The House of Representatives recently approved amendment to the Maintenance Act. The legislation will provide for a maintenance order to be granted by the Court after a child attains the age of 18 years for the purpose of engaging in a course of education or training, whether or not an order of maintenance had been issued prior. Such order, however,...

This will allow for the period within which a by-election is to be held to fill a vacancy within an electoral division of a Municipal Corporation, be extended beyond the period of three months. The legislation was passed on July 23, after 25 Government members voted in favour of the amendment, while eight Opposition members voted against it, following the...

Based on the analysis of the damage assessments completed, so far, following Hurricane Beryl, it has been projected that 8,700 houses islandwide will require some level of support from the Government to aid in their recovery and rebuilding. “Of this amount, the vast majority would have suffered minor damage. Families whose houses have been totally destroyed, which, based on the...

Minister of Science, Energy, Telecommunications and Transport, Hon. Daryl Vaz, is urging the Jamaica Public Service (JPS) to “pull out all stops” to meet the deadlines for the restoration of electricity in communities across the island. Several areas remain without power since the July 3 passage of Hurricane Beryl. The Minister, in a statement in the House of Representatives on...

The National Works Agency (NWA) and National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA) have been allocated $1.3 billion under the National Clean-Up Programme forming part of the Government’s Hurricane Beryl Relief and Recovery Efforts. Of the sum, $800 million will go to the NWA, with the remaining $500 million programmed for the NSWMA. Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, made...

Telecommunications companies Digicel and Flow are reporting that significant coverage has been restored for customers, following the passage of Hurricane Beryl. Addressing the House of Representatives on July 16, Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, said Flow reported that as of July 15, out of a total of 782 sites, 588 are online and population coverage is 88 per...

Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining, Hon. Floyd Green, says assessments indicate that the agriculture sector incurred losses totalling $4.73 billion from the Hurricane Beryl’s passage. Making a statement in the House of Representatives on Tuesday (July 16), Mr. Green said the assessments indicate that 48,852 farmers have been impacted. He added that approximately 23,040 hectares of farmland have been...