New voters' list ready

The Electoral Office of Jamaica (EOJ) will release a new voters' list today.

The list contains 1.4 million voters and will be used for any election or by-election in the next six months.

Copies of the new voters' list will be placed at post offices and other public buildings.

This will also signal the start of a phased distribution of new voter identification cards. The distribution of the cards will begin in Kingston, St Andrew, St Catherine and St James on Monday.

Acting Director of Elections Orrette Fisher says the EOJ will shortly announce the distribution dates for other parishes.

Suicide attempt at Kingston Public

A large crowd of onlookers at the Kingston Public Hospital yesterday watched with shock as a man, who appeared to be mentally ill, attempted suicide by jumping from the third floor at the downtown facility.

It was reported that, about 9:30 yesterday morning, Wayne Saunders was seen standing at a window in Ward Three East on the third floor of KPH for close to an hour, drawing attention to himself as curious onlookers stood at the gate to see what he was doing.

Saunders jumped from the building and landed on a barbed wire fence.

He is being treated for multiple injuries sustained from the fall.

$500 million allotted for road repair

Transport and Works Minister Mike Henry says the Government has allocated some $500 million to effect road surface and drain maintenance works in nine parishes, in preparation for the 2008 hurricane season.

Making his contribution to the 2008-2009 Sectoral Debate in Gordon House on Wednesday, Henry said this sum was part of the $1.65 billion allocated for the Road Maintenance Fund, which would be used to effect overall drainage and road works during the 2008/2009 fiscal year.

Heavy rains ahead

Fishers and other marine interests are being advised to exercise caution as a surface trough over the western Caribbean could likely produce strong, gusty winds in areas of showers and thunderstorms over the weekend. The trough is expected to remain in the vicinity of the island throughout the period, producing cloudiness with scattered showers and thunderstorms, which may be heavy at times. These conditions are likely to affect most parishes throughout the period, especially during the afternoons.