Janet Silvera

The Bank of NT Butterfield & Son Limited is set to acquire control of CIBC Caribbean Bank Limited in a US$1.8 billion deal expected to create a regional banking and wealth management group with approximately US$29 billion in assets.

WESTERN BUREAU:Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett says Jamaica must do more to retain tourism earnings within the local economy, as a new artisan-focused retail concept officially opened at Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay last Saturday.The Artisan District, founded by Jamaican entrepreneur Lindsay Templer, features exclusively Jamaican-made products ranging from jewellery and ceramics to wellness items, artwork and lifestyle pieces, all created by local artisans.

For many Jamaican children, the greatest threat does not come from strangers lurking in dark corners but from trusted adults within their own homes.

WESTERN BUREAU:Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett has raised the bar for Jamaica's tourism industry, unveiling a new 10x10x10 growth strategy after coming within reach of his landmark 5x5x5 target.Speaking at a reception honouring Jamaica travel specialists at The Kimberly Hotel in New York on Tuesday, Bartlett challenged industry stakeholders to help Jamaica attract 10 million visitors and generate US$10 billion in tourism earnings over the next decade, describing the goal as the next phase of the island's tourism evolution.

The veteran politician, known for his demanding schedule and relentless work ethic, felt well. There was no chest pain, no shortness of breath, and no warning signs that anything was seriously wrong.

WESTERN BUREAU:For decades, Deputy Prime Minister Dr Horace Chang has lived a life dictated by public service.From student leadership at Cornwall College and The University of the West Indies to medicine, politics and national security, he has spent much of his adult life making decisions, solving problems and carrying responsibility.But after open-heart surgery forced him to step away from the daily demands of public life last year, Chang found himself confronting something he rarely had time to consider. Himself.

WESTERN BUREAU:Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Security and Peace Dr Horace Chang had just completed another gruelling election campaign.The veteran politician, known for his demanding schedule and relentless work ethic, felt well. There was no chest pain, no shortness of breath, and no warning signs that anything was seriously wrong.Then a routine medical examination revealed a reality that would force one of Jamaica's most seasoned public figures to confront his own mortality.

Updated 0 minutes ago WESTERN BUREAU: Heart disease remains one of Jamaica's leading causes of death, and many of its victims may not realize they are at risk until it is too late.

WESTERN BUREAU:Kingston-based Go! Jamaica Travel Limited has emerged as the top-producing travel agency for Ocean Signature Resorts in Jamaica, earning the hotel group's highest local travel trade honour after generating the most room nights and revenue during 2025.

Andrea Purkiss, the opposition spokesman on tourism, is accusing the Government of presiding over a decline in Jamaica's cruise tourism sector, arguing that the island is losing market share while competing Caribbean destinations enjoy record growth in passenger arrivals.