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The road safety campaign, 'Drive For Life', launched by the Road Safety Unit of the Ministry of Transport and Works, has been hailed as successful, and plans are being formulated for a successor campaign. Paul Clemetson, Director of the Road Safety Unit, told JIS News that he was extremely pleased with the impact of the campaign and was satisfied it...

The Police Civilian Oversight Authority (PCOA) will be staging a series of public meetings, to hear the concerns of community members with regards to the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) and provide for discussion with senior members of the force. "These forums will be shaped in such a way that they would bring together both the police senior command level in...

The Police Traffic Division is calling for the assistance of corporate Jamaica in implementing an education programme to encourage proper road use, which will be targeted at persons in the 19 to 35 age group. This in light of statistics from the World Health Organization, which indicates a possible 80 per cent increase of traffic fatalities in the developing world,...

Minister of Labour and Social Security, Pearnel Charles has revealed that amendments will be made to the Employment Agencies Regulation Act. The Act, which was last amended in 2007, governs the activities of employment agencies in Jamaica. Under the Act, an employment agency is any agency or registry in Jamaica that is engaged in business in connection with the employment...

Road crashes involving utility poles are proving costly to the Jamaica Public Service (JPS), with the company spending some $15 million last year alone to replace poles and transformers. "To replace a pole, it costs approximately $85,000. If that pole has a transformer the cost is even greater as it costs in excess of $200,000 to repair and replace the...

Senior Superintendent of Police in charge of the Traffic Division, Elan Powell, is hoping for a 10 per cent decrease in road fatalities this year, following a seven per cent decrease last year over 2006. "This year we hope to see at least a 10 per cent reduction in fatalities on our roads. It is small but we will take...

Minister of Health and Environment, Rudyard Spencer, has said that the cost of violence is affecting the country's efforts to eliminate poverty, and has pointed to the need for a national movement towards peace. "I'm calling for the campaign for peace to be on the national agenda involving leaders from every sphere and stratum of society. Without peace, our efforts...

The Frome Sugar Factory in Westmoreland is experimenting with green cane harvesting to increase yield and to cut down on losses as a result of burning. The exercise is now on in earnest, with some 100 cane cutters employed by the factory reaping the mature canes without the use of fire. Several farmers and top management personnel of the estate...

The St. Mary Cultural Committee will be embarking on several projects this year, aimed at highlighting the impact of slavery in the parish and promoting the Dinki mini dance as a part of its cultural heritage. In an interview with JIS News, Hurley Taylor, Chairman of the St. Mary Cultural Committee said the projects would be implemented as a carry...

Minister of Justice and Attorney General, Senator Dorothy Lightbourne, has said that the Government considers restorative justice as the most appropriate concept to complement and support the country's traditional justice system. She was speaking on (February 7), at the opening of the second annual Restorative Justice International Conference, being held at the Hilton Hotel in Kingston from February 7 to...

No restrictions are to be imposed on payments arising out of transactions effected between residents of member countries of the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA). African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) states, including Caribbean Forum (CARIFORUM) States and Europe are signatories to the agreement. Subject to the provisions of Article Three of the agreement, the parties agree to facilitate all such payments...

The Child Development Agency (CDA) is reporting an increase in the number of children placed in foster care during 2006/07, with some 295 successful cases. Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the CDA, Alison Anderson said while this number fell short of the agency's target of 300 placements, it was better than the previous year's total of 240. "We are steadily...