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Residents of 10 communities in St. Catherine, who have been trained in emergency management, were on December 20 presented with emergency radios to enhance their response during times of disaster. A total of 20 radios, valued at $474,000 (US$5,260), were handed over to representatives of the communities at a function held at the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management’s...

The National Water Commission (NWC) is reporting that at the end of November its monthly billing for areas in Stony Hill, St. Andrew, reflected a 56 per cent increase, due to improvements in the water supply to six communities there. This has been facilitated through improvement in the Stony Hill distribution network, under the Category A1 works of the Jamaica...

Minister of Water, Land, Environment and Climate Change, Hon. Robert Pickersgill has informed that recent negotiations on climate change have resulted in a number of significant achievements, which will benefit Jamaica and other small island developing states. He said that coming out of the recent United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), progress was made towards the establishment of...

Jamaica Bedding and Ojay Koolers will be donating 2,000 plastic drums to the National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA), to assist in their cleaning-up efforts in the Spanish Town, Old Harbour and May Pen areas. The drums will be handed over to the NSWMA at a ceremony, to be held at 29 East Street,Old Harbour, St. Catherine, on Thursday, December...

Minister of State in the Office of the Prime Minister, Hon. Luther Buchannan, has informed that some 5,000 residents have been issued with Hurricane Sandy relief cheques, as part of efforts by the government to assist families affected by the disaster. Speaking at the weekly Jamaica House press briefing, held at the Office of the Prime Minister on Thursday (December...

Minister of Water, Land, Environment and Climate Change, Hon. Robert Pickersgill, has called for increased action by developed countries to cut greenhouse gas emissions, so as to reduce the worst impacts of climate change. Addressing session of the United Nations (UN) climate change conference in Doha, Qatar on December 5, Minister Pickersgill stated that without concerted action by the large...

The Government has enlisted the assistance of the Jamaica Defence Force's (JDF) engineering unit to expedite the construction of some 500 houses for residents, whose homes were destroyed during the passage of Hurricane Sandy, by Christmas Day (December 25). Speaking at the weekly Jamaica House press briefing on Thursday (December 6), Minister with responsibility for  Housing, Hon. Dr. Morais Guy,...

Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Transport, Works and Housing, Hon. Dr. Morais Guy, says that vulnerable states in the Caribbean and Latin America must commence “serious plans” for the implementation of disaster risk management policies. The move, he said, is critical in confronting the effects of climate change, and predications for more powerful and intense hurricanes. Dr. Guy...

Some Jamaicans and persons in the wider Caribbean and the Eastern United States are still picking up the pieces, following the passage of Hurricane Sandy in October. With the closure of the hurricane season on November 30, Sandy could be regarded as the most significant system, which left in its wake, loss of several lives and billions of dollars in...

The Government will be embarking on a major programme of waste separation across the Corporate Area by next year, Local Government and Community Development Minister, Hon. Noel Arscott, has announced. Speaking at the Rotary Club of New Kingston’s breakfast meeting at the Pollyanna Restaurant in Kingston, on November 30, Mr. Arscott informed that the Ministry has implemented a number of...

The Government today (November 30) received US$15,000 from the Chilean Embassy to assist in restoration efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. The donation was handed over to the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) during a brief ceremony at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) offices in Kingston. Deputy Chief of Mission, Embassy of Chile, Enzo Barra...

Minister of Local Government and Community Development, Hon. Noel Arscott, is urging residents to dispose of their waste in properly sealed containers to further restrict the rodent population in the Corporate Area. Speaking at the Rotary Club of New Kingston’s breakfast meeting at the Pollyanna Restaurant on Friday (November 30), Mr. Arscott noted that recent efforts by both householders and...