STICK TO CODES - JTA president rejects anything-goes approach to school dress, public standards Jamaica Teachers’ Association (JTA) President La Sonja Harrison is calling for a return to stricter dress-code standards in public spaces, including schools and financial institutions, arguing that established rules should be respected and upheld. Harrison made the comments while responding to a question about dress codes in schools during a Rotary Club of Kingston luncheon at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel on Thursday. She, however, noted that all schools have clear guidelines governing acceptable attire.
Furniture shortage, repairs delay Black River Primary reopening A week after the start of the new academic year, classes are yet to resume at the Black River Primary and Infant School in St Elizabeth as work continues to restore hurricane-ravaged classrooms. The school has approximately 819 students, none of whom are currently receiving classroom instruction as unstable Internet connectivity makes online classes impossible. Administrators blame construction delays, including electrical retrofitting, and a shortage of furniture for the school’s lack of readiness.
Psychologist wants more J’cans trained to spot suicidal tendencies, intervene WESTERN BUREAU: Dr Alcon Barnett, the clinical psychologist at the Western Regional Health Authority (WRHA), is calling for Jamaicans to be trained as suicide ‘gatekeepers’, which he says will equip them to identify warning signs of suicidal tendencies and put them in a position to assist persons exhibiting such signs. Barnett made the recommendation while addressing Thursday evening’s World Suicide Prevention Day Webinar 2026 hosted by the WRHA and The University of the West Indies Mona Western Jamaica Campus.
MoBay mayor says StJMC will uphold law on squatting WESTERN BUREAU: The St James Municipal Corporation (StJMC) has committed to utilising existing laws to govern its handling of squatting in the parish even as it awaits the release of the National Squatter Management Policy, which the Government is developing. Addressing Thursday’s monthly meeting of the StJMC, Montego Bay Mayor Richard Vernon said there was a culture of hypocrisy surrounding the condoning of illegality, which must be nipped in the bud, including aspiring homeowners and property owners constructing buildings on land without the appropriate permits.
Gager urges admin professionals to keep pace with tech WESTERN BUREAU: Falmouth Mayor Collen Gager has urged administrative professionals to embrace adaptability and continuous learning as technology and artificial intelligence (AI) reshape the workplace, warning that the changes are bringing heightened expectations for efficiency, professionalism and responsiveness.
When to step in – and when to let kids figure it out When children forget their lunch, can’t solve a math problem or don’t know how to get somewhere, the instinct for parents can be to step in immediately. But sometimes, the problem is an opportunity. Developmental experts and educators say children need chances to struggle with everyday problems because figuring them out is a skill that has to be practised.
PARTIAL RELIEF - Fees waived, but lawyers still question access to UK-based Privy Council Two noted attorneys have welcomed the United Kingdom’s (UK) decision to waive visa fees for Jamaicans travelling to argue cases before the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (JCPC) but remain critical of the requirement that locals still need a visa to access their highest court.
Int’l experts to help fix adoption gaps Local policymakers have partnered with international legal experts to overhaul Jamaica’s adoption and foster care frameworks, aiming to strengthen child-safety protocols and eliminate bureaucratic delays that leave prospective parents on years-long waiting lists while children remain stranded in state care. Global legal body Hague Conference on Private International Law (HCCH) has pledged to work directly with the Government and state agencies to build a tailored child-protection framework as the country reviews its domestic adoption and fostering legislation.
Restoration of Over River crossing set for completion in October WESTERN BUREAU: Works Minister Robert Morgan has announced that ongoing restoration work on the Over River community bridge in St James, which was destroyed during the passage of Hurricane Melissa last October, should be completed to allow both pedestrian and vehicular traffic by mid-October. Morgan briefly visited the bridge on Wednesday during a tour of several ongoing road and works projects in St James, including roads that fall under the Shared Prosperity through Accelerated Improvement to our Road Network (SPARK) Programme.
MoBay mayor eyes caveats on infirmary residents’ property WESTERN BUREAU: The St James Municipal Corporation (StJMC) is now in discussions with its lawyers on the legality of placing caveats on the titles of properties owned by persons housed at the parish’s infirmary and being cared for by the State. “If it is that there is no way around it, then we will be sending a resolution to Parliament or the relevant ministry for them to take up the conversation from that level if it requires a law change,” said Montego Bay Mayor Richard Vernon.