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Jamaica's tourism industry has suffered very little disruption, so far, as the global economic meltdown drags on. That was the message the Minister of Tourism, Edmund Bartlett, delivered to media practitioners in New York City, on December 5, at the Annual Media Appreciation Reception, held at the offices of the public relations firm, Ruder Finn, in midtown Manhattan. While emphasising...

Prime Minister, Bruce Golding, has called on stakeholders in the tourism sector to work with Government to ensure the sustainability of the industry, especially in these challenging economic times. "We must acknowledge that this world crisis will require all of us to make adjustments to our strategies and mode of operation in response to this economic slump," the Prime Minister...

Late entry for the 2009 Commonwealth Writers Prize closes on December 31, and short listed persons will be announced next February. The two overall winners for Best Book and Best First Book, will be announced at the Auckland Writers and Readers Festival (AWRF) in New Zealand on May 16, 2009. The Commonwealth Prize is an annual presentation of the Commonwealth...

The definition of social water and who is to pay for it, will top the agenda of a workshop to be held by the Ministry of Water and Housing, at the Liguanea Club, in Kingston, on Wednesday, December 10. The Ministry's Water Sector Policy and Action Plan, speak to social water, and seeks, to make "potable water available to all...

The Government is looking at merging some of the agencies that offer loans to small businesses in its bid to continue to promote entrepreneurial development in Jamaica. This is according to State Minister in the Ministry of Industry, Investment and Commerce, Michael Stern, who was speaking at the Technology Innovation Centre's (TIC) annual Client Company Awards Ceremony, at the University...

Minister of Information, Culture, Youth and Sports, Olivia Grange has reaffirmed the Government's commitment to continue investment in programmes focussed on addressing the problems faced by the country's youth, especially the vulnerable and dysfunctional. "This administration has a very tender spot for our children, and we have made it a priority to address their problems, primarily crime and violence directed...

President of the Jamaica Chess Federation, Attorney-at-Law Ian Wilkinson, is encouraging more schools to introduce the game of chess to their curriculum to help address the spiraling level of violence plaguing the school system. "If we get chess going fully into the schools and incorporated into society, we will reduce crime and violence significantly. The violence that we are experiencing...

A giant Chess game at the Half-Way Tree Transportation Centre, in Kingston, will be one of the special activities that the Jamaica Chess Federation will be carrying out, as part of its effort to increase public interest in the game, and attract more Jamaicans to the sport. In an interview with JIS News, President of the Jamaica Chess Federation, Attorney-at-Law,...

In an effort to identify and secure more employment opportunities for their graduates and trainees, the Abilities Foundation of Jamaica, will be seeking to bring on board, a Placement Officer. This was disclosed by Manager of the Foundation, Grace Taylor, in an interview with JIS News. "We are very proud of the fact that we have produced many graduates and...

Vice Chancellor Emeritus at the University of the West Indies, Professor Rex Nettleford, has said that Jamaicans should be encouraged to vacation at local hotels, as part of efforts to minimise the effects of the global financial downturn on the tourism sector. "Treat our fellow citizen's right and let them feel that they have a right to tenant the piece...

The Honourable Olivia "Babsy" Grange, Minister of Information, Culture, Youth and Sports, speaking at the Possibility Programme Christmas Dinner last evening, said she was "making a special appeal to the private sector to join us in this very important effort." Minister Grange noted that the Possibility Programme had taken in some 500 street boys and had helped to connect a...

There is a high demand for loans from the Students' Loan Bureau (SLB), by students who want to pursue higher education. This was noted by Pro Chancellor of the University of Technology (UTech), the Most Hon. Edward Seaga, at the institution's 50th anniversary gala banquet, held at the Hilton Kingston Hotel, on December 6. In light of the challenge that...