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Health Minister Dr. Christopher Tufton is urging Jamaicans to check in with their family and friends amid concerns of rising cases of suicides and mental wellness issues.

‘My call is for every single Jamaican to stop, to think, to look around their environment in order to see what is happening with their loved ones, with their friends, to offer support where they can; and where they can’t, to seek support from the public health system, through faith-based groups, through other safe spaces and safe persons,’ Tufton said.

‘It is going to take each of us to address the mental health challenge,’ he added.

Health authorities have confirmed there have been increases in the suicides on the island as well as an increase in the number of calls to the Ministry of Health and Wellness’s Mental Suicide Prevention Helpline last month.

There were 633 calls to the line and Tufton’s comments follow a call recently from the chief executive officer of the National Parenting Support Commission (NPSC), Kaysia Kerr, for parents to pay close attention to changes in their children’s behaviour amid an increase in student suicides.

‘If your child begins to act differently, do not dismiss it as typical teenage behaviour. Investigate in a loving and non-threatening way. Children need to feel safe enough to speak,’ Kerr said, adding that behavioural shifts, whether subtle or extreme, can be early indicators of emotional distress or trauma.

The NPSC senior official said there were several warning signs that parents should monitor, including sudden bedwetting by younger children; changes in appetite or sleep patterns; increased restlessness or lethargy; withdrawal from social interaction; heightened agitation, anxiety, or hyperactivity; unusual body-hiding behaviours or prolonged staring spells.

The Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) said it also wanted to draw national attention to what it described as ‘a concerning trend’ in suicide cases recorded across the island this year.

According to the JCF, between January and September 2025, a total of 44 suicides were recorded, compared to 53 cases for the same period last year, representing a 16.9 per cent year-on-year decline.

‘At face value, this decline appears positive; however, the monthly breakdown reveals a troubling pattern. Suicides were consistently lower in the first six months of 2025 compared with 2024, but the second half of the year has seen a reversal. July 2025 recorded eight suicides – a 33 per cent increase over July 2024 – while August and September rose by 20 per cent and 25 per cent respectively compared with the same months last year,’ the JCF said.

It said that while the overwhelming majority of suicides remain among males, there are indications that suicides among women, while still relatively low, may be edging upwards.

‘This signals the need for urgent gender-sensitive interventions, as women’s experiences with self-harm often differ and may be linked to domestic, relational, or social factors that require tailored responses,’ the JCF said.

The Ministry of Health and Wellness said it is continuing its efforts to enhance the island’s mental health service, including the ongoing sensitisation of the health team to enable early diagnosis and treatment of mental health issues.

Just over a month ago, a group of some 47 non-psychiatric healthcare workers were provided training under the World Health Organization (WHO) Mental Health Gap Action Programme (mhGAP), which exposes team members to the various manifestations of mental disorders, including depression.

The authourities said that the School Mental Health Literacy Programme will resume in schools in the new academic year and with guidance counsellors as the main facilitators, the programme will offer students the chance to enhance their awareness about mental health conditions and coping strategies – toward stigma reduction and improved mental health seeking behaviours.

‘At the community level, we are continuing the deployment of Problem Management Plus providers to offer support services for persons experiencing mild emotional distress or who are faced with adverse challenges, including relationship issues, workplace issues, etc. We currently have some 45 active providers in the field,’ Tufton said.

‘We continue to operate our public mental health clinics of which there are more than 150 that cater to adults and more than 20 to children and adolescents island-wide,’ he added.

West Indies were dismissed for 162 at tea on the opening day of the first Test here at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Thursday.

WEST INDIES 162 in 44.1 overs (Justin Greaves 32, Shai Hope 26, Roston Chase 24, Brandon King 13, Alick Athanaze 12, Khary Pierre 11; Mohammed Siraj 4-40, Jasprit Bumrah 3-42, Kuldeep Yadav 2-25).

The Jamaica government is denying suggestions that it was being silent on the ongoing war in the Gaza with Kingston reiterating its call for peace on that region.

‘Jamaica has never been in hiding on this issue. We have condemned actions on both sides, called for a ceasefire, and remain firm in our belief that dialogue and engagement, rather than performance, are the most constructive tools of diplomacy,’ Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Minister, Kamina Johnson Smith told a post Cabinet news conference.

Johnson Smith said that in 2024 Jamaica formally recognised the State of Palestine, in line with United Nations Resolution 242, which calls for a two-State solution.

The main opposition People’s National Party (PNP), earlier this week said ‘Jamaica’s silence sends the wrong signal to the international community and to the Palestinian people who continue to suffer’.

The party’s spokesperson on foreign, regional and diaspora affairs, Donna Scott Mottley said the Andrew Holness government had not spoken forcefully enough on the conflict, particularly when compared with countries whe their leaders addressed the opening of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) including walking out during Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s address.

But Johnson Smith told reporters that such actions, while they may grab headlines, they do little to advance meaningful solutions.

‘Jamaica is not a chest-beating administration. We are not ego-driven or image-based. Our focus is on solutions. So we called for the things which we believe are important, as we have continued to, and not being present would not have advanced or harmed a position in any way, so I cannot explain anymore beyond what I have already stated.

‘We’re not judging countries who choose to act in this way, we’re not criticising them, that’s their choice, but the reason Jamaica, or one of the reasons that Jamaica is always a respected voice, is because of our willingness to always engage,’ she added.

Johnson Smith also made reference to the position adopted by the regional integration grouping, CARICOM, noting that the 15-member grouping had issued repeated statements at various levels urging peace and advocating for the security of both Israelis and Palestinians.

In addition, she said Jamaica’s approach was consistent with its history of supporting international law and multilateralism.

‘We have always backed Resolution 242, which outlines the framework for a two-state solution,’ she said, adding that this remained the ‘safest path’ to ensuring long-term security and peace for both peoples.

‘I encourage individuals who are passionate about these issues to look back at the consistency of our positions. If we are indeed to combat a global crisis of truth, then we must ensure we do not replicate the same issues at home,’ she said, on an apparent reference to the statement by Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley, who warned the UNGA of a growing global distrust in information and institutions.

Johnson Smith said that Jamaicans should take those words seriously by ensuring their debates are informed and responsible.

‘We prefer to listen, to be at the table, to engage, whether we agree or disagree. That is how we maintain credibility as a nation and ensure that our voice carries weight in international affairs,’ she said.

Scoreboard of the opening day of the first Test between India and West Indies here at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Thursday.

WEST INDIES 1st innings

John Campbell c +Jurel b Bumrah 8

Tagenarine Chanderpaul c +Jurel b Siraj 0

Alick Athanaze c Rahul b Siraj 12

Brandon King b Siraj 13

*Roston Chase c +Jurel b Siraj 24

+Shai Hope b Yadav 26

Justin Greaves b Bumrah 32

Khary Pierre lbw b Sundar 11

Jomel Warrican c +Jurel b Yadav 8

Johann Layne b Bumrah 1

Jayden Seales not out 6

Extras (b9, lb6, nb1, w5) 21

TOTAL (all out; 44.1 overs) 162

Fall of wickets: 1-12, 2-20, 3-39, 4-42, 5-90, 6-105, 7-144, 8-150, 9-153, 10-162.

Bowling: Bumrah 14-3-42-3, Siraj 14-3-40-4, Reddy 4-1-16-0, Jadeja 3-0-15-0, Yadav 6.1-0-25-2, Sundar 3-0-9-1.

INDIA 1st innings

Yashasvi Jaiswal c +Hope b Seales 36

KL Rahul not out 53

Sai Sudharsan lbw b Chase 7

*Shubman Gill not out 18

Extras (b4, lb1, nb1, w1) 7

TOTAL (two wickets; 38 overs) 121

Yet to bat: Dhruv Jurel, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj.

Fall of wickets: 1-68, 2-90.

Bowling: Seales 8-2-21-1, Layne 6-0-14-0, Greaves 4-2-19-0, Warrican 6-2-21-0, Pierre 9-0-25-0, Chase 5-0-16-1.

Toss: West Indies elected to bat after winning the toss.

Position: India trail West Indies by 41 runs with eight wickets remaining.

Umpires: Alex Wharf, Richard Illingworth.

TV Umpire: Paul Reiffel.

Reserve Umpire: Jayaraman Madanagopal.

Match Referee: Andy Pycroft.

India trail West Indies by 41 runs with eight wickets remaining after reaching 121 for two at the close of play on the opening day of the first Test here at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Thursday.

Scores

WEST INDIES 162 in 44.1 overs (Justin Greaves 32, Shai Hope 26, Roston Chase 24, Brandon King 13, Alick Athanaze 12, Khary Pierre 11; Mohammed Siraj 4-40, Jasprit Bumrah 3-42, Kuldeep Yadav 2-25).

INDIA 121-2 in 38 overs (KL Rahul 53 not out, Yashasvi Jaiswal 36, Shubman Gill 18 not out).

India’s fast bowling pair of Mohammed Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah tore through the West Indies’ batting to put the home side in the ascendancy after the opening day of the first Test here on Thursday.

Siraj carved up the top order on his way to a four-wicket haul, while Bumrah cleaned up the tail as the visitors were routed for a meagre 162 runs in 44.1 overs after winning the toss and choosing to bat at the Narendra Modi Stadium.

Opener KL Rahul then scored an unbeaten half century to propel India to 121 for two at the close of play, just 41 runs behind the Windies’ total with eight wickets in hand.

While much of the talk before the start of the series focused on the loss of the visitors’ fast bowling duo of Shamar Joseph and Alzarri Joseph to injuries, once again it was the West Indies’ fragile batting that took centre stage on the opening day.

Their new-look opening pair of John Campbell and Tagenarine Chanderpaul didn’t last long, with the latter being dismissed for a duck after gloving Siraj down the leg side where wicketkeeper Dhruv Jurel took a good catch with 12 runs on the board.

Campbell hit Bumrah for two boundaries in the day’s third over, but the pacer got his revenge when he had the left hander caught behind for eight after a review, with the replay showing the ball had taken a thin outside edge on its way through to the keeper, to leave the visitors 20 for two. Brandon King, as usual, looked sublime in his brief stay at the crease, but after collecting three boundaries off Siraj in his knock of 13 off 15 balls, he unwisely chose to shoulder arms to an inswinger from the same bowler and lost his middle stump, as the Windies slid to 39 for three.

Three runs later, Siraj was back in the thick of things, this time drawing an expansive drive from Alick Athanaze that flew off the outside edge and safely into the hands of Rahul at second slip.

Skipper Roston Chase and Shai Hope tried their best to steady the innings during a 48-run partnership.

The pair looked set to take their side to lunch without any further losses, but with just a few balls remaining before the interval, Hope missed his intended cover drive off left-arm spinner Kuldeep Yadav and was bowled for 26, to see the West Indies stumble to lunch at 90 for five.

Chase didn’t last long after the resumption, edging a beautiful delivery from Siraj that seamed away behind to the keeper, to be out for 24.

Justin Greaves, who topscored with 32 and debutant Khary Pierre, who made 11, put on 39 runs for the seventh wicket, but once Pierre was trapped lbw by off spinner Washington Sundar the end came swiftly with Bumrah bowling Greaves and Johann Layne with yorkers, while Yadav accounted for the wicket of Jomel Warrican.

Siraj ended with figures of 4-40, Bumrah took 3-42 and Yadav supported with 2-25.

India’s opening pair of Yashasvi Jaiswal and Rahul then gave them a solid foundation during an opening stand of 68.

Pacer Jayden Seales eventually got the breakthrough for the Windies when he had Jaiswal caught behind attempting a cut shot for 36.

Chase then trapped Sai Sudharsan cheaply for seven with the score on 90, but Rahul and captain Shubman Gill weathered the storm during an unbroken partnership of 31 for the third wicket.

Rahul brought up his 20th Test half century just before the close with a single to long on off the bowling of Chase.

He finished the day unbeaten on 53 off 114 balls with six fours, while Gill is 18 not out.

The chair of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED), Adrian Forde, says the death of the Bahamas Minister of the Environment and Natural Resources, Vaughn Miller, has cast a pall over the entire region.

Forde died last Sunday died at the age of 64. A statement from the Office of the Bahamas Prime Minister, quoted a police statement as saying that he was found unresponsive and that CPR was administered before he was taken to the hospital, where he later died.

While no cause of death was immediately given, police said no foul play was suspected, police said.

In a statement, Forde who is also the Barbados Minister of Environment and National Beautification, Green and Blue Economy, said that Miller was not only a dedicated public servant to the Bahamian people but also a tireless and passionate champion for environmental stewardship on the regional and international stage.

‘As a representative of an archipelagic nation on the front lines of the triple planetary crises, Minister Miller brought a unique and powerful perspective to our discussions. His voice was one of clarity, urgency, and unwavering commitment to protecting our shared Caribbean patrimony-our pristine waters, our unique biodiversity, and the very future of our Small Island Developing States.’

He said that within the COTED, Miller was a respected colleague, known for his collaborative spirit, charm, and a profound dedication to finding sustainable solutions for our region’s most pressing environmental challenges.

‘His contributions to our collective work on sustainable natural resource management especially our land resources, marine and plastics pollution and the advancement of the SIDS agenda were invaluable and will be deeply missed.

‘The loss of such a dedicated advocate leaves a significant void not only in The Bahamas but within our CARICOM family. Minister Miller’s legacy will endure in the policies he championed and the passion for environmental protection he instilled in all who had the privilege of working alongside him. We will miss the articulate voice of a brother, a friend and a warm personality.

‘As we mourn this immense loss, we also honour his remarkable service. We offer our deepest sympathies to his family during this period of unimaginable grief. May they, and the Government and people of The Bahamas, find strength and comfort in the enduring impact of Minister Miller’s life and work,’ Forde said.

The country’s Cyber Incident Response Team (CIRT) has warned that careless online habits are putting scores of Jamaicans and businesses at serious risk, as cybercrime mushrooms into a trillion-dollar global industry.

Addressing a post-Cabinet media briefing on Wednesday, the start of Cybersecurity Awareness Month, Lieutenant Colonel (Retired) Godphey Sterling, director of the CIRT said while technology has rapidly advanced, the attitudes of many Jamaicans towards online security remain ‘dangerously casual’.

He cautioned that everyday mistakes such as weak passwords, oversharing on social media, and insecure data storage are giving cybercriminals easy access to sensitive information.’So for the general public, the idea is to stop being a cyber-delinquent, appreciate that you live in a digital environment, you’re a digital citizen, whether you’re a native or a tenant, and to ensure that those devices that you use are no longer the Nokia 3310s,’ said Sterling.

‘You carry your lives in your pockets. So if you have to use it, then lock it and take it with you and, for businesses, understand that data is your new currency, and you must securely collect, store, and transmit that data, but you must also get rid of it in a demonstrable and secure manner when you no longer use it’added Sterling.

He pointed out that many of the most serious breaches investigated by the CIRT were not the result of sophisticated attacks, but rather basic mistakes.

‘When we look at some of the most egregious breaches that we have responded to, it comes down to misconfiguration of permanent security systems. What does that say to us? It’s either that the systems were not set up properly, either through the use of persons not qualified to do it or just cutting corners. But in the end, your data was at risk and when we look at our personal systems, it’s how we approach the digitally enabled world we live in,’ he explained.

Highlighting the scale of the challenge, Sterling noted that Jamaica sees just over three million daily Internet connections, with more than 70 per cent accessed via mobile devices. He added that more than half of these connections originate from single IP addresses, indicating that many individuals are using multiple devices to go online.

He argued that these habits demonstrate how deeply Jamaicans are connected to the digital world, underscoring the need to be more cautious in how they navigate it.

The CIRT director also highlighted the growing impact of smart devices, noting that the Internet of Things (IoT) is ‘always listening to you’, collecting and transmitting data to build user profiles.

‘The smart doorbell, the smart door lock, the smart speaker, the smart fridge, the smart washer. For these things to be smart, they’re always listening to you. So even though you’re not giving it instructions, it is listening, it is digesting, it is transmitting so that it can build a profile and find an algorithm to better serve you, but where does that data go?’

October is being recognised globally as Cyber Security Month.

JaCIRT will be undertaking a series of awareness and training activities to boost cyber protections locally.

West Indies reached 90 for five at lunch on the opening day of the first Test here at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Thursday.

WEST INDIES 90-5 in 23.2 overs (Shai Hope 26, Roston Chase 22 not out, Brandon King 13, Alick Athanaze 12; Mohammed Siraj 3-19).

Police say they have seized more than TT$300 million (One TT dollar=US$0.16 cents) in illegal drugs during a two day exercise in the south western section of the island.

The lawmen said that on Wednesday, acting on intelligence, they dealt a blow to a prominent drug trafficking network operating in the South Western Division, seizing over TT$292 million worth of illegal drugs during an operation in Palo Seco, a town and district in the Siparia region of southwestern Trinidad,

They said the seizure, included large quantities of high-grade Colombian ‘creepy’ marijuana and cocaine, and that acting on intelligence gathered following the arrest of a key associate of the drug trafficking network on Tuesday, police maintained surveillance in a remote area , known for its dense forest and limited access.

The police say that they suspect that the network was planning to relocate the remaining drugs from a hidden stash in the area to avoid detection and that the search led to the discovery of 1,177.4 kilogrammes of Colombian ‘creepy’ marijuana packed in 41 crocus bags, estimated street value of TT$129,216,117, and 117.14 kilogrammes of cocaine packed in five crocus bags, with estimated street value of TT$163,283,788.

The combined value of narcotics seized on the two days has been put at TT$314,666,605.