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Cabinet has approved the appointment of directors and board chairpersons for several government entities. Industry, Investment and Commerce Minister, Karl Samuda, made the announcement at the weekly post-Cabinet press briefing held yesterday (Oct. 31), at Jamaica House. Former Police Commissioner, Colonel Trevor McMillan, will head the board of the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM). Ambassador Derrick Heaven...

Minister of Labour and Social Security, Pearnel Charles, has said that the Ministry is in the preparatory stages of setting up a remedial reading unit to assist labourers, who are unable to read. Mr. Charles, who made the announcement at a recent meeting with the Labour Advisory Council at his North Street office, said that he has been in contact...

Minister of Labour and Social Security, Pearnel Charles has said that the island wide assessment of household damage caused by Hurricane Dean has been completed. The Minister, who was speaking in the House of Representatives yesterday (Oct. 30), said that the assessments, which were completed in mid-October, were conducted by a team of investigators headed by the Ministry and included...

Six accomplished Jamaican authors are slated to appear at the 24th annual Miami International Book fair, which will begin next Monday (Nov. 4) at the Miami Dade College, downtown Miami. They are among 16 Caribbean nationals, who will appear at the one-week book festival and market, which showcase the works of nearly 350 authors, editors, publishers and literary agents from...

Cabinet has given approval for the government to contribute $13 million towards the first year expenses of the Community Competition Commission, which will be established in November. Speaking at the weekly post-Cabinet press briefing yesterday (Oct. 30) at Jamaica House, Industry, Investment and Commerce Minister, Karl Samuda said the sum will cover Jamaica's contribution for the period October 2007 to...

Chairman of the Audit Practice Committee, Leighton McKnight, has said that internal auditors within the public sector must adopt international standards to remain competitive, including those of the Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA). "The issue with standards is that standards are rules promulgated by an international accredited professional body. Once you use these rules or standards, it narrows subjectivity, it...

Agriculture Minister, Dr. Christopher Tufton, has invited the Jamaica Pig Farmers Association to collaborate with the Ministry in developing a programme to boost production in the industry.Dr. Tufton, who was addressing the association's fifth annual general meeting held recently in Ocho Rios, said that the aim is to satisfy local demand for pork. "Based on research that I have done,...

Governor-General, His Excellency the Most Hon. Professor Kenneth Hall, has announced the appointment of Senator Dorothy Casieta Lightbourne as Queen's Counsel. Senator Lightbourne is Attorney General and Minister of Justice. The appointment, which is on the recommendation of Prime Minister, Bruce Golding, takes effect from October 30, 2007.

Prime Minister, Bruce Golding, has instructed the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service to develop a strategy to deal with the inherent liabilities of Ackendown Newton Development Company Limited, which was responsible for the planning, design and construction of the Sandals Whitehouse hotel in Westmoreland. The company was jointly owned by Gorstew Limited (33 per cent), the National Investment...

Prime Minister, Bruce Golding, has received the approval of Cabinet to advise Governor-General, His Excellency the Most Hon. Professor Kenneth Hall, on an appropriate date to call the local government elections. Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce, Karl Samuda made this announcement at today's (October 30), post-Cabinet press briefing at Jamaica House. "Cabinet agreed to authorize the Prime Minister to...

Prime Minister, Bruce Golding, has said that he will be charting a course, which is aimed at strengthening the country's legal system, to ensure higher levels of efficiency. As part of the move, the courts will have greater financial autonomy. "I think that we undermine, we compromise the independence of the courts if they are hanging on hopes of getting...

Employers have been given 10 days to report all illegal foreign workers in their employ to the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, or face sanctions. "We are saying to the employers of these foreigners that you are liable under the Jamaican law to a fine or imprisonment, or a fine and imprisonment. You have two weeks to come in...