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Jamaica has been elected to chair the Group of 77 and China, a caucus of newly independent and developing countries in the United Nations system. The country's bid for the chairmanship was unanimously endorsed at a formal meeting of the organization at the United Nations (UN) headquarters in New York on September 29. Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade,...

The Ministry of Labour and Social Security (MLSS) has investigated more than 4,000 reports of damage and destruction of homes in the parish of Manchester as a result of Hurricane Ivan. Arthur Smith, MLSS Parish Manager for Manchester, has said that 47 assessment officers were in the field on a daily basis carrying out the evaluations. He told JIS News,...

The Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) is in the process of assessing agricultural losses in the parish of Clarendon as a result of Hurricane Ivan.Percival Shaw, RADA Parish Manager for Clarendon, told JIS News that the process started on Monday (September 27), with assistance from staff from the Office of National Reconstruction (ONR). "We are in the process of doing...

All 114 shelters that were opened in St. Ann during Hurricane Ivan three weeks ago, are now closed, and most of the 7,000 shelter seekers have returned to their homes. This was disclosed to JIS News by Alvin Clarke, Parish Disaster Co-ordinator. "To date, these shelters are no longer in operation and most of the victims have returned home. However,...

Food items have been condemned and seized island wide, as the Ministry of Health steps up its effort to monitor food-handling establishments in the aftermath of Hurricane Ivan. In the parish of Portland, for example, 11,699 kilograms of food items have been condemned. The categories of food condemned run the gamut from meat products to bottled and boxed drinks. Speaking...

State Minister for Transport and Works, Dr. Fenton Ferguson, has expressed satisfaction with the progress of road rehabilitation work being carried out in Portland, following the passage of Hurricane Ivan. Dr. Ferguson, who was speaking to the media following a tour of hurricane-affected areas in eastern and western sections of the parish on September 27, said he was impressed with...

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and the Jamaica Cancer Society will be intensifying its efforts to increase the level of awareness among women about the disease. Mammography Unit Manager/Outreach Co-ordinator at the Society, Yvonne Watson tells JIS News that the month's activities will be observed under the theme: 'Early detection equals longer life - Please tell a friend'. She...

The National Works Agency (NWA) has closed the Suttons Bridge located on the Lower Chapelton to Rock River main road in Clarendon, with immediate effect. This disclosure has come from Vando Palmer, NWA's Communication and Customer Services Manager, who revealed that sections of the wing walls and approach to the bridge had collapsed. Motorists travelling to Chapelton may use the...

The Jamaica Public Service Company (JPSCo) has indicated that 28,000 customers in Manchester, representing 70 per cent of households, now have access to their regular electricity supplies. JPSCo Parish Manager for Manchester, Thelma Vassel told JIS News that the company was working to return power to areas still without the utility. Areas being worked on are Williamsfield Gardens, Bellefield and...

Over the past two weeks, the National Works Agency (NWA) has cleared and provided access to all of the island's main roads, and most of the B and C roads. Speaking with JIS News, Petra-kene Williams, Senior Communication Officer at the NWA disclosed that the agency received 1,249 complaints regarding blocked roads or in some instances, breakaways and also retaining...

Construction work to restore the Yallahs fording in St. Thomas, which was washed away by Hurricane Ivan more than two weeks ago, has been completed and is opened to motorists. The new concrete bridge, to accommodate two-lane traffic, has been built by Bouygues Travaux Publics and Pre-Mix Company, in collaboration with the National Works Agency (NWA). Minister of Transport and...

The Surveys and Mapping Division of the National Land Agency (NLA), has incorporated the use of cutting edge technology, Global Positioning Systems (GPS), to make its operations as efficient as possible. Director of the Division, Trevor Shaw tells JIS News that in the past, the division conducted geodetic surveys using theodolites and distance meters, but now, "because of the advent...