Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Parenting Support Commission (NPSC), Kaysia Kerr, has indicated that several parents across the island have been taking advantage of the agency's helplines. The 36 helplines, which were launched on April 6, were put in place to assist with the psychosocial first aid of parents during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. They were implemented by...

The House of Representatives on Wednesday (May 27), approved amendments to the Financial Audit and Administration (FAA) Act to postpone Jamaica’s target of reducing debt to gross domestic product (GDP) to 60 per cent, by two years. The legislation will facilitate the extension of the timeline from March 31, 2026 to March 31, 2028. In his address, Minister of Finance...

The Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ) is reporting that the economy contracted by an estimated 1.7 per cent for the January to March 2020 quarter, relative to the corresponding period last year. The Institute says that the March 2020 quarter out-turn largely reflected implementation of measures to manage the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, which commenced in mid-March; and lower capacity utilisation...

Special guidelines for shelters and emergency operations are being developed by the Government as it prepares for the upcoming hurricane season while concurrently managing the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. This was disclosed by Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, who said the guidelines are being finalised by the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) and the Ministry of...

Jamaica has received US$1 million from the United Nations (UN) to boost the country’s response to the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic in the areas of health and social services. The support was provided under the UN’s COVID-19 Response and Recovery Multi-Partner Trust Fund (MPTF), through which 47 countries across the globe have been earmarked for assistance in enhancing services to crucial...

As at Wednesday (May 27), recovery numbers climbed to 279 as 12 more patients were released from isolation today. In the meantime, five (5) samples have tested positive for COVID-19, which brings the total confirmed cases in Jamaica to 569. The five new confirmed cases include: four females and one male, who range in age from 32-46 years and are...

Senior Medical Officer (SMO) at the National Chest Hospital, Dr. Terry Baker, is warning that tobacco smoking facilitates coronavirus (COVID-19) by creating an enabling environment for the virus to work in the body. Speaking at a JIS ‘Think Tank’ today (May 27), Dr. Baker, who is also a Board member of the Jamaica Coalition for Tobacco Control, said that tobacco...