PORT MARIA, ST MARY:
A man who was charged with illegal possession of ganja was sentenced to 10 days, imprisonment when he appeared in the Port Maria Resident Magistrat's Court last Thursday.
The accused, Ricardo Sinclair, resident of Galina district in St Mary, was arrested and charged during a police operation in the community last week. Reports are that at about 4:30 p.m. on February 1, the Port Maria police were on an operation in the area when Sinclair was stopped and searched. Items of vegetable matter were found on his person.
Further inspections reveal that it was ganja weighing about an ounce. Sinclair was arrested and charged.
When the accused made his appearance in court today, further checks by the court reveal that he had been arrested on similar charges. This upset Resident Magistrate Cressencia Brown who spared no time in sentencing the accused. She stated, "Who cyaan hear must feel. Ten days' imprisonment for you, maybe that will teach you a lesson."
- N.T.
Parish council stalemate
MAY PEN, CLARENDON:
To date, the resolutions of the Clarendon Parish Council have gone no further.
At the first council meeting for the year held at the Council's Chamber on Sevens Road, May Pen, on January 10, Adassa Morgan, secretary/manager of the council, read a copy of a resolution passed at a meeting held on September 13, last year.
The contents of the resolution dealt with the effects of a disaster, whether natural or otherwise on Jamaicans and the need to put a system in place for victims who are unable to purchase insurance as recourse to recovery.
It was further resolved that the document be circulated to the Portmore Municipal Council, other parish councils and the KSAC for their support. The letter dated, November 21, 2007, was sent just before to the local government election of December 5, last year however, the copy of the resolution was not read until this year as there were no council meetings in December.
- Angella Chin
Rose Hall Primary wins debating competition
ST ELIZABETH:
Rose Hall Primary has won the 2008 Alpart Debating Competition for all-age and primary schools in Alpart's operating area in St Elizabeth.
The students from Rose Hall defeated New Forest in the finals of the competition, which was held at the Alpart Sports Club on Friday February 1.
Both teams, before an audience that included schoolmates, teachers, parents and Alpart employees, vigorously debated the moot, 'Be it resolved that patois should be taught in schools'.
Public relations manager of Alpart, Lance Neita, lauded the schools that participated in this year's competition, which made it a success until the last presentation. He said that this is one of the ways to get the students to read and read widely.
Special guest was Wesley Barrett, retired education officer, who congratulated the teams on the painstaking research and high standards demonstrated during the contest. Barrett said that the students had also brought some fresh insights into the question of whether or not patois has a place in the education system.
- Rayon Dyer
St Mary cops honoured
PORT MARIA, ST MARY:
Policemen and women at the Port Maria Police Station, Port Maria, St Mary, said congratulations to two of their comrades - Corporal Lisa Marsh and Constable Maurice Forrest - who were voted most outstanding subofficer and constable for the station in the October to December 2007 quarter.
The two were honoured under the Port Maria Police Quarterly Incentive Programme.
Alleged cop beaters head back to court
PORT MARIA, St Mary:
Two sisters who were allegedly charged for attacking and beating a policeman in the crowded town of Port Maria, on January 4 of this year, are to return to court on March 20 when the case is set for the next mention date.
The accused women, Maureen and Marva-Lee Nane, self-employed residents of Galina district, St Mary, made their appearance in the Port Maria Resident Magistrate's Court today where they have been charged with assault occasioning bodily harm.
According to a police report, at about 3:20 p.m. on January 4, the policeman who is attached to the Port Maria Police Station was on patrol along the Stenneth Street main road, Port Maria, when he observed a group of women fighting.
It is alleged that the officer, in an effort to quash the incident, walked over and grabbed hold of one of the women before proceeding to the vicinity of the police station.
More allegations
It is further alleged that one of the sisters, who was standing nearby saw what was happening and pounced upon the officer, slapping him several times in the back. The two continued slapping him in the face, on the shoulder and on other regions of his body, causing pain and swelling.
Other officers quelled the incident and the two were arrested and charged.
- Nedburn Thaffe
