Janet Silvera/Gleaner Writer

Hotelier Christopher Issa, owner and operator of S Hotels Jamaica, poses with a plaque he was honoured with by media members of the Western Jamaica Media Association (WJMA) on Sunday at Hotel 39 in Montego Bay. He is flanked by WJMA members. 
March 3, 2026 by Janet Silvera

Issa defends traditional media, recalls why journalism mattered after hurricane

WESTERN BUREAU: In an age when news breaks first on social media and credibility is often the casualty, Jamaican hotelier Christopher Issa delivered an unexpected but forceful defence of traditional…
Minister of Health and Wellness Dr Christopher Tufton (left) and clinical coordinator, Western Regional Health Authority, Dr Delroy Fray, converse during a press briefing at the WRHA offices in Montego Freeport on Thursday.
February 28, 2026 by Janet Silvera

Tufton: Health centres to ‘build back smarter’

WESTERN BUREAU: The Ministry of Health & Wellness is moving into the second phase of post-Hurricane Melissa reconstruction, with more than 100 damaged health centres across western Jamaica set to…
Health and Wellness Minister Dr Christopher Tufton (left) and Dr Delroy Fray, clinical coordinator, Western Regional Health Authority, converse during a press briefing at the WRHA’s offices in Montego Freeport on Thursday.
February 27, 2026 by Janet Silvera

Ja equipped to stablilise severe burn cases, says health officials

WESTERN BUREAU: Amid public concern over local treatment options for severe burn victims, health officials have insisted that Jamaica’s health system has the capacity to stabilise critical cases…
Team manager Dominic Delgado
February 20, 2026 by Janet Silvera

From Kingston to Los Angeles: Ja’s hardwood revolution begins

WESTERN BUREAU: When the casinos in Las Vegas projected Jamaica to lose by 31 points, few outside the locker room believed. Then came the buzzer-beater. Then came the shock. Now comes Kingston. Next…
Former Jamaican Prime Minister P.J. Patterson.
February 20, 2026 by Janet Silvera

Former CARICOM leaders urge repeal of US exec order targeting Cuba’s fuel supply

WESTERN BUREAU: Caribbean former heads of government have issued an extraordinary joint appeal condemning what they describe as a “catastrophic fuel blockade” against Cuba, warning that the island’s…
Sophie Grizzle-Roumel, hotelier at Charela Inn in Negril, Westmoreland.
February 18, 2026 by Janet Silvera

‘Death knell for small hotels’

WESTERN BUREAU: As Jamaica’s tourism sector continues its post-Hurricane Melissa recovery, small hotel operators are warning that new tax measures slated for implementation in April 2027 could…
Mayor of Montego Bay Richard Vernon addressing the audience during the Chinese New Year event at The Pinnacle in Montego Bay, St James, on Sunday.
February 17, 2026 by Janet Silvera

Vernon: Chinese community central to MoBay’s commercial, civic evolution

WESTERN BUREAU: During the Spring Festival celebration at the Pinnacle in Reading on Sunday, Montego Bay Mayor Richard Vernon said the story of the city’s economic rise cannot be told without…
February 16, 2026 by Janet Silvera

Church alliance urges caution as casino regulations advance

WESTERN BUREAU: A coalition of church leaders is urging lawmakers to proceed cautiously as Parliament advances the Casino Gaming (General) Regulations, 2025, warning that Jamaica must be fully…
Nine children pose in front of a helicopter with pilot John Morris after they were treated to rides by Island Hoppers Helicopter Tours in St Ann on Christmas Day in 2008.
February 11, 2026 by Janet Silvera

UPDATED: MAYDAY!

WESTERN BUREAU: Jamaica’s general aviation sector is in steep decline, weakened by outdated regulations, high operating costs and what industry stakeholders describe as a policy environment that has…