The House of Representatives, on Tuesday (September 26), passed the Law Reform (Zones of Special Operations) (Special Security and Community Development Measures) (Amendment) Bill. The legislation was designed with a view to facilitate social transformation and community development measures that are essential for public order and maintaining the rule of law. In December 2020, a Joint Select Committee was convened...

Mariners and fishers are being urged to take the necessary safety precautions when they go to sea. These precautions, which include wearing life jackets and having communication devices, are practical actions that can be lifesaving in the event of an emergency. Speaking in an interview with JIS News, Lieutenant Commander Leonard Wynter of the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) Coast Guard,...

The Passport, Immigration and Citizenship Agency (PICA) will be procuring more immigration kiosks as it moves the nation’s airports to global travel standards. The automated immigration kiosks are designed to detect people’s travel history. They primarily facilitate smoother and quicker travel, as it validates the information that you would have submitted and will give you your landing record. Chief Executive...

The Government will be moving to fully implement the Public Officials Protection System (POPS) Policy in the 2024/25 financial year.   The implementation will result in an overhaul of the age-old practice of assigning members of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) to provide close protection support for public officials.   Addressing the Private Security Regulation Authority’s (PSRA) annual conference on Saturday (September...

The Montego Bay Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MBCCI) and the University of the Commonwealth Caribbean (UCC) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to undertake a comprehensive study on the impact of crime in the city of Montego Bay.   To be carried out by researchers from the UCC over the next three months, at a cost of $1 million,...

There has been significant take-up of the Passport Immigration and Citizenship Agency (PICA) e-passport since its introduction in April. Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for PICA, Andrew Wynter, told JIS News that the agency is pleased with the public’s response. “Since we have introduced the e-passport, I think we have probably issued maybe close to 100,000 passports; people have taken… to...

The Joint Select Committee reviewing the Cybercrimes Act is recommending harsher penalties for offences against a child. “The Committee supports the recommendation that there should be harsher penalties in relation to offences against children and that there should be a distinction between the penalties for offences committed against children by children and adult offenders,” said Minister of Science, Energy, Telecommunications...