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It is a pleasure to address you today at the launch of the 2006 State of the World's Children Report. Against the background of the vicious and callous murder, rape and gross mistreatment of children over the past three weeks the state of Jamaica's children cannot be considered to be at all satisfactory. It may be an opportune time to...

Minister of Labour and Social Security, Horace Dalley, yesterday (March 14) announced an overall increase of 66.66 per cent in national insurance benefits, which will become effective on April 3. The increase is expected to cost the government some $10 billion over the 2006/07 to 2009/10 fiscal years.Minister Dalley, who made the announcement in the House of Representatives, said that...

Minister of Information, Senator Burchell Whiteman, has emphasized the need for consumers to use the world's resources responsibly in order to minimize the risks associated with the wanton depletion of sources of energy. Senator Whiteman, who was speaking at a media breakfast hosted by the Consumer Affairs Commission (CAC) at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel this morning (March 15), to mark...

The House of Representatives yesterday (March 14) approved $37.726 billion in expenditure for the government to carry on its business for four months, from April 1 to July 31. Piloting the resolution, Finance and Planning Minister, Dr. Omar Davies explained that the sum comprised $33.098 billion for recurrent expenditure and $4.627 billion for capital expenditure. Under the Financial Audit and...

Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Senator A. J. Nicholson, has called for increased international co-operation in the fight against terrorism. "All countries are vulnerable to terrorist attacks," he pointed out, adding that popular events were usually prime targets for such attacks. Senator Nicholson cautioned that "with Cricket World Cup 2007 on the horizon, the Caribbean must be even more...

The draft interim report of the Special Select Committee of the Senate appointed to deliberate on matters surrounding the use of prime agricultural lands, has been submitted. Among the recommendations is a call made by the group for amendments to the Housing Act and any other legislation which, at present, empowers the Minister to make planning decisions without reference to...

The National Child Month Committee (NCMC) is calling on all law-abiding citizens of the country to protect the nation's children in these troubled times. This appeal comes against the recent spate of violence directed at the nation's children, which resulted in six children being killed in a week.Dr. Pauline Mullings, Chairperson of the NCMC, told JIS News that Jamaica's children...

Jamaica is currently experiencing drought conditions, with some areas being severely affected. However, the National Water Commission (NWC) is assuring customers that all necessary measures are being employed to ensure that adequate water supplies are maintained across the island. Charles Buchanan, Corporate Public Relations Manager of the NWC, told JIS News that approximately 30 per cent of the Commission's 460...

The National Contracts Commission endorsed 206 contracts during the January to December 2004 period.According to information in the 18th annual report of the Office of the Contractor General, tabled in the House of Representatives recently, the level of non-compliance in the award of contracts has been significantly reduced, since the establishment of the National Contracts Commission. It also expressed satisfaction...

Deputy Mayor of Spanish Town, Owen Palmer, has urged students of the Innswood High School to become positive role models and agents of change. The Deputy Mayor, who was addressing the launch of the annual Values and Attitude programme at the St. Catherine-based institution on March 13, reminded the students that they were being prepared to take over the society,...

Minister of Commerce, Science and Technology, Phillip Paulwell revealed yesterday (March 14), that since the tariff on cement was reduced to 15 per cent last week, the Trade Board has advised that based on applications received, some 36,000 tonnes of cement were expected in the island during the next couple of weeks. Making the disclosure in the House of Representatives,...

Consul General in New York, Dr. Basil K. Bryan, has said that the contributions of overseas Jamaicans are having a significant impact on development in Jamaica. Addressing a meeting of Jamaican nationals from the Northeast region of the United States (US), at the Consulate in Manhattan on March 11, Dr. Bryan said that Jamaicans, "continue to do us proud wherever...