The National Works Agency (NWA) is carrying out preparatory work in flood prone areas across the island to minimise any damage associated with the passage of Hurricane Matthew. Matthew, which is now a Category Four hurricane, is expected to impact the island as early as Sunday (October 2). A hurricane warning has been issued for Jamaica as at Saturday, October...

The Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF) has provided just over 2,000 bins and two wood-chipping machines, valuing nearly $22 million, to the National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA). These will be used to assist in improving garbage collection and disposal in 30 communities islandwide under a waste-separation and compost project being jointly undertaken by the agencies with input from the...

Local Government and Community Development Minister, Hon. Desmond McKenzie, says the administration remains committed to privatising garbage collection and disposal operations being carried out by the National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA). This, he says, would include the management of state-run disposal sites, such as Riverton City in Kingston and Retirement in St. James. Addressing journalists  on September 16 after...

The National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA) has commenced removing debris which partly contributed to flooding along sections of lower Marcus Garvey Drive in Kingston on September 9. Local Government and Community Development Minister, Hon. Desmond McKenzie, says the exercise will entail cleaning the adjacent Tivoli and Shoemaker gullies where hundreds of discarded plastic bottles and Styrofoam boxes have accumulated...

Minister of Local Government and Community Development, Hon. Desmond McKenzie, on September 16 tour sections of Marcus Garvey Drive in Kingston that were damaged by recent heavy rains. He will be accompanied by technical teams from the Ministry and the National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA). The aim of the visit is to assess and analyse the damage with the...

The Jamaica Fire Brigade (JFB) is to hand over firefighting kits to teams in two communities who have completed critical training in Bush Fire Management. The project, which received £70,000 (J$12.6 million) funding from the British High Commission, began as a pilot under the ‘National Community Fire and Life Safety Education Programme’ in the Mavis Bank community in St. Andrew...

Residents of several Hanover communities are praising the Ministry of Local Government and Community Development for implementation of the national clean-up programme in the parish. The five-day drive commenced in Hanover on Saturday, September  10, with the  communities  of  Johnson Town, Elgin Town, McQuarrie, Hopewell, Sandy Bay and  Lucea being cleared of tons of solid domestic waste. Expressing support for...