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MONTEGO BAY — With the 2010/2011 winter tourist season scheduled to close at the end of April, preliminary figures are already showing growth in the number of stop-over visitors.  This is in keeping with the Ministry of Tourism’s projections for a four to five percent growth for the period. Giving the main address at the opening ceremony of the Fourth...

KINGSTON — The Jamaica Civil Aviation Authority (JCAA) has indicated marked growth in the local aviation industry and, by extension, tourism, as a result of Government's decision to shift to an Open Skies policy. Speaking at a recent JIS Think Tank session, Director General of the JCAA, Colonel Oscar Derby, said the policy shift has already reaped benefits, with a...

KINGSTON — The Ministry of Transport and Works will commence revetment work at Roselle, St. Thomas and complete construction of the Hope River Bridge and associated protective works, this fiscal year. Funding of $4.3 billion is being channeled into the Transportation Infrastructure Rehabilitation Programme, which is being funded by the Government of Jamaica and the Inter American Development Bank (IDB)...

KINGSTON — The Government has earmarked $51.6 million for the Support for Decentralised Road Maintenance Programme, which aims to addresses issues related to road maintenance through the expansion of road preservation standards.  The provision has been made in the 2011/12 Estimates of Expenditure, now before the House of Representatives. Funded by the Jamaican Government and the Inter American Development Bank...

KINGSTON — The Jamaica Railway Corporation says the phased resumption of passenger train service could materialise within a month, after being dormant for nearly 20 years. JRC Chairman, Barry Bonitto, made this disclosure in an interview with JIS News following Saturday's April 16 test run of a reconditioned train between May Pen, Clarendon, and Linstead, St. Catherine. He said that...

Work to rehabilitate the Friday roadway in the Rio Grande Valley area of Portland is in its final stages and the thoroughfare is scheduled to be reopened shortly. The roadway, which provides access to a number of other communities including Ginger House, Comfort Castle, and Mill Bank, became impassable in February 2009, after numerous land slippages resulted in its complete...

MANDEVILLE — The National Works Agency (NWA) is advising that at 5 p.m. Friday April 15, the May Pen Railway Bridge, Main Street, Clarendon, will be closed to pedestrian traffic until Monday (April 18) at 6 a.m. Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the NWA, Patrick Wong, has advised that repair work on the bridge has started, and heavy equipment will...

MANDEVILLE — Minister of Transport and Works, Hon. Mike Henry, says he is satisfied with the progress of road work in Clarendon under the Jamaica Development Infrastructure Programme (JDIP). “I am pleased with what I have seen. This contract is performing well,” he said on April 12, following a tour of project areas in the parish of Clarendon. He informed...

MANDEVILLE — Minister of Transport and Works, Hon Mike Henry, has said that the expansion of infrastructural projects across Jamaica will increase economic activity. The Minister said that a number of ongoing or completed projects, including the extension of Highway 2000, are part of Government’s efforts to ensure that the economy grows. “The expansion will facilitate the connection between the...

Jamaica has put in place administrative arrangements with the Honorary Consul of Jamaica in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, that will simplify the issuing of multiple-entry visas. Cabinet last month noted that the Honorary Cousul is now authorised to issue multiple-entry visas valid for six months to bona fide business persons from Haiti. The previous process required approval from the Ministry of National Security. The announcement was...

MANDEVILLE — Minister of Education, Hon Andrew Holness, says that the safe school laws being drafted, will provide for proper training of drivers of public vehicles transporting students to and from school. The Minister made the announcement Friday April 8, at Holmwood Technical High School, Manchester. Mr. Holness, and Minister of Finance and the Public Service and Member of Parliament...

KINGSTON — Minister of Transport and Works, Hon Mike Henry, on April 2, toured several projects being worked on in Kingston and St. Andrew, under the Jamaica Development Infrastructure Programme (JDIP). The scope of work includes drainage construction, bridge construction, lighting and paving of the thoroughfares, and areas visited were Port Royal Street, Orange Street, New Port West, Pechon Street,...