Teachers balk - JTA rejects pay package over benefits concern WESTERN BUREAU: Unresolved issues surrounding their uniform allowance and a graduate policy for educators pursuing further studies were among the main concerns raised by delegates on Tuesday as the Jamaica Teachers’ Association rejected the Government’s wage offer. The rejection was confirmed on Tuesday after delegates voted at the JTA’s 62nd annual conference at the Ocean Coral Spring Resort in Trelawny. Of the 213 delegates, 155 voted against the offer while 54 supported it. There was one spoiled ballot and three rejected ballots.
CXC FINDS MATHS FORMULA - Exam body to roll out more subjects as modular learning yields impressive results in pilot Students preparing for next year’s Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) examinations will be able to take up to four subjects under the newest qualification, the Caribbean Targeted Education Certificate (CTEC). Following a successful pilot of the CTEC mathematics in this year’s May-June examinations, three additional core subjects –English language, English literature, and integrated science – will be offered next year. The programme is expected to expand to nine subjects during the 2027-2028 academic year.
Butchered in the bushes - Cattle farmers tremble over thieves’ midnight meat runs Cattle farmers in Colbeck, St Catherine, are living in fear as thieves repeatedly enter the community under the cover of darkness, steal their animals and slaughter them in nearby bushes in what the police suspect could be part of an illicit ‘meat for guns’ trade. The latest attacks have left small farmers counting losses in the millions of dollars and accusing the thieves of becoming increasingly bold and sophisticated in their operations.
PIOJ cuts recovery timeline as economy contracts 2.9 per cent in June quarter Jamaica’s economy contracted 2.9 per cent in the April to June quarter, but the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ) has shortened its projected recovery timeline to two years, from three. “Given the pace of recovery so far, the current expected timeline for attaining pre-Melissa output levels is now within one and a half to two years of the event, that is, as early as the April to June quarter of 2027,” PIOJ Director General Dr Wayne Henry said at the organisation’s quarterly media briefing yesterday.
Doctor pleads guilty in $600m fraud case An upper St Andrew medical doctor has pleaded guilty to her involvement in an elaborate mortgage loan and real estate scheme used to defraud several Jamaican banks of approximately $600 million, court officials have disclosed. Chloe Douett, 30, who resides in Cherry Gardens, was convicted in the St Catherine Circuit Court on July 24 on an eight-count indictment, which includes seven crimes related to the fraud scheme and one linked to her licensed firearm, the Court Administration Division (CAD) told The Gleaner.
Buchanan launches fresh battle over Holness’ seat Paul Buchanan has launched a new legal challenge to the September 2025 election result in St Andrew West Central, filing a constitutional motion seeking to have the poll declared void and a fresh election ordered after Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness retained the seat. The claim, filed in the Supreme Court on Friday, lists Buchanan as the first claimant and Everton Sands, an outdoor agent and driver, as the second claimant. The director of elections and the attorney general are named as defendants.
FIT hailed as ‘game changer’ in colorectal cancer fight WESTERN BUREAU: Cancer survivor Dr Beverley Wright, the regional cancer programme coordinator, has described the introduction of the Faecal Immunochemical Test (FIT) in western Jamaica as a “game changer” in the fight against colorectal cancer, which has emerged as the third most common cancer in the island.
Jamaican Ricky Wade expands McDonald’s empire Jamaica-born and Florida-based businessman Ricky Wade has expanded his holdings of McDonald’s franchises. Wade told The Gleaner that his company has acquired an additional five franchises in central and western Florida, bringing his total holdings to 33 McDonald’s stores. Additionally, his daughter, Devon-Ashley Wade, has also acquired her own McDonald’s franchise in Delray Beach, Florida. The younger Wade acquired her franchise store on June 15, and one month later, the family business closed on the five new stores.
COOPER’S PEN LAWSUIT - Nine men sue Gov’t over detention amid demolition of Trelawny homes Nine men from Cooper’s Pen, Trelawny, who claim that they were rounded up by the police and kept in custody for hours during last week’s controversial demolition exercise in the community, have filed a lawsuit against the Government for breaches of their constitutional rights. The lawsuit, which was filed in the Supreme Court yesterday by the law firm Donnovan Collins & Company, seeks damages for false imprisonment and assault.
Langrin takes the helm Governor General Sir Patrick Allen has appointed Dr Brian Langrin as governor of the Bank of Jamaica (BOJ), succeeding Richard Byles, whose seven-year term ends today. The appointment follows a selection process formalised in April 2026 through a four-member search committee convened by Finance Minister Fayval Williams, which assessed a field of local and international candidates. Langrin takes over at a time of uncertainty, with the central bank maintaining a tight grip on inflation through elevated interest rates.