Jamaica

Jamaica is bracing for hurricane Melissa: people in flood-prone areas are invited to be ready to head to shelters; constructors at building sites are securing material; civil groups are preparing for the first post-hurricane hours

Police acting upon intelligence stopped a truck in St. Tomas and seized 30 bags of suspected ganja, or high quality, outdoor grown cannabis

Junior ministers have been named to serve alongside cabinet: 14 were sworn in with a ceremony at King’s House in St Andrew; PM asked them to bring energy, fresh ideas, grasp of new technologies, and connection to the aspiration of the younger generation

Prime Minister Andrew Holness has won a third term, a rare event in Jamaica, as his Labour Party JLP secured at least 34 out of 63 seats in parliament; Golding conceded defeat, saying he was disappointed but respected the outcome

Across Jamaica, potential candidates have been stepping forward for the 2025 General Election; before nomination day, candidates must have been nominated by 10 registered voters, pay a fee, and meet age, residency, and eligibility requirements

Three rail carts transporting bauxite to the port derailed in the Bog Walk Gorge; the National Environment & Planning Agency confirmed that the accident resulted in minimal environmental impact although one cart partially entered the river

At a flag-raising ceremony marking 63rd Independence Day, Mayor of Black River Richard Solomon urged citizens to take more responsibility in valuing and protecting Jamaica’s independence, inviting to more civic involvement, dropping among young people

Cricket West Indies apologised for the chaos during the opening T20 due to slow and congested lines and assured fans there will be smoother entry for the second T20 International between the West Indies and Australia

A major pipeline break on the Coral Gardens main road in St James has again impacted businesses and residents in the area, at the same spot where the water main burst in May 2024; the line is now closed at points, people in the area without water.

1200 young Jamaicans have applied for the summer internship program, the Tourism Enhancement Program informed; 112 employers in the tourism sector will offer 1000 working places across all 14 parishes

60 educators from all grades of school will benefit from workshop 'Education Transformation: Elevating Mathematics Teaching and Learning’ on May 27-29 at The Mico University College, that will offer transformative, innovative, evidence-based strategies

Jamaica lost 2 places in the 2025 World Press Freedom Index, 16 since 2020; Opposition People’s National Party says this reflects the growing mistrust between government officials and the press, and an increasingly autocratic posture by the administration

The old cotton banknotes -$5000, $1000, $500, $100, $50 denominations- will no longer be legal tender starting 1 July 2025; though the banknotes won't be used for transactions, the Bank of Jamaica will continue to redeem them for face value indefinitely