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President of the Jamaica Chess Federation (JCF), Attorney-at-Law Ian Wilkinson, has said that the game of chess should be an integral part of all national sporting bodies, as the athletes would benefit tremendously from exposure to the game. "I keep advocating from the platform at the Federation, that all sporting disciplines in Jamaica should have chess as their backbone. All...

As Government intensifies measures to address illiteracy, Minister of Education, Andrew Holness, has pointed to the need for a culture change, where the critical skills of reading and writing are encouraged in the home. "I am embarrassed to say that in the 21st Century, Jamaica is talking about the problem with illiteracy. We should have conquered that long time ago",...

The Manchester-based New Green Primary School has won the Windalco safety quiz competition for the fourth consecutive year. Eight primary schools from the parish vied for top honours in the keenly contested finals of the competition, which was held at the Kendal Conference Centre on earlier this week. Second place went to McIntosh Primary, while Mount Olivet Primary was adjudged...

Minister of Education, Andrew Holness, has said that the Government is working to address overcrowding in primary schools, noting that the population of these institutions should not exceed 1,000. Giving the main address at the official opening of a computer centre at the Corinaldi Avenue Primary School in Montego Bay on December 10, the Education Minister said that large school...

Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service, Senator Don Wehby, has urged the leaders of the Caribbean to work together to take steps to sustain their economies, in the face of the global economic turmoil. Senator Wehby, who was addressing the plenary session of the 32nd annual Caribbean and Central America Conference held recently in...

Ex-banana workers in St. Thomas are expected to attend a one-day Career Counselling Workshop, at the Hampton Court Community Centre, on Monday, December 15, beginning at 9:00 a.m. Hundreds of workers in the industry were laid off recently, following the closure of Eastern Banana Estates Limited. The workshop, organised by HEART Trust/NTA, is part of the Banana Sector Retraining Project...

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Works Agency (NWA), Milton Hodelin, has said that the Ministry of Transport and Works is forging a joint venture arrangement between the Island Traffic Authority and the Road Maintenance Fund, to facilitate improved delivery of the motor vehicle inspection services. "Importantly, this involves the procurement of modern equipment for the testing of motor...

The St. Augustine's Place of Safety for Boys, in Chapelton, Clarendon, has received computers, toiletries, basketballs, and articles of clothing, from Children of Jamaica Outreach (COJO). Chairman and Founder of COJO, Gary Williams, who handed over the items on December 11, informed JIS News that this non-profit organisation was founded out of the need to give back to the community,...

Nine teachers, who have retired from Maggotty High School, in St. Elizabeth, were honoured recently, for upwards of over 30 years service to the institution. At the ceremony, which was held at the school, the educators were lauded for contributing significantly to the academic success of the school, which is one of the newly upgraded high schools in the island....

Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce, Karl Samuda, has announced that based on the positive meetings that he has been having with distributors and retailers, Jamaicans could see a reduction in the prices of some basic food items. "I am satisfied that those meetings were held in a spirit of co-operation and understanding of the challenges we face, and in...

Tourism Minister, Edmund Bartlett, is optimistic that the sector will be able to withstand the impact, which the global economic downturn is expected to have on the industry. Speaking at a media forum on issues affecting the industry, at the Creative Production and Training Centre (CPTC), in Kingston, on December 11, Mr. Bartlett said that while the industry would be...

Debate on the death penalty commenced in the Upper House yesterday (Dec. 11), with legislators putting forward strong views for and against Jamaica retaining the method of punishment as part of the justice system Among those supporting the resumption of hanging was State Minister for National Security, Senator Arthur Williams, who said that even though he is fully aware that...