Holness urges developers to partner with HEART

Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness (third right) is joined by (from left) Chief executive officer of BOOT Jamaica Alexcia Boothe; architect for BOOT 2 Leighton Hamilton; managing director of BOOT Jamaica Wayne Boothe; Minister of Water, Environment...

Tufton hoping to end stigma with Bellevue name change

Health and Wellness Minister Dr Christopher Tufton making at point about mental health at the Jamaica Observer Monday Exchange on October 6, 2025. (Photo: Garfield Robinson) ASK most Jamaicans what is the first thought they have when they hear the...

USS Minneapolis-Saint Paul (LCS 21) Returns to Mayport Following Maiden Deployment to U.S. Fourth Fleet

MAYPORT, FLORIDA, UNITED STATES 10.13.2025 Courtesy Story NAVAL STATION MAYPORT, Florida. XX OCT 2025 - USS Minneapolis-Saint Paul (LCS 21), a Freedom-variant Littoral Combat Ship (LCS), returned to Naval Station Mayport, concluding its maiden...

'Fantastic boost for town' - Ipswich Central boss on new store opening

Lee Walker was speaking after Ipswich Borough Council announced that Lovisa, an international fashion jewellery brand has applied to fill the remaining unit in the town centre. The plans for the store include a modernisation of the shopfront and...

Health officials warn of malaria in Haitians who land illegally

18 foot boat that landed at Kensington Portland carrying Haitian refugees recently. PORT ANTONIO, Portland — With three of 30 Haitians who landed on Portland’s shores in late September testing positive for malaria, medical officials are again...

November 27 court date for Norman Scott in election day assault case

SCOTT... pleaded not guilty to charges of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and malicious destruction of property SANTA CRUZ, St Elizabeth — A battery of high-profile lawyers appeared in court here on Monday as Spanish Town Mayor Norman Scott...

JCF ready to lend support in mental health crisis

THE Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF), working closely with the Ministry of Health and Wellness, provides support for individuals experiencing mental health challenges. In fact, head of the Constabulary Communications Network (CCN) Senior...

Echoes of Fern Gully

Craft vendors in Fern Gully, St Ann, stand ready by their colourful displays last Wednesday. FOR more than 40 years, craft vendors Fenton Coombs and Oneil Wilmot have made the winding road of Fern Gully, St Ann, their display window, showcasing...

Enslaving and saving souls

THE TAINOS who inhabited Jamaica before the Europeans arrived in the late 15th century had their own political hierarchies, economic and social systems, and religious beliefs. It was an idyllic life that they led, living in harmony with the...

Former Jamaican Ambassador warns US military presence could shatter CARICOM unity

International consultant and former Jamaican ambassador Curtis Ward has warned that the reported movement of U.S. military aircraft in Trinidad and Tobago and a possible radar installation in Grenada could signal a major fracture in CARICOM’s...

A beloved, nearly 40-year-old Dallas Jamaican restaurant is closing soon, owners confirm

Elaine's Kitchen, a longtime South Dallas Jamaican restaurant, will close on Oct. 18. DALLAS — A longtime Jamaican restaurant located in South Dallas is closing its doors. Elaine's Kitchen will shut down Oct. 18, its owners confirmed to WFAA. The...

Guyana’s 1st law school 1 step closer as 8-acre land cleared for project

The clearing of vegetation from the eight-acre plot of land identified for the construction of a Council of Legal Education (CLE)-accredited law school in Guyana has been completed in preparation for construction works. At his September 7...

Furious mother shouts out in court at 'weak' judge who has 'blood on his hands' after her son's killer and accomplices are jailed over 'execution' shooting

A grieving mother branded a judge 'weak' and claimed he has 'blood on his hands' after his son's killer was jailed. Gabriel Charles, 19, shot Jesse Lloyd-Smith, 20, five times in an alleyway next to his mother's home in Peckham, south east London,...

The Bookish Travel Trend That's Changing the Way We Experience Top Destinations

Among my writer friends, the Jaipur Literature Festival, or JLF, is something of a Shangri-La: an eclectic gathering born in 2006, on the lawns of the city’s Diggi Palace. Authors debut new work, writers hold forth in panel discussions, and fans...

Flavas Jamaican Grill brings spice to life

Flavas Jamaican Grill’s ribs plate. Photo by Jeffrey Grable. by Jeffrey Grable Flavas is one of the small percentage of black-owned and operated businesses in San Mateo County, featuring a diverse staff and authentic Jamaican cuisine. The vibe is...

Lloyd B Smith: When Montego Bay turned on the ‘Governor’

The Desmond Allen Interviews – part two Veteran journalist Lloyd B Smith is celebrating twin milestones — 50 years in journalism and 45 years as founder of the Western Mirror newspaper. Following is the final instalment of a compelling two-part...

Tracking travel

Vice-president of El Hydro Major Paul Brown giving details of a new safety feature on school buses during a press conference on Friday at the transport ministry held to give an update on the Rural School Bus Programme. (Photo: Karl Mclarty)...

‘We need it now!’

A section of the Montego Bay Transportation Centre. ST JAMES, Jamaica — Pointing to a number of factors expected to impact the movement of traffic in and out of the western city, Mayor of Montego Bay Richard Vernon is calling for central...

Street Co-Naming Turns into a Family and Congregational Celebration

A special, heartwarming community celebration of a scholarly man’s life took place on Sunday, September 14 in the stylish and posh Brooklyn neighborhood of Mill Basin. The neighborhood is adjacent to picturesque Jamaica Bay, with docks dotting the...

JPNC favors zoning requests

The Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Council (JPNC) held its regular monthly meeting on Tuesday, September 23, via Zoom. Chair Renee Stacey Welch presided over the session. JPNC members in attendance were vice-chair Bernie Doherty, secretary Michael...