Rude awakening - Demolition crew flattens 20 squatter houses in Cooper’s Pen; remaining families uneasy WESTERN BUREAU: Residents of a section of Cooper’s Pen, Trelawny, were jolted from their slumber on Tuesday morning to find a demolition crew flattening their houses in a pre-dawn operation involving bulldozers, tractors, and sledgehammers. When the hours-long exercise, carried out under the watchful eyes of a bailiff and a strong police contingent, ended, 20 predominantly concrete houses lay in ruins as their bewildered owners looked on in disbelief.
$75m seized, wholesale owners charged in fake goods sting More than $75 million in cash and thousands of pieces of counterfeit merchandise carrying the labels of globally recognised brands were seized by law-enforcement authorities during multiple operations on the weekend. The counterfeit merchandise, which includes more than 300 pairs of ‘Nike Air Force One’ sneakers as well as ‘Gucci’, ‘Polo’, ‘Reebok’, ‘Crocs’, and ‘Jordan’ apparel, has an estimated value of $4 million.
Briton seeks refuge in MoBay airport after being shot WESTERN BUREAU: A 33-year-old British man sought refuge inside the Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay, St James, on Monday night after gunmen fired shots into the vehicle he was driving, injuring him. About 9:30 p.m., the man – a forex trader of a Valley Mill address in the United Kingdom – was travelling with his partner and two Jamaican relatives along Queen’s Drive, near the airport, when the attack occurred. According to police reports, after the vehicle stopped at a traffic light, a motor car pulled up alongside it, and the occupants opened fire.
Court halts action against officer over JLP activity The Supreme Court has stayed proceedings that could result in the dismissal of a St Elizabeth case-management officer over her alleged involvement in partisan political activity ahead of the general election last year. The stay bars the Office of the Services Commission and the Attorney General’s Department from taking further action against the officer, Toni Bailey-Cowan, while she challenges the constitutionality of the proceedings.
Samuels enters plea for CCJ - Veteran attorney, heads of judiciaries defend integrity of regional court amid emails controversy Lamenting that allegations surrounding the operations of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) have become “fodder” for those opposed to the regional court, veteran attorney Bert Samuels yesterday argued that the claims have no bearing on the court’s integrity. Speaking during a press conference, Samuels said the allegations do not concern the delivery of judgments, the credibility of the CCJ’s president, or its judges.
Living on edge - Residents near neglected Sandy Gully fear flooding as hurricane season peaks As the busiest stretch of the hurricane season approaches, some residents living near the banks of Sandy Gully are worried that floodwaters could rise rapidly and destroy their homes because of the large amount of debris, displaced surfaces, and collapsing walls along the waterway. Sandy Gully is the largest conduit for carrying stormwater to the sea in the Corporate Area. The Gleaner yesterday visited two communities along the waterway where residents are increasingly anxious about the condition of the gully and the potential threat of flooding.
Melissa heroes to receive MoBay’s first Medal of Honour WESTERN BUREAU: Ten St James residents who displayed extraordinary bravery during Hurricane Melissa will become the first recipients of Montego Bay’s Municipal Medal of Honour at this year’s National Heroes Day Civic and Awards Ceremony. The historic recognition will form part of a specially redesigned ceremony that will honour citizens, municipal volunteers, and civil servants who distinguished themselves during the emergency response and early recovery from the devastating hurricane.
PEP students triumph in State care One hundred and ninety children in State care are being celebrated for successfully completing the Primary Exit Profile (PEP) examination as they prepare to take the next step in their education. The children, who were recognised at the Child Protection and Family Services Agency's (CPFSA) annual PEP Awards Ceremony, were drawn from across the island and include children living in residential child-care facilities, foster care, family reintegration programmes and those under supervision orders.
Patterson calls For Global South unity Former Prime Minister PJ Patterson has called for the abandonment of “separatism and division” by the Global South, urging its nations to unite in defence of a fairer global order. The former prime minister made the call in a message submitted to the first international colloquium, 'Fidel: Legacy and Future', convened in Havana, Cuba, to mark the centenary of the birth of Castro, the deceased former president of that nation.
Water lockdown - Drought triggers ban by NWC as conditions expected to continue into September or October Several parishes will be under water prohibition orders as of this week. The National Water Commission (NWC) announced yesterday that it will issue a water prohibition notice tomorrow, with enforcement measures taking effect on August 17. The decision, which comes on the heels of daily water lock-off measures announced last week, followed a high-level stakeholder meeting yesterday involving the NWC and the Meteorological Service.