Cabinet briefing covers JPS blackout inquiry, demerit-point rollout, and school funding boost

Government ministers used the July 15 post-cabinet media briefing to report on electricity reliability, road-traffic enforcement, rural school transport, and public education funding.

Minister of Energy, Transport and Telecommunications Daryl Vaz said the Jamaica Public Service Company has submitted its technical investigative report on the islandwide power outage of June 5, 2026, to his ministry and the Office of Utilities Regulation within the regulatory deadline. Cabinet is pursuing an interministerial review of the document. JPS engaged international specialists, including teams from Mitsubishi Electric Power Products, Dana Danavo Eng Energy Solutions, Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, and General Electric, to examine steady-state and transient stability, root causes, and protective-device performance. Vaz said findings and recommended actions will be made public once the review is complete.

On transport, former Island Traffic Authority director general Colonel Daniel Price resigned effective June 30. Lieutenant Colonel Sheldon Brian, seconded from the Jamaica Defence Force, takes over from September 1. He will advance the demerit-point regime, modernise the authority, and reopen the Black River examination depot within 30 to 45 days. Vaz said more than 1.1 million outstanding traffic tickets complicate full rollout of the demerit system, and government is working with the judiciary on court capacity and transitional legislation. October 1, 2026 remains the target start date, though Vaz acknowledged current resources cannot clear the backlog before enforcement begins.

Vaz also praised the rural school bus programme launched in September 2025, reporting about 349 schools served, 86 dedicated routes, roughly 90 buses daily, and about 8,000 students transported without serious injury in its first year. Danville Walker was named Petrojam general manager from July 1, 2026, succeeding Telroy Morgan.

Education Minister Fayval Williams said average operational funding for public schools rose by about 55 per cent this year, with larger increases for primary and special-needs institutions. Grants were consolidated into a single operational allocation, with disbursements of 30 per cent in June, 15 per cent in September, and 20 per cent in December, totalling $755 million in additional support. Schools in hurricane-affected areas continue repair work, and the ministry plans twice-monthly public updates on contracts and timelines. Niraj Sahukar of Creative Kids Learning Academy was named Jamaica's top PEP performer.