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Retired former Jamaican Prime Minister P.J. Patterson has warned the 15-member Caribbean bloc, CARICOM, that it must “integrate or perish” in the face of mounting threats to international law, shifting political dynamics, and economic pressures affecting the region. Speaking at the Norman Manley Law School during the Council of Legal Education’s Distinguished Lecture Series 2026 yesterday evening, Patterson said the regional body risks failure without stronger systems to enforce its decisions.

In keeping with the Education Regulations of 1980, the Jamaica College (JC) student charged with wounding a classmate last Tuesday is to face the personnel committee of the school’s board, principal Wayne Robinson has revealed. Following a statement issued by the board on the March 24 incident – which left one boy with a broken nose and the other arrested – Robinson told The Gleaner that proper procedures will be followed, particularly as the matter could become a legal one.

WESTERN BUREAU: Mark Hart, chairman of the Montego Bay Free Zone Company, has endorsed the Government’s long-term plan to relocate business process outsourcing (BPO) operations from the coastal Freeport peninsula to purpose-built facilities along the new highway corridor. Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness, in his recent Budget Debate presentation in Parliament, outlined a sweeping vision for reshaping the economic geography of western Jamaica as major road infrastructure comes on stream.

Six months after Hurricane Melissa battered sections of western Jamaica, hundreds of residents in Westmoreland are still struggling to recover – and for many, a simple food package is making all the difference. With it being Easter this weekend, a time usually marked by family gatherings, church services and celebration, many in the parish are instead facing the harsh reality of going without food, electricity and stable housing.

Seventh-day Adventist leader, civil engineer, and businessman Desmond Young has died at 62, bringing to a close a life marked by professional distinction, national service, and steadfast commitment to the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Young passed away on Monday, months after the Northern Caribbean University awarded him an Honorary Doctor of Science at its 102nd Commencement on August 11 last year, in recognition of more than 30 years of contribution to engineering, development, governance, and Christian leadership.

WESTERN BUREAU: Gloria Henry, vice-president for business process outsourcing (BPO) and logistics at the Port Authority of Jamaica, says Jamaica’s BPO sector is positioning itself to adapt to rapid technological change, including the growing influence of artificial intelligence (AI), while strengthening the country’s workforce to remain competitive in the global services industry.

Western Bureau: What began as an emergency response to disaster is now evolving into a broader movement for resilience and self-sufficiency in Westmoreland. At the centre of that effort is Rosa Young, a Negril-based businesswoman who has been coordinating relief efforts with Global Medic and a wide network of local stakeholders. “I have been helping Westmoreland since October 29 [the day after Hurricane Melissa impacted Jamaica] to do outreach for my community,” Young said. “I’ve been working with the councillors to help distribute food kits and filters.”

Taxpayers will have to dig deeper into their pockets to cover the Customs fees waived by the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI) when it applied its tax-exemption status to import goods on behalf of at least four private companies. Acting chief executive officer of the UHWI, Eric Hosin, told members of Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Tuesday that the Jamaica Customs Agency (JCA) had made it clear that it was the hospital that would have to cover the unpaid taxes and penalties as it had no arrangements with the private companies who benefited.

The leadership of Jamaica College was meeting up to late last night to deliberate on a violent incident involving students at the Old Hope Road, St Andrew-based institution. The episode left one boy seriously injured and his mother facing medical bills already exceeding a quarter million dollars and still rising.

A police sergeant, who has been freed of drug-related charges, previously filed multiple complaints internally about sexual harassment by high-ranking police officers and victimisation, her attorney has disclosed. Marcus Goffe, the lawyer representing Sergeant Tamica Taylor, said he believes the complaints fuelled “this escalation of the case”, culminating with the criminal charges filed against his client and her fiancé, Rayon Harris.

Jamaican News