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With a report on Jamaica's Productivity levels over the past four decades showing a recurrent trend of low productivity, State Minister in the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, Hon. Andrew Gallimore, has said that there needs to be improvement in productivity and efficiency within the public and private sectors. Speaking at a JIS Think Tank session yesterday (Oct. 28),...

The employment forecast for Jamaica shows opportunities in education, health care and social assistance, and professional and business services, including Information Communication Technology (ICT). Hospitality, financial, scientific and technical services, construction, and creative and cultural industries, also show strong prospects. Manager of the Human Development Unit at the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ), Mr. Steven Kerr, made the revelation as...

Minister of Labour and Social Security, Hon. Pearnel Charles, has assured members of the Practical Nurses Association of Jamaica that the Government is exploring making financing available to them to pursue the Licensed Practical Nursing (LPN) programme. The programme is currently being offered at Knox Community College, Brown's Town Community College and the Nuttall Hospital, in collaboration with the Ministry...

Attorney-at-law, Noman Wright Q.C. has been appointed as the new chairman of the Industrial Disputes Tribunal (IDT). The announcement was made by Minister of Labour and Social Security, the Hon. Pearnel Charles, in the House of Representatives on Tuesday (October 6), as he piloted a Bill amending the Labour Relations and Industrial Disputes Act (LRIDA) which will, finally, allow non-unionised...

Matters relating to ageing and pensions were discussed at the first ever Regional Pensions Workshop, which was held at the Half Moon Hotel in Montego Bay, St. James, from October 8 to 9. Addressing participants at the official opening, Executive Director of the Financial Services Commission (FSC), Mr. Rohan Barnett, argued that with CARICOM adopting the Caribbean Regional Charter on...

The Ministry of Labour and Social Security has officially launched the 'We Need to Know' public education campaign, which encourages compliance among the beneficiaries of the Programme for Advancement Through Health and Education (PATH). The campaign seeks to ensure that parents or guardians of PATH beneficiaries who have started primary school, junior high, high school, or who have changed schools,...

Minister of State in the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, Hon. Andrew Gallimore, wants more programmes that will incorporate senior citizens in the "productive process", as well as engage them in pivotal roles in community building. In a brief address, delivered by Director of the National Insurance Scheme (NIS), Denzil Thorpe, at a National Council for Senior Citizens (NCSC)...

Representatives of the Jamaica Teachers' Association (JTA) and the Government signed an agreement Tuesday (September 29) at the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, Kingston, for the payment of salary arrears amounting to $8 billion. The parties agreed that the payments will be made as follows: Year 1 (2010-2011) - $4 billion, payable in two equal installments in May and...

Minister of Labour and Social Security, Hon. Pearnel Charles, says that in three weeks, he will be announcing how many jobs his Ministry has matched with persons looking for employment. "You can't have jobs if you don't have investments. Anywhere the jobs are, we are going after them," said the Minister to the audience at the Prime Minister's Town Hall...

Members of the St. Mary Golden Agers Clubs called on elderly residents of the parish on Monday (Sept. 21) presenting them with gift packages and spending quality time with them. The visits were part of National Senior Citizens Week observances from September 20 to 26. During the day, the club members shared a meal of local fare with the seniors...

The Ministry of Labour and Social Security is moving to implement a national plan of action to address child labour in Jamaica. The International Labour Organisation (ILO) estimates that 16,000 Jamaican children below the age of 18 are involved in child labour, with 7,000 said to be involved in the "worst forms of labour", which includes the sex trade and...

The Council of Voluntary Social Services (CVSS) is imploring more Jamaicans to volunteer their time in activities to uplift the nation, as it seeks to do its part to give Jamaica a 'Fresh Start'. The National Transformation Programme (NTP), under the Fresh Start Jamaica programme, is trumpeting volunteerism as one of the ways to build national pride and help to...