SIMMER DOWN - Tougher sanctions needed to curb parliamentary tensions, lecturer warns With tensions in Jamaica’s Parliament escalating this week, a government lecturer is calling for tougher sanctions against lawmakers who breach parliamentary procedures, warning that failure to act could see the House of Representatives degenerate into a “brawl”.
Weir: Failure to teach respect creates bullies WESTERN BUREAU: Veteran educator Lynton Weir believes the norms and values being passed on to children, especially boys, must be closely examined to determine whether such lessons are influencing them to become bullies. Weir made the point while addressing a forum on the role of fathers, which formed a part of the National Parenting Support Commission’s series of events in celebration of National Parent Month, which is being observed under the theme ‘Parents Tek a Stand: Raise Kindness, Stop Bullying’.
Mount Alvernia High principal denies canteen food made students ill WESTERN BUREAU: Students and administrators at the Montego Bay-based Mount Alvernia High School are at odds over concerns about food safety at the all-girls institution, following reports that several students fell sick this week after eating a variety of food from the canteen. In an email sent to The Gleaner, the students, who requested anonymity, said that they and their parents remain uncertain about whether thorough health and safety checks are being done to ascertain the safety of meals being served at the girls’ school.
No public session at JLP conference this year Veteran politician J.C. Hutchinson will step down as deputy leader, highlighting leadership changes as the governing Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) shifts to a scaled-down, private delegates-only conference on Sunday, November 15. The JLP announced at a press conference on Friday, that this year’s annual conference will only be open to its 6,000 delegates and will be held at the Montego Bay Conference Centre in St James.
Privy Council shuts door on Dawkins Brown’s fight to regain accountant’s licence The United Kingdom-based Judicial Committee of the Privy Council has refused Dawkins Brown permission to appeal his removal from Jamaica’s Register of Public Accountants, bringing his latest attempt to overturn the disciplinary decision to an end. The refusal, handed down last month, means Brown has failed to secure a hearing before Jamaica’s highest appellate court in his battle against the Public Accountancy Board (PAB), which struck him off the professional register in March 2020 and ordered him to pay $1.6 million towards the costs of its disciplinary proceedings.
Why achieving your goals can leave you feeling so empty THE CONVERSATION: When Anne Carson learned she had won the Nobel Prize in literature, she was in Iceland, where, according to the Swedish Academy, she was "listening to the wind". Carson didn't answer her phone right away, silencing it until her husband persuaded her to call back. Her verdict on the academy's choice: "I think you're all insane." Whatever she felt in the moment, there is an irony in Carson's Nobel win. The highest award in literature has gone to a writer who has spent her career exploring the emptiness of a desire fulfilled.
Parents urged to denounce bullying in schools WESTERN BUREAU: Education expert Dr Kasan Troupe is urging Jamaican parents to take a stronger stand against bullying in schools, stressing that schools must be safe spaces where children can learn, develop meaningful relationships, build confidence, and grow into well-rounded individuals.
CISOCA GAPS - Officers overstretched, undertrained and short of vehicles, oversight body A key police oversight body has flagged serious infrastructure deficiencies, inadequate staffing numbers and training, and insufficient service vehicles at the Centre for Investigation of Sexual Offences and Child Abuse (CISOCA). CISOCA, a specialised division of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF), was established in 1989 to investigate sexual crimes and child abuse across the country. The division was found wanting in several critical areas when the Police Civilian Oversight Authority (PCOA) carried out inspections of its locations in Police Areas One to Five.
No red flags at CMU during my tenure, ex-treasurer testifies A former treasurer at Caribbean Maritime University (CMU) has testified that he saw no irregularities during his near four-year tenure at the institution. The former executive also testified that he did not engage in any irregularities while handling the financial affairs of the east Kingston-headquartered institution between 2016 and 2020 and that the Ministry of Finance had no reason to question CMU’s financial integrity during the period.
MoBay Bypass to be ready next month, says Morgan WESTERN BUREAU: Having missed the September deadline for the opening of the Montego Bay Bypass in St James, Works Minister Robert Morgan is anticipating that the project will be completed in time for the start of the 2026-2027 winter tourist season. Morgan, who toured the bypass on September 9 and expressed confidence that the projected deadline would hold, told The Gleaner in an interview on Thursday that unexpected challenges had impacted the project.