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Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett (left); and Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Hon. Daryl Vaz, tour a section of Grange Pen in St. James, recently.

Gov’t Committed To Regularising Informal Communities

Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Hon. Daryl Vaz, says the Government is committed to transforming informal settlements into structured, livable neighbourhoods. “In 2020, there should be no one living in improper infrastructure and,...

Prime Minister the Most Hon. Andrew Holness (2nd right) unveils the recently constructed welcome sign to the Barrett Town community in St. James, following a tour of the area on Friday (August 7). Sharing in the moment (from left) are: World Bank Resident Representative, Ozan Sevimli; European Union Ambassador to Jamaica, Malgorzata Wasilewska; Managing Director, Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF), Omar Sweeny and Tourism Minister and Member of Parliament for St. James East Central, Hon. Edmund Bartlett.

PM Hands Over Several Projects In Barrett Town

Executive Director of the Social Development Commission (SDC), Dr. Dwayne Vernon, speaks at a recent Ministry of Local Government and Community Development digital town hall, where he announced that the Commission's National Community Cricket Competition will be staged from August 23 to December 13, 2020.

SDC To Stage National Community Cricket Competition

Executive Director of the Social Development Commission (SDC), Dr. Dwayne Vernon, addresses a recent digital town hall hosted by the Ministry of Local Government and Community Development.

Budget Boost Enables SDC To Increase Community Engagement

State Minister in the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Floyd Green. (FILE)

Gov’t Committed To Driving Growth Of Social Enterprises

Custos of St. James, Bishop Conrad Pitkin (centre) is joined by Justices of the Peace (JP) Maudlyn Wright (left) and Minerva Facey in putting together care packages at the Faith Temple Assemblies of God in Montego Bay, recently. The packages, which contain food items and masks, were distributed to needy citizens in communities throughout the parish as part of an ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) response programme spearheaded by the Custos.

6 years ago CommunityCoronavirus

Hundreds Of St. James Residents Benefit From Custos’ COVID-19 Response Programme

Hundreds of families in St. James have benefited from the donation of more than 600 care packages and 2,000 face masks as part of an ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) response programme being spearheaded by the Custos of the parish, Bishop Conrad Pitkin. The Custos told JIS News that the initiative, which began in April with the support of various partners, is...

Executive Director of the Social Development Commission, Dr. Dwayne Vernon, speaks at a digital town hall, hosted by the Ministry of Local Government and Community Development on July 23.

6 years ago CommunityLocal Government

SDC Head Confident Compliance Gains Will Not Be Eroded

Executive Director of the Social Development Commission (SDC), Dr. Dwayne Vernon, says he is confident that the gains made in COVID-19 protocol compliance in several areas will not be eroded. Speaking at a digital town hall held by the Ministry of Local Government and Community Development on July 23, he pointed out that along with the core protocol monitoring team...

Minister of Local Government and Community Development, Hon. Desmond McKenzie (centre) applauds as Raheem Powell holds the key to his new home at Watson Grove in Bridgeport, St. Catherine, which was handed over during a ceremony on Friday (July 24). Sharing the moment (from left) are Raheem’s mother, Ann-Marie Douglas; Mayor of Portmore, Councillor Leon Thomas; and Minister of State in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information and Member of Parliament for East Central St. Catherine, Hon. Alando Terrelonge. Minister McKenzie offered housing and educational assistance to Raheem Powell in November 2018 after his needs were highlighted in the press. Raheem, who was unable to pursue further education after grade six as he was without a birth certificate, had participated in the St. Catherine leg of the Ministry

6 years ago CommunityLocal Government

PHOTOS: Minister McKenzie Hands Over House to Raheem Powell

Minister of Local Government and Community Development, Hon. Desmond McKenzie, making his 2020/21 Sectoral Debate presentation in the House of Representatives on Tuesday (July 21), under the theme: ‘Building National Resilience through Continuous Investment in Local Government’.

6 years ago CommunityDevelopmentLocal GovernmentSectoral Debate 2020/2021

Local Authorities Received 3,773 Development Applications Valued At $148.3 Billion

Local authorities and partner agencies received 3,773 development applications valued at $148.3 billion in the last financial year, with 2,777 approved within 90 days, representing an approval rate of nearly 84 per cent. Local Government and Community Development Minister, Hon. Desmond McKenzie, made the disclosure during his 2020/21 Sectoral Debate presentation in the House of Representatives on Tuesday (July 21),...

Minister of Local Government and Community Development, Hon. Desmond McKenzie, emphasises a point during his 2020/21 Sectoral Debate presentation in the House of Representatives on Tuesday (July 21), under the theme ‘Building National Resilience through Continuous Investment in Local Government’.

6 years ago CommunityDevelopmentLocal GovernmentSectoral Debate 2020/2021

Local Government Ministry Strengthening Accountability Of Municipal Corporations

The Ministry of Local Government and Community Development is in the process of instituting measures aimed at further strengthening the accountability framework at Municipal Corporations. Portfolio Minister, Hon. Desmond McKenzie, says chief among these is the implementation of a new accounting-based system, for which technical assistance support is being provided by the European Union (EU). He also mentioned the proposed...

Public Relations Manager at the Social Development Commission (SDC), Mandel McKulsky.

6 years ago CommunityLocal Government

Community Market And Business Fair For St. Thomas And St. Elizabeth

The Social Development Commission (SDC) will be hosting two community markets and business fairs to benefit residents of St. Elizabeth and St. Thomas on July 23 and July 25, respectively. The events form part of the SDC’s initiatives to keep community businesses in operation during this period of economic downturn caused by the coronavirus (COVID-19). “Currently, many of the [St....

Mayor of Montego Bay, Councillor Homer Davis (left), presents a bag of groceries to Marjorie Mitchell (centre) on Tuesday (July 21), during a food distribution drive in Canterbury, Montego Bay, St. James under the first phase of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Response Programme sponsored by UN-HABITAT and the St. James Municipal Corporation. Sharing the moment is Councillor for the Montego Bay South Division, Richard Vernon.

6 years ago CommunityCoronavirusLocal Government

Care Packages Distributed To Residents Of Canterbury

Four hundred and fifty care packages were distributed to residents of Canterbury, Albion Lane, Williams Street and surrounding communities in Montego Bay, St. James, on July 21 by the St. James Municipal Corporation and United Nations (UN)-Habitat. This is part of a US$100,000 coronavirus (COVID-19) response programme being undertaken by the Corporation. Mayor of Montego Bay, Councillor Homer Davis, led...