Myersville dump smoke sparks health fears in St. Elizabeth communities

Smoke from the Myersville dump is still troubling residents in parts of St. Elizabeth nearly a week after the fire started, and locals now say the haze has become a serious health worry. Communities hardest hit include Northampton, Southampton, Buena Vista and Longhill.

The National Solid Waste Management Authority began work earlier this week to put out the flames and cover the dump with marl. Residents report that the blaze has eased, but the smoke has not. One resident said conditions had grown worse than on Saturday, that medication was needed, and that authorities must return and act, arguing the situation has gone on too long.

Prime Minister Dr. Andrew Holness said Port Royal is on course to become a leading destination for Jamaicans and visitors, backed by billions of dollars in infrastructure spending. Speaking Wednesday at the contract signing for segment two of the Harbour Walk project, he pointed to planned upgrades of the roadway from the airport roundabout into Port Royal. Planned works also include a new cruise ship pier, an upgraded arrival and reception area, a museum and restaurant, and improvements to water and sewage systems. In January, the Port Royal potable water transmission main upgrade was officially commissioned. Holness said further details on linked projects would follow so the public can see how infrastructure investment is meant to reshape the area. The developments are valued at more than $2 billion and are expected to bring lasting economic gains and strengthen Port Royal’s place in Jamaica’s tourism offering.

Officials linked to the Southern Regional Health Authority have praised local medical workers for their efforts since Hurricane Melissa, as criticism continues over problems in the public health sector. Michael Stern, deputy chairman of the National Health Fund, said staff have shown resilience, putting in longer hours to meet higher hospital demand and travelling farther to facilities that remain open. He said hospitals in central Jamaica are under particular strain as patients from western Jamaica seek care, with May Pen and Mandeville carrying extra caseloads because the west was hit harder.

Stern also told St. Elizabeth residents that journeys to Clarendon and Manchester for treatment could soon ease. He said two main ward buildings are almost complete, allowing patients now scattered between Mandeville, Spaldings and other sites to return to Black River, and staff who have been splitting time elsewhere to resume more normal operations there. He spoke at a handover of medical equipment and supplies to May Pen Hospital in Clarendon by Jamaicans and donors based in the United Kingdom.

Lasco Manufacturing reported higher revenue and profit for the financial year ended March 31. Net profit rose 7.6 per cent to $2.76 billion and revenue increased 2.2 per cent to $12.69 billion, the company said, despite a difficult operating climate marked by global uncertainty, supply-chain disruption, geopolitical tension and Hurricane Melissa’s impact in the third quarter.

Beijing condemned fresh United States tariffs on China and 59 other countries over alleged forced-labour concerns and warned Washington against a trade war. The levies range from 10 to 12.5 per cent, with China facing the highest rate, replacing an expiring global duty rolled out earlier by President Donald Trump after the Supreme Court struck down a host of his tariffs in February.

In the region, Guyana’s government said it will continue to cover funeral and burial expenses and provide immediate help to families affected by the MV Bara tragedy, with any decision on compensation to await the findings of an independent commission of inquiry. Prime Minister Brigadier Mark Phillips said the priority remains support for grieving families and completion of rescue and recovery work.

In France, residents of the coastal town of Cap Ferret were ordered to evacuate as a wildfire spread. The blaze had been burning for three days, with flare-ups reported on Thursday. President Emmanuel Macron requested additional firefighting help through the European Union’s civil protection mechanism, while Interior Minister Laurent Nunez praised firefighters’ efforts.