标签： Jamaica

In a candid television interview broadcast Friday, Norway’s Crown Princess Mette-Marit revealed she was “manipulated and deceived” by convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, marking her first public comments since court documents revealed their unexpected friendship earlier this year.

The 52-year-old royal, who married Crown Prince Haakon in 2001, addressed the growing controversy surrounding her association with the disgraced financier during a 20-minute conversation with Norway’s public broadcaster NRK. Seated beside her supportive husband, the princess occasionally fought back tears as she discussed the relationship that has raised questions about her fitness to eventually become queen.

“Of course I wish I had never met him,” Mette-Marit stated emphatically, acknowledging her failure to properly investigate Epstein’s background. “It is extremely important for me to acknowledge that I did not look into his past more carefully, and also to acknowledge that I was manipulated and deceived to such an extent.”

The crown princess specifically addressed speculation about the nature of their relationship, characterizing Epstein primarily as “a friend to me” while firmly denying any romantic involvement. She described published email exchanges containing lighthearted banter and smiley emojis as “embarrassing” and attributed their tone to “camaraderie” rather than intimacy.

Mette-Marit disclosed that she ultimately terminated the friendship after several concerning incidents, including one in Palm Beach where she felt “a little unsafe.” She revealed gaining firsthand knowledge of Epstein’s extortion tactics against others, stating, “I had come to understand that this was a bad person, whom people should not be in contact with.”

The interview occurred against a backdrop of multiple personal challenges for the princess, including her son’s ongoing legal troubles and her battle with an incurable lung disease that may eventually require a risky transplant. She cited these health concerns as contributing to her delayed response to the Epstein revelations.

Despite the controversy, both the crown princess and prince expressed mutual support and commitment to their royal roles. “Mette is caring, wise and really strong,” Haakon affirmed. “That’s why I would always want her by my side.”

Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store welcomed the princess’s accountability, while royal commentators noted some questions remained unanswered regarding the extent of her knowledge about Epstein’s criminal past.

KINGSTON, Jamaica—In response to the catastrophic damage inflicted by Category 5 Hurricane Melissa on Jamaica’s agricultural sector, Isratech and its collaborative partners are launching an ambitious island-wide Resilience Farm Tour. This comprehensive initiative, scheduled to commence on April 8, 2026, aims to empower local farmers through practical recovery support and the adoption of climate-resilient farming methodologies.

Benjamin Hodara, CEO of Isratech, emphasized the program’s action-oriented approach in an official statement: “Jamaican farmers require tangible support and accessible solutions beyond mere sympathy following disasters. Our mission is to demonstrate that purposeful recovery is achievable while embedding resilience into the fundamental practices of contemporary agriculture.”

Operating under the thematic banner “From Recovery to Resilience,” the tour will deliver direct assistance to agricultural communities across multiple parishes including Manchester, St Elizabeth, St James, Trelawny, St Ann, and Westmoreland. The program specifically highlights female agricultural producers in alignment with the designation of 2026 as the Year of the Female Farmer.

Eligible participants will receive substantial resources including complimentary farm assessments, gravity-fed irrigation infrastructure, seedling trays, specialized growing media, fertilizers, germination mixtures, and essential starter agricultural inputs. Selected farms will additionally function as live demonstration sites, enabling neighboring farmers and stakeholders to observe practical climate-smart solutions operating within authentic agricultural environments.

Beyond immediate recovery objectives, the initiative seeks to foster a robust national framework for climate resilience in Jamaica’s agricultural sector. Partner organizations emphasize the critical importance of collaborative action in addressing the industry’s most pressing challenges.

The official launch event will convene key stakeholders, agricultural partners, and community representatives in a unified commitment to restoring livelihoods and reinforcing the nation’s food production capabilities. Corporate entities and development organizations are actively encouraged to contribute through product donations, technical expertise, and direct operational participation.

Farmers throughout Jamaica are currently being invited to submit applications for inclusion in the tour and access to its support systems, marking a significant step toward sustainable agricultural restoration.

KINGSTON, Jamaica — Jamaican authorities have launched a significant crackdown on organized fraud within the nation’s public transportation system, resulting in the arrest of four bus drivers employed by the state-owned Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC). The individuals face serious charges including embezzlement and systematic failure to issue passenger tickets in an alleged scheme to divert company funds.

The apprehended drivers have been identified as Keith Reid (47), known alternatively as ‘Miguel’ from Llandewey, St Thomas; Coleen Reynolds (50) of Cumberland, Portmore, St Catherine; Lashon Young (43) from Waterford, Portmore, St Catherine; and Jahvon Hassock (27) of Eltham Park, Spanish Town, St Catherine.

According to law enforcement officials, the sophisticated scam operated between February and March 2026, during which the accused drivers collected cash fares from passengers but deliberately failed to issue mandatory electronic receipts. This systematic omission created unrecorded transactions that enabled the diversion of collected revenues.

Police investigations confirmed that upon completing their daily shifts, the drivers consistently neglected to surrender the accumulated cash to JUTC authorities, thereby depriving the public transportation system of legitimate operating funds. The scheme was uncovered following internal audits and subsequent reporting to police authorities.

The four accused individuals are scheduled for arraignment before the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court on Tuesday, April 21. Law enforcement officials indicated their investigation remains active, with efforts underway to identify additional participants in the organized criminal operation.

This case represents one of the most significant incidents of internal fraud within Jamaica’s public transportation network in recent years, highlighting vulnerabilities in revenue collection systems and prompting calls for enhanced oversight mechanisms within state-operated transit services.

In a landmark response to climate threats, Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness has unveiled a comprehensive plan to fundamentally redesign the historic town of Black River, moving critical infrastructure inland and relocating vulnerable coastal residents. The initiative, announced during the 2026/27 Budget Debate, comes as a direct consequence of the devastation wrought by Category 5 Hurricane Melissa in October of last year.

Declaring that ‘We will not rebuild Black River as it was,’ Holness outlined a vision for a new, consolidated urban core—a first in the town’s 300-year history. This strategic shift aims to break the cycle of disaster and reconstruction by creating a settlement engineered to withstand future climate shocks. The Urban Development Corporation (UDC) will lead the redevelopment, which involves transferring essential services—including hospitals, courts, government offices, and transport hubs—to safer inland zones.

The redesigned urban center will incorporate elevated structures, modern drainage systems, utility corridors, and built-in redundancy to maintain functionality during extreme weather. Public spaces such as a civic square and green areas are integral to the plan, while the damaged historic waterfront will be preserved and fortified with coastal defense systems.

Acknowledging the profound social implications, Holness confirmed that relocation would be necessary for residents in high-risk coastal and low-lying areas. The government has begun identifying suitable lands for a structured relocation program, pledging to handle the process with sensitivity, transparency, and a focus on preserving livelihoods. Consultations with affected communities and commercial stakeholders are set to begin early next month.

Holness framed the Black River project as a national pilot, emphasizing four guiding principles for Jamaica’s future development: risk-informed planning, retreat from high-risk coasts, system redundancy, and integration of economic activity with resilient infrastructure. The initiative also aims to stimulate regional economic growth by linking the new urban center to housing developments, agricultural zones, and south coast tourism assets, including eco-tourism investments at Font Hill.

The Prime Minister asserted that Hurricane Melissa had irrevocably changed the calculus of coastal development, making the case for proactive, large-scale adaptation to protect lives and secure Jamaica’s sustainable future.