The Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF) is working to reduce household fires in inner-city communities, through its Environmental Wardens Programme. During his tour of  the inner-city community of Majesty Gardens, in downtown Kingston on Labour Day (May 23), Managing Director of JSIF, Omar Sweeney, told JIS News that the wardens have been helping residents to practise proper waste disposal techniques,...

Six centenarians from Kingston and St. Andrew have been recognised by the National Council for Senior Citizens (NCSC) for a combined 618 years of contribution to the growth and development of the country. They are: George Thompson, 106; Ethel Lawrence, 104; Isabella Lewis, 103; Lenore Harrison and Lena Hemmings, 102; and James Hall, 101. At a function held on May...

Minister of Justice, Hon. Delroy Chuck, says that submission has been made for the hiring of 10 additional judicial clerks to assist courts in handing down judgments. A judicial clerk is a qualified attorney who aids a judge in researching issues before the court, writing opinions and making legal determinations. Minister Chuck, who was addressing the General Legal Council’s Law...

Students involved in lotto scamming will be targeted under the special intervention programme for at-risk youth developed by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information. The initiative, to be implemented by the Caribbean Maritime Institute (CMI) in partnership with the HEART Trust/NTA, is aimed at providing education and training for disengaged students in vulnerable communities. Speaking during a recent tour...

Tourism Minister, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, says an additional $175 million is to be spent in Ocho Rios, St. Ann, to make the resort town more marketable and attractive to cruise ship and stopover visitors. Following a recent tour of the area, Mr. Bartlett said the town will be given a complete makeover. Some $400 million had already been allocated for...

President of the Jamaica Manufacturers’ Association (JMA), Metry Seaga, has hailed the Prime Minister’s 2016 budget presentation for addressing the needs of low income earners.             Citing the Prime Minister’s announcement in the House on May 24 that some National Housing Trust (NHT) contributors will benefit from interest free loans Mr. Seaga said this is a “step in the right...

Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) President, Dr. Warren Smith, believes agriculture can potentially transform Jamaica’s economy into one that engenders growth and prosperity. The sector is one of two, deemed pivotal to the Government’s economic growth and job creation agenda, which has benefitted from significant CDB funding support. The other is the micro, small and medium-size enterprise (MSME) sector. Dr. Smith...