PROFESSOR MARTIN Levermore, independent person for the United Kingdom’s government Windrush Compensation Scheme, has encouraged more locals to come forward and share their stories in order to determine whether they are eligible for compensation. He was speaking with The Gleaner during theWindrush Five Communities Anchor Festival held in African Gardens Square, August Town recently. The scheme, which was launched in 2019, is designed to compensate individuals who have suffered loss in connection with being unable to demonstrate their lawful status in the UK. “I’m here to listen, I’m here to gather information that will shape and improve the compensation scheme,” he said, adding that, to date, £70 million (over J$30 billion) has been paid out. He added that more could be done to break down the barriers currently existing and to ensure that “the appropriate level of understanding of what the scheme can or cannot do is imparted to those who may be affected”. Levermore, who took over the position in 2021, informed The Gleaner that more than 17,000 people received their British status confirmed, of whom 2,791 were Jamaicans. Currently, 368 people have been granted temporary indefinite leave to remain in the nation, and the remaining 387 people have permanent indefinite status. “But we haven’t gone far enough,”he said, noting that a greater sense of trust needed to be established between the UK government and the Jamaican people. He sought to remind persons that his presence in the island was not “to build expectations but to be able to say there is a rational, logical system and approach that is now established so, if you feel that you have been, in any way, denied of legitimate status or financial restitution, a scheme is there that is working, not just for Jamaicans, but across the Commonwealth.” JAMAICANS, BOTH locally and in the diaspora, have begun an unofficial period of mourning for business giant and founder of the LASCO Affiliated Companies, Lascelles Chin, OJ, who died on Saturday night, May 27 while undergoing treatment in the United States (US). The 85-year-old Chin, a native from Bog Walk, St Catherine, who grew up in Kendal, Manchester, and Balaclava, St Elizabeth, was the force behind the LASCO brand’s growth into a household name in Jamaica, particularly over the past two decades, with food products being offered at affordable prices and through philanthropic efforts such as the annual Nurse of the Year and Police Officer of the Year awards. Chin established LASCO in 1988, and up to the time of his death, served as executive chairman of Lasco Manufacturing, Lasco Financial and Services and Lasco Distributors, which all form part of the LASCO Affiliated Companies. Leading tributes from the nation was Prime Minister Andrew Holness, who, in a statement, described Chin as a distinguished Jamaican businessman and philanthropist. “Mr Chin’s passing represents an immense loss to the nation as he leaves behind a legacy of entrepreneurial success, significant achievements, and invaluable contributions to Jamaica. Lascelles Chin embarked on an extraordinary entrepreneurial journey as early as 1956 that transformed his life and countless others,” Holness said. 7 [ NEWSYOU MAY HAVE MISSED ] Lascelles Chin, chairman of Lasco. Kay Osborne (left) and other persons bear placards as they protest a massive salary hike for the political directorate across the street from the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service in Kingston on Wednesday, May 24. RUDOLPH BROWN/ PHOTOGRAPHER J’can businessman, Lascelles Chin is dead Holness clarifies salary position PRIME MINISTER AndrewHolness has clarified that he is only collecting one salary of $9 million annually, which is his role as head of government, despite his several other government positions. He has also indicated that his decline of the 214-percent increase will continue for the duration of his tenure. “A prime minister with a new mandate could always review the position,”noted a statement from his office. He said his decision has“broader implications for not only the current holder of the Office of Prime Minister (OPM), but previous holders of the office, and possible future holders”. Earlier, InformationMinister Robert Morgan said Holness’ move to decline the increase from $9.1 million in 2021 to $25.6 million this April and to $28.6 million on April 1, 2024, was binding on all past and future heads of government. “It’s not the Andrew Holness salary that has been reduced, it’s that of the prime minister so logically I think it would be binding,”Morgan said. He added: “I believe that it is binding, both past and present, because pensions are also connected to the salary so past and present and future would be tied to it.” The pension of former prime ministers is tied to the salary of the current officeholder. There are three living former prime ministers, P.J. Patterson, Portia Simpson Miller, and Bruce Golding. The OPM said: “The prime minister’s compensation will therefore remain at its previous level, no new or special allowance will apply, and no retroactive payments will apply to the prime minister’s compensation.” Meanwhile, Holness has also made clear that he is only collecting a prime minister’s salary despite his other government positions including beingminister responsible for the OPM, Minister of Economic Growth and Job Creation and Member of Parliament for St AndrewWest Central. “For an abundance of clarity, the Prime Minister of Jamaica does not receive separate compensation as a member of parliament or as a cabinet minister,”OPM said. “This is in keeping with the long-established principle of the Government of Jamaica, that persons paid from the Consolidated Fund (main government account) shall only receive one salary, regardless of the number of discrete jobs or functions they perform. In cases where persons hold multiple jobs or have discrete functions, the office holder would be compensated at the highest salary of the jobs or functions they hold.” On Monday, Holness indicated that he had declined the salary increase to show“symbolically and truthfully” that he understands public backlash over the levels and timing of the increases for members of the political directorate. Increases for other members of the cabinet, members of parliament, and councillors will be implemented as proposed. US House members seek pardon for Ja’s Marcus Garvey TWENTY-TWO UNITED States House members have written to President Joe Biden, asking that he pardon Jamaica’s first national hero, Marcus Garvey. Led by Jamaican-American Congresswoman Yvette Clarke and including Congresswoman Shelia Jackson Lee, whose grandparents were Jamaicans, the House members said that, although President Calvin Coolidge commuted his sentence, the time has come for him to be pardoned. “Nearly 100 years ago, Marcus Garvey was convicted of mail fraud in a case marred by prosecutorial and governmental misconduct. The evidence present and available at our disposal makes it abundantly clear that the charges brought against Mr Garvey were fraudulent and executed in bad faith. A presidential pardon for Mr Garvey would not only correct the historical record, but also shift the narrative at a time when African-American history faces the existential threat of erasure by extreme, far-right state legislatures,” said Clarke. She said that “during President Biden’s inaugural address, he made a promise of delivering on racial justice and equity, and we intend to ensure he keeps his promise. Marcus Garvey’s contributions and works have influenced leaders from Martin Luther King Jr to Nelson Mandela – inspiring generations and planting the seeds of the civil rights movement. I am proud to be joined by my colleagues to honour Mr Garvey’s work and remove this stain on his legacy.” Keith Clarke case postponed to June 5 Eligible Jamaicans urged to seek Windrush compensation THE PLEA and case management in relation to the 2010 shooting death of businessman Keith Clarke is to continue on June 5. The case was scheduled to resume this week in the Home Circuit Court but was postponed due to the unavailability of the presiding judge. Consequently, Corporal Odel Buckley, Lance Corporal Greg Tinglin, and Private Arnold Henry, who were arrested and charged with the businessman’s murder, had their bail extended. Clarke was reportedly shot 21 times inside his Kirkland Heights home in St Andrew on July 27 during a military operation. The matter, which had been stalled since April 2018, was placed back on the trial list following a Court of Appeal ruling in January. Jury selection was forced to a halt in August 2018 after defence lawyers surprised the Crown with certificates of immunity which they claimed shielded the trio from prosecution. Those certificates of immunity were signed in 2016 by then Minister of National Security Peter Bunting, six years after Clarke’s death. Clarke’s widow, Claudette, then challenged the validity of the certificates. THE MONTHLY GLEANER | JUNE 1 - JULY 5, 2023 | www.jamaica-gleaner.com | NEWS
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTUzNTI=