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Minister of State in the Office of the Prime Minister, with Responsibility for Local Government Reform, Robert Montague, has called on Jamaicans to rekindle the strong spirit of volunteerism and provide support for the indigent housing initiative, which is being embarked on by the Department of Local Government. Speaking at a Church Service at the Seventh Day Adventist Church of...

While it may be relatively easy for some Jamaicans to send their children to school and provide the means to secure a good education, for others it is a difficult task. In its bid to rid the country of illiteracy and guarantee that each child gets at least a secondary education, the Government increased the funds to beneficiaries of the...

Minister of Information, Culture, Youth and Sports, Olivia Grange, has emphasized that cultural preservation is an essential part of maintaining the history of the country. "The National Gallery of Jamaica belongs to the Jamaican people and their collections are an essential part of the heritage of all Jamaica, including citizens of the Diaspora," she said. Miss Grange was speaking at...

Jamaica's national fruit is on the rebound, following the lifting of a ban on exports of the product to the United States, due to higher than normal hypoglycine levels. In an interview with JIS News, Chief Technical Officer in the Ministry of Agriculture, Don McGlashan, informed that ackee continues to be one of the main crops in the Ministry's fruit...

Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Christopher Tufton, has said that a massive registration of farmers would be undertaken in the next two weeks, as a means of addressing some of the deficiencies in the farming sector. Addressing the Annual General Meeting of the Jamaica Agricultural Society (JAS) at the Denbigh show ground in Clarendon recently, he pointed out that the registration...

Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Christopher Tufton, has commended the Ebony Park HEART Academy in Clarendon for its proactive role in helping to address the issue of food security, which now faces not only Jamaica, but the rest of the world. "Despite all the discussions in the media, the world is facing a crisis as it relates to feeding itself," he...

Parish Organizer for the Clarendon chapter of the National Council for Senior Citizens (NCSC), Nova Williams-Taylor, is encouraging Jamaicans to recognise the worth of the senior citizens, and the contribution they are still capable of making to national life. Mrs. Williams-Taylor was speaking at the annual sports day, which was held recently at the Jamalco Sports Club in the parish....

Senior Education Officer, Esmelda McKenzie, has issued a challenge to young Jamaicans to make full use of all the facilities and opportunities available to them, as they seek to advance themselves. She also advised them to live by positive values, and to exercise discipline, integrity and determination in their quest to achieve their full potential. Mrs. McKenzie, who is attached...

The Registrar General's Department (RGD) has been selected as a semi-finalist for the prestigious Commonwealth Association for Public Administration and Management (CAPAM) 2008 International Innovation Awards for Customer Service. This selection is based on its improvements from 'Bedside Registration to Service Delivery,' under the theme, Citizen Empowerment and Service Delivery. The RGD received a letter of notification in June that...

Budgetary implications, political consideration and CARICOM's Common External Tariff (CET) are impeding Jamaica's chances of achieving effective tax reform that will make the tax system simpler, fairer, and enhance economic growth. Deputy Financial Secretary in the Taxation Division of the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service, Paul Lai, expressed this view at a JIS Think Tank yesterday (July 15),...

Minister of State in the Office of the Prime Minister, with Responsibility for Local Government Reform, Robert Montague, has said that the Government is in the process of more clearly defining the roles and responsibilities of Parish Councils. This will make them more effective in managing the local affairs of citizens, he said. "The draft constitution amendments have been completed...

The Ministry of Finance and the Public Service has given approval for an additional seven Crown Counsels to boost the capacity of the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, as it presents criminal cases before the court in a timely and efficient manner.The disclosure was made by the Director of Public Prosecutions, Paula Llewellyn, during a Think Tank session...