ONE-MINUTE READS News from across Jamaica

Healthcare workers honoured for selfless service

Nearly 900 healthcare workers who kept St Elizabeth’s health services running during and after Hurricane Melissa were honoured last Thursday for what officials described as acts of courage, sacrifice and resilience in the face of disaster.
The Southern Regional Health Authority (SRHA) recognised 885 healthcare workers at a gala awards ceremony, dubbed ‘Celebrating Our Healthcare Heroes: Resilient Through the Storm’ at Lovers’ Leap in St Elizabeth.
Many of the awardees continued reporting for duty despite storm damage to their own homes and communities, ensuring patients received critical care as the parish grappled with the hurricane’s aftermath.
SRHA Regional Director Michael Bent said the event was intended to formally recognise workers who served under difficult and, in some cases, life-threatening conditions.
“Your work is heroic,” Bent said, noting that every staff member in the parish would receive a token of appreciation from the authority.
Health Minister Christopher Tufton praised the workers for putting patients first even while facing personal hardship.
“The difference between you and the crisis is that you have to pick up your marble and go to work, even though you are victims too,” he said.

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PNP slams Gov’t on ‘secret’ TCN deal 

With the first flight carrying third-country nationals arriving in Jamaica under an agreement with the United States, the Opposition People’s National Party (PNP) intensified calls for the Government to make the full details of the arrangement public.
In a statement yesterday, Opposition Spokesman on National Security Fitz Jackson criticised the Government for announcing the imminent arrival of the first flight without first tabling the agreement in Parliament.
“The Government is asking Jamaicans to accept a security arrangement they have not been allowed to see,” Jackson said. He argued that key questions remain unanswered, including where the migrants will be housed, the security measures that will be in place, and who will be responsible for monitoring them.
Jackson also accused the Government of withholding critical information about operating procedures, Jamaica’s legal obligations, how the costs associated with security and healthcare will be covered, and what would happen if a receiving country refuses to accept any of the individuals.
The Government has said the programme will be limited to a maximum of 25 people every two weeks and will include a mechanism to suspend the arrangement if asylum applications in Jamaica exceed a specified threshold. However, the PNP said these details are insufficient without publication of the full agreement.
“It is disgraceful and unthinkable that the Government could announce in a perfunctory manner that the first flight would arrive in Jamaica shortly, without tabling the full agreement in Parliament,” the party said.

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Child rights group wants death penalty for Kidd Lane killings

A child rights advocacy group is calling for the death penalty to be considered for those responsible for last week’s triple murder on Kidd Lane in St Andrew, describing the killings as a shocking act of brutality that has left the nation reeling.
Hear The Children’s Cry (HTCC) condemned the October 9 murders of Lashane Ellis, her one-year-old son Kaheel Daley and their 39-year-old neighbour, Kimeisha Gibson, while urging the police to move swiftly to apprehend those responsible.
HTCC board member Nigel Cooper said the killings underscore the need for stronger measures against violent crime, including consideration of capital punishment for persons found guilty.
“Yet another precious child and two women have been heartlessly sacrificed, in yet another senseless, depraved act of wanton violence, a situation which Jamaica cannot tolerate,” Cooper said.
He added: “We are calling for the security forces to leave no stone unturned in bringing the perpetrators to justice. We are also calling for the death penalty to be on the table as judgment is passed on them.”
The suggestion for the use of the death penalty comes despite Jamaica having not carried out an execution in nearly four decades, with the last hangings taking place in 1988. 
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Jamaicans urged to keep Gordon fire burning

Organisers of the upcoming Fire Invasion Conference are encouraging citizens to reflect on the legacy of National Hero George William Gordon, whose commitment to justice and Christian faith continues to inspire generations.
Gordon, a businessman, politician and devout Christian, was known for his outspoken advocacy on behalf of Jamaica’s poor and oppressed. Recalling his fervent faith, organisers highlighted one of his famous declarations: “Fire! Fire! Fire!” When asked where the fire was, he replied: “The fire is within me. I burn to worship God! Come let us hold a prayer meeting!”
Gordon was executed on October 23, 1865 for his alleged involvement in the Morant Bay Rebellion, but supporters say his legacy has endured.
To commemorate his life, the Fire Invasion Conference 2026 will feature the George William Gordon Academy, a two-day programme aimed at equipping Christians to engage society through principles of truth and justice.
The conference, hosted by the Jamaica House of Prayer and the Love March Movement, runs from October 22 to 24 in Kingston.
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