Omar Frith has been appointed Executive Director of the Social Development Commission (SDC). His appointment, effective January 28, follows the departure of Dr. Dwayne Vernon, who demitted office on January 27 after serving the SDC for more than two decades, including 13 years at the helm. Mr. Frith previously served as the SDC’s Deputy Executive Director for eight years, during...

The Jamaica Fire Brigade (JFB) is urging motorists to exercise greater caution on the nation’s roadways. This follows a revelation of a slight increase in the number of motor-vehicle crashes the JFB responded to last year, when compared to 2023. Speaking at a JIS Think Tank on January 23, Commissioner of the JFB, Stewart Beckford, said the entity responded to...

The Jamaica Dairy Development Board (JDDB) is reporting that milk production remains steady for small dairy farmers in St. Thomas, following the provision of resources after the passage of Hurricane Beryl. Data from the JDDB reveal milk production for 2024 of more than 352,000 litres from small farmers in the parish. Technical Assistant with the JDDB, based in St. Thomas,...

A noticeable decrease in commercial building fires has highlighted the success of intensified fire-safety and prevention initiatives undertaken by the Jamaica Fire Brigade (JFB) throughout 2024. Speaking at a recent JIS Think Tank, JFB Commissioner, Stewart Beckford, informed that there was a 16 per cent reduction in the number of commercial building fires when compared to 2023. “The reduction can...

Jamaica recorded a 15.6 per cent reduction in fire-related deaths last year. This was revealed by Commissioner, Jamaica Fire Brigade (JFB), Stewart Beckford, during a recent JIS Think Tank, where he shared details of the Brigade’s Emergency Response and Fire Prevention Data for 2024. “The number of fire-related deaths for the period under review was 27, comprising 23 adults and...

Women and youth must be empowered to access critical resources and equipped with climate smart technology in their operations to ensure the agricultural sector’s sustainability. This is according to Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining, Hon. Floyd Green. He was addressing a Gender-responsive Climate Smart Agriculture and Food Systems in the Caribbean National Inception workshop on Thursday (January 23) at...

More young people in St. James are being encouraged to apply for grant funding, which is available under the Bloomberg Youth Climate Action Fund Project, to execute climate-resilient initiatives in their communities. The invitation was extended by Mayor of Montego Bay, Councillor Richard Vernon, during a special ceremony on Tuesday (January 21) to recognise young climate activists in the parish...