Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Hon. Daryl Vaz, is urging greater Diaspora participation in a wide range of activities that will support the Government’s drive to boost Jamaica’s growth and development. He said while the Administration acknowledges the importance of inputs such as remittances in supporting families and friends “we believe that your...

The Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) is advising householders and property owners to take advantage of the hurricane ‘graveyard’ period from June to late August, to carry out inspections and repairs ahead of the active phase of the season. The 2017 Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30 each year. Regional Co-ordinator at ODPEM,...

Local inmates may soon be allowed conjugal visits, says Minister of National Security, Hon. Robert Montague. A conjugal visit is a scheduled period in which an inmate of a prison or jail is permitted to spend quality time in private with a visitor, usually a legal spouse. “I am determined and insistent that we are going to start conjugal visits...

Minister of National Security, Hon. Robert Montague, is reporting reductions in  five of the seven major categories of crime for the first six months of the calendar year. “When you aggregate all of the figures, overall there has been a five per cent decrease in crime in 2017 up to June, compared to 2016,” he said. “We have seen a...

Second generation Diaspora member, Donika Jones, is using volunteerism to spread the Jamaican culture in Canada. Born in Ontario, Canada, to Jamaican parents, Miss Jones, who is a health promotion specialist, credits her passion for volunteerism to her Jamaican parents. “Their Jamaican identity has always been paramount and that laid the foundation for me. They have always worked and given...

The Jamaica Diaspora Agriculture Task Force has been engaging Jamaican farmers in a number of initiatives aimed at promoting sustainable organic farming. The initiatives, which are in line with the Government’s economic growth agenda, are to ensure that local farmers are trained, and that appropriate technology and financing options are available to enable them to capitalise on the demand for...

Some 50 infant departments are to be established at primary schools across the island under the Early Childhood Rationalisation Programme. Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid, made the disclosure during his presentation at the Jamaica 55 Diaspora Conference, at the Jamaica Conference Centre, yesterday (July 24). Senator Reid said the Early Childhood Commission is currently...