Farmer shaken after finding two bodies in Chaguaramas

Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: Trinidad and Tobago Newsday

News

A Chaguaramas Development Authority estate constable raises the caution tape to allow undertakers to leave with the bodies of two unidentified men whose bodies were found at Guave Road, Chaguaramas on Friday. – AYANNA KINSALE

A farmer on his way to tend to his crops at Guave Road, Chaguaramas got the shock of his life when he found the bodies of two men on Friday afternoon.

The men, whose hands were bound, were shot multiple times about their upper. They were yet to be identified up to press time on Friday. Police were called, and the area was cordoned off.

When Newsday went there, two men who the farmer spoke said the farmer was shaken up after finding the bodies near the Water and Sewerage Authority pump station.

“We just saw the truck driving in and then reversing in a speed. When he (the farmer) jump out, he was shaking. He could only say ‘Bodies tied together, flies on them.’”

Police on the scene told Newsday one of the men is of African descent, fair complexion, and was wearing a white t-shirt, black short pants and black and white Nike sneakers.

The other man of is of East Indian descent and was wearing a green t-shirt and cream short pants.

Police said there were no identifiable markings and or tattoos on either men. Their bodies were taken to the Forensic Sciences Centre.

Those two murders were the latest in a spate over the past seven days.

Four people were killed on August 13.

Morvant residents heard several gunshots around 10 pm near Cotty Trace, Chinapoo Gardens. When police arrived they found Gamal Waldron with multiple gunshot wounds. Waldron, of Pashley Street, Laventille, was charged with stealing an SUV belonging to ex-journalist Khamal Georges from outside a police station in 2018.

Minutes later, police responded to a shooting in Valencia. They found Carlton “Pilato” Sooknanan of Emon Lane, Valencia, dead at his girlfriend’s home. Just after 10.20 pm three men came to the house claiming to be police officers. They opened the window and forced themselves in and shot Sooknanan several times before escaping.

Saleem Deen, 28, and Aaron Maloney, 40, were also killed in two separate incidents that same day.

Deen was at work in Charlieville when three gunmen drove up to him and shot him. He died instantly.

Maloney was walking along Manahambre Roach when he was approached by men who shot him multiple times.

On Sunday, Nikhil Luthra, 34, was liming at the Residence Restaurant and Bar at One Woodbrook Place, just after 2 am, when masked men opened fire on a group he was with. He was killed and two other people wounded.

And a Venezuelan man was stabbed to death in Couva, Roystonia. The man who was identified as Steven Hernandez was found in some bushes off the road.

A Moruga dancehall artiste, Daniel Hamilton, was shot dead in front his home on Monday.

Hamilton, 26, of Poui Trace St Mary’s Village, was shot in the face, head and chest while chatting with a friend around 8.30 pm.

Micah Cipriani, 34, of Roslyn Street, Belmont was shot while walking along St Margaret’s Lane, near Norfolk Street at around 5.55 pm on Monday. He later died at the Port of Spain General Hospital.

The killings continued on Tuesday when gunmen killed Eusibio Roberts, 37, of Mon Repos, Morvant around 7 pm. The father of five died on the scene. The killers then chased after another man who ran through a basketball court where a group of children were playing. They continued firing hitting eight-year-old Javan Price to the left side of his head, and an 11-year-old boy in one of his legs.

Price, who was in critical condition, underwent surgery on Thursday and was said to be improving.

On Tuesday, police responded to a double murder at around 10 pm at Aranguez. They found the bodies of Acori “Bless” Mason, 32, and Rosanne Granger, 28, in a Nissan Almera at the corner of Jubilee Street and Branch Road. Police retrieved 28 spent shells and one live round of 5.56 ammunition. Mason and another man was before a Rio Claro magistrate charged with attempted murder and wounding with intent.

On Wednesday Jessie Bramble ,33, was near his car getting ready to leave for work when a man pulled alongside him and shot him in the neck and head at Las Alturas HDC complex, Lady Young. The suspect ran away. Police said Bramble’s wife took him to the hospital where he died on arrival.

Sometime after 3 pm that day, police found Vincentian dancehall artist Owonnie Hutchinson, 21, dead at Snake Valley, Laventille, weeks before he was expected to return to St Vincent and the Grenadines. He was visiting his sister who lived just a stone’s throw away from where he was shot.

Hours later, hairdresser Victoria Mohammed, 26, of Mc Inroy Street Curepe was shot dead around 9 pm in Arima while liming with a man.

Newsday attempted to reach acting Commissioner of Police Mc Donald Jacob for comment on Friday, but all calls to his phone went unanswered.

At a news conference on Tuesday, asked members of the public to be patient as steps were taken to peg back the criminal element.

He promised more roadblocks and stop-and-search exercises. He also said 60 police officers have been called out from leave to get “more boots on the ground.”

Between January-August in 2021 the country recorded 228 murders. For the same period in 2022, the murder toll jumped to 369, with two weeks left before the month comes to an end.

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Mottley, Rowley on planting peas in Tobago

Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: Trinidad and Tobago Newsday

News

Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley greets Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley on Friday at the Agri Investment Forum and Expo at the Queen’s Park Savannah, Port of Spain. – SUREASH CHOLAI

ALTHOUGH Heads of Caricom states gathered on Friday at the second Agri Investment Forum and Expo, at the National Academy of Performing Arts, Port of Spain, to focus on the very serious issue of food security, the event still had several moments of levity.

One came in the form of an exchange between Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley and TT’s Prime Minister as she called on people to begin planting peas in Tobago.

“Not even a bassman in our head should stop us from planting peas in Tobago,” she said to loud applause, in obvious reference to Shadow’s classic calypso Bassman.

She urged people to begin planting short-term crops and raising fast-growing livestock, and to begin eating what is grown in the region, not only because of the financial implications, but because of health as well.

She also called for a regional calorie counter for local and regional dishes.

“How much calories are going to be in the roti you going to serve me later Keith?” Mottley asked.

“How much calories are there in breadfruit? How much calories are there in the ingredients in the corn soup?”

But Dr Rowley, in his address, responded to Mottley’s call to plant peas citing his personal woes in planting the crop.

“You go and plant peas in Tobago and see what happens to you,” he said.

“I planted peas in Tobago. Cocrico ate all. And if I touched a cocrico is straight to jail I going, because it is a protected species.

“They used to live in the forest and would come down from the forest and were considered a delicacy. But from the time they heard they were a protected species, they came out. They would be in the yard fighting fowl.

“From my peas farm, they ate everything. As soon as it began to flower they would eat.

“When we spoke about reducing the population, you heard the screams of the environmentalists that we couldn’t touch the national bird. In Tobago, we call it the national pest.”

Caricom leaders: be part of the solution

Caricom leaders called for all relevant stakeholders to get on board with the regional push to reduce its billion dollar food import bill by 25 per cent, by the year 2025.

Rowley and Mottley, as well as Guyana President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali and Surinam President Chandrikapersad Santokhi, echoed similar sentiments – that in order for the region to sustain itself, in the face of shocks and changes in the world, the region must once again learn to feed itself.

“We have the confluence of three global crises,” Mottley said.

“We are at war with climate, we are at war with pandemics – not just covid19 but the anti-microbial resistance pandemic, and we are at war with inflation as a result of being at war with war.”

Mottley said that the region’s plans can not only be medium term as the region’s population is already feeling the negative consequences of climate change, war, disease and inflation. She said the region has fed itself before and can do it again.

“None of us can avoid the reality that our people must eat. There are things that we can do and that we have done in our past, to ensure survival. We are there again.”

Santokhi, adding to the call for a collective response against crises affecting the region’s ability to feed itself, suggested that countries invest in greenhouses.

“Investing in greenhouses has several advantages. It protects crops against infestation and enables farmers to deal efficiently with scarce resources.

Rowley called on the private sector not to be resistant to the developments coming out of the regional food-import reduction drive, which may disrupt the current status quo, but to get on board and distribute and invest in local produce.

“Food takes time to grow, animals take time to grow. Take that time to change the formulae of trade. If we are to feed ourselves with local producers, get on board with the local producers. Invest your time, finance, expertise in your business and be part of the solution and not the problem.”

Ali lauded Republic Bank for taking the lead in assisting Caricom’s food-import reduction initiative, saying there are seven different proposals for initiatives to move Caricom’s plans forward.

“Those proposals are now with Republic Bank and we are now pushing for it to approve those proposals to advance financing of our projects.”

The Agri Investment Forum and Expo, being held at the Queen’s Park Savannah, started on Friday and ends on Sunday.

It aims to strengthen the linkages along the food value and distribution chains in order to make locally and regionally produced food more affordable and attractive. The expo hosts over 300 exhibitors from various sectors along the food value chain including agricultural machinery, agro business and processing.

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Veel huisdierenleed bij na verhuizing achtergelaten honden en katten

Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: De Ware Tijd Online

door Arjen Stikvoort PARAMARIBO — De economische recessie waarin Suriname verkeert, heeft ook gevolgen voor huisdieren. Het aantal honden en

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Ukraine: craintes d’une “catastrophe” à…

Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: Guadeloupe FranceAntilles

Vladimir Poutine a accepté vendredi que l’Agence internationale de l’énergie atomique (AIEA) envoie une mission à la centrale nucléaire ukrainienne de Zaporijjia, la plus grande d’Europe, disant craindre que les bombardements ne finissent par provoquer une “catastrophe de grande envergure”.

Dans le même temps, le secrétaire général de l’ONU Antonio Guterres, en visite en Ukraine, a demandé à la Russie de ne pas couper du réseau ukrainien cette centrale que son armée occupe depuis début mars, et qui est devenue la cible ces dernières semaines de frappes dont Moscou et Kiev s’accusent mutuellement.

Plus tôt dans la journée, l’opérateur des centrales ukrainiennes Energoatom avait dit redouter un tel scénario, affirmant que les militaires russes étaient en train de chercher des approvisionnements pour des générateurs au diesel qui seraient activés après l’arrêt des réacteurs et avaient limité l’accès du personnel aux installations.

“Bien évidemment, l’électricité de Zaporijjia est une électricité ukrainienne (…) ce principe doit être pleinement respecté”, a martelé M. Guterres en marge d’un déplacement à Odessa, le grand port ukrainien sur la mer Noire, après avoir été la veille à Lviv, dans l’ouest de l’Ukraine.

– Une mission de l’AIEA “dès que possible” –

“Le bombardement systématique (…) du territoire de la centrale nucléaire de Zaporijjia crée un danger de catastrophe de grande envergure qui pourrait conduire à la contamination radioactive de vastes territoires”, a de son côté mis en garde vendredi le président russe à l’occasion d’une conversation téléphonique avec son homologue français Emmanuel Macron.

MM. Poutine et Macron ont dans ce contexte “relevé l’importance d’envoyer dans les plus brefs délais une mission de l’Agence internationale de l’énergie atomique à la centrale nucléaire, qui pourra évaluer la situation sur place”, a informé le Kremlin, soulignant que “la partie russe a confirmé être prête à fournir toute l’assistance nécessaire aux inspecteurs” de l’AIEA.

Le chef de l’Etat russe a en outre accepté que ces derniers passent “par l’Ukraine” et non par la Russie, ce qu’il exigeait auparavant, a précisé la présidence française.

Dans un communiqué, le directeur général de l’Agence internationale de l’énergie atomique, Rafael Grossi, s’est “félicité des récentes déclarations indiquant que l’Ukraine et la Russie soutenaient l’objectif de l’AIEA d’envoyer une mission” à Zaporijjia.

Cette organisation “est en consultation active avec toutes les parties” pour y dépêcher “dès que possible” une équipe que M. Grossi “dirigera lui-même”, selon ce texte diffusé dans la soirée.

“Dans cette situation hautement volatile et fragile, il est d’une importance vitale qu’aucune nouvelle action ne soit entreprise qui pourrait mettre davantage en danger (…) l’une des plus grandes centrales nucléaires du monde”, a insisté le patron de l’AIEA.

“Le rétablissement d’une sécurité totale” sur ce site “pourra commencer après que la mission aura commencé son travail”, a quant à lui commenté dans la soirée le président ukrainien Volodymyr Zelensky.

Un diplomate a expliqué le même jour à l’AFP que les Occidentaux s’inquiétaient surtout du maintien du refroidissement par eau des réacteurs nucléaires, plus que de l’impact d’un tir, car ils sont conçus “pour résister” au “pire”.

La veille à Lviv, où il a rencontré M. Zelensky et le président turc Recep Tayyip Erdogan, le secrétaire général des Nations unies avait estimé que “tout dégât potentiel à Zaporijjia serait un suicide” et exhorté à “démilitariser la centrale”.

Vendredi, c’est le chef de la diplomatie européenne, Josep Borrell, qui a appelé sur les Russes à “se retirer” de ce site et à “immédiatement en rendre le contrôle total à son propriétaire légitime, l’Ukraine”.

– Nouvel arrêt des livraisons de gaz-

La visite de M. Guterres a été marquée par un autre sujet qui préoccupe la planète: les exportations de céréales ukrainiennes.

Bloquées après l’invasion russe, ce qui a fait planer le spectre d’une crise alimentaire mondiale, elles ont repris à la suite d’un accord entre Moscou et Kiev en juillet.

M. Guterres est attendu samedi à Istanbul pour visiter le Centre de coordination conjointe (CCC), chargé de superviser cet accord international pour permettre les exportations de céréales depuis l’Ukraine, accord “dont la Turquie est un élément clé”, a-t-il dit.

La Russie, qui réclame en échange la levée des restrictions sur ses propres ventes à l’étranger de produits agricoles et d’engrais, touchées par les sanctions occidentales, déplore quant à elle “les obstacles qui demeurent” -pour reprendre les termes qu’a utilisés M. Poutine vendredi- dans ce domaine.

Des allégations que la France a d’ailleurs aussitôt rejetées, jugeant qu’il y a de la part de Moscou “une volonté d’instrumentaliser politiquement cette question”.

Parallèlement, le géant Gazprom avertissait que les livraisons de gaz russe à l’Europe par le gazoduc Nord Stream 1 seraient interrompues du 31 août au 2 septembre pour des raisons de “maintenance”, au risque de raviver la peur d’une pénurie en Europe, où la Russie est accusée de chantage énergétique.

– “Net affaiblissement” –

Concernant les opérations militaires en Ukraine, le Pentagone, qui a annoncé vendredi une nouvelle tranche d’aide militaire d’un montant de 775 millions de dollars à ce pays, a noté un “manque total de progrès sur le champ de bataille” des troupes russes.

“Nous n’avons pas constaté de reprise de territoires” par les forces ukrainiennes, “mais nous constatons un net affaiblissement des positions russes à plusieurs endroits”, a encore dit une responsable du département américain de la Défense.

Dans l’est de l’Ukraine, les bombardements russes se sont toutefois poursuivis vendredi, faisant au moins cinq morts et dix blessés dans plusieurs localités de la région de Donetsk, l’une des deux provinces du Donbass, un bassin industriel qui est l’objectif stratégique prioritaire de Moscou.

Kharkiv (nord-est), la deuxième ville d’Ukraine, a en outre fait l’objet de nouvelles frappes dont le bilan est d’au 15 morts.

Et plus de 21.000 personnes ont été évacuées en dix jours des territoires occupés, dont plus de 9.000 de la région de Zaporijjia et plus 8.000 de la région de Kherson, a annoncé la vice-Première ministre ukrainienne Iryna Verechtchouk.

burx-emd-bds/blb/nzg/roc

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Nekoro Vassell’s Summer cocktails, recipes included! Loop Jamaica

Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: Jamaica News Loop News

Whether you’re relaxing on the beach, liming with friends and family, or simply spending some quality time with yourself, a cool summer cocktail will ease its way into any ‘lituation’.

Since summer is never short of hot days, Beaches Negril Bar Supervisor Nekoro Vassell’s creative brain is also filled with great summer drink ideas.

He makes his creations so simple, that the cocktails can be remixed from a limited bar or a fully stocked premium bar.

These are some of his top drink picks that not only beat the summer heat but also make the creating process worthwhile.

Loop Lifestyle takes it to the head!

Tipsy Limeade

Ingredients

1/2 shot Wray and Nephew White Rum

1/2 shot Mr Boston Sour Apple Schnapps

1/4 shot lime juice

2 oz pineapple juice

Soda water

Method

In a cocktail shaker add all ingredients with ice and shake well. Pour into a glass of ice cubes. Garnish with lime and mint.

Beer with Me

Ingredients

Red Stripe Beer

Kingston 62 Gold Rum

Blending ingredients

1/2 oz Red Grenadine

1/2 oz lime juice

1/2 oz Triple Sec Liqueur

2 oz of Tequila Silver

Method

Mix Red Stripe Beer with Kingston 62 Gold Rum in a serving glass. Add blending ingredients to blender with ice and blend until smooth. Pour on beer mixture and garnish with cucumber and lime.

Blue Island Cocktail

Ingredients

1/2 Absolut Vodka

1/2 shot Blue Curacao

1 oz pineapple juice

1/4 shot lime juice

Lemonade

Method

Add all ingredients in a cocktail shaker, shake for 15 seconds. Pour into a glass with ice and top off with lemonade. Garnish with lemon or orange.

Vodka Scotch Bonnet Shot

Ingredients

1/2 shot Absolut Mandarin

Scotch Bonnet pepper

1 garlic clove

Sandals Blaze Fiah Pepper

Method

Muddle the pepper and garlic, then add all ingredients to shaker and shake for 20 seconds. Pour shot and serve.

Caribbean Sunset

Ingredients

2 oz Tequila

1 oz Triple Sec

1/2 oz lime juice

4 oz pineapple juice

1 mango

Method

Dice mango into small slices and combine all ingredients in cocktail shaker, shake for 15 seconds, rim margarita glass with sugar and garnish with cherry and pineapple.

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West Indies need 213 to win ODI series vs New Zealand

Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: Trinidad and Tobago Newsday

Sports

West Indies’ bowler Akeal Hosein celebrates the dismissal of New Zealand’s Michael Bracewell during the second ODI at Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados, Friday. – AP

WEST Indies will need 213 to win the second One-Day International (ODI) and seal the three-match series against New Zealand.

Batting first on Friday at Kensington Oval in Barbados, West Indies dismissed New Zealand for 212 in 48.2 overs.

Finn Allen was the best batsman for New Zealand hitting seven fours and three sixes in his innings of 96 off 117 balls and Daryl Mitchell cracked 41 off 63 balls.

Off spinner Kevin Sinclair, playing in only his second ODI for West Indies, ended with excellent figures of 4/41 in 8.2 overs.

Fast bowler Jason Holder and left-arm spinner Akeal Hosein both bowled well, grabbing 3/24 and 2/51, respectively.

West Indies won the first match of the series by five wickets, on Wednesday.

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NRA to better “streamline” claims settlement processes for land claims Loop Cayman Islands

Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: Cayman Compass

Some parties have privately and publicly noted their concerns about the timing of processing of claims submitted to the National Roads Authority (NRA) in relation to public road plans. Alric Lindsay, chairman of the new NRA board, has now confirmed that a more streamlined process will be announced soon, including timelines for claim resolutions and processing by the Assessment Committee if that option is preferred by the party making a claim.

Why claims are submitted

For those who are not familiar with these types of claims, whenever roads are expected to be classified and scheduled as public roads (which are further categorized as primary arterial roads, secondary arterial roads, collector roads, access roads and public footpaths) or where any particular portion of land is needed for the layout of a new public road or the widening or diverting of an existing public road, a declaration to that effect appears in the Cayman Islands Gazette, along with the block and parcels affected.

Upon seeing the public road declaration or gazette, persons with legal title to the relevant property would normally submit a notice of intent to make a claim for compensation for the land or the portion of it that the government has published its intention to use as a public road.

Process of settling claims

Once a claim is submitted, there are two ways to settle claims; option 1 being the settlement of claims by agreement between the NRA and the claimant and option 2 being the submission of the claim by the NRA to the Assessment Committee.

Commenting on this process, the NRA board chairman said:

In normal circumstances, the Lands & Survey Department will complete a valuation of the relevant property. The NRA board may place reliance on the expertise of the Lands & Survey Department in doing valuations or the NRA board may require other valuations to be completed. Sometimes, the party making the claim agrees to the valuation. Sometimes, they do not. If negotiations continue for a long period without the involvement of the Assessment Committee, then the claims settlement process may take a longer time. The new board is now addressing this and has agreed to better streamline this process.

Better streamlining

In terms of better streamlining, the NRA board chairman explained that “going forward, each party will be informed of the response times for offers and counteroffers in relation to claims and, where the party does not agree to the terms of a settlement within a period of time, the NRA may forward the claim directly to the Assessment Committee for final consideration.”

The intention is that, all things being equal, the proposed, agreed response times will provide more certainty of timing for parties submitting claims.

Assessment Committee

As the NRA board chairman noted, following a short, fixed time period of offers and counteroffers, if the party making a claim does not agree to the valuation, then the Assessment Committee will provide a resolution.

Just for information purposes, in terms of composition, the Assessment Committee is required under the Roads Act to be made up of a magistrate, designated by the Governor, who shall be chairman of the Committee, a Justice of the Peace chosen by the magistrate and one other member chosen by the magistrate from the panel of persons (under the Roads Act, the Governor shall, from time to time, appoint a panel of six persons appearing to him to be knowledgeable in matters relating to land values).

In terms of what the Assessment Committee will look at when assessing compensation, the Roads Act says that the Assessment Committee will be guided by the terms of the Second Schedule appearing at the end of the Roads Act.

Outcomes

The outcome of the streamlining by the new NRA board means that parties may now have the benefit of a shorter period of time when waiting to hear from the NRA on claims submissions and settlement proposals.

As mentioned above, if the parties do not agree to the settlement, then the Assessment Committee will be asked to deal. In terms of the Assessment Committee though, that committee will be subject to its own timing and procedures (which the NRA does not control), however, the procedures to be adopted by the Assessment Committee will hopefully take into consideration the certainty of timing that the new NRA board is seeking.

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OOOPS! Poland nabs octogenarian with 5 kilos of heroin in suitcase Loop Barbados

Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: Barbados News

An 81-year-old Danish woman travelling from Africa to Canada was arrested at Warsaw airport on suspicion of illegal possession of heroin worth over US$515K, officials in Poland said on Friday.

Customs officers at Frederic Chopin Airport decided to check the woman’s luggage Sunday after becoming suspicious of her itinerary and her uneasy behaviour.

Packages with five kilograms (11 lbs) of heroin were discovered under a false suitcase bottom.

The woman, travelling from Malawi and Kenya through Doha and Warsaw, denied any wrongdoing and said family members had given her the suitcase with gifts for relatives in Canada, according to Aleksandra Skrzyniarz, a spokeswoman for the prosecutor’s office in Warsaw.

She was detained for three months and prosecutors have opened an investigation; under Polish law, she faces up to 15 years in prison for illegal possession of narcotics.

Denmark officials confirmed that a Danish citizen was detained in Poland and said the ministry is “providing consular assistance”.

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Jah Hands Baas neemt fans mee in muzikale beleving

Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: De Ware Tijd Online

door Shanavon Arsomedjo PARAMARIBO — Als de naam Jah Hands Baas geen belletje bij je doet rinkelen, zal het nummer

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GameNation platform brings new energy to online play Loop Jamaica

Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: Jamaica News Loop News

E-sports teams, players and fans were in for powerful and exhilarating experiences as the online gaming battles kicked off at the launch of the Jamaica’s newest online gaming platform, GameNation.

Hundreds of excited gamers converged at Digicel’s Ocean Boulevard headquarters last Saturday to witness the high-energy event that signalled a new way to enjoy gaming and e-sports.

“GameNation gives players access to hundreds of fan-favourite games from an impressive roster of categories, including action, racing, arcade, and puzzles, with no download required,” noted SportsMax marketing executive, Orion Aitken. “We’re supporting the growing gaming community by giving players the chance to compete to win real-life prizes, plus perks including bragging rights through leader-board rankings.”

The event doubled as the venue of an intense FIFA 22 online tournament, hosted by SportsMax, WYLDE and the Jamaica E-Sports Initiative (JEI). Thirty-two players were selected from over 162 applicants to battle for the title of best FIFA 22 player in Jamaica.

The GameNation launch was a gamer’s paradise, with every feature well thought out to provide the perfect gaming ambience – from interactive screens to enhanced audio systems, lighting, and cool gadgets.

FIFA fans across Jamaica came out to compete at the GameNation Game Pod – a dedicated area for interactive gaming using a touchscreen interface. There, they got an exclusive, first-hand look and feel of the games available on the online platform.

Following several rounds of fierce battle, gamer Tahjay Solomon, (gamer name “LS_21Don”) took home the grand prize of a Sony PS5 and a trip to the WYLDE boot camp in Ireland.

Solomon used this handle to honour the legacy of his late brother-in-law and former national player, Luton Shelton.

Taje Bogle (gamer name “BigNoseBalla”) won the second place prize of an Xbox and an ultimate game pass.

David Seiveright (gamer name “MacSeiv”) took home the third place prize of a Nintendo Switch and three months Switch membership.

“Our mission is to continue contributing to e-sports for generations to come and to encourage players to be the best they can be,” noted CEO of WYLDE, Steve Daly. “E-sports has been around for less than 10 years and has already attracted millions worldwide. This partnership with Digicel, SportsMax and the JEI will strengthen our efforts to promote and to make e-sports more accessible across the Caribbean.”

Speaking at the GameNation launch event, president of JEI, Gregory Moore, gave a rundown on the growth of the local e-sports community.

He shared, “The JEI was formed in 2018, and we have made considerable progress over the past four years. Jamaica was the first Caribbean country to form a national e-sports team, the first to join the International E-Sports Federation and the first to travel to the International World Championships. Jamaicans have travelled to Las Vegas, Singapore, South Korea and even competed in the recent Commodore E-Sports Competitions.”

The launch of the GameNation online platform is one of the latest initiatives to show support for the fast-growing online gaming community, as Digicel continues to support the needs of this emerging group of customers by delivering superfast Digicel mobile data or home internet speeds to help them gain the competitive edge and maximise their potential.

GameNation is available to all Digicel customers. To play, visit www.playgamenation.com and sign up with your name and the phone number or email address linked to your Digicel account.

Gamers can also download the SportsMax app to enjoy a Summer of E-sports. All JEI events will be available on the app, and users can stream live action from FIFA, Valorant and more.

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