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Catholic priest charged for molesting 12-y-o

A 39-year-old Kenyan Roman Catholic priest was yesterday arrested after he allegedly sexually exploited a 12-year-old primary school girl.

The man has been charged with sexual intercourse with a person under 16 years old, sexual touching of a child, grievous sexual assault, and abduction of a child.

The alleged offences were committed on the afternoon of Sunday, March 19, but were only reported to authorities on Saturday, June 23.

Reports are that the priest befriended the child and lured her to his home where he allegedly assaulted her.

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Phillips wants independent manager on highway project

Opposition Spokesman on Transport and Works, Mikael Phillips, has called for an independent project manager to oversee the implementation of the Southern Highway Improvement Project in St Thomas.

Prime Minister Andrew Holness on Monday said that E.G. Hunter, CEO of the National Works Agency (NWA), should directly oversee the project.

However, Phillips noted that the NWA "owns the contract and naming the CEO to supervise it adds no strength to the supervisory and management capacity of the project implementation since it's already his duty".

Phillips said the prime minister's decision is redundant and offers no relief on the horizon for the people of St Thomas.

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Jamaica to host cadet camp

Approximately 800 young people from 14 regional countries will descend on Jamaica from July 15 to 29 for this year's Caribbean Cadet Camp.

The biennial event, to be held under the theme 'Empowering Cadets, Tomorrow's Leaders', is one of the marquee activities for the Caribbean Cadet Association.

It also forms part of the slate of engagements of the Jamaica Combined Cadet Force.

The participants will converge on the grounds of Clarendon College for a series of training and exhibition activities.

Governor General Sir Patrick Allen, and Chief of Defence Staff, Rear Admiral Antonette Wemyss Gorman, are among the officials expected to attend several of the sessions.

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Vehicle washers and handymen get permanent posts

Some 1,105 permanent civilian posts will be added to the Jamaica Constabulary Force.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Security, Dr Horace Chang, made the announcement during the sitting of the House of Representatives yesterday. He said that the creation of permanent posts represents a thrust by the government to reduce the number of contract workers within the public service.

The change will affect secretaries, records clerks, office attendants, cell attendants, mail attendants, groundsmen, messengers, motor vehicle washers and handymen.

"These workers, for decades, were employed on fixed-term contracts which limited their access to critical health and pension benefits," Chang said.

"Most importantly, the practice of sending these workers home after more than thirty years of service with just a 'handshake' will now end," Chang said.

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Ministry caps high school registration packages at $6,600

The Ministry of Education and Youth is reminding school administrators that there should be no charge for registration at the primary level.

At the same time, the ministry said that the cost for registration packages at secondary schools should be no more than $6,600.

Other stipulations include an increase of no more than 10 per cent in the voluntary parent contribution for academic year 2023/24.

School administrators have also been told to work with parents to establish flexible payment plans for services or materials that must be procured such as physical education gears, insurance, ties, badges, and uniforms.

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Escapee back in police lockup

Jermaine Rodgers, a man who the police said escaped from the Ocho Rios lockup in August 2022, has been recaptured.

Rodgers, who is from Mile End, Ocho Rios, was among four men who escaped custody in Ocho Rios, St Ann, on August 5, 2022. He was being held on charges of illegal possession of firearm.

The 33-year-old was recaptured during an operation in Christian Gardens, Gregory Park, St Catherine, yesterday.