Norman Grindley/Chief Photographer
Opposition Spokesman on Finance, Dr Omar Davies, at second left with water bottle in hand, is fully enjoying the 'shaded' protection of a band of 'no taxMas' protesters gathered at Mandela Highway in Kingston on Wednesday, December 23, to voice opposition to the new $21.8 billion tax package announced December 17 by the Bruce Golding administration. The protest was organised by the People's National Party, which has called the measures 'wicked and unsconsionable' because of its expected impact on lower-income groups.

New version of Red Stripe light for export

Red Stripe has launched its light beer in the United States, choosing to package the brew in short, dark glass instead of the long-necked transparent bottles used for local distribution. The beer maker began shipments in December, with market roll-out scheduled initially in just two cities - Miami, Florida, and Atlanta, Georgia. The plan is to go national by March 2010. Red Stripe has manufactured a light beer since 2000.

Photo by Rudolph Brown
Joylene Griffiths-Irving (centre), the bank's director of public, corporate and government affairs, in discussion with Bruce Bowen, Scotiabank president and CEO, and his wife, Suzanne, before the start of the Scotiabank Jamaica church service celebrating 120 years in Jamaica, 1889-2009, at the Coke Methodist Church downtown Kingston on Sunday, December 13.

Gerard Johnson, country representative for the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), hands a document to Dr Beverly Morgan, head of the Competitiveness Company, at the official signing of an agreement between the IDB's Multilateral Investment Fund and the Competitive Company to implement intellectual property and firm-level initiatives for improving the competitiveness of Jamaica's micro, small and medium-sized enterprises. At left is former president of the Jamaica Exporters' Association (JEA), Dr André Gordon. The signing took place at the JEA's office, Winchester Avenue, St Andrew, on Tuesday, December 22.