The head of the Jamaica Army, Rear Admiral Hardley Lewin, yesterday described the Jamaica Labour Party West Kingston enclave of Tivioli Gardens as the "the mother of all garrisons", as he defended Tuesday's joint police military operation in the community, in which police and soldiers said they were in pursuit of men wanted for the killing of three cops earlier in the year.

The Trinity (VP/Atlantic), the latest offering from Sean Paul, has topped the Reggae charts, selling over 107,000 in its first week.

A major joint operation between the military and police which began at 4 a.m. in Tivoli Gardens, West Kingston today, reportedly resulted in the detention of a prominent businessman and an area leader.

Damian 'Jr. Gong'' Marley made history yesterday when his Ghetto Youths/Tuff Gong/Universal Records release Welcome To Jamrock entered the Billboard Top 200 Albums Chart at number seven, selling over 85,000 units and making it the biggest opening week for a reggae artiste in the history of the Billboard Top 200 Albums Chart.

Reggae artiste Buju Banton was on Wednesday offered bail in the sum of $50,000 after he pleaded not guilty to a charge of assault in the night court section of the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate's Court.

KINGSTON, Jamaica (AP) - An artist who designed several album covers for late reggae star Bob Marley was among a group recognized by Jamaica's government in a ceremony marking the island's independence anniversary.

They say that a cat has nine lives, meaning that it survives many a close encounter of the deadly kind. Whether or not deejay Supercat has the proverbial nine lives remains to be seen, but his long-lasting musical life is a phenomenon in Jamaica.

I-Wayne takes no prisoners with his music, and he is taking none regarding a recent tune recorded by Trinidadian artiste Bunji Garlin about comments he had made about calypso music in an international magazine.

Singjay Sizzla, whose career has been dogged by legal controversies in recent months, is likely not to perform on Red Stripe Reggae Sumfest next year, the sponsors and organisers have hinted.

A five year buggery case against two prominent Manchester men climaxed in the Manchester Circuit Court on Thursday, when both were found guilty by Her Ladyship Ingrid Mangatal.