Senior Gleaner journalist Kimone Francis says being named the 2025 Journalist of the Year is a prestigious honour, but is not her “North Star”. “Knowing that a story helped a family find justice or brought resources to a neglected community provides a level of fulfilment that a title cannot replicate,” Francis said yesterday. Her award is among 20 the RJRGLEANER Communications Group took home during the Press Association of Jamaica’s (PAJ) annual national awards ceremony held in St Andrew on Saturday.

Seeing colleague journalists struggle quietly with medical challenges and other personal crises is what moved veteran practitioner Janet Silvera to propose a welfare fund for Jamaican journalists. Silvera, who is also an entrepreneur, will make the first contribution of $1 million to the Journalism Welfare Fund from the proceeds of the Jill Stewart Mobay City Run she founded. “Over the years, I have watched too many colleagues struggle quietly when illness or personal crises strike,” she told The Gleaner yesterday.

The Jamaica Libraries and Information Network (JAMLIN), an arm of the National Library of Jamaica (NLJ), has launched a Jamaican Sign Language (JSL) training initiative aimed at strengthening accessibility and inclusion across Jamaica’s library network. The programme, titled ‘Bridging the Gap: One Sign at a Time’, was officially launched on March 2 during a ceremony held at The University of the West Indies, Mona campus.

Defence attorney Hugh Wildman has urged the court to exclude the testimony of a key prosecution witness in the trial of six policemen charged in connection with the January 2013 fatal shooting of three men on Acadia Drive in St Andrew, arguing that the evidence was “tainted and unlawfully obtained”. Wildman told the court that the evidence of the female eyewitness should be “totally” struck from the record because she participated in a meeting with the prosecutor and another witness shortly before she took the witness stand.

Months after Hurricane Melissa tore through western Jamaica, administrators and students at several special-needs institutions remain in a desperate battle for survival, grappling with a sluggish recovery that threatens to derail the education of the nation’s most vulnerable learners. One St Elizabeth-based early childhood institution has remained shuttered since the passage of the devastating storm, whose name the World Meteorological Organization last week struck from its list, while another institution in St Ann has phased its opening.

WESTERN BUREAU: With restoration work in Phase Two of the Estuary Housing Scheme in St James now at an advanced stage, some residents last Thursday indicated that their fears about being caught in a compromised situation during the next hurricane season have been allayed. Following Hurricane Melissa last October, floodwaters caused a section of the community to collapse, transforming part of the road into a 60- to 70-foot-deep ditch, leaving sewage and water pipes either busted or protruding.

WESTERN BUREAU: On Christmas morning 2025, while most families were at home, possibly gathered around their trees or opening presents, certified nurse practitioner and devoted caregiver Rose Marie Glaze was on the streets of Montego Bay searching for a homeless man. Glaze, in the spirit of goodwill associated with Christmas, wanted to give the man, identified as Kemeila Campbell a proper Christmas at her home, with her family. The plan was that after Christmas, she would return him to the streets, which he had made his home.

Today, for International Women’s Day and through the 2026 theme ‘Give To Gain’, the world is being encouraged to take on a mindset of generosity and collaboration, recognising that when people, organisations, and communities give generously, opportunities and support for women increase. According to www.internationalwomensday.com, “Whether through donations, knowledge, resources, infrastructure, visibility, advocacy, education, training, mentoring, or time, contributing to women’s advancement helps create a more supportive and interconnected world.

An invoice that was presented to customs officials detailing medical equipment and office furniture purchased in the name of the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI) for US$251,582 or almost J$40 million, listed the hospital’s address as ‘18¾ Lyndhurst Road’, documents reviewed by The Sunday Gleaner have revealed.

James Harvey*, 54, still moves as though he is standing behind a towering sound system. Sometimes he rocks from side to side, blurting intros to dancehall hits as if the speakers are still thumping behind him. Nearby, Keith Dempson*, 62, straightens his posture and slips into a different performance. “Attention please,” he announces in a crisp, practised tone – the voice of a man who once directed passengers through departure gates at the Norman Manley International Airport (NMIA).

Jamaica’s decision to end its 50-year medical cooperation with Cuba has triggered concerns about how the move might impact the country’s bilateral medical scholarship programme, with at least one scholarship recipient already making contingency plans should the initiative also be scrapped. “I pray it doesn’t have to get to that point,” the student, who requested anonymity, told The Gleaner. The student, who has been studying medicine in Cuba under the scholarship for almost two years, said she and her parents have begun exploring other options.

Criminologist and forensic-reconstruction expert, Dr Jason McKay, has stated that Jamaica needs to be thankful, proud and supportive of the various state agencies’ collective roles that led to former Member of Parliament (MP) Jolyan Silvera pleading guilty to manslaughter after initially declaring innocence in the killing of his wife, Melissa. Silvera was yesterday sentenced to almost 21 years in prison for his wife’s death.

Chief Justice Bryan Sykes said former Member of Parliament Jolyan Silvera’s guilty plea to manslaughter came only after careful consideration of forensic evidence, describing it as “more strategic than remorseful”. On Friday, the 54-year-old was sentenced to 20 years and 10 months in prison for manslaughter and 20 years for using a firearm to commit a felony, with both sentences to run concurrently. He is eligible for parole after serving 13 years.

Expressing deep regret over the termination of its near 50-year-old bilateral medical brigade programme with Jamaica, Cuba in a statement yesterday reaffirmed its commitment to the Jamaican people while making it clear that it believed the move by the Dr Andrew Holness administration was a result of pressure from the United States (US). The statement from Cuba came after claims from Jamaican government officials earlier in the week that the two countries were unable to reach consensus on a new memorandum of understanding (MOU) for the programme.

The family of Melissa Silvera say they are not pleased with the possibility that her widower, former Member of Parliament (MP) Jolyan Silvera, could be eligible for parole after being sentenced to nearly 21 years for her death.

Acting Principal of Godfrey Stewart High School Stacey-Ann Ottey Clarke says the school’s administration is disappointed after state agencies failed to honour a January deadline to remove hurricane-impacted shelterees from the school’s compound. A total of 10 people are still being housed at the school, down from 300 in the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Melissa, the Category 5 storm that ravaged the island on October 28 last year and displaced thousands.

WESTERN BUREAU: Governor General Sir Patrick Allen, the chief scout of Jamaica, is calling for young Jamaicans to embrace the principles of scouting, not just in uniform but in their daily lives. Addressing the Annual Public Meeting of the Scout Association of Jamaica at King’s House in St Andrew as part of the celebration of Scout Week 2026, Sir Patrick encouraged Scouts of all ages to translate lessons learned in the movement into good citizenship.

Jamaica has closed the door on a 49-year-old bilateral arrangement with Cuba that sent hundreds of Cuban professionals to the island to bolster health infrastructure, bringing services to remote communities. Confirmation of the termination of the programme came Thursday, via a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade. Three senior medical professionals who contacted The Gleaner after the news broke expressed regret and “great pain”, though they admitted that “the writing has been on the wall for several years”.

A prosecution eyewitness in the trial of six policemen charged in the 2013 fatal shooting of three men on Acadia Drive in St Andrew told the Home Circuit Court yesterday that she had no intention of testifying and was “extremely surprised” when she was later called as a witness in the case.

Member of Parliament for St Catherine South East Dr Alfred Dawes is raising concern that the special consumption tax on non-alcoholic sweetened beverages will also affect diet drinks, which are a healthier substitute for consumers. “You are taxing persons who are trying to make healthier choices,” said Dawes, who is also the opposition spokesman on health.

KOLKATA, India (AP): New Zealand opener Finn Allen smashed the fastest-ever century in a T20 World Cup game to help the Kiwis defeat favourites South Africa by nine wickets in the first semi-final yesterday. Allen’s blistering unbeaten 100 off 33 balls featured 10 fours and eight sixes and propelled New Zealand to 173-1 in only 12.5 overs, to end South Africa’s hopes of reaching their second successive final.

Twenty-six-year-old attorney-at-law and journalist Sayeed Bernard is set to make a significant impact in Jamaica’s policy landscape after completing his Master of Laws at Queen Mary University of London. Bernard, a 2024 Chevening Scholar from Linstead, St Catherine, has overcome numerous challenges to reach this milestone while being driven by his mantra: ‘I stop at nothing’. Growing up in a single-parent household, Bernard’s determination and resilience were fuelled by his desire to create a better life for himself and his community.

A prosecution witness yesterday insisted that although she and her partner witnessed parts of the fatal shooting of three men on Acadia Drive in St Andrew in 2013, and later composed a letter about the incident, some details in the document were based on her partner’s observations and not her own. The witness made the clarification as she came under intense cross-examination from defence attorney Hugh Wildman in the Home Circuit Court during the ongoing trial of six policemen charged in connection with the incident.

Fiscal Commissioner Courtney Williams has raised questions about the credibility of aspects of the Government’s 2026-2027 Budget in his Economic and Fiscal Assessment Report (EFAR). In his assessment of the Government’s macroeconomic and fiscal forecasts, the career economist said Jamaica’s fiscal policy remains broadly sustainable, supported by a resilient Fiscal Responsibility Framework and significant disaster-risk financing layers.

As members of parliament (MPs) gear up to pose questions to portfolio ministers today about the Government’s $1.4-trillion Budget during a two-day meeting of Parliament’s Standing Finance Committee, two sector groups have highlighted issues they want addressed during the deliberations.

Western Bureau: Students, teachers, and community members aligned to the Beaufort Primary School and Maud McLeod High School gathered at the Darliston bus park in Westmoreland yesterday in a spirit of togetherness to observe Peace Day 2026. The event, staged under the theme ‘Rebuild Jamaica, Piece by Peace’, saw the Beaufort Primary students starting the day’s activities with their devotion, during which the Maud McLeod students arrived in a peace march from their school grounds.

Nearly a decade after entering into a now-collapsed agreement with used-car importer O’Brien’s International Car Rentals and Sales, the Government of Jamaica is yet to receive 41 vehicles, valued at more than $74 million, for the police force. “The issue remains partially resolved,” the Ministry of National Security and Peace disclosed last Thursday in a response to Gleaner queries. It stated that the “overall status” is that $213,465,200 was paid to O’Brien’s as a 50 per cent downpayment on 200 vehicles.

A homeless man on the run, and another — elderly and recovering from injuries sustained in an attack on East Queen Street in downtown Kingston — have re-ignited outcry against the wanton violence meted out to the country’s most vulnerable. Members of the Kingston and St Andrew Municipal Corporation’s (KSAMC) Poor Relief Department on Monday relocated Alvaro Brevett, 60, from a premises in central Kingston to an infirmary after he was rescued by police during an attack that left him bloodied and bandaged two weeks ago.

The majority of municipal corporations across the country are still struggling to rid themselves of a backlog of outstanding financial statements, which, in some instances, extends to more than a decade ago. However, the Manchester Municipal Corporation was acknowledged for submitting its financial statements with only the current year due. Deputy Auditor General Marlon McAdam told members of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) yesterday that the local authorities had accumulated 95 outstanding financial statements up to March 2025.

The recovery phase triggered by the devastation wrought when Hurricane Melissa ripped through western Jamaica last October is officially coming to an end, with focus now set to be shifted to reconstruction. Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness made the announcement yesterday while warning that penalties will be imposed on persons who misuse government-issued hurricane housing grants. Holness’ disclosure came as he was delivering the keynote address during the official launch of the Chester Creek housing development in Chester Castle, Portmore, St Catherine.

WESTERN BUREAU: The Cornwall Bar Association (CBA) is in mourning after it lost one of its stalwarts yesterday with the death of Judge Sasha-Marie Ashley, the senior parish judge for Hanover. Ashley passed away after a period of illness. Attorney-at-law Michael Hemmings, the president of the CBA, said Ashley, who he described as a friendly and engaging person both inside and outside the courtroom, would be sadly missed.

Western Bureau: A 10,000-foot medical dome, which was slated to be installed on the grounds of the Cornwall Regional Hospital (CRH) in Montego Bay, St James, last month, creating space for approximately 100 additional beds, has still not been installed though the base is ready for use. In his last update on the plan for the dome, Health and Wellness Minister Dr Christopher Tufton had told The Gleaner that it would be flown in once work on the base is finished.

Edmond Campbell/Senior Parliamentary Reporter Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Heroy Clarke received a sharp rebuke from his colleagues last Wednesday for disrupting the proceedings of an oversight committee with “intemperate” remarks. Clarke, a third-term member of parliament (MP), was seemingly agitated by questions posed to the National Water Commission on infrastructure-related matters. He indicated that such queries were misplaced and should be directed to the Infrastructure and Physical Development Committee.

A Jamaican man who awoke to the sound of “thunder-like” explosions in Dubai on Sunday, following a United States (US)-Israeli attack on Iran and its retaliation, says much of what is happening in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is not being televised. Twenty-five-year-old Van Creed, who is pursuing a music career in the city, said loud explosions from missile strikes and interceptions rocked Dubai, causing panic among nationals and foreigners.

With the price of oil and gas now surging on the global market amid the United States’ (US) and Israel’s military offensive against Iran – and Tehran in turn bombarding the oil- and gas-producing Gulf states – one local economist is of the view that small island developing countries like Jamaica, with a heavy dependence on imports, are set to be disproportionately affected.