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The Rural Water Supply Limited and the National Water Commission (NWC) will be embarking on a major rural water supply upgrading programme.  Minister of Water, Land, Environment and Climate Change, Hon. Robert Pickersgill, in his Sectoral Debate presentation on July 24, reported that 26 projects have been slated for implementation over a three-year period at an approximate cost of $4.04...

Jamaicans are being invited to attend an Independence Forum on Thursday, July 26 at the Undercroft, University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona. Dubbed ‘Reflections: Jamaica at 50’, the forum will highlight Jamaica over the past 50 years through the eyes and minds of some of the island’s leaders and experts in various fields. "As we celebrate Jamaica 50, there...

The national minimum wage will be increased from $4,500 to $5,000 per 40-hour work week as of Monday, September 3, 2012. Labour of Social Security Minister, Hon. Derrick Kellier, made the announcement on July 25, during his contribution to the 2012/13 Sectoral Debate in Gordon House.  He said the 11 per cent increase is as a result of recommendations from...

Minister of Water, Land, Environment and Climate Change, Hon. Robert Pickersgill, says the Government is dedicated to creating an “ownership society,” where individuals can formalise their land tenure, through its Land Administration and Management Programme (LAMP). "We will use LAMP as far as we can to address titling for (those) land settlement beneficiaries who have been waiting for too long...

A Protected Areas System Master Plan is to be developed, which promotes a co-ordinated approach to Protected Areas management within the Government and across the other sectors of society.    "An important section of the Master Plan concerns the sustainable financing of Protected Areas and proposes strategies to be taken to accomplish this, one of which is the establishment of...

The Forestry Department is expected to plant an additional 160 hectares of denuded land and to have 2,600 hectares of land gazetted as forest reserves, this financial year, Minister of Water, Land, Environment and Climate Change, Hon. Robert Pickersgill, has informed. "It is expected that 640 persons will be employed under this programme," the Minister said, as he made his...

The Forestry Department, during the last financial year, replanted approximately 275 hectares of land in continuation of its reforestation activities. This was disclosed by Minister of Water, Land, Environment and Climate Change, Hon. Robert Pickersgill, during his contribution to the 2012/13 Sectoral Debate in the House of Representatives,  on July 24. "An additional 522 hectares were maintained to support establishment....

Water, Land, Environment and Climate Change Minister, Hon. Robert Pickersgill, says the Ministry is working to ensure that the Cockpit Country is protected, especially from mining activities. "This area (Cockpit Country) is far too important to the country's cultural and environmental heritage to have it jeopardised in this manner. Mining in the area could essentially destroy the resources found there,”...

The Government will be vigorously pursuing the preparation of new legislation to govern the maintenance and management of common areas in gated communities, town house complexes and commercial complexes. "This legislation will be similar to the recently promulgated Strata Titles Act which governs the management of apartment complexes," Minister of Water, Land, Environment and Climate Change, Hon. Robert Pickersgill, said...

The teachings of Garveyism and the subject of Civics will be officially introduced to the school curriculum during the 2012/13 academic year, Education Minister, Rev. the Hon. Ronald Thwaites, has informed. He explained that the Garveyism programme will be officially launched on August 17 at the Marcus Garvey Technical High School in St. Ann. "We will launch the material which...

During its first two years of operation, the Commission of Strata Corporations fully registered 84 per cent of all the strata plans currently incorporated in Jamaica. This was disclosed by Minister of Water, Land, Environment and Climate Change, Hon. Robert Pickersgill, during his contribution to the 2012/13 Sectoral Debate in the House of Representatives, on July 24. Mr. Pickersgill informed...

Some $182 million has been allocated for the construction of water bound sanitary facilities in some 26 schools across the island. The funds have been set aside under Phase I of the Replacement of Pit Latrines in Schools Programme, which is being supported by the government, in partnership with the Culture, Health, Arts, Sports and Education (CHASE) Fund, the Jamaica...