The Court of Appeal has found that the Financial Services Commission (FSC) had no proper basis to seize Stocks and Securities Limited (SSL) in January 2023. “The FSC failed at this first hurdle,” Justice Kissock Laing wrote in the court’s judgment, handed down on Friday, “since these were predicated on a necessary foundation that was, in fact, non-existent.”

Former Prime Minister Bruce Golding has defended the cautious approach Caribbean governments have taken in dealing with the Donald Trump administration, pointing out that a wrong move could result in retaliation.

The grief was almost too much for Bartholomew Brown to bear. The father of 43-year-old musician and actor Brian Todd Boucher, better known by his stage name ‘Ras Ajai’, said the news that his son had been shot dead on Saturday night came as a devastating blow, leaving the family struggling to process the tragedy. Boucher’s death comes just two years after a major milestone in his career, when he appeared in the acclaimed Hollywood biopic Bob Marley: One Love, portraying reputed gangster and Marley associate Claude Massop.

Former Prime Minister Bruce Golding has renewed his criticism of the United States’ (US) approach to Jamaica and the wider Caribbean, arguing that Washington’s recent demands and policies are putting smaller states under increasing pressure and do not reflect the actions of a true friend. Golding, who has been warning since earlier this year that Caribbean countries are being forced to navigate an increasingly difficult geopolitical environment, said the region’s response must be measured because of its economic vulnerability.

Ruel Hudson is a jack of all trades. He also sometimes operates as a taxi driver, using his Subaru Imprezza to earn an income. That work comes at a steep cost. A regular visitor to his mechanic in Spanish Town, Hudson estimates that he spends upwards of $50,000 every two weeks repairing damage to his vehicle, much of it caused by Jamaica’s deteriorating road network. Even as he welcomes the recent road improvements, he said it cannot erase the financial pain inflicted by years of driving on battered roads.

WESTERN BUREAU: While some administrators of Hurricane Melissa-battered schools don’t anticipate any major shifts in numbers in their customary intake of new students for the upcoming academic year, there is still concern about the slow pace of restoration. Anniona Jones, president of the Jamaica Association of Principals of Secondary Schools (JAPSS), told The Sunday Gleaner that there is still a lack of urgency to execute contracts to repairs some schools devastated by the Category 5 hurricane on October 28, 2025.

When St Catherine mother T.K. Gentles* handed over $3,500 to secure a transfer for her son to Cumberland High School, she knew the money did not guarantee success. But for her, it was a risk worth taking. More than two weeks after beginning the process, Gentles finally received the answer she had been waiting for. Her 15-year-old son had been accepted.

WESTERN BUREAU: Executive Chef Maurice Mullings will take Jamaican cuisine to China this week, leading the island’s first official food festival in Beijing as Jamaica celebrates its 64th anniversary of Independence. For Mullings, executive chef at S Hotel Montego Bay, the assignment is unlike any he has undertaken. “I’m excited about the prospects and I’m committed to leaving an indelible mark in China,” he told The Sunday Gleaner ahead of his departure.

Delta Capital Partners, the investment firm facing criminal charges in Jamaica for alleged regulatory breaches, had assets up to December 2023 that were valued at one-third of its over US$15.4 million or J$2.3 billion in liabilities, a financial disclosure form filed in court has revealed. Promissory notes accounted for US$14 million or approximately J$2.1 billion in the liabilities while “payables” accounted for US$1.4 million or J$227 million, according to a statement of financial position the company filed in court and obtained by The Sunday Gleaner.

Ruel Hudson is a jack of all trades. He also sometimes operates as a taxi driver, using his Subaru Imprezza to earn an income. That work comes at a steep cost. A regular visitor to his mechanic in Spanish Town, Hudson estimates that he spends upwards of $50,000 every two weeks repairing damage to his vehicle, much of it caused by Jamaica’s deteriorating road network. Even as he welcomes the recent road improvements, he said it cannot erase the financial pain inflicted by years of driving on battered roads.

WESTERN BUREAU: While some administrators of Hurricane Melissa-battered schools don’t anticipate any major shifts in numbers in their customary intake of new students for the upcoming academic year, there is still concern about the slow pace of restoration. Anniona Jones, president of the Jamaica Association of Principals of Secondary Schools (JAPSS), told The Sunday Gleaner that there is still a lack of urgency to execute contracts to repairs some schools devastated by the Category 5 hurricane on October 28, 2025.

When St Catherine mother T.K. Gentles* handed over $3,500 to secure a transfer for her son to Cumberland High School, she knew the money did not guarantee success. But for her, it was a risk worth taking. More than two weeks after beginning the process, Gentles finally received the answer she had been waiting for. Her 15-year-old son had been accepted.

WESTERN BUREAU: Executive Chef Maurice Mullings will take Jamaican cuisine to China this week, leading the island’s first official food festival in Beijing as Jamaica celebrates its 64th anniversary of Independence. For Mullings, executive chef at S Hotel Montego Bay, the assignment is unlike any he has undertaken. “I’m excited about the prospects and I’m committed to leaving an indelible mark in China,” he told The Sunday Gleaner ahead of his departure.

Delta Capital Partners, the investment firm facing criminal charges in Jamaica for alleged regulatory breaches, had assets up to December 2023 that were valued at one-third of its over US$15.4 million or J$2.3 billion in liabilities, a financial disclosure form filed in court has revealed. Promissory notes accounted for US$14 million or approximately J$2.1 billion in the liabilities while “payables” accounted for US$1.4 million or J$227 million, according to a statement of financial position the company filed in court and obtained by The Sunday Gleaner.

The Court of Appeal has found no error in Supreme Court Justice Althea Jarrett’s decision rejecting Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness’ bid to strike out portions of an affidavit filed by a senior Integrity Commission (IC) official, ruling that the disputed material was relevant and neither scandalous, frivolous nor vexatious.

The basketball court in Majesty Gardens, St Andrew, was largely undeveloped when 31-year-old Andre Moore started playing the game there about two decades ago. However, he said the long hours he spent on the fenceless “rockie rockie” court in the inner-city community not only honed his skills in the sport, but also effectively steered him away from juvenile delinquency.

WESTERN BUREAU: Bad road conditions along the main road in Hanover’s capital, Lucea, are once again causing lengthy delays, with what would normally be a three-minute drive through the town now taking up to 45 minutes. That situation may soon be alleviated as Member of Parliament for Hanover Western, Heatha Miller-Bennett, told The Gleaner that she will once again attempt a temporary fix of that section of the road, with work slated to begin tomorrow.

There was a morning when Marvin Whyte’s mother searched desperately for money to send him to school. She found just $50, enough to pay his bus fare but not enough to buy lunch. “There were days when lunch money was a luxury,” Whyte recalled. “She had nothing left for lunch, so I had to find a way to get through the day. Yet, despite our circumstances, she never allowed me to miss school.”

Health and Wellness Minister Dr Christopher Tufton has hailed the newly inaugurated Oasis Imaging and MRI Centre as an important addition to Jamaica’s healthcare landscape, commending its investment in advanced diagnostic technology, compassionate customer service and high-quality patient care. The facility, located on Half-Way Tree Road in St Andrew, is equipped with artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled diagnostic imaging technology and offers access to MRI services within 24 to 48 hours.

The Court of Appeal has found no error in Supreme Court Justice Althea Jarrett’s decision rejecting Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness’ bid to strike out portions of an affidavit filed by a senior Integrity Commission (IC) official, ruling that the disputed material was relevant and neither scandalous, frivolous nor vexatious.

The basketball court in Majesty Gardens, St Andrew, was largely undeveloped when 31-year-old Andre Moore started playing the game there about two decades ago. However, he said the long hours he spent on the fenceless “rockie rockie” court in the inner-city community not only honed his skills in the sport, but also effectively steered him away from juvenile delinquency.

The Government is not ruling out implementing a prohibition order against water wasting to mitigate against drought conditions that are expected to continue into the next three months. Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, Minister of Water, Environment and Climate Change Matthew Samuda announced that the prohibition will take effect on August 10, saying the measure is essential to ensuring a smooth start to the new academic year.

Michael Ricketts, president of the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF), said he is confident his directors will vote to reject FIFA President Giovanni Infantino’s ‘FIFA Forward Enterprise’ proposal when it convenes for an emergency meeting at midday today. Ricketts, who also serves as a vice-president of the Caribbean Football Union (CFU), said opposition to the proposal is widespread across the global football community, including within both the CFU and Concacaf. Based on discussions with regional officials and his own directors, he expects Jamaica to join that opposition.

WESTERN BUREAU: Fisherfolk in the Lucea area of Hanover now have a better chance of promoting environmental sustainability with the official opening of The Lucea Fish Sanctuary, and an office from which that operation will be monitored. The office is located in the Elgin Town area. However, the gazetted boundaries of the fish sanctuary – which brings to 20 the number of such facilities in Jamaica – stretch from the former molasses shipping pier in Elgin Town, Hanover, going easterly to include a cove opposite the OceanPointe Housing Scheme.

WESTERN BUREAU: Drawing on the bruising constitutional challenge against her tenure as Jamaica’s chief prosecutor, Paula Llewellyn on Wednesday urged educators still bouncing back from Hurricane Melissa not to succumb to adversity, noting that true leaders cannot afford to become victims of their circumstances.

Two police officers and a former serving member of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF), who was arrested last week at the Norman Manley International Airport, were on Thursday dragged before the court to answer to murder in connection with the 2023 fatal shooting of Nicholas Miller.

The Government is not ruling out implementing a prohibition order against water wasting to mitigate against drought conditions that are expected to continue into the next three months. Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, Minister of Water, Environment and Climate Change Matthew Samuda announced that the prohibition will take effect on August 10, saying the measure is essential to ensuring a smooth start to the new academic year.

Michael Ricketts, president of the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF), said he is confident his directors will vote to reject FIFA President Giovanni Infantino’s ‘FIFA Forward Enterprise’ proposal when it convenes for an emergency meeting at midday today. Ricketts, who also serves as a vice-president of the Caribbean Football Union (CFU), said opposition to the proposal is widespread across the global football community, including within both the CFU and Concacaf. Based on discussions with regional officials and his own directors, he expects Jamaica to join that opposition.

Four community spaces in violence-prone communities are to undergo renovation under a J$36.8-million initiative aimed at strengthening community safety, expanding opportunities for at-risk youth and supporting violence-prevention efforts. The Community Space Renovation Initiative, scheduled to be officially launched tomorrow, is being implemented by the Pan American Development Foundation (PADF) in partnership with the Jamaica Constabulary Force.

Just over $1.3 billion is being invested in the reconstruction and expansion of two hurricane-ravaged schools in Westmoreland, Education Minister Dr Dana Morris Dixon indicated during a back-to-school readiness tour on Tuesday. The larger share, nearly $1 billion, is being spent on Unity Primary School, while $302 million has been allocated to Petersfield Primary School, where the minister acknowledged that students will still have to contend with some disruption when the new academic year begins in September amid continuing construction.

Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness has dismissed assertions that the practice of installing commemorative plaques on homes distributed under the New Social Housing Programme (NSHP) dehumanises beneficiaries and robs them of their dignity. Speaking yesterday at the Howard Avenue Apartments opening ceremony in St Andrew, Holness said there is a collective sense of pride in using taxpayers’ money to build homes for the country’s most vulnerable.

The regulatory body responsible for Jamaica’s national data protection regime has said it will require another two years before it is in a position to fully enforce the Data Protection Act (DPA), which was passed by Parliament in 2020. Established under the DPA, the Office of the Information Commissioner (OIC) is responsible for overseeing the use of personal data and addressing breaches as outlined in the law.

WESTERN BUREAU: The granting of Jamaica’s first casino gaming licence is expected to pave the way for additional integrated resort developments (IRDs), with at least three other investors, including for the proposed Hard Rock Hotel in St James, already expressing interest in entering the sector.

Montego Bay High School for Girls’ Thaejadore Kerr has been named Jamaica’s Junior Minister of Tourism after emerging victorious in the finals of the Minister of Tourism Public Speaking Competition. The 14-year-old topped a field that included Manning’s School’s Govaunia James, who finished second, and Glenmuir High School’s Nathan Clarke, who placed third. The finals were held at Sandals Ochi Beach Resort in Ocho Rios, St Ann last Friday. Kerr will now represent Jamaica at the Caribbean Tourism Organization’s (CTO’s) regional finals in Guyana later this year.