Before the sun broke through the morning mist last Sunday, the roadway flanked by farmlands in New Forest was already alive. More than 120 runners and walkers – students, teachers, and corporate teams – gathered at New Forest High School (NFHS) for the institution’s second annual 5K Run/Walk, an event with a mission far beyond fitness. The funds raised will establish a staff welfare fund, a direct response to the growing pressures facing educators and ancillary workers within the institution.

The family of seven-month-old Anna-Olivia Gardener has expressed relief and joy after the child, who is affected by Trisomy 13 (Patau syndrome), was given a new start date of May 11 to begin early stimulation. In January, Anna-Olivia had been assigned a December 2027 start date for treatment at the Kingston-based, government-run Early Stimulation Programme (ESP), an almost two-year wait. Early stimulation of the brain is a critical part of development for infants affected in the way Anna-Olivia is.

WESTERN BUREAU: Attorneys representing Adam Stewart have welcomed last week’s Supreme Court ruling striking out an application by executors of the estate of Gordon ‘Butch’ Stewart, arguing that the decision removes a key obstacle to the transfer of shares to the hotelier’s son. “This judgment is significant. Butch Stewart died over five years ago. In his uncontested will, he left a majority interest in the ATL Group to Adam,” said Conrad George, partner at Hart Muirhead Fatta.

When Member of Parliament for St Andrew South Western Dr Angela Brown Burke hoisted the mace from “under the table” while the committee of the whole House examined the controversial National Reconstruction and Resilience Authority (NaRRA) bill on Tuesday, there was a predictable outcome – chaos ensued.

WESTERN BUREAU: Despite still feeling the impact of Hurricane Melissa, which devastated Jamaica last October, the 2026 sitting of the Primary Exit Profile (PEP) examinations started smoothly across western Jamaica yesterday, with students, parents, and teachers expressing confidence and relief. Dominic Robinson, the 12-year-old head boy at Chetwood Memorial Primary School in St James, told The Gleaner that he felt confident about his chances of passing, despite feeling nervous about the examinations hours earlier.

A domestic dispute between a father and a son turned deadly in a quiet farming community in Mountainside, St Elizabeth, on Tuesday afternoon. Dead is Gary Allwood, a 53-year-old farmer, who was reportedly stabbed multiple times inside his home by his 19-year-old son, said to be mentally challenged. The teenager is now in police custody as investigations continue. Reports are that some time after 1 p.m., an argument developed between the two at their residence after the father reportedly instructed his son to take some prescribed medication.

Focused on revenue recovery, the Jamaica Customs Agency (JCA) has launched an audit of the last three years to assess breaches by the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI) involving misuse of its tax-exempt status to import goods for private companies. JCA Acting CEO Kirk Benjamin told Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Tuesday that if the probe uncovers fraudulent activities, the agency would extend its investigations to the last seven years.

WESTERN BUREAU: A Caymanian government official is urging Caribbean countries to provide stronger support to regulatory bodies, saying that underinvestment in these institutions could undermine the region’s development ambitions. Speaking at the 20th Organisation of Caribbean Utility Regulators (OCCUR) Conference in Trelawny, Rolston Anglin, the minister of finance and economic development, education and training in the Cayman Islands, said governments must deepen their engagement with regulators and recognise their critical economic role.

WESTERN BUREAU: Andrew Wheatley, minister without portfolio with responsibility for science, technology, and special projects, has warned that the Caribbean’s energy transition and digital transformation has moved “from aspirational to urgent” and is calling on regional regulators to act with greater foresight and collaboration.

Arguing that Jamaica’s education system was gradually collapsing, Opposition Spokesman on Education Damion Crawford on Tuesday announced that he has taken the Government to court to defend the constitutional rights of children at the pre-primary and primary levels.

After experiencing the COVID-19 pandemic, thousands of primary school students will tomorrow sit the Primary Exit Profile (PEP) examinations just six months after the catastrophic Category 5 Hurricane Melissa brought another abrupt pause to their primary school education. PEP is Jamaica’s national assessment system which is used to place students in secondary schools.

The image of his house being submerged in floodwaters still plagues 79-year-old Leebert Campbell, even haunting him in his dreams. His home – located on Gibson Close, off Ward Avenue in Mandeville, Manchester – was one of three that were swamped when Hurricane Melissa unleashed up to 40 inches of rainfall on the island six months ago.

WESTERN BUREAU: Seventy-year-old Parotte fisherman Basil Bennett said he stood in stunned disbelief and watched his home collapse under the brutal force of Hurricane Melissa’s Category 5 winds as it ripped through St Elizabeth last October. “It wasn’t pretty, but I lived it out,” Bennett said, reflecting on the moment his decades-built dwelling gave way to the storm’s intensity. He recalled that as the approaching hurricane strengthened, normal life quickly turned into survival.

Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness is expected today to respond to mounting concerns over the proposed National Reconstruction and Resilience Authority (NaRRA) bill, a sweeping piece of legislation that has drawn criticism from civil society groups, a government lawmaker, and the parliamentary Opposition. At Gordon House, Holness faces three main options: push the bill through unchanged, agree to amendments, or refer it to a joint select committee for further review.

WESTERN BUREAU: Six months after the devastation of Hurricane Melissa, residents of the small coastal community of Parottee in St Elizabeth say their most urgent needs are the restoration of electricity and access to water, as recovery continues at a slow pace. “We have a big issue here with water and light, but water is our main issue, and water is life,” said Sandra Linton-Jones, a 62-year-old fish vendor who sells at the Black River Fish Market.

The Board and members of Peace and Love in Society (PALS) Jamaica is mourning the death of 13-year-old Kland Doyle, a Seaforth High School student fatally stabbed last week following a long-standing dispute with a schoolmate that families on both sides say could have been resolved. “We are equally troubled by the viral footage of a violent assault at Jamaica College,” stated PALS, a non-profit organisation dedicated to promoting peaceful conflict resolution and respectful communication in schools and communities across Jamaica.

Two St Catherine men, who had spent more than 15 years behind bars for the killing of a mother of five in Central Village, were on Friday freed after the Court of Appeal quashed their murder convictions. The men, Kimarley Fortella and Kestner Murray, had been in custody since November 2010 and were convicted in 2014 for the murder of 35-year-old Corrine Johnson, otherwise called ‘Debby’. Johnson was shot and killed at her home in Central Village on January 14, 2010.

The Government’s push to provide free cervical cancer screening for women and raise awareness during April is showing results, with some clinics reporting that they have exceeded their screening targets. The South East Regional Health Authority (SEHRA), in a release promoting the service, said cancer of the cervix is one of the most common cancers among Jamaican women. Most cases are associated with the Human Papillomavirus (HPV), which is sexually transmitted through skin-to-skin contact.

A 61-year-old Colombian national was gunned down in a brazen attack at Kensington Court in New Kingston on Friday night, in what investigators believe may be linked to transnational organised criminal activity. The deceased has been identified as Julian Lopez. The killing, which occurred at about 9:40 p.m., has intensified concerns about a recent flare-up of violent incidents in the commercial hub, even as security forces maintain that the latest case appears isolated from other recent murders in the area.

During four days on a cardboard bed in the Half-Way Tree lock-up –in a 31-year-old case that has lingered in the system since 1995 – Courtney Anderson was introduced to the rats that patrol the cells, biting and searching for scraps from those behind bars. Fixing his mind on surviving cell life until he was bailed, he said he was unprepared for the nightly rodent patrol.

Rising fuel prices amid the US-Israel war against Iran are now threatening school attendance, with transportation emerging as the primary concern for administrators across the island. Several school leaders say they are bracing for increased absenteeism, as some parents – particularly in rural communities – consider sending children to school only a few days per week instead of daily as transport costs increase. Others warn that a return to online learning, similar to the COVID-19 pandemic, could become necessary if petrol prices continue to rise.

Penile cancer, a rare but serious disease often linked to the human papillomavirus (HPV), is leaving some Jamaican men facing devastating consequences, including the loss of their penis and the end of their ability to father children. Consultant urologist Dr Elon Thompson told The Sunday Gleaner that while penile cancer is not as common as prostate cancer in men or cervical cancer in women, local cases have been recorded, with some requiring complete surgical removal of the organ.

Influential leaders in the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) are confident that the current division within the 15 full-member bloc will not fracture the regional body, even as an active search continues for a consensus candidate to replace Dr Carla Barnett, whose position as secretary-general has become untenable. The Sunday Gleaner was told that no consensus candidate has yet emerged, and no timeline has been set for resolving the impasse.

An “irregular” recruitment exercise at the National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA) has triggered a two-year impasse between the entity’s executive director and its internal audit manager, creating a “hostile” working environment. The conclusion was reached by the Ministry of Local Government and Community Development’s chief internal auditor, following a complaint that the outcome of a selection process to fill an assistant auditor position was altered in favour of a candidate who was outscored by another.

An internal audit has uncovered irregular human resource practices at the National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA), including the appointment of four senior directors who did not meet the minimum qualification requirements. These positions carry a combined annual salary of $43 million.

Western Bureau: As Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett tours hospitality properties along Jamaica’s south coast to assess recovery efforts and reinforce the sector’s readiness to welcome international visitors, industry stakeholders are warning that global uncertainty is dampening bookings and occupancy levels.

Kathryn Silvera, president of the Jamaica Manufacturers and Exporters Association (JMEA), says the organisation is relying on guidance from regulators as concerns grow over contaminated sugar linked to Pan Caribbean Sugar Company. “Pan Caribbean would be the manufacturer of the sugar in this instance, and so they would supply a number of different entities, people who might be using sugar as a raw material to bake or for other items, distributors, or those who buy in bulk and then repackage,” Silvera said.

The ganja fraternity in Jamaica, while welcoming the recent decision by the United States (US) Department of Justice to reclassify certain cannabis products, is urging local producers to see it as both an opportunity and a warning. Maurice Ellis, head of the Ganja Growers’ Association of Jamaica, said in a statement to The Gleaner that the reclassification under the United States Controlled Substances Act changes the operating environment for the global cannabis industry, and Jamaican farmers need to interpret it carefully.

Local contractors are being urged to make the necessary investment in their companies to effectively compete for large-scale government projects. Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness made the suggestion while speaking at the National Housing Trust (NHT) groundbreaking ceremony for the Galina housing development in St Mary yesterday.

King’s Counsel Peter Champagnie is calling for restraint in public discussion surrounding the firearm case involving popular podcaster Jhaedee Richards and music producer Jahvel Morrison, after both men were yesterday granted $1.5 million bail in the Gun Court. Speaking with The Gleaner following the hearing, Champagnie, who represents Morrison, popularly known as ‘Jahvy Ambassador’, alongside attorneys Richard Lynch and Sayeed Bernard, said public commentary on the matter should not undermine the court proceedings.

The state-led Airports Authority of Jamaica (AAJ) wants a consulting firm to develop a master plan for Sangster International Airport to span the next two decades for the nation’s largest gateway. The project comes as Hurricane Melissa last October led to travel disruption and contributed to the reduction in airport revenue.

WESTERN BUREAU: Creativity, sustainability and community spirit took centre stage as Savanna-la-Mar Inclusive Academy in Westmoreland hosted its first-ever Ecofest earlier this week in celebration of Earth Day, showcasing student innovation and environmental awareness. From recycled musical instruments to hydroponic farming displays, students across all grade levels demonstrated what they have learned about sustainability through hands-on projects, impressing parents, teachers and community partners alike.

WESTERN BUREAU: As the local tourism and hospitality sector continues to rebound from Hurricane Melissa, Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett says the National Reconstruction and Resilience Authority (NaRRA) bill will be the reset to unlock full transformation on the south coast tourism corridor. Bartlett, who toured the south coast corridor on Thursday, said the legislation, which is now in its final stages of debate in Parliament, will provide the legal and institutional framework for what the Government is calling the “reimagining of tourism”, following the hurricane.

A Jamaican farm worker who said his recall to a New York farm was delayed in 2024 after he supported union activity has won his case before the New York State Public Employment Relations Board (PERB). Owen Salmon brought the complaint against Wafler Farms with the backing of the United Farm Workers of America (UFW), which filed initial unfair labour practice charges in July 2023 and added him in one of several later amendments.

WESTERN BUREAU: The Ministry of Health & Wellness has ordered an immediate halt to the production, distribution, and sale of sugar from Pan-Caribbean Sugar Company Limited (PCSC) after preliminary tests detected metal fragments in the packaged sugar. Additionally, batch codes ‘01 2029’ to ‘01 2028’ have been identified in a recall of packaged sugar produced by the company. This specific batch, according to the company, has been the only set in circulation since January 2026.