The Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) is optimistic about the future of Jamaica's cocoa industry, despite the challenges posed by the frosty pod rot disease. Through continued efforts and active farmer involvement, RADA envisions a resilient and thriving cocoa sector. Director of Project Management and Coordination at RADA, Dwayne Henry, emphasised to JIS News the importance of stakeholder synergy in...

Bank of Jamaica (BOJ) Governor, Richard Byles, says the full rollout of Jamaica’s central bank digital currency (CBDC), branded JAM-DEX, will alleviate many of the problems people experience at automated teller machines (ATMs). JAM-DEX was first introduced in 2021 and rolled out to the Jamaican public on a phased basis in 2022. However, it is still not widely utilised as...

The Bank of Jamaica (BOJ) is projecting that gross domestic product (GDP) growth in Jamaica will recover in the range of 1.0 to 3.0 per cent for the financial year 2025-26, largely due to the performance in agriculture, mining, and tourism sectors. This was noted by Governor Richard Byles during a recent press conference at the Bank’s headquarters in downtown...

The Tourism Product Development Company Limited (TPDCo) and Red Stripe officially signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Monday (August 25) to collaborate on the development of the Port Royal Saloon Waters Tour. The initiative is a cultural tourism product which will be carried out in Port Royal, Jamaica’s second site on the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization...

Jamaica’s disaster preparedness and response capacity has been strengthened with the handover of drones under the Natural Resources Canada – Technical Assistance Partnership (TAP) Project. The drones, presented to representatives of the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation during a handover ceremony at the High Commission of Canada in Kingston on Monday (August 25), will enhance Jamaica’s disaster monitoring...

Godfrey Stewart High School, in Westmoreland, will be placing increased emphasis on literacy, particularly for new students, to begin the 2025-26 academic year. Principal Emily Lawrence-Ricketts told JIS News, in an interview, that the school is rolling out a reading intervention programme, aimed primarily at incoming first form students. “Right now, we are putting together a reading intervention programme for...

Principal of Corinaldi Avenue Primary School in St. James, Deon Stern Anglin, says the institution is fully equipped and eager to welcome more than 1,200 students when classes resume on Monday (September 1). Mrs. Anglin noted that the school has been undertaking several initiatives to ensure a smooth start to the academic year, including early readiness testing for new grade...