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Minister of State in the Office of the Prime Minister, with responsibility for Local Government, Robert Montague, has charged parish council heads to establish new methods and employ new ways of thinking, particularly in this time of global economic crisis. "I give you this charge because we are in serious times, times that require you to conduct business unusual, but...

An earthquake simulation exercise aimed at testing the responsiveness of tenants and users of the Portmore Town Centre Plaza in St. Catherine was held recently (Jan. 15) in observance of Earthquake Awareness week. The activity began at approximately 1:50 p.m. and involved the simulated search and rescue of nine persons with different injuries from a section of the building that...

In an effort to sensitize residents of St. Ann and heighten their awareness about the local government reform process, the St. Ann Parish Council will stage a series of town hall meetings across the parish beginning this month. The first of the meetings is scheduled for the St. Mark's Anglican Church Hall in Brown's Town on January 27, and they...

The St. Thomas Parish Council is moving to have repair work carried out on a section of the Hermitage Road in St. Thomas, which has been severely eroded over the years, and is in need of a retaining wall. Addressing Councillors at the Parish Council meeting held on Thursday (Jan 8) in Morant Bay, St Thomas, Mayor of Morant Bay,...

The national strategic development plan, Vision 2030, is receiving the support of the business community and other stakeholders of the parish of St. Catherine. Following a recent public consultation held at the Open Bible church Hall in Twickenham Park, President of the St. Catherine Chamber of Commerce, Don Robotham and Member of Parliament for South Central St. Catherine, Sharon Haye-Webster...

The St. Ann's Bay Community Development Fund (CDF) has disbursed $62.3 million in loans to 598 small business operators over the last decade. In her report at the institution's 10th Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the St. Ann's Bay Baptist Church Hall on April 29, Secretary/Treasurer, Delrose Mott, said that during the ten-year period, 118 persons received $10.9 million for...

The long awaited proposed draft of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of Jamaica is expected to head to Cabinet next month. The process, which commenced in 1998, has been spearheaded by the Industrial Safety Department at the Ministry of Labour and Social Security. Speaking to JIS News Robert Chung, Deputy Director of Occupational Safety and Health at the Ministry...

The National Solid Waste Management Project has been allocated $75 million in the 2004/05 Estimates of Expenditure, now before the House of Representatives. The project seeks to: improve the management of solid waste throughout the island, develop and implement new operational procedures as well as appropriate legislative and administrative systems, and convert the Riverton City Waste Disposal site into a...

Information Manager of the Barbados-based Caribbean Emergency Response Agency (CDERA), Terry Ally, has said that the Caribbean was moving from a "response and relief" mode towards strengthening partnerships within the region to create a culture of awareness and preparedness in disaster mitigation and management activities in the 21st century. Mr. Ally named policy makers, the media and popular culture as...

Twenty families from Rose Hall Lane in Kingston, whose homes were ravaged by fire in January of last year, recently received personal care packages and cash valued at $200,000 from several donor agencies. In a handing over ceremony coordinated by the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) in an open lot in the community, not far from where...

The St. Thomas Fire Division will be embarking on a project to assist needy persons, especially the aged, whose homes have been destroyed by fire and other disasters. Superintendent of the Division, Louiston Gooden, told JIS News that the department would be building one or two-room dwelling houses as well as carrying out repairs to homes of the "most needy"....

There has been a constant outpouring of goodwill and support from Jamaicans towards the Haitian refugees who have fled their country in the last two weeks. Several companies, community groups and organizations and private individuals have been donating food, clothing and other personal items to the emergency centres where the refugees are housed under the care and protection of the...