Cabinet outlines JPS blackout review, traffic reforms and increased school funding

The Government used its July 15, 2026 post-Cabinet briefing to provide national updates on electricity reliability, road enforcement, public transport, education funding and repairs to hurricane-damaged schools.

Energy, Transport and Telecommunications Minister Daryl Vaz said Jamaica Public Service submitted its technical report on the June 5 islandwide outage to the ministry and the Office of Utilities Regulation within the required period. Government specialists will independently assess the findings, establish the cause and recommend measures to improve the power grid. JPS engaged Mitsubishi Electric Power Products, Dana Energy Solutions, Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories and General Electric for technical analyses.

Vaz also announced that Lieutenant Colonel Sheldon Bryan, seconded from the Jamaica Defence Force, will lead the Island Traffic Authority from September 1. Former director general Colonel Daniel Price resigned effective June 30. Bryan’s assignments include modernising the authority, advancing the demerit-point system and reopening the Black River examination depot within 30 to 45 days.

More than 1.1 million traffic tickets remain unresolved, creating legal and administrative difficulties ahead of the planned October 1 implementation milestone. Vaz said transitional legislation, additional court resources and extended sittings are being considered. Any possible amnesty for older fines would not remove licence suspensions imposed under the new demerit regime.

The rural school bus programme, introduced in September 2025, now serves about 349 schools through 86 routes. Approximately 90 buses operate daily, carrying 8,000 students and facilitating more than 16,000 trips. Vaz reported no student deaths or serious injuries during its first year. A proposed second phase involving another 100 buses remains under discussion because of budget constraints following Hurricane Melissa.

Danville Walker became Petrojam’s general manager on July 1, replacing Telwell Morgan, who resigned while facing health challenges.

Education Minister Morris Dixon said public schools are receiving an average 55 per cent increase in operational funding, amounting to an additional $755 million. Primary and special-needs institutions received the largest increases. Schools were allocated 30 per cent in June, with further payments scheduled for September and December.

The ministry will publish contractor names, contract values, deadlines and progress reports for Hurricane Melissa school repairs twice monthly. Some projects could take up to 18 months.

Officials also confirmed that Jamaica’s third-country national arrangement allows 25 people every two weeks to transit the island, subject to operational arrangements. The programme would stop if more than 10 participants sought asylum.