BISHOP HERRO BLAIR MET WITH DUDUS

BY NADINE WILSON

CONTRARY to a widespread claim that alleged drug lord Christopher 'Dudus' Coke wanted to make a deal with United States (US) authorities, Political Ombudsman Bishop Herro Blair yesterday disclosed that the alleged don was more interested in taking his chances with a local court instead.
Blair, who also chairs the Peace Management Initiative, told his congregation at the Faith Cathedral Deliverance Centre in Kingston yesterday that he had met with the reputed gang leader twice, prior to last Tuesday's visit to Tivoli Gardens with Public Defender Earl Witter.
The first visit was the Wednesday before, during which time he spent two hours speaking to Coke, whom the US Government had indicted on arms and drug-trafficking charges last August.
"If I go back to Wednesday, two weeks ago, I received a call and I went to Jamaica House. I was requested by the government to go into Tivoli Gardens to see if I could negotiate the surrender of Mr Coke," he said, adding that he later met with the Opposition People's National Party to get their approval, as well.
The ombudsman said that following the approval from both parties, he waited until he was given permission by 'a contact' to go in to see Coke.
"I spent two hours with him. I came out, thank God, safely; I can't tell you what I saw, but just imagine what I saw," he said.
"At that time the place was already fortified and the officers were preparing to go in I begged of them, please if you go in remember there are innocent lives that must be saved," Bishop Blair said.
It was the following day that a group of Coke loyalists, mostly women dressed in white, took to the streets to voice their support for the man who many said was 'next to God'. During the melee, they took to blocking roads in sections of Tivoli Gardens and Denham Town, setting up huge barricades as the security forces seemed to watch helplessly from the sidelines.
But, according to Blair, he had still been in dialogue with Coke, up to that point.
"The negotiations went on until Saturday. I got a call from the security forces who gave me the permission to go back to Mr Coke, with an offer from the United States Government that he turn in himself in," he said.
"He (Coke) feels, or he felt at that time, that his best bet was to wait on the rulings of the court because he felt that the Jamaican courts would treat him better than the American courts, and that's where it ended up until Saturday evening when the security forces decided to go into Tivoli Gardens," the pastor told his congregation which sat quietly listening to his account.
But instead of turning himself in, Coke evaded the security forces which by Monday were engaged in a shootout with a group of Coke's supporters, some of whom it has since been revealed were paid up to $100,000 per day to defend his turf. Military personnel have since revealed that they suspected Coke had fled Tivoli Gardens as early as 4:00 pm, while the operations in the area were going on.
Police said that 73 civilians and three members of the security forces died during last week's civil unrest, which quickly spread to other sections of West Kingston and halted commercial activities in some sections of the Corporate Area.
On Saturday, Public Defender Earl Witter issued a public appeal for Coke to turn himself over to the authorities in the interest of the people. Witter said that he and Blair stood ready to facilitate the process.
Source: www.jamaicaobserver.com

HYPE TV TOP 20 SINGLES CHART

May 28th – June 3rd 2010

TW LW WOC ARTISTE - TITLE - LABEL - Peak Position
01 01 11 Mavado & Stacious – Come In To My Room – Di Genius - 3wkS@1

02 02 10 Etana – August Town – Necessary Mayhem NM

03 05 07 Vybz Kartel/Popcaan/Slim- Clarks – Notnice/CR203RecordsU-2– Shot To Watch

04 07 10 Stephen McGregor – Caan Fren Again – Di Genius -Greatest Gainer up3

05 03 16 Vybz Kartel – Slow Motion – Big Yard Music D-2 - 2wks@1

06 04 17 Junior X – Gangster Life – Revolutionary Ent. D-2 -pp@ #4

07 09 09 I-Octane – Think A Little Time –TJ Records U-2

08 06 17 Mavado – Gal Ova Gun – Armz House Records D-2 - 4wks@1

09 10 08 Mavado - House Top - Rose Gold Ent U-1

10 08 18 Toya – Hot Like Ah Fire – Downsound Records D-2 -pp@ #5

11 12 08 Ms. Triniti - Mr. Deejay - Trini Girl U-1

12 11 21 Beenie Man – Mi Woman A Call Mi – Sankofa Prod D-1 - 1wk@1

13 15 05 Richie Loops – My Cup – Big Yard U-2

14 16 05 Ikaya – Money Ova Man – Outaroad Records U-2

15 13 12 T.O.K. – Everyday We Try – Very Huge Records D-2-pp@ #12

16 18 04 Jah Cure/Phyllisia – Unconditional Love – SoBe/Danga Zone U-2

17 14 15 Tiana ft. Chi Ching Ching – Skippin Feelin – Media House D-3 -pp@ #8

18 17 09 Etana – Free – No Doubt Records D-1 -pp@ #15

19 20 02 Toya – Boss Lady – Downsound Records U-1

20 NW 01 Gytian – Hold me –VP Records


TW -This Week, LW – Last Week, WOC – Weeks On Chart, PP – Peak position, NE – New Entry & WKS@#1 – Weeks @#1 (* Censor)
Key: U - Upward, D - Down, NM - Non-Mover



TOP 5 BUBBLERS

TW ARTISTE - TITLE - LABEL
01 I-Octane – My Life - Frass

02 Bugle – New Pearly Gates –TJ Records

03 Beenie Man – Under Curfew – Rose Gord Ent

04 Busy Signal – Night Shift – Tuff Muzik/Star Player Music

05 Etana - Happy Heart - No Doubt Records

__________________________________________
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MORE GUNS UNEARTHED IN TIVOLI

As the search continues for illegal weapons in West Kingston, eight more guns have been found bringing the total number of guns recovered to date to 36. Of the total, five were found on Saturday (May 29) and three pistols (handguns) were located today.
The police reports that 356 assorted rounds of ammunition have also been unearthed, bringing the total number to 9,241.
Up to Friday evening (May 29), 28 guns and 8,885 rounds of assorted ammunition were recovered from the area of operation.
The ammunition comprises .357; 9mm; .45; 7.62 long, which are used in SLRs; 7.62 short, used in AK47s; and 5.56 used in M16s.
This is in addition to hand grenades, dynamite, ballistic helmets, and protective vests.
Commissioner of Police, Owen Ellington, said that the search process, which is ongoing, has so far proven to be "very successful."
"Now that we are able to conduct more indulgent searches in there, we have been coming up with weapons and ammunitions," he stated.

How the security forces conquered Dudus' fortress

A former member of the security forces trained as an explosive expert is the suspected mastermind behind the elaborate defence system established around Tivoli Gardens last week.
He was supported by other persons who had been kicked out of the police force or the Jamaica Defence Force for varying reasons.
The explosives expert could be slapped with several charges after soldiers, who entered Tivoli Gardens on Monday, faced elaborate booby traps and explosive devices never before seen in Jamaica
In the week leading up to the retake of Tivoli Gardens by the security forces, the thugs - it is believed, under the guidance of the former member of the security forces - managed to build and test explosive devices from scratch, using available local material.
According to Sunday Gleaner sources, the devices were similar to those which have been seen on the ground in Afghanistan.
They included bits of steel used as part of a lethal bombing system, LPG cylinders laced with explosives carefully set up as booby traps, Molotov cocktails used as firebombs, and sharpened scrap metals set to mangle the unsuspecting.
Many of these were wired electrically so that they could be triggered with the slightest touch.
Hundreds of gallons of petrol had also been purchased to fuel the resistance.

army of thugs


In addition to the security system, Tivoli Gardens was defended by a small army of thugs. More than 400 of them were reportedly enlisted to the cause.
Travelling from as far away as Montego Bay, St James, Clarendon, St Catherine and St Thomas, they headed to west Kingston.
They were joined by others from neighbouring enclaves who came out to support the man who had risen to the most prominent position in Jamaica's seedy underworld - Christopher 'Dudus' Coke.
He had pulled together an army of hardened criminals, some of whom he had to pay thousands of dollars, to take on the armed forces.
The mission was to prevent the execution of an arrest warrant that would begin the process of his extradition to the United States to face drugs and gun charges. Ultimately, Coke wanted to pull
more inner-city communities under the rule of his 'Presidential Click' empire and strengthen his reach across Jamaica.
Among the recruits that were brought to west Kingston were known murderers, petty thieves, gangsters, and persons skilled in military tactics.
The recruits also included persons with computer skills who could download critical information on explosive gadgets and guerilla warfare, as well as individuals with electrical engineering skills who could rig up and operate major explosive apparatus.
Many of the foot soldiers had spent time in prison and were fearless in the face of the law.
As Monday, May 24, drew closer, and it became clearer that an invasion was at hand, the barricades to the community became more extensive.
Old cars, scrap metal, crates, sandbags, barrels and discarded household items were brought in to thicken the blockades, despite appeals from the police for them to be removed.
Sandbags camouflaged concrete slabs with peepholes and the high-rise buildings were prepared as lookout points and fixed with truck tyres to be lit to create smoke screens against helicopter assaults.
Coke, it was believed, had embedded himself in the community, surrounded by his thugs, confident of his safety.
On the outskirts of the community, the Tivoli forces ordered first strike on 14 police stations, two of which were burnt to the ground.
The cops were kept at bay, physically and psychologically, as the thugs seemingly declared 'the Republic of Tivoli' theirs.
For four decades, Tivoli had grown as an adjunct to Jamaica, existing under a different rule of law, defying efforts to bring it in line with the rest of the society.
In the past, efforts to bring Tivoli under control did not get past the periphery.
The move against the lawmen and their facilities was a new dimension in the struggle between Jamaica and the Corporate Area's western belt.
Tempers boiled and steamed as the soldiers moved in.
Faced with insurmountable fire power and a well-thought-out strategy from the security forces, Coke and his inner circle abandoned the men he had recruited, and the women and children who had demonstrated for him. They were to face the onslaught without the leader.
When Tivoli fell, Coke and his inner circle were on the run, over 700 hundred men were detained, 400 of whom had no addresses in Tivoli Gardens.
More than 50 of these men were wanted by the police for various crimes, and a large number of them were listed as persons of interest and under police watch.
So far, some 8,800 rounds of ammunition and 28 guns have been seized by the security forces and 73 civilians confirmed dead.
Among the dead were at least two women, and a few of the bodies were men wearing dresses.
Source: www.jamaica-gleaner.com

ALICIA KEYS AND SWIZZ BEATZ ARE ENGAGED, EXPECTING A BABY

The rumors can finally be put to rest. Alicia Keys and Swizz Beatz are officially planning a wedding and expecting a baby.
The singer and producer “are expecting a baby and are engaged to be married in a private ceremony later this year,” reps for the couple confirm to PEOPLE.
This will be the first child for Alicia and third for Swizz, who is father to two sons, Kasseem Jr., 3, and Prince, both from previous relationships. He was previously married to R&B singer Mashonda.
The high-profile couple has kept their relationship quiet, but friends say, “They’re very happy.” They were all smiles at Thursday night’s Keep a Child Alive Black Ball in London.
Whispers about Alicia’s pregnancy began to spread after she showed signs of a baby bump during appearances in the U.K. this week.
Source: www.rap-up.com

12 WANTED MEN SURRENDER SAME DAY

• Hours after being named by police

TWELVE men who were this morning named by police as most wanted, turned themselves over to the cops hours later.
Among those who are now in police custody is Michealous Phipps, also known as 'Zeekie' the son of incarcerated Matthews Lane don, Donald 'Zeeks' Phipps.
Rohan Hope — the brother of slain One Order don, Andrew 'Bun Man' Hope — was handed over to Assistant Commissioner of Police Leon Rose by attorney Peter Champagnie. The attorney also turned in Mark 'Mark II' Walters.
"I had discussion with ACP Rose and handed over the two gentlemen. They went in because they heard their names were on the list and they wanted to assist the police in their investigations," Champagnie told the Observer.
Police say Hope has taken over the leadership of the Spanish Town-based One Order gang since the death of his brother in February 2006. Walters is said to be a member of a gang based in Allman Town in Central Kingston.
Cleveland 'Cassie' Downer — the leader of a gang based in a community known as 'Common' which runs off Red Hills Road — has also given himself up.
Other members of the Common gang who are now in police custody are Richard Francis o/c Red Head, Jermaine Smith and Audley Strachan.
Kareem Allen, the son of slain South Side don, Franklyn 'Chubby Dread' Allen has also turned himself in.
The other wanted men who gave themselves up are Horace Ramsay also called 'Pugu' of South Side, Kevin Myers, also called 'Forehead', Kevin Elliott otherwise called 'Killer' of Fletcher's Land and Andre Buchanan also called Mills of Anderson Road in Woodford Park.
Eleven other wanted men named today remain at large.
SOURCE: jamaicaobserver.com


DESTINY'S PASSION IS MUSIC



Destiny aka Kimberly Cuvilie was born and raised in the city of Montego Bay, St James. A graduate of the Montego Bay High School and later the community college where she did a pre-university business course, she says her passion is music and the creative processes of composing, mixing and arranging songs. This led her to pursue a course in audio and studio engineering.
While growing up, she was always surrounded by music as her aunt Patricia Edwards was a member of the dynamic trio, Ebony. As Destiny recalls, at a tender age of six she would dress in her aunt’s costumes and do her rendition of Diana Ross’ Stop in the name of Love. Musician, singer and producer Ed Robinson was a friend of the family whenever she visited him she would lurk around his studio and listen to the work he produced.
Destiny’s younger siblings Nickel, Nicolo and Shante are also singers and her brother Nicolo is the lead singer for the group Khalil, second place winners in the 2008 Digicel Rising stars competition. Destiny entered the 2009 Magnum Kings and Queens of Dancehall competition and like her brother was placed second.
She has been composing her own lyrics since the age of 12. At age 14 her cousin asked her for help to do a music class assignment where she had to write a song and put melody to it. Destiny gave her one of the songs she had previously written and the teacher was so impressed and asked if she was sure it was an original and not something that was main stream market.
After hearing this, Destiny’s confidence in her writing ability grew and she started performing these songs for her friends and family who were impressed. She says the first album she owned was given to her by her mother’s friend. It was by Shabba Ranks and from then on she couldn’t get enough of dancehall music. Lady Saw, Bounty Killer, Sizzla and Buju Banton, she says, are her favourite dancehall artistes.
According to Destiny, she is aiming for longevity in the business. “I know it takes a lot of hard work it’s not all glitz and glam but I am prepared … sleepless nights in the studio and the whole works. Teaming up with creative and talented people working together to inspire and thrill others is what I vision for myself,” said the lyricist.

U.S. Report: Jamaican Prime Minister Is 'Known Criminal Affiliate' Of Hunted Drug Lord

By RICHARD ESPOSITO, MARK SCHONE and LUIS MARTINEZ

As official reports surface of accused drug lord Christopher Coke's escape from his barricaded Kingston, Jamaica neighborhood, where Jamaican authorities have been attempting to arrest him for extradition to the U.S., ABC News has learned that a U.S. government report refers to Jamaican Prime Minister Bruce Golding as a "criminal affiliate" of Coke.

Golding, who led resistance to Coke's extradition before public opinion forced him to reverse himself, is described in a document read to ABC News as a "known criminal affiliate" of Christopher "Dudus" Coke. According to official U.S. accounts, Golding's Jamaican Labour Party (JLP) was voted into power through "Coke's murderous and strong-arm tactics."
Recently, Golding and other senior Jamaican officials have been electronically intercepted talking to Coke inside his fortified redoubt, US authorities say.
The major police action to capture Coke began Monday morning. On Tuesday, U.S. authorities said they believed Coke had escaped through a ring of hundreds of cops and soldiers who had surrounded the West Kingston neighborhood of Tivoli Gardens. Jamaican and US authorities report that Coke may have slipped through police lines and escaped into one of two adjoining areas, either Denham Town or Jones Town.
source: abcnews.go.com