Sam Sharpe Teachers’ College in Montego Bay, St. James, in collaboration with the Kiwanis Club of Montego Freeport, has launched its Learning Disabilities Awareness programme. This is geared towards increasing awareness, diagnosis and treatment of children living with disabilities in St. James and neighbouring parishes. The programme will target 40 students facing academic difficulties and behavioural problems. From this group...

One year after confirmation of the first coronavirus (COVID-19) case in Jamaica on March 10, 2020, the country has recorded 28,968 cases of the virus with 695 new cases confirmed in the previous 24 hours. This is according to a daily cumulative report for March 10, 2021 that is generated by the Health Emergency Operations Centre (HEOC) in the Ministry...

Jamaica’s capacity to combat the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has been further boosted through a US$75-million loan commitment from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). An IDB communiqué on Thursday (March 11) indicated that the provision is earmarked to strengthen the efficiency and effectiveness of public policy and fiscal management, in response to the health and economic crises resulting from COVID-19. The...

Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Floyd Green, says that the Government move to formalise the operations of fishers and farmers is critical in ensuring the sustainability of the agriculture sector. He noted that, through formalisation, smallholders will be able to access essential services and resources, including credit, to grow their operations. “You can’t build a business without access to...

Jamaica is among at least seven countries that are slated to receive nearly 2.3 million doses of coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccines through the World Health Organization (WHO) COVID-19 Vaccine Global Access (COVAX) facility, over the next few weeks. Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) Director, Dr. Carissa Etienne, said that the provision forms part of the 28.7 million doses scheduled for delivery...

A total of 185 applications have been submitted to the Secretariat overseeing the Government’s $1-billion Marcus Garvey Graduate Scholarship for Public Sector Employees. Opening the 2021/22 Budget Debate in the House of Representatives on Tuesday (March 11), Minister of Finance and the Public Service, Dr. the Hon. Nigel Clarke, said the submissions are for the first 30 scholarships being awarded...

Minister of Finance and the Public Service, Dr. the Hon. Nigel Clarke, says the Administration will be engaging trade unions representing government workers during 2021/22, to fine-tune the public-sector compensation review. Opening the 2021/22 Budget Debate, in the House of Representatives on March 9, Dr. Clarke reiterated that consequent on the fiscal pressures resulting from the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the...