Seven Shelter Managers across St. James were recognised by the St. James Municipal Corporation for dedicating more than two decades of their lives in service to the country. They were presented with long-service awards at a Shelter Management Conference, held at the Municipal Corporation’s office in Montego Bay on June 6. The awardees have been serving in the capacity since...

Minister of Local Government and Community Development, Hon. Desmond McKenzie, says he is pleased with the renovation of the Black River Fire Station in St. Elizabeth. The facility, which houses approximately 109 firefighters, was rehabilitated at a cost of more than $70 million. The scope of works included the addition of female and male dormitories, offices for the ground command,...

The $40 million ‘Canterbury Community Development Project’ in St. James has been endorsed by Minister of Local Government and Community Development, Hon. Desmond McKenzie. The initiative involves the construction of a multipurpose community centre that will be used for social events and the training of unskilled residents. It is a collaboration involving the St. James Municipal Corporation, United Nations (UN)-Habitat,...

Minister of Local Government and Community Development, Hon. Desmond McKenzie, has informed that recent burn victim Ackalia Dunkley will receive a new house through the Government’s Indigent Housing Programme. Young Ackalia suffered third-degree burns after a gas stove explosion at her home in Burnt Savannah, St. Elizabeth, on June 16. The grade-seven Black River High School student has since been...

A grateful Shawya Farquharson of Brompton, St. Elizabeth, has received a new house under the Government’s Indigent Housing Programme. The programme, which is delivered under the Ministry of Local Government and Community Development’s Municipal Social Assistance (MSA) programme, is designed to address the housing crisis among the poor and most vulnerable. The programme is carried out by the Poor Relief...

The capacity of the Jamaica Fire Brigade (JFB) to combat bush fires has been strengthened. Thirteen local firefighters were among a group of 35 personnel from across 13 Caribbean countries who benefited from training in bush fire management, which was conducted by the United States Forest Service (USFS) through its Natural Infrastructure for Caribbean Resilience (NICaR) programme. Bush fires, also...

Plans are advanced for the construction of a fire station in the Balaclava area of St. Elizabeth. Minister of Local Government and Community Development, Hon. Desmond McKenzie, on Wednesday (June 21), toured two possible sites to erect the facility in the community that borders the Manchester parish. “One of the locations is where the existing post office is, and it...