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The ongoing international food crisis and reforms of international institutions were among the main topics during the talks between Prime Minister, Bruce Golding and Commonwealth Secretary-General Kamalesh, Sharma at Marlborough House on May 21. During their discussions Mr. Sharma briefed Mr. Golding on the June 9 and 10 summits of leaders that has been convened to discuss the reform of...

Executive Director of the Legal Aid Council, Glenn Cruickshank has disclosed that a public education campaign targeting police officers and citizens about the importance of Duty Counsel would come on stream later this year. The Legal Aid Act makes provisions for persons who are detained at lockups, police stations or correctional institutions, to be afforded the services of an attorney...

Draft amendments for the entrenchment of Local Government in the Jamaican constitution have been completed, and are with the Ministry of Justice for scrutiny and comments. Minister of State in the Office of the Prime Minister, with special responsibility for Local Government Reform, Robert Montague, made the disclosure on May 26, while giving opening remarks at the Regional Local Government...

Wife of Prime Minister Bruce Golding, Lorna Golding, was the special guest at assembly at the Maryland Primary School in Stratford, East London on May 20. Mrs. Golding accompanied her husband on his first official visit to the United Kingdom as Prime Minister, from May 19 to 25. During the visit to Maryland, where the principal, Lorna Jackson is of...

State Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister with responsibility for Local Government Reform, Robert Montague, has said that the greatest challenge in the reform process is the human element, which involves the participation of the citizens. He was delivering opening remarks at the Regional Local Government Consultation and Conference, at the Rose Hall Resort and Country Club in...

Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Christopher Tufton has said that the high cost of purchasing imported food items has given local farmers an opportunity that they must seize and make good use of. Addressing the St. Elizabeth Jamaica Agricultural Society (JAS)/Rural Agricultural Development Agency (RADA) Food Fest held on (May 23) at the Essex Valley Show Grounds in St. Elizabeth, he...

Minister of Tourism, Edmund Bartlett has pointed out that the faith-based tourism sector, which the island is in the process of developing, will provide the greatest opportunity for small and medium sized enterprises (SME), and properties. "It is not only that they are coming for entertainment and fun but there are large group of volunteers who spend many weeks in...

Prime Minister Bruce Golding has said that the Bretton Woods agreement needs to be revised, in order to address economic problems currently affecting the world, particularly developing countries. Speaking in an interview with JIS News at the Norman Manley International Airport on May 25, on his return from the United Kingdom (UK), where he met with Prime Minister Gordon Brown,...

Jamalco has come to the aid of a 73 year-old farmer, Hervine Lord of Mount Oliphant, Manchester, whose house was destroyed by Hurricane Dean in August last year. On Labour Day (May 23), members of the Jamalco Community Council and persons in the community began constructing a two-bed room house for the senior citizen. It is slated to be completed...

The World Bank has facilitated a Japanese grant to the Early Childhood Commission (ECC), to undertake studies and develop capacity in preparation for a World Bank loan to support the Early Childhood sector. As set out in a Ministry Paper tabled in the House of Representatives last week by the Minister of Education, Andrew Holness, the loan is performance-based with...

The Jamaica Foundation for Life Long Learning (JFLL) has piloted a computer-aided instruction programme for the teaching of literacy. This is contained in a Ministry Paper tabled in the House of Representatives last week by Education Minister, Andrew Holness. The programme will facilitate a wider spread of learner-centred interventions across the country, allowing persons to advance at their own pace,...

State Minister for Agriculture, J.C. Hutchinson has informed that the Fruit Tree Crop Programme is expected to assist some 200 farmers to establish between 400 and 450 hectares of orchard crops during this fiscal period. He also pointed out that the project supported the establishment of over 200 hectares of fruit tree orchards on farmers' holdings during the last financial...