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Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF) Managing Director, Omar Sweeney (second right), affixes his signature to the contract to rehabilitate Bath Botanical Gardens in St. Thomas, during Thursday’s (February 5) contract-signing ceremony at JSIF’s Richmond Avenue offices in Kingston. Also participating in the signing (from left) are Chief Technical Director, Special Projects in the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining, Courtney Cole; Project Manager at SM Quality Construction, Roger Smith; and Chief Technical Director in the Ministry of Tourism, David Dobson.

Bath Botanical Gardens to Be Rehabilitated at a Cost of $29.5 Million

Bath Botanical Gardens in St. Thomas will be rehabilitated over a five-month period at a cost of $29.5 million. The Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF), along with the Ministries of Tourism, and Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining, signed a contract with...

Minister of Finance and the Public Service, Hon. Fayval Williams, responds to questions during Mayberry Investments Limited’s Virtual Investor Forum on Wednesday (February 4).

Private-Sector Collaboration Will Be Key in NaRRA’s Rebuilding Efforts

Minister of Labour and Social Security, Hon. Pearnel Charles Jr. (seated left), looks on as Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers’ Association (OFVGA) Communications Advisor, Benjamin Murray (seated centre) signs a symbolic cheque for the OFVGA Scholarship Programme, at the launch event on Thursday (February 5) at the Ministry’s North Street offices. Also looking on are (standing, left) Acting Permanent Secretary, Dione Jennings; Public Relations Manager in the Ministry, Justine Bailey; and Minister of State in the Ministry, Hon. Donovan Williams. The grant, valued at Can$10,000, is aimed at offsetting educational and school-related expenses for 10 children or wards of Seasonal Agricultural Workers Programme (SAWP) workers.

Jamaica and Canada Celebrate 60-Year SAWP Partnership with Scholarship Programme

Supervisor for the Contributions, Refunds, Payments and Monitoring Unit, National Housing Trust (NHT), Cameo Simmons Thomas, addresses a JIS Think Tank on February 5.

NHT to Pay an Additional 10,000 Contribution Refunds by February 9

Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton.

Health Community Urged to Lobby for Regulation of Social Media Access Among Youth

Minister of Finance and the Public Service, Hon. Fayval Williams, addresses the House of Representatives on February 3.

2 months ago Finance & Public Service

GEMINI Grant Programme to Be Reviewed

The Development Bank of Jamaica (DBJ) is working with the Jamaica Business Development Corporation (JBDC) to undertake a review of the GEMINI Grant Programme. Minister of Finance and the Public Service, Hon. Fayval Williams, made the disclosure during the Standing Finance Committee meeting on Tuesday (February 3), at Gordon House. “The DBJ is saying that the Gemini programme is under...

Prime Minister, Dr. the Most Hon. Andrew Holness (third right), officially hands over the state-of-the-art Essex Valley Agro-Processing and Administrative Building in St. Elizabeth, on Wednesday, February 4. He is joined by (from left) Development Representative for Jamaica at the British High Commission, Andrew Bowden; State Minister in the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining, Hon. Franklin Witter; Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining, Hon. Floyd Green; Farmer, Marcus Vassell; Division Chief of Social Sector Division at the Caribbean Development Bank, Dr. Martin Baptiste; Agro-invest CEO, Vivion Scully; President of the Essex Valley Benevolent Society, Imran Powell; and Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce, Senator the Hon. Aubyn Hill;

2 months ago AgricultureInvestment

Prime Minister Hands Over State-of-the-Art Essex Valley Agro-Processing Facility

Prime Minister, Dr. the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, on Wednesday (February 4), officially handed over the state-of-the-art Essex Valley Agro-Processing and Administrative Building in St. Elizabeth. The facility was funded through a £53-million investment from the United Kingdom Caribbean Infrastructure Fund (UKCIF), in partnership with the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB). It is touted as a breakthrough model for creating agricultural...

Students at Falmouth All-Age School, in Trelawny, at play.

2 months ago EducationYouth

School Administrators Urged to Safeguard Well-Being of Students During Cold Weather

The Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information (MoESYI) is advising school administrators to take proactive steps to safeguard the comfort and well-being of students as Jamaica continues to experience cooler-than-normal temperatures due to a strong cold front. This unusual weather pattern has brought lower temperatures and gusty winds across the island, creating conditions that may affect students’ concentration and...

Restorative Justice Parish Officer for St. Thomas, Amele Forrest left) engages with a resident of Bath, during a community walk-through on Monday (February 2) as part of Restorative Justice Week activities.

2 months ago Justice and Constitutional Affairs

St. Thomas Residents Urged to Use Free Conflict Resolution Services

Residents of St. Thomas are being encouraged to take advantage of the free conflict resolution services, which are available through the Ministry of Justice’s Restorative Justice Centre in Morant Bay. Restorative Justice Parish Officer for St. Thomas, Amele Forrest, made the appeal in an interview with JIS News during a community walk-through in Bath on Monday (February 2) as part...

Minister of State in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Honourable Alando Terrelonge.

2 months ago Foreign AffairsJamaican Diaspora

Diaspora Elections to Proceed as Planned; Terrelonge Affirms Support for Transparent, Inclusive Process

Minister of State in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, the Honourable Alando Terrelonge, says the 2026 elections for membership to the Global Jamaica Diaspora Council (GJDC) and its youth arm (GJDYC) are moving forward as scheduled with the full support of the Foreign Ministry. Voting is set to take place online at connectmeja.com from January 28 to...

Minister of Labour and Social Security, Hon. Pearnel Charles Jr. (right), receives a token from President of the Human Resource Management Association of Jamaica (HRMAJ), Dr. Cassida Jones Johnson, at the opening ceremony of the HRMAJ’s 45th Annual Conference, held at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel in Kingston on Wednesday (February 4).

2 months ago LabourSocial Security

Labour Minister Highlights Role of HR Professionals in National Development

Minister of Labour and Social Security, Hon. Pearnel Charles Jr., has underscored the importance of human resource (HR) professionals in building a strong labour force to drive and sustain Jamaica’s national development. “If we're going to have sustainable national development, HR is important, because you can't have sustained national development without having a strong labour force,” he said. The Minister...

Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, Hon. Delroy Chuck, makes a point during a sitting of the House of Representatives on February 3.

2 months ago Justice and Constitutional Affairs

Justice Minister Tables Concept Paper Ahead of National Policy on ADR

A Concept Paper titled, ‘Advancing Justice Through Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) for Jamaica’, was tabled in the House of Representatives on February 3 by Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, Hon. Delroy Chuck. The Concept Paper outlines the Government’s intention to develop a national policy on ADR, aimed at enhancing visibility and access to alternative means of settling disputes, thereby...