THANKS FOR SUPPORTING: His Worship, the Mayor of Montego Bay, councillor Leeroy Williams (3rd right) is joined by teachers from the Paradise Basic School and representatives of the Paradise/Dunbar Community Development Committee and the Faith Temple Christian Faith church in Rockledge, Orlando at a presentation ceremony on Monday April 19, 2021 when 12 tablets were presented to students of the Basic School.
Chairman of the St. James Municipal Corporation and Mayor of Montego Bay, Councillor Leeroy Williams has made an impassioned plea for Jamaicans to support the government’s “one-child-one-tablet” drive.
Addressing a presentation ceremony on Monday April 19, 2021 at the Jamaica Linkage Ministries Centre on Kent Avenue in Montego Bay, where the Paradise Dunbar Mango Walk CDC and the United States based Faith Temple Christian Faith church in Rockledge, Orlando, presented 12 tablets to students from the Paradise Basic School. Mayor Williams said the need for every Jamaican student to be in possession of a tablet, a laptop or even a desktop computer is now at its peak. This he pointed out is as a result of all schools having to revert to on-line learning/teaching which has placed some students at a disadvantage.
“I want to use this occasion to call on members of civil society to join the one-child-one-tablet initiative by making a donation to the project. Your donation will ensure the dream of our students to become future doctors, nurses, soldiers, police officers or teachers, are realized. When you support this programme, you support Jamaica…you support our children and indeed you support education”, Mayor Williams stated.
He further added that efforts must also be made by internet providers to ensure that top quality connections are available to students and teachers to use in order to have the virtual classes running smoothly. In paying tribute to the Dunbar Community Development Committee, CDC for its partnership with the Faith Temple Christian Faith church in Rockledge, Orlando, in donating the 12 tablets, Mayor Williams said the tablets are exactly what the students needed and could not have come at a better time.
Mayor Williams said “this donation is indeed a shot in the arm for Jamaica’s education system, for the students and indeed for the future of our great country. I want to thank the Paradise Dunbar Mango Walk CDC and the Faith Temple Christian Faith church in Rockledge, Orlando for the vision in ensuring that at least twelve of Jamaica’s students at the Paradise Basic School will be able to attend virtual school. Your donation falls squarely in the government’s plan for Jamaica’s education system. You could have donated these tablets to other needy students, but you thoughtfully selected these students at the Paradise Basic School, who I am sure are very grateful”.
Great lover of the outdoors, she can be sophisticated, strikingly elegant and almost always flashing a gorgeous look, that’s just some of the characteristics of the much liked Georgia Ulanda Reid, a talented netballer, but equally an adored educator, respected and loved by her students. The fun loving, outgoing sports fanatic, a teacher at the famed Montego Bay High School for Girls, located on Union Street in Montego Bay, St. James, is a lifetime resident of the quiet and close-nitted community of Belmont in the parish of St. James. Always displaying a broad smile, and an eloquent and fluent speaker of the English Language, Georgia, a ‘fashionista’ told the Western Mirror in her sit-down that she has four siblings and is the (wash-belly) last child for both her parents (father and mother). Georgia, who says from her early days she wanted to become a teacher, remembers her high school education at MoBay High, a place she has since returned to earn her livelihood, before matriculating to G.C. Foster College of Physical Education and Sports. She also did time at the local teachers’ college in Montego Bay, Sam Sharp Teachers’ College. The young woman with a baby face who dreams of one day travelling to the European country of Italy, however noted that if things did not work out for her in the teaching field, being a firefighter would have been her next target A true lover of sports and one who is very energetic, Georgia has represented clubs like Pacesetters Youth Club, St. James Teachers as well as Montego Bay Boys and Girls Club.
Georgia teaches Physical Education at school, but says she would love to one day teach History. She bemoans the death of her father back in 2014 as the lowest point of her life as he was her everything… no topic was off limits with him. His greatest wish was to see me in the classroom, but he died just 2 months before I got my first teaching job. A lover of politics, Georgia who cannot swim or ride a bicycle says her biggest accomplishment is being able to assist the elderly during the ongoing pandemic and see the gratitude in their eyes. Now, age 30, Georgia born January 25, 1991, harbours desires of one day becoming a reputable business woman,but revealed to the Western Mirror that while teaching is great for now, she one day in the very near future want to become a Lecturer. (Me already always a sell something, anything I can get my hands on). In a shocking declaration, Georgia says she is a strong believe in the power of prayer, and as such the exceptional netballer, capable of playing anywhere on the court, says she finds time out of everyday to pray, not only for herself, but for family and friends. Wanting to retire from a daily job at a comfortable age, she says she always tries her utmost to create as many business ventures as possible. However she thinks an online store is the best option for the near future, guided by a good and strong work ethic and favour from God A true leader and one who is caring towards her students, Georgia gave an insight into her life on a whole saying “I absolutely love the outdoors; I believe nature can teach us so many things believe’ Georgia who is a giver, says she places high value on relationships, whether friendship, business or romantic.
Ques: What is your favorite quote? Ans: Simple but never basic Ques: Which English Premier League team do you support? Ans: Chelsea, I love that team Ques: Which international player do you love to see on the field? Ans: Lionel Messi Ques: Do you watch or even play any other sport than netball? Ans: Yes, of course, I’m a sports girl…I watch cricket, basketball and football. Love them all but you know my first love Ques: Who is your person to talk sports with? Ans: Must Miss Gina Haughton, she has years of experience, been around along time and understands almost all sports and can always give an insight. However, in recent times I also talk a lot to Dr. Garth Sommerville as he too is passionate and knowledgeable about sports especially netball. Ques: How tall are you? Ans: I stand at a whopping 5’ 4” Ques: Georgia, who is your motivator? Ans: Definitely my parents, they are always there for me, guiding me and motivating me, supporting all that I do Ques: What is your meal of choice? Ans: Steam fish, very spicy, no okra Ques: What is your color of choice? Ans: Blue, I love blue, all shades of it Ques: What’s the favorite book you’ve ever read? Ans: The Politics of Change by Michael Manley Ques: Who is your most watched local player? Ans: Tracy Reid Ques: Do you have a best friend? Ans: Well, not really wanting to single out any one person, as that could get me into serious trouble (smiling) but, I really have a group of true friends, a very solid circle who I cherish dearly. Cont’d on Page 23 Ques: Who would you say is your favorite local netball official? Ans: Definitely Omroy Kerr and Clint Parkins, they are men operating at a standout level in a woman dominated sports, but they are always very accurate with their calls. They both have excellent knowledge and know the rules of the game inside out, at an international level to be specific. When they are on the side lines almost no infringement go undetected. Suzette Virgo is also one I like to watch, she is firm and knows how to take control Ques: what has been your most memorable match to date? Ans: Participation in my first ever senior league finals, I was named MVP and thought it was well deserved as I played superbly in the game.I can vividly remember the encounter as if it was yesterday. Ques: How long have you been playing netball? Ans: Since age 6, so that would span some 18 years now Ques: What’s the most used app on your phone? Ans: Instagram Ques: What’s your preferred venue to play? Ans: Montego Bay Cricket Club, the atmosphere there is unmatched Ques; How would you say Covid-19 has impacted your life both physically, mentally as well as personally and professionally? Ans: It has been a really set back, for me personally I miss playing competitively and traveling and i absolutely miss going to sporting events, those were all hallmarks of my existence Ques:What’s your preferred mode of dress? Ans: When necessary I can flash unique styles, but occasionally i love to be in tight skin fitted jeans and t-shirt. Ques: What’s your drink of choice? Ans: Ice-cold pepsi Ques: Do you have any hidden desires? Ans: The performing arts and quiet place, very, very close to a body of water. Georgia, who has a loving personality and can easily fit into any situation, is a free spirit and enjoys reading, watching documentaries, making scrapbooks and doing what almost all women are fond of, shopping.
Prime Minister Andrew Holness says the Government plans to invest in the entertainment industry. Speaking in Parliament on Tuesday (April 13, 2021), the Prime Minister also encouraged major stakeholders in the industry to join the Government in developing strategies for the delivery of their product; this as the industry is expected to attract many as the country transitions out of the pandemic. Prime Minister Holness also noted that part of the capital investment that the Government will have to make is in entertainment spaces, venues and locations which he acknowledges are insufficient. “Presently, we have not designated spaces for entertainment, so you might have a dancehall right beside a church or a clinic within residential areas, and we disturb our neighbours. What the pandemic has revealed is that we need to reconfigure our society. We need to sit with the stakeholders and plan to build a new Jamaica, a Jamaica in which entertainment can be accommodated, and this is a conversation that we need to have without anybody saying that we are fighting dancehall,” said Prime Minister Holness. The Prime Minister says he is acutely aware of the hurt and suffering faced by many in the entertainment industry due to the significant loss of resources. In that regard, he said the Government sees music and culture as a part of our economic recovery, and as such, will allocate funds towards the industry. He said “I do plan to call in the leaders of the industry … We want to have an engagement because we see our music and our culture as a part of our economic recovery.” While noting that public gatherings are “usually the ground zero of spreads”, he said government is looking at measures used in other countries, such as New Zealand, to enable the holding of entertainment events.
Elyseia Brown, Jamaican student enrolled at the Monroe College in New York (Photo Source: Contributed)
Rashaun Stewart
The tale of Jamaican excellence is old as the nation itself. Jamaicans in the diaspora have achieved stratospheric feats in numerous arenas, be it academia, sports, performing arts or otherwise. Twenty-year-old Elyseia Brown is a member of the diaspora who has distinguished herself not only on the local stage, but overseas as well. Hailing from Bridge Water in Westmoreland, Brown is presently a student enrolled at the prestigious Monroe College in New York. She is an honors student, pursuing a major in Criminal Justice and a minor in Psychology. Her decision to pursue Criminal Justice and Psychology stems from her desire to represent the underserved. In addition, her zeal for understanding the human psyche and behaviour further impelled her desire to pursue these degree programmes. While her academic profile takes ultimate priority, she has a long-standing track record of participating avidly in co-curricular activities and leadership. Brown’s story began at Cambridge Primary School, where she sat the secondary placement exam – the Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT) at the time – in the sixth grade and secured a place at Rusea’s High School. She completed a five-year tenure at the Lucea-based secondary institution and thereafter moved to Montego Bay High School for a two-year stint in the Sixth Form programme offered there. During her tenure at Rusea’s High, she earned 10 subjects upon sitting the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC). She repeated this prodigious feat at Montego Bay High when she sat the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examinations (CAPE), earning 8 subjects for a combined total of 18 CSEC/CAPE subjects. Brown attributes her academic milestones and her successes in other areas to her mother. “My mother is most responsible for the many successes that I have had. She has nurtured a kind a giving soul and has paved the way for me to receive a comfortable environment while pursuing my studies.” “She is my inspiration, the reason I give my all in everything I do. I want to repay her for motivating me and making me believe that I can achieve anything, and to let her know that her efforts were not in vain,” Brown added. At Monroe College, the Honors Programme has provided her with opportunities for networking and exposure on the international stage through interaction with individuals from all over the world. Her membership in various clubs has improved her public speaking skills and allowed her to become more knowledgeable on world issues, as well as American law. “Being an Honors student has shown me that I am capable of such great things! It has allowed me to view different areas of the world (other than those exposed to me by my courses in my career field) where I can expand and be helpful to other people,” Brown told the Western Mirror. “For example, though I am a Criminal Justice student, through the Honors Programme I have gotten the opportunity to work on projects surrounding Agriculture in Jamaica and be able to present them at conferences making more people aware of issues such as praedial larceny and ways how to prevent it.” MULTIFACETED PERSONA Far more than a one-dimensional character, Brown is a multifaceted persona engaged in a diverse range of activities that extend beyond the academic sphere. She is a member of the Criminal Justice Club, Drama Club and International Students Committee at Monroe College, all while being a motivational speaker. While pursuing her secondary-level education in Jamaica, she was President of the Students’ Council and President of the Spanish Club at Montego Bay High. “I have always seen myself as a leader as I like to work with others in a healthy environment. I also love implementing projects to make the society I live in a better place. I also like to know that after leaving a conversation or a room of people, I have made their lives better or they are now consumed by thoughts to be a better version of themselves. This is why I get involved in leadership, to encourage/make a ripple effect of change for others.” Brown’s interests also lie in the agricultural sector. This interest is owed to her Jamaican heritage, since there was an emphasis placed on agriculture and opportunities therein during her tenure at Rusea’s High School. She aspires to provide an avenue for farmers in Jamaica to receive robust representation in gaining support and recompense for problems such as praedial larceny. To that end, she is open to representing farmers as a lawyer. “I feel as though my alma mater Rusea’s High has made a great impact on my love for agriculture and wanting to see more farmers win, rather than struggle,” Brown commented. “I would like to implement a project where farmers would get help with supplies and strategies to secure their small-scale farms (and even large scale) in Jamaica. I would want to establish partnerships with international organizations who could help with the necessary resources [that] farmers would need so as to limit praedial larceny.” Brown’s proudest achievement is being named a member of Monroe College’s Honors Programme. She affirmed that it has inspired in her a greater level of drive and a fixity of purpose, in addition to providing a platform for voicing her views on societal issues. Short-term, Brown aims to improve her proficiency in Spanish and to expand the scope of her motivational activities. Long-term, she entertains ambitions of becoming a Human Rights Lawyer and a Spanish translator. With her underlying passion for agriculture, she might also explore being an Agricultural Lawyer. “If you have a dream, pursue it! Do not let your financial situation limit you; I didn’t. Go after your goals; give it 120% or don’t try at all,” Brown concluded.
The site in Falmouth slated for the erection of the statute of sprint legend Usain Bolt
Shamir Brown
Mayor of Falmouth Colin Gager has revealed that the planned erection of the statue of Trelawny native and sprint legend Usain Bolt has been hampered by the onset of the novel coronavirus, COVID-19. Speaking at the monthly Council meeting of the Trelawny Municipal Corporation, Mayor Gager, related that due to the challenges surrounding Covid, work on the pedestal for the statue has not progressed as planned. “Covid has been hampering its completion, once the design is completed, it will be sent to the municipal corporation and we will be able to present it to the people so that they can buy in to the changes” he remarked. The changes he refers to are that the iconic Water Square, the center of the town of Falmouth, will have to be amended to accommodate the statue. Based on information, the statue will be placed in close proximity to the fountain while a tree will be removed in order for the statue to be put in place. Of note, the statue has already been sculpted and is in Jamaica awaiting its erection. The statue is said to be the exact replica of the one that was erected at the National Stadium in Kingston. The mayor also noted that an artist is currently working on the design for a bust of Violet Moss-Brown, the woman who shot to worldwide fame for being the oldest living person in the world. “An artist has been contracted to do the design; the Ministry is in dialogue with the family to choose the best picture to be depicted” he informed. The monument is being erected with the support of the Culture Ministry and is expected to be in place by August. The road leading to her home in the community will also be renamed in her honour with news that Minister of Local Government and Community Development, Desmond McKenzie, has already signed off on that initiative. It is expected that the official renaming of the road will take place with the unveiling of the bust.
Jamaican legend, reggae singer, Robert ‘Nesta’ Marley, has been dead for almost 40 years, but he still ‘lives’ and is reigning supreme on the Billboard Reggae charts. Marley has dominated the top of the Billboard charts for the past 65 weeks in death. ‘Legend: The Best Of Bob Marley And The Wailers,’ has been on the charts at number one since Jan. 9, 2020. The album spent a total of 609 non-consecutive weeks on the Billboard 200 album chart – the second longest run in history as of January 2020. As of July 2020, it spent 932 weeks in the top 100 of the UK Albums Chart – the third longest run in the chart’s history. Legend is a compilation album that was released in May 1984 by Island Records. It is a greatest hits collection of singles in its original vinyl format and is the best-selling reggae album of all-time, with over 12 million sold in the US, over 3.3 million in the UK and an estimated 25 million copies sold globally. The album contains all ten of Marley’s Top 40 hit singles in the UK up to the time, plus three songs from the original Wailers with Peter Tosh and Bunny Livingston in “Stir It Up,” “I Shot the Sheriff,” and “Get Up, Stand Up,” along with the closing song from the album Uprising, “Redemption Song.” Of the original tracks, only four date from prior to the Exodus album.
He bears a striking resemblance to his late father, a main reason football has been a part of his DNA since birth and true to the skills and talent of his late dad this gifted footballer, named after one of the world’s great, is poised to go places with stardom not far off. He was given the name Leonardo Armando Fogarthy. Now a student on the register at Northern Oklahoma College in the United States, where he earned a full scholarship, Fogarthy, described as a very private individual and born March 7, 1999 is a quiet aspiring footballer with the world at his feet. A resident of the crime stricken community of Salt Spring in Montego Bay, St. James, Fogarthy, not one to talk a lot, told the Western Mirror he has two younger sisters and is the first child for both his mother and late father. A humble person and one who prefers to be at hone relaxing when he’s not on the football field, Fogarthy started school life at Faith Basic School, from where he left to attend Chetwood Memorial Primary. From there he gained a pass to the Hanover–based Rusea’s High School where he went on to stamp his class as a talented and very gifted footballer. While there, the lethal striker did not only exhibit talents of a footballer, but was equally comfortable in his book work, attaining five CXC subjects. The young man with a quiet demeanor revealed he is in the process of completing an Associate Degree in Business Administration, doing his final year of studies. Fogarthy, described as a goal machine, one day hopes to showcase his talent on the world stage, playing in Europe, has firmly targeted becoming a Professional football player, once he completes his education. Involved physically in the game of football from an early age, Fogarthy told the Western Mirror during his sit down that he started playing and taking the game seriously since he was in the fourth grade. Quizzed about the effects COVID-19 has had on him Fogarthy said it has impacted him in a very negative way. “It has slowed me down significantly, a lot of things I had planned have now been put on hold, most of those plans I will now have to carry out at a far later date”, he said.. But the young man, who has plyed his trade with Wadadah and former Premier League winners Montego Bay United says COVID has also been a positive impact as well…. “ The absence of sports and football in particular, has made me figure out a lot more about my life, what I can do and focus on, where I would like to be and what I want to achieve in the future”, Fogarthy added. The 22 year-old, also spoke of the impact losing his father has had on his life…”losing my father had a significant amount of impact on my life, as it gave me the drive to keep what he had done alive and try to even take it further than he had. I lost my dad at a very young age before I understood much. And outside of football I I never heard an awful lot about him so when it most impacted me was only during moments being on the soccer field”. However, despite losing my dad I was able to live a decent childhood, filled with fun, being happy and sharing great moments with my mother and other family members. Losing my dad impacted my life mostly football wise and was what gave me the drive to do the things I have done in the sport,” he divulged.
FOGARTHY UP CLOSE:
Ques: What is your favorite meal? Ans: Barbecue chicken with anything Ques: What’s your favorite color? Ans: That would be blue, every man love blue Ques: Do you have an all time best movie? Ans: Yes… all of the Marvel movies Ques: Who would you say motivates you? Ans: Definitely my family and my girlfriend Ques: How tall are you? Ans: 5’ 10” Ques: Which English Premier League team do you support? Ans: My team is Liverpool and my player of choice is Steven Gerrard Ques: During the World Cup, which is your team? Ans: England is the team I support and again, though he’s not playing again, Gerrard is my player to watch Ques: Do you watch any other sport than football? Ans: Yes!! Am a sports fan….I watch American Football, mostly NFL Ques: Who is your player to talk sports with? Ans: None…..I mostly talk sports at home with my family, they are very knowledgeable of all sports overall, mainly football Ques: Who is your favorite local official? Ans: Dwayne Harding ‘Fishhead’, he is easy going and always allows the play to flow….only blows for over the top tackles and that’s a good trait to have as an official Ques: What has been your most memorable match to date? Ans: The 2017 da’Costa Cup final against Clarendon College where as the underdogs we came away worthy winners, upsetting the form book and being crowned champions.., I also had a solid game for Rusea’s that day and scored infront of a jam packed crowd which included family members and friends, so it was a special day for me personally. It was also overwhelming and brought out a few emotions as my father also donned the ‘Russian’ colors and guided them to titles. Ques: Which is your favorite venue to play? Ans: the Montego Bay Sports Complex (Catherine Hall) Ques: What is your mode of dress? Ans: I’m not the one to get dressed up, unless it’s totally necessary. 90% of the time I’ll be T-shirt, short and slippers. Ques: What’s the most used App on your phone? Ans: whatsapp Outside of playing football, Fogarthy says he enjoys spending time with his family and girlfriend as well as watching TV.
Councillor Kerry Thomas (left) defends himself against a charge of being ungrateful by Councillor David Brown. – CWP photo
Clinton Pickering Freelance Writer
PNP Councillor for the Mt Salem Division in St James, Kerry Thomas believes the zone of special operation (ZOSO) established in his division three-and-a-half years ago, has lost its effectiveness in curbing crime. “At this stage the zone is starting to reach a place of diminishing returns, in other words, the policing that is taking place, I think has become significantly complacent with the residents and they are not having the effects of what we had anticipated, what we had hoped for and what we had expected from the Zone of Special Operation in Mt. Salem,” says Cllr Thomas. However, his JLP counterparts in the St. James Municipal Corporation strongly oppose his position, with one branding him ungrateful. Cllr Thomas was “like a lamb to the slaughter” as he earned the ire of the JLP councilors when he expressed concern with the level of crime generally in St. James and in particular within his division. “A section of my division which has ZOSO being there for three-and-a-half years, while it has done some good, I am still very concerned significantly about the fact that over the last four, five months there are about three murders within the zone, gun murders,” he bemoaned. Stating that there was a need to look carefully at the ZOSO, he said, “I think the police need to look back at it and see how best we can curb what is happening within that zone.” He added, “The mindset has not been impacted, the mental change that we expect from a community to heal through the zone way, we have not achieved that and sometimes I get the impression that things are just a ticking time bomb waiting to explode.” SOFT POLICING Cllr Thomas said, “I think we need to look more on the softer side of policing in the zones of special operation to try and affect some of the changes that we had anticipated at the beginning at the ZOSOs and crime in general.” The ticking time bomb exploded with JLP councillors lighting several fuses. Cllr Dwight Crawford said Cllr Thomas was being a little unfair in his expectation of the police’s role, arguing that the police were not trained for social intervention but were doing a relatively good job and “I think what is missing is intervention by the councillor” in his role as leader. Picking up after an interruption, Cllr Crawford said the expectation and line of conversation was being heard all around and it was “so disheartening to hear a leader echoing that sentiment. The social intervention that is needed, the police are not trained for that.” He posited that the onus was on the councillor to lead social intervention in the community. Cllr Thomas fired back, “I will tell Cllr Crawford he is not in the Mt Salem Division, not to speak on what he doesn’t know about what is happening in the division itself.” Cllr David Brown took up the baton, accusing Cllr Thomas of being ungrateful as the Mt Salem community had benefited more than any other in St James to the extent that other councillors wished they had a ZOSO in their respective divisions. MEMORY LAPSE Chairman, Mayor Leeroy Williams told Cllr Thomas he hoped he “was not suffering from any lapse of memory based on what I heard you just said.” This was met with a rebuttal that, “Mr. Chairman, sometimes to stand up and face the reality and speak the truth is one of the challenges that is affecting this country.” Cllr Thomas said with three murders within the ZOSO between September 2020 and January 2021, “and with other things that are happening in the zone, don’t tell me that I should not speak about it and don’t tell me if I identify a problem in there you are going to tell me I’m ungrateful. I’m not but we have to call a spade a spade.” Noting that “It is not what we want, it is unacceptable,” Cllr Thomas underscored, “What we want is zero murders in the zone.” Cllr Thomas was also drawn over the coals by Cllr Senator Charles Sinclair and Cllr Mark McGann.
Twenty-eight-year-old sales expert, Lamoye Stoddart of Sunvalley Road, Glendevon, Montego Bay, has long harboured thoughts of becoming a physical education teacher and a football coach, but the cruel hands of fate intervened and cut short those dreams when he lost his life in a motor vehicle crash in the vicinity of the Fisherman’s beach along the Howard Cooke Boulevard in Montego Bay on Sunday. The Montego Bay police reports that shortly after 7p.m. Stoddart was travelling in his white 2010 Honda Stream motor car along the Howard Cooke Boulevard when, he reportedly lost control of the vehicle, which crashed into a tree and burst into flames upon impact. Stoddart’s grieving mother, Jillian Hyman, who struggled to speak through tears, said it has been heart rending and she is stunned that her firstborn and only son, has been so cruelly snatched from her without realizing his lifelong dream. “Lamoye is my first born, my only son, my heart is in pain. He was such a loving and helpful person. Once he knows you, he would not pass you and not enquire if you were ‘OK’. It is so difficult to deal with. He Always wanted to be a physical education teacher and football coach and he had serious plans to achieve that, but that is no more now,” she lamented. Stoddart, who was employed to Centrefield call centre in Montego Bay, has been described as a loving, helpful individual, who was a doting big brother for his 9 year-old sister. “She has not stopped crying since she heard. She has cried until her eyes are so swollen. He was her only sibling and he was very protective of her. We are really hurting”, explained the distraught mother.
Scenes of deserted streets and shuttered buildings reminiscent of ghost towns, which dominated all of Western Jamaica last weekend, will be replicated this weekend as the security forces beef up their numbers on the streets in a zero-tolerance approach in enforcing the national lockdown, imposed by the government under the Disaster Risk Management Act, in a bid to stem the spike in Covid-19 cases across the island.
This follows what the police are saying was an isolated case in Hanover during which 34 persons were arrested at a party and a number of cars and motor bikes seized, subsequent to the lockdown period. The persons arrested in Hanover were among of a group of 120 arrested across the island for breaches of curfew orders last weekend.
Busy Montego Bay streets
Clifford Blake, Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of the Area One Police Division (Trelawny, St. James, Hanover and Westmoreland), says while last weekend went ahead with extremely high levels of compliance, with only a few minor hiccups, the security forces would be tightening the screws to ensure that the glitches are worked out for this coming weekend.
“We are looking forward to see how we can do better in what has been an almost perfect operation. However, we will see how best we can iron out the little kinks and those kinks have to do with persons who are moving about legally – persons at the airport, hotel workers -emergency service personnel who have been given the approval to move about; Church personnel who are going in to do their recording and all of that – we just have to work out those kinks,” ACP Chamber explained.
He said additional personnel would be added to their numbers to further ensure compliance.
The Area One police head noted that there was a misunderstanding among some persons relating to the 12-midday closing time for businesses and the 8p.m. curfew time last weekend.
“Suffice it to say that policemen and women, who were in the space, were able to explain to the persons who ought to be on the road and the time when they should be – for the most part, there was compliance for all the respective areas,” he said
HOLIDAY WEEKEND
Meanwhile, with the holiest days of the Christian calendar to be observed this weekend (Good Friday and Easter Sunday), ACP Chambers says he expects that the populace would treat the period with the veneration for which it has become known.
“We expect people to exercise the reverence that people generally observe this time of the year and at the same time giving credence to the disaster Risk Management Act and our own responsibility as law abiding citizens.”
In the meantime, the authorities have advised hoteliers, especially those operating along the North Coast, not to book above 75 percent of their occupancy, citing that some entities had been secretly hosting parties, in defiance of the Disaster Risk Management Act, which forbids them to do so.
