Prime Minister Andrew Holness has announced a state of emergency in Jamaica due to Hurricane Beryl’s looming threat.
The announcement, made in accordance with the Disaster Risk Management Act’s section 26, will remain in force for the next seven days.
https://jamaica.loopnews.com/content/pm-declares-jamaica-disaster-area-7-days-710467
A nationwide curfew will be enforced from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Wednesday. The Prime Minister emphasized that this measure is essential to safeguard the populace during the storm and to deter criminal activities.
Furthermore, mandatory evacuation orders are in place for low-lying areas prone to flooding, landslides, and regions near sea levels, gullies, or waterways.
The Prime Minister appealed to all Jamaicans to adhere to evacuation directives when issued. He stressed the critical importance of residents in flood-prone or landslide-high-risk areas to proactively seek refuge in shelters or safer locations even in the absence of official notices.
Mr. Holness also revealed that the government has allocated $5 million from the Constituency Development Fund per constituency to address emergency needs, including food and building supplies.
Spanish Town Resident Penalized $200,000 for Trying to Bribe Police Officers During Traffic Stop.
Renford Smith, 57, from Spanish Town, St. Catherine, pleaded guilty to attempting to bribe the police during a traffic stop. On Tuesday, July 2, 2024, Senior Parish Court Judge Yvette Wentworth-Miller sentenced him to a fine of $200,000 or three months’ imprisonment in the St. Catherine Parish Court. The court heard that Smith offered the police a $5,000 bribe while being prosecuted for a traffic violation. He was promptly arrested and charged with the offense.
Elderly woman murdered at her home in Lawrence Tavern
The lifeless body of a 78-year-old woman was discovered with a slashed throat in her residence in King Wesson, Lawrence Tavern, St Andrew on Monday.
The deceased has been identified as Barbara Archer, also known as ‘Miss Babs’.
Law enforcement authorities have reported that the woman’s partially unclothed body was found in a pool of blood within her home.
The incident is currently under investigation.