Jamaicans will head to the polls tomorrow (Thursday, February 25), to determine the country’s next Government. This is the 17th general election since the introduction of Universal Adult Suffrage in 1944, extending voting rights to all adults, irrespective of race, sex or social class. A total of 152 candidates have been nominated to face the electorate – 63 from the...

The HEART Trust/NTA is on track to launch its Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprise (MSME) Support Programme in March, which will provide grant funding of up to $3 million to entrepreneurs enrolled in its Smart Track Programme. The Smart Track Programme, which includes specially designed and customised courses for entrepreneurs, allows them to pursue Level Three National Vocational Qualification of...

Minister of Transport Works and Housing, Dr. the Hon Omar Davies, says the government will be spending approximately 4.92 Billion Jamaican Dollars to revolutionize the local aviation landscape. The project which is being undertaken by the Jamaica Civil Aviation Authority (JCAA), will incorporate State of the Art Communications, Navigation and Surveillance (CNS) infrastructure and technologies and should be completed within...

The Earthquake Unit, at the University of the West Indies, will be installing seismometers in six schools across Jamaica, which will allow students, teachers and community members to get details about the force and duration of earthquakes as they occur. The unit will be working in partnership with Fulbright scholar, Katherine Ellins, to establish the Jamaican Educational Seismic Network (JAESN), through...

A grant of $500,000 is being offered by the National Youth Service (NYS) to fund programmes or projects proposed by community-based organisations that seek to empower young people or to enhance their communities. However, the community-based organisations must have at least 10 to 20 per cent of the total grant in cash or kind before being eligible for the grant....

The Ministry of Labour and Social Security (MLSS) has advised that all employees should be allowed time off to vote on Election Day, February 25. Legal Officer at the Ministry, Dian Thompson Clarke, in an interview with JIS News, said according to the Representation of the People (Leave and Symbols) Regulations of 1944, all employees should be given the stipulated...

The Students’ Loan Bureau (SLB) has received a $100 million contribution to its revolving loan fund from the HEART Trust/NTA, to be available to tertiary students enrolled in technical and vocational courses and the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) disciplines. This contribution is in addition to a previous allotment of $250 million to the programme last year. Minister of...

The Praedial Larceny Unit (PLU), established  in the  Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries in March  2015, and headed by a member of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF), has been reaping success. Chief Technical Director in the Ministry,  Dermon Spence, tells JIS News  that over  the last 10 months there has been  a 14 per cent  reduction in praedial larceny. Pointing...

The Export-Import (EXIM) Bank of Jamaica is renewing its call for small and medium-sized businesses to utilise its Trade Credit Insurance scheme, in order to expand to new markets and increase capacity for growth. Chief Officer of Loan Administration, Charles Lewis, in an interview with JIS News, said businesses, which avail themselves of this service will undoubtedly see significant benefits....