‘STATE NOT ABOVE THE LAW’ - PM declares all cop-involved fatal shootings properly investigated, questions why protests only held over police killings Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness is insisting that the “State is not above the law”, amid growing concerns about an increase in the number of fatal police shootings across the island. Speaking yesterday during the groundbreaking ceremony for the Housing Agency of Jamaica’s (HAJ) Luana Phase Four in St Elizabeth, Holness emphasised that independent institutions are in place to hold security forces accountable.
‘Silent’ attorneys declare decisions on gun crimes must be left to judges Arguing that the law must be applied with regard to the circumstances of individual cases, attorney Peter Champagnie is urging that the debate around Jamaica’s firearms legislation not be reduced to a political issue. “It cannot be a Cinderella approach, not one size fits all,” Champagnie said, as members of the legal profession yesterday staged a silent protest at the Supreme Court in downtown Kingston, where they called for changes to the Firearms Act.
Specialist urges rebuilding of minds after Melissa Rebuilding schools after Hurricane Melissa must go beyond repairing roofs, replacing books and restoring classrooms, with greater attention being paid to the emotional and psychological toll of the disaster on students, parents and teachers. That was the central message emerging from a recent Mental Health Empowerment and Resilience Forum at Aberdeen High School in St Elizabeth, where stakeholders stressed the need to make mental health support a more integral part of Jamaica’s disaster-recovery efforts. St Elizabeth was among the parishes hardest hit by the storm.
US vision mission comes good for Westmoreland students Western Bureau: Of the 196 students examined during a recent vision mission to the Savanna-la-Mar Inclusive Academy in Westmoreland, about 50 per cent of them were found to be in need of corrective glasses, according to the Lions of Michigan Foundation. The mission, coordinated by the Issa Trust Foundation in partnership with the Rockhouse Foundation, saw eight optometrists, one optician and 13 other volunteers travel to the school with medical equipment to conduct comprehensive eye examinations on students and staff.
Daughters remember veteran musician Jackie Jackson as devoted dad WESTERN BUREAU: To the world, Clifton ‘Jackie’ Jackson was the legendary bass guitarist whose fingers helped shape some of Jamaican music’s most enduring recordings. To his four daughters, he was simply ‘Dad’, the quiet protector who wanted them to have the things he never had, helped negotiate the purchase of their cars, loved giving them gifts and, above all, raised them to become fiercely independent women.
Blame game over church killing Defence attorney Anthony Williams yesterday sought to shift blame for the 2021 alleged religious killing from his client, Andre Ruddock, to late church leader Dr Kevin Smith, while challenging the credibility of a former Pathways International Kingdom Restoration Ministries church member. “I am suggesting that the person who cut Taneka Gardner’s throat was your pastor and not Mr Ruddock,” Williams said, in reference to a bizarre series of events that unfolded at the church on October 17 in St James and left three people dead.
Family want answers about the beheading of 74-y-o farmer in St James WESTERN BUREAU: Two weeks after 74-year-old farmer Anthony Thompson was brutally murdered by intruders at his home in Chatsworth district in Maroon Town, St James, his relatives are still awaiting answers from the investigations into his death. Thompson, affectionately called ‘Tony,’ was beheaded at his farm on the night of September 9 by an unknown person or persons, who had appears to have entered his property without his permission. His remains were found by family members days later, on September 12.
TOUGH ROAD AHEAD Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness says a report on the status of the economy has indicated that there are “headwinds” ahead even as recovery from Hurricane Melissa takes shape. Holness, who was speaking at a ceremony where the European Union, through the World Bank, gave a €5 million grant to the National Reconstruction Implementation Support Project on Tuesday, said Middle East tensions, high energy costs, and reported drought have created additional challenges for the country.
‘You are playing with fire’ - Golding suggests retro levy bill leaves loophole for legal claims, Gov’t dismisses concerns The parliamentary Opposition’s protest that a bill giving retroactive effect to the environment protection levy from June 2007 to the present does not go far enough to protect the Consolidated Fund and public officials who imposed the tax from legal action was brushed aside on Tuesday. Opposition Leader Mark Golding said the tax collected over the period was done without legal authority and urged the Government to introduce an amendment to the Environment Levy Act to validate and indemnify public officials who collected the revenues.
NET calls for FAA Act changes to fast-track payment for emergency school repairs Jamaica’s legislators are being urged to amend the Financial Administration and Audit Act (FAA Act) to enable faster payments to contractors engaged in emergency construction such as the repairing schools damaged in Hurricane Melissa. Executive Director of the National Education Trust (NET), Latoya Harris Ghartey said while the Procurement Act has been revised to allow for emergency mobilisation, its intent is being hampered by payment delays to contractors.