News On The Go

US national charged with drug offences

The Narcotics police arrested an American national at the Sangster International Airport in St James for breaches of the Dangerous Drugs Act last Saturday.

He is 39-year-old Marcesa Lewis of Texas. Reports are that Lewis checked in to board a flight to Houston, Texas, when during screening a white substance resembling cocaine was found concealed in a wooden carving inside his luggage. The weight of the drug is approximately one pound; it has an estimated street value of J$750,000.

He was subsequently charged for the following offences: possession of cocaine, dealing in cocaine, and attempting to export cocaine.

He is scheduled to appear in the St James Parish Court on Friday, August 23.

Fake cop held with gun

A man who purported to be a law enforcement officer was arrested after he was found in possession of a firearm and ammunition on Lyndale Avenue, Kingston 20, last Saturday.

Reports from the Constant Spring police are that about 11:45 p.m., while conducting operations, a team went to a sports bar.

During a search of patrons, one Ruger 9mm pistol with a magazine containing eight 9mm rounds of ammunition was taken from the man’s waistband.

He attempted to mislead the police by telling them he was a member of the security forces and a licensed firearm holder.

However, investigations proved his claim untrue. He was subsequently taken into custody in relation to the incident.

His identity is being withheld at this time, pending further investigations.

UN official wants better helmets for Jamaicans

United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Road Safety, Jean Todt, has recommended that all helmets imported into Jamaica are certified.

Todt, who is also the president of the Federation Internationale de L’Autombile (FIA), made the recommendation recently, while on a tour of the Hazard Primary School in Clarendon.

It is the first school to benefit from the ‘X Marks the Spot’ Crosswalk Road Safety Campaign.

Todt was in Jamaica attending the Caribbean Road Safety Workshop, which was held at the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).

The event was co-organised by the National Road Safety Council, the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and Caribbean, the IDB and the Pan-American Health Organisation/World Health Organisation.

Since the start of the year, 269 persons have lost their lives in 244 road crashes across the country. Of this number, motorcyclists accounted for the highest demographic with 82 persons.

Montego Bay children receive free medical checks

Scores of children from Montego Bay and the wider St James benefited from free medical checks during the second annual ‘Food Safety and Back-to-School Fair’, held at Pier One in the city last Friday.

The event was organised by the St James Public Health Services, as an extension of the agency’s mandate to provide preventative and curative healthcare.

A team of doctors and nurses exposed the children to a number of health screenings and information in the company of their parents, including back-to-school medicals, immunisation shots, and health education.

Parents were also exposed to a food handler’s clinic, blood sugar and blood pressure checks as well as nutrition counselling.

Changes coming to funding formula for public schools

State minister in the Ministry of Education Alando Terrelonge says changes to the funding formula for public high schools are coming as a discord over the amount schools charge parents as contribution emerges with the approach of the new school year.

Terrelonge says the changes are being considered in light of the fact that “there are complaints that we receive every year at this time regarding what used to be called auxiliary fees”.

He pointed out that the education ministry had abolished the term ‘auxiliary fees’ and replaced it with the term ‘parent support contribution’ and also set certain guidelines for the contributions from parents.

Terrelonge explained that the changes are being made to the funding formula to increase financing for schools based on three factors: low attainment level on entry, schools with students having the greatest level of difficulty in learning, and those with low socio-economic backgrounds.