Recovery pitch - Golding shares five-point strategy to accelerate renewal in ‘abandoned’ west WESTERN BUREAU: Opposition Leader Mark Golding has unveiled a five-point recovery strategy for western Jamaica, accusing the Government of failing thousands of residents still struggling to rebuild their homes, businesses and livelihoods nearly 11 months after Hurricane Melissa.
Robinson hits back at recovery claims - Opposition finance spokesman warns of more pain ahead Opposition Spokesman on Finance Julian Robinson is warning that there is trouble ahead for Jamaican households, countering reports that the country’s economy is recovering faster than projected. Robinson said the economy has contracted for the last three quarters and is projected to contract again for a fourth quarter. Addressing party supporters at the People’s National Party’s (PNP) 88th Annual Conference in Westmoreland on Sunday, he pointed to a near-eight per cent inflation rate, and a $28.7-billion revenue shortfall that forced $30 billion in new borrowing.
ROADBLOCK TO EDUCATION - Maldon High loses hundreds of students amid road crisis WESTERN BUREAU: Almost a year after Hurricane Melissa hit western Jamaica, a major road collapse in Spring Mount, St James, has resulted in Maldon High School seeing more than 300 students drop off its roll.
DETOUR DRAIN - PPV operators pay heavy price for Spring Mount breakaway WESTERN BUREAU: Public passenger vehicle (PPV) operators in Upper St James say the prolonged closure of the Spring Mount main road is putting them under serious financial strain. Commuters are paying more for some trips, and drivers struggle to cover fuel, repairs, and other operating costs. Nigel Campbell, a representative of Upper St James bus operators who ply the Montego Bay to Maldon Route, said the alternative route through Hampton has become a costly nightmare, with heavy traffic, dangerous road conditions, and mounting vehicle wear and tear.
Bar owner fears prolonged access crisis could force closure WESTERN BUREAU: The prolonged disruption caused by the Spring Mount Main Road breakaway is threatening economic life in the area, with at least one business operator projecting that continued deterioration could force her to close her doors. Nickeita Wallace, owner of Hilltop Luxury Bar and Games Room in Spring Mount, said the impact of the damaged roadway is being felt through declining business, increased transportation costs, and growing uncertainty about access to the community.
Harvest heartbreak For Angella Jones, the hardest part of farming is not the work. It is putting everything she has into the ground, watching crops fail repeatedly, and then having to find the money to start all over again. Jones shared that reality during an interview with The Sunday Gleaner on Tuesday as she sat beneath a mango tree, struggling to keep her tears at bay while describing the toll months of drought and extreme heat have taken on her farm in Flagaman, St Elizabeth.
Farmers facing price squeeze A veteran farmer is pushing back against the perception that farmers are responsible for the high prices consumers pay for food. Angella Jones, a 53-year-old from Flagaman with more than 30 years experience in agriculture, says farmers often have little or no control over the price at which their produce is sold. “When you hear them, when you watch the news now, you hear the consumers say, ‘Oh, the farmers make the price so expensive’. It’s not true,” Jones said.
Drought pushes NIC to pump more water The National Irrigation Commission Limited (NIC) says it is pumping and distributing more water than usual to farmers as the prolonged drought continues to put pressure on agricultural production across St Elizabeth and other farming parishes. “We at the NIC know that this is a very difficult period for our farmers. The drought has continued for some time, and we are seeing the effect on both our surface-water sources and some of our wells,” the NIC said.
‘We are not struggling’ - Schools see strategic success as they hold out against drought The once-lush green lawn at the front of Spring Garden Primary and Infant School in St Thomas is now a deep brown. At neighbouring White Hall Primary School, vegetation on the school grounds has dried up, presenting stark evidence of the drought now plaguing the island. However, despite being in one of the most severely impacted parishes, principals at both institutions say they are managing well and that water shortages have not yet caused any major disruptions to their operations.
NHT STANDOFF An “emergency” meeting has been scheduled with the Ministry of Labour for Monday after industrial action, which began on Thursday, continued for a second day at the National Housing Trust (NHT). Scores of employees from levels one to four (ancillary, clerical and administrative) again called in sick on Friday following a reported failure by NHT’s management to supply salary data requested by their union to wrap negotiations.