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  • Fae Ellington criticises ‘vulgar’ songs on Hill & Gully riddim

    Fae Ellington criticises ‘vulgar’ songs on Hill & Gully riddim

    KINGSTON, Jamaica — A towering figure in Jamaican media and cultural stewardship has sparked a nationwide conversation about artistic integrity and cultural heritage, after calling out multiple top dancehall performers for what she frames as the erosion of a beloved national cultural treasure through lewd, offensive lyricism. In a public critique posted to her official YouTube channel over the weekend, veteran broadcaster and cultural expert Fae Ellington pulled no punches against artists who contributed explicit verses to the newly revived Hill & Gully riddim, produced by acclaimed Jamaican producer Stephen “Di Genius” McGregor.

    Hill an’ Gully Rider, the original work at the center of the debate, is a foundational Jamaican folk and mento composition dating back to the 1800s, woven into the fabric of the island’s national identity for generations. In late April 2026, McGregor breathed new life into the classic by reimagining it as a modern dancehall riddim, a project that quickly gained traction across the Caribbean and global reggae scenes. Headlined by Masicka’s viral hit Slip & Slide, the compilation has drawn collaborations from some of the biggest names in contemporary dancehall, including Elephant Man, Valiant, Govana, Ganggoolie and Skippa.

    Ellington, who has built a 50-plus-year career spanning Jamaican theatre, radio and national television broadcasting, said the reworked lyrics left her deeply shaken. “When I hear persons changing the lyrics of Hill an’ Gully Rider to vulgarity, it pains me, it hits me in a place I cannot explain, I get numb,” she shared in the video address, adding that she had spent days grappling with how to publicly address her concerns.

    In a passionate rebuke of the participating artists, Ellington questioned their commitment to protecting Jamaica’s cultural legacy, pushing back against the idea that chasing viral fame and profit justifies compromising foundational national traditions. “Mi angry, mi angry. Unuh supposed to know better. It cannot be because you want to get some likes and you want to make some money and you want it go wide, yes it going to go wide and far and I wonder how you will be viewed. All of you who have decided to get down into the gutter, all of you who have decided to get slack and nasty. Hill an’ Gully Rider, Emmanuel Road? Unuh understand unuh heritage?” she asked.

    Ellington drew a sharp parallel between the modified lyrics and defacing Jamaica’s national anthem, arguing that the island’s irreplaceable cultural heritage deserves the same level of reverence as its most sacred national symbols. “It is like treating your anthem, hearing the instrumental version of your anthem and start sing all kind of nastiness on top of it. We have gone totally over the cliff, we not on the brink anymore,” she said.

    Notably, Ellington stopped short of criticizing the entire revival project. She offered warm praise to McGregor for his initiative to bring the centuries-old folk classic to the attention of younger Jamaican audiences, a goal she called valuable and necessary. Even so, she stressed that cultural identity and folk traditions should never be sidelined in pursuit of streaming numbers or commercial success.

    “Congrats Stephen but a number of people have decided to put certain kinds of lyrics to this thing, not understanding that they are defacing our culture, that they are putting us in a place that we will have to explain to our children,” she said, reiterating that Jamaican artists have a responsibility to uphold the standards of the nation’s cultural legacy.

    Ellington also singled out an unnamed female artist on the riddim for specific criticism, issuing a clear warning that Jamaican heritage is not a commodity to be exploited for clout. “Our heritage is not to be trifled with, and if you think it’s ok to go to that level, you know something is wrong,” she said. To push for formal accountability, she has publicly called on Jamaican Culture Minister Olivia Grange to release an official public statement addressing the controversy.

  • Police seek public’s help in identifying woman found dead in Kingston Harbour

    Police seek public’s help in identifying woman found dead in Kingston Harbour

    On Tuesday, May 5, an unsettling discovery was made in waters off central Kingston, Jamaica, prompting local law enforcement to issue a public call for assistance to uncover the identity of a deceased woman found near the Bank of Jamaica. The incident unfolded shortly before 9 a.m. that morning, when a boater passing through Kingston Harbour spotted the woman’s body and immediately notified police officials of the find.

    Responding officers from the Kingston Central Division moved quickly to retrieve the remains from the water, transporting the body to a local hospital for an initial assessment, where medical providers officially pronounced the woman dead. Her remains have since been moved to a public morgue, where an official post-mortem examination is scheduled to determine the exact cause of her death. Investigators have not yet released any details suggesting foul play, as the case remains in its early stages, pending autopsy results and identification.

    Investigators have released a detailed physical description of the deceased to help members of the public match potential missing person reports. Based on preliminary assessments, the woman is estimated to be in her late 30s, stands approximately 5 feet 4 inches tall, has a medium build, dark skin, and short black hair. A distinct identifying marking has also been shared: she has a tattoo of a heart with wings inked on her back.

    Law enforcement is urging anyone with information that could help identify the woman or contribute to the ongoing investigation to reach out immediately. Tips can be submitted to the Kingston Central Police tip line at (876) 922-5076, the anonymous Crime Stop hotline at 311, the national police emergency line at 119, or by visiting any local police station to speak with an officer in person.

  • Dua Lipa sues Samsung over use of her photo on TV box

    Dua Lipa sues Samsung over use of her photo on TV box

    Global pop superstar Dua Lipa has initiated a high-profile trademark and publicity rights lawsuit against South Korean tech giant Samsung, accusing the company of improperly utilizing her copyrighted photograph to boost television sales across the United States. The legal complaint was formally filed by Lipa’s legal team on Friday in a California federal court, centering on allegations that Samsung engaged in widespread, ongoing unauthorized commercial use of the singer’s iconic image and likeness on the cardboard packaging of its HD TV models.

    According to court documents, the disputed image — captioned “Dua Lipa – Backstage at Austin City Limits, 2024” — is officially registered with the United States Copyright Office and is owned outright by Lipa. A photograph included in the filing shows a Samsung retail TV box with a display screen featuring multiple promotional images, with the largest frame highlighting a partial shot of Lipa’s face.

    The lawsuit highlights that Lipa maintains a highly curated, premium brand through carefully selected high-end endorsement partnerships. Her existing commercial collaborations include global ambassador roles for Puma, major advertising campaigns with luxury fashion houses Versace and Yves Saint Laurent, and partnerships with leading brands including Porsche, Apple, Chanel, Nespresso, Bvlgari and Tiffany & Co. Court papers emphasize that consistent with her deliberate brand strategy, Lipa would never have authorized the use of her name, image or likeness to promote Samsung’s infringing TV products.

    Lipa’s legal team has outlined eight separate civil claims in the complaint, including violations of the right of publicity, direct copyright infringement, and allegations of false endorsement. The legal action seeks a permanent court injunction barring Samsung from continuing to use Lipa’s image, as well as a minimum of $15 million in combined compensatory and punitive damages.

    In response to the lawsuit, Samsung issued a formal statement pushing back on direct responsibility, noting that the pop star’s image was supplied to the company by an external third-party content partner for its ad-supported free streaming platform, Samsung TV Plus. The company asserted that it only used the image after receiving explicit written guarantees from the content partner that all necessary usage permissions, including for retail packaging, had been properly secured. Samsung added that it has actively pursued negotiations to resolve the dispute and remains open to reaching a constructive agreement with Lipa’s representation team.

  • Sandals Foundation takes students on mindfulness nature trail for Earth Day

    Sandals Foundation takes students on mindfulness nature trail for Earth Day

    To mark this year’s Earth Day, the Sandals Foundation brought together more than 300 elementary school students from nine Caribbean nations and territories for a one-of-a-kind experiential program that merges environmental education with mindfulness practice, encouraging young people to step away from screens and form deep, meaningful connections with the natural world. One group of participants from Jamaica’s Chalky Hill Primary School gathered at the Sandals Dunn’s River Resort, where the day’s activities unfolded across the property’s lush, curated garden spaces. Over the course of the event, students took part in guided breathing exercises, self-led nature walks, sensory observation activities, and group discussions centered on local ecosystems, all designed to help them engage directly with the biodiversity around them. Beyond fostering appreciation for nature, the program also aims to support young people’s mental well-being by highlighting nature’s proven healing power for both the body and mind, while empowering participants to adopt small, daily habits that protect shared natural resources. “By combining mindfulness with environmental education, we wanted to encourage students to slow down, be present, reflect, and appreciate the beauty of nature which is around them,” explained Heidi Clarke, Executive Director of the Sandals Foundation. “We also wanted to share with students that sense of responsibility and power they each have to protect their community’s natural resources and the services those resources support.” Coordinated by local Sandals Foundation ambassadors and led by Ian Spencer, the foundation’s Regional Public Relations Manager, the event organizers reported that the day left a lasting impression on every participating student. “The students responded with tremendous excitement, curiosity, and enthusiasm throughout the nature tour. Seeing them actively engage with the environment, ask thoughtful questions, and develop a greater appreciation for the importance of protecting our planet was truly inspiring. Initiatives like these reinforce the value of experiential learning and the role we all play in nurturing environmentally conscious future leaders,” Spencer shared. For 10-year-old student Othneil Gayle, the day was a transformative experience that shifted his perspective on environmental protection. “I loved being part of the Earth Day nature tour at Sandals Dunn’s River because I learned how important plants, animals, and clean water are to our world. It was exciting to explore nature with my classmates, and now I want to help keep the Earth clean and beautiful for everyone,” he said. Christine Badal McBean, Principal of Chalky Hill Primary School, echoed that enthusiasm, emphasizing the critical role of early environmental education in building a sustainable future. “Earth Day is more than a celebration—it is a reminder that our children are the future guardians of our planet. Our nature tour allowed students the opportunity to connect with nature, appreciate the beauty of our environment, and understand the importance of protecting it for generations to come. Experiences like these inspire young minds to become responsible, environmentally conscious citizens,” she noted. The mindfulness program extended far beyond Jamaica: participating students across Antigua, Barbados, St Vincent & the Grenadines, Grenada, The Bahamas, Turks and Caicos Islands, and Curacao visited local national parks, mangrove forests, resort gardens, and protected conservation areas for their own experiential learning events. All activities were intentionally designed to pull participants away from digital devices, creating space for stress relief and unstructured connection with the natural world. The Earth Day mindfulness initiative was just one part of the Sandals Foundation’s broader 2024 environmental action across the region. On April 17, the organization’s philanthropic team mobilized 40 staff members from Sandals Ochi Beach Resort alongside members of the Jamaica Fire Brigade to plant 300 native trees in Jamaica’s Bogue II Forest Reserve. This tree-planting effort marks the first regional action under Jamaica’s national RE-LEAF program, an initiative led by the country’s Forestry Department that aims to restore landscapes degraded by extreme weather, including damage to natural coastal barriers caused by Hurricane Melissa. Environmental stewardship has long been a core priority for the Sandals Foundation, which supports conservation work across the entire Caribbean. To date, the organization has engaged more than 177,000 regional residents in environmental education programming, planted 28,117 native trees across island landscapes, outplanted more than 38,000 corals to restore damaged reef ecosystems, funded monitoring programs that have supported the safe hatching of more than 221,000 sea turtle eggs, and provided ongoing operational and community outreach support to 23 marine and terrestrial protected areas across the region.

  • WATCH: Rising costs deepen frustration among Jamaicans

    WATCH: Rising costs deepen frustration among Jamaicans

    KINGSTON, Jamaica — As global geopolitical conflicts, lingering supply chain snarls, and widespread economic volatility send consumer prices soaring across the globe, public frustration over Jamaica’s worsening cost-of-living crisis has reached a fever pitch among ordinary citizens. In an on-the-ground interview series with Observer Online conducted in the commercial district of New Kingston, Jamaicans from all walks of life opened up about how relentless price hikes have strained household budgets and upended daily financial stability, pushing many to the breaking point.

    The crisis unfolding in Jamaica is not an isolated event: it is a direct downstream effect of global shocks that have disrupted international trade networks, driven fossil fuel and commodity prices to multi-year highs, and inflated the cost of nearly every essential consumer good. For Jamaican households, these global pressures translate directly to higher bus fares and gas bills at the pump, and steeper price tags on staple goods at local supermarkets. The burden falls disproportionately on the most vulnerable segments of the population, particularly low-wage earners who already dedicate nearly all of their income to basic needs.

    For many, the constant financial pressure has taken a significant mental and emotional toll, as unforeseen global shifts derail personal goals and long-term planning. A young local resident described the constant anxiety of trying to keep up with rising costs that are out of her control. “I feel stressed out… every time you set certain goals, things happen in the world and it kind of deters you from really accomplishing these things you set in your mind,” she explained. Even routine, necessary expenses have become overwhelming: she called the process of filling up her vehicle’s gas tank a “truly traumatic” experience, adding that she remains deeply uncertain about how households will afford to keep up moving forward.

    Another resident shared that she has been left “very distraught” by the rapid increase in prices for basic groceries, noting that her monthly food bill has jumped dramatically in just a matter of months. She pointed out that for workers earning the minimum wage, goods that once were easily accessible have moved out of reach entirely. “I hope things change soon, but for persons who are minimum wage earners they won’t be able to afford most of what would have been simple to afford now,” she said.

    The crisis is not just a personal hardship for many Jamaicans — it has grown into a pressing national concern that demands urgent government intervention. One local man emphasized that the ripple effects of the global economic crunch will be felt across every sector of Jamaican society, and that policymakers must act to prevent widespread food insecurity. “We have to rely on the government to implement some kind of strategic ways to say, ‘alright this is what we are going to do to help the citizens of Jamaica’ to keep us in a sense where we are able to maintain because some people won’t be able to afford to eat,” he argued.

    Young people are emerging as one of the groups hardest hit by the crisis, says 20-something resident Giovanni Edwards, who explained that his peers are squeezed between stagnant entry-level wages and accelerating prices. “We have to think about what we spend our money on…. It’s just really a challenging time,” Edwards said. To offset the soaring cost of fuel, he and his friends have adopted new cost-cutting habits: they now carpool to work and social events, and have cut back entirely on discretionary spending like attending parties and other recreational outings.

    Even local business owners are feeling the strain, as wages fail to keep pace with sky-high inflation, creating financial uncertainty for both employers and their workforces. One local entrepreneur, who runs a small coconut water bottling business, noted that inflation has pushed the national economy into an unsustainable position. “The government needs to come to a solution in order to keep inflation at a stable place where people can at least break even with it. It’s too high,” he said.

    To ease the burden on struggling consumers, the entrepreneur proposed a policy shift focused on boosting domestic production, which he argues would cut Jamaica’s reliance on costly imported goods. His suggestion: policymakers should redirect investment to local small and medium-sized businesses, and expand access to low-interest business loans to help local producers scale their operations. In line with this vision, the businessman already prioritizes sourcing all of his raw materials from local Jamaican producers to keep his own costs down and support the domestic economy.

  • Pressure grows on UK’s Starmer to quit as PM

    Pressure grows on UK’s Starmer to quit as PM

    LONDON, United Kingdom – Just 10 months after sweeping to power on a wave of public demand for change following 14 years of Conservative rule, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is facing the most severe crisis of his leadership, sparked by catastrophic results in last week’s local and regional elections that have left his Labour Party reeling. On Monday, the 63-year-old prime minister delivered a urgent address to shore up his position, vowing to silence critics who question his leadership and reverse the public’s growing discontent with his tenure.

    His pledges to deliver more bold, transformative policy have failed to win over dissenters within his own party, however. As of Monday evening, at least 55 of Labour’s roughly 400 sitting members of parliament have publicly called for Starmer to step down, including three junior government aides who resigned from their posts to signal their loss of confidence in his leadership.

    Joe Morris, former parliamentary private secretary to Health Secretary Wes Streeting – a figure long speculated to be preparing a potential leadership bid – wrote on social media platform X that it is now undeniable that Starmer no longer holds the public trust required to deliver the change voters overwhelmingly backed last year. Tom Rutland, a former aide to Environment Secretary Emma Reynolds, echoed that sentiment, saying Starmer has irrevocably lost his authority among the parliamentary Labour party and cannot rebuild the support needed to govern effectively.

    Under Labour’s internal party rules, any candidate seeking to challenge Starmer for the leadership must secure the backing of 81 Labour MPs – equal to 20% of the party’s parliamentary caucus – to trigger an official leadership contest. While challengers have not yet hit that threshold, a formal contest would almost certainly ignite a damaging wave of internal factional infighting, with MPs from the party’s left and right wings jockeying to elevate their preferred candidate or shore up Starmer’s remaining support.

    Starmer took office in July 2024 following a landslide general election victory that ended 14 years of Conservative governance marked by harsh austerity policies, repeated Brexit-related internal chaos, and widespread criticism of the party’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. But his first 10 months in Downing Street have been marred by one policy misstep after another, most recently a high-profile scandal over the appointment and rapid sacking of Peter Mandelson as UK Ambassador to the United States, after new revelations emerged about Mandelson’s past ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

    Starmer has also failed to deliver the sustained economic growth needed to ease the ongoing cost of living crisis that continues to strain household budgets across the UK, though he has drawn rare cross-party praise for his firm resistance to U.S. President Donald Trump’s stance on Iran.

    Last week’s local and regional elections delivered a damning verdict on Starmer’s first 10 months in power, with major gains at Labour’s expense going to the hard-right Reform UK and the left-wing populist Green Party. For the first time since the devolved Welsh parliament was established in 1999, Labour lost control of the legislature to Welsh nationalist party Plaid Cymru, and the party also failed to make any meaningful gains against the Scottish National Party in the Scottish Parliament.

    In his crunch address on Monday, Starmer acknowledged the widespread public anger over the state of the country, the political system, and his leadership. “I know I have my doubters, and I know I need to prove them wrong, and I will,” he told the party. He committed to delivering a sweeping, ambitious policy shift rather than incremental change, focusing on three core areas: boosting long-term economic growth, forging closer ties with the European Union, and accelerating the transition to clean energy.

    In one of the most significant shifts of his premiership, Starmer pledged to fully nationalize British Steel, and delivered the harshest assessment of Brexit from any UK prime minister since the country’s acrimonious departure from the bloc in 2020, admitting the 2016 referendum result had left the UK poorer, weaker, and less secure on the global stage. He launched a blistering attack on Reform UK leader Nigel Farage – the face of the 2016 pro-Brexit campaign and a figure now widely tipped as a potential future prime minister – labeling Farage a chancer and a grifter who dragged the country into its current precarious position for his own political gain. “If we don’t get this right our country will go down a very dark path,” he warned.

    Despite Starmer’s appeal for unity, the rebellion against his leadership shows no signs of easing. Senior Labour MP Catherine West, who had previously threatened to trigger a leadership challenge on Monday, announced she was instead collecting signatures from Labour MPs calling on Starmer to outline a formal timetable for a leadership election to be held in September. Starmer has hit back, pledging to fight any challenge to his leadership and warning that the voting public will never forgive Labour if the party repeats the same internal chaos that defined the latter years of Conservative rule, which saw five different prime ministers take office between 2010, including three in just four months in 2022.

    Speculation has long centered on Health Secretary Wes Streeting and former Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner as the most likely candidates to challenge Starmer, but neither figures command universal support across the fractious parliamentary Labour party. Rayner, who has stopped short of publicly calling for Starmer’s resignation, acknowledged in her own remarks on Monday that the current approach to governance is failing and demands urgent change. Another popular potential contender, Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham, is currently ineligible to run for leader as he does not hold a seat in parliament.

    The lack of a clear, broadly popular successor to Starmer means the prime minister could still cling to power, especially with the next UK general election not scheduled to take place until 2029. All eyes now turn to Wednesday, when Starmer is set to lay out his full legislative agenda for the coming parliamentary session in the annual King’s Speech, in what will be widely read as a make-or-break moment for his leadership.

  • Peace plea

    Peace plea

    One of the Caribbean’s most seasoned elder statesmen has publicly urged both Guyana and Venezuela to respect the International Court of Justice’s upcoming verdict on their long-running territorial dispute over the resource-rich Essequibo region, a decades-long standoff that has twice escalated to the brink of armed conflict in recent years.

    Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, the former prime minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines who already stepped in to de-escalate tensions between the two South American nations in 2023, shared his position during a public appearance at the Jamaica Observer Press Club’s sitting last week. It was Gonsalves who brokered a landmark face-to-face meeting between then-Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and Guyanese President Irfaan Ali in December 2023, when tensions over the disputed border territory spiked sharply after a series of provocative moves from Caracas.

    “I am hopeful that whatever the result of the ICJ, that both sides will abide by the determination of the ICJ. But even after there is a determination by the ICJ I would expect that there would be discussions between Venezuela and Guyana for matters which arise out of the decision,” Gonsalves told the outlet’s editors and reporters. He added that regardless of the court’s final ruling, open dialogue will remain critical to preventing further unrest: “I don’t know what all the dimensions of the ruling of the ICJ would be but I can envisage that if there is any matter which is left undecided, that it may well still call for conversations.” Gonsalves also noted that the Caribbean Community (Caricom) broadly shares the goal of a peaceful, rule-based resolution, and confirmed he stands ready to resume his role as a neutral intermediary between the two governments if called upon. “What I want to see is peace between two important neighbours, and what I want to see is that justice is determined in accordance with the principles of international law adjudicated,” he said.

    Last Monday marked the official start of a week of public hearings at the ICJ, the United Nations’ highest judicial body, over the decades-long territorial row. In his opening address to the court’s panel of judges, Guyana’s Foreign Minister Hugh Hilton Todd framed the case as an existential issue for the small Caribbean nation, noting that more than 70% of Guyana’s current sovereign territory is at stake in the dispute. “For the Guyanese people, it is tragic even to think about having our country dismembered by stripping from us a vast majority of our land, together with its people, its history, its traditions and customs, its resources and precious ecology,” Todd told the court.

    Venezuela’s lead representative to the hearings, Samuel Reinaldo Moncada Acosta, rejected Guyana’s framing outright during his address Wednesday. “The characterisation by Guyana of an alleged threat to its territorial integrity or to its sovereign territory constitutes a flagrant misinterpretation, a deliberately misleading presentation of both facts and law,” Acosta told the court. He reaffirmed Caracas’ long-held position that Venezuela’s historical claims to the Essequibo region “are inalienable,” and stressed that the South American nation remains committed to defending its claims through peaceful means. Acosta also reiterated Venezuela’s longstanding refusal to recognize the ICJ’s jurisdiction over the case, a position Caracas has held since proceedings began.

    The origins of the dispute stretch back to the 1890s, when a border was drawn between the two territories under British colonial rule, when Guyana was still a British dependency. Currently, Guyana administers the 62,000-square-mile Essequibo region, which makes up more than two-thirds of Guyana’s total territory and is home to roughly 125,000 of the country’s 800,000 residents. But Venezuela has claimed the entire region, which stretches along the western bank of the Essequibo River, since the early 20th century. Caracas argues the 1899 border agreement is invalid, and maintains the true border should follow the Essequibo River further east, aligned with the territorial boundaries that existed under Spanish colonial rule in 1777, as outlined in a 1966 agreement signed shortly before Guyana gained full independence. The dispute intensified dramatically a decade ago, when energy giant ExxonMobil discovered massive offshore oil deposits in the region, catapulting Guyana to hold the largest crude oil reserves per capita in the world.

    Tensions spiked again in 2023, when Maduro made a series of public and political moves to assert Venezuelan claims over the region, leading Gonsalves to broker the emergency Argyle International Airport summit in St. Vincent between Maduro and Ali. The two leaders signed the historic Argyle Declaration following the summit, in which they formally committed to avoiding any direct or indirect use of military force in the dispute. The truce held into 2024, but tensions flared again earlier this year when Venezuela’s National Assembly approved legislation to formally designate Essequibo as Venezuela’s 24th federal state, a move that was immediately rejected as illegal and invalid by Guyana and the wider international community. Caracas followed that move by announcing it would include the new “state” in upcoming gubernatorial elections scheduled for May 25, 2025, prompting Georgetown to formally request immediate intervention from the ICJ to block the move. While the ICJ’s rulings are legally binding on all parties to the dispute, the court holds no independent enforcement power to compel compliance from member states.

  • Granville residents protest alleged police killing of teenager

    Granville residents protest alleged police killing of teenager

    In the tight-knit community of Granville, St James, Jamaica, public anger boiled over this week after local residents took to the streets to demonstrate against the fatal shooting of a teenage boy, an incident locals claim was carried out by state security forces. The young victim, publicly identified only by the nickname ‘Teejay’, was killed in broad daylight Sunday morning, amid reports of an alleged confrontation between the teen and security personnel operating in the area. According to initial accounts of the encounter, the shooting took place as police officers were exiting the community following the conclusion of a pre-planned security operation. Outraged by the death of the young resident, community members have branded the killing the ‘Mother’s Day Massacre’, and universally reject official claims that the shooting was a lawful use of force. Chants of “We want justice, the police killed our youth” echoed through the neighborhood as demonstrators made their demands for a full, transparent accounting of the incident public. This latest fatal encounter is not an isolated event in Granville: it comes just months after three local people – including four-year-old child Romaine Bowman – were killed during another large-scale security operation in the same area. In line with standard protocols for incidents involving security force use of lethal force, Jamaica’s Independent Commission of Investigations has launched a formal probe into the circumstances of Sunday’s shooting to determine whether any unlawful conduct occurred.

  • Gas price pledge

    Gas price pledge

    The ongoing Middle East conflict has sent shockwaves through global energy markets, pushing oil prices to levels not seen since the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine and triggering widespread forecasts of broad commodity price increases in the coming years. But for Jamaica, one critical energy import will remain insulated from this market turbulence, according to the island nation’s top liquefied natural gas (LNG) supplier.

    The World Bank projects that 2024 global oil prices will reach their highest mark in nearly three years, with broader commodity markets set to see a 16% overall price surge by 2026 driven by climbing energy, fertilizer and key metal costs. Jamaica has already felt the strain of recent market shifts: retail gasoline prices on the island have jumped 20% since the Middle East conflict began, leaving consumers and industry stakeholders anxious about potential spillover into natural gas pricing.

    In an exclusive interview with the Jamaica Observer, Steven Kobos, president and chief executive officer of Excelerate Energy, moved to ease those concerns, confirming that existing long-term contracts lock in stable LNG pricing for Jamaican customers that will not shift amid global volatility. Unlike LNG buyers that purchase supply on the volatile spot market, which has seen sharp price increases amid reduced export volumes from Persian Gulf producers, Jamaica’s contracted supply is legally protected from these market swings.

    Kobos emphasized that his firm has no plans to divert contracted LNG shipments to higher-paying markets, a fear some industry observers have raised as European benchmark natural gas prices (the Title Transfer Facility index) skyrocket in response to the conflict. “Our business model is built on flawless operations, maximum reliability and keeping the commitments we make,” Kobos explained. “We have fixed contracted prices for our Jamaican customers, and that is exactly what we are delivering. Jamaican consumers are not paying a higher premium for LNG because of the war, and that will not change.”

    Beyond confirming stable pricing, Kobos framed the current global energy crisis as a proof point for the value of contracted LNG as an affordable, secure energy source. He also pushed back against speculation that Excelerate would prioritize more profitable markets over its existing commitments to Jamaica, noting that the company’s decades-long track record across multiple countries demonstrates its commitment to honoring contractual obligations. “Some people joke that boring reliability is the new sexy, and that’s who we are,” Kobos said. “I’ve told the Jamaican government that we are a reliable partner, and any of the governments we’ve worked with for years will confirm that track record.”

    This commitment to local partnership was already put to the test in October 2023, when Hurricane Melissa hit Jamaica. Within days, Excelerate mobilized its regional assets to deliver more than $1.3 million in emergency relief funding and supplies to the island, loading materials onto the company’s vessel *Excelerate Shenandoah* in Panama and sailing directly to Kingston. Though the firm is U.S.-headquartered and operates globally, Kobos said Excelerate views itself as a rooted member of the Jamaican business community, bound by a responsibility to support local stakeholders during crises.

    “We believe companies are judged by their actions, not their words,” Kobos said. “When the markets you operate in face extraordinary challenges, that’s when you prove your commitment. We were fortunate to have regional assets in place to respond quickly, and we were proud to stand with Jamaica when it needed support.”

  • After backlash, Mexico to reassess cutting school year short for World Cup

    After backlash, Mexico to reassess cutting school year short for World Cup

    MEXICO CITY, Mexico — In an abrupt policy reversal prompted by fierce public pushback, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum confirmed Monday that the federal government will reevaluate a controversial plan to end the 2025-2026 academic year 40 days ahead of schedule, a proposal tied to preparations for the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup co-hosted by Mexico, the United States, and Canada. The proposal, first unveiled last Friday by Education Secretary Mario Delgado, framed the early end date of June 5 as a necessary adjustment not just for World Cup logistics, but also as a response to the extreme heat wave sweeping across much of the country. Under the original academic calendar, the school year was set to conclude on July 15, with a standard six-week summer vacation running through August 31 ahead of the new term. The 2026 World Cup is scheduled to kick off on June 11, with Mexico’s opening match against South Africa taking place right here in Mexico City. Speaking to reporters Monday, Sheinbaum announced that education officials and leaders from across federal agencies would convene the same day to collect feedback from parent groups and review all possible alternatives to the original proposal. “Our guiding principle is to retain the traditional six-week vacation period that has been in place for decades,” Sheinbaum explained. “One potential path forward is a phased start to the next academic year, with some student groups beginning classes earlier while others remain on the original scheduling timeline. The ultimate goal is to reach a decision built on broad consensus, and right now that means prioritizing listening to the public.” The original plan has already faced formal rejection from two major Mexican states that are serving as World Cup host venues. In Jalisco, where the capital city of Guadalajara will host multiple World Cup matches, local officials have announced they will only suspend classes for the four days that games are held in the city, rather than closing for the full early period. Nuevo Leon, home to host city Monterrey which will also welcome four tournament matches, has gone even further: Governor Samuel Garcia confirmed the state will retain the full original national academic calendar with no early end to the school year. Beyond state-level pushback, parent organizations across the country have raised fierce criticism of the policy, and independent education think tank Mexico Evalua has warned that the cut would cause significant long-term learning setbacks for Mexican students. In a formal analysis of the proposal, the group noted that slashing the academic year would reduce total effective instructional time for more than 23.4 million students across the country, worsening already existing gaps in educational outcomes. Beyond the academic calendar controversy, President Sheinbaum also used Monday’s announcement to reassure the public that all necessary security arrangements for the tournament are on track. She added that ongoing public infrastructure projects tied to the World Cup, including major renovations to the iconic Azteca Stadium and expansion work at Mexico City International Airport, remain on schedule for completion ahead of the tournament’s opening kickoff.