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Member of Parliament for Manchester Central, Rhoda Moy Crawford has chastised councillors in the constituency who she says have not been executing their duties especially regarding the fixing of roads.

Speaking at the Jamaica Labour Party’s Area Council 3 meeting in Christiana, Manchester at the weekend, the MP claimed that the councillors have been shirking their responsibilities, leading her to take on those responsibilities for the good of the constituents.

She stressed that citizens should not be abandoned by the people elected to serve them.

She again addressed concerns raised by People’s National Party councillors in Manchester who have publicly stated that they have been left in the dark about major roadworks happening inside their divisions.

They complained that the works on parochial roads which fall under the Municipal Corporation are being done without formal clearance.

However, Ms. Crawford maintained that she would not have had to step in if the councillors were carrying out their duties.

Foreign influences in Jamaica’s built environment should reflect a spirit of resilience.

Professor of Urban Planning and Public Policy at the University of the West Indies, Mona, Carol Archer made the statement during an emancipation lecture yesterday.

This as she posited that Jamaica’s current urban building practices cannot withstand disasters similar to the strength of category 5 Hurricane Melissa, which ravaged Western Jamaica last October.

She said the nation’s built environment mirrors places not afflicted by the natural disasters which plague Jamaica.

Professor Archer hopes that the country does not face another Melissa-like hurricane this season.

The National Security Council (NSC) has approved a series of strategic, legislative and policy initiatives to strengthen Jamaica’s economic security, citizen security and national resilience in response to evolving criminal, technological and social threats.

The decisions were taken at the Council’s monthly meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Dr. Andrew Holness last Thursday.

The National Security Council reaffirmed that Jamaica’s global services sector is one of the country’s most strategic economic assets and a pillar of national economic security.

The Council noted that the industry has undergone significant structural change with employment declining from approximately 60,000 to 40,000 workers, and annual foreign exchange earnings falling to between US$700 million to US$900 million.

It noted further that despite these pressures, the sector remains one of Jamaica’s largest export industries and among the country’s leading earners of foreign exchange.

The Council stated that protecting and regrowing the industry is a national strategic priority.

The Council concluded that lottery scamming has evolved into a significant threat to Jamaica’s economic security and citizen security.

It has increased the cost of doing business, weakened Jamaica’s competitiveness, undermined investor confidence and damaged the country’s reputation as a trusted destination for global digital services.

Prime Minister Holness said the Government has resolved to eliminate lottery scamming and dismantle the entire criminal ecosystem that enables, facilitates and profits from it.

To support that objective, the Council approved the development of legislative and policy reforms to among other things modernise Jamaica’s lottery scam legislation, substantially strengthen criminal penalties and enhance regulatory oversight, governance and compliance across the global services sector.

Roderick Oliver Mair has been appointed Jamaica’s next Consul-General in New York.

While serving as head of mission, he will also have concurrent accreditation to Bermuda and Puerto Rico.

He assumes the post after more than seven years as Consul-General in Miami, where he served a 13-state jurisdiction and led initiatives in diaspora engagement, trade and investment promotion, health and education partnerships, and consular service delivery.

In making the announcement, Minister of Foreign Affairs Kamina Johnson Smith said Mr. Mair’s more than seven years of consular leadership, record of effective diaspora engagement, and success in mobilising partnerships and support for Jamaica have prepared him to lead the Consulate-General in New York.

Mr. Mair is the successor to the late Alsion Roach Wilson. 

He is expected to assume office in the coming weeks.   

People’s National Party President Mark Golding says leaked voice messages purportedly linked to the party do not reflect the official position or any policy of the PNP.

There have been public discussions over alleged leaked audio recordings featuring members of the PNP discussing the National Reconstruction and Resilience Authority (NaRRA) and its Chief Executive Officer.

Speaking at a post-National Executive Council media briefing yesterday, Mr. Golding said the PNP did not comment on the matter immediately as it was conducting its review.

He said the PNP takes responsibility for its official positions which are set by its constitutional organs and communicated by its authorized representatives. 

Works Minister Robert Morgan says citizens should not take the Government’s post-Melissa restoration work for granted.

He was speaking at the Jamaica Labour Party’s Area Council 3 meeting yesterday.

Mr. Morgan sought to highlight Government assistance provided to citizens following the passage of the Category Five hurricane last October.

According to the Minister, while every citizen might not have received a cash grant from the Government, they benefited in other ways, such as through power restoration and road repairs.

Mr. Morgan said while the Government might not have provided personal benefits to each citizen, it provided community benefits. 

He chastised the Opposition People’s National Party for their criticism of the Government since the passage of Hurricane Melissa. 

Jamaica's improving crime situation, stable economy and major post hurricane melissa rebuilding programme are helping to put the country on the radar of more American investors.

That's according to State Minister of Investment Delano Seiveright.

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Children’s Advocate, Diahann Gordon Harrison has noted that the rape and murder of a young girl in Troy district, Trelawny is a painful reminder of the grave danger posed by sexual predators.

10-year-old Shani Coke was found dead on Tuesday.

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The Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) is being called on to train officers to effectively respond to incidents involving people with mental illness. 

Councillor for the Trafalgar Division in St. Andrew, Jesse James Clarke suggested that the JCF take a similar approach to that of authorities in Texas, United States of America in ensuring that officers are adequately prepared to deal with persons suffering from mental challenges.

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The Government does not own the Support Jamaica website which was used to coordinate relief donations following Hurricane Melissa.

The revelation came from Director General of the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM), Commander Alvin Gayle during Wednesday's sitting of Parliament's Public Accounts Committee (PAC).

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