Caribzone News Highlights

Jamaica

Portland is the latest parish to benefit under the Government’s initiative to construct water shops as a means of addressing the water needs of residents in drought-affected communities across Jamaica.
Two facilities will be built in the parish at a cost of approximately $19.5 million.

Minister of Local Government and Community Development, Hon. Desmond McKenzie, broke ground for the establishment of the first shop in the community of Commodore on Friday, November 8.
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National

The Supreme Court last week weighed the fate of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), the Obama-era program that shields from deportation, hundreds of thousands of undocumented immigrants who arrived in the US as children. 

President Trump has long said he wants to do away with the program, but the Supreme Court is apparently not finding it to be a simple task.  

Their opinions of two key justices – John Roberts and Brett Kavanaugh - could decide the whole thing, and after a day of hearing arguments, it's not clear where either man will come down on the issue. 

Outside the court, immigrant advocates and DACA recipients from across the country gathered to listen to the proceedings and voice their support for the program.
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Jamaica
Jamaicans are again being urged to consume more locally produced food to aid in reducing the country’s high importation bill which stood at just over US$900 million in 2018.

This renewed call comes from Chief Technical Director in the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture, and Fisheries, Monique Gibbs who said that simply “eating Jamaican” can have the desired impact which includes retaining local jobs and saving foreign exchange.
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Local

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Foreign Trade says Jamaicans in the Northeast USA are disingenuous in seeking clarity on the terms of reference for the new Global Diaspora Council (GJDC).

The Jamaicans are calling for a postponement of the elections to the council which would replace the existing Diaspora Advisory Board member. The elections are due later this month.
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Guyana

With general elections now set for March 2, there is a split in the Guyana coalition government as to which side should select the candidate for prime minister. 
President David Granger whose APNU party has the larger majority, says he will select a nominee for prime minister when the time is right. 

The 2015 Cummingsbury Accord that brought the two parties together, gives the presidential nominee to the APNU and the prime minister nominee to the AFC, but Granger is saying not so this time! Stay tuned.
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Jamaica 

General elections in Jamaica is still 15 months away at a minimum, but the two major political parties – the ruling Jamaica Labor Party (JLP), and the opposition People’s National Party (PNP), have already signed a memorandum of understanding for a series of debates to be organized and staged by the Jamaica Debates Commission (JDC).

The three debates will deal with social issues, economic issues and one between the contenders for the office of prime minister. 

Jamaica’s next general election is constitutionally due at the end of February 2021.
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Grenada

Grenada’s Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) says that persons now depositing funds into financial institutions achieved through the traditional form of savings known as ‘sou sou’, will now have to meet certain guidelines.

The FIU said that the move is part of its efforts to combat financial corruption and money laundering. 
‘Sou sou’ is a form of saving in which several people collectively contribute a specific sum of money into a pool for a specific period.  Under the system, one person benefits on each occasion, known as a ‘draw’, from the funds placed in the pool.
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Sports


Clarendon v KC in Champions Cup Final
After two contrasting victories on the weekend, Clarendon College and Kingston College will now meet in the final of the ISSA Champions Cup final.
Clarendon easily put aside Cornwall College with a clinical 3-0 drubbing while KC, after a 1-1 fulltime score were able to get by Jamaica College 3-2 on penalties.

Rodrick Granville scored twice for Clarendon College first in the 52nd minute and then in the 68th minute. The third Clarendon goal came late in the encounter, the 88th minute, from the boots of Tahjay Williams.
In the KC-JC match, KC took the lead through Demario McCarthy in the first half.

Playing with the rain pouring down in the second half, both sides had to change from their starting kits mainly because of the prevailing soggy conditions. Yet despite the conditions, JC found a late equalizer courtesy of Shadane Lopez in the 83rd minute.
The match then went to penalties, which KC won 3-2.
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