Jamaica Magazine highlights eastern housing, school transport, youth mental health and digital vehicle fitness

Jamaica Magazine’s May 30, 2026 programme brought together updates on development in eastern Jamaica, child and adolescent mental health, youth literacy, land services and the digital shift in motor vehicle fitness certification.

In St. Mary, Prime Minister Dr. Andrew Holness broke ground for the $1.99-billion Galina Housing Development, which is expected to provide about 360 housing solutions near Port Maria and Oracabessa. The project is being undertaken by the National Housing Trust and Henan Fifth Construction Group Jamaica Limited.

Port Antonio Primary School in Portland received a 2026 Toyota Coaster bus from the Embassy of Japan in Jamaica. The vehicle, valued at about US$73,000, was provided through Japan’s Grassroots Human Security Grant Programme in partnership with the National Education Trust. Parliamentary Secretary Senator Marlon Morgan said dependable school transport is important to teaching and learning, while Japanese Ambassador Koichiro Yamanaka said the bus should help students attend school and activities safely.

British High Commissioner Alicia Herbert also visited St. Thomas, saying she wanted a closer understanding of Jamaican people, the economy, culture and the shared history between Jamaica and the United Kingdom. She noted St. Thomas’ special place in that relationship because many residents answered Britain’s post-Second World War call for workers.

St. Mary and St. Thomas marked Vaccination Week in the Americas 2026 through outreach activities. In St. Mary, residents accessed services including blood pressure, blood sugar and HIV testing, while patrons in St. Thomas pointed to smooth service at facilities such as Morant Bay Health Centre.

Factories Corporation of Jamaica Chairman Littleton Shirley reported that the Boundbrook Urban Centre in Portland is 51 per cent complete and is being designed to suit Port Antonio’s environment while withstanding Category 5 hurricanes. He said the 500,000-square-foot Morant Bay Urban Centre in St. Thomas is about 80 per cent occupied, with utility certification and final works progressing.

Psychiatric nurse and mental health advocate Cheryl Garriques Lloyd said children and adolescents commonly face anxiety and depressive disorders, along with challenges such as eating and conduct disorders. She urged parents and caregivers not to dismiss children’s stress, but to listen, ask questions, observe changes and seek help early.

The programme also featured five student authors supported by the Giving Pod Foundation, including visually impaired writer Alani Johnson. Their books explored poetry, introversion, resilience and personal experience. The Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information endorsed the initiative, while the National Library of Jamaica encouraged local creatives to add their work to the national collection.

Motorists were reminded that vehicle fitness processing is now digital. Fees may be paid online or at a tax office, inspections are handled by the Island Traffic Authority, and successful applicants receive an electronic fitness certificate through a reference number and chassis number process.