Briefs

Unions serve claims on China Harbour to represent workers on Highway 2000 project

The Bustamante Industrial Trade Union (BITU) and the Union of Clerical, Administrative and Supervisory Employees (UCASE) have served claims for bargaining rights on the management of China Harbour Engineering Company Limited.

The unions are seeking to represent workers on the May Pen to Williamsfield leg of Highway 2000 in which China Harbour has been contracted by the Jamaican Government to carryout works.

In a letter dated April 26, to Dangran Bi, China Harbour’s country manager in Jamaica, the unions have informed the company that the workers have mandated them to make representation of their behalf on all matters pertaining to wages and working conditions.

The unions have informed China Harbour that they are seeking the company’s cooperation in recognising them under the Labour Relations and Industrial Dispute Act of 1975, either by consent or allow the Ministry of Labour and Social Security to conduct a poll among the workers.

Since the commencement of the project, the workers have staged demonstrations complaining that the terms and conditions are less favourable than what they received when the first leg of Highway 2000 was constructed under the management of the French contractor, Bouygues.

The unions have also copied the Ministry of Labour and Social Security on the matter.

Woman sentenced to 24 months for laundering proceeds from lottery scam

A United States judge on Thursday sentenced Shanelle Bailey, 23, a Jamaican-born woman living in Provo, Utah, to two years in prison for laundering funds in a lottery scam scheme.

She previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering.

Bailey participated in a scheme where Jamaican-based scammers called elderly victims in the United States, claiming the victims had won a lottery.

To receive their winnings, the victims were told they must first pay money for taxes and fees.

Bailey’s role in this scheme was to launder the fraudulent proceeds for fellow co-conspirators in Jamaica. The loss suffered by the victims exceeded US$600,000.

As part of her sentence, Bailey will also be required to pay restitution in the amount of US$80,850 to the victims in the case.