Morning Bites: 5 things to know for Tuesday, January 10

Morning Bites: 5 things to know for Tuesday, January 10, 2023 House resumes sittings - ministerial statements galore The House of Representatives will resume its sittings at 2:00 pm on Tuesday following the Christmas break, with [five Government ministers]( scheduled to make ministerial statements. Those down to make statements are: - ​Prime Minister Andrew Holness, Minister of Defence and Minister of Economic Growth and Job Creation - Marlene Malahoo Forte, Minister of Legal and Constitutional Affairs - Fayval Williams, Minister of Education and Youth - ​Dr Horace Chang, Minister of National Security​ - Floyd Green, Minister without Portfolio in the Office of the Prime Minister Meanwhile, the regulations that will govern the National Identification and Registration System (NIDS) Act will be tabled in the House on Tuesday. Parliament to receive damning report on CPSFA head The Parliament is today expected to receive a damning report which details the [relationship between the Rosalee Gage-Grey headed Child Protection and Family Services Agency (CPFSA) and Carl Robanske]( head of the United States-based organisation Embracing Orphans. The investigation was conducted by the Office of the Children’s Advocate (OCA) following a March 2021 report by Nationwide News Network on the relationship which noted that Robankse, the executive director of Embracing Orphans, had his education certificate suspended in the United States after it was established that he had sexually inappropriate exchanges with a minor. The OCA, in its executive summary, said Gage-Grey, the Chief Executive Office at the CPFSA failed in her administrative and moral duty to these former wards of the State who were based at the transition facility, The Father’s House. “Her responses indicate that she is either unaware of, or has a reckless approach to the significant vulnerability which attaches not only to them when they are minors, (i.e. below 18 years) but also even after and during their transition out of the formal care system,” the report said. Diaspora elections get underway The [delayed elections]( to choose a new slate of representatives for the Global Jamaica Diaspora Council and the Global Jamaica Diaspora Youth Council for the next three years are set to get underway today. Jamaicans across the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom will cast their ballots. The elections were previously scheduled for December 2-19, 2022 but had to be postponed due to challenges faced with the website and the need to afford the electoral committees adequate time to effectively undertake their functions. The election process will last through January 27, according to an advisory from the Kamina Johnson Smith-led Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, which holds responsibility for Diaspora affairs. Advertisement Prince Harry’s ‘Spare’ for release today While [sections of Prince Harry’s sensational memoir 'Spare' were released]( ahead of today’s official release date and have been widely reported in media right across the globe, it remains the most highly anticipated book release in a long time. The eye-catching title is a nod to Harry's nickname as a 'spare' prince – in contrast to his brother William, the heir to the throne. The Spanish language version is even more pointed, having been given the subtitle En La Sombra, or 'in the shadow'. Harry was reportedly paid a $20million (£18.4million) advance for the book as part of a three-title deal worth £36.8m. Excerpts have so far revealed a fight with his brother William, his claim that he killed 25 Taliban fighters when he served in Afghanistan, and the poor treatment meted out to his wife Meghan by members of the Royal Family and the British media which forced them to relocate to California, United States. Tennis: Playing with COVID Players at the [Australian Open]( will not need to take COVID-19 tests and could play if they have the virus. "We just wanted to follow what's currently in the community," tournament director Craig Tiley said. "We have gone a step further by making a recommendation around staying away when you're ill." Last year players had to test daily and isolate if positive and also had to be vaccinated, while in 2021 the event took place in a biosecure bubble. Nine-time champion Novak Djokovic, who is unvaccinated, was deported last January just before the tournament because of his COVID-19 status. "We've made it clear to our players, as well as our staff, if anyone is feeling unwell, stay home, our medical staff will continue to monitor that, with the players individually as well," Tiley added. "It's a normalised environment for us and, not dissimilar to the cricket, there will potentially be players that will compete with COVID-19." Last week cricketer Matt Renshaw continued to play for Australia in a five-day test match against South Africa in Sydney after testing positive for COVID-19. The Australian Open starts on Monday, 16 January and runs until Sunday, 29 January. ICYMI: WHILE YOU WERE SLEEPING WATCH: [Fire raging at Ray Ray market in downtown Kingston]( Firefighters up to early Tuesday were at the scene of a blaze at a section of the Ray Ray in downtown Kingston. Firefighters tackle the blaze at the Ray Ray market in downtown Kingston late Monday. TODAY IN HISTORY Fashion icon Coco Chanel dies Coco Chanel, the French fashion designer who ruled Parisian haute couture for almost six decades, dies in Paris [this day]( 1971, at age 87. For more stories, visit our website at www.jamaicaobserver.com or [sign up for our e-paper](. [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Website]( Copyright © 2023 Jamaica Observer, All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: 40 - 42 1/2 Beechwood Avenue Kingston 5 Want to change how you receive these emails? You can [update your preferences]( or [unsubscribe from this list](.