NO FIRING FIX Health and Wellness Minister Dr Christopher Tufton says the removal of individual heads at the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI) will do little to cure a “dysfunctional culture” that has metastasised within the institution for decades. His comment comes amid an unfolding scandal at the teaching hospital triggered by the findings of a report from the Auditor General’s Department.
Lee-Chin wins US court confirmation of DR arbitration award A US federal court has confirmed a US$43.7-million arbitration award in favour of Jamaican-Canadian investor Michael Lee-Chin, rejecting the Dominican Republic’s bid to overturn the ruling. US District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly of the District of Columbia issued the decision last month, siding with Lee-Chin after the Dominican Republic asked the court to throw out the award. The court said it would adopt “Magistrate Judge Faruqui’s well-reasoned report and recommendation in full”.
Cuban exit exposes specialist gaps at CRH WESTERN BUREAU: The departure of 27 Cuban healthcare workers from Cornwall Regional Hospital has exposed critical gaps in specialist care, forcing the Government to turn to the diaspora, Africa, and India to fill the void. Health and Wellness Minister Dr Christopher Tufton, speaking at a press briefing in Montego Bay, St James, on Thursday, said the group – comprising 22 nurses, three doctors, and four radiotherapists – had been filling roles that could not easily be staffed locally.
Trapped with no escape Fourteen-year-old Gabriela Wright had no chance of escape. The teenager was trapped in a back room with a single entrance and no rear exit when a fire of unknown origin tore through a five-bedroom house in St John’s Garden, Spanish Town, St Catherine, on Wednesday, leaving her dead and a community in mourning. Her charred body was discovered after the blaze was extinguished, marking a heartbreaking end for a student remembered as quiet, bright, and full of promise.
Teen trapped, drowns in breached water facility The longstanding dangers posed by unauthorised entry into National Water Commission (NWC) facilities were brought into tragic focus on Wednesday when a 16-year-old boy drowned at the Red Road water storage tank in Palmers Cross, Clarendon – a site residents admit has been repeatedly breached for years despite posted warning signs. The deceased boy has been identified as Orville McLeod, a student of Palmers Cross district. Police reports state that about 3:30 p.m., Orville was among a group of boys who breached the protective barrier surrounding the NWC tank to swim.
Courts lack options for at-risk children, says Gordon Harrison Children’s Advocate Diahann Gordon Harrison has declared that courts cannot issue therapeutic orders under the Child Care and Protection (Amendment) Act (CCPA) because the required treatment facilities have not been established. The issue has surfaced three years after amendments to the act were approved, enabling courts to mandate that children with behavioural challenges – formerly termed ‘uncontrollable’ – be placed in specialised centres for appropriate therapeutic care and intervention.
Garbage, crime linked at troubled Hughenden dumping site An illegal dumpsite in Hughenden, St Andrew, that was once used by criminals to dispose of bodies is now at the centre of a growing public health and security concern, with Councillor Andrew Harris warning that urgent action is needed to curb persistent littering in the area. Harris said the location – at the top of Hughenden Avenue –has long been exploited by criminals and illegal dumpers, despite repeated clean-up efforts. He made the disclosure while addressing the annual Easter Monday football competition at the Pembroke Hall Community Centre.
‘Ungodly, cruel’ Reverend Leon Paul Golding, head of the Anglican Church in Jamaica, has condemned recent actions taken by the United States (US) against Cuba as “ungodly”. Addressing the opening service of the 155th Synod of the Diocese of Jamaica and the Cayman Islands on Tuesday, Golding also criticised the Jamaican Government for ending its decades-long medical cooperation with the Spanish-speaking Caribbean nation, suggesting it was done in accordance with the domineering of a foreign power.
Tufton urges accountability after tragic infant loss Health and Wellness Minister Dr Christopher Tufton has signalled that decisive action will follow the tragic death of a newborn at the Cornwall Regional Hospital, declaring that the authorities must act if wrongdoing is uncovered. “Clearly, we all want safe deliveries ... . It’s a very unfortunate situation and we certainly sympathse with the family members,” Tufton told The Gleaner, adding he has asked the regional director to probe the circumstances.
Ethics Committee to summon Gordon The Parliament’s Ethics Committee says it is moving to have embattled St Andrew East Central Member of Parliament (MP) Dennis Gordon appear before it on April 22 to clarify statements he made during a previous meeting concerning matters related to the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI) procurement and tax exemption issue. The Ethics Committee, at its last meeting in February, considered and signed off on an exemption motion which allowed Gordon not to vacate his seat if he becomes party to any contract with the Government.