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Passage of the recent Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Bill in the United States will enable Jamaican H-2B workers who have participated in the US Hotel programme over the last three years, to obtain employment for the 2005 season, as they are exempt from the allotted H-2B visa quota. This was announced yesterday (May 17) by Minister of Labour and Social Security,...

Mr. Speaker, I welcome this occasion once again to address this Honourable House in my capacity as Member of Parliament for North Clarendon and as Minister of Labour and Social Security. It is in fact my sixteenth contribution to the Sectoral Debate in this House, having been elected Member of Parliament in 1989, and I want to thank God and...

Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Minister, K.D. Knight said yesterday (May 16), that the Jamaican government could be open to a Brazilian nomination for permanent status on the United Nations (UN) Security Council. As part of a general call for a reform of the U.N., Brazil, Germany, India and Japan have presented the international body with a draft resolution that...

Jamaica and Brazil have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), which will see both countries sharing resources and expertise in the diversification of sugar and the production of ethanol in the island. Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Minister, K.D. Knight said this would help offset the repercussions of a recent European Union (EU) decision to cut preferential price on sugar...

Consul General of Jamaica to New York, Dr. Basil K. Bryan, has challenged Jamaicans in the Diaspora to become involved in the building of a strong and productive Jamaica of which all could be proud. Dr. Bryan's challenge was made during his keynote address to members of the Jamaica Ex-Police Association-USA at the organization's 14th Anniversary Banquet in East Hartford,...

Cabinet has given approval for the establishment of the Jamaican Policy Against Doping in Sports, in furtherance of Jamaica's continued efforts to eradicate doping in sports locally and internationally, involving local athletes. Information Minister, Senator Burchell Whiteman made the announcement yesterday (May 16) at the weekly post Cabinet press briefing at Jamaica House. "What this policy calls us to do,...

Cabinet has approved contracts totalling US$1.3 million for the supply and commissioning of five empty container handlers, as requested by the Port Authority of Jamaica, to deal with the operations on the port. Making the announcement at the weekly post Cabinet press briefing yesterday (May 16), at Jamaica House, Information Minister, Senator Whiteman said that before Christmas last year, there...

Cabinet has approved some specific recommendations resulting from meetings convened by Prime Minister P.J. Patterson with Permanent Secretaries, Chairmen and Chief Executive Officers of state entities last week. This is in an effort to implement measures to secure greater adherence to laws and procedures by officers of the state in the procurement of goods and services. Making the announcement at...

Minister of Information, Senator Burchell Whiteman has emphasized that suggestions that an amendment to the Pensions (Prime Minister) Act was now being introduced because of the impending retirement of any Prime Minister, were misconceived. "This is something, which has been in force since 1992 and we accept responsibility for not having brought the matter to Parliament in the proper way...

The Health Ministry is now examining hospital statistics to determine the impact of violence on the psyche of the nation's children. Dr. Elizabeth Ward, Director of Disease Prevention and Control in the Division of Health Promotion at the Ministry of Health, said available statistics failed to speak to the real impact on children having to see and hear violence daily...

The Registrar General's Department (RGD) has embarked on a programme called the Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT) initiative, with the services of that department being taken to rural and remote communities across the island, with a view to ensuring the proper registration of the children. This programme targets students who have recently sat or are preparing to sit the GSAT,...

The St. Ann Labour Day Parish Committee has so far identified a total of 99 projects."Forty nine projects have been registered, with an additional 50 drain cleaning projects being organized through the St. Ann Parish Council," St. Ann Parish Disaster Co-ordinator, Alvin Clarke told JIS News. He is appealing to the residents of the parish to support the work plans...