Larklyn Forrester opened his mouth wide in the Spanish Town Resident Magistrate's Court this week after he was sentenced to three years' hard labour for unlawful wounding.

The court learnt that Forrester, a mason, is said to have used a ratchet knife on August 3 last year to stab a 28-year-old woman repeatedly at Myrtle Way, Passagefort, Portmore, in St. Catherine. She was hospitalised for one week.

After committing the act, he left the Portmore community and was not seen again until March 2 when he was held by the police on a warrant of information in Kingston.

- Rasbert Turner

The branch of the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) located in Linstead, St. Catherine, is on standby mode for the ICC Cricket World Cup, according to Linden Scott, district officer for the Linstead office.

Mr. Scott told The Gleaner that, though his group of emergency medical technicians has not undergone any additional training in recent months, they are prepared for any eventuality which may occur.

A similar view has been put forward by Helen Brooks, chief executive officer for the Linstead Hospital, who said there were no out-of-the ordinary preparations being made at this time.

- Elgin Taylor

The National Health Fund (NHF) has made a donation of $1 million to the St. Elizabeth Parish Council to assist with the parish's ongoing anti-malaria campaign.

Kenroy Stewart, the council's superintendent of roads and works, told The Gleaner this week that the council had received the donation.

"Apart from assisting with controlling/eradicating the mosquito-breedingsites that were discovered in the parish, some of the funds will be used to clean some of the drains in the parish," Mr. Stewart said.

- Rayon Dyer

The Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) office in Hanover has collaborated with the Heart Trust/NTA to offer a training course in gardening techniques to satisfy the need for trained gardeners for homes, hotels and other properties.

RADA parish manager, Bernard Goffe, said the first batch of 12 participants were in training and, at the end of the six-week training period, successful candidates would receive a level one certification from the National Council on Technical Vocational Education and Training.

- JIS

Members of the St. Ann Parish Council have expressed outrage and alarm over what they describe as an act of cruelty on the part of Government against the poor and destitute in the parish.

According to members of the council, the more than 5,000 registered poor in the parish have been going hungry because they have received no form of assistance from Government over the past 10 months. These registered poor citizens usually received between $600 and $800 each month from the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, through the Poor Relief Department of the council, to help meet their needs. But at yesterday's monthly meeting of the council, it was revealed by Deputy Mayor Sydney Stewart that they have not received any form of assistance from the Government since June of last year.

- Devon Evans

The workload in the parish of St. Elizabeth makes it impossible for one judge to do all that is required, according to attorney-at-law Velma Hylton, Q.C. She was extending a warm welcome during the opening of the parish's Circuit Court this week.

Fifty-eight cases are listed for trial during the three-week Hilary session of the court. There are 40 matters that have carried over and 18 new matters. These include 45 juror cases and 13 gun-related matters.

- Analee Bernard

Minister of State for Transport, Water and Works, Dr. Fenton Ferguson, says Government is placing focus on water management to ensure the availability of adequate and reliable water supplies for all Jamaicans in the future.

Addressing the official launch of the Mango Valley/Huddersfield Water Supply scheme in St. Mary recently, Dr. Ferguson said it was important for the country to recognise that water is a finite and vulnerable resource which is not readily available to millions of people around the world.