Jamaicans living with lupus are being encouraged to join support groups, such as the Lupus Foundation, in order to benefit from practical advice and tips to help them cope with the condition. Consultant Rheumatologist at the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI), Dr. Karel DeCeulaer, tells JIS News that lupus is a complex disease, with patients suffering pain and...

The Catherine Hall Primary, Infant and Special Education School in St. James, was a sea of blue and white on June 4, as scores of students, parents and members of staff celebrated the institution’s annual Open Day. An air rich in school spirit encompassed the multifaceted Westgreen-based school as students loudly sang school songs and cheered on schoolmates who performed...

Twenty hernia patients at the St. Ann’s Bay Regional Hospital have benefitted from well-needed surgeries, freeing them of constant pain, and enabling them to return to work and other activities. The surgeries were all performed on Labour Day on May 23, as part of an effort by the hospital to reduce waiting time for operations. Regional Director of the North...

At age 21, three-time quarterly winner in the Jamaica Stock Exchange/All Media Services’ Young Investors Stock Market Competition for 2018, David Rose, is doing what most college students are still dreaming of accomplishing. He is not only investing in the stock market and managing his own investment portfolio but also funding his way through the University of the West Indies...

Trees are pivotal to sustaining life. They provide a home for many animals, stabilise the soil, store carbon dioxide and provide oxygen, which is vital for all life forms. It is against this background that the Forestry Department remains focused on maintaining trees in Jamaica’s forest reserves through, among other things, its ‘Adopt-a-Hillside’ Programme. The agency’s Manager for Strategic Corporate...

The six-year-old Jamaica Diaspora Education Taskforce (JDETF) is providing invaluable support in advancing education in Jamaica. The entity, made up of Jamaicans living overseas, is dedicated to the continued improvement of the country’s education system through the provision of resources and expertise. Over the years, hundreds of local teachers have benefitted from interventions to facilitate professional development. Since its inception...

Government entities will be offering fast-tracked services to delegates attending the Eighth Biennial Diaspora Conference, slated for June 16 to 20 at the Jamaica Conference Centre in downtown Kingston. Approximately 10 State agencies are already confirmed for these engagements, dubbed ‘Government at Your Service’, which were offered during the 2017 Conference. They include: the Passport, Immigration and Citizenship Agency (PICA);...

Tributes continue to pour in from prominent leaders in western Jamaica, for the former Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Edward Seaga, who passed away on May 28 at the age of 89. Former Member of Parliament (MP) for Western Westmoreland and Businessman, Russell Hammond, tells JIS News that Mr. Seaga was an outstanding nation builder and astute political organiser. Mr....

Twelve-year-old Sanjay Johnson’s return to training in late April, in preparation for the 1500-metre race at the just-concluded primary school athletics championship, could almost be described a miraculous. About a week earlier, he had undergone surgery at the Bustamante Hospital for Children to fix a hole in his heart. Normally, such a procedure would require that the patient be hospitalised...