Labour Ministry warns on overseas job scams as Clarendon residents demand justice and road repairs

The Ministry of Labour and Social Security has again urged job seekers to stay alert after a social media flyer promoting a mass farmwork recruitment drive in Canada raised concerns in St. Catherine. Labour and Social Security Minister Pernel Charles Jr. issued the warning this week, stressing that his ministry is the only body in Jamaica with legal authority to place workers in overseas farmwork programmes.

The ministry issued a scam alert that led organisers to halt the advertised event. A man claiming to organise the drive said he had since contacted the ministry and was collecting documentation to regularise the effort locally. Minister Charles said anyone planning recruitment activities must coordinate with the ministry first. He cautioned the public against overseas employment advertisements that request processing or other fees, noting reports of Jamaicans paying thousands to fraudulent recruiters. "Failure to conduct the necessary due diligence could result in you being exposed to fraud, identity theft and financial loss," he said.

Motorists using the main road linking Penance and Brandon Hill in Clarendon are calling for urgent repairs after years of deterioration. Drivers say repair bills have climbed sharply, oil marks streak the surface and trips that once took about 15 minutes now stretch to 45 minutes or an hour along the roughly seven-mile route.

Ahead of Dream Weekend, Senior Superintendent Aaron Samuels of the St. James Police Division said officers are reviewing event arrangements so economic activity can reach more Montego Bay communities while remaining under proper police monitoring. He said experimental changes to permitted event locations have produced good results without altering standard application procedures.

Speaking in western Jamaica on the Restoration of Owners or Occupants Family Shelter Roofs initiative after Hurricane Melissa, Minister Charles said confusion grew because too many unauthorised parties conducted assessments, including criminals posing as officials. "There's a whole heap of people who are doing assessments — church, person, thief, politician, all manner of people are doing it," he said, adding that only ministry-led assessments count. He told residents the programme remains active for those already registered, though new assessments are closed, and pledged to resolve conflicting information.

In Union District, Clarendon, residents continue pressing for justice more than a month after 64-year-old Hyasent Johnson, known as Miss June, was found at her home on 1 June with multiple stab wounds. Police say she was also believed to have been sexually assaulted. At a town hall and protest, neighbours said the usually quiet community remains shaken and called for improved street lighting and bush clearance toward Grand Thalam. Clarendon police said investigations are ongoing, urged residents to share information and warned against vigilante action.

In international news, Typhoon Bavy made landfall in China — the second major storm to strike the country within a week — with nearly two million people evacuated. The system, spanning about 1,000 kilometres at its widest point, came ashore in the coastal city of Taizu on Saturday evening before a second landfall in Wu around midnight, after affecting remote Japanese islands and bringing heavy rain to northern Taiwan. Earlier storm-related landslides in the Philippines killed at least 17 people. Though weakened to Category 1, officials said heavy rainbands still pose serious risks.