KINGSTON, Jamaica — Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sports Olivia ‘Babsy’ Grange and Opposition Spokesperson on Culture Lisa Hanna clashed this week over comments made by Hanna during Tuesday’s sitting of the House of Representatives.

Hanna, in her contribution to the sectoral debate in Parliament, raised concerns expenditure for the ‘Jamaica 55’ celebrations, and the work of the main organiser, the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC). “Where has the rest of the $440 million gone? For those of you who might have missed it, there is an obscure note to the estimates of expenditure reserving $200 million of the $380 million remaining specifically for Jamaica 55,” Hanna said on Tuesday while, at the same time, questioning the reason for the establishment of a ‘Jamaica 55’ secretariat.

Grange, however, fired back sharply, calling Hanna’s statements, which hinted at corruption, “a big fat lie”. 

Meanwhile, the two-week ban on the importation of corned beef from Brazil was lifted on Tuesday. The ban came after reports that several major Brazilian meat processors had been “selling rotten beef and poultry”.

In other news, an 11-year-old boy is in police custody, accused of hacking a 14-year-old boy to death in Lowe River, Trelawny on Monday.  State minister of Education, Youth and Information Floyd Green noted Wednesday that the youngster cannot be charged for a criminal offence but will be brought before the Court and sent to a place of safety.