The Government will be spending $845 million in its continued thrust to end the shift system and reduce overcrowding in schools, by constructing additional classrooms and other amenities during the upcoming fiscal year. Among the projects listed in the 2024/25 Estimates of Expenditure are the completion of architectural and civil/structural designs for Dias Infant School, and Papine and Newell High...

Work will be advanced on the upgrading and expansion of Mount St. Joseph High School in Manchester in the upcoming fiscal year. A sum of $514 million has been earmarked under the Education Transformation Programme to complete construction of the administrative, third and fourth-form blocks, and conclude pre-contract activities for the auditorium and canteen. The details are outlined in the...

The Jamaica Fire Brigade (JFB) has reported a 21.1 per cent increase in the number of commercial-building fires responded to in 2023, when compared to the previous year. Commercial-building fires are among the types of structural fires the JFB responds to in the execution of its duties. Last year, they responded to 1,645 structural fires, which included 343 commercial fires,...

Farmers who use the slash-and-burn technique to clear their fields are being urged to seek guidance from the Jamaica Fire Brigade (JFB) to prevent bush fires. The call comes as the country continues to record significantly high increases in bush fires. Speaking with JIS News recently, Commissioner Stewart Beckford said the JFB responded to 6,443 bush fire calls last year....

Governed by the Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection Act of 2015 and Regulations of 2019, the Hazardous Substances Regulatory Authority (HSRA) diligently executes its roles and functions to mitigate potential risks associated with hazardous materials. The Act applies to the possession, acquisition, production, manufacturing, processing, transferring, development, handling, storage, importing, exporting or disposal of natural and artificial radioactive materials, nuclear...

For the 2024/25 fiscal year, the Government is to expand coverage of social protection in Jamaica and strengthen its social protection delivery system, particularly its capacity to respond to shocks. This will be done through the Social Protection for Increased Resilience and Opportunity (SPIRO) project, at a cost of $62.2 million. It is being funded by the International Bank for...

The Government is to construct a Justice Centre in Sandy Bay, Hanover, at a cost of $180 million, for the provision of restorative justice, child diversion and mediation services. This is outlined in the 2024/25 Estimates of Expenditure, tabled in the House of Representatives by Minister of Finance and the Public Service, Dr. the Hon. Nigel Clarke, on February 15....