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The Ministry of Education, Youth and Culture will be hosting its 'Eduvision Conference and Exposition 2003' at the Wyndham Rose Hall hotel in Montego Bay from November 4 to 7. The conference, which is being held under the theme 'Enhancing Teaching and Learning Through Partnership and Technology Innovation,' enjoys support from the Jamaica Teachers' Association (JTA) and the University of...

The National Water Commission (NWC), as part of its efforts to streamline operations to adequately meet the demands of its customers, has introduced measures to increase efficiencies, including the merger of a number of its divisions. Water and Housing Minister, Donald Buchanan, speaking at a press conference held recently at his New Kingston office to give an update on the...

Private landowners are being urged to plant trees on lands not in use to increase the island's forest cover. The call came from Marilyn Headley, Conservator of Forests, as she addressed a JIS Think Tank at the agency's Half Way Tree Road office recently. She said the effort was aimed at addressing the problem of deforestation from the cutting down...

The Ministry of Agriculture's Fisheries Division has reported greater compliance with the closed season for lobster this year, which was observed from April 1 to June 30. Fisheries Officer, Richard Kelly, told JIS News that from general observation and inspections carried out, it would appear that more food establishments were adhering to the closed season with many of them no...

The Ministry of Water and Housing will be streamlining its operations to eliminate overlaps, to more clearly define its portfolio roles and to strengthen its institutional effectiveness through greater efficiencies. Minister Donald Buchanan, making the announcement at a press conference held at his offices in New Kingston recently, said that at the approval of Cabinet, tenders were being invited from...

The Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) has donated over $2.5 million to help small farmers in Portland who lost property during the 2001 flood rains. The money is being administered by the Jamaica Agricultural Society (JAS). Thelma Williams, JAS Organizer for Portland, said over 100 farmers in the communities of Bybrook, Chepstowe and Belvedere benefited from the funds, which were...

The Senate yesterday (October 31) gave its full approval to the amendments to the Access to Information Act and Access to Information Regulations 2003,which will give seven government ministries and agencies the go ahead to give information to the public. The seven are the Ministries of Finance and Planning; Local Government, Community Development and Sport; Office of the Prime Minister;...

Lloyd McKenzie, Chairman of the Management Committee of the Clarendon People's Cooperative (PC) Bank, has reported an increase in operations over the 33-month period from January 1, 2001 to September 30, 2003, despite the closure of a number of its branches. He was speaking at the annual general meeting of the Bank's shareholders held recently at the Denbigh Showground in...

Montego Bay High School in St. James was crowned western regional champions of the Jamaica Information Service (JIS) Heritage Debate competition, held on October 30 at the Cornwall College auditorium. This school was strongly challenged by defending champions Cornwall College, which placed second. Eight schools from St. James, Hanover and Westmoreland, took part in the debate arguing the moot; 'Be...

Munro College in St. Elizabeth emerged the winning school in the Jamaica Information Service (JIS) Regional Heritage Debate Competition, which was held recently at Cecil Charlton Hall in Mandeville. In second place was last year's champion, Hampton High, with first time entrants St. Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS), placing third. Five schools from the parishes of St. Elizabeth and Manchester...

Ferncourt High School has emerged the winner of the St. Ann Regional finals of the Jamaica Information Service (JIS) Heritage Debate competition, held recently at the Marcus Garvey Technical High School in the parish. The team of three students proudly walked away with the Jamaica Public Service Company (JPSCo) trophy plus three replicas, while Abaka Fitz-Henley received an individual trophy...

Minister of State in the Ministry of Agriculture, Errol Ennis, has announced the setting up of an island wide marketing scheme to assist farmers to sell their produce, with administrative offices located at the Denbigh Agricultural Showground in Clarendon. Mr. Ennis, while making the announcement at the recent annual general meeting of the Clarendon People's Cooperative Bank at Denbigh, informed...