分类： society

Authorities in St Mary, Jamaica have launched a manhunt for a vehicle driver responsible for a fatal pedestrian collision that left an unidentified man dead on a major local roadway earlier this week. The tragic incident unfolded just after 9:00 pm on Tuesday along the Heywood Hall main road, close to the Hampstead entrance in the parish, according to official police accounts.

Preliminary reports from law enforcement confirm the victim, described by officials as a man believed to be experiencing mental distress, was struck by the moving vehicle while walking along the public roadway. In what has become the core focus of the ongoing investigation, the driver of the vehicle that hit the man immediately fled the accident site rather than stopping to render aid or report the crash, as required by Jamaican law.

Following the collision, members of the local community discovered the seriously injured victim along the roadside. Acting quickly to save his life, residents transported the injured man to the Port Maria hospital, where attending medical staff pronounced him dead shortly after arrival.

The St Mary Police Division is now leading a full criminal investigation into the fatal hit-and-run, working to identify both the victim and the at-large driver. Law enforcement officials are urging members of the public who may have witnessed the crash, have information about the vehicle involved, or hold any other details that could advance the investigation to contact the St Mary police immediately. All submissions of information can be kept confidential to protect witnesses, authorities added.

KINGSTON, Jamaica — Jamaica’s energy sector is poised for a landmark conversation this June, as one of the world’s most successful clean energy transition trailblazers prepares to headline the sixth annual Maurice Facey Lecture, scheduled for June 10, 2026. The public event, set to kick off at 4:00 pm at the Jamaica Conference Centre, will center on the timely theme “Breaking the Grid: Charting Jamaica’s Path to Renewable Energy”, diving into the complex opportunities, obstacles and policy choices that will define the island nation’s clean energy future. Open to all attendees at no cost, the lecture arrives at a critical turning point for Jamaica’s energy ambitions. For decades, the country has grappled with an overreliance on imported fossil fuels, which currently supply nearly 88% of its total electricity generation. This dependence has left Jamaica exposed to volatile global fuel markets, pushed regional electricity prices to among the highest in the Caribbean, and exacerbated vulnerabilities to climate change that threaten the country’s power grid infrastructure. As a result, the push for energy independence has shifted from a long-term planning goal to an urgent national priority. To address these challenges, the Jamaican government has set an ambitious target to source 50% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2030. Industry and policy leaders broadly agree that hitting this target is a critical step to boost Jamaica’s international economic competitiveness, shore up long-term energy security, and bring much-needed relief from high energy costs for both households and businesses. To help the country navigate this transition, the 2026 lecture has drawn a keynote speaker with a proven track record of delivering transformative national energy reform: Dr. Ramón Méndez Galain, the internationally acclaimed energy transition expert who led Uruguay’s world-renowned shift to a nearly fully renewable electricity system. Dr. Méndez Galain’s work has earned global recognition, including a spot on Fortune magazine’s list of the 50 Greatest Leaders in the world, the 2023 Carnot Prize, and the 2025 Climate Breakthrough Award. His career in energy leadership began during his tenure as Uruguay’s national director of energy from 2008 to 2015, when he oversaw the country’s historic energy overhaul. When the transition was complete, 98% of Uruguay’s electricity came from renewable sources — with wind power accounting for roughly 40% of total generation — and the cost of producing electricity was cut by half. Today, Uruguay is held up as a global model for successful, affordable renewable energy adoption for small and medium-sized nations. Beyond his work leading Uruguay’s energy transition, Dr. Méndez Galain has served as Uruguay’s Secretary of Climate Change, where he played a central role in international negotiations for the Paris Climate Agreement. He has also held top roles at leading global climate and energy bodies, including Chairman of the Council of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) and board member of the Green Climate Fund (GCF). Since March 2025, he has served as President of REN21, the global network focused on advancing renewable energy policy, and leads Fundación Ivy, a nonpartisan think tank that advises governments and private sector groups on scaling up renewable adoption and implementing sustainable development strategies. Stephen Facey, Chairman of the Pan Jamaica Group and the C.B. Facey Foundation, which co-host the annual lecture series, emphasized that the event’s mission has always been to connect Jamaican audiences with world-leading expertise to spark actionable conversation about the country’s future. “Ramón’s experience demonstrates that ambitious renewable energy transition is achievable, even for relatively small nations, and his insights will be invaluable as Jamaica charts its own path forward,” Facey said. The Maurice Facey Lecture Series was launched in 2019 to honor the legacy of the late Maurice Facey, OJ, JP, a pioneering figure in Kingston’s modern urban development and a lifelong advocate for transformative progress across Jamaica. Each year, the series invites globally respected thought leaders to examine pressing issues tied to Jamaica’s long-term national development, and has grown into a leading high-level platform that bridges global innovation and local policy dialogue. It regularly draws audiences of senior government officials, private sector chief executives, urban planners, academic researchers, and international development practitioners. Beyond the main public lecture, event organizers have planned a full week of supplementary activities designed to facilitate deep, direct engagement between Dr. Méndez Galain and Jamaica’s key energy sector stakeholders. “We have structured a series of surrounding events around the lecture week designed to facilitate direct, high-touch dialogues between Dr Méndez Galain and key local stakeholders, policymakers and industry practitioners,” explained Gayon Douglas, Executive Director of the C.B. Facey Foundation. “Our goal is to ensure that his profound global experiences can serve as a practical resource as local leadership continues to shape and implement Jamaica’s sustainable energy strategies.” The 2026 lecture is co-hosted by the Pan Jamaica Group and the C.B. Facey Foundation, two organizations with longstanding commitments to advancing inclusive national development across Jamaica. This year’s event is supported by a roster of sponsors including ROK Hotel, the Caribbean Policy Research Institute, the Urban Development Corporation, the Jamaica Chamber of Commerce, and the Jamaican Institute of Architects.

ST MARY, Jamaica — Law enforcement agencies in Jamaica’s northern parish of St Mary have launched an official investigation into the death of a local construction professional, a case that local authorities are treating as the fifth suspected suicide recorded in the region since the start of the year. The 43-year-old victim, Oneero Roberts, who went by the nickname “Anif”, was a resident of the Comsee neighborhood in Highgate, a market town located in the heart of the parish.

Per official police accounts, the grim discovery was made on an unspecified date in recent weeks after a close family member grew concerned when they detected an unusual putrid smell emanating from the overgrown bushy area at the rear of Roberts’ private property. Just after 10:00 a.m. local time, the relative ventured to the back of the land to trace the source of the odor, where they made the tragic finding.

Investigators confirmed that Roberts’ body was located hanging from a tree in the thickly vegetated plot, and that the remains had already begun to partially decompose by the time they were discovered. Emergency response teams were called to the scene to retrieve the body, which has since been moved for a formal post-mortem examination to confirm the exact cause and timeline of death.

Local policing officials have confirmed that this death marks the fifth suspected suicide to be recorded in St Mary parish in 2024, a statistic that has already raised quiet concern among local public health and community welfare stakeholders. As of the latest update, investigators from the St Mary Police Force are continuing their procedural inquiry into the circumstances surrounding Roberts’ death, with no further details released to the public at this stage.

ST JAMES, Jamaica — Local authorities in Jamaica’s St James parish have confirmed a major priority project for this year’s national Labour Day, tapping the flood- and storm-ravaged Rose Heights Community Centre as the parish’s flagship 2026 improvement initiative.

While Jamaica observes Labour Day annually on May 23, the national holiday will be marked on Monday, May 25 this year because the actual date falls on a weekend.

Montego Bay Mayor and Councillor Richard Vernon, who made the official announcement, shared that the selection followed weeks of careful consultations and on-site assessments of multiple community facilities across the parish. The Rose Heights site emerged as the clear top choice for several key reasons, most notably its large and consistent user base spanning the Rose Heights, Rosemount, and adjacent neighborhoods that rely on the space for regular community gatherings and events.

This year’s national Labour Day focus is centered on upgrading public spaces, with a specific emphasis on community facilities that can serve as formal emergency shelters during natural disasters — a mandate that aligns perfectly with the plan for the Rose Heights centre. The Jamaican national government has already moved forward with a policy shift to end the longstanding practice of using primary and secondary schools as emergency hurricane shelters, a change designed to cut down on disruptive closures and learning interruptions for students across the island.

“The St James Municipal Corporation is pleased to announce that the Rose Heights Community Centre will be the focus of the parish’s Labour Day this year,” Vernon shared in his statement. He noted that the facility suffered severe structural damage when Hurricane Melissa swept across the region last October, making targeted rehabilitation work a critical local need. “The intention is to ensure that it is rehabilitated with hurricane resistant capabilities,” he added. Once the upgrades are complete, the centre will be officially added to St James’ roster of approved emergency shelters, with renovations designed to bring it fully in line with national safety and infrastructure criteria for storm protection.

Beyond the flagship project, Vernon urged local residents across St James to participate in either the Rose Heights initiative or any other registered Labour Day project that aligns with their community interests, emphasizing that collective volunteer effort drives meaningful local improvement. As of the pre-holiday deadline of May 18, the St James Municipal Corporation had registered 286 independent community projects for this year’s Labour Day, ranging from park cleanups and public space beautification to the repainting of pedestrian crossings and the rehabilitation of other small community buildings.

In a separate announcement related to this year’s national observances, all preparations have been finalized for the annual floral tribute to Jamaican National Hero Samuel Sharpe, scheduled to take place as planned on the actual date of Labour Day, Saturday May 23, in Montego Bay’s Sam Sharpe Square. The ceremony, set to kick off at 8:00 a.m., marks the 194th anniversary of Sharpe’s execution by hanging in the same square in 1832, honoring his role as a leader in the movement that ended chattel slavery across the British Empire.

Jamaica’s government has announced sweeping, immediate reforms to the country’s flagship social assistance initiative, the Programme of Advancement Through Health and Education (PATH), after a systemic review identified crippling bureaucratic barriers that blocked eligible low-income Jamaicans from accessing critical support. Minister of Labour and Social Security Pearnel Charles Jr. outlined the changes Tuesday during his contribution to the 2026/27 Sectoral Debate in the House of Representatives, framing the overhaul as a major shift from inefficient bureaucracy to people-centered social protection.

Prior to the reforms, accessing PATH benefits followed a rigid three-step process. Prospective beneficiaries first complete a preliminary assessment through the Beneficiary Management Information System (BMIS) at a local PATH office. After preliminary approval, applicants waited while social workers conducted in-person field verification, then finished with a mandatory orientation and training session. Charles explained that the review found months-long delays were common for the second and third steps, leaving qualified Jamaicans in limbo even after they passed the initial screening. Data from the assessment shows more than 80 percent of applicants who pass the preliminary BMIS check ultimately go on to pass full verification, making the extended wait unnecessary for the vast majority of eligible people.

Under the new rules, which went into effect immediately after the announcement, all applicants who receive provisional approval through the BMIS preliminary assessment will automatically move to temporary payable status, eliminating unnecessary delays for vulnerable households while the full verification process is completed. The ministry will also modernize and strengthen the full verification and orientation process going forward, implementing clear mandatory timelines, upgraded operational standards, and more robust verification mechanisms. Charles emphasized that the reforms do not weaken accountability; instead, they remove unnecessary barriers to efficiency while strengthening oversight systems to ensure support reaches those who need it most.

A second core set of reforms addresses longstanding problems with PATH’s mandatory recertification process, which requires the ministry to reassess a household’s eligibility every four years to reflect changes in household size, income, or dependent status. The review found that the old system failed to update legitimate changes to beneficiary status in a timely manner, leaving thousands of households stuck in the recertification pipeline with delayed or interrupted benefits. Common unprocessed updates included children transitioning from primary to secondary school — a change that alters benefit levels — and new children added to a household through birth.

To resolve the backlog, the ministry will immediately begin progressively regularizing all beneficiaries who were stalled due to unresolved status updates, accelerating the process of reconciling and updating all affected cases. Moving forward, the recertification framework will be strengthened to process household changes faster, ensuring eligible families receive the full level of support they qualify for without unnecessary delays. Charles noted that recertification should serve as a pathway to fair, accurate support, not a barrier to assistance. The ministry will also continue targeted efforts to remove ineligible or no longer eligible recipients from the program to preserve resources for vulnerable groups.

In his address, Charles shared that PATH delivered more than J$9.1 billion in direct cash assistance to over 240,000 beneficiaries across Jamaica in the 2025/26 financial year, making it the country’s largest social safety net program. The reforms are designed to ensure this critical investment reaches Jamaicans in need when they need it most, aligning the program with the core purpose of social protection: to adapt to the changing realities of the communities it serves.