Brakes on FIFA Forward - JFF to vote on proposal today; Ricketts ‘unhappy’ with Infantino’s lack of transparency Michael Ricketts, president of the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF), said he is confident his directors will vote to reject FIFA President Giovanni Infantino’s ‘FIFA Forward Enterprise’ proposal when it convenes for an emergency meeting at midday today. Ricketts, who also serves as a vice-president of the Caribbean Football Union (CFU), said opposition to the proposal is widespread across the global football community, including within both the CFU and Concacaf. Based on discussions with regional officials and his own directors, he expects Jamaica to join that opposition.
WATER WATCH - Wasting prohibition looms as Jamaica battles prolonged drought The Government is not ruling out implementing a prohibition order against water wasting to mitigate against drought conditions that are expected to continue into the next three months. Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, Minister of Water, Environment and Climate Change Matthew Samuda announced that the prohibition will take effect on August 10, saying the measure is essential to ensuring a smooth start to the new academic year.
Cops face murder charges two years after Denham Town shooting Two police officers and a former serving member of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF), who was arrested last week at the Norman Manley International Airport, were on Thursday dragged before the court to answer to murder in connection with the 2023 fatal shooting of Nicholas Miller.
‘I had to be The Iron Lady’ - Llewellyn opens up on court challenge to tenure, urges educators to never play victim WESTERN BUREAU: Drawing on the bruising constitutional challenge against her tenure as Jamaica’s chief prosecutor, Paula Llewellyn on Wednesday urged educators still bouncing back from Hurricane Melissa not to succumb to adversity, noting that true leaders cannot afford to become victims of their circumstances.
Hope for Hanover fisherfolk as Lucea Fish Sanctuary opens WESTERN BUREAU: Fisherfolk in the Lucea area of Hanover now have a better chance of promoting environmental sustainability with the official opening of The Lucea Fish Sanctuary, and an office from which that operation will be monitored. The office is located in the Elgin Town area. However, the gazetted boundaries of the fish sanctuary – which brings to 20 the number of such facilities in Jamaica – stretch from the former molasses shipping pier in Elgin Town, Hanover, going easterly to include a cove opposite the OceanPointe Housing Scheme.
Cruise passengers donate 1,000 books to western schools WESTERN BUREAU: Fifteen schools from across St James, Trelawny, and St Elizabeth have received a share of 1,000 reading books donated to their respective libraries on Wednesday, courtesy of the Festival at Sea Children’s Book Drive. The book drive has been carried out by the San Francisco-based Blue World Travel Corporation travel agency for the past 34 years. The donation took place at Historic Falmouth Port in Trelawny to mark its second staging in Jamaica, under the theme ‘Homecoming’. The drive was previously held in Jamaica in 2023.
Licence to deal - More casino resorts on horizon as Princess targets winter opening WESTERN BUREAU: The granting of Jamaica’s first casino gaming licence is expected to pave the way for additional integrated resort developments (IRDs), with at least three other investors, including for the proposed Hard Rock Hotel in St James, already expressing interest in entering the sector.
Data defence delay - Staffing shortages, technology gaps and training needs slow move towards full enforcement of personal information protection law The regulatory body responsible for Jamaica’s national data protection regime has said it will require another two years before it is in a position to fully enforce the Data Protection Act (DPA), which was passed by Parliament in 2020. Established under the DPA, the Office of the Information Commissioner (OIC) is responsible for overseeing the use of personal data and addressing breaches as outlined in the law.
Dignity debate - Holness rejects PNP criticism of placement of plaques in homes of social housing beneficiaries Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness has dismissed assertions that the practice of installing commemorative plaques on homes distributed under the New Social Housing Programme (NSHP) dehumanises beneficiaries and robs them of their dignity. Speaking yesterday at the Howard Avenue Apartments opening ceremony in St Andrew, Holness said there is a collective sense of pride in using taxpayers’ money to build homes for the country’s most vulnerable.
J$1.3b for recovery of hurricane-ravaged Westmoreland primary schools Just over $1.3 billion is being invested in the reconstruction and expansion of two hurricane-ravaged schools in Westmoreland, Education Minister Dr Dana Morris Dixon indicated during a back-to-school readiness tour on Tuesday. The larger share, nearly $1 billion, is being spent on Unity Primary School, while $302 million has been allocated to Petersfield Primary School, where the minister acknowledged that students will still have to contend with some disruption when the new academic year begins in September amid continuing construction.