IRIE FM

The student who was transferred to a hospital in Kingston after being hit by a fallen boulder in St. Elizabeth yesterday, is reportedly in a coma.

Minister of Education Dr. Dana Morris Dixon gave the update today after visiting the child and her parents at the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI).

Three children were injured after reportedly being struck by a boulder while walking along a railway track on their way to Merrywood Primary school.

Of the three children involved, one has since  been treated  and released, while one remains at the Black River hospital and the third is receiving intensive care at UHWI.

Reports indicate that residents frequently use the railway track as a shorter route between communities in the area.

She said the ministry will remain attentive to the welfare of the affected students, their families and the school community as the children continue their recovery.

The Government says it is moving to relocate the first group of residents from the irregular settlement at Cooper’s Pen, Trelawny, as part of its commitment to assist.

Prime Minister Dr. Andrew Holness gave the update during a house handing-over ceremony in Pedro District, St. Catherine yesterday.

He noted that significant progress is being made through the Ministry of Housing, the Social Development Commission, the Ministry of Tourism and the Jamaica Defence Force.

Dr. Holness also said the process includes surveying suitable land, identifying infrastructure requirements, and exploring relocation subsidies for those who may need assistance to secure alternative housing.

Residents of Breadnut Walk, St. Elizabeth, say yesterday’s boulder accident involving three schoolchildren has reinforced the need for better roadways in the area.

Two girls and one boy were travelling from Breadnut Walk along an old railway track to school in Merry Wood when a boulder rolled down a hillside and hit them.

The children were taken to the Black River Hospital for treatment.

One was later released, while another has reportedly been transferred to a medical facility in Kingston and is deemed to be in serious condition.

One resident, Daisy Gordon, described the incident as tragic and called for the community road to be improved so children do not have to use the train track to get to school.

Ms. Gordon said the community is hoping all efforts will be made to ensure children are safe.

Meanwhile, Councillor for the Ipswich Division, Clinton Samuels, said that while the community roadway is in a deplorable condition, children walk along the track because it is a shorter route to school.

A call is being made for greater use of wells to help ease the pressure on water supplies amidst continued drought conditions.

Mayor of Mandeville Donovan Mitchell made the appeal during Thursday’s meeting of the Manchester Municipal Corporation.

He said that while some wells in the area have adequate water resources, they are not being used.

The Mayor is urging authorities to address this underutilization as communities continue to face water shortages.

The Trelawny Municipal Corporation has been serving notices to informal settlers of various communities as part of efforts to tackle the issue of squatting. 

Mayor of Falmouth Collen Gager said the exercise has been ramped up in recent weeks because several land owners have reported unauthorized occupation and development of their property.   

Among the areas he listed as most concentrated by informal settlements are Coopers Pen and Flamingo beach. 

He said approximately 58 acres of one property is populated by squatters while about 11 acres is occupied by squatters on the other.

As it relates to the Flamingo Beach area, the property owner submitted plans for its development to the corporation but is unable to move forward with them due to squatting.  

Mayor Gager further outlined that approximately 90% of Cooper’s Pen is occupied by squatters.  

The situation highlights the need for assessment, monitoring and intervention in order to address land management concerns. 

He noted that some squatters have been making dishonest claims of adverse possession. 

Mayor Gager said illegal land occupation cannot be allowed to continue as it negatively affects the parish.

Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness has hit back at criticisms of his recent ‘learning closer to nature’ comment, pointing out that it was not about replacing classrooms.

The comment was in reference to students of Holland Primary School in St Elizabeth being moved from tents, that are being used as temporary classrooms, due to unbearable heat, to outdoor, under trees.

Speaking at the Bernard Lodge Housing Development ground breaking ceremony in St Catherine today, Dr Holness noted that multiple peer-reviewed studies demonstrate the advantages of learning in conducive environments, including outdoors.

Dr Holness said classrooms at many schools islandwide suffer from a lack of proper ventilation, due to poor building design and planning, decades ago.

The Prime Minister noted that the Government cannot continue to make classrooms the traditional way.

Jamaican content creator Karlando “Bad Sekki” Bailey says he has turned down opportunities from certain brands and companies because of the young audience that watches his content.

Bad Sekki made the revelation during his Road To Success interview with Kshema Francis on IRIE FM’s Easy Skankin show on Thursday.

The popular content creator has gained attention for his humorous and relatable skits, while also becoming one of the Jamaican creators making inroads into the corporate space.

Bad Sekki’s rise to social media popularity began while he was working as a security guard, with his experiences helping to inspire some of the content that eventually attracted a growing online following.

His career has since expanded beyond social media, with the 26-year-old creator taking on brand partnerships, promotional opportunities and entertainment appearances.

The Jamaica Medical Doctors’ Association (JMDA) has noted the need for an assessment of factors that prevent accident and emergency departments at hospitals islandwide from meeting peak patient demand.

The Association was reacting to a statement from the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI) indicating that its A&E department is experiencing patient volumes beyond its normal capacity.

As a result, patients will experience longer-than-usual waiting times.

Speaking with IRIE FM News, JMDA President, Dr. Jubilee Brown-Service, expressed concern about an increase in the risk of medical errors.

She said stakeholders need to identify ways of handling periods of heightened patient demand.

Mayor of St. Ann’s Bay, Michael Belnavis, says efforts are being made to ensure there is no recurrence of yesterday’s traffic chaos in Ocho Rios, St. Ann.

The congestion left motorists stuck in traffic for up to three hours, with students and people heading to work among those affected.

Several motorists also criticised the timing of the road works, which contributed to the traffic disruption.

Mayor Belnavis explained that the road works, which began overnight, went beyond the expected completion time.

He acknowledged the frustration of those affected and apologised.

Two members of the legal fraternity have welcomed the visa fee waiver for persons with appeal cases at the United Kingdom’s Judicial Committee of the Privy Council.

The Council has indicated that Commonwealth citizens, including appellants and their legal teams who are required to travel to London to attend proceedings, can now access a free, streamlined visa application process.

This is available to appellants, respondents, and members of their legal teams who are attending appeals in person.

Attorney-at-law and Pan-Africanist Bert Samuels cautioned that free processing does not guarantee the visa being granted to an applicant.

Meantime, Attorney-at-law and Senate President Tom Tavares Finson noted that the initiative is timely and augurs well for access to justice at the highest level.

This as it reduces costs, easing the financial burden that some appellants and litigants have faced over the years.

He also noted the Privy Council’s announcement comes amid mounting concern about the operations of the Caribbean Court of Justice and its reliability.