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Persons, who damage national monuments and heritage sites, could soon be slapped with stiffer penalties. The Jamaica National Heritage Trust (JNHT) is in the process of revising the Jamaica National Heritage Act, which governs the protection of the island's heritage, to, among other things, adjust the outdated fines prescribed for breaches. Legal Officer of the JNHT, Ms. Lisa Grant said...

Prime Minister, Hon. Bruce Golding, says that cyber crime has become a serious problem in Jamaica, which has to be addressed. "We are particularly familiar with the lotto scam in Montego Bay. It is not just the crime and the fraud that is committed, it is the murder to which it gives rise," Mr. Golding stated as he piloted the...

The Hope Bay police in Portland will soon be operating from new premises as a result of an agreement between the Ministries of Education and National Security. A cottage adjoining the Hope Bay All-age school, which previously housed teaching staff, has been refurbished at a cost of approximately $10 million to accommodate the police station. The three-bedroom, two-bath cottage was...

Prime Minister the Hon. Bruce Golding has paid tribute to the police's intervention which led to the find of a cache of guns and ammunition in the Mountain View area of Kingston, recently. However, Mr. Golding says that even these successes, with preliminary indications of police involvement, do not remove the need for an Independent Commission of Investigations to probe...

Minister of National Security, Senator the Hon. Dwight Nelson, Tuesday afternoon visited the Horizon Adult Remand Centre, Spanish Town Road, Kingston. The Remand Centre was the scene of Monday's disturbance, which left nine Correctional Officers and 40 inmates injured. None of the Correctional Officers was hospitalised, however, 15 inmates have been admitted to hospital, while 17 were treated and returned...

Minister of National Security, Senator the Hon Dwight Nelson, has said that there is a need for cooperation between regional drug law enforcement units, to increase their effectiveness. He posited the view in the context of what he said was the Caribbean's physical and social geography being exploited by international drug traffickers. "The challenges facing our administrations are, without question,...

The government has suspended the withdrawal of Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) troops from Haiti as the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) confirmed that it will send J$40 million to cover expenses incurred up to January 30. Minister with responsibility for Information, Daryl Vaz says, "CDEMA has committed to send us J$10 million today (Feb 4) and approved an additional...

Public Defender, Earl Witter, has said that police killings could be reduced, if members of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) had greater regard for the rules of engagement when attacked in the field. Mr. Witter was speaking Friday (January 29) at the annual award ceremony for top performers at the Bureau of Special Investigation (BSI), in downtown Kingston. Between July...

The Office of the Children's Advocate (OCA) today (February 4), launched its website, www.ocajamaica.com, which will serve as an additional public education and advocacy tool. Speaking at the launch, which was held at the Institute of Jamaica, in downtown, Kingston, Children's Advocate, Mrs. Mary Clarke, explained that the website, designed and constructed with funding and technical assistance from the United...

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of National Security, Major Richard Reece, has charged graduates of a course under the Community Security Initiative (CSI) to "prove to the world that all you needed was an opportunity to succeed". He told the 28 graduates during a ceremony, Thursday (January 28), at the Excelsior Community College, where the computer repairs course was delivered,...

Minister of National Security, Senator the Hon. Dwight Nelson, has said that the impending anti-gang legislation could be perceived as "draconian," but emphasised that they are necessary, as organised crime is posing the greatest threat to citizens' security in the Caribbean. He was speaking at the opening ceremony for a United Nations Development Programme workshop on citizens' security in the...

The Private Security Regulation Authority (PSRA), has intensified its efforts to set standards for the private security industry to deliver quality service since 2009. "The PSRA ensured that the National Vocational Qualification of Jamaica Level One Standards in Security Operations were completed and circulated to all security companies," says Minister of National Security, Senator the Hon. Dwight Nelson. He added...