Christall Byfield is a very dynamic individual who sets very high standards of achievement for herself. The 30 year-old educator has created history by being the youngest person to be appointed Principal at the St. Ann based Carl Rattray Staff College, where she is tasked with guiding the training and development of the country’s Correctional Officers. Interestingly, Ms. Byfield, who...

The National Council for Senior Citizens (NCSC), which has 84,000 registered members islandwide, is ensuring that the country’s golden-agers live full lives, through several programmes and activities. The NCSC, an agency of the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, networks with the private sector, voluntary organisations and citizens to develop programmes and activities that promote active ageing; encourage participation in...

The National Parenting Support Commission (NPSC) is stepping up efforts to equip parents to properly raise their children. Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Kaysia Kerr, tells JIS News that the entity is concerned about the number of parents who are showing low coping skills and are consciously ‘opting out’, not wanting to continue the duties associated with parenting. Over the past...

Ten years ago, Karmen Josephs’* life was changed forever, when she was diagnosed with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). She tells JIS News that at the time, she was about two months pregnant, and had gone to the doctor for prenatal checks, which included a blood test for HIV. “I did the HIV testing. When I went back with my...

The Clarendon-based Hazard Primary School, located along the busy thoroughfare between Mineral Heights and May Pen, has been transformed into a safety zone for students and other pedestrians. The school, which has been the site of several road crashes, none of which has been fatal, has benefited from the installation of road-safety infrastructure under the Jamaica National (JN) Foundation’s ‘X...

Genuine care and concern for others are hallmarks of a life spent in voluntary service for Social Development Commission (SDC) Kingston and St. Andrew Leadership and Community Development Award recipient, Hazel Veronica Espeut. Now 101 years old, Mrs. Espeut has dedicated her life to giving back to her community of McIntyre Land in Brown’s Town, Kingston, where she has lived...

Chief Executive Officer and co-founder of Billodex Limited, D’Andre Fraser, has carved out a niche in the online event ticket market. Through the Billodex app, the company is making it easy and convenient for consumers to purchase tickets for various events from their smartphone using a debit or credit card. The app is popular among Caribbean and American event organisers....

In 2016, Trudy Dixon Frith and her family opened their home to a 14-year-old female ward of the State in response to a call by the Child Protection and Family Services Agency (CPFSA) for Jamaicans to ‘Take a Child Home for Christmas’. She tells JIS News that the experience was life-changing and one she will never forget. “As a family...

Health officials in St. Ann have lauded the Ministry of Health for the effort to implement its Compassionate Care Programme in hospitals and clinics across the island. The programme, which seeks to improve clinical services with an emphasis on customer care and service delivery in health facilities, has already been launched in four parishes and should be in place islandwide...