标签： Jamaica

KINGSTON, Jamaica – In response to the catastrophic impact of Hurricane Melissa, Jamaican educational authorities have successfully relocated approximately 680 students from severely affected regions to functional host institutions. The Category 5 hurricane, which made direct landfall last October, caused substantial damage to educational infrastructure across multiple northwestern parishes including Westmoreland, St James, St Elizabeth, Hanover, and Trelwany, with additional damage reported in Manchester and St Ann.

Education Minister Senator Dr. Dana Morris Dixon confirmed the implementation of the ministry’s host school policy, designed to ensure educational continuity for displaced students. The strategic relocation effort has placed affected students into reputable high schools within the Corporate Area, with prominent institutions such as Alpha Academy, Wolmer’s Schools, Campion College, and Kingston College participating in the program.

The minister’s statements came during a Senate session on Friday, specifically addressing inquiries from Opposition Senator Lambert Brown regarding educational continuity measures. Minister Morris Dixon notably acknowledged Opposition MP Damion Crawford’s constructive suggestions regarding host school placements, stating: ‘I applaud MP Crawford for aligning with the ministry’s direction on host schools – this initiative has proven tremendously beneficial for our children’s educational stability.’

The host school policy, activated immediately following the hurricane, represents a coordinated effort between government agencies and educational institutions to mitigate disruption to students’ academic progress while damaged facilities undergo reconstruction and repairs.

The renowned Bath Fountain mineral spring in St Thomas, Jamaica, faces a growing crisis as aggressive informal tour operators systematically target visitors with pressurized services and questionable pricing practices. An investigative team from the Jamaica Observer documented firsthand how these touts operate kilometers from the attraction, pursuing tourists in vehicles and on motorcycles to offer guiding services, massages, and mineral treatments.

Multiple unregistered operators congregate at the spring entrance, aggressively marketing services including sulphur clay applications priced at J$1,000, with massage rates varying dramatically between J$3,500-7,000 for locals and US$70-100 for international visitors. The situation has escalated to concerning levels, with one reported incident involving a tourist being charged J$72,000 for services rendered to four individuals.

Bath Fountain Hotel management confirmed awareness of these practices, noting operators frequently block hotel gates, misinform patrons about facility closures, and provide inaccurate pricing information. The hotel administration revealed ongoing consultations with the Ministry of Tourism regarding the economic impact on legitimate operations and potential reputational damage to Jamaica’s tourism sector.

The informal guides defend their practices as traditional family heritage operations, claiming proper training through community programs. However, the unregulated nature of these services creates significant consumer protection issues, with reported incidents including confrontations that nearly turned violent when frustrated visitors felt exploited.

Despite repeated appeals to government authorities, police, and parish councils over several years, the problem persists with fluctuating operator numbers that peak during weekends and holiday periods. The hotel management acknowledges the economic importance of the spring to local communities but emphasizes its inability to absorb unregulated operators while awaiting official policy recommendations from ongoing governmental studies.

KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Jamaica Council of Churches (JCC) has undergone a significant leadership transition with the election of Suffragan Bishop of Kingston Garth Minott as its new President. Bishop Minott will commence his two-year term this month, succeeding Bishop Christine Gooden-Benguche who completed her tenure after serving the organization for the past two years.

The ecclesiastical body announced its newly elected leadership cadre following its annual convening last month. Bishop Minott will be supported by three regional Vice-Presidents: Rev’d Pauline DaCosta of St John’s Methodist Church in Montego Bay (Cornwall), Most Rev’d John Persuad, Bishop of Mandeville (Middlesex), and Rev’d Karen Kirlew of the Greater Portmore Circuit of Baptist Churches (Surrey).

Beyond his diocesan responsibilities overseeing Kingston, Bishop Minott provides episcopal supervision to the Cayman Islands and multiple Jamaican parishes including Clarendon, St Catherine, St Andrew, St Thomas, St Mary, and Portland.

Bishop Minott brings extensive theological expertise to his new role, having served as Deputy President and lecturer at the United Theological College of the West Indies (UTCWI) since 2003 prior to his ordination and consecration on June 11, 2022. He additionally coordinated the Doctor of Ministry program offered by Columbia Theological Seminary in Decatur, Georgia.

His academic portfolio includes instruction in practical theology, covering Introduction to Ministry, Christian Ethics, and Christian Worship. Before his academic career, Bishop Minott served as Rector of the Browns Town Cure following his ordination as deacon in 1992 and priest in 1993.

Bishop Minott holds a MPhil degree from the University of the West Indies focusing on the Church’s role in social justice and HIV/AIDS response, complemented by an MA in Theology from McGill University. His professional development extends to specialized training in Instructional Design, Research Skills, and Clinical Supervision. He has contributed significantly as a consultant on HIV/AIDS curriculum integration, served as a Voluntary Counselling and Testing provider, and participated on multiple ethics committees including those of the UWI Medical Faculty and National Bioethics Committee.

Bishop Minott is married to Dr. Denise Minott, and together they are parents to two sons, Mark and Stephen.

In a compelling call to action, Jamaican end-of-life specialist Patrice Dwyer is championing the normalization of death preparedness, emphasizing that financial secrecy and avoidance of mortality discussions are creating severe familial distress. As a certified death doula—a non-medical professional providing holistic support to terminally ill individuals and their families—Dwyer highlights how Jamaicans’ cultural reluctance to share financial details or discuss final wishes often culminates in crises when emergencies strike.

Dwyer observes that stringent privacy around bank accounts, PIN codes, and asset ownership frequently leaves families unable to access funds needed for medical care or funeral expenses, even when resources are available. This financial paralysis exacerbates emotional turmoil, often forcing relatives into debt to honor burial preferences that were never formally documented.

The absence of clear wills or advanced directives frequently ignites familial conflict over burial methods—whether traditional burial, cremation, or body donation to science—with disagreements stemming from unspoken personal beliefs and inadequate communication. Dwyer notes that these disputes are particularly painful when patients cannot communicate their wishes due to illness, underscoring the critical need for living wills and designated decision-makers.

Since her certification in 2021, Dwyer has assisted over 20 families in navigating end-of-life decisions and grief processing. She emphasizes that planning extends beyond wills to include setting up trusts, adding trusted individuals to financial accounts, and discussing preferences for medical facilities or funeral homes. Through Zoom sessions like ‘Let’s Talk Endings and Everything In Between,’ she creates safe spaces for conversations that many Jamaicans avoid due to superstitions about inviting death.

Dwyer warns that suppressed grief and unresolved end-of-life conflicts have long-lasting emotional impacts, urging Jamaicans to initiate frank family discussions to balance practical preparedness with compassionate closure.