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President of the National Parent Teacher's Association of Jamaica (NPTAJ), Miranda Sutherland, is calling on parents not to stage demonstrations, but instead, to utilise the organisation to address their concerns. "The PTA acts as a forum, through which differences between parents and teachers can be resolved by mediation. As a national body, we are trying to get our PTAs to...

Some 4,000 men and women working in farming and produce marketing, are to benefit from Ca$6.4 million, which will be pumped into the agricultural sector over the next three years, under the 'Improving Jamaica's Agricultural Productivity' project. "This project represents my vision for a different kind of sustainable agriculture that is modern and technologically advanced to promote the well-being of...

Six of 14 Front End Engineering Design (FEED) packages for the expansion of the Petrojam refinery, have already been received, and are now being reviewed for acceptance, Minister of Energy, Clive Mullings, has disclosed. Three more are expected by December, with the remaining five FEED packages expected by April 2009, along with the final cost, the Minister informed. He was...

A non-reimbursable, technical co-operation agreement between the Government and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), valued at US$440,000, was signed today (November 26), at the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service, in Kingston. The agreement, entitled a 'Strategy for the Divestiture of Air Jamaica', was signed by Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service, Senator...

Jamaica's Minister of Tourism Edmund Bartlett has announced the appointment of John Lynch as Director of Tourism at the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB), effective December 1, 2008. According to the Tourism Minister, the current environment dictates that quick and decisive action be taken to fill the post of Director of Tourism which became vacant following Basil Smith's decision to not...

Twelve contracts for the repair of roads damaged by Tropical Storm Gustav, and for the rehabilitation of gullies, in sections of the island, were signed today (November 25), by the Minister of Transport and Works, Michael Henry, at the Ministry, in Kingston. In the Corporate Area, work will be undertaken from Olympic Way to Waltham Park Road, at a cost...

Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Christopher Tufton and Country Representative of the Inter-American Institute for Co-operation on Agriculture (IICA), Cynthia Currie, have signed a Letter of Intent for a project, to enhance the country's agricultural production. The signing for the project - Improving Jamaica's Agricultural Productivity - took place today (November 25), at the Canadian High Commission, in Kingston. The project...

The Net International Reserves (NIR), of just over US$1.70 billion, is being augmented and should return to an estimated US$1.78 billion by the end of November, Minister of Finance and the Public Service, Audley Shaw, has said. During a teleconference with local and international investors, today (November 25), the Minister explained that a raft of monetary and fiscal interventions are...

The Jamaica Tourist Board, has taken over as title sponsor of the annual Jamaica Jazz & Blues Festival, which will take place from January 22 to 24. The Festival, Jamaica's premiere music event, will once again feature three nights of A-list performances, and this year will also place more emphasis on the destination with special resort and attractions packages, created...

The Early Childhood Resource Centre, of the Ministry of Education, recently saw 11 persons in Manchester, graduating from a one-year training programme, on parenting. The programme, which started in November of 2007, saw 35 persons enrolled, but reduced to 11 for various reasons. Parents were exposed to workshops to improve their academic levels, seminars on the role of parents, and...

The Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI), staged its first annual open day in Jamaica, at the Sam Motta Demonstration and Training Centre (SMDTC) in Knockpatrick, Manchester recently. The Centre, which was named after the late, renowned agriculturalist and research scientist in agriculture, Sam Motta, began operations in February 2000 on 20 hectares of mostly mined out land at...

Community Relations Officer at the Ministry of Education, Charmaine Gooden-Monteith, has suggested that persons should educate themselves about parenting, before having children. Addressing a recent graduation ceremony for parents, at the Manchester Early Childhood Centre, Church Teachers' College, Mandeville, Mrs. Gooden-Monteith said parents should impart values that were helpful in the past, so that some of the decadence in the...