Leakage lockdown Opposition Leader Mark Golding is proposing a digital dragnet that he says could cut tax leakages and pump approximately $70 billion into the Government’s coffers while describing the Holness administration’s $18-billion tax package as “unimaginative”. Golding, who was making his contribution to the 2026-2027 Budget Debate in the House of Representatives, said yesterday that the proposal, which “urgently needs to be pursued”, is an alternative to the Government’s incoherent plan put forward to fund the Budget.
Clash in courtroom over videotaping of Clansman trial defendants A sharp courtroom clash over the alleged videotaping of defendants set the tone for proceedings in the Supreme Court yesterday,before a police prosecution witness later identified two of the accused men in connection with the 2020 murder of William Christian. Tension first surfaced around claims that police officers were seen capturing images of the men as they were being transported from court last week, an issue defence attorney Tamika Harris insisted was both real and serious but which the prosecution dismissed as a “distraction”.
‘We love Cuba’ An older couple from the Norman Gardens community in Kingston is among many Jamaicans left frustrated and disappointed by the departure of Cuban medical personnel who have served on the island for five decades. “My husband is one of the beneficiaries of the Cuban medical professionals. He had one of his eyes done at St Joseph’s Hospital and was supposed to get the other one done, but when he went back, they sent him to KPH (Kingston Public Hospital) because the Cubans have gone home,” the man’s 61-year-old wife, who gave her name as Joy British, told The Gleaner.
New sex offender rehab programme to launch this year WESTERN BUREAU: Retired Brigadier Radgh Mason, the commissioner of corrections, says a new rehabilitation programme for sex offenders, aimed at giving those individuals a chance to change their behaviour and making it easier for them to reintegrate into society, is set to launch this year. Mason, who was speaking at last week’s opening of the Montego Bay Probation Office, said the new facility would be crucial in safeguarding vulnerable members of society.
Robinson’s digital nomad proposal ‘good for market’ but ‘needs more fleshing out’ The Realtors Association of Jamaica (RAJ) has endorsed Opposition Spokesman on Finance Julian Robinson’s proposal for a digital nomad programme, arguing that it could boost both long- and short-term rentals while attracting remote workers to invest in or eventually settle in Jamaica. “We actually think it would be good for our market,” Gabrielle Gilpin-Hudson, president of the RAJ, told The Gleaner.
Ricketts Walker hails ‘Team Customs’ for achievements during her tenure Outgoing Commissioner of Customs Dr Velma Ricketts Walker says one of the most important achievements during her tenure was the ongoing transformation and strengthening of the Jamaica Customs Agency (JCA) into a modern, professional, and resilient organisation. Over her near decade-long leadership of the JCA, Ricketts Walker said modernisation efforts were advanced, governance and integrity systems enhanced, intelligence-driven enforcement boosted, and trade facilitation processes improved to better support Jamaica’s economic growth and national security.
Golding’s move Despite not being able to implement policy decisions from his position in Parliament, much is expected when Opposition Leader Mark Golding makes his presentation this afternoon in the 2026–2027 Budget Debate at Gordon House. Golding, the third speaker in the annual debate, will take the floor after Opposition finance spokesman Julian Robinson spoke last Thursday in response to Finance Minister Fayval Williams, who opened the debate last Tuesday.
Witness rejects suggestions murdered businessman linked to undesirables A relative of slain businessman William Christian took the witness stand on Monday in the ongoing Clansman Gang trial, identifying items belonging to the deceased and rejecting suggestions that the former Ministry of Transport employee was involved in questionable activities. The evidence-in-chief surrounds count 19 of the 32-count indictment where Michael Wildman and Lamar Rowe are charged with the April 2020 murder of Christian. Both men pleaded not guilty.
Reid fraud trial pushed back again The absence of several defence attorneys in the fraud trial involving former Education Minister Ruel Reid and his co-accused forced an adjournment of the matter in the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court yesterday. The case was scheduled to resume with the cross-examination of a senior Ministry of Finance official by attorney Hugh Wildman. However, when the matter was called up, none of the defence lawyers were present, prompting the court to briefly stand down to allow attempts to contact the attorneys.
St Bess cops concerned as more than 400 students still out of school after Melissa WESTERN BUREAU: Superintendent of Police Coleridge Minto, the commander for St Elizabeth, is raising concern about the fact that some 400 students from across the parish have not returned to school since the passage of Hurricane Melissa last October. According to Minto, who was addressing last Thursday’s monthly meeting of the St Elizabeth Municipal Corporation, the figure was derived from checks conducted by members of the police’s Community Safety and Security Branch at schools across the parish.