NOT MY BILL Scientific and Medical Supplies has rejected findings by the auditor general that the company benefited from a “misuse” of the University Hospital of the West Indies’ (UHWI) tax-exemption status for imports, and has signalled it has no intention of repaying a cent. Managing Director Howard Lau dismissed the audit conclusions outright, maintaining that the shipment of 40 specialised waste bins linked to his company belonged to the hospital and not his company.
Consultant rejects blame for report lag The University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI) did not turn over hundreds of documents that were critical to an operation and turnaround plan it commissioned for millions of dollars, the Canadian consulting firm that was contracted to draft it has alleged. This claim by Williams Pragmatic Services (WPS) comes amid scrutiny of its contract with the UHWI by Jamaican lawmakers. Hodine Williams, chief executive officer (CEO) of WPS, dismissed questions raised publicly about the qualification and competence of the consultants.
Served and unprotected After nearly three decades protecting the public, retired Jamaican police officer Marlon Campbell* sits at home, sometimes unable to pay his light bill. He gave his working life to the State, but more than four years after leaving the force, he has not received his final pension letter and the full pension he is entitled to remains unpaid. “It’s one of the things where you leave now and you have regrets. It is that bad,” said the retiree, who served over two decades in the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) before retiring almost a decade ago.
Forgotten Frontier Just minutes from St Mary’s seaside capital of Port Maria, the Frontier (Phase 2) Housing Scheme appears at first glance to be an idyllic residential enclave with its elevated lots gazing out towards Pagee Beach. But a closer look tells a different story – uneven roads riddled with potholes break its polished image, street lighting is scarce, and residents have for years been without piped water, and proper garbage collection.
Survival stories Defence attorney Isat Buchanan has raised concerns about what he describes as a troubling signal being sent by law enforcement following charges laid against popular podcaster Jhaedee Richards, more popularly known as Jaii Frais, in connection with Sunday’s shooting incident at a carnival afterparty in St Andrew. Buchanan said the decision to charge his client risks discouraging Jamaicans from defending themselves in life-threatening situations.
MSMEs facing triple threat crisis The Young Entrepreneurs Association of Jamaica (YEA) is calling for urgent, targeted support for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) following the sharp rise in global oil prices to nearly US$100 per barrel, a development that now confirms risks previously highlighted ahead of the national budget discussions.
Second chances, renewed purpose What began as a life-altering medical emergency nearly a decade ago has since blossomed into a beacon of hope for vulnerable students across Jamaica. For entrepreneur and philanthropist Shadeka McIntosh, May 12, 2016, remains etched in memory as the day she was granted what she describes as a “second chance”. That defining moment, born out of a frightening health emergency during her final year at university, has now inspired the launch of the Shadeka McIntosh Second Chance Scholarship, an initiative through which 10 students are set to benefit annually.
From classroom to coastline When the world ground almost to a halt at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, millions were forced to reimagine their futures overnight. For Sashae Shaw, a young woman from Portland pursuing an associate degree in psychology at Excelsior Community College (ECC), the disruption was more than an inconvenience – it was a turning point that reshaped her life’s trajectory. Today, at 30, Shaw stands not only as a fisherwoman, but as a symbol of resilience, adaptability, and the growing role of women in Jamaica’s fisheries sector.
Bernard questions IRD model’s benefit to ordinary Jamaicans The Senate on Friday passed the Casino Gaming (General) Regulations, 2025, but not before Opposition lawmaker Allan Bernard cautioned against the pitfalls of the integrated resorts development (IRD) model, which has been espoused by the Government as the approach to strengthening Jamaica’s tourism competitiveness. The IRD model, among other things, includes luxury hotel rooms, luxury shopping, entertainment facilities and casinos in particular.
‘Platform for action’ Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Minister, Senator Kamina Johnson Smith, has said that the upcoming 11th Biennial Diaspora Conference in Montego Bay, St James, will offer an opportunity to deepen and strengthen the relationship between the Jamaican diaspora and Jamaica. “The conference will provide a platform for action,” the minister said. Johnson Smith was delivering the keynote address at the official launch of the Diaspora Conference at the ministry’s offices in Kingston on Wednesday.