The National Works Agency (NWA) will spend approximately $543 million on disaster mitigation works this year. This was disclosed by Manager, Communication and Customer Services, NWA, Stephen Shaw, during a National Disaster Risk Management Council Meeting, held recently at the Spanish Court Hotel in New Kingston. While highlighting the readiness of the Agency as it relates to the 2023 Atlantic...

Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) Chief of Operations for Jamaica, Lorenzo Escondeur, says sustainable tourism practices must be implemented and maintained locally to guard against the impact of climate change. Mr. Escondeur, who was speaking during a Ministry of Tourism Strategy Development Workshop at the Montego Bay Convention Centre in St. James on Friday (June 2), said it is also necessary...

Regional and sub-regional partnerships should seek to take steps to address challenges that were experienced by countries with limited capacity during the COVID-19 pandemic to prevent these from reoccurring, according to Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton.  These issues, Dr. Tufton notes, relate to equitable access to vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics, while citing stakeholder intervention as...

Private sector entities are being encouraged to invest in biodiversity as part of their corporate social responsibility by participating in the National Environment and Planning Agency’s (NEPA) Adopt-A-Mangrove programme.  Through this engagement, NEPA is seeking to leverage additional financial support for the management of several mangrove plots within the Palisadoes-Port Royal Protected Area (P-PRPA).  The P-PRPA is approximately 13,500 hectares...

A call has been made for Governments in the Caribbean to replace monuments to persons who enabled slavery and colonialism with memorials in honour of their own citizens who stood against injustice.  State Minister in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Hon. Alando Terrelonge, made the call while speaking on reparatory justice at the United Nations (UN) headquarters...

The time has come for Jamaica to re-establish the prominence of its renowned spices – turmeric, ginger and pimento – on the global stage, says Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining, Hon. Floyd Green.  Speaking on Thursday (June 1) during the launch of ‘Food for Progress Jamaica Spices’, a partnership with the United States of America to revitalise Jamaica’s spice...

The National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA) and its regional offices will be observing National Environmental Awareness Week from Sunday, June 4 to Saturday, June 10.  The Week, which is being observed under the theme, ‘End Travel Waste’, will also incorporate Solid Waste Day, on Tuesday, June 6.  Community Relations Manager, NSWMA, Kimberley Blair, told JIS News that the aim...