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The Jamaica Intellectual Property Office (JIPO) and the Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property (IPI) on Thursday (November 5) hosted the first of four workshops on the administration of a proposed Jamaican Geographical Indication (GI) system. The workshops, which are being held at the Knutsford Court Hotel, New Kingston, sensitise stakeholders, who will be directly involved in formulating the system,...

The Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) and the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ) have concluded a joint research project, which focussed on climate change awareness and adaptation strategies employed in farming and fishing communities in western Jamaica. The research project titled, 'Rapid Assessment: Community Climate Change Awareness and Adaptation Strategies Project', was funded by the Organization of...

The National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA) earned over $120 million last year and is making good on the promise made by Executive Director, Joan Gordon Webley, to ultimately end its dependence on subventions from the national budget. This was explained by Mrs. Gordon Webley to a JIS Think Tank on Wednesday, November fourth. "I can say to you that...

Prime Minister the Hon. Bruce Golding has indicated that the Government intends to speed up discussions with the Opposition on transforming the police force. Mr. Golding told the House of Representatives on Tuesday (November 3) that, while preliminary discussions have been held between the Government and the Opposition regarding more far-reaching measures to transform the police force, these discussions have...

Government is reviewing the viability of its postal outlets without reducing the vital services that they provide for rural residents. This assurance was given by Minister with responsibility for Information, Telecommunications and Special Projects in the Office of the Prime Minister, Daryl Vaz after visiting the Moneague Post Office and the Rio Hoe Postal Agency in St Ann recently. The...

Prime Minister the Hon. Bruce Golding has assured the country that the Government is close to resolving outstanding issues with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which will enable the Fund to proceed with its application for a US$1.2 billion standby loan agreement. Mr. Golding, in a statement to the House of Representatives on Tuesday (November 3), said that the departure...

Jamaica is slated to benefit from a $154, 769,042 (US$1,738,798) project to reduce the threat of invasive alien species (IAS) to the region's biodiversity. The project titled: 'Mitigating the Threats of Invasive Alien Species in the Insular Caribbean' is being funded by the United Nations Environment Programme's Global Environment Facility (UNEP-GEF), and was officially launched on Wednesday, October 28, at...

Micro, small and medium sized enterprises (MSMEs) are being positioned to make a more significant impact on the Jamaican economy, with a public consultation on policy suggestions for enhancing the sector. The public consultation at the Terra Nova Hotel, Kingston on Thursday (October 29), saw business leaders, members of academia, civil society and government policymakers exchanging ideas. Speaking on behalf...

General Manager of Petrojam, Winston Watson, has stated that the refinery is now ready to supply both grades of E10 (a blend of 10% ethanol and 90% gasoline) to service stations, islandwide. In an interview Friday (October 30) with JIS News, Mr. Watson disclosed that as of November 1, both E10 87 and E10 90 (Octane) will be rolled out...

Jamaica will be hosting important meetings of Foreign Ministers of Latin America and the Caribbean (CALC) on Integration and Development, and the Rio Group, November 4-6, at the Rose Hall Resort and Spa Hotel, Montego Bay St. James. In welcoming the meetings, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Hon. Dr. Kenneth Baugh, underscored their importance....

Chief Executive Officer of the Consumer Affairs Commission (CAC), Mrs. Dolsie Allen, has said that the use of the Consumer Alert publication is an effective medium of keeping consumers informed, so they can exercise greater intelligence in their purchasing decisions. Speaking at a Think Tank held yesterday (Oct. 29) at the JIS office in Kingston, Mrs. Allen pointed out that...

Disaster management, under the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM), is undergoing an important shift from a reactive, crisis response approach to one of proactive risk mitigation. "This has allowed ODPEM to develop innovative strategies to adapt to climate change, and particularly the more frequent and intense storms associated with it," researcher and doctoral student from the Department...