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Jamaica was on (Nov. 23) elected to sit on the Council of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), which has been meeting in London this week. Transport and Works Minister Mike Henry, who headed Jamaica's delegation to the meeting, said Jamaica's election to the Council was significant for the country. "It means that we have made another step forward in terms...

Prime Minister Bruce Golding has called for the Commonwealth to take a fresh approach to the challenges facing heavily indebted middle income countries like Jamaica. Prime Minister Golding made the call on (Nov 23) at the first day's meeting in Kampala, Uganda of members attending the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting from November 23-25. Addressing a special meeting of Caribbean...

More than 700 employees from the Ministry of Water and Housing and the Ministry of Transport and Works have benefited from sensitization workshops on the Workplace HIV/AIDS policy since January of this year. The employees, from these once combined ministries, participated in some 17 sensitization workshops across the island designed to eradicate discrimination against persons living with HIV/AIDS in the...

Vice President of the Jamaica Confederation of Trade Unions (JCTU), Danny Roberts, has said that for Jamaica to become a developed country, a culture and awareness of productivity must permeate the society. "There must be a drive towards providing that productivity culture and awareness that engulfs and permeates the society so that we can all benefit from that process, both...

Executive Director of the National Council on Drug Abuse (NCDA), Michael Tucker, is appealing to parents to adopt a tough love approach when dealing with children, who are substance abusers. "You need to be tough and resolute in doing what is necessary," he urged parents. "You must have an approach of tough love, you need to help the youngster to...

The National Council on Drug Abuse (NCDA) is reporting an increase in the number of adolescent female drug abusers. A National School Survey, which was conducted in 2006 among students in grades 8, 10 and 11, found that the gap between the number of adolescent male and female drug abusers is narrowing. "The gender gap, where drug use is concerned,...

Double Deuce Jamaica Limited, a new agro-processing company, which opened recently in St. Thomas, will create employment for a number of residents of the parish, while providing a ready market for the farming community. It will also promote Brand Jamaica through the export of authentic, high quality Jamaican products such as fruit juices, canned ackee and breadfruit slices. In an...

Cabinet has approved a proposal to restrict public sector entities from relocating their downtown Kingston offices. Addressing journalists at the (Nov. 21) post-Cabinet press briefing at Jamaica House, Information Minister, Olivia Grange said this move is in keeping with "the commitment of the government of Jamaica to ensure the comprehensive and integrated redevelopment of downtown". According to the Minister, the...

The government is putting the necessary measures in place to facilitate a faster response time to development plans submitted to the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA). Health and Environment Minister, Rudyard Spencer, said that these measures, which will drive the initiative to give developers a response to their application within 90 days, will include the setting up of a...

Some 500 homeless persons are expected to converge at St. William Grant Park downtown Kingston on Saturday (Nov. 24), where they will be fed, clothed and provided with medical assistance by scores of volunteers. The 'Day of Care', which is being organized by the International Volunteer Day Committee (IVDC), will take place from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the...

Education Officer in the Ministry of Education, Mary Ann Nichols, is the 2006/07 Civil Servant of the Year. A first time nominee, she topped a field of nine candidates to take the award, one of the highlights of the Jamaica Civil Service Association's activities for Civil Service Week 2007. The week, which runs between November 18 to 24, is being...

In observance of International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, the Bureau of Women's Affairs will be hosting a series of activities under the theme: 'Women and Men Speak Out...End the Violence against Women'. Speaking with JIS News, Acting Executive Director of the Bureau, Faith Webster, noted that while the day will be observed on November 25, the...