Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, says he will be examining the procedure for the granting of building approvals by the local government authorities in order to speed up the process. He argued that “territorial behaviour” by the municipal bodies in the issuance of such permits often results in delays, negatively impacting the country’s building approval rating and hindering...

State Minister for Education, Youth and Information, Hon. Floyd Green, says the Government is placing increased focus on Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in order to better prepare young people for the job market. “We are reforming our education system to place more emphasis on the practical side of skills, and we want to ensure, from as early...

Mayor of Montego Bay, Councillor Homer Davis, is calling for greater synergy between the municipal corporations and central government. Speaking at the opening of the Ministry of Local Government and Community Development local governance conference in Montego Bay, St James, on July 17, Mayor Davis said he welcomes the conference, as it brings together the decision makers from the municipalities...

The National Library of Jamaica’s (NLJ) ‘All Flowers are Roses’ summer programme returns this year, with scores of girls from communities in Kingston to benefit from sessions in poetry and martial arts. The free five-week programme was conceptualised by the NLJ’s Poet Laureate, Lorna Goodison, who has opted to focus on working with children during her tenure from 2017 to...

Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, says that the State of Public Emergency in St. James is not only reducing crime in the parish but has resulted in an obvious downward trend in the national daily murder rate. “If you look, you will see that at the point of the declaration of the state of emergency, the average daily...

The St. James Public Health Services is urging members of the public to take the necessary precaution to protect themselves from the potential harmful effects of the smoke emanating from the Retirement Landfill in the parish. In an interview with JIS News, Regional Technical Director (RTD) for the Western Regional Health Authority, Dr. Diane Campbell-Stennett, said persons are being asked...

Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, says any State agency in charge of administering public resources must meet the highest standard of accountability and responsiveness. Mr. Holness, who was speaking at the inaugural Local Governance Conference at the Jewel Grande Resort and Spa in Rose Hall, St. James, on July 17, said the conference’s theme, ‘Strengthening Responsiveness and Accountability...