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13.3 Per Cent Increase in Work Permit Applications Last Year

The Ministry of Labour and Social Security received 5,651 work permit applications in 2024, an increase of 13.3 per cent compared with 2023. Of the applications received, 3,080 were for renewal and 2,571 were for new permits. The information is...
Jamaica 4-H Clubs Executive Director, Peter Thompson.
Jamaica 4-H Clubs Executive Director, Peter Thompson.

Jamaica 4-h Clubs to Partner With Labour Ministry to Train Persons for Overseas Programme
Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Pearnel Charles Jr.
Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Pearnel Charles Jr.

Ministry Launches App to Assist Persons with Disabilities
Minister of Labour and Social Security, Hon. Pearnel Charles Jr., addresses the Social Development Commission (SDC) and the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ) governance conference held at the Wembley Centre of Excellence in Hayes, Clarendon, on July 22.
Minister of Labour and Social Security, Hon. Pearnel Charles Jr., addresses the Social Development Commission (SDC) and the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ) governance conference held at the Wembley Centre of Excellence in Hayes, Clarendon, on July 22.

PHOTOS: Minister Charles Jr. at the SDC/PIOJ Governance Forum in Clarendon
Chair of the Sexual Harassment Tribunal, Justice Ferdinand Smith (Retired), delivers remarks during the Sexual Harassment Tribunal Swearing-in Ceremony and Designation of Authorised Officers, held on Thursday (July 17), at the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, in New Kingston. Eighteen Authorised Officers have been officially appointed to enforce provisions of the Sexual Harassment (Protection and Prevention) Act, 2021, while 14 Tribunal members were sworn in to adjudicate cases under the legislation islandwide.
Chair of the Sexual Harassment Tribunal, Justice Ferdinand Smith (Retired), delivers remarks during the Sexual Harassment Tribunal Swearing-in Ceremony and Designation of Authorised Officers, held on Thursday (July 17), at the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, in New Kingston. Eighteen Authorised Officers have been officially appointed to enforce provisions of the Sexual Harassment (Protection and Prevention) Act, 2021, while 14 Tribunal members were sworn in to adjudicate cases under the legislation islandwide.

Bureau Of Gender Affairs Reviews More Than 80 Workplace Policies

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Minister of Labour and Social Security, Hon. Pearnel Charles Jr. (seventh right), joins award recipients at the Industrial Disputes Tribunal’s (IDT) 50th Anniversary Luncheon and Awards Ceremony held on July 11 at the Courtleigh Hotel and Suites in New Kingston. Also sharing the moment are Acting Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Dione Jennings (seventh left), and former Labour Minister, Pearnel Charles Sr. (eighth left).
LabourSocial Security

Gov’t Aligning Labour with Global Trends While Safeguarding Rights – Minister Charles Jr.

Minister of Labour and Social Security, Hon. Pearnel Charles Jr., has emphasised the Government’s commitment to aligning labour practices with global trends while safeguarding rights. The Minister was addressing the recent Industrial Disputes Tribunal (IDT) 50th Anniversary Luncheon and Awards Ceremony at the Courtleigh Hotel and Suites in New Kingston, where he highlighted the need for strategic transformation to ensure...
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Acting Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, Dione Jennings and Chairman of the Industrial Disputes Tribunal (IDT), Errol Miller (left), present an award to former Labour Minister, Pearnel Charles Sr., in recognition of his pivotal role in the 2010 amendment of the Labour Relations and Industrial Disputes Act (LRIDA). The presentation was made during the IDT’s 50th Anniversary Luncheon and Awards Ceremony held on Friday (July 11), at the Courtleigh Hotel and Suites in New Kingston.
Labour

Minister Charles Jr. Hails IDT for 50 Years of Promoting Industrial Harmony

Minister of Labour and Social Security, Hon. Pearnel Charles Jr, has hailed the Industrial Disputes Tribunal (IDT) as a vital institution in promoting industrial harmony and resolving workplace disputes.  He noted that over its 50-year history, “the IDT has functioned as a pillar of industrial democracy, standing tall through political transitions, something which Jamaica can be proud of.”   “The tribunal...
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Minister of Labour and Social Security, Hon. Pearnel Charles Jr., engages in conversation with (from left) Tamoya Thompson, Gabrielle Whittingham, Laurie Green and Janiella Wilson, at the Juici Patties Youth Leadership Workshop & Volunteerism Programme at The Verandah in Clarendon on Tuesday (July 8).
LabourSocial SecurityYouth

Students Urged to Uphold Discipline

Minister of Labour and Social Security, Hon. Pearnel Charles Jr., has charged students to make discipline their hallmark as they pursue success in their academic and personal lives. He noted that while natural talent can be a helpful starting point for achieving success, consistent discipline is crucial for sustained achievement and reaching one's full potential. “If you cannot develop good...
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State Minister in the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, Dr. the Hon. Norman Dunn (seated left), Acting Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Dione Jennings (centre), and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Deputy Country Representative, Mohammad Mohiuddin, share a moment with Early Stimulation Programme (ESP) graduate, Suewayne Watson. The occasion was the ESP graduation ceremony, held at the Apostolic Church of Jamaica, Bethel Temple, in downtown Kingston on Wednesday (July 9).
DevelopmentEducationLabourSocial SecurityYouth

ESP Celebrates 74 Graduates with Disabilities Transitioning to Primary School

Seventy-four students with diverse disabilities have successfully completed the Early Stimulation Programme (ESP), gaining the skills and support needed to transition confidently into primary-level education. Of the 74 graduates, 56 will transition to primary-level special education institutions, while 18 have been successfully integrated into the mainstream school system. Addressing the annual graduation ceremony on Wednesday (July 9) at the Apostolic...
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Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Pearnel Charles Jr.
LabourSocial Security

$1b Solidarity Programme Underscores Gov’t’s Equity Agenda – Minister Charles Jr

Minister of Labour and Social Security, Hon. Pearnel Charles Jr., says the $1-billion Solidarity Programme reflects the Government’s unwavering commitment to social justice, equity and the advancement of inclusive development for all Jamaicans. “The Solidarity Programme is not just about the cash grant. It is about dignity, visibility and access,” he said in a statement to the House of Representatives...
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Director, Local Economic Development, Social Development Commission (SDC), Avril Ranger provides details about the SDC
LabourLocal GovernmentSocial Security

Nearly 400 Grassroots Businesses Benefit Annually From SDC’s LEDSP

Nearly 400 grassroots businesses are receiving vital support annually to grow, formalise and thrive through the Social Development Commission’s (SDC) Local Economic Development Support Programme (LEDSP). Director, Local Economic Development at SDC, Avril Ranger told a recent JIS Think Tank that the programme began in May 2015 and has since become a vital source of technical assistance and capacity-building for...
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Prime Minister, Dr. the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, delivers the keynote address during Wednesday’s (June 25) launch of the Ministry of Labour and Social Security’s Solidarity Programme at Jamaica House
LabourPrime MinisterSocial SecurityTechnology

Gov’t Launches $1b Solidarity Programme to Support 50,000 Vulnerable Jamaicans

Fifty thousand vulnerable Jamaicans are set to benefit from the Ministry of Labour and Social Security’s $1-billion Solidarity Programme. The initiative was launched by Prime Minister, Dr. the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, on Wednesday (June 25) at Jamaica House. The Solidarity Programme will target the elderly; unattached youth, aged 18 to 35; persons with disabilities; informal and low-income workers; medically...
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