Fire victims plead for assistance

GRANGE HILL WESTMORELAND:

Eleven persons are now homeless and seeking help as fire, believed to have been caused by an electrical short circuit, destroyed three houses in Grange Hill, Westmoreland on Thursday.

No one was at home when the fire started in one of the houses and despite desperate attempts by community members, the inferno got out of control and spread to two adjoining houses consuming the structures and their contents.

Patricia Forbes, owner of the third house to be affected, said she managed to save most of her furniture and appliances, thanks to the community but her family in the other houses lost everything.

The total damage to the three houses is estimated at just over $5 million, there was no insurance coverage.

The families are asking for assistance. The numbers to call are 879-9675; 485-9255; 846-9070 and 918-6048.

- Dalton Laing

Counterfeit case put off despite guilty plea

SANTA CRUZ, ST ELIZABETH:

Police were left baffled after a resident magistrate put off a case even after the accused pleaded guilty to a charge of possession of counterfeit notes.

The case was put off until Thursday.

Thirty-four-year-old Roger Hendricks of Spring Mount, St James pleaded guilty to having 30 one thousand dollar counterfeit notes in his possession when he appeared in the Santa Cruz Resident Magistrate's Court.

Following an explanation by the accused of how he came in possession of the notes, presiding Resident Magistrate, Stanley Clarke, remanded the accused.

Rochelle Farquharson, a 20-year-old higgler who was taken into custody after she was found in possession of a one thousand dollar counterfeit note, was freed after Hendricks told the court he had passed it on to her without her knowledge.

In the meantime the Lacovia Police are warning of a possible counterfeit ring operating in the area.

The police say people need to check all notes received and in their possession for serial numbers beginning with KU75, KU15, FL88, FK24, FB90, FU90, FX90 AND EZ28.

- Neville Paul

Garbage men will no longer touch open waste

SPANISH TOWN, ST CATHERINE:

The National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA) is warning persons to put their garbage in containers before trucks pick it up.

The waste removal entity pointed out the problem during the monthly general meeting of the St Catherine Parish Council last Thursday, after Leon Thomas, councillor of the Hellshire division asked the representative why garbage was piling up at the Greater Portmore high and primary schools and also at the Kensington Primary.

Thomas was told that according to First-World standards, now being used locally, garbage handlers should not be touching or moving waste not in a container.

In addition, the NSWMA said, persons such as principals of the schools could be prosecuted for failing to do these things.

Despite the new rules, the NSWMA promised the councillors it would do its best to resolve the situation.

- Rasbert Turner