Education Minister, the Hon. Rev. Ronald Thwaites, says improving student achievement in mathematics is critical to the country’s continued growth and development. “That is why over the past three years...there has been a wholehearted commitment ... to arrest the decline in our appreciation of mathematics and that we improve our methods of teaching, our understanding of the principles and eventually...

Financial Secretary, Devon Rowe, says he welcomes the new and emerging style of governance, characterised by increased collaborations involving public and private sector stakeholders who support key Government programmes, such as implementation of the Economic Reform Programme (ERP). Notable among these collaborations, he says, are the Economic Programme Oversight Committee (EPOC), which monitors and advises on the ERP’s implementation; the...

Youth and Culture Minister, Hon. Lisa Hanna, is again warning persons who persistently abuse minors, to desist or face harsh penalties for these offences. She repeated the call in the wake of recent reports surfacing of children losing their lives or suffering persistent abuse at the hands of adults. “We are sending a very strong signal to those persons in...

Minister of State in the Ministry of Local Government and Community Development, Hon. Colin Fagan, is appealing to owners of heavy equipment to make them available in the effort to contain the fire at the Riverton landfill. The State Minister made the call following a meeting on March 12, at the Haining Road headquarters of the Office of Disaster Preparedness...

Finance and Planning Minister, Dr. the Hon. Peter Phillips, on Thursday, March 12, outlined measures, which are projected to raise additional revenue to fill a $22.7 billion gap in the Government’s $641.56 billion budget for fiscal year 2015/16. Delivering the opening Budget Debate presentation in the House of Representatives, under the theme: ‘Strong Foundation for Growth and the Expansion of...

The playfield at the St. Catherine-based Bog Walk High School is to be upgraded at a cost of over $10 million. Minister with responsibility for Sport, Hon. Natalie Neita Headley, broke ground for the project on Wednesday, March 11, which is being undertaken by the Sports Development Foundation (SDF). She said the works also involve putting a proper irrigation system...

The Office of Utilities Regulation’s (OUR) Parish Connections, a year-long series of consultations aimed at boosting its consumer outreach effort, is receiving the full support of the island’s major utility providers. At the launch held recently at the Knutsford Court Hotel in New Kingston, representatives of the Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS), National Water Commission (NWC), Digicel, LIME and Flow,...