Project STAR, the social and economic transformation initiative that targets under-resourced and under-served communities across Jamaica, will continue beyond its original five-year timeline after independent evaluations found that the programme has been delivering measurable results and remains faithful to its development model.

WESTERN BUREAU: The Jamaica Medical Doctors Association (JMDA) has joined residents of western Jamaica in expressing displeasure that the timeline for the completion of the St James-based Cornwall Regional Hospital’s (CRH) 10-year-long restoration has been extended to as late as March 2027.

Leaving a lasting legacy and playing a significant role in taking Jamaica’s track and field to dizzying heights, Stephen ‘Franno’ Francis is being remembered with superlatives by his peers, athletes, track and field fans, administrators and the political directorate following his passing on Saturday night.

Nearly a decade after sugar workers were temporarily moved into the Golden Grove housing development to shelter from Hurricane Matthew, some say they remain in legal limbo without titles to the properties they were “forced” to finish equipping themselves.

In 1999, Time magazine named Bob Marley’s album Exodus as the greatest album of the 20th century. The title comes from the second book of the Bible, which tells the story of the Israelites refusing to accept slavery, and G-d leading them to freedom. Biblical themes of breaking free from Babylon, the journey to Zion, and all of us being G-d’s creations, abound in Bob’s music.

WESTERN BUREAU: For Westmoreland pig farmer Michael Murphy, the numbers no longer add up. Every month, he must find $100,000 to repay a loan. Every week, he spends roughly $300,000 on feed alone. Yet the price he receives for his pigs has remained virtually unchanged for years.

Fourth-form Jonathan Grant High School student Alexander Ashley had a revelation when he completed his first term in grade 10. Although he did very well in his take-home assignments, the final grades on his report card from the St Catherine-based institution painted a very different picture.

WESTERN BUREAU: For 38 days, South Africa was an adventure for 24-year-old Jamaican digital nomad Kadeem Leslie. In the final week, it became a country he could not wait to leave. Leslie, a Kingston-born author and entrepreneur who has been travelling the world full-time, arrived in South Africa on May 17, eager to explore a country he had long admired for its history, beauty, and cultural power.

Nearly a decade after sugar workers were temporarily moved into the Golden Grove housing development to shelter from Hurricane Matthew, some say they remain in legal limbo without titles to the properties they were “forced” to finish equipping themselves.

WESTERN BUREAU: With Dream Weekend set to debut in Montego Bay, St James, Senior Superintendent of Police Eron Samuels is urging media houses to provide greater context when reporting crime statistics, insisting St James’ security gains deserve equal attention. Addressing Wednesday night’s Dream Weekend launch at Pier One, Samuels took issue with what he said was the way St James’ crime figures were sometimes presented, arguing that comparisons with the Corporate Area failed to account for Kingston being divided into six police divisions while St James comprises only one.

WESTERN BUREAU: A challenge has been issued to Jamaica’s micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) to professionalise their operations and aggressively pursue government contracts. Addressing an MSME Procurement Project Launch and Boot Camp in Montego Bay, St James, yesterday, Montego Bay Mayor Richard Vernon said the initiative was aimed at strengthening Jamaica’s economy by expanding opportunities for small businesses through the Government’s policy that reserves 20 per cent of eligible public contracts for MSMEs.

A man sentenced to 18 years and six months in prison for sexually assaulting his two young female relatives, aged six and eight, in Manchester more than seven years ago, is to serve nearly the full term before becoming eligible for parole.

A Jamaican-American advocate has formally requested that members of New Jersey’s congressional delegation launch an inquiry into the third-country nationals (TCN) agreement signed between Jamaica and the United States (US). In a letter sent to federal lawmakers, New Jersey constituent Patrick Beckford asked US senators Cory Booker and Andy Kim, as well as Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman, to demand full transparency from the US Department of State about the memorandum of understanding (MOU) governing the transfer, housing, and screening of migrant populations.

WESTERN BUREAU: The Government has committed to ensuring that micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) benefit from the billions of dollars being spent on public contracts, with Finance Minister Fayval Williams indicating that plans are being put in place to end the era of government procurement being reserved primarily for large established companies.

WESTERN BUREAU: Dream Weekend will introduce a dedicated ride-hailing app, 500 authorised vehicles, and fixed US$5 per-person fares as organisers seek to improve transportation and ease traffic congestion for thousands of patrons attending this year’s festival in Montego Bay, St James.

A St Catherine farmer has been charged with murder after allegedly attacking a bus driver with a pitchfork in Bois Content district in Old Harbour, St Catherine, on Wednesday night.

Another 39 outstanding Jamaicans have been honoured with the prestigious Governor-General’s Achievement Awards (GGAA) by Governor-General Sir Patrick Allen.

Despite having just nine graduates this year, Grove Primary and Infant School in St Andrew marked the occasion in style, with the establishment of a scholarship fund by a past student and the merging of its prizegiving function into the commencement ceremony.

It will cost taxpayers around $25 billion to execute the next phase of the Shared Prosperity through Accelerated Improvement to our Road Network (SPARK) project. Amid growing discontent over the state of the island’s road network, the Government, yesterday, launched the main road component of the SPARK programme. The transition into SPARK’s next phase follows the initial iteration, which is still ongoing and focuses on community roads.

Despite handling nearly 600,000 fewer passengers during the first five months of the year, Sangster International Airport is pressing ahead with a major expansion programme as it prepares for an expected rebound in visitor demand.

Medical chief of staff at the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI), Dr Carl Bruce, has rejected allegations that he assaulted colleague Dr Roger Hunter during a 2007 incident, describing the claims as “a complete falsification” while branding Hunter “mentally unstable”.

WESTERN BUREAU Driven by their love for Montego Bay and St James and their desire to lend a helping hand in times of need, a group of successful Montego Bay natives, some based overseas, have come together to create a non-profit entity dubbed MoBay Stronger Foundation Limited.

Life insurance is known as one of the hardest products to sell, with a first-year failure rate of over 90 per cent among sales agents, it is reported. The intangible nature of life insurance and the reluctance of people to readily discuss the subject of death, among other issues often lead to consistent rejection from prospects.

Opposition spokesman on finance Julian Robinson on Tuesday warned that persons who have insurance policies should brace for sharp increases owing to significant costs that have already been imposed on insurance companies by the Financial Services Commission (FSC), the body that regulates them.

WESTERN BUREAU: Montego Bay Mayor Richard Vernon has become the first Jamaican selected to serve on the Steering Group of the Coastal Cities Coalition (3C), placing the city at the table where global strategies for coastal climate resilience are being shaped.

Cabinet Minister Audrey Marks has denied proposing the controversial deal under which Jamaica would receive up to 10,000 third-country nationals (TCNs) from the United States (US).

WESTERN BUREAU: Reverend Glendon Powell, the chairman of the St James Ministers Fraternal, is urging every church in the parish to join the organisation, arguing that a united church is critical to confronting crime and other social ills affecting communities.

Deputy Prime Minister Dr Horace Chang has rejected suggestions that the Government would allow criminals to be imported into Jamaica, describing the claim as “ridiculous” and politically distorted.

The businessman, who arrived in Jamaica from China 20 years ago, strongly believes “companies that work across cultures come up with better ideas and find answers faster. They also build things that last”.

While some stakeholders have welcomed the increase in the national minimum wage, which takes effect today, they argue that it will do little to offset the rising cost of living and are calling for a further top-up.

A call for greater government accountability drew hundreds of people to Cross Roads, St Andrew, on Tuesday as the Advocates Network for Jamaicans staged a rally highlighting a range of national concerns, from the handling of Hurricane Melissa relief funds to governance, transparency and constitutional reform.

China has rebuffed comments by United States (US) ambassador nominee Kari Lake, as it defended its 53-year relationship with Jamaica, pointing to over US$2.1 billion in local investments and recent disaster relief as proof of a mutually beneficial partnership. The response comes a week after Lake signalled to a Senate Foreign Relations Committee Hearing that she intends to counter China’s influence in Jamaica.

WESTERN BUREAU: Montego Bay Mayor Richard Vernon has joined the call for more authentic, community-based attractions in the western city in a push to move it beyond just beaches, hotels and a bustling nightlife.

Camperdown Primary and Infant School teacher Duval Ebanks envisions a classroom of the future equipped with sensory technology that creates an interactive and sustainable learning environment for his students.

The JN Foundation is inviting students and their guardians to apply for its 2026 Primary Exit Profile (PEP) Scholarships and Grants Programme, which will provide financial support to high-achieving students transitioning to secondary school.