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The redesigned website of the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC) was officially launched on November 12, by Youth, Sports and Culture Minister, Hon. Olivia Grange. The launch was held at Ardenne High School in St. Andrew, which copped the JCDC's prestigious Marcus Garvey Award for Excellence in the Performing Arts for 2010. The new website is: www.jcdc.gov.jm. In her address,...

Days after winning several industry awards in London, Jamaica scored a first by becoming the first country to produce a 3D promotional destination video. The Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) unveiled the video for the first time at the World Travel Market this week and launched it officially last night (November 10), at a reception, held at the Jamaican High Commission,...

A series of consultations are to begin on Thursday (November 11) to harvest views and suggestions on the various sub-policies under the Government's recently tabled National Energy Policy (NEP). The first in the series of consultations will be a two-day workshop at the Jamaica Conference Centre, downtown Kingston, which starts at 9 a.m. Thursday (November 11). It set the stage...

The Petroleum Corporation of Jamaica (PCJ) is to conduct an energy audit at the Cornwall Regional Hospital in St. James to see how the facility's massive light bill, which runs upwards of $100 million each year, can be pared. Minister of Energy and Mining, Hon. James Robertson, who spoke to JIS News during a tour of the hospital's energy system...

State Minister with responsibility for Local Government Reform, Hon. Robert Montague has informed that a solar/wind energy system will be installed at the Falmouth infirmary, in Trelawny, to reduce operating cost. "The tender is out to acquire that system and based on this experiment, we will be able to roll out this technology in other infirmaries," he told the House...

The Government has activated the national emergency response mechanism, with the Ministry of Health (MoH), as the lead agency, reviewing the cholera prevention plan of 1991 and devising a programme of action. This move comes as neighbouring country Haiti continues to experience outbreaks of cholera, which has caused nearly 300 deaths up to (Oct. 26). Jamaica has not had a...

State-run oil refinery, Petrojam, has donated books worth just under $1 million to two Corporate Area schools - St. Andrew Primary and Greenwich All Age, both situated on Spanish Town Road. Principals of both schools, Beverly Haase of St. Andrew Primary and Bryan Guscott of Greenwich All Age School, welcomed the donation of 1,120 workbooks by representatives of Petrojam, including...

The Public Sector Modernisation Division (PSMD) of the Cabinet Office is reporting that an increasing number of public sector entities are now utilising technology to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of their services. According to Acting Chief Standards and Monitoring Officer of the PSMD, Michele Gordon-Somers, the public sector has gone beyond looking at traditional concepts of customer service in...

The Caribbean Maritime Institute (CMI) is receiving US$50,000 in grant funding to embark on a renewable energy project, which involves utilising solar and wind energy to provide potable water for domestic purposes. Fisher folk on remote island outposts and residents in deep rural or remote locations are expected to benefit from the undertaking. The Global Environment Facility (GEF) Small Grants...

State-run oil refinery, Petrojam, has donated just under $1 million worth of books to the St. Andrew Primary and the Greenwich All-Age schools in Kingston. The books were presented to the Principals of both institutions on Wednesday (October 20). They formed part of Petrojam's community outreach programme, administered by a special committee of employees. Petrojam's General Manager, Winston Watson, said...

The lack of electricity in Hanover and Westmoreland is the main concern of residents in both parishes. Following the heavy rains over the last two days, several areas were flooded and power lines and poles damaged. This has left many areas without electricity up to Thursday (September 30). Disaster Preparedness Co-ordinator for Hanover, Olga Fae Headley, told JIS News that...

The Jamaica Public Service Company Ltd (JPS) has continued its efforts to restore power to customers affected by outages caused by the lightning and heavy winds associated with Tropical Storm Nicole. The Company's emergency teams have been working in all parishes to restore the just under 100,000 customers who remained without power up to this morning. JPS estimates that most...