News

TUI UK passengers on arrival into the arrivals hall just outside customs at the Sangster International Airport earlier this month. They were among the first UK passengers to arrive on a charter flight from the UK since the passage of Hurricane Melissa.
December 31, 2025 by Janet Silvera

Bartlett hails strong tourism rebound

WESTERN BUREAU: As 2025 draws to a close, Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett says Jamaica’s tourism sector is staging a strong and confidence-boosting recovery just weeks after the island was battered…
From left: Nadine Bell, dietitian at St Ann’s Bay Hospital; CEO Dennis Morgan; Rodroy Thomas, executive chef; and Lyndsay Isaacs, regional public relations manager at Sandals Ochi, during the handover of a restaurant range stove donated by the Sandals Fo
December 31, 2025

Sandals Foundation injects $3m into St Ann’s Bay, Cornwall hospitals

Medical teams at St Ann’s Bay Regional Hospital and Cornwall Regional Hospital are better placed to serve patients following a $3-million injection of resources from the Sandals Foundation. The…
Volunteers unpack water and meals donated by Olympian Claston Bernard and the JN Foundation.
December 31, 2025

‘More than a drop in the bucket’

When Hurricane Melissa tore through western Jamaica on October 28, it left a trail of destruction that crippled communities and disrupted lives. Among the hardest hit was Belmont Academy in…
From left: Tamara Dunbar, president, Kiwanis Club of CyberConnect Jamaica, Anadeen Nembhard, VP and head of people, culture and talent management, Sygnus Capital, and Martin Nesbeth, co-founder and CFO, Carbyne Capital.
December 31, 2025

Sygnus and Kiwanis Support Bustamante Hospital for Children

Sygnus has again partnered with the Kiwanis Club of CyberConnect Jamaica to support its annual Christmas initiative at the Bustamante Hospital for Children, donating essential items and cash to…
Friends Who Care founding member Roxanne Isaacs serves a youngster from the Mustard Seed Children’s Home a meal during the annual holiday treat.
December 31, 2025

Friends Who Care, CB Foods bring cheer to Mustard Seed Children’s Home

Smiles lit up the Mustard Seed Children’s Home in Spanish Town as members of CB Foods and the Friends Who Care outreach team arrived, greeted by children eager for familiar faces and festive cheer. …
From left: Deidre Parchment, finance manager at Food For The Poor Jamaica; Marsha Burrell-Rose, manager - marketing, PR and missions at Food For The Poor; Ann Marie Walters, managing director for Unicomer Jamaica; Jane Cui, sales manager for the Caribbean
December 31, 2025

TCL donates 100 televisions to shelters, schools out west

In response to the widespread devastation caused by Hurricane Melissa, global technology brand TCL has donated 100 smart televisions to support recovery efforts in communities across Jamaica that were…
Douglas ‘Dougie’ Turner pointing to the sign of the bar that was named in his honour at Jakes Treasure Beach in St Elizabeth.
December 31, 2025 by Paul H. Williams

Jakes reopens in style, with ‘Dougie’ centre stage

As the music pumped, patrons at Dougie’s Bar at Jakes Treasure Beach, Calabash Bay, St Elizabeth mingled and smiled. Happy faces were everywhere. Then, in a voice as joyful as joyful gets, someone…
Kamar Samuels. - Contributed /district3Supt@x
December 31, 2025

Mamdani appoints Jamaica-born veteran educator Kamar Samuels to lead NYC’s public school system

Jamaica-born, New York-based veteran educator Kamar Samuels has been appointed Chancellor of New York Public Schools by Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, placing him at the helm of the largest public school…
Fireworks burst over the Sydney Harbour Bridge as New Year's celebrations begin in Sydney, Wednesday, December 31, 2025. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)
December 31, 2025

Asia rings in 2026 with Sydney remembering its worst mass shooting

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Auckland was the first major city to ring in 2026 with a downtown fireworks display launched from New Zealand’s tallest structure, Sky Tower, followed by a defiant…