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As the campaign to attract more young people into agriculture intensifies, the Ministry of Agriculture has committed some 2,000 hectares of farmlands to be divested to farmers islandwide, including a large percentage of young persons. President of the Jamaica Agricultural Society (JAS), Senator Norman Grant said that such a commitment formed a major part of the Ministry's three-year agricultural development...

Activities in the United Kingdom to mark Jamaican Diaspora Day and to launch Jamaican Diaspora UK ended on Monday (June 20), with State Minister for Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Senator Delano Franklyn urging Jamaicans to put aside internal and inter-personal differences and focus on the real issues affecting the community. Senator Franklyn, who has special responsibilities for Jamaicans overseas,...

Minister of National Security, Dr. Peter Phillips has said that Jamaicans needed to step up to the plate and become visible stakeholders, and be willing to unite in the fight against crime and violence. Speaking recently at a community forum, held at the Golf View Hotel in Mandeville, Manchester, the Minister said that to "upgrade and outfit" the Jamaica Constabulary...

The Ministry of Land and Environment will be increasing the value of bonds required for the restoration of mines. Minister of Land and Environment, Dean Peart, who made the announcement in his contribution to the 2005/06 Sectoral Debate in Gordon House yesterday, said the existing amount of $40,000 to $150,000 was unrealistic and inadequate and "I have given instructions that...

Land and Environment Minister, Dean Peart, has said that Parliament's recent ratification of the Land Surveyors Act, was another step in achieving the objective of the National Land Policy, which is the establishment of a framework for an efficient land management system. "The amendments will facilitate the land registration component of the Land Administration and Management Programme (LAMP) and will...

Minister of Land and Environment, Dean Peart has indicated that he would be seeking Cabinet's approval for the establishment of a special unit that would be responsible for the development projects now underway in the tourism, industrial, commercial and housing sectors. The proposal, Mr. Peart said, was for the unit to be located at the National Environment and Planning Agency...

The National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA) is appealing to the public to report stockpiles of 10 or more used lead acid automotive batteries in their communities. The appeal comes against the background of the recently launched Used Lead Acid Battery Project, which involves collaboration between the government and the private sector to minimise the threat posed to public health...

Spirit Airlines proudly launched its latest named Airbus A321. In a private ceremony yesterday, the airplane was named "Spirit of Jamaica" in honor of its newest destination. "We are thrilled to introduce our newest A321 and name it after Jamaica, our newest addition to our network," said Barry Biffle, Chief Marketing Officer of Spirit Airlines. "We have received such an...

Transport and Works Minister, Robert Pickersgill has said that the recent passage of amendments to the Road Traffic, and Transport Authority Acts, would better enable law enforcement personnel and the Transport Authority to crack down on the problematic issue of illegal taxis on the nation's roads. Speaking yesterday (June 22) at a meeting at the Hilton Kingston Hotel with representatives...

The National Works Agency (NWA) is currently implementing a new A-road patching programme, valued at over $31million, to benefit all 14 parishes in the island. "This A-road patching programme addresses the main arterial roads that link township to township," Petra-kene Williams, Acting Communication and Customer Services Manager at the NWA told JIS News in an interview. She said that given...

The National Works Agency (NWA) has completed 90 per cent of the rehabilitation work on the road network and infrastructure damaged or destroyed by Hurricane Ivan, which lashed the island last September. "We have a programme, funded by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) - the Hurricane Ivan Repairs Programme - which is basically a programme that focuses on replacing damaged...

Minister of State in the Ministry of Agriculture, Errol Ennis, has said that small agro-processing enterprises that utilise good manufacturing and management practices could become profitable. Making his contribution to the 2005/06 Sectoral Debate in the House of Representatives yesterday (June 22), the State Minister cited Twickenham Industry, which produces bammies, as an example of a small business that has...