Newly appointed Custos of St. James, Bishop the Hon. Conrad Pitkin, is endorsing the ongoing State of Public Emergency in the parish. He noted, however, that this operation “is not a panacea nor is it a means to an end,” and called for the implementation of a social intervention programme that will involve all stakeholders of the parish. “There must...

The Ministry of Education, Youth and Information and University of the Commonwealth Caribbean (UCC) have partnered to roll out the Early College and Advanced Placement High School Programme. This will enable secondary students with the requisite qualifications, who graduate at Grade 11, to pursue accredited Associate Degrees at the university. It will also allow students entering grade 12 to begin...

Minister of Justice, Hon. Delroy Chuck, has called on justices of the peace (JPs) to assist the Government and the security forces in fighting crime. Speaking at the annual general meeting of the Portland Chapter of the Lay Magistrates’ Association, which was held on January 26 in Buff Bay, the Minister said JPs are appointed community leaders with an upper...

Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, and Leader of Government Business in the Senate, Hon. Kamina Johnson Smith, has supported a proposal for the establishment of a fund to repair roads that have been damaged as a result of construction projects. Opposition Senator, Sophia Fraser-Binns, who made the recommendation during her contribution to the debate on the Building Bill...

Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid, says students in Jamaica’s public school system have been performing admirably and, as a consequence, will become one of Jamaica’s finest generations of adults. Speaking with JIS News during a tour of four schools in Brown’s Town, St. Ann, on January 23, Mr. Reid expressed confidence that “this generation...

Minister of National Security, Hon. Robert Montague is reassuring the public that his Ministry continues to put additional measures in place, where needed, to protect the rights of all persons detained during the Public State of Emergency in St. James. He said he is aware of the space constraints being experienced at the detention centre, which he said was due...

Prime Minister Andrew Holness revealed that he has asked the Ministry of Science Technology and Energy to fast-track a planned program aimed at replacing open flame light sources in homes with solar lights in vulnerable rural and inner-city communities. The Prime Minister's revelation comes after a deadly fire in his constituency last night which claimed the lives of three toddlers....