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Minister of State in the Ministry of Agriculture, J.C. Hutchinson has said that the time has come to take a long hard look at the banana industry, with a view to strategically reposition it. "The fact is, no other sub-sector is more susceptible to adverse weather conditions than the banana industry. We have simply had to rebuild every time there...

Minister of State in the Ministry of Agriculture, J.C. Hutchinson has emphasised that the growth of the agricultural sector is largely dependent on the growth of the cash crop sector. "Therefore, we have to identify crops that are competitive for us to compete globally, also to provide food security," Mr Hutchinson said as he made his contribution to the 2008/09...

The Ministry of Agriculture is exploring means of partnering with the private sector for greater value-added opportunities for the cocoa industry, as it seeks to widen prospects for that product. This collaboration with the private sector is being examined as part of a joint study being conducted by the Cocoa Industry Board (CIB) and the United States Agency for International...

Government will be spending some $652 million during the 2008/09 financial year to develop water supply projects in several parishes. Minister of State for Water and Housing, Everald Warmington made this disclosure while addressing a contract signing and ground breaking ceremony for the Fruitful Vale water supply system on April 30, at the Fruitful Vale All-age School in Portland. Mr....

Minister of State in the Ministry of Agriculture, J.C. Hutchinson has informed that the Ministry is to undertake the construction and rehabilitation of four irrigation systems. "The irrigation systems to be built and/or rehabilitated are Yallahs in St. Thomas; New Forrest/Duffs House in Manchester; Colbeck and St. Dorothy in St. Catherine; and Essex Valley in St. Elizabeth," Mr. Hutchinson said...

The Ministry of Labour and Social Security's Overseas Work Programme is being expanded to increase employment opportunities for Jamaican workers, said Minister with portfolio responsibility, Pearnel Charles. Making his contribution in the 2008/09 Sectoral Debate at Gordon House on Wednesday (May 21), Mr. Charles said that while the programme has worked well over the years, in recent times, "we have...

Prime Minister Bruce Golding has said that servicing the island's US$14 billion (J$995 billion) debt has had a crippling effect on the Government's ability to adequately fund critical public services, including health and education. Addressing Jamaicans in Manchester on May 22, he said the island had to spend more than US$200 million each year servicing the debt. "Every single day...

Minister of Labour and Social Security, Pearnel Charles, has said that the Ministry's Market Information System will be strengthened during the current financial year, to facilitate advertisement of job vacancies to more expeditiously address the needs of the country's investors. The Minister, who made the announcement in the House of Representatives on Wednesday (May 21), said that $5 million has...

The National Youth Service (NYS) will train 4, 200 young persons this fiscal year from a budget allocation of $707,368,000. This is a reduction from the 5,879 young persons, who were trained during the 2007/08 fiscal year. A total of 5,312 participants were engaged in 2006/07. As contained in a Ministry Paper tabled in the House of Representatives on May...

A new basic school is to be constructed in Bellas Gate, St. Catherine, on a piece of land, worth over $1 million, donated by playwright, Trevor Rhone, a former resident of the community. The land will be leased to the community for 49 years at $10 per year, with an option to renew. A contract signing ceremony for the donation...

Land adjacent to Holland Bamboo Avenue in St. Elizabeth has been earmarked for the establishment of the Holland Production Centre, which will, among other things, package and process local fruits and vegetables and assist farmers to market their crops and animals. The centre will be managed by the Holland Development Foundation, which has applied to lease 100 acres of land...

Education Minister, Andrew Holness spearheaded the planting of several fruit trees at the Seaward Primary and Junior High School in West Central St. Andrew, as part of activities marking Labour Day, today (May 23). The institution is one of several schools in the constituency where seedlings and vegetable seeds were planted, in keeping with the theme for Labour Day this...