Pedestrian dies in accident

ONE man was killed on Saturday and three others injured, in a motor vehicle accident on the Old Harbour main road in St Catherine.

The dead man has been identified as Lester Whyte, 55, of Church Pen in Old Harbour, while one of the three injured, Kenrick Harriott, 21, of McVicker’s Lane, St Catherine was admitted to hospital.

The Constabulary Communication Network (CCN) reported that at about 4:40 am, Harriott was driving a Mitsubishi Galant motorcar with two passengers aboard along the Old Harbour main road when he reportedly lost control of the vehicle, which hit Whyte who was on the side of the road. The vehicle then crashed into a house, damaging the building.

All four persons sustained injuries and were taken to the Spanish Town Hospital where Harriott was admitted in serious condition. Whyte was transferred to the University Hospital where he died while undergoing treatment.

The other two persons were treated at the Spanish Town Hospital and released.

Elderly woman dies in fire

VIOLA Johnson, 70, yesterday died in a fire at Georges Street, Rose Town, Kingston 13.

The CCN’s metro officer reported that about 3:15 am, residents reportedly saw fire coming from the house occupied by Johnson. The police were alerted and three units from the York Park and Trench Town fire departments extinguished the blaze.

Johnson’s charred remains were later discovered among the ashes.

Gun seized in Waterford

A .38 Taurus revolver was seized by the Portmore police at Waterford, St Catherine on Saturday.

No one was arrested.

The CCN’s metro officer said that at about 2:30 pm, a police operation was carried out in the Waterford community. The firearm, with five .38 cartridges, was reportedly found in the vicinity of a church on Granville Road.

Portmore woman held

with ganja at airport

A 36 year-old Jamaican woman was arrested for breaches of the Dangerous Drugs Act at the Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston on Saturday.

Charged with possession of, dealing in and taking steps to export ganja is Davine Marcia Ricketts of 35th Central Way, Silverstone, Portmore, St Catherine.

According to the CCN, at about 6:30 pm, Ricketts was about to board a flight to Fort Lauderdale, Florida when a sniffer dog alerted the police to a narcotic substance in her luggage.

Her suitcase was searched and ganja weighing 4.09 kilogrammes was found in a false compartment .

She was subsequently charged and is scheduled to appear in the Corporate Area Criminal Court tomorrow.

ACROSS JAMAICA… ACROSS JAMAICA… ACROSS JAMAICA… MoBay fishermen get training

MONTEGO BAY, St James — The Urban Development Corporation (UDC) is currently conducting a series of training workshops in Montego Bay, aimed at strengthening the leadership of the revived Montego Bay Fishermen’s Co-operative.

These workshops are being held in collaboration with the Registrar of Co-operatives and Friendly Societies.

About 10 members of the co-operative’s interim committee took part in one of the workshops, last week, at the UDC’s Fort Street Office. They received instructions in leadership, money management, and structures and functions of co-operatives.

Broughton receives potable water

BROUGHTON, Westmoreland — About 4,000 residents of Broughton and surrounding communities in Westmoreland now have access to potable piped water.

Minister of Water and Housing, Karl Blythe, last week officially opened the new Broughton water supply scheme, which was built at a cost of $16.4 million.

The new water scheme is connected to a 10-inch trunk main from the Bull Strode source, and will provide residents of Broughton, Mango Hall, Old Hope, and Hope Walk with a reliable water supply.

St Ann youth urged to practise safe sex

BAMBOO, St Ann — Rose Gaynor, sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) contact investigator for St Ann, has urged young people in the parish to practice safe sex to protect themselves from sexually transmitted infections, especially HIV/AIDS.

She encouraged women with STDs to visit a doctor or the nearest clinic as soon as they realised they were pregnant to protect the unborn child from the disease.

Gaynor was making a presentation on STDs at the weekly meeting of the Holy Name Roman Catholic Church Youth Fellowship, at Bamboo, recently.

St James Parish Council to host community meetings

MONTEGO BAY, St James — The St James Parish Council has planned a series of community forums across the parish during April and May. The meetings, it said, are aimed at educating residents on the roles and responsibilities of the local government body.

Nine meetings are expected be held with a target of more than 5,000 residents participating in discussions on the parish council’s budget and aspects of the local government reform programme, amount other things.

Secretary/manager of the council, Christopher Powell, said the series of community meetings would be an annual affair for the council.