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Hurricane Wilma developed into a dangerous Category 5 hurricane overnight, with the lowest-recorded barometric pressure of any Atlantic basin hurricane. The Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) has been advised by the Meteorological Service that a Flash Flood Warning remains in effect as Hurricane Wilma strengthens. As a result of the inclement weather situation being experienced to date,...

The Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management is reporting that there are currently three hundred and forty three (343) persons in shelters in the parishes of St Catherine, Kingston and St Andrew and Clarendon. The breakdown is as follows: St. Catherine - 202 personsKingston & St. Andrew - 63 personsClarendon - 78 persons Total - 343 persons The ODPEM...

The development of the Lucea Harbour, in Hanover, will be placed on the back burner, while a US$150 million hotel development to take place in Point, just outside of the town of Lucea, is given priority. Construction of the five-star Hotel, to be built on some 200 acres of land by Fiesta Hotels should begin in December 2005 to January...

A campaign to raise funds to build eye care capacity at the Bustamante Hospital for Children in Kingston was launched recently in Canada . ORBIS Canada, which has participated in more than 110 sight-saving programmes worldwide, launched 'Eyes on Jamaica' at the headquarters of AIC Limited in Burlington, Ontario, to raise US$600,000 to fund its 'Building Eye Care Capacity at...

Members of the St. Andrew High School Alumni Association in Toronto, Canada have donated Cdn$6,000 to their alma mater in Kingston. According to President of the Association, Cherita Girvan-Campbell, the remittance will be used largely for hurricane repairs, refurbishing of the office building and for the upcoming 80th anniversary celebrations. Mrs. Girvan-Campbell was speaking recently at a fundraising brunch organized...

All schools will be closed on Wednesday and Thursday as rains associated with Hurricane Wilma are expected to continue for the next 36-48 hours. An assessment will be carried out on Thursday to determine if schools will reopen on Friday. The decision was taken at an emergency meeting of the National Disaster Committee called by Prime Minister Patterson at Jamaica...

Prime Minister Patterson has instructed the PIOJ to work with the sugar industry to formulate a country strategy and plan of action for developing a sugar cane based industry that will include the production of ethanol. The plan is to be ready for submission to the European Union by December 2005. The Prime Minister said that the plan would provide...

Minister of Development, Dr. Paul Robertson, has expressed support for the government's environmental record and practices, as it relates to the granting of permits for developmental projects. Speaking against the background of the development the US$150 million 2,000 room development in the Point area of Lucea, Hanover by the Fiesta Hotel group, Minister Robertson said critics were being grossly unfair...

Despite persistent heavy rains associated with a tropical depression, some 138 of 157 Jamaicans turned out to be recognised at the National Honours and Awards ceremony, held at King's House in Kingston today (October 17). Of that number, four persons were conferred with the Order of Jamaica (OJ) for outstanding contribution in the areas of Sports, Religion, Ophthalmology and Art....

During the fiscal year 2004/2005, the Jamaica Fire Brigade saved property valued at an estimated $2 billion. This disclosure was made by Minister of Local Government, Community Development and Sport Portia Simpson-Miller, at the presentation ceremony of fire-fighting equipment at the Ministry's Hagley Park Road offices, on October 13. Minister Simpson-Miller also told the gathering that the Fire Brigade had...

Notwithstanding the inclement weather, the National Honours and Awards ceremony scheduled for National Heroes Day, (Oct. 17) will still be held, albeit with modified accommodation arrangements. Speaking with JIS News, the Governor General's, Aide-De-Camp (ADC) Captain Mahatma Williams explained that the event, originally planned for the lawns of King's House, would be held indoors as well as under tents. Recipients,...

The Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) has been advised that as the island continues to experience the effects of Hurricane Wilma, the threat of flooding still remains imminent. Recent reports have been received from sections of St. Elizabeth, Manchester, Clarendon St. Ann and St. Catherine as the rains continue to severely affect these parishes. In case of...