PPV fare hike, FLA report and St James crash lead Jamaica news

Jamaica’s public transport sector, public accountability bodies and road safety officials were under the spotlight on Tuesday, June 2, as the Government approved a phased 16 per cent fare increase for public passenger vehicle operators and Parliament dealt with major governance reports.

Transport Minister Daryl Vaz said half of the PPV fare increase took effect immediately, with the remaining eight per cent scheduled for July 1. He warned operators not to add unauthorised charges on top of the approved adjustment. Taxi operators and commuters gave mixed responses, with some drivers saying the increase still falls short of fuel and operating costs, while at least one commuter argued that a $200 fare would better reflect current realities. Opposition transport spokesman Mikael Phillips criticised the move as confusing and said commuters were left without adequate notice or a gazetted fare table.

The Public Accounts Committee also continued reviewing procurement and documentation issues at the University Hospital of the West Indies. Auditor General Pamela Monroe Ellis said customs records showed a C84 form dated November 25, 2023 bearing the signature of former UHWI CEO Kevin Allen, although Allen said he left the post in 2022. Acting CEO Eric Hosten said the hospital is tightening procurement controls, including quotation requirements and documentation practices.

Parliament tabled the Integrity Commission’s March 2026 report into allegations of corruption, impropriety and irregularities at the Firearm Licensing Authority. The investigation began in June 2021 after an anonymous email raised concerns about firearm licences, dealers and storage. The commission found no missing firearms earmarked for destruction, but said 191 rounds of ammunition belonging to a private firearm holder were unaccounted for and flagged weak inventory controls.

In St. James, a 22-year-old woman died and several passengers were hospitalised after a multi-vehicle crash on the Rose Hall main road involving a bus carrying school-aged children and a construction tractor. National Road Safety Council vice chairman Dr. Lucien Jones again called for stronger use of the demerit-point system.

Other reports covered Jamaica’s planned rice-production support from China, a Caribbean anti-corruption conference in Kingston, waste-management upgrades at the St. Ann’s Bay Fisherman’s Beach, a manufacturing conference focused on disaster resilience, and deadly protests in Nanyuki, Kenya over a proposed United States Ebola isolation facility.