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The nation's farmers are again being urged to increase productivity in order to safeguard the sector's viability. This call came from Agriculture and Fisheries Minister, Hon. Roger Clarke, and Director General in the Ministry, Don McGlashan, at a plant nutrition seminar held on Tuesday (April 24) at the Bodles Research Station in St. Catherine. Minister Clarke lamented the "vast acreages"...

The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries is accelerating the implementation of the remaining projects under the National Irrigation Development  Programme (NIDP), before the country loses critical funding from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). Portfolio Minister, Hon. Roger Clarke, stated that implementation of the programme has been “riddled with delays and mishaps” occasioning several extensions from the IDB, the last such...

Jamaica is expected to have an Occupational Safety and Health Act by the end of the first quarter of 2013. Minister of Labour and Social Security, Hon. Derrick Kellier, said the Government will fast track passage of the legislation in Parliament, once review of the draft Bill, which is with the office of the Parliamentary Counsel, is completed. Speaking at...

The murder rate in Jamaica is showing signs of a downward trend from the 3.1 per day to two per day, reflecting a 30 per cent reduction since the start of the year. This was disclosed by Minister of National Security, Hon. Peter Bunting, when he addressed business leaders and other private sector interest groups, during a ‘Meet the Ministers...

Minister of Education, Hon. Rev. Ronald Thwaites, has invited the Independent Schools' Association (JISA) to have discussions towards devising “a saving mechanism” for privately-operated institutions that are on the verge of closing. “Jamaica can’t afford to lose one school place; we need more, not less, and if a private institution closes all that does is to put a further pressure...

The Ministry of Education has signed a $660 million contract with HDB Construction for the building of the Cedar Grove High School at Gregory Park, in Portmore, St. Catherine. The institution is the first to be built under the National Education Trust (NET) on behalf of the Ministry, and the Education System Transformation Programme (ESTP), and is a joint initiative...

Minister of Health, Hon. Dr. Fenton Ferguson, is appealing to all sexually active Jamaicans to take the necessary precautions to protect themselves and their partners from HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs). “Once unsafe sex is practised you are at risk for contracting a sexually transmitted infection,” the Minister said Wednesday April 25th as he addressed the Communication for...

Several activities have been planned to celebrate the island’s children during National Child Month (May), which was officially launched on April 25, at the GraceKennedy offices, downtown Kingston. The National Child Month Committee (NCMC) will kick off activities with a National Church Service on Sunday, May 6, at the St. James Anglican Church, Annotto Bay, in St. Mary.  Churches islandwide...

The Minister of National Security, Hon. Peter Bunting and Justice Minister, Senator the Hon. Mark Golding, are to participate in a private sector led ‘Power Breakfast’ were they will have open dialogue with leaders of the business community on a range of issues affecting the sector. The meeting, which is scheduled for Thursday (April 26) at the Pegasus hotel in...

Prime Minister Portia Simpson-Miller attended the 2012 TIME 100 Gala celebrating TIME magazine’s Most Influential People In The World at the Lincoln Center on April 24, 2012 in New York City. The awards programme represents persons who are considered to have inspired, entertained, challenged and changed the world. They are labelled, breakouts, pioneers, moguls and icons. (Photo by Fernando Leon/Getty...

Member of Parliament for North East St. Elizabeth, Raymond Pryce is urging the House of Representatives to take the necessary steps to rename the Throne Speech the ‘People’s Speech’. In a resolution tabled in the House on Tuesday (April 24), Mr Pryce said the renaming of the speech would be a “timely and lasting acknowledgement that the priorities, projects, policies...

Minister of Education, Rev. Hon. Ronald Thwaites, has welcomed the publication of National Scholarship Digest, noting that it will enable more students facing economic challenges to identify funding for higher education. “We are faced with lots and lots of students, who are capable...and able to matriculate into university but they can’t do so because of economic circumstances. We have a...