Caribzone News highlights

 Jamaica

It’ll be a country road that takes reggae pioneer Toots Hibbert home to his final resting place in May Pen, Clarendon.

His daughter, gospel singer Jenieve Bailey, confirmed that the reggae pioneer will be interred in the

Due to restrictions implemented to stem the spread of COVID-19 there will be no nine night.

A nine night is when friends and family come together to the home of the deceased to express condolence and share memories while singing hymns and eating food.

No date was given for the send-off, however Bailey said all efforts will be put into the late reggae singer's “farewell”.

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Regional

Hot on the heels of the cancellation of Jamaica's carnival parades which were deferred to this month (October), regional kingpin Trinidad and Tobago has announced that due to the current pandemic, its 2021 festivities will not be held.

The announcement was made last week by T&T's Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley, who noted that based on where the country stands at this time, in terms of the threat posed by the pandemic, and the situation in the world in general, it would be imprudent to go ahead with plans for the annual celebration, which ranks a close second in the world, outdone only by the festivities of the Rio carnival in the South American nation of Brazil.

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International

A tribute concert commemorating Bob Marley's 75th birthday anniversary was held in China on Saturday, September 26, according to china.org.cn.

The event was the collaborative effort of the Marley family, Island Records, UME, and Primary Wave Music Publishing.

“Bob Marley is unique in that he not only made his mark with his significant musical accomplishments but also communicated to his fans worldwide, bringing together people of all ages, cultures and races with his message. He exerted a tremendous influence on the style and substance of music and culture,” said Bruce Resnikoff, president and CEO of UME, Universal Music Group's global catalogue company.

The occasion also saw Chinese reggae band, Long Shen Dao in performance.

Rock musicians, including Xie Tianxiao, Jiang Liang, Guo Jian, and Zang Hongfei shared how Marley's music had influenced them.

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CMC is reporting that Jamaican attorney Dr Kathy-Ann Brown was among judges sworn into office as members of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS), last Thursday.

The five judges were elected at the 13th meeting of States Parties to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea to serve a term of nine years, commencing on October 1, 2020.

The ITLOS is an inter-governmental organization created by the mandate of the Third United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea. It was established by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea signed in Montego Bay, Jamaica, on December 10, 1982.

The other judges are from Chile, China, Italy, and Cameroon.

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Antigua & Barbuda

Antigua and Barbuda Police Commissioner Atlee Rodney said that two senior investigators from the United Kingdom are expected to join local detectives in probing the murder of customs officer Nigel Christian, who was kidnapped from his home by four armed men on July 10.

He said that the Antiguan government had made a request for assistance from the UK and the United States. Rodney told reporters that evidence had been sent to the United States for further examination.

There has so far been no arrest in the murder of 44-year-old Christian, who was found dead with multiple gunshot wounds on a dirt road a few hours after he was kidnapped.

 

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Bermuda

Bermuda Premier David Burt’s decision to call a snap general election paid off handsomely last Thursday as the ruling Progressive Labour Party (PLP), scored a crushing 30-seats-to-six victory over the main opposition, One Bermuda Alliance.

Burt said that now is the time for the British overseas territory to unite “with an incredibly difficult road ahead”.

According to preliminary results, the PLP won more than 60 per cent of the total vote in the three-way contest, but the turnout was one of the lowest in decades as more than 44 per cent of the electorate did not vote.

“We have an incredibly difficult road ahead for this country, and it is going to require us all to work together, whether we be government, opposition, business, unions, or citizens,” Burt told cheering supporters.

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Sports

Junior Flemmings, the Jamaican Phoenix Rising striker alleged to have used a Jamaican homophobic slur against an openly gay player, has been placed on administrative leave by his club.

The incident, which Flemmings has since denied, is alleged to have taken place during a United Soccer League (USL) playoff game between Phoenix and San Diego Loyal on Wednesday night. Loyal, who were leading 3-1 at the time of the alleged incident, walked off the field in protest around the 45th minute of play, but forfeited after deciding not to return for the second half.

Phoenix issued the news of the sanction on its Twitter page late last Thursday night.

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Regional

Chairman of the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC), Professor Sir Hilary Beckles, has convened a team that will review the modified approach for the administration of the regional examinations and the grading process, among other related matters.

Hundreds of students have decried what they deemed ‘unacceptable’ results in the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) and Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC).

They have raised concerns about anomalies with some grades issued by CXC. Preliminary CSEC and CAPE results were released last week.

The review team is being chaired by Professor Hazel Simmons-McDonald, Professor Emerita and retired Pro Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the Open Campus, The University of the West Indies.

Other members of the team are Professor Andrew Downes, retired Pro Vice-Chancellor, Planning and Development, The University of the West Indies; Professor Francis De Lanoy, President of the University of Curacao; Harrilal Seecharan, retired Chief Education Officer, Ministry of Education of Trinidad and Tobago; and Michael S. Browne, Minister of Education in Antigua and Barbuda and Chair of the CARICOM Council for Human and Social Development (COHSOD).

The team will meet with the CXC chairman and will commence work immediately. The review team is expected report to Beckles by Friday, October 16.

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