The Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) is advising that considerable progress has been realized in the control and confinement of the tyre fire that has been burning at the Riverton City Disposal site since Sunday.   Actions: A significant section of the facility that was on fire has been covered with soil, thereby minimizing the risk of...

Jamaica Customs Amending Its Governing Laws The Jamaica Customs Agency is currently in the process of amending sections of the Customs Act and Regulations in an effort to bring it in line with international best practices and standards. Manager of Revenue Accounts at Jamaica Customs, Kirk Benjamin, says the Act and the Regulation were both out dated. “The Jamaica Customs...

A National Micro Farmer Agricultural Marketing System (NAMFAMS) will be established at a cost of $10 million, to assist farmers with the marketing and sale of their produce. The system is being developed under a pilot phase with a grant from the Universal Services Fund (USF), and is being spearheaded by the Jamaica Agricultural Society Commercial Enterprises Limited (JASCEL). Government...

The Jamaica Promotions Corporation (JAMPRO) is to embark on a major two-year initiative, dubbed ‘Road Show USA’, primarily targetting the United States’ fresh produce and processed foods markets, for local exports. Jampro Vice President for Export and Market Development, Robert Scott, says the undertaking, expected to get underway later this year, aims to increase export sales to points of distribution...

More than 1,800 young persons in six parishes will receive training under a $46.7 million programme being implemented by the Jamaica 4-H Clubs. The initiative, which is being funded by the European Union through the Sugar Transformation Unit, will target youths in the sugar producing parishes of St. Thomas, St. Catherine, Westmoreland, Clarendon, St. Elizabeth, and Trelawny. They will be...

Immediate past Principal of the Manchester based Mandeville Primary and Junior High School, Byron Farquharson, was recently honoured for his 44 years of service to education. At an appreciation function, held at the Kendal Conference Centre, in the parish, Mr. Farquharson was lauded for his work to transform the former Mandeville All Age to its current status of being a...

Pro-Vice Chancellor of the University of the West Indies (UWI), Professor Archibald McDonald says there must be partnership among the government, private sector, and academic stakeholders, in order to create a disability friendly society. This he argues is to ensure that Jamaica makes provisions for the disabled that are consistent with global developments. The Pro-Vice Chancellor was speaking at the...

As part of a strategy to re-build the coffee industry, Government Senator, Norman Grant, has called for the imposition of a cess on imported coffee. He suggested that this levy could be placed in a special fund to be used to expand the local coffee industry. Senator Grant, who is also President of the Jamaica Agricultural Society (JAS), made the...