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Jamaica is currently in the middle of reaping its first crop of rice grown under the Amity Hall Rice Project in St. Catherine. Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Dr. Christopher Tufton, and stakeholders in the sector were invited to the farm on July 6, for a tour of the facilities and to sample the first of the crop in...

The Ministry of Labour and Social Security will be targeting delinquent employers as it works to collect outstanding contributions owed to the National Insurance Fund (NIF). "If necessary, legal proceedings will be instituted against delinquent employers to recover what is due to the fund. A revision of the fines and penalties will also be recommended to Cabinet," said State Minister,...

New President of the Rotary Club of Mandeville, Manchester, Dr. Olajide Adekeye, has said that the group will continue to raise funds to provide more equipment for the Mandeville Regional Hospital. "It is part of our community responsibility to equip this major medical facility in central Jamaica with state-of-the-art equipment, and we intend to provide equipment worth over US$50,000 to...

Councillors are being urged to address the problems of their divisions as a unified body, and to approach local and international funding agencies in seeking to assist these communities. The call came from State Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister with Responsibility for Local Government Reform, Hon. Robert Montague, at a special meeting of the St. Thomas Parish...

Jamaica has moved up 50 places in the last three years to be ranked the third "happiest country" in the world", in the latest Happy Planet Index, published by Britain's New Economics Foundation. Jamaica was placed 53rd on the list, an index of human well-being and environmental impact, when it was first published in July 2006. It moved up to...

Members of the Jamaican community in the United Kingdom (UK) have condemned a television programme aired on July 5 on the British television channel, ITV, entitled: 'The Secret Caribbean'. The programme, which was presented by renowned broadcaster, Sir Trevor McDonald, cast Jamaica in a negative light, prompting responses from Jamaican groups in the UK. The Jamaica Diaspora UK said the...

The Women's Crisis Centre in Kingston is the beneficiary of a $42,500 cheque from the Sister to Sister Charity, which will assist the centre's expansion and upgrading efforts. The money was raised from a production put on by the Sankofa Arts Facilitation for the Sister to Sister Charity. Part of the fund donated was contributed by Supreme Ventures Limited. Minister...

Minister of Water and Housing, Hon. Dr. Horace Chang, has pointed to the need for more successful Jamaicans to become mentors for the country's young people, especially the males. "Mentoring is an important part of growing our young people in Jamaica today, and that is particularly true for our young men," Dr. Chang stated, as he addressed the annual banquet...

The Ministry of Energy and Mining and representatives from Environmental Groups are describing as productive, a meeting hosted recently to discuss mining-related issues. The meeting which was held on June 24 provided an opportunity for the environmentalists to give an overview of the Cockpit Country, especially its ecosystem services ('use values' such as water supply, carbon sequestration and climate regulation;...

For small business owners, who access Government loans through the Jamaica Business Development Corporation (JBDC), the money they receive is only a small part of the benefits of the scheme. Managing Director of Irie Fi Real, Josette Richardson, can attest to getting more than just funding from the Corporation. She tells JIS News that the process of accessing her $100,000...

The Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) has now joined the Government's growing communications links with the public through the launch of its website at www.opm.gov.jm Coming one year after the launching of the Prime Minister's radio programme, "Jamaica House Live", the new website delivers frequent updates on the activities and statements of the PM, as well as State projects...

Jamaica is likely to have in place legislation to confront commercial sexual exploitation of children soon, following the tabling of the Child Pornography (Prevention) Bill in Parliament, by Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Senator the Hon. Dorothy Lightbourne. The Bill notes that Jamaica currently has no law which specifically treats with or recognises child pornography as a distinct criminal...