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The Manchester Office of the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC) has organised a one-week programme of activities to mark the September 7 birthday of late cultural icon, Louise Bennett Coverley (Miss Lou). The activities, which are being held at the Manchester High School, got underway yesterday (Sept. 6), with 'Miss Lou's Day,' which saw students from various primary, all-age, high...

The Clarendon Office of the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC), will pay tribute to the late Hon. Louise Bennett Coverley (Miss Lou) on Friday, September 8, in commemoration of her birthday, which is celebrated today (September 7). The function will be held at the Clarendon Parish Library, Main Street, May Pen, beginning at 4:00 p.m. Miss Lou, who died in...

Minister of Local Government and Environment, Dean Peart, has called on local authorities to follow government procurement guidelines to ensure a greater level of transparency and accountability. "I think transparency is important and we need to ensure that everything that we do in this Ministry will be scrutinized, will be watched carefully, and I want all of you to understand...

Productivity linked wage systems are expected to boost productivity, and the incomes of workers, Minister of Labour and Social Security, Derrick Kellier has said. He was speaking recently at the opening of National Productivity Awareness Week, which is being observed from September 3 to 8, at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel. Mr. Kellier said that productivity linked wage systems would also...

The US$41 million cost overrun on the Sandals Whitehouse Hotel project in Westmoreland is in keeping with the size and specification of the hotel, and is justified, according to the Forensic Audit Report on the project. "The hotel constructed is of the highest quality and substantially, there is value for money," said the report, which was tabled by Prime Minister,...

Auditors have concluded that the Sandals Whitehouse hotel "far surpasses, in terms of design, capacity and technology, what would normally be required by industry standards". The Forensic Audit into the US$41 million cost overrun, which was tabled in the House of Representatives on Tuesday (Sept. 5) indicated that in terms of rooms, central facilities, restaurants, swimming pools, back-of-house facilities and...

The Forensic Audit Report of the Sandals Whitehouse hotel has concluded, based on six points of comparison, that the four-star property in Westmoreland, was of superior design, construction and finishing detail, when compared to two flagship hotels in the Sandals hotel line. Using the French Village at Beaches Turks and Caicos and Beaches Negril as a benchmark, the audit team...

Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Portia Simpson Miller on Tuesday (September 5) tabled the forensic audit report on the Sandals Whitehouse Project in the House of Representatives. She told Members that the government had already been "taking action to prevent a recurrence of any activities which may not have been undertaken in accordance with established government procurement laws". Mrs. Simpson...

Governor-General, His Excellency the Most Honourable Professor Kenneth Hall, will make a donation of books from his personal collection to Rusea's High School, his alma mater, on Friday, September 8 at 10:00 a.m. at the institution in Lucea, Hanover. He will also present the words and score sheet for the school song to the principal, June Thompson. A past student,...

Minister of Housing, Transport, Water and Works, Robert Pickersgill, has said that the government has made strides in reducing poverty and improving the condition of ordinary Jamaicans. The Minister, who was addressing a Lions Club of Kingston luncheon yesterday (Sept. 6) at the Jamaica Pegasus hotel, cited statistics from the Planning Institute of Jamaica's Survey of Living Conditions, which showed...

Finance and Planning Minister, Dr. Omar Davies, yesterday (Sept. 7) outlined a government proposal, which would enable small and medium-sized entrepreneurs to access lines of credit from a list of locally approved financial institutions. Dr. Davies explained that the programme, which if approved, could be implemented by January 2008, would essentially, be "a loan guarantee project financed by the government,...

Children's Advocate, Mary Clarke, said today (September 7), that her office has undertaken several activities, particularly a series of public education fora, to inform the public about her role in protecting the rights of children. "We are mandated by law to educate the public. We have had many, many opportunities to address different audiences, and we have had many opportunities...