Dane Watson charged with murder as Gleaner Minute covers police shooting, FLA dispute and bond issue

Dane Watson, earlier named by police as a person of interest in the killing of 35-year-old United States citizen Melissa Samnath, was charged with murder on Wednesday. Police say Samnath, who was also Jamaican, had travelled to the island for her birthday before she was found dead in St. James on April 29.

A senior Jamaica Constabulary Force officer has avoided giving a full criticism of the police handling of a woman who was fatally shot in Granville, St. James. The officer said the responding personnel were operating in a fast-moving and unclear situation. Public anger has grown after CCTV footage showed 45-year-old Latoya “Buju” Bulgin being pulled from a vehicle and placed in a police van shortly after she was shot on Sunday.

A recent Heart of Jamaicans survey by Market Research Services Limited has found that younger Jamaicans are more open to breaking rules and putting personal progress first in order to succeed. Businessman Howard Mitchell said the findings show that the country’s economic gains have not been matched by social changes that improve people’s lives and values.

Jamaica has also obtained US$200 million in hurricane insurance protection through a new catastrophe bond supported by the World Bank. The facility replaces a previous US$150 million catastrophe bond, which was fully paid out after Hurricane Melissa caused major damage across the island last year.

Opposition Leader Mark Golding has accused the Government of holding back an Integrity Commission report into alleged corruption at the Firearm Licensing Authority, after it was not presented in Parliament on Tuesday. Floyd Green, the Leader of Government Business in the House, rejected the allegation and said Parliament is waiting for a court case filed by the FLA against the Integrity Commission to be settled.

At midday, one United States dollar was selling for J$158.58, while the British pound sterling was listed at J$2,165 and the Canadian dollar at J$118.34. The forecast for Thursday calls for a mostly sunny morning, followed by widely scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms over western parishes in the afternoon.