The Government has increased the income band for persons accessing zero percent loans from the National Housing Trust (NHT) from $7,500 to $12,000 per week. “This means that all workers in Jamaica, who earn $12,000 per week and less will be able to access interest-free loans from the National Housing Trust,” Prime Minister the Most Hon. Andrew Holness said. He...

The Government has increased the budgetary allocation to the Programme of Advancement through Health and Education (PATH) by $520 million. Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, made the announcement on May 24 during his contribution to the 2016/17 Budget Debate in the House of Representatives. He said that PATH remains a critical social protection intervention and human capital investment...

Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, says the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) will be using social media and other promotional means to go after the 35 million strong African American market. Mr. Bartlett said that in addition to booking advertising spots in the mainstream media, extra effort will be made to target minority groups. "There is a vast African American...

Despite heavy mid-afternoon showers in western and north-eastern parishes, scores of volunteers turned out on May 23 for Labour Day projects in the parishes of St. Ann and Trelawny. Activities were focused on the beautification of town centres and markets, painting of police stations and the cleaning of drains. In St. Ann, the parish project was the cleaning of the Alexandria...

Education, Youth and Information Minister, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid, has announced the implementation of a pilot programme which is aimed at providing education and training for disengaged students in vulnerable communities. He made the announcement at a University of the West Indies-Western Jamaica Campus (UWI-WJC) event at Sandals Montego Bay on Friday, May 20. Senator Reid said the initiative...

Minister of Local Government and Community Development, Hon. Desmond McKenzie, said changes to the Litter Act are to go before Cabinet for approval shortly. He said the proposed amendments provide for, among other things, an increase in fines for littering. “While we are working to make the country clean, we have to bring to book those who continue to spoil...

The Ministry of Health will, in upcoming weeks, be launching a community leadership forum, to engage leaders of community-based organisations across the island to collaborate in the development of measures to fight vector-borne diseases. Minister of Health, Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton, made the disclosure in an interview with JIS News ahead of a ceremony to open the National Labour...