Two Orders that will increase the national minimum wage and the minimum wage for industrial security guards were approved by the House of Representatives on Tuesday (April 23). These are the National Minimum Wage (Amendment) Order, 2024, and the Minimum Wage Industrial Security Guards (Amendment) Order, 2024. They were piloted by Minister of Labour and Social Security, Hon. Pearnel Charles...

More educators are being encouraged to obtain electronic vouchers to purchase laptop computers by e-Learning Jamaica Limited (eLJAM), under its Own Your Own Device programme. Chief Executive Officer, eLJAM, Andrew Lee, told JIS News that this is to ensure that every teacher in the public education system has access to the technology they need to excel in their roles. “Every...

Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining, Hon. Floyd Green, says the reopening of the JISCO Alpart in Nain, St. Elizabeth, remains a priority of the Government. Speaking at a post-Cabinet press briefing at Jamaica House on Wednesday (April 24), Mr. Green noted that the plant is the country’s only high-temperature aluminium refinery, uniquely capable of processing lower-grade bauxite found in...

The Jamaica Fire Brigade (JFB) is intensifying efforts to ensure the safety and preparedness of firefighters in responding to fires involving electric vehicles (EVs) and lithium-ion batteries. Commissioner Stewart Beckford told JIS News that, to date, more than 700 firefighters have received specialised training in relation to such emergencies. “It is not just about electric vehicles; devices like laptops pose...

The Ministry of Education and Youth is actively promoting the significance of Child Month 2024, which starts on May 1, as a pivotal period to raise awareness and advocate for the rights and protection of children across Jamaica. State Minister, Hon. Marsha Smith, noted that with this year’s theme being ‘Stand Up. Speak Out. Protect the Rights of the Children’,...

Residents in Myrtle Way, Portmore, St. Catherine, are benefiting from a zinc fence removal project, under the Government’s community renewal intervention programme. Member of Parliament (MP) for St. Catherine South Eastern, Robert Miller, told JIS News that part of the allocation of $4 million was used to improve sections of Passage Fort Drive, and with its completion, efforts are now...

The Jamaica Intellectual Property Office (JIPO) continues to foster public education and safeguard intellectual property (IP) rights across Jamaica. In a recent interview with JIS News, the agency’s Deputy Director, Legal Counsel, Shantal English, cited the abundant presence of intellectual property in everyday life, ranging from innovative creations to artistic endeavours. “Intellectual property is everywhere. It speaks about the creations...