Holness rejects claims Jamaica would take criminal deportees under third-country deal

Prime Minister Dr. Andrew Holness has rejected suggestions that Jamaica could be used as a transit point for deported third-country nationals, insisting no criminals will be brought into the country under any such arrangement.

Addressing reporters during a tour of the Boundbrook Urban Centre in Port Antonio, Portland, on Friday, July 3, Dr. Holness defended the Government's crime-fighting record and dismissed criticism linked to the reported agreement. He said Jamaica has invested heavily and citizens have paid a steep price to reduce violence, recalling his past warning to deportees not to return expecting the Jamaica they left years earlier.

"Why would I then agree to take criminals here? Why would I put in peril all of that hard work of the police force and the military," he asked.

The Prime Minister also pointed to a more than 40 per cent drop in murders, an upgraded United States travel advisory from level three to level two, and growing international recognition of Jamaica's security gains. "Those who come to you with lies and nonsense, tell them to GO AWAY. GO AWAY," he said.

Opposition parliamentarians and disability advocates are calling for an immediate review of the Disabilities Act and greater investment in accessibility. Opposition Senator Professor Dr. Floyd Morris, director of the Centre for Disability Studies at the University of the West Indies, said Section 48 requires a legislative review three years after the Act took effect and that a joint select committee should already have been established. Legal officer for the Jamaica Council for Persons with Disabilities, Travis Ebanks, said the council should be able to take enforcement action against breaches and that incentives could encourage employers to onboard persons with disabilities.

Political analysts Jermaine Barrett and Dr. Nadine Spence have criticised the conduct of the current batch of parliamentarians, backing former House Speaker Marisa Dalrymple Philibert's concerns about behaviour in the chamber. South St. James Member of Parliament Nikisha Burchell, however, said she welcomes being labelled a "new breed" politician if it means standing up for integrity, accountability, and the needs of her constituents.

In St. Thomas, residents of Lloyd's district say the community cemetery has been neglected for years and are calling on the authorities to restore it. Resident Raphael Watson said upkeep worsened after the parish council assumed responsibility and began collecting fees. The St. Thomas Municipal Corporation acknowledged the overgrown conditions and said it will use drone-assisted technology at Lloyd's Cemetery, following the same approach used at Red Cemetery in Morant Bay.

Chaos erupted along Love Lane in Montego Bay, St. James, on Friday morning after a massive fire destroyed a dwelling. Firefighters responded around 7:45 a.m.; three units found two structures fully engulfed. Occupants who were asleep at the time escaped injury but were left homeless. District fire investigation officer Anil Carr said investigators are interviewing occupants and probing the scene to determine the cause.

The Government officially launched phase two of the Shared Prosperity through Accelerated Improvement to our Road Network programme, with 31 roads issued as work orders to contractor China Harbour. Minister of Works Robert Morgan said exact start dates are difficult to fix because designs are still underway, but many projects should begin this year and be completed by next year. Phase two will include tactile and accessibility features for persons with disabilities.

At Sangster International Airport, officials highlighted a self-baggage drop partnership with American Airlines, route growth from Latin America and other markets, terminal expansion works, and a three-megawatt solar project that forms part of the airport's level-three carbon accreditation under the Airports Council International programme.