标签： Jamaica

MONTE BAY, Jamaica — In a striking fusion of civic leadership and cultural celebration, Montego Bay Mayor Richard Vernon will join the runway as a featured model at the upcoming Jingle Mingle Runway event. This annual fashion showcase, scheduled for December 19 at Ashley’s HomeStore, has evolved from its inaugural debut at Margaritaville Blue Beat Ultra Lounge into western Jamaica’s premier holiday networking and fashion extravaganza.

The 2025 edition carries profound cultural significance under its “Rhythm and Culture” theme, paying homage to the enduring legacy of legendary musician Jimmy Cliff. His monumental contributions to Jamaican music, cultural identity, and global influence will inspire the locally designed collections that will grace the runway. The event will unite corporate representatives, community leaders, and emerging creative talents—all modeling fashion pieces that interpret Cliff’s artistic spirit through contemporary design.

Beyond the sartorial spectacle, the showcase serves as a powerful platform for Jamaican design innovation. Designers from across the island will present collections that weave together traditional artistic heritage, cultural narratives, and modern creative expression. The event’s organizational backbone is provided by the Young Entrepreneurs Business Network, which originated in western Jamaica and has expanded nationwide to support emerging business talent through networking opportunities and resource mobilization.

Event organizers expressed particular honor at Mayor Vernon’s participation, noting that his involvement signals robust governmental support for local cultural industries and young innovators driving economic and community development throughout the region.

American humanitarian organization Direct Relief has been formally recognized for its two decades of ongoing support to Jamaica, receiving an appreciation award from the Save Our Boys and Girls Foundation Limited (SOBAGF). The foundation is operated by Juliet Holness, Speaker of Jamaica’s House of Representatives and Member of Parliament for St Andrew East Rural.

Genevieve Bitter, Vice President of Operations at Direct Relief, detailed the long-standing partnership. The collaboration formally began in 2019 when Holness and representatives from Jamaica’s National Health Fund (NHF) visited the charity’s California headquarters. A key outcome was a commitment to bolster the island’s medical cold chain infrastructure, resulting in the installation of twenty pharmacy refrigerators across public hospitals in every region.

The partnership has since expanded in scope and formality. Direct Relief now maintains a formal agreement with Jamaica’s Ministry of Health. Holness has remained a central figure, notably serving as a keynote speaker at the 2023 Caribbean Resiliency Summit in Puerto Rico, an event supported by the organization.

A significant focus of Direct Relief’s work has been enhancing energy resilience in hurricane-prone areas. The charity has funded solar power installations for dozens of health centers across the Caribbean, including in Puerto Rico, Barbados, The Bahamas, and Jamaica. This infrastructure proved critical during Hurricane Melissa, where solar-powered facilities maintained electricity amid widespread blackouts, enabling a faster emergency medical response.

In Jamaica, specific projects undertaken with SOBAGF include community initiatives in Ursa, the solar electrification of the Mavis Bank Health Centre, and the construction of a playground at the Kintyre community center. Furthermore, Direct Relief is currently supporting the NHF with a solar installation for a national pharmaceutical warehouse, a vital hub for the country’s medication procurement, storage, and distribution network.

Bitter affirmed that Direct Relief’s commitment to Jamaica is enduring. Citing the persistent threats posed by climate change, she stated the organization’s intent to remain for years to come. This ongoing mission was recently demonstrated by the shipment of over $1 million worth of critical medical supplies—including antibiotics, insulin, vaccines, and protective equipment—to the Ministry of Health and Wellness following Hurricane Melissa.

In a heartwarming display of community appreciation, officers from the Manchester Community, Safety and Security Branch made surprise visits to two primary schools in Jamaica’s parish on Wednesday to recognize dedicated school wardens for their longstanding service. The initiative, led by personnel from Spalding Police Station including Corporal Oreal Plummer and Corporal George Morgan along with Constables Suewayne Burnett and Kerron Campbell, resulted in emotional presentations of gift baskets to two exceptional wardens. At Mizpah Primary School, Dazlin Fisher received honors for an impressive 21 years of dedicated service protecting students, with Corporal Plummer making the presentation. The team subsequently visited Spalding Primary School where Janet Lewis was recognized for her 13 years of commitment to child safety, with Constable Campbell presenting her gift. Police representatives reported both wardens were visibly moved and expressed profound gratitude for the unexpected recognition of their contributions to student safety and well-being. This gesture forms part of broader community policing efforts to strengthen relationships between law enforcement and educational institutions while acknowledging often overlooked frontline workers who play crucial roles in maintaining safe learning environments.

KINGSTON, Jamaica — In a significant expansion of its traditional year-end celebrations, Jamaica’s Urban Development Corporation (UDC) has announced it will extend its New Year’s Eve fireworks display across five parishes. This strategic decision aims to bolster morale and foster unity among communities in western Jamaica still recovering from Hurricane Melissa’s recent impact.

The state-owned corporation revealed through an official statement on Thursday that alongside established fireworks viewings in downtown Kingston, Ocho Rios, and Montego Bay’s Harmony Beach Park, two additional locations—Black River in St. Elizabeth and Long Bay Beach in Negril—will host the celebratory displays. This represents a deliberate effort to bring accessible festive experiences to more Jamaican families during the ongoing recovery period.

UDC officials emphasized that while this year’s celebrations will adopt a more restrained approach compared to previous years, the organization recognizes the profound importance of creating spaces for collective joy, reflection, and community bonding. The initiative specifically aims to provide a sense of normalcy and shared optimism as the nation looks toward 2026.

‘Each designated location will feature complimentary public viewing areas for the official UDC midnight countdown ceremony followed by fireworks displays,’ the corporation confirmed. These gatherings are designed to facilitate moments of shared anticipation and national unity, allowing communities to collectively celebrate resilience and hope for the future. The expanded program demonstrates the government’s commitment to psychological recovery through community engagement, acknowledging that emotional healing remains crucial alongside physical reconstruction efforts in hurricane-affected regions.

Jamaica’s Equality for All Foundation (EFAF) unveiled a comprehensive revision of its national Queer Agenda on Tuesday, presenting an evolved advocacy framework aimed at enhancing legal protections and social inclusion for LGBTQ+ citizens. Executive Director Glenroy Murray addressed diplomats, UN officials, civil society representatives, and media members at the launch event, emphasizing the document’s role in articulating concrete policy expectations from the government and broader society.

The updated agenda reflects both measurable progress and persistent challenges since the original 2018 publication. Murray noted the intentional reclamation of the term ‘queer agenda’—historically weaponized against the community—as a positive assertion of policy priorities. Significant achievements highlighted include expanded mental health services, curriculum reforms at the University of the West Indies, training programs for over 150 social-service providers through EU partnerships, and sensitization initiatives with the Jamaica Constabulary Force supported by British diplomacy.

Despite these advancements, Murray underscored alarming ongoing issues: 33% homelessness rates within the LGBTQ+ community, widespread discrimination, and insufficient legal safeguards. The document serves as a strategic roadmap across multiple pillars including security and justice, healthcare, education, housing, and family protections. Distributed copies outlined specific recommendations for creating a more inclusive Jamaica, with participation from international partners including Belgium and the United Kingdom, alongside local organizations like TransWave Jamaica and Jamaica Aids Support for Life.

Murray concluded that while societal openness has gradually improved, formal recognition of the community’s contributions throughout Jamaica’s 63-year history remains inadequate, necessitating renewed commitment to structural change.

ST JAMES, Jamaica — Prime Minister Andrew Holness has articulated a compelling vision for Jamaica’s developmental trajectory, emphasizing the critical importance of preserving national identity while pursuing economic progress. During a keynote address at the topping out ceremony for Tower One of the Pinnacle Development, the leader articulated a philosophy of balanced modernization that safeguards Jamaica’s distinctive character.

Prime Minister Holness presented a nuanced perspective on tourism-driven development, arguing that Jamaica’s global appeal stems from its authentic cultural and environmental assets rather than replicated urban landscapes. “The objective isn’t to recreate Manhattan in the Caribbean,” Holness stated emphatically. “Visitors seek genuine Jamaican experiences—they want to encounter the unique qualities that distinguish our nation from any other destination.”

The Prime Minister’s comments arrive amid significant infrastructure transformation, with large-scale projects like the Pinnacle Towers reshaping Jamaica’s urban fabric. While enthusiastically endorsing architectural modernization and future-proofed construction, Holness simultaneously issued a powerful call to conserve the nation’s essential character. “We must advance our built environment while retaining the natural and cultural assets that define us,” he declared.

Environmental sustainability emerged as a crucial component of this balanced approach. Holness revealed extensive consultations with the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) to ensure that developments like Pinnacle adhere to rigorous ecological standards. “Montego Bay’s mystique derives not from skyscrapers but from sun, sea, and sand,” he observed, acknowledging the project’s proximity to sensitive mangrove ecosystems and fishing habitats.

In a striking extension of his identity preservation argument, Holness identified specific cultural practices requiring transformation. He criticized the visual disorder of poorly maintained properties and streetscapes, labeling haphazard development patterns as “chaka-chaka”—a local expression for disorganization. “Tourism demands certain standards of orderliness and aesthetic coherence,” he noted, urging property owners to maintain attractive facades that collectively enhance Jamaica’s appeal.

The Prime Minister praised the LCH development group for achieving this balance at the Pinnacle project, highlighting their success in creating modern infrastructure that simultaneously respects Jamaican environmental and cultural priorities. His address ultimately framed national development as a sophisticated negotiation between progress and preservation, modernity and identity.

Jamaican law enforcement has made significant breakthroughs in a major financial cybercrime case, apprehending four individuals linked to an elaborate $80 million fraud scheme targeting National Commercial Bank (NCB) customers. The arrests culminated from a coordinated Tuesday morning operation conducted by the Major Organised Crime and Anti-Corruption Agency (MOCA) with support from multiple divisions of the Jamaica Constabulary Force.

The sophisticated criminal operation, active between April 2022 and December 2023, employed a combination of phishing, smishing (SMS phishing), and vishing (voice phishing) tactics to compromise bank accounts. According to investigative findings, the group successfully defrauded eight NCB account holders by illicitly transferring funds to 23 accomplices who participated in the money laundering scheme.

Major Basil Jarrett, MOCA’s Director of Communications, emphasized that these arrests highlight the critical effectiveness of the agency’s Cybercrime Investigation Unit in combating the escalating threat of cyber-enabled financial crimes. The case represents one of Jamaica’s most substantial digital banking fraud investigations to date.

With the Christmas season approaching—a period typically marked by increased financial transactions and potential vulnerability to scams—Jarrett issued a public advisory urging enhanced vigilance. He recommended that citizens verify the authenticity of all financial communications and implement robust security measures to protect confidential information online.

Authorities have indicated that formal charges against the four suspects are imminent. Meanwhile, MOCA continues to encourage public cooperation, inviting individuals with information on cybercrimes to contact their tip line at 888-MOCA-TIP (888-662-2847).

KINGSTON, Jamaica—Jamaica faces a complex public safety dichotomy as dramatically declining murder rates coincide with an alarming surge in security force-related fatalities, according to human rights advocates.

Mickel Jackson, Executive Director of Jamaicans for Justice (JFJ), acknowledged the nation’s remarkable progress in reducing homicides during her Human Rights Day address. “This year has witnessed a historic decline in murders, with projections indicating some of the lowest homicide figures in decades,” Jackson stated. “These achievements demonstrate the effectiveness of collaborative efforts between security forces and communities working to restore peace across our island.”

However, this progress stands in stark contrast to a disturbing trend in state-involved fatalities. Official data reveals that security force-involved deaths have reached 289 as of December 8, 2025—marking the highest figure in over a decade and representing a 68 percent increase compared to the same period last year, when Jamaica recorded 172 such fatalities.

The human rights organization has expressed serious concerns regarding transparency, accountability, and the inconsistent implementation of body-worn camera technology within security operations. Despite facing opposition, including disparaging remarks, threats, and intimidation following peaceful protests in Half-Way Tree, St. Andrew, JFJ remains committed to its advocacy mission.

Jackson emphasized the fundamental principles enshrined in Jamaica’s Constitution, noting that the Charter of Fundamental Rights and Freedoms represents a solemn promise that human rights are inviolable and no power exists above the law. Quoting Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s ‘Drum Major Instinct’ sermon, she called for redirecting the desire for significance into active service for justice.

The executive director urged citizens to engage in rigorous accountability measures, including reporting violations, supporting affected families, demanding oversight, and holding authorities accountable. “Let us choose lawful force and rigorous accountability over excessive force and impunity,” Jackson advocated. “We must make human dignity the lived reality—not the exception—for every single Jamaican.”