WESTERN BUREAU: Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA) President O’Brian Heron says he is hopeful that upcoming talks with the Government will influence its decision to increase general consumption tax (GCT) on the tourism sector, which has still not fully recovered from the devastation caused by Hurricane Melissa.

Family, friends and political colleagues gathered at the home of former Speaker of the House Pearnel Charles Sr yesterday to celebrate his 90th birthday, which he officially marks today. Among those joining the celebration were his children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, sons- and daughters-in-law and granddaughter-in-law.

WESTERN BUREAU: Jamaicans are being challenged to break the culture of silence surrounding the abuse of children, with Marisa Dalrymple-Philibert, minister of state in the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, declaring that communities often see the warning signs long before the police do. Dalrymple-Philibert’s impassioned appeal came as 10-year-old Shani Coke, who was raped and murdered in her community of Troy, Trelawny, was being laid to rest.

The Electoral Commission of Jamaica (ECJ) is investigating reports that some electors, particularly in St Mary, have been unable to transfer their votes despite repeated attempts over several years. Central to the issue is the verification process for voter transfers, which requires Electoral Office of Jamaica (EOJ) staff to be accompanied by scrutineers representing the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) and the People’s National Party when they visit an elector’s new address. According to the ECJ, the transfer cannot be completed unless the new residence is verified.

There are fresh calls for greater accountability after more than hundreds Jamaican students failed to show up for this year’s regional examinations, with taxpayers paying the fees for some of the exams. The absenteeism has triggered concern among stakeholders that public money is being wasted on examinations that some candidates simply do not turn up to sit. Data from the Ministry of Education showed that some 4,048 Jamaicans did not show up for the Caribbean Examinations Council’s (CXC) May/June 2026 sitting. Of these, 1,875 were public school candidates.

Daily schooling in the deep rural communities of Baxter’s Mountain and Pleasant Hill in St Mary involves more than books, pencils, uniforms and school supplies. It also requires the will to battle the elements. When the rains come heavily, two rivers can turn the journey to school into a dangerous expedition, with children forced to cross fords that can swell within minutes. For some, getting home means waiting for the water to subside. For others, it means being rescued. And, sometimes, there is no crossing at all.

WESTERN BUREAU: For years, Nadean Rawlins has been opening doors for other people. As producer, director, talent manager, and head of RAW Management, she has pushed Jamaican actors towards auditions, encouraged young creatives, fought for opportunities, and worked behind the scenes to help build an industry she believes Jamaica deserves. So, when Possession – the new Sky original supernatural thriller – came calling, Rawlins was doing what she normally does, trying to get Jamaican actors into the room.

There are fresh calls for greater accountability after more than 10,000 Jamaican students failed to show up for this year’s regional examinations, potentially leaving taxpayers to foot a bill of up to $5 million for mathematics and English language exams that were never written. The bill could increase when the fees for other subjects covered by the Government are considered. The absenteeism has triggered concern among stakeholders that public money is being wasted on examinations that some candidates simply do not turn up to sit.

For a year, her voice has been the steady authority at the gates of Petersfield High School in Westmoreland, shouldering the job of keeping hundreds of students safe behind the institution’s walls. But, as the parish continues to grapple with the devastation left by Hurricane Melissa – the Category 5 storm that battered western and parts of central Jamaica last October – Joan Forbes Scarlett, the school’s security guard, finds herself in a personal crisis. She is unable to shield her own family from an unfolding disaster.

In the quiet rural district of Galloway, Westmoreland, Mickey Robinson diligently digs the foundation of the one-bedroom house he is rebuilding with the help of his son and grandson. Ten months has passed since their house was destroyed by Hurricane Melissa, forcing Mickey and his wife, Thelma Lynn Robinson, to repurpose their shop as a home. But the cramped space is only big enough to accommodate a bed and a barrel for their clothes. Outside in the yard, a dresser, refrigerator and chairs lay abandoned.

Daily schooling in the deep rural communities of Baxter’s Mountain and Pleasant Hill in St Mary involves more than books, pencils, uniforms and school supplies. It also requires the will to battle the elements. When the rains come heavily, two rivers can turn the journey to school into a dangerous expedition, with children forced to cross fords that can swell within minutes. For some, getting home means waiting for the water to subside. For others, it means being rescued. And, sometimes, there is no crossing at all.

WESTERN BUREAU: For years, Nadean Rawlins has been opening doors for other people. As producer, director, talent manager, and head of RAW Management, she has pushed Jamaican actors towards auditions, encouraged young creatives, fought for opportunities, and worked behind the scenes to help build an industry she believes Jamaica deserves. So, when Possession – the new Sky original supernatural thriller – came calling, Rawlins was doing what she normally does, trying to get Jamaican actors into the room.

There are fresh calls for greater accountability after more than 10,000 Jamaican students failed to show up for this year’s regional examinations, potentially leaving taxpayers to foot a bill of up to $5 million for mathematics and English language exams that were never written. The bill could increase when the fees for other subjects covered by the Government are considered. The absenteeism has triggered concern among stakeholders that public money is being wasted on examinations that some candidates simply do not turn up to sit.

A Jamaican-built platform that aims to give small businesses a single hub for marketing, sales and customer management is gaining traction across the Caribbean and beyond. SnapTap, an AI-powered business platform developed by Ocho Rios entrepreneur Kingsley Jair Harrison, combines networking, marketing, sales, payment collection and customer management tools in one dashboard.

WESTERN BUREAU: Amid backlash over the involvement of the police in the recent demolition exercise at Coopers Pen in Trelawny, Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness has indicated that the Government is to develop policy guidance to govern how members of the security forces operate when called on to support court-ordered evictions and demolitions.

Jamaicans at home and in the diaspora woke Friday morning to news that Dervan Malcolm, the popular host of The Jamaican Diaspora Live Online, heard Saturdays on Power 106 FM, had died. The Jamaican Diaspora Live Online gave a voice not only to Jamaicans doing well in the diaspora, but also connected the Jamaican community abroad to its homeland. It also highlighted Jamaican businesses, whether start-up or established, while spotlighting members of the diaspora who had made, or were making, their mark on the societies of their adopted countries.

The Government is investing $50 million in healthcare research while spending an average of $500 million annually to train healthcare workers in areas where there are critical shortages, Health and Wellness Minister Dr Christopher Tufton has said. Tufton made the disclosure yesterday as 138 healthcare workers in training were presented with scholarships named in honour of longtime permanent secretary in the Ministry of Health, Dr Barry Wint, during a ceremony at the S Hotel in New Kingston.

WESTERN BUREAU: During a visit yesterday to Coopers Pen in Trelawny, where 20 houses were flattened during a demolition exercise on August 11, Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness said he is targeting December for the start of a relocation programme for some 99 eligible residents.

A massive fire ripped through a section of the business district along Hagley Park Road in St Andrew on Thursday, flattening at least three buildings in its wake. The fire reportedly started some time after 11 a.m. in the repairs section of the headquarters of Superior Honda Parts Limited, an auto parts dealer and service centre that specialises in new and used Honda vehicle components, motorcycles, and related automotive services. It subsequently spread to neighbouring auto-parts supplier and service centre Ketro Trading Company Limited.

Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness visited Cooper's Pen, Trelawny, on Friday, where several homes were demolished on August 11. He told the affected residents that he was seeking sustainable alternatives but could not promise to keep them on the disputed lands. Holness said he was saddened by the incident and had moved quickly to prevent a humanitarian crisis. READ: https://beta2.jamaica-gleaner.com/article/news/20260812/rude-awakening-demolition-crew-flattens-20-squatter-houses-coopers-pen

Veteran Jamaican broadcaster Dervan Malcolm has died. Malcolm, whose broadcasting career spanned more than 30 years, died on Thursday after a brief illness. He was a popular voice on Power 106 FM, where he worked for decades in various capacities, including as a news presenter, editor, sportscaster, talk-show producer and executive producer. Malcolm was best known as the longtime host and producer of the station’s current affairs programme, ‘Both Sides of the Story’.

A fire at the Petrojam refinery on Marcus Garvey Drive in Kingston was extinguished shortly after breaking out Thursday night, with no injuries reported and no disruption to the island’s fuel supplies. Petrojam General Manager Danville Walker said all employees on duty have been accounted for and confirmed that no one was injured. “First, all of our staff members are accounted for; there were no injuries to any of our staff on duty. Our employee support team is on site to provide any additional assistance,” Walker said.

The Government has signalled its intention to re-establish a cap on the public sector wage bill, extending an open invitation to trade unions to help negotiate a new fiscal rule before the next round of wage talks. The proposal, made by Minister of Finance and the Public Service Fayval Williams on Thursday, comes three years after the previous statutory anchor – which capped public-sector wages at nine per cent of GDP – was repealed to accommodate the public sector compensation restructuring.

WESTERN BUREAU: A call is being made for Jamaicans to lobby the Government to repeal and replace the Beach Control Act of 1956, which Dr Devon Taylor, president of the Jamaica Beach Birthright Environmental Movement (JaBBEM), says is robbing citizens of their rightful access to the nation’s beaches and coastlines.

The St Catherine North Police Division is recording a significant decline in murders, with Senior Superintendent of Police Hopeton Nicholson describing the trend as evidence of improving safety and security across the division. Nicholson, who heads the division, said the area has recorded a 43 per cent reduction in murders, resulting in the lowest number of killings since the division was established 30 years ago.

Seven Jamaicans have secured fully funded UK Government scholarships for the 2026 academic year, earning places in one-year master’s programmes at some of the United Kingdom’s leading universities. The cohort comprises three Chevening Scholars and four Commonwealth Scholars, representing six parishes and a diverse range of disciplines, including finance, technology law, entrepreneurship, construction economics, global health, community development, and innovation and technology management.

Jamaicans are once again being urged to conserve water as the country continues to face severe drought conditions. Matthew Samuda, minister of water, environment and climate change, said the prolonged lack of rainfall is placing increasing pressure on Jamaica’s primary water sources, making conservation essential.

Nearly a dozen high-ranking policemen and soldiers are the targets of a widening narcotics investigation linked to the seizure of cocaine from a police storage facility in January, which has drawn the attention of Jamaica’s international law-enforcement partners, sources have disclosed. According to the sources, the investigation has been expanded to determine whether law-enforcement personnel significantly under-reported the quantity of cocaine seized during an operation in western Jamaica months earlier.

When mom Kerrine Blair realised that she could do no more to influence her son’s career choice, she admitted defeat and decided to fully support him in his quest to become a pilot. The fact that she had just bought a house in Montego Bay, St James, hardly mattered then. She packed up and headed east to enable him to attend Wolmer’s Boys’ School after he got his first choice in the Primary Exit Profile (PEP) examinations. Today, she has no regrets as her son, Mikhail Grey, is a pilot at just 19.

WESTERN BUREAU: Jamaica Teachers’ Association (JTA) President La Sonja Harrison has described the condition of Mile Gully High School in Manchester as unacceptable, declaring that it is “not fit to carry out the business of education”. Harrison made the observation during a question-and-answer session with Education Minister Senator Dr Dana Morris Dixon at the recently concluded 62nd annual conference of the JTA in Trelawny.

Night-time garbage collection is being used in some sections of the island to beat the punishing heat, but workers say the approach comes with its own risks, including poor visibility, parked vehicles, and the danger of injury from improperly discarded items. National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA) Executive Director Audley Gordon said the agency has adjusted collection schedules in some areas because of the heat, allowing workers to operate at night where possible.

WESTERN BUREAU: Senator Marlon Morgan is urging school administrators to exercise greater care in preparing book lists, arguing that parents are sometimes asked to purchase textbooks and workbooks that end up not being used in the classroom. Morgan, the parliamentary secretary in the Ministry of Education, made the appeal while addressing a Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) meeting in St Elizabeth on Sunday.

Years after retiring from the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF), two former district constables say they are still without their full pensions, leaving them in financial distress and demanding answers. Derrick Foster told The Gleaner he spent 36 years in the JCF working at the Pedro Plains Police Station in St Elizabeth before retiring. Two years after his retirement, he said, he received an interim payment of about $800,000, which was intended to suffice until his final pension payment.

Four of the five children abandoned at the Spanish Town Hospital in St Catherine have spent their entire lives at the facility, a situation Chief Executive Officer Jacqueline Ellis says is unacceptable. The latest child – a male who is one and a half years old – has remained at the hospital 11 months after being discharged. Hospital records show that four of the children – whose ages range from 10 months to two and a half years old – were left by their parents shortly after birth to be adopted. The other child was left there for “care and protection”.

More than two decades after they met in high school in Jamaica and became friends, Rene Myrie and Francine Forbes have combined their professional knowledge to create Choobi, an artificial intelligence-powered mental wellness companion.