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The Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) is leading Jamaica's response to Haiti's earthquake disaster of January 12. The Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) will transport supplies to the Haitian Capital departing at midnight January 13 and will serve as a base for the Prime Minister's visit tomorrow (Jan 14) and medical support thereafter. The ship will contain relief...

Prime Minister the Hon. Bruce Golding told the nation on Wednesday (Jan 13) night that the way forward for Jamaica is exciting, although it will not be without challenges. Speaking in a national broadcast in which he outlined new economic initiatives to reduce the debt and the budget deficit and widen the social safety net for the poor, Mr. Golding,...

Jamaica has agreed to an intensive and extensive programme of monitoring and surveillance by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), to ensure that it meets the targets of the new loan agreement, Prime Minister the Hon. Bruce Golding said Wednesday night (January 13). "There is data that we will have to transmit on a daily, weekly, fortnightly and monthly basis. We...

Holders of domestic Government bonds are to be formally invited this morning (January 14) to exchange them for new bonds that will carry much lower interest rates and extended maturities. Prime Minister the Hon. Bruce Golding told the nation Wednesday night (January 13) that the offer, which will be launched at the Bank of Jamaica auditorium in downtown Kingston as...

Jamaica will be relying heavily on the local branches of international charity organisations, such as the Red Cross and the Salvation Army, to help in co-ordinating its aid efforts to Haiti. At a post-Cabinet press briefing at Jamaica House in Kingston on Wednesday (January 13), Minister with responsibility for Information, Hon. Daryl Vaz, stated that with communications hampered and the...

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Hon. Dr. Kenneth Baugh in a letter to his Haitian counterpart, Her Excellency Marie-Michele Rey today (Wednesday Jan 13), expressed his deep regret and sadness to the Haitian Government and people for the suffering caused by the devastating earthquake that rocked that country. Dr. Baugh said that Jamaica stands...

The Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) is advising that given our limited storage capacity and other resource constraints we can only accept cash donations to assist with relief for Haiti at this time. Cash donations can be deposited at any National Commercial Bank (NCB) branch, account number 212387304. Persons who have other items they wish to donate...

Prime Minister the Hon. Bruce Golding, will lead a delegation, which will include the Leader of the Opposition the Most Hon. Portia Simpson Miller, to Haiti today (Jan. 14). The delegation will assess the nature of immediate assistance, which can be rendered by Jamaica in conjunction with international partners following the January 12 earthquake, which has devastated that country. Yesterday...

Former Prime Ministers, the Most Hon. PJ Patterson and the Most Hon. Edward Seaga have offered their assistance to the Government in response to the Haitian earthquake. In a letter addressed to Prime Minister the Hon. Bruce Golding and Opposition Leader the Most Hon. Portia Simpson Miller, the former leaders expressed support for the Government's move to offer immediate assistance...

The Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) will dispatch the first batch of supplies and personnel to Haiti tonight (January 13) as Jamaica begins support for the earthquake relief process. Speaking with JIS News, Director General of the ODPEM, Ronald Jackson said that a Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) Coast Guard vessel will be transporting the relief personnel and...

A literary and pictorial exhibition on earthquakes in Jamaica opened yesterday (Jan. 12) at the Hanover Parish Library in Lucea. Included are books and posters, which explain how an earthquake occurs, major quakes in Jamaica and their effects, emergency services, and the need to be prepared. The exhibition, which is open to the public, forms part of activities in the...

The Jamaica Defence Force will within the next 24 hours deploy a County Class Vessel with a Company Group of soldiers comprising one hundred and fifty (150) medical, engineering, infantry and logistics personnel as part of emergency rescue and relief efforts in Haiti. Personnel from the Jamaica Constabulary Force will also be included in this contingent. The contingent will take...