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A $2.3-billion allocation has been made to continue work on the Southern Plains Agricultural Development Project in the upcoming fiscal year. The sum has been budgeted in the 2023/24 Estimates of Expenditure, tabled in the House of Representatives by Minister of Finance and the Public Service, Dr. the Hon. Nigel Clarke, recently. The project, which began in December 2019, aims to provide access to irrigation water on fallow sugar lands, to increase agricultural productivity through the modernisation of the agricultural sector. It includes construction of wells and canal network and the development of the associated agricultural infrastructure in the arable areas of Amity Hall and Bridge Pen in St. Catherine and Parnassus in Clarendon. Up to December 2022, the drilling of three wells and yield test were completed in Parnassus, and abstraction licences were approved by the Water Resources Authority. Other physical achievements of the project include the completion of capacity-building for climate resilience and crop modelling, the design of agricultural buildings, the irrigation network design, the irrigation and road/draining works, and a gender-responsive training manual for farmer groups. For fiscal year 2023/24, anticipated physical targets of the project are to commence the construction of agricultural buildings and to complete the construction of irrigation network and roads/drainage infrastructure, as well as to complete the rehabilitation of Hartlands canal. This is in addition to the re-tender for contract to construct pump houses and reservoir at Amity Hall/Bridge Pen and the acquisition of GIS equipment for the NIC. (more) Southern Plains…2 The project is being implemented by the Ministry Agriculture and Fisheries, with co-funding from the Government of Jamaica and the Caribbean Development Bank. It is slated to end in December 2024. An additional $361.7 million has been earmarked to undertake activities in fiscal year 2024/25, if necessary.
A $2.3-billion allocation has been made to continue work on the Southern Plains Agricultural Development Project in the upcoming fiscal year. The sum has been budgeted in the 2023/24 Estimates of Expenditure, tabled in the House of Representatives by Minister of Finance and the Public Service, Dr. the Hon. Nigel Clarke, recently. The project, which began in December 2019, aims to provide access to irrigation water on fallow sugar lands, to increase agricultural productivity through the modernisation of the agricultural sector. It includes construction of wells and canal network and the development of the associated agricultural infrastructure in the arable areas of Amity Hall and Bridge Pen in St. Catherine and Parnassus in Clarendon. Up to December 2022, the drilling of three wells and yield test were completed in Parnassus, and abstraction licences were approved by the Water Resources Authority. Other physical achievements of the project include the completion of capacity-building for climate resilience and crop modelling, the design of agricultural buildings, the irrigation network design, the irrigation and road/draining works, and a gender-responsive training manual for farmer groups. For fiscal year 2023/24, anticipated physical targets of the project are to commence the construction of agricultural buildings and to complete the construction of irrigation network and roads/drainage infrastructure, as well as to complete the rehabilitation of Hartlands canal. This is in addition to the re-tender for contract to construct pump houses and reservoir at Amity Hall/Bridge Pen and the acquisition of GIS equipment for the NIC. (more) Southern Plains…2 The project is being implemented by the Ministry Agriculture and Fisheries, with co-funding from the Government of Jamaica and the Caribbean Development Bank. It is slated to end in December 2024. An additional $361.7 million has been earmarked to undertake activities in fiscal year 2024/25, if necessary.

Finance Minister Opens Budget Debate Today

The 2023/24 Budget Debate gets under way in the House of Representatives on Tuesday (March 7), with the opening presentation by Minister of Finance and the Public Service, Dr. the Hon. Nigel Clarke. He is expected to outline how the...
Annaleise Aiken, Team Leader for the Food Pilot Plant
Annaleise Aiken, Team Leader for the Food Pilot Plant

Beverage Production Businesses Benefit from Improved SRC Resources
Minister of State in the Ministry of National Security, Zavia Mayne.
Minister of State in the Ministry of National Security, Zavia Mayne.

Promotion at DCS Will Be Based on Performance – Zavia Mayne
Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, addresses a press conference at the Office of the Prime Minister in St. Andrew, on March 3.
Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, addresses a press conference at the Office of the Prime Minister in St. Andrew, on March 3.

PM Appeals for Conservation of Water
Minister of Education and Youth, Hon, Fayval Williams (centre), is surrounded by students at the 2023 staging of Jamaica Day on Friday (March 3), at the Dinthill Technical High School in St. Catherine.
Minister of Education and Youth, Hon, Fayval Williams (centre), is surrounded by students at the 2023 staging of Jamaica Day on Friday (March 3), at the Dinthill Technical High School in St. Catherine.

Schools Mandated to Focus on Civics and Character Development

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Jamaica Fire Brigade (JFB) Commissioner, Stewart Beckford, outlines the agency’s achievements for 2022, during an interview with JIS News at his office on Hagley Park Road in Kingston.
Local Government

Firefighters Equipped to Execute Duties

Jamaica Fire Brigade (JFB) Commissioner, Stewart Beckford, says several activities have been undertaken to safeguard firefighters and adequately equip them to execute their duties. He told JIS News that 130 sets of bunker gears and 150 pairs of firefighting gloves were procured in 2022. Bunker gear is the personal protective equipment (PPE) worn by firefighters. Commissioner Beckford informed that the...
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Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, Hon. Olivia Grange (right) is conferred with The Dame Grand Cross of the Imperial Order of the Star of Honour of Ethiopia, by His Imperial Highness Prince Ermias Sahle-Selassie, on March 4, at a special ceremony in Washington DC.

Minister Grange Honoured by Ethiopia

Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, Hon. Olivia Grange, has been invested as a Dame Grand Cross of the Imperial Order of the Star of Honour of Ethiopia. The investiture was made by the Crown Council of Ethiopia at the Command of His Imperial Highness, the Prince Ermias Sahle-Selassie, on March 4, at the Army Navy Club Hotel in...
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Executive Director of Jamaica Vacations (JamVac), Joy Roberts (second left), listens as Administrative/Procurement Coordinator at JamVac, Nadia White (left), discusses tourism careers with students from the Portmore Community College, at the Jamaica Centre of Tourism Innovation (JCTI) inaugural Career Expo, which was held at the Montego Bay Convention Centre in St. James, on Friday (March 3).
EducationTechnologyYouth

Hundreds of Students Take Part in JCTI Career Expo

More than 400 students from 17 schools across the island gathered at the Montego Bay Convention Centre in St. James on Friday (March 3) to participate in the Jamaica Centre of Tourism Innovation (JCTI) inaugural Career Expo. The expo was hosted in collaboration with the Tourism Product Development Company (TPDCo) and provided an opportunity for secondary and tertiary students to...
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Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Pearnel Charles Jr. (FILE)
Agriculture

Agriculture Ministry Allocated $21.25 Billion for 2023/24 Fiscal Year

The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries has been allocated $21.25 billion to undertake activities for the 2023/24 fiscal year. This represents a 19 per cent increase or $3.39 billion more than the previous year. Portfolio Minister, Hon. Pearnel Charles Jr. made the disclosure during a meeting of the Standing Finance Committee of the House of Representatives at Gordon House on...
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Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, Hon. Olivia Grange (centre) admires a bust of National Heroine the Right Excellent Nanny of the Maroons in Holywell, at the Blue and John Crow Mountains National Park. Sharing in the moment (from left) are Executive Director of the Jamaica Conservation and Development Trust (JCDT) Dr. Susan Otuokon, and Acting Colonel of the Charles Town Maroons, Marcia Douglas.
Culture

Bust of Nanny Unveiled

A bust of National Heroine, the Right Excellent Nanny of the Maroons, was recently unveiled in Holywell, at the Blue and John Crow Mountains National Park (BJCMNP). It was donated to the Jamaica Conservation and Development Trust (JCDT) by sculptor Mark Treunfels, who first came to Jamaica in 1989 as a United States (US) Peace Corps Volunteer, after finishing art...
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Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, Hon. Olivia Grange.
Sport

JADCO on Path to Certification

The Jamaica Anti-Doping Commission (JADCO) is on a path to achieving ISO 9001 quality management system certification. “The Commission has commenced its ISO 9001 Quality Management System certification, to meet international standards, and enhance Jamaica’s sporting image,” Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, Hon. Olivia Grange said. She was speaking during the Standing Finance Committee meeting of the House...
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Health Promotion and Education Officer for Hanover, Dwight Hill (left), accepts his award for dedicated service from Regional Technical Director at the Western Regional Health Authority (WRHA), Dr. Dianne Campbell – Stennett, during the WRHA’s Health Promotion and Education Team Building and Awards Ceremony held at Hotel Grand A View in Montego Bay, St. James on March 2 .
Health & Wellness

WRHA Honors Healthcare Workers

The Western Regional Health Authority (WRHA) on March 2, hosted its health promotion and education team building and awards ceremony at Hotel Grand A View in Montego Bay, St. James. During the event, Health Promotion and Education Officers and other staff members from across the region, participated in various team building exercises and were awarded for their stellar work in...
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