The National Water Commission (NWC) has collected $900 million in outstanding payments since the entity’s disconnection drive commenced in late 2020. President, Mark Barnett, who noted that some 20,700 accounts in arrears are being targeted, said the figure includes $384 million collected between May and July from 9,000 customers, whose service was subsequently restored. “It may not seem much compared...

     

Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton, says work will commence shortly on the construction of a field hospital at the Savanna-la-Mar Public General Hospital in Westmoreland. He indicated that the contractors have commenced excavation work, adding that “in the next couple of days, [they] will [be] putting in the base material and then, from there, they...

National Water Commission (NWC) President, Mark Barnett, says the organisation will be donating 10 tablet computers to one school in each parish. Mr. Barnett pointed out that while the organisation has not yet contacted the beneficiary schools identified, the entity’s regional managers are “keen to work closely with those institutions, especially [in] assessing the needs that exist in those communities”....

Gender-based violence (GBV) is among the key indicators being used in the 2021 Reproductive Health Survey (RHS). This was disclosed by Principal Director of the National Family Planning Board, Lovette Byfield, during a Jamaica Information Service (JIS) ‘Think Tank’ at the agency’s head office in Kingston on Wednesday (September 1). Other indicators include fertility; contraceptive use; knowledge, attitude, and practice,...

External demand for Jamaican agricultural produce and value-added items continues to increase, despite the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. This was disclosed by Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Floyd Green, during the virtual launch of the Agriculture Trade Enforcement Advisory Mechanism (ATEAM), on Thursday (September 2). Mr. Green informed that for the January to April 2021 quarter, Jamaica earned US$10 million...

Rainforest Seafoods Limited’s Microbiology Laboratory has been accredited to conduct food testing services at an international standard. The lab, which was established in 2019, has been accredited to the International Organization for Standardization (ISO)/International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) 17025: 2017 Standard, which affirms the entity’s technical competence and reliability in carrying out food testing. This will allow Rainforest to provide additional...