News

The St Catherine Parish Court in Spanish Town.
April 22, 2026

St Catherine man accused of traffic ticket scam gets bail extension, warned by court

A St Catherine man charged for allegedly fraudulently collecting money from a motorist to “assist” in clearing his traffic tickets was given a stern warning before his bail was extended in the parish…
A woman smokes on a street in London on April 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung, File)
April 22, 2026

UK passes bill that will eventually ban cigarette purchases

LONDON (AP) — Opponents of smoking got a breath of fresh air as Parliament passed a bill that will put cigarettes out of reach for future generations. “The end of smoking, and the devastating harm…
Diego Heaven, owner and instructor at Reef Explorer Diving Centre, explains that the barbed wire fence was never intended to block public access but to protect equipment from theft.
April 22, 2026 by Mickalia Kington

Barbed wire on Negril’s famed beach sparks outrage

WESTERN BUREAU: A viral video showing a barbed wire fence blocking a section of Negril’s famed Seven Mile Beach has sparked public outrage and swift action, but the man at the centre of the…
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Security and Peace Dr Horace Chang speaks during a sitting of Parliament at the start of the 2026–27 Sectoral Debate at Gordon House on Duke Street, Kingston, yesterday.
April 22, 2026 by Carl Gilchrist

Chang: J’cans to reap ‘peace dividend’ after major crime drop

Minister of National Security and Peace Dr Horace Chang says that after a massive slash in major crimes last year, Jamaicans are now set to reap a “peace dividend”, putting the benefits of safer…
Phillip Paulwell, opposition spokesperson on energy and telecommunications, making his contribution to the Sectoral Debate on Tuesday.
April 22, 2026 by Edmond Campbell

Paulwell calls for renewable push, grid reform in new JPS deal

Opposition Spokesman on Energy Phillip Paulwell says while his government counterpart, Daryl Vaz, has reportedly suggested that the high price of electricity was attributed chiefly to the terms of the…
Claudette Bryan, western regional vice-president of the Lay Magistrates Association of Jamaica (LMAJ), delivered the sermon at the association’s 41st anniversary church service held at Norwood Wesleyan Holiness Church, hosted by the St James Chapter of t
April 22, 2026 by Albert Ferguson

‘Some JPs should not be there’

WESTERN BUREAU: Claudette Bryan, western regional vice-president of the Lay Magistrates Association of Jamaica (LMAJ), has said that some individuals holding the title of Justice of the Peace (JP)…
Central St Mary Member of Parliament Omar Newell presents one of 10 tablets donated by the Universal Service Fund to grade‑five student Jaleel Watson of Port Maria Primary School.
April 22, 2026

Central St Mary students receive tablets under USF programme

Ten students from schools across Central St Mary have received tablet computers under the Universal Service Fund’s (USF) Connect a Child Programme, delivered through the office of the constituency’s…
Dr Mavis Gilmour-Petersen poses in her garden at her St Andrew home on April 16.
April 22, 2026

Dr Mavis Gilmour‑Petersen, a trailblazer in medicine and education, turns 100

At 100, Dr Mavis Gilmour-Petersen, a trailblazer in medicine and public life, stands as a testament to purpose, perseverance and an unwavering commitment to service. Born on April 13, 1926 in modest…
File
April 22, 2026 by Tanesha Mundle

Split decision

A former deputy managing director at the Jamaica Urban Transit Company Limited (JUTC) has secured the right to challenge the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions’ (ODPP) decision not to…