Several communities in rural St Andrew and eastern parishes remain marooned, following recent heavy rains across the island. Executive Director of the National Solid Waste Management Authority, Mr. Audley Gordon, is encouraging residents in these communities to bury their garbage until the communities are accessible. “About 60% of our waste is organic in nature and residents can bury these by...

The Kingston and St. Andrew Municipal Corporation (KSAMC) is looking at possible alternative routes to restore access to communities cut off by at least one major landslide along the Gordon Town Road in East Rural St. Andrew. Sections of the road have been severely damaged and made impassable following recent heavy rains. Mayor of Kingston, Senator Councillor Delroy Williams, made...

A Special Select Committee of Parliament has been established to deliberate on a motion to make the Portmore City Municipality Jamaica’s 15th parish. The committee will be chaired by St. Catherine South Central Member of Parliament, Dr. Andrew Wheatley. This was disclosed by Local Government and Rural Development Minister, Hon. Desmond McKenzie, as he tabled the motion during the sitting...

Members of the public are being implored to provide the correct information about the condition of a patient when they call the Jamaica Fire Brigade (JFB) to access emergency medical services (EMS). Officer in charge of the Fire Prevention Division and Public Relations Officer at the JFB, Emeleo Ebanks, said that there have been instances where, instead of telling the...

Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Hon. Desmond McKenzie has announced the appointment of Leslie Harrow, as the new Director-General of the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM), effective Monday, November 2. He made the announcement at a church service, to mark the launch of Local Government and Community Month on November 1, at the Webster Memorial...

The National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) says the implementation of a Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES) scheme, could bode well for the prolonged management of the Hope and Yallahs Watersheds. Both watersheds provide 40 percent of the water in Kingston and St. Andrew, but the volume of water is oftentimes affected by sedimentation caused by the removal of forest...

Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Hon. Desmond McKenzie, says that drive-in cinemas will be monitored to ensure that they operate in adherence to the coronavirus (COVID-19) protocols. “We are going to be engaging the operators… to ensure that the strict protocols surrounding how many persons can be in a motor vehicle will be worked out,” he said, while...