WESTMORELAND, Jamaica – Tragedy struck in Burnt Savannah, Frome, Westmoreland, on Saturday morning, April 13, 2024, as one man lost his life and another was wounded in a shooting incident at a party.
The deceased, Sheldon Shakes, aged 36, was a farmer from the Town Head district in Burnt Savannah. The injured man, a 32-year-old mason, remains in recovery.
Reports indicate that the harrowing events transpired around 12:45 a.m. while Shakes and the injured man were enjoying a party at a sports bar and gaming lounge. The festivities were abruptly interrupted by the sound of gunfire, leaving Shakes with fatal gunshot wounds to his chest and the other man injured in his lower left arm.
Despite efforts to transport both men to the Savanna-la-Mar Hospital, Shakes succumbed to his injuries during treatment, while the other man was later discharged.
The motive behind this tragic shooting remains unknown as authorities continue their investigation into this distressing incident.
A Body believed to be that of a homeless man found with gunshot wounds in Spanish Town.
ST CATHERINE, Jamaica – On Saturday morning, the lifeless body of an unidentified man was discovered in Tawes Meadows, Spanish Town, St Catherine. The man, known as ‘Canadian’ within the community, was tragically found with gunshot wounds and one of his eyes missing.
Residents came across the distressing scene around 11:40 a.m. and promptly alerted the authorities. Upon their arrival, the police found the man’s body lying in the bushes, revealing the extent of this heartbreaking situation.
The victim, who appeared to be in his 50s, is believed to have been homeless. He had a dark complexion, stood 5ft 7″ tall, and had unkempt hair. His body was dressed in a black shirt with bleached spots, blue jeans shorts, black socks, and black shoes, and he carried a white, black, and red cross bag and a brown bag on his back.
This is a truly somber event; our thoughts are with the community and those affected by this distressing loss.
Nine lives were lost on the road, including three pedal cyclists, as reported by RSU.
Let’s take a moment to reflect on the tragic loss of nine precious lives on the road this past week, with three of them being pedal cyclists. It is a solemn reminder of the importance of road safety for all road users.
Three pedal cyclists and three motorcyclists are among the unfortunate nine individuals who met their demise in traffic collisions in the week ending Friday, April 12.
The other three victims include:
- One pedestrian.
- One driver of a private motor car.
- One passenger of a public passenger vehicle.
The Road Safety Unit (RSU) in the Island Traffic Authority released the latest statistics on Friday, April 12, 2024. According to the RSU, the overall road fatalities now stand at 122, the result of 103 fatal crashes as of April 12.
As of the end of March 2024, fatalities are projected to decrease by one percent compared with 2023. This is down from a two percent projected decrease the week before.
Motorcyclists account for 35 percent of the road users killed as of April 12; pedestrians account for 16 percent; and passengers of private motor vehicles account for 11 percent.
Combined, the group classified as the most vulnerable road users (pedestrians, pedal cyclists, motorcyclists, and pillion riders) account for 61 percent of the road users killed as of April 12, 2024.
Since the start of the year, males and females have accounted for 84 percent and 16 percent, respectively, of road fatalities.
The New Clerk of the Houses swiftly addresses Parliament’s accounting mess.
The New Clerk of the Houses of Parliament, Colleen Lowe, has taken swift action to address concerns about the legislature’s financial administration.
According to a report from the Jamaica Observer, Lowe called senior managers of the Houses of Parliament to a meeting on Wednesday to discuss troubling irregularities in internal audit results over the past five years.
Some of the irregularities identified in a recent special audit include underpayment and overpayment to several officers, including the retired Clerk to the House of Parliament, Valrie Curtis, who was underpaid $1.5 million; incorrect handling of National Housing Trust contributions; and faulty calculations of salaries for the staff of the Office of the Political Ombudsman, resulting in them not receiving benefits totaling over $15 million.
The auditors stated that the discrepancies arose due to the absence of a proper checks and balances system and recommended that management ensure that all amounts owed to the National Housing Trust are paid to avoid legal issues.
In a letter to 10 senior managers summoned to the meeting, Lowe indicated they would review a summary of the audit findings and the responses provided.
The company said the meeting’s purpose was to provide a detailed overview of the audit findings, address areas of concern, and develop strategies to address deficiencies.
Lowe emphasized the importance of discussing the potential impact of the audit findings on Parliament’s operations and how risks may be mitigated.
The meeting aimed to consider ways to move forward while upholding accountability, integrity, and good governance for Gordon House’s affairs.
The special audit report revealed a range of administrative, managerial, human resource-related, and accounting breaches at the Parliament from January 2019 to March 2024.
The internal auditors also expressed concerns that the Houses of Parliament leadership had not shown the necessary awareness to respond to identified breaches and had failed to take corrective action over the past few years.
The auditors stressed the importance of ensuring that the Parliamentary Management knows the governing policies, regulations, acts, and circulars and urged them to promptly address outstanding audit findings.
Furthermore, the report detailed errors in salary payments, incorrect travel allowances, and the appointment of staff members at the wrong salary scale, among other issues.