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A new Disaster Management and Mitigation Act will be instituted as the government seeks to place emphasis on disaster mitigation and risk reduction. Minister of Information, Senator Burchell Whiteman, has informed that Cabinet has approved instructions for the drafting of the legislation act, which will repeal and replace the Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management Actof 1993. "The reason for this...

Approximately 86 per cent of government pensioners including spouses and dependants of deceased officers, will receive an increase in their pension benefits come January 2006. Minister of Information, Senator Burchell Whiteman, who made the announcement at yesterday's (Dec. 5) post-Cabinet press briefing at Jamaica House, said that the increase would range from $14,400 per annum at the low end of...

As the festive season approaches, the National Blood Transfusion Service (NBTS) is encouraging more Jamaicans to give blood through the message, 'Give the gift of blood this Christmas'. "We are still trying to sell people the idea that this could be something they do for the good of the rest of Jamaica; their contribution to society," said Communications Officer for...

Cabinet has awarded contracts totalling approximately US$1.17 million to acquire Antiretroviral (ARV) drugs under the HIV/AIDS Treatment, Prevention and Policy Project. Speaking at a post Cabinet press briefing at Jamaica House, yesterday (December 5), Minister of Information, Senator Burchell Whiteman informed that Medi-Grace Limited has been awarded a contract for US$462,380 and Abbott Laboratories, Puerto Rico, US$474,174.63, to supply local...

President of the Mines and Quarries Association of Jamaica, Anthony Morgan, has said that quarrying was one of the most sustainable economic activities that could be undertaken in Jamaica. He was speaking yesterday (Dec. 5) at the opening of a two-day workshop to look at sustainable quarrying in Jamaica. The workshop, which ends today, is organized by the Mines and...

Community members of Chatham, Goodwill and Blytheston in St. James came together on December 4 to recognize 83 year-old retired educator, Catherine Thorpe. The occasion was also used to present her with the Badge of Honour for Meritorious Service in the field of Early Childhood Education, which she was unable to collect at King's House on National Heroes Day (October...

For the majority of persons, who have made mistakes and ended up on the "wrong side of the tracks", the luxury of a comeback is a pipe dream. But for thousands of Jamaican youth, who are benefiting under the National Youth Link-Up Programme, the second chance that seemed a distant wish is fast becoming a reality. The National Youth Link-Up...

Persons with disabilities in St. Catherine are set to benefit from the government's Information Communication Technology (ICT) Training for Persons with Disabilities programme, at the Waterford High School in January next year. The programme is geared towards disabled persons with academic competencies at a standard no less than grade nine and training will last for approximately 15 weeks. Project Co-ordinator,...

The St. Catherine 4-H has launched a walkathon to raise money to fund training programmes and provide scholarships for clubbites. The club expects to raise $250,000 from the event, said Colin Woodham, 4-H Parish Development Officer for St. Catherine. He told JIS News that, "because of its (4-H) significance and far-reaching impact on the various communities within the parish, we...

The Hanover Parish Council has come out in praise of the local government reform process, noting that it has facilitated improvements in the council's operations. "We have seen some positives coming out of local government reform," said Secretary Manager, Alfred Graham. He told JIS News, that the process had resulted in a strengthening of the staff complement by the inclusion...

Eight years after the idea came to him to pen a book that profiled historic Jamaican locales, David Buckley has realised the fulfilment of his dream with the production of, 'The Right to be Proud: A Brief Guide to Jamaican Heritage Sites'. Beaming with pride, the first-time author presented a copy of the book to Governor General, His Excellency the...

Some 1,100 children from several children's homes in Kingston enjoyed a special Christmas treat on December 1 at the St. Andrew Parish Church Hall, Half-Way-Tree, hosted by volunteers of the Needy Kids of Jamaica of South Florida. Toys, food and clothing, totalling US$8,000 were distributed to children from homes, including St. Andrew Girls', Alpha Boys', Musgrave Girls', Glenhope, Maxfield Park...