Latin America

Major changes are being implemented under the Programme of Advancement Through Health and Education (PATH) following a review that found it was proving too difficult for some Jamaicans who qualify to access the social safety net initiative. The changes are being implemented to strengthen the programme while making the experience a far less frustrating and cumbersome undertaking. “We found that getting on to PATH was difficult,” Minister of Labour and Social Security Pearnel Charles Jr said Tue

MONTEGO BAY, St James — Having so far pumped US$85 million into rebuilding and upgrading its network in Jamaica after Hurricane Melissa, Flow Jamaica on Tuesday signalled further commitment to the country with the launch of its B2B arm, Liberty Business Jamaica. During the event, held in Montego Bay, vice-president and general manager of Flow and Liberty Business Jamaica, Stephen Price, hinted that the company is on the cusp of a 5G roll-out and also announced plans to establish a headquarters

Vanessa Bling is preparing to deliver one of the most personal releases of her career through her upcoming single True Story. Set to arrive on May 20 across all major digital streaming platforms, the track is rooted in raw emotion, reflection, and resilience and will see the dancehall artiste opening up about some of the darkest and most defining periods of her life. Using music as a platform to reclaim her voice, freedom, and strength, the entertainer said the song was created from a deeply h

TEN days before the start of the 2026 Atlantic Hurricane Season, Jamaica has strengthened its financial protection against major hurricanes by securing roughly $31 billion (US$200 million) in new coverage from global capital markets after Hurricane Melissa unleashed destruction equivalent to more than half of the country’s economic output last year. The Government has secured US$200 million in new hurricane coverage, replacing a previous US$150-million catastrophe bond and highlighting the grow

With Cavalier FC facing the possibility of surrendering their Wray & Nephew Jamaica Premier League title, Assistant Coach David Laylor remains confident the team can overturn the tie against Montego Bay United (MBU) in today’s second-leg semi-final at the National Stadium. At 9:00pm, the two-time defending champions need to register an outright win if they’re to make their fourth-consecutive final after going down 0-1 to MBU in the first leg on Sunday. Although MBU dominated the game with

SEPROD Limited’s first-quarter profit nearly doubled after the sale of International Biscuits Limited generated a major one-time gain, even as weaker consumer demand in Jamaica and Trinidad & Tobago weighed on several of the group’s operating businesses. The manufacturing and distribution conglomerate sold the business on February 28 as it focuses on de-leveraging or reducing the debt in its group structure. According to Seprod’s cash flow statement, it recorded a $1.71-billion net cash inf

Tension flared in the Home Circuit Court on Tuesday as Agriculture Minister Floyd Green clashed with defence attorney Hugh Wildman during the murder trial of six policemen, with the politician bristling at suggestions about his credibility and repeated references to his role in Government. Green is one of two alleged eyewitnesses to parts of the January 12, 2013 shooting incident on Acadia Drive in Barbican, St Andrew which left Matthew Lee, Mark Allen and Ucliffe Dyer dead. On trial for murde

PORT ANTONIO, Portland — The National Works Agency (NWA) says there is ongoing consultation with residents of Port Antonio even as it moves ahead with working on a bypass for the north-eastern sea coast town. The response came after concerns were raised, during the most recent monthly meeting of the Portland Municipal Corporation, that residents, whose lives will be impacted by the project, are being kept out of the loop. “The work has started roughly in the middle of the project; we are wor

PROVIDENCIALES, Turks and Caicos Island — “Elegance” is the one word the globe’s most powerful travel advisor leader, Zane Kerby, used to describe the ultra-modern Treasure Beach Village (TVB) which has just emerged from the timeless sands of the Turks and Caicos Islands. Kerby, who heads the 20,000-strong American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA) — the largest of its kind in the world — had no hesitation. “If it had to be one word, that would be ‘elegance’. Treasure Beach Village is an elega

AFTER dreaming of one day running sub-50 seconds in the 400m, Jamaica’s Dejanea Oakley of the University of Georgia even managed to completely skip the 49.00 seconds threshold after she ran a world-leading 48.92 seconds on Saturday to win the women’s 400m at the South-Eastern Conference (SEC) Outdoor championships at Auburn University in South Carolina. The former Clarendon College ISSA Boys’ and Girls’ Athletics Championships (Champs) standout was understandably at a loss for words after etchi

ST JOHN’S, Antigua (CMC) — Evin Lewis stroked a crucial, unbeaten century for the Trinidad and Tobago Red Force, but three late wickets by veteran spinner Veerasammy Permaul left defending champions Guyana Harpy Eagles with a chance of retaining their West Indies Championship title. Led by Lewis’s stabilising knock of 122 not out off 246 balls, the Red Force looked on track to end the day in the ascendancy until Permaul struck three times in the space of five overs to reduce them to 265 for eig

Real Mona Head Coach Neo Oxford projects boldness and confidence, and has brought added excitement to the Jamaica Women’s Premier League (JWPL). He, however, believes substandard officiating denied his young, rising team a fair fight against champions Frazsiers Whip, who won 5-0 in the first leg of the JWPL semi-finals last Saturday at the UWI-JFF/Captain Horace Burrell Centre of Excellence, The University of the West Indies. Oxford has been showing his worth as a football coach. He proved doub

Rio De Janeiro, Brazil — Brazil superstar Neymar was handed a dramatic recall to the country’s World Cup squad on Monday, returning to the national team after a near three-year absence. The inclusion of Neymar, Brazil’s all-time leading goalscorer with 79 goals in 128 appearances, was the biggest surprise in the 26-man squad named by Coach Carlo Ancelotti. Ancelotti announced Neymar’s selection at a gala ceremony in Rio de Janeiro, with loud cheers ringing out as the veteran attacker’s call-up

KINGSTON, Jamaica – Liberty Business, formerly known as C&W Business, has renewed its commitment to help local businesses innovate faster, operate more efficiently, strengthen resilience, and compete in an increasingly digital global economy. The company was officially reintroduced on Tuesday, May 19, during a launch event at the Rose Hall Great House in Montego Bay, marking what the company says is a significant milestone in the evolution of its enterprise business across Jamaica and the wi

Opposition Members of Parliament (MPs) staged a walkout from the House of Representatives moments before tributes to former parliamentarian, the late Leslie Campbell, after attempts to continue debate over the delayed tabling of the Integrity Commission report involving the Firearm Licensing Authority were shut down by the deputy speaker of the House. The tense confrontation marked the latest development in a growing dispute over Parliament’s handling of Integrity Commission reports, particular

Agriculture Minister Floyd Green faced a second bout of grilling from attorney-at-law Hugh Wildman during the Home Circuit Court murder trial of six policemen on Tuesday, with the minister being asked to give specific details on what he said he recalled about the 2013 shooting deaths of Matthew Lee, Mark Allen and Ucliffe Dyer. Lee, Allen and Dyer, who were travelling in a blue Mitsubishi Outlander motor vehicle, were shot dead by the police during an alleged shootout on Acadia Drive very close

Former Minister of Education Dr Mavis Gilmour made a rare visit to the Parliament on Tuesday as a guest of Labour and Social Security Minister Pearnel Charles Jr. Charles Jr, who was making his contribution to the Sectoral Debate in the House of Representatives, noted that Gilmour, who celebrated her 100th birthday last month, also served as minister of social security and consumer affairs. Charles Jr told the House that this year’s celebration of National Centenarians Day on May 20 “carries s

KINGSTON, Jamaica — The People’s National Party (PNP) says the shooting death of Latoya Bulgin by a member of the Jamaica Constabulary Force is deeply troubling and should raise several concerns among all well -thinking Jamaicans at home and in the diaspora. In a statement on Tuesday, the Opposition said the shooting, which took place in Granville, St James, on Sunday, raises serious questions about the use of lethal force by members of the security forces. “ The unfortunate demise of Ms Bulgi

KINGSTON, Jamaica — Dubbed ‘Access Jamaica’, the Early Stimulation Programme (ESP) of the Ministry of Labour and Social Security will be strengthened with the procurement of two mobile units to serve rural communities. Minister of Labour and Social Security, Pearnel Charles Jr made the announcement on Tuesday during his contribution to the Sectoral Debate in the House of Representatives. “The Early Stimulation Programme stands as a vital pillar of our social protection framework, offering a co

The week long Central American literary and cultural festival known as Centroamérica Cuenta opened on Monday, May 18 in Panama. The post Annual Central America Literary Festival Kicks Off in Panama appeared first on Havana Times.