More

The Ministry of Justice’s Victim Support Unit (VSU)  has been providing counselling and other services to victims of  crime for many years. Established in 1998, the VSU has been charged with the mandate to indentify the victim’s needs, advocate for their rights, and to provide support through the implementation of therapeutic/psychological programmes. Senior Co-ordinator at the  Unit, Reverend Osbourne Bailey,...

Minister of State in the Ministry of Science, Technology, Energy and Mining (STEM), Hon. Julian Robinson, says increased efforts will be made to speed up Parliamentary deliberations on the Cybercrimes Act. The State Minister told JIS News that a proposal will be made to House Leader, Hon. Phillip Paulwell and his Opposition counterpart,  Delroy Chuck, for the establishment of a...

Stakeholders in the tourism sector have been urged to manage the product in a sustainable manner,  with special focus on the environment, by Minister of Tourism and Entertainment, Hon. Dr. Wykeham McNeill. The Minister, who was addressing a forum to launch an environmental protection initiative being spearheaded by the National Environmental and Planning Agency (NEPA), to focus on climate change...

Five local authorities and two organisations were given special awards at the Third Annual Local Government Recognition Awards ceremony, held at Laughing Waters, Ocho Rios, St. Ann, on November 30.  The ceremony was the culmination of activities for Local Government and Community Development Month, which is observed in November each year.  This year’s activities were observed under the theme: ‘Local...

United States (US) Ambassador to Jamaica, Her Excellency Pamela Bridgewater, is urging Jamaica’s exporters to take fuller advantage of the provisions and opportunities available under the Caribbean Basin Initiative (CBI). Under the agreement, the United States (US) offers special trade preferences for most Caribbean products being exported to that North American country. Speaking at the Jamaica Exporters Association’s (JEA) 47th...

The Government will be embarking on a major programme of waste separation across the Corporate Area by next year, Local Government and Community Development Minister, Hon. Noel Arscott, has announced. Speaking at the Rotary Club of New Kingston’s breakfast meeting at the Pollyanna Restaurant in Kingston, on November 30, Mr. Arscott informed that the Ministry has implemented a number of...

It is now official.  The Very Reverend Canon Hartley Perrin is the new Custos Rotulorum for the parish of Westmoreland. He was installed by the Governor-General, His Excellency the Most Hon. Sir Patrick Allen, at the Manning’s High School, in Savanna-la-Mar, Westmoreland, on November 29. The new Custos replaces the Hon. Owen Sinclair, who has retired after serving the parish...

The Government today (November 30) received US$15,000 from the Chilean Embassy to assist in restoration efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. The donation was handed over to the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) during a brief ceremony at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) offices in Kingston. Deputy Chief of Mission, Embassy of Chile, Enzo Barra...

Minister of Local Government and Community Development, Hon. Noel Arscott, is urging residents to dispose of their waste in properly sealed containers to further restrict the rodent population in the Corporate Area. Speaking at the Rotary Club of New Kingston’s breakfast meeting at the Pollyanna Restaurant on Friday (November 30), Mr. Arscott noted that recent efforts by both householders and...

Minister of State for Tourism and Entertainment, Hon. Damion Crawford, says that workplaces must provide support for persons living with HIV/AIDS. “Persons who have HIV, it is no different from a person with …any other sickness. The only thing that person needs, is more support from people around them. As a member of staff, as a manager, as a friend,...

Over 400 young people, who are involved in the private sector coalition-led, Youth Upliftment Through Employment (YUTE) initiative, participated in one day healthy lifestyle expo on Friday (Nov. 30), at the Breezy Castle Complex at Harbour Street, downtown Kingston. The event was aimed at, among other things, providing the participants with information on a range of essential services, provided by...

Legislation aimed at improving the management of public debt was passed on November 30 in the Senate. The Public Debt Management Act will repeal the Loan Act of 1964 and several enactments related to the raising of loans by the Government. Minister of Justice, Senator the Hon. Mark Golding, who opened the debate, explained that while the existing legislative framework...