St. James murders rise as police prepare for July surge; Portland farmer charged in St. Mary kidnapping

Police in St. James say murders in the parish have risen to 37 so far this year, compared with 30 at the same point in 2025, but insist the increase is not cause for panic given far higher levels four years ago. Officers briefed the St. James Municipal Corporation that interpersonal violence is driving the rise and that tighter controls are being rolled out as economic activity and visitor numbers are expected to climb around a late-July calendar event and Independence week.

Lawmen said they will increase parish-wide patrols, manage traffic with help from outside units, and watch airport arrivals, which can begin a week before festivities. Business owners were urged to report trouble early so officers can act before problems escalate.

In a separate case, Port Maria police have charged 26-year-old Buff Bay, Portland farmer Kebra McKenzie, also known as Bram, with 11 offences linked to the kidnapping and robbery of a woman in St. Mary on Sunday, June 21. About 11:30 p.m., the woman was allegedly forced into a Toyota Probox by three men on the Cornwall main road; one wore a ski mask and was armed. The vehicle headed toward Highgate. She was robbed of her phone, $39,000 in cash and bank cards, forced to give a card PIN, then left on the Cromwell Land main road. Nine thousand dollars was later withdrawn from her account. McKenzie was arrested after CCTV showed him using a card stolen from another robbery victim at a Buff Bay supermarket and later gave a caution statement admitting involvement. Accomplices remain at large.

Manchester’s commanding officer, DSP Odin Dennis, warned that lottery scammers are settling in the parish and exploiting hospitable landlords by offering up to two years’ rent in advance on vacant properties. He urged owners to vet tenants carefully, saying easy cash can bring violence to their doorsteps.

St. Thomas commanding officer DSP Rowan Richie told the parish municipal corporation there are no major crime problems in his division. The Jamaica Constabulary Force also mourned Constable Chevonnie Davie, 32, of the Traffic Enforcement Division, who died from injuries after his vehicle left the Swansea main road in Clarendon about 5:00 a.m. on Friday, June 10, and overturned in a ditch.

Health Minister Dr. Christopher Tufton said about 20 public-health unions and associations backed the ministry’s accountability framework after a Wednesday meeting, linking staff welfare improvements with clearer duty, empathy and attendance. Nurses Association of Jamaica president Donmarie Richards called the move a bold step toward better standards and outcomes.

In Kingston 11 near Sandy Gully, Waterhouse residents blamed missed collections for dumping old appliances and refuse into the channel. National Solid Waste Management Authority executive director Audley Gordon admitted delays but said dumping is never justified because rainwashed waste clogs drains and fuels flooding. Kingston’s mayor said weekly collection must be restored in affected lanes. Sandy Gully, about 20 kilometres long, drains into Kingston Harbour.

Prime Minister Dr. Andrew Holness is in San Diego from July 11 to 14 for the 2026 Esri User Conference to accept the Esri President’s Award for Jamaica’s GIS work. Culture Minister Olivia Grange briefly holds the government; Deputy Prime Minister Dr. Horace Chang was due back July 11 to resume acting duties.

Education leaders also pressed for stronger anti-bullying systems in schools, while the Jamaica Cancer Society, after its July 3 Chefs Against Cancer cook-out, urged earlier screening and fundraising for a faster 3D mammography machine. Cuba suffered its fourth nationwide blackout of the year amid fuel shortages and an ageing grid.