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Prime Minister, Hon Bruce Golding, has announced that the United States Agency for International Aid and Development (USAID) has agreed to fund the renovation of vending facilities in downtown Kingston, to accommodate vendors recently taken off the streets. Mr. Golding said arrangements are being made with the Urban Development Corporation (UDC) and the Kingston and St. Andrew Corporation (KSAC) for...

Public sector entities are being encouraged to remain steadfast in their commitment to customer service excellence as their work directly impacts on the achievement of the nation's development imperatives and by extension the Vision 2030 Jamaica - National Development Plan. In an interview with JIS News, Acting Chief Standards and Monitoring Officer of the Public Sector Modernisation Division, Cabinet Office...

Ambassador of the United States of America, Pamela Bridgewater, paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister Bruce Golding at Jamaica House on November 9. Ms Bridgewater said that the United States continued to consider Jamaica as a valued partner and that she stood ready to work and strengthen good relations between Jamaica and her country. She gave the Prime Minster...

Minister with responsibility for Information, Telecommunications and Special Projects, Hon Daryl Vaz, has warned Jamaicans against letting down their guard in the future, after being spared the full onslaught of Hurricane Tomas Friday (November 5). "To those who might have felt that all they did was in vain, I would say to those skeptics, it is better to be safe...

Mayor of Morant Bay, Councillor Hanif Brown, says that despite the passage of Tropical Storm Tomas, the parish remains on alert for heavy rains which threatens its infrastructure, as well as persons living in low lying and flood prone areas. "We don't believe we are out of the woods, yet. There could still be heavy downpour from the outer bands...

Prime Minister, the Hon Bruce Golding, says the death of University of the West Indies' (UWI) Professor Emeritus, Alston Barrington "Barry" Chevannes, has dealt a tremendous blow to the academic, religious and cultural communities. "Professor Chevannes has left a void as an outstanding mentor in our society," Mr. Golding said, in a statement issued by Jamaica House shortly after the...

The Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM), says it will be advocating for transitional housing or relocation of persons in Chigwell, Forest, Pierce's Village in Hanover and New River in St. Elizabeth. Those communities are extremely susceptible to flooding and hurricane damage, with some still inundated following the passage of Tropical Storm Nicole. "We recognise that there are...

The Meteorological Service of Jamaica has lifted the Tropical Storm Warning for Jamaica, as Hurricane Tomas moves further away from the island. In addition, the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) has given the all clear for non-essential workers to resume duties today. The Met Service has advised that Jamaica is now outside of the range of tropical...

The National Meteorological Service has discontinued the Tropical Storm Warning for Jamaica with immediate effect even as Hurricane Tomas continues to strengthen near western Haiti. In light of this, the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) is advising that all non-essential workers within the public and private sectors in the Parishes of Kingston and St. Andrew, St. Thomas,...

Director General of the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM), Ronald Jackson, is cautioning business operators against asking non-essential workers to report for work after his office has advised otherwise. He said it was important that non-essential workers remain at home when instructed to do so, as the advisories are usually issued in times of serious threat from...

Jamaicans woke up this morning (November 5), to the news that Tomas, which had made the transformation from tropical depression to hurricane and back several times, is now a category 1 hurricane heading away from the island toward disaster ravaged Haiti. Director General of the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management, Ronald Jackson told JIS News that Tomas is...

Due to the Tropical Storm Warning which is still in effect for the island the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) and the Ministry of Education is directing that all schools in the Eastern Parishes - Kingston and St. Andrew, St. Thomas, St. Mary and Portland will remain closed for Friday November 5, 2010. The ODPEM continues to...