Heavenly fire The late leader of the Pathways International Kingdom Restoration Ministries had reportedly claimed to be the prophet ‘Elijah’ and tried to summon heavenly fire before shooting at cops during a bloody 2021 service at the church. “Mr [Kevin] Smith started to say he was Elijah and just as Elijah called down fire from Heaven to consume the army. [He said,] ‘If I be a prophet of God and the word from my mouth is true, I call down fire from Heaven to consume the 50,” a former member of the church testified.
‘I used to say, ‘Good job, police’, but now I feel it’ Relatives of 35-year-old businessman Jordon Perry Smith took their grief and anger to the streets of Seaford Town, Westmoreland, on Monday, demanding answers over his fatal shooting during a police operation. The protest came three days after Smith was killed at his home in an incident police sources have described as a shoot-out, while his relatives continue to reject that account and accuse members of the Constabulary Force of executing him.
‘I will never get weary doing good’ - UHWI chief Dr Carl Bruce found not guilty of assault charge Dr Carl Bruce would not admit he was worried that Monday’s judgment in an assault case could have prevented him from keeping a promise to his deceased mother to “never get weary doing good”. A guilty verdict would also have been damaging to the reputation he spent years building after fulfilling his dream of becoming a doctor. He believed he would also have let down his grandmother, another of the strong women in his life, who told him to “live good with people”.
New lease on life for scoliosis sufferers - Two patients receive free corrective surgeries at UHWI Two patients underwent corrective scoliosis surgery at no cost at the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI) during a two-day surgical programme involving UHWI clinicians and international non-profit organisation Back to Healing. All specialised implants required for the procedures were donated, removing a major cost associated with corrective scoliosis surgery.
Escalating domestic violence impacting St James churches WESTERN BUREAU: Domestic violence is emerging as an increasingly common issue confronting churches across St James, as pastors are routinely called upon to counsel people struggling with troubled relationships and family conflicts. The Reverend Godfrey Francis, secretary of the St James Ministers Fraternal, said the pressures of modern life, coupled with poor communication and weak conflict resolution skills, were helping to fuel the problem, leaving churches to confront the fallout.
Golding rips Gov’t over CRH’s decade of delays WESTERN BUREAU: Opposition Leader Mark Golding has demanded accountability for the nearly decade-long rehabilitation of Cornwall Regional Hospital (CRH) in Montego Bay, St James, describing the unfinished facility as a “monument to delays, escalating costs and incompetent execution”.
Opposition leader promises tax relief for workers WESTERN BUREAU: A “liveable wage” has been promised to Jamaican workers by Opposition Leader Mark Golding, alongside tax relief on overtime earnings, tips and gratuities, should the People’s National Party (PNP) form the next Government. Addressing the PNP’s 88th Annual Conference in Savanna-la-Mar, Westmoreland, on Sunday, Golding said the wage would be adjusted annually to reflect increases in the cost of living. “A job must provide more than survival. It must be a pathway to independence and a better quality of life,” he told supporters.
Recovery pitch - Golding shares five-point strategy to accelerate renewal in ‘abandoned’ west WESTERN BUREAU: Opposition Leader Mark Golding has unveiled a five-point recovery strategy for western Jamaica, accusing the Government of failing thousands of residents still struggling to rebuild their homes, businesses and livelihoods nearly 11 months after Hurricane Melissa.
Robinson hits back at recovery claims - Opposition finance spokesman warns of more pain ahead Opposition Spokesman on Finance Julian Robinson is warning that there is trouble ahead for Jamaican households, countering reports that the country’s economy is recovering faster than projected. Robinson said the economy has contracted for the last three quarters and is projected to contract again for a fourth quarter. Addressing party supporters at the People’s National Party’s (PNP) 88th Annual Conference in Westmoreland on Sunday, he pointed to a near-eight per cent inflation rate, and a $28.7-billion revenue shortfall that forced $30 billion in new borrowing.
ROADBLOCK TO EDUCATION - Maldon High loses hundreds of students amid road crisis WESTERN BUREAU: Almost a year after Hurricane Melissa hit western Jamaica, a major road collapse in Spring Mount, St James, has resulted in Maldon High School seeing more than 300 students drop off its roll.