标签： Jamaica

KINGSTON, Jamaica — Jamaica-based media firm Emerge Multimedia Limited is launching a groundbreaking, holistic men’s empowerment gathering, the When Lions Roar Men’s Conference, set to kick off on April 25, 2026 at 9:00 a.m. at The Summit, located in the heart of New Kingston. The event is designed to bring together skilled men from across all professional sectors to create a supportive space dedicated to renewal and collective uplift for attendees.

The conference agenda covers a wide range of critical topics that many men rarely get to explore in safe, community-focused settings: mental wellness, intentional leadership, personal self-mastery, spiritual identity, intimate relationships, family dynamics, financial literacy, and entrepreneurial growth. The overarching mission of the gathering is to rebuild a cultural framework where men feel empowered to show up as reliable, productive contributors to their communities and families.

Travis Muschett, founder of the conference and chief executive officer of Emerge Multimedia Limited, shared that the idea for When Lions Roar grew out of a deeply personal moment of struggle. Just weeks before announcing the event, Muschett found himself in a period of low emotional and mental state, which led him to a stark observation: there is a critical lack of dedicated, judgment-free spaces for men to process challenges, recharge, and reconnect with their purpose.

“After that realization, I made the decision to build the space I wished I had,” Muschett explained. “This is a place where men can be rejuvenated, rediscover their core purpose, and reclaim that sense of drive that makes them feel alive. When men truly understand who they are meant to be, and step into the roles of priests, prophets, providers, and protectors they were created to fill, they don’t just change the lives around them — they transform entire nations.”

When Lions Roar will feature 13 accomplished speakers and panelists drawn from diverse backgrounds: Fortune 500-aligned corporate leaders, long-time fathers, successful small business owners, licensed mental health counselors, devoted husbands, community mentors, and respected faith leaders. Attendees can expect a full day of thoughtful discussion, peer-to-peer networking, and growth across every area of life. Confirmed featured speakers include Lloyd Richardson, Wealth Advisor and National Commercial Bank Branch Manager; Ambassador Jamar Wright of Mindfood International Limited; award-winning gospel recording artist Johnmark Wiggan; licensed counselor and social worker David Taylor; and veteran gospel leader Dr Rondell Positive. Muschett will serve as the conference’s lead facilitator for the day.

While this will be the inaugural staging of the event, Muschett noted that his long-term vision extends far beyond a one-day gathering. He hopes to grow When Lions Roar into a sustained movement that reminds every man of his inherent value, importance, and necessity in his family and community. “I want every person who walks through the door to leave with a clearer understanding of who God created them to be, and the unique role they are meant to fill in the world,” he said. “It doesn’t matter if you are a husband, father, student, or just starting out on your journey: this space is for you. Invest in your growth, and keep moving forward.”

Additional guest contributors and worshippers joining the event include Jovane Blagrove, Love 101 FM radio broadcaster Jucal Dyer, Pastor Michael Taylor, Dexter Johnson Jnr, Aston Desgouttes, Pastor Kavan Allen, Anthony Welsh, Bishop Phillip Johnson, Pastor Sean Williams, and Pastor Tevaun Brown. For men interested in securing a spot at the inaugural conference, tickets can be purchased online at spurropen.com/lionsroarja or by calling 876-810-2451.

On a Wednesday early afternoon in Montego Bay, St James, Jamaica, a routine fasting and prayer gathering at the Montego Bay New Testament Church of God was shattered by the crack of gunfire. Worshippers in the middle of singing hymns froze mid-praise, unable to comprehend that violence had penetrated the walls of their sacred sanctuary.

The victim was Cora Thompson, a well-loved member of the church congregation who was shot five times while she sat selling religious books just meters from the church entrance. Several worshippers inside the building told church leaders they heard every bullet strike. In the aftermath of the attack, even after police completed their on-scene investigations and removed crime scene tape, Thompson’s blood remained visible on the outdoor walkway outside the church, a stark reminder of the violence that upended this tight-knit community.

Bishop Ruel Robinson, the church’s senior pastor, shared that the entire congregation is reeling from the trauma of the attack. “I know everybody is traumatised, having heard the explosions and then later to find out that one of their very own got killed,” Robinson said in an interview with the Jamaica Observer. The church has moved quickly to organize grief counselling for all members, alongside targeted support for Thompson’s family as they navigate their loss. “We will have to pray for each other. This is not a personal thing, it is a collective experience as a church so we plan to provide grief counselling to the church members, and keep on praying and supporting the victim’s family,” he explained.

Robinson remembered Thompson as a vibrant, kind-hearted woman who was a cornerstone of the church community. “Sister Thompson, the victim, she was a quality lady, somebody that is high-spirited and cooperative, supportive. She gets along well with almost everybody,” he said. He also spoke out sharply against the attack, condemning the brazen disregard for the sanctity of the church that the shooting represents. “It is obviously a loss of fear for God. It shows a spirit of disregard for God and the sanctuary,” he said.

According to eyewitness accounts, the gunman – a single male attacker – fled the scene on foot, moving from Water Lane toward nearby Dome Street. Senior Superintendent Eron Samuels, parish police chief, told reporters that law enforcement is fully committed to bringing the perpetrator to justice. “We are very hurt and upset about it and we will not spare any efforts to find who the killers are,” Samuels said. As of Thursday, investigations into the killing remain active, with police yet to announce any arrests or confirm a motive for the attack.

LACOVIA, St Elizabeth — Fed up with weeks of unaddressed flooding that has destroyed homes, ruined livelihoods, and upended daily life, hundreds of residents from multiple districts in this south-central Jamaican parish took collective action on Tuesday, closing the Lacovia main road with protest placards to demand immediate clearing of the area’s clogged drainage networks. The roadblock was dismantled quickly to restore traffic flow connecting Lacovia to eastern and western hubs including Holland Bamboo and Santa Cruz, but the deep-rooted anger over the ongoing crisis remains unaddressed.

MANCHESTER, Jamaica — A harrowing early morning vehicle accident on one of Jamaica’s most notoriously dangerous stretches of roadway prompted an urgent rescue operation Wednesday, where emergency responders pulled two injured elderly people from a car that had plummeted over a steep cliff edge. The crash took place along the Spur Tree Hill main road, a connecting route that has been the site of multiple deadly collisions in recent decades.

Emergency dispatch received the first report of the incident at 7:26 a.m., and local firefighting teams were immediately dispatched to the remote hillside location. When crews arrived at the scene, they found the two accident victims — an elderly man and an elderly woman — both sustaining visible trauma from the fall. First responders fitted both patients with cervical stabilization collars to prevent further spinal injury during extraction, and the pair were quickly transferred to a nearby hospital for ongoing medical care. As of 8:00 a.m. on the morning of the crash, rescue teams had not yet been able to confirm full details surrounding the circumstances that led the vehicle to go over the precipice, in part because the wrecked car was completely hidden from view of the main road, according to eyewitness accounts from people who stopped at the scene.

Jamaican law enforcement has now been assigned to the site to lead a full investigation into the cause of the accident. The Spur Tree Hill main road serves as a critical transportation link connecting the town of Mandeville and its surrounding communities to St Elizabeth and other destinations across western Jamaica. The route’s steep terrain and challenging curves have long created hazardous driving conditions, a problem compounded by frequent congestion from heavy, slow-moving cargo trucks that regularly travel the corridor. Over the years, this dangerous combination has resulted in dozens of fatal crashes involving both passenger vehicles and large trucks.