Several plant health clinics are to be established across the island, as the Government ramps up efforts to address the issue of pests and diseases affecting crops. The initiative comes under the newly launched Plantwise, which is being co-ordinated by the Commonwealth Agricultural Bureaux International (CABI). Twenty plant doctors are to be trained in the management of the clinics and...

Refurbishing work on the 705-room Moon Palace Jamaica Grande Hotel in Ocho Rios, St. Ann is approximately 80 per cent complete. The former Sunset Jamaica Grande was taken over by the Mexico-based Moon Palace Resort in September 1, 2014, with an estimated US$150 million being spent to refurbish the property. General Manager of the Resort, Clifton Reader, informed that most...

Jamaica has joined six other Caribbean countries in implementing its own dietary guidelines with the aim of improving the nutritional well-being of citizens. The Food-Based Dietary Guidelines for Jamaica, form part of efforts by the Government to provide nutrition and health-related recommendations to promote healthy eating habits and lifestyle in the population. The guidelines are outlined on an easy to...

The Government is to establish an Energy Stabilization Fund to receive and manage the resources generated from the oil hedge programme. Minister of Finance and Planning, Hon. Dr. Peter Phillips, made the announcement during the closing of the 2015/16 budget debate in the House of Representatives on Wednesday, March 25. The resources include the proceeds from a portion of the...

Persons entering the teaching profession are being encouraged to opt to become Mathematics teachers, as the system can currently accommodate over 500 professionals. The call came from Minister of Education, Hon. Rev. Ronald Thwaites, while delivering the opening address at the Mico University College Research Day, on March 24. “If we had five hundred trained Mathematics teachers, we could absorb...

Wage negotiations for the 2015/17 wage period are scheduled to commence at the Ministry of Finance and Planning on Thursday, March 26, 2015 at 10:00am. The wage negotiations will be led by Minister with responsibility for the Public Service, the Honourable Horace W. Dalley and the chief technical negotiating team representing the Jamaica Confederation of Trade Unions led by Mrs....

Salutations   His Excellency Sam Kutesa, President of the General Assembly His Excellency Ban Ki-Moon, Secretary General  of the United Nations Other distinguished guests on the platform Excellencies Ladies and gentlemen Members of the media   Today is a significant day in history especially for Africans at home and in the Diaspora.   As Bob Marley sang: “There’s a natural...