NHT STANDOFF An “emergency” meeting has been scheduled with the Ministry of Labour for Monday after industrial action, which began on Thursday, continued for a second day at the National Housing Trust (NHT). Scores of employees from levels one to four (ancillary, clerical and administrative) again called in sick on Friday following a reported failure by NHT’s management to supply salary data requested by their union to wrap negotiations.
Holness pitches Jamaica’s rebuild to global capital WESTERN BUREAU: Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness has pitched Jamaica’s post-hurricane reconstruction and growth agenda to a group of international investors representing, according to organisers, hundreds of billions of US dollars in assets under management.
Residents dispute police’s shootout claim in Westmoreland man’s death WESTERN BUREAU: Anger erupted in Seaford Town, Westmoreland, on Friday as residents reacted angrily to the death of 35-year-old businessman Jordon Perry Smith, who was killed in an alleged confrontation with the police about 3 a.m. While efforts to get an official version of the incident from the police were unsuccessful, a police source, who spoke to The Gleaner on condition of anonymity, said a targeted operation was carried out at Smith’s home.
How to know if you can trust an AI's answer to your question Leo S. Lo/Contributor THE CONVERSATION: I recently typed a simple question into Google search: How much screen time is too much for teenagers? Instead of presenting links, as Google had been doing for many years, it gave me an AI-generated answer. The artificial intelligence agent cited a number, then complicated that reply, noting that quality and balance of time could matter more than the number of hours, and that "too much" time could depend on a teenager's sleep, exercise, school demands and mood.
Sept 30 deadline to get on year-end voters’ list Eligible Jamaicans are being reminded that September 30 is the deadline for registering to be included on the November 30, 2026 voters’ list. The Electoral Commission of Jamaica (ECJ) is encouraging persons aged 18 years and older who are Jamaicans or Commonwealth citizens residing in Jamaica for at least 12 consecutive months to visit any Electoral Office of Jamaica (EOJ) constituency office to complete the registration process.
FATAL FAITH Pathways International Kingdom Restoration Ministries member Corey James on Thursday said he was convinced that the now-deceased church leader could have brought back his former church sister, who was killed in an alleged sacrificial ritual five years ago. “I honestly thought Kevin [Smith] would have been able to bring her back to life,” he said in the Home Circuit Court after prosecutor Latoya Bernard asked him what he was thinking after witnessing the killing.
‘Almost scandalous’ - Davis-Whyte slams decadeslong delay in passing workplace safety bill A senior trade unionist is questioning the will of the Government to retable and pass the long-awaited Occupational Health and Safety (OSH) Bill, which is intended to improve safety at the workplace. For decades, there have been discussions between the Government, the trade unions and employers geared towards securing the safety and health of all Jamaican workers.
Former church member recalls being stabbed after pastor said he had to die A former member of the flock led by the now-deceased church leader Dr Kevin Smith said he had been perplexed when the pastor told him that he would have to be killed. “When that was said to you, how did you feel?” lead prosecutor Latoya Bernard asked. The witness, Corey James, a debt collector and pig farmer who worked closely with Smith, replied: “Honestly, I was confused when he mentioned that to me.” The witness further testified that he was attacked and stabbed with a knife in his back after Smith told him that his throat had to be cut.
Thieves hit six primary schools in St James, Hanover since August WESTERN BUREAU: Thieves have broken into six primary schools within the Ministry of Education’s Region 4 jurisdiction since late August, with Bickersteth Primary and Infant School in St James suffering the latest hit on Wednesday night. Regional Director Dr Michelle Pinnock revealed that the other affected schools are Bogue Hill Primary and Infant School, Anchovy Primary School, Farm Primary and Infant School, and Irwin Primary School – all in St James – and Cove Primary School in Hanover.
‘It’s like Christmas’ WESTERN BUREAU: For generations, ganja has been more than a crop in communities such as Brighton and Orange Hill in Westmoreland. It has been a source of income, a way to pay bills and, for some residents, a means of keeping children in school. On Wednesday, many farmers who have long operated outside Jamaica’s regulated cannabis industry got a glimpse of a different future, as the Cannabis Licensing Authority (CLA) brought its Cannabis Special Permit Road Tour to Westmoreland.