Ministers clarify US transit pact as Parliament hears road progress and mixed JSE results

Kingston — Senior government figures sought this week to draw a clear line between two separate discussions with the United States, stressing that Jamaica's agreement to facilitate third-country nationals in transit must not be confused with efforts to attract skilled workers to the island.

Information Minister Senator Dr Dana Morris Dixon said the transit programme was proposed by Washington and reflects arrangements used in other parts of the Caribbean and Latin America, where some states serve as stopover points for people being relocated. Her comments followed disclosure that Jamaica signed a memorandum of understanding allowing individuals transferred from the United States to pass through on the way to final destinations, including their home countries.

"It started with a US overture, and then there was a discussion on something separate, which was on skilled labour, and then they got conflated," Dixon said, adding that negotiations have since proceeded on the transit arrangement alone.

Deputy Prime Minister Dr Horace Chang, who also holds the national security portfolio, told a post-Cabinet briefing that those covered by the agreement are not being brought to Jamaica as permanent migrants. Under the agreed quota, up to 25 individuals may be facilitated every two weeks for transit to a third territory. Chang said bilateral talks often unfold in stages, which is why such negotiations are not typically conducted in public. The pact followed extensive discussions involving foreign affairs, national security, the Office of the Prime Minister, and the Attorney General's Chambers.

In Parliament, Minister without Portfolio Robert Morgan reported that 26 per cent of roads selected under the Shared Prosperity Through Accelerated Improvement to Our Road Network programme had been completed by April 2026. Nine work orders valued at $18 billion cover 369 community roads across several parishes; construction has commenced on 210, with 109 already finished. Morgan said rehabilitated routes are being built to modern engineering standards, with an expected service life of between seven and 14 years, and that no road will be handed over unless approved by an independent consultant.

Opposition spokesman on rural and community development Dr Kenneth Russell used the sectoral debate to call for a major overhaul of community development policy. He urged government to invest in multipurpose, self-sustaining community centres and warned that public trust in the Social Development Commission must be protected. Russell also called for a comprehensive review of legislation governing the sector.

On the Jamaica Stock Exchange, listed companies posted mixed results. Dolphin Cove recorded revenue of US$2.5 million for the three months to March 31, down 39 per cent from the prior year, with net profit falling 83 per cent to US$142,000. Lasco Financial Services posted net profit of $82.1 million, up 40 per cent, while Scotia Group Jamaica reported six-month net income of $10.1 billion to April 30, with total revenue excluding credit losses up 11 per cent to $37.1 billion. Indies Pharma Jamaica reported a 38.5 per cent decline in six-month net profit to $84 million, and Limners and Bard's trading at The Lab posted a net loss of $13.4 million for the same period.

In regional news, Dominica's Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit renewed calls for reform of international financial institutions, arguing that lengthy loan approval processes delay projects and drive up costs for developing countries.

In sports, the 2026 Dragon Boat Festival brought local and international crews to the Grand Hotel Excelsior in Kingston. The Bahamas won the Caribbean Cup for overall performance, JDF Wave Riders posted the fastest local time, and the Chinese Embassy team earned bronze. At the 2026 FIFA World Cup on June 18, Canada defeated Qatar 6-0 and Switzerland beat Bosnia 4-1 in Group B, while Mexico edged South Korea 1-0 in Group A and Czechia drew 1-1 with South Africa.