Alleged corrupt cop Superintendent Harry ‘Bungles’ Daley appeared in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate’s Court yesterday, where his corruption / extortion trial resumed. The only thing reportedly missing in court yesterday, was popcorn and drinks, as the prosecution played potentially damning videos of Daley at various times as he was interacting with the complainant Tafari Clarke (who was wearing a hidden camera).
On the videos, Daley is heard issuing death threats and complaining about his alleged protection money being “short”. As the videos were played, Daley reportedly sat stone-faced, showing no emotion at all, and watched along with all in attendance in the court room.
Some quotes attributed to Daley on the recordings:
“Tell him say a mi him fi call … a Spanish Town mi come from. Mi born and grow a Treadway… even if mi no deh yah, a me run yah so. Tell him say if him want gunshot him fi f*** around same way.” (said when Clarke told him that another man was trying to extort him after Daley had been transferred from the area).
“Yuh no easy. Yuh short mi dah month yah.” (said when Clarke handed him $15,000 instead of $20,000)
The trial continues today.
A second Influenza A (H1N1) Swine Flu death has been recorded here in Jamaica.
The Ministry of Health released a statement last night saying “The person, who falls within the high-risk group, died at the University Hospital of the West Indies on Thursday and had underlying medical conditions which caused complications.”
The ministry did not release any specific information about the swine flu victim nor did it say what were the patient’s underlying medical conditions were. The Ministry however warned that persons with chronic conditions such as diabetes, obesity, hypertension and asthma, as wells as pregnant women and children under five years old, were among the high-risk group that could develop complications from swine flu.
Jamaica recorded its first Swine Flu death just last week, when a 22 year old male patient died at the University Hospital of the West Indies, after being transferred from the Spanish Town Hospital.
Eighteen year old Andrew McKenzie of Portmore, St. Catherine pleaded guilty in the Spanish Town Criminal Court to a charge of stealing a bottle of Mandingo Roots Drink and a bottle of Hennessey from a Portmore supermarket.
McKenzie was arrested and charged with simple larceny for the stolen items which were valued at J$1,200. He had his station bail of J$30,000 extended and the case adjourned until August 20 (for sentencing then). The court ordered that he give his fingerprints to the police in order to determine his criminal record.
The police told the court that on Sunday, June 20, at approximately 8:45 p.m., McKenzie went into the Mega Mart supermarket in Portmore, took up the bottles of drinks, hid them in his shirt, then walked out of the store without paying for them. He was stopped by employees, and when he could not produce a receipt, he was handed over to the police.
In court, he appealed to the Resident Magistrate to not send him to prison, as he had dreams of becoming a police officer. The Magistrate requested a probationers officer report on McKenzie in order to determine the degree of sentence to be imposed.
Following consultation with the Ministry of Health, education officials have lifted the ban on summer schools and graduations in Manchester.
The ban was put in place in the parish last month, after two cases of Influenza A H1N1 (formerly Swine Flu) were detected in two students in that parish. Since then, there have been no new cases in Manchester.
The Ministry of Education is reminding parents that they are to keep children with fever and flu-like symptoms away from summer school. Adults working in schools who have these symptoms are also to stay away from work until the fever has cleared up.
School administrators are reminded that where students show flu-like symptoms the matter must be brought to the attention of the relevant health authorities and reported to the Ministry of Education.
Meanwhile, the ministry is reminding schools islandwide that they are to set up areas to quarantine any student with flu-like symptoms. The Ministry is also reminding schools that in such instances, parents are to be notified immediately, the students are to be removed from school, and the matter reported to the Ministries of Education and Health.
At last count, there were 33 confirmed cases of Swine Flu cases in Jamaica.
July 8, 1943 – The newly formed Jamaica Labour Party is launched at the Ward Theatre in Kingston. The founding president is Alexander Bustamante. At the launch, the members formally accept the provisional constitution for the government of the party and its aims and objectives. A resolution pledging to work unceasingly for the progress, growth, expansion and successful accomplishment of the ideals and principles which the party sets out to achieve is unanimously passed.
July 8, 1957 – York Pharmacy opens in Half-Way-Tree by Commodity Services Ltd., a company that’s owned and operated by the Matalon family. In addition to prescription drugs, it also offers toiletries, perfumery, newspapers, magazines and cigarettes.
July 8, 1964 – Late Reggae Boy, Durrant ‘Tatty’ Brown, is born. He died in a motor vehicle accident in 2001.
Controversial dancehall deejay Desmond ‘Ninja Man’ Ballentine and his 21 year old son Jahniel, will return to the Gun Court section of the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate’s Court tomorrow, where they along with two co-accused face charges of murder, conspiracy to murder and illegal possession of firearm in connection with the murder of one Ricardo ‘Ricky Trooper’ Johnson at his Marl Road home in Olympic Gardens (Kingston 20) earlier this year.
According to the police report, Ninja Man was among a group of men who drove up in a grey motor vehicle and shot Johnson as he swept his yard on March 16. Ninja Man surrendered to the police a week after the incident, while the other accused me were held in St. Ann in April.
St. Ann residents are encouraged to come out to air their views directly to Prime Minister, Bruce Golding, at a town hall meeting that’s set to happen next week Wednesday, July 15, at the Ocho Rios High School in Ocho Rios, St. Ann. Specifically, he will be there to discuss the National Budget.
Please be seated by 6:30 p.m.
Twenty-eight year old Oliver Hardie of Cherry Gardens Drive, Kingston 8, has been reported missing since Saturday, July 4.
Hardie is of brown complexion, stout build and about 163 inches tall.
Information received by the Constabulary Communication Network is that at about 11:30 p.m., Hardie left home to attend a party at Caymanas Bay in St. Catherine and has not been seen or heard from since. At the time he went missing, he was dressed in a long-sleeved orange and red striped shirt, khaki pants and a pair of brown shoes.
Anyone knowing his whereabouts is being asked to contact the Constant Spring Police at 924-1421, police 119 emergency number, or the nearest police station.
A male patient with Influenza A (H1N1) reportedly died at the University Hospital of the West Indies this morning, after being transferred from the Spanish Town Hospital. He is Jamaica’s first confirmed swine flu (H1N1) death.
Health Minister Rudyard Spencer has ordered a probe into the death of the man – who is believed to be approximately 22 years old – and has asked a team of doctors to review the case management. Spencer has ordered that the results of the investigation be reported to him upon his return to the island on Friday (from Geneva, Switzerland where he is currently attending the ECOSOC Annual Ministerial Meeting).
According to a report from the health ministry, the patient suffered underlying medical conditions, and the H1N1 virus may have complicated his condition and led to his eventual death.
Jamaica now has 33 cases and one death as a result of the Swine Flu – H1N1 virus. The World Organisation (WHO) currently reports a total death count of 429 people from 94,512 cases of the virus worldwide.
In case of a significant hurricane, earthquake or other disaster, do you know who can help? The parish disaster coordinator is your first line of contact, and is responsible for coordinating all the activities geared towards preparedness, prevention, mitigation and response with regard to every facet of the disaster management cycle. Below is a complete list (including contact numbers) of Jamaica’s Parish Disaster Coordinators. Note, this list is as at June, 2009.
Kingston & St. Andrew: Isaac Nugent
967-3329
Clarendon: Shermaine Williams
986-2216
Hanover: Olga-Faye Headley
956-2951 or 369-8126
Manchester: LaJean Powell
363-3068 or 775-2630
Portland: Denise Lewis
715-6762
St. Ann: Alvin Clarke
360-7460
St. Catherine: Patricia Lewis
478-8446
St. Elizabeth: Renee Bradford-Britton
634-0768
St. James: Tamoy Sinclair
952-5500-2
St. Mary: Yolande Williams-Jankie
577-8307 or 994-2178
St. Thomas: Millicent Blake
360-7330
Trelawny: Dion Hylton-Lews
954-3970
Westmoreland: Hilma Tate
955-2798
