More

President of the Jamaica Agricultural Society (JAS), Glendon Harris, says the renewed effort by the Government to reduce praedial larceny is motivating farmers to stay in agriculture. Speaking at the Annual General Meeting of the JAS, St. James parish organisation, held at the St. John’s Methodist Church, in Montego Bay, on June 20, Mr. Harris said that farmers across the...

The Ministry of Education intends to table three Bills in Parliament as part of the Government’s legislative programme for 2012/13. These are: the National Parenting Support Commission Bill, 2012; the Tertiary Commission Bill 2012; and the Jamaica Teaching Council Bill (JTC), 2012. Portfolio Minister Rev. Ronald Thwaites, who made the disclosure during his contribution to the Sectoral Debate in the...

Cabinet has approved the immediate establishment of a Ministerial Committee to provide a comprehensive review of the 12th annual Trafficking in Persons Report following Jamaica’s downgrade. This was disclosed by Minister of National Security, Hon. Peter Bunting on June 19, during a statement to the House of Representatives. He informed that the committee will develop a programme of corrective action...

Science, Technology, Energy and Mining Minister, Hon. Phillip Paulwell, said that significant progress has been made under the e-Learning Project in delivering technology to schools. He informed that the e-Learning Jamaica Company, which was established in 2005 to execute the project, has delivered audio-visual equipment to 166 public high schools, 16 independent high schools, 10 teachers colleges, five community colleges,...

Minister of Education, Rev. the Hon. Ronald Thwaites, is urging the nation to concentrate on early childhood education, as “getting it right the first time” is critical to students’ development and academic success. Speaking at the Jamaica House press briefing, held at the Office of the Prime Minister, on June 20, Rev. Thwaites said the sector is being redefined, to...

The Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) says that all is in place for the highly anticipated Jamaica Military Tattoo, which begins on June 28. The event, under the theme: ‘Precision, Pomp and Pageantry: The First Five Decades’, is being staged to commemorate the JDF 50th anniversary and Jamaica’s Golden Jubilee. It will be an exciting, colourful show of lively military displays...

Minister of Education, Rev. the Hon. Ronald Thwaites, is urging parents to pay the necessary auxiliary fees being charged by administrators in Secondary Schools. He informed that the Government currently provides an amount of $11,500 for the direct tuition for each child in the public secondary school system, but this is not enough  to meet the total needs of the...

Employers are being urged to participate in the consultations on the minimum wage, organised by the Minimum Wage Advisory Commission, to have their views heard on the matter. Commission Chairman, Silvera Castro, who spoke to JIS News on June 19, at the first in the series of six consultations, held at the Montego Bay Civic Centre, Sam Sharpe Square, said...

Minister of Transport, Works and Housing, Hon. Dr. Omar Davies, says the granting of licences for certain routes will have to be linked to profitability. “There are just too many licences granted, and the ‘run jostle’ mentality, it isn’t surprising that this has occurred. We are going to deal with that to ensure that the number of licences which are...

The much-anticipated results of the Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT) for 2012 were published on June 20, with some 43,300 students placed in secondary schools across the island. A release issued at the Jamaica House press briefing on Wednesday June 20, by Minister of Education,  Rev. the Hon.  Ronald Thwaites, indicated that the examination was conducted in 1,012 schools, and...

The Ministry of National Security has signed a follow-on military co-operation agreement with the People’s Republic of China, under which that country will provide military aid to Jamaica, valued at $136 million. The new agreement, which was sealed in May 2012, include the supply of uniforms, materials for uniforms, ballistic helmets, vests, boots and tents. Details of the contract were...

Special focus is being placed on the development of early childhood education in South St. Andrew. Minister of Transport, Works and Housing and Member of Parliament for the area, Dr. the Hon. Omar Davies, has introduced a BASICS Initiative, which seeks to foster best practices throughout the 28 basic schools in the area. Speaking in the 2012/2013 Sectoral Debate in...