ONE-MINUTE READS ... News from across Jamaica

$800m boost for water supply in St Ann

A water-supply project, valued at approximately $800 million, is to be undertaken between Green Park and Bamboo in St Ann North Western, with financing secured through a loan facility from the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB).

Minister of Water, Environment and Climate Change, Matthew Samuda, said the project, to be implemented by Rural Water Supply Limited, is expected to significantly improve potable water access and unlock economic opportunities in the area.

Samuda, who was speaking during the commissioning ceremony for the Discovery Point-to-Mount Boon pipeline project in Discovery Point, St Ann, on Friday said “[This] is going to be a transformational project for this constituency,”

Samuda breaks down the high cost of water

Water Minister Matthew Samuda says substantial investment is required to develop water infrastructure on the island, particularly in communities where new systems have to be established.

Samuda said that the costs of providing potable water are not always fully understood, as the process extends well beyond accessing natural resources.

“The rainfall may be free, but the catchments [are] not free. The river may flow freely, but the pumping system and the inflow pipes that take it to a processing plant aren’t free,” the minister said.

He noted that significant investments are required for water treatment, pumps, storage tanks, pipelines and road rehabilitation following infrastructure works.

Evicted Cooper’s Pen families get lifeline

Nineteen humanitarian grants valued at $9.9 million have been to assist vulnerable citizens displaced in the eviction exercise in Cooper’s Pen, Trelawny, in August.

The grants, ranging from $200,000 to $800,000 per family, were handed over by . Minister with responsibility for Land Titling and Settlements, Robert Montague, and Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Infrastructure Development, Arlene Williams, on Saturday.

Montague emphasised that the emergency assistance is being funded by Jamaican taxpayers.

“The cheque is not a Government cheque. It is the taxpayers of Jamaica’s cheque,” Montague said. “You who pay your taxes, and taxpayers from all over the country, have provided this assistance.”

Permanent Secretary Williams also reiterated that the Government is not the owner of the property and was not responsible for the demolition or displacement of the occupants.

“I want it to be very clear that the Government does not own this property and the government has nothing to do with the eviction”, the Permanent Secretary said.

Under legitimate terms issued by the property owners, residents remaining on the site are required to leave by November 30, 2026, while those currently occupying tents were required to relocate immediately.

Retreat turns on the taps after long wait

Residents of Retreat, St Ann, are set to benefit from improved access to piped water following the commissioning of a new National Water Commission (NWC) supply system in the community.

Member of Parliament for St Ann South Western, Zavia Mayne, said the project fulfils a commitment made during the 2025 election campaign to improve water security in the area.

“Today, we have vindicated the trust that the people of Retreat placed in us,” Mayne said. “During the 2025 election campaigns, we promised that reliable, clean, piped water would flow into this community, and today that promise is a reality.”

Mayne thanked Economic Growth and Job Creation Minister, Matthew Samuda, and the NWC for prioritising the project.

He also said residents were prepared to pay for the service and protect the infrastructure.

“My constituents are fully prepared, willing, and eager to pay for this vital service,” Mayne said.

Scores of residents reportedly turned out at the launch to register for NWC accounts and meter installations.

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Jamaica to give new FACE to Caribbean agriculture

More than 600 delegates from 36 countries are expected in Trelawny later this month for the 2026 Caribbean Week of Agriculture (CWA), as regional stakeholders gather to tackle food security, climate resilience, trade and agricultural development.

The week-long event, which returns to Jamaica for the second time in 19 years, will be held from September 27 to October 2 at Ocean Coral Spring Resort in Trelawny.

Hosted by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining, the event will be held under the theme ‘The New F-A-C-E of Caribbean Food Systems’.

Senior Director of Trade in Agriculture in the ministry, Shelleka Darby, said the theme reflects the changing needs of the region’s agriculture and fisheries sectors and the push to strengthen food production and reduce dependence on imports.

“The Caribbean agriculture and fisheries sector has transformed significantly, and still, we have several milestones that we are yet to accomplish. There is a regional vision called the CARICOM 25 x 2025 + 5 initiative, which is designed to strengthen intra-regional trade and boost production so that we can reduce our dependence on importation.

“For that reason, this Caribbean Week of Agriculture sets the stage for what we’re calling the new F-A-C-E of Caribbean Food Systems. The F is for food security, A for agribusiness, C for climate-smart technologies, and E for export expansion,” she explained.

Darby said the programme will include technical sessions focused on building resilience and transforming food systems across the Caribbean.