TCN U-TURN - Govt backtracks on commitment to make deal public A decision by Jamaica and the United States to withhold the full details of the controversial third-country nationals (TCN) agreement has been described as “odd” by former diplomat Byron Blake, who says similar deals have been made public in other countries. Blake, the former deputy permanent representative to the United Nations and former assistant secretary general of CARICOM, said the memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed between the two countries in June must pass through various legislative bodies in the US.
Prosecutors push plea deals, defence calls for prepared cases Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Janek Forbes has endorsed calls for greater use of plea negotiations to help reduce the Home Circuit Court’s staggering criminal caseload. But Jamaica Advocates Association President Tamika Harris says the strategy cannot work effectively unless prosecutors first ensure that cases are properly prepared. Forbes, speaking at the opening of the Michaelmas Term of the Home Circuit Court, agreed that the prosecution cannot possibly take the nearly 1,000 matters on the term’s list to trial.
$100K mobile phones but no textbooks WESTERN BUREAU: A senior school administrator is challenging parents to rethink their priorities as the new school year gets under way, noting that some are spending heavily on their children’s fashion and gadgets while failing to provide basic learning materials. In a post on social media site Facebook, Linvern Wright, principal of the Trelawny-based William Knibb Memorial High School, highlighted what he sees as a troubling contradiction.
ODPP wants overhaul of witness case system The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) is calling for greater focus on witness care and increased resources to support thousands of them facing prolonged waits for their cases to reach trial. Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Janek Forbes made the appeal yesterday during the opening ceremony of the Michaelmas Term in the Home Circuit, pointing to the growing number of cases before the courts and the lengthy delays between the taking of witness statements and trials.
Mt Alvernia High gets $6.5m replacement solar-power system WESTERN BUREAU: The Mount Alvernia High School (MAHS) in Montego Bay, St James, has received a new solar-energy system courtesy of its Central Florida International Alumni Association. The $6.5-million system replaces the one that was damaged during the passage of Hurricane Melissa. The new system was unveiled at a formal dedication service at the school on Wednesday. It consists of 60 solar panels, two solar batteries, and two inverters and is designed to provide power to the school’s administrative area and the wider campus.
JC student stabbed amid 700+ weapons seized in HWT in past month More than 700 weapons have been confiscated from people in the Half-Way Tree town centre since August 16, including a few taken from schoolchildren, as the police seek to curb violence in the busy St Andrew commercial hub. The disclosure came on Wednesday from commander of the St Andrew Central Police Division, Superintendent Mark Harris, hours after a Jamaica College (JC) student was stabbed near a gas station on Constant Spring Road.
Businesses urged to help shape youth values The Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica (PSOJ) is urging businesses and business leaders to play a more active role in reinforcing positive values among young Jamaicans. The PSOJ said the business community can help young people understand the relationship between character and success in the workplace through mentorship programmes, internships, apprenticeships, work-readiness initiatives, school partnerships and other structured engagements.
Miller Simpson warns about data drain as J’cans feed foreign AI services WESTERN BUREAU: Educator Ethnie Miller Simpson is expressing concern that while Jamaica is pumping information into artificial-intelligence (AI) systems at an accelerating rate, the country does not own the technology processing that data. She has challenged Jamaica to move beyond simply consuming AI technology by developing home-grown platforms designed by Jamaicans, with the capacity to keep data from Jamaica and the wider Caribbean within the region.
HAZY FIRE FACTS Cops probing the death of two young children in a house fire on the weekend have received “conflicting stories” about whether they were home alone at the time of the blaze, a police official has revealed. At the same time, the Child Protection and Family Services Agency (CPFSA) said an assessment to determine whether there are other children “within the home, family, or community who may be in need of care and protection” has been interrupted by a warning from the police. The CPFSA is the principal body tasked with guarding the welfare of children in Jamaica.
Chuck warns against going soft on guns Justice Minister Delroy Chuck says the Government is reviewing the mandatory minimum sentences under the Firearms Act but remains convinced, along with the security forces, that the tough penalties are helping to reduce murders and shootings. At the same time, Chuck said firearms are a major problem in Jamaica and cautioned against sending a signal that the Government intends to ease enforcement of the law.