Each year, thousands of students sit the GSAT to guarantee a place in high school. - File

GSAT uncertainty

The Ministry of Education is in doubt whether it will be able to find enough school spaces to accommodate the number of students who recently sat the Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT).

According to Dr Charlene Ashley, director of communications in the Ministry of Education, the ministry would know the number of spaces it has when the GSAT papers are marked in May.

A total of 50,462 students registered for the GSAT this year compared to 52,703 who sat the examination in 2007.

'Don't blame me!'

While charges have been levied against former Junior Minister Kern Spencer and two others for their involvement in the Cuban light-bulb scandal, critics have questioned the role of Dr Jean Dixon, permanent secretary in the Energy Ministry.

She kept her silence. Not anymore.

In an interview with The Sunday Gleaner, Dixon eschews personal blame for the ill-fated project, pointing out that generally, she had cautioned against political contamination of the affairs of the ministry.

Send me the report!

Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Justin Felice wants to see a copy of a report by Jamaican anthropologist Dr Herbert Gayle to determine the extent to which wealthy Jamaicans are funding criminal activities throughout the country.

ACP Felice, who is in charge of the anti-corruption unit of the Jamaica Constabulary Force, said his job is to target all members of criminal groups and organisations, regardless of their social backgrounds.

$250m to park Air J plane in France

After five months of sitting in a hangar in France, an Airbus 340 leased by Air Jamaica will cost the country US$3.5 million (J$250 million), payable to International Leasing and Financial Corporation (ILFC).

The airline has confirmed that the Airbus, which should have been returned to ILFC upon the sale of Air Jamaica's Heathrow slots to Virgin Airways, has been sitting in the maintenance facilities at Sogerma in Bordeaux, France.

Policing off-duty cops

Police Commissioner Rear Admiral Hardley Lewin has ordered a review of the policy that governs the employment of off-duty police personnel.

The announcement follows reports that several policemen, including an assistant commissioner of police, were on the payroll of the National Solid Waste Management Authority.

'Of course, I must appeal'

The attorneys representing Constable Rahul Khourie, who was on Thursday sentenced in the wes-tern Regional Gun Court to 15 years in prison for illegal possession of firearms, say they will be taking the matter to the Supreme Court.