The Government is seeking to increase Jamaica’s land mass protection to close to 40 per cent by 2030. Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation with responsibility for Water, Environment and Climate Change, Senator the Hon. Matthew Samuda, who made the disclosure, said this target surpasses the international goal of 30 per cent protection by...

Students interested in entering the inaugural Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Olympiad have until September 29 to submit their applications. Persons may apply individually or in groups not exceeding five persons. Being staged by the Scientific Research Council (SRC), under the theme ‘STEM Unlocked: Opening doors to limitless possibilities’, the competition is part of the Council’s mandate to popularise...

Jamaica’s model for human capital development in the tourism sector will be presented at the United Nations World Tourism Organization’s (UNWTO) Meeting in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, on World Tourism Day (September 27). This was disclosed by Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, in a recent interview with JIS News. Mr. Bartlett informed that several global leaders in the...

The new Bail law will consider specific circumstances in determining whether a person released on bail has absconded. Clause 14 of the legislation states that a defendant commits the offence of absconding if he/she fails to surrender to custody at the appointed time or as soon as possible thereafter. Speaking in an interview with JIS News, Minister of Legal and...

There was a 6.7 per cent decrease in the number of complaints received at public health facilities in the first quarter of the current financial year as noted by the Ministry of Health and Wellness’ Complaints Management System (CMS). During a recent quarterly press briefing, Portfolio Minister, Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton, indicated that comparative to quarter one last financial...

The soon-to-be-legislated Deposit Refund will seek to improve recycling activities locally. This will boost the effort to improve the country’s environmental and waste management thrust. To date, the scheme, which is voluntary, provides a cash refund to consumers who return their plastic bottles after use. Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation with responsibility for...

Vulnerable groups, such as the elderly and children, as well as front-line healthcare workers are being encouraged to get the influenza vaccine. The influenza season normally starts in October. The flu is an acute viral infection that spreads easily from person to person, mainly by coughing, sneezing and through close contact. Speaking on the JIS Television Programme, ‘Get the Facts’,...