The investigation into the alleged multibillion-dollar fraud at the investment firm Stocks and Security (SSL) is “progressing”, according to Selvin Hay, chief technical director and head of the Financial Investigations Division (FID).
Astronaut Christopher Huie, the son of Jamaican immigrants, got to wear his Caribbean heritage on his sleeve yesterday when he undertook his first space mission as part of a four-man crew aboard the Unity 25 spacecraft.
Huie, a 35-year-old trained senior engineer and resident of Los Angeles, wore Jamaican and United States patches on his uniform during the planned test run of a mothership and spaceship at Virgin Atlantic’s Spaceport America in New Mexico, ahead of intended 90-minute commercial trips to take place beginning next month.
“For me, it is part of my personal origin story. My parents came to this country from Jamaica looking for more opportunities and to do more with their lives. Both my parents, especially my mum, sacrificed a lot so I could have opportunities she didn’t have growing up,” Huie told online platform Metro.co.uk before the test flight.
“I have had a lot more opportunities in my life than she [his mother] has had, and that’s all culminating in the space flight experience. It’s not only for Jamaica, it’s for immigrants anywhere looking for opportunities to see what you can do with the life that you’ve been given. It’s a story of sacrifice and achievement, that’s what it represents for me,” Huie added.
Yesterday’s test flight made Huie the world’s 19th Black astronaut after having graduated from the University of Maryland with a degree in Aerospace Engineering. He had previously worked in the aerospace industry’s private sector until 2016 when he joined Virgin Galactic as a loads and simulation engineer.
Huie’s experience is already creating a path for other aspiring Black astronauts to follow, as he has also co-founded Virgin Galactic’s Black Leaders in Aerospace Scholarship and Training (BLAST) programme, which includes mentorship for college students.
Huie explained that, for him, the test flight was the fulfilment of a childhood dream derived from making spaceships out of LEGO toys.
“I would play with LEGO and I would, pretty much, only build spaceships and flying vehicles, so I was obsessed with machines and building things from a young age. I did want to be an astronaut for a little while, then I decided I wanted to be a pilot, then I changed my mind about being a pilot,” said Huie.
“It seemed like a long road to be a fighter pilot and I just changed careers to become an aerospace engineer. I did not ever think I would ever have an opportunity to go into space,” Huie added. “Growing up, there was only one avenue to get there, and that was essentially going through the military, becoming a test pilot, and having a one in 10 million chance of becoming an astronaut.”
Virgin Galactic, which was founded by billionaire entrepreneur, philanthropist, and airline mogul Sir Richard Branson in 2004, has been billed as the world’s first commercial space line.
When Peter Brown died alone in London without any known family, neighbours made sure that the humble 96-year-old Jamaican man who had volunteered as a teen to fight for Britain in World War II was not forgotten.
Stephen Price, Vice President and General Manager of Flow Jamaica is welcoming the announcement made by Minster Daryl Vaz to table legislation to address acts of theft and vandalism of telecommunications infrastructure.
In a heartwarming show of kindness and generosity, FirstRock Foundation, a non-profit organisation dedicated to empowering Jamaicans through education and social welfare, has once again teamed up with the BossMom Network to donate a beautiful new home to a mother of three girls, Olivea Ryan, in Kitson Town, St. Catherine.
On May 23, the FirstRock Group, consisting of Dolla Financial, Ultra Financier, Century 21, and Optimum Distributors, demonstrated their collective commitment to community engagement and environmental stewardship.
Supreme Ventures continues to raise the stakes in the gaming industry with the launch of its latest promotion - Supreme Wheels.
The Minister of Education, Youth, and Information says it has received information that teachers at a number of schools have not turned up for classes, and as result plans are being put in place to address the matter.
The removal of Prime Minister Andrew Holness' compensation from the new salary scale under the public sector compensation review appears to be binding on all future holders of that office.
The Financial Investigations Division (FID) was successful in the Supreme Court in securing a forfeiture order of J$119 million and a pecuniary penalty order (J$720,000) against Andrea Gordon, the former senior manager at National Commercial Bank (NCB).
WITH HIS statutory declaration seemingly in limbo for some time now, Prime Minister Andrew Holness says he is concerned that the document that reveals his income, assets and liabilities is yet to be published by the Integrity Commission.
At least one transportation group has welcomed the new changes announced by Prime Minister Andrew Holness which sees the transport portfolio of the Ministry of Transport and Mining being incorporated into the Ministry of Science, Energy and Telecommunications.
KINGSTON, Jamaica - The People's National Party (PNP) is reiterating that, given the disproportionate remuneration awarded to Jamaican politicians compared to their regional counterparts, along with the relative underperformance of the Jamaican economy and the lack of equity in the compensation awarded across the public sector, the announced salaries for ministers and members of parliament (MP) should immediately be withdrawn.