Minister of Local Government and Community Development, Desmond McKenzie has confirmed that the National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA) is actively addressing a backlog of approximately 218 truckloads of garbage across the island. Speaking at the Standing Finance Committee meeting on Friday, Mr. McKenzie explained that the backlog was largely caused by the passage of Hurricane Melissa, which required the agency to launch a nationwide debris management programme.

Education Minister, Dr. Dana Morris-Dixon says the laptop programme is being expanded to primary schools as part of efforts to foster digital literacy from an early age. The move, she explains, comes as the Tablets in Schools initiative remains separate, since tablets cannot support some of the programmes being introduced at the primary level.

The Government says it is disappointed that the Cuban Government has chosen to withdraw its medical personnel from Jamaica. It says all that's required for the programme to continue is for Cuba to agree to terms which they have already accepted with other Caribbean countries.

Opposition spokesman on Health and Wellness, Dr. Alfred Dawes says the government should focus on training and incentivising Jamaican healthcare workers to go into rural areas. He made the statement as he responded to the discontinuation of the deployment of medical professionals in the public health sector by Cuba.

IRIE FM News Journalist Shanice Gibbs Wins Press Association of Jamaica (PAJ) Award for Best Radio Feature or Documentary for 2025 Ms. Gibbs received the award at the PAJ’s Annual National Journalism Awards last night.