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The House of Representatives on Tuesday (January 19) passed legislation to make it compulsory to convert Government securities into a dematerialised security or electronic format. Minister of Finance and the Public Service, Hon. Audley Shaw, who piloted the Bill, explained that the move will provide for "the speedy settlement and trading of securities, and result in cost-savings and risk mitigation...

Chaplain of the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF), Rev. Webster Edwards, has urged members of the nation's security forces to display strength, courage and resoluteness in executing their duties, in the face of challenges, which they may face.' "So very often you (security forces) bear the brunt of the wrath of those whom you are seeking to serve. The security services...

The Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) has established a base camp in Haiti from which all Caricom donations and aid staff are being dispatched. The United Nations is the leading international support on the ground and the JDF is included in daily morning meetings at their headquarters and will play a role in the relief efforts as required. This was reported...

The Government is moving to alleviate overcrowding in the island's prisons, with Cabinet's approval of measures for the full implementation of the electronic monitoring of criminal offenders. Electronic monitoring is a surveillance system, used by correctional services globally, to monitor the activities of convicted offenders who have been granted conditional release from incarceration. The process involves attaching an anklet to...

Minister of National Security, Senator the Hon. Dwight Nelson, has said that the Ministry, through the Department of Correctional Services (DCS), will be vigorously pursuing alternatives to incarceration this year. In a speech read by Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Major Richard Reese, during the DCS' thanksgiving and commitment service at the St. Paul's United Church in Kingston today (January...

The Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) is crediting its close collaboration with the Customs Department for the seizure of 12 guns and 730 assorted rounds of ammunition at Port Bustamante in Kingston on Monday (January 11). The cache of illegal weapons and ammunition was discovered hidden in cargo declared to contain two barrels, a compressor and power washer. An X-ray conducted...

Acting Commissioner of Police, Owen Ellington has heaped praise on the Contraband Enforcement Team (CET ), Customs and Police and members of the Transnational Crime and Narcotics Division (TCND) following the seizure yesterday at Port Bustamante in Kingston of 12 guns and over 700 assorted rounds of ammunition. Commenting on the work of the police, Mr Ellington said he was...

Jamaica has no immediate plans to implement the use of the millimeter wave machine, used for electronic body scanning, at the nation's airports. Director of the Jamaica Civil Aviation Authority (JCAA), Lieutenant Colonel Oscar Darby, told JIS News that while the machine is very useful, "we don't know as yet the extent to which it can be operated in our...

The Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) is planning to increase personnel by 800 recruits this year. This would increase the size of the JCF to 9,200, and police complement to 13,000, including the additional 1,800 members of the Island Special Constabulary Force (ISCF) and 2,000 Special Constables. This was revealed by Communications Director for the JCF, Karl Angell, at a press...

If it is one advice that juvenile offender Damien Jackson* has for the country's young men, to turn them away from a life of crime, it is for them to value themselves. It is an important lesson that he, himself, had to learn the hard way. Damien strongly believes that not placing value in himself, coupled with negative thoughts and...

The police have reported a 10 per cent increase in operational activities for 2009, with raids leading the way. Providing the figures at a press briefing at the Police Officers' Club, Hope Road, Kingston on Thursday (January 7), Acting Deputy Commissioner in Charge of Operations, Glenmore Hinds, said that there were 53,967 raids, up from 42,387 in 2008, or a...

The Ministry of Health has issued a release advising the public that no crisis is impending at the Spanish Town Hospital, with the expiration of contracts of Senior House Officers. The release, issued following a meeting between Minister of Health, the Hon Rudyard Spencer, and representatives of the South East Regional Health Authority (SERHA), stated: "The Ministry of Health wishes...