Three men charged with the kidnapping of an 11-year-old boy in St. Ann were remanded in custody when they were brought before the St. Ann's Bay Resident Magistrate's Court on Tuesday. Resident Magistrate Bertram Morrison ordered that the men be brought back to court on May 18.

Facing charges of kidnapping and extortion are 46-year-old bus operator Stanford Nembhard, his 27-year-old nephew, Dwayne Raffington, and 29-year-old security guard Osmond Taylor, all of St. Mary addresses. They allegedly kidnapped the 11-year-old son of an Ocho Rios businessman from his school in the area on April 7. He was released after a $1.5 million ransom was paid for his safe return.

-Devon Evans

Firefighters stationed at the Montego Bay Fire Station in St. James on Wednesday staged a peaceful protest, venting their dissatisfaction with what they called the sub-human conditions under which they are forced to work.

"This station is in a very, very deplorable state. It is not conducive to working," said Sergeant Joshua Francis, a representative of the Jamaica Association of Local Government Officers. The sergeant said workers at the station were not pleased with efforts of the current administration to re-house them and added that the firefighters are demanding relocation before June 1, the start of the 2006 hurricane season.

- Noel Thompson

Inmates at the Hanover Infirmary are to benefit from a $23.3 million contract signed by the Ministry of Local Government and Environment, which will facilitate the construction of a new facility to accommodate them.

Harry Douglas, State Minister in the Ministry of Local Government and Environment, made the announcement during a tour of the facility in Lucea on Tuesday.

"We cannot wait a day longer to remove the 54 residents," Mr. Douglas stressed, arguing that the situation was 'deplorable'.

- Noel Thompson

Residents of Ocho Rios, St. Ann, stand to reap healthy benefits from an upcoming medical mission courtesy of the Faith and Works mission, led by Minetta Hare from Detroit, U.S.A., and slated to begin today and end May 6.

The mission themed 'Arise and Build' is being facilitated by the Christ Temple Evangelistic Centre (CTEC) in Ocho Rios and will offer basic complimentary health care to the people of Ocho Rios and the surrounding environs who find it challenging to pay for such services. The mission will commence with a worship service at CTEC tomorrow.

- Contributed

An allocation of $5 million was granted by the Lift Up Jamaica fund to the constituency of North Central Clarendon towards the refurbishing of the Summerfield community centre.

This was confirmed by Member of Parliament for the area, Pearnel Charles, at the official launch of a reading competition in his constituency recently. According to Mr. Charles, the refurbishing exercise will include a mini stadium which will help to hone local talent in various types of sporting activities.