IRIE FM

Jamaicans are being urged to brace for more intermittent showers and thunderstorms, over eastern and some central parishes this weekend.

The weather conditions are associated with a broad trough across the western Caribbean.

It is continuing to produce a large area of disorganized showers and thunderstorms across the region, including Jamaica.

As a result, the Met Service has issued a Flash Flood Watch for eight parishes.

They are St. Ann, St. Mary, Portland, St. Thomas, Kingston, St. Andrew, St. Catherine and Clarendon.

The watch will remain in effect until 5 p.m. on Sunday.

Duty forecaster at the Met Service, Tahj Edwards said, flooding is possible in these areas.

Mr. Edwards said showers and thunderstorms may affect western parishes tomorrow afternoon.

He is reminding members of the public to download the Weather Jamaica app or monitor the media for weather updates.

The reported cybersecurity breach, involving Jamaica Electronic Transfer System (JETS) Limited, has raised fresh concerns about the protection of Jamaicans’ personal and financial information.

JETS, the operator of the nation’s MultiLink debit card and Automated Clearing House (ACH) payment networks, confirmed in a statement yesterday that hackers targeted a limited portion of its internal administrative systems.

In response, Opposition Spokesperson on Technology, Christopher Brown, is calling for urgent action to strengthen Jamaica’s cybersecurity framework.

Mr. Brown notes that while JETS has indicated that the MultiLink and ACH payment networks were not compromised, the potential exposure of customer names and banking information raises serious questions about data protection and the security of Jamaica’s financial infrastructure.

He argues that, despite announcements about a national cybersecurity strategy and plans to establish a National Cybersecurity Coordination and Assurance Council, Jamaica needs a comprehensive and enforceable legislative framework to address growing cyber threats.

REP JA founders Omar Thomas and Prince Graham discuss the pride they take in building a Jamaican, Black-owned brand committed to quality, creativity and cultural representation.

During their Road To Success interview with Kshema Francis on IRIE FM’s Easy Skankin on Thursday, Prince Graham explained that Jamaica has the creative talent and quality needed to compete with bigger international brands.

From Jamaican culture to international streetwear, REP JA has been representing the island through fashion since 2007.

The brand has received endorsements from the likes of Wiz Khalifa, Vybz Kartel, DJ Khaled, Masicka, Aidonia, Cedella Marley, and Buju Banton, among others.

Several primary schools in Portmore, St. Catherine, have asked parents to collect their children early today due to heavy rains.

Yesterday, the Met Service advised Jamaicans to brace for unstable weather across the island this weekend as a broad trough is expected to impact the country.

The forecast warned that periods of showers and thunderstorms would affect most parishes.

Several citizens are already reporting disruptions in their routines due to unstable weather conditions.

Vice Principal of the Ascot Primary School, Carole Shaw, told IRIE FM News that with several students residing in areas far from the institution, management thought it was prudent to dismiss early.

The Opposition People’s National Party says the ban on overseas travel across the public sector raises more questions than answers as to whether or not this is an effective way to control costs.

It was revealed today that the ban, with limited exceptions, takes immediate effect and runs until March 31 next year.

The decision was communicated to the public sector in a memorandum this week.

Opposition spokesman on Finance, Julian Robinson, is questioning if this is a public relations move to give the impression that the Government is seeking to control costs.

Mr. Robinson acknowledges that overseas travel should be managed carefully.

The memorandum communicating the decision points to the unprecedented destruction caused by Hurricane Melissa, which has placed significant demands on Jamaica’s fiscal resources and public sector capacity, noting the reconstruction and recovery efforts.

According to the document, the Government must lead by example in demonstrating prudence, restraint and an unwavering commitment to directing scarce public resources towards the country’s most urgent priorities.

The moratorium will apply irrespective of whether the proposed travel is financed directly from public funds or by an external organisation or sponsoring institution.

The Education Transformation Oversight Committee (ETOC) is reporting that 144 of the priority one schools, which were damaged by Hurricane Melissa have been repaired or are near completion.

ETOC Chairman Dr. Adrian Stokes made the announcement at a press conference yesterday.

More than 600 schools were damaged.

Three hundred and six were assessed as being severely affected and classified as priority one.

Dr. Stokes said $9.2 billion has been spent to repair the schools.

Dr. Stokes called on the Education Ministry to draw on additional capacity where necessary to rebuild more schools as soon as possible.

However, he stressed that this be done without compromising rigorous project governance and accountability.

The redemption period for the Restoration of Owner or Occupant Family Shelters (ROOFS) programme grants issued for phase one has been extended to December 31.

ROOFS is one of six components of the shelter recovery programme, which has been allocated an initial $10 billion to assist households assessed as having sustained minor, major or severe damage.

Beneficiary households were selected following more than a hundred thousand assessments conducted by the Ministry of Labour and Social Security after the passage of Hurricane Melissa in October last year.

In a statement, the Ministry said it is expanding its community-based engagement to help eligible households access outstanding assistance under the ROOFS programme.

According to the Ministry, the “Roofs on the Road: Redemption Opportunities and Dialogue” initiative will strengthen its direct engagement with beneficiaries, facilitate the redemption of outstanding grants, address payment and verification concerns, as well as provide affected households with updated information on the programme.

The Ministry said that as of September 3, complementary housing assistance has included National Housing Trust grants to over 7,300 beneficiaries, valued at approximately $2.81 billion.

Portfolio Minister Pearnel Charles Jr said the initiative reflects the Ministry’s continued commitment to ensuring that recovery assistance reaches eligible Jamaicans and that outstanding concerns are addressed through direct, coordinated engagement.

The Government will be selecting four communities across the corporate area for a pilot programme aimed at relocating persons living along gully banks, particularly those vulnerable to extreme weather events.

The announcement was made by Prime Minister Dr. Andrew Holness at the opening ceremony for the K2 apartments in Downtown Kingston yesterday.

Dr. Holness explained that assistance could include the construction of alternative housing facilities or the provision of relocation grants to help affected residents secure safer accommodation.

He expressed that the Government has a plan to launch a major project to treat with irregularly settled communities.

The Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica (PSOJ) has joined in expressing concern about the request by the National Water Commission (NWC) for a 51 per cent tariff increase.

The application was submitted to the Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR), which is reviewing the matter.

The NWC explained that the increase is necessary to cover its operating expenses and finance priority investments.

Already, the request has drawn reactions from the opposition, small businesses and hoteliers, with calls for the OUR to reject the application while citing added pressure on households and businesses struggling with the high cost of living.

PSOJ Executive Director, Sacha Vaccianna Riley, acknowledged the fiscal challenges of the NWC, but stressed that an increase cannot be granted without clear conditions and accountability.

She said if an increase is granted, it should be phased.

If oil in commercial quantities is discovered in Jamaican waters, this could prompt the island’s refinery, Petrojam, to rethink where it sources the crude oil used in its operations.

The refinery’s Communications Manager Elon Parkinson says a commercial discovery could have implications for its existing import arrangements.

He explains that the refinery would have to consider sourcing crude oil locally, rather than solely relying on overseas suppliers.

However, Mr. Parkinson notes that any such change, would depend on Jamaica discovering commercially viable oil.

He says that process could take years, should exploration proceed.

Offshore drilling is projected to begin in late 2027 or early 2028, subject to funding, commercial agreements and regulatory approvals.

United Oil and Gas has completed a study assessing the requirements for potential oil exploration, offshore Jamaica.

The company said the study identified ten potential drilling rigs and provides prospective partners with practical information on how a drilling campaign could be carried out.

However, United Oil and Gas stressed that the study does not represent a commitment to begin drilling.

The company said its immediate priority is to conclude discussions with potential partners who could help advance and finance the project.

It noted that while the findings support further exploration planning, the presence of commercially recoverable oil off Jamaica’s coast has yet to be confirmed.