Principal Wayne Evans has called the destruction of two computer labs at Bustamante High School in Clarendon early Tuesday morning “a serious blow” to the institution has significantly disrupted the school’s operations particularly affecting technology-related subjects Reports from the May Pen Fire Station indicate that the blaze resulted in the loss of approximately 70 laptops Evans expressed deep concern about the impact on technology-dependent courses such as information technology and electronic document preparation and management He noted that the fire also interrupted the school’s computer loan service a vital resource for students who lack access to devices at home “This is a serious setback,” Evans lamented which impacts our ability to prepare students for their [external] exams These facilities were crucial in enhancing our teaching and learning strategies.” were a cornerstone of the school’s academic framework Clarendon South Eastern Member of Parliament Pearnel Charles Jr echoed Evans’ concerns and it was only recently received from the Government The prime minister himself visited the school on multiple occasions as part of efforts to develop Bustamante High School,” Charles noted we are thankful that no lives were lost and that the incident did not occur during school hours.” He added that all stakeholders are working together to ensure the school’s facilities are restored as quickly as possible An investigation is currently under way to determine the cause of the fire olivia.brown@gleanerjm.com View the discussion thread. Jamaica — The charred remains of a 33-year-old man was discovered by firefighters after his one-bedroom board dwelling was destroyed in an area known as Capture Land in Lionel Town The deceased is suspected to be Kenroy Simpson The police say they were alerted to the blaze by residents about 3:50 am on Saturday The body appeared to have a broken right hand The body was found close to the front door of the house Assessments by the firefighters point to a possible accelerant close to where the body was found No one else appeared to have been at the home at the time of the fire View the discussion thread. Send An Email Get the latest news & updates from the JIS sent to your inbox Clarendon who allegedly shot a man during an argument and then ran has been slapped with several charges in relation to the September 15 The accused has been identified as 24-year-old Kashief Thompson Thompson is charged with wounding with intent possession of prohibited weapon and unauthorised possession of ammunition It is alleged that about 8:20 pm Thompson and a man were having a dispute on Dupant Road in the parish when Thompson reportedly pulled a firearm from his waistband and shot the man in his right side and right arm the police conducted an operation in the Lionel Town area where Thompson was found and arrested He was subsequently charged and is awaiting a court date View the discussion thread. Clarendon – The National Works Agency (NWA) on Monday closed the eight kilometres of roadway between Lionel Town and Mitchell Town in Southern Clarendon after a culvert collapsed in the vicinity of DaCosta Traffic was being routed through Salt River is just one of the challenges residents continue to face after Tropical Storm Ida work is now underway to assess the extent of damage to the parish Communications manager at the NWA Stephen Shaw says the agency is working to clear roads that have been significantly impacted by flooding and landslides resulting from the storm There are roads in the north that were still impassable because of landslides “We have areas in the south that were impacted by flooding the areas were impacted by a combination of landslides and flooding We have done significant work already in Peckham Frankfield but we still have some blockage to remove,” he said on Monday “The road from Mocho to Frankfield has multiple issues and we are still cleaning and clearing but the road is still impassable There are at least eight massive landslides along this area and we have to be getting additional equipment to assist us in treating with some of the areas in the north where huge boulders have come down onto the roadways.” Shaw said partial breakaways have occurred on some corridors and so the team from the NWA has been out checking on those structures because they might have been compromised “We want to satisfy ourselves that these areas are safe for use but right now we want to get people moving from one area to the next and so the removal of the impediments are our chief concern We have been getting many requests from many residents and the leadership in the parish for drain cleaning and that is something that we do recognise will have to be done But we will have to put together our reports and submit to the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation and await directives from the ministry,” he explained Shaw added that de-silting activities have been taking place along the main corridor from May Pen to Whitney Turn Mitchell Town and Lionel Town were all impacted by flood waters “We will have to await the funding coming our way to treat with additional drain cleaning activities We have also seen significant scouring of most of our roads and that too will require significant funding for us to treat those,” Shaw said Patients at the paediatric ward at the Lionel Town Hospital will no longer have to be referred to the May Pen Hospital thanks to the donation of two incubators from Medical Strategies said the donation was crucial in the Government’s fight against the coronavirus and also in the delivery of healthcare “We know the Government is trying their hardest and they have had challenges equipping their institutions so as partners in the independent private pathway we would like to lend our support to the Government’s effort to provide decent healthcare to members to the community surrounding Lionel Town,” he said on Wednesday on the hospital’s grounds Newly appointed head of the paediatric ward at the hospital “Most persons don’t understand the value of a scale a digital scale is crucial because there are very sensitive areas in terms of growth and stages; so to a paediatrician it has a lot of value,” she highlighted as she points out that it is invaluable to her and impacts how she manages her patients on a day-to-day basis she noted that a functional incubator was not available at the hospital prior to her arrival with patients having to be transferred to the May Pen Hospital said it will now see the hospital making significant strides in being a better facility urged other private partners to assist the public entity recognise that there is a great need for gifts and donations in the public sector like these and we are so pleased when we hear of private persons partnering with public hospital It will make a significant difference in patient management,” he quipped View the discussion thread. The brutal slaughter of bedridden senior citizen Pamela Gordon at her home in Clarendon on Monday has left relatives and residents of her Lionel Town community bewildered Adding to the shock is the fact that Gordon’s 69-year-old husband has been taken into custody in relation to her death Gordon’s grandson found the elderly woman with her throat slashed after going to make checks on her and the police were summoned Police sources told The Gleaner that family members became concerned after a relative overseas reportedly received a call that Gordon had been killed but was reportedly being barred from entering the room by his grandfather he saw Gordon on a bed with blood oozing from her neck A fracas then reportedly ensued between Gordon’s husband and his grandson noting that he was known to be a “decent man” especially because of his trade as a mechanic and upholsterer Rocky Point Councillor Winston Maragh said the entire division had been saddened by the incident Clarendon South Eastern Member of Parliament Pearnel Charles Jr described Gordon’s death as a tragedy “I want to express my sincere condolences to the family members and to appeal to anyone who has any information that can assist the police in their investigation get that information to them as quickly as possible,” Charles Jr appealed Gordon had reportedly been working overseas View the discussion thread. Taxi operators who ply the Lionel Town route in Clarendon South Eastern are lamenting the delayed response to a collapsed drain along a section of the main road in the community Motorists describe the collapse as a disaster waiting to happen and have chided political representatives for their negligence in having the problem rectified But member of parliament for the constituency told The Gleaner that he has made contact with the National Works Agency (NWA) and is disappointed that the work is yet to commence Responding to criticisms of a lengthy wait to remedy the woes NWA’s manager of communication and customer services contended that the entity is simply following through with regulated protocols “When persons are saying it is taking long There’s a process that we have to follow through on to ensure that we are in strict adherence to the policy and legal guidelines that have been established by Government,” he said Shaw told The Gleaner that the collapsed section of the road stemmed from fire being set to a culvert beneath the road’s surface who have been detouring through the newly built Monymusk Glades housing scheme said residents are becoming annoyed with the traffic change adding that motorists have been blocked from accessing one section of the area “The scheme people will not tolerate it because of the number of motorists – taxi plus local operators have to traverse and across the road there are persons living on additional section of the Monymusk Glades They are the ones obstructing the motorists from going through the scheme because of the dust nuisance that the motoring public creates on them.” who described the infrastructure as faulty and “shoddy work” said more effort needs to be invested in road construction to ensure a permanent fix a cyclist or pedestrian should not traverse this area because there’s no structure underneath the road surface to withstand the weight and frequency of motor vehicles so there needs to be serious and immediate attention to this to ensure the safety of the traversing public and everyone,” he added Bryan also raised concern for the safety of motorists who are not cognisant of the road condition The people dem nuh move swift enough when anything happen in a Clarendon We are treated the worse in a Clarendon,” he bemoaned Lambert argued that his business has been dealt a raw deal as people have stopped venturing into the Rocky Point fishing village to make purchases from fisherfolk Charles told The Gleaner that he made a report to the NWA since January 12 “I am disappointed in the time it has taken the National Works Agency to respond but I have continued to communicate with them and urge them and I was advised that it has been categorised as emergency work and the work will start with urgency,” Charles Jr said He added: “I met with and spoke to the representatives that are responsible for southeast Clarendon and informed them of the urgency of the matter and considering it is a main road that is traversed regularly I asked them to put in place an immediate strategy to stop people from using that road.” Conceding that the traffic detour through Monymusk Glades poses an inconvenience Residents have also raised an alarm over the Alley Bridge that has crumbled numerous times during heavy or continuous rainfall Charles Jr said he has also been in dialogue with the NWA on the matter and has suggested a permanent redress to the issue and continue to advocate for a more permanent fix in that area,” he told The Gleaner Responding to comments that he has neglected his political duties to the constituency “I reject any comment of that nature to be completely false because I continue to do everything to advocate for the road network to upgrade a lot of work has been done,” he hit back citing roadwork done in areas including Palmer’s Cross the Vere Taxi Association said withdrawing services amid the road breakaway remains an option View the discussion thread. View the discussion thread. Doctors at the Lionel Town Hospital in Clarendon are staging a two-day symposium in a bid to address the improper dieting of patients which is being held under the theme ‘Bite by Bite will conclude today and gives residents of Lionel Town and surrounding areas the opportunity to interact with the nutrition team at the hospital Junior Health and Wellness Minister Juliet Cuthbert-Flynn yesterday commended the team for staging the event noting that it underscores how vital proper nutrition is to the health and well-being of the community and the nation at large “This is a step that more organisations can take as we take collective action to ensure the optimal health outcome of all Jamaicans Jamaica shares this burden as the public health system continues to be plagued with health and associated concerns directly linked to poor nutritional habits [and] non-communicable [diseases] overwhelming our public health facilities,” she said in her keynote address Pointing out that the cost of treating lifestyle diseases had become a national burden that should be tackled now Cuthbert-Flynn said that nutrition-related health problems are among those that account for more than 70 per cent of deaths in the island She urged the audience to take personal responsibility “bite by bite” in making wise dietary choices to help Jamaica tackle non-communicable diseases improving the health and well-being of the population senior medical officer at Lionel Town Hospital shared with The Gleaner that the idea was conceptualised following the spike in the number of cases that were directly related to poor eating habits “What we actually realise is that the community itself both for the babies and also for the adults is suffering because of poor nutritional choices we actually decided that this is something we wanted to focus on and we wanted to do it in such a way that we are using food – everyday food that the community use and can afford,” the senior medical officer shared Paediatrician McKenzie also noted that she had seen a spike in such cases among babies with a number of the admitted children having faltering growth cecelia.livingston@gleanerjm.com View the discussion thread. Jennifer Forbes Thomas of Rocky Point in Clarendon says her family is still reeling from the trauma of their home being firebombed last Thursday she said she was sleeping when she heard banging at her window and the sound of glass breaking the house was a furnace of fear and screams “I was scared that probably a gunman was outside the door so mi run cross the fence and call mi neighbour,” she said adding that her husband rushed to throw water on the fire was found inside the house where Forbes Thomas lived with her husband and her daughter Mi just a try fi heng on and see what can be done,” Forbes Thomas said Neighbours worked feverishly in a bid to extinguish the blaze Mi affi put zinc and board on it right now,” the matriarch said sharing that the family is still living in the house as they have no other option Forbes Thomas is appealing for help with the donation of a mattress as well as assistance in having the windows replaced Such acts of criminal violence are not alien to Rocky Point a seaside community in south-central Jamaica but a rash of firebombings in just a week could hint at a purge The Clarendon district came under renewed scrutiny after a 12-seater plane crash-landed on the White Sand Beach on the evening of January 23 The twin-engine aircraft is deregistered and its ownership is domiciled in Mexico Its occupants still have not been identified or located The incident is now the subject of a transnational investigation Forbes Thomas believes that Thursday’s attack may be linked to a feud involving her son in nearby Lionel Town had been the victim of gunshot wounds in an attack born out of a grudge She theorises from the escape route that Thursday’s arsonist was an outsider unused to the community’s terrain an assailant’s clothes got caught by wire and he fell into clumps of prickles “We realise dat is not anybody from dis surrounding here neither from Portland Settlement nor Rocky so they would know how to get away instead of going cross there because they would know that a fence is there and kassia is there,” Forbes Thomas said Four homes in the communities of Lionel Town and Rocky Point were attacked with Molotov bombs last week and the daughter’s partner came under attack in their two-bedroom concrete home in Lionel Town It is understood that the occupants of the house heard the dogs barking following loud explosions like gunshots at the front of the house the daughter’s partner was found to be suffering from gunshot wounds to his right thigh The house was then set ablaze with a Molotov cocktail The daughter’s partner’s house The fourth incident happened in Lionel Town some time last week when a family of eight One member from the household who did not want to be named said that about 11:30 p.m. gunmen invaded the home via the front window and fired several shots while tossing a firebomb into the house Clarendon has recorded nine murders between January 1 and February 5 this year two fewer than for the comparative period in 2020 Jamaica’s murder toll has climbed by seven per cent One hundred and thirty-six people were murdered in the corresponding period last year View the discussion thread. View the discussion thread. The Sanmerna Foundation on Monday made the first of three handovers to the Lionel Town Hospital in Clarendon with the next two stops scheduled for the Spanish Town and Kingston public hospitals Teaming up with the Kay Morris Foundation out of Canada and the Triumph Church of God in New York with the other two hospitals slated to receive the same in thanking the foundation for its generosity said it couldn’t have come at a better time as they were in great need of the items He noted that trauma patients and others who find walking difficult will now be able to move around independently without someone physically assisting them “The wheelchair is also something that we use every day for all our patients we have lost quite a few over the years and they are not always the most repairable,” he said Pointing out that being in the government system they get left behind with some of their needs It was in that light he thanked the foundation for filling the gap even as he expressed the wish that it not be a ‘one-time’ thing While acknowledging “the very nice thing” that the foundation did McKenzie also used the occasion to appeal to other corporate entities to follow suit “Get on board and help the other hospitals and let us work together because teamwork makes the dream work,” he said said the organisation is only living up to its motto which is ‘Giving a helping hand’ Making the observation that the hospitals are overrun and short on supplies he said it was their pleasure to donate the supplies “Sanmerna Foundation is happy to do so These gifts make an impact and help to ease the pressure,” he shared White also said that after speaking with Nadine Preddie she made it clear that they would love to have some cribs for the paediatric ward is to now source some cribs with the expectation that they will return soon to do the handover View the discussion thread. is calling on health regions to ensure that they protect coordinate as efficiently as possible and are accountable for the plants over which they have responsibility He was speaking at the ceremony to hand over the completed fencing project at Lionel Town Hospital in Clarendon recently “Oftentimes some of the expenditure could have been less or not necessarily required if our maintenance arrangements were in place,” Dr Tufton said while pointing to the many unfinished projects he found upon taking responsibility for the portfolio six years ago and out of that I took a decision to transfer the project management function of most of these projects to the National Health Fund [NHF] because they have a reputation of completing their projects,” he explained He noted that a committee was set up to review the procedure around how projects are implemented in the interest of correcting what had gone awry we are at a place where I can say that I believe the four regional authorities are much more capable and seized with the importance of taking on projects and completing them within time and budget,” the minister noted He expressed pleasure that based on the improvements the regions would see greater responsibilities now being shifted to regional authorities to take on projects that they know are needed This would give the NHF more scope to focus on their core function which is the provision of medicines and distribution through the pharmacies across the country The contractors were commended for completing the job on time and within the budget of $40 million The fencing was financed by the National Health Fund (NHF) For more than 30 years the hospital had been plagued by stray animals that roamed the premises freely and usually left their waste behind Member of Parliament for Clarendon South Eastern and Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries says the hospital is now more peaceful and secure from both animals and humans who were not always well intentioned in their visits to the property It will now allow for the Ministry of Agriculture to work with SMO McKenzie and his team to plant up some of the land,” he said noted that the hospital had done it successfully before and those programmes could be restarted in collaboration with the councillors the Mayor and others to ensure that the hospital the police station and all of Lionel Town reflect the best of Jamaica He also expressed the hope that the operating theatre would be rehabilitated and expanded Vice Chairman of the Southern Regional Health Authority informed the audience that the procurement process was now in place to instal CCTV cameras at the hospital as well as to purchase another ambulance A group of 35 Clarendon farmers have set out to prove that with enough passion and a willingness to learn they can plant the seeds of success with a new venture despite their limited knowledge of the agricultural sector told The Gleaner that the dream to invest in farming started to blossom in 2017 when he tried to take advantage of lands owned by the Sugar Company of Jamaica (SCJ) Holdings Limited in Lionel Town and put them into production He twice sought to use his cutlass to clear a section of the land with the intention of planting some crops but was ordered to desist He then approached advisers at SCJ Holdings who told him that he would stand a better chance of being granted permission to cultivate the land if he had an organised group from the community to work with him they were successful with the proposal submitted to the SCJ They have been given roughly 35 acres of land to plant a mixture of short- and long-term crops is optimistic about the venture despite not having done any farming before Francis said they would be “earning while learning” as the HEART/NSTA Trust is on board to assist them with training to sharpen their craft said it has been a long-held dream to venture into farming despite being an electrician I approached several entities in my adult years and met pure roadblocks,” he said adding that it was a chance encounter with a lady in the community that pointed him to Francis Watson told The Gleaner that just like the farm-work programme where the Government sends Jamaicans to North America to work on farms he wants locals to respect local agriculture and see the value of investing in their own lands what they farm overseas is imported back to us adding that a country that cannot feed itself is a slave to the food providers Although they are committed and their company has been registered the passionate group would welcome a helping hand to get things off the ground they have been assisted to clear about five and a half acres of the land by Clarendon Custos William Shagoury but he must see us utilising what he has already cleared before he assists us further,” Francis told The Gleaner a Good Samaritan also gave them four rolls of barbed wire to help with fencing but they would welcome additional assistance Francis said that the goal is to build a strong organisation which can help the youth find gainful employment That’s what they really want,” Vice-President Daevon Pryce said “The most important part we want is the youths dem off the street doing something productive.” editorial@gleanerjm.com View the discussion thread. Residents and community leaders of Lionel Town have been heartened by a 48-hour curfew imposed on Friday evening and are hopeful that the security measure will be extended The southeast Clarendon town has been hit by acute violence over the last few weeks with several residents being victims to firebombings and gun attacks May Pen Mayor Winston Maragh said the curfew was a positive strategic move to defuse tensions and sporadic violence between two gangs in the area “I hope the police find who they are looking for with what is happening down there,” he told The Gleaner dig out under every wash pan and thing to see if they can find the guns and these guys.” who is councillor of the Rocky Point division recommended that cordon-and-search operations be expanded to other troubled communities beyond Lionel Town Clarendon South East Member of Parliament Pearnel Charles Jr and other officials visited Lionel Town two weeks ago President of the Lionel Town District Area Committee also weighed in on the effectiveness of the curfew He is optimistic that the security forces will keep criminals in check and that investigations translate into prosecutions “We also need the police to interact more with citizens in order to have a better understanding about the problems facing them,” Coleman said citing the police youth club as one avenue of community cooperation Clarendon has been a hotbed of crime over the past two years and was one of 10 police divisions where a state of emergency was imposed to rein in Jamaica’s murder wave Murders have risen year-on-year up to February 26 Residents of Lionel Town have welcomed the curfew as a source of respite from the violence One businesswoman said she could finally sleep peacefully in her bed A father wholeheartedly embraced the curfew and attributed the ongoing violence to the rise in the trading of illegal guns One youth vented his frustration at the constant crime in the area and thanked the security forces for their intervention who requested that his name not be published because of security fears “I hope it can be extended down the line.” View the discussion thread. View the discussion thread. View the discussion thread. The Lionel Town Hospital in south Clarendon has undergone what has been described as major rehabilitation.   The hospital which has for some time been in a dilapidated state was repaired by the Clarendon Municipal Corporation and several corporate entities.   In an interview with RJR News said about 120 people assisted in the repainting and refurbishing of all the buildings on the compound.The rehabilitation project was initiated by the board of the hospital as part of its Labour Day project.   Copyright © 2025 Multimedia Jamaica Ltd The Lionel Town Hospital (LTH) in Clarendon has received a high-flow nasal cannula machine valued at J$1.4 million which will support COVID-19 patients who need oxygen The life-saving machine was donated by non-profit organization Striving Together Empowering Mankind (STEM) Uprising Corporation on Thursday the machine gives patients oxygen under a high flow rate and at a warm temperature At the peak of a surge you don’t have space to transfer patients anywhere because everywhere is full So now that we have this machine it will help to save many lives You guys (STEM Uprising) are life savers and we are very grateful” Dr Nadine Preddie thanked the organization for its donation which she noted will boost the hospital’s capacity to better manage COVID-19 patients “The staff is really delighted and the patients will certainly benefit from this as it will allow us to improve the quality of care that we are allowed to give to these patients I guarantee that no effort will be spared in ensuring that the staff and especially the patients will receive the care that they need at this facility” Ms For Vice President of STEM Uprising Corporation Akeaba Williams her organization is excited to be able to assist the hospital in getting the machine “I work in the field so I know the importance of this machine I know patients get this machine and still don’t survive and then I know of millions who get it and survive We are so excited to deliver this machine to assist patients who are in need to recover We also delivered another machine last month to the Percy Junor Hospital in Manchester there was a gentleman there that they weren’t sure he would make it and when they received it they quickly set it up and put him on it We got confirmation that that person sat up in bed” Mrs STEM Uprising Corporation was established in 2017 with the vision to support health care View the discussion thread. View the discussion thread. View the discussion thread. A man accused of being abusive and threatening was shot dead as a bubbling family dispute reached a fatal crescendo in Lionel Town A man accused of being abusive and threatening was shot dead who relatives told The Gleaner was shot by his brother Williams had physically attacked a cousin on Saturday and had a history of verbally abusing his grandmother and even threatened to physically attack her It was on this basis that his older brother reportedly visited the family home yesterday and asked him to leave Williams reportedly refused to leave and the dispute escalated after the brother began to remove Williams’ belongings from the house “Him (the older brother) turn to him and say ‘Me hear all that you going on here with Mama and it cyaa work Yuh affi come out yah now’,” she recalled Williams refused to leave the premises and an argument ensued after which he allegedly used a metal pipe to attack his older brother who subsequently shot him as the final act unfolded about 8 a.m. The grandmother painted a grim picture of her grandson saying she would be shedding no tears over his demise “When him say anything and me say me don’t like it him turn pan me and him class me worse than dog She disclosed that Williams had returned to live with her some years ago after his release from a boys’ home “Everybody say me shouldn’t make him come back a me yard but him fi come and behave but [him] nuh have no behaviour,” she said whom he allegedly attacked and injured on Saturday said his death could have been avoided had he listened to his older brother Him never come to him with no war,” she said adding that his constant disrespect towards his grandmother had caused her undue heartache “Mama grow nuff a we and none a we never disrespect we grandmother yet Him diss Mama too much and anything come a him mouth him tell Mama,” she said Personnel from the Independent Commission of Investigations visited the home on Monday View the discussion thread. View the discussion thread. Yallahs International Inc (YII) is set to meet with the Sugar Enterprise Team (SET) on Friday as the process to select the new owners of the Monymusk Sugar Factory in Clarendon begins who lost its bid to purchase the Trelawny-based Long Pond Estates to British firm Tate & Lyle in the early 1990s first expressed its interest in the Lionel Town-based Monymusk factory three years ago after Pan Caribbean Sugar Company (PCSC) repeatedly expressed its desire to offload the facility which the Chinese firm blamed for its poor returns in 2015 Yallahs also accused the Government and private entities associated with the industry of using underhanded tactics to frustrate their attempts to acquire Monymusk was said to be unavailable for comment when The Gleaner tried to make contact but a member of the team confirmed the start of the interview process for the five which also includes companies from India and the United States “The enterprise team has begun to meet and there are five expressions of interest that are being looked at very seriously including Yallahs International,” the source said contact has also been made to those selected advising them that before making full proposals additional clarification might be sought.” in a letter addressed to Callaghan and SET Chairman Phillip Henriques a copy of which was obtained by The Gleaner James lamented the slow pace at which things were progressing you can understand the value of time and the opportunity cost of inaction We have been knocking at the door for almost three years the degree of response is tepid at best,” he said James further argued that during this period the broader Jamaican economy had seen the closure of the Monymusk factory and the Golden Grove sugar operation and a heightened interest across the globe in renewable energy sources “With these pressures within the economy we would have thought that the [Government] would be acting with alacrity to see how we can collaborate to resolve the challenges that the sugar cane industry faces,” James added the fundamental question for the SET is whether there is a genuine interest in this project,” the letter ended View the discussion thread. Town Commissioner Lionel Frederick is no longer welcome at the Princess Anne Town Hall The ban is part of a protective order for Town Commissioner Dennis Williams following Frederick’s arrest for an alleged extortion plot Frederick has been barred from coming near Williams home and place of work Williams alleges that Frederick claimed he had a gun and boasted about gang affiliations Frederick allegedly offered to persuade a potential election opponent not to run against Williams for a cash bribe The president of the Town Commission Garland Hayward told WBOC that the court order should not hinder the town from carrying out its business Frederick is now facing three counts for extortion Little Big Town are one of the fortunate acts on 'Tuskegee,' Lionel Richie's just-released album of country duet versions of his classic hits But while the foursome are all thrilled to be featured on the project the decision to collaborate with the music icon was made by only one LBT member "I saw [producer] Tony [Brown] and he really wanted us to be a part of the record," Kimberly recalls I'll go beat them in to submission if I need to!'" "We were all really interested and it was just a matter if we could work it out and what song would we do," Kimberly notes The quartet sang 'Deep River Woman' with the former Commodores frontman, which was an ideal fit for their tight harmonies. Lionel previously recorded the tune on his 1986 album, 'Dancing on the Ceiling,' with another quartet, Alabama "I think we got to do the perfect song in his whole catalog," says Kimberly he was so generous with us and kind and genuine and was so complimentary of our sound and then he opens his voice and it's that voice that takes you back to junior high school." The platinum-selling group admit they were a bit starstruck to be in the studio with the legend "He does those signature things that only his voice can do," Phillip explains which aims to bring awareness of childhood hunger in America The ACM Awards will air live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena at 8:00 PM ET on CBS Watch 'The Life and Career of Lionel Richie' #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-242981{display:none;} .cke_show_borders #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-242981 #postcontentcontainer #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-242981{width:570px;height:411px;display:block;} try{document.getElementById("fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-242981").style.display="none";}catch(e){} Download Lionel Richie Songs | 'Buy 'Tuskegee' Little Big Town are one of the fortunate acts on 'Tuskegee,' Lionel Richie's just-released album of country duet versions of his classic hits "I saw [producer] Tony [Brown] and he really wanted us to be a part of the record," Kimberly recalls The quartet sang 'Deep River Woman' with the former Commodores frontman, which was an ideal fit for their tight harmonies. Lionel previously recorded the tune on his 1986 album, 'Dancing on the Ceiling,' with another quartet, Alabama \tWatch 'The Life and Career of Lionel Richie' #postcontentcontainer #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-242981{width:570px;height:411px;display:block;}\ttry{document.getElementById("fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-242981").style.display="none";}catch(e){} \tDownload Lionel Richie Songs | 'Buy 'Tuskegee' why You give me them and tek them back just so?” a grief-stricken Micey Walters asked amid a flood of tears yesterday after her infant daughters – Kayla 3 – perished in a fire that gutted their Clarendon home a wah mi do?” the 27-year-old mom further asked near the charred rubble of her ill-fated two-bedroom dwelling in Haylesfield district in Race Course Walters told The Gleaner that her children who attended the Race Course Primary and Infant School but had been staying home since Monday because they had contracted the flu she went next door to take food to their father who was working at a neighbour’s home “Mi never gone fi more than five minutes,” the tearful Walters said as neighbours and relatives consoled her on her return from the Lionel Town Hospital where she had been taken for medical attention as she reeled from the shock of losing two of her three children so tragically recalling his valiant efforts to try and rescue his children from the blaze who also burns coals for a living and undertakes odd jobs to earn a living told The Gleaner that his children were his motivation for all his hard work adding that he shared a close bond with his girls mi try put dem school money one side ‘cause mi never go school three day mi deh a sea a fight fi mi pickney dem,” he said one pon mi side; a so mi carry dem,” he said as tears streamed down his face telling The Gleaner that Fridays were special for the children who would greet him excitedly and enquire about goodies he had brought home for them residents of Haylesfield said that the tragedy was compounded by what they labelled as shoddy work by the funeral home and police personnel They complained that some of the children’s remains had been left at the scene and were attracting dogs What appeared to be the charred remains of a leg were seen by The Gleaner The police were again summoned and the remains removed an aunt of the deceased children who also lived at the house said she was alerted to the impending disaster by shouts of “Fire Efforts to save the young girls proved unsuccessful I don’t really see the mother and don’t see the children,” she said as she shared that there were times the mother would go to her shop accompanied by the children Graham said that she once asked their mother why she always took them wherever she went mi caan lef’ dem ‘cause mi nuh want nutten do dem,” she related Describing their Tomlinson as a hard-working father ‘’When it comes on to making sacrifices for his children there is nothing that he would not do,” she said stressing that it was a hard blow for the family Deputy Superintendent Dennis Lyons of the Clarendon Division of the Jamaica Fire Brigade told The Gleaner that his team responded to the fire around 11:04 a.m. but had not yet determined the cause of the fire View the discussion thread. THE Independent Commission of Investigations (INDECOM) says it has commenced an independent enquiry into a motor vehicle crash in which three male occupants died and six others were injured which also involved the police discharging their firearms at the location of the traffic crash occurred on the Lionel Town Main Road in Clarendon The deceased have been identified as Kevon Salmon “INDECOM’s investigation will seek to determine all actions taken by the police officers to determine the circumstances which resulted in the death and injuries “The police have reported that officers were on mobile patrol when they observed a white Nissan AD wagon driving recklessly along the roadway The officers went in pursuit of the vehicle which was subsequently seen crashed in a cane field The police further reported that upon approaching the incident scene and they returned fire in their direction,” said INDECOM It said a full forensic examination of the incident scene was conducted including the processing of the Nissan AD wagon Occupants of the vehicle were swabbed for gunshot residue while no firearm was reported as recovered from the scene including the post-mortem examinations and hospital records will be assessed to determine the nature and possible cause of the injuries sustained by the nine occupants of the vehicle will be provided when this information is available INDECOM said witness statements have been taken from two of the injured persons in the car as well as other survivors will assist in establishing the fullest facts The two survivors interviewed did not report any of the vehicle’s occupants firing at the police or being in possession of any firearm The officers involved in this incident have provided an initial account and will be required to provide statements and attend the office of the commission for interviews boxed and sealed for testing at the Government Laboratory visited the incident scene and had dialogue with protesting residents and family members in an effort to explain the investigative process and canvass for witnesses Anybody who witnessed or has any information regarding this incident is asked to contact INDECOM at 876-968-1932 876-968-8875 or via WhatsApp at 876-553-5555 A fifth Clarendon family has now been displaced in less than two weeks as hoodlums firebombed their house on Friday night It is the third such incident in Lionel Town over the period Di place a run a way,” one resident told The Sunday Gleaner yesterday as he called for the presence of “nuff soldiers inna di place pon di capture land” to cure the increase in violence shared that children in the community are now traumatised Want everybody fi come together and live like how we used to live before,” the resident pleaded Clarendon South Eastern Member of Parliament Pearnel Charles Jr told The Sunday Gleaner that although investigations were still ongoing it can be reasonably assumed that it is connected to the reprisals and the back-and-forth violence between residents in the area A stern-talking Charles called on citizens to cooperate with the police and made a pledge to “put in investment – whatever it is convict persons or get rid of them – but we can’t allow for criminals to feel free to operate in this space” He added that he was not surprised by the bombings the solution now is to change that profile and not wait for such incidents to occur then react but to address the root cause with intervention from a number of institutions “We will be working with the educational institutions that people are not just going to school working to increase training opportunities and working to increase the employment opportunities for young males,” he said adding that they are the highest proportion of victims and perpetrators Charles called on the Ministry of Labour and Social Security to assist the displaced families who need beds View the discussion thread. It has been days of tears for one Lionel Town farmer since thieves made off with his herd of 30 cows more than a week ago who developed a love for farming after his grandfather gifted him some cows as a child told The Gleaner that he has become despondent since he went to retrieve the animals sometime after 3 p.m. from the area they grazed daily and was left in a tailspin after realising they had “vanished” Days of searching for the missing animals have turned up no clues it’s inna the pen mi a look,” an emotional Edwards told The Gleaner “Seven years now me start with two cows and me nuh try fi sell any Mi just burn coal and buy them and a it mi live off Mi nuh have no education fi do no big work,” the 45-year-old farmer said Edwards said that on the day the animals disappeared he had been contemplating going for them from as early as 10 a.m but mi have life so mi a say mi can build again,” he said “It hard fi know he works so hard and he’s an honest man and dem come and take his stuff The Government said farming is the future and we must grow what we eat but how can you raise your animals in a country like this when you can’t raise them in peace You work hard then a man come and take them from you,” she bemoaned crooks have been plaguing farms in the area and the neighbouring Mitchell Town The couple said that the theft has thwarted their plans for a better life We don’t have anything and he was planning to use [money earned from] his cows to finish the house and that’s why him cry because them tek everything from him,” Sabrina said said that five of his own cows were snatched in December said that he had just ventured into cow rearing when the thieves struck “I was at work and the cows were in the pasture and dem just come and take all of them,” said Morris who plans to ramp up security on his farm before investing in more animals Jamaican farmers are estimated to lose upwards of $7 billion annually due to praedial larceny parish agricultural manager of the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) said he was not aware of Edwards and Morris’ cases but said that farm theft continues to be a major pain in Clarendon He noted that many farmers are contemplating exiting the sector as a result of the problem and expressed concern that this could cause major setbacks to the agricultural sector as the country could become more dependent on imports “The thieves now are getting the better of a number of the farmers and it’s affecting production,” Reid said calling for harsher penalties for those found guilty of praedial larceny “The [police’s] Praedial Larceny Unit maybe needs some more manpower and resources Some of the farmers have complained that some police stations or some officers are not taking the thing as seriously as [they should] and some persons are caught and taken before the court they get a little slap on the wrist which is not serious enough to deter them,” Reid said who heads the Praedial Larceny Unit in the parish said that his team is working assiduously to collar the crooks and deter potential criminals He appealed to farmers to practise tagging their animals to facilitate an easier return process in cases of recovery “There have been cases where we recover animals and farmers are not able to identify their cattle and there are instances where we have to bring the animals to RADA or to a storage site in northern Clarendon,” he said adding that the police have boosted patrols and response to help farmers secure their livelihoods View the discussion thread. View the discussion thread. Jamaica — Up to late Saturday night family members of individuals who were shot while travelling in a car were gathered at the Lionel Town Community Hospital hoping to get word about their loved ones According to OBSERVER ONLINE sources the shooting occurred shortly after 8:00 pm It is alleged that police on duty signalled a car to stop but the vehicle kept going It is also alleged that the police fired on the vehicle Preliminary reports are that at least one person has died while several others who were rushed to the Lionel Town Community hospital had to be transferred to the May Pen Hospital View the discussion thread. Oshane's body was found at a pump house near his home in Lionel Town on November 14 last year after he was reported missing a day prior Wastonton Primary described OJ as a child full of promise View the discussion thread.