CARIBBEAN

KINGSTON, Jamaica — Stewart's Automotive Group has opened a new US$7-million showroom for Chinese vehicle brand Great Wall Motor (GWM) on South Camp Road, betting on continued growth in Jamaica's automotive market despite recent economic disruptions caused by Hurricane Melissa.The 9,000-square-foot facility, formally named the Diana Stewart Building, was officially opened on June 3 and will serve as GWM's flagship showroom in Jamaica, with space to display up to eight vehicles, including the […]

The ATL Automotive Group will be out in full force as the title sponsor for Skvnk Fest, scheduled for this Sunday, June 7, at Cinema 2, New Kingston.“The Skvnk lifestyle brand has always had a good relationship with ATL Automotive, and when you think about a company that has variety for consumers, we can only be talking about ATL Automotive,” Nick Lue, event organiser, told the Jamaica Observer’s weekly Auto magazine.Kellise Wong, Group Marketing Manager, ATL Automotive, echoed Lue’s […]

MANHATTAN, New York — Jamaica's Minister of Tourism and Chairman of the Tourism Supply-Side Ministerial Committee, Edmund Bartlett on Thursday addressed the launch of the Caribbean Tourism Organization's (CTO) Supply-Side Initiative in New York, calling for a fundamental shift in how the region measures and develops its tourism economy.Speaking under the theme: 'Reimagining Caribbean Tourism', Bartlett argued that the sector must move beyond traditional metrics of arrivals and occupancy to […]

KINGSTON, Jamaica — Mount Pleasant Academy will play All Saints United of Antigua and Barbuda in the Round of 16 of the Caribbean Football Union Club Shield on either July 25 or 26, it was announced after Friday’s official draw.The third place finishers in the Jamaica Premier League were one of eight teams that were given byes to the Round of 16 in the competition that will be played in Trinidad and Tobago between July 23 and August 2.Twenty-two teams are taking part in the tournament that […]

KINGSTON, Jamaica — Opposition spokesman on environment and climate resilience and Member of Parliament for St Mary Central, Omar Newell, has welcomed the Government's proposed ticketing system for travel waste offences, while calling for a wider overhaul of the country's waste management framework.According to a release on Friday, Newell said the proposed measure should serve as a starting point for a more comprehensive national strategy to address Jamaica's solid waste challenges.“I […]

Kanya King, the London born entrepreneur who alongside Andy Ruffell founded the Music of Black Origin (MOBO) Awards in 1996, has died at the age of 57.King’s death was announced by the MOBO Organisation in a statement on its official social media pages.“It is with immeasurable sorrow that the MOBO Organisation announces the passing of its founder and CEO, Kanya King CBE. Kanya passed away peacefully on June 3, 2026 after a courageous and characteristically determined battle with colon […]

Customers have been promised a more reliable and cost-effective way of sending and receiving packages through a new flat-rate parcel delivery service introduced by Showfa Express Limited and Paymaster Jamaica.Showfa One, which was officially launched on Thursday at Paymaster's head office on Molynes Road in St Andrew, will allow customers to send and receive packages that fit within a standard package envelope through four selected Paymaster locations at a flat rate of $690.The participating […]

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — The United State (US) CDC on Friday urged strong public health interventions against the current Ebola outbreak, citing their models that show it could otherwise rival the scale of the 2014 West Africa outbreak.That eruption of the virus resulted in more than 28,000 cases and more than 11,000 deaths."That scale is possible," said Jason Asher, director of CDC's Center for Forecasting and Outbreak Analytics, during a press briefing.The US projections from the […]

KINGSTON, Jamaica — Parliament's Economy and Production Committee is to undertake a comprehensive review of flexible work hours and work-from-home policies.The review comes against the backdrop of increasing global economic uncertainty, geopolitical instability, and rising fuel prices, which are placing pressure on businesses, workers, and national economies.Committee chairman, Alando Terrelonge, said these developments have renewed discussions worldwide regarding the future of work and the […]

KINGSTON, Jamaica — The United States (US) dollar on Friday, June 5, ended trading at $158.10, down 28 cents, according to the Bank of Jamaica’s daily exchange trading summary.Meanwhile, the Canadian dollar ended trading at $113.80, down from $116.77 and the British pound at $215.04, up from $212. 30.

Most Jamaican finance teams I work with are not short on ideas. They are short on hours. A senior accountant spends Tuesday cleaning a messy export from a point-of-sale system. The CFO of a mid-sized manufacturer in Spanish Town spends Thursday rebuilding a budget because a line item moved. The founder of a Montego Bay tour operator spends Sunday wrestling a spreadsheet into something her bank will accept.Quietly, in the background, the tool that swallows most of those hours — Google Sheets […]

KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Government will invest $200 million this year to expand capacity at care facilities, thereby easing overcrowding and freeing up bed space.Minister of Local Government and Community Development, Desmond McKenzie, explained that the issue of social cases occupying hospital beds has been long-standing.He noted that a special effort will be made this year to address the matter in collaboration with other ministries, including the Ministry of Health and Wellness.McKenzie […]

After his 2025 birthday party in St Croix, Spragga Benz’ management planned an even bigger event to celebrate his 57th year in 2026. They got that and more at "Step Into A Journey to Kingston", which took place on May 31 at Miramar Cultural Center in South Florida.The 800-seat venue was sold out as the guest of honour was joined by fellow artistes for an evening that tracked his career from its early days in Dunkirk, East Kingston to the present.Allison Hunte, who coordinated "Step Into A […]

United Kingdom (UK) based reggae singer Debbie DeFire is showcasing two distinct sides of her artistry with the release of her latest singles, Rude Bwoy and Life.While both songs are rooted in reggae, they deliver very different messages, highlighting the singer’s ability to blend storytelling, reflection and timeless Jamaican musical influences.One of the most intriguing aspects of Rude Bwoy is its history. The song traces its origins back to the mid-1970s and was originally written by […]

Reggae artiste El Feco says the response to his latest single, Love Seems Far Away, has been deeply encouraging since the release of the official music video.The track, which features international reggae crossover star Apache Indian and Jamaican vocalist Kvon Lewis, has been gaining attention online for its message of love, unity and understanding.“Fans have really connected with the message of the song,” El Feco said. “It is not just a love song in the romantic sense; it is about the […]

KINGSTON, Jamaica — Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, Delroy Chuck, has expressed profound sadness at the passing of Justice Ian Forte, OJ, CD, KC (Ret’d), hailing him as one of Jamaica’s most distinguished legal minds and a towering figure in the administration of justice.In a tribute issued following Justice Forte’s passing on Friday, Chuck extended condolences to his widow, Marlene Forte, family members, friends, former colleagues, and the wider legal fraternity, noting […]

KINGSTON, Jamaica — Minister of State in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Alando Terrelonge, has welcomed the participation of Jamaican track and field legend Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce in the 11th Biennial Jamaica Diaspora Conference.According to a ministry statement, Fraser-Pryce will be a featured speaker on the third day of the conference during the highly anticipated panel discussion, “Leveraging the Creative Economy to Build Stronger Cultural Industries”.The session […]

MANCHESTER, Jamaica — Police are reporting that six vendors were arrested and charged with breaches of the Towns and Communities Act, and five others were warned, following a clampdown on vending along the Winston Jones Highway in Mandeville on Thursday.Police said the enforcement forms part of efforts to restore public order in Mandeville and its environs.Police said the street vending activities were becoming widespread and impeding the flow of traffic in the vicinity of the Williamsfield […]

LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP) — Actor Anthony Head, best known for his roles in Buffy The Vampire Slayer and Ted Lasso, has died at the age of 72, his family announced Friday.The British actor, the brother of singer Murray Head, was best known as librarian Rupert Giles in the cult United States (US) supernatural TV series starring Sarah Michelle Gellar, which ran from 1997 to 2003."It is with heavy hearts that we announce the death of our extraordinary father, Anthony Head," his daughters […]

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — A United States (US) federal judge on Friday blocked a series of restrictions placed by President Donald Trump's administration on legal immigration following last year's shooting of two members of the National Guard by an Afghan immigrant.District Judge John McConnell said the restrictions on asylum, work permit, green card and citizen applications from nationals of 39 African, Asian, Latin American and Middle Eastern countries were unlawful.The […]

NEW YORK, United States (AFP) — Inter Miami star Lionel Messi of Argentina was among the first 11 players named on Friday to the MLS squad for next month's MLS All-Star Game at Charlotte, North Carolina.The MLS lineup, including at least five players competing in the World Cup, will face an all-star squad from the Mexican league on July 29.The MLS "First XI" was chosen in a combined vote of players, fans and media and includes five players on World Cup rosters — Messi, South Korean Son […]

KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Judiciary of Jamaica is mourning the loss of former president of the Court of Appeal, Justice Ian Forte, OJ, CD, who died at his home early Friday.Chief Justice Bryan Sykes, OJ, CD, and President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Marva McDonald-Bishop, OJ, CD, have both paid tribute to the distinguished jurist, describing him as one of Jamaica's most respected judicial leaders.In a statement on Friday, Chief Justice Sykes hailed Justice Forte as a jurist of exceptional […]

GEORGETOWN, Guyana (CMC) — Police in Guyana are searching for a lone suspect following the fatal stabbing of a seven-year-old boy and the injury of his disabled grandmother during a home invasion in East Bank Essequibo early Friday morning.The victim, Adriel Aftab Mohamed, a student at Zeelugt Primary School, was killed during the attack at his home in the Zeelugt New Housing Scheme. His 71-year-old grandmother sustained injuries and remains hospitalised.Deputy Commissioner and Crime Chief […]

For most football fans, the UEFA Champions League Final is an event experienced from a television screen. This year, however, a select group of Jamaican football lovers, customers and brand ambassadors found themselves at the heart of the action as Heineken Jamaica took them to Budapest for one of the biggest weekends in world sport.As a longtime global sponsor of the UEFA Champions League, Heineken has built a reputation for bringing fans closer to the game. In Budapest, that commitment came […]

MANCHESTER, Jamaica — Furthering its mission of transforming Jamaica’s digital landscape, the Universal Service Fund (USF) has donated approximately $4.2 million worth of computer devices to the Manchester Municipal Corporation.According to USF, this forms part of a continued effort to strengthen digital transformation and improve operational efficiency within local government institutions.The handover ceremony, which took place on Thursday, May 28, saw the municipal corporation receiving […]