Saturday rundown. Quiet end of the week, except it wasn’t.
NaRRA passes the Senate, Opposition amendments rejected
The Senate has approved the controversial National Reconstruction and Resilience Authority (NaRRA) bill, with the Government using its majority to reject Opposition amendments aimed at additional oversight.
Two church groups — typically slow to take public positions on legislation — have raised concerns about what they describe as potential gaps in the framework. The bill creates a new statutory authority with significant procurement and execution powers in the wake of recurring hurricane damage and infrastructure pressure. Whether the body becomes a faster-moving rebuilder or a slower-moving controversy depends entirely on the appointments yet to come.
The Opposition has signaled it will continue to press on accountability provisions. Watch the regulations, not the speeches.
MOCA reviewing threatening video targeting Stella Maris Prep
The Major Organised Crime and Anti-Corruption Agency confirmed Friday it is examining a video circulating online that contains threats directed at staff and students of Stella Maris Preparatory School in St Andrew. Police presence at the school has been increased while the source is traced.
The agency declined to specify the nature of the threat publicly while the investigation is open.
FTC opens petroleum pricing investigation
The Fair Trading Commission has launched investigations into possible anti-competitive practices in the pricing and distribution of petroleum products, following complaints from gas station operators. The probe will examine wholesale pricing structures and distribution agreements between marketers and dealers.
For drivers, this is the first concrete signal that the gap between crude movements and pump prices is going to be tested at the regulator level rather than left to op-eds.
Cricket West Indies braces for another US$26M loss
Cricket West Indies management told stakeholders Friday it expects to incur a further loss of US$26 million this year before returning to profit in 2027. The body is dealing with broadcast revenue declines, sponsorship gaps in the men’s calendar, and the cost of touring schedules that no longer pencil out.
The 2027 turnaround is being pinned to the rights cycle reset and a more disciplined commercial structure. Caribbean fans have heard versions of this story before. They will read the 2027 numbers when they arrive.
Quick hits
- UK custody order: A mother who brought her two children from the UK to Jamaica on what she described to their father as a one-month vacation, then enrolled them in school here, has been ordered to return them to Britain by May 16.
- Spanish Town: A 41-year-old man was shot and killed by police in Gordon Pen after allegedly brandishing an illegal firearm during an early morning operation.
- Hantavirus: The Health Ministry says no cases have been recorded in Jamaica but is monitoring international reports.
- Florida tragedy: Coral Springs Vice Mayor Nancy Metayer-Bowen was shot dead this week; her Jamaican husband has been arrested.
Tradewinds Brief Newsroom. Sources: Jamaica Gleaner, Jamaica Observer.