The Jamaica Productivity Centre (JPC) in the Ministry of Labour and Social Security is in the final stages of attaining ISO 9001:2015 certification. Portfolio Minister, Hon. Karl Samuda, in making the disclosure during the recent Sectoral debate presentation at Gordon House, said that the ISO certification will better enable the JPC to provide first-class services to all its stakeholders, while...

The Jamaica Business Development Corporation (JBDC) remains committed to enabling agrobusinesses in Jamaica to effectively engage in international markets. Speaking at the ‘JBDC Business Dialogue Forum’ on Monday (April 25), Deputy Chief Executive Officer at the JBDC, Harold Davis, said that agriculture plays a vital role in the Jamaican economy. Referencing the Ukraine and Russian war that has caused a...

Public bodies’ capital expenditure for fiscal year 2022/23 is projected to be $69.57 billion. The $37.58-billion National Housing Trust (NHT) budget and the $8.85 billion for National Water Commission (NWC) are expected to account for the lion’s share – $46.43 billion or 67 per cent – of the planned expenditure. Details of these and other entities’ spend are outlined in...

More than 3,000 certificates of title are scheduled to be delivered to persons resettled by bauxite mining companies. Minister of Transport and Mining, Hon. Audley Shaw, made the announcement during his contribution to the 2022/23 Sectoral Debate in the House of Representatives on April 27. He said that during 2021, the bauxite companies delivered 116 titles to resettled persons, bringing...

Research has shown that organisations, families and communities benefit when children are allowed to participate in decision-making, says Registrar at the National Children’s Registry (NCR), Warren Thompson. He was speaking at the official launch of Child Month 2022, at the Institute of Jamaica, recently. Child Month will be observed in May. The self-esteem of children is strengthened, they feel more...

Jamaica’s 60th anniversary of Independence activities was officially launched in London on April 25 with an entertainment package highlighting the island’s culture and heritage. Some 200 persons attended the event held at White City Studio, which was addressed by Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, and Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, Hon. Olivia Grange. Among the performers were...

The pilot student-passenger rail-service project was successfully implemented this January to provide safe and cost-effective transportation to students from Old Harbour and Linstead to Spanish Town. Six schools participated in the programme, where the trains carried more than 66 per cent of their capacity, transporting a combined total of 16,683 students on two round trips per day during the pilot....