PIOJ backs flexible work as Jamaica weighs fuel, crime and climate risks

Planning Institute of Jamaica Director General Dr. Wayne Henry has urged wider use of flexible hours, hybrid schedules and remote work to help Jamaica limit fuel demand as international oil prices rise amid tensions involving the United States and Iran.

Addressing Parliament’s Economy and Production Committee this week, Henry said fewer daily commutes would ease household transport costs, reduce traffic pressure and cut the country’s need for imported fuel. He said hybrid work is increasingly seen as a practical balance because staff travel less while still preserving in-person collaboration. Henry linked the proposal to Jamaica’s broader economic resilience, including recovery from Hurricane Melissa.

In national security, Minister Dr. Horace Chang told the House of Representatives on Wednesday that a July study, funded by the Inter-American Development Bank, will examine Jamaica’s seven zones of special operations. The review will assess costs, benefits and social and environmental effects as government prepares to move toward zones of peace and opportunity. Opposition Leader Mark Golding welcomed the assessment. Parliament also approved a six-month extension of the ZOSOs to December 19, 2026. Local Government Minister Desmond McKenzie said Denham Town had benefited from the intervention.

Environmental experts, speaking during a HEDE National Resilience Dialogue, warned that Hurricane Melissa damaged coral reefs, forests and other ecosystems that help shield Jamaica from storms. Professor Dale Webber of the University of the West Indies Centre for Marine Sciences noted that reefs reduce wave energy, while NEPA’s Anthony McKenzie and Jamaica Environment Trust head Dr. Therese Rodriguez Moodie stressed the need to restore natural protections and identify vulnerable communities.

The business report cited the Bank of Jamaica’s March 2026 survey showing firms expect inflation to reach 7.1 percent next year, above the 4 to 6 percent target. Flow’s Stephen Price said 5G service is live in Kingston, Portmore, Spanish Town, May Pen and the North Coast, with other communities scheduled for rollout. Market data for June 11 showed heavy trading in Dolla Financial Services, while foreign exchange activity included the US dollar selling at $157.62 and buying at $159.35.

Regional items covered OECS calls for deeper integration, St. Kitts and Nevis water conservation amid drought, Mexico’s 2-0 World Cup win over South Africa, and Jamaican athletes advancing at the NCAA Division 1 Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Oregon.