By: Wayne Forbes /GTV Editor February 16, 2026 Morant Bay Urban Centre: A Ribbon-Cut Before Ready – Questions Over Haste and Accountability Last March, Prime Minister Andrew Holness joined renowned entertainer Grams Morgan for a high-profile opening ceremony to cut the ribbon on the Morant Bay Urban Centre, billed as a transformative hub for business, culture, and community in St. Thomas. Yet, more than a year on, the facility remains closed to tenants and the public – a sit

By: Wayne Forbes /GTV Editor February 16, 2026 The $75 Million Church Aid Plan: A Controversy at the Heart of Governance The Jamaican government's $75 million church cleanup and restoration initiative, part of the post-Hurricane Melissa national clean-up programme, has sparked significant debate, with tensions flaring between Prime Minister Andrew Holness and backbencher Everard Warmington. While the plan aims to support hurricane-affected churches in western parishes with d

By: Wayne Forbes /GTV Editor February 16, 2026 Cuba’s Deepening Oil and Gas Crisis: Assessing Russia’s Planned Energy Assistance Cuba is grappling with one of its most severe energy crises in decades, marked by widespread fuel shortages, power outages, and disruptions to essential services. Against this backdrop, Russia has announced plans to deliver crude oil and refined fuels as what it terms “humanitarian assistance,” a move that carries significant geopolitical, economic

By: Wayne Forbes /GTV Editor February 16, 2026 Mark Golding: Critical of Recovery Pace, Bureaucracy, and NaRRA’s Rollout Post-Hurricane Melissa Opposition Leader Mark Golding has maintained a largely critical stance on Jamaica’s recovery from Hurricane Melissa, raising concerns about progress across affected parishes, government bureaucracy, and the implementation of the National Reconstruction and Resilience Authority (NaRRA). While acknowledging some incremental gains, he

By: Wayne Forbes /GTV Editor February 15, 2026 The Sagicor 2026 Sigma Run: Progress Overshadowed by 2025's Transparency Questions The 2026 Sagicor Sigma Run, now in its 28th year, aims to raise J$150 million for five western Jamaican schools damaged by Hurricane Melissa, a worthy cause that addresses critical community needs post-disaster. However, the event arrives amid lingering questions about the allocation of funds from the 2025 run, where J$75 million was initially tie

By: Wayne Forbes /GTV Editor February 15, 2026 The Dispute Between Jamaica’s Government and the Global Jamaica Diaspora Council: A Clash Over Autonomy and Engagement The ongoing dispute between the Jamaican government and factions within the Global Jamaica Diaspora Council (GJDC) centers on fundamental disagreements about the council’s purpose, autonomy, and relationship to the state. At its forefront are Alando Terrelonge, State Minister in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs a

This SHAMEFUL Christopher Tufton 😞

By: Wayne Forbes /GTV Editor February 14, 2026 The detailed content of United Oil & Gas PLC's investor presentation on October 14, 2025, is not fully disclosed publicly, but based on related information, the main points likely include: Company Strategy The company focuses on growth, with a strategy supported by five pillars: value of existing assets, responsible business management, financial and risk management, experienced team, and growth through M&A. Its vision is to be

By: Wayne Forbes /GTV Editor February 14, 2026 United Oil & Gas PLC held an investor presentation via Investor Meet Company on October 14, 2025. The presentation likely focused on key company developments around that time, including the conditional funding secured on October 7 for the Jamaica piston coring programme, the publication of the piston core presentation on October 10, and preparations for the general meeting on October 27, which covered matters like fundraising an

By: Wayne Forbes /GTV Editor February 14, 2026 Updates on Stakeholder Consultations and UOG's Survey Activities in Jamaica Stakeholder Consultations Following the October 2025 developments, formal stakeholder engagement processes launched in early November 2025, led by Jamaica's Ministry of Energy and Mining in partnership with UOG. - Key Participants: Sessions included representatives from coastal communities in St. Thomas and Portland parishes, fishing associations, envi

By: Wayne Forbes /GTV Editor February 14, 2026 United Oil & Gas and Jamaica's Oil Drilling: The October 16, 2025 Context, Prospects, and Environmental Concerns On October 16, 2025, no specific public meeting hosted by United Oil & Gas (UOG) focused solely on Jamaica's oil drilling was identified. However, the date fell within a critical period of activity for the company's Jamaican operations, coinciding with industry events like the 2nd IEL Energy Project Development Confer

By: Wayne Forbes /GTV Editor February 13, 2026 Jamaica's digital services tax, a General Consumption Tax (GCT) on foreign-supplied digital services and intangibles, takes effect in Q4 2026/27, raising $300 million that year and $4.2 billion in 2027/28. Its implications are as follows: For the Government - Revenue Enhancement: The tax addresses gaps in the existing framework where non-resident providers with no physical presence in Jamaica were not subject to GCT, reducing r

By: Wayne Forbes /GTV Editor February 13, 2026 Jamaica’s $1.441 Trillion 2026/27 Budget: Balancing Recovery, Taxes, and Public Welfare On February 12, 2026, Jamaica’s Minister of Finance and the Public Service, Fay Val Williams, tabled a $1.441 trillion budget for the 2026/27 fiscal year (April 2026–March 2027), alongside new revenue measures projected to raise $29.4 billion in the first year and $45 billion over two years. The plan is shaped by recovery needs after Hurrican

MINISTER FLOYD GREEN LEADS RELIEF DISTRIBUTION: 20 POUNDS OF RICE AND WATER FOR EVERY PAROTTEE RESIDENT By: Wayne Forbes /GTV Editor February 13, 2026 KINGSTON, Jamaica – Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries Floyd Green personally oversaw the distribution of emergency relief supplies to residents of Parottee this week, with each household receiving 20 pounds of rice and one gallon of clean drinking water to support community wellbeing amid ongoing supply chain challenges.

By: Wayne Forbes /GTV Editor February 13, 2026 The 2026-2027 tax hike, amounting to nearly $29.4 billion, comes at a devastating juncture for Jamaica, as Hurricane Melissa left an unprecedented trail of destruction totaling US$8.8 billion—equivalent to 41% of the country’s 2024 GDP—and pushed thousands into economic precarity. With over 626,000 people affected, 120,000 buildings damaged, and key sectors like tourism and agriculture in disarray, households and small businesses

By: Wayne Forbes /GTV Editor February 13, 2026 Impact of 2026/27 Budget Measures on Tourism and Manufacturing Tourism Sector - Direct Impact: The new J$1,500 foreign travel levy is expected to generate ~J$12 billion annually, but industry stakeholders have raised concerns about potential effects on visitor numbers. The Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) projects a modest 1-2% decline in leisure travel in the first year, though this is offset by planned upgrades to airport terminal

By: Wayne Forbes /GTV Editor February 13, 2026 Heated Clash in Parliament: Buchanan and Warmington Spar Over Hurricane Recovery Spending During the February 12, 2026, parliamentary sitting to table the 2026/27 budget and discuss post-Hurricane Melissa recovery efforts, East Portland MP Isat Buchanan (People’s National Party) and Saint Catherine South Western MP Everald Warmington (Jamaica Labour Party) engaged in a fiery exchange that prompted intervention from Speaker of th

By: Wayne Forbes /GTV Editor February 13, 2026 Impact of 2026/27 Budget Tax Measures on Specific Demographic Groups Single Parents - Increased Costs: Single-parent households typically spend 20-25% of their income on food and beverages, so the sweetened beverage tax will raise daily expenses—for example, a family buying two 2-litre drinks weekly will pay an extra J$320 per month. Higher costs for alcohol (often purchased for household events) and cigarettes may also strain