The safe use of radiation sources has become increasingly essential amid global advancements in medicine, energy, and technology. At the forefront of Jamaica’s safety initiatives is the Hazardous Substances Regulatory Authority (HSRA). The agency has evolved from a fledgling entity into a beacon of regulatory excellence serving not just Jamaica but the wider Caribbean. Central to this transformation are three...

Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Karina Powell-Hood, who is the highest-ranked female officer in the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF), wants more young women to view the police force as a viable career choice. Speaking with JIS News, she notes that while the JCF is male-dominated, it provides the opportunity for women with the right aptitude and qualifications to have a...

The book, ‘Wild Flavours’, written by Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton, has been described as a “unique publication, and a real-life insider experience of managing the COVID-19 pandemic in Jamaica”. Professor of Public Health and Ageing, University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona, Dr. Denise Eldemire-Shearer, gave the description at the recent launch, held at...

A new era in public procurement is taking shape with implementation of the Contractor and Consultant Performance Evaluation Programme (CCPEP). The CCPEP is the operational arm of the Contractor and Consultant Performance Evaluation (CPE) Policy that was approved by Cabinet in 2023 and officially launched on November 15, 2023. Designed to evaluate the delivery of government contracts by contractors and...

Members of the public can now view the works of 17 of western Jamaica’s talented artists, which are on display in the Due West Exhibition in Montego Bay, St. James. The pieces, showcased at National Gallery West, include ceramics, paintings, photography, printmaking, and fibre arts, among others. They were created using a diverse range of materials. The themes largely centre...

It was 265 Easters ago when Chief Takyi (also Tacky) led a daring uprising against the cruelty of colonialism, thus igniting a flame of resistance across the island that would serve as a catalyst for Jamaica’s emancipation decades later. Those events of the 1760 Easter rebellion or Tacky’s War that unfolded in the North Eastern parish of St. Mary are...

Approximately18,803 students from183 schools are beneficiaries of the Nutrition Products Limited (NPL) Snack Programme. This is bolstered by the NPL Breakfast Programme, which serves students under the Programme of Advancement Through Health and Education (PATH), which currently supports an additional 50,884 students across another 641 schools daily. The Holy Trinity High School in Kingston (HTHS) was added to the NPL...

Farming for the White family is more than a career choice, it is a tradition that has been passed down through the generations, and practices evolved with the availability of information. Patriarch Clarence White was exposed to farming around age eight when he would help his father in his yam field, and his mother with carrying out and feeding the...

The COVID-19 pandemic was a turning point for many people and Cleo Jones is no different. The 23-year-old poultry and livestock farmer lost his party rental business due to lockdowns during the pandemic. But, instead of falling into a state of despair, Mr. Jones decided to venture into what he terms as an “essential business”— poultry farming. After considering businesses...