Minister of Local Government and Community Development, Hon. Desmond McKenzie, is urging persons visiting beaches and rivers over this weekend to follow all the health protocols established to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The Minister is also reminding the operators of these venues that they are obligated to enforce the protocols without exception. “I spoke in Parliament earlier this week...

The Government has announced the phased re-opening of beaches and rivers. Effective Sunday ( June 7), persons can visit public beaches licensed under the Beach Control Act during the operating hours from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 pm and rivers from 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Minister of Local Government and Community Development, Hon. Desmond McKenzie, said the relaxation of the...

The Quality Education Circle (QEC) 36, in Region Four of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, has joined the cause to mitigate the impact of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) on vulnerable persons in St. James. The QEC last week donated care packages and phone credit to 35 students, and their families, from 17 infant schools, primary schools, and secondary...

Residents of Mount Salem, St. James, are taking this year’s Labour Day theme ‘Labour at Home’ to heart, as they have embarked on extensive cleaning and sanitization of their homes. The theme for this year’s Labour Day, which was observed on May 25, is relevant in light of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and the social distancing measures implemented by the Government...

My fellow Jamaicans, With giant leaps in science and technology, mankind may sometimes have a false sense of invincibility about the global civilization we have created. The COVID-19 Pandemic has exposed just how fragile we are and how vulnerable our connected world can be, ironically, by virtue of that same connectedness. We know that disruption is part of the natural...

My fellow Jamaicans, Labour Day 2020 comes during one of the most severe challenges with unprecedented social problems brought on the COVID-19 Pandemic. Social distancing and other restrictions have forced us to adapt to a “new normal” and “Labour at Home” instead of at our usual community building projects. With every challenge, comes an opportunity. However, remember when you build...

The Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Honourable Olivia Grange, has commended Caribbean Cement Company and Jamaica Pre-Mix Limited who have sanitised public spaces around three parks in the corporate area as their Labour Day project. The companies collaborated on the sanitisation project at Mandela Park, St William Grant Park and Papine Park on Sunday (today). Minister Grange...

Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, Hon. Olivia ‘Babsy’ Grange (right), and Mayor of Kingston and St. Andrew, Senator Councillor Delroy Williams, assist in the cleaning and sanitising of Mandella Park, in Half-Way Tree, St. Andrew, today (May 24), as part of activities for Workers’ Week and Labour Day, which will be observed tomorrow (May 25), under the theme:...

As community bars and taverns begin a two-week probationary reopening period on Tuesday (May 19), Minister of Local Government and Community Development, Hon. Desmond McKenzie, says the necessary measures will be taken to ensure that there is full compliance with the reopening requirements. Minister McKenzie was speaking during a virtual press conference on Monday (May 18) at the Office of...