分类： society

Jamaica’s hurricane recovery efforts received substantial reinforcement Sunday as 72 specialized utility vehicles arrived at Freeport in Montego Bay to bolster the Jamaica Public Service Company’s (JPS) grid restoration operations. The shipment included critical equipment such as bucket trucks, diggers, pole trailers, and pickup trucks destined for deployment with recently arrived Holland Power Services crews.

According to a Monday news release from JPS, these assets will be primarily allocated to Westmoreland and other severely impacted regions in western Jamaica where Category 5 Hurricane Melissa inflicted catastrophic damage to electrical infrastructure on October 28, 2025. This delivery brings the total number of specialized vehicles imported since the hurricane to approximately 160 units.

Detommie Fuller, JPS Manager for Business Continuity Resiliency and Contract Management, emphasized that the additional fleet will ensure newly arrived linemen are fully equipped to collaborate with Jamaican, Caribbean, and international crews. Their mission: restore power to the remaining 12% of JPS customers still without electricity.

The engagement of Holland Power Services represents part of JPS’s proactive business continuity strategy initiated in February 2025 before hurricane season. Another firm, Tempest, was similarly contracted, with team members arriving days before Melissa’s landfall to enable immediate response once government authorization was granted.

Following the revelation of the hurricane’s unprecedented devastation, JPS expanded its contractor lineup to include Greystone. Both Greystone and Holland crews have received logistical support from the Jamaican government to accelerate recovery operations through additional personnel deployments.

KINGSTON, Jamaica—Jamaican emergency authorities have launched a critical public awareness campaign urging parents and guardians to actively prevent children from placing prank calls to emergency services during holiday periods. Superintendent Emeleo Ebanks, Public Education Officer at the Jamaica Fire Brigade (JFB), revealed through a JIS Think Tank session that deceptive emergency calls consistently surge during seasonal breaks, creating substantial operational challenges for all response services.

Ebanks emphasized the severe consequences of these false alarms, noting that emergency vehicle deployments under false pretenses present inherent dangers to both firefighters and civilians. ‘Fire apparatus operating under emergency protocols creates hazardous road conditions for responders and public motorists alike,’ Ebanks stated. ‘Each unnecessary deployment needlessly jeopardizes multiple lives.’

The official further explained how prank calls create critical response delays by diverting resources from their stations. When crews respond to fraudulent emergencies, legitimate calls may experience prolonged wait times as trucks must return from distant locations. Ebanks presented compelling statistics showing a concerning 24.4% year-over-year increase in malicious false alarms, with the JFB recording 1,759 deceptive calls in 2024 compared to 1,413 in 2023.

In a sobering warning, Ebanks highlighted the potential for tragic irony: ‘Should an actual emergency affect the prank caller’s family while crews are dispatched elsewhere due to their false report, the consequences could be devastating. These actions serve no beneficial purpose and ultimately undermine community safety.’ The JFB continues to advocate for responsible emergency service usage through ongoing public education initiatives.

KINGSTON, Jamaica — In a significant boost to post-hurricane recovery efforts, the NCB Foundation’s Grant a Wish initiative has allocated JMD $250,000 to Christine Haber Ministries International. The donation will specifically aid seniors and infants across communities severely impacted by Hurricane Melissa.

Bishop Christine Haber, leading the relief operations, emphasized the critical needs of elderly residents who suffered extensive property damage. “Many seniors are unemployed and faced catastrophic roof losses during the hurricane,” Haber stated. “Roofing repairs represent a substantial financial burden that most cannot shoulder independently.”

The remaining funds will address urgent requirements for infants, encompassing nutritional supplies, clothing, and diapers. Haber highlighted the immediate nature of this support, noting, “Numerous infants are currently lacking essentials. We will procure and distribute these items directly within the communities we serve.”

Christine Haber Ministries International possesses extensive experience in disaster response, with outreach programs spanning church missions, community development, and international humanitarian aid. Haber referenced previous disaster engagements, including ground operations in Haiti post-Hurricane Matthew and recent psychosocial support and supply distributions across Jamaican parishes following Hurricane Melissa.

Sheree Martin, Director of NCB Foundation, described the selection of Haber’s organization as both strategically timed and personally significant. “When evaluating trusted, organized partners capable of rapid and effective response, Christine Haber was the immediate choice,” Martin explained. “Having known Christine since we were 18, I recognize this work as her life’s mission. Their operational structure and community reach perfectly align with Grant a Wish’s objectives during this critical period.”

Current relief activities are concentrated in multiple parishes including Middle Quarters (St. Elizabeth), Mile Gully (Manchester), Liverpool (Trelawny), and rural St. James. The NCB Foundation’s Grant a Wish program remains accessible to all Jamaican residents until December 31, 2025, with nominations accepted online at www.jncb.com/grantawish or at NCB branches nationwide.

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad – Trinidadian authorities have confirmed the tragic discovery of a murdered firefighter whose abduction from his residence was captured on surveillance footage. The victim, identified as 46-year-old Bruce Lezama, was reported missing after failing to report for duty on December 27. His last confirmed sighting dates back to Christmas Day.

According to official police reports, closed-circuit television evidence reveals a harrowing sequence of events in which two unidentified males intruded into Lezama’s property. The footage shows the assailants physically assaulting the fireman, restraining him with bindings, covering his head with a hood, and forcibly transporting him in his own vehicle, which was later recovered abandoned.

Financial investigations uncovered that TT$2,500 had been illegally withdrawn from Lezama’s bank account following his disappearance. After an extensive overnight search operation conducted by fellow firefighters, Lezama’s body was ultimately located at the three-mile mark on Tuesday, culminating a multiday investigation that has shaken the community.

The Trinidad and Tobago Police Service has launched a comprehensive homicide investigation but has not yet disclosed potential motives or suspects in the case. This incident has prompted widespread concern regarding violent crime targeting public servants in the region.

ST JAMES, Jamaica — Jamaican authorities have launched an intensified second phase of cleanup operations in Black River, St Elizabeth, deploying significant new resources to address debris accumulation from Hurricane Melissa. The National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA) is leading the effort with a fleet of ten new trucks provided by the Jamaican government to accelerate recovery work.

NSWMA Executive Director Audley Gordon detailed the strategic approach, explaining that initial post-hurricane efforts focused exclusively on critical facilities including local hospitals and health centers. While phase one successfully removed over 200 truckloads of debris, operational capacity limitations previously prevented broader town-wide cleanup operations.

“With improved capacity, we are now committed to pushing ahead with a full clean-up of Black River,” Gordon stated, emphasizing that crews will remain deployed as long as necessary to complete the task. He declined to provide specific timelines but assured residents that work would continue methodically until the area is fully restored.

The cleanup represents a substantial operational challenge according to Sheldon Smith, Regional Operations Manager for SPM Waste Management Limited, who acknowledged the magnitude of the task while reaffirming his team’s determination. “We are here today working hard… we are not relenting and we are up to the task,” Smith assured.

Both officials appealed for community patience, emphasizing that steady progress will yield long-term benefits for the historic town. Smith optimistically noted that “as we reach the top, there is a plateau and things will get better. We will have a better Black River.”

Floyd Green, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining and local Member of Parliament, emphasized the critical importance of debris removal for the town’s recovery. “For the town to get back to some semblance of normalcy, debris has to be removed,” Green stated, characterizing the effort as part of a broader national cleanup initiative across hurricane-affected parishes that will extend into the new year with focus expanding from central towns to surrounding communities.

Jamaican law enforcement authorities have announced a monumental achievement in their ongoing battle against narcotics trafficking, with drug seizures exceeding J$1 billion in value since the beginning of 2025. The Firearms and Narcotics Investigation Division (FNID) revealed these staggering figures following a series of successful operations conducted in late December.

According to Acting FNID Director Superintendent Oral Henry, the division’s comprehensive enforcement strategy has produced exceptional results. “Our relentless efforts have resulted in the confiscation of 1,380 kilograms of cocaine valued at over J$825 million, alongside 33,145 kilograms of ganja worth more than J$215 million, and over 14,000 synthetic drugs with an estimated value exceeding J$28 million,” Henry stated. He emphasized that these seizures have significantly disrupted the financial operations of organized criminal networks operating within Jamaica.

The division’s effectiveness extends beyond mere confiscation statistics, boasting an impressive 88% conviction rate for narcotics-related cases this year. “We are delivering an unequivocal message to traffickers that our investigative methods are precise and our evidence thoroughly robust,” Henry added, highlighting the judicial impact of their operations.

Recent enforcement actions demonstrate FNID’s operational effectiveness. On December 22, security screening at Norman Manley International Airport led to the interception of 17 pounds of cocaine concealed within a blanket inside a suitcase belonging to Ashraf Uddin, a 40-year-old British national bound for London Gatwick Airport. The confiscated narcotics carried an estimated street value of J$4.6 million, resulting in Uddin facing multiple charges including possession, dealing, and conspiracy to export cocaine.

Simultaneously, FNID teams intercepted a vehicle in Claremont, St. Ann, discovering seven pounds of cocaine packaged in rectangular parcels. The operation led to the arrest of 30-year-old Jemar Briscoe, who was subsequently charged with possession, dealing, trafficking, and conspiracy related to cocaine distribution. This seizure was valued at approximately J$1.9 million.

In a coordinated operation the same day, authorities arrested 35-year-old shop operator Shanette Briscoe in Irons Mountain, Claremont, after discovering quantities of ganja in her bedroom. Additional enforcement on December 26 saw the interception of a Toyota Voxy vehicle on the Quebec main road in St. Mary, resulting in the seizure of eight pounds of cocaine and the arrest of three male suspects currently under investigation.