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As of October 2, replacing a lost or stolen driver's licence will become easier, with the implementation of new measures to streamline the process and reduce turnaround time. Efficiency and Productivity Consultant at the Cabinet Office, Stanley Gordon, told JIS News that following numerous complaints by users of the system, a review of the process was done and a list...

More than $87 million has been earmarked to conduct a comprehensive review of the island's justice system to include the development of plans for the transformation of the Justice Ministry and its related institutions. Of the total, the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) will be contributing $59.35 million (CDN$1 million), with $28 million to come from the Jamaican government. Permanent...

Thirty students from across the island were today (August 31), awarded the Commissioner of Police annual Back to School scholarships, to assist with their back to school expenses. Every year the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) awards scholarships valued at $10,000 and $15,000 to financially challenged students who have excelled in the Grade Six Achievement Test (G-SAT) as well as to...

Air Jamaica is to increase flights to St. Lucia and Barbados, effective January 11, 2007. This has been announced by George deMercado, Senior Executive of Air Jamaica, who told JIS News that the airline would boost its non-stop schedule from John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) in New York to Hewanorra International Airport in St. Lucia from three to four...

Farmers in Portland are being urged to work closely with the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) office in the parish, to benefit from programmes to promote agricultural development. RADA Parish Manager for Portland, Crawford Clarke, who was addressing a community meeting held yesterday (Aug. 30) at the Fair Prospect Primary School, said that RADA was committed to working with the...

The Ministry of Agriculture and Lands, through the National Organic Agriculture Enhancement Project (NOAEP), is calling on farmers who are practising organic farming and those who are interested in this method, to become certified. This call is in collaboration with the Jamaica Organic Agriculture Movement (JOAM). The NOAEP and JOAM are the local accredited organizations, along with foreign organizations from...

The Jamaica Productivity Centre (JPC) will embark on a public education campaign beginning September 3, to promote the benefits of increased productivity as well as its importance to national and economic development. This campaign is set to coincide with National Productivity Awareness Week, which is being observed from September 3 to 8, under the theme: 'Productivity and Competitiveness for Wealth...

In 1995, when residents of three communities in St. Ann complained of dust nuisance from the mining operations of the Kaiser bauxite plant, they had no idea that from the dust, would come their source of wealth. From the money they received in compensation from Kaiser, 26 families from Water Valley, Happy Mews and St. D'Acre came together to invest...

The National Works Agency (NWA) has closed the main road between White Hall and Water Valley in St. Mary, to facilitate repairs to the roadway, which was badly damaged during heavy rains last year. The work is being undertaken under segment three of the Northern Coastal Highway project, which covers the distance between Ocho Rios and Port Antonio. Collin Morrison,...

Plans are well advanced to outfit the nation's 165 high schools with high-speed Internet facilities by 2009. Managing Director of the Universal Access Fund (UAF), Hugh Cross, made this disclosure at a JIS 'Think Tank' on August 30. According to Mr. Cross, it was the Fund's intention to make this broadband network available to all high schools in the island....

The Ministry of Local Government and Environment today (Aug.31) signed a $16.5 million contract with Matrix Engineering, for first phase upgrading works at the Westmoreland Infirmary in Savanna-la-mar. State Minister for Local Government and Environment, Harry Douglas, in his remarks at the signing ceremony held at his offices on Half-Way-Tree Road, said that the project was part of a major...

Children's Advocate, Mary Clarke, has stressed that there is a need to invest in parenting and in the strengthening of families in the Jamaican society. "What we need is a massive campaign on parenting and building of families, and when I say a massive campaign I am thinking of the kind of campaign that we have when an election is...