More

The United States (US) Small Business Administration and the Jamaica Business Development Centre (JBDC) have signed a memorandum of understanding, which will provide the Jamaican organization with technical expertise and financial assistance in support of its efforts to assist the small business sector. The US Small Business Administration is a US government agency, which provides support to small businesses. Speaking...

The ethanol industry received a significant boost on June 21, following news that the United States has approved a bill to retain the current Caribbean Basin Initiative (CBI) duty regime, and extend it to 2011. "This is good news for Jamaica.for companies like Jamaica Broilers and others, and great news for persons who want to join the ethanol bandwagon, and...

Director of Elections, Danville Walker has expressed confidence that the Electoral Office of Jamaica (EOJ) can successfully roll out its new electronic voter identification system during the next general elections. Speaking at a recent Think Tank session at the Jamaica Information Service's head office on Half-Way -Tree -Road, Mr. Walker noted that the EOJ has been conducting ongoing simulation exercises...

Senator, Professor Trevor Munroe has called for direct representation of the Jamaican Diaspora at the government level. Addressing the 23rd annual awards banquet of the Jamaica National Movement (JNM) in New York on June 23, Senator Munroe said that overseas Jamaicans have made as much a contribution to the development of Jamaica as those living at home. He told the...

State Minister for Agriculture and Lands, Victor Cummings, has reminded entities engaged in the local minerals industry to include the restoration of mined-out lands, as part of their normal operations. Speaking at the 32nd annual staging of the National Minerals Industry Safety Awards ceremony last week at the Terra Nova Hotel, the State Minister stressed that mining companies had an...

The bauxite and alumina company, WINDALCo, has been assisting with the development of sports in the island, by sponsoring an under 12 cricket competition for preparatory and primary schools in St. Catherine. "We want to develop young cricket talent in St. Catherine, both male and female," Venton Brown, Employee Community Relations Officer for WINDALCo at the Ewarton plant in the...

Plans are well advanced by the Electoral Office of Jamaica (EOJ) to introduce a new Elector Registration Identification Card in 2008. Speaking at a JIS 'Think Tank' on June 21, Director of Elections, Danville Walker said that, "the new card will look a lot 'prettier', have more security features and will contain the individual's address and date of birth, a...

Farmers of the Beacon/Little Park Water Users Association, an entity which operates in the Pedro Plains area of South St. Elizabeth, eagerly await the official commissioning of an irrigation project this week by Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller. The project forms part of the Government's National Irrigation Development Master Plan, which is being spearheaded by the National Irrigation Commission (NIC),...

Minister of Agriculture and Lands, Roger Clarke has dismissed reports that removing the import duties on beef will erode the local beef industry. Speaking at the 112th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Jamaica Agricultural Society (JAS) at the Jamaica Conference Centre in Kingston recently Minister Clarke noted that while beef and its by-products are currently in high demand, the...

Minister of Industry Technology, Energy and Commerce (MITEC), Phillip Paulwell, during a familiarization tour of the Petrojam refinery in Kingston yesterday (June 22), unveiled plans to transform the state-owned refinery into a more modern, efficient and profitable facility within the next three years. "The Government is determined to modernise the refinery by a massive upgrade programme that will start very...

Miss Jamaica Festival Queen 2006, Kaysia Johnson has been hailed as an outstanding ambassador for Jamaica, following her successful one week visit to the United Kingdom. Miss Johnson, who was a special guest at the second Jamaica Diaspora Conference on June 16, was not only an active participant during the conference workshops but her performance at the cultural concert that...

Chairman of the National Commercial Bank (NCB) and AIC Limited, Michael Lee-Chin, has been conferred with an honorary Doctor of Laws degree by the University of Toronto. Chancellor of the University, Hon. David Peterson, conferred the honorary degree on Dr. Lee-Chin at the university's recent Spring Convocation. Family, friends and business partners were on hand to witness the moment. William...