Western Jamaica storm cuts power as police boost patrols amid rising murders

Several communities in western Jamaica lost electricity on Wednesday morning after a sudden high-velocity storm tore through Hanover and parts of Westmoreland, damaging homes, businesses, and roads.

Residents in Hopewell, Lucy, Sandy Bay, and Green Island in Hanover, along with sections of Westmoreland, described shock at the intense wind and heavy rain that lasted for hours. Flooding and fallen trees blocked routes across eastern and western Hanover, slowing movement and leaving many wary as the hurricane season approaches.

Area 1 police have stepped up patrols, spot checks, and targeted operations across western parishes following a rise in killings. Jamaica Constabulary Force figures show Hanover recorded 10 murders up to June 20, up from seven in the same period last year. St. James rose to 35 from 26. Westmoreland and Trelawny saw declines, with 13 murders compared with 22, and four compared with six, respectively. Commanders say resources are focused on violence hotspots, especially in Hanover.

In Negril, police released a composite sketch of a man wanted in connection with a robbery with aggravation and wounding with intent on Saturday, April 25. Reports say that around 6:30 p.m., a man sitting in a Toyota Voxy on Norman Manley Boulevard was approached by two men, one armed with a gun. He was shot in the upper left shoulder and robbed of a knapsack holding an undetermined sum of money before the attackers fled on foot. Anyone with information is asked to call 119 or the nearest police station.

Former United States Navy Petty Officer Leota Bradshaw, accused of masterminding the double murder of politician Philip Paulwell's 10-month-old daughter Sarah and her mother, 27-year-old Tasha Patterson, is due back in court on September 17 for a trial readiness hearing. The trial is scheduled to start on September 28, 2026. Bradshaw faces two counts of capital murder, conspiracy to murder, kidnapping, and conspiracy to kidnap.

Water Minister Matthew Samura rejected claims at Wednesday's post-Cabinet briefing that political favouritism guides water project spending. He called the allegation "abject nonsense," citing developments including the Port Morant air castle water system in eastern St. Thomas and the Green Park water system as examples of investment across government and opposition constituencies.

Data protection practitioner Chuck Cameron warned that Jamaica may be digitising public services faster than it is building cyber defences, as artificial intelligence fuels more sophisticated online crime. He said trained professionals are needed to strengthen protections, though he described the Data Protection Act as robust enough to govern AI use.

The Jamaica Medical Doctors Association said a worsening shortage of medical interns is forcing gruelling shifts, with some working 24 to 32 hours on alternate days and, in some cases, up to 56 consecutive hours. President Dr. Renee Badru said the strain affects patient care, road safety, and clinical training at hospitals including Spanish Town, May Pen, Mandeville Regional, Savanna-la-Mar Public, St. Ann's Bay, and the University Hospital of the West Indies. Interns protested on Wednesday, and Badru said the Ministry of Health's pledge to contact the association was welcome, but additional internship posts and temporary staff are needed within weeks before a smaller incoming class arrives.