Several new landowners in St. James are expressing gratitude to the Government for making their dream of homeownership a reality, through the presentation of titles under the National Land Titling Programme. During a ceremony held recently at the Social Development Commission (SDC) parish office at Albion Road, a total of 67 beneficiaries received certificates of title for property they have...

School administrators at several institutions benefiting from the Government’s Schools’ Sanitation Project, being implemented by the Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF), are expressing gratitude for the equipment and capacity-building development received. The project, which was previously executed under the PetroCaribe Development Fund (PDF), has been renamed the Government of Jamaica Schools’ Sanitation Project, and provided benefits to 75 schools. Systems...

The National Security Ministry is hailing the national closed-circuit television (CCTV) surveillance programme dubbed 'JamaicaEye' as a success in assisting the police’s crime-fighting efforts and maintaining public order. The public-private partnership, launched in 2018, is designed to network CCTVs owned by the Ministry as well as accommodate feed from privately owned cameras. Registered private citizens are able to share footage...

Gender-based violence (GBV) remains a sensitive topic in society, despite the devastating effects on the lives of victims. This stirred the creative response of young communication practitioner at the Jamaica Information Service (JIS), Twila Wheelan, who won a Press Association of Jamaica (PAJ) Award for her efforts in raising awareness on the issue. Miss Wheelan, working on the national ‘No...

Food safety is paramount to the health of the nation, and the Veterinary Services Division (VSD), in the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, plays a significant role to ensure this is achieved. The VSD is responsible for the administration of animal health programmes, veterinary certification of animals and animal products. Chief Veterinary Officer at the VSD, Dr. Osbil Watson, tells...

Jamaica is set to join several countries in creating a secure national identification system, with the proposed National Identification and Registration Act, 2020. The Bill is now being reviewed by a Joint Select Committee of Parliament. Jamaica’s national identification system (NIDS) will provide a comprehensive and secure structure to enable the collection and storage of identity information. This secure voluntary...

Want to start a non-profit organisation but not sure of the steps to take? The Companies Office of Jamaica (COJ) has provided a detailed guide to make the process easy and ensure success. Non-profits are legal entities created to provide a particular service for the benefit of the general public, and they enjoy some tax exemptions. In order for an...

Fostering community development through integrated approaches is part of the mandate of the Social Development Commission (SDC). Through its Local Economic Development Support Programme (LEDSP), the SDC has helped countless community groups and individuals turn their passions and ideas into productive grassroots businesses that sustain livelihoods and contribute to economic development and employment. One such grassroots venture is Fiona’s Fashion,...

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has presented challenges for the education system, resulting in many schools closing their doors and thousands of students forced to access learning online. One of the challenges is the availability of devices (tablets, laptops) by some students to access online learning. The National Education Trust (NET), through its ‘One Laptop/Tablet per child Initiative’, is seeking to...