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KINGSTON — Minister of Labour and Social Security, Hon. Pearnel Charles, has announced that the Tackling Child Labour Through Education (TACKLE) Jamaica project will be spending some $25 million to help build policies and promulgate appropriate legislation to combat the incidence of child labour in Jamaica.  The Minister, who was addressing the TACKLE Jamaica Stakeholders’ Consultation at the Wyndham New...

KINGSTON — Minister of Labour and Social Security, Hon. Pearnel Charles, is assuring that issues relating to the United States (US) Overseas Employment Programme should be resolved shortly. Mr. Charles was referring to measures implemented by the US Government in 2009, which prohibit the collection of recruitment fees for job placement for workers with H-2A (agricultural) and H-2B (non-agricultural) visas....

KINGSTON — Minister of Labour and Social Security, Hon. Pearnel Charles, says the United States (US) Overseas Employment Programme remains in tact and viable. “Indeed, we have begun to see improvements in the numbers since the recession and the prospects appear favourable,” he said during on August 30 sitting of the House of Representatives held at the Jamaica Conference Centre,...

KINGSTON — It is always heartwarming for parents to watch their children develop, whether their bundle of joy is able-bodied or has special needs. Children with various forms of special needs have been receiving attention through the Government's Early Stimulation Programme (ESP), which seeks to assist disabled children to develop on their weak areas and eventually lead productive lives. Speaking...

KINGSTON — General Secretary, Jamaica Association of Local Government Officers (JALGO), Helene Davis Whyte, says that public sector workers have an important role to play in the development of gender sensitive policies being implemented by Caribbean Governments. "This is something as public sector workers we will have to look at, to ensure that we play our own part in trying...

KINGSTON — The Ministry of Labour and Social Security, through its energy conservation programme, has saved approximately $9 million in its energy bill for its offices during 2010/11. This disclosure was made by Chief Technical Director in the Ministry, Errol Miller, during the Ministry’s Energy Conservation Awards Ceremony, on July 20, 2011 at the Ministry’s North Street office. Individuals and...

KINGSTON — To promote self sufficiency among working-age beneficiaries under its Programme of Advancement Through Heath and Education (PATH), the Government has made $70 million available in grants to assist persons with various micro-business ventures. The grants, which were approved by the Government in January this year, is expected to benefit at least 1,000 clients, with each receiving a maximum...

KINGSTON — Fifty four beneficiaries of the Programme of Advancement Through Health and Education (PATH) have received $3 million in Government grants, to assist with micro-business ventures. They were handed their cheques at a ceremony at the Knutsford Court Hotel, New Kingston on Wednesday June 22. The funds were provided under the $70 million Entrepreneurship Grant Initiative of PATH’s Steps-to-Work...

KINGSTON — Minister of Labour and Social Security, Hon. Pearnel Charles says there will be changes in the methods of  payment to pensioners. He pointed out that some of the options currently being considered include: direct deposits to pensioners’ bank accounts; monthly payments instead of fortnightly payments; and payments with cheques, instead of pension vouchers. Addressing  the House of Representatives...

KINGSTON — For centuries, children worldwide have been experiencing some form of child labour and, in worse case scenarios, forced to work in even hazardous conditions. Child Labour, a form of abuse, constitutes any work done by children which is mentally, physically, socially or morally dangerous, harmful to them and interferes with their schooling. In Jamaica, under the Child Care...

KINGSTON — Giving children from inner city communities an opportunity for a solid educational and developmental base has been the mission of the Voluntary Organisation for the Upliftment of Children (VOUCH) for the past 32 years. A non-governmental agency, VOUCH, which was created in 1979 with the merger of two children's organizations - the Child Welfare Association and the Jamaica...

KINGSTON — Residents of Brandon Hill and Belair in West Rural St. Andrew are to benefit from a bridge and road rehabilitation project, which will be undertaken through $18.04 million in funding from the Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF). Officers from JSIF and the Brandon Hill/Belair/Jamaica Agricultural Society (JAS) sponsoring group, on May 25 signed the contract for the project...