Mayor of Montego Bay, Councillor Homer Davis, says the St. James Municipal Corporation continues to institute measures to mitigate the impact of natural disasters on the parish’s infrastructure. Councillor Davis, who chairs the Corporation, emphasized that disaster risk management is critical to sustainable development and, as such, the entity has been implementing systems on an ongoing basis to strengthen St....

A firefighter from Port Antonio Fire Station in Portland, administers oxygen to an employee of Frenchmen’s Cove Resort, during an earthquake simulation exercise at the resort in Portland on Thursday (March 5).The exercise was organised by the Ministry of Tourism and the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) as part of the Ministry's Disaster Response Programme, aimed at boosting the capacity of the...

The National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA) is to receive 20 new garbage trucks in May, says Minister of Local Government and Community Development, Hon. Desmond McKenzie. The trucks are the first of 120 additional units being procured by the Government to significantly boost the NSWMA fleet in order to improve garbage collection across the island. Minister McKenzie, who was...

Minister of Local Government and Community Development, Hon. Desmond McKenzie, says land has been identified to relocate the Church Corner landfill in St. Thomas, while an alternative location is being sought for the Doctors Road disposal site in Portland. He was speaking at Tuesday’s (March 3) meeting of the Standing Finance Committee of the House, whose members were reviewing the...

Minister of Local Government and Community Development, Hon. Desmond McKenzie, says the Bailey bridge to be erected at the Riverton City landfill in Kingston, at a cost of $75 million, is slated for completion by January 2021. Mr. McKenzie said the temporary bridge, for which funding has been earmarked in the 2020/21 Estimates of Expenditure, will replace the existing structure...

A $135 million water system upgrading project, which will bring the precious commodity to some 8000 residents in Portland Cottage, Clarendon, is expected to be fully operational by the end of April. Managing Director of the Rural Water Supply Limited (RWSL), Audley Thompson, told JIS News that the system commenced limited operation in October, and will shortly reach communities like...

Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, will be meeting with the National Disaster Committee on Thursday (March 4) as the Government takes proactive measures to deal with the threat of the coronavirus (COVID-19). The multi-agency committee, chaired by the Prime Minister, brings together all stakeholders for national disaster response. Mr. Holness said that among the outcomes of the meeting...