Rural School Bus Caught Fire in Manchester

 

Press Release From The JUTC - July 29, 2026 

The Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC) is confirming that one of its Rural School Bus Programme vehicles was involved in a fire incident in Manchester on Wednesday, July 29, 2026. 

At approximately 1:20 p.m., the bus, which had completed its scheduled student transportation route in Cross Keys, Manchester, was returning to its base in Plowden when the driver observed that the engine had caught fire. 

The operator immediately stopped the vehicle and attempted to extinguish the fire using the onboard fire extinguisher. When those efforts proved unsuccessful, the Jamaica Fire Brigade was contacted for assistance. Importantly, no students or passengers were on board the bus at the time of the incident, as the vehicle had already completed its afternoon trip and was returning to base. The driver was not injured. 

The affected vehicle sustained damage as a result of the fire. The cause of the incident is currently unknown and will be the subject of a full investigation by the relevant authorities in collaboration with the JUTC's technical team. 

The JUTC remains committed to the safety of its passengers, employees, and the wider public. The Company conducts routine inspections and maintenance of its fleet and will continue to review all findings arising from this incident to determine any necessary corrective actions. 

The JUTC thanks the emergency responders for their assistance and wishes to assure parents, students, and the public that safety remains its highest priority. 

Editor's Note

The first thing the operator should do is call the Fire Brigade Service. 

This matter must be properly investigated.

________________________

Prostate Cancer

Remember to have your prostate checked out by the doctor, or you might see your maker earlier than he had planned.

Please add your comments at the bottom of the blog.

______________________

Click Here.

______________________

Keep abreast of the news and information in the world. Bark Di Trute, a Jamaican blog, is packed with accurate information. Click the following link and get information at your fingertips. WhatsApp link is: https://chat.whatsapp.com/C9bkP96JIN2JgHiuktY3Jj 

______________________________

 

Click here and win.

________________________

______________________

It's best to view this blog on your computer at https://vderby.blogspot.com.

_________________

_________________

Subscribe Now!

• Subscribe to my YouTube Channel.
• Subscribe to my Emergency News Advice Service.
• Make a financial donation now.

Without your support, Bark Di Trute could fail to bark one day. Send your ideas, stories, and news by WhatsApp at (876) 816-5261.

You can view the blog with your computer at https://vderby.blogspot.com, and you will be able to see the various links. For example, there is a link that takes you to the calendar to see what is happening on the weekend. You can even search the site for articles. There is also a weather link, which you can use to track hurricanes.

_____________________

Bark Di Trute Invites You To Jazz & Cabaret In The Gardens

Share this Google invite to attend Jazz and Cabaret in the Gardens with your friends. Help Bark Di Trute promote an uplifting and positive show for the family. Forward the invite to at least ten people. For too long, we have had artistes who promote the gun culture and bleaching, for example, and this has harmed the country.

Play your part and help to bring back great artistes and bring back excellent Jamaican music for our independence and emancipation celebrations. Gem Myers and Fab 5 will be our special guests.

Click the Google invite icon below and add your email address as a guest. Ensure that you send the Google invite to your friends and relatives who will visit Jamaica for the independence and emancipation celebrations. We will keep you abreast of all developments relating to the show when you register.

Bark Di Trute Google Invite.

You Need JAD1 Million???

If you recognize this man in the above picture, then call 311 or send a WhatsApp message to Bark Di Trute at (876) 816-5261. He is a suspect in the burning of JUTC buses. You could get a reward of JAD1 million.

________________________

Prostate Cancer

Remember to have your prostate checked out by the doctor, or you might see your maker earlier than he had planned.

Please add your comments at the bottom of the blog.

______________________

Click Here.

______________________

Keep abreast of the news and information in the world. Bark Di Trute, a Jamaican blog, is packed with accurate information. Click the following link and get information at your fingertips. WhatsApp link is: https://chat.whatsapp.com/C9bkP96JIN2JgHiuktY3Jj 

______________________________

 

Click here and win.

________________________

______________________

It's best to view this blog on your computer at https://vderby.blogspot.com.

_________________

_________________

Subscribe Now!

• Subscribe to my YouTube Channel.
• Subscribe to my Emergency News Advice Service.
• Make a financial donation now.

Without your support, Bark Di Trute could fail to bark one day. Send your ideas, stories, and news by WhatsApp at (876) 816-5261.

You can view the blog with your computer at https://vderby.blogspot.com, and you will be able to see the various links. For example, there is a link that takes you to the calendar to see what is happening on the weekend. You can even search the site for articles. There is also a weather link, which you can use to track hurricanes.

_____________________

What Are We Really Celebrating?

Contributed

Michael Spence 

What Are We Really Celebrating? Jamaica is ranked the second poorest and among the most violent countries in the Caribbean.

Today, an estimated 1 million or more Jamaicans live as squatters, without legally secure land or housing. On August 1, 1838, there were 450,000 emancipated Africans in Jamaica. 

188 years later, we have to ask: what exactly are we preparing to celebrate in August? Ninety-eight per cent of the population are descendants of enslaved Africans. Yet, we collectively own no more than 5% of the Jamaican economy. Land, capital, and real economic power remain concentrated elsewhere.

Is this the “Independence” we mark each August? Real emancipation and real independence will only begin when we confront this. It starts with reparations. It starts with abolishing squatting. Every human being has a right to a livable space, to land, and to economic participation.

Let that happen, and then we can speak of freedom, emancipation, and independence.

Since the 1494 Spanish arrival, our history has been marked by milestones that promised liberation but delivered little for Afro-descendants:

• 1655: The British arrival
• 1838: Emancipation  
• 1962: Political Independence

From 1838 to today, those promises have largely eluded the descendants of slaves, so what are we celebrating in August 2026?  

Song and dance without socio-economic and political independence is not freedom. It is participatory scamming of a people.

Freedom is participatory. Without ownership, without land, without equity, it isn’t freedom at all.

Michael Spence

Michael Spence is a graduate of Cornwall College and the University of the West Indies. He is a trained teacher, a sociologist, and a writer for Bark Di Trute.

Micspen2@hotmail.com 

Dealing With The Country's Declining BIrth Rate

 
Press Release From The JIS - July 28

The Government is preparing a comprehensive response to the country’s declining birth rate that ensures long term-demographic and economic sustainability, says Health and Wellness Minister, Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton.

He noted that the low birth rate is not only a medical and fertility issue but also a major socioeconomic challenge, requiring coordinated policy action.

"We've heard the clinical discussion around fertility… but we have a very critical socioeconomic challenge that we actually need to pay more attention to," the Minister said.

"That challenge is a declining birth rate below the percentage of replacement rate for a population," he pointed out.

Dr. Tufton was addressing a recent forum on Maternal and Child Health hosted by the Rotary Club of Kingston at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel in New Kingston. 

He noted that annual births have declined from between 60,000 and 70,000 in the 1960s and 1970s to 40,000 in 2010; 33,000 in 2020; and just under 30,000 last year.

He said with the fertility rate now below the population replacement level, combined with migration, Jamaica's population could decline over the next decade.

"The reason why it has to be dealt with this way, from a planning perspective, and why we need to encourage more births in whatever way, shape, or form, is because it does threaten life as we know it," Dr. Tufton said, adding that, "If you look at the data, that's the trajectory, that's the direction in which it's going."

The measures being looked at are policies to encourage child-rearing and family formation, workplace nurseries and childcare support, strengthening maternal neonatal services, expanding community health support, among other things.

Dr. Tufton said that discussions are under way with the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ), the fertility centre at the University of the West Indies (UWI) and other stakeholders in the areas of health, labour, social welfare and finance.

He highlighted measures already in place to support maternal and childcare.

"We have reviewed, over the last year, the policy and procedure protocol manual around neonatal care… and the obstetrics protocols in order to provide additional training to our health team to give better support," he said. 

"We have also expanded our community health aides and public nurse support in the field through the primary healthcare centres," he added.

Editor's Note

It seems to me that we need to increase productivity and production before we increase the population.

________________________

Prostate Cancer

Remember to have your prostate checked out by the doctor, or you might see your maker earlier than he had planned.

Please add your comments at the bottom of the blog.

______________________

Click Here.

______________________

Keep abreast of the news and information in the world. Bark Di Trute, a Jamaican blog, is packed with accurate information. Click the following link and get information at your fingertips. WhatsApp link is: https://chat.whatsapp.com/C9bkP96JIN2JgHiuktY3Jj 

______________________________

 

Click here and win.

________________________

______________________

It's best to view this blog on your computer at https://vderby.blogspot.com.

_________________

_________________

Subscribe Now!

• Subscribe to my YouTube Channel.
• Subscribe to my Emergency News Advice Service.
• Make a financial donation now.

Without your support, Bark Di Trute could fail to bark one day. Send your ideas, stories, and news by WhatsApp at (876) 816-5261.

You can view the blog with your computer at https://vderby.blogspot.com, and you will be able to see the various links. For example, there is a link that takes you to the calendar to see what is happening on the weekend. You can even search the site for articles. There is also a weather link, which you can use to track hurricanes.

_____________________

Study Shows Public Support For Dealing With The Impact Of Social Media

Press Release From The Ministry of Health And Wellness - July 28, 2026

A national survey commissioned by the Ministry of Health and Wellness has revealed public support for action to address the impact of social media on children and adolescents.  

The survey, commissioned under the Ministry's Community Arranged Response Efforts (CARE) Agenda, discloses Jamaicans’ views regarding the regulation of social media use as the Government seeks to better understand how social media influences health outcomes and behavioural choices.  

Unveiling the findings during a press conference with stakeholders earlier today (Tuesday, July 28), Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton, MP emphasised that while social media usage has been a pathway for innovation and creativity, its impact on health and well-being is a valid concern. 

“Across Jamaica, parents, teachers, healthcare professionals, child advocates and communities have expressed increasing concern about children's exposure to cyberbullying, online predators, misinformation, harmful and inappropriate content, addictive digital behaviours and algorithm-driven content that can negatively influence mental health and emotional development,” Minister Tufton said. 

“These are no longer simply technology issues. They are public health issues, they are child protection issues, and they are national development issues,” the Minister added.   

The Minister noted that the survey’s chief focus is for national dialogue to ensure that digital engagement takes place in a safe and healthy environment. In this regard, a Working Group on Responsible Social Media Use Among Minors has been established within the Office of the Prime Minister as part of efforts to address the issue.  

The group is chaired by Minister Dr. Andrew Wheatley and is tasked with reviewing evidence and helping to shape recommendations for policymakers.  

Representing the Ministry of Health & Wellness on the Working Group are, Lead Researcher and Research Fellow at the University of the West Indies, Dr. Stephen Johnson; and Dr. Ganesh Shetty, Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist. The Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information is also a part of this Working Group.  

Jamaicans will be engaged on the issue through public education and stakeholder consultation.  

Concerns follow findings 

More than 90 per cent of respondents to the nationally representative study which surveyed 1,027 adults across all 14 parishes support Government regulation of minors’ social media use, while nearly 84 per cent favour the establishment of a national policy framework to guide safe social media engagement among young people. 

As part of the discussions, Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist Dr. Ganesh Shetty presented research pointing to increasing links between excessive social media use and mental health challenges among young people, including anxiety, depression, disrupted sleep patterns, low self-esteem and social isolation. Jamaican youth under age 24 are reported to spend an average of six hours daily on social media platforms. 

At the same time, the survey revealed that Jamaicans favour a balanced approach to social media usage rather than strict prohibition. Approximately 45 per cent of respondents supported a combination of regulation, parent education, digital literacy programmes and public awareness initiatives. 

The results also underscored the importance of shared responsibility. While strong support exists for Government action, most Jamaicans believe parents, schools, communities and other stakeholders must play leading roles in protecting children online. 

"No Government policy can replace active parenting. No legislation can replace guidance within the home. No technology platform can replace the influence of families, teachers, and communities,” Minister Tufton stated. "Protecting children online must be a national partnership." 

____________________

 

                                                   

Alert - NWC

 

Press Release From The NWC - July 28, 2026

Customers on the nightly water supply schedule for the Constant Spring system are being advised that tonight's scheduled supply (between 6:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m.) will commence later than the regular 6:00 p.m. start time. Water supply is expected to gradually resume in the service areas by 9:00 p.m. tonight.

The NWC is reporting that this late start is due to a leak on the Constant Spring distribution network. 

The NWC apologizes for the inconvenience caused to its valued customers and appreciates their patience and understanding at this time.  

For updates, customers may call Customer Care toll-free at 888-225-5692 or follow @nwcjam on all social media platforms. 

 ________________________

Prostate Cancer

Remember to have your prostate checked out by the doctor, or you might see your maker earlier than he had planned.

Please add your comments at the bottom of the blog.

______________________

Click Here.

______________________

Keep abreast of the news and information in the world. Bark Di Trute, a Jamaican blog, is packed with accurate information. Click the following link and get information at your fingertips. WhatsApp link is: https://chat.whatsapp.com/C9bkP96JIN2JgHiuktY3Jj 

______________________________

 

Click here and win.

________________________

______________________

It's best to view this blog on your computer at https://vderby.blogspot.com.

_________________

_________________

Subscribe Now!

• Subscribe to my YouTube Channel.
• Subscribe to my Emergency News Advice Service.
• Make a financial donation now.

Without your support, Bark Di Trute could fail to bark one day. Send your ideas, stories, and news by WhatsApp at (876) 816-5261.

You can view the blog with your computer at https://vderby.blogspot.com, and you will be able to see the various links. For example, there is a link that takes you to the calendar to see what is happening on the weekend. You can even search the site for articles. There is also a weather link, which you can use to track hurricanes.

_____________________