A united wave of community action and government collaboration culminated in a successful clean-up at the St Ann Infirmary on Saturday, February 28. Spearheaded by the Ministry of Local Government and Community Development, the initiative united national and local agencies in a concentrated effort to restore a safe, comfortable living environment for the infirmary’s 71 residents who had been temporarily...

Minister of Local Government and Community Development, Hon. Desmond McKenzie, said more will be done to address issues relating to mental health cases in infirmaries and drop-in facilities across the island. “Within our infirmaries right across the country, including the two Golden Age Homes, there are persons in these facilities that are affected by mental health problems. We have psychiatric...

A total of $334 million is being distributed to 1,217 households in Hanover under the Government’s Restoration of Owner or Occupant Family Shelters (ROOFS) initiative, as part of ongoing recovery efforts, following Hurricane Melissa. Minister of Labour and Social Security, Hon. Pearnel Charles Jr., made the announcement during the Hanover leg of the ROOFS handover ceremony, held at the Hanover...

The Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) has relaunched its ‘Strap Up Jamaica’ campaign, as part of intensified efforts to strengthen household resilience ahead of the 2026 Atlantic Hurricane season. The campaign, which aims to encourage safer roofing practices and greater disaster preparedness among homeowners, builders and contractors, will run until March 14 under the theme ‘Build Jamaica’s...

The Government, through the Hurricane Melissa Recovery Programme, has rolled out a $100-million support package to help banana and plantain farmers rebound, following widespread impacts to the nation’s crops by the category-five system in October. Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining, Hon. Floyd Green, said some 4,170 hectares of banana and plantain were damaged during the storm. He further noted...

Residents of Oracabessa, St. Mary, are enjoying a cleaner and more hygienic environment, thanks to an improvement in garbage collection by the NEPM National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA) in the area. Councillor for the Division, Ramon Henry, provided details at Tuesday’s (February 24) Public Health and Sanitation meeting of the St. Mary Municipal Corporation. The significant improvement, Mr. Henry...

The Constant Spring Police partnered with the National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA) to undertake a massive clean-up of the station grounds, creating a more welcoming environment for the police officers and members of the public whom they serve. The clean-up day, held on Saturday (February 21), involved the removal of unclaimed, derelict vehicles, furniture and other bulky items that...