Police press Trelawny child-killing probe as campaign-finance audit and youth jobless data top Jamaica's news

Police in Trelawny are continuing to investigate the rape and murder of 10-year-old Shani Ko, whose body was found in bushes in the Troy district shortly after 6 p.m. on Tuesday with her throat slashed. Commanding officer for the Trelawny Police Division, Superintendent Vel Campbell, said the Jamaica Constabulary Force has offered support to the grieving family and is appealing to residents, some of whom blocked roads in protest, to remain calm and allow the investigation to proceed.

Separately, the Electoral Commission of Jamaica (ECJ) is carrying out a comprehensive audit to confirm that political parties and candidates complied with disclosure laws, after donations exceeded $1.7 billion in the three months before the September 2025 general election. Director of Elections Glaspole Brown said the financing framework, governed by the Representation of the People Act as amended in 2016, meets the legal standard for transparency, adding that the commission will decide after the audit whether further changes are needed.

The Statistical Institute of Jamaica reported national unemployment at 3.7 per cent for the second quarter, up from the record low of 3.3 per cent recorded in 2025, while youth unemployment climbed to 11.7 per cent, or about 21,000 people, from 10.6 per cent late last year. Jamaica Employers' Federation vice-president Juden Bowden linked the increase to a skills mismatch, limited work experience and broader socioeconomic pressures. The Ministry of Labour and Social Security pointed to Hurricane Melissa's impact on tourism, retail, wholesale and construction, and said it would expand youth employment initiatives. PAC chairman Peter Bunting has called for stronger career guidance and tertiary programmes better aligned with labour-market demand.

Doctors are urging Jamaicans to watch for signs of heat stroke during the current extreme heat. An emergency medicine specialist described the condition as a life-threatening emergency marked by body temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius and altered mental function, warning that young children, the elderly and people with heart conditions are most at risk. Officials advised frequent hydration with cool water, shade, light clothing and avoiding the midday sun.

In St. Thomas, emergency repairs are under way after a fire-damaged culvert caused part of a key roadway to collapse. The National Works Agency attributed the failure to the burning of garbage, which destroyed underground plastic pipes, while East St. Thomas Taxi Association president Kurt Brown said the route between Kingston and Port Antonio was unsafe and needed urgent attention.

The Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) also opened a regional antimicrobial resistance laboratory this week, enabling faster testing that previously required samples to be sent to Trinidad. Health Minister Dr. Christopher Tufton and CARPHA executive director Dr. Lisa Indar said results would now be available in about 40 hours.