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Information Minister, Senator Burchell Whiteman has identified improvement in customer service as a major plank in the reform and modernization of the public sector. Senator Whiteman, who was speaking on the topic 'Winning the Service Game' at the Jamaica Customer Service Association's annual conference at the Knutsford Court Hotel in Kingston this morning (Nov.11) said: "the country will not succeed...

The Forestry Department has received a grant of $4.6 million from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), to assist in restoring the island's forest cover that was damaged during the passage of Hurricane Ivan on September 10. An agreement for the grant was signed yesterday (November 10) by the Forestry Department, the USAID and the Ridge to Reef...

The Caribbean Single Market and Economy moved a step closer on Tuesday (Nov. 9) with the signing of a Heads of Agreement for the supply of liquefied natural gas (LNG) between Prime Minister P.J. Patterson and Prime Minister Patrick Manning of Trinidad and Tobago. The signing took place in Port of Spain at the Tenth Special Meeting of the Conference...

Scores of young Jamaicans are gearing up to take on their roles as agents of peace when they take part in a march against crime and violence in the society on International Students' Day, Wednesday, November 17. The event, which is being organised by the National Centre for Youth Development (NCYD) as part of activities to mark Youth Month, will...

Vegetable production in Northern Clarendon has rebounded, following the devastation caused by Hurricane Ivan on September 10. In an interview with JIS News, Percival Shaw, Clarendon's Parish Manager for the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA), reported that a total of 842 tons or 842,000 kilogrammes of lettuce, pak choi, cucumber and cabbage should be available on the local market between...

The House of Representatives yesterday (Nov. 9) paid tribute to former House Speaker and former Member of Parliament, Alva Ross who died on Sunday, November 7. Extending condolences and reflecting on the life of the deceased, Minister of National Security, Dr. Peter Phillips said Mr. Ross, who was MP for South East St. Mary for 21 years and speaker of...

Amendments to the Parliament (Integrity of Members) Act were passed unopposed during yesterday's (November 9) sitting of the House of Representatives. Leader of Government Business in the House, Dr. Peter Phillips, who piloted the Bill, explained that the adjustments were designed to bring the legislation in line with the Corruption Prevention Act of 2000 and provided for the extension of...

A special select House Committee, to be chaired by Finance and Planning Minister, Dr. Omar Davies, has been appointed to consider the Money Laundering (Change of Name and Amendment) Act 2004 and the Financial Investigations Division Act 2004. Other Committee members, who were named at yesterday's (November 9) sitting of the House of Representatives are: National Security Minister, Dr. Peter...

The Health Corporation of Jamaica (HCL) during the 2003/04 fiscal year, continued to offer valuable procurement, warehousing and distribution services to the Jamaica Drugs for the Elderly Programme (JADEP) and the national HIV/AIDS programme. As set out in the Corporation's report, which was recently tabled in Parliament, some 37 pharmaceuticals were made available to JADEP beneficiaries for the treatment of...

Mayor of Kingston, Councillor Desmond McKenzie has announced that the Kingston and St. Andrew Corporation (KSAC) has decided to issue a four-year revenue amnesty, which will see the Council giving up some $226 million in earnings. Making the disclosure at the Council's monthly press briefing in downtown Kingston yesterday (November 9), Mayor McKenzie said the reprieve would apply to trade...

Mayor of Kingston, Councillor Desmond McKenzie has assured that there would be no major dislocation of street vendors in the business district of Downtown Kingston this Christmas season. He said based on the arrangements established last year in the system and the weekly ongoing meetings of the Council's markets committee with vendors, the police and other business interests, the scheme...

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Ministry of Agriculture signed an agreement yesterday (November 9), putting into effect a grant of $7.3 million donated by the agency, for hurricane relief assistance to the agricultural sector. The grant proposal was spearheaded by the Inter-American Institute for Co-operation on Agriculture (IICA). The signing took place at IICA's Caribbean...