillips Idowu did likewise in the triple jump even though he finished only fifth fter pulling out after only two attempts.

Nicki Minaj pleads guilty

Nikki Minaj

Nicki Minaj, who headlined Reggae Sumfest in Catherine Hall, St James, on Saturday July 23, has been charged with indecent language. The Jamaica media reporting that Nicki Minaja whose real name is Onika Tanya Maraj, was served with a summons by the police as she exited the venue

following her performance Sunday morning.

Senior Superintendent Linette Martin Williams gave a confirmation and noted that the Trinidad-born rapper is scheduled to appear in court sometime this week.

The rapper, who did not appear in court, was represented by local attorney Hugh Thompson, who entered an ex parte guilty plea on behalf of his client and paid the corresponding fees for the use of the expletives.

Entertainer Minaj fined $1000 for indecent language, according to police, her court date was set for Thursday, July 28. Her lawyer made an appeal for the matter to be put forward. He then pleaded guilty on her behalf and was fined JM$1,000.

It is not certain whether or not 28-year-old Minaj was in the island when it the matter was being dealt with in court.

On Saturday night she rocked a capacity audience attending the final night of this year’s staging of Reggae Sumfest in Montego Bay.

Her performance, a first in Jamaica, contained many of her popular tracks, but was peppered with expletives accentuated by sexually suggestive dance moves.

For her troubles, Minaj earned the admiration of a Jamaican audience, as she easily eclipsed superstars like Wayne Wonder and Jah Cure.

As her set began to come to an end, Minaj swept into Hold Yuh, a remix of the mega-hit from Gyptian. The crowd was almost on the stage at this point.

Another interesting moment came when Minaj took a back seat to her dancers and allowed them free reign to tackle some of dancehall’s more enduring dance tunes. When the dancers showed they could do the ‘Dutty Wuk’, the crowd was more than a little appreciative.

Minaj did her fair share of dancing and acting as well, playing out parts that told the stories of the songs she rapped. Again, the audience appreciated what was a well rehearsed set. The artiste later gushed on her Twitter page, “I had the time of my life at Reggae Sumfest... Jamaica I fell in love tonight,” she tweeted.

20 persons murdered in one week

Twenty persons have been murdered within a one-week period, but the police are attempting to keep a lid on the figures at a time when four of the victims were decapitated.

“Have we lost our heads?” seems to be the collective thought of outraged and frightened Jamaicans, as sharp bladed instruments are chosen to inflict dastardly deeds.

Gary Emanuel Smith, a 37-year-old father of two, took his last breath - early Saturday morning, as a precursor to the mourning of members of the August Town community.

He was the fourth person to be beheaded last week.

The Police High Command and the political directorate have jumped at every opportunity to reel off figures showing that crime has dipped by more than 40 per cent for the first half of 2011 when compared with 2010. However, statistics and data are cold comfort to those recoiling in fear and terror from a revolting trend.

Signs are emerging that many inclined to commit murder are going back to the old days of sharp bladed instruments, but with a brand new level of venom and brutality.

The nation was shocked into silence when a man by the name of Scott Shane Thomas, 18, a labourer of Lauriston, was decapitated Tuesday of last week.

The shock had hardly worn off less than 48 hours later when the nation was horror-struck by news that two more persons had been beheaded.

The sensibilities of most law-abiding Jamaicans were jolted further, when it was revealed that the victims were women – a mother and daughter - Charmaine Couver-Rattray, 40, and her 19-year old daughter, Joeith Lynch otherwise called “Crystal”.

In the midst of the turmoil, sparked by the goriness of the slaughters, new information emerged that another Kingston College student was murdered.

The murder happened less than a month after another student, Khajeel Mais’ untimely death elicited thunderous reactions from Jamaicans.

The police say 15-year-old Timon Thompson, a resident of Bull Retreat in Gordon Town in St. Andrew was walking along the Mavis Bank main road about 5 a.m. last week Tuesday, when he was approached by a relative and stabbed with a sharp instrument. Blood continued to be shed senselessly, when a 13-year-old girl fatally stabbed a 21-year-old mother, who was in a state of pregnancy.

The alleged offending child is in a place of safety.

As Jamaicans recoiled in horror at the wretchedness of it all, almost unbelievably, news surfaced that yet another man was decapitated.

August Town residents woke to the news that one of their own had been taken out of his house brought to another section of the community where the gruesome act was performed.