Morning Bites: 5 things to know for Tuesday; Traffic Law review; Unexplained wealth; Beachy Stout Jr; Clovis Toon; Breaking News and more

Morning Bites: 5 things to know for Tuesday, February 7, 2023 Shaw to address Parliament on review of Road Traffic Act Minister of Transport, Audley Shaw, is today expected to tell the nation [what sections of the new Road Traffic Act will be reviewed]( and how soon changes, if any will be made. Shaw is scheduled to make a statement in the House of Representatives where he is expected to address the matter following public discontent with certain provisions of the law. In particular, Jamaicans have been up in arms with the [requirement for taxi operators to provide child restraint systems]( for children under 12. After the new law took effect on February 1, parents, in particular mothers, were left standing for hours at bus stops as taxi operators, who fear being fined $5,000 for breaching the law, refused to carry them. After the police indicated on February 3 that they would use discretion pending a review of the relevant section of the law, Prime Minister Andrew Holness later said the requirement for child restraint seats would be dealt with in the first weekly review of the Act. The government had also become the butt of jokes on social media over the controversial requirement and has faced criticism from the parliamentary Opposition for not undertaking the promised comprehensive public education ahead of the enactment of the new [Road Traffic Act]( despite the fact that the law was passed all the way back in 2018. Malahoo Forte to respond to Golding re unexplained wealth The Minister of Legal and Constitutional Affairs, Marlene Malahoo Forte, is today expected to respond to statements made by Opposition Leader Mark Golding on the weekend, regarding the [expressed position of the Government to amend the constitution to make it easier to go after persons with unexplained wealth](. Malahoo Forte is to make a ministerial statement in the House of Representatives and could also give an update on the Administration’s overall push to amend sections of the constitution to, among other things, sever ties with the Monarchy, thus making Jamaica a republic. On the weekend, Golding reacted with scepticism to the Government's stated position regarding unexplained wealth. "This is an example of why I have asked Minister Malahoo Forte to disclose the amendments to the Charter of Rights in the constitution that the Government intends to pursue, before we launch her constitutional reform committee," Golding told the Jamaica Observer. Speaking at the biennial conference of the Financial Investigations Division (FID) at the Jamaica Pegasus hotel last Wednesday, Malahoo Forte said, "the kind of changes that we desire to make are to the provisions which have special protection. In the National Security Council we look at a number of issues requiring response legislatively, and even constitutionally, and among the many issues that we grapple with is the form of the Charter of Fundamental Rights and Freedoms that we now have". She pointed out that a proviso to the right to due process related to the presumption of innocence — that provides for an evidential burden of proof (on the person being investigated) — which existed in the former chapter three (Charter of Rights and Fundamental Freedoms) of the constitution had been written out at some point, and that the Government wants to review this provision. Golding argued that the constitutional affairs minister has continued to withhold information on the details of the aspects of the charter that the Government proposes to amend, despite his repeated requests, "most recently by my letter to her of the 24th January, to which I have not received a reply". He added that he had not heard the suggestion before that the constitution would need to be amended before the unexplained wealth orders can be legislated: "I would like to see a formal legal opinion from the attorney general on that". JBDC to host training programmes for budding, existing entrepreneurs The [Jamaica Business Development Corporation (JBDC)]( will today host the first in a series of workshops to be held on Tuesdays in February and on Thursdays in March. An arm of the Ministry of Industry, Investment and Commerce, the JBDC said the first workshop to be held today is geared at both potential and existing entrepreneurs. The first of the workshops titled “Fundamentals of Business” is designed especially for potential entrepreneurs and will be held in four modules on Tuesdays from February 7-28. The four modules are Entrepreneurial Mindset and Business Formalisation; Design Thinking and Value Proposition; Marketing Fundamentals; and Product/Service Costing and Start-up Costs. The cost of the workshop is $4,000. The second workshop is titled “Starting a Business” and is for persons already in business. It will be held every Thursday in March between the 9th and 30th. The cost of the workshop is $3,000. Advertisement Beachy Stout’s son gets 20 years for killing his wife Convicted wife killer, US Air Force Major, Andre McDonald, has been [sentenced to 20 years in prison]( for the 2019 killing of his wife, Andreen McDonald. The sentence was handed down on the 43-year-old McDonald on Monday by San Antonio District Court Judge, Frank Castro, in Bexar County, Texas. McDonald is the son of Portland businessman, 67-year-old Everton “Beachy Stout” McDonald, [who himself is awaiting trial for the murder of his two wives in Jamaica](. During the sentencing hearing, Andreen’s mother, Hyacinth Smith, father, Paul Anderson and sister Cindy Ann Johnson testified and a statement was read on behalf of the couple’s daughter Alayna, who was seven years-old at the time her mother was killed. While the daughter and sister wished the worst for McDonald, Mr Anderson still expressed love for the man he said he regarded as a son, in particular the son he had lost. Referring to him as Andre, he told McDonald that he would not like to be in his position, heading to prison, and that he was sure McDonald would not like to be in his position, mourning a daughter. In a rare show of emotion, McDonald nodded his head throughout as Anderson spoke. The grieving father had the courtroom transfixed as he said he regarded McDonald as a son and friend who he had many conversations with. He even told McDonald that if he were drowning he would try to save him. The prosecution had asked the judge to sentence McDonald to the maximum 20 years and the judge said his lack of remorse throughout the two-week trial and the “matter-of-fact” way in which he described killing his wife prompted him to impose the maximum sentence. “You burned her body, beat it with a hammer, and desecrated her corpse. After that it almost seems like the emotion of a serial killer or something,” Castro said. “You didn’t seem to care about the dead mother of your child. You just didn’t seem bothered by that.” During the trial, the most explosive testimony came from McDonald himself, who described in detail Andreen’s death and the grisly aftermath. Judge Castro noted that even during that testimony, McDonald showed “no emotion whatsoever,” saying the matter-of-fact description “defied the imagination.” McDonald was credited with just over two years already served and will be eligible for parole after serving another eight years. West Indies large and in charge against Zimbabwe West Indies will resume day four of the [first Test against Zimbabwe]( in a commanding position having reduced the hosts to 114-3 after declaring on 447-6 at the Harare Sports Ground on Monday. Captain Kraigg Brathwaite and fellow opener, Tagenarine Chanderpaul have set a new West Indies record for the opening partnership in Test matches. The pair put on 336 before being parted. The tourists went on to 6-447 before declaring midway through day three with Chanderpaul unbeaten on 207. Brathwaite had earlier made 182. Zimbabwe were still 333 runs behind at the close of play. Chanderpaul, 26, surpassed the highest score his Windies legend father Shivnarine made (203 twice, each time unbeaten) in his 164-Test career. ICYMI: WHILE YOU WERE SLEEPING WATCH: ‘Him a focus pon taxi and not crime’ A taxi operator plying the Half Way Tree route in St Andrew is [calling for Prime Minster Andrew Holness to resign]( citing what he describe as “unfair treatment” by the Government regarding the Road Traffic Act. Thieves steal 65 Samsung tablets, cash from high school in St Bess Thieves [made off with almost $2 million worth of items during a break-in at the Sydney Pagon High School]( in Braes River, St Elizabeth on the weekend. Dr Elaine McCarthy becomes first woman appointed chairperson of JUGC Dr Elaine McCarthy has created history by becoming the [first woman to be appointed chairman of the Jamaica Umbrella Groups of Churches (JUGC)](. CLOVIS TOON TODAY IN HISTORY Haiti's 'Baby Doc' goes into exile On [February 7]( 1986, Haiti's President for Life Jean-Claude "Baby Doc" Duvalier goes into exile, ending a 29-year family dynasty in the Caribbean republic. 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