Jamaica morning round-up highlights STEM concerns, cancer fundraiser and hurricane readiness

Jamaica’s education, health, disaster-readiness and community-development issues featured prominently on CVM’s Sunrise programme on Tuesday, June 2, 2026, alongside updates on sports, weather-related health advice and youth entrepreneurship.

In the headline segment, concern was raised about the country’s science, technology, engineering and mathematics pipeline. UTech President Dr Kevin Brown, speaking at the university’s third annual STEM summer camp launch, said only about 6,000 of the roughly 30,000 students who sit CSEC each year earn the five subjects, including mathematics and English, generally required for tertiary admission. He warned that universities and teachers’ colleges are drawing from the same limited pool of qualified students, creating pressure on Jamaica’s future workforce.

The programme also reported that the United States Navy aircraft carrier USS Nimitz arrived in Kingston Harbour on Monday for a scheduled visit ending June 5. Officials described the stop as part of the Southern Seas 2026 deployment and said it would focus on education, community engagement and partnership-building.

Relay for Life 2026 organisers said this year’s event, themed “Wild for a Cure”, will be staged at the Police Officers’ Club on Saturday, June 6, from 6 p.m. to midnight. Jamaica Cancer Society representatives said the event will honour survivors, remember those who died from cancer and raise funds, including support for a mammography machine. A health fair with free screenings is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints also promoted a free hurricane preparedness seminar set for Saturday, June 6, at 3 Mutant Drive in Ensom Acres, Spanish Town. The session is expected to involve ODPEM, the Jamaica Fire Brigade, the Jamaica Constabulary Force, the Red Cross and the Ministry of Health and Wellness.

Other updates included the Health Ministry’s advice for Jamaicans to protect themselves from Sahara dust, ODPEM’s statement that more Hurricane Melissa donation funds are being spent, and the Athletics Integrity Unit’s two-year ban on Jamaican jumper Carey McLeod for whereabouts failures. The programme also featured two young entrepreneurs, Rama Rei of Rama’s Bracelet Boutique and Yupenda Wisdom of Velvet Potato Pudding, through the Next Step Architects programme funded by VM Financial.