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The Jamaica Coalition for Tobacco Control (JCTC) has pledged to support the Government’s efforts to curtail smoking in public places through anticipated passage of anti-tobacco legislation. Minister of Health, Hon. Dr. Fenton Ferguson, has committed to advancing anti-smoking legislation in keeping with Jamaica’s obligations under the United Nations Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. “The Government’s passing of the law will...

The Government is developing a new National Security Policy, as part of a long-term strategy to address crime and violence. National Security Minister, Hon. Peter Bunting, speaking on February 21 Jamaica House briefing, said the policy will be implemented in two phases, with work on the first phase already 80 per cent complete and should be ready by the end...

The Independent Commission of Investigations (INDECOM) has opened its first satellite centre in the eastern parish of St. Thomas in an effort to increase access to its services. The centre, which is located at the Coke Methodist Church in Morant Bay, will be open every Friday at 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., to facilitate residents of the parish who may...

Representatives from the United Kingdom (UK) and the Caribbean have agreed to establish a UK/Caribbean Expertise Exchange Mechanism, to further collaborate in the fight against drugs and international crime. Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Senator the Hon. A.J. Nicholson, who was speaking in the Senate on February 10, revealed that the agreement came out of talks at the...

The capacity of the Department of Correctional Services (DCS) has been boosted, with the graduation of 149 new recruits from the Carl Rattray Staff College in Runaway Bay, St. Ann on Friday (Feb. 10). The recruits, which represent the 71st intake of correctional officers, successfully completed 20 weeks of intensive training at the institution. The 21 females and 128 males...

Minister of Local Government and Community Development, Hon. Noel Arscott, says the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) has activated its emergency powers and has called in the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) to assist in bringing the fire at the Riverton Landfill under control. He also pointed out that the Ministry of Health has been active in the...

The United States (US) Government has pledged to provide the Ministry of National Security with a number of non-lethal equipment to assist the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) in its efforts to reduce the number of police-related fatalities. The move comes just a week after Minister of National Security, Hon. Peter Bunting, said he would be looking to develop the necessary...

Justice Minister, Senator the Hon. Mark Golding, said he is exploring the possibility of establishing a compensation fund to assist victims of crime and violence, where such intervention by the state may be required. Speaking at the official opening of the May Pen Restorative Justice Centre in Clarendon on Tuesday (February 7), Senator Golding said currently, the criminal justice system...

The United States (US) government has donated vehicles and protective gear valued at approximately $64 million to the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) to boost its crime fighting efforts. Minister of National Security, Hon. Peter Bunting, accepted the items, which include 20 motor vehicles, 500 ballistic vests, and 500 tactical uniforms, at a handing over ceremony held Wednesday morning (February 8)...

Licensed firearm holders are being reminded that weapons left in the care of the police over a protracted period, will be destroyed. The reminder came from the Minister of National Security, Hon. Peter Bunting, on Tuesday Feb. 7, as he addressed the start of a weapons destruction exercise at the Jamaica Constabulary Forces’ (JCF) Armoury on Elletson Road, Kingston. “I...

To combat the illegal trade of firearms, approximately 4,000 weapons and about half ton of small arms ammunition are to be destroyed during a disposal exercise starting Tuesday Feb. 7. Some 2,000 guns will be disposed of today, in Kingston,  while the ammunition will be destroyed at the Jamaica Police Academy at Twickenham Park, St. Catherine, tomorrow (February 8). The...

The Office of the Children’s Registry (OCR) is putting more measures in place to eliminate the silence of child abuse. Several initiatives will be rolled out this year, as the organisation celebrates its fifth anniversary under the theme: ‘Celebrating Five Years of Breaking the Silence’. One such initiative is the establishment of a three-digit number, so that children may call...