news in brief

Sex-health forum set for Sunday

More than a dozen doctors and university professors are expected to converge in New Kingston for a day, in the hope of shedding light on what they say is a taboo topic in the medical profession.

The event, the 40th Annual Dr Ena Thomas Memorial Symposium, is scheduled for Sunday, November 24, at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel under the theme 'Sexual-Health Awareness'.

Speaking during the launch of the symposium, Dr John Hall, convenor of the event, said the topics that would be discussed are particularly important at this time as Jamaica is now a highly sexualised society.

"All out of this, we have additional problems, sexually transmitted infections, the HIV pandemic, and we in the medical profession feel that sufficient emphasis isn't placed on teaching the importance of sexual-health awareness," Hall said.

Some of the topics that will be explored include in-vitro fertilisation, sexual-health issues in women who have sex with women, and the age of consent.

JN Money Transfer to assist Philippines' typhoon recovery

JN Money Transfer - the remittance brand of JN Money Services Limited (JNMS), a Jamaica National Building Society subsidiary - has committed to donating 50 per cent of its fees applied to money transfers to assist with the recovery process in the Philippines, following Typhoon Haiyan.

"We have waived the fees applied to money transfers to the Philippines by 50 per cent for one week from November 13-20 to aid Filipino expatriates with remitting emergency funds to friends and relatives in their homeland, and we will also donate 50 per cent of fees collected from November 21- 30 to charities assisting in the recovery efforts," said Leesa Kow, general manager of JNMS.

Proposed commissioners for Tivoli enquiry in talks

The Government is now in dialogue with proposed commissioners who could be appointed soon to preside over the commission of enquiry into the May 2010 Tivoli Gardens incursion.

The operation left 76 persons dead, including three members of the security forces, when lawmen reportedly clashed with gunmen as they entered the then-barricaded Tivoli Gardens to serve an extradition warrant on now-convicted drug lord Christopher 'Dudus' Coke.

Justice Minister Senator Mark Golding told The Gleaner yesterday that Cabinet had signed off on the terms of reference for the enquiry.

He said Attorney General Patrick Atkinson was in dialogue with the proposed commissioners to determine whether they would carry out the task.

"Once we have had dialogue and confirm their willingness to serve, we will proceed with the formal notification process," Golding said.

Drug seizure at the Norman Manley Int'l Airport

The Transnational Crime and Narcotics Division seized several pounds of illegal drugs following a major operation at the Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston on Monday.

According to the Constabulary Communication Network, five persons - a Dutch male, three Jamaican males, and a Jamaican female - who arrived on a flight from Curaçao were searched. The drugs were discovered in their possession and they were arrested for breaches of the Dangerous Drugs Act.

All five persons were yesterday in police custody pending questioning. Their identities were being withheld.