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The administration of the Flanker Peace and Justice Centre, Montego Bay, St. James, will host a three-day training programme for current and potential Restorative Justice (RJ) practitioners from Western Jamaica, between Monday November 21 and Wednesday, November 23. The workshops begin at 9:00 a.m. each day. The specialised training, which is developed and delivered jointly by the Justice Training Institute...

The Jamaica Federation of Corrections (JFEDCO) and the Government today (November 14), signed a new two-year wage agreement at the offices of the Ministry of Finance and Planning in Kingston. Under this new wage agreement, workers in the Correctional Services will receive a 20 per cent increase in year one and a five per cent increase in year two. Other...

Residents of Portland joined with the rest of Jamaica to pay tribute to the soldiers who fought in both World Wars, at the annual Remembrance Day Service, held in Port Antonio on Sunday, November 12. The function, which was organized by the Portland Parish Council, was attended by Custos of Portland, Hon. Roy Thompson; Mayor of Port Antonio, Councillor Benny...

Education and Youth State Minister, Senator Noel Monteith, has pointed to the need for more credence to be given to the non-academic abilities of students.He noted that while some students may under-perform in the core subjects of English and Mathematics, they may do well in sports and the performing arts. Senator Monteith, who was contributing to the State of the...

Ninety-three residents of Portland Cottage, Clarendon, whose homes were destroyed during Hurricane Ivan two years ago, are now proud homeowners, having been presented with certificates of titles and keys to new housing units. The two-bedroom units, with associated infrastructure, were built through the efforts of the Office of National Reconstruction (ONR) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID)....

State Minister in the Ministry of Finance and Planning, Fitz Jackson, has described the two Memoranda of Understanding (MOU), signed between the Government and the Trade Unions representing workers in the public sector, as a major step towards improving industrial relations in the sector. According to Mr. Jackson, the process involved in arriving at an MOU, provides for greater interaction...

The Water Resources Authority (WRA), in recognition of its 10th anniversary, will be hosting an exposition at its Old Hope Road head office in Kingston from November 15 to 16 under the theme: 'Integrated Water Resources Management, Driving National Development'. Senior Environmental Officer at the WRA, Michelle Watts, told JIS News that the exhibition was designed to educate members of...

The parish of Westmoreland should be experiencing major improvements in its road network soon, as it has been chosen as one of five pilot parishes to benefit under a new government road maintenance programme. The other pilot parishes are Portland, St. Thomas, Manchester and St. Catherine. Under the programme, called the National Road Services Improvement Programme (NARSIP), approximately $1 billion...

The Ministry of Agriculture and Lands will be celebrating Geography Information System (GIS) Week from November 12 to 16 and has planned a series of activities to mark the observance. GIS Training Manager in the Ministry, Ian Wilmot Brown, told a recent JIS Think Tank that the week-long commemoration would offer a variety of activities, including presentations and exhibitions as...

As countries worldwide implement measures for early detection and prevention of the Avian Influenza (Bird Flu), response mechanisms in Jamaica and the region are also being intensified. Among these response activities is a workshop on emergency assistance for early detection of the virus, organized by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), through its regional office for Latin America and the...

State Minister in the Ministry of Education and Youth, Senator Noel Monteith, has said that the Government was committed to the ideal that, "every child can learn and that every child must learn". Making his contribution to the State of the Nation Debate in the Senate on Friday (November 13), the State Minister said the Government was "focused on the...

The government of Jamaica has introduced a national literacy strategy, through which it will significantly reduce, and ultimately eliminate the problem of students leaving secondary school without the ability to read and write. Minister of State for Education and Youth, Senator Noel Monteith, tells JIS News that the initiative, which started this school year, "is based on concern about the...