Caribbean News Roundup For Monday Dec. 10, 2018

News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Mon. Dec. 10, 2018: Here are the top headlines making news from across the Caribbean for today, Monday, Dec. 10, 2018.

Buju Banton Camp Insists No New Music Has Been Released

Buju Banton returned to Jamaica a free man Friday night, after seven years in a US jail. And by Sunday night, his publicist Ronnie Tomlinson, had taken to Twitter to reiterate that “there has been no music released by Buju Banton” to date and there is “absolutely no dubplate sessions set up as on now.”

Tomlinson also revealed that the singer, born Mark Anthony Myrie, is humbled and filled with gratitude at all the well wishes and words of encouragement but at this time, will be spending time with his family, friends and loved ones and has no planned public appearances.

Banton was met by crowds of fans when he landed at Norman Manley Airport in Kington, Jamaica on Dec. 7th. Banton’s 18 year old daughter, Abihail Myrie, shared touching moments to her Instagram when she reunited with her dad saying: “It’s so real, and I can’t even find the words to express how I feel, I’ve imagined what this moment would be like, replaying it over and over again in my head but now I can stop imagining because that moment is finally here.”

3.8 Quake Strikes Near Three Caribbean Islands

A 3.8 quake struck near three Caribbean islands around 6:25 p.m. Sunday, the UWI Seismic Unit last night reported. The quakes occured 104 km E of Fort-de-France in Martinique; 117 km NE of Castries, Saint Lucia and 155 km SE of Roseau, Dominica. No injuries were reported. Sunday’s quake came on the heels of a burst of 54 earthquakes that occurred north of St. Kitts during the period Dec 6th from 4:28 p.m. to Dec 7th at 9:50 a.m. The events were in the magnitude range of 1.2 to 4.1.

2019 Reggae Grammy Nominations Announced

The 2019 Grammy nominations have been released and with the highly anticipated ‘Best Reggae Album’ nominees the countdown is on to February to see who will take home the award. The nominees are:

As The World Turns – Black Uhuru

Reggae Forever –  Etana

Rebellion Rises – Ziggy Marley

A Matter Of Time – Protoje

44/876 – Sting & Shaggy

17 Caribbean Immigrants Among 105 ICED

Seventeen Caribbean immigrants were among 105 arrested by agents from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, (ICE), in a New Jersey operation recently that targeted criminal immigrants. Among those iced were 10 from the Dominican Republic, 4 from Jamaica, 2 from Cuba and 1 from Trinidad and Tobago.

Among the Jamaicans arrested was a 48-year-old in New Brunswick, who has convictions for conspiracy to commit robbery and possession of a weapon. In Atlantic City, a 38-year-old Cuban national, who has a conviction for aggravated criminal sexual contact, was also nabbed.

The immigrants will now go through removal proceedings before an Immigration Judge or for those under a final order of removal, arrangements will be made to remove them from the U.S.

Ex-St. Vincent And The Grenadines Cop Jailed For Sex With 12-Year-Old

A former police officer in St. Vincent and the Grenadines will spend the next 30 years of his life in jail for sex with a 12-year-old girl.  Eugene Noel was sentenced on Dec. 7, 2018. He was previously convicted for six counts of unlawful sexual intercourse with a 12-year-old. Continue Reading

First Oil Likely By Next Year In Guyana

Guyana’s journey to first oil may be even shorter than anticipated and could come as early as next year according to a Guyana attorney-at-law. Continue Reading

The Song Of This Caribbean Singer Has Made The NY Times Best Of 2018 List

A 20-year-old from a Caribbean-born singer has made this year’s NY Times Best Of 2018 List.

Trinidad and Tobago-born singer David Rudder song, ‘The Immigrants,’ remade by a Guatemalan singer and a US musician, has been ranked at No 25 on critic Jon Pareles’ list in the New York Times article The 65 Best Songs of 2018.

Rudder wrote the song, The Immigrants, after New York Police attacked Haitian immigrant Abner Louima in Brooklyn in 1997. Gaby Moreno and Van Dyke Parks released their version of the song on US Independence Day, July 4, 2018. Continue Reading

Six Dead, One Missing As Grim Search Continues At DR Blast Site

Backhoes, volunteers and cadaver dogs on Friday night continued the grim task of search for possible victims in the area of the Polyplas plastics factory blast in the barrio, Villas Agrícolas, in the Dominican Republic. The Justice Ministry in a statement said there are two bodies yet to be identified, and one person is missing. Continue Reading

Caribbean National Finishes In Top Five At Miss World

A Caribbean national placed fifth in the 2018 Miss World competition, held over the weekend in Sanya, China. Jamaica’s representative to the Miss World pageant, Kadijah Robinson, took the fifth spot while Vanessa Ponce de Leon from Mexico was declared the winner, becoming the first Mexican queen to win the coveted title. Continue Reading

Nicki Minaj Shares Childhood Pic To Celebrate Her 36th Birthday

Trinidad-born rapper, Nicki Minaj, marked her 36th birthday over the weekend by sharing a throwback photo of herself as a kid with her fans on social media. She also filmed a short clip to express gratitude to her fans. Her photo shows her wearing a side ponytail and rocking bands as she smiles. See the pic here.

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