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The use of cement in Jamaica is one of the primary indicators of economic activity in the country and, along with the use of electricity, help to more accurately show this activity than other indicators. This is according to Minister of Water and Housing, Hon. Dr. Horace Chang, who was giving the keynote address at the opening ceremony of the...

The Ministry of Finance and the Public Service has launched a programme to sensitise officers involved in public sector procurement to new developments in the system. The public procurement workshop, officially launched at the Jamaica Conference Centre, downtown Kingston, on Wednesday (June 17), aims to familiarise the officers with new instruments and regulations governing procurement procedures in the public service...

Manchester's Kendal All-Age School's Guidance and Counselling Department recently held a forum at the Kendal Community Centre, as part of its community outreach programme to help parents cope with the current economic crisis. The Department initiated the forum in light of growing concerns over absenteeism, and the welfare of students attending the school. Guidance Counsellor, Janet Burke, said that the...

American Internal Medicine Specialist, Dr. Dwight Blake, is praising the high quality of care being provided for patients suffering from lifestyle diseases such as diabetes. The doctor, who is part of a health mission from Atlanta to Montego Bay, St. James, said that the level and quality of treatment was "on par" and "comparable" with most international medical standards. He...

United States (US), radio and television personality, Michael Baisden, will stage 'Island JAM Take-over 2009', in Jamaica, from June 25 to June 28, at SuperClubs Grand Lido Braco, in Trelawny. More than 650 listeners of the show in the United States, will be guests at hotels on the northcoast for several events to be staged during the four-day Jam sessions,...

Mayor of Kingston, Senator Desmond McKenzie, has added to the call for compulsory national youth service for out-of-school young people. Speaking at the closing ceremony for the Emergency Response Training programme on June 17 at the National Youth Service (NYS) training site in Chestervale, St. Andrew, Mayor McKenzie said the high unemployment rate among young people, underachievement at school, and...

The National Child Month Committee (NCMC) has extended the deadline for the submission of entries for its annual essay and poster competition to Friday, July 31. Vice Chair of the NCMC and co-ordinator of the competitions, Sandrea Long- White, told JIS News that the deadline was originally scheduled for the end of May, "but because of the demand and the...

The Government's investment promotion agency, Jamaica Trade and Invest (JTI), has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the International Trade Centre (ITC), to support efforts to effectively promote the National Export Strategy among local stakeholders. The Geneva, Switzerland-based ITC, a joint agency of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and the United Nations, enables small business export success in developing...

Manager of the St. Ann branch of the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA), Pedro Worghs, has reported high yields from the production and productivity programme for farmers in the parish. "This programme involves a number of selected crops, namely, Irish and sweet potatoes, hot pepper, carrot, onion and dasheen," Mr. Worghs told JIS News. He added that the programme was...

The Sugar Company of Jamaica (SCJ) began paying off its former employees, on Tuesday (June 16), as a prelude to the divestment of the factories and fulfilling a commitment made last year by the Government. A release from the SCJ reported that $1.8 billion was paid out to 5,573 employees at the five Government-owned estates across the country - Bernard...

Approximately 7,000 farmers from across Jamaica are being targeted for a one-day marketing conference at the Trelawny multi-purpose stadium on Thursday (June 25). The conference is being organised by the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries and the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA), as they culminate their production and marketing drive to advance market driven agricultural production among farmers. The objective...

Minister of Energy and Mining, James Robertson, has disclosed that plans are in the making for the expansion and development of the Reynold's Pier, in Ocho Rios, St. Ann. Mr. Robertson made the disclosure on June 17, following a tour of the cruise shipping facility and a meeting with representatives of the Port Authority of Jamaica, Carnival Cruise Lines and...