DOHA, Qatar: As athletes gathered in Doha for Friday’s Qatar Athletic Super Grand Prix 2008, the first major meeting of the pre-Olympic year, Qatar Association of Athletics Federation President, Dahlan Al Hamad, expressed his disappointment at the absence of Asafa Powell. read more...

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KINGSTON, Jamaica (Reuters): The union representing more than 500 workers at Alumina Partners of Jamaica, the Caribbean nation's largest bauxite and alumina plant, rejected a new pay offer from the company, a union official said on Wednesday. The National Workers Union said that it had turned down a proposal. read more...

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NEW YORK, USA (Reuters): US world champion Tyson Gay and Jamaican Usain Bolt will meet in a 100 metres showdown at the New York Grand Prix on May 31, organisers said on Thursday. The clash will be their first at 100 metres. Bolt, the world 200 silver medallist, stunned the world by clocking 9.76 seconds. read more...

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KINGSTON, Jamaica (JIS): Jamaica and Cuba are to strengthen co-operation in five key areas, Prime Minister Bruce Golding has announced. Golding said that discussions were held at the ministerial level involving Jamaica's Ministers of Health, Tourism, Agriculture, Water and Housing, and Foreign Affairs. read more...

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SALVO, North Carolina (Reuters): World 200 meters silver medalist Usain Bolt always thought he could be a fast 100 metres runner. Convincing his coach took some time. His bargaining chip turned out to be a 200 metres run, the coach, Glen Mills, told Reuters this week as he reviewed the 21-year-old's stunning 9.76 seconds. read more...

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HAVANA, Cuba (ACN): Jamaican Prime Minister Bruce Golding concluded on Wednesday a three-day official visit to Cuba to expand bilateral links. His agenda included meeting with Cuban President Raul Castro and visiting scientific research sites. On Monday, the Jamaican head of state visited an ophthalmological institute. read more...

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GEORGETOWN, Guyana: Guyana’s rice officials say they do not support Jamaica’s call for a waiver of the Common External Tariff on rice from extra- or intra-regional sources The Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) general manager Jagnarine Singh said there is no need for a waiver at this time. read more...

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KINGSTON, Jamaica (JIS): The government of Jamaica and the United States Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) have signed a grant agreement totalling US$820,000 to assist with technical services for the Air Jamaica divestment process. The funds were secured by the International Finance Corporation (IFC). read more...

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GEORGETOWN, Guyana: Guyana swamped the Cayman Islands 41-nil while Trinidad and Tobago fought hard for a come-from-behind 12-10 victory against Jamaica on the opening day of the Caribbean women’s rugby championship in Guyana. Careen Skeete opened Guyana’s scoring in the seventh minute. read more...

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KINGSTON, Jamaica (OPM): Prime Minister Bruce Golding says the Jamaican government wants to strengthen the bond of friendship with Cuba. Golding said that the government is determined to strengthen and expand the relationship between Cuba and Jamaica  and that he was looking forward to discussions. read more...

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KINGSTON, Jamaica (OPM): Prime Minister Bruce Golding is again seeking to allay fears that CARIFORUM countries may have given up more than they will gain from the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with the European Union. He was speaking last week at an EPA familiarisation seminar for attorneys. read more...

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HAVANA, Cuba (ACN): Cuban President Raul Castro officially welcomed Jamaican Prime Minister Bruce Golding at the Palace of the Revolution in Havana on Monday. Cuban air, ground and marine troops paid military honour to the visitor from the sister nation of Jamaica and his delegation. read more...

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MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica: Tens of thousands of Jamaicans celebrated the Lord Jesus Christ at Montego Bay's Dump Up Beach Saturday night and thousands more were expected for round two on Sunday of Miles Ahead crusade celebrating Jamaica Broilers' Best Dressed 50 Fest featuring Pastor Miles McPherson. read more...

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GEORGETOWN, Guyana: The state television and radio, National Communications Network (NCN), has now placed a ban on the music of Jamaican artistes Movado and Bounty Killer, who were both banned from performing in Guyana last week by the government. read more...

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KINGSTON, Jamaica: We said in our preview of the Jamaica International Invitational that the men’s 100-metre would be the focal-point of the meeting and the prediction was dead-on. However, the predictions and media broadcasters never saw on their radar the performance from Usain Bolt. read more...

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KINGSTON, Jamaica (Reuters): Jamaican Usain Bolt ran the second fastest 100 meters ever when he clocked 9.76 seconds at the Jamaican International Invitational on Saturday. Bolt's time was just two hundredths of a second slower than the world record of 9.74 set last year by his compatriot Asafa Powell. read more...

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MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica: I have written about the impact of Diaspora-centered tourism for several years - this week in Jamaica I was honored to witness the powerful intersection of both faith and Diaspora tourism. Imagine the kind of economic impact that almost 300 volunteers had. read more...

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As a Jamaican I must say well done to the Guyanese authorities. My only wish is that our own political leaders in Jamaica had the courage and the will to address this menace at home. read more...

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KINGSTON, Jamaica (JIS): The region's local government reform programme has been boosted with the contribution of Cd$485,000 from the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA). CIDA and the Caribbean Forum of Local Government Ministries signed the contribution agreement on Friday. read more...

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SALVO, North Carolina (Reuters): Usain Bolt is still unsure if he will participate in the 100 metres race at the Beijing Olympics despite clocking 9.76 seconds over the distance, the Jamaican 200 metres specialist said on Sunday. The lanky 21-year-old produced the stunning performance in only his third 100 metres as a professional. read more...

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KINGSTON, Jamaica: Stephen Francis, coach of the MVP Track Club, which includes world record holder Asafa Powell, confirmed why his athletes were not available for the Jamaica International Invitational, which will take place at the National Stadium in Kingston at the weekend. read more...

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KINGSTON, Jamaica: There will be no world record holder or his fellow MVP Track Club teammates, including Sherone Simpson, Brigitte Foster-Hylton, Darrel Brown and Michael Frater, at the annual Jamaica International Invitational at the National Stadium in Kingston at the weekend. read more...

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KINGSTON, Jamaica (JIS): Jamaican Prime Minister, Bruce Golding, will leave the island on Sunday, May 4, on an official visit to Cuba. The visit is in response to an invitation extended to him in February by Cuban President, Raul Castro, shortly after assuming office as President. read more...

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KINGSTON, Jamaica (Reuters): Jamaica's troubled bauxite industry faced another strike threat on Wednesday, less than a week after workers at one company ended a two-day slowdown and sickout to press for a new wage agreement. The workers are represented by the National Workers Union. read more...

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KINGSTON, Jamaica (JIS): Minister of Industry, Commerce and Investment, Karl Samuda, has said that Jamaica Flour Mills will be importing 30,000 tonnes of rice into the island, as part of moves to stave off a shortage in the supply of the staple. The Minister said that the imports will serve consumers for the next six months. read more...

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MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica: The sporting genius of Jamaicans is admirable and should be developed into educational opportunities, said former professional NBA basketball player, San Diego-based  Zack Jones, who is currently in Jamaica conducting sporting clinics in the Montego Bay area. read more...

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GEORGETOWN, Guyana: Guyana’s minister of agriculture Robert Persaud says there is no government to government agreement between Guyana and Jamaica for the restarting of rice cultivation in either Jamaica or Guyana. The issue of assistance to Jamaica in rice cultivation, he says... read more...

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GEORGETOWN, Guyana: The Guyana government has placed two Jamaican artistes on a blacklist, saying that their music incites crime and violence. Guyana’s Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee told reporters on Monday that Movado and Bounty Killer will no longer be allowed to perform in Guyana. read more...

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SALVO, USA (Reuters): Jamaican 100 metres world record holder Asafa Powell has withdrawn from all competition until late June so he can recover from a pulled chest muscle, his manager said. The injury to Powell's pectoral muscle is not expected to affect the Jamaican's long-range preparations. read more...

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KINGSTON, Jamaica (JIS): Jamaica's Minister of Health and Environment, Rudyard Spencer, has underscored the need for meaningful attention to be given to improving sanitation across the Caribbean, and for the people of the region to be educated about its importance. Spencer added that there was much work to be done. read more...

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