GoodHeart | Scotiabank fêtes women of Parade and Rose Gardens

As communities across western Jamaica continue to recover from the effects of Hurricane Melissa, nearly 200 residents from some of the hardest-hit areas have benefited from community medical hubs held recently, designed to address both immediate health needs and ongoing recovery challenges. The initiative, spearheaded by Project STAR in partnership with several health and community stakeholders, brought essential medical services and social support directly to residents in Salt Spring, St James, and Savanna-la-mar, Westmoreland.

Project STAR, the social and economic transformation initiative that targets under-resourced and underserved communities across Jamaica, will continue beyond its original five-year timeline after independent evaluations confirmed the programme is delivering measurable results and remains faithful to its development model. The announcement was made by Project STAR Co-Chair Keith Duncan during the project’s Donor Breakfast held at the Terra Nova All-Suite Hotel in Kingston on Thursday, June 25.

The Police say the community of Salt Spring in St James is continuing to see a significant decline in violent crime, with no murders or shootings recorded in the community since the start of 2026. Deputy Superintendent of Police Rodrick Reid, acting operations officer for the St James Police Division, said the improvement reflects years of sustained collaboration between residents and law enforcement in an area once considered unsafe.