As the nation’s civil servants celebrate Civil Service Week 2013, Cabinet Secretary, Ambassador Douglas Saunders is urging them to place special emphasis on improving the level of customer service to the public. Ambassador Saunders, who is head of the civil service, noted that while public servants face constraints with respect to resources such as equipment, they should commit to enhancing...

The Board of Supervision (BOS) will be launching its Poor Relief collection drive, at an Open Day, on the grounds of the Ministry of Local Government and Community Development,  at 85 Hagley Park Road, in Kingston, on November 20, beginning at  10:00 a.m. The launch forms part of the activities to mark Local Government and Community Month (November). Committee Member...

The Ministry of Labour and Social Security has partnered with Digicel Foundation to expand the Early Stimulation Programme (ESP), which caters to children with disabilities. The project, being undertaken at a cost of $25 million, entails construction of eight classrooms, an administrative area, bathrooms, kitchen, dining area, therapy room, caretaker’s quarters, play area, perimeter fence, multi-purpose room, principal’s office, among...

The multi-million dollar Rare Earth Elements Pilot Plant located on the grounds of the Jamaica Bauxite Institute (JBI) in Hope Gardens, St. Andrew, has been completed and is slated to be fully operational by the end of next week. This was disclosed by Minister of Science, Technology, Energy and Mining (STEM), Hon. Phillip Paulwell, following the official opening and a...

The Ministry of Transport, Works and Housing, is advising the public that between the hours of 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. on Thursday, October 24, the westbound lanes of the dual carriageway along Mandela Highway will be converted to two-way traffic. This is to facilitate a dry run of a bus lane trial by the Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC)....

The House of Representatives, on Tuesday, October 22, passed amendments to the Commissions of Enquiry Act. The Bill seeks to modernise and discourage acts that undermine the effectiveness or integrity of a Commission of Enquiry or which are disruptive of a Commission's proceedings. In his remarks, Attorney General, Hon. Patrick Atkinson, commented that Commissions of Enquiry are established from time...

Debate on the Charities Act 2013 began in the House of Representatives on Tuesday, October 22. The purpose of the Bill is to introduce a single piece of legislation to regulate all charitable organisations, whether intending to, or already operating in the country. In piloting the legislation, Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce, Hon. Anthony Hylton, noted that it is...