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Opposition Leader Mark Golding has called on the Government to provide a timeline for completion of repair works at schools.

He made the statement during a People’s National Party Press Conference today.

The new academic year began last Monday with repairs ongoing, even as classes resumed.

Many schools, particularly in western Jamaica, were badly damaged by Hurricane Melissa last year.

Education Minister Dr. Dana Morris Dixon informed the nation that contingencies have been put in place to ensure safety at schools.

However, the Opposition Leader criticized the start to the new school year, calling for a published school-by-school recovery dashboard showing the completion percentages for all schools which are yet to be repaired.

He said this update should be provided weekly, so the country can track the process.

Mr. Golding also called for immediate minimum standards for tents and temporary classrooms.

He explained that this would include proper flooring, fans, portable cooling units, and more.

The Opposition Leader also called for full transparency in the money spent to re-construct and repair schools damaged by Hurricane Melissa.

Shanice Gibbs Reports

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The Calabar Primary and Infant School has been plunged into mourning, following the deaths of two children in a house fire at the weekend.

Two empty seats now stand as a painful reminder of a tragedy that has shattered the Calabar Primary and Infant School community in St. Andrew.

Two of its students, four-year-old Samson Cameron and seven-year-old Keriecia Hutchinson, died in a house fire along Smith Lane in Downtown Kingston on Saturday.

Their deaths have left classmates, teachers and parents grappling with the sudden loss of two young lives.

Speaking with IRIE FM News this morning, Acting Principal Angela Porter described how some students and teachers are struggling to come to terms with the tragedy.

Ms. Porter notes, however, that the Ministry of Education, the church, parents and other schools have come together to provide support.

She expressed appreciation for the overwhelming response.

The Opposition says the latest merchandise trade data, from the Statistical Institute of Jamaica (STATIN) confirm a deepening structural decline in Jamaica’s visible trade performance and a continuing fall-off in export earnings.

The Party says the current policy is failing to address the issues.

STATIN’s most recent international trade merchandise bulletin, covering January to May 2026, shows total export earnings of US $674.7 million a 12 .5% decline compared to the same period last year.

The import bill rose 1.8% to roughly US $3.2 billion over the corresponding period of 2025.

Spokesperson on Industry, Trade and Global Logistics says the country is spending close to five times what it earns from exports.

The PNP is urging the Government to treat the latest STATIN figures as a call to action and to bring a clear industrial and trade strategy to parliament as a priority, in tandem with and not subordinate to the post-Melissa reconstruction effort.

Minister with responsibility for Science, Dr. Andrew Wheatley, said the Nurturing Early Scientific Thinking (NEST) Programme will help develop science innovators and boost the economy.

The programme will focus on students at the early childhood level.

Dr. Wheatley noted that the programme is a vital part of the Government’s national science technology and innovation strategic plan for 2026 to 2035.

Its governing framework, ‘The House of Innovation’ is to be reviewed by Cabinet.

The initiative is the country’s first unified, mission-driven framework for converting knowledge, research and innovation into national development outcomes.

Dr. Wheatley said the NEST programme is geared towards encouraging inquiry-based scientific thinking during the earliest years of a child’s education with early childhood educators being trained to facilitate this.

The programme will boost the country’s science and technology prospects and its economy.

Member of Parliament for Kingston Central Donovan Williams says he is providing support to the family of the two children who died in a house fire along Smith Lane in Kingston on Saturday.

The deceased are 4-year-old Samson Cameron and 7-year-old Kerecia Hutchinson, both of Smith Lane.

The children reportedly attended the Calabar Infant and Primary School.

MP Williams told IRIE FM News that he has visited the family and will be doing his best to provide counselling and support.

He said the community is mourning.

He called on parents to do their best to be more vigilant when they are leaving kids at home.

However, she said the problem is not the fault of the security forces but due to a lack of attention from the authorities.

She called on the Government not to ignore the need to provide improved lockups for inmates.

She argued that this will not only ensure the safety of inmates but officers working at these stations.

Stand Up for Jamaica has raised concern about the state of the island’s police lockups, noting issues such as overcrowding and health risks.

The statement follows reports that two deaths at a police lockup in the Corporate Area last month were reportedly linked to tuberculosis.

Speaking to IRIE FM News, Stand Up for Jamaica Executive Director Carla Gullotta said the issues relating to health risks and overcrowding are at several police stations island-wide.

She said the matter was highlighted again during a recent report presented to her lobby group about the condition of police lockups.

However, she said the problem is not the fault of the security forces, but due to a lack of attention from the authorities.

She called on the government not to ignore the need to provide improved lockups for inmates.

She argued that this will not only ensure the safety of inmates, but officers working at these stations.

The young professional arm of the People’s National Party says it believes that Jamaica’s response to suicide must extend beyond the health system.

The statement comes as Suicide Awareness Month is observed in September.

President Paul Blake said many socio-economic factors contribute to the suicide crisis.

These include: economic insecurity, unemployment, violence, abuse, social isolation, substance misuse, academic pressure, chronic illness and relationship breakdown.

He cited data which showed that Jamaica recorded 67 suicides in 2024, the highest annual total in 23 years.

Of those who died, 61 were men, representing approximately 91 percent of recorded cases.

Blake wants the relevant authorities to implement a permanent mechanism that will coordinate suicide prevention efforts across society.

He is also urging the government to approach suicide prevention as a matter of political accountability, rather than limiting the response to public awareness campaigns or annual observances.

The flames may have gutted Superior Parts Limited’s Hagley Park Road facility, but its management is making it clear that the fire will not burn through the livelihoods of the workers who helped build the business.

As the company grapples with the fallout from the blaze on August 27, Chief Executive Officer Derrick Johnson says he is moving to protect jobs while rebuilding efforts continue.

The Hagley Park Road facility suffered a complete loss due to the fire.

Speaking with IRIE FM News, Mr. Johnson explains that though operations have resumed in some capacity, steps are being taken to help the workers.

This includes rotating rosters, transferring some employees to other branches and enlisting the help of the government and the banks.

Mr. Johnson says the aim is to build back stronger so the team can continue to serve Jamaicans.

The government is being called on to implement a national suicide prevention strategy.

The strategy is among 7 recommendations, made by the People’s National Party’s young professional arm, The Patriots, as part of a national policy response.

PNP Patriots president Paul Blake said the policy response also includes a national suicide and self harm surveillance system.

Mr. Blake highlighted a gender disparity, with men accounting for the majority of suicides.

This he says requires a targeted men’s mental health programme.

Other recommendations are for, school based intervention, parish level crisis response, access to secure environments, as well as, increased number of health care professionals in the public system.

World Suicide Prevention Day was observed on Thursday, under the theme: “Changing the Narrative on Suicide” with the call to action, “Start the Conversation”.

Two young children perished in a house fire in Smith Lane, Parade Gardens, Kingston this morning.

Dead are 4-year-old Samson Cameron and 7-year-old Keriecia Hutchinson, both of Smith Lane.

Reports are that at about 11:32 a.m., a police team responded to reports of a fire in progress in the area.

On reaching the location, the police observed a dwelling on fire and contacted the fire brigade.

The York Town and Trench Town fire stations responded, conducted cooling down operations and subsequently put out the blaze.

On making checks, the charred remains of the 2 children were discovered inside the dwelling.

The scene was processed and the bodies were removed to the morgue pending a postmortem examination.

The Kingston central police are continuing investigations.

Meantime, relatives of the children are finding it hard to cope with the tragic loss.

Cousin, Kadesha Stewart described them as nice, loving children.

And, the Smith Lane community in downtown Kingston has been plunged into mourning, after two young children perished in a house fire, this morning.

It’s alleged that the children had been left at home alone.

Head of the Kingston central police division, Superintendent Mishka Forbes described the incident as tragic.

She is appealing to parents to avoid leaving children without proper adult supervision.