News Briefs

Driver pleads guilty to Clan Carthy manslaughter

The driver of the garbage truck that overturned, killing Clan Carthy Primary School student Benjamin Bair three years ago, pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the Home Circuit Court under a plea deal arrangement.

Alten Brooks will be sentenced on January 13 next year.

The court has ordered a social enquiry report as well as a copy of the driver’s antecedent.

The Bull Bay, St Andrew, resident, who is in his mid-50s, also had his bail extended.

Brooks was arrested and charged in 2019 after the seven-year-old boy was crushed to death on October 28 on the school grounds.

Reports are that about 4:30 p.m., Benjamin was at school when the garbage truck that had been picking up trash hit a taxi and then overturned on the boy.

It was reported that at the time of the incident, the truck wasleft unmanned and that it slid down a slope.

The driver initially fled the scene.

Attorney-at-law Davion Vassell is representing the defendant.

$16m proposed payout

for Rio Cobre fisherfolk

The Government is proposing to pay $16 million in compensation to fisherfolk affected by the July fish kill in the Rio Cobre in St Catherine.

A media statement on Wednesday from de facto environment minister Matthew Samuda stated that the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) had recommended $57.2 million in compensation.

Samuda said the sum was calculated using the average daily catch of each species of fish and the number of fishermen estimated to be in the area and affected by the pollution incident, which lasted 10 days.

The payment to fisherfolk is part of a wider compensation package totalling $115.7 million.

NEPA will also receive $15 million for ecological assessment, $10 million for natural resources valuation, and $14.3 million for oversight of remediation works by UC Rusal/Windalco.

The National Water Commission will be paid $42.9 million for revenue and operational losses while the National Irrigation Commission will get $17.4 million.

The money is to be taken from the $117-million environmental performance bond paid by Windalco, which the Government drew down on following the pollution of the river.

The package, Samuda said, is $107 million less than was recommended. The minister said that the deficit will be addressed through other legal channels to hold Windalco accountable and with upcoming budgetary allocations.

Phased reoccupation

of CRH to begin 2023

Reoccupation of the main building at the Cornwall Regional Hospital in Montego Bay, St James, is expected to begin on a phased basis next year.

Minister of Health and Wellness Dr Christopher Tufton said that he is satisfied with the progress of repairs done over the last six months.

Tufton was giving an update on the progress of renovation works on the multistorey Type A health facility during the Montego Bay Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s MoBay Expo 2022 held at the Montego Bay Convention Centre in Rose Hall on November 4.

Gag order on schoolgirl

stabbing murder case

Family Court Judge Feona Feare-Gregory has issued a gag order in the murder case against the 17-year-old Kingston Technical High student who reportedly stabbed and killed her schoolmate in September.

The order was made Wednesday when the teenager appeared in the Kingston and St Andrew Family Court and was further remanded until December 7.

The student is accused of stabbing 16-year-old Michion Campbell to death on September 2 on the school grounds.

Reports are that about 2:30 p.m., Campbell and the now-deceased were involved in a heated argument.

It is reported that the dispute escalated and knives were brought into play.

During the fight, Campbell was reportedly stabbed in her forehead and neck while the accused student received injuries to her left wrist.

Both students were taken to the Kingston Public Hospital where Campbell was pronounced dead and the other treated and taken into police custody.

The grade 11 student was subsequently charged following a question-and-answer session.

A video recording of the incident went viral.