News Briefs

Man found guilty of revenge porn

A Jamaican man accused of posting nude pictures on the Internet of his ex-girlfriend, a former American television news anchor, was yesterday convicted in the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court in a case of revenge porn.

Donovan Powell, 53, pleaded guilty to three counts of malicious communication.

The charge falls under Jamaica’s four-year-old Cybercrimes Act, which was enacted to address computer-related crimes.

His conviction comes more than two years after Darieth Chisolm, a former NBC News anchor based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, complained to Jamaican authorities that Powell created a website where he posted nude pictures of her along with derogatory comments.

Chisolm, in videos posted on YouTube, said the pictures were taken while she slept during the time she lived in Jamaica with Powell.

Parish judge Jaqueline Wilcot Powell extended Powell's bail, pending sentencing on November 1.

 

 

Taxpayers arrested in TAJ-MOCA operations

Thirteen taxpayers were yesterday arrested as Tax Administration Jamaica (TAJ) and the Major Organised Crime & Anti-Corruption Agency (MOCA) continued their 'Garden Clean-up' operation in St Ann yesterday.

The operation is targeting 62 chronically delinquent taxpayers who have failed to obey court orders. Yesterday's arrests bring to 47 the number of persons taken in recent weeks.

Twelve taxpayers have avoided spending time in jail by settling their outstanding taxes. However, three are still being pursued by the TAJ-MOCA team.

Following this operation, TAJ will shift its focus to other parishes as it continues to ensure the protection of the revenue through its enforcement activities.

Taxpayers are encouraged to speak with the Tax Authority to make suitable arrangements, if they are faced with difficulties in honouring their tax obligations, particularly where a judgement has been handed down by the court. Failure to comply with a court order will result in strong enforcement action to recover the outstanding amounts.

 

 

CARICOM conducting CSME sensitisation programme in Ja

KINGSTON (CMC):

A delegation from the Guyana-based Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat has arrived in Jamaica for a series of engagements with the various stakeholders, including the private sector and the labour movement, on the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME).

The CSME allows for the free movement of goods, skills, labour and services across the 15-member regional grouping and the week-long sensitisation programme is being held in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade.

The Secretariat says that today, CARICOM representatives will participate in the Jamaica Chamber of Commerce’s 2019 Procurement Seminar, where Finance Minister Dr Nigel Clarke will address delegates on the government’s procurement initiative for medium small and micro enterprises.

A workshop, 'Demystifying the CSME Regimes: Seizing the Opportunities, Addressing the challenges', will take place on Wednesday at The University of the West Indies.

 

 

More water restrictions for Corporate Area

Residents of Kingston and St Andrew are being warned by the National Water Commission (NWC) to brace for further possible disruptions in their water supply as it says a number of its systems are still being impacted by the ongoing drought.

The NWC says despite intermittent showers in a few areas, water inflows at two of the entity’s largest facilities and several rural systems are still declining.

The agency outlines that based on reports up to July 15, a large majority of the plants situated in east rural section of St Andrew have experienced significant decline in the volume of inflows.

It says this has forced the company to periodically shut down operations at some plant in order to rebuild the storage levels.

Residents are therefore being put on alert to expect lower water pressures, adjustments in the current water supply regulations and no water conditions in the areas that are worst impacted.