Westmoreland was engulfed in smoke for over three hours yesterday afternoon as a massive fire tore through a warehouse near the popular Imperial Plaza on Great George Street The blaze forced police to evacuate business operators in the area while firefighters battled to protect and prevent a nearby gas station and church from being dragged into the inferno The A1 Equipment Batteries and Accessories warehouse burned with such intensity that onlookers could feel the heat penetrating their skins According to Savanna-la-Mar Mayor Danree Delancy Delancy said he was notified by the Jamaica Fire Brigade who urgently requested assistance from the Westmoreland Municipal Corporation’s trucks one of our trucks is down and the other was busy delivering water house to house in the Negril area,” he said “We immediately called that truck back to Savanna-la-Mar had it refilled at the Petersfield refilling area though the inferno was described as contained fire chief for the Westmoreland Fire Department said he was unable to comment as the authorities were still conducting their investigations chief executive officer for Regency Petroleum said it remained unclear how the fire was ignited “It is just an unfortunate situation and we are happy there were no serious injuries and no one died,” Williams told The Gleaner He acknowledged that the situation could have been far more serious member of parliament for Westmoreland Central “There are a lot of buildings close to where the fire started so everyone would be in a panic mode,” said Wright “Thank God the fire never escalated where it would go on to other properties.” With the parish already grappling with a severe drought that has significantly strained local water resources and with yesterday’s firefighting efforts facing extra challenges the mayor noted that private water truck operators in the parish stepped in with tremendous support “I must say thanks to them,” Delancy said “They responded well and voluntarily assisted in bringing the fire under control.” ashley.anguin@gleanerjm.com View the discussion thread. Jamaica — A fire has engulfed a building complex in Savanna-la-Mar Unconfirmed reports suggest the blaze has caused extensive damage to the complex which contains a warehouse and office spaces The exact time the fire started and the cause are not available at this time the Fire Department received a call at around 3:00 pm Two units from the Savanna-La-Mar Fire Station and one from Negril responded to the call The frustrated residents blocked the Savanna-la-Mar to Negril main road and alternative routes to Negril with downed trees and old appliances The Westmoreland Fire Department and police managed to clear the main road to allow for single lane access Copyright © 2025 Multimedia Jamaica Ltd Citizens of Westmoreland are being implored to take the warnings about Hurricane Beryl seriously said some persons remain skeptical about the possible impact of the system We are all God-fearing people… most of us believe in prayer Prepare because the hurricane can have devastating consequences on us if we don’t,” he told JIS News “It is best to prepare for it and it doesn’t come Whatever you can do in your small corner to prepare please do so,” Councillor Delancy appealed The Mayor further encouraged residents to keep up-to-date with information being released about the system and be aware of the nearest hurricane shelter He also implored citizens to assist their neighbours who may be elderly or have physical challenges Councillor Delancy noted that drain cleaning activities are ongoing to mitigate flooding and urges citizens to assist the process by practicing responsible garbage disposal He noted that an emergency operating centre meeting was held at the Municipal Corporation on July 1 to address the parish’s preparedness and a meeting of the Disaster Preparedness and Management Committee is slated for July 2 “Further discussions will ensue with regards to shelters and shelter managers we should have those sorted out,” Councillor Delancy said Hurricane Beryl is expected to impact the island on Wednesday (July 3) Send An Email Get the latest news & updates from the JIS sent to your inbox WESTERN BUREAU: emerged as Good Samaritans to the 90 residents at the Savanna-la-Mar infirmary earlier this week coming to their assistance with a supply of crucial sanitary items “Today we are presenting 30 boxes of adult pampers and 10 boxes of bed pads to the Savanna-la-Mar infirmary to help satisfy the needs for these items,” said Dr Jean Powell a senior member of the Savanna-la-Mar Rotary Club The generous donation also includes bedside tables and a patient bed lift which will provide nurses with an easier method to move around bed-ridden persons at the facility said she has been making personal donations to the parish’s infirmary for over 30 years she has increased her contribution tremendously who are also chairman of the Westmoreland Municipal Corporation (WMC) expressed much gratitude to the Rotary Club for their timely donation noting that it will help to alleviate the high costs associated with caring for the residents of the infirmary which falls under the management of the WMC and managing the administration of medications “We want to thank the Savanna-la-Mar Rotary Club for reaching out to us with these supplies because it costs us millions of dollars on a monthly basis to run the infirmary,” said Delancy “When kind-hearted people like our friends from the Savanna-la-Mar Rotary Club can come along and make contributions like these it goes a long way in helping us to meet the needs of those we cared for at our facility.” Councillor Joan Bahadur who chairs the Poor Relief Committee at the WMC issued a call to the business community and non-governmental organisations to follow the good example of the Rotarians “We are in need of many essential items and sanitary supplies,” said Bahadur View the discussion thread. Jamaica — Firefighters are still on location carrying out cooling down operations for a massive fire at a family-operated warehouse in Savanna-la-Mar Acting Assistant Commissioner of the Jamaica Fire Brigade Rudolph Seaton said firefighters responded to the fire shortly after 3:00 pm yesterday and remain on site “We are still there carrying out some cooling-down activities because it is a warehouse where you have a lot of lubricants and they still have a service station in the vicinity They still have a lot of fuel on the compound and so forth we have to make sure that there is nothing that can cause a reignition after we have left,” stated Seaton has commended private water truck operators for the support they provided during the massive fire “We want to express our appreciation to the private truck drivers water tanker drivers and owners who turned out in their numbers to lend support,” stated Beckford The commissioner said the brigade is aware that there are sometimes challenges with water in some urban centres “But with the support that we got from these tanker drivers who must be commended was tremendous and that would have helped us significantly in our firefighting operation I want to commend these drivers and I think this is one example of citizens rallying around to help in a situation of crisis instead of pulling out their cell phones to take videos and pictures so that they can post these online I want to thank these drivers and express sincere gratitude to them for their assistance,” emphasised Beckford two units from the Savanna-La-Mar Fire Station and one unit from Negril responded to the call Beckford revealed that support was also received from Hanover and St Elizabeth On the sidelines of efforts to control the fire on Wednesday pointed to the role truckers played in preventing things from getting worse “I am the first one as a private job to assist Savanna-la-Mar [would] burn out,” argued Clarke have welcomed the entry of digital business services company With approximately 3,100 employees in Jamaica the US$7.5-million outsourcing entity has the capacity to provide 700 more jobs and is being hailed as a ‘gamechanger’ for the parish chairman of the Westmoreland Municipal Corporation said: “Teleperformance’s decision to invest in Savanna-la-Mar speaks volumes about the potential and promise that lies within Westmoreland.” He noted that the new facility is an incubator for professional development for the young people of Savanna-la-Mar and Westmoreland “This facility is more than just a call centre It’s a catalyst for economic empowerment creating numerous job opportunities and fostering professional growth for our residents,” said Delancy says young people should be happy to have the Teleperformance facility in the parish as it will allow them to connect with other people across the world from the comfort of their workstations in the parish “We have never had anything of this magnitude here in the parish that seeks to employ especially young people in the area of technology,” said Perrin He described the coming of Teleperformance as a gamechanger for the parish senior vice president of operations and country manager at Teleperformance says Savanna-la-Mar was chosen as many of his employees travel from Westmoreland to work in Montego Bay daily Four hundred employees drive from here (Savanna-la-Mar) to Montego Bay and they are on time They are the first ones to get into the building and they are the last ones to leave,” said Becker He was speaking at the ribbon cutting ceremony to formally opened the new state of the art facility which is sited in the Llandilo section of the parish capital Teleperformance is a digital business services company the company had been operating in Jamaica for the past 25 years from its base in Montego Bay the business processing outsourcing company scouted out possible locations in Hanover and Trelawny before deciding on Westmoreland as the ideal location to accommodate its expansion plan “We are going to seed the facility with 300 of our Montego Bay folks But we are also going to hire hundreds and hundreds of qualified applicants from in and around Savanna-la-Mar,” stated Becker He said that this will be strategically achieved by building out small centres in communities where staff members reside View the discussion thread. Westmoreland — With victims of 30 motorcycle crashes seen at Savanna-la-Mar Public General Hospital’s Accident and Emergency Unit each week medical staff have welcomed the donation of a $50.6-million digital radiographic unit (DRU) which will allow for faster patient diagnosis and help reduce overcrowding “Many patients requiring X-rays are often confined in wheelchairs or beds,” said Dacia Wanliss who works as a medical imaging practitioner at the hospital time…does not have to be wasted getting the patients out of the wheelchair or transferred onto the X-ray table [as] patients can be X-rayed in their wheelchair or bed the results are immediate…which will reduce the time of diagnosis and prevent further deterioration of the patient and that patient can be discharged earlier,” Wanliss added She was speaking during a recent ceremony in which CHASE Fund handed over medical equipment to the four public hospitals overseen by Western Regional Health Authority (WRHA) According to WRHA Director of Operations and Maintenance Michelle-Ann Whyte-Chapman the total value of the donation was $99.7 million “At CHASE we believe in quality health care,” the fund’s CEO Billy Heaven stated during the presentation “We believe that it is a fundamental right that people must have access to modern medical technology He pointed out that CHASE Fund has invested $63 billion in health care in Jamaica to date Whyte-Chapman spoke glowingly about the difference the donated equipment will make in people’s lives “These investments translate into improved patient outcomes and overall superior patient experiences,” she said more than 36,000 X-rays were done in the country’s western region Of the ones done at Savanna-la-Mar Public General Hospital in connection with the 30 weekly motorcycle crashes There has long been concern about the prevalence of motorcycles being involved in traffic crashes and during the handover of the digital X-ray machine Minister of Health and Wellness Dr Christopher Tufton pointed to the need for residents to take a more responsible approach to their well-being “The bike culture in this parish is a celebrated culture,” Tufton noted “I am not asking you to deviate from your culture We are going to have to understand how health works upgrading and expansion — we are going to also have to address behavioural changes within our society We are never going to be able to build enough hospital beds to accommodate indiscipline wayward or deviant behaviour that lead to these types of accidents.” The health minister also spoke of the toll which traffic mishaps have on other sections of the health-care system “The emergency response mechanism in the country is operated on several fronts,” Tufton explained “We work closely with the Ministry of Local Government where they tend to be the first responders to accident scenes — whether it is to get persons out of vehicles or in some instances to move people to hospitals because they Tufton underscored that reckless road use has pushed up the number of traffic crashes but argued that progress has been made in medical care since he became health minister Using Savanna-la-Mar Public General Hospital as an example Tufton said there has been an increase in the number of beds — from 164 in 2016 to 205 in 2024 — the number of nurses moved from 154 to 180; the number of doctors moved from 34 to 99; and while there were two manual X-ray units in 2016 the hospital has been fitted with a new boiler system and a new backup generator and he shared that the old one will be transformed into a new ward He said details of these plans will be unveiled soon chairman of the National Commercial Bank Jamaica (NCBJ) says that while the town of Savanna-la-Mar in Westmoreland is showing encouraging economic growth its infrastructure is outdated and lagging “I was pleasantly surprised to see the thriving town that Savanna-la-Mar is and how it is expanding,” said Lee-Chin who was in Westmoreland last week as part of NCB’s Customer Blitz series including providing customers with an opportunity to directly interact with himself and other senior executives who was visiting the Westmoreland capital for the first time in 10 years said based on the development which has taken place since his last visit “I was pleasantly surprised because I have not been to Savanna-la-Mar for the last 10 years things are going well; the growth is there but the infrastructure is not keeping up,” said Lee-Chin citing the need for a modern sewage treatment system in outlining some of the more pressing challenges agreed with Lee-Chin that the town needs to have a centralised sewage and wastewater treatment system “The need to have a central sewage system is high on the agenda of the parish’s development plan which is being guided by the Westmoreland Municipal Corporation (WMC),” he said that establishing a sewage system will require private and other external engineering skills to guide the process including capital funding from central government Lee-Chin said that with the growing economy and a population of approximately 150,000 in Westmoreland there is a need to look outside of the parish if the project is to be realised Westmoreland sits at some 36.61 feet below sea level The parish typically receives about 6.15 inches of rain annual which results in flooding in some areas of the town of Savanna-La-Mar you have to find yourself there to look and see what they have you come back as a stronger advocate,” Lee-Chin suggested Official data reports are that in the absence of a central sewerage system the pit latrine remains the major type of facility used by some residents According to the Social Development Commission (SDC) 2013 parish profile on Westmoreland the pit latrine was the most prevalent type of toilet facility That figure superseded the national mark of 32.3 per cent of households which used pit latrines The SDC data showed that water closets were utilised by 31.9 per cent of households and approximately 23 per cent of those households shared toilet facilities View the discussion thread. who also heads the Westmoreland Municipal Corporation is calling on residents of the western parish to use the celebration of the nation’s 62nd anniversary of Independence as a catalyst to displace lawlessness with love who was speaking at the parish’s Independence Civic Ceremony noted that while tremendous gains have been made over the past 62 years persons were no longer ‘loving themselves and their neighbours’ as they did in the early years of independent Jamaica let us try and bring back the love among us,” urged Delancy ‘Jamaica 62: One Love ...To the World’ and we can get there again,” said Delancy as he sought to evoke a spirit of patriotism among residents who formed a guard of honour saluting the nation’s Independence journey Delancy’s plea comes against the background of the Westmoreland Police Division’s report of having 63 of the recorded 195 murders committed in Area One of the Jamaica Constabulary Force since the start of the year Hanover (36) and Trelawny (14) make up the overall tally the police have been successful in removing over 30 illegal firearms from the hands of criminals since the start of the year the weapons seized include seven high-powered assault rifles which he noted has significantly weakened the notorious Kings Valley Gang which has been locked in a bloody feud with the Ants Posse Gang for turf and the spoils of criminal activities in Grange Hill and surrounding communities Residents and community leaders shared that in former times Westmoreland was a peaceful parish with awesome potential especially with Negril emerging as a premier tourism destination During the era when sugar cane production flourished in the parish View the discussion thread. Opposition Spokesman on Health Dr Alfred Dawes believes there is an urgent need for a new hospital in Westmoreland noting that overcrowding at health facilities across the parish is putting a severe strain on resources and impacting the delivery of quality healthcare who served as the chief medical officer at the Savanna-la-Mar General Hospital between 2016 and 2019 was speaking after a tour of several health facilities in Westmoreland on Monday “Overcrowding is a major challenge here,” he said pointing to the state of the Savanna-la-Mar Hospital’s emergency department “I see that there is nothing short of a new building that is going to solve this problem and the Government and the Ministry of Health need to prioritise the funding for this building immediately,” said Dawes “The people of Westmoreland deserve better and they have to have a functional hospital,” he added further emphasising that the overcrowding is straining the staff and putting the overall healthcare delivery at risk The overcrowding issue is compounded by the shortage of space for social patients – those left abandoned by relatives at health facilities or those who are fit to be discharged but have nowhere to go These patients are occupying critical bed spaces which exacerbates the burden on the hospital’s emergency and treatment areas who said he was quite familiar with the challenges at the hospital surmised that they have worsened since the COVID-19 pandemic noting the rising incidence of chronic illnesses such as diabetes and hypertension the Ministry of Health and say that we need more beds but we need to look at the Ministry of Local Government as well because they are supposed to provide infirmary beds for a lot of these patients to move out and they are not fulfilling their part of the bargain,” said Dawes forcing upwards of 80 people in need of a bed to be crammed into the accident and emergency ward or left languishing in wheelchairs and on benches for as long as three days,” he added whereas we are calling on the Ministry of Health to expand the infrastructure I am also calling out the Ministry of Local Government and Minister Desmond McKenzie What are you doing to alleviate the burdens of ‘boarders’ at the hospital taking up bed spaces?” The situation seemed to improve temporarily in 2023 with the opening of a new male ward at the Westmoreland Infirmary which was designed to house up to 50 residents while eight social patients were relocated to the new ward there still isn’t enough space to accommodate all those in need Mayor of Savanna-la-Mar Danree Delancy explained that the new male ward could only take in a small portion of the patients leaving the hospital to care for 22 additional social cases Delancy also pointed out that the number of available spaces at the infirmary is limited as new spaces only open when a resident dies Health and Wellness Minister Dr Christopher Tufton told The Gleaner that plans were afoot to refurbish an abandoned building on the grounds of the Westmoreland Infirmary to house some 20 social patients “A number of years have passed since that time and the pledge from the minister remains just that the ball is in the Ministry of Health’s court to do something to pick up where they left off in terms of the renovation of the building … We at the WMC (Westmoreland Municipal Corporation) are more than willing to accommodate these persons once space is provided.” Former Westmoreland Central Member of Parliament Dwayne Vaz echoed the need for a new hospital in the parish capital “Our priority is to concentrate on these health centres This will reduce the number of patients flocking to the hospital,” said Vaz who wants to see improved services at the health centres in Cornwall Mountain and Savanna-la-Mar to take some of the strain off the hospital until a new facility can be built albert.ferguson@gleanerjm.com View the discussion thread. Samantha McFarlane was crowned Miss Universe Jamaica West during a glittering ceremony on Sunday evening at Hotel Commingle in Savanna-la-Mar The 23-year-old cosmetologist received her crown from Hannah Sheree regional manager and pageant director for Miss Universe Jamaica West after emerging from a field of 11 contestants McFarlane edged out strong competition from first runner-up Shanni Wallace and second runner-up Gabrielle White Akedia Morgan was crowned Miss Universe Jamaica Central on Saturday night at the Golf View Hotel in Mandeville Miss Universe Jamaica West and Central are two of five regional pageants that feed into the national competition was crowned Miss Universe Jamaica East 2025 a quantity surveying student at the University of Technology earned the Miss Universe Jamaica Northeast 2025 title janet.silvera@gleanerjm.com View the discussion thread. the chief executive officer (CEO) of Regency Petroleum Limited (RPL) is clarifying that the building engulfed in flames in Savanna-la-Mar Westmoreland on Wednesday is a family-owned warehouse not the gas station as previously reported Initial reports had suggested that the RPL gas station on Great George Street in Savanna-la-Mar was completely engulfed in flames Williams explained that the fire was contained solely to a family-operated warehouse “I am happy to report that Regency Petroleum’s offices and the head offices are okay,” Williams said the fire was contained in that structure.” A statement from the company noted that authorities and emergency services are actively monitoring the situation to ensure the safety of the facility and surrounding areas It said no major injuries or fatalities have been reported very unfortunate situation but we are happy that no one got injured and no one died So thanks again to the fire department and whoever else assisted,” Williams shared two units from the Savanna-la-Mar Fire Station and one from Negril responded to the call Private water trucks from various locations also supported the efforts by providing water free of cost Savanna-la-Mar burn out,” commented water truck operator Anthony Clarke has made it clear that hydrants in the town are working and have water in them with assistance from the Airports Authority of Jamaica (AAJ) remain on-site to conduct cooling down operations Firefighters along with the Airports Authority of Jamaica (AAJ) carrying out cooling down operations as a crowd looks on Business operators and residents in Westmoreland and from nearby parishes are invited to participate in the National Housing Trust (NHT) Compliance 365 Expo on February 21 which will take place at the Savanna-la-Mar Methodist Church forms part of a series aimed at promoting and enhancing compliance among micro said the expo is designed to provide participants with access to critical business services in one convenient location It offers on-the-spot consultations and services from entities such as Tax Administration Jamaica (TAJ) and the Westmoreland Regional Health Authority We want persons to think of compliance on a daily basis What we are trying to do is to get the message out there and show how it can make life easier for business operators,” Mr The Compliance 365 Expo began in 2023 in Ocho Rios and has since travelled across the island Evans noted that its impact has been significant with more business operators taking steps towards regularising their affairs “What we have seen is that the message is getting out there and ensuring their accounts are up to date and we are satisfied that the initiative is yielding positive results,” he noted Business owners who may be unsure about their compliance requirements or need assistance in getting registered are strongly encouraged to attend we encourage everyone who can attend to come down to the expo Bring along your National Insurance Scheme and Tax Registration Number documents as these will help us find the relevant information you may need Our goal is to assist as many persons as possible in getting and staying compliant,” he said The Westmoreland Circuit Court was advised today that Deputy Superintendent of Police Kevin Francis who has been testifying in the trial of three cops in the 2014 beating of Mario Deane will be unavailable for the next five days due to ill health who in 2014 was the commanding officer in charge of the Barnett Street Police Station lock-up where Deane was reportedly beaten while in custody had previously given evidence on Tuesday despite showing physical signs of illness When the trial of Corporal Elaine Stewart and Constables Juliana Clevon and Marlon Grant resumed this morning had been given five days' sick leave under doctor's orders presiding High Court Justice Courtney Daye said that the evidence of another police witness who was originally slated to testify today could continue as previously arranged and that Francis' evidence could be completed at a later time and Grant are charged with manslaughter and misconduct in a public office under allegations that they were the officers on duty at the Barnett Street Police Station lock-up at the time when Deane was beaten while in custody on August 3 Deane died at the Cornwall Regional Hospital three days later is also charged with perverting the course of justice after she allegedly ordered the cleaning of the cell where the beating took place before investigators from the Independent Commission of Investigations arrived Follow The Gleaner on X and Instagram @JamaicaGleaner and on Facebook @GleanerJamaica. Send us a message on WhatsApp at 1-876-499-0169 or email us at onlinefeedback@gleanerjm.com or editors@gleanerjm.com View the discussion thread. With sugar production no longer at the forefront CEO of the Jamaica Special Economic Zone Authority (JSEZA) says the parish of Westmoreland is now primed for development that will foster economic growth and create sustainable jobs through the creation of economic zones and new industries who has developed national strategic developmental plans and strategies for both public and private sector entities resulting in the attainment of national and organisational goals on a global level expressed her view in an interview with The Gleaner and the chamber president (Moses Chybar) told me that they have the lands,” said Hamilton who was in the parish for the opening of the new Westmoreland branch of Teleperformance in Savanna-la-Mar which is expected to employ more than 700 young people we want to see more economic zones developing We want to see different industries developing as well,” said Hamilton a global giant in the business processing outsourcing (BPO) sector is putting its footprint on the parish as a mark of their commitment The nine-year-old JSEZA is a body corporate of the Government of Jamaica under the Ministry of Industry It is tasked to facilitate the development of and promotion of investments in Special Economic Zones (SEZs) in Jamaica president of the Westmoreland Chamber of Commerce and Industry (WCCI) said the opening of Teleperformance in Savanna-la-Mar is a beacon of hope for the parish and reflects the great potentials that exist in Westmoreland “The business community wholeheartedly welcomes the opening of Teleperformance not only does it signal that people are recognising the potential here in the west but it will also stimulate many other activities including the building out of other services,” said Chybar “Looking at what Teleperformance is bringing I believe they are expected to employ around 700 people that in itself will create other opportunities transportation and maybe more classrooms at our schools,” said Chybar The sugar industry was the economic backbone of Westmoreland for many decades which has resulted in more than 120 small farmers walking away from the industry Chybar is in full agreement with Hamilton’s view that Westmoreland is ripe for development noting that Teleperformance’s US$7.5-million investment was much-needed Westmoreland has not experienced much in any sizable investment the largest single employer of labour in this parish and that is significant,” said Chybar “Add Teleperformance investment here to the Bamboo factory and we can say that Westmoreland is opening up many doors of opportunity and it is a good time for persons who are looking to invest to take a closure look at our parish because in the next few years commerce is going to be moving at a brisk pace.” editorial@gleanerjm.com View the discussion thread. Scores of students from schools across Westmoreland gathered at the Sean Lavery Hall in Savanna-la-Mar on Thursday (Jan to participate in the Ministry of Legal and Constitutional Affairs (MCLA) Road to Republic School Engagement Session following the recent tabling of the Constitution (Amendment) (Republic) Act 2024 by portfolio Minister provided the youngsters with insights into the nation’s transition from a constitutional monarchy to a republic The MCLA team guided discussions on the president’s tenure advantages and disadvantages of becoming a republic and more The students demonstrated an understanding of the proposed constitutional changes and added their voices in support of Jamaica’s move towards full independence from the British monarchy said such a move would establish Jamaica’s true independence Our identity is one of the most important things… and it is time for us to take ourselves away from the past and to the present that is Jamaica,” he contended John-Kristoff said he is in support of a five-year term for the president noting that this is in line with the current political structure and will provide more opportunity for citizens to go to the polls to select their leadership Upper sixth form student at Manning’s School said the session was informative and she came away with a better understanding of the benefits of Jamaica transitioning from a monarchy to a republic she is in support of a five-year presidential term “I definitely believe that seven years is too long for one person to be in a position of power I don’t completely agree with the president’s full tenure being seven years I think that we should keep it as democratic as possible,” she expressed For Lower Sixth Form student at Petersfield High School He said he strongly supports the shift to a republic as it would mean that Jamaica would no longer be bound to the British monarchy “Jamaica will no longer [answer] to the monarch in England We can have our own president,” he pointed out Dylano noted that while there are potential downsides to losing the protective influence of the English monarchy the benefits of independence far outweigh these  concerns Sixth-form student at Frome Technical High School said the nation’s status under the constitutional monarchy does not fully reflect the independence gained in 1962 She argued that the proposed change would pave the way for a more self-sufficient nation The session also included students from Godfrey Stewart is encouraging residents to take part in the parish’s Emancipation and Independence festivities Councillor Delancy told JIS News that the Municipality hosted its Emancipation-Independence church service on July 27 at the Seaford Town Seventh-day Adventist Church adding that there are other activities slated to be held across Westmoreland in the next few days “Next on the agenda for our celebration will be our Emancipation vigil on July 31 at Norman Square in Savanna-la-Mar Mayor Delancy said the event will feature performers from the parish and its environs as well as persons who are known across the island “We will have performances that depict our heritage and our history There will also be traditional Jamaican food on sale so persons can indulge in our local cuisine,” he said who also serves as Councillor for the Bethel Town division said he will be collaborating with the Amity Community Outreach group to host a back-to-school health fair at the St Leonard’s Primary School on Emancipation Day “Persons should come out and bring the children with them so they can get free medical check-ups [among other benefits],” he said The Mayor pointed out that the Municipality is set to host its annual Civic Ceremony on Independence Day  persons are invited to return to the same venue for the parish’s Independence Day concert This will close out the celebrations for the Emancipation and Independence period This year’s Independence Day celebrations are being observed under the theme ‘Jamaica 62: One Love…To the World’ Westmoreland — A breath of fresh air is how many residents of Westmoreland are describing the efforts of the police in the parish Business operators and residents are saying they now feel safer in communities where they have not felt safe for a long while But everyweh you walk a Grange Hill now you see police,” Joy Spence Grange Hill was a hotbed of criminal activity earlier this year with five people fatally shot in less than 72 hours in March Weeks later 16-year-old Grange Hill High School student Carson Barrett was killed in the community and a female schoolmate left nursing gunshot wounds as the police struggled to stem what was labelled gang violence But in recent weeks the area has quieted down with the police establishing a strong presence in the space and seizing a number of illegal weapons residents in the downtown Savanna-la-Mar and the Negril environs are singing the praise of the Westmoreland police every minute a next police drive pass mi gate,” added Forbes During his report to the monthly meeting of Westmoreland Municipal Corporation Thursday head of the Westmoreland police Superintendent Othneil Dobson stated that murders are down in the parish since the start of this year with the official Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) statistics reporting 57 murders in the parish up to July 6 down from 65 for the same period last year Dobson told the meeting that many members of the JCF have received superior training He added: “To the wanted men we are sending a warning: When we come for you because in most cases you can see that superior training will win So just come willingly and be brought before the courts.” Dobson also claimed that incidents of robberies and rape are also showing lower figures than the previous year he underscored that the rape cases usually involve individuals close to the families and pleaded with the residents to be mindful of who they are leaving their children with “We hope to partner with the councillors and other stakeholders in reviving the police youth clubs and the neighbourhood watch to help [with crime prevention],” said Dobson which impacted Jamaica just over one week ago Dobson said work on clearing the roadways began at 11:00 pm on July 3 after the worst of the system had passed He said the continuous efforts of the police with assistance from the Westmoreland Fire Brigade ensured that some of the major roadways were cleared by end of day July 4 “I want to commend you,” Councillor Julian Chang (People’s National Party Savanna-la-Mar Division) told Dobson during Thursday’s meeting “Usually during storms you have of lots of burglary this time around there were minimal reports,” said Chang While many veterans of combat remain shell-shocked years after coming home from the front-line is proud and grateful for his wartime experience even though he worked behind the scenes and not on the actual battlefield joined the British Royal Air Force in 1944 at 17 years old and still harbours vivid memories that highlight a kind of bravery that is often overlooked - his service in administration which required him to ensure that critical supplies reached those who were operating on the front lines In looking back at his administrative role Dawkins said his service was crucial in maintaining the lifeline that supported combat troops While acknowledging the heroism of those who faced direct conflict Dawkins explained the importance of the behind-the-scenes contribution that he and others made “There were no operations in England outside of the bombings They used many of us to do the administration work because the British soldiers had gone to the battlefield,” he recalled “The Jamaicans who signed up with me and were not working in the administration areas were doing engineering work on aircraft and other jobs.” Dawkins said it gives him a deep sense of fulfilment even though it has now been almost 80 years since war ended in 1945 “Serving my country in any capacity was an honour,” said Dawkins whose eyes dance with pride whenever he speaks of the experience As the United Kingdom celebrated Remembrance Day on November 11 Dawkins was among scores of citizens from Westmoreland who gathered at Norman Square in Savanna-la-Mar to remember those who served in the armed forces during the annual wreath laying and parade led by the Reverend Canon Hartley Perrin Dawkins told The Gleaner that the annual event is an excellent way to acknowledge the service of those citizens who championed the cause of world peace “It is excellent that they remember us for our services in wartime I appreciate this because I don’t know if I am going to live to see another Remembrance Day parade,” said Dawkins who is the recipient of two military medals for his service in World War II Perrin said the people of Westmoreland and Jamaica are proud and blessed to have Dawkins as the island’s oldest surviving veteran of World War II “He continues to enjoy excellent health and he can run comfortably if called upon to do so,” said Perrin he was able to lay a wreath at the cenotaph in honour and remembrance of those who served us well.” View the discussion thread. Deandra Dewar will join her brother Dwayne Dewar Jr Described as “naturally brilliant” they are just like any other siblings except for the fact that both their parents have hearing challenges “Both children attended Savanna-la-Mar Primary School,” that school’s Principal Megan Berry proudly told the Jamaica Observer “Deandra did not do one extra lesson and still managed to pass with high grades.” Twelve-year-old Deandra’s brilliance has not gone unnoticed She was awarded a scholarship by Hedonism II Foundation in recognition of being an outstanding Primary Exit Profile (PEP) student for 2024 Her favourite hobby is reading; and although she changes her career choice every day those who know her believe she will be outstanding in any field she chooses Principal Berry spoke of the role the siblings’ parents have played in their academic success and in shaping them to become who they are today “They show a lot of interest in their children’s education over the years,” she said “Although faced with financial challenges they still pushed to ensure that their children had everything for school and that they attended school The children themselves are dedicated to learning so the task was not a difficult one.” Dewar Sr and Wilson met at Christopher’s School for the Deaf in Brown’s Town They have been together for more than 15 years and their family values have earned them the admiration of many in the community Dewar Sr is a carpenter and stay-at-home dad a choice he made after being laid off from his hotel job during COVID-19 He is always present when his daughter gets home from school and stands ready to challenge both his children in various ways that boost their reasoning skills and learning development Wilson explained the formula for their children’s success and we provide them with the necessary tools for learning,” the proud mom told the Observer “We also let them do word puzzles and picture puzzles.” She said her children are fast learners and it was not very challenging to teach them sign language Both parents explained that their greatest challenge is miscommunication between them and the children Wilson is plagued with worry that her children will have problems socialising In her view the only impact from growing up with hearing impaired parents is that her grandchildren are a bit quieter than their peers along with the rest of the family and school officials does her best to treat the children just like anyone else She sang the praises of the children’s parents “Their impairment does not stop them from being good parents,” Grant “They ensure that the children go to school and to church Their teachers say they are quiet children and they are polite.” Grant was the one who noticed that when Deandra was three years old she was not talking as much as she should “I recognised that she was in a quiet home and decided to send her to school to be around children who are talking,” she explained she was still only signing so I moved her again to another school and she started talking while still doing her sign language.” Grant explained that she had herself raised her son to be independent — a trend continued with the rearing of her grandchildren The siblings are fluent in sign language and have been of great help to their parents Wilson recently landed a job with Deandra’s help “When she did the first interview at the job fair they had difficulties understanding her,” Grant explained “When she was [shortlisted] and called to do the second interview she brought Deandra with her to be her interpreter The grounds of the Negril Police Community Resource Centre located at the Negril Police Station in Westmoreland have received a much-needed facelift through the efforts of Constable Damion Wilson and his wife The Ash Wednesday (March 5) project brought together volunteers from across Negril to plant trees and flowers to beautify the facility Wilson told JIS News that the project was aimed at fostering stronger community-police relations and a sense of shared responsibility and connection planting flowers and trees is not just about adding beauty to our surroundings It’s a vital act that supports our environment lifts our spirits and connects us to the natural world,” she said said she hopes that the initiative would help community members see the police in a new light She is reminding persons that police officers are “humans just like everyone” and are approachable and caring individuals She commended the volunteers from various community groups who came forward to contribute their time and resources with some even donating plants for the beautification project we just want to say a wholehearted thank you to all the volunteers who turned out thanks to the Negril police for allowing us all the opportunity to beautify their premises,” Mrs who is attached to the Savanna-la-Mar Police Station said the project aligns perfectly with the JCF’s commitment to community development and outreach He emphasised the importance of building a positive relationship between law enforcement and the community and expressed the hope that the initiative will inspire more Jamaicans to take pride in their surroundings The Social Development Commission (SDC) is to host a Product Standardisation Session for small businesses on Wednesday at the Y’s Menettes Resource Centre in Savanna-la-Mar particularly local businessowners and entrepreneurs seeking to improve their products through proper labelling and standardisation It forms part of activities being carried out under the SDC’s Local Economic Development Support Programme Interested persons are being asked to register by calling 876-918-0996 or visiting the SDC Westmoreland Parish Office at Shop 24 told JIS News that the session will provide participants with the necessary knowledge and tools to effectively market their products “By equipping our local entrepreneurs with the skills and knowledge they need we are ensuring that they can compete in larger markets and contribute to the overall development of the country,” said Ms The session will feature presentations from key organisations such as the National Compliance and Regulatory Authority (NCRA) the Bureau of Standards Jamaica (BSJ) and the SDC Participants will also receive vital information on product labelling packaging and testing to ensure their goods meet both national and international standards The SDC is the principal community development agency working with Jamaica’s 775 communities It remains steadfast in its mission to support economic development at the community level providing the necessary resources for small businesses to succeed during challenging times Westmoreland — Hurricane Beryl brought out the best in many Westmoreland residents including Derrick “Legroute” Whitter’s neighbour As the storm raged in Savanna-la-Mar’s Hudson Street community last Wednesday Whitter and his female neighbour braved heavy wind and rain to clear a path so Whitter could make his way to the nearest shelter Luck was on his side and he could leave quickly as he had secured his important documents and furniture in the back room which he considered safest “My worry was the tree at the back of the house; I thought it would fall on the house,” Legroute told the Jamaica Observer the day after the hurricane “I was in the kitchen when I heard the sound I wouldn’t be here a talk to you now if it did drop on di house because a right on di kitchen it would a drop and that time I realise that the roof a lift off The roof over the bedroom and living room totally gone!” Some residents spent the day after the storm helping each other to find their missing roofs removing uprooted trees and branches from power lines and off the blocked streets This resilience was also seen in other Westmoreland residents some using Hurricane Beryl as a springboard for entrepreneurship Chainsaw owners walked around offering cutting service to neighbours impeded by downed trees Donovan Heath used his solar-powered generator to create a charging station at his gate For a modest sum of $100 his customers could power up their phones and other small devices there was gratitude that the storm did not do greater damage “Some people say that Beryl was worse than Gilbert no reports of flooding in any area,” said resident Dawn Johnson Political caretaker for the Cornwall Mountain Division Abigail Malcolm who was on the road early on Thursday to assess the extent of the damage and help with restoration activities confirmed that there had been no flooding in her area like many across Jamaica some residents lost roofs and trees and power lines were down in many communities “My team and I are here trying to help by removing fallen trees because the quicker the trees are removed the faster power will be restored as the trees are entangled with the power lines,” Malcolm told the Sunday Observer “We have to give God thanks because it could have been worse We are safe and sound,” she continued as she worked alongside her team They had also worked the day before the storm hit to assist about 53 elderly people in need received hurricane supplies and care packages The items were donated by various business people in the parish and the recipients were thankful Many residents in the parish were also grateful in the aftermath of Hurricane Beryl for the work done by the police They said their presence was felt during and after the storm and their swift action in clearing fallen trees from sections of the road was a big help is imploring citizens to play their part in ensuring that crime continues to trend downwards on the island there’s a 22 per cent reduction in murders alone and close to a 40 per cent reduction in overall crime We want to congratulate the police for the fantastic work they have been doing [but] the government [and] the police cannot do it alone “Every single one of you will have to play your part so that Jamaica can once again become the most peaceful place across the Western Hemisphere It can be done if we are determined to make Jamaica safe and secure,” the Minister said He was speaking during the Legal Aid Council’s (LAC) justice fair for persons with disabilities which was held at Independence Park in Savanna-La- Mar Highlighting further strides made in crime fighting Minister Chuck said that the number of gangs have been reduced from over 300 to under 150 and measures continue to eradicate all gangs across the island “We want to tell all those persons who are in gangs and those youngsters who want to join gangs You don’t have to be fighting one another You don’t have to spend all your money buying guns you don’t have to spend all your time scamming,” he said Chuck implored law abiding relatives of persons engaging in lottery scamming and other illegal activities You get a few dollars in your pocket and you start fighting over it The fair forms part of the Ministry’s initiative to make justice more accessible to Jamaicans It is also used as a tool to promote alternative justice services persons with disabilities and other members of the public were provided with access to justice services such as expungement Additional services are available through entities such as the Heart NSTA/Trust the National Housing Trust (NHT) among others View the discussion thread. The Westmoreland Health Department is urging increased vigilance against mosquito breeding as the parish sees an increase in the Aedes index Chief Public Health Inspector for Westmoreland said that the Aedes index moved to 9.7 per cent in September up from 8.44 per cent in August “We have been getting a lot of rains and so persons not only collect water in drums but there are other containers around the home which are also holding water and are breeding mosquitoes,” he noted Morris was addressing the monthly meeting of the Westmoreland Municipal Corporation which was held at the Corporation’s offices in Savanna-la-Mar on October 10 The Aedes index refers to the percentage of premises or homes in a limited where actual breeding of the Aedes aegypti mosquito is found and the total number of houses examined in that area The Aedes aegypti mosquito is responsible for the spread of dengue fever Morris said the increase in the index “means that residents are not doing as we are instructing them to do which is… to search and destroy breeding sites in and around the homes If we are seeing increases in breeding in containers it means that we are not doing what we should do” “This is something that we must continue to be preaching because our daily notifications are not going down; they are increasing,” he pointed out Morris informed that the Department has 16 working fogging machines and continues to maintain a regular fogging schedule throughout the parish Persons collecting rainwater for domestic use are encouraged to ensure the containers are covered with mesh and other materials that will keep mosquitoes out Water storage containers should also be inspected for mosquito larvae at least once per week a small amount of cooking oil should be poured on the water’s surface THE ROTARY Club of Savanna-la-Mar in its most recent community and vocational awards ceremony honoured six outstanding citizens of Westmoreland for their unwavering service in the fields of community development said these awards are conferred annually on citizens of the parish who have made significant contributions to the improvement of their communities “These unsung heroes have quietly made significant contributions to their communities predominantly on a voluntary basis,” Molyneaux said at the gala event held at the Hotel Commingle ballroom in the parish capital on Tuesday a mechanical engineer and retired general manager at the Urban Development Corporation stands tall among the awardees for his contribution to the country’s infrastructure a businessman who operates James Lumber in Waterworks was recognised and honoured in the category of entrepreneurship for positively impacting the growth of his community through the establishment of a housing development a dental surgeon and acting parish manager for the Western Regional Health Authority was recognised for providing free dental healthcare service annually to taxi operators and providing for the educational of over 30 children in Strathbogie plus engaging in the development of residents in sporting disciplines a sales executive with Seprod Jamaica for more than 15 years and who hails from the community of Russia was lauded for service rendered towards transforming and attaining the status of an independent community Scott who has taken on several leadership roles in his unplanned and under-resourced community was lauded by Rotarians for organising sporting events training and job placements for several members of the community who trained his charges at the then Broughton All-Age School to secure two all-island cricket championship titles as well as in 2019 when they secured the second-place spot served at all levels of the Bluefields People’s Community Association for the past 35 years She is also a founding member of the Bluefields Bay Fishermen’s Friendly Society aimed at caring for the needs of fisherfolks most of the awardees over the years have seen the need to remain in their local community instead of migrating elsewhere to “greener pastures” as they deem serving their communities to be a higher calling their skills and very often their own resources in uplifting our people,” the Rotary club president said “The fact that they have been making positive differences in the lives of our citizens and rendering service to their communities is precisely why the Rotary Club of Savanna-la-Mar has chosen to recognise their exemplary work,’’ continued Molyneaux She noted that through their individual and collective work they have all affirmed the abilities competence and resilience in improving and advancing the development of their communities and that their acts of kindness demonstrate what it means to be a good citizen pastor of the Savanna-la-Mar Wesleyan Methodist Church and who was the night’s guest speaker said the awardees are rightfully being awarded having overcome the many challenges that life has thrown at them who underlined that men were in the majority among the list of awardees “I find it significant that of the six honorees This for me is significant because we now live in a society that is literally being led by women it means that all is not lost,” the clergyman said presence and recognition of these ‘local heroes’ bring into sharp focus the prevalence of negative behavioural patterns in Jamaica in recent times and has served to demonstrate that the country has been suffering from a steady erosion of ethics and ethical values View the discussion thread. is increasing its footprint in Jamaica with the opening of a new branch in this western parish The new branch will offer jobs to 800 more Jamaicans with Teleperformance which already has a staff complement of 3,700 in the island Addressing the ribbon-cutting exercise for the new branch in Llandilo on Tuesday senior vice-president of operations and country manager for Teleperformance Jamaica said the company’s team members and their families are very important to the organisation He said the high performance of the employees is based on the comfort of each team member; therefore the decision to open a location in Westmoreland where 400 of its employees travel from daily was a way of making its staff more comfortable and productive to officially welcome Teleperformance to the parish was attended by custos of Westmoreland Reverend Hartley D Perrin; Member of Parliament for Westmoreland Central George Wright; Mayor of Savanna-la-Mar Danree Delancy; and Moses Chybar chairman of the Westmoreland Chamber of Commerce “This is a game changer for the parish of Westmoreland,”Perrin declared during his presentation “We have never had anything of this magnitude in the parish that will seek to employ young people in the parish Westmoreland is known for crime and violence There was a time when we were number one for [crime] This facility is a beacon of hope and is a rising star in the west,” added Perrin who said the launch is a significant milestone for not only Teleperformance but also for the people of Westmoreland “It is a catalyst for economical growth for residents,” saidDelancy “The BPO sector is a key driver of the Jamaican economy Contributing significantly to Jamaica’s GDP [gross domestic product] This [new Teleperformance facility] shows confidence in our island Jamaica [It] could have gone to any other country to do this expansion,” added Delancy Teleperformance has locations in more than 80 countries globally Its Westmoreland location will be the second location on the island and the company has plans in place to expand to the eastern end of the island shortly It was a sombre morning at the Savanna-la-Mar Primary School in Westmoreland as the school held a special devotion to pay tribute to former grade two teacher Daneille Blake who died tragically in a car accident on the Font Hill main road in St Elizabeth last week Members of the Savanna-la-Mar Wesleyan Holiness Church visited the school on Monday and prayed with Reports from the Black River police are that about 11:05 a.m a white Mitsubishi L200 motor truck and a white Toyota Corolla motor car were travelling in opposite directions when the driver of the truck failed to keep left and collided with the car The driver and passengers aboard the motor car sustained injuries and were taken to the hospital where Blake was pronounced dead and the driver was admitted in critical condition The other passengers were treated and released principal of the institution Meghan Berry Scott said the 31-year-old educator’s passing is a big loss to the institution “Savanna-la-Mar Primary has lost a gem Everything about Daneille Blake was just different There is hardly anybody who is untouched by Daneille’s passing It’s a great loss and [a] very painful one and it’s going to take us time to heal,” she said When The Gleaner news team visited the school on Monday staff and students fought to hold back their tears as they mourned their colleague and teacher’s untimely exit joined the institution just three weeks ago “She was the type of teacher we’ve been looking for Daneille had an impact on the lives of all of us who she would have interacted with closely” She noted that Blake was a gem who connected instantly with her students “Immediately upon being presented to the class She was really a great teacher and I can say that because we would have observed her teaching,” the principal said “I remember on Wednesday of last week as I sat working I heard her teaching … Her voice drew me straight to her classroom and I sat and I observed her lesson I realised that Daneille engaged the students well and her students felt comfortable with her,” Berry Scott recalled “My plan was to give Daneille her feedback on Friday (the day she died) but if I were to speak to Daneille and to give her my feedback ‘great engagement with your students as a teacher should’,” she said who is also a teacher at an institution in Black River says her family is still trying to come to terms with the reality that her daughter is dead Her dad is a strong person and he can’t stop crying,” Nelson Blake said She says Thursday was the last time that she spoke with her daughter She recalled that she was alerted to the news of the accident that claimed her daughter’s life as she sat at her desk marking books “Someone called me from a number I didn’t recognise It would appear that they opened her handbag where they found COVID-19 vaccination card with my number as emergency contact I was frightened when the person informed me about the accident,” she added principal Berry Scott says the school has committed to providing support to Blake’s family “We would have been reaching out to her family and we really want to be there to continue to support them A team would have visited with them on Saturday and another team would be visiting today (Monday) And we are praying that as time goes by our family will heal Blake is the second teacher to die suddenly this month principal of Fullerswood Primary School in St Elizabeth died earlier this month after falling at school Patrick-Rowe was said to have been recuperating at home She was an educator for approximately 24 years was a graduate of the Bethlehem Moravian College and served as a classroom teacher at Fullerswood Primary before being appointed as its principal View the discussion thread. District Officer for the Jamaica Fire Brigade (JFB) is imploring citizens to take care of the parish’s fire hydrants as they are critical to the JFB’s firefighting process “Don’t cover them up; see how best you can take care of them especially the one that is near to your premises,” he said Mitchell was addressing the monthly meeting of the Westmoreland Municipal Corporation He pointed out that the JFB’s building and hydrant maintenance in the parish is ongoing adding that the JFB continues its public education activities in schools Mitchell is encouraging citizens to reach out to the JFB should they need any information on fire safety he pointed out that there will be a slate of events for the JFB’s upcoming Fire and Life Safety Awareness Week which is being observed from October 27 to November 2 The week of activities is being observed under the theme ‘Embracing Digital Innovation to Improve Fire Safety’ Mitchell said the JFB is looking forward to the support and participation of the Municipality “We usually partner with the Municipal Corporation in our week of activities they (councillors) are usually there with us so I’m looking forward to them being there,” he said Among the activities will be a National Church Service on October 27 at the Swallowfield Chapel in Kingston; a series of expos hosted by each Area showcasing various smart fire-safety devices and how they can be integrated into daily fire-safety practices Kendrick had several celebrities in the building who came together to celebrate Juneteenth and enjoy a great show There was also a sense that this show was a victory lap for Kendrick following his rap beef with Drake as both artists appear to be finished dropping diss tracks and this celebration at the Forum seemed to reflect that As previously mentioned, several big LA stars were in attendance, including Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James and his wife Savannah James: While James is not from Los Angeles, he has spent the last six seasons playing for the Lakers, and has a great connection with the city. Other NBA stars were in attendance, including Los Angeles natives Russell Westbrook, DeMar DeRozan, and James Harden Westbrook and DeRozan joined Kendrick and others on stage for his final performance of "Not Like Us" which was his last and most popular song from the Drake beef Both Westbrook and DeRozan are Los Angeles basketball legends who grew up and played their college ball in the city he spent time with the Lakers before joining the Clippers where he has spent the last two seasons This concert was a special moment for Los Angeles and the entire West Coast WESTERN BUREAU:SEVERAL PROMINENT stakeholders in Westmoreland are clamouring for the Old Fort site in Savanna-la-Mar to be developed as both a tourist attraction and a logistic hub for commercial goods In the era when sugar was the central part of the parish’s economy the fort was used as a loading dock by the West Indies Sugar Company to transport sugar via small marine vessels to ships anchored offshore president of the Westmoreland Chamber of Commerce said Old Fort is now a remnant of its former glory days and he wants to see it restored to economic usefulness “The Savanna-la-Mar fort is like a gold mine that is left to just go to waste For years it has been neglected and no visible efforts have been made to renovate or restore this valuable asset It’s time to put an end to the neglect and start the development plan to execute and transform downtown Savanna-la-Mar The chamber stands ready to support any initiative that can get this development on the road,” said Chybar In looking back at the glory days of the fort said the fort was once a beautiful place to hang out He said a return to those days would be good for the town’s economy “This is the only place we know of in all of Westmoreland that has the depth of water that can accommodate large vessels This is a prime spot for development that can serve both tourists and locals,” said Chybar “It could also become a transportation hub to move goods from Westmoreland to Kingston by sea There are many opportunities available here … the place is full of potential.” business leaders in Westmoreland have been clamouring for the redevelopment and modernisation of Savanna-la-Mar which would include initiatives such as relocating the municipal market and reshaping the area in the vicinity of the fort into a tourist-friendly location While admitting that the Westmoreland Municipal Corporation has no immediate plans for the development of the fort and the areas around it Savanna-la-Mar’s Mayor Bertel Moore said he was willing and ready to support any effort to redevelop the town and ultimately put it on a sound commercial footing “There are no plans at the present moment We have someone who is looking to lease the property but we have not come to a decision on that request as yet,” said Moore As it relates to making that section of the town a tourism centre Moore said it is something he would gladly support “That is something that could be done but it will take big bucks (money) which the council would not be able to handle where we could have cruise ships coming into the parish,” said Moore the immediate past chairman of the Parish Development Committee said developing the port was part of a local sustainable development plan but he could not say what is the current status of that plan “There was the local sustainable development plan which was commissioned by the Westmoreland Municipal Corporation I know there were plans to expand and develop the fort to become a tourism attraction to generate income for the people of the parish,” said Jackson View the discussion thread. Jamaica – The current situation at the Savanna-La-Mar Public General Hospital in Westmoreland has been declared a ‘crisis’ due to the overflow of patients This surge is reportedly primarily driven by a significant increase in respiratory-related illnesses and social cases the hospital is grappling with a shortage of doctors the chief executive officer (CEO) of the hospital revealed in an interview with Observer Online that the hospital has surpassed its designed capacity but this month we’re accommodating 284 patients Nurse Imani Campbell disclosed that the staff is overwhelmed as the patient-to-nurse ratio is imbalanced “For the past two months it has been rough and hard because the patient count has increased,” Campbell said Lewin says the hospital has sprung into solution mode and so they have converted the Accident and Emergency (A&E) waiting area into a make-shift ward “We’re doing as much as we can to alleviate the challenges We have converted our A&E waiting area into somewhere that our patients can be more relaxed and comfortable – those that are awaiting admission,” she said She revealed that hoteliers donated 11 beach chairs to the hospital five of which have been placed in the A&E waiting area she is renewing her appeal to families who have neglected their loved ones to make preparations for them to alleviate the burden on the hospital View the discussion thread. chairman of the Westmoreland Municipal Corporation (WMC) and mayor of Savanna-la-Mar has admitted that the town is not in the best shape right now as a result of large-scale vending on the sidewalks of lower Great George Street Moore called on his political colleagues from both sides to cooperate in order to restore order in the parish capital “One of the things that I must speak about is the [dirty] way the town is at present And this is something that we all must sit together and our bodies together to ensure that the town of Savanna-la-Mar is kept clean,” Moore said “I am not the one who is going to say that we want to keep it clean and don’t do that we have a responsibility to play our part; and I am calling on each councillor for us to play our part in whatever the case may be,” the Savanna-la-Mar mayor pleaded while addressing the regular monthly meeting of the WMC on Thursday but said a politician told vendors on the streets not to go into the Savanna-la-Mar Market once the renovation is complete who are telling people not to go into the market; they must stay on the street,” the mayor noted “But I am warning that person that this is not the time for this we must work to ensure that we keep the town of Savanna-la-Mar clean “There is certain things that the corporation will have to do and we expect our vendors to cooperate,” Moore continued noting that whatever it takes they will have to work together as a team in 2024 to uplift the citizens who calls himself an independent Labourite has distanced himself from Moore’s statement I never encourage anyone not to go into the market,” Wright told The Gleaner when contacted yesterday He noted that repairs were done to the middle section of the market but the front section is desperately in need of repairs “I am saying that now that the middle section of the market is completed let us move the people from the front into the middle section let us do that and then fix the front section,” he said the first-term MP said he would love to see a market that attracts everyone The mayor himself told me that he got robbed in the market So all I am saying is the market must be secured,” Wright insisted Now that the middle section of the market is complete there are mixed views among vendors selling on the streets as it relates to their willingness to occupy the newly-renovated market Those views come despite Moore’s insistence that law and order must prevail in Savanna-la-Mar town and the wider parish arguing that vending will be permitted in the prescribed areas “That market is not ready for anybody to go into because those little (cubicles) that they built in the first place are too small I don’t know how I am going to secure my goods at the end of the day There is no space for them to be tied down like the one I am under now,” said a female vendor who asked that her identity be withheld She says she has been selling fruit and vegetables at that market for more than 30 years She shared that she would prefer a space in the clothing section of the market at the front for her and others to set up their stalls instead of those in the refurbished market We would die of hunger if we were to go inside the other part they just fixed,” she explained the current condition of the drains and the market site “The people say they prefer to buy their fruit and vegetable supplies at Shoppers Fair or D&Y Supermarket They prefer to buy at the supermarket than to come downtown because of the unkempt drains,” the vendor added Another vendor suggested that full cooperation will be required for everyone to benefit from selling in the market once it is ready “There are people on the road who need to come inside the market because we are inside here and we are not selling anything like before,” Veronica Hemmings She argued further that all persons now selling on the road should be compelled to use the market View the discussion thread. The Management committee of the 57-year-old Type B Savanna-la-Mar Public General Hospital in Westmoreland is bemoaning the fact that some 25 persons who have been abandoned by their relatives are now taking up much-needed bed space at the facility to the detriment of persons who are genuinely ill their families have left them with us,” said Reverend Joseph Campbell “Some of these persons have been discharged from medical care since 2008 and therefore have no reasons to be housed on the wards.” the committee has written to the Westmoreland Municipal Corporation (WMC) seeking their intervention in relocating the persons in question to the Savanna-la-Mar Infirmary but they have not received a positive response we are negotiating with the parish council to see if they can make available adequate space at the infirmary where some of these persons that are occupying our bed space could be relocated,” Campbell told The Gleaner on Monday Campbell also noted that the hospital’s management committee has been actively seeking to reclaim its bed space with a view to having its full complement of 200 beds properly allotted the committee wrote to the WMC stating: “The Savanna-la-Mar Public General Hospital is seeking your assistance in finding a suitable facility for some 25 indigent persons who are presently living on the wards occupying beds needed for patients admitted to the hospital but are accommodated in less than suitable conditions.” he believes that if an appeal is made to the wider Westmoreland business community space could be created at the infirmary for the persons in question “We are yet to sit as a committee to decide our next course of action but we were also wondering if we could find people in the business community who could assist in making resources available so that the parish council could put on additional rooms at the infirmary so that these persons could be accommodated,” said Campbell When The Gleaner contacted Savanna-la-Mar Mayor Bertel Moore he said the infirmary does not have space to immediately provide living facilities to the abandoned persons “We have adequate property in terms of land space there so that if they (health department) can get a building erected we would not have a problem,” said Moore who noted that a new male ward is now under construction at the infirmary The mayor said the challenges being faced in relocating the persons who have been abandoned is squarely one for the Ministry of Health and Wellness but noted that the corporation stands ready to assist where possible we won’t have a problem,” said Moore in supporting Campbell’s suggestion to seek financial support from the local business community “I had suggested that the Ministry of Health seek assistance from Food For The Poor I think this would be the easiest way in providing assistance for those people at this time,” added Moore View the discussion thread. View the discussion thread. The National Blood Transfusion Service (NBTS) carried out a blood drive at Godfrey Stewart High School in Savanna-la-Mar on May 22 as the entity continues efforts to boost blood collection to serve the needs of the health sector emphasised the importance of the outreach where more than 25 persons He pointed out that such initiatives are critical to meeting the increasing demand for blood across Jamaica highlighting the continuous challenge in getting persons to donate “The number of willing persons is not as much as we would like but we still have to do our work anyway and do what we need to do to make sure we collect as much blood,” Mr today is just our usual outreach where we go to schools The intention is to meet people part-way to donate blood,” he pointed out Black underscored the importance of public education in blood donation noting that the process takes only a few minutes and helps save lives He said the NBTS is always ready and willing to visit locations to raise awareness and answer questions about the donation process “The need for blood is increasing and healthcare services is improving in Jamaica so the demand for support is increasing,” Mr The NBTS Blood Donor Organiser is imploring persons to participate in all its outreach activities which does not have a fixed site for blood donation collection is done on the fourth Saturday of every month at the Black River Health Centre and the NBTS team will be at the All-American Institute of Medical Sciences (AAIMS) campus in Black River on June 1 The blood drive at Godfrey Stewart High School was met with enthusiastic support from the school’s administration and community told JIS News that the school community was pleased to be involved in the blood drive noting that the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) helped to organise the event Lawrence-Ricketts said that donating blood not only saves lives but reinforces the importance of mutual support among students “This is one thing that we are doing to show that we are here for the community,” the Principal said Seventeen-year-old student Sherwain Gammon shared his joy in knowing he could help save a life noting that he or a relative could benefit from blood donation in the future “Thank God that I will be able to do that,” Sherwain said Danree Delancy says the Savanna-la-Mar Transportation Centre which is currently located at Barracks Road/Hendon will be relocated to 65 Beckford Street come Monday Delancy said has become necessary as the owners of the property at Hendon have expressed their desire to retake control of the property for development “We have no choice at this time but to revert to our property on Beckford Street so come the 29th of April that is where the transportation centre in Savanna-la-Mar will be located,” Delancy shared while speaking with Observer Online “We are currently putting in bathroom facilities we are currently ensuring that water and electrical supply are in place We should be putting in a booth for the transport authority personnel and all of that All the amenities that go with a transportation centre will be in place,” the Savanna-la-Mar mayor said it is expected that the relocation will impact traffic flow in the area greatly “We have met with the Transport Authority and the superintendent of police as well as other police under his command in the town and they have expressed that based on their experiences and based on the studies done it should impact traffic flow greatly “Only one concern was pointed out and that is the issue of a drive through that leads from the road to a popular eatery across the road from the proposed location for the transportation centre and that is being addressed I think we just have to look at taking out that drive through from off Beckford Street and maybe have them do the drive through from within the complex itself,” he said Noting that the council got approximately two years notice as well as received an extension from the property owners the mayor said they were unable to acquire other properties within the town space of a larger size despite the Beckford Street property being smaller than the current location at Hendon “Experience has shown us that at no particular time you’ll have all the taxis and all the buses in the space at any one given time Some will be on the road going to their destination some will be on the road coming towards the transportation centre so we’re seeing wherein it can work and to be quite frank we have no other choice at this time,” he said taxi and bus operators to cooperate in the coming weeks as they adjust to the change in location they play a very pivotal and vital role in our own transportation system and we’re asking them (commuters) for their full cooperation everything may not be as how we all want it it won’t be a perfect thing but we’re trying to make it as seamless and as smooth as possible and as we go along we’ll iron out the kinks and patch where it needs to be patched up and sort it out properly so that transport operators and commuters can all have a safe comfortable environment in which to operate,” he said We have the police and the Transport Authority pledging their support and we thank them for that as well,” Delancy added Jamaica – Following Wednesday night’s shooting of four people as they were leaving a Valentine’s Day function at a bar People’s National Party (PNP) councillor caretaker for the Savanna-la-Mar division Julian Chang is expressing concern about the spate of crime which she said has “haunted her division” four people were shot outside the bar and were rushed to the hospital where they are undergoing treatment Observer Online understands that one of the victims READ: Two women among four shot and injured at bar on Valentine’s Day “I want to express my sympathies to the families of the persons who have been shot It is really a sad time for Savanna-la-Mar Within the last three weeks we’ve had a similar encounter,” Chang told the Observer Online on Thursday afternoon “One of the persons who was shot is one of my former employees and I understand that she is in a critical condition and she is also a member of my division,” a distraught Chang said She said a similar incident three weeks ago also left more than three people in her division wounded after they were shot up at a party READ: Five shot at party in Westmoreland “We have really been haunted by the spate of crime in Savanna-la-Mar,” she stressed She has pledged to coordinate meetings with the relevant stakeholders and have the necessary discussions surrounding the crime plaguing the business hub One vendor who plies her trade in the township told Observer Online that she is scared and opts to close her small business earlier than usual sometimes 7:00 or 8:00 pm,” one vendor said on condition of anonymity She said before the shootings she would stay overnight in the town as she tried to make a living “Every day it [shootings and murders] get worse,” the vendor bemoaned one resident told the Observer Online that the 15 years maximum sentence that criminals are slapped with is not insufficient too much killing that’s why mi nuh really come out,” the elderly man said He said back in his time he could have stayed out all night It is for that reason he suggested that the government apply harsher penalties to perpetrators of crime “The government must put up more resistance pan the killa dem from you ketch a man wid gun yuh just put him weh cause as dem come back a dem that again…,” he stressed The Western Regional Health Authority (WRHA) is warning the public against the dangerous practice of storing household chemicals in food containers This advisory comes in light of a 14 per cent increase in accidental poisoning cases in the region compared to last year’s statistics – 71 cases in 2023 and 81 cases in 2024 Some 52 per cent of the cases involve children aged 0 to 5 years Hanover has the highest number among the parishes followed by Trelawny with 16 cases; Westmoreland During a Jamaica Information Service (JIS) ‘Think Tank’ held at the agency’s Montego Bay Regional Office Ludrick Morris from the Department of Paediatrics at the Savanna-la-Mar Public General Hospital noted that many poisoning cases are due to the accidental ingestion of common household substances He expressed concern at the trend of storing chemicals in inappropriate containers citing instances where bleach is mistakenly kept in water bottles “This practice is exceedingly risky,” he said Morris emphasised the importance of proper storage methods “Household chemicals should never be kept in food containers as this significantly raises the risk of accidental ingestion medications should be stored securely in locked cupboards,” he advised He also stressed that vigilant supervision of young children can greatly reduce the likelihood of accidental poisoning Regional Medical Epidemiologist at the WRHA also noted that improper storage is a significant factor contributing to the rise in accidental poisoning cases in the region “Inappropriate storage conditions or mistaking chemicals for consumables along with children being left unsupervised are the leading causes of these incidents,” he said Aung added that parents need to take personal responsibility in ensuring that these chemicals are stored safely but it is for the individual who is mother guardian or father; if they are not taking their own personal responsibility for their children Get the latest news & updates from the JIS sent to your inbox.