ONE-MINUTE READS ... News from across Jamaica

UDC chairman bats for vaccination

Senator Ransford Braham, chairman of the Urban Development Corporation (UDC), has urged the staff of the state-run entity to get vaccinated against COVID-19.

Braham, who is a survivor of COVID-19, described the suffering from the serious respiratory illness, which has claimed 1,869 in Jamaica, as of Wednesday, as immense.

"It is for that reason that I am urging every family member...every UDC personnel and affiliated person to get vaccinated as soon as possible. Spare yourself from suffering or possible death," he said.

More than 83,700 Jamaica have been confirmed to have contracted COVID-19. The Government is pushing to vaccinate at least 65 per cent of the country's nearly three million people by next March in order to minimise the potential for hospitalisation or death from the disease.

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JPs urged to embrace restorative justice

Minister of Justice Delroy Chuck is encouraging more justices of the peace (JPs) to offer their services as mediators and restorative justice facilitators to settle disputes involving community members.

He said that the ministry will provide the necessary training, and they will receive a stipend to cover associated costs.

"If you have to go into some communities to assist a restorative justice conference or you have to engage in mediation referred to you, then we will give a stipend to cover expenses," he said.

Chuck was addressing a virtual JP sensitisation session for the parishes of Clarendon, Manchester, and St Thomas on Wednesday. He said that the ministry will be promoting the use of restorative justice and other alternative dispute resolution methods in settling disagreements peacefully.

"As you are aware, far too many minor disputes develop into significant abuses, and oftentimes criminality, and there's no doubt that the large proportion of violent acts often result in fatalities," Chuck said.

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Road users urged to 'Stop di Foolishness'

Director of the Road Safety Unit Deidre Hudson-Sinclair has appealed to Jamaicans to 'Stop di Foolishness' and practise good road-safety habits.

Road deaths have increased by six per cent, when compared to last year. At least 352 persons have been killed due to traffic crashes since the start of the year. Statistics from the Road Safety Unit indicate that vulnerable road users (pedestrians, pedalcyclists, motorcyclists and pillion) account for 63 per cent of the road users killed since the start of the year. Motorcycle fatalities represented 35 per cent of road-user deaths, followed by pedestrians at 20 per cent.

Hudson-Sinclair said that one of the major features of crashes is speeding, "so we really want to address this with 'Stop the Foolishness' campaign".

"We ask persons when walking or driving at nights to practise extreme caution, because visual acuity is lessened at night and we want persons to really be careful when they are manoeuvring the roadway," Hudson-Sinclair said.

The data indicate that 114 persons have been killed during curfew hours since of the year.

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Cornwall Regional gets donation from Kiwanis Club

The Kiwanis Club of Vista Montego Bay has donated personal protection equipment to the Cornwall Regional Hospital (CRH) in St James.

Among the items handed over on Wednesday were 200 face shields, 400 PPE level-three gowns, 500 booties, 12 gallons of hand sanitiser, 1,000 hair nets and 1,000 three-ply disposable masks.

Director of the Kiwanis Club of Vista Montego Bay, Petrona Patten-Virgo, said funds to purchase the items were raised by way of a raffle at the Vistaprint.

"The reason why we chose Cornwall Regional Hospital is because one of the things we realise is that the situation with COVID is getting worse, and no matter how much you have, it can never be enough," she said.

Chief Executive Officer of CRH Charmaine Williams-Beckford said that the facility is thankful for the items.

"It is encouraging because when we are out there providing the service, especially for our clinical team, persons who are on the ground and providing the service, just the thought that somebody cares about you is important," Williams-Beckford said.

"So, just the very act of being present and donating something to us is very important and it tells the persons working out there that persons care and they want to ensure that you have what you need," she added.