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Portmore's Mayor, Councillor George Lee, has called for the "re-education" of councillors, as part of the process to improve local governance. He suggested that, "new councillors should go to school and be tutored in a specially designed course that teaches about governance, management and financial acumen, among other things," while existing councillors should participate in "refresher courses." "For a true...

A total of 14 primary and all-age schools in inner-city communities in Kingston and St. Andrew and St. Catherine, were today (Feb. 8) presented with cheques totaling some $2.6 million toward interventions to improve numeracy and literacy. The beneficiary institutions are Chetolah Park, St. Anne's, St. Michael's, Trench Town, Holy Rosary, Denham Town, St. Andrew, Seaview Gardens, Seaward, McAuley and...

Education, Youth and Culture Minister, Maxine Henry-Wilson, is projecting that by 2010, the number of Student Councils islandwide will increase by 100 per cent, following the revamping of the progamme three years ago. The Minister who was launching Student Council Week, to be observed from February 12-17, during a special ceremony at the Ministry's offices at National Heroes Circle today...

Jamaica's Solution to Youth Lifestyle and Empowerment (JA-STYLE), a project aimed at promoting healthy lifestyle choices among the island's youth, was launched today (Feb. 8). A programme of the Ministry of Health in partnership with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the project will target young people aged 10 to 19 years and organisations that interact most with...

The Child Development Agency (CDA) plans to place at least 60 per cent of children, who are wards of the state, in family based-care by 2008. The plans are part of the agency's thrust since its inception in 2003, to provide alternative care placements within a family setting for wards of the state, which numbers up to 2,500. Currently, within...

Information Minister, Senator Burchell Whiteman is urging more Jamaicans to take advantage of the benefits offered by the National Health Fund (NHF). Speaking at a post-Cabinet press briefing at Jamaica House yesterday (Feb. 6) Senator Whiteman said that the NHF estimated that it was now treating about 24 per cent of persons in Jamaica, who suffered from chronic diseases on...

A proclamation was made yesterday (February 6), by the Mayor of the city of Toronto in Canada, David Miller, marking the occasion as Bob Marley Day:Following is the text of the proclamation: "WHEREAS Robert Nesta Marley was born on February 6, 1945 and in his 36 years, his life and music left an enduring impact of love, hope, creativity and...

Mayor of the city of Toronto in Canada, David Miller, has said that reggae icon, Bob Marley's music has given people everywhere hope for a better tomorrow."Bob Marley's one world and one love was a powerful message. His music spoke to all," he noted. The Mayor said that through his message, Bob Marley became an international ambassador "for peace, courageously...

Minister of Information, Senator Burchell Whiteman has disclosed that the availability of spectrum to broadcast on Jamaica's FM band is almost exhausted, and as such, prospective media entities seeking broadcast licences should now instead, consider airing on the AM frequency. He affirmed that the overall thrust must be the move towards digital broadcasting. Addressing key media industry players at a...

Cabinet Secretary, Dr. Carlton Davis has informed that under the service delivery aspect of the public sector modernization programme, some 92 public sector entities had already launched a citizen's charter or were in the process of doing so. He was speaking at the launch of the Ministry of Agriculture's citizen's charter at the Terra Nova Hotel on Monday (Feb. 6)....

The Spectrum Management Authority (SMA), the government agency mandated to ensure the efficient management of the radio frequency spectrum, has acquired a US$1.6 million automated spectrum management system (ASMS). "The radio frequency spectrum provides the medium for wireless communications and is of fundamental importance to the people and Government of Jamaica. The system we are acquiring is in keeping with...

The government of Jamaica has affirmed its commitment to putting strategies in place to address violence against women at all levels.The move follows the country's ratification of the Inter-American Convention on the Prevention, Punishment and Eradication of Violence Against Women (Convention of Bel