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Taxi man charged with buggery

A taxi operator was charged under the Sexual Offences Act by lawmen assigned to the St Mary Police Division, following an incident in Rio Nuevo on August 17.

Charged is 45-year-old Kevin Broomfield, otherwise called 'Phoenix', taxi operator of Content, St Ann. Broomfield was charged with rape, buggery, burglary and assault occasioning bodily harm.

Reports are that about 9 p.m., Broomfield kicked in the door and entered the complainant's apartment and a physical altercation occurred. The victim was hit in the face multiple times, losing consciousness. She later realised that she was sexually assaulted. A report was made to the police and Broomfield arrested. On Sunday, Broomfield was subsequently charged after an interview. His court date is being finalised.

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Farmer accused of raping 7-y-o

Sixty-six-year-old Reginald Hibbert, otherwise called 'Regie', a farmer of Albion Mountain, St Mary, was arrested and charged with rape and grievous assault following an incident in his community sometime in 2023.

Reports from the Albion police are that on three separate occasions, Hibbert sexually assaulted a seven-year-old girl. A report was made to the police and an investigation launched. Hibbert was later arrested and charged.

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D&G Foundation hands over 50 breathalyser kits

Fifty new breathalyser kits, valued at $3.5 million, were handed over to the police's Public Safety and Traffic Enforcement Branch (PSTEB) at their headquarters in Kingston by the D&G Foundation yesterday.

Dianne Ashton-Smith, director of the D&G Foundation, said her organisation is committed to promoting safe alcohol consumption.

"We want to ensure that when people consume alcohol, they consume it responsibly, but we also want to protect our roads. So we thought, what better way than to partner [with the police], as we believe [that] for us to reduce the misuse of alcohol, it takes the whole society."

Head of PSTEB, Assistant Commissioner of Police Gary McKenzie, welcomed the kits that will further increase the branch's capacity to target drivers who operate vehicles while intoxicated.

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St Ann Infirmary to be refurbished

Minister of Local Government and Community Development Desmond McKenzie has allocated $50 million to carry out immediate renovation to the St Ann Infirmary in Priory.

Following a tour of the facility last Friday, McKenzie expressed displeasure with the maintenance of the infirmary, outlining that urgent action will be taken to improve the infrastructure and overall hygiene. He noted that the structure, which is situated close to the coastline, has suffered from the effects of seawater exposure over the years.

"It's going to take a good amount of money, especially for the kitchen. We have to put down, literally, a new kitchen. We have to ensure the building is sanitised, because it's an old building and it is infested with chi-chi (termites), so that is one of the first orders of business," the minister said.

McKenzie pointed out that the work will be done under the direct supervision of the permanent secretary, Marsha Henry-Martin, who will collaborate with the St Ann Municipal Corporation to ensure the effective utilisation of the funds.

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Persons urged to refrain from illicit, bulky waste disposal

Regional Operations Manager at WPM Waste Management Ltd, Dramaine Jones, is urging persons to refrain from illicitly disposing bulky waste.

Jones, who spoke with JIS News during a recent dump eradication exercise in Clark's Town, Trelawny, encouraged citizens to bring these items to the nearest dump, rather than disposing them in their communities.

"The cost of a ticket to the dump is as small as $1,000, and that is for a van carrying one refrigerator or stove. If you have a truckload of garbage, it's about $2,500 for a 10-wheeler," Jones said.

"So, we are just asking persons, please, when you have these items, try to make arrangements to go to the dump. The same person that carries the refrigerator for you from the store, give them the $1,000, tell them to buy the dump ticket and tell them to go to the dump, instead of heading to the illegal dump sites and dumping it there, because it puts a strain on our resources," he emphasised.