WATER CRUNCH - Drought drives up costs for car washes, laundries The severe drought conditions currently affecting the island have resulted in increased operating costs for water-related businesses in the Corporate Area as they seek alternative sources of supply to comply with prohibition orders and water-use restrictions. David Chambers, manager at Mountain Ridge Auto Spa on Mountain View Avenue in St Andrew, said the car wash had to pass on the additional expense to customers. “With rent, light, and utilities, I couldn’t cushion that, so I have to put on something,” he said.
JMDA warns of growing frustration over delayed IDT judgment Dr Jubilee Brown-Service, the newly appointed president of the Jamaica Medical Doctors Association (JMDA), says the association is giving the Industrial Disputes Tribunal (IDT) another two to three weeks to hand down a decision in the long-running dispute with the Ministry of Health over overtime and incentive payments. Junior doctors, who are represented by the JMDA, are said to be restive over the lengthy wait for the IDT to hand down a judgment.
Tourism sector backs Coopers Pen relocation plans WESTERN BUREAU: Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett has pledged the support of the tourism sector to residents of Coopers Pen, Trelawny, who were recently left homeless after the demolition of 20 houses. Bartlett made the commitment last Friday while touring the community with Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness, who promised that the Government will play an integral role in the relocation of some of the affected residents.
Parents, educators urged to look out for hand, foot, and mouth disease WESTERN BUREAU: As the new school year gets under way next week, parents and educators are being urged to be on the lookout for hand, foot, and mouth disease, a highly contagious viral illness that can quickly spread among children. Gerald Miller, health promotion and education officer at the Westmoreland Health Department, said they are stepping up public education efforts , encouraging parents to recognise the symptoms early and take steps to prevent transmission.
Knockalva now offering free Sixth-Form Pathways Programme WESTERN BUREAU: Natalie Thompson, the principal of Knockalva Polytechnic College (KPC), is inviting students from across Jamaica to take advantage of its free Sixth-Form Pathways Programme, which is designed to combine academic advancement with practical skills training. Thompson said the programme, which forms part of the college’s Pre-College Programme, offers young people an opportunity to pursue Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) subjects while gaining certification in a skill that can prepare them for further education, employment and entrepreneurship.
DEMERIT DELAY DANGER - Road safety advocate says holding off on points sanctions for rogue drivers puts lives at risk The Government’s announcement that it will delay the implementation of the demerit point system has been met with disappointment from Vice-Chairman of the National Road Safety Council Dr Lucien Jones. Jones, who has for years campaigned for the application of demerit points as a means to improve road safety and curb dangerous driving, said this latest delay is not only disheartening, but dangerous.
Hunter bids farewell to NWA After 14 years as head of the National Works Agency (NWA), Chief Executive Officer E.G. Hunter bid farewell to the staff yesterday, his final day of employment at the agency. In a letter to the Public Services Commission dated May 7, 2026, Hunter advised that he would serve out the term of his current contract, which expires this month, and thereafter would not seek an extension through a new contract. Hunter’s final contract was entered into in September 2024 for a two-year period.
Pearnel Charles Sr shares nine decades of life-defining memories At 90, Pearnel Charles Sr still has his hair half-black, half-white. The trademark style that has travelled with him through decades of Jamaican politics, trade union battles, parliamentary debates, and Cabinet rooms remains firmly in place. On Sunday, one day before his 90th birthday, the veteran politician was dressed to match. Crisp white shirt. Immaculate black trousers. Black jacket. Charles looked good – very good – for a 90-year-old.
Rhoda Crawford salutes western teachers WESTERN BUREAU: Educators in western Jamaica are being hailed for their courage as defenders of the nation’s children in the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa, as their determination to keep students learning never faltered. Reflecting on her first field visit to the region following the devastating hurricane, Juneio Education Minister Rhoda Crawford said she encountered damaged schools and shattered communities, but also principals and teachers who had transformed themselves into counsellors, relief workers, and community leaders.
UPDATED | JHTA: J’cans should have access to beaches WESTERN BUREAU: Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA) President O’Brian Heron is supporting the call for Jamaicans to have access to the island’s beaches and coastline. In a brief interview with The Gleaner following last week’s JHTA’s annual general meeting in Montego Bay, St James, Heron mirrored the position taken by thee Jamaica Beach Birthright Environmental Movement (JABBEM), which is testing the matter in the courts. The first-term president described the matter as deeply emotional.