Water supply recovery, NHT withdrawals and agriculture plan lead Jamaica news

Jamaica’s National Water Commission says service has been returning to communities affected by Friday’s islandwide electricity disruption, after about 65,000 customers went without water over the weekend. The NWC said it is working with the Jamaica Public Service Company to bring facilities fully back online, but pumping systems, electrical gear, treatment plants and storage sites must be checked before normal operations resume. Customers in high-elevation areas and at the far end of networks may still see low pressure or delays, with restoration work expected to continue over the next 24 hours.

In Parliament, the Senate approved the National Housing Trust Amendment Special Provisions Act, 2026, allowing the Government to withdraw $11.4 billion annually from the NHT for five fiscal years, from 2026-2027 to 2030-2031. Foreign Affairs Minister Senator Kamina Johnson Smith said the administration took the decision reluctantly, arguing that stopping the transfers now would cut revenue and could force programme reductions or new taxes. The Government maintains that the NHT remains financially sound.

The National Works Agency has started looking for a new chief executive officer, pointing to a possible close to E.G. Hunter’s roughly 14-year leadership of the agency. The move comes as road conditions and infrastructure problems remain a major public concern, including in St. Andrew North Central, where MP Delano Seiveright has called roads the constituency’s biggest issue.

Agriculture is also being targeted for reform through a 10-year national development plan prepared with support from the Food and Agriculture Organization. The plan focuses on resilient production, agribusiness, trade, food security, research, technology, youth and gender. After Hurricane Melissa caused more than $36 billion in agricultural damage, the next recovery phase will support livestock, yam and coffee farmers, backed by a $250 million intervention. The ministry also plans 5,000 backyard gardening kits and aeroponic towers, a fruit tree expansion to 3,000 acres by 2035, a national livestock policy, 200 imported dairy animals, 400 heifers for farmers and 1,000 imported goats.

In business, GraceKennedy’s FX Trader Cambio is waiving wire transfer fees in June for SME and commercial customers sending at least US$10,000 in major currencies. STATIN reported exports down 28.8 per cent to US$217.7 million for January and February, while imports fell 8.1 per cent to US$1.21 billion.

Regionally, Caribbean Development Bank president Daniel Best called for stronger disaster financing as severe hurricanes become more frequent, while Caribbean Airlines took its Career Caravan to four schools in Demerara, Guyana. OECS leaders marked the bloc’s 45th anniversary with renewed calls for integration. In sport, rain abandoned the second West Indies-Sri Lanka ODI at Sabina Park, while West Indies women won the 2026 Evian International Tri-Series in Dublin.