Government still has no timeline for housing third-country nationals in Jamaica

The Jamaican government still cannot say where or when the first group of 25 third-country nationals will be housed under a migration arrangement tied to United States immigration proceedings, National Security Minister Dr Horace Chang said on Saturday.

Chang rejected claims that the individuals would be accommodated at a property in St Mary while their cases are processed. "There are no third country nationals in St Mary currently and there's no arrangement to house any third country member in the institution in St Mary," he told TVJ News. He said St Mary was never an option, adding that officials want locations near transport points.

When asked which areas are under review, Chang said he is not directly involved. Technical teams working on the migration operation will identify a suitable facility when they begin their search.

Some Jamaicans have raised concerns about the background of those who may be sent here. Chang said they are not criminals but undocumented migrants whose claims have not yet been determined in the United States. Housing may involve a commercial site, such as a hotel leased through the International Organization for Migration. If a private residence were used, the surrounding community would be engaged. Chang could not say when the first arrivals would land. "I have no idea," he said, citing legal steps, procurement, accommodation selection, and coordination with the sending government.

Local Government Minister Desmond McKenzie, speaking on Friday at a cleanup and restoration grants handover in St James, pushed back against councilors and other local representatives who have criticised the government's drain-cleaning and road-repair work. He said some comments are politically motivated. McKenzie said local authorities receive roughly $600 million to $700 million each month from the Ministry of Finance, shared according to the number of roads in each parish, not at his discretion. He added that councils also generate their own revenue, noting that local authorities approved plans totalling more than $64.5 billion in revenue last year.

In Mandeville on Saturday morning, relatives and supporters marked nine months since Manchester High School student Jaden Smith disappeared. Marchers wore purple shirts bearing his photograph and called on police to revisit the case and keep the public informed. His mother said grief and sleepless nights have not ended her hope that he is alive, and pleaded with anyone who has information to contact the nearest police station. "I miss my son so much," she said. Supporters travelled from the Cayman Islands to join the demonstration. Police say investigations continue and urge anyone with information to contact the nearest station or Crime Stoppers.

At the International Beauty Expo at the National Arena in St Andrew, advocates pressed for stronger support for women and girls during menstruation. Shelon Weekes, founder and executive director of the Herflow Foundation, said period poverty limits access to sanitary products in schools and workplaces. She cited figures suggesting about 44 per cent of Jamaican girls lack adequate products during their cycle, which can affect school attendance and health. Herflow is running a pilot project with the government. Weekes urged policymakers to consider menstrual-leave models used overseas, where entitlements range from one to five days depending on the country. The expo began on Friday and ends on Sunday.