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Prime Minister Bruce Golding is to head an impressive line-up of speakers with the keynote address at the 2008 Third Biennial Jamaican Diaspora Conference, to be held at the Jamaica Conference Centre in downtown Kingston from June 16-17. Among the other speakers are: Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Dr. Ken Baugh; Leader of the...

Commissioner of Police, Rear Admiral Hardley Lewin has highlighted four main areas of crime fighting that should reduce crime, build citizen confidence in the Police, and strengthen the human capacity in the Force. These include the dismantling of criminal networks, where persons involved in criminal activities are caught and punished; increased policing, which involves cordons and searches; curfews; and community...

Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Christopher Tufton has said that the current global food crisis has the potential to undermine all the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) set by world leaders at the United Nations in 2000, more so the target to halve extreme global poverty and hunger by 2015. "Left unchecked, not only will we see an increase in the number...

The web-based training programme, designed to assist teachers in their delivery of the Literacy 1-2-3 materials, is about 95 per cent complete and is on target to be fully ready for implementation in the new school term in September. Speaking with JIS News, Manager of the Primary Education Support Project (PESP), Jean Hastings explained that the programme is one of...

Governor General, His Excellency, the Most Hon. Professor Sir Kenneth Hall has said that he was encouraged and full of enthusiasm after meeting with Jamaicans in the United Kingdom (UK) during his recent visit. Speaking at a special reception in his honour, put on by the Derby West Indian Association, Sir Kenneth said Jamaicans in the UK have been loyal...

Government is to implement a national screening programme to identify children with hearing disability before they enter school. Prime Minister Bruce Golding said screening would be done at the post-natal stage and also before children enter basic and primary school. Mr. Golding was speaking on Sunday (June 8) while addressing the 70th anniversary church service of the Jamaica Association for...

The official launch of the ninth annual Portland Jerk Festival was held at Folly Estates in Port Antonio on Wednesday, June 4. The festival, formerly a one day event, will be held over a period of three days this year, commencing on Friday, July 4 and culminating on Sunday, July 6 with the main event being the food and music...

United Kingdom forensic psychologist, Dr. Tony Butler is in Jamaica to conduct an audit of the country's child protection system. The project is funded by the British High Commission at a cost of $1.7 million. "While I do not want to pre-empt the findings, I hope that one thing that will come out of this audit will be the reduction...

The Board of the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF) has approved more than $350 million for projects and programmes geared at enhancing the tourism product. Executive Director of the TEF, Ian Neita told JIS News that money has been allocated to improve heritage sites and resorts, develop small hotels and attractions as well as enhance the overall visitor experience. Of the...

The third Conference on Caribbean Security and Strategy, held at the Grand Lido Hotel in Negril, Westmoreland from June 2 to 6, has been hailed a success by facilitators and participants. "I think we have exceeded the objectives. I would have been happy if all that we achieved was to allow persons from different organizations, different countries, to get together...

Old England Primary and Junior High School in Manchester is to receive 10 computers from the Cable and Wireless Jamaica Foundation (CWJF), tomorrow (June 9), as part of its Computers for Schools Programme. The Programme is being undertaken in collaboration with Teens 4 Technology. Under this initiative, 108 schools across the island will be provided with 10 computers each, along...

Residents of North Western Clarendon have been urged to organise themselves in order to benefit from development projects in their communities. Speaking at a Constituency Development Fund (CDF) public consultation meeting held on June 5, at the Sunberry Primary School in the parish, Community Development Officer, Social Development Commission (SDC), Region 4, Anice Denton urged the residents to come together...