News

NET Executive Director Latoya Harris Ghartey.
23 Sep, 2026 0

NET calls for FAA Act changes to fast-track payment for emergency school repairs

Jamaica’s legislators are being urged to amend the Financial Administration and Audit Act (FAA Act) to enable faster payments to contractors engaged in emergency construction such as the repairing…
The Somerset Primary and Infant School in St Andrew has just 14 students on roll despite having the capacity for 245 pupils.
23 Sep, 2026 0

14 students left at Somerset Primary as enrolment plummets

Somerset Primary and Infant School was void of the usual bustle and sounds that accompany a school day last Thursday, mirroring the quietness of the surrounding rural St Andrew community. A student…
Terriann Nisbeth (stooping, left), principal of Tavares Gardens Primary School, is joined by her students as they plant a tree during the official launch of the 2026-2027 Trees for Peace Competition on Monday at their Payne Land, Kingston-based school. Obs
23 Sep, 2026 0

Gang violence takes toll on Tavares Gardens Primary

The impact of gang violence in Payne Land, St Andrew is being felt in the classrooms of Tavares Gardens Primary School, where only 80 students are enrolled at an institution built to accommodate 415.…
Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness.
23 Sep, 2026 0

Holness defends $1.2b spend on container home foundations

Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness has defended his administration’s $1.2 billion spend to construct foundations for semi-permanent container houses, arguing that the bases are designed to give…
Moses Chybar, president of the Westmoreland Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
23 Sep, 2026 0

Chybar: Let voters, not councillors, choose mayors

WESTERN BUREAU: Westmoreland businessman Moses Chybar wants Jamaica to rethink the way mayors are chosen, arguing that the country’s constitutional-reform debate should examine whether municipal…
Kristopher DaCosta (centre) of the Jamaica Tourist Board and Accenture’s Dean Challis listen to RochHouse Hotel’s owner Paul Salmon (right) during a forum on artificial intelligence at the recently concluded JAPEX in Ocho Rios, St Ann.
23 Sep, 2026 0

AI could decide whether and how travellers vacation in Jamaica

WESTERN BUREAU: Jamaica is moving to make its tourism industry ready for a future in which artificial intelligence could help determine not only whether a traveller visits the island, but where that…
Severely damaged sections of the Hertford main road, riddled with potholes and uneven surfaces, highlight the conditions that have sparked protests by taxi operators and residents.
23 Sep, 2026 0

NWA promises patching within days as Hertford road protest continues

Taxi operators in Hertford, Westmoreland, say they are running out of patience as a protest over deteriorating roads entered its second day on Tuesday, with residents demanding action after what they…
Brenda Scarlett-Miller receives her first runner-up award from CIBC Caribbean Chief Executive Officer Mark St Hill at the Regional Unsung Heroes Awards Ceremony in Barbados on Saturday.
23 Sep, 2026 0

Retired nurse educator takes CIBC Unsung Hero honour to regional stage

Brenda Scarlett-Miller, Jamaica’s 2026 CIBC Caribbean Unsung Hero, was named first runner-up at the regional CIBC Caribbean Unsung Heroes Awards in Barbados over the weekend, capping more than four…
CMU President Professor Andrew Spencer
23 Sep, 2026 0

New CMU Lab to detect hidden structural defects

The Caribbean Maritime University (CMU) has opened a specialised laboratory that can detect hidden defects in buildings, bridges, ships and other structures without causing damage during inspections.…