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Representatives of the island's legislature and civil society, in addition to students from some 25 schools across the corporate area and St. Catherine, participated in a mock ceremonial opening of Parliament today (March 13) as Jamaica observed Commonwealth Day 2006. The exercise featured presentations by members of the island's legislature under the theme: 'Health and Vitality: the Commonwealth Challenge.' The...

Prime Minister P.J. Patterson has announced that he will proceed on retirement on Thursday March 30th, the same day on which he will tender his resignation to Governor General Professor Sir Kenneth Hall. He said that in keeping with the desire for a seamless transition of leadership, Prime Minister In-Waiting the Hon. Portia Simpson Miller will be sworn in as...

The HEART Trust/NTA has collaborated with the Justice Training Institute (JTI) to offer training programmes for the justice sector. At the institute's academy in Stony Hill, as well as its satellite facilities at Twickenham Park, St. Catherine and at Queen's High School in Kingston, persons are being equipped to take on jobs as process servers, legal secretaries and legal assistants....

The HEART Trust/NTA has established a career development centre in Savanna-la-Mar, Westmoreland, to provide assistance to job seekers. The facility, located at Williams Plaza, boasts state-of-the-art technology and equipment, which were acquired at a cost of approximately $1.9 million.Services provided include job search and placement, interviewing skills, preparing resumes, career awareness and planning. Addressing the opening ceremony held recently, Merton...

Senator Noel Sloley has called on government to accelerate the tax reform process for the tourism industry. He said that an appropriate tax structure must be put in place for the industry, to ensure that "it makes a fair and equitable contribution yet is able to retain enough profits to be strong, sustainable, internationally competitive, provide a world class product...

Senator Dorothy Lightbourne has proposed that the office of the Children's Advocate be expanded to protect the interest of children in civil, criminal, property estate and divorce proceedings. Her call comes in the wake of the recent cases of violence against the nation's children, including murders. Senator Lightbourne, who was making her contribution to the State of the Nation Debate...

Chief Technical Director in the Ministry of Development, Dennis Morrison, has said that Jamaica would only be able to increase and maintain global competitive advantage, if investment was encouraged and sustained. Mr. Morrison, who spoke on 'The Link between Infrastructural Development and Investment' at the final in a series of five Government Communications Group-organised panel discussions held on March 9...

Minister of Transport and Works, Robert Pickersgill, on Saturday (March 11) signed a contract valued at approximately US$50 million, for the dualisation of the roadway from the Sangster International Airport to the Wyndham Rose Hall Hotel in St. James. Immediately following the contract signing, he broke ground to mark the official start of the work, which will be carried out...

The Tourism Product Development Company (TPDCo) and the Negril Chamber of Commerce are carrying out extensive beautification and clean-up works in the resort town of Negril, at a cost of more than $600,000. Approximately 40 persons have been employed to cut and clean verges, plant trees and erect welcome signs. The project should be completed in time for the town's...

The College of Agriculture, Science and Education (CASE) in Portland, has been providing valuable support to the Jamaica 4-H Clubs, as that organization continues to mould the lives of young Jamaicans to make them into responsible and independent citizens. Over the years, CASE has functioned as a training facility for the Portland 4-H Club, providing two acres of land on...

Motorists travelling through the Bog Walk Gorge in St. Catherine should have a smoother, safer road on which to drive before month end, said Stephen Shaw, Communications and Customer Service Manager at the National Works Agency (NWA). In an interview with JIS News, Mr. Shaw informed that over the past two months, the NWA has been implementing rehabilitative work on...

Within the next two weeks, persons conducting business with the Registrar General's Department (RGD) via the Internet, will be able to make payments online. Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Registrar General, Dr. Patricia Holness, made this disclosure at the agency's 10th annual prayer breakfast held yesterday (March 10) at its head office in Twickenham Park, St. Catherine. The CEO pointed...