Cellblock horror A man who says he was falsely arrested has claimed in a lawsuit that he contracted a sexually transmitted infection after being assaulted inside a police lockup. The assault, which lasted approximately 30 minutes, happened in 2014 after John Brown* was taken into custody, placed in a cell and ordered by cops to remove his clothes, the lawsuit claimed. He was attacked later that day by two detainees who were placed in his cell by cops, according to the lawsuit seen by The Sunday Gleaner.
STILL IN LIMBO Four months after Hurricane Melissa sent floodwaters surging through sections of Phase 2 of The Estuary in Friendship, St James, several homeowners say they remain burdened with loss, displacement, and uncertainty as they await word on whether they will be allowed to return home. Residents contend that the flooding was exacerbated when a section of roadway collapsed, obstructing a primary drainage channel. Homes were left waterlogged, furniture destroyed, and mould spreading throughout interiors. Several families were forced out and left traumatised.
Path cleared for gun fight The Court of Appeal has cleared the way for a high-profile judicial review, after setting aside a ruling by the Supreme Court and allowing a licensed firearm holder to challenge the Firearm Licensing Authority’s (FLA) power to seize his weapon without express statutory permission. The ruling follows an October 28, 2021 decision by Justice Chester Stamp to refuse the firearm holder permission to apply for judicial review. Stamp judge also denied the man permission to appeal that decision.
‘You all have a fire inside you’ Adolescent mothers at the Women’s Centre of Jamaica Foundation (WCFJ) in St Andrew were yesterday encouraged not to give up on their dreams, but to pursue them with confidence and determination during a conversation with famed actress and director Phylicia Rashad. Rashad, who is visiting Jamaica for Plié for the Arts’ inaugural Visionary Salon, coaxed the young mothers into sharing their aspirations before advising them of the responsibility and discipline it would take to rebuild after experiencing setbacks.
House to comb through expenditure, revenue measures The Standing Finance Committee of the House of Representatives will begin its examination of the Estimates of Expenditure over two days next week. The committee, which comprises all members of the Lower House, will also for the first time review the revenue measures that were tabled recently in Parliament alongside the Estimates of Expenditure.
Witness confirms confiscation of 11 guns from 6 cops in deadly Acadia shooting A retired detective sergeant testified yesterday that he had seized 11 firearms from six policemen involved in the 2013 fatal shooting of three men on Acadia Drive in Kingston. The witness also testified that he submitted those weapons to the forensic laboratory for ballistic testing, along with two weapons and ammunition that were recovered at the scene.
Gov’t eyes tomato juice for schools WESTERN BUREAU: Floyd Green, minister of agriculture, fisheries and mining, has revealed plans to introduce a locally produced tomato-based juice into Jamaica’s school nutrition programme, positioning it as part of a broader strategy to improve children’s diets while creating a stable market for farmers.
JDDB donates J$32m to aid dairy sector’s post-Melissa recovery Western Bureau: The Jamaica Dairy Development Board (JDDB), in keeping with its mandate to assist local cattle farmers in the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa, has donated J$32 million to assist impacted farmers in purchasing materials to rebuild their farms as well as buy generators to facilitate the milking of cows. According to Devon Sayers, the CEO of the JDDB, the board is committed to fulfilling its mandate to do what it takes to put the sector back on firm footing in the aftermath of the major blow the sector took from Melissa.
Tufton: Health centres to ‘build back smarter’ WESTERN BUREAU: The Ministry of Health & Wellness is moving into the second phase of post-Hurricane Melissa reconstruction, with more than 100 damaged health centres across western Jamaica set to undergo structural assessments aimed at rebuilding stronger and more climate-resilient facilities. Health Minister Dr Christopher Tufton said Cabinet has approved the engagement of engineering firms to evaluate 105 health centres impacted by the hurricane and determine whether they should be rebuilt, reinforced or expanded.
Operation GRACE launched to help Hurricane Melissa victims in Cambridge WESTERN BUREAU: Residents of Cambridge and neighbouring communities in St James, which were severely affected by Hurricane Melissa, are set to receive help to rebuild infrastructurally and emotionally, thanks to NorthGate Youth and Family Development Foundation’s (NYFDF) Operation GRACE initiative. The NYFDF, a charity that has operated in Jamaica since 2008, formally launched Operation GRACE during an online Zoom meeting on Thursday at the Cambridge Health Centre, ahead of the outreach initiative’s official start on March 7.