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Twelve new Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC) buses have been damaged in various acts of aggression, mostly stoning, since 50 new units were incorporated into the company's fleet in mid-February. Six of the units were damaged by stones in Portmore, St. Catherine, where 12 of the older JUTC buses were also stoned during the period under reference. The stoning took...

The Ministry of Labour and Social Security(MLSS), has joined the Mustard Seed Community and the Jamaica Council for Persons with Disabilities (JCPD) in providing assistance for 9-year-old Ashley Anderson, who was shot in her head by a stray bullet at her gate in downtown Kingston, last year.. Minister of State in the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, Hon. Andrew...

The Government has earmarked $24 billion for the Health Service Delivery Programme, which is concerned with the provision of a comprehensive range of health services at primary, secondary and tertiary care levels. As contained in the 2009/10 Estimates of Expenditure, now before the House of Representatives, the programme places emphasis on disease surveillance and control; health promotion; environmental, family and...

The National Hazard Management in Urban Coastal Areas project has received $27.4 million in the 2009/10 Estimates of Expenditure, which is now before the House of Representatives. The project's overall goal is to strengthen disaster risk management in towns and cities located in coastal areas in Jamaica. Specific objectives include producing a comprehensive multi-hazard disaster management plan for towns and...

Prime Minister, Bruce Golding, has declared that the Government will not be going to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for financial assistance as the country does not have a balance of payment problem. "You seek IMF intervention when you have a balance of payment problem. We have not had a balance of payment problem for a long time," the Prime...

The National Irrigation Development Project has been given $21.5 million in budgetary support this fiscal year, as the Government strengthens efforts to increase agricultural production. As stated in the 2009/10 Estimates of Expenditure, now before the House of Representatives, the funds will go towards the procurement of irrigation equipment for farmers in Beacon/Little Park and Seven Rivers, St. James and...

Minister of State in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Senator Dr. Ronald Robinson, will visit the Northeast United States from April 17 to 26, where he will meet with and have discussions with Jamaican nationals and Diaspora groups. During the nine-day visit, Dr. Robinson, who has portfolio responsibility for the Diaspora, will visit communities in New York,...

Work will continue this fiscal year to increase the access of the youth to quality information, skills and services in order to reduce their risk for HIV infection. This will be done under the Youth Empowerment and Participation Programme, for which a provision of $11 million has been made in the 2009/10 Estimates of Expenditure, now before the House of...

A total of $268 million has been allocated to the Forestry and Wildlife Programme in the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries. As stated in the 2009/10 Estimates of Expenditure now before the House of Representatives, the objective of this programme is to rehabilitate, protect and manage the national forest resources, estimated at 110,000 hectares or 10 per cent of the...

Twenty one, of more than 300 singers and songwriters across the island that entered the Festival Song 2k9 Competition have been selected to participate in the semi final round on April 16. They include: Linoleum White from the parish of St. Thomas with "Sweet Little Paradise", Michael Barnett with "Gi Mi Mi Sweet Jamaica", Delisser McFarlane with "Quiet Oonuself", and...

The Government has earmarked $31.9 million for students' nutrition, in the 2009/10 Estimates of Expenditure, now before the House of Representatives. The money will go towards grants to Nutrition Products Limited. Most of the $31.9 million will be used to repair and lease filling machines, which are necessary for the company's operations. A sum of $6.1 million has been provided...

The Ministry of Education has been allocated $2.6 million, to carry out repairs and maintenance to several special education institutions. The project is outlined in the 2009/10 Estimates of Expenditure, now before the House of Representatives. This fiscal year, $1.4 million will go towards repairing and maintaining schools for the mentally challenged and $400,000 towards schools for the hearing impaired....