Bark Di Trute, the blog for Jamaicans at home and abroad. Bark Di Trute welcomes your financial support and materials submitted for publication. Please add your comments to the blogs. Comments that are libellous, abusive, or nonsensical will be deleted. This blog is about sharing information, helping others, and lobbying for a better life for us all.
Friday, 9 October 2026
Alert - Earthquake, Panama
With that magnitude earthquake it is expected that there will be significant damage to buildings and possible deaths. There was another tremor while writing this report.
Alert - Hurricane Update
Hurricane Isaisas
This is a dangerous system. Possible hazards include damaging winds, heavy rainfall, storm surge, rough seas, mudslides, and flash flooding.
Just-received data from an Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunter aircraft indicate that Isaias has strengthened to a major hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 120 mph (195 km/h) with higher gusts. The minimum central pressure measured from a dropsonde is 959 mb (28.32 inches).
At 7:00 AM CDT (12:00 UTC), the center of Hurricane Isaias was located near latitude 27.0 North, longitude 87.7 West. Isaias is moving toward the north-northeast near 15 mph (24 km/h). A turn toward the north is expected later today. On the forecast track, Isaias is expected to approach the U.S. northern Gulf Coast this afternoon and make landfall within the warning area tonight or early Saturday.
Data from an Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunter aircraft indicate that maximum sustained winds are near 110 mph (175 km/h) with higher gusts. Isaias is likely to become a major hurricane this morning and remain a dangerous hurricane at landfall this evening or tonight.
Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 30 miles (45 km) from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 185 miles (295 km).
The minimum central pressure based on dropsonde data from the reconnaissance mission is 958 mb (28.29 inches)s
Hurrican Simon
At 6:00 AM CST (12:00 UTC), the center of Hurricane Simon was located near latitude 15.9 North, longitude 104.5 West. Simon is moving toward the northwest near 5 mph (7 km/h). A slow turn toward the north is expected by this evening. On the forecast track, the core of Simon is expected to approach the coast of southwestern and west-central Mexico on Saturday.
Maximum sustained winds are near 90 mph (150 km/h) with higher gusts. Rapid strengthening is expected today and tomorrow. Simon is forecast to be a very dangerous major hurricane when it approaches the coast of Mexico.
Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 15 miles (30 km) from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 80 miles (130 km).
The estimated minimum central pressure is 978 mb (28.88 inches).
Editor's Note
Information from the National Hurricane Centre.
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Vernon Derby Needs Blood
Vernon Derby needs blood as soon as possible. You can donate blood at the Chest Hospital in Liguanea, Kingston. Indicate to the hospital staff that the blood is for Vernon Derby. When you have given blood, please send a message via WhatsApp to (876) 816-5261 indicating that you have given blood for Vernon Derby.
Thanks for your support.
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Jamaica Needs A National Ticketing System Now!
WE NEED THIS IN JAMAICA!
Jamaica must move quickly to modernize how we maintain discipline and order in society. As an advocate, I have long made it clear that issuing tickets to those who break certain laws, such as littering or getting rid of their waste on the streets, is the way to go.
I have also suggested that the ticketing system should be removed from the judicial system unless one is contesting a ticket that has been issued. If you don't pay for a ticket, then interest and other penalties will follow. One would not be able to do certain business with the government until these tickets are paid for.
One of the challenges that law enforcement officers would have is identifying those who do not have a national identification. That is why having a national identification should be compulsory.
We need to understand that many in society do not want to see that law and order prevail in Jamaica because they profit from the disorder.
The last time I discussed this concept of the ticketing system for the transport sector was at a Transport Authority meeting last year. Minister Vaz had promised to take this matter to cabinet. Let us cut out this piecemeal, ad hoc approach and implement a national ticketing system for offences that do not require the intervention of the judicial system.
Our school administrations should be able to issue tickets for certain offences committed by students.
- November 2023 : Effective Traffic Ticketing System Needed with Simple Regulations
- January 2026: Accidents Are So Frequent They Have Become Incidents
- November 2024: National Identification System is Here.
Thursday, 8 October 2026
Alert - Earthquake Near Haiti
A moderate magnitude 4.0 earthquake occurred in the Caribbean Sea near Grande Cayemite island, Haiti, in the evening of Thursday, Oct 8, 2026 at 8.59 pm local time (America/Port-au-Prince GMT -4). The quake had a very shallow depth of 5 km (3.1 mi) and was not felt (or at least not reported).
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Health Ministry, NARRA to Collaborate on Major Hospital Buildouts
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| Christopher Tufton MP |
Kingston, Jamaica. Wednesday, October 7, 2026: The Government of Jamaica, through the Ministry of Health & Wellness is advancing plans to significantly strengthen the country’s hospital infrastructure, following Cabinet approval for the climate-resilient reconstruction and modernisation of four major public hospitals.
Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton, CD, MP, made the disclosure during the post-Cabinet Press Briefing, noting that the initiative represents a major investment in the modernisation, resilience and capacity of Jamaica’s public health system.
According to the Minister, “the initiative will be undertaken through a collaboration between the Ministry and the National Reconstruction and Resilience Agency (NARRA), with the proposed redevelopment of hospitals across three Regional Health Authorities. The four hospital buildouts will not only increase bed capacity but will support the restructuring and modernisation of Jamaica’s hospital network, improve the delivery of specialised services and strengthen the capacity of the health system to respond to emergencies and disasters.”
The Black River Hospital, a new 250-bed Type B facility; Falmouth Public General Hospital, a new 250-bed Type C facility; Noel Holmes Hospital in Hanover, a new 150-bed Type C facility; and the Kingston Public Hospital (KPH), a new 720-bed Type A hospital campus in Kingston, have been identified for reconstruction and modernisation in keeping with the Ministry’s Secondary Health Care Model and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) SMART Health Facility Standard.
Minister Tufton said the development of the four facilities is part of the Government’s broader effort to ensure that Jamaica’s health infrastructure is fit for purpose, resilient to climate-related events and capable of meeting the changing healthcare needs of the population.
“We are not simply rebuilding hospitals. We are taking the opportunity to modernise our health infrastructure and ensure that these facilities are appropriately sized, properly designed and resilient enough to serve Jamaicans for decades to come,” Dr. Tufton noted.
New KPH Campus
The redevelopment of Kingston Public Hospital is expected to transform the country’s principal high-acuity referral facility and national trauma centre. Under the approved plans, the KPH project will include the development of new Surgical and Medical Towers at Orange Street, forming part of a modern and appropriately sized hospital campus.
The new KPH campus is intended to provide Jamaica with a resilient, modern tertiary hospital capable of fulfilling the Type A referral and national trauma role assigned to the facility under the Secondary Care Reform Model.
IDB Financing
The Cabinet has also approved the engagement of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) to support financing for the relocation and reconstruction of the hospitals. Minister Tufton disclosed that discussions with the IDB were held while he and a technical team from the Ministry were in Washington, DC, attending the PAHO Directing Council meeting.
Editors Note
Many people believe NaRRA is being set up to give them personal help. It is clear that the organization is about repairing roads and building hospitals, for example. The government needs to speak on this matter so people can understand the role of the organization.
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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,
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It's best to view this blog on your computer at https://vderby.blogspot.com.
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Subscribe 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 on 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.
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Wednesday, 7 October 2026
Hurricanes Simone and Isaias
Hurricane Isaias
Dropsonde data from an Air Force Reserve hurricane hunter aircraft indicates that Isaias has become a hurricane, with maximum sustained winds of 75 mph (120 km/h) with higher gusts. The minimum central pressure measured from another dropsonde launched in the eye was 982 mb (29.00 inches).
Isaias is expected to strengthen and be a strong hurricane when it approaches the northern Gulf Coast on Friday. A life-threatening storm surge is expected along a portion of the northern Gulf Coast, and a Storm Surge Warning is now in effect from the Mouth of the Mississippi River to Steinhatchee, Florida. Residents in the warning area should follow advice given by local officials and evacuate if told to do so.
Damaging hurricane force-winds are expected over portions of the Florida Panhandle, southern Alabama, and southern Mississippi, and a Hurricane Warning is now in effect from Ocean Springs, Mississippi to the Bay/Gulf County Line, Florida. Residents in these areas should prepare for the possibility of long-duration power outages.
Isaias will bring areas of heavy rainfall to the central Gulf Coast and much of the Southeast Friday into the weekend. Flash and urban flooding, along with isolated river flooding, will be possible.
Isaias could bring gusty winds and areas of heavy rain to the western portion of the Yucatán Peninsula through Thursday.
Aircraft data and satellite trends indicate Isaias has continued intensifying this evening. The center of the tropical cyclone is embedded underneath a small central dense overcast with very cold tops associated with deep convection. Upper-level outflow is observed in all quadrants, though it remains somewhat restricted to the southwest due to moderate vertical wind shear. Data from the Air Force Hurricane Hunters indicates the central pressure has fallen to 988 mb, and on the last fix they reported a circular eyewall open to the southwest. Based on these developments, the initial intensity is raised to 70 mph (60 knots).
Aircraft fixes indicate the center is still moving toward the east-northeast (070/8 knots). The system is expected to accelerate northeastward tomorrow and then northward on Friday within the flow between a deepening trough over the south-central United States and a strengthening subtropical ridge over the western Atlantic. This steering pattern is forecast to bring the center of Isaias to the northern Gulf Coast late Friday night into early Saturday. There were no major changes to the guidance suite, with the AI-based models generally faster and farther right than the physics-based models. The NHC forecast continues to lean more heavily on the better-performing corrected consensus (HCCA) and Google DeepMind (GDMI) aids, remaining on the faster and right side of the guidance envelope. The inland track at 60–72 hours was shifted westward as more models now show Isaias becoming captured by the cut-off low over the southeastern United States.
Continued strengthening is expected during the next day or so as Isaias moves over very warm waters in a moist environment with moderate vertical wind shear. Given its small size and formative inner core, rapid intensification is a distinct possibility, and the NHC forecast lies on the high end of the intensity guidance. The shear is predicted to markedly increase on Friday while Isaias approaches the northern Gulf Coast, but the system is expected to remain a dangerous hurricane through landfall. Gusty winds are expected well inland after landfall given the anticipated expansion of the wind field and fast forward speed of the storm.
Hurricane, Storm Surge, and Tropical Storm Warnings have been issued with this advisory for portions of the northern Gulf Coast.
Hurricane Simone
Simon is expected to strengthen into a hurricane by Thursday night and approach the west-central coast of Mexico as a major hurricane on Saturday. There is a risk of dangerous wind and storm surge impacts along portions of this coast over the weekend and into early next week, and watches could be required overnight into early Thursday.
Heavy rainfall associated with Simon will impact portions of southwestern Mexico later this week and into the weekend. This rainfall may produce life-threatening flooding and mudslides, especially in areas of steep terrain.
Swells will affect portions of the southwestern and west-central coast of Mexico through the weekend. These swells are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions. Please consult products from your local weather office.
Simon has continued to become better organized on satellite imagery over the past 6 hours with a large area of deep convection and improved curved banding. A recent WSF-M microwave pass also shows improved curved banding structure. The latest subjective Dvorak classification from TAFB was 3.0/45 knots, and the initial intensity has been raised to 50 mph (45 knots) accordingly, and this could be conservative.
Environmental conditions are quite favorable for significant intensification. The SHIPS Rapid Intensity Index indicates greater than a 50% chance of 65 mph (55 knots) of strengthening over the next 48 hours. Most of the hurricane regional models, as well as HCCA and GDMI show significant intensification over the next couple of days, and the NHC intensity forecast has been increased accordingly. The NHC forecast now indicates a 125 mph (110 knots) intensity at 60 and 72 hours, and this is at the high end of the model suite, in good agreement with the HCCA model.
The initial motion is west-northwestward, or 290 degrees at 10 mph (8 knots). Simon is likely to continue this general west-northwestward motion for the next day or so, to the south of a weak mid-level ridge. By Friday, the system should turn northwestward and then northward ahead of a 500 mb trough approaching Baja California. In 3–5 days, the cyclone should move generally northward between a mid-level anticyclone and the trough near Baja California. The official forecast track has been shifted a bit to the left from 12–60 hours, but is nearly on top of the previous track from days 3 to 5, and is quite similar to the latest HFIP corrected consensus approach (HCCA). The forecast takes Simon toward the coast of west-central Mexico as a dangerous major hurricane in a few days. There is a fair amount of spread in the guidance, and that is important to note because Simon is forecast to be moving nearly parallel to the coastline in about 72 hours when it nears west-central Mexico. A track farther west would keep Simon over water longer, but a track farther east would mean a sooner landfall.
Report from the National Hurricane Centre
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Two-bedroom house needed for rent in Portmore. Send a WhatsApp message to (876) 816-5261.
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WANTED!!!
For more details on these wanted persons, please click on the link below:
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Tickets are available at the Little Theatre.
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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,
_________________
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It's best to view this blog on your computer at https://vderby.blogspot.com.
_________________
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Subscribe 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 on 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.
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Long Live The Murderers?
By Michael Spence
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| Michael Spence |
As I reviewed the sentences in a high-profile murder case that has now reached a semi-conclusion in the courts, one thought came to mind: The sentence should be death. A 45-year sentence handed down to the perpetrator is a welcome gift of life for him.
At US$15,000 per year, that is US$675,000—or J$108,000,000—a burden that Jamaican taxpayers, living and dead, will bear. A certain death sentence for murder is what makes economic, justiciable, and humane sense.
Our courts, in collusion with the Jamaican state, should stop rewarding murderers with long life at the expense of hapless taxpayers. Jamaica is supposed to be a democracy where the majority of the people believe in execution or hanging for guilty murderers.
This justiciable default is often the reason for self-help and street judiciary manifestations. I have heard with my own two ears offended family members lamenting that the police caught their family's murderer before they did, wishing he would fall into their hands instead.
There have been cases where someone freed from the Circuit Court in downtown Kingston did not make it further than Marcus Garvey Drive, not even to Three Miles.
Trials, especially for murder, should be a sprint, not a marathon. Our courts need to be equipped to move faster and carry out death sentences quickly.
The last two death sentences in Jamaica—two brothers, for killing a man I knew only as "Busta", a decent, hard-working small farmer in the Bethel Town Police Division of Westmoreland—were carried out in June and July 1988.
Executions for murder then were a major deterrent, not long gun court sentences, which, looking back, were worse than the 15 years now given for guns.
Looking back, the Michael Manley and Edward Seaga era showed the lowest murder rates in Jamaica's modern history.
A holistic approach was used, not simply killing the gun boys. Under Seaga, the average annual murder rate was 494 murders. Manley was lower in modern gun times, averaging about 418.
What has happened since?
Will gun and murder music be banned or outlawed as subversive, carrying 15 years mandatory if breached?
That Duncehall sector of Dancehall has been responsible in part for the vulgarization, scumbagization, and literary socialization of the gunman and gun-finger youth. Elevating murder and murder music into style and fashion must stop.
Are we aware that there are countries that do not welcome purveyors of murder music, slackness, nastiness, and corruption? The ideology of Nasty Mouthism is unwelcome.
If Jamaica is to clean itself up and wipe out murder, it should do the same.
I cannot resist mentioning Singapore—a country of 6.2 million people in 2025 that had 7 murders. Jamaica, 2.7 million people, had 673 murders in that same year.
Jamaica can and must do better. In 1962, the year of independence, we had 63 murders.
Away with murdering our brothers and sisters.
One Love Jamaica.
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
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Tickets are available at the Little Theatre.
____________________
_______________________
______________________
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,
_________________
_________________
It's best to view this blog on your computer at https://vderby.blogspot.com.
_________________
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Subscribe 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 on 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.
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