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The House of Representatives yesterday (Oct. 4) approved a provision approving and indemnifying the actions of Judges, Resident Magistrates, Justices, Clerk of the Court and other persons who continued to hear and determine charges against persons under the age of 17 years in Juvenile Courts after the establishment of the Children's Courts. National Security Minister, Dr. Peter Phillips who piloted...

The Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC) is to benefit from $300 million injection, which will provide interim financing for aspects of its operations, in particular its maintenance programme. The House of Representatives yesterday (Oct. 4) approved a government guarantee for the loan, which will be provided by RBTT Jamaica Limited. Finance and Planning Minister, Dr. Omar Davies, who tabled the...

Improving Goat Production in the island was the focus of an exposition hosted by the Goat Breeders Society of Jamaica recently at the Bodles Agricultural Research Station in Old Harbour, St. Catherine. In a JIS News interview, Chief Livestock Research Officer and Head of the Small Ruminant Research Unit at Bodles, David Miller said the expo was aimed at helping...

Acting Consul General to Toronto, Dale Jones has hailed William Bell and Desmond McNeil, the farm workers, who died recently in Canada, as hardworking men who deserved "our greatest respect". "These two men are sadly missed by their families, friends, employers and all of us. As we mourn their passing, we also celebrate their lives. Let us remember how good...

The office of the Public Defender disposed of 758 of 1,018 new complaints received in 2003, against some 56 state agencies and authorities. The information is contained in the agency's 2003 report, which was laid in the House of Representatives yesterday (Oct. 4). The report shows that some 374 old complaints were also settled during the year. According to the...

A Targeted Community Intervention (TCI) programme is now underway in Clarendon in order to stem the prevalence of HIV/AIDS. Shelton Maxwell, Acting Health Educator at the Clarendon Health Department, told JIS News on Monday (Oct. 3), that the programme was being undertaken as part of the Department's Behaviour Change Communication Programme, which was initiated by the Ministry of Health to...

Minister of Finance and Planning, Dr. Hon. Omar Davies, has encouraged Jamaicans overseas to participate in the country's development by taking advantage of investment opportunities in tourism and other growth sectors. He also urged them to increase their partnership with the government in advancing the country's interests. Dr. Davies was speaking at a community forum in Washington last Tuesday (Sept....

Prime Minister P J. Patterson has instructed that a team be formed to implement a programme under the education transformation agenda, to utilize special funding from the National Housing Trust (NHT) to provide at least one nutritious meal each day for children in early childhood institutions. Minister of Information, Senator Burchell Whiteman, who made the announcement at yesterday's (Oct. 3)...

Approximately 60 per cent of the nation's children do not have to do dental extractions due to the improved and consistent dental practices being promoted by the Ministry of Health, through its healthy lifestyle programmes. Minister of Health, John Junor made this disclosure while addressing the launch of Oral Health Month at the Ministry's King Street Offices in Kingston today...

Diann Edwards was just 13 years old when she was diagnosed with cataract, after a sibling accidentally stuck her in the eye with a rock. The condition, which causes blurred or double vision, sensitivity to light and problems driving at night, completely changed her life. "I could see from the left eye but couldn't see from the right eye," she...

By the end of this year, fire fighters attached to the Jamaica Fire Brigade should start receiving additional fire fighting gear, as Cabinet has approved a contract for the supply of breathing apparatus valued at $7.249 million. Minister of Information, Senator Burchell Whiteman, informed journalists at yesterday's (October 3) weekly post Cabinet press briefing at Jamaica House, that Cabinet has...

Despite the many challenges faced by the tourism sector, statistics have shown that Jamaica continues to see an increase in visitor arrivals and is still the destination of choice for cruise ship passengers to the Caribbean, said Paul Pennicook, Director of Tourism. According to Mr. Pennicook, a total of 913,367 persons vacationed in Jamaica from January to July of this...