Alert Earthquake - In Jamaica

Persons have indicated to me that they felt an earthquake a few minutes ago. It seems that when we have an earthquake in Jamaica, we do not get an alert on the phone. 

The Earthquake Unit at the UWI is probably busy putting a press release together. Hopefully, we should get the message in another hour or two. They probably have to send a report to Jamaica House, and the Minister and they will send out the message when it is convenient to them.

Let us hope a tsunami is not coming. I said before that the earthquake in Venezuela was a warning to us. Have we heeded that warning? 

Let me know if you felt the quake in your area and if there is any damage. Add this as a comment to the blog or send a WhatsApp message to (876) 816-5261.

All the best.

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The Financial Investigations Division Has Secured Order For Seizure Of Funds

Press Release From FID - June 26, 2026

June 26, 2026, Kingston, Jamaica: The Financial Investigations Division (FID), in its capacity as Jamaica's Assets Recovery Agency (ARA) under the Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA), has secured cash forfeiture orders in two Parish Court matters totalling more than J$2 million, along with foreign currency.

St. Ann's Bay Parish Court — ARA v. Demoy Campbell and Joshua Campbell

On Wednesday, June 24, 2026, the St. Ann's Bay Parish Court ordered the forfeiture of cash in the matter of ARA v. Demoy Campbell and Joshua Campbell. In accordance with section 79 of POCA, the Court ordered the forfeiture of sums connected to each respondent, along with legal costs. The forfeited sums include J$1,211,700, CAD$1,800, and US$5 in relation to Demoy Campbell, and J$635,000 in relation to Joshua Campbell.

The matter arose from a July 2024 operation in St. Ann, during which officers of the JCF's St. Ann's Bay Proactive Investigation Unit searched and discovered J$635,000 in a bag in Joshua Campbell's possession. The men offered conflicting explanations about the origin of the funds. Enquiries led officers to a residence in Discovery Bay, St. Ann, where additional cash in Jamaican, Canadian, and United States currency was found. Investigators subsequently applied for forfeiture after the men were unable to provide satisfactory proof of the lawful source of the funds.

Kingston and St. Andrew Parish Court Civil Division — ARA v. Peter Manning Jnr.

On Tuesday, June 23, 2026, the Kingston and St. Andrew Parish Court Civil Division ordered the forfeiture of J$251,500, together with all accrued interest, to the Crown in the matter of ARA v. Peter Manning Jnr.

That matter emanated from an April 2024 stop of a motor vehicle along Spanish Town Road in Kingston by members of the JCF's Firearms and Narcotics Investigation Division (FNID), acting on intelligence. During the search, officers found cash in a bag inside the vehicle. No contraband was discovered, but Mr. Manning was unable to account for the funds at the time. 

He later provided a sworn statement indicating that the money was intended for the purchase of marijuana. That disclosure prompted a search of Mr. Manning's residence, during which a quantity of marijuana was found hidden in different sections of the house. The cash was subsequently seized under POCA, and Mr. Manning later consented to its treatment as proceeds of criminal activity, following which the forfeiture order was made.

Commenting on both outcomes, Keith Darien, Principal Director of Financial Crimes Investigations at the FID, said the rulings underscore the value of sustained investigative work and Jamaica's asset recovery framework: "These outcomes demonstrate the value of careful financial investigation and strong collaboration among law enforcement partners. As the designated Assets Recovery Agency under POCA, the FID remains committed to ensuring that funds connected to unlawful conduct can be pursued lawfully through the courts. Asset recovery is an important part of protecting the public interest and reinforcing the principle that crime must not pay."

The FID reminds the public that forfeiture is a court-supervised process. Seized property is not automatically forfeited. A forfeiture order is only made where the court is satisfied, on the applicable legal standard and the evidence presented, that the property is connected to, or intended for use in, unlawful conduct. 

The FID will continue to carry out its asset recovery mandate professionally, impartially, and in accordance with the law.

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Meaningful Revival of Downtown Kingston Needed

Contributed 

Dear Barke Di Trute

Michael Spence

Every business should have adequate bathroom facilities for patrons and workers. Licenses must not be renewed without those civilized elements. Establishments that fail to comply should be closed. Credit is due to food establishments like Mother’s, KFC, and Burger King for providing restroom facilities.

The question is, how can we revive downtown Kingston, Jamaica, without basic infrastructure like public restrooms? 

The KSAMC must install portable male and female restrooms around North Parade, South Parade, East Parade, and West Parade. Use corners where public urination occurs as indicators. Mobile units should service Barry, Orange, and Princess Streets to end this unhealthy situation. 

Parking policy also hurts revival. Higglers block spaces with barrels, yet KSAMC tow trucks remove cars, not barrels or stalls. Barry Street, once clear, is now congested. Charging shoppers high parking fees will drive more people away. Many have already abandoned downtown.

Transport is failing too. Last JUTC buses to Papine, August Town, Harbour View, Port Royal, and Spanish Town leave at 7:59 pm. Shops close at 8:30 pm. Higglers sell until 10:00 pm. Last buses should run no earlier than 10:00 pm or later.

After 10:00 pm, only the police are checking papers at the Ward Theatre. The mayor should consider visiting downtown after 8:00 pm.

Downtown Kingston’s revival needs sanitation, transport, and common sense. 

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.

Editor's Note:

We expect that those who read Bark Di Trute will share this blog with others and help to build support for these ideas.

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Another One Dies From Prostate Cancer

I believe that I told you about a man. I had discussed with him the challenges of prostate cancer. He seemed quite fine to me. Sometime later, I noticed that he was making major modifications to his beautiful house. He also bought a new vehicle. I said to myself that at his age, he should be spending that money on himself to ensure that he lives comfortably in his last days. I did not say a word to him because the next thing I knew, I would be accused of having a bad mind.

His wife used to follow me on the radio, and she loved the ground that I walked on. She died about two years ago, and he did not say a word to me.

A few days ago, I was on my prostate evangelistic campaign, and on approaching his house, I saw two people standing inside by the gate. I approached them, said good evening, and told them that I knew something was wrong.

The lady who was standing by the gentleman at the gate told me that the owner of the house, his wife, is always talking about me. They said he was very ill, apparently not wanting to give any details. I just quietly said, "Prostate cancer."

She replied, "Yes."

The owner of the house was in bed, experiencing excruciating pain. I thought of him buying that new car and spending millions on his beautiful house. He obviously was not seeking appropriate medical care for a problem that he could afford to deal with.

Yesterday, someone called me to say that he had died!

This is a real story that should be shared, especially with our males.

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Breaking News - Earthquake Deaths In Venezuela Rises

The death toll has risen to over 1,430 people in Venezuela, and it is being reported that another 50,000 people are missing. The country has been rocked by earthquakes and aftershocks recently.

It is a race against time to find more survivors as professional rescuers, along with volunteers, work to find more survivors. As the hours slip by, hope of finding survivors diminishes.

An airport is now open, and the US and other countries are now able to assist the people of this devastated nation. Jamaica must beware!

Jamaicans are everywhere, so if you are aware of Jamaicans in that country, please send a WhatsApp message at 876 816-5261, giving their name and location.

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The Integrity Commission A Waste Of Time?

I have made it known in the past that I do not support the current functioning of the Integrity Commission (IC). It reminds me of how some police officers operate. They will hide around the corner to catch a speeding motorist. Has that stopped speeding on our roads, and has it stopped the mayhem and carnage? Some feel that the police strategy is to issue as many tickets as possible to earn revenue for the government.

I get the feeling that the same thing is happening with how the Integrity Commission operates. The intentions for setting up the Integrity Commission were good, but what it is becoming and can become is a powerful monster answerable to no one. 

Let me make my position very clear:

• I do not support corruption.
• I value a stable government more than I am concerned about governments being corrupt.
• Corruption is a national problem and not just a political one.
• It is better to put systems in place that make it unattractive to be corrupt.
• The first corrupt leader that we catch should receive a life sentence on conviction.

For argument's sake, if the government got JAD100, and stole JAD10 and the rest was properly spent, I would shut my eyes. I would not be spending JAD100 to find JAD10. When I say government, I include the public sector as an arm of government. Politicians do not get money to spend.

We should never have set up an organization which can end up undermining any government. It is possible to have a bunch of people who take over the IC and set out to undermine the legitimately elected government of the people. I can't forget when it was reported that six parliamentarians were being investigated for illicit enrichment. That tarnished the reputation of all politicians. All one could hear from our leaders was, "It wasn't me." What happened to those investigations?

No institution other than the parliament should have the power to impeach the Prime Minister for corruption. I believe in term limits for the PM. After the PM has completed his term, a body can then investigate the PM. 

It is a waste of time requiring parliamentarians and certain public servants to submit reports to the IC annually. To whom do the IC members submit their reports? The auditor general should audit the IC and not sit as a commissioner on the IC. The IC does not have the time and the staff to go through all these reports, and it can be said that the IC is targeting certain political figures. Some time ago, we lost a talented head of an organization because he was guilty of not submitting documents on time to the IC. This administrator should concentrate on his job and not be concerned about sending reports to the IC, which he would have sent to the tax department anyway.

There are other things we can put in place to deal with corruption. All business of the prime minister and members of the cabinet, for example, should be put in a trust while they are in office.

Remember that I told you this. One day, persons with their hidden agenda will take over the IC and determine that several members of the cabinet should be charged with illicit enrichment. This would require all these cabinet members to resign, and that would cripple the government. If it can happen, it will happen. Probably not in our lifetime. I will never forget the behaviour of the former head of the IC in parliament. He came across as if he were superior to the parliament of the land.

The IC, as it is now set up, cannot and will not stop corruption. It is another bureaucratic organization set up to benefit from taxpayers' money. That can be seen as a form of corruption!

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Bark Di Trute Presents Jamaica's GDP Over The Years

I decided to extract the GDP figures from the World Bank site and post them for all to see. The figures are self-explanatory, and you don't have to be an economist to see what the figures are saying. The Independence celebration is coming up, and we need to look at some of these figures to see where we are coming from and how we have been doing as a nation.

Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is the total monetary value of all finished goods and services produced within a country's borders during a specific period. It serves as the broadest indicator of a nation's economic health, measuring the overall size and growth rate of an economy

It would be great if some of our economists and professionals could help us look at these figures and share their opinions with the rest of us.

This has been a labour of love, and I have tried my best to ensure that the figures are accurate. Appointment dates of prime ministers were obtained from the Internet.

Government institutions such as the JCF, Statin, BOJ, and the Ministry of Education should provide data in CSV format so that one can download the data and manipulate it. Just posting information on a website can be very cumbersome to work with.

The JCF can give far more data, such as sexual abuse and crimes committed by demographics and parishes. The Ministry of Education can give us data on how many students leave schools competent at the various grade levels. This means if they left school at grade 11, how many have achieved competency at grade 11, 10 or 9, for example?

We need to make the data available so that students, researchers, politicians, and average citizens can have it. This is one way we can broaden our democracy. It would facilitate robust discussions on important matters rather than tolerating the waste of time arguments in parliament. Some of this information could be used in civics classes in schools.

Please, put your feedback in the comment section of the blog, and share your views with our leaders and other citizens.

Thanks for viewing this blog, and remember to subscribe to my YouTube channel, Bark Di Trute.

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