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Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller has given the assurance that all government relief and reconstruction assistance will be fully transparent, "leaving no room for suspicion." She was speaking this morning at a presentation function of the first batch of hurricane relief cheques to beneficiaries under the Programme For Advancement through Health and Education (PATH) and NIS pensioners. "At this time,...

The Consumer Affairs Commission (CAC) is advising property owners undertaking hurricane repairs to be vigilant and ensure that terms and conditions for work are clearly outlined to contractors before hiring them. In an interview with JIS News, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the CAC, Dolsie Allen, said that even in the haste to restore homes to livable conditions, homeowners must...

The police youth club movement, an important and integral part of the Jamaica Constabulary Force's Police Community Relations Branch, has helped to mould the life of young people across the island since its inception in 1954. Natasha-Lee Thompson, who joined the club at age 15 at the urging of a police officer, says that the movement has helped her to...

A preliminary estimate of the damage done to the agricultural sector in St. Mary by Hurricane Dean has been put at almost $2 billion by the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA). A breakdown of the estimate reveals that the greatest damage occurred in the banana industry, with losses amounting to $1.3 billion, followed by pulse production, which sustained a loss...

Persons who are neither Programme of Advancement Through Health and Education (PATH) beneficiaries nor National Insurance Scheme (NIS) pensioners, who suffered extreme damage during Hurricane Dean, will soon begin receiving vouchers to assist with food and other basic needs. The Ministers Fraternal in each parish and faith-based organisations are being asked to identify such persons. At a meeting with church...

The Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) is reporting that 988 persons are still housed in some 38 shelters that are open across the island. The parishes most affected and where shelters remain open are Clarendon and Kingston and St. Andrew. Commenting on the latest figures, Krechet Douglas-Greaves, Director of Information and Training at ODPEM told JIS News...

The St. Thomas Parish Council is proposing the establishment of a central emergency shelter for the parish. Head of the St. Thomas Parish Council, Mayor Joan Spencer, told JIS News that the Council will be writing to Prime Minister, Portia Simpson-Miller as well asthe relevant agencies, including the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM), outlining the proposal. According...

The National Works Agency (NWA) has said that while many of the traffic lights are back in working order at major intersections in the Kingston metropolitan area, the return of other signals will be dependent on the full restoration of electricity. "The 27 that are up and running, we have electricity going to that location so of the remaining 48,...

The passage of Hurricane Dean has not slowed operations at the Registrar General's Department (RGD), with the agency having received some 1,700 applications and printed more than 4,000 certificates since August 21. "Since August 21, we have accepted 1,717 applications and we have printed 4,527 certificates for our customers. On August 23, we received 108 applications for our express service...

A Canadian Forces C-17 jet left the country for Jamaica late last week with 32 tons of relief supplies for victims of Hurricane Dean. A release from the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) said that Minister of International Cooperation, Beverley Oda and Minister of National Defence and Minister of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, Peter Gordon MacKay oversaw the loading...

The National Response Team, led by the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM). has started shipping food, water and other aid to worst hit and isolated communities impacted by Hurricane Dean, and has plans to boost that relief support over the weekend. By Friday night (Aug. 24), persons in shelters in Portland Cottage, Clarendon and Old Harbour Bay,...

Assessments conducted by the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) have so far found damage in 150 communities across 12 parishes as a result of Hurricane Dean. Director General of ODPEM, Ronald Jackson, speaking at a press conference held at the agency's Camp Road headquarters on Friday (Aug. 24), said that the wind effects of the hurricane was...