Minister of State for National Security, Juliet Cuthbert Flynn, has affirmed the government’s dedication to the eradication of child trafficking.

Cuthbert Flynn emphasizes the need for the nation to give child protection top priority, strengthen legislation, enhance law enforcement, and dedicate more resources to fight against child trafficking.

She advocates for prevention strategies that discuss fundamental issues like poverty and inequality to diminish the vulnerability of children.

She notes that there are ten child-friendly spaces throughout the island for conducting interviews and providing aid to child victims, along with three operational 24-hour hotlines for reporting human trafficking cases via the Child Protection and Family Service Agency, the Office of the Children’s Advocate, and the Jamaica Constabulary Force.

Minister Cuthbert Flynn also mentioned that the government is proactively applying the National Referral Mechanism and a guiding framework for the interviewing of child victims and witnesses, employing a child-sensitive, trauma-informed method to prevent further traumatization of child victims.

The State Minister’s remarks were made at the Trafficking in Persons Youth Panel Symposium at the University of Technology Jamaica, commemorating World Day Against Trafficking in Persons.

Investigation Underway for Fatal Shooting of Taxi Operator in St. Andrew North.

The St. Andrew North Police are investigating the tragic shooting of taxi operator Richard Nembhard on the morning of Thursday, August 1, 2024, along Mannings Hill Road in St. Andrew.

Nembhard, aged 56, was from the Cassava Piece community in St. Andrew.

According to a report from the Constabulary Communication Unit, at around 4:40 a.m., residents reportedly heard gunshots and called the police.

Upon arrival, the police discovered the victim seated in the driver’s seat of a white and green Toyota Probox motor car, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds.

The police provided assistance to Nembhard and transported him to the Kingston Public Hospital, where he was pronounced dead by the authorities.

Law enforcement officials have suggested that the shooting is in retaliation for another individual who was fatally shot on Wednesday in the Whitehall Avenue community.

Hurricane Beryl Aftermath: Efforts to Restore Electricity in Over 200 Jamaican Schools.

225 out of 1,010 public primary and secondary schools in Jamaica are still without electricity, a month after Hurricane Beryl.

The education minister is confident that the issue will be resolved before the new school term starts on September 2. Minister Fayval Williams has informed the Science, Energy, Telecommunications, and Transport Minister about the situation and is hopeful for a prompt solution.

The affected schools are receiving attention under the emergency procurement process. Repair work has commenced at Manning’s School, one of the severely affected institutions. The headmaster expressed concerns about the damage affecting several classrooms and the school’s infrastructure.

While there are efforts to make sure repairs are completed by September, the school is preparing for a potential combination of physical and online classes due to the impact of exclusively online schooling.