分类： society

The Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), headquartered in Port of Spain, Trinidad, has issued a formal tribute celebrating the extraordinary life and legacy of Jamaican legal luminary Ena Collymore-Woodstock, who passed away on December 2 at the remarkable age of 108. The CCJ heralded her as an exemplary barrister and magistrate whose groundbreaking career dismantled gender barriers across the Caribbean judicial landscape.

Collymore-Woodstock’s pioneering journey in law began in 1959 when she was appointed as Jamaica’s first female resident magistrate, shattering the glass ceiling in a male-dominated profession. Her distinguished tenure included presiding over the Juvenile Court and ascending to the position of Senior Resident Magistrate before her retirement in 1977. Her influence, however, extended far beyond the Jamaican courts, leaving an indelible mark on the entire Caribbean region and the international legal community.

Her contributions to jurisprudence and society were recognized with prestigious honors, including the Order of Distinction from the Jamaican Government and the Order of the British Empire from the United Kingdom. In 2021, the CCJ Academy for Law formally designated her as a ‘Pioneering Caribbean Woman Jurist’.

CCJ President Justice Winston Anderson, also of Jamaican origin, stated, ‘Mrs. Collymore-Woodstock was a true pioneer. Her legacy resonates in every courtroom where a female judicial officer presides and in the heart of every individual who values justice and equity. She has served as an inspiration for many in the legal sector and beyond. We are truly in her debt for her contributions.’

The Court expressed its profound hope that her enduring legacy of service, advocacy, and leadership would continue to inspire future generations of legal professionals across the Caribbean and beyond.

KINGSTON, Jamaica — The National Housing Trust (NHT) has disclosed concerningly low application rates for its hurricane relief initiatives, with only 667 grant requests and a mere 7 loan applications processed thus far for victims of Hurricane Melissa. Managing Director Martin Miller presented these figures during Wednesday’s parliamentary session of the Public Administration and Appropriations Committee (PAAC).

The disaster relief program, designed to provide financial support to contributors and other affected groups who sustained property damage, offers grants of up to $500,000 per property. Miller expressed concern over the sluggish application rate, revealing that the Trust has deployed multiple field teams into communities to accelerate registrations. ‘Grant applications are slow coming in. We have split into several teams working directly in communities, and we anticipate a significant increase over the coming week,’ Miller stated.

Regarding the minimal interest in loans, Miller explained that most affected residents explicitly prefer grants over debt-based assistance. During eligibility assessments, the Trust identified only 11 grant applicants whose financial circumstances might enable them to service loans instead.

In a significant expansion of eligibility criteria, the NHT has extended loan access beyond direct contributors to include immediate family members applying on behalf of relatives. This flexible approach aims to broaden the program’s reach amid recovery efforts.

Separately, the Trust has received 1,567 notifications of intent to file insurance claims, with 357 completed submissions including damage evidence and repair estimates. These claims represent approximately $823 million in preliminary assessed damages. Miller detailed the collaborative assessment process involving external assessors and NHT project officers working alongside insurance brokers.

The managing director confirmed that initial insurance payments have already commenced, noting that the Trust’s partial self-insurance model would accelerate settlements for a portion of claims. Miller projected that ‘within the next two weeks, we will see a large portion of the 357 claims moving through the payment process.’

KINGSTON, Jamaica — Jamaica’s transportation network has achieved an extraordinary recovery milestone following the devastating impact of Hurricane Melissa, according to Transport Minister Daryl Vaz. The comprehensive restoration of operations across aviation, maritime, and energy infrastructure signals a robust response to the natural disaster.

During a post-Cabinet briefing at Jamaica House, Minister Vaz revealed that despite varying degrees of storm damage, all airports under the Airports Authority of Jamaica’s management have resumed normal operations. The recovery trajectory has been particularly impressive at Sangster International Airport in St. James, which endured the most severe hurricane damage. Relief operations commenced on October 30, with commercial flights reinstated by November 1—though complete restoration is projected to continue through February-March 2026.

In contrast, Norman Manley International Airport (Kingston), Ian Fleming International Airport (St. Mary), and domestic aerodromes experienced minimal disruption, achieving full operational status by October 30. The aviation sector’s performance metrics are particularly noteworthy: between October 29 and December 2, Jamaica processed over 3,000 flights, representing a 26% surge in activity within a mere two-week period.

The relief operation statistics underscore the scale of the achievement: 935 dedicated relief flights and more than 310 helicopter missions facilitated critical evacuations, medical transportation, and essential supply deliveries. Minister Vaz emphasized that all major airports were restored within 24-48 hours—significantly outperforming the 72-hour target. The sector has processed 212 expedited relief authorizations and moved approximately 5,000-6,000 metric tonnes of relief cargo.

Maritime operations have similarly adapted to support recovery efforts. Port communities implemented extended Saturday operations from November 15 through December 13, while Kingston Wharves expanded weekday gate operations until 6:00 PM through December 23. Additional warehouse openings on November 29, December 6, 13, and 20 further demonstrate the comprehensive approach to managing peak season volumes alongside hurricane relief shipments.

The energy sector remains stable, with Petrojam reporting secure fuel supplies. Since October 30, over 3,600 tankers have been loaded at Kingston facilities, while Montego Bay’s loading operations have normalized. Minister Vaz confirmed that national fuel inventories remain within the internationally accepted comfort range of 2-3 weeks’ supply, with regular shipments resuming following the November 30 completion of refinery maintenance.

This multifaceted recovery operation positions Jamaica’s transport infrastructure as a critical enabler of national rehabilitation efforts following Hurricane Melissa’s passage.

PORTLAND, Jamaica — A distressing incident involving a school bus has prompted serious safety concerns and official demands for accountability from Jamaican authorities. Doreen Campbell, Caretaker for Portland Western representing the People’s National Party (PNP), is seeking urgent explanations following what she characterized as a nearly catastrophic event earlier this December.

The incident occurred on December 1 when a 14-year-old student from Marymount High School in Buff Bay was reportedly ejected from a moving yellow school bus under alarming circumstances. According to Campbell’s official statement released Saturday, the vehicle was severely overcrowded at the time of the incident, with numerous children forced to stand on the steps due to insufficient seating.

Preliminary reports indicate that another student aboard the bus inadvertently activated the emergency door release mechanism, causing the door to swing open suddenly. This resulted in the teenage girl being thrown from the moving vehicle onto the roadway. Miraculously, the victim narrowly avoided being crushed by the rear wheel of the bus, escaping what could have been a fatal outcome.

The young victim sustained significant soft tissue injuries to both her knees and face, requiring immediate hospital treatment. Medical assessments confirmed the injuries were severe enough to render her unable to walk for approximately two weeks following the incident.

Campbell has raised pressing questions regarding institutional responsibility: ‘This alarming situation raises grave concerns about operational oversight. Which ministry ultimately operates these buses—Transport or Education? Who bears the fundamental duty of care? Most concerningly, why has no representative from either ministry initiated contact with the traumatized family?’

The PNP representative also highlighted the absence of onboard supervision, noting that Minister Daryl Vaz’s previous commitments regarding bus monitors had apparently not been implemented. Campbell revealed that despite the matter being formally referred to Minister Vaz’s office, the affected family has received no communication or support from government representatives.

Campbell concluded with an urgent appeal: ‘I emphatically call on the relevant authorities to provide this child with necessary psychological and physical support to prevent future medical complications. We must ensure our children’s safety is never compromised by bureaucratic failure or institutional neglect.’