Morning Bites: 5 things to know for Thursday: Food Awards 2023; STEM scholarships; Gas prices; Clovis Toon; Breaking News and more

Morning Bites: 5 things to know for Thursday, June 29, 2023 Observer Food Awards at Devon House The 24th staging of the [Jamaica Observer Table Talk Food Awards will be held this evening at Devon House](. Edmond Lam, founder of the iconic Jade Garden Restaurant, and Paul Salmon, chairman and CEO of the award-winning Rockhouse Hotel and its sister property Skylark Negril Beach Resort, are the recipients of the top two honours at this year's staging of the prestigous event honouring culinary excellence. Lam will be presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award while Salmon will accept the Chairman's Award. Police sergeant charged with rape to know fate today The police sergeant who is [accused of raping and abducting a 16-year-old girl in 2019]( will know his fate today when he returns to the Home Circuit Court in downtown Kingston. The policeman, Christopher Bennett, who is represented by attorney-at-law Peter Champagnie, was stationed at the Denham Town Police Station in West Kingston at the time of the alleged incident. According to allegations, on June 17, 2019, Bennett offered the complainant a ride from the station and, against her will, took her to the Palisadoes main road in East Kingston, where he sexually assaulted her. Motorists to pay less at the pumps Motorists will pay less for fuel at the pumps as of today, according to the latest price listing from Petrojam, the state-owned oil refinery. [See list of prices here](. Advertisement STEM Scholarship Programme launch The STEM Scholarship Programme, through which [full tuition scholarships will be granted to some 1,250 new student-teachers]( at The Mico University College, will be officially launched today. The programme, which was born out of a partnership between the Students Loan Bureau and The Mico, was first announced by Finance and the Public Service Minister Dr Nigel Clarke, during his budget debate presentation in March. Clarke said the Government believes Jamaica's workforce must increase its level of STEM attainment to ensure that the nation is globally competitive. New General Manager for Petrojam There will be a new general manager of the state-owned oil refinery Petrojam, as of August 1. He is career employee Telroy Morgan. Petrojam disclosed on Wednesday that the contractual arrangement of longstanding general manager, Winston Watson, will end on July 31. The company said the two men will use the intervening weeks to work together for a smooth transition. The refinery stated that Morgan emerged as the successful candidate from a field of 115 applicants after an extensive recruitment process, with the post being advertised locally, regionally, and internationally. He has worked in the oil and gas industry for over 28 years and his credentials include an MSc in Chemical Engineering and an MBA in Management. ICYMI: WHILE YOU WERE SLEEPING Reggae Boyz beat T&T 4-1 in Gold Cup Jamaica’s Reggae Boyz all but booked a place in the second round of the Concacaf Gold Cup after [beating Trinidad and Tobago 4-1]( in their Zone A game played at City Park in St Louis, Missouri on Wednesday. WATCH: Outpouring of love at funeral service for businessman Lascelles Chin There was an outpouring of love at the [funeral service for founder and executive chairman of the Lasco Group of Companies, Lascelles Chin]( at the Cathedral of the Most Holy Trinity on Wednesday. Kingston emerging as fastest-growing destination in the Caribbean Despite heavy competition globally, [Kingston is emerging as the fastest-growing individual destination in the Caribbean]( this summer, according to a recent report from ForwardKeys, a leading international travel analytics firm. CLOVIS TOON TODAY IN HISTORY Ponzi scheme architect Madoff sentenced On this day in 2009, disgraced financier Bernard Madoff received a 150-year sentence for his multibillion-dollar fraud. (Madoff died in prison in April 2021.) 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](.