**************************************************** **************************************************** THE PORTMORE WEBSITE NEWSLETTER **************************************************** **************************************************** Newsletter: Number 3 for 2006 Publication Date: March 14, 2006 Title: Various Meetings and Gays Rights Editor: Kennedy Reid Subscribers: 293 Sign up: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/portmore_newsletter/ Reply to: webmaster@portmore.org Web site: http://www.portmore.org Phone: 876-320-7343 CONTENTS ======== 1. Community Forum 2. Portmore Economic Development Day 3. The Bun Festival 4. Heritage tourism plans for Portmore - RJR 5. Free to Hate - Yvonne McCalla Sobers 6. fora on CHARTER OF RIGHTS 7. NEED A JOB - CAMILLE HAZEL ############################################################ ############################################################ 1. Community Forum ############################################################# ############################################################ Good Day, You are invited to the Council's community forum on Saturday, March 25 on the roof-top of the Twyn-Citi Restaurant on Port Henderson Road. The forum will begin at 3:00 p.m. Topics for discussion include: - The 2006/07 Municipal Budget - Crime in Portmore - The Better Neighbourhood Development Competition - Portmore Week 2006 - Update on Highway 2000 I look forward to seeing all of you there and ask that you pass the information on to other members of your respective organizations. Attached is a copy of the flier. Thank you. Nicole Morrison Community and Public Relations Officer Portmore Municipal Council 81-85 Portmore Pines Plaza St. Catherine Tel.: (876) 740-7440-2 Fax: (876) 740-7521 ADV. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ "Maximizing your Potentials in 2006" Xango Pruduct & Business Builders Seminar. Date: March 25th 2006 Vision Miracle Church Of God, Portmore Pines Plaza. Time: 6pm Free!!! website: www.bishopjfagan.natureswellnesssecret.com call: (876)345-8168 /(876)469-3973 or (876)989-7023 off (345) 927-6126 Email:bishopj_fagan@msn.com God Bless. ADV. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ ############################################################ ############################################################ 2. Portmore Economic Development Day ############################################################ ############################################################ Portmore Chamber of Commerce & Industries In Association with Portmore Week Present: Economic Development Day Economic Growth and Empowerment in a New Municipality Wednesday, April 26, 2006 Shop 34 Portmore Pines Plaza (Upstairs Tastee) AGENDA 9:30a.m. – 10:00a.m. Registration 10:00a.m. – 10:10a.m. Welcome Dr. Dane Levy, Vice President PCCI 10:10a.m. – 10:05a.m Opening Remarks Millicent Lynch, President PCCI 10:20a.m. – 10:50a.m. Jamaica Cricket 2007 and its Impact on Portmore Pauline Nelson 10:50a.m. – 11:05a.m. CSME and its Impact on Employment in Jamaica Mr. Robert Miller – Head of CSME Unit Ministry of Foreign Affairs 11:05a.m. – 11:20a.m. Hospitality & Portmore Carolyn Hayle, U. W.I. Hospitality Department 11:20a.m. – 11:35noon Management of Small Businesses Neville Madden Jamaica National Small Business Loans Ltd. 11:35am – 11:55p.m. Dealing with the Challenges of Small Business Jamaica Business Dev. Centre 11:55p.m. – 12:00p.m. Vote of Thanks Winston Wright , Chairman/Small Business Development Committee Portmore Chamber of Commerce ADV. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Web design and E-business websites starting from $500.oo 434-9580 'Just call or click and get started!' http://www.caricomit.com/ ADV. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ ############################################################ ############################################################ 3. The Bun Festival ############################################################ ############################################################ Date: Sun, 12 Mar 2006 10:08:44 -0500 (EST) From: gary rowlands To: webmaster@portmore.org Subject: Message from Front page please tell us more about your bun festival if you still do it.... Thank you Gary & Maria ............................ WEBMASTER'S REPLY OR COMMENT ............................ Gary & Maria, I do not know if the festival will have this event this year. However, Ms. Hextal is on this newsletter lest, I wonder if she is interested in providing an answer... Marcia, what's on for this year? Kennedy ADV. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ DATING JAMAICANS "An Island of one love online" 'Sign-up and win new friends and a chance at a prize!' http://www.datingjamaicans.com/ ADV. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ ############################################################ ############################################################ 4. Heritage tourism plans for Portmore - RJR ############################################################# ############################################################ http://www.radiojamaica.com/news/story.php?category=2&story=23500 Heritage tourism plans for Portmore Sat Mar 11, 2006 The Portmore Municipal Council is planning to re-establish the Rodney's Arms area in Port Henderson, St. Catherine as a heritage tourism site. Mayor of the Portmore municipality, George Lee, says the Council has already begun preparations for the preservation and restoration of the historic buildings in the area commonly known as "Back Road". He says this is part of a major upgrading project which is expected to see the whole area becoming a heritage tourism site. He expects that the project will also boost the community by bringing badly needed income to residents. Repairs to the badly damaged main road in the area are to begin shortly as part of the Highway 2000 project. Port Henderson was a major port in the late eighteenth century. The old stone ruins include what was once a mineral bath, and what is said to be one of the island's first police stations. ADV. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ "Maximizing your Potentials in 2006" Xango Pruduct & Business Builders Seminar. Date: March 25th 2006 Vision Miracle Church Of God, Portmore Pines Plaza. Time: 6pm Free!!! website: www.bishopjfagan.natureswellnesssecret.com call: (876)345-8168 /(876)469-3973 or (876)989-7023 off (345) 927-6126 Email:bishopj_fagan@msn.com God Bless. ADV. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ ############################################################ 5. Free to Hate - Yvonne McCalla Sobers ############################################################# From: "Yvonne McCalla Sobers" To: Undisclosed-Recipient@, Subject: Article: Free to Hate Date: Mon, 27 Feb 2006 10:34:56 -0800 Free to hate Lenford “Steve” Harvey, an HIV/AIDS activist, was killed in Jamaica a day before World AIDS Day in December 2005. Gunmen robbed his house and then abducted him, saying they were going to kill him because they suspected he was gay. Two hours later, he was found with bullet holes to his head. A literal interpretation of the Bible portrays homophobia as divinely sanctioned defence of religious values. Problems can arise when fundamentalist Christians demand that activities they consider morally reprehensible should be criminal offences. Governments that depend on church support therefore face increasing demands to legislate selective morality, rather than protect every single citizen from unjust treatment. To say that a homosexual in Jamaica has the same constitutional right as a heterosexual - to live and work without harassment or discrimination - is to court homophobic rage. The Jamaican government recently re-confirmed its commitment to an anti-homosexual electorate by retaining the Buggery Law, proscribing anal sex (heterosexual or homosexual) between consenting adults. Men are occasionally charged under this law, mostly to shame or intimidate with the social disgrace of being publicly cited. However, no one is ever convicted of buggery because the sexual acts generally take place without witnesses. A coalition of fundamentalist pastors and Christian lawyers recently objected to a proposal to include the citizen’s right to privacy in a proposed constitutional amendment. The right to privacy protects each person from unauthorised disclosure of intimate details of people’s private lives. However, according to a Christian attorney-at-law, "The words 'respect for private and family life, privacy of the home' as innocuous sounding as they are, can be interpreted to allow for adult homosexual conduct in private." The attempted invasion of Steve’s privacy resulted in a murder that fundamentalist Christians may consider as the fulfilling the scriptures. According to Leviticus 20:13, ”If a man has sexual relations with another man, they have both done a disgusting thing and both shall be put to death.” The sentiments are identical to the lyrics of Jamaican dancehall songs that call for homosexuals to be eliminated by burning, stomping, or shooting. The song, “Boom Bye-Bye”, specifically speaks to shooting gay men in the head. Almost every Jamaican, fundamentalist Christian or not, considers sodomy as evil and refers to Bible story of Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 19:8) as the ultimate proof of God’s uncompromising hatred of homosexuals. According to the Bible account, the men of Sodom gather around Lot’s house and demand to “know” Lot’s guests who are angels sent to warn Lot of the impending disaster in Sodom. Lot is suspicious of the intent of the Sodomites. As a result he seeks to appease the mob by offering them the opportunity to gang rape his two virgin daughters (presumed to be no more than 14 or 15 years old) in place of “knowing” his guests. Lot seems intentionally to be placing his daughters in great jeopardy because they are to be married and the Bible decrees death to women who have sex when they are single. Deuteronomy 22:20 - “But if [a man marries and woman] and there is no proof that she was a virgin, then they are to take her out to the entrance of her father’s house, where the men of her city are to stone her to death. She has done a shameful thing by having intercourse before she was married, while she was still living in her father’s house. In this way you will get rid of evil.” Lot and his daughters escape the destruction of Sodom and the genocide of the Sodomites. The daughters’ fiancés perish because they refuse to leave Sodom, and Lot’s wife’s meets her death as punishment for looking behind her. Isolated in a cave with their father, Lot’s daughters decide to start a family by drugging Lot and having sex with him when he is unconscious. Homophobes place the presumed homosexuality at the core of this story, with no notable concern for the corruption of family values in the father’s sanctioning the heterosexual gang rape of his virgin daughters or the daughters’ heterosexual rape of their father. The Bible, however, cannot entirely be blamed for homophobia, as God’s word makes no distinction between categories of sins. For example, adulterers have also incurred God’s wrath, and Christians are obliged to put them to death. Deuteronomy 22:22 says, “If a man is caught having intercourse with another man’s wife, both of them are to be put to death. In this way you will get rid of evil.” The Bible also prescribes death for those who work on the Sabbath and those who curse and blaspheme. About the Sabbath, Exodus 35:2 says “Anyone who does any work on the Sabbath day is to be put to death. Do not even light a fire in your homes on the Sabbath.” The penalty for expletives is set out in Leviticus 24:10-16: “Everyone who heard him curse shall put his hands on the man’s head to testify that he is guilty, and then the whole community shall stone him to death. …Any Israelite who curses the Lord shall be stoned to death by the whole community.” Fundamentalist Christians who insist that the Bible is God’s literal word, need also to refrain from sinful actions related to eating, clothing, grooming, and farming. Dining on shrimp or lobster is forbidden since (Leviticus 11:10) states, “Anything living in the water that does not have fins and scales must not be eaten. Such creatures must be considered unclean.” Those who are partial to Jamaican jerk pork need to note where Leviticus 11:7 says, “Do not eat pigs. They must be considered unclean. Do not touch these animals or even touch their dead bodies.” Diabetics and heart patients also need to be made aware of the moral cost of using insulin and valves for human heart surgery, both products from the dead bodies of pigs. Those who wear suede shoes and clothing, or use gelatin for any purpose are also in danger of disobeying God’s word. Other forms of evil, according to biblical edict, include: Wearing contact lenses or eyeglasses, or having other disabilities. Leviticus says 21:23, “… but because he has a physical defect he shall not come near the sacred curtain or approach the altar.” Wearing clothes made of mixed materials. Leviticus 19:19 says “Do not wear clothes made of two kinds of material.” Deuteronomy 22:11 is even more specific: “Do not wear cloth made by weaving wool and linen together.” Women wearing pants. Deuteronomy 22:5 – “Women are not to wear men’s clothing; The Lord hates people who do such things.” Men trimming their hair. Leviticus 19:27 - “Do not cut the hair on the sides of your head or trim your beard.” Farming mixed crops. Leviticus 19:19 - “Do not plant two kinds of seeds in the same field.” On the other hand, the Bible permits some behaviour that in modern times some may consider morally reprehensible. Fathers are allowed to traffic their daughters; Exodus 21:7 says, “If a man sells his daughter as a slave, she is not to be set free.” Christians may outsource free labour by acquiring slaves from nearby nations, and they may also enslave illegal aliens. Leviticus 25:44 – “If you need slaves, you may buy them from the nations around you. You may also buy the children of foreigners who are living among you. Such children as are born on your land may become your property.” Fundamentalist Christians seem selective in their vigilance when they target sodomy. With their serious commitment to a literal interpretation of the Bible, these Christians ought as realise that hellfire equally awaits those who commit adultery or fornication, use swear words, eat pork or use pork-products, have disabilities, wear pants especially made of a wool-linen mix, trim their hair, or diversify crops in the same field. On the other hand, if the Christians question any biblical edict at all, they may also want to review the nurturing of the homophobic hate that resulted in Steve’s murder. Yvonne McCalla Sobers February 19, 2006 ............................ WEBMASTER'S COMMENT ............................ Dear Yvonne, Your articles are always so well researched! But it seems to me you may not be totally correct about what Fundamentalist Chirstians believe. Indeed you are correct, the Bible DOES NOT sanction Homosexual acts. It views it as an abomination to be rejected by the society. In fact all major religions condemn the practice. What should be noted is that the Bible recommends death for 90% of all sins. Based on this all who commit incest, rape, bestiality, fornication should be killed. That takes care of 80% of all Jamaicans. Most of our kids are born of fornication! The rest of us do not escape.. since most of us should be stoned for calling on God falsely, for being dishonest at the US embassy, for having red eyes and thief, for our dishonouring our parents (with the statues at Emancipation park), and for breaking the Sabbath (which happens to be Saturdays!), etc. The Bible itself says that ALL HAVE SINNED and come well short of what God wants. It should be very clear by now that we are ALL are scheduled for hell's fire when we die... based on the laws of God! However, there is one very important fact overlooked... GOD IS LOVE. His laws were meant to make a point, not to condemn people! This is why Jesus asked the people who were about to stone the woman "caught" in adultery, that if any of them had NO SIN then he/she could throw the first stone at her. Based on the law they were very correct to stone her to death. But Jesus did not think that this was the point of the law... Is any of us worthy to kill a gay man because of his sins? Jesus told the lady that he had no intention to kill her either and she should simply stop sinning. The same is true today. God himself made a way of escape from the condemnation of breaking the laws. His plan from the the days of Adam was that Jesus would be punishmented for all Homosexual acts instead of gay men! In the days before came God allowed animal sacrifice to represent Jesus. After Jesus died, all we have to do is place our sins on him and go free! There is therefore no more condemnation to any gays who acknowledges his sin and allows Jesus to be punished in his place! So the righteous God punished Jesus instead of sinners and the Loving God gives the sinner a FREE escape. Now all that needs to happen is that the former gay gentlemen needs Gosd help to live as Jesus did. That is what "Fundamentalist Christians" should believe. One last point... now that mi turn preacher... There are so many persons who don't know why Christians avoid sin. It is not just because it is in the Bible... Christians avoid sin because those acts remove the sense of God's presence. Persistent sins block our prays from God. This is why persons should avoid preachers who don't go to church prayer meetings! It's a clear sign of sinful leader. Christians hate sin not because it's not pleasurable, but because God's presence is more precious. After a homosexual act does a gay person feel the presence or absence of God? That is the issue. Kennedy. PS. God can talk for himself... but like the Jews in Moses time we often close cover our ears and depend on a "leader" to hear for us. There are sins that are not clearly defined inthe Bible... after all Stem cell research is not in the Bible, nor is abortion, nor is smoking, nor is gambling. People who claim to see these "sins" in the Bible are as ridiculous as the Americans who see female rights, black rights, and gay rights in their 200 year old constitution! The presence of God in our lives, confirms our salvation. Mi dune preach! ADV. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Employment Jamaica E-JAM 'Serving Job Seekers and Employers' http://www.employmentjamaica.com/ ADV. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ ############################################################ 6. fora on CHARTER OF RIGHTS ############################################################# From: ColeMusiq [mailto:ddcole@colemusiq.org] Sent: Monday, March 13, 2006 11:05 PM To: Almerick C Cooke(Jr.); Lloyd & Elaine Cooke Subject: fora on CHARTER OF RIGHTS The forum of the Christain Lawyers Fellowship on the issue of the Chater of Rights. Janet Epp Buckingham will be the guest presenter Saturday March 18 at 4:00 pm at Rehoboth Gospel Assembly Janet Epp ia a lawyer, legal commentator, lecturer in constitutional law, and in ethics and public policy, researcher, author of two books (one co-authored) and numerous professional articles and case comments on legal, social, and religious freedom issues. She will share with us the Canadian experience under the title "How the Charter changed Canada". ............................ WEBMASTER'S COMMENT ............................ Those persons interested in the Jamaican Bill of Rights should attend this session. I need to understand why there is a need for a Bill of Rights in Jamaica when we could modify the constitution. By the way, have any of you ever read the Jamaican constitution? It is a most inelegant document! It grants a right and then spends the next few statements making exceptions that in effect void the right given! You can read it on the Portmore Website. Also, you should attend this forum to understand more about why the church is making fuss about the Gay rights supposedly granted by the proposed document. Interestingly the Pastor and his wife who protested "Brokeback mount" (a movie most appropriately named!) are from Portmore. Pastor Stewart is pastor of Covenant Church on Portmore Lane. Kennedy ############################################################ 7. NEED A JOB - CAMILLE HAZEL ############################################################# Date: Mon, 13 Mar 2006 23:53:50 -0000 From: "zionhazelhero" To: "Kennedy Reid" Subject: NEED A JOB DEAR KENNEDY REID, I AM ASKING YOU A FAVOR PLEASE, I SEEKING A JOB AT ANY BUSSINES PLACE IN PORTMORE I NEED TO BETTER MY SELF IN LIFE I DON,T WON;T TO BE A NEXT YOUNG GIRL HAVING A BABY AND GIVING TROUBLE MY NAME IS CAMILLE HAZEL TELEPHONE #(1-876-450-0117) PLEASE I WILL DO ANYTHING TYPE OF JOB MY EMAIL ADDRESS IS ZIONHAZELHERO@YAHOO.COM THANK YOU VERY MUCH I USE TO JOIN THE V.I.T.A YOUTH CLUB IN WATERFORD BUT EVERYBODY START TO GO THEIR WAYS SO THE CLUB IS NO LONGER IN SERVICES BYE FOR NOW SEND REPLY SOON ............................ WEBMASTER'S COMMENT ............................ Do send a list of your Edcational qualifications, your skills, and your job experience so taht persons reading your request may determe whether you are the right person for any job they may have. It is such a pity that so many persons are leaving school with little education, no skills and no work experience. The new education minister will have to get serious about delivering this to the nation. There must be a standard set for what is a high school and not just label an empty shell. There are over 25,000 persons ready for work each year! The island is over populated as it can not sustain the population. Therefore, it is essential that PARENTS give children an advantage by planning for their future. Ensure that your kids develop skills to share with the world. Kennedy [--------------------THE END OF ENTRIES-------------------] Legal Notices - Please read 1. This newsletter makes NO guarantees of accuracy nor authorship. 2. The contents of this newsletter do not necessarily represent the views of the publisher, and do NOT represent the views of any Political Party or Community Organisation. 3. Commercial publication of this newsletter needs the express consent of the webmaster in writing. 4. Copy Rights are owned by Kennedy Reid General Notes - Please read 1. Please copy this newsletter to as many persons as you may, However, please do not alter the contents. 2. To read our past newsletters go to http://www.portmore.org/newsletters/index.html 3. This newsletter is an open forum so please feel free to send us your contributions. We do NOT edit your letters, but may delete sections that can not be published. Deleted sections will be noted. Private e-mail addresses are deleted from letters and, if you ask, we will delete your name also! The Webmaster may comment on your contribution, but reserves the last word for you. Write to webmaster@portmore.org or rhouse@cybervale.com 4. Comments made in this newsletter should be taken in a light manner as the style of this newsletter attempts to be humourous. "Why be ordinary?" - KR [--------------------------THE END--------------------------------]