St. James police shooting case sent to Circuit Court as Jamaica’s population barely grows

The May 17 fatal shooting of 45-year-old Latoya Bulgin in Granville, Montego Bay, has been committed to the St. James Circuit Court. Constable Andrew Wilson, charged in connection with the killing, had his matter moved from the St. James Parish Court after prosecutors filed a voluntary bill of indictment, ending the case in the lower court. Wilson remains on bail under existing conditions, with the next appearance set for October 9.

The Jamaica Constabulary Force is also mourning District Constable Nathaniel McKenzie, 36, who died in hospital on Monday, July 13, from injuries suffered in a June 9 crash on New Road in Clarendon. His death follows that of Constable Shavain Davis, who died three days earlier from injuries in a crash on the Bustamante Highway. Clarendon Division commanding officer Senior Superintendent Shane McCalla described the latest loss as a tragedy and declined further comment.

Meanwhile, the Planning Institute of Jamaica’s 2025 Economic and Social Survey reports 28,900 births and an estimated 21,300 deaths, a natural increase of 7,600. Migration cut about 7,000 people from the total, leaving a net gain of only 600 and a growth rate of 0.0%. Sociologist Dr. Heather Ricketts warned that below-replacement fertility and an ageing population could force Jamaica to import labour and urged a government family policy, citing high education costs and shifting career priorities among young adults.

In politics, Central Westmoreland MP Dwayne Vaz has stepped down as the PNP’s shadow spokesman on roads and works after talks with Opposition Leader Mark Golding, saying he will concentrate on his constituency and Region 6. He denied that the move stemmed from sexual harassment allegations by PNP counsellor Julian Chung or an assault charge linked to an alleged altercation in Savanna-la-Mar, and said he was never the subject of a police investigation in the Chung matter.

Former Manchester North West MP, Cabinet minister and Mandeville mayor Dean Alexander Peart has died at 77. Relatives, including Spur Tree councillor Ryan Peart, remembered him for roadworks and community centres across Manchester.

Health officials are stepping up surveillance in Westmoreland after a rise in hand, foot and mouth disease, mainly among children under five, and are urging parents and schools to keep symptomatic children home and tighten hygiene before the new term.

Works Minister Robert Morgan, speaking at a Recovery and Rebuild Jamaica Expo, outlined a special CAPEX road push of about $10 billion in the corporate area and an accelerated programme for 55 climate-resilient bridges, roughly 21 of them in western Jamaica, with all CAPEX contractors said to be local firms. Opposition spokesman on land and works Lothan Cousins criticised Phase Two of the $25-billion SPARK main-roads programme, saying $12.01 billion is concentrated in the corporate area and St. Catherine—$7 billion of it on just two projects—while St. Elizabeth received nothing despite Hurricane Melissa damage. He said the plan covers only 170 km, or 3.4% of the NWA’s roughly 5,000 km network, and demanded publication of the selection methodology.

The JCF’s Agricultural Protection Branch reported about 480 convictions in its first year and more than $9 million in recovered produce, with Area 5 Inspector Robert Robinson describing many farm crimes as organised and gang-linked. Opposition education spokesman Damian Crawford also challenged the Education Ministry’s reading of this year’s PEP results, arguing a different exam format makes year-on-year claims of improvement unreliable and that many students remain in Pathways Two and Three.