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Minister of State in the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, the Hon J.C. Hutchinson, has challenged the Jamaica Agricultural Society (JAS) to utilize its properties as grading and marketing outlets for farm products. Mr. Hutchinson said that the move would supplement attempts by his Ministry to assist farmers with the marketing of their produce, through the placing of marketing officers...

Six Canadians of Jamaican heritage are among 14 persons, who will receive the prestigious Harry Jerome Awards at a ceremony to take place on April 24 at the Toronto Congress Centre. The award, named in honour of the Canadian record-breaking sprinter and Olympian, the late Harry Jerome, is presented annually by the 28-year-old Black Business and Professional Association (BBPA), to...

Prostate cancer is the fourth leading cause of death for Jamaican males and the mortality rate has been increasing, said Chief Medical Officer (CMO) in the Ministry of Health, Dr. Sheila Campbell-Forrester. The CMO, who was addressing a recent one-day conference at Memorial Sloan-Kettering's Rockefeller Research Laboratories in Manhattan, New York, to examine the impact of prostate cancer on Jamaican...

Three more senior judges were appointed to higher offices on Tuesday (April 6) by Governor-General, His Excellency the Most Hon. Sir Patrick Allen, during a ceremony at King's House. Sworn in were: His Honour Mr. Justice Patrick Anthony Brooks, as Judge of the Court of Appeal, Her Honour Miss Nicole Adrienne Simmons, to act as Puisne Judge and Her Honour...

Sectoral databases for crime and child protection are to be developed during the next year, as part of the institutionalisation of the DevInfo project, which is being implemented by the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ). According to the 2010/11 Estimates of Expenditure, an additional $12 million has been allocated for the project to continue to establish JamStats as a reliable...

Programmes being undertaken by the Ministry of Transport and Works to improve road safety have been boosted through a $31.7 million allocation. As contained in the Estimates of Expenditure now before the House of Representatives, $13 million will go to the Island Traffic Authority (ITA) to carry out necessary work, as it seeks to upgrade the working environment and physical...

Repairs will continue to primary and all-age schools, which were damaged by Tropical Storm Gustav, through a $53.2 million allocation to the Schools Rehabilitation Project in the Ministry of Education. As stated in the 2010/11 Estimates of Expenditure, which is now before the House of Representatives, the allocation will continue works under phases one and two of the project. So...

The Water Programme for Environment Sustainability Project (WPA) has received an allocation of $5.5 million in the 2010/11 Estimates of Expenditures now before the House of Representatives. This project was established to upgrade the Water Resources Master Plan and assess the potential for water related developments and the resource capacity to meet present and future demands. The scope of the...

The Ministry of Industry, Investment and Commerce, is set to begin a project aimed at enhancing competition in the Jamaican economy in April. The 2010/11 Estimates of Expenditure, now before the House of Representatives has revealed that $8.5 million has been earmarked for the Capacity Building in the Enforcement of Competition Law in Jamaica project. It is expected to improve...

Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Dr. Christopher Tufton, has said that he will be looking at measures to improve the horticultural industry, which has seen a decline since Hurricane Gilbert in 1988. Dr. Tufton, who was addressing the 47th staging of the St. Elizabeth Horticultural Society Annual Flower Show, held at Independence Park, in Black River, on April 5,...

The Ministry of Industry, Investment and Commerce's Plant Breeding and Diagnostics Technologies project is set to receive a $7.2 million boost this year. This is based on figures outlined in the 2010/2011 Estimates of Expenditure, that was tabled in the House of Representatives on March 25. The project began in 2007 and is intended to use radiation to induce mutation...

Minister of Finance and the Public Service, Hon. Audley Shaw is to outline to the country how the $503.9 billion budget for 2010/11 will be financed, when he opens the Budget Debate on Thursday, April 8, at Gordon House. When the Minister tabled the Estimates of Expenditure in the House on March 25, the figures showed that $499.38 billion was...