Oswald Harding dies at 90 as Negril fire, teacher pay talks, and cyberbullying arrests dominate national news

The Jamaica Labour Party is mourning Oswald Harding, a former Senate president, attorney general, and cabinet minister who died at age 90 following illness. Deputy Leader Desmond McKenzie hailed him as a dedicated nation-builder whose decades of service to party and country remain worthy of emulation. Harding was Jamaica's longest-serving senator and the first person to serve two non-consecutive terms as Senate president before later holding the justice and attorney general portfolios. The party has offered condolences to his family, friends, and colleagues.

In Westmoreland, the Negril Fire Department and police are investigating a blaze that destroyed three board houses and two shops on Nonpareil Road near the Negril Sewage Plant last Sunday. Shortly after 4:00 p.m., residents heard children screaming and found flames at a home occupied by a 30-year-old woman and her four children. The fire spread to neighbouring properties before crews from Negril and Savanna-la-Mar brought it under control after more than an hour. Preliminary damage estimates exceed $20 million.

Jamaica Teachers' Association President Mark Malabver says talks with the Ministry of Finance are showing incremental progress, but a verbal wage proposal from Wednesday's meeting means nothing until it is documented. "We are awaiting the offer and then we will be in a position to say yes, it's a new offer or an improved offer," he said, noting the ministry has previously resent the same package. A formal proposal is expected by Friday. Malabver added that strong Primary Exit Profile results are built on teachers' labour and that the country must recognise their worth.

Union of Clerical, Administrative and Supervisory Employees President Vincent Morrison said the minimum wage rise due on 1 July still cannot meet workers' needs as living costs climb. The Jamaica Medical Doctors Association said retaining young doctors requires pay, career progression, and more than improved conditions alone.

Three high school students are in custody after an alleged cyberbullying case in Montego Bay, St. James, where police are reviewing phones and harmful social media posts. A parent said fabricated Instagram and TikTok pages with her daughter's name and AI-generated images began in October 2025, returned in December, and targeted peers and relatives despite reports to the school and police. Counseling psychologist Dr. Patrice Charles-King said online abuse follows children home and can cause lasting harm, urging victims to save evidence and tell a trusted adult while calling on schools to treat cyberbullying as a safeguarding matter.

Rescue teams in Venezuela searched for survivors after a powerful earthquake as the interim president confirmed fatalities, declared a state of emergency, and pledged a large humanitarian response.