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Minister of Health and Environment, Rudyard Spencer, has said that efforts will be made to utilize more biological control measures in the vector control programme, in order to make it more environmentally friendly. "A strategic shift will be made to place greater dependence on biological control measures; allowing the Ministry to deliver a more environmentally friendly and sustainable programme," the...

Minister of Health and Environment, Rudyard Spencer, has said that the Ministry has plans to fully develop a community-based mental health service. Making his presentation in the 2008/09 Sectoral Debate, at Gordon House, today (June 3), Mr. Spencer said the Ministry was working to enable access to all levels of health care closer to communities. "It is a fundamental right...

The Ministry of Health and Environment is appealing to parents and guardians with children between the ages 1 and 6 years to ensure that these children are fully immunized against measles. Children who have never been immunized or only partly immunized must be taken to the nearest health centre or their family doctor immediately. With the recent confirmation of a...

I rise to make my maiden presentation as Minister of Health and Environment at a time of great challenge and change in the global and local arenas. But Mr. Speaker, we in this Honourable House are the beneficiaries of a legacy that has been passed on by some of the most outstanding men and women who have served in these...

Minister of State in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Senator the Hon. Dr. Ronald Robinson will lead Jamaica's delegation to the 38th Regular Session of the General Assembly of the Organization of American States,(OAS) 1st June to 3rd June, in Medellin, Colombia. Minister Robinson departed the island today (Saturday) for the meeting which is being held as...

Jamaican Women of Washington, (JWOW), will host its sixth annual tea-off to good health and silent auction fundraiser on Sunday, June 8 at the Four Seasons Hotel in Washington, D.C. JWOW is a non-profit charity organization that works to raise awareness and provide support for women, children and families affected by important health and social issues. This year's fundraiser will...

Agriculture Minister, Dr. Christopher Tufton has said that the Government is committed to ensuring the sustainability of the island's forests. "In this regard, I have given my support and approval for the continuation of the process to transform the Forestry Department into an Executive Agency. As an Executive Agency, the Department is expected to function more effectively and be equipped...

Chancellor of the University of the West Indies (UWI), Sir George Alleyne, said that the UWI should be proud of its achievements over the past six decades. Sir Alleyne, who was delivering the keynote address at the University's 60th anniversary commemorative service at the Trinity Episcopal Church, Washington, D.C. on Sunday (June 1), said that a total of 75,000 students...

Director General of the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM), Ronald Jackson, has said that the organization is better prepared this hurricane season than last year. He was speaking at a press conference held recently at ODPEM's South Camp Road office in Kingston, as the agency kick starts activities for Disaster Preparedness Month under the theme: 'Disasters are...

Residents of Manchester are set to benefit from a series of initiatives aimed at stemming the incidence of crime in the parish. The Manchester Chamber of Commerce, the Ministers' Fraternal of Manchester and other stakeholders, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Manchester Police, as part of a crime initiative project in the parish. Dubbed the 'Close to...

Preliminary figures for the 2008 winter tourist season have indicated an 8.4 per cent increase in stopover arrivals over the similar period last year. For the January to March period, stopover arrivals were 483,959, up from 427,252 in 2007. Speaking with JIS News, Director of Tourism, Basil Smith noted that the figures are looking impressive so far and is anticipating...

The Coconut Industry Board (CIB) has outlined plans to make coconut production a sustainable enterprise, despite the ravages of the Lethal Yellowing disease. More than a million trees have been destroyed by the disease since 1997. Lethal Yellowing is caused by a type of bacteria which attacks many species of palms, including the coconut. The phytoplasmas (bacteria with a wall-less...