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Prime Minister Bruce Golding told Jamaicans he will take a 15 percent pay cut as the Caribbean island nation, dependent on troubled industries like tourism and bauxite, grapples with a global economic downturn. In a national broadcast late Sunday, Golding said he would take a cut in his annual salary from $5.4 million Jamaican dollars ($61,400) to $4.7 million ($53,400) and would relinquish a 7 percent pay increase that was scheduled to start April 1. He urged parliamentarians to follow his lead and take 10 percent pay cuts. There was no immediate official response from the opposition PNP, but one high-ranking party member said the prime minister should cut the size of his Cabinet instead of asking lawmakers to cut their salaries.

The news coming out of the spice isle, Grenada, states that the controversial deejay Adijah Palmer, aka Vybz Kartel has been banned from performing there and a concert scheduled for this Saturday has been cancelled. And it has nothing to do with any homosexual campaign. According to a statement from the promoter published on the Internet, Kartel was scheduled to perform a "rap-it-up" concert in Grenville, St Andrews, on May 2, where his popular Daggerin condom was to be officially launched. The release goes on to say, "no reason was given by the Ministry of Labour in Grenada for the refusal of the work permits, but the sensitive issue of censorship or freedom of expression may have been at the forefront". The promoter of the event...

Usain Bolt outran serious injury and possibly death yesterday but wrote off his $15.3-million 2009 BMW M3 Coupe on the Vineyard Toll section of Highway 2000 in St Catherine. Usain Bolt sustained only minor injuries to the ball of his feet, caused by thorns when leaving the ill-fated car, was released from the Spanish Town Hospital after some three hours of examination by doctors. He shortly after declared himself in "good" health. Reports are that the two female passengers, who were travelling with Bolt, also escaped major injury.

Freddie Mcgregor The Jamaica Reggae Industry Association (JARIA) will hold elections to its board of directors on Tuesday, May 5, 2009. There are two excellent nominees for the post of Chairman of JARIA, in the persons of Tony Rebel and Freddie McGregor. Tony Rebel Both individuals are blessed with charisma and have dedicated their lives to Jamaica and Reggae music, doing us proud, over many years. At all times, Rebel and Freddie conduct themselves with appropriate courtesy and decorum. They are successful artistes in their own right who have branched out into promoting and producing younger artistes and signature events. These Rastafarian role models are hard-working Jamaican cultural ambassadors.

At least three shows featuring Jamaican artistes have been cancelled in Belize as a result of the swine flu. Owner of Synergy Promotions, Omar Vasquez, said he was given orders by Belize's Ministry of Health to cancel two shows he was promoting: Island Madness scheduled for yesterday in San Pedro, Belize, and UB Spring Fling, scheduled for tomorrow. Both Vasquez's shows had dancehall artiste Vegas as the main act. Morgan Heritage is the other Jamaican act billed for another show called Reggae Bring Back Love, which was scheduled for Saturday in Belize City. A Mexico City toddler who succumbed in Texas became the first death outside Mexico, where 160 have already died. It was the first time the World Health Organisation...

Swine Flu Alert Raised The World Health Organization has raised its pandemic alert for swine flu to the second highest level, meaning that it believes a global outbreak of the disease is imminent. the phase 5 alert means there is sustained human to human spread in at least two countries. It also signals that efforts to produce a vaccine will be ramped up.

The World Health Organization raised its pandemic alert to 5, its second-highest level Wednesday, indicating the outbreak of swine flu that originated in Mexico is nearing widespread human infection. Swine influenza is a respiratory illness that is caused by the influenza A virus. It is transmitted from infected pigs and also by human-to-human contact. With the current swine-flu outbreak, which has seen hundreds of people infected in Mexico, the United States and other countries, close to becoming a pandemic, the Ministry of Health of Jamaica has urged persons with flu-like symptoms to stay at home and consult a doctor immediately. Dr. Margaret Chan, the U.N. agency's director-general, said the decision mean to raise the...

It is not unusual for people to do a double take, wondering if they are seeing doubles, when they see Paul 'Tu-Lox' and Patrick 'Curly Lox' Gaynor. After all, they are identical twins and perform as the highly entertaining and socially astute dancehall duo, Twin of Twins. And they are slated to do a double themselves shortly, releasing Stir It Up Vol. 8: Trial and Crosses, the latest CD in their gangster comedy series, and the Twinness Book of Records, which contains songs only. In previous 'Stir It Up' volumes, the two have been combined and Tu-Lox explained that "people did have a tendency to skip the song because they want to get to the talking. Not that the song no good, but they want to get to the talking". The artwork...

YouTube - Re: Jamaican Boycott Rum Dump at Historic Stonewall Inn

To really experience the power of reggae/dancehall music, one has to witness the artistes on stage in a foreign land, especially in a country where English is not the mother tongue. It was nothing short of electrifying to see Mr Vegas in action last week Sunday, in the French city of Toulouse on the second night of a two-day French-Caribbean festival. The promoters estimated that there were over 11,000 fans inside the auditorium ready, eager and waiting to see, hear and hopefully even touch the dancehall star from Jamaica.

Dancehall artiste/producer Delly Ranx is currently getting ready to drop two new rhythm projects - the Gold Mine rhythm on Buju Banton's Gargamel Music label and Comfort Zone for his own Pure Music label. Both rhythms were created by him. He is also working on his sophomore album for California-based record label, Itation Records. The album will feature production work from Buju Banton and producers such as John John, Mad Scientist, Jordan (Chimney Records) and Delly himself. The album, which is tentatively titled, Good Profile, is slated to be released on June 23rd

THE gunman who last night hijacked a CanJet charter flight with 159 passengers and eight crew members on board at Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay has surrendered. CanJet flight number 918 was destined for Halifax, Canada, with a scheduled stop in Santa Clara, Cuba. Early this morning, police reported that the gunman released all passengers and two members of the crew shortly after staging the hijack Last night, airport sources said the man showed airport personnel a gun when they tried to prevent him from entering a restricted area. The hijack took place at approximately 10:20 pm, just about the same time that Canadian prime minister, Stephen Harper, arrived at the Norman Manley International Airport in...

TW means This Week, LW means Last Week and WOC means Weeks on Chart TW - LW - WOC Artiste Name ----- Song Title ---- Record Label 01 - 02 - (08) Mavado 'I'm So Blessed' - Big Ship - (1wk@#1) 02 - 01 - (07) Vybz Kartel - 'Last Man Standing' - Not-Nice - (2wks@#1) 03 - 04 - (06) Vybz Kartel 'Get Wild' - Adidjaheim/NotNice Records 04 - 06 - (07) Mavado - 'Again & Again' 05 - 03 - (13) Andrew & Wadda Blood - Money Mi Seh La La La – Notice - (Peak@#2) 06 - 05 - (13) Laden - 'Really Like You' - Big Ship - (1wk@#1) 07 - 10 - (05) Elephant Man - 'Alli-Lu-Ya' - Very Huge (Chester) 08 - 07 - (11) Ding Dong - 'Man A Gallis' - Notice - (Peak@#6) 09 - 12 - (02) Vybz Kartel Mind Pon Mi Money' - Liv Up Records 10 - 08 -...

The romantic ballad Missing You Right Now has become the eighth number one single for singer Da'Ville. The track has taken over pole position on several reggae charts in Jamaica and overseas. Missing You Right Now is number one on the Shanty Vibes Reggae Chart in St. Croix, Virgin Islands; Richie B Hit List Countdown; and RETV Reggae Chart. The song is number 23 on the Digicel Caribbean Hot 30 Countdown; and number two on the New York Reggae chart. Additionally, another Da'Ville track, Never Gonna Cry, peaked at the number-three spot on the Media Guide Reggae Speciality chart in the US. The song is currently number five.

GAYS and lesbians in the US have targeted Jamaican products Red Stripe beer and Myers Rum in a boycott of the Caribbean island to support local homosexuals who they said were being oppressed. Last Tuesday, gay advocates at a New York City inn - the self-styled birthplace of the gay rights movement - dumped the Jamaican liquor products in the sewer and called for continued support to send "a clear message to Jamaican people and their government". According to the group, through their website boycottjamaica, international human rights activists have labelled Jamaica "the most homophobic place on Earth" because homosexuals were being beaten and murdered on the island, while authorities do little to stop the violence. As a reZsult...

Children's music is dominating Ziggy Marley's melody making these days -- both for himself and on behalf of his father, Bob Marley. His new album, "Family Time" (May 5 on Tuff Gong Worldwide), is a collection of what he refers to as "family music." Tracks include originals as well as covers of Woody Guthrie's "This Train" and the Jamaican children's standard "Hold Em Joe," along with two spoken-word pieces by actress Jamie Lee Curtis. Other guests include Paul Simon, Willie Nelson, Jack Johnson, Toots Hibbert and his mother, Rita Marley, and sister Cedella Marley. His 3-year-old daughter, Judah, who Marley calls his "muse" on the album, appears on the title track. He'll follow "Family Time" with the June release of a set of...

The management and staff of ReggaeMe.com send condolences to Buju Banton and his family.The internationally acclaimed reggae singer lost his mother on Last Wednesday.

Dancehall has, arguably, never been so nice. Thousands of music lovers had their musical appetite satiated at the ninth staging of the Death Before Dishonour World Clash Jamaica, staged at Pier One in Montego Bay, Monday night. Yes, it was a musical and lyrical war among approximately 12 sound-system operators from all across Jamaica and as far as Japan. But when the dust settled just before 6 a.m. Tuesday, there was only one don who reigned ultimately and walked away with the coveted trophy - Black Kat, the Christiana-based sound system. The show started out with about eight sound systems clashing against each other in a segment dubbed 'Town Against Country'. At the end of that session, Kentucky sound system thrashed all others...

Deejay Sheldon 'Aidonia' Lawrence was freed in the Gun Court on Wednesday. The entertainer was slapped with several charges ranging from conspiracy to shooting, illegal possession of firearm and shooting with intent stemming from an incident in Shortwood, St Andrew, in January 2008. Defence lawyer Valerie Neita-Robertson made an application for the charges to be dismissed for want of prosecution. She submitted that yesterday was the ninth time the case was coming before the court and the witness was never present. A policeman told the court that he spoke to the witness who was allegedly injured during the shooting incident about the court dates but the witness indicated his reluctance to attend court. Supreme Court Judge...

With the release of his highly anticipated album, Universal Cure, reggae singer Jah Cure hopes to cement his place as one of Jamaica's premier reggae artistes. While incarcerated for eight years on a rape charge, Jah Cure recorded a trio of hit songs, True Reflections, Love Is and Longing For, which were overflowing with soul and emotion and which connected with his fans. Jah Cure said he hopes the 16-track Universal Cure, which includes the hot, new single Call On Me, will exceed all expectations. A number of entertainers attended the launch, including Bounty Killer, Tarrus Riley, Dean Frazier, Wayne Marshall, Tami Chynn and I'shawna Smith.