The National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) is collaborating with various partners in observing National Environmental Awareness Week from June 1 to 5 under the theme: ‘Illegal Trade in Wildlife’. Manager of the Public Education and Corporate Communication Branch at NEPA, Dionne Rose, told JIS News that activities are focused on sensitising persons to the importance of protecting the environment...

Over 140 Labour Day projects have been registered in the parishes of St. Elizabeth and Westmoreland. The projects will focus on the eradication of breeding sites for the aedes aegypti mosquito which causes Chik-V and Zik-V. Secretary Manager of the Westmoreland Parish Council, Opal Beharrie told JIS News that the parish project will see interest groups assisting the Council in...

Minister of Science, Energy and Technology, Dr. the Hon. Andrew Wheatley, says several international investors have indicated interest in buying into Jamaica’s renewable energy sector. He said this was evident based on discussions at the United States Caribbean Central American Energy Summit meeting in Washington, D.C., which he attended, along with Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, last week....

Parish Councils islandwide are currently finalising preparations and their readiness for the start of the 2016 tropical hurricane season on June 1. The activities are being undertaken throughout May as part of ‘Hurricane Preparedness Month’. Co-Chairman of the Association of Local Government Authorities of Jamaica (ALGA), Councillor Scean Barnswell, tells JIS News that Councils have concluded meetings with members of...

Contingency funding of $550 million has been allocated for weather related risks in the 2016/17 Estimates of Expenditure. To be used specifically for natural disasters and infrastructure rehabilitation, this allocation is in keeping with the Fiscal Responsibility Framework Regulations, contained in the Financial Administration and Audit Act (FAA Act). In the meantime, another contingency provision of $100 million has been...

Fishing communities across the island are to receive additional support in building resilience against climate change. This is through an allotment of $12.9 million to the Promoting Community-based Climate Resilience in the Fisheries Sector project in the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries. As contained in the 2016/17 Estimates of Expenditure, now before the House of Representatives, the allocation...

The capacity of the island’s vulnerable communities to improve their resilience to climate change and other risk factors has been further boosted with an allocation of $19.6 million. As outlined in the 2016/17 Estimates of Expenditure, the money has been provided  under the ‘Enhancing the Resilience of the Agricultural Sector and Coastal Areas’  project. The project aims to protect the...

The Government has allocated $66.16 million to the Strengthening the Operational and Financial Sustainability of the National Area Protected System project, in the 2016/17 Estimates of Expenditure. The Project is expected to consolidate the operational and financial sustainability of Jamaica’s National System of Protected Areas (PAs). This objective will be achieved through three components: strengthening of financial planning and revenue...