分类： society

Kingston Creative, a prominent Jamaican arts non-profit organization, has announced the inaugural distribution of its Creative Resilience Fund (CRF) grants to support cultural practitioners devastated by Hurricane Melissa. The emergency relief program has provided its first 38 beneficiaries with monthly stipends of J$30,000 (approximately US$200) to assist in their recovery efforts.

The Creative Resilience Fund, established in 2025 through partnerships with The Miami Foundation, American Friends of Jamaica (AFJ), and numerous individual donors, specifically targets creative professionals whose livelihoods suffered substantial damage from the catastrophic weather event. The financial assistance enables affected entrepreneurs to replenish inventory, replace destroyed equipment, and compensate for income lost through canceled performances, studio damages, and production interruptions.

During the application period from December 1-31, 2025, the initiative received an overwhelming 516 requests for assistance from creative professionals across western Jamaican parishes. Selection of recipients was conducted by an independent panel from the Creative and Cultural Industries Alliance of Jamaica (CCIAJ), ensuring impartial allocation of resources.

The initial cohort of grant recipients encompasses a diverse range of cultural practitioners, including musicians, fashion designers, and filmmakers, with artisans and craft producers constituting the majority of beneficiaries.

Andrea Dempster Chung, Executive Director of Kingston Creative, emphasized the long-term nature of the recovery process: “We will continue issuing monthly grants for as long as funding remains available. The rebuilding process for creative businesses requires sustained support. We are profoundly grateful for our international partners’ generosity and hope to expand this collaborative effort.”

Dempster Chung further revealed ambitions to establish a regional resilience fund to better prepare Caribbean creative sectors for future climate-related disasters and geopolitical disruptions that disproportionately affect cultural industries.

The organization has issued a public appeal for additional support from private donors, corporate sponsors, philanthropic institutions, and members of the global Jamaican diaspora. Contributions can be made directly through Kingston Creative’s official website (www.kingstoncreative.org/donate) or via the secure American Friends of Jamaica portal dedicated to the initiative.

BANDA ACEH, Indonesia — In an unprecedented display of sharia law enforcement, Indonesian authorities administered 140 cane strikes to each member of an unmarried couple on Thursday, marking one of the most severe corporal punishments recorded since the conservative region implemented Islamic jurisprudence. The public flogging, conducted in a municipal park before dozens of spectators, underscores Aceh’s unique position as Indonesia’s only province operating under formal sharia framework.

The sentencing breakdown specified 100 lashes for engaging in premarital sexual relations and an additional 40 strikes for alcohol consumption—violations considered grave offenses under Aceh’s legal code. During the execution of punishment, the female recipient lost consciousness following her caning and required immediate medical evacuation via ambulance.

Notably, among the six individuals flogged for various moral infractions were a serving sharia police officer and his female companion, who received 23 strikes each after being discovered in compromising circumstances. Muhammad Rizal, head of Banda Aceh’s Sharia Police Unit, emphasized institutional accountability stating: “We make no exceptions, especially not for our own members. This certainly tarnishes our name.”

The practice of judicial caning maintains substantial popular support throughout Aceh, where it serves as prescribed punishment for multiple offenses including gambling, homosexual acts, alcohol consumption, and extramarital sexual conduct. This latest case exceeds previous records, including last year’s sentencing of two men to 76 lashes for similar violations, reflecting the region’s stringent interpretation of Islamic penal codes since gaining special autonomy in 2001.

KINGSTON, Jamaica — Muschett High School in Trelawny has secured transformative transportation support through a diplomatic partnership with Japan. The formal grant agreement, signed Tuesday at the Ministry of Education’s Caenwood Centre, will provide two new school buses under Japan’s Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects framework.

State Minister Rhoda Moy Crawford presided over the signing ceremony, highlighting the $151,588 grant’s strategic importance. The funding will acquire two 29-seater Toyota Coaster buses that represent what Crawford termed “infrastructure for equity.” She emphasized that beyond vehicle provision, the initiative addresses critical safety concerns, improves educational access, and creates reliable transit solutions for students.

“Every child on a secure school bus is protected from public road vulnerabilities,” Crawford stated, noting the profound peace of mind this brings parents knowing their children remain in institutional care throughout their commute. The minister further connected transportation reliability to academic performance, explaining that “reducing transportation volatility increases attendance consistency—a known precursor to improved educational outcomes.”

Crawford acknowledged Japan’s longstanding developmental partnership with Jamaica, characterizing it as “consistent, practical, and focused on human capital” rather than ceremonial. She also recognized the National Education Trust as the operational engine facilitating such public-private collaborations.

Japanese Ambassador Kohei Maruyama marked the occasion as particularly meaningful—his first grant signing since assuming office. He expressed solidarity with Jamaica following recent hurricane impacts, noting Japan’s empathy for natural disaster challenges. The ambassador reinforced his government’s commitment to human security principles, stating the project aims to “protect and empower individuals to live with dignity” while anticipating celebrated handover ceremonies with Muschett High.

School Principal Leighton Johnson described the donation as historic, revealing that transportation constitutes approximately 22% of annual institutional expenditures—a significant financial burden. The buses will dramatically reduce operational costs while expanding educational opportunities through field trips, competition travel, and co-curricular activities essential for holistic student development.

Jamaica is confronting a severe environmental and public safety crisis as official data reveals a dramatic escalation in bushfire incidents across the island nation. According to the Jamaica Fire Brigade (JFB), emergency responders tackled 5,710 bushfire cases throughout 2025, marking a substantial 26.2 percent increase from the 4,523 incidents recorded in the previous year.

Commissioner Stewart Beckford, addressing journalists through the Jamaica Information Service (JIS), emphasized that bushfires have consistently remained at critically high levels over the past four years. Human activities were identified as the primary ignition sources, including carelessly discarded cigarettes, mechanical sparks from vehicles and farming equipment, uncontrolled garbage burning, and traditional slash-and-burn agricultural practices.

Geographical analysis reveals stark regional disparities in fire prevalence. The St. Catherine division emerged as the most severely affected region, reporting 1,424 bushfire incidents alone in 2025. This continues a concerning trend from 2024, when the division accounted for 1,170 fires representing 25.8 percent of Jamaica’s total. Conversely, Portland documented the nation’s lowest occurrence with merely 54 incidents, constituting just one percent of the annual total.

The bushfire epidemic dominated emergency response operations, constituting the largest proportion of the over 20,000 emergency calls processed by the JFB last year. Commissioner Beckford’s breakdown of divisional emergency responses showed St. Catherine as the most active with 3,429 calls, followed by Westmoreland (2,428), Kingston and St. Andrew (2,110), and St. James (2,096). This data underscores the significant strain placed on Jamaica’s firefighting resources and infrastructure.

NEW YORK — Federal authorities have unveiled a startling jail security breach attempt involving an impersonator who allegedly tried to secure the release of Luigi Mangione, the prime suspect in the sensational murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. Mark Anderson, 36, now faces serious charges following his arrest at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn on Wednesday evening.

According to court documents, correctional officers grew suspicious when Anderson presented himself as a federal agent but failed to produce legitimate credentials. When pressed for identification, he could only offer his state driver’s license before making concerning claims about carrying weapons. A subsequent search of his backpack revealed unconventional items: a large barbecue fork and a circular steel blade resembling a pizza cutter, raising questions about his intentions.

The criminal complaint indicates Anderson insisted he possessed judicial documentation authorizing the release of a specific detainee. While the court filing did not name the intended inmate, judicial sources confirmed the target was Mangione, whose alleged crime had already ignited national debates about healthcare system failures.

The December 2024 shooting of Thompson, captured on surveillance footage, had previously drawn attention to public frustrations with America’s profit-oriented healthcare infrastructure. Mangione maintains his innocence against both federal and state charges, with his federal trial scheduled to commence jury selection on September 8.

This incident has prompted reviews of detention center security protocols and raised concerns about potential external efforts to interfere with high-stakes criminal proceedings.

In a dramatic turn at the Supreme Court, defense attorney Hugh Wildman has leveled explosive allegations against key prosecution witness Floyd Green, accusing him of conspiring with the Independent Commission of Investigations (Indecom) to fabricate charges against six police officers standing trial for murder.

The officers—Sergeant Simroy Mott, Corporal Donovan Fullerton, and Constables Orandy Rose, Andrew Smith, Sheldon Richards, and Richard Lynch—face charges related to the January 12, 2013 shooting on Arcadia Drive in St. Andrew that resulted in the deaths of three unarmed men: Matthew Lee, Mark Allen, and Ucliffe Dyer.

During cross-examination, Wildman, representing Fullerton and Rose, directly confronted Green, a senior politician who testified to witnessing the shootings from a nearby apartment window. “I’m suggesting to you that this case here is a conspiracy between you and Indecom to convict these innocent police officers,” Wildman declared, prompting an immediate and heated denial from Green.

The witness vehemently rejected the allegation, stating there was “absolutely no way” he would conspire with anyone, including Indecom. When Wildman characterized the case as “concocted” and suggested Green had never been present at the crime scene, the politician dismissed the claims as nonsensical, emphasizing he had no prior acquaintance with any of the accused officers.

The prosecution objected to Wildman’s line of questioning, describing it as illogical and pointing to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions’ ruling that authorized charges against the officers. Presiding Judge Justice Sonia Bertram Linton intervened, affirming the defense’s right to challenge witness integrity while noting that a tribunal of fact would ultimately resolve such issues.

Wildman further scrutinized Green’s credibility by referencing his 2021 resignation as agriculture minister following a COVID-19 protocol violation. Green clarified that while his actions weren’t illegal, they didn’t align with government expectations, prompting his voluntary resignation. Wildman attempted to link this incident to potential bias in the DPP’s ruling, which Green dismissed as “inaccurate, false, misguided, illogical [and] nonsensical.”

The cross-examination also revealed that Green provided his statement to Indecom four years after the incident, initially through an anonymous letter. Green explained his delayed involvement stemmed from initial fear, but his conscience and civic duty ultimately compelled him to cooperate—a decision made easier by his subsequent ministerial status and security detail.

A significant portion of the proceedings focused on Green’s recollection of the incident’s timing. While Wildman emphasized the importance of remembering the specific day (Saturday), Green maintained that the date and what he witnessed held greater significance than the day of the week, noting the 13-year gap since the event.

Justice Bertram Linton again reminded participants that the tribunal of fact would determine the weight of such discrepancies in assessing witness credibility.

KINGSTON, Jamaica — Jamaica’s early childhood development sector has demonstrated remarkable resilience in the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa, with approximately 99.1% of institutions resuming operations despite significant hurricane-related damage, according to the Early Childhood Commission (ECC).

Official assessments reveal that 466 out of Jamaica’s 2,420 early childhood facilities suffered various degrees of impact from the natural disaster. The damage spectrum included 175 institutions with minor impairments, 159 with moderate destruction, and 132 experiencing severe devastation. Among the affected were 55 certified facilities, while 28 locations became temporarily inaccessible due to flooding, debris accumulation, or critical infrastructure damage.

The hurricane’s impact extended to an estimated 24,058 infants and 2,305 early childhood professionals, with regions three, four, and five experiencing the most substantial disruptions to services.

ECC Executive Director Dr. Karlene DeGrasse-Deslandes emphasized that the hurricane fundamentally tested the sector’s resilience while simultaneously highlighting the strength of existing systems and the extraordinary dedication of practitioners. “Our unwavering priority remains ensuring every child returns to a safe, nurturing, and emotionally supportive environment while we deliberately rebuild and strengthen services across affected communities,” DeGrasse-Deslandes stated.

Dr. Kasan Troupe, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information, articulated that the recovery initiative transcends physical infrastructure restoration. “This recovery process encompasses safeguarding continuity of care, learning, and emotional wellbeing for our youngest and most vulnerable learners,” Troupe explained.

The comprehensive recovery strategy has implemented phased clean-up operations, enhanced safety monitoring protocols, and provided extensive guidance to ensure all reopened facilities comply with national health and safety standards. Psychosocial support sessions reached over 1,616 stakeholders through collaborations with Early Starters International, UNICEF Jamaica, and ministry technical officers.

Resource distribution included 32 play kits funded by the ECC and CHASE Fund, alongside 26 UNICEF Jamaica “School-in-a-Box” kits allocated to severely affected parishes. Damage assessment reports have been circulated among partners including the National Education Trust and private sector stakeholders.

The Ministry of Education is currently processing approximately $29.8 million in clean-up grants designated for the early childhood sector, with disbursement managed through the ECC. Recovery efforts proceed concurrently with the implementation of the Jamaica Brain Builder Programme, the national zero-to-three strategy aligned with the Nurturing Care Model, currently serving 3,230 children across 138 centers staffed by 588 trained professionals.

Numerous centers have maintained operations through temporary safety arrangements and modified routines despite ongoing repairs. The ECC reaffirmed its commitment to supporting institutions in meeting operational standards while enhancing sector-wide resilience against future challenges.

In a precedent-setting legal ruling, Jamaica’s Supreme Court has awarded significant damages to a former high school student for injuries sustained due to educator negligence. Justice Sonya Wint-Blair presided over the case involving a Norman Manley High School student who suffered permanent dental injuries when assaulted by a classmate over allegedly stolen shoe polish during March 2017 classes.

The judicial determination revealed that while the student’s physical assault occurred at the hands of another pupil, the legal responsibility fell upon the state due to the supervising teacher’s failure to intervene. The incident escalated over ten minutes as the accusing student repeatedly pushed and punched the claimant, knocking out a tooth despite protests of innocence.

Justice Wint-Blair’s ruling provided crucial clarification on jurisdictional matters, dismissing claims against Norman Manley High School and the Ministry of Education as improperly named defendants. The judge determined that pursuant to Jamaica’s Education Act, the school board should have been named alongside the Attorney General, who represents the Crown in such proceedings.

The court heard distressing details of the injuries: the victim required dental wiring for three months, endured a soft diet for several months, and continues to experience dental instability and pain. Medical evidence indicated need for multiple implants and grafting procedures, with two teeth remaining loose and one permanently missing.

In her negligence assessment, Justice Wint-Blair established that the teacher, as a Crown employee, breached the standard of care expected of educational professionals. “The teacher’s failure to act to resolve what began as an outburst allowed it to escalate unchecked into an act of violence,” the judgment stated. This omission violated the school’s violence-prevention policies and conflict resolution protocols.

The court awarded the plaintiff $2.3 million in general damages with 3% interest from January 2019, plus $4,200 in special damages with 3% interest from March 2017. While acknowledging future medical needs, the court declined to award additional amounts due to insufficient evidence supporting medical quotations provided.

This ruling reinforces educational institutions’ duty of care obligations and establishes important precedent regarding proper parties in lawsuits against Jamaican public schools.

KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Jamaican government is initiating a major phase in its post-hurricane reconstruction efforts with the formal commencement of the Shelter Recovery Programme (SRP) this Friday. The official handover ceremony, taking place at the St Elizabeth parish office in Santa Cruz, signifies the transition from damage assessment to active implementation of housing assistance for communities devastated by Hurricane Melissa.

Prime Minister Dr. Andrew Holness and Minister of Labour and Social Security Pearnel Charles Jr will preside over the ceremony that launches the Restoration of Owner or Occupant Family Shelters (ROOFS) initiative. This critical component provides grant-based support to households whose residences suffered damage during the hurricane, with allocations determined by rigorous damage verification processes.

Minister Charles Jr emphasized the program’s foundation in accountability and evidence-based need assessment. “The Government of Jamaica is committed to a disciplined, people-centred approach to post-disaster recovery,” he stated. “We’ve established a data-driven recovery system guided by the principle of ‘one household, one coordinated recovery pathway’ where support is determined by verified need rather than discretion.”

The comprehensive SRP framework represents a nationally coordinated effort to restore safe living conditions while eliminating duplication across recovery initiatives. Managed by the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, the program integrates multiple approaches including cash-based recovery, government-directed repairs, partner-led reconstruction, relocation solutions, and pathways to long-term housing support.

Financial assistance under ROOFS is tiered according to damage severity: $75,000 for minor damage, $200,000 for major damage, and $500,000 for severely affected properties. With a substantial $10 billion allocation, the program prioritizes vulnerable groups including seniors, persons with disabilities, and households that endured the most severe impacts.

Minister Charles Jr characterized the handover as a pivotal moment in the government’s recovery operations, noting that “households begin to visibly receive assistance following months of assessments and close coordination with Members of Parliament, municipal corporations, and our implementing partners.”

In a landmark case that has reignited national conversations about police accountability, former Sangamon County sheriff’s deputy Sean Grayson received a 20-year prison sentence for the fatal shooting of Sonya Massey, a 36-year-old Black mother of two. The sentencing on Thursday marked the culmination of a case that drew widespread attention to issues of racial justice and law enforcement conduct.

Grayson, 31, who is white, was convicted in October of second-degree murder following a jury deliberation that lasted two days. The original first-degree murder charge, which carried a potential life sentence, was reduced to the lesser charge despite evidence presented during the week-long trial.

The July 2024 incident began when Massey, who had previously received treatment for mental health concerns, contacted emergency services to report a possible intruder at her residence. Body camera footage from the responding officers showed Massey cooperating with deputies before the situation escalated dramatically.

Video evidence revealed that after Grayson instructed Massey to check on a pot of boiling water, she responded with a religious reference, stating, ‘I rebuke you in the name of Jesus.’ This prompted the deputy to draw his weapon and issue profanity-laden threats before firing three shots as Massey crouched behind a counter. One bullet struck her in the face, resulting in her death.

During testimony, Grayson claimed he felt threatened by the pot of boiling water Massey was holding. The sentencing hearing was attended by members of Massey’s family, including her children, as Judge Ryan Cadigan imposed the maximum penalty allowable for the second-degree murder conviction.

The case echoes earlier national movements for police reform, particularly the 2020 protests following the murder of George Floyd. Last year, Sangamon County Board approved a $10 million settlement with Massey’s estate, though the financial resolution does little to alleviate the ongoing concerns about racial disparities in police interactions.