Two separate families – six persons, including two children – are now homeless after fire destroyed two two-bedroom houses at Barracks Road, Savanna-la-Mar, Westmoreland on Thursday.

Pauline Reid, owner of the house, where it is believed the fire had started, said she lost everything in the blaze. She said that about 1:30 p.m., while sitting in her living room one of the children entered and went into one of the bedrooms. Moments later, she heard the child saying that he was burning ants.

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Boxing fans will be treated to an explosive night of hard hitting action on Saturday February 28, boxing as the Hardknocks Gym in Savanna-la-Mar will host a box-off under the theme, ‘Blazing Gloves on Fire’ at the Twin Tree Restaurant, Farm Pen Road.

The nine bout fight card is sanctioned by the Jamaica Boxing Board of Control and will feature boxers from the Job Walters Gym, Bruising Gym, Stanley Couch Gym, GC Foster, Mandeville Gym, Heavy Metal and Hardknocks Gym. Read the rest of this entry »

The life of bubbly sixteen year-old student of Petersfield High School was extinguished in tragic circumstances Wednesday afternoon, after she was stabbed multiple times by another teen with whom she had a dispute.

The dead girl has been identified as Nordia Campbell of Barracks Road, Savanna la mar and of Grange District. while the perpetrator; a student from the Frome High School in the parish, she was arrested and charged with the capital crime.

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During the course of this week, a number of heavily armed police units were deployed all over the city of Montego Bay in a bid by the Jamaica Constabulary Force to rid the parish and mainly the towns of the large number of suspected lotto scammers infesting the streets.

The lawmen targeted persons using the money transfer outlets but they mainly focused on the drivers of ‘hype’ motor cars (crissas) flowing through traffic along the busy streets. Barnett, Harbour, St. James and Market Streets were the areas mainly targeted. Most of the vehicles are owned and driven by very young teenagers who have just reachd the age to acquire a licence and it is very unusual to see them clad in the latest fashions cruising the town in first class vehicles.

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The Jamaica Trade and Invest (JTI) last Thursday officially opened its Export Centre and Business Information Point (ECBIP) Westmoreland satellite in this town, promising to provide better support to micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in the parish.

The opening of the centre brings to 11, the number of such facilities established across the island through partnerships involving the Private Sector Development Programme, Jamaica Business Development Corporation (JBDC), JTI, and the Jamaica Export Association (JEA).

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Canefield-burning criminals are getting the better of the special constables in Westmoreland, according to their head, Jonathan Boyd.

“We are trying our best but we are not having the desired results because of the limited resources that we have to police the vast area,” said Boyd, commander of the Westmoreland Division of the Island Special Constabulary Force (ISCF).

Boyd’s not-new complaint follows last week’s request by Agriculture Minister Christopher Tufton for security to be beefed up in the sugar cane-cultivation areas in the parish, in the wake of widespread illicit burning of canefields.

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ORLANDO Salmon otherwise called ‘Gunner’ of Prospect district, Westmoreland, was shot dead by gunmen and the house he was in set ablaze by his attackers this morning.

Police said that at 12:20 am, Salmon was at the house when gunmen kicked open a back door and entered. The gunmen immediately opened fire hitting him before setting the house ablaze.

Salmon ran from the house and collapsed in the yard where he died. The police and fire brigade were summoned and one unit from the Savanna-la-mar Fire Department extinguished the fire.

SWEET RIVER, Westmore-land – The Westmoreland Police and members of the Narcotics Squad yesterday busted a major car-stealing operation while on a ganja eradication drive deep inside the woods of a section of the Sweet River community known as Pipers Corner.

The police party removed the scrapped remains of what appeared to be three new motor cars and a portion of car parts, including a set of model rims.

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The third annual Negril Rotary Donkey Races and Family Fun Day is scheduled for Sunday February 15, 2008.

This is one time when the lowly donkey is elevated from beast of burden to belle of the ball, so to speak in fancy outfits as sponsors go to creative lengths to show off their precious animals.

So if you have never seen a donkey makeover and you’re minded to contribute to the worthy cause of early childhood education, Wavz in Negril is the place to be in nine days time.

This year’s event promises to be bigger and even more exciting than the previous ones and will maintain its family atmosphere with lots of activities for all age groups.

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