The Japanese government has donated medical equipment and supplies valued at approximately $260 million to support the country’s response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The items, which include mobile X-ray units, X-ray protective panels, ultrasound scanners, bedside monitors and defibrillators, will benefit hospitals across the parishes of Kingston, St. Andrew, Manchester, Clarendon, St. Ann and St. James. The donation falls...

The Caribbean Poison Information Network (CARPIN) is appealing for persons to guard against overusing chemicals for the purpose of cleaning and sanitising their spaces while trying to abide by COVID-19 protocols. Poison Information Coordinator at CARPIN, Sherika Whitelocke-Ballingsingh, told JIS News that a recent online survey found that the majority of persons were using chemicals more than seven times per...

The National Housing Trust (NHT) plans to invest $57.7 billion to facilitate commencement of 8,513 housing solutions and completion of 7,043 units by March 31, 2022. The information is contained in the Jamaica Public Bodies Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure for the year ending March 2022. The NHT’s plans include, the commencement of construction on units in Albion, St. Thomas...

The Jamaica Productivity Centre (JPC) will stage its fourth quarterly productivity forum for 2020/21 on Thursday (March 4). The two-hour virtual event, which is scheduled to start at 10:00 a.m., will be held under the theme ‘Improving Productivity: Recovering and Adapting to the New Norm’. Speaking in an interview with JIS News, Chief Technical Director at the JPC, Tamar Nelson,...

An Alert has been activated for 14-year-old Allison Laing and her 2-month-old daughter Akeceya Kerr of Hope View Avenue, Linstead, St. Catherine. They have been missing since Sunday, February 28. Allison is of dark complexion, medium build and is about centimetres (5 feet 3 inches) tall. Akeceya is of brown complexion and slim build. Reports from the Linstead Police are...

Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton, is encouraging Jamaicans to take the COVID-19 vaccines when they become available, emphasising that only safe vaccines will be acquired and distributed to the population. “We are confident, very confident that we took the right decision from the start to await vaccines that were approved by the World Health Organization...

The Passport, Immigration and Citizenship Agency (PICA) has upgraded its website to a new interface that will be more user-friendly and attractive. The new website was uploaded on March 1, 2021. Reports in the media that links the upgrades being done to the vulnerabilities experienced with the JAMCOVID website are inaccurate, as this is not the case. Over the last...