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For the financial year 2009/10 some $26 million was disbursed from the Self Start Fund to the small and micro enterprises (SMEs) sector. A ministerial report tabled recently in the House of Representatives said the Fund facilitated business loans to 113 entrepreneurs within the SME sector, with the average loan size being $200,000. Other achievements include creation/preservation of approximately 441...

The National Council on Drug Abuse (NCDA) continues to advocate for people not to start smoking, as it is the best way of preventing complications that can arise from the unhealthy practice. Manager for NCDA's Western Region, Clifton Morris said that the significant health consequences of prolonged tobacco use are well known, and ongoing public education about diseases that smoking...

Alpart's Community Council has made a transition from being an avenue to quell tensions between the company and communities affected by its fumes, to a vehicle through which areas around the plant are benefiting from lasting development. Principal of the Brinkley Primary School in St. Elizabeth, Vivilyn Powell (first left), and community representative with the Alpart Community Council, Deloris Moss...

Director General of the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM), Ronald Jackson, has said that his organisation has spent some $98 million on project-based interventions in preparing the nation for this year's hurricane season. He noted that this involved the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) funded Natural Hazard Management programme in urban, coastal areas to develop model community disaster...

The Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF) has indicated its readiness to assist with any social intervention programme that the Government undertakes in Tivoli Gardens and surrounding communities. Noting that the JSIF has been working with inner-city communities since its inception, General Manager of Technical Services at JSIF, Omar Sweeney, said the Fund has the expertise required to help with the...

The Ministry of Tourism and the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) will spearhead a promotional blitz in key North American and European tourist markets, in a bid to prevent a projected US$350 million loss in revenue, as a result of the recent activities in West Kingston. The campaign, details of which were finalised over the past weekend during meetings and consultations...

The process of identifying persons, who were killed during the police/military operation in West Kingston, will begin tomorrow (June 2). The Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) has advised that photographs of the deceased will be displayed at the Tivoli Gardens Community Centre where the Police Complaints Office is located, and at 14 Metcalfe Street (the former Remand Centre). Viewing will start...

The Government of Jamaica will be undertaking a social survey in West Kingston to determine needs, as it moves to restore normality to communities affected by the ongoing security operation. More than 100 social workers from the Ministry of Labour and Social Security and the Social Development Commission (SDC) will be engaged in the exercise, which will be carried out...

Tourism Minister, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, says efforts are being made to resuscitate Kingston's tourism product which, he said, was severely damaged by last week's violence in West Kingston. Speaking with JIS News, Mr. Bartlett lamented that Kingston had lost business "badly". He pointed out that occupancies in a number of hotels were "very weak", declining as much as 50 per...

Fifty new buses were added to the Jamaica Urban Transit Company's (JUTC) fleet, today (June 1), with the official handing over of the vehicles, which arrived in the island some two weeks ago. The new state-of-the-art Volvo buses were manufactured by Belgian bus-making company, VDL Jonckeere and were imported through the JR Wellington Import/Export Corp. The 53-seat buses are equipped...

Minister of Transport and Works, Hon. Michael Henry, has indicated his desire to have discussions with the Ministry of Education on a proposal to have Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC) Smart Cards tailored for students. Mr. Henry said this would allow the Smart Cards, which are being implemented in all JUTC buses, to be personalised in such a manner that...

Commissioner of Police, Owen Ellington, says the situation in Tivoli Gardens and Denham Town, in Western Kingston, has stabilised sufficiently for residents to go about their normal business, following operations in the area by the Security Forces. He was speaking to JIS News on May 30, at the end of a tour of the area by senior members of the...