Archive for the ‘Caricom News’ Category
Cop, baby injured in St Ann police shooting
Cop, baby injured in St Ann police shooting
Published: Friday | January 9, 2009
The Bureau of Special Investigations (BSI) is today expected to present the police commissioner with a preliminary report into an incident in which a baby, a cop and three others were shot by the police in Lodge, St Ann, on Wednesday night.
Up to late yesterday, the Constabulary Communication Network (CCN) had not released any information on the incident.
Director of communications at the Jamaica Constabulary Force, Karl Angell, said the CCN was awaiting the report of the BSI before it released a statement on the matter.
It is reported that the police were earlier involved in a shooting incident near Gayle in St Mary, where an alleged robber was shot and injured.
One resident told The Gleaner that the police later tried to ascertain the identity of the robber but were unsuccessful.
Shortly after, two men believed to be the man’s accomplices reportedly entered the community with guns, held some residents at gunpoint and demanded that they relate what the police were told.
Alleged witness
Satisfied that the residents had not given the cops any vital information, the alleged witness said the men drove off.
The police later intercepted a grey Nissan station wagon, fitting the description of the car the gunmen had used, when things went wrong.
According to Superintendent Patricia Coulbourne-White, the commanding officer for St Ann, the driver was asked to stop. She said he complied, but the police team observed suspicious movements that led them to open fire.
A member of the police team was shot during the shooting. A 10-month-old boy, his parents and the driver of the car were also hurt.
They were taken to the St Ann’s Bay Hospital. The baby was later transferred to the Bustamante Hospital for Children while the policeman was taken by helicopter to the Kingston Public Hospital yesterday morning.
The injury to the child is not considered life-threatening but the policeman is said to be battling for life.
“We regret the injuries,” said Coulbourne-White.
“This is not something we would want to be associated with under any circumstance.”
White said the police team was warned to look out for armed and dangerous individuals, adding that poor lighting contributed to the unfortunate turn of events.
Light bill cut – JPS announces further reduction as oil prices fall
JPS
Customers of the Jamaica Public Service Company Limited (JPS) can expect to see at least a 15 per cent reduction in their energy bills at the end of this month if their usage is consistent with last month.
The JPS says the ease comes as the price of fuel on the world market continues its downward trend.
Oil prices have fallen almost 73 per cent to US$41.70 a barrel since peaking at US$147.27 last July.
The light and power company said yesterday that the fuel charges on electricity bills for January will be the lowest in almost two years.
“The fuel and independent power producers (IPP) charge that will be applied to the January bills is $8.655 per kilowatt-hour (kWh), compared to the charge of $12.168 applied to bills last month,” a JPS spokesperson said in a press release yesterday.
JPS said this reduction could translate to an overall decrease of up to 19 per cent in some customers’ bills this month, compared with the bills they received in December.
The light and power company further noted that with the most recent reduction, fuel and IPP charges on electricity bills have declined by more than 57 per cent since August last year.
“Unprecedented increases in oil prices in the first few months of 2008 resulted in monthly increases in the fuel and IPP charge on bills, which peaked at a high of $20.323 per kWh in August,” JPS said.
A typical residential customer who consistently uses 200 kWh of electricity will see an overall decrease of about 15 per cent in his or her January bill.
Business customers who have not increased their electricity usage will see decreases of between 15 and 19 per cent.
Former Maroon colonel lashes out on casino facility discussions
Moore Town Maroons of Portland perform during the Accompong Maroon celebrations in St Elizabeth on Tuesday. – photo by Claudia Gardner
WESTERN BUREAU:
Meredie Rowe, former Accompong Town Maroon colonel, is taking issue with the decision of Colonel Sydney Peddie to reopen discussions with prospective developers to construct a casino facility in the St Elizabeth community.
“I don’t think any investor would be compelled to take a casino to a place like Accompong Town where we are lacking in infrastructure,” Rowe said.
“Kingston, Montego Bay, Negril and the other towns have water, adequate light and adequate infrastructure, so I don’t think any investor will want to think about finding so much money to put up casino in Accompong Town when it can cost them a whole lot less to do it elsewhere in Jamaica,” Rowe added.
During the Accompong Maroon celebrations on Tuesday, Peddie had said the casino development was still on his agenda and he was thinking of contacting the developers, Hal Brooks and Associates, to find out whether they were interested in setting up operations in Accompong.
Gov’t influence
Peddie further said his consideration was influenced by the Government’s decision to legalise casinos.
Peddie also said he was still hoping to go to Canada to get more information on casinos.
According to him, from as far back as 2006, Hal Brooks and Associates expressed an interest in constructing a casino and a 400-room hotel on a 50-acre expanse of land in Accompong Town.
In 2006, Peddie had announced that a proposal was being made by the Florida-based investor.
However, several Maroons, including Rowe, were against the move contending that it could destroy the Maroon culture and sovereignty as well as obliterate the treaty of 1738, which gave Maroons the inherent right of ownership to Accompong Town.
