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The Government is to develop a national housing policy, with a number of key components, including a new-look joint venture housing plan. Water and Housing Minister, Donald Buchanan made the announcement on January 25, while speaking at the launch of FirstCaribbean International Building Society's international hard currency mortgage product, at the Knutsford Court Hotel in Kingston. Mr. Buchanan said the...

Approximately 85 hectares of tree crops such as ackee, sour sop, breadfruit and june plum were planted in Hanover last year, under the Ministry of Agriculture's Fruit Tree Crop Programme. Parish manager for the Rural Agricultural Development Authority's (RADA) Hanover office, Bernard Goffe, told JIS News that although the farmers fell short of the target of 90 hectares, the "project...

The Portmore Municipal Council is reporting success in its Better Neighbourhood Development and beautification programme launched in 2005, which is aimed at improving the aesthetic and environmental conditions within the municipality. Mayor of Portmore George Lee told JIS News that during last year, the Council embarked on the creation of some eight parks and the beautification and landscaping of areas...

The roadway from the Mandela Highway to Braeton Parkway in Portmore, St. Catherine, commonly known as 'I-95', will be officially named the Municipal Boulevard. An unveiling ceremony and the erection of a road sign will take place in early February on site. Mayor of Portmore, George Lee, told JIS News that the selection of the name was done by a...

Cabinet has approved the award of a contract for repair work to be carried out at the May Pen Hospital in Clarendon. Economic Maintenance Products Limited has been contracted to rectify defects at the hospital over a 12-week period, at a cost of some $58.4 million. Information Minister, Senator Burchell Whiteman, who gave details of the contract at yesterday's (January...

Cabinet has given its approval for the compulsory acquisition of parcels of land at 2 and 4 Love Lane in Central Kingston for the development of the Simon Bolivar Cultural District. Information Minister, Senator Burchell Whiteman, who made the disclosure to journalists at yesterday's (Jan. 23) post Cabinet press briefing at Jamaica House, explained that the cultural district was being...

CARICOM is placing increased focus on Information and Communications Technology (ICT) as a critical part of human and social development in the region, and as such, has placed the ICT development agenda and its myriad of activities, directly under the portfolio of the Deputy Secretary General. According to Senior Project Officer for ICT Development at CARICOM, Jennifer Britton this move...

The blowing of the abeng, the traditional "war horn" of the maroons and the beating of the gumbay drum, will highlight activities at the 267th annual celebrations of the Accompong maroons in St. Elizabeth. Held under the theme: 'Celebrating our African ancestry.the Ghana connection", activities will begin on Sunday (Jan.1) and culminate with the big celebration on Friday (Jan. 6),...

Children in the community of Springfield in South West Clarendon will be the beneficiaries of a Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF) project, under which a new basic school is to be constructed. The contract for the basic school is valued at J$5 million and was approved at the October sitting of the Board of JSIF, where a total of J$48.8...

Director of Enforcement and Compliance at the National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA), Ann-Marie Rodriquez has assured that the Authority is working to restore normalcy to its residential waste collection operations. Speaking with JIS News, Ms. Rodriquez confirmed that the NSWMA had doubled its efforts and had instituted night collection, which should last for two weeks. This is being done...

President of Jamaica Promotions Corporation (JAMPRO), Patricia Francis, has said that this year's United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) World Investment Report is critical to aiding the direction of JAMPRO's investment strategies. This was necessary, she said, as the Corporation's recent dynamic foreign investment programme and performance had plateaued this year. Mrs. Francis was speaking at the launch...

A number of local companies and organizations are benefiting from state funding, among other fiscal incentives, to undertake research and development projects under the government of Jamaica's programme to encourage innovation in science and technology for competitiveness and employment creation. Commerce, Science and Technology Minister Phillip Paulwell, who made the announcement as he addressed the launch of the 2005 United...