As of today (April 29), the country has 396 confirmed cases of the coronavirus (COVID-19). This update was given by Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton, during a virtual press conference at the Ministry’s offices in New Kingston. The number represents 32 new positive cases in the last 48 hours. “Of the 32 new cases, there...

The Bureau of Standards Jamaica (BSJ) and National Compliance and Regulatory Authority (NCRA) are encouraging manufacturers, distributors and importers of hand sanitisers to take in a sample of their product for conformity testing and validation of the integrity of product content. They are being requested to share samples with the BSJ and NCRA by the close of business today (April...

Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, has announced that the construction industry has been included in the relevant exemption schedules, under the Disaster Risk Management Act. “Construction is an area where we can get quick projects going. We are, therefore, amending the Disaster Risk Management Order No. 4 to allow for persons employed or contracted to undertake construction by...

The Department of Correctional Services (DCS) is producing anti-fog disposable face shields, in an effort to aid in the fight against the spread of the novel coronavirus COVID-19. More than 200 face shields have been produced, so far, through the combined efforts of the correctional services officers and inmates from the South Camp Adult Correctional Centre. In addition to the...

Jamaicans with criminal records are being encouraged to pursue the expungement service of the Ministry of Justice as a key part of moving forward with their lives. Expungement involves the formal removal of a conviction from an individual’s record, normally after a specified period has passed and certain conditions are met. Director of the Criminal, Civil and Family Law Unit...

Minister of Finance and the Public Service, Dr. the Hon. Nigel Clarke, says 350,000 of the 390,000 applicants already confirmed for compassionate grants under the Government’s COVID Allocation of Resources for Employees (CARE) programme can expect to receive payments “over the coming days”. He said that since April 24, when the Government commenced the processing and verification of applications, notifications...

Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr. the Hon Christopher Tufton, has confirmed that one of the 46 deportees who recently returned has tested positive for the coronavirus (COVID-19). The deportees arrived in the island last Tuesday (April 21), from the United States of America. Dr. Tufton, when asked about the health status of the deportees during a virtual press conference...