TB fears in lock-up Two persons arrested and charged, and who were being housed at the Duhaney Park Police Station lock-up, are suspected to have died from tuberculosis (TB) within 15 days of each other after being admitted to the Kingston Public Hospital (KPH). One of the incarcerated men died within 15 minutes of being taken to the hospital in late August, while the other died on September 5, The Sunday Gleaner has learned.
Fleeing Cuba, finding Jamaica There is a quiet surge in the number of Cubans seeking temporary residence in Jamaica, with approvals by the Passport, Immigration and Citizenship Agency (PICA) increasing by 60 per cent over the last five years. Official PICA data obtained by The Sunday Gleaner through the Access to Information (ATI) Act reveals that temporary residence permits granted to Cubans rose from 374 in the 2021-2022 financial year to 601 in 2025-2026. The steady upward trajectory was marked by 435 approvals in 2022-2023, 297 in 2023-2024, and 421 in 2024-2025.
Deadly Smith Lane blaze kills young siblings Two children perished in a deadly fire at their home in Smith Lane, downtown Kingston, yesterday morning. The children have been identified as seven-year-old Keriecia Hutchinson and her four-year-old brother, Samson Cameron, both students of Calabar All-Age School. It is alleged that the children were in the house by themselves as their mother went to buy groceries. The children were living with their parents and were their mother’s only children. Tyrone Hamilton, a neighbour who attempted to rescue them, described what happened.
STICK TO CODES - JTA president rejects anything-goes approach to school dress, public standards Jamaica Teachers’ Association (JTA) President La Sonja Harrison is calling for a return to stricter dress-code standards in public spaces, including schools and financial institutions, arguing that established rules should be respected and upheld. Harrison made the comments while responding to a question about dress codes in schools during a Rotary Club of Kingston luncheon at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel on Thursday. She, however, noted that all schools have clear guidelines governing acceptable attire.
Furniture shortage, repairs delay Black River Primary reopening A week after the start of the new academic year, classes are yet to resume at the Black River Primary and Infant School in St Elizabeth as work continues to restore hurricane-ravaged classrooms. The school has approximately 819 students, none of whom are currently receiving classroom instruction as unstable Internet connectivity makes online classes impossible. Administrators blame construction delays, including electrical retrofitting, and a shortage of furniture for the school’s lack of readiness.
Psychologist wants more J’cans trained to spot suicidal tendencies, intervene WESTERN BUREAU: Dr Alcon Barnett, the clinical psychologist at the Western Regional Health Authority (WRHA), is calling for Jamaicans to be trained as suicide ‘gatekeepers’, which he says will equip them to identify warning signs of suicidal tendencies and put them in a position to assist persons exhibiting such signs. Barnett made the recommendation while addressing Thursday evening’s World Suicide Prevention Day Webinar 2026 hosted by the WRHA and The University of the West Indies Mona Western Jamaica Campus.
MoBay mayor says StJMC will uphold law on squatting WESTERN BUREAU: The St James Municipal Corporation (StJMC) has committed to utilising existing laws to govern its handling of squatting in the parish even as it awaits the release of the National Squatter Management Policy, which the Government is developing. Addressing Thursday’s monthly meeting of the StJMC, Montego Bay Mayor Richard Vernon said there was a culture of hypocrisy surrounding the condoning of illegality, which must be nipped in the bud, including aspiring homeowners and property owners constructing buildings on land without the appropriate permits.
Gager urges admin professionals to keep pace with tech WESTERN BUREAU: Falmouth Mayor Collen Gager has urged administrative professionals to embrace adaptability and continuous learning as technology and artificial intelligence (AI) reshape the workplace, warning that the changes are bringing heightened expectations for efficiency, professionalism and responsiveness.
When to step in – and when to let kids figure it out When children forget their lunch, can’t solve a math problem or don’t know how to get somewhere, the instinct for parents can be to step in immediately. But sometimes, the problem is an opportunity. Developmental experts and educators say children need chances to struggle with everyday problems because figuring them out is a skill that has to be practised.
PARTIAL RELIEF - Fees waived, but lawyers still question access to UK-based Privy Council Two noted attorneys have welcomed the United Kingdom’s (UK) decision to waive visa fees for Jamaicans travelling to argue cases before the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (JCPC) but remain critical of the requirement that locals still need a visa to access their highest court.