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Persons who are neither Programme of Advancement Through Health and Education (PATH) beneficiaries nor National Insurance Scheme (NIS) pensioners, who suffered extreme damage during Hurricane Dean, will soon begin receiving vouchers to assist with food and other basic needs. The Ministers Fraternal in each parish and faith-based organisations are being asked to identify such persons. At a meeting with church...

The Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) is reporting that 988 persons are still housed in some 38 shelters that are open across the island. The parishes most affected and where shelters remain open are Clarendon and Kingston and St. Andrew. Commenting on the latest figures, Krechet Douglas-Greaves, Director of Information and Training at ODPEM told JIS News...

The bauxite and alumina industry is working to get its production back to maximum levels, following the passage of Hurricane Dean on August 19. St. Ann Jamaica Bauxite Partners in Discovery Bay was not affected and is fully operational. They commenced shipping of bauxite from August 21. The Alpart operations in St. Elizabeth, which had only minor impact from the...

The St. Thomas Parish Council is proposing the establishment of a central emergency shelter for the parish. Head of the St. Thomas Parish Council, Mayor Joan Spencer, told JIS News that the Council will be writing to Prime Minister, Portia Simpson-Miller as well asthe relevant agencies, including the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM), outlining the proposal. According...

The National Works Agency (NWA) has said that while many of the traffic lights are back in working order at major intersections in the Kingston metropolitan area, the return of other signals will be dependent on the full restoration of electricity. "The 27 that are up and running, we have electricity going to that location so of the remaining 48,...

The passage of Hurricane Dean has not slowed operations at the Registrar General's Department (RGD), with the agency having received some 1,700 applications and printed more than 4,000 certificates since August 21. "Since August 21, we have accepted 1,717 applications and we have printed 4,527 certificates for our customers. On August 23, we received 108 applications for our express service...

A Canadian Forces C-17 jet left the country for Jamaica late last week with 32 tons of relief supplies for victims of Hurricane Dean. A release from the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) said that Minister of International Cooperation, Beverley Oda and Minister of National Defence and Minister of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, Peter Gordon MacKay oversaw the loading...

The National Response Team, led by the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM). has started shipping food, water and other aid to worst hit and isolated communities impacted by Hurricane Dean, and has plans to boost that relief support over the weekend. By Friday night (Aug. 24), persons in shelters in Portland Cottage, Clarendon and Old Harbour Bay,...

Assessments conducted by the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) have so far found damage in 150 communities across 12 parishes as a result of Hurricane Dean. Director General of ODPEM, Ronald Jackson, speaking at a press conference held at the agency's Camp Road headquarters on Friday (Aug. 24), said that the wind effects of the hurricane was...

The Jamaican Consulate in Miami on Wednesday (Aug. 22) convened a meeting of nationals in South Florida in response to concerns about the welfare of Jamaicans in the wake of Hurricane Dean. The meeting, which was chaired by Consul General, Ricardo Allicock and held at the Christway Baptist Church in Miramar, discussed relief efforts for the victims of the hurricane...

The Companies Office of Jamaica (COJ) is urging companies to submit annual returns on or before the due date as the agency is not authorized to waive late filing fees in the wake of Hurricane Dean. "Regrettably, where documents come in late despite the prevailing conditions, late filing fees will be charged because the COJ does not have the right...

The Jamaica Red Cross will be providing some 5000 persons with food supplies over the next six weeks, as the organization targets those most in need in the aftermath of Hurricane Dean. Jamaica Red Cross President, Dr. Jaslin Salmon, addressing a press conference held on (Aug. 24) at the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management's (ODPEM) Camp Road headquarters,...