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Following reports of a chemical odour pervading the vicinity of the Central Sorting Office (CSO), South Camp Road on Thursday, February 28, the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) wishes to advise the public that all major roads except Norman Road have been re-opened. Preliminary investigations from the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) have revealed that the...

Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Portia Simpson Miller says the development of the cardiac programme at the Bustamante Hospital for Children will place Jamaica among those countries with highly developed specialist medical facilities for children. “Our children constitute a special segment of the population. They deserve the best care and treatment as the health of our people represents the wealth...

Minister of Justice, Senator the Hon. Mark Golding, says legislation to prosecute persons involved in the illegal lottery scam will be passed by the end of March. He noted that the Law Reform (Fraudulent Transactions) (Special Provisions) Act, 2012, was tabled in the House of Representatives on February 26 by Minister of National Security, Hon. Peter Bunting. “This Bill targets...

Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Portia Simpson Miller, has welcomed the official opening of a new MegaMart store in Mandeville, which she said, will provide a host of economic opportunities. In addition to employment, local producers are expected to supply the store with an estimated $500 million in produce annually. The Prime Minister praised the MegaMart chain of wholesale clubs,...

Thousands of students from across Jamaica gathered at the Trelawny Multi-Purpose Stadium on Friday February 22 to celebrate Jamaica Day 2013, in a colourful display of dance, music, speech and song. It was the first national gathering to mark the day intended to foster a spirit of patriotism. The festivities, held under the theme ‘Celebrate Jamaica: We On It’, saw...

The 5th biennial Jamaica Diaspora Conference got underway on Sunday, June 16, with a record 700 persons in attendance. These include local and overseas delegates, speakers, exhibitors and journalists. The record turnout is in keeping with the predictions of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade that this year’s conference would be the biggest and best yet. Also, it...

Improvement works, totaling $35.4 million, have been completed at the Newlands Basic School in Portmore, St. Catherine. The project was jointly funded by the Government and the European Union (EU) under its Poverty Reduction Programme II (PRP II) facility. Residents of Newlands and neighbouring communities also contributed the equivalent of approximately $11.9 million to the overall cost. The Jamaica Social...

National Security Minister, Hon. Peter Bunting has appealed to Jamaicans to be their “brother’s keeper” and to avoid turning a blind eye to domestic violence. He emphasised that Jamaicans must find a way to intervene if they become aware of domestic disputes in their communities, as what often appears to be a small matter can escalate into a dangerous situation....

The Students’ Loan Bureau (SLB) is to receive loans totalling US$20 million from the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), to finance tuition for tertiary level students. Cabinet, at its regular meeting on Monday, February 25, gave approval for Government to guarantee the loans. The Bank is also providing a grant of US$175,000. Making the announcement at Wednesday’s Jamaica House press briefing,...

The House of Representatives, on February 26, approved three Bills to remove flogging and whipping from the country’s statute books as a penalty for any offence. Bills passed were: the Larceny (Amendment) Act 2012; the Law Reform (Flogging and Whipping) (Abolition) Act, 2012; and the Obeah (Amendment) Act 2012. The practice of whipping and flogging ceased in Jamaica’s penal institutions...

Legislation to strengthen the efforts of law enforcement to effectively combat the illicit lottery scam was laid before the House of Representatives on February 26. The Law Reform (Fraudulent Transactions) (Special Provisions) Act 2012, which was tabled by Minister of National Security, Hon. Peter Bunting, makes specific provisions for offences relating to advanced fee fraud and other fraudulent transactions. According...

The Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) has received an additional 15 vehicles to strengthen its crime fighting efforts in resort areas across five rural parishes. The brand-new Toyota Corolla motor cars, acquired by the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF) at a cost of $28.2 million, were handed over to Commissioner of Police, Owen Ellington, during a ceremony held on Wednesday, February 27,...