Caribbean News

JAMAICA: Know your rights, what to do if you’re arrested

Published

9 years ago

November 8, 2017

#Jamaica, November 8, 2017 – Kingston – Head of the Corporate Communications Unit of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF), Superintendent Stephanie Lindsay, is encouraging Jamaicans to know their rights and the correct protocol for arrest under the law.

Speaking with JIS News, Ms. Lindsay states that the police may carry out an arrest for different reasons, such as to prevent an offence, to prevent the continuation of an offence and to prevent escape. She says that regardless of the circumstances leading to an arrest, the basic rights of the individual should be observed at all times during the process.

“The police officer will carry out an arrest in three main ways… on view, which is when you detect an offence taking place… on information from a third party, that is, when someone comes to the police station and makes a report. There is an investigation and (an) arrest is made based on the information provided. We also conduct Arrest on Warrant,” Superintendent Lindsay explains.

Under Section 15 of the Constabulary Force Act, it is lawful for any Constable, without warrant, to apprehend any person found committing any offence punishable upon indictment or summary conviction, and to take him before a Justice to enquire into the circumstance of the alleged offence. The law also provides for the persons to be committed to the nearest jail, prison or lock-up to be dealt with, or to grant the person bail in accordance with the Bail Act.

Ms. Lindsay states that in a normal arrest procedure, the officer identifies himself or herself to the individual and informs the person of the offence for which he or she is being arrested and charged. The officer then restrains and cautions the individual.

An essential aspect of the arrest is the ‘caution’, which notifies the offender of his/her rights during the process, particularly the right to remain silent, as anything said will be taken down in writing and used as evidence in court. Following the caution, the police should then escort the detainee to the station. Here, it is determined whether the person is eligible to be granted bail at the station level, or is to be remanded in custody for the matter to be brought before a Magistrate to grant or deny the bail application.

Ms. Lindsay also advises persons to carry proper identification (driver’s licence, passport, voter’s ID) when going to the station.

“If you don’t have proper identification when you are taken to the police station, you can’t get bail (because) you cannot be properly identified. So it is important that you have some kind of proper identification. If you don’t have it on your person, then you will be required to ask someone to bring some form of identification,” she says.

If, however, the person refuses or is unable to give the security (money or property) required as a condition for bail, it is lawful for the officer or sub-officer to detain the person in custody until such person can be brought before a Justice and dealt with in like manner, as is directed in the case of someone apprehended under the Act without warrant. For persons with special needs, such as a medical condition, provision should be made, as these persons have a right to medical care.

Other rights include the right to meals for the duration of confinement, as well as the right to a safe environment, to the extent that the person is to be protected from harm and injury while in police custody. This is particularly important in the case of persons with mental illness.

“We have to ensure that they are separated from the other prisoners, so that they are not put in a situation where they are vulnerable or cause harm to the other detainees,” Ms. Lindsay states.

Once at the police station, the remanded person is entitled to a phone call to notify someone of the arrest.

Ms. Lindsay explains that more than one phone call is permissible to ensure that someone is notified of the person’s arrest and for the person to make arrangements for legal counsel and for the care of dependents.

Where a minor is present at the point of arrest, the offender is allowed to call someone to take custody of the child. If there is no one, the police will then contact the Child Development Agency (CDA) to make arrangements for the child to be placed in State care until the person is granted bail, at which time they can retrieve the child.

Meanwhile the Head of the Corporate Communications Unit says that arrested persons are also entitled to legal representation, and if a detainee cannot afford a lawyer, the government provides representation through the Legal Aid Council.

“Once a person indicates that they cannot afford a lawyer, then the police will make contact with [an] attorney. Usually, you will find that attorneys are assigned to different parts of the island. The police will have a list of persons who are approved legal counsels … and you make arrangements for one of them to come in and represent the person who is being charged,” she explains. Also, the person should be interviewed in the presence of his/her attorney so that there is legal guidance throughout the process.

Additionally, where a child is in conflict with the law and has to be placed under arrest, the child should be told at the time of arrest in plain, simple, child-friendly language the reason for the detention. Additionally, the child’s parents or guardians should be immediately notified by the police of the arrest and the reason for the arrest.

The police are not permitted to question the child without legal representation. The Office of the Children’s Advocate (OCA) or Duty Counsel on the Legal Aid List is to be immediately contacted by the police where a child suspect is arrested and does not have legal representation. A child who is not charged within 24 hours of being arrested or detained, should be released into the care of the parents or guardians.

As it relates to bail application, depending on the gravity and nature of the charge, the detainee is entitled to bail. Bail can be granted at the station level for minor offences, or on the likelihood of the individual appearing before a court for a trial.

Section 25 of the Act states that the officer or sub-officer in charge of the police station or lock-up shall grant bail to that person in accordance with the Bail Act, unless the person has been taken into custody on a charge of murder, treason or treason felony.

The officer is charged with ensuring that the dignity of the detainee is maintained throughout the process (no draping or dragging of the individual). As far as is practicable, handcuffs must be used on males and violent females. Just as the police officer is guided by certain responsibilities in the arrest procedure, so too the individual that is being arrested must observe certain protocols.

Ms. Lindsay advises persons to cooperate with the justice officials.

“Once you are approached by the police and informed that you will be arrested, and you are notified of the offence, we want persons to cooperate with the police and not try to resist, because that could lead to an additional charge of resisting arrest. Don’t fight the police, because that could lead to another charge of assaulting the police. So we advise persons to cooperate with the (arrest) process,” she advises.

If during arrest an individual feels his/her rights have been violated, there are several avenues for redress.

On the advice of their attorney, civil action can be taken against the police and the Government to prove that the individual’s rights were violated by the police officers acting on behalf of the State.

Persons can also make a formal complaint and document the incident with the Police Complaints Department in the Inspectorate of the Constabulary Force. Complaints can also be lodged with the Independent Commission of Investigations (INDECOM).

Persons can also contact the Independent Jamaica Council for Human Rights, Jamaicans for Justice or the Office of the Public Defender for redress.

By: Rochelle Williams (JIS)

Caribbean News

The $3 Billion Handshake

Published

1 week ago

September 28, 2026

Deandrea Hamilton

By Deandrea Hamilton | Editor

September 28, 2026 – Wall Street initially flinched at the $3-billion handshake. But in a matter of days, it was smoother sailing.

Perhaps the bigger Caribbean business story is not what Sandals Resorts International is getting from the deal. It is who is writing the cheque — and what that says about what Gordon “Butch” Stewart built.

As reports of Royal Caribbean Group’s Sandals deal circulated Tuesday, RCL shares plunged 6.14 percent from Monday’s $250.25 close to $234.89, on sharply elevated trading.

When the agreement became official Wednesday — approximately $3 billion for a 50 percent equity interest in Sandals and Beaches Resorts — shares slipped another 1.95 percent to $230.30 and touched $222.22 intraday. Investors were digesting both the size of the investment and committed debt financing secured through Morgan Stanley.

But by Thursday, RCL rebounded 3.77 percent, with shares continuing their recovery Friday to finish the week around $243. Analysts were also looking ahead: JPMorgan reportedly raised its RCL price target from $345 to $394, while Citi placed the company on a 90-day positive catalyst watch.

And just who is RCL?

Royal Caribbean Group is a global vacation giant, publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange with a market value of roughly $65 billion. Its portfolio includes Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises and Silversea, alongside private destinations and an expanding vacation platform.

So when a company of that scale commits $3 billion for only half of Sandals and Beaches Resorts, the transaction puts a striking financial marker on one of the Caribbean’s greatest home-grown hospitality success stories.

The deal, expected to close in early 2027, creates a 50-50 partnership with the Stewart family and takes Royal Caribbean deeper into the all-inclusive resort business.

Butch Stewart started Sandals in Jamaica in 1981 believing a Caribbean company could compete with the world’s best.

Forty-five years later, one of the world’s biggest vacation companies is prepared to pay $3 billion just to own half of what he built.

Now that’s the handshake that does more than seal a deal — it cements a legacy.

Caribbean News

Royal Caribbean Group and Sandals Resorts Announce Landmark Partnership to Accelerate Their Leading Vacation Experiences

Published

2 weeks ago

September 24, 2026

Deandrea Hamilton

Royal Caribbean Group Investment to Advance Sandals and Beaches’ Growth and Broaden the Group’s Vacation Portfolio

Montego Bay, Jamaica and Miami, September 24, 2026 – Royal Caribbean Group (NYSE: RCL) and Sandals Resorts today announced the signing of an agreement to form a partnership in the all-inclusive resort space with a 50% investment from Royal Caribbean Group. Building on Sandals and Beaches Resorts’ more than four decades of leadership in Caribbean hospitality, the joint venture will create new opportunities for continued resort growth while broadening the experiences across Royal Caribbean Group’s vacation platform.

The partnership brings together two of the travel industry’s most celebrated vacation companies, pairing Sandals and Beaches’ all-inclusive resort expertise with Royal Caribbean Group’s vacation platform, including industry-leading brands – Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises and Silversea – a portfolio of private destinations, new river cruising offering, and an industry-first loyalty program. United in a shared history in the Caribbean and connected by a love for their communities, the companies will offer travelers an unparalleled collection of cruise, private destination and resort experiences, serving guests across more vacation occasions and establishing their undisputed leadership in Caribbean vacations.

The joint venture expands Royal Caribbean Group into an adjacent vacation category, growing its participation in the approximately $2 trillion global vacation market, and meets the growing global demand for Sandals and Beaches Resorts by accelerating their expansion. The partnership will include Sandals and Beaches’ collection of premier all-inclusive properties across the Caribbean, and the companies will explore opportunities to broaden distribution, deepen guest engagement, and make it easier for travelers to discover vacation experiences offered across both portfolios.

“For nearly 60 years, we’ve reimagined what a vacation can be, constantly expanding the ways we inspire our guests to explore, connect and create lifelong memories,” said Jason Liberty, Chairman and CEO, Royal Caribbean Group. “We have been building a vacation platform that brings joy to millions of people around the world and creates meaningful relationships that last with our guests. Our partnership with Sandals and Beaches Resorts is an important next step on that journey – bringing together two iconic leading vacation companies to further strengthen and grow one of the most admired resort portfolios in the world. The Stewart family has created powerful and beloved brands, and we are honored to build on that legacy. Together, we see tremendous opportunity to expand the reach of Sandals and Beaches Resorts and continue turning the vacation of a lifetime into a lifetime of vacations.”

“My father, Gordon ‘Butch’ Stewart, founded Sandals Resorts with the belief that a company built in the Caribbean could stand on the world stage alongside the most respected names in hospitality. Today is proof of how far that vision can go,” said Adam Stewart, Executive Chairman of Sandals Resorts and Beaches Resorts. “This partnership is the natural next step in building on that conviction. It gives us the ability to grow faster with a partner that shares our values of exceptional hospitality, long-term investment, and the power of enduring brands. Together, we will introduce more guests to Sandals and Beaches Resorts while creating even more extraordinary experiences for those who have made our resorts part of their lives for decades.” Stewart added, “As we continue to grow, we will remain true to what has always defined us: delivering authentic vacations that exceed expectations while creating opportunities for our team members, travel advisor partners and the communities we call home. The future has never been brighter, and I know this moment would make my father incredibly proud.”

The joint venture will be governed by a board under the shared leadership of Stewart and Liberty. Stewart will maintain a leadership role in guiding the company’s long-term strategic growth as Executive Chairman of Sandals and Beaches Resorts. Existing reservations, loyalty programs, resort operations and cruise operations will continue as usual, with the partnership bringing additional resources to support future opportunities.

Under the terms of the agreement, Royal Caribbean Group will acquire a 50% equity interest in Sandals and Beaches Resorts for approximately $3 billion, representing a forward EBITDA multiple of approximately 10x. Royal Caribbean Group has secured committed debt financing from Morgan Stanley to fund the investment. The transaction is expected to close in early 2027, subject to customary approvals and closing conditions, and is expected to be accretive to earnings next year.

BofA Securities and PJT Partners acted as financial advisors, and Latham & Watkins and Jones Day acted as legal advisors to the Sandals Group. Perella Weinberg Partners and Morgan Stanley acted as financial advisors and Kirkland & Ellis LLP acted as legal advisor to Royal Caribbean Group.

PHOTO CAPTION: Jason Liberty, Chairman and CEO of Royal Caribbean Group, and Adam Stewart, Executive Chairman of Sandals Resorts, mark the signing of an agreement to form a landmark partnership that expands Royal Caribbean Group into the all-inclusive resort space and supports the future growth of Sandals and Beaches Resorts. The signing took place at Royal Caribbean Group’s new headquarters in Miami, with the city’s skyline in the background.

Caribbean News

Royal Caribbean Signs US$3-Billion Deal for Half of Sandals and Beaches

Published

2 weeks ago

September 23, 2026

Deandrea Hamilton

The Caribbean tourism deal first reported as a possibility on Tuesday is now a signed agreement. Royal Caribbean Group plans to pay approximately US$3 billion for a 50% stake in Sandals and Beaches Resorts, putting the value of the business at about US$6 billion. The purchase is expected to close in early 2027, subject to approvals.

Founded in Jamaica by the late Gordon “Butch” Stewart in 1981, the resort business has a presence across nine Caribbean destinations, including Jamaica, The Bahamas and Turks and Caicos. Sandals has described its workforce as nearly 20,000 people, most of them Caribbean nationals.

“My father, Gordon ‘Butch’ Stewart, founded Sandals Resorts with the belief that a company built in the Caribbean could stand on the world stage alongside the most respected names in hospitality,” said Adam Stewart in the announcement carried by PR Newswire. He will remain executive chairman, while the Stewart family retains a stake. The companies say existing reservations and resort operations will continue as usual.