The Ministry of National Security will continue to collaborate with social intervention agencies to reform and build communities while positively transforming the lives of the residents. This was disclosed by Portfolio Minister, Hon. Dr. Horace Chang, during the opening ceremony for the 3rd staging of the symposium of best practices in social and community development at the Jamaica Conference Centre...

The Development Bank of Jamaica (DBJ) has provided loans totalling more than $3 billion to fund a wide range of energy projects since 2008. The funds have been allocated from the DBJ’s resources as well as provisions from the PetroCaribe Fund, World Bank and Inter-American Development Bank. Managing Director, Milverton Reynolds, said the beneficiaries include approximately 280 businesses, which were...

The Kingston Public, Victoria Jubilee, Mandeville and Falmouth hospitals are to benefit from a project aimed at improving the energy efficiency of the institutions. This follows Cabinet’s approval of the award of a US$5.35-million contract to Power Services Company Ltd to design, supply, install, commission and maintain energy-efficient and renewable-energy interventions at the hospitals. Making the announcement at a post-Cabinet...

Three youth groups across the island will receive funding for the renovation of three basic schools under the Volunteer Project Competition. The 2018 staging of the competition, part of activities to mark Youth Month, was officially launched on Tuesday (November 13), on the grounds of Jamaica House Basic School in St. Andrew. It involves the joint collaboration of the Ministry...

There is unwavering optimism among business leaders for further reduction in Jamaica’s unemployment rate, which has dropped to an all-time low of 8.4 per cent. The out-turn, captured in the Statistical Institute of Jamaica (STATIN) July 2018 Labour Force Survey, is 1.3 per cent lower than the 9.7 per cent recorded in April 2018, and 2.9 percentage points below the...

Minister of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Audley Shaw, has called for the increased integration of Airbnb operations into community tourism offerings. He noted that the Airbnb concept is being embraced in places like Trench Town in St. Andrew, and “we want to see it accelerated” in order to expand offerings in the tourism sector and bring more visitors...

Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, has reiterated that he played no part in the recent appointment of the interim Executive Director of the Integrity Commission. “Section 26 of the Integrity Commission Act states that ‘subject to the provisions of this Act, the Commission shall regulate its own procedure’. The nature of the establishment of the Commission is that...