More

Prime Minister P. J. Patterson has lauded the National Housing Trust (NHT) for 30 years of quality service to Jamaica and has urged the institution to continue to be bold in exploring new ideas and finding ways to make Jamaicans, particularly low income earners, experience the pride of owning decent and comfortable living spaces. "What began as a humble mission...

Sugar industry workers have been granted a 16.5 per cent wage increase for the 2006/08 contract period.Minister of Labour and Social Security, Horace Dalley, signed the agreement with the Sugar Producers Federation and unions representing the workers this morning (March 20) at his National Heroes Circle offices. The agreement will provide for a 10 per cent increase this year and...

Senator Donna Scott-Mottley has called on the government to lend greater support to the development of cultural industries in Jamaica. "It is the international recognition of the role of creative industries in the future economic prosperity of developing countries, as well as Jamaica's strong cultural industries, that demand that we stop paying lip service to this area," Senator Scott-Mottley remarked,...

Senator Donna Scott-Mottley has hailed the Culture Division of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Culture, for leading the charge to protect the country's cultural industries. This is being done by adhering to an international process, which seeks to maintain the rights of governments to create policies for the protection and promotion of diversity of cultural expressions. Mrs. Scott-Mottley, who...

The Annotto Bay High School in St. Mary is to be expanded, with the construction of three two-storey blocks to accommodate five classrooms, a staff room, vice principal's office, computer laboratories, chemistry, physics and biology laboratories, building technology workshops, storerooms, a food and nutrition laboratory and bathrooms for students. The project, which will also include the building of a multi-purpose...

Opposition Senator, Prudence Kidd-Deans has recommended that every level of bureaucracy be removed, so as to "facilitate the application of every decent law-abiding Jamaican who has applied and who fits the criteria for a firearm licence, be granted one". The Senator, who was making her contribution to the State of the Nation Debate in the Senate on March 17, argued...

As of April 4, motorists parking in designated areas on Orange, Union, Strand and Harbour Streets in Montego Bay, will be required to pay a fee, as the St. James Parish Council implements phase two of its metered parking project. Secretary/Manager of the St. James Parish Council, Ian Reid, explained that to park on these streets, motorists would be required...

Prime Minister-designate and Local Government, Community Development and Sport Minister, Portia Simpson Miller, will be sworn in as Jamaica's seventh Prime Minister, and first female Head of Government, on Thursday, March 30. At Monday's (March 13) post-Cabinet press briefing, Mrs. Simpson Miller announced that members of the new Cabinet, which she would appoint, would be sworn in on Friday, March...

Minister of Water and Housing, Donald Buchanan left the island on Sunday, March 19 to attend the ministerial session of the 4th World Water Forum, which is being held in Mexico City. The forum, which has been in session since yesterday (March 16), and will continue until Wednesday, March 22, is centred around the main theme: 'Local Actions for a...

Information Minister, Senator Burchell Whiteman emphasised today (March 18), that recent amendments to the Broadcasting and Radio Re-Diffusion Act, is to ensure that, "we do not protect one set of operators or enterprises at the expense of another". In an interview with JIS News, the Minister pointed out that changes to the Act, which seek to expand the categories of...

Jamaicans are now more willing to report police misconduct and this has advanced the work of the Professional Standards Branch (PSB) of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF), as it seeks to make the Force more professional and efficient, paving the way for a safer Jamaica. Head of the Corporate Affairs Division of the PSB, Superintendent Lorna Wilson tells JIS News...

Data provided by the Planning Institute of Jamaica show a 9.6 per cent growth in the country's construction and installation sector for the third quarter of 2005. An overall growth of 7.6 per cent is estimated for the sector for that entire year. Prime Minister P.J. Patterson made the disclosure on Saturday (Mar. 18) in an address at the 15th...