News

Chief Medical Officer Dr Jacquiline Bisasor-McKenzie.
16 Nov, 2025 0

11 leptospirosis, 2 tetanus cases confirmed in west

The Ministry of Health and Wellness is reporting 11 cases of leptospirosis following the passage of Hurricane Melissa. According to Dr Karen Webster Kerr, principal medical officer and national…
Dr Christine Hendricks, executive director of the Jamaica Council for Persons with Disabilities.
16 Nov, 2025 0

Hendricks calls for inclusive rebuilding

Jamaica’s multibillion-dollar rebuilding efforts after Hurricane Melissa must put the needs of persons with disabilities at the centre, the country’s chief disability advocate has urged. Thousands of…
Andrea Purkiss.
16 Nov, 2025 0

MP Purkiss cries for more support for Hanover Eastern

WESTERN BUREAU: Hanover Eastern Member of Parliament Andrea Purkiss has sharply criticised the level of government assistance reaching her constituency following the devastation caused by Category 5…
The Poko Loko floating bar in Ocho Rios, St Ann.
16 Nov, 2025 0

Poko Loko rides out Melissa unscathed

Opened to much fanfare on June 16, 2024, one of Ocho Rios’ most unique attractions, the Poko Loko floating bar, lasted just 17 days before Hurricane Beryl tore it apart on July 3, with looters then…
Barbados’ prime minister, Mia Mottley, estimated that across the Caribbean, including the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico, these platforms earned US$11.6 billion a year.
16 Nov, 2025 0

Regional leaders to arrive, tour hurricane-hit west today

WESTERN BUREAU: A team of Caribbean leaders, joined by officials from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), is expected to arrive in the island this morning to tour hurricane-ravaged communities…
People are seen in Petersfield High School, Westmoreland which was converted as a hurricane shelter.
16 Nov, 2025 0

Shelter crisis

Shelter managers at Petersfield High School in Westmoreland are scrambling to relocate families displaced by Hurricane Melissa, as pressure mounts to free up classroom space for fifth- and sixth-form…
An ODPEM convoy at toll booth at Mammee Bay, St Ann, delivering relief supplies to storm‑hit parishes.
16 Nov, 2025 0

Toll Authority announces updated protocols for toll exemption for relief vehicles

The Toll Authority has announced updated protocols for toll exemption for vehicles carrying relief supplies, effective Monday. Under the new protocols, vehicles will fall under two categories -…
The St Ann’s Bay Criminal Investigation Branch is probing the incident. - File Photo
16 Nov, 2025 0

St Elizabeth man killed in hit and run

The police in St Elizabeth are searching for the driver of a vehicle which failed to stop after hitting and killing a 26-year-old man on Saturday. The deceased has been identified as Jarrett Hanson,…
The company noted that even before the hurricane, the Grand Jamaica had been earmarked for a major renovation.
16 Nov, 2025 0

Hurricane Melissa pushes back timeline for reopening of Bahia Principe resort, triggering redundancies

Bahia Principe Hotels & Resorts says its Grand Jamaica property will remain closed until December 1, 2026, one year longer than planned, after Hurricane Melissa caused extensive damage and slowed…