Funds will be released on Monday (January 13) for the construction of the first of two water shops in the parish of Portland, to meet the needs of residents in drought-affected communities. This announcement was made by Minister of Local Government and Community Development, Hon. Desmond McKenzie, on Thursday (January 9), in the parish. In an interview with JIS News...

Mayor of Black River, Councillor Derrick Sangster, says the Municipality will be proactive in its approach to mitigate the effects of drought in the parish, as the country enters yet another dry period. Mr. Sangster, who was addressing Thursday’s (January 9) monthly meeting of the St. Elizabeth Municipal Corporation, in Black River, cited a recent report from the Meteorological Service...

The National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA) is calling on citizens to help them in their drive to recognise high-performing sanitation workers. “We are asking citizens to give us their feedback on our service, because in 2020 one of the things that we will be doing is to recognise our sanitation workers more, based on performance. We know that some...

Coordinator for Disaster Preparedness in Westmoreland, Hilma Tate, says Community Disaster Plans are being prepared for several flood-prone areas in Savanna-la-Mar. She explained that the plans are being drafted out of a need to improve disaster risk management in the town, particularly at Hudson Street, Cooke Street and Llandilo. Ms. Tate told JIS News that the plans will outline the...

Minister of Local Government and Community Development, Hon. Desmond McKenzie, says that 35 houses will be delivered to indigent persons by the end of the financial year on March 31. “We are making a difference; we will continue to improve the infrastructure for those who are in need,” the Minister said, adding that the Poor Relief Department is being strengthened...

Residents of Savanna-la-Mar in Westmoreland are better prepared to respond to flooding and other natural disasters, following a flood-simulation exercise on January 7. The exercise was carried out across several sections of the town to include Hudson Street, Cooke Street and Llandilo. The initiative was organised by the Westmoreland Municipal Corporation and is a part of the Climate Change Adaptation...

Community Relations Officer at the National Works Agency (NWA) Western Office, Janel Ricketts, says the rehabilitation of the Somerton to Virgin Valley roadway in St. James is now complete. The 800-metre stretch of roadway was repaired at a cost of $21.8 million. Work commenced on the project on April 15 of last year. “As part of the project, we completed...