The Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) has remained mum after a service member reportedly sustained a self-inflicted wound while on duty at a checkpoint in St Andrew Thursday morning. The private remains in hospital after he accidentally discharged a...# Content-Attribution #Source: jamaica-gleaner.comContent Creator: Andre Williams/Staff ReporterDate: 2022-12-30T06:29:40+0000

test 123 test 123 test 123 test 123 test 123 test 123

SIX Jamaican farm workers in Ontario, Canada, who in June this year issued a distress call to the media about their sub par living and working conditions triggering investigations are crying victimisation after they say they were shipped back to Jamaica with virtually no warning. The six, who had stayed off the job for a day in protest after their living quarters were flooded with wastewater, landed in Jamaica on Tuesday August 7, a day after the island ended its Independence celebrations. A representative of the group speaking with the Jamaica Observer on Wednesday evening, alleged that the abrupt dismissal was 'payback' for their blowing the whistle in June. Videos sent to the Observer a

GIVEN a fillip by a reduction in the number of teachers resigning from the public sector, Education Minister Fayval Williams is pulling out all the stops to ensure there is no teacher problem in the classrooms at the start of the new school year. Williams used a post-Cabinet media briefing on Wednesday to outline a number of measures which are being implemented by her ministry to ensure there is no shortage of teachers come September. "We are in a much better place this year relative to last year regarding resignations," Williams told the media briefing. "If you look at teacher resignations, looking at the period January 2023 to September 2023…427 teachers resigned, that is approximately 1

MONTEGO BAY, St James – Shock quickly spread throughout the St James fire brigade on Wednesday after news emerged that a high-ranking fireman had been arrested and charged with a sex crime committed against a teenage girl. The St James police arrested the fireman at his office in connection with an incident involving a 14-year-old girl who was doing voluntary work at the fire station in July. He was later questioned in the presence of his attorney, then subsequently charged with attempted rape and sexual touching on Wednesday afternoon. As the news made its way around the St James fire station, one firefighter told the Jamaica Observer that they were all left "dismayed" by the allegations.

LABOUR and Social Security Minister Pearnel Charles Jr says there have mainly been positive reports coming from overseas farm workers, following the Government's probe into the working conditions of Jamaican farmers in Canada in June this year, which has since been settled. "As it relates to the probe into the living condition of the farm workers [in Canada], it is my understanding, based on consultation through the management committee led by our permanent secretary and the liaison officers that that particular issue was settled perhaps within a week or two of the incident being published, and so far we seem to be receiving... I'd say positive reports," Charles Jr said in response to a qu

MORE than 40 members of a joint police/military team swooped down on the community of Gregory Park in Portmore, St Catherine, on Wednesday where they seized one illegal firearm and brought in a number of persons of interest for questioning. Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Stephanie Lindsay, who heads the constabulary's Corporate Communications Unit (CCU), told the Jamaica Observer that the illegal gun was found in a section of the community where an entire tenement yard was recently destroyed during a firebombing, allegedly carried out by men from another section of Gregory Park known as Gulf. Eleven wooden houses were set on fire, badly burning an elderly woman who is still in hosp

THE Jamaica Observer has copped the Caribbean Broadcasting Union (CBU) Media Awards 2022 for Health Education Journalism. The award was presented to former Observer journalist Brittny Hutchinson for her story "Painful Lessons" which detailed the mental challenges that children from Parade Gardens in Central Kingston face after being impacted by gun violence. The story was a part of the Observer/Rise Life Management street reasoning series in the violence-prone community for Child Month 2022. Hutchinson, who recently resigned from the media, expressed gratitude for the award, as she had entered several categories in the CBU competition for last year. "A few hours before the show, I said

NEGRIL, Westmoreland — Five months after the Westmoreland Municipal Corporation offered to have the parish infirmary house six of the social cases that are draining resources from the Savanna-la-Mar Public General Hospital, the patients have still not been transferred. Meanwhile, the number of patients abandoned at the health facility continues to climb. "The Savanna-la-Mar Public General Hospital has 25 social cases. It is like a quick drop-off point because [last] Thursday there were 22 and over the weekend, three more were left there," acting parish manager for the Westmoreland Public Health Services, Camile Lewin told the Jamaica Observer on Tuesday. In March, mayor of Savanna-la-Mar B

MINISTER of Labour and Social Security Pearnel Charles Jr says the majority of the 30,000 industrial security guards employed to private security companies in Jamaica are now engaged under an employer/employee contract and are covered by the labour laws. This coverage, he said, is in relation to the rates of pay, overtime payment, vacation leave, sick leave, maternity leave and all where applicable. Effective April 1 this year, the status of security guards was upgraded from independent contractors to employees, following a Supreme Court ruling last September. As such, all security guards are now entitled to new employment contracts which guarantee full benefits as employees. Charles Jr, wh

JUSTICE Minister Delroy Chuck is urging judges to expedite non-contentious matters such as probates, divorces and restrictive covenants. He made the call in his address to members of the judiciary during the Judiciary of Jamaica's annual Strategic Management Retreat, which began on Monday. The justice minister emphasised that delayed decisions in these matters may well be impeding billions of dollars in projects and assets. He further pointed out that disputes that await decisions hold up the lives of many litigants and urged the judges to complete their cases in a timely manner. While acknowledging the need for further improvements, Chuck commended the judges for the significant progress

NEGRIL, Westmoreland — Administrators of the Westmoreland Public Health Services have welcomed a much-needed donation of $5.8-million worth of medical equipment to the Negril Health Centre, saying it will assist in reducing patient wait time. However, there is a concern that there is not enough staff to take full advantage of the gift. "Maternal and child health, the curative services, will all benefit. All our hypertensive diabetic asthmatic patients can be turned to with additional support instead of a lag time or any [lengthy] wait," said senior public health nurse in charge of the Negril Health Centre, Carol Beharie. "But sometimes, with having all of these, we still need the staff. Th

Fears that a rival gang leader was using a fragile peace accord to entrench and empower himself was what enraged armed thugs who staged a murderous attack on residents in the war-torn St Catherine community of Gregory Park on the weekend, law... # Content-Attribution # Source: jamaica-gleaner.com Content Creator: Ruddy Mathison and Livern Barrett - Sunday Gleaner Writers Date: 2023-08-13T05:14:39+0000

Rita Humphries-Lewin’s dementia had so worsened up to January 2023 that the 87-year-old respected Jamaican businesswoman reportedly could not even recall the word ‘Barita’ – the name of the investment company she established more than four decades... # Content-Attribution # Source: jamaica-gleaner.com Content Creator: Jovan Johnson - Senior Staff Reporter Date: 2023-08-13T05:13:24+0000