分类： society

MANCHESTER, JAMAICA – Investigators with local law enforcement have released the identities of two victims, a father and son, who were killed in a brutal execution-style attack early Friday in the quiet south Jamaica community of New Forest, Manchester.

The deceased have been named as 60-year-old Hubert Ferguson, who was known locally by the nickname “Bestie”, and his 33-year-old son Floyd Ferguson, a well-known local car dealer and part-time entertainer who went by the alias “Fido”.

A senior police source, speaking on condition of anonymity to share details of the ongoing investigation, confirmed that the pair were bound at the hands before being shot dead at their private residence in New Forest. The attack is believed to have taken place around midnight Friday, with the bodies discovered shortly after dawn.

Official data from Jamaica’s constabulary force underscores a worrying upward trend in violent crime in the parish this year. As of Sunday, May 31, Manchester had recorded 14 homicide cases, already a 75 percent increase from the eight murders reported during the same period in 2023. This double homicide has pushed the total number of murders in the parish to 16 just five and a half months into the calendar year, amplifying growing community concerns over rising violent crime in rural areas of the country.

The report was filed by Kasey Williams, local correspondent for Jamaica-based news outlets.

MANCHESTER, JAMAICA – In a key step forward for Jamaica’s ongoing push to modernize its public digital infrastructure, the country’s Universal Service Fund (USF) has gifted more than JMD $4.2 million in new computing hardware to the Manchester Municipal Corporation.

The donation, which forms part of the USF’s long-running initiative to embed digital transformation across local government bodies and lift their operational capacity, was formalized during an official handover ceremony held on Thursday, May 28. Under the agreement, the municipal authority took delivery of 12 brand-new desktop computers and three portable laptops, a haul of equipment earmarked to upgrade the body’s outdated technological stock and directly improve the quality of services delivered to thousands of Manchester parish residents.

Addressing attendees at the event, USF Chief Executive Officer Charlton McFarlane stressed that as Jamaican society grows increasingly digitized, equipping public institutions with the necessary modern tools is not just an upgrade, but a core requirement for effective governance. “The donation we are turning over today will deliver lasting gains that boost the Manchester Municipal Corporation’s day-to-day efficiency,” McFarlane said, reaffirming the USF’s ongoing commitment to supporting institutions that directly touch Jamaican communities, ensuring they have all the resources they need to serve the public effectively.

Dana DeCordova Denton, USF’s Manager for Marketing and Public Relations, expanded on the broader rationale behind the investment, framing widespread technological access across government as a foundational public good in the 21st century. “Technology is no longer a luxury reserved for private entities or elite departments,” DeCordova Denton explained. “It is an indispensable enabler of efficiency, clear communication, innovative problem-solving, and reliable public service delivery. Government agencies are central to the daily lives of every Jamaican citizen, so it is absolutely critical that they have the tools they need to operate effectively in our fast-moving digital age.”

Donovan Mitchell, who serves as Mayor of Mandeville and Chairman of the Manchester Municipal Corporation, delivered the event’s keynote address, where he extended profound gratitude to the USF for the transformative contribution and outlined the tangible changes the new equipment will bring to local operations. Mitchell confirmed that every department within the municipal corporation will receive at least one of the new devices, and gave assurances to staff and residents alike that the updated technology will meaningfully strengthen the body’s overall effectiveness and productivity across all service areas.

GEORGETOWN, Guyana – A brutal early morning home invasion on the East Bank Essequibo coast has left a 7-year-old primary school student dead and his disabled 71-year-old grandmother hospitalized, with law enforcement officials now launching a widespread manhunt for the lone attacker.

The young victim has been identified as Adriel Aftab Mohamed, a student at Zeelugt Primary School who lived with his family in the Zeelugt New Housing Scheme, the residential neighborhood where the horrific attack unfolded shortly after midnight Friday. At the time of the break-in, only the child and his elderly grandmother were inside the property, according to preliminary details shared by local media.

Investigators say the pair likely woke to discover the unidentified intruder inside their home and attempted to sound an alarm to draw help, prompting the suspect to launch a fatal violent attack. The young boy died at the scene from multiple stab wounds, while his grandmother, who lives with a disability, suffered serious stab injuries that required urgent medical intervention. She remains in a hospital care facility as of Friday, receiving treatment for her wounds.

Wendell Blanhum, Deputy Commissioner of Police and the country’s Crime Chief, confirmed that investigative teams have prioritized the case and are actively tracking down leads to apprehend the person believed to be responsible for the violent incident. Local law enforcement has not yet released any detailed description of the suspect or possible motives for the home invasion, and official investigations remain ongoing as authorities work to piece together the full sequence of events.

The killing has sent shockwaves through the small, close-knit Zeelugt community, where residents have expressed outrage and sorrow over the senseless violence against a child and a vulnerable elderly resident.

KINGSTON, Jamaica — One of Jamaica’s most respected legal figures, retired Justice Ian Xavier Forte, has passed away. The distinguished former head of the country’s Court of Appeal, who was married to current public figure Marlene Malahoo Forte, died at his private residence in the early hours of Friday. He was 89 years old at the time of his death.

Justice Forte built a decades-long legacy of public service through the upper echelons of Jamaica’s judicial system, leaving an indelible mark on the country’s legal landscape. His journey to the apex of the judiciary began in January 1988, when he was appointed to the bench as an appellate judge. Over years of consistent, principled service, he climbed the ranks to assume the role of president of the Court of Appeal, a position he held with distinction until he stepped down from official judicial duties in 2005. In recognition of his extraordinary contributions to Jamaica’s justice system, he was bestowed with one of the country’s highest honors: the Order of Jamaica.

His judicial expertise extended far beyond Jamaica’s borders, earning him international recognition across the Caribbean. He accepted additional appellate judge appointments in two neighboring Caribbean territories, the Cayman Islands and the Turks and Caicos Islands, where he applied his decades of legal knowledge to support regional judicial processes. Closer to home, he also served his local community as a Justice of the Peace for the parish of Kingston, continuing his commitment to public service outside of formal appellate work.

Away from the courtroom, Justice Forte was a devout follower of the Roman Catholic faith, whose personal values guided both his professional and private life. In addition to his marriage to Marlene Malahoo Forte, he raised three children from his first marriage to Margaret, who predeceased him.

As of Friday’s announcement, officials have not released further details regarding the circumstances surrounding his death, leaving the public awaiting additional information as tributes begin to pour in for the late legal luminary.

MANCHESTER, JAMAICA – Law enforcement investigators spent hours working through the night into early Friday, carefully documenting and processing the site of a brutal double homicide that claimed the lives of a father and his son in the New Forest district of southwestern Jamaica’s Manchester parish.

Unnamed law enforcement sources familiar with the preliminary investigation confirmed that the two victims were targeted in a premeditated shooting close to their family residence in the quiet south Manchester community. Initial evidence collected at the scene indicates that the pair had their hands bound by their attackers before being gunned down in the incident, which unfolded just around midnight Thursday.

So far, local authorities have only publicly released the stage name of one victim, who was known in local circles by the artist alias Fido. The identities of both victims have not been fully released to the public as police continue working to notify all next of kin and complete preliminary procedural steps.

As of the latest update, investigators have not uncovered a definitive motive for the killing. No suspects have been taken into custody in connection with the attack, and police are urging any members of the public with information that could advance the investigation to come forward confidentially.

The violence comes amid a worrying upward trend in homicides across the parish this year. Jamaica Constabulary Force data shows that between January 1 and May 31 of this year, Manchester recorded 14 murders, a 75 percent jump from the eight murders reported in the same five-month period last year. Friday’s double homicide pushes the total number of murder victims in Manchester to 16 since the calendar year began, deepening concerns over rising violent crime in the region.

Reporting by Kasey Williams

MANCHESTER, Jamaica — A coordinated law enforcement operation targeting unregulated street vending along Jamaica’s Winston Jones Highway in Mandeville concluded on Thursday with six vendors arrested and formally charged with violating the island’s Towns and Communities Act. Five additional vendors caught in the clampdown received official warnings, local law enforcement confirmed this week.

The multi-agency sweep was carried out jointly by personnel from the Manchester Municipal police force, the Area Three Agricultural Protection Branch, and the central Manchester police command. According to law enforcement officials, the enforcement action is part of a broader ongoing push to reestablish public safety and orderly movement across Mandeville and its surrounding neighborhoods.

Unregulated roadside vending has grown increasingly prevalent in recent months along the busy highway corridor, particularly near the Williamsfield and New Green roundabouts. The unchecked activity has created significant traffic disruption, slowing vehicle flow through key junctions and raising major safety concerns for both motorists and vendors themselves.

A senior anonymous police source explained the urgency of the intervention, noting that many vendors have been stepping directly onto the active lanes of the Winston Jones Highway to approach moving vehicles to sell their goods. This dangerous practice puts both vendors and drivers at severe risk of collisions, the source added.

In the wake of the operation, law enforcement is calling on all local vendors to move their operations to the officially designated Mandeville Market, where dedicated vending space is available. Police also reminded all vendors operating in the region that they are required to comply with all existing public health and workplace safety regulations to protect both vendors and customers.