The Portland Parish Court hosted its Bail Symposium in Byron Bay, Portland, on Tuesday (March 10), under the theme ‘Understanding Bail: Your Rights, Your Responsibilities’. Community members, along with key stakeholders and students from several high schools, gathered for the informative session, which provided valuable insights into the bail process, including the legal procedures involved and the rights and responsibilities...

The 2026/27 Citizens’ Guide to the National Budget will be released to the public by the end of March. The document provides Jamaicans with a clear, accessible overview of the Government’s expenditure plans for the upcoming financial year. Produced by the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service, the publication simplifies the complex and technical details of the National Budget...

The Government, in partnership with the Bank of Jamaica (BOJ), the Jamaica Stock Exchange (JSE), and the Financial Services Commission (FSC), plans to launch the Fixed Income Trading Platform (FITP) in the near term. The FITP will provide a centralised and standardised framework for the listing, trading and management of Government of Jamaica (GOJ) securities. This initiative forms part of...

Jamaica is looking to capture a larger share of the global gastronomy market, estimated at US$2.1 trillion last year, by positioning its local cuisine as a key driver for tourism and economic growth. Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, said that culinary experiences are a primary driver of tourist expenditure. He noted that last year, global tourism saw 1.4 billion...

Minister of Education, Skills, Youth and Information, Senator Dr. the Hon. Dana Morris Dixon, has urged communities to play a greater role in addressing student absenteeism in schools. Speaking during the Standing Finance Committee meeting of the House of Representatives on March 6 at Gordon House where members reviewed the 2026/27 Estimates of Expenditure, she reported that an islandwide absenteeism...

Beginning May 1, 2026, the Hazardous Substance Regulatory Authority (HSRA) will process all authorisation applications through its new interactive website. The platform, accessible at www.hsra.gov.jm, was unveiled during the HSRA’s CEO Breakfast and Workshop, held at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel in New Kingston on Wednesday (March 11). An agency of the Ministry of Industry, Investment and Commerce, the HSRA is...

Modular container homes, aimed at providing rapid, affordable, and durable housing, have begun arriving on the island, says Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Infrastructure Development, Hon. Robert Montague. The Minister, who has responsibility for Land Titling and Settlements, said the units will address the urgent shelter needs following the destruction caused by Hurricane Melissa. He...