Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce with oversight responsibility for Agriculture and Fisheries, the Hon Audley Shaw says Jamaica has started to show strong signs of recovery due to relations with the diaspora and retrievals in the services of goods-producing industries. He said this resulted in a 12.9 per cent expansion on Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the second quarter...

Fixed penalties for offences under the Road Traffic Act are to be updated following the approval of this change to the legislation in both Houses of Parliament on Friday (November 5). The Road Traffic (Amendment, Validation and Indemnity) Bill, 2021 was passed without amendments during a marathon special sitting of the House of Representatives and the Senate. Minister of Transport...

Jamaica has moved a successful Motion for the inclusion of a Youth Forum in future Regional Platforms of the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR). The announcement was made by Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Hon. Desmond McKenzie, during his remarks at the closing ceremony of the Seventh Regional Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction in the...

The Financial Services Commission (FSC) will stage its first ever Financial Forum on Monday, November 8 and November 15, 2021, on the JIS’s website, YouTube and Twitter pages, and on the Jamaica News Network (JNN) from 10:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Director of Stakeholder Engagement, Communication and International Relations at the FSC, David Geddes, told JIS News that the forum...

The Judiciary of Jamaica has launched its Remote Hearing Guidelines aimed at providing guidance on the technological arrangements for the conduct of remote hearings in all courts. The guidelines are designed to ensure consistency and uniformity in these proceedings. Chief Justice the Honourable Mr. Justice Bryan Sykes, OJ, CD said the publication of the Remote Hearing Guidelines is part of...

Senior Health Education Officer at the Ministry of Health and Wellness, Julia Manderson-Steele, has emphasised the need for children to engage more in physical activities, especially in light of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Speaking at the Ministry’s Health Promotion and Education Review, held virtually on November 4, Mrs. Manderson-Steele informed that many children are falling victim to unhealthy lifestyles, worsened...

The National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA) and its western regional arm, Western Parks and Markets (WPM) Waste Management Limited, have launched a solid waste-reduction programme in the community of Chambers Pen in Hanover. The pilot programme will be executed in the form of a composting and plastic bottle separation competition among farmers and community members. At the culmination of...