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Twenty-five schools mainly from the Kingston area have been invited to participate in an Earthquake Open Day, to be held at Fort Charles in Port Royal on Wednesday, January 14. The activities for the Day will feature exhibits from several stakeholders and companies and talks by representatives of the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) and several of...

Minister of Information, Culture, Youth and Sports, Olivia Grange, has urged businesses, specifically in the private sector, to support Jamaica's athletes. She was speaking at a ceremony to hand over a US$15,000 cheque to the Jamaica Bobsleigh Federation by the Sports Development Foundation (SDF), today (Jan. 9) at the SDF headquarters in Kingston. The donation will go towards the Bobsleigh...

Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Dr. Kenneth Baugh, has said that the introduction of the Jamaican CARICOM passport is an initiative that reinforces the country's commitment to Caribbean integration. "The CARICOM passport is a welcome initiative because it has been long awaited. This is something that strengthens our Caribbean community, it's a further indication of the integration of...

Minister of Water and Housing, Dr. Horace Chang, says the Ministry will be carrying out greater scrutiny of future joint venture housing projects to ensure that the country benefits fairly in agreements forged with partners. "We expect people in joint ventures to deliver and we have to ensure that the quality expected is maintained," Minister Chang stated. He further advised...

Prime Minister the Hon. Bruce Golding, says when the present world economic storm has passed there will be no space for inefficiencies and that the country will have to be able to stand on its own feet even before that time comes around. He noted that despite the present economic challenges, Government has no plans to go back on the...

Thirty young men from the March Pen Road community in Spanish Town St. Catherine are set to benefit from Lifeguard training. The training is being organized by the Community Security Initiative (CSI) a social intervention programme of the Ministry of National Security in collaboration with the Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF) and the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF). The training arose...

The new Jamaica Diaspora United Kingdom (UK) office, based at the Jamaican High Commission complex in London, is now up and running, with new telephone numbers and e-mail address. Advisory Board Member in the UK, Celia Grandison Markey, told JIS News that the UK Diaspora movement is pleased that the Group has taken another step forward. She says the office...

The reaping of cane at the Frome Sugar Estate in Westmoreland started yesterday (Jan. 7), with the burning of some cane fields. Vice President for Operations at Frome, Aston Smith, told JIS News that cutting of the burnt fields and delivery of the cane to the factory should begin today (Jan. 8), with the factory mill expected to be in...

The Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) and the European Union (EU) yesterday (Jan. 7) signed 11 small grant contracts amounting to $11 million, to help former workers in the banana industry undertake alternative business ventures. The grants represent the final component of a $400 million contract, which was signed between RADA and the European Commission in 2007, for the overall...

Efforts by the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. to establish a Caribbean section have been boosted, with the presentation of a series of books on Jamaica, to the facility, by Ambassador to the United States, Anthony Johnson. The books, which depict the life and work of Jamaican Jewish Artist, Isaac Mendes Belisario (1794-1849), were made available by author, Jackie...

The historic Beecham Hill Methodist Church in Flint River, St. Mary, was rededicated on Sunday (Jan. 4), after extensive refurbishing work to repair damage from several hurricanes. The 160-year old church, which was built by ex-slaves in 1841, stands as a monument to the resilience and fortitude of those who laboured to preserve their religious integrity. The rededication service was...

Five judges were yesterday (Jan. 6) sworn into higher offices within the judiciary, during a ceremony held at King's House. His Honour Martin Gayle, Her Honour Marva McDonald Bishop and His Honour Bertram Morrison, were sworn in as Puisne Judges in the Supreme Court while Her Honour Sarah Thompson James, and His Honour Frank Williams, were appointed to act as...