Montego Bay fruit vendor killed as Jamaica faces water, road and firearms law concerns

Several public-safety and governance concerns are before Jamaica after a weekend marked by a national power outage, deadly violence in Montego Bay, road-safety warnings in Hanover and fresh criticism of the Firearms Act.

The Opposition says Friday night’s islandwide blackout showed why National Water Commission facilities should have independent renewable-energy support. Jamaica Public Service reported that heavy lightning near key generation sites caused a chain reaction that left the country without electricity for several hours into early Saturday. By Saturday, the NWC said about 65,000 customers were still without piped water as restoration work continued.

Opposition water spokesman Ian Hylton said the utility remains too reliant on the national grid and urged the Government to move critical water infrastructure to solar and other renewable systems. He also called for generators to be placed at priority locations, including tourism corridors, major population centres and residential communities, and demanded a water-sector energy-resilience plan in the current parliamentary session.

In Hanover, Sergeant Daryl Ellis, the sub-officer in charge of traffic, said many crashes are being fuelled by motorists who ignore the Road Traffic Act. Speaking at a community meeting in Hopewell, Ellis said 10 fatal crashes between January 1 and June 3, 2026, had claimed 11 lives in the parish. He said motorcycles were involved in some cases, but most crashes involved motor vehicles.

Ellis noted calls from local officials and civic leaders for rumble strips at known crash-prone areas, including sections near Round Hill Hotel, Grand Palladium, Green Island and Orange Bay along the Montego Bay-to-Negril corridor. However, he said speed reduction, compliance and continuous public education may be more effective.

In St. James, police are investigating the killing of 42-year-old fruit vendor Kevin Pine of Orange. Reports say Pine was found about 11:30 p.m. Saturday on Miriam Way in Montego Bay, lying face down with gunshot wounds. He was taken to hospital and pronounced dead. Pine was among three men who tried to rescue people swept away by floodwaters in Montego Bay on April 19, 2022. Janelle, a child, was later found dead, while Beryl Walters has never been recovered.

Opposition justice spokeswoman Zuleika Jess has also joined calls for urgent changes to the Firearms Act. In her June 4 sectoral debate contribution, the St. Elizabeth Eastern MP criticised mandatory penalties involving imitation firearms, citing the 15-year sentence imposed on music producer Ewan Price after imitation firearms were found at his Grants Pen, St. Andrew home in 2023. National Security Minister Dr. Horace Chang said in April that amendments are being considered.