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Community safety and security will be the main focus for Community Month 2009, which will be observed in November under the theme: 'Community Safety: Our Responsibility'. This was revealed by the Director of Governance at the Social Development Commission (SDC), Sherine Walker Francis, at a Think Tank held on Wednesday (Oct. 21) at the Jamaica Information Service's (JIS) head office...

Glenmuir High School in Clarendon has once again copped the Marcus Garvey Award for Excellence in the 2009 Jamaica Cultural Development Commission's (JCDC) Performing Arts competition. The institution racked up more that 50 medals and several trophies at the parish and national levels of the competition to gain their second hold on the prestigious award, which they first won in...

Members of the St. Elizabeth Homecoming Foundation will undertake two weeks of motivational talks in schools across the parish, from November 2 to 13, to help children stay away from drugs. "It is aimed at character building and career guidance for our students in the parish. It will end on November 13 with a Students Day at Munro College," Vice...

Minister without Portfolio in the Office of the Prime Minister with responsibility for Information, Telecommunications and Special Projects, Hon. Daryl Vaz, has confirmed that Minister of National Security, Senator the Hon. Dwight Nelson, returned to Jamaica today (October 15), and will report to work on Tuesday morning (October 20), following the National Heroes Day holiday. Minister Vaz said that having...

Minister of Education, Honourable Andrew Holness, has said he is satisfied that there was no breakdown in security at the Duhaney Park Primary School in St. Andrew, where a student went missing on Tuesday (October 13). Yesterday (October 14), members of the community demonstrated at the school, padlocking the gates and forcing classes to be suspended for the day, following...

The Manchester Chamber of Commerce is calling on residents to work within the law, in confronting criminal elements in their communities. The Chamber made the call after media reports surfaced Friday alleging that a number of licensed firearm holders and business operators, in the parish, had formed themselves into a group to go after a criminal ring targeting children and...

Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Owen Ellington, has said that law enforcement agencies will have to employ new strategies and policy initiatives in order to effectively tackle organised crime in Jamaica. "If we (security forces) are going to be successful at dealing with group crimes, we are going to have to look at expanding conspiracy theories. We are going to...

Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) in Charge of the Community Safety and Security Branch of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF), John McLean, has listed reinvigorating Neighbourhood Watch groups among the priorities being undertaken through the community policing initiative. Speaking to JIS News at a Think Tank Session, ACP McLean said that a reinvigorated Neighbourhood Watch programme, will encourage people to...

On the advice of a team of doctors at the University Hospital of the West Indies, Senator the Hon. Dwight Nelson, Minister of National Security, left the country early this morning for the United States of America, to seek medical treatment for an unusual vascular problem resulting from intestinal complications. Minister Nelson will have further consultations with doctors in the...

In an effort to provide its services to more Jamaicans, the Passport, Immigration and Citizenship Agency (PICA), plans to visit more communities with its mobile unit. Speaking in an interview with JIS News on Wednesday (October 7), Customer Service Manager at PICA, Stephanie Gordon, said that there is an overwhelming demand from citizens for the services of the agency. "We...

Minister of Education, Hon Andrew Holness, has implored newly appointed Deans of Discipline to ensure they are not seen as "enforcers with a belt", but that they develop a sustainable framework for maintaining discipline in schools. "Any behaviour management strategy that relies on fear is usually very short term. It doesn't change behaviour, all it does is it controls behaviour,"...

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of National Security, Major Richard Reese, has said that a two-day seminar on organised crime in Jamaica, which ended Wednesday (October 7), will enhance local capabilities and strategies in combating the problem. "On behalf of the Ministry of National Security, I would like to signal our deep appreciation for this assistance programme, and we will...