Minister of Finance and the Public Service, Dr. the Hon. Nigel Clarke, says grants totalling $3.6 billion have been transferred to persons applying for assistance under the Government’s COVID Allocation of Resources for Employees (CARE) Programme. These recipients, Dr. Clarke says, include 337,000 of the 375,000 persons deemed eligible for Compassionate Grants, and 12,000 of 30,000 people qualifying for the...

The National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA) has started the clearing of illegal dumps across the island, in preparation for the predicted above-normal hurricane season. “We have looked at all the problematic areas that are historically prone to flooding. What we have said to all regions is make sure that we try and get rid of the mini dumps in...

As more Jamaicans return to their physical places of work today (June 1), the Ministry of Health and Wellness, through its ‘Every One Counts’ campaign, commenced the distribution of masks to members of the public as part of its coronavirus (COVID-19) control efforts. Through the initiative, which commenced at the Half-Way Tree Transport Centre in Kingston, more than 2,000 KN95...

Beginning June 8, 2020, secondary schools will be temporarily reopened to facilitate final preparation for the sitting of the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) and Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE), scheduled to get under way on July 13, 2020. The CSEC examinations and CAPE, which were originally slated to start on July 27, have been brought forward following consultations with...

Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, says that under the new ‘work safe, work smart’ order, which takes effect Monday (June 1), employers are required to implement the necessary measures to ensure that the physical distancing protocol is observed by employees, customers and visitors. He was speaking at a virtual press briefing on Sunday (May 31) at the Office...

Prime Minister, the Most. Hon. Andrew Holness says that justice will be served in the recent shooting death of Susan Bogle of August Town, St. Andrew. The 44-year-old disabled woman was shot inside her home during a police-military operation in the community on May 27. Mr. Holness, during a virtual press briefing on Sunday (May 31) at the Office of...

As the ‘work safe, work smart’ order takes effect Monday (June 1), Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, is encouraging employers to make allowances for certain categories of employees to continue working from home. These include persons with weakened immune systems, those with children and those who have a sick elderly person in their care. Those employees are encouraged...