The inaugural Black River Film Festival, slated for June 28 to 30 in the breadbasket parish of St. Elizabeth, will place significant focus on empowering Jamaica’s youth in the field of filmmaking. The festival aims to not only unearth budding filmmakers but also ignite creativity within youngsters 14 to 18 years, when they attend a workshop slated for St. Elizabeth...

The stage is set for the third Public Sector Debate Competition, which promises to be bigger and better than before, with increased participation and prizes. The competition, spearheaded by the Transformation Implementation Unit (TIU), Ministry of Finance and the Public Service, in partnership with the Jamaican Association for Debating and Empowerment Limited (JADE), was launched on Wednesday (May 15), at...

Minister without Portfolio in the Office of the Prime Minister with Oversight for Skills and Digital Transformation, Senator Dr. the Hon. Dana Morris Dixon, has underscored the importance of upskilling and reskilling, noting that these are important for maintaining relevance and competitiveness in the rapidly changing job market. Addressing the virtual staging of the Jamaica Employers’ Federation (JEF) 40th annual...

Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Dr. Jacquiline Bisasor-McKenzie, has advised that Jamaica discontinued use of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine in July 2022. An application for its withdrawal globally took effect on May 7, and prior to that, the pharmaceutical company manufacturing the vaccine admitted in court documents that, in rare cases, it can cause blood clots. Addressing concerns during Wednesday’s (May...

Several technology projects executed by the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) over the last five years have served to significantly bolster the ongoing transformation of the organisation’s operational efficiency. These include establishing the Technology Branch, headed by an Assistant Commissioner of Police, to manage the entire technological transformation process within the JCF, working in collaboration with the Ministry of National Security,...

The Ministry of Education and Youth is receiving support from the Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF) to strengthen capacity in the special education sector. Approximately $34 million will be invested by the agency into various initiatives, including establishing special education standards, training teachers and principals and creating inclusive education spaces in schools across the island. The grant support is being...

The Factories Corporation of Jamaica (FCJ) has been directed to develop turnkey community micro-business parks islandwide as a means of creating more cost-effective operation spaces for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs). Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, made the disclosure during the launch of Adam and Eve Day Spa’s new location on Old Hope Road in Kingston on...