Carib Scope

作者： admin

  • Brokers hike commission rates on equity trades

    Brokers hike commission rates on equity trades

    Against a backdrop of strong profit growth across Jamaica’s securities brokerage sector, three top local investment firms have moved to raise equity trading commissions and adjust a range of service fees, passing higher operational and regulatory costs to retail and institutional investors.

    The most recent adjustment comes from Barita Investments Limited (BIL), which notified clients of a new fee structure taking effect on June 1. The change covers not just equity trading commissions, but also cheque processing fees, outgoing real-time gross settlement (RTGS) transfer charges, and credit facility fees. Under the new rules, a flat 2% commission will apply to all local equity trades, with a minimum $550 charge for any transaction below $27,500. For trades exceeding $1 million, commission rates can be negotiated between 1% and 2%, a departure from BIL’s previous structure that charged just 0.75% for all transactions executed through JtraderPro, the Jamaica Stock Exchange’s (JSE) digital electronic trading portal.

    In a client notification email, BIL explained the fee updates are designed to ensure its services align with current industry benchmarks, support its expanding suite of financial solutions, and accurately reflect the value the firm delivers to clients.

    Months earlier, Jamaica Money Market Brokers Limited, operating as JMMB Investments, rolled out its own broad fee adjustments on April 17. While the firm cut the GOJ/BOJ bid placement fee from 0.146% to 0.10% (keeping the $5,175 minimum fee intact), it raised charges for RTGS transfers, cheque services, and return/recall transfers. For equity traders using JMMB’s digital Moneyline platform, the published commission rate rose from 0.50% to 0.70%, translating to an actual effective rate increase from 0.435% to 0.609%. Clients requiring assisted trades outside the digital platform saw their commission jump from 1.50% to 2.00%.

    JMMB Securities Limited (JMMBSL), the group’s brokerage arm, earned second runner-up honors from the JSE Best Practice Committee in December 2025 for its 2024 revenue and market activity. JMMB Group’s 2025 annual report ranks JMMBSL first in total number of trades, second in trading volume, and sixth in trading value for 2024. The fee hike comes as the JSE’s Main Market and Junior Market posted $60.58 billion and $6.36 billion in total traded value respectively for 2025, creating an opportunity for brokers to boost top-line revenue through higher commission rates.

    JMMB noted in its client communication that regular fee reviews are standard industry practice, conducted to balance the firm’s operational needs with client requirements. The latest adjustments, it said, align with the firm’s guiding principle of fair fee application, its core values, and its commitment to acting in clients’ best interests.

    The third major adjustment came from VM Wealth Management Limited, which implemented changes effective March 1, mirroring Barita’s move to eliminate discounted digital trading rates. Previously, VM Wealth charged 0.75% for trades executed on JtraderPro, and 1.5% to 2.00% for in-branch assisted trades. Under the new structure, all equity transactions carry a 2.50% trading fee, with an additional $1,500 charge for transaction requests submitted outside VM Wealth’s digital client portal.

    VM Wealth told clients the fee adjustments will allow the firm to continue investing in upgraded digital infrastructure, expanded service channels, and specialized client support teams. The firm emphasized its commitment to delivering efficient, secure, high-quality services to help clients meet their long-term financial goals.

    For years, Jamaican brokers have offered discounted commission rates for digital self-service trades, which require less hands-on staff interaction than assisted transactions. This strategy was designed to incentivize more frequent online trading, ultimately driving higher total revenue through increased transaction volume. Today’s fee adjustments mark a clear strategic shift, driven in large part by brokers’ need to prepare for the upcoming “twin peaks” regulatory framework and other upcoming regulatory changes impacting parent financial groups.

    The adjustments come at a time of robust overall performance for Jamaica’s securities sector. Unaudited data from the Financial Services Commission (FSC) shows total sector revenue grew 17% year-over-year to $87.77 billion for the 2025 calendar year ending December. The FSC attributes this revenue growth to expanded non-interest income, primarily driven by strong profits from debt securities trading. Total sector expenses fell 5% to $72.51 billion, pushing combined pre-tax profit (PBT) for the 19 reporting primary securities dealers to $15.26 billion.

    The FSC noted that the double-digit jump in pre-tax profit stems from concurrent growth in operating revenue and a decline in operating costs. For comparison, the 2024 pre-tax profit figure was restated from an original $0.87 billion gain to a $1.54 billion pre-tax loss, though no explanation has been provided for the revision.

    Despite the strong profit performance, the sector saw a 1% contraction in total assets to $973.43 billion, though total equity and capital improved 2% to $147.96 billion. The aggregate capital adequacy ratio for the 19 reporting firms rose from 20.41% to 22.49% — double the 10% statutory minimum required by regulators.

    Total broker funds under management (FUM) grew 10% year-over-year to a record $1.83 trillion, with collective investment schemes (including unit trusts and mutual funds) rising 9% to $416.47 billion from $383.11 billion in 2024. While FUM is at an all-time high, year-over-year growth has slowed in recent years: FUM stood at $1.72 trillion in December 2022 and $1.59 trillion in December 2021, meaning growth has moderated even as total values hit new records. Equity holdings within managed funds are also growing at a slower pace than in previous periods.

    The overall picture shows that even as Jamaica’s banking and securities sectors deliver rising earnings, consumers and investors are facing higher fees for a growing range of services — even as those services continue to shift to lower-cost digital delivery models.

  • Hambani lifts First Rock ahead of $700-m test

    Hambani lifts First Rock ahead of $700-m test

    Jamaica-based real estate firm FIRST Rock Real Estate Investment Limited has announced a critical breakthrough at its flagship Hambani Estates luxury development, with cumulative sales now covering all outstanding project costs and enabling structured debt repayment – a positive development that comes as the company navigates a $700-million bond maturing this month and ongoing delays to its audited annual financial results.

    According to Mayberry Investments Limited, the financial firm that structured the project’s post-receivership refinancing, seven of the development’s 12 planned luxury townhouses in Kingston 6, St Andrew, have achieved practical completion and are already under sales contract. Proceeds from these transactions, alongside pre-completion sales, are sufficient to cover every projected cost associated with delivering the full Hambani Estates project. This update was publicly released on April 30, the exact same day First Rock confirmed a second extension to the publication timeline for its 2025 audited financial statements. After missing an initial March 1 deadline, the company now targets release of the completed reports by May 15.

    The Hambani Estates project, a 12-unit luxury townhouse development targeted at high-net-worth buyers and real estate investors in Liguanea, has endured a turbulent recent history. In early 2025, Sagicor Bank Jamaica placed the development into receivership after First Rock defaulted on project repayment obligations, triggered by widespread construction delays and weaker-than-projected initial sales. After the receivership appointment, Mayberry Investments stepped in to arrange a new corporate note refinancing package, a restructuring that has now positioned the project to begin phased early repayments to noteholders thanks to the stronger-than-expected sales performance.

    First Rock was able to regain full control of the Hambani Estates development in September 2025, after paying off the outstanding Sagicor Bank facility using a new $15-million US dollar note that carries a 14% annual interest rate and is scheduled to mature in March 2027.

    In a statement accompanying the project update, Mayberry Investments Chief Executive Officer Patrick Bataille noted that both the pace of construction progress and the strength of buyer demand at Hambani Estates have outperformed all post-restructuring projections. Mayberry also confirmed that unit values have risen sharply since the project launched: initial asking prices sat around $1.8 million per unit, and current pricing now sits at roughly $2.3 million. Additional price hikes are projected as more units reach completion and hit the market.

    Public filings for First Rock covering the nine-month period ending September 2025 lay out the company’s current financial position. Total liabilities increased to $40.5 million US dollars, up from $31.5 million at the close of 2024, a jump that the company attributes to increased borrowing to complete the project debt refinancing. As of the end of September, the firm held $5.36 million in cash and cash equivalents. For the nine-month period, First Rock reported a net profit of $1.04 million, with a $31,000 net profit recorded in the third quarter alone.

  • SUMMIT PROPERTY HEADS TO AUCTION

    SUMMIT PROPERTY HEADS TO AUCTION

    Nearly four years after Jamaica-based Novamed Properties Limited purchased the iconic former Knutsford Court Hotel in New Kingston with ambitious plans to redevelop it into an integrated health, business and innovation campus, the high-value central commercial property has been listed for public auction under mortgage default powers.

    The upcoming auction, scheduled for 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, June 3, 2026, covers the dual-parcel property located at 11 Ruthven Road and 16 Chelsea Avenue, Kingston 10, a prime spot in New Kingston’s corporate and commercial core, according to public auction notice reviewed by Jamaica Observer.

    The listing marks a dramatic reversal of fortune for one of the district’s most recognizable commercial properties. When Novamed first acquired the site from prominent Jamaican hotelier Kevin Hendrickson, the total transaction, including acquisition costs, closing fees and projected renovation works, was valued at more than US$40 million. Official transfer documents filed with Jamaica’s National Land Agency, reviewed by Business Observer, show the property was formally transferred to Novamed in January 2023 for a base purchase price of US$23.5 million. Public title records also reflect a US$14.99 million vendor mortgage held by Knutsford Court Hotel Limited, the selling entity controlled by Hendrickson.

    Industry insiders close to the transaction confirmed the entire purchase was structured as a vendor mortgage, a non-traditional financing arrangement where the seller acts as the lender rather than a commercial bank. Under this agreement, the seller allows the buyer to repay a portion of the purchase price over an agreed timeline, with the underlying property held as collateral for the loan. This structure leaves the seller, in this case Hendrickson through his selling entity, with a secured financial stake in the property even after full ownership is transferred to the buyer.

    As of press time, neither party has issued a public statement on the upcoming auction. Novamed told Business Observer it requires additional time to prepare a comment and has not followed through on a commitment to speak with the outlet, while Hendrickson declined to comment, noting he would need to first consult with his legal team before making any statement.

    The property itself is a substantial commercial asset that has already been partially converted from its original hotel use to a multi-block business centre. According to the auction listing, the site spans a total 3.84 acres (15,539.80 square metres) of prime land, with 102,225 square feet (9,496.93 square metres) of total built space across three main three-storey office blocks and a separate two-storey restaurant and lounge building. Currently, the 175 original air-conditioned hotel rooms have been repurposed for office use, alongside an existing restaurant and bar, 10,000 square feet of flexible meeting and banquet space, a courtyard, swimming pool, and 110 dedicated parking spots.

    Located in the heart of New Kingston, the property offers prime frontage on Ruthven Road with rear access from Chelsea Avenue, placing it within walking distance of major arterial roads Holborn Road and Dominica Drive. It is also a short distance from key local amenities including foreign embassies, diplomatic high commissions, major financial institutions, shopping centres and government public institutions.

    Novamed first announced its acquisition of the Knutsford Court Hotel in 2022 through Novamed Properties, a special-purpose vehicle created specifically to acquire and operate real estate assets focused on healthcare, wellness, lifestyle and commercial use. At the time, the firm laid out bold plans to rebrand the property as the Summit Campus, converting the four-acre site into a cutting-edge smart business and lifestyle village focused on innovation, technology, health and wellness. The new development was designed to complement Novamed’s recently acquired Medical Associates Hospital, forming a fully integrated health and commercial hub in central Kingston. For Hendrickson, the sale allowed him to redirect capital and focus to his ongoing redevelopment of the former Wyndham Hotel on Knutsford Boulevard, where he already owns two other prominent New Kingston hotels: the Courtleigh Hotel and Suites and the Jamaica Pegasus hotel.

    Plans for the ambitious redevelopment hit a major regulatory snag earlier this year, however. Regulatory filings reviewed by Business Observer show that in April 2026, Jamaica’s National Environment and Planning Agency rejected two key applications from Novamed: one for an environmental permit and one for planning permission for the proposed construction of new office and commercial complexes, including a shopping centre larger than 5,000 square metres, as well as a formal change of use for the property from a resort designation to commercial office.

    The agency cited two core reasons for the refusal: the proposed development failed to adequately plan for sufficient parking capacity to accommodate the new commercial use, and Novamed failed to meet minimum application requirements, including the submission of a required community survey and updated land use map for the environmental permit application. It remains unclear whether the rejected applications were part of a revised master plan for the site, or if the regulatory setback contributed to the circumstances that led to the property being listed for auction.

    Photographs of the property taken in 2026 show the partially converted Summit campus, including the marked Chelsea Avenue entrance to the site.

  • WiPay launches new solution for ROOFS programme

    WiPay launches new solution for ROOFS programme

    Following the destructive path of Hurricane Melissa, Jamaica’s $10-billion Restoration of Owner or Occupant Family Shelters (ROOFS) program has marked a major leap forward in disaster recovery delivery with the launch of an artificial intelligence-driven management solution from regional fintech leader WiPay Group.

    The ROOFS initiative, first rolled out in January 2024 to support thousands of households impacted by the storm, has long relied on WiPay’s robust digital infrastructure to power fund and resource tracking, delivered in partnership with the National Payments Company of Jamaica (NPCJ). Up until this upgrade, however, the program faced notable growing pains, particularly when distributing the $75,000 in discretionary recovery cash allocated to eligible households. Long wait times, overcrowded pickup locations, and duplicated scheduling left many recipients frustrated and slowed the pace of rebuilding.

    To resolve these bottlenecks, WiPay has rolled out its upgraded GovPay2.0, an AI-first platform designed to overhaul the entire end-to-end recovery fund disbursement experience. Unlike the early iteration of the program, which focused only on getting funds to recipients, the new system manages every step of the process from scheduling to delivery. To date, the ROOFS program has already distributed more than $8.25 billion in support to affected households, with the vast majority of that allocated as construction materials available through more than 200 partner hardware stores across storm-impacted regions. Eligible households with moderate to severe damage can access between $125,000 and $425,000 in building supplies, accessed via a streamlined system of text notifications and scannable QR codes that eliminates fraud and speeds up pickup.

    Kibwe McGann, Chief Marketing Officer of WiPay Group, explained the core value of the AI upgrade in an official press statement. “We’ve moved from simply distributing funds to managing the entire experience around it. When people no longer have to guess, wait for hours, or deal with overcrowding, the system starts to work the way it should,” he said. The new AI algorithm is built to eliminate scheduling errors, allocating time slots to recipients in a way that avoids overcapacity at any of the more than 100 authorized cash pickup locations across the island, in partnership with local financial services provider Lasco Financial Services Limited. For recipients who prefer not to travel to pickup points, the platform also enables direct, express deposits of cash allocations to personal bank accounts, cutting down on travel costs and the security risks associated with carrying large amounts of physical cash.

    McGann noted that the new solution draws directly from WiPay’s experience delivering similar digital relief management during the COVID-19 pandemic, when the company supported large-scale government grant distribution across the region. “Between the cash appointment management solution and express direct-to-bank solutions, we expect to alleviate the current challenges and pain points,” he added.

    Beyond resolving immediate delivery issues, McGann emphasized the long-term strategic value of digitizing disaster relief programs. The AI-powered system captures granular, real-time data on every step of the recovery process, from how much construction material is requested in specific regions to the pace of fund distribution. This data not only ensures that all funds are used for their intended recovery purposes, eliminating misallocation and fraud, but also provides the Jamaican government with actionable, data-driven insights to improve disaster preparedness for future extreme weather events.

    “As Jamaica continues to address the challenges in western Jamaica, McGann pointed to the benefits of digitising targeted grant relief. Apart from being able to ensure that the funds are used for their intended purpose, he pointed to the data management aspect to support government insights into future events — this includes the quantity of materials demanded and in which specific parts of the country, after a storm. The system that we developed tracks all of that in detail to ensure that if something like this happens again, the Government is now able to take data-driven insights to better prepare the country for what is needed,” McGann said in closing.

  • Mace fallout intensifies

    Mace fallout intensifies

    The political fallout from a chaotic mace confrontation during last week’s parliamentary sitting in Jamaica deepened dramatically on Tuesday, as House Speaker Juliet Holness publicly called out Opposition Member of Parliament Angela Brown Burke, revealing a pattern of defiance against the presiding officer’s authority that stretches back months. The high-profile clash, which unfolded during debate on the critical National Reconstruction and Resilience Authority (NaRRA) Bill, has thrown a spotlight on long-simmering divisions between the government and opposition inside Gordon House, Jamaica’s parliamentary building.

    Opening Tuesday’s scheduled sitting of the House of Representatives, Holness opened with a lengthy, formal statement addressing the explosive scenes from the prior week, centering her remarks on defending the foundational role of parliamentary discipline and the authority of the institution itself. The Speaker confirmed that Brown Burke, who represents the St Andrew South Western constituency, had already disrupted legislative business during a tense sitting held on March 5 this year. Holness recalled that on that earlier occasion, Brown Burke left her seat and loudly declared, “Yuh waan mi fi behave like a virago? Mi a go behave like a virago.”

    “This was not the first occasion on which conduct of this nature has tested the authority of the Chair by the same member,” Holness told assembled lawmakers. “Restraint was exercised in the hope that the matter would not be repeated. But restraint must never be mistaken for permission, patience must never be mistaken for weakness, and silence must never be mistaken for acceptance.”

    The Tuesday remarks came days after Brown Burke was formally named and suspended from Parliament after grabbing the ceremonial mace — a centuries-old symbol of parliamentary authority — during heated committee-stage debate on the NaRRA Bill. The incident triggered chaotic scenes in the chamber that forced officials to temporarily suspend all proceedings.

    But in an interview with the Jamaica Observer conducted hours after Holness’ Tuesday address, Brown Burke forcefully pushed back against the Speaker’s narrative, rejecting the framing of her actions as an unprovoked breach of protocol. She argued that the confrontation was the end result of months of growing frustration, rooted in what she describes as systemic efforts to sideline and silence opposition lawmakers during parliamentary debates.

    “We haven’t made the case to the Jamaican people. We have sat quietly, we have protested inside of the House, we have spoken to the Speaker, we have spoken to others about the attitude in the House, which prevents individuals on the Opposition side from actually participating in the discussions and in the debate,” Brown Burke said.

    The opposition MP alleged that parliamentary standing orders are enforced inconsistently across government and opposition members, with opposition lawmakers routinely blocked from accessing speaking time during key debates. “What someone on the Government side will get away with, we won’t,” she said, accusing the Speaker of overt partisan bias in how she presides over proceedings. She further claimed that the parliamentary microphone system has been “weaponized” against opposition members, who are often muted or blocked from having their remarks included in the official parliamentary record.

    Brown Burke explained that tensions boiled over during last week’s NaRRA debate after she made three separate attempts to intervene in discussion, only to be intentionally ignored by the Speaker. “On three different occasions I wanted to make a statement to intervene in the discussion… The Speaker looked at me and just turned her head and looked to the other side,” she claimed.

    While she openly acknowledged that grabbing the mace violated formal parliamentary rules, she maintained that her action was a deliberate act of protest against what she called consistent, ongoing disrespect toward opposition representatives. “And so I got up. And, as I put it, I interfaced with the mace. And we know what the standing order says. I’m not pretending that it is sanctioned by the standing orders. Not at all. But it was because of that pushing, that ignoring, that disrespectful behaviour of the Speaker, time and time again,” she said.

    Brown Burke also pushed back against Holness’ recounting of the March 5 “virago” incident, saying her original remarks were misrepresented. “I said, ‘Do I have to behave like a virago for me to be heard?’ That was what I said, and I thought that was an appropriate question. Because I don’t believe that I should have to behave like a virago to be heard,” she told the Observer.

    In her address to parliament, Holness emphasized that the dispute goes far beyond the conduct of a single lawmaker, framing it as a fundamental challenge to the institutional order and authority of Jamaica’s parliament. “The mace is not a decoration. It is not a prop. It is not an object to be used in protest. It is the symbol of the authority of this House,” the Speaker declared.

    She also criticized broader opposition behavior after Brown Burke’s suspension, noting that the opposition leader and other opposition lawmakers staged a standing protest with chants in direct defiance of the Chair’s authority. Holness further revealed that she had previously overlooked “derogatory sotto voce references, slurs, and disrespectful posturing” from a small group of opposition lawmakers, choosing to allow legislative business to proceed rather than escalate conflict.

    Despite the sharp escalation of tensions between the two sides, both Holness and Brown Burke have called for a broader reassessment of the tone and rules of engagement inside Jamaica’s parliament. “Order is not the enemy of democracy. Order is what makes democracy possible,” Holness told lawmakers.

    For her part, Brown Burke said she hopes the high-profile controversy will force the institution to confront and address the systemic inequities that have stoked tension between government and opposition members. “Let’s draw a line. Let’s determine how we interface with each other. But let us stop the hypocrisy,” she said.

  • Chris Martin readies new music

    Chris Martin readies new music

    Over 21 years in the competitive global music industry, Jamaican recording artist Christopher Martin has cultivated a quiet, unshakable confidence that comes only from sustained, long-term success. Martin first stepped into the spotlight as a teenage contestant on the 2005 season of Digicel Rising Stars, and his decades-long career stands as a testament to his greatest professional strength: endurance.

    Rather than boasting about his staying power in an industry that often chases fleeting viral trends, Martin approaches his craft with intentional gratitude, grounded perspective, and a steady, unassuming commitment to creating new work. In a recent exclusive interview with the *Jamaica Observer*, the *Big Deal* singer shared his philosophy on navigating a career in music: “With everything in life there’s challenges and rewards, so we have to learn to just take our punches, roll with it, and make the best of every situation.”

    Looking back on a creative journey that now stretches across more than two decades, Martin acknowledged that remaining a relevant, respected artist in a constantly evolving entertainment landscape is no small achievement — even as he continues to embrace humility. For him, this 21-year milestone is not a victory lap for simply surviving the industry’s ups and downs, but an opportunity to celebrate the people who have supported him along the way.

    “It’s been 21 years in the business for me and, to still be relevant, it’s a blessing,” he said. “I give thanks to the fans. Without the people this journey wouldn’t have got to where it’s at, and so I’m grateful.”

    Martin’s gratitude extends far beyond looking back at past success; it fuels his ongoing creative work and shapes the next chapter of his career. His newest single, *Don’t Have to Ask*, has already begun gaining steady traction with listeners around the world, and its accompanying music video continues to build momentum across streaming platforms.

    The seasoned artist teased that the upcoming months will bring even more new content for his fanbase. “Right now we have a single out that’s doing well… and we have a body of work coming out this summer, so just keep an eye out,” he said. “A lot is going to happen; lots of new music. We can’t give away too much just yet, but just know, it’s going to be good.”

  • National ride-hailing policy coming — Vaz

    National ride-hailing policy coming — Vaz

    Nearly a year after a brutal murder of a schoolteacher linked to unregulated ride-hailing services prompted an immediate industry ban, Jamaica’s government has taken a major step toward formalizing long-term rules for the rapidly growing mobility sector. Transport Minister Daryl Vaz confirmed Tuesday that the national Cabinet has formally signed off on plans to develop a country-wide ride-hailing policy, which will serve as the bedrock for a full regulatory regime to govern all app-based ride services operating across the island.

    Speaking during his contribution to the 2026/27 Sectoral Debate in Parliament, Vaz emphasized that bringing structure and oversight to ride-hailing remains one of the administration’s top priorities as it works to modernize Jamaica’s entire transport network. “Our goal is to build a system that delivers safe, regulated, and accessible mobility for every Jamaican,” he told lawmakers.

    To keep the policy development process on track and ensure all affected parties have a seat at the table, Vaz announced that a dedicated steering committee has already been formed to provide cross-sector oversight and facilitate ongoing stakeholder engagement. The next critical milestone in the process will be the drafting of a policy Green Paper, which outlines the government’s initial proposals for public discussion. Vaz confirmed that work on this draft is already progressing at pace, with a target to table the document in Parliament within the next four months.

    In a commitment to full transparency, the minister added that once the draft policy is completed, it will be opened up to wide-ranging public scrutiny. This open consultation period will allow ordinary citizens, existing ride-hailing operators, transport unions, and other key stakeholders to share feedback that will shape the final regulatory framework. Vaz outlined the core priorities the new policy will deliver: beyond just bringing unregulated services into compliance, the framework will protect public safety, foster fair competition between all transport providers, and improve overall mobility access for communities across Jamaica.

    Vaz also issued a clear warning to any unlicensed operators currently working outside existing Jamaican transport laws. “There are already laws and regulations that govern the transport sector in this country, and nobody — no matter how large or powerful they are — will be allowed to undermine that,” he said. “You either operate within the rules we have put in place, or we will take appropriate enforcement action.”

    In a parallel move to address ongoing industry concerns, Vaz noted that he has agreed with Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett to hold a dedicated meeting with sector stakeholders, following multiple requests for discussions to align ongoing industry needs with the government’s policy rollout.

    The current push for formal regulation traces back to June 2024, when Vaz announced an immediate ban on all unregulated ride-hailing and ride-sharing apps, a decision that came in direct response to a national tragedy. Just one day before the ban was announced, Jamaican police confirmed that human remains found in Salt River, Clarendon, were believed to be those of Danielle Anglin, a missing primary and infant school teacher from St Peter Claver. Anglin had disappeared on May 13 while traveling to work from her home in Hellshire, St Catherine, after booking a trip through a ride-hailing app.

    Then Deputy Commissioner of Police Fitz Bailey told reporters at the time that the primary suspect in Anglin’s kidnapping and murder had already been arrested on sexual assault charges back in 2015. He also highlighted a critical gap in oversight: the lack of formal information sharing between local law enforcement and unregulated ride-hailing companies had created major barriers to the investigation. In July 2024, forensic testing officially confirmed the remains belonged to Anglin, and 45-year-old Lascelles Morgan, a convicted sex offender and taxi operator from Willowdene, St Catherine, was arrested and charged with murder and kidnapping. Morgan died in November 2024, 12 days after attempting suicide while in custody at Portmore Police Station.

    When announcing the 2024 ban during his contribution to that year’s Sectoral Debate, Vaz explained he had been compelled to act after receiving formal correspondence from a senior police official outlining the public safety risks. At the time, he proposed the ban remain in place until formal regulations could be put in place to require mandatory background checks for all ride-hailing drivers, conducted jointly by app operators and Jamaican law enforcement and transport authorities. The new national policy is designed to address exactly these gaps, tackling longstanding safety vulnerabilities while creating a fair, level operating environment for all transport service providers across the country.

  • ‘Highway for abuse’

    ‘Highway for abuse’

    A government-commissioned independent review of Jamaica’s flagship medical facility, the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI), has uncovered critical systemic failures rooted in 75-year-old governing legislation that opened the door to widespread misconduct and significant institutional harm. The review panel, led by seasoned Jamaican attorney Howard Mitchell, concluded that the aging 1948 University Hospital Act is riddled with unaddressed loopholes that have effectively created an unregulated space for abuse across multiple areas of the hospital’s operations. Mitchell is now pushing for urgent, comprehensive overhauls to the decades-old law, emphasizing that outdated regulatory frameworks have left gaping holes in institutional accountability that cannot be allowed to remain in place. He argues that modernizing the legislation is a non-negotiable step to realign UHWI’s governance structure with the operational and ethical demands of 21st-century public healthcare. Beyond the systemic governance gaps, the committee’s findings paint a stark picture of tangible harm to both public finances and patient care: the weak regulatory environment allowed the hospital to lose billions of dollars over time, while thousands of Jamaican residents relying on the premier facility have been failed by the system and denied access to appropriate medical treatment. The full, detailed findings of the review committee are scheduled to be published in extended reports on pages 4 and 5 of the relevant publication.

  • UHWI on life support

    UHWI on life support

    Jamaica’s flagship public medical and teaching facility, the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI), is in a state of systemic financial and operational crisis that could have cut its revenue losses by more than half if basic governance protocols had been consistently followed, according to a damning independent investigative report.

    The probe, headed by veteran Jamaican attorney Howard Mitchell, was convened by Jamaica’s Minister of Health and Wellness Dr. Christopher Tufton after a 2024 auditor general report flagged widespread operational irregularities at the facility. Mitchell’s Institutional Review Committee was tasked with unpacking the root causes of the hospital’s persistent financial struggles and service gaps.

    In a public press conference held Tuesday to unveil the committee’s findings, Mitchell emphasized that most of UHWI’s fiscal strain stems not from insufficient government funding, but from years of unaddressed institutional failure to enforce standard financial and operational procedures. The committee’s investigation uncovered systemic weaknesses across four core areas: lax financial controls, chaotic inventory management, broken procurement processes, and widespread governance lapses. These failures have not only gutted the hospital’s budget, but have directly eroded the quality of care available to Jamaican patients who rely on the island’s leading referral hospital.

    “Based on my decades of experience working with government agencies, if staff and leadership had followed existing procurement rules, financial reporting requirements, and standard inventory management practices, more than 50% of the hospital’s annual revenue loss would have been avoided,” Mitchell said during the briefing. He added that inconsistent and incomplete financial reporting also undermines the hospital’s case for increased government allocations, creating a vicious cycle of underfunding caused by poor accountability: “How can you expect the government to continue allocating more funds when you can’t show how existing resources are being used?”

    The report makes clear that these institutional breakdowns are not just abstract administrative issues – they have direct, life-altering consequences for patients. Weak inventory tracking and oversight, Mitchell explained, often leads to critical shortages of essential medical supplies, even when public funds have already been allocated to purchase those items. Without clear tracking systems for everything from prescription medications to bandages and wound care supplies, the hospital frequently ends up in situations where vital stocks go missing or are diverted, leaving treatment rooms empty when patients need care.

    “If you don’t have formal tracking for your drugs, bandages and other supplies, and it’s a free-for-all with no clear record of who receives what, you’ll eventually walk into the storeroom and find nothing. Worse, you can end up with unauthorized third parties holding more of the hospital’s medical stock than the facility itself,” Mitchell said.

    Procurement failures have also drained millions from the hospital’s care budget, the committee found. When basic procurement rules – such as requiring three competitive bids for major purchases – are ignored, the hospital often pays up to three times the fair market value for essential equipment and services. That unnecessary overspending pulls critical resources away from direct patient care.

    “If you overpay for a piece of equipment by hundreds or thousands of dollars because you skipped competitive bidding, that’s money you can’t use to treat the patients that count on you,” Mitchell added.

    Beyond operational inefficiencies, the report identifies the hospital’s staggering tax liability as an existential threat to its long-term viability. UHWI currently carries approximately JMD $40 billion in accumulated unpaid taxes, penalties, and interest, and accumulates an additional $300 million in new liabilities every month. Mitchell called the current debt trajectory completely unsustainable, noting that even if government authorities waive all accumulated penalties and interest, the hospital still faces billions in unpayable core obligations.

    In stark language that underscores the severity of the crisis, Mitchell compared the hospital’s condition to that of a critical care patient: “As a consequence of years of unaddressed failure, the University Hospital of the West Indies is in critical condition. It is itself in the ICU.”

    For his part, Health Minister Tufton acknowledged the management failures laid out in the report, but added context to the hospital’s fiscal challenges, noting that UHWI’s unique mandate as Jamaica’s leading public referral and teaching hospital forces it to absorb large unrecoverable costs that other facilities do not face. The gap between the hospital’s revenue and expenses is driven in part by its responsibility to treat low-income and uninsured patients who cannot pay for their care, Tufton explained.

    Tufton also admitted that the government itself contributes to the hospital’s growing unpaid receivables, by regularly referring vulnerable patients for life-saving care at UHWI without securing guaranteed payment for treatment. “Every week I send people to the University Hospital, and to be totally frank, I am probably part of the cause of some of the delinquency,” Tufton said. “The people I send there for lifesaving treatment can’t pay if the ministry doesn’t pay for them. But lives are at stake, and I cannot in good conscience turn these patients away when they need specialized care that only the premier institution can provide.”

    The release of the committee’s report is expected to kick off urgent government-led restructuring efforts to stabilize UHWI’s finances and restore consistent, high-quality care for patients across Jamaica.

  • Police battle hub

    Police battle hub

    MANDEVILLE, Manchester — Facing an alarming three-fold jump in murder rates compared to last year, law enforcement in Jamaica’s Manchester Parish officially unveiled a fully renovated police conference room this Tuesday, rebranding it as the central command hub for an aggressive new crackdown on rising criminal activity across the region.

    Speaking at the opening ceremony attended by local business leaders and senior law enforcement officials, Assistant Commissioner Christopher Phillips, head of Police Area Three, delivered a firm warning to offenders: Manchester will not be allowed to become a safe haven for criminal activity. He framed the updated facility at Mandeville Police Station as more than just office space — it is a purpose-built “war room” for a coordinated campaign against individuals and groups that have destabilized the parish with violent crime.

    “Some criminals have started to see Manchester as a safe space to operate, and that ends now,” Phillips emphasized. “We will push back, we will fight hard, and we will reclaim our communities. This space will serve multiple critical roles: it will be a briefing center before major operations, a training ground for new young constables, and a collaborative meeting space where police can partner with local stakeholders — from faith leaders to business associations — to address the root of Manchester’s violence together.”

    The J$7 million renovation project was completed entirely through a groundbreaking public-private partnership, with 13 local organizations stepping forward to fund and carry out the work. Contributing partners included C&D Construction, Power Services Company Ltd, Matthews and Clarke Roofing, Samfo Meats, Hylton and Sons, Superlatives Auto, Vicbern Roofing, the Youth Ministry of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, Denron, Pavecon Ltd, Rymac Rentals, J Crawford and Sons Limited, and Grant’s Welding.

    Beyond structural renovations, which covered full retiling, new partitions, doors, air conditioning systems, updated electrical wiring, replacement windows, fresh painting, plumbing repairs, and new built-in cupboards, the business community also donated critical operational equipment. Donations include 50 matching chairs and tables, a new laptop, a large smart television with a portable stand, a glass podium, a microwave, a water dispenser, and a fully stocked coffee station for officers. Following the renovation work, participating business leaders also organized a large-scale clean-up of the entire police station compound to clear leftover construction debris and refresh the grounds.

    Official police statistics paint a stark picture of the crisis the new command center is designed to address: between January 1 and May 2, 2026, the parish recorded 14 murders, up from just five homicides during the same period in 2025. Investigators have identified interpersonal conflicts and domestic violence as the primary driving factors behind most of the recent killings.

    Phillips praised the Manchester division police leadership for successfully engaging the private sector in the project, noting that upgraded, professional working conditions directly translate to better operational outcomes. “When officers work in a space that is professional, clean, and functional, morale rises, and performance follows,” he explained. “I charge every member of the Manchester division to take ownership of this space, and build a culture of continuous improvement that spreads across every part of the station. Even small improvements, from a fresh coat of paint to working air conditioning, build pride, and that pride leads to bigger partnerships and stronger community engagement.”

    He added that public perception of police is shaped as much by how law enforcement stewards public resources as it is by crime-fighting results. “A clean, modern, functional station sends a clear message to the people of Manchester: we respect you, and we respect ourselves,” Phillips said. “Our officers run toward danger when everyone else runs away — they deserve a headquarters that matches their courage. My hope is that every briefing held in this room leads to safer streets, every strategy session saves a life, and every community meeting held here builds deeper, stronger trust between police and the people we serve.”

    The ceremony concluded with Superintendent Carey Duncan, head of the Manchester police, cutting the ribbon to officially open the new facility, as participating business leaders and senior officers looked on.