Cops, gov't fail to break deadlock
UP TO press time last night Ministry of Finance officials, Police Commissioner Lucius Thomas and the Central Executive of the Police Federation were locked in a marathon meeting in search of a wage settlement...

Ja in line for another record year of homicides
BASED ON figures released by the police yesterday, Jamaica is in line for another record year of homicides. To date, more than 630 people have been murdered.

'Free up the weed' - Gov't chided for failure to act on ganja recommendations
THE GOVERNMENT was on Wednesday chided for its delay in implementing recommendations from the Ganja Commission even as more persons called for decriminalisation of the drug as a means of boosting the country's flagging economy.

Call for local research academy, more treatment facilities
TWO LOCAL substance abuse treatment officials are calling for the establishment of a local ganja research academy and more comprehensive treatment programmes for persons, especially adolescents, who are battling addiction.

'A show of solidarity' - May Pen delivers on promise to close businesses
ANYONE WITH the munchies for a hot patty or a slice of lemon meringue pie in May Pen, Clarendon yesterday afternoon was plumb out of luck. For that matter, you could not get a plum to buy either.

'Zekes' still in custody
MATTHEWS LANE area leader, Donald 'Zekes' Phipps, remained in custody yesterday as police continued investigations into his alleged involvement in the murder of two men in west Kingston over a month ago.

Police continue protest action islandwide
OCHO RIOS, St. Ann: THE JAMAICA Employers Federation (JEF) has described the self-styled 'sick-out' by the police to demand better salaries, as a step in the wrong direction.

JDF Chief of Staff urges politicians, business leaders to tackle crime
REAR ADMIRAL Hardley Lewin, Chief of Staff of the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF), yesterday called upon politicians, business people and society to stop denying and rationalising crime and tackle it.

New law could derail nation's pension industry - Penalties scaring trustees away
NEW LEGISLATION to tighten the regulation of pension funds could potentially derail the operations of the nation's $100 billion pensions industry, a spokesman for the Caribbean Actuarial Association told a Senate Committee...