Jamaicans across the diaspora are gearing up for what is expected to be a jam-packed weekend Among them is the mayor for St Ann’s Bay whose team has been working tirelessly in preparation for Vacae Weekend Every event that is big and large comes to Ocho Rios – and we are excited about that,” Belnavis told The Gleaner His excitement comes on the heels of last year's declarations that sections of St Ann are officially entertainment zones “It was only natural to see more events coming following the announcement by Minister Grange And we are expectant of more developments in the near future,” Belnavis continued will be the first series of events to take over the party town with six events spanning the four-day holiday weekend Belnavis says that accommodation has already been booked out in anticipation “We have been receiving word that several places of stay are already booked out We figure it’s because the events will have these overseas elements to them with several deejays coming to the island,” he explained they are pulling a lot of overseas attention to the area and that in turn is causing accommodation in the area to be filled That’s a lot a foot traffic expected for the festivities but the mayor argued the area is prepared and ready “We’re not expecting any major sort of traffic jams The good thing is that most of the events are in the day it will filter the traffic,” Belnavis said which is curated and organised by the entertainment company Twenty14 Ltd was first launched in 2019 with the goal of highlighting Jamaica’s most prominent features “Vacae Weekend is far more than just a series of parties,” said CEO Andrew Ellis “It is an outlet for all the things that makes Jamaica unique; our music The event starts off this year with The Lawn an all-yellow party whose highlight will be a performance from dancehall icon Govanna Ellis says the Twenty14 team is “proud” to bring the Four Storey deejay to a crowd hungry for a good time as it gives us yet another chance to learn from everything we’ve done up until this point I want to use this opportunity to thank all our sponsors for trusting us and supporting what we do,” Ellis told The Gleaner entertainment@gleanerjm.com View the discussion thread. just outside the town of Saint Ann’s Bay on Jamaica’s north shore Seville Heritage Park encompasses thousands of years of the island’s history The 300-acre property has been settled during every period of Jamaica’s human occupation an indigenous Taino village that Christopher Columbus encountered upon first landing in Jamaica in 1494 In 1509 the Spanish founded their first colonial capital there England invaded Jamaica and wrested control from Spain in 1655 As a reward for service to the army during that campaign English captain Richard Heming was given the land was home to an average of 275 enslaved African Jamaicans in any given year The majority of that community lived in a village behind the eighteenth-century “Great House,” the planter’s residence built in 1745 by Heming’s grandson The house still stands and is now a museum that tells Seville’s story Jamaica National Heritage Trust operations manager explains that Seville can be seen as the birthplace of modern Jamaica a spot where the nation’s identity was forged “We interpret the lives of people from four cultures,” she says and the Spanish: They all make up who we are as Jamaicans today.” The Great House now hosts Seville’s museum and has an exhibit covering Jamaica’s history from the earliest evidence of human presence in the area A guided tour includes a visit to reconstructions of both the Taino and the enslaved African villages such as a massive water wheel used to pulp sugarcane Though Seville doesn’t currently offer a tour of the remains of the Spanish capital which include the ruins of the governor’s mansion and a sixteenth-century church the staff tries to accommodate groups of interested travelers who call ahead which gives you a historical overview of the site and displays artifacts uncovered by archaeologists take advantage of a guided tour or a tour of the property on horseback travelers can also visit the Green Grotto Caves a complex thought to have been used for shelter throughout the centuries by native Tainos Copyright © 2025 Multimedia Jamaica Ltd says the local governing body is currently considering ways to improve the level of security at the St Ann’s Bay Infirmary after a lone gunman broke into a section of the property on Saturday morning The incident happened sometime after 2:00 am Observer Online understands that the thief gained access to the staff quarters through a window “We are looking at the whole security area to see how we can further increase security there,” Belnavis said The man managed to escape with a cellular phone belonging to one of the staff and a small sum of money Belnavis stated that the incident has left the community at the infirmary in shock “They’ve never seen anything like this before and you would think that the infirmary would be a forbidden place and a place of comfort to the people at the bottom of society,” he stated He added that it is the responsibility of his team to care for those at the infirmary “We have a responsibility to the residents to take care of residents and staff The CEO of the St Ann municipal corporation has been there since morning and I’m heading there now to give my support,” Belnavis said Ann Family Court to the Court Administration Division in St The renovation of the facility was funded under the 11th European Development Fund (EDF) Financing Agreement with the Ministry The court is a modern two-storey facility that will allow for the privacy and sensitivity required when dealing with matters involving children as well as members of a family It fulfils the requirements under the Disabilities Act 2014 and also provides accommodation for the various occupational groups operating in the space Chuck outlined that the Government continues to work on the island’s court facilities; however it has to adhere to procurement guidelines “We have been trying to fix the courts and to build new ones but there’s a thing known as procurement but any expenditure in government requires procurement you have to get three quotes from the different hardware stores from the different supplier; a tin of paint could take days; things that should take days take months; things that should take weeks The Minister stated that over the last few years “we constantly have unexpended funds that we return to the Consolidated Fund because we are unable to spend it to improve the facilities in the courts” “The monies are there to really ensure that we get to an ideal position in the courts so that the judges and the litigants and everyone who uses the court can see and have justice delivered not only in a timely manner but in comfort and with convenience,” Mr He pointed out that while a few courts across the island have been rehabilitated there are many others to be fixed and others to be constructed adding that the Government has the resources to ensure that this is done noting that it should be replicated in other parishes without specialised courts “The variety of services offered here are not offered in the regular parish courts because of the absence of a specialised family court and and that is normally reduced or restricted to simply the adjudicated part of it,” Mr He further pointed out that Ministry’s Justice Centre which is located next door to the facility will play a vital role in the Family Court as it forms an important part of ‘therapeutic justice’ The renovation of the Family Court forms part of the plan to upgrade four court facilities which included the Manchester Family Court Send An Email Get the latest news & updates from the JIS sent to your inbox The services at the urology department at St Ann’s Bay Regional Hospital have been bolstered with the donation of several pieces of equipment valued over US$10,000 from Sandals Foundation “Following the successful fund-raising efforts of the Sandals Golf and Jerk Festival held in June this year the philanthropic organisation recently presented several specialised equipment valued at some US$10,000 to aid the medical team in their ability to diagnose and treat prostate as well as ailments of the male reproductive organs,” stated a release from Sandals Foundation said supporting community healthcare infrastructure was a key part of their work “We fundamentally believe that the wealth of our island’s families is connected to their access to education and treatment that preserve their health,” she said The items included a mobile endoscopic unit “Our urology department is new and these pieces of equipment are very important to have it functioning and providing essential services to patients,” said urologist at the hospital said the donation would significantly enhance the quality of life for patients diagnosed with prostate cancer through early detection ultimately leading to improved patient outcomes “will allow us to see the urine passage making it possible for the placement of difficult urethral catheters and it will help with diagnostic procedures in the operating room” “The Ligaclip applicators will help control troublesome bleeding in patients’ during open surgeries while the other equipment will help with a wide range of procedures and needs of patients with varying urological conditions from benign diseases to cancers.” The donation is indeed a vital one as Jamaica has one of the highest rates of prostate cancer in the world with just over 300 cases per 100,000 men confirmed each year It is the most common cancer in Jamaica and the leading cause of cancer-related death in men and family history contribute to the risk of getting the disease editorial@gleanerjm.com View the discussion thread. Shante Somers delivered a stillborn and had to undergo an emergency hysterectomy The taxi operators have been barred from unloading and picking up passengers at a Texaco gas station in Discovery Bay The operators now want to occupy a piece of land owned by Discovery Bauxite Ann Municipal Corporation has reportedly been in dialogue with Discovery Bauxite to procure the land View the discussion thread. Some taxi operators who ply the Discovery Bay to St withdrew their services on Monday and Wednesday The St Ann’s Bay Regional Hospital (SABR) received two ventilators on Tuesday from philanthropist Ian Clough whose contribution of medical equipment to Jamaican institutions extends over two decades Clough’s donation comes just two months after Health and Wellness Minister Dr Christopher Tufton and his Opposition counterpart argued over the number of ventilators available in the public heath system amid allegations that several of the machines could not be accounted for the presentation means a boosting of the stock at the North East Regional Health Authority (NERHA) and especially at the SABR “I read an article earlier this year where there was some brouhaha in the media about the ventilators in the country and I saw where they did a count of it and said there were only 105 life support machines in the entire country and I think that is really low,” Clough told The Gleaner He shared that he works with ventilators and had been sourcing the machines to assist the local health sector They’re good for transport and they’re good for ventilating all kinds of patients So I think the hospital and the residents of St Ann and Jamaica will be really well served by these life support machines,” Clough added which took place at the Maternal and Neonatal High Dependency Unit at the hospital pointed out that the machines were for critically ill patients and will go a long way to augment the services offered at the Unit “Thank you on behalf of the institution and on behalf of the paediatric department and on behalf of the community that we serve This can really impact the care that we offer to our patients,” Dr Antoine said “The best way for us to start is to thank Mr Clough,” Samuda said “It’s incredibly important that we give back to the system and return home to give assistance to us in Jamaica We have to pause and say thank you,” Samuda added View the discussion thread. THE Maternal and Neonatal High Dependency Unit at St Ann’s Bay Regional Hospital on Tuesday was gifted two ventilators to further assist the medical staff in their care of neonates The ventilators were donated by Ian Clough a respiratory therapist of Jamaican origin who now lives in the United States Clough prides himself on giving back to Jamaica “I made this donation because I realise that the hospital system in Jamaica needs life support machines and these will contribute to that,” said Clough who has been donating ventilators to various medical facilities in Jamaica for some 20 years “I go around and ask for a lot on behalf of Jamaica’s health-care system and education systems every year,” added Clough his aim is to continue making valuable donations to impact Jamaica in a positive way The new ventilators have the capability of operating for an extended period because of the battery life which is up to four hours head of the Paediatric Department at the hospital Dr Coralie Antoine pointed to the benefit they will bring to the neonates “We ventilate very premature and critically ill neonates so these life-saving machines will go a long way in helping to augment the service that we offer We are thankful [to] you for these gracious donations as this will really impact the care we offer to our patients,” said Antoine who is expected to contest the St Ann North Eastern seat on a Jamaica Labour Party ticket in the next general election “When we have Jamaicans who have gone abroad and done very well it is great to see them giving back to their country,” said Samuda He noted that St Ann’s Bay Regional Hospital “keeps the parish functional and healthy but they don’t always have the tools they need and we will work with many others to ensure that opportunities the team needs are provided” Jamaica — Vendors at the St Ann’s Bay Market in St Ann will soon have their issues at the facility addressed following the announcement of $15 million towards renovation by Local Government Minister Desmond McKenzie Minister McKenzie made the announcement while on a tour of the market on Tuesday he is disappointed at the state of the facility and he understands the concern of the vendors and customers alike “Last week I was passing the market and a number of vendors spoke to me about the problem that they are experiencing I gave a commitment to the vendors that I would come back today (Tuesday) to have an extensive tour and to look at the problems and to hear from them I must tell you I am a bit disappointed about the state of the market and I do share their concern about the challenges it poses to their livelihood,” he said I did provide last year an amount of money to undertake repairs to the toilet facilities in the market but there needs to be much more that needs to be done to address the issues not only that were raised by the vendors but by persons who are shopping” He said the works will focus on the sidewalk he admitted that the works will not be completed at once “So the ministry is going to be providing $15 million which will immediately descend on the municipal corporation specifically to deal with the issues surrounding the St Ann’s Bay market There needs to be urgent repairs to the sidewalk there needs to be some cleaning up of the facility putting on a quote of paint to lift the facility They will not be able to do the work all at once but this is an incremental amount that will be given until we look at how best to deal with the lasting issues,” he said He called on vendors to cooperate as the project takes place how the stalls in there are situated poses not just a danger to vendors but also to persons using the market.I’m hoping that the vendors will cooperate I know they have real concern but Rome was not built in a day” He noted that the move is alongside several other renovation works that are being done in the parish to include works on the Brown’s Town and the Ocho Rios markets “As I said we started last year in providing some funds to repair the bathroom we have provided funds for the Brown’s Town we have provided funds on the Ocho Rios Market and I understand the work on the Ocho Rios market is completed and ready to go and then now this one is in an advanced phase of repair because they are putting a complete new toilet block for male and female,” he noted St Ann — Concerned by what he saw during a tour of the St Ann’s Bay Market Local Government Minister Desmond McKenzie on Tuesday announced that funds will be immediately provided to do repairs “The ministry will be providing $15 million which will be released immediately to the St Ann Municipal Corporation to commence work to deal with the issues at the St Ann’s Bay Market,” said McKenzie “There needs to be urgent repairs to the sidewalk and to add a coat of paint to give a facelift to the facility I’m a bit disappointed about the state of the market and I share the vendors’ concerns about the challenges it poses to their livelihood,” he added During his visit one disgruntled vendor pointed out a sidewalk that she said has remained broken for almost nine years though she has reported the issue many times The Ministry of Local Government recently allocated funds for repairs but the minister noted that while it is evident work is being done in the area “Last year I did provide some amount of money to make repairs to the toilet in the market; those works are ongoing but much more needs to be done to address the issues The work here is extensive and it can’t be done all at once This is an incremental amount that will be given until we look at how best to deal with the lasting issues,” McKenzie stated The vendors expressed their gratitude to the minister for his visit and taking steps to address their concerns “I’m hoping that the vendors will continue to co-operate because Rome was not built in a day The ministry will be working closely with the corporation to execute the work,” promised McKenzie Mayor of St Ann’s Bay Michael Belnavis lauded the minister’s effort to address the challenges at the facility “We at the St Ann Municipal Corporation will ensure the work is done expeditiously because the residents and vendors need the work done so they can come in and enjoy the market experience,” Belnavis assured The page you requested is temporarily unavailable St Ann — Repairs have been made to the St Ann’s Bay Market just in time for the festive season according to chief engineering officer at the St Ann Municipal Corporation (SAMC) Glenford Ricketts “I’m happy to announce that the bathroom facility is now completed so the vendors can use it As it relates to the $15 million that was announced by the minister we have started clean-up of the market compound,” Ricketts told Thursday’s monthly meeting of the SAMC He was referring to a commitment made in September by Local Government Minster Desmond McKenzie during a tour of the market The minister had expressed disappointment at conditions and announced that funds would be allocated for renovations to be done Ricketts said with the bathrooms now spruced up preparations are to be made for the additional work to be done Christmas is expected to be a busy time for the market and the renovations are expected to be well received by vendors and shoppers Mayor of St Ann’s Bay Michael Belnavis is also pleased at the work being done “I’m very happy the minister saw the need to do repairs to two bathroom facilities in St Ann’s Bay and Ocho Rios and I know some work was done in Brown’s Town also,” he said in response to Ricketts’ update on Thursday Ann now has a multimillion-dollar oxygen plant which was financed by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the Government of Canada at a cost of more than $125 million uses pressure swing adsorption (PSA) technology which will enable the production of high-purity oxygen by separating it from nitrogen in the air The plant has the capacity to deliver up to 530 litres of medical oxygen per minute at peak flow and can fill up to 137 20-litre cylinders in 24 hours It represents a strategic move by the Ministry of Health and Wellness to diversify the supply of medical-grade oxygen and reduce dependence on a single provider UNICEF will initially oversee the plant’s maintenance through a contractual agreement with the manufacturer As part of the Government’s broader initiative to strengthen healthcare resilience the plant will be fully owned and operated by the Ministry with the North East Regional Health Authority (NERHA) assuming maintenance responsibilities after December Speaking during the recent unveiling ceremony “We came very close to running out [of medical-grade oxygen during the COVID-19 pandemic] because we had one supplier and I vowed with my team that we would not have this kind of risk happening again,” he said Tufton pointed out that the plant “allows us to complement the medical oxygen procured from our national supplier and is part of a larger thrust to explore alternative sources for medical-grade oxygen” He added that the facility’s ability to enhance the oxygen supply infrastructure is part of a larger strategy to safeguard public health facilities against potential supply disruptions It demonstrates progress in terms of building resilience in public health because it is an essential step towards resilience,” Dr Work is already under way to instal a similar plant at the May Pen Hospital in Clarendon to further expand Jamaica’s capacity to supply life-saving oxygen expressed pride in facilitating Jamaica’s first public health institution to operate its own oxygen plant represented a significant achievement in improving healthcare delivery “This oxygen plant will not only serve to supply patients but act as a training hub for healthcare professionals ensuring the skills and knowledge necessary for the effective use of medical oxygen The collaboration exemplifies how international cooperation can solve health concerns and save lives,” Ms Head of Cooperation at the Canadian High Commission noted that the partnership between Canada and UNICEF reflects a commitment to enhancing global health systems and ensuring pandemic preparedness “Improved supply of and access to medical oxygen will be a positive legacy of Jamaica’s pandemic response Canada is proud to have provided the funding to make the St Ann’s Bay Hospital oxygen plant a reality,” he said VENDORS at the St Ann’s Bay Market have welcomed the recent renovation to the bathroom at the facility and have applauded Minister of Local Government Desmond McKenzie for keeping his promise to them During a tour of the market last September McKenzie expressed disappointment at the state of the bathroom facility and declared that urgent work needed to be done McKenzie allocated $15 million for emergency repairs to sections of the market During a recent tour of the facility vendors told the Jamaica Observer that they feel more comfortable and safe when taking bathroom breaks right now I don’t have to worry about the place feeling dirty and insanitary It’s a fresh look for the new year and in here look light and beautiful because it never look suitable before,” said a soup vendor who gave his name as Junior or Haat Daddy who has been frequenting the market for six years said he appreciates the changes made to the facility “I can really feel the difference with the upgrade it feels good to know that when I come in I have somewhere to wash my hands and not have to worry about water and stuff like that,” added Junior told the Observer that a proper sanitary convenience was needed because before now the facility wasn’t clean [now] especially young women like myself can use the area and feel more comfortable and I’m happy that they see that it needed to be fix,” said Smith The bathroom facility has male and female sections with the male area painted in blue and female sections painted in purple one vendor argued that it is unfair that they are charged to use the bathroom Every time I go in there I pay $150 or $100 and that is not right because we pay our rent and if you’re paying rent for somewhere but not we who use the market,” declared the vendor who asked not to be named Jamaica – Mayor of St Ann’s Bay and chairman of the St Ann Municipal Corporation Michael Belnavis has been readmitted to hospital and is undergoing supervision following an attack at his home on Monday Belnavis was initially released from hospital on Monday night but was subsequently readmitted after feeling discomfort on Tuesday afternoon according to communication from the Jamaica Labour Party He had been attacked by an unknown assailant at his residence on Monday and sustained what are believed to be non-life threatening injuries READ :Mayor Belnavis recovering from injuries Belnavis and his family say they are thankful for the outpouring of support and good wishes since then has sought to address parking challenges faced by taxi operators in Discovery Bay and other stakeholders on November 28 to discuss immediate and long-term plans to alleviate the situation said the Government is securing a plot of land in the township that will be transformed into a new transport centre He said once Noranda receives Board approval Ann Municipal Corporation for development into a full-fledged transport hub The Minister said the new location will make a significant impact on improving order and safety in the area I got in contact with the National Works Agency (NWA) taxi operators will be relocated to the new site with designated areas for loading and unloading Additional plans are in place to provide the necessary amenities to make the area more comfortable for both operators and passengers The Minister also noted that there have been discussions with the police and the Transport Authority to ensure that transport operators comply with the new regulations I can say that there is going to be zero tolerance I spoke to the Assistant Commissioner of Police who has indicated to me that he will send some more resources down here to make sure that we can keep order on the roads,” Mr said he is satisfied with the assurances given regarding the enforcement against illegal and non-compliant robot taxi operators He indicated that he is grateful for the timely response from the Government highlighting years of unheard pleas and the unwillingness of authorities to address their concerns said the short-term and long-term arrangements are the “best to date” He added that the new location that will be transformed into a transport centre will be safer for both vehicles and commuters reducing the risk of accidents and improving traffic flow Winston Rodney was raised in the scenic town of St The man who became famous as reggae singer Burning Spear never forgot his roots it’s a coastal place an’ I liked to swim I was involved in a youth club…it was a lot of fun,” he said The legendary artist has not been to Jamaica in five years but reaches out to organizations in his hometown including the St Ann’s Bay Primary School which he attended Ann’s Bay Infirmary and the Children’s Ward at St On April 13 77 year-old Spear will sponsor a treat for students of St With the help of Zazan I got involved even more with helping the needy,” Spear explained a colleague of Spear’s who does charity work in St Jamaicans attend churches of various denominations during Easter They also consume huge quantities of bun (a raisin-filled loaf) and cheese which will be a feature of the treat Ann’s Bay is also the birthplace of Marcus Garvey founder of the Pan African movement and Jamaica’s first National Hero Garvey inspired Marcus Garvey, Spear’s signature work Recorded at the height of the roots-reggae revolution in Jamaica it is one of pop music’s great statement albums Burning Spear made his name as one of roots-reggae’s most enduring acts, touring for months annually. He gave up the road just over 10 years ago but makes a comeback this year on two high-profile events — Rototom Sunsplash in Spain in August and the Welcome to Jamrock cruise in December.