Honourable finale Certain that he is in the twilight of his political career, Transport Minister Daryl Vaz said his appointment to the Order of Jamaica (OJ) was perfectly timed and a fitting way to cap his life in public service. “The stars have aligned for me, and I could not want or ask for any better in terms of my leaving public service on the highest note possible,” he told The Gleaner after receiving the honour at yesterday’s annual National Honours and Awards Investiture Ceremony, held on the lawns of King’s House in St Andrew, where 140 Jamaicans were recognised.
One tyre between life and death WESTERN BUREAU: Three tyres were already hanging over the edge of a gully. A fourth, caught against a concrete kerb, was all that stood between Police Constable Horace Bryan, a terrified 75-year-old woman and the raging floodwaters threatening to sweep them into the Caribbean Sea. Bryan prayed. He sang Christian songs until he could remember no more. And when he saw a fire truck turn back, unable to reach them through the treacherous waters, he feared he might never see his family again.
US$340m Caribbean push The Trump administration says it is investing more than US$340 million in the Caribbean following talks with CARICOM countries at a US-Caribbean Dialogue hosted by the State Department on Friday. The meeting was reportedly attended by Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau and “high-level” delegations from Jamaica, Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, the Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago.
MoBay mayor urges St James residents to uphold resilience post-Melissa WESTERN BUREAU: Ahead of the one-year anniversary of Hurricane Melissa’s devastating impact on western Jamaica, Montego Bay Mayor Richard Vernon is urging residents of St James to continually embody the resilience and determination that the parish displayed during and after the Category 5 hurricane’s October 28, 2025 passage. Vernon made the call on Monday while addressing St James’ National Heroes Day Civic and Awards Ceremony in Sam Sharpe Square, Montego Bay, held under this year’s theme ‘Resilient People with a Proud Heritage’.
More men needed in classrooms Custos of Kingston Steadman Fuller wants to see more men enrolled at his alma mater, The Mico University College, and ultimately standing at the front of Jamaica’s classrooms, helping to shape the next generation. For Fuller, incoming chancellor of Mico, which is celebrating its 190th anniversary, increasing male enrolment is a major priority. He takes up the office later this month, and believes a stronger male presence in classrooms could help improve discipline in schools by providing boys with more male role models.
Nicholson calls for CCJ judges to end ‘public bickering’ (CMC): Former Jamaica Attorney General A. J. Nicholson has told judges of the Trinidad-based Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) that “public bickering” must be shunned. Nicholson said it was never the intention that “the CCJ was being created to provide its judges with a platform for public bickering.
CUSTOMS EYES SPEED - Customs steps up tech for faster clearance, fewer port crowds to ease Christmas rush With less than a month before the busy end-of-year activities at the country’s ports get into high gear, Commissioner of Jamaica Customs Kirk Benjamin said the state body is pushing its express clearance programme by leveraging technology. Benjamin, in a recent Gleaner interview, said it was extremely tedious to try and examine all items coming into the country with a finite number of staff and working within a particular timeframe to get the job done.
‘They are heroes’ - PM, Opposition salute slain cops; Holness vows continued pressure on criminal networks Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness has pledged full state support to intensify police operations targeting high-risk criminals and their networks, following the death of two lawmen he has hailed as “heroes” murdered in a “devious trap”. Holness was speaking with Police Commissioner Dr Kevin Blake during a debriefing at Norman Manley International Airport upon his return from New York on Saturday.
No access, no point - Wilmot fears beach development may dispossess public at South Haven For Jamaica’s public beaches, development of restroom facilities, eateries and other amenities can allow for greater enjoyment of the beloved natural resource. But as communities grapple with the realities of beach management, some Jamaicans fear that the cost of that development is their free access. According to professional surfer Icah Wilmot, retaining free access to the beach is his top priority. “If you can’t get to the beaches, then it doesn’t matter if it’s clean or not,” he quipped.
Ralph, Stewart celebrated for global achievements, commitment to Ja MANHATTAN, New York: One conquered Hollywood and Broadway, becoming an Emmy Award-winning actress and humanitarian. The other helped transform a Jamaican hotel company into one of the Caribbean’s most internationally recognised hospitality brands. Last Friday night, their journeys converged at The Plaza in Manhattan, New York, where Sheryl Lee Ralph and Adam Stewart were celebrated at the American Friends of Jamaica’s (AFJ) 45th anniversary Hummingbird Gala for achievements that have carried Jamaica’s influence far beyond its shores.