Chang orders full JCF probe into killing of 10-year-old Shani Coke

The Jamaica Constabulary Force has been ordered to commit every available resource to a swift, transparent investigation into the death of 10-year-old Shani Coke, who is believed to have been raped and murdered. Minister of National Security and Peace Dr. Horace Chang condemned the killing and offered condolences to her family and all who mourn her.

Chang said the security forces would pursue the matter until justice is served, but added that the circumstances require deeper interrogation, both to prevent a repeat in any Jamaican community and to examine the course of events in the alleged perpetrator's life and how Jamaica treats people who are abused and may themselves become abusers. The ministry, he said, remains committed to the safety and dignity of the nation's children and stands with the Child Protection and Family Services Agency in supporting the grieving family.

Chang, who is also Deputy Prime Minister, welcomed 30 new citizens on Wednesday at a swearing-in ceremony hosted by the Passport, Immigration and Citizenship Agency. "Today is more than just an administrative milestone. It's a defining moment in your personal journey, the day when you formally become part of the Jamaican family," he said. He noted that citizenship carries the right to take part in the democracy and protection under Jamaican law, and that the country's long democratic tradition provides a stable foundation as its security landscape improves.

The Education Transformation Oversight Committee reported that implementation of its reform recommendations has climbed to 43 per cent from 37 per cent at the last quarterly briefing. Chairman Dr. Adrian Stokes, speaking at the committee's year-four, first-quarter press conference at the University of the West Indies Regional Headquarters in St. Andrew, credited the governance, teaching and learning, and TVET pillars, and said all 207 initiatives are on track. The committee is targeting 53 per cent by March 2027, 65 per cent by the end of the following fiscal year and full implementation by the close of the 2030/31 fiscal year. Stokes said the work will be done in an agile way, correcting and modifying as new information comes in, and urged stakeholders not to let negativity undermine the process.

The Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management plans to expand its warehousing islandwide after the relief operation triggered by Hurricane Melissa, when it relied on a few rented facilities to handle the inflow. Director General Commander Alvin Gayle said the planned national logistics hub for disaster risk management will be a multi-year, multi-phase build-out anchored by a large multimodal hub in central Jamaica close to the main highways, with expansion of the agency's Montpelier facility in the west and new sites in the east and for the Kingston Metropolitan Region. Jamaica is also required to store relief for the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency's sub-region. Gayle said the expansion will settle the documentation, receipt, storage and management of donated items flagged in the Auditor General's report, and a logistics and warehouse department staffed by Jamaica Defence Force specialists has been brought into the executive office.

Minister of Labour and Social Security Pearnel Charles Jr. is leading a high-level delegation to Canada as the two countries mark 60 years of the Seasonal Agricultural Workers Programme, with engagements running to July 29 under the theme "60 years strong, building partnerships, shaping futures." Charles said the trip honours the thousands of Jamaican farm workers whose discipline and dedication have strengthened Canadian agriculture while supporting families at home. Talks with Canadian officials and agricultural organisations will cover the programme's performance, workforce needs, operational effectiveness and growth, alongside farm visits, worker consultations and a round table with Jamaican liaison officers.